The Washington herald., 1915-09-27

4
The Victoria was unprepossessing-
with dark gloomy office.
"What're your rates for double
room and bath?' demanded Warren.
"Only American plan, Sir. Four
dollars day each"
With a growl Warren strobe back
to the cab.
"St. Andrews about the only other
good hotel, sir" volunteered the
| driver.
"All right; take lis there"
"Oh, look down that street." Helen
leaned forward as they turned a cor
ner What quaint old houses! Well
have a wonderful time exploring here.
Oh, isn't that an antique shop?"
But Warren's scowling glance was
on the St. Andrew Hotel just ahead.
This time Helen waited in the cab,
but she could see the dingy linoleum-
ed Office with the row of lounging
chairs and spittoons.
A brief interview with the clerk and
Warren came out explosively.
"Well, of all bum towns! If we've
got to take our meals, we'd better go
back to the first place-the Frontcnac
that's the best hotel"
Dear, look" she pointed across the
street to a well-kept private house
with a modest sign, Lodging by Day
or Week" Doesn't that sound like
London? Why couldn't we get a
room there? I'd love it."
"Oh, that's just a rooning house
we wouldn't be comfortable"
Lets look. anyway" jumping
eagerly from the cab and darting
across the cobbled street while War
rem followed with grumbling reluc-
tance.
1t was like all the other Quebec
houses-gray brick, with the front
door on a level with the sidewalk and
the green shutters tightly closed.
A shriveled old woman in black an
swered their ring. She was the pure
type of French Canadian, who could
not speak a word of English, but
Helen made her understand that they
wanted to look at the rooms.
With smiling eagerness she led the
way upstairs. The rooms were cheer
less and scantily furnished, but scrup-
ulously clean The bath was dark, but
when Helen turned up the low-burn-
ing gas, it was spotless.
"Oh. we wouldn't be comfortable
here" repeated Warren impatiently.
The woman, sensing his disap-
proval, led them back downstairs, and
triumphantly threw open the door Of
her best room-the back parlor. 1t
was large and high ceilinged, with
two long French windows that opened
out on tiny court garden. A closet,
that had once been the pantry, en-
closed sink with running water.
"Oh, this is much better" enthused
Helen. Dear, why couldn't we be
comfortable here? Just think, it's only
two dollars day, and at the From
tenac it would be twelve. That leaves
ten dollars a day for meals-we
couldn't spend half that"
Warren hesitated. His hands in his
pockets. he glanced frowningly about
And we do want to explore the
restaurants" urged Helen. "Ne'd
both loathe taking all our meals at
one hotel"
"Oh, all right" grudgingly. "But
I'm not keen about this place"
When the cabman brought in their
baggage, Helen. eager to get settled,
opened up the trunk.
Now don't begin to unpack," ad-
monished Warren sharply. Were
going to get something to eat first
it's almost seven. Oh, come on, that
waists all right-you'll not have your
coat off,"
A few moments later they were
strolling down the street in quest of
a restaurant. The corner lamps now
glowed through the dusk and the fall
air was pungent with smell of burn
ed leaves. .
Warren. with his unerring instinct
for location, made the shortest cut for
the main street-St. Joseph. Small
shops with French names on the win
do~s and foreign-looking goods; a
few bakery lunch rooms-but no
cafes or restaurants. {;
"Well, III be blamed if l can spot
the chophouses here" |
Knowing his aversion for making
inquiries, Helen stopped to buy some
souvenir post cards. As the man made
change she asked about the restau-
rants.
"You won't find many in Quebec. /,
The liquor laws very strict here. Only
the hotels can get a license-so that
cuts out the restaurants. Valiquit's,
two blocks down, is about the best
but its in a bakery"
"A bakery lunch" snorted Warren,
IS they went out.
"And ! thought Quebec would be
Full of quaint inns and chophouses," /
Helen. Look at that gabled
that look like an old
English tavern?" \
Happens to be a plumbers" scoff-
ID Warren. when they drew nearer 4
he quaint, low-browed shop with its
smajl-paned window. There's Vail
quits over there. Well. we've got to n
at somewhere.
A large, ornately-frosted cake was
he center attraction of Valiquit's A
window. Inside they made their way |
vast glass counters filled with rolls II
md French pastries to the restaurant u
a the rear.
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