Walnut Grove, Minn.-Sources who attended the recent Founder’s Day Celebration confirm that Charles Ingalls would rather give in to a crotchety old man than impress his family.
Although it disappointed Laura Ingalls, Jim Tyler, former Bull of the Woods, won a woodchopping contest when Charles chose to use his dull axe after Jim’s wife plead with him to let her husband win.
Tyler, who has never been seen in town before he recently became employed at Hansen’s Mill, has such a difficult time accepting that he is aging that his wife convinced Charles to essentially forfeit the contest just so he would feel good about it for a little bit.
Tyler, unaware of his wife’s meddling, now operates under the assumption that he is not aging.
“These bones, this sinew and muscles, I’ve still got it,” Tyler confirms. “I was the Bull of the Woods then and now I have this little blue ribbon to let me know that I still could be Bull of the Woods today.”
Some spectators think that Tyler is too excited about the blue ribbon.
“The watch, now that was a nice watch,” Sandy Kennedy comments. “Something about a man that age excitedly pinning that little blue ribbon on his chest though–it just don’t sit right.”
Harriet Oleson, in contrast, willingly overlooks Tyler’s attachment to the insignificant piece of fabric because she shares his denigrating view of farmers.
“He is right in that respect,” Harriet confirms. “These farmers think they can run this town just because most of the people who live here are farmers. Why, it is outrageous! How comforting it was for a temporary resident of this town to really put that Charles Ingalls in his place and beat him in that contest.”
At press time, Lars Hansen was wondering if it should just be called Lars Day since he is the founder, noting that it seems impersonable to simply call it Founder’s Day.
