A/N: Here's how I figure birthdates. Uncle Jesse and Boss Hogg mention a time in '35 or '38 as Ridge Runners several times. They're about the same age. Twin brother Abraham Lincoln Hogg's phony birth certificate says 1926, but J.D. couldn't have been a Ridge Runner at 12! If one number was off – a 2 supposed to be a 1 – that has J.D. born in 1916 and him and Jesse in their late teens before Prohibition ended – one episode says they were doing shine during it – and each in their early 20s in 1938. (1935 also woks.) Boss' dad could have been a spry 83 in "Big Daddy." That works best with Boss having a great uncle die in season 7, easier for his father's father to have a younger brother only a few years older than Boss' dad. Jesse brought his bride Livinia to the farm in the toxic waste ep. in season 5, but she also died there. Elsewhere Martha is mentioned; that's explained, too. Finally, I don't recall the reason being explained for Sheriff Little hating bootlegging so much, but even if it was, the incident mentioned can still be a secondary one.
As for the stranger, one fansite says he went out after college, and was born in 1857, because after the 1840s or so, the Texas Rangers didn't get reborn till 1874. Aanother said 1830s or 1840s. Not all members of a certain tribe were evicted from Michigan during the Trail of Tears in 1833, and a birthday in 1830 still makes him too young to remember his friend. One radio episode gives the date of 1896(!), but it's almost impossible he was supposed to be in his 60s. So, figure 1845-1857 as a birth range, and he kept in top shape. People work till they're 100 after all; some did even during this story, when he'd be late 60s to about 80.
Apologies to those who are better at writing 1920s dialogue than I am, I'm nto that great at it, but I didn catch where I had a character say "cool" and changed it to "swell," so I tried to have them talk a little less like today, but it might still not be great. It's kind of hard to balance the more formal way of talking everyone did with the fact they're still kids. I read recently of a man who was either a minister, or his son became one, from the Deep South where the family did what Jesse's dad says his brother did in Atlanta. The Dukes are likely cut from the same mold.
Sequel to my "Hazzard Sparkplugs." It's one of my last stories, and last in this fandom, as I'm going into the ministry fulltime in about a year or less, but it gives some idea of the future after…well, you'll see.
More Than a Legend
Eight-year old Benjamin Duke petted the soft, white main of his horse. He was saddled up and ready to race off to adventure.
(Y'all, one thing the Dukes have always loved is God's green earth. The Duke farm is special, goin' back six generations, with Daisy's adopted son Ben there.)
"Y'all got your safety gear on, right?" his adoptive mother, Daisy, asked.
"Yes, Mom."
(But, that Duke farm holds an even more amazing secret than any of them could have ever reckoned.)
"Hey, how 'bout that; y'all look like the Lone Ranger there, Benny," spoke his father, Enos Strait. Enos and Daisy had married last week. It had been planned for many months, but couldn't have come at a tougher time for the Dukes, the way it turned out.
"Mom…do you think Uncle Jesse's gonna be okay?" Benny asked somberly.
"I don't know, Sugar," Daisy confessed. She pulled her horse up alongside his, and put an arm around him. "I know you love your Uncle Jesse; we all do. He raised me since I was six years old."
"Yeah…and Bo an' Luke, too," Daisy's new husband added. "Exceptin' they was younger when they came to live with y'all's Uncle Jesse after their parents died. At least, I think they were."
"Oh, Enos, what's important is that he's laid up in the hospital right now, and he had to make some effort just to walk me down the aisle." She sniffled. "I ain't gonna lie to you, Benny, I'm worried, too. But, remember how he said he had one piece of business to take care of before he died."
Benny nodded. "Do you think it can happen?" He sounded skeptical.
"I don't know. It ain't in our hands, though."
In the hospital, Jesse Duke was praying as he lay in the hospital bed. He wasn't in serious condition, but still weak from a heart condition. However, the man he was praying for was in much more serious shape.
"Lord," he prayed, "I've known you as a friend for many years. I remember when J.D. and I was trapped in that vault of his, and I thought we were gonna die. I told him then I was sure he'd make it to Heaven, because I had a friend up there. He wasn't repentant like I thought he was then. In fact, he done tried to trick us out of the farm when we got out. It just wasn't our time yet. But, Lord, I know I've been prayin', and I just feel like you've been tellin' me all this time that that man was gonna repent when the end was finally there for him, long as I kept prayin'. Well…all I gots to say is, time sure seems pretty short. So, if I was hearin' you right in my heart, you better start somethin' pretty quick. And, I know you will. Because I believe in you. Not just in the facts, but in Your being my Lord, because of Your great salvation. And…my friend." He smiled. "Just like it says in Your Word."
Bo and Luke paused for a moment out of respect, to make sure their uncle was done praying. They weren't nearly as close to the Lord as Jesse was – and even Jesse was no evangelist. But, Uncle Jesse was close enough to always pray the blessing at meals, and talk to the Lord at other times, too. Daisy had taken after him, Bo and Luke less so.
"Hey, Uncle Jesse," Bo said finally. "How's it goin'?"
"I'm makin' it," Jesse said, refusing to show his tiredness. "I heard J.D. had another heart attack. Pretty serious, too."
"Yeah, Rosco's in there with him now." Luke sighed. Boss Hogg had been the very crooked County commissioner for decades, and Rosco the sheriff and, now, co-commissioner. Just a couple years ago, Boss Hogg had bought a baseball team and tried to cheat to lose so he could win millions.
"Give him my respects, will ya? I'm gonna get over there…before it's time."
"Sure thing, Uncle Jesse." Luke and Bo talked with him for a few more minutes, then went down the hall to Boss Hogg's room.
(Now, while that was goin' on, ol' Boss Hogg was still up to his dirty tricks, despite bein' hooked up to just about every kinda machine that hospital had. Y'all, it wouldn't surprise me if he died an' went the other way, and tried to swindle the devil.)
"…So you see, Boss, I was thinkin'…"
"Rosco, will you hush?" Hogg complained somewhat weakly. "Listen, I came back from one heart attack, I can survive another."
"Well, Boss, it just seems that in your condition, it wouldn't do no good to try an get a silver mine."
"Rosco, all them rumors about the Lone Ranger being a real person, and him comin' through Hazzard almost a century ago…" He winced as he saw Bo and Luke come in.
"Boss, you okay?" Bo said with some alarm. "Your chest don't hurt, does it?"
"The only reason I hurt, is on account of you two came in here."
Rosco sputtered, "Don't you Dukes know when to let a man plot stuff in peace?" He finally relented, and pinched Boss Hogg's check. "All right, if it means that much to you, little fat buddy…"
"Cut that out, Rosco. Just go lookin' for some evidence of you know what so I can get my hands on you know what that might lead me to you know what."
"Well, let's see here…" Rosco appeared to be drawing with his finger in the air. "Which one of them whats I'm lookin' for is which."
Bo laughed. "Come on, the Lone Ranger? Real?"
"Yeah, and even if he was, this ain't no Western town. Why would he come ridin' through Hazzard?" Luke inquired.
"Oh, tiddely tuddely, haven't you boys been readin' the newspapers? Old Man Weston passed away in his late nineties last month, and suddenly his diary comes forward and there's all this stuff about some man with a mask ridin' through Hazzard an' Chickasaw helpin' people."
"Well, shoot, Robin Hood was helpin' people long before Lone Ranger stories came about. Not only that, but some people think there was some truth to the Robin Hood legends," Bo pointed out.
Luke concurred. "That's right, suppose there was someone like that; with someone from another race helpin'. Fellow hears of him, and then decides to exaggerate, and someone else does more. All of a sudden if it wasn't an Indian, it becomes one to fit the Western theme…"
"….Yeah, and then you got the silver bullets an' all."
"Bo's right. No tellin' what's been added to the story just because a couple Good Samaritans from different races might have be best friends back in the 1920s," Luke said.
"Rosco, will you get those two out of here," Hogg commanded. "And get to work askin' questions. As soon as I find out about that hidden silver mine, I'll probably perk back up in no time."
(Y'all prob'ly figure they're just chasin' after wives tales, don't ya? Well, are the folks of Hazzard ever in for a shock.)
(Ben hated the name Benny by now – ever since some of his schoolmates started calling him Henny Penny Benny. So, now it was just Ben. And, he was ridin' his horse around where some of Hazzard's construction crew was diggin' for some new water lines. Betcha them fellers was glad it wasn't the General, huh? Some of them still duck years later when they hear a car comin'.)
"Hey, is it safe here?"
"You're already walkin' through it, kid, it better be," cracked one worker. "You must be a Duke to be comin' through this mess."
"Yes, Sir. It's my momma that got married to ex-deputy Strait last week. Hey, what's that your backhoe's pushin' up? Ain't no cemetery near here." Indeed, it looked like several very plain, wooden boxes. Ben instantly rushed over to see. "I can look in it, can't I? This is part of our land." He went to the smaller first. "This one don't look big enough to hold no body; Mom would really be mad at me for disturbin' the dead."
One of the workers helped him lift it up and out of the dirt. "We'll need a crowbar of some sort," he told Ben.
"There's one at our place. Keep it there." He rode off, and came back with Enos on his tail. "Here we are."
Enos said by way of explanation, "I hope it's no bother, the young'un's just so excited to be explorin', so I figured I oughta let him. No tellin' what's in these boxes."
Once they pried it open, Ben began reading the roughly printed wording on a letter. "Look, it says, 'To the Dukes.'" It was written in phonetic language, but that helped the eight-year-old read it. "This looks…like a letter addressed to us."
"Possunonagumbush, how could that be?"
"I don't know, Enos…I mean, Dad." Ben had been adopted by Daisy at age three. He was still trying to get used to calling him "Dad," though he'd called her "Mom" for a while. "There's a couple letters, and a diary. I wonder what's in that one…no, we better not open it, in case someone's buried in there," he said, deciding his first instinct was correct.
"Look. Here's another letter," Enos said. "Seems like it's from some other fella, though they was probably friends, since these letters are together here."
"Jesse Duke," Ben said, his mouth agape for a second as he tried to contemplate the idea of a letter some seventy years old being addressed to his Uncle Jesse. "The names Duke, and Hogg, and…wait, whoever it is wrote something about 'the Hogg boys.'" Ben looked confused. "Did Boss Hogg have any brothers?"
"As a matter of fact, he did. There was his twin brother, Abraham Lincoln Hogg; he was the honest one of the two," Enos began to explain. "Their daddy made a big mistake, 'cause he got a girl pregnant when they was 16, but then he married her. He was away a lot on business, but they had another kid who he was closer to named Jeb Stuart Hogg in 1933. By that time Boss Hogg and Abe Lincoln Hogg were both out of the home and working, and their dad taught Jeb Hogg everything he knew." He spoke very regretfully. "I hate to say it, 'cause they're gone, but most of that was crooked stuff. Jeb's the one who had Huey Hogg and Dewey Hogg, the Boss' nephews."
"How come they didn't have no Louie Hogg," Ben joked.
Enos spoke sadly. "Louie died when he was a baby. That happened a lot more in them days, 'cause they didn't have modern medicine."
"Awww." He glanced further. "Who's Livinia? Was that our Uncle Jesse's…wait, I thought his wife was Aunt Martha."
"Livinia's one of his sisters; Uncle Jesse was one of ten children. But, it was also his bride, ceptin' she died back at the farm of one of them diseases that's easy to treat now, what with penicillin an' immunizations an' all. Then he married Martha a few years later, but they couldn't have children, till your mom an' Bo an' Luke came along. It's after she died he didn't know what he'd do if he didn't have them to raise."
(After Enos was done filling Ben in on some family history, he suggested they take the boxes and stuff in 'em back to the house an' look through all of it while Daisy fixed lunch. Then, they pulled out some of the other old diaries from the attic of the Duke house. Ben was really anxious to find something to take his mind off his Uncle Jesse being in the hospital.)
(Daisy was excited, too, as were Bo and Luke when they arrived home, just as Ben started going through the old diaries and whatnot.)
"Hmmm, here it says a couple strangers happened through Hazzard in 1925…so it was just J.D. and Abe then," Luke told Ben. "Jeb wasn't born yet."
(Pretty soon, the pieces began to fall into place, as they took a trip back to 1925. Fasten your seatbelts, y'all, we're goin' along with 'em.)
---------------------------------
The aged man tipped his white cowboy hat slightly, and walked his trusty mount – pure white, like the man's hair – along the dirt roads of rural Georgia. He'd been pondering many things as they rode along for several miles. "Thanks for all your help." He sighed. "I know it's been rough, my friend. Now, however, our people are learning to live together, and to be accepted as they should be, with the dignity all men deserve. Just as we're trying to help people live together in peace here, Tonto."
(Did he just say Tonto?!)
"It more troublesome here than in West, kemosabe. But, we still make progress," his Indian friend agreed.
He thought a moment as they kept riding. "I never wanted any thinks, except for knowing I helped someone. But, I've developed a reputation after all these years, Tonto. I'm concerned people may come to honor me more than the right principles I stood for. I don't want honor or praise. So, when I die, I don't want my grave marked."
Tonto was stunned. "You sure, kemosabe?"
Wearily, the man explained. He pointed at his mask. "For people to honor me, they must remember my legacy. This mask became a symbol of right triumphing over might in the West. Now, that frontier is closed. In the last decade we've devoted ourselves to helping others elsewhere, one person at a time, slowly moving around while doing so." He allowed himself to smile. "Anytime someone does something for the sake of doing what's right, not insisting on a reward, they will honor me. Any person who does some good without boasting of his own accomplishments, anonymous or not, will be honoring my memory." He ended his remarks by saying, "I've been given excellent health, a long life, and many chances to do good things for the people of my country. I hope I've used all those gifts as wisely as I could."
Just at that moment, a boy of eleven and some friends, each nine, rode up to the men on horseback. "Howdy, neighbors, I'm Jesse Duke. What brings you here to Hazzard?"
One of the other boys – they appeared to be twins, except one wore white, the other black - spoke next. It was the one in white, by the name of Jefferson. "Jesse Duke, why are you talking to him? He's wearin' a mask," J.D. Hogg said sarcastically. "Your goody two-shoes family would never talk to a man in a mask," the portly youth finished.
His twin brother, Abe, responded. "I'm not sure who he is, either, Jefferson. But, it's not what's on the outside. It's what's in his heart that counts."
"I'm glad to see that that truth is still alive and well. What's your name, young man?" the masked stranger asked the boy who wore a black cowboy hat and outfit.
The one who defended the stranger said, "My name is Abraham Lincoln Hogg, Sir. This here's my twin brother, J. D. Hogg. And, this is our friend Jesse Duke," he finished. He pointed at the boy in bib overalls. Then, he asked, "What brings you to these parts?"
"And what's with that mask?" J.D. asked. "Are you some kind of outlaw?" He didn't ask it in a threatening way. Rather, his query held a great deal of interest, as if outlaws fascinated him.
"No, I wear this mask as a symbol of justice - as I've worn it ever since my days in the Old West."
"We come from Chickasaw. Help man falsely accused of bootlegging," Tonto explained.
The boys' eyes grew wide. "Were you a cowboy?" Abraham asked.
"Or maybe even a sheriff," Jesse said, suddenly realizing something. "Say, was that man you helped Mr. Little?"
"That's right. He's engaged to be married now, and in a few years, he plans to have a son who can grow up to become sheriff; one he says will fight against all bootlegging. A lot of people tell him it's impossible to have a son grow up to be sheriff, given his race," the stranger continued. "However, I told him to pursue his dreams. Our nation was founded by men who fought the odds, and won."
(How 'bout that. After what almost happened to his daddy, no wonder Sheriff Little hated moonshine so much.)
J.D. snickered. "I could stack the odds enough to beat anyone."
"Don't pay attention to him," Jesse advised. "He just loves to cause trouble. That must have been real exciting to be out there in the Old West, with all them gunslingers and wild Indians and everything!" Jesse said in awe.
The masked man turned to Tonto. "You see what I mean? The minor fact of having been out West puts these boys in awe of me. He's not even focusing on my good works, let alone the fact that each time we stepped in to assist others, it was done with an eye toward ensuring that right triumphed," he pointed out. "That is why I am so concerned that people will ignore the good which I have done, instead of carrying on the tradition."
"If I may, Sir," Abe pointed out, "our good works don't get us to Heaven. It's salvation through what the Lord did on the cross, and His rising again, that gets us to Heaven."
"I never said I was relying on my works to get me to Heaven. Only that I have helped many people through the years. I know what gets us to Heaven," he said confidently. "And, I have that assurance."
"Say, speaking of helping people, I've got a little sister named Doris…"
"Jesse, will you knock it off," the young J.D. Hogg said. "You're always going on about Doris. I keep telling you she's an idiot!"
"Listen, J.D.," Jesse shot back, "she may be retarded, but she's still my kin. And as the oldest I have a duty to take care of her!"
The masked man held up a hand. "Perhaps it would be best if we understood who Doris was."
Jesse agreed. "Follow me. I'll show you."
J.D. scoffed as he watched Jesse ride off with the other two. He turned to Abe. "Can you believe that Duke boy? Why, he's so devoted to Doris, you'd think it was his own wife."
"He has a point, Jefferson. He knows the Bible says, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' Doris may not be able to do much, but she's still a person. That means we should respect her."
"They should put her in a home for the retarded." J.D. grumbled.
(Now, y'all should know that Doris wasn't that bad off. She could get along pretty well with help. But, nobody back then knew about that stuff, so they never did plan no education for her.)
"He's got his parents believing he can care for her himself, and now he goes off with that masked man..." J.D. stopped suddenly, and inhaled sharply. "Wait a minute. That gives me an idea…" J.D. grew an evil grin.
(Uh oh. Y'all, I know that look ol' Boss gets even when it's the schoolboy Boss. And you can bet he ain't plannin' a church picnic. It's lookin' more like an episode of the Little Rascals. 'Cept this is in color.)
In the Duke home, Jesse's parents and Jesse were explaining about Doris. They had seven children in the family so far, one just a couple months old. The oldest of two girls, Doris, was nine, but as they spoke she seemed to function as one much younger.
"So, that's what happened," Jesse's dad explained. "And now, we can hardly afford to make payments on the farm without the boys helping us out. We've been blessed since I came back from World War One, but Doris is our main concern."
"I see."
Mrs. Duke interjected, "Jesse keeps talking about how he'll be able to take care of her. Frankly, we're pretty worried."
Mr. Duke agreed. "Jesse has thankfully always been very helpful with her, just as we've taught him, but it's still tough. We're one of few people in this county who will take anyone in, no matter what. It's caused some raised eyebrows, but it's also earned us a lot of respect. It's probably that old Duke stubbornness that makes him willing to be committed like that," Mr. Duke said. He related that, "I have a brother in Atlanta who does the shopping at 'whites only' stores and delivers the food to the segregated parts of that town."
"He's doing a wonderful service," the Lone Ranger commented.
Jesse perked up. "Say, that reminds me. You know how Reverend Morris says he's starting a bus route on Sunday? Abraham Hogg said he'll come."
"That's wonderful," his mother remarked. "What about his brother? As if I had to ask," she said tiredly.
"He said he wouldn't come within a hundred miles." Jesse shook his head. "I want to believe he can turn out good, but I don't see how." He had Duke stobbornness, but even that seemed to be beyond him.
His father laid a loving hand on his shoulder. "Now, Son, remember what we've always said. These things are in God's hands, not ours. Our job is to bring them in to hear the Good News, or at least go and tell 'em about it. Then, we have to trust God with our prayers to get through. Just like how you've befriended them Hogg boys. Now Abe's received the Lord, and he loves his Bible."
"Tonto and I will be staying a few days; we'd love to be part of it," the masked man said.
"We'd be happy to make room for you, stranger," the elder Duke said. "Kids crowd into the bedrooms like you couldn't believe, but if you don't mind a floor." The madked man said it was no problem.
(The county mechanic, Alexander Davenport, built the church's bus by puttin' things together in his shop, and donated it. He woulda done one for the school, but most of the farmers' kids were still used to goin' to school on horseback.)
In his garage, Alexander Davenport and his son, Horace, were talking with Jesse Duke and the two strangers. "So, what do you boys have planned for today?"
Horace smiled proudly. "Jesse an' I are gonna try to build some radios to fit inside some o' them cars you got in your shop."
"Now, wait just a minute, son," Alexander insisted, "you ain't puttin' no radios in no cars unless the people ask for 'em. This here's a service and repair place, not a science laboratory."
"But, Dad, radios in cars would be really swell!"
"You been readin' way too much Jules Verne, Son." He turned to the strangers. "Kids would try to build Model Ts that fly if Jesse's dad and I would let 'em," Alexander said with a mixture of pride and weariness.
The Lone Ranger spoke up. "His idea seems a little odd, but many successful inventors started out that way."
"Perhaps you have stationary items they could use?" Tonto suggested.
"Well, radios don't exactly come cheap. But, maybe I can help you two find some cheap stuff you could work with. You gotta be real careful you don't hurt yourself with it, though." The boys looked disappointed.
"Tonto and I would like to ride the church bus you built tomorrow, if that's possible. We're staying at the Dukes' place." The Lone Ranger considered that it was a lot more peaceful to be out in the country in the Old West. However, a nice family like the Dukes' still provided a wonderful place to relax and ponder strategies or simply be alone with his thoughts.
"Yep; and I'll be coming with my brother here," Horace quipped.
Jesse looked oddly at him. "I ain't your brother," he said, as if he had plenty of brothers as it was.
(And y'all thought ol' Cooter started it by callin' him Uncle Jesse, huh? Horace never had no siblings, so he liked to consider Jesse his brother. Anyway, J.D. rode up on his horse at that moment.)
"Well, well, well, if it ain't Jesse Duke, hangin' around with that masked man again."
Jesse glared. "J.D., why don't you find somebody else to bother?"
"Jesse Duke, I am shocked," J.D. said innocently. "Is that any way to speak to a boy who wants to go to church on y'all's bus?"
"No, but ain't no boys goin' 'cept me and him, and he wasn't talkin' to me," Horace quipped.
"But, Horace, I want to go with y'all."
Jesse scoffed. "I'll believe that when I see a pig fly by here."
"Well, now, y'all might want to think twice before sayin' that, Jesse," Alexander advised him. "The Lord's got some funny ways of drawing people. He might want to go to make fun of y'all, then decide there's somethin' to what we believe after all, once he gets there."
Jesse sighed, and turned to his friend's dad. "Yes, Sir. I reckon you're right." After J.D. waved goodbye and said he'd see them tomorrow, Jesse added, "I just can't help but think there's somethin' fishy about this."
"Well, we'll wait till tomorrow. We've gotta give him a chance, anyway. Who knows, his brother's really starting to grow in Christ. Maybe J.D. will, too."
Jesse had to agree. It was rough having friends like the Hoggs. However, the events of Sunday would prove to be much more than rough.
(Events on the bus goin' to church were uneventful. J.D. had convinced Jesse to bring Doris along, as part of his plan. He knew a couple other schoolyard bullies who he hung around with – he had to know early how to find such folks. Crooks don't advertise in the yellow pages, even in Hazzard. Anyway, he announced them all as Jesse's guests, but he'd hatched a plan to throw the church into chaos.)
Papers being wadded up and thrown in the Sunday School room were only the beginning. J.D. caused such a ruckus in the middle of Mr. Weston's lesson, he was ushered outside and told not to come back in while the lesson was being taught. When he failed to return, they figured he'd left, and bade him and his cronies, who also left, good riddance.
However, during the worship service, things got worse. The church was so small, there was only the minister, the Sunday School teacher, a couple deacons, and the lady who watched the small children, the room they'd put Doris in. Once the offering was done being collected, J.D. distracted the deacons, and one of his bully friends fled with the offering! The singing was interrupted during the commotion.
The Lone Ranger noticed the ruckus as he turned around. He also noticed Tonto coming toward him. "What happened?"
"Some kid run off with collection, kemosabe." He looked at the nursery,and said, "Look like them trying to draw off helpers there, too. Most parents going to get their young ones and bring them in here."
"And, Mrs. Weston will probably want to help her husband. I know you'd probably like us help watch Doris, Ma'am, but we've got to round up the kids who are causing the ruckus, and help get the church money back," he told Mrs. Duke.
"But, what will people think; will they accept her."
"I think your son can handle that part. Tonto, ask the reverend to make an announcement from the pulpit…"
"Oh, no you don't," J.D. said, "these people came for church, not to help baby-sit."
"J.D., why don't you mind your own business for once," Jesse proclaimed.
The Lone Ranger remarked, "Jesse's right; J.D. invited himself. I don't know why, but I've got to help find the missing offering. Tonto can take care of things here." He explained how J.D. insisted on coming while they were at the garage.
(Well, the minister announced that they needed help watching some of the kids, especially Doris. And, Jesse even got up and told them people just what help they needed. Meanwhile, the Lone Ranger was able to apprehend the person who made off with the offering, and recover all of it.)
(Once everything was settled down, and church was over, the friends prepared to make their exit.)
Back at the Duke farm, the Lone Ranger addressed the elder Duke. "Thanks you again for allowing us to stay at your place."
"Stranger, I don't know why you're thanking me." Mr. Duke sighed. "I've got to admit, I was really skeptical. But, the way everyone pitched in to help with Doris, I know for sure my boy's right. She don't need put in no home; not when there's a community of people willing to help someone like that."
"I knew that, once they were given the chance to understand what was needed, they would. Not every man will do what's right. But, many times, if people fail to do what's right, it's because they don't understand that there's a need. Hopefully, they understand a little more today."
"Your son help, too," Tonto complimented. "It seem many willing to help with Doris because of him."
"Yes, he's always made us very proud," Jesse's dad said as Mr. Weston walked up to them on the Duke farm.
(Now, between the other Dukes, and then the some of the townspeople, they were able to help with Doris till Jesse's sister Livinia was out an' married, when Doris when to live with them during World War Two. Jesse was still runnin' shine then, an' she was the best candidate to help. So, Doris stayed there.)
(While Mr. Weston and Jesse's parents spoke about what had happened, Jesse pleaded with the stranger.)
"Sir, before you go, would you please visit J.D.. I know he's a lot of trouble, but, maybe you could talk to him, at least," Jesse interceded.
"I'm afraid we don't have time." As Jesse prodded further, using that Duke stubbornness, the stranger admitted that J.D. Hogg might never go there again, and hadn't even had the chance to hear the message this time. "Those who report wrongdoing are seldom appreciated by the wrongdoer at the time. Your concern for him will do more good right now than any words I could speak. However, if I should find the time, perhaps I will be able to visit, or at least leave a note." With that, he bade Jesse farewell, and he and Tonto rode off into the sunset.
"Oh, our friends are still…" Jesse's dad said, walking out to where Jesse and the others had been. "Where are they?
"They said they're sorry, but they had to go somewhere else."
Mr. Weston turned to Jesse, presuming he would know, as he'd just been talking to him. "Who was that masked man, anyway?'
---------------------------------
"Wow," Bo said with a sense of awe. "No wonder them diaries of Old Man Weston's talked like he'd met the Lone Ranger."
Daisy had to laugh. "Imagine our Uncle Jesse hidin' that from us all these years …" The phone rang. "I'll get it."
As she was on the phone, Bo and Luke began to talk about the incredible find this was – the news could be all over the country.
"Boys, that was Uncle Jesse. He said Boss Hogg's taken a turn for the worse, an' he wants us down there right away."
"Here, we better take this stuff," Ben said. "Especially this one addressed to him."
"Reckon you're right; never know what good it'll do. Let's go!" Bo said. The four of them piled into the General, with Enos following in his own car.
When they arrived at the hospital, they were quickly shown to the room where Boss Hogg lay. "J.D., you got some visitors," Jesse told him from the bedside.
"Look what we found, Mr. Hogg; it's addressed to you," Ben said, rushing over to him with the yellowed paper.
"To me?!" Boss Hogg said as he weakly tried to move to take it. He couldn't. "Jesse, you read it for me."
"Sure." Jesse was quite confused about what it might be. "Where was this?"
"In a box, buried on our property," Ben explained. "With some other letters and stuff; including one addressed to you."
As Jesse read, the memories came rushing back. "It says, 'Dear Master Hogg. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. Your friend, Jesse, asked me to write you a note, as he was hopeful it would be found in the future. If it is, I want you to know that I meant you no harm in turning you in. You had trouble accepting that there was a right and wrong. However, I wanted to make sure you understood, in case you decided never to darken the door of that church again. You see, what your friend Jesse was saying was correct. We are saved so we can do good works. But, the only requirement God puts on our entering Heaven is a repentant heart. You see, what the Sunday school teacher was trying to tell you – with the whole class – was that we all sin. Even I am capable of sin. When I was left to die by the gang that ambushed us, I held some very vengeful feelings toward them for the first day or two after I awakened. I put those aside, however, and sought to pursue justice wherever I could find it.'"
"Is that really from…?" Lulu asked, recognizing the beginnings of the legend so many had heard.
"Wait, there's more," Jesse instructed. "'I don't know what road you will choose, or when you will get this. I'm only leaving this because your friend Jesse asked me to produce something before we left. I have finally had the time, and I wanted to tell you that it's never too late to turn over to the side of justice. I pray you will remember that time in Sunday School, and come to realize that there is more to life than what your heart was set on then. Sincerely…'" Jesse gazed in amazement at the paper. "'…the Lone Ranger.' And inside this here envelope…" He pulled out a silver bullet, and gave it to Boss Hogg. "Look." The look on Hogg's face was incredulous, yet the memory seemed to dawn on him, too, after a time.
"Uncle Jesse…how come you never told us," Daisy wanted to know, finally breaking the silence as Hogg studied the bullet and pondered things.
"Well," Jesse began, hedging a little, "when that radio show started, J.D. and I, we was already with the Ridge Runner. And, later on, well, I guess J.D. forgot about it. I recalled, but…well, would you have believed me? I mean, the show took place in the Old West."
Ben's mind jumped to another subject. He began to explain forgiveness to Boss Hogg, imploring him to make a decision now. Jesse put a hand on his shoulder, reminding him that Boss Hogg was the one who had to decide; they couldn't do it for him.
"What I wanna know is, how'd this stuff get buried on our property?" Bo asked.
"Look." Luke had just begun to study the letter that was written in less proper English. "Look, this must be from Tonto. It talks about how some time later, the Lone Ranger passed away, an' this stuff was buried with him, in a separate box. He musta come by when Uncle Jesse was with the Ridge Runners."
Bo's mouth flung open. "Wait…this means all this time, the Lone Ranger's been buried on our property!?!"
"It would appear so," Jesse muttered, lost in thought.
"Right. His friend might have figured this was a good place, and he'd take care of delivering the letter, too. But, if neither Jesse nor Boss was here, well, he figured he'd bury them, and tell someone so they could dig the box up later. Except things got so busy, it was never done."
"It had to be before the radio show started, right, Luke?"
"Way I reckon, both of 'em were gone by then. 'Course, anyone coulda told the secret; I red where there was people at the start of that show who swore they'd know him. Maybe some of 'em were right," Luke surmised.
Jesse shushed him politely. "Boss wants to say something.'"
"Jesse…I can't believe it. I'd plumb forgot all about that day, I done so much bad since. I never did pay no attention to what folks was sayin' about that. Like when I thought I had two weeks to live, an' tried to put all sorts of good stuff into those weeks." J.D. recalled how religion so permeated Southern life back then, it would have been hard for a kid to miss the Gospel, unless a church wasn't preaching it right, or a family wasn't going. Yet, his brother Abe had heard, and was totally different than J.D. had been.
"There's still time, Boss," Daisy remarked.
J.D. looked longingly at Jesse, and asked, "Even for me?"
"Even for you, J.D.; even for you. All it takes is a repentant heart," Jesse said.
"My Uncle Jesse's been prayin' for you forever," Ben informed him; the others copied.
Boss Hogg considered his life, the letter from so long ago, and everything. He thought about the Dukes, who had loved and forgiven him despite all he'd done. And, he thought about the end. "This ain't gonna be like in the bank vault, is it?" he moaned. The slow, solemn shake of Jesse's head, like the cold, icy stare of the Ghost of Christmas Future, told him all he needed to know, awakening his apirit to the fact that there was only one chance. And, he wanted to make the right one. "Just tell me what I gotta do."
Jesse smiled, and instructed Bo and Luke to grab the Bible that lay in the hospital room's dresser. "Open it to Luke 23, the thieves on the cross…"
Before they knew it, Boss Hogg was realzing what one thief had, that he was condemned because of what he'd done. He had no chance at Heaven himself, because of his sin. Jesus, on the other hand, had done nothing wrong, but had suffered in his place; He'd tasted death so the thief – and Boss Hogg – could receive forgiveness, and enter His eternal kingdom. "All you gotta do is receive it, J.J.. Just receive what He did for you by faith. I've known Him as a friend for many years. But, we can both know Him forever."
"You know," Jesse said after a long pause, "the great thing about true friends is, they don't let you down." He sighed. "Over seventy years. Ben," he said, placing a hand on the lad's shoulder, "I don't know how much more time I have here. That might have been the last thing He had for me to do here, or I might have ten more years. But always remember, I prayed for that man for seventy years. Imagine if I'd stopped after five. Or even fifty."
"Yep. There's times we coulda sued him for every penny he had, and won after a lot of fightin', once it got out of his jurisdiction," Luke noted, having more experience with normal justice since he was in the Marines. "Put several of his biggest schemes together, and we coulda had a great case. But, we respected you, Uncle Jesse. And, it turns out you was right," he surmised.
"Hard to imagine him bein' different. I guess we'll see it on the other side, though," Bo remarked.
Daisy agreed. "He'll probably seem a lot like his twin brother."
"Woulda been nice to see ol' Boss show that change here on earth."
"He's where it counts, Luke," Jesse remarked.
"Yeah." Luke thought a minute. "Reckon it's just hard to imagine. I suppose I just need more faith, huh?"
(And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the Lone Ranger made one final ride in Hazzard.)
(When ol' Boss was laid to rest, Jesse shared what had happened, and suggested the pastor give an altar call. Quite a few went forward.)\
(Rosco was too heartbroken to do much, an' he didn't want to continue the crooked ways, either – he'd just gone along with Boss to keep his job, an' he realized that wasn't the way the county should be run. Plus, he was getting' pretty old himself. So, in the special election for County Commissioner, guess who ran?)
Cooter Davenport stood at the podium in front of the courthouse and spoke. "I want to thank y'all for supportin' me. 'Cause, honestly, with how computerized them new fangled cars are, it's just way too complex for me," he joked. "I promise to give all my speeches by CB…" Everyone laughed. "No, seriously…"
(Bo an' Luke didn't want to run against each other, and Cooter was a fine choice. But, he had some good natured competition, too.)
Enos Strait stood at the podium next. "Y'all, I been to the big city in L.A., I been pretty much everywhere in these here parts. An' as Rosco would say, if I'm elected Commissioner, y'all won't have to worry about my drivin'."
(Ain't it great to see two, good natured, honest people runnin' clean campaigns? Folks in Hazzard didn't know what to do, without nothin' to complain about.)
(As for the Lone Ranger, they decided to bury him again; an' even I don't know where he is. But the important part is, his legacy's livin' on. Whichever one won, they'd be able to continue that great tradition of workin' for what was right. There'd be no more phony speed traps, no more corruption, just good, hard workin' people who always try to help each other.)
(So, things was finally workin' right in Hazzard, thanks to the Dukes, a lot of prayer, and a little help from the Lone Ranger.)