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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
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