Belle of the Ball: A Historic Western Time Travel Romance (An Oregon Trail Time Travel Romance Book 2)
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Bart and Anna died within one month of each other and were laid to rest with his parents alongside his brother and sister-in-law in the cemetery on the hill. Barton Junior erected a picket fence around the area which would eventually be his resting place.
Author’s Notes
When I was researching stampedes for Chapter 25, I came across this website: Wild West Facts I cannot vouch for the veracity of their information, but I thought it interesting when they said cattle don’t want to turn left, so I included it.
I took a small liberty with the Timber Culture Act by allowing my character to use it in 1870 in Chapters ten and eleven. The Timber Culture Act was not passed by Congress until 1873. The act allowed homesteaders to get another 160 acres (65ha) of land if they planted trees on one-fourth of the land, because according to the act, the land was "almost one entire plain of grass, which is and ever must be useless to cultivating man."
John Wesley Hardin was one of the bloodiest men in the history of the west. He was rumored to have killed over forty men, and at least thirty are documented.
In 1895, Hardin went to El Paso to testify for the defense in a murder trial. Following the trial, he stayed and established a law practice. Just when he seemed to finally be going straight, Hardin began an affair with one of his married female clients. Her husband found out about the affair and Hardin hired some law officials to kill him. One of the hired gunmen, however, Constable John Selman, shot Hardin instead.
Legend has it that his last words were, "Four sixes to beat, Henry." When killed, Hardin was shooting dice with a local furniture dealer named Henry Brown at the Acme saloon in El Paso. Thus ended the life and career of one of Texas deadliest gunslingers. Despite his killing of over thirty people, Hardin had a reputation as a gentleman among those who knew him, and he always claimed he never killed anyone who didn't need killing.
http://www.famoustexans.com/johnwesleyhardin.htm
Main Street or Last Chance Gulch? Which Is It?
The answer is: Both. Last Chance Gulch is the name of the actual gulch in which gold was discovered in 1864. The thoroughfare which was built down the Gulch was originally named Main Street. It remained that way for some 85 years, until July 20 1953, when acting Helena Mayor Dr. Amos R. Little, Jr. signed an ordinance officially changing the name of Main Street to Last Chance Gulch. Both names are still used locally for what was once the grand thoroughfare of Helena's business district.
Last Chance Gulch meanders as it does because it was originally routed between mining claims; it was not designed that way to lower fatalities from stray bullets, as some promotional literature has claimed.
In addition to their tempers, it is a little known fact that red haired people require more anesthesia for surgery and pain killers for relief than others. You can read about it in an article published in the official journal of the American Society for Anesthesiologists.
Excerpt from Romance in Time
Rebecca and Abby had found the perfect wedding dress in the Nordstrom’s store in Water Tower Place their first day in Chicago. They spent two more days picking out frilly underthings, and a travel wardrobe for Abby’s honeymoon trip to Hawaii.
“Mom, Brett doesn’t expect me back until Saturday. I want to surprise him when he gets home from work.”
“Why don’t you bring him back for dinner?”
“I’ll ask him. He probably hasn’t been eating anything other than breakfast tacos and Big Macs all week. A home cooked meal will do him good.”
Humming to herself, Abby used the key Brett had given her to enter the apartment they planned to share after the honeymoon. He will be surprised we’re back so soon. We found everything we were looking for in just hours.
The blinds were drawn, and it was semi-dark. I’ll leave a note on his pillow so he’ll find it when he gets in from work.
A moan, increasing in intensity came from the bedroom, followed by “ooh-ah” then silence. The door was partially open; Abigail saw the two forms, making the beast with two backs. She gasped. She paused in mid-stride and stumbled back. A high pitched scream came from the bed. Brett stopped in mid-stroke.
“Holy shit. What are you doing back,” he panted.
Abby stammered, unable to find any words. The blonde secretary from Brett’s office pulled the blanket up to cover her bare chest.
Abby picked up the pair of black panties from the floor with her thumb and forefinger. “You might need these, sweetie,” and tossed them at the girl.
Her eyes became cold and flinty, she threw the key at Brett, “You might want to give this to your friend too, since I won’t be needing it,” she said in a flat, monotone voice. She turned and left the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Hot tears burned a path down her cheeks.
She went straight to her room when she got home. Her mother found her on the bed sobbing.
“What’s wrong, dear? Did you and Brett have an argument?”
“There was no argument. He was breathing too hard to talk.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was in bed with someone from his office.”
“Oh no, honey, I’m so sorry. You’re lucky you found out before it was too late.” She put her arms around her daughter and pulled her to her bosom. She stroked her hair and felt the trembling body shake.
“Did he say anything?”
“He cursed.”
“I wish I could help, honey, but I don’t know what to say.”
“Since we got back early, I planned to leave a note to surprise him. There won’t be a wedding.”
The phone rang. Two times, three times. The answering machine picked up on the fourth ring. Brett’s voice said, “Abby, honey pick up the phone. I can explain. This is all a big misunderstanding.”
* * *
Her father answered the doorbell and found Brett standing there, his hands in his pocket. “Could I speak to Abby, please?”
“I’ll ask her.” He closed the door without inviting him inside.
Jason returned five minutes later. “She doesn’t want to see you. Ever. She asked me to give you this.” He handed Brett the diamond engagement ring and spoke in a voice so cold it could have frozen coffee, “Don’t come around here again, and if I hear of you bothering her, or talking about her, I’ll get a court order charging you with harassment and have it served in your office. Don’t misjudge me. I’ll go after you in a heartbeat with all the force I can muster. The judge is a golfing partner of mine and I will not hesitate to use my influence.” He closed the door and returned to Abigail’s bedroom to comfort her.
* * *
Abby had taken vacation time from the engineering firm where she worked, so she was not due to return to work until Monday. Feeling tired and wrung out; she stayed in her bedroom, coming out only to eat.
“Honey, I’m worried about you,” her mother said. “Your mother told me what happened. I’m sure it was a terrible shock, but you can’t let it ruin your life.”
“Mother, you’re trying to help, but I really don’t want to talk about it. We need to cancel all the arrangements and return the things we bought. I won’t need them. I don’t want to see anyone either. Everyone will want to know what happened and I don’t want their pity.”
“Don’t mistake sympathy for pity. Your friends can help if you let them. If you don’t pick up your life, he wins. Is that what you want?”
* * *
On Monday, she went into her supervisor’s office. “Mr. Haverty, I have a personal problem I need to work out, and I’d like to take a leave of absence, please.”
“What sort of problem? Is there anything we can do?”
“No sir, it’s personal and something I need to take care of myself.”
“How long will you need?”
“I don’t know. It might be better if I turn in my resignation.”
“Abby, that’s unnecessary. Take as long as you need. Your job will be waiting when you return.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it.�
� She gathered her few personal things from the drawer in her desk, put them in an envelope and went home.
At home…
“Mom, Dad, will it be all right if I call Grandma and see if I can visit them for a while?”
“Do you think it will help?” her mother asked.
“I don’t know if it will help or not, but sitting here isn’t, and I don’t want to face anyone and be forced to lie about what happened.”
“If you think it will help, call them,” her father said. “They’ll be glad to have you.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan Leigh Carlton lives just outside Tomball, Texas, a suburb twenty-six miles northwest of Houston. She began writing and publishing on Amazon in August of 2012.
Susan observed the eighty-first anniversary of her birth on April 17th. She says, “I quit having birthdays, because they are depressing, so it’s just anniversaries now.” Susan and her husband will celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary on April 16th, 2016, the day before her birthday.
Susan said, “One of the joys I get from writing is the emails I receive from readers that have read and liked my books. I even like the letters that are critical of the writing because it means the writer cared enough to take the time to write.
“I will keep writing as long as the good Lord allows me to have a clear mind and fresh ideas.”
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