The morning rush was about over. Charlie Gold was sitting at the table with me along with Doc Jones. There tends to be more customers this time of year on into spring as mines lay off many of their workers and just keep a skeleton crew going. That’s one way the mines save money and cheat the working miner. Some of the wiser miners keep some money for the hard times, but many of them throw it away on the vices that are offered in Silverton and Durango, and even as far as Telluride.
“So,” said Doc after he scratched at his ear and took a sip of coffee, “do you think those three galoots were involved in the train robbery?”
I replied with a nod, “I think it’s highly possible. I plan to have a talk with John Lamb after we finish here. Sure wish they hadn’t come for James so quickly, but they wanted to get him to Denver.”
“I’m not,” uttered Charlie. “I’m glad he’s out of my hands. You know, he was always a little haughty with his manner, but somewhere along the way it’s turned to downright hatred.”
“Probably right after Doc had to cut his arm off,” I responded.
“One thing for sure,” offered Doc, “there’s no love lost when it come to you, Miles.”
“Where do you think Sam Fooy is hold up?” questioned Charlie.
Giving a shrug he said, “Fooy is no fool. He makes a big haul and then lies low, sometimes for a year or more. He likes spending his money more than the prospect of gettin’ caught and windin’ up in prison. Plus, this last time someone was killed and that’s not the way that Fooy normally operates.”
I got up to get some more coffee and after pouring my cup full I turned to the others. “Either of you want a refill?”
“Maybe if I had a piece of pie,” muttered Charlie. “I just can’t believe that Molly done run out of pie.”
“More out of work miners hangin’ ’round,” I replied.
“Yeah, and they’re keeping the jail full,” said Charlie in disgust. “Tempers are flaring, and when the real cold weather sets in they’ll be wanting to be arrested so they can feed on the county.”
I took a sip, then wiped off my moustache. “Ha, speakin’ of the county, how is Olson takin’ it that he was voted off the city council?”
That brought a grunt from Doc, then Charlie answered. “Like a sore tooth. Swore that those Mexicans shouldn’t be allowed to vote. If we hadn’t been at the polling booths his ruffians would have run them off.”
“Yeah, they weren’t about to argue with a Greener,” I said with a smile.
“And McCall has taken the job as marshal. He’ll start the first of the year,” added Charlie. “That’ll sure help me out. Some of these outlyin’ communities need some looking into. Only Silverton has a marshal, and they don’t seem to stay around long.”
“I was surprised that Giles Fremont took on the position,” I stated then pulled on my moustache a couple of times. “Not sure if it’s good that the three men on the council are all store-owners.”
Doc coughed to clear his throat. “Say, how did Lucas like his trip?”
I saw Charlie roll his eyes, “That’s all he talks about. How he discovered that Micah Teeter was a wanted man.”
“He did fine, except that he had to have a second strawberry ice cream soda,” I said shaking my head. “I think he might have become too fond of the stuff.”
That brought a laugh from both of them. “I might have to jerk his collar a bit. He hasn’t filled the wood box. Just because he went on a trip and saw some fine things doesn’t mean that he can shirk his regular chores.”
“If I see him, I make sure to let him know,” stated Charlie.
Molly came out of the kitchen to join us for a few minutes. She wouldn’t be staying long, just a minute or two to get off her feet. The noon rush would be coming soon.
Just before she sat down, the front door opened. “Well, will you look here?” she blurted.
In through the door hobbled John Lamb. With his condition Charlie and I agreed that he could be under house arrest. But now, he was out of the house.
I wanted to talk with him…now I wouldn’t have to go looking for him…
Author: Ira Paine
Echoes From the Campfire
There has been only one Christmas–the rest are anniversaries.”
–W.J. Cameron
“And coming in, he [the angel, Gabriel] said to her, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.”
–Luke 1:28-29 (NASB)
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I know, it’s not the Psalms. Monday is normally our day in the Psalms, but since it is Christmas season I thought I would forgo that study until the first of the year. Why? ‘Cause:
“Christmas times a-comin’…
Can’t you hear them bells ringin’, ringin’,
Joy, joy hear them singin’…
Christmas times a-comin’.”
—Bill Monroe
This is the season! This is the time when we celebrate the coming of the Child to earth. There is so much to the story and to begin to comprehend it is futile, but we must try.
I was pondering the other day–what was it like in heaven? I know that God doesn’t scurry around, but what of the angels? What do they think? Jesus, the Son, on the throne one day, and the next He is a baby in a manger. He goes from riches to rags. In fact, what was heaven like those nine months when Jesus was in the womb? Maybe they went about whispering to one another, “Why does the Holy One want to become a man? That’s crazy, they are lower even than us.” We can see they were excited from the verses in Luke when they appeared in the heavens; they wanted to see how justice and grace would be served out on man.
Wonder of wonders! The spiritual realm must have all been astir; both the heavenly realm and those of the darkness. Was the throne vacant? No, for the Father was there. Was Jesus a prodigal, leaving the Father? No, for He was sent out. The Father was very aware of where He was and what He was about. But something was different. The Son of God was now on earth, living, walking, working as a man. Fellowship with the Father now took the form of prayer.
From the start Satan was after the Son. Herod sought to kill Him, but Joseph was warned (aren’t we glad that Joseph had a heart and mind to listen to God?) and left Bethlehem for Egypt. For sure, the mysteries of God are not comprehensible.
God, all parts of the Trinity, were involved in this miraculous, sacred event. Here is finally the opportunity for man to be reconciled back to God. Man will be able to once again walk with God. Not exactly the way Adam did in the Garden so long ago before the Fall, but here is the Son of God bringing about something new–the showing of God’s grace.
He came into this darkened world of sin; this world controlled by the evil one. He was to bring the Light of God to men. John 1:1-5, may be the key verse of all Scripture. But for now just concentrate and contemplate on verses 4-5.
“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (NASB)
Man still does not comprehend it. Christmas lights ablaze should help us take to heart that Jesus, the Light of the world, came to save humanity. But the darkness does not comprehend it. Jesus came to destroy the bondage brought about by sin. But the darkness still does not comprehend it. Oh, that the Holy Spirit would open the eyes of men so that they could see the Light that came from heaven.
This Christmas open your eyes to the “Light” as He comes to you. He does not shine it in your eyes, but in your hearts. Open your heart and let His light shine on you during this Christmas season of 2019!
Coffee Percs
I’m going to drink a gallon of the Kona coffee they serve here, black of course. No sense diluting the stuff.”
–Jim Walker
Mornin’, Pard. Let’s take a moment of solemn silence after I pour yur coffee. It is certainly a day of infamy, sure hopin’ those youngsters out there don’t forget it. Pearl Harbor happened almost a decade before my time, but the lives of all Americans since have been changed because of it. Sure wish I had some of that good Kona coffee to give you, but alas…
I’m reminded on this day of the fact that God is indeed sovereign. It is not bein’ fatalistic, but the Lord knows the time when He will call us. Come on, if He knows how many hairs we got on our head…or how many some folk have lost. Pard, my Uncle Harold Jones was stationed aboard the Arizona. Just so happened that he was on furlough on his way back to Hawaii when the attack came. God is in charge.
Go ahead and drink it down, there’s plenty more in the pot. Yuh know, I think that at times we dilute our life simply because we don’t take servin’ the Lord seriously. In this day, we need to definitely be about the Lord’s business.
Don’t be too relaxed or complacent. The ol’ devil might have a surprise attack in mind for yuh. Be ready always. Keep yur gun oiled an’ at hand along with a well-used Bible. Always be checkin’ yur tools, includin’ yur cinch. Yuh don’t want it to slip if an attack comes yur way.
Echoes From the Campfire
Now, Lord, I’m not too sure why You create men like him. Maybe they are meant just to test the rest of us.”
–Stephen Bly (Friends and Enemies)
“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.”
–Proverbs 8:13 (NKJV)
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Probably the most despicable thing a person can do is to hate someone else. Hate is a by-product of bitterness and rebellion against God’s Word. Hate causes people to do rash things, to become vengeful. Hate is reflected on the individual from the ugliness in the heart.
I am currently seeing more hatred than ever before in my lifetime. People call for love, reconciliation, and peace, yet they promote hatred. A case in point is the current political situation in our government. Most all work has ceased simply because of hatred. Not likely a person, their agenda is one thing, out-and-out hatred is another. When someone comes along to rattle the agenda of the elite, hatred is often the reaction.
There are other outcries on the land, many legitimate and many do not have much sense. There are troubles along the border, there are homeless in the cities, there are those in power circles promoting the breaking of national laws. What is going on? Why the chaos? “Chaos, chaos…out of the chaos shall come the superman.” (Nietzsche) Or as Paul would say, the man of lawlessness will soon appear.
It reminds me of the words of one of Christmas carols:
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men”
–Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Hate does indeed mock the word of the angel that Christmas morn of long ago. Peace on earth, bah–humbug. There is no peace, there is only turmoil, strife, hatred, mockery. The person who says there is peace must be a lunatic. Hmmm, or is it the other way around? Peace rests upon those who seek and serve the Lord. The One who came so many years ago to bring peace; the One who wears the title “Prince of Peace”, is near to those who serve Him rather than those who mock Him.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep,
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men”
This season when you hear a bell ring, do not think that an angel is receiving its wings. Nice story, completely false. Rather, think of this truth–“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep.” God’s truth will come to pass.
“Mock me, will you?—I’ll mock you!”
–Proverbs 1:26 (TLB)
So listen to the bells! They cry outloud that God is alive, well, and active in this world. He does sleep or slumber, in fact He doesn’t even get sleepy. Peace on earth may sound hollow to some, but the His children is rests deep in the heart, therefore, don’t let the world trouble you.