{"id":4073,"date":"2007-04-13T13:36:27","date_gmt":"2007-04-13T17:36:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4073"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:11:31","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:11:31","slug":"chantys-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4073","title":{"rendered":"Chanty’s Christmas (by ViveAdam)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0<\/span>Chanty is a poor orphan maiden lost in a small village in Nevada but, on Christmas eve, a stranger in town will change her life. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rated:<\/span>\u00a0K \u00a0WC \u00a04400<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
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Story Notes:<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n
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Christmas carol<\/em><\/p>\n

Inspired of The Miserables (Victor Hugo)<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Chanty\u2019s Christmas\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n
\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Grand Ma, Grand Ma, tell us a story\u00a0\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Oh yes, Grand Ma, a Christmas carol\u00a0\u00bb<\/em>–<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0One we don\u2019t know, a new one\u00a0\u00bb.<\/em><\/p>\n

Grand Ma glanced indulgently towards Elisa and Margaret, her two granddaughters, and towards their younger brother, Anthony. It was Christmas Eve and she knew her daughter relied on her to have the three children peacefully waiting while the parents were busy making preparations for the party.<\/em><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0All right, children, I\u2019m telling you a Christmas carol. A true story that happened to a friend of mine. But as we must not be indiscreet, we\u2019ll call her Chanty so that nobody will recognize her.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

*<\/em>Even knowing she was in a hurry, Chanty made a stop in front of Maggie Reynolds\u2019 shop. The two buckets full of water that she was carrying were heavy, however, she couldn\u2019t help to be fascinated by this window where the hats, spun as butterflies on a ponderosa\u2019s branch, were so smart that you wouldn\u2019t have been surprised to see them fly away.<\/p>\n

A shrill voice crossing the air startled her\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0So, bone idle, are you, at last bringing this water\u00a0? The dish washing is waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m coming, I\u2019m coming\u201d, she answered gently.<\/p>\n

She turned back, anxious to hurry up. She knew old Mrs Robinson and her odd habit to use a broom only to hit her.Chanty failed to understand why some young girls, as Turley Robinson, were allowed to spend their life lounging, getting dressed up, chatting, while others had exhausting days, up at dawn and working, without a break, until full night. Having lost her parents, she had to support herself alone very early which was a big misfortune. But to make it worse, it looked as if a harmful genius, on a mysterious and bad intention, had decided to throw her in this Robinson family who tolerated for her no leisure, no pleasure, no right but to be a working machine in Bowie Gulch\u2019s stage station.<\/p>\n

Deeply lost in morose thoughts, she collided with a horse\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0Hey\u00a0!\u00a0\u00bb the rider shouted, \u00ab\u00a0look out, Miss\u00a0! It\u2019s a good thing Sport is a well-trained horse. You could have been kicked.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Then, he dismounted and, without a trace of shyness, he pushed back the golden curl that covered the girl\u2019s right eye. This one, paralyzed with her two buckets, let him do it.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0No harm, I can see. Where were you heading to, so preoccupied that you could neither see nor hear me\u00a0?\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

He was dark-haired, with moving hazel eyes evoking the light clouds that are, rarely, masking the sun upon Nevada. He had a smirk on his face that could be tender unless it was ironic, she couldn\u2019t say.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0I\u2019m going across the street, to the stage station. I\u2019ve got to bring water. I must hurry up, if not\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going there too. My horse\u2019 s on the point of loosing a shoe. Give me these buckets and take my horse\u2019s bridle. You\u2019re not afraid of horses\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

She giggled\u00a0: \u201cHorses? I\u2019m living with them. At the stage station, I\u2019m doing all the jobs. Cleaning up the barn, rubbing horses\u2026 I hold their legs while Mr Robinson is shoeing them.\u00a0 I also serve the travellers, keep the dining-room clean\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She stopped because they had arrived and Mrs. Robinson was standing on the doorstep, hands on her hips, looking obviously mad.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou bloody slut\u00a0! So now, you chase men in the street and you bring them back in my home. Just you wait, you\u2019ll rue the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

She raised her hand while Chanty, finding back the age-old gesture, tried to protect herself with her elbow but the hit expected didn\u2019t come. An iron grip had caught Mrs Robinson\u2019s wrist and was holding it tight as in a stranglehold.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs it the local way of treating people\u00a0?\u201d the stranger asked. \u201cYou wanted water, didn\u2019t you\u00a0? I just helped this young maid to carry the buckets, that\u2019s all. Any good-mannered man would do the same and there is no point in insulting your employee as you did.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tone of his voice, the quality of his clothes, the good general state of his horse, everything indicated a well-off man. Suddenly, Mrs Robinson realized he could become a customer and made an effort to grin.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0What can I do for you\u00a0?\u00a0\u00bb she asked, smooth-tongued.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy horse\u2019 s on the point of loosing a shoe. I know it\u2019s late but is it possible to put him a new one anyway\u00a0? I\u2019m ready to pay double price because I\u2019d like to be home to-morrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs Robinson looked sorry.<\/p>\n

– \u201cA pity my husband is out. The mayor for to-morrow\u2019s concert has drafted him in. He plays the trumpet in the orchestra. But he\u2019ll do it to-morrow morning. Come on in, you\u2019ll be fine. The girl will look after your horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man looked disappointed but quickly understanding he had no other choice, he answered Mrs Robinson that he was to look after his horse himself and asked for a room for the night.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Chanty had slipped away and was busy in dishwashing when the stranger reappeared in the inn\u2019s main room. The candles were already lit. In a corner, four men were noisily playing poker ; a middle-aged woman with chubby cheeks was knitting while a very tall man, black clad and stern as a grave, was making conversation with her. \u201cA parson\u201d the new comer thought.<\/p>\n

He came up to the bar and ordered a whisky. Chanty hastened to serve him. She was about to go back to her basin when the stranger held her back by the sleeve.\u201cWhat\u2019s the hurry\u00a0? I\u2019m alone\u00a0; can\u2019t you stay a while and have a little chat with me\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

The girl\u2019s cheeks blushed lightly. \u201cWhat a fresh and serene face\u00a0!\u201d the man thought. \u201cAnd yet, her life seems to be quite morose\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Chanty mumbled\u00a0: \u201cI\u2019m not allowed to talk to the customers. I know Mrs Robinson, she will not tolerate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0Mrs Robinson, this is your boss\u2019 name\u00a0? Where is she ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s having dinner. Trust me, she\u2019ll be back before long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, Mrs Robinson, just as Chanty was finishing her sentence, opened roughly the door. She quickly ran her eye over the room and then, as if a tarantula had bitten her, strode to Chanty, followed by her daughter, Turley.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0Caught you, bone idle, talking like a coquette instead of working. Just you wait and you\u2019ll see how I can redden your cheeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

A male, grave and icily voice stated: \u201cIt\u2019s not advisable\u201d<\/p>\n

Forgetting every kind of commercial kindness, Mrs Robinson turned back to the young man : \u201cMind your own business, mister. What\u2019s it got to do with you\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

He was leaning on his elbow, on the bar. He straightened up and, without raising his voice, answered : \u201cIt\u2019s the second time, to-night, that I hear you insulting this maid and threatening to ill-treat her. If I hadn\u2019t interfered, you would probably have carried out your threats. It isn\u2019t a way to treat a human being. If you like slavery, go to Georgia or Virginia and hurry up or you\u2019ll find the population, in these States, decimated for having resorted to it. Whatever, in Nevada, it\u2019s not the custom and if you raise your hand to this young girl, I\u2019ll go to the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs Robinson burst in laughter. \u201cThe sheriff\u00a0! If he\u2019d wanted to intervene on her behalf, he would have done it long time ago. This gal is my servant and I\u2019ll treat her the way I feel like. Just now, she\u2019s going to clean up my table and after, I\u2019ll give her the thrashing she deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cNaughty woman ! \u201cAnthony cried out. \u201c \u201cWish he\u2019ll punch her\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Grand-Ma smiled indulgently\u00a0: \u201cOh no, Anthony, a gentleman never hits a woman !\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0But it\u2019s very naughty, what she plans for Chanty\u00a0\u00bb Margaret objected, \u201cReally, he can\u2019t let her do\u00a0!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, he\u2019s a very clever man. He\u2019ll find a way.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

The guy changed his tactics: \u201cHow much do you pay her\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s none of your business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c At a rough guess, no more than half a dollar a day. I offer you fifteen dollars, which means her salary for one month and she\u2019ll have dinner with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Mrs Robinson calmed down. The stranger seemed to handle dollars easily. It was rare to meet rich people in Bowie Gulch. It was a stopping place for modest travellers, peasants going to Sacramento in order to sell their vegetables, cowboys seeking for a job, colonists on their way to California\u2026 Well-to-do people preferred to stop in Virginia City\u2019s opulent-looking hotels. Besides, the man had to live there, seeing that he had hoped a while to be able to get home this very night.It was an unexpected opportunity for making a pretty little amount of money\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cFor fifteen dollars, I\u2019m sure my daughter Turley will accept to keep you company. She already had dinner but she can make conversation while you eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you, I\u2019m inviting this young lady, nobody else. And to be sure that she will not have to pay for it afterwards, I give you only eight dollars to-night, the remainder will be paid to-morrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mother and daughter had trouble hiding their pique. They were not far from refusing when the master of the house came in. He was a small man, red-haired, red faced, stocky, and didn\u2019t look at all like a dreamer. After hearing from his wife their host\u2019s proposal, he came close to him with the face of a man who understands what life is like.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0So, you want little Chanty\u00a0? Not a bad choice, she\u2019s cute. However, Mister, here we don\u2019t trade girls. Chanty is an orphan girl ; in a way, I almost adopted her and I have to watch her morals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mocking, the man facing him retorted\u00a0: \u201cAs it were, you adopted her\u00a0! To me, enslaved would be more suitable. But don\u2019t worry. Your scruples about Chanty\u2019s virtue, since she happens to be called Chanty, are honourable but I haven\u2019t the dirty intentions you\u2019re attributing to me. We\u2019re having dinner here, under your watchful eye, so that you\u2019ll be certain I don\u2019t offence this young lady\u2019s modesty. That\u2019s settled, now serve us your best meal, I could eat a horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0But who will serve\u00a0?\u00a0\u00bb a bewildered Mrs Robinson shattered at her husband\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, your daughter, she will have to, since, to-night, the servant is at the host\u2019s table. But don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll have Mr Robin Hood cough up his dollars and you can promise Turley she\u2019ll have a new dress, the best we can find in Bowie Gulch.\u201d<\/p>\n

A little frightened, both embarrassed and delighted, Chanty found herself sitting down at the table at her knight\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0I\u2019m sorry, I\u2019ve no other dress to wear. It\u2019s not very suitable for dinner\u2026 I hope you\u2019re not shocked, Mr, Mr\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He grinned and put his hand on hers\u00a0: \u201cCartwright\u2026 Adam Cartwright. Please, don\u2019t call me Mister but Adam and let me call you Chanty instead of Miss\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned crimson\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Of course. Everybody calls me Chanty, never Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a most unusual name, Chanty. Where does it come from\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was the name they used to call my father. Actually, my name is Rose. But, before, the village called me \u201cChanty girl\u201d and when my father died, they reduced it to Chanty. I was very young when it happened and I never knew why he was called this name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho cares, it\u2019s a charming name. There are hundreds of Roses, in this country, but there\u2019s only one Chanty\u00a0; she\u2019s blonde, she\u2019s got clear and wet eyes, which gives her a very touching charm and she\u2019s going to tell me why such a pretty girl is having such an austere life.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Chanty was telling, low voice, her sad youth\u2019s story, a sullen Turley brought an omelette with ham. Adam demanded wine, and ordered, for the following, sausages, sweet potatoes and, as dessert, cookies with raisins. Chanty\u2019s eyes glittered. Usually, she had to make do with a piece of bread and a tiny portion of beans.The evening passed as in a dream. Wine, that she wasn\u2019t accustomed to, had transported her in the clouds. Piercing these clouds, a warm baritone voice was telling extraordinary things. The voice depicted a vast land covered with giant pines, the ponderosas, told about long stampede, men riding across forests and meadows with a population of fat cows, spoke of rodeos, bronco\u2019s breaking and sleeping under the stars around a fire\u2026 A magical world, so far from the stage station where she was wasting her life.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, Adam changed the subject of the conversation\u00a0: \u201cChristmas, to-morrow. How do you celebrate it, in Bowie Gulch\u00a0?”<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0Well, the mayor plans a big concert. Mr Robinson is a member of the orchestra. All the ladies will be dressed in their loveliest attires and wear their prettiest hat. Gentlemen will have their Sunday suits and everybody will attend the concert and enjoy the music.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you, what are you wearing\u00a0? Weren\u2019t you, earlier, gaping in admiration before a hats shop\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chanty \u2018s face darkened\u00a0: \u201cOh, I know that there will be no concert for me, to-morrow. I\u2019ve got a clean skirt\u00a0 that I keep for church when I\u2019m allowed to go but I\u2019ve no hat\u2026 and you can\u2019t attend a concert bareheaded. That\u2019s true\u201d, she added \u201cI\u2019d seen a quite pretty hat.\u201d<\/p>\n

She livened up\u00a0: \u201cIt was a round and flat shape, lime green, with holly leaves cut up in dark green ribbons and small red pearls to figure the berries. It was very well turned out. You had to wear it pinned on the forehead with the chignon rising up the back. There was another, black with a bouquet of flowers on the side, but I preferred the one with the holly\u201d<\/p>\n

He flashed a broad smile and, staring at her, said\u00a0: \u201cWell, we\u2019ll go and buy it to-morrow. And I assume there is at least one couture house, in this village, where it\u2019s possible to buy an assorted lime green suit.\u201d<\/p>\n

She became flustered\u00a0: \u201cI can\u2019t accept\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, you can. Take it easy, it\u2019s a very selfish proposal. I don\u2019t want to spend Christmas day riding to reach Ponderosa at midnight and I don\u2019t want anymore to fret alone in Bowie Gulch. I\u2019ll take you to the concert and you\u2019ll have to put up a good show. I\u2019m in the habit of taking out only stylish women.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, he filled their glasses, raised up his to clink, seeing what, the girl did the same.\u201cMerry Christmas, Chanty\u201d, he whispered.\u201c<\/p>\n

I never had such a beautiful Christmas, Adam\u201d, she said, voice choking with emotion.<\/p>\n

During the night, Chanty got trouble to find sleep. Her mind was going over the evening\u2019s events and dissecting every detail. So, Princes Charming \u2013 how could she call better the man who, in a so unexpected way, had filled her life with delight – could be met in real. He was handsome, charmer, generous, graceful and tactful, and he had cast a glance, with his splendid eyes, on the little abandoned orphan. \u201cIt\u2019s too good to be true\u201d, she thought, \u201cWhen I awake, I\u2019ll realize it was just a dream\u201d.<\/p>\n

But in the morning, he still was there, impeccably dressed in a white shirt and a black vest soberly embroidered with grey and silver arabesques. He swallowed down a hot coffee with eggs and bacon and a few toasts, paid his bill and then, taking Chanty\u2019s arm, indicated the door out with his free hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing, Chanty\u201d Mr Robinson\u2019s voice barked suddenly.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s going out with me\u201d Adam answered instead of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, that\u2019s not our deal, Mister. You paid to have her yesterday evening, but this doesn\u2019t apply for to-day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0To-day is Christmas day, she should have a day-off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u00a0? A day-off\u00a0? Here, there\u2019s no day-off, every day is a working day. No Sundays, no holidays. You don\u2019t care for me having to shoe your horse to-day, do you\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t because you will charge me three times the normal price. But I guess that if Chanty works to-day, sure you will not treble her salary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt any rate, she\u2019ll earn nothing but a kick if she doesn\u2019t stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s coming with me and if ever you dare touch her, I\u2019ll give you a thrashing that you\u2019ll remember for long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0Oh yes\u00a0? Just try and see\u201d Robinson said, charging Adam headlong.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAt last, there is a fight !\u201d Anthony exclaimed, \u201cNot too bad\u00a0!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re stupid, Anthony\u201d Elisa retorted sharply, \u201cthere hasn\u2019t to be a fight in a Christmas carol\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, there has if you want boys to be interested.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh boys\u00a0!\u201d carried on his sister, obviously ready to shower on her brother\u2019s ears all what she thought about this mob.<\/em><\/p>\n

Grand Ma didn\u2019t let them go on\u00a0: \u201cAnyway, this is a true story, so, if there was a fight, I have to tell it and, as a matter of fact, there was one.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Adam took the blow and brought his two fists down on his assailant\u2019s nape of the neck. Robinson fell down on the ground but fiercely sent his foot in his opponent\u2019s knee. Adam held back a cry of pain and grasped Robinson by the neck. A gathering had formed in the inn\u2019s main room and women were screaming. Mrs Robinson started tearing Chanty\u2019s hair and slapping her face, which drove Adam completely mad. As regular as a clock\u2019s hand pace, he gave Robinson a beating until this one asked for mercy. Then, getting back on his feet and leaving his antagonist with a black eye, he caught up Chanty by her wrist and, without a word, got out of the inn. He went to the barn, shoed his horse himself with the girl\u2019s help and then, straightening up, announced to an astounded Chanty\u00a0:\u201c If we want to buy this hat, we\u2019d better hurry up\u00a0!\u00a0\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Half an hour later, Chanty was looking in a mirror at a young and smart person in a lime green suit and a bottle green pleated shirt with pearl-shaped buttons, wearing a ravishing hat decorated with holly branches. At her escort\u2019s arm, she crossed the main street, overflowing with pride. The village\u2019s inhabitants wondered at seeing her.<\/p>\n

****************************************************************************\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Grand Ma hesitated as if she was looking for a name and the seemed to have found it.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTommy Brannam, that\u2019s it, I will call him Tommy Brannam\u201d\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Tommy Brannam, his fists on his hips, planted himself in front of her : \u201cWell, Chanty, tell me, when you\u2019re not dressed as a slute, you\u2019re a jolly cute gal, d\u2019you know\u00a0? What happened, did you come into an inheritance\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chanty quickly turned round to Adam, fearing him to be mistaken\u00a0: \u201cDon\u2019t get cross, he says things his way but he wants to be kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

The gleam of anger that had grown in Adam\u2019s eyes went out as fast as it had lighted up. Chanty took advantage of it to explain\u00a0: \u201cYou see, even so, I\u2019ve got a few friends here but they dare not show it for fear of the Robinson getting mad and taking revenge on me.”<\/p>\n

No sooner had she pronounced these words than a shrew, dressed in a light blue suit, charged her yapping. It was Turley Robinson.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0Sly little minx\u00a0! Wasn\u2019t it enough to have me humiliated yesterday evening, by forcing me to serve you as a princess\u00a0? And now, you\u2019re strutting about with Maggie Reynolds\u2019 best hat upon your head. Just you wait and you\u2019ll see what I can do with that headgear of yours\u00a0!\u201d<\/p>\n

And suiting the action to the word, she tore down the hat from Chanty\u2019s hair and pulled out the trimming, scattering it on the hard-packed surface of the street. In less than a minute, the headgear Chanty was so proud of was lying down, upside down, naked, on the bare ground. Adam was dumbfounded. Chanty burst in tears. Her companion patted tenderly her shoulder and whispered at her ear\u00a0: \u201cCalm down. We\u2019ll buy another one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s impossible\u201d, Chanty answered hiccoughing, each hat is unique and this was the only one assorted to my suit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was a man who had been faced, in his life, to far more perilous or pathetic situations than a torn up hat. He kneeled down, picked up the hat\u2019s base, collected the ornaments, pieces of ribbon and red pearls all around and proceeded to reconstitute the piece master. When she saw him frowning and setting his lips, Chanty, in the middle of her sobs, burst in laughter. He raised his head, with interrogative eyebrows\u00a0: \u201cWell, you, as you might say, I could call you a rainbow. Rain and sun at the same time. What\u2019s the reason of so much laughing\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0I laugh because you look so much like an industrious schoolboy while trying to fix this hat. Come here, there is a bench.\u201d<\/p>\n

She dragged him under Main Saloon\u2019s canopy, sat down gracefully and took out a little sewing kit from her pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, you\u2019ll give me the ribbons and the pearls as soon as I\u2019ll ask for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fascinated, Adam watched the nimble fingers fluttering. In less than a quarter of an hour, the hat had recovered its previous splendour and, with a few details, Chanty had given it an additional style. She had changed the place of the holly branches, pleated one brim, bent a ribbon into a curve and her headgear could compete, in Adam\u2019s opinion, with the New Orleans sophisticated women\u2019s hats.Bowing before her with a rounded arm, he asked\u00a0: \u201cMay I have the pleasure to take you to the concert\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

But darkening again, she remained stubbornly seated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter ?\u201dHe sat down next to her and threw his arm around her shoulders. At this tender touch, she lost her composure and, leaning on his chest, she gently cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, come on, little girl\u201d, he repeated. \u201cTell me. Why so much sorrow ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Adam, don\u2019t you understand\u00a0? What am I to become, now\u00a0? It\u2019s impossible for me to come back to the Robinson. Didn\u2019t you hear Turley\u00a0? She was humiliated, her father bit the dust, and her mother was rebuffed. I can\u2019t go back to them. My God, my God, what am I to do\u00a0?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam thought quickly. What she was saying made sense. Anyway, he could not leave such an adorable creature in this miserable village, handed over to a mean and cruel family. In a flash, he remembered the clever little hands, the precise gestures around the hat, the tasteful making up that had given so much style to the headgear Chanty was sporting. Obviously, this little one was born to flute headdresses, arrange wide-brimmed hats, tie wide knots around women\u2019s pretty little faces. Virginia City\u2019s milliner would certainly not refuse to recruit an apprentice. He would just have to be careful so as not to offend her sensibility.<\/p>\n

He explained his idea to Chanty. She looked at him gawping.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go immediately\u201d, he said. \u201cIf we\u2019re lucky, we can be at the Ponderosa in time for supper. And if we\u2019re luckier, there will be some of the turkey left, in spite of my brother Hoss\u2019 appetite.\u201d<\/p>\n

He lifted her as easy as if she was a feather, laid her down on the saddle and mounted in front.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, little girl, hold your arms tight around my waist, we\u2019re on our way.\u201d<\/p>\n

And while the orchestra started the first notes of \u201cO Tannenbaum\u201d, the horse carried away Chanty, tied to her Prince Charming, heading to a golden future where she would be allowed to laugh, sing and love.<\/p>\n

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

Grand Ma stopped talking, with a faraway look in her eyes, as if she was looking at the riding couple disappearing below the horizon.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSo what, Grand Ma\u00a0?\u201d, Elisa asked, \u201cDid she marry him\u00a0?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Grand Ma gave a start, suddenly reminded of reality and present time.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, darling. He wasn\u2019t in love with her, he had felt pity for her and wanted to protect her. But this is not enough to propose marriage to somebody.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u201d, a worried Margaret asked,\u00a0 \u201cwhat happened to her\u00a0?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00ab\u00a0She became a milliner\u00a0\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cJust as yourself\u00a0?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cJust as myself, yes. I told you she was a friend of mine. And then, one day, this boy, you know, Tommy Brannam \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c The one who pretended to be her friend but didn\u2019t want to fight for her\u00a0?\u201d Anthony asked, disdainfully.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Anthony, but you must not despise him. He could have punched Mr Robinson but what would happen afterwards\u00a0? The Robinson family would have taken revenge on Chanty. Tommy was a barber. He was just waiting for having saved enough money to settle and marry. When he thought he had saved enough, he came to Virginia City and asked Chanty if she would marry him. She said yes. After the wedding, they moved to another town and opened a shop. He was a barber and she was a milliner.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s funny\u00a0! Just the same as Grand Pa and you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s funny, isn\u2019t it\u00a0?”<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd she never regretted her Prince Charming, did she\u00a0?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYes she did, but she knew he wasn\u2019t for her. So, she made a place for him in her heart, a little place for him and she kept it warm. And every Christmas, she remembers him and lightens in the Christmas tree a candle called from his name.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 THE END<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Disclaimer:<\/span>\u00a0All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0Chanty is a poor orphan maiden lost in a small village in Nevada but, on Christmas eve, a stranger in town will change her life. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0K \u00a0WC \u00a04400<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":3438,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23],"tags":[14],"class_list":["post-4073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","tag-adam-cartwright","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":649,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/HoundDog2-1-11.jpg?fit=400%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4094,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4094","url_meta":{"origin":4073,"position":0},"title":"Le No\u00ebl de Chanty (by ViveAdam)","author":"ViveAdam","date":"April 18, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0L'orpheline Chanty se fait exploiter par la famille Robinson mais un bel \u00e9tranger arrive la veille de No\u00ebl et va changer sa vie \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K \u00a0WC \u00a04500","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7223,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7223","url_meta":{"origin":4073,"position":1},"title":"I Wonder As I Wander (by sklamb)","author":"sklamb","date":"December 20, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0On a cold Christmas Eve near Harvard Square, Adam comes to receive a sort of epiphany. 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This year when Ben doesn't know what to read, he is given some inspiration by his sons. Enjoy! *Author's note: this story is centered more on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15616,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15616","url_meta":{"origin":4073,"position":4},"title":"Tidings of Comfort and Joy (by Hart4Ben)","author":"Hart4Ben","date":"November 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: It's Adam's first Christmas away from his family while at school in Boston. A prequel. Rating - K\u00a0 \u00a0 WC=1319","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\/2017\/12\/30wreath.jpg?fit=450%2C549&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6775,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6775","url_meta":{"origin":4073,"position":5},"title":"A Christmas Carol in Virginia City (by TracyT)","author":"TracyT","date":"May 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Celebrate Christmas in Virginia City and uncover a mystery. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K \u00a0WC \u00a016,500","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\/renotrip.jpg?fit=1182%2C778&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/renotrip.jpg?fit=1182%2C778&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/renotrip.jpg?fit=1182%2C778&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/renotrip.jpg?fit=1182%2C778&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/renotrip.jpg?fit=1182%2C778&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4073","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\/130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}