Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1910-10-11

bring him wine card The landlord
hearing the order. remarked:
I'VE don't have wine cards at the
Eldrige House. Mr., Fordham. We can
give you champagne. claret and sau-
terne."
u would like quart of cham
payne" replied Fordham.
In a few minutes the waitress
brought the wine. aud MIR. Fordham,
being very much pleased with the CON-
pany. told her to ill the glass of every
guest and that of the landlord. When
oil were prinled Eidrige raised his
glass TO his lips aud. bowling to Ford
ham. said:
Welcome to Hotel EIdrige. May
you remain long. I'll see that you get
the best of everything"
When the first bottle OF wine had
been empded he maid brought an
other. Fordham hadn't ordered Il. and
when the landlord pledged him again.
saying that he thought he would like
1t, Fordham fancled there had been
some mistake. However. money being
no object to him. he ordered still an-
other bottle What aslonished him was
that none of the other guests followed
his example. Finally the host ordered
a bottle saying:
mir. Fordham. you're the only guest
have who knows how to spend his
money like a gentleman. This is on
the house."
Fordham, who expected to hear the
thrust resented. was surprised at
burst of laughter Eldrige scowled.
and the others checked their mirth.,
Fordham, thinking that there was
some joke Of which he was ignorant
connected with the wine asked what
1t was. He was told that the Hotel
Eldrige was a temperance house and
that he had broken the rule In order
Ing the wine. This satisfied him.
After dinner n small motorboat was
brought up TO pier, and the guests of
the hotel invited Fordham to have
ride with them. The landlord came
aboard. but after his presence at the
dinner this did not surprise Fordham.
When the maid who had waited on
him got aboard he supposed she was
to go TO serve refreshments. But the
landlord introduced him TO her, say
ing. you are expected, Mr. Fordham.
to devote yourself to Miss Vincent for
the evening"
The maid. unabashed, took seat
beside Fordham, who looked at every
member of the party successfully. es-
pecially the ladies'. to know II there
would be anything amiss In his enter
tanning maid. But they were all chat
ting with Miss Vincent Familiarity,
some of them calling her Lou" and
since Fordham had had an eye on her
during the dinner he was not slow In
availing himself of the privilege that
had been extended TO him.
FOR heavens sake, Rowland" said
Fordham after the party had gone
ashore and were separating for the
night. what sort of hotel do you call
this anyway?
'I'll tell you. Eldrige is man with
within. He is above the station of
landlord. Indeed. he's very scholarly.
He has theory that one person is as
good as another. that he doesn't de-
mean himself by keeping a hotel and
that his servants are entitled to hob
mob with his guests so long as they
behave themselves. You being the last
arrival. the maid was assigned to you
for the boat ride"
Fordham remained at the Hotel
Eldrige several days. during which the
conspirators kept him I'm ignorance OF
the fact that he was In private house.
Miss Vincent. who thought nothing of
bringing two or three men to her feet
during a season. made 1t her special
object to snare him. The others were
watching the process of his enthrall-
ment. and one evening when the fruit
was ripe for pIucking she wept that
she was only poor servant girl while
he was fine gentleman. Fordham
swore he would have her II she were
a scullion.
Now. 1t happened the next morning
that Fordham was summoned home.
With regret he called for his bill, at
the same time ordering his auto to be
brought around to the front door. The
landlord told him that he would bring
his bill into the drawing room, where
the other guests were waiting to bid
him adieu. Eordham was saying good
bys when Eldrige brought in the bill.
The former looked at the footing in
establishment. 1t was $4,000 Then
he glanced ut the items:
TO three bottles OF champagne at
1900 each ..........-................ s5,Vn
To kissing maid four times at 1900
each OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES avn
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 1000
When the house party saw the ex-
preston on Fordham's face their pent-
up mirth broke its bounds. Fordham
looked at them with such a puzzled,
woebegone expression that Mr.. Ell
drige stepped forward and explained
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