THE PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED. 3 



ually this idea took possession of me : Why is 

 it not possible for a healthy man, yet strong 

 and in the enjoyment of youth, to make bread 

 and butter for his little ones and himself with- 

 out chaining himself down to a life of drud- 

 gery, without passing most of his time away 

 from those he loves, without devoting his life to 

 work which is drudgery, which is hard, which 

 tells upon a man's vitality day by day ? What 

 am I good for? At what work which does not 

 require a daily routine in a city office can I 

 make enough money for our simple life ? By 

 degrees these questions began to assume a per- 

 sonal importance. Was it possible that I, with 

 my horror of the city, its bustling monotony, 

 its petty concern for inanities, could find work 

 which would offer me freedom and bread and 

 butter? I wanted no work which would keep 

 me in-doors from the beginning of April to the 

 end of December, no work which would every 

 day compel me to say good-bye to my children 

 in the early morning. Of course such a life 

 must be found in the country, if anywhere, and 

 in country occupations. To some people this 

 might mean in itself misery. To me, with 

 my love of sunshine, it is otherwise. During 



