Posted October 1, 2022
"It all sounds wonderful." Smiling, Emeline slipped her hand into his, not particularly concerned with being formal. "The hotel looks fine, and as long as the bed is soft, I'll be content. Of course, there is that moonlight stroll you promised me, I'm going to hold you to that!"
While this was likely as rough a town as Kalispell, it still had a quaint feel to it, and a nice walk seemed just the thing after being on the train all day, and along ride tomorrow.
"How long is the trip to Virginia City, anyway?" She didn't think it was as far as the jaunt they'd taken today, but she wasn't sure, nor if the terrain might make a difference.
Posted October 1, 2022
We'll be lookin' at maybe two, two and a half hours with stops. It's near fifty one miles end to end, most of it open country, so it'll go pretty fast." He explained. "The time that is. Now, as to this promised walk, wild horses couldn't keep me from that."
The train ride would be much faster because it would be much closer than the route they had just taken. There would be stops along the way, Washoe Valley, Carson City, American Flat, and finally, Virginia City herself, but those would be fairly quick ones.
Helping her into the buggy, Barnabas climbed in as sat next to her. "We get to the hotel, I suppose dinner would be in order and then a stroll along the river. Maybe venture into Reno if you like, I'm not sure how rowdy it might be, like I say, I haven't been here in a while, and a lot has changed. I imagine up top is different as well, but, we'll see what we'll see."
The buggy took them to the Lake House where they got off, Barnabas taking the luggage, such as it was, and entering the hotel and securing a ground floor room for the night.
Posted October 4, 2022
While not as grand as the hotel in San Francisco, this was still a very elegant, especially considering how remote the town was. Emeline was certain that it would be a nice place to stay, and she was happy that they wouldn't have to do any more travel for the day.
It didn't take long to drop off their things in the room, and a quick splash of water in her face helped to refresh Emeline, then they were ready for dinner. While the snacks on the train had been wonderful and tasty, it had been a long time since they'd eaten, and she was more than ready for dinner and that walk!
"It's been a great day, and it isn't over! Gertrude and I are hungry, and she wants that walk, and to look at the stars!" It hadn't really occurred to her until just then that between the lights of the city and the fog, they really hadn't seen any but the brightest of stars for a few nights now.
Posted October 5, 2022
"We'll have to get on over to the dinning room them. Afraid it's liable to be a bit more like Kalispell than Frisco." He said. "But it'll be good food, just not what we've been used too. Will be up on the hill, for sure. I was told this is the best hotel because it was a ways out across the river from town, and it was solid built."
"The wealth on the hill is such that all most everything around it is growing at a fast pace. You'll really see that when we visit the Capitol, Carson City. Supposedly discovered by Kit Carson and General John Freemont on their way to Sacramento in. At least Freemont named the river after him back in '43 or '44. Nothin' was there then."
"All that made me hungry too, let's go eat an then take us a walk across the river, or along it, which ever you want."
Posted October 6, 2022
"It'll be nice to have something more casual, a bit of normal life." Emeline was enjoying the trip, and the lavish experiences, but a dose of what she was accustomed to was just the thing to keep her from getting too spoiled!
The dining room was clean and simple, at least compared to velvet wallpaper and crystal chandeliers, and the menu was more what she was accustomed to.
"Chicken and dumplings, that sounds perfect!" Emeline declared, then added with a chuckle, "If they know how to make dumplings right!" Oh, and there was a whole menu of pies for dessert!
Posted October 6, 2022
"Now that does sound good, and it matters little if they make them to the Lickskillet's menu specifications, Missus Pike. It'll be good rib stickin' food, maybe not your quality, but trust me, they feed teamsters, miners, railroad men, all sorts of hard workin' folks in here. 'sides, no one makes chicken an' dumplin's like you do." Then he grinned as he looked over the assortment of customers seated at the tables around them.
"You know, if you'd like, we could lay over for a day 'er two and sample the food here in Reno before heading up top for more of that elegant food. They have just about anything you could want to eat up there, and the International Hotel has the best of it. Though there's a number of cafes serving home style eats. So, you'll have your pick." He took her hand, "So I'm havin' the chicken an' dumplins tonight."
Posted October 7, 2022
"First of all," Emeline gave his hand a light squeeze, "you are sweet to speak well of my dumplin's...you are wise to speak well of my dumplin's!"
Laughing, she looked around, then nodded. "Second, you are right, hard working men won't tolerate bad food, especially if they are paying for it."
More than once, she'd seen what happened when a meal at a cafe had gone wrong, and it wasn't pretty! That was why she kept her menu simple, and offered anything 'experimental' free if it wasn't up to par.
"As for staying, I think I'd prefer the time in Virginia City, since you pointed out that we can have our choice of fare there, depending on what mood Eliphaz is in, and what he'll let me eat!"
Posted October 7, 2022
"Eliphaz? What in tarnation kinda name is that?" He wanted to know. "You do come up with names for this baby that are some strange, I declare."
"Now, like I said not only is there the International Hotel, but there are the place where the workin' stiffs eat, where I ate. Deputies don't make enough to frequent the International. Was able to try it once, but that was it. So depending on what you'd like to eat, there's a place that'll have it. Maybe get a recipe 'er two for yer collection while we're there."
He sat back looking at her, "You know, you are about to rub elbows with some millionaires while we're up there. I expect that there'll be a big dinner at the International to go along with this meeting. I reckon all the owners will be on hand, including the Silver Kings themselves, and their wives, of course. Be a big time affair, probably with a mine tour an all." he paused, "Where we go down a ways, maybe a thousand feet."
Posted October 7, 2022
In truth, what he was explaining was a bit intimidating, but Emeline wasn't the sort to worry about that kind of thing. People were people, and there were good and bad in all classes. Even so, she was a little nervous about mingling with women accustomed to a lavish lifestyle.
"It should be interesting, I'll give you that!" Another adventure to embrace, that was how she'd look at it. "And I promise not to embarrass you, if I can help it!" Well, she was sure she could hold her own, but she wasn't going to be putting on airs! "After all, I'd wager none of those ladies have ever shot at bank robbers!"
Posted October 8, 2022
He chuckled at the memory of that day, it seemed so long ago, yet almost like yesterday, except yesterday they had been at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. "No Ma'am, I don't think that they have, though I'd not be surprised by any of those women up there, where they came from, what they've done. Not all mind you but some."
He could not be sure of the women he had had the chance to meet of their past exploits, most were definitely of the upper crust of San Francisco and the area around the bay, perhaps as far south as Los Angeles, it it was possible some were common folks that married well. So, with them, most anything was possible.
"You can embarrass me, I've embarrassed myself with some of them already, and done a pretty fair job of it. So you be yourself and I will too." He promised. "Some might be snobs, but the others, not hardly. Well, you'll see."