An Innkeeper’s Hospitality

John Fothergill, An Innkeeper’s Diary (London: Chatto and Windus, 1934), p. 27:

Last Sunday we had thirty-nine folks to tea and I noticed that they were almost all ill-shaped, ugly or ill-dressed. I came into the office and complained at having to work for such people at 1s. 6d. a head. Charles Neilson said, ‘That’s easy—put up a notice, “Buy our masks at 1s. each, or pay 6d. extra.” ’ So I went in and told Phyllis to charge 6d. face-money each for the worst cases. Thus for the first time in history seven people without knowing it have left an inn having paid 6d. each for not being beautiful. Surely this was a more praiseworthy action than the usual one of charging people extra because they are beautiful, well bred and dressed?