The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-28
THE VOoDOo KEY.

them. Tt was the eve Of Madri Gras. but
at the carnival season there are plenty
OF masked balls in New Orleans. of ali
klnds-and colors. We went to the
Rex ball, which was a very large and
seml-respectable gathering. We went to
otners that were less decorous. We went
TO some where at the entrance there were
numerous reviewers and knives checked
like hats and coats. was told that the
doorkeepers passed their hands lightly
over the visitor, searching for weapons
L 90 not know whether this was true or
not only know that / had no weapon
and that they did not search me for one.
But l did see the checked weapons.
Not long after midnight an unspeak-
able WEAKNESS Of the merry maskers
came over me. I wanted to go to bed
I had travelled nearly 1000 miles without
stopping, and 1 was tired. But 1 had
no bed. Were you ever in a large city
with no place to lay your head? 1 never
mad been before. The sensation was ne
culiar. My New York friend, Hickup,
said he would make a night of it," SO
l left him at one of the merry balls and
returned to my dear old home, the ST.
Charles hotel.
1 asked the clerk with an agreeable
smile if there were any rooms
He replied, Nope"
II am aware said, with fine hunor
that there are few people stopping
In the house, but I had hoped that an
epidemic might have broken cut, or that
somebody might be dead, or something
since dinner
The clerk replied briefly that there had
been no deaths. He was a worthy man
but had no sense of humor.
is there reading room open?" ]
asked.
"NOnn - kho oil
rs there a billiard room open?'
Nope" replied the clerk, tables full
of men,"
rs there anything open?" I asked in
desperation.
"Oh, yes" replied the clerk; .the bar.
room" indicating it with a wave Of his
hand.
Some philosopher has said that to MANY
men the drinking saloon resembles home
because 1t is the only place that is open
all night. 1t was the one time the saying
mad struck me, and on this occasion it
seemed to me to be a profound thought
sat down at table. A colored waiter
approached and took my order. At the
same table was seated an imnosino
elderly man, with a long beard, which
he stroked refectively as he gazed at
me. After a moments inspection, he
said:
a06reSG1nC
Col. Strong, of Atlanta? ''
No." I said, my name is Chart. and 7
am from San Francisco
An indeed" he replied, 'I took YOU
Tor Col Strong. I am Col Grubb. the
landlord Of this hotel"
Landlord! pricked up my ears. Could
1t be possible that my fairy godmother
4ao mixed herself up in this matter?
l. Ia|ned upon Col Grub. shook his
mana warmly. | said I was delighted tn
know him. 1 asked him If he would not
take drink. Col Grub blantlv ascent
ed, and we had several We became
warm friends. and it was with great re-
gret that Col. Grubb at last arose to 90
ne salo he was sorry, but he realIv must
go 10 bed. I told him that he WASN'T
bed. oii gu 70
sto Mhy' said Col; Grub. ARE you
am stopping in IT," I replied. 'bu+
am not sleeping in it, for 7 have hean
unable to get a bed.''
Col Grubb rang the bell. A dar,xav
came "a oalAeJ
feil the room-clerk to come here e+
once The clerk came. This - said
me colonel. grandly, waving his hand to.
WARD me. is my friend, Col erer-
what Is your name colonel?-oh. yes-,nv
s1 1I,la Col Chart of San Francisco.
Inc colonel tells me that he can not oct
a room'' 81
Very sorry, colonel, said the clerk
onel'' -0t INC COL
But the colonel must have a room :,
said the colonel.
But there is no room TO put the col
onel in, colonel said the clerk,
How about my private office?' inouir-
eel the colonel.
You gave that to Col Colt,
colonel" replied the clerk.
How about the laundry" asked the
colonel
Col. Bowie and Col. Corker
are in there, colonel replied the clerk.
How about the ladies' parlor. then %,
asked the colonel
You gave orders that the parlor
should be given ito no one," replied the
clerk
II don't care. sab, my friend, Col.
Chart, must have it. Fut cot in there
and make it ready for him at orce.''
Turning to me he said: "All I ask OF
you. colonel, is that you will turn out
ABOUT o'clock. There are numbers
of ladies sleeping in the children's dining
room. and when they get up they have
nowhere to go except the parlor.'
l assured Col Grub that would
be up before o'clock.
1 passed a restless night I dreamed
that was a tramp; that I was a va
grant; that 1 was trespasser; that tip
slaves and bailiffs were rapp.ng at my
door; that they were going to arrest me
for going to masked balls, and doing
things contrary to the peace and dignity
of the state Of Louisiana, and finally
these raps became SO loud and 50 fire.
quent that 1 finally thought they were
real raps and not dream raps / eau
tiously went to the door in my pyjamas,
and listened. There was a frou-frou of
skirts, and interspersed with the rat
tattoo upon my door there was the buzz
Of feminine conversation, much as 1t
sounds at an afternoon tea. I looked
around in terror. There was no ave-
nue. Of escape. except by this guarded
door. 1 had to face the music 1t was
a trying ordeal, and 1 was not feeling
very well that morning, anyway When
l had made my toilet, I threw open the
door suddenly, and da~tei out. A lane
was formed-a petticoat lane, so to speak
Down this I sped-I ran the gauntlet as
did the young Indian braves, with knives
and tomahawks gashing their CULVER
ing flesh. The ladies had no knives, but
they had their tongues. They were