Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-06
WATERING PLACES.
HoteI.waiters and Their Fee
Cor. of the Springfield Republican,

Cor. of the Springfield Republican,
From the side of the hotel-keepers and
their numerous retinue Of employees, il
is a life where money must be made out
of the victims supplied by q kind Proyi-
dence. OF course this applies more di-
rectly to hotel at watering-place than
to one in city. The season is short
and uncertain, the outlay enormous, the
proprietors must make expenses, so the
extras are piled on, prices raised without
due warning, and bills for specified sums,
but containing no items, rendered. do
not write as a victim. experience of such
evils was kindly denied me in virtue OF
my babblng pen, but direct observation
supplied my facts. The walters, bell
boys, chamber-maids, all expect fees,
every one knows that, but entered upon
my hotel life absolutely ignorant Of the
importance Of feeling, and handsomely,
too one of the most important function
aries in the establishment, the head
waiter innocently supposed that hav-
ing once taken seats at table, they were
mine by right of possession; so l was
quite surprised one morning when the
great man Of the dining-room, in all
the pomp of dress-coat, white shirt
and white pantaloons, draping but not
concealing his portly figure, came and
announced that our seats were engaged,
the parties who had secured them had
arrived and we must vacate. This pos
itively declined doing, and carried my
complaint to the office, and my rights
were Immediately recognized and estab-
lished. A word, however, dropped incl
dently from one of the clerks, partially
enlightened me; he said, tits probably
a question of money with him, mean
ing with the head-waiter. | remarked
later to my companion at the table, l
believe that man wanted us to fee him.
What" she exclaimed; =" fee the head
waiter Nonsensel never heard of
such thing / determined | at any
rate would not do it, or at least not until
| satisfied myself of what right he had
to expect it. Meantime he overwhelmed
us with attentions, and asked con
cerning our comfort time and again, and
never once relaxed his polite concern
about us afterward. Later discovered
the secret of the matter; he had been
reprimanded and Informed Of my con-
nection with the press, and he wished to
coneiliate me in the hope, oh ye powers
of puff" The insult of being sup
posed capable of putting a head waiter
was lost on me in the comicality of the
thing, and then ! remembered letter
which had been written from Long
Branch, by the son of Philadelphia
editor, which was exhaustive of the vo-
cabulary of Mandatory adjeetives about
everybody in the hotel, and mentioned
the head waiter by name, described his
dress and address. and allowed him more
space than was given to the sensational
lady of the establishment. A copy of
the paper containing the letter was sent
BIZ the writer to every praise-bespattered
individual, including the factotum OF the
So it seems he had grounds
to suppose himself worthy of place IN
a published letter.
After time learned the claims his
position gave him on the feeding and
feeling the public. A head waiter has
the seating of the guests, and his office
is considered one of the most lucrative
in the hotel Sometimes, | am told, gem
tlemen pay him as much as $40 to give
them a seat near certain lady, or where
they can look at her. Outside seats in
large dining-room are considered the
best, and the head waiter usually counts
on making so much on each We had
outside seats, so were dead loss as
summer speculation. The following was
told me as indicative Of the sums proper
to offer such a dignitary. A lady came
to the hotel who was former acquaint- |
ance of one of the clerks he spoke to
the head waiter, and asked him
to see her well seated and he |
felt sure. he would lose nothing by |
it. whats it worth, sir?' asked the |
man of business. " | should think Y" |
was the reply. "All right sir. and the
lady was comfortably seated. A few
days passed and no money was offered,
and the business man advanced to the
lady's indorser during the dinner hour
one day and asked if he still thought the
prospect good. While the parley was
going on, the lady observed it, and beck
Oned the man toward her and handed
him note. ITS all right now" be
said beamingly to the clerk, without
looking at the money. After time he
came again, with look of insulted dig
nifty upon him. What do you suppose
she gave meg' he asked in injured tones.
"a two-dollar bill declare if she had
not been friend of yours / would have
told her that the hotel paid me" Could
language further go2
Il is pleasant to hear the walters at
your table discussing the prospects of
the harvest you are likely to yield them
They do not always trouble themselves
10 speak low enough not to be heard,
out audibly declare their wishes to be
to another table; " there's
not money enough at this, they say
With contempt The money given them
hey openly show each other, a1d when
hey think the time has come when more
money is due them, you are made to
know it by the impossibility of procuring
certain articles which you are known to
ancy on the I'LL of fare.