"Every town needs a newspaper."
Friday, Noonish
Things had been quiet in town for the last month since Marshal Guyer had been shot. News, that had been lacking, except for the progress on the hospital, that had been going well, but would slow to a halt before long. They would be preparing for the coming winter, though his thermometer registered a comfortable seventy-one degrees. The nights drifted toward freezing but were not there yet. There had been some rain, but that was hardly unusual.
Phin stood outside the office considering the next edition and what would be its focus. Maybe he could speak with the new Mayor about his Town Council, who would be on it, and what Kalispell might expect from it. The previous Council had been a disaster. Too many of those on that board had been for themselves and their ideas for the town and its residents. But that was then, and Matthew Wentworth is now, he will have a stronger Town Council, one for the citizens and not the well situated, or those whose interests were self-centered.
The days were beginning to get shorter, ever so slowly as they had gotten longer in the spring. Change, it was coming once again, and in more ways than one
"Every town needs a newspaper."
News. And just as he started to go inside it came. A brothel had opened. A whore house in Kalispell. Well, it had only been a matter of time before some enterprising person had decided that the men of the community, both those who were residents and those passing through would make use of their services.
A letter was handed to him just a step from his door by one of the youngsters that were about earning a few cents delivering all manner of this, which included messages. All thoughts of another issue devoted to births, deaths, and the evil doings of the mystery raiders were now cast aside because of the tome just delivered to him. At last, something meaty to present to his readers. Something of substance that would likely cover a couple of issues going forward.
Of course, the missive was unsigned, but it could have come from any number of the women in Kalispell regarding this house of ill repute. And it left no doubt to him how 'they' felt about this turn of events. They were not happy. Now there had been no meeting at the hotel of the ladies, which would have been the normal course of events for something like this, so it was apparent that the meeting had taken place in private homes when the men were absent.
Time to begin formatting an article.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
Saturday morning, September 25th
The edition was completed and out on the street. He cared less what the scum of the brothel thought about it. he had no idea if the was an enforcer for the small-time operation, but generally speaking there was always muscle for a place like that. So, unlike with other unpopular edition, Phin was wearing a gun. Unsure if he would need to use it, but windows were expensive and a fire was even worse. A blaze, however small, could burn down that entire side of the street.
Better prepared than not. a shotgun stood inside the door.
In this instance, Phineas McVay stood with those opposed to having it in town, no matter where it was located. Granted, the usual place for prostitutes had been the saloon, but he wondered how they would take this brothel infringing on their business. Not that he cared, that would be between Franklin Fortner and whoever was running the brothel. And, it might be that Fortner would be supplying the brothel with whiskey and beer. Again, not his business.
Coffee cup in hand, Phin stepped out into the morning to enjoy the rising of the sun while it was still a normal occurrence. Soon enough a blanket of white would cover everything, and slate gray clouds would hang low from the heavens with the threat of more snow. The cycle returning to cold and snow, how much? He had no idea, but editions would slow down until they stopped due to the weather. A fact of life in northern Montana. His thermometer read thirty-seven degrees struggling to rise to a more comfortable temperature.
For the moment, The steam rose off of the coffee, and a coat was required, but the sky was blue without a trace of clouds, rain or otherwise.
A pleasant, respectable looking, youngish woman of around 30 years, perhaps, approached along the street. She was holding a copy of the latest edition of the Union, along with a twee parasol and clutch bag. A modest bonnet crowned a head of coppery-coloured hair, and her bright blue, lively and intelligent eyes reflected the hue of the skies above on this beautiful morning.
It became apparent that she was not just walking this way by chance, but was purposely heading toward the newspaperman as she beamed a winsome and beguiling smile at him.
"Excuse me, but do I have the pleasure of addressing Mr Phineas McVay, editor, publisher and sole proprietor of that fantastic publication named the Kalispell Union?" she asked "My name is Mrs Henrietta Rosenkrantz, might I have a word, privately?"
She waited for him to open the door into the office, as a gentleman ought, for a lady.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
Saturday morning, September 25th
"Certainly Missus Rosenkrantz, right this way." Phin directed. "A most pleasant morning and perhaps another warm day." Being early morning, the woman he had let into the office was not of the Ladies Society, nor was she one of Kalispell's society, no, Missus Rosenkrants was from the focus of the latest edition, the brothel. A nice name, rather than what it was, and what it would draw.
Ther could well be gentlemen willing to risk their wife's displeasure for a quick poke, so be it, was that all there was to be concerned about. No this would bring the cowboy as he had seen in his travels and they could be trouble.
"How can I help you, Madame?" Phin asked politely.
"Certainly Missus Rosenkrantz, right this way." Phin directed.
"Thank you, Mister McVay, you are a gentleman" Hettie smiled in genteel manner as Phin opened the door for her.
"A most pleasant morning and perhaps another warm day."
"Oh yes, pray may it continue" cooed Mrs Rosenkranzt with benign platitudes. He was kind enough to offer her a chair.
"How can I help you, Madame?" Phin asked politely.
"Well, it is this way, Mr McVay, if you will excuse my directness. I feel I owe you an apology and would like to offer you something to 'right the wrong' that I have done to you." she said mysteriously.
"You see, when I slipped that anonymous letter under your door, I hardly expected the resulting advertisement in your amazing publication to be so spacious, and certainly not to take up the whole half of your front cover. However, neither did I expect it to cause you to insult half of the population of Kalispell." she said. "For that I am truely sorry, Mr McVay, and wish to offer you something to make it up to you." she reiterated, holding her hands together in her lap and looking upon the slightly haggard newspaperman with a look of angelic charity.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"An apology? I hardly see the need for that as I honestly cannot see where I was wronged, if anything your letter, well written I might add, was indeed the crux of the article. Now, having been deceived as to the true meaning of the missive, and, with somewhat of a knowledge of the local female populace here in Kalispell, it seemed to me to reflect what I believed was the true feelings of these women." And that being the truth e would not budge from that point. He had seen houses like that come and go, and most times it was altogether peaceful during their stay.
"Therefore, your mistake was the letter, mine was to act on it. So you see, Misses Rozenkrantz, we each share in the article produced from your letter. I actually do not see where I have insulted half of Kalispell's population. Nor did anything printed have insult at its base. Did I give the married gentlemen of Kalispell a warning? I most certainly did. Now, I have no idea what your expectations of the outcome of that letter were, other than what you got. Had I had knowledge that it was a hoax, I would probably not have printed it, then again, perhaps I would have. So then, I see no need for you to offer me anything for simply gathering information and going to press with it."
He smiled, and it was a genuine smile, not one to belittle or to make Misses Rosenkrantz feel guilt. It was facts, plain and simple.
Mrs Rosenkrantz listened to Mr McVay's long and rambling discourse with a look of fascination on her pretty round face, her head tilted to one side, a smile of pleasure at his diction, erudition and elocution dimpling her plump cheeks ever so slightly. When he had finished she gave a sort of satisfied sigh.
"My, you do have a way with words Mr McVay, if you weren't one already, I would say you should become a writer for a living! You have put my mind so completely at ease upon this matter that I wish to do something for you: something I hope will put at ease your mind and the mind of the whole town, women included, upon the matter of Mrs Adams' establishment." she leaned forward a little.
"I would like it so much if one of your reporters were to visit us and write a full report about what goes on there and what precautions we take to ensure that no unseemly rowdiness or unhealthful practices take place, and that gentlemen like yourself can receive full and adequate relief from the stresses and strains of everyday life for a very reasonable donation to our housekeeping fund."
She held a finger to her chin, as if she had just thought of something.
"I understand that you have a lady reporter on your staff, how fitting it would be if she, one of the tribe of unhappy women I, to my shame, dissimulated, were to visit with us and paint a more telling picture of what an intelligent woman makes of our service." She looked over at him with big blue doe eyes.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"Well, that would, of course, be up to Misses Thornton-Carlton. I would certainly present your offer to her and see what she has to say. Some would not hesitate, others, would not feel comfortable, and I would understand that. Honestly, however, you owe us nothing, as I have said."
There was most likely a catch in there someplace, but Sarah was a grown woman capable of making her own decisions about such things. he did not miss the offer to be able to receive full and adequate relief from the stresses and strains of everyday life for a very reasonable donation to their housekeeping fund. A novel way of putting it, he thought. Very inventive, but still and all, it was a whore house plain and simple.
"As for myself as you have intimated, I'm afraid it wouldn't do for me to be seen there, not after the article presented already. One must stand behind one's word. A matter of principle, I suppose. But I do see that there is a need for the services you offer, and most certainly has been since time began. I do wish you and Misses Adams, as well as all of the ladies in your employ much success."
"Well, that would, of course, be up to Misses Thornton-Carlton. I would certainly present your offer to her and see what she has to say. Some would not hesitate, others, would not feel comfortable, and I would understand that. Honestly, however, you owe us nothing, as I have said."
Hettie tipped her head in curiosity again (Lord, talking to Mr McVay was likely to give her a stiff neck!).
"Oh, I'd rather got the impression that the lady... er, Mrs Thornton-Carlton is it?..." Heavens, that was quite a mouthful, even for Hettie to handle "... I thought she was your employee... more by way of a mutual... 'partnership', is it?" she asked, with just the slightest hint of of a lurid tone in her voice. "I hope you don't let her walk all over you, now, Mr McVay!" she chided; she who had literally walked all over men, on occasion, and been well paid for it. Such perverted wretches had been more than willing to pay top dollar to have 'Hefty Hettie' stomp all over them.
"As for myself as you have intimated, I'm afraid it wouldn't do for me to be seen there, not after the article presented already. One must stand behind one's word. A matter of principle, I suppose."
"Of course!" nodded Hettie. "An upstanding member of the community like your good self, Mr McVay, must be jealous of his reputation, and should never be seen entering a..." she glanced at the headline of his paper again "... a house of ill repute. Why, that's why we run our 'house call' service. Believe me, Doctor Danforth has nothing on us for house calls. The gentleman simply chose the lady he requires, arranges a suitable time when bothersome Housekeepers, Wives, Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, et cetera are likely to be out of the house, and our girl enters through the back door. We find that gentlemen often feel more comfortable indulging in their... well, let us call them 'whims'... in the comfort of their own home."
"But I do see that there is a need for the services you offer, and most certainly has been since time began. I do wish you and Misses Adams, as well as all of the ladies in your employ much success."
From his tone of voice, the interview was clearly at an end, Mrs Rosenkrantz stood. "Thank you for your time Mr McVay, and for giving me the benefit of your expertise, I only hope I can return the favour some time. And don't forget our special house call service!" she smiled, and then looked up and around the room. "I assume you live just above the office? Oh, not that you would indulge, of course." she chortled agreeably.
"But if you ever do feel lonely, do just let me know... and any special props or costumery that might be required, of course... well, goodbye! Don't be a stranger!" she gave that innocent, wide-blue-eyed, smile again and held out her dainty gloved hand for him to kiss like some kind of pure and well bred Southern belle.