Life — March 24, 1910 — page 27: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘LIFE: 523 lionaire I shall be only too glad to do all I can for him, but you must remember that I have had experience, too, and it may be—but let us waii until he comes.’" Selzig, his wife and daughter arrived a few minutes past four. They drove up in a big car, trailing a cloud of dust behind them. Roberts, behind the counter, greeted him with all of his professional manner. Selzig scrawled his name on the register. Got my wire?" “Yes, sir. What can you do for m “T have reserved three delightful apartments on the third floor, Mr. Selzig. Overlooking the valley.” “What's the matter with the second floor? "’ “Tam very sorry to say that they are all occupied. But the rooms I have reserved Selzig cut him off, “Where's your diagram?" Roberts handed him out a diagram of the floors rapidly scanned the lines. “Here,” he snapped, pointing to three connecting rooms on the sccond floor, corner, with a bath in between—one of the few suites with a bath—" these will do.” “I'm sorry, sir, but those are taken.”” “Taken, ch? Well, get ‘em out. Put ‘em somewhere else. Those are the rooms / want. Understand? ”’ Merlin came out of the inside office. He simply couldn't stand it. “We can’t let you have those rooms,” he said. “Are you the proprietor? “Yes, sir.” “Well, sir, I want those rooms, and I am thoroughly ac- customed to getting what I want. Money is no object. You can arrange it. I always have it arranged for me. You know who I am, don't you? “Yes, I know who you are,” said Merlin mild! “Then fix it up as soon as you can. We have just come a bundred miles and we're tired. You can do it, if you want to, all righ Selzig “TL regret that it will be impossible.” Selzig fumed. He locked at his watch. The next stop- ping place was at least forty miles away. Besides, he wanted to stay here. It was a great country, and he was looking for a place to put up another summer home. He had almost made up his mind on that point. “You can see the people who have those rooms and make an excuse to put 'em somewhere else. I'll pay the difference. They won't mind. The class of people who come here will be happy, I’m sure, to save a little. Now, you'll do it, eh?” Selzig turned pale, but he knew when he was beaten. “Very well. Show us up on the third floor. Come on, Maud,”’ to his wife, who was superciliously sitting in a rocker nearby listening to the altercation. “ Where's the elevator? "’ “There is none.” “Um. Beastly!” “ Frightful!" ejaculated Maud. As for the daughter, she mewed up her lips in silence and followed. In a crisis like this words were inadequate. Led by two bell boys the trio disappeared up stairs. Roberts, crestfallen, said: “TL think I might have managed it, sir. I have often done it before in emergencies like this. You know those people on the second floor evould have been willing to make the change. I could have explained it to them “Yes,” said Merlin, “I presume likely, but I didn’t choose to have it done.”* “You know it’s just this sort of thing, sir, that keeps the rlace back. Of course he’s offensive—don’t think that I fon't know that. But, you see. these sort of people are what make a hotel. They are used to having things their own way, and you can charge them what you please. They don’t care about that, Why, a few more like him up here for a few months, and you could—my! what couldn't you do! It's a gold mine. And you have the situation—best in the hills, You wouldn't have to put up with it more than a few years. You could retire on the proceeds. Roberts’ anxiety was excusable. It was all done in the interests of his employer. “It's the chance of a lifetime!" he exclaimed. “All those people on the second floor,”” said Merlin im- perturbably, “have been here for several years. They are entitled to be treated right. I’m not going to put them out for all the millionaires in the country.”” Roberts groaned. To think that his career should be end ing with an opportunity like this thrown away by one behind the times—and a really good fellow, too. At six-thirty the Selzigs came down to dinner. The din- ing room doors were open and the room was fairly full with quests. There were gitl waitresses and a man head waiter Selzig slipped a ten dollar bill into his hand. “Give me that table over there,”” he id, indicating one near the front window commanding a view of the lake in sront. The head waiter was about to comply, the money having a hypnotizing effect upon him, when he saw Merlin’s form in the doorway. Merlin made a sign. “I'm sorry, sir,’ he whispered, “but that table is re- erved for old guests. The proprietor is looking at us," he added softly, “or 1 would—" Sclzig restrained himself in view of the publicity. “Weil, give us the best you can,”” he said. Merlin went back to his office, that nervous ganglionic centre of the entire hotel system, where vibrations of trouble, no matter how remote, come instantly. During the next hour Roberts hovered atout him, agonized, endeavoring to soothe him. What was happening? Everything. The chauffeur had not been properly attended to. The soup came on cold. A bottle of champagne had not been served properly iced. Sclzig had given a five dollar bill to the waitress. His wife had ordered plates sent back because they were not hot. Other guests were kept waiting while he was getting served. The cook was guilty, for he had received a ten dollar bill almost the moment the Selzigs had sat down. The Selzigs radiated money. Every one knew that at once instinctively. And it was only a question as to who could first jump into the Selzig zone. Merlin noted all this, while Roberts en- deavored anxiously to explain to him that just a few of Selzig's friends—who might be persuaded to come there later—would be all he needed to make a fortune, and that he could easily afford to give all of his present guests the “go by.”” At seven-thirty Sclzig came out from the dining room and strode up to the desk. The wine, no matter how poorly it had been served, had been some help. “Look here, young man," he said to Merlin, may just as well understand each other. I’m used to having what 1 want. Now, you are one of those fool kind of people who don’t catch on. I'm ready to be easy on you until you get wise to the situation. But you will, you will! Now, here's the point. I’m looking around this place to put up a house. I've got one in Aiken and Bar Harbor and southern Cali- fornia, and I want one here. Oh, I've got it picked out all right; there's only one place for it—right up there on the hill. Now, my boy, it will cost a couple of millions, at least, and I'll bring my crowd with me. You see what I'm driving at, don't you? If you don’t, you ought to wake up by this time. And what have you been doing? Why, you haven't treated us decently. See? The best you can do is none too good. Now, I want Merlin smiled in spite of himself. the oldest families in the State. His shrewdness was native and inherited. He noted the effect of the wine. “You haven't been here before, have you?" he inter- rupted pleasantly. “No, sir, but" You've already got your place picked out, have you?’ You bet I have."’ ‘I suppose you know there's only one location for a house like yours. That's" Selzig leaned over the counter."* “I know my business,"’ he retorted. “I'm used to (Continued on page $29) He came from one of