The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-09-19
eems that dame nature has played
prank with them. just think, here


up out of the ground is clear,
cool soda phosphate, and only few
steps away you dip up another crystal
fluid that tastes like mixture of
sweet milk and sulphur. The iron
spring is at the Iron Spring Hotel half
3 mile up the mountain. The same
is extended the visitor here as
at the other springs. with the exception
that you are not permitted to take
any Of the water away with you with
out paying for it; but as there is q bot
tling house in connection with the hotel,
you can buy all you want at ten cents
per quart. This water tastes like ordi-
nary cold spring water with few
drops of tincture of iron added. In
curative propriety the iron water is the
best at Manitou. That explains why
the spring is owned by private individ-
uals.
THE "GARDEN OF THE GODS"
During our first day at Manitou we
had tasted the water Of all the springs,
and seen all the attractions in the i'm
mediate vicinity; so early next morn
ing we set out for the Garden of the
Gods" This is a beautiful park in an
elevated valley called South Pass, and
derives it's name from the fact that it
contains rocks of such queer shapes.
The "Garden of the Gods" is about
eleven thousand. feet above sea level,
and right at the apex of the great con-
tinensal divide. tits one of the grandest
sights iE the world. Here you can see
Gods handiwork in all its splendor;
here you can see beautiful flowers and
trees, and placid lakes with water-lilies
growing, all within stones throw of
snowbanks and glaciers; here yon can
see the strangesE shaped rocks that
nature ever formed. First is the "Beet
Rock" which looks like q gigantic
sugar beet protruding several feet out
of the ground. Next the cabbage
Rock" which is so natural that it
makes one think of sHsm and Cab
bage." Then comes the @Turnip Rock. .
aOnion Rock, sSquash Rock" and SO
on down the list Of garden vegetables;
they are all here, and couldn't begin
to tell you how true to life they really
are. But we must not overlook the
gardeners, for they are here, too, all
dressed in fantastic costumes as if they
were attending masquerade party
First is the "Oid Man in Els Night
Cap" who is truly q wonderful product
of nature. Next the Gallant Cava
lier," with sword and helmet, and
mounted upon his charger. Next the
aBare-foot Boy" who so much resem
bles a little ragged street urchin thai
you expect every moment to hear him
shout, "Extr-ah-a-u-ah!'
The last of this group of grOtesqut
figures is the HMourning Bride" Thi.
is indeed an awe-inspiring figure wher
viewed in the falling shadows of twi
light. She is about fifteen feet tall
and dressed in all her fluffy brida
drapery-but the veil is black, ant
that casts a pail over the whole effect
But the most wonderful sight in thi
| garden of wonders is the balancing
Rock" TEis is huge cube of rocl
weighing several hundred tons perchet
high up on the sharp point Of comic
al-shaped rock one half its size, ant
when the wind blows it teeters up ant
down, and vibrates from side to sid
several inches. How this rock got il
that position no one has ever been abl
to explain, but tits quite evident tina
| it has been there for ages, for the frie
tion caused by ito motion has worn
great hole in its base where trest
4 upon the other rock.
i Before quitting this wonderland 9
nature, the visitor should mount to tn
top of the balancing Rock" and 81
perience the sensation caused by thoe
vibrations, as well as to get bette
view Of the landscape. The view frol
the top of this rock is sublime, and tt
, best part Of it is, it is all real, all gel
uine. How different is this scene frol
/, the ones men daub upon canvas! Ho
unlike is this scene to the glamour (
the stage, where the novice sees Il
|, glare of an electric sign outside Il
! theatre. and marks the gatherir
t throngl He enters the magic porta
Il and beholds the gn1dy inside. s