Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-24
A NECESSARY EVIL
You Must Give Tips in Paris if You
Want Good Service.
how THE SYSTEM is REGULATED
From Highest to Lowest All Ex-
pect Their Gratuities
WHAT 1T COSTS A DAY

| Special Correspondence of The Evening star.
PARIS March Is. 1900.
! Tipping. according to one kind of tourist
| is the European microbe: and this kind OF
tourist is bound to suffer, rather noisly, all
| through the exhibition from its ravages
For him the hotel employees of all Europe
are banded in a conspiracy to fleece the
| English-speaking guest. They pry into let
| tiers and shadow new arrivals They de-
mand commissions from tradesmen. They
| mark trunks with mysterious signs. So
they soon know all about your business,
| your fortune, your object in travelling. what
you ara going to buy and how long you are
| going to stay To a tourist in this state of
| mind the tipping system is systematized
| blackmail. For another type of exhibition
visitor. all Europe now being new and de-
| iightful. tipping is a pleasure. He tips early
and often. The humble menials know him
| at glance and beam on him. He sees in
their delighted alacrity-which is the reflex
OF his oWn-all kindness. goodness. friendli-
ness-the reflex of his own again 81 find
! the regular charges in Europe much lower
than at home" he would say. If he thought
about ii. and by liberal tipping | get bet
| ter service than L get at home. Look on
| tips as a part of your bill: you will see YOU
| pay no more than if the items were all
| Jumped together, as at home" He does not
| protest against candles. corkage the hotel
! iaundress. bed room fires and the other
minute itemiZing of European bookkeeping
| Is he swindled? Does he corrupt the do
| mestics? Is he taking a mean advantage
| OF non-ipping tourists? Psssib1y-but he
Will see the exhibition much more comfort
| ably for it.
A Golden Future.
| In truth, the whole Paris social fabric has
begun i, utarDr Natl Of IL.
| efits' and qualifications" of the exhibition
season. In the restaurant that | frequent
| the waiter girls have just begun to practice
the maneuver on which they evidently most
depend. 1t is to affect breathless hurry and
| neglect the client. If his native wit does
| not suggest a good tip in advance the
wretch Will have to put up with cold dishes.
| few and far between. The cafe walters are
| relying rather on judicious "fiamming"
complicated monkeying with change where
by the guest accepts a 1-franc or 2-franc
piece less than his due. The sweet persua-
| sion of the hotel chambermaid is not to
make the beds till afternoon for the untiD-
ful. The cabby's speciality is to drive on
| co"ily without hearing you unless you offer
10 nm better rate than that prescribed
! by law
| These are the humble the resigned me-
mails who in all times and places have held
| out the palm. In the Paris of today differ
| ent classes waiting to be "gratified" sur
| prise and sometimes shock the straishtfor-
ward American mind. Perhaps the French
friends that one picks up shock the strong
| est. though the hangers-on of the American
colony come good second.
Inc climax, think, IS reached in the
| philanthropy of an American pension pro-
| prietor, who. to protect his guests from
| the designing. takes them personally to
| one of the hest-known Paris jewelers.
| There he takes 10 per cent commission on
each sale!
| On the other hand. what sympathy is
| wi latfa IF {,,
| PRODUCTION in hand, cooliy propose to make
| a guide-interpreter out of the American
| who lives in Paris?
Let it be taken then as a prtuctp'e that
| every one not your social equal and GER
| tain others with the right to claim that
dazzling distinction may be "gratified,' and
| to advantage. in the Paris of the exhibition
Yet it is not a device established for the
| exclusive fleeing of Americans. Not one
! tourist in twenty frequents the Paris thea
tiers, and theater tipping is of the
| most painful forms of the social nlalady.
/ An Important Parsonage.
| The exhibition visitor will come in touch
with the Paris concierge, but will scarcely
! realize her Importance in the social fabric.
The 100000 natives in and around the
capital live in apartment houses, each with
| its concierge or janitor. who lives rent free
| with a small weekly salary from the pro-
pfietof. The larger portion of the con-
| cierge's income is made up from tips-paid
|
| In return the concierge performs several
! kinds of services; the regular receipt and
| mounting of letters, cards and packages:
| the answering of callers inquiries and the
| Cleaning of the stairs; a hundred little
| commissions, like mailing letters, running
| errands and calling cabs; and, on salary
| she will make the bachelors morning cof-
| fee, make his bed, clean his room and carry
| up his coal, even. Another service-ren-
| dered according to the generosity of the
tenant-consists in the concierge not max
ing herself perfect devil. She may an
| swer tradesmen's inquiries with sniff that
damns your credit. She may send your
| callers climbing up the servants stairway.
| She may lose callers cards and forget their
| messages. She may say that you are out
| when you are in Do not begin economizing
| tips on the concierge.
| Origin of the TIP.
Exhibition visitors, who oftenest go to
| hotels, may profit by a few suggestions on
| the subject of getting their quid pro quo for
tips. The porter, or front-door man, can
be made as good as guide. 1t was one of
these who gave me the origin Of the word
Tip" French and Germans call the thing
drink money" (pourboire: pour, for; boire,
| 1t lt-tak, or tea money!. In an old English
| tavern a receptacle for coin was placed
| conspicuously, with the legend, ITO Insure
| Promptness" Whatever was put into the
box was divided among the servants. Other
| taverns folio we'd the example, and soon the
| three words were Indicated ct. l. F." and
| everybody knew what they meant. The
| porter told me this in the cleaning of
| sweet spring evening, at moment when 1
| needed prompt service. ITO Insure Prompt
| ness" he unused, refiectively. quite So"
| I answered with resignation. There is the
femme de chambre, the sommelier, the gar
| con, the valet de chambre. the maitre
| dhotel at the top and the little chasseur al
the the, bottom tt To tin them and not profit nv
i - ...an not tipping them L
1 nave known European women to make al
| most a ladies' maid out of the hotel femme
de chambre. The sommelier, or wine gar
| Gen. Is capable of bringing you up bottle
| of sfx-franc stuff for two francs A prop
| erly tipped gareon will bring extra eggs,
butter and toast for breakfast and give you
| first pick at lunch and dinner Have the
| valet de chambre fetch you a sitz bath each
! morning at least. The little chasseur ought
| to hide the illustrated weeklies for you, run
| for YOUR cigarettes and theater tickets and