"When Mr.
P. drove up, Messrs. PRESBURY, SYKES, and GARDNER, were all sitting out
on the front piazza, smoking seventy-five-cent cigars. They arose in
chorus, and assured Mr. P. that the house was not yet quite ready for
occupancy,
"But, sir--" said Mr. PRESBURY, "the Girard House, my hotel in
Philadelphia, is always open. If you would like to go there--" And here
SYKES struck in.
"But, sir," said he, "my hotel, WILLARD'S, in Washington, is always
ready for guests, and if you could go there for a while--"
But forward sprang GARDNER, and says he:
"But, sir--if you would like to run down to Cape May, you will find my
hotel--the Stockton House--" And here Mr. P. interrupted.
"Gentlemen," said he, "I would not have you quarrel, and you shan't
split on my rocks. Good evening to you all," and he drove directly to
General GRANT'S thirty-two thousand dollar cottage in the Park. GRANT
was not there yet, but Mr. P. did not expect that he was. There being a
butler and some cooks on hand, Mr. P. considered them sufficient, and
had his baggage taken right up to the second story back room.
The butler looked a little astonished at first, but when Mr. P.
explained about the hotel, and how he didn't want to go about any
more--for from riding in the salt evening air he had already got a
little hoarse--the man brightened up immediately.
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