The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-24
NY ECCENTRIC FRIEND.

brought me to the matter IN hand.
Its rooms, is it. sor, you're after
wanting to look at?'' she said. 1 ad-
mitted the fact.
Are you one OF them stoodents?' went
on the girl. This also being established
by my own confession, she added: Right
this way sor. / can show you just what
you're after and she started upstairs
with confidence.
Her confidence proved to be justified,
since she let NE the first room she show
ed being, OF course, the cheapest room
in the house-the fourth floor back hall
bedroom. But what did it matter? II
was in the brave days when l was
twenty-one." and my room, wherever il
was and whatever its size, was always
an apartment fit for king.
When we came back down | glanced ar
the card again and saw that it now read
Mr. Hazleton-Out."
All" L said, hes out now
''Yis, sor,' replied Maggie. hes out
now Then she dismissed me with an
air which plainly said that that was all
the information which the occupant of
the cheapest room in the house ought TO
expect.
But when 1 became settled in my new
quarters (eights, they should have been
called. they were so smalD. soon became
deeply interested in the announcement of
the coming-and-going Mr.. Hazleton.
Sometimes SIR. Hazleton was out; some
times he was in: and his habits seemed
to be irregular and he was out at I'M
conventional hours and in when he would
not be looked for. In a few days L had
become so interested in Mr.. Hazleton' S
movements that ! again approached Mag
gle on the subject
a foine man, is Mr.. HaZleton," said
Maggie. He has the large front room
on the same fure wild yourself He
kapes the card in the mirror SOS to save
me the work of running up and down
the stairs if anybody calls TO see him
Then he has a good many callers. does
hep / suggested.
''Niver wan" answered Maggie, deci-
sively. None at all. But he might have,
he says. and he don't want me to be
after killing meeself Gallivanting up and
down them stairs to see if he do be in or
out. 1 wish they all done as he does
One evening as l reached the top of my
last fight / found an old gentleman anx-
iously peering over the balustrade. He
was tall and straight. with a bearing
that suggested a mixture of the military
and the old school of Southern man.
Pardon me, SIR he began; Il am Mr..
Hazleton. | believe 1 have the honor to
be your neighbour
the other way, but Mr.. Hazleton would
not listen to the idea.
Did you," he continued, happen to
notice a small card in the hall mirror
with my name on it?-but of course you
didn't
''Ah, but did notice it,
'Indeed?" said Mr.. Hazleton; 81 see
you are observing. Perhaps you noticed.
too. if it says Mr.. Hazleton-Out,' or
Mr.. Hazleton-In.'
1T says. Mr. Hazleton-In.'
"Oh, thank you-that's right. I am in.
just came in. But l couldn't remember
If | changed 1t or not. I'm glad it's
right. because it will save me a trip down
all those stairs. Goodnight, sir and
Mr.. HaZleton disappeared in his room.
After this / came to see much of Mr..
Hazleton, and on his invitation frequent
" visited him in his room. He had fur
nished the room himself, and it was half
full of old-fashioned furniture and with
quaint. faded pictures on the wall and
his college diploma-class of '55-Over the
bed. He never seemed inclined TO talk
much about himself. l gathered that he
had had a wife once, but he never said
anything directly about her or mentioned
any other relatives. Still he seemed so
kindly and pleasant and thoughtful and
gentle that he must have been beloved by
But there was always nervous pre-
occupied.air about Mr.. Hazleton which I
could account for only as arising from
apprehension that that card in the look
ing-glass corner WAS wrong. Usually af-
ter coming in it took at least one trip
and sometimes two back to the hall to
satisfy him that the card was right. 1t
was the same way when he went out; he
=
least. and sometimes from the corner.
Often when he came in. to save him the
trip back l would go down for him 70
make sure that Mr.. Hazleton was in, not
out; and never did my eyes fail 10 con-
suit the card carefully when l passed
through the hall. Often, in fact. when
going out and not feeling sure if the card
was telling the truth L would climb back
up the stairs and rap at his door to as
sure myself on the point. Not that any
body, Mr.. Hazleton himself | or any
body else. ever did find the card wrong.
Mr.. HaZleton could no more pass the hat
rack without turning the card than he
could walk through the door without I'M
locking it; but the thing had taken hold
on me even as it had on Mr.. Hazleton.
and l soon found myself sharing his un-
easiness about the card.
But l didn't entirely lose my reasoning
fully 10 ask Mr.. Hazleton If the labor
and mental strain of keeping the card
right were not somewhat out of proper
ton 10 the number of visitors received.
Mr.. Hazleton was sure they were not.
Let me see. he unused, let me see ::
was it two or three years ago that Major
JOY called on me? 1 declare. it's almost
four years. Wen, well. how time flies.
But, bless me. II was only last summer
hal q ofl
Dick Robson. called on me to
look me up at his request. What do you
suppose that card said the day she called?
That card said out. What do you think
Of being out when a lady calls On you?"
Il can scarcely imagine anything more
/ replied.
Il believe you" answered Mr.. Hazleton
do you know. was so provoked that I
tore Up that card and wrote another" He
paused a moment and then added cheer
fully: But you see. they do drop in
and you can't tell when
others may come. And when they do
come Maggie can see at a glance II I am
out or In and be saved a Journey up all
those stairs"
1t happened one night when I had been
in the house about three months that as
J was preparing for bed I heard heavy
tramPing on the stairs and along the
hall and low voices and people going In
and out Then Maggie raped al ny door
and when l opened IL she said.
Mr.. Hazleton has been after being too
sick on the street. and they brought him
home in an ambulance. ard he wishes.
sor. II its not TOO much trouble. 20 see
you tu- his room
I hurried in Mr.. Hazletca was II bed
sad doctor sat by a table mixing some
medicine in a glass I stepped softly
over 10 the bed.
Twelve had a bad turn said NJ
TIszlcton. feebiy. They wouldn't stop -
.et ne change & as they brought ne IN
Won't you please 60 down and attend %
K for ne? Remember Mr.. Hszleto7-