\ 



WILD FLOWERS f)F COLORADO. 



them an<l, arranging them in lK.u<,L,cts, sell them to passen..crs 

 on the through trains at the stations. I have seen hou.iuets 

 bought in Marshall Pass remain fresh, by being place,! in water 

 until they reached Chicago. The common name is "painter's 

 brush," but it has many others. The Indians call it "bloody- 

 nose," from its bright red color. I h;ue also seen it in jellou- 

 p.nk- an.I flesh tints. It grows to the height of eight an,l ten 

 niches, but the common height is shown in the studs- given. 

 It grows everywhere, on the mountains and in the valley^. It 

 seems to ha\-e no choice of location. 



I found this bunch about a half mile fro.n camp, and was 

 workmg diligently upon it with the hope of finishing it before 

 dark, when a shadow suddcnlj' coNered my paper. Looking up 

 I saw standing near me an old man. " Paintin', be )x-r?" 

 "Well, yes." I said. "How do you like it?" and I held it 

 up for his inspection. "Well, it looks mighty putty, but don't 

 waste your tmie making a pictur' of bloody-nose. Missus, if that is 

 wat ye are in these parts for. I will take jer to a j.lacc up on 

 the mountains where a flower grows that beats all the rest on 'em. 

 It grows in one spot ex'cry year, and Sunday, ^yhcn I was up 

 there, I .see the whole family rigged out to kill." "The family ?" 

 I asked. "Yes, the flowers, ye know; never see 'em rigge<l out 

 so fine before." " I would consider it a great fa\-or if )ou would 

 mtroducc me to this finely <lressed family," I said. " Qh, no 

 favor, mum. I'm going up the mountain by .laylight in the 

 morning to hunt up a stray cow — been gone now mgh on a 



