OUT-OF-TOWN PLACES 



der, and owns fine stock. It is, I must be al- 

 lowed to say, a somewhat imperfect idea. He 

 has not the slightest doubt of his capacity to 

 treat land judiciously, and make it produce 

 huge crops at a minimum of cost. How he 

 expects to accomplish this, I do not know; 

 neither, I think, does he. 



Naturally, he does not mean to buy a 

 farm full of rocks; on the contrary, he wishes 

 smooth land — rich, of course, with no un- 

 couth assemblages of brush — gently undulat- 

 ing withal — giving fine views — not hard to 

 till, with serviceable buildings upon it — in a 

 healthy region, convenient to schools, railways, 

 churches, mills, steamboats, and the world 

 generally — with ample society in the neigh- 

 borhood — plenty of the choicest fruit — 

 abounding in good spring- water — no incum- 

 brances, and at a very low price. All this, he 

 thinks, is to be found easily, any day in the 

 week, and that a moderate sized check will 

 transfer it to his possession. 



There is a little presumption in the thought ; 

 but, if the advertisements are to be believed, 

 not much. City-bred men have indeed rather a 

 presumptuous way of regarding those who 

 live and gain their living by country pursuits. 



Think of it for a moment:— Here (in the 



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