Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-07-11
THE Au7ocRAT OF THE FLAT.
low the Naughty Janitor Raies In Dod'
BILE Endcr Perquisites.

now the Naughty Janitor Rakes In Dod-
BILE Endrr Perquisites.
If statistics wcro o6tainable on the sab.
;ect, it is reasonable TO believe that fair
percentage OF tho people in Chicago who
moved out OF one set Of flats into some
other the 1st of May are wishing thoy had
the "oid janitor'' back again-that Is 70
say, the janltor of the fat which they left.
For there arc ianitors and janitors.
Nominally the proprietor of the building
is 'boss" and responsible for its manage
ment, but practically the question as to
whether married lifo in fiat is success
or a failure depends upon tho functionary
with whom you come Immediately in con-
tact or upon whose good or i'll will it de-
pends whether or not the lines of your
household shall be laid in pleasant places.
There are always little things to be done
or undone, such as taking off a door where
your wife wishes to hang q portiere OF
shifting tho refrigerator from the kitchen
to the back porch, making new key or
repairing lock, turning ON more heat in
the winter time, or seeing that the gar-
bage is removed promptly in summer. By
the readiness with which he meets these
requirements his good standing as a jani-
tor is determined. If he neglects you, 1t
will do no good in nine cases out of ten to
bother the landlord about it nor the land
lords agent, because the interest of both
in you practically ceases-until May day
| approaches again-when you have given
approved references and signed the lease.
If you do succeed in getting hearing Of
your complaint from either tho agent or
the landlord, the junitor can usually set up
overwork ut the particular time you called
| on him as an excuse for his failure to at
| tend promptly to your requirements, and
| as you have no means of disproving his
statements you lose your case, and your
| last state is worse than your first because,
| having taught you this wholesome lesson
| on the folly of rebellion, his misrule, SO to
| speak, is thereafter more rigorous than
| ever.
| There is only one way to secure satisfac-
| tory service from the average janitor, and
| that is to fee him judiciously. II your
neighbor is less diplomatic than you are
| his garbage may be left to breed diph
liberia, which will be as dangerous to your
premises as to his, but on the whole your
position will be much more endurable
than if the tip is neglected. The janitor
In this respect stands in much the same
| relation to the tenant that the sleeping car
| porter does to the traveller. He is expected
| to get tips when he is hired, and his COM
pensation is fixed on this supposition. He
| is furnished residence, usually in the
basement, for himself and family and re-
| ceives moderate salary. What he makes
beyond this he makes by his wits.
If he is shifty, there are various sources
of revenue open to him. For one thing,
he is usually handy with tools and can do
| odd jobs Of repairing for the tenants. If
keys beyond the allowance are wanted he
makes them and gets 20 cents apiece for
them. One of the first things he does is
to introduce himself to people who are
moving in aud offer to get any service that
may be wanted for housekeeping or put
ting down carpets. If he is enterprising,
he includes servants for permanent posi-
tions for general housework and so con-
stitutes himself q kind of employment
agency. from each Of those who get work
of this sort he receives u small commits
sion. -
In the wicter time il one of the tenants
| wants cheerful CRATE fire citho- for the
picturesque effect of the thing or to sup
plement the heat furnished by tho fireman
which, being supplied on tho syndicate
plan, Is not suited to all tastes-the janitor
can always let you have tho coal, and he
charges a liberal advance on the current
market quotation. He is presumed TO get
the coal from his own bin, but there is a
tradition that much Of it comes from the
bins of tenants who have stocks Of their
own.s No matter how largo tho deinand
may be he is always equal to the einer-
gency. siam. sss,f.y
When you get ready to move away, he
calls to express his regret at the fact and
adds that if you have not engaged Il man
to move you he hasa reliable one to rec
onlnend and can also send you equally
competent help for cleaning windows and
tacking down carpets in your new resi-
dence. So that, in the expressive phrase
of an eminent kentucky editor, he ''catches
'em comm, and he catches 'em goin, and
SO manages, as rule, to make q good liv-
ing and lay by something for. rainy day
besides. Chicago Tribune.