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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 4205884" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Two-hundred-ninety-three, “Life Goes On”, Late July, 1882Jake’s journey home was uneventful and he spends most of the next week just checking on the ongoing improvements to the refurbishing of the Palace Saloon.   Although not particularly troubled by his having missed the visit from George Eastman and the man’s fiancé, he does regret that he came back too late to get a chance to say goodbye to Katherine Kale.   As the month of July progressed the number of married women who were in a family way became noticeable, those being Louisa Baines, Edith Berman, Anita Davis, Rosita Escobar, Darla Peacock George, Elvira Hooten, Asa Johnson, Mary Kelly, Hannah Milford, Carrie Nevers, Cornflower Peck, Barbara Reston, Melissa Smith, Maria Tolucca and Li Wong. Katherine Kale’s pregnancy had been noticed by many before she left for her trip, but she is but one of four unmarried women whose pregnancies became noticeable, the others being Silver Palace saloon girl Leslie Hutton, Ice House worker Liza Brown and Mayor Shaw’s daughter Ellen.  Due largely to the influence of both Reverend Haggler and Father Valdez none of these women were ostracized by citizens of the town.  James and Beth Eaton had private conversations with the parents of children at the school regarding the unusual circumstances of Mrs. Kale’s condition. Furniture maker Cole Rixton became close to Liza Brown and protective of her unborn child despite the child’s father being the late Derek Avery rather than himself. Ellen Miss Shaw's unwillingness to name the father of her child caused some embarrassment to Emery Shaw, who moved his daughter from the ranch and into town. The town population continued to grow due to the successes of the various mines and most of the businesses in the town started to prosper. The various saloons in town continued to do well. Drover’s Hotel and Restaurant began construction of two more floors to their establishment, financed in part by the Blake’s’ new business partners Al Brower and Pierre Jacquet. Jake’s Silver Palace began to enjoy successes under the new management structure that far surpassed that of when it had been owned by Evan Adair. The Yavapai elder Jadito became close friends with the Hopi centaur Qualtaqa and the two of them took on the role of liaison to the Apache, helping to negotiate terms to trade some basic items between the Indians and the various General Stores in town. They along with Mother Jimenez began training some of the younger people in town about the flora and fauna of the region including the Mayor’s niece Emily. Marshal Martin and his deputies are successful in helping to maintain the peace. Hamilton Fisk continued to keep his nose clean as far as the law could tell, enjoying his newfound mining wealth and buying up new properties in and near the town as they became available. The Cowboy Gang appeared to have become a relic of the past, as the town of Galeyville to the east became a ghost town with most of the rabble that had resided there having now moved on to other places. Newspaper accounts indicated that Wyatt Earp had married actress Josephine Marcus and the two were now residing the same Colorado town where Bat Masterson and Luke Short now served as the Town Marshal and Deputy Sheriff respectively. Earp dealt Faro at a Saloon co-owned by himself and gambler Brady Hawkes where Mrs. Earp was the primary performer. The day soon arrives when the stagecoach pulls to a halt in front of the Wells Fargo stop in Promise City, and Silver Jake Cook looks up and can see the face of a woman he recognizes peering out the small window.   Mattie was not unattractive, but was often described as 'pretty enough'. The product of a German father and a Swedish mother, she was about 5'10", thin with an almost lanky look owing to her obvious Swedish background, but in combination with the square, solid German features turned what could have been exotic beauty into something more awkwardly plain. Mattie had long legs, arms and even fingers. Her hair color was an ordinary brown, which matched her ordinary brown eyes which seems just a matchstick too far apart. She did have an attractive smile full of even white teeth. That smile was probably what attracted Jake to her. She also had a wild and unpredictable streak, which was the likely reason Jake kept coming back. That and they both had a propensity for drinking tremendous amounts of liquor, which then fueled lust for each other in bed. Mattie also had a mean and selfish streak, which just as often drove Jake away. Despite spending most of her money on alcohol and occasional narcotics, Miss Reiter always had a provocative outfit or two that showed her long legs and offered a generous view of her limited bosom. When wearing her current favorite outfit, or when working the oldest profession in the world, she always wore distinctive makeup. Dark red lipstick, thick black eyeliner and lashes, and blush heavy on her cheeks drew attention to her face. Today her face was framed by a large flower covered hat to the top, a single large curl from her shoulder length brown hair that strategically escaped on each side of her head and on the bottom a deep brown ribbon worn as a choker around her neck. Dangling from the choker was a small cameo of a flower carved in ivory. Jake recognized the cameo and remembered the store where he stole it, not specifically for Mattie, but he had given it to her in a drunken moment of lust. Or maybe she had stolen it from him. It did not matter either way to Jake, he had no regrets. He also knew that it was no accident that she wore that today, much like she knew he would be thinking that.   She slowly looks around the town, turning her head in a wide arc before returning her gaze to Jake and asks, "Is this one of your elaborate jokes?" Jake's smile does not waiver a bit, nor does he rise to the bait. "Prosper McCoy, the manager of the Silver Palace," Jake says indicating to the man standing next to him, "May I introduce Miss Matilda Elisabeth Larsson Reiter." Jake nods his head ever so slightly as if in a bow, "And it is a pleasure to see you too, Mattie."  Just then a short, zaftig woman emerges from the stage. "Petit Jacques, il est merveilleux vous voir!" which Jake recognizes as the words “Little Jake, it is wonderful to see you!” Jake is startled out of his staring contest with Mattie, "Lin!" She plops off the stage and they hug. "Now this is a pleasant surprise, though here they call me Silver Jake.  Prosper, this is Madeline Latoile. Lin you and Mattie will be working for him at the Silver Palace." Madeline was a short French woman, or at least partly French, with pale skin, an curved Roman nose and an abundant figure. Having seen her both clothed and unclothed, Jake never understood how she squeezed her plump form into those tight dresses. He doubted her real name was Letoile, but Lin seemed to like having a fancy name. She told Jake it meant star in French. He lost count how many dozens of times she told him. Still he liked Lin, short for Madeline. Mattie and Maddie would have been far too confusing. Besides she detested being called Maddie, preferring Madeline or more formal Miss Letoile. She allowed him to call her Lin, and he pretended her French accent sounded real. Lin could be tough as nails when she needed to be, but unlike Mattie deep down in her heart she was as soft as her generous curves. Mattie cleared her throat. "Madeline will be working for me, and I will be working for you," she says looking straight at Jake.  "Ah, well, your are correct that Lin will be working for you if you are working for Mr. McCoy here. Otherwise get back on the stage," Jake says pleasantly without any menace.   Mattie leans over and kisses Jake on the cheek and leaving a noticeable pair of red lips there, "Whatever you say boss." She then turns to Prosper McCoy as if Jake is no longer present, "Can you have a boy gather our belongings? Good, now please show us where we can get a bath."  McCoy is slightly taken aback and gives them directions to Gilson’s Bathouse. Jake just shakes his head as they walk away.  Life goes on in Promise City.This concludes the Story Hours of the Wild West campaign played as a Play-by-Post module from August 2004 until April 2007. Reader's comments are welcomed and encouraged. </blockquote>

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