The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-14
Politenesss Often
Means More
Than Tip
By JULIA HOYT


think we should tip with apprecia-
tive words as well sas with money. Last
week was on my way down town for
lunch-late for my appointment. On
stepping into taxi asked the chauf-
feur to go Nas quickly as possible. He
took me down there in an amazing
space of time, but what was more i'm
portant, he drove in the most skillful
manner. We seemed to pass cars by a
miracle, yet I never for one moment
was made nervous gave him an un-
usually large tip, for which he thanked
me very politely but casually. Then /
said "You are fine driver, one of
the best / have ever had At that,
his whole face lit up and he thanked
probation of the tip seem far inferior.
a sincere word of appreciation is worth
The Size OF Tips
For some unexplained reason, it is the
custom to give much larger tips on a
steamer, than in any other place. What
was the origin of this or the cause for
it. do not know but stewards and
stewardesses receive tips considerably
larger than, for instance, hotel chamber
maids or Walters. OF course, one must
use ones common sense. IL, for In
stance, you have had special service
many meals served in your room on the
steamer, ryou give your cabin steward
and stewardess larger than the average
tip. You do this no matter how much
you eat of those meals
In connection with hairdressers and
manicurists, the general Tip is 20 cents,
however. If the owner of the store or
the head treats you, you do not need
to tip him. 81.
The question of house parties, or
rather weekend visits, is to many peo-
pie one that has to be very seriously
considered owing to the tips. In Eng
land particularly, where house parties
are very frequent events Especially at
house parties which continue some
length Of time, as for instance shooting
or hunting parties that last for week
or ten days) the question of tips can
run Into a large Item in, the expendi-
ture Of the guests. Certain hostesses
have made an effort both here and in
England to change this habit, and they
have even gone so far as to request
their guests not TO tip servants. But
generally people do not feel that they
are at liberty to follow such a. request,
and continue to tip. However, when
woman is spending only weekend at
friends, it is not really considered
necessary for her to tip anybody but
the personal maid who may have helped
her, unless the butler may undertake
some special errands for her. However,
if she is staying for any length of time
it is generally considered right to tip
the butler, maid and possibly the clrauf-i
ieur If he has driven her good deal
,r done any errands for her. If one is
,nly spending a weekend, dollar. or
Itnmost two, is all that Is necessary
20 give the maid. The tips to the other
members of the household are dependent
entirely on the length of the stay and
the amount of extra work that has been
caused. ~
In The Restaurant
If host or hostess gives one large
dinner at restaurant the correct thing
is to tip the head waiter five dollars
either at the time of ordering the din
ner or after the dinner has been seFfed.
If, however, the hostess is in the habit
of frequenting that particular restau--
rant, she can either tip the head waiter
once or twice a year, or make the tip
in the. form of a generous Christmas
present. 1t is better to follow. this lat
ter method if going quite often to one,
restaurant, rather than tipping small
sums at frequent, intervals.
Living in apartments, as millions of
us do. raises another tipping problem.
Some apartments now obviate this BY
asking each lessee to donate a certain
sum towards a Christmas fund for all
the employees of the building. Uhfor-
tunately, however, even when this
method is followed some two or three