The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-04-01

scross the lobby. The clerk looked ut
him occasionally in minpled anger and
amusement Presently the man walked
out into tho center of the lobby, glanced
slowly around and walked deliberately
ont of the hotel through the writing
room and the ladies' entrance.
II wish somebody would invent a
sure crank-killing machine" said the
clerk, after the man had disappeared.
''That fellow was the sixth tonight ''
what do you mean?" asked the re-
porter.
II mean," he replied, ''that that fell
low knew when he came here that no
such man as he inquired for had ever
stopped here. In fact, the name he
mentioned was all there was OF his pre-
tended friend. When he came here
and asked for the myth of his own
creation, he knew that he was simply
bothcring me. What was his object?
Oh, simply to create IN impression Oh
the people standing around. Did you
notice how his voice rose when he
talked of the myth as the big million
aire? Don't you know there are men
who are constantly craving the noto-
ricty that is associated with riches?
Haven't you heard men in restaurants,
elevated trains, horse cars, barrooms
and elsewhere talk about big
deals,' bonds, vast sums of money.
their social position, intimacy with
great men, and all that sort of
thing? OF course you have, and have
known all the time that they were
merely taking. Well, that sort of man
comes in here nearly every day and an
noys the life out of us. This fellow
you saw has been here so many times ]
am dead on to him. He wants to show
off his clothes and imitation diamonds,
and m AXE people think he is n big gun
Most of them arc not SO we'll dressed as
he IS Some are countrymen who have
heard n good deal about our lobby and
the men who frequent it, and ask ques-
tions about persons who don't exist as
an excuse for coming here. They seem
to think that being seen in conycrsa-
ton with the clerk gives them Il sort
OF right to stay here and satisfy their
curiosity. They have an ideo the de-
tectives will como around and order
them out unless they do som >tting Of
the kind. I frightened one of these
fellows nearly out of his wits one night
lie was perfect jay. and Sta: tered cd.
lie asked il Howard johnson was in.
Yes 1 said, there he is and 1
pointed out our detective, who was
standing close by. Mr.. Johnson 1
SAID, heres man wants to talk to
YOU I winl<ed to the detective and he
tum mbled. What did you wish of me.
sir?' he said, crowdinS him ,1p into this
corner. The fellow turned blue with
fright. 4 g-g-guess m-m-ade n m-m-
mistake he suffered. You asked for
Howard Johnson 1 said, severely.
And that's my namc.' said the detec-
tive, taking the hint. 'T-y-yes,' said
the fellow, 'b-b-but l g-g-guess y-you
air d-d-differeut H-H-uoward.' lie
kept cdGing Off as far as he could, and
finally boltcd.
Some of the cranlSs got up great
cocl1-and-bull stories. One fellow
called the other night to know if a
Mr.. Harris had left u pair os opera
glasses for him. There had been no
such guest here. During the last cam
Paign, when the papers, were full of
stories about the big men here. VIC had
as many as thirty forty cranlSs pes
tering us every day. a fslvorite trick
with some of them was to wait until
the papers announced the departure of
a big gun, and then come here and
pester us with questions about when
he would return. Tney always pre-
te nded surprise when told he had gone
without lenving messages for them,
and would try to talk confidentiallv
with us, in tones loud enough to be
heard fifty feet away, about their inti-
mate relations with the biz. men. We
were overrun with them, and found it
difficult to attend to our business for
they stuck like Ieeches It was great
relief to see them drop off after the
campaign, but we are still annoyed by
enough to make us sore at timcs''-N
Y. Sun.