It was a nice day when Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright had done very well business in Virginia City. He was in a good mood and mounted on his horse Buck when sheriff Roy Coffee came up to him.
“Benjamin Cartwright! I must see you at once and right away!”, the sheriff said loud and clear.
The rancher sighed deep because he already knew how things stood. His good mood had disappeared for 50%. He dismounted and looked at Roy.
“Roy, calm down”, said Ben.
Roy calmed down with a lot of trouble.
“Now first we are going to have a drink in the saloon and you tell me what you wanted to tell me”, said Ben.
They walked to the Silver Dollar Saloon and Ben ordered 2 beer. They went to sit at a table.
“What is it that I must know?”, asked Ben.
Roy took a sip of beer and told after that, “
Your 2 youngest sons Hoss and Little Joe have been busy once again in town. They have tried to keep the peace at the market square by playing for sheriff.
But instead of that it remained quiet the gentlemen caused a commotion whereby an earthquake was nothing yet. Of course they got a row whereby Hoss hung Joe in the tree. Upside down to be sure. Joe let Hoss trip whereby a water wagon fell down and the market square became quite wet. Here after they disappeared as the best of friends.”
Now the good mood of Ben had totally disappeared.
“Well Roy, I will give them a great sermon and sent them then to you for their punishment”, said the rancher.
“And what sort of punishment did you have in mind?”, asked Roy.
“When were your cells being cleaned for the last time? I mean: really good clean so that the cells totally shine in the sun?”, asked Ben.
“For the life of me I wouldn’t know. But this sounds like a suitable punishment for your sons”, answered Roy.
The men agreed about the punishment and drunk up their beer.
At home at the Ponderosa Hoss and Joe sat talking about what they had done at the market square in Virginia City.
“What was Roy angry say. And then you must think that it was all a joke”, Hoss said laughing.
“Well Hoss, some people just don’t have a sense of humor”, reacted his brother.
The brothers were laughing so that they didn’t even notice that their father had rode upon the yard and looked at them.
“Are the gentlemen having fun?”, Ben asked stern.
Hoss and Joe were seriously at once and looked worried at their father. Ben dismounted and hitched his horse.
“Inside!”, he said curt.
The brothers went along meek.
In the living room Hoss and Joe went to sit on the settee and they hardly dared to look at their father.
Ben looked at them stern and asked, “On one hand I am glad that I don’t have grandchildren yet because then they would have a bad example at you. On the other hand it might be good if there were walking children from you here around. They you would behave yourselves finally mature. Then it wouldn’t happen like you have done this afternoon happened in town.
Roy was enormously angry with you. I do not want to hear that you misbehave yourself in town. Understood?”
Hoss and Joe nodded shy.
“And now as the wind to Virginia City because Roy waits for you!”, was the order of Ben.
The boys rushed out of the door and quickly grabbed their horses.
Roy sat in his office working when he got a visit from 2 Cartwrights.
“Hello Roy. Pa said that you wanted to see us”, said Hoss.
“I want that indeed. Sit down gentlemen”, said the sheriff.
Hoss and Joe sat down and looked at the sheriff.
“What you have been up to earlier this day is an enormous bad example for the youth. You Cartwrights should be a good example for others. If this happens again by you I put both of you a month on water and bread. And now to the cells!”, said Roy.
“Roy, it will never happen again”, Joe said seriously.
“To the cells!”, Roy said once again.
The brothers got up sighing and they went to the cells. What they saw there didn’t even appear in their naughtiest dreams. Two buckets of water and old cloths stood ready.
Deputy sheriff Clem Foster came nearer and said cheerful, “Go to work gentlemen. Each cell must be cleaned neatly and each millimeter must shine in the sun!”
With reluctance Hoss and Joe went to work. Because Clem was supervising the Cartwrights couldn’t take a moment rest.
Just many hours later Roy and Clem were satisfied about the big clean-up.
“Boys, we thank you for this service. I hope that your future wives get to hear this too when they start with the big clean-up”, said Roy.
The brothers were too indignant to react and went home quickly.
When they rode upon the yard Joe said, “First I am going to eat and after that sleep.”
“This time I follow your example but after that never again”, answered Hoss.
They dismounted and hitched their horses. Then Ben came outside.
“Worked fine gentlemen?”, asked the rancher.
“Wonderful fine. May we eat now?”, asked Joe.
“Not yet. The outhouse must be swept empty and be cleaned and the stable too. So go ahead gentlemen”, answered Ben.
Again the brothers went to work with reluctance and their hunger became more bigger.
Just around 23.00 in the evening the work was done.
“Now I can use a big meal”, said Hoss.
“Me too”, said Joe.
They went into the ranch house where their meal stood ready.
“Enjoy your meal gentlemen. Hop Sing has set up your meal already”, said Ben said who was reading a book.
The two rushed to the dining room and looked stupefied at their supper. At their places stood 2 plates with dry bread and a glass of water.
“Eh pa, hasn’t Hop Sing made a very big mistake in our meal?”, asked Hoss.
“No, he found it a suitable mean with your punishment by the cells”, answered Ben.
The brothers went to eat grumbling and then fast to sleep.