The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-05-11
IN the HOTEL lOBBlES.

Il reckon our southern 'darkies' are
about the most superstitious race of
| people in the world
| The speaker was Virginia gentleman
! in Butte on business and his remark
was addressed to a little group sitting
in the McDermott hotel and swapping
stories. No one disputed the southern
mans assertion, and he continued:
Our darkies see signs and omens in
everything imaginable, and the greater
part Of their life is spent in trying to
live up to these omens. This supersti-
ton of theirs is undoubtedly heritage
from their forefathers, brought from
Africa in the old slave days, and even
when the present-day darby gets lit
| tie education he never gets quite enough
| to dispel his superstitious beliefs. They
have, among their many other queer
| ideas, horror of black cats. which they
think are the abodes Of wicked spirits,
and this reminds me of a story.
| Down in the country where the
White Sulphur springs are situated
| there are numerous other springs. all OF
which possess more or less medical prop
critics in their water. Some years ago
a company built a hotel near one OF
these springs and invested about
quarter of million in the enterprise.
|
trumpets and large number of guests.
Unfortunately, on the opening day one
of the guests dropped dead. This seemed
to hoodoo the place. and at the end OF
the first season the company was bank
rupt and the hotel closed.
ut got the reputation of being haunt
ed in the first few years it stood vacant.
and you couldn't get darby to go near
it at night. Finally it was bought by
physician, and he sought a caretaker to
live in the hotel until he was ready to
open it. He finally got hold of tough
darby, who said he wasn't afraid of any
thing, and he was installed. According
to the darky's story this is what hap
pened to him:
1.-THE night he took charge he thought
| after dark that he wanted to have sup
per. He made coffee, fried eggs and ba-
con, and sat down to the table to eat.
Just as he had begun a big black cat
Jumped UP on the table and, grinning at
the darby, said:
"I reckon we two's the only ones
here!'
"The darby almost turned white with
fear, but managed to answer:
| eyes, and reckons 1t won't be long
before youse'u be the only one here,
and with that he dashed out of the hotel
| and went tearing up the road to the
village.
"As he was putting in his best ticks
a rabbit jumped out of the bushes and
ran ahead of him.
"'For Gawd's sake. rabbit gasped
the terrified darby, get out of the road
and give somethin' that can run a
chance!'
"since that experience you can't get a
! = ~, fo ;~ht IN I,o ~ 60
any sum-
"If the elderly lady who had so much
difficulty with her offspring while dwell
ing in piece of footwear had lived in
the particular shoe that fell into the
hands of Peter Jennings, cobbler. of
Philadelphia. her woes probably would
have been diminished somewhat" said
Arthur H. Dunwiddie of the Quaker City
at the McDermott hotel this morning.
THAT is, of course. if she had made a
find similar to that made by Jennings.
"A child brought the shoe to Jennings
to have it repaired. When the cobbler
stuck his last into it he found it would
not go in all THE way. He poked his An
gers into the toe and pulled out lot of
old paper. It is the kind issued by Uncle
Sam as a reward of industry. and
amounted in all to $3.50. The money was
given to the owner. who said she knew her
dead mother had left some money for her
somewhere, but she never had been able
to find it,"
"Ill tell you something of interest," u
said j.. B. Caldwell to a tall man at the
: Thornton hotel this morning. 1T con-
Germs Miss Reina v. Wright. Of Fond du
! Lac. Wisconsin. In her line she is as
!; great as Professor Garner.
1.-The latter learned the language of the
monkey The former has learned the
notes of the feathered kingdom. and she
claims that she can talk to birds SO they
can understand her and she them. She
has not confined her studies to bird
talk alone. but has delved into the Ian
guage spoken by some animals.
"She is IS years old. She began
her bird language studies six years ago
| When she went to the woods and imi-
tated the songsters they f1ocked about
: her and chartered and were as docile as
} kittens.
+ when she sang they were silent
, When she ceased they made the woods
!. vocal. Wherever she went and sang t6
| the birds they listened. and then tried
' or seemede to try. to sing her notes"
> Speaking of check forging" SAID
0 Thomas P. Hartigan of New York a
s the Butte this morning. reminds me O.
' little matter OF interest that was re
: Gently decided in my state. The appel
late division of the supreme court ha!
decided that banks are liable for forge<
r checks which they cash.
r 1.-THE decision was rendered In the sui
!. of Crittcn. Gift & Co. against tn,
Il Chemical National bank. T. b. Davis
!. confidential clerk of the firm. was &C
cused of having drawn $500 on check