4^ WILI) 1 LOWl'RS OF COLORADO. 



week— and I'll just net tlic wliolc l)iincli, as I come back, and 

 brino- 'cm to you." "Oh, no," I said, "I could not think of 

 brcakino- up so intcrcstino- a family; let me oo with you, and 

 I will pay them a visit at their own home." "Well, well," he 

 said, "just as you say, but it is mighty high and rouoh, yet ye do 

 look ruoo-ecl. Ye can have Betsey's old shoes ; them thin things 

 of yourn would be left on the way In little bits: mountains ain't 

 no -ood place for them kind of shoes." I told him I owned a 

 pair of mountain shoes and would surely wear them on our trip, if 

 he would allow me to oo with him. "Yes, yes, olad to take 

 ycr;" and extending his hand he said: "Good-by till mornino." 



Early the next morning I started with this kind old man, 

 who, no matter how rough in dress and speech, had a love for the 

 beautiful, and for years had watched this lovely flower bloom on 

 the mountains. 



In less than an hour after we left the cabin I was presented 

 to the family which he had so highly praised, and proud he 

 was when he saw my delight. Around the flowers for the space 

 of several feet the grass was free from weeds and had the appear- 

 ance of being recently cut. I inquired why this was so. " Oh," 

 he said, " I cut it the last time I was up here. I all'ys have to 

 pass right along here when I go over the mountain, and I hate 

 to see the poor things choked to death." There was a smile on 

 his face that reminded me of one I had seen on the face of a fond 

 f^ithcr when speaking of his little ones at home. 



Clustered together, they grew to a height of two feet. On 



