Dear Mrs. Cooper,
Back in October, someone said to me that this winter was going to be a hard one and they weren't fooling. The temperature keeps going down and my woodpile keeps dwindling. Some of the ranchers are now bringing in wood for the town folk so that we can keep the shops warm for the customers. Some of the ranchers decided to take up residence in the school house, hotel, church hall, and town hall just to keep warm and have food for their families.
Slim, of course, elected to stay at the ranch. The stage, of course, can't run if there's a blizzard but the little snow of a couple of inches never stops Charlie from his daily run. It's most unsettling though. I do my early morning rounds, stop into the cafe for breakfast and then step into wind-swept snow with biting temperatures. I now bring gloves everywhere I go.
New Year's was as usual a noisy affair. I did have some excitement when some of the fellas from the Double D -that's that outfit from Rawlings, swept in and decided to bring fireworks to Front Street. I had to arrest the lot of them for disturbing the peace. There was a moment when I wished Jess was there as I certainly had my hands full, with the cowboys, a box of fireworks and a screeching woman. He would have dispatched the lot to jail in no time flat -but for me -it was like the end of a cattle drive for those boys. They had been cooped up with snow shoveling as their only means of outdoor life and were determined to let loose. I let them go free after a few days and they promised to behave. The job of being sheriff is getting harder every day.
Well, it looks like another blizzard has decided to visit Laramie so I best be turning in. I hope all is well with you.
Mort Cory
Mort POV:
Some days I really feel my age. When I get to thinking about this town and my friends, some gone, some buried, I think it's time to retire. But what would I do? I can't see myself as a rancher or a farmer. I might be good as a shopkeeper, but on second thought probably not. A person can change their profession but what's deep down inside -that's different and yet -Jess did it -he changed from a fast draw to a rancher with a family!
I keep remembering something Slim said awhile back. He said he was losing Jess' voice - the warm gravely voice that had been in his life for so long was fading from his memory. He asks God to keep him safe and warm at night. For some reason, which I don't understand and he'd probably never tell me, night is especially a melancholy time for him. I have to remain positive for Mrs. Cooper. I can't let my despair creep through in my letters.