The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-07-30
The Delights of old Home week.

Editor of the Journal and Courier:
 We are invited to the annual gather ing in our early New England homes. It Is most cheering to read the earnest requests from several governors of our States that their absent sons and daughters return in Old Home Week and review the scenes of youthful days. Such invitations naturally touch re- sponsive chord in the heart of every New Englander living remote from the early home. Could one have but slight conception of the joyful satisfaction in participating in such gathering, it
 would be difficult to refrain from join ing this grand army of "the homeward bound.'' We are told that the greeting will be expressed by bonfires on the old hill-tops, by attending church in the old meeting house, and assembling in hun dreds of towns to give the glad hand. Doubtless we may join in lofty song and cheer and catch the echo from said hill tops. All homes will extend a cor dial welcome to their hearthstones, thus proving that old-tirne hospitality yet prevails in the hearts and homes among the hills and valleys of New England.
 We are invited to look upon the mountains, lakes and streams that once delighted the eye, and stimulated our youthful ambition. We may travel the roads being constructed gaze upon the forests preserved and the fish and game now being protected and propa- gated. We shall observe that rural de- velopment is progressing in a marked degree, by the improvement in schools and churches, encouraging worthy or ganizations and promoting up-to-date agriculture.
 Do you inquire how we may best reach the old home? We reply that travel by trolley promotes alike health and pleasure. Whenever available, by |all means improve it's advantages. There are frequently several early homes claiming our affectionate atten- tion, and if the period for general visi- tation is beyond our limit, we may thus extend the delights of transit from one to another. We shall then find the cor dial greetings of old time friends no
  able. If years have sped since our last meeting and the dear older faces have passed from our presence, the children have reached maturity and we now grasp more youthful hands and delight in the growing families of our early companions. If permitted to finger we would seek the quiet nook by the boil ing spring, visit the old mill and seek beyond the old huckleberry pasture where we had oft filled our pails to the brim-and old Charlie then borne us with our freight of berries to our homes.
 It is interesting to note the rapidly extending system of trolleys, and it's ef- feet on the residents of both city and rural districts. A more fraternal rela- tion exists when community of inter- est is thus promoted. The urban popu- lation may now easily reach the nun1er- ous parks, beautified by lake, rivulet and forest, while the rural inhabitant |enjoys alike the advantages of city and country. For all such labor is less irk- some since diversion is more frequent, Are we not thus furnished a hint of the near solution of the problem relat- ing to deserted farms? ~s. ...~..,-.-
 The extent of territory which Boston has appropriated for her parks exceeds Ithat of any other city in the union. Her