Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-03-07
ITALIANS IN LONDON.
u. WHITMORE.
Publisher and Proprietor

AVOchIOnh.
London Cor. Boston Journal.
A curious thing to note in Lon
don is that the foreigner is invad-
ing more and more every year. A
little while ago the Germans came
by thousands to take the place of
the English and Irish boys in the
coffee-houses and hotels. Nova
DAYS it is the Italian. The Strand
is lined with neat, comfortable cafes,
which, while they have none of the
outside adornments Of Paris and
Florence, have quite the same inte-
rior elegance. The names of Re-
mano and Carracio and Patti begin
to be as well known as those of
Simpson and Brown and Jones.
The Italians in London must al
ready number many thousands;
they would make a small cityful, if
they were suddenly "sorted out"
They bring cheerfulness and pol
ished marble tables and gleam-
ing gas, reflected in handsome
mirrors, in place of dullnesS, made,
if possible, more dull by venerable
oak partitions and benches, which
might have done well enough for
the sixteenth century, but which
seem rather out of place nowadays.
They bring Monte Pulciano and
Asti Spumante and Prosecco wines,
which cheer and do not inebriate,
even when taken in large quaint.
ties, to replace the insipid beer and
the deadly brandy which English
men were so fond of consuming.
The Italians are certainly a good
element. They are rarely in trouble,
are generally supremely devoted to
their own affairs, and pay good rents
to the covetous Strand proprietors,
who are always struggling after
"bonuses." The bonus business in
England must be terribly onerous
to business men. If any one wishes
to secure a decent location for COM
mercial purposes he must pay an
appalling sum for it. l have in
mind a firm here who took very
good rooms in the Strand about
seven years ago, for a lease which
was to run until March of this
year. In addition to their rent
they pay G700 bonus. Now they
are called upon to pay another
bonus of $1,000, or are requested to
yacate. This is done continually.
1t seems hard to see able-bodied
men begging in the streets, and to
know that the bright men and boys
of other nations are occupying the
places which really belong to them.
The Prussian boy arrives here with
five Shillings in his pocket; gets a
place; never spends anything; never
goes out, and consequently is soeu
enabled to pay for the dress suit
which custom compels him to wear,
ana can lay aside a little money.
Presently he graduates into a head
waiter at a seaside, and becomes q
highly important character. Mean
time, Jack and Bill, dressed in rag
ged Velyeteens, beg outside in the
streets, and often have q penny
haughtily thrown to them by the
Italian or PruSsian en- promenade,
The italian fourishes here large
| ly by reaGon of his excellent talent
as a pastry-cOok, The English Ia
dies have a taste for sweets if they
have but little for bonnetsS and
they flock in large numbers from
noon to 2 o'clock into the clean,
| handsome cafes where chocolates
aud creams are served. What a
contrast they form with the crowd
of forlorn creatures prOmenading
the Strand from 8 in the evening
until l in the morning; a ribaldt
disgusting crew, whose jest even is
tainted with bitterness, aud whose
intimate companion is starvation.
These few remarks came nat
urally enough into mind just as
was about to tell you that ! have
come over to London to see the
spectacle of the opening of Parlia-
meut next Thursday, and to sketch
for you the prominent people in the