Chapter One
Town of Edenville
Charter
Education:. page five paragraph
seven
Provision four : Education of the young shall be provided by a
woman.
Line two: She shall be married to a long time resident of
good standing impeccable reputation from the town of
Edenville .
Line three: If the need arises for unforeseen or an immediate
filling of the position arises the unattached males of the
community will step up and perform their civic duty for the good of
the town.
One by one the men trudged
into the room as if they marched to their own execution or hanging.
Four of them would see a reprieve before this meeting of the minds
ended. From the chosen group one man's life as he knew it would be
over.
It was one of the first
buildings constructed when the town of Edenville began to take
shape. Outside fair weather with gentle breezes and sunshine
created smiles on everyone not in the room.
Inside, however, five men
squirmed. They each had their own reasons, some good, some not so
good.
A semi-circle of chairs
occupied by seven men. The councilmen of Edenville had business to
see to. They faced the uncomfortable five men sitting in front of
them. The desks of varying sizes had been pushed together into the
rear of the room allowing the space needed for the meeting.
Frederick Calhoun chairman began to speak.
Thomas cleared his throat and
glanced at his brother Keith Kincaid. Sam Weston watched the dust
dance in the sunlight as it filtered through the first of four
window frames on the south side of the room. Justice Foster sat
tracing the threads in his jeans. Calvin Horton picked at his
fingernails. Confirmed bachelors all.
All to soon it was time. Each
man picked a folded paper from the hat. No one could say the whole
affair wasn't above board.
Three of the five men sighed
aloud with relief. Sam and Thomas still hadn't found the courage to
open theirs slips of paper. One of them would soon be married and
that for most of the five men was worse than death.
Thomas mumbled, “For the good
of the town.”
He began to unfold the small
paper.
He didn't need to finish Sam
jumped from his seat yelling. “Thank goodness, thank goodness it's
not me.”
A school marm? He'd knew
someday he'd find the right person and put his single days behind
him. Maybe when he was forty or even fifty, but never ever did he
think he'd be pressed into marrying a school teacher.
He repeated it was for the
betterment of the town.
“You all right brother.”
“Yea, Keith, I'm just
jolly.” Thomas watched his brother struggle to comfort him as the
room emptied. The relief on his brother's face that it wasn't him
who had to comply to the committee reminded Thomas of the situation he was in, and his stomach
knotted.
***
It wasn't until the next
day Thomas came to appreciate he at least had the opportunity to
find his own match. The only requirement was the future bride had
to be qualified for the position. The children of Edenville were
considered valuable assets as they were the town's future.
“So, that's your
plan?” Keith asked.
“Yes, for the
moment. I'm off tomorrow to St Louis and will place an
advertisement in two of that city's finest newspapers.”
Keith's smirk required a
comment as well as his question.
“Yes, I plan to
visit Miss Sally's place while there. You'd expect me to not to.
I'm searching for...” He groaned, “a bride. I ain't married and
certainly not dead. Yet.”
The first day in St Louis
he placed the ads, checked into a hotel, ate dinner, and headed for
Sue Ellen's brothel a home away from home for men. No matter which
girl entertained him, he usually had a good time and stayed well
into the early hours before leaving.
Tonight didn't follow the
usual routine. Thomas Kincaid did something he never did before as
soon as he finished with Sue Ellen he dressed and left without a
word.
Why all of the sudden he
found himself full of discontent confused him.
***
Miss Southerly had a way
about her a
Town of Edenville
Charter
Education:. page five paragraph
seven
Provision four : Education of the young shall be provided by a
woman.
Line two: She shall be married to a long time resident of
good standing impeccable reputation from the town of
Edenville .
Line three: If the need arises for unforeseen or an immediate
filling of the position arises the unattached males of the
community will step up and perform their civic duty for the good of
the town.
One by one the men trudged
into the room as if they marched to their own execution or hanging.
Four of them would see a reprieve before this meeting of the minds
ended. From the chosen group one man's life as he knew it would be
over.
It was one of the first
buildings constructed when the town of Edenville began to take
shape. Outside fair weather with gentle breezes and sunshine
created smiles on everyone not in the room.
Inside, however, five men
squirmed. They each had their own reasons, some good, some not so
good.
A semi-circle of chairs
occupied by seven men. The councilmen of Edenville had business to
see to. They faced the uncomfortable five men sitting in front of
them. The desks of varying sizes had been pushed together into the
rear of the room allowing the space needed for the meeting.
Frederick Calhoun chairman began to speak.
Thomas cleared his throat and
glanced at his brother Keith Kincaid. Sam Weston watched the dust
dance in the sunlight as it filtered through the first of four
window frames on the south side of the room. Justice Foster sat
tracing the threads in his jeans. Calvin Horton picked at his
fingernails. Confirmed bachelors all.
All to soon it was time. Each
man picked a folded paper from the hat. No one could say the whole
affair wasn't above board.
Three of the five men sighed
aloud with relief. Sam and Thomas still hadn't found the courage to
open theirs slips of paper. One of them would soon be married and
that for most of the five men was worse than death.
Thomas mumbled, “For the good
of the town.”
He began to unfold the small
paper.
He didn't need to finish Sam
jumped from his seat yelling. “Thank goodness, thank goodness it's
not me.”
A school marm? He'd knew
someday he'd find the right person and put his single days behind
him. Maybe when he was forty or even fifty, but never ever did he
think he'd be pressed into marrying a school teacher.
He repeated it was for the
betterment of the town.
“You all right brother.”
“Yea, Keith, I'm just
jolly.” Thomas watched his brother struggle to comfort him as the
room emptied. The relief on his brother's face that it wasn't him
who had to comply to the committee reminded Thomas of the situation he was in, and his stomach
knotted.
***
It wasn't until the next
day Thomas came to appreciate he at least had the opportunity to
find his own match. The only requirement was the future bride had
to be qualified for the position. The children of Edenville were
considered valuable assets as they were the town's future.
“So, that's your
plan?” Keith asked.
“Yes, for the
moment. I'm off tomorrow to St Louis and will place an
advertisement in two of that city's finest newspapers.”
Keith's smirk required a
comment as well as his question.
“Yes, I plan to
visit Miss Sally's place while there. You'd expect me to not to.
I'm searching for...” He groaned, “a bride. I ain't married and
certainly not dead. Yet.”
The first day in St Louis
he placed the ads, checked into a hotel, ate dinner, and headed for
Sue Ellen's brothel a home away from home for men. No matter which
girl entertained him, he usually had a good time and stayed well
into the early hours before leaving.
Tonight didn't follow the
usual routine. Thomas Kincaid did something he never did before as
soon as he finished with Sue Ellen he dressed and left without a
word.
Why all of the sudden he
found himself full of discontent confused him.
***
Miss Southerly had a way
about her a
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