Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-02-18
THE RESTAURANT.
And The Opportunities 1t Affords to
Study Human Nature.
Boston Globe

Boston Globe.
While waiting to be served in a res
taurant excellent opportunity is af-
forded for the study of human nature.
The way in which a person has been
brought up," the extent of his edu-
cation, and even the portion of the
country from which he was imported,
may be ascertained with a great deal
of accuracy, AS place to find out
whether person is a gentleman or
not, the restaurant is second to noue.
ALI classes may be seen, from the
boot black to the Back Bay resident,
from the uneducated farm hand to the
educated professor, from the skate boy
in a rink to the rink manager, resplen-
dent with diamond studs and charms.
The uncouth but Independent laborer
on the streets or wharves, the city Of
fetal, the banker, merchant, broker,
or journalist, may be seen at times,
and may be studied so thoroughly
that great deal of their former life
and present mode of living may be
discovered.
Among other things you will notice
a distinction innhe inn which two per-
sons give their orders. Each will say
"please and thank you" to the waiter,
but one will do it in a timorous way,
plainly showing how foreign to his
habits this ordering a well-dressed
person is. He shows that he feels
nervous and would ten times rather
get his water himself than cause so
much trouble to that dignifed man.
He keeps his eye on the waiter, moves
nervously now and then, and causes
more trouble than three ordinary per-
sons in his endeavor to help and not
bother any one. The other person
who says ''please and thank you" does
it simply from a gentlemanly instinct,
and unconsciously shows that he has
been taught to be polite by his parents.
Nine times out of ten he is a man
most polite in his manner of eating.
Often you will see a tall, slim Eel
fow, with long. thin face, sallov
complexion, long hair, and seedy
clothes, who strikes you as being
very stingy. This feeling that he is
not particularly generous will be con
firmed by his ordering the cheapest
thing on the bill of fare and finishing
his repast by feasting his eyes on
his neighbors plate. Next to
him may be stout, jolly looking
gentleman who has ordered good,
substantial dinner and enjoys it, talks
pleasantly to the girl who waits on
him, and when ne is through goes out
with the face of one who is used by
the world in good, honest way.
A dude will be noticed, who orders,
perhaps, half a dozen blue points on
the half shell, and is laced so tightly
as to have room for but five and a
half of these.
A woman..may come in, about whom
it is harder to decide than it is about a
man. She NAV be dainty or not, as
chance snail dictate, but which if it is
you will be able to discover very soon.
A newsboy or boolblack comes in and
orders supper with characteristic in
dependence.
Journalists and brokers are always
to be known by the promptness with
which they dispose of both the order
and the result of the order. All study
ing of these two classes must be done
in hurry, as they realize that time
and tide waits for no man, and they
must be up with the times.
After taking mental notes of the
patrons of a restaurant you can turn
to the employees. the table girls
after few weeks work usually look
worn out, and you notice tired way
about them, which yoa may wonder
at. but when you think that they
come to work at s o'clock in the
morning and work till at night,
keeping on their feet all day, you
viii be able to sympathize with them
perhaps.
By this examination of people one
not only gets to be an expert at read
ing human nature but keeps better
watch over himself and nine times