New-York tribune., 1912-04-19
IN POLYGLOT LAND
The Camping Tour of a Wise
Pair.

IN THE CARPATHIANS. BY Lion Pniih-
more. Svo. pp 3iS. Henry Holt e. CO.
1T was luxury to lie free and un-
cramped under the open sky while as-
ceticism lay in enduring stuff1ness "ith-
in four walls" This was the conclu-
sion at which, near the end OF camp
ing tour in Central Europe, the author
of this volume arrived. The reader VINO
falls under it's spell cannot dispute tnat
conclusion or this other one found at
the close Of a chapter OF adventure
Those who sleep always In beds and
whose nights are never broken py the
discomforts OF poverty know little OF
the freedom and kindliness of the
world" Both these blessings did the
Phillmores, husband and wife. encoun-
ter during their slow, two months jour
nev. They started from Zakopane, on
the Polish Hungarian frontier with an
excellent honey colored horse, covered
cart, a handsome Polish boy to take
care Of the same and a load OF pots
pans and timed provisions, not forget
ting sleeping "valises" and a sleeping
tent. The young Pole was exchanged
for an older factotum midway, and
friendly dog was annexed, otherwise the
travellers went on with personnel and
paraphernalia unaltered through a bit
of Gallicia. Eastern Hungary and Tran
sylvania, "a polyglot land. with its many
peoples and different customs"
Good camping places in these noun
tain regions they almost always found.
Wood tor the fire was abundant and
pure water was at hand for drinking
and bathing. A favorite occupation Of
the author. apparently, was sitting on
a hot day in the middle Of a cold clean,
rapid river. II was a country Of herds.
and milk, if not cream, was generally
attainable in the evening milking hour
and this with vegetables, bread, tea and
honey formed the chief OF their diet"
They bought supplies in the primitive
villages-sometimes under interesting
circumstances. There was the old shop
keeper who rushed after the departing
cart. calling upon the travellers to stop:
The crowd hurriedly collected again to
hear ner complaint. What had the foreign
ers stolen? The old lady reached us and
her voice rose from the middle OF the
crowd demanding her weight
What weight" asked Bobby
TN the sugar" said the old lady press
ing closer.
9What sugar." said Bobby.
My sugar" exclaimed Milak. Il bought
loaf sugar"
mistake" said the old lady. perfectly un-
embarrassed. Then growing impatient at
our lack of comprehension.
Am | 10 wait all day? Give me the
bag" she snapped. ill-tempered. and Milak:
puzzled. hunted amongst the parcels ana
handed her a blue paper bag.
An obliging and comprehending neighoor
produced a bowl and the old lady tumpled
the sugar into it, and with the sugar rell
brass weight OF some three or four ounces
That's it." said the old LADY; seizlng IL
II forgot TO take 1t out and without Iurns
ing a hair or showing even shadow OF
the blush Of shame. she emptied our sugar
back into the bag, handed II TO US, and de
parted with her weight: We drove roInu mo
the corner and were out OF tne viiiaeg Then
fore we thoroughly understood. Ihen
Nilak observed musingly: IT must na'e
weighed a good many Jumps OF sugar
Rut cheatery like this was rare; and
the assertion pressed upon the Englisn
pa,r at starting, that the peasants were
dangerous, proved to be without founda-
ton. Night after night on the wild
countryside there came to their camp
fire herdsmen, gypsies or road makers,
men who sat and smoked and talked.
and sometimes accepted a share OF the
simple food, and sometimes-though evil
IDENTIFY hungry-politely declined it. Only
once did two suspicious visitors loom out
of the dark and retreat into It again.
giving the travellers a night OF worry;
and once a drunken village headman de-
manded their papers with ugly insist
encs. OF every little incident OF life In
these unfrequented places the author
makes the most. She has humor and