The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-11-24

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Ieannot better give an idea of the
IIlanner IN which strangers are fieeced
y. Sie hotels than to give an exper. .ence
OF myself and friend in Leipsie re-
cSisy. We put up at a first class ho-
tel. and took rooms on the second floor
~ was very chilly evening when we
arrived, and I rang for the waiter. and
eoiu MN / would ke to have a fire in
the stove. He bowed and retired. NV
nleno was visiting some friends IN the
cleyi and i was left alone. After wa +
~ ~ 70 hear something about the fire or
about fifteen minutes I rang again. and
the waiter appearing l asked him if il
was not possible to have a fire made
TN evening, or must | wait for some
other evening. He told me that the
noseman was very busy, but he would
see: This was a plain bid for a fee so
gave him a mark and TO d him to hur-
ry up with the fire. Three minutes later
the houseman appeared, and inside OF
ten minutes there was a blazing fire
IL heroom. The houseman stood at
t<f dor before eretiring, aud hinted as
Esad-y ssssskas ee-osti~that he wanted a
fee, but paid no attention to him He
went out and returned in a few minutes
when he deliberately carried off the
hod of coal which was intended to re-
plenish my fire. / rang aga and the
waiter came. | told him | must have
coal. The houseman returned with the
coal, sood in the doorway and limited
for fee, and this time / was compelled
TO comply with his demand ! was
afraid that if | refused to fee him he
woulC carry off the stove. Before we
had Ietired that night we had feed the
chamlermaid for bringing in lamp in
stead Of a candle. we had feed two wait
ers, and we had feed the houseman
Next morning as we descended the
stairs We observed a porter pulling
a bell string. He detained us in the
hallway for a few seconds, and in the
meantime nearly all the employees of the
house gathered around us. They want
ed some more fees, and the "portier"
had pulled the bell-string so as to call
them together. We gave them a triie
all around and left Ny friend, who
was born and bred in Leipsic, told me
then, wh1t | have since learned from
actual experience, that this begyarly
system OF doing business is common
throughout Central Europe Why the
proprietors tolerate it is something | do
not know, unless the fees a~e divided
with them afterward The native Ger
mans are as thoroughly disgusted with
the fee business as the strangers; and
almost as often victimized
1t may be thought by those who have
never had any experience of this kind.
that it would not be a very difficult
matter to refuse to pay fees un 'ess YOU
wished to do so. 1t is not difficult
Youcan refuse to pay fees unless you
feel Inclined TO do so. You can walk in
Chitago, If YOU do not care to hang on
by your eyebrows TO the roof of a
stret-car. You can stay at home in
Chisago if you do not care TO run the
riskOf being shot. You needing live in
Chicago if YOU don't like the streets.
You can be just as Independent in Ger
many as you are in Chicago. You can
order the walters around, and tell
them hey are already pad for their
or you can tell the "portier'
the biggest nuisance around q Eu-
ropean hotel. and almost as nsolsnt as
the hotel clerk in America-tiatly, that
you will not pay twice for everything;
that you viii not give any fees. You
may disappoint the PORTER - and the
waters. and the rest of them, but in the
long run You succeed only in making
: yourself miserable.
There are two kinds OF fees the
iudicious and the injudicioua fee You
must learn to put your money wh, re it
viii do the most good The iudicious
Zee will sometimes secure YOU the
greatest comfort; it viii always assist i'll
making your stay in hotel agreeable.
The iniudicious fee may occasionally
have good effect, but usually it only
protects you from annoyance without
giving you any other satisfaction. Gen
orally Americans are iniudicious in the
distribution of their favors. They usual
" give too much and too often. Ere
luently they give large fees to per-
sons who do not expect them, and
small ones to those who do. The result I
s dissatisfaction. and you will see it in
Tour beefsteak, in your coffee, in your
-ea. in your cigars. or in your wine.
Then there are people who give fees as
matter of course. They are taken as a
natter of course, and no benefit is de |
lived from them. Others give fees in
IN improper spirit. They allow the re-
.ipient to see that the fee is not given I
.heer.ully, and the services which are /
,iven in return for it are not given /
either
The experienced tourist or traveller /
viii always find out, in the first +
,lace, the persons upon whom he /
viii be depenl lent for the numerous
title comforts so essential to ones I
happiness in European hotel. I
lie will give them a little at first-iust /
nough to make them cheerful-and I
,roniIso them more. If he makes the I
ight kind of promise his attendants
will do their best to earn his good win. +
[ is much bet er to allow them to live I
a hope of a future reward than to pay
hem before they have earned anything.
f they think that you have given them
II you intend to give, they soon forget
hat you have given them anyth ;ng, and
ecome carele regarding your happi-
ess. Chemnitg Cor. Chicago News.