Mrs. A. S. HOPEWELL 2 APR 5 1937 Janet Smith 1216 East Central Avenue Albuquerque, New Mexico Interviews of Eugene Manlove Rhodes About 730 words. INTERVIEWS ON EUGENE MANLOVE RHODES Interview with Mrs. A. S. Hopewell and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hopewell, of 619 West Copper Avenue, Albuquerque: "I'm sorry I never knew Eugene Rhodes," Mrs. Hopewell told me. "We did work on my husband's ranch, the John Cross Ranch near Palomas. That was before I was married -- I suppose it must have been about 1893 and 1894 that he worked there. I never saw him, but I've heard the other cowboys speak of him. They used to be always laughing about Rhodes for reading all the time. I've heard them tell how he'd be riding along, reading a book and paying no attention to his horse, when suddenly the horse would shy at something and Rhodes would lose his seat. One time they told about his leading a pack animal when the horse jumped and Rhodes flew off and away the went the mule. "My son, Robert, knew him in Santa Fe after he came back to New Mexico from the East. Maybe he could tell you some things. He'll be in in a minute. Would you like to see some pictures of the ranch? Here's one of the outfit, but I guess Rhodes wasn't in that one." While I was looking at the pictures, Mr. Robert Hopewell and his wife came in. They were interested in Rhodes but had only seen him once or twice. "I saw him a few times in Santa Fe after he returned to the West," Mr. Hopewell said, "and we had a great time talking over old times and places. He would ask me about different characters down around Engle {Begin page no. 2} and Palomas, whether they were still alive, what they were doing now. We had a phenomenal memory. I remember at the time I had just road a story of his in the Post -- I can't remember just which one now -- in which he described a certain trail I knew very well. He described it perfectly -- every turn, every tree and stone you might say. I thought at the time that it must have been many years since he had been over that trail. 'Nearly thirty years', he said when I asked him about it." "Don't you remember the time we played bridge with them in Santa Fe?" young Mrs. Hopewell broke in. "How he would bid and then rush around the table and look at his wife's cards and tell her how to bid? She knew a lot more about the game than he did, but he always told her how to bid and she never seemed to mind. She was a great big woman, very New England in appearance, and he was such a little man. And all the time he called her 'Missie'. I don't think we ever did hear him call her anything but 'Missie', did we?" Mr. Hopewell laughed as he recalled the incident his wife described. "I'll tell you," he said. "I'm afraid we can't help you very much because we know him so slightly, but I can give you the names of some people who knew him well, and you could write to them, though I doubt if some of those cowboys would sit down and write a letter that would be of much use to you. If you would go down and talk to them that would be the best thing. You could undoubtedly get some good material from Mrs. Jewett Gal Elliott, if you would just write to her in care of A. [??]. You know [?] was very much interested in Rhodes. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the person who first encouraged him in his writing. Rhodes lived in a house of his at one time. The others you might not have much luck with unless you could talk to them but I'll give you the names." {Begin page} Persons in other parts of the state who should be able to give biographical material concerning Eugene Manlove Rhodes (suggested by Mrs. Bella Ostic, 104 Wilson Avenue, Albuquerque): Mr. Almo Blazer, Mescalero, New Mexico. Miss Elizabeth Garrett (daughter of Pat Garrett), Roswell, New Mexico Mrs. James Hinckle, Roswell, New Mexico. Mr. Jap Coe, Ruidosa, New Mexico. Mr. Dana [Rossman?], Antonito, New Mexico C18 - [??] {Begin page} Persons living in other parts of the State who should be able to give information concerning Eugene Manlove Rhodes (suggested by Mr. Robert Hopewell, 619 West Copper Avenue, Albuquerque): Mrs. Jewett Fall Elliott, % A. [?]. Fall, Tres Ritos, New Mexico. Johnny P. Dines, Winston, New Mexico. Lee Nations, Orrey, New Mexico (near Hot Springs). Harry Benson (Bartender at Buckhorn Saloon), Hot Springs, New Mexico. Leonard Goins (Bartender at Buckhorn Saloon), Hot Springs, New Mexico. Mr. James Threlhold of the New Mexico book Store suggests writing to the Western Representative of Houghton [Mifflin?] who, he says, in very much interested in Rhodes, in connection with his early published stories: Harrison Leussler, c/o Houghton Mifflin Company, San Francisco, California. C18 - N. Mex. Credit: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection. Bernalillo ********************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. **********************************************************************************