New-York tribune., 1875-12-11
TOWY And COUNTRY.
calitiey

as unusually numerous this Winter, and crowd
faster on each other in these weeks which
precede the holidays. Not marriages of the
snowy sort, either, where point lace and pres
ents of plate and diamonds argue foundation
of comfort and ease, at least for the present !;
but quiet little weddings, where the BRIDE
wears muslin and the bridegroom his one Sun
day suit, and there are no rich kinsfolk' ana
no money in bank, and nothing but love ana
hard work to depend upon for the future.
Whether Tom and Amelia are wise III marry
ing at all on such foundation Is a matter
safely to be left for the gossip OF their
friends it is one which will settle itself by the
amount of love, common sense, ana aDlllty lor
work which each takes into the partnership.
Next to this general question comes, now that
they are married, the point for decision as TO
where they shall 1--we. Will hard work,
economy, and affection bring them comfort
and happiness sooner in the town or the
country2 In such a question the chances ana
advantages for a probable family are always
TO be taken into account If Tom Is Tree
footed as to business engagements, his
prudent friends are apt to urge him
to 20 West, take his little capital
and "grow UP with the town." Health,
wealth. virtues of every grade, he is assured,
will be promoted by such change. There
will be OverpOwering arguments. based on
purer air, purer morals, the lack of temptation
to display, and the cheapness of living, wind
ing up with the general assertion that God
made the country after the very best model
of Arcadia, and left the towns to the making
of man or the devil. Now, The TRIBUNE has
always urged this side of the question, found
ing, however its arguments on the PLAIN facts
that the cities were overcrOwded; that the
markets for small capital for ordinary skill or
knowledge lay in the half-settled tracts OF the
West rather than in Broadway or Chestnut
ST. that, simply from the vast amount OF
competition in town, the amount OF intelll-
gence, pluck, endurance which would give
a young trader or professional man GER
tain success in growing village would not
carry him through the first year in New-for
We do not retract these assertions. If Tom
has neither secured position, money family,
nor political influence, there is not much
chance for him this Winter in New York;
while without any of these he may make 1air
success in Western town.
But let us suppose he has what he calls a
" fair start" in this city he is a mechanic GER
tain of work a clerk on small pay doctor.
clergyman, Journalist, with a very moderate
but sure income. Tom and Amelia weigh this
income in their minds incessantly and it ap-
pears such n miserable little sum! If they
measure it against their actual needs, it is
small enough, but if (as is most common)
against the income of Toms employer or that
of the millionaire whose carriage wheels throw
mud on them at the crossings, it shrivels and
withers quite out of sight. On half the sum,
Toms cousin, out in Smith City, lives in
double brick house, drives his wagon, and as
Amelia cries ecstatically, has a farm of ten
acres, for the vegetables, hens, cow, and chill
dren! Still, the present income is bird, though
a small one, in the hand, and 1t is not at
all certain that there are any in the bush.
Therefore they resolve to stay in town, at
least until "the times lift a little" Having
so resolved, we have a word or two of con-
ISOLATION for them. TO sensible, genuine peo-
pie the scale of expenditures is very evenly
balanced between New-YOrk and Smith City.
Toms work or services, to begin with, COM
mand one-haf as much more wages in the
larger city rents and provisions are double or
treble the price in New York. fuel and lights
about equal; the wages of servants of the
ordinary sort, "a Amelia will probably not
require skilled cooks, buffers, and other mas
ters, range very nearly even; if she chooses
to do her own work, it will cost half the time
and strength to do it here that it will in the
country clothing of all kihds, including
Shoes are treble the price in the village, and
in a ia Al ar
the seaboard cities.
"But," cries Tom, "the temptation to ont
clay here Society, dress, amusement-all
these are exigeant in their demands IN the
" city. And the children-if God sends them
al don't want to bring them up in cOmmu-
"nity where they will be reminded of their
" "inferiority at every turn. | want them to
feel as good as the best.' Tom, in short,
regards Smith City as Utopia where he
shall find the sublimer virtues and Spartan
simplicity of life. 1t is nothing Of the kind.
There is no such place in the United States.
If you go to the top of the highest peak and
find n cabin there, woman shall come out of
it with her calico skirt pinned back after the
last fashiOn-plate known to her, and judge of
you by your clothes. In fact in small towns
there is moro anxiety to follow "the style,n
more blind, idiOtic subseryience to fashion in
dress, furniture, and habits Of life, than in the
metropolitan city. Amelia, in her third floor
fat, can do her own cooking or washing, if she
pleases, dress herself in her waterproof and
old felt hat, and nobody but Tom will either
know or care whereas in Smith City, new
gown, an idea different from her neighbors', a
way of cooking potatoes unauthorized by
public opinion, will bring on her the
cackling of tho whole community. Snob-
bishness, vugarity, love of display,