Egypt, Pa.
Sat. Dec. 5, 1925
We are back after nine weeks in town. Our invalids are well on their with to recovery, and it is good to be on the road again. We left Yonkers Monday noon with a brand new windshield, a great protection in this wintry weather.
When we reached lower Jersey it had looked like rain, so we decided to camp immediately, in the lee of an old deserted farmhouse near a brook; and where, because of the rain, we stayed two nights. We can drive or sleep dry in the rain, but we cannot either make or break camp dry in the rain. However, we enjoyed a walk in the rain, returning to read in our cozy, warm tent. It developed we were on some hunting preserve, for a friendly and chatty keeper came to see what we were up to.
The next day, feeling we had to go on in spite of the rain, we reached our old camping ground here in Egypt, just as it cleared long enough to pitch the tent and get our duds under cover. But it has rained and blown hard every minute of the four days since.
We have slept, dressed, read, written, listened to the radio, received visitors, cooked, eaten, washed dishes--and ourselves to some extent--in this seven-by-seven space for about one hundred hours and the tent and its appurtenances, including ourselves, are beginning to show wear and tear. Considering everything, however, we have kept remarkably dry, warm, clean and orderly. The trick of sleeping with newspapers under and over us has kept out wind and cold. Bill has gone down to the plant every day and I have taken several walks. I certainly wish it would clear, though!
When Bill wasn't at the plant he has used every spare minute to write a detailed report on the Giant Portland Cement Co., its management, efficiency, production, labor situation, and prospect for future growth, and is sending it to Frank Shaw, the only one of his Wall St. friends who might be interested in paying for Bill's continuing such a service.
He has bought some of the stock himself and is giving two shares ($37 worth) to Mother and Dad for Christmas.
Today being Saturday, Harold arrived at 8:30 A.M. and stayed all day. After helping Bill with the motorcycle, they both drove over to North Hampton to get supplies. Harold says he is going to go camping the way we do when he grows up.
This afternoon the Baer's boarder who works at the cement plant dropped in, staying about three hours. Having had "a bit of a nip," he generously offered us anything we wanted at the farm, saying, "Just charge it to me." His language was often quite "salty." When I asked him if he had been in the navy, he replied, "Yes, mam, I'se sailorized a heap."
One afternoon the three little girls came over with apples, then later Harold brought corn he had popped. I am more and more impressed by the kindness and generosity shown campers.