The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-29
CAMP DE SOTO
Rr CLYDE VANCE

Camp De Soto. June 2S.-(Special.)- As much as we like old Birmingham. it will be with sorrowful faces that we pull out from our mountain home Fri day afternoon We will reach Birming-
 ham Friday night on the Alabama Great Southern, as hardened a set of sunburned boys as ever went rough ing it.
 We have all voted this the greatest camp ever held in Alabama, and we think we can prove it beyond any doubt This is certainly an ideal site, almost in the clouds on top of Look out mountain where we have to use double blankets and wear our sweaters at night Moon Lake, and the De Soto river have furnished us the very best swimming and fishing, and the boys have caught all the bream they could 1 eat. Such a delicacy as frog legs has l become quite common, as Gilmore is
 an expert at gigging the loud croak- CTS Mess" has been fine-plenty of country chickens. eggs, milk and but ter and everything prepared by an ex- pert negro chef from Chattanooga.
 There are 43 boys in camp, and seven leaders. making party of 50 of the finest fellows that could be found in Birmingham. Camp advantages are so
 numerous that every fellow has been able to follow his own individual bent
 The anglers are out before daybreak, the tennis and quoit tournaments are proceeding with great zest, baseball games between the tents or with the Chattanooga men who camp nearby are daily events. The woods are full of blackberry and huckleberry pickers, while every day two or three explor- | ing parties are formed to visit the wild scenery below the falls, to climb | to Eagles Nest of Lookout Point or to | tramp to some of the many other poin ts l of interest.
 The rains have not interferred with l the fun in the least as we have fine i tents and the downpours have nearly
 all come a night. There have been
 very few accidents. With pr. Key right
 on the ground all the little ailments
 are quickly cared for. The general
 spirit has been great and there is no | question but that in the future the Y. M. c. A. will have to limit the | number who are allowed to come on ! camp.
 Sunny Jim Downey of the Amazons, l whose shoulders were awfuily blistered, 1 has set the pace for long distance
 smiling up here. We will have to give l it to the boy for real downright spunk.
 Big Chief Charley Gilmore Is our | handy man. If there is anything about
 camping the quiet boy don't know. we 1 haven't heard of It. Every fellow has
 specially and plenty of opportunity l to work it off
 The Cherokess. six of whom were on 1 last years camp, have organized per manently, with Ty Cobb captain, and expect to swing together for good. The charter mem bers are Elwyn Cobbs. 1 f>la White. Charley Gilmore, Chester Nell
 son. Robert Barker. "Hicky' Cullom, G. W. Wilson, Burr Blackburn and Clyde Vance. This bunch will be heard from every year
 Some of the special features have | been a country thimble party, given by the folks on the mountain, a marsh mellow roasting which we gave at
 camp to the Mentone girls Monday
 night, tea" at the Orr summer home, where the boys had a great time; an exploration of the big cave by lantern light. a camp singing Saturday night Sunday morning the Chattanooga and Birmingham camps combined in song service which was really fine. Bible study every morning has proven a pleasant part of the days programme. Under tine direction of the leaders the groups have learned much of life from
 the study of birds, rocks, storms, wa
 ter. trees and nature in general. That was some game that Maxwell | pitched fin Montgomery yesterday,
 wasn't it? We get The Age-Herald ev- | cry day. and you should see the
 scra mb,e for the baseball page
 Look for us Friday night I doubt | whether we can be recognized, for our
 clothes are all nil, we are freclSled,
 drinking milk shakes. But we have | certainly had a bUllV time.