Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-29
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

T0UR O'CLOCK in the morning
L Oak branches are scraping and
cracking in the frosty wind.
the hills from distant farm
houses comes the ghostlv bowling Of
ooes. The Winter underbruSh is full
OF eerie noises.
a dozen pup tents are pitched in
sheltered hollow on the Virginia side
Of the Potomac near Great Fails. Be-
fore them are the embers OF dying
bonfire The occupants are getting
restless. for the wind is beginning TO
penetrate the thick layers Of WOODEN
A,ankets that cover them. II has
turned cold during the night and q
light snow has fallen on the brush
covered hillsides which overlook the
camp site.
Thus far the campers. snug In their
folds OF blankets and newspapers. have
slept Soundly and dreamleSsly. They
we're dog-tired and ravenously hungry
after the long hike over the hills from
Washington in the late afternoon and
hardly could keep their eyes open early
IN the evening as they clustered about
the cracking fire. listened 70 weird
campfire stories, and tried 70 pick out
In the jeweled heavens above them the
obscure diamond shaped cluster In the
constellation OF the Dolphin known as
Jobs CONN and locate the North star
by following the tracks Of the Great
Bear through the 1eecy snowdrifts OF
the Milky Way
All around them the haunting mys-
terry OF the woods and the soporific
pines tossing gently in the wind, above
them the silver disk OF the January
moon Snug2led On pillow OF elder
down clouds far down the valley the
musical tunbiing Of brook over
Focks-eyerything had conspiFed 70
produce exaltation followed by the
deepest siumReT.
But with tie cold biting through the
blankets there Is no more sleep. One
By one the Shiverin2 forms come
tunnblins out OF the tents. run 10 the
dying fires, throw on more wood and
crouch over the reviYing flames They
look eagerly 10 the east for the first
biossomin2 OF the coral roses OF dawn.
Back IN the steam heated city II still
is 3 good two hours 70 daybreak and
the only sound Of activity Is the rat
ting Of milk bottles At home these
campers would b. deep in the sound
est sleep Of the night. with no
thoughts ~ getting out of bed for an
other three hourS-snd then only after
REPEATED calling.
But Out here in the woods II lie dif-
fsTept. The mysterious sleeping and
waxing rhythm Of nature haA gotten into
their bloo6 II Is iDssinctive and COM
Portable 10 get out If bed. The nat
ursl hours are those Of the birds
Morning in the heart and brain waits
M for sunrise IN the sly u shake on
the covers u sleep.
NffTHIk n half hour after the FIRST
w Ehiyerlng figure enisrges from one
81 The pup tents the whole camp Is
awake the nfes are blazing nerriiy and
the aromatic DOOR ~ cof7ee H. mingling
with the fragrance 81 the pines
l>lEty shouts ech0 over the hills
Groups are pelting esch other with
snow balls Another day ~ healthy
hungry living Is well under way
such hss been the experience of APP
prozinately 500 Washington school
boys this Winter LING hikes and over
nigh, biyoUses. regardless of weather
are g part of the regular program NJ
the District of Columbia Council, Boy
Scouts 81 America. and u IL hoped
that bFfOTe Spring every troop In the
city viii have participated Winter
camps have been part q! the hctU-
ties o. the organization for yssTs, Dl'
81 The past only few hardy and sd-
ykng1Fous youths have participated IN
them. The plan this Winter iE u
make the experience a. nearly uniser'
ssl ss possible and 70 break down the
pfejudice ~ f0nd. but mlsiDfoTmed
mothers sgslnst allowing their boys W
be ezpIAed " the inclement eIsmsnu
BOYS themselves fof the moot part
sas eager for the adventure There il
such b thrill as seldom comes into thsH
lives IN sn Open-gI camp on Wiphf
nleht-the boTt of thrill Tor which
their s0Ilt are hungry But the Hoth
eys-sn1 sometimes the fathers dun
understand They think only of Tie
eold the rain. the sn9w. the h0otiHR
owls sud the loneliness They imagine
oil Aoris ~ non -existfnt csngeTs-~sno
n u sot bard " understand LhsH Oh"
jectiona Enen one considers lbst tpty
themselves we're reared IN 81 ssTllsi
enc less haToy unf "h@p even islflhs
bsnr1pn wiB6OWf 81 nlsht SsA bokfo
t4IAg GftU some S1ifpifI0Aa