The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1916-05-04
he WANTED A Bath
And, CuriousIy Enough, That Fact
Won Him a Lot Of Fame.
QUEER TALE OF A LONDON INN
The Comnotion Traveller Fresh From
Australia Kicked Up In the Blue Boar
Tavern by Simple Request That
Made Him a. Object Of Wonder.


Tavern by y Simple Request That
Made Him a. Object Of Wonder.
Icherish the thought, says the author
Of the autobiography entitled 1.-THE
Record Of Nicholas Freydon," that l
have become something Of tradition
1T the Blue Boar inn, in London, where
I have reason to think l am remem.
bered today by now aged Boots and
others-many, many others-as "the
genelmun as ordered bawth.'
happened on the Blue Boar, new
arrival from Australia, and stayed
there for two nights. On rising after
my first sleepless night went prowl
ing all about the house in search of the
bathroom. Finally l was routed back
to my room by newly awakened maid
lin curl pins), who told me rather
6fossly that I could not have a
''bawth" unless ordered it before.
and" ! vas in hurry to get out
doors, SO l did without my bath and
promised myself would see to it later
in the day.
That afternoon, footsore, tired and
feeling ihexplicably grimy, interview
ed the lady again and begged permits.
sion to have bath. She was then in
much brighter humor and in curls in
place Of pins. She promised to arrange
the matter shortly and to send some
one to warn me when the moment had
arrived. Where could l be found?
''Oh, I'll go and undress at once"
said.
"No, don't do that, sir; can't get a
bawth all in minute" she told me-
Perhaps you'd like to wife in the
smokin' ROOM.
I agreed at once and retired to the
fyblown smoking room, where there
was an ample choice of distraction for
a writing man between q motheaten
volume entitled Kings Concordance"
and Southeastern railway time table
cover, very solidly fastened, but with
nothing inside. Presently Boots came
in, elderly and sad, but furtively bird
like both in the way he held his head
on one side and "a the jerky quickness
of his movements.
"You the genelmun as ordud err
bawth?" he asked anxiously. admit
ted 1t, and he gave long sigh Of re
lief.
100! All right he said, almost
gladly. "I'll fletcher know when it's
ready
And he hoped out. yawned, open
ed the concordance and shut 1t again
hastily, by reason of the extraordinary
pungent mustiness its pages emitted.
Then I went prospecting into the pas
sage between the stairs and the private
bar. Here passed sort of ticket Of.
fee window, at which middle aged
lady sat, eating wrinkles from plate
with the aid of hairpin. Her face
lighted up with sudden interest as she
saw me.
"Oo!' she cried with spirit. "Er you
the genelmun as ordud er bawth?"
Again pleaded guilty, and with a
broad, reassuring smile. as Of one who
should say, "Bless you. we've had WIS.,
itors just as mad as you before this"
she nodded her .ringleted head and
said: Right you are, sir. I'll send
Boots to fletcher know when It's ready"
Apart from consideration of her CO.
cupation, which demanded privacy, l
could not stand gazing at this lady.
and SO I passed on to my only refuge
from the concordance room-the pri-
vate bar. There was a really splendid
young lady in attendance here, who
smiled upon me so sweetly that I felt
constrained to order lemon squash.
While pondered, with one hand on
the counter. the still smiling barmaid
opened conversation brightly.
"Er you the genelmun what's ordud
er bawth?" she asked engagingly.
began to feel that there must be
some kind of London joke about this
formula. Perhaps 1t IS phrase in the
current comic opera, thought. AS l
hung indeterminately waiting heard
voice in the passage outside and rec.
Ognized it as belonging to that elderly
bird, Boots.
''N0; amt a-wastin' Nv me time,' 1t
said. "I'm a-lookin' fer some one. l
serpose you amt seed the genelmun as
ordud er bawth anywhere abart ave
yer?"
Fearful lest further delay should
lead to the bricking up of the bath
room or to crier's being sent round
the town for the "genelmun" and so
forth, fastened out almost into the
arms Of the retainer and forcibly
checked him as he began on an inter
rogative note to cheep out, you the
genelmun as ordud er''-
Coming from country where, even
In the poorest workman's house, the
bathroom ut all events is always In
commission, was especially struck by
this incident. more especially when an
hour later heard the chambermaid
cry out over the banisters:
"Mibel! The genelmun as ordud er
bawth seq ell ave chop wiz is tear!
A Survival.
Grubbs Humanity has improved
wonderfully in the last 1000 years.
For example. we have no such person
x1cx o.