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Sarah Orne Jewett Manuscript -- Hotel Piazzas
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Sarah Orne Jewett

Notes on the Presentation of Manuscript Materials

^  ^ :  The author has inserted text.
abc :  The author has deleted text.
[  ]  :  Editorial comments and descriptions.
{ }  :  Editorial insertions in pursuit of clarity.

    Jewett's periods often appear as dashes, and also often are indistinguishable from commas.  Where her intentions seem clear, I have placed commas and periods; when not sure I have given the dashes or included a note.
    She is not consistent in using apostrophes.  I have presented words needing apostrophes as she presents them.

The manuscript of this piece is held by the Houghton Library of Harvard University: Jewett, Sarah Orne, 1849-1909. Hotel piazzas. A.MS.(unsigned); [n.p., n.d.]. Sarah Orne Jewett compositions and other papers, 1847-1909. MS Am 1743.22 (48). Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.  Transcription and notes by Terry Heller, Coe College.

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Hotel Piazzas

Everyone will allow that the first light of ^entrance among^ an assemblage of people on a hotel [ piazza corrected ] is always [ unrecognized mark ] unpleasant -- To intrude oneself is disagreeable; one feels very conspicuous and interloperish as one goes up the steps. It is usually the case that there are groups of people close to the entrance -- and they look up with mingled curiosity and alarm -- as if the innocent traveller were an uninvited and unwelcome guest. They smile with satisfaction if an overcoat drops or an

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umbrella, it is impossible to recover one's self-respect for some little time unless indeed the hotel clerk recognizes one as the temporary proprietor of a good room --

    A little later when clean clothes have supplied a fair amount f courage and self satisfaction, it seems possible to go down stairs and unless one has some friends to hunt up, the people look as if they belonged to two parties -- The ruling one is making itself at home -- it laughs and has taken itself the most comfortable chairs and corners, [ deleted word ]

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and if a stranger usurps what it claims as its right, woe be unto him --

    The other party has as good a time as it can while it is made to feel that it is Nobody* in particular. There are shy people who would be very grateful for a kind glance or word -- they know who are the kings of and queens of the company as well as their more favored subject; they seem to be paying ^as^ heavy taxes and to be getting much less pleasure out of the expenditure{.}

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[ Begin deleted lines. ]

Perhaps as you go down stairs [ one or an ? ] ^acquaintance^ proves to be crossing the hall, another is just entering the door -- and

[ End deleted lines. ]

^Usually^ by evening or by next morning the crowd has resolved itself into its component individuals, and when the next boat comes in the newcomer is ready to stare and hold aloof like the rest. Unless ones own family ^or his friends^ [ is waiting so written ] to welcome one ^him^, the first half hour one ^he^ feels like ^is^ a strayed reveller an unwelcome guest a solitary creature who ^is^ waits* the ^word of welcome^ decision of a crowd of both friends and*  strangers who are apparently

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in league against him --

    Now it is very well to be careful about ones behavior ^and to keep the best company one can^ and to do things properly, and not to be noisy or to make oneself conspicuous -- but wherever two people meet together one is ^always^ host and the other guest -- It may be in ones own house or on the seas or among the mountains but this law ^is in force everywhere^ and the duty of of keeping it holds sway over us.

    Sometimes it is the stronger man who protects the weaker when they are both far from the home where hospitality is the unquestioned responsibility

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but whether one is under the rule of society or under the great common law of humanity the truth remains --

    In the great houses of entertainment which will be filled to overflowing this summer and autumn, it would add to our happiness a thousandfold [ if corrected ] this law of relation of host or hostess and guest were kept in mind -- The season is short -- And the sojourners by the sea or at the mountain hostelries are gathered from north and south

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and east and west -- There need be no question of subsequent difficulties and mortifications by the continued interest and good fellowship of the chance friends of the holiday, at least there should be none -- But there should be a certain cordiality take the place of the present disdain and cold scrutiny of the newcomer ^and the stranger^ and a recognition of the fact that all are gathered together with the same object,

[ Begin deleted lines. ]

coupled with an unwillingness to do or say or even even look anything which will interfere

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with other peoples self satisfaction and well-being

[ End deleted lines. ]

-- People always find their social level as surely as water seeks finds its[ ^underlined mark ^] -- That is something we need not trouble ourselves about -- But we need not wait half a dozen days before we begin to notice ^acknowledge^ the presence of the men and women who sit at the same table with us -- and ^if^ we have felt the lack of welcome and hospitality among the guests when during the first few hours of the stay, we ought to take care to be gracious

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in our turn when we become proprietors of the piazzas, and others are newcomers and goers about the house -- Oh no! not rise and bow all together as the boat comes in! but be civil and not afraid to be polite or to say good morning, or to make use of the same code of good manners ^with strangers^ which you follow with your friends -- One may have the good ^fortune^ sometimes to have entertained an angel unawares* even in a summer hotel -- It is a capital

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bit of fun to see the misery of a man who has missed the chance of making friends with a celebrated man or woman, just because they seemed to him ^an^ uninteresting ^and he has said to himself it is only a^ stranger, who need not be considered or bothered with -- It is worth while to remind oneself often of this relation of host and guest --


Notes

Nobody: Jewett has twice underlined "N," and 3 times underlined the "p" in particular.

waits: It appears that Jewett's underlining is meant to indicate that she has decided to retain this word after deleting it.

and: It seems likely that Jewett meant to delete this word as well.

an angel unawares: See the Bible, Hebrews 13:2.

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