Francis C. Walker

“ A FEW DENIZENS OF THE CAMP
clothes, mending tents, and drying out boots could be freely indulged; and only the most ardent mountaineers spent the majority of their days in actual climbing. I hope that all of us, as we idled about in camp or took advantage of the daily expeditions through the valley or over the mountains, thought occasionally of those who oiled the smoothly running machinery. ”

“ To grasp the psychic value of a two-day trip you must understand that the Paradise Valley is a narrow playground running for some six miles north-east and south-west, fenced on the south-west by a wall of rock one mile in height, and on the south-east and north-west by similar walls of from half a mile to one mile in height. ”

“ The President, however, has in view for next year all sorts of improvements, among them a larger mess-tent and a more satisfactory tea-tent. The tea-tent is really sacred to the ladies, which means that they use it for drying their clothing, especially overflow boots from the camp fire. This system keeps out the mere males from the use of the tea-tent as such; but in future we may see a two-roomed tent with tea in the foreground, laundry at the back, and an entrance at each end. ”

“ Sad that none of us can stay in our Paradise Valley forever. Is it our battered boots and our glissaded nether garments that clamor for repair? And, now that I bethink me, it was some question of clothing—that and fresh fruit—that took my ancestor from his Paradise Valley. Look as long as the daylight lasts at the beautiful mountains, sit as late as you can about the camp fire, there must come an end. Already one roll of blankets has gone from tent No. ”

“ As one who knows, I should like to say, that the only safe from of glissading is "independent firing." On this occasion we were beguiled into forming a combination toboggan of sixteen persons linked together by interlocked arms and feet. At a signal we pushed off and began to whiz down the snow slope. For a time all went well. Suddenly some projecting foot caught in the snow, the human toboggan split in two, and the part in front of me continued on its own responsibility. ”

“ Those of us who came after and, like Kipling's "Sons of Mary" found the rough places smooth for our feet, owe a debt of gratitude to the hard-working officers of the Club who planned, and the unselfish volunteers who swung axes and stretched ropes for our comfort. ”

“ I can at all events speak for there always being plenty of campers standing or lounging about to serve as artistic studies. There were always, too, plenty of people to welcome incoming campers or baggage when the saddle ponies or pack- horses reached us from Laggan. ”