A pleasant stroll down the street was hardly possible for Randolph and Coraline, though they might try their best. With every space on every avenue packed, the best place for such a type of walking was on the edge of the road, except when the crowd bulged out to cover the space in front of them. Just as they exited the Dog Eye Saloon, they chanced to pass near an alley. A strikingly pretty young woman stood there with dark brown that hung in soft waves to her waist, she stood at a modest height and had green eyes and full lips that men had sworn they'd die for. Opposite her was a well dressed gentleman with whom she seemed to be having a heated argument. Noticing Randolph and Coraline passing by, they stopped talking abruptly. The man began to walk away in the other direction, and the woman walked towards the pair with a smile.

The woman walked - no, sauntered over to them with a thousand dollar smile on her lips and sparkling eyes that especially seemed focused on Randolph. She closed in on them, the scent of perfume wafting towards them as she neared. She didn't touch him, but it was a near thing.

"Well, hey there, sugar," she said in a charming drawl, smiling slyly at him. She smiled at Coraline as well, though, her attention quickly returned to Randolph. "If you're going to be back at the Dog Eye later, you should stop by and see me. I'm Suzy."

Randolph tips his hat to the young woman. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss, but I don't expect to have time to improve upon it." He pulls back his lapel to reveal the badge on his vest. "Have a good evening."

He guides Cora in a counter-clockwise circuit of the block, looking in at Kennely’s Restaurant for a piece of pie and cup of coffee, the First Bank to introduce himself and Coraline to the president, and McCarty's Drugstore, where he purchases a small bag of lemon drops and one of licorice buttons.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:04, Thu 28 Feb 2013.

Pleased with how little attention that Randolph had given the uncommonly beautiful prostitute, Cora made the circuit with him, taking note of the various buildings as they walked.  The press of people sometimes made it difficult to walk, but she was glad of the crowd and the sights that came with it.  She'd always been more interested in people than in places.  As they exited the drugstore, she pulled Randolph out of the main walkway into the building and stood close to him so that they could talk.

"What do you think of all this, Mister Darling?"

"I'd have a better if you call on me, darlin'," she purred with a smile, before turning to enter the Dog Eye Saloon.

"I think it is a shame that after all these years the dispute between the Union and the Confederacy continues unresolved. Especially considering the other evils with which we are all beset.

"This anniversary, the freeing of the colonies from English tyranny should be a time of common celebration, of building bridges toward common purpose, rather than an excuse for further contention.

"I am a Union man and I wish that Washington would either fight this war to a conclusion or finally negotiate an end of it. This prolonged and desultory struggle is worse than useless for it weakens all of us."

"I'd have to agree.  Nothing good has come from that war.  It has sewn nothing but seeds of hatred and contempt.  I wonder just how much of that is going to surface tonight."  She turned her attention to the crowd, more than a little worried how they would be able to keep the peace.

"Randolph, I need to speak with you about something that happened this morning at breakfast.  I got into a heated argument with Mister Clark about your intentions.  He is determined to paint you as a sensationalist reporter that cares only for breaking a story.  I told him that wasn't true, though he still does not trust you."