Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-16
GLASGOW'S TEA ROOM
Attractively Arranged the
Price of Foodstufs is Won.
derfnlly Cheap.

darkest. Spots Ill tnit interesting Guy.
but II did us. Why the tea rooms
should have SO captured our inagina-
| ton do not know. unless IL was that
we were touched BY the spectacle of
so much for 30 little. Is there any
place but Scotch tea room where
you can lunch to repletion on six
pence N2 cents. and whore tadded
charm,) the feminine tooth can salts
f. It's taste for sweets without shame,
since nearly everything In sight Is
sweet and what Is not In sight Is not
To lr had?
Cranston's. the tea-room par excel
lence of Glasgow. Is not an inspiring
spot in itself. The main shop on
Buchanan street Is Il long. dark. mar
row room where one comes solely to
eat, not 10 indulge n rowing eye. But
who would not fix his eye, from
choice. on table spread with every
, variety of bread known 10 Scotland
scenes. soda scenes, potato scenes
sweet milk scones. currant scenes.
brown scenes, all rather heavy and
suggesting Indigestion. but all good:
bread and butter with carvlas (cara-
way seeds covered with sugar.. law
bee baps,' oat cakes. and endless 9TH
er varieties Of doughty confection.
Then come cakes. and cookies. and
buns. and little tarts to further di-
rect the eye: and then, best OF all.
arranged In Il neat square In the GEN.
ter of the table. diminutlve pota of
jam. holding each enough for one per-
son of good but not too greedy APP
petite.
Having taken L bird's-eye view OF
all these glories. ones difficulties he
gin. In the first place. It Is n most
/ distracting matter to decide whether
To take strawberry, raspberry, black
currant or damson jam. and. having
decided. TO chase the last elusive
| berry around and around the bottom
OF the Jar before catching and depos-
| Ting Ii on ones plate. Then unless
You are Of such extravaganza turn of
| mind that You disregard the price list
propped up In Il neat frame In the
| middle OF the table there are most
complicated calculations to be made.
"lf II potato scone and butter cost n
penny. and a sweet milk scone costs
two pence, and n lGin also costs a
penny shall eat sweet milk scone.
which ! DO not care for but which
will fill n larger chink in my internal
/ economy II is a dreadful problem,
/ but no more SO than TO decide whetli-
er to take small cup OF tea for two
! pence. on the chance OF not wanting
another; or to take the large cup for
three pence In the beginning. and in
the end save Il penny
On the whole the way 10 enjoy
Cranstons to It's utmost Is TO say
Hang the expense" and cat regard
less. Then. when, having consumed
/ so many scenes and cakes that the
suggestion of another bun" Is a dead
ly insult. you begin n laboriom call
culation of what yon have really eat
en- YOU receive an unexpected thrill
at discovering that YOU have devour-
! Cd the enormous sum OF e!gh. nence
| halfpenny.
Glasgow's retail stores surprised
our American minds much less pleas
antly than did the tea rooms. Nine
o'clock is supposed TO be the opening
time; ii 1t Is more conenlent 10 make
it later. why later 1t is. Scotch mer-
chants must have angelic dispositions
Or perhaps II Is only stray Amer
lean who arrives on the dot-so that
1t really doesn't matter il the sales
woman is fifteen or twenty minutes
late. On the morning we were leay-
ing for the Highlands found 10 my
horror that had left my umbrella be-
hinh and must buy another at literal
~ the last moment flew painting
up Renfield street to a nice little shop
| knew. TO discover the shutters Inst
being taken off. made breathless
entry and demanded an umbrella of
the shop boy. the only person in
sight He looked at me with n hurt
expression. y
The shop amt open yet num-"
lie said
ut is partly open. at least" an
swered for yon are here and so am
|. Please show me the umbrellas,
for I'm in a great hurry"
don't think that boy knew the
meaning OF the word or else he
thought such unseemly haste should
lie discouraged.
Il don't sell umbrellas, num-" he
said. 'I only take off the covers"
i who does sell them. then?" ask
ed in evaporation. "a suppose there
is some one in the shop who can.
Nom. there amt" he replied So
verely. "The Young woman az sells
hasn't como yet
fancy he did not like the express
sion dawnlng In my eve. for he hastily
retreated to the back of the shop.
calling over his shoulder rs n parting
insult. Come in later. mum"
Later, indeed! 1t was ten minutes
past nine then. and the train for Oban
left at 9:3O.
tried two or three nearby shops
with the same experience. and actual
ly did return later" humhled in
spirit. to my first, where a deliberate