My Wonderful Year | Page 7

feel that the happiness of my year abroad was made complete by the kindness of the administrative staff and of the girls with whom I lived.
CHAPTER IV
LONDON
London is indeed a cosmopolitan city for on its streets one may see people from the four corners of the world, many of them still wearing their native costumes. Especially picturesque are the women of India one sees in their beautiful saris. To me the sari was always a source of admiration. The sari, so I was told by one of the girls who roomed at the Hall, consists of five yards of cloth, forty inches wide, draped and tucked into the fascinating costume that it is. It may be as expensive as the wearer is able to make it, the binding often consisting of delicate embroidery or jewels. I tried wearing one and have a picture which I took in it and prize very highly, not for its beauty, but because the sari is so beautiful.
Transportation is by bus, tube or subway, and by tram, not street car. The buses and cars are double deck. Smoking and dogs are allowed on the upper deck. Fare is paid by mileage, the cheapest rate being Id or two cents in United States coin. For short distances this is an advantage, but long distances are very expensive. I asked for a transfer, only to find that transfers are not issued since you pay only for the distance you ride on a particular line. The motorman has a compartment to himself, entering and leaving it separately from the passengers. The conductor collects the fare after the passenger has been seated. He never forgets that "thank you." Standing is not permitted on London buses or trams except during the rush hour in the morning and in the evening, and then only five persons are permitted to stand. The conductor calls "full up" and the passenger waits for the next bus or tram. The tube cannot be regulated in this manner as there is no conductor to call "full up". The fare is paid at the gate upstairs, the ticket being deposited upstairs as one reaches his destination. The buses and trams have no heat and no doors, only a doorway, so riding is not very pleasant on inclement days.
Scotland Yard is synonymous with English law enforcement. Every person who plans to be in England over three months must register with the Bow Street Police Office, giving a brief history of himself and his family, his reasons for staying in the country, and he must sign a sworn statement that he will not seek gainful employment while in the country. Three weeks before leaving the country one must notify the Bow Street Office of his departure, the exact time that he shall leave, and the name of the ship that will carry him back to his native land. The English policeman or Bobby as he is called is known the world over for his efficiency and courtesy. He attends a training school before being assigned to duty, and he is familiar with every landmark in London and knows the route of every bus and tram. This information is always graciously given to anyone who asks and is concluded with "Thank you for asking." Because I was a foreigner in England and because I was always on my way somewhere I looked upon the London policeman as my friend, and for the first time in my life I learned to welcome the sight of a policeman. One scarcely goes over two blocks without passing at least one officer. To my very great surprise, the London policeman carries no weapon, or if he does it is certainly a concealed weapon. He is a person to be respected and he is respected. The uniform is blue wool, belted style with the coat a little longer than regulation length. The hat has a very high stiff crown, giving height to the wearer; it slopes toward the front and back into an extended bill that shades the eyes and turns the water in the back. Every policeman has his black raincape either under his arm or attached to a post if on stationary duty. Most of the policemen seem to be very young.
The English Post Office is a source of interest. The main office, King Edward Post Office, is located in High Holborn, but there is a branch office in every two or three squares, so it seems. The mailing boxes look like our fire alarm boxes as they are painted red and stand about six feet high from the pavement, resembling our storage mail boxes rather than our mail boxes. At the post office the letters are posted on the outside of the building, and no provision is made for inside posting, which