Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1906-12-12
SUPERST|T|OUS IDEA
OF HOTEL CLERKS
Close the Register If You
Want the House
"HoOd00ed."
BARTENDERS HAVE ONE. TOO
Curious Young Man Inquiries If
They Garry Spirit
Charms.
BARTENDERS HAVE ONE. TOO

Certain superstitions attach to
every occupation" observed the man
with the black cigar tilti7g 1t at an
angle which threatened to strike the
lighted end of 1t against the derby
rim just above his eyes, ''and hotel
clerks and bartenders have theirs just
like other people"
For example," he went on, 'if you
want to make angry the urbane young
man of the white vest who presides
over the destinies of the book OF
life (he meant the hotel register)
just walk over there and close it. Il e
No one volunteered to leave his
the theory; 1t WIS just after dinner
and they had been well fed.
However, the curious young man
from back east" decided he could
see no reason why the clerk could
reasonably object TO his closing the
register.
House is "Hoodooed."
you can't eh." sniffed he of the
black cigar contemporary. We'll
I've known hotel clerks to quit their
jobs because someone who isn't used
TO frequenting hostelries closed the
register. They didn't know any bet
ter. A hotel habitue would never be
guilty of such a trick"
"And that isn't all I've seen all
the drummers and other regular
guests get up and leave the house
and never return, too, so | suppose
the superstition has few apostles
among the travelling fraternity as
well as the hotel clerks" He shifted
the cigar.
THE reason is that when you close
the register ii means the house is
words the place is 'hoodooed,' some
thing is sure to happen.
"A dog bowling at night isn't in 1t
with closing the book of life when
1t comes to evil omens.
when dog howls at night that
indicates somebody is slated for a
passage over the river Styx, If you
believe the ancient and popular SUI
prostitution.
"You know what to look for then.
But If some one happens to shut the
register, look out. Something is sure
to occur and you don't know what 1t
Is going to be. The building may
take fire Amy direful catastrophe is
due. It's the unseen danger we dread
the most. That's the worst part
of It.
5artenders Superstitious.
"Bartenders have their supersti-
tios, toO," he continued.
"A bar is in bad odor the minute
you turn a glass upside down on top
of it, especially If the glass happens
to be full of liquor
More than one poor devil has lost
his life il the old days because he
wasn't wise TO this little way of ruff,
fling the bartenderis feelings It's
the worst insult you can offer to the
man behind the white apron who
manluplates the cash register. 1t
means that you wish him bad luck;
that you hope he will never fill up
another glass on that particular ma
hogny which is 'hoodooed' Just like
the hotel when YOU close the register.
The spell has to be broken by a new
bartender or the customers will all
leave the place"
But what il the hotel clerk or the
bartender carries a piece OF potato
dug In the dark of the moon or the
left hind leg of a rabbit that was
killed in a graveyard at midnight
on Friday February the 18th or a
buckeye with two white spots on it,"
questioned the curious young man.
Let's go in and ask the bartend-
err suggested he of the black cigar.
They straightway repaired 70 the
grill room, presumably to inquire the
efficacy of spirit charms, liquid and
the other kind.