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Show TO THE MOUNTAINS. 97 sioned any pricking of conscience, for, don't you see, it was one of the customs of the country. "About twenty-five miles below Denver a party had taken up a certain tract of land in that way. Subsequently a man, tramping about there on a tour of observation, found the empty house and took possession of it. "The pre-emptor heard of it, and upon inquiring what he must do to secure possession, was advised to work the land. "He bought a plow, went to his ranch, turned the interloper out and commenced plowing. Not being accustomed to farm labor he was greatly fatigued by his day's work and slept late the next morning. The first sight that greeted him was the man who had taken possessiorf*of his house, with a bag swung over his shoulder dropping something in the freshly broken ground. Upon being interrogated as to what he was doing, he replied: ' I am planting a little corn.'" At this point the' ranchman laughed heartily. I was anxious to know how the affair terminated, but before he recovered his mental equilibrium our party were in the depot at Golden. The castellated cliffs surrounding this pretty town, planted just between the foothills and the plains', appeared so like real castles with towers, buttresses, battlements and moats, that had the sound of a warder's horn from the walls been heard, a great gate swung open and a drawbridge lowered, I should scarcely have been startled. Here is located the School of Mines, also the Reform School, and so many mills and smelters that I didn't have time to count them. 7 |
