Singers and Storytellers Page: 20
v, 298 p. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this book.
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SINGERS AND STORYTELLERS
"No," Wes said, "I don't believe I'll let you take it." Then
he added, "Them fellers over there would just bumfuzzle me
with their assaying business."
To quote Henry Ford, "I don't like to read books. They
mess up my mind."
The first word I had from Bill Cole of Valentine, Texas,
was in 1924. Newspapers over the state had been generous in
helping me stir up interest in legendary tales. After reading
a sample I had sent to an El Paso paper, Bill Cole wrote me
to ask how much he would have to pay the United States
government when he lifted out twenty-five mule-loads of
Monterrey loot buried at El Muerto Springs in Jeff Davis
County. He knew that the stuff was there and that he was
going to lift it out before the coming summer rains set in-if
they came. His sole uncertainty was on how much he would
have to fork over to Uncle Sam.
One of his early letters-slightly trimmed, with a few
punctuation marks and capital letters applied for the sake of
clarity-will say more about the man's mind than I can say.
Kind Sir. In 1917 the state stoped my business, pool hall and siegar
stand. I went after 3 different bunches of burried stuff, an I will say with-
out braging that I am the chieff finder of texas up to date. [This simply
means that he had found lots of places to dig.] You nodout have heard
of the 2 sets of crosses and 2 springs near Davis peak at location of old
stage stand where there is 25 mules loads under a big fiat rock sealed
up with concreet made up with Blood. I thought that was to many mules
but it is all true. They made up the concreet with granite gravel an a
white lime formation an stuck it to gather with antelope Blood. The
stuff had to be blowed with dinimite.
I want to know when an who got a patton on 320 acr in Block 360,
sec 21, Jeffdavis Co. If you get a chance to get that information for me
you will get paid for your trouble. Capt Fox knowes me. I think he is on
the poliece force at Brownesvill. When ever a man dont think them
oldtimers did not bring gold an silver a cross [the Rio Grande] by mule
train he is badly mistaken, there is 105 mule loads in pinto canion, precidio
Co. there is a bunch in marves [Maravillas] canion in Brewster Co.
I have a map to the pinto canion stuff if you will come out here about20
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Singers and Storytellers (Book)
Collection of popular folklore of Texas, including personal anecdotes about storytellers and singers, as well as folk songs, myths, and ghost stories. The index begins on page 295.
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Boatright, Mody C. Singers and Storytellers, book, 1961; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc67655/m1/26/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Press.