The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1898-04-28
BILLINGS oUEERED HIMSELF

y
makes him very unpopular in the
country" said Mr.. Suburbanite as
he settled back in his chair. Now
there is Billings" he added pointed
ly.
Billings is no snob, said Brown
"He is an old friend of mine, and
I'll bank on Billings every time"
THAT was what said before he
built a house in my town. told
every one that Billings was all
right, and now that Billings has
queered himself am in hot water. :"
Billings was not man who was
in the habit of queering himself.
What did he dos Shoot neig Dor S
dog2"
"Oh, nor replied Suburbanite
YEARLY. Billings offense was more
serious than that. He declined to
call his house the Bungalow, and
every one of his neighbors resented
it. In fact, he wouldn't name the
house at all. ?"
THAT is to his credit" said
Brown.
mo, it sn't-where Billings
lives" said Suburbanite. IF you
have any local pride at all, you are
bound to call your house the Bunga-
low It is absolutely necessary"
Billings told me that he had
built colonial house, and if he did
that would let him out. Of course
it would be absurd to call colonial
house a bungalow"
"That was just what Billings was
foolish enough to say" said Sub
/ urbanite, land unfortunately four
colonial houses in his part of town
were each called the Bungalow.
You see, the local dealer in note pa
lper agreed several years ago to get
lup special brand headed the
Bungalow, with the number and
street added to suit the purchaser. if
he were sure of having at least a
dozen customers who would order
it. Owing to death and fire the mum.
Der of bungalows had been reduced
to II when Billings began to build,
and the paper dealer was complain
ing. When the rumor went the
rounds of the bowling clubs ani
whist clubs that Billings had reject
ed the name bungalow, there was 6
commotion, can tell you. AS l ha6
vouched for Billings delegation Of
indignant house owners called OF
me at once and asked me if Billing.
wanted to hurt the town or if hi
was merely snob. ! defended hin
as best ! could, but it was no use. :"
Poor Billingsr' said Brown.
"That was not his only offense,
continued Suburbanite. when b,
gave his house warming, he though
that he could make his neighbour
forget the Bungalow incident by hi
hospitality. He had Hungarian
band and a caterer from New York
and his house was we'll decorated
Poor Billings Some one should have
coached him. One of the first guests
to arrive was woman who has three
daughters who are popular. Conse.
quently she is something of social
power. She admired Billings par
lors, bis dining room and his billiard
room and then said:
"'Now, Mr.. Billings, as a near
neighbor and friend l am going
to ask you favor. think the key
note of every mans house is his
den. 1t indicates his tastes and fads,
you know, and l am going to ask
you to show me your den.
But I haven't got any den, said
Billings.
"'Now, Mr.. Billings, she persist
ed, that is hardly fair. / am so anx-
ious to see it'
Really there is no such place
| in my house, he said. L suspect
that you mean one of those stuffy
little cubby holes usually flied up
with a lot of trash until you can't
move and cherished as the exclusive
retiring place of the master of the
house. l called to see my plumber
while the house was building, and
he took me up to see his den, as he
called it. The place was well named.
You certainly didn't think that
would have den in my housei'
Every house in the neighbor-
hood has a den, she answered
sharply, and some of them are
quite as nice houses as yours, Mr..
Billings
Before the evening was ended
several other women asked Mr.. Bill
ings where his den was, and when
it became known that to add to his
offensive rejection of the Bungalow
he had neglected to fit up den his
doom was sealed. Billings says that
| he paid for the house and he can do
as he chooses with it, but surely he
/ l. 4 Il l.