Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-30
hill was pointed out (from distance) as a

A FTER we passed Daylesford and Green
\ Tree and the blue hills along the Schuyl-
kill came into view, the cry, Look at that
scenery.' became incessant. Any view con-
tanning hills is known as scenery" TO the
Country -Weekers. When the scenery began
eleven year old Charley Franklin could con-
tain himself no longer. He began to tear off
the clean shirt and new shoes in which his
mother had sent him from home, and, digging
In his bundle, hauled out blouse and tattered
pair OF sneakers that satisfied his idea of
fitness for the great adventure. He proudly
showed me his small bathing suit, carefully
wrapped up In a Sunday comic supplement.
His paper bag of cookies had long since been
deVoured, and the question of how soon an
other meal would come his way was beginning
to worry him.s Then we turned off the high
road, past signpost saying Paradise Farm,
and they were all on their toes. The long,
echoing tunnel under the high railway en-
bankment was greeted with resounding
cheers. More cheers for the swimming hole
just beyond. We drew up at the foot of
steep flight of wooden steps leading up the
hill. All piled out with yells. At the top Of
the stairs stood rather glum group of forty
similar urchins. These responded without
much acclaim to the applause of the new
cOmers. They were the batch going home
on the bus. Their week at Paradise was
over
WHEN we left, few minutes later, the
w arrivals were already being assigned to
their hunks in the various camp bungalows,
and We're looking around exultantly at the
plentiful scenery" and evidences of plen-
tiful food to come. But the temper of the
returning load was not quite SO mirthful.
They also had been up since an early hour,
but play had languished as they had put on
their clean clothes and had carefully bundled
up their other stores in small newspaper
wrappings. One small cynic told me that he
had learned the necessary connection be.
tween green apples and castor oil. Another,
with flaming red hair, seemed to have tears
in his eyes. Whether these were due to green
apples or to grief could not determine. But
the way they all shouted good by to Mr.. and
Mrs. Steel (who have charge of the camp)
showed how they, appreciated their weeks
adventure. Good by swimming hole - thew
shouted, and then Good by snakes!' ex-
planning that they had killed four small gar
ter snakes in the meadow. They cheered up
greatly when they saw freight train putting
along the railway, and it was evident that
we would have a fair race with that train ali
the way In to Oyerbrook. Immediately the
train was set down as a German menace.
and the cheerful chauffeur was simplored to
do his best for hisS country. 1t should be
said that we beat the German train to Over.
brook by about one hundred yards.
THE latter part of the ride was marked by
l. sudden panic on the part of the passen.
gers concerning sundry nickels and dimes
which seemed to have disappeared. Nathan
Schumpler, aged eight, turned his blouse
pocket inside out dozen times without find
ing the dime he was sure he had had. This,
was a terrible blow, because he told me he
had lost quarter through a crack in the
porch the day before. This started all the
others exploring. Knotted and far from
clean handkerchiefs were hastily united To
make sure of the precious coinage for home
ward carfare. At last Nathan found his
dime in the very pocket he had been turnins
upside down for fifteen minutes. When
they got back to Cherry street they were
overjoyed to find a number of toy trains and
tracks waiting on the floor. Ny last sight
Of the Country Weekers was when they were
playing with these while their guardians
checked off their lists and made sure that
each had carfare to take him home and knew
how to get there. "Yes," said the chauffeur.
az he lit a cigarette and watched them dis
nerse, they're great bunch. But If you
wbnt to hear noise, you should listen 10 The
<{rIe whom fhrv NJ out W TX l A. III 81,