The Greatest Gift of All

The Tales of the Ponderosa Christmas Chain Story

Adam looked at the wreath of blue spruce, tied with a large scarlet ribbon, prepared himself, then knocked on the oak door.

Behind him, the bright sun shone in an azure sky and the pine trees leaned, whispering to one another about the snow clouds hovering near the mountains.

The door opened slowly; a tired looking woman with three small children hanging on her skirts peered out. She wasn't much older than Adam, but the trials of her life weighed heavily upon her.

She brushed her hair from her eyes as she looked suspiciously at the young man.

"Is there somethin' I can help you with, Mister?" she asked, and suddenly the barrel of a shotgun was leveled at his chest.

Adam took two steps back from the door and removed his hat. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, ma'am. My horse has come up lame. I saw your horses in the corral. Um...I'd like to borrow one." Noticing the hesitance in her eyes, he quickly added, "Here's five dollars
and I'll leave my horse in the corral until I can get back for her. She just needs a rest." Adam's eyes looked at her intently. She smiled slightly at his honesty and took the money from his hand. "Where ya headed?"

"My family has a ranch on the other side of Eagle Station," Adam replied. "I'm trying to get home for Christmas."

The woman glanced up at the young man standing before her, his gentle blue eyes showing compassion and concern. Turning to look towards the mountains she said. "Please, won't you come in and warm yourself by the fire? It's goin' to get a lot colder before that snow arrives."

Adam hesitated, then glanced towards the mountains as well; it was going to be a long cold ride home. Getting warm before heading back on the road, especially on a strange horse, probably wasn't too bad an idea. "Thank you, that's kind of you," he nodded,
removing his hat before he stepped through the door. His eyes took in the shabby but spotless little cabin, the tiny elements of decoration for the season a desperate cry out for some kind of seasonal gaiety. Adam had the sensation from the threadbare clothes on
the children and the woman, and the sparseness of the wood in the fireplace, that the gaiety might be forced ... or at least that a major effort was needed to keep cheerful. His first warm breath in, though, was filled with the fragrance of the fir trees and it was a pleasant, warm smell. "Your home smells lovely ... my little brothers would say it smells like Christmas," he said softly, smiling at the young mother. His eyes caught those of the curly haired moppet, smallest of the bunch, who tried to wink up at him and ended up squeezing both eyes shut instead. Adam chuckled and winked in return, then smiled at the
woman. "Thank you."

Adam nodded his thanks and walked to the fire, welcoming its warmth. Rubbing his hands together, he glanced around the room. It was sparsely furnished but clean, with threadbare curtains hanging at the windows and a worn quilt carelessly thrown in the corner, as if recently abandoned. A small, pock-marked table stood off to the side,
set with four mismatching dishes and four tin mugs.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your dinner."

"It ain't nuthin' fancy but you're welcome to share it." The woman turned to the oldest of the three children. "Ellie, go fetch another plate."

Before Adam could reply, he felt a tug on his pants and looked down into brown eyes so big and trusting that his breath caught in his throat.

The quiet warmth of the room was obliterated when the front door smashed open, splintering the door latch and scattering it across the floor. Adam whirled
around. The woman's hand covered her mouth in a silent scream, as the children, frozen to where they stood, stared with fearful eyes at the two men who stood just
outside the doorway. Adam's eyes darted to his rifle leaning against the wall by the door, just as the man on the right rested his hand on it.

The man on the left, the younger of the two, aimed his rifle at Adam's chest. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Adam swallowed hard and for a second he couldn't remember. "Car-cartwright. Adam Cartwright. I, uh, I just--"

"Did he hurt you, Mary?" The man took a fast step forward. "Did he!"

Adam backed up when Mary stepped in front of him. "Jonas, put that rifle down right this minute. You're scaring the children. Adam's just passin' through, had some trouble with his horse."

Jonas visibly relaxed and lowered the rifle barrel. He looked at the other man, who stood straight and frowned at Adam before stomping toward the fireplace to warm his hands. Jonas set his rifle next to Adam's. "Snow coming," he grumbled. "You live far from here?"

"Other side of Eagle Station," Adam said. "On the Ponderosa."

"Heard of it," Jonas replied as he pulled off his worn woolen coat. "Guess you can understand my concern. We've had a lot of trouble with no-goods and Injuns, livin' so far from town and all."

Ellie, unable to control herself any longer, bounced toward him. "Papa! You made it home for Christmas! And you found Uncle Nicholas."

Nicholas? Adam looked from the sides of his eyes to study the man. Nicholas seemed to be about Pa's age, maybe a little older. His long, thick beard was as white as the snowdrifts outside. His eyes twinkled with delight as the children gathered around him. Nicholas had to put down a worn feed sack that bulged here and there with un-feed-like
lumps before he could wrap his arms around the youngsters and laugh happily.

When Adam turned his attention to Mary she stood spellbound, gazing at the sack filled with what Adam assumed were presents. "Oh, Nicholas," she breathed the words. "I do declare - you are a saint!"

The old man laughed then turned to Adam "There's snow in the sky. You've got a long ride. Best be making it soon or you'll not be home in time for Christmas."

Adam nodded and smiled at the woman "Thank you for your hospitality, Ma'am. I'll return the horse and collect Beauty as soon as I can."

She nodded back and opened the door for him. It seemed as if the wind had whipped up a fair bit since he entered and the temperature was dropping fast. Two pairs of footprints led into the house and Adam noticed that the one on the left had a lighter print toward the heel of the right boot as if the owner was limping a little. He was getting real good at reading signs and practiced whenever he could. He saddled the horse the woman had indicated and mounted quickly. As he passed by the cabin again he noticed that only one horse was tied outside. Maybe they had ridden double. A few yards from the cabin he spotted deer tracks and it made him hurry his pace. If the deer had been pushed this far down for food then the wolf packs would be close behind.

Adam rode into the Ponderosa yard near on midnight and stabled the horse in the barn as quickly as he could. The snow had followed him and for the past three miles it had been almost a white out. He was glad to be heading into a warm house. A tiny glow from a lamp in the window welcomed him and as he had expected Pa had waited up for him.

"Pleased you're home, son." Ben greeted him with a hug. "Come and get warmed through by the fire and then we'll head for bed."

Adam was only too happy to obey those orders. He drank the hot coffee offered and then put down his cup and stood with his back to the fire. "You go on to bed, Pa. I'll just put my gifts under the tree and be right behind you."

As he bent to add his small gifts for his family to the ones already there, his boyish curiosity got the better of him and he couldn't resist feeling the packages that his father had placed there. Money was still tight and they were all practical gifts but would be welcomed by the receivers nonetheless. He was slightly disappointed that there were no book shaped packages for him and sad that his little brother wouldn't get the hunting knife he had so coveted in Orowitz's store last week. Hoss ' parcel was undoubtedly the heavy leather gloves he needed for the smithy work but not the bridle he wanted so much. He sighed. Maybe next year.

Morning came too quickly for Adam and not soon enough for his brothers. "Get off." he grumbled when Joe pounced on him before dawn.

"Pa, says we gotta do chores first, so you gotta hurry," was Joe's only comment as he ripped the blankets from his older brother and tried to haul him from his bed.

Still grumbling Adam gave up on more sleep and followed his brothers into the yard.

"Hey, it sure snowed last night."

"Wait!" Joe yelled from the doorway. "I wanna make the first tracks."

"Too late," Hoss called back. "A herd o' mule deer made 'em in the night."

Adam at the rear of the group studied the tracks as he walked to the barn. Deer would never come this close to the house, would they? Then he recalled the tracks at the little cabin. Guess its gonna be a harder winter than we thought.

Chores done in record time to the accompaniment of endless chatter from Little Joe, the three boys went back inside for hot chocolate and an enormous breakfast. Hop Sing had done them proud on this Christmas morning. The table cleared and the dishes done and nothing would hold Little Joe from the parcels under the tree.

"Alright, Joseph. You needn't wait any longer to see what Santa has brought for you." Ben laughed and winked at his other sons as Little Joe scrambled for the packages.

Joe picked up a slim packet in bright red paper. Ben frowned and looked across at Adam, surely the boy hadn't spent all his hard-earned money to buy that expensive knife for his little brother. Sure enough that's what was there, and Joe was exclaiming delightedly about it. Ben caught Adam's eye but his son was shaking his head. Hoss too was grinning widely as he unwrapped a shiny new bridle.

Adam wasn't sure what was happening here, Pa must have put these presents under the tree when they were doing chores. They sure hadn't been there last night. Not to be left out he reached for the red parcel with his name on it. It contained exactly what he expected, the Longfellow book of poems and a copy of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in translated form. The very books he had been wanting all summer. He looked over at his father to thank him but Ben was engrossed in a red parcel of his own.

At that moment the door swung open with the wind. Adam, being the closest, hurried to close it. As he did so he noticed something he hadn't seen before. Among the many footprints now adorning the porch was a set he recognized. The right boot was lighter than the left. It couldn't be. he shut the door quickly and turned back into the room just as Pa held up his gift.

Ben had tears in his eyes as he showed Hop Sing what the parcel contained; a framed sketch of his three sons. "It's beautiful he whispered. Thank you, Adam."

Adam shook his head "Not me, Pa. I didn't do any of this. I thought you did."

"Not me, and if not you, then who? " He looked at Hop Sing who also shook his head.

The words under the picture caught his eye. "The Greatest Gift of All." No, Adam wouldn't have written that but the words were so true. His sons were his greatest gift. Just as the Christ child had been God's greatest gift to the world.

"Some things are mystery, better not question," Hop Sing commented as he admired the picture.

"Santa Claus did it, of course," Joe said and Hoss nodded with a puzzled frown.

Adam turned away and looked out of the window. He was too old to believe what he was seeing with his own eyes but the evidence was irrefutable "Some folk call him, Saint Nicholas," he whispered.

The End