The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-08-11
.,iS MOTIONS CHANGED.

W. y Nv ~ " III hnls Crleuu O0
the subject Of Vacations.
A little banch of wei known business
men were gathered by chance in front of
the Lindell hotel. They stood there for
some time discussing politics and enjoy
ing the sunshine. Finally. as they were
about to separate. n Of the group no
ticed that the overcoat pocket of his Wis.,
avis was crainmed with railway maps.
steamer Guides and time tables.
Il say. Charlie" he said, why are you
collecting all that rubbish? Planning a
vacation
Yes" he answered. Same old thing
every wear. Go somewhere-go some
where. | think sometimes I'd rather
take my family out here on the Maramec,
live in a ent and fish. But no. it's fash
ionable to hurry away on long and te-
dions journeys. stop at stuffy hotels,
rush through n maze of nonsense and
then rush home dead tired. weary. half
sick and altogether footso:e. The very
contemplation OF it tires me-"
why don't you stop it them said
the qnestioner.
Rather a difficult thing to do. l
should judge-when your family plans
the campaign"
DO as | did. 1t just tool me three
years to accomplish it. and now l live in
peace. On our first summer vacation.
which was by rail, | devoted my spare
time to reading aloud the statistics. and
descriptions of horrible accidents on rail
roads. At the hotel l brushed up on all
the hotel confiagrations since watering
places We're invented and mentioned
them in detail upon all possible occa-
sions. 1t was a most exasperating and
uncomfortable experience for all con-
cerned. | can tell you, but it worked.
Next ulnmer when the vacation bust
ness came up. | merely asked if we were
going over tie same route as before and
was met with IA most unanimous and
emphatic chorus of noes. They were
afraid of railroads and hotels, and so
they compromised on a long trip by
steamboat up and down the river. be-
cause it would be entirely safe.
Il prepared myself again. and when
the boat moved out | had in my state
room Il couple Of books which portrayed
in the most leartrending the
final blowing up of almost every steam
boat that ever ran the river. These !
dragged out and read with much JUNCTION
and deep pathos. In the holy calm of
the ummer evenings. in the glorious
hush of the snnlit mornings. | read EN-
aloud until we We're all afraid we would
never get home alive. Well. sir. it was
awful. The horrors of those days and
nights are with Us yet. Next summer !
suggested the beauties of n river trip,
but nobody seconded the motion. and |
soon learned that we We're to spend a
few months at a small inland resort not
many miles distant from St. Louis.
This was an unexpected flank move
ment. but | loaded up with statistics,
and on cloudy evenings ! would lie in
the hammock of the resort and tell my
family how cyclones are formed and
show them how they rush mp the valley
and sweep resorts from the face Of the
earth. was compelled to manufacture
a few facts i'll order to prove that cy-
clones had IA special fondness for sum
mer boarders. but the scheme worked
like a charm. We came home a month
in advance and have never gone any,
whore since. Say. old man. You don't
know how | enjoy life now with IA week
or W. in the woods with my fishing and
hunting club. Its IA great scheme"
And the ugly man laughed a harsh.
d~iscordant. exasperating laugh.
Nobody said anything for some time.
The group was thinking.
Yes, Stree. It's a great scheme" re-
suIned the ugly man. Don't yon think
so. john"
No. | don't said John, and I'll tell
you why. used to have your notions
Of a good time. and in consequence the
summer outings Of myself and family
We're anything but pleasant. But the
little woman is lying out yonder in Belle
fontaine now, and when these beauti-
full days come along | feel as though ]
would give the universe for one more
chance TO do something for the comfort
and pleasure of one who deserved so
much and got 50 little. That's why"
And John and Charlie and the ugly
man turned away without another word
ST Loul. Reuublic.