Evening star., 1914-11-14

SQudHueIdDle lOFiil- II Is up al
plant" and the only thing we can do
with it If we are to get any good from it
at all. is to make it earn us more money.
| cannot therefore. say yes or no
to "B. L. w" in answer to his second
question. but there is one big, vital Tact
that may help enlighten him. Regard
less of comparative earnings i'll the city ana
country. earnings in the country take on
a wholly different form and aspect. Ones
point of view changes. Extra earnings IN
the city. would have meant merely
means to the satisfaction of present
needs and desires. The earning OF extra
money in the country-in our particular
case. at least-iS an insurance for the
future. 1t is the beginning of an estate
We have no present desire to INCREASE
our scale of living. But we have a des re
to see our property grow. II We nave
earned $500 extra this year it is in cap
itaf' of some orm or another. and next
year we shall have that much more cap
tal to work with. That ought to enable
us to earn still more next year and sim
more the next until we have acquired u
competency and independence. i might,
had something aroused me into shaking
off the inertia of years and inspired me
with energy and initiative. have earned
as much extra money in the city as l
have in the country but it wouldn't nave
done me and my family as much good.
Question No. 3 Is Difficult.
Question No. l approach with Il
good deal of hesitation. 1t is difficult
to give a fair answer: difficult, almost,
to give an honest one. If there were
no serious cost of living problem and
no children whose health had to be
considered, would Jane and / prefer
life in the country or fiat in town:
1t is we'll that the question should
be asked of Jane and l." for here
,hoc nf %
any man who wants TO deal squarely
with his wife will give her first say.
Consistent with that view of 1T, put
the question up to Jane. Here IS her
answer:
"If there were no serious cost of
living problem and no children whose
health and happiness had to be con-
sidered, just you and i. would pre-,
fer IL fiat in town. But there wouid
be times when | would get desperate
ly homesick for the country. / think
there would be days when the con-
finement of Il fiat would almost
smother me.
Il think any womans opinion on
this subject would be likely to change
with the seasons. With weather such
as we have been having this fail,
thought of life in fat is almost un.
endura BILE. One wants to be out OF
doors every possible hour, ana l don
call sitting on bench in the park
being outdoors. But when it is stormy
or severely cold and / have to be shut
up in the house anyway, l can't help
being a little wistful for the comforts
and conveniences of our old nat: A..
"I don't think, with just us two. that
l would choose life in the country Tor
country life's sake alone The pos
sibilities that life in the country hoid
is another matter. l wouldn't give IL
up now, if there were neither Gnildren
nor cost of living problem interest
in what We have set out to do ana
the desife to do it would turn the
scales in favor of the country.
View Necessary to Answer.
Il suppose the question was asked
with view to an answer which would
apply to people in town thinking OF
| coming to the country, not to people in
the country thinking of going back to
| town. To answer it, then, l would have
to imagine us back in town, with all
| the knowledge we now have OF the ad-
yantages and disadvantages of country
| life but without the material things
| that now bind us to the country. In
that case I would elect to remain in
| town, and endure the occasional spells
of inconsistencies for the country. But
now that our feet are planted on the
soil, that we have become filled with
| the ambition to create a home and have
start toward realization of that am
bltlon. TO give II an up anu 20 pach "
the city would preak my heart- So,
But the cost OF living prooiem uld
bear down upon US ana we nave chli,
dren whose health ana happiness hao
, to be considered. That being the case,
| my only regret is that we didn't come
to the country years ago. And say
| this after living for more than eight
months in a house that hasn't a single
modern convenience. But you should
| be very careiul what you say IN tne M
4 of ltt ms nfh n
"a maS ;,,oant y, e.iIo ,nn .ra trying have
iiEad III tbe nnnntry. have been content-
- and b.nn;sr tban ever was he
&C. p,,t hat i. M sign that some
nthor rom.n I,nder like circumstances
Mint not he utterly miserable. And
| - wou,dn;t Mood ha bec.use She wasn't
| met as GOOD a wife and mother as I
an pennies disnositions and temnera-
mants differ and after ali there are
ether nrobIems in life beside the cost
| of living The man would be a brute
who would take his wife to the country
| and keen her there if she were wretch
| ed and unhappy"
| So there YOU have an answer to uues-
ton No. 3 from a woman's viewpoint.
There isn't anything in country life that
! a man can't stand, if he makes up his