New-York tribune., 1902-06-18
HOUSEKEEPING N LONDON
AN AMERICAN wOMAN's DOMESTIC TRIALS
HOUSES ARE CoMFORTLEss. SHE SAYS.

HOUSES ARE COMFORTLESS. SHE SAYS
An interesting comparison Of the cost and com
fort Of living between England and the United
States is given The Fortnightly Review In an
article called american Wives and English House
keeping" by Annie E. Lane (Airs- John Lane, an
American living in London. She says
that her experience proves that nearly everything
much cheaper and OF better quality in the Amer
ican cities and that comforts that the simplest
fats have here are unknown there. except in the
homes of the richest and most progressive or her
search for a moderate priced house in London she
writes:
NO model fat turning here. were re-
duced to take a house, for which were willing
10 give from f150 f2O0 The agony Of that search
and the horror Of the various mansions offered.
For the first time I recognized the wisdom that
puts clothes closets In London houses. when ]
think Of the repositories of dirt they would inevi-
taby become. At that time I was such ntl-
mate terms with the climate / have since be
come. and did not understand that It is humanly
impossible TO rise triumphant over fogs. smuts and
beetles.
For my benefit, grim and dngy caretakers rose
out Of the bowels Of the earth out Of tenn
porary tomb always In bonnets), and showed Us
had been carried away. even the doorknobs and
he keyaoies1 s mean Of course the metal around
comfort, with dreary CRATES, promising a six
forebodingly. As for plumbing-but il is well 10
drop curtain over the indesCribable do protest.
~ b5fLtL'
rtiss n"iiS nov mh3 dliT, m With inefrahle
seIf-complacency their methods and shifting
at our American ingenuity and our determination
10 make life comfortable OF course We got a
house. thanks 10 no estate agent but could
not rent it We had to buy it-or rather the thirty
rangernent American.
The most obvious defect discovered in our
house that il very coda universal
English drawback-and the inadequate open fires
seem TO accentuate the chill admit that furnaces
are not a CRYING need IN England all through the
winter, but from December 10 March ii is pre-
O
There is no doubt but New-Engiand has bad throat
and lung troubles, yet so has Old England. and
the hardening process does not save, If statistics
right. If l must take cold and die. at least
prefer do So comfortably
Registry offices, through which the majority Of
sufferers get their help, riot in ungody prosperity
you are a meek lady they snub you. and If you
are undecided they give you bad advice At any
rate. they take your fee whether you get servant
honesty should obtain even in this business. and
protest when l pay five shillings for the mere joy
fee, and is the presiding goddess in the generally
I'll ventilated temple and who, as soon as nay fee
In Boston paid two shings, but not until ! was
really suited with a servant The methods Of
kind OF piracy Why don't English rebel?
Are they not the daughters and wives of grumbIers
and PROBABLY the mothers also?''
Another detail is the laundry work, thus re-
II am the client Of model laundry. which
sends our linen back a delicate pearl gray. We
costs us Il week TO keep up to the pearl gray
st a wish sf we could go back 0 DO the a da
except country laundries for the rich and great
coal and dire necessity is the excellence and
of the cleansing esta bshments, without which
the long suffering householder would indeed sit in
The various articles Of food itemized nearly
possible and the transplanted houseke eeper finds
Gs Sgber [ IN London T6sr % t T SaTiey 9f in e
and oysters are only for the rich.