The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-27

bark in what seemed a more promising
field Of work which was q little more
congeniai.
Tea rooms kept by women are plend-
fuI In London In Paris there Is q very
famous one. owned by an English lady
Of gentle birth whom uncertain tortune
made almost penniless. This tea room
Is the afternoon rendezvous for fash
ionable English and American women
at from 4 to o'clock. It's rolls and tee
have received the approval OF royalty.
The Princess Of Wales and her daugh-
tiers have more than once enjoyed the
hospitality OF the tea ROOM their inter-
est having been aroused when they
learned through q mutual acquaintance
the story OF the opening OF the place.
This tea room Is unique in its way, for
1t has ali the appearance OF being q
private apartment. The little tables
are scattered about the room in such
way that by the use OF screens and
palms one may secure a degree OF
privacy impossible in ordinary restau-
rants. The owner. handsomely gowned
in black. plays more the part OF
hostess that that OF a shopkeeper. for
she is known personally to nearly every
one Of the English guests. who do not
forget that her blood is as blue as
any In Great Britain.
Tea rooms have been opened In
America with varying degrees Of sue
cess. In New York society women have
been widely advertised to oren tea
rooms, and for time seemed to flour
ish- The difficulty with the tea rooms
kept by fashionable women is that no
one outside the owners special clique
ever feels at home there. and the
prices are generally exorbitant.
A few months ago q clever manufac-
turer Of -four opened a tea room on
Broadway. New York. that, to the sur
prise Of the originators OF the enter
prise, who intended IL altogether as an
advertising venture, has had great sue
cess. In the first place Il is quietly and
handsomely furnished. The little tables
at which refreshments are served are
set in lattice work alcoves, where there
is no jostling and no intrusion OF stran-
gers. In each alcove is an electric fan,
handsome electric lights and a wall seat
cushioned prettily, so that each space
Is simply a tiny apartment. A little
gallery runs about the upper part OF
the room and tables are placed there.
without any alcoves. There is a dainty
dressing room. supplied with delicate
soap. hot and cold water, combs and
! towels kept scrupulously clean, and n
handsome mirror with lights on each
side OF 1t, where the shopper may rear
range her hair or powder her face. The
menu is quite simple. but everything
is prepared with the utmost daintiness
and served in blue china One Is shown
the same courtesy whether purchasing
Ice cream soda or pate de fois gras.
Nearly all the department stores In
large cities now have restaurants where
their customers may lunch, and they
have done a great deal, to lessen the
trials OF the women shoppers. but prices
at many OF these places are high, and
their service is not what a woman who
wants a light monday meal prefers.
Probably the ideal woman's restau-
rant is in Philadelphia. II is a CO.
operative affair. and was started by
some clubwomen who noticed the lack
OF restaurants where women employed
in town during the day might obtain a
wholesome meal-at a reasonable price.
Tickets are sold for several meals at
this restaurant at a reduced price. but
for 20 cents a wonderfully good lunch
is served. 1t consists of soup, fish or
meat, two or three kinds of vegetables.
rolls or bread and butter. with coffee,
tea or chocolate and dessert. The res
taurant is in a neighbOrhood where
rents are not cheap. but. counting serv-
ice. rent. food and other expenses. Is
said to be ahead at the end of each
week.
No woman can work well without
wholesome food served In pleasant sur
roundIngs. The noon lunch hour ought
to be an hour of rest as well as re-
freshmen. With thousands Of women's
clubs all over the country. whose men,
bers are simply yearning for an OPP
portunlty to do something to prove
their usefulness to society. IL would be
q good thing TO take up the question OF
helping working women TO pure and
clean we'll cooked food at a moderate
price. Young Women's Christian as
ISOLATION restaurants are all very well
in their place, but many persons look
on them with disfavor as an effort 90
give them something for nothing. an
attempt which all self respecting work