The sun., 1908-05-10
THAT TOWEL FAMINE.
Human Nature Weak When There Il q
ChAnce 10 Carry on Hotel Linen.


'The scarcity Of towels in the average
boarding house has long been a standing
Jest with humorous writer's, said the house.
keeper Of one Of the big hotels; "but it is
no joke TO those OF US who have the other
side Of the story TO deal with.
Persons Of standing who are most par
ticular in other matters seem TO think moth
ing OF carrying OF towels In their trunks
and bags II may be presumed that peo-
pie take them by accident, as clergymen
and philanthropists Of note are among the
guilty. but the fact Is that most people do
not regard them as property.
"The housekeeper Of hotel is responGi-
BILE for the towels and gives them out 10
the chambermaids, holding each girl to
account for what she gets. The maids
therefore keep track Of the towels served
TO each room and frequently they have
to report two or three missing at the end
Of twenty-four hours. Very often We find
towels rolled around soiled clothes or
pinned neatly over bodices or jackets in
the baggage Of guests who evidently mis-
took them for their own property.
Some Of the big hotels tried the plan
Of having the name OF the house woven
in the linen. but this made no difference
with the towel hends. They took them
away Just the same and in only few houses
can you get really fine linen towels, for the
yearly loss through their disappearance
would be immense.
Towels Of only a fair quality are used
and Of late the greatest vigilance is eIer-
cised in keeping track Of the supply. 1t
is impossible 20 deal them out generously,
for there seems to be something intoTi-
eating in towels to many people. II they
have six towels they will use five and carry
OF the sixth. and. sad to say. they not only
lake hotel towels but those OF friends at
whose houses they are guests.
1T Ia positively dangerous TO let some
people loose within reach Of dozen freshly
laundered and neatly folded towels over a
bathroom rack. II must be that they are
not accustomed 10 having more th,.n one
or at most two towels at one time when at
home, for they fairly revel In the unaccus-
toned plenty and take one away as a souve-
mir Of the visit
1T ia useless TO embroideT monoqams
or Wrte names IN indelible Ink across the
centres, for towel tend cannot help his
passion for taking them when he sees a
chance. He'll wrap them about his boots
10 protect other things in his trunk orvalise,
or about a wet sponge OF bath brush.
There 10 some strange fascination about
the habit, Just as there Is about carrying
hotel room keys about in the pocket, even
though they may have a metal tag that
weighs hall a pound attached 10 them.
You simply cannot stop people from Juggling
them of, and II is useless 10 try
"A great many OF the restaurants and
hotels have had to stop serving afterdnner
coffee spoons, for the reason that they are
always carried on as souvenirs. But this
excuse cannot he urged In the matter OF
towels. for no one wants a collection OF
souvenir towels, especially OF the quality
that hotels are forced 10 have on account OF
the fad for carrying them on,
'Drlmmers a great towel fends, They
take them very much as they take matches
and toothpicks. with an evident notion that
the hotel furnishes them and they are 30
much in. Very wealthy women who travel
In style and occupy fine suites OF rooms
will carry of towels, and the practice is 10
common that most hotels put them down
10 profit and loss and do not make fuss
unless silverware Is taken as well, When
ever such things are found In the trunks
Of accused persons there will he one or two
towels rolled around the souvenirs.
Good towels are not cheap, Only fair
quality o q Turkish hath towel can he
bought for ten or twelve dollars dozen.
and imported ones are much more than this
SO the towel collectors cost the hotels good
bit Of money each year
'If some one could invent plan 10 dis
cover the thefts II would mean great deal
10 hotels that cater 10 the transient trade.
Detectives can watch people dining In res
taurants 40 that spoons or silver cannot he
taken, but you cannot keep watch on the
towel thiei,"