A Sister's Advice: LHOP inspired Fan Fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

 

A Sister’s Advice

LHOP inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

 Disclaimer: I do not own the Little House on the Prairie television series, book series, or any of the characters.

 

            Almanzo’s packed belongings sat at the edge of his bed. One bag and one knapsack to carry with him to his new life in Sleepy Eye. He would stop by Laura’s house this morning before school to talk to her.

            Eliza Jane had been quiet at supper last night. They grew up together. They had never lived apart. When she left home to accept the teaching position in Walnut Grove, he offered to go with her. As hard as it was to leave his parents all alone in Spring Valley, as the second oldest son, he had a responsibility to make sure she stayed safe. Royal married years ago, and with Perley Day’s whereabouts unknown, Almanzo filled his wagon with household items and provisions, and made the drive to his new home with Eliza Jane.

            Part of him struggled with his need for independence versus his need to care for his sister, but seeing Mr. Ingalls in town every day and sitting across the aisle from him at church on Sunday mornings, pretending he agreed with Mr. Ingalls’s decision that Laura and he must wait two years to marry, pushed him forward. He made plans for Ned Turner to help with the farm while he was away, so at least Eliza Jane wouldn’t have to worry about managing all the chores by herself.

            Almanzo’s boots thudded on the stairs as he marched down to the kitchen for breakfast. He doubted his sister would allow him to go without a lecture, but he had made up his mind. He wanted a future with Laura, and her overprotective father stood in the way of their happiness.

            “Good morning, Sis.” He caught how she glanced out of the corner of her eye at him as she stirred scrambled eggs in a cast iron pan.

            Eliza Jane poured him a cup of coffee and handed it to him. “Good morning, Mannie. Sleep well.”

            What is she up to? He knew his sister well enough to know that the temporary shock of last night’s announcement had worn off. She would have plenty to say.

            He shrugged. “Not really, but I have a lot on my mind.”

            “I’m sure you do.” Eliza Jane slid a plate of ham and eggs in front of his seat at the table and sat down at her seat opposite him. She looked over the rim of her glasses. “Are you still planning on leaving this morning?”

            He nodded. “Yes. I’ll head over to Laura’s place after I drop you off in town. Shouldn’t take her long to pack up. Then we’ll head out to Sleepy Eye.” He shoveled a large forkful of food into his mouth, which he washed down with a swig of coffee.

            Eliza Jane crossed her arms and leaned them on the table’s edge. “What makes you think Laura will go with you?”

            Almanzo stopped his fork mid-air, his mouth remaining open. “What do you mean?”

            “She has a lot to consider, you know.” Eliza Jane slid her mostly full plate aside. “Without warning you’re going to ask her to pick up her life and move to Sleepy Eye? What about her teaching? What about her family?”

            His sister’s lecture quickly got annoying. Beth would go with him. Hadn’t she been in love with him forever? Didn’t she immediately say yes when he asked her to marry him?

            “Sis, we are only moving to Sleepy Eye, not Boston.” One corner of his mouth lifted, creating a crooked smile. “We can come visit once we get settled.”

            Eliza Jane pursed her lips as he spoke. She stood straighter in her seat, like she did when she made a point to a student. “Mannie, you know I want what’s best for you. I always have.” She lowered her gaze and smiled. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciated you coming with me to Walnut Grove when I accepted this job. I’m sure a single young man had other things in mind for his life, but you chose to live here.”

            She reached across the table and clutched his hand. “While I am thankful, I never would have asked you to pick up everything and move here with me.” Eliza Jane shook her head. “You’re not giving Laura any choice. She loves you, and if she wants to be with you, she must leave the place she has called home for years and leave behind her family. Are you sure you want to ask that of her?”

            Almanzo pushed his seat back and stood. The heat of his anger rose to create a ring of sweat around his shirt collar. “You don’t understand, Sis. How am I supposed to face Mr. Ingalls every day and pretend that we agree when we don’t? How is Beth supposed to feel about me as a husband if I can’t stand up and fight for what we want?”

            He stormed off to the kitchen and dropped his plate and cup in the sink. When he turned around, his red-headed sister stood in the kitchen doorway. Tall and slender, her eyeglasses made her appear older than she was. The red, black, and white plaid dress she often wore to school didn’t help. Growing up in Malone, she used to be so fashionable.

            Maybe if she ever had a beau, she would know what it’s like to be in love and to want to spend your life with a person so much it almost hurts to spend days apart. Painfully shy, Eliza Jane felt most comfortable around her students.

            “Almanzo, all I am saying is that if you fight for what you want, you should be sure Laura wants the same thing. This could go horribly wrong, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

            Almanzo’s shoulders drooped. How could he stay angry with the sister he had looked up to all his life? He strolled over and hugged her. “It will work out, Eliza Jane.”

            The clock chimed seven times. “I best get Barnum and Skip hitched up. Can’t have the teacher being late for school.”

            Almanzo plunked his hat on his head and marched out to the barn. As he hitched up his Morgans, he thought more on what his sister said. Could she be right? Would Laura choose her pa over me? He shook those thoughts from his mind. Laura loved him and he loved her. His plan would work out fine.

          

Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved.

How Do I Go On?: LHOP inspired Fan Fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

How Do I Go On?

LHOP inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

Disclaimer: I do not own the Little House on the Prairie television series, book series, or any of the characters.

Author's note: I used a bit of the dialogue from the episode, "He Loves Me, He Love Me Not" for this story.

Laura trudged toward the Walnut Grove schoolhouse, a dinner pail swaying in her right hand. Her heavy feet shuffled along the dusty road kicking up rocks. I wonder where he is now.

Miss Wilder would be wondering where she was, too. School started over an hour ago.

Yesterday she had been deliriously happy. The man of her dreams had asked her to marry him and she said, "yes." Knowing Charles wanted her to wait until she turned 18, Almanzo suggested they run away, but she convinced Manly to talk to her Pa first. Why didn't I listen to him?

Her mind wandered back to the moment she heard wagon wheels pulling out of the yard. Stepping into the darkness, the only person she saw was Pa.

"He left?" she asked.

"Yeah," Pa mumbled, nodding as he stood there with his hands tucked into his pockets.

"Why? What did you say to him?"

"I told him you would have to wait."

Her chest tightened around the fury and anger bubbling inside. "I won't lose him. If waiting means I'm going to lose him, I won't wait. I mean it Pa!"

Somehow her legs carried her up into the loft and onto her bed where her body convulsed in a torrent of tears. Ma came up several minutes later; and just like she always did, made it seem like everything would be okay. But, nothing would ever be okay again.

Ma had told her that Almanzo would wait if he really loved her, and encouraged Laura to make up with Pa. He had loved her for sixteen years, after all. She spoke to Pa that night, but it didn't help much. Their talk only served to make her more nervous about facing Almanzo in the morning. Why did she have to choose between the two men she loved most?

Gulping down breakfast Laura raced out the door, school books and dinner pail in hand, to head out to the Wilder farm before school started. She had to convince Almanzo to wait. Her heart fluttered when she saw him driving toward her in his wagon. Though defiant and brave when she faced Pa the night before, she could never turn her back on him and defy his wishes.

"I can't. Not now. I just need some time," she said when Almanzo announced he planned to leave Walnut Grove and wanted her to come with him.

Almanzo glared with disappointment and disgust. "I guess your Pa was right. You're still a little girl."

His words tore into her like barbed wire, not only scratching, but digging in and tearing away tender flesh. She watched him drive off. Please come back!

Sneaking up to the back door of the schoolhouse, Laura sipped cool water from the cup she dipped into the water bucket. Smoothing her hair and straightening her dress, she breathed deeply to prepare to enter the schoolhouse where everyone had been working for nearly two hours. Dozens of heads swung in her direction at the click of the door.

"Oh, Laura," said Miss Wilder. "I wondered where you were. You're not feeling sick are you?"

Her mouth felt as parched as the prairie fields during a drought. The heat of everyone's stare burned on her face. "No, Miss Wilder. I had something to take care of. I'm sorry I'm late."

"That's all right," she smiled. "The class is just reading silently until morning recess. Why don't you take your seat."

"Yes Ma'am."

The weight of her classmates' stares felt like sacks of grain tied to her arms and legs as Laura trudged to her seat; their whispers leaving her too embarrassed to look up. Minutes ticked by as slow as the winter thaw turns to spring. Each moment reminded her Almanzo was on his way to start a new life without her.

Moments later, Miss Wilder stood up from her desk. "All right, class. You may go out and play."

Laura could feel her brother Albert standing next to her. The gravity of his stare bore down on her as  she pretended to read. Miss Wilder advanced toward them.

"Albert, would you take my watch and make sure to call everyone back in on time. I need Laura to help me with something."

"Sure, Miss Wilder." Albert shot one more glance at his sister before turning around and marching away.

Miss Wilder sat down on the bench in front of Laura. "He must be halfway to Sleepy Eye by now."

Laura gasped. "You know."

"He had to tell me that I would need to find some help around the farm."

Laura nodded. She hadn't given any thought to the farm. Miss Wilder certainly couldn't run it herself.

"Do you know where he went?"

Miss Wilder adjusted her eyeglasses. "No, I'm sorry. He didn't say much before he left this morning, though we talked a bit last night."

"What did he say?"

Laura bit her lower lip as Miss Wilder told her what she knew—which wasn't much. Her head collapsed into her folded arms across her desk. How could this be happening? Her chest heaved as she forced back the tears.

"You don't have to be here today," said Miss Wilder. "Go home."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Laura collected her books from the bench and pushed herself off the seat. Tears welled up in her eyes and threatened to tumble down her cheeks. Her shuffling feet scratched along the hard, wooden floor as she walked to the back door. She turned to face her teacher, comforted by the compassion in the older woman's eyes.

"Thank you, Miss Wilder."

She smiled. "You're welcome. And, try not to worry. He'll be back."

"How do you know?"

Miss Wilder shrugged. "I know my brother. He doesn't give up too easily."

Laura managed a weak smile before sneaking out of the back door as she heard the first chimes of the school bell ending recess. As she wandered toward the little house on Plum Creek, she took solace in Miss Wilder's words. She had no idea how she would get through the rest of the day, or tomorrow, or even the next day, but she had to hold onto that hope that what Miss Wilder and her Ma said was true … he'll be back.

Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved.

A Secret Assignment: LHOP inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

A Secret Assignment

LHOP inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

Disclaimer: I do not own the Little House on the Prairie television series, book series, or any of the characters.

Eliza Jane watched the two of them. Their relaxed body language showed how comfortable they were with each other. A smile crossed his lips, his wavy blond hair lifting and then falling as he removed his hat. She couldn't really blame Laura for being enamored with her brother. He truly was a handsome young man. And with his kind, gentle nature any woman who became his wife would certainly be lucky.

Mannie did have his fits of temper though. Eliza Jane had seen a lot of his temper since the Slaters came to town. While it broke her heart to think of leaving Walnut Grove, at least Almanzo wouldn't pace the floor at night filled with bottled up fury.

Laura walked towards the schoolhouse, head hung low and shoulders drooped. Her dinner pail rocked in her hand as she kicked up clouds of dust with her shuffling feet.

"Good morning, Laura," Eliza Jane said in a voice chipper than she felt.

"Morning, Miss Wilder." The words fell out of Laura's mouth without emotion.

"Is something wrong?"

"Are you really leaving Walnut Grove?"

"I'm afraid so." Eliza Jane hated the thought of leaving, but the school board left her no choice. "Bart Slater has made it impossible to teach and he's too big for me to force him to listen."

Laura sighed. "Can't the School Board do anything?"

Eliza Jane's expression turned sour as she recalled the last board meeting. "Mr. Slater is a very wealthy and influential man. The School Board can't risk losing his generous contribution."

"They can't afford to lose you either," said Laura.

Eliza Jane smiled. If only all the members of the Board saw it that way. "Thank you Laura, but I'm much easier to replace than Mr. Slater's money." The admission stung Eliza Jane like a hundred bee stingers injected into soft flesh.

"We don't need Mr. Slater's mone." Laura clenched her fists by her side, her face turning red. "A good teacher is worth more than the best text books."

Weary of the conversation, Eliza Jane's thoughts turned to Almanzo and how her inability to discipline Bart Slater would cost him the hard work he put into the farm. She sat down on the top step of the schoolhouse stairs and slapped the platform for Laura to join her.

"I saw you talking to Almanzo earlier."

The words caused a blush to splash across Laura's freckled cheeks. "Well, I wanted to find out if the rumor about your leaving was true."

"You're going to miss him, aren't you?"

Laura averted her eyes, pretending to be interested in the bottom stair. "I wish you didn't have to go."

A sly smile curled the corners of Eliza Jane's lips. "That's not exactly an answer."

Laura fidgeted with the hem of her apron, keeping her eyes turned away from her teacher's constant scrutiny.

Eliza Jane rested her hand on Laura's arm. "There's nothing wrong in having a crush on Almanzo."

Laura's face went from scared, to horrified, to downright furious in the span of a few seconds. "I don't have a crush on him," she said flatly.

"I'm sorry if I misunderstood." Eliza Jane didn't want to risk having Laura stomp off before she had her say.
She peered at Laura over the rim of her glasses. Laura's left leg bounced nervously. "You do like him though, don't you?"

The crimson stain across the girl's face told her all she needed to know.

"It's all right Laura. It's not obvious to people."

"Then how did you know?"

"A pointy-nosed, red-headed clown told me."

Laura's eyes popped open as her stomach churned with horror. "You knew that was me?"

"Who else in town would be bold enough to leave Christie Norton standing in her drenched bloomers?" Eliza Jane laughed at the picture flashing through her mind. "I don't think Almanzo will ever look at clowns the same way again."

Eliza Jane rubbed Laura's back. The fast pace of Laura's nervous breathing could be felt in the quick rising and falling of Laura's upper body.

"Don't worry, I doubt Almanzo has any idea it was you."

The other children played in the schoolyard, oblivious to the serious conversation going on at the schoolhouse steps. Eliza Jane's eyes fell upon Laura's brother, Albert. She felt he also knew of Laura's attraction to Almanzo.

"I don't know a lot about men," said Eliza Jane. "But I do know my brother...though I don't always understand him. Why he courts young ladies from town is beyond me. None of them would make a good farmer's wife. But a young lady like you knows a lot about farming. I'm sure that's one of the reasons Almanzo finds it so easy to talk to you."

A glimmer of hope shone on Laura's face. The usual smile curled her lips as she listened.

"The problem is that Almanzo sees you as a friend…a young friend." Laura frowned. Eliza Jane tapped her hand. "But you can change that."

Laura scrunched up her nose. "How?"

"The ladies that Almanzo courts are a few years older than you. They've grown up. They've matured. Pranks like the one you played at the circus make you seem younger, not as mature." Laura's cheeks flushed. "I'm going to give you a private homework assignment. I want you to think about how some of these young ladies act. Pay attention to how they present themselves when they're in town or at church. Try to copy that behavior."

Laura sighed. "I don't know if I can. My temper always gets the better of me. Ma says I'm a lot like Pa—I act in haste."

Eliza Jane wagged a finger at her. "You'll be able to control that as time goes on. But first you need to really concentrate on how these ladies act in public."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I think Almanzo has found the right woman for him…he just hasn't noticed yet." Eliza Jane smirked. "There's nothing wrong with helping him along."

"Thanks Miss Wilder."

"You know, Laura, I never understood why you were in such a hurry to take your teaching exam until that stunt you pulled at the circus. But being a teacher is only half the equation. So work on that homework assignment as much as you can."

"Don't worry, I will." Laura flashed a determined smile.

"Why don't you ring the bell today. I'm going to write down the assignment on the board."

Eliza Jane marched into the schoolhouse. Was it wrong to interfere? It would be cruel to get Laura's hopes up if Almanzo was leaving town in a few days. She chuckled over how excited Laura was with her new assignment. Eliza Jane opened up her lesson plan and wrote down the assignment for the younger grades. Her talk with Laura had made her feel better than she had in weeks. Even if just for a moment, Eliza Jane allowed herself to dream that Bart Slater would have a change of heart so she could stay in Walnut Grove and watch Almanzo and Laura's courtship unfold.


Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved.

Favorite Little House on the Prairie Episodes

Little House on the Prairie ran for nine seasons and three post-series movies. Fans have been clamoring for a reunion show for years, though as time passes it seems less likely that it would be possible. Some of the actors have passed away--Michael Landon, Kevin Hagen, Dabbs Greer, Merlin Olsen, Victor French--and some have moved on to other careers.

There are fans who like the earlier episodes where the Ingalls girls are still young and growing up. Others, like me, enjoy the older seasons where Adam Kendall and Almanzo Wilder are a part of the town. And every fan has his or her favorite episodes.

"Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow" remains my favorite, though there are others that come in a close second. It is television drama at its best, and contains so many elements of what made the show a success. A two-part episode, it is partially based on the tragedies the real Wilders experienced as a young married couple.

Almanzo contracts diphtheria. Ordered to bed by Doc Baker, when a hailstorm threatens his wheat crop, Almanzo races out to save it and ends up suffering a stroke. The real Almanzo experienced this as well. Unlike his TV counterpart, he would suffer its effects for the rest of his life. In addition, the real life Laura also contract diphtheria, and Rose was sent to live with her grandparents, Caroline and Charles, while they battled their illness.

Now paralyzed, Almanzo (played by Dean Butler) is unable to make the mortgage payments. Deeply in debt, and with a very pregnant Laura no longer able to work, the Wilders are concerned about their future. Things go from bad to worse when Almanzo's older sister, Eliza Jane arrives to take care of Almanzo.

Feeling lonely, Eliza Jane hampers Almanzo's recovery, hoping she can find him a proper job in Minneapolis that he can perform from his wheelchair. Almanzo and Eliza Jane make plans to sell the house in Walnut Grove, but a tornado destroys it. In real life, the Wilder's home was destroyed by a fire not long after the death of their infant son.

The loss of the house on top of Almanzo's illness and the thought of leaving the place that has been her home for most of her life, cause Laura to give up and retreat to bed. Almanzo decides he must be the husband that Beth needs. With the help of Charles, he learns to walk again, and then begins rebuilding a small home in Walnut Grove.

Beth and Manly have an emotional reunion in front of the frame of their new home, where Laura sees Almanzo walk for the first time since his stroke. "Welcome home, Beth," announces Almanzo before they embrace.

I hope you'll consider sharing your favorite Little House on the Prairie episodes with us.

Reading Now: Farmer Boy Goes West by Heather Williams

Almanzo Wilder is going west! He and his family are moving all the way from their cozy farm in Malone, New York, to the bustling town of Spring Valley, Minnesota. Almanzo can’t wait to explore, but life in Spring Valley isn’t what he expected. The Wilders have to stay with relatives in a small, cramped house where Almanzo’s aunt Martha is cold and unfriendly. Almanzo longs for the freedom he had back home, and he especially misses his horse, Starlight. Even as he makes new friends at school and helps his father pick a plot of land for the family to settle on, Almanzo can’t help but wonder: Is Minnesota the right place for the Wilders? Or do they belong in New York? First introduced in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic Little House book Farmer Boy, Almanzo Wilder’s adventures continue in Farmer Boy Goes West.

A couple of my Little House friends and I are reading this book together. It ends up being an online book club, where we talk about the book we're reading, and in this case, discuss how the fiction differs from the history.

We're two chapters in right now. Almanzo's parents have decided to visit Mother's brother, Uncle George, and his new wife in Spring Valley. Father wonders if they should move west too. Almanzo is excited to go, but he is sad he must leave his beloved horse, Starlight, at home. Royal and Eliza Jane will stay in New York and take care of the farm, while Father and Mother, Alice, Almanzo and little Perley make the long trip.

I'm enjoying this book so far, but it's odd to have a sequel coming so many years after the original--and by a different author. Luckily, the author is a Laura fan, so she is writing in a style that captures the essence of Laura Ingalls Wilder's work.

A full review will follow.

Back to School - Season 6

Now that Labor Day has come and almost gone, thoughts turn to school days. My girls actually started last week, but they don't do much during that first week. Homework will start tomorrow--UGH--and the kids will really start getting down to work.

It probably isn't surprising, then, that my thoughts also turned to the first episode of Season 6 - "Back to School."  Michael Landon began Little House on the Prairie that year (Sept. 1979) with a two-part episode that introduced new characters: Eliza Jane Wilder and her handsome brother, Almanzo. Eliza Jane became the new school teacher, and her brother Almanzo got a job working at the Feed and Seed, in addition to taking care of the Wilder farm.

The introduction of Almanzo was important for viewers because fans of the books knew that this character would be the man Laura Ingalls ended up marrying. I can imagine the pressure that put on Landon and Dean Butler, who portrayed Almanzo Wilder.



As we discussed last month--though most of that conversation took place at Facebook--the romance that Landon and his writers created is very different from what fans of the books know. In the books, it is Almanzo who pursues Laura. On the show, however, Melissa Gilbert's character, Laura, had a huge crush on Almanzo from the moment she saw him. Caught somewhere between childhood and womanhood, a growing and changing Laura hops and prays Almanzo will see her as older than she is. This would be the way their relationship played out through most of Season 6, until the episode "Sweet Sixteen," where Almanzo finally realizes Laura isn't a little girl anymore.

But I'm moving ahead too quickly. In "Back to School," we also see Nellie Oleson graduate, leaving the Walnut Grove school--and Laura--behind. This must have been hard on poor Laura, who is already trying to prove to her pa and Almanzo that she's no longer a child. And what makes matters worse is that Nellie thinks Almanzo is dreamy too; not to mention that Harriet is playing matchmaker for her daughter by inviting Zaldamo--as she calls him--to dinner at Nellie's Restaurant, an unexpected and unwanted graduation gift from Nellie's parents.

What results from this matchmaking attempt is one of the best Laura and Nellie fights of the series. Even though it seems that Nellie has it all over Laura, it's usually Nellie who is miserable in the end. This episode is no different.

Laura agrees to cook dinner for the potential couple because neither Nellie nor her mother can cook anything. But Nellie doesn't want Almanzo to know she can't cook, so Laura is kept hidden in the kitchen, which gives her ample time to shake cayenne pepper on the chicken instead of cinnamon. One bite of that chicken, and Almanzo and Nellie are running for the pump to drink like fish and cool off their burning tongues.



Not one to take losing lightly, Nellie vows revenge; and boy does she get it. Convinced that the only way her father and Almanzo will see her as a woman, Laura decides to take her final exam so that she can graduate. Problem is, Charles has been out of work after being hit by a mill stone, and they can't afford to buy Laura the books she needs to study. Determined to pass that test, Laura begs Nellie to let her borrow her books, which Nellie does. Even though Miss Wilder has told Laura that the test will be mostly history, Nellie manages to convince Laura that Miss Wilder is lying to protect her job. Can't have any young, new teachers stealing her school, you know. So, guess what? Laura doesn't pass the test, and she is more than upset.

A very satisfied Nellie stumbles upon a crying Laura on her way back from delivering cookies to Almanzo at the farm. Gee, there might have been a bit more history on the test than she remembered. You think! So, Laura proceeds to give Nellie more than a piece of her mind.



Don't you know that Almanzo picks this very moment to be driving back into town and comes upon Nellie and Laura in the watering hole. He pulls Laura off Nellie and brings her back to his place to get washed up. He gives her a robe and something to warm her up, then gets her to realize that not passing the test isn't the end of the world. 

What does he get for his gallant behavior? Almanzo gets punched by Charles, who sure isn't happy to see Laura mooning all over the much older Almanzo while dressed in his robe. Seems an angry Nellie finally dragged her muddy body back to town and told Charles that she saw Laura and Almanzo kissing. We all remember what kind of temper Charles has, right?

Everything ends up okay though. Pa apologizes to Half-pint for the misunderstanding, and they both blame Nellie for everything that happened. Then Laura makes them a picnic lunch, and they go fishing.

"Back to School" is one of my favorite Little House episodes. It's where my crush on Dean Butler began. We see Laura struggling in that nasty place called adolescence--which we can all relate to; Pa continues his battle against being okay with his Half-pint growing up; and Nellie and Laura still fight from time to time to make things interesting. This is classic Little House at its best. It still amazes me that after all these years, new generations of fans are discovering and enjoying the show that I grew up with.

Free Land, Part 1

I snagged a copy of Free Land by Rose Wilder Lane from the Worcester Public Library. I thought it might help me to figure out how I felt about Holtz's claims in The Ghost in the Little House and the amount of Rose's involvement in her mother's books.

This book tells the story of David Beaton, a young man who leaves his father's farm to set out on his own with his new wife, Mary. Rose's father Almanzo is the inspiration behind this book. The curious thing is that many of the names are the same. David's father is named James, David has two sisters named Alice and Eliza, and a brother named Perley. As far as I can tell, the only names that were changed in this novel are Almanzo's (David) and Royal's (Raleigh). David's mother is simply referred to as mother.

I've made it to Chapter 16, which is found on page 83 of this 332-page novel. I wish I could say it's been easy reading. I guess I had this silly thought it would be so much like the Little House books that I would love it. But, this is an adult novel, not fiction for children. The difference is clear. Lane provides a good amount of detail so that you can get a picture of what it was like for David and Mary as they suffer through a blizzard while on the way to their claim shanty. They are forced to seek shelter underneath their sleigh because they cannot find the railroad camp--which unknown to them they passed 11 miles back. 

Since I only have until April 20th to complete the reading of this novel, I best get moving on it. That's one of the problems with borrowing a book from the Virtual Catalog--there are no renewals. I'm hoping that there will be a moment where I suddenly find myself so interested in the novel that I can't put it down. It hasn't happened yet, but it took me over 600 pages to get into Stephen King's The Stand, and I still think it's the best book I've ever read.

I'll be checking in here as I progress through the novel, giving you my thoughts as I did with The Ghost in the Little House. Perhaps reading Lane's book will help me make up my mind one way or the other about Rose's connection to the Little House series. And I will close with one little bit of trivia. According to the IMDB, Blanche Hanalis was a writer for the TV movie Young Pioneers. She is also the one credited with adapting Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books for Landon's Little House on the Prairie.