The life and times of Belle Plain...

[LazyK Pejay]

The grey haired man takes his saddle bags from his hourse and slowly looks up and down the street. Laughter rolls out into the street from the White Elephant. He smiles and walks up the steps.

Sitting in a chair in front of the dry goods store a slender woman swings here feet back and forth her eyes on the upper window of the hotel. She adjusts her red wig and hat with veil. She smiles and lifts her skirt a little and checks the derringer in a holster just above her right boot. She settles her dress and begins to hum slowly to herself. Darlene Pristine looks at her hands for a moment before looking down the street toward the north end of town. The sun sinks out of sight behind her black eyes. The smile has hidden warmth somewhere in the early years of her mind; but, hurt is there also..."Wouldn't the girls at the school be surprised to see me now she whispers." Sal stands and for a moment the assumed name of Kate Pristine fades from her mind.

[Scarlet Angel]

Angel pulls her pale horse, DontBuck, to a stop. They are not far from the town called Belle Plain. She's heard about the poker tournament in town. Jack Rabbit would be headed there fur sure, he wouldn't be able to resist that carrot being dangled in front of his nose.

Last time she'd seen him was a few towns ago. He'd stolen an appaloosa that was tied in front of the saloon he'd been playing cards in. The horse had spots the size of goose eggs and a gait that was so rough it looked like Jack was hoping across the desert instead of riding.

Angel moved DontBuck into a jog and headed for town.

[LazyK Pejay]

The sun has just gown down behind the hills in the west. The entire town is south of the lot where the new courthouse will be. Some are waving flags, and blankets are spread under trees. Outside China Town Wu, Wu, & Fong are getting ready to light fireworks for the first time in Belle Plain. Fong walks forward with a punk in hand and stops to light it. A dog runs from the crowd towards him. He looks up and steps back falling over Wu #2 who is lighting his punk. The match he was holding flips end over end through the air and lands in the middle of the laid out fireworks. In horror Wu #1 shouts "RUN'" at the top of his lungs. The crowd claps and shouts with glee thinking it is part of the show, and not understanding Chinese, they stay in their covetd positions. Several fuses sputter to life...

[Lucky Irish Tom]

One of the fuses reaches the main powder charge and a rocket sputters to life.  It skims across the ground gradually gaining altitude.  It singes some hair as it passes near to Miss Daisy Upsee, one of the teachers from the Academy, she remarks, "Something like that could put an eye out!"  Within seconds more of the rockets begin to come to life, and the crowd suddenly realizes the danger and begins to scatter.  One of the rockets carreens off a roof and sputters into the hay loft of the Livery, there is a sudden burst of green light and then nothing until minutes later when smoke begins rolling from the loft door.

[LazyK Pejay]

In the loft the lady from Carolina who has been glassing the area finds herself in a real tight situation. Her first concern is her horse and she leaps from the loft to the stables below and finds...

[Lucky Irish Tom]

that the horses have been quite regular.  Not worrying about the fact that she is covered in processed oats and hay, she begins to open the stalls doors so the horses can escape the smoke and flames.  Suddenly .....

[LazyK Pejay]

Wu #2 runs past the stables shouting something in Chinese. Pops Ickle stands on the boardwalk looking at the livery stable as six horses, one mad cowgirl, and a smoking Chinaman alll come together in the street. "All I wanted was the dang newspaper," he spit out with some chew.

In Chinatown a few tents have been flatened as well as several residents. At the courthouse site, picnic baskets are strewn everywhere, and blankets in tatters hang from tree limbs.
Ida Soomso hikes up her skirts, grabs two of her children and asks, "What happened to Woofie?"

[LazyK Pejay]

It is mid morning and some gamblers who are the few early risers sit in rocking chairs on the porch of the White Elephant. One who is dressed in a white shirt, dark pants, riding boots and a straw plantation hat turns to another and says in a southern drawl, " You evah play poker with that group at the Long Branch?" The other gambler, a woman with the trace of a smile says," Yes I have. An interesting bunch those folks. One could go broke winning there as they seldom play for money." The man bites the end off an long slender cigar and looks out to the goings on in the street. The Belle Plain Volunteer Fire Department nas the livery stable fire under control. The horses have been quieted and the Chinaman has run off toward China Town. The lady from Carolina has her horse and is walking toward the White Elephant.

Under the dry goods store porch a singed dog rests quietly licking his right front leg. In the far corner a cat smiles...

[LazyK Pejay]

Thx to the Marshalette,

The Life & Times of Belle Plain are now part of Saddlebag Tales. I believe this section of the Forum will allow for pure (but interesting & funny ;-) story telling. I would like to thank those who have contributed so far and invite you to continue. There are so many interesting things about creating a town ands it's people.

Please do this:

If I start something like building a house and you want to have it blown to pieces by a twister, do it. A real town would have many good and bad things happen. I know many of you are busy, but write just a few words if you have the time. I don't want this Belle PLain to become a ghost town...

Have a great day all.

LazyK Pejay

[LazyK Pejay]

Lunch has just finished at Miss Pruitts Eating Emporium. Today's special was crawdad stew with hot bread, salad, and tea. Out in the street folks are waiting for the stage and the White Elephant is slowly filling up for the beginning of the Poker Championship. Some new faces have arrived. One, a rotund man from St Louis slowly climbs the steps to the White Elephant.

"Large Bill. How are you," a voice calls from in front of the batwings. "Hello Jack Rabbit, good to see you. You want to write me a bank draft now or suffer through the whole tournment?" Bill laughs.

As they catch up on old times the stage pulls up. Spilling out is the Long Branch Saloon Team. Some are sleepy, others snockered; but they are ready to play Poker. "So this is the famous White Elephant," say one who looks Irish. Another stumbles and says, " I don't see no dang pacyderm!"

It is going to be an interesting day at the White Elephant and more interesting times at Belle Plain...

[Scarlet Angel]

Jack Rabbit grinned at Large Bill's comment about the comment regarding the bank draft. Jack had acquired a few more tricks to pull from his hate for this game.

He watched nervously as the passengers departed from the stage.

"You never seemed to like the streets, always preferred the darkness of the saloons." Bill remarked.

"With my flamboyant past I never know who will be lookin' to skin my hide or lock me up in a cage." Jack remarked.

Bill snorted and said. "Think one of them is lookin' for the father of her children?"

Jack wrinkled is nose. "Just give me one more thing to me jumpy about why don'tcha."

"Anything to help the odds Jack." Bill's eyes danced with amusment.

[LazyK Pejay]

Miles O'Smiles, Carrie Atune, and Big Red Boyle, leave the hotel and head to the White Elephant. From an alleyway the woman in the red hair and hat smiles as she watches Jack Rabbit and Large Bill enter the saloon. "Well, well one of the men I need to take care of are in the saloon now," she laughs.

At the bath and shave tent in China Town three men from the Longbranch soak in tubs while sharing tequila and beer. Outside someone shouts...

[Lucky Irish Tom]

A lathered horse comes galloping up the street, with a man in the saddle bent low and holding onto the horse neck.  The horse slows as it nears the White Elephant, the rider slips slowly from the saddle to lay sprawled in the street.  One of the gamblers preparing to enter the White Elephant rushes over, and as he nears he sees a spreading red stain on the man's shirt.  He hollers, "Somebody get a doctor!"

[Scarlet Angel]

A white haired man steps from inside the Saloon and hobbles towards the downed rider.
"I'm a doctor. Dr. Dew Little." He says.

The gambler cringes as he watches the shaky old man come towards them, wondering if the man that has been shot is much of a gambler himself. He wouldn't like the odds if he were the gambler thought.   

[LazyK Pejay]

A crowd begins to gather in the street all watching the doctor bend down putting his left ear to the man's chest, "still ticking," the doc says as he lifts his head. He begins to unbutton the man's blood coverd shirt. "I'll help ya Doc," a sultry voice says. The red haired lady from the alleyway kneels down and and looks at the man's face.

From the White Elephant another face looks out one of the windows. Silent Ed the bartender, cleans his glasses and looks hard at the woman next to the doctor. "It can't be he mumbles," as he turns and runs to the kitchen.

The three men from the Longbranch walk up, still wet. One hops on one foot pulling on a boot. "Dang, right in front of the White Elephant," says the man with one boot. "Did the pacyderm step on this fella?" All turn to the third Longbranch cowboy. "One of his friends smiles, "don't mind him, he ain't much in the thinkin' department.

The man laying in the street moans...

 

[Scarlet Angel]

"We need ta get 'im offa the street. Need ta get that there bullet out." Dr. Dew Little states as he struggles to his feet.

The woman with the red hair watches the doctor's shaking hand as he points towards his office. She and the gambler exchange worried looks as a few of the men in the gathered crowd pick up the moaning man.

[LazyK Pejay]

Two men pick up the wounded man who groans and whispers, "Asesinato!"

"What he say?" one of the Longbanch gamblers asks as the crowd begin to move away. No one answers and soon folks drift back into The White Elephant.

Dr Dew Little unlocks the door to his office and steps inside. He turns a card over in the window that says, "OPEN." He lights an oil lamp at a desk and another by a long table; gold light flickers in the dim room as the doctor stands holding a match in his shaking hand. On the floor by the alley side window a black case sits partly opened. It has not been used in some time and is dust covered...

The men place the wounded cowboy on the table. The man jerks and shouts, "Serpiente!"

The doctor stares and then gets a bottle from the desk. He pours a shot overflowing and splashing whiskey drops on the table. He stares at the amber liquid then runs the glasss back and forth under his nose. Turning slowly, he hands the glass to one of the men. "Give it to him," he says quietly turning back to the desk and rubbing the whiskey stains dry with his fingers...

[LazyK Pejay]

The sun is beginning to set and shadows from the buildings fill the the street. Laughter spills from the White Elephant masking the sound of a match being struck on a wall.  A tall man stands at the edge of the front window of the doctors office; flickering lamplight moving across his face."A cada puerco le llega su sabado," the mans says after lighting his cigar. He tosses the match out into the street and slowly walks away...

[Lucky Irish Tom]

During a break in one of the card games a gambler gets up from the table and steps out onto the porch of the White Elephant.  He takes in a deep breath of the clean night air.  Looking up he notices two riders coming into Town.  Both are wearing dusters and have their hats pulled low.  Neither rider looks up as they pass the White Elephant but the gambler can feel one of the mens eyes on him.  They pass and head toward the Livery.  The gambler gives a little shiver at the feeling that passes over him from the strangers look, a shiver his momma used to describe as someone walking across your grave.  He shakes it off and heads back inside, at the moment he is a little ahead and wants to keep his concentration on the game to give himself the best chance of moving on to the next round.

A lone indian watches from an alley way as the two riders reach the Livery. They hand their horses over to the stable boy and take their time walking through the stall area looking over the other horses.  One of them stops and gestures at the horse that the wounded man in the doctors office rode in on.  The indian is to far away to hear the other man's words, but he notices the man reach down to flip the holster loop off the hammer of his gun.  The two men leave the Livery and head in the direction of the saloon.  The indian melts quietly into the shadows.

[LazyK Pejay]

Light spills out of the White Elephant as music plays. The two men walk from the stable, their dusters flapping in the early evening breeze. The taller of the two pulls the right side of his duster around to his back freeing up his pistol. The second man moves behind and slowly to the opposite side of the street. With the wind the first raindrops fall and thunder comes from the hills to the west. Lightening streaks the sky and in the momentary brightness a birthmark like a coiled snake can be see on the left cheek of the lead man...