St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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Tolchester, June 1, 1911 162

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After a few hours, we came in sight of Tolchester, and all crowded to the bow to get a glimpse of the place which for two weeks was to be our home. As we approached the wharf, we got our first view of the place. Situated on a high bluff was a typical summer resort, and to the left of it, in a large field, were long rows of brown tents which had been set up by the advance guard. - i Upon reaching the wharf, the battalion was formed and marched up to the camp. 'All the excursionists had returned to Baltimore, the Beach was deserted, andin the grow- ing darkness the camp appeared extremely uninviting. After we had been assigned to our respective tents, the Quartermaster gave each man a long sack, and instructed him to fill it with straw from a nearby shed. These sacks, with about enough hay to whet the appetite of ahealthy mule, were to constitute our beds for the coming fortnight. It was a strange sight, to see a long line of fellows, coming from the hay rick, each dragging his bed-behind him. The appearance was similar to that of a cullud gentleman returning after a particularly lucrative- session with the hen coops. The lazy members of the bat- talion were very much in evidence, for many a weary youth returning to his tent found an empty sack instead of the well filled one which he had left there. ' A - At half past ten, the efforts of the boys to adapt themselves to theirbeds began. The oldest campaigner would find it somewhat difficult to keep his head and feet on .a sack five feet long, so picture the dismay of one hundred and fifty youths when thisproblem confronted them. But as needs must when the devil drives, the problem was at last solved by applying the principle of a jack knife. T 1 It seemed that our tired heads had hardly touched the bed before the blare of the bugle was heard calling us out. It was not necessary to dress for roll call, so some of the costumes were extremely primitive. After roll-call, every one went over to the nearby pump for a morning splash, except the lucky chap who could bribe his comrade to bring back a basin of water when he returned from his bath. Then breakfast, and the cleaning, rolling up, and inspection of tents 5 hospital call, and shortly afterward guard mount, when the old guards were relieved and the new ones posted. At half past ten, company drill took place and then followed an intermission till dinner. After dinner, battalion drill was indulged in until everybody was heartily sick of camp life, but it is remarkable how quickly our spirits rose when we were dismissed and the gentle toot of the toy railroad announced that amusement was to be had-for the price. Dress Parade at 6.30, and supper imf mediately afterward ended the day, and, when taps sounded at half past ten, it was a pretty tired lot that tumbled into bed to spend the night in peaceful snoring. So much for the work in camp. -There was pleasure too-ah! such pleasure. How often we strolled through the grounds of Tolchester, attracted hither and thither by the harmonious screeching of various steam' pianos, calliopes, or brass bands. Some, yielding to the charms of Terpsichore, entered the dancing hall, and, accosting some fair maiden, 161

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were soon waltzing around the room, struggling heroically to master the Boston Dip. A O, that dance hall! In it was spent almost all the time at our disposal, and few were the girls who were able to resist the blandishments of the St. J ohn's Cadets. Then there was the merry-go-round, where we spent hours in a fruitless effort to cap- ture the brass ring which entitled the happy possessor 'to a free ride. Nor should we for- get Pike's Peak, where it is the custom for the girls to scream as they go through the tunnel, emerging from it flushed, with a painfully unconcerned youth beside them. Many amusing incidents occurred while we were in camp. One night the corporal of the guard was called forth by a sentry. Arriving on thescene, he found this valiant soldier peering around a tent, and inquired what the trouble was. I thought I heard a flap flop, replied the sentry, whereupon he received a gentle reminder not to call out the corporal again unless there was sufficient reason for it, and that ruffled oflicer retired to the guard tent. The unfortunate sentry hadlittle peace from that time on, for the fellows were con- tinually asking him if he had heard any more flap flops. A While the battalion was in camp, a great rivalry sprang up between Companies A and B. Every day the members of the two companies would stand in their respective streets and kid each other about their various faults and short-comings. This rivalry had a good effect, for each company strived to outdo the other in keeping their street clean and their tents iniorder, and, whenever one of A's men was reprimanded for not keeping his tent neat, Company B would go into spasms of joy. - , One morning we were all aroused-by the cry, Look at Sherwood, and hastening from our tents, we beheld that illustrious youth clad in a most amazing sweater and re- sembling nothing so much as a big brown bear. Perceiving nothing extraordinary about this, we inquired what the -row' was and the originator of the excitement gasped, amid shrieks of laughter, Doesn't he look like a booby owl? The name clung to him and since then Sherwood has rejoiced in the pseudonym of Booby. One night a sentry challenged three men who were approaching- the lines, and de- manded to know who went there. To his amazement and vexation the replies came back one by one, Pike's Peak man, a Three balls for five cent man, i 'f Hula Zula man. Thinking he was the victim of a practical joke, he called the corporal of the guard, who found that themen were the proprietors of the amusement places which they had named. What with swimming, drilling, and sleeping the days passed by until the last Satur- day, when we were to have a sham battle. I want to be a military man. O for the pleasure of carrying a ten-pound gun around a field on a hot June day, running, charging, and blazing away at the elusive enemy. Nay, nay, I would prefer to sit in the shade and watch it. On Sunday we had a joyous loaf, with no drills to interrupt. All the Pucks, Judges, Black Cats, and Tip Top Weekliesn were brought out and the fellows settled themselves to spend a pleasant afternoon. After a while they began to grow drowsy, and, one by one, fell into the arms of Morpheus. During this period of somnolence, 163