St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-09-22
How Six school Girls Spent
Their Vacation.

Half dozen school girls who spent
their vacation in tIamping through the
mountains were reported at Laurin-
burg, y. c. Since they started they
walked about four hundred miles, and
during the long march crossed noun
tains and rivers and penetrated some
of the widest portions of the state.
Much of the time they slept in the open
air in hammocks swung from the trees,
the hammOcks having canvas spreads
over them, in order to protect the fair
occupants from dews and rain. One
night, seeing a heavy storm coming up,
the party had to stop i'll graveyard,
where they spent the night, sleeping
among the headstOnes. Their leader
says they suffered more fears that night
than on any other occasion, although
they afterward slept in the mountain
Businesses, and were startled by the
appearance of bear lurking about
their camp.
From the beginning to the end of
their long walk they kept what they
called their clog book each member
of the party in turn writing i'll it the
record of the days happenings, i'm
pressions of scenery, and descriptions
of the country through which they
passed. Two of the girls made sketch
Is of various points of interest along
the route. From first to last they say
they have received nothing but kind
ness from the people along the line of
their Journey. FarmhOuSeS were
thrown open to them by the hospitable
owners. and frequent proifers of vehi-
cles were made, which were, however,
declined, as the pedestrians decided
before starting that they would walk
every step of the way unless sickness
prevented. They are all in excellent
condition, and the only Inconvenience
they have ever suffered was from blis-
tered feet, but as they moved on their
feet became hardened. The most diff
ficult part of the tramp was the ascent
and the exploration of the famous Bald
Mountain, whose mysterious rumblings
caused so much excitement some years
ago. They not only went to the top of
the mountain, but penetrated some OF
its wild fiSsures, with view of satisfy
inc their minds whether or not the
rumblings were owing to volcanic ac-
| tion. In going over the mountains
they were in great apprehension of rat
tlesnakes, but their fears were ground
less, not one of the dreaded reptiles
being seen.
The members of the party allege
| that the only annoyance they had dur
ing their journey was from certain Off
cious parties of their own sex, who un-
dertoOk to dissuade them from theil
project, and called it an immodest pro
ceeding. One old lady became 81
much worked up about it that she in
sisted that she would 90 as chaperOI
for the party, and announced her pur-
pose of making her cOachman hitch NJ
a buggy and drive her along will
them, but when they said that they
proposed walking where no buggy
could be driven, and that they had NJ
objection to her company on foot, she
abandoned the project. In order t.
avoid the appearance of immOdest!
and to shun publicity, the girls fire
quently made long detours, so as no
to enter the villages and towns alon:
their route, and as they kept their pro
posed line of march secret, thei
whereabouts were never known, ant
so crowds were avoided.
The girls are young, the oldest be
iHS lNtHlN -uNO, anu tHc youngest StN
enteen. Miss Modoc, the youngest
suffered at first so much that it wa
feared she would have to abandon til
undertaking. She is of very Sigh
build, and weighed, at starting, onl
ninety-two pounds. She, however
, pluckily kept on, and after the frs
week improved. She is now one {
the merriest and most robust of til
party, and her weight has gone up t
2 hundred and one pounds. They al
all enthusiastic at the success of thei
! undertaking, and announce their dc
. termination to spend their next vaca
| ton i'll the same way New IOr
. SIM.