The Washington herald., 1917-12-23
Hunting a Room in Washington
b NELL FREEMAN.

The hunting season 10 on I'm full
blast In Washington But they're not
looking for SQUIRRELS or rabbits or
Representatives or commissions OF
jobs. Every blessed one Of them Is
out looking for that extinct and beau
tifui bird which they're not going
to find-a room.
At FIRST you think II will be easy
enough and you put down as bunk
all that congestion talk and every
thing. thaught that way myself
until
Well, II there's anybody In WASH
ington that believes there 10 a room
in town which Is not fuller Of folks
than a beehive is Of bees just let 'em
60 and try to ind one.
First, you get all the papers and
mark the ones that look good to you.
and IL they give telephone numbers
you call 'em up. The first 'steen you
call Just say taken" and bang up
the receiver and the next dozen or so
won't take women. IL you're of the
unfortunate sex. and they won't TAX.
men IL you're one Of the brawny
tribe.
Pretty soon. just as you're begin
ming to get real mad. you find one
that says yon can come out and look
at It, And then you take down the
whole list, except the ones you've
called up and start out.
The first one came to ! thought
, was going to be a peach from the
way the ad read-heat, hot water.
bath and all that II was over a
garage and the smell was lovely. The
heat was there. in a little one-burner
| stove. and the bath-well, It wa,
somewhere on an icy back porch
that had no beginning or end.
So I went on to the next one on my
list. after telling the folks over the
garage what though Of them and
their room.
The next stop was in a real home.
and thought here was my chance.
The room was furnished nicely and
there was o bath right down the hall.
and steam heat and everything you
could want. I didn't hesitate long.
'-rll take it," said. How much do
You want
only so day."
lawfully disasreeable weather, isn't
il, and what do you think of the war
anyhow" ! began. / wasn't interest
ed in that room any more.
At the next house when I rang the
bell a lady put her head out OF an up
per window and yelled Taken"
L know it," 1 yelled back, 81 just
called to congratulate the fella that
got it."
And thus it was. There were a few
rooms. It is true, but they were only
for millionaires and I'm not a million
aire. The ones that were anyways
decent and reasonable didn't want
women. / was ju<t cogitating upon
the injustice of il and considering the
ACCESSIBILITY of investing in a suit of
male attire by way of csmoufiage
when I struck place that liked. /
was determined to nave it. but the
lady who answered the bell didn't
want me a bit.
She was a nice lady. even il she
didn't want any women about the
7 never take women" she an
nounced with hnality, but not exactly
brutally, and like she felt sorter sorry
for me. guess 1 did look pitiful.
with the slush and cold and every
thing.
How Gomez demanded angriIy
| for was mad clean through by thi,
time
''Why-why-they are so much trou.
BILE. They are always washing theil
stockings and leaving them around
and"
Well" I save. II haven't got but
one pair of stockings. and I'll sleep in
'em IL you'll let me have the room.
You'll never see 'em and won't know
ever wear EN-"
She still didn't want me. but she was
beginning to thaw a little. Next sht
tried to scare me of.
'Tm-Tm afraid You won't like II
here" she began.