Blossoms in the Dust Page #4

I'm no good.

Watch yourself.

You're talking about the girl I love.

Oh, Sam.

All right, now, darling.

Are you sure this is the place?

This is where they done told us

at the mill, sir.

- Good morning, sir.

- Good morning.

I'd like to see Mr. Gladney.

Oh, yes, sir. Come right inside.

- Does you wants to rest your hat?

- Oh, thank you.

Just step right into the parlor.

- Mr. Gladney?

- Hello, Mr. Gladney.

Oh, no, you...

You are not Mr. Gladney.

No, no, my name's Hedger.

G. Harrington Hedger of Fort Worth.

- Yes.

- Please, sit down, Mr. Gladney.

- Oh, how do you do?

- How do you do? Is this Mrs. Gladney?

- Yes.

- I'm G. Harrington Hedger.

I came to speak to your husband,

if he could spare me a moment.

I think it can be arranged.

Sit down, won't you, Mr. Hedger?

Thanks. You have a nice lot of kiddies.

We think so.

- Hello, sweetheart.

- Hello, dear. This is Mr. Hedger.

- My husband.

- How do you do, sir?

Are you Mr. Gladney?

Why, yes, of course.

What do you think of our little family?

They're very cute.

Just wait till you take a look

at the rest of them.

Are these all yours?

Well, I don't claim them.

They belong to my wife.

- It's a day nursery, Mr. Hedger.

- For mothers who work.

They bring them here in the morning

and pick them up on the way home.

It's quite an innovation.

Yes. You see, my husband

wanted to adopt this little one.

But I couldn't bring myself

to separate her from her mother.

So we compromised.

I take her for daytime...

And she's added 19 others

to the collection.

That's all there is to it.

- Goodbye, Mr. Hedger.

Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye, Mrs. Gladney.

Now, what was it you wanted

to see me about?

I have a message here from Mr. Jed Fraser

of the Fraser Mills in Fort Worth.

It's rather urgent on account of

the recent decline in the wheat market.

Yeah. Yes.

Well, I... I won't bother you any further,

Mr. Gladney. Goodbye.

- Oh, goodbye, sir. Thank you very much.

- Don't mention it.

When I built this mill,

I made a lot of mistakes.

- Next time, I'm gonna do the job right.

- Sam.

You've lost the mill.

I'll build another one.

Sweetheart, why didn't you tell me?

Oh, Sam, you're tired.

Why, honey, you look ill.

He isn't ill, Mrs. Gladney. He's insane.

Thinking he can pay off all these debts.

Why, he couldn't do it in 20 years.

Maybe you can get him

to go into bankruptcy.

Nobody else can.

Sam.

He doesn't understand, darling.

None of them do.

You wouldn't want me to fail

in my obligations, would you?

But, dearest, if it takes 20 years...

Would you?

No.

That's my Edna.

And now, ladies and gentlemen...

...what am I bid for this superb specimen

of the music master's art?

Presented to Mrs. Gladney on her

wedding day by her own loving husband.

This here grand piano has been caressed

by the immortal fingers...

...of the world's greatest and foremost

virtuosos of the art of the pianoforte.

So get going, folks.

What am I bid for a starter?

Fifty dollars.

What's that I hear?

Why, lady, you grieve me.

Any bid under a thousand dollars...

- That's all. Now you can close it, Zeke.

- Yes, ma'am.

I hear that Fort Worth is a mighty nice place

to live in, Mrs. Gladney.

And Mr. Gladney sure ain't gonna be

no mill-hand for very long.

The first thing you know,

he'll own a mill once more.

You've been a good friend

to both of us, Zeke.

Our very first luxury

would be to send for you.

Yes, ma'am, Mrs. Gladney.

I knows that, now.

Darling, look what I brought home

with me.

Max. I thought we said goodbye

last night.

Well, I wasn't going to let you ride into

Fort Worth without a bouquet, was I?

How sweet.

Uh-oh. Wait a minute.

Zeke. Get this eyesore down to the

auctioneer right away. He might forget it.

We never could get Cleo to break it.

- Dear?

- Yes, darling?

Is it all arranged?

About the nursery?

It's just been made safely over

to the mothers of Sherman.

And we got the city council

to vote funds for its support.

That's good.

That's wonderful.

Six dollars and 25 cents I bid.

Do I hear the seven? Do I hear the seven?

Six and a quarter, I have.

Who will make it to seven?

Seven I want. Who will make it a seven?

Six and a quarter I have.

Six and a quarter once.

Six and a quarter twice.

Six and a quarter, third and last time.

Sold to Mrs. Brown for $6.25.

Edna.

Why, Molly, how nice to see you.

We just couldn't resist taking

one last look at you.

Mrs. O'Neill, and Sarah,

and Helen and everybody.

Mrs. Gladney, we mothers of Sherman,

whose lives have been gladdened...

...by your great work at the day nursery

have bought this little...

- This little... This little...

- Momonto.

- Memento.

- Memento as a token...

...of our affectionate esteem, for you

to take to your new home in Fort Worth.

Thank you.

How sweet of you.

I'll keep it always in memory of you...

...and the happiness we've had together

with our children.

Goodbye, you darlings.

I'll never forget you.

I'll send you a picture of Molly.

- Yes, do. Do. I'll write to all of you.

Let me know how things go,

Mrs. O'Neill. Goodbye.

I will.

- Goodbye.

We're gonna miss her terribly.

Well...

I've got to love the darn thing

as long as I live.

Hello, Mrs. Gladney.

- Hello.

Hello, Mrs. Gladney.

- Hello, Mr. Jason.

Well, come into the company's

private office, partner.

And sit right down there and take a look.

Put your eye up to that

and tell me what you see.

- I don't see anything but wheat.

- That's all it is. It's a special kind of wheat.

The wheat I've been telling you about.

The Gladney Wheat Wastage Process.

I'm off to register

these papers at the patent office.

Sam, you've been working through your

lunch for six months. As your partner...

...I insist you eat your lunch

and I mail the papers.

Well, hey, wait a minute.

What are you going to do?

Mail the lunch and let me eat the papers?

Oh, Sam, you fluster me so.

Darling, you shouldn't get flustered

during business hours.

- Run along, now.

- Now, eat your lunch.

Certainly, I'll eat my lunch.

- Bye.

- Bye.

That's all, Mrs. Gladney. If you take it

to the post office, it'll go quicker.

Thank you, I'll do that. Goodbye.

- Goodbye, Mrs. Gladney.

- Goodbye, Mrs. Gladney.

Come back here, Joey.

Come on back.

- You mustn't run away from Mama, son.

- He isn't mine. If he was, I'd fix him.

Get back in there and don't you

leave that seat again.

Get right back.

You must look on Mr. and Mrs. Northworth

as your real parents from now on, Clara.

And be an obedient daughter to them.

Yes, sir. I mean, Your Honor.

That's a good girl.

- Thank you, Your Honor.

- Thank you, Your Honor.

Come on.

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Bedlow.

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Bedlow.

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Bedlow.

Here, Your Honor.

This way, please.

- Your name?

Joshua Bedlow.

And yours?

Mrs. Mary Ann Bedlow.

- Why, they're tagged like cattle.

Thirty-nine.

The state can't afford chaperones

for the orphans, ma'am.

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