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Cole Younger
The head police officer in Fort Smith. The sheriff tells Mattie about her father’s murder and gives her Frank’s dragoon revolver. He also gives her Rooster’s name when she asks for a list of the best U.S. marshals. Although the sheriff mentions Rooster’s name, he concludes that he isn’t actually the best marshal, since he’s too mean and drinks too much. However, this description pleases Mattie, so she decides to find Rooster.
The Sheriff Quotes in True Grit
The True Grit quotes below are all either spoken by The Sheriff or refer to The Sheriff. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1 Quotes
Tom Chaney raised his rifle and shot him in the forehead, killing him instantly. There was no more provocation than that and I tell it as it was told to me by the high sheriff of Sebastian County. Some people might say, well, what business was it of Frank Ross to meddle? My answer is this: he was trying to do that short devil a good turn. Chaney was a tenant and Papa felt responsibility. He was his brother’s keeper. Does that answer your question?
Related Characters:
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Explanation and Analysis:
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The Sheriff Character Timeline in True Grit
The timeline below shows where the character The Sheriff appears in True Grit. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
...behind her mother and two younger siblings. When she and Yarnell arrive, they go to the sheriff ’s office but discover that everyone in town is at a public hanging, so they...
(full context)
After the undertaker’s, Mattie visits the sheriff , who tells her Chaney has crossed into Indian Territory after linking up with a...
(full context)
