The Proper Thing To Do

That was the only explanation for the change in attitude she'd seen. When she'd walked from the way station to the general store and then to the hotel, she'd just been a new woman in town. Now, and she suspected the hotel clerk had told anyone who would listen that she was living in Mayor Ellington's suite. To almost anyone, that would mean she was at least a consort to Mayor Ellington if not a...

Elizabeth couldn't even let herself think the word. She'd been taught by her mother that a woman didn't allow a man to touch her until they were legally married. To think that people might believe she was there to serve Mayor Ellington in that way was abhorrent.

She'd have to explain that to him over dinner and tell him to at least let her move to a proper hotel room until the boarding house was finished. She was sure he'd understand because in his letter he seemed to be a very polite and intelligent man.

When her watch indicated it was almost six, Elizabeth checked her hair in the mirror on the washstand, made sure her dress was hanging as it should, and then took her key and locked the door behind her.

When she passed the hotel clerk, he nodded and pointed to the door to the dining room.

"Mayor Ellington is sitting at his table, the one by the windows."

The man sitting at the table by the windows was dressed in a suit like she'd seen rich men wearing in St. Louis. He was sitting there sipping some kind of drink and watching the door, but he smiled when she walked in. He waved his hand, and then stood up and moved behind her chair. When she was standing beside the table, he said, "Missus Elizabeth Duncan?"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded.

He pulled out the chair.

"Please join me at my table. We have much to discuss."

As Elizabeth sat down, she was trying to place Mayor Ellington's accent. He obviously wasn't a native of Texas. His voice didn't have the slow drawl she'd heard at every way station since she'd entered the state. She was trying to think of a kind way to ask when he sat down across from her and smiled.

"As you have probably guessed by now, I'm not a native of Texas. I was born and raised in New York City, so we have a lot in common. We're both from large cities so Leland probably seems very small and backward to you. It did to me as well when I first arrived. I found the residents to be hard working people, but mostly uneducated. That is why I decided to stay.

"Now, shall we order our meal? I apologize for the limited selection. It is probably not that to which a lady of your education is accustomed, but the cook is very good at preparing the local cuisine. There are a few things to which I confess a strong liking for though, and one of them is fresh oysters. Fortunately, once the war ended it is possible to ship ice from the North to Texas, and once a month I have three dozen fresh oysters shipped to me from Galveston. They arrived just yesterday and the ice they are packed in will keep them fresh for another three days. I'm going to have half a dozen. Would you care to sample them?"

Elizabeth had never tasted an oyster of any kind and didn't think she wanted to. She smiled and shook her head.

"No, but thank you."

Mayor Ellington shrugged.

"I assure you it is your loss, but perhaps another time."

He picked up a menu from the table and handed it to Elizabeth.

"Chose what you would like and do not be concerned with the cost. I own the hotel and since you are my guest you will not pay a cent. I can recommend the roasted quail with mashed potatoes and peas and also the venison roast with sweet potatoes and green beans. If you prefer more common fare, the stuffed chicken with roasted potatoes and pinto beans is also a good choice. Depending upon what you pick, I will select a bottle of wine to go with the meal."

Elizabeth did look at the menu, but she didn't share Mayor Ellington's opinion about the food. She'd eaten in many restaurants in St. Louis, and none of them served wild game of any kind. You could order beef, pork, or chicken, but never roasted rabbit, quail, or venison.

She wasn't sure she'd like any of those things, so she smiled and said, "I believe I will have the beef roast with green beans. That will be enough to more than fill me up."

Mayor Ellington smiled.

"Excellent choice. I shall have the venison roast and a nice red wine will compliment both."

He waived to the waiter, gave him their order, and then smiled.

"So, what do you think of Leland?"

Elizabeth chose her words carefully. Mayor Ellington was the man who had hired her and paid her way from St. Louis to Leland. He could just as easily tell her he was withdrawing his offer and he probably wouldn't pay her way back to St. Louis.

"Well, my first impression is that Leland is larger than I expected."

Mayor Ellington smiled.

"It's still a small town, but I'm changing that. I'm doing what I can to bring civilized life to what was just a tiny backward town in the middle of nowhere.

"I believe that after the war we just fought, it is the duty of people from the North to teach the people of the South the things you and I take for granted. They need to learn civility and the ways of business that the town may grow and prosper. Fortunately, this area did not employ much slave labor as it was primarily composed of cattle ranches, so I need not overcome that hurdle to progress.

"Well, I should rephrase my statement. There were few Negro slaves in the area, but there were thousands of Mexicans either employed on cattle and horse ranches or attempting to make a living by farming. Those Mexicans working on ranches were virtual slaves in their own right, receiving only a meager wage, a place to sleep, and such food as the rancher allowed them to have.

"Most didn't speak English so they could not negotiate for themselves. That fact allowed the ranchers to take advantage of them by paying them as little as possible. The men work all day in the fields and on the ranches but still can not afford to buy the food their labor produces. Instead, the Mexican women raise chickens and a garden so their families can eat.

"My goal in building the school was to educate the population of Leland in order to give them the knowledge they require to better themselves. Of course, the adult population is already beyond help, but the children...it is the children who represent the true hope.

"The other thing that is needed is better transportation from Leland to the large population centers to the East."

He frowned then.

"I am certain you are of like mind after having endured the stagecoach ride from Little Rock. I too suffered through that same adventure and I do not wish to repeat it. For that reason, in conjunction with other businessmen from the East, I have obtained sufficient land grants from the US Congress to begin building a railroad from Texarkana to Leland. I am currently working on financing for construction and equipment. It will be some time before the first train stops at the station in Leland, but I assure you that day is coming.

"I am preparing for that day. I have invested in building this hotel, the general store, the bank and the school. My bank lent the congregation the money to build the church and as I have already stated, I am in the process of building a boarding house. When the railroad arrives, Leland will be ready to welcome all travelers with open arms."

Elizabeth smiled.

"You must have a lot of faith to invest so much money."

Mayor Ellington smiled.

"Well, the investment is already paying for itself. The general store is doing quite well, as is my bank. The hotel, or course, needs more visitors and diners, but it is currently not losing money. My bank has made many loans to farmers in the area for livestock and land improvements. Those are very safe investments because if the farmer defaults on the loan, I will simply take his property. I already own almost a thousand acres and the former owners serve as sharecroppers. I take half the profits from each farm and the sharecropper takes the other half.

"So far, my situation has been financially rewarding as well as fulfilling my quest to improve Leland."

Mayor sliced off a piece of his venison roast and then looked at Elizabeth.

"I am only lacking in one area. I need a wife to share in my prosperity. As there are few women in Leland who are not already married and none who are sufficiently educated, I suppose I shall have to import one."

The odd smile on Mayor Ellington's face made her wonder if he was just musing or if his words had another meaning. She decided it was time to change the subject.

"Well, I wish you well in your search. I do need to know some things about the school. How many students should I expect? What ages of children will be attending? Are there any books available? When do you want me to begin teaching?"

She was a little taken aback by the change in Mayor Ellington's demeanor. Instead of the smiling polite gentleman he had been up to that point, he became what Elizabeth could only describe as indifferent to anything involving the new school.

"I hadn't really given any of those things much thought. My assumption was that as a schoolteacher, you would supply any books you might require. As for the number of students, I am not certain of that. Most of the older children are required to work on the farms in the area. There are a few children in town and no doubt their parents will send them. I would expect the farm families to wait to see if you teach anything of value. They are uneducated themselves, so they may not see the value of education.

"You may start the school operation as soon as you desire, but I would not expect to fill the school until the fall. Most of the farm work will be done then, so perhaps you will get some students who live out of town."

That was not what Elizabeth expected to hear from the man who had paid so much to bring her from St. Louis to Leland. She didn't know how to react since it was obvious Mayor Ellington didn't seem to care one whit about the school.

He lapsed into talking about himself again, about his plans and about how his wealth had increased. He also touched on his quest for wife again by asking her if she knew of any unmarried women who might enjoy the life he could provide for her in Leland. Elizabeth ate her meal quickly because the more Mayor Ellington spoke, the more uncomfortable she became.

When they finished eating, Mayor Ellington suggested they each have a glass of brandy to celebrate her arrival. Elizabeth said she would have to decline as she was very tired from her trip and needed to rest. Mayor Ellington looked dejected but said he understood and asked her to join him for breakfast the next morning.

As she undressed for bed, Elizabeth was beginning to question her decision again, but she was not a woman to give up so easily. She had been hired to teach school and teach school was what she would do. She would buy paper and ink from the general store and draw up notices that the school would be open on the first of September, just a week from now. She would place those notices in every store and shop in Leland. If that didn't bring students to the school, she would think of something else.

It was after she blew out the lamp next to the bed that she saw a faint light coming from the door that led to Mayor Ellington's chambers. It wasn't very bright and was on the side of the door at about waist height. It took Elizabeth a few seconds to figure out it was the keyhole in the lock on that door.

She hadn't really looked at the lock, but now understood that keyhole went all the way through the lock to the other side. That meant the lock could be unlocked from either side. It also meant that anyone peering through the keyhole from Mayor Ellington's side could see her if she was in front of that door.

That was proven a few seconds later. Elizabeth was watching that small dot of light when it went dark for a few seconds and then reappeared. The only explanation was that Mayor Ellington had looked through the keyhole in order to see what she was doing.

Elizabeth watched the door until the light went away and didn't return. She assumed Mayor Ellington had gone to bed. It bothered her that he would do such a thing though. Had he looked only a few minutes before he would have seen her taking off her dress, chemise, underbodice and pantaloons and then putting on her nightdress. He would have seen her completely naked, and that caused a chill to run down Elizabeth's spine. She'd thought Mayor Ellington to be a gentleman she could trust, but if he looked through keyholes, he was not worthy of any trust at all.

The next morning, Elizabeth rose from the bed, gathered her clothes, and took them to the connecting door. She stood to the side of the keyhole when she changed so that even if Mayor Ellington did chance a look through the keyhole, all he would see was her empty bed. Once she was dressed, she brushed her hair and then sat down to wait until nine, the time Mayor Ellington said he usually took his breakfast.

She heard Mayor Ellington's voice when she was still crossing the hotel lobby.

"Now Samuel, I don't know what happened, but I assure you I had nothing to do with it."

Elizabeth then heard another voice, a somewhat familiar voice.

"Ellington, you son of a bitch, you know damned well what happened. You sent your men out to steal Matthew's mules. I found them this morning on my west pasture and they were both dead. The wolves and buzzards had been at them so I couldn't tell why they died, but I figure your men put them there so Matthew would think I did it.

"Without his mules, Matthew can't farm. If he can't farm, he can't pay your bank the money he borrowed. You'll take his eighty acres just like you have a dozen other farms that border my land. Well, I gave Matthew two more mules, so you can't do that."

"Samuel, I did take those farms but it was all legal. Those farmers used their land as collateral for the loans the bank gave them. When they didn't pay, the bank had no choice but to take ownership of the properties."

"Well, Ellington, I'll tell you this one time and one time only. If you do anything like this again, you and I will settle this once and for all. I've stood by and watched you get rich by such tricks, but this is the last time."

Mayor Ellington put up his hands then.

"Now, Samuel, there's no need for threats. Leland has a Marshall to handle complaints like this. Might I suggest you go speak with him. He can ride out to Matthew's farm and see if he can figure out what happened. If Matthew's mules did indeed end up like you claim, Marshal Avery will see to it that the thieves are appropriately punished."

The big man scowled at Mayor Ellington.

"Ellington, you're insulting me now. You know full well that Avery is in your pocket just like every other man in Leland. He won't find anything because you'll tell him not to find anything. I'm not going to see Avery except to tell him to stay in his jail until we finish this. You've been warned."

Elizabeth was almost to the door when the large man she'd seen the day before burst through the door, took one look at her, tipped his hat, and said, "Good day, Ma'am. You have a nice day", and then strode to the lobby door. She cringed when he slammed it shut behind him.

When she walked up to Mayor Ellington, he looked a little pale. She asked him who the other man was and what he wanted. Mayor Ellington's hand shook a little when he picked up his cup of coffee, took a sip, and then put it back on the table.

"That, my dear Elizabeth, was Samuel Ames Horn, a man who owns about four hundred thousand acres of timber and grass land west of Leland. Leland is named for his father, Leland Horn, the man who started the ranch. He hates the fact that I'm making Leland grow and takes every opportunity to threaten me.

"He's always accusing me of sending my men to steal livestock or burn down crops or barns or houses on some farm that is next to his property. I don't have any men except for the people who work at the bank, the hotel and the general store and they're hardly the type of men who would do such things even if I ordered them to, which I did not.

"This time he accused me of having my men steal two mules from a Negro cotton farmer. It's my guess the farmer didn't put them in the barn last night and they just ran off. Before that, it was my men who burned down the barn at some Mexican farmer's farm and killed all his goats and chickens.

"To tell you the truth, I should probably go to Marshall Avery and have Samuel arrested, but I feel sorry for him. I've heard he fought in the war and I think the war probably made him half-daft. I've heard it did that to many men."

Mayor Ellington sighed then.

"His main complaint seems to be that I'm just obeying the law. It's true that when farmer can't pay off his loan that the bank takes control of the property. We do let the farmer stay on as a sharecropper if he wants. I think Samuel believes the bank should just absorb the loss and let the farmer go on farming."

Mayor Ellington smiled at Elizabeth then.

"Now, what would you like for breakfast?"

After they ate, Mayor Ellington gave Elizabeth a key.

"This key is to the new school house. Why don't you walk down there today and see what you might need?"

That morning, Elizabeth did just that.

She found about what she had expected. There was a table and chair at the front of the single room and then four rows of benches that would seat maybe twenty students. There was a potbelly stove in the center of the room so she wouldn't have to worry about the students getting chilled during the winter months. Other than the benches, desk, and stove, the room was empty.

When Elizabeth went back outside, she walked all around the building. On the East side was a spot of open land that Elizabeth figured that would be good for the games she'd play with the younger students. In back of the school was a rack of wood for the stove and beyond that, a privy.

On the West side of the school there was also an open area, but that area abutted the cemetery of the church. There was a man in the cemetery pushing a small lawn mower down the row of headstones. He looked up, waved, and then walked over to Elizabeth.

"Good morning, Ma'am. I figure you must be the new schoolteacher everyone is talking about. I'm Pastor David Branson. Pleased to meet you."

He was smiling, so Elizabeth smiled back.

"Yes, I'm Elizabeth Duncan. I'm just looking at the school to see what's here so I'll know when I can begin teaching. I hope to have all the children in town and all the children from the surrounding area attending. I believe education is important to help people succeed."

Pastor Branson smiled.

"I also believe that, and so do most of my congregation. My wife and I tried to teach the children, but while we can teach the stories of the Bible, neither of us is very skilled in the teaching of reading and mathematics. It will be good to have a real teacher in Leland. My wife and I will give you all the assistance that we can."

Elizabeth liked Pastor Branson, if only because he hadn't frowned when she said she was the new schoolteacher. She wondered why.

"Pastor Branson, I am pleased to know that, but I fear the other people in the town do not share your opinion. They do not seem to want to speak to me and all I see on their faces when they pass is a frown."

Pastor Branson stroked his chin for a second and then smiled.

"Elizabeth, if I may call you Elizabeth, would you like to meet my wife? I am certain she would enjoy meeting you and showing you the parsonage. I'll introduce you and then get back to mowing the cemetery."

Pastor Branson's wife was a somewhat thick woman with a beaming smile and sparkling eyes. When he introduced Elizabeth to her, he said, "Mary, this is Elizabeth, the new schoolteacher. I thought you two could get acquainted while I finish mowing the cemetery".