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How Life Can Change

By: calebsliverleaf



It was the spring of 1880 about 25 miles north of Little Rock, Arkansas. My family had came to the area of the Flying S ranch about 1800 and settled here on about 10,000 acres. My father James Scott is the 4th generation to own the ranch. He met, courted and married my mother Marie Scott in 1854 and needless to say they did not wait to have a family because I came along in February of 1858. My name is Alexander Scott I have blonde hair and blue eyes like my mother. My father has always loved to read and so I was name after Alexander the Great. I have grown in to an impressive sight of a man stand six feet three inches tall and weighing over 220 pounds.

My family lived through the War Between the States and did not get involved because my father did not own slaves and was not going to fight or have someone make him fight for slavery. Thus the confederate army did not like my family and when the union army showed up on our land they did not either but the left us alone because we did not get in to the war. So, when northern reconstruction started the union regulators stayed away from our ranch unlike most of our neighbor who lost everything they owned because they fought in that damned war.

Now I am 22 years old and the oldest of four children. In my family the first born son of a generation has his life planned out for him before his is ever born. That plan has and will always be to grow up learning to run the ranch and when his father passes or retires take over ownership of the Flying S ranch. I have two brothers and one sister. Arthur is now 21 years old who stand 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Leah is now 20 years old who stand 5 feet 5 inches tall with blonde hair and blue eyes and if I might say so is a fine looking woman with many suitors. Now for momma's baby Edward is now 18 who stand 6 feet 1 inch tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. Well I thought my father was going to follow the same plan as his father when it came to the ranch but dad decided to do things differently. So as my siblings and me were going up he decided that we all could learn to run different part of the operation and then when he passed or retired we would run the ranch as a family instead of the way it had been in the past. It also happens that this was the first generation of our family to have more than one child make it to adulthood.

My father decided at the age of 12 that we were old enough to start learning how to do to some small things. Even then we were held accountable for our success in the projects that he had us do. At first it would be stuff like feeding the animals every day and cleaning stalls, but as time went on he started giving each of us more and more responsibility. We all were allowed to try and do different things go with running the ranch. Father let us try to see what we were good at and what weren't so good at. It turned out that we were all pretty good when it came to cattle which are good for us since that was what we did, but it turned out that Leah had a head for numbers so she did the books and kept up with money side of things with help from mom. Arthur was the best at figuring out where and when to plant crops for winter feed as well as a hell of a green thumb when it came to a garden. Edward did something no one saw coming when he went and took some money no one knew he had and bought some hog to raise. He said it was away to make more money for the ranch and also away to have more meat for the family during the winter. Ed turned those two hogs into a very big part of our operation and it has grown from just hogs to sheep and goats and chicken and roosters. All of which we have come to eat or be able to sell some for very good money.

Then my father did something that my mother hated and always held it against him because she said it took the innocence away from her babies. At the age of 15 my father taught all of us including my sister Leah to shoot a hand gun and a rifle. Now I am not saying that he meant for us to become gun fighters but he wanted all of us to be able to handle ourselves should trouble find us. So when one of us would turn 15 father would take us to town and buy us a handgun and rifle for our birthday and then teacher you how to use it safely. 

Now around the ranch my mother and sister dressed just like one of the guys wearing pants and boots because as my sister was so fond of saying, "a dress just is not away to ride a horse or carry my handgun." So the only time that either of my mother or sister wore a dress was going to church or town or on the odd occasion that we had company come over but if that stayed the night then they would get a shocking sight when the next morning mom and Leah would be in there pants. Now with all of the background taken care of I can get on with the story.

Well it had been rumored in town the railroad was buying up land as fast as it could and they were coming our directions but my family was not going to sell. On June 18, 1880 father at breakfast told all of us kids to take the herd of cows in then big field and move them to the upper pasture for the summer that day. So after breakfast we all went and saddled making sure that we had all of our weapons as we would be gone overnight from the house. Just as we got to big field to pick up the cows a shot rang out from the house and all us turned and at high gallop ran back to the house to find both of our parents dead. We sent a ranch hand in to town to get the sheriff and bring him out while we buried our parents. It was not until after we had them buried that Ed saw a note nailed to the front door of the house. The note read," Your family would not sell so we killed them and if you will not sell then we will kill you to. You have until tomorrow morning at 10 to decided because we will be back then to do what we have to get you land," Signed by Thomas Boring. It was not long after finding the note that the sheriff and our hand got to the ranch. Sheriff Jones had grown up with my parents and was upset and when he saw that note but was powerless to do anything about it. The sheriff told us that we had better just sell out to the railroad because they would just take your land anyway. That made me mad and I pulled a pistol on him and told him to get off our land and never come back on it, because of he did I would shoot him dead. 

At dinner that night none of us felt like eating but we know we had to eat. As we did eat we talked about when our parents would want us to do and it was decided that we were not going to sell out and if they wanted a damned fight they would get one hell of a fight. So after dinner all of checked our weapons and make sure our horses were taken care of and then we decided we had better keep a watch over ourselves while we slept so we each took 2 hours shift with me having the last one. By four A.M. all of us were awake and breakfast being eaten. At daylight we quickly did the chores around the house as no one wanted to be caught away from the house with what was supposed to be coming.

My brothers and I were just coming back in to the house when Leah yelled there were riders coming. I told Art and Ed to cover me from the window in the house while I talk to them but be ready to shoot first and ask questions later. When the riders got about thirty yards away I told that was close enough. Are you Mr. Boring? A tall lanky man said, yes I am. Then he asked are you going to sell?

I said hell no! And then drew my pistol and shot him in the head. At the point his two comrades stared to draw weapons but before they could my family started shooting from the windows. Needless to say they did not do to well as far as carrying out their threat in the note. All four of us tied them to their horses and then we rode in to town to take the dead bodies to the law. 

While in town my family and I were approached well dress man in a black suit. He introduced himself as Mr. James Smith. Mr. Smith said that he was sorry for the way Mr. Boring had tried to take our land and would like to let us know that they railroad would only be passing by our place. As such the railroad only wanted to be a small piece of ground from us. Mr. Smith said that apparently Mr. Boring had wanted your place for himself so that he could sell the land to us plus keep your ranch. I asked Mr. Smith how much of our land would they want to buy and where at on our property they wanted to buy? Mr. Smith said, "They wanted to buy on the west side and only about one hundred acres." I asked how much they were will the pay for those acres. Mr. Smith said, "five thousand dollars." I told Mr. Smith to give us some time to think about it and then in three days come out to the ranch and we would have an answer for him. My family and I then thanked time and rode home.

At dinner that night we all set down start to discuss the idea of maybe selling 100 acres to this Mr. Smith. I brought up that it would make getting our cattle to the railroad a hell of a lot easier. It would also mean that a lot of the other rancher would be able to relax and then we could go back to living a normal life on our place just as our family had done for eighty years. After much cussing and discussing it was decided that we would sell if they would pay seven thousand five hundred, because they were dumb enough to have a man like Mr. Boring and then want to ask us to sell after killing our parents.

Three days later about 10am after doing all of our chores we were walking back in to the house when I saw Mr. Smith riding up to the ranch house. I ask him to come inside and we could talk. Mr. Smith said, "Yes, let's get inside out if this heat and see if we can't do business, after everyone was inside comfortable with something to drink. He asks have you mad a decision. I answer yes. Mr. Smith asks well? I holed out just a little to make him uncomfortable. Then answer yes we will sell one hundred acres for the price of seven thousand five hundred dollars. Mr. Smith then says, I offer five thousand dollars. I say the price is higher because your company had a man like Mr. Boring working for it and so to make it were we can stand do business with your company it will cost your company more money. Mr. Smith thought about it for a minute and said ok we will pay that amount but it will take me and few days to get the money. I said ok have the papers drawn up and then we will have our lawyer look over them and then we can finalize the deal if he clears your papers. About two weeks later we finalize the sale with Mr. Smith and start the rest of our lives.

To be continued.......

How Life Can Change Ch. 02



Authors Note: Thank you for reading my story. Any critics or advice you have are always welcome. Please feel to send them along I read and take it in to consideration. Please feel free to rate my stories.

There are no graphic sexual descriptions in this story. All Places and People in this story are completely fictional and over eighteen years of age.

As always enjoy.

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It took about 2 weeks to finalize to sell of the 100 acres of land to Mr. Smith's company and about another month for us to take down and rebuild our fences but we got it done as a family.

The next morning after we finished that project at breakfast I asked everyone a question.

Do you think we might need to get some newer guns?

You see our father had bought all of us the same guns, a cap and ball black-powder colt pistol and a sharps carbine rifle. While they were good weapons they did have some problems.

Art said, "Well if people are going to keep coming out here and trying to take what is ours then yes."

Everyone agreed with that statement.

Leah then said, "Why don't we go into town and see Mr. James and buy some of the new weapons that use those metal cartridges?"

You mean that you think we have not seen the last of trouble here Ed asked?

No I think not Ed, I said. So after breakfast we all rode in to Jacksonville to see Mr. Smith, A man that was in his early fifty and baled as a babies butt. He had brown and was short and stocky. He was the local gunsmith. As we rode in town we could see all of the eyes were on us, but we made to the smith without any problems.

As we walked in the door Mr. James asked what I can do for all of you.

Well we think we need to upgrade our weapons, I said, like to some guns that use the new 44-40 cartridge. Mr. James asked, do you all want the same weapons or different. I sold all of your guns when your dad brought you in and he made sure you all got the same things. I think we can all decide what we want, I said. 

I already know what I want, Ed said. I want one of those New Remington Army pistol and A Winchester model 1873 both chambered in 44-40 with the extra cylinders.

Leah said that what Ed was getting would work for her and so we all ended up with the same thing again. I guess that is the way our father would have wanted it, and as luck would have Mr. James just happened to have four sets of those weapons in stock. It took a little haggling but with all of our trades and about 1000 dollars in cash we all walked out with the new weapons and four boxes of shells each.

As we were putting our new rifles and boxes of shells in a saddles a shot rang out, and all I could see was three men wearing long black coats holding weapons moving toward their horses to try and get away after shooting as us. Not until I heard Leah yell did I realize that someone had been hurt. Looking down I saw her holding my brother Art who had a gunshot wound to his chest and was dying. The next I know here Sheriff John "Popo" Childress (Popo is what my father always called him I never find out why) comes on his horse a very high rate of speed. What happened? Popo asked. Three men in long coats just shot and killed my brother Arthur and I am good after them. Now and don't go doing anything really stupid, said Popo. How can you of all people expect me not to go after these people, someone has had my parents killed and now my brother has been shot and killed right in for of my two younger siblings, I said. So either you can help me catch these people and maybe have to kill them or I am going catch them and for sure kill them, I said.

So what it's going to be sheriff, I asked?

Ok I'll help you but we are going to take them alive if possible, Popo said.

That will work along as they will tell us who hired or why they are killing my family, I said.

The Undertaker got there and asked where do you want to bury him at? Leah said, by Mom and Dad out on our ranch. How long does it take you to get the body ready to be buried, I asked. About three days said the undertaker. Ok good I said. I then asked the undertaker how much we would owe him to get Art ready to be buried. The undertaker said, twenty dollars will cover all of it and that includes me digging the grave by your parent's feet. I said good and wait for us to get back before your bury him and gave the undertaker the twenty dollars.

After the undertaker took the body and Leah, Ed and I composed ourselves. We all looked at Popo and then Ed said let's get these bastards!

So we mounted our horses and took Art's Weapons and horse for extra just in case.

Just as we left town, Popo said I've got their trail and it leads off to the west.

It was about noon when Art had been shot so after getting him taken care it was about three o'clock when we left to go after these bastards as Ed put it. So we had been tracking them for about four hours when we started to hear noise coming from a camp just a little ways ahead of us. The camp was in a small wooded area that we all knew very well. Three men had a nice sized fire going which help us see all of them and meant it would be tough for them to see out of the camp.

I expected to just ride up and take them now but Popo said, "Let's wait until after dark and then we will surround the camp and move in on them.

I said that sounds good so we stopped and wait for what seemed like forever for it to get dark, but actually it was only about forty-five minutes.

I had just started to get dark when Ed asked, Popo how are we going to do this?

Popo answered, well we can do it a couple of ways, one just ride in fast and hard surprising them but the way someone could get hurt. Two we spread out around the camp at in as best as we can a diamond formation. He was drawing with a stick in the dirt as he was taken and then we close to circle around the camp. Just remember if we do it that way not to shoot each other and not to get too close to the camp until after I say. I will do the talking and not let them know just how many of us there really are.

Okay let's do it the second way and we can cover you with our long guns, I said.

There was a full moon so it was not hard to see when we all got into position and were ready to get this show on the road. As we closed into about fifty yards away from the camp and stopped.

Popo walked closer to the camp and then yelled, "Hello the camp. May I come in?"

Come ahead said a voice from the camp.

So it was that Popo walked up to the camp with his Greener double shotgun at the ready.

Popo got the camp and said DON'T MOVE YOUR ALL UNDER ARREST FOR THE MURDER OF ARTHUR SCOTT!

I saw a flash as one of them went for a weapon. I took aim and fired hitting in the chest. The man I shot was dead before he ever hit the ground.

Popo said, what do you think I am that stupid to come after three gunmen all alone?

One of the gunmen said, that was just Joe and he always did do dome really stupid things and it finally caught up with him. So what's going to be fellers, asked Popo?

You can either drop your weapons or my deputies can shoot you down right where you stand as you have already seen they can shoot, said Popo.

It did not take them long too decided but they surprised me by decided to drop their weapons and letting Popo tied their hands. After he tied their hands Popo yelled ok deputies you can come into the camp now.

As Leah, Ed and I enter the camp three men got really scared and said what are you going to do to us?

Popo said, nothing if you give us the information we need.

What information do you need, asked one of the men?

Well first who in the hell are you, I asked.

I am Jesse and this is my brother James.

It was at that point that Leah rush over to the one named Jesse and punched him dead square in the nose. She then screamed Jesse fucking Durham, I thought that was you. What the fuck are you doing here and why are you helping these people kill off people you grew up with, Leah asked, about ready to beat the life out of this man that I now recognized, but I still did not recognize this James feller.

Ed was making sure that his pistol was loaded and ready when the one called James that I had never seen said what is he doing?

I answered getting ready to shoot you if you don't talk and quick.

Leah hit Jesse again and screamed for Ed to shoot them.

Ed started walking toward them when they said ok we will tell you anything you want to know just don't shoot us please.

Ok Ed let's what they have to say and then maybe you can still shoot them, said Popo. Damn I was just going to say that, I laughed and said. I said James you are a smarter man than you appear to be.

James said what would you like to know?

First I want Jesse to answer Leah's questions.

James looked to Jesse and said you better start talking quick. 

At this point I walked calmly and slapped the ever loving shit out of Jesse's mouth.

So why kill my family when you needed money Jesse? I asked.

I was hired by a man in Little Rock named Fuller to kill your entire family.

Oh Shit that explains a lot, I said.

To which everyone looked at me and asked what?

Mr. Joe Fuller has been trying to get our ranch as long as I can remember and Dad would never even think about his offer to buy the ranch.

Why asked, Popo.

First it was always a well known fact that our ranch was a family heirloom. Second the offer was always just so damned small that it was not even worth it thinking about.

I know that Fuller has tried at least five or six times to buy the Flying S ranch and he has always been told hell no.

Popo then asked James and Jesse would they testify in court against Mr. Fuller if they could get avoid being hung for the murders.

Yes both of them said.

I then asked Popo how much time these two would do if that happens.

More than likely no more than fifteen years, said Popo but Fuller would hang and all of this would be over with.

Mr. Joe Fuller was a man who stood five feet tall and was wider than he was tall and a balding and black beanie eyes. He was a rich Lawyer in Little Rock, AR at the time.

Popo had Jesse and James write statement of what they had said, just in case something happened to them on the way back to town, but promised they would make back to Jacksonville in one if he had anything to say about it.

We made it back to town with no problems.

Popo then sent a telegram to Little Rock to the Chief of Police there to have Mr. Joe Fuller arrested and that he would be down to get him arraigned on charges of conspiracy to commit capital murder.

Capital Murder or Murder in the First as it would be called in some places has only two possible punishments: Life without Parole or Death.

Popo heard back the next day that Mr. Fuller had been arrested and was in jail.

So Popo took his two prisoners and went to Little Rock, AR to have them arraigned on the charges.

All three defendants were held over for trial in the county jail.

The trail was set for one month later.

During the next month we had a lot to do on the ranch and with hopefully no delays we could be ready to go to Little Rock, AR for the trail.

The day after we got back we lay Arthur Scott to rest by Mom and Dad.

The rest of the month was spent getting our cattle that were going to sell at the market ready and then getting them to market. Thankfully we did not have to get far to get them to the railhead at Jacksonville.

While we were gathering the heard a saw something very special happening n front of my eyes. Leah had always been good friends with Jim Young (age 21) (one of the three full time hands that dad had hired to help work the ranch and our foremen's oldest son) but now when would make camp they would spend all of their time together. When were on horseback they would work together and do so quiet well I might add.

Our foremen James Young had three kids two girls and of course Jim. The two girls were named Kerri and Diane.

Kerri (age26) was about a year younger than me and as good a looking woman as I have ever seen. She stood about five feet three inches and weighs about one hundred and forty pounds, with red hair and deep blue eyes that you could get lost in. Not that I was looking for someone as this point in time but I started to think about Kerri more and more and started to want to get to really know her. 

So as we made camp the only night of our cattle drive I walked to Kerri who was helping mother at the chuck wagon cooking as ask could we go for a walk.

Much to my delight she said yes but only after her mother told her to go on.

As we walking down by the stream we were camped by talking I heard some strange noise coming from some bushes.

I ask Kerri very quietly what she thought it was and she I know what it is and are you that damned slow as to not know that it is.

I answered I guess I am that slow but what is it?

She said come on and we slow and very quietly made our way over to the edge of the bushes to see what was going on.

When we got to the bushes and look I saw what I did not expect to see. Leah and Jim were kissing and touching and about that time Jim Started to UN button Leah's Blouse and play with breast. I started to stop them but Kerri grabbed my arm and pulled me back from them and we walked a short distance away.

When Kerri turned to me and said I have always want to be with you and you can do what Jim is doing to Leah with me if you want to.

I was very happy but also shocked because I had never thought that Kerri liked me enough to even think about her in that way.

I then took Kerri in my arms and kissed very gentle and then pulled back and kissed her again more passionately. We stood there kiss for a while until we heard Jim and Leah start back toward camp and then we stopped and said We know what you to were doing and I ask Jim what his intentions were with my sister?

Jim answered I was going to talk to you about that because I am in love with your sister and wanted to get your permission to ask her to marry me.

Well I can't say I need to be asked but if I did I would say it this way.

I think our parents would be proud to have you in the family and would gladly give you permission to marry Leah, but you know one thing if you ever hurt I will come down on you like no one has ever seen before.

I held Kerri back a little ways behind Leah and her new fiancé Jim and ask her would you ever consider marrying me?

We have always been good friends and I wish I would have known you felt this ways about me years ago. I would not have waited this long to ask you spend time with me.

Kerri said, well I will marry you but you have to go and talk to my father and ask for his blessing and then we will let them know.

I was so happy and a little scared that I almost ran to talk to James.

Unknown to anyone at the time the two babies of this outfit were getting involved also.

Ed and Diane were keeping good secret from all of us and in love.

Diane (age19) stood five feet and weighs one hundred and ten pounds with red hair and blue eyes.

So as I was headed to talk to James I met up with Ed and ask where he was going?

I am going to talk to James about married Diane, Ed said.

I started Laughing and said that is funny but I am on my way to talk to James about marrying Kerri. Ed just started laughing and then James walked up and asked what is so funny?

Once we calmed down we said that we were both coming to talk to you about marrying your daughters.

James said oh really, well I could not be happier at least I know my girls will be taken care of.

It was my turn to have some fun with someone and I explained that all of your kids will be getting married soon because Leah and Jim want to get married also. He asked me as I am the oldest relatives Leah has left. I am also happy about it because I have known Jim all of his life and he is a very good man.

So with that all settle everyone had a very happy dinner and went to sleep so we could get up early and finish the drive to the railhead at Jacksonville.

We were able to get back home and then get to little rock for the trial the day before it started.

Mr. Joe Fuller had hired some hot shot lawyer Name Mr. John Ringgold to defend him. He tried to get separate trials but did not have any success and then trail to just talk until everyone would get tired and not care anymore but thankfully the judge told him to him shut up. The trial took three and when it came time for the verdict to be read Mr. Ringgold tried again to delay it but he was to shut up or face contempt of court charges.

The Judge asked each defendant did they have anything they wish to say before he passed sentence on them. Each one said, no sir.

Jesse Durham was sentence to fifteen years in the state prison at Little Rock.

James Durham was sentence to fifteen years in the state prison at Little Rock.

Mr. Joe Fuller was sentence to death by hanging for conspiracy to commit capital murder and master mining to whole operation. The sentence was carried out three days later at the state prison at Little Rock, AR where during the civil war 17 year old David O'Dodd was hung for being a confederate soldier.

We returned to the ranch and started getting ready for the weddings, but that is another story for another chapter.


TO BE Continued..........


Authors note: David O'Dodd did really die by hanging in the civil war. He was a kid who the union thought was a spy for the confederacy and so at the age of seventeen. He was hung. The site of where that took place is now where the state capital sits. The Prison was torn down in the late 1800's and the capital was built.