{"id":50011,"date":"2024-12-25T00:15:36","date_gmt":"2024-12-25T05:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=50011"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:37:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:37:13","slug":"the-stamp-effect-by-cheaux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=50011","title":{"rendered":"The Stamp Effect (by Cheaux)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 Lesson plans have real-life implications during Miss Jones’ absence.
\nRating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 \u00a03,410 words<\/p>\n

Written for the Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
~*~*~ ADVENT CALENDAR ~*~*~<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
Day 15<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0*2024*\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The Stamp Effect<\/b><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0Ponderosa Ranch\u2014December 15<\/span>, 1855<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Working diligently, though not happily, at his desk on the ranch\u2019s books, Ben heard the stamping of boots on the front porch, put down his pencil and smiled. His youngest son had incurred the wrath of Hop Sing for tromping through the house with snow covered boots not more than a week ago. Ben was sure the subsequent stream of Cantonese would have turned his hair white, if it wasn\u2019t almost there already, and if he had understood it, which he hadn\u2019t. But Little Joe had. Every scalding word. He had stood there sullenly, head hanging in shame, his big ears reddening from the dressing down by their chief cook, bottle washer, and overall factotum.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Henceforth, Ben\u2019s little firebrand had been the very model of best behavior, speaking only when spoken to, saying yes, sir, and no sir, and all but bowing into and out of a room. Banned from the kitchen and all the fun activities preceding the Christmas<\/span>\u00a0holidays like making cookies and gingerbread houses and stringing popcorn, Joe\u2019s pleas to his brothers to have a snowball fight or go sledding fell on deaf ears. Hoss purely did not like the cold and would instead mend tack or whittle in front of the fire or hideout in his room if he were making presents. Adam, who had only recently returned from college was still adjusting to his place in the family and life on the Ponderosa in general, preferred to read by the hearth, play chess with his father, or strum guitar in his room.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The front door opened and closed softly. Ben watched as Joe tiptoed into the room, put his boots on the hearth in front of the fire to dry out, and\u00a0sat<\/span>\u00a0on the plank table gazing into the flames. It wasn\u2019t long before Ben saw the boy\u2019s shoulders sag and heard what he thought was a sniffle. Sure enough, Joe\u2019s left elbow bent as he wiped his nose with his sleeve.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cBored?\u201d Ben asked.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhaaat?\u201d Joe turned first one way and then the other until he spotted his father in his study. \u201cOh. Hi, Pa.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Rising from his desk, Ben crossed the room to sit in the red chair, the better to see his son\u2019s face to check whether the sniffle was\u00a0a cold coming on or the aftermath of tears.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThere\u2019s nothin\u2019 to do and nobody to do it with.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cMmm. What about your homework? Don\u2019t you have a report to do?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Joe groaned. \u201cWhoever heard of assigning school work over\u00a0Christmas<\/span>\u00a0holiday. It ain\u2019t fair!\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cIsn\u2019t fair.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cExactly! Just \u2018cause ol\u2019 Jonesy got pneumonia and missed a month of school, we have to make up HER work by writing lesson plans about what SHE was supposed to teach US. It ain\u2019t fair!\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cIsn\u2019t\u2026never mind.\u201d Ben leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and folded his hands. \u201cJoseph, what was your assigned lesson plan?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cSomethin\u2019 called \u2018the Stamp Act.\u2019\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cDo you know what that is?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHow am I supposed to know \u2026 SHE\u2019s supposed to teach US!.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cEnough.\u201d Ben rose and went to the staircase. \u201cAdam? Adam!\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A door opened upstairs and Adam appeared on the landing. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u201cNothing wrong. Do you recall the specifics of the school board\u2019s decision about how the students were to make up the work missed during Miss Jones\u2019 absence?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYes. She proposed that the students each take a topic having to do with the Revolutionary War and prepare a lesson plan to teach their fellows. A rather innovative approach, I thought.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYou would,\u201d Little Joe mumbled loud enough to be heard.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Adam ignored the retort. \u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cJoseph\u2019s assignment is The Stamp Act. Do you have any information on the subject he could use?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWould you mind helping him get the facts straight so he can complete the assignment?\u201d Ben did not miss the slight narrowing of his oldest son\u2019s eyes. \u201cOnly the facts, son. Little Joe must write the lesson plan himself, understood?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOf course. I can do that.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cAgreed, Joseph?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cAnd what do you say to your brother?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThanks, Adam.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ll get started after lunch. I have barn chores to do now.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cCan I help?\u201d Joe asked enthusiastically.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cSure, kid. You can muck out the stalls,\u201d Adam offered, hoping his brother would turn up his nose at the task and he could have some solitary time in the barn.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cGreat!\u201d Joe grabbed his boots and ran for the door before anyone changed their mind. Remembering the sniffle, Ben called after him, \u201cCoat, muffler, hat and gloves, young man!\u201d But the front door had already slammed shut.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0*****<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0In his room after lunch, Adam asked his youngest brother, \u201cDo you remember learning about the Boston Tea Party?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cColonists threw tea in the harbor, right?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYes\u2014\u201c<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201c\u2014wasn\u2019t that where you went to college?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYes, but\u2014\u201c<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cDid you drink tea when you were there?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cSometimes. Now tell me\u2014\u201c<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201c\u2014I don\u2019t like tea unless it has milk and sugar. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen you drink tea, unless you were sick. Do you take milk and sugar in it then?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Adam sighed. \u201cThis isn\u2019t going to work, Little Joe. If you can\u2019t focus, then you need to leav\u2014\u201c<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201c\u2014I\u2019m sorry, Adam. I\u2019m listening, really I am.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s start again. Why did the colonists throw tea into Boston Harbor?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cAs a protest.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s correct. What were they protesting?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cBeing taxed.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s part of it. The British Parliament enacted The Stamp Act of 1765 which imposed a direct tax on the colonies and required that any printed materials be produced on paper which included an embossed stamp. Now, why were the colonies against it?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThey didn\u2019t like being taxed.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cDo you know why?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThey didn\u2019t vote for the people who passed the Act?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cGood. It was called taxation without representation. That means the British government made rules that affected the colonies without input from the British citizens living there.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Joe folded his arms across his chest and chewed on his lip.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYou look bewildered. What don\u2019t you understand?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOh, I understand, all right. I\u2019m just confused.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThis family\u2019s kind of like a government, right?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWith a benevolent dictator rather than a king, but yes.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t understand what you just said, but Pa makes the rules and I have to follow them.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Adam wasn\u2019t sure where this conversation was headed but he could almost see the wheels turning in his brother\u2019s head and with a sinking feeling in his stomach, he said, \u201cExplain.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cPa makes the decisions.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWith input from us.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cNo,\u201d Joe said emphatically. \u201cWith input from you and Hoss but not me.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re not 21.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cNeither is Hoss, yet he\u2019s always included.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYour point?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cMy friend Eli turned thirteen in November and had his bar mitvah. Now he\u2019s considered a man and included in his family\u2019s decisions. He told me.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s different.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Adam\u00a0sat<\/span>\u00a0back in his desk chair. Why indeed. At thirteen he had been his Pa\u2019s right hand man, having responsibilities most boys his age did not. It was the same with Hoss. Of course, at thirteen, Hoss had the height and strength of many men twice his age. Unfortunately, his youngest brother had inherited his mother\u2019s slight stature making him \u201cLittle Joe\u201d in more ways than one.\u00a0Was there something in what the kid said?\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0*****<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Later that evening Adam asked Pa and Hoss to join him in the kitchen where Hop Sing had a pot of coffee and an assortment of freshly-baked goodies on the table.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHot diggity,\u201d Hoss said, grabbing a handful of cookies before sitting down. \u201cWhat are we doing in here, Adam?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI\u2019m guessing because it\u2019s the furthest part of the house away from big ears, Hoss,\u201d Ben answered, smiling when Adam nodded in agreement. \u201cIs the lesson plan project off to a rocky start then?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s going fairly well but this afternoon Joe asked a question I didn\u2019t know how to answer.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cGo on.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHe made an analogy comparing us to the British Parliament.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhat do you mean \u2018us\u2019,\u201d Hoss said.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cPa, me and you. Joe says \u2018laws\u2019 here on the Ponderosa are being enacted without his input and that is unfair.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cTaxation without representation, is that it?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cExactly, Pa. He feels he should be included in discussions regarding the ranch and any thing that affects the family.\u201d When Ben huffed, Adam continued. \u201cI know. And I told him he\u2019s a child. He countered that Eli Markowitz\u2019s family considers him a man after his bar mitzvah. Joe feels he\u2019s due the same consideration especially since he\u2019s older than Eli.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben said, \u201cThat\u2019s preposterous!\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Hoss covered a chuckle with a cough.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u201cYou think Little Joe should be treated as an adult, Hoss?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u201cNo, sir, I don\u2019t. He\u2019s still got a mite of growing up to do, but I understand why he thinks his opinion doesn\u2019t matter to us.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHe gets treated like he\u2019s a kid.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s because he is one,\u201d Adam said.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cNo, he ain\u2019t, big brother. He\u2019s growed up a whole lot while you were away. But because he\u2019s small and scrawny, folks just naturally assume he\u2019s younger than he is and treat him that way and overlook him. Or\u2014\u201c Hoss looked pointedly at Adam. \u201c\u2014dismiss him altogether.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben slapped the palm of his hand on the table. \u201cIf you\u2019ve got something to say, Hoss, spit it out.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cLittle Joe sees things that we don\u2019t always consider. Things that could make a difference if we\u2019d listen.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cFor example?\u201d Ben asked.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cBack when Adam first got home from college and you made him boss\u2014\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201c\u2014don\u2019t remind me.\u201d Adam interrupted. \u201cThat\u2019s when he started calling me \u2018bossy man\u2019.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWell, you were kinda full of yerself. Like when we were haulin\u2019 those logs down to Genoa and you told Little Joe to hitch up the team with Buster in the lead. He told you that was a bad idea and you didn\u2019t ask why. If ya had, he woulda told you Buster would cause trouble in that position.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben interrupted. \u201cWait a minute\u2026you\u2019re telling me the reason we lost the load, the contract, and good stock in the process was because of the placement of a horse and not a broken axle?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYessir.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Adam bristled. \u201cIt was a heavy load. Buster was the strongest draft horse we had and I have more experience than our kid brother.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cExperience ain\u2019t everything, big brother. Little Joe knows horses better than most because he speaks horse. Don\u2019t laugh. He understands their moods, twitches, quirks\u2026whatever you want to call it\u2026he has a sixth sense about what\u2019s causin\u2019 their behavior. It pains me to say it but if we had listened to Joe the accident might not have happened.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Adam sighed and pinched his nose. \u201cThanks for saying \u2018we,\u2019 Hoss, but as you point out, we both know it was me who ignored Joe\u2019s warning.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThe accident is water under the bridge.\u201d Ben finished his coffee and stood up.\u201cI\u2019m beginning to understand that we all, myself included, treat Joseph more as a child than the young man he\u2019s becoming.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhat do you propose we do about it?\u201d asked Adam.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u201cYeah, Pa, what?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u201cLet me think on it.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0*****<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Later that evening as Ben was nearing the top of the stairs he saw light under Joe\u2019s door so he knocked. \u201cMay I come in?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cSure.\u201d Joe shoved his dime novel under his pillow and did his best to look innocent. He wasn\u2019t sure why his Pa was checking on him as he was way too old to be tucked in, but Christmas was just around the corner and there was no sense risking a lecture about \u2018suitable\u2019 reading material. He pulled his feet up and\u00a0sat<\/span>\u00a0cross legged. \u201cHave a seat, Pa.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cTell me about Buster.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhat about him?\u201d Joe answered warily.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHoss said you had concerns about the load being delivered to Genoa a few months ago and Adam admitted that he didn\u2019t listen to you. What did you want to tell him?\u201d Ben smiled inwardly as he watched Joe trying to figure out where the pitfalls were in this question and decided to help a little. \u201cWhy shouldn\u2019t have Buster been in the lead harness?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWell\u2026if we were going up the mountain, I wouldn\u2019t have said anything.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cBut going down the mountain made a difference?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYes.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYou won\u2019t laugh?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOf course not.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cAdam did. I heard him tell Hoss he wasn\u2019t going to listen to any fool kid who thought a horse was afraid of heights.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYou thought Buster was afraid of heights?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYes.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHow did you come to that conclusion?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Joe shrugged. \u201cBy watchin\u2019 him when we haul freight. He\u2019s fine coming up the mountain, especially if he\u2019s on the inside. But going down \u2026 if he\u2019s on the outside, he gets all wide-eyed and jittery and stamps his hooves. I can\u2019t explain it, Pa. I just know that\u2019s how he felt\u2014scared of the drop off.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben was thoughtful a moment as he digested this information. \u201cYou\u2019re a lot like your mother, you know. She had a special understanding of horses, too.\u201d He leaned forward and whispered, \u201cI think she talked to them.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYeah?\u201d Joe said eagerly. \u201cI do that and I listen to Old Ned. He knows a whole lot about how horses think, Pa. Did you know he was born in 1794? Gosh, that\u2019s the last century! Maybe that\u2019s why he\u2019s called \u2018Old\u2019 Ned. He must be so old he knows everything!\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben laughed. \u201cHis name is actually Wilhelm van der Haven. He\u2019s from the Netherlands also known as Nederland which he calls the Old Country and that\u2019s how he got his nickname \u2018Old Ned\u2019. He was a Calvary officer in his homeland and you are right, he knows a lot about horses.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhen did you meet?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhen I was in the Militia. I was impressed with his knowledge so when my service was over, I offered him a job on the Ponderosa.\u201d Ben was thoughtful for a moment and then, confident he had stumbled upon a solution, stated, \u201cWould you like to spend more time with Ned? I mean actually work with him training our stock?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cAre you kidding? Of course! When?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI\u2019ll have to talk with Ned first. If he agrees, we\u2019ll work out a schedule after the holidays but schoolwork must come first, understand?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Joe threw himself at his father and hugged him tight. \u201cI sure do. Thanks, Pa!\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0As the door closed, Joe snuggled down under the covers grinning from ear to ear. \u201cGosh, working with all the horses. “Best\u00a0Christmas<\/span>\u00a0present ever!\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben, his hand still on the door knob, smiled at his son\u2019s enthusiasm. Could this relatively simple solution really be the answer to the growing pains Little Joe was experiencing? If only Adam\u2019s reintegration into ranch life after college had been as successful. He had thought family life was getting back to normal but the revelation about the real cause of the accident shed new light on his eldest son\u2019s subtle distance from his brothers and the undertones of disharmony in the house evidenced by all three sons spending free time in their rooms rather than engaging in snowball fights, sing-a-longs, chess or checkers.\u00a0How could I have been so blind?<\/i><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0How.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben pondered for a moment on the importance of that simple interrogatory and had a flash of inspiration. Releasing his grip on the knob, he stepped across the hall to Adam\u2019s room and knocked before cracking the door. \u201cIs this a good time to talk about the new barn?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cCome on in, Pa. I\u2019ve drawn up some preliminary plans,\u201d Adam said as he unrolled blueprints from the bin beside his desk onto the bed and drew his reading chair closer.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHave a seat,\u201d he added while turning his desk chair around to face his father. Ben asked questions, Adam made notes, and they debated options. When they were finished, Ben\u00a0sat<\/span>\u00a0back, steepled his hands and looked fondly at his son, the corner of his mouth quirking upward.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhat? Is there something I\u2019ve forgotten?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOn the contrary, son. As usual you addressed every imaginable concern I could have had.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cBut?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cNo buts.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhy don\u2019t I believe you?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cBecause \u2018why\u2019 is a crooked letter.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Adam blinked. \u201cAre you feeling all right?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben chuckled. \u201cQuite right son. It\u2019s just that I\u2019ve had a bit of an epiphany.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cAppropriate season for it.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThat it is.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cCare to share?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cFrom the time you could walk and explore the world around you, your favorite word was \u2018how.\u2019 How does this work? How many days until we get there? How do these pieces fit together or come apart? How can I accomplish this goal?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYour point?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cDoes Joseph ever ask you \u2018why\u2019?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Adam groaned. \u201cEvery. Single. Time. It\u2019s quite annoying.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s his word.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHis word,\u201d Adam repeated. \u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYou have an engineer\u2019s mind. You need to know how things work, am I correct?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYes.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cCan you accept the premise that Joseph has an investigator\u2019s mind.\u201c<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201c\u2014and he wants to know why?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben nodded. \u201cHe wants to understand why people\u2014or horses for that matter\u2014do what they do.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Adam stood and went to the window, staring out into the night sky. \u201cPerhaps Hoss is right and Joe inherited Marie\u2019s intuition as well as her stature.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s worth considering, son. Goodnight.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
*****<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Before heading for bed, Ben crossed the hall to Hoss\u2019s Room and knocked softly. \u201cStill up, Hoss?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cCome on in, Pa. I\u2019m just whittling.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWorking on\u00a0Christmas<\/span>\u00a0presents?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cYep. What do you think of this one?\u201d He pointed to a large carved horse on a bedside table covered with newspaper. \u201cYou can pick it up. Paint\u2019s dry.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHoss, this is amazing! Buster, isn\u2019t it?\u201d \u201cYep. Do ya think it\u2019s too soon?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cLoss is a part of life, Hoss. I know Joe will remember Buster fondly every time he looks at this.\u201d He set the horse back on the table.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI appreciated you speaking up the other night and telling me what really caused the accident. I know it\u2019s hard for you to take sides between your brothers but you did the right thing.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThanks for sayin\u2019 that, Pa. It did pain me some.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWould you have time to do me a favor?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cSure. What do you need?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cA wooden frame about two inches square suitable for a picture.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cChristmas<\/span>?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cNew Year\u2019s.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cCan do. Do you need anything else?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOnly a visit to the post office in Genoa.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0*****<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Ponderosa Ranch\u2014January 1<\/span>, 1856<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0At breakfast on\u00a0New Year\u2019s Day<\/span>\u00a0there was a box on Little Joe\u2019s plate. He looked around the table and no one else had a similar package. \u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d he asked, looking from person to person.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cA good way to find out is to open it,\u201d said Adam.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Carefully, Joe unpeeled the wrapping paper, all the while glancing about the table. Inside the box was something hard wrapped in a table linen. As he unfolded the napkin he again looked at the grinning faces surrounding him. Even Hop Sing standing nearby was smiling. \u201cIt\u2019s a picture frame. Did you carve this Hoss?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cSure did.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cPa, look at the pine trees on the sides and pinecones across the top and bottom!\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHad to make it a mite bigger than Pa asked for in order to get the details right.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful, Hoss!\u201d Ben exclaimed. \u201cYou even included our pine brand in the corners. Joseph, you were so busy looking at the frame that you didn\u2019t look closely at what\u2019s under the glass.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHuh? Oh. Is that a picture of \u2026 George Washington? I don\u2019t get it?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ben said, \u201cIt\u2019s the Washington postage stamp that was issued last year.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t get why you\u2019re giving me a stamp.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI thought\u2014and your brothers agreed\u2014that we should mark your inclusion in family discussions regarding the Ponderosa from this day forward.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Joe\u2019s eyes widened as the significance of his Pa\u2019s words sunk in. \u201cNo taxation without representation,\u201d he said grinning and wagging his finger at his oldest brother, he added, \u201cYou told Pa.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThat I did. May I see the frame?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cTake a look.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cBrilliant, Hoss! Extraordinary workmanship.\u201d Handing it back to his youngest brother, Adam said, \u201cLook on the back.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Joe turned the frame over and saw:<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Joseph Francis Cartwright<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a01842<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a01855<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t get it.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cDo the math,\u201d Adam said.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHey! 1842. 1855. That\u2019s 13 years. Wait til I tell Eli!\u201d Joe ran around the table hugging his family one by one.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhatcha cryin\u2019 for, short shanks?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Joe sniffed. \u201cBest present ever!\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0The End<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
My character was Joe and my invention was the postage stamp.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Link to Day 16 of the Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar – A Candy Floss Christmas<\/a> by mcfair_58<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: Lesson plans have real-life implications during Miss Jones’ absence.
\nRating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 \u00a03,410 words<\/p>\n

Written for the Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":5835,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,1007,30,40],"tags":[1062],"class_list":["post-50011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-joe-cartwright","category-prequels","category-challenges","tag-advent-calendar","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1007-id","wpcat-30-id","wpcat-40-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":551,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":49964,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=49964","url_meta":{"origin":50011,"position":0},"title":"Ponderosa Haiku (by wx4rmk)","author":"wx4rmk","date":"December 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 No one signed up for the fourth, so this day was opened to all members in the Forums to try their hand at writing poetry for the season. 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Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 (120 words) Written for the 2025 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61192,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=61192","url_meta":{"origin":50011,"position":2},"title":"The Animals Talk at Midnight (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"December 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Truth or myth, it would be wonderful if they did.\u00a0 Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 (120 words) Written for the 2025 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61188,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=61188","url_meta":{"origin":50011,"position":3},"title":"Timber! 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