The Cowboy's Lady

Chapter 4 The Ulysses S. Grant Suite

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Emeleth and Amanda had finished several rooms, returned home to milk the cow, and had a lunch of bread and summer sausage. They had returned to the hotel and joined the crew that were working on the laundry. Most of the crew were cousins, the city had a plethora of young women surnamed Jones or Todd. They laughed and sang together as they worked. They had the laundry pinned to the drying line. Every time Emeleth fastened a sheet with the wooden clothes-pin she remember little Manda, at age five helping her. Manda had carried the canvas bag with the the clothes-pins. She called them 'bups' and pretended to smoke them as she handed them out. The clothes-pins she handed Emeleth were wet from her pretend smoking and had teeth marks in them. Some of the pins she used today still had teeth marks even now, some nine years later.

As they were hanging the last sheet Emeleth's aunt approached. "I hate to ask you Em, you already have put in a day..."

"You need me tonight to serve?"

"How did you know?"

"All the hungry cowboys are in town and you have the best cooking. Manda and I will help. Besides cowboys are excellent tippers."

"Could you help cook too?"

"Most definitely."

Amanda approached and whispered, "What did Aunt Jane want?"

"We are going to help in the kitchen tonight."

"I'm already so tired and we need to milk the cow and feed the animals."

"Think of all those tips," Emeleth said smiling.

"I could make enough for new shoes for you and a dress for me."

"Now you're thinking girl."

"But you got to let you hair down and take off those spectacles of yours Em. Pretty women get the best tips." Emeleth laughed and hugged her sister, "that's the first time my name and pretty were ever used together."

"You are pretty Em, you just try hard to hide it. That English cowboy saw it. He likes you."

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Sean had polished David's boots and brushed out his suit and even managed to iron his clothing. David was standing in front of the mirror with a straight razor shaving. "You're the only lord I know of that shaves himself," Sean said.

"I'm a cowboy, and a second son not a lord. Besides I don't trust anyone to hold a razor to my throat," David replied. "The barber did do wonders with my unruly mane. Thank you for arranging his visit.

"At least you have sense enough to shave before putting on your white shirt. Here's the styptic." David applied it to a small nick on his jaw.

"What have you found out and who did you talk to?"

"Her name is Emeleth Carol Jones. She lives with her sister Amanda Jane and two older brothers Jake and Fred. Her father William Henry Jones owns one of the liveries and the blacksmith shop. Their home is behind the shop in town. Her mother died several years ago under mysterious circumstances."

"What do you mean mysterious?"

"No one is willing to say. But her father drinks heavily and usually ends up in the jail for getting in fights. The brothers are not as bad."

"How are their finances? The livery looks busy and well managed. We have our horses boarded there and I've used that livery before."

"From what I've heard old William drinks and gambles much of the income. Emeleth is the one who organizes and keeps everything running. She is not well liked by those who don't know her well. They find her a bit of a scold."