A RULE THAT WAS BROKEN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 46, 18 November 1907, Page 5

A RULE THAT WAS BROKEN.

At a public dinner in New York recently Mr. Joseph H. Choate, late American Ambassador to England,-made a most amusing speech, in which he referred to English club rules, and mentioned "that an important regulation,' and one which was rigidly enforced, was that'under no circumstances might, a club waiter, be tipped. "During my term of. office.in. London," said Mr. Choate, "I heard of a laughable incident in connection with this .rule. "At a certain blub gambling was forbidden; but oiio evening four members who vrere at a loss for something to do decided to have a quiet gamo a.t bridge—a small game—half a'crown a'hundred, or something of that sort.' So they found a secluded comer, and fell to. . "Soon they noticed one of the waiters casting suspicious glances in their direction. Ho was a veteran waiter, a club landmark, and they grew alarmed in case he might betray them. "Finally, i called the man over. 'Joseph,' said onv. of the card-players, 'we're having a quiet game of bridge.' " 'Of course, you know the rule, sir,' responded the'waiter, with a suggestive look. " 'What you suspect is true,' the member answered. 'We. sire indeed gambling. But wo want you to keep quiet about it. After all, Joseph, you have been here a good while, and I don't, suppose this is the first time you have seen the rules broken ?' "'General,' replied Joseph solemnly, 'I've been with the club for seventeen years, and 1 have seen every rule broken except one.' " 'And what is that?' " 'That, sir, is the rule against tipping the club waiter.' "Joseph then had the plensure of seeing that rule broken, t00."—"P.T.0."