THE QUEST

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11649, 13 October 1923, Page 12

THE QUEST

A SKETCH (For "N.Z. Times.”) Tho travellers arrived in the seaport town, after journeying many thousands of miles over land and sea. They engaged a room and board, at a private hotel early in the afternoon, and Having paul a week's rent in advance, which was demanded, asked for a cup of tea. The answer was that nothing could be had before dinner-time, 7 o’clock, and tile (?) cordial manager gave the name of a tea shop in a street nearby where they could purchase what they required. Tired, and longing to take off their heavy travelling garments, they made their way to the shop, wiiere wretched tea and miniature cakes somewhat refreshed them. The morning of tho day the week was up, and on which they were leaving, they told that as the room was relet, their Higgage would be put in the downstairs hall, which meant that although they were entitled to occupy the room till evening, -ho manager was determined on getting double rent for tho day. liather than run the risk of further insults, they decided to go without, luncheon, although the meal was patd for.

The week in that hotel was the nearest approach to starvation that the travellers had ever experienced. Although tables were laid for four persons, the combined helpings at ull meals served were about sufficient to satisfy the appetite of a child, of six years. It was just a case of going through a farce at table, with frequent visits to restaurants between meals to avoid unconsciousness from starvation. The manager must have had the hide of an elephant, as he sat in the diningroom and must have heard quite audible remarks at all the tables. If a vulture could be described as placid, the term applied to him, tor ho seemed to gloat over this disgraceful ,state of affairu, and the wonder was that any waitress could be induced to stay in his employment for one day. * It required considerable skill and diplomacy on their part to pretend not to hear, when a guest, a little bolder than others, ventured to ask for a second cup of tea, or something additional. T‘he travellers were .glad to bid goodbye to this abode of discomfort and exorbitant charges. Seeing an advertisement from someone wishing to let a "self-contained fiat/' they interviewed the landlady, who said there were so many people looking after the place that they would have to decide, about it at once. They greatly disliked being ''rushed"" in this manner, but decided to chance taking it. As the mysterious applicants seemed to be very numerous, they laughingly said, "Pea-ring you ma3 r see someone you might like better to have, we shall pay a week's rent to secure the place." On arrival with the luggage, they found -the "furnished" fiat did not contain any house-linen, blankets, quilts, cutlery, brooms, brushes, or many other, kitchen necessaries; the cooking utensils were next to useless, and the floor-coverings, mats, curtains, etc., were in such an ancient and dilapidated condition that it would be a risk to wash any of them when they needed it. The electric bul ; bs gave out one after the other, and had to be renewed shortly after arrival, and the gas cooker had evidently been doing great service before their arrival judging by the size of their first gas bill. After a week's sojourn a knocking on the back door arrested their attention, j

It was the landlady, who asked, in a f-omewhat agitated stete, if they had forgotten to pay the rent? As it was not due for seven days they felt rather astonished, and she then stated that was always paid in advance. She was given the rent on the spot, and told that it made no difference to them how or when they paid it. She then added that she would like it paid always in tho early morning. The following week the two previous receipts were torn out of the rent book and a. receipt made out for a higher rent. An interview, followed, in which she was politelj r tola that. this kind of thing would: not <be tolerated, and that the receipts would have to be rewritten at tho rent agreed upon.

She seemed quite oblivious of the risk she ran in deleting the signed receipts, and also seemed amused at her attempt being frustrated to try and grasp a still higher ront. The bathroom in this rendezvous of bliss was off the landlady's scullery, and the occupiers of the "flat” —built in the garden—entered it by a door from the yard. The door leading from the scullery into the bathroom was practically always open, as the bathroom seemed to be in great request for steeping, washing and drying various articles. "When tho occupiers of the "flat” were seen to go to tli3 bathroom tho door from the scullery was occasionally locked. Tho feelings of the unfortunate occupiers can be more oasily imagined than described, as they never knew who would come through from the scullery in the middle of the performance, there being no bolt or other means of shutting them out.

On discovering this abominable state of affairs, the travellers decided that their morning cold baths, which they took in all weathers, would be taken at their kitchen sink! And they evolved many weird ways of acoomi>lishing this «mtisfacto rily. As they had given this address for very important lottcrs to be sent to them, they could not leave for a considerable time. Being given the address of someone who let part of their large house, a call was made. On looking at tho rooms the principal attraction to which their special attention was directed by the landlady was an enormous receptacle for holding in an uncrushable manner two dozen hats! As she gazed ecstatically at the restingplace for millinery "creations,” one of the callers, who had a great sense of humour, remarked that it would be of no advantage to her as she possessed but one hat and: that was generally on her head. The owner of the receptacle looked quite shocked, as she was a very overdressed woman. Yes! the delight of the newest of the "newiiy rich” could not exceed the delight of tho ingenious "newly poor” in inventing various devices for combating the wiles of profiteers in various walks of life, and the metamorphoses that various articles of clothing and millinery underwent, particularly in war time, cutrivalled the feats of a skilful illusionist. This landlady told them a hot bath cost one shilling, and sufficient notice would be required before this could ho had. Thoy pictured the bathroom two stories below, and imagined the various open doors on the landing that would have to be passed, and pitied the victims that from timo to time had succumbed to this harnie. The callers told! her that they took cold baths, and she said if they would call again she would let them know what she would charge for those! Passing that door muny times aftery ards, people seeing one of the travellers indulging in broad smiles in the street might wonder at tho cause. And tho cause was a smug, underbred woman resplendent in the very latest- in dress wear; a hot bath at a shilling; and a receptacle that held two dozen hats! Where the travellers found a temporary heme at a reasonable rent, while tho profiteering season was at its height, si ill remains a mystery. But it has been stated that certain persons on vessels, passing in the vicinity nf a placid-looking "hulk” in the harbour, have experienced extraordinary sensations on hearing a woman's voice singing "Braga's Sorenata” in the darkness of some part of tho deck. As "hulks” have been often known to be haunted, when this story is told, the advice is generally given that it is better not to tamper with tho mysterious. v -£AUP«A JEAN VICTORY.