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11-09-2009, 09:14 AM
Son of a bar hand, Franklin Orthello Denten Dallas, was never destined for great things. Mr. Dallas worked long hours in the tavern, spending half his pay by draining the taps. Franklin's mother was killed in the birth of his younger brother, when Frank was two. They say that the tavern raised Frank. Madame Daphnie and her girls provided frank with motherly love. The Traveler's offered sagely advice and stories of their exploits and adventures to come. When the townsfolk filled his ear, on the other hand: about how money never flowed free enough, that they'd rather go home drunk than sober, and that they wish they could move west like the travelers. Soon Franklin resolved to travel and not just west but to the east where the travelers come from and even beyond. Maybe see this Europe people talked up so much. He became resolute that setting down meant stagnation. He was fifteen and would only take him a year to catch his ride out of town.
Two days after his sixteen birthday, a Fargo stage rolled into town. The coach was headed to the state of Texas. The man riding shotgun was badly wounded due to a failed robbery to the north. The driver Johnathan Cringe needed to get the cargo and passengers Anita Anne Arnold and her personal slave Black Anna, to the outskirts of Houston for Anita's marriage. Frank filled the need and caught his ride west. Those hours at the tavern listening to the patron's miseries paid off. Cringe had his doubts about such a young looking kid being able to handle a coach gun. But every patron chimed in about a time they remember his excellent shooting or how he was probably getting that appointment to west point. With the whole town singing Frank's praises Cringe quickly hired him.
He was not a great shot. In fact he most likely never fired a gun before. Ammo was expense and so where rifle's. Mr. Dallas gave out shots of whiskey to quail bar fights rather than fire his six. So it was no surprise that Franklin, son of a bar hand, was no help at all. One of the bandits journals tells of Franklin's outstanding cowardice. “Flare doesn't let any man walk away. But this coach gunner was not a man. Even With a gun in his hands another on his belt. [he] couldn't even raise it to threaten much less fire. Last we saw of him was a lumped over shadow as Flare drove the coach away.” This adventuring young son quickly found out what he was made of in real west situations. Left with only a days supply of food and a single bullet left in his coach gun. Flare the leader of the bandits who robbed him said he would end up firing that gun at least once. Not have the courage to head 60 miles northeast back to his hometown. He started down the road 135 miles to the next.
It's along this road Franklin admits to thinking about suicide. Tired from the heat lack of water and exhaustion. Frank wrapped his mouth around the barrel of his coach gun and found once again he was to afraid to fire. He knew he was dead and wanted to die now instead of succumbing to heat exhaustion or starvation which ever killed first. He managed to pull two more days of walking out of his tired legs before collapsing again. He knew he shouldn't sleep but he did right in the middle of the day and the road. Next thing An Angel appears scoping Frank up and leading Frank, passed out on his horse to the next town. Frank vowed his life to this stranger for saving him. But had now idea how far or how long that would actually take him. But first it would take him to where it all began. And Flare was right about Frank pulling the trigger.
Two days after his sixteen birthday, a Fargo stage rolled into town. The coach was headed to the state of Texas. The man riding shotgun was badly wounded due to a failed robbery to the north. The driver Johnathan Cringe needed to get the cargo and passengers Anita Anne Arnold and her personal slave Black Anna, to the outskirts of Houston for Anita's marriage. Frank filled the need and caught his ride west. Those hours at the tavern listening to the patron's miseries paid off. Cringe had his doubts about such a young looking kid being able to handle a coach gun. But every patron chimed in about a time they remember his excellent shooting or how he was probably getting that appointment to west point. With the whole town singing Frank's praises Cringe quickly hired him.
He was not a great shot. In fact he most likely never fired a gun before. Ammo was expense and so where rifle's. Mr. Dallas gave out shots of whiskey to quail bar fights rather than fire his six. So it was no surprise that Franklin, son of a bar hand, was no help at all. One of the bandits journals tells of Franklin's outstanding cowardice. “Flare doesn't let any man walk away. But this coach gunner was not a man. Even With a gun in his hands another on his belt. [he] couldn't even raise it to threaten much less fire. Last we saw of him was a lumped over shadow as Flare drove the coach away.” This adventuring young son quickly found out what he was made of in real west situations. Left with only a days supply of food and a single bullet left in his coach gun. Flare the leader of the bandits who robbed him said he would end up firing that gun at least once. Not have the courage to head 60 miles northeast back to his hometown. He started down the road 135 miles to the next.
It's along this road Franklin admits to thinking about suicide. Tired from the heat lack of water and exhaustion. Frank wrapped his mouth around the barrel of his coach gun and found once again he was to afraid to fire. He knew he was dead and wanted to die now instead of succumbing to heat exhaustion or starvation which ever killed first. He managed to pull two more days of walking out of his tired legs before collapsing again. He knew he shouldn't sleep but he did right in the middle of the day and the road. Next thing An Angel appears scoping Frank up and leading Frank, passed out on his horse to the next town. Frank vowed his life to this stranger for saving him. But had now idea how far or how long that would actually take him. But first it would take him to where it all began. And Flare was right about Frank pulling the trigger.