Chapter 1

Eddy was very happy to be living in his own house instead of a rented house, and he was happiest because it was HIS house. He loved the carriage house because, since childhood, he had equated affluence with having a carriage house with a real horse and carriage in it! Now that he was marshal of Sacramento and part owner in a successful freight hauling business, he could afford all this and he was very pleased with himself.

Martha and their daughter, Alice, were happy to be in their own house, too, but for different reasons. Martha's happiness was, like Eddy's, keyed to owning her own home, but Alice, at 2 years old, was just happy to be where Mommy and Daddy were.

The two parents doted on Alice and tried to make sure that she had everything she needed and they thought she wanted. Alice was just this side of being spoiled, but somehow managed not to cross that line. She had a Chinese nanny and was learning Chinese from her along with the English she had from her parents and grandparents. Alice was remarkably intelligent and showed it every day.

Eddy was in his office at the jail doing some of the interminable paper work when an old friend walked in. "Tom Watson, I haven't seen you in a coon's age. Where you been?"

"I've been tryin' my luck in the gold fields, and that's why I'm here. You know I went up there right after I got Mary and the two boys settled from when we got in with that last wagon train of Jasper's. It was a damn fool thing to do, 'cause I barely broke even. Anyway, I'm lookin' for a job an' I wondered if you knew of anythin' available to fit my talents."

"As a matter of fact, I do! I'm looking for four more deputies. I know you're qualified; are you interested?"

"I shore am. What's the pay and when do I start?"

"The pay is $75 a month, with the first month prorated from when you start. If you take the job, you start today. You'll start out on the night shift, which runs from 7:00 PM 'til 7:00 AM. You sleep here when you ain't out making rounds. I'll tell you that the reason the pay's so high 'cause you don't git Sundays off. The city supplies shotgun and shells, the rest is up to you. Do you still want the job?"

"Where do I sign? I'm ready to start right now!"

"OK, let me git the forms and I'll swear you in."

Tom was sworn in and selected a shotgun from the arms locker and took some shells to fit. Eddy said, "Come back about 6:30 this evenin' an' I'll introduce you to the other deputies. And if you know anybody else interested in the job, bring him around."

Tom left to tell his wife the good news and Eddy started his daily walk around the business district of Sacramento. One of the first places he stopped in was the Silver Dollar Saloon. He greeted the bartender, Jim Hanson, with, "Howdy, Jim, how's it goin' today?"

"Tolerable, Eddy, tolerable. How 'bout you?"

"Oh, I'm doin' pretty well, everythin' considered. I do need some help, though. I got approval from the City Council to hire more deputies, so I'm lookin' for three good men. You know anybody whats lookin' for a job that might meet the requirements?"

"Matter of fact, I do. You see Sam Weatherly over there? He's a good man an' tough enough. He just lost his job out at the mines for poking the foreman in the nose. Now, I know both him and the foreman, and I'll tell you, that there foreman's been looking for a poke for a good many years. So I say that Sam's a good candidate for you."

"Thanks, Jim, I'll talk to 'im right now, if you'll excuse me."

"Shore thin'. Glad to he'p"

"Sam Weatherly? Got a minute?"

"Shore, Marshal. What kin I do for you?"

"I'm looking for a deputy and Jim tells me you might be available. If you're interested, kin we go back to my office an' talk about it?"

"Shore thin', Marshal. I could use a good job right now."

They walked back to Eddy's office and Eddy asked, "How come you poke that there foreman, Sam? That looks to me like a good way to git yourself fired."

"Yeah, I know. He was picking on a Chinaman we had doin' odd jobs; he'd been doin' it for a couple of months an' I jus' couldn't take it any longer, so I poked him to git him to leave the little guy alone. I admit that I didn't think 'bout the consequences when I done it. But, I ain't sorry. He deserved it!"

"Well, you know that if you gits this job, you can't go around pokin' people for doin' sumpthin' you don't like."

"Shore, I know that. I jus' hate bullies, but I kin usually hold it in."

"Well, Sam, I like you an' I'm gonna offer you the job as deputy. Do you want it?"

"Yes, Sir, I do! What's the pay an' when do I start work?"

"The pay is $75 a month for a 12 hour work day, 7 days a week. You don't git Sunday off. The new men start out on the night shift. Do you still want the job?"

"I shore do, Marshal. How do I sign up and when do I start?"

"I'll pull out the paperwork right now and swear you in. You kin start today. While I'm diggin' out the paper, find yourself a shotgun from the rack and git some shells outa the drawer. You have to furnish everythin' else."

Eddy swore Sam in and gave him some more information about the job. Sam said he would return at 6:30 to meet the other deputies and get set up.

Eddy figured that this was a good start to the day. He finished up the paperwork for hiring Sam and Tom and set out on his uncompleted round of the business district. He finished in time to make it home for lunch, which he tried to do every day, if possible.

Martha had hired a Chinese cook and was in the process of training her how to make western dishes. Martha thought she was a little too free with the spices, especially hot pepper, but Eddy liked it, so Martha didn't complain too much—the woman was learning. The woman was from that province of China were they cooked a lot like Mexicans; Eddy couldn't remember the name of the place, but he did like it.

Both the nanny and the cook were working out well, Mr. Wang Fu had found the women and recommended them highly. That was enough reference for Eddy and Martha, they were hired on the spot.

Eddy thanked Ti, the cook, for the excellent meal and headed back out to keep an eye on his charges. It was a beautiful day, typical for early summer in Sacramento, and there were a lot of people on the the streets. "Hello, Eddy. How are you, this fine day?"

"Well, howdy, Mr. Samuelson. I ain't seen you for a long time. How're the legs? You're lookin' good!"

"Now that you ain't an employee, I'd like for you to call me Jasper. My legs are coming along right well, everythin' considered, thank you."

"I heard you moved to Oakland. What are you doin' in Sacramento?"

"I'm here on business. With my legs, I had to give up on bein' a wagon master, so, now, I'm in the lumber business. Construction is boomin' an' I have a big lumber yard in Oakland servin' the whole bay area. Most of the prime lumber near the bay has already been harvested, so I'm settin' up to cut jus' east of here. I'm in need of a hauling firm to move the lumber for me from the sawmill to the river; I'll ship by boat to Oakland. Know anythin' 'bout Johnson and Goodalls? I hear they're reliable and good at what they do."

Eddy laughed and said, "I'm the Johnson of Johnson and Goodalls! We think we're good and provide the service we contract for. I don't know the current situation, so you'd have to talk to the manager, Cyrus Magnuson. Tell 'im I sent you and you're a friend. He'll give you the best rate he can."

"Much obliged, Eddy. I'll go see 'im right now." With that, Jasper scurried off as fast as he could with his two canes to help him.

Eddy spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the Sacramento business district, making sure that everything was going as smoothly as it could. He was back in his office by 6:00 and waiting when his two new employees showed up at 6:30. "Howdy, men. I want you to meet Tom Abernathy. He has the day shift this week. Tom, this is Sam Weatherly and Tom Watson, the two new deputies I told you about. Tom, show them around and where to find thin's, if you please. Zack should be along in a few minutes."