Pouting and Playing Hero
Little Joe Cartwright sat and pouted. He pouted completely and with flair. His brothers considered pouting one of the boy's natural talents as even they could sometimes not ignore it. To keep his pout at maximum impact, Little Joe mentally listed all the reasons the world and his father, in particular, had treated him unfairly in the recent past. With each repetition he added more grievances. The Cartwright wagon was parked in front of the law office's large window, and Little Joe had made sure that every time his elder brother Adam glanced out the window, he would have a clear view of his dejected baby brother slumped in the late morning sun.
Sudden motion caught Joe's eye, and he straighten to get a better view. A girl came running down the raised wooden sidewalk and then ducked into the side alley between the law office and the feed store. He was not sure, but he thought it might be Elly Perkins. He ruminated over what he had seen for a few minutes but could not conceive of a reason Elly Perkins- or any girl like her- would be running and ducking into alleyways. He looked around and over at the law office window. Adam had not said he had to stay in the wagon, so he gave in to his curiosity, hopped down, and went into the alley. The girl was seated on a broken barrel, slumped with her face to the wooden wall. He went to stand beside her and dropped to his haunches.
"Hey, now, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"
Her denial was barely audible. Within a few seconds, Joe realized she was crying.
"There's got to be a reason you're crying. Maybe I..."
She shook her head. "Girls cry easy. You don't have to pay it no never mind. You can just go on."
Little Joe considered doing just that. He seldom had to deal with female tears and felt out of his depth. Still, he could not leave her crying and alone. He considered why she might be crying. There was no sign that she was in physical pain, so Joe decided someone, or something, must have hurt her feelings. Elly was not a pretty girl. In fact, most people would have agreed that calling her plain was a compliment. He had heard her teased at school.
"If somebody's been teasing you, ya can tell me."
She turned to face him and rubbed the tears from her face with her fingers. He drew out the large handkerchief Hop Sing insisted he carry and handed it to Elly.
"Thank you."
"You know if somebody's been teasing ya, just tell me who, and I'll tend to them. A punch or two should teach 'em. Unless it was some girl; I couldn't punch a girl."
"Nobody was teasing. I... I just heard something."
He gave her a cheeky grin. "Eavesdropping, were ya?"
"Not exactly. I just overheard."
"That's what I always tell Pa, but I'll believe you anyway." His eyes danced. "Still, my offer stands."
"It was some girls, so... Besides, I wouldn't want you in trouble because of me."
"It would be a new reason for me being in trouble."
"Little Joe!"
"Okay, then." She gave him a weak smile.
"I best get headed home. I'll wash this and give it to you Sunday at church."
"That's fine." They stood. "Elly, my offer's good any time."
"Thank you, Joe."
Joe followed Elly out of the alley and went to wait for his brother. Adam smiled when he saw Joe's pout had disappeared.
"All finished. What do you say to a cold sarsaparilla before we head home?"
"I haven't got..."
"My treat."
Little Joe grinned. "Let's go then." He gave Adam's arm a back-handed slap and took off. Adam shook his head and followed. When he caught up to the boy, he ruffled Joe's curls and slipped his arm around his brother's shoulders.
Sunday Elly returned the handkerchief with the addition of three finely embordered initials: JFC. Little Joe studied the needlework and preened. Adam had told him a real gentleman always carries a monogramed handkerchief. Adam had come back from Boston with at least a dozen.