the ways of men-第13节

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ingers；　until　　the　king　should　appear　…　that　within　a　century　and　a　half　one　　simple　discovery　would　enable　all　classes　of　people　to　keep　　their　shops　and　dwellings　at　a　summer　temperature　through　the　　severest　winters；　the　half…frozen　nobles　would　have　flouted　　the　suggestion　as　an　〃iridescent　dream；〃　a　sort　of　too…good…　to…be…true　prophecy。

What　was　to　those　noblemen　an　unheard…of　luxury　has　become　　within　the　last　decade　one　of　the　primary　necessities　of　our　　life。

The　question　arises　now：　Are　we　gainers　by　the　change？　　Has　　the　indiscriminate　use　of　heat　been　of　advantage；　either　　mentally　or　physically；　to　the　nation？

The　incubus　of　caloric　that　sits　on　our　gasping　country　is　　particularly　painful　at　this　season；　when　nature　undertakes　to　　do　her　own　heating。

In　other　less…favored　lands；　the　first　spring　days；　the　　exquisite　awakening　of　the　world　after　a　long　winter；　bring　to　　the　inhabitants　a　sensation　of　joy　and　renewed　vitality。　　We；　　however；　have　discounted　that　enjoyment。　　Delicate　gradations　　of　temperature　are　lost　on　people　who　have　been　stewing　for　　six　months　in　a　mixture　of　steam　and　twice…breathed　air。

What　pleasure　can　an　early　April　day　afford　the　man　who　has　　slept　in　an　over…heated　flat　and　is　hurrying　to　an　office　　where　eighty　degrees　is　the　average　all　the　year　round？　　Or　　the　pale　shop…girl；　who　complains　if　a　breath　of　morning　air　　strays　into　the　suburban　train　where　she　is　seated？

As　people　who　habitually　use　such　〃relishes〃　as　Chutney　and　　Worcestershire　are　incapable　of　appreciating　delicately　　prepared　food；　so　the　〃soft〃　mortals　who　have　accustomed　　themselves　to　a　perpetual　August　are　insensible　to　fine　　shadings　of　temperature。

The　other　day　I　went　with　a　friend　to　inspect　some　rooms　he　　had　been　decorating　in　one　of　our　public　schools。　　The　morning　　had　been　frosty；　but　by　eleven　o'clock　the　sun　warmed　the　air　　uncomfortably。　　On　entering　the　school　we　were　met　by　a　blast　　of　heated　air　that　was　positively　staggering。　　In　the　　recitation　rooms；　where；　as　in　all　New　York　schoolrooms；　the　　children　were　packed　like　dominoes　in　a　box；　the　temperature　　could　not　have　been　under　eighty…five。

The　pale；　spectacled　spinster　in　charge；　to　whom　we　complained　　of　this；　was　astonished　and　offended　at　what　she　considered　　our　interference；　and　answered　that　〃the　children　liked　it　　warm；〃　as　for　herself　she　〃had　a　cold　and　could　not　think　of　　opening　a　window。〃　　If　the　rooms　were　too　warm　it　was　the　　janitor's　fault；　and　he　had　gone　out！

Twelve　o'clock　struck　before　we　had　finished　our　tour　of　　inspection。　　It　is　to　be　doubted　if　anywhere　else　in　the　world　　could　there　be　found　such　a　procession　of　pasty…faced；　dull…　eyed　youngsters　as　trooped　past　us　down　the　stairs。　　Their　　appearance　was　the　natural　result　of　compelling　children　　dressed　for　winter　weather　to　sit　many　hours　each　day　in　　hothouses；　more　suited　to　tropical　plants　than　to　growing　　human　beings。

A　gentleman　with　us　remarked　with　a　sigh；　〃I　have　been　in　　almost　every　school　in　the　city　and　find　the　same　condition　　everywhere。　　It　is　terrible；　but　there　doesn't　seem　to　be　any　　remedy　for　it。〃　　The　taste　for　living　in　a　red…hot　atmosphere　　is　growing　on　our　people；　even　public　vehicles　have　to　be　　heated　now　to　please　the　patrons。

When　tiresome　old　Benjamin　Franklin　made　stoves　popular　he　　struck　a　terrible　blow　at　the　health　of　his　compatriots；　the　　introduction　of　steam　heat　and　consequent　suppression　of　all　　health…giving　ventilation　did　the　rest；　the　rosy　cheeks　of　　American　children　went　up　the　chimney　with　the　last　whiff　of　　wood　smoke；　and　have　never　returned。　　Much　of　our　home　life　　followed；　no　family　can　be　expected　to　gather　in　cheerful　　converse　around　a　〃radiator。〃

How　can　this　horror　of　fresh　air　among　us　be　explained？　　If　　people　really　enjoy　living　in　overheated　rooms　with　little　or　　no　ventilation；　why　is　it　that　we　hear　so　much　complaining；　　when　during　the　summer　months　the　thermometer　runs　up　into　the　　familiar　nineties？　　Why　are　children　hurried　out　of　town；　and　　why　do　wives　consider　it　a　necessity　to　desert　their　husbands？

It's　rather　inconsistent；　to　say　the　least；　for　not　one　of　　those　deserters　but　would　〃kick〃　if　the　theatre　or　church　they　　attend　fell　below　that　temperature　in　December。

It　is　impossible　to　go　into　our　banks　and　offices　and　not　　realize　that　the　air　has　been　breathed　again　and　again；　heated　　and　cooled；　but　never　changed；　…　doors　and　windows　fit　too　　tightly　for　that。

The　pallor　and　dazed　expression　of　the　employees　tell　the　same　　tale。　　I　spoke　to　a　youth　the　other　day　in　an　office　about　his　　appearance　and　asked　if　he　was　ill。　　〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃I　　have　had　a　succession　of　colds　all　winter。　　You　see；　my　desk　　here　is　next　to　the　radiator；　so　I　am　in　a　perpetual　　perspiration　and　catch　cold　as　soon　as　I　go　out。　　Last　winter　　I　passed　three　months　in　a　farmhouse；　where　the　water　froze　in　　my　room　at　night；　and　we　had　to　wear　overcoats　to　our　meals。　　　Yet　I　never　had　a　cold　there；　and　gained　in　weight　and　　strength。〃

Twenty　years　ago　no　〃palatial　private　residence〃　was　　considered　complete　unless　there　was　a　stationary　washstand　　（forming　a　direct　connection　with　the　sewer）　in　each　bedroom。　　　We　looked　pityingly　on　foreigners　who　did　not　enjoy　these　　advantages；　until　one　day　we　realized　that　the　latter　were　in　　the　right；　and　straightway　stationary　washstands　disappeared。

How　much　time　must　pass　and　how　many　victims　be　sacrificed　　before　we　come　to　our　senses　on　the　great　radiator　question？

As　a　result　of　our　population　living　in　a　furnace；　it　happens　　now　that　when　you　rebel　on　being　forced　to　take　an　impromptu　　Turkish　bath　at　a　theatre；　the　usher　answers　your　complaint　　with　〃It　can't　be　as　warm　as　you　think；　for　a　lady　over　there　　has　just　told　me　she　felt　chilly　and　asked　for　more　heat！〃

Another　invention　of　the　enemy　is　the　〃revolving　door。〃　　By　　this　ingenious　contrivance　the　little　fresh　air　that　formerly　　crept　into　a　building　is　now　excluded。　　Which　explains　why　on　　entering　our　larger　hotels　one　is　taken　by　the　throat；　as　it　　were；　by　a　sickening　long…dead　atmosphere　…　in　which　the　　souvenir　of　past　meals　and　decaying　flowers　floats　like　a　　regret　…　such　as　explorers　must　find　on　opening　an　Egyptian　　tomb。

Absurd　as　it　may　seem；　it　has　become　a　distinction　to　have　　cool　rooms。　　Alas；　they　are　rare！　　Those　blessed　households　　where　one　has　the　delicious　sensation　of　being　chilly　and　can　　turn　with　pleasure　toward　crackling　wood！　　The　open　fire　has　　become；　within　the　last　decade；　a　test　of　refinement；　almost　a　　question　of　good　breeding；　forming　a　broad　distinction　between　　dainty　households　and　vulgar　ones；　and　marking　the　line　which　　separates　the　homes　of　cultivated　people　from　the　parlors　of　　those　who　care　only　for　display。

A　drawing…room　filled　with　heat；　the　source　of　which　remains　　invisible；　is　as　characteristic　of　the　parvenu　as　clanking　　chains　on　a　harness　or　fine　clothes　worn　in　the　street。

An　open　fire　is　the　〃eye〃　of　a　room；　which　can　no　more　be　　attractive　without　it　than　the　human　face　can　be　beautiful　if　　it　lacks　the　visual　organs。　　The　〃gas　fire〃　bears　about　the　　same　relation　to　the　real　thing　as　a　glass　eye　does　to　a　　natural　one；　and　produces　much　the　same　sensation。　　Artificial　　eyes　are　painful　necessities　in　some　cases；　and　therefore　　cannot　be　condemned；　but　the　household　which　gathers　　complacently　around　a　〃gas　log〃　must　have　something　radically　　wrong　with　it；　and　would　be　capable　of　worse　offences　against　　taste　and　hospitality。

There　is　a　tombstone　in　a　New　England　grave…yard　the　　inscription　on　which　reads：　〃I　was　well；　I　wanted　to　be　　better。　　Here　I　am。〃

As　regards　heating　of　our　houses；　it's　to　be　feared　that　we　　have　gone　much　the　same　road　as　the　unfortunate　New　Englander。　　　I　don't　mean　to　imply　that　he　is　now　suffering　from　too　much　　heat；　but　we；　as　a　nation；　certainly　are。

Janitors　and　parlor…car　conductors　have　replaced　the　wicked　　fairies　of　other　days；　but　are　apparently　animated　by　their　　malignant　spirit；　and　employ　their　hours　of　brief　authority　as　　cruelly。　　No　witch　dancing　around　her　boiling　cauldron　was　　ever　more　joyful　than　the　fireman　of　a　modern　hotel；　as　he　　gleefully　turns　more　and　more　steam　upon　his　helpless　victims。　　　Long　acquaintance　with　that　gentleman　has　convinced　me　that　he　　cannot　plead　ignorance　as　an　excuse　for　falling　into　these　　excesses。　　It　is　pure；　unadulterated　perversity；　else　why　　should　he　invariably　choose　the　mildest　mornings　to　show　what　　his　engines　can　do？

Many　explanations　have　been　offered　for　this　love　of　a　high　　temperature　by　our　compatriots。　　Perhaps　the　true　one　has　not　　yet　been　found。　　Is　it　not　possible　that　what　appears　to　be　　folly　and　almost　criminal　negligence　of　the　rules　of　health；　　may　be；　after　all；　only　a　commendable　ambition　to　renew　the　　exploits　of　those　biblical　heroes；　Shadrach；　Meshach；　and　　Abednego？




Chapter　12　…　The　Paris　of　our　Grandparents


WE　are　apt　to　fall　into　the　error　of　assuming　that　only　　American　cities　have　displaced　their　centres　and　changed　their　　appearance　during　the　last　half…century。

The　〃oldest　inhabitant；〃　with　his　twice…told　tales　of　　transformations　and　changes；　is　to　a　cer