So don’t worry ’bout presents for Christmas
And listen up, he-buckaroo
There’s nothin’ like nothin’ for Christmas
When I know it’s comin’ from you.”
–Waddie Mitchell (“There’s Nothing Like Nothing”)
“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
–Matthew 2:11 (NKJV)
War during the holidays are hard. It doesn’t make any difference which war, but the Civil War brought chaos, hurt, suffering, and despair to all of society. I came across something about the minister of Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia, Phillips Brooks, during the Civil War. This is from Ace Collins.
“By 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, the national spirit was dying almost as quickly as the soldiers on the battlefields. Everyone knew someone who had been killed or gravely injured in the conflict. Scores of women in the church wore black as they mourned the loss of a husband or son. While the preacher [Brooks] tried to fight it, darkness fell over every facet of the services. Brooks was severely taxed each time he stood in front of his congregation. They wanted him to be inspirational, to believe that the good things in life they had once known would someday be theirs again. They wanted an end to the war. Yet even though he made a valiant effort, the preacher couldn’t give his flock what they needed most: peace.”
After the war, though it ended, he personally could not find peace. He left his pulpit for a sabbatical to the Holy Land. While he was there the dark days ended and he tried to tell his congregation what had happened. He could not get his thoughts across to them, but then he penned this song.
“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie
Above they deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”
The streets may be dark where you walk, or maybe it is your soul that is darkened. Yet if you want real peace you must turn to the One who brings light. Then the hopes and fears will be met in Him.
“How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.”
There was a shout given to the shepherds, but other than that the heavens were seemingly silent when the heavenly Babe was born. He still comes that way, silently to enter our hearts. Sometime you need to listen for the faint knock on the door of your heart. He is still calling and one day soon He will come back again the same way.
All worryin’ can do is eat at yer brain.”
–David R. Lewis (Deer Run Trail)
“The poor are pushed off the [trail]; the needy must hide together for safety.”
–Job 24:4 (NLT)
We rushed to the Wells Fargo office and had to push through a crowd that was already beginning to gather. I went through the door and laying there was Jim, holding his gun in his hand but shot two or three times. Taking in the scene quickly I saw Tom, tied to a chair in the doorway of the vault. I went over to him and saw that his throat has been slashed and there seemed to be several other knife wounds–tortured.
About that time Charlie Gold, the marshal broke through the crowd along with Doc Jones. I heard a groan from the wall and started over there, but Doc beat me to it.
“Sam, you and Lowell get these folk out of this room!” ordered Charlie to his deputies. Then he went over to where I was standing and looking at Tom.
I muttered to Charlie, “He had a wife and kid at home. Some Christmas for them.”
I started over to where Doc was working on the other man when Charlie grabbed my arm. “Miles, they left a message for you.”
He pulled me over to the counter. There was an ear and an eye-ball laying there with a note. “Forrest, here are your eyes and ears.” Then I saw it. I hadn’t seen it in several months, maybe years–the Devil’s Grin.
“Miles,” spoke Doc. “He’s asking for you.”
I walked over and bent down. “Miles, don’t be startled, he’s had an…”
“Ear cut off and eye cut out,” I finished his sentence.
“Miles,” it was Trenton and he was struggling to speak. “Miles, they aim to hurt you. I tried…” and he passed out.
I looked at Doc. “Will he make it?”
“Not sure. He’s been shot a couple of times. We need to get him over to my office so I can better examine him.”
“Charlie, get a couple of men to ride around the town. There’s enough new snow that there’s a good chance we’ll spot their tracks.”
“Oh, and Marshal, I need two men to help me carry this man to my office,” said Doc.
I took off my coat and laid it over his head and chest. I didn’t want the on-lookers to see Trenton in this condition. “Careful,” said Doc. “He has some wounds.”
“I’m going to make the round with my men. I’ll be down soon as I’ve come back in,” said Charlie.
Walking out of the office I noticed a familiar face in the crowd. Anger started to well up in me, and I walked to him. He saw me coming.
“Well Forrest, surprised to see you’re in Durango. I saw the crowd and came over to see what was going on.”
“After I run down the men directly responsible, I’ll be back for you!” I exclaimed.
“You heard him! You folks here, heard him threatening me! I know the law! I’ll bring suit!”
I jerked the Greener up under his chin and lifted him to his toes. “Wray! I don’t make threats! You want me, you come after me!”
Releasing him I hurried on down to Doc’s office. He had Trenton undressed. His face and head looked a mess, covered with blood. But Doc was working on his side. “Hold him Miles, just in case he jerks. One bullet when through him, but there is one lodged in his shoulder I have to get out. I’ve got the blood stopped, but have to get this lead out.”
It took a while for Doc to locate the bullet. It hit a rib high up and it deflected it across to his neck. Doc was sweating. “Lord help him,” I whispered.
Doc grunted and pulled the bullet out but with it came a flood of blood. “I hoped I wouldn’t nick a vein,” he said. “Press here, hard! I have to try and pack it.”
It took several minutes but finally the flow stopped. We looked at each other. “I don’t know, Miles, I just don’t know.” He then began to clean Trenton’s face and head. It was a gory sight. “These men are butchers,” he said through clinched teeth. “Plain out and out butchers.”
Doc had just finished cleaning up Trenton and patched up his eye and ear when Charlie Gold came through the door. “It looks like they’re headed south. Not sure, but I have one of the boys trailing that way,” he paused and looked at Trenton.
“Don’t know,” I said. “Only time and the Lord.”
“Miles, we trailed them south, but two cut off to the east. I figured they might circle back to town.”
I looked at Trenton and his words came to me. “They aim to hurt you.”
I rushed out the door over to the eatery and burst in scaring Marta. “Where’s Molly?”
Her eyes were wide. “She and Lucas went up to the cabin.”