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"Ranger Bill" is a classic Christian radio program from the 1950s, produced by Moody Radio.

The show features over 200 episodes and stars Miron Canaday as Ranger Bill, a forest ranger in the fictional town of Knotty Pine, located in the Rocky Mountains. Alongside his friends Stumpy Jenkins and Grey Wolf, Ranger Bill tackles various adventures and moral dilemmas, often with a strong Christian message.

The show remains a beloved piece of old-time radio history and is still enjoyed by many fans today.

Listen to our radio station Old Time Radio https://link.radioking.com/otradio
Listen to other Shows at My Classic Radio https://www.myclassicradio.net/
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Remember that times have changed, and some shows might not reflect the standards of today’s politically correct society. The shows do not necessarily reflect the views, standards, or beliefs of Entertainment Radio

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Transcript
00:00Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous
00:22trails, fighting the many enemies of nature. This is the job of the guardian of the forest,
00:28Ranger Bill. Pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snow, floods, bears, rattlesnakes,
00:35mountain lions. Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well
00:41done. Howdy, boys and girls. Say, what would you think of a man who wouldn't show kindness
00:52and consideration in business, but expected it to be shown to himself when he got in the
00:57spot? I think we agree this individual needs to be taught a lesson. When our Lord gave
01:03his Sermon on the Mount, he said, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
01:11But a certain man named Horace Butler never read the Sermon on the Mount. He never reads
01:15anything but dollar signs and mortgage notes. Let's find out how this mean and merciless
01:21man was taught a lesson he would never forget. Here's the story, The Law of the Golden Rule.
01:31Our story opens at the small ranch of Knute Hobson, not so far from Knotty Pine. His visitor
01:39is Horace Butler, the man who holds the mortgage on Knute's ranch. Yeah, well, how are you
01:47today, Horace? Fine, thank you. Yeah, it's been quite a while since I've seen you last.
01:53You should drop around and have a cup of coffee once in a while. I'm a businessman, Knute.
01:58I have work to do. I don't have time for social calls. I see. Well, man has to have friends
02:06and talk with them once in a while. Money is my friend. I see. Talking about money,
02:13I've been waiting for the annual installment on your mortgage note. It didn't get lost in the
02:18mails, I hope. No, no, it didn't, Horace. I just didn't have it. I'm afraid it'll be about two
02:28months late this year. Two months? Yes, I'm mighty sorry, but I'm sure I'll have enough by then to
02:36make the payment of two thousand. The payment is due today, Knute Hobson, not two months from now.
02:43Yeah, I know that, Horace, but, well, the missus was sick in the spring and I had a lot of big
02:49doctor bills and had a poor crop of grain this spring, too. Of course, my cattle are doing fine
02:56and they'll be ready for the market in two months. Well, of course, that leaves me but
03:03one alternative, and that is to foreclose your mortgage, Knute. Foreclose? You mean you won't
03:11give me the two-month extension until I can sell my cattle? This is a business proposition, Knute.
03:17You promise to pay on this date and that's what you'll do or suffer the consequences. Well,
03:22how do you expect me to get the money? Sell your cattle now. But they're not ready for market.
03:27I'd lose five thousand dollars if I sold them now. You'll lose your ranch if you don't.
03:33Horace, you know my credit is good. I always pay my bills. This is the first time in 14 years
03:41that I couldn't meet the mortgage payment. I have a heart, man. Knute, I found out a long time ago
03:48that there's no room for heart, so you call it, in business. It's the money that counts.
03:55I wish you knew how wrong you are, Horace Butler. If only money counted, I wouldn't be here.
04:01And let me tell you this, if you throw me off of my farm, the Lord will see that you reap what you
04:07sow. Let's leave religion out of this. Religion? You're not human. For 14 years, I've... I won't
04:16be able to file the foreclosure papers until Monday. If you can raise the money by then,
04:22I'll accept it. This is Friday. How can I get money over the weekend? That's your problem.
04:29You agreed to make your payments on this date. This is a business proposition. Good day.
04:45While this is going on, Bill, Henry, Graywolf, and Stumpy are getting ready for an inspection trip.
04:51It's to be an inspection of all private land bordering on government ranges and forests.
04:57Let's drop over to headquarters and find out how it's done.
05:01Are you sure you've got all the maps and charts, pal? Yep. I checked them against your list before
05:06I started bundling them up. Uh, Stumpy, be sure you bring along all the first inspection reports
05:10we made six months ago. Yeah, what do you think I got in my hands? Old newspapers?
05:16That could well be. I remember the time you were carrying one around dated back to 1910.
05:22Oh, Stumpy. And you were reading it.
05:27Oh, I've caught up since then. Now I'm reading them from 1940.
05:33No wonder he'd tell old-time jokes. Oh, wait a minute there, young feller.
05:37Listen, fellas, let's wait until we get on the trail before we start the horseplay.
05:42I want to get started today. Let's saddle up now and hit the trail.
05:56Hey, Marty, I want to talk to you. Oh, sure, Newt. What's on your mind?
06:02Marty, uh, you've been working for me for a long time, and what I've got to say to you
06:09doesn't make me very happy. What do you mean, boss? Something wrong?
06:13Yeah. Yeah, something is wrong. Of course, you had nothing to do with it.
06:19Oh, that's too bad. I mean, it's too bad something's wrong. Can I help?
06:25No. Marty, I'm going to have to let you and the boys go.
06:30What? Don't you like the way I handle the cattle?
06:34That's what I'm saying. It's nothing you did or didn't do.
06:38Well, what is it then? I'd rather not say, but I'm losing the ranch.
06:45Huh? I guess the cattle bawling to my ears hasn't done them any good.
06:51I thought you said you're losing the ranch, but then I must have heard wrong.
06:56You heard right, Marty. Well, how come? I mean, are you sure?
07:02Yeah. Horace Butler told me this afternoon. He holds the mortgage.
07:07Why, that mean old... Why, I ought to punch him right in the nose.
07:11That wouldn't do any good, Marty. Yeah, I guess you're right, boss.
07:19Won't he give you an extension? No.
07:22Did he give you a date? Not yet, but I've got to sell the cattle
07:27and start packing as soon as possible. Well, I am staying right here until you
07:31move out, for free if you like. You've been a wonderful boss, and that's the least I can do.
07:38Well, thanks, Marty. I appreciate it. But now I'm off to town to see Ed Banker.
07:45Maybe he can help.
07:55Easy, boy. How you fellas doing?
07:58Oh, have plenty hard time keep up with storm, ye fast horse.
08:02Hey, how far are we going, Bill? Halfway to Africa by the looks of things.
08:07Yeah, maybe you've got a point there, Stumpy.
08:09We're going over to the northwest corner of the Big Mesa Range.
08:13Oh, we got 20 miles to go. How come you're going so far, sonny?
08:19Who needs inspecting over there? I want to check up on Horace Butler's
08:23boundaries bordering Big Mesa Range. When we inspected his place six months ago,
08:28it's plenty bad shape. That's why I want to make another inspection.
08:32I hope he's fixed up his boundaries like he's supposed to.
08:36What if he hasn't, Bill? I'll make it my business to see that he does.
08:53Wait a minute. There's no way to get into the bank. Besides, it's closed for the day.
09:19Can't you read? Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. I can read, Patrick O'Rourke.
09:23I'm not the man of much education, but I can read.
09:26Well, now, as I live and breathe, if it ain't me old friend.
09:30How are you, Canuto? Not so good, Patrick.
09:32Oh, you said right. Has your rheumatism got you down again?
09:35It's not my rheumatism. It's paralysis. Paralysis? And how can that be?
09:41I saw you walk from your car as I was walking me beat.
09:44Financial paralysis, Patrick. Oh, so that's why you're trying to
09:47break down the bank door. You need money. Yeah, I need $2,000.
09:52They're going to foreclose my mortgage on Monday if I don't have the money.
09:55You mean Horace Butler? Yeah, that's the one.
09:58Great day in the morning, wouldn't that skinfin take your edge?
10:01Yeah, that's right, Patrick. Do you know if Ed Banker's still inside?
10:05No, that I don't. But there's a private wire to the station.
10:08Now, if you'd like to walk with me to the office, I'll call into the bank and talk with the guard.
10:21Let's hold it up here, fellas. Okay, Bill.
10:28This looks like a good place, Bill. Yes, Graywolf.
10:31We'll continue on to the big mesa range first thing Monday morning.
10:34Yeah, that's a good idea. Thank the Lord.
10:37Tomorrow's a day of worship and rest. Ah, that right.
10:40There's plenty of good place to worship and rest. Right, Graywolf.
10:44Well, let's make camp, fellas. I'm hungry.
10:59Hello, Mike. This is O'Rourke.
11:02Say, there's a gentleman here who wants to see Ed Banker.
11:05And now listen, Mike, this is urgent. He is?
11:10All right, I'll send him over. His name's Knute Hobson.
11:13Yeah, Ed knows him. Yeah, thanks a million, Mike.
11:17Goodbye.
11:26So, that's the whole story, Ed. You see the fix I'm in.
11:30Well, let me get your loan file, Knute. Excuse me a minute.
11:43Do you think you can help me out, Ed?
11:50Well, just let me refresh my memory on your loans with us first,
11:54before I give you an answer, Knute. Yeah, yeah, sure, Ed.
12:01Knute, you borrowed $10,000 from us to buy cattle last spring.
12:05Yeah, that's right.
12:07How much do you think your cattle would bring on the market right now?
12:10Well, the cattle I'm fattening now would bring $15,000 in two more months.
12:15But I doubt if they would bring more than $10,000 or $10,500 right now.
12:21Well, you see the problem I'm up against here, Knute.
12:24Yeah, but this is an emergency, Ed.
12:26Please don't misunderstand me, but I'd really like to help you, Knute.
12:31I wish I could let you borrow the $2,000 you need.
12:35But you need collateral for a loan of that size.
12:37The only collateral you have are your cattle, and we've loaned to the limit already.
12:42Well, I guess I'm licked.
12:45I'll tell you what you can do.
12:47Yeah, what's that, Ed?
12:49Why don't you have a cattle buyer come out to your ranch first thing Monday morning and
12:52find out right to the penny just what he'll give you.
12:55Well, how will that help, Ed?
12:57Well, if he'll give you $11,500,
13:00I'll personally guarantee a loan to you for the additional $500 that you need.
13:06That's the best I can do.
13:07Oh, why do we have to have Monday mornings?
13:21Hey, wait a minute.
13:22Isn't as bad as all that, is it, pal?
13:25No, Bill.
13:26I'm just a little bit off this morning.
13:30Well, I'm ready to go if you are.
13:32Good.
13:33Stumpy, let's see the first inspection report on Horace Butler's ranch.
13:37Just a moment, sonny.
13:38I'll get it.
13:40Butler.
13:41Wasn't he the rancher we found had about 15 violations of the law show up on inspection?
13:46You're right about that.
13:47Here you are, sonny.
13:49You see, a piece of paper has more X marks on it than a good game of tic-tac-toe.
13:56That's got you right, old timer.
13:59Look at this report.
14:00Let's see.
14:011, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.
14:0617 infractions, minor.
14:08Most of them, of course, are charged against him.
14:11I wonder if he fixed them all.
14:13That's why we're out here, pal, to find out.
14:30That's the tally, Mr. Hobson.
14:32They're good.
14:34Okay, Marty, get them back out to the range.
14:37All right, boss.
14:39Well, what's your offer, Mr. Cole?
14:42$9,800.
14:44If you load them first thing in the morning.
14:47$9,800.
14:49Is that the best you can do, Mr. Cole?
14:52It's too bad you can't hold them two months until they get their prime finish.
14:56Market may be up then.
15:00How wide is the fire laying back of his fence line, fellas?
15:10It's 65 feet, Bill.
15:12Well, it has to be 90.
15:13What's the big idea, I wonder?
15:18Oh, this butler ain't chopped one stick of that scrub growth out of his standard timber
15:22since we last warned him, sonny.
15:24Boy, a forest fire sure could get started easy in that stuff.
15:30Bill, look at that fence line.
15:32My horse ain't strung a new piece of barbed wire in three years.
15:40Bill, this look like drainage ditch along here.
15:42That's what he uses it for, but it's illegal.
15:45He's got to use underground tile.
15:53Well, sonny, it looks like horse butler hasn't paid one bit of attention to your
15:58first inspection report.
16:00That's right, old-timer.
16:02Are you going to get rough with him, Bill?
16:03And how?
16:05When we get back, I'm going to send him a final warning in a registered mail envelope.
16:10He has three days from the time he signs the receipt to fix his fence lines,
16:14and two weeks to get the rest of the work done.
16:25I'm terribly sorry, boss, if things aren't working out for you and the missus.
16:29Well, I appreciate your sympathy, Marty.
16:32Boys and I wish we could help financially, but we haven't got $200 between us.
16:38Yeah, that's all right, Marty.
16:40You, you fellas, need your money.
16:43Well, I guess I better get to the house and help the missus with the packing.
16:47Yeah, well, say, is that butler's car coming down the road?
16:53Yeah, yeah, that's him, all right.
16:55Yeah, he's coming to serve the papers, I guess.
16:57I'll serve him papers.
16:59I'll run him off of here at the end of a pitchfork.
17:01Please, Marty.
17:03You and the boys let me handle this.
17:05Yeah, okay, boss.
17:07Have it your way.
17:09But if you need help, just holler.
17:11It'd be a real pleasure to give him a good sock right in the nose.
17:15Here are the foreclosure papers, Canute.
17:29All right.
17:31Are you going to fight this in court?
17:34You've got a lot of nerve asking a question like that.
17:37It's a perfectly legitimate question.
17:39Well, you know I haven't the money to fight this.
17:41If I had that much money, I could pay off the mortgage.
17:44Well, you'll have to be out of here by the end of the week.
17:57Say, I wonder how come Horace Butler is the only one who
18:00didn't fix his place up after the first inspection, Bill?
18:03I don't know the answer, pal.
18:05But this letter ought to bring out the reasons, excuses, or what have you.
18:09Very strange.
18:10Him have big ranch, but not keep it up.
18:12Oh, he keeps up the front of it where people can see it.
18:16But the part that's not seen, he doesn't bother with.
18:19Well, he's going to find out that he can't ignore Uncle Sam.
18:22Yep.
18:23Because Uncle Sam doesn't like to be ignored.
18:26He's got teeth.
18:27And he shows them once in a while.
18:29Hey, say, do you want me to take the letter down to the post office and have it registered, Bill?
18:33I'd appreciate that, Henry.
18:35I've got lots of work to do.
18:36Well, I'm on my way.
18:37Henry, be sure you have the letter marked return receipt requested.
18:41OK.
18:41I want to be sure Horace signs for the letter himself.
18:45And there'll be no questions as to whether he received notice or not.
18:59Say that, Henry, me boy!
19:02Oh, Patrick, how are you?
19:04I have not in the pink today, Henry.
19:07What's the matter, Pat?
19:09Have you heard what all skin-fit butlers do in the canoe?
19:12Huh?
19:13Come again, Pat.
19:15I said, have you heard what Horace Butler's doing to Canute Hobson?
19:19No, I haven't.
19:20Give me the rest of the details, Patrick.
19:22Don't cut me off in the middle.
19:24Well, you'd better grab hold of the lamppost.
19:26Is it that bad?
19:28Horace Butler's foreclosing the mortgage on Canute's ranch.
19:32No joking.
19:34And the nasty part about it is that Horace won't give Canute a two-month extension
19:38until Canute's cattle are ready for the market.
19:41Canute says he could pay him off easily after two months.
19:44Well, thanks for the information, Pat.
19:46Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?
19:49I've got to mail a letter.
19:59Well, so now you've been brought up to date on Horace Butler, fellas.
20:02It's about time somebody teaches that miserly skin-flint how to be a human being.
20:07Why he wants to treat Canute that way is mystery.
20:10Everybody knows Canute is honest man.
20:12He always pays his bills.
20:13Sure, Canute hasn't got an enemy in the whole country around here.
20:17But I know plenty of people who wouldn't be sorry if Horace Butler...
20:20Henry!
20:22Well, he should be ashamed of himself.
20:24Yep!
20:25He's the kind of fella who'd foreclose the mortgage on his father's nightshirt in the
20:29dead of winter.
20:30Ah, him plenty mean.
20:33Hey, Bill, how come you're not talking?
20:35Mine'll come later, Henry.
20:37What do you mean?
20:38I'm just waiting till Horace storms in here and answer to my final inspection morning
20:43and asks for an extension of time to get the infractions corrected on his property.
20:49Are you going to give him an extension?
20:51You think he deserves it?
20:53No.
20:54He's already had the full extent of grace.
20:57Now it's time for the golden rule to lay down the law.
21:08Bill Jefferson, I want to talk to you.
21:17Come in, Horace.
21:18Have a chair.
21:19What I have to say can be said standing up.
21:22Suit yourself.
21:24What's on your mind?
21:25This!
21:28Oh, yes, the time limit warning letter I sent you.
21:33Well, I don't see any need to talk this over, Horace.
21:35The letter is self-explanatory.
21:37Oh, it's self-explanatory, all right.
21:40But who are you to demand immediate action?
21:43I'm the ranger in charge of this forestry district, Horace.
21:46Then don't cut no ice with me.
21:48What I want to know is who do you think you are to demand that I fix these...
21:53these infractions, as you call them.
21:57Perhaps you'd rather have a court order from Judge Simpkins.
22:01So now you're trying to coerce me into doing what you want done.
22:05Is that right?
22:07I'm only doing what I'm paid to do, Horace.
22:10See that the law is complied with.
22:12Well, let me tell you something.
22:14I can't afford to correct these so-called infractions, as you call them,
22:18and you haven't given me enough time.
22:20Three days, two weeks.
22:21What kind of an inhuman beast are you?
22:24I have in my file a carbon copy of my first inspection report.
22:29The original of this was mailed to you six months ago.
22:33I don't remember receiving it.
22:35Perhaps you don't remember.
22:37But I have your signature on the post office form receipt.
22:41I'll be glad to show you the receipt in question, if you'd like.
22:46That won't be necessary.
22:49Well, will you give me more time to get this work done?
22:52Why should I?
22:54Six months is all that's allowed by law,
22:57unless there are extenuating circumstances.
22:59Well, why can't that apply in my case?
23:03For what reasons?
23:04I don't have the money to pay for the work.
23:07Do you know how much it would cost to have this work done?
23:10I'm fully aware of the expense involved.
23:14If you'd keep your boundary lines up, the expense would be small.
23:17I can't afford it right now.
23:21Do I understand that you intend to ignore this time limit warning, Horace?
23:25I do, unless you give me an extension of time.
23:29You'll correct those infractions according to the time limit set by me,
23:33or you can explain to the court why you can't.
23:35Bill Jefferson, people in this town think a lot of you.
23:38They hold you on a pedestal.
23:40They say you're a Christian.
23:42Well, they'll think differently when I tell them how inconsiderate and inhuman you are.
23:47You have an ounce of mercy in your blood.
23:50Your heart is made of stone.
23:52You call yourself a Christian.
23:56Are you through now, Horace?
23:58One thing more.
23:59I'm leaving.
24:00Just a minute, Horace.
24:01What?
24:02Before you leave, I'd like to tell you a story.
24:05A true story I heard just a short time ago.
24:07I haven't time to listen to any of your fables!
24:10May be worth your while to listen to this one, Horace.
24:14You want to?
24:15Oh, all right.
24:18You have the upper hand.
24:21Go ahead.
24:23It's the story of two men.
24:25A true story, Horace.
24:28The one man has been a rancher all his life.
24:31He's a fine Christian gentleman.
24:33His men have always liked him.
24:35They say he's a good boss.
24:37Now, this fellow doesn't make a barrel of money, but he's respected.
24:42Let's say he's poor, but honest.
24:45Every year, this rancher makes his mortgage payment like clockwork.
24:49And he's done that for a long time.
24:52But one particular year, he can't do it because of,
24:55well, let's say, unfortunate circumstances.
24:59So he tells the man who holds his mortgage that he won't be able to pay him for several months.
25:05And he asks for an extension of time.
25:08But the man who holds the mortgage refuses to give it to him and begins foreclosure proceedings.
25:16What do you think of a fellow like that?
25:20That's a miserable trick, I'd say.
25:24What should be done about it?
25:26Well, why couldn't the mortgage holder wait until the several months passed and
25:35then foreclose if he had to?
25:37Exactly.
25:38That's what I thought.
25:42What's this fellow's name?
25:44I was getting around to that, Horace.
25:47Well, who is he?
25:49His name is Horace Butler.
25:54Me?
25:54Yes, you.
26:00Excuse me, Bill.
26:01Bill, I've got to go out and see somebody.
26:06Right away.
26:21Hey, Newt, here comes that old skinflint again.
26:26Can't he leave you alone?
26:28Isn't he getting enough out of you?
26:29Yeah, I guess he likes to keep rubbing it in.
26:32Well, I wonder what he wants now.
26:37Maybe you haven't signed enough papers.
26:40He seems to be carrying some in his hand.
26:45Hello, Canute.
26:46Hello, Horace.
26:48I thought it was all over but the sheriff.
26:50Not quite, Canute.
26:53I've got to tear up these foreclosure papers.
26:56They weren't filled out correctly.
26:58So you make mistakes too, huh, Butler?
27:01Hold your tongue, Marty.
27:03That wasn't filled out correctly, Horace.
27:06The date of the foreclosure, Canute.
27:08I don't understand.
27:10You should have made the date two months from now.
27:15Did you say two months from now, Horace?
27:19Yes.
27:20Well, just to be on the safe side, we're going to make it three.
27:25Horace, are you all right?
27:28Yes, I'm all right.
27:31Why?
27:31Well, I mean, why the sudden change?
27:35Canute, I've got something to tell you.
27:39A mutual friend of ours has taught me the greatest lesson of my life.
27:45He gave me the golden rule.
27:47The golden rule?
27:48Yes, the golden rule.
27:51Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you.
27:55You're sure you're not yawking?
27:58I was never more serious in my life.
28:01Here's the foreclosure paper.
28:02Tear it up.
28:03I'll get a new one.
28:05On second thought, let's not bother.
28:08To me, your word is as good as gold.
28:11And that's the story, boys and girls, of how the golden rule laid down the law.
28:16See you next week for more adventure with...
28:20RANGERVILLE!
28:41RANGERVILLE