Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-12

EGn I'D YOU ever notice. Tommy
Law, manager of the King
~ Edward hotel, asked re-
porter the other day. "that this house
has no number 10 room? The house with
a room 13' gives it's clerk many an un-
pleasant and exciting quarter hour per
annum. even in this enlightened age.
The room is sidestepped by everyone
persons who should have at least fairly
good sense-1ust because of the an
eient superstition about 13. Ana yet
there is that guy who insists on nay
ing room 13, claiming it is his lucky
number.
"When we tell this man that there
is no room 13 he nearly has fit. Cen
orally he winds up by asking IN ms
most sarcastic tone why we don sell
out and go to carrying a nod tor
living.
"A few years ago the number idiots
sprang a new one. They refused point
blank to take rooms which had mum
bers divisable by 10. And 1T dldn
take long before all the number cranks
were on to this new wrinkle. Nothlng
doing. thew would not even enter, let
alone sleep in. room numbered 49,
26, 80, 80, 65, 81 and so on. In tne
house I was then with we had TO
change all these numbers. AT thaC
house now when a man walks up 10
the desk and hands you a slip OF pa
per all made out like an insurance
port stating that he under no posslple
conditions can take any of these rooms,
the clerk is able to smile cheerfully
at him and inform him that this beng
an A No. l house there are no such
numbers on the chart.
"You should see them wilt When tiie
wind is taken out of their sails III Iil9
manner. They Immediately go on a
still hunt for something else to KICK
about.
"And then there is that tribe OF men men
who have prejudices against certaII ,II
numbers for individual reasons. Ihere
Is one man I remember, a postmaster
of a large city in oregon, VINO is deau
set against the number II. Last liIhe
he was here the only room Whlch sulteu
his requirements was 17-nice room'
front. second floor with bath. But 40
Won think that man would occupy tilaI
room? Not he. He took room on tle l
top floor, in a court. without paent
in fact, one of the smallest ana nal9es' afes,
TO rent rooms in the house in prefer
ence. 41o
"When he was ready to leave the
hookkeeper fixed up a little JOB on
him. His bill was $17.35, but the pook-
lxeener Maid the 35 cents out or MS
own pocket and handed the man
hill for s17 even. Say. that postmaster
nearly tainted. He figured win tne
bookkeeper for three-quarters Oh an
hour trying to make 1T come out eieiieo ta
q hove or below the SIT mark. When ne
found he could not do it, he missed ms
train bv going back into the grill and i
running up a bill of $3.50 more JUST
to keen from paying his Jonah nun
har lust the same, he was satlsfleo
10 do that and went away with CON-
tented smile. 1T. ,,o,naned
"Now. that thing really happenieu'
OF course, it was just little pecutial
ity on the part OF the man pu' i,,4o
the same time when clerk DUCKS NV
something equally peculiar In every
otber guest he comes in contact win
we'll II does not aid much in MAKING
bis cun of ioy overflow. In tact, ne
is liable to have grave and serious
doubts about the enlightenment OF the
age in which he lives"
Erad Wood of the Hayward handed
q bnnch to several fashy drummers
who freauent the corridors of the RAY
ward Yesterday, and it is very prop
able that they will not, at ieast III ~ elIo
near future, take any more UPS from
the genial room clerk. .,4 80
These drummers are in the haplt ol
Dlaying the races WHEN tllIi0
heavily on their hands, and Fred nm
self occasionally takes long sIot on
the festive ponies. A few days ago
drummer who was going north told
Fred that he would wire back some
good tips as soon as he landed IN san
Francisco and got the lay OF the lanu.
+ The drummer kept his word. Day
before yesterday he wired instructions
to Fred to play Vantine in a certain
race. Now, as it was along toward the
end of the week Fred was ''broke.'
''I don't believe in borrowing money
to bet on a horse race, said Fred
''but guess there is no need of me be
ing a hog about this business. I'll just
tip this tip to the bunch in the bar
and let them make a cleaning off it,
''Wen. l passed out the word to one
of those talky chaps and before the
day was over about two-thirds or them
had their money down on Vantlne.
"Vantine didn't have show! Ihat
horse was never heard of. L mixed INTO
the office as soon as | tumpled ano
dictated this telegram to myself: Inc
Jockey who was riding Vantine got on
tied his horse to post and walked H.
You lose your money
81 signed my friends name to 1t ana
went into the barroom.
"They were there, every one of them.
Listen to this, said, showing my tele-
gram. When 1 finished reading 1t the
howl which went up was great. They
laughed and ioshed me all the rest Oh
the day and are still at it now.
"Wonder what would happen if they
knew the truth?"
''Hay, there" yelled the bellboy,