{"id":46882,"date":"2003-12-20T15:42:19","date_gmt":"2003-12-20T20:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46882"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:08:44","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:08:44","slug":"memories-and-miracles-a-christmas-story-by-larkspur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46882","title":{"rendered":"Memories and Miracles – A Christmas Story (by Larkspur)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary – A young Cartwright family finds that Christmas can be a time of comforting memories, new beginnings and miracles, when you least expect them.
\n<\/span>Rating:\u00a0 PG
\nWords:\u00a0 106,150<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

The Brandsters have included this story by this author in our project: Preserving Their Legacy<\/a>. To preserve the legacy of the author, we have decided to give their work a home in the Bonanza Brand Fanfiction Library.\u00a0 The author will always be the owner of this work of fanfiction, and should they wish us to remove their story, we will.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/strong>Author’s Note:\u00a0<\/strong> I would sincerely like to thank two people, without whom I would never have finished (and possibly never have begun) this story.\u00a0 Puchi Ann and Deborah Grant have been invaluable to me through their generous assistance (in terms of historical and technical expertise) and also in a purely supportive role as they encouraged me to see this story through to its conclusion.\u00a0 I am in their debt. I also wish to thank Steve and William for their understanding in giving me the time to work on this project \u2013 I dedicate this story to them.<\/span><\/p>\n

A special thank you to Mr. David Dortort, for characters that live on in people\u2019s hearts and minds through\u00a0 stories such as this one, and to the four gentlemen \u2013 Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon \u2013 whose extraordinary talents brought the Cartwright family to life on the screen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Memories & Miracles – A Christmas Story<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/center>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 1<\/span>
\nThe snow had been gently falling for most of the late December afternoon and the drifts were slowly building against the sides of the large, two story, ranch house.\u00a0 The curl of smoke from the stone chimney and the open, inviting porch, made the home seem, well, just that, a home.\u00a0 Each familiar\u00a0 touch evident from the outside: the starched white eyelet curtains at the small window in the front, the polished brass knocker on the front door, the rocking chair and small wooden table on the porch, made known that this was a place that was cared for and appreciated.\u00a0 The house’s sturdy construction also bespoke of the skill with which it had been built.\u00a0 It was obvious that all who lived here would be snug and well protected within its walls.<\/span><\/p>\n

The massive great room was apparent as one entered the house.\u00a0 Its rough stone fireplace encompassed the entire wall opposite the front door and was an ample heat source for the main living area.\u00a0 There was a large, comfortable looking, Moroccan leather chair to the left of the hearth, and a blue velveteen, straight backed armchair to the right.\u00a0 A settee, with burgundy and ivory stripes offset with small pettipoint roses, provided additional seating for three, and it faced the fireplace as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

A large, dark, rough-hewn table filled the space in front of the settee completely, allowing ready access to all that might be seated near it.\u00a0 The maroon armchair did have a small smoking table to its right and a pipe and pouch of tobacco had been placed upon it.\u00a0 A fine, handmade Turkish rug with colors that complimented the rest of the d\u00e9cor was found under the low table.<\/span><\/p>\n

A gun case with open cabinets and storage beneath it was behind the blue armchair and abutted the mantelpiece. The case was filled with all manner of rifles and shotguns, all well maintained and easily accessible. The gun cabinet ended at the stairway, which was a rustic, freestanding structure with a landing after the first six steps. A brightly colored Indian blanket was hanging over the railing at the landing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As just described, the interior could be as imposing as the exterior, even with the variety of paintings, small carvings and pieces of sculpture that decorated the walls and sideboards.\u00a0\u00a0 Yet, upon further inspection, the ample evidence of the young family living within its confines helped to dispel any feelings of austerity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There were tin soldiers on the table before the fire, ready to resume battle at the two young generals\u2019 command. A well worn volume of children\u2019s short stories had been casually left on the blue armchair by its young reader.\u00a0 A bowl of apples and a checkerboard (awaiting two \u2018slightly\u2019 mismatched opponents) were also set upon the low table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A sewing basket was placed on the floor at the end of the settee, closest to the maroon chair.\u00a0 It currently held a pair of men\u2019s socks to be darned and two pairs of little boys’ trousers.\u00a0 The chocolate brown pants, which were of ample measure at the waistband, had a tear at the knee that needed patching. The hem of the navy blue pair, in a small size given their length, was in the process of being let down another inch to accommodate their owner’s recent growth spurt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie Cartwright, enjoying the unusual quiet for this time of day, blinked as she heard the clock strike the half hour.\u00a0 She had just awakened from an impromptu nap on the couch, having had the luxury of a solitary repast at dinner.\u00a0 Eyeing the interloper that had roused her from her slumber, she sighed and pushed herself up to a sitting position.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She reached over the arm of the settee, and pulled the top garment from the pile of mending.\u00a0 Turning the pants inside out, she measured the new hem and began stitching at small, even intervals, as she had been taught so many years before by the nuns in the convent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quickly completing the task, she placed the pants next to her and leaned over to pick up the brown pair.\u00a0 She shook her head in dismay at the size of the tear in the right knee, knowing that any patch job would be blatantly obvious, even to their young owner.\u00a0 \u2018Well,\u2019 she thought resignedly, \u2018one more for the rag bag!\u2019<\/span>
\nRemembering the extra cloth she had purchased earlier in the season for just such a purpose, the young woman replaced the pants in her basket. Heading for the staircase, she intended to retrieve the material and start a new pair of trousers for the younger of her two stepsons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Arriving at the top, she paused before heading to the master suite, her eyes adjusting to the darker passageway before her.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second floor had five bedrooms, each opening off a polished wood hallway. Four of the bedrooms were of a similar size and layout, two with a view of the front of the house and two overlooking the back.\u00a0 The master bedroom was twice as large as any of the others and the hallway ended at its entrance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Of the four smaller rooms, only two were completely furnished as they were occupied on a full time basis.\u00a0 It was obvious from the look of them that each was inhabited by a young boy, however, the similarities ended there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie hesitated before opening the door of the first bedroom on the left side of the hallway.\u00a0 This one belonged to her eldest stepson, who fiercely guarded his privacy and allowed entrance only if he were inside.\u00a0 Of course, his father had free and ready access to the room, and although she honored the boy\u2019s wishes, Marie would sometimes enter it when the child was at school.\u00a0 This was done not as an invasion of his privacy but merely to gain further insight into his world, as the boy would not willingly share any part of himself with his stepmother.<\/span><\/p>\n

Slowly pushing the door open, Marie marveled at the cleanliness of the room.\u00a0 The boy kept it neat and tidy, to a degree usually found in an adult\u2019s private quarters.\u00a0 The walls were adorned with framed, pen and ink sketches of sailing vessels, as well as drawings of ancient Greek and Roman buildings. These drawings were not only decorative, but also instructional in nature, as they gave all the proper terminology for the columns and archways depicted therein.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The four-shelf, maple bookcase adjacent to the door, was filled with a variety of reading material, from children\u2019s storybooks, novels and biographies to more technical texts regarding architecture and basic engineering concepts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie smiled as she approached the small student desk in the corner nearest the head of the bed.\u00a0 On it was a stack of homework papers, almost all of them marked, in an adult hand, with \u201cA\u2019s\u201d and notations such as, \u2018Well Done\u2019 or\u00a0 \u2018Fine Effort\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0 She noticed several crumpled papers in the wastepaper basket next to the desk, but ignored her first instinct to collect the trash, as she knew this would be a signal to the boy that someone had entered while he was away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unconsciously looking for something to straighten in the room, Marie ran her hand over a barely discernable wrinkle in the extra blanket folded neatly at the end of the bed.\u00a0 As she straightened up, she spied the small bedside table topped with an ivory, hand-crocheted doily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The table held an oil burning lamp and a copy of \u201cIvanhoe\u201d with the reader\u2019s place marked with a ribbon.\u00a0 The book had been carefully set upon the table, so as not to upset the other, more precious, items found there. A fine gold frame held a small daguerreotype of a dark haired woman in her early twenties. She was seated, with her head resting on the back of the armchair, looking dreamily into the distance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, again careful not to leave any discernable evidence of her visit, did not pick up the picture, but knelt down near the table for a closer look.\u00a0 \u2018What a beautiful woman Elizabeth was\u2019 she thought to herself, without a hint of jealousy for her predecessor,\u00a0 \u2018and Adam favors her so, especially around the eyes.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She sighed as she considered the fact that young Adam had never known his mother, and had only a photograph to remember her by.\u00a0 Her sympathetic feelings toward the child were intensified, when the light from the window glanced off the glass covering the image. It was apparent from the smudges there that the child had placed a light kiss on his mother\u2019s likeness.\u00a0<\/span>
\nNext to the frame was a delicate bone china music box, decorated with rosy hued cherubs. It was the child\u2019s most treasured possession and had been lovingly carried across the continent by his father as a remembrance of his first wife.\u00a0 It had originally been an engagement gift from the handsome young sailor who had finally found the courage to ask his captain\u2019s only child to become his wife.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie did not open the box, as she had often heard its lilting tones after her stepson had been tucked into bed at night. She knew that its frequent usage was a comfort to the child in the fleeting moments before sleep overtook him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rising to her feet, Marie exited the room, leaving the door slightly ajar as before. She moved down the hallway to her younger stepson\u2019s bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n

The other child\u2019s room was on the same side of the hallway and shared a common wall with that of his brother.\u00a0 It was as chaotic as the other was orderly.\u00a0 The bedclothes had been hastily tossed aside, and the pillow was still lumpy from the previous night\u2019s usage.\u00a0 Clothes, both clean and worn, were strewn about on the chair and the bed, with some having slipped to the floor after their owner had left the room that morning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie shook her head at the sight, knowing that it was more messy than usual, given little Hoss\u2019 excitement about attending school with his big brother that morning.\u00a0 She bent down to retrieve the clean clothes and began to fold them carefully.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As she placed the garments into the dresser drawers, she noticed with some disdain, the remains of the snack the little boy had eaten sometime yesterday.\u00a0 The brown apple core was sitting on the dresser scarf, next to some rather grimy looking jelly beans that had most likely been retrieved from his pants pocket the night before.<\/span><\/p>\n

A look of some irritation was evident on her face, as Marie remembered the scolding the child had received just last week for eating in his room.\u00a0 Vowing to have another little talk with him, she turned towards the unmade bed.\u00a0 Her anger was quickly displaced by a longing for her youngest as she spied a sweet reminder of her precious little boy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just visible under the untucked blanket on the small trundle bed were the ears and head of a stuffed toy bunny.\u00a0 The little creature was made of worn brown corduroy, with black buttons for eyes and a soft, velveteen nose.\u00a0 The toy was obviously well loved, as the stuffing was no longer evenly distributed throughout its body and the ribs of the fabric had been worn away in places.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss called him Brownie and the child had had him as long as he could remember.\u00a0 The toy had been made for him by his mother, Inger, while she was expecting him.\u00a0 She had fashioned a new vest for her husband with the same material and had enough left over for the little bunny.\u00a0 Nothing was wasted during those long, hard days on the wagon train heading West.\u00a0 Inger had delighted in imagining her little son or daughter with it as she carefully crafted the toy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once again, Marie was saddened as she thought of this second child who had so tragically lost his mother as an infant.\u00a0 Inger had been savagely killed during an Indian raid when her baby was only three months old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tenderly, she picked up the bunny and laid him on the chair. She quickly smoothed the bedding and fluffed the pillow before placing the toy back in its familiar place on the bedspread.<\/span><\/p>\n

A wooden Noah\u2019s Ark, along with a variety of hand carved beasts, was in one corner of the room, along with some picture books and building blocks. Marie carefully stepped around these playthings as she moved to straighten a picture on the wall.\u00a0\u00a0 The artwork in this room was of cowboys on horseback lassoing wild stallions, and natives sitting peacefully before their wigwams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Having righted the picture, she turned to rearrange the items on the bedside table.\u00a0 The little boy\u2019s love for the outdoors was evident as she spied some unusually shaped rocks, a variety of leaves, and an old, sky blue robin\u2019s egg.\u00a0 Marie was thankful that their cook, Hop Sing, had stealthily removed the inside of the egg before the treasure found its new nesting place in the house!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The current Mrs. Cartwright carefully lifted a framed daguerreotype from the small table.\u00a0 In sharp contrast to the one in Adam\u2019s room, this image was of a blond woman with light eyes and a sunny smile, who looked as though she had been laughing right as the photograph was made.\u00a0 Although the pictures were different, each child\u2019s adoration for his mother was identical as there were telltale lip prints on the glass of this picture frame as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie replaced the picture and surveyed the now more tidy area. Satisfied with the improved condition of the bedroom, the young woman (after placing the apple core and jelly beans in the pocket of her apron) continued on to the master suite at the end of the hall.<\/span><\/p>\n

She paused briefly at the bedroom across from Hoss\u2019, which was also adjacent to the adults\u2019 bedroom. This room, as well as the one across from Adam\u2019s bedroom, held a variety of furniture, mainly odds and ends that did not meld well with the d\u00e9cor of the others.\u00a0 The rooms had been built for guests who would travel long distances to visit or, in an optimistic look to the future, to accommodate a larger family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s eyes sparkled as she considered the latter reason and moved on to her own room.<\/span><\/p>\n

The master bedroom had a view of the front yard and enjoyed the panoramic vista of tall pines and the impossibly blue lake beyond the clearing to the south. This room was tastefully furnished with an array of fine wood pieces from around the world.\u00a0 A large four poster bed occupied its center, with oversized feather pillows in starched covers at its head.\u00a0 Highly detailed oil paintings of majestic clipper ships and four-masted schooners were in evidence as well. The works of art had been purchased not only for their beauty, but also for the memories they evoked for their owner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Searching through the bag of extra cloth she kept in the bottom of her armoire, Marie pulled out a length of dark brown material.\u00a0 \u2018This should work nicely\u2019 she thought to herself, \u2018and I will pad the knees with the extra fabric, just in case!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She folded the yardage and draped it over her arm as she exited the room.\u00a0 Drawn again to the spare bedroom, the young woman entered and pulled back the drapes.\u00a0 Pale winter sunshine flooded the room as the petite, chestnut haired woman of twenty-three settled herself in the oak rocking chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

She hummed quietly to herself as she placed her hand upon her stomach.\u00a0 A self satisfied smile played upon her lips as she patted her midsection contently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s thoughts turned to the subject of her contentment.\u00a0 \u2018This is the second time that I have missed my \u2018monthly\u2019.\u00a0 It could only mean one thing!\u2019 The almost imperceptible mound under her palm served to confirm her suspicions. \u2018At long last, a baby!\u00a0 Ben will be so very pleased and happy!\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 She felt a tingle of anticipation as she imagined the look on her husband\u2019s face when she told him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Marie had been married for just over a year and were anxious to add a little one of their own to the household.\u00a0 They had both asked God for a child as an everlasting symbol of their love for each other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The two older children were the living embodiments of their own mothers.\u00a0 The boys (eleven year old Adam, and five year old Eric, known by the most appropriate moniker of Hoss) were only half brothers, but their father had always treated them as full siblings.\u00a0 He had been both mother and father to them for almost all their young lives.\u00a0 Marie was pleased that her child would also share that last name, as well as the special man who had fathered the three of them, Ben Cartwright.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that the young woman felt assured of her impending motherhood, a somewhat disconcerting thought entered her mind.\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u2018When shall I tell Ben?\u2019\u00a0 She was so anxious to share her news, but also aware that the first three months of pregnancy were precarious at best.\u00a0 She soon came to the conclusion that she would rather bear the burden of a miscarried child alone and spare Ben yet one more loss in his life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I will wait one more month, or at least, until after the Christmas holidays are over, before I tell him. By then all should be well with the child and with me.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She frowned slightly as she considered her decision further. \u2018That is, if I can wait to tell him before he guesses it himself!\u2019\u00a0 Marie did not recall her first pregnancy with Jean’s baby as being obvious so early on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The sudden memory of her first husband and their own child brought lingering feelings of sadness and regret.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018To think that only eighteen months ago, I was alone, with nothing and nowhere to turn!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Marie Del Vyre had been secretly married to Jean D\u2019Marigny, a debonair, wealthy (and somewhat spoiled) young heir of one of New Orleans\u2019 most prominent families.\u00a0 He had been born with the good looks and family fortune; however, the spoiling had been the result of his mother\u2019s preoccupation with her only child.\u00a0 Jean\u2019s father had been an exporter, and although he was very loving towards his son, his business frequently kept him from home and hearth.\u00a0 Without a strong male presence in his life, Jean soon became dependent on his mother for all his needs and she willingly controlled who he met and what he did.\u00a0\u00a0 Once Jean\u2019s father passed away, the dependency and control issues became even more entangled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Because of all of this, and in spite of the fact that he had readily pledged his love and troth to Marie, Jean knew that his mother would be far from pleased at the prospect of a new woman in his life.\u00a0 This was the reason for keeping their union a secret and Marie would soon regret her part in the charade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Just after the nuptials, Jean rented a small flat for her in which to dwell until he found the right time (and more importantly, the nerve) to tell his mother of their marriage.\u00a0 However, Jean\u2019s mother, being very well connected and a patron of the Church, soon learned of the marriage through the bishop of the diocese. (In keeping with the dictates of her Catholic faith, Marie had insisted on a church sanctioned union and Jean had acquiesced to her wishes.\u00a0 The bishop, willing to compromise his position and violate his own vows of secrecy to assure continued funds for the diocese, had passed the news of the clandestine marriage surreptitiously to his benefactor.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Madame D\u2019Marigny was a spiteful woman used to having her own way and was furious that Jean had married without her permission.\u00a0 Of course, had Jean approached his mother with his request, no such permission would have been forthcoming.\u00a0 Madame felt that no woman, especially one from the Flats (the poorer section of New Orleans where Marie had been born) was good enough for her precious only child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon further deliberation and with the counsel of Marie\u2019s own cousin, a scoundrel named Edward D\u2019Arcy, Madame D\u2019Marigny outlined a plan to remove Marie from the picture permanently. The surest way for the D\u2019Marigny family matriarch to oust her unworthy daughter-in-law from Jean\u2019s life was to convince him that Marie had been unfaithful. With D\u2019Arcy\u2019s assistance and Madame\u2019s money, the two devised a plot that would assure this outcome.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, without any indication of his mother\u2019s knowledge of his deception, Jean was a frequent visitor to his wife\u2019s apartments (and her bed, as well.)\u00a0 It was not long before Marie determined that she was with child.\u00a0 She did not immediately share this discovery with her husband and her delay in delivering the news unknowingly enhanced her mother-in-law\u2019s plans.<\/span><\/p>\n

Edward, with funds from his accomplice, paid an equally unsavory acquaintance to pretend to be Jean.\u00a0 The other man entered the apartment (by buying off the landlord and gaining access as Marie slept) just before the time that Jean would normally arrive.\u00a0 The imposter slipped into bed beside the young woman, who, thinking her spouse had arrived for their nightly tryst, turned eagerly to him in the late evening darkness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Moments later, Jean entered the room and was shocked to find his beloved in the arms of another.\u00a0 Marie was even more astounded and alarmed than her husband.\u00a0 The intruder continued the charade and indicated that Marie should reveal her part in their affair.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, of course, vehemently denied the accusations, but Jean, now believing all the lies his mother had told him regarding female wiles, would have none of it.\u00a0 The distraught young man ran from the room, and Marie never saw him again.\u00a0 The intruder also dashed from the apartment and disappeared into the streets and alleyways of the town.\u00a0 He now had enough money to live well and no desire to right the wrongs he had perpetrated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jean\u2019s mother had been successful in her evil endeavor; however, the final outcome was one not even she had bargained on.\u00a0 Rather than her penitent son returning to his mother\u2019s home to resume their lives as before, Jean left New Orleans in disgrace.\u00a0 Madame D\u2019Marigny had gambled with her son\u2019s affections and lost.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie was inconsolable and soon found herself put out on the street as she had no means of support.\u00a0 With nowhere else to turn, Marie went to the only oasis she could think of, the convent where she had been raised after her parents died .\u00a0 The nuns, pitying the young woman, took her in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s baby was born seven months later in a small room in the convent.\u00a0 A doctor from a nearby township had been called to assist with the delivery. After a long and painful labor, the doctor delivered the child and took the baby away immediately, before Marie had a chance to see or hold her child. Upon the doctor\u2019s return, he told the young mother that the child, a boy, had been stillborn.\u00a0 Although Marie had been devastated by the news, she insisted that she be allowed to see her child.\u00a0 The doctor had forbidden it, as he felt it would serve no good purpose and that she should put the episode behind her as quickly as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

It would be several months before Marie found out the truth about her son.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The doctor, (also bought off by Madame D\u2019Marigny) had handed the healthy baby boy over to his assistant who had whisked the child away into the night, before the infant\u2019s first cries would contradict the story.\u00a0 He was delivered to the waiting arms of his paternal grandm\u00e8re to raise in place of his father.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, realizing that there might be a glimmer of hope in recovering the child through the Church\u2019s intervention, had had her heart broken anew when told that the infant had taken ill and died shortly after his abduction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Still grieving the loss of her newborn and unable to secure more respectable employment,\u00a0 Marie found work as a hostess in her cousin Edward\u2019s gaming salon in the French Quarter.\u00a0 He had offered her the job because she was pretty and could entice the patrons to drink (and therefore, gamble away more of their money), rather than from any sense of familial duty or remorse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie knew that many of the local townspeople thought she provided more than just simple conversation and encouragement to the gamblers, however, the proud young woman\u2019s conscience was clear.\u00a0 She was determined to rise above her present circumstances. Her strong belief in the tenets of her Catholic faith brought her great comfort, especially in this time of need and she prayed daily for deliverance from her plight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was in Edward\u2019s salon that Ben Cartwright had found her when he arrived to bring the news of Jean\u2019s death.\u00a0 The rancher had been guided there by one of Jean\u2019s closest friends in New Orleans, Marius Angierville, who shared the true story of the young woman\u2019s situation with Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s heart beat faster as she remembered the first time she had seen the man who, unbeknownst to her at the time, would be the answer to her fervent prayers.\u00a0 The tall, slightly graying gentleman had entered the gaming establishment asking for her.\u00a0\u00a0 By the cut of his clothes and his dignified bearing, she could tell that he was a man of some wealth and substance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When she first looked into his velvet brown eyes, she could see the kindness there and felt the warmth of his concern for her.\u00a0 There was something about this man that made Marie want to know as much as possible about him.\u00a0 However, when Ben told her that Jean was the reason for his journey, she immediately went cold inside.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jean had worked for Ben as a horse breaker on his ranch in the Utah Territory.\u00a0 Jean had been an excellent equestrian, known throughout the state of Louisiana for his abilities in the show ring. He also was an exceptional judge of horseflesh and both attributes had won him a job on the Ponderosa.\u00a0 The Southerner had become more than just an employee to Ben, as the slightly older man valued his friendship as well as his devotion to seeing the ranch prosper. Jean\u2019s expertise had brought about great improvement in the fledgling string of mares and the Ponderosa geldings were soon much sought after by both soldier and cattleman alike for their stamina and speed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was while seeking to further enhance the Ponderosa line that Jean had been killed.\u00a0 Jean, Ben and some of the Ponderosa hands had been trailing a group of wild horses, led by a powerful black stallion. The men were attempting to capture the black for use as a sire.\u00a0 They had been able to surround the animals and force them into a box canyon.\u00a0 Jean had been successful in lassoing the stallion, however, the animal had reared and Ben\u2019s horse had unexpectedly done likewise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was thrown from the saddle, and was rendered temporarily unconscious. Seeing his friend\u2019s plight, Jean had jumped to the ground, covering Ben\u2019s body with his own.\u00a0 The stallion, now free of the tension on the rope, reared once more.\u00a0 The animal\u2019s hoofs landed squarely on Jean\u2019s back, crushing his spine and causing massive internal injuries.\u00a0<\/span>
\nDue to Jean\u2019s quick, unselfish actions, Ben was unhurt.\u00a0 He had quickly regained consciousness and was able to pull the mortally wounded man to a sheltered area as the rest of the hands chased the wild herd from the canyon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jean\u2019s last words were of his love for, and forgiveness of, his wife Marie.\u00a0 Ben, knowing that the man had willingly sacrificed his own life to save his, felt the only way to repay that selflessness was to find Marie and deliver the news in person.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She had, at first, dismissed Ben even before he had shared the reason behind his journey. However, he later confronted her in her apartment and told her of Jean\u2019s death.\u00a0 Marie was deeply saddened by the news, although the bitterness over Jean\u2019s easy acceptance of the lies perpetrated by his mother remained.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thinking she would not see the rancher again now that he had delivered the news, Marie was surprised as their paths continued to cross while Ben completed some business dealings in the city.\u00a0 Ben, unbeknownst to Marie, had discovered her normal patterns of comings and goings, and arranged these seemingly coincidental meetings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This was out of character for the normally forthright man.\u00a0 He had not come to this place for any reason other than the delivery of the news of Jean\u2019s death and the subsequent opportunity to sell some furs he had brought with him to offset the cost of the trip.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was as surprised as anyone at his sudden interest in Marie.\u00a0 There was something about her, something wild and unsettled, and yet very wise and knowing, that had captured his imagination.\u00a0 Her ability to rise above the unpleasantness of her circumstance, and yet, live life to the fullest, sparked a passion in the man that he thought had been extinguished forever.\u00a0 Ben Cartwright had experienced enough heartache to last a lifetime and yet was only 31 years of age.<\/span><\/p>\n

His true feelings for the young Creole woman were finally voiced after he was drawn into a duel with Edward.\u00a0 The charlatan had wrongfully accused Ben of cheating at cards in the salon.\u00a0 This was the result of a plan again devised by Madame D\u2019Marigny as Ben came close to piecing together the truth regarding Marie and the so-called \u201cother man\u201d.\u00a0 She wanted him out of the way permanently and realized that Edward could accomplish this via a duel with rapiers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Marius Angierville, unbeknownst to Ben, had taken his place by arriving before the appointed time and had fallen victim to Edward\u2019s unparalleled skill with the epee.\u00a0 Ben, fueled by his anger at what had been done, immediately challenged Edward to a second duel with pistols.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Edward\u2019s ability with a gun was much less than his mastery of the sword and he failed to inflict even a flesh wound.\u00a0 Firing a return volley into the air, Ben proceeded to beat the scoundrel with his fists.\u00a0 As much as Ben wanted to kill him, his ultimate goal was to force the truth regarding Marie out of him, so that all in attendance would hear of the deceit and Marie\u2019s reputation would be restored.\u00a0 Edward, with some semblance of honor towards Madame D\u2019Marigny, refused to divulge what he knew.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was then that Marie realized the depth of her feelings for Ben, the man who had risked everything to give her back her integrity and her reputation.\u00a0\u00a0 Even though Edward would not substantiate the truth, Marie\u2019s reputation had been restored in the eyes of the only person she truly cared about. Although they had never given voice to their desires before, Ben\u2019s immediate proposal of marriage and a new life by his side mirrored what Marie had envisioned as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Later that week, after paying homage to Marius at his burial in the same graveyard as Marie\u2019s parents, Ben and Marie were married by a magistrate in a civil ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their wedding night was a mixture of tenderness and love, with a smoldering passion that excited and engulfed them both.\u00a0 There was no doubt now that these two were meant to be together, as soul mates, lovers, and man and wife.<\/span>
\n\u00a0 * * * * * * * *<\/span><\/p>\n

The memory of that first heady night spent in Ben\u2019s arms brought Marie\u2019s attentions back to the present.\u00a0 Her body warmed at the thought of her husband\u2019s touch.\u00a0 As she focused on this exceedingly pleasant feeling, she was also reminded of the result of their lovemaking, as the minute but unmistakable flutters of the new life within her were felt as well.\u00a0 The large clock downstairs chimed the two o\u2019clock hour, and her thoughts now moved forward to another special night when, she was convinced, this little miracle had been conceived.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

It was the night of the Harvest Moon dance in the middle of October.\u00a0 She and Ben had attended the earlier festivities in town with the boys.\u00a0 There had been food booths, games of chance, foot races and the like. Adam easily won the foot race for his age group and Hoss came up a winner by knocking over the most bottles in the ball toss. Ben had competed in the shooting contest, coming in a respectable second, with his two little boys and his wife comprising the Cartwright cheering section.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They allowed the youngsters to eat their fill (within reason, of course) of the various treats that were on offer at the event.\u00a0 Hoss had a hard time making up his mind between all the cakes, pies and pastries that the women of the town had prepared for sale.\u00a0 Knowing that his brother did not possess his taste for sweets, the little boy could not share and sample as many of the confections as he hoped.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Now, son, you know you have dessert after supper every night.\u00a0 It’s not like you haven’t had most of what is for sale here” said Ben as he knelt down to Hoss’ level and reasoned with the chubby five-year-old.\u00a0 “Hurry up and decide or you won’t have time to eat it before we leave for home.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Hoss sighed. He knew that his father would withdraw his offer if he didn’t decide now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Can I gets tha brown sugar cake and two gingersnaps?”\u00a0 The child asked eagerly, as he shifted his gaze from one parent to the other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie interjected gently, “How do we ask for something, Hoss?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Please, Mama?” came the swift reply coupled with a pleading look.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben looked at his wife for her agreement.\u00a0 Marie nodded, and Ben paid the attendant for his little son’s fare.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, now exceedingly happy, looked over at his older brother, who was also trying to decide between two of his favorites,\u00a0 a turkey leg or some slices of freshly smoked ham, at one of the food booths nearby.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, Adam, what will it be?” asked Mr. Jenkins, the town’s barber, who was filling the role of waiter and cashier at this particular location.\u00a0 The older man smiled as Ben came up behind his other son, as the boy carefully pondered his decision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Um, I think I’ll have the turkey leg, please, Mr. Jenkins.”\u00a0 Adam replied.\u00a0 He knew Ben would approve, as Adam’s appetite was not anywhere near what his brother’s was.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Some potato salad and fresh rolls to go with that?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yes, please, sir.” replied the courteous young boy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Here you go, son\u201d the man said as he handed the china plate and a fork from the International House restaurant to the eleven year old. Turning to the boy\u2019s father, he added, \u201cThat’ll be four bits, Ben.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Money well spent, Bill, anytime I can get this youngster to eat!”\u00a0 Ben laughed as he gently placed his hand on the boy\u2019s shoulder and handed the half dollar to the congenial man in payment for his son\u2019s meal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“From the looks of it, the Cartwright men will be in need of your services soon” Ben said, as he noticed the errant curls at the nape of his dark haired son’s neck.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Always look forward to seeing you and your boys, Ben.\u201d Changing the subject, he asked, \u201cWill you be at the dance tonight?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Wouldn’t miss it.\u00a0 The wife has been changing her mind everyday for a week as to what she will wear!”\u00a0 Ben responded.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, turning from the two men, rolled his eyes in annoyance at the mention of his stepmother.\u00a0 He then made a beeline for the tree under which the object of his annoyance, and his brother Hoss, were seated on a blanket.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The elder Cartwrights had shared some of the booths’ offerings earlier in the day with Hoss, so the little boy had had something more than sweets at the event.\u00a0 Adam had pretty much held off on eating until now, so he ate his fill, although he soon found the turkey leg more than he could handle.\u00a0 Ben finished off the rest of the boy\u2019s meal and the family remained under the shade of the oak tree for another half-hour or so, while letting their dinner settle.\u00a0 The adults then agreed to walk around the exhibits one last time and let the boys run off some of their renewed energy. Within the hour, it was time to head for home.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the sun began to set, Ben and Marie settled the boys into the buggy for the trip back to the Ponderosa. The animated discussion between the two children soon ceased as the motion of the buggy rocked them both to sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie turned to look at the two little boys in the back; Adam, scooted down into the seat, his left arm around his brother’s shoulders, and his chin on his chest, and Hoss, cuddled into his big brother\u2019s embrace, quietly snoring.\u00a0 Marie nudged her husband gently and indicated the scene in the back with a turn of her head.\u00a0 Ben looked behind him and smiled at his two sons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Adam looks like such an angel when he’s asleep.\u00a0 I wish he could keep the same countenance when he’s awake!\u2019\u00a0 He thought with a small shake of his head.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had been very trying in the months since he had brought Marie to the Ponderosa as his wife and the boys’ stepmother.\u00a0 Ben’s patience was wearing thin with the boy’s belligerent attitude and he had already punished him several times for his behavior.\u00a0 Hoss had been and continued to be his usual sweet self with his new mama and was rewarded with the love and attention only a mother could provide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After they reached home, Ben woke up their two little “angels” and helped them down from the buggy.\u00a0 He reached up for Marie and easily lifted her down also.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, the Cartwrights\u2019 cook, came quickly through the kitchen’s side door.\u00a0 He had been expecting the family back at any moment and was ready to bathe the two children before supper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He nodded to Ben and Marie and exclaimed,\u00a0 “Liddle boys’ bath wader ready, Mista Cartlight.\u00a0 I take them to washhouse and then supper be reddy.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss, standing next to their father, both pulled a face, even though it was Saturday night and they always had a bath then as there was church the next morning.\u00a0 Hoss, especially, balked at the idea and said so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Cain’t we do that after supper, Hop Sing?\u00a0 I’m hungry!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, moving swiftly behind his children, reached down and, with both hands at once, lightly (but purposefully) swatted the boys’ backsides.\u00a0 Both of them turned immediately to face him.\u00a0 With an arched, black eyebrow, he gave them a look which, Adam and Hoss knew from experience, meant they had better mind their parent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Don’t give Hop Sing any arguments\u201d their father quietly intoned. \u201c I want you both clean and in your nightshirts before you come to supper.\u00a0 Is that understood?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The children, knowing not to press the issue, nodded at their father.\u00a0 With an obedient “Yes, Pa” coming from them both, they began to walk towards the cook.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing took each boy by the hand and led them to the washhouse located off the kitchen.\u00a0 ‘Pa sure has been particular about how clean we are since she came around.’\u00a0 Adam thought to himself, as he let himself be shepherded into the room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He knew deep down, however, that this wasn\u2019t true.\u00a0 Hop Sing and his pa had always been sticklers for cleanliness and he and Hoss normally had baths at least twice a week.\u00a0 However, in the little boy’s mind, this was just one more reason for his ongoing dislike of his stepmother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He had waged a continuous campaign against this woman from the moment he had met her.\u00a0 Although Marie had tried numerous times to win Adam over, he refused to meet her even halfway.\u00a0\u00a0 The strain of this situation was becoming more and more evident in the entire family\u2019s demeanor.<\/span><\/p>\n

The child had no recollection of his own mother, Elizabeth, who had died a few brief minutes after his birth. Inger, Hoss’ mother, was the only mama Adam had ever known. His memories of her and the love she had provided to this motherless child, prevented Adam from letting another woman take her place. He was determined that he would never accept Marie as anything other than his Pa’s wife, no matter how many times Ben punished and lectured him on his behavior towards her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had inherited many things from his father, not the least of which was a stubborn streak as wide as he was tall.\u00a0 Ben did not see the similarities in their temperaments and often found himself locked in a battle of wills with his older son.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the boys in Hop Sing’s care, Ben and Marie unloaded the rest of the buggy and brought their things into the house. Ben put up the horses and placed a fresh team in the harness of the carriage he and Marie would use that evening.\u00a0 As he did this, Marie went upstairs to change.\u00a0 Ben soon followed, as they planned to join the rest of the family for a quick supper before they left for the dance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Two tired little boys, with scrubbed faces, damp combed hair, and dressed in clean nightshirts, were waiting impatiently at the table for their parents.\u00a0 Hop Sing, suspecting that the boys had eaten their fill at the festivities, had planned a light meal of soup and sandwiches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Marie then descended the stairs, and what a striking couple they made!\u00a0 Even Adam had to admit that his father looked exceedingly handsome and his stepmother was a very pretty woman, with her sparkling green eyes and chestnut curls. They approached the table with an approving grin from Hoss and a bit of a smile from Adam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After they were seated and Ben said the blessing, both boys dove into the delicious meal that had been set before them.\u00a0 Marie, with a sideways glance at her husband, watched in awe as Hoss took in a man sized portion of the fare.\u00a0 Hoss’ appetite was always remarkable, however, on this night; his eleven-year-old brother was a very close second in the amount of food consumed.\u00a0 Ben grinned at his wife and shook his head as he watched his two growing boys tuck into their meal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once they were finished, Ben and Marie arose and excused themselves.\u00a0 Marie went to get her wrap, and stepped outside for a moment, while Ben gave last minute instructions to his sons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Now boys, I expect you to be in bed at your normal times.\u201d\u00a0 He softened his tone and added, with a bit of a plea in his voice, \u201cI want a good report on your behavior from Hop Sing, all right?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both little boys met their father’s eyes and assured him that they would do as they were told.\u00a0 Marie then came back to the table and gave Hoss a kiss.\u00a0 She bade Adam good night as she knew he would not tolerate any show of affection from her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben kissed both boys on the forehead and wished them a good night as well.\u00a0 “Bye, Papa, bye, Mama” Hoss intoned with Adam following with only a soft “Good night”.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben helped Marie into the carriage. She declined his offer of a robe for her lap, as the night was somewhat warm for October.\u00a0 The breeze from the movement of the carriage along the road made the ride a very pleasant one. Although they planned to return to the ranch after the dance, the mere thought of a few precious hours with each other and\u00a0 some adult company thrown in for good measure, was something they had both been looking forward to for many weeks. Within an hour, they arrived at the dance and Ben alighted from the conveyance, turning to collect his beautiful wife.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As they entered the social hall, all eyes turned to see the debonair couple.\u00a0 Ben had on his Sunday best, and Marie was in a fetching dark green gown, with a delicate ivory lace trim about the neckline that accentuated her fine features. They greeted their friends, all of whom had been guests at the Ponderosa earlier in the year, when Ben had thrown a large party to introduce the new Mrs. Cartwright.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon hearing the first notes from the small orchestra, Ben bowed deeply and kissed Marie’s hand chivalrously, as she returned the bow with a graceful curtsey of her own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“May I have this dance, Madam?”\u00a0 He asked, with a wink.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie replied, “Oui, Monsieur, my dance card is not yet filled.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her green eyes sparkled as Ben lifted his eyebrows at the remark. He took his bride gently in his arms and twirled her about the dance floor, as those with less ability stepped aside and watched the couple who seemed to move as one.<\/span><\/p>\n

They danced every dance, with eyes only for each other.\u00a0 Although married just over a year, it was very obvious to all in attendance that the honeymoon had not ended for these two.\u00a0 For those, such as Dr. Paul Martin who had known Ben ever since he came to the Carson Valley four years before, the metamorphosis that had taken place once Marie had entered Ben’s life was profound.\u00a0 Ben looked ten years younger and his broad grin was evident anytime he had his winsome wife on his arm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The orchestra took a short intermission and the pair, after partaking of a glass of refreshing punch, left the hall to find a cool respite outside.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As they stepped away from the building into the darkness of the evening, Ben turned Marie’s face to him and kissed her so deeply and passionately that it took her breath away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

‘Her eyes are so beautiful, I could lose myself in them’\u00a0 Ben thought to himself as his wife reached her hands up around his neck to bend him again to her waiting lips.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The man, suddenly feeling exceedingly warm, returned the kiss as intensely as it was given. The strains of the next tune drifted out on the night air as the orchestra began the second half of their program.\u00a0 The dance, however, was now the furthest thing from his mind.<\/span>
\nHoping that his wife felt the same way, he whispered huskily to her; “Perhaps we should spend the night in town, my dear?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie smiled demurely and nodded.\u00a0 Her thoughts and desires were also heading in an entirely different direction, away from the social hall.\u00a0 Without formal good nights to their fellow partygoers, they stealthily headed down the street to the International House, the only reputable hotel in town.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lobby of the hotel was empty save for the night clerk.\u00a0 Ben and Marie greeted Tom and quickly secured a room for the night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben asked him to have word sent to Hop Sing, hoping his excuse would explain their lack of luggage!<\/span><\/p>\n

“Please say that we will be returning to the Ponderosa in the morning, as we stayed longer at the dance then intended. And could you have Bob at the livery see to the team for the night?”\u00a0 Tom agreed to the requests as he pocketed the half-dollar pressed into his hand for his trouble.\u00a0 Turning the register, the desk clerk nodded slightly to Marie as her husband signed the book.\u00a0 Tom handed Ben a key and directed the pair to the second floor and the room at the far end of the hall. The two headed upstairs, trying not to appear in too big a hurry to reach their room, although there was no one other than Tom to witness their hasty departure.<\/span><\/p>\n

When they reached the room, Ben fumbled with the key, hastily trying to force it in upside down!\u00a0 Marie laughed lightly as she took his hand in hers and turned his palm upwards, so the key would fit correctly into the lock.\u00a0 Ben winked at her and turned the key, finally allowing them to enter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The room was bathed in romantic moonlight that streamed through the sheer daytime curtains.\u00a0 Marie entered first and headed towards a lamp on the nightstand nearest the window.\u00a0 Ben caught her arm as she went, soundlessly closing and locking the door behind him as he pulled her to him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“We have a full moon shining through the window and no little ears to hear us.\u00a0 Let’s not waste this precious night on anything but each other\u201d Ben said, as he bent down to kiss her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With Marie\u2019s consent evident in her kiss, he asked, \u201cDarling, what can I do to pleasure you?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With a coquettish look in her eye, she took his hands and placed them at the top button of her dress, just above her creamy ivory breasts.\u00a0 As Ben unbuttoned each small shell-shaped guard to his treasure, he let his lips explore the newly exposed areas hungrily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie moaned as she surrendered her body to her husband, wishing that he would hurry and yet, at the same time, savoring every touch, every feathery kiss that would eventually lead to that same place where their love for each other would manifest itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

They enjoyed a night of passion second only, perhaps, to their wedding night.\u00a0 However, the intimate knowledge of each other\u2019s bodies and desires elevated their lovemaking to new heights of pleasure.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the flushed afterglow of their first coupling that night, Ben slowly rolled to the bed on his wife’s left side.\u00a0 He slid his right hand and arm under her neck and shoulders, while the fluffy white pillow supported her head. Ben caressed Marie’s breasts with his other hand, enjoying their fullness.\u00a0 He lay back against the softness of the cushion at his head and felt the flutter of Marie’s heart beneath her bosom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie moved herself more closely into his embrace and placed her head against his broad chest.\u00a0 She could also feel her husband’s heartbeat and breathing returning to normal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Oh, Mon Cheri,” Marie whispered. ” I love you so very much.\u00a0 You are everything I have ever longed for.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben kissed her forehead.\u00a0 “It is I who am truly blessed” he responded.\u00a0 “You bring out a passion I thought had left me long ago.\u00a0 I love you more than words can tell. ”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie pulled her head back to look into Ben’s dark velvet eyes and kissed him gently on the lips.\u00a0 Soon, both fell asleep holding the other, exhausted but oh so warm, in their lovers’ embrace.<\/span><\/p>\n

They made love twice more that night, each time with the same intensity as the first.\u00a0 Ben’s virility knew no bounds and Marie was a more than willing partner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It what seemed no time at all, it was morning. The sun shown brightly through the sheer curtains, as they had not shut the heavier draperies the night before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie watched Ben as he slept, her love for him evident in the look on her face. She turned the gold wedding band on her left hand, as she blissfully recalled the events of the night just ended.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On this special Sunday morning, the devout woman silently sent a prayer heavenward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

‘Please let this night bring us more than just cherished memories.\u00a0 Please, dear Lord, bless us with a sweet baby that will be a living reminder of the eternal love we have for each other.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie made the Sign of the Cross while quietly intoning, \u201cIn the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, Amen\u201d and was soon fast asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 2<\/span>
\nMarie was brought out of her reverie by the sound of two pairs of boots stomping up to the front door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018Adam and Hoss are home from school!\u2019\u00a0 She thought in alarm.\u00a0 \u2018Heavens, is it already so late?\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The day had been hers as Adam had taken his little brother to school as a treat for the last day before the Christmas holiday vacation.\u00a0 Hoss would start school in the fall of the coming year, but had not before been allowed to accompany Adam for this annual event.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Mama, Mama!\u00a0 Where are you?”\u00a0 The little boy shouted as he entered the house.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m upstairs, sweetheart.\u00a0 Why don’t you and Adam ask Hop Sing for a snack and I’ll be down to hear about your day in just a minute\u201d Marie called, hoping that the boys would do as she asked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When she had heard Hoss call, she had risen from the rocking chair a bit too quickly and suddenly felt dizzy.\u00a0 Although the pregnancy was primarily to blame for her lightheadedness, the vivid memories relived in the last few minutes (and the emotions they aroused) did not help the situation any!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie grabbed hold of the bedpost near the rocker, closed her eyes and silently chastised herself.\u00a0 \u2018I must learn to take my time and not rush around so quickly!\u2019\u00a0 Her greatest fear was that she would be forced to divulge her secret before she was ready.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, the room ceased its spinning and Marie felt better as she made her way down the hall to the stairs, again carrying the soft woolen fabric over her arm.\u00a0 At the top of the stairs, she stopped and smiled as she spied the dark wavy hair of her older stepson.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was sitting with his back to the stairs and his head bent over a book open on the dining room table.\u00a0 Here was one child who never took a vacation from learning.\u00a0 His insatiable curiosity for the world around him and for places he was yet to see kept the elder Cartwrights constantly searching for yet another book for the serious little boy.\u00a0 He devoured them, often times to the exclusion of everyone and everything else nearby. This lack of attentiveness had sometimes brought him lectures (or worse) from his father, especially at times when Adam was vested with responsibility for the youngest member of the family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie laughed behind her hand as she saw the little blond headed boy sitting across from his brother. He was helping himself to three more cookies with one pudgy hand while devouring the first one held in his other hand at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss did not look like a typical five-year-old, being only a head shorter (and several pounds heavier) than his six years older brother.\u00a0 But it was Hoss’ sweet disposition and loving countenance that had touched Marie’s heart from the moment she had first met him.\u00a0 This little boy so needed a mother’s love and he had accepted her immediately upon her introduction as his new mama.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, on the other hand was, and continued to be, another story.\u00a0 Although he was polite enough, he did not accept Marie as his new parent and resented her inclusion in the close knit family circle.\u00a0 She had spent many hours puzzling over how to reach this child who had already lost two mothers and, unbeknownst to his parents, was not willing to risk giving his love to a third.\u00a0 She hoped that the life now growing inside her would be the answer to another of her nightly prayers, that all of them could become a family in more than name alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss looked up at her, grinning, as she descended the staircase, and then drained the glass of milk Hop Sing had provided to each boy to enjoy with his snack.\u00a0 Slamming the glass down, he jumped from the table, bumping into it as he did so, and brought Adam out of King Arthur’s castle to reality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He ran to her as he chirped, \u201cMama, we had so much fun today!\u00a0 We\u2019s made paper chains for our Christmas tree, and singed songs, and listened to Teacher read stories!\u00a0 I gots to sit next to Adam and he let me draw on his slate and we ‘et Hop Sing’s lunch and got apple cider to drink!\u00a0 School is great!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally taking a breath, he opened his sky blue eyes wide and pleaded, \u201cCain\u2019t I go with him after his va…va…, when he goes back after Christmas?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie knelt down to give the child a hug, laying the trouser material over the arm of the settee as she did so. “Oh sweetheart, I’m so glad you had such a wonderful time\u201d she said delightedly, as she was not sure he would find school to his liking.<\/span><\/p>\n

She paused before answering his question, knowing that the reply would not be the one he wanted to hear. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, darling; you cannot start school until next year, when you are six.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss’ face fell at this comment. Tears pooled in his eyes, which had been so happy just a moment before.\u00a0 Marie hastened to avert the impending emotional storm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Do not cry, little one, Mama missed you so much today that I could not bear it if you were to leave me alone everyday.\u00a0 I had no one to read to, or sing with, and I was very lonesome\u201d she said truthfully, as she had missed the little bundle of energy who was normally her constant companion.<\/span><\/p>\n

As she had hoped, Hoss’s sunny smile returned and he hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek with a loud smacking sound, as he replied, \u201cI\u2019s missed ya too, Mama.\u201d\u00a0 Marie returned the affection, stood up, and took the boy’s hand as he led her back to the table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had watched the exchange with, what he hoped was, an indifferent look on his face.\u00a0 Inside his heart however, was a longing for the same type of comfort and motherly concern that his little brother had just received.<\/span><\/p>\n

“And how was the day for you, Adam?”\u00a0 Marie asked somewhat cautiously as she stood with Hoss. She wished there was some pet name she could call him, rather than always using his given name.\u00a0 It seemed so formal and yet, she did not want to disturb any fragile peace between the two of them by the use of an affectionate name to which he would take offense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Oh, it was all right, but we didn’t get a chance to review anything from the last few days’ class work\u201d he replied, with obvious disappointment. \u201cMrs. Johnson wouldn’t let us take any of our schoolbooks home because she wanted everyone to enjoy the time off. I wanted to read ahead over the holidays, but guess I’ll just settle for King Arthur again instead.”\u00a0 Adam could not truly understand taking a vacation from learning.\u00a0 There was so much to know and a limited time to acquire the knowledge, what with chores, sleeping, eating and all the other necessities of life that took up his time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie shook her head slightly as she considered the boy and his constant thirst for knowledge.\u00a0 \u2018Does he know what it means to relax and just do nothing?\u2019 She supposed not, knowing what hardships Ben and Adam had faced during the long journey that eventually ended at what was now their home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Building on the subject of school, Marie spoke again to the older boy.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ for taking such good care of Hoss today.\u00a0 I know that having to watch a younger child can prevent you from doing as you might like with your school friends.\u00a0 He is lucky to have someone older, like you, to make sure he is kept safe. Your father and I always appreciate your help with him.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As soon as the words left her lips, Marie realized that she may have laid the praise on a bit too thick.\u00a0 Adam was used to being almost totally responsible for Hoss, from the time the younger boy was an infant until Marie had entered their lives.\u00a0 The sideways glance that Adam gave her confirmed this suspicion, as he merely grunted and continued on with his book.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie sighed, turning her attention to the eager little boy who was not yet finished detailing his day for his mother. Smiling down at the child, she intoned, \u201cCome, sit here with Mama and tell me about everything you did today, sweetheart.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving her mending and the fabric down to the basket, she sat down upon the settee and patted the space next to her.\u00a0 With a grateful smile, Hoss climbed up on his hands and knees, turned around and plunked himself down against the back cushion, his short legs sticking straight out over the furniture\u2019s edge.\u00a0 Marie put her arm around the child and he immediately closed the space between them and nestled against her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss always loved these quiet times with Mama and, he too, would miss their little discussions when he started school in the fall. Marie enjoyed the pleasure of his company, asking questions and making conversation to encourage him to talk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss’ usage of correct grammar left a lot to be desired. Marie found that the more he spoke, the more she could help him to put his thoughts into complete words and sentences.\u00a0 Hoss didn’t seem to mind this; he relished the attention and the ready affection that his mother gave him constantly.\u00a0 His brother and father just corrected each word automatically, where Marie made him feel special when she helped him to say what was on his mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss and Marie were engrossed in conversation, as Hop Sing came bustling out of the kitchen to clean off the dining room table.\u00a0 He retrieved the little boy\u2019s empty milk glass and the cookie plate, which, thanks to Hoss, was completely devoid of even a crumb.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam drained his glass before handing it to the cook and announced, “I’m going upstairs to read until supper’s ready.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He did not specifically address his statement to anyone, but the little cook admonished him “Dinner ready when fatha get home.\u00a0 Hop Sing only call liddle boy one time!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam took the hint, nodding sheepishly at the little Oriental man.\u00a0 The child was often late to supper as his immersion into whatever he was reading was total.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Adam stood to head towards the stairs, he turned to see Marie and Hoss talking animatedly with their heads together, sharing the events of the day. A feeling of envy swept over him as he spied his little brother enjoying their stepmother’s affection. As he climbed the stairs to his room, Adam remembered a time, not so very long ago, when he had a mother that gave him that same type of love and affection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I wish Mama was here, instead of Marie\u2019\u00a0 Adam thought, feeling the familiar lump rise in his throat as he remembered Inger, Hoss\u2019 mother. \u2018Especially now at the holidays!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As he entered his bedroom, the little boy flung his book on the top of his bed and lay down on his stomach, placing his head on his folded arms. He turned towards the window, where the blue sky and tall Ponderosa pines were in view.\u00a0 However, the child saw only what his memory made crystal clear:\u00a0 a tall, blond, young woman, with laughing blue eyes the same color as his little brother\u2019s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He could hear her voice, too, and smiled wistfully as he heard her call his name.\u00a0 She always made the \u201cA\u201d in Adam sound longer, like \u2018Aaaa\u2026dam\u2019, with her lilting Swedish accent softening the first vowel. Pa always said, \u201cAdam\u201d like a command, even when the child wasn\u2019t in trouble with his parent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Well,\u2019 thought Adam ruefully, \u2018maybe it seems that way because I\u2019m in trouble more often now than I was then!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Slipping back into the more pleasant past, he recalled that \u2018Adam\u2019 wasn\u2019t the only thing his parents had called him.\u00a0 When Mama or Pa would cuddle him before he went to sleep each night, he was their \u201cBaby\u201d or \u201cSweetheart\u201d or \u201cLittle Boy Blue\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 He especially liked the last one, as it had a meaning that only the three of them could understand. Its origin, of course, was the nursery rhyme, but in this little boy\u2019s case, there were no cows and sheep to tend.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once, after a long afternoon of playing \u201cHide and Go Seek\u201d with the other towns children, little Adam hid too well and could not be found.\u00a0\u00a0 The children alerted Ben and Inger, who began an anxious search for their child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The story ended happily when the five year old was found; fast asleep in a corner of the livery stable, partially covered with hay to avoid discovery by his friends.\u00a0 Adam again experienced the warm glow he had felt then, when his mama\u2019s hand caressed his cheek while his father lifted him gently from the straw and carried him back to their little house next to the store.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reveling in the comforting memories, Adam rolled onto his back, and clasped his hands behind his head.\u00a0 His thoughts were drawn to the one holiday season he and Pa had shared with Inger.\u00a0 She had made it such a special time, first with the observation of the feast of St. Lucia in early December (a tradition in her native Sweden) and then with the excitement of Christmas itself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had still believed in St. Nicholas then, just like Hoss did now, and the anticipation of that jolly old man’s arrival had been fueled by his mama\u2019s preparations for the big night. His mouth watered as he recalled her culinary abilities.\u00a0 She baked for the whole week leading up to Christmas and the house, small though it was, was filled with a different delicious smell every day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Closing his eyes, the child could remember the kitchen table almost groaning under the weight of all the different treats she prepared.\u00a0 He smiled as he saw himself again at her side as Mama\u2019s helper, at her request.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Mama always told me how much better the cookies were because I stirred the dough just right or cracked the eggs\u00a0 just so\u2019 he thought to himself.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa had told him later that when he would come home for the evening after closing the store, he could usually tell what duty Adam had performed that day, as the youngster’s clothes and face were dusted with flour or he had milk or egg down the front of his shirt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s inadvertent sigh was audible as he compared his lot in life now versus then.\u00a0 Of course, before Inger had come along, things were almost as gloomy as they were now. Before Inger, he couldn’t play and explore like other children. He always had to be in the wagon as he and Pa had headed west, following his father\u2019s dream of a new future for them in the uncharted wilderness.<\/span><\/p>\n

There had been so many stops in towns that all looked the same, as Pa found work to continue to pay their way across the country. At those times, Adam remembered, he had to stay in their room, in whatever boarding house they happened to be in, while his father worked.\u00a0 Ben couldn’t afford to pay someone to watch him during the day, so often times Adam was alone each morning and afternoon, seeing Pa for a short time at dinner and then in the evening after the workday was over.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a hard life for them both, as the young man tried to be both mother and father to his beloved child.\u00a0 Ben was attentive to and interested in his little boy when he was with him, but most times weariness overcame him and he and Adam often retired at the same time each night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once Pa married Inger, however, all that changed.\u00a0 Adam was relieved of all duties, other than minding his parents and having fun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon further, and wistful, reflection, Adam determined that the one thread running through all his memories of Mama was that he had always been happy when she was alive.\u00a0 He could enjoy being a child, without all the responsibilities and restrictions that Ben had had to place on his small shoulders since he was a toddler.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sweet sound of his little brother\u2019s laughter rising up from downstairs reminded Adam of another reason why Christmas and his memories of Mama would always be inextricably bound.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy felt the lump tighten in his throat again, bringing tears that stung his eyes, as he remembered the extra special present that Mama had given to Pa and him that Christmas Day.\u00a0 Although the gift itself didn\u2019t arrive until the following summer, the knowledge that he would soon become a \u201cbig brother\u201d had brought nothing but joy to his heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Hoss.\u2019 The thought of his precious little brother and the love he felt so strongly for him, caused the tears to fall involuntarily from the corners of Adam\u2019s hazel eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pa had told him that babies were the result of the love between husband and wife, just as Adam himself was the product of Pa’s and his mother, Elizabeth’s, love for each other. Adam didn’t yet understand this in the literal sense but took it to mean that babies were the evidence of a loving home.\u00a0\u00a0 He knew, in Ben and Inger\u2019s case, that this was abundantly true.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam immediately swallowed hard as the next event, after his brother\u2019s birth, was one he never allowed himself to think about.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He closed his eyes tight against the scene that threatened to replay itself in his brain:\u00a0 Inger, with an arrow in her back on the earthen floor of the shack at Ash Hollow.\u00a0 Pa, lifting his mortally wounded wife into his arms for the final time, with tears of disbelief and sorrow coursing down his cheeks.\u00a0 And finally, a dark haired little boy with his three month old brother bundled in his arms, watching in shocked silence as his whole world collapsed before him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I will not think about it.\u00a0 She is still alive in my heart and no one will ever take her place!\u2019\u00a0 Adam rubbed furiously at his eyes and staunchly refused to let more tears fall.\u00a0 \u2018I have to be strong for Pa.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t cry then, and I won\u2019t cry now.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, as to be expected, had been devastated by the loss, but his father had been inconsolable for many days and weeks afterwards. Ben withdrew into himself as he had when Elizabeth had been cruelly taken six years before, when Adam was born.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However Ben, in his grief, failed to realize that this time the loss was not only his.\u00a0 Adam was a newborn baby when Liz had died and Mrs. Callahan had been there to care for his needs.\u00a0 Now, when his little boy needed him the most, Ben\u2019s sorrow had made him blind to Adam\u2019s pain and he had not given the child the attention he so desperately needed in order to help him deal with the loss of his beloved mother.<\/span><\/p>\n

In an effort to ease his father\u2019s suffering, and try to escape his own memories, Adam had devoted himself to looking after his little brother.\u00a0 The joy that the baby brought to both their lives helped Ben to recover from his grief and Adam to sublimate his.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The weeks, months and years since that awful day had seemingly flown by.\u00a0 He, Ben and little Hoss, had finally reached their destination and since then had concentrated on building a home and a future on the Ponderosa.\u00a0 They were happy, just the three of them, with the welcome addition of Hop Sing after they arrived in the Carson Valley.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018We were happy, until Pa took that trip to New Orleans!\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 Adam felt anger replace sorrow as he again focused on, what he felt, was the root cause of every disagreement and problem that had arisen in the Cartwright household over the last year.\u00a0 His fists inadvertently clenched in rage as he thought about the interloper that threatened everything that Adam held dear.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child\u2019s misplaced, but very real, animosity towards his stepmother had been the cause of many clashes between Ben and Adam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Pa has Hoss and me, with Hop Sing to cook and clean.\u2019 Adam naively reasoned.\u00a0 \u2018Why does he need Marie?\u2019\u00a0 Adam\u2019s fierce determination to control his world, and his place in it, had been compromised when Ben married Marie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His little brother had been no help, as Hoss had taken to Marie right away. Adam, of course, forgave him as he always did because \u2018Hoss is just a little kid.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He reasoned further that, \u2018he doesn\u2019t know any better, and besides, he always takes to everybody.\u2019\u00a0 Adam again failed to see the similarities between the way Marie expressed her love for Hoss, and the way Inger had shown her love for him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam knew that he was alone in this battle of wills and was unsure who would be the victor in this perceived fight for his father\u2019s affections, Marie or him.\u00a0 He knew his father loved him, though Adam did not let his pa express any real physical affection for him, especially in front of other people.\u00a0 Hoss was the one who got hugged and kissed now but of course, he was the baby of the family and this was to be expected.\u00a0 It was not for lack of trying on Ben\u2019s part, but the child\u2019s avoidance of emotional displays was a natural result of the inner despair that he could not reveal to anyone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam’s reflections and childish rationalizations were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening downstairs and the greetings between his father and the rest of the family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Remembering Hop Sing’s warning about being late to table, Adam, his emotions still hovering precariously near the surface, got up, quickly washed his hands and face in the basin in his room and hurried down the stairs to welcome his father home.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

The family had an entertaining conversation over dinner that was led by its youngest member. Hoss again outlined the events of the day, this time for his father.\u00a0 Ben chuckled as he thought of his\u00a0 baby boy, with paste on his hands, making the red and green paper chain that he so proudly held up for his pa to see.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, son, it sounds like school certainly agreed with you!\u00a0 We’ll hang that chain first thing when we put up the Christmas tree.”\u00a0 Ben nodded at Marie as Hoss’ smile widened even more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Seizing the moment, the child began to ply his father with questions, “When can we go gets the tree, Pa?\u00a0 Tomorra?\u00a0 I want to go in the sleigh ‘nd pick it out with you ‘nd Adam ‘nd Mama!\u00a0 Please, Pa, please?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Ben reached over and chucked the little boy under his chin as he said, “Now just a minute there, young fella.\u00a0 We can’t go get the tree this soon or it will dry out before St. Nick even has a chance to bring your presents.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking to Marie for her agreement, he added \u201cChristmas is a week from tomorrow.\u00a0 Why don’t we plan on cutting it on Christmas Eve?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss started to pout, but thought better of it, as Ben lifted one eyebrow in his direction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, hoping to avoid a scene, interjected, “Now, now mon petite.\u00a0 Don’t forget, P\u00e8re No\u00ebl is watching all the time, but especially now, with Christmas coming so soon.\u00a0 You don’t want him to see that face and think twice about what presents he should bring you, n’est pas? ”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, well aware who P\u00e8re No\u00ebl was by the stories Mama had told him, anxiously replied, “Golly, no Mama.\u00a0 I’ll be the goodest boy ever.\u00a0 You’ll see!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He nodded earnestly, as Hop Sing brought apple pie to the table for dessert.\u00a0 Ben laughed and tousled his baby\u2019s straw blond hair, giving his wife a saucy wink for her efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, still struggling with his thoughts from earlier, had been quieter during supper than was normal for him.\u00a0 Ben turned his attentions to his older child as he cut a forkful of the flaky pie before him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“So son, what are your plans for your vacation?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shrugged his shoulders and replied, \u201cWell, I don’t really have anything planned, just thought I’d help you around the ranch, do my chores, and read.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie had been considering what she might do with both the boys home for the coming two weeks.\u00a0 She saw this as an opportunity to bring up her plans for their holiday preparations. Dabbing at her mouth carefully with her napkin, and giving Adam an encouraging smile, she said \u201cI was planning on doing some baking, Adam.\u00a0 Your father tells me that you were quite a helper when Hoss’ mother baked and I thought\u2026”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie’s words were cut short, however, when Adam, confronted with the emotions he had been trying to put aside all during supper, jumped to his feet and shouted at his father.\u00a0 “Why did you tell her that?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s fork slipped from his hand, hitting the dessert plate with a clank.\u00a0 His mouth was slack as he looked up into the angry eyes of his eldest child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not pausing for an answer from his appalled parent, Adam turned his fury on his stepmother.\u00a0 “You could never bake or do anything like my mama could!!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The tears immediately welled up in Marie\u2019s eyes, as she saw the unbridled hatred in her stepson\u2019s flashing hazel ones.\u00a0 Running on pure emotion that had finally reached its zenith, the boy, at last, gave voice to the frustration and aggravation that had been eating away at him for the past year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meeting Ben\u2019s smoldering brown eyes, Adam took a deep breath, and spoke the words that he was sure would change their relationship forever.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the courage of his convictions, he screamed at his mortified father,\u00a0\u00a0 “You RUINED last Christmas for me by bringing her here and announcing that you were married!\u00a0 Now, I’m supposed to act like we’re one big happy family?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s voice took on a more high pitched timbre as he concluded his emotional pronouncement,\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, the only thing I want for Christmas is for HER” as he jabbed his right index finger in Marie’s direction, \u201cto be GONE!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, finally recovering from his shock at this seemingly uncalled for display, jumped to his feet, slamming his hands on the table as he did so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His equally angry voice shook the glass in the windows as he shouted, “ADAM!\u00a0 Stop this insolence at once!\u00a0 I will NOT have you speak to us in such a disrespectful manner!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at his father and suddenly realized the magnitude of what he had just said.\u00a0 He felt his body tremble as he saw the wrath in his father\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 He glanced at Hoss and saw his brother\u2019s face was white and his eyes glistened with tears.\u00a0 Although he would not look directly at her, Adam could hear his stepmother quietly sobbing into her dinner napkin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben drew himself up to his full height and set his shoulders and brow in a rigid line. The man\u2019s face darkened with barely concealed rage and his hands were tightened into bloodless fists. His eyes were black with anger as he faced his son. His voice, now unnaturally quite, unnerved the boy as he spoke again in a slow, menacing tone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“You get yourself to your room this instant, young man!\u00a0 I will be up shortly to have a VERY necessary talk with you about your continuing unacceptable behavior.\u00a0 Now, GO!”\u00a0 Ben emphasized the last word by pointing to the stairs and giving Adam an angry look that the boy had never seen directed at him before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A very frightened and visibly pale young boy, realizing that his fate was sealed, turned and ran from the table, knocking his chair to the floor in his haste.\u00a0 Hot tears began a furious descent down his cheeks before he reached the staircase.\u00a0 Blindly, he took the stairs two at a time, quickly trying to put as much distance between himself and that awful scene as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he reached the top and rounded the corner, he could hear his little brother sobbing and Marie trying to comfort him.\u00a0 “Now, sweetheart, everything will be all right.\u00a0 Adam is just upset and missing your mother because it’s Christmas.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

‘There she goes again.\u00a0 Making it up to Hoss, to keep him wrapped around her finger!’\u00a0 Adam thought angrily as he entered his bedroom and slammed the door behind him. He knew that this would further incense his father; however, if he was going to be punished for his behavior, he would let his actions speak for him as well as his words!<\/span><\/p>\n

Fear of retribution for his unforgivable declaration then overtook the anger as Adam threw himself on his bed and buried his face in the pillow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Downstairs, Ben, suddenly looking much older than his years, dropped back down to his dining room chair.\u00a0 He put his elbows on the table and covered his face with his shaking hands, as he heard Adam\u2019s door slam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

‘Why can’t the boy see that his behavior towards his stepmother is tearing this family apart?\u2019\u00a0 He thought helplessly. \u2018How many more times will I have to punish him for these outbursts?’\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben’s thoughts were interrupted by the continuing wails coming from his younger son.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Mama, why’d Adam say those mean things?\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t want ya to go and neither does Pa!\u201d\u00a0 Then, the child continued, with a revelation which, to his young mind, was almost as horrible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd St. Nick musta heard him for sure! Now he won’t git no presents, just a switch in his stockin’!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, Hoss, with Marie kneeling beside his chair, buried his face into his mother’s shoulder.\u00a0 Marie, her eyes still wet with tears and looking more than a little dazed from Adam\u2019s venomous words, moved her arm around his heaving shoulders and held him close, giving Ben a worried look as she did so.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben signed and turned to quell the immediate crisis.\u00a0 His anger receding, he gently said, “Now, son.\u00a0 Come over here to me.”\u00a0 The child looked up as Ben gestured to the woebegone little boy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss got up and, wiping his nose on his sleeve, came to stand by his father.\u00a0 Ben lifted him up onto his lap and used his dinner napkin to dab at the tears on the anxious little face.<\/span><\/p>\n

He gave Hoss a hug and whispered, \u201cThere, there, baby.\u00a0 It’s just like Mama said.\u00a0 Adam’s having a hard time because he has so many happy memories of your mother and he misses her so.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Ben spoke the words, he didn\u2019t really believe that Adam\u2019s proclamation had anything to do with him missing Inger.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss sniffled loudly and said “But, Pa, we gots a new mama now and she’s here with us.\u00a0 Why ain’t Adam happy ’bout that?”\u00a0\u00a0 His blue eyes looked deep into his father\u2019s brown ones, searching for an answer that Ben couldn\u2019t provide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked sadly at Marie.\u00a0 Hoss’ question was the same one that both of them had been asking themselves ever since Ben had brought Marie home to the Ponderosa after their whirlwind courtship and marriage in New Orleans the previous year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I don’t know, Hoss, I just don’t know.”\u00a0 Ben said dejectedly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Steeling his resolve, he continued. “But I intend to get to the bottom of this situation for all our sakes.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss swallowed hard as he heard the word “bottom” because he knew his brother was in for another tanning from their father for his explosion at supper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben put Hoss back on his feet and absentmindedly patted the child\u2019s upper arms with his hands. “Why don’t you and Mama finish your pie in the kitchen, while I go talk to Adam?”\u00a0 Ben directed the question to Hoss, but was looking at his wife as he finished the request.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie knew that her husband did not want them to hear the “talk” that he intended to initiate with the flat of his hand on his elder son\u2019s backside.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Desperate to avoid another such confrontation between her husband and stepson, she handed the younger child’s dessert plate to him and said “Why don’t you go in the kitchen and ask Hop Sing for some milk to go with your pie, sweetheart?\u00a0 Mama wants to talk to Papa and then I will join you.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, ever the obedient child, did as he was told even though he wasn\u2019t hungry anymore.<\/span><\/p>\n

After Hoss had left the room, Ben slowly rose from his chair with a grim look on his face.\u00a0 As her husband started for the staircase, Marie rose and put her hand on his forearm.\u00a0 She was now sure that the cause of all this heartache was tied to Adam\u2019s feelings for Inger.\u00a0 Marie knew that she had to convince Ben of this or any hope of all of them becoming a family would be dashed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking a calming breath, she faced Ben, and put her hands on his biceps, feeling them flex with tension under her fingers. “Darling, I know how upset and angry you are.\u00a0 But there has to be more to what Adam is feeling than what he is saying in these angry outbursts.\u00a0 He is obviously a very confused and hurt little boy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked at his wife, trying to understand what point she was attempting to make.\u00a0 She continued to present her evidence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTonight is the first time that I have ever heard him speak of Inger.\u00a0 There must be some connection, some link to the past that he cannot deal with.\u00a0 Whatever it is, it is so close to the surface that the mere reminder of her overwhelmed him emotionally.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie paused, as she realized something else that was different in tonight\u2019s outburst.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe turned on you first.\u00a0 Normally, it has always been something I have done that sets him off. It was as if you had violated a sacred trust by telling me about Inger.\u201d\u00a0 Marie stopped, as the reasons for her stepson\u2019s unexplainable behavior became clearer, at least to her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems the mere mention of her name caused him pain.\u00a0 His dislike of me must have something to do with memories of her.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Ben, only half listening to what his wife was saying, had already come to some conclusions of his own.<\/span><\/p>\n

If Adam would not yield to his authority and stop this intolerable behavior, he would have no choice but to send him away to school.\u00a0 As much as it would devastate his father to do this, it seemed to be the only solution, short of divorcing Marie which Ben would never consider.\u00a0 His only hope would be that, in time, Adam would become mature enough to accept the situation for what it was, something that was out of his control.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feeling sick inside with the decision he had just made, Ben knew that he still needed to deal with the immediate situation of Adam\u2019s behavior at supper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before he turned to head again for the staircase, Ben commented in a matter of fact way to Marie, \u201cHe has always been a very quiet child, never really confiding in anyone what he is thinking or feeling.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked at the tender expression on his wife’s face as he spoke, but continued more forcefully.\u00a0 \u201cBut that doesn’t excuse what he said.\u00a0 I will not have him disrupting our family and causing you grief because things are not the way he thinks they should be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben paused and his voice and manner became more reflective, \u201cLife never turns out the way any of us expect it to. He should be grateful that you have come into his life… into all our lives.” Ben looked lovingly at his wife at this last comment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie smiled as she realized what her husband meant.\u00a0 However, she felt she still had to make Ben see that continuing to treat the symptoms of Adam’s unhappiness would never cure what was truly wrong inside the heart and mind of the youngster.\u00a0 Marie tried one last time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling, promise me one thing.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked at her inquisitively, unsure of what she might request of him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you go upstairs to talk with Adam, try using your lap in a different way than I think you intend to.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben raised his eyebrows in surprise, as Marie continued, \u201cMaybe that will be all he needs to tell you what is in his heart.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her husband looked at her, obviously perplexed, then the light of understanding shown in his dark brown eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I will try your way first, my dear.\u00a0 I promise I will give him a chance to talk.”\u00a0 Ben lightly kissed his wife’s cheek, and then headed upstairs, hoping that a different tack with his eldest child might work a miracle in this season celebrated for its miracles.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Adam had been lying on his back on his bed, staring at the ceiling and waiting for the sound of his father’s footfalls on the stairs.\u00a0 He wouldn’t be able to enjoy this position after their “little talk” so he figured he should take advantage of it while he could.\u00a0\u00a0 He was still struggling to bring his emotions under control, though he had been able to stop the tears with a few deep breaths and a large dose of stubborn pride.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0‘Why, oh, why, can’t I keep my big mouth shut?’ he thought woefully.\u00a0 ‘ Last year, I didn’t say anything about Pa bringing her home\u00a0 and changing everything, so why did it have to come out now of all times?’\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam already knew the answer to that question.\u00a0 It was all because of his reaction to Marie trying to do something with him that brought back memories of Inger. Angry thoughts now replaced the anxious ones of the previous moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

‘How could Pa tell her about how I used to help Mama?\u00a0 It’s none of her business what Mama and I did together.\u00a0 That memory is mine and mine alone!\u2019\u00a0 Forgetting his anger at his father, he again turned his rage towards his stepmother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Why does Marie always try to bring up the past and change it to include her?\u00a0 She may have Hoss fooled, but I will never let her get close to me!’\u00a0 Fresh tears welled up in his eyes and the pain in his heart caused a new lump to form in his throat too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam started abruptly as he heard a knock on his door.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0‘Pa!’ he thought anxiously.\u00a0 \u2018I didn\u2019t even hear him come up the stairs!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

“C\u2026 C\u2026 Come in, sir.” Adam quietly stammered as he leapt to his feet, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben entered and closed the door quietly behind him.\u00a0 He turned to look at his oldest son, noticing the red-rimmed eyes and downcast expression on the boy’s face. Still without speaking, he turned and walked to the chair at Adam’s desk.\u00a0 Ben took the chair and moved it near the bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam watched dejectedly as this was the usual routine before he would be ordered to drop his trousers and be taken across his father’s lap for his punishment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, however, did not proceed as usual.\u00a0 The tall, somewhat imposing man merely placed his hands on the back of the chair and looked around, as if he were unsure what to do next.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam stole a look at his father and was surprised by what he saw there. \u2018Pa doesn\u2019t look angry, like he did downstairs, he looks almost sad.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben said, in a calm and non-threatening voice, “Sit down, son.” and\u00a0 gestured to the bed directly in front of the chair.\u00a0 Adam sidled over and sat ramrod straight on the very edge of the mattress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben took the chair and placed it near Adam’s knees, giving himself some legroom, and sat down somewhat tentatively.\u00a0 Adam looked down and bit his bottom lip, dreading what lay in store for him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The adult took the child’s chin in his right hand and brought it up so the boy would be forced to look directly into his eyes. Adam did so reluctantly, but noticed again how very sad and defeated his father appeared.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Son, what’s wrong?”\u00a0 Ben asked pleadingly, his concern showing in both his voice and the expression on his face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam said nothing, unsure of where his pa was going with this unusual approach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Receiving no response, Ben dropped his hand, took a deep breath and continued. “Marie didn’t mean anything by what she said downstairs about you helping Inger.\u00a0 I just told her about it because you had seemed to enjoy it so much when you were a little fellow.\u00a0 I thought that it might be something you could do together that would be pleasurable for all of you\u2026especially at this time of year.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben stopped speaking now and looked intently at his child.\u00a0 He was hoping against hope that his son would be as giving with his response, as Ben had just been in affording him the opportunity to speak his piece.<\/span><\/p>\n

His father\u2019s gentle and caring words caught Adam off guard, striking a chord deep within him. Without even realizing it, the child let his normal defenses down. He finally spoke, so quietly that Ben had to hold his breath to hear what his son was struggling to say.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0” I just miss Mama so much.\u00a0 I…I know that Marie didn’t mean anything by what she said.\u00a0 She was just tr…tr…trying to be nice.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam took a deep breath as he tried one final time to quell the rising anguish within him, but fortunately for all concerned, this time he lost the battle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh , P..Pa..!!”\u00a0 The last words came out as a wail as the power of Adam’s pent up emotions overtook him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The torrent of tears began again and coursed silently down the boy\u2019s pale cheeks. As he involuntarily began clasping and unclasping his hands, Adam\u2019s whole body shook violently with his sobs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, shocked by the sight of his normally placid child in such turmoil, immediately and instinctively reached out to his despondent little boy.\u00a0 Leaning forward and standing slightly, he picked Adam up under the arms. As he slowly settled back to the chair, Ben placed the child sideways on his lap with Adam’s head leaning into Ben’s broad chest, and his legs dangling over the side of his father’s thigh.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben slowly rubbed the heaving back with his left hand, as Adam, giving no sign of resistance whatsoever,\u00a0 buried his head into his father’s strong chest. Ben lifted his other hand, placing it on the outside of his son’s left leg and slid his first born in more closely to his own body.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, responding to the comfort he had always found in his father\u2019s arms, began to sob more freely now.\u00a0 Ben’s hand came up from the boy’s back and gently stroked the dark mussed hair.\u00a0 Adam moved his arms around his father’s waist and hugged Ben tightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just as he had done when Adam was an infant, Ben slowly began to rock his little boy back and forth, all the time murmuring words of comfort to the crying child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0“There, there sweetheart, it’s all right.\u201d\u00a0 Ben crooned, using an affectionate name that was music to Adam\u2019s ears.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPapa can see how unhappy you are.\u00a0 Just let it all out, don’t hold anything back.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben brought his arm down and began rubbing his hand up and down his son\u2019s arm in rhythm with the steady rocking.\u00a0 His other hand remained on the outside of Adam\u2019s legs, the warmth of which brought added solace to the overwrought youngster.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0He placed his chin on the top of his son’s head, and was not surprised to find that his own eyes were wet with sympathetic tears.\u00a0 Adam burrowed himself more deeply in the comfort of his father’s embrace, as Ben continued the soothing repetitive motion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Adam continued to cry as though his heart was breaking and Ben was shocked by the unabated intensity of the child’s emotions.\u00a0 He searched his brain for the reason for this outpouring of despair on his young son\u2019s part.\u00a0 Suddenly, he likened it to his own emotional breakdown, some five years before.<\/span><\/p>\n

‘He’s crying as though Inger had just died.’\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben reflected on that thought for a moment and then realized that he had never seen his son truly mourn his lost mother.\u00a0 He immediately recalled the look of raw pain that was evident on Adam\u2019s face just before Ben had taken him onto his lap.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018But surely, he has gotten over that by now?\u2019\u00a0 His conscience now troubling him, Ben struggled to bring to the fore the horrible scene on that day in Ash Hollow many years before.<\/span><\/p>\n

Painfully, he relived the day when his world was cruelly and irrevocably changed for a second time: the Indian attack, Inger handing Hoss to Adam and pushing them into a corner of the cabin, then turning to reload the rifle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben closed his eyes and shuddered as he then heard again the sickening sound of an arrow finding its target, and Adam screaming for his pa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The man\u2019s heretofore unshed tears began to fall unabated as he felt his beloved wife in his arms again, holding her one last time as she slipped away.\u00a0 Unconsciously, Ben grasped Adam more tightly to him and increased the intensity of his rocking motion, now as much for his own comfort as that of his child.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man fought to overcome his own reawakened feelings of grief as he searched his memory for glimpses of his son\u2019s suffering at that moment in time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As he had held his dead wife, Ben recalled looking over at his boys.\u00a0 Adam had been ghastly pale, clutching the baby to him, his eyes wide with fear.\u00a0 There were no tears then, as the child could not deal with what was being so gruesomely portrayed before him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the onslaught continued, Ben vaguely remembered someone taking Inger from him and laying her gently down on the dirt floor of the cabin. He was then led over to the corner near Adam and forced to sit on the hard earthen floor, while two women carefully covered Inger\u2019s body with their cloaks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He had stared at the figure on the floor, seeing her gold wedding band sparkle against the pale and lifeless fingers of her hand.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam had moved a bit closer to him, though he did not recall the child speaking to him or attempting to interfere with his father\u2019s grief in any way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His memory became very muddled then, once the Indians had abandoned the fight and it was safe to return to the wagons.\u00a0 He was helped to his feet and he recalled someone trying to take little Eric away from his big brother.\u00a0 Adam had cried out \u201cNo!\u201d and the adult had acquiesced to his wishes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Probably saw that the boy had to derive comfort from someone as his own father was not up to the task\u2019 Ben thought painfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

They were all guided back to the wagons and, Ben supposed, as his memory now failed him completely, the women had prepared his wife\u2019s body for burial and the men had chosen the site and dug the grave. The service had been brief, not due to any disrespect of Inger\u2019s memory, but because they had been easy targets should the Indians return.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had no other recollection of comforting or even holding Adam, until they laid Inger to her rest in the prairie sod of the lonely, endless Nebraska plain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In his mind\u2019s eye, he saw the small boy beside him and could even hear Hoss cooing in the background in someone else\u2019s arms. He had put his hand on the child\u2019s shoulder and had felt Adam edge up to his side.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They stood in silence as the rest of the wagon train began its departure, driving the teams directly over the spot where his beloved lay.\u00a0 The finality of it had hit him then, as the tracks obliterated any sign of the grave to discourage animals or Indians from disturbing Inger\u2019s final resting place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once again, he could remember no tears on Adam\u2019s part, only a brave little boy who took his inconsolable father by the hand and led him back to their wagon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Searching his memory in a futile attempt to challenge what was now painfully obvious, Ben could recall no time since that day that Adam had discussed Inger\u2019s death or showed any hint of emotion regarding her in front of his father.\u00a0 Ben had wrongly assumed that the boy had done his grieving in private and therefore had not pushed him to express his anguish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Or\u2019 Ben thought ashamedly, \u2018force myself to think of it again, not even for the sake of my child!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The man, shocked and saddened by this admission, now began silently and angrily chastising himself.\u00a0 ‘How could I have been so blind as to ignore Adam’s suffering?\u00a0 How could I deny the child a chance to voice his grief for the wonderful woman all of us had lost, not just me?\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0His rage and self loathing increased as he continued his internal reprimand, \u2018I was too caught up in my sorrow to acknowledge my own child and give him the love and support he gave me during those awful days following her death. What a poor excuse for a father I am!’<\/span><\/p>\n

This revelation regarding Inger\u2019s death caused Ben to finally see what was behind his son\u2019s hateful attitude towards Marie.\u00a0\u00a0 The anger, frustration and anxiety that his little boy had been wantonly venting towards his stepmother during the last year now finally made sense.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s tortured inner discourse now reflected his realization of the part he had played in all that had happened.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

‘My God, he’s carried this inside him for five years?\u00a0 No wonder the child is so miserable with a new mother in the house.\u00a0 He’s never come to terms with losing the only mother he had ever known! And I am the one to blame!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

The enormity of the situation and his sole responsibility for it brought Ben abruptly back to the present. He looked down at the precious child in his arms and vowed that Adam would no longer suffer from his father\u2019s shortcomings.\u00a0 Ben knew he could never make up those lost years, but this boy would no longer be denied the right to his emotions, no matter how painful those emotions may be for Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, not knowing of his father\u2019s revelation, found the pain in his heart and mind slowly receding.\u00a0 The feel of his father\u2019s loving arms about him and the gentleness of his caresses were truly a tonic to the boy\u2019s troubled soul.\u00a0 How he had missed this closeness, this communication of feelings without words, and the love that flowed directly from his father\u2019s heart to his own!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy\u2019s sobs began to subside as well, and in time, quiet sighs replaced the tears. Adam relished the comforting rocking motion and the sound of Pa\u2019s deep voice rumbling in his chest and then into his own ear.\u00a0 Ben ran his left hand through the curly dark hair, and placed a gentle kiss on the top of Adam\u2019s forehead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s heartfelt apology was his first step towards easing his son\u2019s grief.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be all right, baby\u201d he whispered in warm, adoring tones. \u201cPapa loves you more than anything and\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Ben paused as he struggled to regain some composure, \u201cI am so, so sorry that you were hurting so much inside and I didn\u2019t see it.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At this pronouncement, Adam lifted his tear stained face to his father.\u00a0 He was greeted with a tender smile and another kiss on the forehead, as he noticed that his pa had been crying, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Pa,” Adam said softly, as he reached for the handkerchief his father now offered. \u201cIt\u2019s not your fault.\u00a0 I\u2019m okay now.\u00a0 I guess it just won’t ever be the same again.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben shook his head in response to Adam\u2019s comment; however, it was done in awe of this small boy who always put others\u2019 feelings ahead of his own, rather than in disagreement with what he had said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam continued, feeling that he owed his father an explanation for his actions, even if he himself didn\u2019t quite understand them.\u00a0 \u201cIt hurts when I see Marie and Hoss together.\u00a0 It reminds me so much of Mama and me.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt also makes me sad that Hoss doesn’t seem to need me like he did before.\u00a0 He turns to Marie for everything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben started to protest, but it was Adam\u2019s final declaration that struck him like a knife through his heart. \u201cI don’t feel like anyone needs me anymore.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam hung his head at this last remark and looked almost as miserable as he had before.<\/span><\/p>\n

He raised his head as his anguished father gently forced the little boy’s chin upwards with a trembling hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked deep into the hazel eyes that so reminded him of Liz, and said with great emotion, “I need you\u2026and so does your little brother\u2026 and Marie as well.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam made a face at this pronouncement and said \u201cI\u2019m the last one Marie needs or wants after the way I’ve treated her.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben sighed, knowing that it was up to him to convince his son that his stepmother did indeed need and want him.\u00a0 Bringing these two together was a task that Ben gladly accepted and vowed to make a reality, especially in light of all that had just happened.<\/span><\/p>\n

He quietly replied, “You need to give Marie a chance to get to know the fine young man I know and love.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A hint of a smile crept onto Adam\u2019s face as he heard his father once again proclaim his love for him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe was the one that told me you were hurting and that I should give you the opportunity to tell me what you were feeling.\u201d\u00a0 Ben paused here as he silently thanked God that he had listened to his wife\u2019s counsel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cMarie’s a very wise and kind person, Adam.\u00a0 All she wants is a chance to give you her love, like she has with Hoss.\u00a0 That’s not asking too much, is it, son?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam considered this question as Ben lifted his eyebrows pleadingly and gave a slight nod of his head. He was pleased to see Adam respond with a similar nod and a wider smile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I promise I will try, Pa. And,\u201d he continued, with just the slightest hint of merriment in his eyes as he used the vernacular of his smaller sibling \u201cI’ll also do my best to be the goodest boy I can be.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben laughed and touched his son’s forehead with his own.\u00a0 “Thank you, Adam.”<\/span><\/p>\n

A brief silence ensued as Ben drank in the sweet sight of his now much happier little boy.\u00a0 Relief was evident in his voice as he continued in a different vein.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well now” said Ben, dabbing at his own eyes with the knuckle of his right hand, “what say you wash your face and we’ll go downstairs and have a slice of that apple pie?\u00a0 Don’t want to make Hop Sing think that we don’t like his cooking anymore!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gave Ben a bright smile and once more tightened his arms around his father’s middle.\u00a0 “Thanks, Pa, for listening\u2026and understanding.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam hesitated for just an instant and then spoke the words that his father needed so desperately to hear.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2026I love you, Pa.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love you too, sweetheart” Ben confirmed, with a smile of his own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s heartache was lessened even more as Adam gave his father an unexpected but very welcome kiss on the cheek.\u00a0 Ben returned the kiss and gave him one last squeeze before the boy slid off his lap.\u00a0 “Now hurry, before your little brother finishes what’s left of that pie!”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam smiled as he hurried to the basin.\u00a0 Ben followed him, and using the slightly damp towel hanging nearby, touched it briefly to his face.\u00a0 As he looked in the mirror above the washstand, he was pleased with the reflection that greeted him, as he could see the stress of the past months had vanished from his face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both of them headed downstairs, with Ben’s arm around Adam’s shoulders and the boy smiling happily up at his pa.<\/span><\/p>\n

Downstairs in the kitchen, Marie had been straining her hearing while trying to calm Hoss and divert his attention from the ugly scene he had witnessed earlier.\u00a0 It had been almost half an hour since Ben went up to Adam\u2019s room and she was desperate to catch an indication of how the situation was progressing.\u00a0 She fervently hoped that the fact that she could not hear anything at all was a good sign, and not merely that her little charge was louder than the exchange in the other part of the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie and Hoss’s discussion was suddenly interrupted by the sound of two pairs of boots coming down into the living room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

‘That’s a positive sign\u2019 Marie thought, hopefully.\u00a0 ‘Normally, Ben comes down alone afterwards.’\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Her relief was apparent as she saw man and boy round the corner from the dining area, with their arms around each other.\u00a0 Hoss looked up to see unexpected smiles on both his father’s and brother’s faces.\u00a0 Not wanting to break the mood, he wisely kept his questions to himself as to the status of his big brother’s punishment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie rose as Adam, with Ben’s hands now placed gently on the top of his shoulders, approached her.\u00a0 The youngster took a deep breath and, with a truly contrite expression Marie had never seen before, turned his eyes to her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m really sorry, ma’am\u2026uh, Marie, for what I said before.\u00a0 I know you’re just doing what a mother is supposed to do.\u00a0 I guess I thought you were trying to take my mama’s place.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam paused briefly and then said \u201cYou and Hoss reminded me of how it was between me and her, and I guess I was kinda jealous of that, too.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child looked away for a moment, chewing his bottom lip and trying to find the right words to make up for all the unkind things he had said and done to his stepmother over the past year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, who had just received the most joyous present imaginable from this child, came forward and took his thin face between her hands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Adam” she kindly intoned, as she brought the boy’s face up towards her own.\u00a0 “I accept your apology and please know how much your words mean to me.\u00a0 I, too, am sorry that you have felt I was trying to take your mother’s place.\u00a0 I only wanted to show my love for you and Hoss.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie’s voice quavered as tears shimmered in her deep green eyes. \u201cI know now, how hard this last year has been for you and I’d like for us to make a new start\u2026 to try and be friends.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam smiled shyly at his stepmother, and continuing to meet her eyes, said “I’d like that, too.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben released his hold on Adam’s shoulders, Marie took the child\u2019s hands and tentatively drew the boy towards her.\u00a0 Her long said prayers had not been in vain as he went willingly and gave her a gentle hug around the waist.\u00a0 She returned the embrace, briefly touching her cheek to the top of his head. As they withdrew from each other, he gave her another smile that reached his eyes and mirrored what was now in his heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie glanced at her husband and noticed that he too had tears in his eyes. Adam turned to face him as Hoss, taking in the joyous scene before him, rose from his chair and came to stand next to his father.\u00a0 The younger boy gave his father a wide grin as he looked up and saw the happiness in Ben\u2019s own expression.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben winked as he spied the up-turned, sugar-speckled face and put his hand down on his baby’s soft hair.\u00a0 Hoss hugged his pa’s leg, happy that all was finally well between his mama and his brother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The evidence of Hoss\u2019 recent activities showing clearly on his face begged a question from his father.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, young man, did you leave us any pie?”\u00a0 Ben asked skeptically, with a comical wiggle of his dark brows that made the little boy giggle as he gazed at his father.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Sure, Pa, \u2018cause Hop Sing always makes ’em two at a time!”\u00a0 The entire family laughed at this and settled down in the warmth of the kitchen, to share the pie and the closeness that enveloped them all.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Later, after the boys had been lovingly tucked into their beds, Ben and Marie curled up on the settee in the living room. Ben recounted in detail the reason behind Adam\u2019s unhappiness and expressed his anger over his own ineptitude in dealing with the situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Thank you for making me see that his outlandish behavior was just a cover for the hurt that he couldn’t deal with.\u00a0 The hurt that I never let him express\u2026”\u00a0 Ben still felt intense guilt and anger at himself for being so blind to his son’s needs. Marie, seeing the pained expression on her husband\u2019s face, tried to find the words to ease his mind and his heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking directly into his troubled dark eyes, she said, “We cannot change the past, darling.\u00a0 But the future holds infinite possibilities.\u00a0 Be glad that you were willing to take a mere suggestion and turn it into an opportunity to better know and understand your son.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, appreciating her attempt at consolation, shook his head at her phrasing. “Our son\u201d he declared.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yes,” said Marie dreamily, “he truly is our son now.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Ben moved his arm around his wife’s shoulders and she nestled into her customary place against his broad chest.\u00a0 “Christmas seems to have come early this year.” Ben whispered as he kissed the top of his wife’s brown curls.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Mai ouis, I know I have already received my gift.”\u00a0 Marie replied, referring to the breakthrough with Adam. She turned to give her husband a gentle kiss on the lips. \u201cOne I will enjoy for a very long time to come. And you, Mon cheri?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I receive my gifts each day, from you and those two little rascals upstairs.\u00a0 I consider myself a very lucky man.” Ben said with a heart full of thanks for his family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie’s hand moved absentmindedly to the other “gift” that she had yet to tell her husband about.\u00a0 She was so glad that she had decided against saying anything just yet.\u00a0 This Christmas belonged to her two little sons and their father, the man who was holding her close.\u00a0 Her family.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 3<\/span>
\nThe next week was special in many ways for each member of the Cartwright family.\u00a0 Hoss, as expected, was impatiently awaiting St. Nicholas\u2019 arrival. He was a willing participant, however, in any activity that his mother had planned to divert his focus from the celebration that was still many long days and nights away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben wanted to be more involved in the holiday doings, but, most days, work on the ranch prevented him from joining his family until the evening.\u00a0 Although she missed her husband, in a way Marie was glad to have the time alone with her two sons, especially as she and Adam were trying to forge a friendship on their own terms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was more at peace with himself and his surroundings then he had been in all the time his stepmother had been a part of his life.\u00a0 In fact, he had not felt this content since Inger had been lost to him.\u00a0\u00a0 He found Marie’s cheerful countenance and playful nature a pleasure to be around and he was drawn to her as he would be a much older sibling.\u00a0 He still couldn’t bring himself to call her “mother” but she didn’t seem to mind.\u00a0 Just the fact that he referred to her by anything other than ‘ma’am’ made Marie’s heart light.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie had made plans for some activities that the three of them could enjoy together during the week.\u00a0 She hoped to create some memories for all of them to share when her two little boys were no longer little.\u00a0 She also encouraged Adam to relax and not spend all his waking hours with his nose in a book.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Take time to dream a little every day” she said in response to the quizzical look she received from him when she told him to sit and do nothing. Not having had the freedom to be a child and do childish things since Inger was alive, Adam found it somewhat difficult to shake off his mantle of maturity.\u00a0 Hoss, sensing his brother’s confusion over how to have fun, took the bull by the horns, so to speak, and pestered his older sibling to come outside and play in the snow with him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“C’mon, Adam!\u201d The little boy said excitedly one afternoon after dinner. \u201cWe\u2019ll have a snowball fight, ‘nd make a snowman, ‘nd make angels in the snow, too!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked questioningly at Marie, as Hoss rose from his chair at the table and ran to his brother\u2019s side.\u00a0 Trying to pull him to his feet, the child continued, \u201cHurry up and git your warm woollies on ‘fore Mama says it’s too cold to go out!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie laughed and nodded her permission as Hoss, now putting all his weight into the endeavor, literally yanked his older brother from his chair.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss!\u201d\u00a0 Marie admonished, her laughter turning to a scolding tone, \u201cnot so rough!\u00a0 You\u2019ll pull Adam\u2019s arm out of the socket!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy, immediately contrite, let go of his sibling\u2019s hand and dropped his head.\u00a0 Fearing that his mother\u2019s approval would be withdrawn, he hurried over to her and apologized.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019s sorry, Mama.\u00a0 I won\u2019t hurt \u2018im, I promise!\u201d\u00a0 The child pleaded, as Adam, now equally concerned with regaining her permission, waved off Marie\u2019s anxiety regarding the condition of his limb.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease let us go, Marie\u201d the older child also implored.\u00a0 Smiling down at his slightly shorter sibling, he added, in his best \u2018big brother\u2019 voice, \u201cHoss couldn\u2019t hurt me if he tried!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His little brother smiled back, knowing that this proclamation would be disproved during their impending snowball fight!<\/span><\/p>\n

Two pairs of pleading eyes turned towards their weakening mother, as Marie once again gave her consent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right\u201d she said a bit apprehensively, \u201cbut be careful!\u00a0 I don\u2019t want any broken bones or black eyes for Christmas!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As they both assured her that they would indeed be careful, the two raced up the stairs to their rooms to change.\u00a0 Marie shook her head and rolled her eyes heavenwards in a perfect imitation of her older son but, truth be told, she was delighted by their antics.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few minutes later, two bundles of warm clothing came downstairs to be inspected by their mother before heading outside to the winter wonderland.\u00a0 Due to the layers consisting of long underwear, a flannel shirt, oiled pants and a heavy winter jacket, Adam was now as big around as Hoss.\u00a0 Or, at least, he was as big around as Hoss was before his little brother was dressed in a similar fashion!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Each wore a knitted wool cap that Marie had made, on the trip from New Orleans the previous year, as a first Christmas gift for her two new stepsons.\u00a0 She felt tears sting her eyes as she looked at Adam\u2019s red cap, as this was the first time he had ever worn it.\u00a0 The little boy did not miss the grateful look in her eyes and grinned as she adjusted the sides of the cap down over his ears.\u00a0 Looking each child over carefully, she pronounced them amply covered and shooed them out of the living room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie smiled as she watched them trundle out the front door.\u00a0 Adam’s mittened hand did not allow him to close the door easily, so, taking her winter wrap from the rack behind the door, she followed them out as far as the porch. She waited in anticipation as her little one began to work his magic on his older brother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, taking a position near the center of the front yard, had already begun assembling his arsenal of snowballs for what was assured to be an all out war between the siblings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam also turned to the task at hand, looking for a likely stronghold just beyond what he judged to be the accuracy and reach of his little brother’s arm.\u00a0\u00a0 He had thrown down the gauntlet in the house earlier, when he assured Marie of Hoss\u2019 inability to inflict pain on him.\u00a0 However, a little discretion might be the greater part of valor now that the battle was about to be enjoined!<\/span><\/p>\n

Both boys quickly made about fifteen white orbs of ammunition.\u00a0\u00a0 Each stepped out from behind their supply and eyed the other smilingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“C’mon little brother.\u00a0 I’ll give you the first one\u201d cried Adam as he tossed his snowball up and down menacingly.\u00a0 Hoss grinned, as he knew he could easily trounce Adam from where he stood. Given this opportunity, he could catch his brother unawares and prevail.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Ok, ya ask’d for it\u201d yelled Hoss as he pulled his right arm back and threw with all his might.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The older boy felt involuntary tears sting his eyes as his baby brother hit him squarely in the face with the first uncontested pitch.\u00a0\u00a0 Silently cursing his long eyelashes that caused the snow to stick and temporarily obliterate his sight, Adam wiped a gloved hand across his face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, fearing the first casualty in this snowy skirmish, started to leave the porch to attend to Adam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unaware of his stepmother\u2019s intentions, Adam yelled laughingly, “I’ll get you for that, Hoss Cartwright\u201d and returned the opening volley.\u00a0 Remaining where she was, Marie breathed a sign of relief as the eleven year old began his own onslaught in retaliation for his miscalculation of his brother’s snowball throwing abilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Having the rare upper hand in this contest with his big brother, Hoss continued to lob his projectiles towards Adam\u2019s body, scoring hit after hit.\u00a0 Each child was laughing so hard at the other\u2019s efforts, they were soon winded and red cheeked from the exertion and the cold.\u00a0\u00a0 Marie, caught up in their infectious gaiety, cheered them on from the sidelines, showing no favoritism for either contestant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was amazed at Hoss’ accuracy and realized that his “little” brother was more than up to the challenge he presented. After each had exhausted their original amount of ammunition, they fell to the task of restocking their supply. Marie, her own face aching from grinning at the boys at play, shook her head as the two began another battle.\u00a0 It was so good to hear their high pitched voices while they enjoyed one of the simple pleasures of childhood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing Adam cheer as his snowball found its way down the front of Hoss\u2019 shirt, Marie thought to herself, \u2018One would never guess that this is the same little boy from a few nights ago.\u00a0 What a joy it is to see this side of him.\u00a0 I wish Ben were here right now!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting to feel more cold than comfortable, and knowing that she must guard her health for the sake of the baby, Marie silently withdrew into the house.\u00a0 She went into the kitchen for a cup of tea where she could watch the boys through the window.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The kitchen was very modern for its time, with a pump at the sink, bringing fresh water directly indoors.\u00a0 The cook stove was a six burner affair, with a warming oven and oversized baking oven as well. Many open cabinets hung from the walls, with all manner of dishes and serving pieces filling the ample space.\u00a0 A small white painted table, with four matching seats, was to the left side of the cook stove.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The large window, overlooking the front yard, brought in an abundance of light.\u00a0 There was a separate entrance to the kitchen from the outside that was located on the other side of the stove.\u00a0 This door also had a window within it which was covered with another handmade eyelet curtain, identical to the one in the front window of the house.\u00a0 The curtain was gathered in an hourglass shape, and tied at the center with a grosgrain bow.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the third go-round, Hoss began to tire and his brother scored some major strikes against him. The youngster, in a gesture of defeat, fell down on his back in the snow and started to move his arms and legs in a sweeping motion.\u00a0 Adam grinned as he too fell back and mimicked Hoss’ movements.\u00a0 Soon, the snow found its way down the two \u2018angels’\u2019 necks and caused more whooping and hollering as each struggled to stand up without disturbing his creation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss looked round to find his mother and saw that she and Hop Sing were watching their antics thorough the kitchen window.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Lookee at our angels, Mama\u201d the child cried excitedly, as he gestured to their handiwork in the snow. Adam stepped back from his and at the same time, made a sweeping motion with his arm and took a deep bow.\u00a0 Straightening up and grinning cheekily, he waved to the audience as Hoss announced, \u201cWe’s gonna make a snowman now!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie and Hop Sing both waved back and smiled.\u00a0 The two Cartwright brothers turned and, with their backs to the house, each pointed to a different area of the yard as they determined where their snowman should be built.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie turned from the window and carefully moved herself into the chair closest to the stove.\u00a0 She was becoming much more vigilant in avoiding any quick motion that could cause a repeat of the dizziness she felt the previous week.\u00a0 She gently placed her hand on the little bulge that was the reason for that dizziness and smiled at her own secret.<\/span><\/p>\n

These ministrations did not go unnoticed by Hop Sing.\u00a0 He had seen her discreetly letting out the waist of some of her everyday dresses and noted how her normally frenetic pace had slowed over the last few weeks. Her preference for certain foods and the increased amount of nourishment she was taking in also served to confirm his suspicions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Cartwright had been focusing all his attentions on the relationship between his wife and eldest son and would not have noticed such minute changes in Marie\u2019s routine.\u00a0 Adam and Hoss were only children and would not perceive any difference in their mother.\u00a0 It would not normally be the place of a servant to concern himself with the apparently \u201cdelicate condition\u201d of the lady of the house.\u00a0 However, the little Oriental man was no ordinary servant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Hop Sing had arrived in the Carson Valley a few years prior, after a long and arduous journey from his native Canton.\u00a0 At home, he had studied to be a doctor under the tutelage of his father.\u00a0 Hop Ling was a wise and loving man who, using a vast array of native Chinese herbs, flowers and the like ministered to the people of their local province.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing was an eager student, intent on learning everything his father had to teach him. His life’s dream was to continue his father’s work, and he was content with his plan to remain in the village of his birth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The young man\u2019s education, and life as he had always known it, was brought abruptly to an end, when a band of marauding criminals from an adjacent province attacked their village without provocation.\u00a0 In a twist of fate, Hop Sing had been in the home of a relative in a nearby town, purchasing rare herbs for his father’s apothecary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon his return to the village, he found the inhabitants lying dead in their houses, and all their valuables gone. The terrified young man did not immediately find his father until he searched one home where a baby had been due.\u00a0 There, he found the body of his father with the massacred child still in his arms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing buried his father in the earth that had provided Hop Ling with the necessary ingredients to ease the suffering of his fellow human beings. He prayed that his father would find eternal peace with the spirits of his ancestors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dragging himself back to their home, the young man searched the interior for the one thing that was more valuable to him than anything else in the dwelling.\u00a0 It had no material worth so it was not likely the raiders would have taken it, but knowing of the wanton desecration he had found in the other huts, Hop Sing feared that it may have been destroyed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All their belongings were scattered about the earthen floor of what was once their home. It took a few precious minutes before he discovered it, first by touch rather than sight.\u00a0 He gently caressed the grass paper cover, seeking comfort from the medical text that was so lovingly shared between father and son.\u00a0 Finally, overcome with grief, Hop Sing gave vent to his emotions and keened for the man who had given him so much.\u00a0 The air, heavy with the smell of death, was split by the anguished cry of the one who had not physically perished, but was dead inside nonetheless.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, gathering the journal, along with what other few items he could carry, the young man walked outside to look upon his tiny village one last time.\u00a0 As Hop Sing prepared to take his leave, he said a prayer for the dead that lay within the walls of their shelters.\u00a0 He then went from house to house with a lighted torch and ignited each one as a funeral pyre in honor of the families who were now forever lost to him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With his father and his village gone, Hop Sing decided that he would follow the example of thousands of his fellow countrymen and begin life again across the ocean in the \u201cNew World\u201d.\u00a0 He had many relatives who had settled in San Francisco and would welcome him into their homes. With this in mind, he proceeded to earn the vast sum necessary to pay his fare to that distant shore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After many months working as a common laborer, he had scraped together sufficient funds to book passage on one of the many vessels bound for America.\u00a0 The passage was harrowing, at best.\u00a0 Hop Sing\u2019s medical expertise was called upon many times during the voyage and giving aid and comfort to his fellow countrymen brought him a great deal of satisfaction.\u00a0\u00a0 It was with some regret and a large degree of trepidation that he finally stepped foot on the land he would now consider his home.<\/span><\/p>\n

His reticence soon dissipated, however, as he was met by a myriad of relatives at the dock in San Francisco Bay.\u00a0 He had not realized how lonely he had been until he took in the jubilant faces of several of his first cousins, as they spied him disembarking from the belly of the vessel.<\/span><\/p>\n

He felt a weight being lifted from his heart as he heard his name called out in the lilting cadence of his local dialect.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing had not expected a welcome party as the ship had been delayed by bad weather and was many days late in arriving.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His family had taken this in stride, as they had been planning a celebration since the young man\u2019s last brief letter, outlining his travel arrangements, had been delivered weeks before.\u00a0 Each day, beginning just prior to the ship\u2019s intended arrival date, a different family member had been dispatched to the wharf, with specific instructions to notify the rest of the relatives when the vessel was in sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the happy informal reunion near the bottom of the gangplank, Hop Sing was spirited away to the home of his father\u2019s eldest brother, the family patriarch in this new country.\u00a0\u00a0 His joy at this meeting was tinged with sadness, as he beheld the gentleman who had helped to raise his father, and noted the strong resemblance between the two men.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His uncle was most gracious and the young man took comfort in the warmth of his condolences. Over the next few weeks, Hop Sing was able to finally share his emotional burden with this understanding and sympathetic soul, who helped him heal his heart and his mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having recovered from both his journey and the loss of his father, Hop Sing was anxious to embrace this new country and find his rightful place in it.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the young Asian soon experienced, for the first time, hatred based only upon the shape of his eyes and the color of his skin.\u00a0 He learned that he was safest with others of his own kind and yet, he had to meet white men on their terms in order to secure more than bare sustenance wages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though happy to be reunited with several branches of his extended family, Hop Sing had learned a great deal about self sufficiency during the long months since his father\u2019s death.\u00a0 He had enjoyed his independence and vowed to find his own way in this new land, without reliance on his relatives for assistance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Swallowing his pride and downplaying his education, Hop Sing became a houseboy to a wealthy family on Nob Hill.\u00a0 He picked up English as he could, often learning a word or phrase after being chastised by his employer for his lack of understanding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The family had three children, who, after being virtually ignored by their parents, were raised by nannies.\u00a0 Having had a devoted father in his life, Hop Sing felt sorry for these little ones, who seemed unloved and unwanted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of his duties was assistant to the cook. Hop Sing began to put his burgeoning culinary knowledge to good use by making all manner of cookies and cakes for the children to enjoy. The children took readily to any attention given them and Hop Sing was soon improving his knowledge of English while listening to them recite nursery rhymes and sing songs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing had definitely improved his lot in life, with a mastery of skills in the kitchen that few others had attained.\u00a0 After several months, he could see, however, that he would not have an opportunity to better his position with his current employer.\u00a0 The head chef was a relatively young man himself, who had no intention of giving up his enviable post.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was also weary of the hustle and bustle of this booming waterfront metropolis.\u00a0 He longed for a less harried existence, in a more familiar, rural type of environment, as he had found in his native Canton. The diminutive man had also fully regained his independent nature, and a bit of wanderlust now overrode the practicalities of remaining within the close family circle in which he had been enveloped.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the protests of his uncle and the rest of the family, Hop Sing decided to head East, with the ultimate goal of utilizing his many and varied domestic skills in the mining camps of the western Utah Territory.\u00a0 He did not desire to dig his way to wealth, as the only mining claims that were available for Chinese miners to work would be ones abandoned by others.\u00a0 He hoped, however, that those who did pin their hopes on a hole in the ground would pay well for the privilege of a hot meal and clean clothes.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was able to find a local merchant who was in the midst of shipping supplies, by wagon, bound for the mining camps of the Washoe Valley.\u00a0 Hop Sing struck a deal with the gentleman for a space on one of the buckboards, while agreeing to cook meals for the man\u2019s employees while on the trail.\u00a0 With that, he bid farewell to his family and left to find his own dream in the rugged valleys of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although not even remotely apparent at the time, Hop Sing would soon find his real place in the world, due to a simple act of kindness and one very special child.<\/span><\/p>\n

One day, as the young man was leaving his shack to head for work, he came across a small boy, standing alone in front of the livery stable, crying.\u00a0 By the way he behaved, Hop Sing knew that he could only be about two or three years old, though the child was almost as large as a youngster twice that age. He bent down to the child’s level and, smiling pleasantly, asked his name.\u00a0 The child stopped crying, however (as he was somewhat startled by the little man with the kind face and the strange way of talking), he did not respond.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing asked again, “What your name, liddle one?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child was, by nature, very trusting of anyone, especially someone that was not much bigger than he was! Wiping his tears away with the back of his dirty hand, the youngster looked the stranger in the eye and said, “Hoss.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Having heard many unusual names in this untamed country, the young man continued in a friendly tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

“My name Hop Sing\u201d he replied.\u00a0 Hoping to get more than a one word reply this time, he gently queried, “Why you all alone? Where mama and papa?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Realizing that this little man was now his only friend in the world, the child responded in a distressed tone, “I ain’t gots no mama and my papa’s somewheres, but I c\u2026c\u2026cain’t find him.\u00a0 He’s losted!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss’ tears began again at this last comment, making his cornflower blue eyes an even brighter shade than normal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing comforted the little boy by assuring him that they would find his lost parent. He took the chubby little hand and started off in search of the irresponsible adult in question.\u00a0 Hoss, now momentarily placated, went willingly with the man, as he seemed to take charge and would not take \u2018no\u2019 for an answer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As they walked along the wooden sidewalks towards the main business section of the town, Hop Sing asked him how he had “losted” his father.\u00a0 Hoss looked down at the ground and did not answer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Did liddle boy wander away when fatha not looking?” he asked again.\u00a0 Hoss merely nodded, knowing that he would receive a spanking from his pa for not staying in the wagon as he had been told to do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a frantic Ben Cartwright was looking everywhere for his baby son.\u00a0 They had stopped at the general store to pick up supplies.\u00a0 Ben had loaded the wagon, and then told Hoss to stay on the seat of the buckboard as he would only be a minute in settling his account.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The father had turned to go back into the store, after assuring that the horses were firmly tied to the hitching post and the brake set on the wagon.\u00a0 His little boy’s attentions were now focused on the candy that had been promised as a treat for his obedience and he sat quietly on the high seat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had just entered the shop when Hoss felt something land on the back of his hand.\u00a0 The youngster, who loved all creatures, was delighted to see a beautiful, lemon yellow butterfly there.\u00a0 As he reached down to gently touch it, the little being took flight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Intent on seeing where the insect would land next, Hoss climbed down easily from the wagon. Completely forgetting his father’s instructions, the child followed the butterfly as it continued its flight up the street.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Less than a minute later, Ben returned to the wagon.\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u201cHere you go, baby.\u201d\u00a0 The dark haired man said, as he watched his step up onto the wheel of the conveyance, lifting the bag of sweets towards the seat where he had left his younger son.\u00a0 When he did not feel a grab for the package of treats, he looked up, fully expecting to see his blond-headed three year old in the seat above him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben stopped in mid-air, as the candy left his hand and the color left his face. Quickly glancing up and down the street, he stepped down to the ground and began to loudly and anxiously call his little boy\u2019s name.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHOSS!\u201d\u00a0 he yelled furtively.\u00a0 Cupping his hand round the side of his mouth, he called again, trying to keep the rising panic out of his voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHOSS!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child in question was now a ways up the street, darting through an alleyway on the trail of the elusive butterfly.\u00a0 Hoss, doggedly determined to trail his quarry, was not paying the slightest bit of attention to anything but the tiny yellow creature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the street behind the mercantile was a livery stable, where, after catching a current of air, the insect landed on the roof.\u00a0 Hoss stood for several minutes, his hand shading his eyes, as he waited for the butterfly to take off again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally the child became bored with the lack of activity on the part of his winged friend, waved goodbye to it and turned to start back to the wagon. He was surprised to find that no matter which way he turned, he could not see the buckboard or anything the least bit familiar.\u00a0 The realization that he was lost naturally frightened him and he immediately started to cry.\u00a0 Hop Sing had then happened upon him in this pitiful state.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, now having given up his futile calling, began rushing down the street, asking passersby if they had seen a child about so high, towheaded with sky blue eyes. As Ben rarely came into town, the many people he asked did not know him, let alone his small son.\u00a0\u00a0 No one had seen the toddler.<\/span><\/p>\n

Desperate to find his baby, Ben began to imagine all kinds of terrible scenarios to explain his son’s disappearance.\u00a0\u00a0 He was about ready to head to the sheriff’s office for help, when he spied Hoss walking up the sidewalk, hand in hand with a very determined looking Oriental man.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben released his breath in a rush as he saw that his son was safe.\u00a0 That relief was tinged with anger towards the little boy who had disobeyed him. He vowed to give Hoss a stern talking to (and a session over his knee for his “adventure\u201d) once they reached home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the young father had no inkling of the upbraiding he himself would receive as he hurriedly approached the pair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, upon seeing his father, let go of Hop Sing’s hand, and ran to Ben’s outstretched arms, calling \u201cPapa, Papa!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“Hoss!\u00a0 Are you all right?\u201d\u00a0 Ben questioned as he lifted the little boy into his arms and hugged him tightly to him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened, baby?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I\u2019s fine, Papa,\u201d the child responded, as he kissed his pa\u2019s cheek.\u00a0 \u201cI finded a budderfly and it flied ‘way and I tried ta chase it but it wented ta the top of the house.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss stopped briefly for a breath, and then continued.\u00a0 \u201c\u2019nd\u2026, \u2018nd then\u2026, you was losted and I could’t find ya, but he helpeded me!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 At this last pronouncement, the child pointed excitedly to his now unsmiling benefactor.<\/span><\/p>\n

By this time, Hop Sing had caught up to his little friend and eyed Ben Cartwright angrily.\u00a0 Ben, deftly moving Hoss to perch on his left hip, turned and extended his right hand towards the Oriental gentleman.\u00a0 He then kindly intoned \u201cThank you so much\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That was as far as he got before the \u201cOriental gentleman\u201d began his tirade.<\/span><\/p>\n

“What\u2019sa madder with you, mista?\u201d the little man demanded hotly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Giving no time for a response to his rhetorical question, he pointed to the wide eyed child in Ben\u2019s arms. \u201cHe too liddle to be in busy street by self!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing then shook his finger at the now speechless young man and continued.\u00a0 \u201cDon’t fatha have better sense than to leave baby outside alone?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben’s jaw dropped open and he felt his face and ears redden with embarrassment.\u00a0 The townspeople sharing the sidewalk gave the three a wide berth while eyeing both Ben and Hop Sing disdainfully. Such displays of temper were not unusual in this somewhat uncivilized berg, but the fact that the Chinaman was the one giving the dressing down to a white man was unheard of!!<\/span><\/p>\n

The downcast young father, however, paid no mind to them as he looked upon his precious baby\u2019s face. All he could feel at that moment was shame and guilt, coupled with the knowledge that he fully deserved this tongue lashing, regardless of its source.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Hop Sing continued his scolding, Ben added his own silent reprimand. \u2018Hoss is just a baby and I shouldn’t have left him without supervision, not even for a second!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child turned towards his anguished parent and regarded him solemnly with eyes that were exact replicas of his mother\u2019s. The thought of losing his only link to his beloved, deceased, wife momentarily overwhelmed the young man, as he closed his eyes and whispered, \u201cForgive me, Inger.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Seeing the effect that his words were having on the guilt stricken man, Hop Sing stopped his ranting and stood with his hands on his hips, waiting, no, daring, Ben to deny anything he had said. Hoss, well aware of his pa\u2019s explosive temper, instinctively covered his ears for the eruption he felt sure would follow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, however, could only nod in agreement with everything Hop Sing had expressed.\u00a0 When he finally found his voice and spoke, it was in a highly uncharacteristic and tentative way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did you find him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“Over by livry stable on next street,\u201d the still angry man replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that his little son could easily have been hurt in any number of ways between the mercantile and the livery stable, Ben swallowed audibly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking again at the chubby toddler in his arms, he said with emotion, “I don’t know how I can repay you for your kindness and help in bringing Hoss back to me, sir.”\u00a0 He kissed the little tear stained face of his younger child as Hoss took his hands down from his ears and hugged his pa around the neck.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the man did not specifically apologize to Hop Sing for his lack of vigilance, the look on his face (and the fact that he had called the Oriental \u201csir\u201d) spoke volumes.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing took a long appraising look at the man and child before he spoke again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“My name Hop Sing.\u00a0 Liddle boy say he got no mama.\u00a0 That truth?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yes, it is.\u00a0 My wife died when Hoss was about three months old.\u00a0 He, Adam\u2026 that’s my older boy, and I have been on our own since then.”\u00a0 Ben was surprised to hear himself respond so readily to the direct question, especially when it was a rather personal one at that.\u00a0 He quickly wrote it off, however, to his highly emotional state.<\/span><\/p>\n

The inquisition continued.\u00a0 “How old otha boy?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Adam is not quite nine” came the response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“What you do to feed boys?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was not quite sure what the little man was asking, but gave what he hoped was an acceptable answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I have a ranch about 10 miles northwest of here, called the Ponderosa.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“What kinda ranch?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“It’s a cattle ranch, but I have a stand of good timber land as well.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“You have ranch house with indoor kitchen?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, I\u2019m in the midst of building a bigger home.\u201d\u00a0 Ben responded, and then hastened to add additional detail as he saw that this scant description did not seem to please the man.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut plans are for a large kitchen,\u201d Ben hesitated then, but remembered a modern feature Adam had recently suggested, and added triumphantly, \u201cwith a pump at the sink!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0‘What am I saying?\u2019\u00a0 He thought incredulously as the words left his tongue.\u00a0 \u2018Here I am telling this total stranger my life story, as well as my plans for the future!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

For some reason, however, Ben felt compelled to answer his questions. There was this niggling thought in the back of his mind that he and his family would only benefit from their interaction with this brusque little man.<\/span><\/p>\n

For what seemed an indeterminate amount of time, Hop Sing stood and reflected on the information just provided.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Needing to take his son home but also hoping to escape with a bit of his dignity left intact, Ben used the first reason as a convenient way to move the conversation along.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, I need to get this little one home\u201d he said, hefting the still silent Hoss further up on his hip.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Receiving no response, Ben continued with a more direct tack.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow may I repay you for bringing him back to me, Hop Sing?”\u00a0 Ben asked sincerely, trying to determine what Hoss’ rescuer might feel was a just reward.\u00a0 The next question put to him took away any remaining dignity he had retained during the prior interrogation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0“What your name, Hoss’ fatha?”\u00a0 Hop Sing asked, using the only moniker for Ben that he knew of at that moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I\u2026I’m Ben Cartwright” said Ben, now embarrassed by the fact that he had not even had the presence of mind to introduce himself.\u00a0 He reached out his hand which Hop Sing took and shook one time, while bowing in his accustomed way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, Ben waited while the Good Samaritan considered his open ended offer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMista Cartlight\u201d he finally, respectfully, replied, “you repay by letting Hop Sing cook, clean, and take care of liddle boys.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He continued playing on Ben\u2019s apparent lack of parenting skills, as the young father was momentarily taken aback by this unexpected request.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMust need Hop Sing vely badly to lisk baby’s life in busy street.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before Ben could fully grasp all the ramifications of that final statement, the little man pointed at the rancher and his child.\u00a0 “You wait.\u00a0 Hop Sing get clothes and books, then all go Ponderlosa light away.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The little man then turned away, half-walking, half running down the street towards his dwelling to collect his things.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, who had been taking all this in, turned to his father and asked the most important question to his young mind, “Do ya think he can cook better\u2019n you, Pa?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, still watching the little Chinaman with a shocked stare, turned and looked at his son.\u00a0 He slowly nodded his head in agreement.\u00a0 “I\u2026I wouldn’t be at all surprised, son.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Quickly resigning himself to his fate as Hop Sing\u2019s new employer, (though it felt quite the other way around!) he added,\u00a0 \u201cMaybe we better find some room in that wagon for Hop Sing’s belongings, before he gets back.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben continued, with a somewhat fearful, yet comical look on his face, \u201cI don’t want him angry with me again!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss chortled at this, and was met with a loving smile by his adoring father.\u00a0 Ben turned towards their wagon, all thoughts of Hoss’ punishment forgotten in the aftermath of their first meeting with this beguiling little man.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing soon became a member of the family, not only because he had rescued Hoss that day, but because he took a genuine interest in the well being of all the Cartwrights, Adam and Hoss in particular.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He assisted in the completion of the new house and kept it spic and span from the day they moved in.\u00a0 He provided an endless supply of clean clothes and linens, which had not been a priority for a man and two small boys.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the thing they all benefited from immediately was his mastery in the kitchen.\u00a0 The family had subsided on Ben’s very limited menu of oatmeal or eggs for breakfast, beans and bacon or cold sandwiches for dinner, and rabbit, fish or beef for supper, with some fresh vegetables as Ben could buy or barter for.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The elder Cartwright’s strong suit in his culinary repertoire was gravy, as he knew that his boys would eat anything he made, as long as there was gravy on it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His biscuits were leaden, and although he was the only one to drink his coffee, even he had to admit that hot water had more appeal.\u00a0 They also never ate poultry, as Ben had a distinct aversion to the necessary requirements of bringing a chicken from yard to table. It was not so much the ending of the creature\u2019s life that he found distasteful, but the immersion of the bird in boiling water (in order to remove the feathers) and the resulting smell was something he could not stomach!<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, conversely, could take any ingredients and make a meal fit for a king, or at least, a hungry man and two growing boys.\u00a0 Not only were the meals themselves delicious, but the desserts were to die for!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Hoss, especially, was entranced by whatever came out of Hop Sing’s kitchen.\u00a0 He could often be found, sitting impatiently at the small table in the kitchen, ready to taste test whatever sweets or pastries the little man chose to create that day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing was also able to put his medical training to good use, as the children came down with various aliments, as all children do.\u00a0 He nursed Adam and Hoss through the whooping cough and measles, along with a variety of fevers, upset stomachs, and runny noses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The two motherless boys came to look on him as something of an uncle and confidante. Ben, likewise, was forever grateful that, not only had Hoss been found that day but a loyal and trusted friend to help him raise his sons, as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Given his venerable position within the family, Hop Sing felt obliged to air his concerns to “Missy Cartlight” as she sat enjoying her tea and the warmth of the fire in the cook stove.\u00a0 “When Missy tell husband about new baby?” he blatantly asked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Marie practically choked on her tea, and could not have looked more shocked than if he had asked the question in French!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Wh\u2026What?\u00a0 How\u2026how did you know about the baby?” she asked, with an abashed look on her face as she realized that she had just divulged her secret.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

‘Surely, he couldn’t tell just by looking at me!’\u00a0 she thought anxiously.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The little cook replied, in his typical, matter of fact way, “Hop Sing have many girl cousin.\u00a0 He see what they do when baby on way.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To further prove his point, he counted out the various things Marie had done that were a dead giveaway to her condition.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEat more, make clothes bigger, walk slower, take nap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Having presented his irrefutable evidence, Hop Sing returned to his original question. \u201cSo, when you tell Mista Cartlight good news?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie was glad she had been seated when he asked the question, as she was sure she would have fallen into a dead faint had she been standing!\u00a0 Now that she had inadvertently confirmed the man’s suspicions, she had to assure that he would not give away her secret.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I\u2026I planned to tell him after the holidays, so we could have a Christmas focused on just Hoss and Adam, and not the impending arrival of a new baby.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Hop Sing, please don’t say anything!” she implored with both her voice and her eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Hop Sing’s eyebrows rose and he muttered something in Cantonese that, in English, would not be fit for a lady’s ears.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0“Hop Sing not tell secret!!\u201d he indignantly replied.\u00a0 \u201cOnly ask to help Missy with anything she need until Mista Ben know.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He continued with a short list of possible scenarios to outline his good intentions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf Missy want to rest or want special food, tell Hop Sing. He keep liddle boys quiet, or cook what Missy want.\u00a0 Hop Sing can take Missy clothes to cousin to make bigger, too.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He finished the declaration with a gentle tone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI no tell no one.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After confirming his oath of secrecy, he asked earnestly, \u201cYou believe Hop Sing?”<\/span><\/p>\n

The relief was evident in her voice as she said, “Of course I do.\u00a0 I appreciate your kind offer.\u00a0 I fully intend to tell Mr. Cartwright right after the first of the year.” Marie smiled shyly, grateful now for a confidant and an ally as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

She stood slowly and walked to the window to check on the boys, then placed her hand on his arm.\u00a0 “Thank you, Hop Sing\u201d she said with a radiant smile. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to be able to share the news with someone!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The little man smiled and nodded.\u00a0 They both turned to the window then, and watched their boys complete the family\u2019s snowman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 4<\/span>
\nThe boys had come in about half past three, but only due to their mother\u2019s insistence, even though they were both exhausted from playing outside. Their focus for the previous hour and a half had been the planning, placement, and construction of a snowman that both could be proud of.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Surprisingly enough, the arguments had been kept to a bare minimum, given both little boys\u2019 propensity for stubbornness. Adam acquiesced to his brother\u2019s wishes regarding the placement of their creation near the right corner of the porch, facing the yard.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s preference was to have it near the barn, so that the family and any visitors could appreciate it from whatever vantage point they happened upon it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Adam,\u201d whined Hoss, \u201che needs ta be near tha house, so he don\u2019ts get lonesome.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His older brother rolled his eyes at that remark.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow can he get lonesome?\u00a0 He\u2019s made of snow, for Pete\u2019s sake\u201d said Adam, with his hands outstretched, as he undercut his brother\u2019s supposed logic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that annoying look well, Hoss continued with what he hoped would be a convincing argument.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what if\u2019n it snows again?\u00a0 Then, he\u2019ll jus\u2019 get all mess\u2019d up out there!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Seeing a glint of acceptance of his supposition, Hoss hurried to make his point.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf\u2019n we build \u2018im right cheer next to the porch,\u201d said the child walking to, and then standing in, the intended space, \u201cthan we can fix \u2018im more easier.\u201d\u00a0 The youngster finished the demonstration triumphantly, with a firm nod of his green cap-covered head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam (albeit begrudgingly) admitted to himself that the little boy had a point.\u00a0 However, he had to add his two cents before he would agree to his sibling\u2019s plan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe roof of the house will keep some of the snow off of him, too!\u00a0 Ok, little brother, by the house he goes!\u201d Adam was rewarded with the gap-toothed grin he expected and the boys fell to their work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Soon, they had assembled the little man\u2019s lower body, midsection and head.\u00a0 It had taken both of them to roll the bottom part into a ball that was acceptable to the budding architect in the family.\u00a0 Hoss, still pleased with his brother\u2019s approval of the creation\u2019s post by the house, allowed him to indulge his love of building and willingly followed Adam\u2019s precise directions.<\/span><\/p>\n

After they moved the base of the snowman to its permanent location, Adam used both his hands to slightly flatten the rounded top, so to provide a better anchor for the next section.\u00a0 Hoss, not understanding the reason behind his brother\u2019s actions, protested loudly as he saw his careful handiwork disturbed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha doing that fur?\u00a0 We jus\u2019 took the extra time to make it round!\u201d\u00a0 He exclaimed in amazement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause,\u201d the young designer patiently explained, \u201cit needs to be flat on the top so the next part will stay where we put it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, why\u2019s we have to be so careful to be sure it was round?\u201d\u00a0 said Hoss, now a bit more upset about the time lost to perfection, when all he really wanted to do was decorate the little man!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf ya don\u2019t make it round to begin with, then it looks funny on the other sides\u201d maintained the eleven year old, his voice rising with his declaration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s sapposed to look funny,\u201d asserted the other, equally determined, child. \u201cIt\u2019s a snowman!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, usually the one with a quick answer, couldn\u2019t think of anything to say in response to this argument.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d he said, as he looked at his little brother with a sheepish grin, \u201cguess ya got a point there.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both of them laughed at their stubbornness, and hurriedly completed the assembly of the body without further disagreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a very naked, expressionless, statue before them, the boys went racing to the kitchen door for some assistance from their mother and Hop Sing.\u00a0 Taking his mitten from his now cold hand, Adam rapped gently with his knuckles on the window in the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two adults had fortunately completed their unusual conversation just moments before.\u00a0 Opening the door a bit, so as not to let too much cold air inside the toasty kitchen, Marie asked,\u00a0 \u201cWhat did you need, boys?\u00a0 Are you ready to come in?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no, Mama!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss replied, answering the last question first.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019s havin\u2019 a great time!\u00a0 Ain\u2019t we, Adam?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He added somewhat tentatively, looking to his ruddy faced sibling for confirmation of his blanket assertion.<\/span><\/p>\n

The older boy nodded in concert with the other\u2019s statement.\u00a0 \u201cWe sure are!\u201d\u00a0 he agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, having seen these two \u201cgo at it\u201d during the past year, knew they were telling the truth. \u201cWell, what did you need, then?\u201d\u00a0 she asked again, knowing it must have something to do with the new addition to the landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just need some things to dress our snowman and to make him a face.\u201d\u00a0 Adam explained. \u201cDo you have anything we could use?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His stepmother, as much a stickler for politeness as his father, did not immediately respond.\u00a0 Her green eyes danced as she waited for the anticipated addendum to his question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease?\u201d\u00a0 The child added respectfully, with a bit of a pleading look from his equally merry eyes. Never turning down the opportunity to decorate, even if it was only a snowman, Marie said brightly, \u201cJust give me a second, boys.\u00a0 I\u2019ll find some things you can use.\u201d Closing the door behind her as the boys ran back to the yard, Marie started towards the archway to the rest of the house.\u00a0 For no apparent reason, she suddenly stopped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomething wrong, Missy Cartlight?\u201d\u00a0 Hop Sing asked, the concern for her, and her unborn child\u2019s welfare evident in his voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a confused look, she slowly turned and faced the servant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does one need for a snowman?\u201d she asked, in a discomfited tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, having been raised in the warm temperate climes of southern Louisiana, had never built or even seen a real snowman.\u00a0 She had no idea what to provide to the children, and her adult pride would not let her ask her young stepsons for their input!<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, (Cantonese curses taking the place of his heart in his throat) shook his head.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSnowman dress like man, but not with clothes\u201d he explained brusquely.\u00a0 Seeing the even more befuddled expression on Marie\u2019s face, he continued a bit more calmly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNeed hat, button, scarf, and carrot for nose.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Relying on the only source of reference she had, Marie nodded.\u00a0 Not wanting to aggravate the little man any more, she asked timidly, \u201cWhat kind of buttons should I use?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, remembering his own first attempts at providing suitable attire for an earlier Cartwright snowman, smiled kindly at the confused soul before him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing will get button, Missy\u201d he gently intoned.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe Missy find old scarf upstairs?\u201d Pleased to be assigned a specific item, rather than trying to draw on her nonexistent experience with this sort of thing, Marie left the kitchen to begin her search.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing once again turned to his kitchen duties while considering what items to provide to the children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToo much foolishment!\u201d\u00a0 he said to himself, but was grinning contentedly as he did so.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0 * * * * * * *\u00a0<\/span>
\nWithin a short time, the two adults had provided additional items to make the snowman complete, including a scarf of Ben’s that Marie had discovered in the bottom drawer of his bureau.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing gave the children some small pieces of charred wood from the cook stove that, after they cooled off in the snow, were used as buttons on the round little creature.\u00a0 One of the ranch hands had an old hat that he let the boys use and, with a carrot for a nose and more charcoal for eyes and a mouth, the snowman was quite a marvelous sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two assistants exited the house for a quick look at the finished product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a wonderful job you both did!\u201d\u00a0 Marie merrily exclaimed.\u00a0 Although she had no personal basis for comparison, the look of delight on her little boys\u2019 faces told her that this was the epitome of a well dressed snowman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLiddle boys do vely nice work\u201d intoned the cook, smiling and nodding in agreement with Marie\u2019s pronouncement.\u00a0 Both of them turned to head back to the warmth of the house, with Marie fully expecting the boys to follow them in.\u00a0 Adam and Hoss however, had other plans.\u00a0 After admiring their handiwork, the two were anxious to begin another snowball battle.\u00a0 Each of them ran to retake their positions in the yard then hurried to form yet another stockpile of weapons.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, realizing that they had run in the opposite direction from the house turned as she reached the porch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoys!\u201d\u00a0 she called, in a pleasant tone of voice.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s time to come in now!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw, Mama!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said, in a tired five year old\u2019s fretful way. \u201cWe\u2019s havin\u2019 such a good time! Cain\u2019t we stay out a littl\u2019 longer?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease?\u201d\u00a0 he pleaded, with an anguished look on his round little face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease let us stay out for a bit more, Marie\u201d Adam respectfully requested, though his countenance was the exact replica of his brother\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s getting much too cold to be out\u201d their mother stated in an authoritative manner, crossing her arms upon her chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seeing the pout now in residence on her younger child\u2019s face, as well as the clouding of Adam\u2019s visage, the young mother took an entirely different tack.\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing just made fresh sugar cookies and there\u2019s cocoa on the stove!\u201d she said enticingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCookies?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked brightly, his tummy growling in anticipation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, cocoa?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked hopefully, upon hearing the mention of his favorite wintertime beverage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I said\u201d Marie confirmed.\u00a0 \u201cBut only if you two come in right now!\u201d\u00a0 With that, she turned back towards the side door, in effect starting the timer for obedience to her request.<\/span><\/p>\n

The boys looked at each other and all thoughts of any further discussion were immediately abandoned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWait, Mama!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss yelled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re coming!\u201d\u00a0 Adam called.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0At that, the boys took off on a dead run for the house.\u00a0 Of course, the depth of the snow, combined with the heaviness of their clothes and the weariness of their bodies, did slow them up somewhat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie smiled as she heard the crunching of snow beneath two pairs of boots as the children rapidly approached the kitchen door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Never fails!\u2019 she thought, pleased that a behavioral crisis had been averted.<\/span><\/p>\n

At her direction, the children removed their wet outer clothing and shoes on the side porch nearest the kitchen.\u00a0 They entered the house, where the warmth emanating from the cook stove soon thawed their frigid fingers and toes. Their mother had them both sit down at the kitchen table while she and Hop Sing quickly removed their wet socks and remaining clothes, down to their long johns. After their damp hair was dried with a towel, the boys were soon dressed in the clean shirts, pants, and dry socks that Marie had brought from their rooms. She had also thought to place their bedroom slippers by the stove to warm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With their toasty slippers finishing their outfits, the two children and their mother, with the cook now busily preparing supper, shared hot cocoa and some of Hop Sing’s famous sugar cookies while they discussed their busy day.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Ben arrived home shortly before nightfall, and the children, anxious to show off the result of their afternoon\u2019s endeavors, started to run outside to meet him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoys!\u201d\u00a0 Marie said in a firm but gentle tone, as Hoss\u2019 hand touched the doorknob.\u00a0 \u201cYou cannot go outside in your house shoes and no coats.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Mama\u201d begged the child, \u201cwe want Papa ta see our snowman afore it gets too dark!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Before Marie could answer, Adam interceded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMarie\u2019s right, Hoss\u201d he said, to his stepmother\u2019s obvious surprise.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYa don\u2019t wanna be sick for Christmas, do ya?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His little brother naturally shook his head in response to his elder\u2019s question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know a way to get Pa\u2019s attention before he comes in!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, the boy rubbed two dry spaces on the condensation of the kitchen window (using his clean shirt, of course!).\u00a0 The small child grinned up at his ingenious older sibling as both waited for Ben to reappear from the barn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When their father came walking\u00a0 towards the house after putting his horse up for the night, he saw a pair of happy faces, smiling and pointing to him through the glass.\u00a0\u00a0 The man waved, and then noticed that his children were trying to focus his attention somewhere behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to face the front door, he saw the intended object off to the side of the front porch.\u00a0 He grinned as he took in the new addition to the yard and knew immediately that both his boys had had an equal hand in the molding of this fine specimen of a snowman.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving closer to more fully appreciate the craftsmanship, Ben felt a momentary sting of tears in his eyes as he recognized the red, hand knitted scarf the snowman wore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018So many years ago and so far away.\u00a0 How she would have loved this!\u2019\u00a0 he reflected briefly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dabbing slightly at his nose with the back of his hand, but with the smile once again evident on his face, Ben turned and walked back towards the kitchen door. Seeing the boys’ eagerness for his opinion of their creation, he indicated his approval by raising his arms and clapping his gloved hands together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He was rewarded with two delighted faces, which quickly disappeared from their place at the window. As the boys had done earlier, Ben removed his coat and hat and hung them on the vacant peg outside the door.\u00a0 He stamped his boots noisily on the porch before taking them off as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Seeing his children through the window of the kitchen door, and anticipating his reception, the young man slowly entered the house.\u00a0 He was immediately tackled, not by just the two chubby arms he expected, but two more as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben closed the door behind him, Hoss grasped his legs on the left hand side just above his knees while Adam circled his midsection on the opposite side.\u00a0 The older child\u2019s exuberance at his pa\u2019s entrance had overridden his normal aversion for public displays of emotion.\u00a0 Needless to say, his father was more than pleased to see his older child acting like, well\u2026, a child!<\/span><\/p>\n

Trying hard to keep his balance, he looked down into the same pair of blissful faces that had greeted him at the window.\u00a0 Ben, also smiling broadly, caught a glance from his wife who nodded her head, with a slight wink that only he could see.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Pa, Pa!”\u00a0 The boys both said at once, as their father tousled the downy blond hair on the one side and the dark unruly curls on the other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Looks like the two of you have been busy today,\u201d he commented pleasantly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking in turn to each little rosy cheeked face and set of shining eyes, he then asked, somewhat tentatively,\u00a0 \u201cAnd I hope you both have been good for your mother?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of answering him, Adam and Hoss looked expectantly to Marie for the final determination of their behavior that day.\u00a0 Ben also raised his eyes in a similar fashion, trying to determine her possible response by the look on her face. She laughed as she took in the sight of the three most important men in her life, all wearing the same anxious expression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She did not hesitate to allay their fears, as she quickly spoke up. \u201cEven St. Nicholas would be very proud of how well they have gotten along today, Father, as I know I am.”\u00a0 She was also very pleased that Adam had not objected to Ben\u2019s reference to her as his mother and her face clearly showed her delight at this revelation, as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three elated faces beamed back at her at this pronouncement, the brightest of which belonged to the eldest \u2018boy\u2019.\u00a0 Ben had hoped that Adam had taken their previous agreement to heart and by all indications; he was living up to his promise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, speaking for both of us, St. Nick and I are very happy to hear that!\u201d\u00a0 Their pa responded joyfully, as the boys\u2019 eyes met each other\u2019s in this ready acknowledgment of their good behavior.\u00a0 Both then looked up at Ben, never releasing their grasp on their parent.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I can\u2019t recall Adam ever looking as childlike and full of life as he does at this moment.\u2019\u00a0 Ben thought, as he tenderly cupped the boy\u2019s now upturned face in his hand.\u00a0 Adam, intuitive as always, hugged his father\u2019s middle again, albeit more gently, in response.<\/span><\/p>\n

The boys let their father loose as each of them, at the same time, began to relay the events of the day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, just a minute, gentlemen,\u201d said Ben not unkindly, as he lifted his hands, palms forward, in a gesture intended to assuage the verbal onslaught.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet me say hello to your mother and to Hop Sing, then I\u2019ll hear all about it.\u00a0 All right?\u201d\u00a0 The boys nodded in acquiescence to their father\u2019s simple request and stepped back to allow him to pass in front of them, towards their stepmother.\u00a0 Ben walked over to Marie, who had earlier taken a place at the opposite side of the little table away from the stove.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, love\u201d\u00a0 he said quietly as he bent his tall frame, and Marie turned her face towards his. He then tipped her chin up with his index finger.\u00a0 Marie gave him an engaging look as he placed a brief though affectionate kiss on her lips.\u00a0 They both smiled as the boys giggled and turned away in embarrassment.\u00a0 Ben drank in the rosy glow of her cheeks and wrongly assumed that it had been caused by the same exercise and excitement the children had enjoyed earlier in the day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you have a hand in building that snowman, darling?\u00a0 You look as if you have been out in the cold, just like the children\u201d Ben unknowingly inquired.<\/span><\/p>\n

She was momentarily caught off guard by his question.\u00a0 Before Marie could think up a reason, (other than the real one which she would not divulge), Hop Sing quickly came to her rescue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMissy Cartlight help Hop Sing in kitchen today.\u201d he said, turning to address the man directly.\u00a0 \u201cIt get vely warm in here with extra baking.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben easily accepted this answer, and noted that the cook\u2019s cheeks looked flushed as well.\u00a0 The reason for the man\u2019s enhanced coloring, however, was due to just having told an untruth to his employer, which went against his grain.\u00a0 The little cook, however, was already forgiven his deception, by the grateful look he saw in Marie\u2019s eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll enjoy whatever the two of you have concocted, as you are both excellent chefs!\u201d\u00a0 Ben concluded, in acknowledgement of Hop Sing\u2019s presence as well.\u00a0 He always made sure to praise the little Oriental\u2019s skills in the kitchen, as they allowed Marie more time to devote to herself and her family (the direct benefits of which Ben often took advantage of himself).<\/span><\/p>\n

Having accomplished his stated task, Ben sat down in the chair nearest the stove.\u00a0 He saw that his thoughtful wife had brought his own slippers downstairs, as he noted that the boys were wearing theirs. Taking off his wet socks and laying them on the floor to the side of the stove, Ben bent down and placed the slippers on his feet.\u00a0 Seeing that both his little boys were about to burst with the excitement of recounting their day for him, Ben scooted the chair, so he was sitting parallel to the table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, little man, up you go!\u201d\u00a0 he said to the chubby cheeked cherub that was his younger son.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben lifted the child gingerly under the arms and set him down on his right leg, with his back to his stepmother.\u00a0 Hoss loved being close to his father and smiled joyfully as he swung his short legs back and forth from his perch.\u00a0 Adam, again forgoing his usual reserve, moved into the space across from his brother, and boosted himself into the same position on his father\u2019s left leg, directly facing Marie.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, pleasantly surprised by this continuing change in the boy\u2019s attitude, glanced discretely over at his spouse, as Adam made himself comfortable.\u00a0 She smiled just a bit and gave him a wink, which he answered with a lifting of his dark eyebrows and subtle smile of his own.\u00a0 Letting his arms go naturally about the waists of his children, Ben looked at each one, and then said, \u201cI\u2019m all ears!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The boys both began speaking at once, though Hoss caught his father\u2019s attention first.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPapa, ya shouda seen me!\u00a0 I throwed a snowball and gots ole Adam right in the face!\u201d\u00a0 said Hoss, with a triumphant grin while, at the same time, pulling back his arm in a demonstration of his technique.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, not to be seen as less able in his pa\u2019s eyes, stated emphatically, \u201cBut I let him go first, \u2018cause he\u2019s younger than me, so he had time to aim!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNah,\u201d countered the five year old, \u201cI woulda gotten ya just the same!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould not!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould too!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, boys\u201d said Ben a bit sternly.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s not get into an argument over it.\u201d Hoping to avoid further conversation on the matter when he was not there to officiate, he looked first to the younger of the two combatants.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss\u201d he said, in a conciliatory tone, \u201cI\u2019m sure that Adam was able to \u2018get\u2019 you several times as well, isn\u2019t that true?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yeah, Papa, I guess so\u201d the little boy said begrudgingly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, Adam,\u201d Ben turned towards his other youngster, \u201cit sounds like your brother\u2019s snowball throwing ability has improved also, hasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 Adam calmly agreed, not really wanting to start a ruckus with his sibling at the end of a wonderful day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right then\u201d said their parent, in a tone that both boys knew put an end to any future debate. Attempting to restore the previous harmonic atmosphere, Ben refocused their attention to an activity where they had obviously worked as a team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He said, in the same interested manner as before.\u00a0 \u201cSo, tell me about the snowman!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam began this time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoy, that was so much fun, Pa\u201d he said, his eyes and voice reflecting the enthusiasm he felt at their accomplishment.\u00a0 \u201cThe snow was just perfect for it, too!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoping to make it up to his little brother for his own juvenile display of a moment before, he added, \u201cHoss was a big help, too.\u00a0 He was the one who said we should put him on that side of the porch, so we could fix him more easily when it snows again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, feeling equally bad for his taunting, spoke up.\u00a0 \u201cAdam sure made the parts stick togeth\u2019r real good, Papa.\u00a0 And he can tell jus\u2019 by lookin\u2019 at \u2018em as to how\u2019s big they need ta be.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The boys exchanged shy grins as the air was cleared between them without the need for formal apologies.\u00a0 Ben, knowing his children as he did, could also tell that peace had been restored between his two stubborn sons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can see that those architecture books were a good investment!\u201d he said as he shifted his attention to the child on his left. \u201cIt was evident to me how hard you worked to proportion everything so well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben knew that his eldest\u2019s burgeoning interest in all aspects of design and construction was not just a passing fancy.\u00a0 This was further confirmed by the wide grin on Adam\u2019s face which revealed his deep dimples, at hearing his father\u2019s high opinion of his handiwork. Ben swallowed involuntarily, as he took in the expression on his little boy\u2019s face, \u2018He looks so much like Liz when he smiles like that!\u2019 he thought to himself. \u2018How wonderful it is to see the light in his eyes again!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss looked up expectantly as Ben turned to him, knowing that any praise needed to be equal to that just given his older brother. \u201cHoss, you did a wonderful job with his face and his outfit.\u00a0 He looks as if he could talk!\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s eyes were merry, as his little boy\u2019s gap toothed grin made its appearance right on cue at this remark.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie had been taking all this in, and noted that her husband appeared as delighted as the children were with the recital of their day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spying the dreamy look in his stepmother\u2019s eyes as he glanced around his brother, Adam chimed in, \u201cMarie helped too, Pa!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa,\u201d Hoss concurred, nodding. \u201cMama \u2018nd Hop Sing founded everything for his face \u2018nd all!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I wish I had been here to help!\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, kidding, but with a somewhat hurt look on his face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, but you did contribute, Mon Cheri!\u201d exclaimed his wife.\u00a0 \u201cI used an old scarf of yours I found upstairs.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Realizing then that she had not received her spouse\u2019s permission prior to doing so, she concluded a bit apprehensively, \u201cI hope that was all right with you, dear?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, darling\u201d he immediately replied, to lessen any guilt on Marie\u2019s part. A wistful smile appeared on his face, nonetheless, as he softly continued, \u201cI could not think of anything that would have made him more complete.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the slight change in his countenance was not apparent to anyone but her, Marie made a mental note to query her husband as to the origins of that scarf.\u00a0 She would wait until after dinner, though, when the little ones had been put to bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the quiet that followed this last remark, Hoss\u2019 tummy began to growl, which lightened the mood considerably.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like someone\u2019s hungry!\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, laughing as patted his baby\u2019s middle and helped Hoss down from his knee.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI shor am, Pa!\u00a0 Me \u2018nd Adam worked hard today, huh, Adam?\u201d\u00a0 The little boy remarked, as he watched his older brother slip off their father\u2019s leg.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe sure did\u201d replied his brother, in an equally jovial tone.\u00a0 \u201cBut it sure was fun, too, wasn\u2019t it, little brother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll say!\u201d\u00a0 The child responded emphatically, as their father rose and replaced his chair under the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, boys, I think Hop Sing could use some room in the kitchen to finish making supper.\u00a0 Sure smells good, Hop Sing, is it beef stew?”\u00a0 Ben inquired.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The cook bobbed his head in agreement to both the question and the previous statement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“All right then, boys.\u201d Ben instructed, as he indicated the passageway to the rest of the house. \u201cYou two go and get yourselves washed up and ready to eat, while I talk to Mama, all right?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yes, Pa\u201d they both chorused as they raced out of the kitchen and headed for the great room stairs.\u00a0 As soon as they left the kitchen, their father rolled his eyes heavenward, as he realized that some things never change, no matter what the time of year. Marie instinctively held her hands to her ears, and braced herself for any cries of pain or sounds of broken objects from the next room. This posture also served to protect her hearing from the command she knew would be inevitably forthcoming from the head of the household.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBOYS!\u00a0 NO RUNNING IN THE HOUSE!”\u00a0 Ben intoned for, perhaps, the one hundredth time.\u00a0 Immediately, the two parents heard the stampede cease followed by nearly simultaneous calls of “Sorry, Pa!\u201d\u00a0 The sound of more delicate steps, along with some giggling, became fainter as the two made their way to their bedrooms.\u00a0 Marie removed her hands and shook her head at the impish grin that appeared on her husband\u2019s face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Boys will be boys, even at Christmas!” he said, with a flirtatious wink. He moved to the far side of the table and gently pulled his wife to her feet.\u00a0 Marie, knowing that this \u2018boy\u2019 needed some attention, gave him a bright smile in response. Holding each other about the waist, the couple left the kitchen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, happy to have his domain to himself again, shook his head as he muttered, (for, perhaps, the one hundredth time) \u201cYell! Yell! Why he all the time have to yell?\u00a0 Hop Sing go back China!\u201d\u00a0 He smiled at this impossible notion and hurried to complete the meal preparations for the family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Marie walked into the great room for a bit of conversation before supper.\u00a0 Marie validated all that the boys had told him regarding their day.\u00a0 She also reconfirmed the fact that they had been very good, both with each other and for her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben breathed an audible sigh of relief at her comments, as he stood holding his wife before the hearth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell,\u201d he said candidly, \u201cI know this good behavior can\u2019t last forever but I will certainly enjoy it while it does!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs will I, darling,\u201d said Marie in agreement.\u00a0 Ben smiled down at her as he made up for the brevity of their last encounter with a more passionate and lasting kiss, minus the audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Supper was a somewhat quiet affair, compared to the exchange in the kitchen of a few minutes before. The adults were actively engaged in conversation at one end of the table, while the children, ravenous from their activities of the day, were focused on satisfying their hunger and did not participate in the exchange.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie was in the midst of relaying her plans regarding the menu for Christmas Eve supper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can prepare the turkey for Christmas Eve, and save the ham for New Year\u2019s, or the other way around, if you prefer, darling\u201d\u00a0 she stated, knowing how Ben enjoyed turkey with all the \u2018fixings\u2019, but wanting his agreement before proceeding with her plans.\u00a0 She had also been flirting discretely with her husband all during the meal and laid her hand on his right forearm, squeezing it gently.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I just don\u2019t know.\u201d\u00a0 Ben replied teasingly, his dark eyes sparkling in response to his wife\u2019s advances.\u00a0 At this moment, the only preference he had was for sending the children to bed early!<\/span><\/p>\n

This thought suddenly brought the presence of the children to mind.\u00a0 Drinking in the sight of his beautiful wife, he asked absentmindedly, without averting his gaze, \u201cWhat do you think, boys?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Receiving no immediate response, he asked again, a bit more pointedly but without taking his eyes off Marie, \u201cBoys?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, no response was forthcoming from the other two people present at the table.\u00a0 Ben, his good mood rapidly dissipating at the lack of respect being shown by his children, turned to admonish them both.\u00a0 Marie, also surprised by the blatant disregard of a direct question from their father, redirected her attention to the opposite end of the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sight that met Ben\u2019s eyes immediately restored his jovial countenance, while Marie placed her hand over her mouth, fighting valiantly not to laugh aloud.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, sitting to his father\u2019s left, had slid down slightly in his seat.\u00a0 He looked completely content, with his tawny head resting on the dinner napkin tucked into his shirt and his cerulean blue eyes closed, though his arms were still on the table.\u00a0 His right hand was balled into a fist with his spoon standing at full mast in the center of it.\u00a0 His left hand clutched a dinner roll, with one bite gone, the butter slowly melting down his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of the table opposite Ben, Adam had also taken an unintended respite from eating.\u00a0 The child had obviously fallen asleep just as he had set his empty milk glass down.\u00a0 His right arm was fully extended with his hand still encircling the container, and that same side of his body was pushed up against the edge of the table.\u00a0 The glass had moved up nearer to his brother\u2019s place setting, taking the now wrinkled tablecloth with it.\u00a0 The boy\u2019s head had followed his arm\u2019s lead, and his right cheek was placed fortuitously on his bicep. Remarkably, none of his other dishes had been upset, though the tip of his nose was a mere fraction of an inch from the rim of his bowl.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The two parents looked at each other, the amusement and delight clearly evident in both their eyes and their expressions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben said to his spouse, in mock disgust, \u201cI know I\u2019m not the world\u2019s most brilliant conversationalist, but I\u2019ve never had anyone fall asleep listening to me before!\u201d\u00a0 The skin around his eyes crinkled, as he chuckled quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought Hoss could sleep through a discussion about food!\u201d\u00a0 His wife added, her love for her small son apparent in her gentle chiding.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was going to suggest an early night for all of us, and I can see the boys are in agreement\u201d Ben said in a hushed tone, as he stood quietly and moved to Hoss\u2019 side. The adult gently removed the spoon from the tyke\u2019s chubby grip, then pulled what remained of the dinner roll from the little one’s other hand. Using his own dinner napkin, he carefully wiped away the butter from the child\u2019s fingers. Then, biting his lower lip to keep from laughing aloud, Ben slowly moved the chair back, supporting Hoss\u2019 upper body with his right hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child was oblivious to his parent\u2019s ministrations, and his slumber remained deep and uninterrupted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie watched lovingly as her husband, with the skill gained by many nights of practice, easily lifted the sleepy little bundle into his arms. The little boy yawned widely as his head instinctively found its usual resting place near the hollow of his papa\u2019s collarbone.\u00a0 A contented smile appeared on his face as he nestled against his father\u2019s body.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben shifted him slightly to get a better grip and removed the napkin from the front of Hoss\u2019 shirt. He then turned to look at Adam. Noting his elder boy\u2019s similar rhythmic breathing pattern, Ben sensed that he would need to repeat this most enjoyed, but now less frequently called upon, fatherly duty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Refocusing his attentions to the warm little body in his arms, Ben cuddled his baby to him, kissing the top of the silky blond head.\u00a0 He caught Marie\u2019s eye as she rose to attend to their other exhausted child and silently mouthed, “I’ll be right back.”\u00a0 He headed for the staircase, taking his time and savoring each moment of the journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

The young woman, sensing imminent disaster, gingerly moved the bowl and bread plate away from the sleeping form, being careful not to disturb his slumber.\u00a0 She also gently removed the milk glass from his hand, concerned not about the rumpled table cover, but the very special adornment upon it. Seizing this opportunity to impart some motherly attention, Marie gently stroked Adam\u2019s dark unruly hair, not intending to awaken him, but unafraid if she did.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018What beautiful, soft curls he has!\u2019\u00a0 She thought, as she fingered the unruly black waves. Prior to the resolution of their conflict last week, she had never dared touch him in an affectionate manner, even in his sleep. The events of the previous few days had resolved the reticence within her, and, thereby emboldened, she bent down to give him a gentle kiss on the cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, having safely delivered one precious parcel (now snoozing quietly on his bed), stopped on the landing and took in the touching scene before him.\u00a0 He waited there, watching silently, until Marie felt his presence in the room.\u00a0 She lifted her head, and looked at her husband, communicating the enormity of her feelings with her emerald eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He came to her side and softly kissed her temple.\u00a0 The tender hearted young man then whispered, \u201cHe looks just as he did when he was a baby, so innocent and carefree.\u201d\u00a0 She acknowledged his observation with a gentle hug about his waist, as Ben, too, gently ran his fingers through the mussed hair on his first baby\u2019s head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Exercising the same care with this child as he did with Hoss, Ben cautiously moved Adam to an upright position and leaned him back in his chair.\u00a0 Moving the chair to face him, Ben lifted the boy under the arms, leaning back slightly as Adam laid his head upon his father\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 To further secure his hold on the longer body of this youngster, he placed his left forearm under the child\u2019s bottom, and his right hand across his back.\u00a0 The boy\u2019s long legs dangled on each side of Ben\u2019s waist.<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy, although somewhat more aware of what was transpiring than his younger brother had been, did not protest as his father\u2019s arms enveloped him.\u00a0 Ben, ever mindful of the rarity of this particular moment, kissed the nape of his neck, and then rubbed his cheek against his son\u2019s thick, raven colored hair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie noticed a very idyllic look on Adam\u2019s face as he moved himself up just a bit, again placing his left cheek on top of his father’s left shoulder.\u00a0 The child brought his arms up behind his father\u2019s strong back in order to secure his position more completely.\u00a0 These actions were purely instinctive; however, as his eyelids did not flutter and he still appeared to be soundly asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben turned towards Marie, she could see the resemblance between father and son, now much more apparent with their faces so near to one another.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s black, feathery eyelashes against his ivory skin gave him a truly angelic appearance that brought a smile to his mother\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben headed for the staircase again relishing, for a second time that night, the sweet feel of his sleeping child in his arms. Marie entered the kitchen to let Hop Sing know that they were putting the boys to bed, and slowly followed her husband upstairs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The diminutive cook emerged from the kitchen and watched as Ben easily carried the eleven-year-old to the second floor, with his wife bringing up the rear. Smiling happily, he quietly began to clear the dishes from the table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben made his way into Adam\u2019s bedroom, Marie entered the second room on the same side of the hallway.\u00a0 She shook her head, with an amused look on her face, as she took in the sight before her. The little boy was on his back on top of the coverlet where his father had placed him earlier.\u00a0 His soft, steady snores indicated that he was deeply asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

His mother began undressing him, and immediately decided to forgo his nightshirt in favor of his long johns! This decision was precipitated by her struggles to remove his trousers.\u00a0 She easily unfastened them, but her face became pink with exertion as she then struggled to slide them over his hips. By the time she finally pulled both pant legs off, using the cuffs as an aid, she was exhausted!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, his shirt came off a bit easier.\u00a0 She was able to pull the back of it up, by using both sides of the unbuttoned shirt as handles and dragging the garment up towards his shoulders.\u00a0 She then lifted one arm at a time and pulled it free from the sleeve. Finally, with loving care, she removed the article of clothing from underneath his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018This little one is the soundest sleeper I have ever seen!\u2019\u00a0 Marie thought to herself, as Hoss never stirred once during all this activity.\u00a0 Knowing that she would need her husband\u2019s assistance to turn down the bedclothes with the inert child on top of them, Marie sat down heavily upon the trundle bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Quickly recovering from the exertion, the young woman lovingly caressed the little boy\u2019s downy pink cheek with the back of her hand.\u00a0 She was deeply grateful to him for his innate ability to bring out the child in his older brother.\u00a0 The small smile that appeared on his face told her, in effect, that her thanks had been acknowledged.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A similar scene was taking place in Adam’s room (though, without any exertion on the parent\u2019s part!).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben tenderly undressed the soundly sleeping boy, leaving him in his long underwear too.\u00a0\u00a0 It had been several years since he had last done this, as the child would normally awaken as soon as any attempt was made to move him. Of course, once awake, Adam would stubbornly insist on undressing himself and Ben would reluctantly acquiesce to his demands.<\/span>
\nHis father was pleased to note that this was not the case tonight, as the boy appeared to be sleeping as soundly as his little brother. Ben hoped that the unburdening of Adam\u2019s heart a few nights before was the cause of the deep, peaceful slumber that the youngster now enjoyed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving Adam\u2019s legs under the heavy blankets and replacing the cover, Ben brushed back a curl from his baby’s forehead and kissed him gently on the cheek.\u00a0 His previous assumptions regarding the depth of Adam\u2019s unconsciousness were then disproved when the child murmured a brief “Night, Pa” before rolling over and giving himself up to sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Assuming that Adam had deliberately allowed Ben to tend to him as the young child he was, brought a lump to his pa\u2019s throat.\u00a0 With great care, Ben tucked the blankets securely around the prone figure and bent down to place another kiss, this time on his son\u2019s temple.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, Little Boy Blue\u201d his father whispered tenderly, then rose and left the room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The contented smile on Adam\u2019s face mirrored the happiness in his heart, as he snuggled into the softness of the feather pillow and went back to sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben entered Hoss’ bedroom silently.\u00a0 Aware of his presence, Marie rose carefully from the edge of the bed and motioned for her husband to come nearer. Ben, noting that his wife had been successful in her endeavors, but only to a point, nodded his head in understanding.\u00a0 The tall man bent down and slid his calloused hands gently under the child\u2019s shoulders and knees. Standing while cradling the still sleeping tyke, Ben then walked to the head of the bed.\u00a0 Marie moved swiftly to turn down the comforter and the blankets underneath it, and leaned forward to pick up the stuffed toy animal from the pillow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Quietly stepping back to the side of the bed next to his wife, Ben laid his child\u2019s head upon the cushion.\u00a0 Lifting the covers, he gingerly placed the sock clad feet of his second baby between the muslin sheets, as Hoss immediately made himself comfortable in the cozy envelope of warmth. A small grimace then crossed the little boy\u2019s otherwise placid face. Again with a parent\u2019s instinct, Ben took the floppy eared bunny from Marie and laid it in the crook of Hoss\u2019 right arm. The child, with an appreciative sigh, rolled over and hugged the toy to him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie replaced the covers, making sure they were up to his chin.\u00a0 Ben tucked the little fellow in, following with a kiss to his forehead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Imparting one of his pet names for this child as well, Ben whispered, \u201cSweet dreams, little cowboy.\u00a0 Papa loves you.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie followed suit, then took her husband\u2019s hand as they turned to leave the room. Ben turned down the lantern on the dresser, but not all the way, as Hoss was still afraid of the dark.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 5<\/span>
\nWith the boys asleep at such an early hour, Ben and Marie decided to head back downstairs before they too, retired for the evening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The young couple cherished their nightly, private conversations, when they could reconnect on an adult level. They found that the sharing of each other\u2019s trials and tribulations of the day caused their later physical intimacy to be more relaxed and freeing.\u00a0 Giving voice to concerns, and working out problems together, brought them each great comfort and further strengthened the love between them.\u00a0 Hop Sing, anticipating their return, had left two cups and a pot of freshly made coffee on the living room table. A few sugar cookies were also in evidence, so Ben could enjoy them as the rest of the family had earlier in the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben added a large log to the fire, to ensure a steady source of warmth for the two of them.\u00a0 After adjusting the addition with the fireplace poker, he turned back to watch Marie, as she deftly poured the steaming beverage into each bone china cup.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018She looks so content, as if she has finally found her place here, as a wife\u2026and a mother.\u2019\u00a0 Ben observed. He realized that he too, felt that his household was back on an \u2018even keel\u2019 and they could all put the discord of the past year behind them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, feeling her husband\u2019s eyes upon her, set the pot back onto the table and gave him a welcoming smile.\u00a0 \u2018He looks so happy\u2019 she thought.\u00a0 \u2018It appears a weight has been lifted from his shoulders.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes were merry as she then remembered each \u201cweight\u201d Ben had borne that night and how he had risen eagerly to the task.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I can\u2019t wait until I see the newest little Cartwright in his arms.\u2019\u00a0 A renewed sense of joy and contentment at this thought spread throughout her body and was mirrored in her face.\u00a0<\/span>
\nTaking this happy visage as an invitation, as he offered his own loving smile in return, Ben moved to the space at his wife\u2019s left side on the settee. He reached for a cookie, as he took the cup proffered by his doting spouse. They settled back on the couch, each<\/span>
\nsilently revisiting the very special memories of the day just ended.\u00a0 The minutes crept by as the fire eagerly consumed its replenished fuel supply. As they quietly sipped their coffee, both adults\u2019 thoughts turned to two different, yet (not surprisingly) closely related subjects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie now knew (thanks to Adam’s disclosure the previous week) of the upheaval her arrival had caused in advance of last year’s holiday celebration.\u00a0 With this in mind, coupled with her desire to make this a Christmas that all of them would cherish, the young woman needed to know what traditions the little family usually observed at this time of year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I only wish I\u2019d have thought of this sooner!\u2019\u00a0 She mildly chastised herself, knowing that she had only a few days left to finish her preparations.\u00a0 But even as she thought this, she conceded that the more pressing issues of Adam\u2019s unsettled behavior and her pregnancy, had taken precedence over any additional consideration of the impending holiday.<\/span><\/p>\n

She gave her husband a sideways glance, trying to gauge his possible reaction to her contemplated inquiry.\u00a0 This was going to be a very delicate subject to broach with him. Traditions were a tangible link to the past and Ben had shared very little about his earlier life with either child\u2019s mother, let alone anything about his own New England boyhood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The only glimpse into her husband\u2019s heretofore undisclosed memories of the past had been their brief conversation early in the previous week.\u00a0 His offhanded comment regarding Adam helping Inger with the Christmas baking had caught Marie completely by surprise. She had not pursued the opportunity for further enlightenment then, as Ben had been on his way back to work after dinner and did not have the time for drawn out explanations.\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u2018The look on his face also made it clear that he was not inclined to continue the conversation.\u2019 his wife remembered ruefully, and she had wisely kept her questions to herself at the time.\u00a0 Now, however, due to the transformation of her relationship with her older stepchild, Marie felt more assured that such an inquiry regarding Ben\u2019s past would cause her husband to be more forthcoming in his response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She had noticed that Adam\u2019s tearful revelation regarding Inger\u2019s death had also engendered a change in Ben\u2019s demeanor, as well.\u00a0 The careworn young man had experienced a kind of catharsis of his own and he had been much more cheerful and relaxed over the last few days.\u00a0 However, Marie remembered that Ben\u2019s face had briefly taken on a sad and somewhat wistful countenance earlier that evening, in response to the brief discussion of the snowman\u2019s bright accessory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I wonder what he was thinking when I mentioned that scarf?\u2019\u00a0 A quizzical look appeared on her face as she replayed the scene in her mind.\u00a0 She wished she had been able to see his expression when he had first laid eyes on the item in the front yard.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018He seemed fine when he came in.\u2019 she reasoned, although the boys\u2019 jubilant welcome could have erased any vestiges of unsettled emotion that Ben would have otherwise displayed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Perhaps it was a gift\u2026 but from whom?\u2019\u00a0 Outside of his late wives, Marie could not imagine her husband keeping anything from any other woman.\u00a0 Her imagination running rampant and her innate curiosity now definitely aroused, the young woman vowed to discover more about the scarf and the identity of its creator.\u00a0 As she turned to face him, with the question on her lips, Marie paused suddenly.\u00a0 Shame replaced her impetuousness, as, with her face reddening, she put herself in her spouse\u2019s place for just a moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018How would I feel if he had searched through my things without my permission?\u2019\u00a0 Marie now suspected that her husband\u2019s uncharacteristic reaction might have been more akin to thinly veiled disappointment caused by her wanton violation of his privacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thoroughly displeased with herself for her inconsiderate trespass into Ben\u2019s private things, Marie rethought her original position.\u00a0 \u2018Even if I don\u2019t find out any more about its origins, I must apologize to him for taking the scarf\u00a0 without his permission.\u2019\u00a0 She internally castigated herself, with an almost indiscernible nod of her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Had Marie not been so wrapped up in her own internal guessing game, she might have noticed the reappearance of that same wistful visage on Ben\u2019s face that had been apparent to her earlier in the day.\u00a0 The man, however, was struggling with the long forgotten memories that had resurfaced so readily this afternoon at the sight of the old woolen garment.\u00a0 He hoped that his wife would not notice the sudden change in his demeanor, as he was unsure how he could field any inquires as to its source.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018How could I explain the thousand and one sights and smells and feelings that that old scarf conjures up?\u2019\u00a0 Ben found that he was wavering on the edge of an emotional precipice he had not allowed himself to walk in a very long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Had the events of the prior week not taken place, I probably would not have given it a second thought\u2019 he maintained, as his manly pride, accompanied by a vain attempt at emotional detachment, asserted itself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sighing, the young man knew that, deep down, this bravado was most assuredly false, especially in this particular case.\u00a0 \u2018My older son and I have a great deal in common!\u2019\u00a0 Ben thought ruefully, as he likened his own internal dismissal of these long buried recollections to Adam\u2019s immature denial of his true feelings regarding Inger\u2019s death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Validating his own unsettled feelings, he now considered what, if any, non verbal clues may have been inadvertently revealed to his ever perceptive wife earlier that evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I wonder if Marie noticed my hesitation when she mentioned the scarf?\u2019\u00a0 Ben now unknowingly took up the same mental guessing game where his spouse had just left off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I suppose I should explain its significance, but how do I put those feelings into words?\u2019\u00a0 He pondered this question as he added an uncharacteristic caveat. \u2018Or at least words that allow me to keep my composure!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

There was one other issue regarding the scarf that Ben hesitated to bring up, but one he felt was necessary to broach with Marie.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018How do I, ever so gently, scold my wife for rooting about in my bureau drawers without my permission?\u2019\u00a0 This, Ben felt, might be the most upsetting subject of all and he agonized over ending a most perfect day on a less than pleasant note.\u00a0 Even with all these conflicting thoughts, Ben had to admit the overriding positive outcome of the entire episode.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018It was wonderful to see it used again, especially by two little boys who would mean the world to her!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His face took on a much more contended look at this realization. Marie could not help but notice this as she gather the courage to speak her piece.\u00a0 Taking it as a good omen, she finally broke her self imposed silence, and spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMon Ch\u00e9ri,\u201d Marie said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her husband, at that same moment, found the internal fortitude to speak his own mind, as he turned towards his spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling\u201d Ben started.<\/span><\/p>\n

They chuckled at their timing, which served to ease the tension each was feeling. Ben, always the gentleman (and relieved not to have to go first!), kindly nodded his head to indicate that his wife should continue.\u00a0 Giving him a warm smile in return, Marie broached her subject in a somewhat tentative manner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I know last\u00a0 Christmas was not everything we had hoped it would be,\u201d she began, in reference to, not only Adam\u2019s recent critique of the festivities but also, the strained atmosphere that they all had experienced during that first holiday season as a family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded in agreement, as he mentally reviewed that tumultuous time in their lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie and Ben had married only three months before they arrived at the Ponderosa, reaching the ranch just before the first heavy snowfall in late October. Ben had originally intended to return at least a month earlier, but his unforeseen involvement with Marie and subsequent change in plans had caused him to miss both his boys\u2019 birthdays: Hoss\u2019s in August and Adam\u2019s in September.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ten year old had been exceedingly angry with his father for springing his new wife on him and his brother, without so much as a letter beforehand. Now, in retrospect, Ben realized that his buoyant attitude, brought on by his new found love, had muddled his thinking at the time. He had not concerned himself as to the reception his new wife would receive from his younger son, and Hoss had responded to Marie just as he had envisioned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Remembering how easily Adam and Inger had bonded, Ben had mistakenly assumed that this would be the case with Adam\u2019s acceptance of Marie into the family, as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Adam did not look upon Marie as anything but an unwelcome interloper to their all male domain. Thanksgiving, the child\u2019s favorite holiday, had been just another in a long line of uncomfortable family meals. By the time Christmas arrived, Adam\u2019s anger with Ben had manifested itself into a sullen hatred of Marie, with only the most base level of civility shown to her by the boy, as his father had demanded and painfully enforced.\u00a0 Hoss, caught in the middle between his idolized older brother and his cherished new stepmother, had tried to play peacemaker.\u00a0 Even he, however, could not lighten the mood and the holiday had been something to be suffered through, rather than enjoyed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben sighed in a heart wrenching way as he conceded the unintended, yet undeniable role he had played in his family\u2019s domestic upheaval. Armed with the knowledge gained from Adam\u2019s recently divulged secret, he now realized that he had brought all this on by his lack of sensitivity to his older child\u2019s emotional needs.\u00a0 Marie, noting Ben\u2019s obvious discomfort at the still painful memory, moved ahead to her real reason for bringing up the subject.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to make sure that all the holiday traditions that you and the boys have enjoyed are in place this year, just as they always were\u2026before.\u201d she said, adding the \u2018before\u2019 as an indication that last year was a definite anomaly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes expressed his innermost thoughts in a way that touched Marie\u2019s heart.\u00a0 \u2018Thank God I have someone who understands the importance of tradition and routine in our children\u2019s lives!\u2019\u00a0 Ben thought to himself.\u00a0 \u2018We have all sorely missed a woman\u2019s foresight and wisdom in attending to the things that are so necessary and yet so often overlooked.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The desire to bring comfort to both his children by the reintroduction of their few family holiday traditions overrode any trepidation their father felt about reliving painful memories of the past.\u00a0 Sensing his spouse\u2019s discomfiture and eager to alleviate it, Ben endeavored to help the conversation along.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it you want to know, darling?\u201d\u00a0 He asked in an open and kindly way.<\/span><\/p>\n

His valiant act was met with a sigh of relief from his anxious wife.\u00a0 Giving him a puzzled look, she asked earnestly, \u201cWhat kind of things did you and the boys normally do for Christmas?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled at his wife, touched by her desire to recreate whatever precious memories he and the boys had of Yuletides past. It was a question that deserved a complete answer, and Ben considered his response for a full minute before he spoke. Knowing that he had given Marie only the briefest amount of information regarding either one of his boys\u2019 mothers, he felt that he should give some background before he could address her ultimate question.<\/span><\/p>\n

Massaging the bridge of his nose with his left thumb and forefinger, Ben searched his memory to determine an appropriate starting point for his story.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, he set his half filled coffee cup on the low table and took his wife\u2019s hand.\u00a0 Marie gave him her full attention, hoping this impending conversation would provide her with some additional insight into this man to whom she had pledged her life and her love.<\/span>
\n\u00a0 * * * * * * * *\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam and I had been heading west since he was…\u201d Ben paused here as even he could not believe his son\u2019s tender age at the beginning of their journey, \u201cnot quite two months old.\u201d\u00a0 Although it seemed now that her question would not receive an immediate answer, Marie\u2019s heart skipped a beat as Ben, without pretense, commenced his story.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the benefit of hindsight and still amazed at his own foolhardiness, Ben shook his head at this disclosure.\u00a0 \u201cI know now what a risk I took in starting our journey when Adam was so very young.\u201d he admitted solemnly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d he struggled to explain, \u201cI couldn\u2019t bear to stay in that house or that city without\u2026her.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even now, more than eleven years after her death, Ben could not speak of his first love without having those same overwhelming feelings of sadness wash over him. He had first experienced that suffocating sorrow when he tried to remain in Boston after Liz\u2019s death. Every familiar person, place or thing had been painfully and irrevocably altered for him, because she was no longer by his side.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie felt his hand involuntarily tighten around hers though the pain in his eyes was lessening somewhat as he continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I proposed marriage to Liz, I told her that I was leaving the seafaring life for good.\u201d\u00a0 Ben smiled at the memory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had a dream of going west and finding a place with \u2018tall trees\u2019 where our children could have room to grow and we could\u2026\u201d he swallowed hard as he finished his sentence, \u201calways be together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie nodded sympathetically at this disclosure, knowing that dreams often come true, but not necessarily as one originally envisions them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Endeavoring to move ahead in his story, he continued. \u201cAbel…\u201d then added as an explanation for Marie\u2019s benefit, \u201cLiz\u2019s father\u2026and I opened a ships\u2019 chandlery shop when Liz and I married. He had been involuntarily retired from his position as captain of The Wanderer, due to his age.\u201d\u00a0 The young man paused momentarily, remembering how he had felt when he heard the news of the unceremonious withdrawal of the ship master\u2019s command.\u00a0 \u201cHe was lost without a ship and a crew.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His brow furrowed unintentionally at this last remark. Marie rightly suspected that this action on the part of the ship\u2019s owners also did not sit well with Abel Stoddard\u2019s son-in-law.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben continued. \u201cI had to have a way to support Liz and myself, and the shop seemed to be a logical solution for two old seadogs trying to settle on dry land.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The corners of Ben\u2019s mouth lifted at the memory of the cantankerous older man, and his distaste for a shopkeeper\u2019s life.\u00a0 \u201cIt took a bit of doing, but we made quite a nice go of the place, with help from Liz as the bookkeeper and our clerk, Otto.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie smiled in response, and Ben likened the glow in her cheeks to that of Liz\u2019s, as he remembered her working at the clerk\u2019s high desk during the first months of her pregnancy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the only time I got out of doing bookwork.\u201d He said, with a rueful grin.\u00a0 Marie laughed aloud at this, knowing how her husband despised the monotonous drudgery of the journaling and balancing of the ranch\u2019s monetary accounts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, that didn\u2019t last very long.\u201d\u00a0 He blushed ever so slightly at the reason for his wife\u2019s retirement from accounting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy was that, darling?\u201d Marie asked innocently.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, a certain young man began to make his presence known in a very obvious way, and Liz couldn\u2019t get sit close enough to the journal to post the entries!\u201d Ben\u2019s arched left eyebrow, coupled with a rounding of his arms near his own midsection, left no doubt as to the exact reason why he became the new bookkeeper.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie giggled, a bit self-consciously, as she imagined her own figure in the coming months, as it would take on its enlarged proportions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow those months flew by!\u201d\u00a0 Ben recalled. Then upon further reflection, he added, \u201cOr at least they did for me.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLiz was confined to bed for the last two months before the baby was due.\u00a0 It was a good thing she was such a voracious reader or her nurse, Mrs. Callahan, would have had to tie her down to keep her there!\u201d\u00a0 Ben was chuckling at the long forgotten memory of his independent wife having to do as she was told.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam is like her in so many ways\u201d he stated, in a somewhat wistful tone.\u00a0 \u201cHis love of learning, his tireless pursuit of anything that interests him and his innate appreciation of beauty \u2026those are all attributes that drew me to his mother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie nodded her head in acknowledgement of all her husband had said.\u00a0 Looking up at him, with a gentle smile on her lips, she added, \u201cI think he is very much like his father, too.\u201d\u00a0 Ben looked over at her then, a possible list of less than desirable traits that the boy had inherited from him springing to mind.\u00a0 Before he could state his thoughts aloud however, his spouse continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe is sensitive, fiercely protective of those he loves, and always puts others\u2019 needs before his own.\u201d\u00a0 Marie gazed unwaveringly into the depths of Ben\u2019s dark, velvet eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThose are also some of the attributes that drew me to his father.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked away briefly, as these accolades were unanticipated and touched him deeply.\u00a0 Seeing the effect of her words on him, Marie added one last candid observation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe is also somewhat difficult to get to know, and does not readily disclose his feelings.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0She paused here for effect, and as Ben\u2019s head rose expectantly, she continued.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, it is well worth the effort involved to move past those barriers and discover what lies beneath a sometimes gruff exterior.\u201d\u00a0 A more broad smile was now in evidence upon her face and her dancing green eyes belied the solemn tone in which the pronouncement was given.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben gave her a look that spoke volumes and kissed her promptly, hoping to turn the conversation away from this amazingly accurate portrayal of himself, as well as that of his first born son.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026now, where was I?\u201d\u00a0 He cleared his throat a bit nervously, as he searched his memory for the thread of continuity to his story.\u00a0 Marie, her attention never distracted from the narrative, said, \u201cYou were talking about Liz\u2019s confinement just before Adam was born.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes.\u00a0 One day, towards late afternoon, Abel and I had been at the store, tying up a few\u2026er\u2026loose ends.\u201d\u00a0 Ben glanced at Marie, hoping not to engender a question from her as to what those so called \u201cloose ends\u201d were.\u00a0 Seeing no hint of a pending inquiry, he hurried on with his story.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOtto came racing in to tell us that the baby was on the way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had intentionally left out the unpleasant part of the story, knowing that it would serve no purpose to comment on it now. His father-in-law and business partner, inconsolable since the loss of his command, had tried to force him into returning the Captain\u2019s initial investment in the chandlery. Ben had refused the request, as it would have taken all the shop\u2019s working capital to accomplish and therefore, put them out of business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Abel, angered by this turn of events, had later taken all the shop\u2019s funds from the strongbox to purchase an interest in and take command of (unbeknownst to him) a slave ship. It had taken all of Ben\u2019s \u201cpersuasive\u201d skills, along with his fists, to convince the scoundrel to return their funds.\u00a0 The rift between the two was quickly forgotten, however, when Otto brought the news of the imminent birth.\u00a0 Neither one knew it at that moment, but the bittersweet events that occurred later that same September evening, the joy at little Adam\u2019s healthy arrival and the sorrow at Liz\u2019s untimely death, would bind them together forever.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Captain and I waited downstairs in the parlor, for what seemed like an eternity, until finally I heard something akin to a slap, and then\u2026\u201d\u00a0 the wonder of that moment would always live on in Ben\u2019s memory as he heard again his newborn child\u2019s first high, thready wail which announced his arrival.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then I heard him cry.\u201d\u00a0 Even as he spoke the words, the same tingle of delight was coursing down his spine, just as it had that night when he became a father for the first time.\u00a0 The look of unbridled joy on her husband\u2019s face was not lost on Marie.\u00a0 She knew, in her heart, that she would witness that same expression on the day their child entered the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She added a silent prayer at this realization.\u00a0 \u2018I hope Elizabeth could see this too, before she died.\u2019\u00a0 She felt a sudden kinship with the first Mrs. Cartwright, as she sensed a positive response to her wish.\u00a0 \u2018It was only right that she knew how much he wanted to be a father and how happy he was at that moment.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben swallowed twice before telling of the next few moments, when he fell from the heights of elation to the depths of unrelenting despair.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI entered our bedroom and smiled at her. But then, I\u2026I could tell by the doctor\u2019s demeanor that the birth had been too much for her.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben aged markedly before Marie\u2019s eyes, as he grasped her hand with both of his own.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe asked me what I thought of our Adam, and I made some nonsensical remark about him growing to be a fine looking man.\u201d\u00a0 He dropped his head at this, and turned away slightly as he fought to keep a tight hold on his emotions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTruth was\u2026I hadn\u2019t even looked in his direction.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His voice was scarcely above a whisper as his throat tightened uncontrollably.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2026I was trying\u2026trying to will her my strength\u2026 and my love, to keep her there with me.\u201d\u00a0 A single tear slid down his cheek as he again saw his beautiful wife\u2019s face before the light in her eyes faded forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie brought her other hand over to cover Ben\u2019s, and in the same manner as her husband had just described, willed him her love and strength at that moment.\u00a0 \u201cDarling, please.\u00a0 I can\u2019t bear to see you suffer like this.\u00a0 Please forget that I said anything.\u201d\u00a0 Her voice was tight with unshed tears, and she shared the weight of the sorrow reflected on his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes moved upwards to take in another visage so similar to his own.\u00a0 With a forced smile, he brought her hands to his mouth and kissed the palms tenderly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI should have told you all this months ago, sweetheart.\u201d he admitted, followed by an almost inaudible sigh.\u00a0 Shaking his head just a bit, as the constriction in his chest lessened, he added, \u201cI know this sounds ludicrous, but it does help to talk about it.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He held her hands gently, and now smiling with his eyes as well, he said, \u201cSeems like Adam has taught me something about giving vent to feelings and thereby lessening the pain associated with them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie slowly nodded her acquiescence at this revelation, and mirrored her husband\u2019s tentative smile by giving him one of her own.<\/span><\/p>\n

Regaining his hold on his composure, Ben took another deep breath and continued his story.\u00a0 The clock behind them chimed the eight o\u2019clock hour. The fading light from the fireplace further softened the shadows in the room and the young couple\u2019s faces seemed to take on an almost ethereal glow.\u00a0<\/span>
\nMoving past the days immediately following Liz\u2019s funeral, Ben began his story again, with his decision to follow his heart and his dream.\u00a0 \u201cEven Abel,\u201d he stated, \u201cconvinced me that it was best that Adam and I start our journey as soon as possible, to go West towards a new life in a new land.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough I know it pained him greatly, he was willing to have me take his only living tie to his child and begin to realize my dream. Maybe it was right to leave when we did, because it was Liz\u2019s dream too.\u201d\u00a0 He declared softly, but with some conviction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I agreed to head west, Abel purchased my interest in the chandlery \u2026for considerably more than it was worth at the time.\u201d Ben said, with a shake of his head and a small smile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He recalled in his mind the day the open carriage pulled away, leaving behind the last true home he and his infant son would have for the next five years. With his father-in-law and Otto waving goodbye, Ben relayed the scene to Marie, by saying \u201cAnd so we set out: Adam, myself and Mrs. Callahan, who had graciously offered to accompany us to see to the baby.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally arriving at some tangible link towards the subject of his wife\u2019s original question, Ben stated, \u201cAdam was exactly three months old on his first Christmas.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie sat up straighter, listening even more intently, as she again focused on her query which gave rise to her husband\u2019s commentary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were living in a boarding house off of Nantasket Beach.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie looked inquiringly at her husband, and Ben nodded his head at her perceptiveness.\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u201cYes, I had left Boston, but I couldn\u2019t quite bear to leave the East Coast without a final Yuletide on the Atlantic shore.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He continued in further explanation of his reasoning.\u00a0 \u201cI had lost Liz, but I had to have something familiar to get me through that holiday.\u00a0 So, rather than heading West, we headed south along the shoreline.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shrugging off his own (in his opinion) selfish reason, he added. \u201cIt was only fair to Mrs. Callahan to have some semblance of a Christmas observance, so we bundled Adam up and went to church that night.\u201d\u00a0 Ben remembered the small amount of consolation he was afforded by the traditional service and the time it gave him to pray for guidance as he contemplated his future without the love of his life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking in his spouse\u2019s concerned countenance; he smiled halfheartedly and said, \u201cThat\u2019s all I remember of that particular Christmas Day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, recalling her own despair the year her husband left and their son was taken from her, merely nodded her head and looked down at her hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

In order to stay within what Ben perceived were the parameters of Marie\u2019s interest; he jumped ahead in his narrative, as the next four holidays were each the same as the one before.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUntil Adam and I arrived in Illinois when he was five, his Christmases were meager at best.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Marie wisely kept her myriad of questions regarding the elapsed span of time to herself, as she did not wish to subject Ben to any more emotional episodes than he, himself, was willing to disclose at one time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I hope the opportunity to fill in those gaps will present itself someday\u2019 the young woman thought to herself.\u00a0 Knowing how long it took for this current noteworthy conversation to occur, Marie conceded, \u2018I\u2019m just glad that he is willing to continue at this juncture!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not waiting for any questions from his spouse, Ben continued. \u201cHe and I were usually holed up in a boardinghouse somewhere on the holiday.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The young man shook his head as he recalled the progressively poorer quality and smaller quantity of gifts that he was able to afford for his child during those years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did the best I could to make it special for him, but other than hanging a stocking by the fire and scraping together enough to buy him some candy and a secondhand book, it was hardly a traditional celebration.\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s regret over his poor attempt at a proper holiday observance was overcome as he remembered Adam\u2019s happiness at finding a gift and something in his stocking on Christmas morning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe was always so appreciative of anything, especially a book.\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s countenance brightened noticeably as his next comment disclosed his own wellspring of Christmas bounty.\u00a0 \u201cHis joy in receiving the paltry gifts I could provide was Christmas present enough for me.”\u00a0 The faraway look in Ben’s eyes told Marie how\u00a0 precious those memories were to him and she could imagine the father and son sharing the special gift of each other’s love during those holidays on the way West.<\/span>
\nBen\u2019s face now took on a completely different visage as, in his mind; he again entered the quaint mercantile store in a crossroads hamlet in Illinois.\u00a0 Although the travel weary man and his little boy didn\u2019t know it at the time, their luck was about to change.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll never forget the afternoon we pulled into Petersburg.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben caught what he took to be a faraway look in Marie\u2019s eyes and realized his inadequacy as a story teller.\u00a0 He squeezed her left hand gently as he turned slightly towards her on the settee. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, darling.\u00a0 I\u2019m not telling this very well, I know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Not wishing for his commentary to end, Marie\u2019s eyes focused directly into his, and she shook her head fiercely at this remark. \u201cOh, no, Mon Ch\u00e9ri!\u201d\u00a0 Marie hastened to reassure him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI gathered that was where you met Inger.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Seeing Ben\u2019s confusion at this pronouncement, she blushed and then continued in explanation. \u201cI could tell by the look in your eyes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled and said, in a self deprecating sort of way, \u201cAm I that obvious?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie shrugged her shoulders at this remark, then added, \u201cNo, not always.\u00a0 But when you speak about Inger, your face takes on a different look.\u00a0 It reminds me very much of your younger son.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben grinned at this as he considered any resemblance between himself and his fair-haired second child. \u201cHoss is like his mother in so many ways \u2013 he has her kindness, gentleness, sweet nature, and\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHer sky blue eyes.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben paused here, as he silently thanked God for the one immediately apparent physical trait that his baby had inherited from his tall, Swedish-born mother.\u00a0 Marie\u2019s thoughts were immediately drawn to the small daguerreotype upstairs on the little boy\u2019s bedside table.\u00a0 She imbued the young woman\u2019s photograph with eyes the color of Lake Tahoe on a spring day and nodded her head in agreement with Ben\u2019s statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat had been a particularly difficult period of time for Adam and me, as I had been unable to find much work for the previous few months.\u00a0 Our money was running out and then, Adam took ill. I was very anxious to find a doctor and a decent place to stay.\u201d He felt again the anxiety and desperation brought about by endless hours of worry about his child, though the knowledge of the eventual outcome immediately relieved these transient feelings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf it hadn\u2019t been for Adam\u2019s illness, I might never have gone in that direction.\u201d\u00a0 Ben smiled as he then realized something else.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, if it hadn\u2019t been for Adam\u2019s being immediately taken with Inger\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben happened to glance in Marie\u2019s direction as he said this and hastened to apologize for the truthful but, given recent circumstances, unthinking remark.\u00a0 \u201cOh, darling, I\u2019m sorry.\u201d\u00a0 He said in obvious contrition, as he saw some inadvertent tears glaze his wife\u2019s green eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie pulled a delicate linen handkerchief from the pocket of her housedress and dabbed at the outside corners of her eyes.\u00a0 Giving Ben what she hoped was a convincing smile in order to soothe his conscience; the young woman shook her head gently and said, \u201cNo, no dear.\u00a0 It\u2019s all right.\u201d\u00a0 Marie was angry with herself for letting her still fragile emotions, regarding Adam\u2019s original dislike for her, show so readily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Endeavoring to alleviate the concern obvious on her husband\u2019s face, Marie shifted her position on the settee in order to fully face him.\u00a0 She held her head high and shook back the mass of chestnut ringlets that framed her face.\u00a0\u00a0 In a voice as matter of fact as her bearing, she stated, \u201cHe was only a little boy who had never had a mother.\u00a0 If Inger was as much like Hoss as you say, there is no reason why Adam should not have been enchanted by her.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her smile returned, as she recalled the similar situation that occurred between herself and the little towheaded lad upon their first introduction.\u00a0 \u201cI know what a charmer Hoss can be.\u201d\u00a0 With a more devilish grin, she added, \u201cHis father can be just the same way.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben grinned sheepishly at this statement as Marie\u2019s uncanny ability to assess a man\u2019s character asserted itself yet again.\u00a0 Taking her husband\u2019s face in both her hands, she kissed him in a manner that underscored the truth of her statement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Returning her affection with an equally passionate example of his own feelings, Ben\u2019s conscience was cleared.\u00a0 Marie sidled up more closely to his side, and patted him gently on the knee.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease continue, dear. I\u2019m anxious to know what happened next.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Trying to refocus his attentions from this brief sensual encounter, Ben began again, ignoring his own physical desires in acquiescence to his wife\u2019s gracious acceptance of his earlier apology.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cInger and her younger brother, Gunnar, owned the mercantile, and when we became engaged, I began to work in the store with her.\u201d\u00a0 He purposely skipped over their strained first meeting and the ups and downs of their courtship, because he was as anxious to relive the precious memories of that Christmas, as Marie was to hear about them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we married, Adam and I moved into their house.\u00a0 Fortunately, Gunnar was willing to move into a small storeroom at the back of the store.\u201d\u00a0 Ben paused here, as he remembered Gunnar\u2019s magnanimous gesture in giving Adam his room in the house. He also recalled Adam\u2019s absolute delight at this prospect, as he had rarely had a bed to himself during their travels, let alone an entire room!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat way, he could come and go as he pleased, but he still took his meals with us.\u00a0 He planned to stay until he had enough seed money to go west and seek his fortune.”\u00a0 He glanced over at Marie, who had a somewhat confused look on her face at this last statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Armed with the small amount of information Ben had provided to her during their trip to the Ponderosa from New Orleans, Marie protested,\u00a0\u00a0 “But I thought you sold the store immediately to finance your journey west and provide Gunnar with the money he needed as well.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded in agreement.\u00a0 “Yes that was our plan, but we couldn’t start our journey right away. It was October when we married and too late to start West before the bad weather set in.”\u00a0 Somewhat surprised and secretly pleased at his wife\u2019s penchant for recalling every brief conversation they had ever had regarding his past, Ben continued his story.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The man to whom we eventually sold the business had once entertained thoughts of marrying Inger for the sole purpose of acquiring the store.” His face took on a dark and foreboding countenance as he recalled for Marie the lies that the man, McWhorter, had told him about Inger’s equal desire to marry the tavern owner. Later, McWhorter had also been to blame for that bleak day when, over a misunderstanding with her brother, Ben thought he had lost Inger’s heart forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben’s expression lightened considerably as he told Marie, with a wink, “Fortunately for me, she married for love instead of money.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The rest of the house was silent except for the crackling of the fire and the incessant ticking of the grandfather clock, as Marie waited for Ben to continue. Her intuition told her that she would soon have her answer regarding some of the little customs that she could replicate in order to make this a memorable Christmas for them all.\u00a0 Little did she suspect that she had already inadvertently set into motion a recreation of the most special Cartwright Christmas tradition of all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, unaware of his wife\u2019s deliberate silence, hastened to articulate the memories of that very special time; memories that were so joyful and yet tinged with sadness, as in retrospect, it was the only Christmas that Inger was able to enjoy with Adam and Ben.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“As I said, Adam had never had a Christmas in a real home before, so Inger made sure that his every conceivable wish was granted that year.”\u00a0 He smiled somewhat wistfully as he remembered her concern that everything be perfect for the little boy that had won her heart from the first moment she had laid eyes on him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cInger insisted that we have a Christmas tree, though neither one of us had ever had one before.\u00a0 There was a German family in the town and Inger told me how they always had a tree with decorations for the holidays.\u201d\u00a0 Ben shook his head and laughed as he relayed his total surprise when she told him that the tree was actually brought into the house!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t believe that my tidy wife would allow a tree, of all things, to be dragged into her clean house and propped up in a corner!\u00a0 But,\u201d he added, with some feeling,<\/span>
\n\u201cshe never could say \u2018no\u2019 to Adam.\u201d\u00a0 Adding, but only to himself, Ben acknowledged \u2018And I could never say \u2018no\u2019 to her!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

“She helped Adam make ornaments for the tree, all manner of angels, stars, reindeer and the like.\u00a0 And,\u201d he said, suddenly, snapping his fingers as he remembered their present location, \u201cI believe they are still in my old sea chest, along with my journal and other mementos from our journey West.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie made an immediate mental note to find that chest and delve into its bounty of memories.\u00a0 \u2018Marie Cartwright!\u2019\u00a0 she scolded herself, as her covert plan began to take shape.\u00a0 \u2018Haven\u2019t you done enough snooping for one day?\u00a0 You haven\u2019t even apologized for your first trespass and now here you are, planning another!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her change in visage, as it diverged from calculating to contrite, was not lost on her husband, as he correctly suspected she was waging an internal battle with her innate curiosity versus her high moral standards.\u00a0 Allowing her to determine her own course of action and believing that her conscience would be her guide, Ben continued with his story.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe tree Gunnar and I cut was the biggest one that we thought would still fit through the door. Inger was just as excited as Adam when we brought it home.”\u00a0 Ben laughed, then said,\u00a0\u00a0 “Getting it through the door, without taking the wall with it, was a bit of a trick, but there was no way that\u00a0 we would deny Adam his first Christmas tree!”<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie laughed as well, imagining her husband and his brother-in-law struggling with a tree almost too big for the doorway, as Inger and Adam tried to help guide the towering pine into its appointed place by the hearth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben then said quietly, \u201cI already told you about the baking.” Marie sighed as Ben rubbed his forehead with his fingertips, both of them remembering that terrible scene at the dinner table the previous week that, fortunately, had a happy ending for all involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving on to the big day itself, Ben was lost in the memory of half a dozen separate scenes that would live in his heart forever. Marie, her head on her husband\u2019s chest once again, could feel his heart increase its rhythm as his voice took on an animated tone she had never heard before.\u00a0 Anxious to observe his facial expression as well, she moved her head and sat a little ways apart from him on the settee.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, in an unconscious response to her change of position, brought his right knee onto the settee and set that leg on its side as he turned his body to face hers.\u00a0 As the young woman had anticipated, he began to speak, not only with his voice, but with his whole being, as he described the early morning scene in detail for his appreciative audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Christmas Day was wonderful.\u00a0 Adam was up at the crack of dawn, naturally, on the one day we could all sleep in!\u00a0 I remember he came creeping into our room, hoping to find us awake.\u00a0 Inger and I had heard him get up, so we were only pretending to be asleep when he tiptoed in.\u201d\u00a0 Marie could imagine the two young parents, playing \u201cpossum\u201d and being as caught up in the excitement of the day as their little boy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe little imp comes over to my side of the bed, climbs up on my stomach and puts his face right in front of mine!\u201d Ben used his hand, palm facing him and held it about six inches from his nose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then, he says\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Moving his hand away, Ben paused here, as he took a deep breath, and endeavored to imitate the five year old with a stage whisper in a high pitched voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Papa, you awake?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben laughed out loud at the next scene, even before he relayed it to his wife, though she was already smiling in anticipation.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You should have heard him squeal when my eyes flew open.\u00a0 I grabbed him around the waist, held him up in the air straight over my head and said, \u2018Well, lookee here, Mama!\u00a0 Saint Nicholas forgot one of his elves!\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s head was thrown back now with his arms held skyward, and a merry twinkle, that would rival that of St. Nicholas himself, was evident in his chocolate brown eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I never laughed so hard in all my born days!” Ben said as he savored the memory. Marie was also laughing and trying to imagine Adam as a small boy being held aloft in his father’s strong arms.\u00a0 \u2018Of course, after seeing Ben carry him to bed tonight, that\u2019s not so very difficult to do.\u2019 She considered, as she continued to smile broadly at her husband\u2019s delightful story.<\/span><\/p>\n

Laying his hands back down on the tops of his legs, Ben continued.\u00a0 “I laid him on the bed between Inger and me and he gave us each a kiss.\u00a0 The next thing I knew he was on his hands and knees, scooting down the center of the bed, calling over his shoulder for us to hurry because it was Christmas!\u201d\u00a0 He grinned as he recalled Adam\u2019s bare little bottom peeking out from the hem of his nightshirt as he raced to the end of the mattress.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe would hardly let us put on our robes before he was pulling us each by the hand into the front room to see what treasures the old gentleman had brought.\u00a0 His eyes were as big as saucers as he took in all the bounty under the tree.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then,\u201d Adam\u2019s father continued, \u201che saw that his stocking was full to overflowing, as well!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had originally planned to wait for Gunnar to arrive before opening our gifts. He had graciously insisted that it wouldn\u2019t be fair to Adam to expect him to wait and he rightly guessed how early that little rascal would awaken. Truth be told,\u201d Ben admitted, \u201cInger and I couldn\u2019t wait to see him open his gifts either!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, Inger went in to start the coffee and I stoked the fire.\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 \u201cI handed Adam his stocking and he plopped down on the rug, with his hand already pulling out the first item before his bottom hit the floor!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie interjected here, as she had not had received a stocking of gifts during her childhood and was intrigued by what treasures the unusual package may have held.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was in it, dear?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He considered her question for just a moment, as he searched his memory for a list of its contents.\u00a0 \u201cHis stocking was full of fruit and candy and some smaller toys. It certainly helped to be the proprietors of the only mercantile in town.\u201d\u00a0 Ben stopped, and then added as an afterthought.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember he had a peppermint stick dangling from the corner of his mouth, before I even realized he had found it!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie giggled, as she said, \u201cThat sounds more like Hoss than Adam!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s not much of a sweet eater, but he does like peppermint.\u00a0 Hoss will eat pretty much anything as long as it\u2019s candy. Though, on second thought, he doesn\u2019t care for licorice.\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s eyebrows rose in a devilish fashion and with a grin, he added, \u201cWhich means all the more for me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie smiled as she tucked these little pearls of information away in her mind. She had already purchased some candy for each of the boys for Christmas and fortunately, had thought to buy licorice and peppermint both.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did Adam receive from St. Nicholas?\u201d\u00a0 She asked, in deference to the fantasy of the loving and generous patron of children.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe received some books,\u201d Ben gave his wife a \u2018so, what else is new\u2019 type of look, and then said, \u201calong with a top, a box of pick-up-sticks and a new slate and chalk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cInger had made him two new pairs of pants and three shirts, along with mittens, a knitted cap and\u2026\u201d the man searched his memory for any remaining items, \u201coh, yes and a scarf.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Marie felt her stomach clench involuntarily at the mention of the final gift.\u00a0 She glanced surreptitiously at Ben, who seemed unfazed by his last comment and was proceeding in his mind to the next event.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Adam showered us with hugs, kisses, and \u2018thank you\u2019s\u2019. He was the happiest little boy in seven states.\u201d\u00a0 Ben eyes took on a rather faraway look, as he summed up the experience from an adult point of view.\u00a0 \u201cThe joy he gave us that day was more than either one of us could have hoped for.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“It sounds magical.” she quietly intoned, as the young woman grappled with her conscience as to whether she should take the opportunity to apologize for her previous transgression.\u00a0 \u2018It must not be the same scarf or he would have said something more about it.\u2019\u00a0 She reasoned, as she mentally weighed the pros and cons of bringing up the uncomfortable subject at this juncture, and immediately decided against it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In her mind\u2019s eye, she could see one of the sisters at the convent shaking her gnarled finger under her nose, as had happened innumerable times when she was a little girl and refused to do as she was bid. \u2018I promise I will tell him how sorry I am before we retire for the evening.\u2019\u00a0 She bargained with the imaginary nun and was let off now, as she had been then, with this heartfelt vow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, realizing that Ben was still enjoying the memory of that special day and had not picked up on her own private departure to another time and place, endeavored to glean any additional insight she could.\u00a0 Although they were a bit off the subject now, Marie had to ask, “What gifts did you and Inger give each other?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben’s smile was almost shy as he looked down at his hands, rather than at his wife.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I gave her material that I had ordered special from one of our vendors, so she could make herself a new Sunday dress.\u00a0 She bought me a book about the West, which was a great reference on the trail that spring.\u201d\u00a0 He became quiet then, but an inner glow spread throughout his face and was magnified in his dark eyes. He verbalized the emotion that was already evident to his audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026there was something else she gave me that\u2026.well, we gave the gift to each other.\u00a0 A gift of love that I cherish every day of my life.”\u00a0 Marie could only guess what Ben would say next, but her womanly intuition told her that this was the most precious symbol of love a man and woman could give to each other.\u00a0 He did not keep her in suspense for long.<\/span><\/p>\n

“That night, after we tucked a very tired Adam into bed and Gunnar had left, Inger sat with me on the couch, just like we’re doing now.\u00a0 She reached out and took my hand and placed it on her stomach.\u201d\u00a0 Ben’s eyes were misty as he reached out for Marie\u2019s hand and kissed it gently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe told me that she was with child\u2026that our beautiful little baby would be arriving in the summer.\u00a0 It was the best Christmas gift I had ever received.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The look on her husband\u2019s face spoke of the endearing love he had for his now deceased wife and the mother of his second child.\u00a0 Marie’s heart was about to burst and she felt a warm tingling glow, as she imagined how Inger must have felt as she shared her special secret with the man she loved.\u00a0 Looking tenderly into his wife\u2019s sparkling eyes, Ben spoke of his wish for the future, a wish that, unbeknownst to him, had already been granted.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I only hope that someday we will have a gift like that of our own to cherish, another little blessing like the two upstairs.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The third Mrs. Cartwright silently thanked God that she had not revealed her \u201cgift\u201d and could provide her husband with another very special Christmas present that they both could treasure always.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

They were silent for awhile, as Ben’s thoughts were six years and 2,000 miles away.\u00a0 The clock, as it announced the nine o\u2019clock hour, seemed to break into his reverie.\u00a0 Ben turned to her and, in apology for his preoccupation, said, “I’m sorry, darling.\u00a0 It’s been a long time since I thought of those days.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Memories are a great comfort, especially at the holidays.\u00a0 I want to create some of those same types of memories for Adam and Hoss to always enjoy, as well.”\u00a0 Marie commented.\u00a0 Wanting to get the conversation back on track, she asked, innocently, “What did your family do for Christmas when you were a boy, darling?”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her question was actually a thinly veiled attempt to persuade her husband to tell her more about himself.\u00a0 She knew very little of his childhood as he had shared virtually nothing with her about his parents or his older brother, John.\u00a0 Ben ran his hand across his brow and looked over at his wife to better gauge her true interest in the subject.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Now, we’re talking about ancient history.\u00a0 I don’t know if I can even remember back that far!”\u00a0 He said with a slight note of sarcasm in his voice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie slapped his thigh lightly with her hand and shook her head.\u00a0 “Well, I guess it would be asking a lot for a man of your advanced years to remember a time when he still believed in Father Christmas!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou did have P\u00e8re No\u00ebl back then, did you not?”\u00a0 Marie lightly chided, with more than a little of the same sarcasm evident in her tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben’s eyebrows rose quizzically, as he shook his finger under his wife’s nose.\u00a0 “Don’t use that tone of voice with me, young lady or you’ll be the one with the switch in her stocking on Christmas morning!”\u00a0 He responded, grinning at his wife’s obvious attempt to “get his goat”.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ignoring her husband’s reprimand, she requested, “Please, darling, I really do want to know what your holidays were like.\u00a0 I have never traveled to the Northeast and was not brought up in a Protestant household.\u00a0 I think it’s important that your family’s traditions be honored as well.”\u00a0 Marie turned what she hoped were persuasive eyes towards her husband.<\/span><\/p>\n

“All right.\u00a0 How can I refuse you anything when I love you as much as I do?”\u00a0 Ben asked, as he shifted himself on the settee to face the fire once again, and put his arm around his wife’s shoulders.\u00a0 Marie settled into his embrace, anxious to hear what he had to say.\u00a0 Ben took a moment to collect his thoughts and then began reminiscing about those long ago days in New Bedford, when it was just him, his brother and their parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, I believe I told you that my father, Joseph, was a sailor.”\u00a0 Marie nodded her head against Ben’s chest, as she listened to her husband’s deep soothing voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

“He was often gone for months at a time, and my brother, John, was the man of the family while Father was away.\u00a0 John was five years older than I was and he always made sure that I knew who was in charge.\u201d\u00a0 Although his wife could not see his face, she knew that if she were to look now, she would find a disgruntled visage to match his tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Sounds like someone else I know.”\u00a0 Marie interjected, with no need to mention to whom she was referring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“No, I think John lorded it over me much more than Adam does Hoss.\u00a0 Or at least it seems that way now from an adult perspective.”\u00a0 Ben considered this briefly and determined that he would pay more attention to the interaction between his sons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“In any event, Father always planned his voyages to assure that he would be home for Christmas.\u00a0 It was normally too stormy during the early winter months to set sail, so we got to spend a great deal of time with him in December and January.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben paused here, and his heart warmed at the vivid memory of the man he had always looked up to and tried to emulate.\u00a0 With a slight catch in his voice, he said softly, “My father was a wonderful man and I so looked forward to the holidays for that very reason.\u00a0 Just to be with him and know that he took great pleasure in having us all together, as well.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled ruefully before continuing. “Of course, depending on how I had behaved just prior to his return, I could also be a bit pensive at the thought of his homecoming.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s face became quite flushed, and then he murmured sheepishly, \u201cSometimes, the days that followed his arrival could be somewhat, er\u2026shall we say, painful for me.”\u00a0 Unconsciously, Ben shifted his weight on the settee, as he remembered having the seat of his britches warmed by his father for any inordinate display of disobedience that may have occurred during Joseph’s absence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie put her hand to her mouth to cover the giggle that threatened to escape her lips.\u00a0 “So, you were not always a model child, darling?\u201d\u00a0 She asked innocently, as this time, she pulled back to view Ben’s face at her observation.<\/span><\/p>\n

“No, I should say not.”\u00a0 Ben said with some remaining evidence of embarrassment on his face. \u201cI got into my fair share of scrapes and mischief as a young boy.\u00a0 However, even though he wasn’t always there, my father made sure that I knew right from wrong.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His eyes and manner took on a determined look, as he continued.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“The lessons he taught me carried forward not only in his absences, but remain with me to this very day.\u00a0 Lessons like hard work, perseverance, honesty, integrity, and most of all, respect for other people and for myself.\u00a0 Knowing how disappointed he would be, if I were to go against his teachings or what he stood for, often stopped me from doing many things that a boy without a full-time father might think about doing.\u00a0 In fact, even now, I still consider what he might think before I make important decisions.”\u00a0<\/span>
\nBen stopped and reflected on what he had just said. His next words came from his heart, as he sought to impart all that his father meant to him. “My most fervent hope is that I can be half the man my father was and bring up my children with the same ideals and values that he instilled in me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie stroked her husband’s cheek softly, and, as she looked at him lovingly, replied, “I think your father would be very proud of the man his son turned out to be.\u00a0 I know how grateful I am to him for shaping you into the person that I am proud to call my husband.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked down into Marie’s admiring eyes and kissed her gently on the lips.\u00a0 “Thank you, darling.\u00a0 That means more to me than you could know.”<\/span><\/p>\n

He briefly daubed at his left eye with the back of his hand and collected himself before continuing. “As I was saying, Father would return home a few weeks before Christmas. The holidays were really quite simple affairs, as we didn’t have much in the way of extra cash.\u00a0 In fact, we never had a tree, as it just wasn’t the custom then.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I would imagine trees would be fairly hard to come by in a seaport town, as well.”\u00a0 Marie enjoined.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded in agreement.\u00a0\u00a0 “The house was always bright and cheerful though, as Mother made sure of that.”\u00a0 Ben squeezed his wife’s shoulders gently as he said the word, ‘Mother’.\u00a0 He had not thought of his mother in quite awhile, before today.\u00a0 The mere mention of the word brought back a flood of fond memories.<\/span><\/p>\n

“My mother\u2026what a marvelous woman!\u00a0 She could make anything with her hands, be it clothes for us boys, or a delicious meal.\u00a0 She made us each a Christmas stocking with our name on it and we would always receive new mittens and scarves as gifts.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At this last pronouncement, his arm tightened slightly about his wife\u2019s shoulders. He took a deep, steadying breath before he spoke.\u00a0 \u201cThat scarf \u2026that the snowman is wearing.\u00a0 Mother made that for me. It was a gift I received from her for what was the last Christmas we had together as a family.\u201d\u00a0 Ben braced himself for the unreserved outpouring he knew this statement would engender.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s head came up immediately and she caught her breath at this revelation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Mon Ch\u00e9ri!\u201d\u00a0 She cried out in anguish.\u00a0 \u201cI am so sorry!\u00a0 I had no idea how special that scarf was to you!\u201d\u00a0 She looked at him beseechingly, the contrition evident in her words and on her face.\u00a0 Tears sprang involuntarily to her eyes, making the green irises even more beautiful through the shimmering liquid pools.\u00a0 As she moved to leave the couch and retrieve the precious item from its current location, Ben gently grasped her by the arms and pulled her back down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, darling.\u00a0 You don\u2019t understand.\u201d\u00a0 Ben asserted.\u00a0 \u201cThat scarf is right where it should be\u2026on her grandsons\u2019 snowman.\u201d\u00a0 The disbelief on his lovely wife\u2019s face let Ben know that he had to more fully impart his feelings regarding his mother\u2019s last gift.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you see, dear?\u201d\u00a0 Ben insisted earnestly.\u00a0 \u201cShe never had the opportunity to know her grandchildren.\u00a0 The fact that they took pleasure in something she made with love for her own child, why\u2026 it makes it all the more special for me.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, still not convinced, started to protest.\u00a0 \u201cBut, Ben\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease\u201d he said quietly. \u201cLet it remain where it is.\u201d\u00a0 Ben eyes glistened, as he soothed his wife\u2019s conscience and brought the subject to a poignant close at the same time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have no idea what a wonderful surprise it was for me to see it there this evening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s eyes were brimming with unshed tears and she swallowed both her pride and the large lump in her throat, before she spoke. \u201cI promise that I will never take anything of yours again without asking your permission, darling\u201d she whispered softly.\u00a0 Ben\u2019s kiss on her cheek and gentle touch of his hand on hers let her know that she was forgiven.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoping to regain the mood that was in evidence before this disclosure, and wanting to tell Marie more about the very first woman in his life, he picked up his story where he had left off.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben cleared his throat. As he began to speak, his voice took on an almost reverent tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

“What a beautiful voice she had!\u00a0 That was one of the best parts of the holidays, when she would sing carols and hymns in church.\u00a0 Everyone around her would sing more quietly and her voice would carry up to the rafters.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, now sitting upright, turned her head towards him, as she wanted to see the look on her husband\u2019s face at this moment.\u00a0\u00a0 She was not surprised when she caught a glimpse of the little boy he had once been, listening to the sound of his mother’s voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

He smiled tenderly at his wife as he went on, “Of course, she would sing at home all the time, too. I would often have a lullaby instead of a story at bedtime.”\u00a0 Marie could easily imagine a small child, looking somewhat like Adam, falling asleep to the comfort of his mother’s loving tones.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben’s eyes lit up as he returned to the now vivid memory of his boyhood and one very special Christmas Eve.\u00a0 “Mother decorated the mantelpiece with sprays of holly and ivy and the room was filled with candlelight.\u00a0 We had a wonderful supper before we went to church.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He paused for a minute as he saw again the bounty that was evident on the dinner table each year.\u00a0 \u201dIt was turkey, with all the trimmings. She made the best cranberry sauce, too!” he added with a chuckle.\u00a0 “The church service was always the high point of the evening.\u00a0 One year, Mother sang \u2018Silent Night\u2019 by herself at the request of the minister and members of the congregation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben lifted his eyes slightly upward, as if he were once again sitting in the congregation, anxiously awaiting his mother\u2019s solo.\u00a0 \u201cShe didn’t require accompaniment, and\u2026\u201d his voice dropped to an almost inaudible whisper, \u201cit was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard\u2026it seemed just like an angel.” Marie was acutely aware of her husband\u2019s tenuous hold on his emotions, as he heard his mother’s voice and saw her face once more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I can still see her standing there at the altar, looking down at me and smiling while she was singing.\u00a0 Even Father had tears in his eyes when she finished.\u00a0 I was never more proud to be her son then at that moment.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie was also overcome with emotion as she imagined the scene so many years before.\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u2018How I hope that someday, our children will remember both of us with as much love and adulation as Ben does his parents!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben stopped his reminiscing for a moment, and was amazed that these recollections of the past could still stir such strong feelings within him.\u00a0 How glad he was that he had been able to reach out to his son and allow him to relive his own memories of Inger!\u00a0 He prayed that Adam could now think of her without quite so much pain, and realize, as Ben had so many times tonight, what blessings memories truly are.<\/span><\/p>\n

With thoughts towards their upcoming, but as yet undisclosed, blessed event, Marie asked a simple question. “What was her name?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled a bit as he regained his composure, and replied, “Catherine.”\u00a0 Marie returned his smile, as she mentally placed this at the top of her list of names for little girls.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, his voice now a bit stronger and more assured, brought up one final recollection from the past. “The other thing that I will always remember is Father reading from the Bible. After we returned from church and before John and I were put to bed, Father would read the story of Christ’s birth aloud.\u00a0 He had a deep, resonant voice and I would get chills as he recited the verses that told of that first blessed Christmas in Bethlehem.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie again met her husband’s eyes as she nodded her head.\u00a0 “I, too, read the story of the virgin birth each Christmas Eve.\u00a0 That was one memory from the convent that has always stayed with me.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She continued in this vein and sensed her next statement would be in conformance with her husband’s beliefs as well.\u00a0 “Christmas should be celebrated with the acknowledgment and gratitude for that very special gift that was given to all mankind that night.\u00a0 Our children should always be reminded of the true reason for the holiday.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As she had hoped, Ben shared her viewpoint. “I agree, darling, I agree.\u00a0 That is one tradition that will be observed in this Cartwright home from now on.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Just then, the grandfather clock struck the eleventh hour.\u00a0 Both Marie and Ben started at the sound, noticing that the fire had died down to a few glowing embers.\u00a0 Ben gave Marie a tender kiss on the forehead, as they rose to prepare for the night.\u00a0 Looking into his wife’s emerald eyes, he expressed his gratitude for her interest in his past.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Thank you for letting me relive those days, darling.\u00a0 It doesn’t seem possible that so many years have passed, and I now have children of my own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben held her close and said, with a note of obvious longing for the unattainable, “How I wish my parents could have lived to see their grandchildren.\u00a0 The age difference between Adam and Hoss is almost the same as that of my brother and me.\u00a0 They would have enjoyed them so much!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie pulled back from his embrace and looked at her husband encouragingly, \u201cPerhaps if you were to share your stories with Adam and Hoss, they would come to know their grandparents better,”\u00a0 ‘And’, she thought to herself, ‘their father, as well.’\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, Marie turned towards the staircase and waited as Ben made his usual check of the bottom floor.\u00a0 Having assured himself that all was secure, he slipped his right arm about his wife\u2019s waist as her left hand found its way around his back. The two then headed upstairs, each lost in private thought.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the top of the stairs, another nightly ritual was once again observed. The pair silently entered each of their sons’ rooms, in turn, for a final check of each child before retiring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben gently pushed open the door to his older child’s room.\u00a0 He noted that Adam continued to sleep soundly and had scarcely moved from the position he had taken earlier that evening.\u00a0 Mindlessly smoothing the handmade quilt that covered the sleeping form, Ben gently fingered the tousled hair on his precious child’s head and kissed him once more.\u00a0 This had always been the one time each day when the father could show his affection for his little boy, without incurring a roll of Adam’s hazel eyes or an averting movement of his head.\u00a0 Marie stood beside her husband, and then, also taking the opportunity, kissed the child tenderly on the cheek.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A contented sigh from the snug depths of the blankets was the welcome response to their ministrations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben quietly closed Adam’s door, although still leaving it slightly ajar, as Marie opened the one to Hoss’ room.\u00a0 She smiled at the familiar sound emanating from the small bed.\u00a0<\/span>
\nHoss, on his back, with his bunny held tightly against his chest, slept peacefully, albeit, a bit more noisily than his brother.\u00a0 Ben, with a bemused look, listened to the sound of his baby’s gentle snoring and tucked the blanket a bit more firmly about the chubby little boy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A faint sign of a smile appeared on Hoss’ face, as first his father and then his mother placed a kiss on the little cherub’s cheek.\u00a0 Marie had watched these scenes unfold each night since her arrival on the ranch.\u00a0 She always looked forward to them, as her tall, strong husband revealed his tender love for his children.\u00a0 She once again thought of the new life growing within her.\u00a0 Her baby was so lucky to also have this special man as a father!<\/span><\/p>\n

Hand in hand, the young couple left their younger son’s bedroom and headed towards their own personal sanctuary within the four walls of the master bedroom at the end of the hall.\u00a0 Gazing at his adoring wife, and silently counting his blessings, Ben ushered Marie into the room and softly shut the door behind them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 6<\/span>
\nBen arose even earlier than normal, as there was much to do before he could afford the luxury of a few days off for the holidays.\u00a0 Moving stealthily from the mattress, so as not to disturb his partner\u2019s deep slumber, Ben fell immediately into his early morning routine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He stood before the mirror over the basin, though the lack of any evidence of daylight negated the mirror\u2019s usefulness at this hour.\u00a0 Relying on many years of shaving without a reflection as a guide, he brought the straight razor deftly across his lathered cheek.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finishing that daily chore, he reached for his shirt from the hook next to the dresser.\u00a0 As he donned the rest of his heavy woolen clothes, Ben noted that he felt totally rejuvenated with just the few hours of rest he had had.\u00a0 He also felt a tingle of happy anticipation as he thought of the coming days of celebration with his family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Soon fully dressed, he bent down to drop a kiss on his wife\u2019s forehead, and exited the bedroom with his socks and boots in hand.\u00a0 His bare feet produced no sound as he made his way down the carpeted runner towards the head of the stairs.\u00a0 Stopping to listen midway between the adjacent doorways at the hall\u2019s entrance, there was no indication of activity in either child\u2019s bedroom, which was remarkable given the boys\u2019 exceptionally early bedtimes the night before.\u00a0 Reminded of that special evening, Ben, with a contented countenance, silently made his way down the broad staircase.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon his arrival in the great room, the patriarch was surprised to see that Hop Sing had already stoked the fire.\u00a0 Easing into his chair, he was immediately warmed by the flames growing steadily inside the stone hearth.\u00a0 He pulled on his socks and the worn work boots that the little cook had cleaned and replaced in the master bedroom the previous evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMorning, Hop Sing.\u201d\u00a0 Ben said in somewhat hushed tones, so as not to startle the diminutive chef as he rounded the corner into the tidy kitchen. With his queue bouncing in concert with the motion of his head, the employee greeted his boss with a smile and a nod toward the coffee pot on the stove.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Mista Ben.\u00a0 Coffee all reddy.\u201d\u00a0 Hop Sing replied as he finished flattening the biscuit dough with the wooden cylinder he used as a rolling pin.\u00a0 Wiping his hands on the apron tied around his waist, he reached into the open cupboard to retrieve a cup and saucer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou up earlier than usual today.\u201d he observed, as he handed the red transfer ware china cup to the bemused man and filled it with the delicious smelling brew.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNever earlier than you, Hop Sing.\u201d\u00a0 Ben smiled his thanks as he took the proffered beverage and sipped it carefully.\u00a0 Taking advantage of this unplanned meeting, he asked, in a conspiring voice, \u201cIs everything in readiness for Mrs. Cartwright\u2019s Christmas gift?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nodding once again, the family confidant continued his breakfast preparations as he cut the biscuits and placed them in a round baking pan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone take bath before Christmas Eve supper.\u00a0 Hop Sing ask Jake help move plesent from bunkhouse into washhouse after that.\u201d\u00a0 His eyes crinkled shut as a broad grin appeared on the normally unreadable countenance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u00a0 I could never have pulled this off without your help, Hop Sing.\u00a0 I think Mrs. Cartwright will be very surprised.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben chuckled as he completed this discourse in his mind. \u2018I know she has turned this house upside down looking for her present! She\u2019ll never think to look in the washhouse, at least not that night.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Setting the now empty cup on the wooden table, Ben gave the cook a pat on the back and headed towards the main entry way of the house.\u00a0 Reaching the front door, he retrieved his heavy shearling coat and his tan felt hat. The coat, which he had purchased in San Francisco last year while on the way home from New Orleans, had set him back more than a few, hard earned dollars.\u00a0 However, the soft tanned sheep skin jacket with the remains of the unsheared wool inside, provided a blanket of warmth against the winter cold, and was worth its weight in gold on mornings such as these.<\/span><\/p>\n

After donning his jacket and hat, he grasped the iron latch which bolted the wide pine door to its frame and drew it back with a smooth, easy motion.\u00a0 The broad shouldered man then opened the door just enough to permit him to exit, and hurriedly shut it behind him, so as to limit the amount of frigid air that rushed inward in his wake.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben stopped to pull on his work gloves, as his breath created a frosty fog of vapor in the icy semi darkness. In a lighthearted gesture, as he walked off the porch towards the barn, he tipped his hat in greeting to the grinning snowman with the handsome red scarf.<\/span><\/p>\n

Replacing the hat firmly on his head, he tugged at the brim of it to bring it further down on his brow. Smiling broadly as he set his shoulders back, the tall figure strode off to complete his first chores of the day in the waning minutes just before dawn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Meanwhile upstairs, the lady of the house lay staring into the darkness around her, glad to have the unexpected private time to organize her thoughts before she started her day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rolling to her back, she absentmindedly rubbed her stomach in a circular motion as she considered the day ahead. Suddenly, she became aware again of the very faint, but unmistakable, signs of life, seemingly in fluttering response to her gentle caress.\u00a0 The almost imperceptible feeling, similar to a narrow band of small rippling bubbles moving vertically from her navel to her pubic bone, provided delightful confirmation that Marie\u2019s Christmas surprise was indeed alive and well within her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Had her spouse been witness to this momentous event, he would surely have suspected that something was afoot.\u00a0 The glow on the expectant mother\u2019s face could only be described as radiant, and the light in her eyes was heightened by the anticipation of her pending disclosure, which was now definitely scheduled for Christmas evening. Trying to allay her excitement, Marie forced herself to focus her attention on her plans for the day at hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s see.\u201d she said out loud, as she now gently patted her stomach with one hand and placed the other behind her head.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, we\u2019ll do the baking and then, I\u2019ll\u2026,\u201d she paused for a moment, and stressed the next word in deference to the vow she had made the previous night. \u201cask Ben to please find his sea chest so we can see what ornaments are still usable for the tree.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Assuming there would not be many of these earlier decorations, usable or otherwise, her thoughts jumped ahead to another possible activity for later in the day.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps the boys would enjoy making some new decorations.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have to see what we have in the way of colored paper and sewing scraps.\u201d\u00a0 She imagined the yet to be selected pine tree in its appointed place next to the staircase, its broad, blue green branches cascading down the length of its tall trunk, devoid of any decoration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll need some ribbon to tie the pomegranates and apples to the branches, and I must find those small candles and holders that I put away after that trip to town last month.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The young woman was quite pleased that, when she had made her final visit to town before the onset of\u00a0 the winter\u2019s snows, she had thought to inquire of Will Cass as to any special holiday adornments he had available for sale.\u00a0 The proprietor of the mercantile had suggested that she purchase the miniature candle holders, with metal springs on their bases, for attachment to the evergreen\u2019s branches. These were accompanied by short white tapers specially designed for use on a holiday tree.\u00a0 At his behest, she had also bought, as additional ornaments, some of the rather unusual looking, papery skinned fruits with the jewel red berries inside.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Ben will be somewhat aghast at the price.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She considered her rather impulsive purchase momentarily, realizing that her spouse had yet to receive the bill for her shopping spree as the anticipated winter storms had arrived right on schedule, delaying the inevitable discussion as to the cost of said discretionary purchases.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut,\u201d she continued as she turned her head to the right, and spoke assuredly to the vacant pillow on Ben\u2019s side of the bed, \u201cI can make jelly from the seeds after the holidays are over.\u201d\u00a0 She said this in such a way as to ascertain how reasonable it would sound to her husband when she used the argument in defense of her purchase.<\/span><\/p>\n

She pursued her lips in resignation as she suspected what his response would be, but then, a slow smile moved across her face. She knew she would have purchased ten times that amount had she even suspected how much more merry this Christmas would be than last year\u2019s!<\/span><\/p>\n

In an impetuous addendum to her argument, she added, in a dramatic whisper, \u201cLet the expense be damned!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Immediately, the tenets of her strict Catholic upbringing came rushing to the forefront of her mind.\u00a0 She felt an immense sense of shame at her blasphemous statement, especially given her present status as a vessel of God\u2019s blessings (due to her unborn, and even now, impressionable, child), let alone voicing such a sinful declaration at this most holy season of the Christian year .\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Maria Theresa Cartwright!\u2019\u00a0 She internally admonished herself.\u00a0 \u2018You were not brought up to utter such sacrilege!\u2019 Her memories of past confessions in the convent where she grew up came flooding back.\u00a0 She could once again see herself as a mischievous little girl, squirming on the leather upholstered kneeling bench with her hands clasped tightly in\u00a0 front of her in a gesture of supplication, as she admitted her youthful sins to the kindly old priest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018At least I could kneel somewhat comfortably,\u2019 she considered, with a trace of a smile playing on her lips.\u00a0\u00a0 She readily recalled that sitting was sometimes tantamount to impossible, courtesy of an earlier spanking provided by the Mother Superior!<\/span><\/p>\n

Her current situation, however, did not present a ready solution to her dilemma. As there was no priest nor parish within 100 miles of the ranch to hear her confession, Marie knew that she would have to devise her own penance to absolve her of her sin.\u00a0 Mentally invoking the familiar scolding tone, she could once again hear Father Sebastian\u2019s voice as he decreed her punishment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018You will say ten Hail Mary\u2019s and five Our Fathers in addition to your daily recitation of the rosary.\u00a0\u00a0 May God deliver you of your heathen tongue!\u2019\u00a0 Feeling very much ashamed, but relieved that she could recover the Lord\u2019s grace with her extra devotionals, she again considered her plans for the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her mind flitted back to her tentative pastry and dessert menu for Christmas Eve supper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already made the fruitcake for Ben.\u201d\u00a0 Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she knew it would remain forever untouched if she were the only one expected to eat it!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She smiled as she thought of the traditional \u2018gros souper\u2019, the somewhat Spartan repast that was partaken after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve in New Orleans, (and elsewhere in the world), by followers of the Roman Catholic faith.\u00a0 The austerity of the meal was evident, however, only in the entr\u00e9e and preceding courses.\u00a0 The feast\u2019s pi\u00e8ce de r\u00e9sistance was the presentation of a spectacular array of various brandied fruits, nuts and pastries in honor of the newborn savior and his future disciples.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Hoss would especially enjoy the thirteen desserts that are served in honor of Jesus and his apostles!\u2019\u00a0 She had already considered this, as she had added a b\u00fbche de No\u00ebl or Yule log, as well as pecan pralines, to her menu in deference to the event.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know Adam has a preference for gingerbread men, and surely everyone would enjoy plum pudding.\u201d\u00a0 As an afterthought, she added, \u201cwith hard sauce for the adults, of course.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Anxious to begin her holiday preparations, Marie threw back the covers from the bed and swung her legs towards the floor.\u00a0 The room took a bit of spin (from her perspective) in response to this sudden movement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With a sigh and a wry smile on her face, she looked down at the cause of her dizziness. Before she attempted to stand, she said to her belly in mock consternation, \u201cAll right.\u00a0 You win.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take it a little slower!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Holding onto the bedpost as she edged carefully off the side of the mattress, she wiggled her toes into her house shoes and turned to make the now empty bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

The adults of the family were not the only ones who had started their day earlier than normal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A pudgy little face, with blue eyes somewhat glazed from sleep, peeped out from his bedroom doorway into the upstairs hallway. He paused, listening intently for any signs of early morning activity from his parents\u2019 end of the corridor.\u00a0 Hearing none, the long john clad child (with one back button that had come undone, partially exposing his little bottom) moved slowly and quietly into the polished passageway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pushing his way, unannounced and uninvited, into his older brother\u2019s room, the little boy slid his stocking feet forward on the hardwood floor, as if skating on some imaginary frozen pond, and headed towards the bed in the center of the room.\u00a0 Looking up, he was surprised to find that the bed was already vacant.\u00a0 With a bit of consternation evident on his face, the child turned towards the pale light just beginning to emanate through the window near the foot of the high single bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d\u00a0 He asked in what he thought was a whisper, but was actually quite a loud voice given the time of day and the close proximity of the addressee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A muffled sound, akin to that made by the unplanned meeting of a small head and a wooden bed frame, was heard, followed by a sharp cry of pain and a terse \u201cWhat?\u201d that issued forth from the floor at the end of the bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Happy at pinpointing the location of his missing sibling, and totally oblivious to the pain he had just caused him, Hoss moved his feet towards the window.\u00a0 He found the person he had been searching for (or at least, his bottom half).\u00a0 The talking half was partway under the bed, retrieving something from an apparent hiding place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The chubby little boy got down on his hands and knees and peered under the bed as the darkness begrudgingly gave way to the hazy winter sunshine which was lighting the room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha doin\u2019, Adam?\u201d\u00a0 He inquired innocently.<\/span><\/p>\n

The older boy scooted back from under the furniture, and sat down heavily on the braided rag throw rug under the window. His hazel eyes were shut tight as he rubbed the crown of his head and moaned dramatically (mostly in an attempt to garner an apology from his pesky little brother than from actual pain of the injury!). When no such apology was forthcoming, he answered his brother\u2019s question with an angry retort.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNone of your business!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He moved his slim body further away from the other child as he quickly hid the object of his search behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 lower lip began to tremble at his brother\u2019s harsh words, and, as he sat back on his heels, his sky blue eyes clouded with inadvertent tears.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, noting the immediate, and not unexpected, change in his little brother\u2019s visage, felt a jab of remorse for causing pain with his own hurtful response.\u00a0 Being the older and wiser of the two, he knew that the burden of an apology was now on his shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Hoss.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t mean ta be so mean.\u201d he said kindly, with a guilty expression on his face.\u00a0 As further evidence of his contrition, Adam patted his hand on the rug and motioned for the child to join him there.\u00a0 At this conciliatory gesture, Hoss\u2019 mood returned to its normal sunny state and he plopped down on the rug as his brother had bid him.\u00a0 He looked expectantly at the older boy, still waiting for a better answer to his original question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was gettin\u2019 the present I made for Pa, so I could wrap it.\u201d\u00a0 Adam stated in an intuitive response to the look on his brother\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cI heard him leave early this morning, so I thought I could ask Hop Sing for some paper and get it done today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The boy anticipated what the next question would be from the chubby tyke and he wasn\u2019t disappointed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha make for Papa?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss inquired, as he strained to see what Adam had hidden behind his back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam hesitated, as he knew from first hand experience that Hoss could no more keep a secret than go fly in the moon!\u00a0 However, because he was still feeling bad about upsetting the little lad, he threw caution to the wind and brought the wooden shadowbox forward so Hoss could see it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Holding the gift back far enough to keep it just out of his little brother\u2019s reach, but still close enough to see its contents,\u00a0 Adam displayed the evidence of his many hours of careful and painstaking work. Justifiably proud of his creation, he invited a response from his always ardent admirer, \u201cSo what do ya think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

True to form, Hoss\u2019s eyes grew round with amazement as he took in the carefully mounted bits of twine, each with a name printed in uniform block letters under it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s really sumthin\u2019, Adam.\u201d Hoss respectfully intoned; fascinated as always by anything his idol had wrought.\u00a0\u00a0 The older boy sat up straighter at this expected response, his chest expanding in a self-important manner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0However, the five year old\u2019s curiosity then got the better of him, as he added. \u201cWha\u2019 is it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In an equally normal response to his sibling\u2019s lack of knowledge regarding any seemingly mature subject, Adam sighed loudly and rolled his hazel eyes heavenward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t cha see, Hoss?\u201d\u00a0 He said in an exasperated tone.\u00a0 \u201cI tied some sailor\u2019s knots just like Pa woulda used when he was first mate for my Grandpa Stoddard.\u00a0 I used Pa\u2019s book about sailing as a guide.\u201d\u00a0 The triumphant nod of his curly head spoke volumes as to the eleven year old\u2019s own impression of his creation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The look on Hoss\u2019 face did nothing to mollify his brother\u2019s doubt regarding the tyke\u2019s understanding of the subject under discussion.\u00a0 Seeking to educate his sibling, based on his own great store of knowledge in the nautical way of doing things, Adam placed his arm about his brother\u2019s shoulders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYa see, Hoss,\u201d the little boy continued, (in his oft used \u201colder and smarter\u201d tone of voice).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA sailor has ta know how to tie a lot of different kinds of knots depending on what he\u2019s trying to do.\u00a0 Some knots are made to give a little, like this one.\u201d\u00a0 He said as he pointed to a knot in the top left hand corner of the display.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd some of them, like this one here, need to hold a sail tighter than tight against a fierce Nor\u2019easter.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s a Noresser?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a really big storm that comes up all the sudden and can take the sails and the rigging right off the mast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s riggin\u2019?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the ropes that the sailors use to climb to the top of the mast, where the crow\u2019s nest is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI done seen a crow\u2019s nest once in the tree outside my winda, and there terwern\u2019t no sailors in it, just baby crows.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said matter of factly, in direct disagreement with his brother\u2019s patient explanation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt ain\u2019t, isn\u2019t, the same thing, Hoss!\u201d Adam\u2019s tolerance for the preschooler\u2019s \u201cbird\u2019s eye\u201d view of the world was quickly dissipating.\u00a0 \u201cYou asked me what I made for Pa and I tole ya.\u00a0 Now no more questions!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, ya don\u2019t haveta get sore.\u201d Hoss responded resignedly.\u00a0 However, the word \u201csore\u201d brought up something else that now had his attention.\u00a0 Sitting up on his knees, he turned to look over his shoulder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, why does my bottom feel prickly on one side but not tha other?\u201d\u00a0 He turned his backside towards his brother and Adam grinned as he noted the state of the little boy\u2019s undress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of your buttons is undone.\u00a0 Let me fix it for ya.\u201d\u00a0 He said as he reached over, replaced the fabric and secured it with the wooden fastener. His aggravation quickly dissipating, the older boy asked a question of the younger in regards to a related subject that had been puzzling him since he awoke that morning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey Hoss, do ya remember anything strange happening during supper last night?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Biting his lower lip in a semblance of deep thought as he remained on his knees, the chubby child looked upwards as he considered the question.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Adam asked, surprised that his little brother would have noticed something that he did not.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t \u2018member having dessert\u201d he said his normally unlined brow furrowed in a frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t \u2018member goin\u2019 to bed neither\u201d he added, now with a shrug and a scratch of his tow colored head.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, about to protest that that was not what he meant, hesitated and rethought his next statement before he spoke. He also had no conscious memory as to what went on during or after the family\u2019s evening meal.\u00a0 His quick mind, however, filled in the missing information and came to the obvious conclusion that he must have fallen asleep at the table, been carried to bed, undressed and tucked in just like his younger brother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that his enviable status as mature older brother was at stake, (as he vowed that he would sooner die than disclose these facts to Hoss), the child fabricated a story that he felt his sibling would buy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I know when I went to bed, I had to wear these,\u201d he said, indicating his own set of red long johns, \u201c \u2018cause I didn\u2019t have a clean nightshirt.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah\u201d said Hoss, nodding in agreement as if he, also, had experienced the same dilemma before retiring for the evening,\u00a0 \u201cMe, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoping to avoid any more discussion of this sensitive subject, Adam sat up on his knees like his brother, and prepared to stand.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I\u2019ve gotta find some paper to wrap this gift, so guess we should get dressed.\u00a0 Hope Hop Sing has something I can use.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As he placed his hands on his bended knee, his little brother\u2019s next, surprisingly insightful, question caused him to remain where he was.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam.\u00a0 Whatcha make for Mama for Christmas?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The older child\u2019s face blanched, as Adam suddenly realized that, given his prior animosity towards his stepmother, he had purposely dismissed the idea of a holiday gift for her.\u00a0 Last year, the question of a gift for Marie had been solved by his father, who had provided a gift to her on behalf of all three of them. He had rightly assumed that this would be the case again this year.\u00a0 Now, however, he really did want to give Marie something on his own for the holiday and he had no idea what that would be.\u00a0 Furthermore, he had only a few days to design, create and deliver said gift while in constant danger of being discovered!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGosh, I haven\u2019t got anything for her!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With a look of abject discomfiture evident on his face, he now, in a rare juxtaposition, looked to his younger sibling for some ideas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you make for her and Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI drawed \u2018em both\u00a0 a right purdy\u00a0 picture.\u201d came the triumphant reply. \u201c Mama\u2019s picture is me giv\u2019n her some wildflowers and Papa\u2019s picture is me riding with him on Buck.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With his eyes downcast, and nervously rubbing the bridge of his nose with his right thumb and index finger, Adam considered his predicament.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cChristmas is almost here!\u201d\u00a0 he said, anxiously, forgetting his brother was there.\u00a0 \u201cI gotta think of something!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019tcha draw her a picture too?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss suggested, helpfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

The boy replied in an annoyed tone of voice, \u201cI can\u2019t give her the same thing you are, \u2018coz I\u2019m older \u2018n you!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, in a dead on imitation of his brother, rolled his blue eyes towards the ceiling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you can sit here \u2018nd think some more, but I\u2019m hungry!\u00a0 I\u2019s gonna go gets my clothes on and get some breakfast!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss placed one foot on the floor and stacked his two chubby hands upon his knees, pushing himself to a standing position.<\/span><\/p>\n

As he started to leave the room, he turned to face the still kneeling Adam.\u00a0 \u201cYa want me to ask Papa for some idears?\u201d\u00a0 he offered, in an attempt to assist his perplexed sibling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNah\u201d said his brother, who had already begun to consider various possibilities.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll think of somethin\u2019.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss shrugged at this dismissal and \u2018skated\u2019 back out into the hallway to his own room.<\/span>
\n\u00a0* * * * * * * * * *<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, now fully dressed, finished pinning up her thick, wavy hair so she would not have to concern herself with it later on in the day.\u00a0 The young woman stood in profile before the vanity mirror, noticing how her breasts were taking on a more maternal fullness.\u00a0 Her waist had also thickened considerably in response to the pregnancy and she decided to take Hop Sing up on his offer of tailoring services to be provided by his cousins.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s a good thing that Christmas is almost here!\u2019\u00a0 the expectant mother-to-be said to herself.\u00a0 \u2018I\u2019m down to my last two larger shirtwaists and gathered skirts.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have to wear Ben\u2019s shirts before too much longer!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In an effort to continue to hide her secret, Marie selected a frilly dark colored apron, whose flowing design was both complimentary to, and concealing of, her figure.\u00a0 She had her hand on the doorknob to exit the room, when she suddenly remembered her self-imposed penance for her earlier transgression.<\/span><\/p>\n

Returning to her bedside table, Marie opened the drawer and lovingly removed her rosary beads from their nest.\u00a0 She brought the medal of the Madonna to her lips, and then slipped the rose quartz beaded religious symbol into her apron pocket.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I will make the time to pray the rosary while the boys work on their ornaments.\u2019\u00a0 she determined.\u00a0 \u2018That should keep them busy and afford me the time I need to ask for forgiveness and regain the Lord\u2019s blessing.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing her stepsons\u2019 voices as they headed down the hallway towards the staircase, she checked her reflection one last time and exited the room to join her family for breakfast.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 7<\/span><\/p>\n

The boys were already seated at the table by the time Ben returned from the barn.\u00a0 Normally, the children would have been expected to attend to their chores before breakfast, but their father, fully immersed in the holiday spirit, had already milked the cow (Adam\u2019s duty) and collected the eggs ( Hoss\u2019 job), on his sons\u2019 behalf.<\/span><\/p>\n

He had stopped just inside, by the front door, in order to remove his coat and hat, and quickly ran his hands through his hair.\u00a0 As he did so, he happened to glance up towards the staircase, and his heart caught in his throat as he watched one of God\u2019s most lovely creations make her entrance from the upper floor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I have to be the luckiest man alive to share my life with this angel.\u2019\u00a0 Ben still marveled at the fact that he, of all people, had won this woman\u2019s heart and hand in marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s eyes sparkled as she felt Ben\u2019s admiring stare and gave him a look that was both alluring and beatific at the same time.\u00a0 They had eyes only for each other as Marie moved hurriedly across the room, her skirts rustling in perfect time to the now quickening beat of her heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben stepped slightly forward to meet her, and was now in partial view of the other members of the family. Marie, noticing how ruddy her husband\u2019s cheeks were from the cold, (and forgetting the young spectators now awaiting their morning meal), quickly bridged the distance between them.\u00a0 Taking his face between her palms, she kissed him full on the mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss, with no vacillation at the witnessing of this familiar event, eyed each other gleefully. Although their parents\u2019 displays of affection caused them some embarrassment, it also provided them with a feeling of comfort and security that both of them understood intuitively, if not consciously.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, entering the room at that same moment with a platter of flapjacks and another of sausage, also bit back a smile when he noticed the exchange just around the corner of the dining room.\u00a0 He had not intruded on the two last evening as they talked late into the night, however, he himself could not retire without removing the last remnants of the evening\u2019s meal from the coffee table.\u00a0 He was never one to eavesdrop, but was fully aware that the conversation had engendered a wide range of emotions, based on the rise and fall of the volume and timbre of their voices as they had spoken to each other.\u00a0 He was pleased to see that whatever discussion had taken place between them had obviously been well received by both parties.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, darling\u201d Marie whispered, as she gave Ben a chance to catch his breath from the intensity of her kiss, which he had returned in a like manner.\u00a0 They normally shared their first greetings of the day in their bedroom, and both had missed that initial closeness this morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, hearing the somewhat strangled sound of his children\u2019s struggle to keep their merriment in check, felt his cheeks redden from something other than the outside temperature.\u00a0 Trying to recapture some sense of decorum after his spouse\u2019s and his own rather uninhibited display, Ben, setting his shoulders back in his most fatherly manner and taking Marie gently by the arm , strode into the dining room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, boys, Hop Sing.\u201d he said, nodding to each in turn.\u00a0 His lack of self-consciousness and no nonsense tone immediately put any thought of comment by Adam and Hoss to an end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMorning, Pa…Marie.\u201d\u00a0 Adam said, with just the faintest smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, after noting his father\u2019s arched right eyebrow, which signified that he was in danger of crossing that indelible line between respectful and disrespectful behavior, the child immediately refocused his attentions to his breakfast place setting, the smile gone from his lips.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMorning Mama, Papa.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss politely replied, his innocent visage above reproach.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, his face unreadable as always, nodded his greetings as he turned from the table. He soon returned with the coffee pot in one hand, and a spatterware pitcher of milk in the other.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the proper atmosphere regained, Ben held Marie\u2019s chair as she was seated and then briefly adjourned to the kitchen to wash his hands. Upon his return, he silently took his place at the head of the table.\u00a0 Marie\u2019s cheeks were still just a bit pink from having caused her husband any undo embarrassment.\u00a0 Catching only her eye as he bowed his head to say grace, Ben\u2019s sly wink told her that he was surreptitiously pleased with her exuberant greeting.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the blessing was said, the boys, with the platter of hot cakes between them, attacked the fluffy, golden brown stacks with the gusto of two prospectors with a new shelf of ore to mine.\u00a0 Ben, ever mindful of the opportunity to reinforce good manners, observed the frenzy at the other end of the table.\u00a0 He cleared his throat rather loudly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As intended, two sets of eyes; one pair the color of a Sierra sky after a rain shower, and the other imbued with the variegated hues of a Ponderosa pine bough, met their father\u2019s burnt umber ones expectantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now having his children\u2019s full attention, the young father gently admonished, \u201cGentlemen, no one is going to take the food away from you, so please mind your manners.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u201d\u00a0 Adam said deferentially, as he slowly lifted two large flapjacks onto his plate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss nodded his acceptance of his parent\u2019s dictates, as his mouth was already full of pancake.\u00a0 Swallowing said remnants, he then quickly added, \u201cYes, Papa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Returning to his own meal, Ben inquired as to Marie\u2019s plans for the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, dear,\u201d she began. \u201cGiven that Christmas is almost here, I thought that we should get the baking completed first, and then perhaps, the boys might like to make some more ornaments for the tree.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hesitating for just a moment, she continued in a most courteous tone of voice, \u201cCould you please find your sea chest, so I may look at the decorations we already have\u2026if it isn\u2019t too much trouble?\u201d\u00a0 Her countenance portended a model of humility, as she peeked out from under her lashes in a very uncharacteristically timid manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben hid a smile behind the coffee cup he had quickly raised to his lips.\u00a0 The look in his eyes was indicative of his initial impression of her request.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018She sounds like a little schoolgirl asking permission to leave the room!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His actual response, however, was as gracious as it was appreciative.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI believe I know just where it is, and, of course, darling, it is no trouble at all.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He moved his hand over hers, squeezing it gently in confirmation of her subtle gesture of contrition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Relieved, Marie blushed charmingly and turned towards Adam and Hoss, who were both helping themselves to second and third platefuls of food, respectively.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow does that sound to you, boys?\u201d\u00a0 she asked, with just a bit of diffidence to her tone.\u00a0 She knew this was a moment of truth, of sorts, and she unconsciously slipped her hand into her apron pocket, gaining comfort and courage from the familiar spiritual object in residence there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam chewed his mouthful of pancakes thoughtfully, and gave his stepmother a somewhat troubled look, as he considered his answer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie felt her heart rise in her throat and she, involuntarily, held her breath as she waited for his response.\u00a0 Ben, also observing his older child\u2019s uneasy demeanor, had placed his fork silently upon his plate as he, too, waited for what seemed an eternity for his son\u2019s reply.\u00a0 Finally Adam spoke.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore I can tell you, there\u2019s one thing I need to know first.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Marie, not at all sure what he would request, glanced anxiously at each other, then back at the eleven year old, whose expression was the image of somberness, as the boy seemingly continued to consider the question at hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

At last, his father could take the suspense no longer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, son?\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, as his mind rapidly considered all the possible, undisclosed scenarios that could disrupt his family\u2019s fragile peace yet again. Marie was silently invoking a litany of fervent prayers, while Hoss, seeming to intuitively inherit his parents\u2019 anxiety, stared at his brother, his hearty appetite gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, with his audience now in the palm of his hand, placed his utensil deliberately upon his plate and folded his arms at the edge of the table.\u00a0 His hazel eyes were clear and unperturbed as he turned to his stepmother and said solemnly,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf we make gingerbread, can I lick the spoon?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s breath was released in a rush of relief, and Marie felt the tension in her neck and shoulders drain away.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 high pitched giggle echoed in the room, and Adam\u2019s dimpled grin was as endearing as it was mischievous.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie reached over and gently slapped the child\u2019s forearm in rebuke.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou naughty boy!\u00a0 Just for that, we won\u2019t make gingerbread.\u201d\u00a0 she said with a stern countenance, though the joy in her eyes belied the tone of her voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, however, did not catch the merriment there and looked a bit upset at this declaration. Marie, as fond of teasing as her older son, could not contain herself then, and the smile that had been evident in her eyes now made its presence apparent on her total visage, as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam immediately realized that his parent could \u201cgive as well as she got\u201d!\u00a0 His impish grin returned and he once again dug into his meal with enthusiasm.\u00a0\u00a0 Marie, her eyes shining with delight, said a silent \u2018thank you\u2019 to her guardian angel, and squeezed the rosary tightly before returning her attentions to her breakfast.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, however, although pleased that the outcome was not what he had feared, felt that a bit more of a sincere reprimand was in order.\u00a0 He did not appreciate being held emotional hostage to his son\u2019s whims in such a childish manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I were you, young man, I would be more considerate of others\u2019 feelings.\u201d he said, as the relief on his face disappeared and was replaced by another, more recognizable expression.\u00a0 As he made eye contact with the boy, Ben raised his right index finger in rebuke.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps you should bear in mind that a wooden spoon is very useful for something not nearly as pleasant as making gingerbread!\u00a0 Do you understand my meaning?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He conveyed the admonishment in a tone that unequivocally stated that he would not tolerate any more impudence from this child.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, fully aware of what his father was referring to, felt a familiar tingling (where his person met his chair).\u00a0 There was no doubt now that his position with his male parent was precarious, at best, and, he knew from past experience, that he had best behave himself or suffer the unspoken, but painfully obvious, consequences.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, Pa.\u00a0 I understand.\u201d\u00a0 he replied in a quiet voice, coupled with a penitent look.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, not wanting to bring any unintended attention his way, slowly and carefully speared a bite of sausage and put it gingerly to his lips.\u00a0 An uncomfortable silence filled the room as each family member concentrated on their repast.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie gave Ben a sidelong glance, and wisely kept her tongue.\u00a0 She would never countermand any disciplinary decision that her husband handed down, especially in front of the children, but she did feel that he had been overly harsh in his assessment of Adam\u2019s behavior. She personally had found his newly displayed sense of humor rather delightful, though, in this instance, a bit ill timed.\u00a0 Feeling somewhat guilty for her less than mature part in the exchange, the young mother now attempted to redirect the family\u2019s attentions to a more neutral, and hopefully enjoyable, subject.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you have planned for today, darling?\u201d\u00a0 She inquired, perhaps a bit too brightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJake, Charley and I are going to take the feed out to the last of the steers that we weren\u2019t able to get to yesterday.\u201d\u00a0 Ben answered in an agreeable tone.\u00a0 Although he had felt it necessary to correct his little boy, he too, did not want the day to be overshadowed by the incident.\u00a0 \u201cIf all goes as planned, I should be able to take the balance of the week off\u201d he said, with a smile directed at his spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n

The younger child, attuned as always to any subtle attitudinal shift, took a calculated risk and endeavored to lighten the mood, as well, by voicing a simple question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPapa?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hoss?\u201d\u00a0 his father replied, in a kindly tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t tomorra Chrismas Eve?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, anticipating what his son was angling for, decided to play along.\u00a0\u00a0 However, he first had to negate, yet again, his baby\u2019s usage of that slang term, which was, to his mind, the scourge of the English language.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t tomorrow Christmas Eve, Hoss.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately for Hoss, his reply to his father\u2019s restatement was accepted in the ingenuous way in which it was given.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 he answered in a straightforward manner.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I askt you.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, a twinkle in his eye, glanced at Marie, who, with an answering grin, looked to Adam, whose puckish countenance had been suddenly regained.\u00a0 All three of them burst out laughing, as Hoss looked about in confusion, his pudgy face a mixture of embarrassment and discomfort.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie was the first to regain her composure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe aren\u2019t laughing at you, sweetheart.\u201d She murmured, in a tender tone.\u00a0 \u201cPapa was just correcting you for saying \u2018ain\u2019t\u2019 rather than \u2018isn\u2019t\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said, now giggling along with the rest of the family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The earlier tension having completely dissipated, Ben answered his son\u2019s question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, little man, tomorrow is Christmas Eve.\u00a0 Is there something you had planned?\u201d\u00a0 He inquired in a seemingly naive way, although he naturally remembered his promise of the previous week.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yeah, Pa.\u00a0 We\u2019s gonna cut the Christmus tree that day, wasn\u2019t we?\u201d\u00a0 The tyke asked in a hopeful tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ignoring his son\u2019s grammatical errors, Ben reached out and cupped his hand round the back of the impatient child\u2019s neck.\u00a0 He replied in earnest, \u201cYou bet we are!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy wriggled happily in his seat, not only for having confirmed the agenda for the next day, but for inadvertently restoring harmony to the family circle at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was pleased to notice that Adam seemed caught up in his brother\u2019s excitement and had ceased to sulk about his reprimand.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Pa, where do you think we should go to look for a tree?\u201d\u00a0 he asked.\u00a0 Without missing a beat, and before Ben could answer, he added, \u201cThere’re some pretty ones in the stand of timber you bought last summer.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben indicated his agreement with his son\u2019s assessment by a nod of his head. “That’s exactly what I thought too, son.\u00a0 You have a real woodsman’s knack for finding the best ones”\u00a0 he said, with a smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Pa\u201d the elder child replied sincerely, grateful to be in his parent\u2019s good graces once again.\u00a0 This time, it was Marie who gave the meaningful wink to her spouse, as Ben resumed his meal with renewed vigor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the family finished their fare, Ben poured himself an additional spot of coffee, drank it rapidly and then addressed both his children, as he set his cup back upon its saucer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy sea chest is out in the storeroom.\u00a0 Would you boys like to come with me and we can search for those ornaments?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Without a moment\u2019s hesitation, both boys answered with a resounding \u201cYes sir!\u201d<\/span>
\nand pushed their chairs back from the table. They were eager to explore the contents of the \u201ctreasure\u201d chest to which their father so seldom allowed them access.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Ben\u201d\u00a0 Marie said, with a note of warning in her voice.\u00a0 The addressee looked curiously at his spouse, as she so seldom used his given name.<\/span>
\n\u201cMake sure you don\u2019t peek into any unfamiliar boxes or bags in the storeroom!\u201d\u00a0 she said, with a wicked glint in her eye.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben chuckled, now knowing what this conversation was leading up to.\u00a0 The boys were also well aware of Marie\u2019s intimation, and looked excitedly at each other.\u00a0 Catching their jubilation, Marie turned to the children.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, there aren\u2019t any out there for either one of you, but no snooping on your father\u2019s behalf!\u201d she said firmly, but with a grin on her face.\u00a0 The boys\u2019 excitement was not diminished at this however, as they were still thrilled to be allowed to examine their father\u2019s box of mementos, which he wisely kept under lock and key at all times.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben arose from the table, he looked down at his still seated wife.\u00a0 He bent to kiss the top of her head, and said in a voice that only she could hear.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, my dear.\u00a0 I\u2019m not as curious as some members of this family, who shall remain nameless, though her initials are M.T.C.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He gave her a wide grin then, and Marie, pretending to be astonished at this supposedly outrageous (but actually very true) statement, lightly smacked him on the forearm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNaughty boy!\u201d\u00a0 she whispered, and Ben laughed in reply.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, men!\u201d\u00a0 he said to his two assistants, as he strode towards the front door, with the two boys following like frisky puppies at his heels.\u00a0 \u201cPut on your coats and we\u2019ll see what treasures we can find!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The children quickly complied and the three of them headed outside as the storeroom, which was located at the far end of the house next to the kitchen, had its own separate entrance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie watched them go, then slowly moved herself away from the table and ambled into the kitchen.\u00a0 Hop Sing, busily cleaning the cast iron skillet, smiled his greeting to the lady of the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

The young woman had purposely not disclosed her tentative baking plans to the cook, as she was unsure of what her stepsons\u2019 receptivity would be to the idea.\u00a0 In addition, she did not want to deal any sooner than need be with the Chinaman\u2019s tirade (that she rightfully assumed would transpire) due to her contemplated trespass into his private domain!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing,\u201d she began in a friendly tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Missy?\u201d the cook responded, glancing in her direction, as he now oiled the clean frying pan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm\u2026I promised the children that we would do some baking today,\u2026some Christmas baking, you see\u2026and I was wondering if\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Marie\u2019s nervousness was apparent in her stammering recitation. Her courage quickly left her as she tried to determine how her message was being received by the cook.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Missy planning to bake?\u201d\u00a0 he asked, somewhat suspiciously, never giving an indication of his pending pronouncement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026, I wanted to make some pralines, and I\u2026I thought the children would enjoy making some gingerbread men that they could decorate and perhaps use on the tree.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMissy would have to make many gingerbread men to have some left for tree, after liddle boys eat their fill!\u201d\u00a0 he stated, knowing from experience that Hoss could eat a full batch by himself if given the opportunity!<\/span><\/p>\n

She smiled tentatively at this statement, then resumed her list of Christmas delights.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI also wanted to create a b\u00fbche de No\u00ebl.\u00a0 It\u2019s a rolled sponge cake with hazelnut cream filing and cocoa icing.\u201d She said by way of explanation, in answer to the man\u2019s puzzled expression, \u201cOh, and a plum pudding, as well.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She was grasping her hands inadvertently as she finished her catalog of tantalizing desserts, and tried to decipher the unreadable countenance of the head chef of the Ponderosa dining room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, in a characteristic flair for the dramatic that seemed to have been the requirement for today, set the frying pan down carefully on the back burner of the stove.\u00a0 He turned to face the anxious young woman, who was, again, seeking undisclosed solace from the rosary beads in her apron pocket.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing will let Missy and chilren in kitchen under two condition.\u201d\u00a0 he stated emphatically.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat conditions?\u201d\u00a0 Marie responded, with a sigh.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, Missy only make gingerbread and candy with liddle boys.\u00a0 Hops Sing make cake and pudding for dessert.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut,\u201d she began to protest.\u00a0 \u201cI wanted to make those special for everyone, especially the Yule log, because it\u2019s a Christmas tradition in my family.\u201d\u00a0 Her full lips were now in a pout, and her brow furrowed at, what she perceived to be, the cook\u2019s unreasonable dictates.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing know how to make pudding, and you tell how to make other, and Hop Sing follow direction.\u201d\u00a0 he insisted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without waiting for further remonstration, the diminutive man finished his declaration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMissy must also leave all dirty dishes and pots for Hop Sing to wash. And, Missy not do any lifting or climbing.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 In a reenactment of the Chinaman\u2019s introduction to the head of the family years before, Hop Sing shook his finger at the young woman to stress the importance of his words.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Hop Sing!\u201d\u00a0 Marie complained. \u201cI can\u2019t leave you with all the mess! Why won\u2019t you let me do as I planned?\u201d\u00a0 She ended her retort on a petulant note, as she crossed her arms about her chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause\u201d said the man with a dose of inherent Confucius\u2019 wisdom, \u201cHop Sing never forgive self if Missy get sick working too hard getting leady for Christmas. \u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie reddened self consciously at the obvious logic behind what he was saying.\u00a0 She respectfully dropped her arms to her sides in non verbal acceptance of his demands, and remained quiet as he finished his lecture.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing\u2019s voice dropped an octave as he whispered the reason behind his seemingly severe restrictions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMissy need to think of baby.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The mother-to-be looked into the almond shaped eyes of her confidante.\u00a0 Her demeanor had changed from one akin to an obstinate child, to one befitting an adult charged with the ultimate responsibility for a new life.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hop Sing\u201d\u00a0 she replied, with a note of shame in her voice.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad that someone in this room is thinking of the welfare of my child, as I should be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In an attempt to ease her conscience, Hop Sing countered her statement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMissy just being a good mother to her other two chilren.\u201d\u00a0 He smiled, as he saw the contented look that was now evident on Marie\u2019s face in replacement of the previous expression of disgrace.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two, equally pleased with the outcome of their conversation, turned their attentions to assembling the necessary ingredients for the confections.<\/span>
\n\u00a0* * * * * * * * *<\/span><\/p>\n

Out in the storeroom, Ben retrieved the chest from its accustomed berth on the earthen floor in the back of the storage area, as Adam and Hoss looked on in barely contained excitement.\u00a0 Dragging the item by its intricate ropework handles (or beckets in sailor\u2019s jargon) to the center of the room where the feeble light from the window was at its brightest, Ben grinned as he watched the boys jumping about, from a combination of anticipation and an attempt to keep warm in the unheated space.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon entering the place, Ben had (much to his chagrin!) made a sweeping glance of the shelves, looking for the mysterious gift that his wife had alluded to.\u00a0 His eyes had settled on a rather large, paperboard box that now occupied a space where some canned goods had previously been stored.\u00a0 The box was unadorned and would have gone unnoticed if Marie had not all but confirmed its existence.\u00a0 The boys, with total attention affixed on the object of their own desires, had not captured the moment\u2019s hesitation on their parent\u2019s part, as the man paused to wonder what might be contained therein.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Ben, you\u2019re worse than your children!\u2019\u00a0 he gently admonished himself.\u00a0 He smiled broadly at his next thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018But you\u2019re much better at controlling your curiosity then your wife!\u2019\u00a0 His internal discourse was then interrupted by two less than patient voices.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, Pa!\u201d\u00a0 Adam begged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa, we wanna see what\u2019s in your sea chest!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss pleaded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, boys.\u00a0 Let me get the key\u201d\u00a0 their father replied, as he reached into his vest pocket for the key he had retrieved earlier that morning from its hiding place, in expectation of his wife\u2019s request.\u00a0 Kneeling down and grasping the padlock in his work roughened hand, he slipped the key into the mechanism and turned it to the right.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As anticipated, the lock sprung open and Ben removed it from the latch.\u00a0 The boys, crowding in on either side of him, were atremble with expectancy, as it had been years since anyone, other than their father, had been witness to its contents.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben slowed pushed back the hinged lid, and felt an immediate rush of emotion, as he spied the layers of his life that lay inside the wood and iron banded trunk.\u00a0 He knew, without looking, all that was at rest there, and yet was almost as anxious as his sons to relive the memories that each item would prompt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upper most was the journal that he had kept on the journey West.\u00a0 It had been years since he had read it, but as he lifted it from its berth, the smooth, burnished leather cover felt as comforting as an old friend.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss was the first to speak.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that, Pa?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beating his father to the punch, Adam piped up animatedly, \u201cThat\u2019s Pa\u2019s journal.\u00a0 He wrote in it every night from the time we left Boston.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that right, Pa?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam obviously did not remember those early years when Ben had languished over his entries, sifting through his ever changing emotions of hopelessness, depression and loneliness.\u00a0 The pages he had shared with his older son were those that told of his wonder at the beauty of the untouched wilderness, his pride at the skills that he, himself, was acquiring as they progressed on their journey, and most of all, his joy at watching his child grow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, son.\u00a0 From the time we left Boston, \u2018til we arrived at the Ponderosa\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, a bit dreamily.\u00a0 \u201cIt tells all about when you were little, and when Hoss was born, as well as the details of our travels.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWill ya read it to me, Pa?\u201d\u00a0 The youngest asked in a beseeching manner.\u00a0 Hoss had been an audience to the mysteries of the sea chest once before, but had been too young to remember anything from that previous occasion.\u00a0 The fact that this book was a link to a past that Hoss could not remember made it that much more appealing to the child.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot right now, little man.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got to find the decorations for your ma.\u201d\u00a0 Ben explained to his child.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 face fell at this statement, but Ben insisted, \u201cPlus, it\u2019s too cold to stay out here for very long.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOK, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said in a resigned tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI promise that we\u2019ll find a time soon, and you,\u201d Ben touched the tip of his baby\u2019s nose as he said \u2018you\u2019, \u201cand I can read all about our trip.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy smiled his acceptance of his father\u2019s dictates.\u00a0 Adam, whose recent recollections of that time had been anything but pleasant, said nothing as he witnessed the exchange between his sibling and parent.\u00a0 He noticed though, that his heretofore heightened anxiety regarding any mention of their travels, and therefore his tie to Inger, was not provoked at this conversation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben set the book gently on a low shelf and turned back to the trunk and its contents.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that, Pa?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked, pointing with surprise as he spied a bit of light blue bunting in a far corner of the case, which was, in actuality, a crocheted sweater and matching booties.\u00a0 He continued, with a rather appalled inflection. \u201cLooks like something a baby would use.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His obvious dismay at finding so delicate an item in a sailor\u2019s luggage was clear.\u00a0 This was compounded by confusion as his father had evidently rearranged and added some of the items since the last time he had been permitted to view the contents of the chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa\u201d Hoss added, as he squinted in the less than optimal light in the room.\u00a0 \u201cAnd that there looks like a blanket for a baby, too.\u201d\u00a0 In an imitation of his brother\u2019s less than polite gesture, the little boy jabbed a pudgy finger towards a second tissue encased packet near the first one.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben grinned at each of his former babies, as he carefully lifted first, the outfit, and then the blanket, from the delicate paper wrappings that held them both.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs I recall,\u201d he said in a matter of fact tone, \u201cboth of you started out as babies.\u201d\u00a0 His eyebrows lifted at this remark, accenting the teasing glint in his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both boys blushed the same shade of pink, as they suddenly realized who these lovingly crafted articles had been made for.\u00a0 Ben grinned broadly, as he held the miniature objects for their, now much larger, owners to see.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, your mother started making this sweater and these booties for you the day she told me that you were on the way.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked into Liz\u2019s eyes, now replicated in her son\u2019s handsome face, and smiled wistfully at the way they sparkled just as hers had that morning at the breakfast table of the residence they shared with Captain Stoddard.\u00a0 Hardly waiting for her young husband to finish his eggs and coffee, Liz had slipped flirtatiously onto his lap, kissed him unabashedly, and told him that Captain Stoddard would soon not be the only one who would be called \u201cFather\u201d in that house.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His confusion at the comment, and subsequent elation as her extraordinary disclosure became clear, were now relayed to the person who had caused all the commotion in the first place.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s face crinkled into a happy smile as he gently fingered the soft yarn and marveled at the size of the garments his father held along the palm of his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to the other person whose arrival was the most joyous event of the long and arduous journey West, Ben, gently setting the layette aside, unfolded the sunny yellow square of softness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, your mama worked on this blanket every night as we came west, while she was waiting for you to be born.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inger looked at him then, although her essence was now contained in a chubby little body, capped by fine strands of ever darkening straw blond hair.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018There\u2019s no mistaking those eyes.\u00a0 They are hers.\u2019\u00a0 Ben thought as he took in his little son\u2019s pleased expression at the mention of his mother and her special preparations for her yet to be born, but obviously beloved, child.\u00a0 Said child\u2019s countenance turned cloudy though, as he considered the color of the knitted coverlet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2019d she make it yeller, Pa?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked, plaintively.\u00a0 \u201cYeller\u2019s a girl\u2019s color!\u201d\u00a0 he said with as much disdain as his brother had expressed earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, son.\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, with a bemused look.\u00a0 \u201cWe didn\u2019t know if you\u2019d be a boy or a girl until you were born, so Mama thought yellow would work no matter what.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss replied slowly, not believing that there was ever a time when his parents didn\u2019t know he was a boy!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded his head, as he remembered Inger in the family way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Hoss.\u00a0 Mama didn\u2019t even know if she would have only one baby or two!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben took a sideways glance at his oldest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoes that boy ever forget anything?!\u2019 he marveled to himself, as his son\u2019s \u201csteel trap\u201d mind brought forth another tidbit of family history.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss looked over at his brother with a confused expression, as he had never, in his brief span of existence, been around a woman in that state and therefore, did not understand the meaning of his brother\u2019s comment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhacha mean, Adam?\u201d\u00a0 he naively asked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was about to launch into a discussion of the immense proportions that Inger had taken on while carrying little Eric. His father, however, sensing that this was, most definitely, neither the time nor the place for such a disclosure, broke into the conversation before his eldest could reply.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy goodness, it\u2019s getting chilly out here!\u201d\u00a0 The man exclaimed, hoping to divert attention from the topic under examination.\u00a0 \u201cWe had better find those ornaments for your mother before our fingers freeze!\u201d\u00a0 Gently rewrapping the precious items in the fragile tissue paper, Ben laid them on top of the journal and turned back to the wooden container.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately for Ben, the children once again became engrossed in the contents of his seaman\u2019s chest and promptly forgot about the subject of their departed mother\u2019s delicate condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Digging down through the miscellaneous papers, old clothes and mementos of his seafaring days, Ben continued to rummage around for the illusive paper parcel that held the objects of his search.\u00a0 Becoming somewhat frustrated at the ineffectuality of his undertaking, he carefully removed some of the souvenirs that were impeding his progress.\u00a0 Naturally, the boys immediately fell upon these keepsakes enthusiastically.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Hoss!\u201d\u00a0 Adam cried, as he nabbed the worsted wool cap that their father had worn as a young cabin boy, and pulled it onto his head.\u00a0 \u201cI bet I look just like Pa did when he set sail with Grandpa Stoddard!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben glanced over at the boy, who, save for the curly hair and lighter eyes, did suggest a many years younger, and carefree, version of himself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Was I ever that young?\u2019\u00a0 Ben mused.\u00a0 \u2018And when did he get to be as old as he is? He\u2019s almost the same age as I was when I ran away to sea!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s attention was diverted to his other child, as Hoss found something equally as fascinating as his brother\u2019s discovery.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLookee what I gots!\u201d\u00a0 The other youngster said happily, as he brought his father\u2019s telescope to his eye and swung his head from side to side to view his surroundings in a completely new way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s memory was jogged yet again, as Hoss played with the spyglass just as Ben had, when his own father had allowed him his first look at the world through the selfsame magical lens.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCareful with that, Hoss.\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, in a cautious tone.\u00a0 \u201cThat eyepiece has been around the Horn and back more times than you can count, and Papa doesn\u2019t want it broken.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Heeding his parent\u2019s words, the little boy slowed his motion and concentrated his attentions on the landscape visible through the single window in the room, \u201coo\u201ding and \u201cah\u201ding at the way the magnified images seemed close enough to touch. Satisfied that his possession was in no immediate danger, Ben turned back towards the chest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, meanwhile, had claimed another treasure from the pile.\u00a0 The boy was sitting back on his knees, with the cap still in place, dangling a bright, gold colored object on a chain from his fingers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019d you get this, Pa?\u201d\u00a0 he asked, as he examined the foreign inscription on the amulet and peered at the ornate rendering of a man thereon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had just found the parcel containing the ornaments, but glanced back at his eldest to see to what item he was referring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Catching sight of that precious article, Ben\u2019s eyes glazed over, while he recalled the source of the good luck charm, and that fateful night he had received it as a token of gratitude from a fellow sailor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking the medal gently from his son\u2019s grasp, the man smiled reflectively and held it up to catch the pale sunlight filtering into the room.\u00a0 Hoss, intrigued by his father\u2019s pensive mood, brought the telescope down to his side and gave his brother a puzzled look.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam could sense, just from Ben\u2019s comportment, that there must be a great deal of history tied to this one small piece of jewelry.\u00a0 Knowing his parent well, he motioned to his younger brother with a slight shake of his head, which meant that if they both kept quiet, perhaps Ben would favor them with the story.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They did not have long to wait, as Ben, sitting down carefully on the packed dirt floor and leaning his back up against the chest, motioned for the boys to do likewise.\u00a0 The two children sat Indian style, one at each side of their father\u2019s long legs, and gave him their undivided attention.\u00a0 Although the sound of the wind that found its way about the sturdily built house was not obtrusive, its lively presence only heightened the excitement that Adam and Hoss felt, as Ben began to relay the significance of the sacrosanct medal he held in his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt had been a peaceful crossing, as we headed home from the Spice Islands.\u201d\u00a0 Ben began, his memory of that day as clear as if it had happened yesterday, rather than half a lifetime ago.\u00a0 \u201cThe Wanderer had a bellyful of cardamom, black pepper, cloves and cinnamon, and we were bound for Boston Harbor.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs was sometimes the case, the relative ease of the return voyage lulled several of the men into a less than attentive frame of mind.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe ship\u2019s master,\u201d Ben said, as he spied the hint of a smile that appeared on Adam\u2019s face, as he alluded to the vessel\u2019s captain. \u201cCaptain Abel Morgan Stoddard was his name, I believe.\u201d\u00a0 Captain Stoddard\u2019s eleven year old grandson sat up proudly at the mention of his cherished grandfather\u2019s name.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, three years prior, Captain Stoddard had employed a rather unproven,\u201d Ben\u2019s eyes crinkled merrily in anticipation of his disclosure, \u201cthough very intelligent, cabin boy by the name of Benjamin Cartwright.\u00a0 Young Cartwright had since worked his way up to seaman\u2019s apprentice by this time, though he was only 16 years old.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 jaw fell open at this comment, as he could not imagine his tall, distinguished, father as a mere boy.\u00a0 Though, of course, to the five year old, sixteen was still practically as old as his father was now.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was an older sailor on board, who had taken me under his wing, and taught me a great deal about the sea.\u00a0 I guess I was drawn to him, not only due to his being old enough to be my father, but also because his name was Giuseppe, the Italian word for Joseph.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded his understanding at Ben\u2019s comparison, but the look on his younger brother\u2019s face was one of complete confusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, who\u2019s Joseph?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked, as he tried to grasp the meaning of his father\u2019s statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was now the one with the confused visage, as he stared at his baby, not quite believing what he had just heard.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, Hoss!\u201d\u00a0 he said, with a tone of incredulity to his voice.\u00a0 \u201cJoseph was your grandfather\u2019s name.\u00a0 He was my father.\u00a0 Haven\u2019t I told you that before?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir.\u201d\u00a0 the little boy respectfully, and honestly, replied.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned then to Adam who, before his father could form the question, offered the source of his knowledge of the Cartwright family tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI knew that, \u2018cause you told Mama that you wanted to name your next son, Joseph, after your father since Hoss was named Eric after Mama\u2019s father.\u201d\u00a0 The child had once again drawn on a conversation from the day Hoss was born, that Ben had totally forgotten about until just that minute.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Maybe Marie is right!\u2019\u00a0 Ben thought to himself.\u00a0 \u2018I should share more stories of my family, as my own child doesn\u2019t even know what his grandfather\u2019s name was!\u2019\u00a0 He could imagine the look of disbelief that would be present on Joseph Cartwright\u2019s face at this revelation, and felt himself redden with embarrassment at the thought. Vowing to provide more information to his children about their lineage, Ben resumed his story.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnyway, on this particular day, Giuseppe was in the process of retying the mainsail, as several of the knots had come lose from their grommets, due to another sailor\u2019s poor attempt at securing the \u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss interrupted.\u00a0 \u201cAdam done tole me all \u2018bout how them knots gots to be tied just so!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gave his brother a look that could kill, and said, through clenched teeth, \u201cHush up, Hoss!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben could tell from the exchange (and past experience) that Adam had evidently confided something of a secretive nature, in his sibling, and now mightily regretted his decision!\u00a0 The look on Hoss\u2019 face and the hurried covering of his mouth with his hand also gave credence to their pa\u2019s conclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, that will be enough.\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, in a tight voice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy looked at him, still angry with Hoss and now with himself, for letting \u2018little BIG mouth\u2019 in on his Christmas surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry.\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s lower lip began its familiar downward movement, which was always evident anytime he was corrected or scolded by his father.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben then turned to Hoss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEric, what have you been told about interrupting when your elders are speaking?\u201d\u00a0 Ben admonished.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss did not need to hear anything other than his given name to know he was also in trouble with his parent.\u00a0 He quickly removed his hand from his mouth and apologized, as he had been warned before about his tendency to disrupt adult conversations.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019s sorry, Papa.\u00a0 I won\u2019t do it no more\u201d the little boy promised, his forehead puckered with worry at the rebuke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right then.\u201d said Ben, giving both of them a very telling look before continuing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs I was saying, Giuseppe was retying the knots, when, suddenly, a squall came barreling up from the South, catching us all unawares!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both boys\u2019 heads came up, their reprimands forgotten, as they were once again captivated by their father\u2019s sailing yarn.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was up on the rigging, on my way to the crow\u2019s nest, and the next thing I knew, I was hanging on for dear life!\u00a0 As I watched from my vantage point, I saw Giuseppe lose hold of the mainsail and then\u2026\u201d Ben paused here for dramatic effect,\u00a0 \u201c\u2026he was swept overboard!\u201d\u00a0 The young man\u2019s voice became more animated as he was caught up in the recounting of the story for his raptly attentive audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was the only one who had seen him go over the side, as no one else had the view that I did.\u00a0 I yelled as loud as I could, but the wind was louder still.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Just then, in a case of eerie coincidence, the wind outside the house increased its speed, rattling the windowpane in a foreboding manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss looked from the window to each other in amazement. They both knew, from firsthand experience, that the volume and timbre of their father\u2019s voice could override the thunderous hoof beats of a herd of wild horses, a gang of disorderly cowboys, and even the rough and tumble horseplay of two mischievous lads (whose uproar could be almost as deafening, given the opportunity!).<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben took a deep breath, as the reminder of the next event sent an involuntary shiver up his spine as he, in hindsight, considered the foolhardiness of his actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did the only thing I could think of, as I saw that Giuseppe was drifting further away from the ship and struggling to stay above water.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that, Pa?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked fearfully, his hazel eyes now dark with anxiety as he imagined his father in such a dangerous situation.\u00a0 He knew that Ben, at least, had survived the ordeal, but the thought of him dangling high above the deck in such a precarious way made his heart leap to his throat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss was too spellbound to speak, though his visage was an exact replica of his brother\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, son, I pushed myself away from the rigging and dove backwards into the sea.\u201d\u00a0 Ben demonstrated his technique as he put his arms above his head in the semblance of a dive, but with his head and body arched backwards.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI surfaced near Giuseppe and was able to hold his head above the water by positioning him in the crook of my arm, but I couldn\u2019t swim back to The Wanderer, as the waves were too high.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had now moved his body forward and was sitting on his knees, with his feet crossed under him.\u00a0 His usual reserved and detached demeanor had been supplanted due to his active involvement in his father\u2019s narrative. The boy was unconsciously chewing on his right thumbnail, and his eyes were like saucers, which caused him to appear all the more childlike.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss was bouncing up and down with his elbows on his knees and his chubby chin planted firmly in the palms of his hands, his eyes never leaving his pa\u2019s face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, biting back a grin at his boys\u2019 total absorption in his tale, continued. \u201cFortunately, there was another crewmember in the crow\u2019s nest that had seen me enter the water.\u00a0 He clambered down the rigging towards the deck, while he yelled \u2018Man Overboard!\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, in an exact imitation of that sailor\u2019s call, had cupped his hand near his mouth and shouted the phrase.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the kitchen, on the other side of the far wall, Hop Sing and Marie looked up at each other in surprise, as they heard the odd exclamation in a familiar voice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen must be reliving his sailing days for the boys.\u201d\u00a0 Marie said.\u00a0 \u201cNo wonder they\u2019ve been out there so long!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMista Cartlight enjoy story as much as chilren.\u201d\u00a0 Hop Sing added, as he had been witness to many a night when the boys would plead with their parent for a bedtime story, which would inevitably take place on board ship.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both turned back to their preparations with a smile, imagining the three Cartwright males enjoying the retelling of yet another tale set on the open sea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Back in the storeroom, the young seaman turned older and wiser rancher, carried on with his account.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe men threw us a line, which I was able to loop around the both of us.\u00a0 They hauled us towards the ship, where they had a rope ladder unfurled over the side.\u00a0 Fortunately, by this time, the storm had subsided somewhat and they were able to bring us aboard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, with his usual compassion for all injured creatures, asked, \u201cWas Guis\u2026, Guis\u2026, Joe, and you, ok, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Smiling at his baby\u2019s attempt at Italian, he ruffled the downy hair on Hoss\u2019 head and replied, \u201cYes, Hoss, thank the good Lord, we were both a bit waterlogged, but fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam felt his heart resettle itself in his chest and his little brother breathed a sign of relief, his checks puffing out as he did so.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, Pa, is the medal for saving him?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked, still unclear as to the significance of the medallion in his father\u2019s hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Giuseppe was of the Catholic faith, like Marie.\u00a0 The medal is a rendering of Saint Francis of Paolo, the patron saint of sailors.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s a pattern saint, Pa?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked, somewhat timidly, making sure to wait until his father finished his sentence before posing his question.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded to his little boy, to indicate his appreciation of the polite way he asked.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s pronounced \u2018pay tron\u2019 and it is a religious person who is thought to be a special guardian of a group of people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The youngster, still not quite comprehending the explanation, rephrased the response in a more succinct manner.\u00a0 \u201cYa mean kinda like an angel, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Ben both grinned at this simple comparison, and Ben confirmed Hoss\u2019 definition.\u00a0 \u201cYes son, very much like an angel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2019d he give it to you, Pa?\u00a0 You\u2019re not Catholic, you\u2019re Presbyterian.\u201d\u00a0 His older child stated in his matter of fact way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben paused as he remembered the look of gratitude on the older man\u2019s face, after they had been pulled from the water.\u00a0 They had been sitting in the galley, sipping hot tea, with coarse woolen blankets about their shoulders, as the others went to retrieve dry clothes from their sea chests.\u00a0 Without a word, the man had slipped the sacred symbol from his own neck and placed it about that of his own \u2018patron saint\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe gave it to me, as a token of his thanks for my actions that day.\u00a0 He told me that it had already saved his life, and now it should protect mine.\u00a0 I explained that I wasn\u2019t of his faith, but he said it didn\u2019t matter, and I would always be in his prayers, as well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In a touching reenactment of that moment, Ben placed the chain and amulet about the neck of the dark haired child who had evoked those memories to begin with.\u00a0 Adam felt a chill travel down his spine as he intuitively made the connection between the two events.\u00a0 Grasping the medal in his right hand, he smiled up at his father and slipped the pendant underneath his shirt, sensing the coolness of the metal next to his skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, feeling the cold much more acutely now as he remembered the chill from his unplanned plunge into the sea many years before, made his way to his feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon boys \u2013 it\u2019s really getting cold.\u00a0 Time to go inside\u201d he instructed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Pa, we ain\u2019t\u201d Hoss began, in an inveigled tone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked at the child with one raised eyebrow that indicated, once again, his displeasure at his son\u2019s choice of words.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss swallowed nervously, as he struggled to think of the correct word.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u00a0 m\u2026m\u2026mean, we haven\u2019t found the decorations for Mama, yet\u201d\u00a0 he finished with a sigh.<\/span><\/p>\n

His father smiled down at the beguiling little face, received a gap toothed grin in return, and replied, \u201cI have them right here, son.\u201d\u00a0 Ben held up the parcel for Hoss to see.\u00a0 \u201cNow, boys, please gather up those things off the floor, so I can put everything back in the sea chest.\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, as he indicated the items with a nod of his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the children were disappointed that they had not been able to see the total contents of the chest, they immediately obeyed their father and handed him the objects as he had bade them.\u00a0 As Adam was removing the cap from his head, there came a knock on the storeroom door.<\/span>
\n\u201cMr. Cartwright?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was Charley, one of the ranch hands.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve loaded the hay on the sledge, Boss.\u201d\u00a0 He called through the closed door. \u201cDo you want me and Jake to head out?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, having lost track of the time, answered his employee in a hurried tone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Charley.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be right there.\u00a0 You boys meet me by the barn.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOK, Boss.\u201d Charley turned from the door and headed back across the yard to wait as he had been instructed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, hastening to finish the task at hand, placed the journal and the baby things back into the trunk, and quickly closed the lid, which screeched in rusty protest.\u00a0 Snapping the padlock shut and pushing the heavy container back under the low shelf, Ben indicated that the boys should proceed to the kitchen entrance off the porch.\u00a0 Giving the unopened parcel on the opposite shelf one last glance, Ben grasped the package of ornaments and followed his sons outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018What, in the world, could that be?\u2019\u00a0 he sighed, with a note of resignation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now he knew that his wife had regained the upper hand in their \u201ccat and mouse\u201d game regarding their respective Christmas gifts.\u00a0 He had been dropping hints for the last several days about the location of her present, but Marie had been very closed mouthed about his surprise.\u00a0 Thanks to his spouse\u2019s shrewd disclosure, he would now be unable to banish the niggling image of the unwrapped gift from his mind.\u00a0 Marie also knew that, due to her husband\u2019s high moral standards, he would not allow himself to satisfy his curiosity and would, therefore, suffer the intended consequences for his teasing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled sheepishly to himself, as he considered what a delightful sense of humor his wife had, even though the joke was on him!\u00a0 The tall man exited the room and closed the door with a gentle motion, shaking his head in acquiescence to his comeuppance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss had already entered the kitchen, greeting their stepmother and the cook as they did so.\u00a0 The older child grinned happily as he noted the kitchen table had been set with the necessary ingredients for his previously requested cookies, and Marie gave him a loving smile of her own in response.\u00a0 Her husband had arrived in the kitchen by then, and was a witness to the exchange between his eldest and his spouse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Looks like the gingerbread will not be the only thing that will be created today.\u2019\u00a0 Ben noted hopefully.\u00a0 \u2018Lord willing, the beginnings of a friendship will be forged as well.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie came towards him, and took the proffered package from his outstretched hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe ornaments are inside, but I didn\u2019t look to see what condition they were in.\u201d\u00a0 Ben said.\u00a0 \u201cI hope some of them are still usable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs do I, Mon Ch\u00e9ri.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I need to get going if we\u2019re to finish everything before dark.\u201d\u00a0 Ben stated, and then looked to Hop Sing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid Charley and Jake already pick up our provisions?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mista Cartlight.\u00a0 Hop Sing get everything together for you and men.\u201d\u00a0 As the three men would not be able to return for dinner at the house, Hop Sing had packed beans and bacon, as well as biscuits and beef jerky.\u00a0 The coffee pot was included as well, for they would find some respite from the cold in the many caves along their path, and would also have kindling with them to make a fire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hop Sing.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to his wife once again, Ben took her into his arms and gave her a slightly less demonstrative buss than he had received earlier in the day.\u00a0 Marie smiled coyly at this, as she knew if they had been alone, this parting gesture would have been even more passionate than before.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful, darling.\u201d\u00a0 the young wife intoned, as Ben moved towards the dining room entrance, to pick up his hat, muffler, and gloves before he headed outdoors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will.\u00a0 See you tonight, boys.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Their father waved his farewell, as he often did when leaving for the day\u2019s work and made to leave the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a totally unexpected response, Hoss ran after his pa, exclaiming, \u201cWait, Papa!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben turned around, and glanced down at the little boy at his feet.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 upturned face had an unsettled and pleading look to it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, son?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked, not unkindly.\u00a0 \u201cPapa\u2019s got a lot of work to do and I need to get going.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss tugged on his father\u2019s coat sleeve in response and Ben knelt down to his level.\u00a0 As he did so, Adam, with a similar visage, moved closer too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The younger of the two flung his arms about his parent\u2019s neck, engulfing him in a snug embrace that caught Ben totally unawares.\u00a0 The man\u2019s arms came up automatically about his child\u2019s back and gave him an equally emotive hug.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam waited until his father had placed a kiss on his little brother\u2019s cheek, and gently released his arms from about his neck.\u00a0 Ben slowly straightened up, noting the tentative and anxious look on the older boy\u2019s face.\u00a0 Opening his arms to his other little boy, Adam came forward immediately and circled his father\u2019s waist with his arms.\u00a0 Grasping the child to him, Ben, with a look of perplexity in his eyes, met Marie\u2019s equally confused countenance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 Adam said quietly as he moved from his father\u2019s embrace. The simple remark, however, provided enough of a clue for Ben to deduce the cause of his sons\u2019 reticence at his departure. The story Ben had related regarding the rescue at sea had affected the children deeply.\u00a0 The thought of losing their pa, even though the episode took place long before they were born, brought up the need in both of them to connect with their father in a more demonstrative way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoys,\u201d Ben said, as he cupped his hands around each child\u2019s face and looked into their eyes. \u201cThat incident happened a long time ago.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t tell it to you to frighten you. I just thought you would enjoy the story.\u201d\u00a0 Smiling down at his children, he said gently, \u201cNow you two have fun with your mother and I\u2019ll see you this evening.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With a whimsical raise of his eyebrows and a sly wink, he whispered, \u201cAnd save me a cookie, all right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe will, Papa!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss happily intoned, and turned back towards his mother\u2019s open arms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBye, Pa.\u00a0 See you tonight!\u201d\u00a0 Adam chimed in, as he, too, went to join the others.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a parting smile, Ben headed towards the front door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 8<\/span>
\nMarie dropped slowly onto the cushion of the red leather chair, her face flushed from the heat in the kitchen as well as the energy she\u2019d expended in the hours since her husband had left for work.\u00a0 Her head lolled against its high back as she felt her muscles finally start to relax.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m so glad I listened to Hop Sing, and then decided to only make the gingerbread and not the pralines, as well!\u2019\u00a0 she thought to herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Ben and the boys were in the storeroom, Marie had decided to make the pralines herself, without assistance from the children, as she feared the stovetop cooking temperature was too dangerously high for little hands and mouths.\u00a0 Hop Sing had relayed his previous experience with Hoss as an apprentice baker, and the tale, though highly entertaining, had served to support Marie\u2019s decision to pare down the menu.<\/span><\/p>\n

As she stretched her arms forward and then over her head, the young woman had to smile in spite of her weariness.\u00a0 The culinary exercise, which did not result in nearly as many edible tidbits as she had originally intended, yielded something infinitely more precious and memorable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I could never have finished everything without Adam\u2019s help\u2019 she mused, with a smile at the thought of her oldest taking charge of the occasion.\u00a0 The child had been incredibly patient with his little brother and because of this; Marie had allowed Hoss to fully participate in all aspects of the experience, from cracking the eggs to mixing the dough.\u00a0 What was even more endearing was the method by which Adam related his memories of Inger to the youngster, as they worked together in the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour mama always had me crack the eggs over a separate bowl, so there wouldn\u2019t be any eggshells in the cookies.\u201d\u00a0 The boy had explained, as Hoss stuck his pudgy thumbs and fingers into both sides of the egg at one time, causing bits of shell, as well as yolk and egg white, to plop messily into the heavy earthenware bowl.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know how to get the pieces of shell out?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked, totally unperturbed by his apprentice\u2019s less than stellar results.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I guess ya use your fingers\u201d the towheaded child replied.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d said his older and wiser sibling.\u00a0 \u201cYou use the largest piece of shell to pick up all the little ones with.\u00a0 I\u2019ll show ya.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, Adam deftly chased all the bits of hard outer covering from the orange tinged interior, leaving a perfectly usable egg for the cookies.\u00a0 Hoss watched, fascinated by the ease with which his sibling completed the task. Adam then demonstrated his own egg cracking abilities, lightly tapping the shell on the side of the bowl, and separating the two halves, leaving the yolk intact.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGolly, that\u2019s great, Adam!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said admiringly.\u00a0 \u201cI want ta practice \u2018til I gets as good as you.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie interjected, \u201cYou can practice with me, sweetheart, when we make breakfast on Sunday morning.\u00a0 But no practicing while you\u2019re collecting the eggs from the hens!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss giggled at her comment and turned back to the task at hand, as his brother now dipped the measuring cup into the flour canister.\u00a0 Adam, a study in concentration, filled the cup to overflowing.\u00a0 With his tongue peeking out from the corner of his mouth, the child carefully leveled off the top of the cup with the back of a table knife.\u00a0 The majority of the excess fell back into the canister, however, a powdery trail of flour remained on the wooden table, as he measured each of five cups into a spatterware bowl.\u00a0 Marie ignored the mess, thoroughly enjoying the interaction between the two bakers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, when you measure, you have to be real careful to get it right, otherwise the cookies won\u2019t come out the way they should\u201d the dark haired little boy explained in a serious tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, it\u2019s okay iffin you puts in more sugar, \u2018cause cookies is supposed ta be sweet, right?\u201d Hoss queried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, if you do that, then they get brittle and taste kinda burned\u201d Adam replied, obviously speaking from experience gained by doing the exact same thing while helping Inger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie interjected, \u201cAnd, Hoss, Hop Sing and I have a lot more baking to do, so we don\u2019t want to waste anything or there won\u2019t be enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s\u00a0 eyes lit up at the thought of even more sugary baked goods to sample, so watching intently as Marie then measured the sugar, he cautioned her, \u201cBe careful, Mama!\u00a0 We don\u2019t want \u2018em too sweet!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She laughed at this sudden shift in her young son\u2019s opinion, and added the sugar to the butter that was already measured out in a different bowl on the table.\u00a0 Grasping the wooden spoon that she had used for the butter, she began to cream the two ingredients together. Marie then turned to Adam, and indicated the molasses and pearl ash with a nod of her head. She said, without thinking, \u201cMon ami, could you please measure the leavening into the molasses for me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gave her a puzzled look, and Hoss\u2019 countenance was equally perplexed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWere you talking to me, Marie?\u201d\u00a0 The older boy asked, in an uncertain, though polite way.<\/span><\/p>\n

The young mother, blushing as she now realized what she had said, quietly replied, \u201cYes, I was.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does \u2018mon ami\u2019 mean?\u201d\u00a0 He queried, liking the way the phrase sounded as he said it aloud. Marie stopped what she was doing, and noticed the expectant, and almost pleading, way Adam\u2019s hazel eyes met her own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Smiling at the child, she said, simply, \u201cIt means \u2018my friend\u2019 in French.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes brightened, as his face took on a glow of happiness and he smiled in return.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI like that.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The two were caught up in the significance of the moment, which was totally lost on the other witness to the exchange.\u00a0 Looking from his mother to his brother and back again, the little boy exclaimed urgently, \u201cWhatcha waitin\u2019 for?\u00a0 We gots cookies to bake!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This brought both of them back to the present, and Adam, rolling his eyes at his sibling, moved to the far end of the table to add the leavening to the treacle. Marie, delighted at the way Adam accepted the endearment, completed her part of the assembly line by beating the eggs with the vinegar, and placing all the liquid ingredients together into the sugar and shortening mixture.\u00a0 After she assured that they were following the recipe correctly, Adam, with some overzealous help from his little brother, supervised the sifting of the cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger into the flour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The older child continued imparting his wisdom as to culinary \u201cdo\u2019s and don\u2019ts\u201d to his impatient assistant, as said assistant, kneeling on a chair in order to gain the necessary height to accomplish the task at hand, sent light clouds of flour into the air as he mixed in the spices.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you always mix the dry stuff, like the flour and the spices, together before you put it into the wet stuff, like the eggs and the milk\u201d Adam stated, with a note of authority in his voice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d The younger child asked, not so much because he wanted to know, but because he wanted to try to catch his older brother without a pat reply for everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam paused for a moment, searching his brain for the reason behind the rule. Remembering the explanation he had received when he had questioned Inger on the same subject, he uttered what, to the child\u2019s way of thinking then, made perfectly good sense.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Cause Mama said so, that\u2019s why.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u201d said Hoss simply, accepting the answer with the same aplomb with which it was given.\u00a0 Marie brought her hand to her mouth to hide her amusement at the line she had used numerous times with her youngest, when further explanations were unnecessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018It seems Inger and I have a lot more in common than I realized!\u2019\u00a0 Marie thought, as she imagined a five-year-old Adam\u2019s unceasing questions, and a practical Inger using the one pat answer that would satisfy her little one\u2019s curiosity and maintain her sanity at the same time!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, boys\u201d Marie said, as she finished bringing all the ingredients together.\u00a0 \u201cNow we\u2019ll need to let the dough chill for a bit, so it won\u2019t stick to the rolling pin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow we gots ta wait some more?\u201d Hoss whined, anxious to taste the fruit of his long and complex labors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, baby, otherwise the cookies won\u2019t come out right.\u201d\u00a0 Marie gently explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a dramatic sigh, the little boy shrugged his shoulders and turned towards his brother.\u00a0 Adam looked expectantly to his stepmother, who had anticipated this response on the part of her youngest, and had devised a plan for keeping both her children occupied until the cookie making could resume.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMon ami\u201d she directed, intentionally using the pet name this time, just to see the dimple in Adam\u2019s cheek as he soaked up the affection in her tone. \u201cPlease take the bowl out to the storage room so it will cool more quickly.\u201d\u00a0 She placed a linen towel over the top of the container and handed it to the child, who headed out the door to do as his mother instructed.\u00a0 Upon his return, he found Marie and Hoss at the dining room table.\u00a0 Marie had spread an old tablecloth on the highly polished wood surface to protect it from any unintended damage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we gonna do now, Mama?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked, forgetting the discussion earlier that morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, first we\u2019re going to look at the ornaments that Papa brought in and then we\u2019ll make some of our own.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, boy!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss exclaimed excitedly.\u00a0 \u201cCan I makes some more paper chains like at school?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you can, dear.\u201d\u00a0 Marie smiled sweetly at his exuberance. \u201cBut let\u2019s see what\u2019s in here before you and your brother decide what you want to make.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Kay\u201d said Hoss, as he grinned at Adam, who was now sitting in his usual place at the end of the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie undid the twine that held the package together, and hesitated for a moment, while she glanced towards the far end of the table.\u00a0 She had not seen the ornaments before, since last year\u2019s tree had been hastily decorated with strings of popcorn, pinecones, and some red ribbon that Marie had purchased for a dress she had planned on making.\u00a0 She hoped that the cheerful atmosphere of the past week would not be altered by this possibly painful reminder of the past.\u00a0 Adam, however, looked on eagerly as she removed the string and reached carefully inside the brown wrapping paper.\u00a0 Hoss was equally intrigued with the contents.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, aren\u2019t these sweet!\u201d\u00a0 Marie exclaimed as she withdrew some miniature horses made of pine, each highlighted in a slightly different manner with red and green paint and tied with a piece of yarn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam grinned, as he remarked, \u201cThose are dala horses. Mama said they were the national symbol of Sweden.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s Sweden?\u201d\u00a0 Inger\u2019s little son asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s where Mama and her brother, Uncle Gunnar, were born.\u00a0 It\u2019s a country across the ocean in Europe.\u00a0 Their parents and them came to this country when Mama was a little girl and her father opened a store in Illinois.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd her pa was called Eric, like me?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam nodded his agreement, and Hoss felt a tingle go up his spine as he now knew something about both his grandfathers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Afore today, I didn\u2019t even know I hads a grandpa, and nows I gots two of \u2018em,\u2019 thought the child happily.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie had spread the tiny horses upon the table and was now removing some stars, angels and more horses, made from twisted pieces of straw.\u00a0 The ends were bound together with silver and gold thread, and were intricate in their design.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Gunnar made those for Mama to put on our tree.\u00a0 He said they were like the ones they made at home.\u201d\u00a0 Adam reached for one of the ornaments, remembering how the shiny thread had caught the light from the fireplace back then.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie marveled at the obvious skill that it took to make these characters and was pleased to see that, for the most part, they were still in useable condition. As she reached into the package yet again, she felt something that was rigid and yet light and delicate at the same time.\u00a0 As she withdrew her hand, her eyes fell upon the white, tatted snowflake, which had been heavily starched to maintain its form.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Mama?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked, as the design was not obvious from his perspective.<\/span>
\nMarie suspended the ornament from her fingers by its bright green ribbon for the child to see.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, it\u2019s a snowflake!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss exclaimed, as even his untrained eye could appreciate the complicated pattern and the obvious craftsmanship of its creator.\u00a0 Adam smiled as he remembered Inger patiently crocheting each little vein on each small form, and her determination to make them all unique in their own right.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMama said that she couldn\u2019t make them all exactly the same because she made up the patterns as she went along.\u00a0 She said they were kind of like people, all made in God\u2019s image, but each with their own special touches that make them different from everyone else.\u201d\u00a0 Marie looked lovingly at Adam as he said this, and nodded her agreement with the sentiment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The last item in the pouch was constructed of heavy paper, and was apparently made with a great deal of care by its very young artist.\u00a0 It was not an ornament but a picture, which depicted a tall, dark haired man with ebony eyes, a blond woman, almost as tall as the man, and a small boy, posed between the other two figures, with each of his hands holding one of the adult\u2019s hands.\u00a0 All of the figures wore a broad grin, and there was a huge Christmas tree behind them, decorated with small horses, stars, and snowflakes. On the back of the picture, in carefully formed letters, was an inscription:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 TO PAPA and MAMA<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lov,\u00a0 Adam<\/span>
\nThe artist in residence covered his eyes with his hands as his mother held up the picture, and a flush of utter embarrassment colored his cheeks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Why did Pa keep that old thing?\u2019\u00a0 He wondered to himself, as he peeked through his fingers, waiting for his sibling to tease him about his juvenile attempt at portraiture.<\/span><\/p>\n

His little brother, however, found the drawing to be very much to his liking and said so.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGolly, Adam!\u00a0 I wish I could draws as good as you.\u201d\u00a0 There was a flicker of disappointment on his round little face, as he considered his completed Christmas gifts and how, in his mind, they suffered by comparison with his brother\u2019s drawings at the same age.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Noting the consternation that was apparent on Hoss\u2019 face, and deducing the likely reason behind it, Adam shared his parents\u2019 reaction to his gift. \u201cMama and Pa told me that it was exactly what they had hoped for, and it was even more special \u2018cause I made it all by myself.\u00a0 That\u2019s the best kind of gifts, \u2018cause you think about the people you\u2019re making \u2018em for while you\u2019re doing it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam caught Marie\u2019s eye as he said this, and as he had hoped, she picked up on his hidden message.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sweetheart, Adam\u2019s right.\u00a0 Christmas is about giving to others, and the greatest gift you can give is something that comes from your heart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 confidence in his abilities was immediately restored, and his demeanor reflected his understanding and acceptance of their statements.\u00a0 Marie\u2019s declaration also brought the subject of his gift to her to the forefront of Adam\u2019s mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018What am I going to find to give her?\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie noticed the unrelated look of consternation on her eldest stepchild\u2019s face and wrongly assumed that their activities and conversation had brought up too many still painful memories.\u00a0 Hoping to leave the past behind for the moment, she turned to Hoss and asked him to assist her in gathering the items they would need to make some new ornaments for the tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

They soon returned with Marie\u2019s rag bag, button box, paste, colored paper and any other items that she thought could be useful.\u00a0 She also brought out the pomegranates, apples and the extra ribbon she had purchased, and began tying a length of decorative trim about the stem of each piece of fruit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss eagerly set out to cut some varying lengths of red and green paper, just as he had at school with Adam, in order to fashion some additional chains for the tree.\u00a0 The older child sat quietly, trying to imagine what he could make and how the tree would look in all its holiday finery.\u00a0 He absentmindedly sorted through the buttons, and various odds and ends, in the metal box.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did these beads come from?\u201d\u00a0 He asked, as he found several types in various sizes and colors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I had bought those years ago, and the string that held them together broke.\u00a0 I never got around to having them restrung so I just put them in there\u201d Marie answered.\u00a0 \u201cYou can use them if you like.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The powder blue ones were quite pretty and looked somewhat like eyes.\u00a0 He tried to imagine what type of figure he could design with them.\u00a0 Digging about in the rag bag, he found some pale blue silk and what appeared to be some type of stiff netting from a lady\u2019s hat in a pretty shade of pink.<\/span><\/p>\n

The boy turned his head towards the space next to the staircase, seeing in his mind\u2019s eye, the tall Ponderosa pine soon to be in residence there.\u00a0 He imagined the tree covered with all the ornaments, as well as popcorn and cranberry strings, and the numerous paper chains that his little brother was, at this very moment, completing at a furious pace.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As he saw the tree in its finery, he suddenly remembered that they were missing the most important decoration of all!\u00a0 Instantly piecing the image together in his brain, he searched with heightened interest through the bag, hunting for the necessary items to make his idea a reality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMarie?\u201d\u00a0 He asked politely, as his search did not yield all of the things he needed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any muslin scraps, say about this big?\u201d\u00a0 He showed the minimal dimensions he needed with his hands, \u201cand perhaps some yellow yarn, about two feet or so?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease?\u201d\u00a0 He added without prodding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s heart skipped a beat when he mentioned the yarn.\u00a0 She had (during the same final trip to town that yielded the candles and holders for the tree) discretely purchased a skein of soft yellow yarn with which to knit a baby blanket. She had paid cash for the item, as she didn\u2019t want to arouse Ben\u2019s suspicions, especially since, at the time, the baby had yet to make its presence known even to its mother.\u00a0 Given the lack of disclosure on her part since the dream became a reality, she had not yet started on the coverlet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm\u2026I think I may have some yarn upstairs,\u201d she said, in a purposely tentative way, \u201cand I know I have some muslin in the sewing basket there by the settee.\u201d\u00a0 She indicated the basket\u2019s location with a nod of her head, puzzled by her son\u2019s sudden interest in such things.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie headed to her room for the yarn while Adam searched through the basket for the cloth.\u00a0 Hoss was too busy assembling his chains to pay any attention to the goings-on, so Adam did not have to explain his idea as he went along, which was normally the case when the child\u2019s curiosity was aroused.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re in luck, Adam.\u00a0 I did have some yarn.\u00a0 Will this work?\u201d\u00a0 The young woman held up a length of fiber she had cut from the rest, so he could see the color.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, thanks, Marie!\u00a0 That should work just fine\u201d the child replied happily.\u00a0 Marie added the yarn to the pile, and resumed her seat at the table, watching the boy from the corner of her eye as she continued to fashion bows around the produce on the table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam worked quietly and diligently on his project, stopping only to ask permission for a bit of thread and a needle from the basket, as well as the use of the paste pot that his brother had been monopolizing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Hoss.\u00a0 Could I borrow the paste pot for a little while?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked in a kind way.<\/span><\/p>\n

The younger child, now surrounded with at least a half dozen paper chains of different lengths (and assembled with varying degrees of accuracy), lifted his head at the question.\u00a0 His interest in his older brother\u2019s endeavors was immediate, as he moved the paste within Adam\u2019s reach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha makin\u2019 Adam?\u201d\u00a0 The little boy cajoled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The older child said with a smile, \u201cYou\u2019ll see.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It soon became obvious to Marie that Adam was fashioning something that was totally in keeping with the spirit of the season and yet meaningful in another way.\u00a0 It seemed to signify his acceptance of Inger\u2019s passing from this life into the next, and his belief that her spirit would always be watching over this family.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he finally finished, he held up the delicate figure for his mother and brother to see.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you like it?\u201d\u00a0 He asked cautiously, suddenly realizing that he had been forming the tree top decoration with his late mama in mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The figure was an angel, with yellow yarn hair and eyes made from two blue beads. She was wearing a blue silk gown attached to the pink wings he had made from the netting. He had added two of his father\u2019s pipe cleaners, one wrapped with gold colored thread and fashioned into a halo, and the other attached to the gown as a kind of scepter, with a small star at the tip. Her muslin face held just a trace of a beatific smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, sweetheart, I think it\u2019s lovely\u201d Marie said, truly happy that the boy had made the angel in his late mother\u2019s image.\u00a0 Adam smiled his thanks, and was relieved that his stepmother did not seem to be bothered by the obvious inspiration for his creation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, that\u2019s real purty, Adam\u201d Hoss agreed, appreciative of the craftsmanship but not making the connection to his own mama.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d\u00a0 The child sat up proudly, pleased that his creation was valued for the work he had put into it.\u00a0 \u201cI guess I\u2019ll have to tie it onto the top somehow, once we get the tree.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure we\u2019ll be able to find something that will work.\u201d\u00a0 Marie said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, who was used to a mid-morning snack, felt his tummy rumble as the clock struck ten.\u00a0 \u201cMama, are we ever gonna make them cookies?\u201d\u00a0 He asked plaintively, as if he had not been fed in days, rather than hours.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, darling.\u00a0 The dough should be just firm enough to roll\u201d his mother replied, with a grin.\u00a0 \u201cYou and Adam go wash your hands, and then we\u2019ll finish making them.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHooray!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss yelled as he and his brother headed for the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

The rest of the morning was spent completing the cookies.\u00a0 Marie rolled and cut the dough and made a small hole at the top of each one in order to allow them to be used on the tree. She smiled to herself as she did this, realizing that perhaps one in five might actually make it to the tree, before they were eaten!<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the cookies were done, and were cool enough to decorate, she settled the boys at the little white kitchen table.\u00a0 Each was given a small paper cone filled with stiff white icing with which to decorate, along with dried currants, small cinnamon candies, black licorice and the like.\u00a0 Boys being boys, each one found a slightly less than perfect specimen to be eaten immediately.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmmm, these are really good, Marie\u201d Adam commented, as he reached for another cookie to dunk in the milk she had just brought to the table.\u00a0 Hoss nodded his agreement, as he quickly sought to assuage his hunger with his third helping.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, boys. More decorating and less eating, please\u201d their mother admonished.\u00a0 \u201cIt will be dinnertime soon and I would like to have this finished by then.\u201d\u00a0 The boys devoted themselves to the task, and soon there were a dozen and a half little brown men, decorated by one child with an eye to detail, and by the other with a penchant for speed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI gots to make one for Papa\u201d Hoss stated, remembering his father\u2019s request that morning.\u00a0 With much more care than he had exhibited previously, the child painstakingly added icing to the cookie, followed by two currant eyes, a licorice mouth, and three cinnamon candy buttons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPapa will be very pleased with that, Hoss.\u201d\u00a0 Marie praised, as the child carefully moved the cookie to one of the trays that held the other creations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing entered the kitchen then, in order to prepare the noontime meal.\u00a0 He had mentally prepared himself for the sight of his normally spotless kitchen in disarray and, as he surveyed the scene before him, was able to contain his emotions at the mess.\u00a0 The sink was full of dirty dishes, and it appeared that every mixing bowl the family owned had been used.\u00a0 There was flour over most of the surfaces, egg shells fragments on the floor, and cookie crumbs on the table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from all this, the cook noted one other thing that he had not found in this kitchen before.\u00a0 Two very happy little boys and a tired, but very content, mother were enjoying each other\u2019s company, laughing and commenting on the cookies each had made.\u00a0 It was obvious that the most important thing that had been created that morning were pleasant memories that would last a lifetime.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 9<\/span>
\nAt the same time Adam and Hoss were entertaining their stepmother with their culinary escapades, Ben was taking advantage of the momentary respite from winter\u2019s fury.\u00a0 He hurried to complete as many of the ranch\u2019s tasks as time and manpower would allow.\u00a0 Aside from the desire to assure his livestock\u2019s comfort and even more importantly, their survival, the young family man had an ulterior motive, as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018If we can just get the last of this hay delivered to the stock today, I can spend the rest of the week with Marie and the boys.\u201d\u00a0 He knew this was possible if the hands would put in an extra effort.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Not that they don\u2019t always give 100 percent!\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 Ben looked admiringly at the men currently toiling by his side, both of them dependable, hard working and loyal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He normally maintained a skeleton crew at this time of year, as there wasn\u2019t enough work to keep everyone busy.\u00a0 In addition, many of the men preferred to move to warmer climates during the harsh winter months, returning for round up and branding of the calves in the spring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The men who remained on the payroll year round were those who had been with Ben since the very beginning, and who considered the Ponderosa not just their workplace, but their home.\u00a0\u00a0 Jake and Charley were two of these, both having signed on when Ben needed hands for his first drive to market three years before.\u00a0 The trio was busy with pitchforks, as they moved the hay from the haymow on the sledge onto the icy ground for the steers and heifers in the lower pasture.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I could never have achieved half of what I have if it weren\u2019t for them and\u2026.\u2019\u00a0 He was immediately saddened by the thought of the one person that had been an integral part of all of this, who was no longer alive to behold the fruits of his labor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Jean, my dear friend, how I miss you and your counsel!\u2019\u00a0 He smiled a little as he remembered the running joke between the two of them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u2018You always said you could make a rancher out of this old seadog, and now you aren\u2019t here to appreciate your best student!\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 Ben shook his head, as he considered the fact that Jean\u2019s wife was now his wife, and how fate had intervened in his life once again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unaware of the reason for his employer\u2019s sudden silence, Charley paused for a breather from the task at hand, and spoke in a winded voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCain\u2019t believe another Christmas is here already, Boss,\u201d said the man, as he removed his hat and wiped the sweat from his brow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, neither can I,\u201d agreed Jake as he reached down for a handful of powdery snow to quench his thirst.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pulled from his reverie, Ben straightened to his full height, feeling the kinks ease in his muscles. He replied in a jovial manner, \u201cIf Hoss and Adam had anything to say about it, we\u2019d have a Christmas about every six months!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All of them laughed at this, as Jake and Charley had been peppered with questions by both children, about what presents their father might have hidden for them in the bunkhouse.\u00a0 Ben knew that the men were more than trustworthy and would never spoil his little ones\u2019 Christmas by disclosing the contents of the wooden chest which held their holiday gifts. The boys were not allowed to enter the employees\u2019 residence at any time without express permission from Ben and of course, that permission was never granted this time of the year.\u00a0 In addition, both young men were single and thoroughly enjoyed the constant cajoling on the boys\u2019 part to gain any insight into the treasures that would be found under their tree come Christmas morning.\u00a0 (Hoss, of course, also \u201cknew\u201d that St. Nicholas would be bringing both boys extra presents, besides the ones their parents provided.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Without thinking, Charley exclaimed, \u201cBoy, that\u2019s the truth!\u00a0 Those young\u2019ns of yours are sure all fired excited \u2018bout the holidays this year!\u201d\u00a0<\/span>
\nThe tall gangly man regretted the remark as soon as it had escaped his lips.\u00a0 \u201cUh, I\u2026I didn\u2019t mean nothin\u2019 by that, Mr. Cartwright\u201d he quickly apologized, embarrassment evident on his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jake and Charley had each observed the abrupt change in attitude that had occurred in the last few days on the part of the oldest Cartwright child. It had been obvious to them that the boy was not happy with his father\u2019s new wife and the situation had grown increasingly tense over the past year.\u00a0 However, for some unexplained reason, Adam\u2019s attitude and disposition had taken a turn for the better, and, fortunately for the ranch hand, this had impacted Ben\u2019s demeanor in a positive way as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Charley, don\u2019t worry yourself about it\u201d Ben said benevolently.\u00a0 \u201cLast year was a difficult one for all of us.\u201d\u00a0 He smiled as he considered the fact that providence had been especially kind, and this holiday would be one to remember.<\/span><\/p>\n

The men returned to their task in a comfortable silence as the sun slowly rose in the sky and attempted to break through the gathering clouds above them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was seldom introspective, but, the discussion of the previous evening with Marie had conjured up even more reminiscences than those that he had chosen to share with his wife. Inexplicably, his thoughts were now focused on another very special Yuletide, the sweet memories of which would always remain his and his alone. As he reached for yet another forkful of hay, and pitched it off the platform towards the lowing animals huddled together in the biting wind, his mind\u2019s eye saw him standing at the base of the stairwell of the Stoddard residence in Boston.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

A dozen years younger, the still somewhat callow fellow was dressed in his finest bib and tucker, with his cutaway coat and form fitting trousers setting off his rugged good looks and muscular frame.\u00a0 He glanced at the large clock near the front door, whose second hand was moving swiftly towards the hour when the family\u2019s guests would be arriving for their Christmas Eve soiree.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat in the world is keeping her?\u201d\u00a0 He said, inadvertently speaking the words aloud.<\/span><\/p>\n

The response to his unintentional question came in the form of a chuckle from the high backed chair near the hearth, where his father-in-law was settling back in the cushions, with a bit of kindling still burning from the fireplace.\u00a0 The older gentleman placed the glowing ember to the tobacco in the bowl of the pipe he held tight in his teeth, inhaling deeply as he did so.\u00a0 The unmistakable aroma rose into the air and mixed with the equally heady smells emanating from the kitchen, where the longtime family friend, the widow Callahan, had outdone herself in preparing the holiday repast, as a favor to her deceased girlfriend\u2019s daughter and her new husband.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben reddened slightly as he realized his mistake, though Abel took the query as the most natural thing that a young husband might ask of his wife\u2019s male parent.\u00a0 \u201cAye, mister, \u2018tis something I have wondered since I was a young man standing in your shoes.\u201d\u00a0 Shifting slightly in his seat, he gave the dark haired man a wink and a nod, as he said, \u201cI always found that the result was well worth the wait, however.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The younger man grinned self-consciously, as he considered his elder\u2019s advice. He turned with a sigh and, in an effort to make himself more comfortable, started towards one of the velvet side chairs near the settee, as it seemed that the wait would be of an interminable duration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was at that moment that Elizabeth Stoddard Cartwright began her descent from the second floor. Ben, his attention drawn by the whisper of her rustling petticoats, followed the source of the sound with his eyes and immediately saw the truth in what Abel had said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The raven haired, alabaster skinned beauty smiled coyly at her spouse as she made her entrance.\u00a0 The nineteen year old newlywed was resplendent in a gown the color of her iridescent gold-flecked hazel eyes, with a d\u00e9colletage only a married woman could properly reveal.\u00a0 Her curly tresses were held in place atop her head by two tortoise shell combs, which had been gifts from her fianc\u00e9, the same man whose impatient attitude had much improved thanks to the divine image on view before him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Liz paused at the foot of the stairs, as she beheld her dumbfounded husband, whose countenance was a mixture of surprise and barely concealed desire.\u00a0 Her eyes sparkled with delight at the look on her beloved\u2019s face, as she swept past him into the room, twirling around so her entire ensemble was displayed to her appreciative audience. She pouted prettily as, in her usual devilish manner; she couldn\u2019t help but ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, darling?\u00a0 Don\u2019t you like it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, closing his mouth soundlessly, fought to keep his response appropriate in deference to his father-in-law, who was taking in the whole scene and enjoying the young man\u2019s discomfiture immensely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before responding to his wife\u2019s obviously impertinent question, Ben silently wished that he could, at that very moment, trade places with the filigree locket and fine gold chain that adorned her neck and lay in the crevice between her perfect breasts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2026you look\u2026\u201d he began, frantically searching his brain for the one word that would do justice to the goddess before him.\u00a0 \u201cMagnificent\u201d was the only one that came to mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy, thank you, kind sir\u201d\u00a0 the young woman said, her face wreathed in smiles, as she curtsied deeply before her husband, watching him secretly through her thick, dark lashes.<\/span>
\nBen reached down and took her hand, lifting her towards him as she rose.\u00a0 The kiss he gave her was perfectly proper given their audience, however, the look in his eyes and the way his mouth quirked up on one side as they parted, caused Liz\u2019s heart to skip a beat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before they could continue their verbal repartee, there came a loud knock on the door.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas!\u201d came a booming voice from the outside, as others could be heard laughing and chattering as well.\u00a0 \u201cLet us in, Ben, it\u2019s colder than a well digger\u2019s toenails out here!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking Liz by the hand, Ben greeted their guests and hurriedly shut the door after them.\u00a0 Five other couples (all of whom had grown up with Liz in the seaport town, or were first mates on their respective vessels, just as Ben was for Captain Stoddard), removed their cloaks and hats, and paid their respects to Liz\u2019s father.\u00a0 The women all admired each other\u2019s festive attire, while the men compared notes on how long it had taken their respective spouses to primp and prepare for the evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

The cold and famished young men and women warmed their hands by the inviting fire and gladly accepted their hosts\u2019 offer of some Christmas \u201ccheer\u201d and a bounty of holiday fare, which had since been arranged on the sideboard and fine walnut dining table.<\/span><\/p>\n

There was much laughter, along with the sharing of good food, good wine, and the spirit of the season.\u00a0 Unbeknownst to the others, Liz continued to drive her husband to distraction by catching his eye, and lightly touching her neck, or turning just so and winking so only he could see.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the meal and some lively conversation, the furniture in the large drawing room was moved aside and the carpets rolled up, to allow for the dancing to begin.\u00a0 A small ensemble consisting of a fiddler, guitar player and a young seaman\u2019s apprentice, who was very musically inclined when it came to the concertina, provided the music.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the couples all knew each other well and were totally at ease in this informal setting, there was no need for dance cards or the usual conventions one would find at a larger function.\u00a0 Given this, and her aforementioned penchant for flirting with her husband in a very understated manner, Liz made a point of dancing with all of her male guests and her father, before dancing with her spouse.\u00a0 She spun about the room, her face alight with the glow of the fire and the candlelight, and made sure to catch Ben\u2019s eye as she and her current partner circled about him and his partner.<\/span>
\nBen watched and responded to her subtle cues in his normally placid way, though it seemed to both of them that the room\u2019s temperature was beginning to rise, as her signals became much more deliberate and his desires much more pronounced.\u00a0 Knowing (and enjoying!) her little games as he did, Ben continued to play along, dancing with all the other females, even Mrs. Callahan, who was persuaded to join the festivities as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The other couples were oblivious to this silent exchange, as the musicians provided a wide range of entertainment, from quadrilles to waltzes to the occasional minuet for Captain Stoddard\u2019s benefit. As the trio began their second set of the evening, Ben determined that his naughty young wife had toyed with him enough, and it was time to give the little minx a taste of her own medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n

The young man approached his spouse, and, without a word, took her firmly by the elbow and escorted her to the dance floor.\u00a0 Liz, noting the solemn demeanor and no nonsense attitude of her husband, bit her lip and averted her eyes, as she realized she might have overdone the teasing.\u00a0 Taking her about the waist and pulling her to him, Ben gracefully moved around the others and the two twirled about the room in an effortless and elegant way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seeing that his artificial deportment had had the desired affect on his now clearly repentant spouse Ben eyed her in an almost lustful way. He then whispered so only she could hear, \u201cJust wait \u2018til I get you alone, Mrs. Cartwright!\u201d and gave her a rakish grin that left no doubt as to his intentions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Liz felt the flush of both desire and relief within her, as she beamed at her husband and squeezed his hand tightly in her own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The clock soon announced the midnight hour, and the musicians finished the final selection of the evening.\u00a0 The guests gave their thanks and best wishes for a joyful Christmas to their hosts and hurried off into the cold, crisp air, leaving Ben, Liz and the Captain to adjourn upstairs to their respective rooms for the night.<\/span><\/p>\n

The exhaustion and exhilaration of the evening\u2019s activities were immediately forgotten, as the young couple entered their own private quarters and Ben closed the door swiftly behind them.\u00a0 Gathering his beloved in his arms, he finally gave full vent to the passion that had been building since Liz\u2019s entrance that evening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a magical night, and their mutual desire seemed to burn even more brightly than before.\u00a0 However, it turned out to be much more special than either of them realized at the time. A few months later, the existence of an extraordinary \u201cChristmas gift\u201d was confirmed, and the memory of the celebration which ensued with that announcement, was something that Ben would cherish forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben sighed audibly now, not in anguish over his lost love, but due to a newer feeling of contentment and peace within himself.\u00a0 He found that he could somehow remember the fun and the happiness that he and Liz had shared, without the overriding melancholy that had previously colored his recollections of her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Ah, Liz!\u2019\u00a0 He thought, with a nod to the quick wit and impish qualities that their son had inherited from his mother.\u00a0 \u2018What will I do when the time comes for that little talk I will have to have with your son?\u00a0 Once he knows that it takes nine months for a baby to grow from conception to birth, and, given the fact that his birthday is September 25th, he will then realize exactly how his parents spent their Christmas that year!\u2019 Ben laughed aloud at this, as he knew that she would have appreciated the humor in it as much as he did.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jake and Charley looked at each other in bewilderment at this unexplained exclamation from their boss but both were pleased to note what a jovial mood he appeared to be in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, boys\u201d Ben said as they moved the last of the hay meant for this group to the ground.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m famished!\u00a0 Let\u2019s find that cave we discovered last winter and have ourselves something to eat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Both men readily agreed and they soon came upon the rock encrusted entrance to the cavern.\u00a0 After assuring that there were no bears taking up residence there, the trio hurried to build a fire, and all of them were soon enjoying a respite from both the wind and the cold.\u00a0 After devouring the sizable lunch that Hop Sing had sent along, the men doused the fire with the remains of their coffee, and hastened to the sledge to deliver the rest of the feed to the cattle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben drove the sledge, as Jake and Charley guided the draft horses through the snow.\u00a0 Left alone with his thoughts once again, Ben wondered how the morning had gone for Marie and the boys.\u00a0 He knew how much effort Marie was expending to make this a positive experience for both children, and he hoped that her intuition was right that Adam would be able to enjoy the activity without any overriding melancholy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the sun started on its downward arc towards the western skyline, Ben thought of another time, in the not so distant past, the memories of which had been constantly overshadowed by the tragedy that followed it. Again, his disclosure to Marie last night had served to rekindle happier musings that could stand alone and apart from the despair that had always readily come to his mind whenever he thought of Inger. The icy winter wind lost its sting, as he conjured up the images of that day in his mind, and the memory of it brought a comforting warmth to Ben\u2019s soul that\u00a0 transcended time and place.<\/span>
\n\u00a0 * * * * * * * *<\/span><\/p>\n

The spring wagon had been a wise investment, though it and the six oxen that Ben had purchased for the trip west, had left a sizable hole in the little family\u2019s nest egg.\u00a0 Ben might not have purchased such a (relatively speaking) \u201croomy\u201d conveyance had it not been for his young, pregnant wife\u2019s very ample proportions at the time of their departure from Illinois in March.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Inger was not due to give birth until August, their child\u2019s impending presence was becoming more noticeable each day.\u00a0 By the time the family joined up with a wagon train heading towards Missouri in late spring, Inger was heavy with child.\u00a0 If the size of her abdomen was any indication, the family could possibly be increasing by more than just one person!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There was no predilection for twins in either Ben\u2019s or Inger\u2019s families, but as June turned into July and July into August, it appeared that this outcome was more and more likely. Inger hoped that she would be up to the care of two infants (as well as a rambunctious almost six-year-old) but was in fact, delighted at the prospect of twins.\u00a0 Ben, on the other hand, had only one wish \u2013 that his wife and their offspring would survive the rigors of birth, as he knew that he and Inger together could overcome any challenge that fate would choose to impart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The wagon train had made camp that mid-August afternoon near a small pond, with sweet water and tall grass for the livestock.\u00a0 For some unknown reason, Inger had felt more energized than she had in weeks. She hurried, as much as she was able, to complete her clothes washing and baking over the open fire that Ben had built when they first made camp.\u00a0\u00a0 She had taken a bath in an obscured area of the pool and had even been able to wash her hair, a treat she had not been able to indulge in for quite awhile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her young stepson, however, did not consider the prospect of a bath to be quite as inviting as his mother did!\u00a0 Adam had howled in protest as his mother cleaned the trail dust from his ears and the back of his neck with the castile soap and the rough woven washrag.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMama, not so hard!\u00a0 I\u2019m not gonna have any ears left if you wash \u2018em anymore!\u201d\u00a0 The small boy said, as he tried to turn his head from his mother\u2019s firm grasp on his chin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know you still had ears, until I started in with this soap and washcloth!\u201d\u00a0 Inger said jovially, as she inspected the job she had done.\u00a0 \u201cNow, let me do your back, sweetheart, and you can do the rest yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, Mama\u201d Adam said with a sigh of resignation, as he knew there was no escape from this predicament unless he did as he was told.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben came upon this charming scene as he returned from his hunt, with two dead rabbits tied together at their back feet and slung over his shoulder.\u00a0 He grinned broadly, as he noticed the change in his little boy\u2019s appearance and hunkered down next to his spouse on the bank of the pond.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, darling\u201d he said tenderly, and kissed Inger\u2019s cheek as his hand settled gently on her stomach.\u00a0 \u201cHow are you feeling?\u00a0 Not doing too much, I hope.\u201d\u00a0 He looked at her with concern, as she had been so tired lately from the effort it took just to move about.<\/span><\/p>\n

She smiled and shook her head, as she placed her hand over her husband\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cI feel very good today, dear one.\u00a0 It must be the coolness of the breeze here by the water.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben kissed her once more, and then turned his attentions to the youngster sitting in the water near their feet, scrubbing purposefully at his arms and legs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd who might this be?\u201d\u00a0 Ben teased, as he reached out and splashed some water in his son\u2019s direction.\u00a0 \u201cI know it couldn\u2019t be our son, because I can see where his hair stops and his skin begins.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, Pa!\u201d\u00a0 Adam exclaimed, with a roll of his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI t\u2019wern\u2019t that dirty before!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe correct verb is \u2018wasn\u2019t\u2019 and I beg to differ with you, young man, if the color of that washrag is any indication!\u201d\u00a0 Ben eyes were merry, as Adam examined the cloth, which was white when he started and was now a dark shade of prairie soil brown. The little boy made eye contact with his father, and gave him a somewhat sheepish dimpled grin, as he shrugged his shoulders in a semblance of agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both the adults laughed at his impish expression, as Ben rose to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cDo you need any help with Adam?\u201d\u00a0 He asked as he offered Inger both his hands to allow her to rise from her place, as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he\u2019s about finished, except for his hair.\u201d\u00a0 At this comment, Adam\u2019s mouth dropped open in disbelief at the fact that he would have to wash his hair too, but his attempt at protest was cut short by a stern look from his pa. Inger continued on, unperturbed by the child\u2019s upset at this requirement.\u00a0 \u201cOnce that\u2019s done, I\u2019ll dry him off, dress him and bring him back to the wagon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSave some soap for me, son.\u00a0 I could use with a good soak myself.\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, as he bade his family goodbye and headed back to skin and dress the carcasses he carried, before returning for his bath.<\/span><\/p>\n

The evening meal was tasty and filling, and Inger and Ben lingered over their coffee.\u00a0 Adam, dressed in his cotton nightshirt, read from his primer by the light of the campfire, sounding out the unfamiliar words aloud.\u00a0 The stars were brilliant overhead, and Ben leaned back against the trunk of a nearby tree, as he sat with his wife positioned as comfortably for her as possible\u00a0 in the crook of his arm, the back of her head resting on his shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe baby has been very quiet today\u201d she gently intoned as her husband brought his free hand down to its accustomed place on the crown of her belly, and she covered it with her own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe he\u2019s just drowsy from all the work his mother did today\u201d Ben said in a teasing manner, as Inger glanced up and smiled at him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just felt the need to get as much done as possible and today was a perfect time to do so\u201d she said, justifying her decision to make the most of their respite while she could.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, sweetheart, but you can\u2019t blame me for being concerned that you\u2019re trying to do too much in your condition\u201d Ben responded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam put up his book, and wandered over near his parents.\u00a0 Inger gestured to him and he came and lay down upon his father\u2019s outstretched legs, his head resting against the side of his mother\u2019s soft bosom, as she gently smoothed his freshly washed curls with her hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMama?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, darling?\u201d\u00a0 Inger asked, knowing full well what the question would be, as it was the same one the child had been asking for months.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen is my new brother or sister gonna come?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen God decides that it\u2019s time for him or her to be born\u201d came the standard reply.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, golly, Mama.\u00a0 It\u2019s been such a long time.\u00a0 Ya don\u2019t think He forgot to decide to let the baby be born, do ya?\u201d\u00a0 Adam said fretfully, with all the seriousness of a five-year-old contemplating the Almighty and His many duties in the universe.\u00a0 He shifted his body and turned his worried countenance to his father.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stifling his laughter, Ben patted his little boy on the bottom, and said in a soothing tone, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Adam.\u00a0 God is with us all the time, and he wouldn\u2019t forget such an important event as the birth of your little brother or sister.\u201d\u00a0 Adam sighed with frustration, and settled back in his mother\u2019s embrace.\u00a0 Soon, his slow and steady breathing told both his parents that there would be no more burning questions from their little one that night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inger released her hold on her child, and sat up as best she could, so that Ben could move away and lift Adam up into his arms.\u00a0 After setting him down in the back of the wagon, with a gentle kiss to his forehead, Ben returned to help Inger and put out the campfire.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Standing on the far side of the wagon, out of sight, Ben tenderly kissed his wife and held her close.\u00a0 It seemed that time was indeed standing still, and somehow, they both knew intuitively; their lives would be forever changed by the morrow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Although dawn was still almost an hour away, Inger was already bathed in sweat. She had awakened to the first signs of labor just after she and Ben had retired for the night and had tried to keep her miseries to herself since that time.\u00a0 Now, with her water sack just having broken, the incessant pain and the breathtaking contractions would no longer allow her to keep still.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, darling\u2026please wake up!\u201d\u00a0 She quietly pleaded, shaking her husband gently.\u00a0 She purposely kept her voice low, as she did not wish to startle Adam, who was still asleep at the foot of the wagon.\u00a0 Ben, normally an early riser, was somewhat irritated at being awakened before his accustomed hour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, dear?\u00a0 Is Adam restless again?\u201d\u00a0 He murmured to his spouse.\u00a0 Adam had had trouble sleeping in the past few days, as his eagerness for the arrival of his new sibling had played havoc with his routine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inger, gasping as another contraction overtook her, grabbed her husband\u2019s forearm and clamped down on it for dear life!\u00a0 Needless to say, this brought Ben quickly to his senses.\u00a0 He paled at the sight of his beloved wife in such obvious agony.\u00a0 \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you wake me earlier?\u00a0 How long has the pain been like this?\u201d\u00a0 He asked with great concern.\u00a0 Involuntary reflection on his previous experience with childbirth brought all the fearful memories of Adam\u2019s birth rushing to his mind.\u00a0 Ben knew that he could not risk losing Inger in the same manner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving quickly to the edge of the wagon, he shook Adam awake.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, run to Auntie Rachel and tell her that the baby is almost here.\u00a0 I\u2019ll stay with Mama.\u00a0 Hurry, son, hurry!!\u201d\u00a0 Rachel Payne had given birth about two months before, and was Inger\u2019s closest friend amongst the women whose families made up the wagon train.\u00a0 She had heartily agreed to be at Inger\u2019s side when her time came, as Rachel already had two children of her own and knew what to expect.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, realizing that his little brother or sister would soon be here, quickly pulled on his boots and climbed down from the wagon. He ran as fast as his short legs would carry him, with his nightshirt flapping like a flag behind him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAuntie Rachel, Auntie Rachel!!\u00a0 Mama needs you, my baby is coming!!\u201d\u00a0 The little boy yelled, oblivious to the time of day, as he rushed down the line of covered wagons to the third one from the end.\u00a0\u00a0 Rachel heard him coming before he reached their wagon and quickly gathered the necessary items she would need to assist with the birth along with clean linens in which to swaddle the newborn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Grabbing a lantern, she moved from the wagon as Adam came up, and they both hurried back down the length of the wagon train, reaching the Cartwrights\u2019 place at the same time.\u00a0 Rachel lit the lantern and pulled back the flap.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inside she found a highly anxious father-to-be and a relatively calm expectant mother, trying to soothe her husband\u2019s fears between her contractions. Ben\u2019s face, in the glow of the oil lamp, took on a myriad of expressions almost simultaneously: helplessness in regards to his wife and her now almost unabated suffering, relief at the sight of Rachel, and alarm at the thought that he and Adam were still here in the thick of things.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scrambling out of the wagon, Ben unhitched the back gate of the conveyance and helped the midwife inside.\u00a0 He then realized that he had not given the mother of his second child as much as a \u201cby your leave\u201d in his haste to trade places with Rachel.\u00a0 Leaving Adam on the ground near the wagon, he clambered back inside to place a tender kiss on his wife\u2019s lips and whisper \u201cI love you\u201d into her ear.\u00a0 Inger responded with a touch to his unshaven cheek with the palm of her hand and a look in her eyes that reflected his spoken sentiments exactly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben jumped down from the wagon, raised the gate and closed the flap, he looked down into the anxious little face before him that was begging for reassurance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMama will be just fine, sweetheart.\u201d\u00a0 Ben said softly, as he knelt beside the now frightened child.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s arms went around his father\u2019s neck and he buried his head in the hollow of Ben\u2019s collarbone, sobbing quietly into the unbuttoned muslin work shirt that Ben had donned while waiting for help to arrive.\u00a0 Picking him up, Ben rubbed the palm of his hand up and down the length of his baby\u2019s back, and murmured soothing words of comfort in his ear, as he paced outside the now eerily quiet wagon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A sharp cry of pain split the humid air, and Ben held more tightly to the trembling little boy in his arms.\u00a0 His own breath came in deep gulps now as he wished he could take his wife\u2019s awful pain upon himself.\u00a0 \u2018Please God, let this be over quickly.\u00a0 Please don\u2019t let her suffer.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s prayers were soon answered as the unmistakable sound of a newborn\u2019s cry was heard just minutes after Rachel\u2019s arrival.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam pulled his head back from his father\u2019s chest and grasped Ben\u2019s face in both his small hands, the tear tracks evident on his now excited countenance.\u00a0 \u201cIs that my baby, Papa?\u00a0 Is that my brother or sister?\u201d\u00a0 He asked, hoping that the fact that he now heard no other sound from the wagon meant that his mama was alright as well.\u00a0 Ben hesitated for a moment, thinking there might soon be the cry of a second child, as he had felt so sure that Inger would bear twins.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing none, he smiled anxiously at Adam, and carried him back to the spot from whence those cries were escalating.\u00a0 \u201cRachel, can we come in?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked tentatively, hoping to God that all was well within the confines of their tiny home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling, oh, come see our son!\u201d\u00a0 Exclaimed the voice that Ben had feared he might not hear again.\u00a0 Grinning broadly now, the new father and brother approached the back of the wagon, and Ben pulled aside the tarp.\u00a0 Waiting for their eyes to adjust to the change in brightness, he and Adam peered inside.\u00a0 There in the far corner of the wagon, was Inger, eyes bright with unshed tears, exhausted but very much alive.\u00a0 In her arms was the object of her delight, a big strapping boy with light blond hair and sky blue eyes that exactly matched his mother\u2019s.\u00a0 The babe was no longer crying, as his mother held him up against her for the rest of the family to see.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was slightly taken aback by the size of the child.\u00a0 Remembering how small (relatively speaking) Adam had been at birth, he looked upon his newborn son and thought that he looked at least three months old already!\u00a0 Adam, with the tact typical of most children his age, voiced the same thought by exclaiming, \u201cLook how big it is, Pa!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Ben laughingly admonished as Inger and Rachel both joined in the gaiety, \u201cthat is not an \u2018it\u2019, he is your brother, Eric.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam made a face at the mention of his brother\u2019s first name.\u00a0 \u201cEric?\u00a0 Uncle Gunnar said we should call him Hoss!\u201d\u00a0 As she placed a tender kiss on her baby\u2019s head, Inger smiled up at her husband.\u00a0 Ben, already knowing what the obvious choice would be, replied, \u201cWell, son, why don\u2019t we call him both names and see which one sticks?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Pa.\u00a0 Can I hold him now?\u201d\u00a0 asked the impatient older brother, as Ben lifted him into the wagon bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot before his papa gets to\u201d said an overwhelmed Ben Cartwright as he started to climb into the wagon to see his newborn son up close.\u00a0 Rachel moved out of his way, telling the family to call her if needed, and the grateful man paused to lift her down and help Adam up into the conveyance.\u00a0 Ben and Inger gave their heartfelt thanks to their dear friend, and Rachel went to spread the good news to the rest of their traveling companions.\u00a0 Inger tenderly kissed her husband, and then handed their precious bundle to his beaming father.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello there, young fella.\u00a0 I\u2019m your pa.\u201d\u00a0 Ben whispered as he touched his right index finger to his baby\u2019s soft pink skin.\u00a0 Eric gurgled happily and looked at his father with wide, unfocused eyes.\u00a0 Ben kissed the child\u2019s forehead and took his first calm breath of the day. \u2018Thank you, God\u2019 he prayed as he beheld his new son and marveled at how perfect he was.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling, he\u2019s beautiful, and so are you\u201d Ben said, as he looked from one to the other. Inger\u2019s smile confirmed his statement as the two drank in the sight of the result of their love, made flesh.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben suddenly felt a piercing stare from the hazel eyes of his no longer \u2018only\u2019 child who desperately wanted to hold his new brother.\u00a0 Inger noticed him as well and opened her arms to her other little boy.\u00a0 Adam went immediately to her and gave her a resounding smack on the cheek as her arms encircled him.\u00a0 \u201cAre you ok now, Mama? \u201c He asked uncertainly, somewhat afraid of hugging her and causing her any additional pain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I am, darling.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry if you were frightened.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The child returned his mother\u2019s embrace and whispered in her ear, \u201cAm I still your baby too?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inger looked lovingly into the anxious hazel eyes.\u00a0 \u201cAlways and forever, sweetheart.\u201d she said, as she kissed away the remaining tears on his pale little face. Assured of his rightful place in his mother\u2019s affections, Adam now turned his attention to the cause of all the commotion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, please, can I hold him?\u201d Adam begged, as he sat on his knees next to his laughing mother.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled as he instructed the child.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Adam.\u00a0 Sit here with your back against my side and I\u2019ll let you hold your brother.\u201d\u00a0 Ben indicated with a nod of his head where Adam should be and the boy scooted easily into his father\u2019s left side.\u00a0 Moving the baby over Adam\u2019s head, he laid the newborn into the crook of the little boy\u2019s left arm, and then supported Adam\u2019s arm with his own.\u00a0 Ben continued to hold the rest of the baby\u2019s body with his right forearm, as Adam\u2019s eyes took in every inch of his long awaited, and already very much loved, little brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Hoss.\u00a0 I\u2019m your big brother, Adam\u201d the dark haired youngster said, as his mother and father exchanged amused glances at his uninhibited usage of the child\u2019s new nickname.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m gonna teach you how to play tag \u2018nd skim stones on the water \u2018nd fish \u2018nd gather firewood \u2018nd read, too!\u201d\u00a0 Adam reached his little finger towards his brother\u2019s fist and was delighted when the baby grabbed hold of it with a strength that astonished him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGosh, Pa, he\u2019s real strong!\u201d\u00a0 The boy commented as he continued to wiggle his finger in his brother\u2019s grasp.\u00a0 Suddenly, the small face puckered and let loose with a cry that frightened the birds on the small pond outside their wagon, as well as his older brother!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMama, what\u2019s wrong with him?\u201d Adam looked anxiously at his mother for her response fearing that he had done something to inadvertently hurt the child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inger smiled warmly, \u201cWell, my guess would be that he\u2019s hungry, sweetheart.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere son, let\u2019s give little Eric to Mama so he can eat\u201d his father said with a grin. Ben knew that Inger would like some private time with their baby in order to see to his needs.\u00a0 \u201cC\u2019mon big brother, let\u2019s see what we can make for Mama\u2019s breakfast, all right?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gave his parents a grin that showed the deep dimples in his cheeks.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, Pa, I\u2019m starved.\u00a0 Being a big brother sure gives a fella an appetite!\u201d he said as he carefully handed little Hoss back to their father and wiggled out from under Ben\u2019s elbow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Inger kissed each other and intoned \u201cI love you\u201d as he handed the infant to his mother for his first meal.\u00a0 Adam crawled across the wagon bed on all fours, as his father gave him a gentle swat on his departing rear end. Ben followed him out into the bright sunshine and thought to himself that he had never seen a more beautiful day.<\/span>
\n\u00a0 *\u00a0 * * * * * * *<\/span>
\n\u201cThis should be the last of \u2018em, Boss\u201d said Charley, just a bit louder this time, as he and Jake exchanged amused glances at their employer\u2019s apparent lack of attention to his immediate surroundings.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben, finally awakened from his reverie, looked a bit startled to see the two cowhands standing on either side of the sledge, and the numerous steers moving towards them, anxious for their dinner.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u201d said Ben, looking about as if to count the number of head and confirm what Charley had said.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, it does look like the rest of them are here.\u201d\u00a0 He turned, with a bit of awkwardness at being caught in a daydream, and moved to the back of the conveyance. Soon, the three men soon had the rest of the hay off loaded and distributed to the animals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The ride back to the ranch was more boisterous as Jake and Charley kidded each other about what each of them had purchased for their respective girlfriends as a Christmas gift, while Ben confirmed that they would be available to help Hop Sing with the movement of Marie\u2019s gift from the bunkhouse to the washroom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure, we\u2019ll be around, Mr. Cartwright.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t want Hop Sing to hurt hisself tryin\u2019 to move that thing all alone.\u00a0 We\u2019d all just pine away to nothin\u2019 iffin he weren\u2019t able to cook!\u201d\u00a0 Jake joked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019d have one mighty unhappy little boy at home if Hoss had to live without Hop Sing\u2019s cakes and cookies for any length of time!\u201d\u00a0 Ben added, as all three of them laughed at the thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sun was almost gone by the time they arrived back at the house.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll put the horses up and lean the sledge against the barn, Boss\u201d Jake said as they hopped down to the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, boys, but just leave the sledge inside the barn.\u201d\u00a0 Ben directed.\u00a0 \u201cThe family and I are going to cut the Christmas tree tomorrow, so I\u2019ll need it to bring the tree back home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jake and Charley nodded and Ben headed for the house, never imaging the bedlam that awaited him on the other side of the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 10<\/span>
\nThe afternoon had started normally enough, given the morning\u2019s activities.\u00a0 Hop Sing, knowing that Ben would not be home, and sensing that the boys (though Hoss was unwilling to admit it) were still somewhat full from their extensive cookie sampling, had prepared a relatively light noontime meal.<\/span><\/p>\n

After finishing his soup and roast beef sandwich, the little boy turned to his brother, a glint of mischief in his blue eyes.\u00a0 \u201cHey, Adam!\u00a0 Hurry up and finish your lunch so we\u2019s can go outside again and play like yesterday!\u00a0 Bet I can beat ya at the snowball fight now!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam smiled at his brother, but also caught Marie\u2019s less than approving glance in Hoss\u2019 direction.\u00a0 The younger boy, however, was caught unawares by his mama\u2019s next comment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think a nap is what you need right now, sweetheart.\u201d\u00a0 She said gently, hoping to lessen the upset of his afternoon plans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw Mama\u201d came the expected response to her suggestion.\u00a0 \u201cI ain\u2019t tired and the snow\u2019s just perfect for snowballs!\u201d\u00a0 The whine in his high pitched voice gave more support to his mother\u2019s directive than his own argument.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe snow will still be there later on, and perhaps, if you\u2019re a good boy, you and Adam can play outside then\u201d his mother countered, the emphasis on \u201cgood boy\u201d not going unnoticed by either child.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 face still had a most unhappy look, and it seemed that he was about to press the issue, when she added \u201cI don\u2019t want a repeat of last night\u2019s scene at supper.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss looked at her in confusion, as he still had no recollection of having fallen asleep at the table.\u00a0 Noting his puzzled expression, she continued \u201cI don\u2019t want you\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Just as she started to say \u201cand your brother\u201d, Marie happened to look up and catch Adam\u2019s pleading look and slight shake of his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Swallowing her amusement at the older child\u2019s obvious desire to have his brother remain unaware of the fact that Adam, too had nodded off at supper, Marie cleared her throat, and restated the sentence.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want you to be overtired tonight because Papa\u2019s going to take you to get the Christmas tree tomorrow.\u00a0 You want to be well rested for that, n\u2019est pas?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Not wanting to be left out of the fun awaiting him the next day, Hoss grimaced a bit, but acquiesced to his mother\u2019s wishes.\u00a0 Adam, grateful that Marie had understood his silent plea and acted accordingly, now returned the favor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, little brother\u201d he said good-naturedly.\u00a0 \u201cI have a book I want to finish, and I\u2019m in the middle of a real interesting part.\u00a0 I\u2019ll read it to ya \u2018til ya fall asleep.\u201d\u00a0 Marie\u2019s pleased expression told him that he didn\u2019t have to ask permission to do so, and thankfully, that was all that was needed to get the petulant child to abide by his mother\u2019s request, without further protest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMerci, mon ami\u201d Marie said, as she rose from the table.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s help Hop Sing by clearing the dishes, and then you two can go upstairs.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam grinned in return, as he and Hoss each carefully stacked their soup bowls on top of the luncheon plates and carried them into the kitchen.\u00a0 Marie followed with her own, but not before checking to assure that her rosary was still lying in her apron pocket.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Perhaps I can have a bit of a rest myself, and then recite my devotionals\u2019 she thought to herself.\u00a0 Suddenly remembering her self-imposed punishment from that morning, she added, \u2018And complete my penance, as well!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the dishes were delivered to the pantry, Marie hurried to collect the scraps of material and items that the boys had used while fashioning their ornaments.\u00a0 She gently picked up the angel that Adam had crafted and laid it on the sideboard, along with the other decorations, where she would see them when they began to trim the tree the next day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, his arm about Hoss\u2019 shoulders, climbed the stairs to the second floor, and within a few minutes, Marie made her way up as well, carrying the rag bag, button box and the other things to put back in her room.\u00a0 She stopped by the bedroom door, intending to let Adam know she would remain in her room if he needed her for some reason.\u00a0 She had started to push the door open, but paused as she heard the quiet voice of her oldest.\u00a0 What stopped her was the fact that Adam was not reading, but rather singing, his little brother to sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSilent night.\u00a0 Holy night. All is calm, all is bright.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The simplicity of the carol, coupled with the loving and unaffected way in which it was sung, brought a sting of tears to this listener\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 Until now, Marie had never realized how the hymn was so like a lullaby, until she heard it used in such a manner.\u00a0 \u2018What a beautiful voice he has\u2019 she thought, as he reached the high notes without hesitation and always in perfect pitch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not wanting to embarrass him by catching her eavesdropping, Marie silently tiptoed down the carpeted hallway, and closed the bedroom door behind her.\u00a0 She put everything away, removed her shoes, and lay down on the inviting feather mattress, pulling up the extra quilt from the foot of the bed to cover her.\u00a0 As soon as her head touched the pillow, the exhausted young mother was asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

After tucking his brother in for his nap, Adam went to his own room.\u00a0 He had noticed as he entered the hallway that his parents\u2019 bedroom door was closed and figured that Marie was either wrapping presents or saying her daily prayers.\u00a0 He had never asked her anything about her religion, which in some ways, seemed somewhat mysterious when compared to his own Protestant beliefs.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t really cared to know more about it, given his prior propensity to avoid even speaking to his stepmother, but now that his father had relayed the story of the Italian sailor and the gift of the religious medallion, his always curious nature was aroused.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon entering his room, the child placed his novel on the bedside table, and sat down on his bed.\u00a0 He began to move his legs up onto the quilt, but immediately remembered what Hop Sing had said about boots on the bed, and reluctantly pulled them off.\u00a0 He placed his shoes soundlessly on the floor, and stretched out on his back on the mattress.\u00a0 Reaching into the front of his shirt, he pulled the medal up where he could see it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Hope Pa won\u2019t be angry with me for not putting this back in the sea chest, but once it got warm next to my skin, I forgot I had it on\u2019 he admitted to himself with just a little guilt.\u00a0 \u2018I\u2019ll make sure and give it to him tonight when he gets home.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Starting to feel a little chilled with no boots on, the boy reached down and pulled the extra blanket at the foot of his bed up over himself. The medal on its chain fell back down his shirtfront as he did so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Wish I could think of something to make for Marie!\u2019\u00a0 he thought earnestly.\u00a0 \u2018This would be a perfect\u2026\u2019\u00a0 He stretched and yawned, thinking to close his eyes to better concentrate on his subject \u2018time to work\u2026\u2019\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And with that, all the second floor inhabitants of the sturdy log ranch house were fast asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Marie slowly came awake, and glanced at the small clock on the nightstand near her head.\u00a0 \u20182:15\u2026hmm, won\u2019t be much longer before Hoss is awake.\u00a0 Best say my rosary now, since I don\u2019t know when I\u2019ll get another chance today.\u2019\u00a0 Easing herself from the mattress, she placed her pillow on the rug at the side of the bed and retrieved the sacred beads from her pocket.\u00a0 Kneeling carefully, she then bowed her head and closed her eyes, instinctively finding the beginning of the chain.\u00a0 Starting the litany, she murmured the familiar and comforting words,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO God, come to my assistance.\u00a0 O Lord, make haste to help me. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.\u201d\u00a0 Marie made the sign of the cross over herself, and was soon one in mind and spirit with her Creator.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

About a half hour later, the sunlight in the mid-afternoon sky filtered through the window and landed on the eyelids of the youngest Cartwright child.\u00a0 Hoss smiled to himself, as he watched the light through his lids, marveling at the different colors he could see even without opening his eyes.\u00a0 Finally rubbing the sockets with his chubby fists, he sat up in bed and hugged his toy rabbit to him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019s gonna find Hop Sing and gets a snack, Brownie\u201d he said to his furry friend.\u00a0 \u201cYou stay here, and I\u2019s be back later.\u201d\u00a0 Kissing the bunny on its nose, the little boy laid the toy back on the now disheveled bed, and slid down the side of the mattress to the floor.\u00a0 Using the chamber pot under the bed to relieve himself, the child slipped his feet into his house shoes and exited the room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Curious as to what his brother was up to, Hoss moved towards the room next to his.\u00a0 In keeping with his normal routine, he once again, without knocking, entered his elder brother\u2019s domain.\u00a0 He was stunned to see his idol asleep on his bed, looking very young and innocent with his hair tousled and a slight smile on his lips.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss started to giggle and Adam, upon hearing the little intruder, surreptitiously opened one eye and watched as his brother started to quietly approach his bed, intent on tickling his sibling awake.\u00a0 Knowing that he could fool Hoss into believing he was just \u201cplaying possum\u201d rather than actually napping, the older child waited until the little boy was almost upon him and then grabbed him, tickling him around his middle.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss shrieked in a loud laughing way, and found his brother\u2019s equally ticklish place on his neck and gave as good as he got.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam dissolved into a fit of high pitched laughter and Hoss climbed on the bed to better reach his opponent. Finally, Adam begged his brother to stop before he did something else (besides taking a nap) that he hadn\u2019t done in years!\u00a0 With a triumphant grin, Hoss let him up and amused himself by jumping on all fours on the mattress, while his sibling used the container he kept under his bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie had just finished the last of her additional recitations when the noise of her two children\u2019s merriment came unabated through the thick walls of her room.\u00a0 \u2018Sounds like someone\u2019s awake and in a much better mood\u2019\u00a0 she thought happily as she lay the rosary down on the bed and pushed herself to her feet, feeling more at peace now that she had completed her atonement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Just then, she heard the sound of heavy feet moving on the staircase, and a little softer shuffle of leather soled slippers coming up the carpeted hallway.\u00a0 A polite knock preceded the equally polite question.\u00a0 \u201cMarie, may I come in?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course, mon ami.\u00a0 I was just finishing my prayers\u201d the young woman responded, as she fluffed the pillow upon which she had knelt and replaced it on the bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam entered the room, his hair still somewhat mussed, and Marie smiled at the realization that he too, must have been asleep.\u00a0 \u201cHoss is awake, and went to get a snack from Hop Sing.\u00a0 Do you have any paper I could use?\u00a0 I need to wrap my gift for Pa, and Hop Sing told me earlier that he didn\u2019t have any.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let me see.\u00a0 I may have some here\u201d she answered, as she moved away from the bed and opened one of her bureau drawers.\u00a0 Adam circled the bed to give Marie room to move about, and his eye fell on the rosary beads.\u00a0 He gently picked them up to examine them further as his mother located some suitable wrapping paper for a Christmas gift.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere you are, Adam\u201d she said, and turned to hand him the folded piece of paper. She watched quietly as he fingered the beads, moving them along the string that bound them together.\u00a0 He felt her eyes upon him, as he studied the intricate design on the gold cross at the bottom of the strand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Anticipating his question, she said, \u201cThat\u2019s called the Crucifix and represents Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking up, Adam noted that she did not appear to be angry that he had touched her belonging without permission, so he asked, \u201cWhy are there so many beads? Do they each have a meaning?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Leaning up against the mattress, Marie reached for the strand and patted the place next to her.\u00a0 Adam climbed up and sat down where she indicated, his feet suspended above the floor, a look of keen interest apparent on his face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting from the place where the Crucifix was attached to the rest of the string, Marie patiently explained the symbolic nature of each of the different segments and why the beads were placed together in such a manner.\u00a0\u00a0 She also talked briefly about the different recitations that accompanied each set of ten beads, known as the decades of the rosary, and, at Adam\u2019s request, provided a short description of the \u201cMysteries\u201d upon which the devout would meditate each day.\u00a0 Finally, she explained about the sanctified symbol in the center and its inclusion as a reminder of God and his love.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking in this vast amount of information, though given in a much abbreviated and somewhat simplified form, Adam gained an appreciation for the similarities between Catholicism and his own religious instruction, as he listened attentively to his stepmother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo you say the same prayer on the rosary, just like Pa and Hoss and I do in church\u201d he said with a smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, child, only Catholics refer to it as the \u2018Our Father\u2019\u201d she replied with an answering smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sliding down off the bed, Adam said simply, \u201cThanks for explaining it, Marie. Guess I better go wrap that present.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Feeling now a special kinship with this remarkable child, Marie offered her assistance with his plans.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, if you like, I\u2019ll wrap your gift for your father, if you wouldn\u2019t mind doing something for me.\u201d\u00a0 Happy to be relieved of what he felt was a tedious chore, Adam nodded his agreement.\u00a0 \u201cDown in the storeroom is a large paper box, on the shelf near your father\u2019s sea chest.\u00a0 Could you please get it, and bring it up here so I could put a bow on it?\u00a0 It\u2019s for your pa, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Smiling a bit mischievously and seeing the corresponding glint in her stepson\u2019s eye, she added, \u201cI\u2019ll show you what it is, if you promise to keep the secret.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou bet!\u00a0 I\u2019ll make sure Hoss is in the kitchen with Hop Sing before I bring it in.\u00a0 We both know he can\u2019t keep a secret worth beans!\u201d\u00a0 And, with that, the young boy scooted off toward the door to carry out his secret mission.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Remembering one more necessary item, she added, \u201cOh, and Adam, I forgot my scissors in my sewing basket.\u00a0 Could you bring them back upstairs with you, please?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Marie\u201d he answered easily, as he headed out the bedroom door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam successfully retrieved the box and the scissors and was quiet enough to avoid alerting his little brother or the cook to his comings and goings.\u00a0 He brought both items in and laid them on the mattress, then returned to his own room to gather his gift.\u00a0 There was no hint of trepidation on his part as he carried the shadowbox in to Marie.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, mon ami, your father will be so pleased with this\u201d his stepmother said excitedly as he held it up to show her.\u00a0 \u201cWhat a wonderful job you did!\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s face beamed with the praise heaped upon him, and the child was rightfully proud of his accomplishment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI believe this will be just enough paper to wrap it.\u00a0 I\u2019ll fold the paper around it, and you can help me with the ribbon.\u201d\u00a0 The two worked in tandem, and soon the handiwork was enclosed in a cover worthy of its maker\u2019s efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo what did you get for Pa?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked, anxious to be taken into the adult\u2019s confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie slowly removed the contents of the box, and held up the garment for her stepson to see. \u201cSo what do you think mon ami?\u00a0 I ordered it by mail from San Francisco and had it made especially for your father.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately for Adam, he had always possessed, what, for an adult, is commonly referred to as a \u201cpoker face\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 Remembering his father\u2019s oft repeated command to think before he spoke, the little boy swallowed hard and let out a low whistle before responding.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGosh, Marie.\u201d\u00a0 He frantically searched his brain for a comment that would be both polite and truthful, but not reflective of how he actually felt about the gift.\u00a0 His quick mind suddenly rescued him from his predicament, as he thought of his little brother\u2019s benign comment earlier that day.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s really somethin\u2019!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The young woman took the response in the affirmative, and smiled happily as she laid the item on the bed and carefully smoothed the wrinkles out of the back of it with her hands.\u00a0 Folding the arms back, she pulled the somewhat bulky item towards her, and lifted it into the box, replacing the tissue paper around it and putting the lid back over the box. She crafted a large red bow and had the boy hold his finger on the knot, after she brought the ribbon around from the back of the box.\u00a0 Adam puffed out his cheeks soundlessly while she attended to the bow, thankful that he was able to borrow another useful phrase from his younger sibling\u2019s vernacular!<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie finished her task and, indicating that Adam should bring his gift and follow her, carried the large package to another hiding place.\u00a0 Reaching the unused bedroom with its myriad of furniture, the co-conspirators placed their treasures under the far corner of the bed next to the wall.\u00a0 Giving each other a wink and a smile, they headed down the hallway to the stairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 crumb-covered face was clear evidence of what he had been up to since arising from his nap.\u00a0 He looked up as his mother and brother approached the dining room table, where he had just finished a slice of Hop Sing\u2019s dried apple cake.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Mama\u201d he responded pleasantly, as his mother came around to his side of the table, and kissed the top of his silky blond head.\u00a0 Turning his head towards her, as Marie wiped his messy face with his napkin, he next addressed his brother. \u201cWhatcha been doin\u2019 all this time, Adam?\u00a0 I thought you was gonna come eat with me\u201d he said, a bit put out that he had had to eat alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Marie exchanged a smile, and she responded, \u201cNow, little one, this is no time of the year to be asking such questions.\u00a0 Adam was helping me wrap some gifts.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 eyes widened at the thought of presents hidden here in the house, rather than the bunkhouse, but, as usual, his expression gave away what he was thinking.\u00a0 \u201cThere weren\u2019t any presents for you, Hoss, so don\u2019t you even think about snooping!\u201d\u00a0 Marie shook her finger at him in a show of admonishment, but was smiling broadly as she did so.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw, Mama, I won\u2019t look.\u00a0 \u2018Sides, Adam\u2019s the one who\u2019s always lookin\u2019 for the presents, and shakin\u2019 the boxes when they\u2019re under the tree on Chrismas!\u201d\u00a0 Adam looked aghast at this remark, though, in reality, it was the honest truth.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s snooping was the reason the gifts for the boys were kept in the bunkhouse until Christmas Eve night.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do not, Hoss Cartwright!\u00a0 You shouldn\u2019t tell fibs so close to Christmas\u201d his brother responded, concerned that Marie would regret divulging her gift to his father.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that lying was not something that either parent tolerated, Hoss heatedly replied, \u201cYou do so!\u00a0 Papa\u2019s caught you lots a times, and Charley caught you once when you was tryin\u2019 to climb inta the bunkhouse winda!\u00a0 If\u2019n he had told Pa, he woulda tanned you good.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, wait a minute, little brother!\u201d the older child began, ready to defend his own honor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie shook her head, and decided to nip the disagreement in the bud before it escalated any further.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, you two\u201d she said firmly, coupled with a stern look. \u201cIf this doesn\u2019t stop right now, you\u2019ll both be spending the rest of the day in your rooms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Both boys looked sufficiently chastised, and Hoss gazed at her with his saddest, puppy dog like expression.\u00a0 \u201cPlease, Mama.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be good.\u00a0 Please let us go outside.\u201d\u00a0 Adam, never one to be outdone by his younger brother, adopted an equally sad, though somewhat mischievous, countenance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie laughed aloud at her two little schemers and responded, \u201cGo ahead.\u00a0 But only for an hour or so!\u201d\u00a0 Both boys bolted and ran for the stairs, their argument forgotten as they scrambled to their bedrooms to change their clothes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the children were bundled up and had gone outside, Marie settled down on the settee to finish Hoss\u2019 new pair of trousers.\u00a0 She had brought her scissors downstairs in her pocket, since she had intended from the beginning to let the boys frolic in the snow while she attended to her sewing.\u00a0 The time passed pleasantly and she finally finished her project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the clock chimed the four o\u2019clock hour, Marie remembered another gift she had hidden away that needed to be wrapped.\u00a0 She replaced the scissors in her pocket to use for the paper and ribbon, and put the sewing basket back on the floor. She rose from the settee, and went through the dining room and kitchen on her way to the storeroom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing had the kitchen back to its usual spotless state and was enjoying a cup of tea before commencing with the supper preparations.\u00a0 He glanced up as she entered, noting how much more rested she looked as compared to earlier in the day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing make Missy some tea?\u201d he asked cordially, and she nodded her consent.\u00a0 The two discussed the remaining baking that needed to be done before the holiday, while enjoying their refreshment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie then moved on to the storeroom and found the pouch of tobacco and the hand carved Meerschaum pipe that she had purchased for her husband by mail from a tobacconist in San Francisco.\u00a0 She knew that she had gone a bit over her budget on this item, but its intricate design and fine craftsmanship were well worth the lecture she would receive from her spouse when the bill came.\u00a0 \u2018Besides\u2019 she rationalized, \u2018he can use this forever and it only improves with age.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 Marie had saved some of her household allowance to use towards the purchases she had made, so the burden of payment would be lessened somewhat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She picked up the items and carried them back through the front door, but not before stopping to watch the boys hurl snowballs at each other.\u00a0 They both waved happily at her and she returned the greeting as she closed the door behind her.\u00a0 She had just set the pouch and the pipe in its box upon the dining room table, when she heard a loud cry of pain, followed by a tearful shout of \u201cMAMA!\u201d emanate from the other side of the heavy wooden door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hurrying back outside, she saw Adam frantically trying to comfort his sobbing little brother, who had taken a slightly icy snowball full in the mouth.\u00a0 The child had inadvertently bitten his own lip and the snow on the ground was now pink from the blood that dripped down his chin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, baby, are you all right?\u201d\u00a0 Marie asked excitedly, as the display on the ground at her child\u2019s feet caused her to fear that he was more badly hurt than was really the case.\u00a0 The little boy\u2019s sobs continued unabated as he noted the concerned look on his mother\u2019s face, which made him even more upset.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an accident, Marie.\u00a0 Honest!\u201d\u00a0 Adam said contritely, for as much as he enjoyed competing with his sibling, it was never his intent to hurt him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, mon ami, you were only playing\u201d his stepmother replied, easing one child\u2019s conscience as she tended to the other\u2019s physical pain.\u00a0 Upon examining the cut more closely, Marie determined that it was minor and used the corner of her dark colored apron to hold against Hoss\u2019 lip as she helped him into the kitchen through the side entrance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing!\u201d Marie said, as she entered.\u00a0 The unflappable Chinaman, always ready with a cold compress or a bandage of some type, had broken out the family\u2019s medical supplies when he heard Hoss shout for Marie.\u00a0 He calmly handed a cold cloth to the child\u2019s mother, which she applied with firm yet gentle pressure on the sore lip, murmuring comforting words as she did so.\u00a0 Adam sat quietly, relieved that his brother was all right, but a bit envious of the attention he was receiving from their mother.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a few minutes, the bleeding stopped and Hoss, his bottom lip somewhat swollen, wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand.\u00a0 Snuffling loudly, he looked over at his brother and gave him a wobbly smile, made all the more so due to his injury.\u00a0 \u201cC\u2019mon Adum, let\u2019s finbish playwin\u2019\u201d he said with some difficulty.\u00a0 Marie\u2019s eyes flew open in alarm as she said decisively, \u201cThere will be no more snowball fights today, young man!\u201d\u00a0 In a bit more kindly voice, she suggested, \u201cWhy don\u2019t you and Adam change your clothes and play with your toy soldiers in the living room. Papa will be home soon and then we\u2019ll eat.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon hearing the mention of one of his favorite pastimes, Hoss nodded his head and was followed from the room by his amenable sibling.\u00a0 Marie, thanking Hop Sing for his help, left the cook to his meal preparation and returned to the dining room, intent on wrapping her abandoned presents.\u00a0 She found some additional paper in the credenza by the front door and, turning back to the table, reached into her apron pocket for her scissors, as the boys returned and settled down by the hearth to play until suppertime.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The young woman was suddenly gripped by a cold knot in the pit of her stomach, as she noticed that the pointed end of the scissors had worked its way through the bottom stitching of her apron pocket and was now apparent from the outside.\u00a0 After yanking the shears back up through the hole, she frantically felt both pockets of the garment for the cherished possession she had replaced there earlier that afternoon.\u00a0 Her pretty face took on a look of complete and utter dismay, as she noisily set the scissors on the table and moved swiftly towards the staircase.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss were engrossed in their game, and did not notice their mother\u2019s sudden departure from the room.\u00a0 Marie almost ran up the stairs, her arm pulling her along the railing, as she rounded the corner at the top and stopped to catch her breath.\u00a0 Ordering herself to walk, she carefully made her way down the hallway and opened the door to her room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her eyes quickly scanned the top of the bed and she hurriedly moved the pillows about, becoming more anxious as she went.\u00a0 She eased herself down on her knees and peered under the bed, all the while intoning a silent prayer for her missing possession.\u00a0 Finding no trace of it, she paused to open the nightstand drawer, hoping against hope that she had unconsciously replaced it before leaving the room earlier.\u00a0 She wiped away the tear that threatened at the corner of her left eye as she saw the empty satin nest where her rosary normally lay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, dear Jesus, please help me find it!\u201d she whispered, as she mentally struggled to retrace all her steps in the almost two hours since she had last laid eyes on the only tangible remembrance she had of her mother.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d she called from the top of the stairs.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, please come up here!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For some reason, Adam felt a shock of foreboding go through him as he heard the urgency in her voice.\u00a0 He immediately jumped up from his kneeling position near the fireplace and took the stairs two at a time.\u00a0 Marie\u2019s pale face and shaking hands confirmed his intuition as she spoke.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, I can\u2019t find my rosary!\u00a0 Do you remember seeing it after we left my room?\u201d\u00a0 She clutched his biceps with her fingers, her eyes imploring him to remember some small detail that she had overlooked in her haste to find the missing religious icon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUmm, gosh, no Marie.\u00a0 I don\u2019t remember seeing you put it away, but I don\u2019t remember hearing it fall onto the floor neither\u201d the flustered youngster said, inadvertently picking up on his mother\u2019s agitated state.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll get Hoss and Hop Sing and we\u2019ll help ya look for it.\u201d\u00a0 Trying to think what his father would say in a situation like this, he added resolutely, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Marie, we\u2019ll find it.\u201d\u00a0 Gathering some strength from the child\u2019s words, as she noted briefly how much he looked and sounded like Ben as he spoke, Marie nodded and followed him down the stairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Mama?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked apprehensively, his tone a mixture of the concern and fear that were evident on his round little face.\u00a0 His blue eyes were clouded with tears for the second time that afternoon, since he hated to see anyone upset, especially his beloved mama.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, mon ch\u00e9ri, Mama has lost her pretty beads with the gold cross\u201d she explained, in a way the child could understand.\u00a0 Hoss had often seen his mama pray with the strand of small, pink spheres that she moved on their string as she quietly spoke her devotions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He stuck out his bottom lip at this, which was made all the more obvious by the angry red mark on his mouth from his injury.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019s sorry, Mama.\u00a0 I\u2019ll find it for ya\u201d he said purposefully, with the same amount of male Cartwright determination that his brother had displayed earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing was soon engaged in the hunt, and the four of them looked high and low for the missing prayer beads.\u00a0 Marie retraced her steps, on both floors of the house, as well as the outside perimeter, but their search was in vain.\u00a0 The rosary had vanished.<\/span><\/p>\n

Certain that she would never see her beloved memento again, Marie sobbed openly as she collapsed on the settee with Adam on one side of her and Hoss on the other. Hoss started to sob, mainly because his mama was so distraught, and Adam patted her hand gently, and felt like crying himself just because he didn\u2019t know what else to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, knowing that the pregnancy only worsened the lady\u2019s emotional state, left the room to make her some soothing chamomile tea, while hoping that his abandoned roast pork dinner had not yet turned to charcoal. As he walked by the dining room table, he surreptitiously took the pipe and tobacco into the kitchen along with the wrapping paper to place it where he would remember to wrap it later that evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the cook disappeared into the kitchen, the front door opened and the man of the house, exhausted from his physical exertion yet warm in the comfort of his memories, returned from his chores on the ranch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood evening, everybody!\u201d he happily intoned, though his pleased countenance soon turned cloudy, as he spied his weeping wife, injured baby, and distressed little boy.\u00a0 \u201cWhat in the world happened to you, Hoss?\u00a0 Marie, darling, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked fearfully, then noted Adam\u2019s uncomfortable visage and jumped immediately to the wrong conclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what have you done?\u201d he demanded heatedly, placing blame on the child solely for his prior penchant of causing his mother misery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do nothin\u2019!\u201d\u00a0 Adam replied angrily, jumping to his feet at his father\u2019s declaration.\u00a0 \u201cMarie lost her rosary and Hoss got hit by a snowball and bit his mouth.\u00a0 Why do you always blame me for everything that goes wrong around here?\u201d\u00a0 With that, the boy turned and headed for the stairs, the tears now falling down his cheeks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, glancing in his wife and younger son\u2019s direction, received a purposeful shake of the head from both.\u00a0 Realizing his obvious mistake, the large man moved swiftly towards the stairs and pulled his upset child into his arms.\u00a0 \u201cOh, Adam, I\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 It was wrong of me to assume that you had done anything.\u201d\u00a0 Adam raised his tear streaked face towards his father, and Ben tenderly cupped his hands round his little boy\u2019s cheek.\u00a0 \u201cYou made me a promise the other day, and I know you\u2019re a man of your word.\u201d\u00a0 Hearing his pa refer to him as a man, the child smiled and Ben hugged him to his chest, kissing the top of his head as he did so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, Pa.\u00a0 I know what it musta looked like when you came in\u201d Adam said generously, as Marie dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief and Hoss wiped his on his sleeve.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Mon ch\u00e9ri.\u00a0 Adam was a great help to me today and we all had a wonderful time, isn\u2019t that right, boys?\u201d\u00a0 She asked, attempting to regain her composure as both boys smiled up at their father in agreement.\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t you sit down and we\u2019ll tell you all about it?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At that same moment, Hop Sing entered the dining room, and in his inimitable fashion, said brusquely, \u201cFamily should dry tears and sit at table before supper all dry up.\u201d\u00a0 Laughing at this timely statement, Ben removed his coat and said, \u201cThat sounds like an even better idea, Hop Sing.\u00a0 C\u2019mon boys, it\u2019s time for supper.\u201d\u00a0 Offering his arm to his wife, the family moved to wash up before their evening meal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 11<\/span>
\nChristmas Eve morning dawned cold and overcast with the promise of more snow imminent in the eastern sky.\u00a0 Ben and his sons moved quickly to complete their morning\u2019s chores, knowing that Mother Nature would allow only a brief opportunity for the family to harvest their Christmas tree and they might be snowbound by nightfall.\u00a0 After collecting the eggs and milking the cow respectively, Hoss and Adam scanned the perimeter of the yard carefully in hopes of spying the missing rosary\u2019s glistening cross in the snow, but to no avail.<\/span><\/p>\n

Breakfast was a somber affair as Marie\u2019s red-rimmed eyes and sad demeanor set the tone for the meal.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 lip was much better and under ordinary circumstances, he would have consumed his first meal of the day with his usual gusto.\u00a0 The child, however, always sensitive to the feelings of others, barely picked at his food.\u00a0 Adam, who two weeks prior would have taken a perverse sort of pleasure in his stepmother\u2019s sorrow, now felt Marie\u2019s loss keenly, likening it to the way he would feel if his own mother\u2019s music box had gone missing.\u00a0 The older boy made a half-hearted attempt at eating his eggs and sausage, and pushed the food around on his plate between meager bites.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, at the head of the table, sighed in frustration, as he had tried last night to provide comfort to his wife, before she finally cried herself to sleep in his arms.\u00a0 Marie was not typically a tearful sort of woman, so the fact that she was even more melancholy than the previous evening (when she and Ben had searched every inch of both floors of the house in an unsuccessful effort to locate the misplaced strand) caused him great concern.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Ben addressed his elder child about the family\u2019s plans for the day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I understand from your mother that you\u2019ve made a new top for our Christmas tree.\u00a0 Do we need to find a slightly shorter pine than last year to allow extra space so your angel won\u2019t be touching the ceiling?\u201d\u00a0 Ben smiled in an earnest sort of way, hoping that his son would pick up on his effort to move Marie\u2019s mind to other, more cheerful, topics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked up and caught the glance his father made in his stepmother\u2019s direction.\u00a0 \u201cUh, oh, yeah, Pa\u201d he answered, as he now understood his pa\u2019s intent.\u00a0 \u201cI would say that the angel needs at least eight inches clearance from the tree top to the ceiling, or her halo might get a bit bent!\u201d\u00a0 He smiled at his little brother, gesturing to their mother with his eyes, and hoped that he would add something appropriate to the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The little tyke\u2019s instincts were equal to the task, as he (for once!) correctly interpreted his family\u2019s objective.\u00a0 \u201cWe needs a great big wide tree, Papa\u201d he piped, as he stretched his chubby arms out to each side as far as they would go.\u00a0 \u201cWe gots all kinds a orn\u2026, orn\u2026, uh\u2026, stuff to put on it, so its gots to be real big!\u00a0 Ain\u2019t that right, Mama?\u201d\u00a0 He asked in his sweet, endearing manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie looked up, and took in the anxious expressions of all her \u201cboys\u201d.\u00a0 Realizing what they were trying to do (and loving them for it) she sat up a little straighter and said, in the most positive voice she could muster, \u201cOh, yes, darling.\u00a0 You, Adam and your father must find a tree with many branches to hold all the \u2018stuff\u2019 that we have.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Mama\u201d Hoss responded plaintively. \u201cAin\u2019t ya comin\u2019 with us to gets the tree?\u201d\u00a0 Before his mother could respond, Adam added his two cents\u2019 worth.\u00a0 \u201cYes, Marie, the whole family should go.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be the same without you.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie smiled sweetly at her children, touched that they would want her to accompany them on their quest for the perfect pine tree.\u00a0 Scrambling for a way out of a predicament that she could not disclose, she replied, \u201cOh, boys!\u00a0 I appreciate the offer, really I do, but I need to help Hop Sing with the rest of the, uh, baking, and the polishing of the silver, and the dusting of the furni\u2026\u201d Her list was cut short, however, when the aforementioned pastry chef bustled into the dining room, shaking his head in consternation at the untouched food on each of the family member\u2019s plates.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMissy no need help Hop Sing\u201d he interjected impatiently, as he collected the dishes from the table.\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing can make lest of desserts, silver alledy polish, and dusting get done quicker with no body here.\u201d\u00a0 He nodded his head once to signal the end of the discussion, and tottered off towards the kitchen, muttering in his native tongue about such rampant wastefulness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie watched him shuffle around the corner, and then turned to her husband as she struggled to think of another phony excuse to mask the real reason why she couldn\u2019t go.\u00a0 \u2018I have absolutely nothing that I can fit into that is appropriate for a morning in the snow!\u2019\u00a0 She thought panic stricken.\u00a0 \u2018All of the clothes I wore last winter don\u2019t even button anymore.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s settled then!\u201d Ben declared, as he set his hands on either side of his place setting and nodded to his two eager lumberjacks.\u00a0 \u201cBoys, you may be excused. Go upstairs and put on your oilcloth pants, with two shirts over your long johns.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The children scooted their chairs back noisily as they moved to do as their father directed.\u00a0 Ben added in a slightly louder voice, as they made their way to the stairs, \u201cAnd don\u2019t forget your scarves and mittens!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, Papa!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss replied.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll just be a few minutes!\u201d Adam said, as he rounded the corner at the top of the stairs and disappeared from sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to his reluctant recruit, Ben reached out to squeeze his wife\u2019s hand, as he rose from his chair. The anxious young mother was in luck though, as her husband unintentionally provided the solution to her unspoken dilemma.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLove,\u201d he said, in that warm and tender way he had that indicated the depth of his affection for his wife. \u201cI think you\u2019ll really need to bundle up.\u00a0 It\u2019s colder than a polar bear\u2019s nose outside now and it won\u2019t get any warmer before we get home.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got some old pants, that I know will be much too big for you, but if you wear them, and one of my flannel shirts along with all your \u201clittle necessities\u201d you should be plenty warm enough.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben always referred to her intimate garments in that way, and she gave him one of her brightest smiles in response to his statement. Thinking that her attitude was based more on his mention of her under things rather than his offer of warm, oversized clothing, the young man took the opportunity to capitalize on his wife\u2019s restored good humor. As he stood over her, he bent down and covered her mouth with his, separating her lips with his tongue in anticipation of a more pleasant night in the offing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie returned the kiss in a similar fashion.\u00a0 As they parted, Ben added in an offhanded way, \u201cIf that\u2019s the way you feel about it, you can have my old jacket and a pair of braces, too.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou, sir,\u201d she replied, in a teasing manner, as she stood up next to him, \u201care too generous for words.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They both laughed at this remark and headed towards the stairway, arm in arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

It didn\u2019t take much doing, on Marie\u2019s part, to dress slowly enough to force her less than patient husband from the room before she had to don the proffered trousers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, driven to distraction by his wife\u2019s unhurried approach, gave up and said, in a resigned tone, \u201cI\u2019ll see you downstairs.\u201d As he closed the door behind him, he added,\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut please hurry, dear, as we don\u2019t have much time to spare.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie let out a sigh of relief (and her stomach muscles, at the same time) as she said aloud, \u201cI didn\u2019t think he would ever leave!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before she had a chance to do anything more, the door suddenly opened again, and Ben stuck his head into the room, a pair of Adam\u2019s old boots in his hand.\u00a0 \u201cI thought these would work best, and I put a pair of his socks inside, too.\u201d\u00a0 He set the shoes down just inside the door.\u00a0 As he lifted his head, he glanced admiringly at his young wife, thinking how adorable she looked in his long flannel shirt, with her pantalets peeking out where the shirt buttons had not yet been fastened.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t need any help?\u201d\u00a0 He asked, hoping to be invited back in, as an assistant of sorts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She answered in a most beguiling way as she moved towards him, \u201cNo, thank you.\u00a0 I can manage, as I\u2019ve removed your clothes a number of times, and I think I can figure out how to put them on, as well.\u201d\u00a0 She grinned unabashedly at this provocative statement, as her husband\u2019s dark eyebrows raised high on this forehead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Giving her a devilish grin of his own, he replied, \u201cPerhaps you can practice again, later this evening, hmmm?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be evening before I\u2019m dressed, if you don\u2019t leave me be, Mr. Cartwright!\u201d\u00a0 She said, with an impatient wave of her hand in his direction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, I can take a hint\u201d he replied saucily, and pulled his head back into the hallway, shutting the door with an air of finality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie laughed and hurriedly completed her task, tugging on her son\u2019s socks and boots and attempting to tuck in the much too long pants, before clattering down the hallway looking like a Ponderosa ranch hand, albeit a very voluptuous one.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

The boys were already outside, helping Charley hitch up the broad-chested draft horses, Betsy and Rex, to the sledge.\u00a0 Ben and Marie, outfitted in heavy winter coats, left the house and headed towards the barn, with lap robes and the boys\u2019 forgotten mufflers in hand. Holding out the scarves to them, Adam and Hoss ran over, mumbling words of apology as they looped the knitted ties around their necks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Mama, you look real purdy in Papa\u2019s clothes!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said, his mother\u2019s pleasing appearance apparent to even his untrained eye.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, thank you, kind sir!\u201d\u00a0 She replied, holding the edges of her husband\u2019s wool-lined coat in each hand, and giving her son a deep curtsy for his comment.\u00a0 Hoss chortled, and Adam smiled shyly at her display, though the older boy was somewhat embarrassed by the fact that his stepmother was dressed like a cowboy, rather than a lady.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that Marie would not find the sledge to be very comfortable riding, Ben then directed Charley to also bring out the sleigh.\u00a0 As the man headed back to the barn, Adam addressed his father.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa.\u00a0 Is Charley gonna come with us?\u201d he asked, the confusion evident on his face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, son, I thought just the four of us would go\u201d replied his father, as he picked up the axe from the sledge, intending to put it in the sleigh with the adults.\u00a0 Ben then turned to face his oldest, as he waited for the inevitable question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, whose gonna drive the sledge then?\u201d Adam queried.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss looked back and forth between the two, not fully understanding where the conversation was headed.<\/span>
\nWith a shrug of his shoulders, Ben said simply, \u201cYou are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe?\u201d\u00a0 The boy\u2019s eyes lit up like the candles on a birthday cake, and his smile was almost blinding as he asked again to make sure he had heard his pa correctly.\u00a0 \u201cDo ya really mean it, Pa?\u00a0 I get to drive the sledge by myself?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019ll need to have your little brother sit with you, just to keep the sledge on the ground while it\u2019s empty, but yes, Adam, you can drive the sledge.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was not very often that the young boy let his excitement bubble over but the thrill of being allowed, for the very first time; to guide a team of horses by himself was cause for celebration.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYippee!\u201d\u00a0 He cried as he danced a bit of a jig on the hard packed snow.\u00a0 Ben and Marie laughed at this impromptu display and Hoss, equally excited to be able to ride with his older brother on such an auspicious occasion, was already heading towards the platform.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Pa!\u201d\u00a0 Adam said happily, as he took his place on the wide plank seat, and gathered the reins to his steeds from his equally pleased footman, who had already delivered the sleigh to Ben.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019all have a good time!\u201d\u00a0 Charley said, as Adam purposefully slapped the reins on the horses\u2019 backs, and guided the wooden platform forward through the snow.\u00a0 His mother and father brought up the rear, with Ben urging the sorrel into a comfortable gait, which kept them just far enough back to give the boys some independence, but close enough to intervene, if need be.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was nice of you to let him drive the team\u201d Marie said, as she arranged one side of the lap robe around her legs and feet.\u00a0 Reaching gingerly across her husband, she draped the rest of the blanket across his lap, and snuggled in closer to his side.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s earned it,\u201d Ben replied, as he kissed the top of his wife\u2019s forehead.\u00a0 \u201cPlus, I owe him something for unjustly accusing him like I did last night\u201d he added, with a bit of a hangdog expression.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019s forgotten all about that\u201d Marie said, in an attempt to ease her husband\u2019s conscience.\u00a0 \u201cWell, except for the part when you called him a \u2018man of his word\u2019.\u00a0 I think he grew about two inches just from sheer elation.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded in agreement as the sleigh glided effortlessly in the wake of the runners of the conveyance ahead of them.\u00a0 Adam, managing the team like a seasoned professional, took his assigned task very seriously.\u00a0 His solemn countenance, as he imparted his wisdom on the subject to his young apprentice, was not lost on his parents, even from their vantage point.<\/span>
\nIn less than an hour, Adam carefully pulled the horses to a halt in a clearing near the new stand of trees. The boys began to point out several fine specimens of native Ponderosa pines in the immediate vicinity.\u00a0 Turning back towards their parents, both children saw their father wave his hand in acknowledgement, and waited until the sleigh came up next to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese all look like possible candidates\u201d Ben stated, as the family disembarked from their respective carriages.\u00a0 With four pairs of boots crunching through the icy snow pack, each one took a stand before the nominee of his or her choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019s like this one\u201d Hoss declared, as he pointed to a tree that was as wide as it was tall.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis one\u2019s my pick\u201d his older brother said, as he tried to determine another pine\u2019s more than ample height based on the weak shadow that it cast in the almost nonexistent sunlight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think this one would look best\u201d the lone female in the group stated,\u00a0 as her contender was chosen based on the spaciousness of its branches, although the tree was not anywhere near tall enough to fill its allotted place in the Cartwright living room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled as he noted that none of his family\u2019s choices would really be the best, given the fact that he had to cut it down, cart it into the house, and try to force it to stand on a sometimes unwieldy base!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow about this one?\u201d he asked, pointing to a more well proportioned pine tree, whose branches were compact, and whose trunk was ample enough to support the tree during its indoor sojourn, yet not so big as to prevent its entrance through the front door.\u00a0 The rest of the family gathered to voice their vote and Ben\u2019s selection was finally declared the winner.\u00a0 With a few quick strokes of the axe, he brought the tree down onto the sledge that Adam had driven into position, and soon the family was heading back home with a few pinecones and extra boughs for the hearth and for use in the wreath that would grace the front door.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Although he had been intent on guiding the team home with a sure and steady hand, Adam\u2019s mind had also been occupied with another, even more pressing, consideration.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Today\u2019s Christmas Eve already!\u00a0 I\u2019ve got to come up with something for Marie\u2019s gift!\u2019\u00a0 He thought anxiously, his expression darkening in concentration.\u00a0 His younger brother; thinking that his older sibling was completely engrossed in the task at hand, had tried to sit peacefully so as not to disturb his focus.\u00a0 After about thirty seconds of self-imposed calm, Hoss could no longer stand the silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhatcha thinkin\u2019 \u2018bout, Adam?\u201d\u00a0 He asked slowly, as he swung his legs forward and back on the high seat of the sledge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, once again cautious in divulging anything to his less than tightlipped brother, bit his own lip in consternation before he spoke.\u00a0 Soon, however, the desperate nature of his situation dictated that he put his usual concerns aside, swallow his pride, and beg for help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d he said as he turned soulful, pleading eyes towards his passenger, \u201cI can\u2019t think of nothing to make for Marie for Christmas.\u00a0 Do ya have any ideas?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss was rarely asked for his opinion on any situation, let alone advice.\u00a0 Curling his right index finger and thumb against his chubby chin, he hunched his shoulders and drew his eyebrows together in thought, looking for all the world like his pa at work on the ranch\u2019s ledger books.\u00a0 He made no sound as he contemplated all the possible items his mother could want or need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sighed and rolled his eyes as he waited for the verdict from the jury of one.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThar\u2019s only one thing that Mama really wants\u201d the sage finally proclaimed.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a seemingly endless pause, Adam asked, in an exasperated tone, \u201cYeah, what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe wants her rosy back\u201d the child stated in a matter of fact way as he tried to use the correct term for the missing prayer beads.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s frustration was now even more evident as he frowned at the obvious suggestion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, a \u2018course she wants it back!\u00a0 But we looked everywhere, and it\u2019s gone!\u00a0 I can\u2019t make it reappear outa thin air!\u201d\u00a0 Adam said forcefully as he turned and spat to the left of the platform for emphasis.\u00a0 Hoss wriggled in embarrassment at his brother\u2019s less than pleased response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly, an idea began taking shape in Adam\u2019s nimble mind, and a slow smile spread across his face.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s it, Hoss!\u201d he declared, as he slapped the leather leads purposefully.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s it?\u201d Hoss asked, looking towards the horses as if the answer to his brother\u2019s question was written in the snow (not that he could read it, even if it was).<\/span><\/p>\n

Realizing that he need not disclose his plan to the source of his inspiration, Adam adopted his oft used \u201colder brother knows best\u201d expression.\u00a0 Ignoring his sibling\u2019s question, he again smacked the reins against the horses\u2019 haunches as he urged them to speed up across the frozen plane.\u00a0 Hoss shrugged his shoulders and turned to look back at the tree whose branches were now bouncing along in rhythm with the increased momentum of the sledge.<\/span><\/p>\n

From behind, the voice of their father cut through the icy silence that surrounded them.\u00a0 \u201cSon!\u00a0 Not so fast!\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget those horses are carrying a bigger load than they came with!\u201d Ben shouted, without anger.\u00a0 \u201cSorry, Pa!\u201d\u00a0 Came the expected reply as Adam pulled the leads back slightly, signaling the team to resume a more leisurely pace.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s okay\u201d the older child thought.\u00a0 \u2018This way, I\u2019ll get it all worked out in my mind before we get home.\u2019\u00a0 Assuming that Adam would be upset at being told what to do, Hoss glanced tentatively in his direction, and noted the broad grin that was evident on his brother\u2019s face.\u00a0 Shaking his head in confusion, he concluded, \u2018I thought grownups was hard to figer out, but this boy is just plumb loco!\u201d using a phrase he had heard one of the ranch hands use in describing a headstrong steer.\u00a0 Sighing loudly, the little boy settled back in his seat to enjoy the rest of the ride home.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

It was late morning by the time the family returned to the ranch house.\u00a0 Adam, at Ben\u2019s direction, brought the sledge as close to the front porch as possible, (without disturbing the snowman, of course).\u00a0 With Charley\u2019s help, Ben unloaded the tree and leaned it against the wall just before the entryway into the house.\u00a0 Hoss placed the pine boughs and cones that they had collected on the step that led to the front porch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t ya gonna put the tree inside?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet, son.\u201d His father patiently explained.\u00a0 \u201cWe need to knock the snow off of it, plus I need to fashion a stand to hold it upright before we move it indoors to decorate.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss nodded his understanding, and at Ben\u2019s request, moved forward to help remove the winter frosting from its many branches.\u00a0 This is where Adam found the two of them upon his return from putting up the sledge since Marie had already adjourned to the house to change into more familiar (though less comfortable) attire.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2019ve got some, uh, things I need to attend to\u201d Adam said in a self-important manner, and asked that he be excused from assisting with the tree for the time being.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyebrows rose a bit at this vague comment and he asked in an uncertain, though hopeful, sort of way, \u201cHelping St. Nick in ensuring a Merry Christmas for everyone, son?\u201d\u00a0 Adam noted that Ben glanced towards the house as he said \u2018everyone\u2019, and as usual, the child correctly interpreted the unspoken question in his father\u2019s eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, I\u2019m just finishing up my list\u201d he replied, and gave his father a very deliberate wink and a dimpled smile in return. \u201cUh, Pa?\u201d he asked tentatively.\u00a0 \u201cWould it be all right if I were to take a one of these pine boughs with me?\u00a0 I need it for my\u2026project.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben gave his permission readily, and the boy, with the branch in hand, turned towards the front door, as Ben focused his attentions to the task at hand.\u00a0 With his hand on the front latch, Adam stopped suddenly, and came back over to the man, his eyes shining under his thick black lashes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted to say \u2018thanks\u2019 for letting me drive the sledge, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 The respect and admiration for his pa was evident as he spoke the words.\u00a0 \u201cYou did a fine job, son\u201d Ben said, the pride in his voice mixing with a bit of longing at one more milestone achieved in his young son\u2019s life.\u00a0 He reached out and squeezed the boy\u2019s shoulder, and with that, Adam turned and sprinted into the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked over at his baby, and smiled at the little boy\u2019s earnest attempts to reach the branches above his head.\u00a0 Hoss felt Ben\u2019s eyes upon him, and gave his pa a happy grin in return.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019s can help ya with the tree, Papa.\u00a0 Betcha I\u2019s can reach way high up like Adam, and I\u2019s can carry it in too.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, thank you, son.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be Pa\u2019s helper today, all right?\u201d\u00a0 The gap tooth grin grew even bigger at this invitation, and Ben held out his hand to his assistant, who took it willingly, as they walked to the barn to construct the stand for the tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Adam made straight for his room, his mind awhirl with the details of his intended project.\u00a0 He passed Marie as she came down the stairs, noting that she seemed much more composed and cheerful after the morning\u2019s activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018She looks more like a mother now too!\u2019\u00a0 he thought, as he took in her more familiar feminine attire, his face a mirror of his unspoken feelings. Seeing his smile, Marie gave her young stepson an affectionate pat on the back as they arrived on the landing at the same time, and the boy did not shy away from her touch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly remembering a necessary component of his intended gift, Adam asked, in a hesitant tone of voice, \u201cMarie, I, um, need to borrow the button box, cause, I, uh\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Stop stammering, you idiot, or she\u2019ll figure out what you\u2019re up to!\u2019\u00a0 Adam internally chastised himself as he struggled to finish his request.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Noting the bough in his hand, Marie suspected that this request had something to do with a Christmas gift, so she spared the child any more unnecessary disclosure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you may borrow it, Adam.\u00a0 You know where it is, so help yourself\u201d she said in a gracious manner, without further questions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s relief was evident, as he sighed audibly and said, \u201cThanks, Marie.\u00a0 You\u2019re the best!\u201d\u00a0 And with that, he took the remainder of the stairs two at a time, and disappeared down the hallway.<\/span>
\n\u00a0Her stepson\u2019s comments brightening her mood even more, Marie soon found herself humming holiday carols as she considered the appropriate decorations for the mantelpiece and sofa table as well as the centerpiece for the dining room table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing was hard at work in the kitchen and the aroma of fresh baked bread, coupled with the tantalizing smell of ham hocks and beans, made Marie\u2019s stomach grumble in anticipation.\u00a0 Hunger was not the only thing making its present known, however, as the young woman placed her hand on her midsection and felt the fluttering movements of the child within her.\u00a0 She glanced down, and spoke in a low whisper, \u201cJust one more day, little one, and you won\u2019t be a secret any more!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For several minutes, Marie was lost in her thoughts about how she would break her wonderful news to her spouse the next evening.\u00a0\u00a0 She was brought back to the present by the sound of the latch rising against the iron bar on the front door, and turned to see her husband and young son, red-cheeked and laughing, enter the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe tree\u2019s all ready ta come in, Mama!\u201d Hoss exclaimed as he tore off his coat and scarf and dropped them on the floor at his father\u2019s feet.\u00a0 Ben shook his head and smiled as he bent over and retrieved the discarded garments, though he did not correct the behavior as he normally would have.\u00a0 The little boy\u2019s excitement was infectious and his father did not want to deflate his enthusiasm by insisting on strict enforcement of house rules.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hurrying to his mother\u2019s side, Hoss said, \u201cPapa says we gots ta eat first, and then we\u2019s can bring it inside!\u201d\u00a0 Marie smiled warmly at her little bundle of energy and removed his wool cap, using her hand to smooth the fine blond hair that was sticking out in every direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Winking at her husband, she said, \u201cWell, if Papa says we have to eat first, I guess we better get to it!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss, missing the joke entirely, nodded his head and moved towards his chair at the table. However, the sound of his father\u2019s voice caused a temporary disruption of his plans, as Ben said evenly, \u201cHoss, please go upstairs and wash your hands and face.\u00a0 And tell your brother that dinner is ready, too.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Papa\u201d the little boy sighed as he walked past his parents and up the stairs.\u00a0 Ben grinned as he watched him go, and turned back to his wife, who was giggling at her child\u2019s dejected demeanor.\u00a0 The young man then glanced hungrily at his spouse, hoping that there was something else on the menu for his midday repast besides mere food.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see my new ranch hand has been replaced\u201d he teased, as he took her in his arms and nuzzled the sensitive area just behind her right earlobe.\u00a0 He brushed her hair back as he moved his lips up to her ear, and then gently kissed the soft skin at her temple.\u00a0 Marie made a low noise deep in the back of her throat that signaled to the man that he had aroused her in the manner intended.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMon Ch\u00e9ri,\u201d she said passionately, as she took his face in her palms and kissed him full on the lips.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, my love?\u201d he replied softly, with an eager glint in his eyes as they ended the kiss.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking into the deep chocolate pools that gave back her own reflection, she whispered tantalizingly, \u201cGo wash your hands; it\u2019s time for lunch\u201d and reached around to deliver a gentle swat to her husband\u2019s backside.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pulling back in mock consternation, Ben rolled his eyes, and in an almost dead on impression of his younger child, said, in a disappointed voice, \u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d and headed up the stairs.\u00a0 Marie laughed as Ben turned and shrugged his shoulders with a resigned expression when he reached the landing. She could hear him as he disappeared from view, shouting in a jovial way, \u201cC\u2019mon you two; Mama says it\u2019s time to eat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After a hardy noontime meal, Ben enlisted Adam\u2019s help in moving the blue chair, settee and coffee table away from the intended path that the tree would take into the Cartwright living room.\u00a0 Ben rolled the edge of the rug back and smiled at his little family as he surveyed the room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGuess we\u2019re all set.\u00a0 Adam, you and Hoss put your jackets back on, and we\u2019ll bring in the tree.\u201d\u00a0 Both boys raced to the front door, and eagerly donned their coats.\u00a0 Ben slipped into his shearling jacket, and opened the door, as a blast of icy wind rushed in around them.\u00a0 Pulling his collar up around his neck, Ben quickly followed the boys outside, and signaled the children as to which part of the tree they should grasp.\u00a0 With Adam holding the tree near the middle and Hoss at its peak, their father lifted the base of the trunk gingerly, so as not to disturb the carefully constructed wooden crosspiece nailed to the bottom that would support the towering pine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving swiftly to the open door, the three of them guided the tree successfully through the front entrance. Marie stood guard in order to close the door as quickly as it was safe to do so.\u00a0 Once inside, Ben swung his end of the tree around and moved backwards towards the space next to the stairway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Hoss.\u00a0 Let go of your end.\u201d\u00a0 As the younger boy obeyed, Adam watched behind him, as his father slowly tipped the base of the pine downwards.\u00a0 The older boy guided his part of the trunk towards the ceiling until Ben indicated to him to release his hold as well.\u00a0 Ben gently eased the entire weight of the tree onto its base and then stood motionless, with one hand on the trunk, as he determined the ability of the stand to hold the tree in an upright, stable position.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Breathing a deep sigh of relief, as the tree stood tall and straight on its artificial base, Ben backed away and took in the sight as he stood next to his family.\u00a0 Hoss was jumping up and down in excitement, Adam was applauding, and Marie\u2019s eyes were shining as they all admired the perfect specimen that seemed made for its location.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe all best get to decorating it now,\u201d Ben said as he gestured towards the sideboard where Marie had placed the ornaments for the tree.\u00a0 \u201cHas Hop Sing popped the corn so we can string it?\u201d he asked his wife.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before she could answer, Hoss reached up and pulled on his mother\u2019s dress, dismay evident on his face.\u00a0 \u201cMama?\u201d he said plaintively, \u201ccould we wait ta decorate the tree til later?\u201d\u00a0 Marie looked from his round blue eyes to his father\u2019s face and back again with a look of complete confusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWait?\u00a0 But sweetheart, I thought you were so looking forward to putting the ornaments on the tree.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you feel well?\u201d she asked in a concerned tone, automatically placing her hand gently upon his forehead.\u00a0 Ben, too, reached over and put his hand in the same place as soon as the child\u2019s mother removed hers.\u00a0 The parents\u2019 eyes met as Ben said softly, \u201cNo fever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, looking somewhat uncomfortable at the distress he had inadvertently caused, shook his head slowly and said, \u201cI\u2019s not sick, Mama.\u00a0 I\u2019s just wants to have a nap afore we put the stuff on the tree.\u201d\u00a0 His mother\u2019s eyes grew large as she stared at her little one in disbelief.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to take a nap?\u201d she replied, feeling a bit dizzy herself at this revelation.\u00a0 Adam smiled as his little brother nodded his head in response to his mother\u2019s question.\u00a0 \u201cI bet I know why he wants a nap\u201d the elder child interjected confidentially.\u00a0 \u201cHe wants to stay up to see Saint Nicholas tonight, isn\u2019t that right, Hoss?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss nodded his head again, in affirmation of his brother\u2019s conclusion.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019s couldn\u2019t stay awake last year, so I\u2019s figger\u2019d if I go to sleep now, I can stay awake later and see \u2018im tonight for sure!\u201d\u00a0 Ben brought his hand up and rubbed his eyes, chuckling to himself as he did so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie looked at her husband, noting his attempt not to laugh aloud. She then shrugged her shoulders, lifting her hands in a gesture of resignation, as she replied, \u201cIf that\u2019s what you want to do, little one, it\u2019s all right with me.\u201d\u00a0 Ben nodded his agreement and with a big grin, the child bounded up the stairs to take his nap.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man made to move towards the kitchen, saying in an offhanded way, \u201cWell, at least the three of us can get the popcorn ready to put on the tree.\u201d\u00a0 Marie smiled in agreement, but Adam looked somewhat restive at his father\u2019s suggestion.<\/span><\/p>\n

This lack of enthusiasm on his other child\u2019s part peaked Ben\u2019s curiosity and he asked in a playful manner, \u201cAdam, don\u2019t tell me you want a nap too?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam blushed just a bit and shook his head vigorously at his father\u2019s question.\u00a0 \u201cNo, Pa.\u00a0 But I was wondering if I could go to my room for awhile.\u00a0 There\u2019s something I need to finish\u2026you know\u2026for Christmas.\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s face was just as beseeching as his brother\u2019s had been as he looked from one parent to the other for permission.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead\u201d Ben said in a pleasant tone of voice.\u00a0 The boy turned on his heel and was gone up the stairs in a twinkling of an eye.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes then took on a sparkle of their own, though the reason for his exhilaration had nothing at all to do with Christmas.\u00a0 Stretching his arms above his head and arching his back at the same time, he gave, what he hoped, was a convincing yawn.\u00a0 His wife watched him in amusement, her arms folded across her chest, knowing exactly what this little act was leading up to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoy, you know, all this talk about naps has certainly made me sleepy.\u00a0 Maybe a bit of a lie down would be just the ticket\u201d he said wearily, though the corners of his mouth rose a bit in a dead giveaway of what he was really thinking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie decided to play along, and responded (to her husband\u2019s delight!), \u201cYou know, darling, maybe you\u2019re right.\u00a0 I could use a nap myself.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Never one to let an opportunity slip away, Ben offered his arm to his bride, as the two of them hurried up the stairs to their love nest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Adam smiled broadly as he carefully tied the bow around the square box that had, until a few moments ago, held a small compass that his father had given him a few years back.\u00a0 The compass was now nested amongst his socks and drawers in his bureau for the time being, until he could recover the box after its current contents had been revealed on Christmas morning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thinking ahead to that time, Adam imagined the recipient\u2019s expression when she opened the unassuming box and took in his creation.\u00a0 A tingle of anticipation went down his spine, coupled with relief that he had finally thought of the perfect gift for his stepmother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The grandfather clock in the living room announced the two o\u2019clock hour as Adam hid the box in its original location in the bottom drawer of his desk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll put it under the tree tonight, after everyone goes to bed.\u201d\u00a0 He considered this plan uncertainly, as he knew his father didn\u2019t like anyone roaming around the house after bedtime.\u00a0 \u2018Well, maybe he won\u2019t mind, just this once. After all, St. Nicholas will be here tonight, too!\u2019 as he grinned at his own joke.<\/span><\/p>\n

The top of his desk was littered with wood shavings and pine needles, and the contents of the button box had been dumped across his bed.\u00a0 Using some old homework papers as a guide, he carefully began pushing the remains of the pine bough into his wastebasket, when he heard the sounds of his parents\u2019 voices coming down the hallway from their bedroom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had heard their soft footfalls on the stairs earlier that afternoon, not long after he and his little brother had adjourned to their rooms.\u00a0 The child was curious as to what his parents did when they were alone in their room, though he imagined it probably involved kissing and hugging.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018\u2019Course they do that in front of Hoss and me all the time\u2019 he reasoned, so there must be something more to it than that.\u00a0 The older boys at school talked about some other kind of thing that a man and a woman did when they were alone, but they always ended the conversation whenever Mrs. Johnson or one of the younger children came around.\u00a0 The little boy shrugged his shoulders in resignation and turned back to the task at hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not wanting to be caught with any evidence of his afternoon\u2019s endeavors, Adam hurriedly swept the remnants of the branch into the trash with his bare hand, and then stopped suddenly, with a restrained yowl of pain, as he pushed a sliver deep into his right index finger.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOuch!\u201d he said in a fierce whisper as he put the injured digit in his mouth, a trace of the metallic taste of his own blood upon his tongue.\u00a0 Pulling it back to look at it more closely, he could see that the sliver had embedded itself into the tip of his finger. A small bit of it was exposed above the skin and pinpointed by a drop of blood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at the wound and determined that the sliver probably wasn\u2019t too deep, although it hurt like the dickens!\u00a0 Taking the end of the sliver between his teeth, he quickly pulled his hand away.\u00a0 The tears came immediately to the child\u2019s eyes as the splinter broke in two, with the remaining piece now even more painfully embedded than before.\u00a0 Trying to ignore the throbbing, the little boy put the finger back into his mouth to keep it from further injury, as he hurriedly moved over to clean off the top of his bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He scooped the buttons and fasteners into his left hand and hastily poured them into the metal box, never noticing the single dressmakers\u2019 pin that had unintentionally found its way into the jumble of sewing notions.\u00a0 Unfortunately for Adam, as he swept up the rest of the buttons into a pile, the palm of his hand made the discovery for him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOw!\u201d\u00a0 He cried loudly, as the pin entered the tender area just below his fingers, skewering the skin twice.\u00a0 Although the child prided himself on his high tolerance for pain, the quick succession of the two injuries, coupled with his heightened anxiety regarding the completion of Marie\u2019s gift, was too much for him. Rather than risk a second attempt at doctoring himself, the boy sat down heavily on the floor next to his bed, his frustration overwhelming him as two fat tears slowly made their way down his cheeks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Marie, who had just awakened their younger child from his nap, looked at each other in alarm as they heard the cry of pain emanating from the next room.\u00a0 Marie rushed to Adam\u2019s bedroom and opened the door as swiftly as she dared without possibly adding to the unknown injury.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The sight that met her eyes melted her heart, as she took in Adam\u2019s tear-streaked face, his dark lashes clumped together with the moisture from his eyes. His slim body was slumped against the side of his bed, with his knees bent upwards towards his chest. His right finger was still in his mouth, and he looked absolutely miserable as he stared at the blood on his left hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, baby, what happened?\u201d\u00a0 Marie asked automatically, without a thought as to whom she was addressing.\u00a0 Adam looked up, and without answering, held his left hand up so his mother could see the wound.\u00a0 Marie hurried over to his side, and knelt down to examine his outstretched palm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meeting his mother\u2019s questioning glance, the little boy, with no evidence of his usually mature countenance, removed his finger from his mouth, and said in a pitiful tone, \u201cI hurt my finger, too.\u00a0 I tried to get the sliver out, but I made it worse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet me see, sweetheart\u201d Marie said in a soothing tone. She tried not to wince as she looked at the proffered digit and could see that the wound was already red and angry looking.\u00a0 Ben had now rounded the corner into the room, and was relieved to see that there was a minimum of blood, and no broken bones, though he was a bit surprised at Adam\u2019s demeanor, given such\u00a0 relatively small injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without looking up, Marie said calmly, \u201cBen, there\u2019s a pair of tweezers on my dressing table.\u00a0 Would you bring them here please, along with my sewing basket from downstairs?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course\u201d he replied, as Hoss stuck his mussed head around the corner of the doorway to see what all the commotion was about.\u00a0 \u201cHoss go downstairs and bring Mama\u2019s sewing basket here\u201d his father instructed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss did as he was told and soon Marie had the necessary instruments to extract both the pin and the sliver from her son\u2019s hands.\u00a0 Adam tried hard to be brave, and held still while Marie used the tweezers to grasp the embedded pinhead and gingerly remove the foreign body from the palm of his hand.\u00a0 Ben, retrieving a clean towel from the wash basin, knelt next to his wife and pressed the cloth against the weeping wound. Marie rose and moved to Adam\u2019s right side as Ben sent Hoss to retrieve some bandages and salve from Hop Sing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie stared at the other wound suspiciously, knowing that removing it would be quite painful.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s eyes never left her face as she determined the best way to excise the rest of the splinter, with the least amount of undue hardship on the child. Out of the blue, she remembered what they had done to ease the pain of Hoss\u2019 cut lip the day before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The younger child had just returned with the requested bandages, and Marie, still kneeling on the rug, turned slightly towards the chubby little nurse.\u00a0 \u201cHoss, go downstairs for mama and get a coffee mug from Hop Sing, please.\u201d\u00a0 Ben and Hoss exchanged confused glances as she continued.\u00a0 \u201cGo outside and fill it with soft, clean snow and bring it up here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Kay, Mama\u201d Hoss said, as he made his third trip down the stairs in as many minutes, happy to be included in the care of his big brother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled in understanding mixed with pride at his young wife\u2019s ingenuity, as he dabbed the salve on the boy\u2019s other hand, wrapped it with the soft muslin bandage and tied it firmly on top of his hand.\u00a0 Adam, not understanding Marie\u2019s intent as his normally quick mind was dulled by the throbbing in his finger, looked very young as he stuck his finger back in his mouth, and watched as his father finished tying the bandage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss returned quickly with the cup and handed it cautiously to his mother.\u00a0 Looking into Adam\u2019s eyes with love and caring, Marie held out her hand so as to guide his injured finger into the cup of snow. Ben had moved to Marie\u2019s side, the lighted oil lamp in his hand; as he knelt down to provide the necessary light for her to work by.\u00a0 The man watched silently, as his son, his bright hazel eyes never leaving his mother\u2019s deeper green ones, slowly removed his finger from his mouth and placed his hand in hers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Had anyone else witnessed this silent exchange, the significance of the moment would have been lost on them.\u00a0 However, in that brief span of time, Ben caught a glimpse of the absolute trust and confidence his son\u2019s eyes showed as he looked at his stepmother.\u00a0 The only other person, besides Ben himself, that Adam had ever looked at in such a manner, was Inger.\u00a0 Watching his wife now, as she acted out of pure love and concern for their child, Ben knew that Marie would do everything in her power to keep that hard earned trust.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Holding Adam\u2019s hand gently, Marie carefully pressed the sore digit into the powdery snow, and the boy winced from the icy plunge.\u00a0 As his finger turned colder and the throbbing lessened, the little boy snuffled loudly while his body relaxed, and he closed his eyes in repose.\u00a0\u00a0 Marie quickly searched through the threaded needles in the pincushion of her sewing basket and found the one she felt would do the trick.\u00a0 Carefully sticking it into the quilt on the bed, she moved the tweezers next to it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, sweetheart.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be as quick and careful as I can be.\u201d\u00a0 Adam opened his eyes and nodded his head, as his mother lifted his hand from the cup, holding it palm up.\u00a0 Ben held the oil lamp so as to minimize the shadow and placed it near enough so Marie could plainly see what she was doing.\u00a0 Hoss, standing next to his father, held his breath as Marie skillfully pressed down on the wound with the side of the needle, moving the skin around with its point, until she finally found the end of the splinter.\u00a0 She then held the needle in place with her left hand and picked up the metal instrument, in order to excise the splinter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam never moved, but preferred not to look as Marie grasped the jagged edge of the wooden piece with the tweezers and slowly pulled towards her.\u00a0 The quarter inch long splinter, coated in blood, came out grudgingly, but in one piece.\u00a0 Squeezing the end of Adam\u2019s finger to encourage a cleansing flow of blood through the now vacant space, Marie glanced up at her patient.\u00a0 His eyes were much clearer and absent of the pain of a few moments before, and Adam smiled gratefully at his angel of mercy.\u00a0 Returning his smile, Marie blotted the blood with the towel, and again, without thought as to the implication of the gesture, tenderly kissed his fingertip.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere.\u00a0 Does that feel better now, Adam?\u201d she asked, knowing that it must surely be a relief to have the splinter out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2026Marie.\u00a0 Thanks a lot\u201d he stammered, as his father tore the remaining muslin into the correct width for this injury.\u00a0 Marie moved over to make room for Ben, but not before running her hand across the boy\u2019s forehead and ruffling his hair with her fingers, in silent acknowledgement of his unconscious slip of the tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome, mon ami\u201d she responded with a soft smile, as she rose to her feet and put her arm around Hoss\u2019 shoulders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre ya goin\u2019 be able to help with the tree, Adam?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked anxiously.\u00a0 Ben looked over his shoulder at this and grinned at the child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I know your brother, Hoss, he won\u2019t let a little thing like a couple of bandages stop him from decorating that tree, right son?\u201d\u00a0 He asked, as he finished tying the smaller bandage around the tip of Adam\u2019s finger.\u00a0 Ben winked at the older boy as he added the last part, knowing that the child would want to make a quick recovery so as to regain his usual invincible status in his little brother\u2019s eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight, Pa!\u201d he said with conviction, as he pushed himself up to his knees, and wiped his face with the back of his bandaged left hand.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s go, Hoss!\u201d\u00a0 The two boys quickly exited the room and headed towards the stairway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDON\u2019T RUN!\u201d came the usual command from their father as Marie shook her head and mouthed the words, \u201cSorry, Pa,\u201d just as they were spoken by the two children.\u00a0 As Marie started to clean off the rest of the bed, Ben came up beside her and turned her by the shoulders to face him.<\/span><\/p>\n

As he started to speak, Marie placed her index finger on his lips.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t thank me, darling.\u00a0 It\u2019s all a part of being a mother\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cThe look in his eyes was thanks enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded as the moment was interrupted by two young voices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanna put the first one on!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut I wanna put the angel on first, \u2018cause I made it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With a shared grin, the two parents quickly left the room, though they knew the memory of what happened there that afternoon would remain with them forever.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 12<\/span>
\nThe tree, as it was patiently draped in all its finery, was a sight to behold.\u00a0 It was a mixture of so many things old and new, and yet, it seemed to all blend into a whole that only served to enhance each individual item.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled, remembering Inger\u2019s careful attention to detail while he hung the dala horses on the tree. Glancing in Adam\u2019s direction, he watched the boy suspended a crocheted ornament from a lower limb; thinking back, he could see her again in the old rocking chair, her hands effortlessly crafting each bright snowflake, as he would relay another nautical tale to that selfsame dark-haired child.\u00a0 Lifting Hoss up to place his own colorful paper chains on the pine next to his mama\u2019s handiwork served to bridge the gap between the past and the present in a way that Ben thought was most fitting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And, of course, the angel who graced the top of the tree was a comforting reminder that Inger would always be with them, watching from on high.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s tentative expression when he showed his creation to his father was quickly replaced by a relieved smile as Ben praised his accomplishment.\u00a0 Working together from the top of the stairway, father and son had attached the \u201cguardian angel\u201d to the uppermost reaches of the pine, with her halo just clearing the ceiling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie grinned as the two of them reached the bottom of the stairs, admiring their joint effort.\u00a0 Handing her husband two large pomegranates wrapped in ribbon, she indicated where she thought they should go.\u00a0 Ben, with the hefty fruit ornaments in each hand, said nothing aloud, though the slight frown and the familiar raised black eyebrow in evidence as he glanced in his wife\u2019s direction, telegraphed exactly what he was thinking.\u00a0 Hoping to avoid a lecture in front of the children on the virtues of budgeting, Marie decided to gain their support instead and tip the scales in her favor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t these just the most interesting things?\u201d\u00a0 She said to her eldest, as she looped the ribbon from another one around her index finger and held it so he could see.\u00a0 Adam, not quite sure what his response should be, merely shrugged his shoulders and said, in an agreeable tone, \u201cYes, Marie.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen one before, except in that picture over there in the dining room.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s they supposed ta be, Mama?\u201d Hoss asked, wrinkling his nose as he stared at the oddly shaped fruit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, darling, they\u2019re called pomegranates.\u00a0 They aren\u2019t the prettiest things on the outside, but, oh! On the inside are the most wonderful little seeds that make the best jelly you ever tasted.\u201d\u00a0 Marie said, glancing up devilishly at Ben as she did so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMmm!\u00a0 I like jelly, don\u2019t you, Papa?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked his father, innocently.\u00a0 \u201cAin\u2019t it nice that Mama gots these so she could make us some?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben (knowing when he was outmaneuvered) nodded to his little boy and replied, \u201cYes, son. We sure are lucky that Mama got so many of these so she could make us some jelly.\u201d\u00a0 Marie blushed, not from the compliment, but from his emphasis on the number of high priced pomegranates she had purchased.\u00a0 Giving him a coy smile in response, she again indicated where Ben should hang the decorations he held in his hands, his bemused countenance relieving her slightly guilty conscience.<\/span><\/p>\n

The gingerbread men added a whimsical touch as each child carefully placed his own creations on the branches.\u00a0 As Hoss hung his last one on the tree, he suddenly remembered the one he had made that was too special for mere display.\u00a0 The little boy took off like a shot for the kitchen, as his parents and older brother exchanged confused looks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat in the world?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked aloud, as they could hear Hoss\u2019 high pitched voice excitedly asking Hop Sing for something.\u00a0 Marie and Adam looked expectantly towards the kitchen, as the child reappeared as quickly as he had left. This time, however, he walked very slowly towards his father, holding a small plate in his two pudgy hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019s made this for you, Papa,\u00a0 just like I promised ya!\u201d\u00a0 He said happily, as he handed the dish to Ben. Having seen the other examples of his son\u2019s workmanship already on the tree, it was obvious that the child had taken great pains to assure that this one was the grandest of all.\u00a0 Ben got down on one knee, as he took the proffered plate from the child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, this is the best-dressed gingerbread man I ever saw! You made this all by yourself?\u201d he asked, as he gazed into the azure eyes of his youngest.<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy nodded his head vigorously and the accompanying grin was evidence of his delight at his father\u2019s praise.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019s taste really good too, Papa!\u00a0 Adam and Mama and me ate the rest of \u2018em, but I wanted ta make sure you gots one of your very own!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, son. That was a very kind thing for you to do.\u201d\u00a0 Ben set the plate down on the low table, as he drew Hoss into a hug.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019s welcome, Papa \u2013 I\u2019s could help ya eat it, iff\u2019n it\u2019s too big for ya\u201d he added hopefully, as he pulled back from his father\u2019s embrace.\u00a0 Ben, laughing, reached over and ruffled the fine hair on the tawny blond head, then broke the cookie in two pieces.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He then whispered conspiratorially, but loud enough for everyone to hear, \u201cDo you think we should share it with Mama and Adam too?\u201d\u00a0 The child whispered back, in an even louder voice, \u201cYeah, \u2018cause it is Chrismas, ya know!\u201d\u00a0 Ben broke the halves into two and handed a piece to each of the others, as they all made a fuss over the young baker.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once all the ornaments, popcorn strings, and paper chains had been placed just so, the family stepped back to admire their joint effort.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat is one fine looking Christmas tree!\u201d\u00a0 Ben said affably as Adam and Hoss voiced their agreement.\u00a0 Marie, however, looked more than a bit preoccupied, as she placed her finger on her chin, wracking her brain for the missing item that she knew she had purchased for the occasion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it!\u201d she said definitively, as she snapped her fingers.\u00a0 Hurrying over to the credenza, she rummaged around in the drawer until she found what she was looking for.\u00a0 Hoss looked at Adam, who shrugged his shoulders in reply to the silent question and they both turned to their father, who looked equally perplexed.\u00a0 Turning back towards them, with a long flat box in her hands, Marie pushed the drawer closed with her hip, and smiling broadly, she moved to the low table and placed her discovery there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Removing the lid with a flourish, she reached into the box and retrieved three of the small candleholders.\u00a0 Handing one to each male, she said, \u201cI almost forgot about these. They\u2019ll be the perfect finishing touch!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam turned his over in his hands, fascinated as always with anything the least bit mechanical, and snapped the spring loaded clasp with his fingers.\u00a0 Hoss took his and attached it to his shirt pocket making believe it was a sheriff\u2019s badge.\u00a0 Ben, however, looked aghast at his wife, as he immediately recognized the item for what it was.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling, surely you don\u2019t intend to put candles on the tree?\u201d\u00a0 He asked in alarm, as he spied the small white tapers still inside the paper box.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s one thing to bring a tree into the house, but it\u2019s quite another to set it on fire!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The young woman looked a bit taken aback by this response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut dear!\u00a0 Mr. Cass said they were specially made for using on a tree and the candles are made short enough so their flame won\u2019t burn the branches above\u201d she said, with a pleading look.\u00a0 \u201cSee, it says here right on the box\u201d she continued, pointing to the advertisement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking a closer look at the instructions on the end of the box, Ben pointed out another section, printed in large red letters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaution!\u201d\u00a0 He said, reading aloud in a dramatic voice that accentuated the word.\u00a0 \u201cUse extreme care when lighting candles.\u00a0 Have a pail of water close at hand at all times.\u00a0 Do not leave unattended or burn candles longer than two minutes at a time.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Ben\u201d said Marie, her voice rising a bit in exasperation. \u201cYou know Will Cass wouldn\u2019t sell anything that wasn\u2019t safe!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMarie, I\u2019m sure Will wouldn\u2019t do so knowingly, but I just don\u2019t see how these things could be used safely.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss looked from one parent to the other, as the two adults continued their debate over the virtues of a lighted versus an unlighted tree.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, wanting to maintain the previously pleasant atmosphere and seeing that his wife was becoming unduly agitated over the whole thing, Ben reluctantly gave in.\u00a0 Heading out to the kitchen himself to draw a full pail of water and retrieve the ladle from its hook by the iron sink, he left the children to help their mother insert the candles into the holders and place them on the tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben came back into the room, walking slowly so as not to spill the contents of the almost overflowing bucket onto the wood plank floor, and noticed that Marie and Adam were busily attaching the candleholders to the tree.\u00a0 Hoss, however, had retreated to the far end of the settee and had his hands clasped tightly behind him, as he solemnly watched the rest of the family from a distance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Puzzled, Ben set the bucket and the ladle carefully on the hearth, and turned to look in his younger child\u2019s direction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, don\u2019t you want to help put the holders on the tree?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked in a gentle voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir\u201d Hoss replied quietly, as he glanced down towards the floor, and then slowly lifted his eyes to meet his father\u2019s in an anxious sort of way.\u00a0 Something in the child\u2019s demeanor stirred the man\u2019s memory, and he was immediately transported to another day, earlier that year, that Ben (or obviously, Hoss, for that matter) would never forget\u2026.<\/span>
\n\u00a0 * * * * * * * *<\/span><\/p>\n

It was August, the day after Hoss\u2019 fifth birthday.\u00a0 Given that the new school term would begin in the not too distant future, Marie, in another attempt to bond with her elder stepson, had offered to accompany the boy to town to shop for his school supplies and buy him a new pair of boots.\u00a0 Hop Sing would go along to drive the buckboard, and pick up the family\u2019s monthly grocery order at the mercantile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To give mother and son some time together, Ben had agreed to stay home with Hoss, and as a surprise, had planned to take the little boy fishing that afternoon with the brand new pole that Ben himself had made as a birthday gift.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After seeing his wife, the cook and his somewhat petulant older son off with a wave (and a look that Adam knew meant dire consequences for his backside if he did not behave himself), Ben turned back towards the house, whistling as he opened the door to the foyer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss was not in the great room so, suspecting that the child was sneaking one more cookie after dinner from Hop Sing\u2019s now unguarded cookie jar; Ben quietly slipped around the corner of the dining room and moved towards the entrance to the kitchen. As he predicted, the child was standing in the center of the kitchen, but it was not a cookie that he was holding in his hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s heart leapt to his mouth, as he watched his little son draw the wooden match head against the iron stove.\u00a0 The unmistakable smell of sulphur assailed his nostrils, as the child held up the burning match and blew it out, just as he had the day before, when he made quick work of the five small lighted candles on his birthday cake.<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that his plans for a pleasant afternoon with his little boy were now dashed, Ben spoke in a tone that was quiet, but filled with foreboding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEric\u201d he said, stretching the name out letter by letter, \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss wheeled around quickly at the sound of his given name, the matchstick now held behind him.\u00a0 Looking exceedingly guilty, but hoping to convince the man otherwise, he answered, in an overly bright voice, \u201cNuttin\u2019 Papa.\u201d\u00a0 The wisps that curled above his head from the spent match were like an Indian smoke signal, emphasizing his attempt at deceit to his angry father.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you have behind your back, son?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked in the same controlled manner as before, though it took everything he had to keep from shouting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing now that he had been caught not only playing with the forbidden matches, but in a lie as well, Hoss dropped his eyes to the floor, unable to meet the almost ebony orbs that felt as if they were burning a hole right through him.\u00a0 Ben took two steps forward and held out his hand.\u00a0 Without comment, the child placed the match in the outstretched palm, and slowly raised his head, shame written all over his pale countenance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGo into the living room.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be there in a moment\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 Hoss scooted by him and headed for the other room, turning his body so his bottom was well out of his father\u2019s long reach.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man rubbed his eyes with his hand as he stood silently in the center of the room, the still warm match cooling in his palm. Sighing deeply, he disposed of the burned matchstick as he looked around for its unused mates. The rest of the matches were where they should have been, in a box placed on the top of the stove and pushed back towards the wall.\u00a0 He sadly noted that one of the kitchen chairs had been moved next to the oven, and had obviously been used to surmount the obstacle and gain the prohibited item.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking the box and moving it to the top shelf of the cupboard, Ben stopped for a moment to compose himself before going in to talk to his child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018He will be punished for what he\u2019s done, but more importantly, I must make sure he understands why he must never do this again!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This was a dilemma that Ben always faced when having to discipline his children.\u00a0\u00a0 He felt that mere punishment, without stating the reason why the child was being punished, served no good purpose, other than to cause fear and resentment of the one inflicting the penalty.\u00a0 Yet, it was so difficult at times, to explain the rationale to them in a manner they could understand and take to heart.\u00a0 So, as his father did before him, he combined the two methods and delivered them both with a firm, but loving approach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Squaring his shoulders, his face reflecting his displeasure with his child\u2019s behavior, Ben strode into the living room.\u00a0 Hoss stood disconsolately by the empty fireplace, his head drooping and his normally happy face the epitome of despair.\u00a0 Upon hearing his father\u2019s staccato footsteps on the wooden floor, he felt his tummy do a \u2018flip flop\u2019 and his blue eyes began to fill with the first of many tears he would shed that day.<\/span>
\nBen walked to his accustomed place by the stone mantelpiece and, ignoring the child for the moment, collected two sheets of old newspaper and some small pieces of kindling from the wood box on the hearth.\u00a0 Given the unrelenting heat of late summer, the fireplace was not in use, which would serve Ben well in relaying his lesson to the little boy. He set the items down in front of the oversize opening.\u00a0 Hoss never raised his head during all of this, but watched his father from the tops of his eyes, feeling curious and anxious at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man perched on the edge of the red leather easy chair and, grasping his young son gently but firmly by the shoulders, turned the boy around to face him.\u00a0 Steeling himself against the tender emotion that was rising in him as he saw the child\u2019s woebegone expression, Ben placed his finger under the wobbly little chin and brought Hoss\u2019 face up until the boy was forced to look into his father\u2019s eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, young man\u201d he began, his voice still modulated but commanding in the silence that otherwise permeated the room.\u00a0 \u201cI know that your mother and I have warned you many times about the dangers of playing with fire, isn\u2019t that right?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss nodded his head a bit, with a very soft, \u201cYes, sir,\u201d in response to his father\u2019s question, though he never took his eyes from Ben\u2019s face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut,\u201d Ben continued, \u201cfrom what I have just seen in the kitchen, you chose to ignore our warnings and try to find out for yourself whether or not we were telling you the truth.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy looked a bit puzzled at this statement, as he had never thought about his actions in that way. \u201cGosh no, Pa.\u00a0 I knows you and Mama always tell me the truth \u2018bout everything.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if that\u2019s the case, why did you light the match, son?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Papa.\u00a0 I guess I\u2019s just wanted ta blow it out like the candles on my cake yesterday.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u201d said his father simply, as his child unwittingly led the way into his intended lecture.\u00a0 Reaching into his vest pocket, Ben pulled out three matches and set them on the smoking table to the right of his chair.\u00a0 Taking the first one, he struck it against the rough stones of the mantelpiece and held the bright flame so his son could see it plainly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to blow this one out, like the ones on your cake.\u201d\u00a0 Smiling, the little boy puckered his lips and blew out the light with one quick puff.\u00a0 The resulting smoke rose and dissipated in the bright sunlight that filtered into the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right\u201d Ben said simply, as he tossed the spent match into the fireplace.\u00a0 He reached down and took one sheet of the newspaper, crumpling it tightly to resemble a kind of torch, which he then held at one end.\u00a0 Once again, he said to the boy, \u201cNow, I want you to blow this out.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss watched carefully as Ben lit the second match and started the paper afire by touching the flame to the top of it.\u00a0 He shook the match\u2019s flame out; watching as the child\u2019s eyes went from placid to panicked as he blew as quickly as he could to try to prevent the paper from burning completely.\u00a0 Remarkably, Hoss was able to extinguish it before the fire reached Ben\u2019s fist, and the man calmly tossed the remnants into the grate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Noting the perspiration that now stood out on the boy\u2019s forehead, Ben stood and moved towards the open hearth.\u00a0 He placed the kindling on the front of the iron stanchions that normally held the massive logs used to heat the room. Hoping to bring the demonstration to a dramatic and memorable close, Ben said in the same steady voice as before, \u201cI\u2019m going to light the paper again, but this time, I want you to blow out the fire as soon as the kindling catches.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Crumpling the remaining paper in a similar manner as before, he pushed it beneath the wood and held the final lighted match to it.\u00a0 The flame, with an additional fuel source to feed it, burned speedily through the paper and caught almost immediately on the tinder dry scraps of wood above it.\u00a0 The child, kneeling on the floor before the hearth, blew upon the fire until he was dizzy from the exertion and lack of oxygen.\u00a0 The fire, enhanced by his frantic attempts at extinguishing it, burned even more brightly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss turned to his father in agitation, his brow furrowed with anxiety at not being able to bring the fire under control.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019s can\u2019t do it, Papa!\u201d\u00a0 He exclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cIt don\u2019t stop, no matter how hard I try ta blow it out!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right, Eric.\u00a0 Once a fire is started, it\u2019s very difficult to keep it under control. Do you remember when we had the lightening during the thunderstorm earlier this summer?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLightening can be like a big match. It caught the trees on fire, just like the match here in the fireplace caught the kindling on fire.\u201d\u00a0 Ben could see the connection being made in his son\u2019s mind between the two events, and he pressed on to assure that his ultimate point was made.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is kindling made out of, son?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s easy, Pa.\u00a0 Wood.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what are logs made out of?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWood.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are the pine trees made out of?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWood, Papa.\u00a0 They\u2019s all made a\u2019 wood\u201d the child answered confidently.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben paused just a moment before he posed his final question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what is this house made out of, Eric?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The child formed the answer on his lips and before he could utter the word, the point of his father\u2019s illustration became crystal clear in his young mind.\u00a0 A single tear escaped from the corner of his eye and made a wet trail as it traveled down his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a choked voice, he stammered, \u201cBut, Pa, I didn\u2019t wanna burn our house! I just wanted to blow out the match!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know that son, but as you can see, once a fire is started, it isn\u2019t easy to put out\u201d Ben repeated, as he looked intently into the bottomless depths of his son\u2019s sapphire eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd wood isn\u2019t the only thing that burns when it\u2019s set on fire.\u00a0 Everything in this house – your brother\u2019s books, Mama\u2019s dresses, my desk, your toys – all of it would look like the kindling does now\u201d he said gloomily, as he pointed towards the charred remains of the small fire now dying before them.\u00a0 Hoss followed his father\u2019s finger and could suddenly imagine all of those precious items gone forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven Brownie?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Eric, even Brownie.\u201d\u00a0 Ben paused for just a moment, to let the message sink in, as he prepared to impart the most important part of the lesson.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, son, the people in the house would burn, too.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At this pronouncement, the child\u2019s eyes overflowed with repentant tears as the reality of what could have happened just a few minutes earlier hit home.\u00a0 Throwing himself into Ben\u2019s waiting arms, the little boy sobbed out another, even more heartfelt, apology. Although his task was far from over, Ben took some reassurance from the boy\u2019s apparently penitent behavior.\u00a0 Patting his back gently for a moment, Ben reached into his pocket for a handkerchief and directed the child to blow his nose.\u00a0 Once Hoss had composed himself a bit, Ben completed the lecture.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow you understand why it is so important for you to do as you\u2019re told, young man\u201d his father stated pointedly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss nodded his agreement, and bit his bottom lip as he waited for his father to comment on his other transgression.\u00a0 He did not have long to wait.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is one other thing that is just as wrong as disobeying, and in my mind, even more so.\u00a0 Do you know what that is, Eric?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child swiped the back of his hand across his eyes, and shifted nervously from one foot to the other.\u00a0 Now intensely interested in the pattern of the rug under the low table, he muttered a very quiet, \u2018Uh huh,\u2019 in answer to his parent\u2019s question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook at me when I\u2019m speaking to you, Eric.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wiping his sweaty palms on the sides of his indigo blue cotton overalls, the little boy lifted his head and met the man\u2019s dark eyes once again, feeling a shiver of foreboding run through him.\u00a0 Ben repeated the question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is that other thing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLyin\u2019 when you get caught doin\u2019 somethin\u2019 bad\u201d Hoss answered in a resigned tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLying is wrong any time, son, but especially when you\u2019ve already done something that you know you shouldn\u2019t have.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t make the disobedience go away, and it gets you into even more trouble than if you\u2019d owned up to your mistake in the first place.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss nodded slowly and miserably, his lower lip jutting out over his chin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoping that he had made his point, but realizing that he would also need to make the punishment fit the crime, Ben rose slowly from his chair. Towering over the unhappy child, he gestured towards the staircase.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGo to your room and put your nightshirt on.\u00a0 We\u2019ll finish our talk up there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing full well what that meant, the little boy, hanging his head and looking like a condemned man, dragged himself up the stairs to his bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n

Giving the child just a few moments to comply with his order, Ben then headed up the stairs.\u00a0 As he entered the open door of the bedroom, his solemn mien was temporarily lifted by the sight before him.\u00a0 There was his little boy, naked as the day he was born, stepping half-heartedly out of the overalls that were lying in a heap around his bare feet.\u00a0<\/span>
\nTrying to recover his comportment, but failing miserably, Ben, with his arms akimbo, asked in an amused voice, \u201cSon, where are your drawers?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss gave him a hang dog look, and replied, \u201cI\u2019s didn\u2019t have any clean\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s stern look immediately resurfaced, as the child stopped mid-sentence and wisely gave his father the real reason, \u201cI mean\u2026it was jus\u2019 too hot, Papa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s no excuse.\u00a0 You are to wear them, no matter what the weather.\u00a0 Is that understood?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYessir.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reaching under his pillow, Hoss retrieved his nightshirt and slipped it over his head and arms. He never wore drawers to bed, but if given the choice at that moment, Hoss would have donned every pair he owned to help deflect the pain he knew was coming. Ben moved to sit on the edge of the boy\u2019s bed, as a fresh torrent of tears trickled down Hoss\u2019 pudgy little face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019s really sorry, Papa.\u00a0 I promise never ta do it again\u201d he whined, in a last ditch attempt to change his pa\u2019s mind about his punishment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry too, son, and I hope, for all our sakes, that you mean what you say.\u00a0 But you must be punished for what you\u2019ve done, so let\u2019s get this over with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, Ben lifted his son under the arms and laid him face down across his lap.\u00a0 Holding the child steady with his left hand around his middle, he brought his right hand back, and then administered ten firm, yet age appropriate, smacks to his child\u2019s bottom for the worst tanning Hoss had ever received in his five years of life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Setting him back on his feet, Ben\u2019s heart constricted as he watched his little boy dig his chubby left fist into his streaming eye, while he rubbed his now painful backside with his other hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOw!\u201d\u00a0 He cried piteously, the tears coming even harder now as he gulped for air between his sobs.<\/span><\/p>\n

A typical father would have put the youngster to bed and let him cry himself to sleep.\u00a0 Ben Cartwright, however, had been both mother and father to his children for too long to be able to walk away in a similar manner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His eyes fell upon the old rocking chair pushed into the far corner of the room, whose gentle rhythm had quieted many a tear.\u00a0 Ben carefully guided the sobbing child by the shoulder until they stood before it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pulling the chair out from the wall, Ben sat down and once again lifted Hoss under the arms.\u00a0 This time, though, he faced the child towards him and had him kneel on his lap.\u00a0 Grasping him gently about the backs of his legs, (so as not to further aggravate his tender bottom) he guided the blond head to his shoulder and started rocking the chair back and forth, murmuring words of comfort while he patted the heaving back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere, there, little one.\u00a0 It\u2019s all over now.\u201d\u00a0 The child continued to cry copiously, though his father rightly suspected that the tears were more the result of the pain from Hoss\u2019 guilty conscience rather than from his sore behind.\u00a0 He felt the little body slowly relax against him as the sobs turned to hiccups.<\/span><\/p>\n

They sat this way for awhile, until Ben, thinking the child had fallen asleep in his arms, started to move forward on the seat so as to put him to bed. As he felt his pa\u2019s body move to stand, Hoss pulled back from his father\u2019s shoulder. Ben slid back onto the seat again, as he took in the splotchy face, red rimmed eyes and tear stained cheeks of his baby.\u00a0 Hoss, however, was greeted with a familiar visage full of forgiveness and an obviously deep love for him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 sky blue eyes begged for absolution even before he spoke. \u201cPapa, I\u2019s sorry for being a bad boy and I promise I ain\u2019t never gonna do it again.\u201d\u00a0 He looked so serious and so sincere that Ben had every reason to believe he had learned his lesson.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, you aren\u2019t a bad boy. You may sometimes do bad things, but you could never be bad. Papa knows you\u2019re sorry, and you are forgiven for what you did.\u201d\u00a0 Ben reveled in the wet kiss that was planted on his cheek and the chubby arms that encircled his neck in thanks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d The child drew back his head as he stared into his father\u2019s warm brown eyes and waited. \u201cThe only way you can keep your promise is to never, ever play with matches or fire again.\u201d\u00a0 Ben nodded his head firmly as he said this, and Hoss mimicked the gesture, his fine blond hair falling forward as he did so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019s promise, papa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Ben was brought back from his brief reverie as those same intense blue eyes confirmed the reason behind Hoss\u2019 suddenly reticent behavior.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Walking towards the anxious child, Ben knelt down to his son\u2019s level and opened his arms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome here, good boy and get a hug from your Papa.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With a smile that no Christmas candle could ever outshine, Hoss flew to his father\u2019s arms and Ben hugged his baby to him.\u00a0 Rising easily with the little boy in his grasp, Ben moved forward and the two of them watched as Adam, with close supervision by Marie, lit the diminutive candles on the majestic pine.<\/span>
\n\u00a0 * * * * * * * *<\/span><\/p>\n

The chores were finished as the light of day began to fade. The sky had continued to darken ominously throughout the day with the temperature dropping in tandem.\u00a0 Knowing that, come nightfall, the barn and its inhabitants would be difficult, if not impossible, to find given the impending snowfall, Ben tied a guide rope to the hitching rail nearest the corner of the house.\u00a0 Since no one would be entering or leaving the yard by horseback anytime soon, he pulled the rope somewhat taut, and walked across the yard to loop the other end about the heavy iron ring that he had attached to the door of the barn just for this purpose.\u00a0 Lifting the collar of his jacket about his ears, he entered the relative warmth of the barn to check on the boys\u2019 progress in completing their everyday jobs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, perched on the three legged stool, was expertly collecting the second of the animal\u2019s daily offering of milk, his cheek pressed against the coarse hair on the cow\u2019s flank, and the bandages from his earlier injuries long since discarded.\u00a0 Ben smiled as he watched, remembering his little boy\u2019s stubborn determination to take on the chore, even when the length of his arms was barely sufficient to reach the cow\u2019s udder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMake sure you get it all, son. From the looks of that sky, it will take us some extra time to plough our way across the yard in the morning.\u00a0 No use having her all worked up on Christmas Day\u201d Ben said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Pa.\u00a0 Daisy won\u2019t go back into her stall for me, otherwise\u201d replied the boy, with a grin, and a loving pat to the animal\u2019s side.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The gentle scraping of an iron rake on the earthen floor drew the man\u2019s attention to the other side of the barn. His younger son was making a valiant attempt to muck out the stalls, although the implement he was using was twice as tall as he was. With an amused smile playing at the corners of his mouth, Ben moved over and grasped the top of the rake in his hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for getting started on my chores, son\u201d he said kindly, as the child turned and looked up at his father.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019s big enough to do it all by myself now, Papa,\u201d the youngster said confidently in an obvious attempt to show his father what a big boy he was also getting to be. The child\u2019s designated assignment was to spread the fresh straw in the stalls once his father had removed the soiled bedding material.\u00a0 Hoss held the rake even more tightly than before, his face reflecting his eagerness to be of help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can see that, Hoss.\u201d Ben nodded seriously, belying the amusement he felt.\u00a0 \u201cBut I think if you let me do the raking and you put the fresh straw down for the stock, we can get it done more quickly.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the little face fell at this statement, Ben added, \u201cI think Mama had said something about some candy she was making, and how she would need a taste tester as soon as the chores were finished.\u201d\u00a0 He looked up musingly as he said this, yet was well aware of the abrupt change in his son\u2019s demeanor at the comment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Immediately releasing his grip on the wooden handle, Hoss scurried to the pile of clean straw and gathered a large armful.\u00a0 Turning towards his father, he said in an impatient, though respectful, tone \u201cC\u2019mon Papa!\u00a0 We cain\u2019t keep Mama waiting!\u201d\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u201cYes, sir!\u201d Ben said with a smile and a salute, as he picked up the discarded rake and turned back to the stalls.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Within minutes, the three \u201cmen\u201d were on their way into the house with Ben carrying the almost full pail of milk.\u00a0 Hoss turned a worried eye on the still smiling snowman as they approached the porch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cD\u2019ya think he\u2019s gonna be okay with all the snow comin\u2019, Adam?\u201d\u00a0 He asked as he stopped in the middle of the yard, knowing his big brother would give him an honest answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Hoss,\u201d the older boy replied confidentially.\u00a0 \u201cWe built him to last and a little bit of snow ain\u2019t going to bother him.\u201d\u00a0 Ben looked over at his eldest, eyebrows raised at his unusual choice of words, as Adam\u2019s hazel eyes twinkled at the anticipated rise he got out of his father.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow many days has it been since you were in school?\u201d Ben said in a slightly stern tone.\u00a0 \u201cI believe the word is \u2018isn\u2019t\u2019, not \u2018ain\u2019t\u2019.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Seeing the dimpled grin on his son\u2019s face, Ben reached over and tousled the wavy black hair, since he had purposely played right into the youngster\u2019s hands.\u00a0 Hoss grinned too, as he enjoyed not being the only one who was corrected for his grammar.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, you two,\u201d Ben said laughing.\u00a0 With a mischievous\u00a0 look in his own brown eyes, he said daringly, \u201cLast one to the house is a tenderfoot!\u201d and made to run the rest of the way to the house, though that was impossible given the sloshing pail in his hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both children, however, took off like a shot. Laughing for the sheer pleasure of it, he followed them into the house as they burst in, shouting \u201cPa\u2019s a tenderfoot!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At the sound of all the commotion, Marie came around the corner of the dining room. With her hands on her hips she took in the sight of her three \u201cboys\u201d apple cheeked and grinning, the younger two starting to remove their coats, with the wet snow already falling from their boots.\u00a0 The oldest one held a pail of milk in his hand, suddenly realizing he should have delivered it to its rightful place before coming in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Grinning broadly, she said in mock admonishment, \u201cOut you go before you get snow all over the house!\u00a0 Go back out to the kitchen door and come in that way!\u201d\u00a0 As she shooed them with her apron, the three males knew better than to argue and beat a hasty retreat to the other entrance to remove their wet shoes.<\/span><\/p>\n

She returned to the kitchen, where her real reason for wanting them to enter there first was evident.\u00a0 The little table was set for a special Christmas Eve snack with cups of hot cocoa for the children, and a fresh pot of coffee for the adults, accompanied by just a few of the cooled pralines, and thin slices of fruitcake.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben herded his sons through the door, bringing up the rear with the milk pail that he happily handed to Hop Sing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, boy!\u00a0 Thanks, Mama!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said, as he moved towards the array of edible delights.\u00a0 Adam, too, smiled his thanks and made to cross the room to the table.\u00a0 Marie moved in front of them, as she indicated the basin of warm water, bar of soap and clean towel moved temporarily to the top of the wooden chopping block in the center of the kitchen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWash your hands, first, and then you may eat\u201d she stated as the boys, eyeing the bounty hungrily, resigned themselves to the task at hand. Ben was already first in line, not so much in eagerness for the food, but preferring to make himself presentable for the hostess.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t it a bit late in the day for all this?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked Marie quietly as the boys took their turn at the basin.\u00a0 \u201cI thought we\u2019d just share a piece of candy and save the rest until after supper.\u201d\u00a0 She responded in an equally subdued manner, \u201cHop Sing is preparing quite a feast, and I know supper will be a bit delayed.\u201d\u00a0 Dropping her eyes, she whispered suggestively, \u201cAnd, in that way, we can put the boys to bed later than usual, and be able to enjoy a few more minutes of \u2018sleep\u2019 in the morning.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Catching the emphasis on the word \u201csleep\u201d (and knowing his wife\u2019s desire had nothing whatever to do with rest) the man slipped his arm about her waist, as he watched their sons descend upon the afternoon\u2019s fare.\u00a0 He noted as he did so how she seemed a bit more ample about the middle than was usually the case. Wisely keeping his opinions to himself, Ben reflected back on their intimate encounter earlier that day, and recalled the slightly more rounded appearance of her hips and the gentle pout of her belly when she had undressed in front of him.\u00a0 Her breasts had appeared fuller too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Given these fairly obvious clues to his wife\u2019s undisclosed condition, Ben failed to draw the proper conclusion, and smiled down on her as she met his eyes joyfully.\u00a0 \u201cNow that she and Adam have mended their fences, her appetite has certainly improved,\u201d he wrongly surmised, and the family settled down to enjoy the sweet repast.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the snack was consumed, and heartfelt appreciation was bestowed upon the chef (especially by the group\u2019s youngest member), Ben made a proclamation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore we have supper, I want the two of you to have a good long soak in the tub.\u201d\u00a0 He said, looking at each child in turn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw, Pa, we\u2019s not that dirty!\u201d came the response from the one with the sticky hands and face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa, we just had a bath on Saturday!\u201d chimed the other, oblivious to that distinctive \u201clittle boy\u201d aroma clinging to his person.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearing his throat in that certain way his boys knew so well, Ben rose from his chair.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t recall asking either one of you for your opinion, so I suggest you both go upstairs and get into your robes and slippers.\u00a0 I\u2019ll go light the fire in the washhouse, and the water should be ready in two shakes of a lamb\u2019s tail.\u201d\u00a0 Both boys rose halfheartedly from their places, and with dejected expressions, slowly started for their rooms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not satisfied with their speed, and hoping to impart a little fun into this much despised chore, he added, \u201cIf you hurry, I\u2019ll read to you while you wash.\u00a0 Now, scoot!\u201d\u00a0 He said and clapped his hands together.\u00a0 The boys hurried from the room, though careful to maintain an acceptable speed while in the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie grinned at her husband\u2019s obvious bribe.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll stay here and help Hop Sing with the rest of the preparations\u201d she said, knowing that supervising the boys at bath time was his appointed task.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to take a quick one too when they\u2019re finished.\u201d\u00a0 Ben gave her a nod and a resigned smile in return as he exited the kitchen to the adjacent room to prepare for the onslaught.<\/span><\/p>\n

Soon, both children were sharing the watertight, wooden tub, doing more splashing than washing, as they fought over who would use the soap first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not as dirty as you are!\u00a0 You go first!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019s always sayin\u2019 how the oldest should go first, so you go ahead!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoys\u201d came the agitated voice of their father, \u201cthat\u2019s enough!\u00a0 Hoss, give me the soap.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben took the proffered bar of Castile soap and applied it to each of two clean wet washrags. Handing one to each of the children, he pointed a finger, first under the slightly upturned nose of the older, and then the lightly freckled, more broadly formed one of the younger. \u201cNow I want more washing and less dawdling!\u00a0 Is that clear, gentleman?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, Pa.\u201d was the chorused reply, as each little boy concentrated on washing his face and ears, and working his way down from there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Satisfied that there would be no more argument, Ben sat down on an old, cane backed chair, and began to read aloud from the book that had been started earlier that week.\u00a0 In a menacing voice, he quietly intoned, \u201cChapter Four:\u00a0 The Last of the Spirits. \u2018The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached. When it came, Scrooge bent down upon his knee\u2026\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Within a short span of time, two spanking clean little Cartwrights, wrapped tightly in their robes, were padding into the warmth of the kitchen.\u00a0 Marie smiled as she thought how angelic they both looked: Hoss, his flyaway blond hair combed straight back, with an unintentional part falling down the middle, and Adam, running his fingers through the jet black curls which , instead of laying down as he intended,\u00a0 were even more pronounced as they relaxed into their natural waves and tumbled across his forehead.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMarie, Pa said to tell you that he\u2019ll have the tub ready for you in a few minutes.\u201d\u00a0 Adam stated, as he and his sibling moved through the pantry, with Hoss snagging another praline before his mother could stop him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, mon ami. Supper will be ready in about an hour, so go upstairs, get dressed and you can play until then.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben came in a few minutes later, eyeing not only the food, but the other delicious creation that, at the moment, was busy peeling potatoes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling\u201d he said softly, not wishing to startle her.\u00a0 \u201cI have your bathwater ready, so you should come now before it cools.\u00a0 I\u2019ll go upstairs and get your things.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, mon ch\u00e9ri.\u00a0 Hop Sing, should I put the potatoes on to boil?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, missy.\u00a0 Supper be reddy by time you and Mista Cartlight clean up.\u201d\u00a0 Marie blushed slightly, thinking how nice it would be if she and Ben could enjoy a bath together, although the old tub was just big enough to hold one adult in some semblance of comfort.\u00a0 This was one thing she so missed from her days in New Orleans, a real copper tub where she could stretch out and enjoy the calming effects of the warm water on her skin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Ah well. If wishes were horses, than beggars would ride\u2019 she thought to herself as she exited through the short hallway to the washhouse door.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Supper, by normal Cartwright standards, promised to be a sumptuous affair.\u00a0 The dining room table, normally covered with a homey red checkered cloth, was adorned with an ivory, tatted lace cover, which usually made an appearance only if guests were expected.\u00a0 The centerpiece was a mixture of pine boughs, pinecones, festive red ribbons, and candles in two elaborate silver candlestick holders that Marie had discovered at the back of the sideboard.\u00a0 They had been badly tarnished, and had obviously not been used for a number of years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She had set them out in the kitchen the previous evening, fully intending to polish them herself the next day.\u00a0 Hop Sing, however, had assumed that duty, and she had returned from the morning\u2019s activities to find them in pristine condition.\u00a0 Marie recognized quality and fine craftsmanship when she saw it and therefore was not surprised when she found the silversmith\u2019s mark on the bottom of the set:\u00a0 Revere & Company, Boston, Massachusetts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben descended the staircase, trailing his two sons; all dressed in their Sunday best for this most special of holiday occasions.\u00a0 Marie, lighting the heretofore unused beeswax candles, was wearing her green brocade, which fortunately had a matching shawl she could use to hide the unfastened buttons at the back where the garment spanned her now too large waist. She turned to watch the other family members enter, and smiled as she noted Hoss had on his brand new brown pants which seemed to fit him quite nicely.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s navy blue trousers were now of adequate length given his height and both boys wore the matching cream colored shirts she had made for them earlier in the year.\u00a0 Ben, the natural wave in his salt and pepper hair tamed by a vigorous brushing, was exceedingly handsome in his dark trousers, tie, and jacket, with the silver and sapphire vest that Marie always found so attractive.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben approached the table, he noticed the highly polished candleholders and the heirloom table cloth that his wife had inadvertently chosen to decorate the table.\u00a0 Not wanting to put a damper on this special evening, he did not mention the fact that the candlesticks and the table cover had been wedding gifts to Liz and him, left with and eventually sent by Captain Stoddard once he and the boys were settled in their new home on the Ponderosa. Their appearance, however, brought back happy memories and it seemed fitting that Liz was represented in the festivities just as Inger had been in the decorating of the tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

The boys stood by their places at the table, knowing they were expected to wait until their mother had been seated, before being seated themselves.\u00a0 Ben, seizing the opportunity to demonstrate proper etiquette to his children, pulled Marie\u2019s chair back, and she gracefully glided onto the upholstered seat as he gently pushed it forward.\u00a0 Nodding to the children, the boys silently moved onto their chairs and Ben, before taking his place at the head of the table, moved behind Hoss\u2019 chair and slid him in closer, as the child\u2019s short legs would not allow him to do so himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

The family, as was their custom, bowed their heads as Ben gave the blessing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHeavenly Father, thank you for this day and the many blessings You have bestowed upon us.\u00a0 Thank You for the loved ones who are gathered at this bountiful table, and those who now reside with You. Keep them always in our hearts and minds, O Lord, until we are once again reunited in Your heavenly kingdom.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank You also for the precious gift of Your son, Jesus Christ, who was born this night so many years ago in Bethlehem.\u00a0 Make us ever mindful of his teachings, so we may be deserving of Your grace and abiding love.\u00a0 In Your name we pray, Amen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The children softly responded with \u201cAmen\u201d and Marie made the sign of the cross over herself and was suddenly reminded of her missing rosary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As she slowly lifted her eyes to take in her husband and her two children, she realized that, even though her rosary was gone, her prayers had been answered.\u00a0 Looking to each of the loving faces before her, she reminded herself \u2018I have been given the greatest gift that anyone could receive, the gift of family.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Blinking back involuntary tears that shimmered in the flickering candlelight, Marie gave a tremulous smile, and was silently comforted by the movement of the precious gift within her.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben gently placed his hand over his wife\u2019s in a gesture of understanding, as their eyes communicated the depth of their shared feelings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, anxious to begin this long anticipated meal, grasped his soup spoon in his chubby fist.\u00a0 With his napkin tucked under his chin, he bounced up and down impatiently as he watched Marie, waiting for her to begin so that he could tuck into his meal, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMama?\u201d\u00a0 He said in an obviously distressed voice.\u00a0 \u201cAin\u2026aren\u2019t you gonna eat your soup?\u201d\u00a0 Noting that he had used the correct word in its proper context, Marie gave him a wink and glided the heavy silver spoon away from her and across the surface of the steaming bowl.\u00a0 Hoss, with an attempt at a wink (though both his eyes blinked shut), submerged his spoon into the rich chowder before him.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a nod to Ben\u2019s New England roots, the first course was oyster chowder that reminded the man of the fine meals he had enjoyed on the wharf in Boston Harbor.\u00a0 The oysters were tinned, not fresh, but the thick and creamy soup was as delicious as any he could recall.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing had truly outdone himself, and the table was soon laden with every possible accoutrement that anyone could have hoped for.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The entr\u00e9e was a large tom turkey, which, until the previous week, had been kept in a pen in the corner of the barn.\u00a0 Hop Sing had been able to convince the animal lover of the family that the turkey had gone to its own home for the holidays, as he had ended the creature\u2019s life on the day that Hoss had attended school with Adam.\u00a0 The little boy was not averse to eating any type of meat, as long as he had not been on a first name basis with the animal from whence it came.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben did the honors of carving the succulent white and dark meat, the cook continued to deliver a seemingly endless number of plates and bowls.\u00a0 There were mounds of mashed potatoes with an ample supply of rich turkey gravy, hearty chestnut dressing, a m\u00e9lange of carrots, parsnips and salsify flavored with butter and bits of onion, soft yeasty dinner rolls which separated into delicate layers that melted in one\u2019s mouth, along with a thick cranberry sauce that was simply a mixture of the fruit and sugar, boiled into a kind of jam that appealed to adult and child alike.\u00a0 A variety of pickled vegetables, preserved during the summer season, was available, as well as freshly creamed corn. There was a special bottle of Beaujolais wine for the adults, which complimented the hearty flavors beautifully.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While the dishes were passed around the table, the conversation was animated as the children, at their parents\u2019 behest, eagerly voiced their Christmas hopes and desires.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope St. Nicholas brings me that new pony I\u2019s been wantin\u2019\u201d Hoss said, his blue eyes lighting up with unbridled enthusiasm.\u00a0 Ben gave Marie a sideways glance, as the pony was slated to be a sixth birthday gift to be given just before the little boy started school and needed a mount of his own.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trying to undermine any disappointment that might arise the next morning when the pony was not amongst the presents, Ben asked, \u201cSt. Nicholas may have trouble bringing a new pony this time of year, son, what with the snow and all.\u00a0 What else would you like besides that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, iffin he don\u2019t bring a pony, I\u2019s guess pretty much anything would be okay.\u00a0 Maybe some more soldiers or a fort ta put \u2018em in would be good too.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled at Marie, as a fort made of Ponderosa pine had already been boxed, wrapped, and hidden in the bunkhouse for placement under the tree later that evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

Glancing over at his older brother, as Adam helped himself to more dressing and gravy, Hoss said, \u201cI reckon I knows what Adam wants.\u00a0 As long as he gots a new book or two, he\u2019ll be happy. Ain\u2019t that right, big brother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam smiled as his chubby sibling took two more slices of turkey, and moved his plate towards their father, so Ben could cut his meat for him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, little brother.\u00a0 I\u2019m always happy to receive a book and Grandpa Stoddard always seems to find such good ones.\u00a0 I wonder how he knows which ones I\u2019ll like?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben bit back another smile, as the books that Abel sent were always welcome, no matter what the premise or setting might happen to be. The older man didn\u2019t have to try too hard to please the grandchild he hadn\u2019t seen in over a decade, and he also sent the titles that his son-in-law requested for gifts of his own for his little boy. The bank draft, sent to Boston in payment, continued to increase in size from year to year as Adam\u2019s appetite for knowledge grew as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour mother loved to read too, Adam, so I imagine that your grandfather is on a first name basis with all the bookshop owners in Boston,\u201d Ben responded with a small smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI sure would like to see Boston someday,\u201d Adam said, with a faraway look in his eye.\u00a0 \u201cOh, and Grandpa too, of course!\u201d\u00a0 He added as an afterthought.\u00a0\u00a0 Returning to the matter at hand, he asked \u201cCould you please pass the potatoes, Marie, and the vegetables, too?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His mother did as he requested, but not before helping herself to another spoonful of each.\u00a0 Ben, noticing her (relatively speaking) voracious appetite, moved the gravy from Hoss\u2019s side of the table so she could reach it easily. He could see that Marie was enjoying the food and the lighthearted conversation as much as he was.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before long, the family put down their utensils and moved, albeit more slowly than before, into the great room to allow their meal to settle before having dessert.\u00a0 Hop Sing bustled in to clear off what remained of his creations, pleased to see that each plate was clean and all appeared well satisfied with his effort.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, that was a wonderful meal!\u201d\u00a0 Ben exclaimed as he eased into his leather chair, a slender new volume from the bookcase in the alcove in his hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou truly outdid yourself, Hop Sing, tr\u00e8s magnifique!\u201d\u00a0 Marie said, clapping her hands together as she seated herself on the settee at the end closest to her husband.\u00a0 Hop Sing nodded his head and grinned widely as though he understood the French phrase, because her meaning was obvious.<\/span><\/p>\n

The boys also indicated their hearty approval of the man\u2019s culinary talents, though Hoss couldn\u2019t help but ask, \u201cThat was great, Hop Sing, but whatcha make for dessert?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The little cook rolled his eyes in mock exasperation, muttering in Cantonese as he carried the dirty dishes from the table and the family laughed aloud at his usual response.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, if you can direct your attention to something other than dessert, Papa\u2019s got a new book he thought you might enjoy\u201d Ben said, still chuckling at his little boy\u2019s already legendary appetite.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Papa?\u201d the child asked, his interest now diverted to the book in his father\u2019s hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome here and see.\u201d\u00a0 Ben opened his arms and Hoss immediately scampered over to the chair and into his father\u2019s lap.\u00a0 Settling the child on his left leg, with his arm encircling the broad back, Ben opened the book.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, who normally would have been seated on the blue velveteen chair (which had been temporarily relocated to the far corner of the room due to the Christmas tree), did not hesitate to take a place on the settee near his stepmother.\u00a0 Ben glanced up nonchalantly and was pleased to see this seemingly unremarkable, yet very telling, event take place as the two of them turned towards the storyteller expectantly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning his attentions back to the matter at hand, Ben, for his little one\u2019s benefit, pointed to each of the words on the title page as he read them aloud, \u201cA\u2026Visit\u2026from\u2026Saint\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNicholas!\u201d\u00a0 The little boy crowed, as his father proudly nodded his agreement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right, son! This is a story all about Saint Nicholas visiting little children on Christmas Eve.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease read it, Papa.\u00a0 I wants to know all about it!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss pleaded, his blue eyes alight with anticipation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sparkle in his eyes was mirrored in the love shown in his papa\u2019s, as Ben slowly turned to the next page.\u00a0 In an animated tone, rich with inflection, he began, \u201c\u2019Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house\u2026\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201c\u2018But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, \u201cHappy Christmas to all and to all a good night!\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben closed the book as he said this, and Hoss turned and gave him a wide grin that his father imagined was the whole reason Clement Moore had written the story for his own children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks Papa that was a great story!\u201d\u00a0 The little boy enthused.\u00a0 \u201cNow I knows all about Saint Nicholas, and I just have to wait to hear the reindeers on the roof, \u2018afore I goes downstairs ta see him tonight!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben gave Marie a look of bewilderment at the child\u2019s unexpected response, and with a merry look in her eye, she skillfully diverted Hoss\u2019 attention to another matter at hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat say we see what Hop Sing has for dessert, little one?\u201d\u00a0 She held her hand out to the child, who slipped down from his father\u2019s lap, and grasped her hand as he eagerly led his mama to the table, where the cook was delivering the meal\u2019s final course.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, with his father\u2019s arm across his shoulders, adjourned to the table too, and the family was soon enjoying not only the traditional plum pudding, but Hop Sing\u2019s first attempt at a Yule Log.\u00a0 Marie was just a bit envious of how well her intended dessert contribution had turned out in the cook\u2019s more than capable hands, and, after brief consideration, was happy that he had insisted on preparing it, as it was much better than she could have done.<\/span><\/p>\n

The clock struck half past seven, which was normally the younger boy\u2019s bedtime.\u00a0 Hoss, the corners of his mouth smeared with the rich chocolate icing from the latest addition to his list of favorite desserts, sighed loudly, as he knew by that sound that his Christmas Eve celebration was drawing to a close.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo I have ta go ta bed now, Mama?\u201d\u00a0 He asked plaintively, hoping that his parents would be less inclined to send him to bed given the fact that it was Christmas Eve.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie pretended to consider his request, as Ben played along too.\u00a0 Adam could see that this was a ruse on both their parts and hid his grin behind his hands, as he leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think, Papa?\u201d\u00a0 Marie asked tentatively.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I suppose another few minutes wouldn\u2019t hurt, just this once, Mama\u201d Ben replied with a grin, as Hoss gave him a cocoa colored one in return.\u00a0 \u201cBut just until eight o\u2019clock, son.\u00a0 We wouldn\u2019t want you to sleep through Christmas morning!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCould we please light the candles on the tree one more time, Pa?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked, anxious to enjoy the ethereal glow once again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see why not, son\u201d his father replied.\u00a0 The family gathered together around the pine tree, marveling as each small flame added to the brilliance of the total.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe lights kinda look like stars, huh, Pa?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked, the candlelight dancing in his sky blue irises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, son, they do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToo bad we don\u2019t have a bigger candle to shine like the star over the manger\u201d Adam said, the gold flecks in his hazel eyes made all the more evident by the candles\u2019 glow. As both boys looked to their father for his response, Ben was reminded of his promise of a few nights before.\u00a0 Heading to his desk, he soon returned with a large, gilt edged book which he held carefully in both his hands.\u00a0 Marie smiled as she realized what he was doing.\u00a0 Adam recognized the family Bible, but didn\u2019t immediately connect his comment with his father\u2019s actions.\u00a0<\/span>
\nIt was the family\u2019s youngest member, however, who rightly interpreted his pa\u2019s intent.\u00a0 \u201cAre ya gonna read us another story, Papa?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, son.\u00a0 The greatest story the world has ever known.\u201d\u00a0 Ben was again seated in his easy chair, the large volume covering his lap, as he searched for the chapter and verse that conveyed the true meaning of Christmas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie quickly extinguished the tree\u2019s tiny flames by wetting her fingers and snuffing each one out between her thumb and index finger.\u00a0 Hoss, displaced from his father\u2019s lap by the Bible, sat in the corner of the settee nearest his father, and smiled his welcome as his mother made to sit next to him.\u00a0 Adam sat on Marie\u2019s right side; close enough to notice the pleasant scent of his mother\u2019s lavender water fragrance, and how pretty she looked when she smiled at him.<\/span><\/p>\n

With his family assembled before him, Ben began to read in a strong and steady voice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLuke 2:1-20.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.\u00a0 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being with child.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie smiled ever so slightly as he read this, reflecting on the fact that here in this room was another Mary who was with child on this most sacred of nights. She felt a special kinship with the Holy Mother that transcended time and place, and closed her eyes in silent thanks for the gift of the life within her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss knew what a manger was, and thought about what it would be like to go out into their barn and find a real baby there amongst all the animals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord come upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And the angel said unto them, “Fear 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 Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam glanced up at the angel atop the tree, the firelight reflecting on the golden halo and scepter.\u00a0 He felt an unexplained, but pleasant, glow envelope him as he thought about the peace and good will that he now knew in his own life, thanks to that certain angel who was now in heaven and the one he was coming to love sitting at his side.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is to come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The room was still as the man closed the sacred book and slowly ran his hand over its worn cover.\u00a0 He looked up at his wife and children, and was reminded of another small family many years before, gathered about the mantelpiece, listening to the father reading aloud from that very same Bible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s eyes were bright as she met her husband\u2019s glance, one hand slowly stroking the downy hair on Hoss\u2019 head, and the other placed lightly upon Adam\u2019s knee while Ben was reading.\u00a0 She looked to be the epitome of all that was gentle and loving in the world, and Ben knew that this would be a Christmas he would always remember, if for no other reason than the memory of the tender scene before him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss yawned widely, as his eyelids had started to droop while his father was reading.\u00a0 The warmth of the fire, his mother\u2019s calming touch, and his full tummy had suddenly made him very sleepy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see a little boy who needs to go to bed before he falls asleep right here\u201d his father said.\u00a0 Marie gently helped the child from the settee and started to rise to put him to bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll put him to bed, Marie.\u00a0 I\u2019m kinda tired myself, so think I\u2019ll turn in too\u201d Adam said, as he put his arm around his little brother\u2019s shoulders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, son.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be up to say \u2018good night\u2019 in a few minutes.\u201d\u00a0 Ben responded, as he watched his two children climb the staircase and disappear around the corner.\u00a0 Meeting his wife\u2019s eyes, he set the Bible on the table and moved to the settee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce those two are asleep, we can help Saint Nicholas with his burden and bring in the gifts.\u201d\u00a0 Marie nodded her agreement, and laid her head on her husband\u2019s shoulder, savoring the moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Within a few minutes, the two adults arose and went upstairs to wish the two boys \u2018sweet dreams\u2019 before commencing with their plan.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s room was dark, however, it was the sound that emanated from the next room down the hall that drew their attention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Listening at the door, the parents were treated to the uninhibited exchange between the two brothers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, Hoss!\u00a0 The faster you get into bed, the sooner you\u2019ll be warm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBrrr!\u00a0 Them sheets is sure cold!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s Brownie.\u00a0 Now shut your eyes and go ta sleep.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be sure ta put your presents under the tree with mine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The creaking of the bed indicated that the older boy had arisen and the soft sound of his shuffling feet telegraphed his movements towards the door.\u00a0 The two eavesdroppers started to move silently towards the top of the stairs, to make it appear they were just arriving.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam \u2013 I\u2019s cain\u2019t go ta sleep now, cause my feet\u2019s too cold!\u00a0 Cain\u2019t ya stay for just a little bit longer, til I warm up agin?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With an exaggerated sigh, Adam returned to his brother\u2019s side.\u00a0 Yawning loudly himself, and stretching his long arms over his head, he said, \u201cWhat if I read ta ya, would that help?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCould ya sing like ya did the other night?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Although his expression was not evident to the listeners, his response was kindly.\u00a0 \u201cSure, little brother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben gave Marie a look of surprise, as he did not remember ever hearing his oldest sing by himself, at least not since he was a very small child.\u00a0 Knowing what was in store; Marie slipped her hand into her husband\u2019s and waited for his reaction as the boy\u2019s pure mezzo-soprano voice reached their ears.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSilent night. Holy night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The sound that emanated from the room took Ben\u2019s breath away, as he was propelled back in time to a small New England church sanctuary and another angelic voice that had meant the world to him.\u00a0 Marie tightened her grasp as she saw how deeply her husband was affected by the impromptu performance, and was glad that she was there to share this special moment with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the final words died away, Ben regained his composure and slowly pushed open the bedroom door.\u00a0 Adam smiled up at his parents, unaware that his lullaby had done so much more than aid his brother\u2019s slumber.\u00a0 He silently moved around the two of them to his own room, picking up Hoss\u2019 two tightly rolled and beribboned presents from the bureau, leaving the adults to complete the nightly ritual of tucking in blankets and kissing sleeping little faces.<\/span><\/p>\n

Repeating the process a few minutes later in the older child\u2019s room, with a bit less rearranging of the bedclothes, but an equal amount of affection, the self-appointed elves set to their work, transforming the great room into a place where sugar plum visions and Christmas dreams would soon become reality for two very deserving little boys.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 13<\/span>
\nThe clock in the great room struck twelve midnight, heralding the arrival of Christmas Day, though it would be hours before the family would gather together around the tree to celebrate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the bedroom closest to the first floor, Adam awoke with a start.\u00a0 He sat upright in bed, trying to make out the familiar outline of his furnishings, as his ears, accustomed to the quarter hour proclamations by the grandfather clock, strained to recapture the faint sounds that had inexplicably brought him out of his slumber.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Nah, it couldn\u2019t be!\u2019\u00a0 He thought to himself, as he again heard what sounded like footsteps moving on and off the rug by the mantle downstairs.\u00a0 Lifting the quilt and his legs at the same time, the boy set his bare feet on the cold floor and shivered as he fumbled for his robe and slippers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He moved silently to his door, and slowly opened it, his scalp tingling with a combination of anticipation and anxiety as he considered what might be causing the shuffling noise. Listening closely, and unintentionally holding his breath, he tried to make out the other, more normal, sounds of the Cartwright household at this time of the night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s dark tousled head popped out into the hallway, and the boy hesitated for a moment before deciding his course of action. The child could feel the increase in temperature which was attributable to the heat from the still burning fireplace downstairs, which crackled as the logs shifted against each other in the grate.\u00a0 The door to Hoss\u2019 room was ajar, with the dim light from the always present oil-lamp burning steadily.\u00a0 His little brother was obviously deeply asleep as his snoring was at a minimum.\u00a0 Adam could hear his contented sighs, a sign that he was obviously dreaming of all the Christmas treasures that awaited him in the morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Well, little brother, guess it\u2019s not you waiting up for Saint Nick!\u2019\u00a0 Adam smiled to himself since it appeared that Hoss\u2019 best laid plans about spying on the man in the red suit were apparently all for naught.<\/span><\/p>\n

Glancing down the hallway, the child noted that the light in his parents\u2019 bedroom was out, meaning that they, too, were most likely asleep. Adam leaned his body in that direction just to make sure, because, in the past, he had heard muffled sounds emanating from there at times when everyone should have been sound asleep, himself included.\u00a0 There were no such indications of wakefulness now, however and the boy determined that the interloper, whoever he might be, was definitely not a family member.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving to the head of the stairway, Adam paused, the innocent child in him hoping against hope that the source of the disturbance really was the jolly old elf himself, and not someone that would ruin the holiday, or worse, for them all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Watching from his vantage point, though somewhat blocked by the Christmas tree, he could see the shadow of the person play against the back of the settee.\u00a0 The figure moved up and down off the hearth, apparently reaching for the stockings that were hung in a row above the fireplace opening. There was a stocking placed there for each of them, as he and Hoss had insisted that everyone should be represented, regardless of age.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018It was nice of Marie to finish darning Pa\u2019s other sock, so there\u2019d be enough to go around!\u2019\u00a0 Adam had thought then, as his father had had to provide all of his extra socks, given he had the biggest feet in the family, which would allow room for more treasures.<\/span><\/p>\n

The memory of those happy times that they had all shared yesterday emboldened the young lad. Righteous indignation replaced trepidation as the little boy squared his shoulders and started down the stairs to confront the trespasser that would dare to usurp his family\u2019s holiday. Discretion being the greater part of valor, however, he took care to tread lightly on those steps that he knew would protest under his weight, since he did not want to provide any unnecessary indication of his presence until he knew what he was up against. As he moved closer to the landing, he could determine by the size and shape of the silhouette that this was definitely not Saint Nicholas spreading Christmas cheer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As he reached the landing, however, he felt almost giddy with relief, as he spied a red outfit, not outlined with fur, but decorated with a montage of Chinese characters.\u00a0 Instead of a white flowing beard and cap, this figure had a dark plait and a bowl shaped hat made of the same brightly colored silk as the pajamas he wore.<\/span><\/p>\n

He watched as Hop Sing moved back to the floor in front of the fireplace, a self-satisfied grin evident on his usually unreadable countenance.\u00a0 The man then sensed the presence of another, and he knew intuitively that it was the older son by the way the child did not intrude on the scene, but took in everything quietly, with an almost reverential manner so unlike most youngsters his age.<\/span><\/p>\n

The almond shaped eyes of the adult rose to meet the hazel ones of the child.\u00a0 Adam silently made his way to the man\u2019s side, and the firelight played on his handsome features as he waited for Hop Sing to speak.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy liddle boy awake so late?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I heard something so I decided to find out what it was. What are you doing, Hop Sing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou find out in morning with rest of family\u201d he said in a firm tone that Adam knew no amount of cajoling could reverse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reaching up to remove the fireplace screen that was used when the fire was stoked at bedtime, Hop Sing proceeded to add a few large logs atop those that had almost burned to cinders in the hours since Ben and Marie had retired for the night.\u00a0 As the flames licked around the dry seasoned wood, the room suddenly brightened with a dazzling light that caused the boy to look away, turning his head towards the pine tree that had obliterated his view just moments earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

The light careened off the side of the highly polished, hammered copper bathtub that occupied the space just next to the staircase.\u00a0 The incongruity of its placement and the thought that someone would actually want a bathtub as a gift, made Adam\u2019s mouth drop open in astonishment, as he looked at the Chinaman and then back again to the gleaming metal tub.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019d that come from?\u201d he said, quickly modulating his voice as Hop Sing patted the air with his hands to indicate a quieter tone. \u201cIt must have taken two men to carry it in here!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Now we\u2019ll probably have to take baths three times a day!\u2019 he thought privately, though his brow furrowed in such consternation that his true feelings were apparent even as the shadows hid half his face from view.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing nodded, without responding, sensing exactly how the boy felt about his mother\u2019s Christmas gift from his father.\u00a0 The man, however, had enjoyed his surreptitious role in the holiday preparations. As the bathtub\u2019s intended recipient and her husband had filled the children\u2019s stockings, he and Jake had carefully moved the heavy metal object from its temporary home in the bunkhouse to the washhouse.\u00a0 Ben and Saint Nicholas\u2019 henchman had exchanged knowing glances later as Hop Sing had served the evening coffee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once he knew that his larger gift had been relocated, Ben, leaving Marie to gather her own Christmas offerings from their hiding places, had exited through the kitchen to the ranch hands\u2019 quarters to retrieve the balance of his cache.\u00a0 He returned just as she reached the top of the stairs, carrying the oversized box that had mysteriously vanished from the storeroom a few days before.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Not that I had been snooping, of course, I had just noticed it was missing!\u2019 he thought to himself, trying to rationalize his own childlike imagining of what the box could possibly contain.<\/span><\/p>\n

There was also a smaller, rectangular package perched precipitously upon the larger parcel, and Ben, placing his own armload of presents on the low table, hurried up the stairs to relieve his wife of her holiday burden.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, no shaking the boxes or trying to guess what they are!\u201d\u00a0 Marie said in a scolding, albeit teasing tone, as she carefully handed the packages to her spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot even if I promise to act surprised when I open them in the morning?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked, in a like manner, though, truth be told, his curiosity had been engendered yet again as he took in the size of the box that he carried gingerly down the staircase.\u00a0 Marie could sense the minuscule bit of real pleading in his response and as she reached the first floor, she tapped her right index finger against her chin, obviously considering the location of yet another \u2018gift\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, where did I put that lump of coal?\u201d\u00a0 She said, as Ben straightened up after placing the two packages near the base of the tree nearest the fireplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, ma\u2019am,\u201d he replied in an earnest tone, reminiscent of his own child\u2019s solemn vow.\u00a0 \u201cI promise to be a good boy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I hope not\u201d she said, with a naughty glint in her eye, as Ben, seizing the moment and the obvious invitation, took her in his arms and kissed her lustily.\u00a0 As they parted, Marie, with her hands placed gently upon his chest, stared up into those warm, dark eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She could see the love and happiness that had always been there, but somehow, now there was more.\u00a0 She searched her brain for the definition of that something, and finally concluded that it must be the reflection of the inner peace that bubbled up like a wellspring from her husband\u2019s soul.\u00a0 Her own eyes glimmered in the firelight, as she considered what those \u201cwindows\u201d would reveal when she disclosed her joyous news on the morrow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, too, took stock of the precious countenance before him, and realized how the events of the past few days had wrought a subtle change in his wife\u2019s demeanor.\u00a0 Her true nature had displayed itself, as she had eagerly donned the full mantle of motherhood and stepped into the role which she had been born to play.\u00a0 He considered how they had all changed, for the better, and how anxious he was to spend, not only this blessed holiday but, the rest of his days with this incredible woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

The tolling of the chimes in the grandfather clock broke the spell, as the two moved together to distribute the remaining gifts under the tree.\u00a0 It was that abundant array of Christmas surprises that their son looked upon as he stood with the family\u2019s confidant early that next morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLiddle boy need to go to bed.\u00a0 Present be here tomorrow\u201d Hop Sing said as he indicated the stairway with his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Presents?\u00a0 Oh my gosh, I almost forgot!\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI need to put some gifts under the tree, too, Hop Sing.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be right back and then I promise I\u2019ll go back to bed.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing nodded his permission, and Adam moved quickly up to his bedroom.\u00a0 Finding the gifts by touch rather than sight in the pitch black bedroom, he carefully carried the square box and the two pictures downstairs and placed them deliberately so his present would be the last one opened, while Hoss\u2019 offerings would play second fiddle only to the already abhorrent bathtub.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGoodnight, Hop Sing\u201d the boy whispered, as he made his way quietly up the stairs.\u00a0 As he reached the landing, he turned one final time, and added, with a deeply dimpled grin, \u201cMerry Christmas.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGoodnight, liddle one. Sleep well\u201d the small man replied with an answering smile, as he turned back towards the kitchen.\u00a0 The little boy, his anxiety now replaced by the tingle of childish expectation, quickly mounted the rest of the stairs and disappeared into his room.<\/span>
\n\u00a0 * * * * * * * *<\/span><\/p>\n

The next thing Adam knew, it was morning.\u00a0 Or at least, it was closer to dawn than it had been the last time he had been awakened by a strange sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

This time, however, the source of that sound was unmistakable, and not totally unexpected.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u00a0 Adam, you awake?\u201d came the insistent whisper of his five-year-old brother, standing by the side of his bed, barefoot and shivering in his nightshirt.\u00a0 The older boy blinked and yawned widely, as his eyes focused on the bouncing figure before him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, what are you doing out of bed already?\u201d\u00a0 He asked, as if the prospect of opening Christmas presents was not reason enough for a little boy to be up before the chickens.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon Adam!\u00a0 I wants ta see what Saint Nick brought me!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said, his voice rising in his excitement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShhh!\u00a0 Not so loud!\u00a0 If Pa and Marie hear you, they\u2019ll make us go back to bed until the sun comes up.\u201d\u00a0 Adam scolded, now counting himself in on the escapade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Kay.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go downstairs and we\u2019s can see how many presents we gots.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss responded in a slightly less boisterous voice, which was as close to a whisper as he could muster in his highly enthusiastic state.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, but first go back into your room and do your business. Then put on your robe and slippers and meet me at the top of the stairs\u201d the mastermind of the adventure ordered his cohort in crime.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without a verbal response, the chubby little figure in the blue and cream stripped flannel nightshirt hurried down the hallway to his bedroom.\u00a0 The simultaneous sound of two rushing waterfalls was soon followed by the shuffling of house shoes on the woven runner that led to the top of the staircase.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, anxious to more closely examine the bounty that he had glimpsed during the night (and hoping that he had dreamt the part about the bathtub), held his finger to his lips to caution his brother to be as silent as possible on the way down the stairs.\u00a0 Just as they were about to place their feet on the top step, the sound of a bed creaking and whispered tones from a deep bass voice came rumbling from under the closed pine door of the master suite.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben, knowing his children as he did, had reckoned that they would be awake well before the first light of the new day.\u00a0 His proclivity for light sleeping had once again come in handy, as he had heard the boys\u2019 muted conversation and subsequent footfalls in the hallway.\u00a0 Marie, sensing her husband\u2019s movements as he alighted from his side of the bed, had now come to full consciousness as well.\u00a0 She looked first at the window, trying in vain to discern any hint of daylight, and then looked at her spouse in bewilderment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSurely they aren\u2019t awake yet?\u201d\u00a0 She queried, rubbing her eyes to make sure she hadn\u2019t missed any sign of dawn in the blackness that filled the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, they\u2019re awake\u201d Ben said with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cBut they won\u2019t be heading downstairs anytime soon.\u201d\u00a0 With that, he moved towards the entrance to their bedroom and slowly opened the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss, well aware that their father would be less than pleased if he caught them downstairs before the rest of the family, scrambled for the safety of their respective bedrooms just before Ben stuck his head out the door.\u00a0 In a stage whisper of his own, he said, (supposedly to his wife but really for the enlightenment of his offspring), \u201cNo, Marie, I guess I was wrong.\u00a0 They know better than to be up and about before we are.\u00a0 We should be able to have another half hour\u2019s sleep before they wake up.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He chuckled to himself as he heard the heart wrenching sighs that emanated from the two rooms close by the head of the hallway, and slowly closed the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Finally, after what seemed more like thirty hours than thirty minutes to two excited little boys, Ben and Marie (having just commemorated the holiday in a highly private but, most pleasant manner) left their bedroom and quietly made their way to the first bedroom closest to theirs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s obviously terrible attempt at snoring (when he was actually wide awake) caused his parents to shake with soundless mirth as Marie gently jiggled his broad shoulders, that were, for some reason, clothed in his dark blue robe as well as his nightshirt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHuh? What\u2019s a matter?\u201d\u00a0 The young thespian replied as he brought forth a wide and noisy yawn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben winked slyly at his wife, then said, \u201cMerry Christmas, son.\u00a0 It must have been awfully cold last night, seeing as how you wore your robe to bed.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Merry Christmas, Papa, Mama. I\u2026um\u2026\u201d Hoss stammered, as he rose slowly from his bed. Before the tyke could think of a way to refute his father\u2019s statement, another voice was heard coming from the bedroom entrance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s all the noise about?\u201d\u00a0 The slightly more convincing actor in the family queried as he walked in, lifting his arms over his head, and stretching lazily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ignoring the question, his father replied, \u201cMerry Christmas, Adam.\u00a0 I hope we didn\u2019t wake you too early.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Merry Christmas, Pa, Marie. Uh, no, Pa, you didn\u2019t wake me.\u00a0 I\u2026I was just about ready to get up anyway.\u201d Ben moved to ruffle the tousled hair on his son\u2019s head, and as he did so, he happened to glance down towards the stairwell, where he had earlier spied a familiar object on the runner at the top of the stairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s a good thing, son because it looks like your slipper was already on its way downstairs without you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben indicated the item with a nod of his head as Adam followed his gaze.\u00a0 Turning back to face his father, the little boy gave him a weak smile, now remembering that he had unintentionally abandoned his right slipper when he had hurried back into his bedroom earlier that morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

The boys looked at each other, and then, under their parents\u2019 steady gaze, guiltily dropped their eyes to the floor.\u00a0 Marie, knowing that her husband would not have the heart to mete out any punishment on such a special day, bit her lip as she saw the merriment gleam brightly in Ben\u2019s eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u201d\u00a0 Ben drew out the word letter by letter, with an expression of mock severity on his face and his arms crossed on his chest. Gaining no immediate response from his two rapscallions, he continued, though now in a decidedly lighthearted voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know about you two, but I want to see what Saint Nicholas brought for Christmas!\u00a0 C\u2019mon, Mama, let\u2019s go!\u201d\u00a0 With that, Ben reached for his wife\u2019s hand and made to leave the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two suddenly smiling faces rose in tandem as the boys realized that they were obviously forgiven for their early morning escapade.\u00a0 Adam took off like a shot, rounding the corner to his bedroom to gather his robe and lone slipper, while Hoss moved swiftly around his parents, down the hall and skidded to a halt at the top to the stairs.\u00a0 Handing the errant shoe to his brother, both children then clattered down the stairs, laughing and chattering as they went.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Marie, chuckling at their sons\u2019 exuberance, moved at a more leisurely pace. Just as they reached the landing, they heard Hoss exclaim, in a horrified tone, \u201cWho\u2019s that for?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, don\u2019t spoil the surprise!\u201d\u00a0 Ben cautioned, knowing exactly to what the child was referring.\u00a0 Turning to the now both curious and confused Marie, he said \u201cDarling, close your eyes and I\u2019ll guide you the rest of the way.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With a tingle of anticipation that made her feel like a little girl again, Marie dutifully closed her emerald eyes and felt one of Ben\u2019s hands on her elbow and the other around her waist, as she lifted her robe and gown, so as not to trip down the remaining few stairs.\u00a0 She was breathless with anticipation, as she reached the bottom. Ben winked at his boys and held his index finger to his lips as he turned Marie to face her present.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, darling. You can open your eyes now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie blinked just as Adam had earlier, though her visage was the exact opposite of what his had been when confronted by the same copper sided vessel that now shown brightly in the sunlit room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Mon ch\u00e9ri!\u201d she cried, her hands flying to her face in excitement.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just what I wanted.\u00a0 Thank you, darling, thank you!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s face was almost split in two by the size of his answering grin, and he especially enjoyed the spontaneous hug and kisses that served to convey his spouse\u2019s gratitude for her totally unexpected, but very much appreciated, gift.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The boys looked at each other in amazement, each with the same thought as to how anyone could be thankful for a bathtub! Anxious to move on to something much more important, (namely the contents of their stockings) both boys scaled the hearth to get at the bounty awaiting them, while their parents were discussing the merits of a larger tub.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, with his slight advantage in height, unhooked a dark brown sock that was now extended to almost twice its normal length due to its contents, and handed it to the eagerly outstretched hands of his younger brother.\u00a0 Ben just happened to look up and see both his little ones much too close to the fire. He moved swiftly to help Hoss to the ground, all the while cautioning his oldest to \u201cBe careful\u201d as the boy repeated the process with his own stocking.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Adam stepped unaided to the floor, he joined Hoss, who was now kneeling on the rug in front of the fireplace.\u00a0 Both little boys dove into their respective stockings, anxious to find out what they contained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Papa!\u00a0 I gots a Finger top and two cows for my Noah\u2019s Ark!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss fairly shouted, as he set the just named presents on the table and returned to the stocking for more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, not wasting time on announcing his first discovery, immediately put the white peppermint stick into the side of his mouth, and grinned his thanks to his parents. Digging deeper into the stocking, he found a bag of marbles and a brightly painted wooden top of his own in the woolen wrapping.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI got a top too, Hoss, \u2018cept mine\u2019s a whippin\u2019 top, so we\u2019ll have ta have a contest ta see who\u2019s \u2018ll go the longest\u201d\u00a0 Adam said, speaking around the peppermint stick, as he withdrew the rawhide \u201cwhip\u201d that was used to make the top spin after it was initially set into motion.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 toy was simpler, in that it was spun by grasping its stem and twisting it quickly between the fingers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust be careful with that thing, mon ami, or you could put someone\u2019s eye out\u201d Marie said, her voice filled with motherly concern.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2019m\u201d Adam said with a sigh and a bit of a grimace, but his mother noted happily that the \u2018ma\u2019am\u2019 was said with respect, rather than malice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben reached out his hand and Marie grasped it tightly, as the two adults sat down on the settee to watch their children rummage for the rest of their treasures.\u00a0 Hop Sing entered the room, bearing a fresh pot of coffee for the spectators, even though he had been given the day off by his employer as repayment for all his hard work of the previous day (and every other day, for that matter).\u00a0 The coffee, however, was just a ruse to give him a reason to join the festivities, as his real purpose was to watch his boys\u2019 faces when they discovered the gifts he had placed in their stockings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Hop Sing\u201d Ben said jovially, as he handed the proffered cup of steaming coffee to his spouse.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry if we woke you on your day off.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, you don\u2019t have to lift a finger today.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take care of everything\u201d Marie added, as she carefully sipped the hot liquid. It had already been decided that today\u2019s dining would be more casual than the day before, with a minimum of fuss.\u00a0 She was surreptitiously pleased, however, that he had made the coffee, as that afforded her more time to enjoy the morning\u2019s events.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked up at the little man, remembering his clandestine activities earlier that morning which had aroused a curiosity in the child that had yet to be satisfied. There was a sparkle in the dark slanted eyes as he saw the child try to ascertain which, if any, of the items he had uncovered so far might have been from a certain late night visitor. Deciding that his parents had been the givers so far, the little boy, with stubborn determination, stuck his hand into the stocking again, not sure what he was searching for, but abundantly confident that he would be able to discern what the Chinaman had deposited there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, oblivious to his brother\u2019s mission, smiled happily as he found his packet of candy and wasted no time in popping a sour ball into his mouth, which caused his cheek to bulge out on one side.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I didn\u2019t know better, I\u2019d swear he had a plug of chewing tobacco in there\u201d his father whispered, as Marie laughed at the private joke.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While his parents were watching his little brother\u2019s antics, Adam discovered a bright red envelope that was approximately two inches square.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t imagine what could be contained in such a small package, and paused for a moment to consider the slightly weighted contents.\u00a0 His sibling then came across an identical package, and examined it with an equally perplexed look on his face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam now knew he had found Hop Sing\u2019s gift, due to the silent, though telling, exchange between his parents, as they looked at each other in confusion, knowing that neither one of them had placed such an item in either boy\u2019s stocking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss managed to ask as he shifted the now slightly smaller lemon-flavored orb to his other cheek.\u00a0 He saw that his brother had one exactly the same, so he watched with interest to see what Adam\u2019s envelope contained before opening his own.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, smiling as he saw the little man give a slight nod of his head, unfolded the delicate rice paper packet.\u00a0 The slightly smug look on his face, from having correctly deduced who the giver had been, was quickly supplanted by wide eyed amazement, as the boy withdrew a shiny silver dime from the envelope.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGosh, thanks Hop Sing!\u201d\u00a0 He said without thinking, as Hoss quickly discovered the same monetary gift in his envelope.\u00a0 The younger boy had no sense whatsoever of the value of money, but he did know that this was more money than he had ever had in his whole life!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, thanks, Hop Sing\u201d he mimicked. The little cook bowed slightly to the two recipients and was obviously delighted with their response to his gifts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Realizing now that the money could only have come from one benefactor, but unclear as to how his older son knew who that was, Ben said, \u201cHop Sing, that was very generous of you, but a nickel would have been more than ample for each of them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The man shook his head vigorously and exclaimed, \u201cNo, Mista Cartlight, nickel vely bad luck!\u00a0 Hop Sing give hong bao to chilren, lucky money for good boys to spend in New Year.\u201d\u00a0 He did not disclose the somber reason why nickels were to be avoided because, in the Chinese culture, the coin was a symbol of loss and sorrow, and were tossed into the graves of the just departed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, in any case, that was very good of you to think of them. Thank you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing bowed and turned to leave the room.\u00a0 Fortunately for Adam, he did linger long enough to hear Ben\u2019s next question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u201d he asked, in a way that told the boy his father already suspected the correct answer, \u201chow did you know that envelope was from Hop Sing?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child nervously reached up to pull on his right earlobe (as he always did when he was considering what part of the truth he should hide from his pa), removed the candy from his mouth, and said in a hesitant voice, \u201cWell, Pa, ya see\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The child then received a second gift (that was worth more than a hundred dimes), from the cook as the little man came up with a response that was both clever and believable at the same time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLiddle boy see Hop Sing folding paper when he come to ask for wrapping for father\u2019s gift\u201d he said easily.\u00a0 \u201cHe vely smart boy to remember.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The \u201cvely smart\u201d boy swallowed hard as he hoped his father would believe the adult\u2019s version of the truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I did see Hop Sing with the red paper that day, but I didn\u2019t remember it \u2018til he mentioned it just now!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was still not fully convinced as he had noted that Hoss\u2019 Christmas gifts to his parents were now under the tree, whereas the last time he had seen them was the night before when Adam had taken them into his room. In keeping with the spirit of the season, however, he decided to be generous too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he certainly is a very smart boy\u201d he said, winking at his young offspring.\u00a0 \u201cThank you again, Hop Sing and enjoy your day off.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam breathed a sigh of relief, and his appreciation for his father\u2019s benevolence was more than apparent as he smiled brightly at his parent and also at his redeemer, and then returned the peppermint stick to its rightful place.<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, the Chinaman ambled off towards the kitchen, but turned back one final time to happily intone \u201cMelly Chlistmas\u201d before disappearing into the pantry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Hop Sing!\u201d chorused the family, as Ben moved towards the fireplace to add another log to the brightly burning pile.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s attention was drawn by his father\u2019s actions, and he happened to glance up at the remaining stockings still suspended above the opening.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa\u201d he said, pointing towards them.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s something in yours and Marie\u2019s stockings too!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what do you know?\u00a0 Looks like you boys were right about your mother and I needing to hang some up for ourselves.\u201d\u00a0 With that, the man handed one slightly bulging stocking to his spouse and then looked with great interest into his own package.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A boyish grin of delight spread across Ben\u2019s face as he discovered the tin of licorice drops that Marie had asked Hop Sing to place there after she and her husband had gone to bed. In true Cartwright fashion, he quickly opened the container and happily popped a black candy disk into his mouth. Offering the tin to the rest of the family, who each made a face before politely declining; he set the candy aside and continued to rummage in his sock.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie watched his every move, knowing what he would find and hoping that he would be as pleased with it as she was.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes grew as wide as the children\u2019s had, when he discovered a shiny silver watch chain and fob in the toe of the stocking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling, thank you!\u201d he said, as he turned the fob over to find a replica of the Ponderosa\u2019s pine tree brand engraved on one side.\u00a0 \u201cHow on earth did you find someone to make this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, after happily accepting his kiss of thanks, said, \u201cI sent a copy of the brand to the jewelry store in New Orleans where we purchased my wedding band, and had him make it for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will treasure it always, love\u201d Ben said, deeply touched by her thoughtfulness and ingenuity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, Mama\u201d came an eager voice from the other side of the table.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s see what you gots!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right\u201d she said excitedly, as she brought forth a box of bath salts, and three bars of expensive, aromatic, French hand milled soap, wrapped in tissue paper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Ben\u201d she said delightedly.\u00a0 \u201cYou spoil me!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo more than you deserve, darling.\u00a0 I\u2019m glad you like them.\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, as he reminded himself that he must thank Hop Sing privately for placing the items in his wife\u2019s stocking the night before.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Mama\u201d protested the youngest member of the family, \u201cyou didn\u2019t get no candy like me \u2018nd Adam \u2018nd Papa.\u201d\u00a0 As he suddenly remembered that Christmas was for giving as well as receiving, the little boy said in an unselfish manner, \u201cYou can have some a\u2019mine Mama.\u00a0 Saint Nicholas brought me a whole mess o\u2019candy.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, sweetheart.\u00a0 Mama will have some later, all right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Kay\u201d said Hoss as he pushed himself to his feet and stepped by his brother towards the Christmas tree.\u00a0 Seeing that his presents to his parents were right on top of the rest, the child carefully picked up the scrolls and carried one to each.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere ya go, Papa and Mama.\u00a0 I\u2019s hope ya like \u2018em\u201d\u00a0 he said with a fair amount of\u00a0 concern in his voice as to the worthiness of his offering, his countenance made all the more endearing as his soft blond hair fell into his earnest blue eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBaby\u201d said his mother, brushing back his hair with her fingertips, \u201cwe love them already, just knowing that you made them for us.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her caring response helped to alleviate the child\u2019s worries, as the parents carefully removed the ribbon around their respective gifts and slowly unrolled the \u201cmasterpieces\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, darling, what a sweet picture of you with the flowers\u201d Marie said, sincerely pleased with her little boy\u2019s efforts.\u00a0 \u201cI will hang it in my bedroom so I can see it everyday when I wake up.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss grinned broadly as Ben added his praise.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, this is a wonderful picture of you and me on Buck.\u00a0 I can see how hard you worked on it, and I\u2019ll put it on my desk so I may enjoy it all the time.\u00a0 Thank you, son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss blushed as both his parents gave him a kiss and a hug for his thoughtful gifts, and he giggled delightedly as he returned to the tree to find what else Saint Nicholas brought for him.\u00a0 Given that his sibling couldn\u2019t yet read the tags on the packages, Adam assisted him in finding a gift that had his name on it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere you go little brother.\u00a0 I wonder what it is?\u201d\u00a0 He said teasingly, as he shook the box back and forth, before setting it upon the table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, in typical fashion, tore into the carefully wrapped package and found exactly what he had requested at supper the previous evening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook, everybody!\u00a0 It\u2019s a real fort, made a \u2018wood, with a gate \u2018nd everythin\u2019!\u201d\u00a0 He exclaimed, while moving the aforementioned gate back and forth with his pudgy fingers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess Saint Nicholas knew just what you wanted, huh Hoss?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked in a seemingly innocent voice, though he knew that Charley had made the toy, as well as the animals for the ark, at Ben\u2019s request. What he didn\u2019t know was what Ben had purchased for him via an agreement with his \u201cBoston supplier\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou might want to open that one, Adam\u201d Ben directed, indicating a tall sided rectangular box, near the hearth. \u201cBut be careful, it\u2019s breakable.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Without a moment of hesitation but with a large dose of childlike glee, the boy put the box on the table, ripped off the paper and cautiously lifted the top flap.\u00a0 Inside, nested within a considerable amount of crumpled newspaper, was an exact replica of \u2018The Wanderer\u2019 encased in a large glass bottle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGosh, Pa!\u00a0 Where did it come from?\u201d\u00a0 Adam asked, as he lifted the gift from the paper while his father held the box. Ben grinned as it was obvious that his son had forgotten that his grandfather owned and managed the \u201cCartwright-Stoddard Ships Chandlery\u201d wharf side in Boston, where he could commission any type of nautical artifact that was available in the city.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before his father could respond, Hoss piped up, \u201cSaint Nicholas can find anythin\u2019, Adam!\u00a0 All\u2019s ya gotta do is ask.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing the slightly stern looks he received at this assumptive remark, he added hastily, \u201cand be a good boy, too, a \u2018course.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was immediately reminded that he had been far from \u2018good\u2019 at the time his father must have ordered this gift.\u00a0 This further confirmed the fact that no matter what, his father\u2019s love for him had never wavered, and he was suddenly overcome by the enormity of that love.\u00a0\u00a0 Looking into his parent\u2019s dark, adoring eyes, he said, in a choked voice, \u201cThanks, Pa.\u00a0 I\u2019ll always treasure it.\u201d\u00a0 Ben\u2019s eyes took on a misty sheen as he nodded his acceptance of his son\u2019s gratitude.<\/span><\/p>\n

Remembering that his father\u2019s gift was still unopened, Adam gently set the glass bottle within its box, and on his hands and knees, moved back to the tree to find it.\u00a0 He hoped that Marie wouldn\u2019t be offended that he was presenting his father\u2019s gift before hers, but he saw her slight nod of agreement and sly wink, as he handled the package to Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho is this from?\u201d he asked teasingly because he could tell by the anxious expression on his little boy\u2019s face that he was the creator of the gaily wrapped gift he held in his hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s from me, Pa.\u00a0 I hope you like it.\u201d\u00a0 Smiling at his mother, he added, \u201cMarie helped me wrap it, that\u2019s why it looks so nice.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled as he quickly removed the paper revealing the nautically themed shadowbox.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, this is wonderful! You did this all yourself?\u201d\u00a0 His father asked in amazement as he admired the woodworking skills that it took just to make the frame, let alone the meticulous care that the child had taken to assure that the knots were all tied and labeled correctly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Charley helped me saw the wood for the frame, and he showed me how to piece it together\u201d he replied, giving credit where it was due.\u00a0 \u201cBut I sanded it, and nailed it and tied all the knots, and made the labels by myself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you really like it, Pa?\u201d\u00a0 He asked timidly, not searching for compliments but wanting so much for his father to realize the love and dedication he put into the final product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, son\u201d Ben replied, sensing the reason behind the question and wanting to assure the child\u00a0 that his handmade gift was almost as precious to him as its maker.\u00a0 \u201cThank you so much, Adam.\u00a0 It is more than I could ever have hoped for.\u201d\u00a0 With that, he set the gift gently on the table and pulled his child into a hug that was happily accepted and just as readily returned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s eyes were glistening as she watched the tender exchange between father and son.\u00a0 Hoss, who was totally absorbed in playing with his new toy and had missed the preceding moment entirely, looked up to see his mother near tears.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t cry, Mama!\u00a0 I\u2019s find ya a gift to open\u201d he said in a helpful tone, as he tried to discern which package might contain something for her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Adam moved apart and the man glanced somewhat apprehensively at his spouse.\u00a0 Hoping that her emotional state was just a result of the moment and not due to any lingering melancholy for her missing prayer beads, he rose from his seat and moved around the table to assist his son in finding a present for his mother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben reached for the square box that Adam had tried to hide behind the base of the tree.\u00a0 \u201cThis one is for your mama, Hoss\u201d he said, as he started to hand the gift to him to take to Marie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eyes flew open when he saw what his father had found and said, in an anxious tone, \u201cNo, Pa, please\u2026I want Marie to open that last.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026 all right, Adam\u201d he replied kindly.\u00a0 Marie\u2019s countenance was immediately improved as she realized that the child had actually thought to provide her with a gift of his own.\u00a0 The significance of that gesture, however, caused her eyes to fill yet again as she recognized how far their relationship had come in such a short time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben hurriedly found another present under the tree, hoping to delay the inevitable until the rest of the gifts had been opened.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere, darling, I think Saint Nick left this one for you\u201d he said, giving her a wink in an effort to help her regain her composure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With a tremulous smile in thanks for his caring gesture, Marie slowly removed the ribbon and bows from the top and started to ease the box from the paper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, anxious to see what his mother had received, said in an urgent whimper, \u201cMama, don\u2019t ya wanna see what ya got?\u201d\u00a0 Marie laughed as she ripped the paper back with her hand, gaining a grin from her youngest for her efforts.\u00a0 She pulled the top from the box, and was thrilled to see a cream colored, woven wool shawl, obviously made to keep one warm in the dead of winter.\u00a0 Her joy was compounded by the fact that it was more than sufficient to cover her now and in the coming months when she would require a garment that could accommodate her increasingly ample proportions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She stood up and draped it about her shoulders, turning this way and that so as to model for her appreciative audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou look very fetching, my dear\u201d Ben said, with equal parts admiration for the wearer and satisfaction for finding something his wife would like.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s lovely, darling.\u00a0 Thank you so much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Mama\u201d Hoss exclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cPapa said that was from Saint Nicholas.\u00a0 How come you\u2019re thanking Papa for it?\u201d\u00a0 The little boy\u2019s brow was furrowed and he seemed somewhat distraught as if, perhaps, this talk about Saint Nicholas was only so much nonsense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, who had been watching absentmindedly, heard the concern in Hoss\u2019 question.\u00a0 As his parents did not appear to have a ready answer, he ventured to give one of his own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, it\u2019s only right to thank someone for your gifts, and even though Saint Nicholas brought the gift, I bet Pa was the one that thought to tell him that Marie needed a new shawl. Isn\u2019t that right, Pa?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded his head in a matter of fact way and said, \u201cThat\u2019s exactly right, son.\u00a0 Saint Nicholas always needs some help in deciding what gifts to bring, so I sent him a list of presents for Mama\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I did the same for Papa\u201d Marie said, with conviction.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, and I sent \u2018im a list of the things that I wanted, and I bet \u2018ole Adam did too.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA \u2018course I did!\u201d\u00a0 Adam replied, knowing that the fib would not be a punishable offense in his parents\u2019 eyes.\u00a0 In fact, when he glanced up at them, all he saw was a grateful look for his quick thinking in preserving his sibling\u2019s innocent belief in the wonder of Christmas.<\/span><\/p>\n

They opened the rest of the gifts in quick succession, until the last two that remained were the large gift for Ben and Marie\u2019s gift from Adam.\u00a0 Captain Stoddard had provided a copy of \u201cThe Pearl\u201d, a collection of children\u2019s short stories for his young grandson, and had even including a small chapbook for Hoss called \u201cDitties for Children\u201d, which had poems with a moral that even young children could understand.\u00a0 The boys received a joint gift of a set of dominoes from Saint Nick, as well as new socks and flannel nightshirts that Marie had made for each of them.\u00a0 Ben had also asked that Abel purchase additional books for Adam on his behalf and expense, as the choices in the local mercantile were few, and Adam had already read the ones on offer there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child anxiously unwrapped the three new volumes his parents selected, although one was a reference book, \u201cThe American Spelling Book\u201d by Noah Webster.\u00a0\u00a0 The other two; \u201cThe Last of the Mohicans\u201d by James Fenimore Cooper and \u201cOliver Twist\u201d by Charles Dickens; brought a whoop of joy from the avid reader, who took pains to place the books well away from the whirling dervish that was his younger brother, as Hoss opened the remainder of his gifts.<\/span><\/p>\n

The little boy received a cup and ball game, a popgun, and perhaps the most wondrous thing of all (to Hoss\u2019 mind at least), a wagon of his very own.\u00a0 Ben had hidden the miniature conveyance in the bunkhouse, and given the space taken up by the bathtub, had asked Hop Sing to place it behind the desk in the alcove when he and Jake moved Marie\u2019s gift in that night.\u00a0 Taking advantage of the need to place Hoss\u2019 picture on his desk, Ben asked, in a seemingly na\u00efve way, \u201cHoss, would you please put your picture on Papa\u2019s desk, so it doesn\u2019t get ruined?\u201d\u00a0<\/span>
\nAlways accommodating, the child said, \u201cSure, Papa\u201d and moved to the desk, picture in hand.\u00a0 As he set the paper on the large, oak desk, he caught a glimpse of red paint behind his father\u2019s chair.\u00a0 Curious, he walked around the furniture, while his parents and older brother watched impatiently for his response.\u00a0 They did not have long to wait.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA wagon!\u00a0 Papa, Mama, come see!\u00a0 Saint Nicholas broughts me a wagon\u201d he said delightedly, as he pulled it carefully around the corner of the desk and into the living room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow I\u2019s can help with more chores, and carry the eggs, and the vegetables from the garden, and put my toys in it\u2026and\u2026and everythin\u2019!\u201d\u00a0 He finished breathlessly, as his family enjoyed his exuberance as much as he did the gift itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Meerschaum pipe and tobacco also made a surprise appearance, thanks to Hop Sing and his Christmas Eve deliveries, as Marie had forgotten all about the abandoned present in the midst of the upheaval caused by her missing rosary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The tree looked rather barren by this point, but there was a definite feeling of heightened anticipation on the part of both the giver and the recipient as Adam lifted his father\u2019s gift onto the low table.\u00a0 He gave his mother an encouraging smile, though, in his heart, he felt that his pa would be less than enamored of the contents of the package.\u00a0 Hoss looked on eagerly, and Adam was more than a little jealous of his brother\u2019s blissful ignorance of the whole thing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Maybe I shoulda warned her that it really isn\u2019t something he\u2019d like\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam had briefly considered this tact, but had decided against it as what was done was done, and Marie wouldn\u2019t have anything else to give in its stead.\u00a0 Plus, he knew how anxious she was to give it to his father, and didn\u2019t have the heart to put a damper on her enthusiasm.\u00a0 The boy was intensely curious, however, to see his pa\u2019s reaction to the offering.<\/span><\/p>\n

With both children (and of course, Marie) watching closely, Ben removed the large red bow from the box and opened the hinged lid on the paper carton.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The man\u2019s expression went from one of anticipation to sincere appreciation, as he pulled the long quilted robe from the cardboard nest.\u00a0 It was colored a deep burgundy, and had obviously been made to accommodate this particular man\u2019s stature and physique.\u00a0 It was a handsome specimen, although the addition of the mauve lining on the collar and cuffs, as well as the accents of the same hue on the pockets, made it abundantly clear that a woman had been intimately involved in its design.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling, I\u2019m overcome\u201d Ben said, in a genuine expression of gratitude, though his choice of words caused his older son to avert his eyes so as not to laugh aloud.\u00a0 Slipping his arms into the garment, he tied it snugly around his middle and marveled at the expert craftsmanship and attention to detail, as well as the fact that it was actually long enough in both the body and the arms to suit him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie was grinning broadly and clapped her hands together as she said, \u201cI did so hope you would like it!\u00a0 I had it made at the haberdasher in San Francisco where you bought your fleece lined jacket last winter.\u00a0 I ordered it as soon as I was able in the spring and it came just before the Harvest Dance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGosh, Pa, it\u2019s about the purdiest thing I ever did see\u201d remarked Hoss in wide eyed approval, and, it was all Adam could do to keep his comments (and his snickers) to himself.\u00a0 His demeanor changed immediately; however, as he saw the look of devotion that passed between the two adults, as Ben kissed Marie tenderly and murmured his thanks.\u00a0 He suddenly realized that it wasn\u2019t the gift so much as it was the love and thoughtfulness with which it was given, and he could plainly see that his father was not masking his true feelings as the boy had originally thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feeling very much ashamed of himself for his juvenile appraisal of the situation, the child said sincerely, \u201cIt really is a nice looking robe, Pa.\u00a0 Marie showed it to me before, when she helped me wrap my gift.\u201d\u00a0 Ben, suspecting how the boy might have reacted had he not been thinking of his mother\u2019s feelings, gave him a smile and said, \u201cThank you, son.\u00a0 I\u2019m glad you kept it a surprise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, wanting to feel the plush fabric, walked over to Ben\u2019s side and placed his hand on the pocket of the robe.\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u201cHey, Pa!\u00a0 Saint Nicholas musta hid somethin\u2019 else in here\u201d he said, patting the pocket\u2019s slightly irregular outline with his palm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0 Ben said, as he slipped his hand into the left hand pocket. Marie, totally unaware of any other \u201cgift\u201d was as curious as the recipient and the two young observers as to what was contained there. There was no doubt as to the value of it, however, as the man slowly withdrew his hand with the rose quartz rosary dangling from his fingers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy rosary! Oh, dear God, I never thought I would see it again\u201d Marie said joyfully through her tears, as her husband placed the string of beads into her cupped hands.\u00a0 \u201cIt must have slid into the pocket when I was folding the robe on the bed, after I showed it to Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss were both beaming at this happy turn of events, but there was no sound from the remaining person in the room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam quickly sat up on his knees and turned towards the fireplace, so the rest of the family would not see the tears that threatened to spill from his own hazel eyes.\u00a0 It was obvious to the adults, however, that the older child did not share in the joy of finding the missing item.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie, the rosary still entwined in her fingers, looked questioningly at her spouse.\u00a0 Ben, not understanding his son\u2019s response, made to move towards the despondent little boy whose shoulders were rising and falling with his now unbridled tears.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was his mother, however, that eased down onto the rug, grasped his heaving shoulders in her hands and turned the child towards her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, sweetheart\u2026what\u2019s wrong?\u201d\u00a0 She asked, her voice filled with angst at his obvious despair.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The child shook his head, refusing to meet her eyes.\u00a0 Marie set the rosary aside and took his face in both her hands, just as she had done the week before when they had made their peace.\u00a0 She gently forced his head upwards so the swimming, gold flecked eyes would meet her own caring ones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBaby, please\u2026tell me what it is that has you so upset\u201d she pleaded, smoothing his uncombed curls with her fingers.\u00a0 Adam, for a reason that he could not explain, lost all remaining signs of reticence and entered his mother\u2019s arms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Ma, I\u2026I wanted it to be so\u2026so special, and now it doesn\u2019t even matter anymore\u201d he managed to say as Marie rocked him gently against her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere, there, baby\u2026what is it that doesn\u2019t matter?\u201d\u00a0 She asked, truly bewildered by his statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam pulled back, and reached under the tree for the final present, wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his robe as he did so.\u00a0 Handing the simple wooden box to her, he said simply, \u201cThis\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie looked at the box and undid the ribbon that had been lovingly tied by this anguished little boy.\u00a0 Lifting the box lid, she gasped as she saw what it contained and felt the hot tears course unbidden down her cheeks as she lifted the homemade rosary from its nest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Ben, look!\u201d\u00a0 She exclaimed, as he moved to examine the prayer beads in her hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

The child had taken the remainder of the beads that had been discovered when they made the ornaments and painstakingly tied each one onto the length of twine, in the correct order and number for the decades of the rosary.\u00a0 Using the sacred medal of Saint Frances of Paolo from his father\u2019s sea chest, he had removed the chain and attached it as a sanctified symbol in place of the customary representation of the Virgin.\u00a0 A simple hand carved wooden cross, made from a Ponderosa pine bough, was dangling at the end of the beadwork, held by an intricate and carefully executed sailors\u2019 knot that complemented the natural beauty of the crucifix.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026I made it for you, when you couldn\u2019t find yours\u201d he explained, in a thick voice, though no such explanation was necessary.\u00a0 \u201cBut now\u2026now that you have your real one back, you won\u2019t need this one.\u201d\u00a0 Wiping his tear-stained cheeks with his hands, he concluded, \u201cAnd now, I don\u2019t have anything to give you for Christmas.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, sweetheart\u201d Marie said, fighting to overcome her own emotions in order to comfort this most precious child.\u00a0 \u201cHow can you say that I don\u2019t need this one?\u00a0 It is the most beautiful thing I could have ever imagined.\u00a0 I could never have wanted anything more and I will cherish it always, no matter how many rosaries I have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gazed deeply into her eyes, wanting so badly to believe that his \u2018meager\u2019, homemade gift could ever mean as much to her as her own.\u00a0 Seeing the cloud of doubt still flickering there, Marie continued, speaking directly from her heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love this rosary, Adam, not just because it was given to replace the one I lost, but because you made it for me.\u201d\u00a0 Repeating the words she had spoken to his brother earlier that week, she said, \u201cChristmas is about giving to others, and the greatest gift you can give is something that comes from your heart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie\u2019s words were the key to unlock the last of the hidden places in her little boy\u2019s heart, as he said quietly, but with a tremulous smile, \u201cMerry Christmas, Ma.\u00a0 I love you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, too, sweetheart.\u00a0 Merry Christmas.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Epilogue<\/span>
\n\u201cWell, it\u2019s been quite a Christmas\u201d Ben remarked, as he settled down to enjoy a few quiet moments with his wife, after the day had dwindled down to a few remaining hours.\u00a0 The fire before them burned brightly, though the rest of the living room was shrouded in darkness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think we\u2019d ever get the boys to sleep\u201d replied Marie, as she nestled into her husband\u2019s chest, warmed not only by his closeness but by the contentment that radiated from them both.<\/span><\/p>\n

She looked down at the handmade rosary in her lap and gently fingered the smooth, hand tooled, wooden cross.\u00a0 Ben noted her movements and brought his free hand across to touch the image of the patron saint in the center of the strand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m glad it was this prayer that You granted, Lord\u2019 he thought to himself, and he kissed Marie gently on the forehead as he took her hand in his.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feeling her tremble at his touch, Ben tightened his hold about her shoulders, thinking she was shivering from cold.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet me get you a blanket, darling or perhaps, we should go up to bed.\u00a0 You must be tired from getting up so early and having to prepare all the meals by yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no dear, I\u2019m fine\u201d she replied, because her trembling was due from anticipation rather than the temperature of the room.\u00a0 She had thought of nothing but this moment for weeks, and now that it was here, she found herself at a loss for words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was silent, lost in his memories of the day just ended.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe certainly have two wonderful sons, don\u2019t we?\u201d Marie said simply, as she set the rosary carefully upon the low table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm hmm, they are quite the pair\u201d Ben agreed, remembering their endless rounds of dominoes, with the younger boy the victor more times than not.\u00a0 \u201cI thought Adam was letting Hoss win until I saw the look on his face when Hoss beat him three times in a row!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie laughed, and then suddenly decided on a subtle approach to convey her happy news.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey do get along well though, especially considering the difference in their ages.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSix years really isn\u2019t that many, darling.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but twelve years will be, mon ch\u00e9ri.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTwelve years?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, darling.\u00a0 Almost twelve years between Adam\u2026\u201d she paused as she took his hand and placed it upon her abdomen, \u201cand this baby.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was now the one that was trembling, as he stared at his hand and let his heart believe what his ears had just heard.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lifting his eyes to take in this woman; his wife, his lover, the mother of his children and now, the precious guardian of their child within her, Ben let the tears of joy fall unchecked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling, are you sure?\u201d\u00a0 He asked in a halting voice, though he pressed his hand tenderly under the small bulge, in effect cradling his child in his palm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, mon ch\u00e9ri, very sure\u201d she said, her green eyes shimmering as she felt, first, the warmth of his flesh radiate through her and then, the baby quivering, seemingly in response to its father\u2019s touch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, when?\u00a0 When did you know for sure?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marie blushed prettily and looked at his hand on her belly, as she said, \u201cWell, it wasn\u2019t confirmed until just recently, but I knew\u2026\u201d\u00a0 She met his eyes then, \u201cI knew the night of the Harvest Moon dance when I prayed for a child as a symbol of our love.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben moved his arm from the back of the settee and Marie turned instinctively to face him.\u00a0 Taking her face between his fingertips, he held it there for just a moment, as if entrusted with the most delicate piece of translucent china.\u00a0 In that moment, Marie saw in his eyes what she had hoped she would see, a love for her and for their child that completed him and brought them full circle in their devotion to each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

He kissed her as he had that very first time, gently yet with an underlying adoration and passion that she knew would last for all time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without another word, he stood and brought her to a standing position also. He slipped his arms under her and lifted her slowly off her feet.\u00a0 Her arms encircled his neck and she laid her head on his broad chest as he quietly carried her to their room.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Outside, the winter snow began to fall again, dusting the trees with another layer of frosty whiteness. The smiling snowman, with the handmade scarf, continued to stand guard alongside the large ranch house, as the smoke curled lazily from the chimney.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inside, however, on this most holy of nights, everything had changed. An amazing and wondrous miracle had been wrought, the memories of which would bring comfort and joy to each of them, child and adult alike. The Cartwright family had been blessed beyond measure, with the gift of each other\u2019s love.<\/span><\/p>\n

THE END<\/span><\/center> <\/p>\n
<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary – A young Cartwright family finds that Christmas can be a time of comforting memories, new beginnings and miracles, when you least expect them.
\nRating:\u00a0 PG
\nWords:\u00a0 106,150<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12436,"featured_media":41001,"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":[1008],"tags":[1098],"class_list":["post-46882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","tag-christmas","wpcat-1008-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":619,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":46841,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46841","url_meta":{"origin":46882,"position":0},"title":"The First Day of Spring (by Adamfan16)","author":"Preserving Their Legacy Author","date":"December 6, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0This is an expanded Bonanza Bit I did this spring, to the title prompt. 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