Chapter 24, “The Palace Saloon”, July 31st, 1881, 4:00 P.M.
Morgana goes to the bathhouse to clean up, using the scented soaps, and then fixes herself in her “Eastern” attire, with the corresponding change in hair style. She then heads north up Freemont Street, to the corner of Freemont and Sierra. The Palace Saloon is a large three-story wood and brick structure on the corner.
Morgana enters the building. The first floor consists of a bar along the entire opposite wall with a wall-sized mirror behind it, a dozen tables, a small table with a roulette wheel, a staircase along the eastern wall and a small stage with piano along the western wall. There are currently around a dozen patrons, in addition to the bouncer, bartender, gambler and four saloon girls. The furnishings in the building are fancier than those of any other drinking establishment in town. She notices that, like the Long Branch Saloon, patrons here are required to check their firearms.
She informs the bartender that she wishes to talk to the owner, and is directed to the gambler sitting at a table nearby. She approaches the man, and asks about employment as a singer. He looks her over from head to toe, introduces himself as Evan Adair, and says, “Come back this evening and sing a set. Depending on the reaction we might then talk about a regular job.” “Fair enough,” she says.
She heads back to the Cantina, telling Arcade and Louie about her audition this evening. They have a light supper, and she then leaves to head back to the Saloon. Arcade and Louie decide to go listen to her, and both clean up and dress in their best clothing. They head off in that direction just as it is starting to get dark.
She enters the Saloon and notices that a good size crowd has gathered. Card games are going on at two tables, every barstool is filled, and the chairs at most of the tables are occupied. The bouncer, whose name appears to be “Dave” is now acting as a second bartender alongside the other, who she hears people refer to as either “Deacon” or “McCoy”.
Morgana has to wait until one of the six saloon girls now present finishes singing a series of bawdy songs. Adair introduces her as “As newcomer to town, who has hopes of becoming an entertainer.” Morgana sits at the piano, and begins playing and singing a part from a Norse Opera, which the patrons have little reaction to. The then follows it up with a dozen songs running the full spectrum of highbrow classical to lively raucous bar songs. She plays the piano for most of these, but sings a few without accompaniment.
Midway through her performance Arcade and Louie arrive at the Palace Saloon. The bouncer stops their entry, informing them that the orc Chinaman is not allowed inside. “We came to hear the woman sing,” Louie says. The bouncer replies, “I don’t care why you came here. Hit the road. We don’t like your type here.” “What if I promise not to buy any rice?” Louie asks. “Humans only,” the bouncer exclaims. The two eventually give up, and head back to the Cantina.
She waits until Adair completes a game of cards before wrapping up her set, and then approaches the man, who now has one of the saloon girls hanging on his arm. “Well?” she inquires. He replies, “Not bad at all. It is a bit noisy and crowded now to talk business. Why don’t you stop by tomorrow mid-afternoon and we can talk about regular employment.” “Fine, I’ll see you then,” she says, and exits.
She arrives back at the Cantina, excited about how well the audition went. Louie tells her, “We’re sorry we weren’t there to support you. We tried.” Arcade gestures to Louie, and says, “They had a humans only policy, and wouldn’t let him in.” Morgana replies “Really? Well I just think I’ll wear my regular clothes for my appointment tomorrow.”
August 1st, 1881, 1:30 P.M.
The morning is uneventful, with Morgana receiving more magic training for Manuel Gonzalez and Arcade taking Louie a short distance out of town for some more target practice. After lunch Morgana heads over towards the Palace Saloon, attired in her full Indian regalia.
As she starts to enter the Saloon the bouncer Dave moves to block her entrance. She attempts to move around him, and he moves to further block her. “I have an appointment with Mr. Adair.” “I don’t think so Indian,” the bouncer answers. In response she begins singing, duplicating one of the songs from the night before. “Now do you believe me?” she comments. “Quit your whaling. I said go away,” the bouncer replies.
The bartender comes over to the door asking, “Is there a problem?” Morgana interjects, “Yes. I have an appointment with Mr. Adair, and he won’t let me in. I sang here last night.” McCoy does a bit of a double take, and then says, “You didn’t sing here dressed like that. Go clean up and then come back.” She refuses, emphatically stating “Go get Mr. Adair, I have an appointment.” McCoy leaves, but rather than coming back with the owner he returns with a loaded shotgun, which he levels at her and says, “I believe you’ve been asked to move along. Go.” “Lady, you’re leaving or you get shot,” the bouncer comments.
She defiantly holds her ground, and then begins to sing again. McCoy continues to point the shotgun and her. Both he and the bouncer attempt to talk to her, but she cannot hear them over her singing. She attempts to raise her voice to an octave that will break glass, and is almost there when she feels a hand on her shoulder.
She turns, and is facing the town’s Marshal Bret Hollister. He tells her, “Ma’am, I would strongly suggest that you move along. I can’t have you standing here blocking the doorway keeping patrons from entering.” She points to the two in the doorway, and says, “I’m not blocking anything, they are. And nobody has even tried to enter.” “Only because she’s making a scene,” the bouncer exclaims. Hollister tells her, “I’m afraid I have to agree with them. If you won’t leave on your own I’ll have to arrest you.” She finally gives up and walks away; telling the men in the doorway “Your boss won’t like hearing that you made me miss my appointment.”
She heads back to the Cantina and pouts. Louie tries to cheer her up, with Louie suggesting that they go back and burn the building to the ground. “Only if we remove all of the booze first,” Arcade comments. Louie replies, “We can’t remove any of it. They won’t let us through the doors.” Arcade says, “Why don’t we send Sam after them.” Morgana comments, “What is he going to do? Meek them to death?”
Hank enters the Cantina and joins Arcade, Louie and Morgana. She continues to pout and complain, and Hank asks what she is upset about. Arcade says, “She went over to the Palace Saloon to make trouble.” She replies, “I did not! What difference does it make how I dress to go to an appointment.” Arcade answers, “If it really didn’t make any difference then why didn’t you go in your Eastern attire? You knew your Indian get-up would cause trouble after what happened to me and Louie!” “What happened?” asks Hank. Louie interjects, “They wouldn’t let us in last night.” Arcade adds, “Yeah, I think it was because Louie didn’t have a tie.” Hank surmises, “I would imagine that the patrons there would have been happy to throw him a ‘necktie party’.”
Arcade looks back to Morgana and says, “You can’t tell me that you really expected any other outcome?” She evades his question, and says “I wore these clothes because they are more comfortable. I didn’t want to have to put that corset back on.” Louie asks “What’s a corset?” Arcade replies, “It’s like a bellows, except that you fill it up with boobs instead of air.” Hank comments to Arcade, “Have you ever thought of writing a Dictonary? Morgana offers to let Louie wear one. He declines. The four continue to just sit around the Cantina, being the only customers.