Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-15

ily occupies the house and each one gen
orally has a garden. Flowers grow
easily and most families take great pride
in having a gay show at all seasons
Of the year We never see snow nor
have we icy weather in Melbourne and do
not know the mysteries of furnace or
steam heat. A fire in the CRATE, during
our winter months of July and August
keeps us cosy. Out of doors an extra
coat is comfortable.
II you were to land i'm Melbourne the
first thing to absorb your thought would
be money. Not because you are an
American. oh no. but because British
coinage is used and rather puzzling it is.
compared with the decimal system. Six
pence, three-pence and shillings do duty
for nickle. dime and quarter; but half
crown is a source of loss and vexation,
also the fact that gold sovereigns and
half crowns are used in place of paper
money.
Fashions in things to eat is differ
ent. and il YOU like pie let me warn
YOU not to expect the real thing - be
introduced TO your notice while in Aus
tralia unless you discover an Amerl-
can who can make il. And Americans
are few and far apart. The nearest
approach TO one 1 ever discovered over
there was q fearsome looking creature
in a fur-lined garment that made a
big man look like a giant to my child
ish eyes. Since then, however, the
American fleet has visited Australia
and the two nations are better known
TO each other.
Necessities are low in price ana
the shops are kept quite distinct. \
butcher sells meat, he would DE dumb
with surprise If you ordered hsh or
vegetables from MIN. grocer would
be equally astonished if you asked 10
purchase fruit from HIM. A chemist
shop takes the place OF a drug store,
but trade is limited to medicines ana
toilet articles though you might be
able TO get stamps from there. But
should your wants include ice cream
or candy a restaurant or "lollie" shop
would be the place to go. There are
department stores, and they are the
only places where shopping Is easy for
assorted, or varied, needs. Stores are
called shops and if you asked for
dry goods store you would be shown
a wholesale house; a diapers shop
would be what you should ask for II
you wanted dress goods. If you want
ed butter and eggs You would go to
a dairy produce shop.
I'm America rabbits are sold in the
markets, but they are such nuisance
in Australia that they are classed with
vermin and to offer one for food would
be an insult-nOt that they are not
clean, but they are too plentiful. And
in the fruit growing region to be Of
fered peach jam would be as great an
insult There are immense regions
covered with peach trees and the fruit
Is dried or canned, timed we would
say. and shipped to the western Aus
tralian gold fields, or TO the north, and
the surplus, or windfalls. is fed to the
pigs. In my section fresh fruit can
always be purchased and nobody wants
the timed. L have been in the far
north where all the fruit grows IN
one season and there they must use
the evaporated. The citizens Of Mel
bourne are as proud of their beautiful
women as the Kentuckians. Hospital
ity is gracious and genuine, and IL
would be a surly visitor that would
not respond t. the charm of life in
Melbourne, Australia. But / must not
write any more this time"
IDALIA.
Reading such letters brings us nearer
each other and makes us feel as If
the whole world is indeed akin. But
would you not feel queer to sat before
a crate fire in August? We often wish
the month a little cooler but we are
satisfied with our Christmas in the sea-
son that furnishes ice and snow.
had an Australian friend whose father
was very much set in his ways ana
he insisted On roast beef and York
shire pudding for Christmas dinner.
Imagine eating sucn Things with the
temperature at ninety or hundred;
But have il he would and such stew
ing as il demanded OF the others. jan
uary is the hottest month, the tempe
nature climbs to a hundred and t1ve,
don't you know that you would feel
like seeking a place nearer the nortn
pole?
From Australia to Canada is a rignt
good leap. but l hope to give You
letter from the Land of the Maple
We did have some members of Our
Household up there but silence seems
II have claimed them for her own, so
long has IL been since we have heard
from them.
Fithfully yours,
LIZZIE o. THOMAS.