Friendly Persuasion Page #5

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- Was it a cannon?

No, Little Jess.

It was just a rebel bullet.

Did it bleed a lot?

Did thee win a medal?

That'll do, Little Jess.

Won't thee sit down?

Thank you.

Thee didn't say a word

about it in thy letter.

Letter?

I didn't want to worry you.

- When did thee get home?

- This afternoon.

I heard about

that little race this morning.

Was Sam surprised?

Surprised? He was overcome.

The Elders!

The Ministry and Oversight Committee

from our church.

Paying us a call.

Go on up to bed.

Do as I say.

Wait.

Good evening, Griffith.

Friend Cope, Amos, come in.

Good evening, Friend Cope.

Griffith.

Good evening, Amos.

Won't thee sit down?

Natives.

Very educational.

So I started over the wall...

...and the next thing I knew,

I was flat on my back.

What does it feel like...

...getting shot?

Being kicked by a mule.

Did thee kill anybody?

I did a lot of shooting.

Thee won't go back now thee's wounded?

Not right away.

With the reb cavalry heading this way...

...l'm assigned to organize

the home guard.

Would they let me in the home guard?

Well, they need men.

Gard doesn't want to talk about the war.

Does thee, Gard?

No, Mattie.

If I went to Vernon...

We'll talk tomorrow.

All right.

We've got an organ!

An organ?

In your house?

What'd your mother say about that?

She made us put it up in the attic.

And what of thy son,

Friend Birdwell?

Has thee give him proper guidance?

With the help of God, our children

must make their own choices.

So before we talk any more

of war or blame...

...shall we seek wisdom

and strength in prayer?

Let us pray.

Watch thy head.

Must be the wind coming up.

Could be.

Today's acted like a weather breeder.

Friend, thee's got

a squeaky door upstairs.

My house needs attention.

And my soul needs repair!

Friends, let us lift

our hearts in prayer.

Father in heaven,

Creator of all good things...

...Author of harmony from birdsong

to thunder roll...

...restore harmony in our lives.

Amen.

Amen to that.

Behold thy servant who has

strayed from righteousness.

Behold thy unworthy creature

whose head was turned by...

...the ways of the flesh.

Forgive him for racing on First Day

and forgetting that the road to glory...

...is a slow road.

- and let not my sins

rest upon my children.

Above all, spare my wife, Eliza.

And I pray that she shall find,

in her kind...

...and loving heart, the grace and mercy

to forgive me my grievous shortcomings.

In the name of Adam...

...who ate the forbidden fruit,

of Abraham...

...whose sin was jealousy, in the name

of Moses, who lost the Promised Land...

...in the name of David who...

...of David who...

...hankered after

that which was forbidden...

...in the name of Jeptha,

Jeremiah, Obediah...

...Jonah...

...Micah...

...Habakkuk and Malachi...

...and Malachi...

Thee has been an instrument

of the Lord this night.

Thy prayer carried me so near

to heaven's gates...

...I thought I heard the choiring

of angel voices...

...and the playing of heavenly harps.

Thy prayer has answered our questions.

Thy flesh may be weak, Jess Birdwell...

...but thy spirit is as strong

as thy voice.

Amen.

Amen to that.

Thank thee for paying us

this call, Friend.

I'll play the melody up here.

- Ready?

- All right.

Sounds like a duet.

Duet?

Gard?

Leave them be.

Mighty quiet up there.

What does thee suppose they're...

...doing?

Silent prayer?

Like this?

What's thee doing?

Has thee forgotten we have company?

Don't thee care what people think?

It's all my fault.

I think we ought to go to bed

and let the young folks have the parlor.

Good night, children.

Good night, Mrs. Birdwell.

Goodnight, Mattie. Goodnight, Gard.

Thee ever see anything prettier, Enoch?

No.

Except for a little human baby.

Does thee have any children?

Leastwise I did.

I don't know where they are now.

Let's get him up.

It sure wanted to live, didn't it?

He'll live now, all right.

Wonder what it feels like to die.

Just stopping breathing, I reckon.

Just going to sleep.

I reckon.

I got orders to report

to the home guard.

I came to say goodbye.

Could I see Mattie?

She and Little Jess

are down by the swing.

Thank you, ma'am.

Dance?

No, I couldn't.

Oh, well, if you insist.

What?

Thee's doing it again.

Talking to thyself.

I'm not talking to myself.

Is thee talking to Gard Jordon?

He's so brave.

Heck!

If he's so "brave"...

...why didn't he win some medals?

Who cares about medals anyway?

Gard has a proud and learned face.

A face to remember.

His eyes are the color...

...of the sky...

...in the summer.

It pleasures me just to see him walk.

He walks just like anybody else.

Hello, little Jess.

How'd you like to have

the bullet they took out of my arm?

It's wrong to take bribes.

It's not a bribe. It's a gift.

Thanks. You want a polliwog?

No, thanks.

Go on, now. Scoot!

I'm going because I want to.

- Come on out. I want to talk to you.

- I can't. I'm barefooted.

What's wrong with that?

I'm too big a girl

to run around barefooted.

It mortifies me,

thee seeing me so unlady-like.

Look, I'll shut my eyes...

...and I'll pretend you have shoes on.

Come on.

Or I'll wade in!

I've got to talk to you.

Come on out, please.

I'm really nice, you know.

I've got a nice walk.

And eyes the color of the sky.

Thee heard?

Thee heard!

Thee eavesdropped!

Thee thinks I set my cap for thee!

No, wait! Wait! Please wait!

I was only joking.

I never want to see thee again!

Mattie, wait!

Good evening, Mr. Birdwell.

Getting ready to leave us again?

Yes, sir. And I'm reporting

to the home guard tonight.

I came to say goodbye.

Come on down.

This is no way to treat a guest.

Would thee please ask him to excuse me?

I hurt her feelings.

It's the last thing I wanted to do.

I know how that is.

I was clumsy.

With women it's hard

not to be sometimes.

The rebs are coming!

Morgan's Raiders have crossed the Ohio.

1500 horsemen burning and pillaging.

They're 30 miles from Vernon.

This time tomorrow they'll be here!

No need to shout.

- Did thee see their patrols?

- No, but I saw what they've done.

Barns burned, houses looted.

Go towards Vernon and see for thyself.

Did you see the militia?

They want every man who can carry a gun.

They figure to make a stand at Vernon.

Papa, our farm is going to be

overrun for sure!

That's probably true.

You're on the south side of the river.

You better take your family into the

woods tomorrow till the rebs have gone.

This is our home.

This is where we'll stay.

Mr. Birdwell, the Raiders don't draw

a line between soldiers and civilians.

They're the toughest Confederate troops,

and there's no telling what they'll do.

If they're going to come they're

going to come, like fire or flood.

If it's the Lord's will,

there's nothing we can do.

There's something I can do.

Have you got an extra gun?

Why, sure, Enoch.

I hate to cross you like this.

Don't seem grateful.

You folks have been mighty kind to me.

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