Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-14

side. The farmer spins them wonderful
tales Of domestic animals in the shade
of the barn around the noon hour, and
he is not averse to holding Dobbin by the
bodies scramble for the first time up a
horses sides. They sit at first table with
the family; they gIlp rich milk; they bolt
hands. Every minute Of the day unfolds
it's own especial wonder, and when. after
sunset, after young eyes have been
while and old ones have been watching
the glow in a pipe bowl. a masculine
voice drawls out. Wall. boys. reckon
it's time to turn in," there is bed that
sinks-and sinks-and sinks-until the
golden glow steals in through the cracks
in the shutters and wakes them up to an
other day of new wonders and delights.
The country-ah, the country-for fell
Ter, where he can stretch his legs and
wander and live.
Models in Department.
A leading country week association last
year gave a week in the country to each
of COCO boys and girls about fifth of the
number being girls. Another organization
distributed a few hundred over two thou
sand among farmers families. Still a
third, which works among the toughest
sort of youngsters sent nearly one thou
sand to the country, and there was not
their rural hosts. 1t is singular that these
street boys, who are continually clashing
with the police o. their city, are all but
models of uprightness when they are on
the farms The words of one farmer may
contain the reason:
'Ieetla cusses too cramped up down thar
in tn city Here they's a heap o. room to
let off steam in. and they don't want to
do nawthin' wuss'n chase the old rooster
wher. he gets too proud, and that dom
hurt him none"
OF late years several fresh air societies
have bought farms, where they send boys
for a period ranging from week TO four,
according to the state of boys health and
his desire to be away from his business or
selling papers or picking up a living In
some equally precarious way. On such
farm boy Is grounded in the rudiments
os agriculture, and, as was fondiy hoped
for at the beginning of this particular part
of the fresh air movement, many or the
youngsters become enamored of the farm
er's life and seek homes with farmers of
good reputation under the guidance of the
societies In this way they remove them
selves from associations which are only evil
in influence.
Not All Work and No Play.
But on these farms II is not all work and
no play. Each has it's various forms of
outdoor amusement: base ball diamonds
tennis courts swings, running tracks and
SWitilfHlliB pOolS- Anu, VI CoulSSp with 81
many youngsters in one place, there are
some rules 10 be followed. On the whole,
however discipline Is kept in the back
ground as much as possible, and the boys
are tacitly encouraged to believe they are
free agents. working for their own good
In their own way. And that's the way of
handling boy that takes with him.
To enumerate all the different kinds of
fresh air charities would be hard task.
indeed, SO great has the diversity in this
field become in recent years with the OPEN
ing of the charitable folks eyes to its inn
portance. There are societies which see
that the little mothers" of the tenements
are free for a week or ten days from the
care of baby brothers and sisters. There
are seaside and country day nurseries and
convalescent homes for babies. The in
mates of orphanages are shown green fields
and running brooks by church organiza-
tions, who also look after the poor of their
own fiocks. Floating hospitals leave New
York daily during the summer for a day
down the bay for sick child and tired
mother. Out of every big center excursion
trains run the summer long. each with sew
eral hundred children aboard bound for a
romp in the hills. The hand of charity is
stretched out in a multitude of ways In
the effort to give back to the ailing little