Summary: After some years of reflection, Captain Abel Stoddard decides to change his ways and make some amends. Two things that he knows he must do are to mend the relationship with his son-in-law, and he must create a communication link to his young grandchild. Two Christmas letters are how he begins the process.
Rating PG  Word count 1497

Bonanza
~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~
* Day 15 *

Leaning On the Taffrail

Christmas letters from Captain Abel Stoddard to Ben Cartwright and to Adam Cartwright in Nevada

Dear Benjamin:

Thank you for writing to let me know your situation. I am smart enough to read between the lines when I am not imbibing too much at a pub. I have to tell you that I have curbed those tendencies greatly. I have found I am a better person than when I let rum do any of my talking. I should have known that, but now that I find myself leaning on the taffrail at the stern and gazing at my wake, I see better than when I was at the helm looking over the foredeck and toward the horizon. I have much to make amends for before it is too late. A north wind has been blowing for the past three days. It has reminded me that it is not only colder outside, but that a cold future awaits unless I make some course corrections. I will not lag in the doldrums. I will take the con and sail on.

You mentioned the cold winds blowing where you are and having to cut those tall trees where you are. I am concerned that you have to rely on itinerant labor of trappers and Paiute. I have a partial solution for that. I have a fine lad who works for me. He is honest, hard-working, and loyal, but sad to say, he has a weakness for the ladies and rum. He’s strong as an ox and can work from sun-up to sun-down. He’s chopped wood for me at the store and at my home. As a farm lad, he’s much better wielding an axe than clerking in my store. Better the sound of the axe among your tall trees than breaking glass in my aisles. Living where you are will keep him from his vices too. Yes, I am sending him to you. His name is Shorty, and he is agreeable to the move. He will work for you for room and board if that is what you can afford until things improve. I will send money with him. I trust him that much. I will also send things with him to give to Adam: Elizabeth’s favorite book, prints she had decorating her room, and a few of her trinkets and such that he can treasure or perhaps give to a favored young lady in the future. I cannot say when Shorty will arrive as you know how difficult travel is to your location, but he is a determined young man, and I have no doubt he will get there. I hope he will arrive by Christmas, but if not, please tell my grandson what is coming for the promise will be a gift to him at least. I am writing a letter to him as well. He may be too young to understand some of what I say to him, but do not read his letter. Let him read it. If he does not understand it all now, he will when he is older.

With your pride, I know you bristled when you read I was sending money. Know it is not charity. It is the inheritance that belonged by right to Elizabeth and would have been yours eventually and definitely would be Adam’s. With a continent between us, it will be difficult to provide that inheritance to you and to him when I do depart this earth. You should consider it my bequeathing it to you in a more practical way. Buy supplies, tools, land, horses, or cattle, or whatever you need to make a success of what you are doing to secure my grandson’s future. That is what I ask. Know I will send more as I am able and find means to do so.

By my reckoning, this letter should arrive before Christmas, or I hope it will. I never celebrated that holyday or holiday, but as you know, our Elizabeth loved it. Therefore, it is another course correction I am making. Please accept all I have sent in the spirit of the season in her memory. Merry Christmas and be of good cheer. May the New Year bring success, happiness, and joy.

Sincerely,

Captain Abel Stoddard

My Dear Adam – a letter for your eyes only:

Grandson, it is my one great regret that I did not get to know you. I hope that can be remedied someday, but there is a continent between us. Know that if you ever have the wherewithal and the means to be in Boston, I will welcome you into my home for as long as you wish to stay. Your father and I did not part on the best of terms, but I am doing what I can to mend the bonds I broke with him. I hope it will be enough, but he can be stubborn as I can assume you already are well aware. I told him I did not want him to read this letter, but that only you should read it. You may not at your young age understand all that I am writing to you, but in time, you will.

I am sending a young lad to work for your father. He is a hard-working and loyal one. His name is Shorty. With him, I am sending some of your mother Elizabeth’s things including her favorite book, prints and drawings she had decorating her room, and a few of her trinkets and such. I hope you will treasure them as she did. The ladylike things you can keep or perhaps give to a young woman you may favor in the future. At your age now, that may not be what you think is likely to happen, but believe me when I say that someday you will understand that as well.

Your father has written that it is cold there in the winter with winds and snow. Here a north wind has been blowing for the past three days, but I am sure it is nothing like what you face in the mountains where he has settled you. Though I have a chill in my bones from the wind and from its reminder of how close I am getting to joining my Elizabeth, I worry about you and hope you can stay safe and grow strong. I know your mother had dreams of a place where the trees touched the sky. I guess that is where you are now so you are living her dream. Don’t forget to have your own dreams and follow them when the day comes. Don’t let your father run your life. He can be as domineering as any sea captain or as conniving as an old pirate. Don’t ever tell him I said those things, but I am being honest with you. The only way to win an argument with your father is to stand toe-to-toe with him and give as good as you get. I still chuckle to remember the scenes of your mother doing that. It will be difficult to do so when you are young. But a sailor like your father (and like me, if truth be told) only respects strength. Don’t let him see weakness in you. He will take advantage of that. Be strong, my boy, and stand tall. That will be taking the best from your father and from me and your mother as well.

However, your mother left you another heritage. She always cared about others. Her heart was open and caring, sometimes too much. It meant she was hurt at times, and when she was hurt, I was hurt. Now I see though, that her caring heart was the best part of her. I hope you have some of that in you too. I can see that her caring heart was why she loved Christmas and the joy and giving spirit of this season. I understand more and more why it was her most favorite time of the year. It was the beginning, the fresh start to the new year. She enjoyed finding special gifts for those who were close to her, but she found gifts of food and warm clothing for those in need to be just as fulfilling. And oh, how she loved to sing the songs of the season. I hope you will lift your voice in song all the year-long but especially in the Christmas season. One little secret for you too: for a girl, she had an enormous love for snowball fights. If you can, toss a few of those during the season or at least one in memory of your mother. She had pretty good aim too as I can attest. So, work on that with some practice.

Merry Christmas and be of good cheer. May the New Year bring success, happiness, and joy. And someday may we toast the day together. That is my fondest wish.

Yours truly,

Grandfather Abel Stoddard

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Prompt: A north wind has been blowing for the past three days.

Main character: Abel

Note: You expected to see a story from AC1830 if you have been paying attention to the Advent Calendar. AC and I decided to link our stories. After beginning the writing process, we realized it made more sense to have my story first. So with Faust’s permission, we switched dates. You will have to settle for my entry today and wait two days for AC’s superb contribution to the calendar.

Link to the conclusion of this story: Standing on the Bow Rail (by AC1830)

Link to the Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar – Day 16 – A Grand Christmas – McFair_58