"Tipping" My Lord's Butler

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 303, 29 September 1888, Page 3

"Tipping" My Lord's Butler

iCßlsy. p,oblU£ liian; wUofk^pfe a i'greaVdjml pf cpmpxny, nptsnly tluttng;the; ' seaW<>nf %boY % boY during- fch6^winte\v;,i:nSBmucfir J 'as^'ndfe feeing a'spoVomm^h6 lec:jiis'd6miti^^ seat to;l)is J . Drobiieiv and;^ferred;to enjoy" .London! at bhabUme^ the year when the country is detestable to all'but' Bunting uncl shoo* mt? men. . f,,' *- ,r '_?-** "j.'w""-'"''' \ Without tho patronage ,o£ Lord Penge and of one or two other getvt'lemen large establishments,' Mr Soles would Have, found it diffic It to keep up his' larg'd shop in an expensive thoroughfare, and. indeed to earn enough to ineeb the demands of a young increasing family ;' and so, in; order '!to present this patronage from /slipping into tho hands of rivals, 1 eager to gebit/and by no means scrupulous in their att'eriiptsfco get it", it was abs6lut,ely tiecessary that Mr Soles should, to use his own phrase, c keep in' with my lord's butler, "Mr McKenzie, a little hard-headed, keen, and subtle Scot. -To the unknowing in such matters, it may bo news that a man in Mr McKenzies position -and the butler of a nobleman is ' tho monarch of a very considerable realmshould condescend to sell his good offices. Bub such was the; fact, and in order thac no false impression may get abroad to the effect that Mr McKenzies conduct was in the smallest degree* exceptional, *ip may be stated at once that Mr McKenzie only acted according to the custom of his trade, and that it would be hard to find a steward, who did not as ho did. It was, of course, at that season of the year when we are called upon to expand our hearts, and to take in fresh supplies of that nourishing liquid which has been soured by the events' of the preceding months, that Mr McKenzie made his'little round amonsr the purveyors to Lord Penge's household, in order, as he facetiously termed it, to wish them the Compliments of the Season, and ib wanted but a few days to Christmas when he strutted into Mr Soles's shop. Mr Soles had anticipated his visit, had fixed on his face that pitiably hollow bmile which men assume when they dare nob frown, and had ready foy him a crisp tenpound note. ♦Hullo! What's this?' exclaimed the butler, when, after an exchange of complimentary speeches, he had received the douceur. ' Get away, man ' Jubilee Year and ye offer me ten pounds ! It must be twenty this time !' , Mr Soles's smile faded away. • But Mr McKeuzie,' he urged, ' I assure you I can't afford it, indeed I cannot. Times are very bad ; people don't entertain'as they did, and a great many of those who do so get what they want from the stores. As for the Jubilee, it has made very little difference to me.' 'Oetaway. get *a\vay,' cried the butler. 'You can make it up in the bill.' ' Yes I can, but I don't choose to ; and if — ' the honest fellow was on the point of saying — * and if you choose to rob his lordship, I don't,' but he did not dare. , *. Man, you, are a fool,' said Mr McKenzie. * I can't .stop^ here arguing and haggling. Give me twenty pounds, or — why, man Roe, ' in X-streeb, would jump abthe chance.' .^Let Roe jump at it, then,' said Mr Soles ; and, returning the note, to (bis desk, he turned, his back to the astonished little —^Scotchman, and ; attended to a customer. **~ Mr 'McKenzie 1 strutted' out fuming and raging, -and uttering maledictions on a tradesman who could be so blind to his own 'interest's as to, be honesc in his dealings. " ' 'Mr r Soles, of course, made up his mind although* he had acted rightly, -he: had done - a very , foolish thing ; and M the result of a prolonged meditation was the writing of the following 'letter to- Lordt Pen ge :—: — 'My Lord, — I must ask pardon fur intruding upon your exceedingly valuable time and for "bringing to" your notice a matter, which to you, may not appear of the smallest importance, but; which,- to me, is of the very gi eatest conse■ouence. I think it is right and proper that you should- know that your brother, Mr McKenzie, has made a demand upon me this day of twenty pounds,- as the price of his retaining for me the privilege of serving your lordship's. household Tvith fish. Your lordship may be aware, although it is quite possible that you are not, that in order to secure the custom of a large establishment like your lordship's, it is the rule among tradesmen to make your lordship's bmtler a present at Christmas. To thia we do "not demur in reason, but when, as in this case, such a demand is made tbat I cannot afford to meet it, and, in case of non-compliance, lam threatened yvith the loss of your lordship's custom, I think it is time you should hear of it. 'I may add that my declaration of inability to comply with Mr McKenzies demand was met by the suggestion that I ' should make it up in the bill'— by which I leave your lordship to infer what is meant.— Again apologising for troubling you, I am, your lordship's "obedient servant, John Soles.' It was. a desperate deed on the part of the poor fishmonger, for, .although Lord Penge had the reputation of being a good fellow in every way— a just and generous landlord, a kind "and considerate master, a -friend to all who , were in need and in distress, and a pronounced hater of cant and humbug, his time was so fully occupied with matters of public moment that it was hardly to be hoped that he would to take cognisance of so trifling a matter as the wrong of a humble tradesman. , < - . . , , However, the letter was despatched, and John Soleß's fears seemed to-be realised when two days passed, not only without an order from^ Penge House,, bub without even an acKnowledgment of the receipt of the 'letter.' , The fishmongers surprise may therefore ,4)e imagined, when, on tho morning of the , third day, who should walk into his shop * but Lord Penge himself. , * 'Morning, Soles,' said his * lordship genially. - " Now then, what's all this about McKenzie?'* So,, encouraged by the kind tone of thia : address, John Soles recapitulated what he had stated in the letter,- and added a good tf deal,of other information, which, seemed to surprise his patron greatly. "-, -'« Very well, said Lori Penge when Soles * had finished.*' %t You say that you have*in- , variably made him a, present of ten pounds f :sit Christmas, and you have served me all V ,the time he has been my butler— that is 1 , years.' ' ' 4 -"*'" »£:Ye8"; my, lprd.<' ;. /■-., \ '; -1 *" *. Very- good, very good. I suppose you : '"have ceased t8 supply me now?' . : -Jf t , >« Yes,> my lord, I have had no order for "ytHree clays.*;-. '. - -, ,; ( / ' •;■-..-, **•" } i-;j-;f' AlT right, never ? mind, I'll see, to t ; it'. -ii^Gqod* jmorning/ISoles,' with, which^Lord . -^'Tengerhaving made'a'brief ' n6te H o£',Boin'tf :^thing^h%ried'out^f\^f ''C;- 5 - '"" \-'"'A 1, <j; '4^rom. ; Mr;Sdl«3s> 4 sK'op LbrdvPerige ''callec l 'i%h on JaSlozen otheritradesmenf^ and^af tere hit , reiurned;to;his'study^and made i i'j Si'dozen tradeßmeri^Mr JVEcKenzie had; receivec t J)ii6';during^tliV i lfst)tenVyJarsthe>3Skc ff^T?a\jt'Uittle!ifi^ fe€oiEt*thisi€am6unb>fEorH^enge^ale^la>et lllipw^

J.* c *9%' '%"■'•? ftV?-* ntoy «:>Hi iff* '* l f-»*rtStt i>'si>li4 f~> |senei T ou& )nan, but^-hke^i«6sL' ( meiv>"\vhbse scj%sc>ers|£afeT^m^^^^ ' : c;6||M&^^^ rcoMdribbiaTsubom^ "a&a^l^cjid .not eve.ncjiiU^oHthosq'ti'aries- 5 , aiion J boifjiarjshly^w ho^h'aV]taiia;d6*u p!i?i ilieir. * • bijls^tp^hiin ipaf t. ,of oyhUi£ they] Ifad/been' obliged * ;to give Jus ' b(i i>lev^/riioyl i Ali|.c|ltp 1 live, line] i6-wa,s^n9tj''bpC r b,o^x|jeoLodJin an agejof severe 'compeblbibn fchat^vibir t su.eb an v ftlujv should .all Do^im^ie^d^viWsvicli^yh^ll 1 - ?soine? s0ine consciences 1 ' as to' submit . tax" * wibhou b 'ixiijefro y b'jio )mCicrafe s i fc) _ wßetf bb ab eflforb was 'merely bhe insertion mua bill which was nob too rigidly ' chebked/of a few "figures,! , , ,;.„ ] !>--',-..'* " ! /^ '" „ -Every Christmas 'inbrjiung* ]ib , was Lord Pence's cusbom to make every 'man and" woman in his service a band&ome.pr'es&nb with his own hands Upon this Chri-bmas morning lie, performed his usualduby^bub, ; with one notable[excepbion, Mr MclCenzie's, • usual chequo >for fif by pounds was nob forbh- ■ coming. ' • , s The libble Scotchman was so taken aback at this omission that he felb sure Lord iVnge musb have forgotten ib, and he acbually presumed to i*emind his lordsliip bhab he had. been left out in bhe cold, bhe resulb of % which" was bhab ho recoived such a snub as very rarely, falls to the lob of stewards— Scotch sbewavds especially. But this was uob all. A day or two after Christinas, Lord Penge did a bhing he had never done before ; he had, to use Mr, McKenzies phrase, ' meddled wi bhings beneabh his ken,' by asking who supplied the house wibh fish. ' Roo, of X- street, my lord,' was bhe answer. s ~Vory woll, just pabronise Soles in bhe fubure ; Hoe's fish isn'b fresh.' Mr McKeny.ie bowed, In a few days' time Mr Soles was again favoured by Lord Penge wibh a visit. ' I haven t forgotben you, you see, Soles,' he said. ' N - no, my lord,' said Mr Soles, hesibatingly. . ' I hope you get your orders regularly ?' said Lord Penge. ' Orders, my lord ? No order has reached me troin your house since you were here before Christmas. 1 Lord Pengo's brow grew dark ; he muttered something unpleasant to himself, and said, 'Very well, I'll see that you have the orders. Have the goodness to call ab Ponge House in ten minutes' time.' Then he left the shop, went straighthome, and touched the butler's bell. 'McKenzie,' he said, 'Soles'sfish isn'b a bit better than Roe's. ' ' No, nay lord : but you ordered me co make the change ' , Lord Penge touched the bell for the servanb. * Tell Soles to walk up,' he said. At this the butler's freckled face grew absolutely livid, and his little legs quaked. The fishmonger entered. ' Soles,' said bis lordship, ' after havine been supplied, so my butler, tells me, by Roe for many years, I was obliged to leave him the" other day and go to you. Your ' fish is not a bit better bhan his. Have the goodness to make up your bill and send it in.' ■ • Ab firsb bhe fishmonger hardly knew whab bo say, bub a look from Lord Penge assured him, and he said, ' My lord, I have served you for ben years, bub I had no order now for three weeks.' With admirably -feigned surprise • Lord 'Penge turned on the trembling butler, as if for explanation. But the little wretch was mute. 4 You can go, Soles. Continue to call for orders,' said Lord Penge. When the door had closed behind the fishmonger, he turned again to McKen/.ie and said, ' Now, McKenzie, you can just pack up your trunks and take yourself out or my house as soon as you like, and, look here, if anyone asks me why you left my service, I shall tell them the truth, which is that ypu have turned out to be an unmitigated thief and robber.' 4 My lord ! my lord !' gasped the wretched man. - ' Not a word !' said Lord Penge, ' you have no claim on me for wages. Indeed, if the question came to be sifted, I am by no means sure that I have not bhe right to de- ! mand from you restitution of part of the bhirteeen hundred pounds of which you have indirectly robbed me during the last ten years by levying blackmail upon my tradesmen, and encouraging them •to make it up in their bills.' • Good morning.' Mr Soles continued to supply Lord Penge's household with fish, and* when the new ' butler arrived, in place of the dismissed . Scotchman, he was distinctly given to ' understand by Lord Penge that if he ac- : cepted a single shilling as a ' tip ' from tradesmen for securing their custom, he ; would be instantly dismissed.