Sergeant York Page #6

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Will you write the letter for me?

Why, I'd be glad to, Alvin.

Come on over here.

"Therefore, we find

that we can't consider your church

"a well-recognized religious sect,

"organized and existing, May 18, 1917.

"We find further, that it has

no special creed except the Bible,

"which can be interpreted

by its members as they choose.

"And finally, there's nothing

in the creed of the church,

"expressly forbidding its members

to participate in war.

"Therefore your application for exemption

is denied."

Is this here the last word

or has he got some place to appeal?

He can appeal to

the District Board at Nashville

and finally to the General Board

in Washington.

- Thank you, sir.

- Thank you.

You're welcome.

I'll be a-writing 'em appeals for you,

Alvin, so don't you be worrying.

Oh, I ain't a-worrying.

We'll be a-fixing this here bridge.

There it is.

So, we'll be a-building the house

right over there by that tree.

And the big room is gonna be...

The big room is gonna be right...

Right here in front, just like this.

And it's gonna have three windows.

And the kitchen will be here,

and it's gonna be good and big, too.

- And there'll be a stove.

- Where?

Well, right about there.

And I'm gonna build you one of 'em sinks.

And I'm gonna give you a pump,

so you won't have to carry

no water from the springs.

- A pump, Alvin?

- Sure.

Alvin, pumps costs a heap of money.

Well, we're gonna have curtains in the

windows and carpets on the floors.

And it ain't gonna take very long either

if the Lord keeps a-showering

his blessings on me.

Won't take more than two, three years,

I reckon.

Just to think, in two, three years,

a house right there where we're looking.

And it will be our house.

- Alvin.

- What do you want?

Pastor Pile wants to see you, Alvin.

Well, Gracie and me

is kind of busy right now.

Well, tell him I'll stop by the store

on the way home.

He said he wants to see you right off.

He said you best be a-coming.

Well, tell him I'll be there.

Shucks, just when we was having fun.

Would you be

a-telling me again sometime?

I sure will.

- Howdy, Pastor.

- Howdy, Alvin.

I got right bad news for you.

Word just come.

They're a-taking you for the army.

Well, that can't be.

That letter we done sent to Washington,

says that I was against fighting and...

They ain't going to exempt you, Alvin.

You got to report to Nashville

tomorrow night.

I ain't a-going.

You ain't got no choice.

This was the last appeal.

I don't care about that. I ain't a-going.

You've got to go, Alvin. It's the law.

What?

What kind of law is it

that says a man's got to go

against the Book and its teachings?

Well, I reckon there ain't no answer, but,

if you don't go,

they'll be a-coming after you.

Well, they won't get me.

I'll go back in 'em hills.

Yeah, and they'll put hounds on your trail,

and they'll follow you

no matter how far back you go.

Then they'd better not catch up with me,

'cause they'll be a-wishing they hadn't. I...

Sorry, Pastor, I... Them's sinful words.

I wasn't thinking of what I was saying.

I'll go.

War's away to the other side

of the ocean, Alvin.

Lots of things can happen

before you get there.

You put your trust in the Lord

and he'll look out for you.

I done forgot the Lord.

I ain't never gonna forget him again.

Goodbye, Alvin.

Well...

I reckon these'll do till I get fixed up

in government clothes.

The corn's doing right good

on the south hill.

It might need a little extra hoeing.

Mule's at the gate.

You got a long ways to go.

Well, you'll be taking care of things

from now on, George.

Sure will.

I guess you'll be needing a man-sized gun.

- You can have my rifle.

- I'm a-thanking you.

Well...

I'm going.

I had to see you again, Alvin. I just had to.

Now, now...

No, no, don't you be looking at me, please.

Don't want you to be

remembering me like this.

Close your eyes, please?

Yessum.

- Are they closed?

- Yes.

Bye, Alvin.

I'll be a-coming back.

Bye, Alvin.

I'll be a-coming back.

Ma.

What are they a-fighting for?

I don't rightly know, child.

I don't rightly know.

Come on, you guys.

Hit the dirt and hit it hard.

Okay, Sarge.

Now look, Ross. That's not a teaspoon

you got there, it's a shovel.

- Lay into it.

- Okay, General.

Dig, soldiers, dig.

Dig your way straight down to China.

- Okay, Sarge.

- China?

What's the idea of going to China?

I thought this war was in Europe.

Parsons, Sergeant Early.

Yes, sir.

Which one of your men is York?

He is the big, lanky fellow,

fourth from the end, sir.

- Having any trouble with him?

- No, sir. Why?

He's down here

as a conscientious objector.

Keep your eye on him.

I want a weekly report.

Yes, sir.

That'll be a big help.

Dig. Dig. Dig.

I've been working in a subway all my life,

never thought about the guys that dug it.

But since I'm in the army,

I sure take my hat off to them.

- Subway you say?

- Yeah.

What's this here subway

you're talking about?

You mean to say you don't know

what a subway is? That guy kidding?

No, they don't have subways

where he comes from, I guess.

They haven't? Ain't they civilized?

Where you from?

Pall Mall.

Valley of the Three Forks of the Wolf.

- Where is that?

- Tennessee.

Ain't you ever even seen a subway?

- Ain't never even heard of one.

- You never... What? Heard?

Heard? What kind of talk is that?

Do they all talk that kind of English

where you come from?

Well, there ain't any English people

down our way, just Americans.

Well, look, a subway is a big hole

in the ground, see?

It goes for miles.

- Straight down?

- Yeah... No.

It doesn't go straight down,

it goes this way.

- Oh, this a-way?

- Yeah.

- Under the ground?

- Under the ground.

- And trains run through it.

- They run through it?

- Yeah.

- Steam cars?

Steam... No. Steam cars.

- They're electric, Alvin.

- I sure would like to see one of 'em.

You see, they have to run trains

under the ground in New York,

- because it's so crowded.

- Crowded? I'll say.

Look, it's the rush hour,

the Bronx Express is just pulling in.

I'm standing on the platform,

holding back the mob.

The doors open up and I...

You know what I'm talking about?

Just a word now and then.

Well, you see, the people are just coming

from work and they wanna get home, see,

and they wanna get into the cars

all together.

They start pushing,

I'm trying to hold 'em back.

Well, anyway, the doors open up and

now, buddy, this is where the fun begins.

"Move back in the cars," I yell.

Ain't no room in there, but I yell,

"Move back in the cars."

Boy, how I used to push 'em in. I used

to pack them in like sardines in a can.

That's why they call me "Pusher."

All right, Pusher, that's mess call.

- Get a move on.

- Yes, sir.

This is the one bugle call

I ain't got no arguments with.

- 2-4-1-8-0-0.

- Zaranopolis Nick.

2-4-1-8-0-1.

- 2-4-1-8-0-1.

- Ross, Michael T.

Hey, this one's full of grease.

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