The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-20
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS
This is to be a story about head wait

] l do not remember ever having seen an article devoted to them and so am going to yarn about the profession 1 The head waiter takes himself and his position very seriously; in fact, much
 more so than many bishops of my ac- quaintance. And he is just as anxious 1 to dress the part as is the average ec- clesiastic.
 1 I dare say to him that there are rights and ceremonies connected with his job that are as carefully observed as are those of the church by the dignitaries whose office it is to administer the rites of their respective communions. | I knew negro waiter once who, with out any pretense whatever on telling of being hired to go north to ply his trade at famous summer resort, spoke of hls rousseau, meaning thereby. suppose. his Tuxedo. swallow tail and white vests.
 l I once knew a head waiter at the old Kimball, a servant for years in my fathers home, who was so nearly white' | that frequently in his dress suit he was taken for guest. for he had the man ners and the carriage of the best type of the old southern gentleman.
 
 I had a friend in the early days in Birmingham who was an exquisite in dress, and gave it his best thought and attention. It palned him very much to see badly dressed man. I recall how his nerves came near being shattered when a head waiter appeared in the dining room in evening clothes wearing red necktie.
 I know of few human beings so inn pressive in their dignity as head wait CTS. It is really a study in motion to watch their progress across dining room to seat guests of note and dis tinction. There is a reverence, a defer ence that borders on the servility of the court functionary.
 I have been surprised to know how the average American is instinctively overawed by the majority of the man who has the giving of the best seats in the dining room restaurant, or caba- ret In some of the famous metropoii- tan places he knows the social and fi- nancial status of the patrons like Ward McA1lister of old.
 During my residence in New York had a friend, court stenographer who, through his position came in touch with the leaders of the bar and had a speak ing acquaintance with many social ce- he always felt i'll at ease when a head waiter sweoped down upon him and that he would sit in the poorest seat in the dining room before he would make com plaint.
 He made me funny proposition one night as we were walking up Broadway. It was this. Said he: Head walters have always buldozed me and I want to swell dinner at Delmonicos if you will act as host and get up and walk out without tipping either the waiter or the head waiter" He paid me the compli- ment of thinking I was the only man of his acquaintance who had the nerve to do such a thing.
 And now, with all the recent talk about the date of the Caldwell fire, am thinking of Sam, the portly mu- latto who acted as head waiter at the Caldwell, when I used to live there in the old days. He had fine presence, an open face, with side burns and whiskers, and really looked the part. It was his courtesy, however, that gave him his distinction. I have never seen more courtly man. He seemsd in- stinctively to have the bearing of gen. tleman.
 I was working on an afternoon pa per and I used to get my dinner before the other guests were served and had time to observe Sam and hear his in at meetings of the heads of departments when they were cautioned about how to deal with the public, but never have 1 heard such advice as Sam used to give his walters.
 He must have had a preacher strain in him, for at times his eloquence would transcend mere table manners and he would caution them about their private morals, and how they couldn't shoot craps all night and give good attention to guests during the day. I wish I had wise things and the kind things he used to say to what he always called his staff"
 No general was ever more anxious to surround himself with we'll disciplined. seasoned and dependable men than was Sam to get his crew of walters to be wide-awake and ready to back him up in giving quick and efficient service in the serving of meals. often wonder where he is, but wherever he is I know he is playing the game of g. head waiter square and giving service like the true man he Is.
 But there is another head waiter that comes to my mind that I had to discipline. It was while living out at Lakeview hotel. which was situ- ated near where the Country club now stands It was the home of many Of the society people. Most of the men got lunch in town but being 8 brief lass harrister I had time to run out