Month: October 2017

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

If a man doesn’t measure up to what the frontier expects, he’s liable to lose not only freedom, but life.”
–Zane Grey (Knights of the Range)

“Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all.”
–1 Corinthians 15:34 (NLT)
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Everything’s packed on the steel horse, ready to mount, and we’re ready to head back to Texas. Don’t fret, I’ll check my cinch before mounting. Sure had a grand stay up here at the daughter’s place in Maryland, but now, time to get back to the Lonestar State. Sorta reminds me of that old song:

“I started out from Texas, about a year ago…
I’m goin’ back to Texas, my heart is sad and sore
My weary feet are getting mighty lame…
Going back where the longhorn cattle roam, roam, roam.
And your best friend is your bronco and your gun…”

We’ve been gone a month, and now it’s time to get back. So, since we’re all packed up, I won’t be sending out any Echoes for a few days.
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Shauna brought to my attention last week a story from a “prominent Presbyterian minister.” This minister, now remember, Presbyterian…Christian, said that Christianity is only one way to get to God and heaven. As far as she was concerned she would not limit the way to heaven from other religions or beliefs.
Let me tell you something straight–God is not polygamous. There is one Bride for His Son, Jesus Christ and that is the Church. Those purchased by the blood. If this other minister is correct then Jesus was a liar. There is no other way to the Father except by Him. He made the statement that “He is the way…”.
This is the reason why so many are against Christianity. It is inclusive. But Christ died for all, He made it so easy to become a Christian, yet people turn away, mock and scorn. Another area to fight and it is in the Church, the false teachings of universalism, pluralism, and globalism. Beware!
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“Nobody ever believes it until it is too late. Everyone has the same idea: that it could not happen to them. It is always happening to somebody else, and you see it in the papers, and don’t credit it. Thieves, outlaws and the like, now, they are no braver than you, and most times less brave. They just figure you will be scared to a jelly, and will do nothing to defend yourself because you think they are so dangerous.”
–Louis L’Amour

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I grabbed Hawk’s reins with my free hand and pulled him with me as close to the mountain wall as possible. My shoulder didn’t throb, but I couldn’t take the time to look at it right now. My eyes were roaming the hillside and ridge across from me. I have found that when shot at, it is best to be still, look hard, and be patient. Too much movement and you can easily be seen. Move too hastily and the next bullet may find its target.
Finally, I moved my hand upward to my shoulder. There was blood, but it was not coming from my chest. Slowly I moved my head and saw that the top of my coat had a tear. The bullet went through my coat and just creased the top of my shoulder. Close, but I’ll take close in a situation like that.
I decided to move easily south along the wall. Perhaps the shooter had left as this trail was traveled often. If he waited around too long, there could be other travelers along. I moved down to my knees, then laid down as I approached the edge of the wall. There was little to no chance of me seeing any reflection as it was darkening and snow was now beginning to fall.
It was maybe thirty minutes or a little longer that I heard a wagon coming up the trail. As they approached, I let them get to the corner and then helloed them. Sitting on top of the wagon were a couple of miners taking supplies up the trail. Their wagon looked was full.
“Howdy, mister,” came one of the riders who was holding a rifle.
Both of them surveyed the situation. They saw me standing, holding a rifle, blood on my shoulder, and my horse a few yards up the trail. “Have some trouble?” he asked.
“A mite,” I replied. “Seems like a piece of lead nicked me, and figured I’d just sit down on the trail for a spell.”
The snow was falling harder now; looking around the man spoke. “Want me to take a looksee at yur shoulder? Ifn not, we need to be gettin’ on up the trail before the storm hits. Ifn yur goin’ down, I’d start movin’.”
“Sounds like a good idea to me,” I replied, going over to pick up the reins.
Putting the Henry back in the scabbard, I mounted. The driver moved up the road toward me and stopped. “Yuh look familiar.”
“I’ve been ’round. Used to work for Wells Fargo. Traveled many a time up to Silverton.”
“Yeah, that’s it. Yur one of the men that cheatin’ judge put out the wanted posters on. I remember you.”
“That’s me. You didn’t happen to see anyone comin’ up?” I asked.
“Nope, but ifn he’s smart, he’s pulled leather.” He looked up at the sky. “We’ve got to be goin’. Snow’s goin’ to come in harder before we get there as it is.”
He snapped the reins and they moved on up the rugged road. Looking around I decided he was right and I started Hawk on down toward Silverton. He would enjoy a warm stable more than being caught out in the weather. I might even stay awake long enough to get a nice bed of coals in the fireplace in my room.
The snow was coming down pretty good when we arrived in Silverton an hour later and because of the storm, darkness was already setting in. The streets were already covered and it looked as if more was on the way. Looking down Blair Street, it didn’t seem as if snow was hampering its business much. If it continued and those miners ran out of money, the bouncers would throw them out in the street. There was little mercy on those without money.
I took Hawk on down to the livery and told the kid working to grain him a little. Being out in the cold weather, he needed some good feed. I looked around, carefully, upon leaving the livery and walking toward my hotel. Before getting there I stopped at the restaurant to get supper. Things were quiet, almost too quiet. Maybe it was the storm that made things so serene. Snow can sure be pretty when it’s falling.
The menu boasted of elk chops, so I ordered that. It came with biscuits, potatoes, and some other white tuber that didn’t suit my taste. “What is that?” I asked the waitress.
“Turnip,” she replied. She looked closer at me. “Hurt your shoulder?”
I reached up to touch my shoulder. “Just a little.” The meal was so-so, definitely not as good as Molly’s place. The biscuits were hard, the elk was over-cooked in my mind, and the potatoes were on the edge of being old. The coffee wasn’t half bad though. Of course half-bad coffee is better than no coffee.
The waitress walked by again and I stopped her. “Any pie?” I asked.
“Not this time of day,” she said in a matter-of-fact manner.
I was drinking my third cup of coffee when by the window, the man I had seen the day before walked by. Coincidence? I didn’t believe in them. I jumped up and ran to the door as the waitress hollered for me.
Opening the door I went outside and…

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Living is something that should be real. We should take it as best we can, as deep and wide and full as we can. We shouldn’t ever be small or ever be afraid.”
–Ernest Haycox (The Border Legion)

“And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.”
–1 John 4:17 (NLT)
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“No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Savior, if it is just and the intention is purely for His holy service.”
–Christopher Columbus

HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY!

That’s right, Happy Columbus Day, not happy indigenous peoples day no matter who might say that or what state or government says it, the truth of the matter is the celebration is for when Columbus discovered the Americas.
Columbus was a great sailor and explorer. Leadership studies usually deal with ten leadership traits and all of these can easily be seen in the character of Columbus. True, he was ambitious, and he wanted wealth and fame, but he also believed that the Gospel of Jesus Christ should be spread throughout the world. He required that a certain percentage of gold and silver brought from the New World be used to send missionaries to the Indians (excuse me, indigenous people) and to build schools for education.
There is much ado about the Columbian Exchange, however, most of it focuses on the negative impact of it. With the Europeans came new diseases against which the Indians (excuse me, indigenous people) had no immunity. There is very little mentioned of the disease that went back to Europe–syphilis. The Indians (excuse me again, indigenous peoples) were still living in the stone age. Even though metals were found in the Americas there was little effort to make them into tools or weapons, and even when the Europeans came they preferred to trade for such items. A person might reach the grand old age of thirty. I might also make mention here that the Indians (excuse me, indigenous people) came from Asia.
The world, including the New World, would never be the same after the discovery of Columbus. The Europeans brought grains, language, education, horses, cattle and other livestock, architecture, tools, and religion. Take for example the Plains Indians. We think of them riding across the plains following the buffalo. In reality, this was only for about 250 years of their existence. Before the horse they lived along the fringe of the plains in survival mode. The horse completely changed their culture.
This is the one the liberals hate. With Columbus and explorers to followed came Christianity. They began to fulfill the command of Jesus Christ to take the Gospel throughout the world. The Indians (excuse me, indigenous people) were pagans. Many practiced human sacrifice and the mutilation of the human body. These were people lost without Christ. Subsequently, with the settlement of America came the largest missionary movement the world has ever seen. This is one reason, I believe, the Vikings did not make permanent settlements in America. At that time in their history the Vikings were pagan themselves. It wasn’t Divine Providence for a pagan people to settle an area in which another pagan people lived.
In the Columbian Exchange many things went back to Europe, mostly in the form of food items. Interesting, none of the Indian (excuse me, indigenous people) religions made an impact upon Europeans. None of their languages became spoken in Europe. Yet most people in the Western Hemisphere speak a European language.
So, Hail, Columbia, the land of Columbus.

Ira Paine

P.S. Read “The Light and the Glory” by Peter Marshall and David Manuel for a enlightened study of Columbus.

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He poured himself a cup of the hot, black coffee and it burned his lips as he tried to take a drink from the rim of a tin cup.”
–J.S. Stroud

Door’s open, come on in and sling yur ankles under the table. The coffee is right strong and hot. I pondered the times I burnt my lips on a tin cup. Yuh think I would learn my lesson, but how do yuh check how hot the coffee is unless you try and taste it? There’ve been times it was so hot I burnt all the hair off my tongue. Well, this coffee is hot, but sipable, in fact, yuh can swallow a gulp.
We were out the other day and Annie remarked of a sight not seen up here in Maryland country. No trucks! Go into a parking lot and nary a one can be seen. Made me long for good ol’ Texas. Can’t even blink an eye without seein’ one. Let me grab the pot, I’m ready for a refill, how ’bout you?
I sure get weary of all the craziness. People want to put me in front of a firing squad because I belong to the NRA. One chucklehead said the Republicans and the NRA were at fault in the Las Vegas shooting. Then if this racial issue isn’t stopped sooner or later something will give. Do you think the Chiefs and Raiders’ lines are really not protecting the quarterback as they should? Hmmmm, another reason not to watch the NFL. Everything is racist, and it riles my gizzard that is wasn’t racist a year ago. Remember, Michelle reading Dr. Seuss to students, and now it is racist if Melania gives it to a library. There’s definitely something more goin’ on.
Yuh no what, though pard? Through all the junk, the Lord is still in charge. We fret way too much over things, and so much of it is way beyond our control. Ahh, but the good news is that it is always under His control. Wait, listen! Hear that? You can set yur timepiece by the geese here at Shauna’s. They fly over every mornin’ at the same time. That made me think of a question. What are geese called in flight? On the ground it is a gaggle, but just don’t fit to say, “a gaggle just few over.”
The plan is to go hiking today. Let’s finish this pot and then we can be about the day’s doin’s. Be sure and check your cinch, I’ll be a checkin’ mine and probably will tighten the belt before traipsin’ off in the woods.