scene of the accident. An impaneled jury of six declared the death to be due to
unavoidable accident. After the inquest the coroner turned the personal effects of Rees over to me. They consisted of a gold watch and two hundred and ninety dollars in a money belt. I hold these subject to instructions from the widow. The body was prepared for burial by wrapping it in white according to Mormon custom. The coffin was carried to the grave, and, while our small company stood
uncovered, I said a few words to the effect that it was right that this man should be laid to rest near the spot where he fell and where he had spent a great part of his life; that it was fitting and proper that we who had known him, worked with
him, and loved him should perform this last duty. Then the services for the burial of the dead were read, and we left him there beside the trail he built."
In the meantime I had been hovering anxiously at the phone, worried about the
dark, icy trail White Mountain and Nurse had to travel, and fearing to hear that Rees was seriously injured. As soon as they reached camp they called and said
he had gone before they could get there. He told me to wire the doctor at Williams and tell him he was not needed; also to see that a message was sent to
the wife and children of the dead man telling them he would have to be buried in the Canyon where he was killed. These errands were to be attended to over the
local phone, but for some reason the wire was dead. I was in a quandary. Just having recovered from a prolonged attack of flu, I felt it unwise to go out in several feet of snow, but that was my only course.
Dressing as warmly as I could, I started up through the woods to ranger quarters.
The snow was above my waist, and I bumped into trees and fell over buried logs
before I reached the building. The long hall was in darkness. I knew that most of the boys were out on duty. What if no one were there! I knew my strength was
about used up, and that I could never cross the railroad tracks to the Superintendent's house.
I went down the long cold hall knocking on every door. Nothing but silence and
plenty of it. I reached the door at the end of the hall and knocked. Instantly I remembered that room belonged to Rees. His dog, waiting to be taken down into
the Canyon, leaped against the inside of the door and went into a frenzy of howling and barking. I was panic-stricken, and my nerve broke. I began to scream. Ranger Winess had slept all through my knocking, but with the first scream he developed a nightmare. He was back in the Philippines surrounded by
fighting Moros and one was just ready to knife him! He turned loose a yell that
crowded my feeble efforts aside. Finally he got organized and came to my rescue. I told him Rees was dead and gave him the Chief's message.
"All right. I'll get dressed and attend to everything. You better get back to bed."
I informed him I would not move an inch until I had company back through the
darkness. He then took me home, and went to make arrangements.
I called the Chief and told him Ranger Winess was on the job. Then I tried to sleep again. Coyotes howled. Rees' dog barked faintly; a screech owl in a tree near by moaned and complained, and my thoughts kept going with the sad news
to the little home Rees had built for his family in Utah.
Strange trampling, grinding noises close to the window finally made me so nervous I just had to investigate. Taking the Chief's "forty-five," which was a load in itself, I opened the rear door and crept around the house. And there was a poor hungry pony that had wandered away from an Indian camp, and found the
straw packed around our water pipes. He was losing no time packing himself around the straw. I was so relieved I could have kissed his shaggy nose. I went
back to bed and slept soundly.
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Chapter VII: A GRAND CANYON CHRISTMAS
Funny how one can never get over being homesick at Christmas. Days and weeks and even months can pass by without that yearning for family and home,
but in all the years since I hung my stocking in front of the big fireplace in the old home I have never learned to face Christmas Eve in a strange place with any
degree of happiness. I believe the rangers all felt the same way. Several days before Christmas they began to plan a real "feed."
We had moved into our new house now, and it was decided to make a home of it
by giving a Christmas housewarming.
The rangers all helped to prepare the dinner. Each one could choose one dish he
wanted cooked and it was cooked, even if we had to send to Montgomery Ward
and Company for the makin's. Ranger Fisk opined that turkey dressing without
oysters in it would be a total loss as far as he was concerned, so we ordered a gallon from the Coast. They arrived three days before Christmas, and it was his
duty to keep them properly interred in a snow drift until the Great Day arrived.
Ranger Winess wanted pumpkin pies with plenty of ginger; White Mountain thought roast turkey was about his speed. Since we would have that anyway, he
got another vote. This time he called for mashed turnips and creamed onions.
