The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-10

mentS, and in chicken iced they'd
gone through the young ones banks to
make it up!
Sometimes we come across folks who
want to give us their whole personal his
tory and gaze at their genealogical tree,
and impress upon us that although they
may be slightly embarrassed as to money
matters at the present moment. in times
past they were simply rolling in wealth
and luxury, as were their fathers and
grapdfathers before them. Sometimes
we find women who are determined to
make mashes' on US with view, APP
parentIy, to a lowering of the rent. Poor
things they don't realize that senti-
ment and business don't trot in double
harness, and tina. a collector has nothing
to do about the rents except collect 'em.
'Then we come up with other folks who
pay their rents all right but are con-
tinually giving US song and dance about
repairs and changes. The fences, the
gates. the doors, the windows, the locks,
the roof. and the plumbing always needs
attention, according to them, and if you
would pay attention to their complaints
and demands you would use UP the rent
money, and more, too, every month in
fixing things to suit 'em and then they
wouldn't.
Then there's folks who are always COM
planning about their neighbors and have
a continual grievance about something
that has been done or said or thought, in
the fiat above. or the fat below, or in the
house next door to them. They're rar-
tars, they are, and they'll make your life
misery if you pay any attention to them.
You soon learn, though, to sympathize
with them just while you are making out
their receipts, and then let them fight it
out among themselves after you have
gone about your business. Interfering
in neighbors' quarrels doesn't pay, and
strict neutrality is collectors rule unless
things get too steep-hair- pulling, hot
water and such-and then he don't take
sides or join in the fray, but simply re-
ports the matter at the Office and leaves
the Strengthening of things to the man
ager.
Zone of the funniest persons that ever l
met in the business was pleasant looking
old lady who moved into one of our
houses and paid her rent as regular as
clockwork for the first three months.
around that had to call upon her, and
when she opened the door and saw me
standing there, receipt book in hand, she
looked at me with very set and stony
expression = a regular CLASSY eve, you
know-and she says: What is it?
Trent, ma'am,' says /, as polite as
could be- and then she bucked right there.
"'I deny the existence of rent she
says. There IS no such thing as rent;
there never was such thing, and there
never will be-
az hope it isn't so bad as that, ma'am,'
said |, for she seemed to be taking kind
of gloomy view of things; times are
pretty hard all over. but / guess you'll
manage 10 raise it some way. Surprising
l call again tomorrow
She fairly glared at me. Il refuse to
accept the idea of your existence she de-
clared. You do not exist: you never did
exist, and you never will exist! l refuse
to entertain the idea of your presence
here on my front steps; it is unpleasant
and improbable. and ! am going to close
my door, And she did.
II thought she was locoed, and sent the
head collector up to see about her, but by
the time he got around-two or three days
later-she had dug up some cash and PAID
the bill like little man. Come to find
out, she was only one of those scientific
people who believe In affirming and deny
ing things just as the notion takes EN-, and
she was just practicing her principles on
me.
when we get hold Of tenants who are in
dicfr q 10 I'D 81;
those yellow billetdoux under their
doors. but we can't help it, for We have our
orders and must carry em out. A great
many people are inclined always TO blame
the agents for the cases of hardship which
now and then come to light, but in SO
cases out Of 100 the agent is not at all
to blame. 1t is the owner who stands be-
hind him and gives the orders-the agents
business is simply to carry them out.
Ever read Little Dorrit'? Well. that
saphead of Flora Finching's father is
pretty good picture of some property
owners. They look very pious and benevo-
lent, but if some Parks would cut their
hair off, figuratively speaking, you'd be
astonished at what you would zee.
About the worst place to collect in is
Chinatown. We have to do our collecting
up there in the evening to catch our ten
ants at home, and we have to go up there
three or four strong or we'd get wiped out
com pletely.
1.-THE other night three of US went up to
one of those big beehives, and We got
along all right until we came 10 one door,
and when we knocked there Chinaman
opened it a little ways and began chopping
at.us with one of the ugliest and wickedest
looking cieavers that you ever saw in your
life. That was his gentle and innocent
way of suggesting to us that lie didn't feel
inclined to pay any rent that evening
was little shy on specie, and would pre-
fer to have us call again.