"Every town needs a newspaper."
Phin was just finishing up with setting the type for the next issue, hoping nothing earth-shattering was going to happen before he went to press, which had happened too many times before. On his mind was the Founders Day Celebration and the plans that needed to be finalized. He set the locked forme, or frame, carefully on the press bed and moved to the coffee pot and his cup.
He paused a moment, then called out to Tully, "Tully? You about?" This had been her idea, well, perhaps she was simply the impetus that got some people involved and excited about the idea of the circus coming to Kalispell. As luck would have it, Tommy Lane came in through the back door, as he usually did when the paper was ready to go to press.
"Hello, Mister McVay, we ready to have at it?" The boy asked.
"Not just yet, say, I wonder, would you see if you can locate the marshal and Addy Chapple? Tell them it's about Founder's Day, Mrs. Thornton-Carlton is due to be in shortly, so you needn't hunt her down." Phin asked.
"Sure thing, Mister McVay," And out the front door he went at a run. The Marshal would be easy, he would be in his office, his morning rounds complete. Addy, Miss Chapple, that could be a bit more of a challenge. She could be anywhere in town, or even out of town, but he would check all over if necessary.
Phin liked the boy. Tommy already knew almost as much as Phin about setting type and running the press. Good to have a young man interested in a trade. He thought.
Now all Phin needed to do was locate the list they had made of what needed doing, and by whom. He looked at his desk, covered in papers of all shapes and sizes, notes for stories, notes to himself, and assorted scraps of paper with notes for any number of things, some old some new. A project that seriously needed doing.
@JulieS
@Bongo
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Tommy Lane was on his way. The Marshal would be the easiest to get, so that would be his first stop. Then to the barn to find Addy, if she wasn't out on a run, which was sometimes a spur of the moment transaction, but he'd leave word anyway. He knew all about Founders Day and the big hoorah that they were planning for the town, it was exciting, and if they all showed up, he'd get to be in on it! Not sure what he could do pr how he could help, but he was ready for whatever was needed.
Tommy stepped into the Marshal's Office, pulling his hat off in a sign of respect. Marshal, 'scuse me, but Mister McVay said it was about the Founders Day, I expect he meant right away."
Speed had already looked up when Tommy came in, "Did he now, and I expect you're right about that. I'll be right up there. Tell him I'll corral Misses Fletcher while I'm at it."
"Yes, sir." And out the door he went headed for the barn where Addy had her wagon, now even more excited. Maybe he could recruit Weedy and his pal Wyatt if there were chores they could do to help out.
@Bongo @JuilieS
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Next on the list was Addy Chappel. Being a one-room school, every child knew every other child, so when he saw Weedy in the front of the Chappel's cottage, he grinned and picked up his pace a little faster.
"Hey, Weedy! Yer Maw to home?" He called out, "Got a message for her about the Founders Day thing, she's wanted up there to the newspaper office for a meetin' about it."
He caught up to where Weedy was, "Guess there's news about it. Did'ja know Marshal Guyert wired the Chinese in San Francisco about fireworks? Real sky rockets an' all sorts'a stuff like that. Gonna be a big deal fer sure!"
Tully was hunkered over the small desk that Phin had set up for her in the back corner of the office, where she could work on her drawings but be sheltered from the public traffic by the front desk. She was working on her sketches for the circus poster when Phin called her.
"Here, Mr. McVey!" Setting aside the pastel pencil she was using, she stood and brushed hair from her face. "What do you need?" In addition to doing illustrations for the paper, she took care of chores around the place, anything but the cooking, so he might need her for about anything.
Out front of his house, Weedy was playing with Farley instead of doing his chores when he noticed Tommy coming toward the house. Curious, he stood to greet his school-mate.
"Hey, Tommy!"
"Hey, Weedy! Yer Maw to home?" He called out, "Got a message for her about the Founders Day thing, she's wanted up there to the newspaper office for a meetin' about it."
"She's at the barn," Weedy explained, fixing to go fetch her, since it was a good reason to not be doing his homework!
"Guess there's news about it. Did'ja know Marshal Guyer wired the Chinese in San Francisco about fireworks? Real sky rockets an' all sorts'a stuff like that. Gonna be a big deal fer sure!"
"Really?" Weedy's eyes widened. "I've heard about those, but never did see any." The best they'd really seen in town was when the brothel caught fire and sparks started flying as the building had collapsed. "Come on, this way." He started for the barn. "It's going to be something, that's sure, as long as we don't have to dance with real girls!
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Nah, I don't think they'll make us do that just ta watch. The circus sounds real good, with all them animals what don't range around these parts, most are from Aferca I expect." Tommy said. "An' I think there's gonna be Chinesemen settin' off. Man, real chinesemen, live animals an' a course pies an' cakes, an' alla them goodies we like!" He was excited at the prospect of all the sweets that would be available after the judging.
"Oh hey, is yer Maw still gonna be driving stage fer them new fellers whot bought Milligans? Boy, was the joke on them!" The printer's devil wanted to know. "They got took, 'er so I heard."
"It's going to be something, having a circus here," Weedy agreed, "and to see all those animals, and maybe even that sideshow, you know, a strong man, world's tallest and shortest, tattooed lady, oh, and Siamese twins!"
There were all kinds of exciting possibilities for a circus, and Tommy was right about all the goodies!
"Ma's still thinking about it...she's doing really well with her freighting business, got work hauling for one of the mines and the lumber yard," he explained proudly. "She's even getting a new team and wagon, and hiring her brother to drive for her." There weren't too many women in that sort of business for themselves, and Weedy was impressed that Addy was doing so well.
"Hey, Ma!" he called as they passed through the large double barn doors and into the breezeway. "Tommy says Mr. McVey wants to see you!"
Ducking out of the stall she was repairing, Addy set aside the hammer she'd been using and wiped her hands on her skirt. "Afternoon, Tommy. Mr. McVey wants me?" She chuckled. "Reckon I can head over there, gimme a minute ta warsh up a bit."
"Every town needs a newspaper."
"Yes Ma'am, it's about the celebration you're planning, he's trying to round everyone up," Tommy said. "Oh, that's fine. I gotta get back to the office. Workin' hours ya know." He grinned wide. "See ya, Weedy." And he took off thinking that was Addy Chappel, the Marshal. That was all of them he listed. He was going to get Mrs. Thornton-Carlton, and Miss Tully was right there in the back of the office.
As he opened the back door, more out of habit than anything else, he heard Tully say, "Here, Mr. McVey!" Setting aside the pastel pencil she was using, she stood and brushed hair from her face. "What do you need?"
"Ah Tommy. You get a kolt of 'em alright?" Phin asked.
"Yes sir, they're both on their way." Tommy replies as the door shut behind him.
"Good, good, Oh Tully, yes, we're having a meeting here in a few minutes. You have any idea where Missis Thorton-Carlton is?" Phin asked, hopefully. "Be good to have her here for this.
"I think she said she was goin' over to th' Lickskillet ta get some pie!" Tully suggested, although that was just some wishful thinking that she'd made up! That pie sure was good, and if folks had to come to a meeting, it surely would be incentive to show up! "Not real sure."
Miss T-C came and went as she pleased, with an ease on the street that Tully envied. She was barely comfortable here, with Mr. McV and Tommy, and she tended to go into hiding when customers came in. But she never did think she'd be able to walk openly on the streets alone without wanting to run back to cover.
Sarah had been on her way back from the Kalispell Mercantile when she encountered Mason Aldridge, who once again was asking her to join him for dinner at the hotel. After a few minutes of him to trying to convince her why she should, Sarah decided that she would. Her acceptance was due more to the fact that despite her saying no in the past, he hadn't given up and that in itself was good enough to be rewarded.
Stepping into the newspaper office, she took off her bonnet and placed it on the clothes hook. "Sorry, I took so long but Mrs. Martin wanted to tell me her plans of running for President at the next Ladies' Association meeting. It seems she has some ideas about how Kalispell can be improved for the better and she wanted my support. I told her that I would think about it and make my decision at the time of the election."
@ [Flip]
@ [Bongo