If one will take the time to drive for a hundred miles in a direct line through the farm districts, as the author has done, he will be not a little surprised at the striking contrast in the social conditions of the various neighborhoods passed through. In one instance he will be told that there is absolutely nothing present to invite the young--a dull, dead place with perhaps many run-down farms and farm homes to keep it company. He will learn that the young people of such a community are running off to some neighboring town where many of them find a cheap and degrading class of entertainment. But the next adjoining neighborhood may present a converse situation. One will be told that the young people are happy and contented there, that they have frequent meetings of their social clubs and other forms of organization; most probably the appearance of the neighborhood will be likewise much better than that of the other one mentioned. Attractive homes, well-kept roads and hedges, and other evidences of prosperity will meet one's view. In one district visited, the author found that this better situation had an interesting history and that it was nearly all traceable to a quarter of a century of public-spiritedness of one man. This resident had settled upon a quarter section of good land. While he was reconstructing his own home and its surroundings into a place of attractiveness, he was continually engaged in awakening the entire neighborhood in behalf of better things. He had led out in establishing a well-attended Sunday school in the district, had been instrumental in instituting regular preaching service there twice each month, had led the entire neighborhood out on more than one occasion for a day's work in improving and beautifying the school grounds, had been the organizer and director of the country literary society, and of more than one club of farmers and their wives. During all this time he was correspondent for one or two county papers and used every occasion for advertising the home community. All together, it was a most commendable and far-reaching service which this one man performed for his own neighborhood. So, it may be said that wherever there is one inspired leader in a country community, there is life.