1886 - Staking Claim - Part 1

by Elle

My mom had always told me that my Dad was the founder of Tombstone. That had very little meaning to me back then. I was only nine years old six months ago in 1886. She had been telling me the same stories over and over again about she had 'been' with him when he was part of a scouting expedition formed to combat the Chiricahua Apaches. He would tell her about prospecting for stones in the barren wilderness of the Arizona territory. Soldiers from the camp would tell him:

"Ed, The only stone you're likely to find out there is your tombstone."

I found out later she wasn't lying. My Dad Ed Schieffelin did indeed find his tombstone. That's what he named his first silver mine in an ironic symbol of his intrepid quest. The town took on the name as well. Even though he never came around or acknowledged us. I did find out after he left town he did continue to send us money every month by Wells Fargo.

This year was especially eventful for my Mom Genie and me. She had found out that Ed had gotten married and she knew the money might dry up. News travels slowly. Though he had been married for nearly two years already; he had just written about it on the day things for us were about to change. He sent a letter that his wife had discovered the transfer payments to us and he did not want to reveal that he had a daughter. I was crushed that when he did mention me it was in effect that he couldn't be sure that he was really my father. He sent one last gift of ten thousand dollars to pay off his conscience I suppose. My mom was never the same after that.

.....

"Grace" she called for me. "What do you think of my new day dress?"

"It is pretty Mom so is all your new clothing."

She had enough dresses to change two or three times a day. We started to spend more time at Schieffelin Hall. That's where all the respectable people gathered. My Uncle Al founded it. Although I don't guess he really knew he was my uncle. Just the same we began receiving packages from European dress makers and she was having custom tailored hats made to adorn herself. If we were going to be presentable she now had the money to rub noses with high society. Mom had all my new Gingham and Poplin dresses custom tailored for me. We had lived on small payments from Ed. But we had never had this kind of money before.

Mother had been holding out for the fantasy that one day Ed would marry her and take care of us. I did not realize that my Mom was seen by people of the town as a harlot. At the time I did not know what that meant. But whatever she was and then became I still loved her...She was my dearest friend. And before the cards became stacked against her; she was determined to find a wealthy husband now that Ed would no longer be in our future. Ten thousand dollars was a fortune. But it would not last forever.

One Sunday after Church. Mom changed in to a black cotton polka dot Bodice. It was fitted, line and stayed with narrow shoulders & fullness in the upper sleeves. It had a high collar, black lace bustle and was accented by a tightly drawn corset. I know it was tight because I had to use all my might to get her waist to measure 22 inches.

When we got to the venue there were stares at us...'not the kind she was counting on. The men were shunning her in fear of their wives or the 'respectable' single lasses becoming jealous. She was indeed a peacock among prudish hens and the women wanted her to feel their scorn. I felt so sad for her. She took me by the hand and we hastened the steed to scurry us home in our new buggy.

"I need help Grace getting out of this whore costume" she said with tears streaming down her face. Her rogue and powder were now streaked with running mascara. She looked like a tragic clown in a sad limelight performance. My task now was to get her undressed and cleaned up. She retired to her bed and breathed into a snifter from her medicinal cocaine vile she had gotten for her nerves at the pharmacy. I laid with her as she cried herself to sleep.

The sad part was that my mom was no prostitute. I found out later on that she had been celibate since my birth nine years ago. She was the most beautiful woman in Tombstone. But her virtue was misconstrued and tainted by petty gossip and jealousy.

My mother became more and more dependant on her nerve medicine. Over the next few months she was began to visit the Opium Dens near the Chinese section of town. Only women of ill repute would visit there. Many of them Genie found to be fraught with nerves and maladies brought on by working as courtisans and ladies of the evening at the Guilded cage.

Over the next three months Mom was seen visiting the Guilded Cage. No resectable woman in Tombstone would even walk on that side of the street. She had befriended two of the girls there. Both of them had asked to move in with us. Their life had become unbearable where they were working. They said that there were gunshots being fired through the lower floor while they were with men in the upstairs rooms. Their madam had become more and more greedy with the cut of their fees she would take. I grew up quickly after hearing about it.

Mom still had more than half the money Ed had given us to stay out of his life. One of the borders remarked on how nice our Victorian cottage was adorned with new gas lamps and wool carpets. Gisele offered to work for her keep if Mom would become a Madam and entertain only high end clientele out of our home. Ching-Lan loved that idea. She agreed to work for mom as well. They said she could make a fortune by catering to just the wealthiest select silver mine owners. These two would be the only girls and would only work two nights a week.

Ching-Lan's Uncle owns a small Opium Den and could help supply opiates to the customers. She and Gisele were the most desirable girls at the Guilded Cage. Gisele was from the French Quarter. She was an Octaroon i.e., 1/8th black and mostly French-American. She commanded the highest fees of any of the working girls in Tombstone. Ching-Lan had porcelin skin that felt like a beautiful orchid, her long straight black hair was silky and long. Her Eurasia daughter Rikki was three years younger than me and as beautiful a child as I had ever seen. She had done private sessions with her daughter where men had paid a thousand dollars an evening to watch. They could not touch - just watch.

Soon I learned the ropes. I knew the gargon and the protocol from my new mentors. Tonight I was going to learn to become a performer. I was going to join Ching-Lan and Rikki in their bed tonight. We estimated we could charge over a thousand dollars for a nice show. Mom was warming to the idea it seemed. She really believed after that evening that no longer would she have to depend on any man to provide for her and my future. 'About time I grew up she said.

"You need not ever fear a man's touch from this day on Grace"

She and Gisele retired to her bed. I anxiously awaited my first lessons with Rikki and her mom in my bedroom...

continued soon...