Christmas Dove: Old Grey Duck & His Darling

Foreword: Recently, my Darling and I visited Virginia City, Nevada. A charming place full of history and adventure! Giving into temptation, we decided to get one of those “Olde Tyme Photos” of us dressed from the 1860’s time period. We studied the pictures of previous customers and decided that the typical “Outlaw & Saloon Girl” or “Shotgun Wedding” or “Bathtub” picture was not for us. We came up with the idea of an older prospector visiting his favorite Saloon Girl while she was in jail because she got into a cat-fight with another saloon girl over a customer. Some wildflowers were brought to cheer her up. And like the character in this story named “Ginny”, my Darling also has an Asian Heritage, however, it’s Japanese. Later, giggling in our hotel room, we came up with this story together. We hope that you like it.

December 1863.

Eli flicked the reigns and his two horses pulled the buckboard wagon at a slightly brisker pace. Looking at the sky, he was pleased that for once, the Farmers Almanac was actually close to correct. The sky was clear and even though the temperatures were in what would be the low 40’s, he was pleased that he was making good time and would be in Virginia City by mid-day. The Nevada Territory was growing quickly, especially with the Comstock Mine bringing out a fortune in silver.

Eli was what some might call a “Gentleman Prospector”. No, he didn’t go down into the mines to seek his fortune, and in spite of the fact that everyone in the area had “Silver Fever”, Eli preferred to make his modest fortune panning for gold. The last five years had been good to him. He had a small stake about 8 miles from Virginia City, with a good well, a small but bountiful stream that gifted him with small bits of gold on a regular basis, and a modest house with several outbuildings.

The first year had been rough. Sleeping in a tent while he worked to dig out a small half cellar for the house for storage, and then building the house itself with stone from the area to make walls of about four feet and then another four feet of lumber. The roof was pitched hard to deflect snow to the sides of the house, so not to weigh it down and risk collapse. Said house had three rooms. The large front room measured 20 x 20 with a small cooking area that had shelves and a table along with a Franklin stove for heat and cooking. A fireplace was also in the large room. The other two rooms were both 10 x 10 with a fireplace that opened to both rooms in the common wall. One room served as a bedroom, the other, for now, was mostly empty. The outbuildings were each about the same size. One was for the horses and livestock, the other for a work area and storage. There was also a 10 x 14 lean-to for the wagon and a privy, well away from everything. Besides the two horses pulling the wagon, there was a third along with a pair of goats and several chickens. The fluctuating number of assorted cats that wandered in and out were welcomed for keeping the vermin away. But the three dogs ruled the homestead with ferocity and devotion.

When he wasn’t working on his property, Eli would spend his time panning. It was cold, soggy work, and he had frequently found himself shivering as he hung his clothes to dry near the stove when he was done, but the stream rewarded him for his persistence.

He was content, but for the lack of a wife.

Entering the town, Eli headed along the main street. His goal was to get a meal, find a room until Monday so he could make a deposit in the bank (the folks at Wells Fargo would weigh his gold and credit his account), get supplies that hopefully would hold him for the next few months. Then, return home. He figured that January to late March would be the hardest, as that was when the winters were brutal. He guided the horses up a side alley to behind the saloon. There was a large barn there and a boy about ten came out to take the reigns. “Give them a good rub down and some warm mash, please. It was a long trip here,” he smiled as he tossed a 20 cent coin to the boy. A hand flew out and quickly grabbed the coin from the air and it was pocketed. “Thank you, sir!”

Eli chuckled as he made his way to the front of the building. The Riesen House had been built just a few years previously in 1859, what with the boom in construction of the mine. It had a reputation for good food along with a hot bath and a room if you wanted one. Eli figured he wanted all three until Monday. Today was Saturday, but he had made sure everything at the house was locked and the animals had food to last until his return.

Opening the door, Eli entered and looked around. Not too many people there yet for lunch. Off in a corner was that Clemens fellow who wrote for the newspaper. The man looked up from where he sat, and then went back to his conversation with his table mate. Sitting at his own table towards the rear of the room, Eli asked for, and received a bowl of stew and a mug of coffee. After the chill of the trip it was very much welcomed. He also pre-paid for a room until Monday morning. The owner of the property had a keeper taking care of business and he would frequently stop in to see how things were going.

As he was finishing his meal, mopping the last of the gravy up with a chunk of sourdough bread, a woman sat down across from him. “Well, hello there, handsome! I don’t believe we have met before.” Eli looked up and studied her quietly. She was what some, in polite company, would call a “soiled dove”. A girl who, for one reason or another, had fallen on hard times and with no other options had to offer herself and her body for money. These “doves” would be from any age ranging from early teens on up. It was a hard life and usually ended much too soon. The best a girl could hope for is to either save enough money to get away, maybe go back to family for an arranged marriage, or find some elderly man to take them away with him. They would usually take a room in the upstairs and pay the keeper of the establishment a percentage of their take. If they didn’t pay enough in coin, said keeper would find other forms of “payment” that were not typically pleasant. The girl looked to be in her early twenties, was rail thin and had her dark blond hair in braids around to the front of her dress that was allowing a rather extensive view of her cleavage. There was a hard look to her brown eyes that spoke of too many broken promises and disappointments. The dress she wore was faded cornflower blue and as mentioned, allowed her bounty to be on display, while the rest of it slipped down over her hips and to the floor. Her bare arms showed pale flesh with freckles. If there was a chemise under it, Eli couldn’t tell.

“Handsome” was not a term that could easily apply to Eli. He stood 6’1” and was muscular from years of hard work. His face had squint-lines around his dark brown eyes from being out in the sun a lot, and his bushy beard and longish hair had started to go grey at an early age. “I don’t travel to town very often, so no, I don’t think we have met, Miss...” Eli paused.

“Aurora,” she smiled. “I was named for the sunshine that I can bring to someones life, if you understand my meaning.” The smile became predatory. “Are you hoping to have some sunshine come into your life?”

Eli paused for a moment to carefully form his reply. “As delightful a possibility that is, Miss Aurora, I must decline. I am just here for business and then I will be quickly retuning home.” He noticed the look change from predatory to almost one of desperation. “However, I will say that your company has been refreshing these few minutes. Perhaps I can offer a small token of appreciation. Maybe you can purchase something for yourself, as it will be Christmas in a few weeks?” He opened a coin pouch that he had in a pocket and put a $1 coin on the table in front of the girl. “If you will excuse me? I want to go check and make sure my horses are being properly cared for.” He stood, leaving the girl to sit silently.

A short time later, Eli returned. The horses were well cared for and seemed content. Properly brushed with a heavy blanket over their backs, nose in their feed. Eli got another cup of coffee and found a few pages of the newspaper on a table. Sitting, he started to read. A few minutes later, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs near the side of the saloon that led up to the rooms. Expecting Aurora, he looked up. He instantly forgot about the newspaper.

She was enchanting. Due to her shoes with the heel, he was unsure, but figured that perhaps she was 5’4” tall, with rich, black hair that cascaded down her back in a riot of waves and loose curls. He face was full, with plump lips and eyes that were exotic in their shape. The burgundy dress was of a modest cut, as she was nowhere near as endowed as Aurora or some of the other girls that Eli had noticed during his previous trips to town. (At his age, while Eli was experienced in the ways of being with a woman, it wasn’t a frequent event. The impersonal, businesslike transaction left him cold.) Her hips were full and her waist, while slender, was not the narrow and pinched style that seemed to be popular. Eli stood, picked up his mug of fresh coffee and made his way towards the woman.

By the time he reached her, the girl had also obtained a mug of coffee and was sitting at a table. “Good afternoon, ma’am. I was wondering if I might join you?” The girl smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Miss... ?”

“People call me ‘Ginny’,” she answered. “It’s easier for them, than my given name.”

And what might that be?” he asked pulling out a chair to sit. Her voice intrigued him with a slight accent that he was unable to place.

“Gen-ji.” The word rolled off her tongue, sounding exotic. She pronounced it “Gen” (with a hard ‘G’) followed by something that almost sounded like “shee” with a little something like a faint d” prior to the “s”. Try as he might, Eli was unable to properly pronounce the name.

“It’s beautiful, like you,” he smiled. “Elijah Wilson, ma’am. But most people call me ‘Eli’ for short.” He held out a hand. A pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine, as well, Mister Wilson,” she tittered as she accepted his hand. Her tittering became a soft gasp as he lifted her hand and softly kissed her fingers at the knuckle. She flushed slightly.

“May I ask what that lovely name means?”

“Perhaps I will tell you one day. But not today,” she smiled, letting her hand stay in his on the table. “How long will you be here in Virginia City?”

“Through Monday. I have some business to conduct and then I will be returning home.”

“Getting back to the wife and children, I gather,” she chuckled.

“More like the assorted animals wanting to be fed,” he laughed. “No wife or little ones. At least not yet. Perhaps one day.”

“I am surprised. You are, what, 24 or 25 years old? Most men by now have a family.”

“As best I can tall, I think I am around 30 or so. As for family, they are all back East in Saint Louis. I came out here a few years back because, well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.” He gave a short laugh. “Things didn’t go as expected, but I have a reasonably good life.”

A frown flickered briefly across Ginny’s face. “I wish I could say the same. Things didn’t go as planned for me either, and the consequences were drastic.”

“How so?”

Ginny closed her eyes and was silent. This part of her story was still very painful. She had never really shared it with anyone, but there was something about this gentle stranger that she found very interesting. She knew that the expected business transaction would happen, and she would do her duty to make sure he was pleasured. Then she would be expected to give 30% to the bastard who allowed her to stay in a room upstairs. The other girls paid 20% but because of certain prejudices, she was penalized.

“At one time, I was engaged. My mothers family was not happy with him, but the list of suitors coming to call was rather bare. So it was decided that better him than die an old maid.” At Eli’s curious look, she continued. “You might have noticed that I look slightly different than the other girls here. That’s because my mother is Chinese. A lot of my family is in California, because they came to work on the railroad that is running from Sacramento all the way across the country to the East Coast. My father is, as my maternal grandfather so eloquently states, a ‘mongrel of Western European heritage’ and when my mother became his doxie, he was given a choice of a wedding or a trip to visit China, and there would be a good chance he would be dropped off the boat halfway across.” Ginny took a sip of her coffee. “Around the time I was eight or nine, he vanished. No idea what happened. And I don’t really care.”

“How a man can abandon a child is inhuman,” Eli stated. “And the fiance?”

“His name was Carmichael, and he came out here to work in the mine. I received letters every few weeks for several months. He was working hard and saving his pay. He sent me a ticket to come by stagecoach so we could be married.” A soft sob caught in her throat. “He died in an accident four days before I got here. I was in time to see them dig his body out and go to the funeral. They were nice enough to allow me in the church, even if I am a ‘half-breed’ girl. With no money and no options, well, here I am.” The smile was forced and bitter.

“I’m sorry,” Eli offered. “To have your dream stolen that way is cruel. But there is no other man who would want you? You are beautiful, witty, very intelligent and don’t seem at all like any of the other girls here.” Eli decided to be bold, hoping that Ginny couldn’t hear his pounding heart. “Given the chance, a man could easily fall in love with you.”

Looking up, Ginny blushed slightly. “I would need to find someone who I felt deserved that chance.” Further conversation was cut off by a loud screech.

“I saw him first!” Aurora came stomping across the room hiking up the edge of her dress so as not to trip on the hem. “You just stay away from him, you ... you ... HALF BREED BITCH!”

As Aurora came rushing towards the table, the other patrons in the saloon started hooting with laughter. “That’s right, girl! You tell her!” Ginny looked up and before Eli could do anything, Aurora had darted around him and grabbed at Ginny’s hair, holding it tight to pull her out of her seat. As she started to stand, Ginny threw the contents of her mug in Aurora’s face. As the coffee splashed across her face and dress, Aurora released her grip for a moment, then let out a roar as she launched herself yet again at Ginny, fingers curled slightly to claw at the face of her rival for Eli’s attention.

Aurora’s face then felt the impact of the heavy mug that Ginny swung at the side of the charging girls head. The impact was heard across the room as people cheered the two fighting women to more action. Aurora sank to the floor, stunned and spit out two molars. Her eyes were having trouble focusing.

“Call the sheriff!” someone shouted. “Hell yes,” a second voice answered. “We need more coffee here!” Laughter surrounded Eli as he stood and made sure that Ginny as safely behind him. Several others went to assist Aurora.

Several men stood in front of Eli. “Stand aside, mister. We need to teach that Chi-nee girl some manners!” In the background, Eli saw that Clemens fellow taking notes, scribbling with a pencil into a small note book.

“Four men and one small woman who was acting in self defense? I think not,” Eli glowered. “Come for her if you must, but I will stand between you. Yes, I will be hurt in the process, but that is the same for you. Vigilante justice be damned. Someone said they were getting the sheriff, so go get him!” Behind him, Eli could hear Ginny sobbing in fear.

Silence. The fact that a stranger was standing up for that half breed girl was something totally unexpected. And the fact that Eli was a rather large fellow of and looked to be quite strong had them thinking twice. Several minutes passed in standoff until the front door opened again and a tall man came in, wearing a badge and had a gun at his side.

“Well folks, what seems to be the trouble?” He looked at Eli holding Ginny behind him and at Aurora sitting at a table, weeping and holding her head. “Let me guess. These two hellcats got into a tussle? Right?”

Eli quickly related he story as he saw it to be. The sheriff nodded. “I figured it was something along those lines.” He looked over at Ginny. “Young lady, I am thinking that Aurora might need to see a doctor, because of that wallop on her head. And I’m afraid I’m going to have to arrest you for assault and disturbing the peace.”

Shouts of laughter and cheers were heard. Ginny looked stunned and started to cry.

“You can’t possibly be serious!” Eli thundered.

The sheriff pulled Eli and Ginny close, and in a low voice stated; “Missy, I knew Carmichael and he was a good man. I am doing this for your own safety. This crowd would love nothing more than to have some fun with you and make sure your misery lasted a lifetime. And that might not be for very long. At least nobody will be able to get to you until Judge Locke can deal with this on Monday. He is supposed to be in town tomorrow afternoon for the next week or so. We can get this all sorted out then.”

Ginny sobbed and nodded. “I just hope my things are here when I return.”

Eli turned to the saloon keeper. “What will happen to Ginnys possessions?”

The saloon keeper smirked. “She has to pay her keep for the room. No pay, her things get thrown away.”

Eli glowered and dug five $1 coins from his pocket pouch. “Sheriff? You are my witness. This will pay for Ginny’s room until the end of the week, I gather. If anything ends up missing, I want you to take care of it.” The sheriff nodded and the saloon keeper looked like he had bitten into something unpleasant.

“Stand back!” the sheriff roared. “Someone go find the doctor and have him tend to Miss Aurora. Now, Miss Ginny, you come with me. Mister Wilson? You as well. And no, you are not under arrest, sir.”

The three exited the front door to laughter and cat-calls. As they strolled up the street, the sheriff paused. “My apologies. I do not think I ever told you my name. Roy Coffee,” he held out his hand and Eli shook it. “Those scoundrels in there would love nothing more than to hurt Miss Ginny and the other girls would be happy to let them.”

“But why? She has done nothing to them. She is just a victim of her circumstances.”

“You saw, Aurora, right?” The sheriff noted Eli nodding. “The rest of the girls there and here in town are all like her. Tired, used up and a known commodity.” He looked over at Ginny. “My apologies for being so crude, but for Mister Wilson to understand, I must be frank.” Ginny nodded as well. “Miss Ginny is a fresh face, something new. Something potentially exciting. She isn’t from around here, coming in for a wedding and suddenly being faced with a tragedy. She is competition that the other girls don’t want because it hurts their earnings. It is a hard life for them and any dollar that goes to someone else is one less dollar for them.”

Ginny sobbed. “If things had gone as I wanted, I would be married by now and raising a family. But God decided otherwise and now I am fated this life.”