Newbrassky

[Silver Creek Slim]

Slim goes in the kitchen and wrestles up some breakfast. "Breakfast is ready! Come and get it 'fore I throw it out!" 

[Stoney Pete]

Slim goes in the kitchen and wrestles up some breakfast. "Breakfast is ready! Come and get it 'fore I throw it out!" 

Hearing the call and smelling the bacon, Trinity and Stoney were seated before Slim even finished speakin'

[Delmonico]

Delmonico gets Duke and they get the buggy and the packages and head west along the Dismal River.   They skip breakfast, ulike the bounty hunter and the rest of the folks back at the ranch.

[Delmonico]

Havin' skipped their dinner, unlike that bounty hunter that don't even know how to make bacon.   Delmonico and Duke make it to the ranch and find no one around.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Havin' skipped their dinner, unlike that bounty hunter that don't even know how to make bacon.   Delmonico and Duke make it to the ranch and find no one around.

Until Daisy and Claire come bounding around the corner, practically tackling Duke in their glee to see him. The Frumpy Fairy Godmother isn't far behind, coming in from hanging up the laundry to dry.

[Delmonico]

I'm back for a few days, I think.   Now would you tell me what the heck has been going on here or you won't get you present I brought from Lincoln.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

The Frumpy Fairy Godmother's eyes light up at the mention of a present. After all, she is human. ((Author's note: Is she? I'm not so sure about that... ))

"Stoney Pete gave up the life of a bounty hunter and decided to stay on. Scattered Thumbs or whatever his name was, also gave it up but he rode off. He said he might come back. Pete went and got us new pigs. Slim is Slim, ever helpful, and has another baby on the way. Trinity... well." On that one, she shrugs. "I think he's corrupting Pete."

"Duke's been a good dog and his gerls missed him. That's about it! Oh, yes, I'm tired of cooking."

[Delmonico]

What about my bedroom and office, is there a reason it's all foo foo?

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

She ponders that a moment. If she tells the truth, she probably won't get the present. But if she lies, that would be wrong.

She ponders it some more, making faces, then finally speaks.

"That was done to mess with you."

Her smile is award winning and proud.

[Delmonico]

"Well I don't know, I'll have to put flaming splinters under Slim's toenails in the mornin' and get the truth.   But I went to the theatre while in Lincoln and next door was a cool little shop that sold stage props and stuff like that. "

"Well here it it a rubber skillet!!!!!!!"

"Wait till you see what I got Slim, it's even better than a bag of magic beans."

"Wait till you see the other cool stuff I got!  Did you notice the pigeon coop and the piebald box?  I went wireless on the computor!"

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

She gleefully opens the box and pulls out the skillet.

"That's cute! Of course, I have to test it out."

So, she hits Delmonico in the head with it. Instead of a bonk or a bong, the sound it makes is *boing!*

"That's funny!" Laughing, she repeats it, several times.

*boing!**boing!**boing!**boing!*

[Delmonico]

I got the lead free solder for Trinity, got something for Gopher Grease if he shows back up.  Got something for Russ T. got dog biscuits for the dogs (I checked PC*)  I didn't know Stoney Pete and Scattered Thumbs were gonna be good guys so I didn't get them nothing.

I got Slim a bag of corn seed adapted for the climate from the Ag College.  I got the doctor a big jar of Vasoline (also PC*)   Oh and when I talked to the Chancelor at the Uni-verse-ity he wants Jem from the "Made Up Tale" Thread to come see him, sees all the colleges are playin' some new-fangled ball game with a funny shaped ball.  He wants him to join the University of Newbrassky football team and be a "Bugeater**."

  *Perriod Correct
**Tain't bugeaters no more

[Silver Creek Slim]

Slim comes outta the house to feed and water the stock, check fer eggs, and milk the cow. "Well, Del, yer back. Ya stayin' long this time?" 

[Delmonico]

Delmonico ropes and ties Slim and removes his boots. (Nice boots I might add )  He builds a fire and comes over with flamin' splinters, through the holes in his socks, he threatens Slim's toenails.*

"Tell me the truth Slim, what really went on while I was gone?"   

*(Slim is slippin' he ain't been this easy to catch in months.)

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

((Author's question: How many bedrooms are in the house? I know there's a "eat-in" kitchen, parlor, dining room, Del's office and bedroom, the Frumpy Fairy Godmother's cupola bedroom, Slim's room,Trinity's room, Pete's room, (soon to be) Scattered Thumbs' room, Gopher Grease's room, Handtub's room. That makes nine, and is there a bathroom upstairs as well as downstairs? ))

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Sometimes, she cheats...


Knowing Slim wasn't going to incriminate her, the Frumpy Fairy Godmother slips away, walking down to the Dismal and the area where the sewer pipe used to be. She stands there, squinting hard, focuses and draws her wand. At first, nothing happens, the water is as still as ever.

Then some bubbles appear, then more, then a cascade of them as if a small section of the river is boiling. In the middle of the chaos, the box with Scattered Thumbs' firearms appears, then rises up to float above the water. It drips dry, then starts its journey through the air toward shore.

A little while later, while Trinity is working on still #7, he sees the box go floating by, about 10 feet above the ground.

The window to Scattered Thumbs' room opens as the box nears. The box gracefully floats through the window, then lowers to slide under the bed. The window slams shut.

The Frumpy Fairy Godmother returns about thirty minutes later. She looks very tired.

"What's for dinner?"

[Delmonico]

<Author's note: The Dismal River moves 6-7 miles and hour and is not still.  It is a popular and somewhat dangerous river for canoeist's, never canoe the Dismal after dark, ya can loose yer head on neck high barb wire.   The reason I correct the FFg on this is the  fast movement of the spring fed river are figgerin' into the later plot of this story. )

Slim remains strangely silent despite the Red Ceder slivers burnin' under his toe nails.   Delmonico goes to the barn and gets a box of horse shoe nails to heat red hot and try next.   Delmonico knows something has happened while he was gone, he don't trust Pete, the FFg is clearly lying and Trinity will never remember.   So as much as he hates to do it,Slim is the only one who will tell.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

(( Author's note: No correction was needed for I wrote: "the water is as still as ever." That means it was moving along at 6-7 miles per hour with nothing disrupting its flow. So there.    ))

[Delmonico]

Since Slim still won't talk, Delmonico lets him go.      Delmonico takes the piebald box out of the buggy and carries it into his renovated office.      He goes back to the buggy and gets another box about 2"X2"X36" and several smaller boxes and carries them into the office.   

[Delmonico]

<Authors note: here is some information on the Dismal River>

http://www.gliddencanoerental.com/dismalriver.html