This story takes place early in the lives of the Cord family. Ethan has now had the guardianship of his sister's four children for just over seven months. This is the first Christmas since the children left St. Louis. They were raised by parents who were theatre performers. Their Mother died of T.B. and their Father left a year before and is unaccounted for at this time.

Paradise: The First Christmas

Chapter 1.

Ethan Cord, bachelor, ex gunfighter, temporary deputy and new guardian of four children is facing a new dilemma. Christmas is coming.

The first day of December in Paradise, Colorado dawned cold and dark. Waking up early, Ethan pulls his clothes over his long johns. Pulling the heavy woolen socks over his feet he reaches for his boots. Grabbing his heavy fleece lined coat, he carries it into the kitchen. Bending down he reaches for the stovewood in the woodbin by the stove. Finding it empty, he frowns as he pulls on the coat.

"I'll just have a talk with that boy. He knows that is one of his jobs around here. We shouldn't be out of wood in the house." Ethan says to himself as he stalks to the woodpile. After five trips he has the woodbox filled and more stacked up by the front door. Now that the kitchen is beginning to warm up, he calls "Joseph, I need you to get up and dressed now. We have chores."

Coming to the curtains, separating the kitchen and front room sitting area from the children's bedroom, thirteen year old Claire pokes her head between the curtains. "Good Morning Uncle Ethan, I'll start breakfast as soon as I get dressed. It won't take me long to start the oatmeal."

"Morning Claire, you climb back in bed until I get the front of the house warmed up. It's still frosty in the kitchen. We'll bring in the eggs and milk when we finish the chores. I'll help you fix breakfast then."

"Yes sir."

"Is Joseph up and dressing?"

"I don't hear him. Do you want me to get him up?"

"I'll get him. Climb back in bed now. It's too cold to be up right now unless you have to be."

Pulling the curtain aside, Ethan walks over to the boy's side of the room. A rope attached to the wall on each side of the room, divides the space into two sections. Ethan draped a sheet over the rope to provide a private area for Claire. She has her bed on one side of the sheet and the boys have their beds on the other. Walking over to his eleven year old nephew's bed, Ethan says quietly "Joseph? I need your help. We have to gather eggs, milk the cow and clean the stalls this morning. Let's get a move on so we can get breakfast ready."

Not getting a response, Ethan reaches down and shakes the boy by the shoulder. "Joseph! This is my last time calling you. Either get up or take the consequences! I've called you twice already."

"I'm awake. It's just so cold. I can't get my legs to cooperate and move out of the bed." Joseph whispers.

"I tell you what, I'll go warm your shirt and coat for you. You go ahead and take care of any needs you may have while I'm doing that. I'll bring the clothes back for you in five minutes and I want to see you getting dressed. I'll warm your scarf also. Be sure to put on the heavy socks Claire knitted and your boots. We'll need gloves also. It is bitterly cold outside."

Seven year old Ben and six year old George are watching and listening. "Uncle Ethan, do you need us to gather eggs this morning?" Ben asks.

"No boys. You two stay in bed until I come back and get you. It's very cold and you need to stay warm. Both of you already have dripping noses and I don't want to make that worse. Stay in bed."

Joseph waits until his Uncle has left the room before throwing his pillow at Ben. Giggling the boy throws it back. Finding his pillow, Ben tosses it at Joseph also. In minutes, the three boys are firing pillows across the room trying to hit each other.

Walking back in with Joseph's shirt and coat, Ethan is hit in the face by a flying pillow. The boys all freeze in their beds. George scoots down under the covers until only his eyes are peeking out.

"A pillow fight, hmm? Well, that is one way to warm up. Joseph, GET DRESSED! I want you at the barn in five minutes, hear me?" Ethan asks tossing the warm shirt and coat on the boy's bed.

"Yes sir." Joseph answers pulling on the shirt and reaching for his pants as Ethan leaves the room.

"He didn't even get mad! Papa would have whipped all three of us if he got hit with a pillow!" Ben whispers to Joseph.

"Yes, we have it better now. We're lucky." Joseph answers reaching for his boots.

Watching Joseph pull on his boots, George says "Joseph, I have to go so bad."

"Well, get up and go then. I wouldn't just lay there if you have to go that bad." Joseph says as George begins to wiggle in the bed.

"I need help. I can't hold the nightgown up and aim and everything all by myself. I'll make a mess on the floor."

"You heard him. I have to be at the barn in five minutes! It's probably two now! I don't have time to help you do the pot! If I'm late, he'll clobber me! I already got scolded you know."

"JOOOSSSEPPHHH, I can't holllld ittt."

"Go'dam kid!" Joseph mutters under his breath.

"You better watch what you say or you will get a whipping Joseph." Ben whispers. "You can't have forgotten how he walloped you for cursing the last time. You told me he said he would use a belt if he ever heard of you cursing again."

"I know Ben. I know. I'm watching it."

Rushing into the barn ten minutes later, Joseph quickly grabs a rake and begins cleaning the stall. Ethan is sitting on the milking stool, by the cow. From the sounds of the milk hitting the bucket, Joseph can tell he is almost finished. The cow usually gives one bucketful of milk each milking.

"Joseph, come over here by me. I want to ask you something." Ethan says a few minutes later, as he places the milk by the end of the stalls closest to the barn door.

"Hmm?" Joseph answers only to be given a stern look. "Oh, sorry. Yes sir?" Joseph answers more respectfully.

"What did I tell you to do last night before you began playing with the boys?"

"UH, well, umm, you said to fill the woodbox."

"Did you do it?" Ethan asks as he watches the boy fidget in front of him.

"No sir, I meant to do it but I forgot. I'll get right to it now." Joseph answers honestly. Something about the way Ethan asked the question helps him know he'd better tell the truth.

"No need, I did it this morning. Now Joseph, we've talked about this before. Here in Colorado, storms can come up fast. We have to keep enough wood at the house to heat the stove and use in the fireplace. The woodbox was empty and the woodpile on the porch was down to three pieces. This is one of your major jobs. You MUST keep the wood by the door and in the woodbox. If we were snowed in, we have to have wood to burn. Do you remember me telling you this before?"

"Yes Sir, I'm sorry. I just forgot about it."

"I appreciate your apology. However, if you forget this one more time, I will give you an incentive to help you remember from now on. Do I need to explain to you what that means?"

Shaking his head quickly, Joseph says "No sir, I know." His backside seems to know too, as it is currently prickling as if he sat on a patch of nettles.

"Good, now get the stalls cleaned out."

"OUCH! Uncle Ethan!" Joseph yells spinning back around to look at his Uncle. "Why'd you pop me?"

"That is a taste of what your reminder could be if you need one. You must obey what you are told. You didn't do that last night or this morning. I had to come into your room to get you and then you were late coming for chores."

"I'm sorry I was late. George needed help with the pot. I couldn't just walk out and leave him now could I?" Joseph snaps angrily.

"Would you like to have a time over my knee Young Man?"

"No Sir."

"Then, I suggest you keep the mouth under control. When you speak to me or any other adult, I expect you to speak respectfully. Do we understand each other?"

"Yep."

"Excuse me? What Did You Say?" Ethan asks, hands on hips, eyebrows down, glaring sternly at Joseph.

"Um, I mean to say, Yes Sir, I understand." Joseph says moving quickly to finish the stalls and put some distance between his backside and his Uncle.

"I'm going to gather the eggs and take them, with the milk inside. I'll come back and help you finish the barn chores. Keep working so you'll stay warm. We're not going to put the horses out today because of the cold. We'll give them each two scoops of oats and fresh hay. We also need to fix water bags to drip into the water buckets. I don't believe the water will freeze if it is continuously dripping. I'll help you learn how to do that when I come back."

"Yes sir. May I move the stallion out so I can clean his stall?"

"No, leave that to me. Lightning is too big a horse for you to handle. I'll take him."

"I can manage him. He's not that big."

"JOSEPH! I said NO. When I say NO, I mean NO. You stay away from that horse or you'll wish you had! Hear me?"

"I hear you." Joseph answers but thinks, Who couldn't hear you with you practically yelling at me. I just offered to help not to harm the horse. I know I'm new to the ranch life but I'm not so stupid I can't move a horse.

Seeing the hurt and anger in Joseph's eyes, Ethan says "Look Joseph, I'm sorry I snapped at you. Lightning is a very spirited horse. I just don't want to see you hurt. You have to be careful with stallions. They are not as gentle as mares or geldings. Promise me you will stay away from Lightning unless I tell you differently."

"I promise to obey, Uncle Ethan."

"Thank you Joseph. I realize I am expecting a lot from you at your age. It will take you and me together to make this ranch a success. I'm counting on your help. We'll learn together what we don't know. Can you do it?"

"YES SIR, I can! My Papa didn't think I was capable of doing anything. At least you let me try to help."

"Joseph, you do much more than try, son. You do help. You help me, Claire and especially with the little boys. Without you or Claire around, I couldn't do much. I'd spend my time watching out for the little guys. Let me get the eggs and milk inside so Claire can have them to use for breakfast."

Continuing to rake out dirty hay and spread the clean hay, Joseph thinks about what his Uncle just said. No one's ever told me I was a help to them, well besides Mama and Claire. He really meant it too. I'm helping here! Most of the time he even treats me good. He hasn't taken a belt or strop to me yet and we've been here over six months already. Papa would have whipped me many times during six months! I'm so glad he's gone and hope he never finds us here. I want to stay here forever! Colorado is a much more exciting place than St. Louis. Here we have horses and fishing and fun! There it was boarding houses and staying behind the theater stage most of the time.

That afternoon, after Ethan has gone into town to do some work for the sheriff, Claire pulls Joseph into their bedroom.

"Joseph, we have to plan something for Christmas. It's only a few weeks away. Uncle Ethan doesn't have much money to buy gifts for the boys. It's all he can do to provide us with food and warm clothes. We had to buy new coats and winter things because we didn't have any warm enough when we came from St. Louis. He hasn't said but I can tell he worries about money. I've been thinking about you and me getting jobs in town to make money for Christmas."

"I don't believe Uncle Ethan will let me off the ranch to go to town by myself or you either. He punished me when I went off with the Anderson twins that time, remember?"

"Yes, you were restricted to your room for the next day. At least he didn't wallop you for it. You knew not to go off without permission. That's why you were punished. No one knew where you were. You scared him and me too, that day Joseph!"

"Claire, I'm old enough to look after myself you know."

"Yes but this is a wild place and new to us. I get scared when you are off somewhere without Uncle Ethan. I think he'll let us go to town if we go together. We can see if Ms. Anderson will watch the boys one day and you and I can work in town. Then maybe we can swap out times of being at home with the boys and working in town."

"That sounds like a good plan, Claire. How are you going to get Uncle Ethan to go along with it? One other thing, just where is it I'm to find a job? I ask you that!"

"I have a plan for Uncle Ethan and as to the job, well you have to do something on your own. I can't do it all!"

"Fine, I'll just see if the saloon is hiring!"

"JOSEPH!" Claire whispers scandalized by his comment.

"WHAT!"

"Mama would be so disappointed if you were to go in a saloon!"

"Yeah well, Mama's not here and won't know. I've got to make money somehow. You just said I had to be the one to find the job."

"Not in a saloon, Joseph! You go in there and I'll tell Uncle Ethan. He'll take his belt or razor strop to your backside if he hears of you going into a saloon!"

That evening, Claire asks "Uncle Ethan, after we finish our chores tomorrow, may we all go into town? Joseph and I have something we need to do and the boys want to go visit Mrs. Anderson."

"If you all go together, I don't mind. I do want you back before five o'clock. Agreed?"

"Yes sir, we'll be back by then."

The next day in town, Claire says to Joseph "I'm going to ask at the millinery and the bakery first. If they won't hire me, I'll check the dressmakers . Where are you going to go?"

"I guess I'll start at the livery. Then the general store I guess. After that I think I'll go ask at the saloon." Joseph says grinning.

"JOSEPH CARROLL! You better not!"

"Yes Ma'am, I'll be good. I'm just teasing Claire."

"Mr. Everett? Hi, my name is Joseph Carroll and I'm looking for a job. I need to earn some money for Christmas. I can shovel out stalls, exercise the horses, feed and groom them. Could you use a boy for that?"

"Well, I think I could use a little help. You are new around these parts aren't you? I don't recollect any family named Carroll."

"I'm Ethan Cord's nephew sir. My brothers and sister came here to live with him when our Ma died. I'm a hard worker sir and I'll do a good job for you."

"Ethan Cord's nephew huh? He taught you to shoot yet? Him being a gunfighter and all."

"That's EX gunfighter, sir. No, he hasn't taught me to shoot. I'm not allowed to handle the guns sir. I don't think working with the horses needs me to be able to shoot though does it?"

"You have a smart mouth kid! Every boy needs to learn to shoot. What if you came up on a rattlesnake?"

"I'd stand very still and wait while it moves away. If it didn't move, I would move it with a stick."

"You move a rattlesnake in a coil and you get bitten and die, stupid boy! You better learn to shoot real fast greenhorn."

"May I have the job, sir?" Joseph asks trying not to lose his temper at the insults.

"Five cents a day. Work four hours morning or afternoon."

"That will be fine. May I work all day on Saturdays for twelve cents?"

"Ten cents for all day."

"I'll take it. If you'll show me where to pitch the dirty hay, I'll get started, sir."

Claire wasn't having as much luck as Joseph in finding a job. The baker didn't need help, the millinery shop had already hired an older girl to help out. Hoping this time would be the time she was hired, Claire opens the dressmaker's door and walks in.

"Mrs. Ambrose? Hello, I'm Claire Carroll and I'm looking for a job. I have two little brothers and I need money for their Christmas gifts. I'm very good with a needle, Ma'am. May I show you?"

"My what straight and fine stitches. Young lady, you are a gift from above. I have orders for aprons and towels to embroider for gifts. You are the person for that job. I'll pay you twenty five cents a day or four cents for each finished piece. Which would you prefer?"

"I choose to be paid by the piece, Ma'am. The thing is I can't work all day every day. I can work all day on Saturdays only. The rest, well, probably only four hours. I'm needed at home to take care of my brothers, Ma'am."

"Your Mother must have a lot of younger children."

"Well, there are three younger, Joseph is eleven, Ben is seven and George is six. It's the two youngest I have to look after. My Mama died and we live with our Uncle."

"Your uncle? No aunt?"

"Uncle Ethan doesn't have a wife, Ma'am."

"Ethan? That wouldn't be Ethan Cord would it?"

"Yes Ma'am, that's my Uncle Ethan."

"Now I remember, he's taken in four children by himself. No wonder you need the money. I'll tell you what we'll do. You come into the shop only when you need to pick up pieces to work on. You can work on them at home and just deliver them when you are finished. This shop really isn't a big enough place for two seamstresses."

"Thank you Ma'am. I would be delighted to do that. If you'll just write out what you want me to do and pin it to each piece, I can finish them easily."

One week later, Claire and Joseph meet in the barn after everyone else is in bed. "I have forty cents, Claire. How much do you have?"

"I have one dollar and sixteen cents. Let me see, one dollar and sixteen plus forty equals ….. Joseph! We made almost two dollars in one week! If we can do that again this week, we'll have almost four dollars to spend for the boys and Uncle Ethan. I think I can get a few extra cents too for extra work. How about you?"

"No, Mr. Everett works me hard and hardly gives me any money. I'm working four hours and he only gives me a nickel a day. I got a dime for all day Saturday and did all the work. He is as tight with money as Mt. Everest is with rock! " Joseph says frowning.

"Where did you hear about Mt. Everest and besides that what are you two doing out here?" Ethan asks from the barn door.

"We're just talking, sir." Claire answers as Joseph says "I heard about the mountain from someone I met in town last month. It sounded exciting."

"You children need to be in bed. It's too cold to be having secret meetings in the barn. Go on, morning comes early."

"Good night Uncle Ethan." Claire says leaving the barn. Turning to follow his sister, Joseph is stopped by his Uncle's hand on his arm.

"Just a minute there, Joseph. What is this about Mr. Everett?"

"I work for him. I clean the stalls, groom and exercise the horses and he pays me for it."

"I don't recall you asking me if you could work in town. You have enough work to do here which you have been neglecting again. If you want to clean stalls, you have some right here that need to be done. Tomorrow, you go into town and tell Mr. Everett you cannot work there any longer. Now go to bed."

Gasping in shock and then feeling the anger at being told he has to stop working, Joseph says "I need that job! I won't tell him I'm quitting! I won't!"

Taking the boy by the arm once more Ethan turns him sideways and brings his other hand down hard on the seat of Joseph's pants four times.

"You will do as I tell you. You will not answer back and tell me you won't do as I say. Now get in that house and go to bed!"

In bed with the pillow over his head, Joseph tries to keep the sobs from coming. His bottom is burning and his throat is also. Hearing his Uncle go back to bed, Joseph pulls his pants on under his nightshirt, puts on his coat and carrying his boots, slips outside. Putting his boots on, he goes into the barn and crawls up into the hayloft. Finally able to give into the hurt he feels, he lets the sobs come.

A sound makes him lift his head from his arms. Somehow he isn't surprised to see his Uncle standing by the hayloft. "What is it, Joseph? You don't usually get this upset over your punishment."

"It's not really the punishment, it is stinging some but that's not it. I need to make money and you took my job away from me. We have to get money for the boy's Christmas."

"Christmas? You are working to buy presents for Christmas?"

"Yes sir, the boys still believe in Santa Claus and will be so hurt if they don't have something for Christmas. Claire and I have jobs and we've made almost two dollars in five days. We can make another two dollars and that will be enough to get the boys each some little toy and some things for their stockings too."

"Let's go to bed, Joseph. I'm tired and it's too cold to have this talk right now. We'll talk about this tomorrow and work something out. Will you stay in bed this time please? I'm already frozen from coming after the two of you the first time and here I had to come get you again." Ethan says pretending to crack ice from his mustache.

"Smiling, Joseph answers, "I'm cold too. I won't get up any more tonight."

The next morning after breakfast, Ethan tells Joseph to get his coat and come with him to the barn.

Watching his Uncle saddle two horses, Joseph asks "Where are we going?"

"We are going to town to find you a different job. I don't want you working with Everett any longer. I just don't trust him that much. I think you can do much better than working for him."

"You are going to let me keep working?"

"Yes, but not with him. Let's try the General Store. I think Mr. Sanders may need some help. That way you would be INSIDE and making money at the same time. It's just too cold for you to be working outside right now."

"Mr. Cord! How good it is to see you again. You brought the boy with you? He's not going to cause trouble again is he?"

"No Mr. Sanders. Joseph will behave himself." Ethan says giving Joseph a slight tap on the arm to make him look up. Nodding at Mr. Sanders, Ethan says "What do you wish to tell him?'

"Mr. Sanders, I apologize again for breaking that perfume bottle and playing around in the store. I don't act like that anymore. Sir, I'm looking for a job for two weeks to earn money for Christmas gifts for my little brothers. Could I possibly help you with deliveries or stock the shelves or clean up or some other job?"

"Well now, I certainly could use some help. How about ten cents a day plus tips for deliveries."

"Yes sir, ten cents for a day plus tips for deliveries sounds good." Joseph answers.

"He has his own horse to ride for deliveries, Mr. Sanders. I ask that he be allowed to work only afternoons except on Saturdays. I need him at home for chores and to watch his brothers in the mornings."

"That will be agreeable. Now since today happens to be Saturday, may he start today?"

"That will be fine. Joseph, you obey Mr. Sanders and be sure to be home by five o'clock." Ethan says.

"Yes Sir, I will. Thank you Uncle Ethan."

"You are welcome, son. I'll see you later. Have a good day."

On Saturday, Joseph is busy packing a box of groceries to deliver when the front door of the store opens.

"Hi Joseph! We came to visit you." George calls as he runs to the counter.

"Hi George, Ben. George you need to look but not touch." Joseph calls to his youngest brother who is busy picking up the toys on the toy shelf.

"Ben? Who brought you to town?"

"Nobody, we came ourselves."

"Where's Uncle Ethan?"

"He got tired from working with the stallion and fell asleep. We left him a note."

"Oh boy, you two better high tail it back to the ranch and fast! You are going to be in enormous trouble….

"CRASH" Joseph and Ben hear.

"GEORGE CARROLL What Did I Say?" Joseph scolds sternly as he and Ben walk over to where George is standing.

"I didn't mean to, it fell. I wasn't even touching it!" George sobs looking at the decorative plate now shattered on the floor.

"You two stand over there by the counter and keep your hands in your pockets! If I see your hands anywhere else, I'll put you over my knee and spank you! " Joseph says pointing to the counter.

Quickly sweeping the broken pieces into a metal tray, Joseph walks over and dumps them in the back trashcan. "Okay boys, I have a delivery to make and then I'll take you home. It's going to be close to four thirty by then anyway so I can leave. You better be thinking hard on what you plan to tell Uncle Ethan on why you ran off. Let's go."

Settling George on the horse, Joseph ties the box to the back of the saddle. Climbing up, he reaches down and helps Ben sit on the box. "It's a good thing this lady didn't order any eggs or other breakable things. I wouldn't have a place for you Ben, if she did."

After riding in silence for awhile, Ben speaks up "Joseph, you said we 'ran off' but George and I walked to town. We didn't run."

"Ran off means you went off with out asking or telling anyone where you were going, Ben."

"How mad do you think Uncle Ethan will be? Do you think he's going to wallop us?"

"I just don't know, Ben. I know if I went off like that without permission, he'd definitely wallop me. I'm older though, so I know better."

After delivering the groceries, Joseph begins the trip back to the ranch. The boys are getting tired of riding already and are getting restless.

"Boys, sit still. You can't wiggle around when you are on a horse. It confuses them on what to do. I'm signaling one thing and you two are telling him something else."

"LOOK JOSEPH!" George calls excitedly pointing at a tree.

"Yes George, that's a nice tree."

"It's not just a tree, Joseph. It's a Christmas tree! Look at it, it's the right shape and it has all its needles just like Mama said they should. OH, I wish we could take it home. It's not that big."

"George, it's a lot bigger than you think. Outside things might seem small but inside they are big. Uncle Ethan said we 'don't have the room in the cabin for a Christmas tree.' I asked him the other day. I'm sorry, George."

"But if we don't have a tree, how are we going to decorated for Christmas? If we don't decorated it's not Christmas. If it's not Chrissmuss Santa cannn'ttt comm." George says breaking into sobs.

"George, Stop It! You are not a baby any longer. You are six now. You know Claire has been reading the Christmas Story from the bible to us. Christmas isn't about trees and Santa. Now stop crying!" Ben commands.

Joseph can hear the wobble in Ben's voice so he knows Ben is about to cry too. He knows Ben likes to be thought of as a big boy but he gets his feelings hurt easily too.

"We'll still decorate for Christmas, George. Claire will have us all cutting out decorations, she will be baking cookies and we will have all kinds of fun things. You don't need to be upset about not decorating or not having any Christmas either." Joseph tells his youngest brother.

He's just finished his speech when Ethan appears in front of them. His eyes are dark and his mouth is in a tight line. He looks huge sitting on Lightning and very stern.

"Joseph, Ben and George! Just what do the three of you think you are doing? I've been looking for you for an hour! Now I find you deep in the woods when it's getting dark! Ben, you get down and come over here. I'll help you up to sit in front of me."

When Ben is settled, Ethan says "Joseph, stay right behind me and follow me closely. We will talk about this when we get home. Let's go!"