Early's -- Inn and Eatery

On the edge of Shanty Town, right along the road leading out of town, is not only a group of houses for Colored laborers-- formerly slaves having been emancipated , having traveled West, and many of them having taken up station as cowboys, bounty hunters, and assorted laborers-- there's of course the local eatery. Started by an old woman by the name of Earlene Dukes, the property was built by her hand and that of her family. It was simply her hospitality, always cooking enough to feed the neighbors or anyone that came by, that launched the idea of opening a restaurant. The weariness and late hours at which some hungry folk came knocking initiated the idea of the "inn".

Early's is a single level wooding building, with four private rooms, but plenty of space in the common area where travelers have propped their feet up, taken rest on the floor, or atop any gap of space in the often crowded inn. For the reasonable price of ten cents, a traveler can eat all day at Early's, and there are even wooden tokens handed out for a "lottery" that awards a free meal to a returning customer.

Currently, Earlene resides in the residence, always keeping the doors open and the stove warm, with two of her seven children in town, and four grandchildren between them. A small farm supplies her food and meat, maintained by several people in the neighborhood-- which largely supports itself. Her loyalties lie solely with the colored people of Serpent's Snag, no matter who or what they are, as long as they keep the peace and take their scuffles outside. Some say that Earlene's husband's ghost can be heard singing from the kitchen on Sunday nights-- that he has a voice worthy of praise and misty eyes.

(NPC's in CS tab!)