Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-13
SUMMER VACATIONS.


" P'S''''''
SUMMER NACAllONS'
Hot weather stands over against work. 1t
is as natural to be lazy in the Summer time
as it is to be sleepy in the night. And Sum-
mcr lazines. is not only no fault-it is duty.
The man who refuses to heed the gentle IN
ducements of nature, and goes right on with
the same drive and push, the same up-and-
down effort, when his mental and physical
energies are slack as when they are taut COM
mts an outrage on the order OF things, and
ought to BE- punished-and is punished, soon
er or later. If one tightens up the strings OF
a violin to concert pitch when they are soft
and sweating they may not break then,
but will quickly slide down from the pitch,
and, after they dry, will probably snap. This
is Just as true of the human energies. man
who works hard when he ought to be recu-
pera,ing may not break down at the time,
but he is far more likely to give out after
ward.
Perhaps some will say that the lasstude OF
Summer is not constitutional, but voluntary;
that people are lazy because they want to be,
not because there is any need that
they should be- 1t would be strange, then,
il some people did not escape the
feeling; but we never knew of anyone who
would not allow that he felt the relaxing eff
fects of hot weather, while Boosting til
power to resist them. The heroism of work
in the proper time for rest is nothing better
titude which. rather than betray the Hulter-
ing of n muscle cherishes the euawing wolf in
the bosom. All courage, fortitude, persis-
tency, which has not the best good in view,
is worse than the vericst cowardice which
ventures nothing, and gains nothing, but
preserves what one has.
Summer rest. then. is wise and summer
toll foolish, to those who have the means of
regulating their activities. More than three
fourths of the independent people in the
world recognize this fact, and govern them
selves accordingly. Summer vacations arc
the rule with well TODD people it is a custom
falling in with propriety, inclination falling
in with nature. Those who do not take
summer vacations, and might, are far more
reprehcnsible than those whom financial
sense-ought not to and do. The only proper
rule to follow in the matter is
this: If you have a summer vacation, keep
it; If you haven't one, take it, Get one any
way.
Admitting the necessity of vacation dur
ing the warm weather, the question naturally
arises, how to use it to best advantager And
here most of us, at least, ought to be gov
erned by the very reason for taking a vaca-
ton at all. We took it, because nature tele-
graphed the brain that she wanted to repair
the human machinery, and would be Obliged
If the will would issue an order to shut down
for awhile. Certain nerves and certain
muscles have worked long time and
are little worn and shsky,
and need building up and tightening to make
them as good as new. The general manager
| of the high-pressure and 90. as-I please mill
DO hoos a, this summons of nature, and tele
graphs back, "AIind your business an
running this mill. and don't propose to shut
down until something rattles." By.aud-by
something does rattle, 1t is the whole mill
rafting down into the cellar.
Rest then is the great desideratum in
planning summer vacation; but it need moi
be that kind of rest which GOES by the name
of dleness-more expressively called "yege
tatng." 1t need not be utter rest-insuition
dude-like vacuity. The rest that is desira
BILE is partial rest, rest of the weariet
parts; and yet, in certain sense, the who'll
system must be ''shut down"-there must b.
no high-prcssure e1ertion of any kind, TO
that always calls in the entire powers of
man, and wearies ALL A day of intens'
mental labor wearies the body; a day o
over-exertion physically, numbs and ex
hausts the brain. Mild exercise of anothe
set of powers, undoubtedly rests the facul
ties not called in play, more than does entir
cessation of activity. The brain worker
| peratc out door exercise the Inechapi
|