The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1920-08-12
A GENIAL HOST
BY GEORGE E. COBB
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had come into the boy life Of Ted
Morse was that signalzed by his stay
for one week at the Palace hotel at
Rr0mpton. owned and operated bs bis
father's brother John Morse. Therce-
forth the lad had one fervid ambition:
10 become in time the manager or
proprietor of like establishment
Uncle John was a pors individual
who had followed the hotel business
for over Il quarter of century. He
WAS built for the task both LII dispo4
sifion and bulk He knew every com
mercial traveller cn the road, he kept
fairly apace of the times III equipment
and improvements. The dsno4ed Ted
took back home with him a.pleasant
memory of the big arm chair ir tie
hotel lobby, filed by his big relative,
who was reyerea bpxbis elip1kele. all.
ways jolly and joking, a typical
''mine host"
rte years went oil, fiHit",aes HI" ".,.e glowing
memory never faded fron the mind Of
Tedv tHe ibseaIne ,al aNTitsl sthe store
Of his native village apdl one day re-
.ceived letter that set ihisswits stag
gering. His uncle had died and had
beq,iaa thed,stJf hiih 3le .si,5tel The
dream, ,ofaearlydyouth Mus,fuifilled
Your uncle a,nybI Ibeemifailing fer
about twp years. tle executor Of the
estate told Ted wiien he arrived at
Brompton. "and the odds and ends
have not maintained the old systemat-
ic order However, young blood COM
Ing into the proposition will uRtke the
best of very promising situation"
1t was In Ted to make himself pop
uiar. He faithfully copied his~uncle's
methods. He became genial host, In
deed. He was accommodating, lenient.
agreeable. The travelling men took to
him and there was no stinting in the
menu and no deterioration In general
service A new element came into
the situation later that harassed Ted.
His friends and relatives began TO
trade on his liberal, easy going nature.
They came III swarms. They came
With their families and sent their
friends as well. 1t seemed as though
every acquaintance he had received
a tip that half rates, or no rates at all,
were accessible to those who had the
art to appeal successfully to the in
diligence of d man who loved 10 be
considered genial host, and whose
ambition was to be known as running
the best hotel on the road"
BY the end of a year Ted began TO
realize his weakness. Thus, a half
cousin had swooped down upon him
with family of five, staying for over
a month and departing without paying
his BILL A brother-in-law had passed
half d dozen worthless checks on the
hostelry, some old time friends had
borrowed several hundred dollars from
him. His manager had worked In
special friend as buyer for the hotel,
and Ted could not help but notice the
extortionate prices paid for supplies.
Something's wrong" decided Ted.
ST must find somebody to watch the
outlay while / sit around playing gem
tleman."
Ted was thus occupied In his favor
ite arm chair one evening when d
little girl of about ten came hurriediy
into the lobby. He could not help but
notice her deep agitation. She looked
wearied and her attire was poor and
old.
Please, SIR" she painted, 'mamma
Is sick"
"Eh, hel1oi what's that?r exclaimed
Ted. "Who Is your mamma and where
lis s~she?'
Mamma is tired out and walked
a long way, and she expected to find
friends here, and they're all dead and
gone. and we're hungry, too. She's just
outside"
Big hearted Ted Morse stirred him
self with vigor ever present when
he could do anybody good turn. He
followed the child outside. There
seated on the step of the ladies' en-
trance was a young woman, pale, with
closed eyes, and apparently overcome
with weakness. She looked dazed and
despairing as Ted touched her arm
and spoke kindly. In fragments she
weakly told her story. Both her nus
band and herself had i'm years agone
been respectively steward and book
keeper OF the hotel for John Morse.
They had left for another position
six years previous. Her husband had
died leaving her penniless. She had
come to Brompton to see If her former
employer could not give her employ
Rent again.
$50 the finely kept books showing
profit where my careless figuring had
a loss was your work, eh?" observed
Ted, when he had seen mother and
child installed comfortably. You've
come at the right time, Mrs. Award.
III ever / needed experienced advice
it's just now"
Within q month Mrs. Award was
back ut her old desk and the leaks In
profits began. to diminish. Within
month Ted experienced his first love
and there was a quiet wedding.
Genial host and genial husband TO
charming, helpful woman, 4 kindly