ana Life 



not speciosum, which I ordered and wanted, but 

 tuberosum, which I care for much less. I have a 

 great mind to name the person who sold it me 

 and took advantage of my ignorance. 



The moles have been terribly active, worse than 

 I have known them before, and there is hardly a 

 patch in the garden they have not furrowed. A 

 number of them have been caught ; but they have 

 damaged all the lawns and have completely spoilt 

 several flower-beds. The season seems to have 

 been particularly favorable to them, and the va- 

 riety of drawbacks the gardener has to contend 

 with never seems to end, and provides constant 

 occupation. 



This is, however, an age of variety entertain- 

 ment, in which the brains of most people, as 

 Max Nordau so graphically points out, are dis- 

 tracted sorely from staple thought and concen- 

 tration. The growing competition for wealth, 

 luxury, and increased comfort has reached an un- 

 wholesome stage of development, and sooner or 

 later I hope some reaction toward a simpler, 

 staider life will set in. At present the turmoil of 

 the race for supremacy, both individual and na- 



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