Secrets of Her Success

1895

A Boarding House Keeper Lets Light on an Interesting Subject.

A very successful boarding house keeper was telling a writer for the New York Recorder some secrets of her good fortune.

"Above all," said she, "I try to keep every part of my two houses just as clean as I possibly can, but I am not the only one in this business who does that, though it's a great point. Then I have always hired large houses. You cannot possibly make money in a small one. I have clung to a neighborhood and made my houses distinctive by having at some expense vines trained from basement to roof. Those vines are my trademark. When folks forget the number, they say, 'The house with the vines.' Moreover, they give the place such a shady, cool look in summer that people are not so anxious to get off to the country. The green effect takes away the hot, stuffy look and something of the feeling. Then I make a point of being very liberal with towels and napkins. This item costs me perhaps $25 more in a year than it would the usual boarding house keeper in my place, but it brings me in the outlay multiplied many times. Of course I set as good a table as I can, and my rooms are well furnished, but as good can be had elsewhere. My luck in letting rooms I have always believed to be due to the fact that I have a piano in nearly every large apartment. It is really odd to see how a piano will attract a person. Why, I can get $5 or $6 more a week for a suit with a piano, which doesn't cost that much a month. If people don't want the instrument, it can be moved out. One other point. I use the same kind of carpet in every room in the house as far as I can, so when it wears shabby all the good may he brought together and made use of. I find there's great economy in this.

"Lastly, I have no helpless, lazy relatives such as usually cripple a woman in my line, eating her out of house and home and disgruntling the boarders. If I had, I think I should provide for them elsewhere, for in a boarding house their room is generally worth more than their company or their half hearted attempts at helping."

Note: In the article the lady does say "a suit with a piano." I've never heard that before, so maybe it should be suite. But also, maybe, it's like a suit of clothes, or a variation of suite. Or just a typo. I don't know.

Tries To Collect For Gifts To Girl Who Weds Another

1920 (1919)

"As a Romeo, You're a Failure," Says Judge After Fining Man and Exacting His Promise Not to Molest Woman With Further Demands for Return of Presents.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 1. — Justice Casimir J. Welch, occupying the bench in municipal court, surveyed the pair before him in the prisoners' dock with studied frigidity. Common disturbers of the peace in this, the holiday season, when every one should be happy and all serene, were finding little favor. But when Mrs. M. Bellos, the wife of a Greek restaurant owner, told her story the court sat up and took notice. This is the story Mrs. Bellos told:

While still a maiden she was the proprietor of a restaurant and rooming-house in Sayre, Pa. Business was good and there was little to worry her, when Bill Poulos became a guest at her rooming-house, and then a regular boarder. Bill was fairly handsome and likeable and soon he became attentive. As time passed his attentions became more pronounced, until he became a suitor.

Now the proprietress of the rooming-house, tho she liked Bill, had no thought of becoming involved matrimonially, since she had learned from some source, probably during one of Bill's unguarded moments, that Bill had a wife in "the old country." Consequently, when Bill's protestations became obnoxious she quietly sold out and came to Kansas City.

But Bill was not to be put off in that manner. He followed, arriving here two weeks ago, only to find that his "intended" had married.

He found her to be Mrs. M. Bellos.

But Bill was undaunted. Besides, there were the presents he had given her amounting in value to something like $200, as he figured it.

And that was where the disturbance of the peace charge had its origin.

When Bill found that she still spurned advances he resorted to demands for the return of the presents or $200 and, being balked in this direction, turned to the to the husband. There again he had no luck and, forthwith began making trouble, with the usual result. The police were called.

Justice Welch patiently listened thru it all. Then he turned on Poulos.

"As a Romeo you are a complete failure, Poulos. That kind of stuff may go in your country, but it won't go here. You are fined $50, but I'll give you a stay if you keep away from that restaurant."

Poulos promised to stay away.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 4.

Dog Steals Woman's Purse

1920

Five Boarding-house Suspects Are Freed With Apologies

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Mrs. John Cato, proprietor of a boarding house here, discovered that her purse, containing $59, was missing from her bedroom. Three boarders, and two guests of the boarders, were arrested.

Later the purse, with the money inside, was found on the doorstep of Harry Gaddis, a neighbor, where it apparently had been dragged by the woman's dog. The boarders and their guests were released with apologies.


Ambulance for Horses

The body of an ambulance invented by an Englishman for horses is mounted on a pivot so it can be turned around to enable an animal patient to walk out head first.


Leaps From Bridge to Her Death

FALLS CITY, Neb. - Myrtle Smith, 28, daughter of Louis Smith of Salem, committed suicide here by jumping from the C., B. & Q. Railroad bridge. Fishermen on the bank of the river witnessed her act, but were too far away to prevent it. Her body has not been recovered. No reason is known for her suicide.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, March 27, 1920, page 3.