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Show r Rural Pastimes That City Guests Enjoy V - J It is a fallacy of human nature that j the country, which may be almost un thought of by the city dwellers during the winter season, b.ecomes suddenly very popular indeed when the hot weather arrives. But when August's heat is making the city almost unbearable even for the stoics, the city woman writes with warm affections to hor cousin on the farm, telling how she longs to see her again and would so love to be with her for a short stay at least. This is the way that vacations are obtained without paying for them. Real Country Life. However, the country dweller is usually warm hearted and good natured, and goes out of her way to make tno little country home as attractive at-tractive as possible to her visitors. Very often the warmest feeling exists between the city and the country branches of the family. Both interchange visits winter nndj summer, which are as welcome to one as to the other, and both do their utmost ut-most to give the other the very best time they can. When this is the case, the country relative is even more anxious than usual to make the city visitor enjoy her stay. She still remembers tho theaters and concerts she attended on her winter's win-ter's visit to the city, and longs to return in some measure the gay times she then enjoyed. At any rate, this Is the season when the country cousin is at the height of her popularity. City friends and relatives are all delighted to accept her invitations, and she is kept very busy thinking up ways and means to entertain her guests. You girls who havo homes in tho country and are now returning the hospitality extended to you through the winter are perhaps somewhat puzzled puz-zled as to how you can entertain the more or less sophisticated guests under your roof. Give them a taste of country life and country amuscmonts. Don't try to rival the city hostesses In their type of entertainment. Dances ajul luncheons offer no interest in-terest to town dwellers, because they aro satiated with that kind of fun. In the first place, if you llvo on a real farm you probably haven't the means of furnishing these entertainments. entertain-ments. In the second place, by the time summer comes city dwellers are really tired of dancing, bridge whist, etc. , , If you want to give them real pleasure pleas-ure you must try to provide things that are quite different from town amusements. An excellent ideaVwhich one bright country girl 1ms already put into execution exe-cution in her home town was the form-iur form-iur of a club to work for the Kcd Cross Instead of tho old fashioned quilting parties, they now hold a weekly meeting, meet-ing, first at one home, then at another, j of a sewing and knitting society. Each month a prize is offered for the one who has completed the most work during the four weekly meetings. Girls who have city cousins on a visit for the summer or a part of tho summer might, form a similar sewing society to meet wooldy, the finished work to go to the Red Cross. All girls, whether they are from the town or country, are interested in helping that. Your visitors would certainly be happy in this work, and It would at tho same time bo an excuse ex-cuse for a gathering of your friends for tea. There are all kinds of things you could make at these parties hospital nightgowns of flannel, knitted eye caps, etc. I Write to any branch office of the i Red Cross and ask what articles are most needed and for instructions as to I how thoy should be made. By all means give your city visitors at least one hay ride picnic during their stay. Have a substantial supper put up and start about three in tho afternoon. after-noon. Try to choose a moonlight night, so that the ride home may be most attractive. Have ono of the big farm wagons filled with hay, and pile all your guosts into tho one cart If possible. Select as your picnic ground the prettiest spot possible within an hour or an hour and a half's ride from your home. If thero is any place within that distance dis-tance whore there is a lake or a river deep enough to swim in, it would bo fun for all to carry along bathing suits for a dip before supper. After you reach the picnic grounds let the guests entertain themselves about as they choose with rowing, swimming or walking. A Straw Ride. Have supper about half-past six and then start for home about eight. The ride back will be a jolly affair if every one joins in singing some or the popular popu-lar old songs I For any evening gatherings you may H hold while your guests are there, dance a little if you like, but prefer- jH ably such old fashioned dances as the Virginia reel, which even the country jH dwellers are now forgetting. Play charades and. other guessing IH games as a part of the evening's enter- Wk tainment. jH Do not try to rival your city guests in your line of entertainment for their benefit, because they will be far more VH interested and amused in something quite different from their own type of jH pleasures. |