I accepted, and the next morning took possession.
My first move was to call the help all together and promptly discharge them. The old lady came running down stairs, as soon as she heard of this, and demanded an explanation.
I reminded her that I was landlord, and that if she would retire to her room and remain there quietly, all would come out right. The Doctor said I knew less about running a hotel than I did about medicine, or I never would have done such a trick as that.
I waited till the discharged help were ready to leave, and had called at the office for their pay, when I began a compromise, and succeeded in hiring all over again except two dining-room girls, at less than their regular wages. But I promised an increase to those who took an interest and worked for an advancement.
The Doctor was elated with the prospects, and fairly danced with delight.
"And now, Johnston, for some of those cream biscuit you have told us about. Now you have a chance to see how it is yourself, to be landlord."
The second day of my experience, we had about forty extra come to dinner—men in attendance at a Convention. I was short of help in the dining room, and also short of prepared victuals.
I immediately visited the Doctor in his apartment, explained the situation, and asked why he couldn't come into the dining room and help wait on table. He protested against it, but I gave him to understand that it was a case of absolute necessity.
He swore a few oaths, and said it showed how much sense I had, to discharge my help the first thing.
As an incentive for him to act, I ventured the remark that the landlady was going to help, and would like him to do so if he could.