The Immigrants

By Donna and Abs

After the storm ended, everyone that had taken refuge in the train's engine and cars made their way out to survey the damage. The first thing on Connor's mind of course was his ship, but after a quick inspection, he determined that after some minor repair work, it would be seaworthy. He and his crew immediately set about doing so, while the immigrants tried to salvage everything they could from the wreckage of their little settlement.  

The biggest job, however, was loading the crates of railroad supplies!  Some of the cars were still crated, but of course, some had been put together.  They would have to return and dismantle them at another time.  But for now, they would ship as much as they could - as well as the immigrants themselves - back to safety in Edan. 

It took several days to get the ship loaded with as much as the schooner could carry. Once everyone was safely on board, Connor ordered the anchor lifted, and the little ship slipped out of the natural harbor and out into the open sea. The wind was favorable, and the Captain hoped to make it back to Edan before nightfall.  

All of the passengers were in high spirits.  No one really enjoyed living in the shantytown, and Edan sounded . . . well, like paradise.  There were twenty or so immigrants, most of them men, and Connor was wondering where so many would live once they got to town!

There were three married couples out of the group, and the other three women already were spoken for. They were delighted to learn that Edan had clergy there, so that they could make their relationships *official*. The unattached men would have to go into the bunkhouse, the hotel, or any other place that had room for a few boarders.

This was not as easy as it sounded!  When the ship docked, there was an understandable chaos down by the waterfront, with people and cargo being sorted out.  Methos was called, and the poor people confined to one of the warehouses until he got there. 

A runner was sent to town to check on just who had room where. He came back a short time later with the message that Ev had a large room in her boarding house if there was a married couple that would be willing to help her out. There was some jostling, but a heavyset German couple made their way to the front. 

"Wir bin married, yah, yah,” he said with a big smile. “Wilhelm Feuerhahn ist mein Namen. Und dis ist mein Frau, Hildegard. Ich bin ein Brewer. Beer ist sehr gut, yah?"  

His wife elbowed him in the ribs and interrupted. "Hilda. Not Hildegard. And what use is beer when there is no food? I am cook. Good cook." 

Methos looked the man over and nodded.  "Well, I can use the help.  I've been brewing the beer since I arrived.  But before you can go to Ev's, you'll need a thorough physical exam."  He remembered Ellis Island.  It had seemed barbaric to him then, but he understood it.  Those immigrant boats were full of typhoid, yellow fever, and cholera. 

"This group seems remarkably healthy," Connor said as several of the doctors started to give everyone a check over.  

"And we have amazingly few," Methos noted.  "Perhaps we only got the cream of the crop.  But I would still feel better . . ."  He shrugged.  He was responsible for a town that included mortals as well as immortals. 

The Feuerhahns were given a clean bill of health, and Connor's other version, the one that was now being called *Wally* for some reason, took charge of them, taking them into town to get them settled into the boarding house.  

The rest looked at Methos for direction.  They might have enough houses for all, but then the town would be completely full, and if what they said was true, most of the unattached men would be putting down rail road track in the very near future!  The thought excited him, but it also meant they would not be staying in town long.  The Hotel was nearly full up.   

Just then Quinn Helm arrived, her sister Larina in tow.  After kissing her husband, and then hearing the problem, Quinn suggested Larina run a boarding house of her own!  At least for the single men. 

That and the four empty bunks in the bunkhouse took care of the unattached men. Upon questioning the married couples, Methos found out that one of the Italians was a barber! So he put them in the hotel, with tentative plans that the man's wife could help Lupe run the place if she agreed to it.  

The others found homes, though the women were worried about being on their own when the men were away.  "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," said the oldest Immortal.  Someone snickered at this pearl of wisdom, but Methos just ignored it. 

As the new residents of Edan were dispersed to their new homes, Methos couldn't have been more pleased. They now had a barber, a man capable of making German ale and a crew of able bodied men willing to build a railroad! Life was good!