Marble Hill press., 1921-07-21


- poignant /, i the awakening ot
10 @ll an instinct as old rs the race-the
lllnWTT1III desire for the upgn road IL Is old
UVVlIlIUyU Mother Nature herself calling and
III NA.f she says:
80 Play time everybody! All work
aud uo play j. folly; you know the
penalty I exact. Life In these modern times Is
too slrrnuous stop, get your breath. relax. rest!
Come and play awhile
We Americans are th" busiest people under
the sun. There was time when we played hard
ly al ALL Now we have finally learned the ne
cessity OF relaxation and recreation The trouble
is that We have learned to play not wisely but
too Well Our ayocatons especially In the
large cities. are strenuous our vocations-
sometimes even strenuous.
There should be nothing much mans
business as his amusements." wrote Stevenson.
and he wrote great truth, which has not yet
come home 10 us 80 IL Is that Americans
many of uS. are coming TO have double need of
summer yacation-to rest W from both our
work aud our pleasures
The Call of the Wild means, In n sense, pretty
much the same thing 10 all Of but neces
sarily We can interpret Il only according TO our
knowledge and experience. Fortunate indeed nre
they TO whom the call means but thing
whether gypsyng hy automobile or the flying
spray Of the salt sea, the rushing stream whose
deep dark pools hide the great trouts. or the tent
and campfire beside the placid lake or the
mountain trail 10 the peaks whcrC lies the ever.
lasting These fortunate, hear. understand
and obey.
Those Of us who are less fortunate also hear
and rejoice. But the call has clear message.
We do not know what to do with our play time
We do not know where or az what to play and
the interesting spectacle of great people at
play is saddened by the sight Of thousands Of
unfortunates wasting their precious vacation DAYS
getting little enjoyment and less rest
Come. let US plan vacation days
The secret Of tho trip that pays
Is knowing what TO do
That's the motto of the wise. They are not amons
these unfortunates. They have planned their
cation carefully and put common sense into their
plans. They have taken stock Of their physical
and mental needs They have profted by the
perienCe of past vacations and their successes
and failures They understand that vacation
for pleasure aud vacation for recuperation are
not necessarily the same thing but they Will try
to combine pleasure and recuperation.
Change is a great factor in both pleasure and
rest When play time comes around most OF US
instnctively long for something that our daily
life does not offer. Often this longing Is a safe
guide, provided common sense Is used obviously
a camping trip in the wilds is not suited to those
who must have soft beds delicate viands and
deft service-even if they are lovers of nature,
longing for a novel experience. Ii is equally OBJ
place in fashionable summer resort where peo.
pie congregate 10 and be seen. The com
mon sense of it is that they should go where
scenic beauty can be enjoyed and the conven.
tional comforts of life are not lacking.
When vacation time means the weary work.
an opportunity to recuperate from toll, rest
Is what he needs The best rest is absolute In
action II loafe and invite my SOUL wrote Walt
Whitman. But loatng Is fine art; most of us
too used to be up and doing TO enjoy sitting
and twiddng thumbs. change of scene
and occupation. with the blessed consciousness
that we do not have to do anything Is the best
rest. The hodearrier who came into money had
the psychology Of 1t down fine when he set his
alarm clock usual, threw his shoe at 1t when
It went Off and turned over for a nap.
The wise man will take his vacation temperate
iy. To return to rest up from his pay--that Is
q poor proposition. To come back to work with
renewed strength and energy-thats the thing
The wrong kind Of vacation may be worse than
none. The right kind of vacation may be yer.
table godsend. The wise man will so order his
play as to come back refreshed and restored and
eager for worlds to conquer.
And wherever the Call Of the Wild takes u.s.