The Oskaloosa herald., 1907-07-18
Random Thoughts
of a
Busy Outsider

as used to make the eyes stare am
the mouth open as ye journeyer pour
ed them forth. But real tales, bright
bits OF description, clear records Of
space passed over. Such as you read
in Stoidard, a1d all Illuminated with
a gentle play Of fancy, and toned down
by a mild but penetrating philosophy
A treat? OF course it was. One new
er tires OF that kind of conversation
well done.
1t was refreshing to listen to de,
scriptions OF New Orleans with its
strange customs and simple rVes. II
was good, too. to hear of Old Mexico,
its queer houses, its generous people,
its wonderful, magnificent churches,
always open and always with little
band of worsnippers before the altar.
Stories of Havana and Cuba set
forth in word painting of the coun-
try were likewise most enjoyable.
who does not want to hear of that city
redeemed from yellow feve: through
the beneficent efforts of our own great
government?
Descriptions of the old world were
as fascinating, especially when touch
Ell by the poetic fire Of a mind at
tuned to the beautiful. So delightful
indeed was the symposium, and so
tcomplete and realistic the descriptions
that for once the Outsider was tempt
ell to say, How delightful to have the
means and leisure to visit all these
places"
II is an old saying that travel is
the greatest possible educator. All
the debating Societies ever organized
IN this state or any other have at some
time discussed the subject AMI deci1-I
ed that I'VE learn more by travel ihanI
nv study. "a statement which We are
inelfaed to dispute. Not that We eX'
pect to argue the matter,-the ther-
mometer is running too high for ar
eument. Neither do we mean to say
that, given the chance, We would re-
fuse to see Europe elsewhere tnan Oh
tne map; but as we can not VISIT the
~pay Paree," or float on go1dola
through Venice, or go drifting on the
yesuyian bay, is it not true that we
are lust as well off? If we are read
ers. we have had all the pleasures Of
the trave, withou it inconvenience
safe by our own f1resides we have
hunted in the ju1gles of India, or ex-
plored African wilds. Rocking In our
own arm chairs we have male our
spiritual pilgrimage to the Holy CITY,
or we nave pushed aside the leathern
curtain of st. Peters a1d stood aWed
by the realized dream of the worlds
greatest architect Long, long agol
we visited Westminster and stood be-
fore the shrines of England's great,
wondering
ssCan stored urn or animated bust
Back to its mansion call the fieetiag
breathe"
In the same luxurious way we navel
climbed the Alps, and with Irving wei
have seen the Alhambra by moonlight
The winter palace of the car is famu-
lar to us, and the vine clad hills OF
sunny France are a delight to the eyes
of our imagination. II Byron's verse
we have listened to the thunder of
Niagara, with Kane we have wintered
ia the frozen north. With how littlal
trouble! An easy chair, good light
and the certainty of comfortable bed
awaiting the earliest moment of IA
tigue.
'2' ARR4
How much better this than the anX-
iety and worry of real travel. If wei
were going, say, even to Jamestown
this summer, how different from our
arm chair journey with magazine and
picture Leaving out the separation
from friends, how trying for most peO-
pie is real travel The long, not rail
road journey, the dust, the smoke, tnel
trying cinder. Then if we wished tol
see Europe, think of the worry of
passports, tire ocean journey with its
attendant sea sickness, AMI after that
the everlasting seeing" seeing,
sseeing." till your eyes ache. Be
sides who knows how far short Of i'm
agfned beauty those famed places
might appear, then what disappoinr.
menti Really, we are very SURF that
after an we stay-at-home trsvelcrs
save our comfort and our campers as
well as our pocketbooks.
Is IL not Dooley who says. Il take
dale of pleasure r'adi1' Of St. Pet
er's. but there's Barney McGrath who
has been there and only remembers
the feas of Rome" .a.
Do you read travels? Maybe you
know and love your Stoddard, or you
follow Hornaday tnrougn Indian jun
giles and Canada mountains; but If you
wish TO get real pleasure out of travel
sketches you should take time TO Pc
ruse Charles Levers book, THE Wan
derngs of Arthur oLeary" Lever Is
IN the public library-complete-but
nobody ever seems TO read his books. !
The romance loving readers are too
busy with the six best sellers, and
they imagine that in reading tnem
taey have been cultivating literary
Door ,craa4urasf Put .nojer-l