The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-29
English Live Well.


With the English 1t Is not the same
Economy does not enter into their scheme
OF living. and fully one-third more is
spent on food by an English family than
by one of the same size in F'rnace, and
yet the results are not so good The gem
erous Anglo-Saxon mind cannot quite APP
preciate the stnting of the Latin when
living is at stake Consequently, the poclS-
etbook suffers.
In Paris meat costs from 30 to so cents
a pound; bread cents; fowls from So
cents. At New Years a turkey runs as
high as &c. Cheese, which Is a great staple
in all European countries often taking
the place of butter, costs from Is to 30
cents pound. Coffee costs from 40 to so
cents and good tea from 65 cents to
81 10 a pound.
Coal is high In both England and
France, especially in France, where most
of 1t is imported, the best coming from
the United States 1t ranges from $12 to
500 a ton, and American anthracite sells
at fabulous prices. Matches in England
are comparatively cheap. but In France
they are mere excuses, faring up when
struck only to sputter and go out. Fully
a quarter are useless, and yet a tiny box
containing sixty costs cents
Fruit is dear in London, but even more
so in the French capital. Good oranges
bring cents, while bananas are cents
apiece. In the autumn, If the vintage has
been rich, good grapes sell at 10 cents
pound. This is perhaps the cheapest
fruit that France produces. and cheap
wine is about the only luxury the poorer
classes enjoy.
One reason why eatables are dearer In
France than in England is the tax put
upon every commodity coming from the
country. Eggs, butter. milk, fruit and
vegetables are taxed heavily, and, as a
consequence, the peasant must add an ex-
ira cent Or half cent to each pound he
sends to market.
Eggs are from 21s to cents each and
milk costs 10 cents a litre. Even then
IT. is none too rich. The best milk sold,
to be used by infants and invalids, sells
from 20 to % cents a litre.
In a good neighborhood a habitable
apartment OF four or five rooms on the
fourth floor. for example with no eleva
tor, brings in something like SOS a month.
This does not include the coneierge's fee
or the hundred and one petty taxes put
on the tenant. All told the rent would
run up to about $35.
Baths Come High.
Apartments with bathrooms can only
be found in the new buildings. and away
from the historic quarters of Paris, and
$50 up. Apartments with electric lights,
steam heat and bathrooms begin at s65 a
month.
The apar tment system is not so COM
mon In London as in Paris. Families who
can afford to pay a high rent generally
take an entire house of three stories AS
a rule these are old and bare of conven-
fences, but they are in the aristocratic
old neighborhoods, and habitation of
nine or ten rooms rents at from $50 a
month Flats, If they are new and in a
central part average $50 a month.
II the economical French housekeeper
calls in help she hires a femme de men,
age to come for two or three hours day.
Such a servant does the cleaning, pre-
pares the heaviest meal and generally re-
ceives about 81 month for her SER
vices. This does not include her board.
The honesty of such a person Is often
in question and such workers have none
too good a name among housekeepers.
Parisians who can afford it strain a
point and hire a woman for the entire
day She then does all the cleaning and
cooking and accompanies the children to
and from school. For a family of four
her wages range from 81 to SO month
Servants i'm London do not as a rule
receive higher wages, but where one
French servant can do all the work two
are employed for the same duties in
London, for II English houselleepers are
extravagant In anything it is in the num-
Der of help they keep. There woman
In ordinary circumstances has maid
TO assist her and her daughter In dress
ing. to answer their beck and call and
to attend to the darning and mending.
But the helpful maid is not so popular In
England as formerly. for as wages have
increased English women have become
more practical and self reliant.
Paris may be entitled a city of cheap
lnxuries and dear necessaries. Flowers
may be had for a song. and cabs are
within the reach of others besides the
rich.
Omnibus and tram travel In London are
cheaper than in Paris cents being the
fare from station to station, about half