Blossoms in the Dust Page #6

How old are you?

Uh...

- Well?

- Thirty-seven.

What are you writing there?

Let me see.

Excuse me.

- Any TB in the family?

- No.

- Hereditary diseases?

- No.

- Insanity?

- No.

No insanity? Don't understand it.

Mrs. Gladney, you haven't heard

the last of this.

Adopting babies.

You are aware of the zoning laws

in the district...

...where you run your institution?

Yes.

Then you know those laws

prohibit the running of an institution...

...such as yours in that district.

The law makes no exceptions, you know.

But I've told you

I'd find another place for them.

We appreciate your good intentions,

Mrs. Gladney...

...but Fort Worth has an adequate

poor farm and city orphanage.

But don't you see? I'm able to get children

into homes, real homes...

...to interest people in adopting babies

who might never have thought of it.

The city has had very few complaints

over our treatment of orphans.

Oh, I wish

you'd stop calling them orphans.

- What do you call them, Mrs. Gladney?

- They're children. Our children.

Every child born into this world

belongs to the whole human race.

Don't you think that's a few too many

for your budget, Mrs. Gladney?

- I move we put this to a vote.

I second the motion.

All right. Those in favor

of granting Mrs. Gladney's request...

...to carry on her work,

signify in the usual manner.

Aye.

Aye.

- Those against.

- No.

- No.

- No.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Gladney. If you're

able later on to show adequate funds...

...and a proper building to house children,

we'll be very glad to open the matter.

Thank you.

Why, Max. How sweet of you

to come and meet me, but...

Why, what's the matter?

I think you'd better run home

and see Sam.

Home?

He... I made him stop work

for the rest of the day.

- But what...?

- He had one of those fainting spells.

- Oh, Max.

- Don't worry, Edna.

I'm sure he'll be all right.

Oh, Sam.

Silly of me to fold up like this, isn't it?

Darling, look in my inside coat pocket.

Remember when

I used to carry wheat in my pocket?

I was saving that

for your next box of gladiolas, Thursday.

Look at it.

The company has bought out

the Gladney Process.

You'll soon be in the clear.

You must rest now.

What do they want you to do

about the babies?

It doesn't matter, sweetheart.

I'm through with all that.

No.

Don't you let them beat you.

You'll never desert, Edna. Never.

You'll win.

Fight for those kiddies of yours...

...if you have to ring every doorbell

in Texas.

Edna.

Take me in your arms.

Hold me close.

Sam.

Max.

Max!

- Hello.

- Hello.

- What's your name?

- Tony.

- Yes?

- I want to see Mrs. Gladney.

Yes. Come in.

- Oh, did you wish to see me?

- Yes, Mrs. Gladney.

Well, will you wait?

And I'll be with you as soon as I can.

- Hello, sweetheart. What is it?

- I wanna be with you, Auntie Edna.

I know, but there's

lots of other little boys and girls...

...that Auntie Edna

has to arrange things for.

Now, you wouldn't want her

to neglect them, would you?

- Yes, ma'am.

- No, you wouldn't.

I think little Oliver is ready,

Mr. and Mrs. Howard.

Texas Children's Home and Aid Society.

Auntie Edna.

Now, you run along out into the sunshine

and we'll be together this evening...

...the whole evening long.

- And will you play me some music?

Yes, of course I will.

All right.

Come along.

- Is that little fellow up for adoption too?

- Not until we get him well and strong.

Mr. and Mrs. Howard, your son.

He's just as I've always dreamed.

- I guess he'll do.

- You guess?

There's kind of a suspense, though,

wondering how he's going to turn out.

Well, Mr. Howard, the average isn't bad.

You see, there's Andrew Jackson,

for instance, and Andrew Johnson...

...Rutherford B. Hayes,

James Garfield...

...Stonewall Jackson,

Billy Sunday, Booker T. Washington...

...Cardinal Hayes and Lloyd George.

You don't mean to say

they were all orphans?

Every one of them.

Come on, Oliver. That's the boy. There.

Oh, look, Ted.

He isn't unlike Andrew Jackson.

- Well, I guess we'll take a chance.

- It's no chance, believe me.

It's the best investment

you ever made in your whole life.

- Bless you. Goodbye.

- Goodbye, Mrs. Gladney, and thank you.

- We'll invite you to his inauguration.

- I hope so.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Oh, Cleo, ask Dr. Breslar

to bring down little Frederick.

Yes.

- Will you come in, Mr. La Verne?

- Sure.

- Sit down, won't you?

- Thanks.

I've... I've just received your baby's tests

back from the hospital, Mr. La Verne, and...

- You're not gonna take the kid.

- Oh, no. Oh, no, it isn't that at all.

Everything's in order

for you to give the baby up...

...and for me

to find a good home for him.

Gee, you had me scared there

for a minute.

The reason I sent for you again,

Mr. La Verne...

...is because you're all he's got

in the world...

...and I thought

you might like to say goodbye to him.

I see.

Hello, doc.

Hi, you little sucker.

Hello, Frederick.

Where are you going to be from now on,

Mr. La Verne?

Over the border in Mexico.

I'll be managing a dance hall.

- Oh, is that permanent?

- Sure.

There.

Oh, look here, I don't know

how to hold a kid, Mrs. Gladney.

Try.

You see, I never let parents separate

from their babies...

...without doing everything

to make them realize what they're doing.

Here. I'm afraid I might drop him.

Oh, go on, please.

I wish you'd take him with you.

You could engage a housekeeper

where you're going...

...and make a little home for him.

Listen, you're never going to find

another soul in all this world...

...who'll be as close to you

as your own son.

Now, look, Mrs. Gladney...

...I wasn't even gonna let my wife

keep the kid if she lived.

Now, what am I gonna be doing with him?

You might grow to be great pals.

You could bring him up to be

a fine young man, keep him out of trouble.

Meaning he'd keep his old man

out of trouble. Is that it?

Well, it would be good for both of you.

Now, don't dramatize things, Mrs. Gladney.

Will you take this?

You know, that's the trouble

with you girls that never had a kid.

I'm going to take him upstairs

to be disinfected.

So long, kid. Keep your pants pressed.

What's eating him?

Nothing. Your little son

will be well cared for, Mr. La Verne.

Well, that's fine. It's been a pleasure

meeting you, Mrs. Gladney.

Goodbye.

Will you come in?

Sit down, won't you?

Mrs. Gladney, I have some money

that I haven't any use for.

- I'd like to give it to you for the children.

- Oh, thank you.

- Why, this... This looks like quite a sum.

- It's around $ 700.

Why are you giving me this money?

I was adopted from an institution myself,

Mrs. Gladney.

- Goodbye.

- Wait a moment.

Where are your adopted parents now?

Well, this is May, isn't it?

That's the season in Cannes.

I suppose my mother would be there.

My father's in New York.

He's always busy.

I wanted to give you the money. You put

children in homes where they belong.

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