The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-10-22
Saltwater, Mimi, Thursday, Oot 20, 1891

as they gazed into the depths below. can
realize little of how we felt as we looked
down and then up to see those thirty six
souls still climbing higher and higher.
Another hour elapsed ere we came up
with the guide who was caring for the
stragglers in that long procession. one third
of which were women, all perhaps more
timid than l. and that was useless. About
the first thing the guide said to me was,
Il wonder how they come to give you that
hOrSe?" l answered him with all the dig
nifty OF life long cow-puncher, that sup
posed they thought was capable of riding
him; but as soon as his back was turned. l
commenced to size up the different bad
points of my horse as we'll as could. TAX
ing into consideration l was on top of him.
My knees commenced to feel uncertain and
my hair to bristle up. when 1 discovered
that my animal was chewing gag bit,
which the other horses seemed to lack. l
commenced to sum up my fund of expert
ence and hair breadth escapes in horse
back riding. and l remembered very dis
tinctly how father used to let me ride the
horse (saw hOrse) down town in my imagi-
nation. and that grandma used to have
terrible time with the nightmare, but I
never endeavored to catch it. My horse had
behaved himself like gentleman and de-
cided to stick to him and run the risk, but
by way of hedging. persuaded the guide
to let me ride in advance of him, because
my horse might accidentally drop me over
some of these steep rocks, and no one would
ever miss me. Poor Krump's horse was
mule, and ne was devOting all his spare
time to guiding him in the crooked and
narrow way that leads to the top of Pixies
Peak. Everything passed off very smoothly,
however. until we reached the half way
house. where everyone dsmOunted to rest
their tired limbs and aching backs. for the
hardest climb was yet to come.
When the order was given to remOunt. /
gave Krump regular old Michigan wink
and we fell in line directly behind two
young ladies of decidedly brunette COM
plexion. and thereafter Krump. horses or
mules had no room in my thoughts. for l
fell into lovely dream of rescuing one of
those same young ladies from terrible fall
over the cliff. and l suddenly became the
hero of the party, envied by all of the
would be gallants; and the young ladies
father, whose name was Isaac Eberstien,
was seriously contemplating giving me
position in his clothing store" as my re-
ward.
My dream came to a sudden standstill as
we reached the timber line; and there above
us was nothing but rocks and clouds as far
as the eye could reach, the horses COM
menced to go slower and feel for a sure
footing at every step. One of the boys dis
covered patch of snow. and. dismOunting,
he commenced to fire snOw-balls at us right
and left. He felt that he could claim the
honor OF throwing snow balls in the month
of August. state OF Colorado. While we
were contemplating dismOunting. and re-
turning the fire. we heard shout above us
and knew that the first of the party had ar
rived at the top, and we too (Krump and y
were soon with the rest of that thankful
crowd up among the clouds.
But what sensation! Did you ever step
into hole in the dark and have your
breath leave you? Well, that's the same
sensation you feel while walking on top of
that famous mountain. You tread the air
you step-and you don't step-its sure
place to lose your cOnceit. One of our gal
lants endeavOred to assist young lady to
dismOunt. but he tainted in the exertion.
1t was cruel to deceive her, but more cruel
to deceive himself.
We were tired lot of tourists when
gathered together; and nature added an.
other dampening feature to the occasion by
sudden down pour of very wet rain.
Everyone grabbed lunches and rubber coats,
and made grand rush for the U. S. signal
station. We found good fire and very
welcome it was to our benumbed and chilled
bodies. FOrmalty was thing of the past.
and everyone talked with their next neigh
Dor as though they had been acquainted for
years. 1t was with difficulty that sue
ceeded in pulling Krump away from one of
the tender sex, and got him over in the
corner where we secured seats on the floor,
and proceeded to investigate the nourshing
qualities of boiled eggs and ham sand
wiches. Coffee was plentiful at twenty five
cents per cup. but did not find many takers.
krump and 1 remembered the old man
down by the bridge with financial affec-
tiOn; but the price of coffee was not extrav-
Qant taking into con sidora ton that Il xuaa