Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-28
COUNTRY RELATIVES
SUMNER TRIALS FROM THE
FRIENDS IN THE CITY.

There goes my last guest OF the sum-
mer,' said Mrs. Brown. Pumping down
detectedly on the lowest step OF tho
trent porch. after waving a last good-by
to frivolous young woman. her small
baby. a huge Saratoga trunk and a go-cart.
Il feel 50 imposed upon that I've got to
talk TIL get back my one-time sunny dis
position. II you wish to keep yours. don't
ever take a country place until you have
ceased to be on speaking terms not only
with your friends. but with your friends
friends and your friends friends friends"
She stopped with gasp Yes. and then
there's your relatives, Well. when it comes
to them you just have to be martyr. that's
all.
I've at last come 10 the conclusion that
families do not take country place for
their own benefit. IL they are simple enough
10 think that they do in the beginning
their so-cailed friends speedily dsabuse
them OF that idea. In reality they take it
TO run free-for-all boarding house, which
nets them no returns and leaves them
wrecked In body ard purse and friendship
at the end of the summer
That disgruntied young person dis
appearing around the bend In the road will
Illustrate nicely what l mean. She belongs
to the friend, third removed class. who
contrived to get general vague invitation
| from me to come out here to see me some
time. She came, bag and baggage Our
man had to leave the field a half day dur
ing the haying season TO go for her trunk
and father strained his back helping 10 tug
II out of the wagon.
DO you think she ever tried TO help in
any way during her stay here? Not she:
she didn't even pretend to make her bed.
though my one lone Bridget has just all
she can do. l invariably had to tidy up
her room. TO say nothing of Strengthening
he rob, Ia
a midmorning lunch and romp with her
toys.
Nothing Good Enough.
Nothing was ever quite good enough
for her. either. She complained of the in
conveniences of the house and she was al
ways talking about the lack of entertain
ment In the neighborhood. or course it
is quiet here. That's why We like II.
Nevertheless, we planned with much loss
of our own comfort and best interests sew
eral excursions for her benefit. We were
thanked for our pains by an incident
somewhat like the one which occurred yes
terday at the picnic She happened TO sit
next to new arrival whom she did not
know is real friend of mine, when the
lunch was being eaten. and she afterward
told me that there wasn't thing passed
to my guest that she didn't turn up her
nose at and make some derogatory remark.
II think today was a good time for her
to go home. She has been here a month
now. long enough TO have saved quite
sum in board bills. No doubt she will buy
some new gowns with the money. and then
to top 1t off will tell her husband miser-
able tale about the way she was treated up
here and fail even to write a bread and
butter note Naturally. she will never
dream of sending lamp shade, the abb
sence of which in her room she deplored.
nor will she ever replace the wash bowl
she broke.
Yes. have always been more or less
pestered with company. but never appre-
ciated the real trials of the summer visitor
until we came out here. When country peo-
pie go to the city they feel meek and are
easily brought to time If they transgress.
City people visiting in the country over
everybody and everything rough shod with
all the cock-suredness of king who can
do no wrong
do you know there isn't one guest in a
hundred who thinks II necessary to rise at
breakfast time? They come trailing down
in negligee attire until 10 o'clock. and you,
to maintain your reputation as hostess.
prepare special breakfasts from the re-
sources of your dairy, and garden and hem
merry, bravely. persistently trying to think
that such service is appreciated and that
| you In being a delightful hostess, are the
most envied of women. -
Things Just Grow.
"As matter of fact, have found that
visitors in the country take 1t for granted
that the home of their hostess is as much
theirs as hers Things don't have to be
bought they grow, they come out OF the
ground, And so they bring along all their
family and send out all their friends. and
they all stay long as they can and eat
as much as they are able, seemingly to pre-
vent anything from going to waste.
THE truth of the matter is, far as 10
seems to be from their knowlede that
everything they enjoy comes out of some
ones bones. IL takes hard work to have
things in the country, more hard work
than city people can ever imagine-untl
they try it-and the eggs and butter and
cream and vegetables which they eat mean
the hostess who can sell all these products
to the nearest store or market If they are
not used at home.
Country people like company so much
that l suspect that is why they will stand
all sorts of abuse and inconvenience for a
pleasant guest And 1t may be also why
summer visitors have degenerated into a
force of 'grafters.' Some people up this
way who have beautiful house and an in
come of $500 a month are so deluged with
guests during the summer that they
oblied to live upon $50 a month during the
winter to make up for the huge eNpendi-
lures during the summer-and that $50 A
month in New York, too. where of all
places one wants to have plenty to spend.
another year / shall do my neigh
bors across the road did this season. 1
shall charge all my friends a straight 81
a day for as long as they choose TO remain.
Then shall not feel hurt when they forget
10 bring me box of candy or neglect to
invite me to their city homes during the
winter when the country lis so distressingly
dreary and lonely"
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