the Gentleman Gunfighter by C. F. Allison (which ebook reader .txt) 📕

new way of how he was look upon by Mr. Young. Now he was receiving looks of respect instead of loathing. Mr. Young apologized to Clay about having judged him before hew got to know him. Clay only shrugged and replied that he was used to that kind of treatment, but he was glad they had gotten it cleared up. Finally Mr. Young gave Clay his blessing on his marriage to his daughter. “Dora’s a good woman. You take good care of her now or I’ll come hunting ya.” He said laughing. Clay just smiled at him and assured him he had nothing to worry about.

With mornings light Clay and John loaded their new brides belongings onto a wagon they had bought in town the day before. The men they had hired to drive the livestock were arriving at the ranch as instructed and they were getting ready to begin the journey home. They had the wagon loaded by nine o’clock but all the hired hands hadn’t shown up yet. John had told everyone they had hired to be there by ten so Clay and John visited with the new in laws while they waited for the rest of the hired help to arrive.

It was close to one o’clock before they actually began their trek home with the livestock and all the hired help. The girls had said their goodbyes and the men had reconciled the hard feelings that Mr. And Mrs. Young had against them and all seemed to be well for a change in the lives of the Allison brothers.

It didn’t as long as Clay thought it would to get the herd back to their ranch. Clay and john got the girls settled in and the herd turned out to their prospective grazing areas they wanted them in. After paying off the trail help, Clay and John began at the task of becoming good husbands for their new brides. Asking if there was anything the girls needed from town to make the house a little more homey or to add a ladies touch to make them more comfortable.

Clay collected the request from the ladies and rode into town to get the goods that they wanted, and a bottle or two for him-self of sipping whiskey. It was July third and he thought he’d surprise everyone and get a few things for a fourth of July celebration there at the ranch. He stopped at the General store and got the things the ladies wanted along with a few fireworks. Then he went to the feed store to get some feed to fatten up the fresh livestock they had just brought in. The last stop he made was at the saloon. He had a few shots of whiskey before picking up two bottles to go and some sarsaparillas for the ladies.

Clay began his journey home for a change without getting drunk. He was as happy as he had ever been in his life. He had found the true love he had always sought after finally and was thinking life could get no better.

Clay returned to the farm with the goods he had bought in town. Dora loved the new dress and all the surprise celebration things Clay had gotten. We’re going to have the wingding of the century Clay proclaimed as he unloaded the wagon. “I invited a few friends from town to come out and celebrate with us.” He said. “I’m going to catch a calf and put in on the spiket to barbeque over night.

The celebration the next day was fantastic. Half way through it Clay announced the news he had just purchased some land outside of Pecos Texas for him and his Dora to ranch of their own. Clay and John had discussed separating the two families every since the trip home from Sedalia so John was trilled at the announcement.

Clay and John split the heard half way down the middle. They thought this to be fair between them since Clay mostly paid for all the livestock anyway. Then Clay went into town to hire a few hands to help with driving the stock to Pecos. He was anxious to get the ranch of his and Dora’s own going and get a start of their home.

The years passed and Dora semi trained Clay to her ways of thinking. There’s nothing like a woman to influence a man to become a better person. Clay began going to church regularly and trying to get along better with other people. The girls Dora had he was his pride and joy and that was one of the only ways you could still really get him riled up. He did however still like a tug on the whiskey bottle on occasion.

It was once again coming up on the fourth of July and Clay wanted to have an old fashioned celebration like in the good old days. “Dora,” he said. “I think I’m going to go into to town and get the girls some fireworks for tomorrow and invite a few folks out to eat with us.

The morning came and Clay hitched up the wagon for his ride into town. He surveyed how much feed he was going to need and started into town to get the goods.

In town he saw a few friends and invited them out to celebrate the fourth with him and the family then started his trek home to Dora and the girls.

‘My lands this road is bumpy with a load on the wagon.’ Clay thought to him-self as he drove home thinking of how Dora would love the new dress he bought her for the fourth of July. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the feed bags begin to slip off the side of the wagon so he lunged to catch it and keep it from bursting on the ground.

Clay’s right boot slipped on the buckboard and Clay fell head first to the ground hitting his head on a rock. It knocked him unconscious and he lay on the ground while the wagon kept moving. The rear wheel rolled over his head cracking his skull and causing his brain to hemorrhage.

In Clay’s final thought we would like to believe he felt something like this, ‘Lord, I have done a lot of things in my life. Help my Dora understand I love her. Forgive me for my wrongs. Thank you for my life…………’

Clay Allison died on July fourth, 1887. A beloved husband and friend. He was buried in a cemetery that was made just for him alone.


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Publication Date: 10-22-2009

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