The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-08-03
Tenting Tonight
By H. LOUIS RAYBOLD
g by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

month, and by that / don't mean
out of Jail, but on the road, in the great
out-of-doOrs, hitting the trail, or what
you will in camp lingo.
70 look at them, you would know
they had been out for some time. A
thick coating of dust hid the newness
of duffle bags, suitcases, stove, um-
brella tent, telescope cots, and col
lapsible table, all slowed on running
boards, tenders, bumpers and either
side of the hood.
The latter arrangement was very
awkward for Mr. Streeter when put
ting in Oil but, as his wife said, it was
one of these small Inconvenience
which one should not mind She
didn't.
Mrs. Streeter had been the instigator
Of the trip. She had had difficulty in
persuading her husband to 90. AS for
Darienne, their daughter, it required
all of their combined parental au-
thority to get her to accompany them.
And it was because of her that they
were there
1--WE must get Dairy away from that
plumbers boy" Mrs. Streeter had in
sisted. 81 suggest that we take the
car and go touring"
stopping at hotels, of course?"
Nothing of the kind. 1t isn't being
done as it used to be. We will put up
OF fboco Jnynlv ctoto DnrI-c and mn.
nicipal camps you hear tell of. The
Dunbars were out all last summer and
they said they just rode all day long.
looking forward to the camp at night,
some of which had electric lights, care
takers, showers, and everything!"
So here they were on this warm
August day doing a mean fOrty-five
and hoping to reach camp the man
in the chain store where they had
bought some groceries had told them
about. Somebody's camp grounds or
other, it says on a sign. Don't know
about the shower baths, but it's right
on the highway and you can't possibly
miss it."
However, darkness, unleavened by
moon or stars, for the night was
cloudy. had descended before the
Streeters reached their destination;
sure enough, there was the sign, on
which, aided by the spotlight. they
could at least make out the welcome
words camp grounds"
In the background, a dark bulk, as
of n tent. doomed up and general trod-
den-down appearance of the level
ground seemed to indicate that other
campers had preceded them.
Within an hour, mother, father and
daughter were wrapped in slumber.
Darry's sleep, to be sure, was inter-
woven with pleasant dreams Of Char
ley regarding whom absence had only
seemed to make her heart grow
fonder.
The sun had been up some times
when Mrs. Streeter awoke with
start. Then she nudged her husband,
Listen, Ed, am / dreaming or do I
hear an awful lot of people outsider"
Ed turned over drowsily. reused up,
and peeked through the tent flap.
Then he sat up suddenly. "There are
at least two hundred" he said, sitting
around and acting as if they were
waiting
"Waiting?" cried Mrs. Streeter. in
loud whisper, waiting for what?"
"Well," groaned Mr.. Streeter, "they
look as If they were waiting fer US
to get up!"
"And that canvas thing in back we
thought was a tent" broke in Dairy,
who had been doing some peeking on
her own account. 'looks like a statue
waiting to be unveiled"
Those st0ried Arabs, who folded
their tents and silently stole away had
nothing on the Streeters that morning.
In utter stiffness and with never
glance at one another. they crept into
their clothes, packed up their equip
ment and climbed into their car.
Just as Ed put his foot on the start
er, portly woman rushed over to
them and shook Mrs. Streeter's hand
violently. I'VE do hope we didn't dis
turb you, but you know we're club
made up of his descendants and we've
come to dedicate this statue on the
anniversary of his birthday. If you
would like to stay"
But Mrs. Streeter declined her we'll.
meant invitation kindly but firmly.
Not until they were many miles away
did she open her mouth again. Then,
"Well, l would like to know whose de-
scendants they were, but / don't sup
pose / ever shall, for never. in all my
born days will come back this way
again."
'Well, can tell you. Mamma" said
Dairy bitterly. ut was Joshua Put
nam. While she was talking to you. I
looked over at that sign we half re;'3
last night and it said. Joshua Putnaia
Camp Grounds. Where Joshua Pur-
nam made his headquarters in 17717.
We weren't camped in what we think
Of as camp grounds. We were sleep
ing in public park, and If you sag
another word against Charley, SHAH
tell everybody at home the whole
thing. l just guess 1t isn't any more
disgraceful to marry plumbers son