Evening star., 1914-07-21
TEA and THINGS.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

Dry-as-dust statistics show that we
sAmericans consume more coffee per cap
tita than any people sufficiently worried
-by civilization to deal in statistics. Our
cousins. the British. stand at the top
-of the column with respect to tea. sta
stistics however. can be depended upon
for only one thing. and that is 10 deceive.
The fact is that the Englishnan uoes
not drink coffee because he mas he>t'
had the opportunity to taste proper
prepared cup of that decoctIon. ana CON
sxersely the American doesn't urihN 'e"
because ne hasn't time
of course. a great many of us oriiiA
tea with meals. just as the majority Oh
JUS have coffee \ great many more Oh
us have iced tea at meal time when
the weather is hot but. largely speakliis'
we have not the time to take tea
= Coffee goes with bacon and eggs. with
f,uckwheat cakes and sausaSes. with
variety of things that are all really
food Tea even to person VINO counts
that breakfast lost that does not inciude
a second cup of coffee. does not fit in
with food at all. But it does form the
basis of j delightful three-quarters oi an
-hoIIr in the afternoon. accompanied pN
toasted muffin. cigarette and fuil
portion of laZiness.
In the United states. at least in
Few of the big cities along its Atlantic
and Pacific fringes
Tea Is Substitute We are becoming
for the Highball. n,,Iiar % with the
fact that a few of our good people are
taking a little time in the afternoon
away from the cares of business ana tne
dance TO consume sundry cups OF tea
There has been little moral outrage on
account OF the introduction ot ttils "e-
ca,!ent custom. for the truth Is thd'
among such people and on such occa
esions the innocuous tea is a substitute
For the more deadly higii3all that USED
to appear always on Tire storNe oi =.
If the traveller. therefore. drops INTO
-palatiaI hotel in New York or san ran
cisco at > in the afternoon he VIII liho
people drinking tea and he VIII not ui-
-derstand that this is an alien custom
In the island home of George 'heie
is no such ceremony. no such eVioehee
of caste no such trappings OF luxury as
surround the newborn fad of tea hsht-
-, IN yankee land Over there tea is
a basic necessity of life and not luxury
in any way ,;,r ,,ri,,,v
office building of the type called Iliou @
done verv we'll for Keokuk ABOUT the
time the first horseless carriaSe star'ieu
chicago: go into this office building ABOUT
shaIf-past in the afternoon, searcn
Through its dim corridors until you Iiiu
-fhe elevator and ring the bell! lou
NAV ring it for a full half hour, because
The lift boy is certain to be having MS
1ea and he cannot be disturbed
= When this inexorable fact mas oeen
borne in upon your consciousness you
may climb the stairs. three dark an9
gloomy flights. to the chambers occupieu
bv your friends Once arrived you VIII
have some difficulty in getting m ior
,fhe porter who opens the door IS haNins
tea and cannot be disturbed 1ahlnS tne
law into YOUR own hands. you rude!H
:opeu the door and stalk in. to ma your
frieuds gathered about a desk. nor "or-
-ried hv business cares and not p,ahnis
for new conuucsts. hut having 'heir te''-
-ff course they cannot be disturbed
ont an thu, street il seems that ain,oS'
every other door is n teahouse anu 'a.e
In the afternoon all the other Duiid1hSs
discorce their hordes oil humanity ~
noUr into the teahouses. and yet one
-tunws fnat those who seek their after
noon cup in the public places are as
nothing compared to the millions VINO are
having their tea at their DESKS oi III
their libraries
3
The.,, street car conductor. the notorious
hD