Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-10-15

SEEN A wILESo
votion to his ritualistic religion
lilies on an altar whose God can be
reached only through form and cere-
mony.
To one who has been used to un-
walled lawns these miniature gar
dens are too combining. One wants to
push aside the walls. to speak to the
neighbors. to say to the dwarfed
apple trees. Cast on your letters
and be free" But convention and
conservatism stand on guard too near
and the magic words are never said.
But one studies the people as
closely as one does the house and
gardens. and one marvels at their un-
broken reticence upon the paramount
struggle to make ends meet now that
the rates and taxes take from every
taxpayer from Is to rs per cent Of his
income. If one goes into the market
with the housekeeper. one observes
that often dsh Is purchased in place
Of meat. because It is vastly cheaper
and It is in prime condition.
What praise have we not heard for
the excellence OF British beef. and
yet in three months I never had a
palatable. Juicy steak served either
In private homes or in the best req
taurants. One day started out on q
little tour OF investigation and learn
ed that almost no fresh meat Is SOLD
now in the shops. The meats. even
the mutton. are 'frozen"-that is, i'm
ported. One butcher explained that
the week previous to my inquiry he
had bought two fresh sheep. but that
he had not had a call for q single
pound. although the difference in
price was only tuppence hapenny Is
cents)! Indeed. many found it cheap
or to purchase dsh from the fish
hawker who pushed his cart through
the streets and sharpened his knife
on the curbstone. for he had no over
head expenses and his prices were
less than those at the market.
It mattered not at all that the dust
and dirt Of the street could blow where
they list. for the fish and meats in
regular markets are all laid out on
open counters in front of the shops
and there is no protection from dust
and flies.
THE general lack of sanitation
i greets one on every hand. The
milk cart, with its open cans. Is
pushed through the streets by hand.
and the men in soiled garments are
extremely careless In handling the
milk. One cart bore the naive state
ment 1.-THE cows can be seen: but
that sort Of inspection. II ever taken
advantage Of. is Intellectual at best
whom. health 10 the chief consIdera.
ton.
This extreme earelessness in han.
ding foodstuffs 10 evident on every
hand. Even in London the same con-
dttions hold. It was In that great
metropolis that saw bread wagons
filled with hundreds OF loaves. Of
which many lay under the drivers
seat and fell against his feet. I've
seen. only too often. open carts OF
bread upon which were thrown, in
utter disregard Of cleanliness. the
soiled coats Of the men who delivered
the loaves.
Even when the bread 10 put in .
basket for house. to house delivery
the man picks up the basket and
throws It over one shoulder in such
fashion that the ioaves fall against
his dusty coat a. he walks along
shrilly calling. 'oi. OF. OIL" In order
to let the housewife know that he
10 in her neighborhood.
The delivery OF q cut Of meat has
almost as many terrors to one un-
accustomed to such ancient customs.
The knocker sounds: one goes to the
door and sees there q man with an
unwrspped leg Of lamb on q tray.
He waits until one gets a platter
and then he picks up the meat in
HE hands and deposits It on the wait
ing dish.
II the purchaser carries home his
meat from the shop. he will dnd II
wrapped In an old Newspaper nine
casss out OF ten.
Il 10 perhaps Just as well II the
visitor does not observe too closely
this ancient manner Of handling
foods. tor one must eat. and one eats
with greater relish II ignorant Of
certain omissions in the rites Of the
kitchen and lardeS.
II meat and fish and bread are com.
mon items on the bill Of fare. SO are
vegetables and fruit, and one buys
most excellent carrots. potatoes ana
green beans for penny a pound. and
luscious plums and pears and apples
for four pence . pound. With the
addition Of cheese. the English table
10 supplied daily with plain. but nour-
ishing food provided the small In
come can be STRETCHED to include these
simple items.