Klondike Annie Page #4

---

- and then come back for me.

- That's good news to me.

- This is no time to wrestle me.

- I'll be right back.

Did Capt. Brackett make your trip

a pleasant one?

He certainly did, Brother.

I have no complaints.

Sister Annie, we're so glad you've come.

It certainly is a hard road we have to travel.

BENJAMIN:
We're struggling to keep

our little settlement house open now.

Yes, we owe $876.

And there are starving people to be fed

and the poor to be taken care of.

What with all the gold

they're digging up around here?

We seldom have more

than a handful of people here.

- Most of those are on the charity list.

- I can see what you are up against, Brother.

Yeah, I know that, Sister.

I know, your letter tells me that.

DOLL:
My letter?

BOWSER:
Yes.

Such feelings, such understanding.

Sister Annie Alden.

Yes, my letter.

- May I read it in your presence?

- Go right ahead, Brother.

"Dear Brother Bowser and workers.

"My humble thanks for your invitation.

I shall leave immediately.

"Poor though I may be in worldly goods...

"I shall have found the joy of life

in helping others.

"I desire only to do good,

to succeed where you say you have failed.

"I look upon my hopes as a debt I owe

to those who are unfortunate.

"In its payment,

I shall find supreme happiness. "

Just a minute, Brother.

Now, let me get this straight.

- What you want to do is pack this place?

- Yes.

And that letter would be answered,

wouldn't it?

Answered, Sister?

It would be more than answered.

It would be in your own words,

"A debt repaid."

DOLL:
That's what we are gonna do.

BOWSER:
Sister Annie.

DOLL:
I'll tell you.

You've been on the wrong track

and I'll steer you right.

You won't get anywhere

if you don't know how to wrestle the Devil.

Tying a knot in his tail

won't throw him on his back.

You got to grab him by the horns,

know him and his tricks.

I know him, and how I know him.

Why, I can make him say uncle,

that is, if he's got an uncle.

I might have to use

a little more fireworks than usual.

Really, I have never heard such a spirited...

That ain't the name for it.

We'll call it "paying a debt."

Squaring up a conscience. Maybe that's it.

DOLL:
Suppose you leave me. Let me think.

BOWSER:
Yes.

You sure can talk, Doll.

For a minute, you had me believing it.

And did they go for it.

I've got the clearance papers.

We hoist anchor at 9:00.

We'll have time for a few little snorts

and maybe get a peek at the town.

BULL:
And then we'll head for the South.

DOLL:
Sorry, Bull, but the deal is off.

I ain't going.

You ain't?

I changed my mind.

I just couldn't do it. I couldn't.

They read me a letter that Annie wrote.

- She was going to run this joint.

- What has that to do with you?

- I played her a dirty trick.

- That was just self-defence.

Look here,

I said you're going and you are going.

You made a promise

and you're gonna keep it.

[Singing a hymn]

I know the whole thing now.

These monkeys sell you a bill of goods...

- and now you're starting to wear wings.

- It ain't that at all.

I got a debt to pay. Not to this crowd,

but to Annie. And I'm gonna do it.

It won't take long and then I'll be squared up.

- You said you won't take long?

- No.

I'll bring a mob in here

if I have to drag them in.

I ain't leaving.

I'm hanging around just the same.

[Missionaries continue singing hymn]

Now the day is done.

No, the day has just begun.

And we're all going to get together,

I know just what the place needs.

We are gonna pack them to the doors.

We'll even have them up in the rafters.

Here's how we're gonna do it.

[Lively music playing]

- Get out of here now, you.

- Come and put me out.

Would you put these up?

DOLL:
Where's your boss?

BARTENDER:
You mean, Fanny?

Yes. Would you tell her

to come over here, please?

Them reformers are over there.

They told me to hang these up.

What? Hang these in my place.

I should say not.

I'll talk to them.

Who do you think you are...

trying to come in here

and put a wet blanket on this place?

We don't want no psalm-singing

or preaching in here.

This is a good-time place.

Would you mind waiting over there?

I'll talk to the lady.

Listen, you, I speak your language, too.

You've been doing pretty good around here.

All you rathole and dive owners

have been cleaning up.

You've been running wild, clipping suckers...

and robbing all these hardworking miners

of their gold.

I'm gonna put you through the cleaners.

From now on, you'll do your part.

- You and your girls be there Sunday night.

- That's our biggest night.

I know, but from now on,

it's gonna be our night.

We'll be expecting you.

Be sure your girls look their best

'cause they're gonna serve the refreshments.

We'll use your entertainers,

only they'll play a different tune.

And bring your sluggers along,

in case of a little disturbance.

- All this reform stuff is funny to me.

- Funny?

Let me tell you something.

Any time you take religion for a joke,

the laugh is on you.

And if you know what's good for you,

you'll be there.

- I tell you, if Fanny'd see us, she'd...

- Come on.

Sure, we got a right to.

- I don't know, but Fanny knew.

- Come on.

I don't want to go in there.

- I don't want to go in there.

- Come on.

Are you going in or have I got to throw you?

Go on inside then.

[Singing] When you hear

the bells go ding-a-ling

All join round and sweetly you must sing

And when the verse is through

in the chorus all join in

There'll be a hot time

in the old town tonight

When you hear the bells go ding-a-ling

All join round and sweetly you must sing

And when the verse is through

in the chorus all join in

There'll be a hot time

in the old town tonight

When you hear the bells go ding-a-ling

All join round and sweetly you must sing

BULL:
Hey!

[Missionaries continue singing]

- lf it isn't Bull Brackett?

- How are you, Tess?

- I haven't seen you in over a year.

- I haven't seen you either.

- What's new around here?

- Just the settlement house.

Coming in?

- I'll try anything once.

- That's right.

MISSIONARIES:
[Singing] When you hear

the bells go ding-a-ling

All join round and sweetly you must sing

And when the verse is through

in the chorus all join in

There'll be a hot time

in the old town tonight

You're not at ease, Sister?

Just a pain in my conscience, Brother.

That's all.

If there is any one of us, Sister Annie,

without sin, surely you are.

You'll never know, Brother.

My dear friends...

when I look down upon your kindly faces...

AUDIENCE MEMBER:
Boo!

[All booing]

You know, folks,

I once made the mistake of thinking...

that religion was

for only certain kinds of people.

But I found out different.

I came to realise that you don't have

to go around looking sad...

and wearing a long face to be good.

And that's what I want you people

to understand here and now.

I want to show you

that you can think right and do right.

Everyday of your lives

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes