Kit Morgan

 If only we knew then what we know now. Yes, I’m talking about the medical profession. Doctors in the old West weren’t all they were cracked up to be. Many had no formal education at all. And the ones that did often practiced medicine in the bigger cities.
But thankfully, there were those that went west. And just as unfortunate, so did a good share of quacks, home bugs, charlatans, swindlers, and tricksters. each of these unscrupulous chaps (not to mention a few women) hawked tonics, potions, and pills aplenty. And, believe it or not, they were quite successful at it too. So long as they were plying their wares to an unsuspecting public.

So how did they do it? Unsuspecting or no, one would think the people would figure it out. Easy. They played on people’s fear of death and sickness. Problem was, all those tonics potions and pills didn’t work. Half the time they did more damage than good and even killed the poor patient. Granted, there are those that have scams in the ensuing decades since the old West existed and thankfully we’re not as unsuspecting as we used to be. But back in the good old days, things were done differently and often painfully. For instance, have a baby that won’t stop crying? Why not reach for Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup? If that wasn’t handy you could try Godfrey’s Cordial, Jayne’s Carminative Balsam, or Daffy’s Elixir. Hmm, I wonder how daffy, Daffy’s Elixir made you? Considering all of this contained morphine or opium (no wonder babies went right to sleep) it was a safe bet one might get a little loopy. Problem was, some people took them and never woke up.

But opium did get an upgrade. And when it did, it got a new name too. Laudanum. For those of us who write historicals, this is something we’ve used in our stories on occasion, having our characters down in a spoonful or two mixed with water. believe me, if there was anything else we could give our characters to get the better we would. But there’s only so many things available in the time. You were writing in.

Opium might’ve started wars in the East, but its upgraded version, laudanum, took its toll on the west. Sure, it wasn’t as potent as straight opium, but laudanum packed its own particular punch and tasted better. Added alcohol only intensified the euphoric and mind-altering effects. Laudanum was touted by most physicians of the time and you could get it without a prescription. You could take it home, (no opium den required) and, if you were really good at taking it as the doctor ordered, form an addiction. This dark side of early medicine was all too real. Druggists of the times sold gallons of laudanum, opium elixirs, and narcotic nostrums. And then morphine showed up …

Back in the 19th century, bleeding, purging, leaching, and enemas were still the rage. Yes, I know, ew! But when morphine came along, doctors discovered a much gentler treatment. Coupled with opium, it went on to occupy materia medica tests forever after and was recommended for obvious ailments like pain and diarrhea. By the way, Cholera and dysentery killed far fewer people, thanks to opium, so there is that. However, the medicines were also thrown at people for anything that ailed them. And I do mean anything. They used it for rabies, tetanus, ulcers, snakebites, diabetes, poisoning, depression, and other mental illnesses. All of which was said to be cured by these incredible wonderment’s. Are you shaking in your boots yet? Yikes!! Looking for a drug rehab near you is what you must do when it comes to addiction issues.

Since I researched these things, (I’ve had characters with bad coughs and other ailments)  I’ve grown a new appreciation for modern medicine and sometimes think about the quacks of the 1800s when I’m in line at the pharmacy.  We’ve come a long way since then, thank Heaven. And though there were a lot of tricksters back in the day there were also some good home remedies that actually worked. Did your grandparents or parents use home remedies? If so, what were they? I’ll pick a random winner from the comments below to receive my Brides of Noelle Book Collection, which does include the story with the character with the bad cough. Oh horrors, he had to take some laudanum! He survived, by the way …

Many of us who write historical western romance have the occasional scene that takes place in a mercantile or general store. I myself often have a character buy some candy for either themselves or children. But what was that candy like? I mention licorice whips and peppermint sticks in my stories, but what else did they have back in the day? Well, here’s a little history of some of the things we’ve come to love.

Sometime in 1847, a gentleman by the name of Oliver Chase invented the machine for cutting lozenges and the famous Necco Wafer was born. The first branded chewing gum came along (made from tree sap) the following year. Down the road in 1854 Whitman’s chocolates joined the candy crowd. How many of you still buy them today? I occasionally get the itty bitty box at my local drug store. And for those of you into chocolate-covered liquid centered cherries, (yum!) they were invented in 1864 by Cella’s Cherries. Of course, we can’t forget about Richard and George Cadbury. Where would the Cadbury bunny be without them? But before Cadbury bunnies, they were best known for making the first box of Valentine’s chocolates back in 1868. Go, team Cadbury!

Fast forward to 1879 when William H. Thompson comes up with Thompson Chocolate. Okay, so another chocolatier. But he also stated his goal “to make only quality products” and set a new standard.

Then along came candy corn in 1880. Invented by the Wunderle Candy Company, it’s still a best-selling Halloween candy, and will probably still be around for years to come!

Other candy companies began to crop up. Reed’s Candy came along and set up business in Chicago. They invented a yummy butterscotch candy that became known as Reed’s Rolls. Then in 1890, The Piedmont Candy Company was started in Lexington Kentucky. Their claim to fame was Red Bird Peppermint Puffs. Following this came Claus Doscher in 1891. He ventured to France, tried the taffy, then came back to America and offers up French Chews.

And the confection list continues! Quaker City Confectionery Company brought us Good & Plenty candy in 1893. They are the oldest branded retro candy still being sold today. Wow! And of course, we can’t forget Mr. Milton Hershey. He moseyed over to the World’s Columbian Exposition, watched chocolate being made, and thought, hey, I can do that! It wasn’t until 1894 that he came up with the first American candy bar. What he’s best known for, however, wasn’t invented until 1895. The Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar.

Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit and Spearmint chewing gum also came out of the 1890s along with Thomas Richardson’s pastel mints and Leo Hirsch Field’s Tootsie Rolls.

What’s your favorite old-time candy? Is there one you haven’t seen for a long while and wish they’d bring it back?

Welcome to Day Three of Jingle, Jangle, Spurs! Before I wrote my first western romance, I wrote science fiction/fantasy time travel and still do under another pen name. What most folks don’t know, however, is that I also wrote a teleplay. And guess what, it was a western!

I had my first western book idea years back and started the book for fun, when lo and behold, I got approached by a very small production company that had joined with a western re-enactment group. These guys wanted a fun story they could shoot a tech reel for, (tech reels are to see what it might look like and how something flows on film) before they got serious about trying their hand at turning it into a major project. So I went to work and the tech reel was shot between Thanksgiving and Christmas. What an education that was! Not to mention a lot of fun. It was shot in Northern California and we all had a blast. I’ve never had a holiday season quite like it. It was definitely a combination of Jingles, Jangles, and Spurs. Lots of spurs, as the re-enactors acting as the bulk of the characters, were in full costume. The pictures are some I took while on the set. Yes, I got to be there!

These guys took their westerns seriously and I found out how much when they took me along to some western events in Los Angeles a few times. Some were friends with old-time actor favorites such as cast members from Little House on the Prairie, Gun Smoke (I got to meet Amanda Blake who played Miss Kitty) and Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman. One gentleman knew a few stuntmen (Steve McQueen’s for one) and I got to meet and hang out with Jack Elam and also James Best (Dukes of Hazard). Those were such fun times but also a lot of work. They didn’t pursue the project due to various circumstances, so I still have my rights to that story. One of these days I’ll get around to finishing the book for fun. But I wouldn’t trade those weeks for anything. I met a lot of great folks back then and had the best holiday season ever. And, got to hang out with folks who were western enthusiasts through and through, both professional actors and re-enactors alike.

 I have to say, my biggest thrill was meeting the wonderful Jack Elam, who shook my hand and thanked me for being a writer. “Without you, we’re nothing,” he said. “it’s an honor to meet you!” As a kid, I grew up watching this actor in Disney movies and various westerns. And yes, he DID look like that! And he also had a wonderful smile. I have pictures I took of him but I’m at my son’s for Christmas and don’t have access to them here. I had to post one of good ol’ Jack though, for those that don’t recognize the name but definitely will the face.

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and get to read a lot of Christmas stories that take place in the old west! Speaking of which, what old-time actors from your favorite western shows or movies would you like to meet and spend time with around the holidays? 

Abigail Harris

You’re My Winner!

You’ve won a free e-copy of A Very Weaver Christmas! Contact me at authorkitmorgan@gmail.com so I can get your book to you!

Let’s face it, we’re all here because we love to read western romance! Our heroes meet our heroines, they overcome obstacles, they fall in love, they live happily ever after. We never get tired of reading about them!

Back in the day, however, for some men, the pleasures of courtship came far too late. In many areas there just weren’t enough women to go around. And even when there was, love failed to bloom, or fear overrode desire leaving in its wake a safe, though occasionally nervous unmarried man: the bachelor.

Women were hard to come by on the frontier and the scarcity of women was particularly evident during dances. Square dances were popular back in the day and it was difficult to fill two or three sets with mixed partners. This is where the scarcity of women was particularly evident. Men drafted to be women as dance partners wore handkerchiefs tied around their upper arms to reveal their “lady status.” A reward of $0.25 per female was offered in the hope of finding women, but the money was seldom paid out. One Nebraska settler once quoted, “This is a lonely place for single women. There are a number of single men of marriageable age and nearly all have a bird in view as soon as they can get a cage ready. That is if a bird happened to be flying in their vicinity! Which, in some areas, wasn’t very often.

The bachelor’s role in frontier society was well defined and embraced men from all walks of life, from dusty cowpokes to
cranky Argonauts. When confronting a female presence they all seemed frozen to the spot. The prairies were huge and isolated. Without wife or family, the bachelor languished alone, or as many did, with other bachelors. Most did backbreaking work all day then had to do their own cooking and washing. Their only amusement was the occasional card game or a trip to town. In town, there were gambling saloons and girls, but most men longed for the company of decent women.

The fact was, single men depended upon women. Who else could fix rips in their clothing and bake bread? “Batching it” did not come easy for men. The bachelor’s meal lacked variety, especially when the bachelor was working in the field. One man, by the name of Anderson, would cook up a large kettle of oatmeal in the morning, eat some of it at noon and if there was any left in the evening, finish it for supper. Bachelors longed for dinner invitations and would go to any extreme to sit down in an actual family setting. Can you just imagine how it was for these men around the holidays?

So is it any wonder why we love reading about these rough, tough men of the frontier and old west finding true love? It’s one of the reasons we authors love writing it too! From the general store owner to the cowboy on the range, what type of “bachelors” do you like to read about? I’ll pick a random winner to receive a copy of A Very Weaver Christmas, where one woman’s cooking has an entire town in an uproar and budding romance happens, no matter what some might do to stop it.

 Melanie Backus!

You’ve won a FREE e-book copy of The Harvest Time Mail-Order Bride!

(Contact me at authorkitmorgan@gmail.com and I’ll get your ebook to you.)

Hi, Kit Morgan here and today I want to talk about harvest festivals in the old west. Or anywhere for that matter!

Harvest time has classically been an important event in the year to celebrate bountiful crops. Among the most famous is America’s Thanksgiving, which was originally celebrated in the Plymouth Colony after the successful harvest of the Pilgrims.

For hundreds of years, harvest time has been one of the most important periods of the year, because let’s face it, people were either going to starve or be well fed for the coming year. Traditionally in Britain, local communities appointed a “Lord of the Harvest” who would oversee things such as the gathering of the crops, payment for the farm laborers and of course, a celebratory feast at the end of a good harvest. He got to sit at the head of the table of course!

The Harvest Supper was held on Michaelmas Day and pride of place would be given to a goose stuffed with apples and served with freshly harvested vegetables. Legend has it that Queen Elizabeth I was dining on goose when she heard the news that the Spanish Armada had been defeated, so she declared that goose should henceforth be eaten on Michaelmas Day. Goose Fairs were popular and even today a few still survive, notably the Nottingham Goose Fair which is over 700 years old.

And then we have our pioneer settlers, frontiersmen and farmers who also in one way or another celebrated at harvest time. All hallow’s eve got into the mix along the way and “Spook Hollows” were a fun part of some small town’s (not to mention a few big ones) harvest time festivals. You might have read a western romance that included a harvest festival and spook hollow. I have a book where part of the story is set during an annual harvest festival. Pumpkins and corn mazes, hayrides and yummy food, are all part of many a town’s annual traditions of the harvest festival!

When was the last time you attended a harvest festival? Does your town have one? I’ll pick a random winner from the comments below to receive an e-book copy of The Harvest Time Mail-Order Bride. Here’s a little about the book …

The Weavers. They were boisterous, rambunctious, some would even say wild, and, until recently, unwed. First Arlan, the oldest, got himself a mail-order bride, followed by his younger brother Benjamin. Now it was Benjamin’s identical twin brother Calvin’s turn. But Calvin’s mail-order bride was different, really different. For one, she was Italian, an immigrant who spoke broken English. She was also the most beautiful woman Calvin had ever seen. But this vision of loveliness had a not so lovely secret. Can Calvin and his new bride make a go of it while other secrets threaten the family’s peaceful existence? Find out in this hilarious romp with the Weavers!

Ah, potatoes! This week here on Petticoats and Pistols you’ve been reading all sorts of fun facts about this wonderful vegetable! So let’s round out the week with some more fun facts!

Did you know that the potato chip was discovered on accident? Well, that’s what some say. Today it is America’s number one snack. There’s even a national Potato Chip Day held on March 14th!

A man named George Crum is the one that came up with this wonderful snack food we all love (some of us have a love/hate relationship with them) and take part in devouring 1.2 billion pounds annually. Yes, that’s right, annually. Little did George know he was going to create the greatest snack food known to man.

George, an African American, and Native American worked as a chef at Moon Lake Lodge, a swanky resort near Saratoga Springs back in the late 1800s. He’d been getting gripes from a visitor staying at the lodge about thick, soggy, fried potatoes. George, thinking he’d teach the man a lesson, sliced up a few spuds as thin as he could, fried them until they were crunchy, the doused them in salt. Wasn’t he surprised when the man loved them! And voila! Potatoe chips were born.

This turn of events made Crum very successful with his invention. He even opened his own restaurant called The Crumb House. And what did they serve each table prior to their main meal? You guessed it! A basket of potato chips! The snack was a hit with George’s upscale patrons. Unfortunately in those days, people of color were not allowed to take out patents on their inventions so poor George never really got credit when the chips were later mass-produced and sold in bags.

So here’s to George Crum, the man who gave us potato chips! Here’s a more modern recipe for making your own potato chips. These are made in the oven!

• 2 medium Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes (peeled)
• extra virgin olive oil (for brushing)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375ºF.
• Slice potatoes into 1/8-inch thick pieces.
• Put slices in one layer flat on baking sheets. Brush with olive oil, turn and brush the other side. Sprinkle with salt and paprika, turn and sprinkle the other side.
• Bake for 10 minutes on one side then flip them over.
• Bake for another 10 minutes or until potatoes are crispy.

What’s your favorite kind of potato chip? Have you ever tried to make your own?

Kit Morgan has a WINNER!

Janine, you get your choice of any of my e-books! Contact me at authorkitmorgan@gmail.com. Woohoo!

There have been a lot of letters and diaries from the pioneers telling how coffee got them through. A trader, Josiah Gregg, (he made a whooping eight treks to the West in the 1830’s) couldn’t get over the pioneers’ love of coffee. Gregg described the settlers love of coffee as insatiable and upon the Prairies incredible. To the pioneers, it was an indispensable beverage. Pioneers drank it at every meal.
Cavalry Lt. William H.C. Whiting wrote that coffee was indispensable to the frontiersman. “Give him coffee and tobacco, and he will endure any privation, suffer any hardship.” Julia Brier, one of the first people to cross Death Valley, said, “Our coffee was a wonderful help and had that given out, I know we should have died.”

Cowboys, however, were the undisputed kings of coffee drinkers in the West. They liked it strong, scalding hot, and barefooted (black). Thus the term cowboy coffee. They called weak coffee names like “dehorned bellywash” or “brown gargle.” Cooks in ranch kitchens didn’t dump the grounds from the pot after the coffee was made, and instead added fresh grounds to the pot until it was too full to hold more. The cowboy’s love of strong coffee gives us those images in movies, television, and books of a pot of coffee steaming over an open fire or sitting on a bed of hot coals. During a cattle drive of about ten to twelve men, the cook used a 3-5 gallon pot, usually made of tinned iron and blackened by smoke. A cook didn’t slide on the coffee rations on coffee because its what kept the cowboys going day after day. A cook could use up to 175 pounds of coffee beans each month.

And is it any wonder? A cowboy drank coffee with every meal, just like the pioneers and between meals besides. They’d work in shifts of four hours and drank it before and after those shifts. In rotten weather when it was hard to sleep, coffee saved the day. A cowboy could be in the saddle for hours on end driving cattle through a storm. You can bet they were looking forward to their coffee whenever they could get it in such weather.

So the next time you’re sipping coffee, think of the hard-working cowboy and his steaming cup. He raises his cup to you with a nod of his head, then takes a sip.  Now I wonder how many of you are going to imagine that the next time you have a cup and raise your own in return. But the real question is, what would you say to him? I’ll pick a random person from the comments to receive an e-book of mine of their choice to go with their coffee!