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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3009284" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 156, “Chumbley’s Paper”, Friday, March 24th, 1882, 2:00 PM Chumbley exclaims to Ruby and Kate, "Oh, he is continuing to advertise, has the whole last page just as he did with the Herald. Josiah Young handled that negotiation, since I'm not allowed into the Place, non-human you know. Anyway, Josiah made it clear that we would be accepting ads from any saloon in town, including yours. But to sweeten the pot we've agreed to have Angelica Young write up a short story for tomorrow's edition about the Palace's new fighter, a pugilist named Flannigan. I don't feel bad since it really is news, the guy is undefeated after two Saturday nights. And further promotion of this guy will help for the festival, since I assume that the open-fisted boxing will be a key event, given how big a draw it is.""I see," Ruby replies. "Why would you want to advertise a business in your paper that is racist against you?"   He replies, "Miss. West...Ruby...I don't own the newspaper, I am just its editor. Until my publisher instructs me to not take advertisements from him I will continue to do so. And a full-page back cover sells for $ 30.00 an issue, that's too tempting just throw away. But I will not allow his advertising content to include anything racist and I'm sure that my publisher will support me on that decision. Mrs. Arcadiam is also non-human, a half-elf, and she had her own run-in with Adair last year." He then pauses, a rare occurance for him, and states "Besides, it may all be a moot point. If the town does go forward with discussion of incorporating a hot topic will be who has the right to vote. I will be writing editorials in support of non-humans, something I know a great deal about, which may prompt him to cancel his advertisements altogether."  Ruby replies, "Perhaps. But he is a lowlife scoundrel and you'd do well to remember that. I don't know who this Mrs. Arcadiam but I can only imagine what sort of 'run in' she had with him. Either she must desperately need the money or is fine letting her husband continue to insult her by letting him advertise for someone like Adair."  "I guess you won't be staying with us anymore. And you'll be so busy around town we'll never see you. If you can spare the time, you might want to stop by here tomorrow night. I'm going to put some extra effort into my singing and the show should be captivating."  He replies, "Oh Ruby, are you kidding? You won't be able to get rid of me. Don't know where I'll be staying long-term. I'm still at the Alhambra but Mr. Lord tolerated me as a once or twice a week guest, not sure that he wants me full time. As for Mrs. Arcadiam, she's a singer who is better known around town as Morgana. Her run in had to do with her visit there last year. She went there one day to audition for a singing job, but dressed as a rich easterner and with her pointed ears covered. He told her to come back the next day to negotiate pay. She came back in her Indian garb and he wouldn't let her into the building, called Marshall Hollister to arrest her instead. She's no fan of Adair, nor is her husband. But they hated Mr. Baxter's bias and will not be hypocrites by imposing one of their own. Honest news, honest reporting, no favors or grudges against people just because they like or dislike them."Kate laughs, "Also, they'll be getting a large pocket load of Adair's money.  I hope you'll support the vote for women as well, Mr. Chumbley. I think you'll agree we support the town just as much as the men, and should have just as much say in how it runs."   "I don't think such a thing exists. But we'll see I guess. I've never met this Morgana to judge." "If you're going to be living here now you'll have to find a place to live, Chumbley."  Ruby rolls her eyes, "And when is this vote taking place? I'm sick of hearing about it already."  He replies, "Oh, it may not even happen. Mitchell Berg has been suggesting it for a while now, and he holds more influence now. The Merchant's Association has the topic on their agenda for next Tuesday's meeting.""Interesting about the vote. I'm sure you're really hoping it happens soon so you can have a say in what goes on around here. Berg is a good man, if he can get it done he will."  "As long as you're here, and since you're my answer man, I have a question for you. Have you ever heard of any of these people?" Ruby lists off the names John Bell, Lester Olivier, George Otis Grosvenor, Rudolph Foote, Sherwin Allen and Riff 'Alabama' McNally. "I figured you might have heard of at least one of them, maybe from here or maybe Tombstone.""I've heard of two of them. Sherwin Allen and Riff 'Alabama' McNally were arrested last year by Promise City's Marshall Hollister for possible involvement with some cattle rustling but they were released after their alibis checked out as legit."   Ruby taps her lips, "Hmmm, I wonder where they are now?...Oh well, let's not talk about this anymore. It's sullying my good mood.  So are you coming by tomorrow night?"He says, "Of course, you've probably be seeing me on a regular basis from now on."   Ruby flashes him a dazzling smile. "How wonderful!" Jake is going to be so delighted, Ruby thinks. "I'm glad you'll be by, it should be special. Did you hear about the fencing match today? There's going to be one tomorrow morning too. I think I'm going to ask someone for lessons. What do you guys think?"  Ruby sips her lemonade, still enjoying the sun, "Hey, have you heard where Ike Sherman went? He missed that big Merchant's meeting yesterday."Chumbley says, "Nope, maybe he'll be on today's stage. I heard about the fencing, my reporter Angelica was there. She'll have a write up about both matches for tomorrow night's paper."  "Good, I'd like to read about it, I missed it." Ruby quietly sips at her lemonade, while a lull falls over the conversation.  Finally she speaks up, "I have to admit Chumbley, I have a problem putting an ad in your paper. Something irks me about you and your paper supporting Adair, hypocrite or not. Especially since he's tried to kill me and Jake."Chumbley pleads, "But I'm not supporting Adair, he's supporting the Mirror. We're not discriminating against anybody and trying to present the news in an unbiased manner. You don't have to put an advertisement in if you don't want to. Why don't you discuss it with your business partners. I don't need an answer right away, the deadline for the final printing isn't until noon tomorrow."   "Alright." Ruby picks up her lemonade. "I think I've had enough sun for now." Ruby heads inside and stops at the bar. "Mr. Hoover, you're our business manager. Chumbley is outside and wants to know if we want to put an ad in his new newspaper."  She sits at the bar and waits for Katherine to come inside.Kate looked at Chumbley with an understanding smile. "Don't feel badly, the others will talk her around. Your paper is the only game in town now. She knows you don't really support Adair. I should go inside. I'll see you later."   She picked up her glass and went inside. She hugged Ruby then sat down. "What have you been up to since you snuck out of my room last night?"Ruby smiles. "Oh, I've been busy doing errands. I went riding, that was nice. I realized that my skills have become a bit rusty, it's been a long time since I had lessons. Oh, look!" She reaches behind the bar and retrieves the photograph of her and Jake, showing it to Kate.  "Ruby, that's wonderful. You both look so happy. Jake does clean up well, doesn't he? Did you have this done in Tombstone?"Ruby laughs. "Yes he does, isn't he handsome?" Ruby says with a dreamy smile. "We had this done at Fly's this morning actually. I didn't think it would be ready so quickly but when I returned this afternoon it was done.   I really hope you didn't worry after I snuck out last night. That reminds me, I really appreciate that, I didn't know I needed to talk and figure things out so badly. I feel much better today."Kate replies, "It's what I'm here for. I'm glad it helped you, sometimes we just need to say what's on our minds to see an answer. It's wonderful to see you so happy. I was surprised to see you on Wednesday night. I had asked Miss Florencia a few days ago to help me thank Diana, and now I understand why you wanted to thank Venus.   It's an odd conversation for the two of us, isn't it?""For us, yes. I really still don't believe it." Ruby shrugs, "But we'll see, right?   I am surprised that you believe me. I wouldn't believe me."    Kate responds, "Like I said last night, I have always believed in the gods existence, I'd just never seen anything good come of them before.   And how could a goddess of love not love you? Now, if it had been a goddess of virginity, that I'd have trouble believing."Ruby puts on a shocked face, "How could you say that!" before breaking out in hysterical laughter. "Honestly, I don't know what a goddess of love has to do with me. Goddess of beauty and desire I can buy. Love? Now that's stretching it."     "She is in charge of beauty and desire too. I can see how much better you feel, and if Venus does that, then I'll put her with Diana on the short list of gods I respect."  Kate sighed softly and took a drink of the lemonade. "I met someone new in town today, a Mrs. O'Hara. So many children! But they all seemed good and well-mannered, the two eldest already have jobs. They were moving in next to the Wong's."Ruby answers, "Oh, she found somewhere to stay, that's good. Yes, I was NOT happy when I got on that coach ride Wednesday, except her children, all 30 of them, seemed to be very well mannered. I hope you don't mind, I told them you would probably be willing to help them with the tuition.""I don't mind. She's going to teach me how to keep house," Kate laughed. "I can't cook anymore than to make tea. I don't know how to wash clothes, clean a stove, mend anything. All that education and I can't do anything really useful. I wouldn't really turn anyone away, but if the other families are paying tuition, it's not fair to take anyone for free. She'll also substitute for me if I can't teach for some reason. Being sick or something, you understand.  "That's good you worked things out already. I don't know how to do any of those things either. Good thing I found a man who doesn't care, huh?" she giggles.  Kate says, "I don't have to worry about a man. But I do have a ward that doesn't want to starve to death after we move out of the El Parador."   Kate adds, “That handsome new assistant of Judge Isby's was fencing today. He was quite good. I heard him say he was on the fencing team at Oxford."  Ruby replies, "Yes, that's Kevin. He is handsome," she says casually taking a sip of lemonade, "He delivered that rose to me from Judge Isby. I'm going to ask him for lessons actually."   "You'll make Judge Isby jealous," Kate teased. "He'll be kicking himself for bringing that boy here to steal his girl away.""Right, Ginnie probably knows how to do all that stuff already, what are you worried about?" Ruby laughs.  "As for the Judge, that is strictly," she leans in and whispers to Kate, "Business." She laughs, "But that would be funny for the Judge to get jealous. I have to admit he seems to be loosening up a bit over the course of the last two dates. Although I still doubt I'd get him in the kissing booth!""Kissing booth? Apparently this is a festival to Venus as well. But I would guess devotions to Dionysis often lead to devotions to Venus," Kate smiled.  "Oh, remind me to suggest to Miss Florencia that we add fencing to the festivities. It seemed to prove quite popular this morining, and there are enough people with the skill to make it interesting.""Well, I thought a kissing booth would make a lot of money AND piss off the vigilance committee but Jake said no way. I kinda like that, to tell you the truth. He said he doesn't want to share me. "I'll ty to remember about the fencing. I have to tell her about Mr. Fly being the official photographer too. Lately I've been distracted and haven't been remembering things very well.  So you were at the match. I went to Lacey's and he was making an outfit to challenge Mr. Gonzales, it's pretty funny. I'm going to try to make it to the match tomorrow."Kate says, "He could use someone a little closer to his own age. He is young at heart, but even for an elf he's far along in life. Mr. Schmidt took it easy on him, I think, but he still could only go about three rounds. I think you'll enjoy watching it.   Pepita and Angelica overdid it a bit afterward. They were all over him as if he were a returning hero. It seemed out of place."Ruby replies, "That's sound funny. I wonder if he'll play again tomorrow? You know, probably more than I, that Mr. Gonzales has done much to help this country, maybe even the world. Kinda unbelievable actually. So maybe he deserves a little fanfare," Ruby laughs but then gets serious. "He doesn't like Jake." "Anyway, I don’' want to talk about that now. I'm in a good mood. As a matter of fact, I'm going upstairs to take a nap. See you for work tonight! Or maybe you'll even come by for dinner." Ruby heads upstairs where she kisses Jake then lies on the bed, watching him clean guns for a while. Stretching out, she grabs a pillow, turns on her belly and gets comfortable.Left suddenly alone at the Lucky Lady, Kate went back out to the porch and sat down. It was good to feel the sun and wind on her face and listen to the sounds of the town. She was still worried and upset, but she was at least satisfied that she had done the right thing. Even if she had done it all wrong. And there was still reason to be happy. She came in after a time and sat down at the piano, aware this was the only place she could play now. She filled her time with music until she realized it had gotten too late for their meeting. Even though she was still without an escort, she slipped back to the El Parador to help Ginnie and her teacher for a while before returning to the Lucky Lady for work.A short while later Ruby wakes refreshed from her nap. She is happy to see that Jake had joined her.  Together they get ready for the night then head downstairs for a late dinner. Nanuet greets Jake and Ruby when the come down for dinner. Realizing how late it is he says "Well I guess the meeting is off for now. I was planning on leaving to see Kajika tomorrow but I guess that is postponed for now, I wouldn't want to leave without sitting down with all of us first. I know you too have things to do, I plan on being around the rest of the night to keep an eye on things.""We'll have to do our planning meeting tomorrow," Ruby comments, "I'm in too good of a mood to ruin it with that kind of talk."   They eat dinner and Jake prepares for his card game and Ruby will begin her set shortly.Friday night was normally the busiest night of the week at the Lucky Lady, and this Friday was no different. The crowd seemed even larger than usual and kept the entire staff on their toes for the whole evening. Even Ruby had to step behind the bar a few times to help out with orders. Of course, she really didn't mind, helping herself to a small drink every once in a while. She sang as she did the night before, happy and passionate. She only threw in a few haunting melodies at the request of the patrons. Before she knew it, 1:00 A.M. was upon them and the crowd was finally thinning. Ruby gathered some bottles of various liquors and glasses and put them on their usual reserved table in the corner. Minerva and Chester were already sitting, drinking and chatting happily. Once the saloon was cleaned, they sit around for a while but everyone decides they are too tired to stay up drinking and talking so they choose to get together on Saturday night instead.  Everyone heads off to bed.</blockquote>

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