New Beginnings: Life Changes
ch. 33
Life Lessons
Having heard his Pa tell his Mama to "Enjoy your day but rest when you need to." Ben realizes his Pa is about to leave. Rushing to button his shirt, he hurries to the front of the house.
"Where's Pa?" He calls to Delphie over by the stove.
"He just left for town."
"I need to tell him something!" Ben calls as he runs out the front door.
"Oof! Ow! Ben! What is wrong with you to come barreling out the door this way?" Joseph asks holding the boy by his shoulders away from his now throbbing stomach.
"Can't talk now, Joseph! I need to find Pa!"
"He's saddling up in the barn. I strongly suggest you walk, not run, into the barn." Joseph says just as the boys hear the barn door open.
Seeing Ethan lead Lightning out, Ben calls "Pa, please wait. I have to tell you something." before crossing the yard to where Ethan is standing by the corral.
"I need to get an early start, son. Can't this wait until tonight?"
"No sir. John Taylor told me not to wait any longer to tell you. I got into trouble from school yesterday. Mrs. Donaldson punished us though. It is forgiven. Have a good day, Papa." Ben explains before turning to go back inside.
"Hold up there, young man!" Ethan remarks taking the boy by the arm to prevent his getaway. Lifting him to sit on the corral rails where they are more eye to eye, he continues.
"I want to hear more information about this. Exactly what did you do and who is the 'we' you mentioned?"
"Me, Aaron and Caleb. When we went to the train station for school, wwwe wwwere wwwalking on the tracksss." Ben answers his long battle with stuttering showing again.
Knowing the stuttering only happens when Ben is very anxious makes Ethan suspicious. "Were you given permission to walk on the tracks? What were you supposed to be doing at that time?"
"Nooo Ssir. Wwe wwere sssupposssed to bbe innside the tttrain sstation lissstening."
"You know the railroad tracks are off limits. I have told you that often. You did right in coming to tell me instead of waiting until someone else told me. I am proud of you for that. However, you still disobeyed a safety rule and caused trouble for your teacher." Ethan says firmly.
Lifting the boy under his arms, Ethan lays him stomach down over the saddle holding him with a hand to his back.
"Aaah! Nooo! Noo Papa! Don't sp.." is as far as Ben gets before a firm smack lands on his upturned bottom. Delivering five more, Ethan stops. Lifting the boy off and setting him on his feet, he crouches down to look Ben into his tearing eyes.
"You were given a much lighter punishment than you would have received had you not told me honestly. A few smacks with my hand is a lot better than me applying my belt. You and your friends stay away from those tracks! That is no place to play! You could be hurt badly by a train. Let me hear of you playing near the trains or tracks again and I guarantee that my belt will have a long conversation with your backside! Do you hear me, Benjamin?"
"Yes sir. I hear you." The boy furiously rubbing his backside answers.
"Good. See to it you remember my words. Now, go help with breakfast. Have a good day at school and obey Miss. Donaldson. I will see you tonight." Ethan says mounting his horse.
Arriving early enough at school to play before being called inside, Ben and George tell Joseph goodbye before finding friends.
Spotting Aaron and Caleb both by the large oak tree, Ben walks over. Why are you two not playing in the kickball game?" He asks watching George join the game.
"I don't feel like running." Aaron answers as Caleb replies "I'm not wanting to make my butt sting more."
"Why did you get in trouble, Caleb? Be careful the girls don't hear you say the word beginning with b. They will tattletale on you.""
"Didn't Mr. Mc Fussbutt visit your Pa, Ben? He visited mine and Aaron's. My Pa used his belt on me for being disrespectful and for playing on the tracks. I got five licks! He hasn't whipped me since the twins came."
Grinning at the name and sour expression, Ben says "If you mean Mr. McKnight, he did not come but my Pa knows. I told him this morning." His answer causing him to receive looks of astonishment from the other two boys.
"Did you bump your head, Ben? Why would you tell on yourself? What did Uncle Ethan do?" Caleb asks.
"Pa tells us if we admit it when we do something wrong instead of waiting for him or Mama to find out, our punishment will be less. Sometimes we don't get punished, just scolded. I hoped I would get scolded and maybe a lecture. He did scold but he walloped me with his hand too."
"I got walloped as well. Pa used a wooden spoon on me though. Those dumb spoons sting like the dickens! Ohh, there's Marybeth ringing the bell. Time to line up to go inside. Come on so we don't get in more trouble. Having to be watched is enough!" Aaron tells the other two.
During the school day, Ethan has set tasks for Frank to complete in the Sheriff's office/ jail. Having informed Chris of the plans he leaves to take Alex's letter to Mitch.
"I wanted you to have this now instead of waiting until you came to work at 4:00 today. Also, I needed to tell you we will have young Frank Palmer doing chores in our office for a few days. He is the boy who set up the dung bag at the school. I am certain he also did the same thing at the Mercantile. He is under my authority given by his mother."
"So Ethan, this is going to be another one of your delinquent work sessions. Am I right? We've been this route before, about two years ago if I recall! Young Billy Justice went through our version of military discipline for causing trouble in town. This Frank hasn't been up to trouble in a saloon has he?"
"Not, as far as I know. It has been trouble at school and then the Mercantile. That discipline worked for Billy, I hope it works again. Claire and Rob are enjoying spending time with Alex again. Claire has told me over the telephone that Alex's father is improving. She says his speech is back to normal but not his body yet. We can hope the kids will all be back in Paradise again. I can't see Alex not coming back."
"I know he will at least visit. His betrothed's family lives here. Claire will be home to at least visit, so Alex will need to come along." Mitch returns with a grin.
"That is true. Enjoy your letter. I need to get going. I will see you this afternoon."
As instructed, Frank makes his way to the Sheriff's office once released from the torture of school. Not wanting to make the man angry the first day, he sets out to see just what he may have to do.
"Good afternoon, Frank. I am pleased you did the right thing and accepted the discipline. This is Deputy Johnston." Ethan greets the boy as he enters the office.
"Hello, What am I to do?"
"Today, I need the jail cells swept and mopped. After that I will tell you the other tasks. Follow me."
Walking behind the man, Frank stops when he stops. Looking around the inside of the cell, he gapes at the amount of dirt on the floor. It must be a bucketful.
"When was the last time someone cleaned in there? It is covered in dirt! It will take too long to clean all that!"
"You have an hour and a half. The broom is by the wall. The pan to sweep dirt into is there as well. You can see the mop and bucket of water there by the back wall. I want at least one cell mopped and swept today. You may begin." Ethan answers.
"I MAY BEGIN?! CLEAN IT YOURSELF! IT BELONGS TO YOU!"
"You do not shout at adults. I told you I do not tolerate disrespect. Bend over the bed." Ethan says in a voice that causes Frank to do exactly that.
"You speak respectfully and do not shout! You do as you are told with no backtalk! Let this be a reminder of my words. I will add more if I have to repeat myself."
Applying his hand with hard swinging smacks, Ethan delivers six to the angry child.
"I leave you to your chore. Come tell me when you finish."
Walking back to his desk, passing Chris, his deputy says quietly "Now I understand why you brought in two buckets of loose dirt. Do you think he will do the job today?"
"We will find out. He will do it sooner or later. The question is will he comply without any more smacks. Today is only day one. I have more plans to reach this child. Right now we are coming to terms with how to obey authority."
An hour and a half later, having heard no sounds from the back, Ethan walks back to the cells to check on Frank's progress. Gazing into the first cell, he sees a mud caked floor. The second cell has the same. It appears as if the boy spread water over the dirt.
"Do you recall my instructions for you this afternoon?" Ethan asks the boy leaning against the wall.
"Mop and sweep the floor, you said. I did that. Can I leave? My mother needs me to stay with my sister at night."
"How did you go about your job? I am curious as it looks incomplete." Ethan asks with a firm stare.
"Look, I did what you said. Mopped and swept. I do need to go home." Frank answers obviously struggling to keep his voice respectful.
"Did you sweep the floor before you mopped? That is how one cleans, Frank."
"You said you wanted me to mop and sweep. I just followed your order as you said to do. I mopped first and swept second." The boy answers a little too innocently.
"So, I see. You will report back here tomorrow as soon as you are dismissed from school. We will have another lesson then. You may leave."
As the boy heads towards the front of the office, Ethan calls to him "Be sure to bar your house door with something heavy tonight. Your mother can wake you if she comes home before you get up."
Sinking into his desk chair, Ethan tells Chris "Round one goes to Frank. I admit it. I misjudged him. He's a conniving one. I assigned mopping and sweeping the cells. Unfortunately I stated it exactly that way. Go look at the cells."
Hearing Chris' booming laugh, Ethan has to chuckle too.
"Well, he did follow your instructions. He took you at your exact words! What is your new plan?"
"Have him sweep the cells first. I will check to see that is done before giving him permission to mop. I don't know yet what else. I will have to think on it."
Later that evening, Joseph excuses himself from the family gathered in the front room by the fireplace.
"Pa, Mama, John Taylor, I have assignments I need to finish. Please excuse me for not staying to visit tonight. Good night everyone."
"Good night, Joseph. We will see you in the morning." Delphie replies. The two men echo her good night.
After the boy has left, John Taylor remarks "He has changed. I remember you worrying he would not settle into school. I say he has."
"He has matured in the last few months. I see that as well. Would you like to see the property I told you about, tomorrow? You are more than welcome to stay here. We have room." Ethan agrees.
"I need a place of my own. I would like to see this structure you mentioned.
"Are you leaving John Taylor? You just came! I won't let you leave already!" George says, his voice rising.
"George, you know better..." Ethan begins to scold before John Taylor stops him. "It's a fair question, leave off, Ethan. Now George, and Ben too, listen to me, please."
"I have not lived with a family in a very long time. When people are older they want different things. I enjoy being alone so I need to do that. I want my own living place. I will stay near enough I can visit you and do things together. Understand?"
"You will stay close enough that we can visit you?" Ben asks, needing to hear it again.
"I give you my word I will be close enough to visit you. I do not break my word. Your word is a solemn oath. Breaking a solemn oath is like tearing most of the boards off of your treehouse floor. Without those boards it would not be safe would it? It would not be trustworthy to hold you. Breaking your word proves to someone you are not worthy of their trust. That is a very terrible thing."
"Yes, it is. John Taylor is exactly right. Remember his lesson boys. That is enough for tonight. You boys say good night and go do your evening bedtime preparations. If you have finished your school assignments, you may read for half an hour. I will be in at that time to check on you." Ethan tells his youngest boys.
"Yes sir. Goodnight Mama. Goodnight Pa. Goodnight John Taylor. I'm never going to break my word." George whispers hugging the older man in turn.
"Good to know, George."
"Good night everybody. George, I call the sink first."
"Go ahead, Ben. We can both still fit by the sink you know." George answers his brother.
"Fine! But I call the tooth powder first!" Ben replies, hurrying but not running to the bathing room.
Noticing his mentor's confused expression, Ethan says "Ben has decided he enjoys competition but only those he can succeed in. Scrubbing his teeth first is a way to succeed."
While his brothers are listening to life lessons, Joseph reads over the first part of his essay. Deciding it is fine after a few changes, he finishes it while the ideas are flowing.
My Most Admired Person
By Joseph Cord
The person I admire the most is not the President, an author or an inventor. He is a regular person but then again he is not at the same time. In some places his full name makes him famous. He has a fearful reputation but that is not why I admire him.
I admire him for what he did for my brothers, my sister and for me. He did not have to do this but he did. He had a completely different life, five years ago. Then he got a letter and he made a life changing choice. He chose to give up a life he knew to rescue a group of scraggly, grieving, scared and lonely children that did not even belong to him.
He came for us when he did not have to. Many unmarried men probably would have put their sister's four young orphaned children in a foundlings home. He did not! He chose to come all the way to Missouri to get us. Four children ages, twelve, ten, six and five. He learned how to take care of us while doing it. He never gave up on us. Even when we caused him bad trouble he kept us. He went to a judge and adopted us a year after we moved in with him. He said he wanted us to legally be his children. Adoptions cost money but he did it so no one could ever say we were not his. Let me tell you more of why I admire my Pa.
When a man he was friends with was killed, he did not hesitate to give the man's fifteen year old nephew a home. Adding my brother Rob to our family. There were now five kids all under the age of sixteen. A few months later, he legally adopted Rob as well. We were taught responsibilities and how one lives up to what is expected of you.
Some people thought an unmarried man could not bring up five kids successfully. He did just that for years until last spring when he chose to marry my new mother. For the first time since I was eight, I have two parents. My older brother and sister were encouraged to go to extended schooling. They graduated from school last spring. Pa says learning is important. He has encouraged all of us to work hard to achieve our goals.
My sister Claire is now in a medical teaching school in Boston, Massachusetts because she always wanted to work to help others. Rob has a dream to run a cattle ranch. Pa does not like cattle, he prefers horses. This summer Pa let Rob spend two months on a cattle drive to Texas. Claire and Rob are seventeen not legal age of twenty one but he let them go anyway.
I saw how difficult it was for Pa to let my brother and sister be independent and pursue their dreams. He let them go but he did not want to. I know that he will encourage my younger brothers and me to find our dreams too when it is our time. Someday, I want to be the kind of man the person I admire most has shown me to be.
Ethan Allen Cord, former gunslinger now Sheriff but most importantly...my real father.
Boston, Massachusetts
October, 1901
Having met Alex and Rob for a walk in their favorite park before returning home for dinner, Claire tells the guys about her day.
"Today I went along on a home visit. I met a woman living in a one room apartment with three small children. Her oldest is four maybe five and the youngest is a cradle baby. She is carrying again too. The doctor says she is due in two months. The place was filthy inside and outside too. They have no running water in the building. The children are so hungry they begged us to go get some food. Tomorrow, I will find a way to get food to them. The doctor took two loaves of bread, some butter and cooked meat but that won't last. It was over on the eastern side. Do you know of the area called Youngstown, Alex?"
"Yes, I've heard of it. They are immigrants mostly coming from Ireland. No one wants to hire them to work so some of them have turned to stealing. The older children are sent out to pickpocket. Some just beg on the streets."
"Is that why the signs in the stores and restaurants say "No Irish!"? The store owners don't want them working there?" Claire asks.
"Not only do they not want them working, the owners don't want their business either. No Irish can enter those places. Some do because they learn to disguise their accent. If asked if they are Irish, they deny it. Unfortunately Irish are treated badly here as in other larger cities. I heard it is even getting worse up in New York City. More immigrants are settling there as well."
"Alex, your family is Irish. Have they been mistreated?" Claire asks.
"My great uncle is wealthy so he is treated well. My parents did not sound or look Irish when they went out after moving here. Da can stop the accent if he wants to do so. No one treated them rudely."
"Well when women get to vote, we will vote to stop businesses from being foolish."
"What in hell do you mean 'When women get to vote?' Are you bringing up that ridiculous nonsense again? No women will ever be voting! That is just for men, damn it! Men make all decisions and women just do as they are told. If they don't then the man has a right to raise a hand to them. Women and children belong to men. It is law." Rob declares giving Alex a sideways wink where his sister can not see.
"ROBERT JORDAN CORD! If we were home, you would be facing Pa in the barn after saying things such as raising your hand to women! You know he does not allow swearing either! Have you lost all sense?"
"First, I am just kidding so unruffle your feathers. Second we are far from home and third I am near to eighteen. I am far too old to be taken to task the way you implied. You were getting all worked up and needed a distraction." Rob tells her smugly just before she bops him over the head with her umbrella.
"YOWWW! THAT HURT! Those new things are a menace."
"You earned a clout on the head. I delivered it. Now, let's go see the ducks. I have bread for them." Claire replies walking off toward the pond.
"Alex, are you seeing this? She is violent. Maybe you need to rethink getting married to my sister until she is less mean. Hitting her own beloved brother! What do you say?"
"I say be glad you were not near the pond. You would be wearing lily pads and dripping water as well as having a sore head."
"Yes, you are most likely right. I learned a long time ago that Claire pushes people into the water if she gets mad. I once called her a broody hen and went swimming in my clothes because she pushed me into a pond. We were fourteen then. I was her friend but not brother yet. I was just visiting the family and had to explain to Pa why I was all wet."
"What did he say?"
"He told me girls did not like being compared to chickens. He said he would talk to Claire about controlling her temper but in his eyes, I had it coming."
"And here we are years later, you compared her to chickens again and got her all riled up again. Your Pa's words didn't do much good, I say. Let's go find Claire but change the topic of conversation. I have on my work suit. I can't be pushed in the water. It would ruin my clothes."
Later that evening, the three young people join each other on the upper level porch with tall framed windows.
"I brought us some cake and hot coffee. It is cold out tonight." Claire says passing over a cup from the tray. I do love sitting here watching the stars. It is clear out tonight so we can find some constellations. I have found Orion before."
"Alex, Claire, I need your help. You saw the telegram I had when we arrived from the park. It was from Amelia. The man her mother married tried to get into her room again. She is able to bar her door with a chest of drawers. I want her out of that place. I need to send her money. The problem is I don't have enough. I need money for train tickets and for lodging. Any suggestions will help." Rob tells them, after a period of stargazing
"Rob, you know she can stay at the Boarding House in Paradise. I think you should talk to Mama about her. She will be alone in a new town. She needs someone to help her."
"I don't want Pa to know of her, yet. I want him to find out after I am home so I can tell him gradually. My past two relationships did not go well, remember? He wants me to take time to build my future, as he calls it, before finding another serious relationship. I can not listen to disapproval right now. If I tell Delphie, she will go to him. I want to handle this on my own."
"I understand how you feel but think of Amelia. She will need someone to talk to and you are not going to be there. What about Dr. Amy? You could send a telegram asking her to wait for our call on a certain day. You could explain what is happening and ask for her assistance."
"That's a good idea, Claire. I might do that."
"I can lend you fifteen dollars. I have a little more saved from my pay. I need to keep some for expenses." Alex explains.
"Thanks, Alex. I can put in twenty. I will still have enough for my meals and ticket home. I just won't have a bed car this time. I would try to withdraw money from the bank of Denver but I can not do it here. I will pay you back, Alex. Do you know how I can send the money quickly?"
"No, but we can ask my Da. He can tell us. Let's go ask."
After listening to Rob explain what he needed and the story behind it, Mr. Hale says "Alex, do you know of the telegraph office on seventh street?"
"Yes, Da."
"You boys can go there to wire your young lady friend a message. You need to tell her your plans to send money. She will need a special code word you will assign to be able to retrieve the money in her town. This way the telegraph operator will know she is the one to retrieve the money. You see boys, you pay the telegraph operator the money here and he sends the message you have paid an amount of money with the code word to her town. She tells the operator there the code word and then he will pay her the money from his office. Don't be sending over fifty dollars as the operators do not have any larger amounts of cash."
"Thank you, Mr. Hale. I appreciate the information. I will go tomorrow." Rob replies.
"No need for all the gratitude, Rob. I enjoyed having the opportunity to help young love. Alex is not as open as you about his relationship status. He didn't even mention he was betrothed to Claire until you and she arrived."
"Daaa! I told you it was because you were sick! Now you are much better." Alex protests.
"Better but not able to fully walk yet. I will see you in the morning. Good night."
"Good night, Da. Good night, Mr. Hale." Alex and Rob reply standing to leave the bedroom.
A/N: The tale of Billy Justice, whom Mitch referred to, is in the story Troubles In Paradise.
Happy Independence Day America! Be safe while you celebrate our country's 244th birthday this Saturday.!
Thank you to reader josefhcord for suggesting Joseph have a conversation with Ethan telling how he admired him. Her suggestion sparked the essay idea.