Chapter Thirty-Six
It wasn't long before Hoss and Joe arrived at the house thinking they would join the usual procession.
By this time, Adam had come down the stairs with his little bundle and shared her with her grandfather who was sitting in a chair close to the fire unwrapping the little girl so he could see she had all her fingers and toes, albeit very small fingers and toes.
Hoss and Joe looked over their father's shoulder. "How much do you think she weighs, Adam?" asked Hoss as he looked down at his niece, his eyes sparkling while his lips were turned in a gentle smile. Though he kept it to himself, he was happy that Elsa would have a playmate who wasn't a boy.
"Mala doesn't have a scale to weigh her, but based on Aaron's size when he came, I'd say she's about five pounds," said Adam.
Ben's wide eyes told Adam of his concern.
"Relax, Pa. As Mala said, 'Small mamas have small babies'".
Ben shifted in his chair just enough to answer his uncomfortable mood while keeping the baby as still as possible. "As I recall, that small mama gave birth to a big baby."
"Well, Annie says that's not gonna happen again," said Adam as he sat down on the sofa. "And I don't think Shiloh could survive that again."
"I would think not," said Ben, his forehead wrinkled in concern that quickly faded as he looked down on his grandchild. "Have you given her a name?"
"Anna Isabella Cartwright," said Adam.
Ben's head suddenly turned toward his oldest. "Son," he said with his brow slightly wrinkled and his lips turned in a frown. "Shiloh agreed to that?"
"Not exactly," Adam answered, moving his head as if his collar had become uncomfortably stiff. "We agreed it's my responsibility to name them, and that's what I've named her. I have to honor the family tradition out of respect to Belle and Amos."
Ben shook his head. "I wasn't thinking about the family tradition as much as the name she'll be expected…by some…to live up to."
"Pa, the other choice was Anna Belle."
Ben gave his son an angry glare.
"I know," said Adam, holding up his hands. "The milk cow." After a long silence and a quiet agreement, Adam said, "Who knows if she'll want to sing. We'll be calling her Anna, so it's not like she'll be addressed as Isabella. But if she does decide to follow in her mother's footsteps, the name can only help her."
Taking a deep breath and returning his attention back to little Anna, Ben quietly answered, "I suppose so."
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It was on the third day after Anna's birth that Shiloh asked Adam to get Mala and Jeffery amidst the non-stop screaming of the baby.
"I don't know what's wrong. She's hungry, and she takes a little milk, then starts…this," said Shiloh in tears.
Adam sent Shorty to fetch Mala and Jeffery in the buggy, and while he watched as Shorty turned off the track to the main road, he saw Joe and Hoss coming in and waited for them under the cover of the porch.
"Hey Adam," yelled Hoss before he had reached the house. We've got an ice dam in the creek flooding the lower pasture. Me and Joe thought we'd handle it and give the men a break."
"I can't go," said Adam. "Shiloh thinks there's something wrong with Anna. I just sent Shorty for Mala and Jeffery."
Both men dismounted, tied their horses to the hitching post and followed Adam into the house. As they removed their hats and coats, Adam poured two whiskeys.
Each man thanked Adam and downed their drink, the warmth of it seemingly coating their bones.
"What's wrong?" asked Hoss.
"Anna's not taking milk," said Adam, his nostrils flared, his lips slightly pursed and his eyes dark. "Shiloh says she takes a little, then tightens up and almost shrieks."
Moving a large hand to Adam's shoulder, Hoss squeezed. "Just the other day, Jake Haskins came by to see Annie. Told her their new baby was doing pretty much the same thing. Annie told Jake to tell the missus to feed the baby goat's milk."
"Excuse me for a minute," said Adam, looking Hoss in the eye. "I'll ask Lo to warm some goat's milk and have a bottle ready when Mala and Jeffery get here."
When Adam returned, he offered Joe and Hoss another shot of whiskey, and with glasses in hand, they waited in the sitting room.
"The creek isn't very wide, so you can probably break up the dam without getting in the water," said Adam. "Take some picks and bust it up on either side of the bank and then fish out the larger chunks."
"We figured out that much, but how do we keep it from freezing up again?" asked Joe.
With his finger propped above his upper lip, Adam sighed. "You'll have to get in the creek to figure that out unless it's running clear. It's probably some larger rocks and silt coming out of the mountains."
"I ain't wading in the creek with another storm almost on top of us," said Hoss. "We'll cut down some saplings and use them as poles to move rocks if we need to. The silt will have to wait." Hoss stood. "Joe, we better get moving if we're gonna get that dam busted up today. If we don't, we'll have cows wading in cold water and ice overnight down there."
"We won't be going back to the house, Adam," said Joe. "You might send someone to let Pa know about the baby."
Nodding, Adam said, "I will if there's really a problem."
"Sounds like there is to me," said Hoss as he opened the front door.
"I'll make sure Jeffery is aware of your diagnosis, Dr. Hoss," said Adam with a cheeky smile.
Hoss wrinkled his nose and nodded quickly before he closed the door behind him.
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Adam opened the door before Mala knocked. "Mala," he said, taking the woman's hand and kissing it. Looking over her shoulder, he asked, "Is Jeffery with you?"
"No, Mr. Adam. He tendin' a calf," answered Mala, stepping by Adam and heading to the stairs with a bag and a bottle of…milk. "Now, don' mean to say, a calf is mo' impo'tent than the baby, but he know I know how to take care of it, and he know I know Miss Shiloh will feel better talkin' to another woman than one o' you men."
Adam followed her up the stairs, but stopped and leaned against the bedroom door jamb while Mala examined little Anna.
"Miss Shiloh, I hear she ain't takin' the milk very well."
"She hasn't since the first time when you thought she was just being fussy. But she's been nothing but fussy with me. She only quiets down when Adam's holding her."
"But she still not takin' the milk?"
"No," said Shiloh quietly.
"Her diaper runny?" Mala asked.
"Why, yes," said Shiloh.
Turning to her burlap bag, Mala pulled out a bottle filled with milk. "See if she take this," she said, passing the bottle to Shiloh.
Offering the bottle to Anna, Shiloh gently touched the baby's lips with it, and though the baby seemed to hesitate, each drop that made it into her mouth seemed to taste better and better as the baby began to suck as if she was starving.
Shiloh's mouth dropped open. "She's taking it. But what is it?"
Mala smiled. "Now, Miss Shiloh, I seen a few babies that didn' take their mama's milk. Something about it don' sit well. But this is goat milk. I seen it take care when mama's milk don' settle well."
"Mala, I think you're as much a doctor as Jeffery," said Shiloh, with a single tear falling down her cheek.
Moving a hand to Shiloh's arm, Mala said reassuringly, "It ain't you, chil'. It Anna. They's somethin' diffr'nt in the goats milk that make it easier on her stomach. Now, Mr. Freeman, he take care of arms 'n legs 'n bullets. Missus Freeman take care of the babies."
Adam stepped forward. "Mala, I'd like to pay you for your time."
She smacked his hand. "Now, Mista Adam. We done been paid over and agin. We got a nice house, Millie, she in school, Mr. Freeman got a job helpin' Miss Annie, and Mista Hoss make sure we gots everything we need and then some." She stood up from the bed. "I'll be seein' Mista Lo now…tell 'im to make sure you got plenty of fresh goat milk for the baby."
"Uh, Mala," said Adam as he smiled timidly and moved his hand over his hair. "Hoss mentioned something about goat's milk." When she gave him a confused looked, he added, "Oh, ah, he and Joe were here and left just a few minutes before you arrived. Anyway, I had Lo warm some goat's milk, and told him to keep it available." At Mala's frown, he said, "I thought that…well…if Hoss was right, it would be available if you needed it." Now he gave her a genuine smile and a nervous laugh. "I didn't think you'd bring it with you."
Mala laughed quietly. "How he know?"
"Annie told him about the Haskins baby," Adam said as he moved an arm around Mala's shoulders and walked her out.
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With Anna now settled, the house had quieted as much as it could with an almost 4-year old and a 1-year old underfoot and a newborn demanding attention. Even with Amalee helping, Shiloh and Adam were worn out at the end of their day, falling asleep almost as soon as their heads hit their pillows.
Snow banks grew to twenty-five feet in places. The drifts could swallow man and beast alike, and Adam, Hoss, Joe and Micah were out in them daily.
Adam still had some of the men clearing the road between the Ponderosa and Virginia City even though the most they could hope for was an ever-rising packed path. It wasn't important for the normal business of the ranches. The ranches stocked supplies before each winter and were mostly self-sufficient. And now, with a doctor in the family, the Cartwrights and Whitneys had everything they needed to get by in the solitude brought by the hard winters.
On the other hand, the Nevada half of Slater and Cartwright required fairly regular trips to town in order to send and receive mail.
This particular day was turning out to be a continuation of the previous days with one storm after another dumping, what some said, was more snow than had been seen in decades.
When Adam arrived in town, he went straight to the Queen, downing two whiskeys in a row…one to warm his insides and one to settle his nerves from the ride in.
Most of the snow came down on the west side of the eastern Sierra where the Cartwright and Whitney homes were located. Once in Washoe Valley, the snows rarely collected over a foot on the ground. But then, there was a gradual rise in depth as one climbed Sun Mountain. Virginia City, situated on the side of Sun Mountain, got its fair share of snow, though the streets maintained a wet, soggy mass of slush that was piled up on the sides of the street and covered with more new snow. Even though Virginia city received a good amount of snow in years like this one, it didn't come close to that accumulated in the Sierra. The winter winds, however were a stranger to no one.
Adam forgot all about his chill and his nerves when he stepped out of the Queen's shuttered doors and caught sight of a man slowly moving toward him, leaning hard against into a head wind and clamping his hat down on his head with a hand. with a hand. He stood ready to open the door he'd just walked through to usher the man into the relative comfort of the saloon. main into the relative comfort of the saloon. He had no to idea who the man was until they were both inside and unwrapped.
"Bart!" Adam said with a wide smile. "When did you get here?" he asked, offering his hand.
Bart shook it. "I've been here almost a week waiting to catch you in town. Your sheriff told me you came in at least once a week. Said you usually stop here to warm up, so I've been watching."
"You should have sent a telegram," said Adam, offering Bart a whiskey. When Bart grimaced, Adam said, "Yeah, it's rot gut, but it'll warm you up."
Bart downed the whiskey and choked out, "There's a burn." He quickly recovered and said, "I sent a telegram right before I left San Francisco."
"Well, let's see if I got it…after we get you a horse and collect what you brought with you," said Adam. "I hope you traveled light."
Raising his brows, Bart said, "Personally, I did. But I brought work…drawings."
Moving a hand to Bart's shoulder and turning toward the door, Adam slightly leaned in. "I'm expecting some in the mail. I've got just the thing to get them home safely."
