Omaha daily bee., 1897-12-14

His Parents Live in Iowa, but He
Achieved Fame in Colorado.

His Parents Live in Iowa, but He
Achieved Fame in Colorado.
For fifteen years. ever since he was boy
OF y, young mar from Iowa has haunted
the timberline Of Colorados mountains. AZ
boy he worked in the camps and did any
kind Of work there v0ss to DO. Gradually he
became an expert with horses and for yerrs
he has made a business of breaking and
training them. He has always been called
'Timberlire." owing to his love for the
morntain heights, but the Rocky Mountain
News says his real name is G. G. Keplnger,
He is Eandy with his gun, is te brave as a
man can be ard is at present marshal OF
camp called Dillon not far from Breck-
enridge. His wo7derful height aud strength
makes him remarkable at first sight, for he
/ stands six feet four and a half inches in his
| stockings.
J Perhaps "Tmberline," who is a typical
| mountain cowboy In dress, mannerism and
/ speech, may have Inherited an artistic abil-
! ity from his parents. who still live In Sid
ney, Ia, and perhaps his life, often in soil
| tude, among natures wonders UP in the
azure near the snow lire, may have devel-
oped an artists soul in his herculean
body. AT any nate, during the intervals of his
wild life rmOng wild men and beasts, he
sought to portray with a sharpened piece of
I lead ore the grandeur OF the canyons and
/ peaks His hands were more accustomed to
! holding a Winchester, but his success was
sufficient to encourage him. The look of re
tinement and sympathy deepened ir his face,
for his study OF the gentle art and still gen.
tier nature made him more of "a man, with
all the longings of the artist for the beau
tiful.
Like all geniuses he was very modest end
did not think his trihing work worth any
thing except to amuse his lonely hours. His
rough companions twltted him on his pic.
ture work" much as they dared for the
young marshal would rot stand everything
He is but % years old now and full of al
the fires and passions of youth. While his
mountain friends sometimes laughed at hin
they all respected him and privately ex
pressed their admiration for the young fe
low
One day last summer a young woman o.
Denver visited the vicinity of his home il
the clouds. She was born artist, one WHIT
loved art for arts sake She saw the young
man, marveed at his tall. well-knit frame
} saw the look Of refinement in his storm
senmed face and soon gained his confidence
He hesitatngly told her OF his love fol
; drawing and she gave him some water col
ors to use. For a long time nothing was
heard OF him. when suddenly he arrived ii
Denver the other day TO show his benefacto
some of his water color sketches. He hat
drawn them over and over again until he
thought he had made them pretty nearl.
like the scenery about him. In the frs
water color he finished the coloring is deli
cate and accurate, the perspective good ono
the drawing IN proportion. lie uld not eA
pect praise, but received it, and was at once
made the idol of the Colorado Art club at it:
meeting Tuesday night
"Timberliue" is like the deer of hi
mountain home when it comes to close
contact with the city world. He made
quaint picture himself as he stood in III
midst of the little group of artists with nj
cowboy costume, the immense sombrero anC
! the gun sticking in his belt. He will
remain in Denver for a few days and gain a
much knowledge OF his beloved picture worl
! as he can.