The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-22 00:00:00

THE RETURN FROM THE HOLIDAYS*

If the old idea that the most essential portion
of any pleasure lies in the eager anticipation of
it is an absolute truth, then ought the retrospect
to be rather a gruesome proceeding, for, what
with the anticipation and the actual enjoyment,
there would not seem to be very much pleasure
left for the looking back. But, as a matter of
fact, the old idea holds good mainly with
the young. It is ia the spring-time of life that
there is a keen anticipation of the multifarious
pleasures to be derived from a holiday ; the
settling of the arrangements, the laying-out of
elaborate plans, the foretelling of innuelerable
enjoyments—all these are rather the property of
the young than of those with whom life has
worn off much of its newness and something of
its bloom. The elders cannot as a rule and in
the very nature of things give so much time to
the contemplatien of a coming holiday as the
younger ones ; it is their portion to have to de-
vise the ways and means, and th st is equivalent
to their devoting themselves the harder to work
in order the more easily to meet the pending ex-
penses. But, just at the present moment, there
is less to consider in the wetter of preparation
for pending holidays than in the contemplation
of holideys that are passed. The social usage
of a two cr three weeks' annual cessation from
toil appears now to have crystallised into a cus-
tom which is likely to increase rather than to
dissolve, and ell who can manage it get away
from their homes in the early autumn. That
pirfion of the year is rapidly fading from us,
and it is now the return from the holidays that
has to be considered rather than anything to be
s _kid either in favour of the whole systern as an
institution or in connection with any special
preparations for them. And this matter of the
rat urn is often a very serious one to the head of
a household who has taken his family with him
to some pleasure resort. The younger branches
see this seriousness only in the feet that the end
of their joys has come all too soon, and that no
longer, or not at least for another twelve months
will they be able to wander down the mountain
side to enjoy the sunshine on the stream or to
inhale by the seaside those health-giving breezes
not to be met with in the crowded thoroughfares
of our great cities. But the one who has to pay
for all these varied amusements is apt at the end
of the excursion to look a little grave as he finds
perhaps that the cost has greatly exceeded the
modest estimate which he had been authoritat-
ively assured at the commencement would amply
suffice for all their wants. And even this in
these days is not the only thing which worries
the householder when thinking of returning
from his trip. The "burglary season" appears
te set in each year with increased violence, and,
if no one has been left to take care of the don i
cile while its master is away, the chance always
presents itself to that masters' mind that he may
go back to find it riff, d of its most cherished
contents. Even if he has taken the the precau-
tion to provide himself with a caretaker, the
suspicion may not be altogether absent from
his mind that this official may relax his vigilance,
or be wanting in assiduity. These and many
other mistrustful doubts may disturb his equan-
imity; yet, after all these things have been con-
siderEd and allowed for, the return from the
holidays is not altogether so dreadful a thing Ete
might, from the previous observations, have
b3en assumed. However much enjoyment ma
have been derived from the trips, there is al-
ways a delightful sensation in being once more
at home. The seaside lodgings can scarcely be
considered to take the place of one's household
goods, while even the house of a friend, however
co.nfortable the host may endeavour to make it,
can never feel exactly like home. It is after
the travelling trunks have been unpacked, after
things have been put somewhat straight, after
the first hearty meal has been eaten, that the
old dwelling seems to become in every sense the
home again. And it is not one of the least of
the pleasures which go to make up the happiness
of a thoughtful man's holiday, and there is al-
ways the prospect after all the jauntings and
the junketings have been thoroughly enjoyed,
of returning refreshed in body and mind, set up
in health with a new store of energy, ready to
appreciate even more fully than ever before the
bl.ssings of home.