MANNYSMOKE: The Lost Episode 3A
The Onliest Thing you Get From Straddling a
Fence is a Sore Backside.
Marshall Santos is kneeling down beside a grave marker in Boot Hill Cemetery just outside Dodge City. He mulls over a few things. "Around Dodge City and in the western territories, there is just one way to handle all the killers and the spoilers, and that is with a US Marshall and the smell of gun smoke. This is Mannysmoke, the transcribed story of the violence that moved west with young America and the story of a man who moved with it. I am that man, Danny "Matt Dillion" Santos, United States Marshall.
Out here, I remind myself of how violence always ends, buried in the rim of a nation on the edge of the wild frontier. Some were slaughtered aimlessly, the rest I killed. I'm a lawman and a US Marshall. Law comes hard to the frontier and men like these did not want it. And there are more men alive today who will come to Dodge City that do not want it. They are the drifters, the killers, the spoilers, the lawless and they have to be dealt with. I am the first man they look for and the last they want to meet. It is a chancy job, and it makes a man watchful�and a little lonely."
Marshall Danny Santos rides out to the Spaulding Rancherino, stupid name he thinks. Ranching was like that, you get kicked in the head one too many times, and it changes your perspective on life. His cousin Mick was like that now but not good old cousin Ray. Danny shook his head if only he could impart some sense of decency into his cousin Ray's mind. He was determined to keep his ranch and the surrounding land open range. Cousin Ray just never grasped the concept that the sodbusters had already won the range war back in
the early 60s when Kansas's territory was declared a state. Now with the railroad connecting Atchison, Topeka and Sante Fe all together, it was only a matter of time until barbed wire became an everyday sight on the land out here. Danny doubted Ray could stand for that and expected he would leave this country soon for Arizona or other areas farther west. Moreover, it was only a matter of time until the railroad connected up to St. Louis. That would drum the stagecoaches out of business and make his job a heck of a lot easier. Maybe then, he could set his mind to settling down."Whoa," he yelled to his horse. He had unintentionally pumped his boot against the horse's flank when he had just thought that. Nope, there could be no marriage for him not as long as he was wearing a badge. It would not be fair to the job nor to the woman. Why was he thinking like this anyway? It was Michelle Bauer's fault. Ever since he first saw her, he was overreacting to everything around him, going off half-cocked as acquaintance; Bennie "Percy Crump" Dietz put it. Bennie was the kind of person you listened to when he spoke. The man had been in town more than 2 years now and most said that they had yet to hear him speak a full sentence.
He saw the good undertaker just this morning when he took in a man he'd shot dead during a bank hold-up at Dodge's Savings R Us. Ben Warren had not even said thank you, just sneered at him. As Marshall of this town and the surrounding area, he constantly put his own life in jeopardy but he accepted the job knowing that good feedback was not part of his monthly pay of $150.
Damn good money for this part of the country, damn good money. The money allowed him many luxuries including a suite of rooms at the Great Western Hotel. He was a fastidious man and liked to take baths every day. He was in fact the exact opposite of his deputy who never bathed until someone forced him to go over to the Lewis Tonsorial Parlor for a semi-annual bath and shave whether he liked it or not. The townspeople passed a law about it just last year. "The Dodge City deputy will bathe at least two times a year but not less than every 6 months at the Lewis Tonsorial Parlor, gratis." Anyway, good old Dietz had told him this morning that if he wanted to keep a clear head he should distance himself from the Bauer woman. He questioned Danny, "Would she be worth going to all that trouble for, that is the question."
"Think about something other than the Bauer woman, Santos, anything man."
Danny was riding his favorite Palomino today. He was small, only about 15 and a half hands high and just 1200 pounds during off-breeding season. It was time to think about studding him out again over at Ray's place. This one foaled beautiful ponies. His body was a rich golden shade of blonde and he had three white socks and one low boot. His mane, tail and points were all a pure sheen of white. He was a good sire because he was a proper gentleman with the mares, a concerned papa and pure pleasure. Good character and his good bloodline made him a good stud. Added to all of this was that he was wonderful to ride and adjusted to any rider. Still this horse didn't have a name, he didn't like getting too partial to the horses, too easy to lose them, just like the one he'd lost when he first met Miss. Bauer. Hmm, maybe this horse would be a good horse for Michelle Bauer to learn to ride on, and then he hit his head again with his gloved fist. He had to get this woman out of his head, what was it going to take. Then he saw the perfect excuse up ahead. Giddy up, he shouted to his horse.
Danny Santos raced to the side of Alan Spaulding's horse and grabbed the reins.
"Whoa, there Bucko, you cannot get out of my face that easily Alan," Santos said.
"Well, Marshall, what a surprise, what can I do you for today?"
"Listen up, first off we will talk about those cattle your men are herding up
here. They look an awful lot like Fort Dodge cattle to me. Got word from Colonel Dax over there a few days back that someone has been taking some of their prized steers. You would not mind if I checked the markings and brands on these head now would you. Now if I remember correctly Alan you usually have Angus, Bradford and Texas Longhorn's in your stock, correct?"David Grant, Alan's right hand on the rancherino rode up and separated the two men who were ready to fight over the last comment. Grant quickly summarized that Santos knew that everyone's cattle were mixed up sometimes; there was no way to have just three breeds of cattle in this territory with all the free ranging of cattle. He was egging Spaulding on; it was as simple as that. "What is up with you two, always itching for a fight?"
"The good Marshall is only too aware of my problem David, ask him. Alan Spaulding's face was so red it looked like he was going to have an attack.
"Alan, you gotta let that go now, it has been over two years, since Mrs India's adoptive daughter ran off with Danny's sister to find her way in this world. The two of them are young; there is every chance the two of them will come around to the right way of thinking. Until then let us all just be happy that Mrs. India is talking to you again. If you keep on singing your lonesome cowboy songs at the Towers Saloon, one of these nights, your serenading is going to work and she will be yours once again. You know the Marshall cannot control his sister's ways and frankly as scatterbrained as Miss Pilar is I'm a bit surprised she even knew why Miss Dorie went away with her, plus you know Miss Pilar does not even speak a lick of English."
Spaudling replied, "It is not just Marshall Danny Santos that is bothering me, it is the whole darn family. That mother, Carmen, running away after her man died to become a nun in Mexico, please! Ray and Mick with all their plans to constantly buy more land. Moreover, they have always made the Spaulding gang outcasts in this part of the country. We are known as the ne'er-do-wells in this town, no offense, David. They are always strutting around. We have a fancy townhouse, we have fancy ranches, and we have lots of money. The Marshall here has so much money he can afford to keep a permanent room at the Great Western. The very same hotel that the love of your life, Miss Vicki continues to operate, instead of moving out here to marry you and bear children like most women would."
"Well, now Mr. Spaulding, you know Miss Vicki likes the fine things in life, she keeps telling me that in another five years, when I have come to my senses and come around to her way of thinking that she will marry me."
Santos stepped up to Alan Spaulding one more time, "Look Spaulding you can say what you want about me, but don't go insulting my family. We, none of us should know or care what goes on behind closed doors. A person's life choice is theirs plain and simple. Stop passing judgment on those who you know nothing about."
Spaulding sneered at Santos. This Marshall had been a thorn in his side ever since Mrs. India first blamed Alan for her adoptive daughter running away with that Santos dame. At least they were going to school down in Mexico. They hadn't run off and joined a traveling medical show or a carnival. Women were still like property in this state, they did not have the right to vote or to have communal property. Spaulding patted his stomach and they would never have those rights either if his dream of seeking high political office panned out. I will be gosh dang he thought if Santos is going to get away with this. In addition, good old straight and narrow Danny kept trying to
stop his side job of singing those lonely moody cowboy tunes at the Raines' saloon. The number of times that he had to duck over the side of that big tank and literally take a bath in the town's water supply when the Marshall did one of his surprise inspections, well let us just say it still got underhis craw from time to time.***
Michelle spent the better part of her Saturday trying to bake a decent pie with Eleni. It seemed fruitless. Finally, Eleni showed her a trick using cold water to fold the crust and voila, Michelle baked her first successful cherry pie. After that, she baked a huckleberry pie. This was fun. Eleni promised to teach her other recipes in time. Michelle decided to take the Marshall the pies not to see him again; it had been over a week, but to be friendly and to thank him for ensuring her safe arrival to town. Yes, that was the best way to word it when she saw him. She did not see him though, she saw deputy Marshall Jesse "Chester Goode" Blue. He was "holding down the fort" as he put it while the Marshall was out rounding up some roughriders.
Michelle said, "Doesn't he use a posse for that kind of work?"
The deputy Marshall replied, "Nope, the Marshall believes posses' are a necessary evil. He says do not use them unless you have to, otherwise they tend to slow you down in tracking the outlaws. Are those pies for anyone in particular?"
This caught Michelle off guard, "No, not really, I will leave them here, and will you tell the Marshall I've been by?"
"Sure, but wait teacher, I have a question for you, do you think you could teach me to cipher?"
Michelle was confused and showed it. "You know teach me to read and write?'
"Oh yes sure, what did you have in mind, deputy?"
"Well how about you teaching me on the private like after my job is finished here every night?"
"Oh no, that would not do, I don't have much free time deputy and what free time I have is my own. I am afraid if you want to learn to read and write; you have to come to class like the rest of my students. We learn English on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Do you think the Marshall would let you attend class?"
"Sure if I tell him, sometimes he is so busy working he doesn't have time to keep up with me. Yes, if you want I can come learn with the rest of your pupils."
"Good, deputy I will look forward to seeing you in class. Is it fair to assume you know your ABC's?"
"Yes, ma'am, I sure do." The deputy contemplated her last question. It was not so much the ABC's that bothered him. Those letters following ABC, now they were the problem.
Michelle glanced around the Marshall's office; it was small and plain but clean, almost Spartan. She noticed one messy area around a cot in the back.
"Does the Marshall sleep here, Deputy?"
"No ma'am, the Marshall has a regular suite of rooms over at the Great Western, it is real fancy I hear tell, most rooms have running water for bathtubs if you like that sort of thing and fireplaces and their own chamber pots. Very luxurious. That cot you see back there is mine, I stay here, with my poor wages I can't really afford much else."
"Oh well, I was just wondering." Michelle was relieved the man did not sleep in his own office. The deputy was jabbering on about something again. "Now, ma'am about your free time, I was wondering�"
"No deputy let us put this to rest right now, my free time is my own, it is not any of your concern, I repeat it is not to be any concern of yours ever. I hope I am making myself clear deputy. I do not like to be cruel but I find directness avoids hurt feelings later on. I did not come to this town to get involved with a man or to meet a man or to marry a man, I came here to teach children and you, I guess, to read and to write."
"Sure ma'am I was just thinking about whether you might know whether the Marshall was going to the election dance with any particular woman, one of the town ladies asked me to snoop around for her." Jesse Blue was confused what in the world did this schoolteacher think he was asking her about before? She was too darned skinny for him. He did not find women with fair hair attractive. Maybe she was doing that turn-about some people talk about over at Mrs. Drew Kitty's where you say one thing but mean another. He snapped his suspenders and startled Miss Bauer who seemed deep in thought.
"No, deputy I don't keep up with the Marshall's comings and goings any better than it appears you do or that town lady you refer to." She snapped her reticule shut and turned around as fast as a horse's tail swats a fly and was out the door. "Goodbye," she called out. She left the small office on Front Street, which was just a few doors down from her brother's office. Her only kin alive, a man so busy he had made sure there was no time for them to visit since that first day when she arrived. She never saw any sick people in town, what was her brother doing with his free time?
She supposed she should have made a pie for him but, oh bother. He was so fussy. If Rick did not have time to see her, well then that was fine. However, Doctor Rick "Galen Adams" Bauer had a big surprise coming soon, she had heard all about it at the woman's social earlier in the week. Some of the townsfolk arranged for him to get a mail order bride and if the weather held she was due any day now, most likely she would be here in time for the big election dance. Michelle wondered what kind of woman would ever be able to put up with her stuffy brother.
