The Nome nugget., 1934-09-01
THE HEN-MAN
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By R. Fl. WILKINSON
Q. Bell syndlcate.-wNU Service.

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 O Bell syndicate.-WNU Service. I"HERE exists in America . certain type of person who,
 born and raised in . city apartment, possesses what is known In the vernacular as . yen to own . small place in the country, firmly believing that he can buy . few chickens. raise few vegetables and live there, committing to and from his metropolitan job. for about one third the cost of existence in his city apartment.
 This is splendid idea, especially that part about living one-third as cheaply as In the city. It has other advantages. too.
 There is, for example, the matter of fresh air, fresh dairy products, plenty of space to move around in. freedom from the hustle and hustle of city life.
 It's . pity that the plan hasn't, can't and never will be developed profitably.
 I mean the moving-to-the-country bug.
 Steve Bolton was attacked by the bug.
 Steve had become fed ID on city life.
 He was . bachelor, young and handsome, and was forever chasing about from party to tea to dinner, to theater, or any other of the dozNn places where handsome and eligible young bachelors are welcomed.
 Steve was fed up.
 He wanted breath of fresh air; wanted to get up with the sun, drink in the crisp morning air. tend to the chickens and catch the 7:50 train to town and his brokers of. ifca.
 He wanted to spend his evenings seated comfortably before . cozy Ire. get in some good reading. go to bed at nine o'clock to sleep the sleep of the just.
 Also, he wanted to economlze.
 The cost of living in town wasn't giving Steve much of an opportu- nifty to save for . rainy day.
 This plan of Steve,s. was swell. Too bad 1t couldn't work.
 Steve talked the idea over with Jim McDevitt.
 Jim had tried the same thing once, but for some unknown reason was back in his city apartment.
 Jim approved of Steve's Idea with out . moments hesitation.
 ''Great scheme. You'll like 1t, Steve, out there. Fine way to live. Fact is. I'll have the missus buy her eggs from you. You can bring them in every morning. Help you get started.r
 Steve's dreams scared.
 He pictured himself laying aside q tidy sum from the profits of his eggs.
 Good scout. Jim.
 Steve also called on Rus Whit comb. Rus and his wife had tried the living-in-the-country idea, too.
 And Rus, like Jim, approved and applauded.
 Sure. he'd buy all the eggs Steve could raise.
 Fresh eggs from the countryi Boy, nothing could be better.
 Later that same night Jim Mo Dewitt called Rus Whitcomb on the telephone and the two of them held gleeful conversation.
 So old Steve had got the bug. chi
 We'll, let him find out for him. self.
 Won't do him any harm to get stung.
 He'd never rest until he'd got the , craving out of his system anyhow.
 Besides 1t was comforting to know there were other fish grabbing at that same liye-cheaply-in-the- country bait. On the following Sunday Steve chartered . drive-your-0wn car and motored out In the country.
 Along toward mid-afternoon he chanced upon . little place in the town of Medvale that seemed to suit ht. awan< nnrnnao There was . white house with | green blinds and . picket fence around the front lawn, in which half dozen shade trees reared them selves,
 Behind the house there was . barn, several outbuildings and . rather large hennery.
 The place was not more than a 15-minute walk from the railroad station, yet It's remoteness from the travelled highway was far enough to make 1t ideal.
 Steve hunted up the owner and was astonished and delighted to dis cover the place could be rented for less than one-half of what he was paying at his present apartment.
 He sewed the thing up at once by making . substantial deposit and