The Lure of the Dim Trails

by B.M. Bower, C. M. Russell (Illustrator)

The Lure of the Dim Trails is a Western novel written by B.M. Bower. The story follows the life of a cowboy named Gene Stewart who, after losing his job, decides to move to the mountains to become a trapper. He meets a woman named Marian and they fall in love. However, their relationship is complicated by Marian's father, who disapproves of Gene's profession. Gene faces many challenges in his new life as a trapper, including harsh weather, dangerous animals, and hostile Native Americans. The novel explores themes of love, survival, and the ruggedness of the American West. The Lure of the Dim Trails is a classic Western tale that captures the spirit of the Wild West and the challenges faced by those who lived there.1907. Bower authored several Westerns including Cabin Fever and The Flying U Ranch. This book What do you care, anyway? asked Reeve-Howard philosophically. It isn't as if you depended on the work for a living. Why worry over the fact that a mere pastime fails to be financially a success. You don't need to write- Neither do you need to slave over those dry-point things, Thurston retorted, in none the best humor with his comforter. You've an income bigger than mine; yet you toil over Grecian-nosed women with untidy hair as if each one meant a meal and a bed. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Genres: Westerns, Romance, Historical Fiction, Classics, Fiction

220 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1907

About the author

Bertha Muzzy Sinclair or Sinclair-Cowan, née Muzzy, best known by her pseudonym B. M. Bower, was an American author who wrote novels, fictional short stories, and screenplays about the American Old West. Her works, featuring cowboys and cows of the Flying R Ranch in Montana, reflected "an interest in ranch life, the use of working cowboys as main characters (even in romantic plots), the occasional appearance of eastern types for the sake of contrast, a sense of western geography as simultaneously harsh and grand, and a good deal of factual attention to such matters as cattle branding and bronc busting.

Born Bertha Muzzy in Otter Tail County, MN and living her early years in Big Sandy, Montana, she was married three times: to Clayton Bower, in 1890; to Bertrand William Sinclair,(also a Western author) in 1912; and to Robert Elsworth Cowan, in 1921. Bower's 1912 novel Lonesome Land was praised in The Bookman magazine for its characterization. She wrote 57 Western novels, several of which were turned into films.

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have now read five titles by Bower, and in at least three of them she has one or another character complain that most writers of Western stories know nothing about the West or the realities of ranch life; and that they should spend time in the country learning what they are trying to write about. I remember in one story she had a cowboy throw a magazine across the bunkhouse because of the inaccuracies in the story he was reading.

So this book tickled me because her main character is an Eastern writer who has had a Western story rejected. His friend the artist tells him he should go West and study the local color so he can write properly about it, and this is exactly what happens. And it turns out that Phil Thurston is only living in the East: he was actually born in the West. He has vague memories of his father being brought home dead and his Mother taking him away.

On his train trip cross country, Thurston meets (somewhat miraculously, I must admit) a Montana rancher who had been great friends with Thurston's father back in the day, and even remembered Thurston himself, insisting on calling him Bud he way he used to do. An invitation is issued and eventually Bud finds himself learning how to be not only a cowboy but his father's son, a true man of the West.

And of course there is a young woman to fall in love with, Mona of the gray eyes. Will she ever see him as anything but an Eastern dude? How can he show her that he has just as much courage as she does?

I enjoyed this book, but it did not have quite as much sparkle as some of the previous Bower titles. I really liked Bob, the cowboy assigned to teach Bud about night-herding and other aspects of taking care of a cattle herd. I wholeheartedly agreed with Bob's reply when Bud wished he had his camera with him to record the panorama before them:

"Aw, t'ell with your Kodak!" Bob snorted. "Can't yuh carry this layout in your head? I've got a picture gallery in mine that I wouldn't trade for a farm; I don't need no Kodak in mine, thankye. You just let this here view soak into your system, Bud, where yuh can't lose it."

I believe it is better to live your life than to take pictures of it, but I'm certain sure Bob and I are in the minority on that topic.

I was surprised at the way Bud ended up proving his courage to Mona. I was expecting something much different, involving guns and outlaws and such. But the ending was dramatic and clever, and I am already looking forward to the next Bower title on my list, Her Prairie Knight.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

My third B. M. Bower and I can't award it less than three stars because she is so good at creating a sense of place and I did like Thurston's character. This is yet another love story, but I found story of the "big city" boy come home to the range and rediscovering his love of the west to be the most satisfying love story in it. I really cannot award it more than three stars because I found the female love interest so dislikable. Her initial encounter with the hero disgusted me, though I realize I need to look at the story through the lens of history, but she really didn't improve much thereafter. She exhibited pride and prejudice in excess and makes Mr. Darcy look like a softie. I was glad to see Thurston didn't alter his character too greatly in essentials just to please her, though I was worried about it for a time, and I felt the conclusion provided a little humbling for her and a little triumph for him while allowing both to show some good ol' western spirit.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting twist on a Western, where an author returns to the land where he was born to get some "local flavor" for his novels. He gets much more than he expected, going on long trail rides and nearly freezing the end of his nose off in the winter shacks. Something—it couldn't possibly be the beautiful Mona—could it?—keeps him on the range all year.

[Larry Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes, one needs to kick back and read a cowboy book. So far, B.M. Bower has delivered.

So, we have Phil Thurston, who is an aspiring writer. He wants to write stories about the West, but they keep being rejected because the local color seems to be "off" to the editors and publishers. So, he figures to head west to Montana to soak up some "real life on the prairies". It turns out he was born out in Montana, but after his father died, when he was only 4-years old, his mother took him back East to raise him. I'm not sure if East means new York or Chicago, or some other metropolis that is well east of Montana.

Anyway, on the train, there's a hold up. Shots are fired, a gun falls at Thurston's feet, and the lovely young woman across the aisle — she of the large, clear grey-blue eyes and the crimply brown hair — tells Thurston to pick up the gun and start shooting. He's never fired a gun in his life, so doesn't even know how. Mona Stevens, the young woman tells him he's a coward. But the young man sitting next to Mona does pick up the gun and does chase off the bandit.

Anyway, they end up at a ranch. Thurston is taught the ropes, so to speak, and the call of the range gets into his blood. Perhaps it was always there, given that he's his father's son. His father had been a cattle rancher.

Well, things happen, Thurston learns about the "true west". He courts Mona, but with little success. So, will he win out in the end, or will he end up taking his typewriter back east to fire up his literary career? You'll have to read the book yourself to fine out.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such an interesting Western classic, following a New York writer who decides to see what the western world is like by traveling west to where his father lived. There he witnesses the real harsh Western world. There are a few silly scenes, but I really enjoyed this book as it forces a city boy to realize the difficulty of living in the country.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is beautiful in every aspect; the illustrations, the cover, the language, descriptions, and the accents. However, beauty alone is not enough to carry a book entirely. The characters and plot are rather weak, but it is still worth a read if you value captivating, pleasing descriptions.

[🩷 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly kinda boring 😭 i didn’t really get too invested, other than when that guy died