New Beginnings: A Fresh Start
Chapter 1: A Dilemma
(A. N./ This story begins a little over a month after New Beginnings ends.)
The children have been attending the new school year for nearly six weeks. The oldest students' schoolday is from eight AM to one PM three days a week. With Monday and Friday off, they have four days to work at home or elsewhere. The younger children attend from eight AM to three thirty PM Monday through Friday. The children are divided into groups by age now that Paradise School has three teachers and classrooms. The year before all students ages seven to fifteen were in one classroom. The youngest children ages seven to eleven are taught by Mrs. Brandenburg and the twelve to fifteen year olds have Mr. Davis as their teacher. Mr. Davis is the brother of the town Minister and taught for three months at the end of the last school term. The oldest students ages sixteen to eighteen are taught by Mr. Hiram the owner of the General Store. The school has thirty five students at this time.
Cord Ranch: Monday morning;
Walking into Joseph's room, Ethan bends down and gently shakes his thirteen year old. " Good Morning, Joseph. You need to wake up. It's time to do morning chores."
He gets no response from the boy other than a muffled "NOOO."
"Get up, son. The horses need to be fed and the chores need to be done before breakfast. You need to help."
"Uhn Uh, Pa. It's too early and it's cold." The one peek he had at his small window, showed the window is frosted over. He can feel the cold air on his face as his Pa lifts the cover off.
"I know that son. You have school to get ready for so we start early. Let's get moving."
"Nooo, please Pa. Let me sleep another hour. It's not even all light out yet!" Joseph answers his voice muffled by the quilts he has burrowed under once again covering his face.
"Joseph. You have ten minutes. Get yourself up, dressed and be in the barn in ten minutes. We have twelve horses and the chickens to care for. Rob is already up so move it along." Ethan says delivering a smack to the multi covered backside on the bed.
"Yes sir. I'm coming." Joseph answers. The smack didn't even sting but he knows it's his last warning and some that will sting will follow if he doesn't obey.
Grumbling to himself about unfair treatment, he pulls his coat on over two shirts and looks for his boots. They were next to the bed when he went to sleep but seem to have disappeared. Finally finding them underneath the bed, he quickly puts one on and is tugging on the other as he hops to the side door.
"Good Morning, Joseph." Claire calls from the stove. "What are you hopping on one foot for? Stop and put it on, you goose!"
"Morning. I can't stop. Pa said to be out there in ten minutes and swatted me already. I don't want any punishment. I just got off being housebound, two days ago! After a month, I sure don't want to be housebound again!" he answers as he rushes out the door to the barn.
As Joseph closes the barn door behind him, Ethan teases "You made it by two seconds son. Pushing your limits already today, I see."
"No Sir, I'm not pushing any limits. I got up when you said and I hurried too. I just couldn't find my boots and that caused me to be late. I'm sorry."
"You aren't late and no apology is necessary, do Daisy and Dobbin's stalls first."
"Did your boots walk out on you Joseph? Is that why you couldn't find them?" Rob teases from the stall next to his brother.
"No, don't be ridiculous, Rob. They were by my bed last night but under it this morning. I must have kicked them sometime last night."
"Well, you do have a sleepwalking problem. You just wander around all night." Rob continues to tease.
"I do not!" Joseph complains beginning to get angry.
"That's enough teasing Robert. Leave him be, now. We need to finish up here." Ethan instructs.
As Joseph, Rob and Ethan rake out the dirty straw and spread clean, Ethan announces "Boys, there's something I've been thinking about and have made a decision."
"Oh No, Joseph. He's been thinking. That's never a good sign for us." Rob says, winking at his Pa.
"Hey now, that's not very polite, young man. I'll have you know many of my decisions are good for you." Ethan retorts, smiling.
"Umm hmmm, what's this decision, Pa?" Rob asks as Joseph stops working to listen.
"Mr. Jorgensen is selling out and returning to Norway. He has ten dairy cows and I plan to buy five of them. We can use the milk to make our own cream, butter, buttermilk and maybe even ice cream. We will sell the extra milk to the boarding house and the hotel restaurant. It would be your job to care for and milk the cows. We will also teach the younger boys how to milk. Claire has a churn ready to make the butter. I'll even give you three older children half the profits from the sale of dairy products. Now, is that such a horrible decision, Rob?"
"No sir. I'd like the extra money. Now that you made me quit my town job. I need it. I still don't think I should have had to quit working at the Feed and Seed."
"Your behavior with the trip to the Mine and the drinking convinced me you are not responsible enough to hold a job. I have explained this before. Let this be the end of this discussion." Ethan replies sternly.
"But you whipped us with the razor strop and confined us to the ranch for a month! Wasn't that enough? Did you have to take my job from me too? I guess if Joseph had a job, he would have lost his too!" Rob replies scornfully.
"Robert! You'd best watch how you are speaking to me! Did you hear me when I said 'Let this be the end of this discussion' ?" Ethan responds, now glaring at his sixteen year old.
"Yessir, I heard." Rob answers, uneasily.
"Then for your sake, I would not say another word about it. My decision is final and that is all I'm saying on the matter! Finish up and come inside. Both of you!" Ethan replies, walking out of the barn.
"Good going, Rob! You just got him all mad again. He was in a good mood until you had to talk about the dumb job! Let it be, already!" Joseph tells his brother after allowing his Pa enough time to get in the house.
"Well, it wasn't fair of him to take it away from me. He'd already given enough punishment without making me give up my job."
"Just stop already. It's not like you need the money! You've got a bank full of money in Denver, remember? Please don't push it anymore. You're just making Pa mad and if he gets mad he stays that way the rest of the day. Haven't you noticed how snappish he's been?" Joseph asks.
"I have but just put it at he was still upset with us for our behavior."
"I think it's something else too. There's something going on that's bothering him."
"How do you know that, Joseph? Have you been eavesdropping at the Sheriff's office?"
"I've been confined to the ranch except school and church so how could I possibly do that? I can just tell from his mood. There's something up and he's brooding on it. I just hope whatever it is goes away. I don't like the fact he is worried. It makes me nervous."
"Yeah, I understand. Don't be nervous. I'm here to look after you."
"I DON"T need looking after. I can take care of myself, Robert! I'm almost fourteen you know!"
"So sorry, Sir. I didn't mean to insult your advanced age. Come on, it's time to eat and I'm hungry!"
During lessons that morning, Joseph is busy thinking on what his Pa might be worried about. The ranch is doing well as far as he can see. They have more money now that the Army has been giving them their horses to gentle. The town pays for his Pa's Sheriff's work so that can't be it. As far as he knows there haven't been any lawbreakers in town. He and the rest of the boys have all been behaving well for the past month. In fact, he can't remember either of the younger boys even getting a spanking. For Ben and George that's probably a record. All of this is going through his mind and he doesn't hear his name being called.
"Joseph! Mr. Davis has called you twice! You better answer him quick!" Paul, his seatmate whispers as he pokes him under the desk.
"Sir?" Joseph asks bewildered.
"I asked you if you had your theme with you today. They were to be turned in on Thursday. You did not turn it in on Friday either. I looked over them and yours is missing. Do you have it with you today?"
"Uh ummm, No, Sir. I don't have it with me." Joseph answers.
"Very well, I'll expect it at the beginning of school tomorrow. Everyone, let's discuss our History lesson for the day. If you remember from your reading assignment, George Washington had just become president. Now, who remembers the city he was living in at the time?"
Several of the children raise their hands but Mr. Davis calls on Joseph who is staring out the window again.
"Joseph, perhaps you can tell us the answer. After all your theme topic was George Washington. Isn't that correct?"
"Yes sir, it was. George Washington lived in Mount Vernon, sir."
"Yes, he did but not when he was elected. I asked where he lived when he had just become President. The information is in your History book, son. Did you do your reading over the weekend?"
"No sir. I forgot to do it, sir. I did my Math assignment and English assignment." Joseph answers hoping to avoid a public scolding.
"Joseph, see me at noon recess please." Mr. Davis tells him causing the boy to slump down in his seat.
"Yes sir, Mr. Davis." Joseph answers as Paul gives him a sad look.
In the other downstairs classroom, Mrs. Brandenburg is leading Ben's group in a reading lesson.
"Alright children, we're going to read lesson number twenty today. The new sound is the two letter e's and the ea together to make one sound of E. Ben, tell me a word you can read with those combinations of letters."
"I know two of them Mrs. Brandenburg! Three and tree."
"Very good, Ben! Now everyone let's spell them aloud. Look at your primer and then look at me and spell them out. Let's start with tree. Ready, say it with me T. R. E. E. Now look at the word three. They look so much alike don't they. What do you see in three that you don't see in tree?" the teacher asks.
"I know Miss. Brandenburg!" Alyssa answers. "Three has an H in it and tree doesn't."
"Great job, Alyssa. All right, Aaron, it's your turn. What word do you see on the page that you can tell me. Remember it has to have the E sound." She cautions him because he tends to find a word he knows whether it has the required sound or not.
"Yes Ma'am. I can read the word 'steam'. I can spell it too, even without looking." Aaron tells her smiling at his discovery.
"You can? Well then tell everyone how to spell steam."
"S. T. E. A. M" Aaron answers with his eyes closed. Since his eyes are closed he misses the quick smile from his teacher at his actions.
"That's excellent, Aaron. Now, Sarah and Alyssa it's your turn to find a word. Sarah goes first. What do you know with the E sound?"
"Umm, I know the word 'see' Ma'am."
"Good, now everyone close your eyes the way Aaron did and let's spell the word see."
"S. E. E" the children chant.
"Mrs. Bradenburg? I know the other kind of see. The water like the ocean. It's S. E. A. Rob taught me that word last night. He's reading Moby Dick to us."
"Good job,Ben. Moby Dick is a good novel. Alright, now Alyssa it's your turn to tell us a word. What can you find?"
"I know a good word, Mrs. Brandenburg, sheep."
"You are a sheep, Alyssa. You go BAA in your sleep." Aaron teases causing Alyssa to give him a hush up, look as the other children giggle.
"None of that, young man. We aren't animals. Everyone look and spell Alyssa's word." Mrs. Brandenburg scolds gently.
After the children finish finding more words to spell, she sends them back to their desk to write all the words in their last two reading assignments with the spelling of the long E sound in them.
"Now after you finish making a list of all the words. Try to make at least two sentences with two of the words. If you can do more, that's fine. When you finish, read today's lesson again. If you need help, quietly ask one of the fourth level students. First Reader Group dismissed. Third Reader Group, bring your book and come forward please." Mrs. Brandenburg calls as the four children leave to sit down.
Alyssa, Aaron and Sarah, not ever having attended school are in the same leveled primer. Because of his long illness with scarlet fever, Ben is having to relearn some skills such as reading and spelling. All three were advanced enough to go into the second primer level and skip the very beginning level. The children are kept in groups for their Reading, Spelling and Math work but join everyone else to learn History, Grammar and Penmanship. Mrs. Brandenburg has twelve pupils from the age of seven to eleven.
As the morning Reading and Spelling groups are finished, Mrs. Brandenburg calls the class to attention. "Class, it's time to put your work away. It's time for lunch recess. After you have your desk cleared, you may gather your lunch pails and go outside. Don't forget your wraps. It's cold out there. Anyone who wishes to stay inside may do so."
As all twelve of her students find their lunch pails and go outside, she relaxes at her desk enjoying the few peaceful moments for now.
Outside, Ben meets George and they go to sit with Aaron and Alyssa and Sarah to eat.
"Where's Joseph?" Ben asks Paul as the older children come out for lunch.
"He had to stay in to talk to Mr. Davis."
"Why?"
"He's in trouble for not turning in his assignment, I think. We had a theme due Thursday and he didn't turn it in then, Friday or today either. See you boys and girls, I'm off to eat with Adam." Paul answers before rushing off to find his friend.
Inside, Mr. Davis is scolding Joseph.
"You were given one week to prepare this theme young man. I reminded the class everyday for the last two weeks of the due date for the assignment. I asked for five written pages not twelve. I don't believe that is to much of an assignment to have finished in two weeks, myself. Now, I come to find out you didn't do your assigned reading over the weekend, either. Not doing your assignments is not going to be allowed. You will stay in during the lunch recess and do your reading. Since you have trouble remembering things, I'm sending your Pa a note today. He will help you find your theme and put it with your school things so you don't forget it tomorrow. You have five minutes to use the outhouse and be back here. Go."
"Yes sir." Joseph replies, blushing at the scolding.
Walking home that afternoon, George walks beside Joseph as Ben goes on ahead. Seeing the glum look on Joseph's face he asks "Did Mr. Davis spank you today?"
"No, of all the silly questions! What makes you ask me that?"
"Paul told us how you had to stay in at lunch. I thought maybe you got a spanking."
"I didn't get spanked, George. He just scolded me and now I have a note I have to give to Pa."
"Uh oh, that's not good. What did you do?"
"Nothing. I mean I didn't do anything all that wrong. I was supposed to have a theme turned in last week and didn't turn it in."
"Why not? Did you forget to write it? Pa's not going to like this, Joseph."
"I know,George. No, I didn't forget to do it. I did write the theme, I just couldn't turn it in."
"Why couldn't you turn it in? Did you lose it? I'll help you look for it."
"I know where it is, George."
"Then,... wait... okay, Ben's gone on ahead again, he can't hear us. If he hears, he'll report on you to Pa. Why won't you turn it in if you know where it is?"
"I can't get to it. Pepper ate it. I had it on my table in my room and he came in and took it in his mouth and ran off with it. I chased him but he went under the haywagon in the barn and tore it up. Then he ate it. I wasn't supposed to have him inside, you know? It was last Wednesday afternoon, when you and Ben were in town after school. I was so mad, I didn't try to rewrite it. Now I don't have the book to use to do it."
"What are you going to tell Pa? If you tell him about Pepper, he'll get mad. I don't want him mad at Pepper!"
"I just don't know, George. If I don't have a good reason for not having the theme, he'll punish me. If I tell him about Pepper, he may not believe me and then I'll be in for a whipping for not having done my schoolwork and lying. I don't want a whipping and I don't want to be housebound again either."
"So, don't give him the note. That's easy enough to figure out." George answers skipping ahead to walk with Ben.
Finishing up the barn chores and trying to come up with a plan to keep himself out of trouble, Joseph doesn't hear the barn door open and close. He jumps in shock when Rob says "Pa told me to tell you that supper will be ready in five minutes. You are to be washed and inside by then. Don't push him tonight, Joseph. He's in one of his moods he gets lately. Ben was chattering on about something and Pa told him to hush and sit quietly. He always listens to Ben."
"He sometimes gets really irritable lately, Rob. Do you think he's still mad at the two of us for sneaking up to the mine that time? I know we talked about it this morning but I can't decide if he is or not." Joseph asks as he begins to rake the used straw out of the stall.
"No, I don't think it's that. It's something, but I don't know what. You have one stall left, let me help or you'll not get done. What's making you so down in the mouth tonight? You look like you lost your favorite possession."
"I have a note from school. I can't figure out what to do about it. If I don't give it to Pa, I'll really catch it, but if I do he's going to get upset with me. I don't want him upset with me. You know what I mean?"
"Yes, I know but, Oooh Boy, that's not good. With him in this mood this is a bad time to have a note sent home. Did you act out? For your sake, I hope not."
"I didn't cause trouble. I missed an assignment and Mr. Davis sent a note."
"Well, just so you know, I am NOT signing it for Pa. I am not going to go through the punishment I got last time that happened!"
"I never asked you to, Rob! You asked what was bothering me and I told you. I didn't say anything about you signing it!" Joseph answers irritably.
Just then the barn door opens again and Ben calls "Rob! Joseph! Papa said to Come IN! Supper is on the table and we're waiting for you two! I'm hungry so hurry up!"
"We're coming, Ben. Hold your horses, impatient one!" Rob calls back.
"I can't. I don't have any to hold." Ben answers giggling.
"Let's go, Joseph. The sooner you get it over with, the better you'll feel. Anticipation is the worst part after worrying."
"I fixed your favorite tonight, Pa. Beef with boiled potatoes, peas, onions and carrots. I even made three loaves of bread today so we can have bread and butter with it. I have two apple pies just out of the oven too. We even have cream to put on the pie."
"ICE cream?" Ben speaks up bouncing in his seat.
"Sit still, Ben. Chairs aren't to bounce on!" Ethan tells him.
"Yes Papa." Ben answers, subdued.
Passing the plate to her Pa, Claire pauses to rub her brother's hair. "No Ben, we don't have any ice cream here. We don't have a way to keep it cold remember?"
"I wish we could. I really like ice cream. Don't you, George? I wish we had ice cream everyday. We could get an icebox like Mr. Axlerod so we could have some and ..."
"Benjamin. We are going to eat supper with less chatter please. You can talk after you eat. No! Don't begin. Everyone is not served yet. You know better, son." Ethan reprimands sternly as Ben lifts a bite to his mouth.
"I'm sorry, Papa." Ben answers, lips trembling.
"No, son. I'm the one who needs to apologize, not you. I'm sorry for snapping at you. I'm just tired tonight. Alright everyone, let's enjoy this dinner Claire has made. Rob, you may say the blessing tonight."
"Thank you God, for our family and friends, our good health, our community and for your blessings." Amen
As the children echo "Amen", Ethan says "Very nice, Rob. Everyone may begin, pass the bread, Joseph."
After everyone was finished with their meal, Claire asks "Who wants pie now?"
All five of the male members of the family answer as one "I do!" This causes George and Ben to break out in giggles.
"That's like the story of The Little Red Hen, isn't it Claire?" Ben asks.
"Yes, it is."
"We didn't help make the pie though. Do we still get some?" He asks worried, now.
"Of course you do. I didn't ask for help the way the hen did, so you don't need to worry, Ben."
"Good. We don't need anybody else worried. Joseph is already worried about the note."
This comment makes Joseph blush and sink a little in his chair. "BEN, SHUT UP You talk to much!" he says glaring at his brother.
"Joseph! Apologize to Ben. That is extremely rude and you know better!"
"I'm sorry, Ben." Joseph says turning so he can still glare at his brother without Ethan seeing.
"What note is Ben referring to, Joseph?" Ethan asks.
"It's a note from Mr. Davis, Papa." Ben pipes up earning a stern look from Ethan.
"BEN! I am talking to your brother. Stay out of this, young man!"
"Joseph? What note?"
With a sigh and a glance at Rob, Joseph reaches into his pocket and pulls out the folded note. Handing it over to Ethan, he mentally says a quiet prayer for help.
"Please, if you are listening, keep him calm and let him understand."
"Joseph. This note says you have failed to turn in a school assignment for three days! He also says you were not paying attention today. Are these two comments, correct?"
"Yes Sir."
"We have talked about this. You are having a fresh start this year. A new class, a new teacher, a chance to leave your past troubles in school behind you. We discussed in detail, how this was going to be the year you buckle down and do your schoolwork without causing trouble. Do you recall that conversation, young man?" Ethan asks, ending in a quiet, deadly question.
"Yes sir, I do." Joseph answers, having trouble meeting the firm glare his Pa is giving him. When his Pa uses that quiet firm tone, it doesn't look good for him. Unlike most people, Ethan doesn't yell when he's angry. The more upset he is, the quieter he becomes.
"Go to your room, young man! I will be there shortly to have a different discussion!"
Yessir." Joseph answers around the knot in his throat as he leaves the table.