The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-10-07
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
5 The Preacher Of Alpine !,
E By A. A. SMITH. y
y Written for this paper. e
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By A. A. SMITH

FARLI in the summer of 1899. l was
T. persuaded to join a party of friends;
bound for a months outing among the
Colorado mountains. Priding myself
u}s0n my ability t. derive profit and en-
Joy mcnt from solitary expeditions, |
left my comrades among the popular re-
sorts surrounding Colorado Springs and
Manitou. and pushed on to the almost
deserted village of Alpine. Ten years
ago this now desolate hamlet was a
tiourishinS town of several thousand
inhabitants. 1t boosted animmense sill
yer smelter, two banks, numerous sa-
looms, and all the accompanying fea-
lures of a great mining center.
/ Immediately secured as my guide an
Old timer known as Uncle Rastus."
He told me that he had lived there
"scnce Uncle Sam committed the crime
o 10"
Twas without doubt the most trouble
come .'tenderfoot' which the old gem
tleman had seen for many a day, for l
resolved upon seeing everything to be
seen. and | gave him not the slightest
opportunity for rest. Within a few
hours after my arrival he had shown
me over the entire townsite, now
strewn with broken bottles and over
grown with quaking aspen; he had CIV
en- me. in detail. the history of the town
and the principal men who had risked
life and fortune amid its wild scenes.
- ., ,-a- thnn anita late |
begged him to go with me to the nearest
mountain.
You won't be going to climb h Il
mounting tonight, pardner??' he SAID,
turning TO me with a startled look as we
hurried along through the fast descend
ing twilight.
% no: certainly not tonight. But
why do YOU look so scared, uncle? o
know every foot of ground for miles
around here. What are you afraid OF?
Il amt afeard of no other place. he
answered. in Il low voice. But won't
go near there in the dark.
inaHed in the direction indicated by
his trembling finger, and could not, OF
rather did not, suppress an eNciama-
ton of surprise and delight. Nesting IN
the heart of a tiny vale which lay be-
tween TWO barren rocky cliffs, was a
miniature landscape, a plot OF artistic
beauty. perhaps 80 feet square. Inc
last rays Of the setting sun streamed
through the opening between the hills
and they fingered as in a b~enedIctIon
unou the low white pickets OF the en-
closin" fence, the small e~vergreens ar
ranged in graceful curves upon the
Green turf, and the cluster of bright
flowers grouped about the center. And
the center was Il slender cross, so fes'
TONED with ivy and clematis as to com
pIctelv hide the material, at the same
time preserving the form OF the struc'
tU-c.
What is that beautiful little gar
6rrp" injured. as | returned to my
companion, who had remained behlho
while | passed on down the pathway.
Its the preachers grave" he replied
in the same awe-struck voice. L tend Il
and keep it like that myself. But come
back now. young man. I'm plum useo
nm with vour tearin' around at thi:
rate. and You'll wear yourself out, too.
tried in vain to laugh the old noun
taineer out of his mood, and, not sue
ceeding, followed him back toward TIT
town. .
..Now tell me about this preacher
crave [ said, after we had eaten on
simnle meal and drawn our chairs out
side the cabin door. Il am curious Il
know, and just tired enough to listen.
We'll" said the veteran, as he lighted
his nine, Twas in sc, II summer
night. Jest like this, that L first see tn
preacher. You know how twas then
The boom was over. Hundreds OF ten
d~erfoots about, like you, had tumble'
ont here to stake claims an git rich IL
n hurry. Some of them got sick an died
some spent all the little pile they brun.
with 'em an went back a-cussln tn
bu,l country, an the mines, but ther
was a few that swore they'd Sta ant
fight it out.
ut was hard times, an we was
pretty tough lot, l guess.
'One night we was all sittln, owe
there"-pointing to a rickety old build
ing, which still bore a sign announcing
two drinks for % cents-"when we Sc
a peart little Teller about your size CON
in I'D from the station. 1t was prett
nigh dark. but we could see quick a
a wink that he wasn't Il size at all
"He was the preacher. suppose
Eyes, he was the preacher, an he wa
1T. kim his vaycation; but the poo