Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-21
COLLECTING HIS RENT

49, citizen Of Washington bought him.
self house. This was the second house
he'd bought for himself. He lives in No.
1. The one that he purchased last month
he annexed as an investment. 1t was a
bargain. He had the money kicking around
to buy it. So he bought 1t. 1t was already
tenanted The folks living in it were pay
ing $50 month rent. They were-and are
good tenants.
Guess I won't have any agent for that
house." said the young man to himself
he's twenty-seven. and a man of sub
stance and standing, even If he is so hope
lessly youthful-looking that he only ap-
pears to be about twenty-one. whats
the use of slipping an agent a rake-on,
when can collect the rent myself? And.
if the tenants have got any holler to put
I'D about desired repairs and things, let
'em boiler to me. I guess I can be just
about as adamantine as the rest OF uhese
Washington property owners. iH JUST
run that piece of property myself
Fact is, he liked the idea or peins one
of those personally conducted landlords.
Seemed sort of dignified and ponderous
and heavy-like to think Of walking around
to my house" and collecting the rent
from my tenant He admits that ne
possessed this feeling about it, too, pelns
aOh. kind O. poor he'd say to himself:
when he thought about it. this thing OF
sliding around and making 'em dig me
some rent money. l guess m !ooish iine
Mister Reynard for rigging things TINS
way. Making EN- Just put reai money ta eSe .i fnn
of, having tenants and things If couldn
swagger in on 'em and make 'em hand
me something? No agent in mine. IKE
this swell-up stuff too much"
~.
house was due to be put in the youtniui-
looking landlords hand for the nrsl 'iihe
on Sunday last, the 10Th.
"But / won't go round there today ana
make ON cough he said to himself sun.
day last. Il don't want to run len EN- aw nu
from them Monday evening, the same
being tomorrow"
So on Monday evening last, along to-
ward o'clock, after he'd had his dinner.
the young man went to his newly pot .nt
house to collect the first piece OF rent tnat
had ever been due to slide his way.
He'd never seen his tenants. But mel
Their had he thought about that part Oh IT,
He was too young at landlord1ng 10 pc
think him Of any possible consequences
likely to befan owing to his lack OF &C
quaintanceship with his tenants or thelr
lack of knowledge of him.
His idea of it was that he'd just walk
in, greet the folks pleasantly, and then
have a CneCk lot $OU, UT CuIiShSS ohioAN
ing thereto. placed in his palm.
With this view of it in his mind, ne
rang the doorbe1l A black maid sham
bled down the hall and opened the door
"Ahem! I'd like to see-er-see.e 1ls.
he Couldn't remember the name Of his ten
ant. Mister What's-His-Name. that hVes
here"
The black maid, a huge person. ex-
amined the youthful-looking landlord sus-
pieiously.
'De gemman am upstaiuhs, snokfn' an
readin' he alls papuh,' she said, regard
ing the young man suspiciously, and par
TALLY closing the door.
''Oh, that's all right" said the new
landlord. lightly. Just tell him that Mr.
Gittitt is here It didn't occur to him
that probably his tenant hadn't ever heard
of him or his name.
"Mistuh Git-Git-Git-whut?" inquired
the black maid. still more susp pis .n
landlord, impatiently.
"Ah don't think de gemman oh de house
wants tub scribe FIR nuthin, 1ntimated
the black maid, closing the door a little
more.
II don't want him to subscribe for any
thing. blame it ALL" said the new young
landlord. getting some peevish. Il want
to see him. that's all. You just tell him
I'm here.
"He hates tub be bothud by folks whut's
gested the black maid then.
Say. you" said the new landlord at
that, you go up and tell your boss that
I'm here, understand, and that'll let you
out"
The black maid, still holding the door
open about three inches. called over her
shoulder:
ooh, Miss Emily, dey's a sassy boy out
yeah whut say he want tub see Mistuh
Digupp. He all done looks tub me lax
nh nadd1yyh p Snmaf him -
A pretty woman in a becoming house
dress came down the hall and opened the
door a bit wider. dismissing the black
maid.
What is it, young MANI" she asked the
new landlord, just mite abruptly.
why, madam he said, taking off his
hat quite deliberately II am Mister Gitt-
lit. and came to see
ooh, really, I wish folks wouldn't make
so free with our doorbell, indeed I do
petuantly exclaimed the pretty woman.
"We're annoyed almost to death. I am
sure you would not want to see my hus-
band. He is very excitable in his treat
ment of canvassers and such like. and
hate to have him hurt folks feelings. al
though I certainly do wish folks would
be more considerable about ringing our
bell'
"Oh. pardon me. madam" said the new
landlord then, "but I came here to collect
the rent. own this house; you know"
u.
Just stared and stared. Then she broke
into merry, ripping laugh.
well. you are original. I must saw"
she exclaimed. between her laughs "Ex-
brilliantly original. And you certainly
are not as my husband would say. a-er
IA piker. / believe he calls it. Oh,
you own this house. then? How very
original! Really. think 1t is good enough
to publish and she just laughed and
laughed some more
The new young landlord stood there on
the steps. gasping. Likewise. he was
some calOric around the collarband. But
he was too heated to calculate word.
The pretty woman. hanging on to the
doorknob. continued to laugh in that sill
vern way Of hers. Presently her laughter
evoked call from upstairs.
II say. EmilyX a basso voice called
down the stairs. whats coming off down
there? Better drop up here and let me in
on it, if it's so good as all that"
ooh. Tom. come down here-you will
be so intensely amused!'' the pretty wom-
an called back. and presently large,
burly, rather good-looking man in house
jacket and slippers appeared at the door.
What is it?' he asked wonderingly.
seeing the youthful-looking landlord
standing there on the steps, scowling.
well say, I'm blamed glad that I'm
anording so much amusement the new
landlord managed to exude then. but too
much of gag like this is more than
a-plenty, and let's get down to business
before we have any more of this Yuletide
merriness. I'm the owner Of this house,
and I am here to collect the rent for the
ensuing month, and certainly didn't ex-
pect to get reception like this or"
The bulky tenant looked first at the new
landlord and then at his wife who scanned