The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-19
To TREAT OF NOT TO TREAT.
zowt the Question is Regarded in New
York Clubs
Ffon. the Nelo York Stdr.

From the Aet0 YORK Star.
Almost every club in New York has been
~ scene of much discussion upon the ques-
So, of treating, and in nearly ell the Gus
.o-o has been more or less restricted by
..cit understanding not embodied in any
Law or house rule. The code on this
Inject is peculiar and somewhat compH-
-atsd There is probably more treating in
me Young clubs than in the older ones, and
a-oong Young members than among the
There is more treating in the cafe than in
,bs dining room, and in proportion to the
rnrber of persons using the billiard room,
-srhsps more there than in either of the
66tbers. The House committee OF a COM
nsratively new but highly prosperous club
FTas little disturbed recently to learn that
soTe members had pledged themselves
Taither to treat nor accept treats in the
clubhouse. On the very evening that this
ravs was announced one OF the parties to
the agreement, formerly a conspicuous
roiitjclan. declined several invitations to
drink at the expense Of fellow members,
hl1t finally yielded to importantly.
AN PARTY to the agreement steadily
declined every offer of hospitality, and.
wien all about him were drinking at fell
low members invitation, wrote his own
order for his own drink.
nreiudice against all-round treating in
clnbs has arisen from two things-the
costliness of the custom to men of moderate
roeans. and the feeling that social evening
should not be turned into a drinking bout.
At the same time, no House committee
looks with entire satisfaction upon an abso-
Int anti-treating sentiment, because the
club bar is ordinarily profitable institu-
tiop. and anythlng that tends ID diminish
its profits upseJs the financial calculations
Of club managers.
There is among club habitues a pretty
well established rule against treating at
dinner, The man who dimes four nights
ont of seven at his club does not pay for the
wine or the dinner of the fellow member
who sits his vis-a-vis, perhaps, three nights
ont of the four. The rule is not absolute,
for it is not unusual for birthday, or some
other anniversary. to be made the excuse
for an extra bottle of wine by one of a
party who, for the time being, play s
host The ordinary rule, however, is that
each man shall pay for his dinner and wine,
Just as if be were dining alone. Many an
old club habitue would as soon think of
having for his fellow members coat as for
his wine at dinner. In clubs serving O. la
carte meals it is not uncommon for NEIL
who habitualIy dine together to take turn
about in paying for the dinner. This in
sQres some economy in ordering, and yet
avoids the obje tionable features of treat
ing. The constant habit among naval
officers aboard ship of throwing dice to de-
ternine who shall pay for wine and cigars
is rare in well-regulated clubs.
Now and then, when large group has
formed in a club cafe. some one asks every
BODY to drink at his expense. 1t is a rare
thing to find that every one accepts. Many
men have formed for themselves a rule to
decline when above four or five have
accepted, or wien the company exceeds
half dozen. 1t would be group of very
young men, or of old and hardened
drinkers, that should continue drinking
round after round when the company num-
bered as many as dozen.
Barroom habits are distinctly disapproved
Of IN the best clubs. In any but a few po-
iical and flash clubs, the man who should
frequently order enough champagne for a
large group gathered in the cafe would be
set down as a cad. The pop of the cham
payne cork is not the constant music of
the well-regulated cafe. The distinguished
editor of a New York paper, presiding
late after a club election, while
the assembled members were awaiting
the election committees report, invited
everybody to drink, and everybody
accepted because the occasion was unusual
Had the same man offered such an invita-
ton in ordinary circumstances. he would
have been met with stareS of establishment
and disapproval.
No well-trained club servant passes the
cigar basket all around the room when a
member invites the men sitting i'm
rnediately around him to smoke.
Should servant make such a mistake,
the basket would probably pass un-
touched. A great many men frown upon
TIE habit of declining to drink, but elect
ing to take cigar instead. These men in
slst that he who takes cigar when asked
to drink might just as well call for a sand
vich, or necktie, or corner lot. The
object of treating, they say, is not to give
something to the man who accepts
the proffered hospitality, but to show
good will and promote good-fellow-
ship. This truth was well illustrated by
naval officer who had long been disguised
with shipmate's Willingness to drink and
smoke at the expense of others, without
mading adequate return. The usual invl-
tation to smoke was accepted with alacrity,
and the sponge held out his hand to receive
the cigar, saying: ''Ihanks; I'I smoke il
after awhile" mo" said the intending
host, you'll not. I don't offer you cigars
to smoke after while, but to smoke in my
company" and back went the cigar into
the owners pocket.
A habtue of one quiet club in New York
AZ" NAOA- VI SeAoAAlSo NOhNASCAOios VI I'LL
social instincts, to their logical conclusion.
He reaches The clubhouse about half an
hour before dinner, looking fierce and mac
cessible, with his gold-rimmed eyeglasses
and great gray mustache. He reads
an evening paper for half an
nour, and then. seating himself
IN the dining room at small table, care
FULLY chosen with reference to temperature
and draughts, drinks mis- pint of claret and
dimes solitary SOlaVT1 " IA do1lios
with coffee and cigar for half an hour after
dinner, and then is off, without having
spoken word to any man, save his whis-
pered commands TO tine waitAr