Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-09-14
LIFE IN CITY HALL.
AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY VIM. X.
JONES.

hotel for any civilized person to
live at. But WI:at cannot be
avoided must b patiently borne.
The proprietor OF this summer
resort lin d little while It viii be
turned into a winter Icsortj is
Sheriff Parker, while it IS ably
and efficiently mana.ed b. the
genial deputy, Mr.. jim Robert
son, who combines the qualities
and quantities (for he is a great
quantity of manager, clerk, and
janitor.
At present the number of
boarders is small, and therefore
not very profitable either to the
proprietor, manager, OF to the
county. True, some have come
and gone during the writer's so
journ here, but, then, this is a
hotel which runs night and day,
year III and year out, profit or
loss-loss to the county. The
difference between a boarder
here and bolrder at the Bay
View and Woodland, or at Aunt
EmcIine's, is that at the latter
places one may come and go as
he chooses 50 long as he pays the
freight, while at the former one
may come when he chooses but
may not go until the proprietor
sees fit to allow him to do so.
Another difference is that board
is free at City Hall.
The main drawback is that a
boarder at City Hall is deprived
of that most valued privilege,
liberty-the desire for which is
as natural and overpowering as
hunger.
City Hall is one of those hotels,
to be found i'll every town, where
both white and ColOred boarders
are accommodated. At the time
of writing there are two colored
boarders, while the writer IS the
only white boarder.
There are also other differ
ences which distinguish City
Hall from other hotels. The bed
rooms are double the size; there
is al absence of the usual bed
room furniture, except the mat
tres5 and blankets; then there IS
no dining room. III fact City
Hall is all bedrooms, four i'll
number, each Of which serves as
bedroom, dining room and par
Ior. There are two upstairs and
two downstairs. The walls OF
those downstairs are nearly fou1
feet thick, while tie windows
are made of iron bars instead o.
glass, probably SO built as tc
prevent the strong light from in
Turing the eyes, for the sun is
never allowed to peep inside
The upstairs apartments are not
50 inpregnable, however, fo1
the walls are not 50 thick, no1
the windows either, so that any
one (With strong eyes, can safely
be allowed to reside III them
without fear of losing his eye
sight.
Probably the writer's eyes are
considered weak, for l occupy
one Of the downstairs apart
ments, which as al extra favor
perhaps, is ceiled with two-inch
oak, instead of bare brick walls
One day last week my room was
papered-with white wash
which makes it look a little more
pleasant.
The chaudeAcr(? i'll my room
unlike other chandeliers, IS not
fast to the ceiling but is fast tc
heavy iron ring-boIt in the
floor, and consists of a heavy
chain. 1t is only used III the case
Of unruly guests, and then is il
Illuminated by the blacksmith, sc
| am informed, to the ankle OF
the said unrl1ly guest. Not car
ing for that kind Of illumination
l have not yet requested its use
and probably never will. So
am satisfied with a lantern hang
ing OH a nail Oh the wall.
City Hall guests have to be
their own Chambernaids, but
Uncle Jacob performs the ser
vices of waiter.
a CLEAN JAIL.
I must not pass without say
ing a word about the cleanliness
of this Jail. Under the care OF
Mr.. Robertson, the place is kept
scrupulously clean. Every care
IS taken in every direction, and
this is a most essential requisite
i'll places of this kind.
THE DIET.
Although 50 far I have been
fortunate enough to have my
meals sent from the hotel Bay
View, which, through the kind
ness gifts proprietor, Mr.. +. \.
White, have obtained on good
terms, still l have had an oppor-
tunity to see the ordinary Jail
diet, and being now financially
embarrassed, l shall from to-mor-
row have a more dreaded oppor-