Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-20

sir, a-summerlnS tnere.
"House closed up?"
Barring the hairy door, sir. it's closed up as
tight as q hoyster," and Jeames pointed to the
front door, which was bosrded up.
To compare a house to an oyster is rather abb
surd, as there is no similarity between them,
| except that both are often hard to get into and
in summer the houses Of the rich birds Of pas
sage are sheled in. as it we're, to prevent the
intrusion Of people whose sense Of propriety is
SO dense that they are unable to distinguish be-
tween the profits that accrue from stealing jew
elry or money or silver in winter and chande-
liers, plumbing fixtures and such other heavy
merchandise falls to the share Of the burglar
who makes raid on an empty house in sum-
mer.
Jeames is alone His duties now are light.
He hasn't worn dress suit for two months.
He does not wait on the table; he carries no
card tray when he goes to answer the door
bell. butt without even taking the trouble to
put his coat on. he pokes his head out Of the
area and asks what Is wanted. Not to put too
fine point on it, Jeames draws salary for
doing nothing at all.
MARKS OF pEsERrIoN.
As the writer left Jeames to his pipe and his
reflections on humanity he met disconsolate
citizen Of the United States, and this gentleman
was bemoaning himself because of the empty
houses he saw on every hand. He said it was
hard on the men who stayed in town 10 see
such marks Of desertion. He is right. What
can be more depressing than the sight Of those
painted planks stretching over the place where
the front door ought to be and shutting out the
window panes of the lower story2 You can
pause and look at them and think Of the
mountains or the seashore. where the owners
OF these houses are The man who lives in one
house may now be in Sweden gazing at the
midnight sun, the owner Of another may be
drinking the WATERS at SarafnOa atill annther
may be reviving his liver at Carlsbad. This
latter man gets up almost at daylight, expe-
riences a shower every day. dimes in the open
air with puddles under his feet, goes to bed at
toned to doing he does when he is
rearranging his liver at Carlsbad. And
the liver always gets rearranged.
The man who is at Saratoga spends his time
in genial contest with the springs -drinks one
water for one complaint and another for another
complaint and cures himself Of every disease
that he never had. In point of fact. any man
! who goes to the springs is constantly reminded
| of Mr.. Pickwick's experience at Bath. Every
morning he would walk up hill and drink two
goblets Of water. then he would walk down
hill, and after each trip Mr.. Pickwick would
declare himself vastly better, assertion that
was all the more gratifying since nobody was
aware that anything the: matter with Mr..
Piekwick. When some people go away for the
summer there Is no reason why they should go
to any particular place. they fancy there is
something wrong with their system. and that
gives them motive for going to particular
spot and doing some particular thing.
DESIRE TO GET AWAY.
Perhaps ii is the sight of the boarded-up
houses, perhaps it is the news Of summer resort
delights, but there can be no doubt that at this
time Of year many men who have sat content
eddy at home thus far feel a restless desire to
get away. They hardly know why they should
60, and they really don't want to go, but 30
many other people have gone or are going that
they follow the fashion. There are several
species OF men. however. who never go. One
Is the old fellow who has been everywhere. seen
everything. enjoyed everything and is now de-
sirous of leading an easy life without under
going the Inconvenience of travelling and the
summer hotel. He is content to spend his
evenings on the doorstep or sitting in his cool
bay window. He keeps an accurate account Of
the weather in past summers, and particu-
larly hot day or a particularly cold day
calls some occurrence on a similar day
quarter 81 century ago. He
likes to boast to you that he has not
been outside of the city for thirty years. He
remembers New York as a place Of decidedly
primitive character, and Chicago is hardly
within his knowledge at all. The old mans
life is not very full of pleasures but neither is
he subject to disappointment worry. He
expects little and his expectations are fulfilled.
whose time is money. II he loses an hour he
loses dollar. Perhaps he can afford to lose q
good many dollars, but he can't make up his
mind to doit. He cannOtallow himself the luxury
Of spending money, but he must engage in the
intense delight of making it. He doesn't de-
prive himself Of q vacation because he thinks
the city and his own home the most comforta-
BILE places in the warmer weather, but simply
because he can't let the opportunity pass Of
making more money.
HASN'T THE MONEY TO 90.
The third type Of the stay-at-homes is the
man who hasn't the money to go away. He
would 60 if he had it and he would stay away
as long as possible but he is too poor To give
such man q vacation is like offering a horse a
beefsteak.it Is a very good thing and other
animals enjoy it, but he can't make any use Of
it, 1t is strange how few men there are that
situated thus. are brave enough to state the
real reason why they remain in the city.
'Going away, old MANI was the question
put to one Of these men by the writer the other
day.
Well, no." he answered slowly; II hardly
think SHALL"
Sensible man. suppose. like myself, you
think this about the most comfortable place in
the dog days.
well. no; not exactly that. In fact. suffer
very much with the heat and would like to take
little dip into the sea for week or two."
Then why don't you 60 away?'
Because l can't" and he wore a look of vast
importance and responsibility and spoke rapidly
and positively. Really. it is impossible for
me to go away. The President is away. Secre-
tary-i is away and the business of the depart
ment comes mainly upon my shoulders Icould
not, at this time conscientiously take days
leave"
Poor fellow, he tries to deceive himself, and
perhaps he partially succeeds, but anybody who
knows him knows that the department he il in
could 60 on forever without him. One clerk
where there are so many hardly makes any diff
ference. He hasn't the money to buy railroad
. ticket or to pay his board; that is what's the
, matter with him.
DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.
There is always one great inconvenience
about several people going away together, and
on that account it In strongly advised against
a. being something very likely to lead to rows,
chickering's and even personal encounters. Thus
the man and wife who have been in the city all
summer have this little conversation:
He-My dear, don't you think it would be
fun II you and Invent away together for couple
of wsekss
Shs-Oh, yes, splendid. Let's.
Howell. where shall We 60?
She-Oh, some place where it's Jolly. It's
been dun enough here.
He-Ahem. ! was thinking-I bad in my
mind some quiet country boarding house, where
We could rest and recuperste.
sehe-What on earth could We hnd to do?
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