Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-02-18
CITY FOLK IN THE COUNTRY,
Bcncfits Arising from tho Growing Eashiou
of Rural I,ifs.

Bcncfts Arising from tho Growing Eashiou
of Rural I.ife.
The fashion of country life is grow
ing apace in tho eastern and middle
states, and it and It's accompanimepts,
social and otherwise, are among the
most rational and wholesome of modern
fashions
In the days of our fathers the rich
merchants of New York, inspired by
Washington Irving's literature and by
the masterpieces of the Hudson River
School," built their ornamental sum-
mer homes on the banks of the beauti-
full stream. They were won't to go to
them somewhere about the Fourth of
July, and to return to the heats Of the
city in the early days of September.
The summer vacation of the private
schools extended over the months OF
July and August, and these indicators
of domestic movements have now SO
much enlarged their seasons for rest
and recreation that middle-aged men
and women wonder if the boys and girls
of the coming generation are learning
anything. The long vacation is the re-
suit of changed habits, for the family
usually goes to the country when school
Closes and moves back when 1t opens.
There are some families, however,
and they are yearly growing more nu-
merous, that decline to have their mi
grations governed by the habits of those
who set the pace for the schools. The
beauties of rural life have impressed
themselves not only upon our leisure
class, but upon many men who are still
Tns, Nf tfn
For many years it has been the custom
of the Boston people who own country
homes along the north shore of Massa-
chusetts Bay, especially those who are
fortunate enough to possess estates at
Beverly Farms and Manchester-by-the-
Sea, to go away from the Back Bay to
rural delights and moderate taxes very
early in the spring, and to remain at
least until after the fall elections
Many New Yorker, too. especially il
his country place is within easy dis
tance of the city, escapes from the pave
ment in time to see the birds of the
vicinage build their summer homes, and
to pretend ut least to superintend the
making Of his gardens Their country
homes are their residences; they vote in
viz anu c<ihS OIL ehS-
tive part in the life of the countryside.
Some of them, the wisest, eat their
Thanksgiving dinners amid rural sur
roundings, and celebrate Christmas
where the evergreens grow.
These people know the delights and
keen enjoyments of rides and walks in
the brisk air, and understand the charm
of landscape after the crops have been
gathered, and when the trees have shed
their leaves, thereby opening vistas
that were undreamed OF when the foli-
age of summer was thick upon them.
The reflex action of this devotion to
rural life, of this appreciation of the
pleasures and pursuits offered in tho
country, is seen in the city. The horse
show, the flower show, the chicken
show-all these manifest the interest
taken by people of means and intelli-
gence in the breeding of fine animals
and the cultivation of rare and bcauti-
full plants And still better results are
coming from the growing habit of treat
ing the country as the principal place
of residence, and of dwelling there the
larger part of the year. The race is
gaining by it, not only in strength and
beauty, but in n certain intellectual
quality, n mcllowness that results from
an understanding of natures secrets,
| and from the freedom from nervous
strain and unrest that blesses those
who study the habits of the creatures
who have no social obligations, and
who do not know how to assume bust
ness cares that are bevond their
strength.
The habit of country living breeds
the habit of calm thinking and con-
tentment, and that these are becoming
more and more fashionable augurs we'll
for the future of our well-to-do classes
-Harper's Weekly.