Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-30
CHEAP SUMMER JOYS
Small Expense Incurred in
These Vacations.
SPENT OUT OF DOORS
ENCAMPMENTS IN THE OUT
SKIRTS OF LONDON.
Some Work and a Good Deal of Play
Will Build Up
Strength.
SPENT OUT OF DOORS
Written for The Evening Star.

food for themselves. starvation at times
staring them In the face.
To this class Of people. In years gone by.
| a summer outing from their humble homes,
| short or protracted. was never considered.
and they were obliged to live in their con-
gested quarters as best they could during
| the entire season.
All this has been changed. however. with
| In the past few weeks.
One of the happiest places at present in
the whole Of London Is in Doddington
Grove Battersea, outside of the great city.
1t is composed OF a colony of poor but
| respectable English people. who inaugu-
rated a movement some few months ago.
which took tangible shape last June. to live
out of doors during the entire surnmsr sea-
son In so-called houses on wheels, free from
the heat of the city, landlords and the
dreaded rate collector. This outing by the
three hundred and more residents Of the
colony on wheels Is being enjoyed at
small expense and is a pronounced success.
These three hundred men. women and
children are happy all day long. and regret
exceedingly the time when they will be
forced, by reason of the severity of the
winter. to forsake their summer homes for
their less cherries and comfortable dwell
ings in various parts OF London.
Houses on Wheels.
1t has escaped general observation in
England that such a colony of London's
poor is spending Its summer out of doors
in the manner mentioned. These jewellers
In houses on wheels. as a rule. are very In
dustrious. and at any time of the day Wis
itors to the encampment will find the wo-
men hard at work making baskets. flower
stands. mats, Gaming chairs. while others
walk about in the vicinity OF their tenn
porary homes gathering primroses and vio-
lets. for which they find ready sale 10
visitors.
One of the housese I'm this open air coll
ony" is recognized as quite superior to the
others, and goes by the name of "Westend-
err" and Is removed quite good distance
from the others. The jewellers in this big
house" are in receipt OF good wages weekly
and could well afford TO live in more pre-
tentious quarters, but they much rather
prefer to follow the outdoor summer life.
introduced by the entire colony this sea-
son. The freedom of the home on wheels
is to their liking. so far different from that
experienced living in the cramped and I'M
healthy rooms of their city homes.
These houses on wheels are quite at
tractve looking. especially on the outside.
INTENTIONALLY. they are divided into parts by
a curtain. the back being used as a living
room and having necessary furniture.
Three-story Beds.
Generally the beds are on three tiers.
something like the berths on a ship. only
that they are a good deal wider. The mid
tial of the three. 1t is no unusual thing
for six people to sleep IN one OF these
houses on wheels
The lines of living wagons" excite the
wonderment and curiosity OF the visitor
to the living colony on wheels. Instantly
the eye travels along them. you miss some
thing
All! the horsesl
They have long since gone. The steps
are down in the places they occupy while
the movable houses are on the road. Some
of the jewellers dispose of their horses in
order to save the cost of keeping them In
idleness.
On and between the lines there is q curl
GUS air of domesticity. Women. most OF
them. stamped with their humble condition
In life, SIT on the steps OF the wagons some
employing their time in needle work. while
others bask in the sun, surrounded by their
children. merely gossipng. Other house,
wives. more industriousy inclined. are
gagged In the family work, which. by the
way. always takes place in the colony"
on the second day of the week. the numer-
Gus lines Of washed linen presenting a IA
miiiar picture to many visitors.
On Wash Day.
Gaze upon the animated pictured Bent
over tubs and buckets In close proximity
to fire on which clothes are boiling brisk
ly. these women are busily engaged rubbing
and rinsing with a will. now and again
going off for moro water to a tap at one
In another section OF the colony can be
observed a mothers" girl engaged In this
important household duty. while close by
another child may be seen scrubbing the
chubby face OF sister or brother not
much younger than herself
And now there Is diversion. Some half
dozen youngsters come forward in a body
and clamor for sweets. their healthy faces
aglow with expectancy and their pinafores
outstretched. lest their hands cannot hold
enough! A moment later and they are
happy.
Don't withdraw from the colony until you
have entered one of the houses on wheels.
Go up the steps of one Of these movable
dwellings, The interior is a pocket edition
OF home life OF the humber classes in
London.
The Furnishings.
On the left is tiny fireplace. over which
hangs a collection of brass and copper or
The other side OF the house
is mostly taken up with table placed I'M
derneath the neatly draped window And,
lastly through some curtains at the far
end of the van. is a vista of a snow white
bed, which extends across the whole width
of the wagon.
Big the bed is. compared with the size
Of the little house on wheels" 1t does not
seem sufficiently large to accommodate all
the family. One noticeable feature OF the
Interior Of the house on wheels is its
spick and span condition. 1t would meet
with the appreciation of a house proud
woman of any large city.
Men In the Fields.
The men OF these families engage their
time daily working in the fields at fruit
picking, hopping and harvesting generally.
They manage in this way to provide COM
for their families. some being rec
ompensed for their labor. while others dis
pose OF the produce they have raised in city
markets
1t is no uncommon thing for two families
living in a colony of this description. where
heir funds will permit OF the expenditure.
70 purchase a COW. the milk being used By
them alone.
This summer outing OF many OF London's
poor at the present time will no doubt DO
copied followed in future summer
sons to come by humble folk. by reason Of
he small expense entailed and healthful-
less secured 1t Is a free. happy and well
,ome life to lead and to the poor people
If crowded London has thus far proved
blessing.