Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-12
CITY FOLK AFIELD
THE HUMOR AND KINDNESS OF
COUNTRY CRITICIHA.
Urbanitss Make Many Mistakes
Ignorance Of Things Com
mon in Nature.
From the New York. Tribune.

Country people are commonly supposed
to be legitimate game for city folk. but
there is another side to the story. and It
Is only poetic Justice that tho tables can
be turned" The two women were lingering
over their supper at a northern New Eng
land Inn. as one gave her friend. Just ar
rived. the outcome Of three weeks Obser-
walton. Il find that the country people
criticise us quite as much as we do them
only they are moro kindly"
''They are probably just as good judges
Of human nature as we. commented the
newcomer. Discrimination and insight are
developed quite as well In the solitude Of
farm or workshop IN the schools and
streets. You remember Thoreau says: We
rarely meet a man who can tell us any
news which he has not read in newspa-
per or been told by his neighbor: and. for
the most part. the only difference between
us and our fellow is that he has seen the
newspaper or been out to tea and we have
not"
There is vastly more Of nature that be-
longs to the country folk than to us-the
eternal things Of nature. its birds and flow
ers. trees and stars. As for ways OF living
they have a perfect right to their own.
even II 1t does not always agree with ours
Mrs. B tells a story of her Uncle john
who was visiting them. One day. when
they were dining en- familie. Mrs. B
demonstrated: John. you see we do not
eat with our knives Quick as a fash Uncle
John said. Now. Lucy. when you came to
see us we didn't say anything about your
eating with forksr"
The New Highlander.
cit is hard getting ahead Of the New
Englander," replied the other. ION the
stage this afternoon. coming through a
dismal stretch Of stunted woods, with its
dreary houses here and there. said to the
driver, How can anybody live here?' We'll.
he answered when the Lord made pitch
pine woods. I reckon He made pitch pine
people to live in themi"
I'VE are just rusticators to most Of the
countryside, but they show humorous in
diligence for our foibles. Old Mr.. Peterson.
who lives above here. was out moving
along the mountain path the other morning.
This IL what we call a ladies day. ne
said. cause there's so many of you out.
That always means It's going to rain and
I'm cutting the grass SO you won't get
your skirts wet tomorrow. Then he told
me a couple OF stories-commentaries on
city folk-one Of a man who came here for
hunting. What kind of game Is thereF
the man asked. oh. big game. very big
Mr.. Peterson answered. How big" asked
the man. looking kind Of scared toward the
woods Well. I guess foxes is about the
biggest said Mr.. Peterson. And then, he
said. there was a woman here from the
city, and she carried a cane when she was
out walking ana kept SWltCnlnS IL through
the grass ahead of her. saying "Shoo.
shooH' to scare OFF the snakes Country
people have many a good-natured laugh at
us. assure you. But we might we'll Dor
row some Of their virtues. 1 will tell you
about our waitress outside"
The Flower Woman
When the two left the supper room for
the veranda the sunset sky beyond the ir-
regular blue outline Of the mountains was a
glorious copper gold. That nearest peak
Is Kearsarge-'Carrie Sarge as Mr.. Peter
son calls It," said the older conner. Here
is our flower friend" bent, slight-framed
woman was coming deprecatingly toward
them. holuing out for inspection charm
ingly arranged single colored punches OF
WHO is she?" asked the newcomer. as
the woman's slow steps wandered from
group to group on the veranda
Some one who lives near here. She
comes every few days with flowers. and
after we have admired them she gives them
to US. She has done this summer after
summer. The inkeeper tells me the woman
takes the greatest care Of her garden, so
that she may have flowers to give away.
She does 1t purely for the love of 1t. 1 wish
you had seen her fine scorn when a pomp-
ous-looking woman offered her some money
the other day. Our little lady drew her
self up and said proudly. Madam. 1t Is my
pleasure to give the flowers"
Just then the bent figure, in Its quiet
shawl and bonnet. approached and shyly
pressed bunch Of flowers into the hands
Of each Of the two.