Telegram-herald., 1889-05-22

assured that ten-dollar tat builced On
made ground ground made OF ashes ana
what-n0t-in Harlem, WAS preferable 70 the
finest palGtial pie il the loyellest suburban
park.
| had al the imperfections OF the train
service pointed out 70 ne, and had my mind
ventilated on the subject OF the steepness
OF the prices of country produce IN the
country and was not allowed 10 remain n
ignorance Of the many drawbacks, imag-
mary or real, that diversity existence for
the man who dwells IN the suburbs.
The only consolation offered me was that
might have done wOrse-I might have gone
10 Brooklyn.
But, in spite Of all the unhall0wed predic-
tions Of my friends, departed, bag and
baggage, determined TO enjoy the poetic
charms Of pastoral life-and low rent
But this paper is designed rather TO treat
OF the houses have lived Al than Of coun-
try life in general
Ny first landlord was a smooth-spoken
man, who could make you believe that wind
mills were first constructed Tor the manu-
fscture OF wind.
He told me that one man had occupied his
house ten years, and only left because he
had been offered a six x-thousaud-do.lar po-
sition IN ST. Louis.
He spoke with musical grace Of the great
chance 10 have nice garden on the place,
and told me how could 60 forth and pluck
u fresh cucumber or tomato for breakfast.
After had been settled there awhile.
! the honeysuckles began 10 bloom on the
| porch, and for every flower there was a
/ bee And the bees would tiy IN and circle
! about my nose, knowing wouldn't strika
/ al them for fear of being stung. / could
J not strike at q mosquito for fear OF offend
/ ing bee aud the result was that invsria
bly wore a hat in the house, lest tho top OF
/ my head should become as full OF holes as q
I porous plaster.
The windows were supplied with screens,
, but it was impossible 10 keep the doors
! shut Every passing breeze would open
them, and ripple under the carpets, causing
/ them to thrOO like q theatrical ocean, hl-
! ing the house with dust And swarm OF
+ mosquitoes would come IN every time. i
) used 10 throw my hat through these
. swarms, and then amuse myself looking
, through the hole.
Another popularity Of the place was the
great sociability of the dogs. They would
! walk in through the wind d-opened doors, and
lie down 10 pleasant dreams on the rugs, the
Sofa the beds, or wherever their fancies
led them.
One OF the greatest nuisances of the place
was the rattling of the windows and the
banging of the shutters, performance
which the windows and the shutters saved
up for the middle Of the night.
The vegetables never matured The
trouble was, they were not properly wa
tered, because the pump ran dry. l was
obliged TO have water carted by the
barrel and emptied into the cstern, and
then have it pumped into the tank The
man who did the pumping was always on
hand when the tank was full, aad drunk
when it was empty. And that is the reason
the vegetables never reached perfection,
and | had to 20 TO New y Ork when wanted
10 take u bath.
made up my mind that should never be
the victim Of a country landlord again. The
following year / moved To a different local
ity, and placed my life in the hands o. a
landed proprietor, VINO impressed me as
being in every way trustworthy.
He told me his house was very warm
one, and it was-during the summer. II
was so warm that the cellar stairs used "a
perspire and become so slippery as to be un-
safe And in winter il was so cold that i,
was impossible 10 heat some parts of it.
We moved the contents of the parlor up
stairs, or, as we used 10 say, we moved the
parl0r aud dining room into the library
and afterward took In bedroom, and le,
all the heat into the one apartment Then
we managed TO keep warm by going to bed
1t was place that would drive you TO the
mountains for coolness in summer. and tc
Florida for warmth in winter
II always used 10 shake when a train
went by, and there were corts-a parts OF
the floors that used to work like spring
board.
One day an old man called, and after
awhile waxed reminiscent in his remarks
He SAID that the house was buildcd on
pond. and that in his youthful days he had
caught bulIfrogs and briudled perch al
about the loc alton OF the dining room table
He told me how he had pulled a swapping
turtle out Of the pond with shnncy-stick
near the front door. and how &c r-ed IN dive