A quick preview from Travis Dawson, Undertaker

 

As you've read here before, I am diligently working on my western Travis Dawson, 

Undertaker. It's been a lot more work than I realized but, I keep hammering away at it..

Here's a quick sample of one part of the story....I'll set the scene:

Travis is taking his new acquaintance Miss Sarah from the local mercantile to a dance 

down the street, when their night is interrupted suddenly. 

 Travis Dawon prt. 34                                                                                pg 192

 

    The dance hall on main street in Tucson was full up when Travis

and Sarah made their way through the front door. A burly man in

a tattered blue shirt and Indian necklace draped around his thick

neck relieved Travis of fifty cents at the door, and Travis escorted

Sarah to two nearby seats which were directly below a sign which

hung directly overhead exclaiming ‘smoking in the street only’.

Travis could see the reason for the sign.. the building looked like

a sure fire trap, it’s ancient hand hewn beams straining above to

keep the well worn roof from caving in. There surely must be at

least one hundred people in the place, with chairs and little

tables strewn in no order at all around the perimeter of the dance

floor which he guessed was only fifty by fifty feet.

On the stage, three fellas were pickin’ at a guitar, a banjo and

one on a mandolin…a fourth sat nearby, readying what looked like

an old harmonica that surely must have come across with

Columbus himself. Travis sat Sarah down and said, “I’ll go get us

some refreshment, don’t talk to any strangers.” The comment

invoked a bright giggle from Sarah with a return of “Well don’t

you be gone to long now young man.. the night’s a wasting’.”

 

                                                                                                                        Pg 193

 

Travis edged his way down the side of the busy dance hall toward

a table draped in red and white with two elderly ladies in attendance

of it. Travis recognized Mrs. Beasley from the rooming house

immediately and shouted “Hello there young lady…you in charge of

the punch?” “Well hello back Mr. Dawson. And yes, I am in charge of

this refreshment stop. See you have that Miss Sarah with you from the

general store… is there something in the future we should know about?

I also do weddings for people..you know.. the food, drink…all the

arrangements.. that sort of thing.”

“Whoa” yelled Travis with both hands up in the air. “Little premature

to be talkin’ about a wedding, but I’ll give you first crack at it Mrs.

Beasley if something like that happens down the road.”

“Wonderful” replied Beasley as she handed the two glasses to Travis.

“Give my regards to Sarah…and you two enjoy that full moon out there

tonight.” And with Travis grabbed the drinks and headed back to the

seats, just as another square dance got underway… the caller on the

platform instructing the dancers to ‘do-se-do and allemande left’.

Travis had been to a few dances as a kid but could never get the hang

of the four couples listening for instructions and going in a circle one

way.. then the other. Heck, it was easier pushing a herd of cattle through

                                                                                                                        194

a tight canyon and down a ravine then trying to keep those instructions

straight in your mind. However.. when the slow dance came around.. he

knew he would have Miss Sarah out on the floor and hopefully as close

to him as he could muster. 

Travis arrived back at the seat next to Sarah and floated the drink to

her left hand which was awaiting it’s arrival. “Thank you Travis” she

exclaimed. “You are such a gentleman.” Sarah and Travis were just

starting to get comfortable and were enjoying the couples out on

the dance floor when all of a sudden a young cowboy ran in and

started yelling at the top of his lungs.

“Hey everybody… come quick… the livery stable is on fire!” The

band stopped playing immediately and the square dance couples

froze in their last moves as the intruder repeated his excited

message, “Come on….we need help…the livery is on fire!”

Travis put his drink on the floor, turned to Sarah and said, “Stay

right here Sarah… let me go see what’s going on and I’ll be back

for you directly o.k.?” Sarah’s mellow and relaxed face became

perplexed instantly as she spoke to Travis “please be careful…

don’t go being a hero alright?” The last two words had just

hit his right ear as Travis moved toward the front door…at

least a dozen other men in front of him as they headed out of

 the dance hall.