The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-07-17

tent, the other two eff .ers tents. We
| were congenial spirits, moved by a COM
mon impulse-a desire to get breath of
nature and through nature to natures
God. 1t was soon decided that the
wilds of the mountains would aft rd the
very place in which to pitch our tents.
A supply of provisions, scant outfit for
cooking, couple Of guns together with
some few pieces of bedding constituted
our "nutfit." Tents and pro, isi,ns
were shipped several days in advance of
our denart,,-~--nefupTuy or Jim,-dN
colored boy, to be our cook and general
servant. The three of us followed the
plunder. Arriving at the small railway
station far up in the mountains, we en-
gagged team to convey our s'hhuseholdn
goods far up in a wild country and be-
yond the customary haunts of mep.
Permission from .mountainer was
given us to camp upon his lands. Be-
SIDE clear, babbipg brook, under the
shade. of friendly tree, we "drove
stakes" and settled down to-rest. At
home we wore collar, coat and shoes.
Not so here! We were nigh to forget
ling these things were a part of the
wearing apparel of moder civilization.
b oks were left behind One newspap.
per every three days found its way to a
small post Office three miles aWay. 81!
The mounta:nee1s soon found our re-
treat, and forthwith, brought us Irish
potatoes, chickens, eggs, beans, cabbage,
squirrels, rabbits, butter, milk-in fact,
almost everything hungry m an needed.
These products were offered for sale at a
rld!culously low price, and our boy Jim
found great difficulty in providing CO ok
ing utensils for so many different articles
IT food Beans, cabbage, okra, Irish
potatoes and perhaps few fat squirrels
would be consigned to one and the same
pot: 10 you turn up your nose at this
mixed stew? Why man, it was food
TOT King. A mornings tramp over
Ills and through hollows, plunge in
ehe falling waters OF clear, cold noun
tain stream, and-if you turn away from
our savory dish, and good, brown hoe
CAKE OF cornbread you evince the fact
that your physical condition is past hope
OF recovery. Wade up stream and every
twenty yards fire away at the swimming
trout, climb out on the bank and gather
wild fl>wers, ascend some high peak, and
after gazing around for brief time, re-
trace your steps to the camp-and If you
refuse to cat Jim's dainties, your case
would be, by your humble servant, CON-
sldered hopelessly bad. Do not talk to
me about your fashionable resorts,'
nor your mineral springs with their gay
and crowded throDgs. The eternal hills,
clad IN the glorious green Of summer,
rotted with cold sparkling springs.
traversed by swift mountain streams and
enveloped in the purest air God ever
made, are not to be spoken of in the
some breath with your man-mads de-
vices for entertainment and comfort. a
man can get more rest to one sqrare
inch of such surroundings than can be
found in square mile of stuffy, crowded
hotel buildings And I'd rather sit
down to Il rabbit stew, and a plate OF
green corn in the ear and dish of
mountain cabbage than to the best of
delicacies served on the table of sum-
mer hotel. Why, map! the music of a
mountain brook sings in a fellows ear
for months after he has left its happy
banks.
The beautiful vision of sunset scene
gold and silver clouds, streaming rays
of the fast sinking sun and the gathering
shadows of approaching night-leaves aD
impress upon the brain that for months
cheers the heart of man. To lie down
upon some grassy slope, back upon til.
ground, face to the sky, and hear the
beating of the great heart of God this
is something worth whilel But some
timid soul will say: ''Did the snake.
bite your" We never saw single
snake the whole time we were there ex-
cept now and then water moccasin.
and each OF these seemed as anxious to
get away as we were glad to have him
go. "How much did it cost?" says
some practical soul. Not enough to
worry over. For less than il would have
cost in some summer hotel. Indeed.
Parsons and l figured it out that we