"To be frank, Addy, in a word, no. but I wouldn't have it any other way, given a choice. This has been wonderful, and exciting because even though you know the land and pretty much what to expect, it's been more than I could have imagined, even with this unfortunate accident to deal with."
"An early start? That must mean it's still dark, considering we're usually on our way as the sun comes up. And yes, let's get to this feast! I'm famished! " she exclaimed. The idea of food of any sort sounded good to her.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Soon's th' rooster starts crowin'," Addy confirmed. It would be a challenge to harness the horses in the dark, but it was so second nature to her that it wouldn't pose a problem. "As fer this feast, there's somethin' 'bout th' fresh air an' smell'a pine burnin' that makes it better!"
She was in her element here, in the 'wilds', and for now, even Kalispell qualified for that. "Be a little more comfortable than last night. Ya need a drink?" She indicated the bottle of whisky.
"The end being in site, and Pops reasing easy as can be expected for now. A drink sounds good to me, though I tipped the bottle with Pops earlier." She replied, "As long as we don't go finishing the bottle since you plan to use in om Pops to help him on the way to town."
The trip had been far more than she had anticipated, but then, the unknown usually is. She was looking forward to reaching this Kalispell that she would be calling home for the foreseeable future. But life has a way of making the foreseeable that which never happens and the unforeseeable that which your life becomes. So far, that had held true for Doctor Angelique Laurant, MD.
"So, are you around town a lot or out driving a stagecoach or a wagon full of goods?" She asked. She already considered Addy a friend.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Addy poured them both drinks then corked the bottle and set it aside -- a drink for the nerves, but no more.
"Depends, an' now with th' stage sold, I'm not sure how much I'll be drivin' that." Addy munched on some bread before continuing. "Freight is mostly local, there's some, like this, that takes me away fer some time, but there's plenty'a folks in town that keep an eye on Weedy, an' my brother an' his son are livin' with me. I do like gettin' around, seein' th' countryside. You'll hafta learn some, so ya know what farm'er ranch is where, in case ya gotta go out on a call."
"That would be good. Learning my way around is going to be a must, and having to make house calls is a real necessity, I think." Angie agreed. Wel,l if the stage line you worked for, was it Millican? If it's shut down or sold, and the new owners hired someone else, will the freight business be enough for you and your boy to get by on?" That was sincere concern coming from a woman who anted to insure her friend would be alright, financially. Something of grave importance for women everywhere.
"I mean, there must be other chances for employment in town, I would think. I know that the hospital would need supplies not readily available this far out." She added. Suddenly, this was important to her.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Oh, there's plenty." Addy grinned and nodded, appreciating that Angie was worried for her. "Heck, truth be told, there's more'n enough freight work, although I'll miss drivin' th' stage...meet many a interestin' folk that way!"
She pulled the basket of rolls closer. "'Sides, I got a good bit put away -- had nothin' much ta spend it on before th' house, an' takin' Weedy on all formal-like. An' there's that reward money..."
She placed a roll on the table, as far as she could reach, then put one in front of Angelique. "That there's Helena," she indicated the far roll, "an' that one by you's Kalispell. We're 'bout here," the salt shaker, "an' stayed here last night..." the pepper.
"So, now, straight line looks all nice an' pretty, but, there's mountains here, an' Flathead here who don't much cotton ta folks usin' their land." Picking up the saltshaker, she poured a thin line in a squiggly, circuitous trail. "This is th' way there, from here, why it takes so long. Ya know th' small places we passed, an' tomorrow we'll go past Flathead Lake, Rollins, Somers...more outposts than anythin' else."
She sat back with a grin. "Now ya know th' way ta Helena, an' when we get ta town I can map out more for ya...an' when ya got free time, you can go out with me, Doc Boone or Doc Danforth ta learn yer way."
She watched Addy 'map out' the trip they were on with the things that were handy. Intrigued by the simplicity of it. Although Chicago was a big city, there were horse drawn trollys, cabs, personal biiuggies and carriages. Tjhere would be none off that here.
She was relieved that Addy had plenty of work to depend on, that was good. And then she said; "'Sides, I got a good bit put away -- had nothin' much ta spend it on before th' house, an' takin' Weedy on all formal-like. An' there's that reward money..."
Reward money? Well then, there was a bit more to this woman than she had guessed, not that she was surprised at all. So she waited until Addy was done with explaining the route before she would ask about this reward m,oney.
"So, now, straight line looks all nice an' pretty, but, there's mountains here, an' Flathead here who don't much cotton ta folks usin' their land." Picking up the saltshaker, she poured a thin line in a squiggly, circuitous trail. "This is th' way there, from here, why it takes so long. Ya know th' small places we passed, an' tomorrow we'll go past Flathead Lake, Rollins, Somers...more outposts than anythin' else."
"Oh, the Indians, yes, I can see that they would not be happy with us white people traipsing through their land." Angie said. "Now, are they the warlike tribe, or are there even more tribes in the area? I should have studied up on this country before I set out to move here, but I am getting ther hang of it. Honest."
She sat back with a grin. "Now ya know th' way ta Helena, an' when we get ta town I can map out more for ya...an' when ya got free time, you can go out with me, Doc Boone or Doc Danforth ta learn yer way."
"So, there are two doctors in such a small town, well, small to me I suppose. Oh Addy, I just can't wait to see the hospital and all, to meet Miss Steelgrave, and to start helping out wherever I can." She paused, "This reward? Is it connected to the horses you have from the desperados?"
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Doc Boone come in ta help, he's old...experienced, nice man. An' I think he knows a lot more'n Doc Danforth. Sometimes Jonah seems like a groom caught at th' alter, don't know how he got there nor why." With a chuckle, Addy shrugged. "He surely don't know aught 'bout runnin' a hospital, but then, don't reckon any of 'em do. But them three tagether, an' now you...you'll figure it out."
So far they seemed to be organizing well, but then, Addy didn't know anything about running a hospital either, so it was hard to tell. "Been making deliveries here an' there, an' there's some things stored in my barn, so they're close when they're needed. Shouldn't be too much longer now."
They were starting to bring in staff, so that was a good sign that things were coming along.
"Yeah, there was a bounty on them desperadoes, decent enough chunk that I can put aside fer Weedy...boy's goin' ta college, whether he likes it or not!" She laughed. "As fer th' local natives, most of 'em leave well enough alone, 'specially since that mess with th' Seventh down by th' Big Horn. Don't want'a draw attention, so if ya just stay outta their way, it's not a problem. Local tribes are pretty tolerant, 'specially if ya bring 'em gifts."
"Josiah Boone has been a family friend for as long as I can remember. Because of him, I am a doctor. He let me tag along on some of his calls, and as I grew older, he let me help." Angie said. "To get to work with him is like a dream come true. Something a little girl dreams of, but medical school and a residency sort of put those thoughts aside. And now, here I am."
"An' I think he knows a lot more'n Doc Danforth."
That stood to reason as far as Angie was concerned. Josiah had been practicing medicine for a very long time.
"Sometimes Jonah seems like a groom caught at th' alter, don't know how he got there nor why." With a chuckle, Addy shrugged. "He surely don't know aught 'bout runnin' a hospital, but then, don't reckon any of 'em do. But them three tagether, an' now you...you'll figure it out."
"Well, we all learn as we go with or without the benefit of medical school, and I am sure that we will work out the detail, though running a hospital is like any other business, as far as I can tell. I would suppose that Miss Steelgrave understood that before thje first nail was driven."
"Been making deliveries here an' there, an' there's some things stored in my barn, so they're close when they're needed. Shouldn't be too much longer now."
"Well, that is good news. I mean, I understand the building was not completed as yet, but even so, I am excited to see what is done and know it will be completed in short order. The only hospital in the region? My goodness, that is a responsibility." She exclaimed, knowing it would be used by those farther away than just the immediate area.\
"Yeah, there was a bounty on them desperadoes, decent enough chunk that I can put aside fer Weedy...boy's goin' ta college, whether he likes it or not!" She laughed. "As fer th' local natives, most of 'em leave well enough alone, 'specially since that mess with th' Seventh down by th' Big Horn. Don't want'a draw attention, so if ya just stay outta their way, it's not a problem. Local tribes are pretty tolerant, 'specially if ya bring 'em gifts."
Angie smiled; using the money for the boy's education was a selfless act on her part. But it seemed her lifestyle did not demand high expenses. And what she had to say about the local tribes was something of a relief, not that she had given them that much thought. Still, Indians could be notional and cause unexpected trouble. "I take it there is an Army garrison close by?" Not knowing what close by could mean on the frontier.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Yep, there's an outpost not far from town. We get along good, don't cause each other grief." Addy shrugged. "They got their own doc, although I suspect they can use th' hospital if they need it."
She knew that some towns had problems with the local military posts, but Kalispell had a good relationship with theirs.
"Once we get settled in, I'll take ya out ta a camp near town, th' Injuns there are congenial, me an' Speed took 'em some bear meat. They're wary, but won't try'n kill ya outright!"