{"id":955,"date":"2007-03-08T16:30:05","date_gmt":"2007-03-08T21:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=955"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:11:37","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:11:37","slug":"our-favorite-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=955","title":{"rendered":"Our Favorite Story (by acspeej)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Summary: \u00a0<\/strong>A storm is raging outside, and the children are fearful because their father is very late getting home. They ask the woman to read their favorite story &#8211; it distracts and soothes them. It&#8217;s a very romantic story.<\/p>\n<p>Rated K (3,875 words)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Our Favorite Story\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>By acspeej<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRead to us. Pleeeze!\u201d whined four mouths in unison.<\/p>\n<p>The woman smiled as she gazed into four pairs of young eyes. None of these children would ever go to sleep tonight unless she read to them. Usually, the father would put them all in one bed where each child would sit or sprawl and then he would sit wherever there was room on the bed and the woman would sit in a rocking chair and read until the young ones\u2019 eyes would droop \u2013 or close completely. Then she and the father would scoop up each child to be taken to his or her own bed to sleep through the night.<\/p>\n<p>Tonight was different. The father should have been home hours ago and both the children and the woman were uneasy. The wind was howling outside, bending the trees and causing things to bump against the sturdy house. Rain was pouring down, pelting the roof and the windows constantly. Thunder rolled and the sky lit up from frequent bolts of lightning. If the father was away on a round-up, or if he was out of town, nobody was uneasy. But the father had only made a trip to town for supplies and he was now long-overdue.<\/p>\n<p>The woman looked through the window, peering into the rain and the darkness, and began to worry in earnest. Supper had long been eaten and she had grown weary of playing games with the children to keep their minds busy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPleeeze!\u201d whined one small voice as the small hand tugged at her skirt.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOkay,\u201d said the woman. \u201cWhat story shall we read tonight?\u201d She already knew the answer, for there was only one story that always calmed the children.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur favorite story!\u201d Again, the answer came in unison.<\/p>\n<p>The woman\u2019s dimples deepened as she smiled and walked towards the bookcase. \u201cLet\u2019s see if we can find the right one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But the eldest child was already snatching the book, with its homemade leather cover and rawhide strings which held the seven-year old, slightly-yellowing pages safely within the front and back covers. The woman took the book and, dragging a rocking chair closer to the roaring fire, she pulled a lamp closer and turned up the wick. The children ran to grab blankets from their beds and scurried back to place them around the woman. Once each child had spread individual blankets and plopped down on them the woman opened the book.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnce upon a time\u2026\u201d she began.<\/p>\n<p>The children looked at her expectantly. One would think they\u2019d never heard this story before but they all knew the story by heart.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026there was a woman who lived all the way back East in a city called Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This woman was able to sketch pictures with special charcoal pencils or to paint pictures with water colors or oil paints. She had been able to do this since the time when she was very young. As she grew up, her abilities grew by leaps and bounds.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne day, when she was twenty years old, she met a woman whose name was \u2018Emily\u2019. The woman and Emily became very good friends and soon the woman met Emily\u2019s husband, \u2018Tex\u2019. Why was he called \u2018Tex\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause he came from Texas!\u201d answered the second eldest child.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight!\u201d the woman said as she nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTex always spoke of the beautiful lands in the West and he really wanted to take Emily and return there some day. Now, Tex had a good job with a newspaper in Philadelphia. He was a very good photographer. Can anybody tell me what a photographer is?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA person who uses special instruments to record the likenesses of people and things,\u201d the eldest child answered with certainty.<\/p>\n<p>The woman smiled and nodded and then continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, one day Tex was talking to the editor of the Philadelphia newspaper, and the editor wanted Tex and Emily to go out West and record the likenesses of people and the land there. These likenesses were called \u2018pictures\u2019. Already there were pictures in books and leaflets and newspapers telling people that they should join wagon trains and move out West where there was land for the taking. And there was a precious metal called \u2018gold\u2019 and another precious metal called \u2018silver\u2019. Families were leaving their homes in the East by the hundreds and were making a very long trip to start new lives out West. Some would live in California, some would live in Texas or Wyoming or Montana or Nevada. Some would even go to Mexico where they would have to learn a new language called \u2018Espanol\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpanish,\u201d said the third child confidently.<\/p>\n<p>The rain continued to beat on the rooftop of the house and the wind continued to blow. The woman rocked in her chair and continued the story as she turned each hand-written page.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEmily and Tex did go out West, taking hundreds of pictures wherever they went, and then sending the pictures back to Philadelphia to be published. The woman continued her sketchings and her paintings and these were sent back East also. But the woman began to take quite an interest in the art of photography and learned quite quickly how to work the instruments and the flash powder used for lighting. She had an \u2018eye\u2019 for just the right picture and the right angle to make the photograph more interesting. She soon became as well known as Tex. Instead of being upset that the woman\u2019s works were attracting more attention than his own, he was very proud and encouraged the woman even more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Thunder boomed outside, startling the woman and the children. Lightning crackled. But the story had just begun and, to calm herself and the children, the woman turned yet another page and continued to read.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMonths after the woman and Tex and Emily arrived out West, their travels brought them to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVirginia City, Nevada!\u201d piped up the youngest child.<\/p>\n<p>The woman laughed and rumpled the child\u2019s head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight. Virginia City, Nevada. There, Tex rented a small building and set up his photography shop; the living quarters were above the shop \u2013 just enough room for 3 people. By this time, Tex and Emily were wealthy enough to have three photographic instruments and were well on their way to being able to buy their fourth. At first, business was slow. But when the townspeople saw the quality of Tex and the other woman\u2019s work, Emily was forced to make specific times in her log book for people to come and have their pictures taken. The other woman made money of her own by displaying some of her charcoal sketches and some of her water-color paintings.<\/p>\n<p>Quite often, people wanted pictures taken of them and their families in front of their very own homes. Tex would pack up two of the instruments in the covered wagon (he took two in case one didn\u2019t work correctly) and would go to his clients\u2019 homes. This idea became quite popular; both Tex and Emily were busy.<\/p>\n<p>The other woman stayed in the building, either making sketches of people or taking their pictures. But she longed to be outside admiring the landscape with its aspen trees and the Ponderosa pines and the flowers that bloomed everywhere. Soon, Emily stayed in the building and Tex and the woman began driving out in the wagon.<\/p>\n<p>On a warm, sunny day, the woman was trying to take a photograph of the mountains known as the Sierra Nevadas but she just couldn\u2019t get the right angle to make the picture quite perfect. The sound of approaching hoofbeats caused her to turn and soon she was looking up at a man with dark hair who was dressed all in black.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou must be the photographers I\u2019ve been hearing about,\u201d he said with a smile as he dismounted. \u201cI\u2019m Adam Cartwright. I\u2019ve been meaning to stop to meet you all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTex introduced first the woman and then himself as they all shook hands. The Cartwright name was not unfamiliar to them, nor was the reputation of the holdings of \u2018the Ponderosa\u2019. The Ponderosa was off-limits to strangers, and Tex and the woman were well aware of that fact, so they had steered clear of trespassing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been trying to get just the right angle on those mountains but I just can\u2019t seem to capture the feeling I want to convey,\u201d the woman said sadly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAdam, who was looking at all the equipment, turned and smiled. \u2018Let me take you to a place on the Ponderosa where there is a magnificent view of both the mountains and Lake Tahoe. If you can\u2019t get a decent picture there, you\u2019ll never have a better chance!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd you took the pictures!\u201d the children chimed in. They seemed either to have one mind or to have the story told so often that they knew when to butt in.<\/p>\n<p>The woman turned another page and raised the lamp wick a bit more. Thunder continued to roll and still the father hadn\u2019t returned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026and he was right. The woman took as many pictures of everything she could possibly want to send to the East or to display in the rented building or to keep for herself to use for models for oil paintings. She didn\u2019t know it then, but it would be these paintings that would help to make her famous all over the country.<\/p>\n<p>When the sun began to dip low on the horizon, the woman and Tex shook Adam\u2019s hand and thanked him for his generosity for allowing them access to Ponderosa land. Adam invited them to supper, but they had to get back to town to develop the photographic plates and had to decline the supper invitation. When told that the pictures would be finished on the next day, Adam was very interested in coming into town to see what the photographs looked like. Tex and the woman drove their wagon to Virginia City, and Adam returned home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The woman stopped reading long enough to sip from her water glass and to look out the window. She could see nothing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAdam was impressed by what he saw in the photography shop. He was certain that his father would want to purchase a few of the pictures and he was also certain that a photograph of his family was in order. He rode home while the woman, Tex and Emily closed up the shop for a time, loaded the wagon, and headed to the Ponderosa \u2013 carefully following Adam\u2019s directions to find the house.<\/p>\n<p>By the time the wagon arrived, the famous Cartwrights were in coats and string ties and ready to have their picture made. Introductions came first. There was Ben, the father, with his mane of white hair. Adam, the eldest brother, only Emily had not met. Hoss, the middle brother, a startling giant of a man with a broad smile and a twinkle in his eyes. Little Joe, the youngest brother, with a wonderful lop-sided grin. Hop Sing, the Chinese cook, who alternately spoke in Chinese and English when he was excited about anything.<\/p>\n<p>The woman posed the family in front of the house in such a way that the pictures seemed natural. Tex had long-since learned that the woman\u2019s idea of posing people made for a much better picture, and he told everybody that very fact. There was no objection. Several plates of pictures were made so that the Cartwrights could pick which one (or ones) they liked best. More pictures were taken \u2013 individual ones, some of the house, some of the large barn, some of the ranch hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd the Cartwrights bought them all!\u201d shouted the eldest child, clapping his hands in glee.<\/p>\n<p>The woman nodded and ignored the crack of lightning nearby.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTell us about the Indians,\u201d said the second child with eyes like saucers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, the best-known Indian around was Winnemucca, Chief of the Shoshone tribe. Ben Cartwright himself escorted the woman, Tex and Emily to the village of this powerful war chief with whom he had already spoken about the \u2018images\u2019 that were becoming so popular. Never before had the woman or Tex or Emily been allowed in an Indian camp although they had been fortunate enough to find Indians in many other towns. How excited Tex, Emily, and the woman were!<\/p>\n<p>The Chief spoke some English and used some sign language to converse with the head of the Cartwright clan. Ben told the photographers that Chief Winnemucca would return soon and to sit quietly and watch the camp as it went about its daily business. The woman immediately fetched her sketch book and pencils and drew quickly the things that interested her. Young braves making arrows for hunting (they used rifles only when at war). Young women grinding corn into cornmeal. Older women scraping buffalo hides or cutting up fresh buffalo meat. A naked child playing happily with a pet dog.<\/p>\n<p>The woman\u2019s hand fairly flew across the paper, and she quickly made mental notes of the silver and turquoise jewelry that the women wore around their necks and on their clothing. Most of the Indian braves wore nothing but breechcloths but some had necklaces of bear claws or they wore head bands studded with bright bird feathers. These were fascinating, beautiful people.<\/p>\n<p>Chief Winnemucca returned in full war regalia but without war paint. The Indian village became quiet as they watched their leader approach the group of \u2018white\u2019 people to see what he was going to do. Ben got to his feet quickly and encouraged the photographers to do the same, telling them that it would be rude to stay seated if the chief was standing. As the woman rose, she dropped her sketch book. When she picked it up, Chief Winnemucca held out his hands and she surrendered her sketches. A small smile played about the lips of the great chief as he looked at each drawing and nodded his approval.<br \/>\nThen he returned the sketch book to the woman and indicated that he would like his own image put on paper. The woman was nervous and her hand shook slightly as she began to draw but, when she was finished, she had captured the essence of this mighty man \u2013 from his full head dress of eagle feathers that started at his head and flowed down to the ground to his intricately beaded and painted leather shirt to his leather breechcloth with fringed leather leggings to his beaded moccasins. When handed the finished sketch, the chief smiled his approval.<br \/>\nMany photographs would be taken that day. Many would be sent to Philadelphia to be put in books, many would be purchased by Virginia City residents, and many would be bought by people in wagon trains as they passed through town on their way to places farther West. But the oil painting that the woman made from her sketches of the great chief would end up in a famous museum back East, and the woman\u2019s name would then be recognized across the country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat happened next?\u201d the youngest child prodded. She was tired of hearing about Indians and was eager to get to the next part of the story.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne day, as the woman was tending the shop, one of the Cartwright brothers came in and invited the woman to supper in town that night. And she agreed. Over the next few weeks, the woman and the man went out together many, many times, and the woman became aware that she had very deep feelings for this man. Back in Philadelphia, the woman had been out with quite a few gentlemen callers, but none had captured her heart. She had been more interested in her photography and her paintings and sketches then. But she knew that Tex and Emily would soon be leaving this part of Nevada and going someplace else. The woman had no idea how the man felt about her.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the woman and the man went on their first of many picnics. Having finished the meal, the two of them sat in comfortable silence. The woman felt the man taking her hand in his. And she knew by the pressure of his hand and the look on his face that he had the same feelings for her as she did for him.<\/p>\n<p>Now she was in a quandary. She wondered if she should stay in Virginia City and see what would happen with the man or if she should leave with Tex and Emily to travel to Utah and take pictures of the Great Salt Lake. With the money she had earned from working with Tex and Emily, and with the additional money she had made from her sketches and paintings, she could afford to keep the shop and buy two of Tex\u2019s now four photographic instruments and accessories.<\/p>\n<p>She decided to stay. And the sad day came when she had to say goodbye to Tex and Emily. But they all promised to stay in touch by writing letters. So the woman ran the shop alone at first and then hired a promising young man with a good eye for pictures as her helper. Her business flourished.<\/p>\n<p>Her social life flourished. But her social life was with only one man. She and the man spent many an afternoon and evening riding around the Ponderosa or sitting at the big dining room table happily eating a meal with the rest of the Cartwrights. The woman and the man took walks together, attended church together, and went to parties and dances together. They took to holding hands when nobody else was around. When the man first kissed her, she was swept away by the feeling of her full heart. The man\u2019s strong arms around her made her feel protected \u2013 safe from any harm. When he was not with her, she would think about him and a smile would spread across her face. She knew that she was in love with this man.<\/p>\n<p>One night, after the Spring round-up barn dance, they went outside to get some fresh air. And\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The third child added to the story. \u201cHe kissed her and asked her to marry him!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not to be outdone, the youngest child squealed, \u201cAnd she said \u2018yes\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut first he told her that he loved her,\u201d the eldest child prompted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd then she said she loved him,\u201d added the second child.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd then they kissed again!\u201d The eldest child always wanted to have the last word.<\/p>\n<p>The woman rocked in her chair and laughed, her dimples looking even deeper in the shadows of the lamp and the firelight. She added more wood to the fire and looked out the window again, hopefully. No rider, no horse. Just rain. But the thunder and lightning had moved farther away and the rain had begun to slacken.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe man and the woman got married soon after and the ceremony was held outside the big house on the Ponderosa. There were garlands and wreaths of flowers everywhere; the day was clear and bright; birds sang; and the yard was so full of people that there were not enough chairs and some people had to stand. And Tex and Emily were there! Tears of happiness were shed many times over.<\/p>\n<p>After the wedding, the man and the woman &#8211; together with the help of the Cartwrights and many townsfolk \u2013 threw themselves into building a house in a clearing surrounded by wild flowers, aspens, and Ponderosa pines. With so many hands helping in the building of the house, it was soon completed and was ready for the man and the woman to live in. It was a sturdy house with many windows to allow the sunlight to stream into every room; there was a large fireplace in the living room, and there was even a water pump at the sink in the kitchen. Great care had been taken to furnish the house with every piece silently beckoning to come in and be comfortable. The man and the woman were proud and entertained often.<\/p>\n<p>The next six years brought forth babies \u2013 the first one was a boy. The man wept with joy. The second child was a girl \u2013 and the man wept with joy again. And he wept with joy when the woman blessed him with another son and then another daughter. The man was a wonderful, loving father, often found rolling around on the floor and laughing as he allowed his young sons to pin him down. With his young daughters, he made many forays into the woods and showed them the wildflowers and then helped pick some to make garlands with. The children adored both the man and the woman. Of course, Grandpa and the uncles would have spoiled the children mercilessly if the man and the woman didn\u2019t put a foot down firmly every once in a while. It would\u2019ve been hard to find a happier family anywhere!<\/p>\n<p>And then the woman had more news to tell the man. She had been excited all day and had planned to tell the whole family at supper, but the man had not come home. She was worried now\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The wind died down completely, and the woman looked toward the window. Did she hear the sound of a horse\u2019s hooves splashing through the mud and the puddles? The children gathered with her around the window and peered out as a lone figure rode into view.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPapa!\u201d the children screamed, again in unison. And before the woman could stop them, they had bolted out the door in their nightclothes, bare feet spattering mud everywhere, and the man scooped them up in his arms, laughing joyously as they fought to give him hugs and kisses.<\/p>\n<p>The woman stood on the front porch, arms akimbo. \u201cHoss Cartwright! We were afraid that something had happened to you!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hoss climbed the steps onto the porch, still holding four wriggling children, and picked up the woman too. Hoss was soaked to the skin, despite having worn his rain slicker, and his boots were filled with water. He was muddy, the children were muddy, and now the woman was muddy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAw, my darlin\u2019 Jenny,\u201d he said comfortingly. And then he kissed her soundly. \u201cNothin\u2019 could keep me away from my family. You know that! I just got caught in this terrible rain, and Chub kept slippin\u2019 and slidin\u2019. We waited in Indian Cave \u2018til the storm passed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHoss, you\u2019re squishing us all,\u201d Jenny chided gently. \u201cAnd this is not the time to squish my tummy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hoss deposited his wife and children on the floor. \u201cYou mean\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jenny smiled. Another room would have to be added. Again, Hoss wept with joy. And later, when the children had calmed down, Jenny sat and wrote another page in her book, the same one she had started the day she arrived in Virginia City. The very same book that the children called \u201cOur Favorite Story.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>END<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_955\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"955\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif?resize=16%2C16&#038;ssl=1\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Summary: \u00a0A storm is raging outside, and the children are fearful because their father is very late getting home. They ask the woman to read their favorite story &#8211; it distracts and soothes them. <\/p>\n<p>Rated K (3,875 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":2192,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,1006,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-u","category-hoss-cartwright","category-romance","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-1006-id","wpcat-3-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1178,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/hoss1.jpeg?fit=300%2C168&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":25331,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=25331","url_meta":{"origin":955,"position":0},"title":"Christmas Child (by AC1830)","author":"AC1830","date":"December 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Adam ponders the blessing of family at the end of a joyful Christmas. Rating: G Word Count: 2,060","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Writing Challenges&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Writing Challenges","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=40"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/advent.jpg?fit=480%2C413&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":38016,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=38016","url_meta":{"origin":955,"position":1},"title":"Be a Candle (by mcfair_58)","author":"mcfair_58","date":"December 25, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Every year, on the night before Christmas Eve, Hop Sing would make candles. Now, candles are kind of old fashioned, so I asked him why. This is the tale he told me, a tale of wonder and grace. Written for day 9 of the 2021 Advent Calendar. Rating: G\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Drama&quot;","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\/2017\/12\/30wreath.jpg?fit=450%2C549&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":19245,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=19245","url_meta":{"origin":955,"position":2},"title":"The Card Trick Quilt (by AC1830)","author":"AC1830","date":"December 25, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Written for the 2018 Advent Story, based on the quilting prompt, Card Trick. An AU story of Adam recounting a tale from his past to his daughter. Rating: G 2,030 words","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Writing Challenges&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Writing Challenges","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=40"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2018-Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2018-Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2018-Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2018-Advent.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":63919,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=63919","url_meta":{"origin":955,"position":3},"title":"Solitude (by JoanS.)","author":"JoanS","date":"July 24, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Fifteen year old Adam tries to find a quiet spot to read a book. Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 3,085 words","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Adam Cartwright&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Adam Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1005"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":63518,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=63518","url_meta":{"origin":955,"position":4},"title":"To Sleep, Perchance to Dream (by JoanS)","author":"JoanS","date":"March 16, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Little Joe finds it hard to sleep. Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 \u00a05,830 words","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Drama&quot;","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\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12499,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12499","url_meta":{"origin":955,"position":5},"title":"One Long Night (by Tauna Petit-Strawn)","author":"Tauna Petit-Strawn","date":"March 11, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Short shots involving Ben and Joan's daughter, Faith, with various members of the family. Rated K (5,000 words) Forget Me Not Series, links to all the stories within the series are included.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Alternate Universe&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Alternate Universe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/955","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\/52"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=955"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/955\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}