New Beginnings: Life Changes

Ch. 6

Learning To Manage

Hearing Rob's voice from the doorway asking what he has done, Ben snuggles closer to his Mama while eyeing his big brother.

"What did you do now, Ben? Have you been causing trouble again?" Rob asks sternly as he approaches the burrowing child.

"Rob, this is between Ben and myself, thank you for your concern, however," Delphie states as she looks up at the irritated young man. Seeing a bleeding and split lip, she asks "What happened? Did a horse knock into you?"

"No Ma'am." Rob answers trying to avoid the conversation by asking "What has Ben done? Has he been misbehaving with you? If he has I'll spank him right here! Ben get off of her before I pull you off! You aren't a small boy to be cuddled like a baby. You are a big boy."

"Rob, there's no need to say such things to Ben. He may cuddle as long as he likes and furthermore you will not spank him! I have handled this and as I said before it is between Ben and myself at this time. Now, you need to calm yourself and answer me without trying to dodge the question. What happened to your mouth?"

"Joseph punched me in the face. I need to get some balm for my lip. Excuse me, please." Rob answers walking into the kitchen.

"Joseph's in big trouble. Papa says we are NEVER to strike each other in anger. Once, Joseph got really mad at me and was walloping me hard. Papa caught him and he got in trouble. I wonder why he punched Rob? He likes Rob."

Hearing what the boy was implying, Delphie says "He likes you too, you know. Come, let's get a new stew started. Run out to the smokehouse and get me a hunk of venison. This time I want you to help me prepare supper, along with George. George is outside digging potatoes. When you bring the meat, then go help gather carrots, green peas, potatoes, celery, and sage. Do you remember what the sage looks like?"

"Yes, Mama. It is the one with long flat green leaves and the leaves have white freckles. You said we use it to add flavor to food."

"That's right and I think the word you mean is speckles."

"Mama?" Ben asks stopping in the middle of the front room.

"Yes?" Delphie replies smiling at the word. It feels so good to be addressed as "Mama."

"We'll need to make the pies again also. I don't think they'll be good if they're full of salt instead of sugar."

"BEN CORD! Did you switch the salt and sugar again? You know better! You pulled that on Claire once and remember what the outcome of that prank was?" Rob asks having heard and reached his own conclusion. Striding towards the child with a determined gleam in his eye causes Ben to back quickly towards the side door. Despite his Mama's earlier words, he doesn't trust Rob not to swat him.

"I apologized and I was already punished, Rob. I have to go get what Mama needs." Ben calls across the room as he flees out the door.

"Just for my knowledge, what was the outcome of the time he played that prank on Claire?"

"He got a taste of Claire's wooden spatula on his backside. He was also restricted to his room for the entire next day. Pa scolded him really well."

"Claire spanked him?" Delphie asks, surprised to hear Claire would do such a thing.

"No, not that time, Pa did. He'd been on a prank-playing streak for over a week and had been talked to, punished with corner time and warned to stop. His pranks were causing problems. One of the pranks nearly harmed a horse. We had a horse we were training who couldn't have oats. Ben switched the feedbags and the horse became ill. Pa discovered the problem before it got too sick. Ben's very stubborn and that gets him into much trouble. Has he been playing other pranks on you? Is that why he asked you not to tell on him? You can't let him get by with this behavior. As I've said, I'll handle him or tell Pa and he'll take care of it."

"A few, yes. Nothing I can't handle though. I have already discussed this with him. Rob, let me be the one to assign any discipline without you or Ethan stepping in. Ben needs to learn I'm in charge as well. I do thank you for your support."

"I need to get back to the horses," Rob says following Ben out the side door.

Once outside, he sees Ben disappear into the smokehouse. Following the child, he leans against the outside wall as he waits for the boy to come out.

Carefully opening the door, Ben sticks his head out, checking for any sign of an irritated oldest brother. Having been standing right where the open door would conceal him, Rob is ready. As soon as Ben closes and puts the bar across the door to the smokehouse, he reaches out to grab the boy's arm.

"AHHH!" Ben yells in surprise, dropping the meat wrapped in newspaper. He and George are in charge of taking the weekly newspaper out to the smokehouse to use for the meat.

"You are in trouble, Ben. The fact that you are causing Delphie problems results in this." With those words, he bends the boy over and rapidly applies his other hand to the seat of Ben's pants. "You are eleven now. Old enough to help not harm. Do it!" Rob says after his sixth and final smack.

At the table that night, Claire tells her family the tale of the young want-to-be suitor.

"I met a young man today who says he's looking for other young men to string telephone wire and put up poles. I think the pole comes first but anyway we are getting telephones in town! I hope one comes to the clinic!"

"Telephones? Well, progress is coming to our little community. I didn't think telephones would come to a place this size. I thought only big cities would have them. We get along fine with just the telegraph." Ethan remarks.

"Yes, but progress is exciting, Pa."

"Was the man nice, Claire? Did he say he would let boys help?" George and Ben ask on top of each other.

"One at a time, boys. He was nice at first, George. No, Ben. You have to be sixteen or older to help."

"Claire? What makes you say he was only nice at first?" Ethan asks. Something in her voice making him suspicious.

"He wanted to take me on a buggy ride to the lake and I told him I was engaged. He kept trying to get me to go asking where I lived. I told him he could ask in town for directions to the Sheriff's home and told him your name. I asked if he was knowledgeable about Ethan Allen Cord. I'm sorry to tell you this but he wasn't impressed when I told him your name, Pa. If I had to guess, I'd say he was more worried than impressed." Claire teases, eyes bright and twinkling.

"What makes you say such a thing? I'll have you know my name conjures respect everywhere I go!" Ethan teases back much to the delight of the family listening. The two younger boys are fighting the giggles in order to stay quiet to listen.

"I think he was respectful, Pa. He respected your reputation so much, he ran out of the clinic. I really wanted to see if he was still in town after lunch but Dr. Amy wouldn't let me go searching."

"He better not come around my daughter again. I'll have a few words for him if he does. No decent man tries to take an engaged young lady anywhere. He should have stopped trying to ask as soon as you told him you were engaged. Now, how was your first day of nursing? Did you enjoy it?"

"Except for the young man, I did. I set a pair of broken fingers, stitched up a knife cut and learned a few of the medications plus what they are used for."

"Claire? Did someone get in a knife fight?" George asks wide-eyed at the thought. "Did they have a fight in the saloon?" Ben asks leaning forward to look around George to his sister.

"No, sorry to disappoint you, but the knife cut was on Mrs. Capshaw. She was slicing tomatoes and sliced into her hand. Mrs. Capshaw said I was great at putting in stitches because she didn't even feel them."

"I'm happy for you, dear. You sound as if you enjoyed your time at the clinic. I know Amy enjoyed having you there."

"Thank you, Mama, I did enjoy it. Rob, what happened to your mouth? Did you get knocked by a horse's head? Do you want me to check it for you?"

"It's nothing, Claire. What else went on today at the Clinic?"

"Rob got punched in the face, Claire. His lip was bleeding." Ben announces which causes Ethan to ask "Who punched you and why? Did you have problems with the soldiers today?"

With his Pa's attention focused directly on him now, Rob fights not to squirm in his seat.

"No sir, I didn't have any problem with the soldiers. We even have fifty extra dollars because they knew you'd recently married. The corporal insisted the money was a wedding gift. I had to accept it or he'd be insulted. We have twenty good looking, healthy horses and they agreed to the terms of the contract."

"Yes, I saw them, they are fine horses. It's nice of the corporal to give us more money but it wasn't necessary. I'll try to give it back when he returns."

"Ethan, that would be rude. People don't give gifts to have them returned. You should always be gracious enough to accept the person's gift."

Looking across at the two boys staring at her, Delphie asks "What makes you look so surprised, boys? Something I said, maybe?"

"You just fussed out Papa!" Ben exclaims.

"I merely pointed out the polite thing to do. I never fussed out, as you say, anyone. Rob handled the transaction well, Ethan. It wasn't the army that caused problems today."

"Rob, I want an answer to my question. Now. What happened to your mouth?"

"Joseph and I got into it and he punched me," Rob answers quietly as Joseph examines the floor for any stray pieces of stew he might need to wipe up.

"Joseph."

Lifting his head at the command in his Pa's voice, he meets the stern gaze. His sister has said she has butterflies fluttering in her stomach when she's anxious. Right now, Joseph could swear he has a bullfrog jumping competition happening in his.

"Yessir?"

"Did you punch Rob?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Ben, George, you do the kitchen chores tonight. Joseph, Rob, come with me. Excuse us, please." Ethan announces pushing his chair back and leaving the room.

"Ohhhhh, they're in big trouble. He's got that look." George whispers to Ben.

"I saw it too."

"Boys, what are you whispering about?" Delphie asks as she begins clearing the table.

"About the look on Papa's face. When his eyes get dark and the eyebrows go down, someone is in trouble." Ben explains.

"Well the someone might be you two if he comes back and you aren't doing your assigned chores. Bring the rest of the dishes and let's get them soaking while you sweep the floor and wipe the table. Then you can decide who will wash and who will dry as well as put them away."

At the downcast looks swapped between the boys she continues. "When all of the kitchen is sparkling clean with the dishes in their beds, I'll tell you a story. Mind though, the dishes don't like to go to bed wet."

Giggling at the mental picture of dishes in beds, George says "I don't like to go to bed wet either. One time I did because the towel was missing. Ben had taken it after his bath. I had to put my sleeping shirt on wet. It stuck to me."

"I remember that! You were six and we were still bathing in the washtub that Papa put behind the blanket hung from the ceiling. We'd take a bath and go straight to bed on Saturday nights. Papa wouldn't let us do anything in case we got dirty. We had to be clean for church the next morning. We weren't supposed to wander around after he put us to bed any night, not just Saturday. We still have that rule. 'Bedtime means get in bed and sleep.' Papa says."

"Yes, one time you went out in your sleeping shirt to see the horses after we'd been sent to bed. I woke up and you weren't beside me. I woke the whole house crying because you were gone and I thought the Indians had you! That was before we met John Taylor and we thought Indians were bad. Do you remember that?" George asks as they work on their chores.

"Ummm, let me think a minute." Ben says scrunching up his eyes and biting his lip in concentration. "I DO! George! I'm remembering things again! I remember it! Papa came out to the barn and I was asleep by the new horses. He picked me up and took me back to bed. I didn't even get a spanking either. He just told me to stay in bed to sleep, not sleep with the horses."

"Yes, you were lucky. But he really didn't spank either of us much when we first came here. We were sent to stay in bed or had to stand in the corner. You started getting more spankings when you turned eight. It was Joseph who got spanked mostly." George replies beginning to dry the bowl Ben just passed to him.

"Mama, did you hear? I'm remembering things again! I remembered something from when I was six! Maybe I can remember when we were with Ma.. uhh... in St. Louis."

"Ben, it's fine to say Mama when you speak of your first mother. She's still your Mama as well. She's looking after you from Heaven while I get to look after you here on Earth. You have two Mamas. I'm very happy to hear you are remembering more every day. Many people with memory loss from scarlet fever don't get those memories back."

While this conversation is going on inside, Ethan is questioning the older boys in the barn.

"Joseph, you know well how I feel about fighting. Rob, you do as well. I want to hear in detail what happened and how this altercation began. What caused you to punch your brother in the mouth?"

With a deep but silent sigh, Joseph begins. "We were settling the horses and Rob was bossing me. He was ordering me around and telling me how to do things I already knew. After a while, that just really got to me. I stayed silent and kept doing what I needed to do and then he started questioning me about why I did something. After I answered he threatened to whip me! I lost my temper and then before I even knew I was going to do it, I hit him. I apologized. I truly didn't mean to punch him and I certainly didn't aim, Pa."

Finished with his explanation, Joseph waits anxiously to see if he's going to be given a whipping. It's been a long time since his Pa has punished him in that way. He knows fighting is one of the seven deadly sins as he and his brothers call them. Seven misdeeds that guarantee a sore backside. The bullfrog competition having returned, he listens while his Pa talks to Rob.

"Rob, now your turn. Explain what went on and what it is you may have done to cause Joseph to react as he did. He said he didn't intend to punch you. Is that how you see it also?"

"Yes, sir. I admit I was overbearing and got bossy with him. I saw him brushing one of the new horses and confronted him. I thought it way too soon to do that."

"Did you threaten to whip him as he said?"

"Yes, I did. He argued with me and when I told him to do something he kept arguing. I told him to do as I said or I'd whip him."

"Joseph, what was it you were told to do?"

"I was putting the towel on a mare and she liked it. I had her responding to me. I could stroke her. She was really dirty so I started brushing the dirt off of her. Rob ordered me to stop and started telling me how to put the towels on and that I could just do the mares. You let me work with the stallions last time. I wasn't even near the stallions as we separated them from the mares. Rob was just bossing me around as if I didn't know what I was doing. It really made me angry and I tried to stop myself from being angry but I couldn't."

"Of course you couldn't Joseph. No one can stop their emotions. You can keep from reacting by controlling yourself and not lashing out, but you can't keep from being angry, hurt, sad, frustrated or any other emotion. I don't expect you to control your feelings, just your reactions. Do you understand, son?"

"Yessir. I am sorry, Pa. I didn't mean to hit him."

"I realize this, son. Whether or not you meant to, you still did. We have a rule in this family that no one is to strike another person in anger and fighting is forbidden completely, do we not?"

"Yes, Sir." Joseph answers.

"I don't see this as a fight and I don't see that you intended to strike Rob in anger. What I see is you were frustrated and lashed out. The trouble is you did so around wild horses. Rob, you are not off the hook here so stop gloating. You, young man, are getting too much of a swelled head. You are seventeen and are not the parent here. Joseph is fourteen not nine, there is no need to act as if he is. He has worked with horses for as long as you have and I trust him to know what to do. I didn't leave you in command, today. I left both of you in command. Both of you were to work together to make the transaction, settle the horses and begin to gentle them. If I need for you, Rob, to be in charge, I will let you know. Delphie is the adult at home and therefore she is in charge. If you have a problem or feel a brother needs punishment, you talk to her. Do you hear what I'm telling you?"

Wincing internally from the dressing down he just received, Rob echoes his brother with "Yes, Sir."

"Good. Now, as to having such behavior around wild horses, you both are going to receive consequences. You are lucky neither of you were hurt. You could have frightened the horses and been hurt or the horses could have attacked each other! Both of you are old enough to know to be calm with untried horses! Joseph, you will weed the garden, and wash all the windows inside and out. Rob, you will use your shovel skills to dig a five foot by five foot flowerbed for Delphie. She wants it on the same side as the garden. You will also build flower boxes, paint them white and attach them under each of the front windows. After you each finish those chores, you will work together to clean the henhouse and whitewash it. Any questions?"

"Are we housebound?" Rob asks quietly. His plans of visiting Cecily and having buggy rides just seemed to disappear with that list of chores.

"You are free as long as all of the chores I assigned are completed first."

"Pa, I can't get all that done in one day. I doubt even in two days. It will take me nearly half a day just to dig that flower garden! It's almost the weekend and Cecily and I have plans."

"Nevertheless, you will complete your chores before any visiting. While you work, think of how to control that mouth of yours. Remember, you do not like to be ordered about either. I know this is a fact."

"Yes sir. Joseph? I apologize for getting bossy today. I guess I forgot you were capable of doing as much as I am."

"Thank you. I apologize as well, Rob. I shouldn't have punched you. I truly didn't mean to."

"Good, you two are brothers which means you always look after each other and not harm one another. Now, I'll leave you to talk but if you want dessert, make that talk fast. We may just eat it without you." Ethan says, his grin showing he's kidding.

After their Pa has left, Joseph speaks first. "I meant it when I said I was sorry. Also, thank you for not telling Pa about the fence. If he knew I'd forgotten his direction to fix the fence, I might have gotten a whipping. He was some mad with us both. We were lucky, I think. Chores we can do and it's better than having a sore behind!"

"I didn't say anything for the reason that I knew he'd be upset about it. You were getting a pretty thorough scolding so I kept quiet. Even though I threatened to do it myself, I don't like to see you get a whipping. Joseph, will you help me build the flower boxes and dig the garden? I'll help you with the weeding and windows. If we do everything together, I think we'll get finished quicker. What'd ya say?"

"Will Pa get mad?"

"I don't think so. He told us to work together on the henhouse so why can't we on all of it? Now, let's go get dessert. We're having blackberry pie and whipped cream! Ben and George helped make the pie so brag on it. I'll race you!"

"ROB! NO FAIR! You took off with a head start!" Joseph yells as he runs after his brother.

That evening after all the children are in bed, Ethan asks "What went on today other than Rob and Joseph's tie up? You need to tell me."

"Ben and I had a tie up as well. I had to punish him and that wasn't a good feeling."

"What has Mr. Mischief been up to this time?"

"He has been upset with me for siding with you on his punishment for misbehavior during our honeymoon. Ben's taken it upon himself to punish me, I believe. I had a garter snake in the laundry basket, honey in my bedroom slippers, the bedclothes tossed on the floor just after I made the bed, he switched the salt and sugar causing the pies George and I made to be ruined, he also sabotaged the stew by throwing something, I don't know what, into it. I caught him doing this last one and confronted him."

"What was his reaction?"

"He blamed George and denied everything. I punished him for lying and then we had a cuddle and talk. I believe we are back on good terms now."

"I thought you didn't agree with spanking children."

"I don't agree with it and I didn't spank him. I used a different method. I hope you don't get upset with me for it. I put hot sauce on his tongue for one minute. That's what my Mam would do if any of her kids lied."

"Whoa, Nellie! That's worse than a spanking. Good for you. I am proud of you for not letting Ben get away with his behavior. I ought to spank him, myself!"

"I believe Rob already handled that side of it. He heard Ben confess to switching the sugar and salt. He also figured out Ben had been playing pranks on me. I sent Ben to get meat from the smokehouse, Rob followed. Ben came back with the meat but was rubbing his behind. I guessed Rob took care of the spanking."

"Most likely. I had a talk with Rob tonight. He has been told you are the adult in charge. He is to refer to you on punishment of the boys. Joseph punched him because Rob was ordering him around and then threatened him with a whipping. Joseph lost his temper."

"I would as well as I despise being ordered around. Did you punish the boys?"

"If you mean did I whip them, then no, I didn't. I scolded them soundly and then assigned extra chores. You will have very clean windows, a whitewashed henhouse, a new flower garden and those flower boxes for the front you wanted. This is to be done before they are allowed to leave home for visiting."

"Oh, Ethan. This is going to ruin my plans for the weekend. I wanted to have a family picnic on Sunday and invite Amy and the Carroll family. I thought we'd all go up to the swimming hole and visit. Will the boys be allowed to come? It's time Caleb and Ben were brought back together with our supervision. They have to learn to get along. I've mentioned it to Linnea and she agrees."

"You mentioned a picnic?"

"No, just getting the boys together soon. Will Rob and Joseph be allowed to come if we do have a picnic?"

"They'll be finished by then. Those two know how to accomplish tasks set in front of them. I imagine they've already planned how to work efficiently together to finish early. Rob has plans with Cecily this weekend so I know he'll want to be finished. I wouldn't count on him attending the picnic unless Cecily will agree to come. I don't know what Claire and Alex have planned. You might want to mention it to Claire to see if she and Alex would join us. You do know the boys will all want to swim, right?"

"Of course. Why else do you go to a swimming hole if not to swim? Ben has been telling me of the rope swing you and Mitch tied on a tree. Would you be scandalized if I tried it too? I love to swim."

"I wouldn't be in the least. I can't say the same for Matt and Linnea though."

"They'll just have to be scandalized then. I'm a free spirit and like our son, enjoy life. Ben is one who has a love of fun isn't he? George is much more reserved."

"Yes, Ben loves adventure and outdoor fun. He's not a studious or quiet as George. George enjoys adventure as well but isn't the instigator. George prefers to follow someone else's lead. His following has led him into trouble because he is not always capable of saying "NO" to his fun loving brother. As they get older, I see George standing up for what is the right thing to do more often."

"George wasn't involved with Caleb and Ben when they played with the gun."

"No, and I think even if there weren't other children to play with, George wouldn't have gone along on that adventure. Well, Mrs. Cord, I would like a little adventure myself. The house has gone quiet, our door is locked, we're all alone now, what do you say?"

"I say, let's blow out the lamps and let's go!"

"You are much less inhibited than I ever expected. I like that in you." Ethan replies leaning over to blow out his lamp.

"My mother used to wish I was. She called me the "wild one" of her daughters. Amy was the quiet well behaved older daughter. I was free-spirited much like Ben."