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| 1915 Forest Ranger Map |
Cynthia Virginia “Genie” Jones Goodman: married John Bascomb Goodman 26 Dec 1911 in Colorado Springs. They had
these children daughter Doris in 1912, son Donald Brice in 1914 and daughter
Lois Lea in 1917 at Colorado Springs then Eastonville, Colorado.
The family then moved to Woodland
Park between 1917 and
1920 and then to Divide mid or late 1920’s. Cynthia was the sister of Frances
Jones Jeffryes the wife of William Franklin “Frank” Jeffryes who’s children
were Franklin "Lynn", Reginald “Reg Reggie” Keith and Merlin “Max” Dwite Jeffryes.
When Cynthia wrote the story daughter Lois doesn’t appear in it; so I the
story dates between June 1915 and June 1917. While husband John was working for
the Forest Service at Woodland
Park.
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| Teller County Grange Map | {Note I never correct the spelling or content of any family members writing} |
Phantom a true story:
We started out
early from the Woodland Park Ranger Station, that June morning. The sun had
just cleared Bald
Mountain and was falling
warm on the upland slopes. We had loaded the cans of tiny fish, the day before.
They had been shipped in from the hatchery and we were to put them into the
streams of Phantom and West Creek. We were driving a young brown mare June and
a sorrel gilding we called Redskin, and following behind came Collie a very
large golden dog almost pure collie. On the seat was my husband-The Forest
Guard- and myself, and between us sat Doris,
and in my lap Donald a brown eyed little boy with fat cheeks. The fifth member
of this party was my nephew Reggie sitting on a box in front of the high spring
seat. Our horses were good strong animals and they hauled the heavy wagon up
hill and down. Our destination was the Phantom Ranger Station where we were to
live for a time and my husband’s duties were to ride everyday to Round Mountain
and watch for smoke. We came down the
long hill north of Woodland Park and when we came to the Pink School House we
left the well beaten road that twists and turns at the foot of Soldier Mountain and dropped down into old
Pimberton now West Creek. After leaving the road we went on west over a very
poor trail that led to Phantom Creek and the Phantom Creek Station. Past the
beaver dams thro woods dark with tall stands of pine and spruce where
chipmunks’ scurried among the branches then into open glades where sage hens
sunned their flocks. One of those quick
mountain thunderstorms hit us before we reached the station and we sheltered
under a tarp that kept us fairly dry. When the shower was over we went on and
came to a place where a fire was smoldering. We knew it was caused by
lightening they usually are in June we just put out this fire and jigged on
into the station. There was a pretty good sized house, front hall, large living
room, bed room and kitchen, furnished with a good many of the necessities; by
this time it was supper time. There was a barn and large corral so we turned
the horses in, unloaded the crate of chickens which were to help out the food
for our stay. There was a fenced in garden and pie plant growing large and
rich, I gathered some and steamed it for supper. We were very tired and left
the fish cans on the wagon that night.
We arose early had
breakfast dumped some of the fish into Phantom Creek then took the others to
the head of West Creek. This done John
must ride to Round
Mountain and look for
blazes. We had a very large Collie dog who was great protection in so wild a
spot after bidding us goodbye, he took his lunch and road away. After cleaning
up the house and dishes all that remained for the children and I was to walk
down to the creek just beyond the house and on the other side of the road.
There we could fish as long as we cared to, but we didn’t catch any until
nearly sun down. We hooked out 10 that we cleaned and got ready for supper.
When John returned he reported there were no blazes that day but he must rise
early and go again to the Mountain and watch all day and everyday for the
danger was very great. One morning he spotted a fire burning in a gulch several
miles away. He must go and report this by telephone to the station at Woodland Park then go immediately to the fire.
When the rangers at Woodland
Park learned of the fire
he gathered as many men as he could and provisions and hurried to the fire.
There they worked hard and fast but the fire raged on and on and lasted for 2
days and nights before they brought it under control.
Meantime what about
us left in this lonely spot. And to make it even worse we had heard the tale of
the horseman who when ever the moon was full rode on a white horse. My young
nephew had heard it too but luckily Doris and Don were too young to take it in.
I was not a spooky person but believe me when that moon rose round and full in
the east it put thoughts into my head. And Reg said. “The moon is full tonight
isn’t it aunt Genie? Do you think the man will ride tonight? I said. “Of course
not Reggie that is just an old tale with no truth in it. It was caused and
started by spooky people just because once long ago a man was frozen to death
here.” Well this calmed him and I tried
to act as if I would not give that wild tale a thought. So we fed old Redskin
loose in the coral; I noticed how nervous he seemed. He would run from one side
of the corral and look off up the road and then to the other side and look down
the road. But we went in and ate our supper and tried to settle down for the
evening. We fed Collie but he seemed nervous too, would get up and lye down
then get up and lye down again. And I could not keep my eyes off that big
golden moon and the grotesque shadows cast. When Redskin ran around the corral
a giant horse ran with him and a monster followed Collie whenever he arose and
walked around. Doris
said. “Mother what is the matter you keep watching the road, do you think daddy
is coming?” “Bless you child I hope so, for fighting fire is hard and dangerous
work.” So the children were undressed and put to bed and I tried to get Reggie
to undress and lye down, but he kept looking out too. I had made a pallet
beside the bed for he and Don to sleep on we called it their snuggie. All of
the time one could hear Redskin’s hoofs pounding the dirt of the corral. “Aunt
Genie, maybe if you would go to the window and call Redskin he would quiet
down. Do you think Collie would keep still if we let him into the hall”? So I
went to the window and called to the horse and he stopped his circling and
looked my way. And when I went to open
the door for Collie to come in Reggie said. “Don’t open the door!” Then I said.
“Lye down Reggie nothing is going to hurt us.” Finally he fell over on the snuggie
overcome with sleep. And there I sat
never before in my life had the air seemed so tense and around and around the
corral ran Redskin and then Collie began to growl. And all at once Redskin let
out a noise half whinny and half squeal followed by awful growls by Collie.
Reggie leaped up from the pallet crying. “Aunt Genie hear the horse galloping,
is it the man on the white horse”? I sat
there almost petrified but managed to assure Reggie that it was only Redskin
running in the corral. The moon had climbed high and it was almost as light as
day out but I couldn’t bring myself to look at the road. Things were quiet for
a time and the children slept. Again that awful pounding of the hoofs and
squeals from Redskin and the sound of other hoofs; and growls from Collie. So I
sat tense and ridged until dawn when daylight came creeping over the mountain
Redskin became quiet and Collie lay down on the porch.
And the children
roused when the sun rose and dispelled the shadows and dew lay in drops on the
grass and the spider webs stretched in the weeds glistened with moisture. I
arose and dressed the children then we went to feed our horse. Reggie climbed
the hay loft and threw down hay and I gave him some grain and led him out to
the water trough. While he ate and drank and stood still in one place, every
once in a while he would raise his head and look first one way and then the
other. It was day and the sun was warm and reason and logic returned. But what
of the night, why had Collie growled so and why had Redskin acted so
frightened? And why o why had I sensed something frightening, was it only the
association of ideas housed by that tale of the man on the white horse or was
there something supernatural? I have pondered this often but always reason
prevails and I look for a cause for Redskin and Collie’s actions. And think
that maybe because they acted so that night it was because Red was alone in the
corral in a strange place. June the brown mare that had been with him was taken
by John to the fire. And Collie was acting so because Red wouldn’t rest. Then I
think they both smelled wild animals who had come down to close. There were
known to be cougars in the north in the wilder woods. Whatever it was I put
into the back ground, for John came in that evening blackened with smoke and
spent. So I took his horse and turned her in with Red and fixed him a bath and
supper; and we all lay down and slept like logs the night thro.
I told Reggie not
to mention the night to John as it was just our own fancies. But although that
quieted him I know he was full of questions; so I gave him the theory of the
wild animals and told him not to go far from the house. We lived there several
more weeks before the rains came and all was quiet but we could leave before
the moon was full again; and I was glad, and there were no more fires. That
fall they started building the road to Devils Head and then the observatory so
there was no more riding to the mountain.
by Cynthia Goodman
