1931 Old Waldorf Bar Days by Albert Stevens Crockett

OldWaldorf Bar Days Not only waiters but, as it developed later, certain of the belJhops on duty that night, some of whom were connoisseurs in the vintages of the time, helped them– selves freely to the contents of the cases in the pantry already referred to. Now in the snug uniform worn by the Waldorf bellhop of that period, there was little room to hide a quart of champagne. Certainly, a tight-fitting blouse could not conceal an increment of such size. But they were re– sourceful, were those lads, and they knew the possibil– ities of a trouser-leg. It proved easy to frisk out a bottle from its case, raise the side of one's blouse and slide the bottle down inside the waist-band. Thus laden, an ap– pearance of unconcern was, so they thought, all that was necessary. However, a steward had kept a sort of check on bot– tles as they were brought into the banquet rooms, dis– covered that the cases of champagne were disgorging their contents at a speed little short of amazing, and the whole bellboy force of forty youths was lined up for in– spection. At such times they had to stand like soldiers -eyes front, hands at sides and heels close together. An assistant manager and the head bellboy looked them over carefully. Nothing happened until the two inquisitors had reached the midc:Ue of the long line. Suddenly, the lad upon whom their eyes 'were bent began to perspire. Then he gasped. Immediately afterward, a bottle smashed upon the harcl floor at his feet and a quart of cham– pagne spread itself in every direction. The manager started to grab the bellhop, but even as [ 98]