﻿244 
  

  

  AMERICAN 
  HOMES 
  AND 
  GARDENS 
  

  

  July, 
  1907 
  

  

  Monthly 
  Comment 
  

  

  HE 
  desire 
  for 
  change, 
  whether 
  of 
  occupation 
  

   or 
  of 
  location, 
  of 
  scene, 
  air 
  or 
  surround- 
  

   ings, 
  is 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  most 
  ancient 
  and 
  deep- 
  

   rooted 
  of 
  human 
  inclinations. 
  Very 
  clearly 
  

   it 
  is 
  a 
  survival 
  of 
  the 
  nomadic 
  instincts 
  of 
  

   primitive 
  man, 
  who, 
  forced 
  by 
  the 
  necessity 
  

   of 
  obtaining 
  food 
  and 
  shelter, 
  moved 
  rest- 
  

   lessly 
  from 
  spot 
  to 
  spot, 
  changing 
  his 
  abode 
  with 
  the 
  seasons 
  

   or 
  as 
  the 
  food 
  supply 
  diminished. 
  Thus 
  change 
  has 
  become 
  

   one 
  of 
  the 
  most 
  marked 
  of 
  human 
  instincts, 
  and 
  is 
  as 
  deeply 
  

   ingrained 
  in 
  human 
  nature 
  to-day 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  early 
  epochs 
  of 
  

   mankind. 
  But 
  the 
  modern 
  changes 
  are 
  animated 
  by 
  very 
  

   different 
  reasons 
  from 
  those 
  that 
  stirred 
  on 
  our 
  primitive 
  

   ancestors 
  to 
  move. 
  The 
  kind 
  of 
  necessity 
  that 
  impels 
  a 
  

   modern 
  man 
  to 
  move 
  on 
  is 
  of 
  a 
  very 
  different 
  sort. 
  He 
  moves 
  

   solely 
  because 
  of 
  a 
  desire 
  for 
  change, 
  to 
  see 
  something 
  he 
  has 
  

   not 
  seen 
  before 
  ; 
  to 
  do 
  something 
  he 
  has 
  not 
  done 
  before 
  ; 
  to 
  

   have 
  a 
  variety 
  in 
  his 
  life; 
  and 
  to 
  benefit 
  himself, 
  mentally 
  

   and 
  physically, 
  by 
  a 
  complete 
  and 
  radical 
  change. 
  Hence 
  the 
  

   modern 
  change 
  of 
  scene 
  has 
  nothing 
  in 
  common 
  with 
  the 
  old. 
  

  

  Singularly 
  enough, 
  those 
  who, 
  by 
  their 
  circumstances, 
  

   would 
  seem 
  to 
  require 
  the 
  fewest 
  changes, 
  actually 
  demand 
  

   the 
  most. 
  The 
  most 
  persistent 
  vacationers 
  the 
  modern 
  world 
  

   has 
  known 
  are 
  the 
  wealthy 
  Americans. 
  Their 
  vacations 
  are 
  

   so 
  numerous, 
  and 
  go 
  so 
  far 
  afield, 
  that 
  the 
  mere 
  record 
  of 
  

   them 
  consumes 
  columns 
  of 
  valuable 
  newspaper 
  space, 
  and 
  the 
  

   whole 
  world 
  is 
  agog 
  over 
  their 
  doings 
  and 
  restings. 
  This 
  

   kind 
  of 
  a 
  vacation 
  stands 
  in 
  a 
  class 
  by 
  itself. 
  Much 
  of 
  it 
  rests 
  

   on 
  no 
  real 
  necessity, 
  but 
  is 
  due 
  solely 
  to 
  lack 
  of 
  interest 
  in 
  

   matters 
  close 
  at 
  hand, 
  and, 
  often 
  enough, 
  to 
  a 
  complete 
  lack 
  

   of 
  occupation. 
  Even 
  to 
  the 
  very 
  lazy 
  there 
  are 
  few 
  things 
  

   so 
  wearing 
  as 
  having 
  nothing 
  to 
  do 
  and 
  an 
  amplitude 
  of 
  time 
  

   in 
  which 
  to 
  do 
  it. 
  With 
  the 
  lazy 
  man 
  it 
  is 
  not 
  so 
  much 
  mere 
  

   hatred 
  of 
  interest, 
  but 
  hatred 
  of 
  performing 
  some 
  laborious 
  

   undertaking, 
  doing 
  something 
  he 
  does 
  not 
  want 
  to 
  do, 
  and 
  

   having 
  to 
  go 
  to 
  one 
  place 
  at 
  a 
  set 
  time 
  when 
  he 
  would 
  rather 
  

   go 
  elsewhere 
  or 
  do 
  something 
  else. 
  But 
  there 
  must 
  always 
  

   be 
  something 
  to 
  interest 
  him, 
  something 
  to 
  hold 
  his 
  attention, 
  

   something 
  to 
  entertain 
  and 
  amuse. 
  

  

  Hence 
  the 
  rich 
  man, 
  devoid 
  of 
  occupation, 
  is 
  the 
  hardest 
  

   put 
  of 
  all 
  mortals 
  to 
  find 
  entertainment. 
  He 
  has 
  no 
  routine 
  

   interests, 
  he 
  has 
  no 
  regular 
  duties, 
  he 
  has 
  no 
  definite 
  aim 
  in 
  

   life 
  save 
  to 
  get 
  through 
  as 
  many 
  hours 
  a 
  day 
  as 
  possible 
  in 
  

   what 
  he 
  conceives 
  to 
  be 
  an 
  agreeable 
  manner. 
  If 
  there 
  is 
  

   nothing 
  to 
  do 
  at 
  home 
  he 
  seeks 
  relaxation 
  elsewhere. 
  And 
  

   so 
  he 
  moves 
  to 
  and 
  fro 
  on 
  the 
  earth, 
  a 
  train 
  of 
  golden 
  dollars 
  

   streaming 
  out 
  behind 
  him, 
  sometimes 
  engaging 
  in 
  original 
  

   feats 
  of 
  travel, 
  but 
  ever 
  on 
  the 
  lookout 
  for 
  the 
  new, 
  the 
  new, 
  

   the 
  new. 
  The 
  most 
  stupenduous 
  forms 
  of 
  nature, 
  the 
  most 
  

   splendid 
  achievements 
  of 
  European 
  masters, 
  the 
  charm 
  of 
  

   life, 
  the 
  beauty 
  there 
  is 
  in 
  the 
  world, 
  all 
  pall 
  before 
  the 
  insati- 
  

   able 
  clamor 
  for 
  something 
  new, 
  something 
  that 
  has 
  not 
  been 
  

   seen 
  or 
  done 
  before. 
  

  

  Vacations 
  conducted 
  on 
  such 
  lines 
  yield 
  little 
  good 
  

   either 
  to 
  the 
  persons 
  immediately 
  concerned 
  or 
  to 
  the 
  world 
  

   at 
  large. 
  There 
  is 
  a 
  larger 
  class 
  of 
  persons 
  who 
  take 
  vaca- 
  

   tions 
  because 
  they 
  honestly 
  think 
  they 
  need 
  them, 
  and 
  often 
  

   honestly 
  do. 
  They 
  go 
  to 
  rest 
  a 
  jaded 
  brain 
  or 
  replenish 
  an 
  

   exhausted 
  body 
  ; 
  they 
  go 
  from 
  work 
  and 
  return 
  to 
  work, 
  and 
  

   even 
  if 
  this 
  latter 
  be 
  of 
  no 
  broad 
  interest, 
  it 
  is 
  honest 
  work, 
  

   calling 
  for 
  honest 
  effort, 
  and 
  which, 
  after 
  a 
  vacation 
  wisely 
  

   spent, 
  will 
  be 
  the 
  better 
  done 
  and 
  with 
  less 
  exhaustion 
  than 
  

  

  before 
  the 
  rest 
  was 
  obtained. 
  It 
  is 
  for 
  such 
  people 
  that 
  the 
  

   vacation 
  period 
  has 
  become 
  a 
  popular 
  necessity, 
  and 
  it 
  is 
  for 
  

   them 
  it 
  really 
  exists. 
  

  

  And 
  how 
  is 
  one 
  to 
  spend 
  a 
  vacation? 
  It 
  is 
  a 
  question 
  that, 
  

   once 
  asked, 
  had 
  better 
  be 
  passed 
  over. 
  The 
  theory 
  of 
  the 
  

   vacation 
  is 
  very 
  simple: 
  it 
  is 
  the 
  period 
  in 
  which 
  the 
  person 
  

   taking 
  it 
  does 
  exactly 
  as 
  he 
  pleases, 
  where 
  he 
  pleases 
  and 
  

   without 
  regard 
  to 
  the 
  sober 
  callings 
  of 
  life 
  — 
  it 
  is 
  play 
  time. 
  

   Practically 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  defined 
  in 
  precisely 
  the 
  same 
  way, 
  and 
  

   the 
  practical 
  question 
  that 
  then 
  presents 
  itself 
  to 
  anyone 
  

   planning 
  a 
  vacation 
  is, 
  how 
  to 
  get 
  the 
  most 
  desired 
  play 
  in 
  

   the 
  most 
  practical 
  manner? 
  One 
  has 
  only 
  to 
  inspect 
  the 
  antics 
  

   of 
  the 
  small 
  boy 
  to 
  realize 
  — 
  if 
  one 
  does 
  not 
  know 
  it 
  other- 
  

   wise 
  — 
  that 
  what 
  is 
  play 
  for 
  one 
  is 
  not 
  play 
  for 
  another. 
  The 
  

   vacation 
  that, 
  to 
  one 
  man, 
  sums 
  up 
  every 
  possible 
  vacation 
  

   delight, 
  may, 
  to 
  another, 
  be 
  wrapped 
  in 
  difficulties 
  so 
  arduous 
  

   as 
  to 
  be 
  positively 
  irksome. 
  The 
  question, 
  therefore, 
  must 
  

   be 
  answered 
  by 
  each 
  one 
  in 
  his 
  own 
  way. 
  It 
  must 
  be 
  met 
  in 
  

   a 
  personal 
  way. 
  If 
  a 
  new 
  project 
  is 
  tried 
  it 
  is 
  sometimes 
  

   helpful 
  not 
  to 
  be 
  swayed 
  too 
  much 
  by 
  those 
  who 
  are 
  its 
  

   sponsors. 
  

  

  Vacation 
  is 
  not 
  only 
  play 
  time, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  rest 
  time. 
  A 
  

   period 
  of 
  relaxation, 
  its 
  purpose 
  is 
  to 
  fit 
  the 
  person 
  benefitted 
  

   for 
  better 
  work 
  and 
  better 
  doing 
  on 
  its 
  conclusion. 
  Forget 
  

   care 
  and 
  responsibility 
  as 
  one 
  should 
  and 
  must 
  in 
  order 
  to 
  

   obtain 
  the 
  best 
  result, 
  the 
  sort 
  of 
  play 
  and 
  the 
  kind 
  of 
  rest 
  

   must 
  be 
  carefully 
  considered 
  and 
  planned 
  in 
  advance. 
  A 
  

   vacation 
  that 
  is 
  taken 
  on 
  the 
  spur 
  of 
  a 
  moment 
  or 
  as 
  a 
  sudden 
  

   whim 
  is 
  likely 
  to 
  be 
  of 
  small 
  help. 
  If 
  the 
  money 
  cost 
  must 
  

   be 
  counted 
  in 
  advance, 
  it 
  is 
  equally 
  essential 
  that 
  the 
  mental 
  

   and 
  physical 
  benefits 
  would 
  be 
  considered 
  in 
  every 
  aspect. 
  

   Mere 
  change 
  will 
  often 
  accomplish 
  wonders 
  in 
  such 
  better- 
  

   ments, 
  but 
  change 
  alone 
  is 
  not 
  always 
  sufficient, 
  and 
  the 
  

   wisest 
  will 
  carefully 
  think 
  out 
  and 
  plan 
  their 
  vacations, 
  de- 
  

   termine 
  whether 
  such 
  and 
  such 
  occupations 
  are 
  going 
  to 
  be 
  

   entertaining 
  enough, 
  whether 
  there 
  will 
  be 
  real 
  rest 
  and 
  a 
  

   real 
  change. 
  

  

  While 
  the 
  vacation 
  period 
  is 
  entered 
  upon 
  gaily 
  by 
  many 
  

   persons, 
  there 
  is 
  still 
  a 
  very 
  large 
  number 
  who 
  do 
  so 
  only 
  

   with 
  regret 
  and 
  hesitancy, 
  persons 
  whose 
  narrow 
  means 
  and 
  

   slender 
  resources 
  make 
  the 
  vacation 
  a 
  matter 
  of 
  great 
  diffi- 
  

   culty 
  and 
  often 
  of 
  utter 
  impossibility. 
  The 
  very 
  poor, 
  who 
  

   do 
  not 
  know 
  what 
  a 
  vacation 
  means, 
  are 
  often 
  helped 
  in 
  the 
  

   most 
  outspoken 
  way, 
  and 
  turned 
  out 
  to 
  wander 
  among 
  the 
  

   green 
  fields 
  and 
  to 
  delight 
  in 
  soft 
  woods. 
  But 
  between 
  this 
  

   class 
  and 
  the 
  well-to-do, 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  vast 
  middle 
  class, 
  who 
  can 
  

   not 
  afford 
  vacations, 
  and 
  who 
  can 
  not 
  be 
  assisted 
  to 
  have 
  

   them. 
  Many 
  of 
  these 
  people 
  are 
  in 
  urgent 
  need 
  of 
  the 
  

   change 
  and 
  rest 
  that 
  the 
  wealthy 
  so 
  glibly 
  toss 
  around 
  them, 
  

   yet 
  modern 
  philanthropy 
  has 
  found 
  no 
  way 
  to 
  reach 
  these 
  

   people 
  or 
  to 
  help 
  them 
  as 
  they 
  ought 
  to 
  be 
  helped. 
  

  

  In 
  arranging 
  a 
  vacation 
  always 
  determine 
  beforehand 
  

   where 
  you 
  are 
  going 
  and 
  what 
  you 
  expect 
  to 
  do 
  when 
  you 
  

   get 
  there. 
  Count 
  the 
  cost 
  and 
  make 
  a 
  liberal 
  allowance 
  for 
  

   unexpected 
  expenses 
  and 
  unexpected 
  demands. 
  If 
  going 
  to 
  

   Europe 
  remember 
  that 
  days 
  and 
  months 
  spent 
  in 
  studying 
  the 
  

   guide 
  books 
  is 
  time 
  well 
  spent. 
  If 
  going 
  into 
  the 
  mountains 
  

   and 
  to 
  the 
  seashore, 
  find 
  out 
  something 
  about 
  the 
  place 
  you 
  

   are 
  going 
  to. 
  Stay 
  indoors 
  as 
  little 
  as 
  possible, 
  conduct 
  your- 
  

   self 
  in 
  a 
  rational 
  way, 
  think 
  little 
  of 
  your 
  looks 
  and 
  dress, 
  

   and 
  have 
  as 
  bully 
  a 
  good 
  time 
  as 
  you 
  can. 
  

  

  