New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-19
uoPDS FOR WARM WEATHER.

WORDS FOR WARM WEATHER.
Good Americans like to stay abvoad, not ont
of inherent funkeyism, but because on the
Continent people comprehend the science OF liv-
ing as we'll as of doing. Perhaps this knowl-
edge may be imported with the many enli1res
who are leaving that disturbed center. A
graft of French savoire riore on Yankee earnest
ness would bear good fruit In hot weather,
for instance, Europeans in cities live out of
doors. Imagine New-York on the pavement
from the Battery to the Fifth-ave. Hotel,
eating ices or smoking in arm-chairs after din
ner. Fancy Washington square, and Union,
and Madison, fitted with chairs instead of the
thankless, backless benches too high to sit on,
impossible to lean against and too short for
vagrant to stretch himself on, which now de-
corate those waste places; and further imagine,
if you can all the matrons of the side streets,
nice, punctilious New-York women, so reyo-
lutionized in ideas of decOrum that every one
carries her camp-chair and knitting or maya
zine there of an afternoon, feeling as free ana
safe as in her own courtyard, instead OF leaV-
ing those nests of LEAKAGE to police pets and
nurse-maids. Add to this perspective of bal
comics and piazzas broad and tenable by whole
family, where tea may be taken, screened by
awnings and plants in blossom, without offend
ing the delicacy of ones next door neighbOr,
and say how great the luxury, or the improve
ment, upon tie present habit of burrowing
away in back parlors and basement dining
rooms. All this might be very well If the
fashion prevailed of knocking the sides of
every house out till cool weather, which will
probably be the idea adopted in the millennium.
The next dozen rich men who wish to be
gratefully remembered when they die, may
reach that end by placing fountain apiece
in different parts of the city. VapOr-fountalns,
in which the water is forced through dIvider
in volumes of mist, cool large body of air
around them. The vicinity of such grateful
spirits of the waterfall would be blessing to
many a poor neighbOrhood How does any
one suppose one-half New-York is living
through the warm weather. In tenement
houses that steam with soap-suds and boiled
potatoes, except when they are aglow with
fires for laundry purposes, when the sun
bakes all the afternoon, when the cock
reaches and jolly fleas have their own way in
the genial heat You may see the laundresses
out in Stuyyesant-square at O'Clock mornings,
after q breath of fresh air before they bend
over their days work at the glowing irons.
In the night, unable to sleep from the scOurges
about them, the unfortunates are reported to
plant themselves in tubs of water and go to
sleep there. Any visitor among the poor will
quote parallel cases. What these people want
are pure water and carbolic acid. New
York can't afford to sprinkle the streets with
dilute disinfectants, though she might with the
pin-money she wastes out of her municipal
dover. But every friend of the poor can do
something to alleviate these petty suiferings
which are all that is needed often to make a
wretched life uncomfortable. An umbrella, palm
leaf fan, a dozen soda water tickets, are sea-
sonable charities, although one is not able to
set up fountain and some time there may
be an ice-charity, by which the poor can be
supplied with this browning necessity of Sum-
mer. There ought to be iceshops open in
every part of the city, where rich and poor
may obtain this commodity, if they miss the
regular vender. In case of sudden sickness,
let any one try to procure an extra supply of
ice in any neghborhood, and he may hunt
longer for the friendly confectioner who will
spare pound or two than to find an honest
man.
Keeping cool is the problem of the time and
there is Just as much art in this accomplish
ment as in any other. People may fan them
selves to ribbons, or keep a current of fresh
air rushing up from the front door to the sky
light by leaving both open. To do this, every
house should be provided with iron open
work doors to close during the day, leaving
the wood ones open. These are perfectly Sc
cure, and permit free entrance of air, while
they may be painted and gilded so as to be
highly ornamental. BY this simple means a
house may have cool air drawing through it
all the time. Small vaporizers may be eff
fectively used in apartments to moisten and
cool the air by throwing water from them in
the finest spray, which does not injure furni-
ture. Civilization devses crystal pillars and
large basins to hold water or ice in rooms for
the purpose of cooling and the fashionable
ornament of dining tables is the ice-salver,
bearing a huge block of ice, around which
flowers are grouped. AT grand balls abroad,
miniature bergs are placed among the decora-
tive plants to secure an agreeable tempera-
ture in the crush. But the ice-making ma
chimes must come into active play before COM
mon people can realize the delight of such
luxuries
THE CIVILIZATION OF THE HITTER