The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-30
HOUSE HUNTING ABROAD.
DAYS GUEST OF AN IDEAL ENG,
LISH HOME.

or Gas - inc haHu WITHOUT DaVn-
rooy,os- An American Housek eeper
Abroad.
NEW YoRK, Oct. Eff you had little
hrotber would he have liked cheeses
If I had had occasion to keep house in
ENGLAND SHOULD have enjoyed the occupa-
tom
trow not.
II was in Birmingham that l began
househunting. Housekeeping is the more
.ocurate term, for did not need house
and ha no intention of renting one. Con-
.icous of the eccentric Americanism of my
proceedings, l did not begin operations in
.nv systematic fashion by applying to
real estate man for list of empty houses.
+ did not even consult newspaper for the
,sners referred me to the real estate men.
s+rolled through tho residential street and
.ha nleasanter suburbs looking for place
.bat accorded with my ideal of an English
home.
Tho rare English sun was shining IN
,arelv blue English sky. English schoolboys
On short-tailed jackets and little plug hats
walked demurely to and fro. Nursemaids
were out with babies in perambulators,
avery baby buckled down under spreading
rrhher carriage blanket Wholesome En-
oi;sh girls. with fresh color in their cheeks
and uninaginative eyes, promenaded in
White lawn gowns with sealskin capes about
their shoulders was in the heart of the
black country, but the holly and hawthorne
hedges were green and shut in quaint dwell
hngs standing back from the road in a
nesosf,Il seclusion never obtained in an
American city. I almost repented me of
nv errand.
No. 2 Bristol road stayed my feet. l was
IN front of pretty villa residence, gabled
and built of pale yellow bricks relieved by
brown. An immense elm overhung the
house and daisies were blooming in the short
grass before the door. 1t was not large
house. but it was reposeful and had an air
Of content. There was ITO Let" sign
fastened to the iron gate. opened it and
walked between beds of poisoning mig
nonette to the door.
The bell was answered by a neat maid in
cap and lace-trimmed apron. The rent
Of the place was ESQ per annum, plus an
average of G12 rates. For $40 year l
could set up in it my lares and penates.
Ire holder of the lease was a surgeon whose
wife was in consumption and he was anx-
ious to get the house off his hands before
winter, to leave himself free to take her to
the south of France. Both the surgeon and
his wife were at Brighton. The place was
empty and if hose could look it through.
In plan this small English villa differed
not at all from the usual type of American
house of the same grade. A wide hall ran
through it in the middle from front to rear,
with good-sized parlor and dining room on
one side and drawing room and ladies'
morning room over opposite. The kitchen
and scullery were behind. There was no
basement The four or five chambers were
big and well lighted. 1t was with the
question of accessories that my surprise
began. There was no water in the house
eitner up stairs or down.
"Why. bless you, mum, you gets it, of
course, from the tap in t1e yard"
The tap in the yard was in the position
in which | soon learned to look for it in
the geat majority of English houses, big
and little, in all English towns, just outside
the kitchen door, From it water was
brought to fill the great brick boiler in the
sculery, where the washday water was
heated, and for all domestic purposes.
Its a fine range, num- I'm sure you d
like it. I've cooked on it for twenty-eight
people"
| doubt if an American housekeeper
would know how to prepare over such
cooking apparatus a meal for two. The
legends of hospitable English hearths. the
tales of the roast beef of old England lead
one to expect something very different
from tho narrow, cramped chimney breast,
the minute fire pot burning few Goals at
a time, the tiny ovens which in many mid
die class families seem to be the rule.
"And 'ere's your ironing stove, num-"
said my attendant genius enthusiastically.
She pointed out small charcoal heater
mounted on tall legs with stovepipe of its
own to thrust UP the chimney fiue. The
kitchen range had not surface enough to
accommodate more than two f1atiro S at a
time, and some supplementary provision
must needs he made. The kitchen was as
small as that of New York fat, and could
not compare with the fiat for convenience
or economy of arrangement.
There was Nc bathroom in the house but
this / had not looked for, bathrooms being
rare luxuries in England. The small,
painted tin tub which is turned bottom no
In hotel bedrooms haunts a travellers
dreams One and six for bath if you
take it cold, 2 shillings if you have it hot
Portable baths fill one with longing for
the land of set tubs
"Sure, mum, and it would be conven-
fence. Twas only last week as / tripped on
the stairs and spilled the bath water all
over missus' pug dog, worse luck to him for
beln' under my heels, " admitted the hand
maid
:. There was no gas in the house. A pecu-
liar feature of the furnishing was a shelf
Just above the front door, set wit Parian
images, giving the passer view from
without through a glass transom OF trot-
ing horse on one side and bust of Long
fellow Oh the other. The ball, kitchen and
SScullery were paved with crumbling bricks.
The narrow city garden behind was tan
sie OF gooseberry bushes and plum trellses.
Ii corresponding American city, half a
Size smaller than Brooklyn or Chicago, a |
nine or ten room house OF equal substance
and stateliness would rent for a figure con-
Sderably higher. but would be furnished |
Wlth housekeeping conveniences without |
winch its mistress would hardly know how |
70 get through her days routine. She |
would pay more, but would certainly get |
more for her money. English houses are |
Planned with direct reference to the low |
rates OF servants wages and show an utter |
disregard of steps taken in domestic opera |
lions. Housekeeping is business which |
cannot be carried on In them with any |
economy of labor.
The shilling gave the pretty housemaid |
was conscience money as she pointed out TO |
me The high gate of the tradesmen's entrance |
auu bowed me out Of doors | adventured |
sue "Gainesborough villa," Pimlico road,
Lor a second experience. being greatly taken |
VAIN Its situation, fronting on small park, |
Cne NOISY stone wall overgrown with ivy |
aud overhung with hawthorne ia front, |
ano the ivy clad walls of the gray stone |
i,esldence Keys were to be had at Pimlico |
;aouse, next door, and dainty little woman |
~ dainty little teagown came out of a |
"Iawlng room whose walls were entirely |