The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-01
First Impressions
Of The Metropolis
Guy Fawkes' Day and the Lord May
or's Show Picturesquely Described.
SEEN FROM THE TOP OF A BUS
Incidents of First Fortnight's Stay Alone
in London-Miss Kaiser Finds Lodg'
ment Mt Last in Musically-
Inclined Household.

Special Correspondence of The Tribune.
London, Nov. 13.-Two weeks ago to-
day we came up to London together,
Mr.. Evans and Mr. Anwyl and Miss
Emile Drscoll and myself. We reached
the city in the evening, and the next
morning they all departed for South
ampton, leaving me here all lonely and
forlorn. felt bereaved. But l did not
dare let my thoughts dwell much upon
my forsaken condition, for fear of SYM
pathizing with my poor self too much.
So l assiduously set to work to find the
bank, boarding houses, and the Royal
Academy, where l made arrangements
for my coming examination and en-
trance there. OF course it was very
hard, this finding my way about the
city all alone at first, but by industrious
ly affiliating with policemen and bus
drivers, who are nothing if not careful
and courteous, l accomplished all my
errands safely enough, and had great
many wonderful and interesting things
to see, besides, so that it was case of
pleasure combined with business.
had some difficulty in selecting a
boarding place, however, as / wished
one not far from the heart of the city in
order to save time in going to and fro;
but 1t seemed almost impossible, as the
rates were so very high. Happening
one day to be talking with Miss Reide,
the lady superintendent of the Academy,
/ mentioned my difficulty, and she
straightway gave me, an address to a
lovely place, where the neighborhood Is
extremely pleasant and from which l
ca get to the academy in fifteen or
twenty minutes. I have little gem Of
a room, on the second floor or, what
they call here, the first floor, and l am
very, very comfortable and cosy. There
is cute little fireplace, cute little
bedroom suite, and a cute little
piano in my room which have for prac
ticing on, besides all my pictures and
home photographs, which l brought
along, ana a lovely little working and
writing table,. Then 1 also luxuriate in
using as much gas as / like, which in
some boarding houses you cannot do;
as the mistress turns it off at 10 o'clock
at night all over the house! And then
there are four meals a day, besides
chocolate at bed time, all of which
naturally appreciate, as hard work
makes me hungry.
Typical London Boarding House.
The house itself is an old residence,
in beautiful old neighborhood, where
there are plenty of big trees, old Shrub
berry and quaint old flower gardens at
the backs Of houses. Our premises are
surrounded by high, thick stone wall
and any one on the first floor cannot
see out into the street at all, nor can
anyone from the street see in, either
This fortitication, however, has one
vulnerable point, big wooden door set
In 1t with a door-bell at the postern
When l come home from the academy
or anywhere else i must stop at this
door and pull this bell, which rings in
the house like mad, and one of the
maids must run way out of the house
down to the walls and unlock the gate
to let me in instead of just going to the
house door itself. In rainy weather l
do not envy her, as she gets wet every
trip and sometimes this bell goes a
ringing very often all day long for
some of us. The floors, in this house, of
all the rooms and halls, the first floor
and basement are of stone, as are also
the stairs in the front hall. OF course,
they are all covered with carpets, ex-
cept the basement domain, but / think
like wood better. 1t doesn't seem so
cold!
All the girls here are students at the
Royal Academy of Music. They
oil n -
them having been there four or
five years, and these naturally sing
very well. OF course, we learn the in
struments, too, besides our voice culture,
and you should hear us at our prac-
ticing sometimes. One is playing her
piano with the loud pedal pressed down
hard; another shrieks out scorn at the
top of her voice to an imaginary vii
liam in a grand opera selection; an
other is running scales on her violin,
and the other vocalizing with all her
might and main while down stairs the
orchestra, which one of my landladies
conducts, and the other accompanies
(they are both very accomplished), may
be having spirited rehearsal for some
coming performance. At such a time
the meanest revenge l could take on my
worst enemy, think, would be to place
him in the front hall of this echoing
house and let the groans and sobs of
the orchestra, the thumps of the piano
the squeaks of the tantalized and tor
tured violin, and the cries of the high
sopranos, mingling all in one discordant
whole, confound his hearing.
Londons White Orchestra.
BY the way, the orchestra which ]
just mentioned, is a symphony one
composed entirely of ladies, all of whom
are perfect mistresses of their instru.
ments. They give concerts in Londor
and the provinces, being, indeed, al
most constantly engaged, and have
often played before the Prince an6
Princess Of Wales and family at Marl
borough house during the season
They are very fine, indeed, and are
away now, filling an engagement al
one of the inland cities, while tn,
n1otherly housekeeper and the maid.
take care Of us in the absence of the
two ladies.
Guy Fawkes Day.
Tuesday was Guy Fawkes, day here
in England, and was celebrated mostly
by the small boy element. They carried
around ridlculously stuffed effigies o.
poor old Fawkes, the object being, sup
pose, to make his memory as ridiculou!
as possible. These are called Guys.
Some of them were elaborately gotter
up, and pulled around the streets llk,
noats, by sorry looking little mules ant
donkeys. Then, too some small boys
ana others not so small, went arount
masquerading in all sorts of outlandlsl
costumes, getting an immense amour
OF fun and amusement out Of their owr
ridiculous appearance and minstrelsy
Down In the country, / am told, they
have great flrecracker shooting, will
wonderful displays of fireworks a
night, just like our Fourth of July, bu
in London here the danger of fire is toc
great 1t is supposed by the youngster,
here, that Guy Fawkes turns in hi
grave rePllarlv avac,y WOO, - l. IL,