Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-27
TALE OF TWO CITIES

Recently I witnessed a couple Of tipping
incidents that. 1t occurred to me. Illus
trated a certain difference OF spirit in two
cities" observed a Washingtonian who gets
about a good bit. "One Of the occurrences
took place in New York and the other in
PHILADELPHIA
THE New York incident reduced my COL
lar almost to a starchy pulp merely to look
at. although. OF course, it was none Of my
business.
AN elderly, dignified. goateed man. who
struck me as being a not very prosperous
southerner marooned in an uncongenial
environment entered big brass-band
Harlem restaurant and took table close to
mine. He ordered a sardine sandwich and
bottle of beer. AS he addressed himself
to the beer and the sandwich with no very
manifest gusto. it seemed plain that he hid
entered the place chiefly for the purpdse
of listening to some of the band music and
that he had given his modest order as a
sort OF method of paying for his enjoyment
of the music When he had finished his
little rejection and the band had played
two pieces. the elderly man heckoned to
his waiter. a red-faced and exceedingly
perky-looking German. The elderly mans
bill was thirty cents. He placed a half
dollar on the table.
1.-THE waiter picked the half up. giving
vent at the same time to sort OF smoth
cred snort. and pulling two dimes from his
change pocket. tossed them In front OF the
elderly man and stood waiting. with a glare
on his face. The elderly man tucked one .qf
the dimes into his pocket. and gently pushed
the other over to the edpe of the table for
the waiter to pick M. The snort which the
waiter gave this time wasn't smothered at
all. First he deliberately -flipped the ten
cent piece off the table to the floor
Then. with parting glare out Of his In
famed. impudent eyes. he turned his back
upon the elderly man and strutteu away
mutterfng gutturally
''The elderly m"n flushed from where his
white hair left OF. at his forehead to where
his somewhat frayed but immacu'ately
white collar began. ANYBODY could See
that he felt the insult and the humiliation
keenlv Just as he picked IN his hat from
the chair beside him TO out the pOmpous
German head waiter passed close to his
tah'". and the elderly man summoned HIN.
Sir. I heard him say il p low tone to
the German head waitcr. who listened to
hr' with stoid Indifference one of your
walters hos lust subjected me- to q gross
and un"alled-for injiGnitv Reluct"ntly.
and entirely Against nv will but Welding
to the custom which nravailS In this city, I
gave the waiter for his OF
money amounting to just one-thir1 the
price Of the "ood and drink of which I had
partaken. BEFORE my eyes he cOntemp-
tuons'y threw that amount of money on the
floor, where 1t gill lies. have summoned
YOU to inquire If such gross hisresnect to-
ward n guest has tho approval of the man
aeN-,ent of this eStablish'"e nto
''The Icr1ly German head waiter shrugged
his shoulders with sort of bored dHpre
cation. ana without y word of ren'v turned
his back unon tn" elderly man and strolled
away The elderly man arose and walked
ont. his face still crimson.
1.-The other timing Incident took place. a
nj
rant in Phi'odelnhia. A man at the table
next to mine had ordered connle OF
devied crabs and hottie of ale His bill
was fiftv-fve cents. He gave the walter
dollar bill. The waiter brought back a
quarter and two dimes silver salver.
The guest ricked the quarter and one OF
the dimes from the salver. The waiter
gave a grunt and chnckrd the remaining
dime off the salver on to the table. then
walked away with a growl in his throat.
The guest picked up the dime and stuffed
It into his change pocket. Then he sum
moned another RAISING walter and tod this
water that he wanted to see the manager
of the restaurant at once. The managcr
was at the table in less than minute.
The guest told him what he had to say in
few "ufet words.
Tell No. ~ to report here to me-. said
the manager TO the first passing waiter.
NO 10 the waiter who was so far above
dimes as tips that he tossed them back at
the evers. appeared in a fifty.
Go to the cashier and get your time.
said the manager to the waiter Then put
on your hat and coat and come back here
to me-
THE waiter walked away an1 was hack
presently with his coat on and his hat In
his hand.
"'You are suspended for week said
the manager to the waiter. But before You
leave I want you to apologize to this gen
tleman for your conduct
'Oh. there's other hash houses in Phillie,
I guess. said the waiter. impudently, turn
ing to go
THE manager. a medium sized but mus
cuar man. had that waiter by the Shout
ders from behind in good deal less time
than it takes TO tell about 1t. And he
booted that waiter. holding him that way
by the shoulders from behind. all the way
to the entrance. and then all the way across
the sidewalk to the curb ditch. where the
waiter was sent spinning like a top. only
pulling no and getting his balance out in
the middle of the street between the car
tracks
Il don't think the two incidents require
any comment to the difference between
a town like New York and town Ike
Philadelphia.