It was Christmas Eve 1992. In whole Virginia City everything was being prepared for the annual Christmas party. Of course this was for everyone a true happening but the Cartwrights were looking forward to something else. Namely the birth of the first Cartwright grandchild which was expected just after Christmas. But the little Cartwright didn’t feel like much to stay with his mother any longer.
On the afternoon of December 24 Mary helped the Chinese cook Hop Sing with the preparations for the upcoming Christmas party. Despite the worry of Adam his wife had assured him that everything was fine with her.
“If you need me, I am in the living room reading”, said Adam.
“Just go on happy reading”, Mary answered teasing.
Suddenly the young woman got heavy pains. Carefully she sat down and took the time up. A quarter of an hour the same pain came again.
“Little Cartwright comes?”, asked Hop Sing.
“The previous contraction came a quarter of an hour ago. I have the strong suspicion that the baby wants to be born”, answered Mary.
Hop Sing went to the living room where Adam was reading.
“Mr Adam, quickly come to kitchen”, said de cook.
Adam put his book down and went along to the kitchen.
“Adam, I am going to give you a very apart Christmas present. Oh there comes that pain again”, said Mary.
She doubled up which Adam understood.
“You mean that the baby comes?”, he asked.
Mary said, “Yes, but it is in an early stage yet.”
Slowly Mary went to their bedroom supported by Adam. Ben saw how his daughter-in-law felt and called the doctor right away.
Adam remained by his delivering wife. Mary felt the contractions coming faster and faster. Adam remained by her for support.
“I believe that the baby is now really coming”, she said.
Here after the mother-to-be went to bed.
When she laid in bed suddenly Mary doubled up of the pain. She screamed it out. At that moment she had a heavy contraction.
“Our son comes”, she said slowly.
Adam remained by her. Mary hardly could stop the heavy urge to push and grabbed Adam’s hand tight. She looked at her enormous belly.
“Remember before I was pregnant? So slim as I was then, so big am I now”, the young woman sighed.
“Just a while and then you are just as slim again. But then we have a child”, said her husband.
Mary sighed and said, “Due to you too I have such a big belly but I don’t mind.”
“That is alright”, Adam said smiling.
Three quarters of an hour later there was a ring at the door. Ben got up and answered it. It was doctor Paul Martin.
“Am I still on time?”, Paul asked while he came in.
“Mary lies upstairs with heavy contractions”, Ben said calm.
He went ahead of him to the bedroom of Adam and Mary.
Mary couldn’t stop the heavy urge to push anymore and screamed it out due to the pain. At that moment Paul came into the bedroom.
“I help you with having your son”, her husband said considerate.
Paul examined the young woman and saw that the baby laid good for the birth.
“Mary, with the next contraction you must push”, said Paul.
De mother-to-be nodded. Mary grabbed Adam’s hand tight and she took a deep breath. Hereafter the young woman began to push with every strength she had.
Just a few hours later the mother-to-be felt something coming.
“I feel the head”, said Mary.
Paul looked and saw that the baby was almost born.
“Go ahead because the little child comes very fast”, he said.
Mary pushed as hard as she could where after the baby practically was born directly.
“We have a son”, the new father said smiling.
He kissed his wife and Paul put the baby by the mother.
“He is called fully Mitchell Jonathan and the first name will be Mitch. Adam, here is my Christmas present to you”, Mary said glad but deadly tired.
Adam took over Mitch over and said touched, “Thank you darling. You couldn’t give me a much nicer present.”
The baby began to cry at once which everyone in the house heard. Ben and his two youngest sons looked at each other rejoiced.
When the delivery was all over and done with Paul came downstairs and said, “Ben, prepare yourself for a lot of spoiling and sleepless nights because your daughter-in-law and grandson are perfectly healthy.”
De rancher went straight to the bedroom of his son and daughter-in-law. There he saw a deliriously happy family together.
“Pa, here is your grandson Mitch. Do you want to hold him?”, Mary asked almost crying of happiness.
“Just give him to me for a minute”, said Ben.
He got him to hold and was right away fond of the little one.
“Adam and Mary, this is the very most beautiful Christmas present anyone ever can get”, the rancher said proud as a peacock.
When Mary held Mitch Adam happened to be looking outside. He saw something white coming down.
“Look darling, Mitch has delivered us a white Christmas right away”, he said smiling.
Mary saw the snow falling down too and felt intense happy.