The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-06
MOUNTAIN MUSINGS.

To the Editor OF the Eagle.
The contradictory statements of trav
elers about the same places, the sam
scenery, furnish much amusement t
the hotel guest who observes.
That little busting woman, for in
stance, we single out today. Her fresh
rosy face and quaint Irish accent form:
but the least of her attractions. She
has been out sightseeing all tue morn
ing. You ask her with your blandes
smile when and what, etc. She angrily
tells you: Il have been to the grand
caverns. l am disguised. wish haC
my dollar back. 1t is nothing; nothing
at all.
Or that pretty young lady, whose per-
feet manners and tasty toilets delight
you. She goes to the Garden of the
Gods" for the first time. A.
she beholds this wonder of crea
ton she turns to her companions
and with a look of disappointment says
MY fathers garden is prettier, much
prettier."
Ones impression is influenced to q
great extent by outward conditions.
Given a perfect day-Lowelfs day in
June"-and we have many such here in
August-good vehicle, pleasant drives,
| genial companions, and if a ride, to the
| garden of the Gods, does not make your
every nerve Jingle with delight, if is
! does not absorb the mind and eve, it is
more than possible that you have entered
the blessed state of the stole.
Nature here seems TO have been in a
hayward, capricious and wild mood;
then passing into a humorous phase, it
seems to have sportingly said, Come
let us carve images and build cathe-
drals." 1t presents such a medley of the
fantastic, the picturesque and the sublime.
The works of the gods. as found in this
garden have been aptly named. There
is Mushroom park looking like a patch
of large mushrooms turned into stone.
Ben Butler standing there near the drive
way bears no slight resemblance to the
original.
AS you drive on you pass in rapid sue
cession Echo rock, Cathedral rock, Way
side inn, stage coach, Tower of Babel,
Punch and Judy, baby Punch, kissing
camels, owls head, ant-eater, alligator,
duck and American eagle.
But the wonder of the garden is the
gateway, two columns of stone rising TO
a height of $50 feet, straight, smooth, as
if carved by the hand of man, tower
majestically before you.
Here too, as you turn westward you
have magnificent view of Pixies Peak.
To the east, beyond the gateway, are
gypsum beds cleaning like silver in the
sunlight, and the sky, as if it would rival
the scene below or spread Ger it fitting
canopy, presents tints of blue that make
all other blues but vulgar mockeries.
The Rainbow Falls is but a mile and
half from the Ruxton, in Ute Pass. 1t
is Ute Creek falling over precipice of
one hundred feet. 1t is a wild torrent
rushing headlong upon stones scattered
in picturesque confusion. When the
sun shines rainbow hovers over it. A
morning walk or ride to this falls forms
one of the pleasant pastimes of the
tourists.
The photograph fiend is always sta
toned there, and picture of yourself
and party is the inevitable result. As
you sit there upon a stone the din of the
water scares away your senses, and the
wild beauty of the scenery overpowers
you. Then the artist gives the signal.
In the twinkling of an eve the miracle
has been performed. Nature and art
have met.
n burro ride through Williams canon
has proved to us the most alluring diver
sion of all. If it happens to be your first
ride on this curious animal the expert
ence is one never to be forgotten. The
disposition of the burro, his whims, or
humors, as you viii, is a novelty as
startling as it is unique. If you whip
him on the head he will not go. If YOU
lavish upon him your caresSeS it is lust
the same 1t is necessary always
to apply the rod from behind. When
you want him to go he will stand still.
When he gets ready to start he will go
without being told. Once in an hour he
may surprise you with canter When
you dismount to rest. il is interesting to
watch him. For five minutes, ten, nav
twenty. not a stir. One ear up, the other
down, there he stands, philosopher like
insensible TO the petty annoyances of the
world.
The scenery along this canon is awe
inspiring. Perpendicular walls rise on
either side, three and four hundred feet,
indented here and there with carerus
once the dens of wild beasts. The wild
ness of the picture is gently softened by
the flowers growing luxuriantly among
beds of stone, and the dead calm is en-
livened by the chipmunks darting grace
fully about. MARIE MATHIS.