The Washington herald., 1913-11-02
By FRANCES sHABFER.

1 II our highway commissioners all over
the country had the grace, the thought.
and perhaps the wherewith as well. to
include pedestrians In their roadbuilding
/, schemes. the wager-tramp OF a couple OF
young women from New York to Peeks-
kill and return, distance OF about
eighty miles, to be completed In week,
might not have been SO unusual as TO
invite newspaper comment.
| Because there are quite a few young
women in the world. and perhaps more
men, who gladly would respond to the
lure of a tramp over the highways and
| into the byways, IL only there were small
paths aside to invite them.
But, deary me, II takes half the pluck
out Of a walker. and mofe than half the
| enthusiasm, to guard her eyes from the
| binding dust and her whole self from
the fast-skidding automobiles that hurry
by without thought for her comfort.
In passing, one would like to say to
automobiles all over the world that out
on a country road, where they are so big
and supreme over all, Il would be sort Of
gracious to ''slow down" Just a bit when
passing a pedestrian; or, II that Is asking
too much, at least to allow a comfortable
margin between. For il really seems
sometimes that the farther one steps
aside, In the desire to escape the possible
be, the closer comes the ponderous car.
Quite likely the riders feel perfectly sure
OF their ability TO guide and to keep TO
the line they are following, but folk who
are tramping along the road have not
the same confidence. They would might
lily enjoy little more leeway than
modest inch or two, and, in addition,
would appreciate the courtesy. For. apart
from the fear OF being run down." there
is the dust to contend with
Would BE Worth While.
We are spending rather generously for
our highways all over the country; and
would II be a great additional item to
include a modest little sidepath, sacred
for all time to the men ana women who
Joy in sauntering along the roadway? 1t
would cost more, to be sure. but would
not the bread cast upon the waters come
back again, in many ways?
Pedesrianism certainly is not in high
favor in America, but that - not strange.
not strange at all. For II is only the few
who really love TO tramp, for the sake OF
the tramp, rather than the lure of a
wager. who will run the gantlet Of dust
and OF one thing and another that must
be run in walking along an open road
way.
In the days when the horse was su-
preme on the road, the horse and the
walker were quite at peace with each
other, and there was room a-plenty for
all But these are busy days on a good
highway. days of speeding and days of
much prosperity, judging from the many
touring cars; and there is very little
room for the walker.
JustihabIe Expenditure.
Perhaps the increased expenditure on
the highways might be justified by the
growing ruggedness Of the folk who lis
tened TO the walking call, for a tramp
out in the open does bring the luster TO ,
tired eyes. the blooms to cheeks that
have almost forgotten how to bloom and
greater vigor, fresher spirits all around.
At least, to those who love II or who
have IT in them to delight in the pleas
ures of the road.
But Americans have not formed the
habit, and at present the highways ex-
tend no friendly welcome at all
Yet the boys and girls would grow the |