The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-15
CoBBLE-sToNEs CIR SHADY LANES.


Correction, recently held in Boston, speaker
called attention the steady stream Of country
bows and girls constantly pouring into the great
cities. Lamenting this she offered the sugges
ton that the provision OF sufficiently numerous
and properly protected amusement resorts
might counterfeit this tendency.
The lure OF the citys life is strong upon the
country Its activities its great battles, its
wonderful possibilities. urge their tremendous
appeal when the heart is young and the blood
Is red and ambition and enthusiasm project
glorious pictures of conquest and success
the perspective of life, 1t is not strange that
from far-away hillsides and obscure hamlets
should come the boys and girls whose spirits
chafe beneath the narrow and cireumscribed
conditions of country life. Even after have
lived long amidst the noise and tumut and
nerse-raeking strain of city life and have be
rome worn in body and In mind: even after We
3 have seen air castles. by one. topic to
destruction and are heartsick with the disilu-
sionment of it all. still feel the subtle spell
and find ourselves in the relentless grip of the
city,
salvation of the clty--that its life is being un-
eeasingly renewed by the influx of new blood.
The abnormal and artificial life of the city
tends 10 deterioration and degeneration. It's
strenuous struggles leave nervous wrecks.
Its successes and its prosperity lower our high
er ideals and murder our finer sentiments; its
pleasures and it's indulgenees exact toll of our
ehar gity that finds its
life constantly repenished and renewed by the
pure, sweet streams that flow from the fields. It
is the TRANSMISSION of blood that saves the pa
tsens. II Is the Ideals and dreams and senu-
3 ments and optimism and purity aud strength
OF the country that saves the city.
While the thousands rushing TO the city
In guest OF that indehnable blesseiness the
whole world seeks, there other thousands
Who not finding 1t there turning thereazer
eyes and longing hearts TO the country again
Broken in health, morbid In mind. restless in
spirit. they long for the quiet and rest and
strength that contact with nature promises
They have discovered that success and prosper
ity and power and pleasure do not bring happi
and content From the vantage ground OF
victory they acknowledge that the game is not
worth the candle and somehow and from some
where the notion steals upon them that hearts
ease only blooms in the fields
IL is this that explains the popularity Of
country homes with city folks and the deyei
opment OF the modern suburb II Is tacit ad
s mission OF the partial failure of city life. Il
represents the endeavor to combine in one expe
thence the benefits and blessings of both coun
try and city. The soul of man il beginning tc
inter an inarticulate, perhaps unconscious. pro
test against the abnormal and artificial life In
which it finds itself-the mad rush, the con
stant excitement, the physical and nervous
strain OF ii all. The soul is beginning TO learr
that contentment and peace do not accompany
the struggle of the street the mirth and reyelry
Of the drawing room, the heat and dust and
constant noises of the eity's life. And the soul
In It's react on from the overdone and over
wrought life OF the city, gazes with longing eyes
upon green fieids and blooming flowers, slipping
hillsdes and running streams. wide, freedom
inspiring landscapes and infinite eXpanses OF
sky. Man Graves the fresh, pure air of the
country, laden with the perfume OF the flowers
aud the cool sweet waters of the spring that
gushes from the hilsides, He loves to listen
TO the songhirds by day and to dream amidst
the mysterious whispers of forest and field by
night He reyels in the restfulness and peace
and holy quiet OF nature. There he finds life
simple and free There he think his high
est thoughts and to his best self. There
he can find the recreation and the inspiration
thar give him courage and strength for the busy
burdensome life of tomorrow in the market
place.
SO over against the rush TO the city We find
this quest Of retreat In the country, over
against the country lads notion that there is
contentInenf and happiness in the city find
the disilusioned city seeking the same
blessings in the country. They are both right
There can be no real happiness to the man OF
spirit and temper except he sally forth some
times 10 the field of conquest Neither can there
be any real contentnlent to the man of action
a and achievement except he sometimes retire io
the place Of quiet and communion Happy he
who knows when the day is done and WHOSE
circumstances permit him to escape the worry
and wear OF II ALL and find strength and res,
n and peace near to natures heart,
The international Woman Suffrage Alliance