CHAPTER NINTH.
ROOM TO RENT.
We must now return to my heroine, who, with her two children, we leftslowly travelling toward Jackson, Mississippi. On arriving atPonchatula, she took the cars on the New Orleans, Jackson and GreatNorthern Railroad, and in a few hours was in Jackson. On arrivingthere she proceeded to the Bowman House, and purchasing a newspapereagerly scanned the columns to find an advertisement of rooms to rent,knowing full well that, with her limited means, she would never beable to remain at the hotel, or live at a boarding house.
After looking for some time, without finding the desiredadvertisement, her eye at last lit upon the following notice under theheading of "To rent:"
"TO RENT,
"Unfurnished rooms in the one-story tenement buildings on ---- street. For particulars, apply to the undersigned at his office on Main street, near the State House.
JAMIE ELDER."
After reading it she folded the paper, and remained musing for severalminutes, when rising up she went to her children, and, kissing them,told them she was going out for a few minutes, and to play like goodchildren until her return. She then left the hotel, and, after somelittle trouble, at last found out the office of Mr. Elder, which sheentered.
"Is Mr. Elder in?" she inquired of a clerk.
"Yes, madam," he replied.
"Can I see him?" she asked.
He gave her no answer, but going to an adjoining door, half opened it,and announced, in a loud voice, that a lady desired to see Mr. Elder.
"Admit her," was the reply of that gentleman.
Mrs. Wentworth passed the desk, and, entering the room from whence thevoice proceeded, found herself in the presence of Mr. Elder, who wasseated in an arm chair reading a newspaper.
"Be seated, madam," he said, rising and handing her a chair. "What canI have the honor of doing for you this morning?"
"This is your advertisement, I believe," she replied, handing him thenewspaper.
"Yes, madam," he answered, looking at her through his spectacles.
"Well, sir, it is my desire to rent one of the rooms."
"You, madam!" he replied, evidently surprised at her question.
"Yes, sir," she replied; "I am a refugee from New Orleans, having beendriven from there by General Butler. My husband is now a prisoner ofwar in the hands of the enemy, and my means being limited, I amcompelled to live economically."
"Ahem, ahem," said Mr. Elder, clearing his throat; "indeed, madam, Isympathise with you. This war has cast many people homeless and inneed throughout the country. I sympathize with you, _indeed_ I do,"and he looked on her in the most benevolent manner possible.
"Well, sir, what is the price charged for the rent of one of yourrooms?" asked Mrs. Wentworth after a few moments' silence.
"Well, ah--well, ah--you see, my dear madam, the price of everythinghas gone up immensely," he replied.
"And what do you charge for the room?" she asked.
"Well, ah, I think sixteen dollars per month as cheap as I couldpossible rent it," he answered finally.
"I will take it, then, by the month," she answered, rising, "and willgo into possession to-day."
"Well, ah, my dear madam, it is a rule I have always made, only torent my houses for the money, paid in advance--not that I have the_least_ apprehension of your inability to pay me, but you see it neverdoes any good to deviate from fixed rules."
"I am perfectly filling to pay you in advance," she replied, takingher port-moniae from her pocket and handing him the advance pay for onemonth's rent.
Calling a clerk, Mr. Elder handed him the money, and ordered a receiptto be made out; then turning to Mrs. Wentworth, he said:
"There is another thing, I desire to have you understand, madam, andagree to. The fall of New Orleans has occasioned the inflation of allkinds of real estate in price, and this, added to the rapid manner inwhich Confederate notes are depreciating in value, may compel me toraise the price of rent. I would, therefore, like you to agree, thatin no way am I bound for any time longer than the month you have paidfor, to take the present price; and another thing I desire is, thatyou agree not to take advantage of the stay law, in the event ofnon-payment, or refusal to pay any additional price I may charge. Inmaking these conditions, madam," he continued, "I must not beunderstood to say that the contingencies mentioned are at all likelyto occur, as I trust and hope they will not; but at the same time, Ionly desire to avoid all deviation from my usual course of doingbusiness."
"Any terms you may desire I will agree to," she replied in an absentmanner, "as I wish to remove from the hotel, the charges there beingabove my means."
"Very well, madam, very well," he responded.
After the clerk had brought the receipt for the months rent, Mr. Elderrose from his chair, and, requesting Mrs. Wentworth to remain seatedfor a few minutes, left the apartment. He shortly after returned witha printed document in his hand, which he requested her to sign.Without reading the paper, she obeyed his request, and, receiving thekey of the room she had just rented, requested that Mr. Elder wouldhave her shown where it was situated. Calling a negro boy, who waslounging at the door, he directed him to accompany Mrs. Wentworth to---- street and show her the rooms. With that he made a low bow, andshe left following the boy.
"Humph!" said Mr. Elder, half aloud, as soon as she had left. "I donot care much about hiring my rooms to such tenants. Refugees arecertainly becoming as thick as locusts in the State, and are nearlyall as poor as Job. However, I have made myself secure against anyexcuse for pay on the ground of poverty, by the paper she signed," andwith these reflections, that worthy gentleman re-entered his room, andwas soon deeply interested in his newspaper.