The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-20
SOME OF THE THINGS AMERl-
CAN VISITORS SOON LEARN.
Frequent Blowing of Cab Whistles
Puzzling at First-No Bootblack
Stands in British Capital
Women Cannot Clean
Windows.
wing of Cab Whistles
New York Tribune.


blowing Of mouth whistles in their VI
vinitv. resembling the blasts Of sound
with which the New York postman
accompanies the delivery of mail. A
Yankee arrived in the British metrop-
oils one summer night greatly IA
tigued BY his Journey retired early at
his lodgings. but was kept awake un-
til midnight by the unaccustomed and
continuous blowing Of whistles, which
suggested to his drowsy brain that let
ter carriers were calling every few
minutes at the adjoining houses.
At breakfast the next morning he
remarked that he had often heard OF
London's frequent mail deliveries:
but he had never supposed there were
50 many Of them as he had heard the
previous evening.
"Heard?" inquired his seat mate.
Eyes: didn It you hear the postmen
blowing their whistles every few min
utes until after midnight?'
The English are too polite to laugh
in ones face, but suppressed snlck-
er went around the table, breaking IN
to audible laughter as another New
Yorker, who had been in London
twenty-four hours longer than the
new arrival. explained glibly:
"Why those we're cab calls you
heard. Every London house has a
cab whistle. One blast brings han
som, two four wheeler. "
Cabs are essential to London, where
antiquated stages are the only means
of going in many directions, and they
serve as express wagons as well as
eonveyances. Few persons send their
baggage ("luggage,'' it is called over
there) in advance to railway station
or steamer pier A cab is called at
the last moment, and the eabman puts
trunk or valise on the roof Of his We
hicle. IF ones parcels are numerous
a four wheeler or omnibus is employ
ed. On arriving with luggage the
same method is used to carry it to
ones home or lodgings.
As the baggage covered hanson
bowls along two or three ragged dirty
men or boys may be seen running be-
side. If any distance is to be ira
versed, it will be noticed that some
Of these drop behind one after an
other, while others take their places.
They are "runners, - usually men on
their s'uppers, who earn an occa-
sional shilling by following cabs to
their destination and carrying the
luggage upstairs for the arriving pas
sengers.
It would not occur to the average
Englishman to seek bootblack out
side his own home for his morning
""shine." Shoes are generally pol
ished in the house by the maidsevant,
if one lacks valet or footman, ani the
bootblack stand is conspicuously ab-
sent from the British capital. Boot
blacks, often aged men, bearing the
label "Licensed Messenger" on their
coat sleeve, have foot boxes at the
chief intersections Of the principal
thoroughfares and ply their trade for
the benefit of transients and foreign
ers. They are seldom patronized by
the London householder.
One Of the first inquiries made by
Americans who settle in London is for
a washerwoman. But it is soon found
that this useful person is not to be
had. Very little washing is done at
home or taken out by washerwomen
in London, all the soiled linen being
sent to a laundry. The result is that
Americans, accustomed to the weekly
visit of the family washerwoman at
home, find their laundry bills not a
small item of expense on the other
side Of the ocean.
A surprise is in store for the new
householder in London who asks the
maidservant to clean the windows.
"Indeed, ma 'am, I'd be arrested if I
did, explains the girl as she refuses
the task. And, sure enough, it is
learned that owing to accidents to wo-
men cleaning windows from the out
side the authorities have ordained
that women must not risk life or limb
at window cleaning. The penalty for
disobeying the regulation is a fine OF
S5. So men employed as porters in
furniture stores and similar shops
earn many odd sixpences and shillings
l1, c,andinU thair waek1v half hOIi-