My Wonderful Year | Page 9

that the owner is an
American who has taken British citizenship. As far as the brand of
purchases, one does not know that he is not in America. You can
purchase I. Miller shoes, Walk- Over shoes, or any brand of American
clothes you wish.
The Englishman is a good conversationalist. I think two factors
contribute to this. Conversation is lively during the hour that the
Englishman spends at tea and the newspapers contain only news. There
are no comic strips in the English newspaper. Punch, a weekly comic
magazine, is read for the humor which the dailies lack. The London
Times, The Daily Herald, The Mirror, and The Evening Standard are
the leading London newspapers. The newsboys do not hawk their news
in gabbled English, but large headline sheets are displayed on racks
which the passerby reads and if he wishes to read further he purchases a

copy of the paper. There one does not have to peep over the newsboy's
shoulder and then refuse to buy a paper.
It rains almost every day in London, usually for only a short time. The
sun comes out, and the streets, which are paved, dry immediately. Men
as well as women carry umbrellas every day, not the short umbrella
which we consider fashionable, but the long umbrella which can be
used as a walking cane. I think this daily carrying of the umbrella
accounts for the grace with which the English gentlemen carry walking
sticks. Being in London taught me how to keep an umbrella, for I
carried one every day and never misplaced it once. This was quite an
achievement for me, for only the year before I lost four umbrellas. Now
I do not have to flip a coin to see whether to carry an umbrella. I
experienced four typical London fogs while I was in London. A
London fog is different from the American conception of fog. It is so
dense that it penetrates the house even with the doors and windows
closed. Even with the lights on, one can dis^ cern only larger objects.
There is a yellowish haze to the fog and it causes the eyes to smart for a
day or two after the fog has lifted. To be on the street in such a fog is
hazardous, for one cannot see his hand before his face. I welcomed the
first fog, but I was not happy to see the others. The climate in England
is damp and penetrating. There is never the brilliant sunshine of our
country, although there are many beautiful days that make one feel that
it is good to be alive. English people wear a great deal of wool clothing.
I too learned to wear wool sweaters in spite of the fact that I had always
believed that I was too fat to wear a sweater and skirt effectively.
Knitting needles are kept flying. Everyone knits everywhere, in the
theatres, in the lounges, in the tea rooms, and on the trains. This is one
English experience I never had time to participate in, for I was too busy
exploring to knit.
The English girls naturally have rosy cheeks, partially because of the
cold climate and the fact that the houses and buildings are not
overheated as they usually are in America. Frankly I was chilly most of
the time, but even now I do not like a room too warm. Cosmetics are
not used very much by the English girl; there is also an absence of
waved hair. Low heel shoes are worn almost exclusively, and sweaters

and skirts are the every day costume of the English girl. Foreign
women in England are usually recognized by their high heel shoes and
abundance of makeup.
As I write I have my radio turned on, and I hear the latest swing pieces.
I am encouraged to drink coffee to rid myself of that tired feeling. I am
told how to remodel my house on easy terms. I can buy a fur coat with
a small down payment. The English radio carries no such programs. It
is under government control, the only broadcasting station is the B. B,
C. (the British Broadcasting Company.) It permits no advertisements
and no swing bands send their music over the air. One hears plays,
addresses, operas, symphony orchestras? news, and the like. The
programs are scheduled by the week and on Saturday most people buy
for one shilling (twentyfive cents) the Radio News. Every radio owner
pays a government tax for each radio he owns. The girls at College Hall
paid fifty cents a year tax. The word "wireless" is more popular than
the word "radio."
The telephones are the property of the Postoffice Department. One very
unique feature about the English telephone is that there are public
telephone booths