The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-11-18
TIE HOTEL CLERK.
His Trials and Tribula,ions-His Rewards and
Pun shments.

The hotel man is oftentimes the worst
abused man on earth. Everybody's prop
erty, verybody uses him. Going into
hotel last night and noticing the clerk
boiling with rage and chewing cigar
stump aud tearing around his enclosure
like mad, the reporter asked what the
matter was.
"Psople have come to look upon the
hotel clerk as sort of public servant. q .
being who exists only for their use and be-
hoof, to give information to them, ana TO
stand as a universal guideboard, with IN
dex finger extended pointing to the hour
when all trains arrive. where evrybody
lives, where ali the business houses are
located, and the first names Of all the
people in town, sort Of peripatetic city
directory. A man pays his bill and must
| submit to any indiguity he may see tit to
iuflict. The asking of idiotic questions.
about persons and things, the slurs con-
corning the house aud the help, all these
and many more, the clerk 10 compelled to
| listen to till be wishes the earth wou!d
open and swallow up every dot-gasted
| wretch who asks questions for pastine.
and get angry if betray my feelings by
yawn."
"How do you manage to stand off people
who want checks cashed, OF who strike
| you for Il loan?"
Sometimes it is easy, very easy. Twill
cash check most any time fo- personal
friend. or for regular customer OF the
/ house. but when a stranger comes At me,
prodnce copy OF the rules and regula-
tions, one OF which reads: No checks
cashed for anybody That settles it. He
goes off satisfied. l never lend money,
because am opposed to it, but If have to
overcome my prejudice l demand an
lou not only. but his honor bright
that he will repay il.
The hotel bore singles me out as
the object OF his special wrath. When
he enters the Office where he Is
well known, the hearts Of his victims sink
| within them. aud seek refuge elsewhere,
and lie makes for me. l may sigh for an
hour in Hades or fifteen minutes any
where on earth but where am. but It Is
no 90. The place occupy Is only aoout
ten feet square behiud the counter. Cut
off from retreat am at the tender mercles
of this creature. and l am compelled to
listen for hours to the vhporiDgs or this
brainless idiot who spends his money
freely in the house and thereby makes NE
his courteous and smiling listener whiie
suffering untold torture"
The sporting fraternity draw heavry
on nv patience, and makes a safe deposi
tory of me about election time. They
come to the hotel. write out the agreement
stick this and their money in an enveio2t
and give it 20 me and walk out. am re
I =. T.xr dlGCra
,iou must be used by me in paying out
had large amount OF money stored away
in the safe, aud much Of 1t WAS on The
presidency. / kept il a week after election
was over, for although everybody
wrs satisfied Cleveland was elected
and nearly everybody is sorry nov
7 the fellows hated like fury to give it up
and SO l hung onto it until all doubt:
were removed.
After awhile the lucky fellows cam
and got their stuff, aud paid me of. Som
/, said thanks some said nothing; som'
set up the cigars-ab! Ingratitude, tho'
marble-hearted villain!
Talk about orphan asylums, hospitals
homes for the friendless, wayside inns
and all that, but the hotel is the creates
charitable institution in existence. Why
e Because people use its employees. its soap
water, towels, lavatories. smoking an
reading rooms, and even its parlors, anC
y never pay a cent. We like to see on
{ guests do this because it shows our enter
prise, but when the itineraut, conscience
less public comes in and washes the grim
9 off its face with our soap and water an
6 towels, and lolls in our easy chairs. W
kick although exDerieDce teaches us tha
the better way is TO say nothing and kici
ourselves"
Aud the reporter believed all be said
looked at himself as reflected 10 the clerk
diamond pin, smiled. and went out.