Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-07-07
ROY SCOUTS ON A HIKE.

INe boy SSsutS VI SuSpHSIIS'OVn
in charge Of their Scoutmasrer. Rev
Tohn 4. Grose, had hike the first of
he week that they will long remember.
They started from home Sunday eve
ming. with Hagerstown as their objec-
five The first stage Of the journey
vas TO Sharpsburg, an easy jaunt OF
three miles. Here they attended
rreaching in the Methodist Church by
Rev. Mr. Grose, and after the service
they tramped a couple of miles further
10 Harvey Poffenberger'S place, along
the Hagerstown pike, where they were
scheduled TO spend the night. Their
racks had begun 10 get trifle heavy
ty the time their destination was reach
a, for the weather was warm and each
Scout carried a blanket, a frying pan
and other regulation articles, besides
enough provisions 10 last two weeks
instead OF the two days they expected 70
be away from home-bacon and beans
and bread and peanuts dni other grub
not strictly on the bill of fare.
When they got TO Mr.. Pofenberger'S
il was decided as the weather was so
warm 10 sleep in the yard, in accord
.rce with his permission. IL wasn't
so easy 10 get TO sleep as one might
imagine. Bugs of all sorts prowled
around over the Scouts, dogs ba-ked,
roosters crowed, guineas chartered and
srooks of dead soldiers seemed very
near Finally, about midnight, they
all settled down 10 quiet, but just then
Evans Poffenberger, who hat been out
sparkling. and who knew nothing Of the
Scouts being on the place, came home
As he entered the yard the gate slamm-
ei and one of the Scouts rose up and
threw his hashlight on the startleL
Evans. He got a glimpse of other
s1adowy forms lying in the yard. and
he thought he was in the midst OF a
company of soldiers who hal fallen in
the battle of Antietam. He struck foy
the front door and as he rushed up the
porch steps Mr.. Grose AMI one Of The
Scouts, who were lying there, also rose
up tefore him. II was serious affair,
and Evans called loudly for his father.
The front door was not locked, but
Evans couldn't find the knob. even, and
though Mr.. Crose tried ID reassure him
he wasn't satisfied until MI Pofen-
berger had opened the door and let him
on the inside.
This episode broke up the nights
sleep entirely. The boys couldn't get
over laughing, and about the time they
would quiet down, some one woulo i'm
tate Evans call for Papa" until
they all got TO giggling again. About
a n, they all got UP and went down
to the spring and cooked breakfast.
Long before daylight they were ready
10 start for Hagerstown, and in the
sPooky darkness of early morning they
started up the pike, keeping we'll to-
gether for fear of danger. They tramp
et on until they were overtaken ty a
farmer driving a big wagon, whereupon
they all piled in and finished their
journey on wheels.
The Scouts loafed around Hagers-
town until late afternoon, when they
took a trolley for Williamsport, where
play Of fireworks and other interesting
Fourth-of-July doings. They hadn't
been there very long, however, until
the report was circulated that the Will
Transport boys were inimical to strange
Scouts-in fact, that they had recently
run delegation out of town Just ahead
OF a shower of stones and brickhdts.
This added to the news that big
fight had taken place during the pa
t!iotic parade, made our boy heroes un-
easy One of them slipped away with
out waiting for developments and got
out of town while the others were de-
A5erating. Ii was unanimously de-
cted that Williamsport was not a good
town TO stay in after dark, so, fire
works or no fireworks, the boys lit out.
By this time one of the Scouts had got
ten sick from some unknown cause.
Ii couldn't have been from what he had
eaten, for he had taken nothing but
scrne ham and eggs and peanuts and
not dogs and icecream cones and few
Bottles OF pop and green apples and
watermelon and lemonade and Uneeda
biscuits and candy and pie and sardines
and cold baked beans and sweet rolls
and few things like that. But he
had an awful stomach-ache and Scout
master Crose called for volunteer to
escort the sick boy home on the train
With singular unanimity every Scout
stepped forward ready for the saerl,
ice. Max Freeman was first, and to
him fell the welcome honor.
The plan was to sleep in PilouzeI
Park, Hagerstown, and then take ar
early start on the homeward hike. By
Daylight everybody was awake, but sc
many infirmities had developed it was
feared that they would not be able to
walk that seventeen miles home. There
were stone bruises and sprains and sore
ieet and various other disabilities, and
even the Scout Master admitted to
clustered heel. They got 10 the rail- pad
station an hour or two before the Shep.
herdstOwn train was due TO leave, anc
though none Of them was home-sics
no, not one!-seraphic grins over
spread their countenances when they
heard the train man call out, "Al
aboard for Shepherdstown. Lovely
words, these-and they piled aboarc
with spirits mounting rapidly. Joy