Document text
_
Introduction to HE MAN FROM THE WEST
by Wayne Walden
(Story could begin on Page 2 of Mr. Walden's copy, "Well I dunno --etc"
No introduction but a short note at the end of the text running
something 'like this perhaps
This whopper was not spilled by some seven -Coot hairy.ehested
guy standing around in a saloon.
It was heard in a nice4comfortable home in Staten Island and
went
was told by a sedate,littlerdoctorts wife, who never yia furhher
west than West Philadelphia.
Pipimst
?CA, 630Z4,4
FOLKLORE
Forms to be Filled out for Eacn Interview
NEW YORK..
STATE /1(.''.4/
id,.
NAME OF WORKER tfoP
ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
FORM A
Circumstances of Interview
al`
ri IA
V:, oft14044•
/7'.3t
pAit-
1. Date and time of interview
2. Place of interview
)3,04
3. Name and address of informant
4. Name and address of person, if any, who put you in
toucn with informant.
5. Name and address of person, if any, accompanying you
6. Description of room, house, surroundings, etc.
00 1 0,44,01/ Atop, 4 01)4V2(04410(
#10P
4'4°4 QII4 Apt444 4 4 er 4i ‘a-.. 04
110
Ap1:4a: 17 bik441A. ir 414e141, xrust
044pr 44'
(Use as many additional sheets as necessary, for any of the forms, each
bearing the proper heading and the numoer to which the material refers.)
STATE
/Kr
NAME OF WORKER
ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
FORM
Personal History ok Informant
4- 7 4,4-0,4 3/4
1. Ancestry
2. Place and date of birth
3. Family
at if
4. Places lived in, with dates
;rw5. Education, with dates
44111W.Alt141b•fr
to,s11,04...•
,10
/1,44444
6, Occupations and accomplishments, with dates
7, Special skills and interests
8. Community and religious activities
9, Description of informant
10. Other Points gained
NJ
010-Z1;44
k 444444
‘4444teei 44041m:4114, kfirc 4 44-*
Ae i•444 al=1/4 ild4444
44A 41,41-44 04.4044a0444
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
in interview
kir4.
sii tow.* 614444,14.4
#4,1
14444
`VP
44141444 4044.444,-.
1)
Informant-Mrs .Rose Ivanoff
Stony Point,N.Y.
SIA.Ictr. Hg.NU5IN Ototilltf
My informant,a reg$etered. trained nurse with many years of private
and hospital experience in Philadelphia and in New York state,is now
married to Doctor Stephan Ivanoff whose residence and practice is in
Stony Point,N.Y. Mrs.Ivanoff,formerly Miss Fusco,is of Italian parent-
age,and lived during the early part of her life in the Italian district
of Philadelphia,the city in which she was born.
I have known Mt04 Ivanoff for nearly fifteen years ,and during this time
have often heard her tell of amusing incidents recalled from her life
among poor Italians and others of the heterogeneous populace of south
Philadelphia.Recently I inquired of the lady,who was on a visit to this
city,if she could supply me with any remniscences,or other material",
which would be appropriate for our "folk studies". "Oh,I could tell a
lot"she replied,"but I dont know how you could put it in acceptabee
manner.Some of it isn't very 'proper',and some of it would be -well
sort of on the queer side —pathologic stuff -scarcely fit for print.
If a nurse has a sense of humor,she often sees things that strike her
as being funny -but a sense of humor among nurses,or doctors,is no
more common than among many other professions.1111 try and think up
some of the stuff that may suit you and have it ready when I again
et
run into town.- "What about the superstitione0 persisted,that you
find among people relative to sure-cures,eto." "I'll give you a list
tof such things sooe:sh aid,"I think that we can get you some good
stories that are current even now around Stony Point and vicinity01".k
Pending the outcome of this promise I sought from 'Irs.Ivanoff some
reminiscences of amusing happenings of which I had previously heard
her relate. "This': she said,"hasn't anything to do with hospitals,but
since you mentioned something about tall tales,I'll give you this as
I heard it told years ago by my brother-in-law."
(Wayne Walden,94410,
a ckbe /km A 51 Bank St.E. .Cit9
I 0 I
"He had come from the West and was therefore regarded by an eight year
Informant-Mrs.Rose Ivanoff -2- (Wayne Walden)
Subject -He -Man from the *est.
eight year old boy in the family,as a hero- a he-man who had fought
many battles with wild Indians and desparadoes.One day,when the kid
kept urging him to tell about some of the great fights that he'd been
in out West,this is what he told: 'Well,I dunno-I aint never been the
kind that went round lookin'for scraps,but I've been in a few.One that
comes to mindshardly seens worth the tellint,but it happened so quick
and was finished so soon,that I almost forgot about it until you.re-
minded me of it.It was out in Denver,when one day I walked into a saloon
to get a drink.I noticed that there was a 5.ong line-up at the.bar,but
didn't notice 'till I bellied up that it was a bunch of old time heavy-
weights.There was Jim Jeffries and Jack Johnson and Jim Corbeyt and
Bob .Fitzsimmons4(nd John L.Sullivan and a lot of others includin' a
bunch of lighter weights,all tuff guys too.Well,that was alright;I wasn't
mad at nobody,so I just stood there friendly like/waitinifor my beer/
while the barkeep was tendin' to these other guys.Finally>when he did
get around to me and starts to hand me ay schooner,one of these here
blokes -Sullivan or Jeffries -I forget just which of 'em it was,reaches
out to grab it away from me.I was kinda hot tempered in those daysAso
with that I lets loose and pops him one.Well he,of courseifalls back
and knocks against the guy next to himiand that one falls over spilling
the guy next to him.Anyhow they all went tumbling down like a bunch of
stood up dominoes.By that time I had finished the beer and I walked
out of the place.There was a mule hitched just outside the door and
he happened to be one of them kicking kind.He figured,I guess,that he
might as well take a kick at me as anybody.solsure enoughjhe started
in.But me being still kind of sore about what happened inside the saloon,
I caught that mule's foot,when he kicked out at me,and bit the darned4W
thing plumb off. 'But that was a bit too tall a one for the kid.It pro-
bably should have been toned down a bit,because even he half suspected
it was a lie."