Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 3, Episode 14 - Gabrielle - full transcript

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Must be his wife.

Is she dead, too?

Yeah.

Wonder how it happened.

I don't know.

Reckon something must
have spooked the horses,

broke the tree, wagon
came tumbling down.

That-that road's icy.

Were heading for high country.



Wonder who they are.

I don't know.

Look around, see if you can
find anything to identify them by.

Right.

Joe, see if you
can find a shovel.

Yeah.

Hey, Joe.

What is it?

It's a kid's little toy bear.

Maybe we better
have a look around.

Hey, Joe.

Hey, Joe.

Honey, honey, honey.

- Let me... let me go.
- We don't want to hurt you.



- We're gonna help you, baby.
- Leave me alone.

Honey...

Oh, she's blind.

I've already talked to
Sheriff Coffee about this,

but I was wondering if-if
when you got back to the town,

perhaps you could look
around and see if you could find

- any relatives of hers.
- I'll do that.

I guess she's
our responsibility.

Good night, Ben. Boys.

Thank you for
coming out, Doctor.

Thank you.

Little gal has a
lot of spunk, Pa.

She fought like a
wildcat this afternoon

when I grabbed ahold of her.

What do we do now, Pa?

That's a good question.

I don't know how to
take care of a little girl,

particularly one who's...

Well, it isn't gonna be easy.

Don't be frightened, darling.

No one is gonna hurt you.

Get you back into bed here, hmm?

There we are.

Now, you know, my
name is Ben Cartwright.

My sons brought you here, and...

brought you to our home.

Mama?

Papa?

Now, don't you worry
about anything, darling.

Everything's gonna be real fine.

They're dead, aren't they?

I know they're dead.

I heard Mama scream.

Then the wagon fell.

Now, darling, please don't cry.

Yes.

Only little girls cry.

That's right.

And you're not a
little girl, are you?

I'm almost 12.

Almost 12.

Why you're... you're
getting to be real grown up.

Say, do you know something?

I don't even know your name.

It's Gabrielle.

Oh, that's such a pretty name.

Gabrielle?

Can you tell me where you and...

where you and your
parents were going?

To the mountain.

To the mountain?

To find Grandfather.

Poor Papa.

He wanted so badly to see him.

For us all to be
together on Christmas.

Now I have to find him.

Gabrielle, I'm so tired.

Is it night out?

Yes, darling.

♪♪

Honk, honk.

Hey, look out!

Hey, look out.

Look out.

You all right?

Yes, I must have spooked him.

Yeah, I reckon you did a little.

I know you.

You do?

You brought me here.

That's right.

How'd you know that?

Because you're so big.

Yeah, I reckon I am.

What's your name?

Hoss.

Horse?

No, no, just plain Hoss.

H-O-S-S, not H-O-R-S-E.

And your name is Gabrielle.

I was bringing breakfast
down to you, but...

How'd you get out here anyhow?

I walked.

Yeah, looks like
you did, at that.

Come on, let's go get
some of that breakfast.

Just walk in front of me.

I can hear your footsteps.

Feeling better?

Why is everybody
standing around?

I suppose we want to see that
you're enjoying your breakfast.

You're probably wondering
what you're gonna do with me.

Now, Gabrielle, last night
when we were talking,

you-you mentioned
your grandfather

living on a mountain.

Yes. Will you take me to him?

Well, of course I will.

You promise?

I promise.

Now, about your grandfather.

Um, do you know
where that mountain is?

I'm not sure.

Papa knew.

He hadn't seen Grandfather
for the longest time,

ever since he went to prison.

Your grandfather went to prison?

But then they found out
he didn't do anything wrong

to be put in prison
for, so they let him go.

Gabrielle,

you never did tell
me your last name.

Now, would it happen
to be Wickham?

How did you know?

I've heard of your grandfather.

Will you take me to
him like you promised?

Well, that doesn't leave me
much choice then, does it?

Hop Sing?

Why don't you take
Gabrielle into the kitchen

and give her one
of those plum cakes

that you've been making.

Joe, she don't need no help.

She likes to follow.

Hop Sing, just walk
along in front of her.

She don't like to hang on.

Was that you, Hop Sing?

I bump into chair.

You better watch
where you're going.

So, her grandfather's
that old hermit

up on Mount Davidson, huh?

Yeah, I'm afraid so.

What's this about prison, Pa?

Well, you were just
a boy at the time.

Joe wasn't even born yet.

Now, they, uh, they put him
away in Yuma Territorial Prison

for murder.

How did he get out?

Well, he...

he spent about 21 years in
that hole of human misery,

and then they found
out he wasn't guilty.

Boy, I'd have come out of
there with blood in my eye.

No wonder he hates everybody.

Well, first things first.

Adam, I want you to
ride into Virginia City

and buy her some new clothes.

Me?

What kind of clothes?

How do I know?

Whatever kind little girls wear.

And you two, you keep
an eye on her all the time.

I don't care what you do...
Talk to her, read to her,

walk around with her... but
don't let her out of your sight.

This is one of
our new little colts.

He sure kisses nice.

He likes you.

I guess he thinks
maybe I'm his mama.

Yeah, well... He...
he ain't got no mama.

What I mean to say is, you see,
when he was born, his mama...

It's all right, Hoss.

He'll learn to get
along by himself.

Papa said everyone
has to learn that.

That's old Blacky in there.

He's really feeling
his oats today.

I'll bet he's short-barreled
and he has real strong legs.

That's right. How'd
you know that?

I can hear him.

I bet he's good
for climbing hills.

Dad-burnit, I can tell you sure
know something about horses.

I can ride, too.

Papa taught me how to tell the
direction by the sun on my face.

That's west.

And there's a mountain
there, all covered with snow

and great trees.

That's where my grandpa is.

"The beautiful
bird sits no longer

"singing in the nest.

The cat has got it and will
scratch out thy eyes as..."

Go on, Little Joe.

"Rapunzel is lost to you.

You will see her no more."

May-Maybe you better
go to sleep now, Gabrielle.

You need plenty of
rest if you're gonna go

up to the mountain and look
for your grandfather tomorrow.

Will you come and visit
me at my grandfather's?

Yeah, sure I will.

Now, look, I don't, I don't
want you to get your hopes up

too high about finding
your grandfather tomorrow.

There's a lot of wild
country up there.

He'll be there.

Papa said he was the kind of
man who could live off the land.

It's very important to you to
find your grandfather, isn't it?

Yes, Little Joe.

He's all alone.

I don't want to leave him alone.

Look, I want you to
go to sleep, okay?

Will you read the
last part to me?

The part that goes,

"And when Rapunzel's
tears touched his eyes..."

"And when Rapunzel's
tears touched his eyes,

"they became clear again.

"And he took her to his kingdom,

"where he was
received with great joy.

And there they lived
long and happily."

Okay, put you up on the horse.

Okay, up you go.

Now, you hang
on tight, Gabrielle.

Thank you,
Mr. Cartwright and Adam.

And don't worry,
we'll find Grandfather.

You'll see.

Careful, now.

Bye, Gabrielle.

Bye.

Bye, Pa.

Yeah, Hoss.

Careful, now.

Whew.

You sure this is the
only way up there?

The only way, little brother.

I told you, the last
two miles afoot.

The old man don't like company.

It's not that I don't
trust you as a guide,

but I think I'm gonna
have a look around.

Don't be long.

Hoss, what happened?!

I heard a shot.

Get out of here!

Is, uh, is your name Wickham?

Devil take you, it ain't none of
your business what my name is.

Get away from here, or I'll
blast you to kingdom come.

Now, hold on, old-timer.

Just a minute.

We've come a long
ways to talk with you.

If your name is Wickham,

this little gal here is
your granddaughter.

Granddaughter?!

I ain't got no granddaughter.

Get out of here!

If you come beyond that
point, I'll kill the lot of you!

We did all we could, Pa.

He just didn't want
to have anything to do

with us or with Gabrielle.

Wildest looking thing
you ever saw, Pa.

He had long hair hanging
down like this and a big beard,

and meaner than
all get out, too.

He kind of looked like Rip
van Winkle just waking up,

- didn't he, Joe?
- Yeah.

What about her?
What did she say?

Well, she got pretty angry at us

when we wouldn't let her
go over and talk to him.

She was kind of
quiet all the way home.

Excuse me.

Gabrielle...

Why did he say I wasn't
his granddaughter?

Why?

Didn't he want
me, Mr. Cartwright?

Well, you mustn't think
of it that way, darling.

It isn't that he
didn't want you.

You see, he-he's
been living a...

well, a strange kind of life.

Hoss and Little Joe
should've let me talk to him.

Well, I don't know how much
good that would have done.

But I'm his granddaughter.

He should love me.

Even if he doesn't
love anybody else.

Yes, darling, that's true.

But, you know...

you can't make someone
love you if they don't want to.

You're grown-up now, Gabrielle.

You have to understand that.

Now, you, you just lean
back and have a nice rest.

You've had a long trip.

How is she?

Well, you know, she's hurt.

There is one thing
though about her:

she has an amazing
amount of fortitude.

Yeah, what do we do now?

I really don't know.

Pa, you figuring on
keeping her here?

Hoss, she's-she's
an 11-year-old girl.

She's blind.

Look, Pa, we could do it.

Sure we could, Pa.

I'll keep an eye on her.

I will, too.

We can't just throw her out.

You said we accepted
the responsibility.

Well, glad to hear
that's the way you feel,

but we're not equipped for it.

She needs a home...
The right kind of home...

Place where she can
be taken care of properly.

Yeah, but where
you gonna find that?

Pa, there ain't-ain't an orphans
home nowhere around here.

There's got to be somebody
who would, who would take her in,

give her the proper
care and the kind of love

her own parents gave her,
maybe even adopt her legally.

How about the Pastors?

The livery stable owner?

We've know them for a long time.

They're marvelous people.

And they-they have a boy about
a year or two older than she is.

Didn't they have a
daughter once, too?

Yeah. And that's just it.

They lost her when she was,
uh, just a little baby... typhoid.

I think the Pastors
would be very happy

to take Gabrielle
into their home.

I'm gonna get her
some milk and cookies.

That's the story, Dru.

A little girl, all alone,
nowhere to go...

Nowhere to go?

Ben Cartwright, you
bring that child right here.

You've known us
long enough, Ben.

You should have
brought her with you.

Well, Everett, there's
one thing I didn't tell you.

Gabrielle is blind.

Blind?

Oh, the poor child.

That's why I didn't
bring her along with me.

I thought I'd better
tell you all about her,

so you'd have a little
time to think it over.

Ben, there's
nothing to think over.

She's all alone, isn't she?

Well, no, not exactly alone.

She-she has a grandfather.

M-Maybe you've heard of him.

Zachariah Wickham.

Wickham.

You mean that wild hermit
up on Mount Davidson?

Yeah, that wild hermit
up on Mount Davidson.

You know, Hoss and Little
Joe took the little girl up there,

thinking that maybe the
sight of her would have

some affect on him, you
know, make him change his way

of living so that he could take
care of his own granddaughter.

Didn't change him one bit.

Ben, you weren't thinking of
leaving the child with that man?

Why, I heard that he
just shoots at anybody

or anything that comes up there.

Well, that's true, but
he is her grandfather,

and she has no one else.

She has us.

Now, you go right
back to the Ponderosa

and bring that child here, and I
don't want to hear another word.

Well, Dru, if-if
you're sure now.

I've never been surer
of anything in my life.

Well, I've got a million things
to do before she gets here.

Come on, Jeremy,
don't just sit there, boy.

Now, you go out and
get the extra linen out,

and open the window
in the back room.

You see?

Ben, we're just
what that girl needs.

And, well, she's
just what we need.

Now, get along with
you and bring her back.

Now, Gabrielle, you'll
have a lovely home there.

- You'll have everything...
- I don't want to go there.

Well, you'll have everything
you could possibly want.

The Pastors are
wonderful people,

and you'd be so
happy with them there.

But I want to be
with my grandfather.

Gabrielle, your
grandfather wouldn't be able

to take care of you
any more than we could.

He lives in, well, he lives in
a man's world... so do we...

And just not the
right kind of place

for a little girl to grow up in.

He's all alone.

I could help him.

I could cook for him,
and I could feed the goat,

- Gabrielle...
- and I could sew for him.

Gabrielle, will you
please listen to me?

Do you trust me?

Yes.

Well, then will you
please do as I ask?

Give the Pastors a chance.

They'll be very
good to you and...

Well, try it, for a while.

For how long?

Well, uh... until Christmas.

Now, is that fair enough?

- Yes.
- Good.

Now, we'll come and
visit you most every day,

and-and we'll be together
at Christmastime and...

How would you like to have the
most wonderful Christmas party

that's ever been given on
the Ponderosa, in your honor?

Now, wouldn't that
be a wonderful party?

Yes.

If only Grandpa
could be there, too.

Come in.

- Well...
- Ben.

Here we are.

I'm Mrs. Pastor, Gabrielle.
I'm so glad you're here.

This is going to
be your home now

for just as long as you wish.

I'm Mr. Pastor, Gabrielle.

You don't have to worry
about a thing anymore.

We're going to take
good care of you.

This is our boy Jeremy.

Hello.

You're, uh, you're real welcome.

Thank you.

We're going to have supper
in a few minutes, Gabrielle.

I hope you like chicken pie.

Good.

Jeremy, why don't you
take Gabrielle into her room

so she can put her
things away, hmm?

Come on.

Well, she's a
little shy right now,

but, oh, she'll, she'll feel right
at home very soon, I know.

I'm sure she will, and
I think she'll be able

to talk to Jeremy easier
than to us old folks.

Yeah.

Boy, I, I just don't know
how to begin to thank you...

Oh, now, you boys are going
to stay to supper, aren't you?

Well...

Yes, ma'am, we'd be
happy to, Mrs. Pastor,

if you think you got enough
of that chicken pie left.

Well, of course I do, Hoss.

I knew you were going
to be here, didn't I?

Smells awful good.

May I have your coat?

Yeah.

It ain't much, but it's clean.

Ma made me
scrub the floor twice.

I'm sorry you had to
go to all that trouble.

Oh, it wasn't too much trouble.

You want me to put
that stuff in a drawer?

I can do it.

I don't mind.

All right.

I guess you'll be going
to school with me, huh?

The kids are real
nice, you'll like 'em,

and Mr. Hanley...
He's an old bear.

Well, I've never been to school.

Never been to school?

How'd you ever manage that?

Oh.

I'm sorry, Gabrielle.

You don't have to be.

Have, uh, have
you been blind long?

All my life, but I don't mind.

You don't miss something
you've never had.

You're, uh, you're
sure a pretty girl.

Gabrielle, we'll drop by and
see you a couple of times a week

just to see how
you're getting on,

and I, I just know you're
gonna be very happy here.

Don't you forget
that Christmas party.

It's going to be a
real fancy shindig.

It sure is.

We'll have a good time.

Thank you very much for
a very, very nice supper.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

- Night. -Bye, bye.
- Bye, bye.

Gabrielle!

Gabrielle!

Gabrielle, how'd you get
out here all by yourself?

I walked.

Don't you think I can walk?

I was worried about you.

Ma and Pa told me not
to let you out of my sight

until they got back.

Everybody treats me like a baby

just because I can't see.

That's why I want to go
live with my grandfather.

Why are you always talking
about going to live with him?

Because he needs me.

I want somebody to need me

instead of it always being
the other way around.

Well, you wouldn't
like living with him.

I've heard about him.

He sounds terrible.

He isn't terrible.

Sure he is.

He's just an old hermit
with a dirty beard.

Hey, what'd you do that for?

He isn't just an old
hermit with a dirty beard,

and I can prove it to you.

How could you do that?

You just take me
up to the mountain.

I'll show you.

I couldn't do that.

You're scared.

I ain't either.

It ain't that.

Yes, it is.

You're scared of an old hermit.

That's all you are...
Just plain scared.

I'll show you who's scared.

♪♪

♪♪

What is it?

It's a cabin.

I think it's your grandfather's.

Take me there, Jeremy, please.

Gabrielle, let's go back.

No.

Do you see Grandfather?

I don't see anyone, Gabrielle.

I think we'd better start back.

Listen, goat bells.

Grandpa must be here.

Get out of here!

Go on, get out.

No.

Come on, Gabrielle, let's go.

But I don't want to go.

Go on, get out of here,
or I'll skin the hide off you.

Ain't you got ears?

I told you to get out of here.

Grandpa, I can't
see where to go.

Grandpa.

Well, you can stay here
and freeze for all I care.

Grandpa.

Grandfather?

Is that you, Grandfather?

What do you want here?

We were on our way to find you.

Mama and Papa were killed.

Why did you come back?

I told you to stay out of here.

You're my grandfather.

I wanted to come.

Grandpa, it's so soft.

Is it muskrat?

Beaver.

Sounds like you're
getting a cold, Grandfather.

Onion syrup is good for that,

and I can make a tea out of
wild cherry and dogwood bark.

I'm taking you out of here.

But I don't want to go.

I don't want you
here, you understand?

I'm staying, Grandfather.

Your shirt has a hole in it.

You see, Grandfather,
you need me.

♪♪

Hey, Joe, them's my best socks.

Yeah, well, I needed the biggest
sock I could find for Gabrielle.

Come on, you two, let's go
pick out that Christmas tree.

Yeah, make sure it's the finest
one on the Ponderosa, too.

Ben.

Well, Everett, what is it?

Jeremy took Gabrielle
up the mountain,

up to her grandfather's.

- Up the mountain?
- Grandfather's?

- What in tarnation for?
- Well, she teased him

about being afraid
to take her up there.

He didn't think it
would hurt anything.

Well, you mean
she's still up there?

Yeah, she's still up there.

Jeremy tried to get her
to come back with him,

but she wouldn't budge.

Ben, I feel terrible about
this, but, well, he's just a kid.

It's all right, Everett.

Uh, go saddle the horses.

Everett, you go back
home, take care of Drucilla.

Look, Grandpa, I
mended your shirt.

Papa told me so
much about you...

How you used to take him
fishing in the mountains,

how you read to
him from this book.

He told me how they
sent you away to prison

even though you
didn't do anything wrong

and how he tried so hard to
see you, but they wouldn't let him.

He loved you, Grandpa.

This is my favorite book.

I'll read to you, Grandpa.

I know most of
the stories by heart.

"There once was a man and woman

"who had long in
vain wished for a child.

At length God was
about to grant her wish."

I don't want you reading to me.

Maybe you are just an
old hermit with a dirty beard.

♪♪

♪♪

If that old buzzard's
hurt that little gal...

Easy now.

Grandfather, is that you?

Gabrielle, it-it's
the Cartwrights.

Are you all right, darling?

Grandfather went away!

He went away!

What do you mean, Gabrielle?

He doesn't want me.

He went away.

He's been gone all
day, hasn't come back.

Gabrielle, you'd better
come back home with us.

I mended his shirt.

I know he needs me.

Why doesn't he know that?

Gabrielle, honey, this
ain't no place for a little gal.

But I don't want to go back.

I tried so hard.

I've got to stay here.

Hoss, you'd better pick her up.

Pa, don't you think maybe...?

Put this hat on
her, and pick her up.

I don't want to do this
any more than you do,

but she'll be much
better off with the Pastors.

- Come on.
- But I don't want to go.

Please. I don't want
to leave Grandpa.

Maybe if I called
to him once more.

Grandpa? Grandpa!

Jeremy.

Gabrielle, I...

I know how you feel, and I...

I know how much you wanted
to be with your grandfather,

but... well, you see,
we... we just didn't think

that he was the kind of
man you should be with.

But maybe if I had
stayed with him longer,

he would have changed.

Well, I'd like to
believe that, but...

well, we just couldn't
leave you up there all alone.

I read to Grandpa
out of the book.

All about Rapunzel, Little Joe.

I think I lost the book.

You have a wonderful
home here, Gabrielle,

and people who love you,

and-and you have friends, and...

We are your friends, aren't we?

Yes.

I have lots and lots
of books, Gabrielle.

Be glad to read to you any time.

Yeah. I'll teach you a
couple of things about horses

I'll bet you didn't know, too.

Gabrielle, you can have
a wonderful life with us

if you'll just give us a chance.

You can have anything you want.

I just want to be
needed, Mrs. Pastor.

We need you, Gabrielle.

We need you very much.

But my grandfather
needs me more.

Now, you promised me

that you'd give the
Pastors a fair try

until Christmas, remember?

Now, tomorrow night...

Tomorrow night, we're going to
have the biggest Christmas party

the Ponderosa's ever had.

And I want you to take
that scowl off your face

so you can enjoy
it, do you hear me?

Come on now. How
about a little smile, hmm?

Come on.

Hey, here they come.

Come on, let's-let's
get ready, huh?

I'm gonna... I'm
gonna sing a bass.

Just sing on key, will you?

- All right, boys.
- Right.

One, two, three, four.

♪ Joy to the world,
the Lord is come ♪

♪ Let earth receive her king ♪

♪ Let every heart ♪

♪ Prepare him room ♪

♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪

♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪

♪ And heaven and
heaven and nature sing ♪

♪ Joy to the world,
the savior reigns ♪

♪ Let men their songs employ ♪

♪ While fields and floods ♪

♪ Rocks, hills and plains ♪

♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪

♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪

♪ Repeat, repeat
the sounding joy. ♪

Oh, that's wonderful, wonderful!

Merry Christmas...
Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas, Jeremy.

- Oh. Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.

- Ooh, oops!
- I'll go ahead and take this for you.

- How you doing?
- Ben, Merry Christmas.

- Hi, Adam.
- Merry Christmas to you.

Come on over here now.
Merry Christmas, everyone.

You know, it took us over two
weeks to decorate this room.

You know, I think every pinecone

from the Ponderosa is
right here in this very room.

That's right. Now,
here's the tree.

You know, it's so tall it
goes all the way to the ceiling.

Does it have an angel on top?

The most wonderful angel
you could ever imagine.

Yeah, with pink wings
and a golden halo.

And over here is a
feast fit for a queen.

Mm-hmm! We have
turkey and cranberry sauce

and apple pie and dumplings.

I hope you brought
your appetite with you.

I'm not very hungry.

- Well, I sure am.
- It looks wonderful!

- Well, you all are.
- Look at that.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!

And a merry Christmas to all.

Well, look who just
came down the chimney.

Somebody came special
to wish you merry Christmas.

Who is it?

St. Nicholas himself.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!

And what would this
sweet little girl like

for old Santa to bring
her for Christmas, huh?

Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!

I know who it is. It's Hoss.

Hoss? I don't know no Hoss.

I'm Santa Claus.

You can't fool me, Hoss.

It's just like Grandpa's beard.

Well, let's have a little music
here and liven things up.

How about a couple
of carols before supper?

All right, Ben.

♪ Oh, come all ye faithful ♪

♪ Joyful and triumphant ♪

♪ Oh, come... ♪

Welcome to the
Ponderosa, Zachariah.

Don't hand me no
welcomes, mister.

I don't want no part of
your world, you hear?

Well, then, what do you want?

You stole something from me.

Stole something from you?

You know what I'm talking about.

My granddaughter.

I aim to speak to her.

Grandfather, where are you?

Grandpa!

I'm so glad you came!

There's food inside, Zachariah,

and a warm fire.

We'd be mighty pleased...
And Gabrielle would be, too...

If you came in and joined us.

Please, Grandpa. Please come in.

It ain't no place for me, child.

My home's up in the mountain
in the wind and the snow.

But you just have to see
the beautiful Christmas tree.

It's got an angel on
top with a golden halo.

It's the very most beautiful
thing I've ever seen.

You've ever seen?

You can't see nothing, child.

But I can, Grandpa.

Somehow I can.

Inside... I can see.

Can you see me?

Yes, Grandpa, I can see you,

and I love you,
Grandpa, very much.

I'll go and look at the tree.

And maybe stay
for a little while?

I'll stay with you a little
while, Mr. Cartwright.

This has been a
color presentation

of the NBC Television Network.