Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-22
TIPPING SERVANTS.
What Mr. Murat Halstead Thinks About
This Growing Custom.

Mr. Murat Halstead, who has recently
returned from a European tour, writes "A
follows in the Cincinnati fODlmerciO'-
Gdzcle about the custom of tipping ser
wants
An ever-present trouble Of tho traveller
in Europc-and | am sorry to think tho
custom is spreading IN Amcrca-ls tipping
tho servants. One never knows when ne
j. done paying for what he gets and Tor
what is supposed 10 be done for HIM. No
VOYAGE il made across the sea bat 1t ter
inmates in sorrowful and anxious iuqui-
Ties by those who have not been long lni-
tiated a. 10 Just how much must be paid
to this person and that person and the
other person, and tho information Is never
given twice in precisely the same terms,
and the veteran travellers are embar-
rasscd by the great expectations Assoc
ciated with the service and never quito
satisfied. There are certain anticipatlOns
that one who proposes 10 have the ord nary
comforts cannot afford 10 neglect II you
are sending party not initiated IN foreign
delights across the ocean. and are not
going yourself, il is good plan 10 see the
head steward and give him 50. That will
bear fruit. If there Is anything good IN
the ship your folks will get Il. Ihls does
not discharge the obligation 10 the dining
room steward or to the berth steward, who
must have ten shilliug8 or marks or francs
each before you land, aud you might as
well note now that there Is delicate adj
jus;ment b. which the two Offices are never
combined in the same individual.
In the case of ladies'. of GO Irse, the stow
ardess must have quite as much, and II -
safe to give her more. She Will not refuse
it. The kindness and tenderness Of the
stewardess to the sick lady passenger are
enchanting. and you may be sure she Will
be watchful if the tokens of human SYM
pathies she gives are not realized IN casn.
Her devotion may be tender but it means
money, and when the lady in the case Is
pretty sick and needs good deal OF alton
ton (and when it Is needed II IS needed
very badly. it is just as well 10 give her
some silver or a small gold piece before YOU
get far % sea. So many passengers have de-
ferred action until the last day OF the voy-
age with the steward and stcwardess
and the rest Of them, and then mani
tested a conservative spirit IN pecuniary
matters. there Is q background OF inqulsl-
tive indifference amounting 70 hostile sus-
picion; and If there is any stringy meat,
stale vegetables, bad fish, damp fruit, or
hash that has been hashed too much, or
prunes that have made too many trips. II
you don't show indications OF kindly and
liberal disposition during the first three
NnNo YOU are nlb " llllh tlt9 'lNNNARAltN"+N
articles presented 10 YOU several times
daily, and a series of impossible bar-
riers is erected against redress. IL
you have not tipped the head stew
ard you need not 90 TO him with your
grief. The tipping trouble pursues you on
all the ships alike and in every hotel. You
are charged for service, and are expected
10 fee the servants. Ii you do not speak
the language of the country the boy who
speaks your language and the other, too,
has you in his grip. The touching time IS
when you dare to go away. lou do not
miss ANYBODY then. They are all there,
each regarding you with sad. expectant
gaze, and the scOrn with which they can re-
gard en unusually small piece Of change IS
one Of the most humiliating Of dramatic
exhibitions. The great majority OF
persons submit humbly and contrite-
~ to this dispensation and make
their escape with empty pockets. Let
me urge the use Of bulky lot OF small
money. IL 10 needed In self-detence.
have never seen more grievOuS express
sion on the divine face OF man than APP
pears when you are Obliged to announce
that you happen 10 be without change. A
sense OF helplessness goes with such de-
clAration, and the actual bankruptcy OF
your condition is advertised. The tipping
causes your benknotes 10 be converted
into gold, your gold into silver, and the
silver TO dwindle into copper, and the cop
per to vanish altogether. and, after all, you
never can be quite certain that you
have done the generous and righteous
thing. You must go forever haunted with
the reputation Of stinginess. am proud
OF my British ancestors. who in their Jour-
neyings 10 and fro on the continent squeeze
their sixpences aud hand out pfennigs,
pennies OF confines, as the case may be,
with the most severe discrimination. do
not know what would become of as when