The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-09-07
SOUTHERN GLEANINGS.
c. GO-as-you-pIease" Girls in North Care
lima.

% GO-as-you-pIease' Girls in North Caro-
lima.
The six girls who have been tramping
through North Carolina for about n month
marched into Laurinburg the other morning,
all well and In good spirits, and, though
much sunburned, as comeIy a set of lady pc
destTians as ever undertook a long tramp.
They determined to end their journey at that
point, as three of them are school girls, who
have taken this mode of spending their vaca-
tion, and at the same time gaining health and
strength. Since they started they have
walked about 400 miles, and during the long
march have crossed mountains and rivers
and penetrated some of the widest portions
Of the State. Much of the time they have
slept in the open air, on hammocks swung
from the trees, the hammocks having canvas
spread over them, in order to protect the fair
occupants from the dew and rain. One night,
seeing heavy storm coming up, the party
had to stop In a grave yard, and there spent
the night, sleeping among the headstones, and
their leader says they suffered more from
fear that night than on any other occasion,
although they afterward slept in the noun
tain businesses and were startled by the ap
pearance of a bear lurking about their
camp. From the beginning to the end of their
long walk they kept what they called their
" log book" each member of the party in
turn writing up in it the record Of the days
happenings, Impressions of scenery and de-
scriptions of the country which they passed
during their tramp. Two of the girls made
sketches OF various points of interest along
the route. From first to last they have re-
>ceived nothing but kindness along the line OF
their path. Farm houses were thrown open
to them by the hospitable owners, and frc-
quent proffers of vehicles we're made, which
were, however, declined, as the pedestrians
decided before starting that they would walk
every step of the way unless sickness pre-
vented. They are in excellent condition, and
the only Inconvenience they have ever suf-
fered was from blistered feet, but, as they
moved on, their feet became hardened. The
most difficult part of their tramp was the as
cent and exploration of the Bald Mountain,
whose mysterious rumbling created so
much excitement some years ago.
They not enly went to the top of
the mountain but penetrated some of its
| wild fissures, with view of satisfying their
minds whether or not the rumblings were
| owing to volcanic action. In going through
| the mountainsthey were in great apprehen-
| sion of Tattlesnakes, but their fears were
| gfoundless, not one of the dreaded reptiles
being seen. The members of the party al
lege the only annoyance they had during
/ the journey was from certain officious par
| ties of their own sex who undertook to deter
| them from their project, and called it an i'm
modest proceeding. One old lady became so
| much worked up about it that she insisted
| she would go as chaperOne for the party, and
| man hitch buggy and drive her along with
| them; but when they said they proposed
| walking where no buggy could be driven, and
! said they had no objection to her company on
! foot, she abandoned tho idea. In order to
| to avoid an appearance of immOdesty and
| shun publicity the girls frequently made long
! detours so as not to enter the villages and
! towns along their route, and they kept
! their proposed line of march secret their
! whereabouts were never known, and so
! crowds were avoided. Doubtless had they
| gone through the streets of towns they might
! have been subjected to iests, but they say that
| at no time on their journey have they been
! spoken to rudely or roughly, save by one or
| two women, who characterized their wander
! ing about the country alone as immOdest and
! unmafdenly. The girls are young, the eldest
! being p and the youngest IL. All of the party
| feshened after the first week, except one
! who was inclined to be too robust; she was
reduced from 145 pounds to 133. They are all
! enthusiastic at the success of their undertake
! ing, and announce their determination to
spend their next vacation in the same way.