Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1925-10-21

good shower bath, got a good, clean
room, and had a good
nights sleep. No bell hops. If you
wanted anything you got it. Strict
ly stag. Next morning, / got a good
breakfast for 10 cents. Afterwards,
/ made a study of the people who liv-
ed there regularly. George Francis
Train, one of our greatest inventors,
who gave his inventions to the world,
lived there. The folks were lawyers,
preachers, doctors, actors. clerks. etc.
Now listen to this: I met one young
man there / liked ever so much. He
was born in a Virginia town. He
was getting $4,000 per month; his
room cost him $500 month: he linn
tied his other expenses to $4,000 a
month. and sent $4,000 msnth to
his folks.
The Waldorf Astoria, always even
under the present day / stop at the
Waldorf Astoria just to advertise it.
/ know they need advertising, so | go
in there to write my letters. staying
sometimes an hour. If / feel pretty
rich, | may stay two hours-sort Of
stationery guest.
The Woodstock was my home for
good many years. had queer ex-
perience there. | had an elegant
room and bath on the first floor up.
| had been around to the Hippodrome
one afternoon ] had habit of car
rying my key in my pocket, so I came
in and went right up to my room. I'M
locked the door, opened it and found
the room as naked as a newborn
baby. baggage all gone, no furniture,
floors bare. / made a rush for the
office, and the clerk said, "Don't get
excited. Mr. Hawks, we thought you
ed you. given you a better room for
the same money. That is Mr. Will
liam Golfers room, and he is coming
back tomorrow for the season" "Oh,
that's all right" said /. In those
days. in the neighborhood were about
/ 900 ] Italian restaurants where you
got for 35 cents, half chicken, peck
of sphagetti, cup of coffee, and
bottle of red ink, and used piece of
blotting paper for napkin.
The Commodore. When the World
War came on. | went in the Y. M. G
A. work; spent several months in
New York. My sleeping quarters
were at the Commodore. l think
that Hotel is 80 stories above ground
and IL underground. 1t tried to
reach both places. My room was
No. 2,222. / hung my hat on the
moon, and the stars played tiddle-de-
wlnks with my toes every night. They
did not have bell-boys there; they
had bellegirld, elegant, polite and
not looking out for tips. I never for
get my first trip in the through ele-
vator. Came out of my room one
morning, and bell-girl said, you're
Just In time, Sir, to get through
elevator. got in a steel cage, and
we dropped % stories. | have known
what my heart tastes like ever since.
In the neighborhood, there were
lots of One-arm Eating Places, and a
Cafe De La Enfant. sometimes called
"childs." But right back of the
Commodore. | found Virginian
eating house, kept by Miss Byrd
from the Valley of Virginia. And at
3 T. NJ, she set up a dinner. When
you got outside of that dinner, you
could hear the angels singing Smith
Hominy, Corne Pone. Floating Island
field Ham. Smothered Chicken, Lye
and Black Coffee, and oh, my!
The Y. NJ c. A Hut. My program
daily in New York, during the World
War, was this: After breakfast, I
would go to the Y. M. C. A. head
quarters, get my orders for the night,
two tickets for any show in New
York in the hotel, go down 81 Broad
way where good Virginia friend of
mine is getting paid for helping Mr..
Rockefeller give away his money,
and at Noon we would go down to
the Battery and eat lunch; an elegant
lunch for little money at the Y. M. c.
A hut and be waited on by Mrs. Van
derbilt and Miss Maude Adamd and
other celebrities. Every day would
take some private soldier to matinee.
One day | found private soldier
named Pat McGann-yes, he was
irish waiting for me outside the
Commodore, looking up, trying to see
the top of it. And he says, says he,
Man alive, do you sleep in this
thing?n
'T do"
What's the number of your
room?"
Two. two, two, two, 222..
Sure says he. edo you take
Yourself for a flute?"
Now, that was my program every
day, except Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday was a free day. and the
best friend | have in the world got off
at 2 noon, and she would have lunch
with me and take in matinee, then
go a lovely home out in the country,
and spend the evening and night with
some of Gods best people, and Sun
day morning, / would go into New
York, and speak four times and may
be five.