June 26, 2024 • 60 mins
The Mercury Theatre on the Air was a captivating radio series created and hosted by Orson Welles. This weekly hour-long show featured live radio dramas performed by Welles’s celebrated Mercury Theatre repertory company. They presented classic literary works, accompanied by music composed or arranged by Bernard Herrmann.
The series began in July 1938 and aired on the CBS Radio network. Notably, their broadcast of “The War of the Worlds” on October 30 caused quite a stir, allegedly leading to panic among listeners. After this memorable episode, the Campbell Soup Company became the show’s sponsor. The Mercury Theatre on the Air concluded its run on December 4, and shortly thereafter, The Campbell Playhouse took its place.
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The series began in July 1938 and aired on the CBS Radio network. Notably, their broadcast of “The War of the Worlds” on October 30 caused quite a stir, allegedly leading to panic among listeners. After this memorable episode, the Campbell Soup Company became the show’s sponsor. The Mercury Theatre on the Air concluded its run on December 4, and shortly thereafter, The Campbell Playhouse took its place.
Listen to our radio station Old Time Radio https://link.radioking.com/otradio
Listen to other Shows at My Classic Radio https://www.myclassicradio.net/
Entertainment Radio | Broadcasting Classic Radio Shows | Patreon
Remember that times have changed, and some shows might not reflect the standards of today’s politically correct society. The shows do not necessarily reflect the views, standards, or beliefs of Entertainment Radio
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Theater on the Air. The ColumbiaBroadcasting System brings you the fifteenth program in
(00:27):
its weekly dramatic series featuring Orson Wellsand the Mercury Theater on the Air,
the brilliant producing company which has beenacclaimed by critics throughout the nation for giving
to radio the same youth stimulus theybrought the Broadway. This evening, our
play is an adaptation of a modernclassic booth Tarkington seventeen, with Orson Wells
(00:48):
in the part of William Sylvanus baxters. But first the word from the director
of the Mercury Theater, the writer, star, and producer of these broadcasts.
Orson Wells, no men and explainthe mystery and misery of being seventeen,
that period which is almost a fullstop in the involved sentence of a
man's life, when every man's universehas growing pains, and every man is
(01:15):
his own hamlet. Both Tarkington hasleft as a perspective of this sharp condition
of human agony, so true andbrutal and beguiling that posterity will understand William
Sylvanus Baxter, long after a newand easy world has forever abolished the institution
(01:38):
of adolescence, my name's Parcher,Henry Partcher. I live on Maple Street,
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number forty two, wife and onedaughter, May eighteen years old.
On one side of this is DocWatson's house vacant now. On the other
is George Baxter's mister and missus andtwo children, a little girl about ten.
I forget her name, boy Willie'sseventeen. Because now we've got a
visitor, a friend of May's stayingwith us. Lola Pratt talks baby talk.
(02:32):
Well, I guess we can standit for a weekend anyway. The
young folks don't stay around the housethese days. This time. They spend
most of their time the main streetpharmacy. Hi, raight, hello everybody?
(02:54):
Oh man, I'll trek not no, I'm dead. Well, mister
Baxter, what'll it be? Makeit a banana split? Ray yours?
Missus Flett the same? Wow,boys must be flesh today. No,
we got enough. Let me callyou sweetheime, love always love. Why
(03:24):
can't songwriters write something about something else? They will? I heard Nate Potcher
is coming back to town yesterday.You don't let her for all I care?
Well, they say she's bought agirl to visit her, that she
was a regular ring dinger. Ifshe makes a little difference to me,
I guess, oh, no,it don't. You don't take any interest
in girls. Oh no, no, I do not. I never saw
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one in my life. I caredwhether she lived or died. Oh this
is that? So yeah, Icould all die. I wouldn't notice.
I didn't know you felt that wayabout it, will I always thought you
would. Come. Hell, Ido feel that way about him. You
can tell him so for me.If you want to say, but you
look what's walking down the street.Isn't that a midparture? Ye? Say?
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Who's that with her? Carrying theparasol? A little dog? So
that must be the girl. Isn'tshe a ring dinner? They will?
Yo, don't you want to splitto the lady with the little dog?
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I do not know her name,though it would be the same square roses
bloom of twilight and the lark takeshis flight. So I will call her
milady by the sands of the sea. She will always be just mi lady
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to me. William Sylvanus Backster Esquire, July fourteenth, wellait weary, ye
god er, I'll go away.Jane twenty one, Willy Marma washes,
wants to go home again. It'sjust some washups, so and again calls
(05:40):
in the second hand man store.She wants to hurry and I got some
bread, butter and apple sauce andcigar for coming to tell you. Go
away? Will you, Jane gorwill open the door. Please? All
right, mother, Carrie washtubs.That's a nice thing to ask me to
do. Eat God, get it, Joe? What mother at Dennis?
(06:00):
Wait, dear, I just wantto explain Eat God now, now just
a minute, Willy. What Iwanted to explain was why it's necessary for
you to go with Genesis? Canyou expect me to walk through the public
streets with that awful looking old coloredman? Jenesis is not? Is he?
Mama, your soul? Besides he'spractically in rags and he doesn't even
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wear an undershirt. Now, whoon earth minds what Genesis wears? It
doesn't wear and can hand wash tubsand kim clothes, boil and say,
it's what you want your son tocarry through the public streets in broad daylight.
Eat God's well, there isn't anybodyelse. Now, please don't rave,
so William, don't say eat Godso much? It really isn't nice.
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Now, I'm sure nobody will noticeit. Nobody, Oh no,
nobody except the whole child. Whywell, that's ething disgusting has to be
done in this battery? Why doI always have to be the one mom?
White? Ant? Genesis bring thesecond hand washtubs without me? White?
An't the second hand store deliver them? White? The second hand store
doesn't deliver things. And Jenesis sayshe can't possibly carry two tubs and a
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wash boiler himself. Now, Idon't like to ask you, but it
really isn't much. You and Genesiscan just slip up there and just slip
up there? Ye god? Ohreally, Willie, it isn't worth you
for making all this possible. Ohno, it's nothing, nothing at all.
And Willie, dear, on yourway downtown, you might tell the
tailor to call for your father's fulldress suit. He hasn't worn it in
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four months. It's too tight forhim, needs to be older. God
do I have to do everything inthis house? Ye? God, Mama,
what's the matter with Willie? Well, you see, Dear, he's
he's seventeen six? Must William wantJoe? You can't see where you're going
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that tin boil over your head.I don't want to see and I don't
want to be seen. You showit's sticks and get run over. Carry's
a big tub between us like this, and you can guide me and come
on, genesisday, is there money? You're still following? Show is I'll
never stop following me yet I reckonit's the fallst dog in the world.
Well he can, Oh, don'tlet him fall through the streets. Not
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a moth eaton margar like that's badenough to be seen carrying all this junk
man sick. Ain't nobody tell whoyou all? I watched tuble your face.
Genesis, make that dog scat.Nobody make that dog scat. I
ain't had him more than two weekswhen I don't believe president of United States.
Make a dog with falling. Keephim as far back as you can
so people won't know what's us.He's falling. Go on, claim room.
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Then my dog careful miss with him. He was crossing the streets.
You tell me if anything's coming,well, roads clear? Come on all
right, wear roses bloom of squirelightand the lark takes his flight by sam
little sea. She'll always be unlessyou reciting us for him. Oh,
(09:05):
just something I made up, andit sounds kind of like a poem.
Maybe it is. Maybe it isn'tfunny to see you stop. They'll hear
you here. What a right theretoo, young ladies. We got y'all
a hair time putty camp. Funnylittle dog looks like a cat puller.
They clam could eat him in oncefor a while. I did down stopper
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much have joll and nikel running now? Af you got that little bird walking?
Hurry? Jenner said, hurry thenwhat y'all say? Y'all rush for
I got plenty of time. Howclose are they Jennerson, ladies at twenty
feet Miss so Williams kept pulling onit. Tell my handles most warm through
my hide. You better not letslop you're that awful looking dogs little dog
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better not nick the old man clamhere just stopp jeifacious darling come to mothers
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you all right, Lola, isn'tbig hearty beat himself? Snock? Hey,
you plays that out of a loghim and it's his dog getting it
Lordon, ma'am, what you liketo get my hand done? Might have
him arrested? Tom precious, precious, Oh it's Willie. It's Willy who
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come behind a head. Now he'sgone. We gotta be getting along home,
but he's tough. H h Genesis. Isn't she wonderful? Hey,
Genesis? Did you ever see anyonelike her? Genesis? Hu Les call
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you sweet heart, you lesser love? Lie le me called? Isn't that
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awful? When I said a weekago this was my house, it was
a gross exaggeration. My daughter's guest, Miss Lola Pratt, now occupies the
house. She and a pack ofboys and follower like flies after Honey.
The worst of the bunch is atbacks boy, the one with a crack
tenor. Every night he sits onmy porch in a full dress suit.
(12:05):
It's pretty big for him, andI'll bet it's he's old man's. Well.
I lie here on my bed,which is about all the space left
me in my own house, tryingto sleep. But it's no use.
I used to think the Katie didwith the dullest insects you had to listen
to on a summer night, Butthat was before Miss Trapp moved in on
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us. Really, we don't haveto be so quiet just because he's so
indifferent. Oh, but I'm notan indifferent miss tratt plish, I'm not
who the jersey, just as hewas indifferent. Echo, boy, that's
is indifferent. Isn't he stay tostop it? Isn't he a mean,
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no wicked thing precious flopping? Well? I suppose I am indifferent to most
girls. Well it's forgiven'tes it?A boy? That's the Nike imitation of
doll and flopp it again, dolland flop it? Oh my soul,
how did he learn such marvelous,marvelous invitations of duln plopp it? He
(13:16):
ought to go on the big,big stage and be a really anter,
wasn't he dollin flopped? He couldn'tmake millions and millions of dollar di couldn't
he Darlin flopp it? I hardlywould care to adopt the stage for a
career, would you? It's mydream? It was wonderful for you to
(13:39):
say that to me. I shallnever forget it. You would make a
glorious actress. Oh for hiven sake, good boy, back the time to
vocss tonnel flopp it No, nottiplap no, No, I mean it?
But but what what comes you thinkabout actors and actresses making love to
(14:03):
each other on the stage. Doyou think they have to really feel it
or do they just pretend? Well, sometimes one way, sometimes yes,
but how can they pretend like that? Don't you think love is a sacred
thing? Miss Pratt? I do? I think love is the most sacred
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thing there is. I don't meansome kinds of love. I mean real
love. You take some people,I don't believe they even know what real
love means. They talk about itmaybe, but they don't understand it.
Love is something nobody can understand unlessthey feel it. And if they don't
understand it, they don't feel it. Don't you think so? Love is
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something nobody can ever have but onetime in their lives. And if they
don't have it, then why probablythey never will. Don't you think so?
I think real love is sacred?Don't you Don't you think love is
the most sacred thing there is?That is, if it's real love.
I do. I'm glad you feelthat it like that, because I think
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real love is the kind nobody couldhave but just once in their lives.
Because because the real love a manfeels for a girl and a girl for
a man, if they really loveeach other. You look at a case
like that, of course they wouldboth love each other, it wouldn't be
real love. Well, what Isay is, if it's real love,
well it's it's sacred, because Ithink that kind of love is always sacred.
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Don't you think love is sacred ifit's the real thing? Won't take
avoid that kid, You'll stop itagain? He help it? He is
flop it one or sea? Jane? Do I have to practice much longer?
(16:06):
Mother, until you're hours up?Now try it again? One?
Two, one, two, threeor one. You gotta do something about
that, child. I cannot stand. You've been gone all morning, Willie.
I thought your father mentioned it breakfastthat he expected you to put in
at least two hours a day onyour geography. Neither here nor there,
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Mother, I just want to saythis. If you don't want to do
something about Jane, I will justlook at her, I ask you.
That's the way she looked half anhour ago out on the public sidewalk in
front of the house when I cameby here with miss Pratt. That was
pleasant, wasn't it to be walkingwith a lady on the public street and
meet a member of my family lookinglike that? All lovely? Jane doesn't
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look so disreputable. Come, Willy, you're interrupting her pianoist. Why do
I tell you the rest? Andshe she hollered at Lee. Whether she
hollered, oh Willie. She hollered, oh Willie at me? Anybody'd think
I was about six years old?She hollered, oh Willy. And she
rubbed her stomach and flushed apple sauceall over her face. And she kept
hollering Willy with her mouth full.Willy love good bread and butter and apple
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sauce and chugger. I bet youwish you had some, Willie. You
did eat some the other day.You had a whole lot. E did.
Every time you get hush up?She kept following us. Mother,
She followed us, hollering, Willie, tell it so wonder we didn't go
deep. And just look at hermother. I don't see how you can
stand it, to have her goingaround like that, and people knowing it's
your child. Why she hasn't gotenough on this very hot weather. I
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really don't think people notice a kid. I guess miss Pratt noticed hot weather.
There's no excuse for it, foroutright obesity. I ask you to
look at her back. You cansee her spinal cord column spinal column?
Willy, what do I care?Which is if people aren't supposed to go
around with it exposed? Whichever itis, with apple sauce on the look,
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I just ask, you know,look it. That's the sight I
have to meet. When I'm outwalking with miss Pratt. She asked me
who it Wasn't mother, I wishyou'd seen her face. She wanted to
know who that curious child was.And I'm glad you didn't hear the way
she said it. Who is thatcurious child? She saidn't. I had
to tell her it was my sister. I had to tell miss Pratt it
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was my only sister. Uh really, who is miss Pratt? I don't
think I really masked on her?And to West four side, Chausen almost
came off. She's visiting Miss madePatcher, but the patas offul tired of
her, so we should go home. But they don't like to tell her.
So now, if you don't punishher, it's because you've lost your
sense of duty. No no,wait, really, Jane doesn't mean to
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hurt your feelings. You stand thereand allow her to speak as she did
of one of the oh the noblest, one of the noblests. Oh,
Jane didn't mean anything. Now,don't get so upset about this, will
I said, ye, God,what made you say that? Where did
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you hear such things? Well?I was there, you were where Jane
at departures? Oh? I see, yesterday afternoon, Miss Parcher had a
Sunday school class for lemonade and cookies. Oh did you hear Miss parshern't wait?
Too many cookies, I guess maybe. Anyways, Ms Parcher said,
I better lay down, lie down. Yes, I'm I'm the sofa in
the library. And missus Parcher andmister Parcher came in there and sat down
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after a while, and it waskind of dark, and they didn't hardly
notice me. And mister Partet said, since Ms Patt came to this,
there wasn't anywhere he could go becauseWillie Baxter and Johnny Watson and Joe Bullet
and Ms. Pratt were always arguingsomething about love and made him just sick
of the stomach. And he saidWillie was the worst rush And he said
he couldn't sit even in the library, but he had to hear either Willie
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Baxter or Joe Bullet or somebody orother arguing about love. He said,
Mama, he said he couldn't standthose Jane. You mustn't say such things
we Mama. Mister Potter said it. She said, you couldn't stand those
James. No matter what he said, you mustn't repeat. But I'm not,
I only said. Mister Poston saidhe couldn't stand those for Parma,
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Hush, you must never never usesuch a terrible and wicked word. I
won't, Mama. Oh, Iknow, I'll say word and stead.
Won't that be all right? Isuppose so well. Mister Ponton said he
couldn't stand those word boys. Thatsounds a right, doesn't it, Mamma?
I suppose to. Well. Theykind of talked along. Mister Panta
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said, when he was young,he wasn't any such a word fool as
the young word fools were. Hesaid, in all his born days,
Willie Bescher was a word of foolhe ever saw. That was very unjust
and very wrong of mister Parcher.Missus Parture said he oughtn't to say this
word. Mama. She said,hush, hush to her. Mama.
He talked like this, Mama.He said, I'll be worded if I
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stand it, and he kept gettingcrosser and crosser, and he said,
word word word. That's what'll do, James. We'll go on with your
practicing. Now try that exercise again, one two or one two. Gabb
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jab jab jabber jabgebigeb on and on. That's the way these young folks talk,
same things over every night, likefinger exercises. No sense, no
rhyme, no reason, just jabberjabby Jabberjebbijever. Wonder what they find to
talk about? Anesis Jenesis. Iwant to ask you something once that look,
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Willie, seems like us ice camein that was gone freeze, Genesis,
how old were you when you weremarried? Well, Sir, I
had three children when I was twenty. I had two when I was eighteen
two, Way Jane, Genesis,how old were you when you had the
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first one? I was just yourage, Miss William. Yes, I
was seventeen, Oh Genesis, whatbecame of the one that was born when
you were seventeen? Am? Aswell as I? I never didn't know
was it a buy or a girl? It seemed like it must have been
a boy. In Miss Jane barI think must be dead by now,
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good, many of'em dead and whatI know is dead. Hees my reckon
through genesis. How old were youwhen you were marrying me? Well,
uh, that pens I recollect.I was married once in Louisville. Well
I heard of people getting married evenyounger than you were. Yeah, you
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take India for instance. Why theyget married in India when we are twelve
and even seven and eight years old, Well they do not. The mothers
in college would't let him, andI wouldn't want to anyway. I suppose
you've been to India know all aboutit. No matter that there was a
young couple got married in Pennsylvania theother day. The girl was only fifteen
and the man was sixteen. Itwas in the papers, and their parents
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consented and said it was a goodthing. And there was a case in
four River, Massachusetts where the youngman eighteen years old married a woman forty
one years old. It was inthe papers too. And I heard of
another case somewhere in Ioway. Boybegan shaving when he was thirteen and shaved
every day for four years. Nowhe's got a full beard, and he's
gonna get married this year because he'seighteen years old. Joe Bullet's got a
(23:41):
cousin, Ioway that knows about thiscase. He knows the girl, this
fellow with the beard's gonna marry,and he says he expects it'll turn out
the best thing could have happened.And right here in our own county there
were eleven couples married in the lastsix months under twenty one years of age.
Gunners Cleco impacts Miss Willie land name. What puzzles me is how your
member matter? You don't collect himbecause me now, I couldn't collect him
(24:03):
in the first place. Don't evenof us could It wouldn't be no good
to me because I couldn't recollect him. Well, it's so hard if you
kind of get the hang of it. Genesis, I always did have a
pretty good memory, said the mostforgettabley she ever heard of. Said,
you can't remember anything too minute?Are you hush? Genesis? Do you
(24:25):
remember when you were married? Genesis? Tennisis how'd you feel about it?
I mean, were you sort ofshaky, for instance, as if you
were taking an important step in life? Let me see, I've don't mighty
shakey. Once I recollect at thetime a man starts shooting at me from
(24:49):
behind a snake fence. Shoot,What did you do that for? Nothing?
To know? Why? Well downto shoot at somebody, and they
pick on me because as the handis well ice creamed, all fresh,
like I bought it, throw itin the kitchen. He must have been
(25:12):
sixteen, whim rely when he wasmarried. Things you don't understand you running
the house gone Jane gone e three, Willie Baxter, Lola Pratt in the
(25:33):
heat. I'm slowly losing my reason. Morning I discovered my tobacco box behind
a bench in the backyard. WhenI took the lid off the box and
found a faded rose girl's silver shoe, buckle of tortoiseshell hairpin, white ribbon,
faintly smelling of violets, three witheredpoorly clover clovers, other vegetation now
(25:55):
indistinguishable, and a note on lavenderpaper addressed to Icho boy Baxter, What
echo sanity I still have left?I owder a sudden appearance this evening of
a small, frank faced child munchingon a piece of bread and butter and
apples, sauce and powdered sugar.Mister Potter's, Oh, mister Potter,
that afternoon, mister partre, afternoonmister Partcher, my brother Willie's been at
(26:19):
your house all afternoon. I supposeso, Miss mister Parcher, my brother
Willy isn't coming back to your houseto night. He doesn't know it yet.
What will He isn't gonna spend anymore. He's moves at your house at
all. He isn't, but hedoesn't know it yet. Are you sure
he isn't? I know it?Isn't it kind of kind of something I
told Mama. I told your mamawhat what you said? And what about
(26:42):
about Willie? You know, no, I don't. It was when I
was laying in the library that dayof a Sunday school class. You and
missus Parker was talking in there aboutmissus Bratton, Willi and everything. Good
heavens, did you hear all ofYes, I told Mama all what you
said, Murder. I guess it'sgood I did, because look, that's
the very reason Mama did something.So he can't come anymore except in daytime.
(27:04):
Hmm. He hasn't found out yet, uh found out? What pleased?
He hasn't found out. He can'tcome back to your house tonight,
nor tomorrow night, nor day aftertomorrow night because your Mama's gonna tell him.
You can't, oh, mis departure. She just did something. What
what'd you do? Well, it'sa secret, or I should tell you
the first part of it, upto where the secret begins, I expect
(27:26):
do. Well, it's about somethingWilly has been wearing. I can't tell
you what you were because well,that's the secret. But he had him
on him every evening when he cameto see Miss Pratt. They belonged to
Possa and Papa doesn't know a wordabout it. Yeah, I thought he
didn't. Well, one evening Papawanted to put him on Sma couldn't find
him, and she ramaged and Rubminstonnever did find him until don't you believe?
(27:51):
I saw William inside of him onlylast night. So I told Mama
and she said it has to bea secret. So that's why I can't
tell you what they were. Wellthis action, I was with her in
Willy's rooming. Yes, yes,well there she found them under Willie's winds
of seats, all folded up.I found what well, I told it's
a secret. So she wrapped thesecret up and we took it to a
(28:11):
tailor and she told him to makeit bigger, because then old tit top
again, mister Patcher, she said, you must let the secret way way
out. So I guess Willie lookedkind of funny in it after at six.
And anyway, mister Parture, thesecret won't be home from the tailors
for two weeks, and they'd beabout by that time, Miss Pratt'll be
gone. Do you honestly think so? Weymss departure Mama said, or she
(28:32):
said, She's sure Willy wouldn't comehere in the evening anymore when you're home,
mis departure. Fact, she's beenwearing a secret every night. This
way, he wouldn't like to comeand not have the secret on. I
suppose that's what you meant when yousaid he wasn't coming back, but UH
didn't know it yet. Oh yes, mister Partcher, I am know your
last name, of course, butI'm afraid i've forgotten your other one.
There. Well, it's Jane,Jane, Jane. I should like to
(28:56):
do something for you. Oh ifthat's all I had, Miss Departure,
well, I guess I'm from home. Goodbye, Jane. And I'm afraid
little Jane has her first bow.A gentleman is going to send her a
five pound box of candy. Andthat gentleman's name is Henry Partcher. You
(29:33):
are listening to a Pobs presentation ofHorse and Wells and the Mercury Theater on
the air, in an original adaptationof Booth Tarkington seventeen. The performance will
continue after a brief intermission. Thisis the Columbia Broadcasting System. Well,
(30:11):
we've got still a new border atdeparture house. Beside Lolla Pratt and her
usual string, there's Joe Bullet's cousin, George, whom out of town.
George has an excellent appetite. He'sgoing out today with a crowd on a
picnic. Well, we'll have onemealing piece, hollis solaced. Pass the
(30:44):
corn, Johnny, Hey, Iwant some of those cucumber pickles. Say,
who's hiding the gravy? George justwants a spork? Go next to
walk? Anybody lost? Somebody losthis girl friend? He has anybody seen
Willie Baxter's girl? You think Willywas at a feuder? Him mouth,
Joe Bullet, it's kind of sicktoo. What's your voting for? Joe?
Not teasing boy? Why aren't yousitting next to Lola. Willie God,
(31:06):
dry up, won't you? Shelooks kind of occupied. Joe cousins
rushing fast chicken? Will you murder? You've had three helpings already. Why
aren't you eating, Willie cousin?I'm not hungry, That's why me I
can't keep up with Joe's cousins.Look at that, Georgie. Why did
you have to invite the big lommacksfor Joe? How as I know George
is gonna hod Lola and he hisfool head off. Oh look at that
(31:30):
goop. I tell you I'm gonnastop. They want to snuggle j big
Matt. Stop that, uncle George, Why you bet I do? Lola.
Dogs are always crazy about me,dogs and children. I don't know
why it is, but they justtake right to little Georgie. Stop it
looks through choking, toning and drape. Enormous man's now, well, he
(31:52):
does look kind of small compared withgood old George. Well, I always
was a good deal, bigger thanthe fellas I went with, why it
is? But I was always kindof quicker too, as it were.
Take me in an automobile, NowI got a racing car. Hold Georgia,
George liked racing there, Lola,I'd like to have you see how
I handle that little racing car.Girls over home they say they like to
(32:16):
go out with me just to watchthe way I handle it. They say
it ain't so much just to ride, but more the way I handle that
little car. Yes, I don'tknow why it is, but that's what
to say. We'll pass me morepotatoes, Lola. Whoo you call stop
it? Watch don't, George,Georgia can't eat normous? Good? Why
I haven't seen the start? Heyhere, don't take out that pie.
(32:37):
I'll finish the platter. Stop itand ate a Georgie three pieces of pie.
George only wish I had something totop it off with, like champagne
or ice cream. I would youlike a smoke, George? They I
don't smoke papers and old carpets,not me. Oo, but take red
(32:58):
so lovely smell. George made atoo low voice of smoking. Oh now
it's not that, Lola. Ionly smoke cigars gars. Oh plendid h
one Uncle George like one ever andever so quick. Oh well, uh
yeah, I forgot my cigar case. Hey, George, here's some cigars
(33:20):
Cubans sweethearts. Oh cubans sweetheart slunted. Just see cubans sweethearts. Uh thanks
Baxter. Let one night one Lookeverybody light big man can't be happy enough
to have it to BacT of smoke, Why said George? Oh boy,
(33:40):
that's good. That's the old That'swhat I was looking for. What everybody
now? Georgicum drinks enormous pasty.That's it now? Another one? Another
one? Sure, Feezerine not wantGeorgia drake the enormous pass tough hard Georgica.
(34:08):
Another one just the second. Idon't stop Georgia, make d they
pass the precious flopping. But Ican't. I guess I better go outside
for a minute, just a minute. What's wrong with George? Come on,
Willy, we gotta take care ofhim. Maybe he needs a doctor.
(34:29):
Ah, you take care of him. The big Lammas is your cousin
echoboy backstairs? Yes, Lola,you don't ever talk to a little Lola
so indifferent today? Well, Lola, ge do let's talk about it.
(34:51):
Take precious flop it, hold themnice and cozy. Stop it, love,
old friend, best stop the preciousflapped it love. That's with God.
That's just back to them any onenow, well, I guess the
(35:22):
happy days in side. Saturday night, we're giving a farewell party a departure
household for Lola Pratt our weekend guestwho stayed for the summer. Never has
a party meant so much to needas this one. Farewell party. Farewell
Lola, farewells, Silly Boys,mixed quartets, Farewell Willie Baxter. Farewell
(35:45):
party. Father. Yes, Willy, dear me, Willy, you do
look pale. You've got to restup for the party. Saturday. Father,
I suppose you got this prad tafelyhome from church. You might have
been carried off five footpads if youthree boys hadn't been long to take care
(36:06):
of. Uh huh, Father,I have come to want on Earth's the
matter with you? Father? Ihave come. I have come to place
before you something I think it's yourduty as my father to undertake. And
I have thought over this step beforelaying it before you. So at my
(36:28):
age, there's some things that oughtto be done and some things that ought
not to be done. If youask me what I thought ought to be
done, there's only one answer.When anybody as old as I am has
to go out among other young menhis own age that already got one,
like any way, half of themhave who I go with, and their
fathers have already taken such a stepbecause they felt it was the only right
(36:49):
thing to do. Because at myage and the young men I go with
age, it is the only rightthing to do, because that is something
nobody could deny at my age.I have thought over this because there comes
a time to every young man whenthey must lay a sip before their father
before something happens that they would besorry for. I have thought this undertaking
(37:09):
over, and I am certain itwould be your honest duty. I thought
I knew you pretty well, butyou talk like a stranger to me.
Now, what's all this? Whatdo you want? Address? Suit?
A dress suit? Oh? I'mglad you're talking about something, because I
honestly thought it must be too much, sun father. I got to have
(37:31):
one, got to at your age. I thought I was lucky if I
had any suit it was fit tobe seen in. You're too young,
Willie. I don't want you toget anything like that on such stuff on
your mind, and if I haveto, if I have my way,
you won't have a dress suit forfour years more. Anyhow, father,
I got to have one. Igot to have one right away. I
(37:52):
don't ask you to have it madeor to go to expensive tailors, but
says plenty are good, ready madeonce. It only costs about forty dollars
to advertise in the paper. Father, Oh, I wouldn't you spend just
forty dollars. I'll pay it backwhen I'm in business, I'll work,
not the money done. It's theprinciple that I'm standing for, and I
don't intend. Father. Won't youdo it? Nope? I will not.
(38:16):
Oh ye god, oh, poorboy? He won't feel like going
to the party in his everyday clothes. Poor boy nothing think of his coming
out here and starting a regular debatingsociety declamation before his mother and father.
Hmm, I guess he can wearthe kind of clothes most of the other
boys were. What's the world gettingto be like? Seventeen years old?
(38:38):
And his froze a fit because hecan't have a dress suit. Mother,
My, really, dear, youlook worn out? What's the matter?
(38:58):
Mother? I want to speak toyou. Well, First, you better
each your supper. I left iton the table. I want to speak
to you about something important. Yes, Willy Oh, please send Jane away.
I can't talk about important things witha child in the room. Oh,
Momma, do I have to gojust a few minutes, Dear mother?
Hmmm, Mother, I want toask you please to lend me three
(39:21):
dollars and sixty cents? What's for? Willy? Mother? I just ask
you to lend me three dollars andsixty cents. Mother, I don't feel
I can discuss it any I simplyask you, will you lend me three
dollars and sixty cents? I don'tthink I could, Willy, but certainly
I should want to know what's for? Mother. I am going on eighteen
years of age, and when Iasked for a small sum of money like
(39:43):
three dollars and sixty cents, Ithink I might be trusted to know how
to use it for my own goodwithout having to answer questions like a child.
After all, I don't think Iought to, Dear, and I'm
sure your father wouldn't wish me to. Unless you tell me what you wanted
for, you won't do it,you see, Dear, I'm afraid the
reason you'd don't tell me is becauseyou know that I wouldn't give it to
you. If I knew what shewanted it for. Now, sit down
(40:05):
and eat your supper. He mustn'tbe late to the party. But well,
Reilly, where are you going?I don't want any supper and I'm
not going to the party. Wella full thing, oh Mama, Yes,
Jane, I was hiding behind thedoors. Why I could hear everything?
Now, Jane, you know youshouldn't do that. Mama had to
im why Willy asked her for themoney? Jenesis told me, Jane,
(40:28):
what's the Genesis tell you? Firstof all, Billy didn't come home today
because he was counting not holes andshingles. He was washed. Yes,
I'm Jenesis knows all about it.This lumber yard man got into some kind
of a fuss because he has boughtmillions and millions of shingles. Mama,
that had too many knots in andthe man don't want to pay for him.
Well, the story bought him won'ttake him back. And they've got
(40:49):
to prove how many shingles are badshingles or something. And anyway, Mama,
that's what Willy's doing. Every timehe comes to a bad shingle,
Mama, he puts it somewhere else. And every time he puts a thousand
bad shingles in this other place,they give him six cents. Good gracious,
Oh, but that's nothing, Mama, just waiting to hear the rest.
That's part of them. Anything istall, Mama. You wouldn't hardly
notice that part of it that youknew the other part of it, Mama.
(41:12):
Jane. Yes'm I want to knoweverything Genesis told you, and I
want you to tell it as quicklyas you can. Well, I am
telling it, Mama. I'm justbeginning to tell us. I can't tell
him less. There's a beginning.Can I try your best to go on,
Jane, Yes, I'm will Willieneeded some money, bad new and
Papa wouldn't give many, and sohe began comping. She was to stay
cause the nice it's nice of theparty, and you just have to have
(41:34):
it. How did Genesis know that? Did Willy tell Jennerson? Mama,
Genesis knows all about a second handstar over on the Avenue and it keeps
most everything, And Jennison says it'sthe nicest store. And Jenesis says,
this man is a barin'st man ofthe whole wide world. Mama. Well,
and so this man's name is oneEyed Belgious, Mama, that's his
name. And Jennsis said, so, one eye bel just told Genesis that
(41:57):
Willie came in there and tried onthe court to one of those ways suit.
Oh no, less him, andone eyed Bell just told Willie that
suit was worth fourteen dollars, andwill he said he didn't have any money.
Well, and so he bargained andbargained and bargained. And then after
they bargained and bargained, one eyedel just said, well, he should
give him three dollars and sixty centswe're willing to pay before he'd get the
suits. Well, and so theworst private is Jenesis says, the suit
(42:21):
is haunted. What listen? Jenesissays that suit is haunted. Jennie says,
everybody over on the avenue knows allabout that suit, and he says
that such why one Eyed Dell justcould never sell it before Jennis says,
one Eyed Dell just try to sellit to a colored man for three dollars.
The man said he wouldn't put iton for three hundred dollars, and
Jenesis says he wouldn't either, becausehe would it belonged to a weight of
(42:44):
it, said, Mamma. Thiswaiter he lived over on the avenue,
and he took a case knife hesharpened, and he cut off a lady's
head with suit and he got hung. Mamma, if you don't believe that,
you're gonna ask one eyed doll justI guess he knows. And he
sold this girl to one eyebail justwhen he was in jail, Mama.
He sold the tool before he gothome, Mama. Hush, Jane.
(43:06):
And he had that too down whenhe cut the lady's head off, Mama.
And that's why it's haunted. Theycleaned it all up except for a
few little spots, Jane. Hemust not talk about such things, and
Genesis mustn't tell you stories of thatsort. Well, how could he help
it if he told me about willingnever mind? Did that crazy? Did
Willy bring that suit into this house? Yes, Mama. Well, I'm
going right down to mister Belgisa's.He'll turn back Willie's money or I'll have
(43:29):
him arrested. Arrested, Mama,Can I go along? No? No,
you stay here and finish the dishes, Oh dear Jane, Jane,
Yesterday I took your papa's evening clothesback to the tailor to get them pressed,
and well, I guess he musthave misunderstood, because he took them
weigh in again, and now they'remuch too tight for Papa. They they
(43:50):
just about st Willie, I guess. So there they are hanging in the
hall closet upstairs, all pressed.But don't tell anyone what I said,
Jane, Oh no, Mama reallyoh weary mm hmm, Magic matterns music,
(44:16):
Summer Nights, Farewell, Potting Farewell, Summer Farewell. Lola Pratt,
Farewell, Lola Prat, Lola LolaOld. I gotta have a dance,
ye, I got it, LordEcho boys to naughty some later, Lola,
(44:40):
Lola little dance pod. Also thatI couldn't help, but Lolanas I
couldn't it. Sorry, Lola Thomas, I can do all. Listen to
the second luller hell please myself,little parl. Johnny you look here,
(45:07):
Johnny and Joe you listened to.You both got seven dances a piece with
it all on account of night gettinghere early enough, and listen, you
got well, it wasn't because ofany such reasons. I asked her for
mine two days the life wasn't fair? Was it just because I never thought
of sneaking in a head like that? You're going you are to have thought
of it. I got sat heregabbing all night, Joe, Joe,
(45:29):
I've done a good many favorites foryou. I gotta go and see a
man. I'll let him go,Willie, Joe, somebody I got to
see right away before the next dancebegins. Honest, I have he got
cashould wait a minute, You've gotto give me anyway? Two on all
the dances? What did you?You heard her tell me yourself that she'd
be willing if you were Johnny.I only got five or six with her,
and a couple of extras. Johnny'sgot seven, and Joe Joe,
(45:50):
let me if I'd got six regularand two extras with miss Pratt last night?
And you got here late, andit wasn't your fault. I couldn't
help him late? Could I wasn'tmy fault. I was late. I
guess wasn't well. If I wasin your place, I wouldn't act away
You and Johnny do not in athousand years. I wouldn't. I say,
you want a couple of my danceswith miss pratt ole Man, certainly,
Yes, you would not look here. Don't you realize this is the
(46:13):
very last night of us that's gonnabe a this child? You bet I
do it? Joe, You andI have been friends ever since you and
I were poisoned. When I lookback, I expect I had done more
favorous for you than for anyone else. Joe, there's other girls here.
You can get dances with one twoof them sitting around the yard. You
can have a bully time even ifyou did come late. Joe, Joe,
(46:35):
you gotta give me anyway. Onelook. Look, Sitneyandro runs that
tree all by herself. That's avisiting girl named this boat. He's a
little fast. Well, I betyou's a good dancer, Nate Patterer said.
So, she was trying to getme a dancer with it myself.
But I couldn't do. I wouldn'tdo. I would have no. I
gotta go bill, I got nowait, I got oh no, right,
(47:02):
hey, mother, Yes, dear, look at that Baxter boy.
Once we got ahold of his father'sdress suit again, how do you know
what's he's father's That's a secret betweenmiss Jane Baxter, myself say that boy's
face has more genuine idiocy in itthan I have seen around here yet,
and I've been seeing some miracles inthat line this summer. He's looking at
(47:23):
Lola Prat. Yeah, that's thetrouble with him. Why doesn't he quit
looking at it? I think probablyhe feels badly because he's dancing as one
of the other boys. Of coursehe ought to be dancing with somebody.
There are one or two more girlhere than boys. He's the only boy
not dancing. I believe I'll leavingwith you, ma'am. Don't you want
(47:52):
to dance? Ma'am? Don't youwant to dance? Have you looked around
for the girls out a poplar girl? You come with me, I'll fix
you up. But ma'am, Igot miss both because this is mister Baxter.
He and you both came late yearand he hasn't any dancers and gazing
(48:12):
there, so running dance and havea nice time together. Well, it's
both. May I have this dancewith you? Miss Both? Hollie?
Please God, Oh, you mustn'tbe discouraged with yourself, mister Baxter.
(48:45):
You know I've met lots of menthat had trouble to get started and turned
out for the right good dancers afterall. Yeah, well, if seeks
to me, we're kind of workinga goods each other. I'll tell you
you kind of let me do theguiding and I'll get you going. Fid
(49:06):
uh? Why too? Why's there? No? I just love dancing,
don't kill mister baster. Why it'sa beautiful floor for dancing, isn't it.
(49:29):
I just love dancing. Don't youlove it? Mister basket? It's
lovely? Oh dear, I hopethey don't play Home, Sweet Home very
early at parties in this town.I could keep going like this all night.
I think those musicians would be dead. Uh, let's let's go out
(49:49):
of the course, mister. Justlook at those stars. Aren't they just
galorious? Yeah? You can sitcloser. Come over here. You know
(50:12):
we used to dance a lot upat the lake. It's the floor like
this is tonight gets it all theearly enough and as nice as lore as
I ever danced on. Of course, there weren't so many men like this's
here tonight, And I must sayI am glad to dance with a man
again. Why what a shinn'dig?Mother Genesis adds just the right touch with
(50:40):
that wis you for I'll bet it'sborrowed too well. Everyone's having a grand
time except that Baxter boy. I'vebeen watching him all evening and I never
saw a true misery show cleaner.But George, I've begun to feel sorry
for him. Can't you trot upto someone else who can get away from
that fat girl. I've tried,and I've tried, and I've tried.
(51:04):
Well, do something. We don'twant to find him in the cistern in
the morning. I know I'll makeMay and Lola in their partners come and
sit in this little circle of chairshere. Then I'll go and bring Willy
and this boat to sit with them. I'll give Willy to see that Lola's
left. You'll keep the chairs andtell Jennifers to get busy with the sandwiches.
(51:39):
Naughty Echo boys Lola's last night andNicole Boy Baster flirting flirt all night
was dray big girl, Lola La. If you Lola saw that by Baster
under draped red tree flirtens twite redgirls flirting all night was grased enormously tros
(52:05):
my fault dot dunting said, boy, what made you come? Would be
so trouse. Don't go talk toa nice man who glad to talk to
her. Lola, Lola, naughtyboy, back to troll. I down
(52:30):
to Josie Wolsey, tromm, Josie. Let's get started, mister Baxter,
before the floor gets crowded. Don'tlet's waste a single moment. You know
when I need a person who steppedfist in his mind the way yours does,
mister Baxter. I left it downstraight fla. Dear Lola, dearest
(53:15):
Lola. Just after you left,I went up to my room and began
writing this poem to you, Lola. I want you to keep it with
you always. The sunset light fadesin tonight. But now will I forget
(53:38):
the smile that haunts me? Yet? Walla, walla? What do I
kill me alone? It's willy?Is your proper? No, it's willy.
You do everything I don't? Afterme a smile that haunts me?
(54:01):
Still? What E're my name andstation? Whilst receiving my education? So
far away you seem I will seeTHEE in my dream some gut like this?
Now? What was it all tojoin? Did walking? What stop
(54:21):
that? Putting your stomach out infront of you like that. It's disgraceful.
It doesn't he like a Jane.I don't know. It doesn't like
much of anything. I will seethee in a dream, Signed William Baxter,
Darling. When you read this poem, you'll really understand me and remember
I shall be your echo, boyBaxter, always and always just for you.
(54:45):
That isn't a Jane. No,I told you five time. Is
my brother Willie. It's kind ofcrazy, as she thought. He's in
love with miss Pressed. Just park. You're pretty near dying, she says,
A long I'll see to you.Ah, I don't right here.
You get out of here, hearme, You'll get out of here.
(55:05):
I won't. I won't. Youcan't trust me? Yeah, I will?
Are you you ugly stute, greatstreet tail little girl? You?
Yes, sir, that's what hecalled her. I was standing on the
(55:27):
porch at the time, and Iheard it with my own ears. Well,
so that was a long time ago, ten years since the Cursed Heads
moved in Doc Watson's house next door. Lot of strange things happen in ten
years. For instance, you'd neverbelieve it when I tell you. Willie
Baxter, aged twenty seven, isfinally doing a sensible thing. He's doing
(55:51):
the only sensible thing he ever didin his life. Yes, sir,
he's doing it right this minute.Over at the Stone Church on Grove Street.
He's standing kind of straight, hishead up at the end of a
long aisle. There's a fine lookinggirl got hold of his arm. Uh
Rannie's not got pigtails any more,but she's still got good sense and that's
(56:15):
something Willie can count on for therest of his life. Ladies and gentlemen,
(56:42):
you've been listening to seventeen, notthe celebrated stage play, but the
Mercury Theater's own adaptation of the BoothTarkington story to Night. The cast included
Ray Collins as mister Potscher, RayCollins, one of the Mercury's unstarred stars,
(57:02):
and Mary Wick's another as Missus Parcher, Joseph Carton as Genesis, Betty
Gard as Missus Baxter, Ruth Fordas the baby talk Girl, Marilyn Thurskin
as Jane Elliot Red as cousin George, and Patty Chapman as Rannie. William
(57:29):
Sylvanus Baxter was probably all too recognizable. And finally, because the Mercury is
often inclined that way and sometimes can'thelp it, And chiefly because he was
kind enough to be party to thismoment of good old fashioned theater sentiment.
Joe Bullet, William Baxter's best friend, was played again tonight by one of
(57:53):
the Mercury Theater's foremost and finest actors, mister Morgan Farley. Read is the
part in the stage play next week, inevitably and because it's about time,
mister Jules Burne's immortal romance about theman who kept his word, who watched
(58:15):
the clock and lived up to it. Phineas Fogg, Paspertoo, the beautiful
Indian Princess, and a thousand otherhighly recognizable characters who I'm sure you've already
identified with around the world in EightyDays good Night. In tonight's Mercury Theater
(59:14):
broadcast, The orchestra was conducted byBernard Herman, and Davidson Taylor supervised the
production for CBS. This is danSeymour speaking. We invite you again to
listen next week to orson Wells andthe Mercury Theater on the air in around
the World in eighty Days by JulesVerne. This is the Columbia Broadcasting system
Theater on the Air. The ColumbiaBroadcasting System brings you the fifteenth program in
(00:27):
its weekly dramatic series featuring Orson Wellsand the Mercury Theater on the Air,
the brilliant producing company which has beenacclaimed by critics throughout the nation for giving
to radio the same youth stimulus theybrought the Broadway. This evening, our
play is an adaptation of a modernclassic booth Tarkington seventeen, with Orson Wells
(00:48):
in the part of William Sylvanus baxters. But first the word from the director
of the Mercury Theater, the writer, star, and producer of these broadcasts.
Orson Wells, no men and explainthe mystery and misery of being seventeen,
that period which is almost a fullstop in the involved sentence of a
man's life, when every man's universehas growing pains, and every man is
(01:15):
his own hamlet. Both Tarkington hasleft as a perspective of this sharp condition
of human agony, so true andbrutal and beguiling that posterity will understand William
Sylvanus Baxter, long after a newand easy world has forever abolished the institution
(01:38):
of adolescence, my name's Parcher,Henry Partcher. I live on Maple Street,
(02:07):
number forty two, wife and onedaughter, May eighteen years old.
On one side of this is DocWatson's house vacant now. On the other
is George Baxter's mister and missus andtwo children, a little girl about ten.
I forget her name, boy Willie'sseventeen. Because now we've got a
visitor, a friend of May's stayingwith us. Lola Pratt talks baby talk.
(02:32):
Well, I guess we can standit for a weekend anyway. The
young folks don't stay around the housethese days. This time. They spend
most of their time the main streetpharmacy. Hi, raight, hello everybody?
(02:54):
Oh man, I'll trek not no, I'm dead. Well, mister
Baxter, what'll it be? Makeit a banana split? Ray yours?
Missus Flett the same? Wow,boys must be flesh today. No,
we got enough. Let me callyou sweetheime, love always love. Why
(03:24):
can't songwriters write something about something else? They will? I heard Nate Potcher
is coming back to town yesterday.You don't let her for all I care?
Well, they say she's bought agirl to visit her, that she
was a regular ring dinger. Ifshe makes a little difference to me,
I guess, oh, no,it don't. You don't take any interest
in girls. Oh no, no, I do not. I never saw
(03:46):
one in my life. I caredwhether she lived or died. Oh this
is that? So yeah, Icould all die. I wouldn't notice.
I didn't know you felt that wayabout it, will I always thought you
would. Come. Hell, Ido feel that way about him. You
can tell him so for me.If you want to say, but you
look what's walking down the street.Isn't that a midparture? Ye? Say?
(04:13):
Who's that with her? Carrying theparasol? A little dog? So
that must be the girl. Isn'tshe a ring dinner? They will?
Yo, don't you want to splitto the lady with the little dog?
(04:57):
I do not know her name,though it would be the same square roses
bloom of twilight and the lark takeshis flight. So I will call her
milady by the sands of the sea. She will always be just mi lady
(05:19):
to me. William Sylvanus Backster Esquire, July fourteenth, wellait weary, ye
god er, I'll go away.Jane twenty one, Willy Marma washes,
wants to go home again. It'sjust some washups, so and again calls
(05:40):
in the second hand man store.She wants to hurry and I got some
bread, butter and apple sauce andcigar for coming to tell you. Go
away? Will you, Jane gorwill open the door. Please? All
right, mother, Carrie washtubs.That's a nice thing to ask me to
do. Eat God, get it, Joe? What mother at Dennis?
(06:00):
Wait, dear, I just wantto explain Eat God now, now just
a minute, Willy. What Iwanted to explain was why it's necessary for
you to go with Genesis? Canyou expect me to walk through the public
streets with that awful looking old coloredman? Jenesis is not? Is he?
Mama, your soul? Besides he'spractically in rags and he doesn't even
(06:21):
wear an undershirt. Now, whoon earth minds what Genesis wears? It
doesn't wear and can hand wash tubsand kim clothes, boil and say,
it's what you want your son tocarry through the public streets in broad daylight.
Eat God's well, there isn't anybodyelse. Now, please don't rave,
so William, don't say eat Godso much? It really isn't nice.
(06:42):
Now, I'm sure nobody will noticeit. Nobody, Oh no,
nobody except the whole child. Whywell, that's ething disgusting has to be
done in this battery? Why doI always have to be the one mom?
White? Ant? Genesis bring thesecond hand washtubs without me? White?
An't the second hand store deliver them? White? The second hand store
doesn't deliver things. And Jenesis sayshe can't possibly carry two tubs and a
(07:03):
wash boiler himself. Now, Idon't like to ask you, but it
really isn't much. You and Genesiscan just slip up there and just slip
up there? Ye god? Ohreally, Willie, it isn't worth you
for making all this possible. Ohno, it's nothing, nothing at all.
And Willie, dear, on yourway downtown, you might tell the
tailor to call for your father's fulldress suit. He hasn't worn it in
(07:25):
four months. It's too tight forhim, needs to be older. God
do I have to do everything inthis house? Ye? God, Mama,
what's the matter with Willie? Well, you see, Dear, he's
he's seventeen six? Must William wantJoe? You can't see where you're going
(07:57):
that tin boil over your head.I don't want to see and I don't
want to be seen. You showit's sticks and get run over. Carry's
a big tub between us like this, and you can guide me and come
on, genesisday, is there money? You're still following? Show is I'll
never stop following me yet I reckonit's the fallst dog in the world.
Well he can, Oh, don'tlet him fall through the streets. Not
(08:20):
a moth eaton margar like that's badenough to be seen carrying all this junk
man sick. Ain't nobody tell whoyou all? I watched tuble your face.
Genesis, make that dog scat.Nobody make that dog scat. I
ain't had him more than two weekswhen I don't believe president of United States.
Make a dog with falling. Keephim as far back as you can
so people won't know what's us.He's falling. Go on, claim room.
(08:43):
Then my dog careful miss with him. He was crossing the streets.
You tell me if anything's coming,well, roads clear? Come on all
right, wear roses bloom of squirelightand the lark takes his flight by sam
little sea. She'll always be unlessyou reciting us for him. Oh,
(09:05):
just something I made up, andit sounds kind of like a poem.
Maybe it is. Maybe it isn'tfunny to see you stop. They'll hear
you here. What a right theretoo, young ladies. We got y'all
a hair time putty camp. Funnylittle dog looks like a cat puller.
They clam could eat him in oncefor a while. I did down stopper
(09:28):
much have joll and nikel running now? Af you got that little bird walking?
Hurry? Jenner said, hurry thenwhat y'all say? Y'all rush for
I got plenty of time. Howclose are they Jennerson, ladies at twenty
feet Miss so Williams kept pulling onit. Tell my handles most warm through
my hide. You better not letslop you're that awful looking dogs little dog
(09:48):
better not nick the old man clamhere just stopp jeifacious darling come to mothers
(10:09):
you all right, Lola, isn'tbig hearty beat himself? Snock? Hey,
you plays that out of a loghim and it's his dog getting it
Lordon, ma'am, what you liketo get my hand done? Might have
him arrested? Tom precious, precious, Oh it's Willie. It's Willy who
(10:33):
come behind a head. Now he'sgone. We gotta be getting along home,
but he's tough. H h Genesis. Isn't she wonderful? Hey,
Genesis? Did you ever see anyonelike her? Genesis? Hu Les call
(11:07):
you sweet heart, you lesser love? Lie le me called? Isn't that
(11:43):
awful? When I said a weekago this was my house, it was
a gross exaggeration. My daughter's guest, Miss Lola Pratt, now occupies the
house. She and a pack ofboys and follower like flies after Honey.
The worst of the bunch is atbacks boy, the one with a crack
tenor. Every night he sits onmy porch in a full dress suit.
(12:05):
It's pretty big for him, andI'll bet it's he's old man's. Well.
I lie here on my bed,which is about all the space left
me in my own house, tryingto sleep. But it's no use.
I used to think the Katie didwith the dullest insects you had to listen
to on a summer night, Butthat was before Miss Trapp moved in on
(12:26):
us. Really, we don't haveto be so quiet just because he's so
indifferent. Oh, but I'm notan indifferent miss tratt plish, I'm not
who the jersey, just as hewas indifferent. Echo, boy, that's
is indifferent. Isn't he stay tostop it? Isn't he a mean,
(12:46):
no wicked thing precious flopping? Well? I suppose I am indifferent to most
girls. Well it's forgiven'tes it?A boy? That's the Nike imitation of
doll and flopp it again, dolland flop it? Oh my soul,
how did he learn such marvelous,marvelous invitations of duln plopp it? He
(13:16):
ought to go on the big,big stage and be a really anter,
wasn't he dollin flopped? He couldn'tmake millions and millions of dollar di couldn't
he Darlin flopp it? I hardlywould care to adopt the stage for a
career, would you? It's mydream? It was wonderful for you to
(13:39):
say that to me. I shallnever forget it. You would make a
glorious actress. Oh for hiven sake, good boy, back the time to
vocss tonnel flopp it No, nottiplap no, No, I mean it?
But but what what comes you thinkabout actors and actresses making love to
(14:03):
each other on the stage. Doyou think they have to really feel it
or do they just pretend? Well, sometimes one way, sometimes yes,
but how can they pretend like that? Don't you think love is a sacred
thing? Miss Pratt? I do? I think love is the most sacred
(14:24):
thing there is. I don't meansome kinds of love. I mean real
love. You take some people,I don't believe they even know what real
love means. They talk about itmaybe, but they don't understand it.
Love is something nobody can understand unlessthey feel it. And if they don't
understand it, they don't feel it. Don't you think so? Love is
(14:46):
something nobody can ever have but onetime in their lives. And if they
don't have it, then why probablythey never will. Don't you think so?
I think real love is sacred?Don't you Don't you think love is
the most sacred thing there is?That is, if it's real love.
I do. I'm glad you feelthat it like that, because I think
(15:07):
real love is the kind nobody couldhave but just once in their lives.
Because because the real love a manfeels for a girl and a girl for
a man, if they really loveeach other. You look at a case
like that, of course they wouldboth love each other, it wouldn't be
real love. Well, what Isay is, if it's real love,
well it's it's sacred, because Ithink that kind of love is always sacred.
(15:28):
Don't you think love is sacred ifit's the real thing? Won't take
avoid that kid, You'll stop itagain? He help it? He is
flop it one or sea? Jane? Do I have to practice much longer?
(16:06):
Mother, until you're hours up?Now try it again? One?
Two, one, two, threeor one. You gotta do something about
that, child. I cannot stand. You've been gone all morning, Willie.
I thought your father mentioned it breakfastthat he expected you to put in
at least two hours a day onyour geography. Neither here nor there,
(16:26):
Mother, I just want to saythis. If you don't want to do
something about Jane, I will justlook at her, I ask you.
That's the way she looked half anhour ago out on the public sidewalk in
front of the house when I cameby here with miss Pratt. That was
pleasant, wasn't it to be walkingwith a lady on the public street and
meet a member of my family lookinglike that? All lovely? Jane doesn't
(16:51):
look so disreputable. Come, Willy, you're interrupting her pianoist. Why do
I tell you the rest? Andshe she hollered at Lee. Whether she
hollered, oh Willie. She hollered, oh Willie at me? Anybody'd think
I was about six years old?She hollered, oh Willy. And she
rubbed her stomach and flushed apple sauceall over her face. And she kept
hollering Willy with her mouth full.Willy love good bread and butter and apple
(17:14):
sauce and chugger. I bet youwish you had some, Willie. You
did eat some the other day.You had a whole lot. E did.
Every time you get hush up?She kept following us. Mother,
She followed us, hollering, Willie, tell it so wonder we didn't go
deep. And just look at hermother. I don't see how you can
stand it, to have her goingaround like that, and people knowing it's
your child. Why she hasn't gotenough on this very hot weather. I
(17:37):
really don't think people notice a kid. I guess miss Pratt noticed hot weather.
There's no excuse for it, foroutright obesity. I ask you to
look at her back. You cansee her spinal cord column spinal column?
Willy, what do I care?Which is if people aren't supposed to go
around with it exposed? Whichever itis, with apple sauce on the look,
(18:02):
I just ask, you know,look it. That's the sight I
have to meet. When I'm outwalking with miss Pratt. She asked me
who it Wasn't mother, I wishyou'd seen her face. She wanted to
know who that curious child was.And I'm glad you didn't hear the way
she said it. Who is thatcurious child? She saidn't. I had
to tell her it was my sister. I had to tell miss Pratt it
(18:25):
was my only sister. Uh really, who is miss Pratt? I don't
think I really masked on her?And to West four side, Chausen almost
came off. She's visiting Miss madePatcher, but the patas offul tired of
her, so we should go home. But they don't like to tell her.
So now, if you don't punishher, it's because you've lost your
sense of duty. No no,wait, really, Jane doesn't mean to
(18:45):
hurt your feelings. You stand thereand allow her to speak as she did
of one of the oh the noblest, one of the noblests. Oh,
Jane didn't mean anything. Now,don't get so upset about this, will
I said, ye, God,what made you say that? Where did
(19:06):
you hear such things? Well?I was there, you were where Jane
at departures? Oh? I see, yesterday afternoon, Miss Parcher had a
Sunday school class for lemonade and cookies. Oh did you hear Miss parshern't wait?
Too many cookies, I guess maybe. Anyways, Ms Parcher said,
I better lay down, lie down. Yes, I'm I'm the sofa in
the library. And missus Parcher andmister Parcher came in there and sat down
(19:27):
after a while, and it waskind of dark, and they didn't hardly
notice me. And mister Partet said, since Ms Patt came to this,
there wasn't anywhere he could go becauseWillie Baxter and Johnny Watson and Joe Bullet
and Ms. Pratt were always arguingsomething about love and made him just sick
of the stomach. And he saidWillie was the worst rush And he said
he couldn't sit even in the library, but he had to hear either Willie
(19:49):
Baxter or Joe Bullet or somebody orother arguing about love. He said,
Mama, he said he couldn't standthose Jane. You mustn't say such things
we Mama. Mister Potter said it. She said, you couldn't stand those
James. No matter what he said, you mustn't repeat. But I'm not,
I only said. Mister Poston saidhe couldn't stand those for Parma,
(20:12):
Hush, you must never never usesuch a terrible and wicked word. I
won't, Mama. Oh, Iknow, I'll say word and stead.
Won't that be all right? Isuppose so well. Mister Ponton said he
couldn't stand those word boys. Thatsounds a right, doesn't it, Mamma?
I suppose to. Well. Theykind of talked along. Mister Panta
(20:33):
said, when he was young,he wasn't any such a word fool as
the young word fools were. Hesaid, in all his born days,
Willie Bescher was a word of foolhe ever saw. That was very unjust
and very wrong of mister Parcher.Missus Parture said he oughtn't to say this
word. Mama. She said,hush, hush to her. Mama.
He talked like this, Mama.He said, I'll be worded if I
(20:55):
stand it, and he kept gettingcrosser and crosser, and he said,
word word word. That's what'll do, James. We'll go on with your
practicing. Now try that exercise again, one two or one two. Gabb
(21:22):
jab jab jabber jabgebigeb on and on. That's the way these young folks talk,
same things over every night, likefinger exercises. No sense, no
rhyme, no reason, just jabberjabby Jabberjebbijever. Wonder what they find to
talk about? Anesis Jenesis. Iwant to ask you something once that look,
(21:47):
Willie, seems like us ice camein that was gone freeze, Genesis,
how old were you when you weremarried? Well, Sir, I
had three children when I was twenty. I had two when I was eighteen
two, Way Jane, Genesis,how old were you when you had the
(22:11):
first one? I was just yourage, Miss William. Yes, I
was seventeen, Oh Genesis, whatbecame of the one that was born when
you were seventeen? Am? Aswell as I? I never didn't know
was it a buy or a girl? It seemed like it must have been
a boy. In Miss Jane barI think must be dead by now,
(22:33):
good, many of'em dead and whatI know is dead. Hees my reckon
through genesis. How old were youwhen you were marrying me? Well,
uh, that pens I recollect.I was married once in Louisville. Well
I heard of people getting married evenyounger than you were. Yeah, you
(22:56):
take India for instance. Why theyget married in India when we are twelve
and even seven and eight years old, Well they do not. The mothers
in college would't let him, andI wouldn't want to anyway. I suppose
you've been to India know all aboutit. No matter that there was a
young couple got married in Pennsylvania theother day. The girl was only fifteen
and the man was sixteen. Itwas in the papers, and their parents
(23:18):
consented and said it was a goodthing. And there was a case in
four River, Massachusetts where the youngman eighteen years old married a woman forty
one years old. It was inthe papers too. And I heard of
another case somewhere in Ioway. Boybegan shaving when he was thirteen and shaved
every day for four years. Nowhe's got a full beard, and he's
gonna get married this year because he'seighteen years old. Joe Bullet's got a
(23:41):
cousin, Ioway that knows about thiscase. He knows the girl, this
fellow with the beard's gonna marry,and he says he expects it'll turn out
the best thing could have happened.And right here in our own county there
were eleven couples married in the lastsix months under twenty one years of age.
Gunners Cleco impacts Miss Willie land name. What puzzles me is how your
member matter? You don't collect himbecause me now, I couldn't collect him
(24:03):
in the first place. Don't evenof us could It wouldn't be no good
to me because I couldn't recollect him. Well, it's so hard if you
kind of get the hang of it. Genesis, I always did have a
pretty good memory, said the mostforgettabley she ever heard of. Said,
you can't remember anything too minute?Are you hush? Genesis? Do you
(24:25):
remember when you were married? Genesis? Tennisis how'd you feel about it?
I mean, were you sort ofshaky, for instance, as if you
were taking an important step in life? Let me see, I've don't mighty
shakey. Once I recollect at thetime a man starts shooting at me from
(24:49):
behind a snake fence. Shoot,What did you do that for? Nothing?
To know? Why? Well downto shoot at somebody, and they
pick on me because as the handis well ice creamed, all fresh,
like I bought it, throw itin the kitchen. He must have been
(25:12):
sixteen, whim rely when he wasmarried. Things you don't understand you running
the house gone Jane gone e three, Willie Baxter, Lola Pratt in the
(25:33):
heat. I'm slowly losing my reason. Morning I discovered my tobacco box behind
a bench in the backyard. WhenI took the lid off the box and
found a faded rose girl's silver shoe, buckle of tortoiseshell hairpin, white ribbon,
faintly smelling of violets, three witheredpoorly clover clovers, other vegetation now
(25:55):
indistinguishable, and a note on lavenderpaper addressed to Icho boy Baxter, What
echo sanity I still have left?I owder a sudden appearance this evening of
a small, frank faced child munchingon a piece of bread and butter and
apples, sauce and powdered sugar.Mister Potter's, Oh, mister Potter,
that afternoon, mister partre, afternoonmister Partcher, my brother Willie's been at
(26:19):
your house all afternoon. I supposeso, Miss mister Parcher, my brother
Willy isn't coming back to your houseto night. He doesn't know it yet.
What will He isn't gonna spend anymore. He's moves at your house at
all. He isn't, but hedoesn't know it yet. Are you sure
he isn't? I know it?Isn't it kind of kind of something I
told Mama. I told your mamawhat what you said? And what about
(26:42):
about Willie? You know, no, I don't. It was when I
was laying in the library that dayof a Sunday school class. You and
missus Parker was talking in there aboutmissus Bratton, Willi and everything. Good
heavens, did you hear all ofYes, I told Mama all what you
said, Murder. I guess it'sgood I did, because look, that's
the very reason Mama did something.So he can't come anymore except in daytime.
(27:04):
Hmm. He hasn't found out yet, uh found out? What pleased?
He hasn't found out. He can'tcome back to your house tonight,
nor tomorrow night, nor day aftertomorrow night because your Mama's gonna tell him.
You can't, oh, mis departure. She just did something. What
what'd you do? Well, it'sa secret, or I should tell you
the first part of it, upto where the secret begins, I expect
(27:26):
do. Well, it's about somethingWilly has been wearing. I can't tell
you what you were because well,that's the secret. But he had him
on him every evening when he cameto see Miss Pratt. They belonged to
Possa and Papa doesn't know a wordabout it. Yeah, I thought he
didn't. Well, one evening Papawanted to put him on Sma couldn't find
him, and she ramaged and Rubminstonnever did find him until don't you believe?
(27:51):
I saw William inside of him onlylast night. So I told Mama
and she said it has to bea secret. So that's why I can't
tell you what they were. Wellthis action, I was with her in
Willy's rooming. Yes, yes,well there she found them under Willie's winds
of seats, all folded up.I found what well, I told it's
a secret. So she wrapped thesecret up and we took it to a
(28:11):
tailor and she told him to makeit bigger, because then old tit top
again, mister Patcher, she said, you must let the secret way way
out. So I guess Willie lookedkind of funny in it after at six.
And anyway, mister Parture, thesecret won't be home from the tailors
for two weeks, and they'd beabout by that time, Miss Pratt'll be
gone. Do you honestly think so? Weymss departure Mama said, or she
(28:32):
said, She's sure Willy wouldn't comehere in the evening anymore when you're home,
mis departure. Fact, she's beenwearing a secret every night. This
way, he wouldn't like to comeand not have the secret on. I
suppose that's what you meant when yousaid he wasn't coming back, but UH
didn't know it yet. Oh yes, mister Partcher, I am know your
last name, of course, butI'm afraid i've forgotten your other one.
There. Well, it's Jane,Jane, Jane. I should like to
(28:56):
do something for you. Oh ifthat's all I had, Miss Departure,
well, I guess I'm from home. Goodbye, Jane. And I'm afraid
little Jane has her first bow.A gentleman is going to send her a
five pound box of candy. Andthat gentleman's name is Henry Partcher. You
(29:33):
are listening to a Pobs presentation ofHorse and Wells and the Mercury Theater on
the air, in an original adaptationof Booth Tarkington seventeen. The performance will
continue after a brief intermission. Thisis the Columbia Broadcasting System. Well,
(30:11):
we've got still a new border atdeparture house. Beside Lolla Pratt and her
usual string, there's Joe Bullet's cousin, George, whom out of town.
George has an excellent appetite. He'sgoing out today with a crowd on a
picnic. Well, we'll have onemealing piece, hollis solaced. Pass the
(30:44):
corn, Johnny, Hey, Iwant some of those cucumber pickles. Say,
who's hiding the gravy? George justwants a spork? Go next to
walk? Anybody lost? Somebody losthis girl friend? He has anybody seen
Willie Baxter's girl? You think Willywas at a feuder? Him mouth,
Joe Bullet, it's kind of sicktoo. What's your voting for? Joe?
Not teasing boy? Why aren't yousitting next to Lola. Willie God,
(31:06):
dry up, won't you? Shelooks kind of occupied. Joe cousins
rushing fast chicken? Will you murder? You've had three helpings already. Why
aren't you eating, Willie cousin?I'm not hungry, That's why me I
can't keep up with Joe's cousins.Look at that, Georgie. Why did
you have to invite the big lommacksfor Joe? How as I know George
is gonna hod Lola and he hisfool head off. Oh look at that
(31:30):
goop. I tell you I'm gonnastop. They want to snuggle j big
Matt. Stop that, uncle George, Why you bet I do? Lola.
Dogs are always crazy about me,dogs and children. I don't know
why it is, but they justtake right to little Georgie. Stop it
looks through choking, toning and drape. Enormous man's now, well, he
(31:52):
does look kind of small compared withgood old George. Well, I always
was a good deal, bigger thanthe fellas I went with, why it
is? But I was always kindof quicker too, as it were.
Take me in an automobile, NowI got a racing car. Hold Georgia,
George liked racing there, Lola,I'd like to have you see how
I handle that little racing car.Girls over home they say they like to
(32:16):
go out with me just to watchthe way I handle it. They say
it ain't so much just to ride, but more the way I handle that
little car. Yes, I don'tknow why it is, but that's what
to say. We'll pass me morepotatoes, Lola. Whoo you call stop
it? Watch don't, George,Georgia can't eat normous? Good? Why
I haven't seen the start? Heyhere, don't take out that pie.
(32:37):
I'll finish the platter. Stop itand ate a Georgie three pieces of pie.
George only wish I had something totop it off with, like champagne
or ice cream. I would youlike a smoke, George? They I
don't smoke papers and old carpets,not me. Oo, but take red
(32:58):
so lovely smell. George made atoo low voice of smoking. Oh now
it's not that, Lola. Ionly smoke cigars gars. Oh plendid h
one Uncle George like one ever andever so quick. Oh well, uh
yeah, I forgot my cigar case. Hey, George, here's some cigars
(33:20):
Cubans sweethearts. Oh cubans sweetheart slunted. Just see cubans sweethearts. Uh thanks
Baxter. Let one night one Lookeverybody light big man can't be happy enough
to have it to BacT of smoke, Why said George? Oh boy,
(33:40):
that's good. That's the old That'swhat I was looking for. What everybody
now? Georgicum drinks enormous pasty.That's it now? Another one? Another
one? Sure, Feezerine not wantGeorgia drake the enormous pass tough hard Georgica.
(34:08):
Another one just the second. Idon't stop Georgia, make d they
pass the precious flopping. But Ican't. I guess I better go outside
for a minute, just a minute. What's wrong with George? Come on,
Willy, we gotta take care ofhim. Maybe he needs a doctor.
(34:29):
Ah, you take care of him. The big Lammas is your cousin
echoboy backstairs? Yes, Lola,you don't ever talk to a little Lola
so indifferent today? Well, Lola, ge do let's talk about it.
(34:51):
Take precious flop it, hold themnice and cozy. Stop it, love,
old friend, best stop the preciousflapped it love. That's with God.
That's just back to them any onenow, well, I guess the
(35:22):
happy days in side. Saturday night, we're giving a farewell party a departure
household for Lola Pratt our weekend guestwho stayed for the summer. Never has
a party meant so much to needas this one. Farewell party. Farewell
Lola, farewells, Silly Boys,mixed quartets, Farewell Willie Baxter. Farewell
(35:45):
party. Father. Yes, Willy, dear me, Willy, you do
look pale. You've got to restup for the party. Saturday. Father,
I suppose you got this prad tafelyhome from church. You might have
been carried off five footpads if youthree boys hadn't been long to take care
(36:06):
of. Uh huh, Father,I have come to want on Earth's the
matter with you? Father? Ihave come. I have come to place
before you something I think it's yourduty as my father to undertake. And
I have thought over this step beforelaying it before you. So at my
(36:28):
age, there's some things that oughtto be done and some things that ought
not to be done. If youask me what I thought ought to be
done, there's only one answer.When anybody as old as I am has
to go out among other young menhis own age that already got one,
like any way, half of themhave who I go with, and their
fathers have already taken such a stepbecause they felt it was the only right
(36:49):
thing to do. Because at myage and the young men I go with
age, it is the only rightthing to do, because that is something
nobody could deny at my age.I have thought over this because there comes
a time to every young man whenthey must lay a sip before their father
before something happens that they would besorry for. I have thought this undertaking
(37:09):
over, and I am certain itwould be your honest duty. I thought
I knew you pretty well, butyou talk like a stranger to me.
Now, what's all this? Whatdo you want? Address? Suit?
A dress suit? Oh? I'mglad you're talking about something, because I
honestly thought it must be too much, sun father. I got to have
(37:31):
one, got to at your age. I thought I was lucky if I
had any suit it was fit tobe seen in. You're too young,
Willie. I don't want you toget anything like that on such stuff on
your mind, and if I haveto, if I have my way,
you won't have a dress suit forfour years more. Anyhow, father,
I got to have one. Igot to have one right away. I
(37:52):
don't ask you to have it madeor to go to expensive tailors, but
says plenty are good, ready madeonce. It only costs about forty dollars
to advertise in the paper. Father, Oh, I wouldn't you spend just
forty dollars. I'll pay it backwhen I'm in business, I'll work,
not the money done. It's theprinciple that I'm standing for, and I
don't intend. Father. Won't youdo it? Nope? I will not.
(38:16):
Oh ye god, oh, poorboy? He won't feel like going
to the party in his everyday clothes. Poor boy nothing think of his coming
out here and starting a regular debatingsociety declamation before his mother and father.
Hmm, I guess he can wearthe kind of clothes most of the other
boys were. What's the world gettingto be like? Seventeen years old?
(38:38):
And his froze a fit because hecan't have a dress suit. Mother,
My, really, dear, youlook worn out? What's the matter?
(38:58):
Mother? I want to speak toyou. Well, First, you better
each your supper. I left iton the table. I want to speak
to you about something important. Yes, Willy Oh, please send Jane away.
I can't talk about important things witha child in the room. Oh,
Momma, do I have to gojust a few minutes, Dear mother?
Hmmm, Mother, I want toask you please to lend me three
(39:21):
dollars and sixty cents? What's for? Willy? Mother? I just ask
you to lend me three dollars andsixty cents. Mother, I don't feel
I can discuss it any I simplyask you, will you lend me three
dollars and sixty cents? I don'tthink I could, Willy, but certainly
I should want to know what's for? Mother. I am going on eighteen
years of age, and when Iasked for a small sum of money like
(39:43):
three dollars and sixty cents, Ithink I might be trusted to know how
to use it for my own goodwithout having to answer questions like a child.
After all, I don't think Iought to, Dear, and I'm
sure your father wouldn't wish me to. Unless you tell me what you wanted
for, you won't do it,you see, Dear, I'm afraid the
reason you'd don't tell me is becauseyou know that I wouldn't give it to
you. If I knew what shewanted it for. Now, sit down
(40:05):
and eat your supper. He mustn'tbe late to the party. But well,
Reilly, where are you going?I don't want any supper and I'm
not going to the party. Wella full thing, oh Mama, Yes,
Jane, I was hiding behind thedoors. Why I could hear everything?
Now, Jane, you know youshouldn't do that. Mama had to
im why Willy asked her for themoney? Jenesis told me, Jane,
(40:28):
what's the Genesis tell you? Firstof all, Billy didn't come home today
because he was counting not holes andshingles. He was washed. Yes,
I'm Jenesis knows all about it.This lumber yard man got into some kind
of a fuss because he has boughtmillions and millions of shingles. Mama,
that had too many knots in andthe man don't want to pay for him.
Well, the story bought him won'ttake him back. And they've got
(40:49):
to prove how many shingles are badshingles or something. And anyway, Mama,
that's what Willy's doing. Every timehe comes to a bad shingle,
Mama, he puts it somewhere else. And every time he puts a thousand
bad shingles in this other place,they give him six cents. Good gracious,
Oh, but that's nothing, Mama, just waiting to hear the rest.
That's part of them. Anything istall, Mama. You wouldn't hardly
notice that part of it that youknew the other part of it, Mama.
(41:12):
Jane. Yes'm I want to knoweverything Genesis told you, and I
want you to tell it as quicklyas you can. Well, I am
telling it, Mama. I'm justbeginning to tell us. I can't tell
him less. There's a beginning.Can I try your best to go on,
Jane, Yes, I'm will Willieneeded some money, bad new and
Papa wouldn't give many, and sohe began comping. She was to stay
cause the nice it's nice of theparty, and you just have to have
(41:34):
it. How did Genesis know that? Did Willy tell Jennerson? Mama,
Genesis knows all about a second handstar over on the Avenue and it keeps
most everything, And Jennison says it'sthe nicest store. And Jenesis says,
this man is a barin'st man ofthe whole wide world. Mama. Well,
and so this man's name is oneEyed Belgious, Mama, that's his
name. And Jennsis said, so, one eye bel just told Genesis that
(41:57):
Willie came in there and tried onthe court to one of those ways suit.
Oh no, less him, andone eyed Bell just told Willie that
suit was worth fourteen dollars, andwill he said he didn't have any money.
Well, and so he bargained andbargained and bargained. And then after
they bargained and bargained, one eyedel just said, well, he should
give him three dollars and sixty centswe're willing to pay before he'd get the
suits. Well, and so theworst private is Jenesis says, the suit
(42:21):
is haunted. What listen? Jenesissays that suit is haunted. Jennie says,
everybody over on the avenue knows allabout that suit, and he says
that such why one Eyed Dell justcould never sell it before Jennis says,
one Eyed Dell just try to sellit to a colored man for three dollars.
The man said he wouldn't put iton for three hundred dollars, and
Jenesis says he wouldn't either, becausehe would it belonged to a weight of
(42:44):
it, said, Mamma. Thiswaiter he lived over on the avenue,
and he took a case knife hesharpened, and he cut off a lady's
head with suit and he got hung. Mamma, if you don't believe that,
you're gonna ask one eyed doll justI guess he knows. And he
sold this girl to one eyebail justwhen he was in jail, Mama.
He sold the tool before he gothome, Mama. Hush, Jane.
(43:06):
And he had that too down whenhe cut the lady's head off, Mama.
And that's why it's haunted. Theycleaned it all up except for a
few little spots, Jane. Hemust not talk about such things, and
Genesis mustn't tell you stories of thatsort. Well, how could he help
it if he told me about willingnever mind? Did that crazy? Did
Willy bring that suit into this house? Yes, Mama. Well, I'm
going right down to mister Belgisa's.He'll turn back Willie's money or I'll have
(43:29):
him arrested. Arrested, Mama,Can I go along? No? No,
you stay here and finish the dishes, Oh dear Jane, Jane,
Yesterday I took your papa's evening clothesback to the tailor to get them pressed,
and well, I guess he musthave misunderstood, because he took them
weigh in again, and now they'remuch too tight for Papa. They they
(43:50):
just about st Willie, I guess. So there they are hanging in the
hall closet upstairs, all pressed.But don't tell anyone what I said,
Jane, Oh no, Mama reallyoh weary mm hmm, Magic matterns music,
(44:16):
Summer Nights, Farewell, Potting Farewell, Summer Farewell. Lola Pratt,
Farewell, Lola Prat, Lola LolaOld. I gotta have a dance,
ye, I got it, LordEcho boys to naughty some later, Lola,
(44:40):
Lola little dance pod. Also thatI couldn't help, but Lolanas I
couldn't it. Sorry, Lola Thomas, I can do all. Listen to
the second luller hell please myself,little parl. Johnny you look here,
(45:07):
Johnny and Joe you listened to.You both got seven dances a piece with
it all on account of night gettinghere early enough, and listen, you
got well, it wasn't because ofany such reasons. I asked her for
mine two days the life wasn't fair? Was it just because I never thought
of sneaking in a head like that? You're going you are to have thought
of it. I got sat heregabbing all night, Joe, Joe,
(45:29):
I've done a good many favorites foryou. I gotta go and see a
man. I'll let him go,Willie, Joe, somebody I got to
see right away before the next dancebegins. Honest, I have he got
cashould wait a minute, You've gotto give me anyway? Two on all
the dances? What did you?You heard her tell me yourself that she'd
be willing if you were Johnny.I only got five or six with her,
and a couple of extras. Johnny'sgot seven, and Joe Joe,
(45:50):
let me if I'd got six regularand two extras with miss Pratt last night?
And you got here late, andit wasn't your fault. I couldn't
help him late? Could I wasn'tmy fault. I was late. I
guess wasn't well. If I wasin your place, I wouldn't act away
You and Johnny do not in athousand years. I wouldn't. I say,
you want a couple of my danceswith miss pratt ole Man, certainly,
Yes, you would not look here. Don't you realize this is the
(46:13):
very last night of us that's gonnabe a this child? You bet I
do it? Joe, You andI have been friends ever since you and
I were poisoned. When I lookback, I expect I had done more
favorous for you than for anyone else. Joe, there's other girls here.
You can get dances with one twoof them sitting around the yard. You
can have a bully time even ifyou did come late. Joe, Joe,
(46:35):
you gotta give me anyway. Onelook. Look, Sitneyandro runs that
tree all by herself. That's avisiting girl named this boat. He's a
little fast. Well, I betyou's a good dancer, Nate Patterer said.
So, she was trying to getme a dancer with it myself.
But I couldn't do. I wouldn'tdo. I would have no. I
gotta go bill, I got nowait, I got oh no, right,
(47:02):
hey, mother, Yes, dear, look at that Baxter boy.
Once we got ahold of his father'sdress suit again, how do you know
what's he's father's That's a secret betweenmiss Jane Baxter, myself say that boy's
face has more genuine idiocy in itthan I have seen around here yet,
and I've been seeing some miracles inthat line this summer. He's looking at
(47:23):
Lola Prat. Yeah, that's thetrouble with him. Why doesn't he quit
looking at it? I think probablyhe feels badly because he's dancing as one
of the other boys. Of coursehe ought to be dancing with somebody.
There are one or two more girlhere than boys. He's the only boy
not dancing. I believe I'll leavingwith you, ma'am. Don't you want
(47:52):
to dance? Ma'am? Don't youwant to dance? Have you looked around
for the girls out a poplar girl? You come with me, I'll fix
you up. But ma'am, Igot miss both because this is mister Baxter.
He and you both came late yearand he hasn't any dancers and gazing
(48:12):
there, so running dance and havea nice time together. Well, it's
both. May I have this dancewith you? Miss Both? Hollie?
Please God, Oh, you mustn'tbe discouraged with yourself, mister Baxter.
(48:45):
You know I've met lots of menthat had trouble to get started and turned
out for the right good dancers afterall. Yeah, well, if seeks
to me, we're kind of workinga goods each other. I'll tell you
you kind of let me do theguiding and I'll get you going. Fid
(49:06):
uh? Why too? Why's there? No? I just love dancing,
don't kill mister baster. Why it'sa beautiful floor for dancing, isn't it.
(49:29):
I just love dancing. Don't youlove it? Mister basket? It's
lovely? Oh dear, I hopethey don't play Home, Sweet Home very
early at parties in this town.I could keep going like this all night.
I think those musicians would be dead. Uh, let's let's go out
(49:49):
of the course, mister. Justlook at those stars. Aren't they just
galorious? Yeah? You can sitcloser. Come over here. You know
(50:12):
we used to dance a lot upat the lake. It's the floor like
this is tonight gets it all theearly enough and as nice as lore as
I ever danced on. Of course, there weren't so many men like this's
here tonight, And I must sayI am glad to dance with a man
again. Why what a shinn'dig?Mother Genesis adds just the right touch with
(50:40):
that wis you for I'll bet it'sborrowed too well. Everyone's having a grand
time except that Baxter boy. I'vebeen watching him all evening and I never
saw a true misery show cleaner.But George, I've begun to feel sorry
for him. Can't you trot upto someone else who can get away from
that fat girl. I've tried,and I've tried, and I've tried.
(51:04):
Well, do something. We don'twant to find him in the cistern in
the morning. I know I'll makeMay and Lola in their partners come and
sit in this little circle of chairshere. Then I'll go and bring Willy
and this boat to sit with them. I'll give Willy to see that Lola's
left. You'll keep the chairs andtell Jennifers to get busy with the sandwiches.
(51:39):
Naughty Echo boys Lola's last night andNicole Boy Baster flirting flirt all night
was dray big girl, Lola La. If you Lola saw that by Baster
under draped red tree flirtens twite redgirls flirting all night was grased enormously tros
(52:05):
my fault dot dunting said, boy, what made you come? Would be
so trouse. Don't go talk toa nice man who glad to talk to
her. Lola, Lola, naughtyboy, back to troll. I down
(52:30):
to Josie Wolsey, tromm, Josie. Let's get started, mister Baxter,
before the floor gets crowded. Don'tlet's waste a single moment. You know
when I need a person who steppedfist in his mind the way yours does,
mister Baxter. I left it downstraight fla. Dear Lola, dearest
(53:15):
Lola. Just after you left,I went up to my room and began
writing this poem to you, Lola. I want you to keep it with
you always. The sunset light fadesin tonight. But now will I forget
(53:38):
the smile that haunts me? Yet? Walla, walla? What do I
kill me alone? It's willy?Is your proper? No, it's willy.
You do everything I don't? Afterme a smile that haunts me?
(54:01):
Still? What E're my name andstation? Whilst receiving my education? So
far away you seem I will seeTHEE in my dream some gut like this?
Now? What was it all tojoin? Did walking? What stop
(54:21):
that? Putting your stomach out infront of you like that. It's disgraceful.
It doesn't he like a Jane.I don't know. It doesn't like
much of anything. I will seethee in a dream, Signed William Baxter,
Darling. When you read this poem, you'll really understand me and remember
I shall be your echo, boyBaxter, always and always just for you.
(54:45):
That isn't a Jane. No,I told you five time. Is
my brother Willie. It's kind ofcrazy, as she thought. He's in
love with miss Pressed. Just park. You're pretty near dying, she says,
A long I'll see to you.Ah, I don't right here.
You get out of here, hearme, You'll get out of here.
(55:05):
I won't. I won't. Youcan't trust me? Yeah, I will?
Are you you ugly stute, greatstreet tail little girl? You?
Yes, sir, that's what hecalled her. I was standing on the
(55:27):
porch at the time, and Iheard it with my own ears. Well,
so that was a long time ago, ten years since the Cursed Heads
moved in Doc Watson's house next door. Lot of strange things happen in ten
years. For instance, you'd neverbelieve it when I tell you. Willie
Baxter, aged twenty seven, isfinally doing a sensible thing. He's doing
(55:51):
the only sensible thing he ever didin his life. Yes, sir,
he's doing it right this minute.Over at the Stone Church on Grove Street.
He's standing kind of straight, hishead up at the end of a
long aisle. There's a fine lookinggirl got hold of his arm. Uh
Rannie's not got pigtails any more,but she's still got good sense and that's
(56:15):
something Willie can count on for therest of his life. Ladies and gentlemen,
(56:42):
you've been listening to seventeen, notthe celebrated stage play, but the
Mercury Theater's own adaptation of the BoothTarkington story to Night. The cast included
Ray Collins as mister Potscher, RayCollins, one of the Mercury's unstarred stars,
(57:02):
and Mary Wick's another as Missus Parcher, Joseph Carton as Genesis, Betty
Gard as Missus Baxter, Ruth Fordas the baby talk Girl, Marilyn Thurskin
as Jane Elliot Red as cousin George, and Patty Chapman as Rannie. William
(57:29):
Sylvanus Baxter was probably all too recognizable. And finally, because the Mercury is
often inclined that way and sometimes can'thelp it, And chiefly because he was
kind enough to be party to thismoment of good old fashioned theater sentiment.
Joe Bullet, William Baxter's best friend, was played again tonight by one of
(57:53):
the Mercury Theater's foremost and finest actors, mister Morgan Farley. Read is the
part in the stage play next week, inevitably and because it's about time,
mister Jules Burne's immortal romance about theman who kept his word, who watched
(58:15):
the clock and lived up to it. Phineas Fogg, Paspertoo, the beautiful
Indian Princess, and a thousand otherhighly recognizable characters who I'm sure you've already
identified with around the world in EightyDays good Night. In tonight's Mercury Theater
(59:14):
broadcast, The orchestra was conducted byBernard Herman, and Davidson Taylor supervised the
production for CBS. This is danSeymour speaking. We invite you again to
listen next week to orson Wells andthe Mercury Theater on the air in around
the World in eighty Days by JulesVerne. This is the Columbia Broadcasting system
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