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"Some of our dignified people suddenly assumed very undignified attitudes."

a very chilly introduction to the "beautiful" a couple of hours later when our train took siding at the snow-line; and long ere we reached the mountain-top our floors were covered with slush, seats wet, and two broken windows gave us warning that the mountain air was "fresh."

Our "special," like the usual excursion train, was not speedy, so it was almost morning ere we reached the summitit may be of interest to some of our readers to state that the deepest recorded snow in these mountains was between nineteen and twenty feet on the level with, of course, many times that depth in

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CLEANING UP THE TRACKS. Getting ready for the summer business. One of the woodburning engines on the Tahoe-Truckee Narrow Gauge.

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DONNER LAKE IN WINTER: In the distance, at the head of this lake is the sight of the terrible sufferings of the Donner Party-The black line along the mountains, to left, is the snow sheds.

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Genuine Alaskan dog teams and Alaskan driver. These are employed chiefly by movie companies.

THE CALIFORNIA SNOW CARNIVAL

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winding in and out like a monster serpent ever descending on the tragic spot. These sheds mark the line of the Southern Pacific Railway in its rapid descent down the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Lake Tahoe (Indian, "Big Water") the largest and most beautiful of mountain lakes, is also but a short distance from Truckee (about sixteen miles). It is reached by picturesque narrow-gauge railroad. However, this road is hopelessly buried beneath many feet of snow all winter, and though there is quite a lively town by the lake, winter travel is all in the primitive way.

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Toboggan Slide Elevator.

ed that those who are not acquainted with these fence-rail skates get on with them about as well as a fish swimming out of water.

Truckee is the California wintersports village where deepest snows and thickest ice make ideal these yearly fiestas. But every movie fan does not know that this frontier village is the Alaska and Siberia of Western Filmdom, our Winter Movie Land. It is heart-sickening to a fan to see the camouflage houses here for we are mostly just older boys and girls who have not quite forgiven the annihilation of our Santa Claus, and are not always pleased at having our illusions punctured.

Donner Lake, of the historic Donner Party, is only a short drive from Truckee. Today ten miles of snowsheds hover over and around the lake,

"Hit A Hump and Sail Out Into Space Like an Aeroplane."

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crockery but there were no permanent knock-outs and no complaints.

One must see skiing to appreciate the wonderful skill attainable on these impossible-looking sled-runners. The hard frozen snow is ideal for travel but one can negotiate new snow also. How the professionals can stand upright and keep the long awkward sticks from tangling while they shoot the chutes, is quite enough for us; but to see them hit a hump and go sailing out into space like an aeroplane, light on their feet and glide on without falling, is marvelous.

Unlike skates, skis are not alone for play for the mountaineer, in winter they are horse, bike and auto. Should I repeat what I have been told about "speed" I would likely be branded an Ananias or an "easy-mark."

When we tried the skis in the fresh snow they would neither ski nor walk for us; and on the slide they just would tie our extremities into a knot.

To see

a fellow light squarely on head and face and double up like a carpenter's rule, into a ball or apparently himself and the skis tangle into knots, was no less than alarming; but to see him unfold, unroll or shake out the knots and start back up the slide was delicious. As for the toboggan, like the doctor's pill, one

is enough: And the ski-jumping-well, I'm not selfish; I like to see the other fellow enjoy it.

Of course the movie man was on the job. After lunch he lined us up for a picture, and as the band played a "jazz" he urged us to dance while he "shot" us. But snow-balling was good and he beat a hasty retreat to the balcony of a nearby hotel where he again sighted us and insisted that we devote a minute to Terpsichore. But strange to say, the boisterous crowd again turned their batteries on the gunman: He stood his ground while he reeled off a few yards of the "I-want-to-be-in-it" stuff and then fled for the safety of himself and gun. However, he afterward admitted that he "got good stuff."

During the day we had alternate snow and sunshine, but just before our leaving time The Hoary Sierras sent us down a genuine blizzard which nicely rounded out the pleasures of a perfect day.

Here we were in the deep snow, night fast approaching and a blizzard raging down the pass such as must have struck deeper terror to the hearts of the illfated Donner Party in this place in the same month seventy-two years before.

THE END OF THE SUMMER

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and yet we were immensely enjoying ourselves.

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It is not alone the deep winter snows and the delightfully cool summers which draw the semi-annual tourist, as well as the movie troops to Old Truckee. Perhaps her chief charm lies not in her deep near-by forests, majestic mountains nor yet the well stocked troutstream which flows through her, but to the singular fact that after these many decades she is not far from The Pioneer Days both in looks and ways.

By the courtesy of the Southern PaIcific Railyway Company our well warmed cars had been left on a near-by siding and now, after seeing the big rotary snow-plow in operation, we were glad to be in them again and to feel the pull and push of two mammoth locomotives, of which these mountains can boast.

Our return trip was without incident-a few hours and we were back in a land on which The Frost King ever looks down, but in which he never abides.

Trout Fishing in the River Near Truckee.

The End of the
the Summer

By Belle Willey Gue

The summer is ended

The long days are done

The soft, sultry mornings

And short nights are gone.

The ev'ning's cool breezes

The tang in the air

Are heralds of autumn.

The summer was fair

The tropical splendor

The dreams-could not last.

The glories and beauties

Of summer have passed.

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