Sergeant York Page #5

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Stay where you are if you don't want to be

laid out in two pieces.

Well, I was a-figuring

on a-buying Abraham back.

- Buying him back?

- Yes, sir.

My mule's kind of poorly,

and something done happened to him

and I sure need a mule.

- Are you meaning it?

- Yes, sir.

No hard feelings?

- Shucks, no, Mr. Tomkins.

- Well, I'll be damned.

And... And there's one more thing.

I'm asking your forgiveness

for a-flaring up at you the way I done.

It were Satan a-speaking out of me.

Zeke was a-telling me, but I...

I couldn't believe him.

- About what?

- That you got religion.

- Well, that's a fact, Mr. Tomkins.

- Well, I'll be damned.

Well, I sure would like to be a-buying

that there mule back.

- You would, huh?

- Yeah.

- How much would you be asking for him?

- Well, let's see.

You said he was worth $40

and I allowed you $30.

That's right.

Well, you can have him back for $20.

Mr. Tomkins, Abraham's worth

a sight more than that.

Maybe he is,

but seeing as how I'm trying to do

the fair and square thing, Alvin, $20.

I reckon I know what you're thinking.

It's more blessed to give than to receive.

Maybe. Come on, get your mule.

And another thing, I'm gonna

give you back the clock you sold me.

- Yeah?

- Yeah, it don't run nohow.

- Howdy, Mr. Andrews.

- Howdy.

I'd kind of like to see Zeb,

are he hereabout?

Maybe he is.

I sure would like to have words with him.

You coming peaceful?

Yes, sir, Mr. Andrews.

I ain't looking for no trouble.

Zeb. Come out of there.

There he be.

Howdy.

What you'd be wanting with me,

Alvin York?

I want to talk to you, Zeb, about...

About that there piece of land.

I bought it, it's mine.

I know it, but...

Sure it's yours, Zeb, but...

But Nate Tomkins was...

Was a-figuring that...

I ain't caring

what Nate Tomkins was a-figuring.

- Well, Nate was just thinking...

- It's mine and I'm gonna keep it.

Well, sure it's yours, Zeb,

but if you'll only allow me to talk...

Ain't nobody a-holding you.

Oh, yes, they are.

Well, anyway, Nate was a-thinking

that your being so busy here,

maybe you need some extra help

on the other piece of land.

- Well, what's that got to do with you?

- Well, I'm asking you for the job.

- You mean you're aiming to work for me?

- I'd be if you allow me.

Well, shucks. That sure got me stumped.

I was a-buying that land just to spite you.

Well, I sure don't blame you none.

Well, maybe we can figure it

so you can sharecrop the piece.

Then you kind of be a-working for yourself.

No, I ain't asking for anything extra, Zeb.

Well, if you can farm that bottomland

like you've been doing the top,

I reckon that land will be yours

in a couple of seasons.

Well, with the help of the Lord,

I'll make you a good crop.

Like I'm saying, Miss Gracie,

I ain't ever seen a prettier piece of land

than that there Andrews farm.

Corn is thicker than fur on a squirrel.

And I seen eight beef critters

a-grazing in the pasture there.

That are a lot of critters.

And that Zeb Andrews

sure are a forgiving man.

- Is he?

- Yes, sir.

Be sitting, Alvin.

- And a Christian man, if I ever seen one.

- Reckon so.

What I done to him that night

we were visiting you weren't right.

The devil was a-pushing me from behind.

It were too dark. I couldn't see.

I didn't have no call

to come twixt you and him.

What are you getting at, Alvin York?

All I'm aiming to say, Miss Gracie, is,

a upstanding man like Zeb Andrews

would make a girl a right smart husband.

- What's that?

- And...

And if you change your mind about Zeb,

well, I reckon I could...

- You could what?

- I could rightly understand.

Oh, you could, could you?

Lookee here, Alvin York,

if I wanted Zeb Andrews for a husband,

I reckon I could get him

without your acting so noble.

- I done kissed you, didn't I?

- Yes.

Well, I don't go around kissing men

I ain't gonna be a-marrying.

Now you be a-listening to me.

- Am I marrying a piece of land?

- Yes. No.

- Or a beef critter?

- No.

Or a field of corn?

No, it's you I'm marrying,

ain't nobody else in this here world.

- Are you hearing me?

- Yes.

Well, then don't you talk that way

to me again, Alvin!

- No.

- Don't you ever!

Oh!

The Lord sure do move

in mysterious ways.

So that's what the Lord done said to Cain

when he done killed Abel.

It was a way of telling him

that he wouldn't get no crops no more.

And anybody that's a farmer

knows what that means.

Alvin, how do you know that it happened

just that-a-way?

A-seeing how you weren't there.

Well, the Book says so.

And there ain't nothing written

in the Book that ain't the truth.

So, a long time after that

when the Lord was a-giving Moses

the Ten Commandments,

he was a-saying, "Thou shalt not kill."

Now... Now go ahead with the reading.

Hey! Hey! War! Hey!

Hey! Pastor Pile!

- What's happened, Luke?

- It's war.

President Wilson done declared war

against Germany.

- You don't say?

- Yes, sir.

It says so right here in this here paper.

Here you are, Jim.

I reckon I won't wait to be drafted.

- I'm joining up as soon as the corn's in.

- Me, too.

Attaboy, Tom. I heard my daddy talk

about fighting Yankees.

And my granddaddy

done fought in the Revolution.

Sure wish I was a young fellow.

Well, come along, Zeke.

You load 'em and I'll shoot 'em.

- Hi, Alvin.

- Hi, Alvin.

Hey, Alvin, what about you?

You joining up now

or you waiting to be called?

I reckon I'm a-waiting.

- Howdy, lke.

- Hi, Alvin.

Howdy, Alvin.

Good morning, Pastor.

Reckon I need some coal oil.

I'm glad you come in, Alvin.

I was gonna send for you.

You was?

- You ain't registered yet, have you, Alvin?

- Of course I ain't.

Is that the new seed

you was gonna send for?

It's Tuesday, Alvin. You only got till 6:00.

I ain't a-gonna register.

Come here.

- You gotta register, Alvin.

- I ain't a-going to. I ain't a-going to war.

War is killing

and the Book's against killing.

So war is against the Book.

You're plumb right, Alvin.

You got the using kind of religion,

not the meetinghouse kind, but you...

- The kind I got's the kind you teached me.

- I know that.

And I hate to be telling you, but

I don't want to see you get in no trouble.

Now, you got to register

and there ain't no way

you can get out of it.

You mean they can make you go to war

even if it's against what you think is right?

No, no, no, they won't make you do that.

It's what I want to tell you.

Come here.

It's right here.

Let me see.

Now, wait a minute. Here.

There it is right there, see?

"Members of well-recognized

religious sects

"whose existent creed

forbids its members to participate in war

"are entitled to request exemption

from military service."

What... What's that there exemption?

Well, that, it means,

if you're exempted, you don't have to go.

Well, how do I get this exemption?

Well, you got to write a letter

to the draft board.

- Is that all there is to it?

- Yep.

Well. Well, sure I'll register.

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