{"id":2963,"date":"2012-02-13T17:26:29","date_gmt":"2012-02-13T22:26:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2963"},"modified":"2026-02-11T10:46:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T15:46:49","slug":"the-landlord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2963","title":{"rendered":"The Landlord (by faust)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"label\">Summary: <\/span>There are lots of things that could possibly go wrong in a nativity play, but the reverend certainly hadn&#8217;t expected <em>that<\/em>.\u00a0 \u00a0(Please be advised that this is a non-bonanza story.)<\/p>\n<p>2,000 words, rated K<\/p>\n<p>Also available in eBook format \u2014 please pm me for that.<\/p>\n<p>My <a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?page_id=25807\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Story Index and reading order for the Art-Universe<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The Landlord<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mary and Joseph slowly walked down the aisle. They stopped from time to time, Mary supporting herself on the backrest of a pew, Joseph looking around searchingly. Eventually they made it to the makeshift stage below the pulpit, and Joseph carefully, as advised, knocked at the cardboard house front.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The blanket sheltering the entrance was pulled back, revealing a skinny, black-haired eight-year-old with a gargantuan white apron wound round his waist.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cYes, please?\u201d the boy asked politely.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reverend Davies cringed. <em>We\u2019ll have to work on that<\/em>, he thought.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Joseph straightened his back. \u201cYou don\u2019t happen to have a room for me and my wife, Mr. Landlord?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cYes, certainly. Do come in.\u201d The landlord made an inviting gesture into the empty space off-stage.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Joseph looked back at the reverend, puzzled.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cUm, Sam,\u201d Reverend Davies said smiling, \u201cyou are supposed to say \u2018no.\u2019\u201d He raised the papers in his hands and made a show of reading from them. \u201c\u2019No, we don\u2019t have a room for you. Go away!\u2019 is your line.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cBut they look tired,\u201d Sam said. \u201cAnd I know they came a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reverend Davies smiled even broader. \u201cYou\u2019re a good boy, Sam, but this is a role you\u2019re playing. You\u2019re the landlord who tells Mary and Joseph that there\u2019s no room in the inn. That\u2019s how the gospel goes. All right?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam looked miserable, but he nodded. \u201cMm-hmm,\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Davies patted the boy\u2019s shoulder. \u201cGood boy. Now, let\u2019s start again where we stopped. Joseph, you knock\u2014not too hard, remember\u2014or the wall will topple down again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Knock, knock<\/em>. Joseph tapped at the door as careful as anyone ever had tapped at a door.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cYes, please?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reverend Davies opened his mouth, but then decided not to interrupt just then and clapped it shut again.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cYou don\u2019t, err, happen to have a room for my wife and me for the night, Mr. Landlord?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cNo.\u201d Sam looked at Joseph, at Mary, and then at the reverend. He heaved a deep breath. \u201cBut if you don\u2019t mind it crowded, we can share <em>my<\/em> room.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cOh, no, Sam, really!\u201d Mary cried. \u201cCan\u2019t you just remember that one lous\u2014little line?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cNow, Caroline, there\u2019s no reason to be mean to Sam.\u201d The reverend waggled his finger at the girl. Then he turned to the desperate landlord. \u201cSam, don\u2019t you remember your line?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cI do, it\u2019s just . . . it\u2019s not fair; they\u2019ve come all the way from Galilee and all they want is a place to sleep. That inn can\u2019t be so crowded that there\u2019s no room for them!\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cBut that is how the story goes: the landlord sends Mary and Joseph away, and Jesus is born in a stable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cMy mom would never send someone away.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cNo, your mother wouldn\u2019t. She\u2019s a good woman, and you are a good boy. Listen, it isn\u2019t Sam who\u2019s sending Mary and Joseph away, it\u2019s the landlord. Some unknown landlord, not you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam breathed heavily. He crossed his arms, high on his chest, and pouted. \u201cIt\u2019s not right,\u201d he insisted. \u201cWhy can\u2019t we\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cWe can\u2019t because we can\u2019t change the gospel, Sam.\u201d The reverend took the boy by his shoulders and squeezed them softly. \u201cWe can\u2019t change the gospel, and we don\u2019t want to, right? We want Jesus to be born in a stable, we want the shepherds to come and adore him, and the heavenly host to come and sing hallelujah, don\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam\u2019s voice was tiny. \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cGood. Then let\u2019s try this again.\u201d The reverend clapped his hands and gestured everybody back to their assigned positions. \u201cAnd, Sam, when you answer the door, you might not want to say \u2018Yes, <em>please<\/em>.\u2019 Just \u2018Yes,\u2019 and not too friendly, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam gave him a dark look, and mumbled a nearly inaudible, \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The reverend sat down, folded his hands and nodded encouragingly toward the stage.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Joseph knocked, the curtain was drawn back.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cYes?\u201d Sam tried to look stern, the reverend noted with satisfaction.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cYou don\u2019t . . . well, no, you don\u2019t have a room for my wife and me, right?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam stared. His mouth moved without uttering a sound, then he gave the boy before him the tiniest of head shakes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Joseph nodded contently. \u201cI knew it. Well, then we\u2019ll look somewhere else.\u201d He turned and reached out for his wife, dragging her with him to the next curtain, only half a yard away.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cWait!\u201d Sam rushed after the couple and tugged at Joseph\u2019s brown cloak. \u201cI\u2019ve forgotten about the attic. You can sleep in the attic. I\u2019ll give you blankets and . . . \u201d He trailed off, looking apologetically at the reverend.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Davies sighed. He buried his face in his hands. How could he explain to an eight-year-old who was raised by the most kind-hearted woman God had created in a very long time why someone would not open his house and his heart to anyone in need? Perhaps he\u2019d better talk to Mrs. Driscoll, maybe she could explain to Sam that this was just a play.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Just a play? <\/em> The reverend sighed again. No, this wasn\u2019t just a play, and Sam was right: it wasn\u2019t fair. But fair or not, it was how it had happened, and how it had to be shown. Period. Yes, and he\u2019d talk to Sam\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cChildren, let\u2019s call it a day,\u201d he announced. \u201cWe\u2019ll meet again next Tuesday. In the meantime, please practice your lines.\u201d <em>And don\u2019t invent your own<\/em>, he added in his head.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The talk to Mrs. Driscoll went pretty well: Reverend Davies was entertained with the widow\u2019s famous apple pie and her warm smile; he had a prudent conversation about John the Baptist with her, and he witnessed Sam\u2019s promise to be \u201cgood\u201d at the Nativity play.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tuesday came none too soon; Christmas was approaching fast, and there were only so many days left for rehearsals.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The children slipped into their costumes, the scenery was arranged, and then everyone watched Augustus issuing the census, angrily shaking his fist at the assembled folk.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Then Mary and Joseph entered the scene, made their way down the aisle and onto the stage. Joseph knocked, the curtain swung aside, Sam the Landlord appeared. Everyone held their breath.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cYes?\u201d It came a bit cautiously.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cMy wife and I need a place for the night. Do you have a room for us?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cYes.\u201d A wide smile accompanied the word.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reverend Davies groaned.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Joseph seemed to be prepared. \u201cAre you sure?\u201d he asked, his voice barely concealing a threat.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cYes,\u201d the landlord smiled brightly. \u201cI have a room with an oven. Your wife will be very comfortable there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Joseph looked over his shoulder at the reverend, his whole face a question mark. Davies motioned to go ahead.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cI don\u2019t believe you,\u201d Joseph said firmly. \u201cGoodbye.\u201d And with that he and Mary turned to go.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cI don\u2019t lie!\u201d Sam stomped his foot. \u201cI\u2019m good!\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Joseph spun around. \u201cNo, you\u2019re not!\u201d he screamed. \u201cYou\u2019re spoiling our play! Idiot!\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam backed off from the fury thrown at him, stared at the raging Joseph and the clearly annoyed Mary, and started to cry, bitterly.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reverend Davies was at his side in an instant. Putting an arm around his shoulders, he led Sam from the stage and seated him in the front pew. Dabbing at the boy\u2019s tear-streaked face with his kerchief, he spoke low and calmingly. \u201cIt\u2019s all right, Sam. It\u2019s all right. I\u2019ve made a mistake, but I\u2019ll make it better, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam looked up, hope shining through the tears. \u201cI . . . I don\u2019t have to send them away?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cNo, you don\u2019t.\u201d Davies squeezed his arm. \u201cWe\u2019ll do it . . . another way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Christmas Eve, the reverend kept his sermon short, then announced the Nativity play and took a seat next to a very proud Mrs. Driscoll.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The play began. Augustus waggled his fist at the congregation substituting for \u201cthe folk\u201d while he informed them about his cunning plans to raise even more taxes. Mary and Joseph then made their burdensome way through the church, stopped at the tavern, and knocked.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The curtain opened, and a blond boy told them in not too friendly words that there wasn\u2019t room for them in the inn. The Holy Couple tried some other doors with no success and then settled down on a bale of straw with a cr\u00e8che in front of it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shepherds appeared and made camp, and just when they lay down to sleep, one of them spotted a light at the end of the aisle slowly moving towards them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is generally accepted that angels are blond. Golden-blond. But from that Christmas Eve on, the people of Little Water would swear angels were black-haired.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam Driscoll, in a white angel\u2019s dress and with a huge church candle in his hands, walked solemnly down the aisle, put the candle down in front of the shepherds, turned around to face the congregation, then spread his arms wide and proclaimed with a voice so clear and sonorous it reached the furthest corner of the church,<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cFear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mrs. Driscoll squeezed the reverend\u2019s hand. \u201cThank you,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cNot at all,\u201d Davies whispered back. \u201cThe role suits your son much better than the landlord\u2019s; he\u2019s a born preacher.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">About twenty years later, with clammy fingers Sam Driscoll palpated the hole a .44 bullet had drilled through the Bible he habitually carried in his breast pocket. He had a matching hole in his chest\u2014albeit not nearly as deep and deadly as it would have been had not the Bible stopped the bullet\u2019s momentum; he had awoken sweating from a dream of a Christmas long ago; he was in pain, and he was feverish; but he would live.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>\u201cFear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.\u201d How could I have forgotten that . . . ? <\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He would live. But he wouldn\u2019t live the life he had been living ever since he had found his mother dead in her kitchen, shot in the back while she\u2019d been baking apple pie. Apparently he needed to nearly die before he finally understood that he would never find the man responsible for her death, and that shooting every man foolish enough to think he stood a chance against him would not bring her back or mute his pain.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>\u201cHe\u2019s a born preacher.\u201d Mum had told me that. I laughed at her, but secretly I was so proud. <\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam opened the Bible to the first page and read the inscription: \u201cFollow your heart, Sam, and you can\u2019t go wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cFollow your heart\u201d\u2014wasn\u2019t that what had led him wrong all those years? No. He hadn\u2019t followed his heart; he had followed his stomach, his anger.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Perhaps now it was time to restore the lead of his heart. <em>\u201cHe\u2019s a born preacher.\u201d Is it really so easy? <\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A smile made Sam\u2019s face glow. <em>I\u2019ll need a new name, first of all.<\/em> His gaze went back to the inscription.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cFollow your heart, Sam, and you can\u2019t go wrong. Affectionately, Reverend Clay Davies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sam Driscoll released himself from doctorial monitoring as soon as he felt his legs would support him. He found a rail connection to the East, and, finally following his heart, enrolled at the Virginia Theological Seminary for the January term under the name of Dave Clayton only three weeks later, on Christmas Eve, 1854.<\/p>\n<p>_______________________________________<br \/>\nI will heal their backsliding,<br \/>\nI will love them freely:<br \/>\nfor mine anger is turned away from him.<br \/>\n<em>~ Hosea 14:4<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">*** fin ***<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For those who are not familiar with Dave Clayton: he&#8217;s a character Pernell Roberts played in &#8220;Bronco &#8212; The Belles of Silver Flats.&#8221; To be found here: http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=eNx27eEJmGc<\/p>\n<div class=\"notes\">\n<div class=\"noteinfo\">\n<p>With my heartfelt thanks to PonderosaPal for the excellent beta.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">***<\/p>\n<p><em>Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>My <a href=\"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3427\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Story Index<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_2963\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"2963\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif?resize=16%2C16&#038;ssl=1\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are lots of things that could possibly go wrong in a nativity play, but the reverend certainly hadn&#8217;t expected that.<\/p>\n<p>2,000 words, rated K<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":13924,"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":[23,33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-other","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-33-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1201,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/St.-Nicholas.jpeg?fit=182%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15738,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15738","url_meta":{"origin":2963,"position":0},"title":"Angels, In Spite of it All (by Questfan)","author":"Questfan","date":"December 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"This story was written for the 2017 Advent Calendar - Day 24 Summary:\u00a0 Virginia City awaits the highly anticipated Nativity play.\u00a0 Thankfully, anyone can be an angel when there is a need. Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 3,700 words","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Drama&quot;","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\/2017\/11\/Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10824,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=10824","url_meta":{"origin":2963,"position":1},"title":"When a Child is Born (by Rona)","author":"Rona","date":"September 29, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Mary, two Josephs -- one extremely jealous of the other, a baby waiting to be born, Christmas morning and a fight. Rating: K+ (3,570 words)","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Drama&quot;","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\/jb.jpg?fit=720%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/jb.jpg?fit=720%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/jb.jpg?fit=720%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/jb.jpg?fit=720%2C480&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49966,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=49966","url_meta":{"origin":2963,"position":2},"title":"Ponderosa Christmas (by AC1830)","author":"AC1830","date":"December 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 No one signed up for the fourth, so this day was opened to all members in the Forums to try their hand at writing poetry for the season. 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