Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-08

at any rate the conspicuous ones.
If the sea was bitter, the land was
sand. The Valkyrie must have cost
a-Shim many a pang, but even a more
poignant disappointment has been
lately terminated so far as 1t ever may
be, In the sale of the famous Dunraven
ranch in Colorado. The deal has just been
closed. Representatives of the Western
gentlemen who wanted the property had
great difficulty in getting 1t, not because
the Earl desired 10 keep II so much as be-
cause he preferred to avoid the subject al
together.
81 wish you luck OF I'll" he is reported
to have said when the transaction was
laboriously done. Estes Park has cost
me a pretty penny"
Carpenters, even before the snow Is off
the meadows OF Estes Park, are at work
on the new hotel, the owner OF the Lyons
stage is purchasing new horses and there
Is a stir appropriate TO the transformation
OF a depleted aud deserted game preserve
into a hopeful summer resort. The Earl
himself has not visited the ranch in
decade OF years, but there remain the
Hereford cattle, some remnants of his
stable, the pictures in the cottage and the
small implanted chapel, the wonder Of all
visitors, to suggest the pretty little harm
less eardom he meant to establish for his
recreation In the Rocky Mountains.
II is seventy or eighty miles from Dem
yer, about northwest; a little cavity among
the ribs of the continent, completely iso-
lated IL Is like Doone land, where Jan
Ridd fought the outlaws and won their
sister for his bride. To be palmer, II is
like a battered teacup, OF which the nicked
rim Is the wall of white mountains that
enclose II and the tea leaves at the bot
tom are the lush meadows and the pines.
II there we're n crack in the teacup from
rim to pit that would fairly represent the
narrow canyon by which the little river
makes Its raging exit and which affords
.. "a 4
spot The other way is up, up, up from the
dry, hot terminus where the railroad, after
bold dash across the plains, butts into
the granite hills; up, UP up by tohing
four horse stage TIL the plains are spread
out behind you like the sea and Estes
Park Is in front beneath your feet, deep
in the shadows Of the pealSA and cool and
still and mystical. When the driver swings
his mountain team around that last high
crag you remember Kipling's llnes:-
There's wheel on the hoTps Of TIE morning.
with drop into nothing beneath Us ''''
As straight as beggar can spit
Beauty of the Place.
No wonder Lord Dunraven loved It.
From the crag you glide into a zone OF
forest, dense as night and aromatic as q
sabean dream; and when you are out OF
that, dropping swiftly as rolling stone
catching your breath every little Will
you see that the sun is behind the peaks
and Estes Park is Milling UP with Violei
shadows, and the silver mists are unfold
ing from the gulches like the draperies Of
Titanic bed, and you declare the NIGH
was never anywhere 80 stiH and sweet
and deep. And the white headed noun
tains are on guard.
IL was Through no lack OF love for Este
Park that Lord Dunraven abandoned thi
preserve. From beginning TO end thing
went more often III than we'll with II. Tn
settlers were inimical the Management
was inexperienced, the property was a con
tnual heavy charge on the wrong side o
the account and the game preserve idel
had 10 be discarded before he had gtvel
half a dozen huntlng parties or fairl
learned the secrets OF the woods. This s
the story
The Earl irst went TO Estes Park &
1873 To reach Il involved an adventurou
Journey then. He, with his retnue, wa
hunting 3 g game N the Wild region aroun
Longs Peak when the guide led him on
day down from the slopes OF that cont
mental landmark into a valley that file
him with delight, From the edges Of tn
foothills il lay level as a floor, ten by M
teen miles in extent. The pine woods an
the spruce came down to the very margi
OF the moor; a tumuluous stream race
across 4 and halted only now and then I
make pools for the native trout; even s
late in autumn the air had a mild an
salubrious tone, and ever and ever,
whatever direction the sight was sen
stood the mountains In a perfect barrie
closing 20 all In Ike an English wall. Tn
Earl was fascinated.
The following year hs brought out a lara