"What a horrible-looking hole!" I cried. "I shall never be able to get
my wife to stay there."
"It's not so bad inside," was the reply, in rather a peculiar tone of
voice.
The rest of our tramp was finished in a strained silence. I thought
that, perhaps, as secretary of the club, my new friend was afraid that
the accommodation would not please me. On the steps of the club I was
met by a dapper little gentleman, and my companion, nodding to both of
us, turned on his heel and disappeared.
"I am Mr. ----, Mr. Inman," said the man on the steps, and mentioned
the name of the secretary with whom I had been in communication.
"Then who was that gentleman I have just left?" I asked, in surprise.
"That is the landlord of the hotel!" he explained.
Then, of course, I saw my mistake, and, when I met mine host again,
hastened to make my apologies and patch things up as best I could. I
am sure, however, that, deep down in his heart, my thoughtless words
rankled. Both my wife and I took it in turns to praise everything
whenever we saw him listening, but, alas! to the very end of our stay
he wore a look of anxiety and care. Only when we stood on the deck
of the little steamer and waved our farewells to him did the faintest
suspicion of a smile flicker on his brown face. It may have been the
fact that he was seeing the last of us that conjured the smile up, but
I hope not.
One other little incident, and I have done. While playing at
Kalgoorlie, Australia, I was approached by a resident and asked to
call at his house to give a few lessons to his wife. The terms he
offered were so high that I could not refuse, and so, when I had a few
hours to spare, he and I went to his home.
I was introduced to his wife--a charming woman with all the true
Colonial hospitality and kindliness--and we sat down in what was
obviously the best room in the house and chatted for about half an
hour. Finally, thinking that I ought to be up and doing something for
my money, I suggested that, if the lady was quite ready, we ought to
adjourn to the billiard-room, so that the lessons might commence.
"_This_ is our billiard-room," said my host.