THE COUNTRY HOME [chapter 



smoke, and then you have no feeling of friendship 

 with authors who are only visitors. 



I have advocated individualism strongly, but it 

 should not be allowed to go too far. The kitchen 

 used to constitute a family room, but to-day, even 

 in country houses, the kitchen has become a ser- 

 vants' retreat; and in too many cases no substitute 

 has been established. Every home, especially 

 every country home, should have a family room. 

 This should be the heart of the house, where all 

 gather together for conversation, for music, and for 

 sport. It should not be the reception room — de- 

 voted to strangers — nor the library, nor the labor- 

 atory; but a room in which to grow a family spirit 

 — to keep up the oneness of the housefolk. With- 

 out it your boys and your girls will seek social life 

 elsewhere, and the social life of your own house will 

 only be that conventionalism which is sure to be 

 bred where outsiders are included. 



A conservatory is not really as necessary in the 

 country as it is to have the surroundings of the house 

 bright and cheerful for winter; yet nearly every 

 country house may have, if it will, cozy corners for 

 potted plants. I shall give you my experience in 

 arranging a house room for this purpose, and then 



[48] 



