1931 Old Waldorf Bar Days by Albert Stevens Crockett

Old Waldotf Bar Days tell his employer what he thought of him, as not. How– ever, he had his uses, and Boldt considered him a val– uable employee. The hotel proprietor used to give annually to his heads of departments a dinner at which they did almost anything they wished, and were supposed to talk freely. Boldt, as has been intimated, had not then acquired the command of almost unaccented English that later be– came a source of some pride, and his first utterance, after taking his seat at the head of the table, would be: "Boys, dis is your night. Have as good a time as possible. You can even get trunk if you vish. But," he would add, "de man who is to go on duty at seven o'clock tomorrow morning, and fails to be dere on time, is going to suffer de consequences." Invariably, the host would require that everybody present sing a song, make a speech, or ,tell a story. Some would hymn their most interesting theme-themselves -and almost without exception would manage to ring in a tribute to their host and employer. Schuyler West was not of their mood on one occasion. BOLDT ACCEPTS TRIBUTE The others in turn had flattered Boldt. West, whether through natural boldness or Dutch courage imbibed, grew anecdotal. He decided to tell the tale of how he first got a job under B.oldt and how he kept it, and this is the way he put it: "I was walkin' up Fi't' Av'noo one day, when I meets de House Detective from de Waldorf. 'Hey, Cully!' I says, 'what's de news?' An' he says, 'Aw hell, I jus' been [ 84]