Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-27
SAUNTERING
BY H. Addington Bruce

no walk for physical exercise is one
thing, and always is best done briskly.
To walk for mental and spiritual
health is quite another, and then the walk
ing should be, not brisk but in the lesureIy
mode to which the name of untering has
been given
The derivation of this word is in some
doubt. One authority insists that it is of
medieval origin, being first applied to pill
grims rowing "a la Sainte Terre" to the
Holy Land. Such pilgrims gradually be-
came known at "Sainte Terrers," Saunter-
ers
More prosaically the word has been de-
rived from sans terre," without land or
nome For myself I infinitely prefer the
former derivation, and in any event true
sauntering is essentially quiet pilgrimage
with the eyes of the mind and of the spirit
wide open.
If only for this reason, one can always
saunter to better advantage in the coun-
try than in the city. In the city, albeit
the adept know how to saunter beneficially
even there, the inclination, nay the compul-
sion, usually is to walk quickly and with
alert effectiveness Of matter-of-fact reali-
ties. Always true, this is particularly true
of the noisy crowded cities of today.
But in the country, with it's peacefulness
and manifold beauties of nature sauntering
is both easier and surer of reward From
the sky as from the earth little messages
of insight, glimpses Of the ideal continually
come to the watchful saunterer.
They come. in the fragrance of new cut
hay, in the pungency Of burning brush, in
the songs of birds, the hum of insects, the
murmuring Of brooks, and, above all, in the
wonderful lights and colors of forest, hill
side, far-stretching valley, and cloud illu-
mined by the sinking sun.
Then, as never when intently occupied,
the happy saunterer feels himself truly
part of the invisible universe, too In n
fortunate moment he may be aided to
the unseen, as that prince of saunterers,
Thoreau, has recorded that he at times was
aided:
II took walk on Spaulding's farm the
other afternoon. saw the setting sun
lighting up the opposite side of stately
pine wood. It's golden rays struggled into
the aisles Of the wood as of some noble hail.
II impressed az if some ancient and
altogether admirable and shining family had
settled there in that part Of the land called
Concord, unknown to me.
They never heard of Spaulding, and do
not know that he is their neighbor-not-
withstanding I heard him whistle as he
drove his team through their house Moth
Their coat of arms is simply a lichen.
L saw it painted the pines and oaks.
Their attcs were in the tops of the trees.
They of politics. There was no
noise of labor.
Il did not perceive that they were weav-
ing or spinning. Yet ] did detect when the
wind lulled the finest imaginable sweet
musical hum-as of a distant hive in May
which perchance was the sound of their
thinking"
Mere fantasy this? Fantasy. perhaps, but
not mere. Rather it is fantasy Of a sort
which has never more been needed than
by the hard-driven folk Of our complex,
scientific twentieth century civilization.
Without fantasy such as this-contact
with the ideal real-life today can all too
readily become overheard and dull. Many.
alas, complain that they find it So To
them in particular l would commend saun-
tering a remedy.
Copyright. 1924
Cowes England. is called the Yachting
center of the world.