WHEN the cold, strenuous winter months had faded away, and the mournful requiem of the bleak winds had changed to a spring lullaby; when "every clod felt the stir of night," and that traditional fever had caught every being in its fettered grasp, the wearers of the khaki saw silhouetted against the serene spring sky the inevitable word, "camp."
   And then, all too soon, -- one o'clock and from the Armory issued forth the gallant band, laden with cartridge belt and bayonet, with haversack and gun. About their shoulders mother's blankets in all the gorgeousness of red, blue, yellow, and gray, were draped so that the colors reflected by the glistening accouterments turned "0" street into a rainbow rivaling in brilliance a Winnebago pow-wow. Across the viaduct the awe-inspiring spectacle passed, and a few moments later "Casey Jones" muttering a prayer, 'tis said, and hanging a horseshoe carefully over the steam gauge, opened the throttle, and the journey began.
   With a relieved sigh the train came to a stop at the scene of warfare; forth from the cars came the cadets, and along the dusty road the attenuated color scheme straggled to the camping ground. There the weary peace-destroyers erected, with amateurish accuracy. their tents, where, as the lingering note of the bugle died away, each one sank into grateful, but Ostermoorless sleep, save those who, confirming as they walked Sherman's definition of war, fearfully paced their guard.
   To the bellowing blast of the bugle, the cold gray dawn of the "morning after" appeared. And with it the haggard worshipers of Mars, in whom their faith was already weakening, straggled from their tents, ate the porkless beans, and drank the coffee, plentifully adulterated with "aqua impura," and prepared themselves for all invigorating "hike" across the "fee simple" estates of the neighboring peasants. Into their lungs they breathed the pure fresh air, made marine blue by the bubbling over of their effervescent spirits; upon their shoulders they lightly carried a twelve-pound United States magazine rifle, beautifully finished in dark oak; about their waists a belt, bayonet, haversack, and canteen were hung; in fact, everything contributed to the comfort and enjoyment of these lucky young men, who tripped

so lightly over hills and valleys, over the rich plowed soil and through the shimmering fields of grain under a bright and scorching sun. Two hours of one hundred and twenty minutes each were thus consumed, and then they returned to a feast of corn beef and citric acid lemonade. After which all rested except those who ran errands for the officers, helped the cooks, prepared the target range, carried water, cleaned the company streets, and accomplished other odd but pleasurable tasks.
   'T was night. Upon his lonely post the sentinel silently paced beneath the soft, silvery light of the pale, new moon. The camp was wrapped in peaceful slumber. But suddenly the earth heaved, and up to high heaven sprang sundered rocks, while, brought to the ears of our sleeping heroes, came the horrible sound of war. Immediately thirty-three men

qualified for Cross Country and several others entered for the 440 dash.
   "Quick, Watson. The needle!" cried Colonel Coulter, his fat, stubby legs twinkling across the dewy green. Carefully drawing forth his powerful microscope, he examined a jagged fragment of rock and discovered that adventurous ones had placed a loaded mine upon the hill by order of the Head Professor of track. Dauntlessly he followed the perpetrators of this foul deed; fearlessly he tracked them over hill and plain, until at last they were captured. Nor did he then rest until the offenders had spent a long but pleasant hour at Court Martial.
   Finally, the last day of the week, the curtain fell on the grand panorama. Camp was broken, and this once vigorous band of cadets, who a few days before were active and high-spirited, but who now appeared as if the last spark of vitality was about to die out, beat it back over the same old trail. Their sunburned, haggard faces showed the results of a strenuous week's outing; their uniforms no longer held the marked creases. But every man was happier because he came, for he had been given a faint idea of the hardships of real war, and was thereby better enabled to enjoy real peace.