The Personal Equation 187 



numerous in garden communities. Sometimes when I 

 see a childless woman hugging a fashionable poodle 

 and am told that she does this in response to the ma- 

 ternal instinct, I am moved to wonder whether she does 

 not represent a type of women who would find far more 

 satisfaction if they lavished their affection and energies 

 on the interesting small livestock that goes with a gar- 

 den home. Really there is a principle here worth think- 

 ing of in relation to both sexes; and it is a possible 

 explanation of the undoubted fact that unmarried men 

 and women do naturally tend toward the little home 

 on the land. Of course, they do not all remain un- 

 married. Who would expect them to do so, since the 

 advantage of a woman in the home and a man on the 

 place, becomes quickly obvious? The agreeable social 

 contact in such a community is rather discouraging to 

 single blessedness ; and the really competent person of 

 either sex is likely to develop into a great attraction. 

 This is natural and logical, and by no means to be 

 deplored. 



There is another respect in which the personal equa- 

 tion should be emphasized its relation to the problem 

 of old age. A few years ago an Eastern publication 

 projected this question: "Where will YOU be at 65?" 

 Following it with this statement : 



"Of 100 healthy men at 25 

 36 will be dead at 65, 

 1 will be rich, 



4 will be wealthy, 



5 will be supporting themselves by work, 



54 will be dependent upon their friends, rela- 

 tives, or charity." 



