Disclaimer: I don’t own the Cartwrights or Bonanza. No copyright infringement is intended. Original plot and characters are property of the author. This story is for entertainment and no money was made from it.<\/span><\/p>\n Ratings from the Old Library are on the last page.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Christmas Traditions<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIs it time, Papa?\u201d an excited Joe asked with a tug at his father\u2019s shirt.<\/p>\n Ben looked down at his youngest with an amused smile playing on his lips. \u201cDo you remember how many times the clock has to ring before we start gathering the wood?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis many,\u201d Joe said, holding up three fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. Why don\u2019t you go upstairs and play while you wait for the clock?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan I play with Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf he\u2019s not busy.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s boots clattered on the stairs as he excitedly ran to his oldest brother\u2019s room. Ben shook his head at his son\u2019s back and wondered where all of that energy came from.<\/p>\n Marie came out of the kitchen with a tray bearing two steaming cups of hot cocoa. As she sat down on the settee, a contented sigh escaped into the cup. The Nevada winters were so incredibly cold compared to her native New Orleans and some days she felt that her bones practically rattled as she went about her activities. She was thankful that Ben, Hop Sing, and both Adam and Hoss helped to keep the fire roaring all winter long to warm the house. Sometimes she felt as if she were a delicate flower being pampered in a greenhouse so she\u2019d bloom beautifully in the spring.<\/p>\n She snuggled into the crook of Ben\u2019s arm as she deeply inhaled the scents of various dishes cooking under Hop Sing\u2019s supervision within the confines of the kitchen. The\u00a0Reveillon<\/em>\u00a0had been an important tradition prior to her parents\u2019 deaths and she appreciated that the cook was pleased to have a reason to exercise his talents at Christmas time by preparing some of her native cuisine.<\/p>\n \u201cPenny for your thoughts,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n \u201cA whole penny?\u201d she asked, looking up through her eyelashes, a smile twitching at her lips.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s that sprig of mistletoe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs that the only way I\u2019ll receive a kiss, mon cher?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hope not,\u201d he answered with a mischievous grin before setting their cups on the table.<\/p>\n *******************************<\/p>\n Bounding into Adam\u2019s room, Little Joe saw his oldest brother was drawing; going over to the desk, he stood on tiptoe for a look. He expected to see a house or barn, not Santa\u2019s sleigh being pulled by reindeer. \u201cThat looks just like Santa!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think so?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah! You ever met him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope.\u201d Adam didn\u2019t have the heart to tell his youngest brother that he\u2019d used their father as a model.<\/p>\n \u201cHow does Santa know if I\u2019ve been good?\u201d<\/p>\n Looking down, Adam replied, \u201cHe just does.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut how?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSanta has a magic looking glass so he can see anywhere in the world. If he thinks of someone he can see what they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s eyebrows shot up. \u201cDo you think he saw when I pushed Hoss in the hay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr when I soaped your saddle real good?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat was you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure Santa saw you doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n Tears began to well in Little Joe\u2019s eyes. If he\u2019d known that Santa saw everything, he never would have tasted Papa\u2019s tobacco.<\/p>\n Adam pulled his brother to him in a hug and said, \u201cIt\u2019s okay, Buddy. I\u2019m sure you didn\u2019t do anything so bad that Santa will only bring you coal.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe wasn\u2019t thinking of himself\u2014he was thinking of all the things he\u2019d asked Santa to bring to his family. What if no one got anything now because he\u2019d been bad?<\/p>\n His thoughts were interrupted by Hop Sing entering the room with a tray of steaming mugs of cocoa. Hoss was on his heels, anxious to get at the fresh-baked sugar cookies.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you want for Christmas?\u201d Little Joe asked the cook.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing want everyone eat all of food.\u201d Seeing Little Joe\u2019s disappointed look, he added, \u201cAnd new apron.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s eyes lit up\u2014that\u2019s exactly what he\u2019d asked Santa to bring Hop Sing.<\/p>\n Munching on a cookie, Hoss said, \u201cIt\u2019ll be time soon, Lil Joe. You\u2019d best get your coat and mittens.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPapa said to wait for the clock.\u201d<\/p>\n Sitting down on the bed, Hoss held a hand cupped near his chin to catch cookie crumbs. Between bites he said, \u201cYou still have to get ready for going outside. Besides, I wanna talk to Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n Taking the hint, Little Joe took three cookies from the tray and headed for his room. Hoss checked the hallway since the youngest Cartwright was notorious for eavesdropping and then he shut the door.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t wanna sleep with Lil Joe tonight. He jabbers so much that I won\u2019t get no sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOne of us has to since Pa and Marie won\u2019t let him sleep with them. Besides, he can\u2019t talk all night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe came durned near close last year.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t blame him for being excited.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt ain\u2019t just that\u2014when he did go to sleep he kicked me so dadburned much that I couldn\u2019t get comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n With a crooked smile, Adam said, \u201cKnow who he reminds me of?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss snorted and said, \u201cI wasn\u2019t never like that!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou sure were. You kept me up asking for stories or telling me how you were gonna help fix up some critter. Some nights I only got a couple hours of sleep because you snored so loud.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t snore!\u201d<\/p>\n Holding up a hand, Adam said, \u201cAll I\u2019m saying is that you were the same way at Little Joe\u2019s age and I\u2019m sure if you asked Pa he\u2019d say I was like that, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell dadburnit, Adam, I don\u2019t see why one of us has to sleep with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one of the privileges of being a big brother.\u201d<\/p>\n As Hoss thought that over, there was a knock at the door. The boys exchanged a look and Hoss placed a hand on the knob. \u201cWho is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOpen the door.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben walked in and looked from one son to the other. He was sure they were up to something but he didn\u2019t think he wanted to know.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of you boys has to sleep with Little Joe and I was hoping one of you would volunteer.\u201d The silence let Ben know he would have to make the decision. He came prepared, though, and held forth two matches. \u201cWhoever gets the short match sleeps with Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss looked to Adam hoping his older brother would go first.<\/p>\n \u201cYouth before age,\u201d said Adam.<\/p>\n Reluctantly, Hoss selected his match; Adam\u2019s frown told Hoss that he was off the hook this year. \u201cJust remember, it\u2019s one of the privileges of being a big brother.\u201d Hoss happily picked up a couple of cookies and headed downstairs, oblivious to Adam\u2019s glare at his back.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s only for tonight,\u201d Ben tried to reassure his eldest.<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d muttered Adam. He wasn\u2019t relishing the thought of being elbowed in the ribs by his restless four year old brother or telling the same stories over and over all night long. He wondered if Marie had any of that cough syrup hidden away in the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cI know that look,\u201d said Ben poking his eldest in the chest, \u201cso don\u2019t try anything Santa wouldn\u2019t approve of.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam glanced at the floor and said, \u201cNo, Sir, I won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n A loud, \u201cI\u2019m ready,\u201d ended any lecture Ben might have thought of giving. He stepped into the hallway and collided with a bundled up Little Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cThe clock hasn\u2019t . . . ,\u201d Ben began but the large case clock downstairs began to ring before he could finish.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s time!\u201d hollered Little Joe as he thundered down the stairs.<\/p>\n Ben chuckled at his youngest\u2019s enthusiasm and excitement.<\/p>\n Hoss came out of his room, wrapping his thick, woolen scarf around his neck. \u201cYou reckon that wood Adam and I chopped and scattered will be enough?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure it will, Son. You\u2019d better get down there before he drags your mother outside.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Sir.\u201d Hoss started down the stairs and saw his little brother pulling at the ornaments on the tree. \u201cBest not do that, Lil Joe\u2014Santa\u2019s still watchin\u2019.\u201d He was amazed to see Little Joe\u2019s hands go straight into his pockets.<\/p>\n Ben came downstairs with Marie\u2019s mink coat and beaver muff. The furs smelled of the cedar chest in which she kept them in the warmer months. He\u2019d always associate the scents of cedar with his wife.<\/p>\n Adam came down to the first floor, pulling his gloves on. He frowned as he tugged at the leather, trying to completely cover his hands. If he\u2019d realized that he\u2019d needed new ones, he would\u2019ve put them at the top of his list.<\/p>\n The bundled up Cartwright family headed out the backdoor to the cleared area Adam had selected for this year\u2019s bonfire. Little Joe squirmed as he waited for the signal so they could begin their Christmas Eve tradition.<\/p>\n \u201cOn three, boys. One . . . two . . . .\u201d Before Ben could complete the word, \u201cthree,\u201d Little Joe was off and running with Hoss hot on his heels. Ben turned to look at Marie and saw the faraway, almost wistful look in her eyes. What he wouldn\u2019t give to allow her to relive her childhood, wrapped in the security and love of her parents. His attention was brought back to the moment with the dull thud of a log as Little Joe dropped it before running off to find another one.<\/p>\n Marie dug her hands firmly into her muff as she watched her boys scamper through the snow to collect the wood. Adam didn\u2019t hide the logs, but it was almost as if an Easter egg hunt was being conducted with Petit Joseph\u2019s shouts of, \u201cI got one!\u201d ringing through the frosty air. As fast as her boys found the wood, they ran back and deposited it for their father and Adam to stack before running off again. Ben didn\u2019t allow Adam to build a large tower as the ones back home had been.<\/p>\n Seeing her boys removing their coats made her shiver but then she realized they were staying plenty warm by searching out the wood for the bonfire.<\/p>\n Ben and Adam got the last pieces of their tower in place and some kindling and pine straw placed inside to get the fire started. Adam pulled a match from his pocket and struck it against one of the logs in the tower. The smell of sulfur was briefly carried on the chilly air as a flame sputtered into life. He squatted down and held the burning match to the tinder within the bonfire tower until it began to smolder. He rejoined the rest of the family as the kindling began to glow. Soon, the lower portion of the bonfire tower was alight.<\/p>\n As she watched the blaze begin, Marie remembered a conversation she and Adam had had when Petit Joseph was celebrating his first Christmas. Adam had asked if she would mind if he built a bonfire tower like the ones lit on Christmas Eve in her birthplace.<\/p>\n \u201cHow did you learn to build a tower such as that?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIn New Orleans. Pa and I were there for Christmas one year. I watched them build the bonfires along the river.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh? Was Hoss with you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Ma\u2019am. He was back here with Shaughnessy and the hands.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy is it that you went with your pere?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa said it was time I got my sea legs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you enjoy New Orleans?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFrom where did you watch the building of the bonfires?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI sat up on the levee and used a spy glass loaned by Captain White, one of Pa\u2019s sailing friends. The smoke from the steamboats sometimes made it hard to see downriver, but I could hear them chopping the timber and shouting as the towers were built.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you walk to the Vieux Carre to get a better look?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Ma\u2019am. Pa would\u2019ve had my hide if I\u2019d done that without his knowing. \u2018Sides, he was busy most days buying supplies and most nights talking with friends at supper parties.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFriends such as Captain White?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am, and Lord Dunsford, Earl Chadwick, and Linda Lovelace. I think Miss Linda was sweet on Pa, especially after he gave her a music box sorta like my mother\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut Earl Chadwick seemed kind of sweet on Miss Linda.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour pere didn\u2019t court her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa was too busy telling stories about what we did back on the Ponderosa to have time for courtin\u2019. Anyway, it was Christmas and I guess he just wanted to give her something pretty for a present.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid your pere allow you to watch the fires burn on Christmas Eve?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot directly. Captain White\u2019s house had a balcony and I watched from there. It was kinda disappointing to see all of that work burn up, though.\u201d<\/p>\n Marie was brought back to the present as a gust of wind blew powdery snow through the air. She adjusted the scarf that covered her ears and went round her neck and then quickly put her hand back into the warmth of the muff. A smile lit her face into radiance and she couldn\u2019t help but laugh when a snowball smacked into the back of Ben\u2019s head and he and Adam quickly scooped up snow to retaliate against their attackers.<\/p>\n Adam and his brothers were soon wrestling in the snow as Ben and Marie looked on, laughing as Hoss and Joe tried to gain an advantage. Hoss and Adam were about evenly matched but Little Joe fiercely clung to Hoss\u2019 back once his bigger brother had Adam pinned.<\/p>\n Hop Sing poked his head out of the kitchen and yelled, \u201cGoose almost finish. You wash up before dinner ruined.\u201d<\/p>\n The wrestling immediately came to an end and the boys got up, dusting snow from their coats and pants. Afterwards, Marie and the boys went inside while Ben waited for Carl Reagan, son of the Ponderosa\u2019s foreman, to come out back to tend the fire. It would be his job to watch over it to make sure it didn\u2019t get out of hand or send any stray sparks into the trees, resulting in a forest fire.<\/p>\n Just as Ben\u2019s temper was beginning to rise because he\u2019d been waiting for fifteen minutes, Carl ambled over. Rather than scold the young man, Ben said, \u201cLet it burn until 8 o\u2019clock, then you can put it out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have to sit out here in the cold and watch that fire?\u201d Carl asked in a surly tone of voice.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m paying you to tend the fire,\u201d Ben reminded. \u201cHop Sing will make sure you have plenty of hot coffee. Or you can tell your father that you didn\u2019t want to and I can pay one of the hands.\u201d<\/p>\n Carl quickly turned on the charm and said, \u201cNo, Sir. I\u2019ll take care of it. You can count on me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d said Ben as he squeezed Carl\u2019s shoulder in a friendly way before heading into the house.<\/p>\n Carl shot a glare at Ben\u2019s back as his father\u2019s boss went inside to the warmth of the house. It wasn\u2019t fair that the Cartwrights had so much while he and his pa shared a room separate from the hands in the bunkhouse.<\/p>\n *******************************<\/p>\n Hop Sing brought out a steaming tureen of turtle soup as the Cartwrights sat down for their dinner. The smell of the hearty stew transported Marie back to her the happier days of her childhood, before her parents died from the fever, and the\u00a0Reveillon<\/em>\u00a0dinners at her Del Vyre grandparents\u2019 house.<\/p>\n Her family gathered at the cozy house with its lacy iron work on Rue St. Ann in the late afternoon for a light meal. At 11:00, everyone donned their coats for the walk to St. Louis Cathedral, the ladies young and old carrying delicate, Venetian lace in their pockets that they\u2019d cover their heads with before entering the church. She and her young cousins walked arm-in-arm, singing carols, while the adults walked at a more leisurely pace. Up on the levee, the bonfires, lit to point the way for Pere Noel, provided a blazing light to guide the Vieux Carre\u2019s residents to Mass much as the bright star must have directed the three wise men to the cr\u00e8che in which the baby Jesus lay.<\/em><\/p>\n When another family group making the trip to Mass was encountered, all would stop to briefly exchange greetings, the children receiving hugs and kisses from family friends called \u201cTante\u201d or \u201cOncle,\u201d and the larger group then continued on. Enticing aromas of ducks, roasts, suckling pigs, oyster gumbo, pecan pie, and myriad other dishes swirled through the chilly night air from small kitchens placed behind houses. Everyone\u2019s stomachs growled in anticipation of the dinner that would be eaten following Mass.<\/p>\n Upon arriving at the Cathedral, families gathered in the courtyard to exchange pleasantries and wish each other a Joyeux Noel. The bishop drifted through the crowd, greeting parishioners with a handshake and bestowing blessings on the children, before going inside to don his vestments. When the bells began ringing to call the faithful to Mass, family groups reformed to enter the church and to sit together in the pews they normally occupied on Sundays.<\/p>\n The haze from the incense and many burning candles stung her eyes as the bishop spoke words in Latin that she didn\u2019t understand. She often spent part of Mass looking at the backs of the de Marigny family seated in a pew placed prominently before the altar. She\u2019d heard whispers that young Jean\u2019s mother was disliked by old Madame de Marigny as someone who\u2019d married to get her fingers on a fortune. Marie didn\u2019t know what that meant but figured it must have something to do with the sour expression that always seemed to be on Jean\u2019s mother\u2019s face.<\/p>\n Following Mass, families exchanged good-byes before setting off for home and the Reveillon. After her family reached home, coats were put up and everyone gathered for a short prayer to thank God for His blessings throughout the year and the gift of His only Son. Afterwards, plates were handed out and everyone ate heartily from the multitude of dishes that had been prepared. When all had eaten their fill, everyone went to bed.<\/p>\n Following her parents\u2019 deaths, she was sent to the Ursuline Convent since her father died in debt and her closest relatives couldn\u2019t afford another mouth to feed. The nuns celebrated Mass within the confines of the Convent church rather than the Cathedral and the children were required to attend Mass on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. As the Christmas Eve Mass was in the early evening, there was no Reveillon to look forward to in the early hours of Christmas morning and there were no gifts to exchange later on Christmas Day; the only gifts the children received were oranges or rosaries instead of toys.<\/p>\n After everyone had gone to bed and lamps had been extinguished, she\u2019d sneak out of the dormitory room the girls shared and slip through a window to climb into her tree to look over the Convent wall. From there, the river\u2019s murky surface reflected the dancing light of the fires along the levee to light the way for Pere Noel, and the sounds of families heading for Mass at the Cathedral carried through the air.<\/p>\n \u201cHmm?\u201d Marie asked, suddenly brought out of her reminiscing.<\/p>\n \u201cMissy like oyster dressing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMais oui, it\u2019s delicious.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing smiled with pride knowing that one member of the family appreciated his skills. \u201cYou eat before food get cold,\u201d he said with a look for the boys before returning to the kitchen.<\/p>\n After dinner, Little Joe insisted on going outside to see the bonfire. After bundling up, Adam took his little brother out the back door. Carl was sitting on the bench on the porch, whittling by the firelight.<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Carl.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHi Adam, Joe.\u201d Carl felt annoyance at Little Joe for not saying hello.<\/p>\n Once Little Joe was satisfied that the fire was blazing brightly, he was ready to go back inside. Papa would soon be telling him to go to bed so Santa could find their house.<\/p>\n Carl\u2019s eyes narrowed in hostility after the Cartwright boys went back inside. That little Cartwright brat hadn\u2019t even thanked him for tending to the fire.<\/p>\n *******************************<\/p>\n Adam stared at the ceiling in hopes that his little brother would get tired of talking and go to sleep. Instead, Joe would come up with another question and expect an answer. Occasionally he wouldn\u2019t wait for an answer before launching into the next question.<\/p>\n \u201cHow come Mama calls Santa Pere Noel?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause that\u2019s what he\u2019s called in French.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat don\u2019t sound like Santa Claus.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt means Father Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI like Santa Claus better. Makes him sound nicer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAren\u2019t you tired?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope. Do you think Santa really has reindeer?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow can a reindeer fly?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSanta has special reindeer, that\u2019s why.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. I ain\u2019t never seen a deer fly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRegular deer can\u2019t. Besides, we don\u2019t have reindeer here\u2014just white-tails and mule deer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoes an elk look like a reindeer?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSort of. How about we go to sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t tired. How come elk can\u2019t fly?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe they could if Santa used them instead of reindeer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think his reindeer get tired? Does he have to stop to rest?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe the reindeer get a little nap when they land so Santa can deliver presents. Why don\u2019t we go to sleep so Santa will come to our house?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wanna stay up until Santa comes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe won\u2019t come if we\u2019re awake. He only stops at houses where everyone\u2019s sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m goin\u2019 to sleep then.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he hoped his little brother would be true to his word. He wished that Hoss had gotten the short straw this year.<\/p>\n \u201cYou asleep yet Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought you were going to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t tired yet. Does Hop Sing believe in Santa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll have to ask him in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWill Santa still come even if Hop Sing doesn\u2019t believe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid Santa come last year?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen he\u2019ll come this year, too. If we go to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. You better go to sleep, Adam, so morning will get here.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam yawned in hopes that Little Joe would get the hint.<\/p>\n Little Joe squirmed a bit to get comfortable and then said, \u201cSleep tight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSleep tight, Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n *******************************<\/p>\n \u201cAdam! Wake up!\u201d Joe shook the mattress harder to get his oldest brother\u2019s attention; the only response was some muttering.<\/p>\n \u201cWake up! The fire\u2019s gone!\u201d<\/p>\n Hearing the word \u201cfire,\u201d Adam\u2019s brain immediately became alert. Fire was nature\u2019s most dangerous weapon on land full of pine trees and if there was a fire he, Pa, and the hands would have to act fast. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he heard a thunk followed by a squeak.<\/p>\n \u201cOw!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs that you, Little Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n Pulling himself up by clinging to his brother\u2019s nightshirt, Little Joe said, \u201cThe fire\u2019s gone! Santa won\u2019t find us now!\u201d<\/p>\n Now Adam was confused\u2014first there was a fire and now there wasn\u2019t. What did Santa have to do with a fire? His sleepy mind struggled to wake up and grasped for the connection between fire and Santa. He yawned and ran a hand through his hair, still not seeing what fire had to do with a man delivering presents.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Santa can\u2019t see us, he won\u2019t bring us presents!\u201d Little Joe\u2019s voice was becoming more insistent with a touch of panic. If Santa couldn\u2019t find them, none of the presents he\u2019d requested for his family would be delivered. He wanted to see Mama looking pretty with those new combs in her hair and Hoss walking in his new boots and Papa smoking his new pipe. Most of all, he wanted to see Adam wearing his new vest with shiny silver buttons.<\/p>\n \u201cCalm down,\u201d Adam said through a yawn. \u201cHow do you know Santa hasn\u2019t already been here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI checked.\u201d Joe tugged at his brother\u2019s hand, hoping to pull him out of the bed. \u201cYou gotta put your boots on and make the fire come back.\u201d<\/p>\n Sleep\u2019s cobwebs were finally lifting from Adam\u2019s mind and he now understood that Joe wanted to go outside to relight the fire. He managed to encircle his little brother\u2019s waist and pull him into the bed but was quickly rewarded with a kick in the shin.<\/p>\n \u201cOw! Are you wearing boots?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou ain\u2019t gonna tell Santa, are you?\u201d Little Joe asked in a trembling voice.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Adam answered in a loud whisper. \u201cNow settle down.\u201d He tried to hold his squirming brother but it was as if he was trying to keep a piglet still.<\/p>\n \u201cHow will Santa know where we are if we don\u2019t make the fire real big?\u201d asked Joe, his lower lip quivering.<\/p>\n \u201cTell you what, we\u2019ll build up the fire in the fireplace so Santa will see the smoke coming from the chimney and know we\u2019re home. How does that sound?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe sniffled and wiped at his nose with the sleeve of his nightshirt. \u201cBut how will Santa get in the house if he can\u2019t come down the chimney?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d be surprised,\u201d Adam answered in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. \u201cI remember one time when Santa got down the chimney and squeezed through the fireplace when Hop Sing left a large pot of soup over the fire. The pot hadn\u2019t been moved so I knew Santa was able to get around it without any problems.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam pulled his robe on over his nightshirt and told Little Joe to take his boots off. He softly told his brother they had to be quiet when going down the stairs so everyone else wouldn\u2019t wake up. Then, the older boy took the younger by the hand and they made their way down the staircase.<\/p>\n Once downstairs, Adam pulled the poker from its resting place and stirred up the coals and embers. Little Joe looked around the tree and noticed that Santa hadn\u2019t been yet since there weren\u2019t any new presents. He hoped that Santa hadn\u2019t gone past the Ponderosa because the fire had burned out.<\/p>\n \u201cCome help me get a few logs,\u201d Adam whispered to Little Joe. The two boys padded across the room in bare feet, hoping to avoid any squeaky spots. When they reached the door, Adam wished he\u2019d put his boots on after all.<\/p>\n He slowly lifted up the latch and winced when it squeaked. Both he and Little Joe stole a quick look around and decided no one probably heard the noise. As soon as Adam opened the door, a gust of cold air rushed into the room, making him briefly think twice about his decision to get the fire going again. The need for warmth soon won out over the wisdom of leaving his bed and Adam darted out to the wood box. He quickly handed a couple of stout logs through the door and then grabbed up several to carry in his own arms.<\/p>\n Little Joe dropped his logs with a loud \u201cthunk\u201d on the hearth and Adam grimaced at the noise. If they weren\u2019t careful, Pa would soon be downstairs telling them to get back to bed where they belonged. As he gently set down his own burden, he was relieved that no sounds other than Hoss\u2019 snoring came from the second floor.<\/p>\n Adam added a couple of logs to the flickering flames and soon had a warm fire going. He pulled Pa\u2019s red leather chair closer to the fireplace and beckoned Little Joe over. Little Joe made himself comfortable in Adam\u2019s lap as his older brother propped his feet on the coffee table for the fire\u2019s heat to warm.<\/p>\n Adam took in the shadows dancing across his youngest brother\u2019s face and the firelight reflecting in his eyes. \u201cYou know we have to be asleep for Santa to bring presents.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I\u2019m not sleepy,\u201d said Little Joe through a yawn. \u201cAre you sure Santa will find us?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOld Santeclaus with much delight, His reindeer drives this frosty night. O’er chimney tops, and tracks of snow, To bring his yearly gifts to you,\u201d quoted Adam from memory.<\/p>\n \u201cBut Mama says Santa needs the fires so he can see his way. How do you know he\u2019ll be able to find us without the fire?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe found Pa and me when we were staying with Uncle John, when we were traveling with the wagon train, when we started building the Ponderosa, and when we were in New Orleans. That\u2019s how I know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut are you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam hugged his little brother closer and said, \u201cWhen Pa and Hoss and me were traveling with the wagon train\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Hoss was a baby?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup, Hoss was still a baby so he didn\u2019t know about Santa. We were stopped in Diamond Springs since we wouldn\u2019t be able to go any farther until the spring thaw.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of the snow?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. There were 15 families camped there with us. Most everyone lived in small shelters that they\u2019d built but a few lived in their wagons.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you help Pa build yours?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure did. Pa knew how to build so the wind couldn\u2019t get through and make us cold. Some of the other shelters had gaps in the frames that could be seen through.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI bet they were cold.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey were.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid anyone die?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam looked into his brother\u2019s face and imagined himself as a small boy, trying to be brave so his father wouldn\u2019t have to take care of him so much. When Timmy, his best friend, died that winter, he tried to not cry when Pa could hear him. Instead, he burrowed under his quilt and tried to sob quietly. One night, Pa pulled him out from under the blanket, held him tight, and said that it was okay to cry when loved ones and best friends died.<\/p>\n \u201cA few people died that winter. But you asked me how Santa knew where we were.\u201d<\/p>\n Quickly forgetting his previous question, Little Joe asked through a yawn, \u201cDid you have a great big fire?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, because we didn\u2019t want the sparks to catch the shelters or the wagons on fire.\u201d Adam stared into the fire, a faraway look in his eyes, as he remembered those lean years of his childhood. \u201cWe had a small fire in our shelter that Pa banked for the night. Pa knew how to build a fire so it\u2019d throw off a lot of heat instead of smoke. We slept with Hoss between us to keep him warm.<\/p>\n \u201cThat Christmas, all I wanted was a carved covered wagon. I had a jackknife of my own and I could make little animals, like the ones in Hoss\u2019 room. A wagon was much harder, though, and even though I tried and tried, I just couldn\u2019t ever get it right. I finally gave up and decided to stick with carving animals that I thought I could maybe sell if we needed money.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I woke up Christmas morning, Pa and Hoss were still sleeping. I started to get up and felt something between me and Hoss. It was a perfectly carved wooden wagon. Even the little wheels moved. I was so happy I woke Pa up to show him. He was pleased but said to get started on breakfast.<\/p>\n \u201cI played with the little wagon everyday and even let Hoss chew on it some when he was teething. It was in bad shape, though, by the time we got settled here on the Ponderosa. That was before Pa met your mama. I wish I knew what happened to it,\u201d Adam said as he stifled a yawn.<\/p>\n He looked down and saw that Little Joe was sound asleep. Since he didn\u2019t want to risk waking his little brother up and having to deal with his insistent chattering again, he decided to stay put in the chair. As he relaxed into the beginnings of slumber, he remembered the joy a simple wooden wagon had brought him that Christmas. It seemed so long ago.<\/p>\n *******************************<\/p>\n Marie descended the stairs, surprised by the quiet. The only sounds were Ben walking around their room as he dressed and Hop Sing cooking breakfast. She inhaled deeply and her stomach growled at the mingling smells of bacon, flapjacks, and coffee.<\/p>\n She was briefly taken aback at the sight of the red leather chair pulled close to the fireplace but she couldn\u2019t see who occupied it. She stepped between it and the tree and a smile spread across her face as she took in her sons sleeping together, Adam\u2019s cheek resting atop his younger brother\u2019s curls and Petit Joseph\u2019s head on his older brother\u2019s shoulder. Marie wished there was a way to quickly capture this moment but he sketching skills weren\u2019t adequate enough to do it justice.<\/p>\n Ben came downstairs with a heavy step and was surprised to see Marie place a finger to her lips indicating that he should be quiet. Curious about what had her attention, he joined her and held her close as they looked at the boys. Adam may have gotten the short straw but he couldn\u2019t have been too annoyed with his little brother to end up sleeping with him in a chair in front of the fire.<\/p>\n He gently shook Adam\u2019s shoulder, saying, \u201cWake up, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam slowly rolled his head, making popping noises in his neck, as he became aware of his surroundings. \u201cWhat time is it?\u201d he finally asked.<\/p>\n \u201cTime to get up and get ready for breakfast,\u201d answered Ben.<\/p>\n Adam gently cradled Little Joe to him as he rose from the chair; his little brother didn\u2019t even wake up.<\/p>\n Marie kissed Adam\u2019s cheek and then the top of her Petit Joseph\u2019s head before Adam went upstairs. She smiled as she watched them, one of her little boy\u2019s arms gently hitting his older brother\u2019s thigh in time with his steps.<\/p>\n Ben gently placed a little extra pressure around his wife\u2019s waist to get her attention. \u201cMerry Christmas, Darling.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled up at him, said, \u201cJoyeux Noel,\u201d and kissed him.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! Santa came!\u201d said Hoss as he raced down the stairs, interrupting his parents. \u201cAdam an\u2019 Lil Joe better hurry up and get down here so we can open presents.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ll be down shortly,\u201d said Ben. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go see if Hop Sing could use any help.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss was more than happy to comply with his father\u2019s request as it meant he might get a treat or two from the cook.<\/p>\n Upstairs, Adam had placed Little Joe on the bed so he could get dressed. As he took off his robe, he noticed a bit of extra weight in one of the pockets. Reaching in, his fingers felt something smooth and made from wood. His eyes widened in surprise to see the carved covered wagon he thought he\u2019d lost several years before. How did Santa get hold of this? he wondered.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d asked Little Joe as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s something that I had when I was a bit older than you. I lost it a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019d you get it back?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d Adam\u2019s brows together as he frowned in thought. \u201cLast night, I was telling you about it and this morning it was in my pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s face lit up in surprise and he knew how it got there. \u201cSanta brung it when he stopped here. He must have seen the fire like you said he would.\u201d He was hurriedly tugging on his pants as he said, \u201cHurry up!\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe raced down the stairs with Adam on his heels. Marie and Ben were startled by the noise their sons were making in their haste.<\/p>\n \u201cSlow down,\u201d said Ben as he scooped up his youngest. \u201cWhere are you going in such a hurry?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wanna see what Santa brung.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019ll be plenty of time after breakfast,\u201d said Marie as Hop Sing and Hoss brought out platters of flapjacks and bacon.<\/p>\n \u201cEat food while hot. Save foolishment with presents.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut, Hopsy . . .,\u201d Little Joe began to whine.<\/p>\n \u201cNo but,\u201d said the cook with a mock glare for son number 3.<\/p>\n As his brothers and mother headed for the table, Adam touched Pa\u2019s arm and said, \u201cLook.\u201d He held out the little wooden covered wagon.<\/p>\n Ben took it from his hand and looked it over. Memories of living in a crude shelter by the spring those many years ago came back. Along with them came the picture of his eldest son, trying so hard to be a man instead of a little boy as he grieved for his best friend. He\u2019d waited until his sons were asleep before working on the wagon as a surprise and he remembered the delight on Adam\u2019s face when he found it that Christmas day.<\/p>\n \u201cI lost it shortly after we got here,\u201d said Adam. \u201cHow did it get in my pocket?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSanta must have known what was in your heart and brought it back to you,\u201d said Ben as he put his arm around his son\u2019s shoulders for a brief hug.<\/p>\n The two joined the rest of the family at the table to eat as Hop Sing had commanded. Adam set the wagon on the table in front of his plate.<\/p>\n Marie said, \u201cThat\u2019s an exquisite carving, mon fils. Did you make it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSanta brung it,\u201d said Little Joe around a mouthful of flapjack.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t speak with your mouth full of food,\u201d said Marie.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d replied Little Joe as he shoved the food to one cheek with his tongue.<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t you have that when you was a kid?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d said Adam. He stroked the smooth wood with a finger before rolling it back and forth in front of his plate.<\/p>\n When everyone had eaten their fill and Hop Sing had stopped scolding his family to eat before the food was ruined, they went to the tree to open presents. Joe wanted to tear into the packages but Hoss held him back as Pa pulled presents from under the tree and gave them to the recipients.<\/p>\n Marie opened a small box and was delighted to see a pair of delicate tortoiseshell combs with silver inlay. She placed them in her hair and then leaned forward to kiss her husband.<\/p>\n Ben briefly shook a small box before his sons told him to open it. He removed the ribbon and wrapping paper in a way that both could be reused; his frugality wouldn\u2019t allow him to tear either. As the boys clamored for him to show his present, he opened a corner of the box and his brows drew together as he worked to open it further. Within the box was a silver locket with intricate scrollwork on the cover and a small fleur-de-lis pin that could be attached to a ribbon for use as a watch fob. He pulled it from the box and examined it before he figured out how to open it by sliding the top to the side; a portrait of his wife was nestled inside.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is beautiful,\u201d said Ben softly. \u201cAnd so is the picture.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad you like it, Mon Cher,\u201d said Marie before her husband kissed her.<\/p>\n \u201cOpen this one!\u201d yelled Little Joe as he handed another box to Pa.<\/p>\n As Ben opened it, Little Joe hoped it was what he\u2019d asked Santa to bring. He let out a whoop of joy as his father pulled a pipe and a pouch of cherry tobacco from the box.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, boys,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n Adam nodded to his father as Little Joe said, \u201cThank Santa. He brung it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell then, thank you, Santa,\u201d said Ben, indulging his youngest.<\/p>\n Ben handed a large box to Hoss and a smaller box to Adam. Both boys eagerly opened their gifts. Hoss was pleased to see a new pair of boots, and he quickly shucked his old ones to try on the new.<\/p>\n Adam pulled a new vest from his box. Little Joe was pleased to see that there were silver buttons on it as that was what he\u2019d asked Santa to bring.<\/p>\n Noticing the tissue paper in the bottom of the box, Adam gently pulled it back to see a new pair of black leather gloves. He put them on and with a huge smile he held up his hands for all to see. There was even some extra room at the tips of his fingers. \u201cThank you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cSanta musta brung \u2018em,\u201d said Little Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you receive?\u201d asked Adam to his youngest brother.<\/p>\n Little Joe finally tore into the paper wrapping his gift with pieces flying to different areas of the floor. Inside was a carved wooden horse, painted black and white to look like an Indian pony. His eyes lit up in wonder when he realized that the head and legs were made so they could be moved.<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019d Santa know?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cSanta knows what\u2019s in your heart,\u201d said Ben, looking at Adam.<\/p>\n Adam looked down at the little carved wagon and remembered that he and Hoss had talked about it earlier in the year, when Hoss wanted to know about his mother and the journey West. He was too old to believe in Santa, but how else could he have gotten back a long-ago cherished toy he\u2019d lost?<\/p>\n Finally, Hop Sing was the only one left who hadn\u2019t opened a gift. He carefully removed the paper and saw a spotless white apron. As he pulled it from the package, he saw a tan leather vest underneath. While the apron was what he\u2019d asked for in the assumption that he was just a cook, he blinked back tears as he realized he was an accepted member of the Cartwright family. His employer and eldest son wore leather vests and now he had one, too.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you. Thank you very much,\u201d he said as he bowed to his family.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re very welcome,\u201d said Marie with a big smile.<\/p>\n As Ben and Adam began gathering up the paper and boxes, Little Joe tried to figure out a way to attach his new horse to Adam\u2019s wagon. Hoss walked back and forth through the big room breaking in his new boots.<\/p>\n Hop Sing proudly put his new vest on after tying his new apron around his waist. A large smile beamed on his face as he began to clear the table.<\/p>\n *******************************<\/p>\n Later that day, Ben and Marie were nestled together on the settee while their sons were outside having a snowball fight. Ben admired the locket he\u2019d received and slid the cover back and forth in one hand.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you like it?\u201d Marie asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow you\u2019ll never forget me, especially on those long trips to California,\u201d Marie said with a humorous twitch of her lips.<\/p>\n \u201cI could never forget you,\u201d he said as he drew her in for a long kiss.<\/p>\n With the house so quiet, she slowly pulled the combs and pins from her hair, letting it tumble below her shoulders. \u201cShall we observe our tradition, Mon Cher?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo early?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019d rather not . . .,\u201d<\/p>\n Ben took her hand and led her to the staircase. He pulled a small twig off the tree and held it over their heads as if it were mistletoe and pulled his wife in for a deep kiss.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do nos fils say? Last one upstairs is a rotten egg.\u201d With a laugh she headed for their bedroom as Ben held a palm against her lower back to urge her on.<\/p>\n He thought there wasn\u2019t any way he could ever forget such a vivacious woman, especially one who insisted on following traditions.<\/p>\n The End Author\u2019s notes: 2. The Reveillon was celebrated by the Creoles of New Orleans (and people of French descent other parts of south Louisiana). A French tradition, it was brought to Canada, Louisiana, and other French territories during the years of colonization. During the Spanish rule of Louisiana, the Reveillon was a way for the Creoles to celebrate their French heritage. Reveillon consisted of a large dinner eaten in the early hours of Christmas morning following the return home from Midnight Mass. This tradition began to die out in the latter part of the 1800s and was revived in the 1990s by New Orleans restaurants as a way to bring tourism to the city during the Christmas season. For more information on Reveillon, see http:\/\/whatscookingamerica.net\/MarkHuntsman\/CrawfishBoil_JazzBrunch_ReveillonDinner.htm<\/p>\n 3. The stanza from the poem Adam recites to Joe in front of the fireplace is titled The Children\u2019s Friend and was published in 1821 but the author remains unknown. Interestingly, this poem is the first mention of Santa Claus riding in a sleigh led by a flying reindeer.<\/p>\n 4. Diamond Springs, located in Kansas, was a frequently used stopping place on the Santa Fe Trail because of the natural springs that provided fresh water for travelers. The Santa Fe Trail was a popularly traveled pioneer route to the Southwest beginning in the late 1830s. For more information on Diamond Springs, see http:\/\/www.legendsofkansas.com\/diamondsprings.html and for more information on the Santa Fe Trail, see http:\/\/www.legendsofamerica.com\/we-santafetrail.html<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Author’s Response: Thank you, jojay! I’m so pleased to know you enjoyed it.<\/i><\/p>\n *<\/p>\n
\nDecember 2010<\/p>\n
\n1. The tradition of building and lighting bonfires on the levee of the Mississippi River in St. James Parish, Louisiana, on Christmas Eve probably began in the latter decades of the 1700s when the Spanish administration brought Germans to the colony to settle along the Mississippi upriver of New Orleans. This area, known today as the River Parishes (St. James, St. John the Baptist, and St. Charles) became known as the German Coast, during the colonial period. It\u2019s been speculated that these German settlers brought the Christmas Eve bonfire tradition with them. While no one today knows the origins of why these bonfires were lit, speculation has ranged from guiding ships downriver to New Orleans or lighting the way for people walking along the levee to Midnight Mass. Today, Christmas Eve bonfires are built in the St. James communities of Gramercy and Lutcher as elaborate structures (including log cabins) and draw crowds to watch the blazes. This tradition is not native to New Orleans but has begun in recent years across the Mississippi River in the community of Algiers. For this story, I\u2019ve placed the Christmas Eve bonfire tradition in New Orleans so Marie would be familiar with it. For more information on the levee bonfires, see http:\/\/www.festivalofthebonfires.org\/index_files\/Page542.htm<\/p>\n
\nDate:\u00a0<\/span>31 Dec 2010 10:55 am\u00a0Title:\u00a0<\/span>Christmas Traditions\u00a0That was wonderful Patina!\u00a0 What wonderful images you created for us!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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