La Junta tribune., 1901-04-03
LIVE HIGH ON CREDIT
DAINTY DINERS WHO GET COSTLY
MEALS FOR NOTHING.

How Some Big Accounts That Are
Never Paid Are Hon Up at th.s FASH
ionable Restaurants That " sasix',
In New York City.
Legal proceedings recently taken to
recover from well known citizen who
belongs to the fashionable" class the
amount OF IA tailCr's bill revealed the
fact that the man was poor. had no
money and no means of support and
owed many bills. Besides tailors. shoe
makers and hatters. he owed money to
florists, jewelers.. livery stable keepers,
dealers In theater tickets, shirtmakers,
stationers and restaurnteurs. One of
the largest bills against the man was
contracted In the course OF several
years at u prominent up town restau-
rant.
you must have been hung up for
great spread" said patron OF the
place to the manager. pointing to the
item.
"Not at ALL" he answered THAT bill
represents hundreds OF charges and has
grown slowly to Its present magnifi-
cent proportions"
"But how is II done-how do people
run big bills in a restaurantT
"Well. In the first place. because we
look upon men who come here as gen.
tlemen and treat them accordingly.
don't remember just how the account
in question was opened. but usually It
Is done In this way: Some day. after a
man receives his check. he scrawls his
name across Its face and tells the wait
er. III pay this tomorrow: it's all
right and then II the person In charge
at the desk marks II %. X the check Ia
hung up. and an account Is opened
with the man.
"In most Instances the man comes
back. as he said he would. the next
day and settles his little bill and
thanks us for accommodating him. lf.
however. the man intends to work the
house. he does not come back the next
day and settle. but waits three or four
days. Then he drops In and orders
modest luncheon or not elaborate
dinner and scribbles his name across
the check. gives the waiter tip. and
the new account receives its first adj
dition
Little by little the account grows.
but never by any really large charge.
and when at last the man has little
dinner party with u big appetite the
check II liable TO be %. KID because
the account Is already SO large that II
would be poor policy to turn 1t down.
'When the account has grown 80
large that we think II should have mt.
tcntion, we give the head waiter n
tip. and without telling the man IN so
many words he is given to understand
that cash would be preferred to an
autograph. Sometimes the man takes
the hint and makes payment or asks
for more time and tells us that he will
pay as he goes. and he remains GUS
toner without Increasing his account,
but generally he leaves US and goes
to some other place and complains
about poor service here and In other
ways tries TO injure our business be-
cause he can't have what he wants to
eat and drink for nothing. His account
remains open. and when 1t becomes
outlawed we put II on the list which
bears many good names. but we never
dun the man"
To show how anxious some people
are to have II known that they are
well acquainted In the fashionable
restaurants the following story was
told:
"Some months ago a man came here
early In the day aud said that he would
have little party Of friends to supper
with him after the theater that even
Ing and ordered what he wanted. His
order showed that he was unaccustom-
ed to the part. but II Is our business to
fill orders. and we said that his supper
would be served all right. Then he
laid down n sum Of money. more than
enough to pay the bill. and said. This
will save me the trouble this evening"
and went nway. The supper passed
on nicely. the mans friends from the
country or the country part Of the city
seemed TO enjoy their spree. and finally
the host asked for his check. looked at
II and then said grandly and loud
enough for all to hear. Charge 1t The
supper was grand affair In the eyes
Of the guests. but the climax-the order
to charge it'--overwhelmed them. and
dare say the man accomplished his
object. which was evidently to make
himself solid with his guests. New
York Tribune.