The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-26
PLEASURES OF
VACATION.
A Trip Into the Country and Its
Healthful Results.
How Children Enjoy Relaxation From Study
and Vow They Enjoy the Fish They Catch
or the Berries They Gather.
Written for THE MORNING CALL


chilling rains and SHOWS, the frightful
roaring of the thunder. the mournful whist
ling of the winds, how delightful is it to
Mother Nature to behold the sweet influence
of spring. which comes like gentle nurse
to warm her with her balmy breath and re-
fresh her with the bright rays of the golden
sun. The earth which was wrapped in
gloom, continually reverberating the un-
varying, monotonous fall of the plentiful
rain, has blossomed into thing of beauty
and JOY, inviting us by its many and varied
charms to sympathiZe aud be glad with it in
the revolution that has taken place. Nature
has clothed herself in her brightest garb
and exhorts the feathered choir to pour
forth their most melodious songs of praise.
Flowers-the beautiful progeny of de-
lghtful spring-fll the ambient air with
the richest fragrance and shed an alluring
influence over the vast space they cover.
With SO many beauties to tempt the ar
tistic or
LOVERS OF THINGS MUNDANE
And with the inducements which country
life holds out to the fatigued city folks, it
seems only natural that those who are able
should leave the hot. dusty metropolis for
the more tempting atmosphere of seaside
life.
The clerks of the different interior hotels,
who yawned and gaped all the live-long
day, yearning for something to relieve the
monotonY of their existence, are now at
their wits end to provide suitable accom-
modations for the large list of passengers
which each train or stage invariably brings.
The inevitable hotel piano, which might
have been enjoying a Rip Van Wrinkle
Sleep SO peacefully did it slumber in its
accustomed corner in the parlor of the
country caravansary, wears an unmstak-
able air OF rejuvenescence, brought about
by the rusticating music-player. In fact,
the lethargic condition that characterized
the entire state of being during the winter
months is outdone only by the trausforma-
ton that takes place during the summer
days; and thus it is that the quiet country
people anticipate the advent Of the city
folk
WITH CONSIDERABLE EXPECTATION.
The matr0n OF fashion and the matron's
daughters consider few months spent
amid rural surroundings an Indispensable
adjunct IN the way of fresh pleasure and
conduests The tired, hard working clerk
accepts with alacrity a few weeks respite
from office duties, which he spends at some
springs or resort, whose inyigOrating powers
produce untold results Various as well as
pleasant are the enjoyable rides and eXcur-
sions, the dancing and games and the even
ing strolls through scented groves or parks
usually Illuminated by the soft radiance of
full moon. From the hotel portico or the
cottage veranda the coquet can ply her
vocation unremittingly, which is that of a
Irritation, mild, silly or amounting to moth
Ing, as she may choose to speak of it.
Vacation for the heads of families is gen.
orally one thing, while vacation to the
groWn-up sons and daughters Is something
entirely different.
But all the pleasures that mammas and
papas and big brothers and sisters enjoy
paleS into lnsignlhcance with that eXpe-
rienced by the school-child. While at home
the children look up to their prototypes for
guidance in some matters, they give
FULL SWAY
To their own inclinations when a jaunt in
the country is concerned. Alter year Of
scho0l-after year of lab0rious mental ex-
ertions-after year Of listening to the
monot0nous hum OF the schOOl-rOom, the
mournful sobs of the most unfortunate
pupil-wIth what Joy is vacation welcomed.
Vacation restores health. brings back to
the cheek the delicate crimson rose which
hard study had terrified and driven away,
and so essential is it to the health OF the
child that we're there no vacation the pupil
would pine under his collegiate labors like
flower would under a perpetual, sunless,
cloudy sky. One may exercise every care
and attention in the cultivation of some
plant but if that plant is deprived of
sufficient moisture or the heat of the sun
the labor is for laught and the plant per
iShes. So 1t is with the school-child. lie
has studied diligently during the past year,
ever well ventilated is nevertheless at times
close, and he naturally looks forward to va
cation as a retreat combining peaeefulness
with pleasure. By a parent who appre-
ciates the benefits to be derived from
A RELAXATION OF STUDY,
The boy or girl is taken for a short stay in
the country No butterfly as 1t fiutters
from flower to flower drinking in the balmy
nectar from their tiny goblets is filled with
more JOY or possesses a greater sense OF
freedom than school children during the first
few weeks of their vacation. They are sur
rounded and welcomed by kind friends,
they have thousand little school adveu-
lures TO tell about and a thousand little
complaints to make. In word, they are as
busy as hive of bees. Pleasure predomi-
mates over all their thoughts and over all
their actions. Everything needs an ex-
PLANTATION, every nook and corner is duly
explored, all things are admired and made
much of. The timid little bird, which in
deluSlye confidence built its nest on the
huge branch OF some tree or sequesIered
nook, is rudely awakened from its dream Of
peace and seclusion by some ruthless ex-
plorer. The sly fish are lured by the young
sters bait, the squirrel stands in momentary
dread OF being stoned or having his home
invaded, and everything Is a target on a
more or less extended scale for the school
boys prankS. Nor are their more gentle
sisters gniltless from interloping on the
pleasures of the country. 1t is so nice to eat
THE FISH ONE CATCHES.
And though the catch of the sister may not
compare IN number with that Of her more
agile brother, still very frequently the girl
enjoys dish Of the iinny tribe caught with
her own dainty fingers. She makes deep
inrOads on the berry beds and is nor at ali
backward In helping herself to the nuts
which are dropping from the trees. The
hills which yesterday showed the pref
test variegated picture, covered with flow
ers Of every kind and description, are to-
h1NT "a ri rf flalr
and her sisters. Then again, tine boy may
be guilty Of many little cTuelties, but nine
times out of ten the hotel people who are
Obliged to listen day after day to the girl
practiclng her scales or frantically en-
deayorIng to master some new piece of
music wish Tor the time being that all girls
were boys. Boys and girls alike make the
best OF everything in their surroundings,
and old wagons and vehicles which had al
most vegetated at some farmhouse for want
of use, are brought into requisition again
and gwen 10 understand that their days of
usefulness are not yet over Indeed il
would be hard to accurately depict the Joy
a child who has been accustomed TO the
narrow
CONFINES OF CITY PLAYGROUND
Feels as he losses and tumbles in the i'm
mense arena with its hundred and one op-
portunlties Tor sport, and which the coun-
try so layishly bestows. Across fields and
along corridors the merry laugh Of the chill
dren Is heard, and the multtudinous hum
OF youthful, happy voices invades every
where.
But after the first week or two vacation
begins to be mOEotOnous. The entire alb
sence from restraint of any kind becomes
irks0me. The girl tires of her doll music
or embroidery. the boy of his ball, kite or
top, and each secretly wishes for some reg
ular task with which to occupy the time.
They represent those with whom Shake
speare was evidently acquainted when he
wrote:
II all the year were playing holidays,
To sport would be as tedious TO work.
The vacation which when the teacher an
nonnced the length of time seemed entirely
inadequate to the realization of pent-up
hopes and aspirations of the child has be-
come tedious and tiresome. To return to