Formerly large tracts of flat farm lands, only sparsely shaded by trees, Massapequa, in common with other villages of its kind, was utterly destitute of any natural attractions.

There was the one principal street leading to the station, with a few scattered stores on either side, a church and a bank.

Happily, too, for those who were unable to survive the monotony of the place, it boasted of a pretty cemetery.

There were also a number of attractive cottages with spacious porches hung with honeysuckle and of these the Rossmores occupied one of the less pretentious kind.
But although Massapequa, theoretically speaking, was situated only a stone's throw from the metropolis, it might have been situated in the Great Sahara so far as its inhabitants took any active interest in the doings of gay Gotham.

Local happenings naturally had first claim upon Massapequa's attention--the prowess of the local baseball team, Mrs.Robinson's tea party and the highly exciting sessions of the local Pinochle Club furnishing food for unlimited gossip and scandal.