The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-03
CITIES ARE MASCULINE SUMMER RESORTS.

CITIES R SUMMER ESORTS.
Whether the woman side Of the family will ever
take that view may be a question. but there is no
room for doubt that men under modern conditions
much prefer their city homes to summer resorts.
In the matter of GOODNESS and fresh air the trolley
era has revolutionized the cities. st. Louis. for ex-
ample, offers a trolley ride to ST. Charles or to Flor
issant, or to Creve Occur Lake, or TO Merarlec High
lands, or to Jefferson Barracks, not to mention the
| multiplied routes within the city limits. Abundant
GOODNESS In the evening is thus avaflahls for the price
of a couple Of cigars.
One can have a pleasant trolley ride and a we'll
served supper at the end of the trip on at least two
Of the principal routes. He has all the comforts and
conveniences of his own home, with something more
than the pleasures and GOODNESS Of the watering place.
He can take his pick of q dozen places of light amuse-
ment. Some of his best friends are sure TO be always
available for an evening Of c%ronyship. The elements
Of happiness are his at no cost above that of ordinary
living.
There Will never be an end Of the belief that going
away from ones home educates the mind and adds to
knowledge. The belief will not in these days bear
analysis. It exists, however, and Will drive nen
through the coming centuries to an occasional hopeful
encounter with the painful drudgery Of travel. But
one learns. The individual man now discovers before
he is 40 that travel consists mostly Of dull and dreary
riding by rail or water, with much Of unattractive
eating, much of disappointing pursuit Of sights and
wonders, and much of that most Irritating experience,
the forcible adjustment Of oneself to the habits rnd
customs Of people with whose tastes ono has no sym
pathy whatever.
Then home and friends, and an existence which one
controls exactly Us he pleases, present their substan-
hal charms. The wise resident Of the trolley city
whispers to his intimates; and they agree to spend the
summer where there is a perpetual feast, plenty of
bath tubs, all sorts of amusements and nobody to
bother.
To women the summer resort Is not 4 place for
comfort, but one for new social experiences. So she
gets what she pays for. And, on the hysienic side,
too, there is a reason for her summer departure from
home. The human being must have change or run n
risk Of neurasthenia. The man finds in the diversity
of his ordinary opportunities In a city rs much change
as is good for him. The average woman does not.
In the life of the busiest society leader there is a de-
pressing monotony. When all Is said, her waking
hours are spent In her own home, in other wonen's
homes, every chair and soup plate OF which she knows
by heart, and in a few shops. The summer resort is
good for her, though it offer only crowded rooms, had
cooking and limited companionstip. That is, 1t will
be good for her until the average woman learns to
handle life to better advantage than is now common
in her class.
But the man gets no hygiene out of a Summer re-
sort. 1t is usually so tiresome that if he drinks Mt all
he takes to drinking too much. He is likely to charge
up to an outing trip in summer II distinct loss of or
ganic vitality. He breathes a sigh of content when
he reaches his city home and can spend his evenings
on the trolley cars and at trolley resorts.
1t is not improbable that the Worlds Fair summer
will inaugurate q new fashion in ST. Louis which will
for all the future affect the habits even of the ladies.
That summer viii keep at home all the wise people
who desire to make the most of genuine Opportunities
for pleasure and culture. Out Of the conditions will
grow new summer attractions and new devices for
minimizing the ~discomforts Of hear-discomforts
which, anyhow, in the trolley and electrician period
exist rather in the habit Of talk than In actual expe-
rience. People VIII remain in the city because they
desire to see the Exposition and its hundreds of Incl
dental attractions. They will develop new comforts
because they stay at home. And out Of it all there
may come Q recognition of sumner delights IN q city