THOUGHTS

Adam Cartwright was on his way home after a long business trip. He had missed his family but his son Mitch of two the most.

‘Just a while and then I can consult my boy again. Since Mitch is there my life at the Ponderosa had gotten more sense. He makes everything more colorful’, Adam thought sitting on his sorrel Sport. The eldest Cartwright boy looked at the blue sky and thought further: ‘Although Mitch came into my life totally unexpected I have no regret that I have conceived him. Even though he has delivered me sometimes sleepless nights.’ He looked for a second at his riding-animal. Then Adam remembered the first few days as a young father: It was January 1863. the change of year has just gone by and the Cartwrights started at a new year at their ranch named the Ponderosa. Owner Ben Cartwright and his three sons Adam, Hoss and Little Joe were the inhabitants. Since a few days they had a baby. The child called Mitch and was the son of Adam. Everybody was very fond of the lad but Ben, Hoss and Little Joe did leave the nasty chores over to Adam. It looked like if Mitch knew that because he made sure that his father was busy with him all day. And not only through the daytime but also at night Mitch did his best to keep Adam out of his sleep.

One night Mitch started to cry enormously so that Adam had to leave his warm bed. In the nursery Adam switched on the light. Then he checked on his son. When touching Adam noticed that his offspring felt very warm. Meanwhile Ben came to the bedroom of his only grandson and saw a very worried Adam.

“Son, what is the matter?”, asked the rancher.

“Mitch feels much to warm”, answered Adam.

Ben felt at Mitch and said, “Your son has a fever. I let Doc come.”

Because Hoss and Little Joe had come to they had heard the words of their father.

“I will go”, Little Joe said directly.

He went to his room to get dressed. Mitch kept on crying so that Adam picked him up.

“Adam, go and get dressed. I will hold Mitch”, said Ben.

The rancher got his grandson where after Adam got dressed quickly. Hoss did the same.

Meanwhile Little Joe rode hurry-scurry to Virginia City to warn doctor Paul Martin. The Cartwright knew that every second counted. His nephew was ill and needed urgent medical attention.

Adam had gone to the living room with his son. They sat near the open fire which helped a bit. By the warmth of the fire the baby fell asleep. Hoss came out of the kitchen and saw his brother and nephew sitting by the open fireplace.

“He sleeps”, whispered Adam.

Hoss came to sit with them. A moment later Ben joined them.

“He sleeps now”, Adam said worried.

“That is the best for him when he has a fever. Children are sometimes ill so be prepared! I have had my share with the three of you”, said Ben.

Little Joe had warned the doctor and both were on their way to the ranch.

When arriving Paul saw the young patient lying by his father. They went to the nursery where Mitch got examined.

“He has a bit of a temperature but is besides that very healthy”, Paul said after the examination.

“Sorry that Joe let you come so soon”, Adam said apologizing.

“With such a little one you cannot be too careful enough. Mitch isn’t a month old so I think that I will have to treat him much often. Keep your son warm. Then the fever will disappear by itself”, the doctor answered.

The whining of Sport brought him back to the present.

“Come boy. We go home”, the eldest Cartwright boy said to his faithful quadruped.

He gave Sport the spurs to be home as soon as possible.