After he had rescued his beloved Betsy Kent and she had promised him a delious meal Hoss Cartwright went whistling home in the company of his nephew Mitch and the groceries. Of course the youngest Cartwright had his opinion ready and he didn’t scruple to make that known.
“Uncle Hoss, you really must be mad at her with your behavior”, Mitch said dry.
Hoss stopped with whistling and looked at his nephew.
“Mitchy, I see that you still have a lot to learn. Miss Kent is the sweetest of the whole world”, he said.
“That can be but if you behave yourself when you are in love like you do now I rather stay alone”, reacted Mitch.
Hoss sighted deep and kept silent.
Once arrived at home Hoss took an extended bath right away.
While his sons Adam and Little Joe brought in the groceries inside Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright asked his grandson, “Mitch, you are not going to tell me that your uncle has stayed behind in Virginia City?”
“No, but he has rescued Miss Betsy Kent and she has offered to cook for him. All the way home he was whistling cheerful. I think there is something wrong with uncle Hoss”, replied the boy.
He went to his dog Cody and went to play with him. Ben sighted and went to read the newspaper on the porch.
After having bathed for two hours Hoss was super clean. He put on his cleanest clothes and went then downstairs. Adam and Joe saw their brother coming and couldn’t control their laughing anymore.
“Why must you laugh so now again?”, Hoss asked amazed.
“Well, Mitch has told us about what has happened in town. Enjoy your meal. Whatever Miss Betsy whips up for you”, replied Adam.
“You are just jealous because I do have a diner date and you never!”, said Hoss.
“Hop Sing cooks delicious food and your girl maybe not”, reacted Joe.
Hoss didn’t reply and went away.
In Virginia City Betsy was already busy with cooking. Because she knew that Hoss was a big eater Betsy had done a great deal of shopping. She waited anxiously for her dream prince.
He didn’t come much later. From the garden of the Ponderosa Hoss had secretly picked some flowers to be able to give to Betsy. Hoss stopped his horse and hitched it. The smell of warm food was to be sniffed outside already. At the front door he thought he could recognize the smell.
Hoss knocked at the door because there was no bell. Betsy answered it and received the bunch of flowers right away.
“You shouldn’t have done that”, she said shy.
“They come from our own garden”, Hoss apologized.
“Come in further”, said Betsy.
In the living room Hoss went to sit at the table already and thought: ‘MMM…Roast duck, sweet potatoes and homemade apple pie…’ He couldn’t wait till it was on the table. Betsy came to keep him company. A while nothing was said until there came black smoke from the kitchen.
Betsy jumped up and called, “@#$%^&*!”
“A lady doesn’t say that, does she?”, Hoss asked amazed.
“I ain’t no lady like that Abigail Jones!”, replied Betsy while she ran to the kitchen.
But it was too late already. All the food was burned black.
When the damage was checked Betsy said, “Hoss, I am sorry that I can’t cook. But I do have some bread, sandwich fillings and spreads and coffee.”
“Filly, then we do eat that then. Each meal with you is a meal for a king for me”, said Hoss.
So it became very cozy and Hoss concealed something for his brothers and nephew about what has happened.