"Every town needs a newspaper."
Thursday, March 15, 1877. Cold, in the low 30's with a fresh breeze running 20 miles per hour plus. Another miserable day.
Phin was a bit uncertain about his next edition. News had been scarce, that was for sure. The weather was just nasty enough, most of the time, to keep folks inside, off the boardwalks as well as out of the businesses that steadfastly stayed open.
He had the fire going and the coffee pot on, as he sat morosley looking out at the empty street. It had been a light winter as winters went in Kalispell, nothing like the previous year, which was a blessing. The snow had been deep and stayed into early April. He had high hopes that maybe some sun would be the order of the day, though spring rain would certainly be on Mother Nature's docket for the coming April.
It was apparently going to be another dull day at the office. He just might have to spice up his coffee a taste.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Addy was beginning to think that the Sun was never going to come out again, and that she was never going to be warm again. It had been a long Winter, but the, she reckoned that was just a matter of opinion, and it really hadn't been any longer than any other season.
Still, as she huddled into her heavy coat, the wool collar turned up to keep her ears warm under the hat jammed on her head, she allowed as how she was done with cold and wet and gloomy!
She didn't have any specific plans for the morning, just seeing to her teams and rigs, and a short delivery in the afternoon, but as she walked along the boardwalk and glanced in the window of the newspaper office, smiling and giving Phineas a quick nod as she passed. She'd gone several paces past when she suddenly changed course and went back, poking her head in the door, under the tinkling little bell.
"Phineas," she greeted, "don't suppose there's another mug'a that coffee waitin' on me?"
"Every town needs a newspaper."
The door opened, the bell over it reacting as Addy walked in asking about coffee. Phin smiled, it had been a while since he saw the Teamster.
"Come in, come in. Coffee? But of course. Hot and black, now I might have a bit of sugar around, but no milk. 'Course now I don't recall you asking about milk." Phin offered, blustery out there this morning." He said as he stood and walked to the stove where there were always clean cups. He poured her a cup and started back.
"Sit, sit, take a load off." He said as he set the fresh cup on the desk between them. "So what has you out this morning, Addy? Anything special?"
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Black is just fine by me, Mr. Phin," Addy declared, accepting the mug and the chair. "'Sides, I'm sweet enough as it is!" She gave him a cheeky grin, plopping her hat on her knee.
"Not doin' so much taday, just makin' sure th' wagons are in good repair an' the horses are fit." Of course, Addy took immaculate care of what was hers, so there was no question that it was an easy task!
"What with th' weather tryin' ta clear up, business'll be pickin' up again, an' there won't be a spare moment. Fer now been busy fixin' th' house up some ta make it nicer fer Weedy. Boy's doin' real good in school. Way smarter'n me!"
But at least she was able to read a little, thanks to Miss Orr's patience.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"Weedy is a fine lad. Yes, and will grow into a fine young man before you know it." Phin said. And as for this weather, it can't change fast enough for me. But then, Mother Nature certainly takes her time about these things."
"You know, we just go from season to season, with little change." Phin complained, "Take for instance that grand ta'do that was held, how long ago was that? Seems to have been ages ago. We just seem to plod along waiting on Steelgrave and Thornton to get after one another, and I certainly don't look forward to that. I mean it would be news, but not the best kind, if you know what I mean."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Weedy's smart...smart'er'n me, gonna be someone." Of course, she was doing all right, learning to read, had a good business and a good bank account, her own home. She surely couldn't complain, although there were folks who would say that she should be married, tending home and two dozen kids! But that hadn't been for Addy, not that she hadn't strayed toward that path a couple of times.
But driving wagons was what she was good at, what she was content with, and a little luck and good planning had her in a comfortable position, so she could provide Weedy with a good life.
"Well, gotta admit," she observed, "winter ain't much good time fer ta'do'in', what with bein' so cold. An' hopefully, them two ranches'll let up...well, it ain't th' Thortons, I'm sure Lost Lake'd be happy seein' ta their own, but Steelegrave ain't so understandin'."
Seemed there was plenty of grazing land and water, so she wasn't sure what all the fuss was about, but then, with Elias Steelegrave, anything he decided was a fuss!
"Weather's changin', life'll be comin' back, plantin' season, calvin' season...hopefully'll keep folks busy an' outta trouble!"
"Every town needs a newspaper."
Phin laughed. "Seems when folks have time the weather's bad, snow's waist deep, or the rain won;'t let up. Then when the weather shapes up where folks could get out and do things, it's time to work, farms, cattle, horses, and even the Albrecht's sheep. Not to mention building homes, finishing the hospital, and raising barns. It just goes on and on."
"Now young Weedy, well, you've done really good with him. That's the God's honest, and I believe you're right, he's shaping up to be something." He added just as the door opened and Speed Guyer walked in.
"Two of my favorite people. Good to see you Addy. And hearing good things about Weedy as well./ Phin. How'er things goin'?" He asked as he opened his heavy coat. "Was just down to Pettigrew's, having a suit made, an' he was talkin' about the need for a smart lookin' young fella to model one of his outfits, maybe getting a men's tailor in with him, as this place grows."
"Grab a cup, coffee's on." Phin offered as he thought about the tailor idea.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"I'll get it," Addy offered when Phin mentioned coffee to Speed, "ya just grab a chair there, Marshal." She stood and headed to get the coffee pot and another mug, which she handed to Speed, then filled, before refilling Phineas' and her mug.
"We were just commentin' on how th' weather seems ta be un-nice when ya got th' time ta enjoy it, an' then it starts gettin' better 'round about th' time ya gotta start workin' th' cattle an' fields again!"
Of course, that made sense, since you couldn't plant in the snow and the calves didn't show up until Spring.
"So, now, yer gonna be showin' off fancy suits, is it?" Addy grinned. "That surely should be somethin' ta see!"
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"I'll get it," Addy offered when Phin mentioned coffee to Speed, "ya just grab a chair there, Marshal." She stood and headed to get the coffee pot and another mug, which she handed to Speed, then filled, before refilling Phineas' and her mug.
"Thank you Addy, I appreciate that." He said as he took up a seat in the only vacant chair, unbuttoning his heavy coat as he sat down. "Cold days and hot coffee, not much better'n that, I'd say."
"We were just commentin' on how th' weather seems ta be un-nice when ya got th' time ta enjoy it, an' then it starts gettin' better 'round about th' time ya gotta start workin' th' cattle an' fields again!"
"Curse of the seasons. Things that just pick the nice days to need doin'. My job, on the other hand, is all but impervious to the whims of Mother Nature. Though truthfully, it's slower in the winter, even the drunks aren't all that bad."
"So, now, yer gonna be showin' off fancy suits, is it?" Addy grinned. "That surely should be somethin' ta see!"
"Oh, not me, gettin' a suit made for the wedding come June, and, for business with the Copper Queen. Need to look the part, you know. Dealing with those that mill the ore and those that sell the tools we'll be needing. But ol' Wus, Worchester Pettigrew, he needs a young man to be his model for the suits he's plannin' on making. We even talked about having a shoemaker, not sure if that's the same as the cobbler, but yes, having boots and shoes made right here in town."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Reckon it'd be nice not ta hafta go far fer boots, that's certain." And those weren't something that were easily ordered from a catalogue, since you never knew how they'd fit.
"So, lookin' fer a fella ta model suits?" Grinning, Addy leaned back with her coffee. "Well, there's Brendan Connley, he's a good lookin' fella...an' Charlie Wentworth...heck, there's plenty'a fine gents in this town ta show off suits." Then she frowned. "So, Pettigrew just gonna have men prancin' around town in his suits, hopin' folks'll stop an' ask, 'That's one fine suit, where'd ya come by it?"