Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-01-06
FROM COUNTRY TO CITY.

January SCEisSER, was suggested by a
letter inquiring about the chance for a
young man in New York. II viii perhaps
answer the questions of many others who
are turning their thoughts, II not their
faces, cityward;
IL is presumable and probable that there
arrives in New York City every day con-
siderable number OF letters from the coun-
try, making inquiry concerning what Il Is
possible for 4 country man TO do here in the
way OF business, and asking advice upon
the question OF his removal TO the city.
Every citizen OF New York, with country
associations, is applied 10 for Information
and counsel with regard TO such a change
OF base" and the matter seems worth the
few words q careful and candid observer
may think about IL.
IL is well, st the beginning, 10 look at
the reasons which move people 10 de-
sire 10 make the change. The first, per-
hsps, are pecuniary reasons. man liv-
ing in a country town looks about him.
and can discover no means for making
money in n large way. Everything seems
petty. The business OF the place Is small,
and its possibilities OF development seem
very limited few rich men hold every
thing in their hands, and young man,
with nothing for capital but his youth and
health and hope and ability, feels cramped
feels, in fact, that he has no chance.
His savings must be small and slow, and
. lifetime is necessary 10 liz him 10
point where money Will give him power.
IL seems 10 him that II he could get into
the midst OF the great business OF the
world he could find his chance for aquick-
er and broader development of wealth;
and in this connection, or with this fancy,
he writes letter to his city acquaintance,
asking for his advice upon the matter.
Another is smitten by sense of the
dryness and pettiness of the social life he
is surrounded by in the country, and the
small opportunities he has for personal
satisfaction and development. To be
able 10 live among picture-salleries and in
the vicinity of great, open libraries; TO
have the finest theaters and the most at
tractive concert-halls at ones door; 10 be
where the best minds reveal themselves in
pulpit and on platform in public speech;
where competent masters stand ready 10
teach every science and every art; 10 live
among those whose knowledge OF the
world Is a source OF constant satisfaction
and culture; 10 be al the very fountain
head OF the intellectual, social. and politico-
economical influence that sweep over the
country; 20 feel the stimulus OF compost
tion and example, and 10 live IN an atmos-
phere charged with vital activity,-all this
seems such contrast 10 the pettiness and
thinnesS and insignincance OF village life,
that the young man, realizing it, sits down
and writes 10 his city friend, inqGiring
what chance there would be in the city for
him. The country seems small TO him;
the city large. He feels the gossip that
nutters about his ears 10 be disgusting and
degrading. and chafes under the bondage
imposed by his neighbors through their
surveillance Of and criticism upon, all his
actions. He wants more liberty, and FOR
some reasons would really like 10 be where
he is less known and less cared for.
There is still another class OF country
people who long for a city life, and whose
aspirations and dispositions are very
much less definite and reasonable than
those 10 whom we have alluded. They
are not so particular about business or
about wealth, nor do they care definitely
about superior social privileges, or about
the culture more readily secured in the
city than in the country. They are simp-
IN gregariouS. They like crowd, even II
they have 10 live in mess" They are
so fond Of living in a multitude that they
are willing TO sacrifice many comforts 10
do IT, Once in the city, no poverty will
induce them 10 leave 10. They have no
interest In life ouside OF the city. These
usually get 70 the city in some way with
out writing letters OF inquiry.
Now, IL has probably surprised most in
quirers TO receive uniformly discouraging
answers to their questions. For, indeed,
no man knows the trials OF city life but
those who have LEFT quiet homes in the
country aud tried il. The great trial that
every man from the country experiences
on coming TO the city, even supposing he
has found employment, or gone into busi-
ness, relates TO his home His thousand
dollars a year, which in the country would
give him snug little house and comforta-
bic provision. would get him in the city
only a small room In a boarding house.
The two thousand dollars that would give
him something more than comfortable
home in the country, would give him In
the city only better boarding house.
The three thousand that would give him
In the country u fair establishment, with
horses for his convenience and amusement,
would in the city only give him small
"fat" in crowded apartment house, and
the five thousand in the country that
would give him the surroundings OF a
nabob would only pay the rent of house
on Fifth Avenue. The country rich man
can live splendidly on from five TO ten
thousand dollars q year, while the city
rich man spends from twenty thousand TO
ffty thousand dollars a year. City incomes
look large, but relatively to city expenses
they are no larger than the county incomes.
The man who lives in the city has expert
enced the remediless drain upon his purse
of the life which he lives, and feels that
the risk which 3 business man runs OF
coming into unknown circumstances Is
very great. He feels that unless his eoun-
Try friend knows just how he is going TO
meet that drain, he will be safer where be
Is. City life is naturally merciless. 1t
has to take care of itself, and has all 1t
can DO to meet its own wants. IL a man
from the country comes into it, and fails,
be must go to the wall. Friends cannot
save him. city looks coolly upon
catastrophe OF this kind, for IL is an every
day affair, and the victim knows perfectly
well that he can neither help himself nor
get anybody else TO help him. So the city
fiend, knowing the risks and needs Of
city life, breads to see any country friend
vsdertake them Then, too, the faithful