Evening star., 1938-03-20
PACK Up CLOTHES
F0RANY WEATHER
Serene Confidence in Warm
Sun Often Misplaced.
Agencies Give Advice.
BY LOUISE CRUICE,

CAAdpo tilC IIlOSL uSllSIlIlUl pdTG
of travelling is the surprise that awaits
us, though if the traveller is not
prepared for the unexpected 1t can be
one of the most unpleasant. Ger
tainly the American going to Europe
next summer for the first time will
find the weather startling. He may
be as disguised as the members of
the A. E. F. in the summer of 1917,
who having been brought up on the
legends of sunny France kept look
ing in vain for the sun. In those days
the French had good alibi. 1t was
the quantities of gunpoWder being
shot into the air that caused all the
rain. and therefore, of course, it
was really the Germans fault!
Whether the atmosphere of France
next summer is free from gunpoWder
or not, the visitor to her shores will
do well to take along a raincoat,
stout umbrella and a pair of over
shoes.
When 1t comes to distant climates
most OF us are as ignorant as the
Engllshman who asked Lady Gren-
fell how she endured the long Arctic
nights, quite forgetting that the lati-
tude of London runs through Labra.
dor. Even If he knows the European
weather the average American forgets.
gets.
Wo0lens Good in Paris.
There was once an American woman
who spent a summer in Paris, and
except for few days in August, when
she was able to wear a thin silk
dress, she found her most comfortable
costume woolen sport suit. Sew
eral years later she went to Scot
land to spend the first 10 days Of
September She was equipped with a
dark silk dress for travelling, a heavy
topcoat and sweater and thought she
was prepared for any temperature.
Unmindful of her jeers, her husband
he was thin and felt the cold-had
tucked into his bag some winter
underwear. They had not been in
Scotland two days when the shiv-
ering wife borrowed one of his I'M
dershirts, put it on over her lingerie
dt reached to her wrists and ner
knees) and only by this. she was
convinced, was she saved from pneu-
monia.
In less than two days she discov-
cred why the Scotch were never seen
without umbrellas, for at any hour
OF the day or night the heavens
opened and the rains came down.
This did not spoil their trip in any
way. for they soon learned to be as
indifferent to little weather as the
Scotch themselves and went right on
with their expeditions oblivious to
rain or sun. Such an attitude is still
more necessary in Ireland. where
every one goes even to garden parties
in the rain.
Another American alarmed
French travel bureau very much by
announcing that she wished to spend
the last week of June in Florence.
They seemed to think she was court
ing both heat prostration and SUM-
stroke. but having spent summers in
Washington she was deaf to their pro-
teStS ana went 10 Italy.
Shady Side Chilly.
She found that light coat was an
excellent adjunct to any excursion,
as the shady side of the street was
chilly, even when the sunny side was
really hot. and the vast churches and
museums had natural air-condition-
ing that made them as cold as graves.
Also there is rigidly enforced rule
that no woman in low neck and
short sleeves, as most American sum-
mer dresses are made, is allowed in
a church, and she would have missed
many interesting sights if she had
not had wrap to slip on at need.
AS matter of fact, no American,
with the possible exception of a New
Englander. would find any place in
Europe unpleasantly hot in summer.
The buildings are of stone, the rooms,
even in the less expensive hotels, are
high-ceilinged and airy, and, but for
the monday hours, every one lives
out Of doors. Almost every restaurant
has its sidewalk tables. People who
have spent summers in Greece and
Southern Italy report that a thin
blanket is usually necessary at night.
1t may also seem odd to many to
think of India as a summer resort,
yet there is probably no more delight
full place in summer than Kashmir,
where houseboat on the lakes can
be rented at an extremely low figure
and one can live in luxury for almost
nothing.
AS a rule, travel agencies are an
excellent source of information on
climate, although they don't talk of
weather. per Sc. But they are experts
on advising what kind of wardrobe
should be taken on a trip.