The record-union., 1894-04-07
LODGING HOUSE EXPERIENCE.
Beselna Relates Another's Woes
About BOOMERS.
The Trials and TribuIations of a
Woman With Rooms to Rent-The
Story of Cat and Roomer.
Especial Correspondence of RECORD UNIoN.l

Especial Correspondence of RECORD UN1oN.]
SAN FRANCISCO, April 4th.
~ just wish 1 lived in Asia or Africa, or
desert island, or some such place where
wouldn't be pestered to death by peo-
pie from morning till night" And the
speaker, small woman with deter
mined air and an aggressive manner,
threw herself into a chair and famed
herself with a diminutive pocket hand
kerchief which she fished up from the
depths Of some mysterious unseen
pocket.
tits the most trying thing on earth this
room-renting business she continued.
'Pve been in it-well, never mind how
many years-and it worries me even to
this day. The very fact that your house
bears a sign Rooms to Rent acts as a
aort of stimulant for all sorts and condl-
tons OF people to come and make life
burden to you, by asking the most abb
surd questions, and, l regret to say, that
the generality OF these people are OF my
own sex; the men are bad enough, good
ness knows, but time doesn't seem to
hang so heavily on their hands that they
want to kill it in that senseless manner.
Let me tell you something, my dear,
that happened to me not long ago, and
then see If Pm not as great a martyr as
any that Fox himself wrote about" Then
the small woman settled herself back in
her chair and commenced her tale.
- L remember distinctly that it had been
q particularly trying day, and toward
afternoon | wasn't feeling in my most
amiable mood, when all at once the door
bell gave a terrific peal, which fairly
made me jump. l was obliged to attend
the door myself that day. too, as my Jap
I'D bo
they were not forthcoming packed off,
bag and baggage, and left me in the
lurch. Well, when l opened the door,
there stood lady who, when she found
out who l was, announced that she had
come to look over the house, and if it
suited her would probably buy it. There
was just the opportunity desired most
II 1 could only dispose of the house at a
reasonable figure, that would be a most
happy solution of all my present diff
culties.
AZ particularly noticed that the lady
was quietly though elegantly dressed,
and seemed to be person OF some means,
who, if she purchased, would give me
the price without any unnecessary delay.
All these details l took in, while l
wreathed my face in smiles and invited
her to enter. The lady came fully pre-
pared, as she produced little note book
and proceeded TO take an inventory of
everything she was shown. Seeing this,
l forgot how tired l was, and eXerted
myself to the utmost, hoping to make
bargain.
well, when we had quite finished she
closed up her note book, produced gold
watch, looked at the time and said: i
have a perfectly lovely home in the
country, with all modern conveniences.
l wouldn't live in the city; no, not If you
would give me a house here for nothing.
You see l came over TO the city to-day TO
have luncheon with my husband, and
having an hour on my hands just didn't
know how in the world to employ it, IN
til 1 happened to see an Office where they
had houses 10 let. l went in and asked
them TO tell me OF lodging house for sale
and they directed me here. | don't want
TO buy, you know, but in case l ever
should thought it would be just as well
10 have proper estimate
~ was fairly struck dumb at the
woman's unmitigated gall. l just
couldn't think of anything to say which
would fit the case, but finally did man
age to ask her if she didn't think she had
brass and then I showed her the door, |
and slammed it after her, too. This is
only one instance in a dozen which l !
could relate to you.
but the greatest trials of all are the
rent, the water and the gas bills; board
ers and roomers may come and 60, but as
long as you keep the house those three
that you tell the agent on the 1st OF the
month that you haven't got the money
for him, because your roomers haven't
paid you or have gone away; ne
will stare at you in stolid indifference
and tell you that he can't help that: that
he must have the rent, and then he will
proceed to haunt you until in sheer des- !
peration you gather the money together |
by hook and crook and hand it to him, |
all the time wishing you could choke him
with it.
"And then you must be so careful of
the people you take in. If it is man
you wonder if he will come home early
IN the morning, embracing the lamp
posts on his way; you wonder II he Will
want to make his appearance in the
morning dressed only in his pajamas,
and, above all, you wonder if he will
want to entertain his lady friends in his
room.
''If it's lady, you wonder if she will
curl her hair over the gas and then for
get 10 turn it out, leaving it burning all
day. You wonder if she has any pets,
such as parrots, that are certainly the
most profane birds that were ever per-
mitted to wear feathers; or spoiled
CANNES who will never rest content until
they have sampled piece of your anat-
omy; or one Of those horrid, treacherous
animals of the feline race who make
night hideous with their cries."
Then a smile lowered over the speak
er'S face, which speedily broke forth into
laughter, and she said as she subsidized
''Ah, dear me! I mustn't forget to tell
you a funny little story, which makes me
laugh whenever l think OF it. It hap
pened to me when l first began to rent
rooms, and TO really housekeep on my
own hook. Every thing was in readiness,
but somehow or another these rooms
wouldn't rent. The bills were going on,
the rent was going on, but there wasn't
any revenue coming in with which to
meet these debts.
az was almost in despair, and vowed to
myself that the very first person who
came along, even were that person a
tramp, should have those rooms. No
sooner had made this resolve than along
came man to look at rooms. l wasn't
particularly struck with his looks, but
looks didn't count with me then, and II
r he only could pay me, that was all l
wanted. I showed him the apartment,
and dilated upon its good points at great
length and when | was almost exhausted
from so much talking, l wondered why
he didn't say some thing.
FINALLY l managed to screw up suffi-
Gent courage to ask If the room didn't
suit him. oh, yes said he. with
sweeping glance all around. The room
suits me well enough with peculiar
emphasis on the personal pronoun, but
Il wouldn't suit my cat Your cat!
said l, why not?' I had made up
my mind beforehand under no
consideration TO rent my rooms TO people
with pets; but the situation was desper-
ate, and l raised no objection. We'll, it's
this way said the man with the cat, my
eat has always lived in house where the
door from my room led directly TO the
Garden, and you have no such door here;