"Early one morninggggg,"
Little Joe warbled.
"No, no, no. Joe, you can't sing that high," Adam grinned.
"Sure I can - Early one morning, just as the sun was rising."
Hoss guffawed.
"Shut up, Hoss. I'm just finding my
range."
"Aw, Joe. That song ain't fer you."
Little Joe looked to his father. "Pa? What do you say?"
Ben ran his hand over his mouth to hide a smile. "Well, son, they
could be right."
"No, no, listen. I heard a maiden singing in the valley below."
Joe's three family members exchanged looks of mirth. Little Joe
frowned. "I can sing!"
"Then start," Adam quipped.
"Gol dang you, Adam!"
Their father interceded. "Now, son."
He chuckled. "Why don't you
try a different song?"
Joe folded his arms and assumed a pouting face.
Hoss punched him lightly on the arm.
"Aw,
come on, Joe. What do ya
want to sing fer anyway?"
"Betty Sue likes music."
"Then play yer harmonica," Hoss suggested.
A pained look came over Adam's face. "Oh please. Not
that."
"Adam, stay out of this," Joe warned.
"Fine. Play your harmonica. It's
as offkey as your singing."
"Gol
dang you, Adam!"
Ben and Hoss stepped in between the
youngest and
oldest sons as Joe
was swinging his fist. Hoss easily
blocked it.
"Cut it out, Joe."
Ben gave Little Joe a warning glare then turned to his
oldest. "Adam, leave your brother alone. If he wants to
sing
for
his girl or play his harmonica for her it's his business."
"Just trying to protect him,
stock."
Little Joe snarled, "Don't do me any favors, Adam."
"Fine. Go ahead and practice your
little
heart out." Adam turned
and headed toward the front door, grabbing his hat, holster and coat
on the way.
Ben called after him, "Where are you going?"
"I have to see a man about a horse."
The others watched him go out then Hoss
shrugged and
decided he was
hungry. He headed to the kitchen.
Little Joe looked to his father who had a slight grin on his face.
"You hate my music too, don't 'cha, Pa?"
"Now, Joseph."
"I can sing."
"Of course you can."
"And play the harmonica."
"Of course." Ben squeezed his arm then
headed to retrieve his hat
by the front door.
"Where ya going, Pa?"
Ben put his hat on, then buckled his
holster.
"You're going to
practice, right?"
Little Joe thought about it briefly. "Yeah."
"The singing?"
"Yeah."
"And the harmonica?"
"Maybe. So where you going?"
Grabbing his coat, Ben told Little Joe, "I gotta
see a man about a
horse, too." He hurried out, leaving a disconcerted Little Joe
behind.
Hoss came out of the kitchen with four
large cookies
in his big
hands and saw Joe looking morosely at the door. "What's wrong?"
"Hoss?"
Little Joe looked at Hoss with that
hangdog look he wwore
from time to time. "You'd tell me the truth, right?"
"Huh?" Hoss had a feeling he knew
what was coming.
"The song?"
Hoss stammered, "Well, uh, maybe it ain't, uh, right fer
you."
Joe frowned. "And the harmonica?"
Hoss screwed his face up, not relishing
this
chore. "Uh, mebbe ya
better practice a little more."
Joe plopped on the settee and stuck his boots up on the table in
front of him. Hoss eyed him but
decided against
saying anything
about the wayward boots.
Little Joe blew out a long breath and muttered, "What am I going to
do about Betty Sue?"
"Jus' sing a song that doesn't go up so high.
Ya sing good but not
that song that Adam sings."
Little Joe considered his advice. "Maybe you're right."
Hoss walked toward the front door and
grabbed his
hat. Joe turned
his head in that direction. "Where you
going?"
Plopping his hat on his head and grabbing his holster, Hoss
asked, "You gonna practice singin'
now, right?"
Little Joe's brows drew together. "Why?"
Hoss grabbed his coat and said quickly, "I gotta see a man about a
horse before Adam and Pa git it." He
rushed out and Little Joe
could hear his brother's guffaws even after the door was closed.
Joe turned back on the settee and folded his arms. "Critics!"
At that time, he caught sight of Hop Sing peeking around the kitchen
corner and looking his way. Little Joe was puzzled. "Do you
want
something, Hop Sing?"
Hop Sing was trapped so he came further into the dining room. "You
plactice now, Little Joe?"
"Aw, come on! Not you, too."
"Then Hop Sing got to see man about all horses Adam, Hoss and Mr.
Cartlight blinging
home!" He rushed off as Little Joe called out to
the now empty house, "Very funny!"
THE END
by: Hope