New Beginnings A Fresh Start

Ch. 29

Child Wrangling


Paradise: Ranch

After taking a few minutes to calm his nerves from discovering Aaron and Ben on the back of Ethan's stallion, Chris pats Lightning as he leaves the stall. "Thank you for your patience my friend. The boys didn't mean to upset you. They are just young." he tells the horse now munching on fresh oats.

Walking over to the open barn doors, Chris sees the two boys standing right where he left them against the barn wall. He notices neither one meets his eye as he orders them into the barn.

"All right boys, come stand here in front of me. We have some talking to do. Both of you need to explain what you were doing on that stallion!"

Waiting for the children to meet his eyes he settles and sits silently on a stack of hay bales. Remaining silent and keeping a firm stare on the two squirming boys, Chris waits. Aaron breaks first saying "Papa, we didn't mean any harm. We weren't trying to hurt him, honest Papa. Please don't punish us."

"Aaron, Ben, both of you are well aware of the rules concerning the horses. You are not allowed to ride without permission and as far as stallions go, you aren't allowed to ride them at all! You also know Lightning has been off limits to children since you both came to the ranch. Stallions are very unpredictable and you could be hurt. I recall you have been told to never try to ride him. Am I correct?"

"Yes sir." Ben whispers as Aaron nods, now looking at the barn floor.

"Uncle Chris? It was my idea. I told Aaron to help. We wanted to exercise Lightning for Joseph. Papa told him to be sure to take Lightning outside and let him get some exercise everyday. Because of me, he didn't get outside yesterday. Joseph is hurt and can't take him out. We were trying to do it." Ben explains, rushing to get it all said before Chris punishes them.

"Papa, we really were trying to help not cause trouble." Aaron chimes in, also worried.

"Thank you for explaining, Ben. I'm pleased that you both were trying to do something to help with the chores. I do think you could have found something much safer however. Feeding and watering the other animals or helping in the house, are some examples. Do you understand why I was upset when I saw you both on Lightning?"

"You don't want us to be hurt." Aaron answers as Ben nods, whispering "Yessir." Both boys wait anxiously for Chris to speak again, guessing punishment might be next. Aaron shuffling his feet and Ben biting his lip.

"Alright boys, you know you deserve to be punished for doing what you have been told not to do. Stallions are unpredictable animals and you could be hurt. I'm going to assign chores for you to complete tomorrow. Tonight your bedtime is right after supper and there will be no dessert for either of you. Let me hear of or see you on any stallion again without permission and you will both feel a strong sting on your bare behind! Do you hear me, boys?"

"Yes sir!" he hears from the two in front of him.

"Good, now go inside to your rooms until supper. You will eat and then go to bed. Aaron, you and your sister are in Rob's room this time. You two are not bunking in with Ben and George or Claire as there are more beds available. We most likely will only be here tonight. Now go."

"Why do I have to sleep with Alyssa? She has girly germs! I can sleep on the floor in Ben's room." Aaron complains.

"Aaron, I make the decisions and this is what we are going to do. There is no reason to crowd into the boy's room when there is a room available for the two of you." Chris says.

Knowing he should let the subject drop, Aaron argues loudly "Papa! I want to stay with Ben and George! That's what staying overnight is for! Being with friends in their room!"

Amazed at the usually calm Aaron, arguing back. Ben watches to see what Chris might do. He knows what his Pa would do.

"Aaron, this behavior is unacceptable. You do not argue with me as that is disrespectful. You are to do as I say without argument. If you wish to explain your feelings politely without shouting, I will listen. That doesn't mean I will change my position on the matter, however."

"Yes sir. I'm sorry for losing my temper, Papa. I just like staying with Ben and George." Aaron answers leaning into his Pa to hug him.

Returning the hug, Chris answers "All is forgiven, son. I know you do but this time we will sleep in separate rooms. You seem overtired today, go inside and rest until time to eat. You too, Ben. You will have plenty of time together tomorrow."

"Uncle Chris? Couldn't we have more chores to do instead of missing dessert? Alyssa said she was making apple pie. I love apple pie! Please?" Ben asks as Aaron stops in the barn door on his way out.

"The punishment is straight to bed after dinner without dessert, Ben. When you disobey you lose privileges. Dessert is a privilege."

"Yessir. What's 'privilege'? Is that another word for something to eat?"

"No, Ben. It means something you are allowed to do or have, not something you MUST do or have. Clothes, shelter plus meat, vegetables and chores are must haves. Sweets, toys and playtime are privileges, things that are good to have but not necessary."

"Buuutt, apple pie and sweets are necessary, Uncle Chris! I neeeed them to feel good. I don't wanna give up pie!" Ben whines.

"Maybe so, Ben but this time you will be doing without unless you'd rather have a spanking. You'd still have early bedtime and extra chores as well." Chris answers firmly as he stands to leave the barn.

"No Sir! I choose to give up apple pie." Ben answers moving fast to catch Aaron who has decided it's best to leave the barn quickly when Chris stands.


As Chris is busy wrangling irritable children, Ethan, Mitch and the older boys are enjoying extra time in Denver. Having found a clothing shop with ready made men's clothes, Mitch is urging Alex to choose three sets of new clothes.

"Rob, I want you to look for a new coat here. Find something warm as your old jacket is going to be donated to charity. I don't want to see it again after the Seth incident and I imagine you don't need the reminder either."

"Yes sir, I'll be happy to get rid of the reminder." Rob replies.

"You need some winter wear, Alex. Your trousers and shirts are getting worn and aren't warm enough. I want you to choose three trousers and shirts suitable for church not chores. You need a warmer coat as well. Your brown jacket is getting too snug in the shoulders. I'm going to pick out a couple of warm shirts for myself so Ethan and I will be across the shop." Mitch informs the two boys as they enter the clothing shop.

"But Mitch, I don't really need all of that. I have my school trousers and shirt plus church pants and dungarees. You don't need to buy me more."

"It's not open for discussion, young man. I told you what we were going to do, so get to it. Rob will stay with you."

"Yes sir. Come on Rob, help me choose. I've not picked clothes before. My Ma just made them or Da bought dungarees."

Finding a shelf of shirts and trousers, Alex begins to hold up some to his body to check for size. Quickly finding three shirts that will meet Mitch's criteria he turns to the trousers.

"I don't think those trousers will fit, Alex. They are about six inches too short. Look what we have here! These jackets would really make us be noticed. Here this black one looks your size. I like this one." Rob says pulling the jacket on after he puts his old one on a shelf.

"Stop playing and help me with the clothes, Rob. I have held up three different trousers and they are either too long or too short!"

"Try these they're thick wool and look warm. You want to pick some that are long and then get them hemmed. Claire could hem them for you."

"I won't be having Claire sew my clothes! I'll have the dressmaker do it. Mrs. Madison does sewing for a living." Alex answers, unable to keep from blushing at Rob's suggestion.

"So even when you two live in the same house, Mrs. Madison will be doing your sewing? I can tell you, Alex, Claire will get upset if you don't let her be the wife."

"Rob! Hush, will you? Someone we both know could be listening. This is not a discussion I want to have with your Pa or Mitch right now."

"You can't hide it forever. Besides they know you two are courting. Might as well start talking to them now and give them time to come to terms with it." Rob replies just as they both hear Mitch's voice behind them.

"Alexander Patrick Hale!"

Closing his eyes briefly and hoping Mitch didn't hear any of their conversation, Alex turns to face his guardian. "Sir?"

"What are you wearing, boy?"

"Robert Jordan Cord just what do you think you are doing in that leather jacket?" Both boys hear as Ethan joins the group.

"Take off that coat, Alex. We need something different." Mitch tells the boy quietly as Rob answers Ethan's question.

"I think this is perfect, Pa. It fits me, is kind of warm and makes me look older. I'll get this one."

"I don't believe you will, young man. That coat makes you both look as if you are outlaws searching for a shootout! Take it off. We'll find something else that doesn't scream OUTLAW when you see it! We've been through that misconception already." Ethan answers giving the boy a look that Rob knows well. The "Do as I say NOW." look at Rob's protest of "But Pa, I ..."

"Yes sir. I still like that coat though. Why didn't I come here for clothes instead of having to have that Tailor fit me?"

"One, I had already sent word to him we would buy at his shop and two, I didn't know this shop existed. Now, let's try this coat." Ethan replies as he takes a thick dark blue pea coat off the shelf."

"That one makes me look as if I just jumped ship, Pa. I work and live on a ranch not a seafaring ship!" Rob answers shaking his head.

"You are certainly opinionated about your clothes, young man. Shopping with Claire is much easier! She finds dresses and bonnets quickly."

"What about this one?" Rob asks holding up a light blue coat with dark blue collar and cuffs, tan buttons with a fleece lining. It looks warm and more like something a rancher would wear."

"Try it on and see if it fits. If it's not too big, we'll take it." Ethan responds nodding in approval.

"Alex, why don't you get the other one. If it fits me, I know it'll fit you. We can have coats just alike."

"Sure, Rob. Do you think we should find matching bonnets to go with them?" Alex teases.

"Not bonnets but hats! Pa, let's go next door. I saw good looking western style cowboy hats in the window. I need one of those and so does Alex."

"Alex doesn't need a new hat, Rob. Besides, we need to get back to the hotel soon to get ready to board the train." Mitch answers the sparkling eyed boy.

"You don't need a new hat either, Rob. Your old one is perfectly fine. Are you two ready to purchase these clothes?" Ethan asks.

"Yes, I'm ready. I have shirts and trousers plus the coat." Alex answers as Rob says "Yes sir, I'm finished shopping if I can't get a new hat."

"Let's go then. We have to meet the train in an hour. I'd like to get a meal before that as we don't know how long this return trip may take. The tracks could be clear or we could be in for a stop and shovel ride. It's difficult to know for sure." Ethan replies.

"What is a stop and shovel ride, Uncle Ethan?"

"That's what I call a trip where we continue to stop as someone shovels snow off the tracks, Alex. I've been on one trip like that and it wasn't amusing."

"Do we need to send a telegram to Paradise before we leave?" Rob asks.

"No, I think it's best to just arrive. If the trip is long, I don't want Claire or Joseph to worry. The last message I sent, I told them we would be arriving Sunday. I didn't specify a time. If we have to walk home because we weren't met at the station then we will."


"Boys, did you check behind yourselves to make sure you packed everything you have? It's a good thing we bought two extra carpetbags as we've added a few things since we arrived. Rob, did you pack the gifts you bought?" Ethan asks before the group leaves the hotel rooms.

"I packed everything. It's a good thing I had the clothes I bought sent by general delivery as I wouldn't have room for them in these two bags."

"I've checked Uncle Ethan and all of my clothes are packed. I only brought one extra set of clothes and a nightshirt. Rob is the clothes horse not me. He brought three sets of clothes plus a nightshirt!" Alex answers, sending Rob a teasing glance.

"Yes, well SOME of us had to bring dress clothes as instructed by their overly strict Pa. You are just indulged and don't have to be a proper young gentleman with your clothes." Rob fires back with a grin at his Pa.

"Well I believe you both are proper young gentleman. Let's get moving boys. We want to find good seats away from the coal car! I don't like riding with the smell of burning coal so strong my eyes water." Ethan tells the two teens.


"It's good we don't have Ben or George with us as they'd want to ride in the coal car. Ben asked me not long ago how old you have to be to be able to be the "Coal Man" on the train. He wants to be the one who fills the furnace. George said he wanted to be the conductor or the engineer. They both love trains right now." Rob tells Alex as they settle into their chosen train seats. The boys are sitting four rows ahead of the men as they want to feel independent.

"I like trains myself, Rob. It's much nicer to travel by train than by a bumpy hard wagon ride even if the seats are both wooden. It's much faster also. I do wish we'd been able to ride an automobile while we were here in Denver though. I was hoping to see how they work. Do you think they'll ever get an automobile to come to Paradise?"

"It's not like train travel or carriages. You don't have one that everyone can ride in, Alex. Automobiles are like horses in a way. They belong to the man who buys them. I don't know if we have anyone in Paradise who is wealthy enough to buy one. Even if they did where would they use it? You have to have roads and we only have main street. I can't see an automobile riding across the fields or the dirt paths can you?"

"No, not really."

"Rob?"

"Hmm?"

"You are the wealthiest person I know. Would you buy an automobile someday?"

"I want to buy a kit for building a house first before I ever buy anything like that. Besides, Pa calls them a passing fad and a waste of money. He says automobiles will fade away and sensible people will keep using horses and wagons. One day not too far off, I'm going to build a house out on my Uncle Vern's place. There are kits where you buy everything already pre-cut and the fastenings come with it. No need to have trees felled and boards measured and cut one at a time. Everything that you might need for the house comes in the kit. That's what I want." Rob answers quietly.

"A house kit? I never heard of that. What do you plan to do out there, train horses?"

"Don't tell Pa, but I was thinking more of cattle or even sheep. I could breed strong cattle to sell. He says horses are better and less work. We've argued over it because I want him to raise cattle to sell and he says no."

"Maybe he knows more about it than you do, Rob. He must have a good reason for not wanting to raise cattle."

"Maybe so, Alex. It won't be too much longer until we don't have to do as they say and can do whatever we want. We'll be considered adults soon and won't have anyone telling us what we can and can't do. When you are grown no one bosses you around. That will be nice won't it? You get to make your own decisions and you don't have to listen to anybody else."

"It does sound good, Rob." Alex answers as the train suddenly slows and stops.

"Why are we stopping?" a passenger calls to the conductor.

"Snow on the tracks. We'll get it cleared and continue soon. I need men willing to go shovel snow. Any volunteers?"

"I'll go!" Rob calls out, standing.

"I'll help him." Alex replies as he moves to stand also.

With four more men or young men joining the group, the conductor takes them all out to the front of the train.

Seeing the large amount of snow, one of the men asks "Is this an avalanche? I don't want to be caught in another if it is."

"I don't believe it is, sir." The engineer answers. "It seems to be some that just hasn't melted as it's in the shade of the mountain. Alright men, three on each side and let's get it shoveled. We have a schedule and I want to be in Colorado Springs by nightfall. I don't want to be on the tracks after dark tonight or any other night, for that matter."

"Rob?" Alex whispers after they've been shoveling awhile. When Rob looks at him he continues,"What if this is a trap? A setup say, for robbers to come riding in and steal our belongings? We're out here with no guns and no way to protect the train."

"Alex! Stop talking like that and shovel! We're not going to worry about things we have no control over. You are scaring yourself for nothing. Relax and get busy. It's freezing out here and my nose feels frozen. I want to get back inside where at least we're out of the wind and it's a little warmer."


Growing tired after carrying three loads of kindling, Ben sits on the front steps.

"Ben, Papa said we are to keep working until he says to stop. You can't stop yet. He said to bring in enough kindling to fill the firebox on the stove. You have not done that yet. I know how much kindling it takes and it's more than three bagfuls."

"You have your own chores to do so leave me alone. I'm not ready to do more yet."

"I can't finish my sweeping if you don't move. Please move off of the porch so I can finish. When you finish the wood, we can wash the front windows and do the chicken coop together. We'll be finished soon. Now go back to work."

"Go jump in the manure pile, Aaron! You don't get to tell me what to do! Go away why don't you. You don't even live here and you're trying to boss me!" Ben says launching himself at his best friend.

Caught unaware, Aaron goes down hard as Ben's smaller body connects with his. The wooden porch doesn't provide much softness as he lands.

"OW! GET OFF ME! STOP!" Aaron yells as Ben forces him to roll off the porch.

The two boys are so busy pummeling each other, they fail to hear anyone approach. Both gasp in shock as they are jerked apart and held in the air until just their toes touch the ground.

"Benjamin Cord! Aaron McGinnis! STOP this fighting at once!" Ethan declares giving each child a firm shake.

"Glancing up as best he can from hanging by his Papa's fist hold, Ben sees a dangerous look directed at him. Looking over at Aaron, also dangling in mid air, he squeaks out "Papa! You're home. I'm glad you came back."

"I'll always come back, Ben. Now let's go inside and talk this over. You two have some talking to do to explain what you were doing. Come." Ethan answers firmly marching both boys into the house where he finds Chris. Chris is helping Joseph to the couch with his arm around the boy's back.

Looking up when the door opens, he expects the boys only to see Ethan and Rob coming in with them. Ethan is holding both boys by their shirts and from the look he sees in his eyes, something isn't right.

"Well, welcome home Ethan, Rob. We've had quite the adventure while you were away. I'll get to that in a minute. What's with the boys? I had assigned them plenty of chores so they should be out doing them."

"These two weren't doing chores they were rolling in the dirt punching each other." Ethan replies looking down at the children. "Now, before I start swatting, you two go get cleaned up. Ben, go to the bath room, Aaron, go to the kitchen. You are to be back here by the time I count to fifty and we'll discuss this incident! Go!"

Watching the boys fast walk to follow his command, Joseph grins up at his Pa. "Hi, Pa. I'm really happy you're back. You too, Rob. It's been a nightmare since you left. Ben has gone loco and is being a complete brat."

"Hello to you also, Joseph. Where are Claire and Matthew? I thought Matthew was staying here."

"Claire, George and Alyssa went to town to do some shopping. Matthew couldn't come as he and Caleb became sick. They are both better now but were pretty sick fellas. At first it was thought to be young Caleb had measles but it wasn't. Then a stomach problem developed. Miss. Delphie and Dr. Americus have been alternating between helping me here and taking care of them."

"What happened to you, Joseph? Did you get thrown from a horse?" Rob asks, teasing his brother.

"No, Ben jumped out of the loft and I tried to catch him. I hit the floor wrong and my shoulder came out of the thing Dr. Amy calls a socket. I also twisted my ankle. Uncle Chris has been here helping with the animals and me since the second day. I tried hard to keep everything working well, Pa. Ben won't listen to anyone and did what I said not to do."

"Everything in the barn and what else I have seen looks excellent, Joseph. I'm sure you did very well while I was away. Are you to be moving your arm?" Ethan asks after watching the boy manipulate the crutches to stand.

"Actually my arm is much better. It's my ankle that is still sore. I can't put pressure on it or it screams."

"The ankle screams or you do?" Rob asks with a grin.

"Rob. This is serious." Ethan scolds lightly as Joseph grins at his brother.

"Chris, walk out with me and tell me all that has been going on while I've been away. Rob, the two combatants are to be in separate corners. Ben in this corner and Aaron in the kitchen." Ethan informs him.