The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-18
adventure on the
Rocky Mountains
A Former ScrantOnian Describes a
Trip to Pixies Peak.
THE SENSATION OF FREEZING
Terrible Experience of Miss Minnie Pow
eli and Party of Friends Who Made
the Ascent Upon Foot in October.
Hcroism of an Escort.

Colorado Springs, Nov. 26,-I told you,
l believe, that party of us intended
going horseback up Pixies Peak,
week or 50 after school commenced
Well, we went, but not horseback We
walked up and rode down. We made
the trip Oct. and Z. The party was
to have consisted of Mrs. Argo, Mr.
Caldwell, Miss St. Clair and myself.
Mr.. Argo intended walking as far as
the Half Way House and remaining
there until we returned Mr.. Argo, you
know, is here for his health. Mr.. Cald-
well is a young Kentucky gentleman
who is here at the Springs with his
bride for her health. She caught cold
on their wedding trip last June, ana
has since been very low with consump-
tion. She is now recovering and able
to drive out, but of course, not able to
have joined the pedestrian party for
the summit of Pixies Peak.
Our plans were all laid and we were
to start early Saturday morning-re-
turning on Sunday-spending the night
on the Peak. Mr.. and Mrs. Caldwell
and few other Kentucky friends drove
up to the school Friday afternoon to
have the last talk over the trip before
starting. We compared notes and
found that each Of us had been solemn
ly warned to not take the trip on foot at
this time of the year, by numerous
cautious people, and, on the other hand,
urged on by nOn-cautious people. We
We're inclined to follow the advice of the
latter and went down to see how Mrs.
Argo felt about it. We found her with
a sick baby and no servant. That set
tied her going. Nothing daunted in our
determination to go, Mr.. Caldwell, Miss
st. Clair and | looked elsewhere for a
chaperone. We begged, we plead with
all the non-consumptive ladies of our
acquaintance. One was afraid of her
heart; another, that her respiratory or
gans would give out on such a climb
and at such great altitude; another was
afraid she would freeze to death. We
laughed at such an excuse as that. Did
We laugh later? Wait-yOu shall see.
At last We found a young lady-Miss
Cornish, the boys supervisor at the
school, who readily consented TO go;
and as Mrs. Caldwell and Mrs. Argo ad-
vised us to go, we decided to start the
next morning.
A Desirable Acquisition.
While we We're completing the ar
rangements that afternoon, a telegram
was received by Mr.. Argo from Mr..
Gregory, saying he would pass through
Colorado Springs that night with a
couple car loads of horses en- route to
Kentucky, and wanted to join the
Pixies Peakers on their trip; so he
would stop off. We were delighted with
this desirable acquisition to our party.
Mr.. Gregory is a great favorite. Large,
young and strong and bubbling over
with life and fun. At the time we We're
simply pleased that he would join us.
Today we offer up prayer Of thanks
giving that he did join US. God, in His
omniscience, sent Mr.. Gregory to be
one of our party. You will compre-
hend why, later.
That evening Miss St. Clair and I
filled three good sized boxes with a
very tempting lunch-enough for a
party Of ten instead of only five. Mr..
Argo said he would drive us, Misses
Cornish and st. Clair and myself, at 6
the next morning went down to The
Antlers, where we were to meet Messrs.
Caldwell and Gregory. Miss ST. Clair
managed, with considerable eXertion
both on her part and on mine, to induce
me to rise at a. m. Everything had
been made ready the night before 50
that we had nothing to do but dress.
eat our breakfast of eggs, bread and
butter and coffee, jump into the wait
ing carriage and be driven to the hotel.
1 shall take time to say, we dressed
very warmly, wore lightweight coats
and each carried a shawl in shawl strap.
Miss Cornish carried a small grip, con-
tanning bottles of Ponds Extract, alcO-
hol, camphor, ammonia, smelling salts
and brandy. At 6.45 a. m. we five
boarded the cars for Manitou-a dist
ance of six miles. Arrived there we
took a carriage to the Cog Road sta
tion-about two miles. Now began our
never-to-be-forgotten climb. From
this point to the summit is twelve miles
by following the cog road The car
riage road is twenty-one miles. We
took the cog road. 1t was now $50 a.
a A glorious day-neither too cool nor
too warm. We reached what is called
the Half Way House at 1915 p. m. None
of US felt much fatigued. We ordered
coffee and ate lunch. At 115 p. m. we
continued our ascent. Mr.. Caldwell