Memory's Storehouse Unlocked, True Stories: Pioneer Days In Wetmore and Northeast KansasBristow, John T.
Philosophy
Memory's Storehouse Unlocked, True Stories: Pioneer Days In Wetmore and Northeast Kansas
Bristow, John T.
Nemaha County (Kan.) -- History; Wetmore (Kan.) -- History
I had company again for supper, and either Mr. Emery or Mr. Harper
stayed by me until bedtime. It was Saturday. I needed a shave. Mr. Emery
took me through the main business part of the town to a barbershop on
the south side of the tracks. And here I came as near getting a skinning
as I ever did in a business deal. There were, of course, better shops in
town—but competitive real estate agents didn’t go across the tracks
for their shaves. In the meantime Mr. Luther had dropped in at the
restaurant. He was introduced by Mr. Harper. I asked Mr. Luther if he
were engaged in business in Cimarron? He replied, “Yes, the real estate
business.” Right away I had a notion that I should like to have a
private talk with Mr. Luther. Likewise, Mr. Luther. And don’t think that
Johnny didn’t catch on, too.
Mr. Luther bid us “good night,” and stepped outside. Mr. Harper bid me
“good night,” and started on his way out—and I went up to my room. We
were to start right after breakfast on a drive to Dodge City, thirty
miles down the river, where I would get a train for home. I did not
go to bed immediately. I went back downstairs for something, I don’t
remember what now. Maybe to pick up a little disinterested information
from the restaurant man. Mr. Luther came back in at the front door. Mr.
Harper followed immediately. I went back up to my room.
The following morning three real estate men ate breakfast with me. Mr.
Harper, Mr. Emery, and I started for the livery stable a block away,
while Mr. Luther lingered awhile over his coffee. Bill Talley’s friends
owned their driving team, and did their own stable work. When they got
their fractious horses partly hitched, I made an excuse to run back to
the restaurant. Mr. Luther said, “You were over in the neighborhood
of the Kelly school house yesterday, I believe. I can sell you three
quarters in the same section as the Kelly school house for $200 a
quarter, or $600 for the three quarters.” I promised to write him—or see
him later.
Mr. Emery drove me to Dodge City, showing me a big 30-acre cottonwood
planting on the way, which purportedly was the reason for the drive. It
did not interest me. We had cottonwoods at home. Mr. Emery stabled his
foaming horses at a livery barn on the south side of the tracks, near
the river, a good quarter of a mile from the Santa Fe depot. We ate
our dinner at a restaurant close by the depot. It was Sunday. Mr. Emery
showed me the town. We visited “Boot Hill” Cemetery, the only visible
reminder now that Dodge City was once the wildest and toughest spot
in the Old West, and other semi-interesting and some non-interesting
places. After walking our legs off, we were now near the depot again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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