Evening star., 1911-01-11
1t proved so fruitful topic that it car

1t proved so fruitful topic that IL car
ried US to our coffee.
! Coffee making I'm a machine she had
herself contrived was always attended
with rites that required deliberation, and
while she performed them Miss Hol-
lister continued to amuse US.
| You may not know she remarked.
| I'm one of her charming irrelevant out
bursts. that the most important furGi-
ture transactions effected I'm this country
are those negotiated daily by the head
| walters OF the 9th avenue restaurants
| Such Is, l assure you, the fact. These
gentlemen. who have attained front rank
among our predatory rich, allow no one
| to dine at the inns they dominate who
does not first purchase a table and chairs
! at profit of at least 3o0 per, cent over
| the original Grand Rapids cost the furnl-
ture thus purchased reverting in every
case to the party OF the first par after
the purchasers have eaten to their salts
faction. The 9th avenue head walters
| are not only the most absolute autocrats
or our time, but the most acute students
of human nature among lis. The sale oe
| the tables by the lords OF the dining
rooms Is alone worth a fortune every sea
son at our fashionable victualing houses.
ana, in addition, the humber members or
the minor orders of walters. who merely
| fetch and carry, are obliged to share
their gratuities with their august chiefs
The system is iniquitous," / declared.
| ITS enough to pay two prices for the
food without buying the hotel furniture
| THE system, Mr.. Ames is wholly al
Inirable, IL YOU will pardon me for eS
pressing difference OF opinion. We eau
not do less than admire the austere genius
before which mere plutocrats and men ~
affairs meekly bow. In making my OWL
Investments L would rather have the ad
vice of Alphonse at the Hotel Pallidl
than that of the president of the strong
est trust company on Manhattan Island.
The varying size of the sums he receives
| for the dining room furniture is the best
possible indication of the condition of th'
market. When a citizen of Pittsburg will
pay no more than one hundred dollars
for the use of a table to eat from at the
| Pallida you may be sure that q panic ini
pends. BY the way. l proposed TO Al
phonse last winter the organization of a
limited company of leading head walters
to control the waiting industry Of Jth
avenue. 1t was my idea that some spe-
cial forms OF torture might be devised
| for calculating persons-usually readers
! OF New York letters i'm provincial news
paperS-who think waiter entitled TO
only 10 per cent of the bill. and this
could best be managed by an arrange
ment between the five or six magnates
who control the more gilded and imposing
| refectorfes. l suggested the placing OF
special mark In the hats of the ten-per
cent fiends. so that wherever they dine
the symbol of their indiscreet frugalfties
would be apparent to the initiated eye.
! 1t is another of my notions that the head
sent q formal bill for their services, while
the hotel or restaurant should merely be
| tipped. In this way the more important
service would receive its due considera
| ton. The sole Office of the proprietor Is
| to provide the head waiter a place in
which to follow his profession. Alphonse
is impressed with my ideas, and has even
offered to make me a director of the
company"
/ Il suppose that you won the regard OF
Alphonse, the magnificent. only by the
most princely tips through many years or
acquaintance, Miss Hollister."
''On the other hand. Mr.. Ames, / never
gave him cent in my life: but last
Christmas, in recognition of his friendli-
ness in warning me against an alligator
pear salad, at a moment when that vege-
table was at the turn of the season, L
knit him a pair Of blue worsted bedroom
slippers, which he received with the live
liest expressions Of delight
Three suitors were announced at this
moment. and slipped away without ex-
cuses, while Miss Octavia and Cecilia ad-
journed to the library.
| The ghost, / had sworn. should not baf-
| fie me another night.
(To be continued tomorrow