cting it with the wall. A
drab cornice and plaster ornaments of the same color set off the four
or five feet above the mantel which surrounded it, and a brass door,
about ten inches by twelve, was in the middle front of the part below.
On the mantel were disposed sundry ornaments, including vases of dried
grasses, and the hand could always be held upon the tiles against
which they stood. In a small fireplace within this unique mass of
tiles and mortar, the housemaid would place a dozen pieces of
coal-cake once or at most twice a day, and after allowing a few
minutes for the kindling to set it aglow, would close and lock the
triple door, and the fire was made for twenty-four hours. In two or
three hours after the lighting of the fire, the temperature of the
room, if other conditions were favorable, might be slightly raised. To
raise it five to ten degrees would require from six to ten hours.

In response to our request to the landlady for an addition of cold
meat or steak to the coffee and rolls of the breakfast, and for more
warmth in the room, accompanied by an expression of willingness to
make additional payment for the same, the reply, given in a courteous
manner, was that Americans lived in rooms much too warm, and ate too
much meat, and that it would be for their health in Germany to conform
to the German customs. However, some spasmodic efforts were made, for
a season, to comply with the requests, which before long were wholly
discontinued; and the strangers learned the wisdom of accommodating
themselves "in Rome" to the ways of the Romans. This, however, was not
accomplished without continued suffering. The meagre "first
breakfast," served about half-past eight o'clock, was supplemented by
a "second breakfast" of a cup of chocolate or beef tea, at about
eleven, to those who were then in the house and made known their
desire for it. But the days were short. Berlin is about six hundred
miles nearer the north pole than New York, in the latitude of Labrador
and the southern part of Hudson's Bay. The climate is milder only
because the Gulf Stream kindly sends its warmth over all Europe,
which lies in much higher latitudes than we are wont to think.
Consequently the days in winter are much shorter than ours, as in
summer they are longer. All the mid-winter daylight of Berlin is
between the hours of eight A.M. and four P.M. With dinner at two
o'clock, from which we rose about three, there was too little light
remaining