The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-04-28
FOOTPRINTS IN THE STONE.
BY LOUISE J.

II WAS not LOT lle scenery alone Una
Se climbed the mountains. although
hat was surprisingly beautiful. over
looking to the northwest seven ridges Ol
hills, leaning up at last in the distance
against the blue rim Of the Catskills.
forty miles away. Nor was it for thp
long ride of eighteen miles back from,
The Hudson that we made the excursion,
although that had its own charms, in
spite OF patches OF corduroy and pave.
ments of Jagged rocks, making ascents
and desccnts painfully sudden. No, /;
was for neither of these mountains we
lad climbed and rides we had taken
but to see footprints in the stone.
Jake Brown. a native mountaineer.
was to guide us, and half way on oui
journey we met him, seated in a hingy
old wagon, which was capable of <
banding and collapsing in n most re.
markable manner, as the exigencies OF
the way required. When the wagon
journey was ended there were miles OF
travel before us still. We could no:
count the miles, but before we reached
the wagon again we counted five hours
Of climbing and scrambling, with only
momentary rests, for our enthusiasastic
guide darted out of sight so suddenly
that we were more than half afraid OF
being lost among the mountains il we
did not keep well up to him.
At last the Flat Rocks were reached:
and fiat rocks they were. indeed, acres
of them, divided now and then by great
rents. or the level broken by easy steps.
Jake had such n quaint, queer way with
him, one could scarce refrain from draw
ing him out upon every offered oppor-
tunity.
These great rents in the rocks, Mr..
Brown" said one; chow do you suppose
they Gamer
well, now, Mr.. -" said Jake.
pausing with a very serious look as he
settled back on n leg, I'm tell you
what l think. Don't you know in the
Bible, where it tells about the resurrec-
ton, that the rocks was rent. That's
what 1 think it was;'' and as if impress
ed with the solemnity and positiyeness
of the fact, he gave m expressive shake
of the head and started on. At last he
paused and exclaimed, with a jubilan,
shout, "See 'em? Here they be, lots on
emf
We hurried on, and followed the trac-
ings of Jake's staff. What could look
more like footprints? Not like bare feet,
but more like s%hoeprints, the heels deep
and the toe rounded. There was moss
growing in them. We scraped it away.
wondering to see so many Of these tracks
pointing one way, as if more travellers
had gone over the mountain side than
had ever returned. We followed Jake a
little further on, over the face OF the rock.
These" said Jake, very decidedly,
IAN rabbit tracks. They'm coined up
the side of the mountain, 4 null drove
on 'em, and they'm jumped this crack
right here, See emp he demanded, in
m excited tone.
We must listen and seem to believe
Jake, for it was evident that these tracks
were n of his specialties about which
he had his own theory.
"What do you suppose, Mr.. Brown,
drove the rabbits up so highp' asked
one, with a covert smile.
at might have been the food" an
swered Jake, seriously, 'for don't you
see the tracks keep getting higher and
higherP"
"When do you suppose these tracks
were made, Mr.. BrownF' quizzed an
other.
when the rocks was soft. there amt
3 shadder Of doubt" was the prompt
reply.
How long ago do you think that was,
We'll. 1 guess there amt no man can
tell that exactly"
''But how could the tracks last so long
on the top Of the mountainsP'
whats to henderf rocks is hardrh
was the sententious reply.
Yes, they were as hard as granite
could be, and seeming to repeat Jake's
words, they gave back solid echoes to
our footsteps, We looked closely again
at the rabbit tracks. How curious they
were! Two little holes close together,
then about a rabbits pace further on
two more side by side. or course we
could not take Jake's theory, but then
they were rs like as need be to human
footprints and rabbit tracks.
There were wise heads in the party,
and among them that of a clerical friend,
well up in the natural sciences, but he
only smiled and shook his head, and
said he could not explain it; it was
very curious;'' yet afterward yeutured
the remark that there vas much moss
upon the rocks; that there was always
more or less acid in moss. This would
dissolve certain properties in the rock,
leaving, perhaps, a few pebbles to be
rolled around by the falling rain in their
tiny basins. which would slowly grind
away the sides.
So far went tho solving Of the mys-
terry; but why should the holes be dis
tributed SO regularly, the heel so often
in proper relation to the toe, and the
rabbit tracks seemingly measured off in
PAGES by the very rabbits themselves
The conclusion OF tho whole matter was
that it was curious and unexplained to
our satisfaction. Not so, however, with
supplemented Jake Brown. To him
the whole was as clear as a sunbeam.
Does any one know any more about the
man tracks and the rabbit tracks than
| does Jake Brown We should be glad
to know.-The Yonkers Gazette.