Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-23
A NIGHT IN A SHROUD.
AN IMPRoWSED NiGHTGOWN THAT
CAUSED A SENSATION

A Truthful Drummer's Experience in &
Strange Hotel Where Nobody Seemed
to Know Anything About Him-A Mis-.
take That Has Proved Costly.
Il shall never forget my first experience
at Toledo" said Max Scheuer, a New York
drummer, last night at Charlie Kern's
1T occurred a half dozen years ago. j
had just started out upon the road and
was about as green youngster as ever at
tempted to capture business. Late one
afternoon left Cleveland for Toledo On
the train l struck up an acquaintance with
young chap who was travelling for an I'M
dertakers' supply house, and we soon grew
quite chumny and formed sort of travel
ing partnership while our routes would
permit us'to be together.
Arriving at Toledo at midnight we
went to the Island House, hotel which
was virtually AN extension of the depot.
Throwing my grip over the counter wrote
my name in big letters on the register and
asked for double room The clerk, after
good deal of circumlocution, finally told
US that he could not give us a double room,
or single room, or any room at all, as the
hotel was filed clear to the caves and the
dining room was full of cots.
II felt pretty hot under the collar Just
then to think that we had wasted consid-
cradle time, and improved the opportunity
to say few emphatic things to the young
nincompoop who had kept Us waiting.
Then we started out to find another hotel.
1t was so late that we could get no convey
ance, and so we trudged along block after
block until at last we reached the Body
House, tired out and in anything but a
good humor. We Immediately registered
and were assigned a good double room
Il sat down on the edge of the bed,
pulled off my shoes and proceeded to I'M
dress suddenly jumped up with an ex-
clamation.
What's the NATTER asked my com
panion-
MY valise. must have left it at the
Island House. I'll swear had it when I
left the train
well, go TO sleep. You can go over in
the morning and look it up. Anything OF
much value in it2'
No; only little clothing and toilet
outfit But I've got good notion TO go
back now.
Why not wait till morning.
&c 1t may be too late then. Besides the
grip contained my nightshirt, and don't
believe l cotlld sleep without it.
~ guess l can fit you out in that line if
you aren't too squeamish, he replied
Whereupon he opened his sample case,
took out long, white garment elaborate
ly ruffled and starched stiff and shiny
What do you cali thats' 1 gasped in
astonishment-
a shroud.'
"'Whats
4 shroud-and a mighty good one,
too. Slip into it and turn in 1t may
change your luck
Il hesitated 1t was late and / was
very tired. \ moment later was inside
the ghastly thing and ready for slumber.
1T was awful I couldn't sleep. 1 lay
there and conjured up all sorts of uncanny
scenes. Whenever 1 dropped into a doze
/ awoke with start, believing that 1 was
about 70 be buried alive. II was nearly
daylight before tired nature succumbed
and fell asleep.
When / avgoke. the sunlight streaming
through the window showed me that it
was nearly noon. The room was full of
people, who We're crowded about my bed
and big, pompous old fellow was feeling
my pulse.
Il sat bolt upright, rubbed my eyes to
be sure that / was not dreaming, and then
shouted, What in the name of the great
horned spoon does this mean,'
"A cry went up from the crowd: 'Pshaw:
He's all right
For answer l Jumped out Of bed and
grabbed a chair. The way the invaders
hurried out OF my room was simply start
ling. Selling the pompous individual
who had awakened me, l inquired what
the performance signified
Pm the coroner" he said. Il was
summoned few minutes ago by call
boy, who said that stranger had com
mitted suicide in room 10 at the Body
House. I came over here, and you know
the rest
My undertaken friend had left the room
early in the morning and the chambermaid
found the door unlocked, entered. and was
Mortified to find corpse ~ laid out ready
for burial. She reported her discovery
and the coroner was summoned. That in
cident has cost me round 500 if il has