Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-10-28
LIVING OUT OF DOORS.
Europe Has Still to Teach America
the Pleasures Of the Country Lite.

While Americans in great numbers
have taken to out door lie, they
have vet to learn how to live out OF
doors during the working months anu
in all the seasons Europe, WHICH
has taught them many things mas
still to teach them how to live with
Nature day by day instead OF going
to a distance to find her. The ola
world has had time to learn that there
j. an art of living which INCLUDES
both work and play and may be
practiced at home and on a small in
come. In spring. summer and au-
tumn large part of Europe lives III
the open air. Every city has its am
pie parks. easily accessible, ana WIN
few restrictions on popular use. IL
there is d lovely view. there Is pam
to it, there are seats from which IL
may be enjoyed in comfort, there Is
provision for food at very modef-
ate cost In Germany walking par
ties penetrate every forest and cllmp
every hill; innumerable paths open up
the wealth of scenery. not to those
who drive motors and stay at eX-
pensive hotels, but to those who
carry knapsacks on their backs ana
practice that ancient art of walking
which still is. and always Will be, the
most natural. wholesome and ENJOY
able form of travel. In the beautiful
Thiergarten in Berlin thousands OF
people dine every night under the
trees. and from the Baltic to the
southern frontiers bread is broken
and eaten under the early stars.
In France people do not go out of
doors: they live out of doors What
goes on here?" was the character
istic question of quick moving
American girl as d train drew up at
quiet station and host of people
poured out across the platform into
the roads and paths. Nature, was
the equally characteristic reply of
young man of the country. Nature
was all-sufticient for the eager multi
tude: they did not need program.
The French rivers not only run
through France. they run through its
habitual life, and are part of its sim
pie. instructive practice of the art of
living. Our rivers are largely given
over to commerce.: we make eXcur-
sions on them. The French live with
their rivers: they are devout fisher
men; in spite of their eXcitable tenn
peraments they line the river banks.
SO few are the fish they seem t"
catch that MIR Jones has suggested
that they practice the art for the arts
sake on the Seine. the Loire, the
Marine. the Allier. they stand or sit
patiently hour after hour. glad Of the
open sky, the smiling landscape with
its soft gray-green tone, the glimpse
of the village, white walled and red
rooted, the lush vegetation that sets u
gently moving border to the friendly
stream.
And wherever there is Il town. big
or little, there are chairs and tables
set under the trees on the shore: and
there is not the noisy feasting of eX
curSionistS. but the quiet gayety of
those who are at home in the open
air. The open air cafe. the table in
the court of the little inn. or on the |
sidewalk of the little town. or in
private gardens. go far to explain the
charming social habit of the French. |
their instructive friendiness. their
passionate love of their country.
That country is only an extension of
refreshing prelude to the work and
pleasure Of the day than the break
fast out Of doors? The simple repast
Of coffee and rolls, with the breath Of
the morning in the air and the fresh |
ness of the awakening EARTH becomes
feast of gladness instead of IA hur-
ried preparation for work
When will Americans learn how
much pleasure they are missing be-
cause they so rarely invite Nature to
sit at the breakfast table and give
thanks to God for his light and air?
And luncheon and dinner have a new
zest when the table is spread out-of-
doors and the guests gather as to Il
feast to which birds are hidden and
from which the stars are not shut
out. Americans take long Journeys
ana spend great sums of money on
camp equipments that they may en-
JOY few meals in the OPEN Why
go hundreds of miles and spend hun
dreds of dollars for pleasure which
can be secured in countless homes by
little thought and expense? Where
is the boosted enterprise of the
American hotel-keeper, who now talks
about revolutionizng Europe, and SO
rarely provides a form of entertain
ment which would bring guests flock
ing to well-kept. tree empowered
Inn. with gardens and tables set out
of-doors? Light and air are also
coming into American life, but there :
must come far wider and clearer
knowledge of their lifegiving qualities,
their curative power. Where they
penetrate the plague cannot originate.
nor can disease thrive: they are the
deadly foes of the germ. In their