The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14

ed and smiling, there is no lovelier
spot to loiter than among the west
side" bluffs.
One perfect June afternoon 1 took a
young Enghshman, an officer in the
famous guards, over the high bridge
to the bluffs across the river.
BY Jove, it is high" he said as we
reached the further side.
stood and pointed out the dome Of
the state capitol and the slender steep
les Of the German cathedral and the
tower Of the court house.
The whole lower part of the city is
visible from. this point.
| showed him the union depot, where
many lines Of railroad enter the city
from all parts of the country.
Here enters the Northern Pacific, the
first Pacific road. They knew even in
far-away England when that great en-
golden spike driven. On the tracks
next to those of the N. P. the trains
of the Great, Northern and those Of
the $780, come rolling in for their
crowds OF, immigrants and hundreds Of
trunks. The, 800" is now a branch
hne of the Canadian Pacific, which is
without doubt the longest line of rail-
Will have that distinction is a matter
OF time only The great Russian rail-
road Is rapidly nearing completion. II
may even BECOME a longer line than
the one that reaches from Nova Scotia
to the Pacific border of British Column
bia, crossing the American Alps" and
the great plains of Canada to do so.
And so this is the center of North
America" said the English officer.
Not the exact center" I answered.
Under the setting sun, miles away, are
the waving wheat fields of the Dakotas.
North of you Is the land known as Ru-
pert's. the home Of the Hudson Bay
company If you were not a guards
man you might be sent there, among
its bleak prairies and its gloomy for
ests. to do a soldiers duty and make
1t safe land for man to live and
make money in. To the south and
east of you lies the older portion of
the nation. While way West, beyond
the Dakotas, is Cowboyland."
Does it occur to you that we are
now standing upon ground that the
great Napoleon was in such fear Eng
land would capture that he sold 1t to
the United States for a small sum-"
said the officer, smiling maliciOusly
[ was silent. What could I say?
Was it, after all, only the fear of the
terrible Briton that gained for us the
great stretch Of land west of the Mis-
sissippi?
<AIld IL must nave. D00n somewhere
around here that the Indians set fire to
the grass back Of poor old Hennepin
to make him move faster" again spoke
the EngliShman.
Why" l said in surprise, II didn't
suppose you bothered yourself with
American history over there"
Didn't yOu?" said the Englishman
Then let me tell you that your Park
man is a great favorite with us back
home. l read his account of the old
missionary's journey up the Missis-
sippi when I was a very little boy and
l have also read it many times since
We'll, what do you think of our sun
set?'' l asked.
the sun was sinking to rest in all it's
glory. The windows of the big hospital
on the left bank of the river seemed
to be bursting with flames. The red
glare was reflected in the river until
it looked like bed Of red hot Goals
Red, gold, pink, white, blue, pearl, sill
Yer and purple were some Of the colors
that changed and disappeared and re-
appeared before our admiring eyes 1t
takes strong eyes to look at the fiery
ball that seems to whirl and burn it's
way into its bed of clouds. The long
narrow structure upon which we stood
was reflected, in the river below US,
and we two, insignificant beings became
part of the grand evolution of nature
We represented two black spots upon
the water.
Afar off the, verdure- covered hills
along the Minnesota valley and the
little French village Of Mendoza look
ed hazy in the distance.
Boom! Who, ever thought that the
sunset gun up at the fort. could be heard