The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-18
BENEFITS VALET
CONE VESTS, TOO

Actor Richard Benefits faith In
'dapper young colored men Of classical
education and good manners has been
rudely jolted.
Mr.. BENEFITS man, William, whom
he regarded as very paragon, has
disappeared after obtaining loan of
$40 from Mr.. Richard" and two new
silk waistcoats, which the actor has
never once worn. have also vanished
Il don't mind so much the loss Of
the money and the waistcoats,' says
Mr.. Bennett but I do grieve for the
reprehensible conduct of William.
didn't believe him capable of 1T. He
was such smart tidy, well-mannered
young colored person.
A Sad story.
why, was actually indignant with
Mr.. Roberts, the stage director, when
he told me the day after l engaged
William that he had learned that my
nice, young colored man once ran
gambling house on West Broad Street.
| refused to believe it. 1t is surely q
beastly shame that model OF propriety
like that young colored man should
prefer to tread the primrose path of
dalliance rather than direct his steps
| in the ways of rectitude. It's too bal,
too bad"
'Tis n sad, sad story
When Mr.. Bennett arrived here last
Tuesday from New York to begin re-
learsals with the Giffen Company in
",.hen We Were Twenty One" he
found his wardrobe in wild disarranse-
ment. His stage costumes and mis-
street clothes We're jumbled together
! in half dozen trunks, and the actor
lost both time and temper whenever
| he attempted to find needed garment
| in the chaos of clothing.
Then William Came.
After wrestling with the tangle two
days Mr.. Bennett concluded that there
was no use trying to economize. He
must have valet. He had dismissed
his man before leaving New York, ami
came here determined to do without
an attendant.
Last Thursday morning THU ad-
vertisement was inserted in The Times
4 Dispatch and other papers:
Northern gentlcmnn desires young
experienced, cnreful valet; no OBJ
/ jcctiOns to intelligent, tnctful col
orcd man. Address by letter, MIR.
Richard, care Jefferson Hotel.
From score of young men, who pre-
sented their claims on the job with
many flourishes of penmanship and
rhetoric, the leading man of the Giffen
Company chose the quiet, dignified,
we'll bred William.
William came to him with a smile
that was childlike and bland and
volume of Virgil in his coat pocket.
Mr.. Bennett learned from William that
he was graduated from the Hampton
Institute. He had no bad habits. He
neither smoked nor drank
Got Message.
Therefore when the actor a little
later on noticed that his cigars We're
/! mysteriously disappearing his suspicion
| never for moment fell upon William.
/ Mr.. Bennett found William a model
servant. He was polite and attentive,
neat and quick; in short, all that a
! valet should be.
/ On Friday morning Mr.. Bennett In
formed William that he had given up
his rooms at the hotel and engaged
apartments at the Bailey residence.
4 The actor Is an old friend of The
Balleys, and lived at their home when
/ he was In Richmond with the Giffen
company four years ago. He told Will
iiain to report to him Friday night at
the Bailey residence
4 The colored man was looking men,
siVe. and when Mr.. Bennett solicitious-
ly questioned him. William drew his
coat sleeve across his eyes, and in a
voice broken by emotion, said he had
Just received message from his
mother saying that their unfeelinp
landlord would put them out Of their
nome unless $40 back rent was paid
before night.
When Mr. Bennett put two IS bills
IN his hand and told William to ac.
cept the money as an advance on his
! wages, William actually shed tears OF
| gratitude.
Rich In Names.
Then William walked out of the
. hotel and out of the life OF Acto,
BENNETT, who has since discovered tina
several expensive articles of clothine
besides the two silk waistcoats wen
at the same time William Went
Also has he discovered that William
, johnson is sometimes James Perkins
and sometimes he is Henry Robnso,
or Walter Moore.
: That man, William" said Mr.. Ben
S nett rs the richest man in names
: ever had business transactions with"