White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-16
NEVADA STATE IN The MAKING:
ELY, CAPITAL OF WHITE PINE

number of claims which | under
stand brought him a comfortable
stake during the boom days.
IL was n neyer-faIling source of
wonder to many Elyites how Big Sim
managed to provide for his family
during all the idle. dull days of tie
town. Sims strained credit was a
standing joke among the business
men. yet SO pleasing was his person
,ality that he was seldom refused
when he asked for anything. ". G.
Lyons was perhaps his greatest
friend. loaning MIN 1000 to start in
the livery business at Taylor aud IN
creasing this by various sums as the
years went by.
On Christmas morning in the
early 'sGs a rumor was quickly cir
culated that Bill Lyons had made
Simpson n Christmas present of
5000. Miss Ellen Hayes, a partner
with her brother, William Hayes. in
the store business, asked Mr.. Lyons
IL the report was true and was as
sured that it was The merchants.
confident that at last overdue ac-
counts would soon be removed from
the red ink side OF the ledgers, gave
new lease of life to Simpsons ex-
piring credit, and IL was some time
later before they learned that the
5000 gift was in the form OF a re-
eeipt for money loaned and which
Mr.. Lyons had abandoned hope of
recovering
Simpson was always willing TO pay
but never seemed To have the cash
and was always ready to give his
note for any bills that he incurred
lie was far from being shiftless or
worthless but Just seemed unable to
keep out OF debt until the matter
came to be almost a joke for the en-
tire town.
One story that aptly illustrates the
general feeling toward Sim" and his
own appreciation of It was repeated
for many years in Ely. Simpson one
Gay was gambling In rather lively
game where there was plenty of
money IN the table and the game
s'ers were drinking rather freely He
had been playing in unusual luck for
him and at the time had a stack of
several hundred dollars in $50 gold
pieces in front of him
Senator II. A. Comins, who came
from Maine.- where close figuring is
considered one of the cardinal yir-
tues. was watching the game and was
unusually interested. owing TO the
fact that he had in his pocket an un-
paid note for Sl00 indorsed by Simp-
son In return for sundry food supplies
furnished the Simpson family The
opportunity was one not to be over
looked. and while the players were
indulging in another friendly round
OF drinks Senator Comins quietly
slipped five OF the double eagles from
the Simpson stack and just as quietly
slipped the receipted note into Simp-
sons outside coat pocket.
Nothing was said about the trans
action. which was not noticed by
Simpson. until the next morning,
when Mr.. Comins met Simpson in
front of Fred Clark's drug store and
thanked him for paying the note
Simpson. who was greatly mystiGed,
asked what Mr. .Comins meant and
was Informed that he had paid the
senator the night before when the
boys were all playing poker and
drinking.
did pay you that s10o.' aueried
Simpson.
Yes. and l put the receipt in your
coat pocket. replied Comins
Simpson at once felt in his pocket
and found the receipt.
We'll. all I got TO say is that
must have been damn drunk. SEN
ator. was his only comment.