The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-02-29

"The engagement came out at time
of year when everybody was out of town,
and don't believe they had a single
dinner given them. 1t behooves us all
the more to see that the wedding shall
not be fizzle Also"
This conversation was afterwards re-
hearsed to me by my cousin, of the
Associated Charities, who was secretly
in league with us, as she was interested
in the theory of getting the most out of
money. When the doctor heard this
conversation, he said:
Why not make our home three or
four hundred miles from Boston, where
our private affairs will not be settled by
a syndicate?"
And thus, because we could think of
no place more unlike Boston than
City of Brotherly Love- we hit upon
Philadelphia. Neither of us knew
anything about this city, except that it
was called very hot and unprogressive
by Bostonians. But, by dint of much
investigation, l found that | had half
forgotten cousin there, to whom wrote
for some information. The tone of her
answer was so encouraging, and the
invitation to visit her so pressing, that
| determined to accept it, and the doc
tor was to join me in the Quaker City.
No one knew anything of this scheme.
| think we both expected great
monotony of red brick and white mar
prepared for the variety of massive
buildings, the shady trees and air of
old-fashioned comfort about the broad,
double houses. Many of these had
neat side gardens of luxuriant shrub
berry, seen through the lattice gates to
extend far into the rear. The humber
streets, too-how neat and quiet and
pretty they were! The tiny houses, with
their bright awnings, were little models
of freshness and comfort. Truly, we had
come to the city of homes. We liked
the homely manner of living, the way
the ladies went to the markets, which
were indeed like agricultural fairs.
There was lack of rush and anxious
hurry, which we felt very perceptibly.
People had more time to be courteous
and human, and the little civilities of
life which we noted constantly about us
reminded us pleasantly of the father
land. Philadelphia, despite its reputa-
ton at the Hub for intellectual stagna-
ton, is one of the most advanced medi-
cal centers in our country, and this was
to us great point in its favor; but the
homes-the dear, cheap little homes
were its chief attraction. When we
got out into the suburbs, so numerous
and beautiful, we fairly lost our heads
over the tempting prospects of peaceful
family lie we found in them. | will
not tell you how many places we Wis
tied, but at length we discovered very
pretty, attractive new suburb, located
on high ground, and with every pos
sible convenience for reaching the
heart of the city in fifteen minutes.
This place was as yet provided with
only one physician. Pretty houses of
two stories, with bathroom, and very
nicely furnished within and without,
rented for SIS, $40 and $50 a month,
according to location. For 500 very
nice houses with trim gardens, and for
S25 and S2S three story and still nicer
houses could be found. When you
reached $50 you had quite fine dwell
ing, with electric bells and a garden.
What range this gave! We had never
seen anything like it. Here, at last,
was place where people of moderate
means were considered and had their
rights and privileges, as well as the very
poor. Having found that all the living
expenses in this part of the world were
somewhat more moderate than else
where, we selected a house exactly
suited to our purse and purpose, and
returned to our respective homes and
our astonished relatives and friends.
They had never heard of the sub
urb we had chosen and were sure it
could not be located quite as we de-
scribed, for had they not all visited, at
some time or other, in Philadelphia or
Germantown?
But the doctor hung out his shingle
among the vines of the little piazza on
the small house in the face of the oppo-
sition and ridicule which rained down
upon our devoted heads, and now, as
the years lease draws to a close, has no
cause to regret the act.
Boston doctors consider it profess
sional policy to live in certain style -
said the relatives.
"They also consider it professional
policy not to marry until late in life, or,
when they do so, to consider the dot
carefully beforehand" was my reply;
and the doctor said it was very open
question whether physician got bet
ter start in modest or a fashionable
neighborhood, and cited a number of
instances in which his friends in the
large cities had the pleasure of spend
ing their days in their fashionable
apartments, while he was attending to
the needs of good honest people who
called him in because he lived near
them.
After few months the doctor came
to Boston, and somehow-no one could
tell how he managed it-took wife
back with him. When the feat was
accomplished the relatives came for.
ward handsomely with silver and gold
china and glassware toward the small
housekeeping.
Now the point of my letter is to en-
courage as many young people to marry
and go to housekeeping upon what
their Boston relatives tell them is i'm
possible to exist upon. They need not
expect smooth road before or after
! they decide to take their own heads