Yankton

Chapter 28

Chapter 28 Winter Wonderland

Winter was definitely upon us. It was our first winter in Purgatory, and quite frankly it wasn't a whole lot of fun. It wasn't as if Mark or I weren't used to tough winters, I was from neighboring Wyoming, Mark was from Wisconsin, but we were spoiled. Melinda had returned home to the future a couple weeks ago, her "act" seemingly back together, so thankfully she wasn't here to b***h. During nice weather life doesn't seem so hard, my sister started to refer to our life here as "camping,", but come the storms, ice and snow, you suddenly become painfully aware of life's shortcomings here.

First of all, you heat with wood, wood has to be chopped, even though we had contracted with Jake's dad for our supply of firewood, it still had to be split into smaller pieces. Then there was sanitation, sitting bare-assed in an unheated "shitter," was no fun, although Colin and I managed to install a tiny stove in the central privy, but it wasn't airtight like modern wood stoves and constantly had to be tended. Fresh water was a different matter, when we drilled the well we installed modern piping, inviting all sorts of questions with no answers being provided. Trenching the line to the saloon and the clinic involved some serious hard work digging to a four foot depth. At the time Mark and Colin couldn't understand why I choose to go so deep, but after getting almost three weeks of extreme cold all agreed, I was right. At the last minute, I rigged up a couple heat tapes run off two solar panels that barely kept the lines coming up into the buildings from freezing. There were no snow blowers, plows, or trucks to plow the roads, all snow clearing had to be done by hand. Next winter however, I promised to see about getting a horse drawn plow, basically a forerunner of the road grader. I wasn't sure they had been invented yet, but a couple inquires, and a little research proved me wrong.

Another little item modern people tend to overlook, is the ability of period clothing to keep yourself warm. Oh there was plenty of wool, but no Sorel's, (snow boots) Thinsulate, or Gore-tex. Much of this was rectified, when "Santa" brought modern Carhartt's, LL Bean Maine hunting shoes with waxed canvas uppers, as well as leather ones. Even Montana and Melonie became "true believers," concerning these "new fangled" boots. I was a little concerned at first over the fact that people might become too curious as to our strange footwear, but by ordering strictly dark leather or canvas, and keeping pant cuffs and skirts down over the boots, no one was the wiser. It was long quilted overcoats with hoods, and again in black or dark brown for the ladies, "mad bomber," hats, and insulated gloves made everyone's winter just a little warmer.

Christmas 1876, not to be confused with Christmas 1776, was quite unusual for those of us from 2014. Everybody always wishes they could experience an "old fashioned" Christmas, towns and villages all seem to promote,

"Come spend an old fashioned Christmas with us" well aside from a few modern touches, we actually had one. We actually had two trees, one was a western spruce between the road, and the clinic, the carpenters wanted to cut it down but I was thinking ahead to just this situation and demanded it stay.

Melonie, Mark and I decorated it with strings of red and green pine cones, decorations we made from pieces of tin cans and odd bits of sheet metal. Later, we added some modern ornaments made for outdoor trees. I cut the other one less than a mile away which we placed in a corner up near our little stage in the saloon. This one sported conventional decorations, both period, and modern. Melonie and Kitty wanted to put candles on it but I absolutely forbid it, the last thing we needed was to burn the place down. Instead, Melinda brought back a couple strings of tiny LED lights that ran off a twelve volt battery. This of course we had to play very carefully, any questions, and there were a lot were explained away with,

"This is something only the very rich can afford, they have them in Germany, but don't make a big fuss about them, I don't want them stolen." Our general run of customers seemed to accept the "made in Germany" story, but I wondered how long I could get away with it. Melonie and Montana knew the truth, and agreed with me concerning the potential fire hazard of candles.

Montana told me a sad tale of a family in Saint Joseph Missouri where she was from, that all died in a tragic Christmas tree fire.

"Generally, you light all the candles, sing a carol or two, then extinguish them, but that's not always the case," she explained. Our decorated tree caused so much interest, I was afraid some newspaperman would come sniffing around and the "marvelous and wondrous" illumination at a saloon in the Dakota Territory." The "wonderment" seemed to be contained to our regulars, and casuals, so thankfully we didn't make the papers.

Melonie and Montana made wreaths from pine boughs and sprigs of Holly, both claiming skills learned as children, regardless, it was a memorable time. Just two days before Christmas, I returned home to retrieve Melinda along with a "ton" of presents, decorations, and food. Christmas dinner consisted of a Butterball turkey, with all the fixings, a bottle of Robert Mondavi cabernet sauvignon 2010 vintage. Montana closed the saloon on Christmas day, so we could enjoy the wonderful dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Moss, were also invited, however Mr. Moss told me he had to practically drag his wife here as she didn't want to celebrate the saviors birthday in the company of trollops and lewd women, and most certainly didn't want her son exposed to such company either. However she was in for a little surprise, Montana, Kitty, Maggie, along with Sockie were all dressed and quite presentable. In fact, if you didn't know better, all appeared to be no different than the ordinary woman, I could tell Kitty and Maggie were really working at being polite, so that later I thanked each of them,

"Your efforts may not have changed her mind, but then again a seed may have been planted. I was watching, and noticed her mellowing a little, the important thing was that she saw you two as simply normal women, we'll just have to see."

Actually, it wasn't our "sporting ladies," Mrs. Moss seemed concerned about, but Mr. O'Rourke. He too, was being careful, but every now and then profanity would slip out, Kitty and Maggie would giggle, he would apologize, Mrs. Moss would blush, Mr. Moss would glare, things would be fine for a bit, then it would start all over again. Both he and Colin would share stories about Ireland, or the trip over, stories I wish I had been carrying a recording device to get down. The information those two revealed was priceless, things I had never read anywhere all in first hand accounts.

New Years was a rowdy affair, singing, dancing, and getting drunk. Colin and I played our instruments and sang, Melinda, just back from 2014 brought the house down with her renditions of "My Darling Clementine, " "Auld Lang Syne," and a new one, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." While my sister was no Judy Garland, she did have talent. Later, "When you wish Upon a Star," was added, customers demanded she sing both whenever she was around. Mark, Melinda and I all agreed there was something very strange about welcoming in a year that for us had come and gone over a century before, but then Montana and Melonie must have felt a similar strangeness, when they accompanied us back to 2013 a couple days later, and we watched the crowd in Times Square welcome in 2014.

This was also a time to take stock and reflect, all of us were deep in our "cups," even Melonie was feeling pretty good as we welcomed in 1877. Most of our customers had left, although there were two or three crashed out on the floor, Maggie had placed a feed sack stuffed with straw under each one's head, and a cheap wool blanket over them, they would sleep like that until morning, our patrons didn't have to worry about getting rolled if they drank too much and passed out, hence the crude pillow and blanket. We gathered around the employee table and just talked. Melonie began with,

"Never in all my imagination did I suspect that my journey west would wind up here," she looked at Mark and smiled. Mark then stood up and in a slightly slurred voice made an announcement.

"I apologize to all for my condition, but I would like to formerly announce our engagement, Miss Melonie Bishop has consented to be my wife, we are looking at a spring wedding, details to follow." We all cheered and clapped as Melonie stood up and blushed, hugging Mark. It was at this point that I knew I'd better have a little talk with Montana. We had never discussed marriage, but the die was cast, and I was pretty sure we'd end up standing before the preacher as well. After Melonie sat back down she pointed her finger at me,

"You…you're the one that brought this wonderful man into my life, a man who is making my fondest dream come true. I looked at her and shrugged,

"Sorry Mel, so sue me!" This response brought a lot of laughter until Melonie indicated that she had more to say.

"It's difficult to understand, that it was only this past summer that I cowered in fear trying to hide from Swearingen's men who were determined to return me to him. I've often laid awake at nights wondering at the strange turn of events that brought me to where I am now. However, I think the greatest change has come from within me." Waving her hand towards Montana, Kitty, Maggie and Ingrid, she continued.

"I've made friends I never thought I would have, Montana, Kitty, Maggie, oh and you too Ingrid, I've learned to overlook the social prejudices I was raised with, and understand each of you for the warm caring friends that you are. I'm not forgetting you Melinda, the fact that my own family, as well as society in general frowned upon my desire to become a doctor spurred my interest in the suffragette movement, you have shown all of us the struggle for equality has become a reality, Melinda, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Montana then rose,

"I share Melonie's sentiments as well; this endeavor we are all involved in wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for Brian and Mark. Like Melonie, I still have a hard time accepting the fact that they are from the far and distant future. Both Melonie and I have been there, have seen it with our own eyes…and yet…"

She paused a moment to collect her thoughts,

"I have no idea how long this establishment will exist, according to Brian here, in just a few short years the prospector's and placer claims will be gone, replaced by heavy mining, be that as it may, I intend to acquire as much capital as is possible, however I am no Swearingen, I think we have all seen the fruits of that." Then turning to Kitty, Maggie, and Ingrid, she added,

"It is my strongest desire to make Purgatory an interesting place of employment, who you ladies service will be entirely up to you, I have already discussed these terms with you, but I am merely reaffirming them." Everyone clapped until Maggie stood, and began to speak.

"We know who and what we are Montana, all we ask is to be treated honestly and fairly, we have no doubt you as well as the others will treat us in such a manner."

Later, in Montana's bedroom, I asked her,

"How about you Montana, given any thoughts to marriage?" There was a long pause making me think that she might have not heard me, but then she quietly replied.

"My mind has been pre-occupied with thoughts of this saloon, worry about it all the time." I reached over and cradled her in my arms,

"Just relax Montana," I soothed, Just do the right things, and the customers will come, I'm not worried, you shouldn't either, now…any thoughts on marriage?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet, Brian, on one hand my heart grows fonder for you, I've never met a man quite like you, but on the other…I promised myself that I would never marry again."

"Well I guess we'll just have to work on that, won't we?" Montana snuggled in my arms as she replied,

"I suppose we will."