The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-07-31


cellar to attic, few remarks upon suburban resi-
dences and cottage architecture may not be mop
perfume. 1t is very questionable whether those
who spend few weeks each summer, either at the
springs or at the seaside, derive any permanent
benefit from the change. Retirement there is none
Quiet is out of the question, and nothing is certain
beyond the fact that hotel life is very expensive,
and that hotel servants measure their attentions by
the extent of their fees. Few men of family more
over would be willing to take the younger men,
bers of the household to these places of public re-
sort-the latter, therefore, are either compelled to
remain at home sent for recreation elsewhere
Now while we do not doubt that medicinal springs
have their virtues that the mountain air is lighter
purer and more bracng than that ofcities and that
sea bathing has an invigorating effect upon those
whose health has suffered from close confinement
to business, yet question whether these sanitary
influences are not counterbalanced, in a great
measure, by the life of dissipation which persons
are but too apt to lead at such places and by the
noise and hustle, and confusion in which, so long
as they continue there, they are inextricably in
voved. To those who make an annual tour of
the watering places, not much to restore shat
tered constitution as in obedience to the edicts of
fashion, or for the sake of meeting with old ac-
quaintances, or from morbid desire to form new
ones, the pleasures of the table, the dissipation and
the excitement, constitute the principal charms but
to the invalid, to whom perfect repose and freedom
from annoyance are as essential as pure air and
medicated waters, these so called 'attractionsu are
absolutely injurious What then, is he to do p
Is he to forego his hopes of restoration to health
because of these drawbacks? We answer no! He
has his remedy and it is one which is as simple and
yet as efectual as he could possibly desire Let
him, if he can afford it, build for himself cottage
home in the country within easy reach of his place
OF business and yet sufficiently remote to be free
from the annoyances to which those in the imme-
oiate suburbs OF large city so frequently sub
Jected. Let him choose an airy situation, well
wooded and watered, and with cheerful outlook
there are many such to be had around Baltimore
and when he has made his selection, let him adant
the style of his house to the locality and its color
10 the surrounding scenery. A plain and substan-
tlal dwelling, solidly built, conveniently ARRANGED
and with as little pretension about it as possible
VIII be found the best suited to domestic PURPOSES
and the cheapest in point of cost From five TO
ten acres of land will be sufficient for all his
wants, while the expense of the whole improve
ment need not exceed the sum of five thousand
dollars But this subject of rural homes ad-
dresses itself not only to the invalid but to every
man in moderate circumstances who desires to live
economically, and who is willing to exchange the
turmoil of the town for the free air of the country
and Tor secluded hooks where he can listen to the
ripple of running water, and to the music of the
Wild BIRDS song. The great error into which
many persons fall who seek to combine the pleas
ures OF country life with vocation in the city,
lies In the fact that they expect too much, attempt
100 much, and are disappointed alike in their ex-
pectauons and in their efforts. They dip into
DOWNING, or CALVERT VAUx, for ready-made
sketch of model cottage and they alter it to suit
their own ideas. They are not content that the
house shall be comfortable within, they must have
1t fine looking without 1t must have spires and
plnnaces, brackets and drop work. French win
dows and Gothic doors-and above all, it must be
placed in conspicuous position, so that every
body may see it and talk about it, and wonder
who can be the owner of structure remarka-
ble Such vagaries as these cost money, and a
matter of course, the cottage so curiously con-
structed disappoints expectation. If the leading
idea is Gothic there is every probability that the
pasteboard enormity has been erected on the crest
of HILL instead of far down the slope as it ought
to have been, or, better STILL nesting costly on the
well wooded margin of a quiet valley. If the |
dwelling is in the Italian style, or what passes for
SUCH we may safely conclude, that in majority of
the situation chosen for it is exactly the
one for which it is not adapted-for the genius
H. ~,
must conform to the wishes of his employer
If these eccentricities worked no further injury
than that of fostering the sef-complacency of |
those who indulge in them, we might pass them
by with shrug and SMILE but as 'tmen are
but children. of a larger growth" they soon
weary OF the fanciful toy they have taken such
pains to obtain and long for something less ornate
and more substantial. To them, Giving in the
country has proved more expensive than town
house and an annual excursion to a WATERING
place, and so they dispose of their ''rural home"
~ saerlhee, return to the city, and resume the
habits to which they were accustomed They
began wrong, and they ended wrong Their ex-
ample, therefore, proves nothing more than that
lhey were incapable of approaching the blessings
that were within their reach. To men, contented
70 seek enjoyment in a moderate way, cottage in
lne country offers many advantages over trip to
me springs, or brief sojourn at the seaside.
The general expenses less; the taxes are light;
The whole family partake of whatever benefit NAV
'e derived from pure air and ample opportunity
or physical exercise while the little property thus
cquired, if the purchase was originally udicious
me, is annually funding fair per centage on the
mount of capital invested, from the progressive
Increase in the value of land in the suburban
districts far