Gilpin observer., 1908-06-18

mined on changing 1t for che same
reason as the Concord philosopher.
doubt that he found Walden dull. As
he neither had chick nor child. as he
did not hunt, and seldom fished. do |
not know of anyone except this rug
ged genius who could have endured |
such solitude so long.
For us we had companionship in |
each other and in Lenore, visitors |
from the town whom we welcomed |
cordially, neighbors with whom we
mingled, and books and music with us
always, and yet we We're not entirely |
content. And why? Because when |
men or women have lived for years
in a city, unless they are thoroughly |
disgusted with the world and all there
is in it, they will inevitably miss what
the city has to offer in the way of
mental enjoyment.
1t is just as true that to live in
city is, at least to some natures, but
a slow process of torture. There are
many natures, of course, born "boule-
vardiers," types of sameness ap.
are happy, in their way. only in the
towns. Their place is therefore in the
towns. But to those who are awakened
to the delights of the country, and who
still do not want to entirely discard
those pleasures of the mind which
find expression where books, and mu-
sic, and paintings and sculpture are to
be found, there is a practical half way
vantage point where both rest for the
body and zest for the mind may be
easily combined.
There is nothing in the mode of liv-
ing in city which is rot more or less
tyrannous. You must do so and so;
you cannot do as you like, of course.
You are hedged about by modes of life
which, while largely artificial, are in
sistently obtrusive. You cannot breathe
pure air; you rarely drink pure
water; you must abjure outdoor exer-
else: you are almost certain to have
nerves" and Indigestion. You are no
worse off than your neighbor, but he
is in the same narrow groove that you
are.
There is a sound philosophy in the
theory of life in the country near to a
city. AS for suburban life. the or
dinary brand, it is. II anything even
more odious than apartment life. The
cliques and asininities of the average
modern suburb are something which
combine to make a more than average
per cent. of suburban society mere ag-
gregations of snobs and parrots.
The trouble of suburban life is that
the suburbanite carries the country
to his office and the city to his home.
He gets up as early as farmer to
catch the train in to town. and he
apes city customs and society" Gus
toms while he is in his home town He
wouldn't be caught without collar
for money. Even when he works in
his little garden he is dressed for the
ball.
Now you don't have to knuckle
down to these things when you have
gotten out little ways into the coun-
try, and you will be pleasantly sur
prised at the first sweet feeling Of
freedom from restraint. 1t is the
same way with both women and men.
Each one enjoys having little relax
alton from the eternal drop, drip,
drop. of the baneful drizzle of con-
ventionalities, that take all OF ones
time, and make leisure an unknown
quantity in the affairs of life.
We left the farm with many lin
gering look over the fields and hills
where we had passed so many happy
days. We left it with the unquench.
able resolution not to spend the rest
of our days in a "steam-heated fat or
any such penal institution. Not to
condemn Lenore to straight Jacket"
existence of unvarying dress parade"
Not to look back over years as mere
shadows that went by in the night.
like dreams, but as real existences,
where we had lived and striven. where
we could look back and say, "in such
a month we were here, or there; or
were doing this or that" and not to
have all time be just blur, ont OF
which deaths and births should crawl.
like flies upon a windowpane
After ALL we are not going to live
for an eternity. And to live wisely
means leisure, both for mind and
body. Can you get it in the cities?
Hardly without great wealth Can
you even then? 1t seems doubtful!
Is constant striving the answer TO the
problem? "All work and no play
makes Jack a dull boy" You can get
leisure of mind best in the country.
but IL you are too far from a city you
will be obliged to take life second
hand from the papers and magazines.
There Is something more in life than
the printed page. There is life in the
streets, in the theater, at the concert
halls, in the crowds. in the pulse OF
the cities as well as in the peace OF
the country.