Wolfgang,
Again, Glad to answer your questions.

In the song "A HANDFUL OF SONGS" by Jerry Rasmussen

1) should be----well tuned in the "telling".

2) should be----a smile "in" an old photograph.

In the song "Cowboys Barbara Allen"

1) The name of the town is MEDICINE BOW-----The Medicine Bow National Forrest is a beautiful pine-covered mountain range. The "BOW" was a weapon used by Native Americans (American Indians). A "MEDICINE BOW" was an especially powerful weapon. It might've been said to have "big medicine"---like Thor's hammer. The Shaman of the tribes were the "MEDICINE MEN". They knew the secrets of the herbs and the legends of the tribal lore. Knew what herbs did what as medicine to cure ailments and alter perception or enhance awareness of spiritual matters. One man's "magic" is another man's having secured knowledge that others don't posess. So it might seem like magic to some. I do suspect that's all that magic ever was---OR IS.

2)we SENT a message out to her, to the place where she was DUG IN.

--------In those times, on the American plains, it was common to literally dig a hole in the ground to make your home. The SOD dug out (chunks of roughly square earth matted by grass and roots) was used for building blocks. They were cemented in place with mud. You didn't wash these floors; you would sweep them as best you could using a tumbleweed or another natural broom. There wasn't very much rain in Wyoming---unless there was a huge one with a flash flood that would destroy the house anyway. Then another home would need to be built the same way. For these "improvements" the U.S. government would give away the farm to the homesteader.

3) They tangled 'round the MARKER rocks...

These MARKER ROCKS were piled upon the grave to discourage wolves and coyotes from digging up the deceased bodies and devouring them. The rocks didn't always work.

I do hope this helps some!

All the best,

Art Thieme