Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-08

= y series of tented camps and
several households in the river. form
ing a summer colony.
What is the impulse which impels
folk to seek this life without most
OF the comforts and all the luxuries
of their city homes? Who are they
that seek the pleasures spread before
them in this manner of life:
Some of those who live there say 1t
is the freedom from the cares required
to keep the complexities of home life
in order; others, that it is propinquity
to the broad river, which gives bath
ing and boating; some. that it is the
GOODNESS of the nights. when blankets
and sweaters become necessity;
others, the companionship at night
about the camp fire, the good health.
which brings keen appetite. the con-
neutrality-suspicious. sentimental--time
spent in the moonlight. so much more
beautiful in the open country.
There may be a thousand and one
sources of pleasure in the camps, but
underlying them all is that funda-
mental love of the earth whence we
sprang, and where we may live like
our fellow-animals, although not re-
verting to type and fortunately not
losing our happier development 1t
is like the impulse which in the spring
sends the migratory birds to the great
north.
These camps are filled for the most
part by young men engaged in busi-
ness in the city, and the morning
hours see canoes. motor and power
to Oh
river. taking campers on their way to
their daily occupations. But not all
the campers are young in years, and
not all are men. Some of the men are
young only in spirit, and some of the
campers belong to the other sex, and
not of the severe suffragette type,
either.
few eras or so ago, when the Po-
tomac cut it's way to the ocean. the
southerly bank was left very steep
and unsightly. but time has covered it
with beautiful trees, and moss forms
soft cushion over the rocks. At the
root of the bank. south of the quarry,
between the bank and the river, is a
stretch of ground nearly a mile long
and varying from fifty to a hundred
and fifty feet in width, running at a
nearly uniform height of ten feet above
the water level 1t is shaded by beau
tiful trees. and among them the camps,
protected by the high bank behind
them. are pitched for the season
X
Camp Ease" is the first one this
side of the quarry. Four canvas sleep
ing tents and an open dining tent shell
ter this family party of father, mother,
wife. husband and daughter and their
friends They celebrated their indie
pendence by taking possession of this
delightful spot on the Fourth of July,
and they intend to stay until cold
weather drives them out, although this
may not mean so very much: for al
ready the night breezes down the river
are cool.
The high bank shelters them from
the worst winds, a nearby spring fur
nishes pure, cold water. the woods pro-
vide the wild flowers which decorate
the dinner table and the waters of the
river furnish after due patience on
the part of the anglers. fish for the
noontime meal Friendly birds visit
them, and. far this season. the high
voiced mosquito has not put in his ap-
pearance.
"To-Quan Camp" borders upon Ease"
literally and in the punning sense
which suggests itself. Here seven
young men settled last April, to remain
the whole season. They find it very
comforta BILE to paddle from the Mary
land side in the afternoon and after
getting out of business clothes to take
plunge into the river before sitting
down to the dinner which shorty"
cook, purveyor and guardian of the
camp. provides in liberal variety and
quantity. A launch and seven canoes
constitute the camp navy and are re-
Quired to carry the campers and their
many visitors. The tents have board
floors and comfortable beds. Good
books, music. plenty of wooden and
rubber blankets and Shorty" with his
paraphernala, make a camp equipment
which is very complete.
Three young men have occupied
Camp Roost" since the LIST of April.
and they expect to remain there until
the snow flies. Fortunately. the ground
on which their tent stands is quite
high, so that when the floods came last
May and washed over many of the
other camp sites this was not reached.
1T is always dangerous to invite
guests here" said visitor to this
camp. 1T is my first visit, and I have
already notified my host that l intend
to stay as long IS 1 can. and that this
first visit is most empha tically not my
last" He evidently had the first symp
toms of the impulse to return from
artificial to real life.
The next was ladies' camp-"Rest a
While''-made up of four tents, a chap
eron and some people who were spend
Ing the summer there. For amuse
ments they read a little" said the
nhliRinez ca mn historian q LITTLE