"There was one daily reality in our life on
Waltons Mountain, and that was the Depression and our constant and continuing
need for money. I count it remarkable that we, and others like us, were not
totally defeated by hard times. The credit for that of course must go to our
parents and their unique strengths, strengths that were tested almost
daily".
John looks over the work that was just
completed for Mr. Ed Knightley. John-Boy, Jason, Grandpa, and Ben make some
final touchups to the chairs. Grandpa says that they made one extra chair. John
compliments this “workers”, saying a father is obliged to say such things to
his sons from time to time. Olivia finds that the fabric on Elizabeth’s doll is
very nice. Elizabeth responds that the Baldwin sisters gave her the fabric.
Olivia tells John that Elizabeth thinks she is the best Momma in the world.
Olivia wants to go over to Martha Langley’s house and chat with her. She
explains that Martha moved away to Waynesfield, Georgia, when she was fourteen
years old, wishing she had a close friend her own age to talk to. John suggests
he go with her to the bank after Knightly pays him.
Grandpa and John-Boy want Grandma to decide
who is right: does the rocking chair need a pad or not. Grandma thinks it needs
a little padding. Ben walks up with Maude Gormley, who wants to visit with
Myrtle. Maude tries out the rocker and likes it very much. Maude says she is
getting old. She doesn’t think it needs a cushion. John-Boy puts her feet up on
the footstool. Ben brings up Myrtle, but Maude thinks the goat is punishing her
for giving her away. Grandpa and John-Boy decide to give Maude the rocker in
return for the enjoyment of Myrtle.
Ed Knightley drives up to the house. He tells
John that the hotel cancelled the order when their boiler blew up during the
night. They can’t pay him, and he can’t pay John. John thanks him for coming
out. It isn’t good news. Olivia makes a doll dress out of the material that the
Baldwin sister’s gave Elizabeth. John-Boy walks in after attending classes for
the day. He is looking for additional work (in addition to his work at the
newspaper). The family needs money. John has plenty of work, but just is having
problems getting paid for the work. Olivia and Elizabeth stop at the Baldwin
house to say thank you for the material they gave for Elizabeth’s doll. They
have boxes and boxes of fabric from their travels with their Papa overseas: laces
in France; silks from China, others from India and Egypt. Miss Mamie and Miss
Emily admire the work that Olivia did on the dress. They ask if she would
fashion some of their materials into dresses, they would pay her handsomely.
Olivia agrees, and they look over the treasures.
Grandma looks for Zeb, telling him that
someone went into the barn, a stranger. They both go to the barn to
investigate. They find Maude Gormley hiding inside behind Myrtle. She is scared
because her son Leonard wants to put her in an old folks home in Westham. He is
coming for her today, and she doesn’t want to go. Zeb and Esther promise to
stand by her. Later, Leonard tries to convince the Waltons and Maude, but Maude
likes young people over old folks. Maude finally succumbs to what her son
wants. Esther flatly tells the others not to ever to that to her!
Olivia has Mary Ellen wear a dress she is
sewing so she can pin it. John comes in to say that no body in Jefferson County
has any work. John says that at least she is working. Later, John watches as
the Baldwin sisters drive up to the house wearing their new dresses. They have
just come from a Westham garden party where Stella Lewis says she can give her
all the work she can handle. Olivia is very pleased, but John doesn’t seem to
be that pleased with the news.
John-Boy drives Olivia to the shop of Stella
Lewis: “Miss Stella Lewis Modiste”. Inside, Olivia admires the store. Stella
comes out to say that she is very interested in her sewing, which is beautiful.
Stella says that she has a full-time job if she wants it. Olivia thought that
she would work at home, but Stella says her customers come to her store, which
is were she would have to work. When Stella says she will pay twelve dollars a
week, Olivia takes the job, telling John-Boy to pick her up after school.
John-Boy wonders what his Daddy will say, but Olivia says they need the money.
Maude shows Grandma her new room at the
nursing home. They sit and talk, but Maude doesn’t like the place, wishing she
could put her arms around Myrtle. Maude wishes Esther and she could pick
blackberries up on John-Boy’s Meadow. Esther remembers they put more in their
mouths than in their baskets. Maude says they’ll never do it again because they
have her in jail. At supper, Olivia talks on and on about how well Stella and
her got along today, both like being old friends. Stella told the story when
Sissy Marlowe eloped with Garland Gates (Jenny Lee Marlow’s daughter). Grandma
is happy for her, but wants her to eat. Olivia finds John out on the front
porch and tells him that the job is not at home, but she must work five days a
week at the store. John says it’s a big change. Olivia says it is important to
her to know that she can help out. John says he doesn’t like the idea of her
supporting us, but admits he can’t change her now. They hug, and everything is
all right.
The next day, Stella and Olivia eat lunch at
the drugstore. Stella never got married, but was attracted to Ox Bodrey, and
Ollie Fryer. Olivia says she was in love to their minister Rev. Perry when she
was thirteen years old. John isn’t very hungry, no doubt missing his wife.
Grandma says John is “lonely in a crowd”. Stella asks if Olivia was ever a
member of the 4-H Club. A girl had designed a white taffeta dress with a white
velvet collar with rosettes embroidered on the velvet for the county fair.
Stella said the girl (it was Olivia) made such an impression on her because it
was the first time she saw the beauty of design. Stella remembers all of her
trips to New York and Europe. Olivia says how wonderful are John and the
children. Later, Olivia tries on one of the glamorous dresses. John-Boy walks
in and says how beautiful she is. Stella offers to have Olivia go with her on
the buying trip to New York City: seventh avenue and the garment district.
Olivia says that she couldn’t, but John-Boy says it would be a good chance for
her. Olivia decides she will think about it.
Grandpa is winding his watch when John and
Olivia come into the bedroom to ask Esther and Zeb a question. They wonder if
they can take care of the house and children while she is gone for a week. The
grandparents say they will take care of everything, liking the fact that they
are needed and wanted. They think about Maude Gormley and her unfortunate
situation. John is sawing as Stella drives up to the houses. Olivia introduces
Stella to John. Olivia says that John says that she can go. Olivia invites her
to supper, wanting to see all the family and the Mountain. As John and John-Boy
work Maude Gormley drives up in Abel Bingley’s ice truck. Grandma can’t believe
it’s her. Maude says she “flew the coop” saying that if Leonard likes the home
so much then he can live there. Grandma feels like she broke out of the home
with her. Jim Bob and Elizabeth get some ice from Abel. Stella drinks coffee
with the family and has a big announcement for Olivia. She wants Olivia to take
over the shop in Westham while she opens another shop in Richmond. John-Boy
walks her to her car.
Olivia can’t sleep that night (it’s ten
minutes after four in the morning). She gets up and walks downstairs. She looks
over the living room, tries out Jim Bob’s yo-yo, and plays a couple notes on
the piano. She picks up Elizabeth’s doll, unable to decide what to with regards
to Stella’s offer. John comes downstairs to find out that Olivia wishes this
whole situation never happened. John refuses to make the decision for her. They
go back upstairs. In the morning John-Boy waits to take his mother to the shop.
She tries to decide what dress to wear. John-Boy gets impatient, saying he’ll
get to class late, probably end up on skid row by the age of twenty-two. Olivia
hugs Grandma. Esther says she and Maude are going into the forest to pick
blackberries. Olivia tells John-Boy to go on without her. Olivia decides not to
go into Stella’s shop. They hug and kiss as Grandma goes off to Maude’s. John
says, “We’re smooching, Ma.” Grandma responds, “In broad day light!”
"There were other peaks and valleys for our
family during the remainder of the Depression, but it seems now as if each
testing was a strengthening of our regard for each other. Our family unity
would not permit us to be defeated. Downed and struggling sometimes but never
defeated".
Elizabeth:
John-Boy?
John-Boy: Yes Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: Is a Typhoon a rich man?
Jim Bob: That's dumb, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth: I'm talking to John-Boy.
John-Boy: Honey a Tycoon is a rich man a typhoon is a big wind.
Elizabeth: I guess I'd rather be a Tycoon, a lady Tycoon.
Jim Bob: I'd rather be Ty Cobb.
John-Boy: I'd rather be asleep. 'Night Elizabeth.
Elizabeth: 'Night John-Boy. Goodnight Jim Bob, - or whoever you'd rather
be.....
John-Boy & Jim Bob: Goodnight......
Notes:
Martha Langley was a close friend of Olivia’s when she was fourteen years old. She moved to Waynesfield, Georgia.
Maude Gormley’s son is Leonard.
Elizabeth is ten years old, according to Olivia.
Stella Lewis owns “Miss Stella Lewis Modiste”, a fashionable dressmaker shop in Westham.
Also appearing:
Ike (Joe Conley); Miss Emily & Miss Mamie Baldwin (Mary Jackson & Helen Kleeb); Maude Gormley (Merie Earle); Leonard Gormley (John Wheeler); Stella Lewis (Abby Dalton); Ed Knightley (James O’Connell); Abel Bingley (David Clarke); The Waitress (Nancy Gallant).