The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-30
nd were never eDtered on nv biIl

and were never entered on nv bill.
1T IL remarkable how quickly every one
discovers the identity OF an advance agent,
and people looking for passes flock around
him like flies lowering over honey. The
carriage agent Of the hotel wanted q pass
but dislil1ing TO ask for 1t boldly, be offered
me the use Of a carriage any afternoon
for q drive In the park.
times during my stay in Chicago had a
carriage whenever / asked for Il, and II
was never charged on my bill.
There were many little side perquisites
which were handled adroitly in different
cities. For instance, the advertising agent
Of theatre in another city remarked one
day that my shoes were looking shabby
and that / ought TO have new pair. Then
he coughed
Il didn't wait for him to speak further,
but wrote him pass for two. NEXT day
he brought me an order for pair Of shoes
on a firm that has stores all over the country
signed by one Of the officials Of the company.
! subsequently used that order in city
a thousand miles away and II was honored
without a single question for one Of the
best pairs Of shoes in the house, / making
my own selection.
Il have received q number Of orders for
hats in the same way and have sometimes
held these orders for months bsfo 2 using
them Some advertising agents are pretty
clever at that sort OF thing.
sIn St. Louis was presented with half
a dozen beautiful monogrammed shirts
by a merchant who was casually intro
duoed 70 me In a cafe. showed my appre-
citation by sending the merchant box for
the opening night OF the play.
sNeckties aud socks have been given to
me In such quantities that my trunk Is
always well supplied, and l haven't spent
| dollar for such trimmings in couple OF
years,
'In San Francisco wanted suit Of
al aNg 81 -
OF the attaches Of the leading theatre there,
| This tailor showed me some splendid ma
terials. and finally made me up a so suit
'He assured me that the cloth alone cost
that much and that he was getting nothing
for for s ss is sSGT 80 sSys hun 3L SSs SS
gain, even at SO. 90 no doubt the tailor
cheated himself 20 get 50 worth Of tickets
Il will never forget the first time q hotel
| refused 20 take cash from me when tried
70 settle my bill. L was in Kingston,
Ontario. I stayed there two days, and
when l went TO pay my bin the manager
| bowed most politely and said:
'Your bill II all settled, sir. We never
charge advance agents anything, because
then they are sure to send the company 70
stop with US
4 don't know whether the manager ex-
Pected 10 get even with the company, but
| ] do know be was the most courteous gentle
man had met 10 the hotel line, 20 ] gave
him about SO worth Of passes, and in
str1cted the members OF the company to
be sure and stay az his hotel.
This was the only Eastern hotel where
stayed free, but out West the hOtels are
very generous. One Of the finest Christmas
dinners / ever had was eaten ct q hotel IN
Seattle where stayed two days, and the
manager never charged me a cent, and
even accepted passes with reluctance,
because be said be liked 10 encourage good
business at the Gheatrea and therefore
always paid for hin seats.
my railroad transportation all over the
continent did not cost me one cent until
reached Pittsburg. There, much 10 my
amazement, 1 encountered a passenger
agent who refused 70 write passes over his
railroad, but had the nerve 10 ask me for
passes 70 see the play.
Il took hendish delight In refusing 10
give him q pass, and paid for my ticket.
! should mention, perhaps, that 4 makes
no difference 70 an advance agent whether
he gets his railroad ticket free or not, be-
cause n be has 10 pay he simply charges
the amount up 10 the company His hotel
bills, however, and other expenses must
be paid out Of his own pocket.
Among the things which I did free Of
charge on this Western trip. distributing
passes with discretion, were the following:
Rode up Pixies Peak took a steamship
ride 10 Santa Catalina Island from Isoe
Angeles, meals and etateroom tndluded
bcth ways bad the use Of q 5000 auto
mobile during three weeks ~ San Fran
cisco and took daily rides through Golden
Gate Park; bad Pullman barths frss from
New York 20 Chicago, Chicago 20 \. Louis,
10 Porthndi roooivod badeos q admis-