A few of the founding families, however, wanted to move on West now that statehood gave the place an air of too much civilization. The Walsh's did leave, but everyone else voted and decided to stay. When Filbert got its own school system, their was a brief debate about keeping the Walsh's out of the town's history, but the truth -- and Linda McMurtry, great-great-great-niece of Aldous Walsh -- kept the story whole.

Aldous Walsh

She doesn't visit often.

Quiet's nice.

She didn't seem to care much where we stopped.

I was tired, too.

Still, she could have waited for a nicer plot of land.

or I could have kept on walking.

I hear the kids are moving...

g on, and she with them.
There goes the West.

Linda McMurtry

Bob was on the school board.

History.

His fingers and his yes stained with smudges of the past.

He wouldn't smudge me, though.

My family smudged our history, and that ruined it for Bob.

A tried to make it clear again.

A hate this town.

Wendy

The fever came on Monday; be Wednesday it was gone.

And me with it to this place.

I'd already learned the days of the week

Which means I outdid the fever

Which could only last for the first three.

I could get through all seven

In one breath.