Doc said I must have thumped the prisoner mighty hard, or just happened to hit the right place for he was out for two days. Doc checked him out and said that his skull wasn’t cracked so with the help of a couple of men we struggled through the snow to put him in the jail. Mateo was working primarily from the office so he said he would care for him until he came to and Charlie was able to question him.
I was ordered, by Molly, and it was cordially accepted by Mateo that I was to bring him his meals while he was in the office and the snow was heavy on the ground. Mateo was still using a crutch to get around, though in the office he might hobble from the stove for coffee or to throw some wood in to keep the place warm.
Charlie’s arm was healing since Doc did that little surgery on it. Doc told Charlie he was fortunate that he came in when he did. Another day or so and he most likely would have had to cut the arm off. But once he had it cleaned good, cut out all the infection, and actually pulled out a small piece of cloth, it began to heal.
When the fellow came to, he told us that his name was Sam Smith. Now, ain’t that a good one. Sure are a lot of Smiths running around in the West. I happened to be in the office with Mateo and Charlie when the prisoner, Mr. Sam Smith woke up from the little nap I had induced.
“Did you shoot Sheriff Gold for no reason?” I asked sternly.
Smith put his hand to the top of his head where I thumped him, the slowly replied. “Who said I shot him?”
“When you saw Sheriff Gold in town you were surprised, and went to Doc’s office to finish the job,” I snapped at him.
He slowly lifted his head to look at me. Then he turned his head slightly to see Mateo and Charlie’s face he gave a little smile before answering. “I’m sorry the Sheriff’s arm took a bullet, but it wasn’t me. No witnesses to say it was.”
I was starting to get a little agitated. “I do have two witnesses that will testify that you went into Doc’s office to shoot Sheriff Gold!” I paused a moment to pull and twist at my moustache and to let what I said sink into his thick skull. It must be thick if that Greener I thumped him with didn’t crack it. “Listen, Smith, that will get you at least twenty years at Canon City. Since the Sheriff had been shot, I figured that the Judge will not be one bit lenient.”
Smith was working his tongue around inside his mouth, I reckon that meant he was thinking. Maybe I rattled his skull enough for him to get some sense.
“There’s a bounty out on Gold’s head,” he stammered.
“Bounty!” Charlie exclaimed. “Who?”
Smith took a deep sigh. Now he was the one who was agitated. I could see that he was nervous so I piped up. “You’re as safe here as anywhere. Marshal Ramirez is staying in the jail.”
“Chalk Willard, owner of the Gilded Cage and a couple of other places, put it out. He thinks the Sheriff is harassing him.”
“How much?” I questioned.
Smith felt his head again. “I need to lie down, my head’s hurting.”
“How much?” I questioned again, with more force in my voice.
“Two hundred dollars,” he said as he lay back and moaned.
We all looked at each other as we left the cell area. Charlie and Mateo each went to a desk; I put on a coat ready to walk out. “I need some fresh air.”
The snow had stopped falling but it was still piled up, almost two feet. The temperature hadn’t reached twenty degrees so it was not melting, however, the store owners had their walks cleared and there was enough traffic on the main streets to pack it down.
As I stepped off the boardwalk into the snowy street I looked to see Rev. Chapman coming my direction. “Howdy, Parson. Walk with me and I’ll buy you a cup of coffee.”
He was all bundled up, a muffler wrapped around his face so I couldn’t see if he smiled or not, but he nodded and we headed on down toward the diner. We entered and headed straight for the table where I normally sit. Doc and Edith, his wife, were sitting there along with Molly and Marta. My chair was vacant so I naturally went to it.
“I told the preacher here, that I’d buy him a cup of coffee.” When I said that there was laughter from the four of them.
“Miles, when was the last time you bought a cup of coffee in this place?” inquired Doc.
I took off my heavy sheep-skin coat and fumbled in my pocket finding a quarter and slapping it on the table. “Right now, and I’ll pay for the rest of you as well.”
“Miles,” spoke up Edith, “that still leaves you a nickel short.” That brought the laughter again.
Friends, it’s always nice to sit around a table with friends. Too often we forget to thank the Lord for the good friends that we have. I got cups for the preacher and myself, filled them, then refilled the others.
There came a sound from Molly of clearing her throat, then she asked, “Miles, have you told Rev. Chapman about giving Mateo’s pie to Solly Vendor?” That brought another round of laughter.
“Solly Vendor?” Rev. Chapman, questioned. “The owner of the tobacco store?”
“Don’t worry there none, Preacher. Miles gave up the chaw several years back,” laughed Doc Jones which again brought the guffaws from the rest of the table.
I glared at them, “My, such good friends…”
Then stared at the door when John Newsome walked in. Now what in the world could he want? I was soon to find out…
Month: January 2021
Echoes From the Campfire
For the fire and passion in him were pure and clean as the winds that sweep the hills.”
–William MacLeod Raine (Ridgeway of Montana)
“He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.
–Proverbs 11:27 (NKJV)
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“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.'”
–Isaiah 44:6 (NKJV)
I wrote last week about the Lord telling us not to be afraid. I used John 14:1, the first part but the second part says, “Believe in God, believe also in Me.” That is part of our problem, do we really believe in God? Perhaps a good study for the New Year would be a study in “Who God Is”.
We need to, first of all, believe in God. Instead of looking at Him and focusing on Him we look for immediate solutions to our problems, we want our comfort and care rather than becoming closer to Him. A good example, a person who is ill usually wants first of all for the pain to be taken care of; remove the symptoms of the disease first. “Anything which merely gives us relief from the unpleasant symptoms…is not enough…what we should always be interested in, in every realm, is health.” (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
This is true in the spiritual as well as in the physical. In regard to sin, man wants to be rid of the remorse, the shame, and the guilt. People would rather take a pill, “take one aspirin and call me in the morning” type of attitude than to deal with the real problem. This is true of spiritual illness as well. People will go to church, sing with gusto, maybe even go to the front and jump around a little, leave saying that they feel good, but it’s just a “spiritual aspirin.”
A friend of mine has been writing on the Sermon on the Mount. One verse has really spoken to me.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”
–Matthew 5:6 (NASB)
Many people want happiness, joy, peace, and other things that are included in “blessings.” However, they are missing the point — “hunger and thirst after righteousness.” If these other things are your aim, then they will be fleeting or false or you may never find them. Righteous should be our main aim. “If you put righteousness as your main aim and if you become so concerned about righteousness and true living that you can be said to be hungering and thirsting after it…you will be filled with happiness; it is something that follows.” (Lloyd-Jones) As my friend indicated, that is a prayer he has for his family; I have since made it a prayer–daily–for mine as well, that they “hunger and thirst after righteousness.”
Now, go back to study God. Look at what the Bible says about God. Don’t give your opinion, especially if it contradicts the Word of God. You want to have answers to your problems, your situations, your troubles, cares, and anxieties. Begin to believe in God. Recognize Who He is! This is where it starts. If you want a calm, quiet heart, it begins with believing in God. Thirst for Him; thirst for righteousness.
Coffee Percs
I settled down with a small fire, the air now turning brisk, and sipped at my coffee looking up at the stars.”
–D. C. Adkisson (The Shepherd)
Ha,ha,ha, don’t mind me Pard, I’m just singin’. “Awomen, see the little baby, awomen; lyin’ in a manger, on Christmas mornin’, awomen, awomen, awomen.” Ha,ha,ha; if it wasn’t so sad, it would be hilarious.
Come on in, Pard, the coffee’s waitin’ for us. My, my, what a week it’s been. It’s already started and Biden hasn’t even been sworn in yet. I wonder if at a restaurant if we’ll have our choice of womenu or menu? Yuh know, I make fun of it, and it is rather silly, but on another note it is downright serious. Making jest of God’s creation, man and woman.
Then the riotin’ in D.C. Another mess, and there’s something not quite right with what’s bein’ reported. Oh, well, what can one expect from a country that no longer believes in or practices the Truth? And now there’s another impeachment looming. My goodness with only twelve days left, the House is going to waste time on impeachment rather than get down to business. Well, that’s a paid bureaucrat for yuh. Puttin’ yur money to good use. What I see is hatred in action.
I don’t know about you, Pard, but this ol’ boy is goin’ settle back, enjoy the woods and wildlife that come a-visitin’, and enjoy my coffee. Ahhhh, not goin’ to let the media trouble my ol’ gizzard–I’ve been keepin’ it calm and soothed, and plan on keepin’ it that way.
Along with good coffee, keepin’ things simple, the Lord’s been fillin’ my heart with songs. Join me, “I’m gonna cling to His precious hand, and I know my Lord’s gonna lead me out of the pilgrim land.” Yeehaw! Just have to put a hearty end to it. I would have said “Amen,” but don’t want to be gettin’ myself into trouble.
Yuh be watchful now as yuh travel the roads out there. Don’t be a-frettin’, just be rememberin’ that the Lord has everythin’ under control. Why even if yur cinch slips, He’s there with yuh.
Vaya con Dios.
Echoes From the Campfire
What if’ is a fool’s game that nobody wins. We’ve got to deal with things the way they are.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Buckskin Line)
“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”
–Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)
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I wanted to do that, I wish I had this, if only I had this job, that would be a better career for me…and on goes the discontent. People are upset that they no longer can or are able to do things they wanted to do. Perhaps it is because I am on the elderly side now that I see with a new/different perspective.
“Better is the sight of the eyes [the enjoyment of what is available to one] than the cravings of wandering desire. This is also vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility) and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it!”
–Ecclesiastes 6:9 (Amplified)
Listen! Nothing on this earth will ever satisfy the cravings of your soul. This is one of the deceptions that the devil will throw in front of you. He will make you crave for something faster, prettier, better. More, more, I want something better becomes the cry of the soul.
The enemy of your soul wants for you to indulge in your cravings. Then he’ll make it so you want more, then more. Frustration will come, depression will grab hold of you, for you cannot ever satisfy your cravings. You hunger after the things of the world; your eyes lust after the lure in front of them. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden, one fruit looked better, therefore it must taste better. They were not satisfied with everything else, they wanted something more.
Paul instructs us to be content with what we have. “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” (Philippians 4:11, NKJV). If you are given an added blessing, be thankful and content, don’t be wishing you had more, or that you deserved the additional blessing. Learn to be content. For example, people are constantly complaining about the weather and there is nothing they can do about it. Learn to be content in all situations and circumstances… hmmm, it could be worse.
When God gave Moses the law, one of them was, “Do not covet” (Exodus 20:17). I would venture to say that all of the previous nine laws could be listed under coveting. Why steal, why lie, why commit adultery, why make idols? Because you are not satisfied, you want more. Be content–only contentment can conquer the constant craving for more. Enjoy what you have for wanting more is emptiness and futility.
2021 is here, learn to be content with the Lord. If you have plenty, be content. If you have less, be content. Be at peace with what God has given you. Do not murmur or complain but give thanks for what you have. As Solomon wrote, craving more is useless, it will not satisfy.