The Indianapolis journal., 1902-07-20
AMERICAN SODA FoUNTAINr
THE NATIONAL BEVERAGE OF AMER
ICA Is FAST BECOMING ENG
LANDS FAVORITE!

ICA IS FAST BECOMING ENG
LANDS FAVORITE!
This circular announces the installation
OF an ''up-t -to-date American soda fountain"
IN a little sweetmeat shop on Victoria
street Here you will md American
soda fountain in queer company. In an
odd mixture, sandwiches. candies. cakes
and Romaine salad are distributed over the
counter. On the table is list Of "bever-
ages drawn fee cold 1t is never assumed
that anything is ice cold in London. The
Englishman usually drinks lukewarm wa
ter when he is not drinking boiling hot tea.
When you ask for ice in a restaurant they
bring you one small lump and drop it gin
gerly into your glass
But in the American soda fountain they
actually do keep the beverage" at an icy
temperature. To be sure it is not at all
like American soda. 1 have drunk soda
water IN Berlin which was far more like
the home article. The English edition of
American soda water is fat and rather in
sipid.
In many of the places where American
soda" is served they have certain favors
for certain days, and as a rule you are
limited to a choice from list of two or
three. The little circular before me Of
fers lemon. orange, strawberry, raspberry.
chocolate and vanilla II seems little odd
10 the American eye 10 see these followed
by the unfamiliar ''2d''-the equivalent OF
cents. Any OF these havors, with cream
is Sd" and with ice cream I'D" London
is also being treated 10 egg soda, egg lem
onade and SC forth. which are quite new to
the British palate. To be sure, the Eng
nshman has no need OF egg drinks because
he does not know the necessity for quick
lunches There is no such thing as a
quick luncheon in London. Every man
goes TO his midday meal deliberately and
sits at 1t from a half hour TO an hour. 1t
consists of an indigestible beefsteak pud-
ding. an equally indigestible veal and ham
PIE or cut from the joint'-which means
roast beef or roast mutton. Almost every
luncheon restaurant in the business part
OF London makes a speciality OF Joints"
and the phrase is as much a part of an
Englishmans daily conversation as the
condition of the weather and the number
OF minutes OF sunshine London has en-
joyed.
AS inevitable as the Englshnan's joint
IS his afternoon tea One does not appre-
ciate the utter slavishness of the Briton
he swarms. Here the hotel keeper makes
a large profit every year on toast and tea,
or tea and little cakes served at 5 O'Clock
In the afternoon. 1t seems a physical i'm
possibility for an Englishman when trav-
cling TO get through the afternoon without
his cup Of tea, and the average English
man thinks that the custom is universal
1 told a London man that afternoon tea
WAS nf IN.
you drink them" he said. His Imagination
was unable TO comprehend an afternoon
without some mild stimulant
In the Office of one OF London's greatest
illustrated weeklies 1 saw, as l entered
one of the editorial stan crossing the pas
sage with cup of tea in his hand.
stepped into the accountants Office and
there was the inevitable cup of tea on the
accountants desk. A little later in an
other office. found that the editorial staff
was very busy-no doubt drinking tea, and
as l waited for my card to be taken in.
heard this conversation between an arrtv-
Ing and departing visitor:
Il say, old chap, where are you goin'?"
Coin out TO tea a bit. VIII you conner
NO thanks. l have some very important
business. But I'll follow on in few
minutes
l am wondering IL the American soda
fountain will make any serious inroads OF
the English tea habit. l doubt il very much
On Strand during the coronation season
temporary stand had been constructed
IN a building which was about to be torn
down and here were large signs advertis
Ing American shakes" 1 did not have
an American shake. although 1 now regret
that did not 1t was the chance Of a life.
time because 1 shall certainly never So.
an American shake in America
You take your American soda in London
not at a counter. but at small table. Yor
have not the pleasure OF seeing the bever-
age foam IN the glass. 1t is drawn out OF
sight and brought To you by a waiter cir
on metal tray. 1 suppose that the Eng.
hsh who do drink soda take a long time Il
II and need the support OF the chair, TO say
nothing OF the table.
Another American institution which ba,
spread itself over London is the shoe. or, a.
IL Is known 10 London, the American boot
With Us the boot is the long article. nov
almost obsolete. in which Uncle sam wa,
supposed 10 tuck his trousers. Boot" /,
the London common accepted term 70,
what we know as shoe Emerson boots
NNNAS
advertised and sold all over London. me
many Londoners who spoke very highly o.
them. These things are not advertised an,
sold for the benefit OF the Americans il
London. They are there for the English
trade. So Is the American wringer. which
saw advertised not far from Londor
bridge But there are a great many thing.
Loffered for the consumption OF the travelin,
americans. Among these is a brand o
California wines. whose advertisement
face the Thames embankment You vii
rnd these wines IN many restaurants ans
|bn some railroad trains. These things ar,
offered 70 Americans just as "Englisl
stores" IN Rome. Florence and other con
Tinental cities keep stocks OF goods fo
English use. Including pickles. jams ant
cther things dear 10 the English palat.
which cannot be obtained al the ordinary
kcontinentaI shops. London dealers try Il
fster 10 American patronage in other ways
nd IN some shops the prices OF goods ar,