New Beginnings and Happy Endings
Kitty Russell had been away from Dodge City,Ks for over a year. She had simply left with one purpose in mind. To prove to herself that she was capable of more than running a saloon. So she returned to the
land of her beginnings-New Orleans, LA. Why there? Well, really even she wasn't sure but she thought
after all these years maybe what hadn't been right 19 years ago might finally be right.
When it comes to change it happens in everything and most certainly in cities. New Orleans was not left out of the picture on that note. War and the end of war had long passed it. It was after all a port city
and busy it was. Something about it though just wasn't what Kitty had hoped for. It had become more
lawless and dangerous than she remembered or maybe it was just that she hadn't really seen for what it
had been in the first place. Anyway, it was what it was and she would just have to take it or leave it. She gave it a year. She had done well. She had taken over her fathers shipping business and was doing quite well but one thing remained missing-Matt Dillion. Though she thought she could forget him, it just wasn't going to happen. He meant so much.
Matt Dillion wasn't much better at forgetting Kitty Russell either. She was his "right arm" his "rock" if you will. Whatever it was, he loved her, he missed her and he knew it and so did his friends. Not that he would ever admit to it but he did. Pride or some such thing as Festus would put it, kept him from really being himself. Doc knew it too but Matt was a bit more open with him if you could call it that, but lets just say Doc knew both parties better than most, at least he thought he did. Whatever, the case Kitty was coming home and no one was happier and more "nervious" as Festus would put it, than Matt. Of
course, Festus did have to do a bit of kidding with him about it. Didn't go over that well but he knew how far to go too. Kitty would arrive on the morning train at 6am, on June 30th. It was anything but her
hour of the day to be out and about but she wasn't taking any chances taking the stage, so the early hour
would just have to do.
It turned into a really pretty morning that day. The sun had been up for a while when the train got in just a few minutes past 6. It had been rather hot in Kansas for several weeks but it finally cooled down and rained a couple days before so it was actually a really nice morning. Matt had been up since about 5, not really able to sleep with worry and excitement over Kitty coming home. So often one thing or the other would happen to her when she traveled that Matt just could not help but worry. Festus and Newly tried their best as did Doc to assure him she would be fine but he wouldn't rest easy until he saw her off that train himself and that is exactly what he did.
Kitty had slept most of the night thru so she was at least rested. Getting off she was surprised that nearly half the town was there to welcome back their former saloon keeper. That job however would not be what Kitty would be doing. You see the reason she came back, was that she had been told that Ma Smalley had left Dodge to live with her ailing sister in Ellenwood so her boarding house would close unless a new owner could be found. It was Newly who wired Kitty about the news. It was actually the idea of he and Doc and Festus but the three had decided that maybe coming from Newly she just might come back. They thought maybe Matt would get back to being more himself. They knew he dearly missed her and figured if they knew anything about those two that she missed him too. Chalk one up for experience!
Matt's eyes lit up when he saw Kitty get off that train. It was like Christmas morning to a child eager to see what Santa had left the night before. Kitty wasn't much different. She had that happy grin on her face and it glowed like none other. Matt took her bags and took them over to the boarding house where they would be safe until she had time to attend to them. First in order was breakfast. They were both starved. Matt was always the hungriest of the two but this time Kitty wasn't planning on leaving right away like she was the first time they met, she enjoyed a quiet breakfast with Matt. After filling themselves up, Matt wanted to take Kitty out for a buggy ride just to be alone with her. She was tired
but agreed anyway. It was a pretty morning and still early by most standards, only about 8am. They sat and talked for what seemed like hours. So much to catch up on. They had written from time to time but not that much as both were actually busy.
Decisions needed to be made and Matt felt in his heart that he needed to make things permanent with Kitty. He had purchased a ring about a month ago after learning that Kitty would be coming back home to Dodge City. He had it in his shirt pocket when they left on their buggy ride. After stopping for a while beside the road, Matt found the courage in himself to take it out and propose to his girl. Kitty wasn't looking for that but she was overjoyed and said yes almost immediately. They set the date for the next day, after all they had waited 20 years, why wait longer. They would have a private ceremony with Judge Brooker . Festus and Newly and Doc as witnesses. The event went off without a hitch at 7am the next morning-Judge Brooker had to leave by 7:30 for a court date in Hays City.
The three witnesses were instructed to keep quiet about the wedding and Kitty would in fact operate the boarding house. They would need a place to live and no one would need to be the wiser.
Years passed and Matt would retire from his position with the federal courts-that of U.S Marshall, that he had proudly held for 35 years. In the time after he and Kitty were married, Doc passed on as did Festus. Newly remarried, after about ten years since the time he lost Patricia, and had three sons.
Matt and Kitty let the news of their marriage come out slowly and they were blessed with two sons and one daughter themselves. Upon his retirement, Matt and Kitty decided to turn the boarding house over to their daughter and husband and simply live out their remaining years in the town they loved so much.