Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-24
FOURTEEN CENTS A DAY.
LOW COST OF THE FREEDOM OF
eNGLAND'S METROPOLIS.
Cheap Lodgings In the City Of London
Scene in the Kitchen Of a Four Penny
Lodging House-Recipe for Pea Soup.
Misunderstanding.

Lodging House-Recfpe for Pea Soup.
Misunderstanding.
have often been asked to give some
estimate Of the cost Of a tour through
England Those who have written books
Of travel have generally had plenty Of
money and they have given no thought in
their works to readers of limited means
who have great desire for the culture
that travel is supposed TO bring, butswho
shrink from launching out because of the
expense.
II is to this large class that I address
myself recent writer has put forth a
book showing how Europe can be done on
fifty cents a day. As the phrase is in a
certain American game called poker. see
his fifty cents and will go him somewhat
better. in other words, / will show him
how the freedom OF the city Of London,
for instance, can be had at cost 81 about
seven pence a day, or fourteen cents IN
American money. This will include three
meals day and lodging at night. OF
course this Is only intended for the CAPT
taiist class Chicago. as everybody
knows was once offered to man for q
pair Of boots, but as the man didn't have
boots, he failed, to his unavailing regret
ever afterward, to invest in real estate
that ultimately reached much higher
figure. So IL man has not the fourteen
cents a day il is useless for him to read
the first part Of this article will have
pleasure in telling him further on how 10
live on nothing a day and enjoy the lux
nry Of bath every evening as we'll.
FOURTEEN CENTS A DAY.
An estimable friend Of mine in London
that is, he lives in London during the
season-who Is tramp by profession,
told me how man with an income Of
fourteen cents a day could live sumpru-
ously and he even invited me to go and
lodge and live with him, which is some
thing, | regret to say, | never had the
courage to do
In all the crowded parts of London can
be seen signs which read lodgings for
single men, four pence a night" There
are others at lower rates, but Of course on
this tour rs | said before, We prefer to
live well rather than merely save money.
You pay your fourpence to man NJ the
bottom OF the stair and until daylight
does appear the freedom Of the house is
yours. There Is a large room called the
kitchen. 4 good sized fire burns at one
end of it, and at that fire you will find
some Of the dodgers cooking their evening
meal believe that in expensive lodging
houses. such as speak of, tin dishes are
provided the rule being that the last user
washes them at the tap which flows in a
corner
At the first dinner that | ordered at
Delmunico's, in New York, they brought
me so much of each dish that | did not
wonder AT the awful price charged, and |
learned afterward that it is the custom
for two persons to 90 there together, and
a. /,
for two. The trnmps Of London follow
this high toned precedent. On pea soup
guzzle four of them generally go in to-
gether, and the chances are that when we
enter the kitchen of the fourpenny lodg
ing house we will he mt once claimed rs
partners in pea soup banquet My
tramp informs me that the pea soup pre-
pared from the tramps' recipe is one of
the most sustaining things man can snb-
sist on.
FOR FOUR HUNGRY MEN
Here is the recipe and the cost Of it, this
portion being enough for four hungry
nsn
one penny's worth of pea flour one
pennys worth Of bread toasted, one penny
pot herbs, carrots, turnips, lecks, parsley
etc, half pennys worth onions, half
penny's worth of drippngs.
This meal then comes to one penny each,
MS there is no charge for fire or cooking
utensils
Sometimes the tramps go in for the
Injuries OF the season and two make IA
meal together. Here is the formula, and
in this case only two 90 together so that
the expense is double the pea soup feast:
Half pcnny'- worth of tea, half penny's
worth Of sugar. farthing's worth of milk,
one penny three farthings' worth of bread,
one penny's worth of butter.
After the meal the crowd spends the
evening in c0ngenial conversation, DIVERSE
fled often hy fight, which the stalwart
keeper of the house quickly quells with a
club.
Up stairs the dodgers sleep in one large
room. Some of the places merely have
straw scattered on the floor, at other places
rough mattresses are provided. If You
have II penny ON your person it will be
stolen before morning. However, this
makes little difference. as stealing is ETH
quette in the Hotel de Tramp, and as every
one steals the general financial balance is
not seriously disturbed.
OF course il NAV hc claimed that in this
article | have studied the interests If the
moneyed classes only, That is quite true.
In future article will endeavor to show
how n man can go through England with
ont ANY money at all.-Luke sharp in De
troit Free Press.