Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-03
LURE OF COUNTRYSIDE
: CHARMS CITY DWELLER
Declares Ideal Holiday Is One Spent
in Quiet Nook in COun-
try.
SEASIDE REST DISAPPOINTING
Resorts Usually damned, and Seeker
for Recreation FINALLY Returns
Home More Weary Than When His
Vacation Began.
by EATON l'EARN.


DY EATON EEARN.
LONDON, Feb. 2.--IIolidays during
tho last four years have been a trying
problem to many people In England
for many obvious reasons: money has
not been too plentiful: railway fares
have not only been outrageously cx-
pensive and the service has been ir-
regular and absolutely unreliable blu,
apart from all these reasons there
has been a feeling in the minds of
most English people that to stay at
home" was the proper and patriotic
thing to do in the days through which
We have all been passing.
II was sort OF co7,bined war econ
omy and patriotic self sacrifice. Now
however. that the war is over and peace
conditions are returning, English peo-
pie and many visitors TO England from
across the seas are looking forward
10 the Joys of an English country holt
day.
CALL OF THE COUNTRY
LURES WRITER FROM CITY
AS a sojourner in one Of the larg-
est cities in the world-London--ith has
been the writer's practice when holiday
time came around to get far away
as possible from the "madding crowd"
and TO select some spot where telc-
grams and telephones are practically
unknown.
During the hot months of July and
August that the call OF the sea"
comes with an irresistible force has
70 be admitted. and yet such, a holiday
Is invariably disappointing, being gen
orally attended with the greatest dis
comforts and drawbacks.
Seaside resorts at this time Of year
are uncomfortably crowded.: grasping
lodging house keepers exact the maxi
mum pay for minimum comforts: on
pier, promenade and pleasure boat.
To- la.l
don crowd. with the invariable result
that one returns from ones holiday
feeling more enervated and run down
was supposed TO be an expedition of
health.
IS THE REAL ARTICLE
Now. to my mind, holiday. on
land. is the. ideal holiday. Not only
is !. certainly cheap. hut from health
point Of view it has no. equal.
Take the question OF food AZ an OK
ample. Delicious butter enough TO
make the mouths of the gods water;
hens eggs warm from the nests that
for their being new-ia!d; homc-cured
hams that are as different as chalk
from cheese as compared with shop
ham; poultry. cheese and all the other
pare with them? Not certainly the
counterfeits. which ind their way TO
the seaside boarding house table.
III you happen to be Il sportsman,
run through the cornficlds in the early
hours OF the morning with gun gives
you the keenes, appetite for your
which you bring back will form a well
come and appreciated addition to the
farmers larder.
EVEN IF FISH DON'T BITE
After breakfast there is usually a
Trout stream TO whip and even If the
n 10 or d lN.a -. a
yantageS OF The invigorating country
air and sunshine.
After dinner during ihc customary
rest awhile" YOU can cnsconce your
self In hammock in the orchard and
enjoy quiet read undcr the soothing
II huence OF my Lady Nicotine. or be-
II you feel inclined 20 give your
iarmer-host "a helping hand with the
nay, or whatever agricultural work is
going on at the t!!uc--and Heaven only
Fnows there is never during any period
OF the year shortage OF Jobs on a
Tell-worked farm-your services Will
will bcneht thereby considerably
There is an inenably sweet charm
about the EnE!lsh countryside during
the hot summer months with which ,hs
attractions of a crowded seaside resor:
cannot compare.
There are the cattle. always inter
the woods are full of strange animals
and birds. whose movements and an
tics always provide n fund of amusc-
ment; even in sprin gtime the blowing
SCENTS AND SOUNDS
DELIGHT THE SENSES
Then there are the sweet scents
and the delightful sounds OF the lanes
and woods. The sweet smelling haw-
thorn, the !avender,inted lilacs. the
golden tasseled laburnum. the call Of
the cuckoo. the soaring anthem OF the
lark and the cheeky chirp OF the hedge
sparrow-these; added TO the merry
busy bee on it's honey collecting cx-
petition, will soothe the nerves of ;he
wornout city man with more effective
ness than the finest tonic In the world
some Of those idyliic country pubs"
and what an insight they afford into
the psychology of the country folk.
City people-through Ignorance Of
dwcllers in the country and greatly
to underestimate their real worth. And
yet, in many ways, in spite Of their
poorncss of speech and inability to
give smart city men leads In many
things, and many Il quiet laugh have
these same rustic old men enjoyed aI
the woful ignorance of the jewellers IN
cities on matters appertaining to the
country.
And after all is said and done. these
country folk whom we vainly imagine
lead miserable lives. cut off as they
are from all the joys and privileges
of city civiliZation-some Of which are
Exceedingly questionable advantages
live TO ripe old age, enjoy the best
Of health and never have an occasion
to cali in a doctor.
PASSING RICH on
The village vicar, too. is generally
q charming ACKNOWLEDGMENT rich