Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-02-12

The Trials OF . Modest Man Not Accustom cd
20 the Ways OF Austria.
Mr.. Prentice Milford thus writes
10 the San Francisco Chronicle from
Vienna After awhile / discovered
that the Viennese who did wash
themselves washed themselves oil
ever at the great public baths, and
not in the little pint pitchers OF
water they kept in the bedrooms.
So l went to public bath. l did
not know what to ask for, but
knew German enough for water
went in and said, "Wasscr." They
took my meaning Immediately, or
they might have secp that l needed
washing. / declare the ridiculous
amount of water they furnish one
leads to dreadful results.
There are two passages leading
into the great five-storied bath bar,
rack-oEe for males, the other for
females. Of course | took the wrong
one, and l was showed back by q
woman with towel. | didn't sec
that it made much difference, for the
attendants on both sides were fe-
males. Marie showed me TO my
bath room Marie was a big, brown,
black eyed Austrian maid, 10 round,
short skirts. She went ahead of M
with an armful of towels. She
opened my bathroom door. l went
in. She came in after me. was
quite unprepared for this. But che
wasn't. She seemed used TO it, and
went to work. She spread sheet
on the bottom of the bath-tub
d MT know what it is for, but they
always do it. At all events,it tskes
off tha rough edge Of the zinc for
ones skin. Then she turned on hot
water and waited. | waited also
Out of regard for the prophecies, /
removed only my hat. | would not
even take off my collar before Ma
rie. The water seemed long time
RAINING in. 1t generated cloud of
steam, which gradually filed the
small bath room, and through which
vaporish atmosphere Marie and
saw each other dimly. Finally she
gave me ali the hot water l was en-.
titled to and left. Relieved | spraug
to the door. There was no lock up
on it. l hunted in vain for some
kind of fastening sat down un
easy. Then | removed my coat and
collar. Then Marie burst in again
with another towel Then she went
out. How was | to battle in peace
with that coufounded girl continual
ly intruding on me?
Then | tried to turn on some cold
water and couldn't. By this time |
bad removed many of my garments
and barricaded the door with nv
jack knife. Instead of having sensi.
BILE faucets, by which man could
regulate his own flow of water, these
require the use of a wrench to turn
them. The wrench, l suppose. was
kept by the attendant outside I did
not know any German for wrench,
and if | had dared rot call foc one
with the prospect Of the young la
dy's bridging it. So / sat dawn on
the chair, which l had backed up
against the door as an additional
security against Marie, and waited
tor the water TO cool. II takes hot
water long time to cool in Austria.
Finally got into the tub. l think
it could not have been much below
boiling temperature. l got out
again pretty quickly, blusbing all
over and sympathising more heart.
ly than ever with boiled lobster. L,
was an uncomfortable bath. suf
fered externally from thu water, and
internally from fear of that possible
Marie. But shs never came again.
She lett rge pile Of linen for M 9.
| examined it. Thsre were one
towel about as large as a napkin
and two large aprons, which reached
from my head to my heels The
aprons ppzzled me. utilized them
for towels. A friend after ward told
mo their use. They are 20 put on,
the one before and the other be-
hind, on getting out of the hot bath,
ard you sit ~ them and ring the
bell for the attendant to enter, turn
off the hot water and let on the
cold. Marie all this time was wait,
ing for my bell to come in and turn
on cold water. She never hoard that
bell. | pus on but one of these
aprons, the forward one. 1t fitted
me perfectly. 1t would fit anybody.
1t was u splendid dress for hot
weather, so easy to put on and off 4;