The daily sentinel., 1912-11-02
YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW
I'm GRAND VALLEY
By DR.. f. F. ELDRIDGE

, Yesterday, a great bald eagle.
having left his rocky era on a bleak
craig of the Great Continental Di-
vide. a hundred miles toward the east.
Just as the first beams Of the rising
sun penetrated the lingering dark
ness. might have slaCkeued his
Tremendous speed balancing himself
on his broad and powerful piniuus as
he silently circled around over an
apparent waste of bOundless ocean
which stretched away beyond the sky
line in every direction. except the
east, where arose, slightly above the
horizon, q few seruted peaks Of the
Rockies, disconnected and far from
ave- Inspiring. either in height or
magnitude.
The Great Pacific Ocean, reaching
its mighty arm-the Gulf OF Cali
fOrnia. hundreds of miles toward the
northeast, was in full command Of
this regiOn-a trackiess waste Of rest
less water. No breakers rOared or
rolled their graceful coils along the
beach, for there was none No dis
tant sail went scudding before the
wind. for man vas not SHll had our
noble bird remained until near sunset
low tide. he might have observed
go 'ii' ''iaAh' = ifhNE lNtAFA'Nl aAA'llA
the glistening waters. down deep be
tween the waves In the trough Of
the sea, that Shiny. oozing mass.
momentarily exposed to the sun. of
all beside, remained motiuuless, while
the glow reflected from the water
was much more marked and of diff
ierent shade than that of greater
depth.
In his later visits he was enabled
to find lighting place, which gradu-
ally enlarged, spreading in every
direction, until the entire ocean had
receded, spreading in every direction.
until the entire ocean had reCeded
toward the southwest of sight
leaving vast salt lakes and great
lagOons, miles in extent surrounded
by quag mire, deposites from aQuat-
ic life. which covered the former
sea floor This being exposed to the
sun and warm chinook winds soon
brought forth the most uXuriant
vegetation, which invading the stag
nant pools soon converted them into.
practically bOttomless bogs, through
which flOundered the must prodigious
sorions. Enormous turtles wallow-
[ ed through the black OOZe bordering
the lakes, while vampire bats. with
. y
burglars lamps gyrated through the
murky atmosphere, emitting cries
which Wen might frighten It's most
daring enemy. POnderous and uu-
wieldly mastedons charge through
the almost impentrable forest in pur-
suit of their prey, breaking and
tramping under foot giant ferns and,
when enraged. even crushing trunks
/ of larger trees.
/ Volcanoes vomited forth great
streams of lava and loaded the damp
atmosphere with acrid sulphurous
gases. Lightning tore its cratic way
athwart the threatening sky. reducing
TO smoking dust great masses OF
flinty rock, or converting quantities
of rushing water into clouds of hiss
/ ing steam.
The earth was rent by seismic
waves, while detonations which fair
] ly split the atmosphere rolled back
from trembling cliff or swaying
mountain. or meeting others like its
self went growing on to mingle in
the dirge of endless night. Super
heated sand and molten rocks were
! falling from the copper colOred sky
! in crushing torrents while sitting
clouds of sulphurous fumes poured
down the mountain side partly con-
cealing the turbulent rivers Of molten
lava which flowed beneath them,
spreading death and desolation in
their frey course.
The sun became as blood. and then
went out
The night came on while yet
twas day.
II mattered not, for life had
passed away
And only death and nature held
full sway.
The volcanic fires having burned
themselves out. the enormous banks
of steam condensed, falling i'm tor
rents of rain. while the smoke was
gradually precipitated or drifted
away, allowing the sun, once more, to
penetrate and expose the boiling cal
dron of molten rocks which had not
yet had time to cool.
Scattered about over the surface
We're hundreds of chimneys, openings