The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 5, Episode 1 - The First Edition - full transcript
John-Boy publishes his first newspaper. It includes a story about Ben's troubles. Olivia is mad. But John-Boy has to publish the story to follow his convictions.
Sheriff, why is he
questioning those people?
Judge Thornbury is up for
reelection, you know, Son.
Well, I don't think you can ever
go wrong by telling the simple truth.
If you're going to use that newspaper
to disgrace and humiliate my family,
I want everybody to know
that I am in no way party to it.
And if you don't move it,
I will find me a sledgehammer and
I will personally batter it to pieces.
I believe that, in our family,
all of us children were
sparked to do our best,
whatever we tried,
for two reasons.
There was the personal
satisfaction we felt, of course,
but, just as important, we
knew that the whole family
would take pride in the
success of any one of us.
But then a day came
when I had to face the fact
that a goal I had set for myself
was threatening to disgrace
and divide the family.
Hey, Sheriff.
John-Boy.
How long you going
to be on that cane?
Oh, not as long as it's gonna
take to fix the motorcycle.
Listen, you know I'm
publishing that paper now,
and we're getting ready
to put out a first edition.
I sure would like a grabber
story for that front page.
Yeah, you tackled a
big job with that paper.
Never been so fired up
about anything in my life.
I'd appreciate a good headline.
Well, how about, uh, "Sheriff Reports
County Crime Rate Decreasing"?
Good news.
Listen, if you think of anything,
you let me know, all right, Ep?
All right, John-Boy. Thank you.
Hey, Ben!
Well, hey.
We're going over to Ernie's.
Oh, I'm supposed to
be selling ads right now.
Sell them later. Come on,
let's go shoot some pool.
Okay.
Judge Thornbury.
You all right, Judge?
Well, I... I don't understand.
One minute I was going
along just fine, and...
I... I just don't know
what happened.
Uh, Judge, you better not
move around for a little while.
No, no, no, I'm all right.
I'm perfectly all right.
Was anybody hurt in there?
Lucky nobody was
sitting at them front tables.
Well, now, what happened, Judge?
Did you try to avoid a car or what?
No, Sheriff. He just ran
smack into the soda shop.
You were sitting there.
Didn't you see it, too?
Well, something must have
gone wrong with the steering.
Well, we'll have to
check that out, Judge.
Do you know how much
that window set me back?
And don't worry
about any damages.
I'm gonna take
care of everything.
Sheriff, I do feel a little wobbly.
Maybe we could go into your office.
Oh, sure. Sure. Come on.
Now, don't worry. Nobody's
going to be out a single penny.
Let's just congratulate
ourselves nobody was hurt.
Mrs. Brimmer, where were you
standing when all this happened?
Right over there. And
believe me, I saw it all.
It seemed to me he dozed off.
Sheriff, why is he
questioning those people?
Well, that's John Walton. He's starting
a new paper, The Blue Ridge Chronicle.
When they backed the
judge's car out of the soda shop,
there wasn't anything
wrong with the steering.
Well, I figure he just dozed
off for a second or two.
I figure maybe he had
a little too much to drink.
Oh, no, not much.
'Course, with some people, it
doesn't take much to set them off.
But I got some
coffee into him and I...
I walked him home. I don't
think it'll ever happen again.
Scared him pretty bad,
you know. Mmm-hmm.
You going to put all
that in your paper?
Sure. It's something
people want to read about.
Well, I wouldn't go
too rough on him.
I don't intend to
be rough on him.
I just intend to tell what
happened, fair and factual.
Well, that's about
all you can do.
Of course, I guess the
judge has a lot on his mind.
You know, big decisions and all.
I'd hate to be in that
position, wouldn't you?
Ep, you wouldn't say a
bad word about the devil.
I wouldn't want to
take that chance.
Anything else, Olivia?
Ten cents' worth of cloves.
Okay. Did you want
any other spices today?
No, just cloves today.
Well, it appears that Corabeth
has moved the spices again.
I may have.
Well, would it
trouble you too much
to tell me where you
hid them this time?
Mr. Godsey, may
I politely suggest
that you don't take that
tone when you address me?
All the time I've
run this store,
I've kept the cloves
right here, all the spices.
That is the malady
which troubles this little general
merchandise store and you.
In a rut and proud of it.
And when I try to
make improvements,
I am humiliated in front
of my family and friends.
We can do without
the cloves today.
Livie, we can't
pickle without them.
Excuse me.
Here are the cloves.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Half the time these days, I don't
know what I'm saying or doing.
Could you possibly share
a cup of tea with me?
That'd be very nice, Corabeth.
Livie, we've got a hundred
chores waiting for us at home.
I'll put the water on.
Tea-partying in the
middle of the day?
Oh, I thank you so much for
accepting Corabeth's invitation.
She's been so edgy lately. She'll come
in here laughing, just fitting to bust,
and then before I can find out what's
so funny, she's crying her eyes out.
I know you must think I've
taken leave of my senses.
Well, you do seem
edgy, more than usual.
Maybe you've been trying to do too
much, the house and the store and all.
Oh, no. No, not
that, far from it.
Well, it's something I've just
been bursting to tell someone,
but I've held back.
Well, you don't have to tell us.
I'm going to have a baby.
Good Lord.
You don't believe it.
Well, I didn't believe
it at first, myself.
I mean, I was
afraid to believe it.
My age and all. I
mean, Mr. Godsey's age.
But now I'm...
I have to believe it,
and I'm sure of it, and I...
Well, I'm really
very happy about it.
Have you been to see
Dr. McIvers? Oh, yes.
And he didn't say
it was 100% official,
but he said right off it was
probable, and... and now I'm sure of it.
Have you told Ike?
Oh, no. You two
are the first to know,
besides the doctor.
I want to just keep it as
my little secret for a while.
Ike's going to be mighty happy.
I'll be pestering you
with all kinds of questions.
I've had a little experience.
Can you believe I envy you?
Well, now, you
take care of yourself.
You always have
been high-strung.
Yes, we've got to go.
Would you please tell Mr. Godsey
that I have something to tell him?
You mean to say
you're going to splatter
over the first
pages of your paper
a headline, "How
Sober Is a Judge?"
No, I'm not going to say
any such thing, Grandpa.
But he had been drinking. I mean,
not enough to get himself arrested,
but he shouldn't have
been driving a car.
Judge Thornbury is up for
reelection, you know, Son.
Yes, I know.
I think he'd just as soon
forget about the whole matter.
Well, I'm not going
to forget about it.
This is news.
Now, I went to school
with Graham Thornbury.
Known him since I was a boy.
I hope you got
your facts straight.
Daddy, I got three eyewitnesses
who saw the whole thing.
I'm just going to write
down what happened.
It's going to lose him
a lot of votes, Son.
Well, I can't help that.
This is a newspaper.
I've got to print the news.
You're carrying a
mighty big gun, John-Boy.
Hope it doesn't go off and
shoot somebody by accident.
Well, I don't think you can ever
go wrong by telling the simple truth.
That's the way you
raised me, isn't it?
Let's cut wood, Pa.
Simple truth.
Anyone thinks that
the truth is simple
has got another think coming.
Someone's been messing
around with this type.
I was practicing my spelling.
I missed so much out of
my review of the concert,
it doesn't make
any sense at all.
I told you, Jason, I only have
three-and-a-half inches for you.
Well, I don't write by the
inch. I write by the word.
Yes, but some of the words
you use are an inch long.
You'd have to be a Doctor
of Music to understand.
I showed it to
Professor Thaxton.
He thought it was
most discerning.
We're writing for
home folks here, Jason.
I want you to write it so
Elizabeth thinks it's discerning,
so she knows what
I'm talking about.
Elizabeth? How about Reckless?
John-Boy, if I sell the
paper for three cents,
can I keep a penny?
Reckless, will you get out of here?
Will you get the dog out of here, please?
A year's subscription
is 52 issues,
and that's only 75 cents' worth.
Do we have any bigger type?
No, that's the biggest type
we got. That's the biggest type?
Fifty-two papers for 75 cents is
less than a cent and a half per copy.
So if I subscribed to
the papers I'm selling,
I'd be making a cent
and a half per copy.
That's more than what
you offered to pay me.
Jim-Bob, you are
giving me a headache.
My name's James Robert!
Can't you remember that?
John-Boy, we have to
get some bigger type.
There is no bigger type. I
said we have to get some!
Don't ask me about
bigger type, man.
Here are my notes for
School and Church. Thank you.
Can I be on the front page?
Erin, do you realize what's
happening in the world?
In Chicago, they're
fighting with the strikers,
and the Japanese are
firing on US gunboats.
We got a local story involving a
judge in an automobile accident.
I mean, this is good news, honey,
but it's not going on the front page.
You know, it's just
like a real newspaper.
It is a real
newspaper, Elizabeth.
But I promised Joe his
name could be in the paper.
John-Boy, he is the
captain of the baseball team!
Are you gonna print
that she likes him, too?
John-Boy, I promised
Mr. Gebhardt
I'd give him the biggest
type there is for his ad.
Back there, you wanted...
John-Boy, can I sell the
paper for a cent and a half?
Why don't you just go outside and sell
subscriptions? And take the dog with you!
Reckless, go on,
get out of here.
These type are so small I
can't even see them, Ben.
Well, I told you we
needed bigger type.
Ike and Corabeth taking care
of a baby. I just can't imagine it.
In six months'
time, any smart baby
will be taking care
of both of them.
It's the best thing that
could've happened to them.
Yeah, sure be rough
on that baby, though.
I think Corabeth will
be a good mother.
Can't you see Ike just
crowing and strutting around?
They've got a new infant care
course over at the nursing school.
Maybe Corabeth
would like to take it.
Those lucky Rockfish girls
are sure in for a treat tonight.
You look like an ad
for some kind of hair oil.
Are the Rockfish girls
coming over here?
No, I'm going
over there tonight.
It's okay, Daddy, isn't it?
Don't you think you should have
asked that question first, Son?
John-Boy's going
to let me use his car.
Seems to me you've been spending
an awful lot of time in Rockfish lately.
It's a bad influence
for a boy your age.
Well, what's wicked in Rockfish?
I been trying to find the answer
to that question for over 60 years.
Well, I promise
to be home early.
Next time you ask permission.
I will, Daddy. Thank you.
Car keys.
Oh, yeah.
Listen, you take
it easy, will you?
Yeah, and I promise to put
50 cents' worth of gas in tonight.
All right. Goodbye.
Man, that boy's
sure growing up fast.
Too fast, if you ask me.
Can't believe the amount of
space he sells for the newspaper.
At that rate, there won't be
room enough for news pretty soon.
Judge Thornbury will
be glad to hear that.
I think I got a quote for the
masthead of The Chronicle.
"To Search for the Truth."
It's from Marcus Aurelius.
"To search for the truth by which
the good man never yet was harmed."
How do you like that?
I like it. "Search
for the Truth."
Of course, finding truth,
that's another matter.
Mmm-hmm!
Oh, well, they can't shoot
me for trying, can they?
Well, we'll see about that.
Pa!
Hey, looks like we're getting
ourselves some fancy company.
Figured it was time for
old Thornbury to come by.
Judge Thornbury.
Afternoon.
Good afternoon, sir.
So this is the home of
The Blue Ridge Chronicle.
Yes, it is.
Well, I know you're busy
getting out your first edition,
but I hope you can spare
me a few minutes. Hello.
Good afternoon, sir.
Gladly.
I apologize for the
cramped editorial room.
Putting out your own newspaper
is quite an ambitious
undertaking for a young man.
Yes, well, I hope to earn a
little as well as learn a little.
Well, I am delighted to find out
you are not only
ambitious but also practical.
That's a combination
usually makes for success.
The practical John Walton
undoubtedly has already decided
not to waste any space
on my little mishap.
Well, I wouldn't exactly call
that wasted space, Judge.
It really would be
beating a dead horse.
I've arranged to pay all the
damages and the matter is settled.
Well, I hate to disagree
with you, Judge,
but it is a news story, so I
think it rates a place in the paper.
But you must have more
important news to print.
A minor traffic accident,
who's interested?
I think the readers
are interested.
I think they're interested
in any unusual occurrence,
especially when it concerns a
prominent person like yourself.
A boy crusader whose
strength is the strength of 10
because his heart is pure.
John...
John, you're taking yourself and
your paper much too seriously.
You're not representing
The New York Times
or even The
Charlottesville Progress.
You're a little
county newspaper.
Judge Thornbury,
I'm very well aware of the fact
that I'm not in the same league
with any of those
newspapers in many ways,
but I like to think I have
something in common with them,
and that's a little
bit of integrity.
Ah, yes, yes, integrity.
The vocabulary
of the very young.
I'll check your position
in 10 or 15 years.
John.
John, I would take
it as a personal favor
if you did not use that story.
And I don't forget people
who do me personal favors.
Judge, uh...
Let me put it to you this way,
Judge. If... If you, uh, had...
If... If the person who had caused
this accident had been a farmer,
would you be
complaining to me now?
Sorry.
John?
Howdy, Graham.
Hello, Zeb. Hiya, Judge.
That's a very bright young
man you've got there.
Takes after you.
In lots of ways, he does.
He's also a Baptist,
though, like his mother.
Yeah.
Um...
He should do well in
the long run. Of course,
right now he seems to be suffering from
the delusion he's gonna change the world.
I know what you mean, Graham.
One of the drawbacks
of being young, I guess.
And this story that he's so
determined to print, John, uh...
Well, it can't do him or
anybody else any good,
and it might cause me
some embarrassment.
John, I'd appreciate it if
you could persuade him
to substitute something else.
I'd like to help you out,
Graham, but it's out of my hands.
I'm sure I could find some
way to show my appreciation.
Yeah, well, you see, Graham,
when it comes to that newspaper,
John-Boy is the owner,
publisher and editor.
But, John, you are his father.
That's right.
What kind of a father
would I be, Graham,
if I wouldn't let him print what he
wanted to in his own newspaper?
Zeb, how do you feel about this?
I'm sorry, Judge. Our family
hangs together on things like this.
I just had to try on
this maternity smock.
I've never seen
you look prettier.
Well, in my day, pregnancy was
more than a time to wear fancy clothes.
Well, I have gained
a little weight.
Well, maybe you've
been eating too much.
Dr. McIvers should
put you on a diet.
Well, likely he will when
I see him next week.
I get the test results
and everything else then.
The first weeks
are very important.
And I have paint and new
curtains for the nursery,
and I spend hours
poring over catalogs,
looking at cribs and baby
buggies and highchairs.
Oh, come see what
I've done to the nursery.
Come on, Grandma.
And what do you know, here I am
getting ready to be a father,
just like you or anybody else.
Have you picked out some names?
Oh, yeah. That's the way Corabeth
and I put ourselves to sleep every night,
thinking of names.
Let's see, now. If it's
a girl, it's gonna be, uh,
Gwendolyn Godsey,
or Lucy or Mary or... or Ginger.
Uh, Corabeth,
one of her favorites
has always been
Miss Ginger Rogers.
How you fixed for boys, Ike?
Well, let's see. How
about, uh, Lance
or Tyrone or Ralph?
You don't like Ike Junior?
Well, that's my favorite.
The girls shouldn't
be much longer.
Well, I think it's nice, Mary
Ellen and Erin double-dating.
It's right handy for you boys. You
can do all your waiting in one place.
You driving John-Boy
to Boatwright?
Yes, Mama. You
going to wait for him?
Well, I thought that I'd
go to Rockfish afterwards.
Don't you ever get
tired of Rockfish?
Well, it's something to do.
We better get going.
Yeah, I think so.
See you later, fellas.
- Have a good time.
- Yep, have a good time.
Erin, you know
Wally. This is Joe.
Hi. JOE: Hi.
Have a good time.
We will. Good night,
Mama. Night, Grandpa.
That's right. Good
night, Grandpa, Grandma.
Night, girls. MARY
ELLEN: Good night, Daddy.
Night, Daddy. Good night.
Good night. Night.
They seem like nice boys.
Too talkative.
Why does everyone get to
go out Saturday nights but me?
I have to stay here
with you old people.
Your time will
come, Miss Elizabeth.
Daddy,
why do you have to keep
calling me Miss Elizabeth?
It's so babyish.
Well, aren't you
my baby anymore?
Mmm, sometimes I like
it and sometimes I don't.
Well, your time will come.
By then I'll be
too old to enjoy it.
When's the last time
you had a hucklebuck?
Daddy... Come on,
come on, come on.
Hey. LOUIE: Hey, Ben.
What are we gonna do?
Play some pool.
You always win.
How about poker?
Sounds okay to me.
Where?
Uh, not at my house.
Well, don't look at
me. You know my mom.
What are we supposed to
do, play on the sidewalk?
I got an idea.
You know, the Garretsons
are away on vacation.
So how does that help us?
Well, I look after their yard and I
know how we could get into the house.
Uh-uh, not for me.
Why not? We just borrow their
dining room table for a few hours.
I don't know. Going into someone's
house when they're away...
We wouldn't be hurting anything.
Oh, look, if Mrs. Garretson was
here, she'd say yes in a minute.
We'd have a great game.
Come on, Ben, don't
be a wet blanket.
Okay.
All right. Let's go.
Why are you so quiet tonight?
Guess I'm feeling a
little bit like Elizabeth.
All the children away.
Could be worse, you know.
Some husbands go
out on Saturday night,
leave their wives home alone.
Why?
Well, you know, I
never figured that out.
Meet me at the side porch.
Come on, now.
Thanks, Ed.
Sheriff? Yeah.
Have you seen Ben?
No, but I think I
got a story for you.
I just got a call. Do you
want to ride along with me?
I sure do. Thank you.
Looking nice.
Bright, colorful.
Since I didn't know
whether it'd be pink or blue,
I decided to use both.
You know, you been at
this a long time tonight,
and you mustn't overdo.
Oh, don't fuss, Mr. Godsey.
Corabeth, would
you do me a favor?
Depends on the favor.
Would you call me Ike?
We don't want the baby
calling me Mr. Godsey.
I suppose I could do that,
Ike.
Thanks.
You know, you're supposed
to be getting extra rest.
Honestly. You'd think
nobody ever had a baby before.
We never did.
All right, boys.
Just come along quiet.
We haven't done anything.
Breaking and entering.
Hey, you in there. Come on out.
Well, I'm not saying I
believe their story or not.
The fact remains, the boys
broke into somebody's house.
That's right. That's a felony,
and that can earn a man one to
five years in the state penitentiary.
Look, I know I was wrong.
Daddy, I have no excuses.
As far as I can tell,
nothing was disturbed,
nothing was taken
from the house.
Look, we didn't take anything.
Just a minute.
Supposing when the
Garretsons get back,
they tell me there's
money missing or silverware
or what have you.
Who do you think is
going to be blamed?
Huh?
All right. You
boys wait outside.
Now, John,
if you want to
sign these papers,
I'll release him
in your custody.
All right, Ep, I'll sign.
Ben, that is the stupidest thing
you've ever done in your whole life!
You realize the
trouble you got us into?
I'm the one who's
in trouble, not you.
We're both in trouble, Ben! I gotta
put this thing in the newspaper!
Why didn't you think
before you did this?
It just didn't seem like
a big thing at the time.
Well, it will when
Mama hears about it.
Wait till they hear
about this at school.
Sheriff put the handcuffs on
you? Were you thrown in jail?
What I want to know is, did you
win any money in that poker game?
Jason, this is no
laughing matter.
But it's funny, though.
Your brother has broken the law,
been arrested
and thrown into jail
like any low, common
criminal in the county.
Now, if you think that's funny,
I'm as worried about
you as I am about him.
Now, all of you
children, off to bed.
Mama! We can
sleep in the morning.
We're going to church.
Can I go up, too?
You may not.
We're gonna get a few
things straight around here.
I still can't believe that one of
my children would do such a thing.
You've all been brought
up to obey the law
and respect other
people's property.
Now, how could
you do such a thing?
I told you, Mama, I
don't have any excuses.
I just went along.
You've got a mind of
your own, haven't you?
A conscience that tells
you right from wrong?
I'm sorry, Mama. It'll
never happen again.
It certainly will not,
because from now on we're going
to have some strict rules around here.
You're to come straight
home every day after school.
You are not going
out on school nights.
And if we do let you
go out on the weekend,
it'll be only when we know where
you're going and who you're with.
Well, if I'm not allowed
out of the house,
how am I supposed to sell
advertising for John-Boy's paper?
You're not going to sell
any more advertising.
Mama, I really
need his help on that.
Well, you'll just have
to manage on your own.
It's that newspaper of
yours that's brought us to this.
Giving your brother an
excuse to loaf around pool halls
and break into other people's
houses when they're not home.
Mama, that's unfair.
You can't blame John-Boy
for some dumb thing that I did.
Mama, I was giving him a chance
to earn some honest money,
and he was helping
me out at the same time.
Things haven't been
the same in this family
since that printing
press was brought in.
I'm upset about what happened
as anybody in the family,
but it's unreasonable to
blame me or the newspaper.
You'll have your freedom back when
we're satisfied you know how to use it.
Now get upstairs. Yes, Mama.
Corabeth!
What in the world are you doing?
Oh, John! It's so terrible!
It's so humiliating!
Now, Corabeth, you shouldn't
be carrying this heavy suitcase
in your condition.
Oh, John,
what in the world
am I going to do?
First off, why don't you get in the
truck and let me take you home?
To your home.
Is that where you want to go?
I have to see Esther and Olivia.
All right.
Corabeth, are you
feeling better now?
I've never been more miserable.
Oh, Corabeth.
It's... It's past my bedtime.
Will you come to the point?
I thought I knew what it was
like to be unhappy before,
but I never knew until now.
Has there been a misunderstanding
between you and Ike?
I'm not pregnant.
Oh, Corabeth.
There never was a baby.
I never was pregnant,
and I never will be pregnant.
I'm barren.
It was a false pregnancy.
Corabeth, that often
happens with women your age.
I couldn't face Ike.
I slipped out
Dr. McIvers' the back way,
and I managed to get
home through the fields.
I packed a few
things in that suitcase
and tomorrow I'm gonna take
the bus home back to Doe Hill.
Now, Corabeth, you just
wait till you settle down.
I'm of no use to
him or anybody else.
I just want to live out my life
without anybody
expecting anything from me.
Olivia.
If that's Ike, I don't
want to talk to him.
I won't talk to him.
Olivia.
Doc told me,
and I just figured
she'd be here.
She's taking it
pretty hard, Ike.
Could I talk to her, please?
Ike, uh...
Guess it's just
not the time, huh?
Four juveniles were
arrested by Sheriff Ep Bridges.
The break-in at
the Garretson house
was reported by a
neighbor, Mrs. Jessica Noble.
One of the young
suspects, Louie Fry,
had been caring
for the yard while the
Garretsons were
visiting in Charlottesville.
The other suspects, all released
to the custody of their parents,
were Ben Walton,
Chuck Wilson and...
Is that it?
Is that the story you're writing
about this family's disgrace?
Mama,
I pledged myself and I
pledged my newspaper
to search for the truth.
Now that I've found it,
I can't just be blind to it
because it involves a
member of my family.
There's plenty of truth
you can write about
without shaming
Ben and the rest of us.
That's not the point, Mama.
Don't you tell me
what the point is.
The point is your
brother's good name.
The point is, if I make an
exception for Ben Walton,
I have to make an
exception for somebody else,
and before you know it I'm gonna
compromise myself right out of business.
That's what the point is.
John-Boy, if you are bent on using
that press in such a destructive way,
you can just move it
right off this property.
You don't mean that.
Oh, yes, I do mean it.
If you're going to use that newspaper
to disgrace and humiliate my family,
I want everybody to know
that I am in no way party to it.
And if you don't move it,
I will find me a sledgehammer and
I will personally batter it to pieces.
Now, you think about that.
"Garretson Home Entered."
Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben.
Ike?
Oh, good morning, John-Boy.
Did you spend the
whole night here?
Yeah.
I wanted to stay
close to Corabeth.
I'll see if anybody's
up and around yet.
Morning.
Hi-yo. Morning, Son.
Ike Godsey spent the
night on the front porch.
Looks like he could
use some breakfast.
Ike. I'll go fetch him, Esther.
You look a bit
frazzled yourself.
I've slept better.
Ike! Get yourself
in here for breakfast!
There's biscuits!
Esther, is anyone
in the bathroom?
Looks like more than one spent
a restless night around here.
The girls are still upstairs.
Can't get them
down this morning.
How come you're
not milking, Son?
I've been in the press room.
What's going on around here?
Nobody's doing any chores.
I had to go get the eggs myself.
I'm sorry to put you
folks to all this trouble.
Morning, Ike.
Don't be silly, Ike. Sit
down and have some food.
Come on.
I guess a cup of coffee will
chase the chill out of the bones.
Here. In case you
change your mind,
I'll set the biscuits
right by you.
Thank you.
Has Corabeth been
up and around yet?
Haven't seen her this morning.
She asked me to take
her to town this morning.
Wants to take the 10:00
bus back to Doe Hill.
I sure would appreciate it if you
could persuade her to change her mind.
Well, when she says she's
going to Doe Hill, she means it.
She's going.
It's not our place to
try to persuade her, Ike.
No, I know that. It's my place.
But how can I do it
if... if she won't see me?
How's John-Boy's
newspaper business coming?
He's still having a
few problems, Ike.
Well, I guess it's... Nothing's
worthwhile that comes easy.
Yeah.
I never want to see Mr. Godsey
again in my entire life.
Corabeth, I know the hurt
and the loss you're feeling,
and I don't for a moment
question the truth of those feelings.
What I do question is
the way you're treating Ike.
Not everyone is as
strong as you are, Olivia.
We are talking about
someone you love,
and someone who loves you.
There isn't a thing in the world
that Ike wouldn't do for
you to make you happy.
Don't you think you ought
to give him a chance?
I just don't want
to hurt anymore.
And I don't want
to hurt anyone else.
And you don't think leaving
Ike is going to hurt him?
For a little while, maybe.
For a long, long time.
He's going to be hurt and alone.
And you. What about you?
Don't you remember how
lonely you were living on Doe Hill
before you and Ike got married?
What earthly good am I to him?
The man wants a child.
I have nothing to give him.
I'd just be living
off his charity.
Corabeth, when you and Ike
got married, you agreed to share.
The good and the bad.
Don't you think sharing is
what Ike needs right now?
Shall I tell him to come up?
You can go up now, Ike.
Thank you, Olivia.
Well? Is she staying or going?
We didn't get that far.
Well, now, this is sure a lowdown,
hangdog lot around here this morning.
Sure is.
It's all my fault.
I wish you'd quit
feeling that way, Son.
You did something wrong. I
hope you learned something from it.
We're not going to
keep reminding you.
Come on, have a biscuit.
Come on!
Come on, Ben.
Keep on passing
them biscuits along.
Thank you, Mama.
Anybody want some eggs?
Corabeth, I... I wish
you'd look at me.
I'm sorry about the baby.
I know it meant a lot to you.
Well, it meant a lot to me, too.
But at least we've still
got what we had before.
I know it wasn't perfect,
but... but it wasn't
so bad, either, was it?
We could always
try to make it better.
Don't go back to Doe Hill.
I don't think I can face
being all by myself anymore.
Come on, Pa, let's get
some work done around here.
Daddy, I'd like to speak
with you and Mama a minute.
All right. Pa, I'll
be right along.
I've been thinking a lot about
what you both said yesterday.
I'm sorry I shouted
at you, John-Boy.
It's just that I was all
stirred up about Ben, and...
And then it looked like you were
going to make things worse, and...
I know.
You're his mama, and
you told me what you felt.
I understand that.
I appreciate it.
But as a newspaperman, I have
to say I think you're 100% wrong.
So I'm going to go
halfway with you on it.
Mama, I love Ben.
You know that.
I wouldn't do anything
in the world to harm him.
But I got to print
these stories.
I thought you said you were
going to meet me halfway.
I am.
I'm going to put Ben's story and
the Thornbury story on the back page.
I'm going to bury them.
But you're still
going to print them?
I have to, Mama.
What do you think?
I think you ought to put your
conscience into that press
and see what comes out.
John, you know how strongly I feel
about this. Why didn't you back me up?
Honey, we have raised our
children never to hide the truth,
to be honest even if it hurts.
You can't turn around and tell
them something different now.
No, come on, come
on, let's go for a walk.
Come on.
This family has been through
fire, pestilence, drought,
a civil war and a world war.
I don't think some little story
in a backwoods newspaper
is going to finish us off now.
What are you doing?
I'm doing a test print
on the front page.
We haven't got a front page.
Yes, we do.
What?
Mmm-mmm.
Those stories are
going in the back, Ben.
John-Boy, I really think they
should be put on the front page.
Yeah?
You really think so?
John-Boy, if I wasn't your
brother, they'd be on the front page.
Well, it looks pretty
good, doesn't it?
Look at that type,
all laid out straight.
Good man, Ben.
Let's get to work.
In spite of all the
obstacles and handicaps,
my brother and I
finally did manage
to put the first edition of The
Blue Ridge Chronicle to bed,
as they say in the
newspaper business.
With the publication
of that first edition,
I embarked upon a whole
new adventure in my life.
As usual, I had the help
and support of my family.
They shared my pride and
my sense of accomplishment.
But, most of all,
we shared the knowledge that, rather
than dividing or estranging our family,
the conflict we had
just come through
seemed to give us a new
respect for the different ways
each of us could work
for what all of us wanted.
- Daddy?
- What is it, honey?
I'm thinking about
next Saturday night.
Fretting about being the
only one with no place to go?
Mmm-hmm.
Tell you what. Maybe you and me
and your mama could go into Rockfish
for an ice cream
soda. Would that help?
Oh, yes, Daddy. And
there's one other thing.
I wish all the other children
would stay home
while I get to go out.
You're going to have to speak
to them about that, honey.
Good night, Daddy.
Good night, Elizabeth.
questioning those people?
Judge Thornbury is up for
reelection, you know, Son.
Well, I don't think you can ever
go wrong by telling the simple truth.
If you're going to use that newspaper
to disgrace and humiliate my family,
I want everybody to know
that I am in no way party to it.
And if you don't move it,
I will find me a sledgehammer and
I will personally batter it to pieces.
I believe that, in our family,
all of us children were
sparked to do our best,
whatever we tried,
for two reasons.
There was the personal
satisfaction we felt, of course,
but, just as important, we
knew that the whole family
would take pride in the
success of any one of us.
But then a day came
when I had to face the fact
that a goal I had set for myself
was threatening to disgrace
and divide the family.
Hey, Sheriff.
John-Boy.
How long you going
to be on that cane?
Oh, not as long as it's gonna
take to fix the motorcycle.
Listen, you know I'm
publishing that paper now,
and we're getting ready
to put out a first edition.
I sure would like a grabber
story for that front page.
Yeah, you tackled a
big job with that paper.
Never been so fired up
about anything in my life.
I'd appreciate a good headline.
Well, how about, uh, "Sheriff Reports
County Crime Rate Decreasing"?
Good news.
Listen, if you think of anything,
you let me know, all right, Ep?
All right, John-Boy. Thank you.
Hey, Ben!
Well, hey.
We're going over to Ernie's.
Oh, I'm supposed to
be selling ads right now.
Sell them later. Come on,
let's go shoot some pool.
Okay.
Judge Thornbury.
You all right, Judge?
Well, I... I don't understand.
One minute I was going
along just fine, and...
I... I just don't know
what happened.
Uh, Judge, you better not
move around for a little while.
No, no, no, I'm all right.
I'm perfectly all right.
Was anybody hurt in there?
Lucky nobody was
sitting at them front tables.
Well, now, what happened, Judge?
Did you try to avoid a car or what?
No, Sheriff. He just ran
smack into the soda shop.
You were sitting there.
Didn't you see it, too?
Well, something must have
gone wrong with the steering.
Well, we'll have to
check that out, Judge.
Do you know how much
that window set me back?
And don't worry
about any damages.
I'm gonna take
care of everything.
Sheriff, I do feel a little wobbly.
Maybe we could go into your office.
Oh, sure. Sure. Come on.
Now, don't worry. Nobody's
going to be out a single penny.
Let's just congratulate
ourselves nobody was hurt.
Mrs. Brimmer, where were you
standing when all this happened?
Right over there. And
believe me, I saw it all.
It seemed to me he dozed off.
Sheriff, why is he
questioning those people?
Well, that's John Walton. He's starting
a new paper, The Blue Ridge Chronicle.
When they backed the
judge's car out of the soda shop,
there wasn't anything
wrong with the steering.
Well, I figure he just dozed
off for a second or two.
I figure maybe he had
a little too much to drink.
Oh, no, not much.
'Course, with some people, it
doesn't take much to set them off.
But I got some
coffee into him and I...
I walked him home. I don't
think it'll ever happen again.
Scared him pretty bad,
you know. Mmm-hmm.
You going to put all
that in your paper?
Sure. It's something
people want to read about.
Well, I wouldn't go
too rough on him.
I don't intend to
be rough on him.
I just intend to tell what
happened, fair and factual.
Well, that's about
all you can do.
Of course, I guess the
judge has a lot on his mind.
You know, big decisions and all.
I'd hate to be in that
position, wouldn't you?
Ep, you wouldn't say a
bad word about the devil.
I wouldn't want to
take that chance.
Anything else, Olivia?
Ten cents' worth of cloves.
Okay. Did you want
any other spices today?
No, just cloves today.
Well, it appears that Corabeth
has moved the spices again.
I may have.
Well, would it
trouble you too much
to tell me where you
hid them this time?
Mr. Godsey, may
I politely suggest
that you don't take that
tone when you address me?
All the time I've
run this store,
I've kept the cloves
right here, all the spices.
That is the malady
which troubles this little general
merchandise store and you.
In a rut and proud of it.
And when I try to
make improvements,
I am humiliated in front
of my family and friends.
We can do without
the cloves today.
Livie, we can't
pickle without them.
Excuse me.
Here are the cloves.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Half the time these days, I don't
know what I'm saying or doing.
Could you possibly share
a cup of tea with me?
That'd be very nice, Corabeth.
Livie, we've got a hundred
chores waiting for us at home.
I'll put the water on.
Tea-partying in the
middle of the day?
Oh, I thank you so much for
accepting Corabeth's invitation.
She's been so edgy lately. She'll come
in here laughing, just fitting to bust,
and then before I can find out what's
so funny, she's crying her eyes out.
I know you must think I've
taken leave of my senses.
Well, you do seem
edgy, more than usual.
Maybe you've been trying to do too
much, the house and the store and all.
Oh, no. No, not
that, far from it.
Well, it's something I've just
been bursting to tell someone,
but I've held back.
Well, you don't have to tell us.
I'm going to have a baby.
Good Lord.
You don't believe it.
Well, I didn't believe
it at first, myself.
I mean, I was
afraid to believe it.
My age and all. I
mean, Mr. Godsey's age.
But now I'm...
I have to believe it,
and I'm sure of it, and I...
Well, I'm really
very happy about it.
Have you been to see
Dr. McIvers? Oh, yes.
And he didn't say
it was 100% official,
but he said right off it was
probable, and... and now I'm sure of it.
Have you told Ike?
Oh, no. You two
are the first to know,
besides the doctor.
I want to just keep it as
my little secret for a while.
Ike's going to be mighty happy.
I'll be pestering you
with all kinds of questions.
I've had a little experience.
Can you believe I envy you?
Well, now, you
take care of yourself.
You always have
been high-strung.
Yes, we've got to go.
Would you please tell Mr. Godsey
that I have something to tell him?
You mean to say
you're going to splatter
over the first
pages of your paper
a headline, "How
Sober Is a Judge?"
No, I'm not going to say
any such thing, Grandpa.
But he had been drinking. I mean,
not enough to get himself arrested,
but he shouldn't have
been driving a car.
Judge Thornbury is up for
reelection, you know, Son.
Yes, I know.
I think he'd just as soon
forget about the whole matter.
Well, I'm not going
to forget about it.
This is news.
Now, I went to school
with Graham Thornbury.
Known him since I was a boy.
I hope you got
your facts straight.
Daddy, I got three eyewitnesses
who saw the whole thing.
I'm just going to write
down what happened.
It's going to lose him
a lot of votes, Son.
Well, I can't help that.
This is a newspaper.
I've got to print the news.
You're carrying a
mighty big gun, John-Boy.
Hope it doesn't go off and
shoot somebody by accident.
Well, I don't think you can ever
go wrong by telling the simple truth.
That's the way you
raised me, isn't it?
Let's cut wood, Pa.
Simple truth.
Anyone thinks that
the truth is simple
has got another think coming.
Someone's been messing
around with this type.
I was practicing my spelling.
I missed so much out of
my review of the concert,
it doesn't make
any sense at all.
I told you, Jason, I only have
three-and-a-half inches for you.
Well, I don't write by the
inch. I write by the word.
Yes, but some of the words
you use are an inch long.
You'd have to be a Doctor
of Music to understand.
I showed it to
Professor Thaxton.
He thought it was
most discerning.
We're writing for
home folks here, Jason.
I want you to write it so
Elizabeth thinks it's discerning,
so she knows what
I'm talking about.
Elizabeth? How about Reckless?
John-Boy, if I sell the
paper for three cents,
can I keep a penny?
Reckless, will you get out of here?
Will you get the dog out of here, please?
A year's subscription
is 52 issues,
and that's only 75 cents' worth.
Do we have any bigger type?
No, that's the biggest type
we got. That's the biggest type?
Fifty-two papers for 75 cents is
less than a cent and a half per copy.
So if I subscribed to
the papers I'm selling,
I'd be making a cent
and a half per copy.
That's more than what
you offered to pay me.
Jim-Bob, you are
giving me a headache.
My name's James Robert!
Can't you remember that?
John-Boy, we have to
get some bigger type.
There is no bigger type. I
said we have to get some!
Don't ask me about
bigger type, man.
Here are my notes for
School and Church. Thank you.
Can I be on the front page?
Erin, do you realize what's
happening in the world?
In Chicago, they're
fighting with the strikers,
and the Japanese are
firing on US gunboats.
We got a local story involving a
judge in an automobile accident.
I mean, this is good news, honey,
but it's not going on the front page.
You know, it's just
like a real newspaper.
It is a real
newspaper, Elizabeth.
But I promised Joe his
name could be in the paper.
John-Boy, he is the
captain of the baseball team!
Are you gonna print
that she likes him, too?
John-Boy, I promised
Mr. Gebhardt
I'd give him the biggest
type there is for his ad.
Back there, you wanted...
John-Boy, can I sell the
paper for a cent and a half?
Why don't you just go outside and sell
subscriptions? And take the dog with you!
Reckless, go on,
get out of here.
These type are so small I
can't even see them, Ben.
Well, I told you we
needed bigger type.
Ike and Corabeth taking care
of a baby. I just can't imagine it.
In six months'
time, any smart baby
will be taking care
of both of them.
It's the best thing that
could've happened to them.
Yeah, sure be rough
on that baby, though.
I think Corabeth will
be a good mother.
Can't you see Ike just
crowing and strutting around?
They've got a new infant care
course over at the nursing school.
Maybe Corabeth
would like to take it.
Those lucky Rockfish girls
are sure in for a treat tonight.
You look like an ad
for some kind of hair oil.
Are the Rockfish girls
coming over here?
No, I'm going
over there tonight.
It's okay, Daddy, isn't it?
Don't you think you should have
asked that question first, Son?
John-Boy's going
to let me use his car.
Seems to me you've been spending
an awful lot of time in Rockfish lately.
It's a bad influence
for a boy your age.
Well, what's wicked in Rockfish?
I been trying to find the answer
to that question for over 60 years.
Well, I promise
to be home early.
Next time you ask permission.
I will, Daddy. Thank you.
Car keys.
Oh, yeah.
Listen, you take
it easy, will you?
Yeah, and I promise to put
50 cents' worth of gas in tonight.
All right. Goodbye.
Man, that boy's
sure growing up fast.
Too fast, if you ask me.
Can't believe the amount of
space he sells for the newspaper.
At that rate, there won't be
room enough for news pretty soon.
Judge Thornbury will
be glad to hear that.
I think I got a quote for the
masthead of The Chronicle.
"To Search for the Truth."
It's from Marcus Aurelius.
"To search for the truth by which
the good man never yet was harmed."
How do you like that?
I like it. "Search
for the Truth."
Of course, finding truth,
that's another matter.
Mmm-hmm!
Oh, well, they can't shoot
me for trying, can they?
Well, we'll see about that.
Pa!
Hey, looks like we're getting
ourselves some fancy company.
Figured it was time for
old Thornbury to come by.
Judge Thornbury.
Afternoon.
Good afternoon, sir.
So this is the home of
The Blue Ridge Chronicle.
Yes, it is.
Well, I know you're busy
getting out your first edition,
but I hope you can spare
me a few minutes. Hello.
Good afternoon, sir.
Gladly.
I apologize for the
cramped editorial room.
Putting out your own newspaper
is quite an ambitious
undertaking for a young man.
Yes, well, I hope to earn a
little as well as learn a little.
Well, I am delighted to find out
you are not only
ambitious but also practical.
That's a combination
usually makes for success.
The practical John Walton
undoubtedly has already decided
not to waste any space
on my little mishap.
Well, I wouldn't exactly call
that wasted space, Judge.
It really would be
beating a dead horse.
I've arranged to pay all the
damages and the matter is settled.
Well, I hate to disagree
with you, Judge,
but it is a news story, so I
think it rates a place in the paper.
But you must have more
important news to print.
A minor traffic accident,
who's interested?
I think the readers
are interested.
I think they're interested
in any unusual occurrence,
especially when it concerns a
prominent person like yourself.
A boy crusader whose
strength is the strength of 10
because his heart is pure.
John...
John, you're taking yourself and
your paper much too seriously.
You're not representing
The New York Times
or even The
Charlottesville Progress.
You're a little
county newspaper.
Judge Thornbury,
I'm very well aware of the fact
that I'm not in the same league
with any of those
newspapers in many ways,
but I like to think I have
something in common with them,
and that's a little
bit of integrity.
Ah, yes, yes, integrity.
The vocabulary
of the very young.
I'll check your position
in 10 or 15 years.
John.
John, I would take
it as a personal favor
if you did not use that story.
And I don't forget people
who do me personal favors.
Judge, uh...
Let me put it to you this way,
Judge. If... If you, uh, had...
If... If the person who had caused
this accident had been a farmer,
would you be
complaining to me now?
Sorry.
John?
Howdy, Graham.
Hello, Zeb. Hiya, Judge.
That's a very bright young
man you've got there.
Takes after you.
In lots of ways, he does.
He's also a Baptist,
though, like his mother.
Yeah.
Um...
He should do well in
the long run. Of course,
right now he seems to be suffering from
the delusion he's gonna change the world.
I know what you mean, Graham.
One of the drawbacks
of being young, I guess.
And this story that he's so
determined to print, John, uh...
Well, it can't do him or
anybody else any good,
and it might cause me
some embarrassment.
John, I'd appreciate it if
you could persuade him
to substitute something else.
I'd like to help you out,
Graham, but it's out of my hands.
I'm sure I could find some
way to show my appreciation.
Yeah, well, you see, Graham,
when it comes to that newspaper,
John-Boy is the owner,
publisher and editor.
But, John, you are his father.
That's right.
What kind of a father
would I be, Graham,
if I wouldn't let him print what he
wanted to in his own newspaper?
Zeb, how do you feel about this?
I'm sorry, Judge. Our family
hangs together on things like this.
I just had to try on
this maternity smock.
I've never seen
you look prettier.
Well, in my day, pregnancy was
more than a time to wear fancy clothes.
Well, I have gained
a little weight.
Well, maybe you've
been eating too much.
Dr. McIvers should
put you on a diet.
Well, likely he will when
I see him next week.
I get the test results
and everything else then.
The first weeks
are very important.
And I have paint and new
curtains for the nursery,
and I spend hours
poring over catalogs,
looking at cribs and baby
buggies and highchairs.
Oh, come see what
I've done to the nursery.
Come on, Grandma.
And what do you know, here I am
getting ready to be a father,
just like you or anybody else.
Have you picked out some names?
Oh, yeah. That's the way Corabeth
and I put ourselves to sleep every night,
thinking of names.
Let's see, now. If it's
a girl, it's gonna be, uh,
Gwendolyn Godsey,
or Lucy or Mary or... or Ginger.
Uh, Corabeth,
one of her favorites
has always been
Miss Ginger Rogers.
How you fixed for boys, Ike?
Well, let's see. How
about, uh, Lance
or Tyrone or Ralph?
You don't like Ike Junior?
Well, that's my favorite.
The girls shouldn't
be much longer.
Well, I think it's nice, Mary
Ellen and Erin double-dating.
It's right handy for you boys. You
can do all your waiting in one place.
You driving John-Boy
to Boatwright?
Yes, Mama. You
going to wait for him?
Well, I thought that I'd
go to Rockfish afterwards.
Don't you ever get
tired of Rockfish?
Well, it's something to do.
We better get going.
Yeah, I think so.
See you later, fellas.
- Have a good time.
- Yep, have a good time.
Erin, you know
Wally. This is Joe.
Hi. JOE: Hi.
Have a good time.
We will. Good night,
Mama. Night, Grandpa.
That's right. Good
night, Grandpa, Grandma.
Night, girls. MARY
ELLEN: Good night, Daddy.
Night, Daddy. Good night.
Good night. Night.
They seem like nice boys.
Too talkative.
Why does everyone get to
go out Saturday nights but me?
I have to stay here
with you old people.
Your time will
come, Miss Elizabeth.
Daddy,
why do you have to keep
calling me Miss Elizabeth?
It's so babyish.
Well, aren't you
my baby anymore?
Mmm, sometimes I like
it and sometimes I don't.
Well, your time will come.
By then I'll be
too old to enjoy it.
When's the last time
you had a hucklebuck?
Daddy... Come on,
come on, come on.
Hey. LOUIE: Hey, Ben.
What are we gonna do?
Play some pool.
You always win.
How about poker?
Sounds okay to me.
Where?
Uh, not at my house.
Well, don't look at
me. You know my mom.
What are we supposed to
do, play on the sidewalk?
I got an idea.
You know, the Garretsons
are away on vacation.
So how does that help us?
Well, I look after their yard and I
know how we could get into the house.
Uh-uh, not for me.
Why not? We just borrow their
dining room table for a few hours.
I don't know. Going into someone's
house when they're away...
We wouldn't be hurting anything.
Oh, look, if Mrs. Garretson was
here, she'd say yes in a minute.
We'd have a great game.
Come on, Ben, don't
be a wet blanket.
Okay.
All right. Let's go.
Why are you so quiet tonight?
Guess I'm feeling a
little bit like Elizabeth.
All the children away.
Could be worse, you know.
Some husbands go
out on Saturday night,
leave their wives home alone.
Why?
Well, you know, I
never figured that out.
Meet me at the side porch.
Come on, now.
Thanks, Ed.
Sheriff? Yeah.
Have you seen Ben?
No, but I think I
got a story for you.
I just got a call. Do you
want to ride along with me?
I sure do. Thank you.
Looking nice.
Bright, colorful.
Since I didn't know
whether it'd be pink or blue,
I decided to use both.
You know, you been at
this a long time tonight,
and you mustn't overdo.
Oh, don't fuss, Mr. Godsey.
Corabeth, would
you do me a favor?
Depends on the favor.
Would you call me Ike?
We don't want the baby
calling me Mr. Godsey.
I suppose I could do that,
Ike.
Thanks.
You know, you're supposed
to be getting extra rest.
Honestly. You'd think
nobody ever had a baby before.
We never did.
All right, boys.
Just come along quiet.
We haven't done anything.
Breaking and entering.
Hey, you in there. Come on out.
Well, I'm not saying I
believe their story or not.
The fact remains, the boys
broke into somebody's house.
That's right. That's a felony,
and that can earn a man one to
five years in the state penitentiary.
Look, I know I was wrong.
Daddy, I have no excuses.
As far as I can tell,
nothing was disturbed,
nothing was taken
from the house.
Look, we didn't take anything.
Just a minute.
Supposing when the
Garretsons get back,
they tell me there's
money missing or silverware
or what have you.
Who do you think is
going to be blamed?
Huh?
All right. You
boys wait outside.
Now, John,
if you want to
sign these papers,
I'll release him
in your custody.
All right, Ep, I'll sign.
Ben, that is the stupidest thing
you've ever done in your whole life!
You realize the
trouble you got us into?
I'm the one who's
in trouble, not you.
We're both in trouble, Ben! I gotta
put this thing in the newspaper!
Why didn't you think
before you did this?
It just didn't seem like
a big thing at the time.
Well, it will when
Mama hears about it.
Wait till they hear
about this at school.
Sheriff put the handcuffs on
you? Were you thrown in jail?
What I want to know is, did you
win any money in that poker game?
Jason, this is no
laughing matter.
But it's funny, though.
Your brother has broken the law,
been arrested
and thrown into jail
like any low, common
criminal in the county.
Now, if you think that's funny,
I'm as worried about
you as I am about him.
Now, all of you
children, off to bed.
Mama! We can
sleep in the morning.
We're going to church.
Can I go up, too?
You may not.
We're gonna get a few
things straight around here.
I still can't believe that one of
my children would do such a thing.
You've all been brought
up to obey the law
and respect other
people's property.
Now, how could
you do such a thing?
I told you, Mama, I
don't have any excuses.
I just went along.
You've got a mind of
your own, haven't you?
A conscience that tells
you right from wrong?
I'm sorry, Mama. It'll
never happen again.
It certainly will not,
because from now on we're going
to have some strict rules around here.
You're to come straight
home every day after school.
You are not going
out on school nights.
And if we do let you
go out on the weekend,
it'll be only when we know where
you're going and who you're with.
Well, if I'm not allowed
out of the house,
how am I supposed to sell
advertising for John-Boy's paper?
You're not going to sell
any more advertising.
Mama, I really
need his help on that.
Well, you'll just have
to manage on your own.
It's that newspaper of
yours that's brought us to this.
Giving your brother an
excuse to loaf around pool halls
and break into other people's
houses when they're not home.
Mama, that's unfair.
You can't blame John-Boy
for some dumb thing that I did.
Mama, I was giving him a chance
to earn some honest money,
and he was helping
me out at the same time.
Things haven't been
the same in this family
since that printing
press was brought in.
I'm upset about what happened
as anybody in the family,
but it's unreasonable to
blame me or the newspaper.
You'll have your freedom back when
we're satisfied you know how to use it.
Now get upstairs. Yes, Mama.
Corabeth!
What in the world are you doing?
Oh, John! It's so terrible!
It's so humiliating!
Now, Corabeth, you shouldn't
be carrying this heavy suitcase
in your condition.
Oh, John,
what in the world
am I going to do?
First off, why don't you get in the
truck and let me take you home?
To your home.
Is that where you want to go?
I have to see Esther and Olivia.
All right.
Corabeth, are you
feeling better now?
I've never been more miserable.
Oh, Corabeth.
It's... It's past my bedtime.
Will you come to the point?
I thought I knew what it was
like to be unhappy before,
but I never knew until now.
Has there been a misunderstanding
between you and Ike?
I'm not pregnant.
Oh, Corabeth.
There never was a baby.
I never was pregnant,
and I never will be pregnant.
I'm barren.
It was a false pregnancy.
Corabeth, that often
happens with women your age.
I couldn't face Ike.
I slipped out
Dr. McIvers' the back way,
and I managed to get
home through the fields.
I packed a few
things in that suitcase
and tomorrow I'm gonna take
the bus home back to Doe Hill.
Now, Corabeth, you just
wait till you settle down.
I'm of no use to
him or anybody else.
I just want to live out my life
without anybody
expecting anything from me.
Olivia.
If that's Ike, I don't
want to talk to him.
I won't talk to him.
Olivia.
Doc told me,
and I just figured
she'd be here.
She's taking it
pretty hard, Ike.
Could I talk to her, please?
Ike, uh...
Guess it's just
not the time, huh?
Four juveniles were
arrested by Sheriff Ep Bridges.
The break-in at
the Garretson house
was reported by a
neighbor, Mrs. Jessica Noble.
One of the young
suspects, Louie Fry,
had been caring
for the yard while the
Garretsons were
visiting in Charlottesville.
The other suspects, all released
to the custody of their parents,
were Ben Walton,
Chuck Wilson and...
Is that it?
Is that the story you're writing
about this family's disgrace?
Mama,
I pledged myself and I
pledged my newspaper
to search for the truth.
Now that I've found it,
I can't just be blind to it
because it involves a
member of my family.
There's plenty of truth
you can write about
without shaming
Ben and the rest of us.
That's not the point, Mama.
Don't you tell me
what the point is.
The point is your
brother's good name.
The point is, if I make an
exception for Ben Walton,
I have to make an
exception for somebody else,
and before you know it I'm gonna
compromise myself right out of business.
That's what the point is.
John-Boy, if you are bent on using
that press in such a destructive way,
you can just move it
right off this property.
You don't mean that.
Oh, yes, I do mean it.
If you're going to use that newspaper
to disgrace and humiliate my family,
I want everybody to know
that I am in no way party to it.
And if you don't move it,
I will find me a sledgehammer and
I will personally batter it to pieces.
Now, you think about that.
"Garretson Home Entered."
Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben.
Ike?
Oh, good morning, John-Boy.
Did you spend the
whole night here?
Yeah.
I wanted to stay
close to Corabeth.
I'll see if anybody's
up and around yet.
Morning.
Hi-yo. Morning, Son.
Ike Godsey spent the
night on the front porch.
Looks like he could
use some breakfast.
Ike. I'll go fetch him, Esther.
You look a bit
frazzled yourself.
I've slept better.
Ike! Get yourself
in here for breakfast!
There's biscuits!
Esther, is anyone
in the bathroom?
Looks like more than one spent
a restless night around here.
The girls are still upstairs.
Can't get them
down this morning.
How come you're
not milking, Son?
I've been in the press room.
What's going on around here?
Nobody's doing any chores.
I had to go get the eggs myself.
I'm sorry to put you
folks to all this trouble.
Morning, Ike.
Don't be silly, Ike. Sit
down and have some food.
Come on.
I guess a cup of coffee will
chase the chill out of the bones.
Here. In case you
change your mind,
I'll set the biscuits
right by you.
Thank you.
Has Corabeth been
up and around yet?
Haven't seen her this morning.
She asked me to take
her to town this morning.
Wants to take the 10:00
bus back to Doe Hill.
I sure would appreciate it if you
could persuade her to change her mind.
Well, when she says she's
going to Doe Hill, she means it.
She's going.
It's not our place to
try to persuade her, Ike.
No, I know that. It's my place.
But how can I do it
if... if she won't see me?
How's John-Boy's
newspaper business coming?
He's still having a
few problems, Ike.
Well, I guess it's... Nothing's
worthwhile that comes easy.
Yeah.
I never want to see Mr. Godsey
again in my entire life.
Corabeth, I know the hurt
and the loss you're feeling,
and I don't for a moment
question the truth of those feelings.
What I do question is
the way you're treating Ike.
Not everyone is as
strong as you are, Olivia.
We are talking about
someone you love,
and someone who loves you.
There isn't a thing in the world
that Ike wouldn't do for
you to make you happy.
Don't you think you ought
to give him a chance?
I just don't want
to hurt anymore.
And I don't want
to hurt anyone else.
And you don't think leaving
Ike is going to hurt him?
For a little while, maybe.
For a long, long time.
He's going to be hurt and alone.
And you. What about you?
Don't you remember how
lonely you were living on Doe Hill
before you and Ike got married?
What earthly good am I to him?
The man wants a child.
I have nothing to give him.
I'd just be living
off his charity.
Corabeth, when you and Ike
got married, you agreed to share.
The good and the bad.
Don't you think sharing is
what Ike needs right now?
Shall I tell him to come up?
You can go up now, Ike.
Thank you, Olivia.
Well? Is she staying or going?
We didn't get that far.
Well, now, this is sure a lowdown,
hangdog lot around here this morning.
Sure is.
It's all my fault.
I wish you'd quit
feeling that way, Son.
You did something wrong. I
hope you learned something from it.
We're not going to
keep reminding you.
Come on, have a biscuit.
Come on!
Come on, Ben.
Keep on passing
them biscuits along.
Thank you, Mama.
Anybody want some eggs?
Corabeth, I... I wish
you'd look at me.
I'm sorry about the baby.
I know it meant a lot to you.
Well, it meant a lot to me, too.
But at least we've still
got what we had before.
I know it wasn't perfect,
but... but it wasn't
so bad, either, was it?
We could always
try to make it better.
Don't go back to Doe Hill.
I don't think I can face
being all by myself anymore.
Come on, Pa, let's get
some work done around here.
Daddy, I'd like to speak
with you and Mama a minute.
All right. Pa, I'll
be right along.
I've been thinking a lot about
what you both said yesterday.
I'm sorry I shouted
at you, John-Boy.
It's just that I was all
stirred up about Ben, and...
And then it looked like you were
going to make things worse, and...
I know.
You're his mama, and
you told me what you felt.
I understand that.
I appreciate it.
But as a newspaperman, I have
to say I think you're 100% wrong.
So I'm going to go
halfway with you on it.
Mama, I love Ben.
You know that.
I wouldn't do anything
in the world to harm him.
But I got to print
these stories.
I thought you said you were
going to meet me halfway.
I am.
I'm going to put Ben's story and
the Thornbury story on the back page.
I'm going to bury them.
But you're still
going to print them?
I have to, Mama.
What do you think?
I think you ought to put your
conscience into that press
and see what comes out.
John, you know how strongly I feel
about this. Why didn't you back me up?
Honey, we have raised our
children never to hide the truth,
to be honest even if it hurts.
You can't turn around and tell
them something different now.
No, come on, come
on, let's go for a walk.
Come on.
This family has been through
fire, pestilence, drought,
a civil war and a world war.
I don't think some little story
in a backwoods newspaper
is going to finish us off now.
What are you doing?
I'm doing a test print
on the front page.
We haven't got a front page.
Yes, we do.
What?
Mmm-mmm.
Those stories are
going in the back, Ben.
John-Boy, I really think they
should be put on the front page.
Yeah?
You really think so?
John-Boy, if I wasn't your
brother, they'd be on the front page.
Well, it looks pretty
good, doesn't it?
Look at that type,
all laid out straight.
Good man, Ben.
Let's get to work.
In spite of all the
obstacles and handicaps,
my brother and I
finally did manage
to put the first edition of The
Blue Ridge Chronicle to bed,
as they say in the
newspaper business.
With the publication
of that first edition,
I embarked upon a whole
new adventure in my life.
As usual, I had the help
and support of my family.
They shared my pride and
my sense of accomplishment.
But, most of all,
we shared the knowledge that, rather
than dividing or estranging our family,
the conflict we had
just come through
seemed to give us a new
respect for the different ways
each of us could work
for what all of us wanted.
- Daddy?
- What is it, honey?
I'm thinking about
next Saturday night.
Fretting about being the
only one with no place to go?
Mmm-hmm.
Tell you what. Maybe you and me
and your mama could go into Rockfish
for an ice cream
soda. Would that help?
Oh, yes, Daddy. And
there's one other thing.
I wish all the other children
would stay home
while I get to go out.
You're going to have to speak
to them about that, honey.
Good night, Daddy.
Good night, Elizabeth.