"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted December 9, 2020 / Henry Guyer
As Speed re-entered the church he heard what Pastor Evans said regarding his former counterpart in Whitefish. “Didn’t mean to be so long. And the case may be, once we’re through all of this that there is no record there. If you don’t have one perhaps the town does over at the Municipal Building, upstairs. Or maybe, there just isn’t a record on the boy here.” He paused, “I wish that we had some notion, if not a written record of where Chloe was from before here. But then again, it might be the next piece of paper we turn over.”
He squatted down and took up a sheaf of papers and began going through them for any birth records, and hopefully, Weedys.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted December 11, 2020 / Adelaide Chappel
"Only record fer me is in th' family Bible back home," Addy commented as she went slowly through the pile of papers she had, slowly looking for the combination of the first few letters, ones she was familiar with, considering she had the 'Ch' part in her own name. So, chances were good that there were no records on the boy.
"Weedy's been badgerin' me ta learn ta read, so I reckon I'll look up Miss Bowen, can't hurt none." Especially now that she was taking on the responsibility of a child, she needed to see to such things.
"Here, what about this?" She pushed a piece of paper to Evans that had 'Chloe James' on it, that matched the letters the parson had written down for her, but there was another name as well, and a date, that she could read. "Looks ta be just from last year?" Not a birth certificate, then?
Yes I am Pastor and no that last sermon wasn't specifically about you.
Posted December 11, 2020 / Pastor Evans / Author: JulieS
Pastor Evans took the piece of paper from Addy and quickly perused it. "No, it's not a birth certificate but a marriage licence."
Shaking his head, he continued, "It seems that Chloe had met a man in Whitefish and they were planning to get married. There's no date on the licence and no signatures either. Looks like the snowstorm in Whitefish happened before they could do anything about it."
He handed the sheet over to the marshal, "Well, this is a start. There might be other papers and maybe something in the registry books but it will take some time to go through those."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted December 12, 2020 / Henry Guyer
"Only record fer me is in th' family Bible back home," Addy commented as she went slowly through the pile of papers she had, slowly looking for the combination of the first few letters, ones she was familiar with, considering she had the 'Ch' part in her own name. So, chances were good that there were no records on the boy.
“The problem is, that is what most folks have for records. Having a birth certificate is something of a rarity, but a birth record in towns like Kalispell may not be.” Speed said idly as he searched “What I mean to say is, written records really are a matter of the town. And that would certainly mean the church.” He chuckled at his near meaningless observation. “Havin’ any luck Addy?”
"Weedy's been badgerin' me ta learn ta read, so I reckon I'll look up Miss Bowen, can't hurt none." Especially now that she was taking on the responsibility of a child, she needed to see to such things.
Speed knodded and was about lend some more encouragement when she spoke up.
"Here, what about this?" She pushed a piece of paper to Evans that had 'Chloe James' on it, that matched the letters the parson had written down for her, but there was another name as well, and a date, that she could read. "Looks ta be just from last year?" Not a birth certificate, then?
Pastor Evans took the piece of paper from Addy and quickly perused it. "No, it's not a birth certificate but a marriage licence."
Shaking his head, he continued, "It seems that Chloe had met a man in Whitefish and they were planning to get married. There's no date on the licence and no signatures either. Looks like the snowstorm in Whitefish happened before they could do anything about it."
He handed the sheet over to the marshal, "Well, this is a start. There might be other papers and maybe something in the registry books but it will take some time to go through those."
Speed sort of squinted at the paper, not that he was trying to read it, just a facial expression as he wondered. “The man’s name? What is it? It’s a longshot but this man may be either Weedy’s father, or, he may know who was!” he paused taking the paper, “It is possible, that whoever is the man in question, he could be right here in Kalispell.” Or, of course he may well be a thousand miles away, or buried in what remained of Whitefish.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted December 12, 2020 / Adelaide Chappel
Addy's nose wrinkled up, but then she nodded. "Explains why she was gone fer some days before." There was a flash of the thought that the woman had just planned to marry and stay in Whitefish, leaving Weedy behind so as not to burden a new relationship with a son. But that thought vanished almost as soon as it formed...as negligent as Chloe had been as a mother, Addy was certain that she would never completely abandon her son.
"Reckon she was tryin' ta make a family fer her an' Weedy? Finally doin' good fer her an' him?" That seemed to make the most sense. "Think we can contact that Mr Grimm man an' find out where th' man is at?"
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted December 13, 2020 / Henry Guyer
"Reckon she was tryin' ta make a family fer her an' Weedy? Finally doin' good fer her an' him?" That seemed to make the most sense. "Think we can contact that Mr Grimm man an' find out where th' man is at?"
He listened to what Addy was saying and realized that one of the things he liked about her was that she sought the best in everyone, whether it was there or not. Chloe might not have been a shining example of motherhood, or even of womanhood, but Addy still wanted to believe the best of her, warranted or not.
Speed Guyer was no expert on women, and unbeknownst to him, he and Addy had the same thoughts about Chloe and this man in Whitefish, and that was the marriage did not include the boy. The difference being Speed believed it to be the truth, since it was obvious that Weedy knew nothing of the engagement, or the future plans of the couple.
“Yeah, who is he, and where is he?” Speed asked no one in particular, “And what is it he wants with Weedy, and why?” Questions with no answers for the time being.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted January 5, 2021 / Adelaide Chappel
"Lemme see that again." Frowning, Addy took the paper and peered at it closely, running her finger over the name of the intended groom. "That say 'Wheeler'? I know that from th' mercantile in Whitefish, I made deliveries an' pick-ups there, man owned it was Franklin Wheeler."
What he had to do with Chloe, she didn't know, but maybe they'd met at some point and were going to be married? The frustrating thing was that they'd likely never the whole story.
Yes I am Pastor and no that last sermon wasn't specifically about you.
Posted January 6, 2021 / Pastor Evans / Author: JulieS
Pastor Evans sighed, "Well, at least it's a start. You might be able find out more at The Courthouse. I know that they did do a search in some of the other buildings that were left standing. Scott Cory was in charge of that and he would have made sure that anything important would have been taken there."
Taking out his pocket watch, he noted the time before putting in back in his vest. "It's getting late and I have to be up early tomorrow to take a trip to visit some of the families north of here. Now that the roads are passable, they're expecting me."
He looked at Addy and smiled, "I will keep sorting through all of this and I will let you know if I find anything else."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted January 6, 2021 / Henry Guyer
"Lemme see that again." Frowning, Addy took the paper and peered at it closely, running her finger over the name of the intended groom. "That say 'Wheeler'? I know that from th' mercantile in Whitefish, I made deliveries an' pick-ups there, man owned it was Franklin Wheeler."
“Franklin Wheeler, eh? Now that could be the break we’re looking for, well maybe not about who Weedy’s pa might be, but why Chloe was in Whitefish.” Speed observed. “Seems odd that she’d be there, if she was being courted by this Wheeler and not have Weedy along. Just odd.” He didn’t want to take it any further, no need to draw a picture.
What he had to do with Chloe, she didn't know, but maybe they'd met at some point and were going to be married? The frustrating thing was that they'd likely never the whole story.
Speed smiled, “But we keep digging, we could find the answer for Weedy’s pa, and maybe Chloe wasn’t lying about him being killed. Maybe that’s exactly what happened. Guess we best keep looking. Consider this Wheeler fella.”
Pastor Evans sighed, "Well, at least it's a start. You might be able find out more at The Courthouse. I know that they did do a search in some of the other buildings that were left standing. Scott Cory was in charge of that and he would have made sure that anything important would have been taken there."
“Yes sir, that’s certainly an option I plan to look into, but just maybe, there’s no answer to be found here, or up Whitefish way. Might be Weedy was Born somewhere else and the records, well, they could be lost in all the moving around. I don’t know, but we’ve a start as you say Reverend.” Speed added, beginning to have some doubts but not enough to stop hunting for an answer, to either question.
Taking out his pocket watch, he noted the time before putting in back in his vest. "It's getting late and I have to be up early tomorrow to take a trip to visit some of the families north of here. Now that the roads are passable, they're expecting me."
He looked at Addy and smiled, "I will keep sorting through all of this and I will let you know if I find anything else."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted January 14, 2021 / Adelaide Chappel
"Thank ya, Reverend." Addy nodded and smiled at Evans. "At least gives us an idea. Reckon she didn't want th' boy along so's ta get in th' way?"
Taking a breath, she headed out the door with Speed, commenting as they started down the steps, "I'll keep th' boy with me 'till we find somethin' different, I reckon." At the bottom of the steps she stopped, hesitating a moment as she stared at the ground. "Don't reckon we gotta look too hard fer any family," she muttered softly, then she looked up at Speed, "do we?"
After all, they'd tried, right? How much was enough? And it wasn't as if they had more places to look. And it wasn't as if the boy didn't have family and wouldn't be looked after...