I'm so excited because this is going to be my longest story yet! 203 chapters…wow.
Hope you like it and please review! For certain reason's I decided to go by the dates when the episode was originally aired, so ignore the dates from the last two chapters.
September 21, 1877
"What we got out there is 100 acres of wheat ready to harvest" pa said one morning after breakfast. "Come on, everybody, right that down. 100 and it ought to-"
Nate gave up on listening to pa. He was terrible at math and decided not to even bother. Laura and ma, however, were intent on figuring out the answer to pa's question.
"Nathaniel, are you going to try it?" pa asked his son.
Nate shook his head.
Pa shook his head at his son and smiled but didn't say anything. He knew how Nate felt about math.
Laura's head snapped up.
"Pa, I got the answer!"
"What is it, Half-pint?"
Laura looked down at her paper.
"20600 and 25 dollars!"
Pa took his pipe out of his mouth. "That's right"
Ma shook her head in amazement.
"It's almost too wonderful to be true"
Nate nodded in agreement. "Yeah, seeing as how we aren't so lucky when it comes to crops"
Laura whacked him on the arm.
"Ow!" Nate hissed, glaring at his sister.
Ma ignored them.
"Do you know what that will mean for us?"
Pa shrugged.
"New clothes for my kids, to start. A nice warm jacket for you"
Nate snorted. "Boots for you"
Pa put his foot on the table and everyone laughed at his wrecked boot.
"Nate is right, you need new boots. The first nickel we spend goes to boots" ma laughed.
"Maybe we should make a list of everything we need" Nate suggested.
Pa got up.
"That's a good idea, son. Okay, the first thing is presents for you kids"
"Shoes for everyone" ma added.
"Curtains for the windows"
Nate piped up. "I need a new book to read"
Ma laughed and shook her head. "Nate, you have so many books-"
"You can never have too many books, ma" Nate said.
Laura glared at her brother. "They're starting to take up my side of the room!"
Pa picked up Carrie. "That reminds me, I have something to show you all. Come with me"
Everyone got up and followed pa to the barn across from the house.
"I can smell the stupid animals from here!" Nate gagged.
"If you want to be a farmer someday you'll have to get used to it" ma said gently.
"Who said I wanted to be a farmer?"
"You did last year"
Nate scoffed. "I was a child then, ma. I'm almost 14 now"
Nobody noticed pa go into the barn until he came back out with two beautiful horses.
"Oh, Charles!" ma gasped.
"Yay, new horses" Nate said without any enthusiasm.
Laura nudged Nate and gazed at the two beautiful horses.
"Look at them, Nate. What a surprise" she breathed.
"Yeah….what a surprise" Nate grumbled.
Ma spoke up. "How about you two name them"
Nate got first choice because he was the oldest. The bigger horse was his choice.
"I'll call her Susan, like our cat from the big woods"
Laura patted her horse. "I'll call her Patty, after our old horse"
Pa put an arm around his wife and smiled.
"I think those are mighty fine names"
"HAIL!"
Nate and Laura woke up at the sound of their pa's scream. Nate jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs to see what was going on, Laura right behind him.
Nate ran to the window and quickly glanced to his right where ma and comforting a sobbing Carrie.
The girl is six years old. When is she going to grow up? He thought to himself as he stared out the window.
"What is it, Nate?" Laura asked.
"It's hail. It's going to ruin the crops. I told you we were unlucky when it comes to this!"
Lighting struck and it caused Laura to jump.
"Let's go back to bed" she pleaded.
Nate nodded. "Yeah, I wouldn't wanna be up when pa comes back. He'll be angry for sure!"
The next day Laura and Nate found out what had happened, though they already knew. The hail and lightning had completely destroyed the crops. Pa had to leave to find work. It was the only way for him to make money for the family.
"I don't know how far I'm going" he said when Nate asked him "Maybe 100 miles or so. There will be a lot of men looking for work"
"I wish you didn't have to go pa" Laura whispered.
Pa kissed her on the forehead.
"I wish I didn't have to go, either, Half-pint, but I have to make money somehow."
He turned to Nate.
"I know you hate doing it, but promise me you'll take care of the farming while I'm gone?"
Nate smiled. "I will, pa. And I promise to look after ma and Carrie and Laura"
Pa smiled sadly. "That's my boy"
"You will write to us" Ma said softly. She handed pa his bag.
"Oh, yeah. I'll write you as soon as I get settled"
Nate sighed. "Will it be awhile before the first letter comes?"
Pa sighed also. "I don't know, Nate. I might have to go all the way to sleepy eye or Mankato"
Ma froze for a moment but then gave Pa a sad smile and nodded.
"You best be on your way" she said.
Everyone followed pa out of the house to say their last goodbye. Pa kissed ma passionately, making Laura and Nate turn their heads away. Pa then gave his children a hug and a kiss, told them he'd miss them, and was off.
Laura felt tears form in her eyes as she watched her pa leave. Nate looked down at her and gave her a one armed hug.
"He'll be back" he promised his sister. "But until then I'm man of the house, SO EVERYBODY GET INSIDE!"
Laura and Carrie giggled and ma smiled. Thank God for Nate. He could make anyone laugh no matter what.
It was two days later and they didn't receive a letter. Everyone was worried and it was Nate who tried to calm them all down, but he was scared himself. Had something happened to Pa? Or did he really have to go all the way to Mankato or Sleep Eye?
He was so worried that he completely forgot about the work that he promised Pa he would do. Sympathetically, ma asked a bunch of woman to come out to the house and help out.
"Good morning ladies" she said with a smile as she walked out of the house. Nate and Carrie were right behind her. Laura was standing next to the girls.
"May I have your attention, please?" ma continued. "I'm glad so many of you could come. I thank you for it. Now, we all have the same problem: feeding out families next winter. And you've shown by coming here today, that, you think we'll all fare better if we work together. Does anybody wanna say anything?"
Nate raised his hand.
"Uh, yes, seeing as how you all have it under control, can I please go to Dean's house today?"
Ma shook her head.
"Nate, we need all the help we can get. You may go to Dean's house tomorrow"
Nate snapped in fingers and muttered "Rats" under his breath but didn't say anything more.
Five minutes later all the woman, plus Nate, were marching down the hill with tools in their hands. They were determined to clean and fix up the wheat no matter what.
"There's a letter from pa!" Nate shouted the next day. Him, Laura, ma and Carrie were in town to see if a letter had come, and it had.
Ma jumped up from her seat under the tree and grabbed it from Nate's hand. She tore it open as fast as she could and began to read.
Dear family,
I was just saying to one of my new friends that 100 miles is not a long distance, except when it lies between you and the ones you love. I visit with you each day in my thoughts, and I count the hours until we can be together again. Take good care of each other, and know that I am well. I love you all very much.
Charles
"So he'll be home soon…?" Nate asked hopeful.
"I hope so, Nathaniel, I really do" ma replied with a sigh "Now that we know pa's all right, let's get back to work"
"No!" Nate groaned, but everyone ignored him.
Pa returned home four days later. Nate was the first one to run out of the house. Normally he would have been embarrassed to hug his pa. He was 13 after all. But that day he didn't care. He squeezed the life out of his father and didn't want to let go.
Ma and Laura and Carrie ran out after him and practically threw themselves on pa.
"Oh, pa, please don't go again" Laura begged.
Pa hugged his daughter. "I won't if I can help it, Half-pint"
Ma looked at her husband with concern.
"Charles, are you all right?"
Pa shook his head and laughed a little.
"Boy, have I got a story to tell all of you"
Sorry for the stinky chapter, but I'm so busy today I was glad just to be able to update at all. Look for chapter 4 tomorrow!
