If Youre Going to Live in the Country | Page 5

alike develop resources within
themselves. They learn that they can be just as contented with homely
enjoyments as they ever were when they sat passively and were amused
by some one who made it his profession. A tramp through the woods in
the fall when there is a tang of frost in the air; the satisfaction of a
long-planned flower bed in full bloom; a winter evening with a log fire
blazing on the living-room hearth; are simple but as genuine as any of
the pleasures known to city folk. Better yet, they are not exhausting.
"Few people are strong enough to enjoy their pleasures," a friend once
wisely observed. In the main, however, those of the country are less
taxing and leave one refreshed which, after all, is the true purpose of
recreation.
Against these gains of country living the costs must also be reckoned.
These, as stated earlier, will hardly be felt if the individual really likes
the country in its smiling moods as well as its frowning ones. One
which the family recently separated from city ways may find hardest to
accept is a demand for self-reliance. If the furnace will not burn, a
water pipe springs a leak, a mid-winter blizzard deposits a snowdrift
that all but blocks the front door, father or some one else must rise to
the situation.
The country home has no janitor. The nearest plumber is two or five
miles away. No gang of snow shovelers knocks at the door with offers

to attack the mislocated snow at a price, albeit the highest they think
the traffic will bear. Pioneer-like, some or all of the family must turn to
and cope with such situations. Doing so, whether temporary like
closing a pipe valve to stop the cascading water until the plumber
arrives, or permanent like mastering the idiosyncrasies of the furnace,
has its reward. From oldest to youngest, after a year or so there comes a
sense of ability to cope with the unforeseen rather than to stand meekly
by waiting for George to do it.
Again, it is not always smiling June with gentle breezes. There are also
January, February and March, the months winter really settles to his
task and delivers, as he will, snow storms, or spells of abnormally cold
weather that make the house hard to heat and may freeze pipes. There
are also rainy spells of two or three days' duration that come any time,
spring, summer or fall. It is fun to be in the country when the sun
shines. There are so many things to do and see out-of-doors. It is totally
different when it rains and rains and still keeps on until everything
outside is dripping and sodden. Then comes the testing time. Child or
grown-up must accept such bad weather and make light of its
restrictions, or country living is hard indeed. But did you ever put on
boots and oilskins and go for a long walk in the rain just for the pure
joy of it? Try it some time. You will see fields and bushes with
different eyes and hear that most musical of all country sounds, the
rush of tiny brooks in full flood. Even the birds have their rainy day
manners and ways.
[Illustration: THE OGDEN HOUSE, FAIRFIELD, CONN. BUILT
BEFORE 1705, IT HAS BEEN RESTORED TO PRESERVE THE
ORIGINAL DETAILS
Miss Mary Allis]
The most ardent country advocate, however, cannot deny that in some
respects such a life has certain expenses not entered in the budget of
families living in town. First and foremost, if father has his city job
there is the monthly commutation book as well as the occasional
railroad fares when other members of the family go to the city. There is
no argument about it. These are added expenses but they are more than

offset by reductions in the fixed charges. Also by selecting where you
will live, transportation costs can be controlled.
Expenditures incident to entertaining are another matter. One of the
pleasantest things about living out-of-town is the week-end. From
Friday night or Saturday noon until Monday morning the city is
forgotten. Of course, part of the time, you will want to share these days
with friends still cooped in apartments. Week-end guests vary the
picture and are worth both the effort and money entertaining them
involves. But don't think that will be all. No country-living family is
safe from either friends or casual acquaintances in these days of motor
cars. They will appear most unexpectedly and assume that you are as
delighted to see them as they are to have you as an objective for a
Sunday afternoon motor trip.
At first it is flattering to have people come so far just to see you. Then
the novelty of it wears a