WHO TAKES 'T~' , HE substance of a letter 
HOUSE AND GARDEN A that came in to the Man¬ 
ager of the Circulation Depart¬ 
ment of a magazine not long ago was as follows: “Please renew 
my subscription to your paper for three months. Although your 
offer was a limited one, I want to continue the magazine for that 
period, because it is for a very old lady who is not expected to 
live much longer.” Evidently the old lady proved more tenacious 
of life than the giver of the magazine speculated, for the trial 
subscription was renewed several times! 
There is a curious mixture of humor and pathos in that letter. 
The economical attitude of a careful spender is combined with 
the kindliness of the man who is solicitous of the pleasures of 
others — a quaint juxtaposition. 
But for the magazine maker there is a most cheerful thought 
contained in this episode. How strong the hold of that periodical 
must be upon the interest of individuals when it is desired as a 
last pleasure in life! Perhaps were we told that our span of life 
would last for but three months more, and that we might choose 
our final pleasures, we would all make different selections. But 
at any rate the objects of our choosing would be those of our 
strongest delectation, those that stand nearest to our hearts. 
Many of us would not choose magazines among the few dear 
interests of those days when the shadow of Eternity had over¬ 
cast most temporal joys. 
And what is the permanence of interest for most of us in this 
magazine? There are some who have written us friendly letters 
in which they acknowledged gratefully House and Garden’s 
share in the building of their house. The work was most satis¬ 
factory, so there was no further need for the magazine, they 
said. Others have written enthusiastically of their successful gar¬ 
den. “We owe it to you, House and Garden; may you help 
others as you have us.” Are they right, these people, who find 
a definite, practical purpose in the magazine, but grant it only a 
temporary function? If they are, we have failed in our mission. 
This is the one place in the magazine where the publisher and 
the subscriber may approach one another. Let us violate the 
usual conventions for once. As old friends before the hearth, 
gazing solemnly into the pulsing glow of embers, speak visions 
and hopes in life, let us talk about this serious thing, our mission. 
At an exhibition of forest products the other day we saw a 
white pine siding from the summer house on the grounds of the 
old Royall House near Medford, Mass. It was built in 1732, but 
to-day there was as great beauty in its simple lines of classic 
carving as when it was fresh from the workman’s tools. 
And this relic called to our mind how few old homesteads there 
are to-day. We do not mean the centuries old houses, but those 
occupied by several generations. We can build houses as endur¬ 
ing as the Colonials—indeed, our knowledge of the use of lasting 
materials has greatly advanced. It is not the skill or the art we 
need so much, but the permanence of interest in a home. A 
house is soon built, but a home long in the making. The tendency 
is to put up a structure to-day that will suit our immediate needs, 
with the sub-conscious thought that to-morrow we will improve 
on it elsewhere. But if we stressed the accent on the word home, 
we would plan for generations. We would have in mind a place 
where the family grew, not a temporary speculation which, when, 
our fickle taste changed, could be quickly disposed of for its sur¬ 
face attractions — and another venture made. 
Beside the end in view, home-making is a growing delight. It 
is a vocation that lasts. As we go about the continuous process 
of adding to the charm of each room, our sense of beauty grows 
and we are forever improving. We are unconsciously educating 
ourselves, our power of appreciating fine things develops, and we 
really get a greater pleasure from what we have. 
There is an expression commonly heard: “Why should I go to- 
the trouble of doing things over? Very few people come here, 
and those who do are too good friends to notice how things look." 
That is an attitude that this magazine seeks to correct. It is most 
worth while to you yourself to develop your home; it is much 
more than a question of looks and externals — it is necessary for 
your artistic education and satisfaction. 
It is the same with the garden and grounds — when the ideal of 
last year’s careful scheming is reached, you will have found your 
standard raised. There will be another ideal to be realized, still 
greater perfection to be obtained. No garden is ever finished; 
not only because time and chance alter it, but because in itself it 
constantly teaches betterment. 
And the magazine criterions of these subjects, they too are- 
improving, because they are always learning. Look back five 
years, even three, and realize how true this is. They represent 
just such an evolution as they hope to continue in the homes of 
those who read their pages. 
And now we make one prophecy. There will come a time soon 
when people will cease to be satisfied by speed, and blase, and 
excitement. The transient delights of feast and dress and show 
will have palled. In their place will come those pleasures that 
are permanent because they are never quite finished, because they 
are only a variable perfection which grows in progress. That will 
be the day of gardens and of homes, a day when the full realiza¬ 
tion of their place in life is recognized. 
So, then, the publishers of House and Garden and its readers 
have a kindred interest. It is an interest that cannot be set to a 
single period in one’s life, but to all one’s life. Perhaps the last 
days when activity is weakened would find no need for the 
magazine, but surely in the days of vigor, when the joy of things, 
to be done is with us and the pleasure of doing them is strong 
upon us, there is use for it. And in that lies its hope and its. 
purpose. If it can point the way to the lasting satisfaction of 
the process of home-making, it will have done much. If it can 
plan and inspire and guide in the pleasant activities which tend to. 
accomplish real homes, it will have done more. It has a broad 
field in spreading to view the manifold delights of country life,, 
the charm of garden, field and hedgerow. And as their story is 
always new and never finished, there is reason to believe that the 
telling should be of perpetual interest. 
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