"What was that all about?" asked Moo, as he and Cowlamity stepped
outside the Mayor's office, he then leading Cyclone and the cow and she
carrying Cody.
"You mean Lily? It's not what she is, it's what that Bulloney wants her to be. She's a young heifer who lives alone an' she sings and dances at the Tumbleweed Saloon; an' that's all she does; but Bulloney owns the Tumbleweed and he wants her to be more friendly-like to the customers than she wants to be, iffen ya catch my meanin'."
"I think I see," said Moo, arching a brow as he frowned with the other.
"Here's the place I told you about," added Cowlamity, as they came upon a saloon building shaped like a giant drinking mug. "You first." she added, as they came to the entrance.
After tying both horse and cow to the rail outside Moo went up the steps and opened the swing gate. The first thing he noticed was that the saloon was full of customers. Then the sound of a lovely voice raised in song drew his attention to the stage. There, before his eyes, was the most beautiful heifer he had ever seen in his life.
Moo judged her to be barely grown, if that, and her eyes were soft and demure. Suddenly her gentle gaze met with his eagle sharp one and she faltered in mid-note.
The music stopped, and as a group every customer turned to take a look at the new arrival. Moo noted they were a rough looking bunch as they stared suspiciously. They didn't seem too pleased to see him.
Steadily looking back at them all Moo held the swing gate open as Cowlamity stepped in with the baby, and the mood of the onlookers changed.
"Glory be, is that what I think it is?" came a voice.
"Sure enough is," grinned Cowlamity.
"A baby!?" exclaimed the group as one. Then the voices broke into numerous separate sentences as they talked excitedly among themselves and craned their necks for a better look. "Let us see!" "Is it male or female?" "What kind is it?"
Cowlamity grinned even wider, not at all surprised at the sight of a bunch of rough males getting excited about Cody.
Moo relaxed, also not surprised. It was rare on the Mesa for anyone, male or female, not to go ga-ga over the sight of a baby biped. The increasingly rare births were seen as hope for everyone and only the meanest of critters failed to feel impressed by the sight of a newborn, or at least privately in their hearts.
Cowlamity answered their questions. "It's a male biped bovine, and he's name's Cody!"
As one, the crowd, mostly bovine, cheered.
"I never saw a baby bovine so young before," breathed one.
"Shoot. I don't think I've seen a newborn before at all!" grinned a second
"Watch yer language, there's a baby present!" shorted a third.
"Hi, Little Cody!"
"Hello, Cody!"
"Hey, let's see Lily hold 'im!"
There was silence as the crowd turned to look at Lily, who was edging over for a better look. There was wistful awe in her eyes. 'She has very nice eyes…' thought Moo, as she held her hands out to the baby in Cowlamity's arms.
"May I?'
Cowlamity handed Cody over and Lily's arms seemed to melt as they wrapped around the newborn.
It was then that Moo melted too, as his usually sharp eyes softened and he gently smiled at the sight.
"Awwwww…!" said the crowd, followed by rapt silence.
Moo knew just what was likely going through their minds, the fantasy that they were in the presence of a female biped capable of giving birth, that Lily herself had carried and born Cody.
"Oh, I just love him." Lily cooed.
"Love him later, you've got work to do, came the voice of Bulloney as he and Sheriff Terrorbull entered the saloon.
Disappointed, Lily began to hand Cody back to Cowlamity.
"Aw, let her hold him a little longer…" began Moo, when he was interrupted by Terrorbull.
"I say she goes back to work!" His tone was challenging.
Moo held out his hand, smiling. "Howdy-do, I'm the new marshal, Moo Montana…"
Terrorbull ignored the gesture. "Well, "Moo", let's get one thing straight right now…."
Suddenly another voice called out. "It's the Dakota Dude!"
To be continued…
"You mean Lily? It's not what she is, it's what that Bulloney wants her to be. She's a young heifer who lives alone an' she sings and dances at the Tumbleweed Saloon; an' that's all she does; but Bulloney owns the Tumbleweed and he wants her to be more friendly-like to the customers than she wants to be, iffen ya catch my meanin'."
"I think I see," said Moo, arching a brow as he frowned with the other.
"Here's the place I told you about," added Cowlamity, as they came upon a saloon building shaped like a giant drinking mug. "You first." she added, as they came to the entrance.
After tying both horse and cow to the rail outside Moo went up the steps and opened the swing gate. The first thing he noticed was that the saloon was full of customers. Then the sound of a lovely voice raised in song drew his attention to the stage. There, before his eyes, was the most beautiful heifer he had ever seen in his life.
Moo judged her to be barely grown, if that, and her eyes were soft and demure. Suddenly her gentle gaze met with his eagle sharp one and she faltered in mid-note.
The music stopped, and as a group every customer turned to take a look at the new arrival. Moo noted they were a rough looking bunch as they stared suspiciously. They didn't seem too pleased to see him.
Steadily looking back at them all Moo held the swing gate open as Cowlamity stepped in with the baby, and the mood of the onlookers changed.
"Glory be, is that what I think it is?" came a voice.
"Sure enough is," grinned Cowlamity.
"A baby!?" exclaimed the group as one. Then the voices broke into numerous separate sentences as they talked excitedly among themselves and craned their necks for a better look. "Let us see!" "Is it male or female?" "What kind is it?"
Cowlamity grinned even wider, not at all surprised at the sight of a bunch of rough males getting excited about Cody.
Moo relaxed, also not surprised. It was rare on the Mesa for anyone, male or female, not to go ga-ga over the sight of a baby biped. The increasingly rare births were seen as hope for everyone and only the meanest of critters failed to feel impressed by the sight of a newborn, or at least privately in their hearts.
Cowlamity answered their questions. "It's a male biped bovine, and he's name's Cody!"
As one, the crowd, mostly bovine, cheered.
"I never saw a baby bovine so young before," breathed one.
"Shoot. I don't think I've seen a newborn before at all!" grinned a second
"Watch yer language, there's a baby present!" shorted a third.
"Hi, Little Cody!"
"Hello, Cody!"
"Hey, let's see Lily hold 'im!"
There was silence as the crowd turned to look at Lily, who was edging over for a better look. There was wistful awe in her eyes. 'She has very nice eyes…' thought Moo, as she held her hands out to the baby in Cowlamity's arms.
"May I?'
Cowlamity handed Cody over and Lily's arms seemed to melt as they wrapped around the newborn.
It was then that Moo melted too, as his usually sharp eyes softened and he gently smiled at the sight.
"Awwwww…!" said the crowd, followed by rapt silence.
Moo knew just what was likely going through their minds, the fantasy that they were in the presence of a female biped capable of giving birth, that Lily herself had carried and born Cody.
"Oh, I just love him." Lily cooed.
"Love him later, you've got work to do, came the voice of Bulloney as he and Sheriff Terrorbull entered the saloon.
Disappointed, Lily began to hand Cody back to Cowlamity.
"Aw, let her hold him a little longer…" began Moo, when he was interrupted by Terrorbull.
"I say she goes back to work!" His tone was challenging.
Moo held out his hand, smiling. "Howdy-do, I'm the new marshal, Moo Montana…"
Terrorbull ignored the gesture. "Well, "Moo", let's get one thing straight right now…."
Suddenly another voice called out. "It's the Dakota Dude!"
To be continued…