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Description
                              The Ford Brothers of  Little Rock, New Mexico
                                                    By Nick Harkins

                                                                1
It was late April 1889, and Caleb Johnson's home was being foreclosed. It was hard for him to find work due to the limp he received during the war, and his bills had been piling up for months. It was this news that drove him to begin correspondence with his younger brother Daniel.
One of the letters read as follows:
Daniel,
The nights at my home have grown long, and my income has been hindered by the war.
My wife has borne two children since you left. Anna and Joseph, born before and after the war, respectively. They are full of beauty, such that is unnatural to this earth. Daniel, please come home. It is urgent, and you know how hard it is for me to ask this of you, but the truth is I have no choice. If you decide to come, you'll know what I need upon arrival.
Your brother,
Caleb
P.s. I do love you, and there is no reason we can't be family because of a war.
It took several attempts for Daniel to come home. In fact, he only came when Caleb promised him a percentage of the money they would make.
His trek took nearly seven weeks, as he had traveled from New York to New Mexico. He arrived early one July morning to find his older brother smoking his pipe on the porch. He sat down without a word.
"This is my finest tobacco." said Caleb in an effort to relieve tension. "Smoke it if you like." Daniel took his pipe out and began to pack it. There they sat. They smoked for a long time.

                                                               2
At Breakfast, Caleb's wife prepared bacon and eggs. Daniel found this breakfast somewhat unfit, but considering their economic situation, he ate it just the same. The children came down, and upon hearing that the strange man in the kitchen was their uncle, were not sure how to react, so they held their distance, yet remained polite. After a day of rest, Caleb explained to Daniel his problem, and more importantly, his solution. Daniel tried to tell Caleb that it was a terrible idea, that it was ludicrous to take a risk like that with a family, but Caleb wouldn't change his mind. Finally, after meditating on it for several days, Daniel agreed, partly due to kinship, but mostly because he didn't have a choice either.  His money was mostly spent, and traveling out to New Mexico almost made him bankrupt.
Daniel stayed for a week, and became like family again, but he remained estranged from his brother.

                                                              3
It was a Thursday when they left. Caleb told his wife and children he loved them. Daniel had grown close to the children, and hugged them goodbye. He even got a kiss on the cheek out of his niece. They saddled up and rode out into the morning sun.
They rode all day and ate on the move. They stopped and made camp that evening. They sat around the fire and talked like two strangers who had just been put in a room together. They arrived in the town of Little Rock the following evening.
They first went into the saloon. Caleb ordered a whiskey for himself and one for his brother. This put Daniel in an awkward position, as he had been living in cities, and therefore was accustomed to dining on wines and such spirits. He had not had whiskey since his youth.
When he drank, it burned his throat, it was comforting, but it hurt all the same and he coughed and cleared his throat. This caused Caleb to chuckle, which twisted Daniel's face into a grimace, which made them both break out in hearty laughter. It was the first time they had laughed in a long time.
The laughter eventually subsided, and Caleb wiped the joyous tears from his face and asked the bartender for a room.
They entered their room and sat down at the table, with a window facing the town. They sat for a while, uncomfortably, and without making eye contact.
"I'm gonna get some papers at the store, do you want anything?" Daniel asked as he broke the silence.
"I'd like a bible." Caleb replied. Daniel grabbed his coat and shut the door with care and went outside.
As he stepped out into the town, he noticed how quaint it was. Everyone was polite. Men tipped their hats, even to each other. He even saw one woman curtsy. As he was walking, he passed a haggard  man sitting next to a table who reeked of bourbon and hay. The man also noticed him.
You ain't been here befo'." said the haggard man as he stood up. Daniel noticed how much the man looked like his brother. The man's eyes widened. "You gonna killed me!" he shouted. "He's the end! The end!" The drunk howled repeatedly. Two men seemed to almost materialize and dragged the drunk man away, muffling his screams. Surprisingly, no one took notice.
He stepped into the general store and walked up to the counter.
"Pack of rollers please." he asked. The storekeeper set a pack down.
"That'll be five cents." said the bartender. " I hear you killed Willy."
"Beg pardon?" Daniel asked as his insides tightened.
"Don't worry, he does that to everyone new in town. That's just William Howard. I guess you could say he's the town drunk." Daniel let out a sigh of relief. "He was a good boy his whole life. His daddy was a banker. He was smart enough to be one too, but then he went off to war. He was with Davis, and his brother was with Lincoln. His brother never came back, which Willy blamed himself for, and so he turned to the bottle. It's a pretty sad story, damn near heartbreaking if you ask me." The storekeeper chuckled once or twice, and then his face was washed with reverence. "Anyways, five cents is your change. Have a nice day." Daniel nodded and was almost outside when he turned around.
"Do you have a bible?" he asked.

                                                              4
That night the two brothers lay in their separate beds, each waiting for the other to talk.
"Hows' pa?" Daniel asked.
"Your pa's dead, Daniel, you know that."
"Oh." was all he said. He closed his eyes and turned on his side.

                                                              5
When Daniel woke up Caleb was drinking coffee, looking out the window onto the street.
"They got a safe in the back." Caleb said as he sipped his coffee. "Saw 'em take it in this morning. Didn't see any guards,  but you'll have to go check." Without a word, Daniel got his coat and went outside. He paused and rolled himself a cigarette with the papers he bought the night before. He started walking across the street and was stopped by a drunken howl.
"Cane!" the drunk yelled through the bars of his jail cell. "He's got cane's blood!" the drunk started laughing and eased away from the bars of his cell. This time people took notice.
Daniel put out his cigarette and stepped into the bank. Inside there was a row of tellers, one of them was very old. He wondered if this was the drunk's father. After the row of tellers ended, there was a wall of mailboxes. A man that seemed to be some kind of guard approached Daniel, and asked if he needed any assistance. Daniel said no thanks and left. Outside, the sheriff was waiting for him.
"Hello." said Daniel. The sheriff was an elderly man, somewhat robust, and what seemed to be the only unpleasant man in town.
"Son, I'm gonna have to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind." Said the sheriff. Daniel nodded and they talked for a while.
When Daniel got back into the room, Caleb was sitting at the window, his face flushed white. Daniel explained what the sheriff asked and tried to put Caleb at ease, but to no avail. From that point on, Caleb was anxious and paranoid. That night, they drank. It was a Friday. On Saturday, they repented their sins, and prayed.

                                                           6
The events that occurred on the morning of Sunday, July 29, 1889 are hazy at best and the most accurate recollection of happenings are the police reports that followed:
July 29, 1889. 5:37 A.M.
Armed robbery of first national bank. Two suspects. Both male. Mid-thirties. Height averaging between 5'6 and 5'10. Robert and Jeremiah Ford. The money has not been recovered.
July 29, 1889. 6:03 A.M.
Homicide. Jeremiah Ford died from a head wound most likely inflicted by his brother, Robert Ford. The body was found on Coffee Hill with all belongings missing from his person. Robert has not been found and there is a reward for his capture.
July 30, 1889. 9:49 A.M.
William Howard has been reported as missing. He was last seen outside the county jail at 5:30 A.M. On July 29, 1889. this may or may not be related to the robbery/homicide of the ford brothers.

                                                        Epilogue
Daniel arrived at his older brother's home on Monday, July 31. There he found Caleb smoking his pipe on the porch. He stood up. The two brothers hugged for what seemed like an eternity. Caleb's wife and children came out, and the kids ran to Daniel. He embraced them like close family.
Daniel stayed for several days, and helped get the farm back up and running. Near the end of his stay, he decided to remain there. He bought a house outside of Eagle Toe, where he met his wife, the schoolteacher who taught his niece and nephew. Daniel and Caleb remained close to their last days, and they never spoke a word of how they robbed a bank, they never told how they killed the town drunk, William Howard, and switched places with Caleb, allowing them to produce a body to ebb suspicion. And they did it all under the assumed names of Robert and Jeremiah Ford, The Ford brothers of Little Rock, New Mexico.

Description
                              The Ford Brothers of  Little Rock, New Mexico
                                                    By Nick Harkins

                                                                1
It was late April 1889, and Caleb Johnson's home was being foreclosed. It was hard for him to find work due to the limp he received during the war, and his bills had been piling up for months. It was this news that drove him to begin correspondence with his younger brother Daniel.
One of the letters read as follows:
Daniel,
The nights at my home have grown long, and my income has been hindered by the war.
My wife has borne two children since you left. Anna and Joseph, born before and after the war, respectively. They are full of beauty, such that is unnatural to this earth. Daniel, please come home. It is urgent, and you know how hard it is for me to ask this of you, but the truth is I have no choice. If you decide to come, you'll know what I need upon arrival.
Your brother,
Caleb
P.s. I do love you, and there is no reason we can't be family because of a war.
It took several attempts for Daniel to come home. In fact, he only came when Caleb promised him a percentage of the money they would make.
His trek took nearly seven weeks, as he had traveled from New York to New Mexico. He arrived early one July morning to find his older brother smoking his pipe on the porch. He sat down without a word.
"This is my finest tobacco." said Caleb in an effort to relieve tension. "Smoke it if you like." Daniel took his pipe out and began to pack it. There they sat. They smoked for a long time.

                                                               2
At Breakfast, Caleb's wife prepared bacon and eggs. Daniel found this breakfast somewhat unfit, but considering their economic situation, he ate it just the same. The children came down, and upon hearing that the strange man in the kitchen was their uncle, were not sure how to react, so they held their distance, yet remained polite. After a day of rest, Caleb explained to Daniel his problem, and more importantly, his solution. Daniel tried to tell Caleb that it was a terrible idea, that it was ludicrous to take a risk like that with a family, but Caleb wouldn't change his mind. Finally, after meditating on it for several days, Daniel agreed, partly due to kinship, but mostly because he didn't have a choice either.  His money was mostly spent, and traveling out to New Mexico almost made him bankrupt.
Daniel stayed for a week, and became like family again, but he remained estranged from his brother.

                                                              3
It was a Thursday when they left. Caleb told his wife and children he loved them. Daniel had grown close to the children, and hugged them goodbye. He even got a kiss on the cheek out of his niece. They saddled up and rode out into the morning sun.
They rode all day and ate on the move. They stopped and made camp that evening. They sat around the fire and talked like two strangers who had just been put in a room together. They arrived in the town of Little Rock the following evening.
They first went into the saloon. Caleb ordered a whiskey for himself and one for his brother. This put Daniel in an awkward position, as he had been living in cities, and therefore was accustomed to dining on wines and such spirits. He had not had whiskey since his youth.
When he drank, it burned his throat, it was comforting, but it hurt all the same and he coughed and cleared his throat. This caused Caleb to chuckle, which twisted Daniel's face into a grimace, which made them both break out in hearty laughter. It was the first time they had laughed in a long time.
The laughter eventually subsided, and Caleb wiped the joyous tears from his face and asked the bartender for a room.
They entered their room and sat down at the table, with a window facing the town. They sat for a while, uncomfortably, and without making eye contact.
"I'm gonna get some papers at the store, do you want anything?" Daniel asked as he broke the silence.
"I'd like a bible." Caleb replied. Daniel grabbed his coat and shut the door with care and went outside.
As he stepped out into the town, he noticed how quaint it was. Everyone was polite. Men tipped their hats, even to each other. He even saw one woman curtsy. As he was walking, he passed a haggard  man sitting next to a table who reeked of bourbon and hay. The man also noticed him.
You ain't been here befo'." said the haggard man as he stood up. Daniel noticed how much the man looked like his brother. The man's eyes widened. "You gonna killed me!" he shouted. "He's the end! The end!" The drunk howled repeatedly. Two men seemed to almost materialize and dragged the drunk man away, muffling his screams. Surprisingly, no one took notice.
He stepped into the general store and walked up to the counter.
"Pack of rollers please." he asked. The storekeeper set a pack down.
"That'll be five cents." said the bartender. " I hear you killed Willy."
"Beg pardon?" Daniel asked as his insides tightened.
"Don't worry, he does that to everyone new in town. That's just William Howard. I guess you could say he's the town drunk." Daniel let out a sigh of relief. "He was a good boy his whole life. His daddy was a banker. He was smart enough to be one too, but then he went off to war. He was with Davis, and his brother was with Lincoln. His brother never came back, which Willy blamed himself for, and so he turned to the bottle. It's a pretty sad story, damn near heartbreaking if you ask me." The storekeeper chuckled once or twice, and then his face was washed with reverence. "Anyways, five cents is your change. Have a nice day." Daniel nodded and was almost outside when he turned around.
"Do you have a bible?" he asked.

                                                              4
That night the two brothers lay in their separate beds, each waiting for the other to talk.
"Hows' pa?" Daniel asked.
"Your pa's dead, Daniel, you know that."
"Oh." was all he said. He closed his eyes and turned on his side.

                                                              5
When Daniel woke up Caleb was drinking coffee, looking out the window onto the street.
"They got a safe in the back." Caleb said as he sipped his coffee. "Saw 'em take it in this morning. Didn't see any guards,  but you'll have to go check." Without a word, Daniel got his coat and went outside. He paused and rolled himself a cigarette with the papers he bought the night before. He started walking across the street and was stopped by a drunken howl.
"Cane!" the drunk yelled through the bars of his jail cell. "He's got cane's blood!" the drunk started laughing and eased away from the bars of his cell. This time people took notice.
Daniel put out his cigarette and stepped into the bank. Inside there was a row of tellers, one of them was very old. He wondered if this was the drunk's father. After the row of tellers ended, there was a wall of mailboxes. A man that seemed to be some kind of guard approached Daniel, and asked if he needed any assistance. Daniel said no thanks and left. Outside, the sheriff was waiting for him.
"Hello." said Daniel. The sheriff was an elderly man, somewhat robust, and what seemed to be the only unpleasant man in town.
"Son, I'm gonna have to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind." Said the sheriff. Daniel nodded and they talked for a while.
When Daniel got back into the room, Caleb was sitting at the window, his face flushed white. Daniel explained what the sheriff asked and tried to put Caleb at ease, but to no avail. From that point on, Caleb was anxious and paranoid. That night, they drank. It was a Friday. On Saturday, they repented their sins, and prayed.

                                                           6
The events that occurred on the morning of Sunday, July 29, 1889 are hazy at best and the most accurate recollection of happenings are the police reports that followed:
July 29, 1889. 5:37 A.M.
Armed robbery of first national bank. Two suspects. Both male. Mid-thirties. Height averaging between 5'6 and 5'10. Robert and Jeremiah Ford. The money has not been recovered.
July 29, 1889. 6:03 A.M.
Homicide. Jeremiah Ford died from a head wound most likely inflicted by his brother, Robert Ford. The body was found on Coffee Hill with all belongings missing from his person. Robert has not been found and there is a reward for his capture.
July 30, 1889. 9:49 A.M.
William Howard has been reported as missing. He was last seen outside the county jail at 5:30 A.M. On July 29, 1889. this may or may not be related to the robbery/homicide of the ford brothers.

                                                        Epilogue
Daniel arrived at his older brother's home on Monday, July 31. There he found Caleb smoking his pipe on the porch. He stood up. The two brothers hugged for what seemed like an eternity. Caleb's wife and children came out, and the kids ran to Daniel. He embraced them like close family.
Daniel stayed for several days, and helped get the farm back up and running. Near the end of his stay, he decided to remain there. He bought a house outside of Eagle Toe, where he met his wife, the schoolteacher who taught his niece and nephew. Daniel and Caleb remained close to their last days, and they never spoke a word of how they robbed a bank, they never told how they killed the town drunk, William Howard, and switched places with Caleb, allowing them to produce a body to ebb suspicion. And they did it all under the assumed names of Robert and Jeremiah Ford, The Ford brothers of Little Rock, New Mexico.