The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-14
WHY THEY
DINE ALONE
B. T. Washington
in His Own
Home.
PRIVATE ROOM
FOR VISITORS
How Business Callers Who Want
Dinner Without a Host Are
Cared for at Tuskeegee.

| YWYHEN Southerners of the white
! w race visit Booker Washington
W at Tuskeegee, Alabama, to con-
suit with him about his great school
there or on matters of soils, crops, the
labor system, and the like in which he
barrassed when their interviews en-
croach on the time set for the midday
meal, in that portion of the country.
They pull out their watches, snap them
premonitory coughs and regretfully
discover that their time is limited" or
that they have an appointment, down
town." or that they promised to meet
a friend or they must catch a train"
or that they must keep another en-
gagement," or the like.
The cause of their embarrassment is
so evident that the fictions to which
they resort to conceal 1t are condoned
to the painful circumstances by which
they find themselves surrounded. They
are perfectly willing to take up Booker
WashIngton's time, to avail themselves
of Booker Washington's knowledge, to
show their respect for Booker Wash
ington's work and character, but they
are mortally afraid that he will ask
them to dinner! They are getting hun
cry, and he is getting hungry. The
noises that never disturb the ear, and
the odors which are pleasing to anoth-
er of the senses, Indicate that prepara-
tions for dinner are going on.
Booker Washington always under-
stands that situation. If he inwardly
smiles he is outwardly unruffled, quiet
and dignified. He just remarks to the
fidgety caller: My dear sir, 1 appreci-
half over. We should resume it after a
while and carry it to a conclusion. You
have put yourself to considerable pains
to come this distance to talk over this
matter with me. Now if you will permit
me to offer you a room upstairs, where
you can enjoy a good dinner, by your I
self. and where you will be waited on, /
hope satisfactorily, by one of my men, /
my family and / will take our dinner, /
in our dining room, and after your din /
ner and our dinner. we can resume the ,
consideration of this question"
The proposition is always accepted. |
The judge or the dominic, the planter or
the doctor, the banker or the dentist,
whichever he may be, is always relieved /
He is no longer troubled by a cough. !
He does not recur to any Limitation of
time" He no further alludes to amy
appointment down town" He omits to
renew the statement that "he has prom
ised to meet friend" He refrains from
saying again that 'he must catch a
train He quite forgets or conceals
that ''he has another engagement" Mr.
takes him upstairs to a
large. comfortable. airy room connected l.
with all the conveniences which the
guest could desire, and leaves him there.
In few minutes a no!seless, courteous
servant enters, arranges a table in an
rreproachable manner, and then brings
well-selected dinner, waiting on the
guest NEST respectfully and efficiently.
Perhaps once during the meal Mr.. ,
Washington will look in at the door and
express the hope that ''the gentleman is
inding everything all right" And on
being assured to that effect, he will
quietly depart.
The dinner partaken by the man up
stairs and that partaken by Booker ,
and his family downstairs,
)eing over, the principal of the school
md the man who has come to learn from I
lin how to care for important interests
n accomplish important results. will sit
Town and finish their interview. The !
White guest gets just as hungry in Book
r Washingtons house as he would al
lone or in hotel. He eats more heart
ly there than he would elsewhere, be- !
ause the food is better cooked is mark
d by finer variety. and is commended
~ better service than 1t would be in
-imost any other place. The white man
3 not averse TO eating Booker Washing