The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-10-22
Pixies Peak.

l met Krump at the st. Elmo hotel, Col.
'orado Springs, in August 'SS. We were
both strangers and after little formal
sparring we discovered that we were both
bound on the same journey. j. e.. trip up
to Pixies Peak. Krump was from Indiana
and seemed to be happy in the vocation Of
a real estate agent, with faint tinge of the
good old farmer clinglng to him. while l
was a dashing young counter jumper, or
dry goods clerk (if you please), just bloom
ing into dudehood. and considered the
only thing essential in completing my edu-
cation and makeup was this very trip to
the top of Pixies Peak. After discussing
all the dangerous points connected with
such a journey, we (Krump and y plighted
our troth and resolved to whitewash that
peak of Pixies the following day.
Next morning at $50 we were escorted
to waiting carriage by the landlord and
two lunches consisting of boiled eggs and
sandwiches. We drove to ManitOu Park
and discovered that we were half hour
late. as the main party of tourists had gone,
together with all the guides. After brief
consultation we decided that it would be a
disgrace to our honorable callings to back
out at that stage of fine prospects. so we
secured our horses which were saddled and
girted in regular cow boy style. Our
lunches were rolled in big yellow sticker
and tied to the back of the saddle, all things
being ready we mounted our charging
steeds-that is, they did MT exactly charge.
it was the proprietor of the stables that
done the charging. After the first spasm
of ooocod fn ovict lyinIlu 4
rected to the road which would lead us to
the trail. We passed up the main thorough
fare of ManitOu Park in full view of the
four dollar per- day boarders seated on the
verandas of the different hotels. knew
was graceful. because | had sold so many
habits over the counter that l felt we'll ac-
Quainted with the art of riding. yet l could
not account for any reason why the saddle
should fly up and strike me so often.
"Where ignorance is bliss. it's folly to be
wise" and that was one time when real
estate agent knew enough not to give vent
to any expression of contempt or joy, and
Krump took his punishment without mur-
mur, but noticed there was always plenty
of daylight between him and the saddle.
We logged along until we reached small
bridge. and just as we were crossing it, an
old man emerged from little shanty near
the road. and demanded toll. l had often
read of toll gates where the usual fee was
five cents and l thought of crossing the
Brooklyn bridge for a penny, but that old
fellow struck us for big round dollar each.
We afterwards learned that he was the man
that broke the trail up to the Peak. We
deposited our dollars in the outstretched
hand of the old gent and seems to me
muttered something about being avariciOus.
inasmuch as there were thirty six tourists
in the party that had passed that same
point not half hour before. each one con-
tributing the same amount. OF course.
could MT help coveting that mans position
just long enough to get my dollar back.
Feeling now that there was nothing to him
der us overtaking the main party. the trail
being good. we hustled our horses rather
lively. for it's always easier to ride up hill
than down, besides we were little anxious
to take the life out of our nags, so they
would not be too frisky about jumping over
cliffs or rolling us down the mountain side.
We had been on the road fully an hour
when. rounding sudden bend in the trail.
we came to a deep valley down which a
mountain stream was rushing furiOusly.
Across this and way up on the side of what
seemed to us another mountain, we saw a
long string of horses with their riders.
winding in and out like huge snake as
they slowly crawled up the steep trail. 1t
was sight which shall not soon forget.
Those who have stood upon the edge of a