Weedy / Posted April 21, 2022
"Supper?" He'd forgotten about that, what with all the fanciful talk of pirates, and being the scourge of the seas! "Oh, um, no, ma'am, I haven't." Because cookies didn't count as supper, right?
He hopped down from the gate, giving Arabesque a final pat on the nose, then heading for the side door. The horses were settled for the night, so there was nothing more to do here.
"I can help if you need it," he offered as they started back for the Professor's house. "Miz Addy lets me help her a lot, so I'm pretty good at things like stirring and mixing." Fact was, he enjoyed cooking, and was passably good at making eggs, biscuits and flapjacks, and he wanted to learn more.
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
Posted April 22, 2022 / Jemima Wigfall
"Supper?" He'd forgotten about that, what with all the fanciful talk of pirates, and being the scourge of the seas! "Oh, um, no, ma'am, I haven't." Because cookies didn't count as supper, right?
"Well, we don't want Miss Chappel coming back and finding a skeleton instead of Porter James, do we?" Jemima said, again showing that rare little smile.
He hopped down from the gate, giving Arabesque a final pat on the nose, then heading for the side door. The horses were settled for the night, so there was nothing more to do here.
"We'll fetch 'you know who' and get you something to eat" Jemima decided as they walked back to the Professor's - Jemima wasn't letting Weedy out of her sight, she still thought the brave little chap might make a bolt for it and try and rescue the woman who had become the responsible and loving Mother the lad had never known.
"I can help if you need it," he offered as they started back for the Professor's house. "Miz Addy lets me help her a lot, so I'm pretty good at things like stirring and mixing." Fact was, he enjoyed cooking, and was passably good at making eggs, biscuits and flapjacks, and he wanted to learn more.
"A feller that cooks, huh? I'd be a fool to refuse an offer like that." Jemima agreed "Let's just try and keep Arabella out of it: she's not as bad a cook as you'd expect, but she's got funny tastes: she'll have us eatin' corn pone, collard greens and chitlins for our supper."
When they reached the house, they found Arabella pinning a note to the front door.
"dEar hektoR, we aLL gon too Adys lOve A.S.M. xxx"
Jemima peered at the missive and murmured a low "Jesus!" "Hey, that's my best copperplate handwriting!" grumped Arabella. "Copperplate? It's barely English!" countered the frowsy girl.
"Listen, me and Porter are going to cook you supper to say 'thank you' for coming and sitting up with us in our vigil" she slightly lied. Arabella got excited at the idea of cooking:
"Oooh! I can help! Say Port', you ever tried corn pone an'...." but Jemima cut her off "No, no, no, it's our treat. we just want you to sit back and relax and let us wait on you hand and foot."
So they headed back to the empty Chappel house, Buster joining them en route. The cat-lover Arabella bent down and tickled him just behind and below his ear "You'd like chitlins, wou'n't you puss?" she asked the purring tom. "Cat food's all it's good for" Jemima intoned to Weedy.
The three (four) of them made the way to Miss Addy's kitchen. "You'll have to show me where things are." Jemima said to Weedy, looking about. When she'd seen what ingredients were available, she'd be able to decide what to cook.
Posted April 24, 2022 / Weedy
"Cats eat mice and moles," Weedy observed dryly, although he didn't know what 'chitlins' were. Point was, cats would eat just about anything, so saying that they'd eat chitlins didn't mean much.
When Jemima asked about the kitchen, he shrugged. "There's flour and sugar, some canned milk and stuff here." He opened the cupboards, then added, "Usually if it's this late and supper hasn't been started, Miz Addy and me just go over to the Lickskillet, but I guess we can make some biscuits and gravy...and collard greens." A nod to Miss Arabella, since she seemed sort of set on that!
"Of course, sometimes, when it's a bad day, we just have pie at the Lickskillet for supper." Not really, Miz Addy insisted on eating proper, but it was worth a shot!
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
Posted April 30, 2022 / Jemima Wigfall
When Jemima asked about the kitchen, he shrugged. "There's flour and sugar, some canned milk and stuff here." He opened the cupboards, then added, "Usually if it's this late and supper hasn't been started, Miz Addy and me just go over to the Lickskillet, but I guess we can make some biscuits and gravy...and collard greens." A nod to Miss Arabella, since she seemed sort of set on that!
Jemima pulled a face and shook her head at the idea of kow-towing to Arabella's weird Southern ways.
"Of course, sometimes, when it's a bad day, we just have pie at the Lickskillet for supper." Not really, Miz Addy insisted on eating proper, but it was worth a shot!
"We're not gonna pay good money for store bought food when we can make it ourselves for next to nothing!" admonished the thrifty Jemima, who had spent her whole life helping her mother run the boarding house: people paying them for food and a roof over their head. The idea of Jemima paying for someone to cook for her was anathema.
When they got there, Arabella was already peeling potatoes.
"I'm already peelin' spuds!" she announced when they entered the kitchen.
Well, fait accompli.
"Let's have 'tater pie!" Arabella suggested. Jemima's natural reflex was to say 'no' and shutdown anything the Southern girl suggested, but such an undertaking would take a bit of time and keep their mind off the fate of their loved ones. And by the time they got to eat it, they'd be plenty hungry!
She looked at Weedy. "Yeah?"
Posted May 1, 2022 / Weedy
Weedy shrugged, while he didn't know what 'tater pie was, anything with 'taters was good, right? And as much as he didn't like having to peel potatoes, it was good practice for his whittlin'...at least that's what Miz Addy said!
"All right. I guess Arabella and I can start at the potatoes for you. What else goes into it?" While he knew that not all pies were for dessert, he was sort of envisioning ''tater pie' with potatoes and sugar, sort of like an apple pie.
And as long as they were making pies...
"There's some canned peaches, I think," he commented (he thought) slyly, "if we're making pies anyway. Miz Addy really likes peach pie!" And she could have a treat when she got home!
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
Posted May 2, 2022 / Jemima Wigfall
"All right. I guess Arabella and I can start at the potatoes for you. What else goes into it?" While he knew that not all pies were for dessert, he was sort of envisioning ''tater pie' with potatoes and sugar, sort of like an apple pie.
"I've already started!" Arabella said proudly, holding up a naked spud. Jemima hefted over a pan of cold water to pop it into, before it started going brown. She rooted out an onion which was big and oldish looking but would probably do, if they did away with the outer layers.
"This, for a start!" Jemima answered Weedy's earlier question. "Peel that and chop it up, if it doesn't make you cry too much!" she said. "Let me see what else Addy's got in" she muttered to herself as she rooted around in the small cool larder off the main kitchen area.
"There's some canned peaches, I think," he commented (he thought) slyly, "if we're making pies anyway. Miz Addy really likes peach pie!" And she could have a treat when she got home!
Arabella laughed scornfully "Ha ha! Who ever heard of peaches in 'Tater pie?!" But then, thinking on, added "We can have them afterwards, If we ain't too full."
Jemima rejoined them, sniffing at some left-over cooked ham and butter. "This seems all right" she said. In the next half hour she barked orders at the two sous-chefs while she made pastry, frazzled up the bacon and onions, par-boiled up the spuds and eventually got the whole thing together and into the oven, which Weedy and Arabella had stocked with kindling and gotten fired up.
By the time they'd finished, the three of them had faces lathered with sweat.
Jemima smiled her little smile at Weedy "It's like working in the boiler room of our Ironclad pirate ship!" she jested, then realised she'd opened her big mouth.
"What pirate ship?!!" asked Arabella excitedly as she was wiping her hands on a tea-towel.
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
Posted May 3, 2022 / Isiah Samuel Chappel / Author: MD
Isiah and Josh had left the day before, hauling freight out of town for Addy. He hadn't yet found any solid work and was happy to oblige his sister since she was leaving to head to Helena. Josh had joined him, not wanting to leave his Pa's side, especially after his Ma had passed away, he didn't want his Pa too far out of his sight. While he was young, Isiah loved the company of his boy and it would do Josh some good to do some manual labor!
After a long trek they were finally arriving back at Addy's, freight wagon in tow and pulled the horses to a stop in front of the house. Stepping down and then helping Josh down as well they would go in and get a quick bite to eat and something to drink before he'd come back out and put the horses and the wagon away. Walking closer to the house he could hear chatter and the smell of something delicious comin' from the kitchen. Addy must be back already and something sure smelled delicious! Isiah didn't realize just how hungry he was!
He pushed open the front door expectin' to find Weedy and Addy so he didn't guard his mouth. "Adelaide Chappel, you been holdin' out on me!" He hollered from the front door as he started to kick off his boots, rubbing his belly that was practically eating itself. "I didn't know you could cook!" He hollered down the hall before he finally started following his nose to the aroma. As he stepped foot in the kitchen his eyes widened a bit, surprised to find two ladies he'd yet to meet along with Weedy. He had yet to meet another soul in town besides the young girl Anæsthesia. "Oh. Uh....pardon me." He removed his hat from his head trying in some fashion to be respectful, Josh coming to stand by his side.
He didn't get any feelin's yet that something wont' right, that his little sister was in danger.
Posted May 3, 2022 / Weedy
Weedy was having a good time, even if it was with ladies, but he liked having something to do that took his mind off his troubles, and that Miz Jemima and Miss Arabella wanted to help him. That was right neighborly!
Then the topic of pirate ships came up, and, of course, Arabella started asking questions, and Weedy shot Jemima a sharp glance.
"It's nothing," he insisted, "just stories we were making up, that's all."
All of that was shattered, and Weedy's thoughts went right back to Addy when he heard his uncle's voice.
"Uncle Isiah!" Dropping (literally) what he was doing, the boy ran to the man and nearly leapt into his arms, hugging him tightly and starting to sob.
"UncleIsiahMizAddygotattackedbyIndiansandshehasn'tcomebackandthey'regoingtoscalpher
andMissCarolineandMarshalGuyerandthecavalryaretryingtorescuethemandI'msoscared!"
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
Posted May 4, 2022 / Jemima Wigfall
Then the topic of pirate ships came up, and, of course, Arabella started asking questions, and Weedy shot Jemima a sharp glance.
"It's nothing," he insisted, "just stories we were making up, that's all."
"Oooh, I love pirate stories!" Arabella beamed "Hey, after supper, why don't we play pirates? I can be the Spanish Princess, and you two pirates capture me and torture me to reveal where the treasure's buried. First you tie me up and then you tickle my..." but the rest was lost as the front door opened. Maye it was Hector with news of Addy and Caroline!!
The three of them waited with baited breath, but it was the voice of a stranger, at least to the girls, that sounded.
"Uncle Isiah!" Dropping (literally) what he was doing, the boy ran to the man and nearly leapt into his arms, hugging him tightly and starting to sob.
"UncleIsiahMizAddygotattackedbyIndiansandshehasn'tcomebackandthey'regoingtoscalpher
andMissCarolineandMarshalGuyerandthecavalryaretryingtorescuethemandI'msoscared!"
Arabella looked the big handsome widower up and down and muttered in a not so quiet voice: "Ugh, does that mean we gotta share this pie five ways instead of three?"
Jemima was much more friendly. She knew of Isiah and Josh, she had seen the two of them through Professor Browne's window and was aware they were Addy's brother and nephew, but had never before had an excuse to talk to him... er. .. them.
She didn't quite shove Weedy out of the way, but she interposed herself between him and his Uncle with a command of "Porter, you and your cousin stay here with Arabella, us adults need to talk alone." She knew he'd object so she immediately followed it up with a stern "No ifs or buts!" and a wag of her finger, but then a softer "Please. It's important."
She indicated the door to Isiah "Mr Chappel, if I may?"
As Weedy and Josh watched them go, Arabella shook her head. "Poor feller. Listen, if they ain't back in half an hour we'll need to send the U.S. Cavalry to go and save him!"
-------
In the dark hallway, Jemima moved close to Isiah, all the better to convey the grim intelligence she had out of the earshot of the youngsters.
"My name's Jemima Wigfall, Mr Chappel, and I'm afraid I have some dreadful news for you. I'm sorry to be the one to inform you that your sister has been captured by a band of renegade Indians. At last report the Cavalry were moving in on them and still had some hopes of rescuing her, but... well, I thought you should know the worst. We haven't told Porter how bad the situation is, but obviously he is very worried."
She glanced to the door opposite. "Maybe you'd like to sit down in the parlour, I'll bring you a stiff drink for the shock." she offered. "Miss Mudd is very good at distracting the children, I can fill you in with what else I know."
She did feel a slight... all right, massive twinge of guilt: this tragic situation was actually great for her! She suddenly had a reason to talk with the handsome man next door, more... she had information for him he needed to know, and she was morally bound to comfort him. Normally a nice looking feller like him woundn't give an plan-looking girl like her the time of day, but now, who knew? He might collapse into her arms in an emotional breakdown at any moment and she would have to hold him in her arms while he wept onto her breast. Damn! She wished she'd waxed her moustache now.
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
Posted May 4, 2022 / Isiah Samuel Chappel / MD
Isiah was barely through the door when Weedy came flying over to him and into his arms. He could tell Weedy was panicked and scared before he even spoke. Hat falling to the floor Isiah dropped down to a knee and held him tight as he tried to take in what he was saying, hugging him back. It took his brain a minute to decipher exactly what Weedy had said since he was just talkin' so darn fast.
Addy. Indians. Attacked. That much he did get.......NO! He’d just lost his wife and because of that loss he’d come here to find his best friend. His best friend; his sister. There was no way he could lose her too! Isiah was ready to fight. He was ready to get on his horse and go after her. To help the Calvary that Weedy said was already tryin’ to rescue her!
Isiah hated to send Weedy with the Arabella girl, he wanted to comfort him, but he s’posed he really needed to talk to this lady since she excused the youngin’s and said it was important. He moved Weedy back from him and squeezed his shoulder as he held him at an arms distance. He knew the woman was anxious to talk to him, but he wouldn’t just push Weedy to the side. “Them Indians picked the wrong woman to take now Weedy and you know it.” He nodded his head and winked at the boy, trying to encourage him, well and trying to encourage himself too he s’posed. “If anyone’s getting’ away from ‘em it’s her! Now.” He looked up at the woman then back to Weedy. “Give me a minute and then we’ll get a plan.” He patted the boy on the shoulder so that he could go with the girl and Josh. All he had to do to Josh was motion to him with his head to go with Weedy and the girl and he obeyed. Josh could tell somethin’ was wrong and he won’t talking back to no one right now, he obliged and went to the kitchen. The smell of the food was too fantastic anyway.
Josh climbed up onto a chair and reached towards the ham that was sitting in the middle of the table and tore off a piece, putting it in his mouth. Salty goodness! He looked at the Arabella girl and Weedy. “What’s a matter?” He wanted to know what all the ruckus was. They’d just gotten back, shouldn’t everyone be happy?
Meanwhile Isiah followed the woman who has now introduced herself as Jemima Wigfall and he remembers Addy telling him about her and the Professor and that they lived just behind them. His heart was racing, palms sweating as he listened to what the woman told him, confirming that Weedy hadn’t all been exaggerating when he’d sobbed in his arms earlier. He’d only hoped the boy was making the situation bigger than it really was. “Ms. Wigfall, with all due respect I have no desire for a stiff drink, but I do have a desire to go out and help the Calvary rescue my sister.” He spoke with urgency as he continued. “Please, don’t waste a moment with any other information you may have on her situation." He would have already been walking towards the door to mount his horse had he not made the promise to Weedy that he'd be back to make a plan with him. Isiah knew he'd have to give the boy a job, make him feel good 'n useful while he was gone to try and help find his sister! And Isiah knew that Weedy would do whatever job he gave him to the fullest!