Summary: The Cartwright family before the starting of the series

Rated: K+  WC  4300

 

It Happened Before 1860 

Ben and Elisabeth under the mistletoe

He was standing near the wall but not leaning on it, in a very upright posture as an officer must stand. He held shyly his peaked cap in his hands and he watched her. She was so young, she looked so pure, a frail but perfect flower… Or a bird, a singing and twirling sparrow… No, not a sparrow, a nightingale, that’s what she was.

He dared not approach her. She was his captain’s daughter and only fifteen years old. As a youth of nineteen, he was at the same time too old and too young to court her.But it was New Year’s Eve and it was the perfect opportunity for a stolen kiss under the mistletoe. Even the finicky Captain couldn’t reproach him for that.

Suddenly bold, he put his cap on a chair and strode to the charming butterfly, in a white cream dress, who was carrying a tray full of sandwiches. He managed to cross her under the mistletoe, stopped there, preventing her to going forward and nimbly, lay a kiss on her cheek :

“Happy new year, Miss Elisabeth”, he mumbled and was overcome by joy at seeing a smile drawing two dimples on her face.

 

“Happy New Year, Ben”, she replied. “Let me put down this tray and you’ll invite me for the next waltz, will you ?”

 

1837

You’ll not be scared, will you, Adam ?

Ben Cartwright was beholding the scene. So peaceful. This tepee, this man with his tunic and loincloth, not a dog, not a child, nobody disturbing the village could be seen from the place he was standing.

Therefore, Ben’s heart was anything but peaceful. Inside, he felt as if a soup of anger and fear was boiling. This was an Indian village and an Indian man, not very different from the one who had killed his beloved wife Inger, a few months ago. Of course, it wasn’t the same tribe. This land belonged to the Paiutes and the Indians who had attacked their caravan were Apaches. He had no reason to resent the Paiutes but he couldn’t help feeling distrustful.

He left the place where he had been staring at the man, as silently as he could. Not far from there, Adam and Hoss were waiting in the wagon, the eldest trying to keep the baby silent. Ben came to them with a slight smile and a finger on his lips. “Shhh, Indians around”, he said and regretted it instantly after having seen Adam turn pale.

He climbed on the wagon’s seat, took the reins and clicked his tongue to make the horse start. While they were far enough from the village, he began speaking aloud :

“ You know, Adam, you must not think that all Indian people are bad people, only because some of them shot your mother. It would be as thinking every white man is an outlaw because some white men are, do you understand ?

”“Yes Pa”, the boy said thoughtfully, rocking his brother’s cradle gently with one hand.

“In the country we’re going, there will be Indians. Indian tribes have been migrating to the West because of our countrymen. They need so large meadows to be able to find food. They don’t breed, they just hunt, do you see what I mean.”

“Yes Pa”.“Then, we’d better decide that we’re becoming to meet these Indians and try to become friends with them. That’s what we’re going to do. You’ll not be scared, tell me, Adam, you’ll be brave?”

The boy took a deep breath: “Yes Pa” and tried a smile.

Ben fell silent. He went on his way, thinking and speaking to himself : “You’ll not be scared, will you, Ben ? Tell me you’ll be brave”

 

1848

A red neckerchief

It was a habit he had picked a few months ago, since Marie’s death, to be precise, the habit of stopping at the turn of the stairs, to look at his father. Every morning, he hoped he would be find again a flicker in his eyes and his familiar half smile at his lips and every morning, he was disappointed. Ben was, as usual now, staring at nothing and his lips were definitely shut.At this sight, he understood that his father still wasn’t there. His body was present but his mind was elsewhere, somewhere in a place he could not reach And he knew that to-day would be as yesterday. He would have to take the family and the ranch into care. One day again, one day more. Obviously, Ben hadn’t taken care of little Joe, so he turned back, climbed upstairs and pushed the child’s bedroom’s door.

“Hello, little buddy !” he said as every day, “time to get up. Hurry up, breakfast’s ready”.

Usually, the boy would have run into his arms. He would have taken just a moment to give him a cuddle and quickly help him to dress up, not without yelling simultaneously : “Hoss, are you ready ? Your breakfast’s getting cold.”

But this morning was different Joe had managed to dress up by himself. Because of the mourning, he wore grey clothes and was looking sadly at his figure in the mirror Adam grinned at him :

“Congratulations, Joe, you’re ready and you did it all alone !”

But the little boy didn’t seem to notice the compliment. He went on staring at the mirror, vexed.

“What’s the matter, little buddy ?”

“Adam, why have I to wear grey clothes ? All the boys, at school, they have yellow, green, blue, red shirts and pants And me, grey, always grey. I hate grey.”

Startled, Adam didn’t know, at first, how to react He was himself all clad in black and didn’t bother about it. Even, he thought he was looking great in black but he had to admit that it wasn’t very exciting, for a little boy, to be clad in grey.

“Listen, Joe, I can’t buy you a new shirt or new pants but I can manage to provide you with a new neckerchief. What colour would you want ?”

Joe smiled broadly.“You’d do that, Adam ? I’d like a red neckerchief. It would be fantastic !

”“All right, buddy, you’ll have it. And now, get downstairs.”

Hoss had heard them. He left Joe get away and then asked his elder brother :“But Adam, Ma’s been dead for only four months. What will Pa say ?”

Adam gazed sadly into his brother’s eyes : “Bet he will even not notice, Hoss. Anyway, if he does, I’ll find a good reason.”

 

 

 

1849

Julia Bulette’s secret

The grandfather’s clock had just rang twice but, in spite of a hard working day, Ben was staying sleepless.

Joe had been packing up and was gone from the Ponderosa for three days now. He had settled in town, in Julia Bulette’s hotel to be precise. At the beginning of Joe’s crush on Julia, Ben lived in the belief of being able to handle the situation and to nip this idyll in the bud, but to-day, he had lost all his certainties. Julia had been quick to increase her hold on Joe and Ben knew pertinently what she was aiming to.

Julia was an old acquaintance of Ben’s. After Marie’s death, he had to come back to New-Orléans, in order to meet his wife’s lawyer. Marie’s inheritance was not much but there was no reason to deprive Joe of it.

During one year after Marie’s departure, he had not felt strong enough to accomplish what seemed to be a pilgrimage but when, at last, he had come out of his long mourning period, he had realised that he had just the time for doing this journey, before Adam’s leaving to college. He could rely on his eldest and his foreman, Charlie, a few weeks more, to look after the ranch. They had been doing it for one year, they would do it one month or two again.

He was in no way in a festive mood, and was far from planning to entertain himself with girls and ephemeral acquaintances but how could he fancy that Marie’s lawyer was a cheerful character and would give him an appointment in a… discreet meeting place? This very strange lawyer didn’t hang about (since nobody knew Clay’s existence, nobody was denying Joe’s rights) and once the question settled, he obviously intended to treat himself to a pleasant evening in Ben’s company. Before the latter had the time to open his mouth, he had ordered two demi-mondaines, Veronica for him, Julia for Ben.

Bewildered, Ben was wondering how he would manage to get out of this trap. Julia seemed very young. Ben was ready to bet that she still had not reached her twentieth birthday. Ben was a man of high moral standards, almost to the point of Puritanism but years of knocking about a lot, as a sailor, had taken out of him all what could look like naivety. He knew that the girl had to come back with money if she didn’t want to be punished. That’s why, while the lawyer was going upstairs with Veronica, he proposed Julia to have a conversation with him, that would be paid the same price as if she had offered him other “services”.

Julia had accepted without any reaction. Was she relieved or humiliated, he couldn’t say and would never know.

Twelve years later, when Julia had appeared in Virginia City, a few weeks ago, he decided he would not say anything to anybody. He would keep the secret. At the beginning, Julia had distrusted him but seeing that he was careful not speaking ill of her, not gossiping all around, she regained self-confidence, so much that she had decided to take her revenge on these middle class men of Virginia City or any other place, by seducing Joe. From this start to becoming Ben’s daughter-in-law and grabbing a third of his empire, there was only a light gap that she was on the point of crossing cheerfully.

But even to prevent her from doing that, Ben couldn’t bring himself to reveal his secret.

He couldn’t confide it to Joe without breaking his heart. He couldn’t confide it to Hoss without offending his ingenuity. And he couldn’t confide it to Adam without taking the risk to have his son discovering that he was more experimented in gallant matter than his father.

Ben sighed: It only remained for him to pray and ask the Providence to give him this famous hand that She often had lavished on him (alas, not always) when he was in trouble.

 

 

 

1852

Little Joe was coming back home at an unusual slow pace. The letter he had in his bag was deeply worrying him. All the more so since it was the second one. The first one, he had pretended to have lost it and, as a matter of fact, he had lost it because he had thrown it in the wind. But Miss Jones didn’t become discouraged and had written another one. This time, he had to give it Pa, he didn’t see another solution.

Luckily, Pa came back home late. Nevertheless, he wanted to control if Joe had done his homework and asked for the exercise book. There was no other alternative for Joe than giving the letter.

Ben frowned at reading the letter : “Miss Jones wants to see me to-morrow. Any idea why, Joseph ?”J

oe blushed : “Well, Pa, I’m not sure… Could be many things… Better you ask…”

“I’ll do and I’ll find out, you can be sure… So, if you want to clear your conscience…”

But Joe hadn’t the time to answer. Just as he was opening his mouth, the noise of several people running could be heard.

“Mr Cartwright, Mr Cartwright…”

Ben turned to the front door and saw his foreman, Charlie, followed by two hands, obviously bewildered :

“What’s the matter ?”

“Cattle, in the north pasture, it was robbed”

“What ?”

“Tim and Ted, they were ambushed. Five men wearing hoods. They threatened them with their guns…”“

We could do nothing, boss.”

“All right, I’m coming. Hoss, Adam…”

“Yes, Pa.”

“Come with me. Hop-Sing, please take care of little Joe, we may come back late.”

“But I want to go with you, Pa, I want to help.”

“Joseph, you’re only ten years. We don’t need kids in such an expedition. Be nice with Hop-Sing, that’s the best way to help.”

One minute later, they were gone and Joe was alone with the Chinese cook.They came back around midnight. They had find some trails but they could not go on in the darkness.

“We’ll continue early, to-morrow. Hoss, you’ll accompany me, Adam, you’ll stay there to deal with day-to-day matters. Oh, and, please, you’ll go to town and see Miss Jones. I don’t know what Joe did but she invited quite firmly.”

“But Pa…”

“No buts, Adam. You’re more useful doing what I want than arguing to join the posse. Maybe it’s not glorious but what must be done must be done. Understood ?”

“Yes, Pa” Adam mumbled.

The day after, he was, at four o’clock, when school was coming out, in front of the door. He hated taking this kind of steps. Miss Jones had the knack of making a storm in a teacup. It would be an hour wasted. Joe went out and wasn’t surprised to see older brother waiting there. Sure, Pa had sent him there to deal with the problem between Miss Jones and himself. He was delighted : Adam could never take Miss Jones seriously and knowing what she wanted to talk about, Joe was almost sure not to be punished by Adam. On some topics, big brother could be much more indulgent than Pa.

“Wait for me, Joe”, Adam said sternly.

Taking off his hat, he approached the teacher with a bashful smile on his lips.

“Sorry, Miss Abigaïl…”

Miss Jones welcomed him with a big grin.“Oh, Adam. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit ?”“

I dunno if it’s a pleasure. As a matter of fact, it’s this letter you sent to my father. He’s too busy to come, so he asked me to replace him, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course, I don’t mind. Come in, Adam, we’ll be more quite to talk.”

A little scared, Adam stepped inside. “Please, Miss Jones”, he asked, “let you speak directly, I’m in a hurry.”

“Well, Adam”, she replied, simpering, “it’s not so easy to tell things directly. It’s about a frog ?”

“A frog ?”

“Yes, your brother, little Joe, I mean…”

Adam rolled his eyes. Of course, it was Joe. Hoss had left school the previous year.

“What did he do ?”

“He captured a frog and covered it with flour”

“Really ? So, what ?”

“The frog was in his pocket. He took it out and laid it on my desk, then he started blowing upon it.”

Adam failed to see why Abigaïl Jones had thought necessary to convoke his father for this and couldn’t help saying it.

“You don’t understand, Adam. The frog was scared and jumped into… into…”

She was becoming crimson.

“Oh, Adam, I can’t tell you where the frog jumped into… No, I can’t”

And while saying these denials, she was showing so obviously with her hands her décolleté that Adam couldn’t help blushing lightly himself.He resented himself for that and pulled quickly himself together.

“Miss Abigaïl, I’m really very sorry but I would like to point that Joe didn’t intend to send the frog to your… your…, huh, where it went. I don’t think it would be clever to punish him for that. Don’t you think it would be more pedagogic to take him to the florist shop and buy you, with his pocket money, a bunch of flowers to say sorry.”

Abigaïl put on more and more simpering airs : “Oh, Adam, Adam” she said, threatening him with her fingers, “you’re spoiling this little brat but I accept, because it’s you.”

Adam left the school and picked up his brother : “You’re lucky, little buddy that I came, not Pa. She’ll let you get off this time, provided that you offer her, with your own money, a bunch of flowers. I saved your hide from Pa’s belt. Let’s go to the florist’s and promise me you’ll never again cover a frog with flour.”

 

 

1857

The way Ponderosa’s map caught in fire

Adam Cartwright went out of the post office, obviously satisfied, with a parcel under his arm. Lost in his thoughts, he was speeding up when a feminine voice interrupted him.

“Hey, Adam ! Where are you going to ? Are you in such a hurry that you can’t even stop to have a little talk with a friend ?”

Amanda Riddley was an eighteen years old maid but she acted as if the word “shyness” had never existed. No one could beat her art in needling young males and she didn’t neglect any boy or man under thirty in Virginia City. When Adam Cartwright, two years ago, had come back from Boston where he was studying architecture, she had vowed to herself that she would have this man for her own. Last Saturday, at the birthday party organised by Mrs Riddley for her husband, they had danced together almost all the waltzes and she was certain he was deeply attracted to her. He had proved it when he had taken her out, in their small garden and given her an unforgettable kiss. She had expected a declaration but he had just grinned at her with this ambiguous smile he often had, half ironic, half tender, and he had taken her inside again for another dance.

To day was Wednesday and since this Saturday night, she had waited for him to pay a call. So, she couldn’t say if she was happy to meet him at last or disappointed to see that he wouldn’t have stopped at her house if she hadn’t shouted at him.

Adam tipped his hat and said “Hello, Amanda. How are you ?”.

No more. Coquettish, Amanda pretended to be on the verge of crying.

“How do you want me to feel, when you’re neglecting me ?”

“Neglecting you ? But Amanda, if I remember well, last Saturday, I did everything aside from neglecting you.”

“Precisely. And after this kiss you stole from me, I expected a visit as soon as possible. Were you so busy on Sunday that you couldn’t spare a few hours for me ?”

Adam had chuckled at hearing the “kiss you stole from me”. In his memory, his “victim” hadn’t put up a fierce resistance to his attentions… But he was chivalrous enough not to mention it. He merely answered :

“Yes, Amanda, I was busy and I still am. If you don’t mind, we’ll wait until next Sunday to have this little conversation you’re obviously longing to have with me. Now, I’m sorry, but I have to leave you. See you at Mrs Tuckerton’s picnic.”

And he strode away.

Piqued, Amanda decided she wouldn’t wait for Sunday. She wasn’t going to let herself be pushed around. She went to her mother having found a good reason to go to the Ponderosa :

“Mom, do you remember you promised to buy me a wardrobe just for me when I reach eighteen ?”

“Yes, Amanda, but I still didn’t find the time to…”

“Don’t worry about it, Mom. I think I could order it to Adam Cartwright.”

“But, Amanda, he’s not a joiner !”

“Yes, he is, Mom” Amanda lied. He told me he was able to make any furniture I would order him. I just have to go to the sawmill and show him, on a catalogue, the pattern I desire. And he says that, as a friend, he will do it just for the price of the wood.”

“All right. Take the buckboard on Saturday. I’m sorry, but I can’t go with you, I’m too busy here with Sally; so is your father with his work. Be prudent and come back before six.”

At the Ponderosa, she found Hoss and asked after Adam.

“I think he’s at the sawmill”, the latter answered. “

Since he came back from college, he made a den there. As soon as he has a little spare time, there he goes.”

After having asked her way to the young giant, she headed off towards the sawmill. Effectively, Adam was there. He had fit out small premises that were his “office” as he used to say and was presently absorbed in a drawing work.

Not afraid to bother him, Amanda shouted:

“Hello Adam! What are you doing?”

Adam raised his head, just slightly annoyed but not so much. After all, she was quite a pretty girl and when he had the time, he enjoyed her company.

“Hello Amanda! As you can see, I’m drawing up a map.”

“A map? What map?”

“A map of the Ponderosa. Don’t tell it to anybody, it’s a surprise for my father’s birthday. I just have to finish some details and frame it.”

“It’s extraordinary, Adam! You’ve drawn all the relieves, the streams, the lake, the forests…”

“Yes, and it was longer than I thought. When I met you in town, on Wednesday, I had just received my charcoals. That’s why I must apologize : since his birthday is on Tuesday, I don’t believe I’ll be able to go to the picnic to-morrow. I want it perfect and I still have to work on it.”Amanda simpered :

“Never mind, Adam. Take your Sunday for your drawing but give me this afternoon. It’s far better to see you alone than among a crowd of noisy people.”

“I’m sorry, Amanda, but I can’t neither to-day nor to-morrow”

“What ?”

“Understand me, Amanda, I actually want to make a beautiful map for my father. He means a lot to me and I want to show it. After Tuesday, I’ll have plenty of time for you…”“Do you mean that you prefer your old man to me ?”

Adam hesitated. Not because he wasn’t sure of the answer but because he didn’t want to hurt her. He mumbled “Well, Amanda…” but she didn’t let him finish. She had spotted a matchbox. Infuriated, she caught it, took out a match and after having stricken it, threw it on the middle of the map, setting the fire on Adam’s masterpiece.

Adam rushed at it to stop the damage but it was too late : there was a big hole in the middle of the map. He straightened up and glared at Amanda. What she saw in his look made her step back. It was a mixing up between sadness, anger and disgust.“Go away, Amanda”, he said in a very low tone. “Go away and disappear. I don’t want to have anything to do with you for the rest of my life.” Then, emphasizing his voice, he repeated : “Go away !”. What she did, terrified.

Left alone, Adam sat down, put his arms on the desk, his head on his arms and cried. You can be a twenty-four old guy and feel as being a man but cry when a work you’ve done with love is destroyed.

After a few minutes, he raised his head, ashamed. “What am I doing ? Crying like a child ? Well, I have one day and a half and three nights before Tuesday. Let’s start again.”

On Tuesday, he offered his father a splendid map that earned him great praise from a delighted Ben. And he stopped talking to Amanda… until one day, six years later. But this is another story…

 

Amanda Riddley appears in the Fear Merchants

 

 

 

The blue chair

At a brisk pace, Adam was walking down Sacramento’s main street. Tom Layton had made an appointment with him and he wanted to be punctual. Tom had recently married Helen Blake and as Tom’s friend, he wanted to make a good impression on his new wife. Thinking he would be invited for lunch, Adam knocked at the Laytons’ door.

Tom opened the door and Adam heaved. His usually jovial and well fed fellow was now pale with a wasted face and sad gaze.

“Hello, Tom”, he said hesitantly.

“Hello Adam, glad to meet you”, Tom said, his eyes denying his words.

Adam ran his eyes over the room and then asked : “Where’s your wife ? I thought I was to meet her…”

“You will not”, Tom answered angrily, “she left one hour ago and at this time she’s certainly very busy losing the few dollars I’d left.”

Suddenly, Tom sank down in a chair and began to cry. He looked devastated, unable to stop the tears trickling down his cheeks. Gasping, he told Adam the hopeless story of his marriage: “I’m broke, Adam, completely broke, I even can’t offer you two eggs for lunch.”

“Don’t lose hope, Tom, I can help you, I can lend you some money.”“Lend ? But I’ll never be able to give it back. No, Adam, there’s nothing to do.”

One moment, Adam was at a loss. Again, he glanced through the room then the idea sprang up :

“If you don’t want to borrow, then sell me something. This blue chair, near the chimney, I’ve been seeing it for years and always envied it. It’s very comfortable and I do like the slate blue colour of the velvet that covers it. I already can imagine myself reading a book in this chair. It will be perfect in Ponderosa’s living room. Do we have a deal?”

Tom couldn’t help smiling at this outburst:

“We have a deal. Fix a price.”

“Well, I think three hundred dollars would be a fair price.”

“Three hundred dollars, for this old thing ?”“

Who loves doesn’t count ! Now Tom, help me to pack this chair, I’ve to put it on the coach and I don’t want it to be spoilt by the bumps. Afterwards, I invite you in a good restaurant. Come on.”

“Adam” Tom called.

“Yes, Tom”.

“Did I ever tell you ? You’re the best friend a man can have. You really know what friendship means”

“I’m a Cartwright, Tom, we have it in our blood.”