Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-01
THE SWEET O. COUNTRY LIFE
The Ideal Existence Of the Tired Ur-
bnn DwcIier Becoming More and
More Expensive but WItbnll
More En- lOy able

More Enjoyable
(From the Brooklyn Tagie)
It is n dream OF many tired and ag-
Ing city, people to end their days In
the country, or. at least, to have a
home among the hills where they can
spend part of every year. TIL recent"
ly this dream has been easy of at
tainmcnt There have been thousands
of abandoned farms to be had for
price; country ways were simple and
primitive, therefore country living was
cheap; but the abandoned farms have
been taken up rich men wanted them
for estates whore they could pass
their leisure, or even for business an
nexes wh"ro they could breed stock;
Nh" immigrants from ireland ana Italr
wanted them for homesttcads; and az
n result, land values have Increased,
and with them. taxes, assessments and
general expenditures.
It is not likely that we shall ever
soc again the marked disparity be-
tween either the cost or the manner
Of city and country living that pre-
that have gone back to the land are
spending so much money upon it
that is. I'm tho wages of those who
work it as to have created new
standards of pay, to the dismav of
those not rich. Then. the closer union
of town and country, by means Of ex.
tended facilities for transportation, -
breaking down the old barriers be
tween the city AMI the farm. and the
great output of merchandise now sent
TO the country, for tho constant tom
ptation Of the farmer and his wife
city clothing. early fruits and vcgeta-
hles, books, papers, magazines, tools
SNOWY furniture, instalment pianos
and carpets makes a heavier drain
on the pocket Of the agriculturist than
Il ever before endured
Tho labor union, though as vet al
most unknown in the country, IS a
factor In the rise ana cost of living
since its effect is that of n lift in the
cost Of all that is made by union Ia.
Dor. Mechanics are now pail half as
much gain In the villages as they re-
ceivod a dozen years ago, and II costs
twice as much to build house; lum-
is worth fifty per cent moro. by the
time It Is beams and shingles, than It
was then But It is advance in the pav
of wage workers that tells most
severely on the countryman of limited
means. Unless he Is in health and has
some skill as a farmer he Is more or
less dependent on others for his well
fare; but the difficulty of securing
help In the country Is greater than I'm
the city. Some years ago the young
woman who worked out" In the cOun-
try accepted her room. board and So
n wecl; with cheer Now she considers
s5 week with coyness and requires
that the beds he made ami washing
done by others and that she have her
evening out, with tho use of the par
lor for her young man. IF there Is a
mill within ten miles. she will not
consider domestic service at all.
There Is now a considerable migra-
ton of Italians. Greeks, Huns and Slavs
to the country, but little of Il helps
the American farmer and ;lairyman.
They usually elect to work IN the fac.
tories, In mills or on railroads, and II
they have wives. daughters and grand
mothers who are qualified to do cham
borwork or milk the cows. they keep
the secret admirably. 1t is no wonder
some coUntrymen finding themselves
with more lands. herds and 1ocks than
they can possibly manage alone, arc
willing to soil out, and either take
service with a city owier or go to the
city themselves to try a change OF
fortune.
Yet. If It costs more to live in the
country than Il did, il is partly because
the farmer has adopted a new way of
living. The ways of his fathers no lon
ger suffice. He must have hot and cold
water, steam heat, a telephone. the
latest farm machinery; he must light
his hous" with gas or electricity
whore possible; he must take n few
magazines ana own a few books; hc
must send his children to tho academy;
he must belong to a lodge and a club and
n village Improvement ASSOCIATION; lie
must go 10 town once Il year and sec
n play. These things cost But II tho
cost can hc met. they tend to greater
comfort and content. and to broader
condition OF mind than has always
pertained to the profession ~ agricul-
ture. The growth of population AMI
the exhaustion Of natural resources
are creating problems that Il VIII tax
tho skill of orr grandchildren to solve
but If the country can be made attrac-
tive to millions who at present sec
nothing outside of towns. a step will
have been taken toward their solu.
tion. If it shall henceforth cost mora
to live in III country. that circum-
ct NO No 70 a, tai