The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-10-19


Gorge and back before dark. in a rain
storm.
Mr.. Howe had a good car big
new Wintoa. He had a good driver,
Paul Bell He had wlIn him three
ladies', his niece, Adelaide. his sons
wife, Mrs Euge -e Howe, and star
reporter from the Atchison Globe,
Miss Nell e Webb.
From reading the Monthly you
might be led TO believe that Mr.. Howe
was a sort of mild Woman hater."
but observed that he insisted on my
sitting in front with the driver and
he got in with the ladies in the rear.
The roads we:e not muddy but
moist and the rain WAS coming down
in gentle regularity.
The lady members OF the party
were very enthusiastic for a few
miles about TIE beauties of Canon
City. They exclaimed enLhusiastical-
ly over the herd of Elk. about the
penitentiary park. the warden's home,
the gardens around the soda point.
and tie good road beyond
They talked good deal until we
struck Priest Hill. then they held
their breath for while In Priest
Canon the rain had ceased but we
drove into the clouds The clouds
had settled down over the hills in a
most upusual manner. II began TO
look like a San Francisco fog. You
couldn't see to the top of Priest Hill
and the road looked straight up to
the clouds.
The winton walked right up the
hill. just like Moon But tie ladies
did no talking. The little canon look
ed deep in tie fog. Beyond we were
in tie clouds all the way. You
couldn't see TO the TOP of any hill
nor city block in any direction. The
mountains reached up into the clouds
and the canyons assumed the depths
of the seas II was truly an unusual
sight and interesting. this Royal
Gorpe road with nilis about. all
shrouded in clouds; a sight you will
not see once a year.
In making The big circle. approach
ing High Point. the ladies got their
voices. They wanted to turn back.
They knew we couldn't see anything
at the Top so why go further in the
cloudy darkness. But ! assured them
we couldn't turn around So We went
on.
We reached the top In just an hour.
Not bad for a damp road. Here the
scenery was all covered with clouds.
You couldn't hardly see the edges OF
the Gorge. nor across. nor far in any
direction. But we went out and stood
on the rocks at the brink and locked
down
Imagine our surprise to find that
We csjuid see to the bottom and up
and down tie Gorge as clearly as on
a sunny day. The tie great chasm
lay In all its grandeur. covered over
~ith sheet OF clouds. The rocky
edges hidden In clouds. Clouds rising
here and there from crevices like
great SMOKE from gigantic caldrons.
But over the edge we could look a
half mile st-aight down thru clear
atmosphere and see as thru a tele-
scope. the rushing. blue waters OF the
Arkansas. the tiay railroad which
required strong assurances before all
would believe was real, tie snake like
pipe Inc clinging to the canyons
side and the walls OF red granite with
their innumerable creVices. precipices
craEs and pinnacles.
II was glorious sieht-an awe in
spring sight-deeper IL seemed than
in the Sunshine-tho don't know. for
AfoTNG Ahf htf nv asH
looks deeper. every time ] see H.
The Atchison party WIS duely awed
and again full OF enthusiasm. but
some of the ladies declined to stand
long on the brink and look down. II
looked too far down to seem safe.
Thousands OF automobiles have
driven TO the Top Of the Royal Gorge
during the past summer and twenty
thousand people coming from thirty
Ave states this season have peered
with wonder and admiration into its
depths. but none. l am sure. have
ever seen a more wonderful sigh,
than did Mr. Howe and his Atchison
party that cloudy day last week.
may never so to the Top of the
Gorge again in rain storm. tsurely
not unless some Kansas friend. who
doesn't know enough to come In out
of the rain. insists on my going) but
ain glad Mr.. Howe took me that day.
for he showed me wonders that
knew not of. ! hope he will come
again and see our scenery in the
sunshine. for ! believe he. and / am
sure the girls. would enjoy IT much
better.