July 31, 1900

Tombstone. 

This afternoon I was reading and more about the mines when I saw a lawman walk over. “Hello,” he greeted me. 

“Hi mister,” I looked up hesitantly. 

“How are ya?” he smiled at me. 

“Um.... can I ask question?” 

“Okay.” 

“I been reading bout the mines. And how the miner people wanted to strike cos the owner guys were mean and made them work lots and didn’t give them lots of money. They didn’t seem to like law people though. Specially Pinkertons How come, sir?” 

“Well the Pinkertons shot a bunch of em and beat em up because they wanted to strike and the mine owners hired em to do that.” 

“But Miss Trin don’t like to shoot.” 

“Because the Pinkertons worked undercover for the mine owners and found out who carried union cards and those folks were fired,” said miss Nim. 

“So they were like law people without badges then. But now they no need to go under coverage?” I looked between them. 

“The Pinkertons are private lawmen,” the man nodded. “Or act like it sometimes depending on who pays em.” 

“But the miners didn’t like em cos they were makin em strike? Or cos they were makin em not strike I mean?” 

“Right.” 

“But Miss Trin don’t make people do what they no wanna do,” I said. 

“Because they were trying to break the union, Natalie. And when someone is going undercover, acting like they are your friend, just to rat you out to their employers, well, yes, very few miners liked the Pinkertons,” Miss Nim said. 

“Mr Kris you know the mine is hot as the place where the bad people go?” I asked him and Miss Nim chuckled as Mr. Kris walked back into the office. I walked back over to Miss Nim and said, “Guess he no want to talk no more. I reading a journal ma’am. I found it in the mines. A miner named Teddy wrote it.” 

“I see.” 

“He writing about the owners being mean to em and how the Pinkertons came and acted like their friends.” 

“Pinkertons are hired law, Natalie. So when you have law that are hired by companies, the employer could be hiring them for good reasons, or bad reasons. Did you hear Dutch Annies is having an ice cream night tonight, want me to see if Miss Paisley might have a sample for you?” 

“Maybe, yeah,” I nodded. 

“Walk with me a moment, let me see if I can sneak you a little.” 

We walked over to Dutch Annie’s and then Miss Nim walked inside to talk to Miss Paisley. Miss Nim walked back outside and I grinned as I saw Jimmy walk over. 

“Miss Paisley is going to change and bring you a sample,” Miss Nim told me. 

“For Jimmy too?” I grinned, hugging Jimmy. 

“Hi Nat. Hi Miss Paisley!” Jimmy walked up to us. 

“Hi Nat and Jimmy!” Miss Paisley walked outside and handed us both some ice cream. We giggled and took the ice cream gratefully. 

“Jimmy you came over at perfect time!” I told him. 

“I figured if Nat is here, Jimmy must not be far behind,” Miss Paisley said. 

Miss Nim headed back to work and Jimmy and I licked our ice creams as I asked him, “What you do today Jimmy?” 

“Oh, oh, I open coun at bank..got 5 whole dollar in der...bank man say I hav gram gole.” 

“Wow! I don’t make no money at the library. Jimmy I been reading more. The miner people they didn’t like the Pinkertons cos they stopped em from going on strike. But they disguised emselves as other people to get information.” 

“Natalie you tink you teech me reedin and rittin?” 

“Maybe I could,” I looked at him. “We could do it in the school and use the chalk board! There’s a picture thing with the letters on it!” 

“You mean that thing on wall with the funny squqqle lines onit?” 

“Come on!” I nodded and led the way to the school. “Look see?” I pointed to the picture at the front. “See that’s the alphabet.” 

“Why one strait, one all funny lookn?” 

“The first one is printing and the second one is this other kinda writing. It’s more fancy.” 

“I seen that firs one on sign at bank...don no wut it is tho.” 

“The first one is the letter A. Like the word Apple starts with A.” 

“Your kiddin right? Apple is spelled with dat?” 

“Starts with A yep. See how it sounds: A... apple….” 

“Well I be dipped in cold water, chuckles...I sore do.” 

“What else you think start with A?” 

“Um…. Ape!” 

“Uh huh! Remember those native people you met?” 

“Yeah.” 

“What they called again?” 

“Indians.” 

I giggled and asked, “Can you guess what letter that starts with?” 

“Ummmm, I no idea...soun like in, or n or sumtin.” 

“It’s the same letter as the word you jus said… Idea…” 

“But idea don soun like indian.” 

“I know. But some words have different sounding but start with da same letter.” 

“What that one affer a, look like cow udders layin down?” 

“Dat’s a B. Like a Bank.” 

“Oh!!! yeah, I see dat too, so it B...A...dat one on nex under it, at end, was on it to…” 

“The D? Er…” 

“No no..nex row, all way right..” 

“N!” 

“YEAH! That it!” 

“Then what was the last letter?” I winked at him. 

He looked real hard at the wall of letters and siad, “It funny lookin...I tink it dat one secn row, bout middle way.” 

“The K!” I told him. 

“Uh huh, the biggun, not that shorty one.” 

“So to spell bank the letters are…..?” 

“Ummmmm.....layin down udders, I mean B....A...N...and that funny one, you said K.” 

“Uh huh!! Good one Jimmy!” 

We talked about how we would come back every day and practice drawing letters on the chalkboard.