Creole Sketches/Furnished Rooms
FURNISHED ROOMS[1]
I not understan' for vat some peoples ask of prizes so much elevate for dere garneesh room — I much mistruss myself of such peoples; — I believe dey all be of vat mos' vicked.
Firs', I go for ask prize of room in my street of de ——, for dat I observe of sign "Room garneesh" at door, Dey to me show one room well garneesh on t'ird floor — one big more as one cell of monk, an' I ask of dem de prize. Dey tell me de prize be t'irty dollaire by week. So dat I find myself much astonish, and I ask for see one oder of room. So dey show to me one oder of room on second floor; an' I ask de prize — ven dey tell to me forty-tree dollaire by week. It be one room of behind; so I demand for dat I see one room of before for curiosité. Den dey tell me vat de room of before be fifty dollaire for me, but for any oder one seexty dollaire by week. So I begin to take dem for mads; and dey ask me if I not deseer to see one room of de firs' floor, an' I say, "No — deveel! Vat for I see one sacré room vat cos' one hoondred dollaire? — better as I buy to myself one hoondred dollaire of mustard!" "Not one hoondred of dollaire," dey tell — "not more as one seventy-five dollaire."
And ven dat I save myself from de house away, dey laugh like all vat be of mos' idiot. Seventy-five of dollaire! Seventy-five tousand of deveels!
After I go see again more of house, and I find myself all astound. For de room vat I see of mos' good market dey ask seexteen dollaire by week — it be vat you call one attique. Oder rooms not be more as seventee, eightee, one hoondred dollaire by mont — always in advance to pay. Vat mos' I have not understan' be dat I not see one room rent in all of house — not even one. It make me to tink vat dey not ever be rent — even for dat dey have sign "Room garneesh." And I tink dey all vat be of mos' vicked — for dat how can dey make for pay rent vit room empties vitout as dey be not honeste? It is so as I tink, and I tink also dat de poleeses not ought — but de poleeses! de poleeses! — to vat good dat I talk of de poleeses!
- ↑ Item, November 2, 1879.