Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-04-23
A TRIP TO THE ROCKIES.

of the Ledger.
MEXICO, Mo-, April ls.-In COM :
pany with E. c. kennen, E3q., a gem ,
al and intelligent travelling compan {
ion, We started Saturday night on a
lying business trip to the Rocky
We took breakfast at
City and boarded a Rock Is
land train at 10 a. M, supplied with
the morning papers, which we search
ed in vain for some news or uur local
m which we were 80 much
interested. Up the Kaw and away
from Missouri we sped away at the
rate of forty miles an hour, through
fields and fields OF wheat that would
well "hide a rabbit" and orchards of
peach, ,pears and plums in full fragrant
bloom. We passed through Lawrence
and Topeka, the State capital, thence
northwest from one growing, thrifty
little city to another for over 200 |
miles to Belleville, near the Nebraska
line. The day was as bright and
balmy a spring DAY as ever pictured
by poet. Spring birds were making
sweet melody in blooming orchards
everywhere. This eastern part of
Kansas is fine farming land with
plenty of rain. Its sandy soil does
not stand the droughts like our "hard
pan." The quick soil enables the
farmer to get an earlier start, which,
with a moderate rain fall, produces
abundant crops, which mature before
the hot winds and droughts come on.
Now, we have said all the good
things we can of Kansas, for we begin
to enter western Kansas, OF which
even the s'soulless railroad corpora
tions'' are ashamed, for going to or
from Colorado all trains are 30 sched-
uled as to carry passengers through
western Kansas under the cover OF
night. If you ever pass through that
section by day you will more fully ap-
preciate this arrangement. But we
find the railroads have selfish mo-
tive in this. They own great bodies
of lands In central and western Kan
sas for sale. This they do not show
you, but present to you blooming and
prosperous eastern Kansas like a
highly colored map to select from.
As the shades of night, like a dark
curtain, shuts off the rolling landscape
from our view we draw the curtain oi
our car window and asked Mr.. Pull
mans colored boy to prepare oul
beds. Blythe way, what would thes'
sleeping car companies do withon
| une "coI0reu purucr, sau ne uetong
to a class to itself. We know of NJ
race, clan or class from which h
could be reproduced. He anticipate
your every wish and also the expect
ed "tip." He reminds you of the ap
proach of the train to your stopping
point in ample time. His attention II
perfection. He brushes your hat, ad'
iusts your coat with many other little
attentions, none but he can think of
but above all you are reminded Of "de
shine on dem shoes.n And at the
parting when you drop the expected
"tip" into the extended hand you are
greeted with "thank you, boss, " and
a "God bless your that makes you
feel good in the inner heart. 1t also
sets you dreaming of the good old
days when the same class, as part Of
the old family, attended your every
action SO tender and faithfully wher
you was the "young marse' at home
We tucked ourselves away in the vel
come bed so dearly hired, and the
train that carries us seems "turnet
loose' as it goes roaring and rumbling
rocking and rolling away at the rate
of fifty miles an hour over the leye
plain and through the dark night, ye
as smooth and easy and soothing al
the cradle and we are rocked to sleeI
|. and sleep as sweetly as the tabe.
The next morning we were $50 mile
, from Denver and our train stuck in |
sn ow drift twenty feet deep. The snow
was two feet deep on the level and a
places ten feet. The wind was driyini
the fine snow along the plain like chat
and drifting fearfully. Not house o
tree to be seen for miles and miles
Nothing but the rolling plain covere'
with drifting snow driven by tn
Z wind. We passed now and then drove
Of cattle driven by the storm down Il
the gulches, where they were drifting
= around in a circle believing for foo
, and shivering with cold. The gre
wolves and cayotes made brave b.
= hunger and the snow were seen trct
/, ting aronnd near the track in scare
4 of food. AS we turned around hi
y an immense grey wolf stood withil
fifty feet OF the track smiling the al
as though he contemplated an attach
1t Ia said that during a snow storr
they follow the trains for miles 10
' such morsels of food az may be drop
. ped from the train.
Leaving Denver 10 the north W
u iourneyed on to Colorado Spring
Q where We arrived at 10 a. m. Monda,
mere LubEC was NV W HuSh SdNS
except on the mountains, and gran
10 old Pixies Peak, which stands fowel
ii ing thousands of feet in the blue ak
% at the western limit OF this city. Co
= orado Springs is city Of 1900 il
le habitants and 1900 bicycles. Tn
1d portion Of the inhabitants not engal
l. ed in selling stock and interests
Cripple Greek mines are invalids he
for the air. Everybody talks Cripp
- !. Creek. Without our seeking, in o,
= = casual meeting with the business me
- we had numerous offers 10 be let in I
the "ground foor' in the purchase
stock or interests in gold mines whe
st ~~~~~~%