, 1879-07-27
TIE SUMMER HEGIRA.

our recollection when SO many people have
left the city for country resorts, watering
places, and seaside towns. Every train and
every boat is crowded with pilgrims in search
Of what they conceive to be comfort and
pleasure, though they rarely find either, and
| usually return only to discover that what
they sought they left behind them, aud that
the real comfort and pleasure are right ut
home. The old saying Of GOETHE that
"Happinoss is whore thou art not" is very
truthful one. Our suburban correspondents
report that hotel-keepers have to turn away
people from their doors; but still the rush
continues, and may be expected to do SO for
three or four weeks to come, by which: time
the most of our butterflies will be in coun-
try clover, leaving the can't-get-aways. at
home to enjoy the multifarious: blessings OF;
Chicago in summer, which have so often been
recouuted in these columns, but never?with
too much emphasis. ''''
Tho stay-ar-home is remarkably, sfortu~
nate individual, not only in the amount Of
personal comfort he will enjoy, but also in
comparison with the relative discomforts Of
those who go away which he will escape.
Item: If the pilgrim mas gone to Saratoga,
or Long Branch, or any other so-called
fashionable watering-place; he is destined to
endure an amount of social torture which
nothing would induce him to suffer at home.
Paterfamilias, materfamilias, and "thair
sisters, and thoir cousins, and their aunts,"
oil know that it is an ineffable bore, and, if
they were put upon the rack, would confess
that life in one of those huge caravansaries
is dull, tedious, irritating, expensive sham,
gilded h1mbug, fraud aud cheat, which
they have to endure for the sake Of having
it known next winter that they were at
Saratoga this summer. The majority Of our
people, however, seek their comfort in rural
resorts near tho city,-a shrewd dodge Of
the head Of the family, as he can at any time,
when he really wants few days. recreation,
run down to Chicago, get something
to eat, and enjoy himself. Still it is the
thing to go to the country, if you don't 60
farther than Evanston, and this notwith-
standing that when it is cool in the country
it is just as cool ID the city, and when it is
hot in the city it is great deal hotter in
the country; that the plain, wholesome
country fare whichis supposed to be peculiar
to the region he is visiting comes up from
Chicago every night by train that it is too
hot to 60 out in the daytime, and that at
night the mosquito makes life burden. All
these discomforts the man who stays at
home avoids; and when the fall days come
be Gun look back upon pleasant remin-
iscepce Of IN enjoyable summer, and con-
template well-lined pocketbook.
1t must be sad reflection to the profess
sional man, who has regarded himself as in-
dispensable to the well being Of society, that
the world gets along without him very CON-
fortably. The ministers have left us in
dro7es, and yet their docks' do not consider
themselves in any special danger from Satan
and his hosts. Tho powers of evil make no
more progress with the shepherds away
than when they are at home. The great
moral forces for which Chicago is SO famous
keep her on the right path, evan when the
churches are shut and the ministers are off
in other pastures seeking recreation. The
congregations Of churches which rer1ain
as much complacency Us they do to their
own preachers. It is probable that the mis-
sionary spirit 1anguishes somewhat, that the
heathen in Borrioboo1a Cha do not receive
their rations Of flannel jackets and tracts
quite SO regularly: and that fewer jews are
converted, but beyond this there is little
change to note. Our lawyers 60 Away, but
there is no BORROW among itigants. Our
doctors go away, but there Is no increase of
sickness on the other hand, the under
taker finds his market duller than ever, and
the general health of the city keeps in ex-
Still, Notwithstanding all the disconforts
which those who go away must suffer, we
hope they will return to us recruited and re-
freshed, and resume their work, which ls so
veil kept up by the stay-at~homes, with new
vigor and determination It may please
them to know that those who remain behind
are well and happy, and hope these few Lines
find them enjoying the same blessings, and