Circle of Life

By James Whaley

Luke grew up on the streets of St Louis. His life was what he wanted it to be. When he met JR, his life changed. He learned to take orders and to give orders. Then came the attack on the Navy at Pearl Harbor. His life was about to change once more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781532006005

James Whaley

Eighty-year-old James Whaley spent thirty-four years in the public classroom, teaching twelve-, thirteen-, and fourteen-year-old students. He also taught senior citizens for twenty-five years and high school students for six years. Creative writing has intrigued him his entire life. James lives in Chanute, Kansas, with his wife, Elinor. They have two grown daughters and two grandchildren. The author has always been an admirer of the creative word.

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 James Whaley.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

iUniverse

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.iuniverse.com

1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5320-0599-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-0600-5 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 09/09/2016

Contents

Acknowledgement

Dedication

Other Works By James Whaley

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Epilogue

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

There are those who’s assistance were an important part of the completion of this work. Among those one stands out head and shoulders above the rest. This work would not have been completed without the help of Sandra Cameron. I owe the completion of the book to her. Thank you, Sandy.

DEDICATION

To my family

OTHER WORKS BY JAMES WHALEY

FICTION:

VISION QUEST: A TIME TO LIVE

THE NEGOTIABLE LIFE OF STELLA BELL

THE GIRL IN THE WOODS

THE VALLEY

RIDE WITH THE ENEMY

THE GIFT OF LOVE

THE BROTHERS

AND

TINA’S DREAM -Collaborative with Marvin Bicknell, Dorothy Hush, and Joanne Hutchison

NON-FICTION (PUBLISHED BY THE CHANUTE HISTORICAL SOCIETY)

YESTERDAY’S SHADOW’S

VIEW FROM YESTERDAY

A PLACE IN HISTORY SERIES: THE STORY OF ALFRED SATER

A PLACE IN HISTORY SERIES: THE STORY OF MIRIAM DAVIS COLT AND THE RE-DISCOVERY

OF THE VEGETARIAN COLONY

A PLACE IN HISTORY SERIES: PARALLEL LIVES: THE STORY OF ESTHER CLARK HILL AND NORA CUNNINGHAM.

THEY CAME, THEY STAYED: A COLLECTION OF PIONEER STORIES

MORE PIONEER STORIES: THE TAVENNER-PHILLIPS CONNECTION AND THE ROGER RANNEY STORY

MORE PIONEER STORIES; THE STORY OF ROLLIN AND URBANA

CIRCLE OF LIFE

40207.png

JAMES WHALEY

CIRCLE OF LIFE

LIFE FORMS A CIRCLE

FROM BEGINNING TO BEGINNING

IT IS SINCE IT WAS

WE ARE BECAUSE THEY WERE

ONCE WE BEGIN WE MUST GO ON

A FAMILY CONNECTED IN THE PAST

LIVES FROM BEGINNING TO BEGINNING

IT NEVER QUITS IT IS WITHOUT END

LIFE FORMS A CIRCLE

FROM BEGINNING TO BEGINNING

THE END IS WHERE WE STARTED

LIKE FATHER TO SON

WE ARE BECAUSE THEY WERE

LIFE CONTINUES ON AND ON

FROM BEGINNING TO BEGINNING

LIFE FORMS A CIRCLE

FROM BEGINNING TO BEGINNING

LIFE GOES ON LIKE EARTH AND SUN

BEGINNING ANEW YET NEVER ENDING

ONCE BEGUN, IT DOES NOT STOP

FOR WE ARE TOLD IN WORDS

FROM GENESIS TO REVELATIONS

LIFE IS EVERLASTING

THERE IS NO END

IT IS FROM BEGINNING TO BEGINNING

LIFE IS A CIRCLE

ONCE BEGUN, IT DOES NOT CEASE

IT IS AS IT WAS

FROM GRANDFATHER TO GRANDSON

THE LAST BECOMES THE FIRST

FOR LIFE IS A CIRCLE

FROM BEGINNING TO BEGINNING

CHAPTER 1

JANUARY 4, 1947

CUT BANK, MONTANA

January 4, 1950, Northern Rockies, Hospital Observation Ward, room 208 Luke Miller lay near death, his body subjected to the intrusion of a bullet from a German Luger. It wasn’t the first time he had been shot but if the doctor on call was correct it very well might have been the last. The surgical team had spent the last four hours repairing the damage caused by the slug. It appeared that the team had completed the task of extracting all of the work Charlie Goodnight had done the night before. Now it was up to the constitution and recuperative powers of the 68 year-old Missourian as to whether or not he would see the dawn of another day in the big sky of a Montana morning.

*     *     *

The man rode into the town with the rest of the immigrants who made up the citizenry of the western end of civilization. Saint Louis, Missouri had always been his type of town. Young, full of energy and wide open as far as law and order were concerned. This was the first time he had been as far as the Mississippi though he had dreamed of seeing it for years. The young man dismounted from the sorrel horse and tied it up to the rail before entering the saloon. It was the spring of the year 1866, and Luke wanted to get as far away from Pennsylvania as possible as fast as possible.

Give me a shot of good whiskey. He told the man behind the bar. And don’t be in a hurry to take the bottle away. The bar keeper did as directed and Luke threw back his head as the contents of the glass burned down his throat. Luke motioned for a refill. It was mid-morning and with the exception of Luke, and the man, the bar was empty. Saint Louis not awake yet? he said to the man.

Saint Louis just went to bed a few hours ago, replied the bartender. You riding through? He asked, as he refilled the empty glass.

That depends, said Luke, as he took a sip from the glass.

On what? The bartender took a swipe at the polished surface on the wooden bar with a damp rag which Luke figured was white at some point in its past.

On whether I can find what I’m looking for in Saint Louis.

And what might that be? By the way, the names Ned, Ned Elmhurst. He held out his right hand.

Luke shook the hand as he said, Luke Miller, I left Pennsylvania a few days ago. Now I’m looking for work. Luke didn’t think it hurt to tell the truth, at least some of it. He had left Uniontown, Pennsylvania, last week. It wasn’t necessary that Ned know why.

You must have done some hard riding, to be this far west in a few days.

Luke eyed Ned. The man didn’t seem to be questioning Luke’s story, nor did he hesitate to continue the conversation. What do you do?

I worked in a grocery as a clerk, said Luke, as he thought, so much for the truth. But I’m game for most anything that will put my head on a pillow and grub in my belly.

I hear they need help down at the grain elevator. Heard they needed sackers. That’s second hand, didn’t hear it from George Simpson himself.

Where’s this elevator at? I might give it a try.

You come in from the east? Just keep going west on this street, down to the river docks. You can’t miss the elevator. Ask for Mr. Simpson. He’s the owner and operator.

Luke heeded Ned and finished his drink. Dropping a couple of coins on the bar, he nodded to the bartender and headed for the door. Luke squinted against the bright morning sun as he stepped into the street. Looking west, he could see the river, well one could see the paddle wheelers, steamers and a few in full sail, moving about. He assumed the river was somewhere under all that wood and steel.

The most recent citizen of Saint Louis mounted his horse and at a trot rode west down to the river. As the traffic increased he pulled the horse back into a walk and slowly descended the hill.

His mind wandered over the past two weeks. Having landed a job at the National Bank of Pennsylvania, Luke thought he was on his way to making his future in the business world. He had told Ned the truth about leaving Uniontown about a week ago but he had not said why he left. I’m not sure I understand, thought Luke. I was doing my job when it all seemed to collapse and my future disappeared before my eyes. There I was, working in a bank as a teller, when Evelyn, a girl who I dumped after three dates, devised a plan to get even with me. Her plan was to create a story to which I would have difficulty defending myself. I can still see her crooked smile as she told her story.

I saw him take the packet of money, put it in his pocket, and go into the employees lounge. When he came out he tossed the wrapper from the packet in his hand. Then he took a second packet and did the same thing once more. You will find the two wrappers in the trash can near the lounge door. Luke, the banks newest employee, had nothing to defend himself with when the president found two packets of ten dollar bills in the pocket of his coat hanging in the lounge. The president of the bank was a suspicious man by nature and the old fellow held her every word for examination. Luke’s reaction was to slip out the side door before the security guards could find him. After making her accusation, Evelyn agreed to wait in the President’s office and appear when they apprehended the teller who was trying to exit the side door of the bank. A detective was waiting on the other side of the door. Then Evelyn, having earlier planted the packets in his coat, appeared and made her accusation. Luke, you are a dirty rotten scoundrel, this will teach you to mess with my emotions, she whispered to him. Luke was placed in the city jail and on the second night a door was accidently left unlocked. In as desperate move, he slipped out a back door and mounting the nearest horse, rode into the darkness.

Luke knew the law would be picking up his trail and shaking them would be the first thing he needed to do. Riding northeast to Connellville, then north to Greensburg he doubled back to Pittsburgh. There he crisscrossed the city a number of times and eventually left the city by way of the Oakdale Road and headed west. Luke was impressed with the horse he had borrowed as the animal had great stamina. Using back roads, they covered the country between Pennsylvania and Indiana in a time that would be the envy of a railroad engineer. At a small town outside of Indianapolis Luke traded his horse for a gelding that would be less of a durable animal and more of a run of the mill nag that would cause less interest by the locals.

After he made a ferry crossing of the Wabash, which he paid for by trading a pair of nearly new saddlebags, taken from the borrowed horse. He arrived in St., Louis four days after leaving Uniontown looking like he had been on the trail for a month or two riding drag on a large herd of cattle.

* * *

Luke was impressed with the variety contained in the composition of the population of St. Louis. There were French, Spanish, and Eastern Indian, along with several prospectors of questionable heritage, who were holdovers from the days of the mountain men of old. Included in the mix was a number of half breeds from the western United States tribes were scattered among the Europeans.

* * *

I need sackers, said elevator manager, George Simpleton, I mill the grain into flour, but the process is not complete until the flour is in the sack. I pay two cents a sack. If you are any good you can get ten sacks an hour. Figure it up, that’s good wages. And I got two weeks work.

It works for me, said Luke, Sign me up when do I start?

This was just what Luke wanted a two week job at $10 a week, he could come away with $15 in his pocket. What about a place to stay? You know of any economical places? There is the Working Man’s Lodge, but I tell you, I got a shed outback here you can have for the clean-up, no charge."

I like my privacy, I’ll take the shed. Luke said, without going into any detail Luke Miller, the man from Pennsylvania, had rode into St. Louis at the age of 22, he stayed on at the elevator for thirty-three years, married a girl from Indiana who became stranded in St. Louis at about the same time as Luke. Sara Wilcox and Henry Luke" Miller were married in 1869 and Sara gave birth to a baby boy in February of 1873. They named him Stephen Henry Miller. He was a gangly boy from day one he became an uncoordinated teen and a clumsy young man with blond colored hair and wore a patch of hair on his chin as a beard. His hazel eyes and skinny body left him with the look of someone who was just recovering from a two week bout with the flu. Frank Miller, the bookkeeper at the elevator and owner of several cotton mills was no relation but became a close friend of the family who doted on Luke and his sister. He had a series of cotton mills and had made his fortune. He worked at the elevator because of his love for business. The children of the man from Pennsylvania were his to spoil.

Stephen worked on the family farm but his real interest developed when after finishing the sixth grade in school he got a job with a neighbor who owned a cattle ranch, where he spent his summers learning the cattle trade. He attended St. Louis schools and then went to Mid-West Business School in St. Louis.

Uncle Frank, I have a proposition to make to you, Stephen said on the night of his graduation from the Mid-West Business School. If you will fund a trip for me to go to California, I will promise to repay you with interest of ten percent. What would you say to that?

Stephen’s uncle, in his usual manner was slow to respond. He had a studied expression when he cleared his throat and said, I find your offer a promise of good faith negotiation. If I were to participate in this venture, what sort of collateral would you put up to insure your ability to repay the loan?

Well, responded Stephen, I could put up the ten acre plot I own south of St. Charles. That should be worth a trip to California.

With land prices going through the roof, I would say so, I … Stephen was interrupted by the entrance of his sister, Abigail, who, at the age of 16, had been married and had a child.

When Abby met Charlie Goodnight, a twenty-six-year-old miner from Chicago, she fell for his outlandish behavior. Charlie was fun to be with and the young girl was infatuated with him and his fly by night way of enjoying everything. Charlie swept Abigail off her feet and the two eloped and were married at the farm of a Justice Of The Peace by the name of Ron Gilham in a small town south of St. Louis. It was a mistake from the very beginning. Charlie liked his whiskey and drank away his pay check. But the worst of it was his physical abusiveness of Abigail. After a severe beating, only six weeks after the marriage, Abigail walked out. Charlie was furious and begged her to return to their apartment on Hill Street. She finally decided to return on the condition that Charlie would promise to quit drinking. He stayed off the wagon for all of two weeks. The night he came home drunk, and started punching her, Abigail left for the second time. It was two weeks before Charlie was sober enough to come after her. During that two weeks, Uncle Frank had the marriage annulled and armed with an injunction, and $500, he convinced Charlie to leave the St Louis area. A few months later Abigail gave birth to a baby girl. Sandra Goodnight went to live with Uncle Frank’s sister, Harriett in Jefferson City. Harriett had no children of her own and desperately wanted to have children, but had been unable to conceive. She was also young and could give the girl a good home. Abigail was in no condition to care for the baby properly and Uncle Frank convinced her it was for the best.

What’s going through the roof? Nineteen-year—old Abigail came through the door just as her father stopped speaking. A striking raven haired girl with high cheek bones and eyes the color of her hair. She had a slim cowgirl figure and a voice that melted many male hearts when she spoke.

Your brother is planning a trip to California. Uncle Frank announced. Then to Stephen he asked, When do you figure you will plan to leave and by what mode of transportation do you expect to use?

I expect to …

Hey! Abigail practically shouted, I want to go. You have to take me along."

You’re too young, said Stephen, besides; I plan on going by rail, where would you get money for a ticket to San Francisco?

I got my prize money from the barrel racing championship, that’ll buy me a ticket.

Abigail who was fourteen years younger than Stephen and very adventuresome enjoyed participating in rodeos, competing in barrel-racing and trick-shot demonstrations.

To win the contest, Abigail had beat out fifty other girls, some of them years older and more experienced, in last year’s contest at the St. Louis rodeo. With the victory came a prize of $500. Uncle Frank, you promised me that I could spend that money on whatever I chose.

That I did, but you will have to get your brother to agree to travel with you and your mother’s permission to go. I won’t stop you, if your brother will accept the responsibility.

Stephen never did learn how his little sister convinced their mother to allow Abby, as she was known by her family and friends, to go, but she somehow managed it. With Abby’s $500, and another $500 from their Uncle Frank, the two loaded Abigail’s two champion barrel racers, and five fine stallions, Stephen had purchased for trade in California, on the train. It was the fourth of March, 1906, and the two were in high spirits, as they boarded the west bound Iron horse. The trip was uneventful, with two exceptions. When they arrived at the Rocky Mountains, a freak spring snow storm delayed them for a day while a mechanized snow shovel cleared the tracks.

The other event was to be an experience to last a lifetime. Stephen had met Grant Rhodes Grant was headed for San Francisco to open a new branch of the First National using some of the collateral of the First National Bank of Chicago. Stephen invited his new friend to join him and his sister for dinner that evening. When Abigail and Grant met in the dining car that evening, Abby’s heart was captured at first sight. May I introduce myself? Grant said as he approached Abigail. I am Grant Rhodes of Chicago, soon to be of San Francisco.

My sister, Abigail Miller, we are of St. Louis, also soon to be of San Francisco. Over the evening meal, the three became acquainted and when Grant suggested they meet for breakfast the next morning, Abby quickly agreed.

We would be delighted, and afterword perhaps you might enlighten us with the latest news from Chicago. said Stephen.

I would be most happy to relate the news from Chicago, and I would relish hearing about the tornado that struck St. Louis a decade ago, Grant said.

Then the forenoon is covered, what do we do for the afternoon? Chimed in Abby.

I would love to play a few hands of Gin Rummy with you in the club car, if you are interested, said Grant.

I will have to bow out, am afraid, I have some correspondence to catch up on, said Stephen, but you and Abby can have a go of it.

I’m game, if you are, said Abby.

Then it’s a date, said Grant. The couple spent the afternoon and all of the next day together, walking the full length of the train and back, stopping along the way to entertain three eight year old girls who were playing crazy eight in the dining car after lunch was cleared from a table.

"I enjoy your company, Abigail, and I have some figures and papers that I must study tomorrow during the A M, but I would be pleased if you would sit with me in the club car in the afternoon.’

I enjoy being with you too, said Abby, and if you will promise to call me Abby, instead of Abigail, I will join you tomorrow afternoon. Abigail realized that she needed to tell Grant of her previous marriage. So that afternoon she found the opportunity. Grant there is something I must tell you. She started.

I hope you are not going to tell me that you are already spoken for?

"I have been married once; it only lasted about six weeks before I left him. He was very abusive and a drinker who could become a mean drunk. I have a little girl that I haven’t seen in over a year. She lives in Enid, Oklahoma. Grant was quiet, she could tell from the expression on his face that he didn’t approve of her decisions. She didn’t either but they were basically made for her by Uncle Frank.

How old is you daughter now? asked Grant

"She’s two and a half. I want you to know that I am not proud of the mess I made for her.

"We all make mistakes, was all Grant said.

The two spent much of the rest of the trip together and when the train pulled into the San Francisco station they made arrangements to meet and exchange addresses as soon as they had established their residences. Stephen and Abby found rooms at a boarding house on south Armdale Drive.

With a clear shot at the business district, Stephen was thrilled when he found that bank tellers were in short supply. Stephen immediately began job hunting. Abigail was assigned to find a buyer for his five stallions. She was successful when she showed them to a circus owner. I know horse flesh and these are very fine horses. I don’t mind paying top price when it is attached to such animals.

She was pleasantly surprised when the man said that he was looking for some new acts for his circus. After a brief demonstration, Abigail landed a job as a trick shot artist with the circus. The pay is not that great, but it will do until I can find something better. She told Stephen one evening when they were dining at the boarding house. I am meeting with Grant tomorrow at three to exchange addresses and work locations. Do you want me to give him yours?

Very funny, but I will find something soon I know. His expression showed the disappointment he felt. Abigail also felt his anxiousness and tried to cheer him up.

I know you will find the right job, not just a job, but one that suits your abilities.

I need the encouragement.

Two days later, a man from the forerunner of the California Cattleman’s Association stopped at the boarding house to deliver a check to one of the overnight boarders struck up a conversation with Stephen. In the process of the conversation, he mentioned the work load he was under. We are trying to form a statewide organization of the cattle ranchers of California and I am swamped with work due to the departure of one of our bookkeepers. We had four and are down to two. I hope they find someone to fill the positions soon or I may go also

Do you suppose I could get an interview with a manager if I went back to the office with you? I have a business school degree in bookkeeping.

When he interviewed with the association’s manager he was told they needed someone with experience in the cattle trade. I worked on a cattle ranch for four summers; I’m acquainted with the cattle business. I will make you an offer; I will work for you for one week. If I don’t measure up you don’t owe me a dime. If I can handle the job, you hire me as of the first week. What do you say?

You got yourself a deal. Albert here will show you around now, you can start first thing tomorrow morning.

On April 12, 1906 Stephen was surprised with a visit to his room by his sister and Grant.

Stephan, Abby explained, "Grant and I have something to tell you. We