The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-08-11
CASTLE ROCK
A SCENIC SPOT IN COVE
COUNTY
c;.,,.tI- G.: nnn
of Hays


an ancient river, through which, at
high water, flows an insignificant
stream called Castle Creek, an afflu-
ant Of the Smoky, lies a spectacular
natural curio. 1t rises sheer above
the river bed, a bold headland, sur
mounted by a group of vertical rock,
looking, at a distance, like a military
fortress.
At the foot of this promontory,
stones throw away, on a slope of the
river bed, rises a group of three col
umns of grey, soft limestone, the
main one rising to the height of sixty
feet, the others of lesser height, the
three standing much like a giant, his
wife and child.
That headland slopes gradually
southwark and is lost in the table land
of the surrounding region; but the
eastern front of the gradual recession
has been deeply and fantastically
carved and groined by the currents of
that ancient river, not only, but by
the wearing storms of centuries, and
presents an astonishing feature in the
landscape well worth the study of the
visitor.
Our party, consisting of three heav-
lily loaded cars of friends-men, wo-
men and children-had a beautiful
day for the outing. The major part
of the country passed over has a
fertile soil, the ranch improvements
are excellent, the forage and grain
crops hurt some by light rainfall, but
the average crops of wheat in the past
have been good.
On coming into the neighborhood
of Castle Rock-still some miles
away-we were warned that visitors
were barred from entrance upon the
grounds. This was disappointment,
but We maneuvered for an opening.
At first we made a direct assault
and Were defeated by a morass; but
received some encouragement from a
resident, to make a flank movement,
and attack from new base, and rely
upon diplomacy. We took heart as a
number Of our chiefs were gifted at
gabfest. To fortify the frail taber-
nacle for that adventure we stopped
in the shade of the trees and de-
molished a seven-cOurse lunch; that
concluded, We had a stomach for any
thing the future had in store for US,
and we struck out keeping well out of
view of the evening by throwing out a
smoke screen and other camoufiage
known to modern warfare. Arriving
at our new base our big chief went in
and consulted the telephone station
for points" and after some delay he
returned in high feather at our pros
poets for seeing at close range the
great natural wonder. Crossing a high
plateau, we came speedily in full view
of the scenery and what we supposed
would be a peaceful interview with &
new acquaintance; but a lady at oul
elbow with some CONSERVATION declar
ed that she could see a man with {
Winchester, at the distance of half {
mile, coming toward us in some haste
now stepping long and then running
and so alternately, as if TO repel al
invasion. With one consent our car.
deployed and our big war man wht
had the only gun in our force, estab
lished himself firmly as a reserve, ant
our young braves advanced down TIT
road toward the Gate.
Many things have happened at th
Gate.
Morals and philosophy: the destin.
of man; who struck Billy Patterson
counsels of war; the fate of empires
all have been determined at the Gate
Not only so; we left home with tn
olive branch well displayed; we hav
favored disarmament ever since tn
armistice; we want the navies of tn
world sunk tom frow5 and our soldie
boys discharged right away with bi
bonus; but here is a man, confronting
US at the Gate with a drawn Win
chester and he wants to fight; he
not appalled, by our numbers, nor tn
size of our units, nor by the fact tha
we have a soldier of the Legion wit
US; he wants to fight anyway; and h
spews volleys Of words at US; ehaw
the English language venomously an
says, "there's the road you fellow
came In on now beat it; for every
body in seven states knows that I ar
not at home to visitors; that my prop