SABBATH RECREATIONS

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 53, 17 September 1881, Page 8

SABBATH RECREATIONS

Some Glimpses in a Recent Stroll

The parson's Sunday is a day of rest, But prayer and preaching leave him little leisure ; And many people think it much the best To spend the day in search of health and pleasure. Six days they toil and moil in vitiated air, And wear their brains in sedentary occupation. The seventh, or first, is all that they can spare For wholesome atmosphere or recreation — The North Shore, Cremorne, or a trip by train To Onehunga, or the leafy covers And shaded walks and seats of the Domain, Which are most frequented by cooing lovers, Who sigh and kiss, and amorously play, For Cupid's always busy on the Sunday ; And many matches made on Sabbath day Bring work and fees to parsons on the Monday. The common loves are not made a la inodo, As love is made in fashionable places ; They've small regard to the Mosaic code (It is not necessary now to mention cases). For Cupid works not by the Church traditions, But shoots his arrows in a way erratic, Without respect to ranks or to conditions — High, low, rich, poor, plebeian or aristocratic. Hail, mighty Cupid ! In the flowery glades Of classic Cyprus poets sang thy praise, E'en now, as in the Domain's leafy shades, We feel thy prowess in these modern days : These dull, prosaic days, when love of gold Makes every heart the golden calf adore, When love in fashion's marts is bought and sold, As slaves were bartered in the days of yore. There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely seat, There is society where none intrudes, Where these two spoonies suddenly we meet, Whiling away the hours in love's young dream, Exchanging vows, and many a chaste, sweet smack. Like turtle-doves, so innocent they seem. But list ! a footstep's heard upon the track !

And then this demure lady comes in view, A look of pious horror in her face, As if the touch of love she never knew. She gazes fixedly at distant space, And that young couple, sitting far apart, Like strangers on a different sort of level, With hearts all fluttering 1 from their sudden start, Wish that intruder had been at the devil.

'Twas ever thus ! Some profane eye must mar Our sacred love, though we may wish to hide it. Some little bird must whisper it afar (I know it's so, because, my boy, I've tried it).

Such interruptions on our feelings jar, • - "Bnt when the nuptial knot we've tied it, "We only fear some lynx-eye may discover Domestic rows, or perhaps some other laf.er. But now indiilgoin romance while ye may, Dream not of care or any sad mischances'; Ere many sunny.summers pass away, Stern life will put an'end to your romances. Perhance, like this poor man each Sabbath day, Attended by a group of olive branches,' ' ■ • You may become a patient imitator, And sadly wheel the family perambulator.

Or when, oppressed by some domestic jar, To drown the sorrow of your wife's upbraiding, You may be knocking- at some private bar, Defying al' the laws of Sunday trading ; Become a sot, ns many husbands are ; Indulge in vices shocking and degrading — Bousing yonr spouse out of her virtuous bed, To feel a broomstick on your achiiij head.

The model young man, of the class that is common in these colonies, is generally thin and inclined to weakness and effeminacy. He eschews athletic games, which would expand his chest, develop his muscles, invigorate his brain, and devotes his leisure time to the study of goodygoody books and tracts. He is sedentary in his habits. His countenance is serious, pale, and contemplative ; his speech slow, earnest, deliberative. He rarely smiles. In his dress he adopts a semi-clerical style, sober, black, and distinguished by irreproachable neatness. He is generally the son of a comparatively poor parents in an obscure walk of life, who are ambitious of their son's success in the world. He begin.-; his career as a clerk in some mercantile office at a low salary, but has the perceptiveuess to observe that religion, or what often pusses current for it — an appearance of religiousness — brings ease and prosperity. He sees certain wealthy men who are leaders of public opinion, and whose names are held in honour, presiding at tea-meeting and moral lectures, and he takes them as his models. He avoids hotels and billiard-rooms, practices the most rigid economy, and sticks to his desk. He is a Sundayschool teacher and a regular attendant at church, prayer meetings, and goody-goody lectures. In course of time he secures recognition and patronage, and is looked upon as a promising young man. He has no vices. He neither smokes tobacco nor drinks intoxicating liquors. His only weakness is a partiality for a mild and generally harmless form of flirtation. As time goes on, and he gains some proficiency in public speaking, his confidence increases, and he begins to deliver little addresses on the platform, but, from the nature of his early education and the bent of his studies, his utterances are seldom characterised by profound thought or originality. His style is com-mon-place, consisting for the most part of avcll known moral truisms and exhortations, occasionally relieved by a mildly humourous anecdote, which is sure to excite laughter, no matter how many times it has been heard before. The model young man is always sure of an indulgent reception. His solecisms and errors in grammar are excused on the plea of his earnestness in the good cause, and his supposed modesty, which is generally more apparent than real. The model young man secures rapid promotion. He is usually a smart man of business, and in any transaction with him (on a week day) you must be careful that he does not catch you napping. He will drive a hard bargain if he can. By some mental operation, which is not always intelligible to the sinful man of the world, and which is often attributed to hypocrisy, the model young man draws a distinction between religion and business, and so ] that he does not flagrantly trangress any law, he ! is not very nice as to how lie over-reaches a customer in a bargain. By dint of rigid economy, and prudent investment, in -which he of ten receives advice and assistance from his religious patrons, the model young man is soon enabled to set up in business" on his own account. He receives the patronage and custom of bis fellow model young men and members of his congregation, money is entrusted to him for investment, business is put in his way, he prospers, perhaps marries a girl who adds something to his capital and property, and in course of time lie blossoms out from a model young man into a model leading man of business, and a pillar of the church. His career is incomplete unless he goes through the Bankruptcy Court, or makes a composition with his creditors once or twice before he reaches the summit of his social elevation. But his business failures are invariably attributed to misfortune,

his friends are always ready with apologies, the" -way is smoothed for a private deed of assignment, or an easy compromise -which enables him to resume business. In a few more years he becomes, comparatively wealthy, a director of sundry com-? panics and investments, the president of various* moral organizations, the chairman of teetotal and religious meetings, a J.P., and perhaps a member of Parliament. He dies full of riches and honour,. has a great funeral, an expressive epitaph, sermons on his model life and character, and lengthy biographies in the newspapers. The uses of the model young man, as well as the model old man, are manifold. From a commercial point of view, they are serviceable to a young country. Their success is a beacon to others who are- threading their way through the difficult channels of trade competition. Their life and teachings are, at the lea.st, a standing protest against extravagance, vice, dissipation, and idleness. They serve by contrast to show that the way of trangressors is hard. In an age, when competition is so keen, and when everything is subordinate to the ruling passion, the hastening to get rich, these model young men and model old men are a drag on the wheels, without which the stage coach might capsize and go to smash ; and lest everything in the world should be reduced to one monotonous dead level of goody-goodiness, some mysterious compensatory law steps in by which the sons of the model man strike out independent lines of action, often very different from the ideal of their model parent. Didymus.