Because his son Mitch of five years old was handicapped and got avoided by many people Adam Cartwright decided to do something about that. The idea for it he got on a Sunday morning before the church service began.
That morning the Cartwrights came per carriage at the church. Adam got out as first where after the boy got put on the ground. Sheila Jenkins and Vera Stone saw how the boy walked and looked at each other.
“Such a child doesn’t belong in our town and certainly not in church”, said Sheila.
“It is a Cartwright and they think they may do everything”, said Vera.
She walked up to Adam and said, “How dare you to take your son to church when he is walking so badly? Our Dear Lord isn’t really waiting for him!”
In the meantime Juliet Harris had come standing near them with her son Jason.
Adam reacted with, “Mrs Stone and other ladies or whatever you may be, Our Dear Lord would call first Mitch by his side and then just your children who can walk normal. Come on Mitch.”
They walked ahead followed by the other Cartwrights and Candy. The ladies were insulted and peevish.
“What was that about Mitch?”, asked Ben, the father of Adam.
“They claim that Mitch may not come into church because he is crippled. He gets avoided everywhere”, answered Adam.
“Why don’t we do something about it then?”, asked Hoss, the younger brother of Adam.
“Good idea. We organize a race with handicap for the children. They must walk with a tight stick. Want to bet that Mitch wins?”, asked Adam.
The others nodded.
Adam walked to reverend Jack Calderwood and discussed the plan with him.
“Adam, that is a good idea. I give you my full corporation”, said Jack.
Then Vera came to them.
“Reverend, why do you allow that a crippled child like the young Cartwright may come into church?”, she asked.
“That is because Our Dear Lord loves all children and especially those who fail something”, was the answer.
Arrived at home Adam went to work out the race.
“Mitch, how would you think of we organize a race with handicap?”, Adam asked his son.
“Then I surely must win?”, asked the boy.
“Sure know. We help you with the training. Uncle Hoss and I”, said Little Joe, the youngest Cartwright brother.
Hoss nodded agreeing.
“Joe, please don’t interfere with the training of your nephew because it will go guaranteed wrong”, advised Adam.
“Very funny! Will I sacrifice my precious time for my nephew, isn’t it not even allowed”, grumbled Little Joe.
“That goes for you as well, Hoss”, reacted Adam.
Hoss and Little Joe looked at each other amazed.
“Do you have such less confidence in us? We mean it so good with your son”, said Little Joe.
“Go and take a walk”, said Adam.
“That’s what we shall do then. Come Cody”, Little Joe said angry.
The shepherd of the Cartwrights came running and walked thereby Little Joe over. Everybody except the falling Cartwright laughed.
“Mitch, now you see why your Uncles can never train you well. I will help you. If your father agrees with it”, said Candy.
Adam nodded. Hoss and Little Joe couldn’t believe their ears.
“Adam, why may Candy be the trainer of your son and we ain’t?”, Little Joe asked indignant.
“Because I can depend on him and your plans always fail”, his brother replied.
Each free minute Candy and Mitch were busy with the race. Of course Hoss and Little Joe tried to interfere with it but they got no answer at all. At the press of the newspaper Territorial Enterprise had Adam had made posters for the race. Arrived at home with the posters he called his younger brothers to him.
“Hoss and Joe, I need you for a very important chore”, Adam spoke stately.
The faces of the brothers began to glister.
“You still want us to train your son?”, Little Joe asked hopeful.
“Not that but I want that you hang these posters al around in Virginia City. There is permission of the sheriff. So go ahead”, said Adam.
Hoss and Little Joe got the posters and the drawing-pins along and went to town. Grumbling they rode away. Adam watched them go smiling.
Once the posters were hanging everywhere there came a lot of response for the race.
Especially from the children of Sheila Jenkins, the twins Patrick and Patty, and Jason Harris, the son of Juliet Harris. The three were good friends with each other and disliked Mitch.
The day of the race had started. All inhabitants went to the market square where race was being held. There was made a circuit. all the little contestants got a strong bough around their leg tied by the Cartwrights. Except Mitch as he was already walking with a brace around his left leg. But because Hoss did it by the Jenkins twins and Jason Hoss did it extra strong and tight.
“Adam, what will the winner, which is my son, win?”, asked Juliet.
“Well, the winner gets a cup”, said the eldest Cartwright boy.
The race began. Because the Jenkins twins and Jason so enormously wanted to win and had to win of their mothers they only looked at each other. Hereby they lost Mitch out of sight who went as an arrow to the finish and so won automatically.
The reverend said, “And the winner of the race with handicap is Mitch Cartwright. congratulations Mitch.”
The Cartwrights and Candy were of course proud as a peacock at Mitch. Sheila and Juliet became so angry with each other that they went to fight with each other.
“Now it is becoming nicely after all”, Hoss remarked light-hearted.
The race did have some sense because from then on Mitch got treated normal.