Summary: Written for the Chaps & Spur Challenge for June, 2011. Adam and Hoss get into a mess of trouble when Adam invents something to help him with a daily chore. Please read this little story to see how I incorporated the five words needed to meet this challenge: medieval, tassel, commence,<\/p>\n
Rating: K \u00a0WC 1800<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Never Fool with a Horse’s Tassle<\/strong><\/p>\n The two young Cartwright\u2019s guts wrenched as they stood staring at the giant-sized hole that now engulfed the east side of their barn wall.<\/p>\n \u201cPa\u2019s gonna kill us Adam. I mean really kill us,\u201d Little Hoss sniffed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know Pa won\u2019t kill us, Hoss. He\u2019ll just…\u201d Adam\u2019s words trailed off at the thought. The ten year old knew it wasn\u2019t worth even trying to lessen what was soon in store.<\/p>\n \u201cC\u2019mon. We best clean up what we can before Pa gets home.\u201d<\/p>\n The two brothers solemnly began their clean up as both their minds reflected back on the culmination of events that led up to this disaster. It had all started with a tassel. Well, not a real tassel, but a comparison to one.<\/p>\n That morning, Adam and Hoss had stepped into the barn to do their chores. Adam\u2019s job was to brush down the horses and most of them complied in gratitude; not old Flash, however. He hated being brushed and did everything he could do to make the brusher miserable while in his stall. He\u2019d lean his body towards you so you would be scrunched against the wall. He\u2019s flick his tail back and forth connecting with your face on more than one instance. Little Hoss always enjoyed watching his brother deal with Flash. It was like a battle of wits. He wasn\u2019t a mean horse, just a stubborn one and when he didn\u2019t want something done, well he didn\u2019t want something done.<\/p>\n Hoss suddenly giggled.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you have chores to do, too?\u201d Adam annoying asked as he once again received a tail switch in the face.<\/p>\n Another giggle. \u201cYou know something Adam… horses tails remind me of the strings hanging out from ripe corn in the field.<\/p>\n \u201cThose are tassels and believe me they\u2019re a lot softer than this old horse\u2019s tail,\u201d Adam grumbled.<\/p>\n This produced an even louder giggle from his younger brother.<\/p>\n \u201cYou better get started on that raking,\u201d Adam barked annoyingly. Hoss jumped down instantly from the bale of hay he was sitting upon and picked up the awaiting rake.<\/p>\n \u201cHey Adam, you know it sure would be great if we could create something to do our chores for us. You know, like those scientists you\u2019re always reading about that…in… in….\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInvent,\u201d Adam completed his brother\u2019s words.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, invent. You should invent something that would brush down old Flash. Then you wouldn\u2019t have to be hit in the face by his tassel.\u201d Hoss let out another giggle at the thought.<\/p>\n This time, Adam said nothing as he stepped out of Flash\u2019s stall and moved to the next horse. His brother\u2019s words kept his thoughts focused the rest of the morning and by evening he was in his room sketching out a plan to do just as his brother had suggested.<\/p>\n His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his bedroom door. Adam quickly shuffled the drawing paper under his math book and flipped it open to the assigned page.<\/p>\n \u201cCome in,\u201d he calmly stated.<\/p>\n Ben Cartwright entered his son\u2019s room. \u201cWell now, that\u2019s what I like to see… my studious son hard at work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just finishing up some math problems, pa,\u201d Adam answered half-guiltily.<\/p>\n Ben pulled up a chair alongside the desk. \u201cDo you need any help before I go?\u201d<\/p>\n It was then that Adam got a whiff of his father\u2019s special cologne. It was the cologne he only used when calling upon a lady.<\/p>\n Adam laid his pencil down and turned towards his father. \u201cOff for dinner at Ms. Guthrie\u2019s again, Pa?\u201d Adam restrained a laugh as his eyes danced up to his fathers. Ben Cartwright had been a bachelor for going on six years now and the boy yearned for his father to find a new bride.<\/p>\n Ben chuckled as he stood up and tousled his son\u2019s hair in a playful manner. \u201cYou are a smart one.\u201d<\/p>\n The two both shared a laugh. As Ben turned to leave, he noticed the drawing paper under his son\u2019s book. He reached down and slid out the concealed work.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d He questioned.<\/p>\n \u201cUm…\u201d Adam had to think quickly. \u201cWell… in history we\u2019re studying medieval times and I was just practicing drawing some of the weaponry they used back then.\u201d Adam paused to judge his father\u2019s reaction. It was one of puzzlement. \u201cI\u2019m….\u201dI\u2019m… not very good at it,\u201d he quickly added.<\/p>\n \u201cJust make sure that homework is completed by tomorrow morning, young man.\u201d Ben knew his son too well.<\/p>\n \u201cI will, pa,\u201d Adam answered him respectively before abruptly changing the subject. \u201cHave fun at Ms. Guthrie\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n He finished off this statement with a huge smile that instantly brought a chuckle from his father.<\/p>\n Ben moved towards the door. \u201cYour brother is downstairs driving Hop Sing crazy so make sure to relieve him just as soon as you\u2019re finished with your work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Pa. I know how to tucker Hoss out pretty well. He should be in bed within a few hours if I have my way.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben just smiled a knowing smile. It wasn\u2019t that easy to get Hoss to go to bed, but he had to admire Adam\u2019s confident attempt at brotherly control.<\/p>\n \u201cGood night, son, Ben said as he closed the door to his son\u2019s room.<\/p>\n Adam rushed through the rest of his work and headed downstairs with his drawing plans in hand. The two brothers made a quick escape from Hop Sing\u2019s overseeing and headed directly out to the barn. Adam explained his drawing to Hoss and how he had figured out a way to connect a long arm to the wall of the barn that would extend over Flash\u2019s stall. He could then stand at a safe distance away from the animal and use the crank to maneuver the brush back and forth to give him a good brushing.<\/p>\n \u201cBoy, you think it can be used to do the raking, too?\u201d Hoss asked in excitement.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think so, Hoss, but if this does work I\u2019ll figure out something to help you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n The two brothers then commenced to building.<\/p>\n The next morning, Ben left early to go into town. He couldn\u2019t help but notice how eager both his boys seemed to be about getting started on their chores.<\/p>\n Adam rushed over to the empty stall and uncovered his masterpiece in the straw. Hoss helped him mount it to the wall and within an hour they were ready to test it out. Adam maneuvered the arm cautiously over old Flash. The horse seemed to be instantly on guard.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s okay, old boy,\u201d Hoss spoke gently. \u201cAdam\u2019s just tired of getting hit by your tassel all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n The horse twitched its tail in a manner stating he wasn\u2019t happy about the situation. Just then, Adam lowered the arm down on the animal\u2019s back. Flash twitched as his eyes bulged at the strange object now resting against his body. Adam then starting cranking and the arm did as it was designed to do; it moved back and forth across the animals back in a firm, consistent motion.<\/p>\n \u201cIt works!\u201d Hoss exuberantly announced. \u201cIt works!\u201d Adam felt his heart swell with pride as he maneuvered the arm into various positions around the animal.<\/p>\n \u201cCan I try?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cI want to try it!\u201d He then demanded.<\/p>\n Adam raised the arm up and motioned for his brother to come near.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s sort of heavy so I\u2019ll help you, okay?\u201d Hoss nodded and quickly grabbed hold of the mechanism.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, you pull this lever down to rest the arm on his back. Then all you have to do is crank and it will move the brush up and down.<\/p>\n Hoss produced a gap-toothed grin before biting firmly down on his lower lip with determination. The crank was quite stiff and it was hard for the 6 year old to get it rotating. But when he did… that\u2019s when the chaos started.<\/p>\n Hoss began building momentum as he excitedly spun the crank round and round and round.<\/p>\n \u201cNot so fast Hoss, You\u2019ll spook him,\u201d Adam commanded.<\/p>\n His brother paid no mind as he continued to crank at high velocity.<\/p>\n Suddenly the arm sprung up and rotated to the rear of the horse. The abrupt force knocked the controls out of the brothers\u2019 hands. This in turn brought the arm down on the horse\u2019s rump. The crank was still spinning and the brush got tangled in poor old Flash\u2019s tail.<\/p>\n Old flash reared up and bolted out of his stall. Adam and Hoss were just able to dive out of the way as the petrified animal stormed past them and headed out the barn door in a … well, flash. The force of his exit tore Adam\u2019s mechanism from the wall. The two brothers watched in horror as poor flash galloped crazily away, dragging the now crumbled invention at his heels.<\/p>\n When the dust had settled the once in tact barn wall now mustered a huge hole the size of Lake Tahoe.<\/p>\n *********************************<\/p>\n That evening the two brothers lay miserably across their beds. Neither of them was saying a word. It took their father almost three hours to find old Flash. By then, all he had left was a little stubble for a tail and Adam\u2019s invention lay hidden somewhere out in the wilderness. Well, their father wasn\u2019t happy that\u2019s for sure and soon the two brothers had aching backsides. I think it is safe to say that on that day, Adam Stoddard Cartwright lost any desire to become a scientist.<\/p>\n Hoss turned to his side and sniffed. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Adam. I didn\u2019t mean to get you in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam rolled to his side and looked over at his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cI caused the trouble for myself, Hoss,\u201d was all he could say as another stream of tears fell from his eyes.<\/p>\n There was a moment of silence.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam? You know how I asked you to make something to help me rake?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I think I\u2019ll just rake myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam paused before answering, \u201cI think that\u2019s a good idea.\u201d Then he added, \u201cI don\u2019t think old Flash will let me near him ever again. I hope Pa was able to calm him down some.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss did not respond and soon Adam could tell he had cried himself to sleep. Adam buried his head into his pillow and reflected upon the day.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, at least we\u2019ve learned one lesson in all of this,\u201d<\/em> he thought. \u201cNever, ever fool with a horse\u2019s tassel.\u201d <\/em>Soon he, too, succumbed to peaceful slumber.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary: Written for the Chaps & Spur Challenge for June, 2011. Adam and Hoss get into a mess of trouble when Adam invents something to help him with a daily chore. Please read this little story to see how I incorporated the five words needed to meet this challenge: medieval, tassel, commence,<\/p>\n Rating: K \u00a0WC 1800<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":14952,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[39,23,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chaps-spurs","category-drama","category-prequels","wpcat-39-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-30-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/tassle.png?fit=268%2C449&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/50"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6804"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6804\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}