Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-29
LIFE IN Al Y
WHAT THE PROFESSIONAL WORK
ER EARNS AND SAVES.
He Avoids Smart Society and Enter.
tains Simply-His Aver
age Income.
Yrom the cornhill Magazine.


The typical Italian professional man has
an income Of 10000 lire. or about f4OO a
year. with which to get along and bring up
four children. At the outset he makes
great saving by avoiding the extravagances
and the company of smart society.
With some exceptions. the Italian profess
sjonal classes do not mix with the smart
society where alone entertaining on
large scale Is done. and even In their own
circle they hardly ever give regular DIN
ner party OF even large reception. They
occa sionaliy ask a friend or two in to
meal the wife has an at home day. ana
ON certain festivals there is a large fam
lily gathering: but everything is done in
the simplest manner.
Flats are common in the ltaiian towns,
indeed detached and seif-contained houses
are there comparatively new. They are far
more costly than flats while the accommo-
da ton Is not so good. Taxes are hSher
and there many additional expenses
A fat OF ten or twelve rooms. In which the
hall, the kitchen and other ofices are IN
ciuded. will cost 100 lire (f4S year on
the third or fourth floor OF large house.
or the ground floor, first or second or
smaller one. ground floor fiat some
times includes bit of garden The rooms
are larger and airier than those OF Lon
don house costing $50 year: ana lar Jar
larger than those of fiat at 600 or ESQ
in a moderately good situation
Features of the Flats.
On the other hand. such apartments are
usually unprovided with modern conven-
fences. There is 80 bath room, there are
no hot water taps. except in the kitchen
The stairs are badly kept and ill lighted
and there is little attempt at tasteful deco
ratIons, unless the house happens to be ali
old one with frescoed walls. Electric light
is. however coming into use, and electric
bells are almost universal. Lifts are very
rare and only found in large ana expensive
flats In Florence there are hardly any
except in the public buildings and hotels
The rent includes water and all repairs.
The amount of he latter. of course. de-
perds good deal on the virtues of the
landlord.
Good Italian servants are the best in the
world for others show so much con-
sideration for their master, for whom they
often entertain a genuine affection. They
have no high and mighty airs: they do not
give notice II they are requested TO do
some work not quite strictly within their
province nor do they change their situa-
tons every three months. One family VIII
keep one resident servant, who cooks and
attends to most of the houseWork, and a
mezzo serYizio. or charwoman, who comes
in for few hours every day or two or
three times a week. The general receives
from IL to % lire G2s. to I'll month. and
the charwoman about 10 lire tSs.). Then
there is food and allowance for wine
which in Italy is a necessity rather than
luxury. and not an expensive Item. The
total cost per annum for servants amounts
in this case to 40 lire Q1S).
Frugal Meals
frugality in contrast to our luxurious
living marks the Italian board. They have
sufficient but make no display. Climate
naturally has much to do with the charac
ter of the daily menu. Breakfast is reduced
to vanishing point, and consists of a cup of
coffee and milk. with or without bread and
butter. Lunch at midday includes light
dish. meat course. and fruit and cheese.
Dinner At d or Z IN, consists Of soup. two
courses, and cheese and fruit. Pudding Is
eaten dinner once or twice week or
when guests are invited. Wine usually red
Chianti or Tuscany. is drunk with both
meals. and black coffee follows after AZ
ternoon tea Is only taken in the highest
families with English connections, but
stray visitors are RECALLED with sweet wine
and biscuits. Good wine costs from Cd to
Is. 30 a flask. containing nearly five pints
As sugar is very heavily taxed, jam, pud-
dings and cakes are iuxuries. The total
thus spent on food and drink may be set
down at f112 year.
Nor have Its-Iian husbands very much
to complain of in the way of 1.-The growing
handicap of marriage on the score Of
ieHinine extravaganza. The amount spent
on clothes, however. does seem large. In
the case in point it Is not so very far from
one-quarter of the entire income
Education being largely under the state
control. Is fairly cheap. In the primary
schools there are no fees. and In the sec
ondary ones they range from Ga to f6 a
year AT the university they are COMPARE
lively higher. but are still remarkably low.
-FOUR or six years course costing from
tiS 10 tSa The public schools-those that
Is under state control-are the most popu-
lar About $50 is the amount which the
professional man may hope to put by year
~ out of his 200.