Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-12-19
ROOM-CLERK BROWN


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81 ERSONS who are naturally
bright and observant, and who
give their whole attention to some
particular pursuit or branch Of bust
ness. often develop wonderful powers
Of observation and memory. Thus with
the teacher whose life is given to the
mental growth Of innumerable pupils,
the physician with his recurring army
Of patients, the successful merchant,
the commander Of an army.
And SO, in a way, was 1t with Brown,
room clerk of the Ridgewood. He had
accepted the position as a distinct rise
in his fortunes. and had taken to 1t a
naturally good memory and q genial
disposition. Guests came to look upon
him as a rather pleasant feature of the
house, and the proprietor realized that
to him was owing much Of his own
growing reputation as host Of select
family hotel. Transients who stopped
for a few days, and then went away
for years, came back to be surprised
and warmed by the cordial recognition
of Room-clerk Brown. And not only
were they recognized, but their prefer.
ences and peculiarities were remember.
ed. This guest was assigned sunny
room, and that a quiet one on the back,
and very likely at the end Of passage
the man who loved checkers was unob-
trusively made acquainted with others
of like tendency, and the golfers and
fishermen and confirmed trampists
were not forced to wait for slow cir.
cumstances to bring them into contact
with congenial associates, but were be-
ing introduced to them within an hour
or two after their arrival. And 1t was
Ill through the watchfulness of Brown
Hecker, the misanthrope and wan
derer, who did not have a tie in the
world, and who rarely remained at a
place more than a week at time, was
one of these. He had once spent three
days at the Ridgewood, and ten years
later, happening to be crossing that
section Of the country, had again gone
there.
1t was during the height OF winter
travel. and as he stood behind the group
that was pushing eagerly forward to
register. he wondered II he would be
able to obtain accommodation.
But at that moment he caught a
glance from room-clerk Brown, cordial,
reassuring; and a few moments later
when he had edged his own way for
ward tc the desk, he was accosted with:
"Glad to see you back, Mr.. Hecker.
Your old room, 81, is all ready; and we
will have the evening papers sent up,
as usual. I suppose you will want
carriage In the morning? Yes, we'll
we will have 1t round at the same hour,
and the same driver. too-the one you
said knew how to keep still, you re
member? He Is still driving"
Mr.. Hecker actually smiled as he
went W to his room. He did not have
a home in the world, and scarcely a
friend; but this, he vas pleased to
think. seemed very much like both.
He had come with the Intention of
staying two or three days, or perhaps
q week; but he had no place planned
for the week following. So he spent
that at the Ridgewood, and the sue
ceeding week, and month. and then did
not 60. Two years had slipped away.
and he was still In his old room, 81, tc
which the evening papers we're sent
MP. as usual. And every pleasant morn
ing the same carriage and driver came
round at the same hour and took him
for a drive somewhere out into ths
country.
OF course, Mr.. Hecker was rather
an extreme case, and one to which the
proprietor was fond of alluding when
speaking of his room clerk, Brown;
but there were others who came for o
day or week or month, and who linger
ed on indefinitely. In time the perma
nent and regular guests Of the Ridge
wood became so numerous that tran
slents were often forced to seek accom-
modaton elsewhere; and so the name OF
Room Clerk Brown went abroad.
One day, as Mr.. Hecker was going
down a side street near the railroad
station, he saw the Ridgewood porter
grasping shrinking figure which
seemed too frightened to protest OI
even to attempt escape. The porter
was hurrying him toward the hotel,
and appeared to be both exultant and
angry. AS they came opposite, MIR.
Hecker looked at the porter inquiring-
ly.
What's up?' he asked.
It's a thief I've catched, SIR" the
man explained; .'he was stealing ride
on the south-bOund train, and the con-
ductor put him off. l knew the fellow
Soon's | set eyes on him. Stand up,
your to the prisoner, don't SO to fall
Ing down now. Wait till you get into
Jail for that. You see, sir, he came here
twelve years ago and said he lived ten
or fifteen miles back in the woods
somewhere, and that his children were
starving and he must have work. l
felt sorry for him, and went to A.r.
Brown, who got job for him as as
Sstant porter. And, sir, would you be-
neve it," shaking the prisoner violently
and becoming red in the face as he did
the villain worked just three hours,
is hen stole Mr.. Browns watch. He
term. wife was sick and needed
1Oes mud that his children Were
can flag isthey always say that
the governm.so obstinate that he
-ninistrative an,uD the watch aa
%, outside the
Jim.
as he