Code of the West

Sheriff's Legacy, Preacher Outlaw, Outlaw in Petticoats HERE Code of the West In the days of the old west, men lived by an unwritten code, a set of rules that forced them to respect each other as men. They lived by the code, and often died by the code. If a man broke the code, he was often hazed until he either gave in and complied, or he was branded a coward and cast out. In the case of “fair fight” rules—part of the code, a man was subject to a duel if he was called out or challenged, or if another man broke the code and his honor. If he was not a fast-gun, he would die defending his honor, but it was better than living the rest of his life being branded as a coward if he backed down from the challenge. Oftentimes, depending on the time of day the offense occurred, these “fair fights” or duels were scheduled the following day at high-noon. This was to give each man the advantage of not having the sun at his back or in his eyes, giving each man a clear view of his target. The code of the west did not just apply to “gun-control”, though most of it was gun-related, keeping each man in check where his weapon was concerned. The code of the west was a way of life, and it extended beyond living by the golden rule. It was a rule of conduct in every aspect of the western man’s life, from how he treated others, to how he treated his horse.

Never shoot a woman ──── Never shoot a man in the back ──── Never shoot an unarmed man ──── Never borrow another man’s horse without his consent ──── Always keep your word   Samantha Bayarr http://www.christianbookreads.com/