Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-26
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES =. TRACEWELL.

A gentleman came IN with an en-
ticing picture Of q ramble down 9
country road in nearby Maryland.
"You wrote Of country roads recently"
he said. "but your road is Q city road
once distinctly suburban, but now def
nitely going city.
"a country road. to be right, has to
have q minimum Of automobiles. The
road you describe has one car after
another all day long.
THE one know has perhaps 9
dozen cars q day. You can walk along
without once smelling gasoline.
Come with me, young fellow, and ]
will show you q real country road
where there are high hedgerows, and
old barns far back in fields, with mead
ows. and cows, and brooks, and an
occasional country dog running across
field.
"You will find ld-fashioned ran
fences, and maybe hear the distant
sound Of a farm bell, ringing to call
the hands home for dinner.
Your country road compared with
mine, Is fake and fraud. It has been
years since 1t has been a true country
road. It Is almost city street.
III, YES kLlOW IL ID PtCaSahlO W
walk along, in the cool of the morning.
before the days traffic has begun. At
times, as have walked along it, have
even imagined it was the real thing.
But it is not. Come with me. some time.
and will show you q true country
road"
Cautiously we inquired II this jaunt
would involve any cliff climbing, creek
wading or COW facing. Let us explain
these in order Cliff climbing Is the
delight Of sturdy persons who find no
excitement at all in walking along
level places. They want declining paths.
worn in the sides of hills, along which
one may progress with dificulty by
holding to the branches of small trees.
II one lets 60 the tree, or pulls 1t up
by the roots, one will get down to the
bottom of the hill in less time than
he had been figuring on. It is all
very exciting, and, If one happens to
be of the proper temperament for 1t,
just the thing for a pleasant afternoon.
If one prefers more level walking,
however, the side Of steep bank, or
small precipice, is distinctly annoying.
1t is particularly bad when one comes
upon it unexpectedly, especially with a
companion whom one wants to i'm
RANoo' AAACAA SAACAS - AZ OS~AAA6 Wv
One must be Q man and all that sort
Of thing. He must not see one finch.
Gayly one throws ones rather precious
self adown q precipice, not because one
has the slightest desire to, but largely
to keep the fellow from thinking one
weakling, a milksop, q dandy, a
sissy, and a few other such assorted
persons.
Great" one shouts, catching a sap
ling and nearly yanking 1t out Of the
ground. "Greatl" The stop is really
breathing pause, but If one points
wildly to the scrubby trees over yon-
der, and processes TO admire them
loudly enough, the other will think
that one has o rather queer taste in
trees, but he will be fooled by it, just
the same. It is much better that he
be fooled than that he go down
through life carrying q picture of
ones cowardice. All male creatures
are supposed to be brave and intrepid,
and woe upon him who calmly admits
their opposites. Bluff, at the right
moment, has carried many q man
down cliffs and into the enemyis fire.
And, to his utter an1aEement, he
emergeS q brave man.
81
Greek wading is another little habit
Of confirmed mixers Perhaps we should
say professional mixers. The hiker diff
fers somewhat from the walker or