frontier justice cont.
from the saloon door ,the observant young drifter couldn't help but notice the watch chain man's holstered 1851 colt navy revolver .
a mainstay of both sides during the civil war , at only .36 caliber and more than 20 years old , it was the same ivory handled , silver finished , beautifully engraved weapon favored by the legendary wild bill hickok --who according to the stories , carried two of them in his belt-- butts facing forward --for his infamously deadly "cross-draw".
with the navy colt's 8 inch barrel and at 13 inches overall , the kid instantly knew his own more compact , more modern 1873 "peacemaker"--.45 caliber colt offered him a considerable speed and power advantage against the older man's weapon .
respectfully , the kid touched the brim of his hat with his extended index finger , and then tilted it outwards in deferrence towards the turned derby hat slouched next to him at the bar .
"name's thaiff carson from outta miz-zoor-ah , lemme buy you a drink oldtimer."
he presented a buck-toothed , but engaging smile cheerfully at the grizzled oldman while noticing the massive 14 inch le mat confederate calvary pistol strapped to his side .
at .41 caliber , with a nine shot cylinder and a smaller underbarrel for firing slugs or buckshot at close range , the oldtimer carried awesome firepower .
from thaiff's brief yet meticulous survey at the saloon door he had also spied the sharp's 'pepperbox' derringer carried by the gambler in his vest pocket and assumed the girl's garters probably held a smaller remington derringer or knife .
it was common knowledge that bar keeps preferred to stash a sawed off and a billy club behind the bar as well as sometimes keep a derringer or small pocket revolver on them to maintain order in their establishments .
the bartender puffed dust from a fresh glass as he brought it and a bottle over to the patrons .he measured out four shots of the establishment's best rot-gut for the two gentlemen's drinking pleasure . out of habit he carefully rubbed the drifter's coin in his hand and then held it up to the light inspecting for authenticity before dropping it into his apron pocket .
the old derby man dumped the liquor down , his throat making an audible "gulp" as he swallowed and then sighed a loud "ahhhhhhhhh" for punctuation.
"thanks for the drink boy, " said the grizzled old man ," my throat was a bit dry ."
the cheap whiskey seemed to animate the oldtimer . making him more sociable , enlivening his sense of humor , "you a long way from home . what brings you out from the land of 'miz-zoor-ah' and into this neck of the devil's outhouse" ?
a mainstay of both sides during the civil war , at only .36 caliber and more than 20 years old , it was the same ivory handled , silver finished , beautifully engraved weapon favored by the legendary wild bill hickok --who according to the stories , carried two of them in his belt-- butts facing forward --for his infamously deadly "cross-draw".
with the navy colt's 8 inch barrel and at 13 inches overall , the kid instantly knew his own more compact , more modern 1873 "peacemaker"--.45 caliber colt offered him a considerable speed and power advantage against the older man's weapon .
respectfully , the kid touched the brim of his hat with his extended index finger , and then tilted it outwards in deferrence towards the turned derby hat slouched next to him at the bar .
"name's thaiff carson from outta miz-zoor-ah , lemme buy you a drink oldtimer."
he presented a buck-toothed , but engaging smile cheerfully at the grizzled oldman while noticing the massive 14 inch le mat confederate calvary pistol strapped to his side .
at .41 caliber , with a nine shot cylinder and a smaller underbarrel for firing slugs or buckshot at close range , the oldtimer carried awesome firepower .
from thaiff's brief yet meticulous survey at the saloon door he had also spied the sharp's 'pepperbox' derringer carried by the gambler in his vest pocket and assumed the girl's garters probably held a smaller remington derringer or knife .
it was common knowledge that bar keeps preferred to stash a sawed off and a billy club behind the bar as well as sometimes keep a derringer or small pocket revolver on them to maintain order in their establishments .
the bartender puffed dust from a fresh glass as he brought it and a bottle over to the patrons .he measured out four shots of the establishment's best rot-gut for the two gentlemen's drinking pleasure . out of habit he carefully rubbed the drifter's coin in his hand and then held it up to the light inspecting for authenticity before dropping it into his apron pocket .
the old derby man dumped the liquor down , his throat making an audible "gulp" as he swallowed and then sighed a loud "ahhhhhhhhh" for punctuation.
"thanks for the drink boy, " said the grizzled old man ," my throat was a bit dry ."
the cheap whiskey seemed to animate the oldtimer . making him more sociable , enlivening his sense of humor , "you a long way from home . what brings you out from the land of 'miz-zoor-ah' and into this neck of the devil's outhouse" ?
posted by dsekou at 12:02 PM
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