The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 4, Episode 8 - The Competition - full transcript

JOHN-BOY: Our home at Walton's
Mountain was far off the beaten track,

but we were connected
with the rest of the world

by a picturesque
backcountry road.

Muddy or frozen in winter,
hot and dusty in the summer,

rutted always, the road
brought us many adventures.

Sometimes a herd of deer would
leap in front of the headlights,

or the pine forest dappled
with newly blossomed dogwood

or redbud would refresh
the eye and lift the spirit.

And I remember one occasion
when I met a stranger on the road,

a casual incident which
led to fireworks in the family

(HORN HONKING) such
as we had never seen before.



Hey. Can I give you a lift?

Sure. Thanks very much. Hop in.

Feels good to rest my feet.

Where you from? Richmond.

That's a fair walk.

Oh, not bad, really.

If you're not in a
hurry, it beats driving.

You have a chance
to look at things.

That's true.

You live up here?

Yeah. A couple of
miles up the road.

I always wanted
to live in the hills.

My grandfather, he's a
mountain man. Uh-huh.

Guess it kind of
rubbed off on me.



Well, my grandpa says
it gets in your blood.

I'm Chad Marshall. John Walton.

Pretty country, John. Yeah.

How'd your folks find
their way up here?

Well, my great-grandfather
settled the mountain in the 1700s.

You on vacation?
No, no. School project.

I'm a Forestry Major
over at VPI. Really?

I'm doing a paper on lumbering.

You go to school?

Yeah, I'm a second
year at Boatwright.

What in? Journalism.

Say, you know something? If
you're doing a paper on forestry,

you really ought
to talk to my daddy,

'cause he runs a lumber mill up
at the house, he and my grandpa.

Sure, I mean, forestry and
lumbering has been their whole life.

So far, all I know
is out of books.

I could use some down
to earth background.

Well, they'd love to talk to
you. I'll take you up there.

Great.

Livie, you'd better
go up to the attic

and see if you can find
some more mason jars.

We're not gonna have enough.

They wouldn't be up there,
Grandma. Sure, they...

I put a whole box up
there last summer, didn't I?

Under the eaves. Go up
and look in the corners.

Go ahead, Livie, please.

All right, I'll find them.

What's keeping that girl?

Livie.

Livie, did you find them?

Livie, will you get down
here with those jars?

We're having a real run
on mason jars this summer.

Both jars and lids.
Mostly lids, though.

There's something
I don't understand.

You... you'd think
they'd be the same,

you know, one jar and one lid?

They have a way of getting lost.

Well, I've never done any
canning, so I don't know.

(CASH REGISTER DINGS)

Why, Joleen Guthrie.
When did you get into town?

We just came up yesterday.

Mama hadn't seen the baby.

She's so cute. May I?

Sure.

Thought I'd never get
her away from Mama.

She just set herself down
and commenced rocking

like she was never gonna stop.

She is so beautiful.

Here's your change, Olivia.

Come on.

No, it's not. It's okay.

(CHUCKLES)

Uh, Olivia, you... your change.

Yes, you're such a little... Oh!

Hello. Hello, baby.

(HORN HONKING)

JOHN-BOY: Hey, girls.

These are my two sisters. Chad,
this is Erin and Mary Ellen Walton.

This is Chad Marshall.
He's from Richmond.

Hi.

Why don't you all jump in the
front? I'll get in the rumble seat.

We can't sit three in the front.

Oh, sure we can.
Come on, get in.

We'll be all jammed in.

Well, why don't you and
I jump in the back, then?

Well, I guess
there's no other way.

JOHN-BOY: Come on, Erin. Get in.

Hold that, please. Thank you.

All set?

I'll go see if there's
any mail. I'll be right out.

Okay.

You walked all the
way from Richmond?

Oh, it's not so bad.
You just keep putting

one foot in front of the other.

Well, you could've
taken a bus or something.

If I'd taken a bus, I wouldn't
have met your brother.

I wouldn't have met you.

You wanna know
something? You're fresh.

CHAD: Do you want me
to say it's the mountain air

that has my head spinning?

That's even more fresh.

I don't see why. If
you like somebody,

why shouldn't you just
come right out and say it?

Well, you just
don't come right out

and say it the minute
you meet somebody.

Well, why not? It's
just plain honest.

Didn't you ever meet
somebody you liked right off?

I suppose. Well,
didn't you tell him?

No. Why not?

Because I'm more
sophisticated than that.

I'm sorry, Grandma.

Livie, what are you doing?

I was just gonna
put potatoes on the...

Livie, the potatoes
are already on.

Oh...

I'm sorry, Grandma.

Livie, what's got into you?

Oh, nothing.

You've been
woolgathering all afternoon.

Just little absent-minded.
I'll get over it.

You know when you meet someone

that you've never
even seen before,

and you just feel like you've
known each other all your life.

No.

Well, Chad and I
just started talking.

And it was so natural.

Like we weren't even strangers.

And he looked right
at me when he talked.

Did you notice his eyes?

Doesn't he have the most
beautiful eyes you ever saw?

I guess he does.

And, you know, he said
right out that he liked me.

And he's so interested
in the outdoors.

You know what? He's
never even been here before

and yet he seems to
belong to the mountains.

Ooh. Wait till Mama finds out
you were powdering your face.

If you tattle, I'm gonna
get you, Elizabeth.

Besides, I'm old enough
to use powder on my face

and rouge if I want to.

You're gonna eat supper
in your church dress?

Why don't you just keep your
nose out of other people's affairs?

Well, Mama says you and Erin
should come down and do some helping.

You're gonna look awful funny
slopping the pigs in your church dress.

(SIGHING)

Now, the first house he built

when he cleared the land is
way up there on the mountain.

If you go up there, you
can still see the old chimney

and some of the trees
from the original orchard.

GRANDPA: John-Boy, give
me a hand here, will you?

Sure, I'll be right back.

Sure. Sure.

Yes, sir? Get me that
toolbox in the barn.

Okay, I'll see if I can find it.

I like your farm.
Do you like eggs?

Sure. Have one.

What about you? You like eggs?

Yeah. Well.

CHAD: Come on. (CHUCKLING) No.

Got it. Get ready.

Come on, higher, higher.

I got it.

(LAUGHING)

Butterfingers.

GRANDPA: Erin. JOHN-BOY:
Somebody hit you with an egg?

Yeah, your crazy sister
hit me with the egg.

GRANDPA: Don't be shy
around here, young man.

At suppertime
everybody plunges right in.

Pa, would you do
the honors, please?

Who, me?

Father of heaven, omnipotent.

We thank thee for the bounty that
you've helped us bestow upon this table

and also for the
exceedingly pleasant weather

that we've been having lately,

which has brought our
crops in rather nicely.

Also for the presence, this
evening, of a young man

who loves trees and
the trailing arbutus,

we ask you to bestow
your bounty upon him, also.

In all humility, in
thy name, Amen.

ALL: Amen. Amen.

I wonder why they
never say, "A women."

Pass the meat.

Chad, I hear you're up here to get a
firsthand look at the timber business.

I'm doing a paper
on forestry in Virginia.

You've come to the right place.

The Waltons been timbering
up here for over 200 years.

Chad? Yes, Elizabeth.

Are you married? No.

Why, you looking for
a husband, Elizabeth?

No, he's just very good looking.

CHAD: Thank you, Elizabeth.

JASON: Where you
heading from here?

No place in particular.

My father works on
a paper in Richmond.

He thought this area would
give me what I need for my paper.

JOHN: You got a
place to stay, Chad?

No, I have my tents and my
blankets. I plan on roughing it.

(CLEARING THROAT)
You ever done that before?

CHAD: Not this far up, no.

Well, it can be a lot tougher in
these woods than you imagine.

Hmm. I want to experience it,
though. Camp out in my tent.

Maybe you ought to camp nearby,

just in case there's
bad weather.

Well, that's very kind
of you, Mr. Walton.

I'll pick a spot
nearby. Thank you.

We got ourselves a full moon.

How'd you like to take a walk?

You partial to full moons?

It went to all that trouble, I
figure it ought to be admired.

You got yourself a
walker and an admirer.

Livie, you were kind
of quiet at supper.

You got something on your mind?

I was thinking
about the children.

They're growing up so fast.

They sure are.

John-Boy away at college so
much, Jason at the Conservatory,

Mary Ellen graduating
this summer.

Even the little ones
are no longer little.

Honey, you trying
to tell me something?

How would you feel
about having another baby?

Are you pregnant?
No, but I wish I were.

Honey, we've got seven
children, two up in college.

And when they grow up, we got a
house to build up in the mountain.

I know, but I
can't help thinking.

There's nothing in
this world so rewarding

as sitting in that rocking
chair late at night,

holding a warm little
body next to yours.

Yeah. I remember I used to come
down in the middle of the night

and see you sitting in the
rocker, asleep with Elizabeth.

You saying yes?

Liv,

you gotta think about this, all
that trouble you had last year.

I'm all better now. I feel
like a different woman.

Well, I never could give
you a flat out and out no.

But how about this? How about we see
Doc McIvers before we make up our mind?

That's fair enough.

And now

there's nobody looking.
How about a kiss?

I love you.

Mama? What are you doing?

Just going through the trunk.

I... I... I heard the noise. I
couldn't imagine what was going on.

Just sorting through
some of Elizabeth's things.

At 3:00 in the morning?

John-Boy, go back to bed.

Yes, ma'am. Mama, you're not...

No, go back to bed.

(HUMMING)

Livie, are you trying
to give us a tune

or are you humming for
your own amusement?

I didn't even realize I
was singing, Grandpa.

I don't understand you, Livie.

Yesterday, you were
drooping around here

with your head off in
the clouds somewhere.

Now you're just as
chipper as a gold

finch.

Something I should know?

We'll let you in on it, Ma, as
soon as the right time comes.

Well, what about right now?

Esther, your beauty is
matched only by your curiosity.

Well, we generally don't
have secrets in this family.

Grandma, John and I are
going into town this morning.

Anything you want?

Yeah, you can bring back
some truth and honesty

about what's going
on around here.

Morning, everybody.

Morning, Chad. Morning, Chad.

If it's all right with you, Mr. Walton,
I'd like to help out in the mill today.

I... I could use the
firsthand experience.

We could use the help, Son.

Especially when it's free.

We have to go into town today.
Pa here can show you the ropes.

(FOOTSTEPS)

Whoa, oh. Now, didn't
you forget something?

Mary Ellen's camping out in the
bathroom and she won't let anybody in.

She's powdering her face.

OLIVIA: How do you know?

Well, when I knocked on
the door, nobody answered,

so I figured she was dead
and I looked in the keyhole.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall.

I wasn't admiring myself.

I know what you were doing.

You were wondering if
Chad thinks you're pretty.

That's right, I was.

Well, just remember,
I saw him first.

You did not.

We both saw him at the same
time, but it doesn't matter anyway.

It does, too, matter.

I saw you at supper last
night making eyes at him.

I was not. You were, too.

You were putting
on all sorts of airs.

I wasn't putting on
airs. I just smiled.

What's wrong with that?

Well, remember,
you're just a child.

What could you
possibly know about love?

JOHN: How you feel, Liv?

OLIVIA: I'm as excited as if
we were having our first baby.

I'll tell you what. After
we see Doc McIvers,

why don't I take you out to
lunch in some fancy restaurant?

What are we gonna use for money?

You think you're
married to a poor man?

I got $2 burning a
hole in my pocket.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

What's the matter?

(GIGGLING) It's raining.

JOHN-BOY: Are you crazy?
There isn't a cloud in the sky.

Well, clouds or no clouds, I'm
sitting here getting rained on.

Your hair is sure wet. Yeah.

What was that?

Well, it stopped now.

Hmm.

Mary Ellen, you bring that back.

JOHN-BOY: Erin? Erin.

(ERIN SCREAMING)

(GRUNTING)

JOHN-BOY: Erin. Help.

Erin, are you all right? Yes.

You okay? You sure? Yes.

Okay. Good. What
were you doing up there?

Oh, look at you. You're
an absolute mess.

You didn't break anything? Yes.

You all right?

Chad.

You're crazy.

Stay right there, girl.

(GRUNTING)

Everything all right?

What's the matter, Doc?

Well, nothing, John.

Olivia is as healthy
as she can be.

Well, if I'm so healthy,
why can't I have a baby?

Well, I'm saying you shouldn't.

It could be very dangerous.

You'd be risking your
life and that of the baby.

Isn't there something that I
could do to build up my strength?

Olivia, you've borne
seven children,

and that misfortune
last year with an eighth.

We all have limits
to our capabilities.

Your body has reached its limit.

I know how much you
want another child, Livie.

I'm sorry.

Thank you, Doc. We asked for
your advice, and you gave it to us.

Thank you.

John.

JOHN-BOY: Much going on here.

Mary Ellen and Erin are in
love with the same young man.

Both girls are
behaving irrationally,

which I suppose goes with
being in love at such a tender age.

And I hope this can be resolved

without either of
them being hurt.

I'm also concerned about Mama

and suspect that she may
be having another baby,

even though she denies it.

Oh, Grandpa, I didn't
mean to walk off the job.

I just wanted to get some
stuff down in the journal.

I thought I'd have a little
refreshment while I was doing it.

Never mind. That boy
Chad's a fine worker,

if the girls would
just let him alone.

MARY ELLEN: Well,
don't include me, Grandpa.

Erin's the one who's
acting like a crazy person.

Both of you girls
have been behaving

as if you had a
touch of the sun.

Well, I had absolutely
nothing to do

with what happened out there.

And he made it perfectly
clear from the minute we met

that he was interested in me.

And the next thing you know,

Erin's out on the top of the
mill pouring water down on him.

I could've done a little
with that cool water myself.

You still didn't have to take
the ladder away, did you?

Well, she had it
coming, the little creep.

Oh, the green-eyed monster
comes to Walton's Mountain at last.

What green-eyed monster?

Jealousy.

Why should I be jealous
of a 15-year-old child?

Then what are you so mad about?

I'm mad because you're making
such a crazy fool out of yourself.

Hey, now, wait a
minute. That's Erin's affair.

If she wants to make a fool out
of herself, that's her own business.

Mary Ellen, you act
like you own Chad,

like he's your own
personal property.

I do no such
thing. You did, too.

Now, wait a minute, girls.
This is a stupid argument.

Stay out of this,
John-Boy. All right.

Mary Ellen, 'cause he
likes me you're just jealous.

Stop that.

Mama, what's wrong?

I've had a big disappointment.

I'm gonna go upstairs and cry
for a little while and then I'll be fine.

Well...

Now will you tell
me what happened?

ERIN: What happened, Daddy?

We just left
Dr. McIvers's office.

She wanted to have another baby.

The doctor said she shouldn't.

Oh, poor Mama.

Well, what does she want another
baby for when she's got all of us?

You know your Mama.

Lue Ridge country.

You ought to talk to
Grandpa about that.

What's that, John-Boy?

He says he needs some
history of the Blue Ridge.

Yeah, history. Mostly
gossip. I got plenty of that.

I can tell you who
did what to who

for what and when,
way back to Adam.

JASON: Who? Adam and Eve?

No. Adam Walker, first man
to settle these here parts,

along with my grandfather.

Mary Ellen, it's your turn
to dry the pans tonight.

I dried them last
night. It's Erin's turn.

Grandma, could you
please tell Mary Ellen

that I dried the pots
and glasses last night?

She owes me pots and glasses.

Tell Erin that I
dried the glasses,

the bowls and the
frying pan from lunch,

and bowls and frying
pan equals pots.

Now, look, you girls.

I don't care if you're
speaking to one another or not,

but those pans better be
dried before we're finished.

Now wipe.

There's a family downstairs
that needs you very much.

I know.

All I seem to think
about is myself.

Now,

if you were perfect, you'd walk
on water and leave me behind.

JASON: Mama. Daddy.

Doc McIvers is here.
He wants to see you both.

I had a thought after
you left the office.

And it may be something
you're not interested in at all,

then again you might.

Elizabeth.

Um, what would you think of
taking in a baby for a while?

Giving it a foster home.

It's a case of giving a
child some family love

until the adoption is completed.

Do you have a baby?

Little girl, eight months old.

Paperwork takes time,

and the young couple adopting
her can't take her until it's all finished.

Well, John, you know how
I feel. What do you think?

Well, Liv, it would be...
It would be taking a baby

into the family we couldn't keep

and have to give her back.

We'd just all have
to understand that.

Honey, you and all the children
would fall in love with her.

And when we had to give her
back there'd be the devil to pay.

You'd have to
think it over, Liv.

Well, right now I'd rather
think about the child.

It needs a home and a mother.

Now, we'll take it and we'll
just all have to understand

that we're not to get too
attached to it. That's all.

You don't believe me.

Liv, I know you.

The case is being handled over
at the county by a social worker,

Blanche Pigeon.

You can get in touch with her if
you decide you really want to do this.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Mmm-hmm.

Can I talk to you, John-Boy?

Sure, come on in.

It's about Mary Ellen.

Oh, it is, is it?

I think you two have
been acting pretty childish.

Well, I've said I was sorry,
but she won't make up.

Says she's never gonna speak
to me again as long as she lives,

and I think she means it.

Well, what should I do?

I don't know.

It's all because Chad and I smiled
at each other at supper last night.

And because you
threw an egg at him

and you've been
pouring water on his head.

I must say, I don't know
why a girl as pretty as you

has gotta do things
like that to get attention.

Gotta give you credit,
though, it seems to be working.

Well, just because Mary Ellen
rode in your rumble seat with Chad

and he was nice to her,
well, she thinks she owns him.

She'd listen to you, John-Boy.

Oh, no. She's not
gonna listen to me,

'cause I'm not gonna
say anything to her.

Everything is fair in love,
but I'll tell you one thing,

if either one of you girls goes
over the deep end about this fella,

you're gonna be sorry.

Because he's gonna be
here a couple of more days

and then he's gonna go away and
you're probably not gonna see him again.

Well, I can like him
while he's here, can't I?

Sure, you can like
him while he's here,

but the more you like
him while he's here,

the sorrier you're gonna
be when he's gone.

No. When it's time for him
to leave, I'll just say goodbye,

and that'll be the end of it.

Okay.

Our most useful trees around
here are these southern yellow pines.

There's three of them.

They're very fast growing
and useful for our purposes.

I saw a lot of dead
ones up on the mountain.

Beautiful grain woods, but
there were so many dead ones.

Was it a chestnut
blight? That's right.

Yeah. Now, that wasn't pine that
was a chestnut tree. It's a noble tree,

and it's sad what's happened
to it everywhere around here.

Killed off just about
all of them around here.

And down here you can see we
had a beetle infestation on these pines.

And by the concentric circles,

it looks like it's
long about 1931.

That was the year that Hoover
said to Raymond Clapper,

"What this country
needs is one big laugh."

(CHUCKLING)

Yes, but over in our other mill

we use mostly the
hardwoods, like, uh...

Like, uh...

Say, hickory and
oak and yellow poplar.

That's tulipwood,
isn't it, John-Boy?

John-Boy.

Huh?

Isn't that tulipwood?

Uh, yeah, I'm sorry.
My mind is wandering.

It's just about time for
Mama and Daddy to get back.

The new baby hasn't
even arrived yet,

and already we're losing all
powers of concentration around here.

My parents are gonna be
foster parents for a little while.

They went into town
today to get the baby.

Your mother wants another child?

I know it's hard to imagine.

New baby. In all other subjects

she seems to be
pretty levelheaded.

(RECKLESS BARKING)

Whoa!

Will you silly children quit
playing around and do some work?

Why?

Because we gotta get
things ready for the baby.

You boys, come on,
give me a hand here.

Okay, Grandma.

I think we had all the washing
we needed around here

without adding more.

It's heavy.

I'm not finished with you.
Come back here and help.

But that's women's
work, Grandma.

Work is work. Now, come on.

Sure is a skinny looking towel.

That's a diaper.

I know, I was only joking.

Your mama said
to freshen these up

for whatever it is
they're bringing home.

(HORN HONKING)

Well, they're here
already. Hey, everybody.

(COOING) Hey, I see
her! She's really cute!

Her name is Jennifer
and she's eight months old.

BEN: Did I ever look like that?

JOHN-BOY: You were worse. When
you were that age you could scare snakes.

Let me hold her, Mama.
Careful how you hold her.

Hello, Jenny. She's so cute.

She's even got
her eyes open, too.

Jim-Bob, she's not a puppy.

Can I hold her?

Sure, honey.

JOHN: I think it's time
for your speech, Liv.

Remember, she's not ours.

We're only keeping
her for the county

until her adoption goes through.

What your mother's
trying to say is,

don't get too used to her
because she's not staying.

(BABBLING)

Isn't she just beautiful?

(ALL CHATTERING)

Say "hi" to Elizabeth.

JOHN: Easy, easy.

(THUNDER CLAPPING)

(WIND BLOWING)

(RAIN PATTERING)

It's raining cats
and dogs out here.

You can hardly see
the house from the barn.

GRANDPA: Judas Priest.

Mama, you better hurry up.
She's getting awful tired and hungry.

The milk will be ready in
just a minute, Elizabeth.

Heavens to Betsy.

This place looks like a bed
sheet factory got hit by a tornado.

Didn't have much
choice, Grandpa.

Come here. You expect
us to go outside and say,

"Sorry, Lord, you
can't let it rain right now.

"We've got our
wash on the line."

Give me that.

(SIGHS)

Ladies, doesn't anybody
know that it's suppertime?

Yeah, when are we gonna eat?

Be ready in a few
minutes, Jason.

But Jennifer's gone and
messed everything up.

Don't you yell at Jennifer.

Here you go, Grandma.

Poor little thing, doesn't
know what's happening to her.

Thinks the house is
full of crazy people.

Come on.

Grandpa, I'm hungry.

Well, we boys might as
well get used to the idea.

If you don't wear diapers
around here, you don't eat.

Opsie daisy.

You still shooting, huh?

(GRANDMA BABBLING)

ERIN: Don't you love all
the nice smells after a rain?

All I can smell is that
perfume you have on.

What did you do, pour the
bottle over your head? I hate you.

I think I'll throw you in
the pond. No, Chad, don't.

Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
No. Put me down.

No. No, no.

I thought you were
gonna throw me in.

I wouldn't throw you in.

A child like you might sink
right down to the bottom.

Don't call me "child." Why
not? That's what you are.

I'm 15. When my grandma was
young, girls got married at 15.

Well, I'm not gonna marry
you, so you can just forget it.

I wouldn't marry you for all the
tea in China. I'd rather marry a pig.

Well, good. If I see a dirty old
pig, why, I'll send him right around.

You're awful.

I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to throw you in.

(SCREAMS) Come here.

Why do you like trees?

Trees?

(CHUCKLING) My
grandfather liked trees.

Mine, too.

(CHUCKLING)

Yes.

JOHN: We're sorry
you have to rush off.

Well, I appreciate
you folks' hospitality.

If you're ever down
Richmond way,

I hope you'll stop
in and see us.

We'll do that, Chad.

You be careful on the road.

Thank you, young man.

You'll find it a lot easier going
home. It's downhill all the way.

Thank you.

Bye. ALL: Bye-bye.

Goodbye, Mary Ellen.

And I'm sure whatever
hospital you get in

you'll be the prettiest
nurse on the staff.

Where you going? I'm moving on.

Yeah. Daddy, there's
something in here from the county.

What is it?

Uh, it's from the
welfare department.

I thought you were staying
with us a couple more days.

No, I changed
my mind last night.

I never thought I'd fall
for a 15-year-old girl.

Erin's a very special person.

Yeah. You say goodbye to her?

I'd like to. What do you think?

Well, I think you should.

Just keep in mind
whatever you say to her

she's gonna remember
for a long time.

If I can only find her.

Isn't she around here?
I haven't seen her at all.

I'll tell you where
she might be.

The girls' secret place is
down by Drucilla's Pond.

Well, I'll look there, then.

Okay. It's nice knowing you.

Thanks again.

Bye. Bye.

Daddy,

is that the letter? Yeah.

The adoption is all wrapped up.

They'll be out to get her.

(SIGHING) It's not
gonna be easy on Mama.

No.

I wish I could stay longer.

Then why don't you?

Because of what I found out
about myself, because of last night.

I found out that
I loved you, Erin.

Is that so terrible?

No, it was wonderful,

but it just happened a
couple of years too soon.

You still think
of me as a child.

No, I don't.

We just met at the wrong time.

Maybe if we're lucky,
there'll be another summer

and it will be the right time.

(SNIFFLING)

Goodbye.

(SNIFFLING)

(GRANDMA BABBLING)

Don't you get too
attached to her, Grandma.

(COOING)

(DOOR BANGING)

What are you doing?

(CRYING)

He's gone.

I know.

I really loved him.

I think you did.

It's like my whole
life is ruined.

Chad's gone and you hate me.

I don't hate you, Erin.

Are we sisters again?

I think we're stuck
with each other.

Erin.

(GROANING)

I'm telling you, it is a
scorcher out there today.

Take your break,
Pa. We'll cool off.

I am fully inclined to do so.

I'll tell you, that sun has
been simmering my brains.

Regular Turkish bath.

Esther, there's some
kind of goo in this here cup.

Zeb, that's Jennifer's oatmeal.

It's cooling. What are
you doing with that?

I'm making an honest effort
to get myself a drink of water.

Ever since this place has
turned into a day nursery,

there's nothing but baby
bottles to drink out of.

Ever since that baby came into
this house, you've turned cranky.

JOHN-BOY: What's the matter,
Grandpa? They all ganging up on you?

Oh, Esther, calling me cranky.

You've got her
looking real pretty.

You be careful of her soft spot.

Ma, I know how to hold a baby.

GRANDMA: A man never
learns how to hold a baby.

You know, Pa's right.
You are the cranky one.

Hello, you. Hello.

You know, she's gonna be
real pretty when she grows up.

It beats me how a few
pounds of noise and appetite

can upset a whole household,

turn a bunch of sensible
people into babbling idiots.

Zeb, you've got the softest
heart in the whole family.

Well, may have
been so at one time,

but in my advancing years I
have got no time for infants.

Daddy, could you come
out to the mill for a minute?

Sure, Son.

Pa, she's all yours.

What? There.

(CHUCKLING)

(BABY BABBLING)

Grandpa, she looks even
smaller when you hold her.

GRANDMA: Look
out for her soft spot.

You and your
confounded soft spot.

You ought to know that I
know how to handle babies.

Well, you don't hold it
like a sack of cornmeal.

I'm holding her in a perfectly
natural and comfortable position.

If she didn't like it, she'd
tell me so. Wouldn't you?

(SPUTTERING)

Beautiful, blue eyes.

Look at her, she's
gonna smile at me.

Trouble with you
ladies is you don't know

how to talk to a
baby, with your...

(BABBLING)

and all that.

You have to talk to her

as though she's a highly intelligent
natural human being. Hmm?

Isn't that right?

Look at her.

She knows that I am talking
sensible to her, don't you, Jenny?

Now look at the way
she uses her hands.

You know, I think this is a
highly intelligent child, Livie.

Grandpa, we're gonna
need a new belt for the saw.

Well, I'll get
around to it directly.

(SPUTTERING)

Are you gonna talk
to me, Jenny, or not?

Come on. Here, come on,
look at your old grandpa.

Grandpa, you're just as
bad as Mama and Grandma,

talking to that baby like
it was gonna answer you.

Ah, well, here, Mr. Know-it-all.

I should inform you
that a baby of this age

can understand
adult conversation.

It's by the tone of the voice.

Really?

She's not a bad
looking little thing.

She's much prettier than the
Bedloe baby, that's for sure.

Hey.

Kind of reminds me of
Elizabeth when she was little,

except Elizabeth had red hair.

(GRANDPA BABBLING)

Jennifer. Jennifer.

She hardly looks
like the same baby.

She's filled out so.

No wonder, the way you and Liv

and the girls keep
feeding her all the time.

Come here, Jennifer.
Come on, sweetheart.

That's a girl.

That's not fair, Mama.
You always get to hold her.

OLIVIA: Oh...

Can't understand
it, a dumb baby.

All it does is holler and wet and
everybody thinks it's so wonderful.

Well, it is wonderful if
you think about it, Jim-Bob.

That little baby there is
gonna become a full-sized girl.

You call that wonderful?

(SIGHING)

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

JOHN: John-Boy, get
that, will you, please?

Sure.

Uh, I'm Blanche Pigeon
from Jefferson County Welfare.

JOHN-BOY: Oh.

Are Mr. and Mrs. Walton here?

Uh, yes, of course.
Come in. Thank you.

ELIZABETH: Mama, don't
let them take Jennifer away.

Everybody, this
is Blanche Pigeon.

Hello, I'm John Walton. This is
my wife. This is the whole family.

And there's little Jennifer.

Looks like you've taken real
good care of her, Mrs. Walton.

We've tried.

Mama, don't let
her take Jennifer.

BLANCHE: You
did receive my letter.

Yes. We expected
you sooner or later.

We just hoped it would be later.

Well, it's always like that.

It's difficult to give
them up, I know.

(BABBLING)

BLANCHE: It may help you, Mrs. Walton,
the young couple that are adopting her

can't have children
of their own.

She'll be wanted and loved.

Maybe you could tell us
something about these people.

Uh, they're the
couple out in the car.

Perhaps we could
have a word with them.

(SIGHS)

It's not customary.

I would advise against it.

I'd like to see them.

Ida, Jim, would you
come in, please?

Hello. Come in, please.

This is Ida and Jim Piercy.

This is the Walton family.

JIM: Hello. IDA:
Is that Jennifer?

Could I hold her?

OLIVIA: If there's anything you
want and we have it, you're welcome.

Thanks, but we've
been planning for so long.

Gathering things, you know.

We got plenty of diapers.

She goes through them
like they grow on trees.

She loves to be held,
especially late at night.

One of these nights, Jim, you're
gonna come downstairs... I'm sorry.

(CRYING)

Okay. Children, say
goodbye to Jenny.

Come on. You, too, honey.

She's a real sweet baby.
She doesn't cry much.

IDA: She's beautiful.

I gotta get some juice for her.

(CAR DOOR CLOSING)

(ENGINE STARTING)

I wonder who'll use it
next, Mary Ellen or Erin.

John,

don't put it too far back.

JOHN-BOY: The cradle
was never far back in the attic.

It was used again and again
as our own families grew.

And I think she
is never so happy

as when one or all
of her grandchildren

come to visit in that house
on Walton's Mountain.

JOHN-BOY: Night, Mama.

OLIVIA: Good night, John-Boy.

Good night, Mary Ellen.

MARY ELLEN: Good night,
Mama. Good night, Erin.

ERIN: Do you think
Chad will ever come back?

I don't know, Erin, maybe.

JIM-BOB: I hope he doesn't.

When he was here,

you and Erin were primping
in the bathroom all the time.

JOHN: Good night, Jim-Bob.

A guy has to get in
the bathroom sometime.

ERIN: Good night, Jim-Bob.
MARY ELLEN: Good night, Jim-Bob.

ELIZABETH: Good
night, everybody.