Frozen Feet Mystery Solved By The Woman With The Gay Name

 October 31, 2020

   Given all the complaining and horror stories about the evils of social media, here's an anectdote about a wonderful, and life saving, connection made possible by Facebook and this blog.

   I mentioned a couple days ago I was trying to find a small episode in the mountains of Billy the Kid literature about a guy on horseback who had trouble crossing a frozen stream and he had to finally break the ice and then wade across, leading his horse and then riding the rest of the way to his destination with frozen pants. At least that's how I remembered it.

   I queried all my Billy the Kid pards and none of them could recall where I read this. I knew I read it somewhere legit, but with ten days to go before press, I was at wit's end to find this miniscule tidbit. For crying out loud, the ads are starting to run and I've got to let this one go!

Frozen Feat, Indeed!

   Well, lo and behold, look who found it.

   BBB, there is an item about John William Poe and James (Jim) Brent by Poe's wife, Sophie A. Poe in her book "Buckboard Days" 1936, page 246. This has to do with capture of Nicholas (Nicolas) Aragon. . .

"John William gave all praise to Jim Brent for making the trip successfully when all odds were against him.  On his way to Vegas, he came to a creek that was frozen over.  His horse refused to cross it, and Jim could get the animal ahead only by himself dismounting and breaking the ice and wading through, leading the horse, when he reached Vegas, both his feet were frozen."

—Gay Mathis

   I have never met Gay Mathis in person, only here on social media, but she is downright amazing. And this is not the first time Gay has saved the day. When I was doing "The 66 Kid" (2014) nobody in my hometown of Kingman could find a photograph of our eighth grade teacher, Mr. Lomasney, but Gay was able to locate one from his days in Las Vegas, New Mexico. How she did this I will never know, but, thank you once again, Gay Mathis! One of these days I have to meet this brilliant woman with the gay name. Ha.

"The only thing new in this world is the history you don't know."

—Harry Truman