On a nice summer day in 1877 Joe Cartwright met the lovely Cora Williams. It clicked right away between them. Joe had nothing to do and wanted just go into the Bucket of Blood Saloon when Cora passed by. They just looked at each other for a second and the well know sparkle flew over. They introduced each other.
“You must be new in Virginia City?”, asked Joe.
“Why?”, Cora asked on her turn.
“Because I haven’t ran into you before here in town. And I know each girl”, Joe explained.
Cora looked at him smiling and said, “I have just come to live this week here with my parents. They have that new restaurant at the corner of the main street. I help there each day in the service.”
“My brother Hoss will love that great news. He loves to eat. We live at the ranch the Ponderosa. It’s outside of Virginia City”, said Joe.
“You are very welcome”, said Cora.
She couldn’t keep her green eyes anymore off Joe. But Joe couldn’t do that neither anymore. Together they walked to the restaurant of the Williams family.
In the restaurant Jeff and Susan Williams were busy.
“Ma en pa, this is Joe Cartwright. Joe, my parents. We have just met each other”, said Cora.
To big relief of Joe he got received with open arms.
That evening Joe came home in a very good mood. His 14 year old nephew Mitch saw him and suspected the worst.
“Uncle Joe, don’t say that you have met another girl again”, the boy said.
“I haven’t done that either. It’s the woman of my dreams. She really is very sweet and pretty”, reacted Joe.
Mitch knew right away to spoil the good mood of his youngest uncle by saying sarcastically, “And you are the man of her nightmares!”
Of course Joe wasn’t glad with the remark.
“It is that I know how you are and that Adam your father is or else…. You can make it up to me by taking care of the horses”, he said.
Mitch did that and walked with his horse Caramel to the stable.
“Does this mean that you will take her to here soon?”, asked the youngest Cartwright.
“We will see. First I have to tell it anyway”, answered Joe.
They took care of the horses and went then into the ranch house.
“There are the latecomers”, said Hoss, the 2nd son of Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright.
“I was here the whole time”, reacted Mitch.
Joe confessed right away, “I am the guilty one here because I have met in Virginia City the woman of my dreams. There is a new restaurant open at the corner of the main street. Her parents own that restaurant. She is called Cora Williams and she is really different from al ,my previous girlfriends.”
Mitch made the dry remark, “She is the woman of his dreams and uncle Joe is the man of her nightmares.”
Everyone except Joe laughed.
“Just bring her along sometime”, Ben said inviting.
During supper Joe got something unpleasant over him.
The 2nd daughter of his eldest brother Adam, Lisa, asked suddenly, “Uncle Joe, when you get married may Rose and I be bridesmaids then?”
Her father wanted to say something about it but found it so funny that he didn’t do it.
His sister-in-law Betsy said, “Inger is then also bridesmaid.”
Pam made it even worse by telling, “Uncle Joe, Mitch and I will be your best men.”
“And grandpa will together with her father give the bride away”, was the answer of Mitch.
“I will with Betsy and Hop Sing look after the food and drinks”, Sally, the wife of Adam, promised.
“Well Adam, shall we serve then as receiving committee for the many guests for the reception?”, Hoss suggested.
Adam nodded smiling. First Joe heard it silently. Then he put down his cutlery.
“I can’t believe my ears. I only know my girlfriend for a few hours and now already my family arranges our wedding”, he said stupefied.
“Joseph, be assured because the wedding will just take place here at the Ponderosa”, said Ben.
Everyone except Joe laughed.
In Virginia City a smitten Cora worked at the restaurant of her parents.
After closing time Cora asked her parents, “Is it alright when Joe and I are married and I expect our 1st one and still work here?”
Jeff answered, “Of course. But do you know for sure that that young man is the one for you? And what if he doesn’t want children?”
“I will ask him that tomorrow”, said Cora.
She saw herself already sitting in a rocking chair with 2 children paying close by her and the 3rd on the way.
The next day Joe and Cora met each other again. Joe took his girlfriend to a romantic spot at the ranch.
“Does your family already know that you go with me?”, Cora asked suddenly.
“Yes, and they already have arranged our wedding in each detail”, answered Joe.
“Fine. Then we don’t have to do that anymore. Joe, you are the one and only for me. If you reject me for a wedding I go into the convent and become a nun”, reacted Cora.
Joe took her into his arms and said, “They won’t be taking married pregnant nuns at the convent.”
Cora wanted to kiss him passionately when a bit rain shower started. The couple just could hide in time in an old cabin.
“Joe, I am so cold”, Cora said shivering.
“Just come to me. I will keep you warm”, Joe said caring.
On a morning Joe Cartwright was in Virginia City when Susan Williams called him.
“Joe, you must come at once. Cora isn’t alright”, she said.
Joe walked right away with his mother-in-law.
He went straight to the bedroom of his girlfriend. When he opened the door he was witness of the fact that Cora threw up. After that she saw her boyfriend.
“Oh Joe, I feel so sick”, she said.
“Have you been eating something wrong?”, Joe asked worried.
“No, not at all. I have been sick all week long”, she answered where after she threw up again.
“Your mother is getting the doctor. You just go lie down quietly”, Joe said calm.
He helped Cora on the bed and held her hand.
“Stay with me when the doctor is here. I need you so”, Cora said a bit upset.
“I am not going anywhere. If necessary I take you to my place”, said Joe.
Then the door went open and Doc Paul Martin came in.
“Doc, can you examine my daughter?”, asked Susan.
“Mrs Williams, you wait downstairs”, said the doctor.
Susan went downstairs again.
“Well Cora, tell what the matter is”, said Paul.
“Since a week I hardly eat but I am very sick though”, said Cora.
“I will examine you for a second”, said Paul.
That happened and Paul knew why Cora was so sick.
“Well Cora, the reason why you are so sick is that you are already 2 months pregnant”, said Paul.
“So Joe and I are becoming parents, aren’t we?”, Cora asked for the security.
“If everything goes well it happens in 7 months time. You will be bothered with sickness. But that goes away as well”, answered Paul.
He said goodbye and went downstairs where Susan waited with her husband Jeff.
“And Doc? What is the matter with Cora?”, Susan asked worried.
“I think that your daughter must tell it herself. She is in bed and Joe Cartwright is with her”, answered Paul.
He went away again where after Jeff and Susan walked to the bedroom of their daughter.
“Cora, will you marry me and together have our child?”, Joe asked when they were alone.
“With you always. I want to give you lots of children”, Cora said with tears in her eyes.
They kissed each other and at that moment Jeff and Susan came in.
“We may assume that you have something to tell us”, said Jeff.
Cora went to sit and said, “We have that indeed. Joe and I are getting married and in 7 months time you will become grandpa and grandma.”
“What a wonderful news. Finally a grandchild. Congratulations. Joe, what would your father say that he will become a grandpa again?”, asked Susan.
“He will be thrilled. Pa now has 6 grandchildren and is fond of them and the other way around too”, said Joe.
Jeff asked carefully, “And how many of those 6 grandchildren is a boy?”
“One and that is Mitch. He is the oldest. His twin sister Pam came a bit later. Further he has 2 little sisters Lisa and Rose. Those are from my oldest brother Adam. And my other brother Hoss has 2 daughters Inger and Petra”, was the answer of Joe.
“If your brothers and their wives find it alright they are also our grandchildren”, said Jeff.
“Joe, you are going to get your father and I prepare a delicious lunch. Then you can tell it him”, said Susan.
So said, so done.
Ben Cartwright was busy with the administration when Joe came home.
“Pa, you must come along at once because there is something the matter with Cora”, the youngest Cartwright son said hasty.
“Well, let’s go then right away”, said the rancher.
Jeff and Susan prepared a delicious lunch while Cora got dressed.
When Ben and Joe came in Cora was there already too.
“Hallo Mr Cartwright”, said Cora.
“Hello Cora”, said Ben.
“Welcome Ben”, said Jeff.
They went to sit at the neatly set table. Susan brought in the lunch.
While they were eating Cora asked Joe, “Must we tell it already?”
“Do it”, said Joe.
“Tell what?”, Ben asked amazed.
Cora began to tell, “Joe and I are getting married because we expect a baby in March.”
“So you are not only becoming family but you are also giving your parents and me a grandchild? Congratulations both”, Ben said happy.
“We would like to get married at the ranch. We must think of a date yet”, answered Joe.
Cora said, “Is it alright if I come to live with Joe? Even though we aren’t married yet.”
Ben answered, “Of course that’s alright. And for you it’s also pa if you mean me.”
“Alright pa”, said Cora.
“Joe told us that you already have 6 grandchildren. But there is no grandma anymore”, said Jeff.
Ben said, “That’s right. The mother of Joe died when he was very young. Especially the twins Mitch and Pam are nagging for a sweet grandma sometimes.”
“Well, now Joe and Cora can say to them they now have a 2nd grandpa and a sweet grandma in us”, said Susan.
After lunch Cora packed her stuff and she went with her fiancée and father-in-law to the Ponderosa. Although Cora had been there often this time it was different. Now it would become her home too. Their 1st child would be born there too.
Cora got received with open arms, especially after the announcement of the wedding to be.
Finally she said, “Just a little while and then everyone can see that Joe and I are becoming parents in March.”
“How nice”, Sally and Betsy said at the same time.
The children liked it too but Mitch said dry, “Yet more gals at the ranch.”
Cora reacted right away with, “Mitch, it can also be that I expect a boy.”
Though she noticed that he liked it that she too came to live with them.
Quite soon Cora worked fully in the Cartwright household.
It was a few weeks later. Cora had settled down totally at the Ponderosa and felt at home too. Together with her fiancée Joe she arranged their wedding.
One morning she sat outside with her sisters-in-law Sally and Betsy.
“I just can’t get into a normal wedding dress anymore with that belly of mine”, Cora said desperate.
“No worries because when I married Adam I was also visible pregnant. We just are going to look if you fit into my wedding dress. If needed we adjust it a little bit”, answered Sally.
“A little bit? I rather think a whole lot”, reacted Cora.
They all three laughed.
“Then I will wear an old potato sack. Earlier I saw Dusty walking with to the barn”, said Cora.
With Dusty she meant hand Dusty Rhoades. Again there was laughter by the ladies.
On October 15 it was the day on which Joe Cartwright and Cora Williams entered the matrimony. Cora was 4 months pregnant and had become quite big already. The whole day there was a celebration at the ranch.
The pregnancy of Cora kept everyone at the Ponderosa busy. But the grandparents to be were busy too with the big news.
With Thanksgiving Jeff and Susan came to the ranch to help Hop Sing with the diner. Suddenly Cora came into the kitchen.
“How is it?”, asked Susan.
“Fine. We think that we are having 2. I feel kicking all day through”, answered her daughter.
“Just rest very much because when they are born it won’t be easy then”, advised Susan.
Cora answered, “I am already doing that.”
After the turn of the year. Cora held a lot of bed rest because she became bigger all the time. Joe made sure that the nursery came in order with support of his brothers, sisters-in-law and father.
It was March 25 and the children played outside a lot. Cora, Sally and Betsy watched from the porch.
“This time next year this one might be making his or her first steps”, Cora said looking at her belly.
“The twins will take care of that. They did that too with Inger and Rose”, said Betsy.
At that moment the mother to be felt something in her belly.
“I am afraid that the delivery has started”, Cora said after the pain.
Mitch and Pam went to get the doctor at once. Cora went inside.
“Joe, it’s time”, she said after the heavy pain.
Joe was with her at once.
Cora laid in bed and tried to relax. Joe sat by her ands held her hand tight.
“Joe, it hurts so much”, she said in between 2 contractions.
“That is so but you can do it and I am with you. Soon the little one lies in your arms”, Joe said with encouragement.
Cora felt a heavy contraction coming and said, “I have another contraction.”
She felt that the waters broke. With much difficulty Cora turned the blankets away and sighed.
“Joe, you will have to help me because I feel it coming”, she said after a heavy push contraction.
“Just start to push. I will help you”, Joe said notable calm.
Cora took a breath and started to push. That had effect because not long after that Joe and cor ahad become parents of a healthy daughter.
“We have a girl”, said Joe.
He put the baby by the mother.
“Joe, I feel another one coming”, said Cora.
“Another one?”, he asked amazed.
“Yes, we are also having twins”, answered his wife just before she got another push contraction.
She took a breath and started to push again. The following moment they had become parents of another daughter. Joe put the baby by her mother and kissed herd.
“You have done it very well. Two beautiful daughters from a beautiful mother”, Joe said proud as a peacock.
“I must push again”, said Cora.
Joe stood his delivery wife by when she gave birth to their 3rd daughter.
“We have triplets”, Joe said laughing.
“Now I don’t want to be pregnant or become it for a while”, Cora sighed after the unexpected delivery.
“Wow, 3 daughters at once. How shall we name them?”, asked Joe.
“The oldest is called Marie after your mother. Number 2 gets the name Felicia after mine and the last one gets the name Polly”, Cora answered tired but deliriously happy.
Joe said, “Deal.”
He couldn’t get enough of the children. But Cora couldn’t do that either.
After the twins had warned the doctor they went to see Jeff and Susan.
“Grandpa and grandma, we just had to warn the doctor because aunty Cora is in labor”, Pam just said.
The grandparents to be went straight along to the ranch.
After a while Doc Paul Martin came and he found a very happy family.
“The baby’s came very quick after each other”, said Cora.
“I will examine the 4 ladies”, said Paul.
That happened and they all got declared healthy.
Downstairs again Paul said, “Ben, je have received 3 granddaughters. Jeff and Susan, they are perfectly healthy.”
The rancher and the newly grandparents went straight to the bed room of the youngest Cartwright son and daughter-in-law.
“Pa and ma, meet Marie, Felicia and Polly Cartwright”, Joe said laughing.
“Congratulations boys”, Ben said smiling.
The grandparents each got a baby to hold and were right away fond of them.
With this a new chapter in the life of the Cartwright family at the Ponderosa ranch had started.