St. Paul daily globe., 1888-07-30
LIFE IN LARGE HOTELS.
How Travellers Manage to While Away
Their Time.
BEHIND THE BIG DESK.
Orders From Poker Games and Calls,
for Ice Water Keep the .
Boys Busy. :

90 you Gnlnk tnat life In Motel is a.
sort of routine, do you?" inquired one
of the gentlemen who ring the bell and
call "Front' yesterday. Then he went
Oh to explain: well, it may be, but it:
is pretty interesting all the same.9
Think of the hundreds of different.
faces we see every day, of
the hands we shake, of the new
phases of life that present themselves
OF the many peculiar characteristics of
human nature to be noticed, and, all
things considered, the day does not pass
when travel is light we have an attack
of ennui. but as long as guests keep
pouring in we have our hands full in
handing one pen, setting the register
In convenient way for another,
writing a name for lady, max
ing out meal tickets and room
cards. so as to keep our little directory
behind the desk here straight, and tell
ing 'Front'every minute or two to show
the gentleman to room - Then an
electric alarm comes in from room No.
=, and if it is not at once attended to,
prepare for continued angry ringing.
That guest probably wants ice water,
or he may need drink or a
smoke, or probably he wants to know
what time the train starts for Omaha,
what amuSementS there are in the city,
now the base ball game came out, and
why Ill thunder it is so hot up here
Our business is to keep ON smiling and
try
TO PLEASE EVERYBODY.
You know, of course, that hotel is
thing of twenty-rour hours business
every day. The quietest time is be-
tween midnight and a. m. One or two
late trains come in, but they do not
bring in many people. The only thing
that enlivens this brief period is the
scrubbing of the rOtunda floor, and per-
haps couple of politicians may get
may be poker game going On in Room
No. =, and the players ring pretty often
for drinks and cigars.
1.-The busiest times are just before
dinner and supper. Guests get up for
breakfast rather indifferently and that
meal is always rather long drawn out,
but when 'Dinner!' is called there is al
ways a crowd ready for the dining
room. The life of the average hotel
guest consists of getting up. bathing
and shaving, taking light breakfast of
toast and coffee-or may be a steak
with few French fried potatoes and
tea preferred to coffee-having a shoe
shine and smoke. Some commence
the day with cocktail-writing a few
letters, reading the morning paper, con-
versing with some friends, taking
short drive, eating dinner, smoking
another cigar, going to the ball game,
or spending the afternoon in some way
equally pleasant, eating supper, going
to the theater or playing billiards, TAX
Ing nlght-cap and smoke and .
RETIRING TO BED.
cat least such is the life of the man
who stays for day or so. There are a
great many tranSientS who take bed
and breakfast and catch the first train
out. We have large list of regular
boarders in winter, but in the summer '
time they stop out at the lakes. The
usual hotel boarder is very sociabie. and.
the ladies become like sisters. Nothing.
will bring about a closer intimacy be-.
tween people than stopping for some :
time at the same hotel. In the winter
time they get up tOboggan parties and 1
balls, and life becomes one continuous
round of pleasure. Of course the men
folks are sometimes guilty of quiet lit
tie game of poker, and many times the
pot gets big enough to make it interest,
ing. 80
1.-The politician takes to hotel like
uuch tO WdIeT. ANY udy OF the year
may witness some political deal fixed
up in a half-concealed little nook or
corner. We must always be ready
with room for committee meet
ings, and when several candi-
dates are hot after honors our
parlors are transformed into political
headquarters until convention or cleo
ton day. But, Lord! the crowds that
fill the hotel rOtunda just before con-
vention - truly deluge of excited,
scheming humanity.
''The hotel is also the great social
center. Here clubs have their meet
ings and here are the great banquets,
little social dinners and semi,public
feteS given. In the event of some big
blowout the hotel is no longer an eat
ing and lodging houSe-it becomes a
veritable palace, and full-dress and dec
OrationS is the order. The strains of
music carry one back to the
FEASTS OF ROYAL PRINCES.
"ThOSe old cheStnuts you fellows
have worked Off about the writing paper
tiendS and the clerk with large dia-
mOnds and kingly airs have occasioned
some reforms, and they have made it
little more pleasant for both guest and
clerk.
'Well, must go and transfer that
register now. | have talked good deal
for hotel clerk, but this is the only
time we can have to talk, in the still.
small hours of the morning Come
around tomorrow night and have lit
tie lunch with me. Good night"