The Russellville Democrat., 1891-04-30
RED APPLE TAVERN.

 Queer Title Given to Hotel In New
 York State Through Its Owners Wrath.
 It is doubtful if there is any commer- cial travelling man running between Chicago and New York who has not heard of the Red Apple tavern" of Erie, but it Is equally doubtful if more than one travelling man in a hundred knows how it got the name. Before 1t was given it's second baptism the ho- tel was known as the Reed House Old Colonel Ellsworth was the proprietor, and though good hearted man when you caught him right, his penchant for flying off at a tangent frequently pre- cluded possibility of any one getting a word in edgewise. His ranting at such times would have given old For rest pointers, while the independence he manifested Thomas Jefferson could not have equaled.
 Why, while in such frances, aberra- tions or whatever you prefer to call them, he would become so distended with his confidence in his ability to run the hotel himself as to feel warranted in discharging every bell boy, porter, clerk and other employe in the office. It was just after he had, during one of these spells, swept the office bare of assistance that John Splan, the driver, arrived in the city and put up at the hotel. The weather was straight from Tophet and Splan wanted room on the top floor where the air at night was fresh and pure So the old colonel was compelled to pull himself up five long pairs of stairs-there was no elevator in the house-to show Splan his room. Then he shambled down.
 Splan divested himself of his coat, vest and collar plunged his hands into the water and reached for the soap. There was none, so he punched the an nunciator. By this time the colonel down in the office had just recovered his breath lost in his ascent and de- scent, and felt in anything but mood for promptly responding to the call So Splan, after waiting a reasonable time, punched again, and then again, until, after getting into a perspirs ton with the exercise, the landlord, mad as a wet hen, appeared:
 What are you making all this noise about2" he queried
 ''I want some soap" said Splan, rather astonished at the asperity of his host
 Well there ain't no use in making such a row about a piece of soap" says the colonel A hot argument followed, ending in the colonel fetching the soap By the time he had once more reached the office floor Splan had finished wash ing, only to discover that there was no towel in the room. Then he thumped the bell again and again, the old man appearing after delay longer than the first He was madder too He fairly seethed with rage Of course another red hot argument followed, and then the colonel fetched towel By the time Splan had finished his toilet the incident had softened into an amusing reminiscence. But not so with the colonel, who, when Splan appeared, opened up on him in the most vigorous fashion.
 When Splan recovered from his amazement he walked up to the colonel and vowed that he had a mind to shake the teeth out of him, and would do so but for his gray hairs. This ended the argument, and Splan went out, related the affair to his acquaint- ances, and invited them around to see it break out afresh upon his return to the hotel They did so, and when, upon Splans entering the corridor, they saw the colonel reach under his desk, and, putting his hand behind his back, approach his guest, they smiled in an ticipation of the jolliest kind of row Their hopes were dashed, however, for instead of a bludgeon or revolver they saw in the colonel's hand as he brought it before him and extended it to Splan large red apple. Splan was more astonished than had the colonel hit him. But there was no mistaking the smile of repentance and remorse on the colonel's face, so he took the peace offering, and with the assistance of his acquaintances rechristened the hotel there and then the Red Apple tav- ern. "-Chicago Hotel Reporter.