The morning call., 1893-02-11

" prefers looking after
himself in the matter
of personal attendance.
The other day called on friends but was
met at the door by smart-lOoking. we'll
dressed man, who said. in reply to my ques-
ton:
mo. sir. Mr.. MONTGOMERY Is not in at
present, but am his man. Can / do any
thing for you?"
mo, | don't know that you can. /
wished to see Mr. Montgomery himself a
minute. You are on your way to Australia.
are you n0t?"
"Yes, and from there to Singapore. China,
and Japan, then back to Vancouver Island
by the Canadian Pacific mail steamer"
Rather new experience for you. l sup
pose. is it not?"
''Oh, no, sir. 1 have been In Australia
before right through it with Mr.. Pemire. L
have been travelling nearly all my life with
one gentleman or another. Been shooting
in India with one gent. notwithstanding
with another in South Africa. sometimes
fishing in Norway or yachting in the Med
iterranean. Wallets see a lot OF the world,
especially when you valet single gentlemen,
as | generally have done"
You are English, L suppoSe?'
"Y on may be snre Of that, sir. Americans
don't know how TO valet a gent. They
don't seem to take to it somehow"
How do you account for that?"
'sWhy, In the first place they amt brought
up to il, ana there are very few American
gents that want Wallets Bless you. sir, a
valet is not like a footman, cOachman or
groUm. He must know a dozen different
things or he is no good. He must be good
for lar nd hof rHr ~ let ~
be able TO COOK anu act as butler Nothing
must be strange TO him. If he is with a
hunting gentleman he must understand
something OF horses, looking after the
feathers and tops, and turn his master out
as a hunting gent should look going to a
swell meet Besides which a travelling
valet has often to act as courier on the Con-
tnent and must speak French and German.
"Change. Yes. For instance. ! was at
our chambers IN st. james street, London,
at o'clock one afternoon, when | got a
wire from my gent, telling me 10 pack up
for an Indian shooting trip, take tickets for
Bombay, see the guns and shooting outfit
ready for service, and meet my master at
Charing Cross railway station ready 10 start
by the 80 overland BriHdisi mail"
"Qnick work that, wasn't it?"
pretty well, but nothing much out of the
way Gents take hts like this sometimes.
They may meet friend at their club who is
Just ABOUT ID start IOE hOnt foreign pidCe,
and who perhaps says, by J0Ye, | wish you
would come with me, old fellow
Your boss perhaps replies: 1 would in
n minute-its just The thing | want; but
how the deuce am | TO get ready 10 start
to-pightY
"Oh. easy enough. Wire your man. Tell
him to pack, take tickets and meet you at
Charing Cross; and meanwhile jump into a
hanson and make arrangements with your
bankers, and you have still some hours On
your hands before starting time
That's the way gents do when they
leave In hurry. and ii a valet did not
know his business he Wcu | b. in a queer
fix. would he not?"
CHANGING down the va ets' column in The
Field we flnd that vaiet's talents and
capabilities are even more varied than
those above, as the following advertisement
shows:
AS thorough valet 10 single gentlem IN, thor
oughly understands hunting and shooting
things. good cook. used 10 yachting, no objection
to travel, speaks French and German, age 33.
height feet FIVE years reference from Lord
ST. omooI; or as butler or butler aud valet.
h. C., FIELD OFFICE.
Readers of Thackeray and Dickens Will
remember Major Pendennis' man, and Lift
Ter, the confidential man or rather rascal
of David Copperfeld's first friend Steer
forth.
No doubt Wallets are very useful and most
convenient. but the question is who is best
off, the average well-to-do Englishman who
cannot do without his man or the equally
wealthy American who makes "A point Of
doing without one, In fact would hardly
know what to do with one il he had him?
Personal attendance Is very convenient,
and the services of a good valet must be
exceedingly useful to any traveller who can
afford that luxury, even though they do not
require their assistance for making their
toilets.
A good man can act as leader in a shoot
ing party. cook and scour guns on an
African hunting expedition, courier on a
Continental tour, steward ona yacht. handy
man on a Norwegian fishing excursion, in
short serve his master In thousand and
one different WAYS, including OF course.
'twigging a dun" keeping a creditor at
bay, stalking ballet-girI. making love TO
the lady's maid, wearing his masters
clothes and reading his private correspond
ence. Wallets often have many of their
masters secrets in their possession, but
usually know how to keep theil mouths
shut.
Some Wallets marry the ladies' maid or
hOusekeeper and keep chambers for gentle
men In the neighborhood of Bond or ST.
James streets; others may be found com
fortably set up in snug pubs" in the
smaller streets OF Mayfair or near the
news Of Portland or Berkeley squares,
where they are NOeraly patrOnHed by the
footmen aud coachmen of the surrounding
mansions.
In China and India, where native serv-
ants take the place of European personal
attendants, some people get so accustomed
To use theg services that they become posi-
lively unable to do the slightest thing for
themselves without their assistance. Speak
Ing Of this an Anglo Indian says:
Il remember conversation in the Singa-
pore Club, when lot of us were speaking
against the habit as a very bad one, when
one gentleman said: It's all very we'll for
YOU fellows TO talk. but | should no moro
try to get into my trousers without sending
for my Chinese boy than | shonld think of
flying: and. more. L don't believe that
could
Then you ought to go without Them" was
my reply, for you must be the most help
less mortal under the sun for stalwart
six-footer who goes in for athletics"
Sometimes, either from choice or nrces-
sity. ladies use Chinese boys instead of
baboos or ayahs. and get so accustomed TO
their services that they will call them TO as
sist In their toilets without any c0mpunc-
ton. This does not arise from any lack of
modestv, but simply from habit; they look
upon these boys as servants only. When
Chinese boys take the place of nurseg rls
it is natural that ladies will become so used
to their presence as 10 almost completely
forget they are of the male sex.
HENRY CHARLES EvERELL.