The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-12-29
Al CRAFTY WIDOW.
HOW SHE GOT THE BEST OF A
REAL ESTATE MAN.

real estate man tHe otheI ua5. WV
thrt he has attained a higher position
WIZ spirit has moved him 10 relate bow
oricn 4 worian 'got the best Of him.
VI was sitting in my Office one morn
ing he began, when Mrs, B.,
wealthy widow, who. occupied rather
pretentious apartment on the North
aide, called On me. Her lease was
about to expire, and having become
used to the methods OF those VINO VlA
lied me to arrange matters for the
coming year, awaited her prooaoie
demands for innnmerable and expen.
1--WE repairs with trepidation born OF
previous experience
mr.. E., she cooed, want 70
stay In that apartment for at least TWO
years more
avery glad. I'm sure | answered
lingering all the while letter from
wealthy bachelor--the best KIND OF
tenant applying for the same nat On
4 ave years lease, in case the present
tenant does not care 10 remain
a.But,' she went on. ] shall have 20
have lot Of repairs This remark
was extremely unnecessary, for knew
mar the moment she swept into the or
doe. But the building needed consiaer.
able overhauling throughout, and
therefore confined my efforts 70 reauc
ing it to the smallest possible measure
~ dollars and cents told her 70
make a list Of repairs she wanted
adding that / would look 1t over gram
I'd many az possible, and have ner
lease ready within week.
sThe next day. inclosed In q scented
mite received her demands, taou
Jared and listing repairs for her apart
n1ent alone that would cost IS mnen
~ an eight-room cottage, ! drew my
pgncil through all that ! knew my
bachelor applicant would not ASK for'
and awaited her coming. A day
~ two later She came again. ! hand
Al over a list OF the repairs that be,
lIsyed to be Necessary and prepared
far the onslaught Of indignant protest
oh, I'm 50 glad you will paper that
front bedroom at least. was her oniy
comment. Give me the lease, please
and ISL sign It,
"A month later the repairs had been
finished. and was filing out a voueh.
Is "a include In my report TO the heirs
when received b telephone message
from Mrs. B.. I want to see you
sght away, she said over the wire.
with many fofebodings ! went GUY
there early in the afternoon.
sssNhen / arrived she led me directly
To The rear Of the apartment, to lit'
~ room We call maids bedroom
a.Mr. f., you must repaper this
room, she demanded 49,
.sBut, madam, ! deprecated, TINS
was not included in the repairs Whien
you asked for.
So well. | don't see what difference
] Few dollars makes to the Mcconnell
estate she pouted. Why, it's the
richest in the city.
.s~After a fruitless attempt to reason
with her ! left, receiving this parting
threat:
Remember, Mr., F., that room ~
going to be papered, and the McCon-
nell estate is going to pay It, too.
SEA week later received notice from
Mrs B. that there was sewer gas al
largo IN her fat. sent up one OF my
clerks and he reported that his nose
could detect nothing OF the SORT An
other week passed and was again
notified that there was sewer gas IN
the house. This time sent up one
nf the plumbers employed By tue estate
10 ,nahe,a peppermint test, the surest
method OF detecting the presence OF
sever gas. He reported the same as
The clerk Another week and the same
complaint came in. Again the plumber
made his test without result,
Just al this time heard that Mrs
Rs daughter -had. been seized viii
typhoid fever. The fates never worked
SO hard against me But for Ions
time. perhaps Eve or six weeks, ! hearC
no more about sewer gas, except for
health department notice, based on
complaint made by Mrs. b to tn
health authorities, which | ignored.
Then | heard from a firm of law
yers. They had been retained by Mrs
r.. they informed me. TO bring sui
for DAMAGES against the Mcconnell
estate. to recover for the injur
wrought to the constitution OF he
daughter and her own pocketbook b
reason OF said daughters serious II
ness with typhoid fever said lines
having been caused by the extremel
unsanitary condition Of the apartment
They had the testimony of the phys
clan. the trained nurse and other pei
sons they informed me. and expresse
the hope that / might see ft 20 aecet
to a settlement that would cover Ii
doctor's hin. the nurses bill. and the
own fees. which would come in all
about $3.50 reflected at that momel
that 1t would cost about IS to pap
that internal blue room and wi
that thought in mind5l hied 10 Nj
D-s apartment
"she received me pleasantly enous
and came right down to business.
Mrs B. | said. you want Ii
blue room papered, don't your
Eyes. Mr.. r she replied. ~ h
innocent smile that made me pity c
Adam. But about that suit she ad
lna1F r,