1900.] ESSAYS. 119 



extensively introduced in rural communities, is also helping to 

 do away will) Ihe isolation of country life. With good roads, 

 electric- street railways, telephones, and free mail delivery, the 

 resident in the country is no longer obliged to lead a solitary 

 life. From the present state of things a new type of social life 

 is being evolved, which embraces the advantages of both city 

 and country life without the disadvantages incident to either one 

 alone. Its distinctive features are the refreshment of nature and 

 the repose of solitude in easy communication with the mart of 

 trade and the civilization of cities. This is where the ideal life 

 is to be found. As the energetic and ambitious people of every 

 community seek the best opportunities within their reach to bet- 

 ter their condition in life, they naturally try their chances in 

 those places where the business of the world is being done, and 

 where the most successful prizes in every department of human 

 civilization are being won. Consequently our cities are largely 

 filled up with capable and hard-working men and women who 

 were born and bred in the country, and the most of them live in 

 the hope and expectation that they will be able to spend the 

 evening of their days in the beauty and quietude of rural life. 

 Many a one as he sits by the hearth of his city home sees in 

 imagination the scenes of his childhood, as fond recollection pre- 

 sents them to view ; and he longs to live once more amid rural 

 scenes and in the simple and unconventional ways of country 

 folks. 



Hitherto these longings have proved to most city people as 

 unsubstantial as dreams, but now there is a chance for these 

 fancies to be turned into realities. The rapid growth of the 

 suburbs of cities and the multiplication of country homes indi- 

 cate that very many people are availing themselves of the 

 advantages to be found at the present day in rural communities. 



And thus good roads are doing much to benefit society at 

 large, for beyond question anything that maintains and improves 

 the stamina of man helps forward the progress of humanity. 



Washington declared that the practice of agriculture is the 

 most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of 

 man. In the hurly-burly of cities people become quick-witted 



