10 Story Western Magazine: Short Stories, Part 1
The July 1942 edition of 10 Story Western Magazine features one complete novel, two feature novelettes, and seven short stories plus a western feature by the editor.
One of the “short stories” is a nonfiction narrative by Cedric Windas, presented like a traditional pulp short, heavy on action, maybe light on historical facts. I’ll take a more lingering gander at that one after reviewing the other six blood churning yarns.
For Forty and Found by L. P. Holmes: (From the Table of Contents – “Could Hoot McGlynn win free of his Boot Hill trap—aboard a sheet of flying long-gun lead?”) I wonder if the fellar who pasted up the contents page even read this tale of a trail boss betrayed by two of his best men? Just about all the stories can be categorized under flying lead of some type, but there’s not really a death trap for McGlynn. Rather, Bucko Krause and Sinko Charley abandon McGlynn and his 200 head of Big H steers just as they’re crossing the swollen waters of Guenoc Creek, stranding the herd on a swampy gravel bar a hop, skimp and jump away from their destination, the cattle cars at Arguello. Neither man wants to continue working honestly for McGlynn –the trail life is just too tough. As Bucko says, “There’s a limit to what a guy will go through for forty a month and found.” So Bucko and Sinko scheme with local badman Jess Woodin to relieve Hoot of his livelihood once the waters recede, while McGlynn befriends Jim and Tony Carlson, sons of beleaguered business owner Ben Carlson. Woodin owes Ben sixty dollars after a bad cattle deal, but he’s not paying up. Everyone’s got something to gain and something to lose in this one, but when the playing field is finally set up (another character, sheriff Bob Lovell, shows up mid-story), there’s not much time for the end play, which you already know involves flying lead. The good guys win, of course.
Sing a Song of Gunsmoke by James C. Lynch (From the opening caption –“In only one way could Bearpaw Barton, outlaw, square things for the rangeland waif he’d reared in a renegade camp: ride alone against a Mexican horde whose every bullet was branded with the Barton name!”) Well, sort of. In truth, he rides against the Gorditto Vasquez with Sheriff Matt McQuire at his back, an honest man who believes Bearpaw to be a gold train robber. Vasquez thinks so too and wants to capture Bearpaw in order to learn the whereabouts of the stolen loot. When Vasquez attacks Bearpaw at home, all of his men die protecting the ranch and doorstep orphan, Jinglebob. The wrongly accused ruffian takes Jinglebob to town in order to leave him with McGuire, but while he’s jawboning with the sheriff, Vasquez gets the kid. So the two heroes mend fences, ride through another one o’ them flying sheets of lead, and bring Jinglebob home, though Bearpaw is injured. Now here’s the capper: turns out the sheriff is the boy’s true father, and in an offbeat ending, the two men move in together to raise the boy. No kidding. White ranch house and everything:
“Gosh,” said Jinglebob. “That will be great. You and me and Bearpaw. Hey look! He’s cryin’. What makes him do that?”
“Hard telling,” whispered the lawman. “but I think it’s a sign for the good. Let’s get out now and let him sleep.”
Footsteps echoed on a cabin floor and faded away. Bearpaw couldn’t open his eyes, but there was no need. There were pictures enough in his mind—a white house on a far-away range, a wiry boy riding home from school, a good friend to talk with over an after-supper pipe. It had been a hard, tough trail getting this far, but it had been well worth it, all the way.
Johnny Grows up in Powdersmoke by Morgan Lewis : (From the Table of Contents – “Hard-bitten range men thought Johnny’s quietness was tinged with a little yellow—until one hombre made bad palaver about Johnny’s girl.”) Everyone considered him the coward of the county… If you know the Kenny Rogers song, you know the story, with just a couple differences. The girl in the song is named Becky, here it’s Sue. In the song, the Gatlin boys come calling on Becky. In the story, Steve Triser woos Sue away from Johnny with big money and a cattle ranch, but goes the extra mile to make sure his rival is done for. In the Silver Palace Saloon, Triser’s man Luke makes a few off-color remarks about Sue and Goads Johnny into a rage, then steers him toward a back room poker game to make up. Johnny wakes up with a corpse: Pop Bradley is dead at the table, and Luke is outside telling everyone that Johnny did it. Our hero slips out through a back window, tracks down Triser and pounds an admission out of him. Once back in town, it turns out Pop wasn’t dead after all, and the story ends happily.
They don’t all end happily in 10 Story Western Magazine…as we’ll see next time.
Coming Up: The Short Stories, Part 2
on December 4, 2009 at 6:30 am
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Often the blurbs at the head of the story are the most interesting and fascinating fiction, especially with the Popular Publication titles. All their western and detective titles used blurbs that are witty and humorous. They may not have described the story in accurate terms but they are fun to read and often hilarious. The editors must have had enjoyed themselves to see who could write the most outrageous story description.
on December 4, 2009 at 10:05 am
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I believe I’ve read “For Forty and Found.” The title sounds very familiar.
on December 4, 2009 at 10:54 am
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I really like these reviews, Richard. I’m looking forward to Part 2 and especially that non-fiction one.
on December 4, 2009 at 8:22 pm
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I’ve a sneaking feeling your synopses are more entertaining than the actual stories.
on December 5, 2009 at 8:11 am
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Walker, I do believe you’re right.
Charles, Laurie, and Dave –Thanks for continuing to read these. You guys are too kind! The next one got a little long –so there will be a Part 2 AND a Part 3.