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Book Club: Discuss/find out about a Classic Tale Set in Wyoming: The Virginian

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Front-Ranger:
Chapter 6: Em’ly
This is my favorite chapter so far in the book. It begins with a description of the ranch, which sounds like a delightful place. There is also an amusing account of the ways that the narrator (who I sometimes call the Prince of Wales, but who now goes by the nickname Tenderfoot) amuses himself on the ranch, first by trying to build a better chicken house, and then by wandering around trying to hunt. He proves to be so inept, and so fast at getting himself lost, that the Judge has to appoint someone to wander around after him so that he won’t get hopelessly lost or shoot himself. And who is the appointed babysitter? You guessed it, our “trustworthy man” the Virginian.


--- Quote ---“For though utterly a man in countenance and in his self-possession and incapacity to be put at a loss, he was still boyishly proud of his wild calling, and wore his leathern chaps and jingled his spurs with obvious pleasure. His tiger limberness and his beauty were rich with unabated youth; and that force which lurked beneath his surface must often have curbed his intolerance of me.” (page 49 of the Pocket West version)
--- End quote ---

Thus the Tenderfoot describes TV. These clearly are the words of a man in love, are they not? Truly, it’s so easy to fall in love when the beloved is so beautiful, the environs are so wild and free, and the pair is so often thrown together. I know that in my case, I would be eager to grab my gun and wander off every morning knowing that TV would be accompanying me!

Front-Ranger:
So who is this Emily, and how does she bring Tenderfoot and the Virginian together? I don't want to add too many spoilers but, then again, I don't want to stop the momentum! What momentum you say? Well, you may have a point there. Here's your funny FRiend Front-Ranger cooped up in FRont of the Fire while everybody else is out Xmas shopping. But all of you avid readers know what it's like when a story starts to get rolling, and takes hold of your imagination...I'll wait a little while more before introducing Em'ly to you, so everybody get caught up now!!

Front-Ranger:
Some possible photos of The Virginian. First, thanks to Sheriff Roland, moderator of this site, for supplying this photo:



And here is James Drury, who played the Virginian on TV:



And here is my favorite candidate!

Front-Ranger:
Continuing with Chapter Six: Who is the mysterious Em'ly and how does she bring the narrator and the Virginian together??

These questions will be answered today!!

Front-Ranger:
I will keep you on tenterhooks no longer: Em'ly is none other than a hen. A rather deranged hen, who is determined to set on any egg-like objects she can find even though she never lays any eggs (or aiggs) herself. We first meet Em'ly when the narrator kicks her, for the third time, off an assemblage of potatoes that she has rolled together to form a nest. The Virginian saunters in and starts a conversation with our Tenderfoot narrator. More than his feet are tender on this day. Our narrator is nursing a bruised ego, caused when he overheard TV telling the guys in the bunkhouse about one of their most recent and embarassing escapades. TF was so intent on bagging a couple of ducks that he actually jumped in the water after them, and emerged covered with mud. TV informed him then that the ducks were divers, and so not worth eating. Perhaps we can call on Meryl, or one of you duck hunters out there, for more explanation of why diving ducks make poor eating.

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