Around Our Camp Fire 



/ leave this rule for others when Pm dead, 

 Be always sure you're right — then go ahead. 



-DAVID CROCKETT. 



Christmas 



Christmas comes but once a year, but when 

 it does come, it comes all over the country. 

 Recreation's thousands of readers are not by 

 any means all dwellers in towns. On the con- 

 trary, very many of them live on lonely 

 ranches and in distant camps, where a nar- 

 row, winding trail, many leagues in length, is 

 all that connects them with civilization; but 

 whether they gather around the Christmas 

 table, surrounded by their loved ones, under 

 electric lights, soothed 

 by the soft strains of 

 voluptuous music, or 

 whether they gnaw a 

 sodden flapjack under 

 the cold light of the 

 stars, Recreation ex- 

 tends to one and all a 

 hearty greeting, and a 

 sincere hope that -their 

 Christmas may be a hap- 

 py one, and that the year 

 to follow will be full of 

 prosperity and gladness. 



But we must not be 

 selfish. Each of us 

 should see that others 

 share his contentment as 

 far as may be, and we 

 can think of no more cer- 

 tain way of adding to 

 the happiness of our fel- 

 low creatures than by insuring that they get 

 this magazine regularly twelve times a year. 

 Just send us the small sum necessary, to- 

 gether with the name of any friend you wish 

 to make happy, and we will see that he is put 

 upon the mailing list without loss of time. 



Of course, you will only have to do this 

 once, because the succeeding years will find 

 these new recruits faithful readers of our 

 magazine. 



A Word About Ourselves 



As this is the last issue that will bear the 

 imprint of "1905," a few words regarding 

 what we have done may not be out of place. 

 Taking over the magazine, as the present 

 management did, in the month of February 

 last, everything was found in the greatest dis- 

 order. It was a time when a firm hand, a 



THE MYSTIC FIRE. 



clear brain, and a strong executive will were 

 absolutely necessary to prevent the good lit- 

 tle craft from going on the rocks. Happily, 

 the right man was at the helm, and if you 

 would realize what has been done, place the 

 last issue of the magazine alongside of that 

 of a year ago. Note the improvement in 

 every department. Recreation is now a 

 clean, trustworthy magazine, fit for the home 

 of every sane-minded sportsman in the land. 

 We do not believe in blowing our own trump- 

 et and we have refrained 

 from casting stones at 

 those that have vilified 

 us ; nor have we thought 

 it desirable to occupy our 

 readers' time and to fill 

 our space with letters 

 eulogistic of the new 

 management ; though, 

 had we desired so to do, 

 it would have been easy 

 to take up all our Refer- 

 endum space with such 

 letters. We reasoned 

 that our readers were 

 too intelligent to require 

 that others should point 

 out the excellences of the 

 new Recreation. Being- 

 sportsmen, they would 

 naturally perceive for 

 themselves that though 

 the price of Recreation had not been in- 

 creased, its tone had improved in a remark- 

 able manner. 



Sons of Daniel Boone 



A unique, patriotic society has been formed 

 by Dan Beard, the editor of Recreation, 

 which is called the Sons of Daniel Boone. 

 There are already about fifty forts, spreading 

 from El Paso, Texas, to Bay of Islands, New- 

 foundland. There are no presidents to these 

 local forts, by that name, or other officials 

 usual to societies, but the officers are Daniel 

 Boone, Kit Carson, Davy Crockett, Audubon 

 and Simon Kenton. 



The constitution of the Sons of Daniel 

 Boone is sumptuously and beautifully printed 

 on a thick folio sheet of Crane's best water- 

 warked Japanese linen, and the types are so 



