The Award 2/5

Mary brings a basket of eggs into the house and tells Ma the totals. Before she can walk away, Caroline asks Mary to sit down. Mary looks at her mother expectantly, not entirely sure what this is about. Ma begins by saying that she was very frightened the night before. Mary apologizes and Ma continues to dwell on what could have, but did not, happen. Before Caroline can get too much deeper into her explanation, Mary asks to be excused so she can clear up the burnt straw. Really she just wants to get away from having to relive the experience. Ma lets Mary leave.

We see Mary raking in the stable when she comes across the book that started this whole mess. Though not destroyed, many of the pages are charred and pretty much unusable. Ms. Beadle is probably going to notice that. Mary realizes this and tears up again.

Caroline has decided to pay Reverend Alden a visit at the church. Before they get into the nitty gritty, the Reverend takes this time to say he ran into Charles and Mr. Edwards over at their campsite and sends their regards. I wonder if we’re going to be reminded every segment that Charles is not around even though we can tell that he is not around. I guess the show doesn’t want people to think he contracted The Fever. Anyway, Caroline is upset not because she punished Mary but because she lost her temper. Reverend Alden chuckles at this and asks if Mary apologized. Caroline says that she did several times, but Ma can’t stop dwelling on the idea that Mary could have been killed. Alden tells her not to worry about it since Mary wasn’t killed and then asks about what happened this morning. Turns out Caroline was reconsidering punishing Mary but she didn’t get a chance since Mary wanted out of that conversation. Way to go, Mary. Reverend Alden asks Caroline who decided that Mary should clean up the barn. Since it was Mary’s idea, the Reverend thinks that Mary is accepting responsibility for what happened. However, he thinks that the punishment should stick so that the daughters don’t get the idea that apologies alone will get them out of trouble. “Without constancy, a child has no rules to live by,” he bumper stickers. Sweeeeeet constancy. Not the most enticing bumper sticker, but I could see it on the Ingalls’ wagon.

It’s now Monday morning and Laura wants to get to school so she can play before the bell rings. Mary is dawdling and says she doesn’t feel like rushing to school. Laura offers Mary some candy to try to cheer her up. The older girl refuses at first but finally gives in. They head over to the mercantile to buy a penny’s worth of licorice. As Nels gets the candy, Mary asks about the “Help Wanted” sign he has posted behind the counter. Nels needs some temp help to do some odd jobs since Nellie is too busy with exam prep to work the floor. Mary offers her services, but Nels is a bit hesitant. He tells her to ask Ma first and if she says okay then it is fine by him. Before the girls leave, Mary remembers to ask what the pay will be. It is fifty cents a week and I have no concept of how good that wage is. For some reason my gut is telling me that Mary is making more than I am. She also asks how much a history book would cost and Nels guesses about a dollar. Well, that eases my mind – it doesn’t take me two weeks to earn enough to buy a textbook. Mary thanks Mr. Oleson and the girls leave the store.