I had been to see Mateo everyday since I had arrived back home. Since Charlie had been over in Telluride dealing with an incident I would stop to see Mateo on my daily and nightly rounds. He was just now getting up and trying crutches. Doc Jones told him that it would be a slow process healing and that he would never walk normal again.
Luciana was holding up well and the two boys were helping out at home as they should be. Ever since Mateo had become my deputy they had taken on more of the house chores, the chopping of wood and such, that Mateo normally would have done. I had a talk with Judge Klaser about the city council firing Mateo after he was shot. He said there wasn’t much that could be done, but he gave a wry smile.
The morning after I got back I stormed in to see Foster. I jumped all over him and would have chewed on him good if Darnelle hadn’t been in the shop. There were other customers and I wanted them to hear what I was saying. It seemed that Foster just stuck his fingers in his ears and wouldn’t listen. I told him I had a mind to resign leaving the town unprotected and wondered how Elizabeth would take it when the bums and thugs began to have their own way with the town.
As I was leaving I heard Darnelle take over where I left off. She did the chewing. I heard her exclaim, “Uncle, how could you do such a thing to Mr. Ramirez? Especially after he was shot trying to put an end to a gunfight!” From there I took my rampage over to John Newsome.
I wasn’t able to attend the Sunday service, but Molly told me that the new preacher, Rev. Chapman, preached on the Good Samaritan and how it was the responsibility of the people to help others when they are down and out, not to throw them in the dump. She said that his eyes were on Foster and Newsome. This past Monday I found out that a lawyer came to see Foster and said that he was going to enjoy the opportunity to bring the lawsuit against him on behalf of Mateo. From what Darnelle told me later, Wilson’s eyes got wide and his cheeks bulged with anger but also fright. Especially when he reminded Foster that there was an election coming up in a month.
Doc was sitting with me in the diner having our usual morning coffee. From what Marta understood, Charlie was to be back on Saturday. That would free me up some to go looking for Upton Shaw. I had a score to settle with him.
“Let me go over this one more time,” I said referring to the gunfight. “Keim and another cowpoke from the ranch were comin’ out of Solly’s store when Shaw fired from over in the park.”
“I didn’t see it, but I heard the shots and ran out of my office,” stated Doc. “I saw Keim holding his side and the cowhand by the name of MacLean holding his arm. My attention went to Shaw who fired another shot hitting Keim, knocking him down. That’s when Mateo came running from around the corner hollering for Shaw to drop his gun.”
“Was that when Mateo was shot?”
“You got it. Upon hearing Mateo, he turned to fire at him, hitting him in the leg. Mateo fell, but was able to get off a shot hitting Shaw who then limped off into the park,” Doc informed me.
“No one went after Shaw?” I asked, finally taking a sip of my coffee.
Doc shook his head, “Mateo was down, Charlie was out of town, and you were on a train somewhere.”
“You know Shaw was hit?” I questioned.
“There was no doubt about it, but I don’t know how bad. Since he was limping my guess it was in the leg or thigh.”
I had heard this from Doc before, some from Molly and Marta as they stepped out from the diner after the first shots were fired. When they saw Mateo fall they rushed to his aid. The story was pretty much the same from Mateo, although he didn’t see the first shots fired. Solly confirmed most of what Doc said as did others I’d talked with.
“Where do you think Shaw went?” I asked Doc who had just requested a piece of pie.
“When I catch up with him, he’ll have plenty of charges against him, and a long time in prison to contemplate his actions,” I responded.
“Remember, vengeance is the Lord’s,” uttered Doc, cutting a piece of pie with his fork. I looked at it–apricot.
“Don’t worry, I don’t want to kill him, and I won’t unless absolutely necessary. He is used to doing things his own way, going his own way, having freedom to move around. My thinkin’ is that prison would be the greater punishment,” I replied. Then I hollered, “Molly, I’ll take a piece of that pie.”
Month: October 2020
Echoes From the Campfire
Thinking was something I worked at like a prospector washing out gold. I’d take me a brain full of the coarse gravel of ideas and sift it down until the gold remained. Only sometimes I worked a long time and came up with no color showing at all.”
–Louis L’Amour (The First Fast Draw)
“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”
–John 9:4 (NKJV)
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One of my Mom’s favorite sayings was, “Have to go to work, gotta make a dollar.” Mom loved to work. She liked to be around people so most of her jobs in her lifetime dealt with the public in one form or another. My Dad always said that the most important thing that his Dad taught him was to work hard.
Now I’m not saying that there aren’t people in this world that don’t know how to work, or don’t work hard. It used to be engrained in our national ethos–the Puritan Work Ethic. All work came from God, thus we should do that work to the best of our ability for Him (see Colossians 3:17,23). However, there is a large segment of society that have forgotten this truism. They bounce from place to place, or they depend upon handouts (and I’m not talking about the homeless). Somewhere along the line we have not taught our children the importance of work and of doing things with quality. So many things are now done haphazardly. There is a glut of mediocrity in the world.
There are laws of sowing and reaping in the natural world just as in the spiritual world. “There are certain laws that govern success in the kingdom of grace as well as in the kingdom of nature, and you must study these laws and adapt yourself to them.” (Catherine Booth) Things must be done right and in order. It would be foolish for a farmer to try to reap before planting. It is silly to sell a garment that wasn’t made according to pattern. The same is true in the kingdom of God. People take time to learn their professions, they spend hours working in training, but somehow in Christianity we think all will come instantaneously. Catherine Booth stated, “For in their work for God, they would not seem to think it worthwhile to take the trouble to think and ponder, to plan and try to pray and to wrestle with God for wisdom.” No wonder so many fall. No wonder when those that fail don’t bother to get up and try again.
God expects you to be developing–growing in grace. To those He has given special talents He expects them to be used for His glory and the kingdom, and He will hold you responsible. He holds you responsible, also in the manner in which you use your time. There should be something developing throughout the day, throughout your life. Does that mean you are not to rest? Absolutely not, but rest from what? Rest from your labor. Far too many people rest from their rest. They move about aimlessly and they will have to give an account.
Ask yourself what you are doing with your time, your money, your effort and energy, your family and relationships, your influence. When you make plans, no matter what type, do you take God in account in them? Is He included? Which son will you be like? The Father told two sons to go out to work. One said, “I will not, then changed his mind and went out to work. The other told his Father that he would work, but then did not fulfill his word. (see Matthew 21:28-29) In these last days of time, not only work hard for the Master, but begin to work if you are not already doing so. Also, make sure that you are doing the work properly and with the Lord in mind.
Coffee Percs
The beans were good, the coffee better, and he divided a chunk of sourdough betwixt us.”
–Louis L’Amour (Tucker)
It was a good trip, Pard. We had a little cabin up on Little Pine Creek in northern Pennsylvania. The wife was able to see plenty of relatives and we broke bread together. I don’t think it was sourdough, but the fixin’s were good, just the same. Plus on our little trip we sat by the fire and drank plenty of coffee. Yes, it was a good trip.
A person just never knows what next week might hold for them. Why there could be an unexpected obstacle along the trail or a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Not sayin’ there is, for I’ve been there a couple of times and there weren’t no gold, or else someone had already come along an’ swiped it.
Speakin’ of not knowin’ what may come along just think of the President and his wife. All should be prayin’ for them instead of playin’ the devil. My mercy, it’s a real shame when folks are laughin’ and hopin’ the President dies. That goes to show yuh the state of our country. Shame, real shame.
That son of that preacher Billy, Franklin, has said it right, “President Trump will stay President until God’s vision is complete.” Now what that is, I don’t rightly know, but His plan will come to pass. Pard, we need to be prayin’ for the man, his wife, and the country. The Lord is bringin’ His will to pass, yuh better put worldly things aside and be trustin’ in Him.
Yeah, I know, my coffee got cold, but I’ll get a refill. In fact, I’ve got some coffee from Canada on the trip, no bad, at least the way I fix it. Don’t yuh go traipsin’ around in a stew all week, be trustin’ in the Lord. Be alert, keep yur weapons handy, and be sure and check yur cinch before mountin’!
Vaya con Dios!