December 19th, 2011
Hey guys, Barry here. Well, Christmas time is right upon us. All the Decorations are up here at the Cardwell house. Most of the shopping is done as well. Which is good because it has given me more time to sort through Prissy's trunk.
I have stumbled across an interesting side story that ties into Prissy's tale and Red Creek. It deals with a young gunslinger named Jimmy Scafe, or "Shots" as he was called. It's been kinda hard to put the pieces of his story together from the various items that I have found, but I think we now have at least a rough overview of who he was and how he ties into to Prissy and Snake. We do know from a Red Creek Tribune article I have already posted here that Shots was a part of the initial posse Snake took into the hills after Kid Holmes. It mentions that Shots leaped from a boulder and saved Snake from getting shot in the back. This kind of dramatics it seems came easy for him. Apparently Shots was quite a character.
Here is an excerpt from one of Ruby's letter's talking about him,
"Now Sis, I believe I done spoke to you before about this fella here in town called "Shots". Lord a mercy this boy has got some big balls on him! Last night there was some rough cowboys in the joint drinkin it up and havin a good ole time. Well, Shots was in here as well flirtin with one of my gals. He seems to have takein a liking to Lilly, a young pretty redhead that has been here a few weeks. Now one of these cowboys, they were on a drive up to Kansas City I believe, got it into his head that he wanted Lilly for himself and that Shots was hoggin up all her time. These boys came up outta Texas, and you know they grow em big down there, and Shots, well he damn sure aint the biggest frog in the pond. Hell, I think he's a might shorter than me. But that ain't got nuthin to do with his stones if'n ya know what I mean. That boy ain't got a lick of back down in him. He's a pretty boy too. Got curly black hair, clean face. Young lookin. But Hell I guess he is young. Cant be but 20 I reckon. Always dresses nice and clean as well. A real ladies man. But like I said, he has a hard streak in him when he gets pushed. So this cowpoke from Texas starts to push him. Tellin Lilly she should come see a real man when she's tired of playin with boys. At first Shots laughs it off and offers to buy him a beer. But this fella was pretty drunk and like I said, Shots ain't that intimidating to look at, so he just keeps acomin. I swear I could see the smile fade off of Shots' face when he realized this cowboy was not gonna give up. I motioned for Gus to try and stop things before they got started, but it was too late.
"Step away from me Lilly." Shots said in a calm cool voice. And once she did, "Now Mister, I got no particular problem with you this evening, but I suggest you change your tone and attitude right quick."
"Or what boy?" says the cowboy. "Hell, does your daddy know you got his guns? You might be in fer a whuppin when he finds out."
"Now fellas," Gus butted in trying to save the situation. " we don't need no trouble in here tonight. Let's just drink up and have some fun with the ladies. Let me get you both a bottle, on the house."
"Right friendly of ya Gus," said Shots, "but I get the felling this cowboy is lookin for a fight. Ain't that right cowboy? You lookin for a fight?" His hands inched down near his brace of pistols. Beautiful ones they were too. And well used. Well this cowboy musta heard something in Shot's voice or saw something on his face that made him think maybe he had made a mistake. Everyone in the bar could see the doubt come over him. His friends saw it to. They tried to back him down, but he was bull headed. "I ain't scared of you boy!" He said as he cleared his jacket away from the revolver stuck in the front of his pants.
"No sir, I reckon you ain't." Said Shots in a low, deadly tone. "But you are afraid of dyin. I can see it in your eyes. I can smell it on you. And you know you are close to it. Right close. Best step down Mister. Live to see the sunrise." For a moment I thought the cowboy was gonna be smart, but I guess he was too far along to turn back. Men are so stupid Margo. Wasn't nothing put silly pride stoppin him from getting out of this mess. But to a man pride is powerful thing I guess.
"Shots!" I said as things got to the breakin point. "You kill this man on my floor, you ain't gonna be welcomed in my place never again. You hear me?"
"Now Miss Ruby, that ain't right. I ain't done nothin wrong. And hell, I am your best customer, you ain't gonna put me out."
"You ever known me to not mean what I say son? You, cowboy! Get your damn hand away from your gun and sit your dumb ass back down before this boy kills you dead. You ain't got a chance, and you know it." The cowboy's face was a mask of confusion, he didn't know what to do or think. Seems like that is pretty much the natural state of most men I ever met! But pride won out.
"To hell with all of ya!" He cried as he went for his gun.
I heard three shots go off before the cowboy's gun had even cleared his pants. The first one got him in the thigh, the second one in his shoulder as he fell. The third one was for his friend who I reckon tried to back his play. He got a bullet in his hand for his trouble. The smoke cleared and Shots still stood there leaning against the bar with smoke drifting out of the barrels of his pistols. "Damn it Shots!" I said.
"But Miss Ruby", he said with a sly smile as he holstered his guns and reached out for Lilly, "I didn't kill anyone. Me and Lilly will be upstairs."
As I watched him take Lilly, and a bottle to the rooms upstairs, I heard Gus laugh. "Well Miss Ruby, boy has a point."
"Shut up Gus and help these boys out of here and down to the Doc's." As I turned away I had to smile myself. Damn, that boy has a coachload of swagger.
How can you not like Mr. Scafe after a story like that? Haha! Anyway, there is alot more to do with Shots, Snake, and Kid Holmes later. I will try to get a few more posts in before the holidays.
Barry Cardwell
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