Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-04
SUM MER B0ARDERS
Some Of the Vacations Encountered by
the Landlady in Getting on
With Folk From Town.
From the Independent.

seekers on a new EnSiaHu ram teacS ~
the conviction that the genus .Boarders'
can be made happy there. provided they
are wei cared for. and in turn can be made
to serve as mortgage raisers or TO furnish
forth those Injuries and amenities OF life.
the necessary money for which II Is ex-
tremeiy 6ifflcult to wiring from the rocky
hills which make the beauty OF our ancient
village country.
Given an old-fashioned farm house. SIT
uated in lovely valley. near enough to
town and railroad for, comfort. the under
taking Of opening 1t as quiet summer
home for city people seemed perfectly prac-
ticabie. The house was large enough Tor
the needs of good-6zed family. having
been built by the father of one OF the old
time families Of six sons and six daughters,
In the good days when posterity was es-
teemed Of greater account than vacations
As sample may truthfuily represent
OF people coming to this farm to spend their
HOLIDAYS showed those varieties OF temper
ament and purpose which may be found In
varying degree among crowds.
As children had not gone out OF fashion
in my estimation. determined to make my
farm place where their wants and welfare
were to be considered. / have surprised the
eyeglasses OF the nose of more than one OLD
maid by telling her that attended to the
needs OF the children first and then what
time was left would be devoted to the grown
people The attitude of one grumbiing
bachelor who said: "Aif children ought to
be kept in barrels until they are twelve
years old seems to be generally held; al
though most people are too sconsiderate OF
the feelings of young mothers to express
such sentiments. Nothing. except It may
be barrel. is SO good for growing children
as farml life. and as there were no attrac-
tions In my kind of establishment for the
great American young people" babies and
old ladies seemed my natural prey.
nr,nt toh ircf
neither. but two young women, one an ar
tist and the other a professional photos-
rapher. They opened the season and stayed
until Thanksgiving. They were good ones
to begin on l learned about boarderS from
them. They were both photograph-crazy.
and Instantly began taking a series OF
plates for illustration Of the various pro-
cesses Of farm work-plowing, narrowing.
seeding. working the vegetable garden and
every operation in its turn They hndered
the men and teams to pose for them. and
would come rushing into the Kitchen in the
middle of the morning to get me out ID pi.iy
the role of the farmer i'll her vegetable
garden or 'the lady managing her bees.
1t became quite frequent occurrence 10
come upon familiar scenes of the home farm
in maya zines and even in advertisements,
for they photographed me on cooking cay
for a popular baking powder company.
They astonshed the natives by walking all
over the country hatless all but shoeless,
insisting that nothing but sandals made
ten or twelye-mile walk feasible, and totally
unheeding the temper OF the weather
When they came to go home the hat or one
of these enthusiasts could not be found,
but was finally discovered on the high
beam in the barn. where ii had been left
early in the season. They spent hours pho
tographlng studies of wild flowers growing,
and had many adventures with strange
COWS and farmers irate at having their
grass land "tromped." | made them hire
carpenter to build dark room for them
IN the shed for 1t was too great strain
H. 70, alb 1f ,vIa hot lyxt.i
plates left to dry in unexpected places, to
say nothing of stains my floors from
chemicals and wicked-looking bottles IN
inopportune spots. threatening my innocent
and helpless guests. These women. In their
un conventcnality and innocence of ARGUS
ing any curiosity, might have passed for
children. and could read their title clear
to this estate of youth.
Unmarried Daughters.
A lovely looking old lady of that fast van
ishing type with white puff curls. specta-
eles and lace caps came to the farm at mid
summer, perhaps claiming admittance on
the score Of approaching second childhood.
With her were her two daughters CThnk
for a minute of all the old ladies with un-
married daughters that summer in board
ing houses from Maine to California. In
little old New England alone the number Is
appalling Every summer place is over
deaf as the Droverbial adder. and her
daughters very cats for spite. Their COM
ments on everybody and everything con-
nected with the farm. shrieked at their
mother with all the windows open. served
to amuse the household. Yes. she's
smart came to me on the breeze one
morning when l was at work In the dairy,
"but she isn't nearly SO refined-looking
her sister Mary This summary of my
abilities and appearance served as joke
for many days.
A college professor. with his family, came
seeking for two months OF rest He was
lecturer at a noted law school where there
were courses for women. and even In this
secluded SPOT he was not safe from seekers
after wisdom Two Of his women pupils
found him out and came to stay. They
were so intellectual that they could not let
their minds have even a days vacation, but
talked law to the professor. In season and
out. until he seemed likely to have to fly
for his life.
The most brief visitation Of the summer
was from two spinsters of very uncertain
age They arrived at the farm late one
afternoon from large New England city,
bringing their cat. which travelled in a
black silk bag closely drawn up under Its
chin few moments after their arrival they
decided to let kitty out to walk bit on the
green country grass Now, the dogs on the
farm understood and respected the rights
OF the home cats, but the appearance OF
q strange tabby on their domain was
enough to set UP wild rush. and the prec-
herself shake up from the big farm dog
Tho state of mind OF the two old maid
..aunts" of the cat can be imagined They
circled around the tree like the nymphs in
the garden of Hesperides. and entreated
dear kitty to come down: but. true to her
traditions, the cat preferred to sit by her
self in the tree, and no coaxiny would in
duce her to desert her retreat. Finally. by
the aid OF men and ladders, the cat was
rescued and restored to her atdtated mis-
tresses All seemed serene, hut further
misadventure was in storsk AT supper the
elder of the sisters partook too heartily Of
a rich chicken salad and was violently Ill
in the night; so the next morning the party
cat sack and ai-shock the dust of the
farm from their feet and departed. 1t APP
peared later that they had the reputation
among boarding house keepers of being
genuine wanderers going to dozens OF
places each season. remaining from one
day to week. and then finding some suf-
ficiently strong reason for leaving
Extra Board ounders.
As to financial trouble with guests, in
only one case was there difficulty; the pro-
fessional board Founders" no doubt think
that operating on farms is quite beneath
their notice A gentleman engaged rooms
for himself his invalid wife and nurse for