Posted March 7, 2022
"Except that I would never want to sell an acre of it!" Emeline laughed, then took a sip of wine. "It wasn't until I first saw the mountains around Kalispell that I realized this was what I'd always wanted." She shrugged. "San Francisco and Portland are magnificent, and the prairies of Ohio have their own beauty, but it doesn't compare to Montana."
And she doubted that the rest of Oregon, for all its fertile fields, could compare to the Great Rocky Mountains!
"Of course, I'm anxious to see Virginia City. For all that Kalispell has her savages and banditos, I've heard that Virginia City is as rough and tumble as Dodge or Abilene, and I'm curious to see for myself."
Posted March 8, 2022
"This may come as a surprise to you, although I think not. Every place I have ever been has it's rough and tumble element, San Francisco is certainly no different than that of your Kalispell, or Virginia City." Bill related, "But in it all, be it your town or mine, there is beauty. Beauty of many different kinds. You said so yourself, of your home to be, you wouldn't sell an acre. People feel the same about wherever they settle."
"Well now, I can attest to that. From Texas and Arizona, to California, to Montana. There's a rough crowd everywhere, and at the same time, there's builders, creators, folks makin' where they are better." Barnabas said. "Like Leah Steelgrave wantin' to build that hospital, and an orphanage. Same thing."
"You don't say? Now that sounds to be a wonderful project and I'm sure the whole area is behind her efforts."
Posted March 9, 2022
"Not the whole area," Emeline commented with un-hidden disgust, "there is opposition aplenty, although I can't fathom how anyone with good conscience can be against something that would benefit the whole community simply because of a name."
She wasn't one to gossip, but she had put it out there, and she couldn't leave it just hanging. Besides, it wasn't gossip in that it wasn't petty or exaggerated, right?
"You see, Miss Steelgrave is the only daughter of a man with a less-than honorable reputation, and even though she has severed ties with him...well, she's actually defying him with her plans...there are people who would rather play politics and think the worst than be positive...and you'd think after what happened in Whitefish, they'd at least see the need for a hospital...well, and the orphanage, for that matter."
Posted March 10, 2022
"White fish? Sounds like something from our menu, but please. Please tell me about this. People are fighting the construction of a hospital and an orphanage? I find this hard to believe Misses Pike." Bill said, brow furrowed
"Whitefish was a town not all that far from Kalispell. Ornery place, run by outlaws. Well winter last they had a horrible snow storm, combined with a big fire that wiped the place out. Lost a lot of folks. Had plenty injured." Pike explained, squeezing Em's hand.
"And you're saying that there is opposition to this hospital and orphanage? Sometimes I find people hard to understand, this certainly is one of those instances. Is it money that's the problem up there? Seems to me that a hospital would be a great investment, better than most I'd wager to say. Has to be about control, yes sir, control issues can stop the best of ideas." Bill offered.
Posted March 10, 2022
"I believe you're right, Mr. Sharon, that some of the men in town want control, yet they aren't wanting to put in any money." Emeline shrugged. "Miss Steelgrave has made most of the investment, I understand she even has some of the materials already, and the support of the governor. It's getting the town council to approve the land use."
She didn't understand it, but then, she was glad, since most of politics seemed to be underhanded and shady, so it was something she didn't want to understand.
"It will happen, it's just a matter of..."
Suddenly, Emeline's eyes went wide as she reached to grab Barnabas' hand, gripping it tightly...
The room was shaking, and the crystal chandeliers overhead started to sway!
Posted March 11, 2022
What the hell?" Pike exclaimed. Em had grabbed his hand as the entire room \seemed to be moving.
"Not to worry, one the benefits to living in San Francisco. Rollers. This is a light one. We may lose a plate or two, some glassware, but that will be the extent of it. He said confidently, wine glass in hand. "Does make eating or drinking somewhat uncomfortable, but only for a moment or two. It will pass quickly enough.
As if on cue, Barnabas' glass slipped off the table and crashed on the floor. "You get these regularly?" He asked wide eyed. His hand still clutched in hers. His other hand gripping the edge of the table. This was new.
Posted March 11, 2022
Once she figured out that the building wasn't going to come down around their ears, and that the locals didn't seem particularly phased by the tremor, Emeline loosened her grip on Barnabas' hand, letting out a breath now that it was over.
"Oh, well! That was something!" The lights were still swaying, and staff was scurrying to clean up the messes, but otherwise, all seemed well. "Mr. Sharon, I appreciate that you went to all this trouble for us! I was telling Mr. Pike that I wanted to experience new things, and this certainly fit the bill!"
Finally relaxing, she reached with a shaky hand to take a sip of wine, then asked, "Does this happen often?"
Posted March 12, 2022
"Oh no, no not often, hardly what one would say as regularly. But on occasion there's a tremor or two. Much like what just occurred." Bill began. "To be honest there have been some that shook a bit long, as well as big harder, but it's nothing to worry about, or so they of knowledge of such things tells us."
"I don't recall any of these rollers 'er tremors when I was here last, so is this new?" Barnabas asked, concerned about such a thing happening again, only worse.
"Now I can't speak to that. I've been here some better than a year and this may be the fourth or fifth one I've experienced." Was Sharon's answer.
Posted March 14, 2022
"Five? Goodness!" Emeline laughed. "I guess it keeps you on your toes, but it adds some spice, even if there is a little damage here and there."
The mess was mostly cleaned up now, and Barnabas' wine glass had been replaced.
"Of course, I suppose if you think about it, it's a little unsettling to have the earth shifting under your feet. I mean, you want to think of 'terra firma' as just that, unmovable, solid, predictable, as opposed to the weather around us."
Posted March 14, 2022
"Well, yes, yes that could be said, and it would have some truth to it, yet the people of San Francisco accept that like the rain that comes. It is part of living here. Perhaps not the best part, not by any stretch of the imagination. But you have seen the vies, the beauty that surrounds the city and there is talk of building bridges over the ocean. Can you believe it? Just talk for now, but I'd not bet against it."
"That seems a mighty chore, Bill. That's some distance to cover." Barnabas suggested. "But I think you're right. Someday someone like Philip Deidesheimer will come along with a plan that will work."
"Yes, that's what it will take. That square set timbering was the secret to the mines up there on the Comstock, and look how long it took for him to come along, when you look at the history of mining." Bill replied, "But Misses Pike, unsettling is a term that apt describes how we, all of us here, have felt early on with the rollers, but, it is something we have al gotten used to, over time."