1923 - Old Man White

Frank about 1923

Written by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury as told to her by Alice Beth Brasher Dalton. This story was repeated to me several times by Frank [Brasher].  The last time was the Friday before he left for Kansas City.

It was December 1923.  Mace was 14, Helen 12, Frank 9, Bertha 5 and Burton 2.  About a week before Christmas, when Dad and Mother went into Delta to buy groceries for the family, a tramp (probably in his thirties or forties) approached them asking for work.  He wanted money to buy medicine for his hand which he'd wounded quite badly.  When Dad took hold of the hand, he could tell the man had a high fever, so he bought the medicine for him. 

They finished their shopping then took the man (a Mr. White) with them and went home.  Dad dressed the injured hand, helped the man bathe and get into bed while Mother fixed him something to eat.  For a couple of days they took care of him.

The next day, while Dad was at work on the house he was building, he slipped, fell from the scaffold, and broke his arm, leg and hip.  They called the three oldest children out of school and told them what had happened.  Then they hurried them to the train depot to see Mother and say good-bye to Dad.  Dad was all wrapped up, lying in a bed and a chair was fixed so Mother could sit next to him.  Frank said he thought they were in a box car or a freight car.  The children said good-bye to their parents afraid their Dad might not come home alive.

 Mr. White stayed on to help run the farm and look after things.  He moved out into the root cellar where he had a small stove and a pot of coffee.  He didn't want anyone to talk because of the young girls inside the house.  Aunt Eda's Mother's sister and the neighbors helped with Christmas.  They also helped take care of the younger children until Mother could leave Dad and return home. 

Dad was in the LDS hospital for several months. Old Man White stayed around and helped do the chores that needed to be done.  He did this without pay in spite of the fact that several of the farmers in the area offered him good money if he would come and work for them.   He remained faithful to the Brasher family because of the kindness shown to him by both Mother and Dad.  Frank said once in a while Mother would slip him a quarter or a dollar so he could buy coffee or tobacco, but he wouldn't take any other pay. He stayed until Dad was home and could take care of things himself. 

Then one morning in late spring, he told them all that he was leaving.  Dad tried to talk him into staying, but he said he had to be on his way. The children cried as he started down the road.  Frank said they looked away for an instant, and when they looked back, Old Man White had disappeared.  They never heard from him again.

1971 - Antelope Hunting in Wyoming

 

 

This picture was taken on an antelope hunting trip to western Wyoming, which Anne and I took with Mom and Dad in September of 1971.  This was an antelope that Mom shot.  Dad cleaned the antelope and we put it in the back of the jeep and drove away to look for some more. 

 

We had only gone a quarter of a mile when Mom asked Dad where the star sapphire ring which he wore on his little finger was.  It was gone.  After checking all of his pockets Mom insisted that we drive back to the place where he had cleaned the antelope.

 

We all looked around the spot where the antelope entrails were, being careful not to disturb the surrounding area.  But we were unable to find the ring.  Dad was content to go back to hunting, but Mom insisted that he leave her there to look for the ring, which we did.  She cleared an area next to the offal and began to meticulously go through the pile, moving each piece to the cleared area.  We left as she began that process.

 

After about an hour we returned and found her sitting next to the now relocated pile of antelope entrails.  She refused to say anything about the ring and we drove off together.  Eventually she reached into her pocket and pulled her hand out with the ring on her finger.  She refused to give it back to Dad for some time.  Anne now has the stone - set in another ring and we often think about that experience. 

 

Mom was a great sport, and although she wasn't crazy about hunting, was willing to go along and would carry more than her share of the load.  She and Dad often teased each other.  Their love for each other was always very evident to all who knew them, and a geat blessing to their children.

1935 - Frank and Esther's Engagement

This photo was taken shortly after Mom and Dad were engaged on July 1, 1935, Mom's birthday. Dad's brother, Burton, told about the proposal. He said that Dad was uncertain about her response. A friend was trying to persuade him to go to Alaska, and he dedided that if she refused, he would go.

After returning from a date, he proposed to her in her mother's kitchen. She started to cry and exclaimed, "Oh no, I can't!" and ran into the bathroom. He stood there a little non-plussed and figured he was on his way to Alaska. After a few minutes she came back out and asked if she might see the ring again. Then she agreed to marry him. Her first response was because she felt that she needed to support her mother, but true love won out.

Notice how Mom is showing off her ring in the photo. I love it!