The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-10-09
APARTMENTS
Rentlag a Furnished Flat In the
English Metropolis.
THE TRICKS OF THE AGENT


Of the Tenant Begin With the Ad-
vent Of the Inventory Man.
To the uninitiatsd American the rent
OF 4 furnished Dat in London seems q
very simple and remarkably inexpen-
sive matter. Every one Is extremely
polite. and your path II made easy.
But no sooner have You closed the
door Of your new quarters than you
are beset BY the bogy Of extras"
While you are taking a contented
glance at the new domicile. conEratu-
lating yourself on the bargain and
thinking how much more a similar
place would cost you in New York
your musings are interrupted by the
arrival Of the man with the inventory.
His business Is to make an inventory
Of every blessed thing your fat con-
tains. from q four post bed to 4 kitch-
en- spoon.
the listing Of such apparently insignifi-
cant items as "a lincrusta Walton
frieze," the number of dies In the Dire
place, the bolts on the windows. the
locks on the doors. description Of the
handles on the dressing chest and the
number Of screws therein. but when
you have been dragged through every
room. going over these-to us-absurd
details. you plunge from rage to de-
spair and finally collapse when your
tormentor at last departs. For this
entertainment you have paid from half
a guinea about $3.50, upward. accord
ing to the rent Of your fat.
But the real power Of the inventory
is only felt when you take your de-
parture. You may be morally certain
that the only damage you have done
has been to break one or two teacups.
for which you are quite prepared to
pay an extortionate sum without a
murmur. You may be sure OF this but
presently you will receive a bill all
neatly written out and covering sew
"Dilapidations.'
You will find that In every room the
walls have been "chipped." the enamel
on the bathtub ''slightly married" q
monogram on a napkin ring scratch
ed" several saucepans damaged" a
knife handle bent" a number Of
plates 'cracked." and 50 on. l am
quoting from q list Of "dilapidations'
presented to friends Of mine who had
occupied a nat for two months. during
which time. after strenuous cleaning
efforts. they left the premises in much
better condition than when they went
in. The bill amounted to Fl 1885, Cd.
roughly about S9.6S.
Here there is no such fact recog-
nized As ordinary wear and tear on
furniture.
For the lease. which IL here called
agreement" you have to pay from 10
shillings up to 3 guineas and more. &C.
cording to rent. Then the government
stamp affixed thereto. without which
the document is not legal. costs you
from half a crown (62 cents, to guinea
or more. again according to rent
You may have taken your dat by
''the month" but when your agree
ment is sent you 6nd out It is for every
four weeks: You will probably phone
the agent calling his attention to the
error. and be will inform you 1t Is cor
rect that way.
In renting an unfurnished dat the
shortest term for which IL three years.
you discover that the electric light AZ.
lures are not included In the rental
Protest unavaiiing. you buy them
yourself and pay for their installation.
You must rent also your own gas cook
ing stove. You fancy the tenders for
the drepiaces must have been over
looked. bat not 80: you must buy them
yourself! Az you have been 50 accus-
toned to a continuous supply Of hot
water. it never occurred to you to in
quire into the subject. You find you
can obtain 1t only BY keeping q con-
tinuous Gre in your kitchen range.
As the penetrat ing. clammy gray
horror Of an English winter draws on
you begin to appreciate what 1t means
to be minus steam hest. Your only de.
tense are the coal nres. romantic In
story. but totally inadequate to defy
this marrow reaching, damp cold OF
London. Bathroom and halls remain al
arctic temperature. for the crate Ores
do not radiate beyond a few feet. %
you may sit close and burn or retire
to a corner and freeze.
After having learned through pain
full experience the futility Of struggle
against English ways and methods II
is amusing to watch the explosive
American. who in hotel ONCE. at rail-
way station and on steamships holds
forth as to the various things he will
not submit to. He Is usually listened
to with certain exasperating defer
ence at which the British underling Il
q past master. But nothing is changed,
and he has to submit. and the sooner
the lesson = learned the more comfort
able be will be.
The impenrtrable stolidity Of the Az
erage Briton is not to be disturbed,
and the longer one remains In this
country the more definitely one learns
that the English people have pretty
substantial idea Of commerciaiism and
that yon are paying for the LESSON
London Cor. New York American.
One Wish Unfulfilled.
wife-You promised that II I would
NARY yo0 nv Averv viah ahouid h(