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OldWaldotf Bar Days
sages penciled by the German lads, often had their
own troubles, as the writers were apt
to
spell English
much as they spoke it.
Drexel had come from Philadelphia for an important
social engagement. To save time, he had brought his
trunk on his hansom all the way from the station in
Jersey City. As he registered, he happened to look to–
ward the door of the Bar. Issuing from it was a New
Yorker, well known to him, who was a considerable
rounder and; when in his cups, a great and tenacious
bore. Drexel ducked for the elevator and convinced him–
self he had escaped the other's attention. But not so.
Immediately upon reaching his room, Drexel sum–
moned a bus boy and told him to notify the office
that his trunk must be brought up to his room imme–
diately, as he wished
to
dress. Simultaneously, however,
the New Yorker he had sought to avoid, but who had
spied him, handed in his card downstairs to be sent up
to the Philadelphian. The bus boy laboriously wrote
out Drexel's message, but he transcribed it thus:
"444
(the number of Drexel's room) say send up de
drunk." This message arrived shortly after the caller's
card had gone up.
The puzzled clerk on duty at the tubes downstairs
scratched his head over it. He showed it to every clerk
in the office. None had
~ heard
about Drexel's trunk.
The Philadelphian was on good terms with all in the
front office, and was in the habit of exchanging chaff
- of some of them.
In
view of tha't fact, the consensus of
opinion was that the scrawled order referred to the
caller, and that it was to be taken literally.
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