Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-06-22
THOUGHTS AND LIFE IN THE
COUNTRY.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENTS.

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
Though the march Of improvement is
gradually robbing us Of the rural delights
of old, we are still lover of natures beau
ty and of rural pursuits with an affection
which is the growth of our lifetime, not the
halt-conscious desire of soul ignorant of
what 1t desires, and we still enjoy stay in
the country, and ramble along the streams
and "pathless woods" with more than olden
delight.
Everything around us is fresh, lustrous
and dewy-above us the cloudless sky, and
stealing over us the delicious summer air
bewildering our senses and addressing the
better part Of our nature. Life everywhere
and in all forms, "life with a sweet breath
in 1t, life with song in it, life with light
in it," life in the green fields, in the ripen-
ing fruit-life reveling in the roses red
heart, in the murmuring streams, in the
whispering breeze-life in the earth which
is everywhere smiling with the love and be-
neficence Of God.
Flowers in the valley and splendor in the
beam;
Wealth in the gale, and freshness in the
stream"
However much we may admire the coun-
try in the summertime, when everything is
so full of vitality, so buoyant and free, we
much prefer the autumn, when the year is
travelling TO its close, when the spendor of
the ripened leaves and fruits CLOVIS in one
rich, hazy sunlight of an "Indian Summer"
and all is peace and beauty; when the green
of the pines, the yellow of the birch, the
crimson of the maple, the gray of the oak,
the silver glow Of the poplar, and the vary
ing shades of all these mingling and blend.
ing In all the harmony of brilliant coloring,
when every hillside is decked like maiden
in her beauty, like bride robed for the
altar Now tits green all around US, change
less green, as if hillside and valley, forest
and field had but single dress, and that
one green.
II has been said by writer of some CO.
lebrity that "the world nova days live too
much in the house, souls grow angular as
the apartments they dwell in, and come, like
them, to have parlers and pantries, closets
and coal-holes," and that "views take color
from the windows they are seen through"
Those who would realize the force and
beauty of this utterance, let them make for
the country, it matters not at what season
of the year, where along every ravne, on
every hill, and the polished surface of every
streamlet is written the alphabet TO every
ennobling thought-"loose leaves of great
unbound volumes lying about the earth,
volumes bearing theimprint of the Almighty
leaves damp from the press of CREATION
paintings newer than summer flowers.
Weare writing this correspondence whilst
the morning is young, and the woods are
glad with music, and the sunlight lay so
beautifully on the hills, and contrasts so adj
mirably with the deep shadows of the sur.
rousding valleys. We are resting against
an old tree which, whilst 1t has been battling
for century with the storms, has all the
time been making history. Way in the dis
lance rests our childhood home Into what
softened curves OF grace and beauty grow
the rough angles Of that plain old cottage.
How eloquent with memories-memories
which come and go like the smiles over an
infant In its sleep-memories which fall
around us like benediction after the prayer
With tho ontnu,anoar,ant 70 80. .o...t,x..
of the past two days, we concluded that
whatever of thoughts We might send our
readers should partake, as far as we were
able, of some practical shape. A second
thought, however, reminded us that this
was the railway age; the "whys" and the
"wheretores" seem to have grown obsolete,
or rather life is too short, besides space is an
important consideration with us at this sea-
son Of the year. We have, therefore, come
10 the conclusion to write at random from
the great proof-sheets which are scattered
around in every direction.
One of our first visits, after we had reached
the country, was to the poultry yard There
is not much romance in poultry yard, but
when we tell You in the same breath that
this same poultry-yard supplies all of the
groceries during the year for a large family
besides clothing for half-dozen little ones and
many other homestead necessities, it will be
admitted that there is some profit in them,
particularly If you have the progressive
breed" the Jerseys, Plymouth Rocks, Co.
chin Chinas, Shanghais and others-hens
with short tails, long tails and no tails. II
was large family, "a rural scene" and we
concluded that what the older heads of the
family did not know of the general topog-
raphy Of barn-yards, gardens, and even
some portions of corn and wheat fields, was
not worth knowing.
A little further on We reached the garden
The potatoes did not create any surprise, as
We had left plenty Of them at home, the
vines topping gooseberry bushes The 10.
lnatoes and cucumbers seemed well under
way. The Lima beans attracted our atten.
ton and drove us to moralizing, Long rows
Of poles, standing stiff, rugged and appar.
emily disconsolate, like war; worn battalion
fresh from the field of battle, were throwing
their crooked shadows upon an equal mum.
her OF vines that were creeping and endeav.
oring TO Irvine their tender branches in affec
Tomato style around their uninviting forms
Thus i is with life, we must creep and crawl
before we can walk. Do our best without
assistance-support ourselves as best we can
In other words, we must learn to climb with.
ont poles, and indicate to the world that by
force of our own worth and dignity Of char.
acter, We can and will conquer! Friends
and sympathy are desirable, but not ndis.
pensabe. There are intellects that will
work themselves into position--young men
who are determined TO climb, who will hew
their way upward in spite OF the difficulties
which beset them, rs there are others who
viii plunge down TO degradation and dis.
honor In defiance of tender rearing, of edu.
cation, Of association, and all the allure.
men's to an upward career that can be pre-.
af..rla A.. H. 4