National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-22


swung open, and a clear voice shouted
Passengers for heaven get out at next
station; those for below remain IN their
seats. The agents will give checks TO the
passengers TO insure their harps being de-
livered at any address in the next world.
Damp clouds for rheumatics can DO pur-
chased at next stationn The train stood
for moment while we gazed away In the
distance, where peacefully slept the moon
1T heights Of the Sangre dc Crlsto range,
their crests white with eternal SHOWS. For.
csts Of black pines, sentlnel-llke, guarded
their base, where swept the great Sau Luis
Park. began TO realize that We stood
above oil neighboring peaks. The moonlit
atmosphere was marvelously transparent,
causing objects hundreds Of miles distant
to appear but an hours walk hence. The
air, although cold, was light, dry, and ex-
hllarating. We drew our wraps about us
and, banging on to the platform steps, al
lowed our eyes, in untrammelo1 vision, TO
sweep at will the mighty areas about. The
very clouds, had there been any, would have
stretched below our feet. IL was uucom-
Portable to realize how far down one would
be obliged to jump to reach the level OF
Trinity Church splre or the Tlp.Top House,
at Mount Washington, In the White
mountains. At our left stood Mount
Ouray towering above its mates, In cold,
solitary, bald.hcaded indifference. Not
even snow would stick 10 It's crest. Down
the mountain side we traced the graceful
steel track as II Topped and doubled back
and forth In its descent, now disappearing
within forests, now glittering In the moon.
beams far down the narrow vale. But the
descent begins. Back to our seats We hur.
ried, almost holding our breath. rs the
fiery little narrow.gaugo serpent cautiously
crept down the side Of the mountain once
more. Round projecting hcadlands we
curved, now trembling on the verge OF
dizzy precipices, now gliding through dark
recesses, where the moonlight, falling
through naked boughs, danced In weird
figures upon the snow. Before Ru hour
had elapsed we beheld cultivated meadows
dotted with hay stacks and small ranch
houses, which convinced us that we were
once more down on earth. About this
time we all began TO settle for the night.
The berths being made up, and directions
given the porter to awaken us at the Black
canyon Of the Gunnison, one after another
disappeared behind the curtains. Exactly
opposite me reposed the two dudes. The
last heard, before sleep claimed me for
willing victim, was something like this
"Awthah, / will nevah weah pink cor
sets anothah season, thereah This ex-
complexion befoah | get back to New
Yawk.n
dear baugh," replied the other voice,
"what II the car should take fab and our
bangs in tea leadsYn
elijah the car should burn up, with my
hawaii IN leads. Awthah, would wathah
eXplate In the ilah than be saved looking
such fwight." And then slept. A tap
on my shoulder, and the flash of a lantern,
some hours later, awoke me. rolled up
the shade and looked out. Had we strayed
into new world2 For an instant the car
stopped, and, In that interval, heard ex-
CARNATIONS OF admiration from different
portions Of the car. A moonlit waterfall
fell from dizzy height, and, dashing into
fragments on the rocks below, was taken
up by the wind and tossed In clouds OF
dazzling spray upon the rivers breast.
just beyond and above, a cataract leaped
clear Of the red sandstone and cedars and
Numbered, unbroken, in a shower of
us. The Black canyon, when Wis
tied by pale moonlight, is eminently
a sample trip to an enchanted land. The
river at our side, glittering with emerald
tints, suggested mermaids to the poetical
and polliwogs to the small boys. Dark
hued walls and red sandstone, rich with
clinging vcrdure, stretched upward in steep
crags that lowered heavenward some 1000
or 5000 feet. Currecanti Needle, the
moonlight to smile benignly upon its less
favored companions. A picturesque bridge
spans this black but beautiful gorge at the
junction Of the Gunnison and the Clnarron.
And here II was that the redmen built
their council fires years ago. By secret
Paths, always guarded, they gained these
businesses, where, in secret seclusion, were
boldly projected their bloody schemes.
Here the red glow of camp.dres danced
IN thntr al t,ht
rejecting their fantastic shadows nh--+-----
giant rocks and swaylng foliage.
recreation, and listening to the
music Of Yum Yum's laughter In the ad-
joining section, l fell asleep, only to
awaken with the morning sun peeping in
on one side and the black porter upon the
other. We were in Utah at last. Time
forbids us more than mention Of the hun
dred miles of billowy descent that we tra-
versed between the Grand and Green rivers,
the richly colored Book cliffs ON the north,
the snowy groups OF the Sierra la Sal and
San Rafael glistening in the south, and the
broken walls which mark the Grand can
yons Of the Colorado, scarcely fifty miles
away. Soon after beginning the steep as.
cent Of the Wasatch mountains, we reached
Castle Gate, which forms the entrance to
Price Rivers canyon, through which the
range. Brush cannot paint, nor can pen
describe the startling grandeur Of this gate.
way OF nature. Two huge pillars, one
measuring 500 and the other $50 feet from
base to top, shoot heavenward In royal
beauty. These pinnacles are richly dyed
with red, and overgrown with frs and
pines that reach only to the lower strata.
The river, leaping over rocky bed,
presses close upon the railroad, as
both claim the right of way,
IN the narrow space allotted by nature to
this lofty gateway. 1t was down Price
River canyon and past Castle Gate that Sid
ney johnson marched his army home from
Utah. We fly by cliffs that resemble
mighty castles, with meats and towers,
loop.holes and wall, through Soldier canyon,
the Red narrows, and Spanish Fork canyon,
when suddenly the train sweeps joyously
into that garden OF fruit and flowers, birds
and golden sunshine, known rs the Utah
valley. Here fruit trees and grapevines
grow as readily as hay and cereals. In the
center Of the valley rests clear lake, whose
surface reflects both sky and mountain.
Eastward lie the Wasatch mountains; on
the west rise the Quirrah: northward are
low hills, or mesas, separating the valley
from Great Salt lake; while In the south the
east and west ranges approach each other
In Dlue-tinted walls Of uneven shape. Farm
joins lhilni iilnplu sIreaInS wafer Jnenl, anu
trim white houses, amid a profusion of fruit
trees, finish the rural scene. At Provo n
sad.eyed woman, with babe In her arms,
got on the train, and seated herself behind
us. Pretty soon she inquired II we We're
Mormons.
"Not all,n responded my companion,
who CHANGED to be the basso profundo of
our choir,
al can always tell Mormons,n continued
the woman, bitterly, giving ginger. bread
mot thoroughbred) horse to the baby.
"That pale, light.halred young man op.
posite ls one.n
"Oh, yes" replied the basso, who was
still ranking with envy that our fair
haired tenor robusto should have monopo.
lized the only handsome girl on board.
ale has three wiyes.n
"Thats why he looks SO skinny" re.
sponded the woman.