The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-08-01
A Famous Outing.

"The four-twenty train Saturday morning."
were the marching orders issued by Editor
Atkins of the Argus and Patriot, Friday after
noon, to his typos and invited guests On the
vision OF the elect there arose prospects Of
sail amid the gories of Lake Champlain. a
day on its grassy slopes at Camp Watson with
It's open air freedom and pleasures, boating
and fshing-benefaction which the proprietor
of the argus establishment had devised for his
composltors and pressmen, devils and quill
drivers. The obstreperous din of an alarm
clock called The WATCHMAN representative on
this occasion from his slumbers and when
noses were counted in the special car attached
to the morning express the following employees
of the Argus office were enumerated: George
Blair, foreman, q. l.. Lawrence, pressman, f.
n. Kathan, George A. and Henry Moore, Arthur
G. Woodbury., p M. Meder, Thomas Stathers,
Daniel Durgin, |. w. Cate, Geo. II. Almon,
Fred NJ Peck, Silas r. Dady. Chas. Alexander,
Mabel A. Poor Mrs. Millie Blair, Helen o. Mel,
Sarah E. Kennedy, Mrs. r NJ Brewer, Mary
Dumas, and Mrs. Woodbury. With Mr. Atkins,
proprietor, w. 2. Hill, the original of T. W.
Woods striking picture, "The Local Reporter" 1"
and lHE WATcHMAN representative, who with
his wife had been roped in at Waterbury, the
excursion numbered twenty-five persons. II.
A. Huse OF the Freeman. with Mrs. Huse, was
expected from the Office of the Green Mountain
dlsseminator OF news and politics, but either
the circus interfered with his habitual matin
previousness or some other restraining cause
intervened, and there was no early bird from
the Freeman cage to gather in this delightful
worm. A breezy ride down the beautiful valley
OF the Winooski brought the party to Bur-
lington where 1t was found that Mr.. Atkins
plans for lake transportation were dashed
by the failure of the boat he had chartered
TO come to time. He quietly marshalled his
guests to the hospitable halls of the Van Ness
house. While the hungry printers were
hlling up their empty" cases" around Land
lord Drew bountiful tables, outside the push
OF the Argus editor was asserting itself.
Bound to have steamer il he had to buy one,
he escaped the latter alternative by char
tering the queen of the Chsmplain fleet, the
elegant steamer Reindeer, which on its arrival
from its regular trip from the north at half
past ten o'clock would be at Mr.. Atkins dis
posal. The beautiful steamer was promptly at
her dock, and at little past eleven o'clock, the
clouded and threatening skies having broken
into cheerful sunlight with the frightening for
tunes and rising spirits of the excursionists,
swung OFT into the lake and took its winding
way to Camp Watson. The distance in a bee
line was but about sixteen miles, but owing to
the obstruction Of Sand Bar bridge at the
south end OF South Hero, the route the boat
must traverse was moIe than double that dis
tance. Skirting the western shore of South
Hero and threading between it and its counter
part the channel euphoniously called the gut" +"
ride OF about eight miles to the southeast
piousht luo party 10 Nhlnp NhtHOn IL Huu
come over historic waters, past historic places
scenes OF conflict in the old colonial wars, OF
encounters in revolutionary times, of McDon-
ough's famous victory All around was the
bright lake and its green islands, a tempered
sunlight and invigorating breezes, horizon
bounded by Vermonts green range on the east
and on the west by New York's many-peaked
Adirondacks. Eyes which are daily confronted
at short range by staring sheets OF pitiless copy
feasted on the picturesque scenery, and the
pure oxygen bulletined messages on cheeks
blanched by gas light and leaden labors Near
ing camp Watson, at which vessels so large
as the Reindeer are not frequent callers,
"Squibbs, who says he can wade In any part
OF the lake, was put forward to sound the
depth OF the water, and the vessel being able
by reason of bold shores to go well in towards
the land, the small boats at the camp put off
to take the excursionists ashore. Just then a
fresh wind was blowing and rain was threaten
ing The landing was made with nothing
more serious than slight donsing or two and
timid cry from the ladies unfamiliar with the
antics OF this fresh water cub of Neptune. The
company will long and most pleasantly remem-
Der this sail on Champlain, made doubly enjoy
able by the courteses and polite attentions Of