Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-08-07
CAMPING OUT.
A PEN Picture by " Adirondack -
Murray OF Lie an thc Tent.

| ZEN Picture by " Adirondack -
Murray of Life an the Tent.
W. Fl. H. NJ, In the Springfield Repub.
dcoB, writes rs follows; There is no
other word in the vocabulary OF our Ian.
Ruage 40 suggestive Of rare and pleasant
conditions OF living an camping. 1t is
more than mere word; II Is symbol as
we'll. Il stands for class Of experiences
so fresh, novel and healthy that II 10 be-
loved by imagination and memory alike.
II is 30 truly = mirror to many Of us that
in IL, as In glass, we SEQ trees, the shores
OF lovely lskes, the banks of quietly
flowing rivers, wooded islsnds around
which the waves run oareshingly, beaches
OF cleaning sand, and ranges OF lofty
mountains. In II also, are cabins of
bark, osmp.frea that crackle and blaze
and flare red lights high up amid swsyipg
branches, and widely out in great circle
through the dark forest. And 10 the
word are faces and forms that have been
companions with US in our forest wander
ings, some of whom are with us to this
day, and other ones that are not now
with us,n will they ever be again on this
earth, and, alas we know not where
they are.
"Not only Ia II n word for the eye, but
II Is equally word for the ear. For In
II are the signing OF zephyrs, the soft In
tonipg OF slow-moving night winds, the
roaring OF strong gales, the moaning of
tompsss and the sobbing Of storms amid
the wet treeE. The looms call, the splash
OF leaping fish, the psnther's cry, the
pltitul summons OF tho lost hound, the
Slashing OF deer wadipg among the lily
pads and the soft dripping OF odorous
gums falling gently on tho pine stems,
listening TO which In silence and sweet
content We, who were lying under the
fragrant trees like happy and weary
children, have fallen gently asleop-All
these sounds live in the word a. music
lives forever in the air OF heaven. being
part of IL.
"And in II, too, are human voices,
songs, laughter aud all the happy noises
of morriment aud frelic. No other
photograph is like to II. The happy
hunters proud hurrah over the captured
gamei the songs around the camp ere
under the stars In the hush OF evening;
the strangers hail; the guides strong
call to breakfast; q heavenly sound-the
Hates soft note across the water on a
still night; the cheer on reaching camp
and the murmured farewolls at leaving.
Verify II is a vocal word, and all the
s7unos that come from 1t are melody.
Dear word, sweet word, keep vocal to
my ears until they cease TO hear, and mir
ror to my eyes until they see no more the
fair, the sweet aud the honest fapep that
out OF the dear old camp, that we have
builded In so many paris for SO many
years, now look forth upon me Ga out Of
so many heavens. For II there be better
heaven than we'll. placed camp with q
wisely assorted company OF honest and
cheerful folk, know not how to find It
in my imagination nor that passage Of
Revelation which tells us Of It.
ITO all that camp on shores Of lakes,
on breezy points, on banks OF rivers, by
sandy beaches, on slopes of mountains,
and under green trees anywhere, I, an
old camper, wood lover, an aboriginal
yeneerod with civilization, send greating.
thank God for the multitude OF you,
for the strength and beauty Of you; for
the healthiness of your tastes and the
naturslness OF your natures. | eat and
drink with you, hunt and fish with you,
boat and battle with you, and with you
by day and night enjoy the gifts of the
good world. Kneeling on the deck of
my yacht, stopping far over and reaching
low down to fill to the brlm the old
camping cup that longer than the lives OF
some OF You has never failed my lips,
and holding 1t high in the bright sunlight
l swing il 20 the circle Of the hosiz on,
and standing bare headed, with the strong
wind in my face, drink to your health,
o campers, whoever aad wherever 70 be-.
Here's health to you oil and long life on
the earth and something very like camp.
Ing ever Rfter.n