The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-09-27
AN OLD WATERS STORIES.

AN OLD WATERS STORIES.
Famous New Workers whom He Served
Their Habits as to Dining.
An old New York waiter, who had
been employed in leading restau: ants a
great many years, was interviewed by a
Sun reporter, to whose interrogatories
he replied as follows:
did you ever see old John Jacob
Astor ?"
"Only once, sir. He was feeble
man when I saw him, but his son, Will
liam, used to lunch regular with Clarke
& Brown. You see, sir, we had little
boxes in those days. They all opened
in front on the passage, sir, but they
was partitioned off 80 that nobody could
see his neighbor. And most of the
walters yelled, sir. Isuppose I've heard
'em say sPlum-both' more than 500
times a day in tones 80 loud, sir, as
would scare hawk. The great dishes
was steak and onions, plum pudding,
with wine and sugar sauces, strawberry
shortcake, and devilled kidneys. It's
astonishing how them things go by
fashions"
"Will fashion soon drive the trade
up-town" :,
"Not very soon. sir. Why, it wasn't
many wears ago when Mr.. Hallock, of the
Journal of Commerce, Gen. Webb, OF
the Courier, and Mr.. Beach, of the Sun,
used to take bite with us. How diff.
ferent them men was, sir.
eyes, how?"
"Well, Mr.. Hallock looked like o
minister. He always wore black, and
was never fashionable, sir. He was very
gentle, sir, and I always thought he
must have been well brought up, sir.
But Gen. Webb was sumner. He had
a great deal of hair and large stomach,
and you'd think he was real general to
hear him talk, sir. It was rare sight
to see him lift his hat, sir. Gloves
always. And he was very neat, and at
times generous. remember he gave me
a dollar one time, and he seemed par
ticularly grand and splendid, especially
when his high stock was new and stiff.
He was very pompous like, but he never
abused the walters, sir.
Chow about Mr.. Beach?"
"I don't know, sir. Mr.. Beach was
man, sir, if I may SO speak, who
always seemed out of place, sir.s 1 am
told he was a very clever man, sir, but
we didn't take to him, sir. He was
great hand for pork and beans and apple
dumpling with both sauces, sir; not that
I could find it in my heart to blame
any man for liking them dumplings,
sir, for they certainly we're splendid"
"Were you ever in Delmonico's )"
"Not in his new place, but was i'll
his Chambers street place a long time,
sir. MI. Siro is very particular: sir, so
is Mr.. Charles. The old man l never
saw but once. A mans always sure Of
his wages at Delmonico's, and it's the
best place for fees in the country. The
little gent who travelled with the Prince
of Wales and paid his bills gave S. after
a lunch. The biggest I ever got was
one day after Tweed, Connolly, Hall,
and two lawyers had been in No. 8 tor
five hours. I stayed three hours after
nv time was up to tend to EN-. AS
they came out Mr.. Hall he slipped some
thing in my hand. When I went in the
room I slung my napkin under my arm
and looked at it. It was three five-dollar
bills, sr. ran down stairs quick, sir.
They were standing in the doorway with
Mr.. Siro, who was smoking, as always,
a cigarette. Can I speak to you, sir 2
says I to Mr.. Hall. Certainly, Will
liam, says he, as polite as a basket.
whats up? Then I told him feared
he had made mistake, and handed him
the three fves. He took them, never
said word, opened his wallet, took out
a bill, rolled it over the three fiyes,
handed 'em to me, put his finger on hls
nose, and walked away to the door. He
had rolled tenner over the fives, so l
had S25 for my pains, sir.
"Well, that was generous.
eyes, sir, and often think OF 1t, SIR.
He was thoughtful person, sir, MIR.
Hall was, and / never like to hear him
run down, sir. One of our regulars was
Mr.. Stewards chief partner, MIR. Libbey,
and nice.man, too. He always came
in at certain time, had certain seat,
ordered his lunch quietly, accepted it as
it was, made no fuss, paid his check with
ten cents to the waiter, said Good day,
and went out.
"But Judge Barnard was the man.
One day he came in and walked to table
where another Judge, an editor and an
actor were sitting. As he sat down he
ordered champagne cocktails for the
crowd. Then he ordered chop for
himself. Bottle after bottle came, pop
ped and went. Now said he, the
fellow who has the most cash In his
pocket shall pay for the dinners. The
other Judge showed up $15, the editor
S22 and some change, but the actor
brought out $3.50 in cash and check
for $500 signed by John ]. Cisco Il Go.
Il pay says Judge Barnard, as ne
showed s75 in money and city warrant
for 81, ,25O. The actor said NO. be-
cause a warrant wasn't cash. Finally
Mr.. Siro was appealed to, and he said :
well, if Mr.. - asks me to accept
to that $500 check I shall do it, conse-
quently it is cash andif Judge Barnard
asks me to cash his s., $50 warrant l
shall do it, consequently he has the most
cash, and he must pay the bill OF
course, it made great laugh IN the
room. and after another bottle they
separated. ~,
"Did you ever wait on young Mr..
Bennett ?"