Newbrassky

[Delmonico]

Delmonico and Joe ride on south.  From the tops of the hills they see a surry comin' taward them.  As they get closer they can see it has a fringe on top.

[Silver Creek Slim]

" when i take you out tonight with me, honey, here's the way it's gonna be,
you will sit behind a team of snow-white horses in the slickest gig you'll ever see.

chicks and ducks and geese better scurry when i take you out in the surrey,
when i take you out in the surrey with the fringe on top.
watch that fringe and see how it flutters when i drive them high steppin' strutters,
nosy folks will peep through the shutters and their eyes will pop.
those wheels are yellow, the upholstery's brown, the dashboard's genuine leather.
with nice bright curtains that can roll right down in case there's a change in the weather.
two bright side lights winking and blinkin, ain't no finer rig i'm a-thinking,
you can keep your rig if you're thinking that i care to swap
for that shiny little surrey with the fringe on the top.

(would you say the fringe was made of silk?) wouldn't have no other kind but silk.
(has it really got a team of snow-white horses?)
one's like snow, the others more like milk (so you can tell `em apart)
all the world would fly in a flurry, when i take you out in the surrey,
when i take you out in the surrey with the fringe on top.
when we hit that road hell for leather, cats and dogs all dance in the heather.
birds and frogs will sing all together and the toads will hop.
the wind will whistle as we rattle along, the cows will moo in the clover
the river will ripple out a whispered song, and whisper it over and over.

don't you wish you'd go on forever, don't wish you'd go on forever,
don't you wish you'd go on forever and would never stop
in that shiny little surrey with fringe on the top"

[Silver Creek Slim]

Slim and the hands come in from completing the fence. Slim finds the note that Delmonico left. "Guys, the grub is the the dutch oven in the fire. The bread and the kolatchi are under those dish towels. Go ahead and eat." Just then the thunder storm hits with a gulley washer.

[Delmonico]

Delmonico and Little Joe watch the small but violent thunderstorm that this region is famous for.  "We're lucky Joe, it passed North of us, bet it hit the ranch hard."

"Nother mile or so we'll know who's in the surry, lucky the storm didn't catch them,  looks like there's a man and a woman and a bunch of kids in it."

[Brazos Bucky Smith]

Brazos Bucky Smith, on his mouse colored little mustang, rides up out of a wash that is quickly filling with water from the storm.

"Well, howdy Slim!  Howdy ma'am, you must be Slim's Mrs.. with all them kids I would expect that to be the case!   Can sure see what Ol' Slim does go'un home every weekend like he does.   And, Slim that is a right nice voice ya got there!  Makes me want to head on over to Oklahoma and see if I can look up that Gorden McCree feller.  You know in about fifty years he is go'un to make a Movie picture with that song in it.  I'll  be mossy'un along now, its been right nice see'un you folks.  Give my best to Delmonico!"

With that Brazos turns his mount south, gives him a light spur, the mouse colored horse gives a little buck and settles into a lope.

[Delmonico]

The lady in the surry is Slim's wife and seven of Slim's children.  (The other eleven are back in Wissyconsion milkin' the cows and makin' butter and cheese.)   But she is puzzled by the, "why Slim goes home on the weekend comment."

Delmonico rides up and reconizes Slim's wife from the tintype in his saddle bags, the driver of the surry is the livery fellow from Maxwell, the guy that put up Delmonico's mule while he fetched his potato ricer.

Introducin' himself ta Mrs. Slim,  Delmonico says well Slim is gonna get a surprise when he gets home this weekend.   He is so fond of seein' ya, that's why he goes home every weekend.

Mrs. Slim is clearly upset by now, and she says, "That explains the fellow on the mouse colored horse and his comment.  Slim ain't been back ta the farm in Wissyconsion for 6 months."

Delmonico says, "wa'll thats what he's been tellin' us, I didn't think he was such a low down scounderal.  Don't worry he'll be back a little after sunup on Monday, we'll find out what is goin' on here."

[Delmonico]

Delmonico, Little Joe and the surry arrive back in camp, course in this unique part of the world the water has all soaked inta the sandy soil in inta the aquweeefer.  In fact a little dust is blowin'.   

Delmonico explains what is goin' on ta the fench crew, "we'll get ta the bottom of it on Monday, I've already asked Mrs. Slim, she don't want him hung, but she does think maybe a  floggin' might be in order."   

"Well fer now lets put up my big wall tent, Mrs. Slim will have more room and be more comfertable in that.  Beside that Trinity is still sleepin' off his last drunk in their.  Which reminds me, has anyone checked in the last couple a days ta see if'n he's still breathin".

When the tent was up Mrs. Slim and the seven kids put their gear in it and sent the surry back ta Maxwell."   And with Slim off ta parts unknown you'll just have ta click on this link, if'n ya want ta see the picture of Slim's wife and seven of his kids.  (Unless ya want ta make it work.)

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/displayPhoto.pl?path=/award/nbhips/lca/132&topImages=13261r.jpg&topLinks=13261v.jpg&displayProfile=0&title=D.%20Dunn%20just%20landed%20on%20his%20claim%20in%20Custer%20County.&m856s=$dnbhips$f13261&dir=ammem&itemLink=D?psbib:19:./temp/~ammem_XsCz::

(Snicker, snicker: Let's see Slim wiggle his way out of this come Monday mornin'.)

[Delmonico]

Since Slim and the fence crew got done yesterday, taday is spent just hangin' round camp.  Delmonico has asked the fence crew ta stay and help brand next week when Slim gets back and if his wife don't kill him.

No matter the cattle will have to be branded, no matter what happens to Slim when his wife gets her hands on him.

[Delmonico]

Because it is gettin' a bit cooler in the evenin's,  Mrs Slim asks Delmonico if he can put her canary's cage in the dugout, since it is a bit warmer than the wall tent.  (ya did notice the canary cage on the top of the wall tent ridge pole didn't ya?)   

Delmonico don't think it is such a good idea, since Trinity is still sleepin' in there,    but she insists.  Delmonico rolls his bedroll out on the floor of the dugout cause the ground is a bit cold outside. 

Long before sunrise Delmonico hears a rumbin' noise over near the corner Trinity is sleepin' in.  A small thunk noise is heard from the canary cage.  Delmonico grabs his bedroll and heads outside in a hurry.  He used ta work in a coal mine and knows when the canary falls over in it's cage, there is danger near.

[Delmonico]

After spendin' the day fishin' in the Dismal river, Delmonico makes fried catfish fer supper.  It has been a quiet day, as he rolls his soogun out under the stars, he thinks it gonna be fireworks in the Mornin' when Slim shows up and has ta 'splain to his wife as to his where 'bouts on the weekends.

As he lays back with his head uncovered the fire is almost died out, the lanterns are out and the view of the stars is wonderful, a coyote howls of to the west.  A loon calls down on the river, and up high a flock of geese honk there way overhead.  He thinks to himself, "It sure is peaceful here to night.  But things will sure be poppin' when Slim rides in."

As Delmonico drifts off to sleep he tries to think of where he put his rollin' pin, he could not find it when he was makin' supper.  He says to himself, with a chuckle. "Bet Mrs. Slim knows where it is."

(Folks turn to this channel tomorrow moring when we find out if Silver Creek Slim gets Delmonico's rollin' pin up the side of his head.")

[Silver Creek Slim]

Slim drives a wagon into camp with 6 of his children in the back. The wagon is filled with furniture.

[Delmonico]

Delmonico thinks ta himself, "Well he went ta Wissyconsion this weekend, but he's still got ta 'spain ta Mrs. Slim where he's been those other one's he told us he went home but didn't."

[Silver Creek Slim]

"Delmonico, I hear my wife's in camp. She was not at home this weekend when I got there with the new furniture I have been workin' on the last 6 months. I was going to surprise her with it. The kids said she came down here for a visit."

[Delmonico]

"She is and be careful I ain't seen my rollin' pin lately."  Delmonico is amazed how quick Slim has wiggled himself out of this little trap.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Slim and the kids he brought enter the tent where the misses and the kids she brought are staying.

[Delmonico]

Delmonico hopes Slim can 'splain fast, he needs help with the brandin".   Sides that he's kinda fond of his Tigerstripe maple rollin' pin.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Slim, the misses, and the kids come out of the tent. Slim gives Delmonico the rolling pin back. The misses and kids put there things in the wagon. Slim gives each kid a hug and kiss as they climb into the wagon. He helps the misses into the wagon seat, gives her a kiss, and says his goodbyes. The misses heads the wagon northeast. "I'll see ya Thursday night."

"Delmonico, let's get some grub so we can start branding some beeves."

[Delmonico]

As Slim was in the tent, Little Joe (the Wrangler, not Cartwright) comes ridin' up in a hurry.   
He comes up and tells Delmonico somethin' and points North.

Delmonico hollers, "Slim we got problems up north of here.  Quick connect to this link and have a look."

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/displayPhoto.pl?path=/award/nbhips/lca/122&topImages=12299r.jpg&topLinks=12299v.jpg&displayProfile=0&title=%22Settlers%20taking%20the%20law%20in%20their%20own%20hands--cutting%20fence%20on%20old%20Brighton%20Ranch.%22&m856s=$dnbhips$f12299&dir=ammem&itemLink=D?psbib:1:./temp/~ammem_uXQj::

[Silver Creek Slim]

"Don't think we have much to worry about. They can't cut much wire with wood scissors." 

[Delmonico]

Mutterin' to himself Delmonico goes off tha cook supper.  "Durn Slim's more clever than I thought, but bet he don't know why they used wooden wire cutters in the picture!" 

"And I bet Mr. Google won't tell him."