AN: This takes place during the events of Season 4 Episode 18 The Inheritance of Little House on the Prairie Tv show. In this story, the friends of the Ingalls were unable to prevent out of town folk from coming to the Ingalls and outbidding them on everything.
"Oh, Mister Ingalls!"
"Woah there," said Charles. "Good morning, Missus Olsen. What can I do for you?"
"I was just on my way to your place as I have something to discuss," said Harriet.
"Well, I'm on my way to work," said Charles.
"Please Mister Ingalls. It will only take a minute if you stop by the Mercantile."
"Alright. G'up," he said to the team and the horses started moving again down the road. He heard Harriet turn Geronimo around and followed Charles to Olsen Mercantile in Walnut Grove. Harriet led him in through the door leading to the house attached to the mercantile once Charles had stopped the team.
"I dread doing this to you Charles, but so much time has passed already, and my creditors are pressing on me. While the organ company has threatened to take legal action unless some sort of payment is made."
"Oh no, I understand. I've written to Mister Whitehead five times in hopes of getting the business settled. I know I've run my bill up rather high…"
"Oh yes to an embarrassing degree, but I have no doubt you'll pay everything back when you get your estate settled. Unfortunately, Mister Ingalls, my creditors are businesspeople as well you understand, and they want some proof of payment, so I've taken the liberty of getting this form Charles. It's just standard."
Harriet handed the form to Charles, and he looked over it, his face twisting into one of disbelief as he read everything. "That's um…that's a lean on my farm Missus Olsen," said Charles as he looked up at Harriet who appeared concerned.
"That's standard business I'm afraid. You see, the law requires any existing assets be put up. You can check with the banker if you want. I…I'm…I'm terribly sorry about this Charles. B…well my creditors can be demanding too."
"I'm sure they can," said Charles, looking down at the form.
"Well, uh…if you would just sign here," said Missus Olsen, handing Charles a pen. "Please understand Charles that I don't want to do this, but I don't have any alternative."
"Neither do I," said Charles as he took it and swallowed before signing his name on the bottom of the form, handing it back to Harriet before turning and walking out of the store. "I'm sorry Charles. Please understand…"
"I do Missus Olsen," said Charles as he headed down the steps of the mercantile and made his way over to Hanson's to begin work. "Sorry I'm late," said Charles as he walked into the office and got a clipboard to check an order for the day.
"Mankato News has you on the front page," said Hanson as he handed the paper to Charles. "Reprinted by courtesy the St. Louis Eagle. Courtesy. That family doesn't even look like you." Charles read over the newspaper and then threw it back at Mister Hanson. "Oh Charles, did you have a chance to think over that business proposition? I give the mill to you for cheap ja?" The clipboard was thrown at him, something Hanson didn't expect. "Charles. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going home. Haven't you heard? I don't have to work anymore. I'm rich," said Charles and made his way to his team and moved the brake before turning the team for home. Everyone seemed to be changing since he had come into his uncle's inheritance. When he got home, he unhitched the team and then took them out to the field before hitching them up to the plow and began working in the field, ignoring Caroline's greeting and her question of what was wrong.
Some time later, there was a knock on the door and Caroline opened it. "Oh, Mister Whitehead. Is everything settled?"
"Yes ma'am. In a manner of speaking but that's what I want to talk to your husband about. Is he home?"
"He's in the field," said Caroline. "Would you like to come in?"
"Of course," said Mister Whitehead, setting the black iron box he was carrying and his papers on the table.
"I'll be right back," said Caroline, shutting the door behind her and making her way to the field. "Charles! Charles!"
"What is it, Caroline?" Charles stopped the team and turned to his wife who was standing at the edge of the field.
"Charles, Mister Whitehead is here to talk to you."
"I'll be right there," said Charles. Caroline nodded and waited for her husband before the couple made their way back to the house and sat next to each other across from Mister Whitehead. "Mister Whitehead. Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon Mister Ingalls," said Mister Whitehead, breaking the tension with talking about Charles' uncle. "He kept the stars and banners flying in his home until the day he died, singing at the top of his lungs. Shouting more like, stark naked if you pardon the expression. I wish I was in Dixie…"
"We understand that Mister Whitehead. What is the estate worth?" Charles questioned.
"He was as prolific with his money as he was with his humor. The estate was eaten up by debts, court costs and legal fees…except for the contents of this box which is yours. In total," said Mister Whitehead as he pushed the box forward, now becoming serious.
"You…you're telling me that the buggies and all that…that this is all that is left? Everything in this box?"
"Yes. I'm here to tell you that attorney fees are nothing more than the law allows, and I've shaved a lot of my fees for you," said Mister Whitehead.
"What's in the box?"
"I don't know. It was locked, to be opened only by his heir," said Mister Whitehead, pulling out an iron key and handing to Charles who began to open it.
"Oh money! Hundreds…oh Charles!" Caroline shrieked happily.
"Caroline, it's confederate money," said Charles as he stared at the contents of the box. What good was confederate money with the union back together? "Mister Whitehead….I've borrowed a lot of credit against this estate. I'm in debt, don't you understand that?! I…You're telling me this is all I've got?"
"I'm sorry Mister Ingalls. I wish there was something I could do but I cannot. Now, if you will just sign here saying you received the contents of this box." Charles took the pen, staring at the worthless confederate bills before signing it and handing it back over.
"Thank you," said Mister Whitehead. "Good day Mister Ingalls. Ma'am," he said. The man left and got back into his carriage, turning his team around and continuing his journey.
"Oh Charles…what are we going to do? We borrowed so much," said Caroline.
"There's nothing we can do Caroline," said Charles. "I have a lean on the farm and a debt I can't pay. The only choice I have is to try to beg the Olsens to work it off," he said.
"Oh Charles!"
"Don't you see Caroline?! We don't have a choice but to try to pay that debt back! I'll be back later," he said and left the house. "And I'd appreciate it Caroline if you didn't tell Alice or the girls about this until I get back. Just stay in the house." He went to get his team from the field and hitched them up to the wagon before making his way back to Walnut Grove.
"Half of this business is mine and I will not let you do it!"
Harriet turned towards Nels as he came around to stand beside her at the counter, Charles saying he wanted to work the debt off. "My name is on the deed, not yours Nels." She sighed and turned to Charles. "Now, Mister Ingalls. The auctioneer should be here by the end of the week."
"I can work that debt off Missus Olsen. You know that."
"Well, maybe you could and maybe you couldn't. But the creditors are after me as well," said Harriet.
"Would it do any good if I begged?"
Harriet sighed while Nels looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry Mister Ingalls, but a man shouldn't spend money he doesn't have." As Charles left and Nels looked at her, she turned towards her husband. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You extended the credit to him and wanted to make a sale as much as I did."
Nels frowned at his wife but sighed. "You're right. God forgive me," he said and made his way into the house, shutting the door and leaving his wife in the store to manage things. Throughout that week, Charles remained at home, working the farm, and making sure he had things available for the auction. The children weren't happy about it at all, let alone Laura who complained and said that Pa had given up on their farm as he had done before when the tornado had hit their farm last year and destroyed their crop. So despondent over the thought of losing his farm, that he kept the girls out of school that week.
"Oh Charles, not the toolbox," said Caroline as Charles put the toolbox on a wooden seat.
"I don't have much choice, Caroline. It was foolish to think a poor dirt farmer could have something as fine as a nice set of tools," he said. "Come on, let's go in the house until the results are announced," he said and led his wife inside, having told the girls to remain in the loft.
Harriet was there as the creditor filing the complaint along with the auctioneer and some friends of the Ingalls family such as the Garveys and Reverend Alden. Hanson was there was well but there were also some out of towners who hadn't let Nels stop them from going to the auction. "Now we'll start with this toolbox here and the fine set of tools," said the auctioneer. "Shall we start the bidding at five dollars?"
"One cent," said Hanson.
"Gentlemen, this is an auction. Not a comedy. Now do I have any real takers for this tool set?"
"Two cents," said Garvey.
"Five dollars," said a man from Mankato.
"Five dollars. Do I have six dollars?"
"Five going once…going twice…sold to the gentleman by the window," said the auctioneer. "Now that'll be cash only please." The man pulled out fifteen dollars and handed it off to the auctioneer before taking the toolbox and putting it into his wagon.
"Now this cow out in the corral be three dollars," said the auctioneer. "We'll start the bidding at three dollars. Do I hear three dollars for the cow?"
"Three dollars."
"Three dollars. Do I hear four dollars?"
"Five dollars."
"Five dollars and ten cents."
"Five dollars and ten cents…do I hear six dollars?"
"Five ten going once….going twice…sold to the gentleman of the cloth."
The chickens were sold next for five dollars for the set and were packed up into crates and put into a wagon. The team was sold for two hundred fifty dollars and then the house, barn and land were sold at three dollars an acre, coming to four hundred for a parcel of land. Caroline's china cabinet sold for twenty-five dollars. In the end, the grand total came to six hundred ninety dollars and ten cents. Charles opened the door as he heard a knock, the girls still within the loft, and saw Johnathan Garvey standing there with the Reverend, Miss Beadle, Hanson and Doc Baker. "Everything's been sold," said Johnathan. "I'm sorry but we weren't able to outbid the folks from out of town. They just had more money than we do," he said.
Charles' face momentarily showed surprise at the fact that his friends had tried to help him reclaim his land and take care of his debt with the auction but then fell at hearing that they hadn't been able to outbid the out of towners. "How long?"
"I don't know Charles. But even the team and cow were sold off."
"That doesn't make me feel any better," said Charles. "I would have felt better knowing a friend had the place than a stranger."
"Well folks, I think there's no reason for you to be around. Best be getting' back to your farms yes? Mister Ingalls, the new owner wants you gone by sundown."
"But we don't have a team anymore," said Charles.
"Well, you shouldn't have borrowed money you didn't have Mister Ingalls," said the auctioneer. "Now, I need the deed to your farm so I can transfer it to the new owner."
"Can't we have a few days…just to get things situated?"
"No," said the auctioneer. "Now, where is that deed?"
"I'll just be a moment. Caroline, take the girls outside," said Charles.
"Girls," said Caroline, looking up to the loft where her children were. The girls climbed down the ladder and followed Caroline outside. Johnathan and the others frowned but left as there was nothing that could be done. The children stood off to the side as Caroline waved to her friends, watching as their milk cow, their chickens and their team were all packed up and taken away. As sundown approached, the children were helped into the wagon with their blankets and pillows along with clothing, Bandit jumping into the wagon with them. They couldn't go anywhere but were surprised when the livery man brought in a couple of horses and harness for them.
"It's the least we can do," said Jonathan. "We thought you were changing but we were the ones changing. Don't worry about paying us back…just stay safe."
Caroline was helped onto the wagon by Charles who smiled and nodded. "I packed a dinner for you," said Alice. "Figured you'd be needing some vittles when on the trail."
"Thank you, Alice," said Charles. He got into the seat of the wagon and whistled to the team, the animals pulling the wagon and the Ingalls family away from Walnut Grove for the last time…and their friends stood there waving goodbye.