Miriam O’Flynn worked as a fancy lady,
that was not what she had once planned to be,
orphaned in a crash, at the young age of nine,
she learned to do what she must to survive.
She plied her wanton trade at Jacob McClors,
a saloon owned by a man fond of whores,
and wore her red hair all pined up and fussy,
so the townsfolk nick-named her: The Scarlet Hussy.
The cared not for her, they called her perverse,
turned their nick-name from a joke to a curse,
and even the husbands, with whom she had lain,
pointed and told all their kids,”Stay away!”
And Jacob McClors often took his pleasure,
he worked his girls hard, no time for leisure,
and if his liquor and whores weren’t enough,
word is he was thieving, and stealing quite much.
Only one man in town had not come to her,
rancher Adam Kline, who lived at the curve
of the fast, rocky river outside of the town,
on a plot of range-land, he had settled down.
She’d see him now and then, buying supplies,
and imaged she saw non-judgmental eyes,
but she supposed that she was just fantasizing
on the fact that good Kline always gave her a grin.
But McClors had ambition, and grew in renown,
and soon had the run of the whole dang town.
When the Marshall died strangely, one winter night,
they all knew McClors did it, and was ready to fight
With any who challenged, so the mayor backed away
and the good people just tried to keep clear of the fray.
McClors, he grew crueler, avoiding the kiss
taking his pleasure on his girls with both fists.
On day Miriam fled, battered and bruised,
and the good rancher Kline, she quickly pursued,
she found him alone, working his small herd,
and he saw the young woman, desperate and injured.
“I need your help Adam,”she frantically said.
“If no one will help, I soon will be dead.
I know you barely know me, we’ve not even a lay,
but please here me out, let me have my say.”
“McClors is a killer, he’ll kill us all soon,
ro save myself, this is what I will do:
If you will protect me from McClor’s mad rage,
you’ll have your fill of me, each and every day.”
“I’ll cook and I’ll clean, I will keep you house,
I’ll do anything that you’d get from a spouse.
I’ll bear all your children, many or few,
you don’t know the things I can do for you.”
“It may not be the stuff born of dreams,
but I’m not some dumb girl, young and naïve.
Please protect me now and you’ll always find
a welcoming woman to stand by your side.”
Adam shook his head, and offered a frown,
saying,”You’re better off just fleeing town.
You think I’m a hero, from the stories grand,
but I tell you now, I am not that man.”
“Some would say that I am no better then McClors,
for the things that’s I’ve done in the years before,
on long months’ march in far southern climes,
where bloodshed and death a man’s soul did grind.”
“And more years on the plains, dodging the blows
and the arrows shot, by cunning, red foes.
I have brought death to many…and fear,
that’s why I keep to myself way out here.”
She said,”Whatever you’ve done, I understand.
I come not looking for a perfect man.
I offer no more than what you can see,
the willingness of a mere Scarlett Hussy—”
Just then the sounds of fast hooves arose,
and horses flew in, out of a nearby grove.
Jaocb McClors and three lackies did ride,
and Adam, he said,”My horse, get behind!”
McClors rode up, and smiled quite thin,
he said,”Woman, get away from him!
You come with me now, and it will suffice.
You play more of these games, and you’ll get the knife.”
“See I’m in no mood for dumb girlish stunts—”
A blast roared out, and McClors gave a grunt.
From the back of his horse the villain did flop,
his chest torn apart from a load of buckshot.
Adam he turned while all sat there stunned,
and found the three lackies with his scatter-gun.
The horses they stomped, the lackies they blustered,
stupidly bunched in one great, big cluster.
The other barrel, it was already cocked,
and Adams laid waste to the thugs with one shot!
Two died right quick, and the third man moaned,
trapped underneath his dead mangled roan.
Adams stalked up, stared down at the man,
he said,”Listen up now, or forever be damned.
It seems strange to say it, amidst this strife,
but I’ve decided to make this woman will my wife.”
“So I’ll let you live, and run back to the town,
and tell all the people the way things are now.
This woman right here none shall disrespect,
and if I see you back here, I’ll stretch your damn neck!”
The lackie, he stumbled, and faltered away
Miriam had no words, nothing she could say.
Adam nodded. “I’d accept your offer,
but I think there’s a better one that I can proffer.”
“If you don’t mind a killer for a husband,
than you and I will go to Reverend Dan,
\'cause I still have a few good kith and good kin
who wouldn’t approve of us living in sin.”
And so they went down, and so they were wed
and raced to his home, barely making it to the bed.
The mayor later stopped by, still half-rattled with fear,
and said “ ’twas all self-defense! It’s perfectly clear.”
Now Kline he lucked out with his newfound bride,
she gave him seven kids, their joy and their pride,
and as they years went by, their pasts they did fade,
both found some peace in the life they had made.
Though still some townsfolk whispered of her,
but said nothing aloud to avoid Adam’s anger.
from that day at the ranch, till death came in time,
she was known simply as: Misses Miriam Kline.