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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 4183458" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Two-hundred-eighty-nine, “San Francisco”, Early-to-mid July 1882 Jake's visit with the Maguire family in San Francisco is welcome, warm, and full of laughter. His sister, Virginia, alternated between laughing and crying for the whole first hour after his arrival. Jake got along fine with her husband, James, and as the week went on found him to be a dutiful and attentive husband and father. Later in the week he found him to be a shrewd lawyer as well. There was no doubt, however, that the center of Jake's attention was his niece, two year old Moira. At first she was shy of her Uncle Jake, a stranger that she had never met. Jake's antics quickly won her over. He doted over her each afternoon. He juggled for her, joked with her, gave her rides upon his back, did sleight of hand tricks and generally spoiled her. Nor did the spoiling stop there, Jake always loved to give presents and who better than his sister and family. He gave James and Virginia a belated wedding present, the gold box he had been wondering what to do with, and had filled it with one hundred ten dollar notes. They repeatedly tried not to accept such a generous gift, but Jake would not take it back. James received a fine bottle of Kentucky Bourbon, which the two of them managed to drink by the end of Jake's visit. After watching his sister, nearly nine months pregnant, waddle about the house cleaning and chasing after rambunctious Moira, Jake paid for six months of a house keeper. He helped his sister select a suitable one, using his experience in petty crime to identify and eliminate unsuitable candidates, but it turned out that Virginia was an excellent judge of character and did not really need his help. Perhaps the most surprising gift was that of a tiara for Moira, or Little Mo as Jake had nicknamed her. At first the parents laughed at their little princess strutting around in what was for her oversized costume jewelry. That lasted was until Virginia looked closely at the piece and discovered that the tiara and jewels were real. Again, they felt unable to accept it, and again Jake would not take it back. "She should always be treated like the princess she is," he stated firmly, "She should always know how her Uncle Jake feels about her. Do not take that away from me." He seemed lost in his own thoughts when she pranced about in the tiara. James did not question Jake over his gifts, but Virginia gently asked him where and how he got such things. In one of the few moments of utter seriousness of the week Jake responded, "I have given you nothing you should be ashamed to accept, nothing that did not come to me fairly." No more was said of the matter afterwards. Jake did not impose on them in their small rented house; he let a room nearby of his own. That worked particularly well for him as he slept the mornings away, spent the afternoons and dinner with the Maguires, tucked Little Mo into bed, and spent the nights exploring San Francisco. Although he enjoyed himself, he had business in mind. He watched, listened and learned all he could about the nightlife of San Francisco. He visited many establishments, gambled, talked, danced, sang, spun yarns, and drank. Only twice in his stay did he draw his knife and he never had to draw the Colt. He was roughed up pretty bad by three men in a bar fight, but made a friend of the man who came to his aid to even the odds. Jake seduced a beautiful woman, at least ten years his senior, when her arrogant and self important husband left her to go home after the theatre while he smoked cigars with his friends at a private bar. He had not planned it, but Jake was ever the opportunist. She needed attention and he needed a pleasant physical encounter with no strings attached. It was the first time Jake had been with a woman since his last relationship had ended. It was a sort of healing for him. Near the end of his stay, he selected a small saloon and made the owner an offer. It was one block from the waterfront, three blocks from a train station, and across the street from an assayer’s office. Jake's remodeling plans included making sure the saloon sounds, and sights of the female entertainment, were easily noticeable to those leaving the assayer. Jake had watched the place several nights in a row and was happy with the prospects, and knew what employees to keep and which ones to fire. His brother in law acted as his lawyer for the transaction, where Jake discovered that James was indeed a shrewd one. After the sale, Jake fired the bouncer and main bartender. Both had been cheating the owner, who sold to Jake because of poor profits. Jake quickly made the other bartender manager, hired the man who helped him in the fight as bouncer and made James Maguire his lawyer with power of attorney over matters regarding the saloon. Lastly Jake arranged for some female entertainment, and had the new sign painted. When the ten day visit was up, it was an emotional departure. He promised to visit again soon. Little Mo cried, and Jake nearly cried too but he vowed to her, "Think of me every night when you go to bed, for I will be thinking of you. Wish me luck, always wish me luck and I will be your good luck charm should you ever need one." It was too many words for such a small child, but it seemed to make them both feel better. His belongings packed, he made a slight detour to the train station that allowed him to see the new sign on the saloon in daylight hours. Jake's Silver Dollar.</blockquote>

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