The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-10-01
AIOASI TO ALL CAMPERS.
Adirondack Murray's Rhapsody on the
Pleasures of Camp Life.

There is no other word in the vocab-
ulary of our language so suggestive OF
rare and pleasant conditions of living
as camping. 1t is more than mere
word; it is a symbol as well. 1t stands
for class of experience so fresh,
novel and healthy that it is beloved by
imagination and memory alike. 1t is
so truly mirror to many of us that in
it, as in glass, we see trees, the
shores of lovely lakes, the banks of
quietly flowing rivers, wooded islands
around which the waves run caress-
ingly, beaches of cleaning sand and
ranges of lofty mountains. In it, also,
are cabins of bark, camp fires that
crackle and blaze and flare red lights
high up amid swaying branches and
widely out in a great circle through
the dark forest. And in the word are
faces and forms that have been COM
panions 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, nor will they ever be
again on this earth, and, alasi we
know not where they are.
Not only is it a word for the eye,
but it is equally word for the ear.
For in it are the signing of zephyrs.
the soft intoning of slow-moving night
winds, the roaring of strong gales, the
moaning of tempests and the sobbings
of storms amid the wet trees. The
looms call, the splash of leaping fish,
the panther's cry, the pitiful summons
of the lost hound, the slashing of deer
wading among the lily pads, and the
soft dripping of odorous gums falling
gently on the 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 asleep-all these
sounds live in the word as music lives
forever in the air of heaven, being a
part of it.
And in it, too, are human voices,
songs, laughter and all the happy
noises of merriment and frolic. No
other phonograph is like to it. The
happy hunters proud hurrah over the
captured game; the songs around the
camp fire under the stars in the hush
of evening; the strangers hail; the
guides strong call to breakfast, a
heavenly sound-the flutes soft note
across the water on still night; the
| cheer on reaching camp, and the muir
INJURED farewells at leaving; verify, it
is a vocal word, and all the sounds
that come from it are melody.
Dear word, sweet word, keep vocal
to my ears until they cease to hear and
mirror to my eyes until they see no
more the fair, the sweet and the honest
faces that out of the dear old camp,
that we have builded in so many parts
for so many years, now look forth up
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if there be better heaven than we'll
placed camp with a wisely assorted
company of honest and cheerful folk,
/ know not how to find it in my imag-
ination nor that passage of Revelation
that tells of it.
To all that camp on shores of lakes,
on breezy points, on banks of rivers,
by sandy beaches, on slopes of mount
aims and under green trees anywhere,
l, an old camper, wood lover, an
send greeting. l thank God for the
multitude of you; for the strength and
beauty of you; for the healthiness OF
your tastes and the naturalness of your
natures. l eat and drink with you;
hunt and fish with you; boat and
bathe 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 brim the old
camping cup that. longer than the
lives of some of you, has never failed
my lips, and holding it high in the
bright sunlight, I swing it to the circle
of the horizon, and, standing bare.
headed, with the strong wind in my
face, drink to your health, oh, camp
ers, whoever and wherever ye be
Here's health to you all and long life
on the earth and something very like
camping ever after.-Springtield Re
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