Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-06
The Daily Story

Win us
The words were spoken by the land.
lord of Fraunces' tavern, New York
city. more than a hundred years ago.
But this is not the beginning of my
story The early part of the nine
teenth century was not the early part
OF the twentieth nor anything like it,
Therefore what / am going to tell
should be prefaced by an explanation.
New York in 1900 did not extend far
above city hall. Fraunces' tavern, To-
Gated a short distance east of the old
New Amsterdam fort at the foot of
Broadway, was the first hostelry in
the city. A newspaper in those days
was something of n rarity. and since
there were no reading roorss the jour
nal subscribed for by a landlord for
sought No sooner was 1t laid aside by
one person than it was snatched up by
another, and frequently there were
several persons waiting for it.
The gentleman who had been invited
TO take his Christmas dinner without
charge at Fraunces' tavern had appear
ed there one evening a stranger, gone
into the taproom, seated himself at q
table and called for a glass of brandy.
He sat slipping the beverage, waiting
till the person who was at the time
reading the newspaper should lay it
down. and when he had done so the
stranger picked it up. The paper. once
folded, was about IL by 10 inches,
with not as much matter printed on 1t
as one would find in a column of a
modern journal. The gentleman read
the news, principally a summary of
what had happened in Europe couple
OF months before; then turned to the
advertisements. The former in this
issue was a statement OF the opera
lions of Napoleon l., the latter an an
nouncement of the sailing of ship. an
auction and a reward for runaway
slave. When the reader had exhaust
ed both news and advertisements he
paid his reckoning, six and a quarter
cents, and withdrew.
That was the beginning of the stran-
gers appearances at Fraunces' tavern.
Rarely did an evening pass without his
coming into the inn, calling for his
glass of brandy. reading the newspaper
and retiring. His object was evidently
to kill two birds with one stone" OF,
rather, to get his daily dram and the
news for one price His clothes were
shabby and seemed to indicate that he
could not afford to subscribe for a
newspaper and was obliged to sponge
for his reading on the tavern. The serv-
ants conceived the contempt usual to
menials for stingy guests and would
have let him know by their manner
their opinion of him had 1t not been for
the landlord. who would not counte-
nance any disrespect to n guest, no
matter how little money he spent in
the house.
Indeed, the landlord conceived some
thing akin to respect for his guest.
the latter never spent more
than the six and a quarter cents, he in
paid his reckoning before leav-
ing the tavern. He was unobtrusive.
never engaged in discussions with 9th
or guests OF the house. and the land
lord used to say that he wished some
Of the boisterous persons who met in
his taproom would learn something
from the impecunious guest.
The strangers first appearance al the |
tavern occurred at the beginning of |
the year. and from that time up to |
Christmas not a servant in the house /
had ever received q tip from him; con-
sequently when the landlord was over
heard by Boots" to invite him to a
rec dinner on Christmas day the
Knight of the backing brush at once
the fact to the maid Of
he dustpan, who told 1t to the queen
If the skillet, and 1t thus at once be-
anne known to every servant in the
rouse.
"Just to think OF it," snapped the
cullion. "'E's been comm ere n year,
md not one of us as got cent from
Inn"
at can't be-" said a waiter, that
ELL accept such an invitation"
'To be sure e will: 'e's mean enough
o accept hanything"
None Of these comments came to the
ars of the landlord or he would have
eproved the person making them. He
ad been watching his patron ever
ince he first came to his house and
|
night be poor he was certainly honest.
here were too many persons who
pent money layishly at the tavern
Tho ceased their visits without paying
heir bills. In time the landlord.
moving about what hour the gentle
ian would appear. occasionally took ,
ne paper and read 1t himself till the
tingy man came in. in order that he
hight be able to turn 1t over with the
lass of brandy.
This he did on the Christmas eve be .
ad given the Invitation to dinner. or.
ather mine host did net read the pa I
er, being too busy making his prepare
ons, but bid it under the bar. and as {
,on as his guest came in handed Il {
} him. This naturally caused indi1ha-
on on the part Of other guests. but /
5 the use or the paper was graruTrpgs
D all they could not complain.
Il