"Aunt Lucy, do you know the reason why the saloon is called the Bucket of Blood?" Theresa asked after entering the house.
Lucy had been wrapping up the sandwiches for her husband and niece and was a little startled when her niece came in the door and immediately called out her question. Finishing her task, she wiped her hands on the apron wrapped around her waist and turned to address said niece. "Theresa you startled me a little, now what was is you were asking?" she said.
"I'm sorry Aunt Lucy, I was just thinking on my way back to the house about why the saloon had the name The Bucket of Blood and I was just wondering if you knew why it was called that."
"No, sorry I have no idea, but "Old Ted" might." Lucy replied.
"Old Ted?" enquired Theresa.
"Yes, "Old Ted", he is the town's drunk but he wasn't always so. Ted lost his family to a measles outbreak 5 years ago and he's not been the same since. However, Ted spends a lot of time in the saloon and his family have lived in Virginia City for a long time. If anyone knows the history of things in town, Ted's the one who might know," replied Lucy.
"Where would I find him, Aunt Lucy?"
"Well I'd say he would be in the saloon at this time of day, but don't you think for one minute that I will let you go there young lady." Scolded Lucy.
"Oh no, I quite understand Aunt Lucy. I wouldn't go into a saloon anyway, but if I wanted to ask 'Old Ted' a question, how else could I ask him?" Theresa asked with sincerity.
"I'm not sure honey, perhaps you should ask your uncle where else Ted Cook might hang out. Now enough of the questions, here take these sandwiches and this bottle of freshly made lemonade to the store for your uncle, " Lucy stated whilst handing her niece the paper bag of wrapped sandwiches and the bottled lemonade.
Theresa accepted the bag of sandwiches and the bottle of lemonade and kissed her aunt on the cheek, "Thanks Aunt Lucy, I'll ask Uncle Sam if I can leave the store around 3 if you are still happy to take me for a tour of the town."
"Yes, I'd like that Theresa, now go before your uncle starts yelling for his lunch," said Lucy smiling; she was looking forwards to showing the young girl around the town.
Theresa left the home and walked the short distance back to the store. She found Sam sitting on the bench in front of the store, talking to the young man she had spied across the street earlier and her heart missed a beat. Blushing slightly she approached her uncle.
"Hey Theresa, I was beginning to wonder where you had gotten to, my stomach has been rumbling something fierce" said Sam.
Theresa passed her uncle his wrapped sandwiches and held up the bottle of lemonade, trying hard not to look at the handsome young man standing in the street.
"Howdy, little miss," said Jake.
Theresa looked at Jake and blushed shyly, "Hi," was all she could say before she looked away.
Jake smiled, Her voice sounds as lovely as she looks. "Mine name is Jake, miss?"
Sam looked at his niece and noticed her reddening face and then he looked back at Jake; He waited for a few minutes before he spoke. "Theresa, this young man is trying to talk to you young lady, please answer him." He scolded gently.
Theresa raised her head and looked at her uncle and nodded, "I'm sorry Mister Jake, my name is Theresa."
Jake's smile widened, "Well it's nice to meet you Theresa. And it's just Jake. It sure is nice to have such a pretty young lady working at the store. "
Theresa blushed, both cheeks reddening and her heart was beating so fast in her chest that she thought she might faint. He thinks I'm pretty!
Sam had been watching the two young people closely and was becoming alarmed at Theresa's manner and her expressions. If I didn't know better I'd think that she was infatuated with him. He coughed loudly, "Ahem! Don't you have somewhere else to be Jake?"
Jake had not taken his eyes off of Theresa, although she had not looked up at him again. He was startled from his gazing by Sam's coughing. Taking his eyes off Theresa and glancing up at Sam he blushed, "Yeah, Sam I do, I've got to meet Adam at the International Hotel. " Tipping his hat he said, "See you later Sam, goodbye Miss Theresa, I hope that we may speak a little more next time." And then he turned and strode off down the street towards the Hotel.
Sam turned to his niece, "Are you ok Theresa?"
Theresa nodded her head, "Yes Uncle Sam," she said without raising her head.
Sam frowned, not having children himself he felt a little uncomfortable and he vowed to himself to speak to Lucy about Theresa's reactions to Jake. He liked Jake but he was 20 and, from Sam's knowledge Jake had quite a bit of experience with women. Whereas Theresa, although she was 17 years of age, she had grown up in a small town and had little experience with men. Sam didn't want to stop Theresa making friends or being courted by young men but he was wary of her being taken advantage of.
Sighing he opened his wrapped sandwiches and bit into the first one. Theresa having regained her composure, sat down on the bench next to her uncle and placing the bottle of lemonade on the floor between them, she opened her sandwiches.
The two of them sat in silence eating the tasty thick cut ham sandwiches, each absorbed in their own thoughts.
Sam finished his sandwiches, crumpled up the paper and reached for the bottle of lemonade. Taking a large swig he burped and hit himself on the chest, "Pardon me," he exclaimed and then he took a much smaller swallow of the sweetened liquid. He wiped the rim on the bottle and passed it to Theresa. "Would you like some lemonade, my dear?" he asked.
Theresa finished chewing the mouthful of sandwich and swallowed. "Thank you Uncle Sam," she said accepting the bottle and taking a long pull. Theresa took another swallow and then handed the bottle back to her uncle.
"Uncle Sam, do you know where 'Old Ted Cook' hangs out in town when he is not in the saloon?"
Sam looked at his niece's face quizzically, "Why do you ask Theresa?"
"Just curious uncle Sam, Aunt Lucy said that he might know the reason why the saloon has such a strange name."
"Yeah, well he might, I suppose," agreed Sam. "If anyone knows in town it would be Ted. He sometimes can be found sweeping up outside the saloon or running errands for the Sheriff. Occasionally he comes by here for his pipe tobacco, but I guess best place to find him outside of Saloon hours is his shack on the edge of town."
"Is it far Uncle Sam and may I go there?" asked Theresa.
"No it's not far, but you are not going there on your own young lady." Replied Sam.
"Ok! I know I'm not allowed to go anywhere on my own yet Uncle Sam. You don't have to keep reminding me," snapped Theresa.
Sam glared at his niece, "Watch your tone young lady," he said in a stern voice.
Theresa bit her lip before she could say anything else, "Yes sir."
"Right," said Sam standing, "we can't sit here all day, there is work to be done. Can I ask you to organise the ladies and girls' clothing and make a list of anything you think we need to stock up on please Theresa?"
"Yes uncle Sam," said Theresa still feeling a little angry with her uncle but she followed him slowly into the store.
Adam had finished his meeting with the prospective beef customers at the International Hotel and he returned to the lounge expecting Jake to be sitting there waiting for him with the telegrams. Jake was not in the lounge. Adam asked the receptionist if Jake had come in looking for him.
"No Mr. Cartwright, no one has come into looking for you today other than the men you met with," he replied.
Adam scowled, Where the devil is he? Adam strode through the lounge and opened the door; he stepped out on the boardwalk and glanced up the street where he saw Jake strolling along as if he hadn't a care in the world. I bet it's that girl, if he's been skiving off talking to that young girl instead of doing his job so help me I'll…..
Jake saw Adam standing on the boardwalk outside of the hotel and he waved and ran up.
"Where the hell have you been?" Adam said angrily.
"I've been to the livery and collecting the telegrams Adam," replied Jake cheerily not noticing his friend and employers anger.
"It took you that long did it Jake?" said Adam not changing his tone at all.
"Well not exactly Adam, I might have called by the store for a quick chat with Sam…"
"You mean that you were off trying to talk to that pretty young girl you spotted this morning Jake," interrupted Adam. " Look Jake, I know that we are friends but you work for me and my father and I told you earlier, we are not in town to look for girls. When you are on my time you concentrate on your assigned tasks and nothing else! You want to romance that young lady, you do that on your own time. Do you hear me?" scolded Adam.
Jake nodded, "Yes I understand." He said looking away from his friend.
Adam put his hand on Jake shoulder, "If you like her that much Jake, you should ask Sam if you can take her on a picnic or something, but you do so on your afternoon off after church or something ok?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good, now did you collect the telegrams?" asked Adam.
"Yep, right here, there's two," said Jake handing them to Adam.
Adam opened the first telegram which was addressed to Ben. It was from Percival Greenway, a mining manager, he was to be Ben's guest at the Ponderosa for the night as he wanted to negotiate a lumber and beef contract for a new mine. He was expected in town via the stage today but he had sent a message stating that he had been delayed by a day and would arrive tomorrow instead. Folding the message back up and putting it back in the envelope Sydney had placed it, he opened the other telegram which was addressed to him.
'Adam, I will be travelling through Virginia Territory in the next week STOP. I was hoping we could have a beer for old times' sake STOP. I will be staying at the International Hotel. STOP. Please send word that you can meet. STOP. Your friend Alistair McQueen.'
Adam smiled; he hadn't seen Alistair for nearly 10 years. Alistair's family had emigrated from Scotland to America when he was 4 as his mother who was American had been homesick. Unfortunately things did not go too well for the family, the homestead had been raided by unfriendly Indians and Alistair's mother had been hurt when the small herd of cattle they owned had stampeded. Emilia had died from her injuries and Alistair's father had moved back to Scotland with his son.
"Good news Adam?" enquired Jake.
"Yes, Jake, a good friend from my youth will be travelling through the territory next week and he would like to meet up for a beer for old times' sake. I'd like you to join us Jake, Alistair was my friend for 6 years whilst I was at school and I'm sure he would like to meet my current friends. Perhaps if he is in town long enough we can all go fishing. Alistair and I loved to sneak out and go fishing."
"Sure Adam, I'd like to meet your friend."
"Good, now let's get going then, we can go back to the ranch, pa's visitor will be on tomorrow's stage instead of today." Said Adam and he led the way to the livery to collect their horses, stopping on the way to send a return telegram to Alistair.