Durango semi-weekly herald. (Durango, Colo.) 1899-1907, 1906-08-20

all directions, the wind rises and tue
thunder growls. and You feel sure the
storm will break right over your un
lucky head. A thunder storm In the
mountains is magnificent and myster
ious. The clouds rise suddenly from
unexpected places and then just as
you are prepared to be drenched they
are caught on the jagged peaks and
torn apart and you drive on through
the dust while you can see the rain
descending in torrents on either side
among the canons and gulches. while
the valley lies peaceful and quiet,
with here and there field of ripen-
ing grain touched by the last rays of
the fading sunlight. 1t has been a
long beautiful day, and one that will
be worth while, for the memory will
ers of August have faded and blown
away.
Have you ever driven up the vaney
| III hubuoNs ~ Npu NV Rht'C oAS
two weeks yet In which you may en-
| JOY one of the most delightful little
journeys in the country. You must
start early in the morning for though
the air is cool the sun Is hot in our
Animas valley. Drive up on the east
| side and though the road near town
is little dusty and rather cut up on
account of the great amount OF trav-
ell. as soon as you reach the head of
| the valley you will find good hard
road. August is the yellow month,
and in every uncultivated spot are
| gorgeous. golden yellow, beautiful to
see. But, on, don't sniff them. II you
have hay fever Everything Ia quiet
| in the fields, the first crop of hay is
in and the air is sweet with the scent
| that floats from the fields and the
| great sheds filled with the new mown
hay. Here and there you see man
or boy-sometimes woman, irrigat-
| ing. 1t looks easy but you are warn
| ed that 1t is a business and no green
hand need apply. A rabbit sits by
| the wayside and watches your APP
| proach without fear. Blue birds, rob-
| ms, wild canaries and doves fill the
| scrub oak with music and fash In
| and out In the sunshine. You cross
| the valley from Kroeger's ranch to
Trimble and touching up your horse
you go by in style, catching
glimpse from the tail OF your eye OF
| white frocks on the veranda, and
| man on the steps OF the cottage
| measuring a spoonful of medicine.
| Evidently ne is not pinning all his
faith on the baths. The road Is still
better and you soon pass the Kerr
ranch, as handsome and well kept as
any in the land. Mrs. Hands beauti-
| full house stands in a green and In
wiling lawn with summer flowers.
| Hermosa creek comes roaring down,
making great deal OF noise for SO
little water and leaving 1t behind
you cross at the station and drive on
beyond the Hopkins and Gaines
ranches and then, II like the writer,
you are fortunate enough to have
| been invited to visit Mr.. Hansen's
ranch, or rather Columbine ranch,
| you will be glad to stop, for 1t is 10
| o'clock and getting warm. This
ranch is prospecting under the man,
agement of Mr.. F. c. Aisthorpe, who
came here from Michigan about two
years ago, and although the irriga-
ton method was a new one to him,
he is getting the ranch into fine
shape. He has cut an enormous
crop of hay and has some Of the I'm
est potatoes In the valley. The
house faces the east, and is placed
high up on the hillside, consequently
the view is possibly the best one in
the valley, and you may put In long
quiet hours watching the changing
shadows on the great hills and the
broad green fields, with the river in
the distance, outlined by the vivid
green of the cottonwoods on Its
banks, and you may fall asleep. lulled
by the sound of the breeze In the pine
trees that sounds like the wash OF
/ surf in the distance? Fat noon you are
more than ready for dinner. and you
can't understand why frying chick
ems do not grow anywhere near 80
big and yellow at the meat market,
and you make mental note to ask
your wife to make the biscuits with
sour cream after this. In the after
noon Mrs. Aisthorpe and Mr.. Hansen
suggest that you go to Pinkerton
lSprings, which are a halfmile up the
road, and which Mr.. Hansen owns
and has cleaned and where he has
built cabin. They assure you that
the springs are better than any in the
country and you should try them
but you compromise and take your
hostess up to Bakers bridge and pay