Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-01-27


stories are being
toldevery day by hundreds Of thousands
Of viziers' daughters to their respective
sultans. But the bowstring will get
some Of 'em yet if they don watch out.
/ heard a story, though. of one lady
caliph. 1t isn't precisely an Arabian
Nights story. because it brings in
Cinderella who fOuriShed her dishraS
in another epoch ana country. so If
you don't mind the mixed dates (Which
seem to give it an eastern flavor, after
alb wen &c: along.
In New York there is an old, old
hotel. You have seen wood cuts Of it
in the MAGAZINES. 1t was built-let's
See-at a time when there was nothing
above Fourteenth street except the
old Indian trail to Boston and Ham
merSteinS office. Soon the old hostel
ry will be torn down. And as the
stout walls are riven apart and the
bricks &c roaring down the chutes
crowds Of citizens will gather at the
nearest corners and weep over the de-
StructiOn of dear old landmark. Civ
ic pride is strong in New Bagdad, and
the Wcttest Weeper and the loudeSt
bowler against the icOnOclaStS will be
the man Originally from Terre Haute)
whose fond memories Of the old hotel
are limited to his having been kicked
out from its free lunch counter in 1873.
At this hotel always stopped Mrs.
Maggie Brown. Mrs. Brown was a
bOny woman Of sixty, dressed in the
ruStieSt black, and carrying handbag
made, apparently, from the hide Of the
original animal that Adam decided to
call an alligator. She always occupied
q small parlOr and bedroom at the
top of the hotel at a rental Of So per
day. And always, While she was there,
each day came hurrying to see her
many men. sharp faced, anxious look
ing, with only seconds to spare. For
Maggie Brown was said to be the third
richest woman in the world. and these
SOlicitOuS gentlemen were only the
city's WcathicSt brokers and business
men seeking triflin@ loans of half
dozen millions or 50 from the dingy old
lady with the prehistoric hand bag.
The srenographer and typewriter of
the Acropolis hotel-thcre, I've let the
name of it outlaws Miss Ida Bates.
She was h0ldover from the Greek
classics There wasn't Il flaw in her
looks. Some old timer in paying his
regards to Il lady said. no have loved
her was IL liberal cducatiOn." Well,
even to have looked over the back hair
and neat white shirt waist Of Miss
Bates was equal to Il full course in any
correspondence school iii the country.
She sometimes did Il little typeWriting
for me and. as she refused to take the
money in advance. she came to look
upon me as something Of Il friend and
nrotege She had unfAiing kindness
and good nature. and not even q white
lead drummer or Il fur importer had
ever dared to cross the dead line of
good behavior in her presence. The
entire force of the AcrOp0liS. from the
owner. who live. n Vienna. down to
the head porter. who had been bedrid-
den for sixteen years. would have
One day | walked past Miss Bates
little sanctum ReuiEgtCrium ANA saw
in her place black haire unit-unmis-
takably Il perSon-pounding With each
of her forefngerS upon the keys.
MuSing on the mutability of temporal
affairs. | passed on. The next day !
went on Il two weeks vacation. Re
turning. ! strolled through the lobby
of the AcropoliS, and saw. with little
warm glow Of auld lang syne. Miss
Bates. us Grecian and kind and flaw
less as ever. just putting the cover on
her machine. The hour for closing
had come. but she asked me in to sit
for Il few minutes in the dictation
chair Miss Bates explained her alb
sence from and return to the AcropoiS
hotel in words identical with or similar
to these following:
well. man. how are the stories com
ing?"
Pretty regularly" said l. About
equal to their going
I'm sorry" said she. Good type
You've missed me, haven't you?'
NO one" said l. whom | have ever
known knows as we'll as you do how
TO space properly belt buckles. semi
colon>. hotel guests and hairpins. But
you've been away. too. | saw a pack
age of peppermint pepsm in your place
the other day"
Il was going to tell you about it. :
said Miss Bates. IF you hadn't inter
rupted me.
"Of course. you know about Maggie
Brown. who stops here. Well. she's
worth S40.00O000. She lives in Jersey
in $40 fiat. She's always got more
cash on hand than half dozen bust
ness candidates for vice president.
don't know whether she carries it in
her stocking or not. but | know she's
mighty popular down in the part of