Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-10-03
HIS MOTHERS SON
Business Adventure of Emma McCht
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y ederiek stok
By EDNA FERBER
Author of ''Down OFIarO - 'I3uiered Side Dopn. Ell

n
there's absolutely nothing stirring
Were full up. The Benevolent Broth
erhood Of Bisons is holding its regular
annual state convention here. We're
putting up cots i'm the hall"
Emma McChesney's keen blue eyes
glanced up from their inspection Of
the little bunch OF mail which had just
been handed her Well. pick out q
hall with 4 southern exposure and
set mp a cot or 50 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 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, H."
by one small degree was the perfect
poise of the peerless parsonage behind
the register Jared. But by only one
He was 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 man." interrupted
Emma McChesney. I'm only doing
-,
salary and demanding to be treated
with as much consideration as you'd
show a man"
The parsonage busted himself might
lily with a pen, and blotter, and sun
dry papers, as is the manner of per
sonages when annoyed I'D like to
accommodate you; I'd like to do it."
Cheer up" said Emma McChesney,
you're gong to. | don't mind lit,
tie discomfort. Though | want to men
ton in passing that if there are any
lady Bisons present you needn't bank
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 90 through
another"
Up went the erstwhile falling poise
You're badly mistaken, madam. I'm
a member of this order myself, and
finer lot of fellows it has never been
my pleasure to know"
Yes, ! know" drawled Emma Nc
Chesney. DO you know, the thing
g fpanncfrrnnCr- Of
It. 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
q dhree-dollar-a-day room, with a sam
pie room 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 view to patronizing
HE free-lunch counters or being asked
10 take dinner at the home of some To-
val Bison whose wife has been cook
ing up on pies. and chicken salad and
veal roast for the last week"
Emma McChesney leaned over a
desk a little, and lowered her voice
10 the tone of confidence. Now, I'm
not in the habit of making a nuisance
Of myself ike this / don't get so
chatty as a rule, and l know that
could jump over to Monmouth and
get first-class accommodations there.
But just this once I've a good reason
for wanting TO make you and myself
a little miserable. Y'see, my son is
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 that
there must be something hauntingly
beautiful and girlish about me or ev-
cry one wouldn't petrify when l an
uounce that I've a six-foot son at
lached to my apron strings. He looks
twenty-one, but hos seventeen. He
thinks the worlds rotten because he
can't grow one of those fuzzy little
mustaches that the men are cultivat- |
Ing to match their hats. He's down |
1t the depot now. Strengthening out our
baggage. Now l want to say this be- |
fore he gets here. He's been out with |
e. just four days. Those four days |
have been revelation, an eye-opener, |
and series of rude jolts. He used to |
think that his mothers job consisted |
OF travelling in Pullmans. eating deli |
cate viands turned out by the hotel |
chefs, and strewing Featherloom pet |
ticoats along the path. gave him |
plenty of money, and he got into the |
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 the |
coal cellar if you'll just fix him up
not too comfortably. tn be a great !
lesson for him. There he is now. |
Just Coming in. Fuzzy coat and hat |
and English stick. Hist! AS they |
say on the stage"