"Silly mutt!" Emeline chuckled, nodding to a jar on the counter. "There are some cookies in there, he can have half of one, if you'd like to be his friend forever!"
The little rescue dog had proved to be a great addition to the ranch, keeping the chickens in the yard, and alerting to newcomers. And there was the comfort he provided, as well as comic relief...he was returning the favor!
Wheeler was starting to fuss now, so after putting the bread into the oven she went over to pick him up, cradling him against her shoulder. "You can sit there at the table," she suggested to Alice, "and hold him while I make us some coffee...unless you prefer tea?"
"Silly mutt!" Emeline chuckled, nodding to a jar on the counter. "There are some cookies in there, he can have half of one, if you'd like to be his friend forever!"
Alice went and got the cookie, Ham right on her heels. "Have you had the dog long?" She asked as she handed over the treat to the impatient canine, "I need to get one for Speed and me, but then I think maybe Speed needs to find a pup, I think that might be best." Idle chatter as she returned.
Wheeler was starting to fuss now, so after putting the bread into the oven she went over to pick him up, cradling him against her shoulder. "You can sit there at the table," she suggested to Alice, "and hold him while I make us some coffee...unless you prefer tea?"
Eagerly Alice quickly took a seat then held her arms out for the infant, receiving him gently into those arms. "Oh, aren't you the handsome one!" She cooed. "And precious. He is a handsome little fellow. I'll bet Speed is overjoyed with him! It's plain to see why. Oh, oh, coffee or tea, whichever you're having will be just fine. Oh, I just can't wait for Speed and I to start our own family. We decided that we'll have the ceremony in June. He wants to do it up right, even though I have already been married once before, a month before the circus, I guess our honeymoon might be delayed some."
"What? Are you saying you want to wait and get married at the circus?" Emeline laughed, she was joking, of course, but it was fun. "He likes you, and you look like you belong with a baby!" It was exciting to think that soon there might be a companion for little Em and Wheeler. The children would be within a couple of years age, and they could grow up together.
After setting out mugs of coffee, along with sugar, cream and fresh scones, Emeline settled at the table. "We came across Ham on our trip home...well, I did. His 'master' was beating him, and the poor dog was starving, so I decided he was coming with us." She chuckled. "His father protested, but when Barnabas come by, he relented quickly enough. I gave half an eagle for him, and I think we made a good bargain!"
She reached down to scratch the dog's ears. "And you're right, a ranch needs a dog. I'm sure it will be easy to find puppies in town. You'll have to bring it around so it can make friends with Hammy!"
No one is as important enough to walk wherever he wants. He's bound to run into something that will stop him.
"Well sir, that it is, and that it will be. You see, we're opening an account for donations and I want to kick it off with five hundred dollars." Speed explained. "We are planning a host of events that won't cost anything, or not much if they do. It's the circus and the fireworks display that will cost us. The circus, eleven hundred, and I have not heard back on the fireworks display as yet. But soon I'm hoping. I want to nail down expenses as soon as we can. McVay and Addy, Missues Thornton-Carlton and young Tully Nevada, and Hector Wigfall with his musicians are all involved, so far." He chuckled, "We hope to garner more folks to help make what wev are calling, 'Founders Day' a huge success. Though we may need to call it Founders Days, as it could stretch better than a single day as we might just have the circus more than one day."
"It sounds like you have everything planned," Charles said warmly, "I'm glad that you are going to open a separate account for this. Unfortunately, there are people around who like to make trouble and you will be held accountable for any money that comes in. I hope you have a good bookkeeper who will keep track of what comes in and what goes out."
@ [Flip
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"Well sir, there is that, but as we all look at it, it is worth the risk we might be taking." Speed said, and yes sir, I have what I think is the very best bookkeeper in the territory in Miss Ada Fetterman. We will account for every penny collected and every penny spent, that would only be right. Fact is, it will be in the paper how much was donated and what was spent. That way KAlispell is aware of every transaction and donation."
"As far as having everything planned, not quite everything, but then too, we have yet to plan on the results of these plans. We have the circus reserved, but not paid for, we have the wire about the fireworks out to Frisco, but not the response. All is still in the planning stages, and plans have a way of changing, so we will see how this all turns out." He went on, "I believe we are currently square with our accounts?"
@JulieS
No one is as important enough to walk wherever he wants. He's bound to run into something that will stop him.
Charles smiled, "Everything is fine with your accounts."
He turned to Luke, "Do you have the account written up?"
Luke nodded, "Yes sir, and I'm just about to finish filling in the Marshall's details on his new passbook."
It took Luke a few more minutes to finish off and then he handed the passbook to Speed.
Since there wasn't much more to say or do for now, Charles smiled again, "Well Marshall, you're all set up. If there's anything else I can do for you just let me know. I'm looking forward to seeing how all of this pans out and enjoying the festivities."
@ [Flip
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"Yes sir, aren't we all. I even heard rumors of having a parade to kick things off." Speed said. "Thanks, oh, and would it be alright to hang a poster in here about the circus, as well as the accepting of donations?"\
That would certainly help when folks came in to do their banking. Getting the thing off of the ground was extremely important. It needed to happen as quickly as possible. He needed to talk with Alice about adding another six hundred to the account to insure that they had the circus.
Just then Phineas McVay walked through the door. "And I will donate that poster and more just like it, once we get one made up to print." The newspaper man said, smiling and reaching for his wallet. "I've twenty-seven dollars to pay off the mortgage on the shop, and I believe there is two hundred fifty dollars in my savings to put into the account Speed either opened or will be opening for Founders Day. What say you Charles? Care to make a donation?"
JulieS
Alice looked up from Wheeler with a smile and said; "I just love your house, and the yellow paint with white trim, no one else has anything like it. I'm hoping that Speed has plans to build on at the Rafter A as he said he would."
"I mean, he's so busy with the mine, and now with the Founders Day plans that they are developing. The circus, fireworks, and all those things that you'd have at a county fair, just so much he's involved with, not counting our wedding in June." She continued, sometimes it seems like it's too much!" She shook her at the thought, then looked at Em, "You don't know what I'm about do you?"
"If Speed says he'll do it, then of course he will," Emeline assured Alice. "He's a man of his word, and besides, he wouldn't want to disappoint you."
Emeline sat across the table from Alice and Wheeler, smiling. "You're a natural! And you're going to need that house soon enough! You can always start small, and leave room to add on. We might have to think about expanding the school in a few years, to accommodate all the new children coming along!"
Kalispell was growing into a real community, and the need for services would change, but hopefully the town would still stay close.
"So, what is your dream house like?"
"Oh I know, but it just seems like there is so much going on that he's a part of, Barnabas too," Alice said, including Barnabas who was in on everything but the Founders Day plans. But, that is who he is and what he does. He always seemed to be that way, busy, but he has always had time for me."
"School, my God I had not even given that a thought!" She said as if she should have, but then Em had a child and it could be a while for her and Speed. "You're right though. We'll need any number of services, but the school cannot be neglected. That will mean Miss Bowen will be needing help. Probably another teacher." And that wpould not be the half of things needed for Kalispell as it grew, and it would soon outgrow three men keeping the peace.
"My deram house?" Alice asked as if surprised, it had. she was thinking about Speeleaving the Marshl's job to concentrate on both mines, one they had not even begun to look into, in fact the last she had been out there was almost a year ago.
"It will be our mansion on the river. Now, what I don't know is, will Speed want to run cattle, or horses, or anything like that with the mines he'll need to run, and the business in town as well. I mean, there are only so many hours in a day. But, he already has good men in key positions, so I'm sure he'll hire the best he can find as we grow into that second mine." Then she giggled, "The possibilities are almost endless for both our families, and the danger less. once they sar\are out from behind the badge. But that decision is not mine to make."