Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-19
Sweet Summer Idleness-

Sweet Summer Idleness-
Is most appealing and most beneficial to
those who have labored long, hard and con-
scientiously until they have reached 1t. the
freedom from the regular work. regular
hours and the must or every day Dusl-
ness which sometimes haunts us like
ghost and the irresponsible enjoyment OF
existence Is the temporary heaven to when
a great number look forward in the summer
vacation.
Certain things are indispensable to the
summer vacation, and these we must reia'ii'
not only in the moments of complete rest
but in any light summer study which we
may conclude to take up in order to ne'p
us better enjoy the lazy times. The outer
door life, the long days spent In fields ana
woods or midway between the water ana
the sky are essential parts OF the all sum-
mer work as well as Of summer play.
And If the work to which We nave feen
accustomed does not demand ;h's oui0coF
living as one of dts conditions, 1t Is betler
to take I'D some newer or lighter STUDY ioF
a time fnhere are studies which carry US
out into natures world and where We can
go. taking the children with US AS coiIpan-
ions and fellow students of botany. scoi' ~,
entomology and their kindred sciences we
may get a good rudimentary knowle lge al
small EXPENSE and trouble, gaining heaith
and pleasure and opening another door INTO
a wide field of study and recreation, po.h
for ourselves and our comrades.
In Some Families
The Youthful members delight N frequent
quotations. and drop into poetry with
yivacity which startleS Slower-n:n led peo-
pie showing as it does. familiarity with
what IS best in literature. The practice may
become embarrassing outside The domestic
circle but 1t has much in its favor.
One of its merits is the power OF eHc!ud-
ing slang by substituting something lEno-
cent and entertaining. When the elders
gently insist that words and author be pre-
cisely given there is a liberal education IN
the habit. 1t is moreover, a subtle indlca-
ton of the growth of taste and the widen
the lines which strike you in your favorte
poet" said a sage, land l will make -or
you the history OF your SOUL
The gift of recognizing and appropriately
using the words of others has received
warm approval in Emerson's dictum: Next
to the originator of good sentence is the
first. quoter of it." Appreciation Is thus
made inferior only to creative power Ana
this is a comfort to those whose hearts and
minds are full of lovely feelings ana
thought which they appear powerless to ex-
press, but which, translated into language
by those more gifted. they instinctlvely
seize and gladly use between inverted COM
mas.
There Are Regrets
Which act as tonics. bearing and strengthen
ing the mental and moral constitution "'se
and wholesome. they silently but powerful
ly influence US and shape our lives.
These are not vain regrets, not the Idle
dwelling on past mistakes, the luxury OF
self pity, but they are incentives to more
courageous, thoughtful. efficient perform
ance of duty and to nobler efforts to win
the victory over our own faulty, imperfect
selves.
1t is said that experience has no head
light, that only the road over which we
have travelled is illumned, yet We go for
ward TO each new trial with all the wisdom
we have acquired to meet its exagenctes,
and strength to bear its burdens. Ard SEE
ing In the clear afterlight how much better
we might have done, we should not forget
that we acted at the time In the way which
was then the best. the only way in our
Judgment. We should not go on bearing the
burdens of yesterday, nor lamenttng the er-
rors we committed, thus often overlooking
the duty which lies nearest US. or failing
TO welcome the pleasure which might make
others as we'll as ourselves happier ard
better. What's gone and what's past help
should be past grief" Let the dead past
bury its dead
Perhaps
It is too much to ask that any one not
student should expend much energy IN
warm weather on mental improvement, yet
It does seem as though something better