Courier Democrat., 1904-12-08

"53 lie the foothills. For 800 miles
WAS the prairies spread themselves
out in vast level reaches. and then be-
gin to climb over softly rounded
mounds that ever grow higher and
SHARPER till. here and there. they break
into Jagged points and at last rest upon
the great bases of the mighty noun
tains. These rounded hills that join
the prai-ies TO the mountains form the
foothill country. They extend for
about hundred miles only. but no
other hundred miles of the great west
are so iull OF interest ana romance.
The natural features OF the country
combine the beauties OF prairie ana OF
mountain scenery. There are valleys
80 wide that the farther side melts into
the horizon. and uplands so vast as
to suggest the unbroken prairie Nearer
the mountains the valleys dip deep and
ever deeper till they narrow into can
yons through which mountain torrents
pour their blue gray waters from
glaciers that lie glistening between the
white peaks far away.
Here are the great ranges on which
feed herds of cattle and horses. Here
are the homes of the ranchmen, IN
whose wild, free, lonely existence there
mingbes much of the tragedy and
comedy, the humor and pathos. that go
to make up the romance OF life. Among
them are to be found the most enter
prisins. tie most daring. Of the peoples
Of the old lands The broken. the out
cast, the disappointed-these too have
found their way to the ranches among
the foothills \ country 1t is whose
sunut hills and shaded valleys reflect
themselves in the lives OF its people.
for nowhere are the contrasts OF light
and shade more vividly seen than IN
the homes of the ranchmen of the AL
bertas.
The experiences OF my life have con-
frmed in me the orthodox conviction
that Providence sends bis rain upon
the evil as upon the good: else should
never have set my eyes upon the toot-
hill country, nor touched its fascinating
life, nor come to know and love the
most striking man of all that group OF
the dear old Pilot. as we came TO call
him long afterward, My first year in
college closed in gloom. My guardian
was in despair. From this distance
of years pity him. Then considered
hinl unnecessarily concerned about me
"a fussy old hen" as one OF the boys
suggested. The invitation from JACK
Dale 4 distant cousin. TO spend sum-
mer with him on his ranch IN south
Alberta came in the nick OF time.
was wild TO 60 My guardian hesitated
long. but no other solution OF the prob
lem Of iay disposal Offering. he finally
agreed that l could not we'll get into
more trouble by going than by staying.
Hence il was that. in the early sum-
mer OF one of the eighties. found my
self attached TO q Hudson Bay COM
pany freight train. making our way
from 4 little railway town in Montana
toward the Canadian boundary.
Our train consisted OF six wagons
and fourteen yoke OF oxen. with three
causes. in charge OF French half
breed and his son. q lad of about six
teen. We made slow enough progress.
but every hour of the long day. from
the dim. gray. misty light OF dawn to
the soft glow Of shaGowy evening. was
full OF new delights to NE. On the
evening OF the third day We reached
the line Stopping Place, where Jack
Dale met US. remember we'll how my'
heart beat with admiration OF the
easy grace with which he sailed down
upon US in the loose jointed cowboy
style. swinging his own bronco and
the little cayuse he was leading for me
into the circle Of the wagons. careless
of ropes and freight and other i'm
pedimenta He flung himself Of before
his bronco had come to stop and gave
me grip that made me sure OF my
welcome. 1t was years since he had
seen man from home. and the eager
Joy in his eyes told Of long days and
nights of lonely yearning for the old
days and the old faces.
came to understand this better aft
er my two years stay among these
hills that have strange power on
some days to waken in a man longings
that make his heart grow sick. When
supper was over we gathered about the
little fire while Jack and the half
breed smoked and talked. lay on my
back looking up at the pale, steady
stars in the deep blue Of the cloudless
sky and listened in fullness Of con-
tented delight to the chat between Jack
and the driver. Now and then asked
q question. but not too often. 1t is q
listening silence that draws tales from
b western man, not yexing questions.
This much / had learned already from
my three days travel. So lay and
listened. and the tales of that night are
mingled with the warm evening lights
and the pale stars and the thoughts Of
home that Jacks coming seemed to
bring.
Next morning before sunup we had
broken camp and were ready for our
fifty mile ride. There was slight driz-
z,e Of rain and. thpugh rain and shine
Vere alike to him Jack insisted that