The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-04

welcomed in the hOusekeeper's rOon' anu o,Doo ~
with Mr. Cook, the butler Mrs. CVuey2 sn0
bonspkeener Jackson the groom Of the cham
hers and Mr. Jones, the steward. Here more
elegant manners prevail. But aiaf on our.
maid hears the pleasant laughter IN the
Servants all, 7" the more uhrestialheu reVelS,
where sJeames" and "Chawles" are giving
,vav 20 their natural spirits as men of the
world who knew town life, c0nvulsing the
rustios present by their delineatiOn of London
life and manners. To be gentleman" on a
visit at one of these great houses must be
great treat, and welcome change. My lords
valet has nothing but the mere valet duties.
in reference to my lords clothes and
hot water; the rest of his time is
for himself. The noble person who
entertains takes care for the sake of his own
credit, that the entertainment in the way of
eating and drinking shall be on a fitting scale
of lberality. My lords valet who is fair
and rather sickly young man wearing beautiful
linen and gold chain, is much admired by the
rosy and buxom ladies who look at him from
afar off, from the scullery say, but dare not ap-
proach nearer OF amorning we often see him
through the trees taking pensive walk, really
as regards dress Che has a shooting coat Of my
lord 5 on) not to be distinguished from my
lord himself But he is not much favored by
the other gentlemen, who say he is 'dayvilish
fne." Who that loves human character would
not take any reasonable step, save, Of course,
unworthy listening at keyholes, ETC., to look on
at this strange world down stairs 1t would
be the most entertaining mirth-moving pas
time. There is an admirable farce, full of hui
mor the credit of which clergyman-schOol-
master assumed, but which really came from
David Garrick, that deals with this under-side
of life, and which has been too much neglected
of late years. Who has not laughed with
genuine enjoyment at High Life Below Stairs,
and the quarrel of My Lord Duke and Sir
Harry about their respective pretensons to
''Lady Bab'! The chord of true humor is
touched here, and finds an echo in Reality, the
real source of genuine laughter. Not as now,
when some poor accident, which is merely ab-
surd and not humorous, some wretched twist
of mouth or catchword, is made the basis of
a farce The point in High Life Below Stairs
is to be found in our nature, and the play will
be understood and relished a hundred years
hence.
In community of this Sort where the menial
offices devolve guests as well as hosts 1--WE are
still on the lower leveD, there sometimes will
| arise serious causes of quarrel. High words
| arise, not somuch between Jeames and Chawles,
as between Chawles and Miss Cotter, Lady
| Harriet's own maid. This arises naturally out
of a division OF duties only imperfectly settled;
and the guest betimes, as he lies in bed, has
heard an angry conflict on the stairs, alter
mating with sarcasm and strong personality,
| together with sound as of ladies' boots being
|
a-going to wait on your Lady Har-ye with
prompt retort, "Pick 'em up, you leow fellah
| you!'' But in the evenings in the 'all, every
thing is smoothed away, and Chawles forgets
the past like a true gentleman and man OF the
| world as he is, who scorns to war with the
softer sex.
Perhaps the next entertaining and satisfac-
tory of all the lower professions, the most
variegated and exciting, must be that of a
''waiter' in elegant practice. 1t is surprising
it is notloverstocked. There are many of our
sons ana brothers in what then consider pro
missing practice at the bar, and making not
nearly so much in fees, and they never enjoy
perquisites. | speak, of course, of a waiter
with good conneXion, who is on terms OF
friendship with the leading cooks and confec,
TONERS, and who is known to have a light
charming touch, and so much respect for the
, dignity of his order as to take but moderate
tithe out of what is going. There are plenty
l of your rude coarse hands, whose very air and
bearing are an offense. In all professions there
, are the bunglers; the heavy men, who miss
t the opportunity often offered, and which does
) not again present itself.
/ 1t is surprising how much depends on this
''tact, " as it may be called How often has the
first brief set the briefess on his road to fame
: and fortune Erskine, when so called on il
' an emergency, felt, he said, his little ones a
5 home tugging at his gown And often tn,
:. stray waiter, obscure, unknown, chad i'm OF
a the pressure of the moment, simply and wholly
a because there was none else to be had, thi
:, artistic speak by the card-has so othoroughl,
o identified himself with the part, thrown him
: self with such good humor and zeal in tn,
e desperation of the crisis supplying the place o
6 the absent, being here, there, and everywhere
k that he at once attracted the favor of all pre-
p sent; and A. B. Che would not like me t
3 name him), whom we now feel lowering bt
e hind us at my lord dukes, nay, even at ye
le higher links, without whom no decor
1t solemnity is complete, who has a clerk to kee
Ie his book and take his fees Gas in the othe
t, profession), traces it all to this humble bt
2. ginning. But think it was the OCCASION NJ
r the cause. His preferment must have come
ut But, it may be repeated, of all the less exalte
rs professions which entail what is called I'll
ii sweat of the brow, waiting is the most enticinj
IS Walters see the best and the most intellectual
2 they hold conversations with the noblest an
L most gifted in the land-with the premier, I'll
" primate the lord mayor, the poet, the novels
lie the orator: they converse in easy fashiC
y on the peripatetic questions as to Il
lie choice of wine, whether port, sherry, clare
al or madeira--and the reply surely amounts
le a conversation! What glittering scenes
L splendOr they are admitted to- What ravis
of ing beauty they may look on They, indee
L go out to balls, dinners, and parties, as muC
a. as the most fashionable. No wonder tn
lie everything ese-trade, labor, and even tn
IN final haven of public house proprietorship
s. should be more or less insipid. By lit
I'D fiction they may hold themselves as much i
Sc vited as the guests. And, let it be adde
Il, of