"We didn't have any tree. Clara thought it was...oh yeah...frivolous...she uses that word a lot. Plus she said she wasn't gonna clean up needles every day," Wyatt shrugged.
Weedy shrugged. "There's not that many needles, and it makes the house smell good," he observed, but then, it seemed reasonable that Clara wouldn't be happy with anything that was fun! "She'd probably make you clean it up!"
Laughing, he walked over toward the tree in the parlor and gazed at it. "Sure is pretty, though, huh?" Maybe, now that they had a proper house, he could talk Addy into getting a tree. Or maybe...
"We could get one for our house," he suggested -- bypass Addy altogether. "You can help me, and you can come over and see it any time!"
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"I'll like as not stay with Mr. Millegan so long as he owns th' company," Addy explained, "but he's gettin' on in years, an' startin' ta talk 'bout sellin' ta one'a th' big companies." Shaking her head, she shrugged. "Got no time nor tolerance fer that, an' 'sides, now I got Weedy ta look after, it's probably best I stay closer 'round town."
Of course, there were folks who helped look after Weedy when she was out of town, but now that they had a more formal bond, she wanted to be around for him, so the long runs on the stage were more difficult.
"May as well, just start lookin' ta expand my freight business, maybe even hire me a driver an' be a proper businessman!" She puffed up her chest then burst into laughter!
Not to seem rude, Barnabas spoke up, "Two options as I see it, one, you buy up Millegan's for yourself, or two, you start up your own, as you said. Either way that'll take investors." He offered. "The way I see it, an' this is just my opinion, Millegan's has everything in place right now, all you'd need do is change the sign."
He could help her if she would accept it. Investing in her more than just the business seemed like something that Em would agree with, and besides the eventual returns on the investment, it would mean that young Weedy would have a future in that business. For Barnabas Pike, the idea was a surefire no-risk opportunity.
"An' you could work for both Shade an' me as we needed." He smiled, "But, you take yer time on this, ain't no rush, less Millegan's already lookin' to the big outfits."
@Stormwolf @Bongo @JulieS
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Oh, I ain't up fer buyin' a stage company," Addy declared, shaking her head. "I seen th' headaches, an' I got no desire ta spend my time in an office placatin' people complainin'!"
Besides, she could barely read nor write, and trying to manage employees and all just wasn't for her.
"I got my freightin' business, an' there's plenty ta keep me goin', even after we get a train." After all, goods had to get out to the ranches and rural homes regardless. "I know you gents'll keep me in work!"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
The conversation was now about Christmas trees. Wyatt explained why his home did not ever have one. In one word he could have just said -Clara.
"We could get one for our house," Weedy suggested -- bypass Addy altogether. "You can help me, and you can come over and see it any time!"
"I'm willing but once the snow really starts coming down, and Pa sez it will sooner or later, I won't be able to get around much til spring. Good thing is school gets cancelled a lot," Wyatt replied.
]
"Any excuse to cancel school is fine with me!" While Addy emphasized the importance of school, and Weedy understood that, he was always happy for a 'snow-day'. "Well..." he amended, "Ma always seems to find something for me to do, like mucking stalls or polishing tack! 'Course, that's better than school most any day, unless we're learning about something exciting like Lewis and Clark!"
He hoped that when he was old enough, in a few years, that there would still be places to explore and discover!
"I can come out and visit you if the snow's not to deep..." He frowned. "I guess of the snow's not too deep they won't cancel school...adults always find a way to ruin everything!"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Yeah, Clara is always goin on, well she did before she moved out with Jacob, about how important school is. And even worse, Pa always agreed with her. Me, I ain't so sure," Wyatt sighed.
"The other day in class we were readin' that poem out loud and I was thinking to myself. How in tarnation is this poem gonna help me in the barn or out on the fields? I just don't get it," Wyatt pointed out with boyish indignation. Least Weedy understood.
"Hey! I got a question for ya. Freddie (one of their school mates, a year older than Wyatt) was talking and he sez he is plannin' on sneakin' into the saloon and getting himself a drink. Not sasparilla or anything like that. But like a shot of whiskey. He invited me ta go along. This would be after school some day."
"It ain't no Lewis and Clark, but it might be kinda exciting...sort of an adventure?" it was obvious the boy was tempted.
"Oh, I ain't up fer buyin' a stage company," Addy declared, shaking her head. "I seen th' headaches, an' I got no desire ta spend my time in an office placatin' people complainin'!"
"True enough," Barnabas agreed, "Lot's more ta do when ya own a comp'ny like that one."
"I got my freightin' business, an' there's plenty ta keep me goin', even after we get a train." After all, goods had to get out to the ranches and rural homes regardless. "I know you gents'll keep me in work!"
"Just know Em and I can help should you need it with whatever you decide to do." Barnabas offered. "An' you can count on us keepin' you busy, that's for sure, Ya, the railroad'll surely change things around here, but still, folks got to get there things, and not all would want the trip ta town."
So that was settled, and he found it hard to blame her for not wanting the stage line. Indian could burn out the stage stops and steal the horses, attack the coaches, and all manner of mischief, so it was a smart move. But the question was, would the Pikes want the business?
"Sneak into the saloon?" Weedy's nose scrunched up in a frown. While he wasn't adverse to the idea, there were some logistical problems. "I think we could get in easy enough, but no barkeep is going to sell whisky to kids."
And kids they were, there wasn't any mistaking that they weren't even teens yet, much the less old enough to be buying alcohol. "I guess maybe we could try to get someone to buy it for us? Guess we'd need more money then, but it's only the one time, right?" Not that he wanted to just throw money around, but if they could pull it off, it would certainly sate a curiosity that was destined to stay that way for another several years!
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Sneak into the saloon?" Weedy's nose scrunched up in a frown, "I think we could get in easy enough, but no barkeep is going to sell whisky to kids."
"Yeah, Freddie knows that too. He isn't gonna ask the bartender for any drinks. He's got this all planned. He is sure of it," of course Wyatt was simply quoting the other boy, he himself had no clue what this brilliant plan was.
"I guess maybe we could try to get someone to buy it for us? Guess we'd need more money then, but it's only the one time, right?"
"Yeah, that's probably it. He's gonna pay some customer to get us the drinks. Oh and good news, we don't need any money at all. Freddie sez he has already got the money and will pay for it all."
Wyatt thought it seemed like a win-win idea.............well, assuming Freddie knew what he was doing.
"You know, Weedy, we can't remain kids forever, we gotta start thinking about growing up and doing grown up things."