Drums Along the Mohawk Page #3

Oh! Mary Johnson!

- Come on! Come on!

- She was driving, and all of a sudden she fainted.

Never mind. There.

Put her down.

- Get up and get out of here!

- I won't! My husband's the captain.

- Get out before I use a strap on you.

- No!

Get some hot water,

and tell that fool doctor to hurry.

- I don't understand. It's not like Lana.

- Never mind. She'll be all right.

- What in thunder's the matter here?

- Oh, Doctor.

- More sniveling women.

- It's my wife. She fainted.

I can't say I blame her,

all this racket.

Gil. Gil Martin.

They're waiting for you, Gil.

The company's ready to go.

- What is it, Doctor?

- Nothing you can do anything about.

Go on. Get out of here.

- How is she, Gil?

- I don't know.

- Everything ready, Demooth?

- Yes, sir.

Drummer boy, play the drum.

Men, follow me!

Adam, did you see them?

Did you catch them?

No. We chased them seven, eight miles,

but they got away from us.

- What happened?

- The excitement and all that

jolting was too much for her.

Oh, but don't fret too much.

You're both young.

You'll have another baby.

Oh, she's all right now.

Just tired.

But don't let her talk too much.

Lana?

Gil.

Oh, Lana, darling.

Gil, our house?

They burned it.

- The crops?

- Everything. I saw it coming back.

Oh, and now-

Please don't, Lana.

- I failed you, Gil.

- No.

No, Lana,

it wasn't your fault. It-

It just happens

that way sometimes.

My poor Gil.

Oh, Lana.

You're all right.

That's all I care about.

It doesn't seem possible people

can work as hard as we did, Lana...

for nothin'.

We can build it back again, Gil.

We still have the land.

You think I'd let you come back out here and

go through that sort of thing again?

No, you were right

that first night.

You should have gone home then.

I was a fool not to see it.

- Gil.

- I never should have brought you

out here in the first place.

This is no place for you.

It's no place for any woman.

I'm not the only woman

who's gone through this, Gil.

What'll we do?

How will we live?

Well, Adam says that Mrs. McKlennar's

hired man ran off...

and she's looking for

a couple to work her place.

But, Lana, why,

you can't hire out!

A girl like you?

Do you think I'd-

It wouldn't have to be for long.

Just until we made enough

to come back here and start.

Lana, you can't do it!

Oh, Gil, it won't do any harm

just to talk it over with her.

No! Hired help.

No.

Mrs. McKlennar.

Good morning.

- Your name Martin?

- Yes, ma'am.

Well, go on and stare.

I know how I look.

When that fool hired man of mine

got drunk and ran off...

he left me with everything to do.

Martin, I don't mind a man having his liquor,

so long as he knows how to hold it.

When it fixes him

so's he can't do his work...

then he'd better go someplace else,

and the quicker the better.

Well, don't stand there with your mouths open.

Sit down. Sit down. Sit down.

Now you're here on business,

so let's get down to it. You know how to farm?

- I had my own place.

- Yes, I heard it was burned.

Well, that's too bad,

but that's neither here nor there.

Daisy! Get my dinner ready.

I'm hungry enough to eat a horse.

I don't do much farming here.

Just take care of the meadow

and feed my stock.

But you can do what you like.

I'm a widow.

My husband was

Captain Barnabas McKlennar.

Barney.

Barney.

What was I saying?

Oh. I was brought up on army life...

so when I give an order,

I expect to get it obeyed.

- What?

- If I take your pay, I'll do the best I can.

Well, I just don't want you coming around

afterwards complaining. That's all.

How much do you want?

I never worked for anybody else.

What'd you expect to pay?

Forty-five pounds a year-

your house, the wood and food.

If your wife can sew, I'll pay her too.

Can you sew, you, what's your name?

- Lana.

- Well, can you sew?

- Yes.

- Speak up! Speak up! You want to sew for me?

- Yes, I'd like to.

- Well, let me see your hands.

Let me see your hands.

Hmm.

That's settled.

I hate sewing myself.

Hate any housework.

So I do the barn

and let Daisy do the cooking.

I took good care of my husband.

Now he's gone, I do as I like.

I've got a long face

and I poke it where I please.

- You may think I'm a nuisance.

- Yes, ma'am.

What? A nuis-

What? What'd he say?

I didn't mean it.

But I guess if you do poke, I'll think so.

Ah.

Well, your thoughts are your own property,

Martin, but keep 'em to yourself.

Come on. I suppose

you want to see your new home.

I'll expect you to use the back door

if you want to ask me for anything.

I don't want mud

tracked through my house.

I track enough myself.

A mess now.

After that man.

- But it's a good house.

- It sure is, ma'am.

Nice chimney, nice bedroom upstairs.

I used to live here myself...

till Barnabas took it into his head

to build that stone place.

It's a beautiful house.

Glad you got sense enough to see it.

Now there's one more thing

I want to ask you. Got any furniture?

We have a bed and a few things.

Well, I'll help you out

with the rest.

You can consider

the job yours, Martin.

Now, any questions you want to ask?

Yes, ma'am.

It's- I just-

- Well, what? What?

- Well, do you belong to the right party?

Right party!

Martin, a woman hasn't got

any political opinions.

I run this farm to suit myself.

I'll shoot the daylights out of anybody-

British, Indian or American-

that thinks he can come around here

monkeying in my business.

- Does that satisfy you?

- Yes, ma'am.

- Well, when can you move in?

- Well, will tomorrow be too soon?

To-Tomorrow?

What's the matter with today?

- Oh, we'll move in today!

- Good. Good.

- Oh, Lana.

- Oh, Gil!

Oh, Gil. Oh!

Oh, Gil, it-

it's a beautiful fireplace.

Hear me, O Lord

And that anon

To help me

Make good speed

Be thou my rock

And house of stone

My fence in time

Of need

Amen

O Almighty God...

hear us, we beseech thee...

and bring succor and guidance...

to those we are about

to bring to thy divine notice.

First, we are thinking

of Mary Wollaber.

She is just 16 years old...

but she is keeping company

with a soldier from Fort Dayton.

He's a Massachusetts man,

O Lord...

and thou knowest no good

can come of that.

Hallelujah!

Now we are thinking

of the sick and infirm.

Peter Paris has the flux real bad.

His Uncle Isaacs,

who keeps the store in Dayton...

asks for our prayers.

And he says that he has

just got in a new supply...

of calicos,

French broadcloths...

- fancy handkerchiefs,

new hats and heavy boots...

- Shh.

All at bargain prices.

But most of all...

we call upon thee, Lord Jehovah...

O God of battles...

to aid thy people

against the Tories...

for I have disturbing news

for you that will sorrow this Sabbath.

General Washington has advised us...

that an enemy army of many Tories

and savage Indians...

is even now on its way

to our beloved valley.

Every man capable of bearing arms...

between the ages of 16 and 60...

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote