The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-01-15
EXPENSIVE HOSPITALITY.
A Host Who Put UP a Sign for the
Benefit of Visitors.

A Host Who Put UP a Sign for the
Benefit of Visitors.
"Down In nearly any OF the Southern
States" remarked the New York drum
mer Sundaying In Washington, ''the
oppression OF hospitality, If may 50
express 1t. is something the Northern
er has no idea of. / have travelled IN
New England, AZ well as all over the
South, and have actual knowledge o.
what / am talking about. never heard
of Yankee being eaten out of house
and home by his friends, but know of
dozen families In different parts Of
the South who have a continual strug
gle for existence simply because they
haven't the courage to put up the bars
and shut out their thoughtless visitors,
who drop In at any and all times for a
meal or nights lodging, or both, or
half-a-dozen of them, for that matter.
OF course they are just as ready to ex-
tend a similar courtesy, but 1t isn't
every family who can make itself even
by boarding 1t out, and the result is
that burdens are thoughtlessly thrust
upon many who are kept with their
noses to the grindstone as long as they
live.
Il never knew OF but one who had
the nerve to inaugurate new order of
things, and he, or she rather has been
at 1t so shortly that | cannot say how
1t win turn out, though so far 1t is
glittering success. This man had a
good farm and a raft of friends who
seemed TO think that his house was
theirs free of cost, and used 1t accord
ingly. His first wife was a native of
the same county. and she couldn't turn
people away, though she and her hus-
band both felt that they were gradual
ly being devoured and worked to death
for their friends Four years ago she
died, and year ago he married a
Pennsylvania woman of sense and
courage, and with no traditions and
customs to observe. She said nothing
for the first six months, but went
ahead keeping a free hotel and listen
Ing to compliments on the superior
kind of a woman she was, and then she
called for a change.
"She had a comfortable competence
OF her own. and out of that she took
enough to paint and enlarge the house
and improve the grounds. and in the
meantime she announced that she was
going to keep hotel OF course, while
the workmen were tearing things up,
the visitors had to stay away, and in
this way they quit for time.
"On the LIST of September last she
opened up the place. which she had
made very handsome. and began wait
Ing for guests. The only indication of
a hotel there is is an archway over the
/ big gate on the pike about a quarter
of a mile from the house, and on this IL
a fourfoot square sign reading:
Hotel Bountiful.
Best Meals and Beds in the County.
Everybody Welcome.
Entertainment for Man and Beast.
Prices So per Day Up.
Single Meals, $1.50.
Lodging. 50.
No Reduction by the Week or Month.
Dogs and Children Not Admitted.
Come one. Come All.
MIR. AND MRS. BLANK, Proprietors.
'As | said" concluded the drummer,
II don't know how the scheme will re-
suit. but when was in that neighbor-
hood ten days ago they hadn't done
enough business to pay for the sign.
In fact. they hadn't had single guest,
and never saw two hotel proprietOrs
as thoroughly cOntented and happy
over the exceedingly bad business they
were doing