Wrapped up in research, I forget to rehearse.

After going through Mary and John Clum's letters at the U of A Libraries Special Collections, I decide to perform Mary's last letter to her mother-in-law.

I am especially excited to include Mary's insights on the Townsite issue. (I figure this should be of great interest to the researchers and historians at Tombstone Territory Rendezvous.) In the letter, Mary writes, "It is a great outrage to move people off their lots by man force. They tried to move a house last night but did not succeed as the Marshal interfered and put a stop to it.  This morning the citizens moved it back to it's former position. Clark, Gray, and Co. felt somewhat chagrined but do not dare offer any resistance. The entire public is against them. I hope no violence will be used...We have two nice lots of our own and our little house and are comfortable, so are deeply interested in the question at issue."

Intrigued, I put off packing for our Tombstone trip and practicing for my dramatic reading. Instead, I delve into my personal library of Tombstone history. I uncover comments about the Townsite issue in the correspondences of Clara Spalding Brown in, "Tombstone from a Woman's Point of View," and the private journal of George Whitwell Parsons from, "A Tenderfoot in Tombstone." (Both edited by Lynn Bailey.)

Parsons has several entries about the subject as he was heavily engaged in fighting Clark, Gray and Co. about their rights to the town lots. He mentions obtaining two lots himself with Rev. McIntire near the Clum's house on Safford Street. He thinks having the Rev. on his side will help, but also describes the attempt to move the Judge's house while the Judge is away. A judge even! What nerve!

Mary Clum's letter and George Parsons' journal both discuss Clum's articles regarding the Townsite issue in his paper, The Tombstone Epitaph.

I wonder out loud if I can get a copy for my reading. Dan, my ever curious, ever helpful beau, does a search for copies of that paper. Unfortunately, he can't find any copies of the Epitaph from that time period, 1880-81.

Caught up in this research, neither of us gets anything we need to get done for our trip that night. And my reading is Friday! Ahh!

There's always Tombstone...