{"id":14981,"date":"2009-12-08T08:48:49","date_gmt":"2009-12-08T13:48:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14981"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:22:12","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:22:12","slug":"the-birthday-gift-by-pony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14981","title":{"rendered":"The Birthday Gift (by pony)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 It’s Hoss’ birthday, and afterwards, he reveals his true nature to his family.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (1,520 words)<\/p>\n

The Birthday Gift<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a jim-dandy!\u201d<\/p>\n

His voice was as bright as his sparkling blue eyes, and Ben Cartwright laughed with the pure pleasure of seeing his son\u2019s happiness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you like it,\u201d Ben said. \u201cHappy birthday, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLemme see.\u201d Joe reached for the shiny new jack knife, but Hoss pulled it away and held it high over his head, well out of his younger brother\u2019s reach.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh-uh,\u201d Hoss said, shaking his head. \u201cYou\u2019ll wear the new right off’n it, with your busy little paws. Let me at least enjoy it for a day or two first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned, a little miffed, but the good-humored tone of his brother\u2019s voice had taken away any sting from the words. The frown vanished into a grin as Joe shrugged and replied easily, \u201cAll right; happy birthday, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced at the clock. \u201cHadn\u2019t you boys better be getting started? Don\u2019t want to be late for school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam shared a laugh at the twin expressions of disgust mirrored on the faces of Hoss and Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet along with you,\u201d Ben chuckled. \u201cAnd don\u2019t dawdle getting home this afternoon. Hop Sing will have a special dinner tonight to celebrate the occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYum, yum!\u201d Hoss cried. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Pa, we won\u2019t be late!\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWhat\u2019re you gonna tell Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss shook his head, miserable. \u201cI dunno, Joe. But promise me you won\u2019t say nothin\u2019, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face was a quilt of emotions \u2013 anger, confusion, worry and sorrow \u2013 all on behalf of his brother. \u201cWhy, Hoss? Why\u2019d\u2019ja do it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss lifted his head and looked at Joe. The eyes that had been so bright and happy just that morning were now filled with pain. \u201cJoe, just be quiet, now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brothers stared at one another for a few moments, and then both fell silent. Their horses, heads drooping to match the mood of their riders, plodded toward home. Neither Hoss nor Joe spoke another word until they came around the corner of the barn and into the front yard of the Ponderosa ranch house.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say nothin\u2019 Joe, promise me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head, then nodded. \u201cI promise. I don\u2019t know what to say anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

After tending their horses, the boys walked toward the house, side by side, the very picture of dejection. Joe glanced up at his brother and whispered, \u201cIf you go in there lookin\u2019 like that, Pa\u2019s gonna know for sure. You better liven up, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still staring at his boots, Hoss nodded, and then, as the door to the house opened, he managed to smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight on time!\u201d Ben\u2019s booming voice drew his sons indoors. \u201cHop Sing is just ready to serve. Hungry? I think I smell some of your favorites \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam, already seated, turned as his brothers came in to take their places around the table. \u201cOne thing for sure — we can all count on a great meal to celebrate birthdays around here, especially yours, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah \u2026 yeah, Adam.\u201d Hoss\u2019 laugh was weak, but fortunately it went unnoticed as Hop Sing chose that moment to make his entrance, carrying a huge platter of fried chicken.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour favorite,\u201d Joe prompted, kicking Hoss under the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite!\u201d Hoss echoed. \u201cThanks, Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe rolled his eyes. Hoss\u2019 cheeriness was obviously forced, but neither Pa nor Adam seemed to notice.<\/p>\n

But the fa\u00e7ade was destined to crumble.<\/p>\n

As he spooned mashed potatoes onto his plate, Ben asked casually, \u201cDid you show off your new knife at school today?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss tried, he really did. But deceit did not come naturally for him. Although he\u2019d known this question, or one like it, was sure to come \u2026 although he\u2019d anticipated this conversation all day, dreading it, worrying over it \u2026 all that agony had gone for naught as Hoss could only gulp and stare at his father, his face a mask of guilt.<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam exchanged puzzled glances. Joe was suddenly very interested in green beans. Hoss opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, but no words were forthcoming.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

The voice of Ben Cartwright was an amazing instrument. Its resonant tone was at once gentle and insistent, and Hoss was no match for either quality.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Pa!\u201d<\/p>\n

Startled, Ben watched as his son\u2019s face dissolved into tears. Leaping to his feet, Ben hurried to his son\u2019s side, putting a strong arm around his shoulder and leaning close. \u201cHoss! What\u2019s the matter, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sobbing, Hoss could only shake his head, pointing a trembling finger across the table at Little Joe.<\/p>\n

His voice sharp, Ben turned toward Joe. \u201cWhat\u2019s the meaning of this, Joseph? Did you do something to the knife? Lose it? Break it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa,\u201d Joe cried, and stared helplessly at Hoss. He had promised not to tell \u2026<\/p>\n

But Hoss, still crying, was nodding now, and finally managed to gasp, \u201cTell \u2019em, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

And so Joe told the story of how he and Hoss had arrived at the school yard \u2026 how Hoss had proudly showed off the knife, the knife he had yearned for, the shiny, bright jack knife with the intricate engraving on the handle, the many blades, glinting sharp in the afternoon sun; the knife that was the pride of the general store, the knife all the boys admired and coveted every time they walked by the display in the window \u2026<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t say those things, of course; he didn\u2019t have to. Ben and Adam already knew how much Hoss had wanted that knife, how disappointed he had been when it had disappeared from the store window a full month before his birthday, sure some miner or cowboy or cardsharp had finally managed to reserve a few dollars from the saloons in order to purchase it.<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t have to remind anyone of the joy they had seen on Hoss\u2019 face just that morning, as the hoped-for knife had been placed in his hands. Yes, his hands, for the knife now belonged to Hoss, a gift from his father, a birthday wish come true.<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t understand the story he was telling, but to the best of his ability, he told his father what had happened in the schoolhouse yard that morning. Only Hoss could have showed such a knife without showing off, and only Hoss could have been the center of a circle of admiring boys without being the object of jealousy.<\/p>\n

And only Hoss would have noticed, in his moment of glory, the boy who stood apart from the others, the boy with the thin smile and the sad eyes.<\/p>\n

Hoss had looked directly at this boy \u2013 his name was Jess Terrell \u2013 and Jess had whispered, \u201cIt\u2019s a jim-dandy, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jess didn\u2019t have a pa. He didn\u2019t have a ma. And he certainly didn\u2019t have a jackknife.<\/p>\n

Jess\u2019 mother had died when he was young. He had lived a bitter life with his alcoholic father, who blamed the boy, blamed the world, for all the things that had ever happened, or never happened, to or for him. Old man Terrell had died two years ago, following a night of drinking, falling drunk and frozen in a dark alley in the early morning hours of a cold day that never really had a sunrise.<\/p>\n

Jess had been on his own even while his father was living, so he just continued as he had been. Odd jobs and charity provided food that was meager but enough, and Jess considered himself fortunate to have been taken in at the livery stable. The work was hard; his boss was a rough man who spoke only in grunts, but he didn\u2019t object if Jess slept in the hayloft above the stalls, an abode that was warmer and dryer and safer than the shack he had shared with his father had ever been.<\/p>\n

Jess showed up occasionally at the schoolhouse, not so much to learn as to just be a part of things, if only for a little while. The concept of \u201cplaymates\u201d was foreign to him, but it felt good, somehow, to be around other boys his age, to run with them in the schoolyard and take part in the games, pretending, for just that little while, that his threadbare clothes and bare feet didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n

The teacher was a wise woman who knew about things beyond textbooks. It so happened that when the thin boy with hungry eyes showed up, those were somehow the very same days that she wasn\u2019t hungry at lunchtime. Jess was always willing to oblige when she asked if he would help keep good food from going to waste.<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t say any of those things as he told the story; he didn\u2019t have to.<\/p>\n

All he said was, \u201cHoss gave his knife to Jess\u201d \u2026 and that was all he had to say for Ben and Adam to know.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t cry, Hoss,\u201d Ben said tenderly. \u201cWe\u2019ll find another knife for you, don\u2019t cry \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss lifted his tear-stained face toward his father\u2019s. \u201cPa, that ain\u2019t it…\u201d he whispered. \u201cI ain\u2019t cryin\u2019 because Jess has the knife. I\u2019m cryin\u2019 because that\u2019s all he has.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

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

Summary:\u00a0 It’s Hoss’ birthday, and afterwards, he reveals his true nature to his family.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (1,520 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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":[23,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-prequels","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-30-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1079,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/coming-soon-9.jpg?fit=320%2C240&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6617,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6617","url_meta":{"origin":14981,"position":0},"title":"August Moon (by Rider)","author":"Rider","date":"May 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Little Joe Cartwright celebrates his 21st birthday with his family on the Ponderosa Ranch. Rated:\u00a0K+ (830 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/B_TLCSJoe1-1-1.jpg?fit=395%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2157,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2157","url_meta":{"origin":14981,"position":1},"title":"The Birthday Wish (by pony)","author":"pony","date":"December 8, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0It's Joe's birthday, and he's making a wish. But the Cartwrights don't realize it's someone else's birthday too ... and he has a secret wish of his own. Rated:\u00a0K \u00a0WC 3300","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2143,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2143","url_meta":{"origin":14981,"position":2},"title":"The Tattletale’s Birthday (by pony)","author":"pony","date":"December 8, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Adam receives the best birthday gift ever ... from a very unlikely giver. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K (4,090 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Bonanza24.jpg?fit=526%2C372&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Bonanza24.jpg?fit=526%2C372&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Bonanza24.jpg?fit=526%2C372&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22994,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=22994","url_meta":{"origin":14981,"position":3},"title":"Jeremiah (by Hart4Ben)","author":"Hart4Ben","date":"June 26, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Hoss has an unusual gift for Little Joe. A prequel challenge piece. Rating: K WC: 510","rel":"","context":"In "Hoss \/ Joe"","block_context":{"text":"Hoss \/ Joe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1092"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bullfrog-2.jpg?fit=694%2C451&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bullfrog-2.jpg?fit=694%2C451&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bullfrog-2.jpg?fit=694%2C451&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23084,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=23084","url_meta":{"origin":14981,"position":4},"title":"The Power of the Lake (by AC1830)","author":"AC1830","date":"July 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Whether it's for a crisis, a romance, or good old family fun, the Cartwrights are drawn to Lake Tahoe.\u00a0 Rating - K, WC - 1603","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1008"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Chimney-Beach-East-Shore-NV.jpg?fit=640%2C424&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Chimney-Beach-East-Shore-NV.jpg?fit=640%2C424&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Chimney-Beach-East-Shore-NV.jpg?fit=640%2C424&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11353,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=11353","url_meta":{"origin":14981,"position":5},"title":"The Map (by JoanS)","author":"JoanS","date":"May 1, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 You've probably read what the producers want you to know about the map that hung on the wall behind Ben's desk, but here is the real story. Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (2,790 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Prequel"","block_context":{"text":"Prequel","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=30"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/70"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14981"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14981\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}