Cañon City record., 1903-12-24

environment, 1t least, thnt clotheu u
with an interest that it. could nat have
possessed had less care been given to
its minutia.
The trackwalkers story came to the
writer through the intermediary Of
young man who was employed for
long period as night operator at the
Royal Gorge telegraph station. some
four miles vest Of this city, and in all
essential particulars received his cor
roboration and concurrence. As the
the gorge one dark night he wss ac-
costed by the operator as he was pass
ing the telegraph station and asked il
he ever heard any band music as he
walked along the railroad tack In the
performance of his nightly vigils. To
this interogoiary he replied in the af-
firmative and at the solicitation of the
younger man detailed the following
narrative.
Yes, he said, both vocal and in
strumentai, as l pursue my lonely
walk from Canon City up into the heart
and center Of the Royal Gorge. but it
IL not the music that troubles me 80
much 40 the little red men whom
frequently encounter while walking
the track In the silent watches Of the
night. Sometimes in crossing the
Hanging bridge can s-e . row OF
them lined up on the stone embank-
ment which protects the rosdbed from
the -ncr ,achments Of the river. or
seated like brownies upon the massive
iron beams which support the structure
by bracing themselves against the
basaltic rock which reArs itself 70 dirzy
hsighths on either side OF the canon.
These little red men are different
from any rsce Of people 1 ever saw or
heard Of before. and, while they do not
molest me. they make me feel ex-
trem~ly uncomfortable and wish were
someshere else. In stature they are
about four feet high. and are OF
sturdy build. and seem to possess .
grade Of intelligence between . simisn
and The human species. Instead Of
fingers and toes upon the hands and
feet they have bird-iike claws which
enable them to Chamber up the mount
ain side with . facility and ease i'm
possibls to any animal. however strong
and agile. have seen thirty or forty
Of them at the hanging bridge At one
time chatting In very amiable man
ner, as II holding some kind of = con-
vention.
They are invariably dressed in
scarlet and suggest Mephistophele-. but
~ have already stated. they have
thus far indicated no disposition TO do
me any harm. They are not to my lik-
ing and / never enter that part of the
gorge without more or less tr-pidation
and anxiety. for there Is no knowing
but that these little demoniacial beings
may attack me 1t any time.
"with the first rumblings OF train
they scamper off into the darkness and
are out Of sight in a jiffy; their foot
falls being plainly heard rs they run
along the lcdRes Of the almost perpen-
diculAr cliffs which tower to a heighth
Of between two and three thousand
feet above the railroad tracks. man
has TO have nerves Of steel to make a
business Of walking through the gorge
after night. and as soon a. can get
another job am going to quit IL, for
IL is too great . strain upon the mind
for the pay fellow gets for It."
In relation 10 the music previously
referred to the trAckwaiker asserted
ha hsa x,n.,lA kAa 10
night. Sometimes is Ia vocal and at
others instrum entail, but is always OF
an unear'hly sweetness. Frequently
the national hymns OF England, France,
Germany and Italy can be heard,
the concert invariably ending with the
playing of the Star spangIed Banner"
aud at its conclusion can be heard
the cheers OF an applauding multitude. |
The music seems to be well mp the |
sides OF the canon. hundreds of feet
above the railroad tracks, but Is AZ
clear and distinct as though one is
within hundred yards of it although |
the cheeringi 10 vague and indistinct,
as II coming from great distance. At
intervals OF few nights the strains Of
"Annie Laurie. and Of "The Holy |
City" come floating down into
the debths OF the gorge with an inten-
sity and beauty such ~ never heard
any where else.
They seems to emenate from some |
celestial singer and the effect upon the
listener is most enhancing. infiuenc-
Ing him rs no human music can in |
consequence of the debth of its pAthos
and poetry. 1t 10 SO beautiful and |
fs.ls n. III u