The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-04-05

wreck. He regarded the Samoan incident
: closed, 50 lar as his personal interest
Nas concerned. Malietoa was deposed and
&aiaafa reigned in his stead. The tri-
art.te proctorate, under the German,
-nglish and American commissioners
made a sorry mess of affairs. Malietoa
Vas recalled and ruled jointly with Ma
laafa and the crown prince died. Then
the two kings died also and it was up to
he commissioners to find another king.
After examining the records of the palA
ace and interrogating a cloud OF Witnesses,
the commissioners found that there was
but one person whose title was clear and
undisputed. That person was Lieutenant,
Charles S. Ripley, then on the retired list.
and an unaspiring citizen of Colorado. He
was notified that the thione of Samoa was
his for the taking.
He Gave 1t Up for Love.
He declined to be a king.
To refuse a crown is an act a little OUT
of the ordinary. 1t seems to demand an
explanation. In this case the explanation
is simple.
The lieutenant was in love. A young
woman back in Illinois had won his heart
and had pledged to him ner hand. But
when the prospect of being queen Of tho
Samoan islands was opened up to her,
she quickly said. NO"
Who shall say that in choosing the won-
an of his heart in preference to a king
dom the lieutenant was unwise?
Although Lieutenant Ripley thus cons
temptuously cast aside the Samoan crown.
he is u%ndisputed monarch of a little king
dom of his own. After the close of the
Spanish-American war he was placed on
the retired list, having served for thirty
five years in the American navy. He then.
donned the rough garb of a mountaineer,
and began prospecting on Colorado hill
There he Struck it rich,'' opening the
Mascot 1njnn aud forpdino Aypnricor Citui
The population Of the camp is hardly
more than half a hundred, all of whom
work in the mine.
His home is justly esteemed one of the
sights of Colorado. 1t is called Colu1n-
bine castle, built l0,50O feet above sea
level, In G!lpin county, seven miles from
Black Hawk. 1t is unique among Amer
lean homes of culture and refinement on
more accounts than one. 1t is probably
the only home on this continent having
the Shaft of a gold mine leading down
from the basement into natures most
secret treasure vaults, and is doubtless
the only one containing the Jail of the mu-
inequality in which it is located directly
underneath the ballroom. 1t is true that
the Jail has never held any prisoners with
the exception of a dog. but it was built
Tor the incarceration of obstreperous citi1
zens, and may be called into requisition
Tor that purpose at any moment. The
Ses9aN i Dulll VI lOSS, CUT III IIle SufEOulO7
ing mountains. The ceiling and floors arc
OF hardwood, and the log walls are pol
lshed, stained and finished in imitation
or mahogany. 1t contains 1000 feet OF
moor space, all on the ground floor level
with the exception of Mrs. Ripley's bou-
doir in the tower. The ballroom accom-
modates eighty guests without crowding.
and here hundreds of guests Of the Rip
leys have enjoyed the novel experience ct
tripping the light fantastic almost two
miles above the level of the sea.
She Might Have Been a Queen.
Mrs. Ripley is famous throughout Colo
RADIO as a daring and fearless horsewoman-
Two years ago she made the @0-mile jour
ney to Glenwood. Springs and back on
horseback, crossing the range over the old
Ute trail. This had been lost for a quarter
of a century, until rediscovered by Lieu-
tenant Ripley. 1t was the road travelled
by the Ctes to and from their villages and
camping places in Middle park. when they
went buffalo hunting on the plains. Ere,
mont, the Pathfinder, searched for 1t in
vain, although piloted by Kit Carson him.
self, when he made his famous journey
overland to California thai earned for him
his title. He was misled by the articles
of the redskins and sent on a long detour
along the Frontier range and Medicine
Bow mountains, finally crossing the Conti-
mental divide by way of South Pass. Had
he found the Ute trail it would have saved
him hundreds of miles of wandering and
untold suffering in the mountains in the
Indictment midwinter season.
The Ripleys have recently bought a
home on Lafayette street, Denver, where
they spend the winter months. Their lofty
eyrie on the crest of the continent, how
ever, seems a more fitting abode for the
man who preferred to be a plain citizen
of Colorado to being numbered in the Same
class with Edward VII, the obstreperous
kaiser, the mikado, the car and the sui
tan.