HighonamountainridgeoverlookingthetownofSilverPlume,Colorado,standsa15-footgraniteobeliskwithanunlikelyinscription:"CliffordGriffinofBrandHall,Shropshire,England...buriednearthisspot."
CliffordimmigratedtoAmericawithhisbrother.Theybecameminers,andgrewrichonsilverandgold.Clifford,however,remaineddisconsolate.Hisfianceehaddiedjustbeforetheirwedding.Everyeveninghewouldplayaviolinoutsidehismountaincabin,whileotherminerslistenedtohismournfulsongs.
LegendhasitthatCliffordgougedoutagravefromthesolidrockofthemines.OneJuneeveningin1887,hefinishedplaying,walkedtohisgrave,andshothimself.Today,themountainobeliskisapopulardestinationforhikers.
一個俯臨科羅拉多州銀羽鎮的山脊上,立着一塊十五英尺高的花崗石尖碑,碑上刻了些意想不到的字:「克利福德.格里芬,來自英格蘭什羅浦郡布蘭登霍爾……長埋此碑附近。」
克利福德和兄長一起移居美國。他們從事採礦,採得金銀,逐漸富有,但克利福德始終鬱鬱寡歡,因為未婚妻在婚禮即將舉行前去世了。每天晚上,克利福德都會在他的山上小屋之外,用小提琴拉出哀歌,其他採礦者傾耳而聽。
據說,克利福德在礦場的堅石上,掘了個墓穴。一八八七年六月一天晚上,他拉罷小提琴,走進墓穴,開槍自殺。今天,山上那尖碑是遠足者常到的地點。