Charlie the Great White Horse and the Story of the Magic Jingle Bells

by Kenneth Mullinix

~Chapter 13~

  A Parade

  The new day broke with excitement in the air, the early morning sun shone brightly overhead and the snowstorm from a few nights before had passed on to the south, leaving beautiful white virgin snowdrifts all across the fields and valleys of Centerville. The barren pine, birch, and cedar trees were covered in a blanket of white snowy delight. The turning of the season hung in the thin winter air; and joy was found in everyone's heart.

  CHARLIE FOILS CAPER!!

  EXTRA?! EXTRA...!

  Thieves in the Night?! Recaptured by local boys!-blared out the front page of The Sunday morning?"Centerville Gazette".

  There was a fine picture of Jupiter, the bank robbers, Charlie and both boys on the front page. The incredible news spread fast around Centerville and eventually made its way to the Governor's office, all the way up north to the state's capitol, in Indianapolis.

  Hattie May was so proud of her son that she and Mrs. Beamer decided to invite some of the local Ladies in town over for a big tea party and cotillion to be held in Louis's honor, bright and early on Sunday morning. There was just so much to talk about with all the other Ladies about her son being a "big hero" and all and of course with Charlie living right down in Mrs. Beamer's barn.

  Turns out the word about the "big heist", the foiled horse napping and Louis being a hero got out to everyone in town faster than Hattie May and Mrs. Beamer had believed possible. Now all the Ladies in the neighborhood wanted to come over that morning for the "big party" and not just the ones that Hattie May had invited.

  This could end up being the biggest social event in the town this year and Hattie May could not be any happier. It could even end up being bigger than the swearing in of the new mayor just last year.

  The entire group of invited and uninvited Ladies showed up that morning in Hattie May's kitchen in their finest Sunday hats and most respectable dresses. Each carried with them some sort of sugary and sweet delight. There were baskets of fresh baked bread, freshly cooked biscuits, Danish, or cheeses and milk from their finest milking-cows.

  As all the Ladies gathered around in Hattie May's living room and kitchen Hattie, May just talked on and on about, how Louis had saved Jupiter from the three escapees.

  "Did you hear?," asked Hattie May "that Louis was up on the water-tower and jumped right on top of all three of them, knocking them right out and then he captured them all, entirely by himself." She started to embellish the story without even realizing it.

  "No, that's not right Hattie May. Charlie, knocked all of them out all with those molasses barrels, tied them up by himself, and then called the Chief of Police," said Mrs. Beamer.

  "No, you both have it wrong. It was Chug who planned the whole thing at Mr. Beamer's barn the night of the kidnapping, he then sent a wire for the Chief of Police at the train station" said another one of the Ladies.

  As all the Society Ladies that Sunday morning were sipping fresh brewed tea, dining on fresh baked pastries and were found deep in conversations; there was a sudden and loud knock on the front door. Of all things, it was the Mayor's wife and the wife of the Chief of Police. Both had come by to hear the unbelievable story about Charlie, Louis, and Chug?first hand.

  "Bernice Penneywell?how is the Mayor doing this morning?" inquired Mrs. Beamer in a questioning tone "I heard he had quite a fright the other night".

  "Mrs. Pinkerman how your husband the Police Chief doing," asked Hattie May "I'll bet you he's happy to get those bank robbers behind bars again? Come in?come in and have a seat at the kitchen table over here next to me."

  "Oh, were all so very happy that those three horrible crooks got caught. Can you believe Louis, Chug, and Charlie are at the heart, of this entire awful matter? Who would have dreamed this would have happened to them?" asked Mrs. Pinkerman while she shook her head in disbelief.

  The Ladies were all reading the Sunday morning papers, contemplating the newspaper photos and digesting the story over and over until they thought they had all, gotten the story right.

  "Charlie is the real hero!," said Beatrice, the Police Chief's wife "he: gave Chug and Louis a ride on his back to the train station in that driving snowstorm the other night, before the crooks showed up, thought up that clever plan and then rescued Louis after he was kidnapped."

  "Yes! Yes! That's correct", interjected another Lady standing in the back of the kitchen.

  Mrs. Beamer was just grinning from ear to ear at all the excitement. She had all the high-society girls in her very own home and the Mayor's wife and the Chief of Police's wife were, sitting right at her own dining room table!

  "Would you like some more fresh brewed tea and sweet biscuits Mrs. Penneywell?" asked Hattie May.

  Hattie May had opened up every window in the kitchen to let all of the morning sunshine inside. She was found this morning wearing her best Sunday dress for the occasion. She looked just dazzling in her favorite blue skirt, with the white speckles. She put on a new white ruffled shirt and tied the brightest red ribbon onto the top of her head.

  Everyone present that morning at some time or another commented on how nice Hattie May looked and how happy she seemed to be, about her son being, "a real honest to goodness hero".

  A few more neighbors showed up and Hattie May was forced to greet them in the living room this time, because the kitchen was so crowded. She directly went back off into the kitchen to brew some more tea and bring out a few more, fresh baked apple pies. When she returned with the hot tea and pies in hand Janie Parker, Tessie Whitman, Mildred Walters and Hot-Tamale Molly were now entering through the wide-open front double-Dutch doors. They all wanted to congratulate Louis, Chug, and Charlie and find out what really had happened the other night.

  "Oh, this is starting to be all too much. I don't think I will have enough pies or tea for everyone gathered," said Hattie May who was now becoming weighed down with all the excitement.

  "Where's Louis and Charlie?" asked Molly.

  "Of course...yes, where's the heroes and my Chug?" asked Tessie.

  "Louis, Chug and Charlie are over in the barn," said Hattie May pointing through the open window and over in the direction of Mr. Beamer's barn.

  "Thanks Hattie May. You know Louis is so cute and now he's a "big town hero"," said a smiling Molly, as she turned to head back out the way she came in with the other girls "you know I am going to give him the "biggest kiss" on the cheek that I can, when I see him...yummy..."Crimson Passion"?"

  "Oh, you girls are so cute?and my Louis is so fortunate to know you all," said Hattie May.

  Off the girls went, out the front door and down the pathway?all the time giggling and talking between themselves.

  The Mayor Mr. Penneywell, the Chief of Police Mr. Pinkerman, the Fire Chief Mr. Marvin Waterwick, and all the other local boys were over at the city hall on main-street and were just as thrilled as the neighborhood Ladies, about everything that had come to light in the last few days.

  The Chief of Police and the Fire Chief had on their best formal uniforms and were looking especially dapper today. The Fire Chief had his gleaming white hat smartly perched on top of his head and it was starched and as crisp and clean looking as a hat could be. The hat looked like it had never even been close to, or even seen a single fire, or ever been out of its hat case before for that matter.

  In the crowd was Mr. Stealman, Centerville bank's president and some members of city council. There were other city officials present as well, some of the Mayor's followers showed up, a few assembly members were there, two council members, the old man who was at the train station Mr. Wrinkleman, some of the local workingmen from the horse stables and there was a large group of the town's farmers.

  Turk the blacksmith arrived late with ash and soot covering his face, still wearing his large blacksmith's apron. Turk looked a little out of place at city hall, because most of the people there were from hig
h-society and had dressed up for the event. He felt more comfortable behind home plate refereeing a ballgame, than rubbing elbows with all the county dignitaries, who had come into to town to celebrate, the recapture of the three bank robbers.

  There were police officers, blowing whistles out in the streets directing traffic as best they could. Horses, carts, and a few steam cars, were frantically moving about. The steps in front of city hall were just filled with people as well. Everyone wanted to hear the Mayor and Chief of Police, tell all their fascinating stories, about what happened at the train station the other night.

  Employees from "The Centerville Gazette" were there this morning inside city hall snapping more pictures and getting quotes, for the newspaper, from about anyone that would stand still long enough to talk with them.

  "So Mr. Mayor, I heard you were in on this plan from the start?" asked one reporter.

  "Mr. Pennywell?ah?I mean Mayor, I heard you and Charlie had planned this in Mr. Beamer's barn earlier in the night. Is that right?" asked another.

  "No, that's no quite right," said the mayor, as he smiled widely for the cameras.

  "Then what exactly happened out there Mr. Mayor?" asked another reporter.

  "Can you step out of the way over there? Now, I just want to get this right for the record and you can quote me on this. Again my name is Mr. George Penneywell?The Mayor of this fine town?and have been for a year and I will be running for office again?in a few years, so be sure to vote for me?oh?ah?now?sorry. Oh?back to the real story...I just wanted to get that in. Charlie?now?is?is the one who planned this whole thing. He's the real hero here, not me", said the affable and well liked mayor as he turned to his best side again so the camera operators could snap another fine picture of him.

  "So Charlie is the real hero then?is that what you're telling us? Please go on?"

  "Is my hat on straight?" asked the Mayor to the Chief of Police who was now standing right next to him.

  "Yes its straight and don't forget to mention my name Mr. Mayor?I mean George" said his smiling friend.

  Turk made his way over around to the front of city hall, to the front steps to get a better look at all the big fuss and goings-on. He just had this blank and agonizing stare on his face as he walked through the crowd; wishing he had never even showed up. Turk was just an old country-boy from way back and these big shindigs, didn't sit too well with him. He'd rather just be in his blacksmith shop fixin something.

  The large crowd of people started to part with the help of a few strong police officers, who were constraining them and holding them back, as best they could. The swarm of people grew even louder in-collective voices-in anticipation that something important was about to happen. Flashbulbs were going off all over the room as everyone made haste to the front doors. The two large doors flung open even wider as "The Governor" and his entourage burst through.

  "Mr. Governor, Mr. Governor!" called out the Mayor as he quickly moved forward through the parting crowd, to shake the Governor's hand.

  "Mr. Governor! Welcome to our great city of Centerville."

  "Why thank you Mr. Penneywell. Beautiful day is it not?"

  "Welcome! Grand day! Just a grand day for merrymaking, isn't it?" asked the Chief of Police as he moved in behind where the Mayor was standing.

  The Mayor smiled just as big and wide as he could when he greeted the Governor, which showed off a perfect set of "paid for teeth". The Mayor then took the governor about the shoulders with one of his long, thin arms and turned back towards the reporters and camera operators, for another photo opportunity. The Governor and the Mayor looked liked well-rehearsed politicians as they each in turn smiled at everyone present and reached out, to shake as many taxpayers' hands as they could.

  "I've heard you've got a few really brave heroes in your fine town", said the Governor with a wholesome full laugh, that rang out from his big overgrown belly.

  "Yes we do have a few heroes that we would like you to meet Mr. Governor," said one reporter.

  The governor was a widespread man at the waist and was an overall, extremely large man from head to toe, standing about six feet tall, and weighing close to three hundred pounds. He looked like he could have been any Governor for any state in the union. He was the proverbial political, "fat cat". It was quite a site to see him standing next to the Mayor who was so tall, thin and wearing a long stovepipe hat.

  The Indiana State Governor had on a perfectly fitting, well-tailored three-button blue suit, with a bright red tie that matched his rosy cheeks. The governor's large belly must have expanded in girth, from attending so many: state dinners, governor balls, and social events that a man in office must attend regularly if they expect to get reelected?year after year.

  The governor at the request of the crowd kept on to the center of the front steps outside of city hall, stood in the front of the entire gathering and began to speak, when suddenly he was interrupted loudly by someone yelling out in the street.

  "Where's our Charlie...?"

  "Where's Louis and Chug?"The heroes"?" shouted another.

  "Mister Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen and everybody else in attendance here today please?please?quite down now" said the Governor as he raised his hands up in the air and gestured for their attention.

  "They should be here for this grand speech by our state Governor...should they not?" asked a reporter.

  "You're right?where's Charlie and the two boys? I want to talk with them myself. After hearing all about their courageous adventures the other night, I want to tell them something wonderful that I am sure they will be happy to hear."

  "And what's that Mr. Governor" asked another reporter.

  "Well, I'm glad you asked that. You?see...there's a monetary reward coming to them!"

  "A reward...real money?" asked one reporter as he looked around the crowd, just as surprised as the rest.

  "Yes, the three guys they apprehended at the train station, the other night were all wanted men. They had robbed the Indianapolis State Bank a few months back, they were tried, convicted, and sent to state prison?supposedly for ten years. All three of those guys busted out of the state prison a few weeks ago, with the help of Ole' Squint-Eye Pete, his mom Big Sal Rossi and the Barker Boys from Saint Louis?and they were all wanted by law enforcement from all over the county and state. Didn't you all know that there was a five hundred dollar reward for anyone, who helped apprehend them?"

  "A five hundred dollar reward?" yelled out someone from the back of the crowd.

  "The two boys and Charlie don't know that. We've got to go tell em," said the Mayor.

  "Well where are they Mr. Mayor" asked the Governor.

  "They're all down at the Mr. Beamers barn, celebrating" said one of the reporters who was standing on the front steps, in front of the Governor.

  "Well, what are we doing here? Let's go get em and all celebrate together" said the Governor as everyone turned and started down the city hall steps towards Mr. Beamer's barn.

  "Yeah, let's go see the boys and Charlie and celebrate together."

  "Come on let's go tell them about the reward money" shouted out another voice from the back.

  Away went the crowd in absolute jubilation down main-street and out into the valley towards Mr. Beamer's farmhouse, with the Mayor and the Governor out front leading the grand parade.

  The town's marching band was sent a note from the Mayor (earlier that morning) that they were to all assemble down by the fairgrounds and be prepared, for a parade to honor "the three heroes of the day". They were just waiting for a word from the mayor and the celebration would begin.

  When the crowd went past First Street the Mayor gave a hand sign to the head majorette, to signal the band to step into formation. The band, begun playing a lively uplifting march.

  The head majorette kept time to the music with an extraordinary looking
silver baton that was taller than he was. The band members were all in their best uniforms and looked just stunning. The marching-band stepped in time right in behind the crowd, playing as proud and as loud as they could, as all advanced right down the center of the street, towards the outskirts of town.

  The multiple and different, brightly colored banners were still hanging up on flag poles from the county fair and they gave off a very gleeful, cheery atmosphere for the parade that was passing by. Someone from the main fair tent, upon seeing the festivities let fly, hundreds of multi-colored-balloons that had been tied up and stored for the closing of the fair in a few days. The festive balloons flew straight up, high into the crystal clear blue skies and then spread out in all directions, as the wind hurried up, their fanciful escape.

  Some of the clowns from the fair stepped right in behind the marching-band, and began following along and before you knew it?there was a splendid and regal parade heading right down the center of Centerville's main-street.

  The city fire trucks and police cars now moved in right behind the somersaulting clowns and were beginning to honk their steam-whistles, alerting everyone in town that a grand parade was coming their way.

  Even Turk decided to join in with the celebration. He was seen way in the back of the crowd, tapping his hands on his pants leg in unison, with the music as he walked along. Turk joining in with everyone was a wonderful sight to see.

  Short Stack, Growlin Harry, Sammy the Stutter, Becky, Jay and her friends and all of Louis's other friends from the baseball team, joined in the parade as it passed by and all were now all on their way to Mr. Beamer's barn for one big, final celebration of the day.

  Hattie May, the Mayor's wife and all the "High-Society Ladies" at the tea party started towards the barn as well, upon hearing the music from the marching band out in the distance.

  "Hattie May look I see the Mayor, the Governor and all the people from the whole city, coming up the road" said the Police Chiefs wife as she peered out of Hattie May's kitchen window in between the yellow daises, in the front flower box.

  "Can you believe it? A real parade and celebration and their all heading to my barn" said Mrs. Beamer.

  "Well what are we doing here? We're going to miss all the fun," said Hattie May.

  All the Ladies in the kitchen headed off through the rear kitchen doors as fast as they could.

  Everyone in town along with the Mayor, the Governor and the marching band behind them the fire trucks and police cars behind them, and Turk were now entering Mr. Beamer's farm, through the white picket fences and through the front wood gates.

  Louis upon hearing the fire truck whistles and the music from the marching band started to slowly, open up the two large wooden barn doors, that he always has trouble with.

  "Charlie what's all, the hullabaloo about?" asked Louis.

  "I don't know Louis. It sounds like someone's having a party," said Chug.

  "Well, open up those doors up already Louis and let's have a look," said Charlie.

  "Yeah?what's going on out there? Is there a fire, a party, a parade?somewhere or what...?" said Louis as the great barn doors swung wide open.

  Louis was turned around face first, facing the doors.

  After he opened them, he turned quickly seeing Mr. Beamer's yard and to his great surprise just about everyone who lived in town had showed up to celebrate right along with him Chug and Charlie.

  "There are the three heroes, right there!" said someone from the back of the crowd.

  "Yeah?hey Louis?the Governor is here to see ya," shouted out someone else.

  "Man, the whole town is here!" said a stunned Louis as he turned to try to find Charlie who was now lost in all the commotion and confusion.

  "Charlie, Chug?hey where'd you guys go?" called out a now very excited Louis.

  Everyone began hugging and patting Louis on the back.

  "Great job Louis!" said one of the firefighters.

  "You're a real hero for sure!" said one of the police officers as he gave Louis a big hug.

  "Well, thanks?but?it was?nothing."

  Louis was just so happy to see everyone and everyone was just as happy to see him.

  Muncy dodged and darted through the crowd to where Louis was. He jumped up into Louis's waiting arms and gave him a big sloppy lick across his smiling face.

  "Muncy just look at this grand party and all for us. I can't believe what I'm seeing."

  "Chug what a great plan. How did you come up with it? Weren't you scared?" asked Short Stack as he gave Chug a big friendly slap on his back.

  "Nah, we weren't scared at all. That Cool Joe and those bad teeth and Black Jack Tilly, they ain't so?tough. At least not tougher than our Charlie and you know it was Charlie who planned the whole thing out" said Chug.

  "Oh, it don't matter who planned it. You caught those bad fellows and we got Louis and Jupiter back. You're all heroes Chug," said Short-Stack as he gave Chug another big hug.

  The Mayor made his way through the crowd in the barn over to where Louis was standing with Muncy and gave him the biggest hug and hearty handshake of all.

  "Congratulations Louis. Congratulations! Glad to see you made it safely back home after such a terrible fright."

  "Why thanks Mr. Mayor?sir?gee...ah?ah?ah?and what a swell party this is. It seems like everyone?ah?in town is here. This is just wonderful!" said Louis.

  "Why yes Louis, this is a swell party and it's all for you, Chug and Charlie."

  A few of the reporters in the barn assembled some hay bales together and made a makeshift stage in the center of the barn. The Mayor now stepped up on one of the hay bales, grabbed a megaphone from someone in the crowd that had brought it along, and began to speak in a heartfelt voice.

  "Please?may I have your attention?please quiet down already. Quiet down! I've got something to say now to Charlie and the two boys."

  Everyone abided by the Mayors request and quieted down to let the mayor speak.

  "Louis first of all it's nice to have you here with us this morning."

  "Glad to?ah?be here."

  "I heard the other night you booked a train ticket to Saint Louis...one way of course."

  With this said all in the barn erupted in laughter and everyone began patting Louis on the back again.

  "But I was going to be traveling in the baggage compartment in?a?bag? Mr. Mayor" quipped back Louis.

  Laughter again was heard throughout the barn.

  "Now quiet down. Quiet down again! And Chug I've heard lately, that you're going into the molasses business and already have three clients."

  "Yeah it's a real sw?eee?t?business to be in?as long as there are no? "Rats"?around" said Chug.

  Everybody again broke up in laughter at this latest wisecrack by Chug.

  The Mayor continued.

  "Now we've got a special-guest with us this morning. Ladies...and...Gentlemen may I present the state governor! Mr. Frank Fatbottom."

  Applause was again heard all around.

  "Mr. Governor, will you please step up here and say a few words to Louis, Charlie, and Chug?"

  "Why certainly. I would love to. That's why I came all the way down from the state capital to be here today," said the governor as he stepped forward and took the megaphone from the mayor's hand.

  The crowd roared its approval at the site of the governor who was now standing over next to Chug, Louis, and Charlie.

  Mr. Fatbottom reached out his large oversized hand and gave a hearty handshake to both Louis and Chug. He stepped up to Charlie who was standing in front of the hay bale and gave him a big friendly pat on the head at his forelock.

  The Governor, the Mayor, Chug, and Louis all put there clasped hands in the air together and Charlie reared up on his hindquarters all the reporters and camera operators rushed up to the fr
ont of the crowd and begin taking photos again, to save this magical moment in time...forever.

  "Now, Louis would you say a few words to everyone? Tell us how it all happened in detail," asked the governor as he handed the megaphone to Louis. Louis suddenly realized that everyone in the room was staring at him. He quickly became just as nervous and mortified as he could be and you could certainly tell by his ever-growing red cowl-lick that now started appearing at the top of his head. He spit onto the palm of his left hand and wiped it over the top of his cowlick to try getting it manageable and in order.

  Chug gave Louis a cross-eyed glance, realizing Louis embarrassment.

  Louis fought with his cowlick for a minute or so while everyone waited for him to talk but he finally had to give up. With frustration in his eyes, he took his baseball cap out of his back pocket and placed it squarely onto the top of his head.

  Louis stepped forward and took the megaphone from the Governor; he then gripped Chug by the arm and pulled him as close as he could to him, for support. Louis raised the megaphone to his mouth and tried to speak, but he could barely manage to get a word out.

  "Well?ah?er?Mr.?well?ah?I want to thank?ah?er?thank the Governor for coming down from the capital in the middle of the?ah?er?night to get here and I want to?ah?thank the mayor for his kind words as well?and?of course I?ah?ah?I want to thank everyone else for showing up" said Louis as he stammered along trying to get all the words out in the right order.

  The faces in the crowd went blank?all looking squarely at Louis.

  This was a lot of commotion for Louis to handle and he was getting more and more nervous as this went on. He was after all only a young boy and everyone seemed to forget this.

  There had been so much going on lately from: the fair, to the "Great Horse Race", to Jupiter being stolen and all. Then to Charlie fighting off the three "Rats" and then Louis being bagged and almost taken to Saint Louis and to who knows what dreadful ending.

  Louis finally just couldn't wait for this to all be over.

  He waived to the blank faces. He wished that this would be forgotten quickly and then he could get back to just being a kid again.

  Louis thought again to himself and said under his breath.

  "I remember wanting to be, a town hero standing on first base, during that championship game with the Tigers. I never thought that it would all come true...imagine that. I should be careful what I wish for...I think..."

  Louis regained his thoughts and turned to look at Chug again.

  Louis quickly tried to get Chug to say something; but he was even more nervous than Louis was. He just pushed the megaphone back towards Louis, waived to the crowd and smiled nervously.

  The Governor took the megaphone back from Louis, placed it up to his mouth, and began to speak again.

  "Louis, I want to thank you for that very enlightening and well thought out speech but I now have something very important to say to you three right now. The real reason I came all the way down from the state capitol this morning, beside to taste some of Hattie May's pies was to thank you personally but to also tell you something even more special and wonderful" said the Governor as he started to reach into his front coat pocket.

  Louis turned to look at Chug, who shrugged his shoulders as if to say?, w-hat...?

  "You see?those three guys you captured were wanted banker robbers and prison escapees. They were dodgy men and very dangerous, fugitives who were on the lamb."

  "I told you so," said Chug to Louis as he turned and whispered into his ear.

  "Now, there happens to be a monetary reward to be given out to anyone who helped capture them."

  "A real money reward?" asked Louis back to Chug in total disbelief at what was going on.

  "Yes, here is five hundred dollars that you Louis, Chug and Charlie, are to split evenly for capturing those nasty crooks" said the governor as he finally got the money out of his pocket and handed it to Louis.

  Louis's and Chug's eyes got as large as apple pie saucers!

  Charlie just couldn't believe his good fortune. He just whinnied again and again. Louis and Chug were too excited to say anything so they just smiled broadly and waived to the crowd again.

  The crowd started to applaud, loudly once more.

  The Governor paused for a moment then looked around the room once more. He: smiled widely, rubbed his large overgrown belly then took a large Cuban cigar from his left front pocket, took off the clear plastic wrapper and lifted it up to his mouth, to bite off the tip in a slow mechanical gesture. He looked around the room once more, as if to say, "Now watch this folks!"

  He reached deep down into his lower front pants pocket and took out a wooden stick match, holding it high into the air for everyone to see. The Governor turned to face Louis then turned back to face the crowd again.

  Louis scratched his head and looked at the Governor, puzzled and at a loss.

  The Governor took off Louis's baseball cap off his head and held the unlit match even higher up into the air?again?for everybody to see. All standing there was looking kind of befuddled and flummoxed as to what the Governor was doing.

  With all this done the Governor quickly turned back to Louis and with one mighty "hammer stroke" of his left hand, he stuck the match right off of Louis's cowl lick at the back of his head.

  The match ignited and then exploded into flame!

  The Governor then took a long slow deep breath as he placed the match to the tip of the big cigar, he exhaled a large puff of cigar smoke that rose straight up into the air high above the head's of the people?assembled below.

  Everyone stood for a moment in complete silence.

  Most folks in the crowd turned to look at each other with mostly blank and bewildered stares on their faces again and then they looked straight back to look at the governor again.

  Most could not fathom or did not want to believe what they had just witnessed.

  The governor took another deep breath, unbuttoned the two top buttons of his topcoat, took of his top hat, and paused a moment to reflect on all that had just happened. He then let out the largest belly laugh anyone in those parts had ever heard before.

  The laughter reverberated off the inside of barn walls, out through the open barn doors and far out into the snow-covered hills.

  Louis raised a shaking hand and rubbed it over the top of his head to see if he actually was on fire or not. Upon not seeing or feeling any flames or smoke coming from the top of his head, he grabbed his baseball hat back from the governor's hand and snugly placed it back on his head. He then turned a little more red in the face than he already was and looked out to see everyone staring right at him with the slightest of smirks on their faces.

  Chug just stood there expressionless, suddenly turning a ghostly pale white, because everyone was now staring directly at both of the boys and no one else.

  Louis's cobalt blue eyes sought out Charlie who was lost in the crowd somewhere in front of him.

  Charlie all the while was watching Louis intently as his folly with the Governor had unfolded. Louis locked eyes with Charlie. Charlie looked deeply back into Louis's eyes, winked at Louis, gave a big flip of his white fluffy tail, smiled brightly with his bucked teeth showing, and started to laugh a large belly laugh right along with the Governor.

  Chug and some of the crowd started joining in and before you knew it all were laughing together at the tops of their lungs, Louis upon seeing Charlie and Chug laughing heartily knew that this was all in good fun and that Louis was just the butt of a joke that, he really didn't understand.

  All in the barn laughed together for what seemed to be a long, long while.

  The Governor stopped laughing and raised the wooden megaphone back up to his mouth again to speak.

  "Again everyone please quite down. No more jokes. Please, please now Louis, Chug, and Charlie?one more thing. And Mr. Mayor would
you come back up here please, because I know you as well have one more thing to say?to everyone standing here today, before we really start this party. Please proceed," said the Governor as he waived the Mayor over to where he was standing.

  The Mayor climbed up upon the hay bale where the Governor was, grabbed the megaphone in one hand, and proclaimed, "Louis, you Chug and Charlie saved Jupiter the Show Horse "our favorite racehorse" and that is something our town greatly, greatly appreciates. Now, Charlie you especially showed more courage than anyone else, for going out in that blinding snowstorm to bring our beloved Louis back to us, Charlie, for that singularly brave deed that went far up and far beyond what courage it's self-stands for. The city of Centerville, Indiana and I Mister George Penneywell, the Mayor of our fine citizens, would like to give you this blue ribbon, like the one Jupiter just won at the county fair, and a golden key to our city"

  The crowd erupted into lively applause again.

  One of the Mayors underlings came fighting his way through the crowd with a large silver shiny key in one hand and a fine blue ribbon in the other. He handed the key to Louis for him to hold and handed the blue ribbon to the Mayor who went down to where Charlie was standing and wrapped the beautiful county fair blue ribbon, around Charlie's neck. Charlie never looked as proud and as fanciful as he bent down to allow the ribbon?to be?placed around his neck.

  Louis fought through the crowd; found Charlie and whispered into his ear.

  "I knew you would be famous someday?"it was your destiny". You're the best friend a boy ever had."

  Louis stood back to admire Charlie's new blue ribbon that was so finely hanging around his neck.

  "Thanks Louis. It looks like I won the "Porterhouse Stakes" after all."

  "Yes you did Charlie?yes...you did."

  Both laughed aloud.

  The Centerville marching band started to play again outside of the barn and everyone began dancing around and around the barn, as Charlie stood there admiring his new blue ribbon and key to the city held in Louis's hand. Suddenly the crowd grew even louder and the excitement in them stirred once again.

  The crowd parted down the middle of Mr. Beamer's barn and now in pranced "Jupiter the Show Horse" to the delight of everyone in attendance.

  Jupiter strutted right over to where Charlie was standing, paused for a moment, tucked in his two front feet under his body and lowered his head down in a stately manner, bowing down to Charlie for all to see.

  Charlie was just stunned.

  When Jupiter arose, again he moved over to be side by side with Charlie. They both stood there proud as could be displaying their two beautiful blue ribbons together.

  A few photographers from the newspaper rushed over in front of Charlie and Jupiter and began snapping photos again. The bright flashes and smoking flash bulbs filled the air.

  The band quieted down for a moment then Jupiter began to speak.

  "Charlie I just wanted to say thank you for saving my life, and I am so sorry for my awful behavior when you came to talk with me, at the Fair before the start of the "Great Race". I have to say is that "sometimes Show Horses put on shows when they're not supposed to". All my friends were looking and I was too worried about what they thought and what it might look like, if I was caught talking to an old barnyard carthorse. It was my mistake Charlie. I will make sure I never do that again. Charlie I promise! I promise...that I will never judge another horse or person by looks alone?ever?again. I have come to realize that it is the goodness and courage that dwells in the bottom of your heart that shows the world who you are. This and this only defines who you truly are deep inside of yourself. It's not what you look like on the outside that really matters as I so foolishly thought before I met you...Charlie."

  Charlie gave a thankful nod of his head, bowing down to Jupiter.

  Jupiter now rose up to give Charlie a big nudge on his nose with his. Charlie gave another slight bow to Jupiter. Charlie looked straight ahead to the crowd to thank them as well. Charlie gave a friendly nudge back to Jupiter. They would become steadfast and best friends from that day forward until the end of time.

  Molly strolled up to Louis and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

  Louis turned a brighter shade of red.

  Not a word was needed to be said.

  All was understood between them.

  Everyone was overcome with joy upon seeing all that had just happened.

  The Mayor waived over at the band signaling for them to begin playing. The band started up again, playing the liveliest of songs. Dancing broke out in the barn and spilled out into the front yard. This had to be the biggest celebration Centerville, had ever had before.

  A few small snowball fights broke out in the front yard of Mr. and Mrs. Beamer's farm. Then all the younger children out in the yard held hands and started dancing in circles, in the bright sunshine to the ever-enchanting music.

  The day went on in celebration until all the stories were told, all the sugary delights were eaten and all grew tired.

  Charlie thought this would be the happiest day of his life and nothing could surpass this. Little did he know how wrong he'd...soon?be. Christmas was on the way and the biggest present of all was in store for Charlie?and for all the children...of the...world.