Summary: Springtime Escapades – “Sylvia’s Mother”, “Jeremiah was a Bullfrog”.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2300
–I used both titles and you get a bit of a limerick at the end too. Great choices, AC!
Sylvia’s mother was a relatively recent arrival in Virginia City. She found the city to be far less than what she had hoped. The streets weren’t paved and the dust and things far worse and not talked about by respectable ladies could daily stain your petticoats and mar your boots. It was a gargantuan task simply to try to look clean walking about the frontier town. Then there were the horses and other animals in the streets and the backyards of homes. Not her home of course because she didn’t want those odors assaulting her in her sanctum. Worst of all perhaps were the people. They were loud and many smelled of those very animals even as they attended church services. One couldn’t shop in a store without smelling the other patrons or having dust from the mines being slapped from an arm or a hat and fouling the air and fine clothing.
Sylvia’s mother did find a few like-minded souls with whom to commiserate. Spending their time sharing their tales of this god-forsaken town allowed them to vent the worst of their frustrations that their husbands had dragged them from perfectly normal, proper homes to this place. Of course, one of the top subjects of conversation was the one family here that passed for the upper crust of Virginia City society. It was Monday, so it was her weekly meeting day. However, Silvia’s mother heard a simply awful conversation between that youngest one and Silvia that very afternoon right at her front gate, and had to relate it to her social circle, small though it was.
“I simply do not know what to do. I am well aware the sheriff is a friend of the family so I don’t know that reporting such a crime to him would be a reasonable effort.”
“Whatever did you hear?”
“Yes, please, tell us.”
“Has Adam compromised a young woman?”
“Has Ben cheated a neighbor out of land?”
“Has Hoss hurt someone terribly?”
“I think they killed a child.” There were gasps all around. “Little Joseph Cartwright, only twelve-years-old, was telling my Sylvia that he slept in a cradle when he was a baby, but Jeremiah had to sleep in a box in the storeroom. His father Benjamin didn’t want him in the house. He said he got to feed him scraps from the table if he would eat anything. He said his brother Adam said that Jeremiah didn’t belong with them and should be with his own kind. Joseph said he was worried because their cook wanted to eat Jeremiah’s legs!”
“Oh, my. They are wicked savages, aren’t they?”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know how it happened, but Little Joseph said that Jeremiah died and they buried him out under the rose bushes. He said his father said at least he could do some good there.”
“Oh, how barbaric. Murder and not even a proper burial.”
Within a week of that little social confab, Sylvia’s mother pressured her husband into taking another job so they could move to California. She couldn’t bear to walk in the streets of Virginia City and hear the children with their new song. Ever since Sheriff Coffee had told her that Jeremiah wasn’t a child, apparently, he had been unable to keep that story to himself. It spread like wildfire throughout the town. The children made up a rhyme and sang it to peals of laughter whenever they saw her near.
“Old ladies and creepy dialog.
Gory gossip had them all agog.
Voices were shrill.
A terrible kill!
But, no, Jeremiah was a bullfrog.”
Eight-year-old, Hoss rode to Sylvia’s house. She was his best friend. They had met at school and bonded over Three O’ Cat. Hoss had been one of the best players. Sylvia Henson moved with her family to Virginia City. Her first day of school, she had watched the boys play Three O’ Cat and she asked to play. The boys scoffed at her saying she couldn’t play because she was a girl. Her older brother, Michael told them to let her play and they’d be surprised how good she was.
“Aw, come on, fellas, let her play. She can be on my team,” Hoss said.
“Fine,” Doug relented.
Hoss handed Sylvia the bat. She got in position and waited for the pitch. Doug, who was pitcher, pitched the ball and she swung hitting the ball. It flew out of the schoolyard. Everyone stood in surprised silence then Hoss cheered as she ran the bases to home base. Hoss hugged her without thinking.
“Great job, Sylvia!” He said.
Sylvia blushed and went inside.
“I told you she was great,” Michael said smugly and followed his sister inside.
That had been a month ago, and the two friends were inseparable. They were always on the same team at school and after school, they’d go fishing or going for a horseback ride while Hoss showed her around the area. He had gone to Sylvia’s house and met her family. He was a frequent visitor because Sylvia’s mother, Lucy, made good food. He kept that a secret from Hop Sing. He didn’t dare hurt the Chinaman’s feelings. Lucy also treated Hoss like a son. When they had a picnic with the Hensons, Ben told Lucy that she could discipline Hoss as she saw fit. She laughed and agreed. She never did though until the day they brought a bullfrog by the name of Jeremiah in the house.
Hoss and Sylvia went to the pond and found a big bullfrog.
“How are we going to get him?” Sylvia asked.
“I don’t know,” Hoss replied.
The bullfrog sat on the lily pad making noises along with the rest of the frogs. Hoss waded in the water and jumped to catch it but slipped and fell. Sylvia laughed. The frog jumped off the lily pad. Hoss sat up sputtering then laughed. After a few attempts, Sylvia caught the bullfrog.
“Good job, Sylvia.” Hoss congratulated.
They walked home happy.
“What do we name him?” Hoss asked.
Sylvia thought about it.
“How about Jeremiah?”
“I like it.”
They went to Sylvia’s house to show her mother their new pet.
“Ma, look what we caught!” Sylvia said as they walked in the house.
Sylvia’s mother turned and saw her daughter and her friend muddy and wet.
“Sylvia Henson, what in blue blazes have you been doing to get so dirty and what is that you have in your hand?”
“This is our bullfrog Jeremiah. We caught him.”
“Oh, dear. You need to take him back to the pond.
You can’t keep him here. Hoss, I doubt your father would want you to keep him there too.”
“Aw, Ma, I want to keep him!”
“No, take him back now,” Lucy said sternly.
“Fine.” Sylvia groaned.
The friends turned back and took the bullfrog back to the pond.
Later that night at dinner, Hoss told his family about his and Sylvia’s day at the pond.
“Jeremiah was a bullfrog, but we had to take him back to the pond because Sylvia’s mother told us to,” Hoss said sadly.
“Rightly so. He belongs there,” Ben replied.
Hoss nodded sadly and finished his dinner.
Lesson Learned?
“Pa, do I hafta go in? She keeps makin’ fun of me.”
“Adam, we’ve already discussed this. Education is important, and learning to get along with others is part of that education.”
“Yessir. But I sure wish somebody would teach Sylvia that lesson.”
As soon as Adam entered the tent Ben couldn’t help but smile. He felt for his son but he also couldn’t pass up the chance for the five year old to go to school. It had been a hard two weeks on both of them as young Sylvia and her mother apparently never learned that particular lesson.
Ben sighed and headed off to his job. This was the last day. Tomorrow they would return to their journey west.
“Well, hel-loo Adam. I see you wore your fancy shirt today with the frayed collar. My mama just finished this dress for me last night. Do you like it? It’s a shame you don’t have a mama to sew nice clothes for you.” Stone-faced, Adam waited until Sylvia’s giggling stopped then moved to his place to sit. A couple of other boys joined him.
“You really should sock her for that insult about your mama, Adam. She’s got it comin’.”
“My Pa says it ain’t nice to hit a lady, even a mean one. He says if I’m nice to her she’ll learn to be nice too.” The boys, twins John and Jordan Wade, snickered but said they truly sympathized with Adam. Sylvia teased them for looking alike.
Just before lunch, John went to use the necessary. When he returned, Adam watched him do something to Sylvia’s lunch pail before sitting back down. At lunch, the twins found a few juicy worms near the creek. They joined Adam who was once again being lectured by Sylvia about his small lunch. Adam watched with wide eyes as they dropped the worms into Sylvia’s pretty brown curls.
Sylvia frowned. “Adam Cartwright, what are you gawking at!”
The twins started giggling when one of the worms dropped down her nose, then her lunch pail started hopping and out popped a fat bullfrog.
Jordan ran to catch him and came back rubbing the frog’s back. “Jeremiah what were you doin’ in Miss Sylvia’s lunch? Your lunch is right over here.” He then placed the bullfrog on top of Sylvia’s head making her jump and scream even more.
During the melee, Adam had the good sense to move far away but still close enough to enjoy Sylvia’s demise. Well, until Sylvia’s mother stormed from the tent and pointed her very long finger at the three boys as she gathered her weeping and slimy daughter into her arms.
When Ben arrived to get Adam he got an earful. “Mister Cartwright, your miscreant son is no longer welcome here after terrorizing my daughter today. Take him and leave.”
Flabbergasted, Ben took Adam by the arm and headed to a tree well away from the tent.
His look told Adam to talk and talk fast.
“I promise Pa. I had nothing to do with it. It was all John and Jordan, and Jeremiah. Of everyone at school, I’d have to say Sylvia hated Jeremiah the most. She squealed and jumped everywhere when he touch her.”
Ben gave Adam a lecture then let the matter drop, seeing as they were leaving town the next day anyway.
Later as they settled down to sleep by their wagon, Ben had one nagging question.
“Adam, who’s Jeremiah? Is he new to the school?”
“Uh, kinda Pa.” Silence. “Jeremiah was a bullfrog.”
Deep-throated laughter and giggles lasted well into the night.
“What’s that you’ve got in the bucket, son?”Ben stood by the water trough peering down over twelve year-old Hoss’ shoulder.
“Oh — uh — it’s Jeremiah.” A forced, nervous chuckle escaped the big boy’s tense mouth.
“Jeremiah? Like the prophet?” Ben laughed softly. “Let me have a look.”
“Uh sure, Pa” Hoss turned and lifted the small pail toward his father.
“Why it’s a bullfrog. Jeremiah, you say?”
“Yeah, ya know the preacher did say that Jeremiah did a lot o’ weepin’ and this old bullfrog seemed lonesome like and sounded kinda sad.”
Ben folded his arms across his chest. “Don’t you think he would be better off down at the creek?”
Hoss swallowed uncomfortably. “Mebbe, but I was thinkin’ ‘bout givin’ him ta Little Joe.”
“To Joe?”
Hoss nodded tentatively.
Ben twisted his mouth in question and waited for further explanation.
“Well, Pa, ya know Joe’s been missin’ Adam real bad since he left for school in Boston. I jest thought he might like a pet to keep him comp’ny.” The boy looked up at his father with a mix of sympathy and pleading.
Ben relaxed his posture and placed his large hands on his son’s shoulders. His mind wondered briefly at the frightening realization that it would not be long until Hoss was looking him squarely in the eye. The contradiction of this child in a man-sized body often made Hoss appear comical. And yet, Ben knew that his middle son’s heart was in the right place despite how Adam might feel about being replaced by a bullfrog.
His father’s thoughtful silence made Hoss even more uncomfortable. “Pa?”
“Yes, son. Sorry. Guess I was thinking about Adam, too.” Ben gave Hoss a warm smile and squeezed his shoulders. “I think Joe will like Jeremiah just fine. But –”
“I know, Pa. I know Jeremiah hasta stay outside or Hop Sing will have a fit. Thanks, Pa!”
Hoss took off with determine steps toward the front door and stopped abruptly at the ‘uh hem’ coming from behind him. He turned and gave his father a sheepish grin.
“Oh yeah. Sorry, Pa. Guess I got a little excited.” Hoss set the bucket by the front door and charged inside. “Little Joe! I got somethin’ for ya!”
Moments later, Joe came running through the door and grabbed the frog from the bucket and began to stroke its back and call it by name. Hoss gave his little brother quiet words of instruction and encouragement before looking up and giving his father a nod.
Ben shook his head and murmured to himself. “Would that more of the hurts of this world could be eased by a caring brother and ‘lonesome’ bullfrog.”
