The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-06
TO GREAT ALL
Elegant Scenery Along the Route and in
the City.

Elegant Scenery Along the Rout and in
the City.
At the expiration of the ten days we were
ready to pay a visit to the Great Falls Of
the Missouri.
At II a. m, we entered the elegant parlor
car of the Montana Central and prepared
ourselves for a sight of some of Montana's
most magnificent scenery. The first few
miles our eyes were delighted at the pro-
fusion of wild roses and cacti that bloomed
along the track. 1t seemed as though ma
ture was endeavoring to cover all unsightly
places with her rarest gifts, the flowers.
Along the track dances and tumbles the
Prlckly Pear, a pure mountain stream alive
with trout. The Rockies loom up to our
left in most fantastic shapes, and the will
lows as they dip their long branches into
the cool stream all seem to say to the tired
traveller, Il will give thee rest" A mov-
ing wagon containing a load of human
freight and a few household articles moves
at a snail's pace along the wagon road
that skirts the track. Some rest
less eastern farmer has heard
of the rich valleys of Montana and loading
his household goods into the wagon started
to find that Utopia. Hemmed in on both
sides by mountains, the sun lighting up
their slopes and casting into deepest
shadow the recesses and ravines on their
sides. we feel as though we were travelling
the narrow road, as did Christian in the
Pilgrims Progress" At a small station
a sign over the door of a very unpreten-
tlous building attracts our attention. In
large letters appear the two words, Lone
STAR Could some wandering meteor have
been cast off by it's mother constellation
and falling through space found resting
place in this lovely canyon? The circus
bills covering the sides of the building lent
added HarcugIn IN the onroITntinn I'm the
platform in front stood a tier of beer kegs.
We knew by this that the Lone STAR was
not al orphaned satellite. but a stopping
place for the thirsty.
II seemed to us as the train moved on
that never before had the mountains
seemed SO picturesque. They had the
forms of vast MEDIEVAL castles, the tassel-
ated walls, the towers, and the loup-holes;
nothing seemed wanting but tho armored
knights and fair maidens. The rocks were
tlrted with as many colors as were ever
found upon an artists palette, and the
cubes were laid together as evenly as n
master mechanic could have put them;
little dingles Law sheltered between the
lofty piles, miniature rivers babbled over
the bright pebbles, Inc gorgeous flowers
we're seen everywhere. Turning curves
sharply, We often wonder what we are com
ing to. The eve Is soon assured by seeing
the track bend gracefully around the noun
tain, and level land ahead. Wolf Creek is
a mere station, but is pleasantly located or
the Prickly Pear. and is a most excellent
place to rusticate. There is good fishing and
hunting in its immediate vicinity. Soon tn,
mighty Missouri breaks upon our view. We
are to follow it's banks for the remainder Of
the distance to Great Falls. To the lef'
and hugging the track are high mountains
to the right and within a stones throw
flows the Great Muddy, while rising from
its farther bank by gentle slopes is anothe
range of the Rockies. A more picturesque
scene could not be imagined. In silen
wonder we gaze upon the scene before u
and try TO conceive how long that grea
river has rolled steadily on through tn,
self-same channel, how long the wooded
mountains have lowered aloft, and how
long the sun has shed its golden rays upol
the Same grand picture. The wild duel
rises on lazy wing from the bosom of tn
river, then settles back for another dive an,