The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-01
WHAT THE BELLB0YS DO
IMPORTANT BUT INCONSPICUOUS
FUNCTIONS IN A HOTEL.
They Are Brought Into CONFIDENTIAL
Relations with All Classes OF Peo-
pIe-Act ms Detectives.

| New York Sun.
The public that does not live in hotels
hears little Of the bellboy. The bellboy has
almost unlimited access to every room, and
only articles under lock and key cannot be
got at by him. That is temptation enough
to men receiving only SIS month. Then the
various services they are called on to per-
form for guests are not of a character to
give them high opinion Of human nature
or teach them that virtue is its own reward.
Some of the bellboy's duties in the course of
| a days work would astonish anybody ig-
norant Of the confidential personal relation
he sustains to some of the guests First of
all he is of Indispensable assistance to the
hotel drunkard. Every New York hotel that
has existed for more than two or three years
has its own particular drunkard. He has
probably lived in the house for years, has
got drunk every night since he arrived, and
will remain there until he dies He may
usually be recognized with little difficulty.
Every night he takes his familiar corner in
the barroom, and remains there until the
room is closed. Then he goes to bed, or is
taken there. OF course, it is the bellboy
who has to take him. The duty is no hard
ship. The tips are large, and sometimes, in
moment Of specially genial alcoholic graf
itude, the drunkard makes more than usual
ly generous presents. So there Is scarcely q
night that the bellboy has not the task of
putting away. as well as he can, some guest
who is quite unable to do IL for himself. If
1t does not happen to be the hotel drunkard
it is some transient reveler who has found
New York difficult place to get to bed in.
II is the beilboy again who must also be-
gin the revivifying measures the next
morning, administering the bromo seltzer
or taking the absinthe cocktail, if that more
direct method of treatment is reSorted to.
Thus the bellboy begins and ends his day.
Then there are other evening interludes.
A poker party is going on and the bellboy
serving the drinks is able to get good idea
of the pleasures OF gambling. He learns
the profit OF 1t, too, for the tips are large.
GO up to a. says the clerk, land try
to size I'D that guest in the next room. L
didn't see anybody go up, but there was
there few minutes ago. So chase up and
see II there's anything doing there"
PLAYS THE DETECTIVE.
This means that the bellboy goes quietly
into the adjoining room, puts his ear to
the keyhole and sets out to learn from
what he hears whether the character of the
strange visitor is UP to the hotels average.
If it is he makes his report accordingly.
If it is not the clerk notifies the guest that
her room Is wanted that afternoon. The
bellboy's Investigations have been known
to last for some hours. His report to the
hotel is likely to be truthful in any case.
The person under investigation could
not not buy buy, a favorable Judgment from
was under investigation and the ver-
dict rested with him. The bellboy of
experience soon learns that 1t is most
important for him to keep on the good
a
he comes and goes with great rapidity. 1t
is said that the average employment of q
bellboy is less than three months So If he
has TO do everything possible to keep in
favor with the powers that rule. He makes
ms report tb rnerere WITHOUT ut plas what nat
may be. There are, Of course, intervals In
which postage stamps. ice water, paper
and ink are the only calls on the bellboy's
time. Then the sudden interruption of sui
eide varies the monotony of his work. 1t
is always the bellboy who discovers the
suicide, because he looks over the tran
when she cannot open the door and has to
call for the bellboys assistance. But the
sight on the other side Of the door-what-
ever 1T may be-is reserved for the bellboy.
Suddenly he is called up to a room. In it
sits a in his shirtsleeves.
Where's there poolroom here?" asks
The bellboy knows. That is one Of the
things he is always expected to know
wen, take that, the guest says, and
put it on Beeswax for place in the third
race. Bring me back the money if she
comes in
This might not be considered strictly in
the line of the bellboy's business, but he
executes the commission with alacrity. 1t
means half an hour Of the delicious delight
of sitting in poolroom. even IL he does not
among the tipsters. bookies and general
riffraff that fills the poolroom or any place
in which book is made. And Ii means in
the end a tip which varies In accordance
with the bettor's luck A long shot with
So up means almost the richest reward that
comes to the bellboy in the days work.
Last week l was UP against different
kind of game from any / had ever struck
before, and 1 sorry for her." said one
of the boys In a Broadway hotel lest week.
hooked things. But that was for sports.
This one was lady. She was a stranger
with a mighty small trunk and her week
was UP. Two days more and the bill was
sent upstairs with the word weekly under
lined.
SHE WAS GREEN.
eff she hadn't looked so worried herself,
I don't believe the office would have got
wise and suspected that she might be shy
on money. The third day she didn't come
out of her room, and I was glad she
didn't, as the key would have been turned
and she couldn't have got In when she came
back. 1 felt sorry for her because she was
such green one. II she'd ever before been
up against such a game she'd have gone
to the office, told 'em she was expecting
money and then have gotten week or