PONDEROSA ORPHAN
By Bonnie Nesvick*
As he approached the area where he had seen the smoke, Ben noticed vultures
winging high above and hear a high-pitch sound...was it a flute? No
melody, just a monotous sound. He came into the clearing and stopped
to take it in....overwhelming was the sickly-sweet smell of decay. A
burned-out buckboard caught his eye, charred but still mostly intact.
Nothing remained in the wagon. No debris of any kind. It looked
as though everything had been taken out of it and the buckboard set on fire.
The sound was coming from a child of indeterminate age, gender, race....a
ragamuffin wrapped in grey rags...shocks of singed hair sticking out from
the head, with occasional bare patches. Gray was the word that described
this child who sat on a log....hands tightly pressed to its ears, eyes squinched
shut against the horrible sight and the monotonous keening sound erupted from
the child’s lips as it rocked back and forth.
Ben took his time observing the area....looking for any danger. He
saw a figure prostrate on the far side of the wagon. He dismounted and walked
over to check on the figure. The smell overwhelmed him as he approached.
Clearly it had been here for a while. Ben looked closer. It looked
like the man had been shot in the face, but predators had done their work
as well. Strips of flesh were missing, radiating out from the original
wound which was distorted as well. His extremeties had been gnawed by
animals. An oily smear slicked down his clothing where it touched distended
parts of his body. As he stood looking down, a vulture challenged
his proximity to the treasure.
Ben turned around and walked toward the child, speaking softly. His
voice was unnoticed as the high-pitched sound continued. He came closer
to get a better look. Not only was this child covered in soot, ash and
a dusting of gray but there was a film of mucous adding a sheen to the face.
Ben tentatively reached out to touch the child who immediately became still.
The eyes opened and before he even realized what happened, the child had
streaked under cover of the burnt out wagon. No more sound was
heard. Ben talked softly to the child, trying to coax it out, wondering
if refuge under the wagon had saved its life. The child curled up into
a fetal ball and stayed firmly under the center of the wagon, essentially
unreachable.
Ben went over to his horse and took down the saddle blanket. He went
back over to the wagon and reached toward the child...once again, its eyes
were closed and there seemed to be no awareness of his presence although no
sound emanated from the child now.
Ben inched his way under the wagon and caught the child by the foot.
The eyes popped wide open but no sound was to be heard. He pulled firmly
and was able to wrest the child from its refuge. He wrapped it in the
saddle blanket and mounted his horse. He was unwilling to leave the
dead man to the elements but considered the safety and protection of the child
more important. As he rode toward the house, a small hand reached
from under the blanket gripping his vest.
Ben reached the house and climbed down off his horse with his burden.
Joe came out to greet him and he turned the stabling of the horse over to
Joe.
“What have you got, Pa?” Joe asked.
“I’m not exactly sure”, said Ben. I found this child out where we
saw the fire the other day. There’s a burnt out wagon and a dead man.
I didn’t spend any time trying to take care of him and he needs it.
The animals have been at him. I’d like you and Hoss to ride out there
later and see if he has any identification or if there’s any way we can figure
out who this child belongs to. Maybe you better go into town and get
Sheriff Coffey. He may know the guy or be able to identify him.”
Ben brought his silent bundle into the house. “Hop Sing, I need some
water. I need to clean up this child” he yelled to the cook. Hop
Sing immediately put water on to heat. “Adam, bring that tub down into
the kitchen”, Ben requested.
Soon there was enough water heated to try and bathe the child. The
tub had been set up in the kitchen to facilitate access to the hot water.
Ben removed the blanket and the little gray child was exposed. He started
to remove the rags and again came the horrific keening sound. Ben was
unsure what to do. Clearly this child had been traumatized and he couldn’t
tell if he was making it worse or not but he also wanted to inspect the child
for other burns or injuries that might have occurred during whatever took
place out at the campsite.
The keening/screaming wouldn’t stop. Hop Sing said “I fix smell pretty.
Make nice bath” and went into the kitchen for some jasmine blossoms which
he added to the water. Ben lifted the child up and put her in the water.
The wailing continued, undiminished. He spoke softly to her as he looked
for any injuries that might need medical attention. The smell of the
water wafted up and for a moment she quieted. Ben pushed gently on her
shoulders and she sat down in the water. The soothing scented water
relaxed the child somewhat and she quieted while Ben washed charred embers
out of her hair. He kept up a low-voiced monotone while
he worked. “See what we’re doing here is getting all this bad smell
off you. Look at your pretty face, all smudged up with ash and dirt..oh,
does this hurt your hair...” The girl sat in the tub, never making a
sound.
Ben sent Adam in search of something the girl could wear. Joe and
Hoss had ridden, as requested, for the sheriff and to take care of the death
scene. Ben wrapped the girl and brought her into the living room and
tried to set her down on the couch. She reached out and grabbed
ahold of his vest. She wouldn’t let go.. Ben picked her up once
again and sat her on his lap. No sound eruped from the girl.
He related the incident to Adam who had brought a big shirt that almost qualified
as a dress on the girl.
The girl clutched at his vest and got a stronghold and wouldn’t release
it. Ben couldn’t put her down. He asked Hop Sing for some broth.
It had clearly been some time since the girl had eaten. He spooned broth
into her mouth as he and Adam speculated how such a young girl had come to
be on Ponderosa land. She was between 4 and 6...it was hard to be more
clear without her participating in conversation. Adam asked her
a question but she would not look in his direction. She held to the
vest as for dear life and sat mute on Ben’s lap. After just a few spoonfuls
of soup, she collapsed on Ben’s chest and he determined to put her to bed.
Joe and Hoss arrived back at the house with Sheriff Coffey. Ben invited
them in and Hop Sing served fresh coffee. “What do you think, Roy?
What happened out there?”
Roy replied, “It wasn’t easy Ben, but I think I know who the feller was.
He was in town about a week ago...drifter. I know this kid wasn’t with
him. He didn’t get along too well with the local folk and just drifted
on. I searched him for some kinda papers and I came up with an address
but I don’t know if it’s his or not. I’ll send a telegram to the sheriff
in that town and see if they know him or if that kid was travelling with him.
He’s in pretty bad shape...we just buried him up there where he is”.
“Well”, said Ben, “we know it’s a girl anyway. We cleaned her up and
put her to bed. I think she’s had a pretty tough time whoever she was
travelling with. The only sound we’ve heard so far is a horrible scream
l that gets irritating real fast. It’s impossible to find anything out
from her”.
“Pa, do you think we should have the doctor out to check on her” said Joe.
“I looked her over pretty good. I don’t think she has any real serious
injuries,” replied Ben.
“Well we was kinda wondering if he could maybe talk to her and find out
if she’s okay, you know, in the head,”said Hoss.
“Not a bad idea,” said Ben. “Roy, when you get back to town, could
you have Doc Martin come around when he’s free? I don’t think there’s
any rush”.
The family had been sleeping peacfully for about three hours when they were
startled awake by a high-pitched keeing sound erupting from the spare bedroom.
Ben jumped up and ran into the bedroom. The girl was sitting on the
bed, rocking back and forth, hands pressed to her ears, eyes squinched shut
as they had been before with the interminable wailing reverberating in the
room. Ben approached the bed and laid a hand on her shoulder.
The sound stopped. She became completely still. No sound, no movement.
Ben sat down on the bed and pulled her close. He felt the stiff body
fighting against him. He picked her up and carried her to his bed.
It had been a long time since he’d struggled with Little Joe’s nightmares
but he remembered the best cure then had been soothing touch and he tried
that now with the girl. After a time she settled in his arms and slept
once more.
For several days, the routine was the same. Ben sorted out chores
at breakfast. The family was losing sleep over the nighttime screaming
sessions. All were becoming irritable. Throughout the day, the
little girl was at Ben’s side where ever he went. When she could manage
it, she grabbed hold of a fistful of vest and clung to it. Ben hated
to recognize it but he was becoming disenchanted with the child. She
was too much to take on. No word had come from any of the telegrams
Roy had sent. There was no communication wtih the child. She was
simply needy and the rest of the family had needs too. Ben was beginning
to feel his needs more than anyone because it was his sleep that was disrupted
most of all.
After a week and a half, Ben had had his fill. He wasn’t sleeping.
He was constantly in the presence of a mute girl who tried at every moment
to hang on to his vest. He couldn’t work. He couldn’t sleep.
He couldn’t think!
At breakfast Ben annoucned his intention to go to town. “I’ve got
to get some rest, boys. This child is more than I can take right now.
I can’t even talk to her and she won’t look at anyone else. Do
you boys think you can handle it for a day or two so I can rest up?
I’ll try to bring back some things she might need.”
Adam was sure of himself. “Sure Pa...we can handle it. We’ve been
through it..or something like it before...we know what to do.
I think each of us can work with her a little bit. Hoss can take her
outside and show her around. I can read to her and maybe sing her a
song..Joe...well I don’t know what Joe can do but I think he can fill in
the gaps”.
Hoss said, “Pa, you know...she’s awful attached to that vest of yours.
Do you think you could leave it while you go to town, you know like Joe had
Bo? She could kinda maybe have it to sleep with...might be like havin’
you here for her”.
Ben considered, “Yeah, I guess I could leave it. Might work out well
at that.”
Mutely and wide-eyed, the girl watched Ben prepare to leave. Terror
shone from her eyes. Ben hitched up the buckboard and then came back
in and sqatted down to the child’s level. “I’m going to go to town for
a couple of days (could she even understand him?)...These boys”, he said,
“are going to take care of you. The girl stared at Ben, tears glistening
in her eyes. Apparently she understood SOME English. Adam said
he’d sing to you and read to you...Hoss will show you the animals and Joe.....”
Pa trailed off, not at all sure what kind of help Joe could provide - or if
it would be considered help.
Suddenly he remembered Hoss’s idea of the vest. He took it off and
held it out for the girl. She thrust her arms through the leather armholes,
then turned and walked up the stairs. Ben sighed and went outside.
He didn’t feel right leaving her alone. She had depended on him so much
since he found her. But he didn’t have the stamina to be all she needed
day in and day out.
Adam followed Ben outside. “Don’t worry, Pa, I think we can handle
it for a few days”. Hoss walked up the stairs to the girl’s bedroom.
He knocked softly on the door. At the sound of retreating hoofbeats,
the girl hid her face in the pillow, her right hand grabbing the vest firmly,
sobbing silently.
Hoss walked slowly over to the bed. He put his hand on the girl’s
shoulder. She jumped as though she had been stung by a bee. “Come
on, litle one. Let’s go outside and see what we can find out there.
You haven’t seen this ranch yet”, said Hoss.
The little girl was rigid. Hoss pulled her arm and she acquieseced to come
along with him. He chattered continuously as they went downstairs.
“See this is a big ol’ house and you’ve been in it but you ain’t been out
of it since you been here. You just don’t know what you’re missing.
Now since it’s the right time of year, I think I got a couple special treats
to show you”. The girl allowed herself to be guided outside, holding
firmly to the vest.
Hoss made first for the chicken pen. There were so many little chicks
running around. He was sure the little girl would love the chicks.
How could anyone resist? They were so soft and delicate. He knew
he was right when he picked up a chick and held it to the girl’s face.
The soft down brought a hint of a smile to her eyes. Hoss talked sofly
all the while, “see, sweetie, this is a baby, kind of like you. It wants
to be loved too. Isn’t it soft? Isn’t it...”
Suddenly a rooster flew at the girl, spurs exposed. Her mind flashed
on the birds ripping pieces of flesh off a man....She shrieked once and ran
for cover. Hoss ran after her. “Come on, little one, he
ain’t gonna hurt you. He’s just a noisy ol’ rooster” but the damage
was done. The girl had gone into a tiny crawl space uner the barn.
Hoss sat there for several minutes trying to coax her out. He was at
a loss. How could he communicate to someone who doesn’t speak?
Joe came out of the house just then...”How’s it going, big brother?”
Hoss looked dejected. “I don’t ‘know how it happened but I think she
got scared of the chickens.”
Little Joe laughed. “The chickens! Hoss we have at least three
days! You scare her in the first 40 minutes Pa’s been gone. What
are we supposed to do?”
Hoss was frustrated. “You got any better ideas?”
“Sure,” said Joe. Bring out a pony. All kids love ponies!”.
Hoss considered this. A pony was a lot bigger than a chicken,
but it was a lot more predictable too!. Hoss let her stay in her hold
under the barn and went in to see if he could find a pony that was suitable.
He brought out a smaller mare, gentle and good natured. He walked over
to the hollowed out place the girl had found.
“Lookee here what I brung you”...he said. The girl opened her eyes.
Thankfully there had not been any of that high-pitched keening. He held
the mare by the bridle and held out a hand for the girl. she watched, holding
the vest tightly with her right hand. Little Joe said “boy, Hoss...you
better do something...if Pa gets back and that vest is wrecked you’re in
for it”. Hoss extended his arm just a bit further and the girl
moved her hand towards it Hoss took it and gently brought her back
out into the daylight.
“Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do, little one. I’m going to set you
up on this here pony and give you a ride. You don’t have to worry about
nothing. I’ll make sure you’re safe”. He picked the girl up.
Not a sound escaped her lips. He sat her down on the sadle. Gently
he led the mare around in a cirlce. The girl had one hand on the saddle
horn and the other tightly clenching the vest.
Round and round the yard Hoss led the mare. The girl slowly got into
the rhythym of the ride. It seemed like no time before Hop Sing called
for lunch. Hoss picked the girl up and brought her into the house.
After lunch, Adam declared a nap was needed. “But Adam” Hoss protested,
“if she has a nap now, won’t that cut into her sleep time tonight?”
Adam told Hoss he didn’t need to worry about that, he would take care of
the night duty. He remembered many a night with Little Joe and he had
the routine down pretty well. After lunch, Adam took the girl by the hand
and walked her to the bedroom. He reached in his room and picked up
his guitar. He settled the girl in her bed and started singing a few
old ballads. The girl sat entranced, staring at him as he sang and played.
It seemed to be communication of a sort. Adam played an old familiar
‘Aura Lee’ and watched amazed as the girl suddenly visibly relaxed.
She fell asleep immediately, her hand clutching the vest.
Adam sighed and went downstairs to work on paperwork. He knew Pa needed
a break but he also knew it was going to be harder on the rest of them than
they had imagined. Hoss and Joe took their leisure while the little
one slept.
Suddenly the quiet of the house was interrupted by the high-pitched keening.
Was that the only way that girl ever woke up? Adam slammed down the
book he was reading and ran up the stairs. He paused at the bedroom
door. It was a painfully familiar sight. The girl rocked back
and forth, hands over her ears, eyes scrunched tight, wailing that monotous
sound.
Adam stalked over to the bed. Anger and compassion vied for
conrol. He melted as he approached. He sat on the bed and pulled
the little girl onto his lap and continued the rocking motion as he stoked
her hair. She quieted for him. It was going to be a long
three days!
The night was fraught with the now normal-routine of a screaming child.
Adam took the responsibility as he had promised. He rocked the girl
but found she also responded well to his songs. He noticed that she
almost always responded favorably when he sang “Aura Lee”. Was
that a song that was familiar?
The next morning Adam was weary. He had been awakend several times
during the night until he finally resorted to taking the girl into his bedroom.
If he held her for a while and she didn’t move maybe she would fall asleep
and certainly he would.
At breakfast, although all of the boys were weary from their disrupted sleep,
Adam by far was the worse for wear. Taking advantage of his role in
Ben’s absence he went through chores and assigned the litle girl to Joe.
“What am I supposed to do with her?” Joe asked. “I’m not the daddy
type, that’s for sure and I don’t have Hoss’s way with animals!”
“She ain’t an animal, little brother...she’s a very scared little girl and
we all promised to help Pa. You can think of lots of ways to get out
of work any other time. Show some of them to her!”
Adam said, “do what you will, but get her out of this house for awhile.
I’m going to need some sleep.”
Joe considered putting off waking the child but then he considered the night
before. If he took her out and maybe WORE her out, they might all get
some sleep. He went upstairs to the bedrrom and found it empty.
“Adam”, he yelled, “she’s GONE!”.
“No she isn’t”, Adam replied. I took her into my bed last night.
That’s how Pa’s been keeping her quiet and it worked for me too”.
Joe went into Adam’s room and looked at the sleeping girl, peaceful for
once, her hand still clutching at Pa’s vest. He reached out and touched
her head lightly. Her eyes startled open in terror and her body froze
in position. “Come one, little one, it’s time to get up. We’ve
got some exploring to do”, Joe told her. Since she had slept in the
shirt Adam had brought down for her, Joe got a fresh one of his own.
“Here, let’s get that old shirt off you and a new one on,” he said.
The child clung furiously to the vest. How to get a shirt off from
under a vest...Joe gave up and took the girl downstairs for a late breakfast.
Joe turned over the feeding process to Adam while he went out to saddle Cochise.
“C’mon, little one, let’s have a look around this ranch,” Joe invited.
The girl sat mutely at the table staring. Hesitating for a moment to
see if she would respond, Joe walked over and took her by the hand.
She walked along at his side. Joe put the little girl on the horse and
jumped up behind her, holding her around the middle. She held tight
to her vest.
__________________________
Ben slept as late as he could in the quiet hotel. He took his time
peacefully preparing for the day and then went downstairs to have breakfast.
He was on his third cup of coffee before he let his mind consider the situation
at home. He didn’tt think that running a ranch was going to allow time
to take on the raising of such a disturbed little girl.
He would make some inquires and see if someone might take her in.
His first stop was to see Sheriff Coffey. “How’s it going, Roy?”
“Alright I guess, what’s brought you to town?”
“I had to get a little distance from that....that..little girl we found.”
“How long you in town for, Ben?”
“I don’t know...couple days, I guess...long enough to get rested up.”
“Well”, said Roy, “I haven’t been out for a fancy dinner in a month a Sundays.
How ‘bout we check out that new place tonight?”
“Sounds good, Roy. Say, you hear back on any of those telegrams you
sent?”
“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I got a response this morning. Feller
had some kin in Missouri. Got in trouble with the law all the time...nothin’
serious...just drinking and disturbin’ the peace...family run him out...told
him to go out west where he could find people just like him! Didn’t
know anything about any kid, girl OR boy”.
“That’s too bad,” Ben said. “I was kind of hoping we would find someone
to take her in.” Speaking of that, is there someone here in town you
could recommend that might be willing to take on a little girl? I don’t
think the ranch is the best place to raise a girl, especially one we can’t
even talk to.”
“I don’t know”, said Roy. “You might try the Gunthers, Jim and Donna.
They raised a passel of kids, most of ‘em girls...they might be able to take
her in”.
Ben knew the Gunthers. They did, indeed have a large family. The girls
were all well manered and mostly grown. Maybe they could spare a place
for a homeless child.
Donna opened the door when he knocked. She welcomed him in.
“Ben Cartwright, I haven’t seen you in some time! Would you like some
coffee?” Ben declined, “I’ve had my fill. I’ve had a lazy morning.”
“That doesn’t sound like the Ben Cartwright I know. You’re one of
the busiest men around.” Donna said.
“Well, we’ve come up with a bit of a problem at the Ponderosa and I came
into town to see what I could do about it. As a matter of fact, that’s
why I’m here. I’m wondering if you can help with it”.
“You need help from me, Ben? From us? Name it! We’ll do
what we can!”
“You may not be so sure once you hear what it is”, Ben said. “We...we
found a little girl on the Ponderosa. I don’t know how she got there
or where she came from. She was right next to a burned out wagon and
a dead man...but as far as Roy has been able to determine, none of the events
are connected. The man had been spending the last week in town, drinking
and brawling. He didn’t have any money and sure didn’t have a wagon.
Roy said the girl wasn’t with him either. He sent back to the fellow’s
home town and found out that he wasn’t any better off there than he was here
but that he had come out west alone. So we can’t find any family to
take this girl in”.
“Oh, is that the kind of help you need, Ben?” asked Donna. Our house
is almost empty. I’m sure we’d be glad to take her. How old is
she?”
“Well...uh...we haven’t been able to determine that yet. You see,
she won’t say anything. She’s been through some kind of pretty traumatic
experience, I guess. She doesn’t talk but she can scream...and usually
she does that when she wakes up.”
“Well, I’ve dealt with my share of nightmares” Donna replied. “I’m sure
we could give it a try and see how things work out. When do you want
to bring her in?”
“Well, to tell you the truth, I think the sooner the better. We’re
four men trying to run a ranch and I just don’t think we have the time or
energy to spare looking after such a needy little girl. She’s kind of
interrupted the whole operation - I really need to get some work done and
I don’t want to make another trip into town this week,...how about I bring
her to church with us on Sunday and then you can take her home?”
“That will be fine, Ben” said Donna. “Is there anyhing else you need.”
Ben thought a moment, “Yes, now that you’ve brought it up, she’s wearing
an old shirt of Adam’s. We don’t have anything to dress girls in.
Do you have any old clothes here that she could borrow?”
“How big is she?” Donna asked.
“Oh, I don’t know...between say...4 and 6 it looks like.”
“Be back in a moment”. Donna ran up the stairs. Several minutes later
she returned with several dfresses, in a size tht looked like they would fit
the child. She had also tucked in a little stuffed bunny.
Ben gathered up the articles. “Well thans Donna...thank you very much....say,
do you want to talk this over with Jim or.....”
“Oh no, don’t worry about that. Jim misses the girls as much as I
do. I’m sure he’d like to spend time with a little girl again while
he’s waiting for his own grandchildren.”
Ben left the house with his arms full of clothing....his mind felt lighter
having the problem solved but he felt a twinge of anxiety too. This
girl’s problems were just a little beyond what the Gunthers were used to.
Still, they HAD raised five daughters and he’d had none. Donna
was probably a much better match than he would ever be. He looked forward
to another long peaceful evening after a good meal and some adult conversation
with Roy.
__________________________
Joe headed for his special place out of habit. Riding as fast as he
could, he was barely aware of the rigid child that sat in front of him but
the swaying of the horse seemed to calm her and she slowly relaxed, leaning
back on to his chest. He kept his arm firmly around her middle.
When he reached the gravesite, he reigned in Cochise. He grabbed the
girl by the waist and swung his leg over the saddle horn, landing on his feet.
She stood staring. Joe got down on one knee so he could look directly
into her eyes. “I’m kinda like you, litle one” he told her.
“I used to have a ma but she’s in heaven now”. The girl stared at him...unresponsive.
He couldn’t tell if she understood a word he said. He continued making
quiet conversation, “a lot of times if I’m feeling sad or alone I come down
here because I have a real strong memory of her here. She used to bring
me here on picnics. You ever been on a picnic?”
No response from the girl.
Joe said, “well, you’re about to ‘cause Hop Sing packed us up a lunch and
we can have it right here by the water.” He took his saddle blanket
down off Cochise and spread out some treats Hop Sing had sent along.
“Well, what are you waiting for, miss, here’s our table. Let’s sit down
and eat!”. The girl continued to stand, staring at him till he reached
for her hand and brought her to the blanket, pulling on her arm to bring
her down to a sitting level. As they ate, Joe doggedly attempted to
keep up a conversation but it was essentially a monologue. “You ever
been fishing? Hoss used to bring me up here a lot. We’ve caught
some big ones. Hey, and Adam taught me to swim here too.
You ever been swimming? Look here, Hop Sing put in some extra
cookies. Wonder if they ‘re for you...” his voice trailed off.
It was useless.
Joe got up and walked over to the edge of the water and found a flat stone
and skipped it across the water. He counted seven bounces. He looked
back. The girl was watching him intently. He tossed another.
It went five. Another...seven again. A quick look back over his
shoulder and he saw that she was walking towards him. She reached down
and picked up a handful of pebbles and threw them into the water and looked
up at Joe. Joe thought for a moment...’I could show her how to skip
rocks...’ and let it go. There was something happening in the
communication and that was far more important than a lesson. He grabbed
a handful of pebbles and tossed them in. Soon it became a contest and
they were laughing at the variety of sounds that different rocks made and
watching the ripples. There was no talk but Joe definitely felt he was
getting somewhere.
After a while, Joe picked up his supplies and the girl and took off
riding around the ranch, calling attention to one site after another.
Suddenly, he felt the girl go rigid as he held her waist. She rocked
back and banged her head on his chest and began that awful keeing sound that
the Cartwrights had so come to detest. Joe had just been on a random
ride but he looked up and saw the charred remains of the wagon where Pa had
found the little girl. He tried to soothe her as they turned and headed
home as fast as he could. “Little one, I wasn’t even thinking.
I just wanted to show you some pretty sights. This is a big ranch and
we’re very proud of it.” But his words were lost, both on the child
an overridden by the sound.
As he approached the house, Hoss came running outside “what happened, Joe”?
“Oh, I guess I wasn’t watching where I was going and we wound up where Pa
found her. I can’t communicate with her at all now. She’s stiff
as a board”. Hoss took the girl down from Joe’s care so Joe could take
care of Cochise. As he opened thet door to the house he saw Adam standing
on the first landing of the stairs, his face a mask of anger and frustration.
“What’s the matter! Can’t you even let me get some sleep? I’ve
taken the nights and here I’m trying to get a little sleep and...what went
wrong anyway?”
Hoss replied, “I guess Joe took her for a ride around the ranch and they
wound up where Pa found her...that place where we buried that fella and that
wagon is.”
Adam swore under his breath in exasperation. It was going to take
all his effort to calm the child down again. He had Hoss bring her
to his room and got down his guitar. He went through some songs and
once again, when he sang Aura Lee, she quieted and took in the song.
__________________________
Everyone had had their fill of handling the child by the third day.
No one could think of any way to quiet her when she was distraught or entertain
her. The approaching hoofbeats couldn’t have come soon enough to please
ANYONE. The little girl noticed immediatley. She went to
the window but couldn’t see. She went to the front door and opened it.
There he was, riding on that big horse with the dark mane.
The man who saved her. Her first memory. She ran out the door.
The first word that anyone had heard her say escaped her lips, “Pa!”
she shrieked, running out towards the horse.
Ben hadn’t expected this reception. He had left a terrorized and mute
girl (except for that squealing when she was terrified). He had left
for sanctuary. Coming at him, full tilt, was a scarecrow of a child
but clearly eager to see him, yelling his name...to date, no one could tell
if she could even speak. “Pa” she cried again!
Ben felt something well up inside. He had been the father of three
boys and the lover of three wives. He had known love. But something
was different here. This was a potential daughter. A girl
already tearing at his heartstrings. A girl to bring up. To be proud
of. A daughter? His eyes welled. He jumped off his horse and gathered
the girl in his arms. She buried her face in his neck. He carried
her into the house.
Adam, Hoss and Joe stood just inside the door. Adam said “did she
say what I think she did?” Pa replied, “Yes son, she called me Pa.
I....I’m not sure what to do. I made arrangements to have the Gunthers take
her in but if she is speaking - if she’s feeling comfortable here...I
hate to do anything that would set her back.”
“Here, little one, come see what I got you from town” Ben said. He
had been a little overly optimistic. This girl had ahold of his neck
and wasn’t inclined to let go. “Hoss, would you get that box out of
the buckboard?”
Ben sat down on the couch with the child. Hoss brought the box in
and set it down in front of them. Ben tried to reach the box, but the
girl wouldn’t let go. He tried a soothing voice and tried to talk to
her about what had gone on in his absence.
“What made you call me Pa?”, he asked. “They say it.” replied
the girl. A fledgling conversation had started. “Who are they?’, Ben
asked. The girl pointed at the three men.”Well, do you know who they are?”
Ben inquired?
The girl pointed at each one in order, “Adam....Hoss...Joe,” she aid.
Ben didn’t quite know how but it seemed that some kind of miracle had taken
place during his absence. “How about you?” he asked softly. “What’s
your name?”
No response. The sound had gone. She stared mutely as tears
welled in her eyes. Her memory didn’t go that far. It started
when ‘Pa’ put her on the horse and rode to the ranch house. If everyone
had a name, why didn’t she?
Joe and Hoss opened up the box. “Whooee, look at all this stuff!
Pa where’d you get all them pretty little dresses? asked Hoss. “Come
on, little one...let’s see how these will look on you”.
Joe found a dress and ofered it to the girl, “Hey come here...I know about
ladies and fashion and stuff...this will bring out your pretty green eyes.
You don’t want to wear that old shirt of Adam’s anymore do you?”
Having ‘Pa’ back, the child reluctantly gave up the vest and changed into
the dress Joe had found. She spied the little bunny at the bottom of
the box and grabbed on to it tightly. It was soft and had a sweet smell.
It wasn’t as soothing as the vest but nobody else had a claim on it.
She could have it all to herself.
Hop Sing called the family to dinner. He made a fuss over the little
girl. “Now we have pretty lady at table. Al you men wait till
she sits!”. The men indulged Hop Sing but the little girl didn’t know
what to do.
“Go on, Little One,” siad Hoss. “You’re the one keepin’ us from eatin’.
You better sit down before I starve.”
The girl sat down and everyone else did too.
After dinner, Ben had the boys aside one by one to hear how they had coped
with the child and how they had come to communicate. Nobody could explain
her sudden speech. It had come as suddenly as Ben had returned.
He did discover, however, that she was particularly enchanged by Adam’s singing
and thought they should round out the night with some song.
“Hop Sing”, Ben asked, “is there some fresh coffee?” Hop Sing immediately
brought in a tray and set it down on the coffee table in front of the
fireplace. Adam went for his guitar and the girl, now holding her litte
bunny gravitated toward Ben’s chair. He pulled her onto his lap and
she absently clutched at his vest while she held the bunny in her other hand.
Adam led the family in a lively song or two and suddely the little girl
spoke up! “Adam, can you do that Lorrie Lee song?” Adam had to
think for a minute...”Lorr....oh!” he acknowledge. “Aura Lee?”
Adam sang and the girl nestled into Ben’s chest and drifted off to sleep.
“That seems to do the trick for her every time, Pa” said Adam. That
one song she always responds to! It’s like she knows it from before.”
“Maybe we can call her after it” said Hoss. “She don’t seem to know
her name and she likes it a lot”.
“Yeah,” Adam replied. But she calls it “Lorrie Lee”.
“What’s wrong with Lorrie?” asked Joe. That ought to work as a name.
“We’ll give it a try and see how it goes” said Ben. Meantime, I’ve
arranged for the Gunthers to take her this Sunday. There will be a big
picnic after church and we’ll try to get acquainted and then maybe they can
do whatever it is girls need so that she can get over this experience.
Lord knows they’ve had plenty of practice”.
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Two days later, Sunday, Ben came into the little girl’s room to wake her
up. He told her “we’re going on a special picnic today and you get to
meet some special people. I think you’ll like them.” The girl
watched solmenly as Ben gathered everything in her room and put it into a
wicker box. What could this mean? She didn’t get to sleep in this
room anymore?
The family had a quick breakfast and the girl noticed that everyone was
wearing fancy clothes. “Pa” had a frilly dress set aside but told her
she had to wait till after breakfast to wear it. Something was different.
Everyone was quiet. She tried to remmember to answer when they called
her “Lorrie” after the song. There was a lot to take in that morning.
Everyone was in a rush and soon they were bond or town in the buggy.
The little girl sat next to Pa with just her finger and thumb tucked into
the bottom of his vest where he didn’t even feel it. Back and forth
she worked the leather as she tried to hang on to her world.
Church was a horrible place! People everywhere. Noise.
People smiling big smiles right in her face. Pinching her cheek.
Grabbing her by the shoulders and holding her so they could “just look at
you, aren’t you something”....she was falling apart. She could tell.
She wanted to be that Lorrie that “Pa” said she was but these people
were so scary.
Finally they all went inside and sat down on the benches. She sat
between Pa and Joe. That helped. She stared at her lap.
Suddenly a man came out in front of everyone yelling about sin and not being
saved. The little gril leaned over on “Pa” glad he had saved her.
There were surprises waiting.
After a long time of listening to that man talk, everyone went outside.
A man and woman came up to “Pa” and the woman said, “so this is the little
charge you want some help with, eh?” Pa replied, “Yes, we call her Lorrie.
Say hello, Lorrie”. The girl looked up..’can he mean me?’ and saw the
expectation on the lady’s face. She tried. She was going to say
it but instead turned into Pa’s stomach and hid her face, falling into sobbing
hysterics.
Ben took her away from the crowd. “Little one, we think it would be
good for you to live with a lady. Somebody who knows what girls are
like and can help them grow up. That lady you just met would like you
to stay with her. Let’s go back and talk to her, okay?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Gunther, this is....uh...Lorrie. Tell them hello,
Lorrie.” The little girl looked at the man and woman. They sounded
friendly but they didn’t look it. Suddenly then woman said, “How would
you like to come to our house, Lorrie? You could live in town and go
to school and have lots of friends...”
The litte girl..Lorrie (she was starting to get used to that now) had her
left hand on Pa’s vest. She was holding on tight. Leave Pa?
And Hoss and Adam and Joe? and Hop Sing? Go with these people
with big mouths? Her fingers rubbed the leather back and forth faster
and faster. She dropped to the ground. She let go. Her hands
went over her ears. Her eyes squinched shut. Out came th e dreadful
shrieking/keening noise that was so familiar at the Cartwright household.
Mrs. Gunther bent down to comfort her. The touch..the smell...Lorrie
bolted. She ran as fast and as far as she could. The screaming
didn’t diminish. Mrs. Gunther was visibly affronted. “Well, I
don’t know if we are going to be that much help, Ben. I don’t knwo if
we can take in a girl that...well she doesn’t take to strangers...she..
Joe had run after the girl. He caught up with her and swept her up
into his arms. “Hey Lorrie”, he crooned. “It’s alright.
We’re not gonna make you go somewhere else. You can stay right with
us. I’ll show you how to be the littlest one. I can do it.
I’ve had lots of practice. I’ll help you”. Lorrie buried her face
in Joe’s coat. There was a smell she felt comfortable with. She
quite struggling and allowed Joe to carry her back to the buggy. He
didn’t stop by Pa or the Gunthe r’s. He got right into the buggy and
sat face to face with Lorrie. “Now you just sit right next to
me, here and I’m gonna show you how we drive home!”
Ben tried to apologize to the Gunthers. The uproar had called a lot
of attention to the little group and they were clearly uncomfortable and anxious
to be away.
“Ben, “ Donna said, “you just keep those clothes for now. Maybe if
she ever calms down some...” her voice trailed off.
Hoss had set the trunk down by the Gunther’s buggy. He picked it up
now and returned it to their own. He climbed up on the front side on
the other side of Lorrie. “Let’s see if you kin drive this home, Lorrie.”
Hoss said. “But don’t forget to stop and get Pa and Adam”. Joe
held the reins and Hoss helped Lorrie hold on to the ends. Joe gave
them a flick and the buggy moved forward. The movement surprised
a smile out of Lorrie.
As they approached the Gunthers and Ben and Adam, Hoss told Lorrie to pull
back on the reins. Joe, still holding the reins further down out of
Lorrie’s reach, gave a quick yank and the horses stopped. Ben and Adam
were just as anxious to be way and quickly scrambled into the back of the
buggy. As soon as they were aboard, Joe and Lorrie, together, gave the
reins a quick slap and Hoss let out a loud “Get on!” The quick, unexpected
motion rocked both Adam and Ben who fought to avoid tumbling out the back.
The Cartwright buggy was soon a speck on the horizon, heading toward a new
lifestyle and unknown adventures.
* Formerly posted under pen name Lorrie Wood
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