" He's My Brother ?"
BY: Lynne G.
The young
man had been riding for a long time and he was now closer to his
destination. He decided to spend the night in
The sixteen year old had been living on his own since he left the only home he had known when he was fifteen years old.
His grandmother had raised him after his parents had died when he was just a baby, but it wasn't a happy life with his grandmother. She never really liked the boy, and she made his life very unpleasant.
Clay had always wanted to know more about his parents, but his grandmother refused to talk about them, so he stopped asking her questions about them.
As Clay got
older, he asked the father of one of his friends if he wouldn't mind going to
the Town Hall in
To his surprise, he was told that his parents weren't dead as he had been told by his grandmother. His mother's name was Marie and his father's name was Jean, but they were no longer married. Then to Clay's surprise, he learned that his mother had remarried to a man by the name of Ben Cartwright of Virginia City in the Nevada Territory, but that was about ten years ago.
Clay
couldn't figure out why his grandmother had lied to him about his parents,
especially his mother, so that was when he decided to leave home and head up to
the
Clay had worked at several ranches on his way to find his mother, and everytime he mentioned the name of Ben Cartwright, he heard good things about the man and his huge ranch called the Ponderosa, and that left him with a good feeling.
He hoped that when he finally found his mother, that he would be able to fit into her and her family's lives.
That night as Clay lay in his hotel room bed, he wondered about the Cartwrights. He had asked questions about them when he arrived in Virginia City and he was told that they were a very loving and very caring family, and that they helped anyone who needed help.
He had hoped that he could finally meet his mother, but sadly he was told that she had died five years ago. He was also very surprised to learn that he had a younger brother, and he couldn't wait to meet him. He was also told about Ben's two older sons, Adam and Hoss.
The next morning after breakfast, Clay was given directions to the Ponderosa, and he began his ride to the ranch. Clay hadn't told anyone that he was Marie's first born son just incase he wasn't welcomed at the ranch.
On his way to the ranch, Clay was very nervous about meeting the Cartwrights and so he decided not to mention anything to them who he was. He would see if he could get a job on the ranch and take it from there.
Adam and Hoss were busy doing some repairs to the corral fence posts when the young man rode into the yard. Clay was very impressed at everything he had seen so far. He loved the look of the large log ranch house which seemed so welcoming.
As soon as Adam and Hoss heard a horse enter the yard, they both looked up and smiled at the young man on the horse, who smiled back at them.
" Hi, can I help with something?" Adam asked as he continued to look at the young man. Nervously Clay replied back, " Yes, thank you. I'm looking for a Ben Cartwright. I heard in town that you might be hiring and I'm looking for a job."
" My name is Adam and this is my younger, but larger brother, Hoss. Come with me and I will take you to our Pa," Adam suggested.
" Thank you. It's nice to meet you, and by the way, my name is Clay Stafford," Clay replied. " It's nice to meet you too Clay," both Adam and Hoss responded.
Hoss went back to work on the corral as Adam and Clay went into the house.
As soon as Clay was in the house he was very impressed at what he saw. " Pa, this is Clay Stafford and he is looking for a job. I'll leave you two alone and get back to work," Adam said as he left the room.
" Thank you son. Clay, please sit down. My name is Ben Cartwright. Welcome to the Ponderosa," Ben greeted Clay warmly.
" Thank you sir. It's very nice to meet you too. I have heard many wonderful things about you and the Ponderosa at ranches I worked at on my way here," Clay explained.
" My my, that is good to hear. Tell me Clay, what kind of ranch work have you done?" Ben asked. " Well sir, just about every kind there is. Working with cattle, horses, chickens and pigs and doing many repairs as well."
Ben seemed
impressed by this young man as he listened to what Clay had told him.
" Clay, where are you from?" Ben asked. "
I'm from
" My goodness, you certainly are far from home aren't you?" Ben declared. " Yes sir. I decided that I wanted to see this part of the country, and I have really liked what I have seen so far, and I have decided to settle down in the area," Clay explained.
" It is very beautiful around here Clay, but the winters can be very harsh and bitter cold. You look rather young Clay. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Ben questioned.
" I don't mind sir. I am sixteen years old. I left home last year, and have been on my own since then. I did live with my grandmother, because both of my parent died when I was a baby. My grandmother didn't love me and we didn't get along at all. I tried to get her to like me, but she didn't want any part of that. When I turned fifteen, I left her house for good," Clay explained, as he looked sad.
" Sixteen years old, that is the same age as my middle son, Hoss. Clay, I am very sorry to hear that your parents died when you were a baby, and that you had a very unhappy childhood with your grandmother. No child should have to go through something like that. Childhood should be a very happy time in a person's life," Ben told Clay.
" Thank you sir for being so understanding. Your sons are very lucky to have a father like you, who is so loving and very caring," Clay softy said.
"
Thank you Clay. My sons haven't had it so easy though. You see,
Adam's mother died while giving birth to him. Soon after that, Adam and I
began our trip west. We had been in
" While on our way west, I met an wonderful lady named Inger . We fell in love, married and the three of us continued west. Adam was five years old at that time."
" A year later, Hoss was born, and still on our way west, our wagon train was attacked by indians, and sadly my Inger was killed. So I had to be both father and mother to my two sons."
"
Three years later, I found heaven on earth right here, and I bought it and we
settled down. We built the house, and by then, I had several men working
for me, and life seemed perfect for us. Then one of my hands saved my
life in an accident, but sadly he was killed. I knew that he had a wife
in
" I kept my promise to him and I went to New Orleans, found his former wife, and explained to her what had happened to him, and I told her that he was a wonderful man, and that had forgiven her for everything that had happened."
" I didn't plan to fall in love again, but when Marie, that was her name, and I had first met, there was just something so special about her. The more time we were together, we fell in love, and we got married before coming back here."
" We both found out that Jean's mother and her cousin had set Marie up to make it look like she was having an affair, in order to break up her marriage. That is when she told me that she had had a baby five years earlier with Jean, but had been told that the baby had died."
" Anyway, Marie loved both Adam and Hoss as if they were her own son's. One year after we had returned back here, Marie gave birth to a tiny baby boy, and we named him Joseph Francis Cartwright."
" Little Joe, that's what we call him because he is so small, was very lucky to have his mother for the first five years of his life. He is so much like her in every way, that just looking at him, you can see Marie. They have the same big green eyes, the soft brown curly hair, the small body, the same personality, the same quick temper, the stubborness, and they both love to play pranks on anyone who is around."
" Sadly, Marie was killed in a riding accident five years ago. It was a very hard time for all of us especially for Little Joe, as he and his mama were so very close. I'm sorry Clay, I didn't intend to get so carried away with our personal life," Ben said as he apologized.
" You don't need to be sorry sir. I am so very sorry to hear about all your tragic loss's," Clay replied. He had hoped that what he had heard in town about Marie's death would have been wrong, but now he knew that he would never be able to finally meet his mother.
" Clay if you would like to have a job, then we could sure use the help," Ben offered. " Thank you so much sir. Yes, I would love to work for you," Clay happily accepted.
" Welcome to the Ponderosa Clay. I hope you will like it here," Ben said as they shook hands. " Thank you again sir. You won't be disappointed sir," Clay said. He really liked Ben Cartwright, but he still decided not to mention that he was Marie's first born son.
Ben and Clay went back outside and Ben asked Adam to show Clay where he could put his things.
" Welcome Clay. We hope you will like it here. Come with us and we will show you where to put your things and where to bed down your horse. You can start work tomorrow if you'd like," Adam said. " Thank you. I'm really looking forward to working here, and to get to know all of you better.
You have a wonderful father, and he has made me feel so welcome," Clay told them. " Thank you Clay. That was a very nice thing to say about our Pa, and we agree with you about him too," Adam replied.
" May I ask you and Hoss about Little Joe? Your father said that he is a little imp, and I would love to meet him," Clay inquired.
As both Adam and Hoss smiled, Hoss spoke up. " Sure, what would ya like to know about him? Pa is right about him being a little imp."
" I was just wondering what is he like," Clay asked.
" Well Clay, you sure came to the right guys to ask. Right Hoss?" Adam asked as he started to laugh. " Yup, and boy do we ever know that boy alright," Hoss laughed too.
" Oh, where to start. First off, he is a good boy except that mischief just follows him where he goes ! I swear that boy can even get into mischief when he is sleeping," Adam began.
" He loves to pull pranks on all of us, including all the hands, so you had better keep on your toes around that boy !" Adam laughed as he though about his baby brother.
" He's got the silliest giggle ya ever heard Clay. It just makes ya want to laugh with him. He is very smart too. He's just too darn cute for his own good !" Hoss declared.
" He looks like an angel when he is sleeping, and he can melt your heart with that look he gives you when he's into mischief or if he wants you to do something with you. He uses that look on Hoss all the time," Adam said, as he laughed.
" Don't forget big brother, that our baby brother also uses that look on you, Pa and Hop Sing too," Hoss reminded Adam. Adam sheepishly looked at Hoss and he nodded back in agreement to Hoss's statement.
As Adam, Hoss and Clay were talking, they looked up as they heard a horse heading towards the yard.
" Speaking of our baby brother, here he comes now," Adam announced.
Clay carefully watched the youngster riding into the yard with a big smile on his sweet little face. " What a little cutie he is," Clay thought to himself as he looked at his little brother, who had just leaped off Tony, his horse.
" Hi ya brothers !" the boy shouted. " Hi yourself little brother," Adam greeted. " Hi ya Punkin, welcome home.
Come over here and meet Clay. Pa just hired him," Hoss said.
Little Joe walked over to his brothers and smile up at Clay. " Hi Clay. I'm Little Joe," the boy announced.
" Hi Little Joe. My name is Clay, and it is a real pleasure to meet you," Clay said as he smiled at his little brother. " Those beautiful big green eyes, that smile, the soft curly hair. My baby brother is beautiful !" Clay thought to himself. How badly he wanted to tell them that he was Marie's first born son, but he decided to wait yet.
" Well, I gotta take care of Tony and do my chores. It was nice ta meet ya Clay," the boy said as he walked back over towards his horse. " It was great to meet you too Little Joe," Caly replied as he watched the boy take his horse into the barn.
" What a great looking little boy he is. I love his big green eyes, and that smile of his is great," Clay excitedly told Adam and Hoss.
" Thanks Clay, but don't let that sweet little face fool you, because it has msichief written all over it," Adam said as he started to laugh. " Ain't that the truth !" Hoss said as he was in total agreement with Adam.
Clay had been working on the Ponderosa for over a month now and he was enjoying his life there. He got along great with everyone, especially when he got to work with Adam and Hoss.
The thing that Clay loved the most was getting to know his little brother, and just being around this little boy whom he loved deeply. He still hadn't said anything about being Marie's son too.
One day while Clay was with Adam, Hoss and Little Joe down at the lake, as it was a day off, and the Cartwright brothers really enjoyed being with Clay, Little Joe kept throwing pine cones at his brothers.
" Dadburn ya little brother, ya better stop that or else !" Hoss threatened. " Or else what big brother ?" the boy teased as he giggled. Hoss just glared at him.
This time Adam got hit with three pine cones at once. " You better watch out little boy !" Adam shouted pretending to be upset. " Watch what big brother?" the boy asked as he continued to giggle.
Adam and Hoss took off their boots, socks and rolled up their pant legs, and they winked at Clay, who also took off his socks, boots, and rolled up his pant legs as well. The three boys laid down on their backs and they patiently waited for ' their prey " to get closer to them.
" Hey, whatcha all doin' layin' there like that fer?" Little Joe asked, not really giving it much thought.
"
We're just relaxing little brother. Just relaxing," Adam replied,
not looking at his baby brother who was getting closer to them.
" Ah, come ya guys, ya
can lay down at home. Hey Clay, wanna go fer a walk with me er do somethin' fun ?" the youngster asked.
" This is perfect, you little victim," they all thought. " Sure, but I need help getting up Little Joe," Clay suggested. " Good one Clay," Adam whispered into Clay's ear. Clay nodded back.
" Ok, I'll help ya up," Little Joe replied as he held out his arm and hand to Clay, who was also reaching for the boy.
Suddenly without any warning, Clay grabbed hold of Little Joe's legs which startled the boy who shrieked out. " Hey, let go !" the youngster shouted as he tried to get away.
Adam and Hoss jumped up and grabbed hold of Little Joe too. Hoss picked up the struggling boy and carried him down to the water and into the water.
Adam took hold of Little Joe's ankles and he and Hoss began to swing the yelling boy back and forth and they tossed him in the lake.
As Adam, Hoss and Clay stood there laughing, Little Joe resurfaced and spit water out of his mouth.
" Whatcha do that fer?" the boy shouted. " Just because we felt like it little brother, and because you were throwing pine cones at us," Adam explained as he, Hoss and Clay walked back to shore laughing.
The older boys put their socks and boots back on, then rolled down their pant legs. Little Joe stood up in the water, and he started to sneeze as he started to walk out of the cold lake. " Sneeze, sneeze !" " Bless you."
" Guess we had better get little brother home and out of those wet clothes," Hoss suggested. " Sneeze, sneeze, sneeze !" " Bless you !"
" I...I'm freezin ! Sneeze, sneeze, sneeze !" " Bless you !"
Little Joe couldn't stop sneezing for anything and he was shivering. Both Adam and Hoss had seconds at what they had done to their little brother.
As Little Joe was getting dried off and into dry clothes, Adam and Hoss were playing checkers, while Ben was reading his new book, when they heard a knock at the door.
Usually they made Little Joe answer the door all the time, but the boy wasn't in the room at that time, so Adam had the honors this time.
As Adam opened the door, he saw Clay standing there. " Come in Clay," Adam suggested. " Thanks Adam. Mr. Cartwright, can I talk to you about something?" Clay asked. " Sure Clay, please sit down," Ben suggested as he laid down his book.
" Now what can I help you with son?" Ben asked as he wondered what Clay wanted, and he hoped that Clay didn't want to leave. He loved Clay like a son.
" Thank you sir. Um.. I don't know how to start this, but as I told you that first day I came here, I was born in New Orleans, and that I lived with my grandmother because my parents had died when I was a baby," Clay began, as he looked at Ben. " Please continue Clay," Ben suggested.
"Well sir, I found out that...that Marie was my mother, and I wanted to come and find her. I know this is really hard to believe sir, but it is the truth, I swear it," Clay tried to explain.
Ben, Adam and Hoss were speechless at first, before Ben found the words and he spoke right up.
" My goodness ! I must say that this is a big surprise ! I.. I don't know what to say. I knew that Marie had been married to Jean and that they had had a baby, but she told me that the baby had died," Ben said.
" Sir, my grandmother didn't approve of my mother, and she and her family had also lied to my father about my mother too. That is why he left and I was raised by my grandmother. She was the one who told me that my mother had died when I was born," Clay explained.
" Clay, I am so very sorry at what you had to go through, and about all the lies that you were told. I met your grandmother when I was New Orleans, and I found her to be a very cold, uncaring person."
" Your mother, God rest her soul, was a beautiful woman. She was very loving, very warm and very caring. She was like a breath of fresh air. She was an innocent vitcim in this, as was your father, and you as well."
" Marie had told me about you, and how much she missed you. She said that a part of her died, when she thought you had died. I wish that she would have known that you were truely alive. I would have loved you as if you were my own son, and you could have grown up here on the Ponderosa," Ben said with a lot of love in his voice. Everyone was in tears who was in the room as Clay told his story.
" Clay, you have a loving family here if you would like us. You are a big part of our family now, and I want you to move into the house with us. I must say, this is going to be very interesting to see what Little Joe says when he hears that you are his brother Clay," Ben said.
" Welcome to our family Clay. We know that you are going to love to be a part of our, and now your family," Adam said as he gave Clay a big hug. Hoss also gave Clay a big bear hug as he still had tears in his eyes too.
" Thank you all so much. I don't know what to say. I have felt so very close to all of you since I first met you. I love Little Joe so much, and I have wanted to tell him that and tell all of you as well, but I was afraid that you wouldn't want me. I couldn't ask for a better family. Do you think Little Joe will accept me as his big brother?" Clay asked.
" Clay, he certainly will. He has told me so many times that he wished that you were his big brother too. That little boy loves you Clay as do we all. He also knows that Marie had a baby, but like all of us he had also thought that the baby had died," Ben explained.
Ben promised Clay that he would tell him all about Marie as did Adam. Clay was so thinkful now he would be able to know more about his mother, and also about his father as well, plus he couldn't wait until Little Joe heard that he was the boys' half brother too.
It wasn't to long before Little Joe walked into the room. " Did you get all dried off finally son?" Ben asked as he smiled at his young son. " Yup, sure did Pa," the smiling boy replied back.
" Sweetheart come here and sit down please, we would like to explain something to you." Seeing the worried look on his son's face, Ben added, " Don't worry, your not in trouble.
What I have to say to you is very important and I want you to please just listen to what I say before you say anything. Alright?" Ben asked. Little Joe nodded back, as he wondered what was so important. Everyone looked both excited and serious all at the same time.
Ben had Little Joe's full attention now. He again smiled at the boy. " Remember when I told you that your mother had been married before I met her, and that she had had a baby, but that baby died ?" Ben began. Little Joe nodded back.
" It was the baby's grandmother who had told your mother that the baby had died. Son, that was a lie. The baby was still alive and the grandmother wanted the baby for herself."
Little Joe had a very confused look on his face as he was trying to understand what his father was telling him. Ben knew the boy wasn't old enough yet to hear the whole story why the grandmother had lied.
Little Joe was very surprised to hear that the baby hadn't died, and he wondered what ever happened to him and where he was now. He wanted to find his missing brother.
" The grandmother raised the boy, but they didn't get along very well. You know how much we all love you sweetheart, and that you are the most important member of this family, well, that boy wasn't loved at all by his grandmother. He felt so lonely and that no one cared for him, so he left home," Ben continued to explain.
" The boy finally found out that his mother hadn't died as he had been told, but infact she had remarried. Little Joe, sweetheart, I was that man she married," Ben said.
Little Joe sat there with his mouth open as all kinds of questions raced through his head.
" The boy found out where his mother was now living, and he decided to go and find her. He had to work at ranches on the way in order to earn money so he could continue on his way to his find his mother," Ben said.
" I feel sorry for him Pa. We need to find him so he can come here and live with us. Then I'd have another big brother, and we could show him all kinds of love Pa," Little Joe suggested.
Ben felt the tears start to fill up his eyes as he looked at his baby boy, then over to Adam, Hoss and Clay, and they all had tears in their eyes as well.
" Thank you for saying that sweetheart. That means so very much to all of us," Ben replied as he gave Little Joe a big hug and kiss. He looked at his young son, and he wipped the tears that were running down the little boy's face.
Ben took a deep breath and he said, " Little Joe, I now want to you to say hello to your new big brother, Clay."
Little Joe just sat there with his eyes wide open and his mouth open as well as he was in total shock at what his Pa had just told him.
Clay stood up and walked over to Little Joe with a big smile on his face and he said, " Hi little brother. I love you !" Clay had picked up the boy and held him close as he continued to whisper in the boy's ear that he loved him so much. Both Clay and Little Joe were crying as Clay continued to hug his little brother. He could feel all the love pouring out of this little boy, and he finally felt all the love that he had never known in his life. He was now ' home.'
" Are ya really my brother Clay?" the excited little boy squealed. " Are ya ?" " I sure am Little Joe. I wanted to tell you this little brother since I first got here, but decided to wait and see how I fit in. I can't tell you all how lucky and thankful that I am now that I have finally found ' my real family.'" a very emotional Clay explained.
Hop Sing was also very emotional as well. " I make big special dinner for new son ! Hop Sing very happy !" Hop Sing cried as he too gave Clay a big hug.
" I love ya too Clay ! Just think I got three older brothers now ! Yippy !!!!!!!!! Hey Clay, how old are ya?" the youngster asked as he couldn't stand still. He was too full of excitement.
" I'm sixteen little brother," Clay replied as he was laughing at his baby brother and that look on his face. " Hey, that's the same age as Hoss !" Little Joe exclaimed. " Sure is Short Shanks," Hoss said as he began to tickle his baby brother. Soon loud giggling could be heard all through the house.
For the first time in his , Clay had finally found the love he had always wished for. He now had a family who loved him and he thanked God for his new family.
Adam, Hoss and Clay all got along great and they all enjoyed watching all the antics of their little brother.
" You two were sure correct about our little brother and mischief. That boy is really a little character," Clay told Adam and Hoss.
Clay loved going to visit Marie's grave. He felt very close to her everytime he sat at the grave site. He understood why she loved this spot so much by the lake. It was so beautiful and so very peaceful.
" Hi mama. I wish I would have had the chance to know you. I can never forgive my grandmother for all those lies she told you, my father, and me."
" I could never understand why she wanted me when she didn't love me. I can see why you fell in love with Ben. He is a wonderful man and so loving."
" Mama, the Ponderosa is magnificent, like heaven on earth. Oh mama, Little Joe is such a wonderful little brother. I was so excited when I found out that I had a little brother, and from the photos I have seen of you, he looks so much like you."
" Ben, Adam and Hoss told me that Little Joe is so very much like you in everyway. I have been treasuring all the stories they have been telling me about you."
" Oh how I wished that you and I could have spent time together. Mama, I'm so very happy living here with my new family. I have never felt so much love in my life. I love you mama, and I promise to help look after Little Joe. I love him so much. I also promise you that I will be a good son to Ben, and that you will be proud of me too."
" I'll come back and visit real soon and I will bring Little Joe with me too. I love you mama," Clay said as he touched Marie's headstone while his tears dropped onto the ground.
Clay had his name legally change to Clay Stafford Cartwright, and he couldn't be happier. Of course Ben agreed to this and he signed the document since Clay wasn't old enough to legally sign for the name change.
Life continued on very happy for Ben and his ' four ' sons whom he loved very much.
The End