The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-01
TABLE SCENES,
"A Chat with Waitress in a chasn
Restaurant.
efent Glasses OF Customers NJ
Different Times Durine rba
TWeniy-Fcur ESours-Fdkes
and DisEskes.
cincinnati Enouirer I

lhere is u large class of people in the citv
VINO prefer to eat when and WHARF +ho,,
Please, and order what they want than r.
uepehd UPON the tiresome table of boer3Inc,
4oaSes- 4hey rent furnished room in which
10 sleep, and take their meals where fapcv
r ~ ana Their pocket-books will hermit
re" students or clerks on Bohemians who
guy Gwehty-one meals q week can afford to
pay ~ cents each for them, or even half of
O,''' amount; consequently they seek cheaner
Li''eeS "hefe food isn't as tempting, but per-
maps as wholesome is served to them Somo
oi tne more popular places are open day and
nignt and feed more than 1000 persons
curing every tweAty-four hours. A mar
son going into them and caring mora 70 ioo,,
about him and study his table comnar,io,,
Than to eat will find men to amusa ami T.,
CereSU even the superficial observer.
Such places are patronized BY eutireIv DIFF
iereilt classes OF customers at different times
during the twenty -four hours In the morn
ing the trade is composed chiefly of students
ana those bohemians who live in an itinerant
sort OF a way. At noon business men. clerks
| shop-Siris and variety of working people
| throng tine tables for their midday lunch At
the supper hour those who were in for break.
last, and who were not particularly noticed
III the crowd at noon, return. From O'Clock
on until midnight trade is not usually
very brisk and is composed chiefly of
hungry people who have been to
some place Of amusement, trayelers
Just arrived in the city, young fell
lows and their girls and any other persons
who for some reason are inclined to eat at
an irregular time About midnight busi.
/ ness becomes more brisk Night workers
come in for their lunch, and again the class
of customers changes There arc printers
reporters, bakers, gamblers and sporting
people OF all kinds, together with Che fast
young men who have been on a hurrah and
wish bite to eat before sneaking home to
tell fond parents that they have been to a
church social, or calling on Miss -, of
Price Hill I'VE missed tie last car Won
know, and had to walk I'M
You meet with great variety of appe.
titeS, said the reporter to an intelligent
looking waitress.
YES, was the reply, "all people have their
likes and dislikes, and it is quite probable
that they will show thslr weakness VIII I
they come into a place like this You cat
have no idea of the a4noyanceS we are put t
by exacting and mesn-spirited customers.
would want 10 letter test of gentleman
than the way in which he orders meal
Table manners always disclose undesirable
traits of character which under other cir
cumstances would not be easily disce1ned
When here by themselves they feel under n
social restraint, and the way in which the,
abuse us poor girls is awful If they onl
knew it, they could get more and bette
food by mixing a little politenes
with their orders than by con
h manding us to bring this an
that in dictatorial and insulting way. If
man is Grabbed, cross, and bent on fndin
fault, just try to bring Lin the poore:
meal | can, and delight in his frissing. III
meanest, most niggaraly people, alway
want twice as much for their money
decent folks. They come here and with
or Is cents expect to get so cent inca
They are SO unreasonable that they make q
girls mad and you can't blame us if we sla
the dishes about little bit"
But it is not economy that causes them
act so2"
mot much. The people who are best ab
to pay are usually the ones who cause us Il
most trouble. The economical ones are east
waited upon They have generally made
their minds as to what they will order befo
they come in, and when that is broug
them they are satisfied
with a certain class of our customers
main object is TO satisfy the appetite at t
least possible cost. With this In view The
0rdcrs4lmost always consist of rolls a
coffee or soup, or beans and stew. Su
things are cheap and have considerable bul
To show what some people will do: We ha
q customer who buys buns at a bakery for
cent each and brings them here 10 eat vi
his coffee. In this way he gets his coffee a
five buns for 10 cents, whereas We only gi
him three rolls for cents. He is two aha
each time but 1t takes cheek"
''AVho are your most troublesome custo
ers!"
"Of course, the faultfinders ore trout
some but We girls despise most certt
class of young fellows who, swelled up W
. conceit, come in here to make a mash. TIL
of course, think they are irresistible, 6
annoy US by talking to us and endeavor
= to make engagements with us"
do you ever have any serious trouble W
Customers"
"Once in a while we are compelled to &C
IN plain to the proprietor, and then the c
ceitad customer is invited to leave. A g.
D. MANY come in AMI order when they have
money, but that is no concern Of ours
q cashier looks after that"