The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-22


en- years down in the canyon. He knows
every nook and corner Of it, every bit
Of light and shade. He understands its
every mood, he tells you in wonderfully
beautiful language just how it looks
after thunderstorm. when the silver
mists are lifting from its hidden charms
as lovely woman slowly lifts her veil,
or how the moonlight touches its cragS
and pinnacles, bringing out it's contours
with new attraction, or how the sunrise
floods it with light that never was OIL
sea or land. Ferguson is the man who
filed out Powell's pack train for his
first explorations of the canyon, and he
tells you many interesting stories o. the
daring explorer. He let's you drive, too,
and shows You how to handle the four
finland and enlightens you as to the
tricks of the leaders and III every way
helps to make the tedious journey pass
quickly. He's a character. is Ferguson
--typically western, whole sou1ed,
breezy, chivalrous, rough Sir Walter
Raleigh who puts his corduroy jacket
under your feet for fcotstool
When you reach the camp, you fall
into the hands, not of the Philistines,
but the Tofrees and Ming" The Toll
frees are California folks who come to
the canyon every summer to take care Of
the wayfarers, and Ming is the Ce-
lestial who does the cooking. Now, re-
member, you are rs miles from a rail-
road. Every vegetable, every steak, ev-
cry egg is brought that distance by stage.
But when you sit down to a beautifully
clean table in the dining tent and eat
deliciously cooked, appetizing meal,
daintily served you by two blond Hebes,
the pretty Tolfree girls, you rub your
eyes and wonder whether you are awake.
The beds, too, are excellent, clean and
comfortable, and as, lying in your tent,
you listen to the never endless soughing
of the wind through the pines you think
that wild and woolly Arizona is not
half bad place after all. You will leave
that camp regretfully-peaceful, restful
place that it is land more than once
will you think of 'tMing's" cooking
those delicious pies, that cake, those
dapjacksl
John Hance's Peril.
All the way from Albuquerque YOU
have been hearing about John Hance.
Hance has lived at the camp for 10
years. He owns two trails into the can
yon, has a peak named for him and is
possibly the most distinguished citizen
in that sparsely settled locality. But
perhaps his chief claim to consideration
arises from the fact that he is undoubt-
eddy the champion American fakir.
Whether it is because he has lived alono
SO much, sometimes not hearing the
sound Of a human voice among those
awful solitudes for six months, and has
fallen into the habit of inventing yarns
to pass the time I know not, but GER
tainly Munchausen must hang his head
before John Hance was warned be-
fore I went to the camp, ''Be sure and
get him to tell you the story of his
horses jumping over into the canyon. :"
So when we sat in his dainti1y swept
and freshly scrubbed log cabin, hanging
on the rim of the canyon like an eagles
nest to a tree, after much entertaining
conversation said, Captain, what was
the greatest peril you were ever exposed
to?''
WAL he said promptly, ST reckon
twas when my boss jumped right clean
over the precipice and fell over 5000
feet, with me on his back. -
''Dear me" said, land you ived?'
"Why, yes 'Tain't SO easy ter kill
John Hance. I reckon I hain't sense
enough ter git killed. My boss got
scared at some mountain sheep and
drove 'em right over into the canyon. I
seen he was a-goin after 'em, and I seq,
Now, John, hang on, and 1 jest give
him the whip and spur, and over we
went Now, mind ye, while he was
a-fallin I was a-ridin, and jest before
we struck the bottom Of the canyon I
jumped off, and SO saved my life. He
went on and was dashed to pieces. -
All this without blush or trenor Of
the eyelids. There was silence for the
space Of half a minute, and then, while
the Harvard professor who was with me
looked sadly at the floor, said, CHOW,
captain, I know just as well as you that
I am tenderfoot, but you can't expect
me to believe that yarn. -
Strong Proof.
f'Inever tell no stories can t prove, I"
replied John Hance of Arizona "Come
here, mom.' And leading me to the
doorway of his cabin he pointed down
| 5000 feet into the canyon Fright
down there, do ye see that white spot?
Yes? WAL, them s the bones of that
| thar critter a-bleachin. -
"Most remarkable theory in physics, !"
unused the Harvard professor as we
walked back to camp. 1.-THE horse was
! falling, you notice, and Hance was rid
ing. Astounding !" And he shook his
head gravely. Subsequent investigation
proved ''that them bones a-bleachin' -
were the remains of pack horse be-
longing to a cowboy. John evidently
found "them bones and wove his de-
hghtfu1 little story around them.
Hance takes people down the trails
into the canyon and charges for his pack
horse and his company $12 day for
each person, which of course is not ex-
orbitant when you consider the enter
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