Chapter 9
Something to Fill His Thoughts
The early morning sun crest over Bagshot Row. The morning dew was heavy on the grass and gardens. A low over casting clouds drifted slowly on the horizon. A slow gentle breeze ruffled the curtains in the Gaffer's bedroom. The fresh cool morning air awoke the Gaffer as he stretch out his arms and sat up in his bed. Forgetting himself, he turned to reach out his arm to awaken Bell, but she was not there. Yesterday's memories came flooding back in horrid waves of pain. He would never again awaken next to his wife. She now slept in the living room and awaiting her Wake this afternoon.
The Gaffer lay back down on his bed and covered himself with the quilt that Bell made for them. He snuggled it around him tightly. For the first time in his life, he decided to stay in bed an extra hour. He fell fast asleep with his thoughts of Bell.
Sam had awoken to an early morning sun that shone brightly in his window. Halfred still was snoring quietly in his little bed across the room. He noticed that Hamson was already gone from his bed, as it was still unmade and messy.
Sam barely slept the entire night and what he did sleep, he found no peace in it. He felt empty and his heart heavy. He had a great deal to think about as he stared up at the ceiling.
The Gaffer was sitting at the kitchen table with Hamson when Sam walked in. He too grabbed the teapot and poured himself a cup joining them at the table.
A knock came at the door of number 3 Bagshot Row and the Gaffer slowly walked to greet its visitor.
He was surprised to see old Mr. Bilbo standing at the doorway with Frodo and an old country hobbit women with a large bag draped over her shoulder.
"I reckon, Mr. Bilbo. You're a bit early. The Wake will not be starting until the noon luncheon today," said the Gaffer.
"I wanted to see you, Master Hamfast. I will be back later this afternoon for the Wake," commented Bilbo. "I'll speak at Bell's wake, I have a wonderful speech prepared. Anyway, I have brought you and your family some things that I can not use at Bag End. I was wondering if you would take them off my hands for me. After a hundred and five years of living at Bag End it seems these days are becoming too full with clutter."
"If you're sure you'll not be in need of them?" said the Gaffer.
"Send your boys out to this wagon and have them take what they will," Bilbo told him.
"Right away, Mr. Bilbo. I'll be beholding to you for your kindness," commented the Gaffer. "I have just poured the morning tea, would you join us for a cup?"
"Yes, please. A cup of tea would be quite pleasurable," said Bilbo.
The Gaffer picked up the old teapot with his gnarled over worked hands and he walked over to the table where Bilbo now sat with Frodo. The Gaffer's hand shook a bit and a small amount of tea split on the table.
"Beg your pardon, Mr. Bilbo. My hand's are aching this morning as age is rushing in on me."
"Quite all right, Master Hamfast. No harm in a little spilt tea," added Bilbo. He noticed that the Gaffer, even though he was a decade younger than himself. The Gaffer looked the age of a hundred years old hobbit. His hair was almost white and the lines on his weather warn face were deeply outlined in thick long wrinkles. However, Bilbo hardly looked the age of a sixty-year old hobbit.
"Will not your friend join us for tea?" asked the Gaffer.
"No, She only wanted to come and pay her respects to your wife," Bilbo told him.
The Gaffer did not question Bilbo any further about the female hobbit that accompanied them since Bilbo was known for his oddities. He thought better of it not to ask. The Gaffer had never met the woman hobbit before and he did not think that Bell did either, but the Gaffer trusted Bilbo and knew there was good enough reason for it.
It was not long until the boys had the wagon unloaded. There were bags of potatoes, salt and flour. There were clear jars of canned meats and a couple bottles of fine Winyards and sacks of seeds from flowers to vegetables. There were even a few new blankets for their beds.
Sam and Hamson brought them into the kitchen and placed the boxes on the cupboard. Frodo approached Sam and asked if he wanted to take a small walk with him outside. Sam readily agreed and followed Frodo.
They both placed their hands into their pockets and walked a short distance without saying a word to each other. Frodo stopped and looked around Bagshot Row taking in the full view of this place.
There were a few small hobbit homes wedged closely by each other. On the side of the small hill were hobbit holes dug out for the poorest of the hobbits. There were hardly any flowers to speak of and the hedges have long missed a good trimming. Trees were thick and clustered together in thick patches of overgrowth. There were big gardens of all makes of vegetables to sustain the occupants of Bagshot Row.
"Bagshot Row is not fair to look upon as Bag End is, but it holds dear to my heart," said Sam as he stood in his familiar stance of placing his hands behind him and his feet spaced apart just so.
"Someone with your talents, Sam. Could make this a place of beauty. You and the Gaffer are the best gardeners there is."
"Perhaps I could plant some of the seeds that Mr. Bilbo put in his wagon," said Sam.
"That would be a great idea, Sam."
Bilbo opened the door of number three and waited for the hobbit women to walk out first. The Gaffer followed her and helped her into the wagon. Bilbo waited by the wagon for Frodo to join him.
Frodo shook Sam's hand and said his farewells. He told Sam that he would see him at the wake this afternoon. Sam watched as Frodo climbed into the wagon.
Bilbo turned to the Gaffer and offered his hand to him. When the Gaffer shook Bilbo's hand he felt Bilbo placed something into it. Bilbo tucked in his lower lip and raises his eyebrows. Winking at the Gaffer, he turned and allowed Frodo to help him into the wagon. Snapping the reins, Frodo led the ponies back to Bag End.
"That old Mr. Bilbo is a good one, and there is no doubting that!" said the Gaffer as he slipped the coins into his vest pocket.
The Gaffer walked into Bagshot row and went directly into the living room to see his Bell.
Bell lay in a wooden coffin handmade by the Gaffer and the healer placed her into it. He had dressed her in her finest and presented her proper for her Wake.
No sooner did the Gaffer enter the living room than another knock came upon his door. He turned and walked to answer it.
There stood two women folk of By Water and relation to Old Noakes. They carried in their hands pot of vittles and fixings. The Gaffer inviting them in and they walked into the kitchen. The women began preparing the kitchen and lighting the stove.
The Gaffer shut the door and he went into the kitchen to see if he could help them, when another knock was heard at the door. The Gaffer turned to answer it.
There stood three familiar hobbits of Bagshot Row and distant cousins of Bell. They too had armfuls of vegetables and potatoes. They followed the Gaffer into the kitchen.
The Gaffer smiled as the watched the women folk busy at their cooking and preparing.
"Out with you now, Ham. There's no need of it being underfoot and all. We women folk know our way around a kitchen,' commented Mrs. Twofoots.
Another knocking at the door brought the Gaffer back to answer it. "Seems no lack of visitors this morning," commented the Gaffer as he walked slowly to the door. His knees and hips creaked a bit with each step he took.
Opening the door, five hobbit women of Hobbiton, with more pots and fixings ushered themselves in and told the Gaffer their how do you do's. They too joined the rest of the women folk in the kitchen.
The Gaffer thought all this a bit odd and he thought better of it not to walk too far away from the door in case more knocking was to come. He sat himself down on the hard bench by the door.
~*~
Sam sat outside and fingered the packages of seeds that he found in Mr. Bilbo's boxes. He looked over Bagshot Row as he began to plan which seeds should go to which area of ground.
It was not long until the odor of fine smelling vittles filled the late morning air and his stomach growled with each sniff. Sam did not know when he last had anything to eat. He felt faint because of it. Saying his good- byes to his dear mother took away all natural feelings of hunger and sleep to where only despair could be felt.
It would not belong until Bagshot Row would be filled with mourners and the Wake would begin. The pain in his heart began to grow again. Sam could not face going into the living room and seeing his mother lying in the coffin. He tried not to think of it. He was happy that Frodo came by and offered him something else to fill his thoughts, but soon he would have to face seeing his mother's body when the Wake would begin.
Something to Fill His Thoughts
The early morning sun crest over Bagshot Row. The morning dew was heavy on the grass and gardens. A low over casting clouds drifted slowly on the horizon. A slow gentle breeze ruffled the curtains in the Gaffer's bedroom. The fresh cool morning air awoke the Gaffer as he stretch out his arms and sat up in his bed. Forgetting himself, he turned to reach out his arm to awaken Bell, but she was not there. Yesterday's memories came flooding back in horrid waves of pain. He would never again awaken next to his wife. She now slept in the living room and awaiting her Wake this afternoon.
The Gaffer lay back down on his bed and covered himself with the quilt that Bell made for them. He snuggled it around him tightly. For the first time in his life, he decided to stay in bed an extra hour. He fell fast asleep with his thoughts of Bell.
Sam had awoken to an early morning sun that shone brightly in his window. Halfred still was snoring quietly in his little bed across the room. He noticed that Hamson was already gone from his bed, as it was still unmade and messy.
Sam barely slept the entire night and what he did sleep, he found no peace in it. He felt empty and his heart heavy. He had a great deal to think about as he stared up at the ceiling.
The Gaffer was sitting at the kitchen table with Hamson when Sam walked in. He too grabbed the teapot and poured himself a cup joining them at the table.
A knock came at the door of number 3 Bagshot Row and the Gaffer slowly walked to greet its visitor.
He was surprised to see old Mr. Bilbo standing at the doorway with Frodo and an old country hobbit women with a large bag draped over her shoulder.
"I reckon, Mr. Bilbo. You're a bit early. The Wake will not be starting until the noon luncheon today," said the Gaffer.
"I wanted to see you, Master Hamfast. I will be back later this afternoon for the Wake," commented Bilbo. "I'll speak at Bell's wake, I have a wonderful speech prepared. Anyway, I have brought you and your family some things that I can not use at Bag End. I was wondering if you would take them off my hands for me. After a hundred and five years of living at Bag End it seems these days are becoming too full with clutter."
"If you're sure you'll not be in need of them?" said the Gaffer.
"Send your boys out to this wagon and have them take what they will," Bilbo told him.
"Right away, Mr. Bilbo. I'll be beholding to you for your kindness," commented the Gaffer. "I have just poured the morning tea, would you join us for a cup?"
"Yes, please. A cup of tea would be quite pleasurable," said Bilbo.
The Gaffer picked up the old teapot with his gnarled over worked hands and he walked over to the table where Bilbo now sat with Frodo. The Gaffer's hand shook a bit and a small amount of tea split on the table.
"Beg your pardon, Mr. Bilbo. My hand's are aching this morning as age is rushing in on me."
"Quite all right, Master Hamfast. No harm in a little spilt tea," added Bilbo. He noticed that the Gaffer, even though he was a decade younger than himself. The Gaffer looked the age of a hundred years old hobbit. His hair was almost white and the lines on his weather warn face were deeply outlined in thick long wrinkles. However, Bilbo hardly looked the age of a sixty-year old hobbit.
"Will not your friend join us for tea?" asked the Gaffer.
"No, She only wanted to come and pay her respects to your wife," Bilbo told him.
The Gaffer did not question Bilbo any further about the female hobbit that accompanied them since Bilbo was known for his oddities. He thought better of it not to ask. The Gaffer had never met the woman hobbit before and he did not think that Bell did either, but the Gaffer trusted Bilbo and knew there was good enough reason for it.
It was not long until the boys had the wagon unloaded. There were bags of potatoes, salt and flour. There were clear jars of canned meats and a couple bottles of fine Winyards and sacks of seeds from flowers to vegetables. There were even a few new blankets for their beds.
Sam and Hamson brought them into the kitchen and placed the boxes on the cupboard. Frodo approached Sam and asked if he wanted to take a small walk with him outside. Sam readily agreed and followed Frodo.
They both placed their hands into their pockets and walked a short distance without saying a word to each other. Frodo stopped and looked around Bagshot Row taking in the full view of this place.
There were a few small hobbit homes wedged closely by each other. On the side of the small hill were hobbit holes dug out for the poorest of the hobbits. There were hardly any flowers to speak of and the hedges have long missed a good trimming. Trees were thick and clustered together in thick patches of overgrowth. There were big gardens of all makes of vegetables to sustain the occupants of Bagshot Row.
"Bagshot Row is not fair to look upon as Bag End is, but it holds dear to my heart," said Sam as he stood in his familiar stance of placing his hands behind him and his feet spaced apart just so.
"Someone with your talents, Sam. Could make this a place of beauty. You and the Gaffer are the best gardeners there is."
"Perhaps I could plant some of the seeds that Mr. Bilbo put in his wagon," said Sam.
"That would be a great idea, Sam."
Bilbo opened the door of number three and waited for the hobbit women to walk out first. The Gaffer followed her and helped her into the wagon. Bilbo waited by the wagon for Frodo to join him.
Frodo shook Sam's hand and said his farewells. He told Sam that he would see him at the wake this afternoon. Sam watched as Frodo climbed into the wagon.
Bilbo turned to the Gaffer and offered his hand to him. When the Gaffer shook Bilbo's hand he felt Bilbo placed something into it. Bilbo tucked in his lower lip and raises his eyebrows. Winking at the Gaffer, he turned and allowed Frodo to help him into the wagon. Snapping the reins, Frodo led the ponies back to Bag End.
"That old Mr. Bilbo is a good one, and there is no doubting that!" said the Gaffer as he slipped the coins into his vest pocket.
The Gaffer walked into Bagshot row and went directly into the living room to see his Bell.
Bell lay in a wooden coffin handmade by the Gaffer and the healer placed her into it. He had dressed her in her finest and presented her proper for her Wake.
No sooner did the Gaffer enter the living room than another knock came upon his door. He turned and walked to answer it.
There stood two women folk of By Water and relation to Old Noakes. They carried in their hands pot of vittles and fixings. The Gaffer inviting them in and they walked into the kitchen. The women began preparing the kitchen and lighting the stove.
The Gaffer shut the door and he went into the kitchen to see if he could help them, when another knock was heard at the door. The Gaffer turned to answer it.
There stood three familiar hobbits of Bagshot Row and distant cousins of Bell. They too had armfuls of vegetables and potatoes. They followed the Gaffer into the kitchen.
The Gaffer smiled as the watched the women folk busy at their cooking and preparing.
"Out with you now, Ham. There's no need of it being underfoot and all. We women folk know our way around a kitchen,' commented Mrs. Twofoots.
Another knocking at the door brought the Gaffer back to answer it. "Seems no lack of visitors this morning," commented the Gaffer as he walked slowly to the door. His knees and hips creaked a bit with each step he took.
Opening the door, five hobbit women of Hobbiton, with more pots and fixings ushered themselves in and told the Gaffer their how do you do's. They too joined the rest of the women folk in the kitchen.
The Gaffer thought all this a bit odd and he thought better of it not to walk too far away from the door in case more knocking was to come. He sat himself down on the hard bench by the door.
~*~
Sam sat outside and fingered the packages of seeds that he found in Mr. Bilbo's boxes. He looked over Bagshot Row as he began to plan which seeds should go to which area of ground.
It was not long until the odor of fine smelling vittles filled the late morning air and his stomach growled with each sniff. Sam did not know when he last had anything to eat. He felt faint because of it. Saying his good- byes to his dear mother took away all natural feelings of hunger and sleep to where only despair could be felt.
It would not belong until Bagshot Row would be filled with mourners and the Wake would begin. The pain in his heart began to grow again. Sam could not face going into the living room and seeing his mother lying in the coffin. He tried not to think of it. He was happy that Frodo came by and offered him something else to fill his thoughts, but soon he would have to face seeing his mother's body when the Wake would begin.