I was going down to Foster’s store to see if he had any canned tomatoes. Molly had ordered several cans, but wanted a few more. She was busy making several pies for tomorrow’s Christmas feed. We’d put the kettles on in the morning to get the stew going. For the past few years we always invited folks in the town over for a Christmas time of getting together. We’d make up a couple large kettles of stew and have pie. It was a nice time, and in the winter there were plenty of out-of-work miners needing something to eat.
The stew this year was primarily elk with some venison thrown in. There were plenty of potatoes and onion along with some carrots. What I was to pick up was some more cans of tomatoes. I just had to shake my head a little. Hard to imagine them being able to can things such as tomatoes, peaches, and the like.
Stan Offut was standing outside the telegraph office puffing on a cigar. He didn’t allow folk to smoke in the office so he didn’t either. It was too small an office to have smoke gather.
“Hey, Miles! Telegram in here for you!” he hollered then went inside.
For some reason I got a shiver. It made me look around to see if the weather was going to change. There were some clouds building back toward the north, but it looked as if we were going to miss the chance for a white Christmas.
Stan met me at the door of the office with the telegram. I unfolded it while standing there. “Lamb escaped–STOP–guard wounded, serious–STOP–be ready. J. Blascoe”
Stan must have seen my face go grim with the news for he asked, “Something wrong?”
I slapped him on the shoulder. “Nothing that can’t be handled. Thanks.” I started to walk away but turned back. “You and the wife comin’ tomorrow or does she have something prepared?”
“Did Molly make a mince-meat pie?” he inquired.
Giving him a nod, he replied, “Then we’ll be there. Bea will like to get out.”
Folding the telegram I placed it in my jacket pocket. There was something that Marshal Blasco wasn’t saying. “How in the world did a one-armed man escape armed guards on his way to prison?” I thought, mulling the thought over in my mind while walking on up the street. For sure, Lamb would head this way; for no other reason but that his brother was still here. Another was to even the score with me.
I decided to stop by the sheriff’s office to see if Charlie was in. He needed to know about Lamb. As I walked in the door I shouted at him, “Don’t you ever do any work?” He had his feet propped up on the desk and was leaning back. My shout almost made him lose his balance.
“I should shoot you for that,” he muttered. “Take a couple years off a fellow’s life.”
“Lamb escaped.”
“No way! How in the world?”
“That’s what I was thinkin’. One of the guards was shot. Blasco said he was in serious condition,” I paused to pull on my moustache. “I’m thinkin’ he had help.”
“Teeter and his thugs,” stated Charlie. “Give me their names and descriptions so I can get it in my head. When are you thinking they may get here?”
I went to the stove to check the coffeepot. It was still hot, so I grabbed a cup from the shelf and poured a cup. After taking a sip I replied. “They could show up as soon as tomorrow, but I reckon after Christmas, or maybe even after the New Year.”
Charlie gave a little grunt. “Tomorrow would catch you unawares. Relaxed, having fun with friends…be a good time to get you.”
“I’ll be ready.”
“What time is the feed tomorrow?” he asked.
I gave a little chuckle. “Doesn’t Marta tell you anything? We’ll go to church and then head back to the diner. Elena will keep an eye on things while we’re in church.”
“Marta has been trying to get her to come with us, but right now she is too Catholic. However,” he smiled, “she likes it when the Preacher Clayton comes to visit her. He reads to her, holds her hand, then prays for her. She just sits there, taking it all in with a smile.”
“He’s sure a good man,” I responded. “Helps those whom he can, even up in Mex town.”
I finished my coffee, wiped out the inside with a towel I saw handing near the shelf then placed it back where I got it. Charlie stood as I started out.
“Merry Christmas, Miles. Tomorrow’s gonna be a fine day,” he paused, “and maybe quite interesting.”
Author: Ira Paine
Echoes From the Campfire
I’ll be home for Christmas,
If only in my dreams.”
–Kim Gannon and Walter Kent
“I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.”
–Ezekiel 22:30 (NASB)
———————-
I thought about not writing an Echo this week, but I would be remiss if I forgot those men and women who serve faithfully. Those who are deployed and away from their families at Christmas. I was fortunate that in the six years I served in the Air Force that I was stateside, never away from family. I knew of those in Vietnam, Korea, Turkey, and other places in the world that would be missing something special. Something that we often take for granted until it is gone–being with family at Christmas.
My Dad was away from home for two Christmases during World War II. I know he spent the Christmas of 1945 in Japan during the Occupation. The year 1944 saw him in the Philippines.
They look at the same sky–those who are deployed. Pappy, Annie’s Dad, was in Europe for Christmas 1944. What were their thoughts and feelings?
Think about it, there are those who are standing in the gap. Those who have sacrificed time with family during the Christmas season to protect our freedom to celebrate Christmas. There are many who would take it away, and we are beginning to see a host of them at home trying to do the same.
But if you know someone who is deployed or will not be able to be home for Christmas go outside and look up. Those who are deployed will look at the same sky. Oh, if they are south of the equator there will be some differences, but it will still be similar. Come to think of it, when the Baby came from heaven and the angels appeared in the sky it was very similar to what it is today. Now we have a few more objects made my man floating around in space, but overall the stars are the same, the moon hasn’t changed much. The planets are moving in the same orbit. Isn’t God a wonder?
Most likely this is the last Echo for the week. Miles may show up tomorrow. Next week, I’m not sure; I’ll just take it one day at a time. Here’s to you and your family–have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! Be thankful for those who stand in the gap for you: our military, law enforcement officers and other first responders.
Coffee Percs
I smell the hot coffee;
It floats on the wind.”
–Red Steagall
Mornin’ to yuh, Pard. Git yurself in this kitchen, but mind yur spurs; yuh don’t want to be tearin’ up the missus’ floor. I kept the coffee ready for yuh.
Shore has been a crazy, idiotic week. I never have much good to say ’bout bureaucrats, and this week shore does show why! My mercy…and let’s leave it at that.
Drink down that coffee; be careful yuh don’t want to burn all the hair off yur tongue especially with all the Christmas goodies layin’ around. I was a-listenin’ the other day to one of the good guys, Curly Musgrave (he’s gone on to be with the Lord) sing his song, “Can’t get enough of them Christmas cookies…”
Makes me wish we had a dozen or so and allow our coffee to wash them down. It’d make the gizzard smile for shore. I’ve been doin’ some ponderin’ about the times–the times in which we live. Why, I read the other day, and I reckon it’s true since it was on the internet. The headline read: “Iowa man sentenced to 16 years”. It seems he confiscated a gay-pride flag and burned it. It was regarded as a hate crime. My mercy, a person burns Old Glory and they are honored for showin’ free speech. Shouldn’t that be considered a hate crime?
Yep, the world sure is turned upside-down. It’s time we begin prayin’ more and lookin’ up. On our lips should be the last prayer mentioned in the Bible. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
You be havin’ a good week, be on the watch for the next thing yuh know those bureaucrats will be tryin’ to convince yuh that yuh needn’t tighten yur cinch.
Echoes From the Campfire
Therefore, as we grow older, let us be more thankful that the circle of our Christmas association and of the lessons that they bring, expands! Let us welcome every one of them, and summon them to take their places by the Christmas hearth.”
–Charles Dickens (“What Christmas Is”)
“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.
–Luke 2:1, 4-5 (NASB)
——————–
It is reported that Martin Luther was the first to bring the “Christmas Tree” into his house during the festive Christmas season. Some cry “pagan” and want to denounce the tree. But what is it actually? A piece of wood, needles that fall to the floor when they dry out, something to hold ornaments, or is it more?
Jesus spoke often of trees. He cursed the fig tree, He spoke of the birds building nests in the tree, He mentioned that good fruit comes from a good tree, He even spoke of the branches of the tree. However, there was one more aspect regarding the tree; the person who was hung on one and died was cursed.
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’–.”
–Galatians 3:13(NASB)
Jesus was cursed because He became sin, He took the sins of the world upon Himself so that we might know salvation.
Maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to disregard the tree or to think of it only as something to take up space in the living room at Christmas. Maybe we should take another glance at it, see the presents under it, feel the warmth it gives the room, wonder in the light it gives off when decorated. Maybe we should see it in the way Charles Dickens did,
“Now, the tree is decorated with bright merriment, and song, and dance and cheerfulness. And they are welcome. Innocent and welcome be they ever held, beneath the branches of the Christmas Tree, which cast no gloomy shadow! But, as it sinks into the ground, I hear a whisper going through the leaves. ‘This, in commemoration of the law of love and kindness, mercy and compassion. This, in remembrance of Me!'”
Look at that tree one more time, be still, get quiet and think. Think of the Child who was born to eventually die upon a tree for our redemption. Wonder of wonders!