I sent a telegram to Marshal Blasco to inform him that I would be delayed in coming to Denver. I didn’t go into detail, but told him that a friend needed my assistance.
Charlie’s condition hadn’t changed. “Doc, what’d think?”
“Miles, I wish I knew. This is beyond what I know. He is still pale, and hasn’t regained consciousness. I just don’t know.”
When he said “pale” I looked around but didn’t see or smell the Pale Rider. ‘Course that doesn’t mean he wasn’t around. I don’t always see him. We tried to convince Marta to go home, but she refused. She would leave only during the rush hours for the diner and then return. Doc fixed her up a little pallet so she could stay there. Seemed that her feelings toward Charlie went pretty deep.
I went to the marshal’s office a couple of times a day. Usually Denton was there. He seemed to be earning his pay by simply sitting in Charlie’s chair behind his desk. One day I went to Foster and mentioned it to him.
“Who’s walking the streets at night? I haven’t noticed your new marshal doin’ much.”
“Stay out of it Miles,” he ventured.
“Wilson, what happens when trouble comes? Who checks your doors at night? Who is walking the streets to keep the riff-raff under control?
I could see he was a little agitated. “How do you know he isn’t out there at night?”
“Because I am.” Wilson was a good man, but he could be coerced into doing things Billington’s way. “There are good people in this town, and someone needs to take care of them. Denton surely ain’t!”
“I’ll call the town council together and see if we can’t light a little fire under the marshal.”
“You do that Wilson,” and I turned and walked away from him.
I walked on down to the marshal’s office. Denton was in his usual place and I went around behind the desk. “Hey, you can’t come in here and do as you please.”
I stared at him. I surely wanted to say more, but I stayed very cool and calm. “I want to take those wanted posters for McClendon to look at.”
“You can’t take them out of the office! I forbid it!”
“Want to stop me, Billy?” I stared at him again. “What you need to do is get up and walk ’round this town a few times. Get the feel of it, know the people,” I paused not moving my stare. “How many times have you walked in Mexican town?”
“I’m not going down there!” he exclaimed.
“They’re citizens of Durango; it’s your job.” I grabbed the posters and started for McClendon’s.
Upon entering his store, I saw him straightening up some shelves behind the counter. He kept his store neat and organized. Food items in one place, dry goods in another, leather goods in another, I just happened to catch him putting some stock of canned goods on the shelf. What they aren’t coming up with now? I saw peaches in a can, and tomatoes in another. I guess that’s called progress.
He turned as I approached, “Well, howdy there Miles. What can I do for you?”
“Are there really tomatoes in that can?” I asked.
He smiled and reached up and picked out a can and opened a drawer with some kind of gadget in it. He hooked it on the lip of the can and began to work it around the edge until the lid popped off. Walking over to this little table where he kept a few items he grabbed up a fork and gave it to me.
“Try one,” he said with a big smile.
I forked something that looked sorta like a tomato and stuck it in my mouth. He smiled even bigger as my eyes widened. I sucked the juices out and then chewed it up. “Tomato?” he asked.
“Yeah, and not bad.” I forked up another one. Before I proceeded to stuff it in my mouth I said, “Take a look at these posters; see if any of them could be the men that came in here.”
I put the tomato in my mouth and took the can from his hand. After eating I swallowed some of the juice in the can. McClendon was going through the posters and suddenly stopped. “This one, he was the one that Marshal Gold shot,” and handed me the poster.
“Johnson Spigget, sometimes known as “Dutch John.” There was a $250 reward on him for robbery.
“Sorry, Miles, but the other man isn’t here.”
“Still, we now have a name to go on. I’m goin’ to contact Cook down in Denver, and see if his association can’t give me some up-to-date information.”
I looked at McClendon a little sheepishly. “Only one left.”
He laughed, “First can’s on the house. Go ask Molly. She buys them by the case.”
I gave him a funny look, and then the boy, Henry ran into the store. “Marshal Forrest, come quick! Doc needs you…”
Month: August 2017
Echoes from the Campfire
He knew there was no easy way, and he was not looking for one. It was his pride that he walked his own trail, saddled his own broncs, and fought his own battles. And he earned his own money.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Key-Lock Man)
“And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”
–Romans 5:4 (NLT)
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“History won’t let us go and keeps repeating itself, reminding us that human condition hasn’t changed.”
–Richard Herman, Jr.
I read something the other day that sort of surprised me, mainly the source. I won’t go into details but the question was asked, “Is there such a thing as intentional evil?” This person said that evil people do not truly exist, that is, people who are evil at the core. He then used a quotation from Protagoras, “No intelligent man believes that anybody ever willingly errs or willingly does base and evil deeds; they are well aware that all who do base and evil things do them unwillingly.”
Well, my friends, I am afraid that I am going to have to disagree with this. People purposely choose to do evil all the time. It started way back years ago, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5, NASB) Man’s personal thoughts were always on evil. Below are just a few verses that indicate that man is basically evil. (All from NASB)
“Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil,…” (Proverbs 6:14)
“Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil…” (Proverbs 12:20)
“And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, ‘Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?'” (Matthew 9:4)
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Another version says the heart is “desperately wicked.”
Man, because of the fall, will do evil. That does not mean that man cannot make a morally good choice. But contrary to the good philosopher, man does purposely do “base and evil deeds…willingly.” That is why there must be a “born-again” experience. They must be made new, the old must be done away with.
But Jesus said, that man will fall away and not listen or see the truth. “For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.” (Matthew 13:5, NASB)
Man continues on a downward spiral. He may cry for freedom, but in reality he is seeking anarchy. True freedom comes with a price, man cannot be autonomous if he is free. Samuel Rutherford wrote years ago that to be free, man must be under the law. David Jeremiah writes, “In order for fallen humans to survive in an orderly society, a moral compass by which one navigates through life is absolutely essential.”
The more man moves away from a biblical standard, the more anarchy will come to the forefront. The more man sets himself up as autonomous, the more evil will prevail. Man must realize that he is a sinner and come to the Savior and only He can set them free.
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“It’s a challenge. An old teacher of mine once told me a man has to have one now and then just to know who and what he is.”
–Leonard B. Scott
This is for all of my former students. Get it done! The challenges of the classroom are nothing compared to the challenges that life may throw at you. David was prepared to meet the challenge of Goliath, because he faced other challenges earlier in His life. Part of accepting and then overcoming a challenge is to know God’s Word and use it in your life.
Coffee Percs
He switched his coffee cup to his left hand while resting his right on the butt of the .44.”
–C. Wayne Winkle
Red and yella, kill a fella! Right in front of where I was walking went an 18-inch coral snake. And me, nothing with me to protect myself; let me tell ya pard, it gave me the willies. I watched it cross and then off into the leaves of the park, and no, I didn’t bother to follow, or come back later and look.
Excitement, but sit down and let’s enjoy our coffee this mornin’. I have a couple of things that seem to be swirlin’ through my head. Help me, will ya if’n you can. Why is it that now, today, people like the “Mouth” Pelosi and others are callin’ for the removal of Southern/Confederate leaders from the capitol when five years ago there was nothin’ wrong with the statue bein’ there? Tell me, why? Another thing, why are extreme folk on the right racist, but extreme folk on the left not? Tell me, why?
I read somethin’ yesterday that I thought very profound, and it will probably have to be some kind of doctor to explain it to this ol’ fence post, but how can some people fit so much stupid into their heads? At least we can sit here in our peaceful, simple state and drink coffee. Sure hope they don’t come up with somethin’ to protest about that.
Let me fill the cup again, and tell you one more stupid thing. Some are applaudin’ Iceland for doin’ away with children with Down Syndrome. Not only stupid but it is a downright atrocity! Abortion! If a child has Down Syndrome they are aborted. What will happen with these folk at the Judgment? Whoooeee!
Now, all that’s said and done, let’s just sit back, enjoy the wonderful mornin’ the Lord has given us and drink our coffee. Over the years, this ol’ fence post has learned a thing or two: no matter what happens, the Lord is in charge! Say, pard, and He’s here sittin’ with us this mornin’, now how ’bout that?
You be watchful on the trail this week. Take a glimpse at that backtrail once in a while, and be shore your gun is ready to fire if need be. Say, and don’t go mountin’ and ridin’ off without checkin’ that cinch first.
Echoes From the Campfire
Most men never discover what they’ve got inside. A man has to face up to trouble before he knows.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Daybreakers)
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
–John 16:33 (NLT)
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I’m really scratching my head. I wrote a little about the going’s on with the Confederate statues yesterday, but can someone tell me what the difference is between say, the KKK and the Black Panthers are, except color? Are not both extremist groups? If these groups came in contact with each other, wouldn’t it be simple to say that there might be some sort of collision. So why is “everyone” upset that President Trump condemned both extreme sides? Plus, I do not recall the previous President to ever condemn extreme left groups.
Nietzsche was looking forward to the day when there would be great chaos and confusion. One of the problems, in fact the major problem is that people do not see things with spiritual eyes. People cry “peace” and “brotherhood” but there will be none, and there can be none until Christ comes to rule. When the nation began to reject the morale from holy Scripture, when they began to denounce God in their thinking, God will turn them over to believe a lie, and when that happens there is nothing left except chaos. And one more thing that you cannot tell the world, because they are part of it, is that Satan is the author of chaos and confusion.
Through all of this, what about tomorrow? What will happen to your children, and your grandchildren? Do you actually think that things will get better? Oh, they will, maybe for a short time with the early rule of the Antichrist. But better, no. Not unless there is a national awakening. One of the greatest enemies of the soul and life is anxiety. Satan will use anxiety, fear of the future, to steal and ruin your life and take away your victory. You cannot answer the question, “What will happen tomorrow?” The key is to trust in the One who is already there.
The Holy Spirit knows about our tendency to fret about tomorrow. We are to have faith and recognize that Jesus will take care of tomorrow. He is in charge. You made it through yesterday, and are on the way to making it through today, and Lord willing, He will help you get through tomorrow as well. Milton Zeeb wrote, “Our anxieties about ourselves, about our loved ones, about our friends are useless because God has already taken care of them.”
“There is one thing that you can do, however, and that is trust God that he will do what he has said. Live today in the strength that God gives, and you know that tomorrow you will be able to do the same, regardless of what may come; God is there.” (Zeeb) With troubles seemingly all around, the true Christian can boldly stand up and face today…and tomorrow.
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“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!”
–Psalm 57:7 (NASB)
A few more thoughts on praise. Praise is the statement by the believer that he is in cooperation with God. Paul tells us that in everything we should give thanks. When we learn how to do that we are walking side by side with the Lord. “Praise is the recognition that life must be accepted with gratefulness–all of it.” (Stephen Brown)
When the believer is truly praising, he then can face whatever comes his way. When the believer is truly praising he is affirming the basic truth that God is, indeed in charge. Brown states, “Praise is the essence of fulfillment. Fear is transformed into trust, and darkness into light.”
The world, the nation, in chaos, praise the Lord, for He is with you in the midst of it all. Leaders, so-called leaders, and people walking the streets may be dazed and in confusion, but God is never confused. Listen, the future doesn’t frighten Him; He is never shocked by the events that take place.
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“We can tell the world: God has started something in the world. You may not like it; you may laugh at it; you may think it is insignificant–but you can’t stop it. Some day God is going to close the last page in the history book, and the trumpet will sound.” (Stephen Brown)