ON THE OPEN COUNTRY 



One of the most fascinating features of 

 that delightful town of Concord, Mass., is 

 in its memorials of great men and great 

 events. 



The preservation of rural scenery will 

 certainly mean the suppression of the bill- 

 board nuisance. To see a farm barn flaring 

 with a black and yellow coat of paint, roof 

 and sides screeching the name of some 

 talcum powder or baby poison, all in the 

 midst of what should be peaceable and re- 

 spectable rural scenery, gives one a shock 

 like hearing a man swear in church. And 

 when a man prostitutes his barn to such 

 hire he puts himself in the same class with 

 the woman who sells her character for a 

 fee. It is probably easier to stop the 

 ravages of the billboard shyster in the 

 country than in the city. His profits are 

 relatively less and the damage he does 

 relatively more. 



All public places in the country, such 

 as school grounds and cemeteries, will, of 

 course, receive the attention of the rural 

 improvement society. We all know how 

 often they are neglected, and without 

 further argument we are all heartily 

 ashamed of it. 



217 



