Little House on the Ponderosa

Part Three

By Sara and Valerie

Albert came back to the present, and started his story, "I grew up living with another family who adopted me, the Ingalls. Besides Ma and Pa, I have five sisters, Mary, who runs a blind school with her lawyer husband, Adam, Laura who teaches school in Walnut Grove and lives with Almanzo, including me for a while, Carrie, Cassandra, and Grace. I also have a brother, James. Cassandra and James were also adopted by Ma and Pa at a later point. Laura and Mary are older than me, and the rest are younger," he said, wanting to get it over with fast, as he and Pa had decided upon in one of their late night discussions.

Ben was glad to see that Albert wasn't going to hide secrets from his sons, but still felt Joe needed a bit of a reprimand. "Joseph, don't pry into other's lives, it's not polite," he said gently.

Joe nodded, "Sorry sir, sorry Albert."

Albert felt embarrassed for causing someone else to be in trouble, "It's no problem," he said sincerely.

Hop Sing came in to clear the table. Albert stood up to help him, piling dirty plates and rising to follow him. "What you do? Boy never help Hop Sing."

Albert put down the dishes, totally embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I always clear the table at home, I didn't mean anything." He felt horrid for doing something wrong.

Ben laughed, "It's okay Albert, it's just that none of my boys have ever helped with kitchen chores unless it was punishment. You shocked Hop Sing, that's all. Go ahead and help him if you want."

Albert nodded, "Yes sir, if it's okay, I kind of feel guilty not helping with the food and everything."

Joe tried to keep back a laugh, upon hearing Hop Sing's mutterings in Chinese, he shut up quickly. Adam and Hoss were turning red, they had never thought of it that way.

Ben smiled at his sons' discomfort. "That's fine. Afterwards, we'll discuss where you will be sleeping and what your main chores will be."

"Yes sir," Albert said, returning to clearing the table and helping Hop Sing.

The table was quickly cleared and Hop Sing brought in the dessert while Albert brought in the coffee, serving first Ben, then Adam, then Hoss, and then looked at Ben for approval before pouring for Little Joe and finally for himself. Ben admired his manners yet again - this Ingalls family must really have been strict with their rules on manners and respect. Ben approved.

Albert returned the coffee to the kitchen and sat back at the table, and, after making sure Ben had taken first, took a piece of the pie for dessert.

Ben looked at Albert, "So, what made you decide to leave home and come West?" he asked.

Albert put down the forkful of pie he was about to put in his mouth and looked at Ben. "Well, sir, I figured with so many people in the house, it would be good to leave, and Pa had told so many stories of moving West that I felt it was a good move to make."

Ben nodded, remembering the size of the family Albert had described. "What made you come to Virginia City ?" he asked.

Albert thought for a moment. "Well, Mr. Edwards, he's a friend of Pa's, he was over one night when Pa and I were discussing my leaving and where I might go. He suggested I try Virginia City , and maybe try to find my way to the Ponderosa to try for a position since it was a good place to work."

Adam thought for a moment. "Edwards? Isaiah Edwards?” At Albert’s nod, Adam continued, “He worked here, didn't he? He was a good worker, a bit too much at the saloon, but he always returned in time to give a good day's work. What ever happened to him?"

Albert looked to Adam, "He's fine, least last I heard. He's married now, and living in Walnut Grove. I'll send him your regards when I write home next, if you'd like," he offered.

Adam nodded, "Yes, thank you."

Ben had listened carefully to what was being said. He liked how this young man interacted with his sons. "So, what are you capable of doing?"

Albert thought, and though he wanted to practice medicine, after what had happened, he didn't want to at the same time, so he didn't mention that. "Well, being on the farm I got pretty good at working with horses, at a mill where Pa worked, farming, gardening, ciphering , and ... uh ... working in a kitchen helping Ma when the restaurant got too crowded ..." Albert couldn't bring himself to mention the medicine he had studied.

"Anything else?" Ben asked. "That's quite an array of achievements."

Albert thought. "Oh, and I helped Laura out by taking over the school a few times when she needed to be elsewhere, and go to help out at the blind school when they need an extra hand or set of eyes," he added.

Adam wondered why Albert wasn't mentioning the medicine, but figured he'd talk to Albert alone later, when he got to know the boy in this setting rather than just as passengers on a train.

Little Joe groaned, "A school teacher?" He turned to Adam, "You brought home a school teacher? Aren't you enough for me to deal with bothering me about my learning?"

Albert quickly raised his napkin to his mouth to hide a smile. "It's not so bad to live with the teacher. My sister was my teacher for a few years, and I didn't mind," Albert said, then, thinking back, he added, "well, at least not that much," with a smile, remembering when Laura had first started teaching, and how it came that the two of them were able to deal with it.

Ben looked at Albert. "Well, how about we start you out with helping Hoss or Adam around the ranch for a few days so you can get the feel of things out here, and then we'll see where you will best fit in the needs of the ranch?" he offered.

Albert jolted back to the present, and nodded, "Yes sir."

"As for sleeping, there's an extra bunk in the boy's room, you can join them in there."

"Thank you sir."

"You mind a bottom bunk?" asked Hoss. Adam had finally gotten a top bunk, and Hoss knew if Albert wanted a top, that Hoss would be the one to lose out.

"Whatever is free is fine by me," Albert said. He was happy enough to have a bed to himself, and not have to share. He had hated that the most when James and Cassandra had come to live with the Ingalls – giving up his own bed.

Adam and Hoss both sighed with relief, their top bunks were safe.

Ben took his coffee and went to sit by the fireplace. Albert saw the rest of the family rising, and cleared the remains on the table to the kitchen and helped Hop Sing in there.

Adam looked at Pa, "Well, he's definitely a help to Hop Sing, maybe, if Albert doesn't mind, you can have him help Hop Sing out a bit? I'm sure Hop Sing would appreciate it."

Ben nodded. "I think that might work, I'm sure he wouldn't say anything about it, and Hop Sing definitely could use the help. But I also want to give him a chance to help out on the ranch too, that seems to be at least part of the reason of why he came out here."

Turning to Little Joe, Ben said, "Did you finish your homework?"

Little Joe groaned. "Just a page of math left Pa," he said.

"Why don't you start on it at the table, and if you need help I'm sure either Adam or Albert will be glad to help you."

Joe got up and went to get his books without saying another word, not wanting to get Pa angry, maybe Albert would be more patient and helpful in his homework. He returned and sat at the table doing his homework.

Adam drew closer to Ben, "Pa?"

Ben rubbed his head, "Yes Adam?"

"Uh, on the train, Albert mentioned something about having studied medicine, and he was reading a book on medicine, but he doesn't really seem to want to talk about it, and he never mentioned it to you," Adam said softly, not wanting Albert to hear.

"Yes, I felt he was not telling all too, but that's his right. I'm sure he'll tell us eventually, but for now let's pretend we don't know anything about it."

"But Pa, we could really use someone with medical experience here on the ranch, especially with all the times we've had Paul out here for Joe," then, seeing the look on Ben's face, "Not that I would want to hurt Paul, but I'm sure he has plenty to do without the long trip here and back all the time - think of what a help it would be to him to have another doctor in the area."

Ben nodded, "I agree it would probably be a help, but if Albert doesn't want to mention it, I'd say we should respect him."

"Yes sir," Adam said.

Little Joe was rubbing fiercely at a sum on his tablet. Albert had finished helping Hop Sing and was passing by on his way to where the other Cartwrights were sitting. "Do you need help?" he offered quietly, not wanting to offend Joe.

Joe looked up gratefully. "I can't get these to work right," he complained.

Albert sat down next to him and looked at the problems and how Joe was trying to cipher them. "Why don't you start one, and let me see how you're doing it so I can help?" he offered.

Joe was grateful for the attention and the help. " Okay," and he started the first one.

Ben looked over at Joe, by this point he would have been complaining or pestering for help. Instead, there he was, studiously working away at the problems, with Albert looking over his shoulder and pointing out what must have been errors. Would wonders never cease?

Ben nudged Adam, and put his finger to his mouth. He motioned over toward Albert helping Joe with his homework, and Joe submitting willingly. Adam felt a mix of emotions - he was glad to see Joe was able to take schoolwork seriously enough to accept help, yet he was upset and jealous that it wasn't himself doing that for Joe.

Hoss was taking out the checkerboard, "Play ya Adam?" he offered, seeing a look that wasn't happy passing over Adam's face, not sure what it was, but figuring it had to do with what was happening at the table.

Adam looked over at Hoss, "Huh?" then, seeing the checkers out, "Oh, sure," he agreed.

Sitting down, the two elder Cartwright boys started a quiet game of checkers. Ben smiled looking at them, when they played it was so quiet, but when Joe played, it was always a loud event with his comments and movements and everything.

Before any of the Cartwrights could have figured, Joe put down his pencil, and stretched his arms above his head. Albert whispered into Joe's ear. Joe looked at him in surprise, then, looking over to Adam, playing checkers quietly with Hoss, nodded at Albert. He took up his homework and went over to stand behind Adam. When Adam didn't immediately recognize his being there, Joe cleared his throat loudly. Adam jumped and looked at Joe. "You cannot play until you have finished ALL of your homework Little Joe, you know that," he reprimanded his younger brother.

Joe looked crestfallen, "But I did finish it Adam, I just wanted to ask ya ta check it for me," he said.

Adam looked at Joe in disbelief. "You mean you finished ALL your homework this fast? What happened, is Miss Jones getting soft on you?"

Joe looked even more crestfallen, if that could be possible. Hoss noticed, "Aw, c'mon Adam, give him a break, if Joe says he finished it all, then he did," and looked at Ben, " Right Pa ?"

Ben felt confused, it was rare for Little Joe to finish his homework so fast, but Albert had been helping him, and keeping him on target. "Why don't you look and see like he asked, Adam, before making any decisions," Ben said diplomatically.

Adam rubbed the bridge of his nose. "All right, but it had all better be there," he said, taking the proffered homework. Glancing over it, Adam saw the usual amount of homework had been done. Looking at it more carefully, he realized that all of it was correct, and neat too!

Joe shuffled his feet while awaiting Adam's verdict. He had really been hoping for praise from Adam, who had always been after him to take more care and more interest in his schoolwork. Finally, he couldn't take it any more, "Well, it's all there, ain't it?" he demanded .

Adam nodded, "It's all here Pa, and it looks like it's all correct too," he said in total shock.

Ben reached out his hand for the work, and Adam obliged. Joe looked at Adam, "Told ya so!" and stuck out his tongue.

Ben decided to ignore the disrespect at the moment, until he finished looking over the homework. It definitely was in Little Joe's handwriting, and was all correct. He looked at Joe, "This is very good. See what you can do when you set your mind to it?" he asked.

Joe nodded, "Albert helped explain it to me so I understood, not like Adam with his dictionary words," he explained.

Adam felt that jealous feeling come up again.

Albert saw Adam's feeling of jealousy and felt bad. He hadn't meant to come between the two brothers, he just wanted to help Joe finish his homework and he did what he would have done with any of his siblings. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interfere," he began, thinking back to the last time he had been involved in sibling rivalry and how it turned out.

THE END


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