”First, do we agree that everyone is happy in the business; store or house that they are now settled in?” He looked around and after hearing no ‘nays’, said, “If we all agree, we need a show of hands.” All raised their hands signifying that all they had spoken to were happily settled where they felt most at home.
“Next, do all agree that the bartering system we’ve worked out should stay in effect at least for the time being?”
Jane Barnes raised her hand and stood after being recognized by the group.
“My friends,” she started, “The people I’ve spoken with like the system we’re using but they are hoping that after a while they can get material to work with in order to create artistic pieces to be sold in other towns such as Bransville.”
Cal looked at the others and Lew Thredsen stood and added, “As you all know we have a group of ladies who create fine items out of linen and their needlework can easily go up against the best around. Plus, we are lucky enough to have a small group of artists and sculptors that take a piece of wood and carve beautiful objects out of them. Well, they all say that if they had the needed supplies, they could create artwork and linen items to sell and keep the bartering system going in town with the influx of cash that would come from selling their creative works.”
Now Cal turned and looked at Bob who stood and said, “I don’t know what they need but if you give me a list, I’m sure I can have it delivered.”
“Partner,” added Tim standing with his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans, “we really don’t need anything delivered here. If it comes from outta state, we have it delivered to the Bransville post office and we’ll simply have one of the boys take the buckboard into Bransville and pick it up. Same as if the supply is purchased from Bransville, we just go in and pick it up. Saves money and many an axel.”
“And a stiff back,” said Cal as he rubbed his.
Grins and nods all around told Bob that they all agreed.
Doctor Bain raised his hand, stood and said, “My friends. I saw what happened today and think that we need to make a police force of some sorts, so, I vote that we make Cal Sullivan, Sheriff of Rattlesnake Haven.”
Every hand shot straight up and Cal blushed as Bob said, “I agree to that.”
There was a lull as the group digested all that was said and Anne meekly raised her hand. Seeing her, Jean said, “Anne Dallas would like ta say something so lets all give a listen.” She turned and with a smile said, “Go ahead, Anne.”
Anne half stood until Bob tilted his head this time and she then stood with her hands clasped in front of her. “First of all,” she said quietly, “let me say that I’m honored to be sitting here with this august group. Then let me tell you a bit about myself: I’m a newspaper reporter with a background in Historical Sites of the Old West. By traveling to ghost towns over the years I’ve come to the realization that if they were publicized better, more people would come and visit them. Rattlesnake Haven has a unique spot in the lore of ghost towns in that it is a time capsule of sorts. Now, other ghost towns bring their owners an income simply by having tours come through and after the people on the tour buy some of the souvenirs the town is selling, they leave. But could you imagine if a tour came to Rattlesnake Haven? They would want to stay as long as possible and that’s where this town can make an income unlike any other ghost town. Where other towns have nine-to-five employees who work at being a cowboy or cowgirl or blacksmith or wagon repairer, we here in Rattlesnake Haven have real, live, twenty-four seven, cowboys, cowgirls, blacksmiths, wagon repairers and many other jobs. We have the Dust Off Tavern for a real cocktail, Kay’s Diner for a real western, home cooked meal, the Silver Inn Hotel to sleep over, carriage rides, horseback riding, a blacksmith making real horseshoes as souvenirs, Women’s Western Style clothing and fine linen from the Women’s Dress Makers, we can offer them Western Style clothing from Major’s and they can even stop at the town’s church for a service and leave a donation for the school. Our town artists can sell them their paintings and sculptures.” She shook her head and her voice increased in tempo as she spoke of the possibilities.
“This town is not just a play-act, reality, recreational spot on a tour groups map, but a for-real, honest-to-goodness, real-live town from the 1800s right here in the 2000s.” She stopped as she realized that they sat there looking befuddled. “I-I’m sorry if I’ve overstepped my boundaries. It’s just that Rattlesnake Haven has so much to offer, so much to teach the people of today’s hustling world that to overlook any part of what we can do as a whole would be a waste. Thank you.” She sat in silence for a few moments until Jean stood and clapped, starting a crescendo of claps as they all joined in.
“Out of the mouths of babes,” said Jean, as Bob hugged her.
The group nibbled on cookies and sipped coffee as they chatted on the town’s future before Derma Jensen stood and said, “I’d best be off to bed, folks. But I want to thank you all for this meeting. It achieved so much and made an elderly woman happy.”
The rest followed her lead and soon it was just Bob, Anne, Cal and Jean left. Jean insisted on helping them clean up and the ladies chased Cal and Bob out to the porch. The two men smoked cigars while Samson investigated the dark corners of the porch as the women talked as they cleaned up.
“Ya really love this town, don’t ya, honey?” asked Jean with a smile.
Anne nodded. “Yes, I really do. I just got in from New York City and couldn’t wait to get into jeans and boots and smell the fresh air…even though it was hot.” She turned to Jean and asked, “Have you and Cal been married long?”
“Fifty-five years come this January third,” she said as she dipped a dish into the warm, soapy water, “Long time ta be with someone, so ya better be in love, honey. Ya can’t let go of the man ya think might be the one, an if ya decide that he is the one, ya best grab him fast before he knows what in tarnation happened.”
They laughed as the elder woman passed on to the younger woman the wisdom of her years. It was just as they placed the last cup into the cabinet that Anne leaned against the sink and, as she removed her apron, asked, “Jean. I can’t help but wonder why the woman who lived in this house left her wedding dress and veil in the dresser up in the bedroom. I mean I know about Mister Bensen offering to buy all the furniture and stuff left behind, but a wedding dress? I know that I’d have to take that with me no matter where I went. Doesn’t it strike you as something funny?”
Jean grinned and said as she patted Anne’s arm, “Sometimes something funny turns out ta be something wonderful. “ She removed her apron and winked as she went on, “Maybe she left it here for the next bride ta wear?”
Anne laughed as she took Jean’s apron, folded and hung it on a wooden peg near the sink, “Sort of out of date, though.”
“Honey, a date is just a measurement of time and time is a measurement that man set ta see things go by. So what goes around comes around.”
They hugged and Anne said, “Meeting you and Cal means a lot to Bob as well as to me, Jean. Good night now.”
Bob, Anne and the beagle watched as the circle of light thrown off by the Sullivan’s Coleman lamp got smaller as their two friends walked over to the Hampton’s house.
The next morning a small boy knocked on their door and Anne opened it as Samson jumped up on the boy to play. He started to wrestle the pup and remembered why he was here, ”Good morning, Miss Dallas. Sheriff Sullivan asks if you and Mayor McKillop would join them for breakfast.”
“Sure we will. At Kay’s Diner?”
“No ma’am. At the Community Hall.”
“Fine, we’ll be there in ten minutes.”
The boy ran away as Anne grabbed the puppy and brought him back inside and ten minutes later the three of them left the house.
Anne said as they walked over to the Community Hall, “It’s good that we slept late and I was just about to start breakfast.”
Out in front of the hall were three, long wooden tables stacked with egg
s, bacon, rolls and pancakes. All around the area were groups of people eating and sipping hot coffee. They all stood and clapped as Bob and Anne approached and Cal stepped up.
“After the meetin’ last night, we decided ta make today a day o’ remembrance. Sort o’ like a founder’s day so we whipped up some breakfast and are spreading the good news.”
Behind the serving tables and resting on a set of steel legs, stood a long, flat sheet of steel fashioned by Bill Hampton. Beneath it was a portable fire pit and Kay and a few of the women were cooking as fast as the food was being served.
Cal and Jean sat on empty crates that acted as seats around one of the newly made barrels that became makeshift tables and they invited Bob and Anne to join them. Samson sat at Bob’s feet gnawing on a ham bone.
After coffee, the crowd cleaned up and as a fiddler started to play he was quickly joined by the other musicians as the festivities started in earnest. An hour later a line of buckboards and wagons brought in cut meats and food from the butcher and they started to set up for a noontime barbecue. New wood was brought in for the fire pits and the odor of the meat cooking soon had all their appetites up for the new challenge.
Tim rode in and tied his horse up next to the hall as he waved to Cal who walked over to the cowboy then shortly returned and said to Bob, “Say, partner, would ya join me an’ Tim fer a drink in the Dust Off?” Bob nodded and stood as Cal said to the others, “Beggin’ yer pardon, folks. I’ll bring the mayor right back.” They took the short walk to the lounge.
Joe Sergi was about to close up and head over to the barbecue when the three men entered. “Go right on down, Joe,” said Cal to the barman, “I’ll make sure we lock up in a bit.”
“Right, sheriff,” said the big bartender. He removed his apron and tossed it on the bar and left
Alone, Bob asked, “What’s up guys? Everything okay?”
Cal walked behind the bar and asked, “First, gents, what’s yer pleasure?”
“Bourbon,” said Tim removing and placing his sweat stained hat on the bar they stood at.
Bob answered as he also placed his hat on the bar, “Same here,” and watched as Cal poured three glasses and hefted his in a toast that was mimicked by Bob and Tim.
“Gent’s,” he said as they touched glasses, “here’s to Rattlesnake Haven’s Founding Day and the curiosity of a cowboy wantin’ ta knows where horses hang out.” The three men downed their drinks and Bob’s eyes bulged momentarily.
“Ya’ll get used to it, partner,” said Tim with a friendly slap on his back as he nodded to Cal for another round. Cal filled the three glasses and said as he looked at Tim, “Show him, Tim.”
The cowboy’s eyes squinted as his rare smile showed his gleaming white teeth. He put his hand in his pocket and rolled a few dark gray nuggets on the bar.
Bob’s eyebrows arched in question and he asked as he fingered the metal, “What are they?”
“That, partner,” answered Cal as he took a sip of his drink, “is silver.”
Now it was Bob’s eyes that squinted as he said in a whisper, “Silver? It doesn’t look like silver. How come it’s not shiny?”
Both men grinned as Tim picked up the explanation. “Partner, unlike what most people think, silver is mixed with other minerals and needs some work ta get it to the stage we like ta see it in.”
Next, Cal picked up the conversation, “It takes someone who knows what ta look for to spot it an’ Tim here just happens ta be one of them people.”
“Wow,” Bob said fingering the misshapen nodules, “But I thought the mine was played out?”
“Most probably is,” quipped Tim. “I found them in a different spot. This whole area might be rich in it.”
“So,” asked Bob as he took a sip of his drink, “where did you find it?”
The cowboy recounted, “I wanted ta see if there were any more free horses trotten’ around, so I followed the hoof prints of those horses we caught a bit back and found the box canyon they were holdin’ up in.” He paused and took another sip. “I ended up in a small box canyon that was perfect fer them as it cut down the wind and gave them shadow from the sun as well as a being where most folks wouldn’t think o’ goin’. Anyway, there were places where they scoffed away at the earth fer roots an eatin’ plants an they brung up these here nuggets.
“How far from here?” Bob asked as he sipped his drink finding it easier to get down by now.
“Not that far, partner. If ya draw a line on a map from the well to the cemetery, it’s about in the middle, so I’m pretty sure it’s on your territory. And if it’s not, I suggest ya go and purchase it.”
Thinking fast, Bob dipped a finger in a wet spot on the bar and on a dry part of the bar, drew out the map of the town and put a drop where the cemetery was said, “Can you point to the canyon, Tim?”
Tim’s finger pointed at the spot that he found the silver and they laughed together as Bob nodded and said, “It’s well within my territory.”
“Partner,” Cal said as he reached across the bar and slapped Bob on the shoulder, “you sure bought yerself a nice piece of land.”
The three men stayed another hour and the walk back to the barbecue was wobbly for them and the group at their table wondered why they seemed so secretive.
The festivities lasted late into the night and Anne had her hands full helping a giddy Bob back to the house. Once there he told Anne all that had happened and fell asleep on the floor in front of the fireplace. Smiling, she put a few logs on the fire, placed a blanket over Bob and scooted under it with him as Samson slept on the couch.
The next morning Bob sat at the table holding his head as Anne made him a breakfast of black coffee, pancakes and aspirin. It was her last day in town and she decided that they end her stay with a picnic so she filled a basket with fried chicken left over from the night before and a large cooler of ice tea.
The New Yorker was happy to find out that they didn’t need to depend on his buggy driving abilities with the way he felt as Anne took the reins and gingerly drove the carriage out of the barn, then out of town to the cemetery where they picnicked within sight of the hallowed grounds.
“I didn’t know that you could drive a rig,” said Bob as he took a deep swig of his iced tea.
“Yep!” she answered with a nod, “My daddy was a huge influence in my liking the ways of the old west and he had me sit on his lap whenever he took our rig out so, the answer is, yes, I’ve been able to drive a rig ever since I was a little girl. Of course it’s been a few years now but it’s like riding a bike: you never really forget how.”
After they had finished, Anne asked, “Do you think we can take a walk through the cemetery? I’ve never been in it.”
“Sure,” Bob answered, “Now?”
“I’m game, lets go,” she answered as they stood and dusted sand off their pants.
They walked hand-and-hand and at the gate, removed their hats as they entered. They were silent as they toured the grounds and both automatically removed some old dried sticks and debris from where the slight winds had placed them and when they were finished, closed the gate behind them and quickly put their hats on.
“That was nice. Thanks,” said Anne.
Bob nodded as he said reverently, “If not for the people buried here, Rattlesnake Haven might never be here today.”
She squeezed his arm as they approached the carriage. “I used to do some graveyard tombstone rubbings when I was a teenager.”
Bob looked down at her, “Tombstone rubbings? What’s that?”
“That’s when you put a sheet of tracing paper over the tombstone and rub on the paper with a soft graphite pencil.” Anne mimicked someone rubbing on a tombstone as she went on, “And even though the elements have worn away most of the writing from the tombstone, the graphite reveals what it once said. It’s an impression that appears on the tracing paper. Pretty cool if you’re into history.”
“We have to do that sometime,” he said, “It would be cool to
see who those early settlers were and give them the credit due them.”
She turned to him and with a hug said, “Mayor McKillop, the more I know of you the more I…well, the more I admire the depth in you.”
Back at the blanket she poured two drinks and said, “Bob, after you told me about finding silver on your property, it got me to thinking, between your snores anyway, of a way that you can benefit from the find.”
He grinned and said as he tweaked her chin, “First of all, I don’t snore.”
She rolled her eyes heavenward and went on, “Well then Samson does. So, as I was saying, I think that you need a plan of action before anyone else finds out about this and if you want, I can offer you some advice?”
He looked hurt and said, “Of course I want your advice. I think you are the smartest person I’ve ever met.”
“Well,” she said with a blush, “you have the silver and you have the artists that hopefully can create silver jewelry and pieces of art. And I saw that in town there is a store with a sign saying, ‘The Silver Exchange‘, so one would believe that it is an assayer. Now, is there an assayer running it? I don’t know, but if there was, then you can mine the silver, find out from the assayer what it’s worth, give it to the artist to make jewelry and then sell it for a profit, starting in Bransville. After you see how it’s selling, we go online and start selling the pieces internationally. If you open a store in Bransville, you can get a good feel of how far you can go. Of course the other thing you can do is just exchange the silver and put the money in the bank and get rich. It’s your call.”
Bob took a few of the silver nodules from his pocket and rolled them on the blanket as he said, “I love the idea of creating the jewelry in Rattlesnake Haven and selling it. This way I can put the money back into our town. Do you know of a store in Bransville that we can rent?”
“Not off hand but I’ll check it out before I leave and Skype you.”
Romance in a Ghost Town Page 30
