The daily sentinel., 1914-05-26

est shrubs and stunted ce1ars could
get a precarious hold in the crevices
/ OF the rocks So. one day after en-
! Joying my usual bath at the spring,
| / continued my walk over a trail that
/ | recognized as having been Travelled
frequently. although 10 those unac-
I quainted with mountain paths il
/ probably would have been entirely
overlooked as it lay on the granite
contact. below the sandstone which
had been erroded. leaving the basic
formation smooth and almost glass
like in hardness. Consequently even
a large amount of travel caused COM
| paratiyely few scratches. either from
the hob-nails in the mems programs.
lor even the corks projecting from the
4 burros shoes, as they scrambled over
it, carrying burdens Of supplies or
bestrode by riders. Following il
along for perhaps a half mile il
curved abruptly to the left. gradually
! descending into the most beautiful
and prolific valley thai il had ever
been my privilege to behold. Wend-
ing through the verdant meadows
glistened a murmuring stream, which
near the foot of the valley. where ii
! plunged into the canyon, was turn
ing the great circular stones of n
grist mill. while beneath them hum
med hungry saw that was eating
its way through great resinous logs.
converting them into lumber. uuanti-
ties of which We're stacked on the on
posite bank, awaiting its need in max
ling these children OF men more com
Portable, and adding to their wealth
and happiness.
Ranches that seemed almost profit
gate in their yield, with great barns
bursting with plenty, generous ricks
OF hay and grain. In front OF which
comfortable log cabins cared for by
industrious housewives and made
happy by the merry voices of chill
ldren, glistened in their fresh coat Of
whitewash and seemed to invite the
stranger to their hospitality as the
breeze stirred and the nodding daisies
and buffalo grass flourishing on their
adobe roofs.
wonderful gardens extended along
the road which followed the mean
derings of the stream as it hastened
along over the rifles of many colored
pebbles, singing its liquid song of
peace and plenty, or loitered in some
| crystal pool, which reflected the glo-
ries OF Il majestic skyline. rugged
and somber beneath; over arched
by an endless expanse of deepest
blue, and penciled between with
mosk delicate lace work of untrodden
snow, glistening in the morning sun
like a mighty necklace of solitair
diamonds, then to wander on beneath
the gently waving wollows where the
tlmld doe lead leads her spotted
lawns to drink, catching a fleeting
m "a ~ a To-,
darted to some convenient hiding
place.
Sleek and contented cattle grazed
along the uplands, or lazily chewed
their cuds beneath the protecting
limbs OF great cootonwood--a child
| of the spring that had cherished it
for centuries. p.dl aau it.
Domestic fowls were singing
among the sweet briars, bending with
their load of ripening berries, and
partially shaded by graceful rows of
ladened trees, from the swinging
branches of which hung the succulent
peach or great red and golden ap-
pies, reminding me of the near ap-
proach of the holiday season, and
recalling scenes from my childhood
days, until / was awakened from my
reverie by the discordant notes of a
yawning burro in distant corral, re-
minding me of my long absence from
those who might demand my services
and who were the builders OF what at
first had appeared to me devoid of
life, except as chance camping place
but which had found to be the home
and fortress of at least fifty people,
| including women and children
The great rooms which they had
blasted out of the dead sandstone
walls were the store rooms to receive
their ill-gotten plunder and to hide it
from those who might be curiously
inclined, and which at that moment
contained the most valuable furnish
ings and expensive luxuries known
tc our great cities. Cases of i'm
ported wines OF the finest quality,
turkish cigars by the thousands and
high-priced tobaccos, canned fruits.
timed meats, preserves, demijohns of
liquor, and in fact the best of every
thing that might be carried either as
supplies or express on through trains
crossing the continent, were scattered
about in great quantities, but with
seeming disregard In all there was
thousands of dolalrs worth stored in
these hidden magazines. undoubtedly
al taheH from great corporations by
these people from disabled or ille-
gally tagged trains, but who l was
| fully convinced were partially excus-
able for their depredations. in equity
at least, If not in law, as they had
been driven from their former homes
and land by these same corporations
in the middle west by laws which
were unjust, but nevertheless en-
forced. sending them pdrift IN huild
other homes or starve as the case
might be.
The beautiful homes which | had
rnbeknown to them discovered were
the innocent means which had un-
doubtedly and might many times
again mislead those who had the
termerity to follow them into the
fastness OF the eternal Rockies
After having been treated like a
prince by my unknown host for near
ly week, ! was finally able to ad-