FRANCSCENTIMESGarçon50Femme de chambre50Valet de chambre50Concierge1Garage25——Total275
If there was anascenseurin the hotel the elevator boy never looked insulted when we gave him ten or fifteencentimes. If extra service was rendered, we paid for it accordingly. This scale of tipping secured us good service in the small provincial towns. In the larger places themaître de l'hôtel(head waiter) plays a more important role and ranks in tipping dignity with theconcierge. In Italy the equivalent of four cents per person would be considered liberal in most restaurants. In Germany, where the rise in cost of living is more noticeable than in France, the item of tipping was slightly larger. Austria gave us the most difficulty. Here the system is more complicated. TheSpeise-traegerwho brings you food, thePiccolowho ministers to your thirst, theZahl-kellnerwho receives payment for the bill, all expect their contribution ofhellers. These dignitaries were ordinarily satisfied with tips of twenty,ten, and fortyhellersin the order named. The value ofhellersandcentimesis so nearly equal that it was not confusing to pass from the Austrian to the French system of coinage.
The largest single item of expense was of course the cost of transportation, which always depends on the size and weight of the car. The cost of ocean transportation for an ordinary four-seated touring car would run from one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and seventy-five dollars. To this amount must be added fifty dollars to cover cost of boxing. In our case, since the car was purchased abroad, it was necessary to pay a duty of thirty per cent on the original cost, minus the agent's commission of twenty-five per cent.
FOOTNOTES:[1]From "The Alpine Road of France," by Sir Henry Norman, M. P., inScribner's Magazinefor February, 1914.[2]From "The Alpine Road of France," by Sir Henry Norman, M. P., inScribner's Magazinefor February, 1914.[3]From "French Roads and their Trees," by J. J. Conway, inMunsey's Magazinefor October, 1913.[4]Political History of Modern Europe, by Ferdinand Schwill, Ph.D.[5]From "The Alpine Road of France," by Sir Henry Norman, M. P., inScribner's Magazine, February, 1914.[6]Old Touraine, by T. A. Cook.[7]Sir Henry Norman, M. P., in "The Alpine Road of France," inScribner's Magazine, February, 1914.[8]FromMotor Routes of France, Part I, by Gordon Home.
[1]From "The Alpine Road of France," by Sir Henry Norman, M. P., inScribner's Magazinefor February, 1914.
[1]From "The Alpine Road of France," by Sir Henry Norman, M. P., inScribner's Magazinefor February, 1914.
[2]From "The Alpine Road of France," by Sir Henry Norman, M. P., inScribner's Magazinefor February, 1914.
[2]From "The Alpine Road of France," by Sir Henry Norman, M. P., inScribner's Magazinefor February, 1914.
[3]From "French Roads and their Trees," by J. J. Conway, inMunsey's Magazinefor October, 1913.
[3]From "French Roads and their Trees," by J. J. Conway, inMunsey's Magazinefor October, 1913.
[4]Political History of Modern Europe, by Ferdinand Schwill, Ph.D.
[4]Political History of Modern Europe, by Ferdinand Schwill, Ph.D.
[5]From "The Alpine Road of France," by Sir Henry Norman, M. P., inScribner's Magazine, February, 1914.
[5]From "The Alpine Road of France," by Sir Henry Norman, M. P., inScribner's Magazine, February, 1914.
[6]Old Touraine, by T. A. Cook.
[6]Old Touraine, by T. A. Cook.
[7]Sir Henry Norman, M. P., in "The Alpine Road of France," inScribner's Magazine, February, 1914.
[7]Sir Henry Norman, M. P., in "The Alpine Road of France," inScribner's Magazine, February, 1914.
[8]FromMotor Routes of France, Part I, by Gordon Home.
[8]FromMotor Routes of France, Part I, by Gordon Home.
Transcriber's note:The Illustration captions were printed without accents. This has been left as it was in the original.