Posted January 21, 2022 | Caroline Mundee
"Debate, you dumb bitch, it's called a debate," Caroline mumbled under her breath but the woman figured it out just then too.
Priest wasn't going to be rushed though. He would reveal all later was all he would promise. In that way the man was a true politician, promises a whole lot, she'd see if he actually delivered on anything. The politicians in Chicago had been crooked, the mayor of Helena had been well meaning but a bumbling fool, and the one here in Kalispell was ......well, she didn't even know who the hell that was, he was pretty much invisible. The town seemingly had been run by that one council member before he lit himself on fire.
Just then they got themselves a trio of new customers, rough looking lot but a customer was a customer. Fortner invited them to have a drink and they promptly bellied up to the bar. Of course Ralph was there, waiting to hear what they'd like.
"Three whiskies," one of the men said, after reaching into his coat and putting down some coinage.
"Sure nuff, comin' right up," Ralph nodded and reached for one of the cheap bottles, he was a pretty good judge of customers' taste and proclivities. He poured three shots of the powerful liquor.
Caroline swung into saloon girl mode too, sashaying up to the one lined up at the bar closest to her, gifting him with a bright smile, "Welcome! Have a long ride, did ya, hon?"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted January 24, 2022
"Three whiskies," one of the men said, after reaching into his coat and putting down some coinage.
"Sure nuff, comin' right up," Ralph nodded and reached for one of the cheap bottles, he was a pretty good judge of customers' taste and proclivities. He poured three shots of the powerful liquor.
Caroline swung into saloon girl mode too, sashaying up to the one lined up at the bar closest to her, gifting him with a bright smile, "Welcome! Have a long ride, did ya, hon?"
One of the men, the one most like a primitive Neanderthal, removed his hat off in a gesture that must have been surprising given his otherwise crude appearance. When he did, locks of brown hair cascaded down toward his eyes. "Wal ma'am it's darned nice of you to ask. We've been hell bent for..," He turned to one of his companions. "Where we at?"
"Kalispell, you moron," he said before taking his whiskey neat. The man's nose was so large that it was a wonder how me managed to get the glass close enough to his mouth to drink.
"Kalispell ma'am," the first man answered Caroline. "We've built up a mighty thirst, too."
"And that ain't all," a third man muttered into his glass.
Fortner remained quietly occupied, winding his pocket watch and checking its time.
"Hey tell me, Miss," the Neanderthal began. "Is there a lawyer around this town? We gotta a claim we need to see 'em about. My partner there,.," He nodded in the direction of his companions. "..won a deed at a poker game in Bozeman. We need to make sure its on-the-level."
Big nose spoke up. "Well if it ain't, I'm headin' back to Bozeman so's I can run a branding iron so far up someone's ass, it'll come out of his mouth."
"Don't pay no attention to him ma'am, Neanderthal soothed. (In time, she would know him as Jake Parsons)
Posted January 25, 2022 | Caroline Mundee
"Wal ma'am it's darned nice of you to ask. We've been hell bent for..," He turned to one of his companions. "Where we at?"
An amused Caroline was about to answer but the man's pardner did it first. Yep, definitely not locals. No matter to the saloon girl, customers were customers. Nor did their looks enter into it. Sure handsome men were easier on the eyes but the main thing was did they have money to spend.
"Well, then you gents came to the right place, this here is Kalispell's best saloon," Caroline assured them. Of course it was the town's ONLY saloon but she wasn't going to mention that.
They claimed they had built up a powerful thirst, more good news. Caroline nodded, "Big strong fellas like you, one shot ain't gonna do it then."
They came for more than drinks though, apparently they were looking for.......of all things a lawyer! Here she was expecting them to ask about whores.
"Ummm, well yeah of course....we got lawyers. I might even be able ta give you a name but my throat is dry right now. Maybe a gentleman could buy me a drink here?" Caroline did her pitch.
One of the trio was quite grumpy but....
"Don't pay no attention to him ma'am, Neanderthal soothed.
She zeroed in on this one, he was the most likely target, "Oh I don't. I only pay attention to those who treat me nice. You know buy me a drink?"
"Work is fine for killin' time, but it's a shaky way to make a living."
Posted January 25, 2022 | Ben Simons
Ben, for his part, was happy just to step back and watch the goings on. It was too bad he couldn't get more out of Priest and his plans for Kalispell but that was the way it was especially with men who had something to hide. Whatever Priest was hiding and why he wasn't forthcoming with his ideas, was a mystery. Most politicians he knew would be trying to drum up votes any time they could.
As for the three strangers, Ben was half a mind to go and get the Marshal or to at least let him know about what was going on at the saloon. However, he didn't want to cause any trouble, especially if they were only passing through.
After getting another whiskey from Ralph, he decided to follow Priest's lead and head for a table. Seeing someone he was acquainted with sitting over in one of the corners of the room, Ben headed over there to engage the man in a conversation while waiting to see what would happen next.
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Posted January 26, 2022 | Arabella Mudd
Arabella did her job, and kept on playing a jaunty tune in the background to the scene that was unfolding in the saloon behind her. Nothing too loud, she made it as easy as possible for Caroline to do her job, jolly music to put the drinkers in a good mood, but nothing so deafening she had to shout over. It was always a pleasure to hear her plying her craft so skilfully: like in the same way that you could stand for ages watching Mrs Pike making a pie, or Mr Ryker creating something out of wood, or Miriam sewing a garment so swiftly but accurately. Oh, it was just darlin' to watch a master at work.
She noticed out of the corner of her eye Mr Simons move away to another table and even Sally Adams sauntered over to the men who had come in earlier. There was something about these three newcomers that gave her that feeling she got just before someone threw a punch or a bottle or fired a shot on a rowdy Saturday night. She looked down at her fingers on the ivory piano keys, wondering if she could actually see the hairs standing up on the back of her hands.
Posted January 27, 2022 | Franklin Fortner
"Don't pay no attention to him ma'am, Neanderthal soothed.
She zeroed in on this one, he was the most likely target, "Oh I don't. I only pay attention to those who treat me nice. You know buy me a drink?"
"The lady wants a drink, you moron!" his big-nosed companion interrupted. "Ain't you got no sense?"
Jake Parsons didn't seem to mind. It was clear that the men had a rough banter not intended for those with thin skin.
"Ah shut the hell up," Jake responded. Then, "Barkeep! A drink for the lady."
The men were The Three J's. Jake Parsons, Jasper Ridell (the man with the big nose), and, finally, Jim Craven. This was what they were called by friends and enemies alike. Sometimes cowpokes, sometimes rustlers, sometimes troublemakers, often involved with promiscuous gun play, and always dangerous.
More money hit the bar and it kept Ralph busy.
Frank Fortner was glad when Ben Simons headed for his own table. There was something about the man that kept him on edge. What was he up to? It was a question that Frank turned over and over in his mind.
At that moment, Arabella's play went from mezzo-forte to fortissimo.
Oh for Chrissakes! thought her boss. So now he'd have to shout to the cowpokes.
"Did I hear one of you ask for a lawyer?"
Jasper turned to him in a confrontational manner ... that was his normal attitude. "Yeah, Mister. What's it to you?"
Frank smiled and held up his palms. "Just lettin' you know that the man sitting over there," he pointed to Hiram Priest. "He's a lawyer. I hear tell he's even been a judge."
The Three J's looked at each other, took their glasses with them and headed to where Priest was sitting.
"Hey Bartender!" Jake called over his shoulder. "Make sure the lady gets all the hooch she wants."
Posted January 28, 2022 | Caroline Mundee
"The lady wants a drink, you moron!" his big-nosed companion interrupted. "Ain't you got no sense?"
"Ah shut the hell up," Jake responded. Then, "Barkeep! A drink for the lady."
"Sure, you got it," Ralph nodded and reached down for a bottle under the shelf then poured a shotglass for Caroline.
"Aww, thanks mister," Caroline slugged it down like it was water. (Which it was except for the caramel coloring.)
The trio had wanted the services of a lawyer which Caroline couldn't help them with but her boss stepped in to steer them over to their newest mayoral candidate.
"Hey Bartender!" Jake called over his shoulder. "Make sure the lady gets all the hooch she wants."
Ralph nodded then when Jake turned back to face Priest and he and Caroline exchanged knowing smirks. She'd milk that but good.
Address me as Hon. Hiram Priest, esq.
Posted January 30, 2022 | Hiram Priest
"Hey! You Mr. Priest?" Jake asked the dignified sage who was seated at his reserved table. "We need your help 'bout something." He held out a rumpled document.
Hiram looked up at the three toughs while slowly chewing his chaw. "Sure. Why don't you fellas sit down so we can talk about it?" He was thankful for the piano music courtesy of Arabella. It was sure pretty, plus it supplied some needed background cover.
The men pulled out chairs and each sat around, planting their elbows on the semi-polished wood.
Jim Craven was impatient. "Well show him the damned thing," he growed at Jake, who slid the document across to Priest. "These fellas charge by the goddamned minute."
Once he was ready, Priest held the paper up and read it, silently. It wasn't a deed or a promissory note, or even a laundry ticket. It was a narrative of what had happened a few days earlier at the Potee homestead. One of the men, evidently, had enough schooling to construct a reasonably cogent report.
"We got to the Potee place bout supper hour. Their tweren't nobody there cept his wife. She was a LOOKER so why the Hell would she be with an idgit like Potee?" Priest looked up at the three, eager, sets of eyes, and slowly shook his head. Where did Fortner dig these guys up?
The story continued.
"He came outta his cabin. His wife was standin behind him and they got some little girl who was a'runnin around the place. Jake told 'em that Potee gotta get off the land before the snow flies, but Potee tweren't having none of it. He as much told us to go to Hell. We told him it would be better for his health if'n he left. No dice. We told him that we were givin' him fair warning." Then, on the last line, "When do we get paid?"
Priest spoke up in a lawyerish tone of voice. "You gentlemen have been taken. This isn't a bonafide deed. It's nothing of the sort. First of all, it hasn't even been notarized."
The men were slacked-mouthed, and they played their parts well.
"I told you we couldn't a trusted that slimy varmint!" barked Jake to Jasper. "Sheeeit! The best part of you ran down your mamma's leg!"
Jasper growled, "You leave my mama outta this!"
"Calm down! We've had enough of that kind of talk in the past few days to last a year. Now I'll help you out, so listen." After that, the men huddled closer because Priest lowered his voice considerably.
"First thing you're going to do is take this paper and burn the thing, just like you would a worthless piece of paper. Then camp out to the north of town 'about three miles, and I'll send someone with your money. But that's just the first part. Next, you're gonna head back out to Potee's place and rough him up a bit. Don't, for chrissakes, kill him, just knock his teeth out. Have your horses tear-up his pea-patch or whatever the hell he has growing. Got it?"
The men rose and one of them took off his hat and smacked the other with it. "No goddamn good! You oughta tell God you need a new brain."
They then sauntered back to the bar to where Caroline lounged, truly a sight for sore eyes.
"Another whiskey" Jake asked Ralph.
Posted February 1, 2022 | Ralph Flandry
Ralph and Caroline watched the goings on, the saloon girl on her second shot glass full, and the two of them exchanged almost whispers, no one else could hear what they were saying. Once when Arabella glanced in her direction, Caroline flashed a smile her way. She always tried to be encouraging for the young teen, they were not blood related of course but to Caroline's way of thinking they were family. The kid sister she never had.
Oh the cowboys had finished their little meetin' with Priest, it seemingly did not go all that smoothly. Not that Caroline cared one way or the other, none of her business. She smiled at the man who planted himself at the bar.
"Another whiskey" Jake asked Ralph.
Ralph nodded, "Sure......oh you owe for two other whiskeys.......well three now with this one. That'll be three bits."
So if Jake pays with two quarters now, he will get a dime back and that would then entitle him to spend that on another whiskey.
ooc: Many 1870s saloons were known as two bit or one bit saloons. Two bits was a quarter. One bit was twelve and a half cents. No one really used halves though instead you would buy a whiskey for a quarter and the bartender would give you back a dime. It was understood by both customer and bartender, one could then purchase a second whiskey with that dime. This is how the Star Dust Saloon operates.
Posted February 1, 2022 | Franklin Fortner
Oh the cowboys had finished their little meetin' with Priest, it seemingly did not go all that smoothly. Not that Caroline cared one way or the other, none of her business. She smiled at the man who planted himself at the bar.
"Another whiskey" Jake asked Ralph.
Ralph nodded, "Sure......oh you owe for two other whiskeys.......well three now with this one. That'll be three bits."
Jake fished in his pocket and came up with a quarter. He grunted, then jabbed Jim in the ribs wit his elbow.
"Gimme a quarter," he demanded. Surprisingly, the tough customer who was his companion, slapped a quarter of his own on the bar and slide it over to Jake, who slid them both in Ralph's direction.
With the accounts settled, he waited for his next drink and, while he did, he observed Caroline who stood close by.
"I swear, Miss, but what's a looker like you doin' in a dump like this?" He looked around the saloon. "I guess it ain't so bad, but you look like you could be in one of them emporiums like they got in Dodge City."
"Don't listen to him, Ma'am, said Jasper from his spot down the bar. "Sheeit! He don't know from Adam 'bout high class places."
Jake spun on him. "Shut your yap, Jasper, or I'll kick your ass all the way back to Bozeman."
Franklin, who'd heard the exchange, stepped forward. "Keep it clean, gents."
The J's looked at each other, and quieted. "Yeah Boss," Jasper said.