Laura and Nellie fight Little House, connection with Alternate Little house story (Chapter two):
After a wonderful mother's day present for her ma who is now Grace Edwards Laura went back to school with her sister Mary and her other adopted brothers and sisters, John Jr, Leah and Alisha all feeling good about how quiet and peaceful their weekend went. Mary and John Jr walked together holding hands on one side of Mary, while Laura and her other sisters on her left. No one seemed to care that they was walking up to the school yard all full of smiles, well except for the one and only Nellie Olsen.
Nellie was standing behind a shade tree in the school yard, she waiting for the right time to pick on Laura. Nellie finally comes out when Laura wasn't looking she was talking to her adopted brother and sisters and Mary. Nellie says "Hope you enjoyed mother's day! Laura!" Laura looks at Nellie and says "Well, yes I did!" Nellie smirks and says "you're an orphan now don't have a real family no more!" Laura turns to face Nellie with a scowl look on her face, she almost yells "Take it back Nellie! Now!" Nellie says sheepishly half afraid "Why? It's the truth! You're going to be a good for nothing orphan!" Mary steps in after she turns to see what was going on; Mary says "Not so we're getting adopted! Why do you think your better than we are!?"
Nellie smiles in snobbish way to reply "My Ma says so!" Mary smirks and says "All hog wash Nellie Olsen! That is all you are full of!" John Jr steps over to see nothing happens he replies "Come on ladies time to go to class let's forget the argument! Now!" everyone breaks it off except Nellie and Laura who keep giving each other the eagle eyes.
All through class time Mrs. Beadle had to keep a watchful eye on Nellie and Laura since they wouldn't let their fight go out in the school yard. Nellie actually wrote a note while Miss. Beadle wasn't looking It went something like this (to taunt Laura of course):
You're an orphan Laura Ingalls!
Never be anything!
No one likes you never will!
Nellie folds it up and got the other children to pass the note to Laura, Miss. Beadle was giving a lecture of the civil war not knowing there was one or going to be one brewing in her class before long.
Laura got the note and read it, she was mad beyond words, Mary turned to see what Laura was doing looking up from her reading, she reads the note right with Laura she turns to where Nellie was sitting and gives her a scolding look before Miss. Beadle turned away from the black board.
Finally school was done for the day the children rushed out of school like usual except for Mary and Laura they always seemed to stay to help Miss Beadle tidy up the place for tomorrow. Laura was still sitting at her desk when Mary went up to wipe down the black board for Miss Beadle, Laura sat there with her head down, and Miss Beadle looked up at Laura to see what she was doing. Miss Beadle spoke to her, "Laura what is the matter dear?" Laura looks up sad at Miss Beadle and says "This note I got from Nellie Olsen". Miss Beadle says "Do you mind sharing it with me dear?" Laura hands her the paper and Miss Beadle reads it with a look of being upset look on her face, she looked back at Laura as soon as she was done reading the short mean note.
Miss Beadle, smiles to say "Don't worry about it Laura, I will talk to Nellie and her mother tomorrow okay? Mind if I keep the note for reference?" Laura nods in agreement Mary was done wiping down the black board, the school building looked like there was no one ever in it. Miss Beadle, Mary, Laura and the Edwards Children all walked to their place together, enjoying each other's company, and stories along the way.
Finally at the Edwards place Grace was outside watering some plants when Miss Beadle came up the drive with the children at her side. Grace came over to her and said a very nice "hello and won't you come in for tea?" Miss Beadle says "Why yes I think I will. You children go along and play". Laura is the ring leader as they all drop their books to go play by the barn.
Grace and Miss Beadle go into the house Miss Beadle sits down with her purse pushed to the side on the table, Grace gets her tea pot which by that time it was screaming off the stove, she pours Miss Beadle a cup first and then herself at the middle of the table.
She sits the tea pot back on the stove and then she pulls out the bench to sit down with a spoon to stir her hot tea. She looks at Miss Beadle who is blowing on hers to get it to cool down, Grace declares, "Dear where are my manners! I need to get you a spoon too!" Miss Beadle replies "Oh no need to go to all the trouble, I'm fine". Grace comes back with the spoon and Miss Beadle accepts it greatly.
Grace takes a small sip of tea and asks "How is everyone doing in school this semester Miss Beadle? Miss Beadle replies "Oh most of them are doing quite well; Mary and Laura despite their traumatizing experience have been doing splendid work with their grades". Grace smiles and exclaims "Well, that is good to hear, I am glad they're doing well John Jr. too?"
Miss Beadle nods yes, Then Isaiah walks in with Carrie and says "dear I sent in the adoption papers today I hope they will come back to us approved!" Grace and Miss Beadle smile, then Mr. Edwards's replies, "Oh hello Miss Beadle sorry I didn't say hi sooner". Miss Beadle replies "it's quite alright; I am just here on something that happened in school today between Laura and Nellie once again!"
Grace says in disappointment "Did Laura hit Nellie again?" Beverly says kindly "No dear not this time it was more Nellie's doings than Laura's Nellie wrote this awful note to her and had it passed around in class, I think she was trying to embarrass her for some reason". Isaiah shrugs his shoulders as he sits down to exclaim to Beverly "Maybe if Nellie does this act again, let Laura just punch her eyes out!" Grace scolds Isaiah for even mentioning the thought out loud to her teacher. Grace complains "Now you know if Caroline was here that would not be tolerated!" Isaiah replies "No but Charles might, if he was here, since we've been going around and around about those two maybe you just ought to let them fight it out somewhere? It's a thought".
Laura comes inside from playing out in the barn she is all excited about something, Laura rushes up to Isaiah and says "Thank you Mr. Edwards, I mean Pa!" Grace looks at Isaiah in a confused way so does Beverly, Laura's teacher. Isaiah says "You found my present for you didn't you out in the barn?" Laura nods "yes" and Grace asks "Dear what did you do now?" Isaiah says "let's all go out to the barn and see!"
So everyone gets up forgetting their cups of tea and head on out to the barn. Laura was leading the way first too excited to wait on everyone, and once they got there Grace didn't know what to say, Isaiah got Laura a horse!
Laura squealed with excitement when she was finally allowed to go into the stall and start to pet it. Grace and the children along with Beverly saying her good byes to walk her self-home stood there staring at Laura's extravagant gift.
Grace looks towards Isaiah and replies "What on earth possessed you to do such a thing! We can't afford another horse to feed!" Isaiah replies "Horse needed a home dear, Laura needs to learn to ride, and so I figured they make each other a good team some day!" Grace smirks and then asks full of concern for everyone's safety "Is this horse safe to ride?" Isaiah says cheerfully "why ask a silly question like that? With all of our kids around by the time they get done playing with her she be broke and gentle like a lamb!"
Grace then stands with her hands across her chest she looked like she was ready to blow, at Isaiah's dumb purchase for the day, she asks calmly not to scare everyone "how much did you give for her?" Isaiah says "No need by next year or two she be ready to breed we could be working on race horses dear! Laura here can train; this horse can teach her the business and be success!" Grace sighs a long one, and then she exclaims "How is this going to help Laura become a civilized lady like Caroline had wanted?"