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The Gift To Charity
By: Tessa
It was evening but the sun had not completely disappeared leaving the sky softly lit. Inside the house, the table was set with hot food for the entire Cartwright family to devour. Seventeen-year old Hoss stared at the plate of chicken. Creamy mashed potatoes and hot brown gravy steamed nearby. He had worked all day with Adam and now all he wanted to do was dive in and help himself. But a concerned Ben sat on his right and gave out the order to wait for Little Joe. Adam leaned his left arm on the table and focused on the tablecloth. No one said a word, but waited as if Little Joe would burst into the house soon.
Ben sat in his usual place not saying one word. He had his chin sitting atop his fisted hands. He kept looking towards the front door area
becoming more and more impatient. Joe
was not home like he was supposed to be.
Ben tried not to become angry, but was losing his patience and becoming
a little fearful for Joe’s safety.
"Pa, why don't I saddle up and go find him?"
Adam offered as he began to remove his napkin from his lap. “Maybe his horse became lame on the trail and
he’s walking”
"I was hoping no one would have to go find him, Adam, but I can't eat
without him home. I’m worried," Ben answered in great concern.
Just as Adam began to stand, the front door opened and then slammed. The sound
of fast footsteps came from the front door to the dining room area. Adam sat down. He didn't need to see who it was because he
knew it was his brother.
An eleven-year old Joe sounded a little winded while apologizing to his father
for being late.
"Pa, I'm sorry I was late. I tried
real hard to get home. But I had important business." Joe's expression was
very determined and serious. Ben could
tell the boy wasn’t late because he was goofing off.
Joe stopped at Adam's place at the table and handed him ten dollars. "Here, Adam, this is the money I
promised for the fund-raiser."
”Thanks, Joe. But I thought you said it
would take another week to get the money.
There wasn’t any rush on this.” Adam said.
“It’s Okay, Adam. I promised the money and I want to keep my word.” Joe walked over to his place at the table. It was on Ben's right and across from Adam.
"Young man!” Ben started
out. “You know the rules in this house
and I demand a reason for you getting home late." Ben was angry, but didn't want Joe to know
that the look in Joe’s big green eyes could soften him.
"Pa, you know I don't disobey you on purpose, but this was so important." Joe said very matter-of-factly.
"Oh!" exclaimed Ben. Adam and
Hoss were silent, but listened to every word Joe said.
"Yeah, I had to talk to Johnny before I could come home. He owed me the
ten dollars I gave to Adam. Pa! I
promised Adam I'd give him that money for his charity." Joe leaned closer
to his father, "I couldn't let Adam down,
"I see." Ben said still
keeping his stern stance on Joe’s coming home late. "But, you told Adam he would have to
wait."
"Well, I did. But then I figured a
charity is very important. And you
always said, Pa, that we should keep a promise when we make it.” The small eyebrows over Joe’s eyes wrinkled
up and Ben could see how serious his young son was about this.
“Yes, I have tried to teach all of you to honor your word. But Joseph, we also have a commitment to our family when we’re all together.” Ben tried to be careful and not step on Joe’s toes for trying to do something right.
“Sure,
Hoss knew from past conversations, Joe would come up with something good. He
was having a hard time restraining a giggle that was trying to come out from
behind his smile.
Hoss and Adam picked at the food they had on their plate. Their eyes kept going
back and forth from Ben to Joe.
Ben was curious himself about this ‘hurrying up’ that Joe mentioned.
"So, Joe, how did you hurry Johnny up?
If he didn't have the money, then how did he give it for you?"
"Oh, Pa, he had the money. He’s always got some money. He was just stalling on givin'
it ta me. Anyways..."
"Joe, it’s ‘he always has’ and ‘anyway,’ not anyways..." Adam
corrected Joe's English as he usually does when he tries to get lazy with it.
"Anyway...I just reminded Johnny that I saw him kissing Amanda behind the
building after church last Sunday."
Joe stayed serious, but snickers were heard from both Adam and
Hoss. They knew Joe’s stories to his Pa
were pretty good and sometimes, inventive.
Ben’s anger rose in Joe’s comment.
"Joseph Cartwright!!!! This family does not engage in being peeping
Toms to get money or anything for any cause.
Do you understand that?"
“I didn’t peeping Tom at
Adam and Hoss giggled some more until Ben gave both a stern look.
”Uh, Pa…”Hoss tried to intervene for his little brother.
“Hoss, do you need to be a part of this conversation?” Ben asked.
“No sir, no sir.” Hoss kept quiet and looked over at Adam who grinned back at him.
Ben continued his questioning of Joe. “I
hope, Mother of Mercy, that you didn’t get into any
bribery with Johnny for the money?”
"I didn't use bribery, either,
Adam kept his eyes on his plate. “Going to, Joe.”
Ben glanced at Adam who didn’t notice and then he addressed Joe. "What do you mean by that, young
man? I want an explanation as to exactly
what did you said to Johnny."
Joe softened his voice looking straight into his father's eyes. "Pa, when I saw Johnny kissing Amanda,
Betsy Cooper was with me." Joe
turned his head to look at each one of his brothers. "Well, you all know Betsy. She can't
keep a secret from anyone." Joe
looked at his father again, "She's got to be the first one to tell some ‘em.”
Adam smiled as he corrected him again, "Something, Joe. Say the whole
word."
Joe continued after giving Adam a little smirk for his interrupting him while
he was trying to convince Pa he was doing the right thing.
"Pa, If Johnny’s girlfriend doesn't know this by now, she will know by
tomorrow morning. So, I just figured that I would let Johnny know what I saw
before his girlfriend finds out. I just
used the information first."
Ben couldn't help but softly laugh at the boy. Joe’s logic certainly didn't match his, but
he was only trying to get his money to give to Adam for the charity. He wasn't
using it for himself or trying to be dishonest.
“Amanda isn’t Johnny’s girlfriend?” Ben
quizzed out of curiosity.
“Naw!!! He says he doesn’t like her. She’s kind a mean. After he kissed her, she kicked him,” Joe responded.
Adam and Hoss couldn’t help but let their laughter be heard. Ben looked at them again, but with a smile this time.
Ben’s anger melted.
"Joe, that is still a form of bribery. You
were still using it to get money from Johnny no matter what the reason."
Joe just smiled at his father.
"Pa! Please don't be mad at me. I'm sorry, but it was just real
important. Like Adam
always says.” This comment made
Adam sit up in his chair wondering how Joe was going to bring him into
this. "When you see an opportunity
to raise some cash, then you have to take the ini...."
"Initiative, Joe, but that's not quite what I meant," Adam said
giving his brother more of a parental look than a brother look.
"Initiative, Pa, I took the initiative."
Ben couldn't help but laugh at him now.
This has happened before where Little Joe listens to his older brother,
but puts a whole different interpretation on it.
"Joe, any sensible father would probably take his son
out to the barn for a tanning. But, I'm
grateful you are safe. I would like you
to make sure that you understand your brothers' meanings before you try to
follow their advice." Ben said
chewing his food.
"I knew you'd understand,
All the Cartwrights laughed. Hoss patted his brother on the shoulder.