Sacramento daily record-union., 1884-06-17
OVERRIDING THE THING.

Very soon warm weather will be at
hand, unless the usual climatic condi-
tons fail, and then the summer ex-
odus from cities and towns will be-
gin. The disposition to spend summer
vacations in the open air, in camp, rural
resort, by the seaside, in mountain coolness
and wooded shade, by the shores of the
lakes and in the gorges Of the hills is aug
menting. Some one has said that it testi-
ties to the growth of the barbaric spirit.
Perhaps; but if So it is well. Such bar
barrie tendencies will do us good, in that
they will improve the physical condition
and give the intellectual part better me-
diums, and afford that relaxation from the
tread-mill routine of business life which
nothing else will. We live too fast; We
work too hard we exhaust the oil of the
lamp until the wick burns dry and hard.
The dust of the city coats us mentally as
well as physically. The hard pavements
sympathies and narrow our views Of men
and things. The unbounded freedom OF
the sea, the stimulant of saline breezes, the
elasticity of unhampered nature found
only in the country, the feast we may have
at the board of nature in her mountain
banqueting-hall are the reIuven-
ators and restorers, the safety valves for the
city man of business But there is one
thing to be guarded against, and that
is the tendency to oyerdo the thing.
In great many cases we lose
all the good effects of vacation
by the attempt to enjoy it too much-to
crowd too much into the narrow time
given us for rest. We go into the country
with softened mus les tired bodies and
relaxed system and undertake hardships
that only the most rugged should encoun-
ter, and the result is that very many come
back used up, to employ a vulgarism.
They have not protited by their vacation,
for they have attempted too much. This
i the one great objection to camping in
vacation The tedium and dust of the road
lllt llOlAlo' lllI hNiC bNN7' t4AN
ill-cooked food, the weary tramping, the
packing and unpacking, the oyertaXing Of
haccid muscles-all these accompany camp
life undertaken by the city resident. Phys
zeal efforts and discomforts that are moth
ing to the mountaineer are herculean tasks
to the city-bred. Probably six out of ten
who camp out III summer vacation without
the aid of servants are wholly unfit for that
kind of recreation" 1t is not rest to
them, and the results are rarely beneficial,
Those who are not physically strong, har-
dened and accustomed to camping should
go upon such excursions only in toleraDly
large parties, well supplied with comfort
able covered vehicles, tents practically i'm
pervious to moisture, hammOcks or cots
that may be swung well above the ground,
and strong capable servants to do the
drudgery All others Will do better to con-
tent themselves with rail or steamer travel,
seaside mountain or watering-place accom-
modations, or that pleasure vouchsafed to
SO few, the privilege of rest in a well-llept
and orderly country home. Above all, the
tendency to oyerdo should be avoided. A
whole summer cannot be crowded into a
week or two, nor can one drink in years
supply Of country air and exhilaration in a
few days Of rural touring. The right thing
to do is to take our vacation easily, without
much effort; restfully, and with the least
possible discomfort to ourselves and to
others