Brigham Young Page #6

---

stay here and raise a crop.

The rest of us will push on

and find someplace to settle in.

They can follow us later

and bring whatever they've raised.

Tell the people the band's

going to play tonight.

Tell them we're going

to sing and dance like we used to.

Firstyou tell us

we can rest.

Nowyou say

we have to dance.

I bet I've lost a foot ofbelly

since we started out.

- It's good for the figure.

- It looks good.

I'm going to take a bath,

even ifl muddy up

the whole dang river.

You'd better go now,

because this afternoon

you're going to be awful busy.

- Buryin'.

- Buryin'?.

There's quite a few...

counting the old folks,

babies.

- Eliza Kent went this morning.

- Eliza?.

Jonathan.

Why didn'tyou tell me

about Eliza?.

She didn't want me to.

None ofthem did.

She told me

to tell you, Brigham...

that even though

we might be the lastwagon...

we'd never be

the first to fall out.

I just couldn't go away

without leaving her

some kind of marker.

You know,

Ma used to say...

that a good wheel

always sings.

Ma would've loved

those flowers.

I never saw a body

so crazy about 'em.

Dandelion, ragweed,

any of'em.

Sonny,

will you hold him?.

- Hi.

- Howdy.

- Mind if I get a drink?.

- Nope.

You one of them

Mormon fellas?.

- Yes, we're Mormons.

- I heard you was coming.

Leaving offthe ""mister"'

my name is Jim Bridger.

- What mightyours be?.

- Leaving offthe ""mister"'

Brigham Young.

- Say, how many--

- Twelve!

Hmm. How about a chaw

to oil your tongue with?.

No, thanks.

I never use it.

How come?.

What's the matterwith you?.

- You see this?.

- Mm-hmm.

I've been carrying that

now for 1 5 years.

Whenever I feel myselftempted,

I hold it up and say...

""Am I stronger than this tobacco or is

this tobacco stronger than me??'

And Iput it back

in mypocket.

I'll be doggoned.

( Children Shouting )

- Little more?.

- No, thanks.

You?.

Yes, sir.

It's all over California, I tell you.

And some ofthem nuggets

are as big as the hub on a cart wheel.

Sounds like

tomfoolery to me.

My brother ain't the tomfoolin' kind.

He wrote me all about it.

All you got to do

is yank up a pea vine...

scrape the ground

with your finger and there it is.

Gold-- anywayyou turn,

pretty and yellow...

- ready to buy anything you want.

- Don't go blabbing it around.

We don't want people

talking about how rich she is...

Ieastwise until

we get California

into the United States...

now that we've been dragged

into this warwith Mexico.

( Chuckles )

Don't worry about us

talkin'.

See thatyou don't talk

to our people about it

and get them upset.

We're not searchin'

for gold.

We're searchin'

for a place to live.

You don't have to worry

about us either.

Well, thanks.

Good-bye.

- Bye.

- Bye.

What's the matter

with you?.

Have you gone

out ofyour mind?.

I don't think so.

I had to hush

those fellas up.

I've just had

a revelation.

There's gold

in California.

Well, this is a revelation,

and I think the church...

is about to find

a new leader.

As captains, each ofyou

are in charge of 1 00 people.

It's up to me and you to see

that the Lord's will be done.

Ifthere's all that gold

out in California...

it seems strange and peculiar

nobody's heard about it before.

The Lord chose

when he wanted it known...

and who he wanted

to know it.

Nowyou brothers get busy.

Each ofyou know who you

can trust in your own companies.

What's Brigham Young gonna say

when he finds out about this?.

The Lord will handle

that too.

zina.

- zina, areyou asleep?.

- Uh-uh. Aren'tyou?.

No.

Ifyou were asleep...

I bet I could tell you what

you'd be dreaming about.

- What?.

- All that gold in California.

( Sighs )

Just imagine, zina.

Chunks ofit

as big as oranges.

Wish I had an orange

right now.

I'd cut a hole in the stem

forthe babyto suck.

About the best thing

there is for colic.

Gold.

You know, next to the Lord

and maybe the land...

I reckon it's about

the most powerful thing there is.

Hmm.

What would you do

with all that gold?.

Oh, about

a million things.

I'd get a new saddle.

And I figure that thewagon

needs a new doubletree.

Baby ought to have

a cradle to rock in.

And you--

I'd getyou

a new dress and a hat.

Lots ofboats come into California

from China and everyplace...

full of silk and things.

I'd getyou a parasol

and shoes to match...

prettyfingerring--

Iots ofthings, Zina.

All you got foryourself

was a saddle.

Well, maybe I'll get me

a horse to go under it.

Jonathan, suppose

Brigham Young doesn't want

to go to California.

He couldn't help it.

It's--

It's just like

the promised land.

zina?.

You knowwhat I've been

thinking about?.

Sounds funny, but...

I've been lying here

thinking about the time...

before I got

into long pants.

All the talking

I used to do about...

what I was gonna do

as soon as I got

into grown-up britches.

Now, I don't know, I--

I don't even care anymore.

Reckon the only thing

I care about is...

having somebody like me...

Iikin' them and...

just always

bein' with 'em.

zina.

zina, seein' as you're so crazy

about the children...

and they're

so crazy aboutyou--

Well,

I was just wondering if--

Course, I mean,

afterwe get settled...

and I get a crop goin'

and some ofthat gold

I was talkin' about.

Well, I was sort ofhopin' that

maybeyou and me could, uh...

( Inhales, Exhales

Slowly)

get married.

Hmm?.

I told you to let me

cook that stew.

- Sure was good stew though.

- Henry, shut up and go back to sleep.

- ( Crowd Clamoring )

- ( Shouting )

Ladies and gentlemen!

Ladies and gentlemen!

For the championship of Fort Bridger,

a frog-jumping contest...

between

the defending champion...

- Jim Bridger...

- ( Cheers, Applause )

and the challenger...

- PorterRockwell!

- ( Cheers, Applause )

- I'll bet you Porterwins.

- Bet what?.

Oh, that new silk dress

I'm gonna get against

the horseyou're gonna get.

Sounds like a fair bet.

(Man Stuttering)

G-G-Getset!

T-T-T-Tickle 'em!

( Onlookers Shouting )

Come on, Bridger!

Looks like you're not gonna get

that dress you haven't got yet.

(Shouting, Cheering

Continue )

Dang saints, listen to 'em.

Gambling.

- They're only tryin'

to have a little fun.

- Fun?.

There's whiskey

bein' drunk.

Porter Rockwell

is chewing tobacco again.

- Since when did he ever stop?.

- I'm not going to put up with it.

- I'll not have the devil

flipping his tail in my face.

- Brigham.

Why doyou lie toyourself?.

You'reworried about

all this talk of gold...

and going to California.

Day and night,

that fella Duncan has been at 'em...

with his talk

about gold.

That all you do is stick a seed

in the ground, and it pops up

beforeyou can turn around.

You're dead set against

California, aren'tyou?.

You know human nature.

Take a crowd of people

to a place of milk and honey...

and in six months' time,

theywon't be worth shooting.

Our only chance

is to find someplace...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes