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Striped Shirts and Busted Hearts

4textual states14Characters
Genres
Funny WesternsWestern

Introduction

Striped Shirts and Busted Hearts is a humorous Breckinridge Elkins story set around Bear Creek, involving Glory McGraw and Snake River Wilkinson. Howard later altered the story slightly for use as Chapter 1 of the novel A Gent from Bear Creek.

Textual states

Shown in a practical developmental order where possible: synopsis/outline, numbered drafts, submission states, then published or posthumous states. This display order does not itself assert exact chronology or textual authority.

Draft 1Striped Shirts and Busted Hearts
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Draft 2Striped Shirts and Busted Hearts
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False startStriped Shirts and Busted Hearts
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Primary textStriped Shirts and Busted Hearts
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Characters in this Work

Counts are across exact Textual Versions currently represented. Additional textual research may add further appearances.

AlexanderBreckinridge Elkins's mule2 textual statesBill McGrawone of Glory McGraw's brothers; son of Old Man McGraw2 textual statesBreckinridge Elkins4 textual statesEllen Reynoldswoman courted by Breckinridge and Jim Braxton in Guns of the Mountains1 textual stateGlory McGrawBear Creek woman loved by Breckinridge; daughter of Old Man McGraw3 textual statesJack GordonJoel Gordon's youngest brother and fast gun-slinger2 textual statesJim GarfieldBear Creek associate who warns Breckinridge that Joel Braxton has drawn a knife2 textual statesJoe McGrawone of Glory McGraw's brothers; son of Old Man McGraw2 textual statesJoel BraxtonBear Creek man whose knife fight with Breckinridge opens both surviving drafts2 textual statesJohn McGrawone of Glory McGraw's brothers; son of Old Man McGraw2 textual statesMiz McGrawwoman of the McGraw household heard in the kitchen; exact relationship is not explicitly stated in these witnesses2 textual statesOld Man McGrawGlory McGraw's father and head of the McGraw household2 textual statesRoarin' Bill ElkinsBreckinridge's father2 textual statesSnake River WilkinsonWild River cowpuncher and Glory McGraw's would-be suitor; called Mr. Richardson in Draft 12 textual states

Publication appearances

A Gent from Bear Creek (1937)Herbert Jenkins1937↗Il Ciclo di Breckinridge Elkins Volume 2Independently PublishedAugust 2025↗Breckinridge Elkins - First Cuts: The Drafts and Fragments - Rough Trails 4REH Foundation PressMarch 2026 (Collector's Boxed Set)↗First Cuts: The Drafts and Fragments Breckinridge Elkins: Rough Trails Volumes 1-4 4 Volume Collector's Box SetREH Foundation PressMarch 2026↗#4187