Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-08-24
TALE OF A BATHTUB,



many, and not II house in it, except
ing perhaps the brand new palace
which had been built in the hopo Of |
enticing tho emperor thcro on Wis,
At once year, boosted OF 4 station
airy tub. ] bought II tin batItub as !
soon as | arrived and set out from
nay hotel 10 find lodgings where
could get fresh water enough to
mako it available, | was prepared,
as Americans who go to Germany to
live must be, to pay moro than tho
other students, and for running wa.
ter ! was willing to give ovon more.
But it was not to be had in any Of
tho lodgings / saw, and whom | on
planned that | wanted II bath much
surprise was always expressed when
we were not satisfied with the state
ment that tho bad HnStIlt' was
only II short distance away and
would, moreover, send bnthtub to
me onco Il week Tho suggestion
that the servant bring up water
enough each morning to fill tho tub
always cooled down tho landlady's
enthusiasm to secure me as tenant.
| and my companion finally found
in ono house a room which rejolcod
in tho possession of II thin rubber
tube in tho WALL and through this
under favorable circumstances it
was possible to procure Il hcshating,
uncertain stream of water, 1t was
water, though, so we took the rooms
and sent around the two tubs, which,
ewing to their capacity to waste ov-
cry morning as much water as the
family used in a week, were regard
cd with horror by our landlady,
used to go every afternoon to
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 n privat decent in the uni
vcrsity, had a bathtub and a kcg 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 on
which the tub and the hot water
were carried had to stand for some
time in front of tho door. The tub
always began to do its work on the
first floor, and when it was finished
there head and shoulders covered
with Il towel appeared at the Win
dow,and bcckOncd to the man. Then
tho latter carried tho tub up stairs
to the next man. In the intervals
between the visits to the hHthtub Il
very diminutivo china pitcher and
bowl did what they could toward
filing 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 lad much better
results than mine He poured lit.
tlc water into the bowl and Sprin-
killed. it chiefly over his hair, put a
fresh cclluloid collar on his gray
flannel shirt and covered up the
shirt with a largo black plAStron
scarf After brushing his hair care.
fully and twirling his mustachc I'M
til the ends stood up fUriously he
would throw back his shoulders and
prove perfectly irresistible to tho
kcllncrin that waited ON us. The ar
rival of the hathtub might yet be
several days off, but this man look
ed as spick as though no had JUS
stepped out of Il bandhoX, Pcopl,
who can lool; 50 well without wash
inc might almost be excused for hlr
ing u bath tub for half an hour once
a week.
When we went to Berlin from
south Germany, the bathtubs came
; along. to remain source Of Wonde
and dismay 10 landladicS. y station
ary tub and running water are a
rare almost III Berlin as they are il
the small towns. The public bath
are everywhere abundant, cheal
and clean. Steam baths are to b.
had oven in the small towns, and tn
Turkish and Russian baths, although
, more numerous IN Berlin than Il
, New York and cheaper, are mucl
less elaborate. Anything like tn
, scrubbing or massage one has III
, first class place here is unknown
there. Tho rubbcrs wash a battle
with excelsior, used in packing gIaS
or china, shove him under show
er, and his Share Of the bath end
} there. The famous Russian baths a
, ST. Petersburg follow the same plar
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