After stating her case, Sarah left Phinn to think about. She sat at her desk to write another story about the Kalispell Ladies Society and what their latest meeting had entailed. It was a rather dull affair but there would be people in town who would want to know what the town's ladies were planning next.
There's was a knock on the front door but before she or Phinn could get up to see who it was, a young lady walked in...
"Mr McVey. Good Day to you. I wish to place an advertisement in your newspaper."
Sarah recognise the girl as Zenobia Matthews, daughter of the town's barber. She had not much to do with Zenobia, but then again she didn't really want to. From what she had seen so far, the girl seemed a bit elusive and not interested in making any new friends or keeping up with the ones she had.
Seeing that Zenobia was addressing Phinn, Sarah looked over to him and waited to see what he would do.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"Well certainly, that's a part of why we are here. We can meet all your printings from adverts to handbills and beyond, Miss?" This was a moment of pleasure sandwiched between the plotting of the positive Crabbe article.
"Now if you'll tell what it is you want to advertise I'm ready to receive your ideas and verbage." She was rather on the thin side, yet still attractive, not that Phin was interested in a woman so young. in fact, since the blow up from the saloon rabble he had a passing thought of Columbia Falls.
"Go ahead and hang me, it was worth it!"
"Well certainly, that's a part of why we are here. We can meet all your printings from adverts to handbills and beyond, Miss?" This was a moment of pleasure sandwiched between the plotting of the positive Crabbe article.
"I just want a Quarter page advertisement in the newspaper to be positioned bottom right hand side of a right hand page." she instructed. Give her her due, the young woman knew that area of the page, the “anchor” position, was the one people always looked at before they turned the page.
"Now if you'll tell what it is you want to advertise I'm ready to receive your ideas and verbage." She was rather on the thin side, yet still attractive, not that Phin was interested in a woman so young. in fact, since the blow up from the saloon rabble he had a passing thought of Columbia Falls.
"Kalispell Barbershop, Reopening this week, under new management. Shave and a haircut, 2 bits. Hair dressed, cleaned, Hot Towels; Also: Ladies hairdressing by appointment at you own home. Main Street, Kalispell, at the sign of the Barber's Pole. Z. Matthews." She pulled out a piece of paper and shoved it toward him "It is all written here. If you have some appropriate decorative motifs, that would be acceptable. I have seen your rates and have the money here." she added, no nonsense.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"Alright then, I can have that ready for the next issue, next regular, as there may be a special edition on the way, however it that is delayed the regular edition will be on time. Now, how long do you want to run this advert?" Phinn asked, curious as to how long she might be willing to hold that coveted bottom right quarter page.
"Now I can have a proof ready in a day or so, we may not have the appropriate decorative motifs on hand, I've had little call for such things, but I will look." He promised. I would be nice to have such decorations used once more.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
Looking at the finished copy, McVay smiled, perhaps it was the satisfaction of owning up to his shortcomings, or perhaps the proof that Phineas G. McVay could actually put his own feelings aside, and make right a terrible wrong, once he thought about it.
"So Misses Thornton-Carlton, what do you think of that?" He asked, holding out the paper for her.
Sarah took the newspaper from Phin and read it. "Well, Mr. McVay, I think you did a wonderful job. Now everyone will know that you are open to printing both sides of a story."
She smiled, "I hope you don't mind me saying this, but I think the Kalispell Union should foster a good relationship and reputation with the community both the good and the bad. It may come handy in the future when you really need it. One thing you don't do is to give someone like Elias Steelgrave a reason to destroy you. From my own experience, I know how ruthless men of influence and money can be when they want to get rid of someone without resorting to killing them."
"Every town needs a newspaper."
Phin heard the first part with a simple nod of the head. Nice words, and words that said it was how he needed to be as an editor. Something that had slipped away, but something that he had back once more. It was the second part that turned him toward her.
She smiled, "I hope you don't mind me saying this, but I think the Kalispell Union should foster a good relationship and reputation with the community both the good and the bad. It may come handy in the future when you really need it. One thing you don't is to give someone like Elias Steelgrave a reason to destroy you. From my own experience, I know how ruthless men of influence and money can be when they want to get rid of someone without resorting to killing them."
"Yes, Sarah, I know how these types can be. Men of wealth and power, forcing their will on others. And yes, that includes Mister Steelgrave himself, and I have more than likely made an enemy of him. But, I can't shirk my duty so as not to incur his wrath." He stated,
"And yes, you are right about fostering a good relationship and reputation with our readers, because we are the only newspaper in this part of the country, without kowtowing to anyone. No Ma'am, we need that reputation of telling, well, printing the truth. We are the voice of this part of the state."
"Every town needs a newspaper."
With that he set to work on the ad for the barbershop's reopening. None to fancy, but fancy enough to attract the attention he was looking to get. He had a block carving he believed would be suitable and setting of the type went quickly enough. Once he was done he moved the galley to the proof press, a small, hand-fed and hand-operated printing press used to make proofs of pages or ads for the customers approval, or that of the editor.
Laying a piece of newsprint on top of the pre-inked type, then cranking the drum over the paper and type to get a proof. He peeled that paper off of the type and looked it over. He liked what he saw, then moved the galley, a metal try like tool, to the table were the pages were type set in various sizes of galleys before being locked into a chase to be run on the printing press.
With ad in hand he pulled on his coat and took up his hat, "I'll be back he announced, and out the door he went, headed for the barber shop.
He didn't get far though, no sooner was he out of the door and turned to head down the boardwalk when none other than saloon entertainer Caroline Mundee was coming the other way. She happened to have a bottle in hand, no doubt a liquor bottle. They both came to a sudden halt.
"Well, hello Mr. McVay. Just the man I was comin' ta see. Don't fret, I come in peace. Can I talk ta you? It'll only take a minute outta yer time," Caroline announced in a calm conversational tone of voice, not a hint of anger flashing in those eyes either.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
He stopped looking at the woman, and then the bottle, and then the woman again. He was apprehensive, she had already slugged him once, and here she was with a bottle. But, if in fact he was going to foster a good relationship with the clientele at the saloon, then this was the place to start.
"I am on my way to see a customer, but yes I can spare some time. What can I do for you Miss Mundee?" he asked as politely as he could.