Writing the West: Episode 20(032326)

0:00We're leaving today and entering a world of Mickey Mouse waving, princess meeting and greetings. Lightsaber clashing! The Twilight Zone tower of terror dropping! Banshee flying! Space Mountain launching! Galaxy rewinding, what's the one that look galaxy rewinding? Bioworks igniting! World of other worlds, for whatever you love. Infinite worlds await at the most magical place on earth Walt Disney World Resort. This is Monday, Matt and A on the Mutual Audio Network. Come on, let's all go to the lobby. Because people are staring at us listening to these shows while we're in the theater. The following audio drama is rated PG for parental guidance. Riding the West. Stories and poems by Rick Steer.

1:00Read by Michael Messner and Friends. Blue Bucket. W.H. Heron claimed to have a clear recollection of the events that led to his discovery of gold. It began the fall of 1845 when Stephen Meek met our wagon train at Fort Boise and claimed he knew a shortcut to the Willamette Valley. Now we paid him $5 a wagon to guide us through, but soon regretted our decision because we became lost. Our guide left us, and for six weeks we roamed across the alkali flats and the forested hills without knowing where we were going. Well, during this most trying time, gold was discovered, and over the years many stories have circulated. The most popular was that several youngsters were sent to a stream to fetch water and a blue bucket, and they came back with gold in the bottom.

2:03But the true story, and I'm here to state, is that the spot where the gold was found, near as I can remember, was after we left the Malheur River and went up a rocky hollow and out onto and over a high ridge of mountains. On the mountains, we descended to a creek, arriving late in the afternoon. We turned our stock loose to graze, and my cousin, Dan Heron and I went up the creek to check on the animals, and after about two miles, Dan found a peculiar yellow rock in some muddy cattle tracks, and slept it into his trouser pocket. After that, we found several more of the stones, and we saved those two. We'd read about gold dust, and we sure didn't know that it existed in chunks. We never thought much about it being gold. It was not until the survivors reached the Wallamette Valley that the yellow rocks were recognized as gold.

3:05Many from that group attempted to retrace the wanderings of the wagons and locate the small creek where the gold was found, but to this day no one has discovered the source of what has become known as the Blue Bucket Mine. rendezvous The first rendezvous was held the summer of 1825 when William Ashley met his trappers at Henry's fork, relieving them of their furs, and selling them supplies he had brought from St. Louis. The next year's rendezvous was held in Willow Valley near present-day Hiram, Utah, and this time Ashley's pack animals carried wooden kegs of whiskey. The event attracted mountain men and a large delegation of Native Americans. This gathering firmly established the rendezvous as a permanent and colorful part of the mountain man's life.

4:08rendezvous was held every summer until the beavers decline in the 1840s. Author George Frederick Ruckston wrote, The rendezvous is one continued scene of drunkenness, gambling, and brawling, and fighting. As long as money and credit of the trapper lasts, these annual gatherings are often the scene of bloody doles for over their cups and cards. No men are more quarrelsome than the mountaineers, rifles at 20 paces, settle all differences. The rendezvous ended when the trappers had spent their years earnings. Then the outfitter would advance each man a few items of clothing, equipment, and supplies for trapping during the coming season. The mountain men would depart on their solitary ways until the next rendezvous. The outfitter would load his pack animals with bales of furs, and if on the return to St. Louis he dodged the warring natives, and if the price of furs had remained steady during

5:12his absence, he would return for another rendezvous. Happiness is No accounting for happiness, the way it just shows up for some, and for others who seem to have it all, it remains nothing more than an elusive quest. Happiness might come to the prisoner, to the clerk working night shift, the farmer plowing his field, the dog chewing a sock. Happiness can be an unexpected visitor that will find you for a few fleeting moments of intense contentment and unbridled comfort. You are the only one who can make it last a lifetime.

6:21Strange Music The James family was among the first white settlers to the North Pacific coast. They claimed homestead ground and built a log cabin facing the broad, sparkling ocean. One morning, 14-year-old Mary happened to glance westward and caught the quick flash of sunlight on paddles. As she watched, two native canoes came into view, making for the landing on the beach below the cabin. She cried, The short order of thirty braves had crowded into the small cabin, and they were picking up things, a spyglass, salt and pepper shakers, a small porcelain statue, they grunted and showed off each new discovery. One of the natives, using a mixture of Chinook, Jargon, and English, wanted to know where

7:22the man of the house was. The men will return soon. Any minute. Mrs. James lied. Her husband and sons were away cutting hay in a meadow and would not return until late afternoon. An idea came to her. Mary, play something pretty on the Melodian for our guests. Play now. Although Mary was too nervous to play well, play she did, and the natives were awestruck. They got on their hands and knees to peer around and under the Melodian, and were so charmed by Mary and her magical music, they presented her with a great quantity of Hyakwa shells or native money, and laid them on the table along with woven grass mats, baskets and fish. They made it evident that they wished to purchase the wonderful Melodian, as well as the girl who made it work. Oh gracious, oh goodness no.

8:23Mary came Mrs. James's quick reply. To appease them, she cut squares from a bolt of bright red cloth she had been saving for a dress, gave a piece to each of the natives as a present, and sent them on their way. The price was death. The winter's family was coming west and having a tough time of it. Redded cholera struck their wagon train. Hyrum winters watched for symptoms in his wife Rebecca and the children, but sickness passed them by until one evening near Scottsbluff, Nebraska. As they made camp, Rebecca complained that she was not feeling well. She said her stomach hurt, and a short time later she claimed she was dizzy. She laid down on the bed in the wagon while Hyrum cooked dinner. The swiftness of the disease took the family by surprise.

9:23One minute Rebecca was resting comfortably, and the next she was having difficulty breathing. Just before midnight, Hyrum took a cup of broth to her and discovered she had died. Hyrum mourned the loss by keeping his hands busy. He took a spare wagon rim, picked up a hammer and metal chisel, and in the fire light he began itching a grave marker for Rebecca. Hyrum finished his work as the sun came up over the horizon. Etched on the rounded rim were the words, Rebecca winters aged 50 years. Rebecca was buried and the rim was used to mark the grave. For many years the rim endured as a shrine to the memory of a wife and mother who gave her life crossing the Oregon Trail.

10:36You've been listening to Writing the West. The stories and poetry in this podcast are by Rick Steber and appear in Books by Him. Log on to www.ricksteberauthor.com to find out more. This program was produced by Michael Messner by permission of the author, special thanks to Michael Tucker, Rachel Pulliam, and Art Schingler. Thank you for listening. You're tuned into Monday, Mattenay on the Mutual Audio Network. Tomorrow is all things horror on Tuesday Terrors. Subscribe to the full Mutual Audio Network feed for every day or find Tuesday Terrors in your favorite podcast players. Two teams, one cup.

11:43The prime time stage is set for the TGL presented by SoFi Finals, Los Angeles Golf Club versus Tiger's Jupiter links. Keep up, it's Playoffs, tuned in Monday, March 23rd, 9 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2 and Tuesday, March 24th, 7 p.m. Eastern on ESPN and on the ESPN app.