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 
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