WEDDING OF THE YEAR

Finally it was June. The whole Cartwright family was looking forward to it because at the 21^st there was a wedding at the Ponderosa. The ones who climbed into the boat of wedding bless were Hoss Cartwright and Betsy Kent. Betsy lived at the ranch since the birth of their daughter Inger.

Because Hoss had learned from all the commotion which was caused around the two weddings of his older brother Adam the second son of Ben Cartwright kept the big day quiet. But in one way or the there had been leaked. But they only came in with an invite.

Dotty West was determined to disturb the wedding and to save her friend Betsy from the biggest mistake of her life. One afternoon Betsy was at Dotty’s place.

“Are you coming to our wedding too? I can deliver you an invite just like that”, said Betsy.

“Girl, are you really sure that you are going to marry that Hoss? Years ago he has ruined my hairdo. Soon he will that to you and your daughter too. No, I am really not coming”, said Dotty.

“Hoss is thrilled with his and my daughter and would never ruin our hairdos”, reacted Betsy.

Dotty looked at her amazed.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Hoss Cartwright can be very rough”, she said warning.

“Not with the children at the ranch. Inger and the kids of van Adam and Sally are crazy with him and the other way around. But you must decide yourself”, said Betsy.

She got up and went away. Dotty was too insulted to say anything.

At the Ponderosa Mitch, the eldest of Adam and Sally, asked his uncle Hoss, “Who is your best man?”

“Would you like to be that?”, asked Hoss.

“I would love to but I am not going to hold a speech”, answered his nephew.

“That’s ain’t needed too”, said Hoss.

“We will look after the little ones”, said Pam, the twin-sister of Mitch.

“Uncle Hoss, you have invited Matthew and his parents, haven’t you?”, Mitch wanted to know.

“Why wouldn’t I have not invited them?”, Hoss asked on his turn.

Mitch shrugged his shoulders.

“Because you have a bigger piece of the wedding cake then?”, asked Pam.

“You probably ask Hop Sing if he cuts the cakes in equal pieces and then I get a small piece”, said Hoss.

“A small piece? What about a crumb?”, his nephew asked.

Pam was rolling on the floor laughing but her uncle didn’t.

“You won’t get a piece!”, Hoss said determined.

“Not from you but from aunty Betsy yes”, said Mitch.

“And grandpa will also give it”, his sister answered.

They laughed. Hoss knew from experience that he couldn’t refuse the twins anything and the children used that gratefully.

Meanwhile Sally and Betsy were busy with the preparations.

“Inger will have a brother or a sister, won’t she?”, asked Sally.

“Of course. I want to have at least 2 more and Hoss”, her sister-in-law answered.

“Adam thinks 4 is enough but I would like to have one more. We will see”, said Sally.

Betsy said giggling, “Maybe it might happen during the honeymoon.”

“Then you certainly have a beautiful wedding present”, Sally said also giggling.

“Pa shall get a high doctor bill with Xmas. The children surely will take care of that”, said Betsy.

“Adam and I will look after the little ones during the ceremony. And when you are away Inger is in good hands with us”, said Sally.

Betsy knew that too.

The Chinese cook Hop Sing had it very busy but he got assistance from the Cartwright twins. Adam, his youngest brother Joe and foreman Candy Canaday took care of the decoration helped by the two youngest daughters of Adam, Lisa and Rose. Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright had mercy on his youngest granddaughter Inger.

June 21 1876.

The Cartwright family had dressed up nicely and at ten o’clock the ceremony began.

Reverend Jack Ward did the wedding solemnization.

He started, “We are here together to bind these two young people together. Their love has known very much problems and also much absence but their invisible bond brought them together though to be bind together forever. If anyone has objections against this marriage, he or she speak now or silence forever.”

It remained still so the reverend continued, “Do you take, Eric Haas Cartwright, Betsy Kent to be your legal wife for better and worse until death do you part?”

“Yes, I do”, said Hoss.

“Do you take , Betsy Kent, Eric Haas Cartwright, to be your legal husband for better and worse until death do you part?”, the reverend asked Betsy.

“Yes, I do”, said Betsy.

Lisa and Cody came with the rings.

“Then I declare you husband and wife. Hoss, you may kiss your bride now”, said Jack.

That happened with much love and passion. Ben had Inger with him and saw that his granddaughter was now really deliriously happy. The married couple got congratulated by all present. Then Hop Sing came in with two big cakes.

“Hop Sing baked two big cakes for married couple”, said the cook.

Betsy cut both cakes where after everyone got a piece. Even Cody wasn't forgotten.

“Gees’, those cakes tastes delicious”, said Hoss.

“And not even like cheese and/or carrots”, Mitch remarked.

Everybody laughed.

At a certain moment Adam saw Matthew and the twins sitting apart. Worried he went to his wife.

“The kids and Matthew are sitting apart for an hour now. I don’t trust it”, said Adam.

“Adam, they are now at an age where you must let them go”, Sally reacted calm.

Adam looked at her.

“Soon Matthew asks me the hand of Pam”, he said.

“That is not so bad yet as when Matthew would ask permission for a wedding with Mitch. They are just friends”, answered Sally.

“Mitch marrying Matthew? I mustn’t think about it. Mitch is no type to get married. Even though he has been a heartbreaker since his birth”, said Adam.

“Just let them. They will come with news in their own time. Just enjoy yourself because this will be the last wedding at the ranch for quite a while”, said Sally.

Adam nodded and let his worries flow.

There was more than enough to eat and drink. Even the animals Cody and Lucky enjoyed it very well. Sometimes Lucky dropped something and that got eaten by Cody. But Lisa and Rose also fed the dog and cat.

Before they went to bed Hoss said on behalf of Betsy, “Thanks to everyone for this nice day and the presents.”

Then Mitch came with something behind his back.

He said without turning a hair, “Uncle Hoss, your promised crumb of the wedding cake.”

Hoss reacted with, “Nice Mitchy. You are very welcome.”

Everybody laughed.

The next day Hoss and Betsy left for their honeymoon, being waved goodbye by their family members.

“Now we finally have a bigger piece of pudding”, said Mitch.

“And some less teasing” , his sister added to it.

It had been a successful day but especially the bride and groom.