Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-08-18
FEEING SERVANTS AT TAyERNS.

This is one Of the imported customs OF travellers
which would be 'more honored in the breach than
the performance We can add nothing 10 the
force Of the following condensed denunciaton
from the N. Y. Express-Mr. Brooks.
The English spectacle of the arrival
and departure Of travellers is beginning
to he performed at our public hotels IN
some Of our Atlantic cities. When a
traveller sets off from an English hotel,
it is amusing to witness the scene that
goes on. Out pops one, pretty woman,
perhaps, and says, 81 am the chambe,
maid, SIR" which, when translated into
American English, means, "give a shil-
ling or sixpence, at the least" for the
why and the wherefore it puzzles an A.
merican much TO tell, rs he paid his bill
at the bar, and alhthat is demanded for
his lodging too. The chamber maid dis
posed OF, another pops out with hitch
ing step and sideling eye, "Head wal
ter, sir, if you please" which means at
least a sixpence more, Then comes the
blacker of boots, with his "don't forget
boots, | am boots, sir" But "boots'
disposed Of, the porter comes, "your lug
gage is down, SIR" and the porter OF lug
gage expects his fee. You get in the
coach or yon mount the top, and up pops
another, who lifts his hat and tells you
your luggage is up, sir, which means, 81
too want a fee, sir" And thus one new
or knows when his bills are paid, and is
annoyed by this kind Of beggary every
turn he takes The coachman expects
it. The guard of the coach expects it
The man, hoy or woman who puts th'
ladder by the side of the coach for pas
sengers to dismount, expects it. Th'
custom is imperious, and you might a
well runaway without paying for you
dinner as resist it. Now this custom, 81
annoying, has, within the year and bal
past, already been half saddled upon us
There is one hotel in Washington where
man with difficulty gets any thing tt
eat, unless he bribes the servant to at
tend to him at the public table. In Phila
delphia, "Boo,sS in the English fashion
makes his appearance-"Boo,s. sir
am boots, sir" Two porters attend yo'
to the steamboat One is, ana ought l.
be paid cheeriully; but another carrie
YOUR luggage from the cart to the steam
boat, and lifts his hat with, This is you
trunk, sir. Thank you, sir. | brougf
it here, sir. GemIeme. with an empha
sis) give me something, sir,"-and sur
after the emphasis, if there was any dor
key that had any doubt Of his gentiit
he would give the something that ge,
flemen give. AS in England, so now
America, you begin to have that mo-
annoying politeness, which would be eN
cellent enough of itself, if it meant wht
it was intended 'for-but we have got
sad habit Of always suspecting peopl
that are too polite, and we have alway
found that those bows which are mad
three inches lower down than good breec
ing demands, are meant for sometkin!
as man never bends his body thus {,
for nothing. The truth is, walters Al
beginning to adopt This English mode
begging.
Such are the facts, and now for q
moral. Ifihis custom is permitted to
on by the keepers Of hotels for the p,
pose Of getting penny or two, II W
soon he in this country as in England
that n waiter must pay for place inste
Of being paid for his services in it, n
thus must, from necessity, turn begg
and spunger. One hundred pounds ste