The Code of the West

By Texas Bix Bender

We have this on a poster in our house!

Write it in your heart. Stand by the code, and it will stand by you. Ask no more than honesty, courage, loyalty, generosity and fairness. You dont need decorated words to make your meanin clear. Say it plain and save some breath for breathin. Dont never interfere with something that aint botherin you none. If you find yourself in a hole the first thing to do is stop diggin'. Never grumble, it makes you about as welcome as a sidewinder in a cow camp. Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day. If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there. It doesnt matter how long a ride you have, as how well you ride it. Always drink upstream from the herd.  The first thing to do in the morning is put on your Stetson. Don't worry about bitin' off more than you can chew. Your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think. When it comes to cussin dont swallow your tongue; use both barrels and clean out your lungs. Dont get mad at somebody who knows more than you do, it aint their fault. Talk low, talk slow and dont say too much. Generally you aint  learning nothin when your mouth is a-jawin. If you want to forget all your troubles, take a little walk in a brand new pair of high heeled ridin boots. The wildest critters live in the city. Trust everybody in the game but always cut the cards. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket. No matter who says what, dont believe it if it dont make sense. Dont let so much reality into your life that theres no room left for dreamin. Makin it in life is kinda like bustin broncs; your gonna get thrown a lot. The simple secret is to keep getting back on. Never miss a chance to rest your horse. Go after life as if its something thats got to be roped in a hurry before it gets away. Dont squat with yer spurs on!!