The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-09
a PRIZE HorEL CLERK.
He Had SupercilIous Stare, and ne
CouIdn,t no Mado Co Talk,


Couldn't no Made Co Talk.
"I'vo met some remarkable hotel
clerks in my timc," said New York
ran to 4 Pittsburgh Dispatch reporter,
"but the funniest snap of the sort
ever heard of came within my expo
ricnce ut q big hotel in the south last
winter. 1t was one of those big car;i-
vansaries that are springing up all over
the south, but especially on the sea-
board of Florida, and would give you
the name of the hotel if were not suro
to be going there again next winter.
Well, when 1 walked up to the desk the
day of my arrival q man with immense
whislSers and voice to match handed
mc n pen and said: You'll want fifty
siX-dollar room,' and we engaged in the
regulation scrap over terms and SO on.
My wife was with me, and for that
reason I had to take what could get
and be thankful. Tho man with the
big whishcrs, whom I aftcrward found
to be the proprietor, handed us over to
the bell-boy. While my wife and the
trunks went to the room I tarried be-
hind to attend to several matters. Tho
proprietor had retired into door be-
hind the high desk, and across tho
register from me was n young man of
middle height and anywhere from five
to thirty years of age, whose prominent
features to n woman's eyes were blue
eyes and curly hair and n fair mustacho
with twisted ends, and to n mans
cold, impudent stare, and snccring
upper lip. dislillcd him at first sight.
But he was the only man behind tho
desk within reach, so asked him to
look and see if there were any tele-
q pile Of mail matter upon the desk,
my dislike for that clerk grow
ing. I noticcd.that he was dudishly
dressed, that two diamonds of largo
size sparlSlcd on one of his hands and
an odor of cologne emanated from his
ncighborhood. When had concluded
IN unsuccessful search for correspon-
dencc it seemed to me that q suspicion
of q snecring smile lowered about that
clerks upper lip. I didn't want to know
very badly, but just to make the super
cilious bcggar talk / asked him what
time dinner was served. He looked
calmly through me us if I'd been sheet
of your Pittsburgh plate glass and made
no reply. l repeated the question. L
think was really glad that got no
answer. 1t gave mo chance to resent
the sneering mouth and CLASSY eyes of
the man. With studied calmness said:
rs it customary in this hotel to refuse
to give the guests information for which
they politely nsl1?' He never moved his
lips, and worse still, his eyes were fixed
upon me in cold, hard stare. had
dollar in my hand, n silver dollar. and
knocking with it upon the marble coun-
ter, repeated the question with few
added words of profano character. It
hadn't the slightest effect upon the
frozen blonde, but the noise brought
out the man with the big whiskers.
told him very plainly what thought of
such treatment as had received, aud
was about ready to sail in and wipe up
as much of the floor with tho pair of
them as could, for was red-hot mad,
when tho proprietor said mildly: MY
dear sir, Mr.. Blank is dumb, absolutely
speeches.; and his hearing is affected
Also
What in the thunder do you keep
him for, then?' I asked.
oh! he is very useful in his way
replied the hotcl-llccper, and that is all
the explanation he would make. But
there is no doubt chat the deaf and
dumb clerk was superb instrument of
torture to the gucsts--and when he
was on duty front was deserted"