The Washington times., 1906-06-17
SOJOURN|N COUNTRY
FINDS GREAT FAVOR
Fresh Air Preferable to Be-
ing Always Dressed Up
MECCA FOR LITTLE ONES
Children Derive Great Benefit From an
Outing on the Big
Farm.
MECCA FOR LITTLE ONES

Newport for the wealthy and a trip to
Europe ditto. but for the plain Ameri-
can citizen who really and truly works
for his living a trip to the country is
good enough.
Out there. away from the frills and
furbelows of city life a girl can put on
a sunbonnet. a gingham dress and defy
Dame Fashion in the most fragrant
manner.
The perversity of human nature is,
never more clearly illustrated than in a
visit of city people 10 the country. If
a man thought his wife would make him
eat plain fare for six days in succession
there would probably be signs of a
divorce, yet he will go out to the coun-
try, sit down 10 the plaInest kind of
food. though 1t be there in plenty. take
couple of glasses of milk instead of
his regular cocktail and come back TO
town almost convinced that after all
country life is the real and only one
1t used TO be that when summer
came everyone thought they should go
to the seashore or mountains. The
country lost caste, as il were, and peo-
pie manifestly regarded stay in the
country as a bore impossible to even
Contemplate Times have changed
lO"tNtLs anu OllIc IupAt Allt country Is
coming into vogue. The wealthy have
established themselves in rural homes
and are entertaining house parties. but
this means no rest for the hostess. and
often the days drag for her guests. 1t
IS the folks who go out to a farm
house for a real country visit that
know the comfort Of living and the
Joys of nature.
Every morning they are aroused long
before their accustomed hour by the
cIang of the big house bell or the blow
ing Of the horn for the hands" to come
in to breakfast.
After a good substantial breakfast
they are off TO the fields 10 watch the
various workers about the farm. To
them the smell of the fields is a new
sensation; the big farm hands, in
their great straw hats talking 20 the
horses in language unknown to them,
IS a novelty they do not tire OF, and
before they hardly know that break
fast is over the big horn calls out over
the fields from the farm house door
that dinner is ready Again in the
afternoon there are walks about the
country side, a stop here and there
along the fence inclosing the place to
watch alCng the road for any team
that might be passing. and supper time
has come There Is no dressing for
dinner" no latent fear that ones hair
IS not fixed as becomingly as usual,
and no prospect that unexpected callers
will drop in for game of cards or
other diversions. Just when one would
ordinarily be dressing for dinner or
the theater at home the candle is light
ed and the little procession to bed be-
gins
With the tots it is even more of a
pleasure to be in the country than il is
20 their elders. There are horses and
dogs enough, something that a boy
doesn't easily find in the city. There
are great wagons hauling the hay from
the field and the men. who drive them
were really boys themselves once, so
they don't care a bit if you ride way
up on top. Then there are the cows to
be MIXED. The pig pen and chicken
yards are sources of unending interest.
When all the animal kingdom Of the
farm is otherwise engaged than in en-
tertaining the children the little ones
find much TO amuse them in the fields.
There Is always some sort of q hardy
field flower popping up It's bright head
in a nodding welcome to the little Wis
itors. but one of their favorites is the
wonderful and at all times truth -four
o'clock"
In the growing popularity of the
country among residents Of Washington
il is plain to see that a large portion
of the people here Will content them
selves with a breath of fresh country
air this summer instead Of buying a
lot of new clothes and going some
where to be always dressed up and
warmer than one could possibly be at
home.