this valley to Colorado Springs, for it has 
been like riding through a vast flower gar¬ 
den. The road on both sides, where the 
land is not under cultivation, is covered with 
native flowers. The scarlet Gillian, blue and 
white. Pentatemana, Axyemone calchortua, 
! a "d hundreds of other plants are now in full 
bloom, adding much to the beauty of the 
scene. Of course our botanists are delighted 
and every time the cars stop they bound off 
like wild men, each grasping at some beauti¬ 
ful plant found along the track. Fuller 
looks into every sunflower in search of Lyttaa 
or Nemo{jnr>rithua beetles, luiown to fre¬ 
quent. the flowers of this plant; while Ww- 
i.AKD gets his eye upon some flne animal or 
grass, and from Ills sober looks 1 conclude ho 
is Uimlrihg of the quality or quantity of but¬ 
ter to be made here. Excellent butter and 
the richest, milk are found noon everv table 
inclined to think Colorado is an excellent known whirr of a rattlesnake sounded in the 
country to slide down the hill of life in, and gross at my feet. A few steps forward, and 
old people as well us young may find some a well-directed blow' from my staff brought 
at t ractions here beside the. all-absorbing one his snakeship to light, and we soon held a 
of making money. council of war over the dead hero, who, like 
After breakfast, this morning, we started another serpent, in olden times, it. is said, in¬ 
to see tiie various national curiosities in the truded into an otherwise peaceful paradise, 
vicinity. Our first point of observation was Our two Connecticut parsons thought this 
Olen Eyrie, a wild spot among the foot-hills killing of a rattlesnake at the very entrance 
and near the entrance to Queen’s Canon. -Vo of the Gods, an ominous sign; but I had 
word of mine could possibly convey a correct crushed his head, and we concluded to pass 
idea of the beauty or grandeur of the rocks, on. After rambling about for an hour or 
mountains, and lovely little dolls to be seen two in the Park, wo passed across the coun- 
here on all sides. They must be fteen to be try to Tee lion to, a station on the Denver and 
appreciated. No photographs, no stereo- Pvio Grande Railroad. Here /li a mlca«,l 
DAILY RURAL LIFE, 
From the Diary of a Oentleman near New 
York City. 
DENVER TO COLORADO SPRINGS. 
July 29.—This moi-ning wc left Denver 
for Colorado Springs, distant. 75 miles, on 
the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. We 
were furnished with a special train and ac¬ 
companied by Messrs. .1 ackkon and Borst, 
two well-known and popular oflioera of this 
line, who added much to the pleasure of our 
party by pointing out many interesting places 
along the route. This railroad is one of the 
many narrow-gauge lines now becoming very 
popular, as well as profitable in this country, 
and probably will, ere long, be introduced 
into the older States, particularly where the 
wide gauges cannot be run with profit. The 
cars are models of neatness and comfort, 
each seating 85 [to 40 persons. The rails of 
this line are just three feet apart, conse- 
quently the ears are not only narrower but 
shorter than upon the narrow-gauge roads. 
Tills Denver and Rio Grande road is located 
lor the entire distance over which we have 
traveled to-day, through a fertile valley 
where we saw wheat, oats, potatoes, corn, 
and various kinds of garden Vegetables, 
growing luxuriantly, both with and without 
irrigation. The hills on each side are covered 
with a scattering growth of pine, and, like 
nearly all the hills and mountains in this 
part of the country, are little more than a 
heap ol rocks which are of little use except 
to hold the world together, or keep it well- 
balanced. Wo were told that two years, or 
a little oyer, ago, there was not an acre of 
ground in this valley cultivated, or occupied world, 
by any one who had the least thought of trees, 
giving it cultivation ; but now there is not a rocks < 
foot of government land unclaimed in the down 
entire distance between the two cities named not fai 
above ; and we saw thousands of acres of as anist, 
tine wheat, oats and other grains, as one beautt 
could wish to see anywhere. No visitor t.o Piria > 
Colorado need to be told that tlic finest grow it 
wheat, or at least as good as can be found signillc 
elsewhere, is raised here ; for from the time, trees . 
lie reaches half way across the plains, from above 
the Mississippi river, going west, he will ob- rushinj 
serve that the bread upon almost every table tain e» 
is getting bettor and better as he advances, very e 
Now, if there is any one thing in the eatable and ie 
line upon which Mrs. “ Ruralist ” prides her- is abui 
self more than another, it is good bread ; oniy t,i 
and as poor bread is the rule and first-rate whence 
the exception, at the railroad eating-houses, , 
hotels and restaurants, in nearly all of our m 
[ can do them justice. That these beautiful 
nooks and Corners in tills wild region are ap¬ 
preciated and valued, is shown by the many 
splendid dwellings found in paths hid here 
and there where one would least expect to 
find them. The residence of W. J. Palmer, 
Esq, a beautiful Gothic structure, located 
just at. the entrance of Queen’s Canon, could 
not have cost less than $25,000, and this is but 
a beginning of what must be done in a few 
years in these foot-hills of the Rocky Moun¬ 
tains. The climate, _ beautiful scenery, 
wealth of mines and soil, all contribute to 
make this region of country desirable both 
to the poor as well as rich. After an hour 
spent at Glen Eyrie, admiring the curious 
ini mod rocks known as the Organ, Melrose 
jectsof interest,. We met one in Williams’ 
Canon, and after arranging ourselves around 
and upon a huge boulder, had our pictures 
taken, copies of which we will take home 
with us as mementoes of this 
journey. 
AT MANITOU. 
Five miles from the village of Colorado 
Springs, we reach Manitou, where the 
springs arc found, at least, so says the guide 
books, therefore the name of the village of 
Colorado Springs is a misnomer, as there are 
in i springs there, the precious fountains being 
live miles distant up in the mountains. At 
Manitou wc found a large and eommodius 
hotel, accommodating at present one liuu- 
dred and twentv-fi vc guests. Dozens of little 
cottages are located about the grounds for 
the accommodation of those who wish to 
have rooms to themselves outside of the 
hotel proper. 
ago. i'rom Golden we passed up through 
Clear Creek Canon to Floyd’s Hill, fourteen 
miles from Golden. The railroad winds 
about, keeping close to the creek, and is so 
crooked that the locomotive frequently ap¬ 
pears to be taking a back track, and coming 
directly towards the train it is hauling slowly 
up this mountain gorge. Notliing short of 
[ Y ankee grit and western enterprise would 
ever have put a railroad through such a 
country as this ! but it is built, an.I a success 
in every respect. The ores from the interior 
of the country, *ind those dug out along the 
line, can be brought down to the smelting 
works at Golden, or for sending east by this 
narrow-gauge road cheaper than by any oth¬ 
er method of transportation. 
CAMPINO OUT. 
We found our escort of teams and guides 
at the appointed spot, and bidding adieu to 
railroads, pushed forward into the mountains 
in search of a good spot for a camp. This 
was found about sundown, and then com¬ 
menced our first preparations for camping 
ably disappointed, and Mrs. “Ruralist” con¬ 
fesses that Colorada is an exception in the 
bread line, and a big one at that. There is 
no mistaking the cause of this almost uni¬ 
versal feature of good bread, for we can 
hardly expect that every housekeeper or her 
servants could or would make excellent 
bread, unless they had something more than 
ordinary assistance from some source outside 
of their own knowledge or skill; and this 
they do have; for the secret of success is to 
be found in the wheat, and notin the method 
of manipulation either at the mill or in the 
kitchen, f have made arrangements to be 
supplied wit h Colorado flour hereafter, for I 
am not going to see Mrs. “Ruralist” beaten 
on the bread question, especially when L can 
supply my table with Colorado flour, as 
cheaply as I can with a XX brand purchased 
in New Y’ork. 
I have been accustomed to Bee wheat grow¬ 
ing almost as high as my head, In what are 
called good wheat-growing regions, and it 
The springs are about a quar¬ 
ter of a mile from the hotel, and are of 
various kinds, each being known by mimes 
such as Manitou, Camauche, Shoshone, etc., 
etc. ; the soda character being the predomi¬ 
nating one in all ; and as the water bubbles 
up through the rocks, one is tempted to drink 
even if he is not thirsty. The watcre of all 
these wells are strongly medicinal, and, to 
my taste, really delicious, surpassing Vichy, 
Saratoga, or those of uny other springs 
which 1 have ever tasted, f am not usually 
very hasty in making up my miud as to the 
future of a new town in a new region of 
country, having seen too mauy failures ; but 
I am confident that Manitou is destined to 
be the greatest, and most desirable summer 
resort yet discovered on this continent. 
Large hotels are very much needed, for the 
only one here is over-crowded, and cannot 
accommodate a third of those who would 
like to visit the springs, although the price 
of board here is §<S per day. 
A VISIT TO UTE PASS. 
July 3L—This morning we walked up to 
Ute Pass, a mile or more above Manitou, and 
11,200 feet above the sea. The air is pure 
and invigorating, ancl novelties abound on 
every side ; but one needs an extra spring in 
the back of the neck to prevent breaking the 
spinal cord, lor wa are constantly stretching 
our throats in looking up at the mountains 
of rocks. Returning to the hotel at about 
11 o’clock, A. M., we entered carriages fora 
visit to Monument Park and the Gar den of 
the Gods. At the entrance of the latter 
place we left our carriages for a stroll among 
in a five minutes nap, while waiting for some 
of my companions t.o come down from the 
cliffs above where, they had gone to get a 
good view of a waterfall After spending 
several hours very pleasantly in this charm¬ 
ing spot, we again returned to the Colorado 
Spring House for supper and rest for the 
night. 
PLEASANT NIGHTS FOR SLEEPING. 
July 30.—The day may be ever so warm 
here, the nights are always cool, and one can 
sleep under a blanket with comfort, even 
during the hottest month ; consequently it’s 
a glorious place to sleep well and long. I am 
