Sylvia and Hartwig Story (Little House Chapter twenty five):
Sylvia and Hartwig story, Little to no Choices (Little House, Part one of this chapter):
Albert was mad he standing at the jail so was James and Arthur waiting for Iris to wake up. She finally does ever so slowly; she says "Where I am I? What am I doing here?"
James is the first one to talk to her "Dear you are an accessory to a crime, do you remember anything of what has been going on around you?"
Iris looks at him with a blank look on her face, she explains "No, No, I don't remember, and I am not feeling so well". James smiles to say reassuring "We got the doctor summoned so no worries there, you have no collection that you have been and aiding and abetting Ivan Hartwig in a plot to destroy the town?"
Iris looks at James with a strange stare of pure fear; she had no idea what he was talking about! She looked at him with crazy eyes, no idea what has been going on in her world these last several months, James knew they was at a standstill know with the case at hand.
Arthur, standing nearby watching the scene unfold replies "Pa I can get her to talk let me work on her a bit!" Arthur walks in the door way of her cell he bends down to her level since she was still lying on the cot.
Arthur talks nice to her, and not very force full either, "Dear you're in a lot of trouble now do you realize this? If not I can help you get out". "Do you know your name dear?" Sylvia looks at Arthur and she slowly replies "Sylvia Webb I think". James stands back away amazed at how this scene is playing out, he looks at Albert who looks so mad like he's about to blow the whole joint down, he turns to leave the jail no one is stopping not even Sylvia.
….
Albert just kept walking home with his head down low and not a care in the world. Arthur smiled at the fact that Albert had finally left the jail, he then turned to Sylvia to say "Dear, let me help you get out of this mess get out of Walnut Grove to start over somewhere else does that sound good?"
Sylvia sort of nods her head yes James has seen that look all too well, he knows she had been drugged so she would not remember a thing, James didn't know how to tell it to Arthur. Finally Doctor Baker and Amlanzo along with Jack came back to the jail to see how she was doing. James gets out of their way before Doctor Baker finally gets into the cell to check on Sylvia. Alamanzo says "Albert leaves?"
James nods quietly yes. He replies to Alamanzo "I think the boy went home for his own good it's getting to complicated for him here I think". Alamanzo says "That is good this is more than most of us can handle".
Albert walked on home, not a care anymore in the world, he walks into the house and sees his Pa there working on his fiddle, working on the strings, it looks like everyone had already went to bed for the night. Pa stops Albert from climbing up the ladder to the loft by saying, "Come here son we need to talk". Albert turns slowly to Pa he yawns then says "Can't it wait Pa?" Charles says sharply "No son it won't take long".
Albert sluggishly walks over towards Pa; he doesn't sit down in the chair he just stands there with his same shirt that he's worn for days and his ratty unkempt hair. Charles finally looks up at Albert and says "Sit down son; I got some talking to do". Albert force fully pulls up the chair and rudely plumps down in the hard wooden chair.
Charles stops his work puts his old fiddle off to the side for a while, and slowly gives Albert a good looking over on his appearance. Finally Albert complains roughly, "What Pa? What do you want from me?"
Charles says carefully, "I want my son back to normal, I mean look at you you're a wreck of a human being! I mean Caroline and I think it be best if you took a break this summer and got some world wide experience".
Albert slouches more in the chair and stammers "What kind of experience?" Charles exclaims "Don't slouch! Son it's bad for you, you're going to work on a small ship for a while this coming summer working like a telegraph operator and then who knows what else they can have you doing".
Albert scoffs and with an attitude replies "Did you get James to set it up, and work against me?" Charles nods yes, and then he tries to explain, "Son it's for your own good, with Sylvia or whatever she goes by now, who knows what will happen there, you need to get away from here, to see what is out there for you".
Albert yawns disrespectfully at Pa, and then wines in his tone of voice, "Pa I am not a difficult child I do my chores and come home on time, I don't cause trouble but if you want me too I can! I am just lost can't people just let me alone!"
After Albert said that Charles knew it was better to leave Albert alone he sluggishly pulls himself out of the chair, stretches, yaws and scratches rudely in places where he shouldn't. Charles says sternly, "There is that attitude problem we can get in to! If you want".
Albert replies recklessly "Nope not me I am going to bed, night". Charles quietly replies "night", as he watches Albert act like he's already 100 years old climbing the loft to his bed.
…
Back in town another little secret meeting is happening at the old gruff old man's place Harriet Olsen is there to pay him a small visit along with his granddaughter in the house not too far away. Harriet was giving the granddaughter a break from watching him. She was trying to get him to eat some broth that he was refusing to do, above all else tonight was one of those nights he was talking out of his head.
Harriet explains to the older gentleman "Now sir the doctor says to take your medicine and you have to eat something after wards you have to listen!"
The gruff old man takes his hands fling it in the air almost making Harriet drop the bowl almost causing a mess on the rich luxury carpet.
Harriet scolds a bit "Lars Jr.! You caused me to make a mess what is with you tonight!"
Old Lars Jr. Hanson scoffs at Harriet's last remark and he asks her "How was things at the mill? Are they still slow?" Harriet replies "I don't know it's still opened and going if that is what you mean, Charles still is there running things like your old pa, did, after your pa died years ago".
Lars Jr clears his throat and says "Good at least that one place which is the same! Too many changes are happening to Walnut Grove! Lars complains in his gruff voice "Why do we need a Jail? I mean when my pa Lars Hanson Sr. started, here there almost nothing here but a few settlers and my pa!
They didn't cause any one any trouble, my old Pa always said!" Harriet slowly explains "Yeah well Lars things change time for new ideas! Come on now don't be stubborn finish your broth!"
Lars Jr, says roughly to Harriet, "You're the only in in this freaking town that comes to see me and lets me know what is going on! How is that Webb girl doing now they got her in there?"
Harriet smiles to say in an informative tone, "Well, we gave her the potion your wife made for us a long time ago for loosing memory so she shouldn't be able to recall her ordeal in our plans if all goes well".
Lars Jr, smiles and says "Good, keep her out of harm, old Hector was a pretty good character well almost, and except for his wife she was something else!" Harriet smiles to reply "Enough talking eat broth".
Lars Jr, takes a small sip of Broth and then starts to tell how it was back when he was able to be around taking care of himself, "You know come to think of it Hector wasn't perfect, I mean after he found the mine, and said if I help him cover up his problem he had that I get a cut, so I helped and never got a cut!" "Those dang cahoots swindled me!" If my pa was here with me he be had!
Harriet smiles and tries to go along with the story "I guess so Lars, those are days long ago come on eat". Harriet gives him another spoonful and then he swallows, just to complain more, Lars says "Harriet this whole town is corrupt, hopefully you and Ivan Hartwig are working on a plan to get even?" Harriet says "Thinking about it come on old time eat!"
Lars, Jr, takes another spoonful of broth he complains "Tell my granddaughter that this soup is awful will you! Good grief she needs to learn to cook!" Harriet laughs and says "Come on old timer you don't got many choices left have to eat and do as the doctor says! Lars Jr, says "Yeah well, I can still work on my plan to get even with Walnut Grove and I will!" he says in a gruff tone, you think he will? (To be continued!).