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“That’s something,” Eddy remarked, and wondered how Fontaine felt about not being patronized by his own kind.
Eddy was told that there were nearly 25,000 residents in the gaslit city, but the Colored community numbered less than a hundred.
“And most of them are men. You can count the number of ladies here on less than both hands. Good thing you’re not staying, otherwise you’d be beating the men off with your frying pan.”
Eddy smiled at the picture that created in her mind.
“There’s a large group of Chinese though. They settled in after helping build the railroads. Lots of Paiute Indians, Irish, Cornish, and Englishmen live here, too.”
As the tour continued, Sylvia pointed out Vera’s dress shop. “She’s the best seamstress in town.”
The place was on Main Street, and two beautifully gowned dress forms were displayed in the big glass windows. Eddy met the fishmonger, a Colored man from Louisiana named Amos Granger and Mr.Carter, one of the local barbers who shared his business with hairdresser Janet Foster. Sylvia then stopped so Eddy could meet Mr.Rossetti, who owned and operated one of the town’s general stores and markets. As they drove along, Eddy saw chickens walking along some of the main streets.
“We have farms interspersed with the buildings,” Sylvia offered in explanation. “But many of the wild chickens once belonged to Lady Ruby before they escaped and struck out on their own.”
“Who’s Lady Ruby?”
“A madam. Owns one of the bordellos—Lady Ruby’s Silver Palace. Has a number of coops behind the place and her chickens lay some of the best eggs around. It’s where I get my eggs.”
Eddy had never heard of an egg-selling madam.
“She’s from the West Indies and is quite a character. The Stanford twins over at the orphanage freed some of the chickens. Those little boys are something.”
“There’s an orphanage?”
“Yes. Run by a former nun named Mary. We’ll go by there later in the week so you can meet her. Wonderful lady. Many in the community do our best to help her out whenever we can because she takes in Colored children.”
Eddy looked forward to making her acquaintance.
During the entire tour, the earthshaking noise of the mine machinery filled her ears, and Eddy was still convinced she’d never get used to it.
As they drove on she spotted fashionably dressed women carrying parasols and men in suits and bowler hats moving singularly and in pairs on the crowded city walks. She wondered what kind of lives they led and what it was like to live in the desert city. The air was certainly warmer than in Denver. It would probably take her as long to get accustomed to the heat as it would to the constant drone of the mining machinery. As Sylvie turned a corner, they came up on a construction site. Men of all races were laying brick, toting lumber, and wielding hammers. “What are they building?”
“A new bank, from what I’ve been hearing. Ah, there’s Ezekiel Reynolds.” She pulled back on the reins. “He’s someone I want you to meet.”
A Colored man looked up from his sawing and upon seeing them showed a smile that lit up his handsome brown face. He called out, “Hey there, MissSylvie.”
“Hi, Zeke.”
“Who’s that pretty lady with you?”
“My new cook. Come, let me introduce you.”
The man said something to one of the Chinese workers, wiped his hands on a rag and walked over.
While he turned his smile on Eddy, Sylvie said, “Zeke. MissEddy Carmichael. Eddy, Ezekiel Reynolds. He’s one of our Republican leaders. Works tirelessly on our behalf.”
Eddy nodded a greeting. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Same here.”
“Eddy’s from Denver.”
“Denver’s loss is our gain. Welcome to Virginia City.”
“Thank you.”
“You planning on putting down roots?”
