As I turned the page of the album, the picture facing me caught me by complete surprise. There was a picture I had never noticed. Before me were two young men. The first looked like any picture of a cowboy you would find and but the other was dressed all in black with two guns, both with pearl handles. Both looked so serious.
Then I noticed the badges they wore, they were Pony Express badges like I had seen a museum once. That surprised me even more.
I called to my grandmother as I walked into the den asking if she knew who the young men were. "Why that's your great-grandfather, child," she answered, "And a dear friend of his."
"Oh?" I said. Trying not to sound too excited. "How did they meet grandma?"
"Let's see, that is your granddaddy's father, let me think. Yes, they met while riding for the Pony Express. I remember that Elmer use to say what a fine time they had before the war started. He, and your father's mother, use to entertain the family by telling of their adventures while the Express ran. As I recall they both rode for the Express, and even with Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok."
I stared at my grandmother knowing that she was just getting started with her story. As I watched her get lost in the telling, I was more and more amazed at what my great-grandparents had done.
"I do believe that Mama McCloud once told me that your grandfather was named after Wild Bill. That he was very special to both of them. You know your grandfather's given name was James Hunter McCloud. Named for the man she said was her best friend and Elmer's too. And for the man that was like a father to them Aloyouious Hunter, he was the station master. They said the day your grandfather was born, everyone returned from where they had gone to be there. It was like they all knew went the baby would come. Mama said the house was over flowing. Uncle Ike and Aunt Emily were there, Cody and his new wife Louisa-she told me they teased him a lot about that. Teaspoon was what they called Mr. Hunter and his wife Rachel, she had taken care of the station. Marshal Sam Cain, you know the man that became Governor for a short time and his wife Emma and their twins. She said she didn't think Noah and Cassie would come because Elmer had fought for the South for a short time, but they did. Then Buck, who was part Indian and his wife, Little Bird, they had grown up together and when her husband was killed in the war, they found that they were still in love with each other, and married. Elmer then told us how surprise they were when Jimmy, Wild Bill that is, showed up. See his real name was James Butler Hickok, and they, his family called him Jimmy. They hadn't heard from him in years but he came. He said he heard it from a friend that they were expecting and that the baby was due anytime.
She told me the day I delivered your father that she was so grateful to have them there. They were the family she never really had. She had lost track of her brother and sister after they were adopted by a family that was going to Oregon. Oh, they looked for them for a while but never could find them.
She was so sad to have lost track of them, and had hoped that they could be apart of this new family. She was so pretty, child, I don't see how they ever could have mistaken her for a boy. But they did, you see, she rode for the express, but I already told you that."
"What do you mean, grandma?" I asked. I couldn't believe my ears, my great grandmother had ridden for the Pony Express.
"I told you about years ago, child," grandma replied. "She was one of the best, but stopped when her and your grandfather married. That picture you are holding was taken right before they married. He was called Kid and the man beside him is none other than Wild Bill Hickok, his best friend. And because of his friendship toward your great grandparents there is always a James or Jamie in the family. You are the one named for him, Jamie."
I stood then seeing that she was tired from telling her story, and left the room. Then her last statement stunned me. I was the one named for the famous gunfighter. My family included some to the greatest names in the west and the brave men and women that had ridden for and run the Pony Express.
I turned one more page before I place the album on the shelf and there they were. They looked very young there, new to the express. How I wished I had asked about the album sooner when grandma was younger. Maybe another day she would feel like telling more stories of the Pony Express and the riders that were a part of our family