Butcher Redoak
Baldy Mountain
My Friend Two Lanterns
The PatriotA Tale of Baldy Mountain
Baldy Mountain is located below Bennett Spring on the Niangua River
Settle back with a cup of hot Red Rose tea and a biscuit and journey with Butcher Redoak in a new adventure near Baldy Mountain. The place is real as are the people, but the time, ah I don’t really know, but it was back when men or at least a chosen few were as free as dust devils.
The rode off Baldy Mountain and crossed a shadowed lea
Butcher Redoak on a mean eyed mule with Twinkles John on a dun with a crooked knee
Irish Bob sat on a pinto a stepping high to the Niangua River bank
Astride their mounts they sat a looking about, Ozark men ragged and lank
Irish Bob cradled a Hawkins rifle, Twinkles John a Tennessee
A fifty four Buffalo rifle lay across Butcher’s knee
Twinkles John spat tobacco and nudged the dun
Irish Bob kicked the pinto and squinted into the sun
And they followed Butcher across the river and headed up a brushy draw
Bucher hauled back on the mule and pointed to what he saw
A wisp of smoke a drifting across the trace ahead
The men moved in slowly, showing no fear, but horn was ready and round ball lead
Irish Bob grunted and swore and then gnawed a chew
Twinkles John grinned, nodded, a twinkle a glittering in his eyes of blue
Not far ahead stood an old friend, Two Lanterns wearing buckskin britches dirty and torn
They quickly joined Two Lanterns around a smoky fire and watched as he poured coffee into rusty tins
Two Lanterns divulge a tale and swore it was true of Flatlanders a looking for him
He chuckled and reckoned he could handle all seven of them
It wasn’t long and they heard the Flatlanders riding hard to where they stood
The mean eyed mule shied away and Butcher shouted, but it did no good
He drew a forty four Colt from his belt and squeezed off a round
And saw through the shroud of smoke a Flatlander a lying on the ground
Twinkles John squinted down the Tennessee, brought a man down, laid him to rest
Irish Bob spat an amber fluid and the Hawkins’s roared and a Flatlander fell ending his quest
Two Lanterns nodded and strode to the front of the scene
He spied a fellow wearing green
Two Lanterns brought up a pistol, the Patriot, his next of kin and held it to the left and squeezed off a round
The smoke settled and the Flatlanders were at peace a lying on the ground
The mean eyed mule brayed a looking for comfort and galloped to where Butcher
stood
Butcher whacked the mule gently across the nose, but gave him a boot where it did some good
It was time to leave and the men bid Two Lanterns a fond farewell and again crossed the river and headed out over the shadowed lea
Butcher sat astride the mean eyed mule, Twinkles John on the dun with a crooked knee
Irish Bob sat astride the pinto a prancing high up the river bank
Side by side they rode, Ozark men ragged and lank
Up Baldy Mountain they rode and then turned when they heard a hearty hale
It was Two Lanterns voice a coming from the brushy vale
“Ride easy my friends,” he shouted, “keep your powder dry, watch your topknots and be the best you can.”
Adios and to you Two Lanterns wherever you may be, travel easy my friend.
2 comments:
These are familiar names to me!! Great story.
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