206 HAPPY HOLLOW FARM 



come at an opinion of a man is to pick the flaws 

 in him and find out his weaknesses, you're not 

 likely to be happy in a country neighborhood. 

 I don't know why, but that way won't work in 

 a country neighborhood. Maybe it's because 

 the countryman falls into a calmer habit of 

 mind, so that other people may have their little 

 faults without irritating him. Maybe it's be- 

 cause neighbors are so few in the countryside 

 that we can't afford not to hunt out the best 

 we can find in each other and dwell upon that. 

 Whatever the reason, the associations of the 

 country are a lot simpler and freer than in 

 town. There's less of show about us, and so 

 less of the silly discontent that mere show 

 breeds. Only once in a long time does any of 

 us pretend to a social "affair"; mostly we just 

 visit round in the plain country way, taking 

 each other as we're found without the "dog." 

 Of course that gives us more time and better 

 chance for finding what's real and worth while 

 in each other; and that's all that counts, isn't 

 it? 



Oh, yes, we have our little spells of being 

 offish, but they don't last. Often enough one 

 or another of the folks around here has miffed 

 us a bit or given us excuse for talking him over 



