1931 Old Waldorf Bar Days by Albert Stevens Crockett

OldWaldotf Bar Days sages penciled by the German lads, often had their own troubles, as the writers were apt to spell English much as they spoke it. Drexel had come from Philadelphia for an important social engagement. To save time, he had brought his trunk on his hansom all the way from the station in Jersey City. As he registered, he happened to look to– ward the door of the Bar. Issuing from it was a New Yorker, well known to him, who was a considerable rounder and; when in his cups, a great and tenacious bore. Drexel ducked for the elevator and convinced him– self he had escaped the other's attention. But not so. Immediately upon reaching his room, Drexel sum– moned a bus boy and told him to notify the office that his trunk must be brought up to his room imme– diately, as he wished to dress. Simultaneously, however, the New Yorker he had sought to avoid, but who had spied him, handed in his card downstairs to be sent up to the Philadelphian. The bus boy laboriously wrote out Drexel's message, but he transcribed it thus: "444 (the number of Drexel's room) say send up de drunk." This message arrived shortly after the caller's card had gone up. The puzzled clerk on duty at the tubes downstairs scratched his head over it. He showed it to every clerk in the office. None had ~ heard about Drexel's trunk. The Philadelphian was on good terms with all in the front office, and was in the habit of exchanging chaff - of some of them. In view of tha't fact, the consensus of opinion was that the scrawled order referred to the caller, and that it was to be taken literally. [34]