Talks with a Cowboy & Judge Parker Justice

How can a day be anything but great when you start it out having a conversation with an honest to goodness cowboy? Brent Harris, a true Dodge City, Kansas cowboy, has been a real lifesaver in his efforts to make the launch of the Elizabeth Custer book next month in Dodge go as smoothly as possible. Author Dave McCumber once wrote, “Cowboys are heroes, but not of the Hollywood variety. Their heroism comes in small portions. John Wayne may have saved the stampeding heard in Red River, but in real life the herd is saved one calf at a time.” Thanks, Brent. The first bit of feedback I’ve received about the Elizabeth Custer book has been positive. I don’t think the happiness that response leaves me with will continue however. I keep waiting for someone to come along and bash me with a bad review. I feel like Robert Duvall’s character in Tender Mercies. I don’t trust happiness much. Never have. Never will. No matter what goes on, my thoughts are always drawn back to my brother. You think your heart would drown in the sadness of it all, but it keeps right on going. It doesn’t kill you. I wish it would. Until then, I’ll keep working on the Sam Sixkiller book. He was one of the toughest lawman I’ve ever had the pleasure to write about. He didn’t take grief from anyone and that fact made him one of Judge Isaac Parker’s favorite Deputy US Marshalls. Judge Parker was known as the Hanging Judge. He once hung eight convicted felons at the same time. In his zeal to rid the Indian territory of outlaws he worked continually to keep order and send a message to future offenders. Parker died at the age of 57 from exhaustion and complications from diabetes. Too bad he’s not around today. I’ve know a few criminals I’d like to see in his court. Capitol punishment may not wholly work as a deterrent for future bad guys, but it sure made a lasting impression on the offenders the Judge sentenced to die for their misdeeds. They had it coming…so many do.