The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-09-20
AN OLD WATERS STORIES.
Famous New Workers. whom He Served
Their Habits as TO Dining.

Famous New Workers. whom He served
Their Habits as TO Dining.
An old New York waiter, who had
been employed in leading restaurants a
great many years, was interviewed by
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 SO that nobody could
see his neighbor. And most of the
walters yelled, sir. Isuppose I've heard
'em say Plum-both more than 500
times a day in tones so 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 years ago when Mr.. Hallock, of the
Journal of Commerce, Gen. Webb, of
the Courier, and Mr.. Beach, of the S,0,,
used to take bite with us. How diff
| ferent them men was, sir.
eyes, how?"
"Wel1, Mr.. Hallock looked like a
minister. He always wore black, and
was never fashionable, sir. He was very
gentle, sir, and I always thought he
must have been we'll brought up, sir.
But Gen. Webb was q sumner. He had
a great deal of hair and large stomach,
and you'd think he was real general to
hear him talk, sir. 1t was a rare sight
to see him lift his hat, sir. Gloves
always. And he was very neat, and at
times generous. remember he gave me
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.
"How about Mr.. Beach?"
"I don't know, sir. Mr.. Beach was
a man, sir, if 1 may SO speak, who
always seemed out of place, sir. 1 am
told he was a very clever man, sir, but
we didn't take to him, sir. He was a
great hand for pork and beans and apple
dumping 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 were splendid"
"Were you ever in Delmonico's p
"Not in his new place, but was in
his Chambers street place long time,
sir. Mr.. Siro is very particular. sir, so
is Mr. Charles. The old man 1 never
saw but once. A mans always sure of
his wages at Delmonicos, 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 So after
lunch. The biggest L ever got was
one day after Tweed, Connolly, Hall,
and two lawyers had been in No. 8 for
five hours. stayed three hours after
my time was up to tend to 'cm. AS
they came out Mr.. Hall he slipped some
thing in my hand. When went in the
room slung my napkin under my arm
and looked at it. 1t was three tive-dollar
bills, sr. 1 ran down stairs quick, sir.
They were standing in the doorway with
Mr.. Siro, who was smoking, as always,
cigarette. Can I speak to you, sir /?
says I to Mr. Hall. Certainly, Viii.
liam, says he, as polite as basket
whats up?' Then 1 told him fearet
he Lad made mistake, and handed hin
the three fves. He took them, never
said a word, opened his wallet, took on
bill, rolled it over the three fves
handed 'em to me, put his finger on hi
nose, and walked away to the door. HI
had rolled q tenner over the fives, so
had S25 for my pains, sir.
"Well, that was generous"
Yes, sir, and often think of it, sir
He was thoughtful person, sir, Mr.
Hall was, and l never like TO hear hin
run down, sir. One of our regulars wal
Mr.. Stewards chief partner, Mr.. Libbey
and nice man, too. He always cam,
in at certain time, had certain seat
ordered his lunch quietly, accepted it a
it was, made no fuss, paid his check witt
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 tabl
, where another judge, an editor and a.
actor were sitting. AS he sat down h
ordered champagne cocktails for tn
crowd. Then he ordered a chop TO
himself. Bottle after bottle came, pop
ped and went. 'Now, said he, tin
r ltllOW WuO ihS tne luoSu CASH Ill III
pocket shall pay for the dinners. Tn
! other Judge showed up $15, the edito
$22 and some change, but the acto
, brought out $3.50 in cash and checl
! for $500 signed by John J. Cisco & Go
, Il pay says Judge Barnard, as h
showed $75 in money and city warran
; for 81, $50. The actor said NO. be
cause warrant wasn't cash. FINAL
, Mr.. Siro was appealed to, and he said
well. if Mr.. - asks me to accer
= to that $500 check L shall do it, conse
+ quently it is cash and if Judge Barnar
/ asks me to cash his 81, $50 warrant
shall do it, consequently he has the mos
r cash, and he must pay the BILL Q
4 course, it made a great laugh in tn
room, and after another bottle the
separated"
"Did you ever wait on young MI
Bennett" ?"
eyes, often, sir. He had a way i
e cold weather of now and then coming
y the place. He'd walk in quick, pull
e chair before the fire, and read til
= papers. First he'd warm one side, sil
t and then the other. Then he'd say
e Eugene, breakfast Eugene was til
# head waiter. sir, nice man and very ricl
e sir. Then Eugene would order and
!, generally served it, sir. He never pal
i for anything, it was always charged, 81
d That's the way Mr.. Hall and many othel
IS did, sir. 1t saved the bother of handlir
}. money, but it was hard on us, sir, fl