Disclaimer: The story of Christy belongs to the Marshall-LeSourd Family. This fiction is written for my own personal enjoyment. This story uses themes from the book, CBS series and the PAX movies.

Title: "The MacNeill's: Winter in Cutter Gap"

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Christy stared out the window. It was lightly snowing again. Winter seemed eternally long, yet officially, it was only one month long. It was January 21. She yearned for Spring. Her children were housebound. Neil and the boys had shoveled paths to the barn, the outhouse and the spring house. They had hung guide ropes to assist in walking when the path became slippery from the freeze and melt and freeze again. The weather could not make up its mind. This was the fourth day of indoor captivity, and her children were showing signs of wear and tear. So was she, for that matter. She could hear the twins disagreeing about something.

"Did not," said Sean.

"Did too," said Ian.

"I didn't move the checker."

"Yes you did, and you took your finger off of it. It's a move," said Ian.

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"I quit," announced Sean.

"Flat leaver!" shouted Ian.

"Boys, if you don't settle down, I'll make you polish the silver tea pot and the sugar and creamer to boot," Christy said.

"See what you started," hissed Ian.

Sean stuck his tongue out at his brother. Christy didn't see it, or he would have been in big trouble. He dared Ian with a look, to tattle on him.

Neil was coming home today. There had been an outbreak of croup in Pidgeon Roost Hollow. He'd been gone for three days. It seemed like a month. He had stopped by the Mission and telephoned her to let her know that he would be coming home. That had excited her and put a spark in her step. She'd bake him his favorite cobbler. She glanced at her older sons. Charlie and Ned were tying flies for the spring hatches on the Creek. They were quite accomplished fly fishermen like their Poppa. Neil was very proud of them.

She heard something break. Then she heard a slap. Then crying. "Stop touching my things, Amy Jean MacNeill. You broke the saucer. It's my tea set, not yours. Momma please tell Amy to leave my things alone." Amy cried in earnest. Catherine yelled, "Stop your caterwalling. I didn't slap you that hard. You're a big baby."

Christy went into their bedroom. "Enough, Catherine. Amelia Jean MacNeill, do not touch Catherine's tea set. Cat, Poppa will glue the saucer when he gets home." She picked up Amy, who was crying loudly because she had her Momma's attention. "If you don't stop crying right now, Amelia Jean, Momma is going to tickle you senseless." Still trying to cry, Amy giggled. Momma could be so silly. "Catherine, you should not have slapped your sister. I know that she frustrates you, but you should have come to me first."

"But, Momma," she started to say. Christy gave her a look. Catherine sighed. "Yes, Momma," she said quietly.

Christy looked at Amy. "It's time for your nap, young lady. Lay down now." By the tone of her Momma's voice, Amy knew that she had better do as she was told. She took off her shoes and snuggled with her teddy bear. Christy covered her with a quilt and kissed her. She closed the bedroom door.

"Momma, I'm bored," said Cat.

"I know what you mean, sweetheart. Let's make a blackberry cobbler for Poppa."

Catherine went down to the root cellar to get a quart of blackberries. Christy began to assemble the dough. It was soon baking in the oven, it's sweet aroma filling the cabin. Neil came in. Christy expected him to compliment her about smelling something wonderful. He didn't. "Ned, Charlie, will you take care Duke for me? I am too weary to do it myself."

"Sure, Poppa," said Ned. Catherine ran to him and hugged him. He ruffled her curls, and looked at Christy. "Hello, Christy. It's good to be home." He kissed her, but it was more like a tepid, absent minded peck, rather than the toe curling, heart thumping kisses she usually received when he came home from a call. She looked at him. Something was wrong. "I need to rest for a while. I haven't had a lot of sleep." He left her, and went into their bedroom and closed the door.

"Is Poppa all right, Momma?"

"Yes, Cat, he's just very tired." She pulled the cobbler from the oven. Catherine sat in the chair by the fire and began to read her book. Christy sat by the table and sipped a cup of tea. She thought that all of the families must be affected by the winter doldrums, and cabin fever. With her family occupied, and some semblance of peace in the house, Christy called the Mission, with an idea exploding in her head like a sparkler.

"Miss Alice, it's Christy. We have to come up with a plan to cheer everyone up. The snow is weighing down everyone's spirits. We have to do something. "

"Does thee have something in mind, Christy?"

"Could we have a snow carnival?"

"What does thee mean by a snow carnival?"

"Perhaps we could organize some activities and games for the children. Jeb Spencer can convert his wagon into a sled. We could take children on sled rides. David could organize a snowball throwing contest. We can serve hot cider and doughnuts. I just think we need to organize a community activity that will lift everyone's spirits. The older boys could help with toboggan rides on the hill behind the Mission."

"When does thee hope to pull this extrvaganza off?" Miss Alice asked with amusement in her voice. When Christy got involved with a project, it just mushroomed.

"This Sunday after Church."

"We'll need to feed these people more than doughnuts."

"How about hot soup and cornpone?"

"That's a lot of soup, Christy."

"We've done it before, Miss Alice, under desperate circumstances. At least this will be a happy occasion."

"I will talk to Miranda and Moira and to David today. I'll telephone you this evening with their reaction." She shook her head and smiled. Only Christy would think of a snow carnival.

"Thank you Miss Alice. Good-bye."

"Good-bye Christy."

Christy decided to check on Neil. She was concerned about him. She shook her head as she entered their bedroom. He'd kicked off his boots. There was a trail of clothing leading to his side of the bed. 'Too bad there isn't a trail of my clothing leading to my side of the bed.' She shook her head to clear her errant thoughts. Three nights alone were three nights too many. She sat on the bed by his side and kissed him. He furrowed his brow. Then he opened his eyes. She could see his pain. He could see his pain reflected in those glorious pools of blue. He gathered her into his arms.

"Oh Christy," he said quietly. "I lost a little one. There was nothing I could do for him. Nothing. He was too far gone with the croup. They waited too long to get word to me. Oh, Lass, it's one thing to lose a patient who is old. They've led a good long life. But to lose a child, less than three years of age, well, it is too painful for words." He was cryung softly. She held him in her arms and comforted him. He fell asleep. She decided that when she served the children dinner, she would not disturb Neil. Her husband needed rest.

For dinner she had cooked pork and saurkraut. She called to Catherine to get her brothers and sister quietly to the dinner table. "Poppa is very, very tired. Let's try not to disturb him."

"Is something wrong, Momma?" asked Ned.

"Poppa lost a patient, Ned. You know how it affects him, especially when it is a child."

"Will he be able to find him again?" asked Amy Jean.

"What do you mean, Amy?" asked Christy.

"You said he lost a patient. Will Poppa be able to find him?"

"Oh Amy. No sweetheart. A patient of Poppa's died, that is what I meant by lost."

"Is he in heaven?"

"Yes, sweetheart, he is in heaven."

Neil had been ready to open the bedroom door when he heard Amy Jean ask her question. He smiled at Christy's answer. He was so blessed by his family. Suffering and loss tugged at his heart, but the joy of his loving family kept him grounded. He opened the door, and walked over to the table. He kissed every one of his children on top of their heads. "So how is my family?" he asked. The noise that erupted from six children never ceased to amaze him. He gloried in it. Christy smiled as she served her husband dinner. The loving light in his eyes had returned.

"Neil, I approached Miss Alice with an idea to bolster everyone's spirits in the Cove. I suggested a Snow Carnival. We would have to get a lot of people involved, but it would be fun, Neil. There is a need for something cheerful. Outdoor games, hot cider, toboggan rides. Jeb can convert his sled and take people on rides. There's enough snow on the ground now. Sunday would be perfect."

Neil watched the animated face of his lovely wife. They'd been married fifteen years last September, and she never ceased to amaze him. "How about a snowshoe race for the men?" he asked.

"That's a wonderful idea, Neil. Ned will you please bring me my notebook and pencil?"

"Wait son." Christy looked up. "Priorities first. Lass you know that I always think better when I've eaten my dessert."

Christy laughed. The children cleared the table, and she dished out the cobbler. Neil was in dessert heaven. He practically licked the dish clean. He leaned back and smiled with contentment. "That was just fine, Lass, just fine. Quite right. Now Ned, please get your Momma's notebook and pencil. Children, and you too, my sweet Lass, let's put our heads together and come up with some fun ideas."

Christy compiled the list:

Snowshoe relay race

Sled rides

Toboggan rides

Make a snowman contest

Snowball throwing contest

Make a snowman head -blindfold the children and put a carrot nose on it. The one who gets the carrot closest to the middle of the face wins.

A quilting bee for the grannies

"That's a very good assortment of activities, children. It will certainly keep many people busy," said Neil.

"We will have to feed everyone Neil. I thought of soup."

"Aye, that we will. Christy, remember the story in the French book of folk and fairy tales? I think it was called 'Stone Soup' if my memory serves me correctly."

"Of course. Everyone contributed something to make a delicious pot of soup that fed the entire village. But Neil, the Mission does not have enough pots to make the amount of soup we'll need."

"We'll use the big laundry tub. The older boys can keep the fire going in between activities. By the end of the afternoon, the soup will be ready. Families will have to provide cornbread and their own mugs or bowls and utensils. I think it will be easier than you think, to make it all work."

Alice called a little while later. Everyone at the Mission thought it would be a wonderful idea. Christy read the list of ideas and Alice repeated them to the others. "Christy, David just said he needs to borrow Neil's scale. If he's going to run the snowball throwing contest he'll need to weigh every snowball, so that no one will complain, just to be fair. Oh and Moira suggested a treasure hunt inside the Mission for the little ones." Christy told her about Neil's idea for soup. "That is a wonderful idea. I believe it will work very well. I can feel the excitement building already. Luke, Ruth and Samuel are looking forward to the games. I will let thee get back to thy family. I will discuss this further with Moira and Miranda. I will talk with thee tomorrow. Give my grandchildren a kiss for me. I missed seeing them these past few days. Goodnight my dear."

"Goodnight, Miss Alice."

She turned to Neil, and told him that David needed to borrow his scale. "He's absolutely right, Lass. There are those sore losers who would question the validity of the contest. What about prizes?"

"I'll have to discuss that with the ladies tomorrow. We have just three days to pull this idea together, Neil."

Word spread through the Cove by snowshoe courier. A few families declined, but most were intrigued. Families were asked to bring a mixture of vegetables from their root cellars and canning jars, enough to make a pot of soup for their family. If a slice of ham could be spared, so much the better. A pan of cornbread was also asked to be provided.

Christy, Moira and Miranda wrapped tiny gifts for the treasure hunt. Cookies and candies such as peppermint drops, licorice and taffy served as prizes. Ribbons were made for the snowman contest. Every snowman would win a ribbon for some special feature or decoration on it. The winner of the snowman nose game would get to keep the carrot. There was plenty of cider to be had, for it had been a bumper crop of apples this past fall. The ladies at the Mission made doughnuts all day Friday. Covered in cinnamon and sugar by the end of the day, the trio agreed that they would never attempt to make so many doughnuts ever again.

Armed with their canning pots, Christy, Opal, Rebecca, Ruby Mae and Cat met at the Mission to begin cutting up vegetables. The vegetables would stand in cold water overnight. Men were practicing for the snowshoe relays with their sons, as they trekked to the Mission bearing sacks containing turnips, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, onions and beets. Occasionally there was a canning jar of beans or tomatoes. Jeb, Tom, Ozias, Bob Allen and John Holcombe brought in slabs of bacon and thick slices of smoked ham to help flavor the soup. Jeb made a long paddle to help stir the soup. The older sons helped to split logs to keep the fire hot under the big pot of soup. Women of the Cove had also baked fruit cobblers and pies. They knew that doughnuts were not going to be enough sweets to keep their families happy.

Jeb Spencer had managed to pull a coup. Aunt Hattie came to the Mission with him Saturday night. Sunday was glorious to behold. The sun was shining, the sky was a cloudless, beautiful blue. The air was crisp and cold. David and Neil assisted Aunt Hattie to the Church service. David's sermon was inspiring. At the end of the service he wished that everyone would have an enjoyable day and play fair.

The kettle had been placed on the split firewood the day before. David filled it half full of water and lit the fire before the service at Church. As soon as the service was over, Moira, Miranda and Christy began dumping the cut up vegetables into the cauldron. The water was hot. Opal and Miss Alice had diced up the bacon and ham. Jeb and John Spencer carried the big bowls of meat into the Mission yard. They dumped them into the soup. People cheered. Families gathered round, eating doughnuts and sipping cider, as the day's activities were explained.

Grannies slipped inside the warm Mission, laughing at their families and such foolishness. Neil and David once again assisted Aunt Hattie back to the Mission. There was a wedding quilt that needed to be quilted. Vella Holt was going to marry Clay Teague, one of Aunt Polly Teague's great-grandsons. Folks had feared that Vella was going to be an old maid. She turned twent-one years old this past November. Hattie sat with the ladies as they quilted.

Moira took charge of the treasure hunt. By the time it was over, she was exhausted, and the little ones were ready for their naps. Feather beds had been readied for this specific purpose. The children were warm and snug, while the rest of their families were outside in the cold and snow.

The soup was cooking. Neil checked on Christy. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold air. "How's the soup, Lass?"

"Coming along, Neil. We've had a few discussions about seasonings, but I think we've reached a compromise. How did the snowshoe relay end?

"The Spencer's won. John's son Davy really put them in the lead. Jeb is trying to catch his breath, so he'll be able to play and sing tonight."

Christy laughed. "And how did the MacNeill's do?"

"Dead last. Poor Sean. His snowshoe came off."

"Neil, you know how he hates to lose."

"I know, Christy. I took the blame. I told him that I was too slow, and it cost us the prize."

"What was the prize?"

"A jar of Jeb's honey." They laughed at the irony.

Ian won the carrot in the snowman's face game. Luke won the snowball throwing contest. All of the snowmen received their ribbons. Best use of twigs, best hat, most colorful scarf, etc. The afternoon was winding down. As they had done so many years ago, after the storm of the century, families gathered around to share a hot mug of soup and warm cornpone. The circumstances were much happier today. The gloom of winter had been dispelled by some inexpensive fun and games and the sharing of stories and laughter. Desserts were shared, and then it was time for the evening's entertainment. While some men talked about spring planting, and some women dreamed of spring wildflowers and warmer weather, room was made for dancing. Jeb Spencer began to play his fiddle. Banjos and dulcimers joined in and Uncle Bogg began to call out the reel.

Aunt Hattie sat near the fireplace and began to sing songs with the children. Her clear voice began with the ballad.....

On top of Old Smoky, all covered with snow,

I lost my true lover by sparking too slow.

For sparking is pleaasure, and parting is grief,

And a false-hearted lover is worse than a thief.

It's a-raining, it's a-hailing, the moon gives no light,

Your horses can't travel, this dark, lonesome night.

Go put up your horses, and feed them some hay;

Come sit down here by me as long as you stay.

My horses aren't hungry, they won't eat your hay,

So farewell my darling, I'll feed on my way.

I'll drive on to Georgia, I'll write you my mind;

My mind is to marry, and leave you behind.

Your parents are against me, and mine are the same.

If i'm down in your book, love, please rub out my name.

I'll go up old Smoky, on the mountain so high,

Where the wild birds and turtledoves can hear my sad cry.

That was followed by seven verses of "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" and ten stanzas of "The Frog He Went A-Courtin'." At the very end of the sing-a-long, Aunt Hattie led them in "Amazing Grace."

Least-uns were sleeping in their mamas arms. Families were gathering their belongings to begin the trek home. There was a full moon rising. Everyone agreed that it had been a very successful Snow Carnival. Miss Hattie was staying at the Mission. The MacNeill's said their good-byes. The children all kissed their Aunt Hattie and Granny Alice. Alice gave Christy an extra long hug.

"Thee has accomplished a wondrous deed today."

"Many hands, Miss Alice, helped to bring this to fruition. Everyone seemed genuinely happy. It was good to hear the laughter of so many people."

"Just what the doctor ordered," said Neil. "Laughter is the best medicine."

"Neil take Goldie tonight, so no one has to walk back to thy cabin."

"We'll bring her back tomorrow, Alice. Thank you." He hugged her. Then he kissed his Aunt Hattie good-bye. "I'll see you in the morning."

David saddled Goldie for them. Shaking hands with Neil, he then hugged Christy. "Today was indeed a special day, Christy. Thank you for Cutter Gap's first Snow Carnival."

She smiled. "Thank you, David, for all your hard work. "

The children bid their Uncle David good-bye. Amy was asleep in Ned's arms. She was wrapped up in a rabbit fur blanket that he had made for his mother for Christmas. It kept Amy toasty warm. Neil mounted Duke. Christy sat in front of him and Ned lifted Amy to his Momma. Charlie rode with Sean and Ian on Duchess. Ned and Cat rode home on Goldie. The trek home took over an hour. The landscape was transformed by the moonlight. When they reached the cabin, the boys tended the horses.

Neil took Amy Jean from Christy. The little one never stirred. Christy helped undress her and put her to bed. The boys came in from the barn and washed up. Neil built up the fire. Heated bricks were wrapped in layers of flannel to keep the foot of their beds warm. Soon all the children were in bed reading by lantern light or asleep.

The house was peacefully quiet. Christy wrapped herself in her thickest wool shawl and went out on to the porch. Neil followed her. Moonlight glistened on the snow. The sky was full of stars. Neil took her into his arms and kissed her. She looked at him with such loving eyes. "A perfect end to a perfect day," she whispered. With gentle reverence, he picked her up and carried her into the snug, warm, cabin of his ancestors.

"I couldn’t agree with you more, Lass." he said.

The End.