Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-25
FREE MEALS AND ROOMS |
TOWNS WHERE A MAN MAY
LIVE FOR NOTHING.
Board and Lodging Provided fol-
Poor Travellers in Several Euro
pean Municipalities.
From London Tit-Bits.

There are many places In the world
where impecunious wanderers and others
are supplied for the asking with lodgings.
dinners and money, free. gratis, and for
nothing.
1t is not generally known that the au-
thorities of Samoa, the little island upon
which Robert Louis Stevenson lived and
died. provide board and lodging absolute
ly free to strangers who are unable or
unwilling to pay for their keep. Every
village on the island has a guesthouse.
called a "faletale," and here the tourist
is invited to come and be fed, lodged and
entertained without any payment what
ever.
Bavaria the Bountiful.
The officials of the town of Klingen-
berg-on-the-Ma in Bavaria, are excep-
tionally generous, for they not only pro-
vide free beds and free board to poor
people. but give away big buildings every
year end to all who ask for them.
klingenberg owns several pottery clay
pits that bring in 80 much money to the
town Golfers that they pay all the town
expenses and leave a good round sum
over, which is distributed in charity.
Klingenberg Is one of the few places
Free hotels and free places of amuse-
ment are comparatively common At Orb,
in Austria, and at certain times in the
year small sums Of money can be had for
nothing on application to the officials at
the town hall.
Several railway companies in Russia
have distinguished themselves by pro-
viding meals gratis to their passengers.
In st. Petersburg there is small hotel,
the property Of railway company,
where railway travellers are lodged and
boarded free of charge.
Free Flowers and Free Beer.
Some railway companies In the states
provide bouquets for nothing Many of
flower gardens bordering on their lines,
and the produce OF these Is distributed
now and again among the passengers.
Godstone. in Surrey, Is noted for it's
generosity. In, this, pretty little town
the weary wanderer is supplied with free
soup between the months of November
and April. And on every Sunday through
out the year he can secure a cut of fresh
roast beef ON applying to the proper
quarter.
Norwich is very charitably disposed. On
three specified days in the year any one
may claim substantial meal, consisting
of SOUP roast. beef. potatoes, SreenP and
a jus of ale. for nothing. The only duali-
f1cation for 1t Isl that the applicant aiall
repeat aloud in st. Giles Church q prayer
for the health of the reigning king and
queen. ..f.
"Poor People Boarded Here"
Rochester. in Kent, has. or used to
have. a hotel where penniless folk can
get supper. a nights lodging and four
pence on their departure next morning.
This house Of welcome has been immor-
talized by Charles Dickens.
Another hotel where the homeless and
impecun1ous can get q free meal and
lodging Is situated at COleshill, in War
wickshire. No one is paid for accepting
it's hospitality. as is the case with the
Rochester hotel.
Married and Buried Without Cost.
At churches in various parts Of the
country loving couples are married free
OF cost on certain days of the year. while
the town Of Slopton long ago made pro-
vision for free funerals. People who can
not afford to pay an undertaken to bury
their deceased relatives are visited by the
town officials. who see entirely to the
funerals Moreover, 1t is said the mourn
ers are provided with loaf. piece of
cheese and four quarts of beer.
The government of India issued an
order a long time ago that five-Srain
packets of quinine would be sold at each
rural post ONCE at a farthing apiece, and
that those who needed and could not af-
ford to purchase the quinine would be
granted 1t free. Quinine is the most es-
selrtial medicine for the natives. and the
government, at a loss. brought the supply
in this way within the reach of the very
poorest At one time India had to i'm
port 100000 worth Of quinine every year,
but now the cultivation OF the nlanf is
carried on largely in that country.