Summary: How does one get a crusty old man to have a change of heart about life? Ask Hoss.

Rating: G, Word Count: 1992

A Service of Love

 

Thirteen-year-old Hoss loved Christmas. It wasn’t the presents he loved. It was the time to be with family and friends. There was one person he wanted to try and be friends with. His name was Ebenezer Barnabas. He was around his father’s age but he was always angry and mean. He lived a ways from them. Everyone called him a grinch because he never talked to anyone and if he did he snapped at them. Hoss knew that he was could be a kind man and wanted to show people that. Hoss had tried to get him to go to church but Mr. Barnabas would yell at him to “go away” and slam the door. Hoss stopped for a while but he thought Mr. Barnabas needed a friend. This year he’d try to be friends with him again.

Ebenezer hated Christmas. He thought it was a stupid holiday where people pretended to be happy and show Christmas cheer. His wife and son had been killed by renegade Indians on Christmas day three years before. He had been in the barn that morning when his son and wife were in the house. They burned the house with them in it. They rode off without checking the barn and Ebenezer tried in vain to save his family but the flames engulfed the house. Everyone around had helped him rebuild his house but he still shut them out. Even young Hoss Cartwright. He was the same age as Tim. He didn’t want to see Hoss because he and Tim had been friends. It hurt Ebenezer to see Hoss. He knew the townspeople gossiped about him. Many were new and didn’t know his story. They only knew him as a scrooge, mean, a grinch. He didn’t care. Let them talk. They’d never listen to his story if he gave them the time of day. Grumbling, he went to his barn and milked his cow.

Back on the Ponderosa Hoss sighed as he cleaned the barn. Adam looked over at him and stopped brushing Sport.

“What’s wrong?” Adam asked.

“It’s Mr. Barnabas.”

“What about him?” Adam walked over to one of the stalls and leaned against the pillar crossing his arms.

“I want to do something for him for Christmas. I know he hates Christmas because of what happened to his wife and Tim. He needs a family. He won’t even go to church with us and slams the door in my face. I know he hates me because I remind him of the times Tim and I would play,” Hoss said sadly.

“Hoss, he doesn’t hate you. It’s sad for him to see you because he thinks of you both. Memories are hard at times,” Adam explained.

“I want to make it happy for him again. He should have a family again. We should be his family,” Hoss said with a light in his eyes.

“How are you going to do that?”

“I don’t know. I’ll think of something.”

“Not many people would want him to be a part of a family because he’s so mean. But I’m sure you’ll find a way,” Adam replied smiling.

That night, Hoss sat in bed still trying to think of what to do. He’d clean Mr. Barnabas’ barn and milk his cow. Maybe through that he could get the older man to join them for Christmas Eve or Christmas day. He went to bed happy. He got up early the next morning and rode to Mr. Barnabas’ house. He quietly went into the barn and lit the lamp in the barn and began to work. He tried not to be loud so as to not arouse Mr. Barnabas and ruin the surprise.

Ebenezer got up and went out to the barn. He was surprised to see the barn was cleaned. He went to milk the cow but found she had already been milked. He checked the milk can and saw it was filled with milk. Who would have done that, he wondered. He turned to do some wood carving. It had been a hobby of his and he enjoyed it. Ebenezer had always made something for his wife and son for Christmas through the years. He didn’t know what to do with himself the past few Christmas’ so he kept doing his wood working to pass time.

For the next few weeks, Hoss got up early and went to Mr. Barnabas’ house and did chores. He hoped to not be caught because he knew he’d get yelled at. He had felt good helping Mr. Barnabas. He also had kept the service a secret from his family because he was afraid they might tell if they found out. Especially Little Joe. He was seven and would tell people anything if they’d listen. After he finished, he’d go home and have breakfast then go to school. After school, Hoss would pick up the mail and would see Mr. Barnabas at times. One day he had called out and waved to Mr. Barnabas.

“Hello, Mr. Barnabas!” Hoss called out.

Ebenezer looked up from hitching his horse to the post and look at Hoss then walk away.

“Why do you talk to him? He’s the meanest man in town,” Hoss’ friend Garth said.

“He is not. He’s a good man. He needs a friend and it’s nice to say hello to someone,” Hoss said.

Ebenezer had heard Hoss’ reply to his friend. He was surprised that Hoss would still think Ebenezer a good man after all the times he yelled at Hoss to go away after Tim died.
Ebenezer walked into the store and gave his list to the man working behind the counter.

“Hello, Mr. Barnabas. I’ll get your order right away,” Mr. Larson said.

“Thank you.” Barnabas said gruffly. He looked around and saw a few women look at him then quickly turn away. They spoke in low voices. He turned away. Let them talk. He didn’t care.

“It’ll be a dollar twenty-five,” Mr. Larson said.

Barnabas handed him he money, took the items and left. He walked to his horse without looking at anyone. He wanted to go home and fast.

The week of Christmas came and Hoss had to get up the courage to invite Mr. Barnabas to the Christmas Eve party. He had spoken to his father about it earlier.

“Pa, are we having a party Christmas Eve?” Hoss asked.

“Yes, we are,” Ben replied.

“May I invite a friend?”

“Of course. Who are you thinking?”

“Mr. Barnabas.”

Ben, Adam and Joe looked at Hoss in surprise.

“Why would you want to invite him? He’s mean. He’s make everyone go home by yelling at them. He hates Christmas. I heard him yell that to someone on the street,” Joe replied.

“Joseph, that’s not nice to say,” Ben said sternly.

“But Pa, I’m only telling what I heard when I was in town with Adam the other day,” Joe said innocently.

“It’s true, Pa, we did hear him,” Adam confirmed.

“Even so, it’s not nice to say he’s mean.”

“But he is,” Joe said.

“Joseph, that’s enough.”

Joe kept quiet.

Ben turned back to his middle son. “You can try and invite him. If he says no, don’t go pestering him. Leave him alone.”

“I won’t. Thanks, Pa.”

The next day, Hoss went to Mr. Barnabas’ house and knocked on the door and Ebenezer came to the door.

“What do you want?” he snapped.

“I..I was wondering if you’d like to come to our Christmas Eve party at our house,” Hoss stuttered.

“Why should I go to a party?”

“Because everyone will be there and I want you to be there,” Hoss said.

Ebenezer looked at the boy.

“No. Now leave me alone,” Ebenezer snapped and slammed the door.

Hoss slumped and left.

Hoss still went to clean Mr. Barnabas’ barn and milk his cow. Ebenezer had finally got up early to catch the person doing his chores. He crept to the barn and heard a voice. At first it sounded like Tim’s but he peered in and was surprised to see Hoss milking his cow. It had been Hoss all this time?

“Hoss Cartwright,” Ebenezer said gruffly.

Hoss looked over with surprise on his face.

“What are you doing? Are you doing this because you want me to go to the party?” He asked angrily.

“At first I did but now I just want to do it,” Hoss replied, looking like he was ready to cry.

“Well, it won’t work. I could have you arrested for trespassing.”

Hoss looked scared. “Please don’t. I just wanted to help you. I wanted to show you I wanted to be friends. You need a friend. You need a family and I wanted you to be apart of our family,”

Ebenezer tried not to show his surprise.

“I won’t tell the Sheriff. But after this you do not come here.”

“Yes, sir,” Hoss said.

Ebenezer walked out and into the house. Hoss finished the milking and left.

Tears streamed down Hoss’ face as he rode home. He had been caught and yelled at. He wanted to show love to Mr. Barnabas. This was the only way Hoss knew how. He felt like he had failed. Mr. Barnabas really didn’t want a family. When Hoss got home, he tied Chubb to the hitching post, dried his tears and went inside to face his family. Adam was the first to notice something was wrong with Hoss. He ate but said nothing.

“I’ll ride along with you to school, Hoss,” Adam offered.

Hoss nodded. They finished eating and then left for school.

“What’s wrong?” Adam asked after a while.

“Mr. Barnabas caught me milking his cow. He yelled at me and said that I was doing it to get him to come to our party. I told him I did at first but then wanted to help him. He said that he wouldn’t call the sheriff and to never come back. Adam, I just feel awful. He’ll never be friends with us. It’s all my fault,” Hoss said sadly.

Adam looked at Hoss.

“You did a good deed, Hoss. That counts for something. Nobody else would ever do something like that for him. I commend you for serving him like that. That’s what Christmas is about, helping our fellow man. He’ll come around. Just give it time,” Adam advised.

“I guess,” Hoss replied.

That night, Ebenezer was sitting in his chair reading the Bible. He read of the birth of the Christ Child and His life. He sat and contemplated. Christ served His fellow man. Hoss had served Ebenezer. Hoss said he wanted him to be a part of the Cartwright family. He realized that Hoss wanted him to have a family and to be happy again. Perhaps this Christmas, Ebenezer could join the Cartwrights for Christmas.

The Cartwrights’ friends danced in the front room at the Cartwright home. Hoss watched from the stairs glumly. He had hoped Mr. Barnabas would come. He had stayed away from him the whole week. Hoss got up to go to bed and heard the door open. He turned in anticipation that it was Mr. Barnabas. More friends filed in followed by Mr. Barnabas. A smile spread on Hoss’ face and he ran down the stairs.

“Mr. Barnabas, you came!” Hoss said excitedly.

“Of course I did. Let’s go talk in the kitchen.”

“All right.”

The two went into the kitchen.

“Hoss, I thought of what you said about you wanting me to be apart of your family. I think you’re right. I do need a family again. You melted my cold heart and made it bigger. Christmas is about family. I lost that and you gave it back to me. I have something for you,” he said pulling something from his coat pocket.

It was a wooden horse.

“Thank you!” Hoss said taking the wooden horse.

He hugged Mr. Barnabas. They went back out to the party.

 

From the Brandsters.  The story was originally written and published on the Bonanza Trail Riders site.  Brand is happy to offer this story a new home.