New-York tribune., 1908-07-19
CAMPING ~OUT.

No Little Man or Little Woman who has ever
camped out needs to be told what jolly life II is
But probably there some whose parents nave
always taken them in vacation time. to stay al
some big hotel in fashionable seaside place OF
mountain resort. That is better than staying In
the city but It Is a pretty poor excuse for real
outing A good many parents. probably, nave
never tried the camping out plan. simply because
they thought about 1t. how pleasant ana no"
heathful 1t is. Or perhaps they are afraid II wouo
make too much work for mother. But any family
Of bright boys and girls could If they really tried
make camping out very easy for mother-mucA
restful for her than living in a great hotei.
where she must be dressed up all the time. And If
they-the children-learned all they could ABOUT
camping out and talked to their parents about It
not teased but just talked-why, they might gam
for themselves the delightful experience OF an out
door summer.
1t is not necessary to go far away from the city
in order to camp out. There are many pretty
stretches of woods and picturesque lakes ana
streams and inlets in New Jersey and New York
to be reached by very brief journey from TINS
CITY, Perhaps small rental will be charged, but
If the is friendly man and sees that you
are the kind Of people who will not set his woods on
fire, or throw refuse all over the place, ne may
just tell you to come. and welcome
It is fun to pick out the place and you will want
to help father do that; but it is buying the tents
that makes one begin to feel that one is really
going to camp out. The tents must be OF good,
strong duck else they will soon begin to tear here
and there and rip at the corners, and some stormy
night they will give way when you are least ex-
pecting it and leave you in sad plight. And they
must be platform tents for these be pitched
on rugged ground Level ground is the incest. no
matter what kind of tents you have but solnetmes
the ideal ste where the view is finest and the air
best. is rough underfoot.
Strong wooden chests not too high, are better
than trunks to carry things in, for they are more
useful after reaching camp. They make good
tables as covered with soft rugs they are splen-
did seats. If mother is inclined to put some or
YOUR dress-up clothes in the chests she should
be urged not to do it. They will make her no
end Of trouble, and stout and simple clothes are
the things to have a good time In camping out
Take hammocks to sleep in--sailors' hammocks
with which mattresses can be used. 1t Is very
delightful to sleep in hammock but some peo-
pie want bed the solid earth, and Tor those
who do there are folding cots which can be packed
away in very small compass. A few steamer
chairs should be included in the outfit, and an
old cook stove else an oil stove. While COOK
ing over open fires is great sport when you do
not have to depend on 1t, for a family camp some
thing else is needed. 1t is not wise TO rough 1t
too much.
OF course the family will want open fire in
the evenings for the cheerfuness and the beauty
Of it-a big fire, in front Of the tents with plenty
Of logs to burn in it. What fun to watch the
leaping flames! and when they have died down.
what fun to sit around the glowing embers and
tell Stories listen to the wind in the trees.
And after such evening how you sleep In your
hammock bed-at least you will sleep if there are
curtains of mosquito net in the tent fronts. That
is precaution that must not be neglected.
Then to get up in the morning and take
plunge in the pool-there must be pool near
and then to eat your breakfast Of crisp broiled
bacon and hot coffee and cornbread, with cool
water from the spring--the camp must be near a
spring. and that spring should be carefully
fho re ifCbe eA
are not such a bath and breakfast good begin
nings for the day? And then the long day in the
woods or on the lake! Is not such a vacation we'll
worth having?