The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-08-08
Summer Excursions,

The thoughtful spectator must view
with surprise the exodus Of thousands
of our citizens across the ocean to make
a grand tour Of England, Ireland, Scot
land, France, Switzerland and Italy,
following closely on each others heels
over beaten paths, and seeing little in
reality Of the manners and customs of
the people visited. These tourists are
subjected for ten days to all the annoy
ances of crowded steamships, close
state-rOoms, the perils of the deep and
the miseries of sea-sickness. On reacn-
Ing the land, they are annoyed by pass
ports and custom-houses; packed into
railway cars so arranged that they are
exposed to robbery and insult; charged
for extra baggage and without any
provisions for its safe and prompt de-
livery; oppressed by exorbitant de-
mands, against which, through their
ignorance of the language, they have
no redress and considered wherever
they may go as victims to be plucked,
rather than as guests to be welcomed
and fairly treated. And for all this
where is the compensation They can
say that they have seen the lakes of
England, of Ireland and of switzerland,
the gayeties of Paris and the hustle of
London, the snow-capped submits of
the Alps and the Appenines; they have
drunk the waters of the German Spas,
have inspected the art galleries in the
large cities filled with the works of the
masters; they may even gaze upon the
pyramids of Egypt and the waters of
the Nile; and for all this they have eX-
pended large amount of money and
much wOrriment of soul.
In view of these results and the time,
money and worriment required to at
tain them, the question naturally arises
"Why should we, during the warm
months of summer, leave our own to
sojoHrn for a season in foreign | nds?'
We have here at our very door all the
variations Of temperature and scenery,
and all nationalties are to be found
among our people. Considered simply
as a question Of cconOmy-no small
consideration during these" hard times"
"a far greater amount of pleasure is to
be enjoyed on the Continent of America
for a smaller amount of money. The
traveller is annoyed, neither by pass
ports nor custom-house regulations.
Our railway system is as near perfec-
tiOn as invention and money can bring
it. The Pennsylvania II. r., and many
other leading lines are laid with steel
rails, ,ballasted with stone, traversed by
trains of ears handsomely fitted up and
supplied with every convenience. The
convenient and luxurious Pullman
Palace cars are furnished with all the
appliances for repose and comfort,
while the hotel cars supply the passen-
gers with choice viands as they speed
on to their destination. The introduce
ton of the block system and Westing-
house brake, reduce the danger of ac-
cidents to a minimum. Everywhere
telegraph lines keep up rapid commu-
nications, and the complete express
system with the checking of baggage
insures the safety of the baggage of
tourists and relieves them from all re-
sponsibility. If communication bv
water is preferred our bays, rivers and
lakes are covered with floating palaces,
decorated with almost oriental magnifi-
cence, while bands of music enliven
the tedium of the voyage.
But, with all these advantages, where
shall we go? The difficulty arises not
so much from the fewness but the null
tiplicity of the attraction. If our taste
lies in the direction of cataracts and
water falls, there are the Falls of Mag
ara, of Montmorenci, Of Trenton, and
the wild leapings of the waters amid
the canons of Colorado. Others may
prefer the rapids of the St. Lawrence,
with its thousand isles. Are we fond
of lakes? Then let us seek those grand
bodies Of water-Erie, Ontario, Superb
or, Michigan, or the minor beauties OIL
Lakes George, Champlain, and the
chain of lakelets that stud like emer
aids the Northern boundary of New
York. We have in different sections of
the country springs impregnated with
alum, iron and sulphur, magnetic, soda,
hot and cold springs with the sparkling
product from the fountains of Saratoga.
Where can we find mountains to sur
aEmsRi,la2eauty and grandeur the gran
I,AAew Hampshire, the Ale
Asue Ridge, the White