The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-09-26
HIS MOTHERS SON
A Business Adventure of Emma McChesney
Observation-Disclosures

By EDNA FERBER
Author Of "Dapn OiHaro." '.Baiered Side Doun. " etc.

(and II 1t weren't for the composition
there'd be an exclamation point after
that question mark.
Sorry, Mrs. McChesney." said the
clerk, and he actually looked It, "but
there's absolutely nothing stirring
We're full up. The Benevolent Broth
erhood Of Bisons is holding its regular
annual state convention here. We're
putting up cots In the hall"
Emma McChesney's keen blue eyes
glanced up from their inspection oil
the little bunch Of mail which had just
been handed her. Well, pick out q
hall with a southern exposure and
set mp a cot or so for me-" she said,
agreeably, because I've come to stay.
After selling Featherloom petticoats
on the road for ten years l don't see
myself trailing up and down this town
looking for a place to lay my head.
I've learned this one large, immova-
BILE truth, and that is, that a hotel
clerk is a hotel clerk. 1t makes no
difference whether he is stuck back
of a marble pillar and hidden by a
gold vase full of thirty-six-inch Amer
lean beauty roses at the Knickerbock-
er, or setting the late fall fashions for
men in Galesburg, Ill"
By one small degree was the perfect
poise of the peerless parsonage behind
the register Jared. But by only one,
He was a hotel night clerk.
1T won't do any good to get sore
Mrs. McChesney," he began, suavely.
Now a man would"
But I'm not a man." interrupted
Emma McChesney. I'm only doing
a mans work and earning a mans
salary and demanding to be treated
with as much consideration as you'd
show a man"
The parsonage busted himself might
fly with a pen, and a blotter, and sun
dry papers, as is the amer of per
sonages when annoyed. I'D like tC
accommodate you; I'd like to do it."
Cheer up" said Emma McChesney
you're gong to. l don't mind a lit
tie discomfort. Though l want to men,
ton in passing that if there are any
a@Ag DA5CA BAO9OAL gOu AtOu4 1 udLlh
on doubling me up with them. I've
had one experience of that kind. 1t
was in Abba, Iowa. I'd sleep in the
kitchen range before I'd go through
another"
Up went the erstwhile falling poise.
You're badly mistaken, madam. I'm
a member of this order myself, and a
finer lot of fellows it has never been
my pleasure to know"
yes, l know" drawled Emma Nc
Chesney. DO you know, the thing
that gets me is the inconsistency OF
1t. Along come a lot of boobs who
never use a hotel the year around ex.
cept to loaf in the lobby, and wear
out the leather chairs, and use up the
matches and toothpicks and get the
baseball returns, and Immediately you
turn away a travelling man who uses
a three-dollar-a-day room, with a sam
pie downstairs for his stuff, who
tips every porter and bell-boy in the
place, asks for no %favors, and who, if
you give him a halfway decent cup
of coffee for breakfast, will fall in
love with the place and boom it all
over the country. Half of your Be,
nevolent Bisons are here on the Eu
ropean plan, with a view to ~patronizing
the free-lunch counters or being asked
to take dinner at the home of some 10
cal Bison whose wife has been cook
ing up on pies, and chicken salad and
wool rnogt for tIa Iosf uvn,lru
Emma McChesney leaned over g
desk a little, and lowered her voice
to the tone of confidence. Now, I'm
not in the habit of making a nuisance
of myself like this. l don't get sc
chatty as a rule, and l know that
could jump over to Monmouth ant
get first-class accommodations there
But just this once I've a good reasoI
for wanting to make you and mysel
a little miserable. Y'see, my son Il
travelling with me this trip"
SOM" echoed the clerk staring.
Thanks. That's what they all do
After a while I'll begin to believe tina
there must be something hauntingl!
beautiful and girlish about me or ev
cry n wouldn't petrify when l an
nounce that I've a six-foot son at
tached to my apron strings. He looki
twenty-one, but hos seventeen. HI
thinks the worlds rotten because h
can't grow one Of those fuzzy little
mustaches that the men are c|ultivat
ing t. match their hats. He's dow1
at the depot now, Strengthening out oul
baggage. Now l want to say this be
fore he gets here. He's been out will
nae just four days. Those four day
have been a revelation, an eye-opener
and a series of rude jolts. He used h
think that his mothers job consiste,
of travelling in Pullmans, eating del
cate v1ands turned out by the hote
chefs. and strewing Featherloom pei
ticoats along the path. l gave hin
plenty of money, and he got into tn
habit Of looking lightly upon anything
more trifing than a five-dollar bill
He's changing his mind by great leaps
I'm prepared to spend the night in tn,
coal cellar II you'll just fix him up
not too comfortably. It'll be a grea
lesson for him. There he is now
Just coming in. Fuzzy coal and ha
and English stick. HistI As the
say on the stage"
RAINY DAYS ON THE ISTHMUS