The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 5, Episode 16 - The Elopement - full transcript

Hello, Chad.

Mr. Walton. I got something
I'd like to talk to you about, sir.

You and Mrs. Walton.

All right.

We want to get married.

Of all the people whose lives

touched ours on
Walton's Mountain,

my sister, Erin,
remembers most vividly

a young forestry student

who visited us briefly
in the summer of 1936.

He was her first love.



In the Spring of 1937,

with the blossoming
of the dogwood,

Chad Marshall returned.

John Walton.

Hey, you old woodchopper!
What're you doing around here?

Bought a piece of land.
Going to settle on it.

You did? Well, that's great!

The family will
be glad to see you.

How's everybody?

Oh, everybody's fine.
Hey, Mary Ellen got married.

No! No kiddin'.

Yes, ain't that something?
Say, how's Erin?

Oh, Erin, she's
fine. She's fine.

She got a job in Rockfish,



working at the
telephone station.

I'm on my way to
pick her up there.

You mind if I went
over there instead?

Well, that'd be
quite a surprise.

Is it all right?

Oh, sure, it's all right. I
think it's a good idea. Great.

I'll see you back at the
house. Back at the house.

Hey, wait a minute. Uh...

Go in there and I'll go back.

Ike.

Ike?

Hey, John-Boy. Hey, Ike.

Oh, you're looking
for mail, huh? Yeah.

Yeah, I just checked.
There's nothing for you today.

I bet you're looking for one of
them big advertising checks, huh?

Well, to tell you the
truth, it wouldn't hurt a bit.

Paper's gonna be a
little bit thin this week.

You know, I'm... I'm
glad you dropped by,

'cause I wanted to talk
to you about something.

Corabeth and I are
going to take Aimee

and we are gonna go
over and introduce her

to her relatives
over in Doe Hill.

Oh, that's nice. And we're
gonna be gone a few days

and well, we need
somebody to watch the store.

Somebody trustworthy.

And... Well, I'll
give you $2 a day.

I mean, I figured as long
as you're on school vacation,

that you can put the
two together and...

Ike, I appreciate the
offer, but I just can't do it.

I got the newspaper
to look after,

I got my book to work on.

I just wouldn't have enough
time to do a proper job on it.

I'm sorry.

Well, I guess there's only
so many hours in the day.

I have an idea, though.

Jason has exactly the
same school break I've got

and he needs
money for his tuition.

Well, you think he'd do it?

Oh, I don't see why not.

Is there a problem?

Well, no, there's no problem.

It's just that, uh...

I mean, we're very fond of Jason

and, uh, and he's
excellent in music.

But, uh, I just don't think
he'd be very good in business.

Why not? He'd be
no worse than I am.

I'm no genius at it.

Ike, I'll tell you what I'll do.

If it'll make you feel better,
I'll come in every now and then

and see that
everything's all right.

And I'll kinda take
responsibility for it. Okay?

That'd be good.
Corabeth would like that.

So, this is your land, huh?

The whole thing.

It's the old Fairchild place.

It's the old Chad
Marshall place.

Me and the Virginia State Bank.

Well, how'd you do it?

Well, worked nights, weekends.

Saved up $20. Bank
put up the other $20.

I pay them off $2 a month.

You're just as crazy
as you were before.

Uh-huh.

What're you going to do
with it? You're still in college.

Erin, I did a lot of thinking

while I was up here last summer.

Learned more about
the land in two days

than I did in two
years of college.

So, I figured I should
stop wasting my time.

You quit? No, I started.

What? My life.

Well, you didn't have
to give up school.

Oh, Erin, all I did that whole last
year in VPI was think about this place.

This mountain and
what it would be like

to live and work right up here.

Now, the one thing I didn't do,
Erin, and that was schoolwork.

So, I figured if this is where
I want to live and work,

I better get on
up here and do it.

Well, where are
you going to stay?

In my log cabin.

What log cabin?

Oh, the one I'm going to build.

Where are you
gonna stay until then?

My tent.

Well, you could stay with us.

Oh, Erin.

I appreciate the offer, I do.

But I want to stay
right here, on my land.

Come on.

This is my land.

That's my forest.

It is my land. Yes!

I paid for it. It's my land.

That's my stone. This is
my tree. This is all mine.

Speak. Myrtle.

Speak. Baa!

Speak.

You can't train a goat.

Well, she did it before.

Well, if she did it before,

it was 'cause she wanted to,

not because you told her.

I said "speak" and
she went "Baa!"

It was an accident.
She's just a dumb goat.

Myrtle is not dumb. She's
smarter than a lot of people.

Now, speak.

Come on. Speak.

Baa!

Come on, speak.

You dumb goat.

Eat.

Hey!

Well, look who's here!

Hey, old Chad! How're you doing?

So, you couldn't stay
away, huh? How are you?

I knew you'd be
back. Good to see you.

Where's your old backpack?
Oh, it's right back here.

How long are you
gonna be with us, Chad?

Oh, he's not staying
with us, Mama.

He bought some land.

The old Fairchild
place up the road.

Ah, it sounds like you're
figuring on staying for a while.

Well...

You're gonna need some
shelter on that hillside.

Well, there's a bear cave.

It's got bats in it, remember?

No, no. Like Grandpa says,

I got my tent. I got
everything I need right here.

Well, come on inside.
Come on, everybody.

Come along. Wonderful
to see you again, lad.

Well, welcome back.

Hey, Jason! You go
along. I'll be a second.

Jason, I wanna talk to you.

What's wrong? Nothing's wrong.

Ike Godsey and Corabeth
and Aimee are off to Doe Hill

to visit relatives. Yeah?

And Ike needs someone to
look after the store for a few days.

How about you?

For money? Yeah. $2 a day.

Sure. When do I start?

I guess tomorrow. You
better talk to Ike about it.

That sounds good. Thanks.

I was just wondering

how I was gonna rake
up some extra money.

Yeah, I know.

I told him I was pretty
sure you'd wanna do it.

Well, great.

Well, I guess we've just
about covered everything.

Yeah. Oh, there's one more
thing. Now, at the end of each day,

you take the cash and
you put it in the safe. Okay?

Yeah, right. Now, how do
I get it out in the morning?

Out of the safe.
What's the combination?

Five.

Five? That's the combination?

Yeah. You just turn it to five.

And don't forget now.
Everything is cash-and-carry.

There's no credit
to any strangers

and uh, it's very important
that you remember that.

Right.

I'll be right with you, honey!

Shouldn't be any problem, Ike.

And the key to the store is under
the coffee grinder back there.

Okay. And, uh...

Oh, uh, if anything goes
wrong and you want to reach me,

the phone number in Doe
Hill is there in the cash register.

Okay. All right?

You're looking pretty good.

Not bad, eh? I like that.

Well, we'll see you now.
Have a good time, Ike.

Bye. Hi, kids. How
are you? Bye. Bye.

Can I help you?

We always wanted
to have our own store.

This is not our store.

Well, you're the
manager. Same thing.

At least we can
have something free.

Nothing is free.

If you think you're gonna load
up on candy and stuff, forget it.

All right, we'll pay.

There.

Cheapskate.

The cabin will be back here,
so it can get some shade

from these trees
in the afternoon.

And the front porch
will face this way.

Why?

Because I love to come out in the
morning and look at the mountain.

I mean, well,

I thought you would love
to come out in the morning

and look at the mountain.

It seems we like all
the same things, Erin.

Chad, why did you come back?

I came back because I
fell in love last summer

and because I couldn't stay
away from you any longer, Erin.

What are you and
Chad gonna do today?

Go up and work on his land.

Again? If I had a boyfriend,

I'd want to do something
more exciting than that.

Howdy, Mr. Walton.

Chad.

Look what I found
coming up the road.

I bet you were surprised to
see Chad back. I sure was.

Now, you think I wasn't surprised
to find out you'd been married?

Thanks for the ride.

Fixed up the stone boat for you.

I appreciate that, Mr. Walton.

Let me give you a hand.

You know how to run one
of these things? Oh, sure.

Hitch up the other side, then.
- Right.

Well, this is mighty
fine of you, Mr. Walton.

I thought I'd need a
truck or something.

The men who settled these
mountains didn't have trucks.

They got along just fine
with these stone boats.

Hi, Erin. Hi, Mary Ellen.

Is it serious? You and Chad?

I don't know.

Well, something tells me it is.

Our secret. Okay?

Okay.

Home, James.

I thought you came here to help.

Well, I am going to help.

I'm sitting in here so
it doesn't fly around.

Is that so? Uh-huh.

Well, you can just stay
there till we get the rocks in,

and then you gotta
get out and work, too.

Okay. Bye, Daddy. Get up
there, Blue. Get up there, Blue!

Get up there. Get up there.

Hey, Mrs. Gormley. Mr. Bingley.

Now, no need to
lift me out, Abel.

Hip bone's all healed
and I'm good as new.

You forgot your
shopping bag again.

Didn't forget it. Don't need it.

Here we go. That's it.

There you are. There.

And don't you
forget to wait for me.

I'll be watering my mules.

Okay.

So, how are you, Mrs. Gormley?

Oh, not bad,
considering everything.

Good. Where's Ike?

He's up at Doe
Hill for a few days,

so I'm holding down
the store for him.

Oh.

What can I do for
you, Mrs. Gormley?

Well, first off,

you can stop calling
me Mrs. Gormley.

The name's Maude.

Yes, ma'am.

I'll take 10 packages
of those flower seeds.

All right. Any particular kind?

No, one's as good as the other.

I need some paint.

What color?

Well, I'll take one
small can of red

and one small can of yellow,

and a can of blue
and a can of orange.

Ought to brighten up your house.

Oh, I just dab around with it.

Will there be
anything else today?

I'll take five cents' worth of
those nice soft gumdrops.

And make them cherry and orange

and hold the licorice.

You don't like licorice?

Make my teeth black.

No man's gonna look at
a woman with black teeth.

How's the folks?
Oh, just fine. Thanks.

That's good.

Comes to $2.80.

Put it on my charge account.

Ike didn't say anything
about any charge accounts.

Well, he...

Ike keeps it on a little
book back there someplace.

Oh, I'll have to look for that.

Maude!

Well, there's Abel. Can you help
me out with that, please, Jason?

Oh, sure.

Maude, come on. I
haven't got all day.

You're always in such
a confounded hurry!

Here we go. There you go.

There we go.

Oh, me, oh, my.

Well, here you go.

Thank you, Maude.

Bye-bye, Mr. Bingley.

Bye.

Hey, brother.

Hey, storekeeper,
how're you doing?

All right.

I kinda wonder, though.

What does Ike do when
people wanna charge things?

When people wanna charge
things, what does Ike do?

Well, I imagine that
depends on who the person is.

Well, like, uh... Like
Maude, for instance.

Now, he said everything
was cash-and-carry

and no credit to strangers.

But do you think that
goes for Maude Gormley?

Well, I don't think so.

He's known Maude all his life.

She's practically
like his grandma.

Yeah.

She charge something already?

Oh, just a few things.

- I - wouldn't worry about it.

That'll be 60 cents,
cash on the barrelhead.

Hard-hearted merchant.

Thanks. See you later.

Bye-bye. Bye.

Get in there,
Blue. Get in there.

Whoa, whoa.

Now, Erin, I thought
you came up here to help.

Well, I did. I loaded
half those rocks.

Well, if you can remember
which ones they were,

would you mind unloading them?

Can't you buy a house ready-made

out of a catalog or something?

Sure. Sure, we'll
hire an airplane

and just come right in here
and drop it in. No problem.

That's very clever.
Take care of it, will you?

Oh, certainly, my
dear. I plan on it.

However, until that time,

we must lay in a foundation
or they will not deliver.

So, one for you,

one for me.

Now, isn't that fun?

One for you... Where's yours?

It's back there. I'm
watching you. Very good.

One for you. Oh, thank
you. Why, thank you.

♪ Could you care ♪

♪ For a cunning cottage ♪

♪ We could share ♪

♪ I never had the least notion ♪

♪ That I could fall with ♪

♪ So much emotion ♪

That's all the time we
have for tonight, folks.

This has been music for your
dancing and listening pleasure,

sent your way from
the Starlight Room

of the beautiful
Shorecliff Hotel

overlooking the Hudson River...

I should go now.

I guess so.

It's getting late.

Is your tent cold? Freezing.

Do you need a
blanket? No, I'll be okay.

Ah-ah! Mr. Walton.

Hi, Grandpa. Oh, hello, you two.

Looks like you're
stocking up for the winter.

We're going on a picnic.

I haven't seen much
of you two lately.

Well, we're trying to
get Chad's cabin started.

I hope you get some work done.

We will.

Looks like Erin's
fallen in love.

It's hard to believe
she's old enough.

Eh, when I was seven

I fell in love with
my school teacher.

Laura Miller.

Oh, she was a magnificent woman.

Skirts right down to her ankles.

Chintz curtains.

Shutters.

Shutters are for
keeping the weather out.

You need curtains
inside for looks.

Look, if we've got that
fantastic view out there,

you don't need
anything like curtains.

You need the curtains
inside for something pretty.

Well, how about
you? You're pretty.

If you don't put curtains
in, you don't get any pop.

You think so? Uh-huh.

Oh, really? Blue and yellow.

How about pink and
purple? Over my dead body.

Pink and purple with polka dots

or you don't get any pop.

Look out!

I got it. I got it.

Okay.

Now. Shutters.

Curtains.

Anything.

Anything you want, Erin,

if you'll just share it with me.

Erin, will you marry me?

Get your work done?

Yes, Mama.

Did you have any lunch?

Well, sort of.

Mrs. Walton, I wanted to ask
you and Mr. Walton something.

Well, he's out delivering wood,
but he shouldn't be too long now.

That'll be $1.85, all told.

Out of $2, here's your change.

Here we go. Thank you.

Well, howdy.

Hello, Maude. What
can I do for you today?

Well, I'll take a
couple dozen more

packages of these flower seeds.

All right. And I need
some more paint.

I'll take a purple and a white

and one of them bright green.

When you get all
this paint put up,

you're gonna have some
mighty colorful walls.

I like plenty of color. Yeah.

Need anything else today?

Yeah. A pound of coffee

and a box of oatmeal.

All right. Right this way.

That'll be $4.70.

Well, put it on my
charge account.

Oh, hi there, Maude.

Oh, it sure is a pleasure

to see you up and
running around again.

Takes more than a broken
hip to put me out of circulation.

Yeah. The looks of all those
flower seeds you're buying,

you're planning to have the prettiest
flower garden on the Mountain.

Won't have a
flower on the place.

Maude!

There's my taxi.

Good old Abel.

Here you go, Maude. Bye-bye.

So long, Maude. Can
you manage? Bye.

She's an old darlin'.

Wonder what she meant she
won't have a flower on the place?

Well, she bought
enough flower seeds

to have the prettiest garden
this side of Charlottesville.

I need some more
ten-penny nails.

Excuse me, Grandpa.
Help yourself.

Godsey's General Store.

Uh, Jason, is that you?

Hello, Ike. How are you?

Oh, I'm just fine. Uh,
how's the store going?

Just fine.

Business good?

It's been busy.

Well, you know, I just
wondered how things are going.

It's kinda lonely here.

Just a lot of... Lot
of women talking.

I got a question for you, Ike.

It's about credit.

To people that you
know, like Maude Gormley.

Credit to Maude?

Not one cent of credit to her.

What?

Look, I love Maude.

But she has no sense of money.

She gets a good check every
month from her son, Leonard,

and then she squanders
it on flower seed and paint.

And then she runs
up a bill with me.

She owes me $20.

No credit. Not a penny.

Yeah. Well, okay.

You know, I... I
kinda miss the store.

I can imagine.

Uh, you sure
everything's all right, now?

Yeah, yeah, just fine.

I'll see you in a few days.

Take your time, Ike.

Okay.

Bye-bye.

Oh, boy.

Well, son, looks like
you had some bad news.

I'm really in the
soup, Grandpa. Oh?

That was Ike.

He says not for me to let
anybody charge anything,

but Maude's already
charged over $7 worth of stuff.

I'm gonna wind up
owing Ike money.

Oh, dear, dear, dear.

That's a cute one of you.

That's Ben. Oh, dear.

That must be you. Mmm-hmm.

Mama still has that hair
bow up in the attic. Hmm.

I would like 10 babies
just like this, please.

Well, how about a dozen?
Or maybe two dozen?

No, no, no, 10.
10. I'll settle for 10.

It's a nice even number.

There's Daddy.

Mama, Daddy's here.

Hello, Chad.

Mr. Walton. I got something
I'd like to talk to you about, sir.

You and Mrs. Walton.

All right.

We want to get married.

Here, sit down.

Have a seat. Sit
down. Sit down, honey.

Let's just have a little
talk about this, shall we?

We've already
talked about it, Daddy.

Not to us, you haven't
talked to us about it.

Well, we came right
here after we decided.

After you decided
to become engaged?

Well, no, not exactly, ma'am.

We'd like to get
married right away.

Aren't you moving a little fast?

Among other things, son,

we don't know very
much about you yet.

I'm from Richmond.

Uh, Daddy works for
the telegram company,

Mama is a schoolteacher.

I love this mountain.

I love your daughter.
I want to marry her.

Right. Um...

Erin, you're gonna have
to finish school, you know.

Oh, I'm not going
back to school.

Oh, yes, you are.

You know your mother and me

want all our children
to finish their education.

I don't need any
more school, Daddy.

I know all I need to know
about being a wife and mother.

Honey, you don't
know what you are yet.

I'm 16.

I'm the same age you were,
Mama, when you married Daddy.

And I am a year older than
you, sir, when you got married.

Well, uh, we did get married
young. That's true, you know.

And we do have...
Have a good marriage.

But I'll tell you this,

I wish I had a lot more education
and experience under my belt

before I started my family

and I'm sure your mother
feels the same way.

It's a whole lot more
possible now than it was for us.

You're a fine young man, son.

I'm afraid Erin's gonna
have to finish school first.

And by that time, you
will know each other better

and maybe by then you'll
be ready for marriage.

We'll have this
conversation again.

Then.

John-Boy, I wanna talk to you.

Huh? What is it?

Remember you said
Ike wouldn't mind

if I let Maude Gormley charge?

Yeah. He minds.

He called up today on the phone.

Said no credit for
Maude. Not a penny.

Well, did you tell him she
already charged a bunch of stuff?

I didn't have the nerve to.

Jason.

Well, she was in again
today before Ike called.

She bought more flower
seeds and more paint.

She's run up a bill over $7.

That money's gotta be in
the till before Ike gets back.

Well, I told him

I'd take the responsibility
for what happened.

But you should have told
him that she charged stuff.

It wouldn't have
helped. It was too late.

Maybe.

Somebody's gotta tell Maude.

Yeah, I know. I'll do it.

Can you imagine having to
tell a sweet little old lady like that

she's gotta cough up $7?

And 70 cents.

Don't worry about it.

Thanks.

Erin?

What's the matter?
Did Chad leave?

No.

Mama and Daddy
won't let us get married.

Oh, John-Boy, I could just die.

I know how you feel.

No, you don't.

John-Boy, I love Chad
and no one understands.

I do.

I felt that way.

About Jenny?

Yeah.

John-Boy, this
isn't just puppy love.

Well, neither was that, Erin.

But you lost Jenny,

and, John-Boy, I don't
want to lose Chad.

Erin, uh...

Jenny had to go away.

See, and I had to stay.

So we couldn't
be with each other,

and we couldn't see each other.

So the feeling just didn't stay

as strong as it
was at the first.

And that'll happen to us, too.

No, it doesn't have
to happen to you.

Chad's gonna be right
here, waiting for you.

But he's ready now, John-Boy.

He's got his land and
he's building a house

and he's ready to
take up his life now.

And he's gonna want a
woman who's ready now, too.

Oh, John-Boy, I lost him
once because I was too young

and I don't want
it to happen again.

I know.

Erin, I think, pretty much,

you get what you
want out of life.

Pretty much.

And I think if you two
want to be married,

then you'll be able
to make it work.

If not now, then later.

But what if something happens?

What if he has to go away?

Even for a little bit?

Well, he'll forget about
me. I know he will.

Look, John-Boy, what if you
had been married to Jenny?

Well, you could
have gone with her.

Or she could have
stayed here with you.

And then you
wouldn't have lost her.

Jenny and I didn't get married

because we were too
young to get married.

And I think you're too
young to get married, Erin.

You see?

You're just like everyone else.

You think it's just a...
a childish infatuation.

Erin, I think... But
it's not, John-Boy!

And it's not gonna go away because
Mama and Daddy say it should!

Well, maybe we'll just go to Reverend
Fordwick and get married anyway!

I hope, Erin,

that Chad won't marry you without
Mama and Daddy's permission.

You see? Everyone's against us!

No one's against you, Erin.

Elizabeth, if you want to go
to school, you better hurry up.

Aren't we going
to wait for Erin?

Well, I'd like to get
there before recess.

Bye, Mama. Bye, Jim-Bob.

Bye-bye. Bye, Elizabeth.

I saved some breakfast for you.

I'm not hungry, Mama.

Aren't you going
to take your lunch?

I don't want any.

Bye, Erin.

They're never going
to change their minds.

Maybe if I talk to them
alone, I could do something.

I don't think it'll work.

I'll be going to school and
you'll be working on your cabin.

We'll never get
to see each other.

It's not fair.

Erin, if we just can't wait,

then we just won't wait.

The morning light

drifted down from the mountain,

warming away the
pockets of gray mist

lying in the hollows.

The dawn of a new
day did not bring

a happy awakening for my sister.

The disappointment
was still there,

an aching heart

which not even the cheerful
sounds in the family kitchen

could assuage.
John-Boy? You busy?

Um... Well, I was.
What do you want?

Sorry. It's all right.

I gotta go open the store.

Are you gonna see Maude Gormley?

Yeah, I'm going to
see her first thing.

I sure would hate for
her to come in again today

with a big shopping
list, figuring to charge it...

Jason, I'm gonna see her. I told
you I was gonna see her, all right?

Well, you don't have
to snap my head off.

Well, you don't have to
keep bothering me about it.

I'm going to see
her, Jason. I'm sorry.

I'm gonna see her.

You sure you won't back out?

I want to marry
you. You know that.

All right. All right.

I'll be by tonight,
about midnight.

Well, make sure the
whole house is dark,

because John-Boy
could be up writing.

Well, you just be awake
and be ready to go.

I'll be ready.

All right.

Well?

Well, um... Maude,
I'm kind of embarrassed

about what I've got
to say here, but...

I come here with a purpose,
so I better get right to the point.

I understand that you
owe $7.70 at Ike's store.

More than that.

Well, I mean since
Jason went to work there.

Anyway,

Ike told Jason that you're not
supposed to have any more credit.

Oh, he's always saying that.

Well, I'm... I'm afraid
the way I understand it,

if you can't pay the $7.70

it's going to have to come
out of Jason's pocket or mine.

You boys don't have that
kind of money, do you?

No, ma'am. We don't.

Neither do I.

And I don't get my check
from my son, Leonard,

for two or three weeks.

And I don't have anything
that's worth anything in money.

Well, I guess I'll just have
to explain it to Ike, and...

No. No charity.

Now, wait a minute.

Maybe I do have something
that could be turned into money.

You just come
with me. All right.

Well? What do you think?

Well, Maude.

I dabble in painting.
Birds, mostly.

Maude, you never told
us anything about this.

Oh, they don't amount to much,

but I did get $2 for one, once,

from a salesman
that came to the door.

He said they were primitive.

When I found out what it
meant, I was kind of mad,

but I kept the $2 anyway.

Well...

So, what do you do? You...
You feed the birds here, Maude?

Oh, yes.

They just love
these flower seeds.

And I scatter them all around

and the wild birds
come from far and wide

and they build a nest.

Isn't it wonderful?

It sure is.

Maude, these are
absolutely beautiful.

You know, I'll bet if you
put these up in Ike's store,

that people would buy 'em.

You think so?

Well, sure they would.
I'm sure they would.

And you'd make enough
money to pay off the debt.

You'd probably have
some left over for yourself.

Well, they can't
shoot us for trying.

No, they sure can't.

Elizabeth! Do you have
to come plowing in here?

It's my room, too.
What're you doing?

Oh, I'm just sorting
out some clothes.

You going someplace?

Now, where would I be going?

I don't know.

Don't tell anybody
about this, you hear?

I won't.

Yeah, I just got restless
over there, you know?

All the women, and they were
talking and talking and talking

and so I finally just told
Corabeth and Aimee...

Wait. Who's paying for those?

You are. Oh, okay.

So I just told
Corabeth and Aimee

to stay over there
and visit a while

and I'd come back here to
the store, where I belong, right?

Well, I'm glad to
have you back, Ike.

I guess you found out that
running a store is not so easy, huh?

Jason! What on earth are these?

Oh, Maude Gormley
brought those in.

Thought maybe we could sell 'em.

Who'd buy 'em?

Fellow was in here
just before you came.

A book salesman.

He bought two of
them. $5 apiece.

$5? Mmm-hmm.

No.

Hush. Quiet.

Shh.

You only needed
enough for one night, Erin.

You could've come back tomorrow.

I don't think I'm ever going
to be able to come back.

Oh, Erin.

Come on. Help me push.

Erin? Erin Walton?

Good evening, Reverend
Caldwell. Good evening.

May we come in?

Yes, of course. Come
in. Sit down. Thank you.

This is Chad Marshall.

How do you do?
How do you do, sir?

The daughter of Baptists,

coming to see the
Methodist minister?

Is something wrong, Erin?

Well, we wanted
you to marry us, sir.

Erin, do your parents
know about this?

This has nothing
to do with them.

I'm the one who's
getting married.

But they don't
want you to marry,

or you'd be seeing
Reverend Fordwick

and it wouldn't be in
the middle of the night.

Well, they just haven't
gotten used to the idea yet.

Once we're married,
they'll change their minds.

You're under 18.

You'll need their signatures.

But that's not fair!

I want to help you

by not allowing you to marry

without your parents' knowledge.

But we're going to
tell them, afterwards...

Erin, never mind. Never mind.

We can get somebody
else to do it. Come on.

Thank you, Reverend.

And then he said, "Erin, never
mind. Somebody else will do it."

He might have meant the justice
of the peace over in Rockfish.

That'd be Andrew Farrell.

All right, Reverend.
Thank you very much.

Call on me if I can
help. Thank you.

I thought she was sound asleep.

She was, when I
looked in about 10:00.

We better get on over there.

I'll wait here and
keep the family calm,

in case they wake up
before you get back, all right?

All right, Son.

That's it. Now, young lady,

if you'll just sign
the next line.

You'd better hurry it up or I'll
be sound asleep on my feet.

It's my fault. I just
wouldn't listen to her.

We did listen to her and
we gave her an answer.

Obviously wasn't the right one.

Liv, Erin has known

from the time she
was in first grade

we expect her to
finish high school.

We told her.

We didn't ask her,
we just told her.

She is only 16 years old.

That's exactly how old I was

when my parents didn't approve.

It didn't stop me.

Olivia, you are
thinking like a child now.

A body'd think that I,

of all people, would understand

how Erin feels.

All right, well, I
think you got it all.

Where do we stand
for the ceremony?

Right there'll be fine.

Don't we need any
witnesses or something?

Yeah, I'm the witness.

I'm sure you're just
interested in the legal part.

Most folks usually are

when they're getting married
in the middle of the night.

Here it is. Uh...

"Dearly beloved...
Gathered here...

"Presence of these witnesses..."

Oh, yeah. Here.
Uh... "Do you..."

Uh...

"Erin Walton,

"take this man to be your
lawful wedded husband

"to love, honor and obey,
till death do you part?"

You're supposed
to say "I do," here.

No!

Oh, I can't,
Chad. Not like this!

Oh, Erin.

Erin, it's all right.

It's all right. It's okay.

Is there somewhere that
we could talk, please?

I'll make some coffee.

Wish they'd make their
minds up before they come

disturbing people in
the middle of the night.

You, uh, you can talk in here.

But please don't
take too long. It's late.

We'll just need a minute.

I'm very sorry
about all of this.

She was wearing curlers!

I know, Erin.

And he was mumbling and yawning.

I know.

This wasn't like I
thought it would be.

Shh, it's okay. It's all right.

Oh, I knew it wouldn't be as
beautiful as Mary Ellen's wedding

and there wouldn't be any
flowers or anything, but...

Oh, it was so ugly.

It was.

Your wedding is supposed to be something
you can look back on and feel good about.

Well, I'd hate it.

I understand,
Erin. It's all right.

It's Chad's car, all right.

Now who's that?

You better ask
who it is, Andrew.

Who is it?

We're looking for our daughter.

Her name is Erin Walton.

Yes. She's in there, with that
young man, Chad Marshall.

We're not married, Daddy.

Erin. Mama.

Come on. Come on, son.

Erin came home and
finished high school,

and spent most of her free
time helping Chad build his cabin.

And a fine cabin it was,

built with careful, loving hands

and sitting proud on the land,

with a front porch
facing the mountain.

Jason ran the store a whole week

and he never even
gave us a handout.

It was Ike's store, not mine.

He wouldn't even
give us a jelly bean.

If I had a store, I'd let all my
friends have everything free.

Sure, and you'd be out
of business in a week.

That's why I'd do it.
I'd hate to run a store.

You're crazy, Elizabeth!

Close up the store
and go to sleep.

Good night, everyone.