54 The Life Worth Living 



world prominence to-day who was born in a 

 great city, and he became a man because he 

 got out of it, and put himself in touch with 

 Nature. 



My children were prisoners in New York. 

 In Old Virginia they find life and freedom. 

 There the doctor came every week, here 

 once a year is enough. We have no signs to 

 "keep off the grass." The lawn is theirs, 

 and on its open greensward or beneath its 

 spreading elms and oaks every game that 

 can tempt a child's heart they can play from 

 year's end to year's end. 



Here they learn to watch for the first signs 

 of life in spring. 



We have a boy whose eye discovers the 

 first ripening strawberry, cherry, raspberry, 

 melon and vegetable. Long before we think 

 of looking, his keen little eyes have found 

 them, and his swift bare feet come bounding 

 to his mother as he holds the treasure aloft 

 in triumph. 



