Jury Duty

I been sort of out of pockett a few days. That kid Andy done broke his leg when his horse threw him and I been havin to do his job an mine too. On top of that I got sent for to be on Judge Parker's jury to hang a horse thief they caught down close to Mansfield. Turned out Judge Parker was gone so they had Judge Cox -we called him Jamie when we was kids- set in for him but the outcome was perty much the same. Recon that Floyd Folsom has stole his last horse. I saw Paw a while Sunday. He don't talk so much about Logan wearin the blue no more. I thank he final figgered out we all just called it the way we seen it an did what we thought was right. It was a hard time for us all and is best forgot. The day I took off the grey they wont no more blue an grey just four brothers that come back alive an not shot up too bad. I thank when it was all said an done Paw was more prouder of Logan than the rest of us.

Sally Jo

I was late leavin Paw's place and Walter was sure glad to see me. You'd of thought I had been gone a month. I thank he smelled them frog legs in my saddle bag about a mile away cause he was there to meet me when I turned onto the lane. I recon I should have taken him with me to see Paw but he was all rung out from ridin fence with me the day before I left. I stopped by to look in on Sally Jo on the way back. She is a sister to Eve that married up with Tell so we are almost kin. I was thankin I might get another good meal but she had pulled a calf that evenin and was too tard for cookin. Her place is way bigger than mine and she works it by herself. We sat out on the porch, her in the porch swang and me in her dad's old rockin chair and looked out at a billion stars on a moonless nite. She had fixed me some crackers and mustard and a big glass of ice tea and I was a happy man. I gota go rub down ole Badger now. He will get a double ration of oats tonite.........

Frog legs and Homebrew

Wul I was worried some about Paw so yesterday I saddled up Badger and rode down to his place. When I rode up to his cabin I heard voices from inside. Come to find out Paw and Joe Bob Austin had been down on Bull Creek frog gigin and had come back with a toe sack full. Paw had cooked a mess of frog legs in fish batter and fried some taters and sliced up a big purple onion and had a big pan of cornbread on the table. They had sent for Frankie Dean and R G Oliver to come help eat them and Frankie Dean had brought some of his latest batch of home brew but I noticed everbody but him was drankin ice tea. I ate my fill and then some as did everbody else and they was still a lot left. R G said maybe I ought to take some frog legs to Walter on account of he memberd how much Walter liked em. Frankie Dean come too about then and slured that maybe Walter would like to have some of his latest batch of home brew to wash em down with. I tole Frankie Dean that Walter favored ice tea.....

Luther's Visit

Cousin Luther came by my cabin today.. said he'd been by to see Paw a week ago Sunday. I told Luther I never thought I'd see the day that Paw would be feedin varmints in the back yard and that he's mellowed some. I tole Luther that ever time I went down there he was smokin, drankin coffee an lookin out the back door at the critters. Luther tole me that's perty much how he seen it. Said when he rode up that Paw was sure nuf sittin at the table smokin, drankin strong coffee an pickin his tooth with a mockin bird bone. Said he had a big pot of squirrel dumplins a boilin on the stove. Paw always favored Squirrel dumplins I recall. What Luther tole me sort of esplained them feathers I been findin around Paw's cabin. Luther said he ain't seen Walter ... his brother Walter not my dog Walter... though they do favor... since he got out of jail but had been tole that Walter had a place down close to Needmore now. It's a good thang I ain't gettin no valentines tomorrow on account of I ain't got no shoebox to fix up to put em in.......