New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-19

Then he told me just what shou'o ""'o W Wv 90
secondo
"rrbe main thing Is to keep your tables clean and
the chairs in shape. When guest comes In, you
iust stand near me, that you can understand the
order when | call It out. Then run Tor the pulet
and tell the padrone. While he's filling out the
order you get your tray and carafe OF water ana
be ready to run back the minute the padrone calls.
At night I'll have to pitch in and help you. cause
business is pretty lively them but in the afternoon
Won can run the thing alone. I'll simply stand
around and collect the money-thats the FUN OF
being a primo, you see
At noon the following day we were at work IN
ALA Speranza. Our quartiere consisted OF nve
tables very near the door, and We were surrounded
nv three others presided over by Roman secondl
and bohemian and Venetian primi In the morning
the cafYa was I'm the hands OF another watch OF
six men, The work had 10 do was pretty much
as Giacomo has described 1t. At times made mis-
takes and Giacomo had to hurry to the rescue.
One l remember particularly crowd OF men
had come In suddenly and taken seats in our quar-
there. I had to receive all the orders at once, and
thought that got them right. but when had set
down my various trays OF the men said Sharply:
What does this mean walter!
"CafYe signore" I answered. Cane! Cane. ne
bawled at me- IT didn't order coffee: ordered an
Ice" "Scusi-scusi tanto," was all that couid
saw and 1t ought to have suffced but the padrone'
who had seen the entire affair. berated me roundiy
why don't you listen when you get your ORDERS!
AT o'clock In the afternoon had to go to the
washroom behind the buffet to help the o'her
secondi wash and wipe the dishes left over from tie
mornings business. / not very good at thls'
and plates occasionally flew out OF my hands Inc
padrone came rushing in each Time Crying INC
fatev and that ceasecss "Assassino.' once ne
uas so angry that he even called me ''porco
(pig) which Is the worst name they have In Italy.
The other second SAID that he ought 10 nave peeii
knitted but / managed to hold my temper. Al
o'clock we all had little supper. served 10 us o"e
at a time In the kitchen, and after that business
was so brisk that it was one continuous jump ana
run until closing time. AT midnight the cafe closed
and the print settled accounts with the padrohe
while the second piled the chairs on the tables ana
swept the floor 1t the most exciting part OF the
day for me. and explored every nook ana crevioe
of our various quartier for stray coins W men one
was found 1t spat upon TO bring good LUCK anu
the eager search began afrcsh.
on leaving ALA Speranza for the night II was tne
custom to drop in at other cafe for chat
and final counting Of the days tips before gong -
bed. The favorlte one was little ah-nsht caiie
near san Carlo. and often sat there untll IN
the morning Each primo piled his collection OF Ups
before him on the table and counted them several
times into lire and haf-lre. to be sure mat ne haa
made no mistake Gacomo generally had tne rn nGTy
respectable sum- but the best ne coud MAKE on 5a
average days IS, was six b ana than i've
out OF this money they had TO pay their secohli
sD1 at re" Hhdn sns ex.ps the two
which they picked up at the cane. Tine padrone
them IN ali c.a nsd in ay Ths
cameriere must live entirely on his tips ana II IS
come At Ala speranza each man cheated right
and left when the chance was favorable naomi. %
swinde because they are careless with their
money but Giaeomo told me that they ar: are by no
not grudgc the walter a penny. but the Americans
have certainly spoiled him The Italians give only
generally a soldo and whether 1t satisfies or not II
+ generally as much as is deserved. The American,
vices rendered and now that he Is less spend
thrift he is cursed for hs or sk at tn. San
Carlo cafe to see how much my companions had 10
Next to tips this was the most congenlal topic ana
soon learned all about the waters wardrobe: me
lire, and 1t lasts not longer than season IT can
be bought on credit. II necessary. but the waiter
must be known to The tailor In such case ne Pays
~ lire down and 10 Ire month thereafter until me
debt is cancelled Linen Is not eN2ensive Most Most
and "a dckey." and they last FOR months. Laundry
priceS very high and particularly in Rome;
the washerwoman In six months he could furnish
himself for year in collars and Guns; Shoes are
dear The waiter must have at least three pairs
10 a ~ invest immediately in an easier it, AL
backing. II costs the cameriere about SO Ire year
simply for Ms business GiaeoIhJ ,nasssgs ors
senses than one TO do II.
Tho street OUTFIT is a very different matter. For
to save from his regular cafe expenses Al Aha
sp'ranza each man eSoeptlng GaSomo o, VINO h ha1
least three suits for tie street and they cost al
the way from 100 TO 20 lire each. one man whom
/ visited in his room had a trunk literally packed
wiki clothes and linen. and n told me tnat they
work asked him why he squandered his hard
earn.d money such things. getting this reply:
II want to look IKE the people sgrYe on, Ih hs
slaves cheats and CANDLES 70 achieve H. he thinks
ma vsail
one afternoon when was free l stood for a
front Of cr re %azonale When Queen Margherita
yo af ' ss S bow sany sk OF their hats
and then HE away to other cafes and corners In
had met either at Ala Speranza other places.
and had not known them personally. could not
s sase Thoy We're dressed in the very height OF the
fashion and their manners were as ne ana 6e
Ike this In public is Their greatest pleasure IN me-
and they forget FOR the momen, all The degrada-
tlcn and unpeasantness connected with their worka-
One saturday Giacomo and had entire even.
ing on and he suggested that we go to the waters,
club near the Piazza 81 Colonna IL Is orancn Oh
by members of the society living IN Rome: The
Veron IS a combination OF inteliigence ana N
sends his name and address to the head office In
Geneva. and II possible work is Furnished him II
receives a small pension until he is well again;
In of his death MS family receives a nTev
sum- The social lie OF the ''ie" NoAs's'' .m.,
In gathering from week to week at the different
branch clubs and exchanging experiences over a
glass OF wine. - 49,. .
had friends Who were and went as their guests
There were about twenty walters present ana they
were sitting in a circle singing 'Margherita." ac-
companied by a mandolin and guitar. We were
received most Kindly The president OF the club.
swiss porter Introduced to the others with
whom was soon discussing all manner OF waiter
tones Here too | struck with the good
clothes which each Any one OF them
might have posed successful dandy. | was
imp
each waiter could speak The president addressed
me in English almost without accent. and several
made speeches and told stories In French, German,
Italian and English alternately. They had learned
these languages in the countries where they are
spoken. and nearly every one present had lived IN
all OF the large capitals OF Europe met some who
had worked in Egypt and Turkey as well, and there