Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/177

Rh and would pace the floor and wring her hands in the greatest distress; once, on entering her room, I found her in deep thought, and, not noticing me, she looked up to heaven and said, "Oh, if I should fail," three or four times. That afternoon she got me to help her on with a double set of clothing, and, taking a bonnet under her shawl, she went away at her usual time. The next morning there was a great stir about a lady from the St. Charles, who had brought a set of clothing and put on her husband, who was in prison, and both made their escape. I learned they were from Baton Rouge; the report was that he had forged a bill.

In a day or two came off one of the grand soirees, and it happened that an actress got an invitation, through the intimacy of a lady's husband. This raised a general row—some saying she ought not to be there, and some again saying she should be—the gentlemen taking a decided stand, and saying whoever the ladies, who are regular boarders, invited, should be admitted. The next day, trying to make my way through the ladies' private door, I was interrupted by the door-tender, who told me hair-dressers were not allowed to pass through that door, that they must go through the public door; I turned in and gave the boy a good shaking, and went my way, much to the amusement of the ladies and the mortification of the man; there were several ladies of our Queen City there to enjoy the sport. I went in a room where there was a lady who had recently come from France, and found her perfectly furious—nearly foaming with rage and anger; she told me there was a lady who slandered her. It so happened that a certain lady in the opposite hotel saw a gentleman in this lady's room, and she