Charlie the Great White Horse and the Story of the Magic Jingle Bells: Charlie the Great White Horse, #2

By Kenneth Mullinix

Charlie the Great White Horse and the story of the Magic Jingle Bells is a children's Christmas novella that evokes the adventure, fantasy, and magical happy endings of a simpler time in America.Set in the early 1900's in Centerville, Indiana.

It is light, fast, and fun escapism for readers from 7-14 years of age. Parents can read this to their children as well. Adult will enjoy the book if they are young at heart. Who wants to be grown up all the time?

This is the first book of the trilogy: As the story unfolds in the months before Christmas, Charlie the Horse, Louis (a red-haired boy), and Louis's friend Chug Martin are thrown into circumstances wrought with danger and adventure.

They try desperately to foil the plot of a trio of horse thieves from Saint Louis who arrive in Centerville to steal Jupiter, the Show Horse who has come to run in Centerville's annual "Gazette Stakes". Charlie, Louis and Chug perform daring deeds, ultimately acts of great courage and determination in ridding the town of the three "Bad Dudes"; Black Jack Tilly, Cool Joe Biggs and Rags Martin.

Santa Claus sees the bravery and courage that lies within Charlie's heart and arrives on Christmas Eve with Rudolph and Santa's reindeer, in Mr. Beamer's barn to possible offer Charlie a once in a lifetime opportunity to be apart of Christmas forever. This surprise twist lays the foundation for the sequel manuscripts. The first book in the series is complete as well: The Journey to Northumberland and the Rise of the Undertoads.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Mullinix
• Release date: Jan 19, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452880563

Kenneth Mullinix

Kenneth Mullinix lived in beautiful Laguna Beach for 35 years, and now lives in sunny Newport Beach, CA.. Has no children and has never been married. He has been writing professionally for over 25 years. Any feedback on my writings would greatly be appreciated as I search for the subject matter for my next novel. A fifth novel is on the way! Anybody who has read these books should write a review, with ideas as to the next novel/ phase/ or direction...I should take with my beloved Louis. Let make a movie, contact me with offers! Respectfully, Kenneth J. Mullinix

Book preview

Dedicated to: Michael Thomas Mullinix: 2/14/2008

virtuous storylines; that is the basis of

Americana Literature

Charlie the Great White Horse

Trilogy of Books

~Book One~

Charlie the Great White Horse and the story of the Magic Jingle Bells, is a children’s Christmas story that evokes the adventure, fantasy and magical happy-endings…of a simpler time in America.

This story is set in the mythical town of Centerville, Indiana in the early 1900’s.

This wonderful Christmas fable is about tried-and-true values, and morals that all children should take to heart. There is a: coming-of-age or our main characters and a strong since of family-values that should be relevant for children

(parents and adults)…of all ages.

We hope you enjoy this true magical Christmas tale:

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

~Contents~

Chapter 1 Luis and The Big Catch......................................................................3

Chapter 2 Meet Charlie and his Barnyard Friends.........………………………..17

Chapter 3 Meet Mr. Beamer.................................................................................27

Chapter 4 The North Pole.....................................................................................32

Chapter 5 A Hay Ride...........................................................................................45

Chapter 6 The County Fair.…........................................................................…..51

Chapter 7 Jupiter the Show Horse........................................................................54

Chapter 8 Black Jack Tilley.……….....................................................................62

Chapter 9 The Great Horse Race...................................................................…...69

Chapter 10 Thieves in the Night...........................................................................75

Chapter 11 The Caper….......................................................................................84

Chapter 12 The Water Tower....…...........................................................…........87

Chapter 13 A Parade….....................................……………..........….………...100

Chapter 14 Christmas Eve ................................………..………………......….114

Chapter 15 A Sleigh Ride...................................................................................119

Chapter 16 The Magic Jingle Bells……...…….……………………….............127

Epilog………………………………………………………..…………………148

~Book Two~

Preview: A Square Dance…………………………………………………….152

~ Chapter 1~

Louis and The Big Catch

"I have bright red hair and freckles splattered everywhere on my face.

I know I am a little small for my age…but I cannot help that.

I know I have a tendency to daydream, and not finish my chores as I

should, but I am sure gonna be somebody…someday…you just wait and

see.

Man…I’m gonna be famous!

I'll be a real town hero...maybe even save the world someday!"

Louis is you off daydreaming again, yelled out Chug "get your head in the

game!"

Hey, I’m watching the pitcher...lay off.

Man…oh…man…if you flub up again; were gonna lose the game Louis.

"Alright...already…Chug…don’t be a blabbermouth…I’m paying

attention…already?"

"I know, my mom picks on me too much but it’s just out of her love for me that she does. I just know it. I have a bad habit of not doing my chores on time but it’s, not my fault; I've got a lot of things to do. Being ten years old is hard these days and adults just don’t seem to understand that, and you know what else? I’ve been standing on first base here, for what seems like hours now, waiting for that batter to hit that darned ball.

I would much rather be climbing the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt right now…or be fighting off a gigantic ancient cave bear in his reeking old den, or crossing the Great Lake on the world’s fastest Cutter Ship; like I have seen in my dreams, so many times before.

That’s what I would rather be doing right now instead I'm standing here on first base all day, in this annoying heat.

Yeah, that sure would be fun, being famous. No one would be picking on me then.

I tell ya, it’s, tough being Robert Louis Parks, you should just try it for a day."

Louis pay attention over there called out Growlin-Harry from left field.

Aren’t you watching the batter Louis? Is it cave bears or ogres...what are you daydreaming about now? cried out Short-Stack from behind

home plate.

Yeah, you guys, I’m watching. I’m ready...already shouted back Louis.

I think…

"ST-EE-RI-KE...ONE!" bellowed out the home plate umpire in his booming voice.

The voice was so deep and convincing, that no one present in the stands that day would dare to doubt, or second-guess his call. One large, impressive, stubby forefinger shot up into the air with authority, indicating that a strike had just been called.

The umpire was an older man of extraordinary girth. He was wearing a large black umpire coat that was well tailored for him, and fit snugly on his squared and very broad shoulders. His neck was extremely thick, and there were large, well-defined muscled biceps, which grew from years of wielding his blacksmithing-tools, down at the town’s local horse-stables. He surely was a site to see behind home plate, and he certainly looked very menacing with his black catcher's mask on. He was beyond anyone's doubt, not a man to be trifled with.

Most townsfolk that knew him well, called him Turk.

The umpire, slowly crouched back down behind the small catcher again, as the pitcher was addressing the mound, and getting ready to heave the next pitch. He pulled his baggy pants up a bit, placed his rear foot on the small rubber mat atop of the pitcher's mound, then and spit to his left side.

The long slow wind up...the pitch.

"ST-EE-RIKE TWO!" yelled out the umpire as he raised his other large stubby forefinger into the air, this time he showed two fingers to the crowd.

The batter was a large boy for his size, with a grimacing face that showed of true-grit and determination. He was the leading hitter in the Cornfield league and was about as scary and as imposing as a young boy can be at the tender age of ten.

This boy had: extremely large forearms like a professional arm-wrestler might have, had a swollen black-eye from a fist-fight from the game before, and his baseball cap was pulled way down in front of his plump face, to cover his steely dark eyes. What the future held for him was most likely as a bookie, a wise guy, or an inside-man, on a future bank heist.

Robert Louis Parks, the first baseman for the home team Centerville Giants, was staring out in the stands, not appearing to be concentrating on the game, as the last few pitches were being thrown. Chug Martin (Louis’s best friend) was way out in right field covering for a possible deep-fly ball.

Short-Stack, Louis’s other good friend was the catcher behind the plate today, and was calling a perfect game, for the home team. As each pitch was thrown, and, each strike and ball was called by Turk the home plate umpire the crowd steadily booed the away team-The hated Logansport Tigers.

The Tigers were the top team in the Cornfield League, with a perfect ten win and zero loss record for the season. Everyone on Louis's team detested this small group of misfits, and especially by Louis because, they all thought they were just unbeatable and had absolutely no sportsmanship whenever they won a game: which they did quite often. Almost everyone doubted the age of most of the Tiger's players. Everyone thinking they were all a lot older than they were, due to the large size of most of the boys on the team.

They all had very deep and mature voices which seemed to be out of place for kids of that age, but who would be brave enough to confront them? Certainly not Louis (who was a small boy for his age) or any of his team mates who were not much bigger than he was. The Tigers were a scary and threatening looking bunch of kids if you ever saw one. Some of the boys on the team even had face hair and hairy knuckles-at ten years old!

All Louis, Chug, Short-Stack, and the rest of his teammates wanted today, was to beat these pompous brats and show them who was going to be the real champions. After all this was for bragging rights, for the rest of the year. This just had to be the year the home team won the league championship. Could the Centerville Giants finally win the "big game"? After all, they had practiced and practiced all they could, during the long hot summer months together in the large grassy field, out in front of Mr. Beamer’s farmhouse.

The game was played in Centerville; Indiana which happenstance had it was right in the center of Indiana. Centerville was a: quaint, quiet little farming town with soft rolling hills, fields of corn that swayed in the warm summer breezes, had pleasant pastures and lush green meadows. The days spent there always had their own special charm: like time stood still there and the world's troubles and tribulations; did not touch or really even affect them.

The baseball field was built on the outskirts of Old Man Hicks cornfield and was used only in between growing seasons. The bleachers were really just an old jumbled mash-up of; abandoned farm equipment, large bales of hay, run down tractors, a few wooden carts, a small number of broken down wagons and some old packing crates. An old tattered chalkboard brought over from the Centerville middle school was found nearby, nailed onto Old Man Hick' barn. However, as far as everyone in the stands and participating in the game today was concerned, this game was as big as a game seven in a world series in the big leagues with a world championship to be awarded to the winners.

The Centerville Giants were better than they were last year but still not as good as; they had hoped to be this year. They did make it to the championship game, but could they finally win the big one that had eluded them all of their young careers?

Chug was a solid player, and always could be counted on for a good game and today was to be no different. He was tall and slender for his age, standing almost six foot tall, weighing all of eighty-five pounds with long arms and spidery fingers that almost reached down below his knees. Let’s just say Chug never had a problem putting the groceries away for his mom at home in the upper cabinets of the kitchen, or have trouble removing cats out of the neighborhood tree branches, when they would get stuck.

Cats being stuck in trees seemed to happen with great frequency in Centerville. That was probably due to, Mitch-the-Bulldog, who roamed and prowled the neighborhood freely and would terrorize those poor cats whenever he could. Mitch was seldom found to be a good-natured dog, or known to be in a very decent mood...ever. He always looked like he had eaten something awful or rancid every morning for breakfast and the reaction to the unpleasant food was frozen, steadfast upon his face.

Now Short-Stack (one of Louis' other teammates who was the catcher) was diminutive and very small in stature (smaller than Louis was) but that was sometimes found to be of his advantage. You see this made him very difficult to strikeout, due to his extremely low ground clearance. His strike zone could not have been wider than two feet at best. Short-Stack had very long scraggly blond hair, which hung down over his beautiful soft gray eyes and down the sides and rear of his baseball cap. The baseball cap was always found to be worn oddly sideways; as only, a kid of his age could get away with. Short-Stack would be any barbers worst nightmare, on any given day.

Worse than that, he always smelled of old stinky heat-balm. The particular type of heat-balm that Short-Stack wore had a very succinct smell and was ever lingering, even when he was off the ball field or had just taken a shower. No one ever quite understood or really could comprehend that smell, but everyone always tried to stay a little further away from Short-Stack or else; someday they might end up looking like Mitch-the-Bulldog.

The smell was just plain awful.

Now as for Louis: he was born and raised in Centerville, Indiana on a small humble farm, in a working-class neighborhood. He was always found to have a very polite manner about him and carried himself with a shy type of confidence, which the neighborhood girls all admired profusely. The girls would just smile and giggle amongst themselves, every time Louis rode his bicycle through the neighborhood pass them. The girls would wave to him and Louis would wave back, and that seemed to be just enough attention from Louis to send the girls into a wild flurry. He had very bright, clear, and honest cobalt colored blue eyes that were found to be very disarming and appealing to most people who gazed into them.

Now as for all the neighborhood boys and Louis getting along that was different matter altogether. Louis found himself in fistfights every now and again with some of the bully's or larger or meaner boys in school. His bright red hair flashed a neon sign on and off that read:

Pick on me!

I'm right over here!

Pick on me!

This was also an invitation for most the boys, and even some of the girls at times, to throw a line of jokes toward Louis, at Louis's expense. Louis had heard most of them at least once, some of them twice and one or two of them thrice.

Louis's bright red hair had its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the situation at the time.

The old women in town just loved him to death, but his friends all teased him to no end. Louis's hair color was so bright red and shiny that (sometimes in the sunshine) it took on a strange florescent orange glow to it. His hair was always found nicely trimmed and well kept, but it forever had a large unruly cowl-lick on the top of his head that would rise and fall, whenever his emotions would get a hold of him. This happened often, but mostly it would happen from him being embarrassed, scared, or angry. He had to wrestle with this cowlick to keep it in place, which at times caused him great consternation and big troubles.

Louis was also...extremely freckle-faced.

The feckless were large, widely spaced, and found to be the color of a bright red apple. The freckles made Louis’s face look like he had a bad case of the mumps or the measles, and of course these freckles caused daily problems for him all by themselves.

Aside from the all the dazzling red freckles and neon red hair color engulfing little Louis; he did own a very handsome and cherubic face that held a wide and very pleasant smile. His teeth were pearly white and found to be set in two perfect rows. When he did smile, it was very disarming and soothing to anybody that saw him smile.

Louis's clothes were baggy and appeared to be mostly hand-me-downs from some of the older kids in the neighborhood, purchased from a second-hand store or donated to him from the local church. You see his family just did not have that much money or means, to buy Louis any new clothes.

Louis was an only-child.

He had no brothers or sisters.

Nevertheless, that did not bother him because he did come from a very loving and giving family. Louis’s family had roots in Centerville-that went back generations. His family did not have that much money to purchase many of the material things that life had to offer, but they were never lacking for the necessities of life. Most importantly, they never lacked in the things that mattered the most, the things that money just could not buy: a strong family-bond, a caring and loving mother, a strong feeling of belonging to a community, and living in a respectable neighborhood.

Little Louis never seemed to mind (too much) or to be bothered about being a disadvantaged boy because he was always comfortable, within himself and with who he was. He would always help the family out whenever and however he could, when it came to these things. If this meant wearing older clothes and or never having a new bike; then so be it.

Louis did have some troubles doing his household chores in a timely manner though, but most boys his age suffered from this very same problem. You see, Louis had a dire and ongoing habit of constantly daydreaming wherever he went, or where ever he was. It just drove his mother Hattie May, Mr. and Mrs. Beamer and most of his friends just plain crazy at times. Louis was always off somewhere in his own world, which no one else was allowed to enter except himself.

Now as the ballgame continued on this day and as each additional strike or ball was called out by Turk Louis again appeared to be far away, daydreaming, or gazing off, somewhere that he should not be. In Louis’s exceptional mind one moment, he was at first base playing for a major league baseball team. Then in the next moment, he was riding in the caboose of a great freight train wearing a pair of gray-stripped engineer pants, a blue engineer cap on backwards and steaming down the open railroad tracks barely visible because he was engulfed from head to toe, in steam from the train's large belching engines.

Louis in his mind could be on a mighty safari in Africa hunting dangerous wild lions one day, or another day, he could be transformed into a lonesome cowboy, riding on the open range in the Wild West, on a cattle drive. On the other hand, in another daydream he could find himself in Egypt drifting down the ancient Nile River in a Papyrus boat that was built by the ancient Pharos. The world that belonged to Louis was a wonderful one, which he found such delight in, each day.

It was now the bottom of the ninth-inning with the other team at bat. The score was even at two runs to two with the bases loaded, and the speedy Claxton Hermes on at third base. He was the fastest runner for his age in the county and had won many foot races over the years, with some of the older boys in their school. It could not be a worse situation for Louis, Chug, Short-Stack, and the rest of his teammates. There was a very imposing and ominous batter hovering over home-plate, and a speed-demon of a runner on a third base, just waiting to make a mad-dash for home; to seal the victory for the detested Tigers.

The batter had taken three balls and two strikes. The crowd was now on its feet and everyone was anticipating the next pitch, when all manner of confusion broke loose.

The throw!

It was a hard thrown fastball right down the middle of home plate. When the bat came around and connected with the ball there was this loud, Thwa-aa-wack! that made anyone who was sitting in the stands that day, stand up on their feet and jostle over and around each other to get a better view of the now unfolding play.

The volume of the crowd grew to an ear-splitting level, as the play developed in front of them. For everyone in the stands, and especially for the player's on the field this would surely be one play that they would all absolutely remember for the rest of their young lives.

The sizzling fastball came screaming across home plate. It connected forcefully off the heart of the bat, as it came around in front of home plate. This sent the ball heading awkwardly out toward Louis's position at first base. Louis could tell the dizzying fly ball was going to go over his head, so he immediately: pivoted his left foot in the dirt, jumped backwards and started to sprint out to right field, towards the right field foul-line. The ball sort of changed directions as it was flying by, and was now coming in kind of clumsy and curving away from Louis, to the right side of the out-of-bounds fence.

Chug the right fielder also had a great jump on the ball.

He and Louis were both heading for the same spot on the field, just as fast as they both could run. The crowd roared in anticipation of seeing the play of the day developing, right before their eyes. As the ball passed overhead, Louis made a Herculean jump by the low right field fence nearby...he seemed to be suspended in mid-air...and appeared to travel...in slow-motion...as the play proceed forward.

Louis soared right past Chug who was diving for the ball as well, hitting him on the left shoulder, spinning him around backwards, and cutting him right out of the play. Louis was in fair territory when the ball hit him with a mighty force off the glove in his left hand, falling just short of the pocket. The ball sailed up into the air again a few feet, came back down with a crazy spin on it, bounced off the top of his baseball cap bouncing foul, out into the stands.

Chug and Louis both wound up in the dirt in a tangled mess at the right side foul line, and were oblivious to what had just transpired until the clouds of dust had dispersed, and everything became clear again.

In one wild frenzied moment, when the dust and dirt had cleared the play, it was clear to all...that all was lost. A ground-rule double was called by the right field line-judge, due to interference from Louis and his now lumpy head.

Louis had flubbed up again!

Why did he not just let the ball go foul (which it most likely would have done) instead of trying to be the hero again? How could he have been so ambitious to think he could make "that play"...then knocking Chug right out of...the play ..., which, was his to make in the first place?

The game had now been lost, and Louis was to blame!

Another disaster for poor Louis!

Man oh man what a mess, thought Louis as he started to scratch his head and try to figure out what had just happened.

The feared Logansport Tigers had won another Cornfield League title and all the glory that goes with it for another