cane’s gale. They have ever been with us during
midsummer’s sultry days, cooling many a fevered
brow and inciting within us renewed energy for
the work of life, bv gentle breezes from their
shady summits. Who that has ever gazed upon
our Alleghenies with their graceful curves, majes
tic outline, and beautiful foliage, has not paused
in admiration and awe, saying within his heart
“Great and wonderful are Thy works, O Lord !”
Ever changing, yet always the same, these
silent monuments stand before us as unfolding
histories of past ages. And man’s mind cannot
but envy them the unfathomable secrets which
they so closely clasp in their rock-bound bosoms.
These mountains have known life in its
varied form for countless ages, for it is only
through the life that is past that they have achiev
ed their beautiful present, and how comparative
ly little we know of their history. It is but a few
centuries since the red man roamed through their
wooded valleys, and his camp fire burned peace
fully upon their many suir.mi.ts; but now,
looking over their broad landscapes, we behold
what a change of scene civilized man has wrought
in only two centuries. Could we but live on
with the mountains but a few more centuries, we
might gaze upon a still greater change than the
last two have brought before our view.
Oar Centre county mountains have never
known the jar, the tumult and bloodshed of war,
yet many have been the braves to go forth from
the shadow of the Alleghenies at their country’s
call.
If mountains could wee]) ours have had cause
to weep but once over the murder of man by his
fellowman. They have known bat one Giles
and but one Monks. As the war of the rebellion
was the first such crime within their borders, so
may it be the last, and may our mountains ever
stand before us as examples of peace.
CAMP ROBERTS.
The Corps of Cadets of this institution
under the command of Lieut. S. S. Pagtte, U. S.
A., went into camp at Mcßride’s Gap, a quiet
retreat in-the Nittany range, on June 2, remain
ing there over June 4. In honor of Capt. Chas.
W. Roberts, of West Chester, Pa., whoso kindly
gave $3OO to the Military Department to be dis
tributed as prizes at the coming Commencement,
for proficiency in military drill and discipline,
the camp was named “Camp Roberts.”
This was the first experience in military
camp' life the present cadets of the institution
THE FREE LANCE.
have had, and the success of the undertaking re
flects creditably upon the tact and energy of the
Commandant in charge. The camp consisted of a
company street, enclosed on each side by ten A
tents for privates and two wall tents for officers,
and on the one end by the Commandant’s quarters
and on the other by the six tents of the Guard
Ample opportunity was afforded for the applica
tion of one’s knowledge of guard duty, and the
manual on that subject recently published by
Lieut. Pague proved to be a valuable companion.
Indeed the performance of guard duty was one
of the chief features of the camp, and though it
savored considerably of “hard tack,” yet the
boys trod patiently through the mud on their re
spective posts, ever and anon calling for the cor
poral of the guard to sustain the authority thus
vested in them.
The inclemency of the weather detracted
much from the fascination characteristic of camp
life, but it aided the imagination in picturing the
hardships of soldier life in war.
Friday morning the camp was visited by
Capt. Mullen, Lieut. Geissinger, Lieut. Reber,
of Co. B, Fifth Reg’t, and Quarter master Mc-
Millen, of the Fifth Reg’t, N. G. P. They ar
rived in time to witness the ceremony of guard
mounting, after which they departed. In the
evening a large bonfire was made in the middle
of the company street, and near it was raised a
tent fly as shelter for an improvised orchestra
consisting of the different musical instruments
which the boys had brought with them, Words
cannot express how delectable was the music they
rendered, The majestic mountain which tower
ed up in the rear of the camp ground seemed to
stand in a gazing admiration of the Terpsicho
rean muse below. The natives turned out armed
with their infant babes to behold the artists who
filled the evening air with such melodious strains.
But as the hour of 10 approached,this merry-mak
ing began to wane, the natives returned to their
homes, the boys, except those on duty, hustled to
their tents, and when Taps were sounded, extin
guished their lights. It was now the wily sentinels
began their deadly (?) work. Bang! Bang 1
Bang! cracked the Springfield’s, “Corporal of
the Guard, No. !” yelled the sentinels,
when out would come a wiry corporal, who, spy
ing through the gloomy darkness the receding
form of a deserterf?), proceeded in hot pursuit of
him. We wait a few minutes and we hear the
sound of approaching foot-steps ; they are the
footsteps of the corporal returning with his pris
oner, all bedaubed with mud, exhausted, and
wounded (?) by the unerring fire of the sentinel,
but he is nevertheless “chucked” into the