Skylark Page #3

---

I can't... I can't stand it!

(sobbing)

Anna, get something

for Sarah to drink.

Anna, now!

(Sarah crying)

Sarah:

Water...

(gasping)

Sarah, it's all right.

IT'S OKAY.

(gasping)

Sarah, it's all right.

It's all right, Sarah.

Everything will be all right.

(kids laughing)

Anna? Caleb?

What is this?

Happy birthday, Sarah.

Anna:

And there are

presents, Sarah.

But I'm not dressed.

Well, get dressed.

Come on.

Woman 1:

You're just in time.

Woman 2:

Hello.

What is that?

You'll see.

Woman 3:

Here she is.

Happy birthday, Sarah.

All:

Happy birthday, Sarah.

A present...

from the aunts.

(Italian opera playing)

(crowd clapping)

Bye!

Thanks for having us.

Bye!

(chuckles)

Get ready for bed, Anna.

I have a present

for you, Sarah.

Sarah.

Come on.

(grunts)

(lamb bleating)

Anna, what is it?

It's a book I

wrote about you.

About our family.

"When my mother...

"Sarah...

"...came here,

she came by train.

"I didn't know I'd love her,

but my brother, Caleb, knew.

"Papa didn't know, either,

but he does love her, I know.

"I've seen them kiss...

"...and I have heard

the sound of his voice

"when he talks to her and seeing

his hand touch her hair.

"My mother, Sarah, loves us

"but she does not love

the prairie.

"She tries,

but she can't help it.

She can't help remembering

what she knew first."

Do you like it?

I like it.

Thank you.

It was a fine

party, Jacob.

I'd almost forgotten music.

Where's the glass?

Caleb's glass?

Put it back, Jacob, please.

It should be there

when it rains.

I'm sorry to be going

and be leaving you.

You'll be back.

I'll miss you.

(sobbing):

We'll be back.

Put your bonnet on.

We'll be back.

(baby crying)

Hyah. Giddap.

Giddap.

Hyah!

(thunder crashing)

(dog barking)

Sarah!

(horses neighing)

Grab those sacks!

Pour water on them.

Hurry.

Come on, get out!

Go on! Get out!

Go on!

Get out!

Go on!

(cows mooing)

(whinnying)

Get the cows!

Come on.

(mooing)

Oh! Oh!

Oh! Jacob!

Get me water!

Get back!

Buckets!

(panting)

Be careful!

Get buckets!

I'm coming!

Coming!

Jacob, here!

Jacob!

Give that to me!

Give me that!

It's no use!

It's our

last barrel!

(dog barking)

Papa!

Get back on the porch

and stay there!

Jacob:

I could have been gone.

I could have gone for water

when this happened.

But you weren't gone.

You might have been here alone

with the children.

You have to go, Sarah.

You have to take

Anna and Caleb

away from here.

No, Jacob.

Sarah, there's no water.

There'snothinghere

for Anna and Caleb.

I can't have them here.

They can't go alone.

We won't leave you.

I won't go.

I can't go.

I know, but you and the children

haveto go, you understand?

Sarah...

This land is my life.

Like your father,

the sea.

I can't go away from it.

But you have to.

But...

Without you, I...

Caleb:

Can you take Nick

and Seal?

What'll happen

to them?

They'll be happier here.

I'll take

care of them.

What are you going to do

when we're gone, Papa?

I'll miss you.

We can swim in Maine, Sarah.

Jacob:

Sarah.

Don't be afraid.

You'll be here all alone.

That's all right.

What will happen to us?

We'll write letters.

We've written letters before.

(train whistle blowing)

It's so green.

Anna:

When Sarah came,

she wore a yellow bonnet.

She brought

her cat, Seal, to us.

The corn was high

and the wheat all yellow

roses bloomed on the fence.

We laid down

with the sheep in the field

and Sarah taught us

how to swim.

Then they were married.

My mother, Sarah

wore a dress soft like mist

and a veil.

I think Papa cried.

Did he?

Did he cry?

Sarah...

Is this the way you came?

Yes, Caleb.

This is the way I came.

(station bell ringing)

Sarah?

It's all right, Anna.

It's just, uh...

It's what you wrote

in your book--

I'm back to what I knew first.

Sarah?

Chub.

Sarah Wheaton?

You're still here.

Where would I be

except here?

(laughing)

I'm Sarah Witting now, Chub.

These are my children,

Anna and Caleb.

Pleased to meet you.

Are the hens

meeting you?

No.

Could you drive us?

Ah, you bet.

Oh, good.

Here, I'll take

this for you.

Could you put the trunk

in the back, please?

Is this Maine?

Yeah, this is Maine.

Can we go swimming now?

Soon enough.

I've never been

in a car before.

Oh, about time

you were.

Want to drive?

No.

And I won't tell the aunts

you called them hens.

(laughing)

Chub:

Yeah, here we are.

Look at all

the water!

Anna:

Oh, how beautiful!

(Anna laughing)

(birds cheeping)

(buoy bell clanging)

Come on.

Let's go see the treasures.

Will they like us?

They will love you.

They will fall upon you

with kisses.

Morning, Mattie.

(Mattie gasps)

Mattie.

(chuckles)

We're home.

I'm so glad you

came to visit us.

You're such a

pretty little girl.

I loved your

letters, too.

Look, this

is magic.

You like that?

(laughing)

Oh, Sarah...

Sarah, Sarah.

Aren't you hungry?

Don't you want

to lie down?

Yes.

You thirsty?

I can't believe

you're here.

You better lie down.

Here's a cookie.

Here's another cookie.

Now, that cookie...

I made that cookie.

Doesn't that look

pretty good?

Are you hungry, honey?

Oh, I'm so glad...

I thought about you so

much, and your brother.

Want a bath?

How about a bath?

Oh, Harriet.

Let them be.

See, I told you.

(dog barks)

(Mattie gasps)

Look who's here!

Lou.

Mind that beast.

(both laughing)

Lou:

The beast's

name is Brutus.

An appropriate name.

Lou works

with animals.

Lou works with

the veterinarian

and Harriet may

never get over that.

Harriet:

Oh...

(laughing)

She wants me

in silk and pearls.

Oh, please. Down.

Dogs like me.

I have one at home.

Oh, that's what we've needed

all along-- a child.

We must get one.

Looks like we have two.

Anna, Caleb, you can go

for a walk if you want.

Down to the water.

Take Brutus with you,

if you want.

Harriet:

He'll run after sticks

for you.

He's silly enough

to swim in the cold water.

Caleb:

Come on, Brutus!

Come on!

Anna:

Here, boy.

Well...

I wrote you a letter, but...

we had to leave so quickly

I didn't have a chance

to mail it.

I wrote about the drought...

and the fire.

And did the letter say

that you are pregnant?

Sarah?

Come... come sit

down here, darling.

Oh, dear Lou, see

what you've done?

I need my tonic.

Lou hasn't done anything,

Harriet.

Sarah, is this true?

Lou, how do you

know this?

You know,

don't you?

No, I mean, I...

I mean, I... I suppose, um...

Well, there's a drought

and the prairie is all dried up

and a... a fire took the barn

and all that time

when the water was drying

and the corn and the wheat

was dying, all that time

all I could think about

was a baby.

But there was so much to do.

There was so much

to worry about.

I mean... I mean...

but how'd you know?

There's a look about you.

I could always tell

by a dog's eyes

when she's pregnant.

Oh, for heaven's sakes, Lou.

Sarah's no dog.

(all laughing)

Sarah?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes