The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-21
Troop Two Started Out Saturday
Morning and Returned Sunday
Afternoon, Tired But
Happy.
HAD MANY EXPERIENCES
Iowa Blue Laws Nearly Robbed Boys
of Good Feed Sunday Noon
Met New Argyle
Troopers.
by One of Theml

L
Of America, made hike to Argyle
Saturday, returning yesterday after
noon. Seven O'Clock Saturday mor.--
ing found them busy rolling up their
equipment preparatory to leaving.
They carried blanket rolls containing
equipment weighing thirty pounds.
The Paraphernalia consisted of one
section Of a tent, one double blanket,
one ground cloth, one haversack, one
canteen, one mess kit. one first aid
kit, scout manuals, note books and
some Of the boys carried camera
flashlights, signal flags, scout axes,
field glasses and the like. The boys
were dressed in regulation uniforms.
The troop left headquarters at
just 7:45 o'clock Saturday morning,
and went out Main street to the Stand
ard Four plant and went all through
it. From there they hit the Argyle
road and took a branch leading
through 2 woody country. Whether
the sun was hot in Keokuk or not, it
was "superhot'' on the Argyle road
and the boys all took a Turkish bath.
A halt was called at noon at school
house about seven miles from Argyle
and the dinner brought in the haver-
sacks was cooked and enjoyed. AT
12:45 the bunch marched on. The aft
ernon was little tresome and as
we passed every farm house some one
would say, How far is it to Argyle?"
At a house about four miles away,
We were told it was about three
miles; at one a half mile closer,
they said it was a good three miles
and half; up the road ways was
a scraper gang who said two and a
I, nj aho r.io
did some cross country cutting and
soon were at Argyle and into store
making a dive for pop!
Camp was pitched on an excellent
Site about three-quarters of a mile out
of Argyle, with creek on one side
and an auto road on the other. There
were six pup" tents pitched. Supper
was served and afterwards the troop
marched ito the city The officers
met Scout Master-to-be Duminel and
the men interested in forming an
Argyle troop. After drilling and CIV
ing few scout yells, back to camp
we went with eight or ten Argyle
scouts. An interesting campfire meet
ing, including songs, dances, ghost
stories and devotional services, was
held. The evening ended with the
long looked for 'rookying," the in1l1a-
ton to camp of all new scouts who
had never camped with the troops De-
fore.
Taps sounded-and goodnight. The
boys were little restless from their
days outing and could not sleep well,
SO coming down to bare facts, little
unofficial" rookying was done.
Reveille was blown at 500 a. m.
with muster, setting up exercise, drill
and hreakfast. Every boy cooked his
own meals, a thing which the B. S. a.
teaches the boys that they may be
able to take care of themselves out
cfdoors. About an hour and half
was then given to fun and the camp
was broken and a start made for
:ome. Some Of the smaller boys were
given seats In cars of scout parents
and the tents and blankets were also
lifted to Keokuk. The rest of the
troop went back and stopped at five
successive farm houses to buy sup
plies and none had so much as an
egg. This troop does not love the
blue laws, cause an explanation for
the farmers not selling us anything
was that the officers were taken for
state men and the farmers did not
wish to be fined Enough grub was
brought from camp luckily, and dinner
was prepared at Sugar Creek. After
dinner we had short swim and then
we hit the home stretch. The troop
arrived at about $50 o'clock Empty
cars and roomy cars came along at
Mooar station and several rode the
rest Of the way, but five, who wanted
the credit of hiking the whole dis |
lance stayed out on the highway.
There were no accidents, save one
boy carried a cinder in his eye for a
few hours and another lost his hat
and belt.
Those Who Went.
The scout hiking party was com
posed of:
Scoutmaster Weismann, Scouts |
Buss, COLLISION, Little, Skirvin, Pagett, !
Malone, Weissenburger, Grant, Mol
ton, Theme, J. Collision, Ackles, !
Thoeny, HolliNgsworth, Burrows and
Brown.