Considered Trifles
A HOLIDAY AT EUSTON.
According to a letter in The Times, a Breton paper recently published a photograph of H.M. King George entitled " The King leaving Euston, where he was spending his holidays, in an automobile for London." My first reaction to the idea that this conjured up was, frankly, a shudder. Imagine," I exclaimed in horror, " anyone spending a holiday at Euston ! " But on thinking the matter over I have decided that there is a great deal to be said for the suggestion. Indeed, to most schoolboys, and to at least a dozen train-mad adults of my acquaintance, a holiday at Euston (or, not to draw invidious distinctions, King's Cross) would be the height of bliss. To be able to watch trains all day long—trains large and small, new and old, goods and passenger, express and suburban—would be, for the real fans, delight enough ; but even for people like myself, upon whom the flashing of steel, the hissing of steam, the shrieking of whistles and the intoxicating smell of hot oil do occasionally (though I shrink from admitting it) pall--even for these poor Philistines a large railway terminus has plenty of occupations to offer. You can get your hair cut, wash your hands, write letters, read books (or even buy them) at the bookstall, eat, drink, smoke, sleep or play with all the penny- in-the-slot machines, from the " let-me-tell-you-your-weight- and-future " kind to the less useful but more exciting football matches. Again, if your idea of amusing yourself is simply to sit and observe human nature, you could not find a better field for that pastime than a railway station, since it is the scene of those two greatest givers-away of the emotions, meetings and partings.
Finally, consider the questions, so important on a holiday, of weather and of expense. The former in a large railway terminus (unless, of course, you go too far down the platform) is practically bound to be good—light, airy and, above all, dry ; while as for the latter, there is almost no place where you can obtain so many amusements for nothing and so many other ones for the sum of a penny apiece. In fact, if the climate and the finances of 1932 are no better than those of this year, you will know where to find me next August.
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