The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-08-14

, and. the lower ones stirring up dus
but these on the higher levels trav
, cling on pulverized rock roadbed
stirring nothing.
Now that l had stopped and los
} the speed thought l might not b
able to take the grade again in higl
gear. but it was easy on the smooth
solid track. The road kept turning
back left and right and at ever,
turn we went through a wide deel
cut into the side of the mountain
AS we rose to higher levels where
the slope was sleeper. the cuts were
deeper. all steam shovel work oil
blasting or both. The road led tt
a great shoulder standing out from
the range, and when 1t had skirted
its steep slope for long way. the
road swung around to the northern
side of the spur and by long, tape
like mark along the inner curve of
the spur it carried around to one
of thes great lobes towering so high
and forbidding that we had seen
from the battlefield. l had not been
informed as to where this thing
would lead, and l wondered If there
were any more of those uncomplet-
ed sections ahead, where the high
way narrows to mere wagon track
climbing up and down across the
ridges and ravines. l had about
given up the theory that the road
led through the pass in the noun
tains to the right, or that we should
have to run down long hill into
the canyon again. What l had been
looking for and hoping to see was
the one thing l was afraid of now,
for l don't like long steep descents
and | am a coward about high dug
roads. Wherever this pilot car was
leading US, II the road continued
wide like a boulevard and graded
for high gear, I would be able T
keep my nerve and steer the chariot
up the middle of the road but there
wasn't much time for the driver to
see the big show. The moment a
driver takes his eye on the track
the car starts to sneak for the bank,
and on these dizzy heights it gives
one a cold chill to think of making
that mistake and thus make his life
insurance worth face value. Some
thing came up beside us and Joe
Plaisted and his secretary glided
by n shis big roadster. She gave
queer signal indicating something
wrong with the car. Sometimes a !
car getting high up in the noun
tains wastes the gasoline and sulks, |
and some other car on the same road !
may whirl OF the leagues on little |
gas as il it were running down grade |
Joe went by and on up the road like |
a cowboy on a big broncho that sud /
denly takes a notion to be a bad |
horse and pass the whole cavvy Fur
Their on it baked and Joe piled the |
starter as a cowboy plies the spurs
on sulky steed, coaxing it to thaw
out
We stopped at curve where an
elbow stuck out into space. Looking
down gives a creepy feeling, so one
looks out and up. But the main
show is below now. There isn't
80 much above. Looking along the
side of the range to see where the
road goes it disappears or ends on
l slope as if it were a piece of tape
llong the slope with one end high
Or than the rest of it. A great curve
If the mountain side to the east |
made it seem certain that the road
entered the timber and ran through
t around towards the gap in the
ange. There seemed no other out
et-except a sheer lift to the top
# the range, and that was unthink-
lble. From this point the country
We had looked down and out upon
rom the last stop seemed smaller
nd more contracted now. The part
hat had been above us then and was
'elow or about on a general level
anded. 1t was infinitely broader
nd longer than had seemed possible
efore. The great areas across the
anyon reached on and up in seeming
Indifference of space, seeking to oc-
upy as much of the world as they
ould, and with still higher areas of
idges and ranges set back of and
bove them. Far down the line of
he highway lay the battlefield, that
ueer fold In the landscape having
hrunk till one would hardly dis
over it. History says that Col.
erry discovered the Indian camp
.om the summit, looking down four
lilies with powerful field glasses,
list at the dawn of day. Chief Jo-
sph at the same time lay beside a
,ck with his brother Ollicut, scan Il
ing the mountain range with field II
lass, and they discovered the black II
,ot on the summit and pronounced II
"Bostons" Cavalry land Chief II
7hite Bird came running, for he II
20 had seen the black spot where
le Indian trail crossed the sum-
it. Here then, was White Bird, the
did, the creek, the canyon spread
1t then as now, like a giant relief
an multiplied a million diametera. il