70 / 252
OldWaldorf Bar Days
spots where he usually appeared.
In
the lobby, during
the afternoon, however, he happened to see Doyle first,
and beckoned to him. Doyle approached, quaking in
his boots. But Boldt was smiling.
"Oh, Mr. Doyle," he said with a chuckle, "did you
see the Sun today?"
With a straight face but shaking inwardly, Doyle
pleaded complete ignorance.
"Well, it's the funniest thing you ever saw," Boldt
went on. "A story about one of our bellboys. I was so
amused by it that I sent a copy to Mr. Astor (William
Waldorf Astor, owner of the original Waldorf) who, I
know, will get a good laugh out of it." Doyle immedi–
ately passed the good word to Killackey, and then for
the first time that day the two were able to smile.
THOUGHT SHE KNEW COCKTAILS
On at least one occasion, Killackey proved to be a per–
son of ready resource, justifying not only Boldt's confi–
dence in him and in the quality of the liquor served in
the hotel as well, but enabling the hotel proprietor to
witness a demonstration that one who had disparaged
his spirits had spoken out of turn. And that mistaken
critic was Boldt's own,:wife.
Mrs. Boldt-a very charming woman she was-be–
lieved she knew the difference between cocktails. One
day she said to her husband, "George, how is it our
bartenders cannot make a cocktail as good as is served
at the Holland House?"
The Holland -House was a rival establishment a few
blocks down Fifth Avenue, famous for its bar and the
[70]