The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-08-01
BOY WHO CAMPED OUT.

Buy WHO CAMPED OUT.
My first experience in camping out was the most
exciting ever had, though big boy suppose
would have called it both tame and funny. But
l was only ten years old then, and INV brother.
Proctor, who really the hero of the adven-
ture, was only eight. There was one other bow
with us, Freddie Childs our next door neighbor.
and he was the oldest of all, for he was going on
twelve.
We camped fathers lawn in a tent made of
three sheets. 1t was a very warm still night in
summer, and mother had made us nice bed on
the ground with rubber blanket and an old
mattress and some comforters, sheets and pill
lows Father had put up the tent and it was lust
as tight and comfortable as a real tent in the
woods IT we hadn't known that we were in it. we
ought to have slept just as soundly as in our own
beds upstairs. But we didn't somehow and that
was the funny and exciting part of it,
We ate our supper an old box in the tent at
half-past o'clock, and then we played Indians
until q, when mother came out and helped Proctor
undress and get to bed. She lit candle for u.s.
and after she had gone in, Freddie and un-
dressed, blew out the candle, and craw1ed under
the blankets. By and by, asked Freddie, are
you asleep?"
NO." said he in kind of faint voice
Are you sleepy7'
mo"
do you suppose anything would touch us
here in the night if should go to sleep?" I
asked.
II Dunno" answered Freddie He Law still for
a minute, and then said: "What I'm afraid of is
catching cold. l guess I'd better go home and
get some of those little homeopathic pills of mas
to take if feel cold comm on in the night
Freddie crawled OUT lit the candle and put on
his clothes. The tree toad kept screaming hoars-
all the while.
Come back soon, Freddie" said Proctor
Freddie pushed back the flap of the tent "JJh-
uh," he said, and then he was gone We heard
him walking kind of fast until he climbed the
fence; then he ran like everything through the
grass. | guess he didn't know how we'll we
could hear with our ears close to the ground
We watched and waited for him to come back
but he didn't come. 1t seemed kind of scary for
Just us two to be out there all alone in the night
But somehow, Proctor didn't seem to mind it as
much as did, By and by there came an awful
yell from somewhere out in the dark | knew it
was cats, and yet, somehow, | couldn't quite be-
ieve IT. 1t might have been panther escaped
from circus lynx, or something of that sort.
"ProctorP whispered.
Yep" answered Proctor
i believe I'm catching cold, too; aren't you?"
Mop; I'm as toast"
Now, look here, you little foolish" cried:
Il know it amt safe for to lie here so close to
the ground all night If we don't catch cold we'll
get rheumatism as the world I'm going
back to the house"
Fraid catP said my little brother
L suppose | really too nervous and fright
ened to get angry at him. / only got up and hur-
RED into my clothes, coughing and trying to
sneeze all the time, though it was so hot and
close in the tent that the sweat ran off the end
OF my nose. When / thought had enough of
clothes on l grabbed the rest as fast as could
and blew out the candle. There Smarty" cried
], as | was boiling out of the tent "you can stav
and hon, al