The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-17
SUMMER HOTEL CHARMERS
YOUNG WOMEN BEING USED NOW AS
'ENTERTAINERS."

N~fNNNDHNNN
From the New York Sun.
One of the Western papers has discov-
cred a new field for woman in the employ
ment of attractive young women as enter
tanners al fashionable summer resorts. The
innovation is probably good one, and get
ting up whist parties for the old ladies and
fancy dress bats for the children, intro
ducing newcomers to cliques into which
they viii fit, and in general making guests
feel lat home, are all good and profitable
undertakings. But women have limitations
in entertaining. as in all things, ana the
young men who organized the industry
are sull Indispensable.
A girl, charm she never so wisely, cannot
cut such swath at a summer resort as
man can. Her illustrations may fah like
the gentle rain from heaven and make all
women and children twice blessed; but the
old ladies and children always get along
fairly we'll anyway. They are satisfied cas-
lily. The girls who have no partners, the
chaperons with unattractive charges, the
young married couples who have passed
the stage where eacn found the others So
ciety sufficient entertainment, and who
have not yet reached the stage where
they viii be resigned to stagnaton-those
are the elements that ferment, and it is
upon them that the professional entertain
er tests his skill
What can girl do TO sweeten the tenn
per of another girl who Is too unatLractive
to win any attention from the few stray
met at a summer hotel? Nothing. But
a man who is we'll paid for it. can make
that homely girl think thai the hotel is
an anteroom to elysium. Naturally Wnen
the lonely girls are many, and the hotel
provides only one self-sacri6cing man,
that man has his hands fun and must
develop a power of diplomacy and
knowledge of tactics that would fit him
for ambassador or general. Even under
the most favorable circumstances his posi-
ton is no sinecure, and the man who
can career successfully through a season
of such work is fitted for better things.
One of the most popular of the great
lake resorts asserts that it was the first
one to its staff of employees. The manager
knew a young fellow of good social stand
ing who was handsome, jolly, llkable and
eXcruciatingly hard up For his expense
and a tempting consideration this lumn-
airy consented to shine upon the hotel
premises during a summer season. At
first the manager had to wreStle with
tendency on the part of the new employe
to combine duty and pleasure by deVoing
himself to the pretty girls in the house;
but he was brought to a realization that
he couldn't earn his salary in that bliss
full way and after that, he did his duty
manfully. His real position was kept
secret The guests of the hotel looked
upon him as a fascinating fellow, who,
from philanthropy or perverted taste
showed marked preference for WalldoW-
ers The manager chuckled and patted
himself upon the head, but in the height
-
round of the needy, ran up against spin
ster with $1,000 900 in her own name. Three
weeks later the wallfiowers were droOp-
ing their heads dolefully and the phIlan-
thropist was travelling in Europe with
his bride.
il is a matter of history, and they do
saw that the hotel manager now gels his
entertainment committee cheaper by tell
ing each aspirant the encouraging story
of the man who married the millions. NO
one else has drawn a reward of merit at
that particular hotel. and the mystery
about the entertainers has faded away.
EVERY one knows their real position now,
or. al least, every one does after being in
the hotel for a few days, but the manager
still shows discretion in his selection OF
men. and a charming man is comfort at
a summer resort, even if he IS PAID for
with the other extras.
1t isn't easy 10 ma the flSit man AOl
such a hotel place. He should be good
looking well bred. well dressed, laxative,
CAV. He must dance, bowl, drive, ride,
swim. play golf, billiards and tennis. He
must be equal to getting up some sort of
a lark at any hour of any day. He must
be able to deal out convincing deYotion
to any woman under three score and ten,
and to ee-score-and-ten women at one
and the same time. He must sing and
play the banjo. He must have the en-
durance of a Hercules and the cheerful
self-sacrifcing fervor of an early Christian
martyr.
Such incarnations of all social virtues
are not to be had for the asking, or even
for $500 and expenses for the season; but
some hotel managers are able to secure
the services of men who approximate to
that ideal Several summers ago de
lightful fellow was employed by the own
er of a Winconsin hotel to fill this role
of ministering angel to the dun and bored
He plunged into the work with youthful
enthusiasm and made things hum about
the hotel He was indefatigable and ire
sistible Even the old ladies adored him,
and he convinced each girl that he look
ed upon his moments with her as GASES
in the desert of his eXacting work-rays
of sunshine that frightened the dark
hours which he was obliged to spend with
others not like her beautiful and charm
ing. A serious bachelor girl who had
gone to the resort in search of cool air
and health and. abhored the idea of meet
ing people and being entertained, watched
with absorbing interest the career of the
irrepressible young man. He tried to do
his duty by her a first, and when, to his
intense relief he found that she positive
Nv refused to be entertained, he refrained,
with difficulty, from falling upon her neck
and weeping for JOY.
Later he dropped into the habit of stop
ming beside her chair. occasionally and
pouring forth tale of woe, half serious,
half humorous, and wholly entertaining.
He told her how he had tumb,ed out at
one morning to play tennis with the
Bryn Mawr girl, who had been the crack
PLAYER at college, and thought she was in
best form in the early morning. Not
that she has any form to speak of at any
hour" he commented; and the bachelor
girl only smiled for even a professional
entertainer must have moments when he
isn't good natured.
When the tennis champion let him off he
went rowing with another girl, who al
ways felt so vigorous in the morning.
1aQ ha nd