The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-29
ideas for dWn1men.

OF her brothers, she is now conceded the
right to share, while reliaquishi1g moth
ing of the prerogatiye of her own sex.
With the bicycle she has found her
wings and a new sense oil freedom has
come to her in many ways.
Last summer the experiment was tried,
by asparty OF six girls and their chaper-
on OF camping in the Adirondack woods.
In the near neighborhood Of a pretty
Jake, and within an hours row of a -four
shirg summer hotel, they found the Ar
cadian paradise of which they had
dreamed, Feeling themselves animated
by the spirit Of a Robinson Crlsoe or of
a Daniel Boone, they would gladly have
penetrated into the l~oneliest depths of
prin1eval forests TO find an abiding place,
but common sense had prevailed in their
~counsels, and the neighborly hotel, where
a good physician could De had in emergen-
cies, where a laundry offered its conven-
fences, and where frequent mails kept
them in communication with home friends
came to be appreciated. The camp con-
sisted of a small log cabin, a dining tent,
a shed that did duty for q kitchen and a
tent for the guides.
The cabin contained a pleasant sitting
room and four small bedrooms. but any
thing savoring so much of civilization as
a bed was not to be thought Of. Fresh
hemlock boughs piled in heaps and covered
with blankets. they found to be delight
dulged in the Epicurean luxury of a mat
tress, which she held herself ready to re-
iinquish to nyone in case of illness.
The sitting room was pretty enough
TO tempt them to forget the joys to be
had ont of donrc oni ~noonaiJo1 4ha,, -
an occasional rainy day. Upon their arriv-
with only a few rocking chairs, a table
holding a lamp, and a large packing box.
covered with a mattress. by way of fur
niture.
This latter with a cover of Turkey red
and piled with bright-hued pillows filled
with pine balsam. became under the MIN
bic fingers of the girls, a most inviting
looking lounge. This lamp .blcssomed
like a rose,'' a huge red rose, in its
ounce of scarlet tissue paper, and books
and work baskets, fresh wild flowers
and sylvan treasures of all kinds scattered
about transformed the plain little room
into a pretty, home-1ike nest, among the
grand old forest trees. One guide, with
q boy assistant, did all the work that the
young women did not erect to do them
selves. Some played at cooking a little,
while others felt themselves in duty bound
to provide their little party with fresh
fish from the lake, but their partial sue
cess was 80 pleasantly supplemented by
the work of the all-accompfished guides
that they never discovered how little they
really did. They Jared sumptuously every
day upon trout and lap-jacks, eggs, but
ter and milk were procured from the
farmers, who lived within easy rowing
distance. The girls had brought with them
a supply of canned fruits and vegetables,
hams, tongues and ported meats, upon en-
tering the woods, and supplies from the
hotel permitted a change of menu when
they pleased.
Each member of the party came pro-
vided with her own towels. knives. forks
and spoons, while Japanese paper replaced
the ordinary napkins ~aeceptably.
In short Tweed skirts, Norfolk Jackets
and stout boots, they we're well equipped
for long tramps, while jaunty Tyrolese
hats gave a touch of elegance to- their APP
pearance to which even our Amazons
were not indifferent. The skirts concealed
loose garments of masculine origin, in
which the girls specially rejoiced, having
~ LAG1 "a 49,
freedom of motion.
One intrepid damsel, donning a high
pair of India-rubber boots, and tucking
her skirts a la washerwoman, would wade
In midstream in her enthusiastic pursuit
of the elusive trout, and throw her fly
with the ardor, if not the skill. of an ex-
perienced angler.
Bathing in the lake, rowing, tramping,
botanizing, ~ishing-free as air-they wan
dered day by day. In the evening one
member of the party would sometimes
read aloud, usually some book of adven-
ture, while the others stitched away BUS
lily on a bit of decoration for the rooms,
or lounged about, enjoying the reaction
after the days exercise.
One young woman had brought her ban
10, and delighted her audience with Creole
melodies or college songs, in which all
Joined in the chorus.
Especially was the music appropriate to
the scene when the great camp fire was
burning. Just often enough to preserve
the sense of novelty the guides made a
huge bonfire, which required but little
additional fuel TO burn during all one
evening.
The month being August, a corn roast
was one of the pleasures to be enjoyed
around the campfire.
Each person was supplied with a long,
light pole, sharply pointed at one end.
Upon these, ears of gre~n corn were toast
ed when the fire had burned down until
it was a glowing pile of Goals. ard eaten
thus, with butter and salt. our national
vegetable was enjoyed at its best.
All entertaining had been rigidly ex-
Guided from the programme, but during
the last week of their stay in the woods,
the girls invited a few friends from the
hotel to a campfire tea.
The eatables were served In true picnic
fashion at the usual supper hour, and
when k came, the great camp fire
was lighted. Under the influence of the
gypsy-like scene, conventionality was for
gotten, and all were soon singing popular
airs with a gusto and enjoyment that
to prove that a spice of Bohemian
ism is latent in most of us.
Only the anticipation of repeating the
experience the following summer, recon
ciled the parity to leaving the free, pleas
ant life of the woods. and returning to the
conventional strait-jackets of city life.
The expense of such a camp varies
greatly with the locality. The one of
We have been speaking was hired
at one hundre dollars per month, but
~ - n r mir nv Al ~ a1tHl