Part 5 - The Last Dance

When I transferred from boarding at the store, I went to stay with the family who were in charge of the railway station. It was while I was there that I struck my first mouse plague. The house was a nice cement one, but the mice were getting in everywhere. Mr Rose set traps everywhere, and this night he said to me, "Do you mind I set some strychnine in some flour in your bedroom?", because they eating my clothing; they were getting into the drawers and eating everything.

The original Ultima Hotel, which used to be a wine saloon, was burnt down, and the new two-story Hotel was built for about 11,000 pounds - a lot of money in those days. It was a wonder of the district, and Ultima was a thriving town.

The Hotel had two dining rooms, one for the solicitors, doctors and other professions, priests etc, and the other one for the rest. To the best of my knowledge, the food was the same but the No. 1 Room had the silver service, starched serviettes, table cloths, uniformed waitresses etc, and all for three shillings, and two shillings respectively.