Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-06

PERHAPS the champion liar OF ChriStendom
may be io9nd ha pea estate o and meet him IN
clothes: fn the prospector who has or has not a
lode to sell: Ia the miner digging In the ground
With only pair OF P an1s on In a ane
their champions. They smile kindly upon the
tender foot and give him away With yarn Ia a
manner that is amusing, If he does not take
tai reservation. 1t may be that their
grand mountains, vast plains and Won
and widen their views, as they DO their
lungs and muscles in manner unknown
TO the people OF the East and other less favored
regions Local or state patriotism overrides
national patriotism, religion or politics, all
being secondary 10 the reputation and glory OF
Colorado and hence, may be- arises their inor-
dinate propensity to draw the long bow and tell
fish stories But with all their faults we love
them STILL" for they spin their yarns with an
easy. graceful flow OF language that is aStonish-
ing, and their Kindness and hospitality Is as
wide and liberal as their imaginations and you
are soon convinced that tt is all done for your
enlightenment ana pleasure and the glory OF
their adopted state.
In matters OF business they are as reliable as
any people, ara from my experience, think
more So as one OF them told me the whole
truth about horse purchased from hun, and
that is not my experience with the jockeys OF
Kentucky. But when the pressure Is taken of
OF Their honor and their imaginatiops are set
10 work as 20 what the state is, or has sdpeI,Or
10 other states; what their neighbors have or
what they themselves have, or have had or done,
then stand from under, for they win oYerwhelm
you with scenes from their imaginations as
startling as any from MunchauSen. AS Spec-
men, proprietor told Inc that he and some
companions were crossing the continental d.
vide when II was covered with snow, Three
iniies below them down decline OF IS degrees,
deeply covered with frozen snow, lay the spot
they desired TO reach while 10 go around by trail
was fifteen miles He took a tin pan. used for
himself, fn Squatting position on his launches.
tucked the blanket around, held hts rifle and
other traps over his head and got one OF his
companions to give him push. He Informed
me he went down at the speed OF sixty miles
minute, and shot far out into the valley at the
foot OF the mountain. When he stopped he
found the soldering of the pan melted from
friction his blanket on fire, and 1t was his i'm
preston that had he gone much farther he
would have been burned up, together with all
his traps. He further informed me that he got
up, waved his hand, and called TO 1.-The boys" 10
follow. but they declined. presume they saw
how he was smoking from hot boxes, and con-
cluGed they would try an easier grade.
Another prospector told me his fayorlte
amusement had been to jump upon large
bank of drifted snow and start an avalanche
and ride upon it in its fearful course OF deStruc-
ton to the valley below. on one occasion, how
ever, he got turned under, and when ''the boys"
dug him out he had both arms and one leg
broken besides being otherwise scratched up;
since that time he has regarded the amusement
as little dangerous. AS proof OF his story he
showed me his broken arms, and accepted his
statement in regard TO the broken thigh With
out further proof other than that he walked
game legged.
TIE following are some OF the things the Col
oradoanS will tell you that you will not find en-
tirely correct-principally told by the Denver
ties to strangers On their arrival among them,
many OF them apparently knowing no more
about the state after several years residence
than the newcomers know, and 1t Is evident
from their conversation they have taken many
things On hearsay, and perhaps seen no more
OF the state than that part which they passed
over In coming to Denver. They will tell you
it does not get hot in summer nor cold in
winter; that there is popularity In the
atmosphere to be found nowhere else On
earth. and its sanitary effects are miraculous;
that 1t Is the great grazing section of the United
States; that cattle keep fat all the year on the
sandy plains; that meat will not spoil without
salt If properly preparec suppose vanished to
keep the flies Off, and that dead animals are not
offensive to the smell: that Denver is the most
die here therefore worms do not eat them; that
a bObtail rat does not always get in the hole
first; that mountains are forty or fifty miles
away, when in reality they are only ten. AN
this and much more 90 they tell unto the
astonished ard gaping tenderfoot- An East
Tennesseean, few years ago, came into the
town Of Silverton, which is 9,400 feet above
the level OF the sea, and was looking around
called TO Mount Kendall, with its base resting
On the valley in which the town Is built and its
top towering some $4,000 feet heavenward.
Some OF tie citizens told him IL was fifteen
miles to the top. and IL would take day 10 60
there and return. He Immediately offered TO
bet 800 he could go up and return In three
hours, whereupon a man, acting on what Tue
citizen said, took the bet. The TenneSSeeal
started from the main stree OF the town,
forded Animas river. climbed the mountain
waved his flag from the top, was back In town
In less than two hours, scooped In his money
and lived to be the efficient and accommodatirg
clerk OF San Juan county. and occupies that
position unto this day.-DsRreT' LetteT' 10 ne
Courier Journal.