Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-08-06
ENTERTAINED TOO WELL
rhs Solitary Guest CooIdn't Stand the AZ
tentions Of the Hotel STAR

tenuons OF the Hotel Stan.
Seated amid the palms and shrubberies
Of the Sc Charles hotel roof garden, with
the soft vapor Of after dinner CIGARS form
ing q luminous haze about them, they
were discussing the nberality and charm
Of American hospitality. "Some years
ago, F" said Mr.. W. 7. Jones when II came
his turn, many of you win remember that
an Englishman with more money than So
gacity built a magnificent hotel at Cum.
berland Gap There was nothing In par
ticular to recommend the place IL was
out Of the line for travelling men and DOS.
sessed no attractions for tourists; but, moth
ing daunted by these deficiencies, the Eng
lishman made Of 1t q veritable palace The
appointments were magnificent In every
particular, and though I've put up at ey.
cry hotel Of any consequence In the coun-
try do not remember ever to have slept
In more luxurious bedroom. But guests
perslstently refused to arrive, and one
morning when registered found only
five names on the book. Nor was this the
worst, for, turning back, found even
fewer names until ] came TO q space where
for five days there had been only one man
In the house There was O man named
Loomis, now clerk at the Cordova, behind
the desk, and I asked him how things were
going. 'Goingl' be exclaimed Then with
a very long face, When you entertain a
man so well that you drive him out OF the
house, and be the only guest, you're In q
bad way Thereupon he told me about
the solitary guest, 1t appears that he had
called the leader Of the orchestra up and
said to him: DO you see that mann Keep
your eye on him He's our only guest.
We can't lose him or the house must close
Give him - of time When he goes
in to dinner, take your orchestra outside
the door and play music for him. When
he goes into the billiard room, follow him
and play music while he shoots the balls
round When he goes to the bar, follow
him and play while be drinks. Keep your
eye on him, band1naster. Give hin. music
wherever he goes Then he called the
steward up and said: Keep your eye on
that man He's our only salvation. Give
him high old time. None of his money
goes at the bar. Throw open the wine-
room to him. Keep him supplied with the
best cigars Serve him the whole bill of
fare and have extra meals sent to his
room
"Then they started inS on the guest
When he went into the billiard room, the
band would play marches while he car
omed and dirges when he masseed When
he came out, they would follow him to the
bar playing march, and while the bar.
tender poured out bumpers of wine for him
they would discourse the drinking song
from 'Tannhauser.' Circus music would
be played while he walked round the cor
ridors and symphonies while he dined.
After dinner relays of negro boys would
bring him In cigars and the band would
play I Smoked My Last Cigar When he
went to bed, the band played hlllabies In
the hall, and In the morning he was awak-
ened with reyeille and Mendelssohn's
Spring Song For five days the guest
was drunk with the combined effects Of
food, music, cigars and champagne, and
then all Of sudden, while the band was
following him to the bathroom playing A
Life On the Ocean Wave he grew very
white and fell all In heap He was car
ried out on shutter and taken to the hos
pital at Hagerstown, where he soon recov-
cred. Within 90 minutes after he left three
guests arrived and the hotel was saved ~
New Orleans Times Democrat