Posted November 7, 2022
"Yes, sir, Mule an' I are ready." More than! "We can pony th' mule if you've a mind, Mule don't mind mules, even if he only thinks he's one!"
"Dangest thing I ever heard, horse believin' it's a mule. Well, we kin do that alright, no matter what Mule thinks he is." Pythias began. "Mules now are sure footed creatures, and good to have on the trail. I iknow a number of men that prefer 'em"
The boy chuckled and swung into the saddle. "I can help with cookin', too, done enough in my time. Not as good as Cookie, of course, but I don't mind takin' my turn."
"Well you'll surely get your chance Justus. We'll be foraging for what we eat mostly, unless you like a steady diet of jerked beef and hard rolls, hard tack I guess it's called. but out here the games plenty, but I repeat myself."
He didn't mention that he was good with a rifle, might not even need to mention it, if Pythias was a decent shot, but they'd see when the time came.
They were mounted and all that was left was to ride out. They had eaten first, so they walked their mounts past the hands that were around the fire eating themself as the two headed out into the slate gray of dawn. Just enough light to see by, and the day getting ready to burst onto the sky.
Posted November 9, 2022
Falling in beside Pythias, Justus relaxed, looking forward to riding out and not having to look after cows. And there was something peaceful in just riding in the dawn. Oh, Justus had no delusions that this was going to be a pleasure stroll, but at least the first part of the day should be easy.
"So, ya been with this outfit long?" he asked, the older man, genuinely curious. "This what you planned ta do?" Justus had no way to know if Pythias had been a slave before he came to this, or if he had dreams to do more.
Posted November 9, 2022
Frank an' me teamed up a ways back, maybe twenty-five years 'er so, maybe more. Before the the late war, anyway. We rode for a number of outfits. Up the trail to Kansas, more times than I can remember." Pythias explained. "Wasn't what I planned to do, just ended up being what I do."
"It ain't be a bad life, seen me a whole lotta country, some places I liked, some I didn't. We run us a couple herds up to Wyoming and Montana Territories, so this here ain't our first trip north." He looked across at the younger man, and Pythias always considered anyone that saddled up on a drive to be a man.
"You think you like what we're about? You know, Frank's said that the feller what bought all these cows an' horses offered to keep us on once we get there."
Posted November 10, 2022
"Heard as much," Justus commented, looking over at the older man, "was plannin' on stayin', so long as he'll have me."
He shrugged, turning his attention back to the landscape ahead of them. "Wouldn't mind bein' settled in one place, workin' regular. Might even find me a pretty little gal in town ta court!"
Now that would really be something, to get married, have a family, just like any other God-fearing man, and be happy.
"Might even have my own house someday, with a fenced yard so's th' children can run around." He laughed and shook his head. "Gettin' ambitious. Hafta get them cows ta Montana first!"
Posted November 11, 2022
"Them's the good thoughts, good dreams." Pythias said with a grin, remembering when those were his plans not too many years ago. "Ya gotta hang onta 'em, work at at ever day. 'tain't easy ta keep focused on 'em , lots a distractions out there, an' one wrong turn, one wrong move and yer ideas an' plans get de-railed right quick. I know. Happened ta me."
Youth, he would say had one fault, 'leap before they look.' It happened to him, and probably half the men on the drive with them. Not that is was done on purpose, no, something presented itself that sounded good, or looked good, or felt right, and they were gone. And their plans with them. That's how it had been for him.
"Keep them eyes on the prize boy. Serious. Plans take work, courtin' that pretty little gal, takes work. Buildin' thet house takes work." He added.
Posted November 11, 2022 · IP
"Work..." Justus frowned and shook his head. "Well, I always heard good things take work, just had hoped that was tales!"
Laughing, he shook his head. "Guess most any work is hard, but it's supposed ta be th' rewards that make it worth while." But then he had to wonder what the rewards were for the likes of Pythias, or the older men here. Still, it was better than what he'd be looking at if he stayed with his pa.
"Actually findin' that I don't mind a hard day's work, gettin' worn out so ya sleep good, an' feel like ya really done somethin'." He grinned. "Can do without th' aroma of cows, though!"
Posted November 12, 2022 · IP
"Not exactly the thing a man wants to be around his whole life." Pythias said in reply to Justus' comment about cattle. "There's worse. There's sheep! Not that's down right disgustin'! Ain't too many men want any part of 'em. Specially in cow country. Eat the grass down to the root. Leaves nothin' ta grow back, or so they say."
"Hard work is all most of us know. All most of us will ever have, but even with the cold and the rain and snow, it's a good life, a free life oncet ya git the hang of it! A man can meet his maker anywhere anytime, Arrow, bullet, stampede, swollen stream, no matter, a feller jest as easily can croak in his bed. when it's time, it's time."
Posted November 12, 2022
Nodding slowly, Justus took in the man's words, realizing that, perhaps, there was a reason that he'd run across these men that had more to do with just running cows and having a job. While he wasn't sentimental, nor particularly religious, but he couldn't help but think that perhaps God had finally taken some pity on him and directed him to men who could point him in the right direction to actually make something good of his life.
"Would rather have my conscience free when I meet th' Old Man, that's fer certain," Justus agreed. "Plan ta keep my nose clean," he grinned, "so long as a few cuss words don't count against me!"
Posted November 13, 2022
"Not so's you'd notice, Justus, not so's you'd notice I reckon that it's more about what you do over the course of a lifetime what counts with the man upstairs." Pythias offered, "If that's any comfort to ya. I figger he knows what it is we got to do to get by in this life, an' he well knows that ain't easy fer the most of us, so I figger he gives a mite of leeway to us, cussin' an' such. Even the killin' we got to do to get by, what with Injuns an' outlaws, an' such. 'taint easy gettin' by down here for the most of us." He chuckled, "There I go sermonizin' again."
Posted November 14, 2022
"Nah, I don't mind, an' ya'd make a good preacher." Going to church was one thing he for sure wanted to start doing, and he supposed there was the bonus of an excuse to go to town, if he was permitted. "Never hurts fer a man ta hear wisdom from men that have more experience, an' he'd be silly not ta listen."
He knew that he'd gained little wisdom valuable to an honest life from the men he'd been around up to now, including his pa. Sure, he'd learned how to con a man, how to take what wasn't yours, and how to reconcile your conscience, but he was done with that, so he had some catching up to do.
"Got me some catchin' up ta do, but I figure with you all ta keep me in line, just might make somethin' outta myself some day." He wasn't sure what that was, but he didn't want to punch cows all his life.