Summary

Surprise – It is 1881. Charles Ingalls (Pa) asks his daughter, Laura, if she would like to come work in town. Charles’s wife, Caroline (Ma), worries about Laura working in town since she isn’t even old enough to teach school, yet. Laura herself is happy on her family’s homestead, and doesn’t want to go and work in town.

Springtime on the Claim – In the past, the family has stayed in town during harsh winters, but they have always returned to their homestead. Laura loves the homestead, and cannot imagine being anywhere else. People from all over the East are making a home for themselves on the prairie, too. Laura enjoys milking Ellen the cow, loves the beautiful landscape, loves working in the garden, and treasures being at the homestead with her family.

Laura has three sisters. There is her older...