Exceptional Part Two Deep in the heart of Texas : The Fire by Charles D Ezell Book of the Month contest entry

An overview of the story so far.The Idea of allowing the reader to know and fell the day of Texas History. It is meant to separate Hollywood for the real thing.Though the story is fiction. It is created from true Texas History. The touch of smoke filtered the air as I walked from my office to Hazel's diner. Bryce's canyon is on fire again, I thought. Twice, the place had burned in my lifetime and each time it said the cause came from Mother Nature. It was true, sometimes the prairie can become hot enough to burst into flames as old timers said. Now whether it was true or not, I had no clue but what I did know was my family and other ranchers took advantage of the new grass it would produce. Twelve hundred acres or more of free government land could make the difference in the cattle having new growth for weight gain or not. This meant more money per pound, and I knew nobody would turn down more money, especially my family. It was the fifth year as the town Sheriff for me. I was proud of the record I had achieved. So far, my faith in the Almighty has spared my life five times and had even blessed our little community into affording two deputies, people call the Kansas brothers. They were the Baxter brothers, Charlie, and Joe Baxter from Ellsworth Kansas, one of the roughest places said to be in their state. However, it had settled down much since the people hired a new Marshall by the name of Earp. Our little community could never offer what larger towns had but we did have two general stores, a diner, Saloon, and other businesses. The most important thing we had was a railroad spur and four large cattle pens known to hold two thousand heads in a good roundup, other times, less, but it all meant prosperity for the ranchers which intern spent much with our local businesses; we had a bank as well. Nothing as fancy as the big cities but a safe place where people kept their savings. To my knowledge robbed only once, and it was when I was a boy just after the Civil WAR ended and my brother James knew one of the bandits. Those fellows now accepted two six ft spaces in our local graveyard. At the edge of the main road leading to the heart of our community stood two large trees. They both barred small green berries which turned yellow in the hot summer. I think all of us children at one time or another tried eating them but learned they were bitter and not fit to put in your mouth. Pastor Reynolds had a name for them. He said they were China- berry trees. I never questioned the man but thought it strange for it to be called that when the only Chinese I had seen was in our school history books. My state of Texas had many strange things growing in various places, some had names the old timers called loco weed, the more modern version in my day they called it ditch weed but if a horse eat it , drove them mad and hard to control. My Poppa burned it off our grazing lands, so we had none of it to contend with. However, we had our moments and worries as well, but mainly the weather, something nobody could control. Harsh winters with much snow, hot summers which had many trying to find shade but the times and hardships for much of the state seemed to have kept drifting cowboys coming through our area looking for work. Most of our ranches stayed filled with what some called regulars, men who had proved themselves year after year during roundups. My family had some regulars and seemed to be satisfied with their work, but it never stopped drifters coming through chasing rumors with hope of finding some kind of employment. However, nothing appeared, and they went west. Even my two deputies faced layoff. The commitment was for ninety days, and the town treasury said one had to go. I was faced with the decision of who? Joe was swift as a deer drawing his side arm, but his brother Charlie was older and more level headed. When I confronted the men with the problem, there was nothing to consider, Joe quickly volunteered to leave and let his brother have the job. I suspected it had to do with Hazel and Charlie's ideas. The two made plans to marry but then it was still a mystery of when.

© Copyright 2025. Charles D Ezell All rights reserved. Charles D Ezell has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.