Line Riders and Line Shacks

Before diving into today's topic, I have some news. Along with western romance, I write paranormal romantic suspense. I'm honored to report my ROMANCING THE GUARDIANS series is nominated for 2 awards in the 2018 Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewers Choice Awards. Yay! If you wish, you can vote here:
https://www.paranormalromanceguild.com/2018-prg-reviewers-choice-awards-ballot/

Categories I'm entered in:

ROMANCE/PARANORMAL/MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/GOTHIC/MYTHOLOGY/FOLK TALES

ROMANCE/PARANORMAL/MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/GOTHIC/MYTHOLOGY/FOLK TALES - SERIES

Now, about those line riders and line shacks. COWBOY BOB’S DICTIONARY definitions:

“Line Rider - A cowboy who patroled the ranch boundry lines, pushing stray cattle back over the line back onto their respective ranchs. Later, on fenced ranches, a line rider would watch for, and repair, damaged fencing.”

“Line Shack - A cabin for use of cowhands when out patroling the boundry line of the ranch for cattle that may have strayed over the line.” http://www.lemen.com/dictionary-l.html (Please forgive the author's misspellings.)

line shack paid photo from dreamstime.com

 Line shacks have history as lifesavers. https://the-journal.com/articles/223 

The description in this excellent article made me shiver and commiserate with old time cowboys who rode the line.

"When late winter weather rolls in I think of cowboys waiting out storms huddled in their line shacks drinking hot coffee from blue metal cups.

"Rode hard and put away wet, with ice-encrusted mustaches, frozen cowboy boots and red bandannas stiff as cardboard, the herders slowly thawed out in remote winter camps stocked with survival rations of beans, jerked meat, biscuit fixins, matches, dry wood and thin wool blankets atop mouse-infested wooden bunks."

The author quotes Teddy Roosevelt from TR's time spent as a rancher in North Dakota. "The men in the line camps lead a hard life, for they have to be out in every kind of weather, and should be especially active and watchful during the storms."

Yet another interesting article pointed out how lonely a line rider's job could be. Living and working alone for months on end might make a cowboy a little "teched" in the head. In cases where two men shared a line shack, it could be a blessing.

I mention their lonely job in this excerpt from Dashing Irish.

getBook.at/Dashing-Irish

Tye dismounted and wound his reins around a hitching post outside the general store, near a buckboard awaiting its owner. He’d volunteered to ride into Clifton and pick up supplies for the line shack he shared with a colored cowboy named Dewey Sherman. The trip was a welcome break from the winter tedium. Riding the border along their section of the ranch, to stop cattle from straying and drive off predators, was a cold, lonely job.

David had stationed him as far from the Double C as possible to keep him away from Lil – to prevent trouble with her father, Tye both understood and resented – but she was never far from his thoughts. He’d foolishly hoped this change of pace might take his mind off her for a short while. So far it hadn’t worked.

Two months had passed since the social in Meridian, yet he couldn’t stop picturing her in that tantalizing red dress, with her beautiful dark hair rippling down her back. He also couldn’t forget the way she’d gazed up at him when she was in his arms, and how feeling her excitement had made his blood pound. He still thought himself unworthy of her, but that didn’t stop him from longing to hold her and kiss her again. As always, he became half aroused at the mere thought.Unbuttoning his jacket, he resettled his gun belt and told himself he’d simply gone far too long without a woman. While in town, he ought to stop by the saloon and take one of the birds of paradise upstairs for a while, but alas, the idea soured the instant it crossed his mind. He wanted Lil, no other.

Impatient with his unruly thoughts, he stepped up onto the boardwalk and crossed to the store entrance. He was about to open the door when it swung inward and an overloaded customer plowed into him. A feminine cry of alarm rang out as tinned goods and paper-wrapped parcels toppled from a crate the woman carried.

Tye grunted in reaction. Then, to his astonishment, he found himself face to face with the object of his pent up desires. Lil stared back at him, lips parted and brown eyes wide with shock.

Lyn Horner is a multi-published, award-winning author of western historical romance and paranormal romantic suspense novels, all spiced with sensual romance. She is a former fashion illustrator and art instructor who resides in Fort Worth, Texas – “Where the West Begins” - with her husband and a pair of very spoiled cats. As well as crafting passionate love stories, Lyn enjoys reading, gardening, genealogy, visiting with family and friends, and cuddling her furry, four-legged children.

Amazon Author Page: viewAuthor.at/LynHornerAmazon (universal link)

Newsletter:  Lyn’s Romance Gazette http://eepurl.com/bMYkeX

Website:  Lyn Horner’s Corner 

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