WAITER TO PROPRIETOR.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9016, 2 December 1907, Page 4

WAITER TO PROPRIETOR.

Forty-five years ago Oscar Pmlippo was serving as a waiter at the Oavonr Restaurant, Leicester Square, Loudon. Whcu he diofl recently ho was the proprietor of the place. _ M. Philippa came from Midi to Loudon to learn English and waitinf. Ho found employment at the Hotel Gavour, theu a very different place to what it is now. It was a tumbledown hostelry with a small restaurant, aud Philippe was tiie 'only waiter. When his employers died Philippe had saved enough to buy the business, aud presently the young Frenchman acquired a ball at the roar, in which a sort of judge aud jury show had boeu given, aud turned it iuto the restaurant, transforming the original restaurant iuto a bar. The place attained no great favour until a well-known journalist (now deceased) quarrelled with the late Ro.uauo, of the Strand. He vowed that lie would take all the Roman’s supper customers _ away, and he kept his word, booming the Cavour with such persistency that the public deserted the Romano’s for the Oavour. Later on the fame of the faro provided penetrated amusement land, aud for years now the luncheons at the restaurant m Leicester Square have been patronised by managers, actors, actresses, music-hall agents, _ ami artists. Among those who visited the ostablishmeut were Sir Charles Wyudham, Mr Arthur (Jollins, Mr George Edwardes, Mr J. M. Barrie, Mr Fred Terry, Mr Oscar Asche, Mr Gerald Du ivlaurier, Mr Frank Gurzou, Mr Fred Mouillot, a host of journalists, and a great crowd of yonug actresses notable for their beauty. Four years ago M. Phillippo declined au offer of fil'2o,ooo for the sire, of his restaurant. Philippe ' struck casual visitors as being somewhat brusque in his manner. Ho loathed teetotallers, and plainly told them so. Ho would sometimosaay bluntly to the customer who paid a fixed price of a few shillings for his dinner, aud drank no wine, that he would gladly have paid him sixpence to go and ciiuo elsewhere. Pie Iraukly mlmitted that his profits lay in the wines, aud declared that most of the dishes wore served at cost price or uuder. A very aggressive customer once grumbled fiercely at some mutton that did not please him. The next day ho came again to dine. But the waiters persistently ignored him. At last, furious, he called MPhilippe. In icy tones the proprietor hissed, “Yon do not like my mutton ; you mav go somewhere else. ’ ’ Although M. Philippe had been ill for some six weeks his death was uot expected though he was sixty-four. In August ho was tending his wonderful garden behind the restaurant. In that unexpected garden, shut iu by houses on every side, grew standard fruit trees, aud on the harsh walls are climbing figs, while bright flowers and turf, assiduously tended, make the place a tiny oasis. M. Philippe died a rich man, aud though outwardly so brusque aud independent he was very charitable. Ho was unmarried.