THE BACHELOR'S CHANT. 



89 



The increase in the number of boats of 

 all kinds on waters near the great cities 

 will have a tendency to cause those who 

 like peace and quiet to seek the inland 

 waters of the Middle or Southern States, 

 or of Canada, just as the automobilist and 

 the owner of good horses who does not 

 care to run the gauntlet of Fifth avenue 

 or Riverside drive seeks the less frequent- 

 ed roads of Westchester, Long Island, or 

 Jersey. The people of the interior will 

 profit by the coming of these yachtsmen and 

 launchmen. They are good livers and lib- 

 eral spenders, and are always welcome 

 among the people who live along the rivers 

 or about the interior lakes. 



The object of making this special boat 

 number of Recreation is to bring to the 

 attention of the thousands of people who 

 do not yet appreciate the magnitude of this 

 outdoor movement, a better knowledge of 

 what the boat builders are doing for the 

 country. There are great numbers of peo- 

 ple who live near rivers or small lakes, or 

 near the seacoast, who do not realize what 



pleasure there is in navigating the water 

 in a light boat propelled by the wind, or by 

 gasoline, or by steam. Many people do not 

 know how simple a matter it is to operate 

 a small boat. They do not know how 

 cheaply they can buy and maintain a vessel 

 capable of carrying a dozen people comfort- 

 ably. The object of this issue of Recrea- 

 tion is to place before such people a good- 

 ly fund of information that will be new to 

 many of them. 



Recreation stands for the great out-of- 

 doors. It counsels its readers at all times 

 to live as much as possible in the open air. 

 One way of doing this comfortably and at a 

 moderate expense is to own and use a boat. 

 By living a month or 2 every summer on 

 the water, by doing the hard work that 

 may easily be combined with such sport, 

 you may secure a new lease on life. You 

 can harden your muscles, build up vour ap- 

 petite and secure a coat of tan that will 

 be an honor to you and that may save yon 

 a doctor's bill. 



THE BACHELOR'S CHANT. 



T. E. B. HENRY. 



Oh, vex me not with a song of love, 



'Tis a mad, delusive dream ; 

 But sing the joys of the yacht at sea, 



Where the moon-kissed ripples gleam ; 



Of hunting field, or the rod and stream, 



Of the tent and light canoe, 

 The stag hound's bay when the quarry 

 springs, 



And the hunter's loud halloo. 



While echoes wake on the distant hill, 

 And the blood leaps in the veins, 



As flies the turf from the spurning hoof 

 Where the flying charger strains. 



Sing not to me of thy twilight bowers, 

 Nor the glance of dreamy eyes, 



The face divine, nor the sylphlike form, 

 Nor the love that never dies. 



Then sing a song of the mountain bold, 

 Where the eagle screams on high ; 



Where crag to crag in the thunder speaks, 

 When the lightnings rend the sky. 



Where she wolf prowls, and the wildcat 

 screams 

 , By the cave where lurks the bear ; 

 Where night owl hoots to the drowsy moon, 

 And the panther seeks his lair; 



Where groans the mountain with riven 

 breast, 



When the Storm King laughs aloud 

 And veils the brow of the snow-clad peak 



With the low'ring thunder cloud. 



Ah, these are themes that are worth a song, 



Not a lovesick, soft refrain ; 

 A droning tale by idiot told, 



Of a pleasure all but pain. 



For love, at best, is a phantom sprite, 

 Ever fickle, fierce, and vain ; 



While unrequited, it gnaws the heart 

 With an anguish worse than pain. 



