Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-09-23
Good Walters Spoiled,

''Nobody seems to know said the
head waiter of fashionable uptown
restaurant, chow much more difficult
it is to keep walters under control and
in proper training here than in Europe.
l have been over here two years, l
was imported especially to take charge
of the walters in this restaurant, and
have had sixty of them under my
control ever since l came here. Dur
ing the first six months of my stay
here I changed men constantly. I did
not realize what | have since found
out, that American diners are the best
natured men on earth. This refers to
swells Of the highest rank as we'll as
the ordinary guests who drop in from
time to time. Americans are satisfied
with attendance that would drive
Frenchmen into Mysteries, and they take
everything with an easygoing air that
nothing can rutfie. The result is the
walters become lax and familiar. If ]
don't watch them very closely they
lose their manners and become care
less. 1t takes remarkably short
time, you know. to spoil good waiter.
| have often watched them run down.
If chance to get good man from
Paris he is conspicuous here as soon
as he puts on his apron. He assumes
attitudes of humbleness and respect,
is polite to a fault, quick, dexterous,
and shows desire to please in every
movement. He gets out of these
habits in just about month. Not
only do the other walters spoil him by
their example and their talk, but the
guests themselves, by their leniency
and good nature, soon teach him lazy
habits. A very good illustration Of
how some of our guests treat our walters
occurred here to-day. Two well-knowr
club men make it point to breakfast
here every morning at II o'clock.
They have table by one of the
windows, and are waited on by care.
full aud conscientious man of German
! extraction. One of the gentleman got
here this morning little ahead of the
other, and following out the present
custom of Americans, he growled ou
few agreeable remarks to the waiter
Thereupon the waiter joyfully unfoldec
his heart to him, and told him thai
his only ambition was to leave the oc
cupation of waiter and start a little
lager-beer saloon of his own somewhere
up on the road. The young swell
pretended to take great interest in the
walters ambition, and when his frienC
came in they went to work very earnest
~ to assure the man that very rich
friend of theirs. leading banker il
the Union club, had set up four or five
men in lager beer saloons, and so they
each wrote out long letters of introduc
ton on the spot and signed them with
the names of some other club men, or
whom they occasionally play jokes
Probably neither one of them knows
the banker to whom they introduced
the waiter They have told this poor
Dutchman to insist upon seeing tho
banker at o'clock next Sunday morn
ing. The chances are that he will be
thrown out of the house when he calls
This may be very good practical joke
and probably the young men viii
ease the walters feelings by presenting
him with a S. note when the exposure
comes. l know all about it, but
won't tell the waiter, because l wan
him to learn by experience. You cal
readily understand what an effect thi
has on the best kind of walters. Thi
is the sort of thing that goes on
though, half the time under my yer,
nose and am powerless to prevent it.
-NcW York Sun.