Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-01-29

Down by the shores of Alcyon lake in
New Jersey the camp grounds newest
attraction, there have sat eve since the
camp opened a bevy of summer girls.
Their costumes were bewitchingly cool
looking, their laughter contagious, and
their presence lent added charm to the
beauties OF the smooth, picturesque body
OF water down in the woods on the east
Of the famous groove. They sat along
the sloping shores, reading novels OF
listening to the swish of oars as they
watched the boats glide across the
bosom of the lake. They lolled about in
graceful poses and permitted young men
to whisper nothings to them as they
welded their fans. Now it is all
changed The pretty girls don't sit by
the lake any more. They eye it ask.
ance, shudder, whisper to each other,
laugh, and avoid the vicinity as a singed
cat keeps away from the fire.
This marked change came through
what approached the dimensions Of q
general panic in the famous old camp.
meeting grounds. The meetings had
progressed for two days and had begun
to assume the fervor and interest fol
which Pitman grove is SO famous
throughout the land, when one evening
a great commotion arose. A pretty Cir
in a batiste dress SO fidgeted and
squirmed in one of the front rows that o
good sister was sure she was feeling
the spirit" The good sister touched the
pretty girl on the shoulder and muir.
INJURED encouragingly in her ear. The
nI.nffu niri naVa nnn chriaH anH HaI
from tho auditorium. She made
straight for her mothers cottage, and
rumor has 1t that as soon as she reached
her DON she gave herself over to a de.
voted and industrious scratch.
Meantime other pretty girls, and some
not so pretty, had gone through the
same motions in the Auditorium meet,
ing and had fled precipitately. The
good danes and the devoted brethren
were sorely perplexed. They ascribed
it all to the rebellious spirit e%ngendered
by the devil, and fervid prayers wer,
offered for the misguided young women
That night, when the meeting closed
amid more turbulence than the good
people cared TO see repeated, the action,
Of the dozen or more young women
passed from lip to lip, and there wal
much marveling over their mysterious
behavior. Next morning none of tn,
offenders were to be seen, bat toward
dusk the next evening one Of them
ventured out Of her cottage, and ovei
by Fourth venue she ran across an
other.
"Oh, Jennie!" exclaimed one.
"Oh, Mayw exclaimed Jennie.
In concert they shrieked "Ticks!"
Then there we're condolences, and Of
the two sauntered on they sought Out
sequestered spots, and, after carefully
looking all around, each bent we and
went through many mysterious mo
tons. That same night all the othel
girls who had aroused such connection
in the meeting mel as by appointment,
and after the first expression of horror
and dismay they shouted "Ticks!"
Then it was learned that the girls had
been in the habit of spending consider.
able time down by the shores Of Alcyop
lake. This is an abiding place of sand
ticks, a species of bug that is harder to
get rid of than a country cousin in win,
ter. The sand tick Is industrious, digi
under the flesh, and has to be cut out
The password at Pitman grove il
"Ticks."