Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on October 6, 2018

With the handle wrapped in his handkerchief, he took up the coffeepot. He stepped around the fire and poured, savoring scent and steam.”
–Ralph Peters (Valley of the Shadow)

Morning, Pard. Yep, graylight’s beginnin’ to show. I slept in some as the wife and I arrived home yesterday evenin’. Sure was nice that the baby daughter and her kids were at the house and had the soup on. That’s somethin’ their mother taught them, she learnt it from Granny: have the soup on when travelers come in from their wanderin’s. Not only was it hot, but it was more than soup–chicken ‘n’ dumplin’s, the coffee was on, and she even made some cookies. Made me feel right at home; hmmm, I was at home.
    Coffee’s pretty good this mornin’; take a deep sip. Ahhhh…wife made the coffee, not bad. That should get yuh goin’ for the day. We saw a bunch of country on the way home. The good Lord kept his hands on us. We traveled mostly secondary and back roads. Very little traffic–that was nice, in fact, along the Natchez Trace almost no traffic. Drive is a little slower, but that’s all right. Get tired of people rushin’ here and there.
    Don’t want to get my gizzard riled, but the vote on the Judge is today. Folks have to understand that this vote ain’t about what he might have done. It’s a vote on the light versus darkness. I just can’t understand why they have made this a feminist thing; can’t understand why a mother would want to put their unborn infant to death. Well, pard, we’ll see.
    Good to be back. I’m a little achy. We hiked down to see Jackson Falls along the Trace and I pulled a muscle in my upper right calf. Been hobblin’ on it a couple of days now. The ol’ fence post gets a few extra aches this days.
    Pard, lots of nonsense is startin’ so yuh better right alert an’ ready. For goodness sake, be sure an’ check yur cinch.

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on October 2, 2018

I flipped Tommy a quarter when he gave me the message. It was from Ooverholm. “Douster is in the office.”
    Quickening my pace I went into the bank and straight to Billington’s office. As I went through the door I saw Douster trying to move Billington’s desk. He looked at me, then sneered at Ooverholm who was standing behind me in the doorway.
    “Mind tellin’ me what you’re doin’ in here?” I asked.
    “Don’t have to tell you nothing!” he shouted. “You have no call to tell me what to do in this bank.”
    “I can tell you that you’re under arrest for disturbing a possible crime scene and interferin’ with an ongoin’ investigation. Let’s go!”
    He shoved me away. I reached out and tapped him with the barrel of the Greener. Not hard, just enough to get his attention.
    “You have no call…” he started to say until I lifted the shotgun again. He got quiet and I grabbed him by the shoulder of his tailored coat and began to drag him out of the office.
    “Secure this room again,” I said to Ooverholm. “I’ll be back as soon as I lock him up.”
    “You can’t take me to jail! I demand my lawyer!” he began to whimper. “What will people say when you see me being drug down the street?”
    “No what? I really don’t care,” and pulled him outside in front of a couple who were entering.
    “Why, Mr. Douster,” said the woman who was part of the couple. “What in earth is going on?”
    “Mornin’ ma’am,” I said. “He has a visit with the local jail.”
    Her hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide as I continued to half drag him along.
    Charlie Gold was coming up to meet me. “Charlie, can you lock him up? I need to get back to the bank.”
    Charlie grabbed him as I turned to hurry back. I trusted Ooverholm, but who knows if he went in to just check and happened to come upon something.
    I saw the woman glance at me as I returned so this time I tipped my hat. She might think I was half genteel then. I waved at Ooverholm and went into the office.
    Was there something with the desk? I wondered. It sat upon a rug that covered enough of the desk and to the back wall. That would make it so the chair could roll over the rug and not on the wooden floor. I flipped the rug back to the desk. There was nothing unusual. I started to put it back down and noticed that there was a horizontal cut over the vertical pieces of flooring. I didn’t want Ooverholm to know anything so I put the rug back.
    By that time Charlie had come into the office. “What happened?” he asked.
    “I found Douster in the office. He was doin’ somethin’ ’round this desk.” I completely trusted Charlie, but I had an idea. “Charlie, can you get me in the bank after closin’?”
    “Sure, I’ll come back and tell Ooverholm that I have to secure the building since Douster had interfered with the investigation. Show up here around 6:00.”
    “Mister Ooverholm,” said Charlie. “Lock up that office door and give me the key. That room is to remain locked until the investigators from Denver get here.”
    I walked on out letting Charlie handle it from there. I would meet him later in the evening. There was something gnawing at my guts so I figured I’d act on it.
    I went about my daily business, talked with Foster and he said they were having a meeting this week over the vacant position.
    After supper at the diner, I told Molly that I was spending the night at the bank and would be doing so until the agents showed up. She didn’t like it, but after telling her what Douster was doing she understood.
    Charlie was there to let me in and he opened up the office. I took the cushion off the chair and went and put it in the corner that was behind the door. When the door opened, whoever came through would not be able to see me.
    “You’ll be okay?” questioned Charlie.
    “Sure. Just a feelin’ I have. May be nothin’ but I decided to stay here until the Secret Service arrive. They are supposed to show up tomorrow. Lock the door on your way out.”
    After darkness fell, I decided that it would be allright to sleep. I knew I would sleep light anyway. If they tried the window I would hear it, and I put the chair under the window. If they somehow got in the bank and tried to open the door I would here so I figured that it was allright that I slept.
    It was after midnight, by my reckoning that I heard steps in the bank. Shortly I then heard someone working to lift the window. I cocked the Greener…

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on October 1, 2018

In this brief life, all a man possessed of value was his character. That and the love of those who adorned his life.”
–Ralph Peters (Valley of the Shadow)

    “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”
              –Romans 5:3-4 (NLT)
———————-
I started out from Texas, about a month ago…now it’s time to be hitting the road again and return to my home, sweet home. Don’t have much to be giving you today as I’ve got to get out and get the steel mount ready to go. It’s been a grand time up here in Maryland with family, but now it’s time to get back to our little shack there in the Piney Woods. You know one of the problems up here in Maryland is that I can’t see Texas from here.
    My mercy, October! Where has this year gone? Sure was plenty to be doing the first three quarters, only one left. If you haven’t taken care of those resolutions you better get started. Get it done! If they were valid, and you haven’t started, well, get busy with them today.
    Life is short, so take some time to enjoy it. Value the things that are important. A few years ago, I took a phone away from a student; he was one of those punkist types, you know the type where the spirit of slap just wants to overcome you. He said I couldn’t do it and that he had to have it back. He said he couldn’t live without it. My, what a life he had. You better spend some time with the things that are important. Take care to cultivate and maintain a good character, and then enjoy your family. I know that you have to make a dollar, but get those priorities in line.
    I’ll leave you with just a few thoughts to ponder for I’ll be on the trail the next few days. Oh, Miles might show up tomorrow before we head out. I don’t think I’ll need him for a guide; I’m pretty good at following the trail myself. Don’t plan on using any of those fast highways; going to stick to the less traveled way, plus I’ve got a good gal by my side, so if we get lost, who cares?
    Here are just a couple of thoughts to ponder. A couple reminders for this wearisome age.

“Look to the hills. They are quiet. The storms sweep over them, and are gone, and most of man’s troubles pass the same way. Whenever you feel that things are getting too much for you, go to the mountains or the desert–it smoothes out the wrinkles in your minds.”
–Louis L’Amour

“But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.”
–Revelation 2:4-5 (HCSB)

See you back in Texas, and don’t worry, I’ll check my cinch.