Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-10-16
COLORADO SPBIHGs.
MANITOU-"THE SARATO-
GA OF THE WEST"
Pixies Peak-"The Gem of The
Rockies"

Next on the right is Plum Pudding.
like mother used to makel; on the lett
the Turtle and Punch. and passing
through a natural gateway we come in
view OF Minnehaha Falls. Here is a
picturesque group of Swiss cottages set
among the pines. and occupied by pleas
ure SET kers. Lizzard Rock. Pinnacle
Rock, Devils Slide. the Elk's Head. the
Flueride gold mine are left behind, and
we suddenly come upon the Halfway
House. comfortable hotel situated in a
beautiful grove at the foot Of Gland
View Rock. Here short stop is made.
and several passengers. fearing bad eff
fects from the altitude at the summit.
leave the car. Only few being over
burdened with avoirdupoes tissue. which
is an unfavorable condition in high alti-
tudes, remain with those ambitious to
reach the summit.
On we 60 up. up through the narrow.
ragged walls of Hell's Gate. and enter
the verdant Puxton and Aspen Parks,
over which Bald and Sheep Mountains
stand as sentinels. Here for two and a
quarter miles comparative level stretch
is travelled and good view of Grand Old
Mountain is had as we are almost under
the summit we gain better view Of the
altitude than from any other point OF
view. Our train makes stop for water,
as there is before us the longest and
steepest incline on the road, winding
around the southern side of the mount
ain. As we ascend. the mountains to the
east seem to sink until they become mere
foothills, and our view to the east and
south becomes more extended. From
lnspirative Point. we see far below US a
glacial lake covering ITO acres; glacial
rocks. upon which ara marks showing
the unmistakable action of ice in ages
past. These rocks are Mount Badly and
Mount Garfield. Bear Creek Canon and
the Southern Mountains.
After passing Timber Line. (II. SIS IT,
we cross great field of broken rock, in
which are small areas where enough soil
is found for some small MOSES and many
low Alpine plants to take root. and here,
in season, there is profusion Of these
tiny flowers, which one could hardly ex-
pect TO fnd at such high altitude
When Windy Point is reached we get
our first western view, and are but a
short distance from the summit, which is
reached one hour and a-half alter reach
ing Manitou. The world is now before
US, and rare indeed would be the art that
could picture to the soul, unaided by the
sense OF sight, the unappl oachable mag
nitude OF the view that now greets the
bewildered eye. Spread out before US is
mighty panorama OF 10000 square
miles. To the east is gay confusion OF
buffalo plains. streams and Towering
fields dotted over with villages and cities.
Colorado Springs. Manitou and the Gar
den of The Gods are at our feet. and look
like flower beds. To the south are Seven
Lakes, the Rlnton Mountains of New
Mexico, and the famous Spanish Peaks
the cities OF Pueblo, Florence, Canon
City and Altman the highest mining
town in Colorado, and the Arkansas Val
ley and Cripple Creek.
To the west. protruding itself above
the clouds, is the Sangre de Christie
Range. spreading out its sheet of perpet-
ual snow. and freshing the air that one
breathes with the vigor it stimulates.
Buffalo Blanca, Ouray. Harvard. Prince
ton, Yale, Holy Cross and Ebert peaks
are in this direction at distances varing
from 60 to $50 miles. To the northy are
the abyss, Gray and Longs Peak,
and Denver Castle Rock and Manitou
Park in the Continental Divide. Few
persons. comparatively. know the sensa-
ton oi looking from mountain top over
| thousands OF miles OF the earth s surface,
and to those few who have realized this
sensation. it affords an indelIible recol.
lection. one OF the experiences OF a life
time cherished on memory's brightest
page. The barometer here stands about
IL inches, and water boils at 1874 degrees
Farenheit. Can you wonder then that
the human body and human mind in
these conditions manifest new feelingsl
One feels that he must get on his knees
and worship the Great God of Nature;
| the Great First Cause of all this grand
eur and sublime splendor. At the sum
nit OF the peak is located the United
States Signal Station buildings. the high
est observatory in the country. 1t was
built in 1882, but is not in operation now.
On the summit there is one lonely grave.
covered with rocks, the plain wooden
headstone bearing this inscription: "In
memory OF Mary O Keefe. daughter oi
John and Kate O'Keefe, who was eaten
by rats, 1876.
Tradition says Mary O'Keeie. losing
her way in the mountains, sank down
exhausted and was eaten by mountain
rats. A popular fad Of those who reach
| the summit OF Pixies Peak is TO telegraph
| 70 their friends. or send them Pike s
| Peak illustrated postal card. These are
L 49, ~.-se n1~h ar1 The uxifinu se In a
very sbaky hand. This is not to be
wondered at when one IS in the clouds
and can. in reality, "push dem clouds
away" with ones hands. The greater
wonder is he can write at all. One oi
| our party was an old man from Iowa
aged 10 years. He had started at 7
o clock in the morning 10 walk from
Manitou up the peak. 1t was too much
for him, and we took him aboard at the
Pixies Peak NezUs Office. Il was then
10 10 a. m. and he had walked 10 the
altitude Of o.6oo feet. We talked with
him. and congratulated him on his ambi
ton and nerve. He said he had no
done so much after all. for the day pre-
vious a man and a woman from Kansas
carrying an eight months old baby. has
walked 10 the summit. Not knowing
anything about Kansas endurance, vi
presumed these people must have beer
English. The idea of walking up to Al
altitude Of I4,I47 feet IS not to be de
spised. but TO carry baby IS quite a.
unusual feat.
(Continued.)