The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-08-21
TALE OF A BATHTUB.
An American Students Ways Source Of
Wonder to Iandladies In GERMANY,

TALE OF A BATHTUB.
An American Students Ways q Source Of
Wonder to Landlsdles In Germany.
went to town in south Ger
many, and not house in it, except.
ing perhaps the brand new palace
which had been built in the hope Of
enticing the emperor there on a WIS.,
1t once year, boosted of a station
airy tub. l bought tin bathtub as
soon as arrived and set out from
my hotel to find lodgings where I
could got fresh water enough to
make it available. / was prepared,
as Americans who go to Germany to
live must be, to pay more than the
other students, and for running wa
ter I was willing to give even more.
But it was not to be had in any Of
the lodgings l saw, and when ex-
planned that wanted bath much
surprise was always expressed when
we wore not satisfied with the state
ment that the "bad anstalt" was
only short distance away and
would, moreover, send bathtub to
me once q week. The suggestion
that the servant bring up water
enough each morning to fill the tub
always cooled down the landlady's
enthusiasm to secure me as tenant.
l and my companion finally found
in ono house room which rejoiced
in the possession of q thin rubber
tube in the wall, and through this
under favorable circumstances it
was possible to procure a hesitating,
uncertain stream Of water. 1t was
water, though, so we took the rooms
and sent around the two tubs, which,
owing to their capacity to waste ev-
cry morning as much water as tho
family used in week, were regard
ed With horror by our 1andlady.
/ used to 60 every afternoon to q
tutor for a lesson in German. and
as it came after the lectures in the
university / was apt to be pretty
we'll played out. This tutor, who
was also privat decent in the uni
| versity, had bathtub and keg Of
hot water sent around to him from
the public bath once a week. There
were number of students and
teachers living in the house with
him, and they all took their bath on
the same day, SO that the wagon Oh
which the tub and the hot water
were carried had to stand for some
time in front of the door. The tub
always began to do its work on the
first floor, and when it was finished
there q head and shoulders covered
with towel appeared at the win
dow and beckoned to the man. Then
the latter carried the tub up stairs
to the next man. In the intervals
between the visits to the bathtub
very diminutive china pitcher and
bowl did what they could toward
filling its place.
Often after our lesson the tutor
and would take supper together.
He had been hard at work all day,
and so had /. but his preparation
for supper always had much better
results than mine. He poured hit.
tie water into the bowl and sprin-
killed. it chiefly over his hair, put
fresh oelluloid collar on his gray
flannel shirt and covered up the
shirt with q large black p1astron
scarf After brushing his hair Care
fully and twirling his mustache I'M
til the ends stood up furiously he
would throw back his shoulders and
prove perfectly irresistible to the
kellnerin that waited on US. The ar,
rival of the bathtub might yet be
several days off, but this man look
ed as spick as though he had just
stepped out of q bandbox. People
who can look so we'll without wash
ing might almost be excused for hir-
ing a bathtub for half an hour once
q week.
When we went to Berlin from
south Germany, the bathtubs came
along, to remain source of wonder
and dismay to landladies. A station
airy tub and running water are as
rare almost in Berlin as they are in
the small towns. The public baths
are everywhere abundant, cheap
and clean. Steam baths are to be
had even in the small towns, and the
Turkish and Russian baths, although
more numerous in Berlin than in
New York and cheaper, are much
less elaborate. Anything like the
sorubbing or massage one has in q
first class place here is unknown
there. The rubbers wash q bather
with excelsior, used in packing glass
or china, shove him under a show
or, and his share of the bath ends
there. The famous Russian baths at
St. Petersburg follow the same plan.
New York Sun.
1871 Words ON . Postal Gard.
M. Brown, who at last accounts
was resident of Milwaukee, once