JUN IOR KING’S BUSINESS edited by Martha S. H ooker
Another Western Adventure with Leonard Eilers
FANCY FRANK A gambler and his gunmen had taken over White Horse. Both townspeople and ranchers were just about licked. . . then Leonard Eilers came to town W ell, it’s mighty good to be back with all you boys and girls for our story Round-Up. Got to thinking the other evening when I was reading
him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell what soever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great posses sions.” Certainly seems too bad that anyone would become so attached to the things of this world that he’d rather lose his own soul, his own life, than to give them up. Yet that, according to this Bible story, is what this man did. And that is just what Fancy Frank did too. He lost his life rather than give up his wealth even though he had obtained it dishonestly. He allowed himself to get killed rather than let God take over. I had just finished working for the Rocking R outfit. The spring round-up was over and I had the urge to move on. No place in par ticular, but I traveled north. My only reason was that it would be cooler in those parts than in south west Arizona where I ’d been. When one of these urges got a hold of me, I just had to be on my way no
matter if I was heading for cooler or hotter weather. Seemed like someone was pushing me. Usually I figured it was God, prodding me on because He had a job for me to do somewhere else. And strange as it may seem, it always proved out that way. W hen I rode into White Horse, it was at a time when the town was full of hatred and the people were very fearful of what might happen. Looked to me like the place was overrun with ranch ers. I made my way over to the livery bam. That usually was the first place I always went to so that I could have my horse, Deerfoot, taken care of. I depended on him so much, and so I always tried to have him in a place where he’d have a chance to get some rest, plenty of hay and some oats. After the man put Deerfoot into one of the stalls, having watered him first, I got to talking to him and I asked about the goings-on in town. “Looks bad, Mister, real bad,” he said, looking at me with a ques tion mark all over his face, wonder ing who I might be. So I obliged
the Bible about a fellow by the name of Fancy Frank. I’d run across him and his cohorts in the town of White Horse and there’s quite a story connected with that meeting. But before I tell you this old- time western story let me read to you the story from the Bible that got me to thinking about Fancy Frank. “And when he [Jesus] was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeling to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false wit ness, Defraud not, Honour thy fa ther and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved
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FEBRU ARY 1957
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