“Now, George,” he said, “we have been bothered to death by people staring at us because we are just married. We want to be free from that sort of thing here. Now, here’s two dollars, and remember I trust you not to tell people that we are just married, if they ask you. Understand?”
“Yas, sah!” said George; “I un’stand.”
All went well that day. But the following morning when the couple came down to breakfast the staring was worse than ever. Chambermaids in the hall snickered; the clerks behind the desk nudged each other; everybody in the dining-room stared. When the couple returned to their room it was only to see a head sticking out of nearly every room down the long hall.
This was too much.
This was the limit!
Angered beyond control, the groom went to the desk and called for the head-waiter.
“Look here, you old fool,” said the groom, “didn’t I give you two dollars to protect my wife and myself from the staring business?”
“Yas, sah, you did,” said George. “’Pon me soul, I didn’t tell, sah.”
“Then how about this staring?” asked the irate groom. “It’s worse here than anywhere. Did anybody ask if we were married?”
“Yas, sah; several folks did,” replied George.