The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-04-07
peating glibly to his snakes while he
allowed them to coil lovingly about
his neck and caress his face. Phrases

peating glibly to his snakes while he
allowed them to coil lovingly about
his neck and caress his face. Phrases
! like: How de do?" Thank you"
Welcome" Come again" and others,
repeated over and over. Every one
will tell you that the hotels In India
are not all that might be desired and
have good reason to know that some
of them are unspeakable. Bombay
boasts of only one first class hotel.
the Tai Mahal The whole of our
passengers could not be accommodate
ed there when we arrived and unfor-
tunately we were assigned to another
called Watsons Annex. 1t was the
quaintest place | ever expect to see.
All Indians in charge and only the one
in the office really capable of speak
ing or understanding English. We
had to climb two flights of stone
stairs and go down one to get to our
apartments which consisted of coy
cred veranda facing the street, next
large open room with two wicker
couches and one chair, next a room
with a small round table and two
chairs, this being where the six
O'Clock breakfast was served Back
of this was the bed room and opening
/ out of this bath room Now | know
/ that sounds fine, but if you could have
seen it! | had been cherishing a
dream of the joys of getting to good
hotel and having a good American
bath in fresh water. But was
doomed to disappointment would
not have stepped foot into that bath
tub for real money. And the twin
ha6C hAocfaA IF only ri1lnut for
the two and one sheet on each cover
ing mattresses of unspeakable filth.
The beds had both been occupied and
it was a long process to make the
necessary changes. These had scarce
ly been accomplished when all the
electric lights were suddenly turned
off. The official down stairs had de-
cided it was time every one should
be in bed "willy-nilly.' | rang the
bell and presently heard a pattering
of naked feet flying along the corri-
dor and a voice calling What at all
the doors. Only the what" was a
cross between all the P's and Fs
imaginable and our simple little word
what" When the native finally
reached our door ! managed, though
| have since been puzzled to know
how, to make him understand we
needed matches. He brought some
and with the aid of a candle we sue
ceeded in getting to bed, but not to
sleep. My bed had once had as its
foundation woven wire spring. Long
usage and rust had done its work
upon 1t so that all down through the
middle there was nothing but hole
To reinforce this strip of narrow
board had been strung from head to
foot. Imagine what kind of bed
that made | had tried previously
balancing on a bed shaped like an
orange at Shepherd hotel in Cairo
but this was worse still and the pillow
to cap the climax was stuffed with
musty hay making it unfit for my use
as | am sometimes addicted to asthma
Fortunately we were transferred the
next day to the Tai Mahal, fine mod
ern hotel facing the sea on the APP
polo Bunda. The English portion OF
Bombay is filled with imposing build
ings which would be credit to any
European or American city. kipline
has called 1t "India's Queen City.
The Victoria Railway station, though
not the largest In the world, has the
greater distinction of being the most
artistic, and the finest marble statue
of Queen Victoria in existence was
presented to the Bombay municipality
by His Highness the Gaeknar of Baro-
da. But in distressing contrast to the