Armand's writing style could change with a wave of his pen. Flipping pages in his diary is like flipping channels on television, the subjects and moods are disparately entertaining.
July 4, 1944. Reported at 11A.M., azimuth 198 degrees 40', vertical-33' big column of smoke. Still smoking now at 1:30P.M. But turned out to be someone at Mangus Ranch burning a dead horse in a wood fire! Probably the glacial ground too strong to bury it.
It was over near Mrs. Borgman's Blacktail Butte lookout - across highway west of it, but she apparently didn't see (or at least report) it. Paul Judge and Hal Rapp went out to observe it and made above report. Both Mrs. B (she first) and I saw a brush fire right below Blacktail Butte and north of it, but seems it was legitimate, controlled brush burning.
5:15 P.M. We have had us a lightning storm this aft; all around NE to S and over SW... no strikes real near here, but lots of rain and one bolt hit close enough it rang bell on telephone - said instrument I promptly disconnected!
Climbed up the big sawed off tree- elevation 40 or 50 feet where anemometer is to be connected. Scary climb though here and there some boards have been nailed up. I don't know why I climb such objects, being in a dither most the time from my actions, but I kinda like it somehow.
Singer, locally known (to himself) as:
PROMETHEUS' NEMESIS. ( Prometheus gave man fire; Singer keeps it from him.)
Two days later, Armand paints the most beautiful picture, in prose, of a colorful sunset at Jackson Hole. I'll save that for next week.
Illustration: Jan Cossiers via jegworks.com