Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-06-14
IN THE HEART
OF THE ROCKIES.
BY Mary W. Roo.
~~~~~

BY Mary W. Roc. 81
N~N~~~~NA
Jack and had run up into the noun
tains of Colorado for our summers
outing, and ,invigorated by the cool
bracing air, had been glorying in
climbs and scrambles among the
matchless canons and valleys. We
had found quiet home among the
foothills, and every day, as our
strength came back, we increased our
distance, until the dear old mountains
already seemed like well-tried friends,
who had gently taken from us the
cares and anxieties with which we
came, and, in return, were giving us
back our youth and the elastic vigor
of childhood.
This morning we had climbed to the
broken summit of n mountain which
stood In the angle of two canons, sur
rounded by n perfect ampnitheatre of
hills. 1t was hard climb, and at
first we were too exhausted to see or
care for the wonderful beauty around.
After n rest we explored the three
peaks of the summit, and traced out
many tramps for the days to come, as
we noted the windings Of mountain
road or trail among the hills and val
leys at our feet. Then, perhaps fool
ishly, we discarded the trail, and be-
gan the descent over a shoulder of the
mountain which we could see all the
way down to the rushing torrent at
the bottom of the canon.
AS we neared the foot of the noun
tain, we came upon group of people
staring up ut the face of granite
cliff which lifted itself almost perpen-
dicularly hundreds of feet above the
stream at its foot. Under n pine sat
a pale-faced lady in black, hushing in
her arms n laughing baby, while with
horrOr-stricken eyes she watched two
figures clinging to the cliff before her,
800 feet up: one, that of her boy, mo-
tionless; the other, that of her gallant
husband, straining with brave but flu
tile efforts to reach his son, but separ-
ated from him by about 80 feet of i'm
passable, overhanging rock. For
hours the boy had chung there, evil
IDENTIFY unable to help himself, and for
long time the father had been trying
to bring him assistance. but without
avail. Almost Immediately after we
Joined the rapidly gathering crowd,
white-haired gentleman touched my
husbands shoulder, and said: "If only
were once more young, would go
to the help of that brave fellow"
Jacks CHEEKY voice rang out: How
49, 10
save that boy?' No answer. Again
the question, and a young man frail
in body, but with dauntless courage
in his big eyes, said, "I'll go, sr!'
Jack knew that he could never make
that climb, in spite of his willing
spirit, so he asked him instead to &c
to the foot of the canon Mt once for
rope and expert help; and, mean
while, he himself climbed up far
enough to send his voice on to the
father, urging him to wait for the help
coming. By the time Jack had climb
ed down and taken few mouthfuls
Of food. urged upon him by kind ladies',
our friend returned, bringing several
hundred feet of lariat rope. There
came with him three stalwart men
who had ju. arrived in some prairie
schooners, and were encamped on the
mesa at the mouth of the canon. AL
though just from the plains, utterly I'M
accustomed to the mountains, the call
of distress had found ready response
in their manly hearts. Walking right
up to Jack, they said: Captain, we
don't know whether we can even get
to the top of that place, but we'll try
mighty hard"
The four men took their ropes. some
water and food, and started back on
the trail by which we had assembled
that morning, for the cliff was mac
cessible on three sides from below.
Fortunately l passed down to where
the poor little mother sat, and tried
to forget my own anxiety in the pres
ence of her greater fear.
l scanned the cliff. and saw that be-
tween the part of the mountain upon
which the trail lay and the precipce
before us was deep chasm with al
most perpendicular sides, upon which
felt sure no human being could find
footing. The cliff they must reach
seemed to stand out detached and in
accessible. Consequently was sur
prised when, sooner than any one eX-
pected, the four men appeared on top,
in plain view, but far beyond the reach
of our voices. With the fascination of
fear, saw Jack lie down and look
over the edge of the cliff. Then we
caught glimpse of them all as they
secured the rope to boulder above,
and lifted away such loose rocks as
threatened to fall down on the boy
beneath. Then, as the men afterward
told me, Jack said: Men, l will have
to go down to that sharp ledge below,
or it will cut our rope" One of them
answered: 81 would never let you do
it, captain, but just cannot keep my
head anywhere near that edge. Well
hold on to this end of the rope. though
bein' there's human at the other
end"
"All right. fellows. let her co. and
thankful for old gymnasium practice
Jack let himself over the edge. and
began to overland down the rope. Far
below. with n thrill of agony, his little
wife saw his familiar figure, with the
old felt hat as usual on the back of his
head, hanging over 800 feet of space.
Just as he started, a large piece OF
rock that the natives call rotten gran