Evening star., 1933-08-20


few of the latter sort"
Life, then, is still worth the living in
these whirligig days?"
Mani" and he stood up as If he were
facing a jury. I'D rather be living now
than at any modern time. Pure ro-
mance!"
THESE men and women pioneers attest
to three common experiences in
their vaguely schemed migrations. The
first is the low cost at which they can
move up and down the country. A few
pennies a day will provide sufficient
food for family If they keep to the
secondary and more remote roads and
are provided with camp equipment.
The second discovery, answering an
initial dread, is that jobs are to- be had
if any judgment has been used in the
selection of route. The last and great
est amaZement comes at the low cost at
which they may live when a desirable
location has been reached.
Even at the best, however, it takes
time to drive from their minds the
llduuSlllS, PCISlotCit 1CoA VI IluA6CAs
When a migrant family finds it may halt
for days beside some alluring stream
or in sheltering wood at negligible
expense they slow down from their fren-
zied pursuit of job. They find that the
meager sum with which they started out
will last longer than they had thought.
When body and mind have been calmed
by swimming and fishing and lazy camp
fire nights, an early battle has been won
The first temporary job marks the next
victory. It may be for only part of a
day and the wage a mere 20 cents an
hour, but it is basis for a. exultant hope.
The courage Of desperation which forced
the flight from the city is changed to
the courage of determination.
Finally, through experience, it Is
learned that there are thousands Of
pleasant districts in the country where
a family Of three or four persons can live
comfortably at a cost of $50 to $50 a
month. Furnished houses Of five or six
rooms may be rented for SIS month,
and often less. Milk, butter, eggs and
produce are obtainable at neighboring
farms at incredibly small sums. Fruit
and nuts often are to be had for the
gathering.
Surely" exclaims the ex-city wan
derer when he finds that $50 month
will cover his family budget, Il can earn
that much!"
And he does, unless there is something
radically wrong with him.
\A/HEN my wife and I we're touring
w back and forth in out-of- the way
places along roundabout roads, encoun-
tering individuals and families who had
Jared forth in search of new settings,
ventured personal experiment. In
district through which we were passing
we had heard of large scale farmer
who was notoriously hard boiled. We
drove to the place and asked for work.
There was nothing Would there be
later? Possibly, I'd wait around.
The gray-haired, grim-visaged farmer
glanced at our car, laden with camp
paraphernalia. Where would we hang
out? Oh, we'd find a spot. Would it
help us if we camped on his land? OF
course. He pointed to road through
his property.
The farm touched river, and a mile
from the house we came into woods
on the bank of the stream. There We
put up our tent. Fishing was excellent,
rabbits were fat and plentiful, water
cress was tender and abundant.
Each day for 10 days 1 went to the
farm house, finding no work. But each
time was given generous supply of
milk, butter and eggs. Twice sheep were
killed, and we had our share We were