Life Begins at Forty Page #4

---

into your employ, that you've gone too far.

What's your objections?

- He's a thief and a convict.

- That's right.

- Why, you-

- Now, here, here. Now, wait a minute now, Lee.

Let me- Let me take care of this thing.

Now, you was sayin'?

I was sayin'

I won't put up with it-

your flaunting him

in the face of the decent...

law-abiding citizens

of this community.

He stole once. There's no proof

he won't do it again...

if he's coddled and protected

by people like you.

Now, suppose you run your bank,

and I'll run my paper.

Your paper.

Listen here, young man.

If I was you...

I'd stay out of this

just as long as I could.

Now, you, Colonel.

Now, we're just supposin'.

Now, supposin' it was your boy Joe here...

that was, uh,

tryin' to come back?

My son would never find himself

in such a position.

Well, maybe not.

Maybe not.

But we're just supposin',

you know?

In the bank, there's a lot of money.

It's a big temptation.

You old windbag! Are you trying to insinuate that

I had anything to do with stealing that money?

You heard me say

that I was just supposin'.

Now, that's about all, Clark.

Either he goes, or you go!

- You mean that?

- Yes!

I lent you a lot of money

to put in this new machinery...

this Linotype here,

and I've been mighty easy with ya...

letting it run on

month after month.

Well, you know good and well

that as soon as I'm able-

Unless you get rid of this man,

I shall have to demand immediate payment.

Well, looks to me, Colonel...

like you're

in the newspaper business.

- You can't do that, Mr. Kenesaw.

- Now, now.

When we're licked,

we'll just as well admit it.

Well, when do you-When do you

figure on takin' the place over?

My son Joe

will take over immediately.

Oh, Joe, huh?

Anytime you have

any news for the paper, let me know.

News for the paper, huh?

Get your hat, son.

Mr. Kenesaw, there's no sense

in your doing a thing like this.

Forget about it.

Forget about it.

What this town always needed anyhow

is a good opposition paper.

- I think I know a fella who's gonna start one.

- Who?

I've got an old Washington hand press

up in my attic...

that I started with 34 years ago.

You mean

that maybe you'll be the one-

You know what I'd call the paper?

I'm gonna call it the Wildcat.

That's it, the Wildcat. And I'm gonna

lay on his doorstep and howl...

and then claw him

when he comes out.

That's the name it's gonna be-

the Wildcat.

Traditional]

Kelly Cotton telephoned that her cousin

Ellie Crabtree Thursday'd in our midst.

Ah, in our midst."

That's old-time newspaper stuff.

In our midst"

don't get you anywhere.

You've got to tell what scandal they

got into while they was in our midst.

If you was a good newspaper woman...

you'd hustle around here and find out

who's gonna have a blessed event in our midst.

Uh-huh? Well, I'm not prowling around

in other people's private affairs.

Don't have to. You're a woman, ain't ya?

Just keep your eyes open.

Well, maybe you'll think

this is news.

Tom Cotton's elopin'

with that widow.

What do you know about that?

I wonder who put that idea

in that old fool's head?

Go ahead, now, and give 'em all

the adjectives you got there...

because he's gonna deserve 'em

when he starts in on that high livin'.

Mr. Ken, did you write

this copy in the dark?

I never saw so many

misspelled words in my life.

Yeah? Well, you don't have

to worry about that.

When I first started

in the newspaper business...

I misspelled a word, everybody

said it was just pure ignorance.

But when you misspell all of'em,

they accuse you of being a humorist...

say you're quaint.

- I got some paper.

- Great!

Got it from the butcher.

He said it was so hot,

nobody's eating meat now anyway.

- Did you get it?

- Yeah, I done just like you said.

I waited till he had his mouth shut,

and I went click.

Good. That's great.

Say, listen...

will you run up to the county seat with that

and see if you can get a cut made?

We're gonna show 'em some

real newspaperin' around here.

- Sure.

- I could drive him up.

That is, if Miss Ida'd

let us have her car.

- Oh, now, that car's not used to long trips.

- It's only 18 miles.

Oh, don't argue about it.

Come on. Come on. Let's get goin'.

- Get goin'. Hurry up now. Hurry up.

- Now, see here, Kenesaw.

- What do you mean by sendin' that-

- Aw, boo.

Well!

Oh, say, by the way, you might

phone over to Mr. Abercrombie...

and tell him you have

the following social note for him.

Lee and Del Wednesday'd

in the county seat."

- You're just achin' to stir up

some trouble, aren't ya?

No, not achin',

but it would be a pleasure.

I guess you know I think it's pretty swell

of you folks taking me in like this.

- Oh, stop it, Lee.

- How can I?

Just because Mr. Ken's

been nice to me...

they take his paper

away from him.

I wonder why the Abercrombies

are so bitter?

That's what I'd like to know.

Well, it's mighty funny to me.

I suppose Joe'll be worse than ever now

on account of you.

- On account of me?

- Well, he's in love with you, isn't he?

Well, he's asked me to marry him

if that's any proof of love.

Are you going to?

Well, I don't know.

Let's see, Monday- No.

I'm really gonna be awfully busy next-

I'd rather see you dead first.

Why, Lee! That's the nicest thing

you've ever said to me.

Kenesaw Clark is behind this!

You mean Lee Austin.

He probably put Clark up to it.

That Meriwhether!

That moron! That loafer!

That ignoramus!

Head of the schools!

All three of'em

oughta be run out of town.

Well, I'll be reelected

if I spend every penny I've got!

Joe, get busy.

Get word out in the paper...

that every living soul in this district

is invited to my hog party.

l- Never mind. I'll write the copy myself.

Here, give me some paper.

You got any paper here?

Well! That one there.

Uh- Have you got a pen?

I'll show them

who they're dealing with.

Take that!

Stop it!

Wait a minute, Ma!

So that's the way you make

a fool of yourself away from home!

There must be some mistake.

Callin' Colonel Abercrombie a jackass,

and him head of the bank.

Why, I never called nobody

a jackass.

I guess I can read, can't I? It's right there

on the front page with your picture.

Didn't even have sense enough

to keep your eyes open.

- What am I gonna do?

- Do? You're a man, ain't ya?

You go up there and whup that Kenesaw Clark

within an inch of his life.

Then go around and tell Colonel Abercrombie

the truth. That's what you'll do.

Aw, but- Don't you think that-

- Are you gonna go?

- I'll go! I'll go!

Well, git then!

Well, T., looks like you woke the town up

to some real excitement.

- You can count on me!

- Congratulations, T!

A lot of folks in this town

feel the same as you do...

but they haven't got

nerve enough to say so.

- You'll get my vote.

- You hand it to 'im, T.

- I hope you win.

- I always knew it ain't right for

a man to hold a job too long.

I wanna shake your hand.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes