Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-15
LIFE IN THE METROPOLIS.
HOW TO DISTINGUISH a NEW
YORK BOARDING HOUSE.


intendent of Police at Al.
NEW YORK, June i3.-DO you want to
know an innlhble sign by which board
ing house can be distinguished from II
private dwellingY l mean, of course, II
New York boarding house. Some board
ing houses are SC preienuous. in appear
ance that they look like the dwellings of
unusually well-to-do people, but ttheir true
character can be detected by practice of
the inmates, which is naturally most in
vogue at this time of the year. On a SUM
mer evening the steps of a boarding house
are apt to be more or less crowded with
gay group of chattering people. Now
this sensible practice is confined to board
ing houses. The members OF our average
New York family occupying their own
dwelling would as soon think OF flying as
OF taking the air OF an evening ON their
front door steps. OF course, there are
some families 80 unconventional and
regardless OF appearances that they viii
get what air they can the few hot nights
they are in town, buteven these seldom do
SO after dark, and the exception proves
the rule. Suppose that the occupants Of
private dwellings are conspicuous by
their absence from their door steps from
a snobbish desire to Distinguish them
selves from the inmates Of boarding
houses, just as now, IN imitation OF the
English, it is cousidMed bad form to
drive IN Central Park W Sunday. AS in
London, the parks and drives are given
up ON Sunday TO what are called there the
lower classes, 80 here many "cariage
people, do not drive on Sunday, not be-
cause they are Sabbatarians, but because
they do not wish TO be mixed up with
those who have no other time TO gratify
their love for horse flesh. How large, in
spite of the business stagnation, the
leisure class is becoming in New York is
shown by the considerable number Of
familiar faces and equipages which are
thus absent from Central Park ON sun
days.
That people should voluntarily deprive
themselves of the privilege of sitting In
the open air merely to be distinguished
from the inmates OF boarding houses,
shows in what estimation the latter are
held. One sometimes sees the expression,
"a fashionable boarding house." There
is no such thing. From the nature of the
case no boarding house can be fashion
able. Why? Because only persons of
limited means live in boarding houses,
and such cannot afford to be fashionable,
In u society where limited means
are considered more or less a dis
grace, people who live in boarding
houses are pr0portiOnately despi5ed,
which proves again how absurd it Is TO
talk Of fashionable boarding house.
This applies to families, not 10 unmarried
young men, in whose favor an exception
is made. While il is the height Of enOD-
bishnass tn despse people because their
want Of means compels them to live In
boarding houses, one has reason to pity
them. The average New York boarding
house, even when it Is well kept aud the
table IS good, is q poor substitute for
home. In every boarding house there are
necessarily more or less vulgar people
whose very presence is cOntaminating to
ones mind and morals as well as mani
ners.
The lack of privacy and the compulaion
which living under the same roof forces
one to be more or less intimate with per-
sons whom il is thus demOralizing TO
know, renders life in boarding house III
some respects almost as Objectionable as
life In a tenement. man, In my opin-
ion, had better never marry II he can af-
ford no better home than boarding mouse
for his family. Few boarding houses, to
be sure, admit children, as the average
landlady shares the sentiments Of Charles
Lamb, who used 10 talk about the "goOd
King Herod," but those that do admit
them TO their detrlment.
is THE TERM eLADYp APPLIED
nowadays in the South to everything in
the shane OF a Womani II il here. The
other day, for example, somebody told me
that lady wanted to get in my office be-
fore my arrival, and could not because the
door was locked. The lady proved to be
the woman who, at periodic intervals,
n.N haf 4 "a oil ffnfh
which covers the floor. The word lady is
used for madam. Time and again | have
heard horse-car conductors coy to some
female passenger, "YOur fare, lady" or
Lady, this is your street" This was the
way. according 10 the historical novel,
that the knights OF old addressed the dam
sci of high degree 1t was his good fortune
to denver from her 0ppreesor, but in
the mouth Of hOrse-oar conductor
when addressed to an ill-smellinR and
dirty old woman, the word sounds sOmo-
what out Of place. As every woman 10
lady, so is every man q gentleman.
People are not 80 discriminating as the
hotel waiter, who, when asked by the
landlord who was In the dining-rOOm, re-
piled, "Four gents and three gentlemen"
The distinction was a real ono. There
are many gents I'm the world. but com
paratively few gentlemen. Those who
hie HtHtlHNl1u Nib Atit iftHb ~ Nttll AHFtA~
selves such. / once asked a person Of
what is termed pleheian appearance for
the foreman Of the establishment !
was in. ~ am the gentleman he re-
piled. Had he been gentleman ne GER
tainly would not expressed him 80 clumsi-
ly. Nathan did not say unto David:
Thou art the gentleman although be
was speaking 10 a king. The EgeHing
Post is almost excusable in adopting the
old-fashi0ned word gentlewoman in place
Oi the now meaningless Indy. n is al
most pity that some similar
substitute for the equally mean
lngloss gentleman could NOT be coined.
ONE or THH PAPERS THE OTHER SUNDAY
revived the fayorite but false theory,
which repeatedly finds expression Ia
print, that the shop girls here are better
looking than the spoiled daughters Of
fashion. II stands TO reason that they
cannot be. Even II they started with an
equal amount 0f natural gifts and gracee,
their hard life and poor food would
soon tend 10 deprive them of them.
To be sure. during The fashionable
season, the Miss Flora McFlimaies, o.
Madison square, lead wearing enough
life, but they can make up for their late
hours By sleeping IN the day time, whereas
the shop girls, who also must have their
pleasures IN the way OF dances and SINH
lar late.hour joye, have no time for re-
cuperati0n. Hut this Is not q matter Of
theory. / have walked up Broadway at
ft.a sslafr tha ahnf,n ttfaaa far f1n nv wanna