The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-11-17
Hotels in saxony.


The gast-haus is hotel, but of a fourth
or fifth rate quality 1t is patronized by
the pooref class of travellers, usually by
those IRON country villages and small
towns. who come to the CITY to make
purehases, It's respectable, but not the
kind OF place for an American. There
is no dining-room save the beer-bau; no
office save the beer-hall The beer-hall
is the guests' parlor. writing-room,
drinking room, reception-room and sit
ting-room. You FONT a room up stairs 1T
so much per day. and YOU buy your
meals IN he beer-hali at so much per
article. fou get nothing unless you
order it. You must ask for bread if you
want it. Il you order bread and neglect
to order butter YOU don't get the latter.
If YOU ordler simply a cup of coffee YOU
win not get any bread or butter. 1t YOU
order simply beefsteas1 you will not get
any potatoes You must know what you
want aud prder Il. When You settle
your bill Ne waiter charges for every
thing sePtS ely, calling them OIL TO you
and add. Skfse.rn up aloud. This rule,
1.asA.s.f.4f lSslssefsvetl IN "a ati1thefFestati-
rants and in the hotels where meals are
served outside of the regular dining
room or table d'hote,
The stranger. is conveyed dtiickly to
one of the hotels If the driver takes
him TO a first-class house his experience
is about rs follows: AT the door he is met
by the porter (the most important mani
in the house, a waiter and a boot-black,
or hausman. The latter takes his valise,
the waiter bows low, the porter bows
still lower. and the guest is ushered into
the main hall. This hall is paved with
marble blocks; the walls are frescoed;
a few pictures hang on either side, but
everything has a cheerless appearance.
There is no office, save little dark room.
over which is painted the sign PORTER;
there are no hotel clerks with boiled
shirts. curly hair and blazing diamonds;
there is nd register in which the stranger
must write his name while the clerk
looks down upon him with patronizing
sneer. The hall is narrow and there are
no chairs nor richly-upholstered sofas TO
be seen. They are not needed.
Passing quickly through the hall. the
guest is led Up stairs, also OF stone or
marble. and into his room There is no
elevator. Here the PORTER leaves him,
and the waiter bows. The bow is meant
to express to the stranger the fact that
the waiter IS entirely and uncondition-
ally his slave, and if the guest wants
anything he need only put himself to
the trouble of asking for it.
The American informs the waiter that
he would ike something to eat. The
waiter bows and retires. Then the
stranger sheds his coat, and collar. and
cuffs and things, and prepares to wash
the dust and SCOT out of his head, his
ears and his checks. He pours the
4l..
soap. There is no soap. He rushes to-
ward the electric bell and gives it a
spi'eful push He waits After waiting
a sufficient time he pushes it twice He
wai.s again. Then no answer being re-
ceived, he pushes it three times.
At last there is footstep in the hall
and y knock at the door. Then the
chambermaid enters She stares at the
stranger and waits for him TO speak
He tells her that he wants some soap.
She doesn' understand him. He shows
her the empty soap-dish and hopes to
shame her by the revelation. She simply
mutters 'son' and is gone.
Another footstep Is heard in the hall.
Another knock is heard at the door.
Then the bootblack enters and stares
1t is evident that he too, has been sum
moned by the bell. The whole perform
ance is gone through again; the boot
black mntters '.sor' and is gone.
In short time another footstep is
heard in the hall and another knock at
the door Then the waiter comes in.
Once more it Is necessary that the
stranger shall tell the story about the
MISSING soap. Once more he hears the
muttered so and the waiter disap-
pears.
After a time he returns with cake of
the desired article, and is received with
a liberal quantity of profanity, which he
listens to calmly and patiently. He
uoesn' understand one word of it. Then
he bows. and manages to make the
STRANGER understand that travellers
usually bring their own soap; also, that
one rinoof the bell is for the waiter, two
for the chambermaid, and three for the
bootblack.
When asked concerning the dinner he
disappears, but returns shortly with bill
of fare The traveller expected his din
ner. and is again provoked into display
of temner, which has no earthly effect
upon the waiter. The latter explains by
signs and mods and bows that the stran-
ger must order the things which he wants.
tits useless to attempt to discuss the mat
ter bv simply saying: Bring me din
ner.'S or. bring me a good dinner"
The bill of fare, or 'speisen-karte" is
printed and written in German, so that
the stranger has no idea of its contents.
At lenothhe points out number of items
with his finger, selecting them good
deal like man selecting tickets in lot
terry.
When the dinner finally comes, he
finds that he has four kinds of meat, no
vegetables, some black bread, and no
butter. Then the dinner is spoiled, for
the traveller is so much disgusted, and
annoyed. and wearied. that his appetite
is gone. But he succeeds, nevertheless,
in makHg the waiter understand what
he wanfE After two or three experiences
of this kind he is able to order his meals
without any difficulty.
The cooking in Germany is as near
perfect as it can be. and the hotel beef
steaks are the best that can be found
anywhere. A dinner served in ones
own room has charm about it, too,
which those who eat in the crowded
dining halls of American hotels can
never feel Chennitz Cor. Chicago
NeWS.