"Every town needs a newspaper."
Both Speed and Phin laughed. "Pretty much how it sounds, but Pettigrew is a better businessman than that." Phin said with a smile still on his face. "I'd bet that he'll have some circulars made up to announce what he is doing about a new men's tailor."
"I think either of those two would be exactly what he would be looking for in a model." Speed agreed with Addy's suggested choices. "Aurelian, Aurelian Redmond, now there's a man that might well do to model a suit. I mean I realize he's not a young man like the other two, but still, he has a distinguished look that most older men, older than either Connley or Wentworth, and I hate to say this but men like Aurelian have the money to spend on fine suits."
"You have a point, as does Addy, and maybe all three ought to be presented with the idea, let them decide to speak with Pettigrew or not." Phin offered with a knowing smile. "Don't suppose you'd be able to talk Pike into that modeling endeavor."
Speed laughed out loud at the suggestion of his deputy in a suit. "With or without his guns?" He asked, then added, "I know for a fact, that he wore proper suits while in San Francisco, and Virginia City, so he might even consider it. But you'll have to ask him. He is a busy man these days what with his ranch and bein' a Deputy and an new father."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Ah, right, handsome gents, those," Addy agreed, "an' th' doc, too." She chuckled. "There surely are plenty'a fine men in this town, an' yer right, Speed, ain't much th' young'n's lookin' fer fancy duds, nor as can afford them."
Young men did have occasion to gussy up -- church, for one -- but they didn't have the same opportunities established men did.
"Tell ya what I'd do, were it me," she continued, sipping her coffee, "I'd pick one'er two, men who are around town a lot, th' Doc, maybe, an' offer 'em a free suit, were they ta wear it an' let folks know where it come from."
A dapper looking man would attract curiosity on how he came to be so dapper!
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"Not sure why I hadn't thought about Jonah Danforth." Speed mused, "He would be an excellent choice. I know that Wus, that's what he called. Worchester's a bit much for a name. I know he mentioned Brandon Cannoly, so really, I have no idea who he might consider, but Danforth? That would attract those who could afford the product, and Connoly or Charlie? Either could attract those who would save to get one, so was he willing those wuld be good choices."
Phin had been nodding as Speed spoke, "Yes, yes they would." He agreed, "Any, or all of them, but then the man has to look at the cost of making those garments, and the time involved. Plus he has the two women who do the sewing to consider. But the suggestions could be made and he could decide, but if it was B\randon, well best get the word to him."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Certainly worth lettin' o'l Wus know there's options," Addy chuckled, "an' Doc Danforth cuts a fine figure as it is, but gussied up some?" Her grin widened. "He might actually look like he belongs on Leah Steelegrave's arm!"
There was one classy lady, and anyone who was paying attention could see that there was more than just a business relationship there.
"Odd match, that," she speculated, "Miss Leah's got a mind'a her own, an' Doc's pretty quiet, keeps ta himself. But they done all that work together ta get th' hospital goin'."
Come to think on it, Kalispell had its fair share of odd matches, but they were working out, far from the expectations of big, 'civilized' cities that criticized such relationships.
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"Certainly worth lettin' o'l Wus know there's options," Addy chuckled, "an' Doc Danforth cuts a fine figure as it is, but gussied up some?" Her grin widened. "He might actually look like he belongs on Leah Steelegrave's arm!"
Phin outright cackled at the statement.
Speed nearly spit out his coffee. "Hadn't thought it that way, but then, I don't know. You are right, the man has a certain style about him, and Wus could certainly fix him up in a new suit." Not that he thought Danforth actually needed one. He admired how the man dressed and was considering what he might look like on Alice's arm, 'all gussied up.'
"Odd match, that," she speculated, "Miss Leah's got a mind'a her own, an' Doc's pretty quiet, keeps ta himself. But they done all that work together ta get th' hospital goin'."
"True, there are a number of them, like Pike and Emeline, I would have never put those two together." The Marshal admitted. "Probably not Alice and myself either. But surely we have a number of odd matches."
"Speaking of Brandon Connoly and odd relationships, he and Miss Monahan, now that there was about the oddest of all the relationships I have seen, and I'm sure I have messed quite a few. Phin pitched in, "Folks have a way of making their life on their own terms. Hard to stop feelings once they set in like they do."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Reckon that's a good thing 'bout th' West...folks are more acceptin' of other folks." Addy shrugged. "Maybe 'cause we got other things ta worry on? Folks don't gotta be what others expect of 'em."
Of course, that was something she knew well, and there were many like her, who didn't want to fit into what was expected of them.
"So, now, when you an' Miss Alice plannin' on tyin' th' knot?" she asked Speed. "Be somethin' ta see ya in a stiff suit, all dapper an' miserable-lookin', but Miss Alice, she's worth it. If ya need wagons fer anything, just ask."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"I agree with that, Addy. Not that big city folks don't have their problems because they surely do. And none much different than those we out here face." Speed said, "Though I would believe it is a bit if not much harder out here than back there. At least to my way of thinking and the way I found it, But we actually have far less restrictions."
Phin leaned forward, "They've gangs in the cities, but far more police to deal with that, as well as a host of other things we aren't afflicted with, 'specially traffic. My God, it could be horrendous in Omaha! Take forever to get anywhere."
"Now New York set the standard for snarling traffic with wagons, buggies, horses, and the people try to get wherever they might be headed. I don't miss that for a moment. Fact is," Speed continued, "the only thing that they have is access to the things that are needed by us out here."
"Middle of June I believe, some time off from now. But not soon enough so far as I'm concerned." He added to answer Addy's question. "And like as not I'll be in a suit more often than normal, well, whenever business demands it. And wagons, we'll be needing wagons to haul copper ore sooner than the wedding."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Reckon I can help with th' ore," Addy commented. "Might be a consideration ta have yer own outfit, get a couple wagons an' teams, man 'em with crew that can do other jobs for ya when they're not haulin'."
It might save money, especially when production was going well, and they wouldn't have to wait for wagons and teams to be available.
"'Course, then, I could just look inta hirin' me some men, gettin' more wagons an' such, an' contract out!" She'd been considering that for a while...even with the train coming in, goods needed to get from the train to the people, and there were other businesses that would want to get their goods to the train...She just wasn't sure she wanted the headaches that came with owing a business like that!
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"Now see, Addy, you're starting to sound like a by-God businesswoman, I mean I know you own your freight business, but hiring men buying wagons and teams, harnesses and the like. I'm not sure what to make of this." Phin said with a grin, proving he was just having a bit of fun.
Speed on the other hand was a bit more serious about the situation, "Now that is some sound advice, Addy. I could probably get that done, though at the moment I'm looking to hire men to get the ore out of the ground, you know, if you were serious about starting up a business and contracting it out, I just might be able to help with that expense." He was turning over the idea of the cost to buy his own wagons and teams, or, helping Addy get started. There was that option to all of this.
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Speed's proposal was really something to think on, and expanding from herself as her business to having an actual business could only help with Weedy's future, and that was her main goal. She'd been content to be getting by, living in a room at the back of the barn. But now that she was responsible for the boy, she wanted to make sure he had the chance to go to a good college, to have choices.
"I'll take that inta consideration, Speed, an' I thank ya fer th' offer." She'd have to find someone to talk over the logistics, to figure out what all was involved in a new business. "I do got some money in th' bank, an' it's gettin' on ta be th' busy season. There's a lot ta consider." At least she had the rudimentaries of reading and writing down.
"Gonna be lots'a new jobs fer th' town, next thing ya know, we'll rival St. Louis! Got th' hospital about done, train comin', more businesses...won't recognize Kalispell in due time."