{"id":29104,"date":"2008-12-21T16:16:22","date_gmt":"2008-12-21T21:16:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=29104"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:13:35","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:13:35","slug":"away-in-a-manger-by-katep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=29104","title":{"rendered":"Away in a Manger (by KateP)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Summary:\u00a0 A Christmas surprise on the ranch.<\/p>\n
Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 1,090 words<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Away in a Manger<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ben Cartwright smiled tiredly as he pulled his mount to a halt in the yard of the Ponderosa. \u201cWell boys, looks like we made it home in time for Christmas,\u201d<\/p>\n
His three sons, dismounting from their own horses alongside their father, nodded in agreement. They had ridden long and hard this cold Christmas Eve, hoping to arrive back at the ranch before midnight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI suggest we put the horses up in the barn,\u201d Ben continued, \u201cthen get in the house out of the cold weather. A nip of brandy in front of a roaring fire sounds good to me!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI just hope Hop Sing has some supper waiting for us,\u201d Hoss said with a glance toward the house where the glow of lamplight from the window indicated that their cook and housekeeper was waiting up for them, \u201cI\u2019m powerful hungry after all that travelling.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, all I want right now,\u201d Ben\u2019s youngest son, Joe, said with a wide yawn, \u201cIs to get to my own bed and sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can go along with that, little brother,\u201d Adam agreed, matching Joe\u2019s yawn with one of his own, \u201cIt\u2019s been a long, long day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMr Cartwright,\u201d a sibilant whisper came from the direction of the barn and the four men looked over up see Barney, one of their ranch hands, hurrying towards them. \u201cJust to warn you sir, there\u2019s a woman in the barn, so try not to scare her when you take the horses in,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA woman?\u201d Ben echoed, surprised, \u201cWhat woman?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe came by this afternoon,\u201d Barney informed him, \u201clookin\u2019 for a place to stay. I\u2019d have turned her away, except for her being so close to her time \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s expecting a baby and you put her in the barn?\u201d Adam interrupted, \u201cWhy in blazes didn\u2019t you take her straight into the house? Hop Sing would have taken care of her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCause she\u2019s just a gypsy woman,\u201d Barney explained, a little defensively, \u201cShe coulda been out to rob you for all I know. Better safe than sorry I thought so I kept her away from the house. Like I said I would\u2019 a sent her packin\u2019 if it weren\u2019t for her condition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Annoyed that the unknown woman had been denied the hospitality of the Ponderosa Ben spoke sharply, \u201cI expect visitors to the ranch to be treated better than that,\u201d he looked round at his sons, \u201cBoys, I think we\u2019d better go and invite this poor girl inside and find her a bed for the night.\u201d<\/p>\n
But before anyone could move a sharp cry of anguish rent the frosty air and sent the Cartwrights running for the barn.<\/p>\n
**********<\/p>\n
In the wash of moonlight that flooded through the door as Ben flung it hastily open, the huddled figure of a young girl could be clearly seen on the floor of the barn.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dear,\u201d Ben spoke softly, trying not to scare her, as approached, his sons\u2019 close behind him, \u201cAre you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n
A tear stained face, twisted in pain, turned towards him and the girl moaned in agony, hands cradling her swollen belly. \u201cMy baby, I think it\u2019s coming,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we\u2019d better get you into the house,\u201d Ben said, reaching out a hand towards her. The girl turned away, crying out as pain gripped her once more.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks like she\u2019s too far along to be moved right now,\u201d Hoss put in, practically elbowing his father out of the way as he moved to kneel beside the young woman. \u201cNow ma\u2019am, don\u2019t you worry none,\u201d he addressed her, his voice a soothing croon, \u201cI\u2019ve birthed me a couple of babies before, and you\u2019re gonna be just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything we can do, Hoss?\u201d Adam asked, happy to let his brother take control of the situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can get some lamps in here,\u201d Hoss instructed, \u201cand Pa, pile some hay up over there for a bed, Joe, you run tell Hop Sing we got a baby on the way and we\u2019ll need some water and towels. Then all of you leave this to me and give the poor girl some privacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wordlessly, his family moved to obey.<\/p>\n
**********<\/p>\n
Over the next few hours, as Christmas Eve passed into Christmas Day, Ben, Adam and Joe waited anxiously, as Hoss and Hop Sing helped the girl labour to bring her child into the world.<\/p>\n
At last, as the first faint glimmers of dawn light touched the skies, a baby\u2019s shrill cry was heard from the barn and Hoss and Hop Sing emerged, tired and happy, to announce that mother and child were doing well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it okay if we go see?\u201d Joe asked, eager to take a look at the new baby,<\/p>\n
\u201cSure you can,\u201d Hoss told him with a grin, \u201cHop Sing and me are just gonna wash up and then we\u2019ll bring Mary and her baby inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMary?\u201d Adam said, \u201cThat\u2019s her name?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYep,\u201d Hoss glanced over at his youngest brother, \u201cso looks like we got us a Joseph and a Mary and a baby born in a stable. Kinda fittin\u2019 for a Christmas night don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what are me, you and Pa?\u201d Adam asked with a grin, \u201cThe three wise men?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is kinda like the Christmas story,\u201d Joe said, almost reverently, \u201cAny idea what she\u2019s gonna call the baby?\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss gave a hoot of laughter at the question, \u201cWell, that\u2019s where the similarity to the Christmas story ends Joe. The baby\u2019s name is Henrietta. Mary done got her a baby girl.\u201d<\/p>\n
**********<\/p>\n
As Ben, Adam and Joe tiptoed into the barn they saw Mary, revealed as a sweetly pretty girl now that the pain of childbirth had faded from her face. Wrapped in a blue blanket that Hop Sing had brought from the house, she sat on a floor strewn with sweet hay, her baby cradled to her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got no gold, frankincense or myrrh to offer you ma\u2019am,\u201d Adam said quietly as the Cartwrights gathered round to admire the infant. He bent to softly stroke the child\u2019s downy head, \u201cBut we can supply a warm bed, a hot meal and a safe haven for you and your daughter as long as you need one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later, with Mary and Henrietta safely tucked up in bed, Ben welcomed Christmas morning by reading aloud from the Bible. As he told, once more, the story of that very first Christmas the Cartwrights couldn\u2019t help reflecting on the small miracle that had happened right here on the Ponderosa this year. A baby born on the Lord\u2019s birthday.<\/p>\n