{"id":46833,"date":"2023-12-24T20:05:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-25T01:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46833"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:37:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:37:34","slug":"new-years-traditions-by-sibylle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46833","title":{"rendered":"New Years’ Traditions (by Sibylle)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bonanza
\n~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~
\n* Day 20 *<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Summary:\u00a0 Roy Coffee helps not only Ben in his grief.
\nRating:\u00a0 G
\nWords:\u00a0 2.500
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

New Year\u2018s Traditions<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure, Pa, you won\u2019t come to the ball at the Town Hall?\u201d Adam asked while he snapped the reins above the team pulling the sled so they began to trot. \u201cYou are not so old that you can\u2019t dance and have fun. I know a lot of women who would like to dance with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben put up a hand to steady his gray topper while he glared at Adam. \u201cThank you!\u201d he pressed out between clenched lips.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI mean others, not only Widow Hawkins,\u201d Adam said grinning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben snorted before he answered, emphasizing every word: \u201cNo, I do not want. I will do what I always do on New Year\u2019s Eve, I will visit Roy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Pa.\u201d His father didn\u2019t seem to be in the mood to tolerate more teasing about the widow. It was an old joke, surely, Adam thought, and yes it was his father\u2019s choice what he would like to do. Adam nodded while he kept his eyes on the deeply snow-covered trail. He knew the old friends were always together on New Year\u2019s Eve and it wasn\u2019t really his concern. The sun was shining and it was a pleasant ride on the sled with its jingling bells and warm blankets to cover them; he guessed they would be in Virginia City within three hours. Adam started to whistle. He was looking forward to the evening and night at the Town Hall. While he wouldn\u2019t admit it to his father, after his return from Boston he relished Virginia City\u2019s rare formal events. This year even his daughter was old enough to be left with her brothers and a nanny, so he and Glorie could go to the ball.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have the key of my house? And you know where the guestroom is, if you come home before we do?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With another snort Ben answered, \u201cYes! This is the third time you\u2019ve asked. I\u2019m 63 years old, not 93, I\u2019m able to find my way and I have the key. Don\u2019t worry about me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa.\u201d Adam nodded again, \u201cI hope you will have a pleasant evening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope the same for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Both men smiled,\u00a0satisfied with their plans.<\/span><\/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\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********<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet us sit before the fire and start. It\u2019s almost ten o\u2019clock\u201d Roy said, as he walked over to the two leather armchairs in front of the fireplace. He had moved to this small but cozy apartment after retiring five years earlier from being Virginia City\u2019s sheriff.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The two friends had already made a hearty meal out of part of the basketful of food Hop Sing had packed for his employer and his employer\u2019s best friend. Ben had quoted Hop Sing while they unpacked the mountain of treats: \u201cMistah Coffee can eat tomorrow, too, good food for good man.\u201d Roy had been moved by Hop Sing\u2019s compliment. He mustn\u2019t have done so badly during his time as sheriff because a lot of townspeople had brought him parcels at Christmas.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Roy balanced a pair of wire tongs which held a big lump of sugar above a pot of steaming-hot red wine, before opening a bottle of rum so he could soak the sugar thoroughly and set it ablaze. He had learned to make a \u2018Feuerzangenbowle\u2019 from his father-in-law and to drink it as part of that family\u2019s New Year\u2019s Eve traditions. It had always seemed the right beverage to accompany what he and Ben were about to do. He remembered how desolated he\u00a0had been\u00a0after Mary\u2019s death and how strangely Ben had behaved after Marie\u2019s accident. In the two weeks Ben had\u00a0been missing, he had looked out for the\u00a0boys. They had never spoken\u00a0afterwards about that time but not much later they had begun\u00a0this\u00a0New Year\u2019s tradition. It had helped both\u00a0of them–maybe Ben more, because his\u00a0loss was fresher. There had also been a poem in \u201cThe Enterprise\u201d that he had cut out. It became part of the tradition, or maybe even had started it, the year they both had read it on New Year\u2019s Eve. More than 20 years\u00a0ago\u00a0that was now. But he\u00a0still had the bit of\u00a0paper and had, as always,\u00a0memorized his stanzas in the morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAre you ready, Roy?\u201d Ben inquired. \u201cIs the sugar lump soaked with\u00a0rum? Does\u00a0it burn? Then I will dim the light.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>As<\/span>\u00a0the flames licked around the sugar, Roy added more rum with a small ladle and let the burning rum and the melting\u00a0caramelized\u00a0sugar\u00a0trickle down in a\u00a0bright blue stream to the mulled wine\u00a0below. Both men\u00a0stared, mesmerized, at\u00a0the flames.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI always think it helps to invite them,\u201d Ben said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The drops of blue fire didn\u2019t last very long but Roy\u00a0managed, as he filled two mugs with the hot sweet liquid, to catch one in each. Both men watched the small flame in his mug for the last\u00a0few moments it still burned, then took a first swallow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>As one they stood up and nodded to each other. Ben raised his mug and said: \u201cLet us drink to you, Elizabeth, my love! I see you, Liz, how you stood at the harbor wall when the Wanderer came into port, your thick black hair all done up in braids as you were waiting for your father. Later waiting for Abel and me, than for me, your finance. I remember our first kiss, our wedding, the day when you knew you would become a mother.\u201d Ben swallowed\u00a0hard and looked at Roy, who encouragingly smiled at him. \u201cI remember the tiny small clothes you made for our son, and the fine needlework you always enjoyed doing,\u201d Ben continued in a calmer voice. \u201cAnd I think you were smarter than me, Liz. You loved puzzles and riddles and were so clever keeping the books at the store,\u201d Ben smiled. \u201cI still hate doing the ledgers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s possible she was, \u201cRoy said grinning. \u201cOr why is Adam so smart?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Ben waved a hand at his friend in playful threat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Now Roy held up his mug, \u201cI drink to you, my Mary. You were my sun, my life, and my world. I loved how tidy our rooms always were, your kitchen. I loved your meals. I loved our days and our nights, and I admire how you could comfort me when you were the one who was dying. Thanks for\u00a0it all,\u00a0Mary. You\u00a0gave me the\u00a0strength\u00a0to watch over my town for so many years because I know you wanted\u00a0\u2018your lawman Roy\u2019\u00a0to\u00a0do something good\u00a0with\u00a0his life. And you\u00a0even knew that looking out for\u00a0my town could\u00a0replace having\u00a0a family and even \u2013 a bit \u2013\u00a0having\u00a0you! And look, Mary,\u00a0at all\u00a0the gifts the\u00a0townsfolk\u00a0gave me for Christmas!\u201d Roy waved his arm\u00a0at\u00a0where tins, bottles, sausages, and cakes\u00a0were piled\u00a0on his kitchen counter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Both men raised their mugs\u00a0higher\u00a0and drank.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI\u2019m sorry I never met your wife, Roy; she must have been a very special and loveable person. I \u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>In this moment\u00a0someone\u00a0knocked on the door. \u201cOh no,\u201d Ben\u00a0broke off,\u00a0\u201cnot now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Roy, still the good city servant<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0went to open the door. \u201cOh, Adam,\u00a0is\u00a0something wrong? What happened?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cNothing, Roy. I hope I don\u2019t disturb you, sorry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cNot at all,\u00a0come in and drink a cup of hot wine with us,\u201d Roy said, while he\u00a0filled a mug for Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cWhat is that? It tasted good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cSomething I learned from my wife\u2019s family, called a \u2018fire-tongs punch\u2019,\u201d Roy answered with a smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>When the three men had settled down, Ben glared\u00a0a silent question\u00a0at his son.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cMh, hm, Roy, Pa. Glorie sent me. She decided she would like the family to leave the ball and be outside the church at midnight, so we can hear the bells, and wish everyone a good new year. She is at home now getting the boys ready to come with us to the church, and she thought maybe you both would also like to join us. I wasn\u2019t sure if I should intrude here, but Glorie insisted,\u201d Adam said in excuse. \u201cShe also gave me a cake to bring you, Roy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThank you! It\u2019s a nice idea,\u00a0meeting\u00a0your family at the church, Ben, isn\u2019t it? And it\u2019s even a far better place for our poem, I think.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Roy went to put the new cake with the others.\u00a0<\/span>Did he dare reveal the little ritual Ben obviously never had shared with his sons? Without waiting for Ben to speak, he asked, \u201cAnd, Adam, why don\u2019t you join us here in our toasting; it\u2019s more than an hour before midnight?\u201d He took a deep breath, but Ben did not explode. \u201cOr does your wife need you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cShe expects me back in half an hour. What do you mean by\u00a0<\/span>toasting?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cYou will see, Adam,\u201d Roy said, winking at Ben who seemed reluctant. \u201cCome on!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Ben nodded hesitantly, then cast a wavering smile at Adam, as first he and then the two others rose from their seats.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI drink\u00a0to\u00a0you, Inger, my love! You gave me and my small son a home and a place in your heart. I loved your way with all kind of people and animals, your helpfulness, your\u00a0ever-cheerful\u00a0mood, and your courage. You gave me my middle son who is so much like you. And,\u201d Ben looked over at Adam, \u201cyou saved me and by doing that saved my first son. I thank you, Inger. Let us drink now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Ben and Roy drank, but Adam stood there frozen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAdam?\u201d Ben asked, but the younger man turned away. Roy held his breath–had he overstepped a line? Then they heard in a low voice, \u201cFor you, Mama Inger, for you!\u201d and Adam turned back raising his mug.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cSon, I \u2026\u201d Ben put a hand on his son\u2019s shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThanks, Pa,\u201d Adam said in a low voice. \u201cBut now, it\u2019s time for me to go home; we\u2019ll meet at the church.\u201d Adam nearly flew out of the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Roy wasn\u2019t sure if he had made a mistake, but his heart told him that he hadn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/span>When Ben and Roy arrived at the open space outside the church, Adam and his family, as promised, were among the crowd waiting for midnight. Glorie even had little Eizabeth in her arms. The boys greeted their grandfather with excitement, and when the church bells began to ring, the family embraced, and everyone around them began to wish each other a happy new year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Suddenly Roy stepped forward, waved his hand and declaimed in a loud voice looking towards the belfry:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 The flying cloud, the frosty light:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 The year is dying in the night;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>The other people looked\u00a0<\/span>at him, first with surprise and then with happy smiles as\u00a0Roy continued:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring out the old, ring in the new,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring, happy bells, across the snow:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The year is going, let him go;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring out the false, ring in the true.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Now Ben, still surrounded by his family, raised his loud voice to declaim:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring out the grief that saps the mind<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0For those that here we see no more;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Before he could finish the stanza, Adam laid a shaking hand on his father\u2019s arm and all at once the two men fell into each other\u2019s arms, the poem forgotten.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cSon, I\u2019m sorry,\u201d Ben croaked. Sorry I couldn\u2019t\u00a0help you back in the prairie,\u00a0sorry I ran away when Marie died. So very sorry. I\u2026 I\u00a0was broken. I had no strength left. I was ashamed of myself and didn\u2019t want you to see\u00a0me in my weakness. I know you thought I was selfish\u00a0but I couldn\u2019t… It was Roy who helped me overcome the grief that darkened me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Adam nodded, still hugging his father. \u201cPa, I never thought you were selfish, but maybe it would have been easier if we had talked about it \u2013 easier for both of us,\u201d he mumbled. \u201cWhat you said about Inger was so wonderful. Have you drunk toasts to Marie as well?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI always wished I could have thanked Marie for giving a difficult teenaged boy the chance to love and to be loved by a mother he didn\u2019t want at first. \u2013 Pa, why don\u2019t you and Roy move this toasting to the Ponderosa? I\u2019m sure Joe and Hoss would like to join in. Or perhaps we could repeat it on the Chinese New Year right next week, when we all are together?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cDo you think Hoss and Joe would like that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cYes, I know it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>When they finally moved apart they were still encircled by the smiling faces of Roy and the family.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Adam winked at Ben and Roy, then took a few steps backwards before he declaimed in his rich baritone:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring out false pride in place and blood,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The civic slander and the spite;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring in the love of truth and right,<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring in the common love of good.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring out old shapes of foul disease;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring out the thousand wars of old,<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ring in the thousand years of peace.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>He ended just as the last sound of the bells faded away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cRoy, father, that\u2019s such a beautiful poem Tennyson wrote. I love it, too. And I thought I should join in repeating his good wishes for the whole world, too. \u2018The thousand years of peace.\u2019 Sometimes I wonder if men a\u00a0hundred or two hundred years ago wished for the same things? Or maybe people fifty or a hundred fifty years in the future? Will the world be a better place; will the people be more perfect than we are? Will they look with the same hope into the New Year?\u201d Adam wondered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cMaybe yes, maybe\u00a0no. We can\u2019t see into the future, not even into 1874 which is starting now. But let us hope for the best in our time and also for the men in a hundred fifty years! And now, son, suppose I take the children home and you two\u00a0go back and enjoy the rest of the ball.\u00a0I know you sometimes miss Boston\u2019s\u00a0fancy entertainments.\u201d\u00a0Ben thumped his son\u2019s back vigorously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThanks, Pa!\u201d Adam smiled, while Glorie gave his father in law a kiss on the cheek, then\u00a0another one\u00a0to Roy Coffee who was grinning more broadly than Adam had ever seen him\u00a0do before.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Notes:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>At first, I have to say thank you to Sklamb, who gave a lot of her time to help me with my story, although she is writing her own second story.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My prompt: \u201c<\/span>the grief that saps the mind,<\/span> For those that here we see no more\u201d from In Memoriam (Ring Out, Wild Bells)<\/a> by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
\n<\/span>My character: Roy Coffee<\/span><\/p>\n

*Ring Out Wild Bells is in the public domain<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are interested:<\/span><\/p>\n

A longer explanation of the \u201cFeuerzangenbowle:\u201d in English:<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Feuerzangenbowle<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Link to Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar – Day 21 – Ring Out Wild Bells<\/a><\/strong> by sklamb<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0 Roy Coffee helps not only Ben in his grief.
\nRating:\u00a0 G
\nWords:\u00a0 2.500
\nWritten for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":5835,"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_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,23,1012],"tags":[1062],"class_list":["post-46833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-u","category-drama","category-roy-coffee","tag-advent-calendar","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1012-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":459,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":61188,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=61188","url_meta":{"origin":46833,"position":0},"title":"Timber! 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