She could pack Victuals in from the Buttery and slam them down on the
Table, a la Commercial Hotel, but when it came to building up an
intricate Design with an ingrowing Napkin, three spoons, four Knives,
five forks, and all the long-stemmed Glasses, to say nothing of an
artful pyramiding of Cut Flowers around the Candelabra, then she was
simply a female Blacksmith.
Claudine would throw a Dinner once in a while, just to subdue the Wife
and Daughter of the National Bank, but the Crew would nearly always
crab the Entertainment.
With the Support accorded by the solid ivory Staff, she had a fat
Chance to give a correct Imitation of Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish.
All during the nine Courses she had to yelp more Orders than the
Foreman of a Street Gang. A Megaphone would have helped some.
The Hostess who wishes to look and carry on like a Duchess, certainly
finds it vexing when pop-eyed Lizzie leans against all of the
principal Guests in turn and then endeavors to shoot the Episcopalian
Rector in the Neck with a gush of real Champagne.
After one of these sad Affairs, at which the Rummies had balled up the
whole Menu, Claudine came to the front with an Ultimatum. She said she
was going to can the awful Birthplace and spend the remainder of her
Natural among the real Rowdy-Dows.
"Right-o, Babe!" spoke up Elam. "To-day I have put the Works into a
new Combine which makes me a Janitor so far as the Plant is concerned,
but boosts me into the Charley Schwab division when it comes to
Collateral. I have three million Iron Boys and most of it is Turkey. I
am foot-loose and free as a Robin. Let us beat it to the Big Show. It
is about time that the vast Territory lying toward the East should be
aroused from its Lethargy. Go as far as you like."
The two were foxy. For monetary and real-estate Reasons they did not
give it out cold that they were making a final Getaway. They planned
to have Gusta remain at the dear old Dump as a Caretaker, but it was
merely a Bluff.
When the Town Hack followed a Wagon-Load of Trunks to the Depot,
Claudine leaned out and said: "Fare thee well, O you Indian Village!
This is the Parting of the Ways for little Sunshine."
Next we see them in the gaudy Diner, eating Sweetbreads.
Next day thousands of warm-hearted New Yorkers were packed along the
Water Front all the Way from the Battery to Grant's Tomb, giving royal
Welcome to the Corn-fed Pilgrims. At any rate, they were Packed.
When Elam and Claudine entered the Hotel, the discerning Bell-hops had
them stand back until the others had registered.
They were Important but they did not carry any Signs.
Elam should have worn the Letter of Credit on the outside.
After they had taken the Imperial Suite and invited all the Servants
on the Twelfth Floor to a Silver Shower, they found that the
Call-Bells worked fine. If Elam moved in the general direction of a
Button, a handsome West Pointer would flit in with a pitcher of Iced
Water and then hover around for his Bit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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