The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-13


for several weeks. Tourists returning
north from Florida in the spring leave
trail of alligators behind them to be tele-
graphed back for and sent on by express.
Dogs, cats. squirrels and parrots enough
to stock menagerie, the porters have with
them always.
Next comes the case of a man who has
been in the house eight days. and accord
ing to the rules has been presented With
a bill and a request TO settle. He explains
that he has no money, but is expecting
check that night or the next morning at
the latest. He is not a regular customer
OF the house, and there is no way OF know
ing whether what he. says is true or false
He is given until L o'clock of the next
day TO pay up. and failing that has TO
go, leaving his luggage as security
The housekeeper then makes her appear
ance at the managers Office TO report that
the chambermaid says that the woman in
No - is doing her washing in her room
has got piece of Irvine stretched across
the room for a clothesline, and is using
an unreasonable amount of water. The
housekeeper is sent up TO inform this
woman that 1t is strictly against the rules
Of the house-a copy of which is displayed
on the door Of each room-to allow laundry
work in the rooms. She returns to report
that she was told to mind her own bust
ness, the lady was only doing up hand
kerchiefs and stockings"
II is now time for the MONDAY meal, and
anxious to know that everything will be
served properly, the manager makes an
other trip through the lower part of the
tolyA
dining rooms, restaurants. the kitchen and
pantry His own hasty bite he takes on
a stool at the lunch counter, and then goes
down into the laundry, which turns out
from 1900 to 1900 pieces Of fiat work"
each day, in addition to the bundle work
Here, again, he must adjust complaints.
this time Of guests who claim that gar
ments have been lost, or have been
washed all to pieces"
OTHER CLAIMS ON HIS TIME.
The manager decides which claims are
just and which unjust and then being on
the lowest floor of the house he begins
an upward tour of inspection, going from
floor to floor, looking into various rooms
in which repairs are being made, and quite
likely ending up with trip across the
roof to see how some tinsmiths mending
a leak there are getting along with the
job.
When he comes back 10 the office floor
he finds that there has been friction"
between some of the employees, perhaps
serious enough so that man must be
let go. A man is waiting TO complain that
mail sent TO him has not been received,
or that a telegraph or telephone message
has not been delivered, when the chances
are that he has been out of the house all
day, or has neglected to inquire.
BY this time the dinner hour is near, and
the manager hurries away to make a hasty
toilet. If he gets time for this and bath
without being disturbed he considers him
self in luck. Dinner brings the greatest
rush of the day. People are going out to
the theater. or to other places for the even
ing and they all want to be served at
once. Although the house carries a large
dinner bill, many guests want steaks or
chops, which must be cooked 10 order, and
then they wonder audibly why the walters
are gone so long The manager gives all
his time and energy up to o'clock to see
ing that the dinner goes along smoothly
Then, II he is fortunate, he finds a table
in a quiet corner, where he can sit down
to enjoy his own meal and, for the first
time in the day, glance over paper
The evening mail follows, bringing bills
for goods bought during the day. He con-
siders the stock book to see if anything
will be needed the next day, attends to
various details of reports and accounts,
runs over the bills of fare of other hotels
that his own house printer has got and
sent him for new ideas and sees how his
are comma ring with fhOSe of other
houses. There is a late mail. and then
before the manager knows it, the hands of
the little clock in his desk point to mid
night.
An hour and a half later, just as the
manager has fallen into sound sleep. a
hurried knock sounds on his door. Clutch
ing a blanket wrap around him he opens
the door and hallboy whispers through
the crack that the night clerk says the
man in No. - has killed himself.
How did he do it?' is the managers
first question, visions of a horrible, mutt
lated corpse-alasi too many of which he
has seen-and a blood-bespattered room
flashing through the mind
"Gas, sir, the nightwatchman said"
TELL them to put him out on the fire
escape. and will be there as soon as 1
can"
An hour later the ambulance glides away
from the back door of the hotel with the
man who evidently RECEIVERS at the hos
pital, although not until the manager has
been interviewed by seven reporters the
next day. AS the sound of the wheels dies
away the manager goes back to his room
to the sleep of the just and weary, this
time with his days work really done.
MAX BENNETT THRASHER.