Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1880-09-16

'ftO oCs III TIC cutlrc hUcky MOUHtdit
Range. @
Through the entire length Of thi;
canyon, which Is eight miles, there
runs creek Of as pure. clear water a;
| ever beheld. and ever and anon we
eosild see the beautiful speckied trout
/ darting mp 10 catch the unwary insec!
as il happened to alight in the stream.
AT different points "a We aScended the
canyon, we stopped to admire the
grand. the beautiful in nature. Here
close down beside the clear cold stream,
and high up among the castled rocks
IN rich profnsiOn grow the Nol way
Spruce and Balsam Fir. While yonder
frOa, its dizzy height, OIL the loftiest
peak. with roots crawling into the
crevices of giant rock, stands 4 huge
mountain Hemlock, waving Its slnewy
arms in the breeze, prociaiming with
almost audible voice, that no spot on
this earth, illumed by the smile OF the
Diety, can he utterly lonely aud desc
late.
: Having learned before leaving, that
having passed through this canyon and
some six or eight miles beyond, we
would cross at point where the water
on one side Of the mountain found its
way west into the Pacific, and on the
other, east into the Atlantic Ocean, ]
was anxious 20 reach that point and
stop awhile and have friendly chat
with nature in her widest moods.
Az height after height was gained by
winding around the various mountain
spurs, our half-breed interpreter, who
had Travelled this way before, pointed
out 10 US the different peaks we had
to pass before reaching the main divide.
Az last We reached the anxiOusly
looked for spot. and refining in Our pair
OF bays upon backbone 80 narrow
that there is barely room tor our team
to stand. get out Of onr spring wagon
and walk away some tifty PAGES and
sat me down all alone to commune
awhile with nature.
lam now within one mile of the spot
where rises the extreme head waters of
the Missouri River.
, Immediately below aud In front of
ME, and stretching away to the north
east, lies the beautiful valley of "Horse
Prairie" While winding Its circuitous
route as far as the eye can reach, runs
a delightful stream of the same name,
whose course is plainly outlined by the
thickly set bushes which grow In thick
pr0fasion ON either side.
Z 10 my right and behind me, lust as
far as could see, there was naught to
obstruct my vision, save the rare thin
atmosphere that surrounded me; while
to my left, and for miles along the
summit Of the range, Is a forest of
evergreen trees, under whose ample
shade huge snOw-drifts seem yainly
trying to hide themselves away fran
tho melting rays Of July sun.
Getting up from the great boulder
upon which have been sitting, cross
the road in front of our team and
walking some fifty steps, culled few
wild flowers from among the strange,
stinted specimens which grew in count.
less number there. was standing
upon an eminence so narrow, that with
an ordinary buggy whip which l held
in my hand, could reach point on
one~side, where the water from the
melting snow was just starting on Its
long, long journey to the Atlantic, and
Oh the other at equal distance, it seemed
leaving for the Pacific
Ocean.
Before leaving, turned me round
and with last lingering gaze tried to
drink in all the beauties of the scene, as
it lay there mapped out before me,
while the then pure air seemed to bring
the distant mountains and plains within
my vision.
Talk to me about the mountains and
the valleys, the rivers and plains of the
Orient, with their stained monuments
of legendary fame, they bear no COM
parisOn to this ''my own, my native
land"
No, you may make the tour Of all the
old world, you may ascend the highest
peak Of the grand old Alps, and as you
stand there, your gaze will extend over
one miserable, petty province, Kingdom
or empire, to rest upon another; while
here, milne eyes fail to take In even one
small portion of our
But at this point am reminded that !
1t is yet IL miles to where we propose to |
stop for the night, and that already old
sol has made within two hours of his
Jays run, so l pocket my flowers, board +!
our wagon, grasp the lines, give reIns |
10 the bays, and away VIC go, wiser,
and hope, u better man.
just as the sun went down behind the /,
We reach the place where
we intended to stay all night, but our
man had sold out, packed his traps, and
gone to the city Of Helena 10 be some-
body.
We found, however, at the ranch, six |
old bachelors, who were cutting and |
making hay for the present owner. |
These good old fellows kindly took US |
In, upon condition that we furnish our |
own bedding. Fortunately, We had |
brought that along with us, In the |
shape Of pair of blankets and bnffa.o |
robe to each man,
Supper over, we were shown to our |
room. and making our beds, with our |
satchels for our pillows, were about
getting In, when one of the old batch. |
rlOrs came Into our room and asked us |
Il we were afraid of ghosts. lie then
proceeded to tell us that ia this same !
room, two years ago, the Sez Perez |
Indians murdered two white men, and, I
said he, one OF them died and was found |
lying right where you have made your
bed. .9f 49,.
By the pale, sickly light Of the tai
low dip which he held In his hand, |
scanned the empty room, and |
is he left and went out through the
Iong hall, his old brogans making as
much noise on the bare floor as any two
ghosts would make, actually fairly
mine eyes looking for some
white rObed stranger, not the while
whether he would be dead or
alive. ..
Tired as we were, though our bed was
hard, we were soon asleep, and I,
Through dreamland took nv wav.0
In my Imagination 1 went back home.
got out Of the express at the great old
gate down by the stable, and as shut
{ after me, the noise of the huge old
atch startled the old house-dog Rover,
who with that old familiar bark, came
his bushy tail to meet me. On
went, up the old well-beaten path
until reach the little gate In front of
he door, when wife catches sight of
ne, and springing from her chair and
back her hair with both hands
comes running to meet me. l embraced
md kissed her as affectionately as l ever