Somehow Hoss Cartwright had found an old violin. Because he was home alone, the 2nd son of Ponderosa ranch owner Ben Cartwright could practice to his heart's content. Hoss's biggest fan was Chinese chef Hop Sing. Not entirely coincidentally, Hoss was the biggest fan of Hop Sing and especially of his cooking and baking.
It was a beautiful morning when Hoss went on the porch to practice. He was so busy with that that, he didn't even notice he was getting public.
“What a cat whine”, said Pam Cartwright.
“A cat in heat sings even more beautifully”, was the reaction of her twin brother Mitch.
“Guys, don't let the cats hear what you just said. They'll attack. But it is indeed not to be heard”, said Adam Cartwright.
He was the father of the 10-year-old twins. They'd been gone for a few weeks.
Adam and the twins had dismounted and tied up their horses. They watched with laughter but silently as Hoss gave an outdoor concert. When he stopped, there was a loud applause from his brother, nephew and niece.
“Grandpa and Uncle Joe are definitely gone that you're trying to play that jammer thing.?”, asked Mitch.
“Mitchy Cartwright, You're so tactful as you usually are. They are indeed gone”, answered Hoss.
To prevent his son and/or daughter from making a sarcastic comment or Adam said, “We wish you every success with your musical career.”
Then Pam asked, “When are you going on a world tour?”
“Ha ha, what are we funny”, said Hoss.
“Daddy, you're not going to accompany Uncle Hoss on your guitar, are you? And with him on world tour so you leave us here pathetic and alone?”, asked Mitch.
“I'm not going to waste my great musical talent guiding your uncle or going on a world tour with him. I'm responsible for you and Pam, so I'm not leaving you alone and pathetic.”, answered Adam.
Hoss was flapping his ears.
“Adam, these kids are anything but pathetic. They are doing better than most children their age”, he said.
“That's why they live here”, Adam said smiling.
The twins, meanwhile, had sat down on the porch. They listened amusedly to the conversation between the two brothers.
“Adam, there's nothing wrong with a musical upbringing. Your children are still young but old enough to learn to play an instrument. I give them the chance to learn to play my violin”, said Hoss.
Adam looked at the violin accurately and said what later to his brother, “Teach my children to play this instrument? They don't have any musical talent. And that is well known.”
Mitch and Pam sighed with relief.
“Adam, you do what you want and so do the twins. But I'm going to continue practicing on my violin.”, said Hoss.
The other Cartwrights agreed. They went in to unpack.
Hoss had put his violin on a chair on the porch when he argued with Adam. But now he couldn't find the thing anywhere.
“Dadburnit, where's that thing?”, he asked aloud.
He looked around, but the violin was gone. Hoss searched the entire yard and found the violin behind the ranch house. The sheepdog Cody had taken the instrument unnoticed and demolished it by throwing it back and forth.
“Cody, what have you done?”, asked Hoss.
“Woof, woof”, Cody replied wagging with his tail.
Hoss looked at the broken parts and threw it in the barrel to burn the violin.
Back inside Hoss said, “Adam, kids, from now on, I'll never play a violin again. Even Cody didn't like to hear.”
“Gosh, Uncle Hoss finally gets wise”, said Mitch.
Everyone laughed.
Hoss kept his word and never brought home a violin again.