Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1911-08-10

parts of which are very beauti !.
ful, Judging by the flash light
pictures ! have seen of it. 1t
Is three miles underground.
Well, the afternoon before the
great black clouds looked ter
rifle and we all expected a great
storm but they all passed
away without a drop of rain.
The next afternoon the clouds
looked threatening but we paid
no attention to them and start
ed for the cave. We had gone
about ten miles when behold
the great circle of layer upon
layer of dense black clouds
nearly over our heads and all
|aroaad three-fourths of the
horizon. The rain was pouring
down. 1t looked like the sides
of a vast tent, but we were 60
ing so fast we thought we
would get to the cave before it
reached us but we did not
know tine speed of the wind for
within three miles of the cave
the storm broke upon our de-
fenseless heads. We thought
the wind would surely blow our
wraps off from us. There were
no side curtains and the auto
leaked. Then the auto man
said it was a cloudburst and
after he had driven down a
steep, rocky pitch he said he
could not go over the last three
miles as il was very hilly and
the road would be slippery.
Then we had to get out in the
rain for the auto to be backed
up and turned around. Now
we got everything but the cave;
we got the ride, the wind, and
the view of the strangest coun-
try one would wish to see.
Some of the roads in towns and
out towards the cave are as red
as brick. We went though a
wide valley, where there were
no trees and scarcely any grass.
The distant hills had the small
pines. We saw a little white
school house away out on the
plains. 1t made us laugh, for
we had seen no cultivated
farms or houses but soon we
saw a house, then two or three
others. There were little
punches of grass about like a
few needles an inch or two
apart, so the ground looked al
most bare. We were told that
it was buffalo grass. Now how
any animal can live on such
feed | do notunderstand. Then
when we reached home the sky
was as blue and the sun shining
in all its brilliancy. II $50.
And now about the plunge
bath. The tank is about 60 by
200 feet in size. The water is
so clear one can sea pebbles at
the bottom very distinctly. The
water is supplied by hot springs
bubbling up from beneath.
When in the bath some places
will feel warm and others cool.
Well, | felt queer in a bathing
suit, but when | looked around
and saw everybody else in one,
| thought | was j lss in the
swim and SO | was few min.
utes later. | must say chat be.
fore ! got to the rope
thought my friends had res.
cued me from a watery grave
several times. Then when
had hold OF the rope | looked
around to see whas the others
were doing. | was up to my
neck in water and the first
thing | knaw the strong under
current took my feet out from
under me. Then | had to be
rescued again. But you see
have lived to tell the story.
For an hour of health giving
recreation the plunge bath is
the limit.
So many people here sleep
out doors. There are no mos
quitoes. The green yards are
a striking contrast to the bare
looking ground, but almost any
thing can be raised here if
plenty of water is used. We
are directly north and nearer
Denver than Missouri Valley.
There are a few drawbacks
to this strange but health.g Civ
ing climate. There was a COM
pany Of young people who went
for a drive one afternoon.
They killed three rattlesnakes
before they returned.
Very truly.