Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-12
Washington Boys Arrive at Pinon,
Colorado, Colony Camp.
THEIR EXPERIENCE At PLACERVILLE
Rapid Transit Dash Over a Noun
tain Range.
PAPA SHOCKS FRIENDSHIP

Letters have recently been received hero
from Will Kent and Carl Julihn, who left
here, as told by The Star, just before
Christmas to seek their fortune with the
cooperative colony at Pinon, Col. They
are the sons, respectively, of Rev. Alexan-
der Kent and Dr. Julihn.
The principal communication is postmark-
ed "Placerville. Col, Dec. 80" though 1t
tells Of their arrival at the colony camp at
Pinon. In his letter Mr.. Julihn writes as
follows:
1--WE found PlaCerville a settlement of
four or five houses and less than fifty in
habitants. We were told first thing that
thirty votes had been cast by the men and
women for the silver candidates at the last
election. 1t is half a mile from the sta
ton, and occupies narrow strip of land
between the frowning mountains on the
one hand and the turbulent San Miguel on
the other.
Having arrived at the railroad station,
We took from our baggage our blankets
and guns, and marched directly for the
house which serves for an inn at Placer
Vile. Leaving our impediments there we
Continued a mile and half or so down the
valley to a certain ranch where we hoped
to secure team to drive us to the colony
on the morrow. We knew that it was very
cold. for the snow crunched under our feet
crisply and our breath froze on our coats.
Yet 1t seemed warm to us. 1 took my
gloves off and felt no discomfort there
from 1t was night before we arriveq at
our inn, with the temperature five degrees
below zero. And the stars WED with the
young moon in lighting our way through
the mountain snow.
Scented Savory Odors.
what was our joy, on entering the flag
fioored general room, to find boy piling
the hearth with Pinon logs. Not until we
had rested long enough to scent the savory
doors emanating from the kitchen did we
enter on the actual delights of the feast
Such good. wholesome western faces you
never saw, and such abundance of whole
scnie food would have delighted the heart
of Dickens. Afterward we sat before the
roaring blaze and pleasantly drowsed till
bedtime.
known forever. occupied the post of honor,
huge armchair in the midst of our fire
III circle, and we sat on either side of him.
The old mountain lion and his cubs as
one fellow jocularly remarked, referring to
cur long hair and drowsy Incidence
One fellow there was dressed in most
elaborate and expensive fashion. He much
a ann me at first with his perpetual
Sir 1t was Yes, sir; No, sir Sir will
you have this newspaper to readT and such
another array of .sirs' as never was before
At first l thought he was some rich mine
owner out for a visit and very conscious of
his dignity, for though full of monosyllabic
'sirs.' never Il sentence did he utter that
would indicate his education and breed
Ing. AT length. however, when he had
stared himself into a look of imbecIity
and me into state of wrath. he sidled up
70 me and asked in confidential manner
who l was. His evident respect for my
military dress explained his previous be-
havior. 1t was my cap overcoat and boots
that had so powerfully impressed him. He
was merely miner dressed in his best
vertically think he expected me to declare
my identity with Caesar Napoleon.
Thus far removed from The seat of GOV
eminent the people have little conception
of Washington as it really IS. Every mill
tary Overcoat is suspected of concealing a
general. and they inquire in the most guile
less manner how the son of old 'Bilr John
son, who was appointed SNO clerk, is do
irg: and they are disappointed and suspect
you of being a mere pretender when you
cant just remember whether this particu-
lar Johnson still remains true in his af-
fections for Pap Clark's niece
Finds "a PhfIosopher.
"Ths fellow though was no fool. When
understanding him Alright. at length I put
him at his ease in spite Of his $50 suit. He
pl owed to be an earnest philosopher This
Is the substance OF one remark he made:
Men long to get out in our western
country in order to be freed from restric-
tons; but while they leave behind them
the frown of prying neighbors and the
ever-present threat of police vigilance. they
are not less responsible on the widest
prairie or in the densest jungle. I hope.
sir, that you will bear in mind that law is
present everywhere. If, from wantonness
and lust of life you kill single animal
tfat enriches the land, you are guilty. If
you like venison or pheasant. and you find
opportunity to satisfy your hunger there
by ask no man If his fellows hundred
niles away have said these animals shall
not be slain. Take in gratitude that which
God has sent you. But should you chance
upon herd. and have opportunity to kill
three, restrain yourself; for you would be
Wronging some hungry fellow of the future
and perverting the care of Providence
Il was very much impressed by him, and
indeed, I think that 1t is such law as this
that makes our lawless west great The
ranchmen never lock their doors Passing
along the roads (trails) one may enter any
: OF the houses and use what he finds there,
from the flour and bacon to the bed. But
no one ever takes anything. A few miles
from here is Horse Thief Gulch,' where
hangs birch tree the whtened skele-
ton of man who four years ago walked
off with a $40 horse. Only last year an
eastern tramp, having slept all night in a
vacant ranch house, was tempted to wear
away with him a pair of patent leather
pumps he had been welcome to wear about
the cabin while his feet were drying.
When the cow punchers dropped in at noon
they pursued and captured the man, tied
rope to each foot and dragged him on his
back over the snow for five miles.
SHOOK Is an lntelllSenl enthusiast
of sixty-two. He has a kind, old face,
canned by gray hair and beard. He ap-
pears to have really spent his life working
| for others. and l have yet to see the slight
est trace of selfshness in him.
Trampinx Over the Snow.
"As the ranchman at Placerville had
charged US more than we could pay to be
driven to the camp we started out to walk
1t Sunday morning at o'clock. Mr.. Shook
was as spry as we were. and we started
down the valley merrily enough, with our
blankets strapped to our shoulders Our
way lay between great mountains rising on
either hand, the red sandstone affording
some sort of footing to innumerable cedars
and pines. The sun fell upon the snowy
peaks and filled the air with gladness. We