Memory's Storehouse Unlocked, True Stories: Pioneer Days In Wetmore and Northeast Kansas
John Locke · en
Might say here that eight years later Myrtle had the chance to repay the
old miner, Elwood Thomas, for his kindness by entertaining him in our
home. Elwood — just in from Nevada — came into the Wetmore hotel one
evening about eight o’clock when I happened to be present. Also, Henry
McCreery—sometimes affectionately called “Henry Contrary”—Elwood’s
brother-in-law, was in the hotel office at the time. We had a good visit
together. When Henry was ready to go home he said, “Well, Elwood, I’d
like to ask you to go home with me for the night — but I’m afraid Becky
wouldn’t like it.” Becky Thornton was Henry’s sister and housekeeper—his
wife Patience, Elwood’s sister, having passed on some years earlier.
Elwood said, “Oh, it’s all right. Maybe I ought to go out and see the
Old Man” — meaning his bachelor brother Manning, living a half mile east
of town. Elwood was the oldest and Manning was the youngest in a family
of seven children—but the older one was the younger in appearance. I
said, “Come along with me, Elwood—I know Myrtle will be glad to see
you.” And she was. They had done Goodsprings all over again before
retiring that night. And, sadly, we were to see our very fine old friend
laid to rest in the Wetmore cemetery within the week. He was fatally
injured in a horse-and-buggy accident while visiting his daughter, Mrs.
Maude Ralston, in Holton.
Elwood had told us that he had a message from a miner in Goodsprings to
deliver to a woman in Wetmore, but he could not remember her name. The
wife and I put in a portion of the night trying to figure out who it
might be with a connection out there. The next morning after breakfast,
I went with Elwood down to the Spectator office. Editor Turrentine
gave him a personal, with comment, naming the man in Goodsprings whose
message Elwood would like to deliver, if he could find the woman. It
brought results. Mrs. Nels Rasmus drove over to Holton the day following
publication — and received her message. Mr. Thomas had gone over there
to visit his daughter. Mrs. Rasmus had lived in the home of P. T. Casey,
the Corning banker. I believe she was an adopted child. The Good-springs
miner was connected in some way with one or the other of the two Corning
families.
Two years later—1917—I chanced to meet this man with a stalled Model T
Ford near the summit west of Goodsprings, on a very slippery road, deep
in snow and slush. In the car with me, were Joe Walter, Frank and John
Williams, and the driver. We were coming down the grade, and he had been
going up. Recognizing the name on introduction, I asked him—just to be
sociable—what was wrong with his car? He answered rather smartly, “If I
knew I wouldn’t be here.” It was probably a very correct answer — but
I thought it was no way to dismiss a fellow who had a message from Mrs.
Rasmus for him.
NOTE—Frank Williams died in a hospital in Las Vegas. Nevada, December
19, 1947. This story is printed, without change, just as it was written
prior to his death.