, 1883-09-13
Weekly Argus.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER Is. lssa.
A Time For All Things.


s. - RgV,'in1
The President OF the United States
has gone on hunting and fishing
expedition to the wiIds of the West.
The trip Will probably do him good.
"Roughing it, as it Is termed, when
when the constitution is sound has
often wonderful effect upon the
man who has spent nearly all his life
among bricks and mortar. There is
little of the savage in all of us,
and the open prairie and tent do not
come amiss, But there is notion
abroad that nobody in this country
has moral right to take a holiday.
1t Is supposed that the correct thing
Is to remain chained to the desk or
bench, as the case may be. In many
places it is believed to be discredit-
able to take any leisure at all. 1t is
the duty OF the male to keep at work
all the time. There is to be 10 let
up for him. 1t is fortunate, perhaps.
that the rule does not extend to the
other sex.
As consequence no person, espec-
tally in official life, ever makes an ex-
cursion without giving it a business
veneer. If there is to be any pleas
ure 1t Is to be mixed with duty. Ac-
cordingly we read that the President
has not penetrated the Western wilds
solely for the purpose of getting
breathing spell from the harrassing
cares of his office He has under
taken the trip for the purpose of
studying the Indian question. The
romance has run along to the point
where he is making arrangements to
give the wards of the Lation land in
severaity, though Congress has not
yet said word on that subject. If
there has been any hunting or fishing
twas merely incidental. 1t is prob
able that we can afford to be a little
more rational on the subject.
To grub and toll all through life
is not the chief aim and object of
man. By denying himself recrea-
ton he is only preparing idleness
and dissipation for those who come
after him. If thare is any decent
and rational enjoyment, everyone
ought to get his share of it. At best
1t ought not to be necessary for him
to apologize whenever he lays aside
his burdens. Black care sits close
enough behind the horseman, with |
out binding the spectre to his body. |
There is golden mean in this mat
ter which is beginning to assert itself |
The fact is being slowly recognized
that an individual may occasionally
seek amusement, if for no other pur
pose but to change the current of his
thoughts. In the Old World this
thing Is pushed to the other extreme. |
1t Is regarded to be discreditable to
be at leisure here, it is derogatory |
to man to be at work there. If per
chance an acquaintance should drop
and ind an individual in the upper
ranks writing letter, an apology for
the absence of the secretal ' is often
considered to be necessary. In one
hemisphere it is all play, at least for
certain classes. In the other it is
never ending work for all.
But neither is right. Labor is hon
orable. But it is not SO honorable as
to be ever present When the Pres
ident of the United States takes a.
holiday hereafter, it is just as well to
say so, and makes no ''bones" about
1t When one of our political men
goes abroad, it ought not to be nee
essary to allege as an excuse that
he wants to study the political con-
dltion OF the people in other lands.
If he really is desirious of Stroll
on the Boulevards, an idle time, and
ageneral lounge, his character should
should not suffer. Even General
Grant, independant as he generally is
OF public opinion, would not 60
around the world without some SUI
perserviceable friend, alleging as his
main purpose an upappeasable de-
sire to perfect his political knowl-
edge. Idleness is something of
course to be condemned A certain
parsonage not over friendly to man.
kind, is supposed to find work readily
for Idle hands But it does not fol-
low that unremitting labor is true
moral rectitude. There is time for
all things. Judicious leisure now
and then may not leave such large
estates for probate, but it might for
all that render life more acceptable
and at the same time prolong it.