{"id":13961,"date":"2007-12-12T16:11:08","date_gmt":"2007-12-12T21:11:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13961"},"modified":"2025-09-09T14:02:36","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T18:02:36","slug":"the-full-moon-by-susan-g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13961","title":{"rendered":"The Full Moon (by Susan G)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 It should be just an ordinary day, but with a full moon, it’s anything but normal.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Word Count: \u00a03700 \u00a0Rated: \u00a0T<\/p>\n

The Full Moon<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pulling his horse to a halt, Hoss Cartwright climbed down from his saddle and stood next to the animal on the dusty road. \u201cDagnabit,\u201d grumbled the big man as he flipped up the saddle stirrup and began pulling on the loose cinch. \u201cAin\u2019t nothing going right today. First, there are no eggs for breakfast \u2018cause the hens ain’t laying, then I had to put on my old boots \u2018cause I broke the heel on one of my new ones, and now my cinch comes loose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the full moon,\u201d advised Joe Cartwright, nodding wisely from atop his pinto.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the moon got to do with anything?\u201d asked Hoss with a frown as he tightened the cinch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a known fact that all kinds of strange things happen when there\u2019s a full moon,\u201d Joe explained. \u201cPeople and animals start acting kind of crazy, stuff starts breaking, and things just generally get kind of weird.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a bunch of hooey,\u201d Hoss replied as he started to mount his horse again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s superstition,\u201d agreed Adam Cartwright, who waiting patiently for his brother to re-mount. \u201cBut a lot of people believe the moon has an effect on events. In ancient days, people built all kinds of devices to track the moon so they would know when a full moon was going to occur. They would offer sacrifices or have ceremonies to insure good luck.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the only good luck I want is at the poker table,\u201d Joe told his older brother Adam. \u201cThis is the first day off that Pa has given us in a month, and I aim to enjoy it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter we pick up the mail, order the seed, get Pa\u2019s tobacco \u2026\u201d said Adam, starting to tick off a list of tasks on his fingers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you sure know how to spoil a fellow\u2019s fun,\u201d Joe complained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to tell Pa we were too busy enjoying ourselves to take care of the things he asked us to do?\u201d countered Adam. \u201cBecause if you do, you\u2019re going to need a better excuse than there was a full moon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019re right there,\u201d admitted Joe grudgingly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you fellows sit around here jawing all day, we ain\u2019t gonna get to town until midnight<\/span>,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Hoss declared. \u201cLet\u2019s ride.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

************<\/span><\/p>\n

Once they reached Virginia City, the Cartwright brothers quickly divided up the tasks that their father had asked them to do. Hoss readily agreed to take care of ordering the seed for the meadow in which the Cartwrights were planning to grow hay.<\/span><\/p>\n

After spending some time gossiping with Sam, the owner of the Feed and Grain Store, Hoss finally got around ordering the seed needed for the hay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat should be enough to cover the two acres you are planting to sow,\u201d commented Sam with a nod as he completed writing out the order form. \u201cThe seed should be ready for you to pick up at the end of the week. I\u2019ve got a wagon coming in with lots of seed, and it should be here tomorrow or the next day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLots of people planting, eh?\u201d Hoss remarked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUsually happens when there\u2019s a full moon,\u201d agreed Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFull moon? What\u2019s that got to do with it?\u201d asked Hoss with a puzzled expression.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people thinking planting when there\u2019s a full moon makes their crops grow better,\u201d explained Sam. \u201cI don\u2019t know if that\u2019s true, but I always sell more seed than usual at that time of the month, so I\u2019m not complaining.\u201d Suddenly, Sam looked up. \u201cSay, Hoss, would you mind doing me a favor?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Sam, what is it?\u201d replied Hoss.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ve got a bag of fertilizer that I was supposed to take over to Marge Ferguson\u2019s house but I\u2019ve been so busy that I haven\u2019t gotten around to it,\u201d said Sam. \u201cWould you mind taking it over for me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that Marge Ferguson was one of the best baker\u2019s in town, Hoss quickly agreed. He figured that delivering the fertilizer might earn him a reward of some of Mrs. Ferguson\u2019s famous butter cookies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carrying the small bag of fertilizer, Hoss hurried to Marge Ferguson\u2019s house. He found the middle-aged lady kneeling in her front yard, spreading dirt over what seemed to be a row of sticks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfternoon, Mrs. Ferguson!\u201d Hoss called cheerfully as he entered the woman\u2019s yard. \u201cI brung you the fertilizer from ol\u2019 Sam. He told me to tell you he was sorry he didn\u2019t get it here sooner.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh Hoss, your timing is perfect,\u201d Mrs. Ferguson declared as she turned to greet the large man. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you put it down right here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After laying the bag on the ground near the still-kneeling woman, Hoss couldn\u2019t resist asking, \u201cWhat are you planting?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRose bushes,\u201d replied Mrs. Ferguson. \u201cMy sister sent them from St. Louis. I have to get them planted right away so that they\u2019ll bloom soon. This is the time to plant them, you know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of the full moon,\u201d Hoss said, nodding his head wisely.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d agreed Mrs. Ferguson. \u201cEveryone knows you should plant under a full moon in order to get good results.\u201d She smiled at Hoss, and then added with a twinkle in her eye, \u201cYou deserve a treat for being so nice to deliver the fertilizer. If you don\u2019t mind waiting a bit until I\u2019m finished here, I have some fresh cookies for you to try.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t mind waiting, ma\u2019am,\u201d said Hoss quickly. He walked up to the porch of the house and settled his hip on the railing in front of it. The wood of the railing seem to give a bit under his weight, but Hoss was too preoccupied with the thought of cookies to notice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s not much to them bushes right now,\u201d observed Hoss as he looked down onto the plants below.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, they\u2019re mostly branches and thorns,\u201d agreed Mrs. Ferguson. \u201cBut with lots of water, fertilizer, and a little care, they\u2019ll grow. I\u2019m looking forward to having a yard full of red roses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shifting his weight again, Hoss leaned forward a bit. The wood underneath him groaned, but once more, Hoss ignored the noise. \u201cIt should look real pretty,\u201d he remarked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly, there was a load crack and the railing beneath Hoss broke away from the post to which it was attached. Hoss felt himself tumbling forward, right toward the horrified face of Mrs. Ferguson.<\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

Picking up a pouch of his father\u2019s favorite tobacco was easiest chore Adam had to handle. After putting the small sack in the saddlebags on his horse, he walked over to the sheriff\u2019s office to take care of another task that wasn\u2019t quite so cut and dried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHowdy, Adam,\u201d Sheriff Roy Coffee greeted the oldest Cartwright son as Adam entered the office. \u201cWhat brings you here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Roy,\u201d Adam returned the lawman\u2019s greeting. \u201cPa wanted me to stop by and tell you we found a campsite and some tracks on near Watson\u2019s Grove.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s so suspicious about that?\u201d asked Coffee, clearly puzzled. \u201cProbably just a couple of fellows made camp for the night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, these fellows tried to hide their tracks,\u201d explained Adam. \u201cThey had scattered the remains of the campfire and tried to brush out their tracks. We followed the brush marks but lost the trail when they got to hard ground.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow that does sound suspicious,\u201d agreed the sheriff with a frown. \u201cAny idea who they might be?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d admitted Adam, \u201cwe didn\u2019t find any other signs. But anyone who takes that much trouble to try to hide where they\u2019ve been and where they\u2019re going is probably up to no good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI agree,\u201d Coffee said with a nod. \u201cI\u2019ll ride out to Watson\u2019s Grove and take a look around myself as soon as I can. It might be a day or two, though.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The sound of yelling interrupted the sheriff. The strident, angry voices were drifting through the open door that led to the cell block. Abruptly, Roy Coffee got up from behind his desk and walked to the door. The sheriff stuck his head into the cell block.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow you two quiet down!\u201d Coffee ordered loudly. \u201cYou\u2019re already in enough trouble. You don\u2019t want me adding more charges to the ones you\u2019re already facing, do you?\u201d Almost at once, the voices quieted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry about that, Adam,\u201d apologized the sheriff as he walked back toward his desk. \u201cIt\u2019s been like this for the past two days. The whole town seems to gotten a burr under their saddle. I\u2019ve broken up more fights and taken home more drunks in the last couple of days than I did in the last month.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe full moon,\u201d murmured Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCould be,\u201d Coffee agreed. \u201cSeems like every time there\u2019s a full moon, half this town goes crazy.\u201d The sheriff shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ve got my hands full in town right now, but I\u2019ll get out to Watson\u2019s Grove as soon as I can.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t mind if we take a look around ourselves, do you?\u201d asked Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGo right ahead,\u201d Coffee replied. \u201cBut watch yourselves. You don\u2019t know what you\u2019re dealing with. Could be rustlers, bank robbers, or just any kind of sneaky varmints.\u201d The sheriff paused, and then frowned. \u201cYou know, I got a wire from Fred Logan, the sheriff in Carson City. Two fellows robbed the bank over there but they didn\u2019t get much \u2018cause the safe wasn\u2019t open and the teller didn\u2019t know the combination. Fred thought they might be heading this way. If those bank robbers are the ones who were camping on your land, they could be dangerous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be careful,\u201d Adam promised with a nod, then turned and walked toward the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Outside the sheriff\u2019s office, Adam stopped and looked around. His tasks were completed, but he didn\u2019t feel like heading over to the Silver Dollar Saloon just yet. As he was trying to decide what to do next, Adam saw Mary Lou Adams walking down the street, pulling a dog on a leash behind her. Adam smiled a bit at the sight of the pretty blonde tugging the clearly unwilling dog in the direction of her house. With quick strides, Adam crossed the street.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Mary Lou,\u201d Adam said with a smile, putting his fingers to his hat and tipping it slightly. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with Warner?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mary Lou returned Adam\u2019s smile before looking down at the German shepherd now lying on the boards of the sidewalk. \u201cHe\u2019s been irritable all day, Adam. I don\u2019t know what\u2019s wrong with him. He kept prowling the house like he wanted to go out, so I took him for a walk. Warner usually likes to take a run in that area behind the livery, but he just sat there. Now he doesn\u2019t want to go home. I haven\u2019t seen him act like this since he was a puppy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think he\u2019s sick?\u201d asked Adam with concern.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe ate everything I gave him,\u201d Mary Lou answered. \u201cAnd he doesn\u2019t act sick. He\u2019s just grouchy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Crouching down, Adam studied the dog. Warner looked back at Adam with clear, albeit suspicious, eyes. There was no sign of any spit or foam coming from the animal\u2019s mouth nor was the dog panting heavily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s bothering you, Warner?\u201d murmured Adam, reaching forward to pet the dog\u2019s head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Giving a loud yelp, Warner opened his jaws.<\/span><\/p>\n

***********<\/span><\/p>\n

Picking up the mail was a simple task, which is why Joe had quickly volunteered for that duty. He had thought it would only take a few minutes and then he would be able to head for the Silver Dollar Saloon. Unfortunately, once Joe arrived at the Post Office, things didn\u2019t go quite as planned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ed Walker, the Virginia City Postmaster, wasn\u2019t in his office. A young man Joe had never seen before stood behind the counter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHi,\u201d Joe greeted the young man, \u201cwhere\u2019s Ed?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHis wife is feeling poorly so he\u2019s home with her,\u201d the young man replied impassively. \u201cCan I help you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, my name is Cartwright,\u201d Joe explained. \u201cI\u2019m here to pick up the mail for the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d said the young man coolly. \u201cCan I see some identification?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIdentification?\u201d Joe patted the pockets of his jacket. \u201cWhat kind of identification do you have in mind?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomething that tells me you\u2019re who you say you are,\u201d answered the man behind the desk.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe pulled out his wallet and thumbed through it. Inside the wallet were a few ten dollar bills but nothing else. No letter, no papers with his name on it. \u201cI don\u2019t seem to have any identification with me,\u201d Joe admitted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, then, I can\u2019t give you the Ponderosa mail,\u201d stated the young man, turning away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow wait a minute!\u201d Joe exclaimed. \u201cI\u2019m Joe Cartwright. Everybody in town knows who I am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d said the young man briefly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou must be new in town,\u201d Joe observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just arrived last week,\u201d admitted the young man. \u201cMr. Walker hired me yesterday.\u201d He turned away from Joe once more. \u201cI have a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, welcome to Virginia City,\u201d Joe said in a friendly voice. \u201cNow if you\u2019ll just give me the mail for the Ponderosa, I\u2019ll get out of your hair.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not giving mail to anyone who can\u2019t prove it belongs to them,\u201d declared the young man stubbornly, his back still to Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Frustrated, Joe pounded the counter with his hand. \u201cNow, look you…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Whirling around, the young man faced Joe. \u201cMy name is Jimmy, Jimmy Wilson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right\u2026Jimmy,\u201d repeated Joe. \u201cMost of the people in this town don\u2019t carry any identification with them. How are they suppose to get their mail?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Walker knows the people in town and he\u2019s introduced me to a lot of them,\u201d answered Jimmy stiffly. \u201cThe ones I know got their mail. Anyone else has to show identification. If they don\u2019t have identification, I tell them to come back tomorrow when Mr. Walker is here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not riding all the way back into town tomorrow just to get the mail,\u201d Joe declared angrily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen I guess you\u2019ll have to do it the day after,\u201d Jimmy countered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once more, Joe hit the counter in frustration. He turned and started to walk out of the post office. Through the window, however, Joe spotted Roy Coffee walking down the street. \u201cWait a minute,\u201d Joe called, rushing out the door. \u201cI\u2019ll be right back.<\/span><\/p>\n

The young man in the post office watched as Joe ran across the street and grabbed the sheriff by the arm. He saw Joe speak briefly to Roy Coffee and then practically drag the sheriff back to the Post Office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, would you please tell this idiot who I am,\u201d demanded Joe as he and the sheriff entered the building.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is Joe Cartwright of the Ponderosa,\u201d said Roy obligingly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, will you give me the mail for the Ponderosa,\u201d demanded Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026\u201d Jimmy began in a doubtful voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy!\u201d Joe practically shouted. \u201cTell him to give me the mail!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With an amused look on his face, the sheriff studied the youngest Cartwright for a moment, as if he were seeing Joe for the first time. Then he turned toward the young man behind the counter. \u201cI\u2019ll vouch for him,\u201d Coffee stated. \u201cYou can give him the Ponderosa mail.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if you say it\u2019s all right, I guess it is,\u201d agreed Jimmy. He took a few steps to his left where a pigeon-holed box sat atop a table. Jimmy pulled envelopes out of two boxes and replaced them before he found the mail he was seeking.<\/span><\/p>\n

Walking slowly back to the counter, Jimmy offered a handful of envelopes to Joe. \u201cHere\u2019s your mail, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe snatched the envelopes out of Jimmy\u2019s hand. \u201cThanks,\u201d he muttered turning and walking toward the door. The sheriff followed Joe with the amused expression still on his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou come back and see us real soon,\u201d called Jimmy at the retreating pair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking up, Joe rolled his eyes and shook his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Out on the street, Joe shook his head once more. \u201cWhat an idiot!\u201d he exclaimed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Joe, he was just doing his job,\u201d said Coffee in a soothing voice. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t want him to be giving the Ponderosa mail to just anyone, would you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess not,\u201d Joe agreed grudgingly. He smiled at the sheriff as he stuffed the envelopes inside his jacket. \u201cI\u2019m heading down to the Silver Dollar. Can I buy you a beer? That\u2019s the least I can do since you vouched for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t right now,\u201d replied Roy regretfully. \u201cBut I\u2019ll walk down that way with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With easy strides, the two men strolled down the sidewalk, exchanging bits of news as they walked. As they approached the Virginia City bank, however, both stopped abruptly. Two men were running out of the bank with bandanas covering the lower part of their face and guns drawn. One man was holding a sack.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHold it right there!\u201d shouted Roy Coffee, drawing his own gun. \u201cStop or I\u2019ll shoot!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Startled, the two men halted and looked with surprise at the sheriff. The man with the money raised his hands, dropping both the sack and his pistol to the ground. The other man, however, hesitated, then raised his gun as if to fire.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without thinking, Joe flung himself at the second man, tackling him around the knees and throwing him to the ground. The bandit\u2019s pistol flew out of his hand, hitting the wooden sidewalk with a thud. Joe was getting to his feet when the bank robber reached up and threw a punch.<\/span><\/p>\n

***********<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright had planned to spend a quiet day at the Ponderosa. With his sons in town, he decided he could do a little bookkeeping and then spend the rest of his time reading the new Dickens novel which he had just acquired. But for some reason, Ben found it hard to concentrate. He felt restless, unsettled, as if he should be doing something else, even though he had no idea what that something else could be.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few hours passed as Ben worked on the accounts, but he didn\u2019t accomplish much. After spending five minutes trying to add some numbers and coming up with a different answer each time, Ben threw down the pen in his hand. He couldn\u2019t seem to focus on the figures in the ledger on his desk and spending more time working on them seemed pointless. Slamming the accounts book closed, Ben got up from behind the desk and walked over to the fireplace. Sitting on the coffee table in front of the fireplace was the Dickens novel. He picked up the book, then settled down in his favorite red leather chair and began to read.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMistah Cartwright, you want some coffee?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking up, Ben saw Hop Sing, the Ponderosa cook, standing a few feet away with a mug in his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hop Sing, that would be nice,\u201d Ben replied with a smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing was walking toward his boss with the coffee mug when his foot hit an uneven board on the floor. Pitching forward, the Chinese cook instinctively threw out his arms. The coffee in the mug flew through the air, with most of the liquid in it landing on Ben\u2019s knees.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOw!\u201d screamed Ben as the hot liquid burned his legs a bit. He quickly stood and started brushing the drops of coffee from his pants.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh! Mistah Cartwright!! Hop Sing sorry!\u201d exclaimed the cook in dismay. \u201cHop Sing very sorry!!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Hop Sing; I know it was just an accident,\u201d Ben said as he continued to brush his pants.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing very clumsy all day,\u201d the cook stated. \u201cBurn bread, not chop carrots right. Very bad things happen.\u201d Hop Sing shook his head. \u201cMust be full moon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFull moon?\u201d asked Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFull moon bring bad luck,\u201d explained Hop Sing. \u201cMany bad things happen.\u201d He shook his head once more. \u201cI go do ceremony to keep evil spirits away.\u201d With that, the cook padded softly toward the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was still brushing his pants when he heard the front door open. He looked up in surprise to see Adam, Hoss and Joe coming through the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou boys home so soon? I thought\u2026\u201d Ben stopped speaking and stared at his sons. Hoss\u2019 face was covered with scratches; Adam\u2019s hand was wrapped in a white bandage; Joe\u2019s eye was black and his cheek was supporting a large bruise. \u201cWhat on earth happened to you?\u201d Ben asked in astonishment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRose bush,\u201d answered Hoss.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDog,\u201d replied Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBank robber,\u201d explained Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Ben said again. Then he raised his hand. \u201cNever mind, you can explain it later. Right now, I have to go upstairs and change my pants. Hop Sing spilled coffee all over them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, Hoss and Joe exchanged looks and then the three of them broke into grins. \u201cYou too, huh Pa?\u201d said Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe too what?\u201d Ben snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou suffered from the curse too,\u201d Hoss explained. \u201cThe curse of the full moon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe full moon?\u201d Ben repeated with a frown. He remembered Hop Sing\u2019s warning about bad luck. Then he shook his shoulders. \u201cThat\u2019s ridiculous. Just superstition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d agreed Adam, \u201cbut you have to admit we\u2019ve had better days.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just nonsense,\u201d Ben stated again. \u201cThings don\u2019t happen because of the moon. They just\u2026happen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Pa,\u201d Hoss commented in a doubtful voice. \u201cThere\u2019s some mighty strange things happened today. Ain\u2019t no real explanation except maybe because there\u2019s a full moon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to argue such a preposterous idea with you,\u201d declared Ben. \u201cIf you want to believe in full moons or four-leaf clovers or whatever, go right ahead. If you want superstition to rule your life, feel free. In the meantime, your brothers and I will just agree that we\u2019ve had a bad day all around, right, boys?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight,\u201d agreed Joe. \u201cBut I\u2019ll tell you what. The next time you give us a day off, Pa, I\u2019m going to check the moon before I go into town.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

*****End****<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 It should be just an ordinary day, but with a full moon, it’s anything but normal.<\/p>\n

Word Count: \u00a03700 \u00a0Rated: \u00a0T<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10338,"featured_media":18699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1207,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/moon-3.png?fit=427%2C321&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14010,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14010","url_meta":{"origin":13961,"position":0},"title":"The Runaway Bride (by Susan G)","author":"SusanG","date":"March 20, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Joe claims he saw someone riding across a ridge on a moonlit night, but his family doesn\u2019t believe his story. 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