Friendly Persuasion

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This is Samantha...

... my mother's pet goose.

Mama loves her...

... just like one of the family.

But I hate that bird.

And she hates me.

She's mean and sneaky.

And full of tricks.

It seems every First Day morning...

... when we're ready to go to Meeting...

... and I got on

my best Sunday clothes...

Samantha!

Thee old hisser!

I'll blow thee up with a cannon!

Some day I'll drown thee,

thee old squawker!

Little Jess!

What is thee saying, child?

Samantha tried to bite my legs off.

Next time, I'll throw her down the well.

Here, Samantha.

See, Little Jess?

Speak to her kindly.

She'll not bite thee.

She's a pure pet, Samantha is.

She's a snake on stilts!

I'll put her on the chopping block

and chop her head off.

Hush, hush!

Let's have no more talk of killing.

Run upstairs now and fetch thy brother

and sister. We'll be late for Meeting.

Blackberry pie?

Yes, blackberry pie.

No need to stick thy finger in it

to find out. No dilly-dallying!

Go fetch Mattie and Josh.

Well...

...perhaps.

Well!

This afternoon?

All right!

What's thee talking to thyself for?

I'm not talking to myself.

Who's thee talking to then?

I don't see nobody.

Thee knows what happens

to eavesdroppers?

Their ears get long as a hound dog's!

Mama says to hurry.

I am, but I have to finish

my toilet-tee.

What's a toilet-tee?

Thee wouldn't know about it

because thee doesn't wash.

Please leave my boudoir.

"Please leave my boudoir."

Does thee...

Does thee think I'm pretty?

Thee's not ugly.

I guess thee's pretty...

...for a girl.

Well, thank thee!

Thee's welcome.

Powie! I got Jeff Davis!

Powie! I got old Stonewall Jackson!

Powie! I got old Little Jess Birdwell!

Meet the real Stonewall Jackson...

...and thee won't feel so feisty.

Get up.

What would thee do

if thee met Old Stonewall?

Mama said not to talk about the war.

Mama said for thee to hurry up.

She's the preacher.

Meeting can't start till she's there.

And anyway, Caleb Cope and me

are riding our horses to Meeting.

Thee old long arms!

Look! Pa's warming up Red Rover.

Where?

How a horse can look so fast

and move so slow beats me.

Thee can hitch him up, Enoch.

You got him nice and warm this morning.

Whoa, Mildred!

Hello there.

Guess I'm lost.

Must have got on the wrong road.

My! Quite a looker, that horse.

He's a looker, all right.

Maybe you can help me. I'm trying

to find that Methodist church.

Thy first turn's at the crossroads.

Bear right for three miles.

Is thee preaching there this morning?

- Who's preaching there?

- Thee?

- Who?

- Thee.

Me?

That's a dandy!

Son, I'm not a man of the cloth.

I sell organs.

Now, what in thunderation is all this

thee-ing and thou-ing about?

Bible talk to honor the Sabbath?

No, we talk that way weekdays too.

Excuse me, but it sounds mighty queer.

Who's "we"?

Quakers.

Quakers! Have you folks

got a church around here?

Yes, we call it a Meeting House.

It's just beyond the Methodist Church.

Hast thou an organ in thine

Meeting House, friend?

We don't hold with music playing.

What, no organ?

Dear me! Why, a church

without an organ...

...is like a tree without a bird.

Wait till I talk

to that minister of yours.

He'll never be content

until he buys an organ.

I wish thee luck with the preacher.

That's three miles over, take

the main road, turn right. I got it.

Thank you.

Thee.

Get up!

Now look, Mildred...

...there is a horse!

- I'm going by Caleb's, Pa.

- All right, son.

Red Rover, that man

paid thee a compliment.

If he only knew.

Listen, Red, just don't slow down...

...when thee hears Sam Jordan

coming behind us...

...and, by sugar, we'll stay

out in front today.

- Thee say something, Jess?

- I was just soothing Red Rover.

If thee talked as much to the Almighty

as thee does to that horse...

...thee might stand more squarely

in the light.

Sounds like thy sermon's

already begun, Eliza.

Why, Jess!

I thought thee liked my preaching.

Now, Eliza, thee has the prettiest

pulpit voice I ever heard.

And thee says the truest words.

Especially during Silent Meeting?

And this morning,

thee looks like a girl.

Where's Little Jess? Mattie!

I'm coming, Mama.

Made the stockade in the nick of time.

- Goodbye, folks.

- Goodbye, Enoch.

Good luck, Mr. Birdwell.

Why does Enoch wish thee good luck

every First Day morning?

I guess it's because he...

He wishes me luck!

Hey, Papa, look!

It's thy friend, Sam Jordon, Jess.

No need to look. I can feel him.

Gard's with him!

Mattie, Little Jess, stop craning

thy necks at the Jordans.

It isn't seemly.

Yes, Mama.

Sure are a-coming.

Thee's not urging thy horse?

Not urging. Just encouraging a mite.

Come on, Red Rover!

Sit down!

Come on, Prince!

Come on, lazybones!

Come on, Prince! Good boy!

What's gotten into thee?

Morning, Mattie.

Morning, Eliza.

Good morning, Jess.

- Come on, Papa!

- Come on, Prince!

Come back, come back!

Mama!

Little Jess, let go!

Come on, Prince!

Gard winked at Mattie.

He did not!

I saw him.

Gard wouldn't do such a vulgar thing!

I hope nobody saw us.

Me too.

I want to come to Meeting with nothing

in my heart but peace and love.

Thee gives me a pain.

One eternal day

There, God the Son

Forever reigns

And scatters night away

Filled with delight

My raptured soul

Would here no longer stay

Though Jordan's waves around me roll

Fearless I'd launch away

Last week...

...I had my 80th birthday.

And I'd like to bear witness

to Proverbs.

First chapter...

...33rd verse.

"Who so harkeneth unto Me...

...shall dwell safely...

...and shall be quiet

from fear of evil."

Amen, Emma. Amen.

I ask the prayers of everyone here

to help me be less worldly...

...less concerned about my appearance...

...to mind my tongue...

...and especially have the strength

not to wear earrings.

I've never spoken in Meeting before...

...but I feel so happy this morning

I'd like to share my happiness...

...with everyone in the whole world.

And to thank our Heavenly Father.

God is love!

- Is this it?

- Yes, sir.

Won't thee come in, friend?

Thank you.

You're the minister of this meeting?

I am. One of them.

My name is Major Harvey.

- Won't thee sit down, friend?

- Thank you, no.

I've had the duty placed upon me of

speaking to you Quakers about the war.

It is a matter much on our minds...

...and in our prayers.

But your men don't fight in it.

Some have.

But you do not encourage them.

We do not encourage them.

Ma'am, the Union has endured

two years of bloody civil war.

Thousands have given their lives in

battle to free our country from slavery.

We are opposed to slavery.

But we do not believe it right

to kill one man to free another.

Ma'am, it's not going to be a question

of fighting for freedom or a principle...

...but of protecting our own towns,

our own homes, from attack.

Would you men stand by while others

die to protect you?

You look like a boy who could give a

good account of himself.

I've been tempted to fight.

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