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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2866976" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Thirty-eight, “Putting things into Perspective”, Sunday, May 28th, 1882, 6:45 A.M.Morning came unwelcome but late, and Kate pulled herself out of bed. Ginnie was already gone, and her family would be going to Miss Florenica's services this morning, so she had some time to herself. She dressed herself in her prim blue and headed over to the Barkers to check on Mitchell Berg.Stanley greets her at the door. "Hello Mrs. Kale. How are you?" When she asks about the Marshall Stanley says, "Oh, he left after dawn. He's like most men, insisted he had to go take charge. He did seem much better. He said he was heading straight back to the office and jail to see Helen and Eduardo."Kate replies, "Thank you Mr. Barker. Clerical healing is something else, isn't it? Amazing that he can be up and around already today. Still, I hope he's going to take it easy, it was still a traumatic thing and he'll be needing rest. I wanted to tell you how much my family enjoyed your playing last night. My mother was impressed especially. I may have to bring them to the Comique next Saturday so they can hear you again."  After a few more moments Kate said goodbye and walked to the Marshall's office.The Marshall's Office is locked but Eduardo unlocks it once he sees who is outside. Kate enters to see Berg seated in the chair behind the desk. His complexion is still off, possibly due to blood loss, and he lacks his usual alertness.  Eduardo and Helen are both in the office. She says to Kate, "Good, I'm glad you're here. Help us talk some sense into this man, he says he's going to resign as Marshall because of last night.”Kate states, "I certainly hope not. Considering what's happening, there's no one I trust more to be our Marshall. Think what would happen in the next Merchant's Association meeting. Adair will certainly object to anyone he thinks might actually uphold the law and stop him from getting his vigilante justice.   I saw what you tried to do. You gave them a chance, and even after that none of your people shot to kill. There was no talking that mob down, Mr. Berg. It took courage to make the choice you did."He states, "That choice got Hoover killed. Besides, it might be a moot point anyway, word is that Ike Sherman and Evan Adair are going to call for me to be stripped of my badge at the next Merchant's Association Meeting anyway. Right now they're both over talking to Fisk about bringing me up on murder charges."Kate moved next to the chair where he was sitting and pulled up another. "Listen to me," she said and leaned forward. "Niles Hoover made his own choice. He chose to leave the safety of the Lucky Lady, he chose to stand with you for what he thought was right.  I won't argue the legality of any charges those idiots might try to bring; you know the law far better than I. But if you resign, they win. Do you really think they can go before the Merchant's Association get anyone to support them when they were the ones out there stirring up a mob? They may have a few like-minded people with them, but most of the members have a lot more sense." She impulsively took his hand and said, "Mitchell you made the hard choice in support of the law. We need a man of strong conviction like you. What happens to us if men like Adair can chase out honest man after honest man until they get what they want? Don't do their work for them."Helen interjects, "Listen to her Mitch. Look, It'll be at least another week-and-a-half until registration for the candidates for office closes. Don't make any hasty decisions right now."  Kate adds, "I'm sure Chester would agree as well. It's easy to see how much he respects you. Take some time. Rest and recover and get your mind clear. Don't make a decision you'll regret. Or one that we'll regret."Berg nods. Helen says, "Speaking of Chester, him and Neil will be along soon. Mitch, I want you to accompany me and Stanley to Church. I have a sneaking suspicion that Miss. Florencia's sermon today might be really worth listening too. I see her to be one to speak her mind and convey the feelings of the gods."Kate let go of Berg's hand and folded her own in her lap. "Yes, Miss Florencia is not one to hold back. I should go. I just wanted to check in on you and make sure you were getting plenty of rest. Clerical healing makes your body whole again, but you still need to let it recover. Mrs. Barker, I felt foolish yesterday after I'd brought you that sign, but after last night... I know there's nothing to be done, but I hope you'll keep your eyes and ears open?""I will" she states, "And so will my Deputies." Berg finally smiles and says "It looks like you have matters well under control Acting Marshall Barker."   Helen says, "Hey, don't blame me for that, Chumbley came up with that one himself. He says he thinks it will help the women's rights movement for tomorrow's meeting. And you can take the job back later today or tomorrow once you're feeling better Mitch." Morning arrives and Chester wakes with a start. He checks his pocket watch and gently shakes Clarisse. "Dear? It's morning. You got to get ready for church and I got to get to the office." She rubs her eyes. "After what happened last night, do you have to go? Come to church with me." He replies, "You know I can't. With the Marshall hurt, we're short-handed. Things may be calm now, but a flare-up is always possible."    She says, "That's what I'm afraid of. Mr. Hoover was so nice to me and now he's gone. I worry every time you go to work."  He answers, "If I don't do this, Adair and his boys will take it as surrender. We don't want him running this place. If you thought things are sinful now, wait until he is elected mayor. I can't let that happen."Chester reaches the Marshall’s Office, missing Kate by just a few minutes.  He explains his concerns to the others.   The other law officers agree. Neil Cassidy arrives soon and Eduardo and Helen are dismissed. Neil glances towards the prisoners and says, "So what's the story about these guys Chester, I hear you were the one who arrested them."Chester strikes a match and lights a cigarette. He offers Neil and the prisoners cigarettes. None of them take him up in the offer. He says, "The other night at the Lucky Lady some of the ranchers were complaining about some recent thefts. Me and Nanuet offered to look into this for them. If they're going to be a part of this town, it doesn't hurt to give them a hand. Anyway, they thought it might be Apaches breaking a treaty Nanuet had struck between us and them. So we stopped by a couple ranches and talked to Will Flynn and Amel Renner. The four of us tracked the thieves back to a cave in the Dos Cabezos Mountains. We asked them to surrender, but they answered us with gunfire. We shot back and wounded a couple of them. Flynn got hit too, but Nanuet fixed him up. Turns out that Nanuet recognizes them, part of his tribe or something. Since we were outside of the town limits, I asked Sheriff Hunter to make the official arrest."Chester tells Cassidy, "Thanks for helping us out last night. If you hadn't been there, who knows what would have happened." He continues, "I'm glad there are people willing to put their money where their mouths are. This could mean trouble for the lumberyard. It took a lot of guts to defend Indians, especially thieves."Cassidy replies, "Trouble? With the business? More Half of Tombstone just burned to the ground, I'll be selling every board I can for the next two months. I've already arranged for Morand Cartage to haul everything I currently have over there this next week. Terrible shame that fire, I lost a saloon there that I had a quarter-interest in."  Chester laughs. "I forgot that Tombstone will be knocking down your door for wood. Too bad about the saloon. Are you going to rebuild that?" He states, "Oh sure, of course we will. Tombstone is still a rich boom town. But for the next two weeks my business partners are going to be working as lumber agents instead of saloon owners."After leaving the Marshall’s Office Kate heads over to the El Parador. She is pleasantly surprised to Manuel Gonzales sitting at a table while eating his breakfast and reading a newspaper. She approaches the table and asks him when he got home.  He replies, “Less than an hour ago. According to the paper I missed quite a bit of excitement last night.” Kate is surprised that Chumbley managed to get the story to press so soon and comments about that. Gonzales says, “He says he was up all night working on it. Apparently some people began to call the incident the “Elf Gunfight”, as the jailed elves were the intended target of the mob. Chumbley didn’t want that name to stick so he decided to instead call it ‘The Promise City Shootout of 1882’ and will use this morning’s paper to get that name circulated instead. His story doesn’t even reference the race of the prisoners.”She states, "You know, behind all that talk Mr. Chumbley has quite a sharp mind.  It was ugly, Grandpere, and I'm glad you didn't have to see it. My father and a few other veterans backed up the Marshalls, but by the time they were armed and moving forward the shooting had already started." She dropped her voice and went on. "With so many people there, I couldn't do much of anything. I did warn Papa that one of the men was using magic." Kate went on and described what she had seen with her detect magic and the items some of the men had. "The disguised man was terribly burned. I think he was at the farmhouse when we rescued Nanuet and Chester. I don't mind admitting I'm scared. I'm scared for all of you here, and I'm scared for Ginnie and I after that sign got nailed on our door yesterday."  "Sign? What sign?" he asks.  Kate shook her head. "We went out in the morning, and when I came back someone had nailed a sign on the schoolhouse door. Ginnie asked around and found out it was Kirby Watkins who did the dirty work. It said 'CONDEMNED! Condemnations to those who would use this building to corrupt the minds of innocent youth with falsehoods!' I don't think many people saw it before we pulled it down. I suspect it has to do with me allowing children of all races. I'm sure I'm overreacting," she finished. "Last night just upset me. Losing Niles...." She was quiet for a moment, but her hand brushing against her pocket reminded her of the telegram Ruby had sent. "I got this yesterday as well," she said, turning it over. "I couldn't understand all of it. I was going to ask Sonoma about it today, or Morgana if Sonoma didn't understand."Gonzales reads the content of the telegram from Ruby. He says, “Okay, I don't get all of this but it appears that I am needed in Tucson. I still have one transport spell left so I guess I’ll head off there right away. Not sure what she needs but I'll find out." He picks up the newspaper and adds, “Might as well bring this with me to inform them of what happened. I will see you later my little Sandpiper.”Disappointment was plain on her face as her teacher readied himself to leave again so soon. "I wish you didn't have to leave, I feel safer with you here. But something important must have happened for Ruby to send for you." She stood up and kissed his cheek. "Please, tell them about Niles before they read it there if you can. Come back soon."Minerva had stayed up most of the night revising her sermon for the Sunday service. She leaves the house at dawn and makes her way to the church to meditate and ask for guidance from her gods. When the people begin to arrive she is sitting, trancelike on her pillow, the flute resting in her lap. When the bells strike 8:00 A.M. , the Priestess rise and gently lays the flute on the pillow. She turns and with a slow regal step she walks to the podium and stands silent before the congregation, her face drawn and grim as she looks accusingly around the hall. "My dear brothers and sisters, a terrible thing is transpiring in our beloved town. HATE is attempting to worm it’s way into our community and we are allowing it to gain entry. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE! she bellows. The Hate that is festering in our midst must be stomped out and crushed as ruthlessly as one would destroy a venomous snake, before it spreads it’s poison into the life blood of this town. Before it destroys us all.”  Grief becomes evident in her soft tone as well as her posture. She places her hands on either side of the podium and leans forward as if what she is about to say is too much to bear without its support. “Yesterday, A good man died protecting the rights of the Citizens of Promise City to live free from this malevolent scourge that is threatening to take over our town. Let us take a moment and remember the life and bravery of Senor Nialls Hoover and all that he stood for. He died doing the Will of the gods… protecting YOU from the HATE, and for this he will surly be rewarded in Olympus. She pauses and lowers her head in grief before she continues in a strong determined voice. “I have said this before and I shall continue to repeat it until ALL understand the dark power of hate. HATE corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. HATE destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. It clouds his mind, deafens his hearing and hardens his heart to the WILL OF THE GODS! We MUST NOT allow it to take hold and flourish! There are those in Promise City who have chosen the dark path of hate and bigotry to gain wealth and power. They use hate to subvert and dominate others to their will and increase their power. They have chosen a path in direct opposition to the gods, a path of dark destruction over the path of light. You know who they are! They live among us! Evan Adair, Prosper McCoy, Dave Carleen, Bob Skull, Nick Karp Ike Sherman, Porter Norris and Gregory Reston are but a few who have chosen this hate path. I say to you that Their glory shall be their doom! For no man or woman is a match for the gods! It is OUR DUTY to be sure that they and others of their ilk either change their ways or are cast out. "But how do I do my duty to the gods, You ask? You DO THAT by helping them to see the light, and failing that by removing their power, by not voting for them or what they stand for, by doing business only with those who embrace one another as brother and sister. NOT by shooting one another down in the streets! . Yes, there ARE times when the gods demand blood and it was not so long ago that they demanded that brother take up arms against brother to cleanse the earth of hate and bigotry with their mortal blood but the blood that was spilt yesterday was not spilled at the hands of the gods but by the hands of Hate. Let us not fall prey to that evil power. We have it in OUR power to rid this town of hate without blood sacrifice. Minerva has given us the divine gifts of Reason and Wisdom, We have the power of the Vote, the power of Commerce and Community. Let us use these powers to evoke change and drive the hate from our world and make our town peaceful and whole.  The Will of the gods will be done for the gods always get their wish. The question before us this day is, what methods will we use to carry out Their will and at what price to our loved ones, our community, our mortal souls?"   And leaving the question hanging in the air, she turns her back on the crowd, moves to sit upon her pillow signaling the end of the serviceSeveral dozen people in the congregation come forward and speak to her for the hour following the service. She noticed a despondent Marshall Berg sitting in the audience and her words seemed to bring some comfort to him. He left with the Barkers. Out on the street Chumbley is selling the latest edition of his newspaper to those leaving the service.  Kate meets her family immediately following the service. She has rented a carriage from Drovers to take them out to her ranch for the day. Ginnie decides to remain in town.Minerva speaks with those who have stayed behind, offering comfort and support while re-enforcing her sermon. When all are departed she steps into the street and greets Chumbley. She purchases a newspaper before heading home. Buenas Dias Senor Chumbley. What is the news of the day?"He says, "Here you go, keep your nickel, consider it my donation for all of your good works. "  Minerva thanks Chumbley, and returns home.  The Promise City Mirror is dated Sunday, May 28, 1882. The front-page story has the bold headline “Three Killed in Shoot Out!” Beneath it is a smaller headline banner reading “Lawman, Gambler and Rancher perish in Promise City Shootout of 1882” The story begins on page one and continues onto page two. It reads: What began with an arrest of some cattle rustlers and chicken thieves escalated last night into a full-scale gun battle between the town’s officers of the law and an angry mob. A group of approximately three-dozen men led by a rancher who had been shot by the arrested rustlers marched to the Town Jail and demanding that the prisoners be turned over to them for hanging. Town Marshall Mitchell Berg refused to give up his prisoners and ordered the crowd to disperse. Two spokesmen for the mob, store owner Ike Sherman and saloon owner Evan Adair refused to leave. Marshall Berg called forward his deputies and gave the crowd until a count of ten to lay down their arms, although few did so. Immediately following the count Marshall Berg and his deputies begins firing at the crowed who then began to fire back at the law officers. Several witness claim that Berg had fired prematurely although that has not yet been confirmed. When the Promise City Shootout of 1882 was finally over there were eighteen wounded and three dead. Order was quickly restored through the intervention of a group of Civil War veterans led by retired Colonel Michael Seawell. Members of his group included long-time Promise City residents the former Lieutenant Judge Lacey and former major Emery Shaw. They were joined by four newcomers to the town who were the former General Henry Pleasants, former Major Frederick Seagram, former First Sergeant Nate Caudell, and Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin formerly a General in the German Army and an official observer during the Civil War. All were Union Army veterans except for Caudell who served with the North Carolina 47th Infantry. The wounded were treated through the combined efforts of several residents of the town namely Doctor James Eaton, Greek/Roman Priestess Minerva Florencia, Celtic/Mexican Priest Thomas Valdez, Elvan Healer Nanuet and schoolteacher Katherine Kale. Marshall Berg was among the six most seriously wounded. At the time that this story went to publication all six of these men were still undergoing treatment but were expected to survive. Those other seriously wounded were Claude Buckley, Mike Moore, Porter Norris, Jasper Ordway, and Ken Wagner. Acting Marshall Helen Barker stated that Berg would have perished if not for the timely arrival of Nanuet. Father Valdez treated Ordway. Doctor Eaton operated on Buckley, Moore, Norris and Wagner. The twelve less severe wounds were Deputy Marshall Neil Cassidy, Deputy Marshall Chester Martin, Evan Adair, Gordy Bryson, Dave Carleen, William Flynn, Denny Garvin, Art Huntley, Deacon McCoy, Amel Renner, Bob Scull and Stephen Weaver. The three deceased were gambler Nick Karp of the Palace Saloon, rancher Philemon Grove of the Thayer Ranch and Deputy Marshall Niles Hoover who co-owned a number of business interests in town including Hoover’s Liquors and the Lucky Lady Dance Hall and Saloon. Grove will be buried later today, Sunday May 28th, in a private service out on the Thayer Ranch. Hoover and Karp will each be buried in town tomorrow, Monday May 29th, in separate services. Most of the remainder of the newspaper consists of advertisements and editorials. There is a lengthy editorial on page six by Chumbley stating that racial intolerance was a root cause of the riot and appealing to the town to promote equality. The editorial specifically makes reference to the elf Nanuet and half-elf Valdez who helped to save the lives of the wounded. There is a short article stating how the gunfight the previous July between the James Gang and Arcade’s Gang, which had been called the Promise City Shootout should now be referenced as the Promise City Shootout of 1881. There is a full-page notice on page nine announcing that a wake for Deputy Marshall Niles Hoover will be held at the Lucky Lady Dance Hall and Saloon on Sunday evening. The funeral will be held at noon on Monday at Lester’s Funeral Parlor followed by the burial on Boot Hill. There is a similar notice on the back page, page twelve, for Nick Karp. It also indicates a Sunday night wake, this one at the Palace Saloon, at that services will be at 2:00 P.M. on Monday at Lester’s Funeral Parlor followed by the burial on Boot Hill.</blockquote>

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