The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-03-02
LETTER FROM SHREVEPORT.

SHREN EPoRT, la, Feb. 10TH 1873
To tho Editor of Morning Star: 49,.
There are few among the reading public
even of ordinary education, who o not admir-
and appreciate q beautiful letter. There is n,
one who moro admres and appreciates on,
than 1. had the favor and honor of rec. i :.
ing letter, a few days ago. 80 beautiful uri
instructive that 1 cannot refrain from layinf
portions of it before your readers, although il
so doing, without his permission, risk incur
ring the csnsure of the esteemed writer. and
commit breach of privacy-almost of conf
dence; but will plead to him nv intentions
and aim in justification. The letter ia from
Rev. NJ. S. Burke, c. IS. R., who is we'll known
to very many of your readers in Now Orleans
here and elsewhere, and can but be esteemed
and loved by all who know him. That portion
OF his letter most beautiful and touching to
me, because it SO truly reflects the strength,
the nobleness, the purity, the sanotity of the
friendship of man Of God. regret its private
and personal nature forces me to withhold :
the rest give as he wrote it:
ST.. LOUIS, Feb. Sd, 1873.
On my return to the Bishops residence in
Denver, Colorado, after q months absence on
missions among the Rocky Mountains your
kind and welcome letter was handed to me and
was received as most agreeable message from
which derived great refreshments, after all
the rongh.apd-tumble adventures through
which had passed in that wild region. r
thank you most cordially for this favor and
for your kind attentions to me while so far
away.
left st. Louis December 4th, with another
Father, and arrived in Denver on the 9th We
opened the mission there on the feast of the
Immac ulate Conception. spent a quiet but
lonely Christmas in Central, but had the
happiness OF saying three masses, and what
would Christmas have been to me had been
Blessed Redeemerf This more than compen-
stated for the loneliness I felt in being among
strangers and so far away from home and those
love SO we'll
from St. Louis and my return arrived here
last Friday, after long and tedious Journey
OF three days, heartily glad and thankful to 10
able to enjoy, for time, the peaceful solitude
OF my convent home aud the society of my
dear brethren after all my wanderngs.
There is something soul-inspiring in the
awful grandeur of the scenery among the
Rocky Mountains. There the traveller. While
passing through the valleys and canons, sees,
thousands of feet above him, immense masses
OF rock, piled one upon another, in fabulous
proportions, with here and there a pine tree
growing from small openings in the mounta
side thus relieving the barren appearance
that would otherwise be presented to his view
This is not always the case, however, for in
oothc piaCcS IueIe - not q VeSLEe OF ground
OF any kind of vegetation. Frequently saw
some of the mountains, like vast walls, rising
perpendicnlarly above and seeming to touch
the sky The prevailing color of the rocks is
dark brown or chocolate, though MANY are
composed of gray stone, having the appear
ance of granite. There they have stood for
ages-those mighty ard wonderful works of
GodI; there they Will continue, firm and nm
till the last trumpet shall sound that
Will summon the dead to arise from the dust |
ot the grave. when time shall be no more"
row lnsignlneant man appears in presence
d these gigantic monuments of nature, placed |
there by the creative fiat of an Omnipotent |
indeed as regards his |
BODY, but how vastly superior and more noble |
ng and freely serving God, the Author Of his |
oelng, and offering to Him willing tribute of |
praise, when beholding the works Of His crea-
'lon. can say NO more of tho impression |
'tupendous works of God, than that thew
oud!y proclaim the power and majesty of the |
Ireator When looking upon them one feels in |
special manner the awful presence of God
Some of the mountains are covered, at all |
Ieasons OF the year, with perpetual snow.
Pixies Peak. Its snowy summit
'he great monarch of the West, looking proud.
y down on the surrounding mobiles of his court.
saw it at distance of fifteen miles, yet it
. ppI.d 60 :; near that it seemed as though
deception of sight, in Colorado, arises partly
rom the fact OF the immense height Of the
Mountains, and partly because the air is 80
arihed, in consequence of the great elevation
q the country above the level of the sea-
Along the ridges of some of the lower noun
aims, one can see vast rocks in the most fantas-
lc forms, presenting the appearance of monu-
nentS, castles, fortiications and grand cathe-
in which the eye can trace the various
orms of architecture, gothic every where pre-
'eiling. SO perfect is this deception, that one
IAN scarcely be persuaded that they have not
'een built by human hands.
There are numerous gold and silver mines in
colorado, ana coal 10 also very abundant.
Agriculture Is alao carried on succeSSfaIIy,