The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-09
GUARDIAN ANGELS.
Professional Protectors Of Ribulous
Gentlemen.
"A Useful Institution Not Altogether
Coniinod to tho Giy French
CapitIl-An Expensive
Luxury.

correspondent in Paris rccontly dis
covered in tho cafes class of attend
ante which no described rs bizarre
novelty in Partisan business methods
lie said that these attendants woro
known professionally as Guardian
Angels They havo become, he wrote,
quito humorous in tho moro th;clily
populated quarter Of tho Ercnch cap
ital. The attendants get their tito
because they are called upon to keep
watch and ward over and insure safo
conduct homo to working people VINO
frequent tho smaller cafes, and without
tho protection Of tho angel might fall
prey to tho petty criminals who Turk in
the streets at night to rob inobriated
working mon ard other moro or loss
helpless wayfarcrs.
Now York, says tho Sun of that city,
has for Il long timo had its counterpart
of the Partisan guardian angels. He is
curious, entertaining and beneficent
servant OF tho public that was brought
into existence by the amazing growth
OF hotel lifo in this town during the
last few years and by tho increase in
tho number OF tho fashionable restau-
rants. Hero, however, it is only these
fashionable hotels and cafes which can
support tho luxury Of angels. They arc
too expensive q feature apparently to
Justify the proprictors OF tho saloons
In tho tenement districts in en-
ploying them. The guardian angel
OF Gotham is AN aTablo and
wcl-informcd special police ofilcor
detailed by tho police commissioners.
and reporting regularly to Acting SUI
pcrintcndcnt OF Police Byrncs. IIo
works tremendously with til other
sorviccablc attendant Of the swell CATO
who is called the bounccr. The bounccr
is Il professional boxer whose duty il Is
to maintain order and to get obstrcper-
GUS visitors out of the establishment
without any fuss or feathers and with
out attracting too general attention.
Tho angel, on tho other hand, makes it
his business TO sec that no harm Details
tho cafe or hotel patron who has become
u littlo too cornwall for his own good,
md needs the assistance OF Just such a
guide, philosopher, and friend rs tho
angel is to keep him from parting with
his valuabicS.
''Thc idea OF having n guardian an
GEL" said tho angel Of tho Hoffman
House, may strike mon about town as
something of n practical joke, and they
may believe that tho angel is 4 myth.
But they are mistaken, for amt l hero
to provo that guardian angels arc reGu-
lar institutions? Many men in this
town arc thankful for the help Of tho
professional angel. We sec that they
arc sent safely homo if they get too
much aboard, or VIC get them accommo-
dations at tho hotol if they aren't able
to get homo. We take them to q Turkish
bath and straighten them out before
putting them to bed, and in numerous
other ways perform a service that
square man isn't very apt to forget,
which | happen TO know not ono in
hundred fails to remember in suhstan
tial fashion on other days besides Christ
mas"
striking illustration of the oppor-
tune scrviceablcness of the guardian
angel was furnished recently at tho
Hoffman House, just before public re-
ccption. A handsome man. dressed in
black, camo from the private dining
rooms and staggered along the tiled cor
ridor. Ills face was flushed with wine.
''lIcavons"' cried the angel, with 4
HttA 10 iit tHuS, III vi Vic UcSJ,
"wc must get that man to Il room quick"
The man was hustled into tho elevator
and taken to i room i'll a hurry.
'What's the excitement about?" asked
bystandor when tho angel returnnd.
"A good deal more than you think"
returned the littlo guardian. THAT
man would DO disgraced in his profession
were no to DO seen i'll that condition at
tho reception upstairs. He is one of tho
best known professional men in this
city. The nature Of his calling makes
it imperative that he should never BIO
socn in public under the influence of
vino. 1t was Il narrow escape, though.
But hos all right now. Nobody will
know any thing Of it. lie will be
straight as string again when he leaves
for homo, depend upon it,"
Tho existence Of the professional
guardian angel is y boon TO many men of
means who have habit OF getting oc-
caaionally too conyivial to tlko care of
themselves. They depend upon the
friendly surveillance of the angel, and
give themselves up freely for tue timo
boing To the delights of tho flowing bowl.
"Not once in thousand times" said
professional angel, docs friend who
does this service for fellow citizen fail
to get tho cab hire as soon as no reaches
his charges homo. man mean enough
to back out of paying fare back under
such circumsta noes is too mean to spend
enough to got 50 full. Sometimes
we DOM collect at the mans house at
all. We just escort him in and say in
an explanatory way, 'AIr. Pillycarp ate
something at dinner hatdisagrced with
him and couldn't got homo before,
ma'am, but he's all right now; or he will
no a Ii ricrl,t the rrnnrnirfr rrho