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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3169660" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter One-hundred-five, “News of the Day”, Friday June 9th, 1882, 6:30 A.M. The sun shines through the window of the Priestess’s house all too soon. Nakomo is already up and serving breakfast to the priests when Minerva enters the kitchen. She greets her guest cheerfully and takes her place at the table. Once Nakomo leaves for school she explains. What happened to Hildie in the cave and the appearance of Diana. "She has commanded us to appear before her at the Church of Olympus at noon."  The clergy are surprised by the proclamation that a Goddess from Olympus will be physically in their midst. Hilldi confirms that she was physically present the day before. At the Bishop's insistence they head next door to clean the church building to the best of their ability prior to her arrival.   Minerva's morning is interrupted at around 10:00 by the sudden arrival of Emery Shaw, Manuel Escobar and Vera Blake. They tell her about their new Unity party and request that she join the ticket as a candidate for a position on the town council.    Minerva groans inwardly but draws strength from Jakes words of the night before.   She thinks to herself, "How will I ever get out of this without offending? She presents a cheerful smile to the trio and responds enthusiastically. "Gracias Amigos! I am quite flattered that you would think me a suitable candidate to put forth your ideals..., but I am afraid that I must decline your offer. Please understand, I heartily agree with your ideals but, I must answer to a higher power. The gods, alone, dictate my actions and there may come a time when they command me to act in a way that will not find favor with the views of your party. I believe that I can reach the hearts of more people and foster change much more effectively in my present role as spiritual leader. Taking a political stance would only confuse people and diminish my influence. Besides. "she jokes looking around at the church, "Where would I ever find the time?"The committee spend another ten minutes attempting to convince Minerva to join. Shaw explains how for all practical purposes Minerva has been on the town council for months now, citing the Festival being her idea and all that it has done for the town. Escobar agrees, telling her how the current climate towards racial equality would not have been possible without her influence. Vera Blake adds that the same is true for the rights of woman, that Minerva has had no small influence upon."Si, that is all true, and it is true precisely because of my role as spiritual leader. Even those who do not agree with my views know that I speak for the gods. and are more likely to reflect upon my words.   If I were to be seen as a political figure, people would question my motivation. Do you not see? I am much more valuable to you in my present role. It will benefit no one if we muddy the waters."  Shaw says, "The group thought that you might feel that way. They suggested Father Thomas Valdez as an alternative name, but wouldn't we run into the saw problem with him being a religious leader in town? Who else would you suggest Priestess?""That is for him to decide." she says of Valdez. But why not you, Vera or or Katherine Kale? She is a home owner and a business owner, a member of the cattlemen’s association, a refined lady of impeccable standing from up north and she is an independent woman who is not afraid to speak out for her beliefs" As you know she has been in the press quite a bit lately, so people are familiar with her face and her views."Shaw says, "Katherine would be welcomed but she has indicated how busy she is already between the ranch, school and other her other interests. I'm also not finished with trying to convince Mitchell Berg to join us. Right now the ticket is comprised of myself as Mayor, Chester Martin as Marshall, and for Town Council Manuel Escobar, Vera Blake, Patrick Seawell and Cole Rixton. All we have left to fill is the final slot which we had hoped that either you or Father Valdez would be good for."Marshall Berg, as a man of authority, would be an excellent candidate. I wish you the 'luck of the gods' I know that you already have their blessing and my support as well." She sakes their hands and wishes them Buenas Dias, before going back to lighting candles and preparing for the goddess' arrival.After a fitful sleep, Jake awoke late and had breakfast at the El Parador Cantina.  Dorita is busy this morning, so Jake enjoys a quiet breakfast without motherly commentary. Afterwards, he makes his way to Drovers. "Good morning Austin." Jake finds him puttering around. "No need to be pestering after Vera," he replies good naturedly and with only a glance up from his work, "she has already joined Emery Shaw's Unity Party." "No, I am not here to pester your wife. I came here to see you." Austin Blake stops what he is doing and looks up. "Oh?" "Yes." Jake approaches and leans up against the wall. Playing with his hat in his hands he says, "I will get right to the point. I heard from Adair that he believes you have been bidding for Niles Hoover's share of the Lucky Lady. Since the bidder has kept their identify secret, I figured Adair must be wrong. I mean, Austin Blake is an honest and straight up kind of man. I would not expect him to do that kind of thing in secret without talking to the other partners of the Lucky Lady. Would he?"Austin looks Jake straight in the eye and says, "I don't know how Adair found out but yes, I was working with Upton to get a share of the Lady. As for my methods, you may recall that I approached you directly about a partnership a few weeks back and you never got back to me. That's why I decided to go through the lawyer. But now that you know I can cut him out of it. Once that boy gets out of school we'll round up him and Attorney Berg and settle this once and for all.""I did not understand you desired that kind of partnership." Jake shrugs. "Job Kane and I are bidding against you. We figured that anyone who was hiding behind a lawyer could have been just trying to disrupt the saloon. We even suspected Adair could have been behind it, trying to harm his competition. I am relieved that it is you after all." Jake runs a hand through his hair and stands. "Invite me to sit down so we can talk this through. Help me understand what you want and do not want. Are you attempting to buy into the Lucky Lady just to get Jeff Mills?"Blake replies, "No sir, I am interested in expanding into the hotel business and be able to offer full packages to guest, including livery service, food, lodgings and entertainment. I have the livery and food, not the lodgings and Vera is opposed to entertainment at our location. Since you've already gone to the effort of expanding your operation to include a hotel it would have been easier for me to buy into this place than go to the effort of adding onto my existing building, or better yet, have both with different levels of lodgings for different income levels of customers. So Mr. Cook, we appear to in a bidding war against one another for young Mr. Hoover's share. You may very well win, at some point it becomes cheaper for me to build and have my operation fully owned by myself. But I haven't given up on us being partners. I should warn you though, Misters Jacquet and Brower have also expressed interest in my partnership idea, so my backup plan is even more feasible."Jake replies, "Sir, we were in a bidding war only because I thought you were someone else. Frankly, I would welcome someone to run the hotel business. I am quite good at what I do, but that does not extend to the details of taking care of hotel guests and the like. You have seen how we run the saloon part of the Lady, I do not expect it to change much. If you think you are comfortable with that, and do not intend to rock the boat then I believe we can make a deal." Jake scratches his chin beard a few times. "If we were partners, I could certainly help with future deal making. That is something with which I have a little experience." Jake grins. "I can imagine a future that includes the Blokes with a share of the Lucky Lady, an expanded hotel at your site built under the guiding vision of Jeff Mills, and funded by some partners that could include Al, Pierre and even Jake. Then there could be some deals made with other businesses in town. Not partnerships mind you, but agreements. Like getting Gilson's bathhouse to offer something special to our customers in return for our recommending them. Make it easy to get services like laundry, mending, gun cleaning, you name it." Jake starts to get that glint in his eye. "Why, Austin Blake, the possibilities are endless."Blake says, "Then I believe that we are thinking on the same train of thought. Al and Pierre have no lodgings nor really the ability to expand the Comique to include them. They had bought a building for that purpose but never got around to establishing it. I believe that building is now your home, and it's actually the money from that purchase that they wish to invest in an expanded Drover's.  I know that Al Brower has no interest in owning part of the Lucky Lady, he says he wouldn't be able to enjoy gambling there if he did, but he has mentioned that this establishment and his have a habit of stealing each other's entertainment. With a mutual arrangement of some sort you might be able to avoid that in the future, and together you might be able to bring in special acts from out-of-town for weekends, to perform a night at each location.  So I think we can work something out. Vera is wholeheartedly opposed to the profession of prostitution, so would never agree to partner with the Gay Lady, Palace, Long Branch or El Parador, but a mutual arrangement between Drover's, the Lucky Lady and the Comique could work in all of our best interests.  And as for a hotel, you won't find yourself a better manager than Vera. For that matter, she could probably work with your operation here to help reduce your food costs by a good twenty-percent from what you are paying now."Jake states, "I am confident that I can convince Job that this is a good arrangement. I made the last offer to Berg, let us hold to that amount. It will go to a good cause. I would like to acquire one fifth of Hoover's share, and let you have the balance. That would give you twenty percent of the Lucky Lady. We could make those arrangements today and Vera could straighten out the hotel business there immediately. If we can fill those rooms, then we can arrange the money to invest in the hotel here. We can start talking with Pierre and Al on the other ideas any time." Jake gives him a grand smile and offers his hand, "What do you say, Partner?"Austin shakes his hand and replies, "Cook, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."   "Done. A pleasure, sir. I will find Berg and let him know and see if they will accept the last offer, since there are no more bidders. I will let you know when he can process the papers." Jake hangs about with his new partner for a little while chatting away until he senses that Austin Blake is comfortable before he departs in search of Mitchell Berg.  Jake finds Berg and explains the offer to him. Jake also explains the need to write Van Horne into the contract. They part with Berg insisting on checking with Upton before he approaches the bishop with the final offer. As Friday dawned for Kate was grateful it was the last day of the school week. She was anxious to spend some time out at the ranch getting some work done. The morning passed by swiftly and pleasantly until lunchtime came when she, Meghan and Mollie sat down to eat the lunch that had been delivered a few minutes before.Angela Young stops by the school with today's edition of the Promise City Mirror. Kate notes that Angela's baby has shifted position, and is now riding much lower in her body, almost to the birthing position.  Kate gave Angela three nickels to get a copy for each of the teachers. She smiled as the young woman handed them over and said, "Not much longer now, if you don't mind my mentioning it. Will you be taking a break from your work after the baby arrives?"Angela says, "Somewhat, although with Mary Wong as our live-in nanny it will be a lot easier than it was when our son Mark was born." She hands the newspapers to Kate and waddles out the door.  Kate handed the papers to the other teachers. "I'm almost afraid to read it, but I will," she joked as she opened the paper and continued to nibble her lunch.The Friday Morning Paper has the headline “Political Parties Implode!” The story is very long, running the full length of pages 1, 3 and 6. It reads: Two independent events of Thursday morning have resulted in the two existing political parties in town imploding and from the remnants of them a total of five parties have arisen with the leaders of each party scrambling to recruit the independent candidates to join their ranks. The first event that transpired was the untimely deaths of Liberty Party candidates Colin Hunter and Nicholas Thayer. The second event was a meeting of the Promise City Vigilance Committee, the sponsoring organization of the Law and Order Party. At that meeting the agenda began with Derrick Avery being formally expelled and replaced with Deputy County Recorder Dennis Winston. Next was the creation of a party platform, which was published in yesterday afternoon’s Promise City Mirror. Shortly thereafter the Liberty Party called for an emergency meeting to nominate new candidates and develop their own platform. While agreement was reached on naming Long Branch saloon owner Kate Higgins as the replacement for Thayer a lack of consensus developed over the choice for a new candidate for Marshall. The development of a platform proved to be even more contentious, resulting Council candidates Evan Adair and Tector Driscoll both resigning and Adair then expelling the Liberty Party from the Palace Saloon, which had been its headquarters up until that point. Adair and Driscoll then decided to form their own political party, called the Freedom Party, with Adair as the Mayoral candidate. They then began recruiting other candidates, successfully convincing Kate Higgins to abandon the Liberty party in favor of the Freedom Party. As of this morning it is uncertain who else will join this new party although what is known that Adair has approached registered independent candidates and fellow saloon owners Vera Blake and Burton Lumley and also made overtures to Steve Lord at the Alhambra. Additionally, he sought to meet with Job Kane of the Lucky Lady but Kane is presently away from town. While that was transpiring on Thursday afternoon, Hamilton Fisk reestablished the Liberty Party headquarters at the vacant building owned by him on Sierra Street, previously the home of Preacher Hagler, situated between his own residence and Boot Hill. At that point his party was reduced to only three candidates, himself as Mayor and Porter Norris and Ike Sherman for council positions. Since then Charlie Villars, a Thayer Ranch resident and former Cochise County Deputy Sheriff has been recruited for the Liberty Party’s Marshall position. Council positions will be filled by Denny Gaurin of the Rattlesnake Ranch and Bronco Madson of the Thayer Ranch. Readers may recall that Madson had been reported missing early on Sunday but he returned to town yesterday after hearing of Thayer’s death, having been in Galeyville for the past few days. The final council position remains unfilled as of this point although Sherman was quoted to say “If Hamilton can’t find anybody else by 5:00 P.M. today my wife Jess will take it.” Meanwhile, an irritated Derrick Avery took issue over his expulsion from the Law and Order Party and decided to now run for Town Council as an independent candidate. In soliciting signatures for his petition he came upon a number of similarly minded persons and the idea for the Integrity Party was formed. Joining Avery in this new party are storeowner Judge Lacey and Deputy County Assayer Joseph Riser forming a trio for town council. Another person hearing of this new party was independent Candidate Elihu Upton, who had just received a telegram from the National Republican Party declining to allow him to run under their banner. This prompted him to then seek out and also join the Integrity Party. They will use Upton’s Law Office and Counting House as their headquarters. They still have unfilled positions for Mayor, Marshall, and the final council position. Avery has stated “We’re actively pursuing Mitchell Berg to join us, in whichever of those three positions he would like to have.” Present Town Marshall and Attorney Berg was instrumental in bringing about the Incorporation of the town but he has previously indicated that he is not interesting in running for a political office. Then on Thursday evening a fifth party emerged from the evening meeting of the Sulfur Springs Valley Cattleman’s Association. At that meeting a heated argument developed between Law and Order council candidate Emery Shaw and Anse King, father of Law and Order Marshall candidate Ashley King. The argument resulted in both Shaw and Manuel Escobar resigning from the Law and Order Party and with King and Calvin Oldfield then resigning from the Cattleman’s Association. Following the departure of King and Oldfield, Shaw then proposed the formation of the Unity Party with himself as the Mayoral candidate, Escobar as a council candidate and Deputy Marshall Chester Martin as their candidate for Marshall. The Mirror has since learned that Independent council candidate Vera Blake has also been asked to join the Unity Party ticket. There is no word on the remaining three council positions. After King and Oldfield delivered news of the resignations of two of their council candidates the Law and Order Party then held an emergency nominating meeting. The vacant positions on that ticket will be filled by boarding house owner Bill Watkins and rancher Calvin Oldfield. While all this was going on one other new candidate for office emerged when El Parador Cantina musician Estaban Fuente registered as an independent candidate for town council. When asked by this reporter about his candidacy Fuente said that he was prompted to enter the race by the Law and Order Party’s published platform. He says that he is looking forward to a lively public debate with their candidates. All candidates for office need to be registered by 5:00 P.M. this evening, although established political parties are allowed to make changes and substitutions up until 5:00 P.M. on Sunday June 19th. Tomorrow’s paper will have a full listing of all registered candidates. A story appears on page seven under the headline “Gambler Looses Saloon in Poker Game”. It mentions Jake Cook’s loss of one-fifth of his ownership of the Lucky Lady at a Tucson poker game on Saturday, May 27th. The story states that the winner of that game was gambler Cornelius Van Horne. It states that Van Horne has now returned to Promise City where he is organizing a high-stakes game to be held at his newly acquired saloon on Saturday, June 17th. A story on page nine tells has the headline “Pinto Joe Weems and Shotgun Sally Fox Captured by Army”. It reads: Following the Thursday June 1st bank robbery in Leadville Colorado, during which a number of soldiers were killed, New Douglas Gang members Pinto Joe Weems and Shotgun Sally Fox along with Arthur Deadeye Douglas and safecracker Mae Clark apparently traveled northwest through the Rocky Mountains. There is no word of what has become of the remaining two members of the New Douglas Gang, Pamela Yeats and Mongo Bailey. All six had been involved before with Promise City bank robberies. The quartet eventually emerging on Monday June 5th at a trading post along the Colorado River where they spent the night and then rode west. On Tuesday descriptions of the quartet were given to soldiers traveling downriver in search of the outlaws. The Army caught up with them that night in a town twenty-five miles downriver. A gunfight followed during which three more soldiers were killed. The outlaws split into pairs and rode off in different directions, with Douglas and Clarke managing to escape. The soldiers after Weems and Fox tracked the wounded pair into the mountains where they were eventually surrounded and captured. Approximately a quarter-million dollars of the stolen money was recovered from the pair. They are now being sent to the Colorado State Prison in Canon City to await trial and sentencing.   The paper features advertisements for the Law and Order, Freedom and Liberty parties.Kate folded the paper quietly. "I'm not sure if this is good or bad. Derrick Avery's party would be a real challenge to our Unity party. There was no one on his ticket I would be uncomfortable with, but a split in the vote could let Adair or Fisk win this." She was quiet for a moment.  "Would you ladies mind if I ran over to see Emery Shaw? I'll be back before it's time to call the students in again."</blockquote>

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