St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-18

have to spend the next five minutes in
ministering to the wants OF one of the ex-
acting, selfish travelling public who are
continually asking for the impossible,
and who fancy that bell BOYS are pro-
vided with wings which enable them to
go up and down stairs dozens of times
without experiencing the slightest IA
tigue. The average traveller. hotel
lounger or philosopher sees a row of
boys seated on a bench, all of whom
are talking quietly, OF even laughing,
and is apt to fancy that the life of bell
boy lies in pleasant places. and that his
daily routine work is in reality one gi-
gantic holiday, the mOnotony of which
is broken by generous tips. OF magnt-
tude corresponding to the time OF night
at which the donation was proffered.
Such supposition is mistake, for
the life of bellman does not differ
from any other calling in that 1t does
not bear inspection. No work Is easy if
conscientiously followed, and while
Front" has his ups as we'll as his downs,
the life is hard one. Bells are like an
epidemic, for the reason that when they
begin ringing it seems as though they
never knew when to stop; and for this
reason. when the services of the boys are
called upon with frequency, each man
knows what is coming, and is therefore
not surprised when in returning from
trip to the third floor he finds that his
services are required on the second and
fifth. He may know that the maiden
lady who occupies the former room
wants to know why the fire she ordered
an hour ago has not been made, and
that .;a
THE MAN ABOUT TOWN, II
whose bell shows him to be resident
of the upper floor, wants to order IA
drink. What if the fire was orderedi
only two minutes ago, and the attache
knows that the drink will do the drinker
more harm than good. 1t is his place to
obey, and neither criticise nor hesitate!i
The bell crews of all large hotels are
divided into two watches, each of which
works six hours before being relieveda
day, and five and half the next. The
crews are each in charge of a captain,
who is in turn under the jurisdiction of
the head beilman. This funetionary is
held by the management of the house
responsible for the conduct of his men,
Any dereliction. breaking OF rules, or
complaints are. brought to and invest.
igated by him. Each bell watch is ret:
ouired to keep books which show to
which rooms the bundles of laundry
were sent which passed through their
hands, or from what room they were
taken. A record is also kept of the
letters sent up stairs from the Office, and
express matter delivered to guests is
also registered. By this system it can
be seen at glance whether or not a
package or letter which was received on
a certain day was delivered. and the
number of the boy in whose charge the
bundle was placed can be told, and the
man in question either convicted or
vindicated of carelessness, or charged,
as subsequent events prove.
The Ryan hotel has as good bell sery-
ice as there is in the country. The par
lor, first and second floors are looked
after by the Office, and on the third floor
is sub-office, from which the wants of
the three upper floors are attended to.
This sub-office is provided with lee,
water and other necessaries. and il a
bell is rung from one Of the rooms, the
call is received at the Office and tele-
phoned from there to the sHb-ofiice,