STRANGE MEETING

By coincidence Virginia City got in July 1870 a visit from a few strangers. It were Nels and Harriet Oleson from Walnut Grove, Minnesota. They rode past the Palace Hotel through the main street.

“Nels, just stop at that saloon”, said Harriet.

The man next to her did that silently. When he had done that he helped her out of it.

“Now Nels, do not sneak into the saloon while I am go to that shop”, Harriet said with a strict finger.

She walked away at once.

“I wouldn’t dare”, he whispered.

Fortunately his wife didn’t hear it.

By the Bucket of Blood Saloon Ponderosa owner Ben Cartwright was talking to his sons Adam and Joe. They saw the man and walked up to him.

“Are you lost?”, asked Adam.

“Wish it was true. No, my wife and I have come here to buy a full bred horse for our daughter. I am Nels Oleson”, said Nels.

“Ben Cartwright and those are my sons Adam and Joe. Maybe we can help you with a horse. We have them ourselves too”, said Ben.

“My wife only wants the best and most expensive for our daughter Nellie and she is quite spoiled”, said Nels.

“But that is for you not needed”, Adam said smiling.

“Indeed. How do you guess?”, asked Nels.

“Well, I have a son myself who gets quite spoiled by his uncles and grandpa but is very modest by himself”, Adam explained.

“Maybe we should drop by at your place one time”, Nels said as a joke.

“Here by you are invited for a vacation at our ranch”, said Ben.

“Accepted. Hopefully your grandson can teach my children some manners”, said Nels.

“He surely will do that. Knowing Mitch”, Joe said laughing.

“Mitch is my son”, Adam made clear.

“There comes my wife Harriet”, said Nels.

“Nels, what have I said about talking to cowboys?”, asked Harriet.

“Harriet, this is Ben Cartwright and his sons Adam and Joe. They have a lot of knowledge of horse sale and they have also invited us for a vacation at their ranch. The children can come too”, answered Nels.

“You own a ranch? Is it big?”, Harriet asked suddenly at a different tone.

“Well, our ranch is the biggest of the area”, answered Ben.

“Alright then. Our Nellie and Willie surely will love it”, said Harriet.

“Just wait till they meet the son of Adam”, said Joe.

Then it was like if Harriet got a shock.

“Don’t we know you from somewhere? Nels, he looks a lot like Charles Ingalls but then much younger. Is it alright if we come to stay in a month’s time?”, Harriet asked Joe.

Joe didn’t react at it and fortunately his brother and father didn’t either.

“That’s alright. We will send you the way to get there. Boys, are you going to load up the supplies? Then I will give them our address”, said Ben.

Adam and Joe nodded and walked away. The addresses got exchanged and each went their own way.

On the way to the Ponderosa Ben said, “Adam, you may prepare your son for the visit of our guests. You know how he can react at visits.”

“And you may do that with Hoss and Hop Sing”, reacted Adam.

A whole lot was about to happen at the ranch of the Cartwrights but nobody knew what.