Chapter 25: Jason & Julie

It was midmorning when Jase and Julie debarked the river steamer well below Waco, just in case Jesse and Marie had taken up land that far south. Their intent was to follow the Brazos up river until they found some trace of the other couple. However, their first priority was to buy a third horse, one for Julie to ride, and then purchase provisions to stow on Jase's pack horse, Brax.

Baylor, Jase's buckskin, weathered the boat trip better than Brax but Brax soon found his land feet again. Jase found a suitable and pretty mare for Julie to ride. The stableman said the mare answered to the name, "Queenie." Provisions were purchased easily and quickly at a fair sized general merchandise and hardware store and secured to the pack saddle on Brax. By mid afternoon, the pair rode out on their quest.

This was a search that would take a great deal of time. Inquiry would have to be made all along the way in stores, saloons, and anywhere else information might be had. Likely looking tributaries might also have to be explored. By the time they had worked their way up the river to the small town of Waco, Jase and Julie were already discouraged at what lay ahead of them. Since it was nearing dusk, Jase decided to rent a room to allow Julie to freshen up as much as she desired while he visited the local saloons for information.

The first saloon Jase entered was named The Red Dog Saloon. Unlike many of it's counterparts in the cities, this was a simpler, rural version although the crackling action was still present much of the time. Much of this action, fueled by the presence of unlimited amounts of alcohol, was in the form of gambling, often with professional gamblers involved.

But the action usually also included that of jaded women, sometimes only as dance hall floozies hired to entice men to buy more drinks and sometimes in the role of prostitute, the "soiled dove" of the day. There was also the ever present potential danger and excitement of deadly differences over the cards, a cheater exposed, or simply bad blood.

Also unlike their larger city counterparts, these rural saloons tended to be fairly small, long and narrow affairs. Generally, they were not much larger than 80 feet by 24 feet with a single bar of about twenty feet. Plenty of spittoons were scattered about the floor by the bar and around the tables for the many inveterate chewers of the day. If present at all, toilette facilities were located at the back or even "out back" in a separate privy. Sometimes patrons were expected to simply step outside into the street or alley! Except for the fallen women, the saloon was an all male preserve.

Chairs, tables, gambling equipment, a bar, liquor, and soiled doves invited patrons to relax and have a good time. Many a saloon was located in a separate part of town to keep the rowdy element away from the "better class" of citizens. This could be a town's only saloon or, in a larger town, it might be a separate district full of saloons and gambling halls.

Jase saw both gamblers and soiled doves at work. Keeping all his senses alert, Jase ambled slowly up to the bar and ordered a beer. Although it was early in the evening, the bar stools were half full already. Listening unobtrusively to conversations at a bar could be very enlightening.

One young man in particular caught Jase's attention. He appeared to be out of place in a bar. Trouble was not long in arriving. An already inebriated and down at the heels cowboy accidentally bumped into the young man, spilling his own drink all over himself.

The cowboy angrily snarled, "Why the hell don't you look where you're agoin'? Now you need to buy me another drink!"

"Beg your pardon." said the young man, "but you bumped into me!"

The young man was not armed, but the cowboy was with an Army Colt hung low on his right hip.

The cowboy roared out, "You're a liar!"

Instant silence descended upon the bar. Even the honky tonk piano player suspended his playing in mid song.

The young man replied, "Sorry, you'll have to replace your own drink."

The cowboy roared back, "I called you a liar, what are you agonna do about that?"

The cowboy had turned to fully face the young man, his hand hanging low, just over the butt of his holstered pistol.

"He ain't armed," shouted someone.

"Then somebody give him a gun," yelled the cowboy, "'cause I aim to plug him full of holes!"

An eager observer slid another Colt down the bar in front of the young man.

"Now wait just a minute here," said the young man, "there's no call to get this excited. I'll buy your drink, cowboy."