Blizzard on the Big Horn

Shorty and Slim got caught up in a heck
of a blow, the snow flying sideways
We were sure to freeze
Then to their surprise was a barn, corrals
and a house with smoke whirling
in the wind

Slim knew the old man that lived there,
seems his wife had died
Our boss took pity and left it to him
He was a fine old cowboy
and a character to boot

He invited us in saying we was a sorry sight
Had any grub and nodding No he fed us beans
and hot coffee
He says "So boys, wanta' play some checkers."
"Sure" we replied and then he started to talk

He spun his tales sittin' by the pot bellied stove
ablaze with coal and wood.
We were cozy and warm.
”One time, the old man said; We was down
by the Ole Flathead, when a wind storm blew in.”
then went on to add; “We’d rode through the day
in a fierce storm, our horses were through,
we felt lucky to find the line shack and smoke
was coming outta the flue.”
Sounded mighty familiar

The old man loved to talk about the good old days
and so we listened glad to be warm. ”We was holed up
in the line shack, me and Ole Pete McMurphy, was his name.
We was playing cards sipping whiskey when he up
and called me a cheat. I reached over to get my gun,
when to my surprise he pulled out his and it misfired.
I pulled mine and shot him dead. Hell, had to or
he’d a killed me sure.”

The fire sparked and cackled as we settled in playing checkers.
“Let me spin a tale, the old man crowed; about a horse that threw me once
up on the Buckhorn. The devil told me to shoot him,
but I got God’s grace,
my Mama made danged sure I knew the good word.
The ole sorrel gelding bucked like a stallion on his way
to mount a mare in heat! I hollered and held tight girding
his muzzle with the iron bit. He wasn’t through though,
he fooled me and we rode a few paces and he bucked me off.
I walked all the way down Buckhorn to Carson’s place,
had to buy a new horse.”
The tale was spinnin now for sure and the checkers were moving
and the whiskey was smoothin things out a bit.

There was a blizzard on the Big Horn
(c) Dale Clark