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01:25When I look back on Waltons Mountain,
01:27I remember that our parents, by word and by example,
01:30took some pains to teach us the practical lessons of life and its virtues.
01:36But though I had been well taught,
01:38there came a time when I doubted my own honesty and questioned its true value.
01:44Hey, give me your bag there, Mrs. Beards, and I'll put this package right in it for you.
01:48Okay?
01:49And, uh, I've got it on your charge.
01:51You have a nice day.
01:53Hey, John boy!
01:57Hey.
02:08What's the matter?
02:11You realize that I don't know anything about you?
02:15Well, uh, what do you want to know?
02:18Well, I mean, I come in here every day.
02:19I say, hey, Ike, and you say, hey, John boy.
02:21And I say, Ike, is there any mail?
02:23And you say yes, or you say no.
02:24But I don't really know anything about you.
02:26I don't know what you think.
02:27I don't know what you feel about deeply.
02:29Well, why don't you just step right into my office here,
02:31and I'll give you the story of my life.
02:33Well, I wish I could, but the truth of the matter is that, uh,
02:36I got to do some chores for my daddy,
02:37and I just came in to see if Mama Sue's roebuck package arrived.
02:40Well, the package isn't here, but I tell you what,
02:42we got a letter here for your brother Ben.
02:44A letter for Ben?
02:45Mm-hmm.
02:57Hey, Grandpa.
02:58How are you, Grandpa?
03:00John boy, school out already?
03:02Yeah, it's almost four o'clock.
03:03I didn't realize I'd been here that long.
03:08Ah, how you been, Yance?
03:10Fine, John boy.
03:12Your daddy been hunting lately?
03:14Been pretty busy around the mill.
03:15Yeah, it's my busy season, too.
03:18I'll stop by, though, one of these Saturdays.
03:21Drag him away from that mill long enough
03:23for us to go shoot a mess of quail.
03:27You can do better than that, Yance.
03:31I never should have missed that shot.
03:32I think he's got you.
03:36That's the last chance you're going to get.
03:44John boy, here's this letter I told you about.
03:45This is from, uh, Liberty Magazine.
03:47Oh, thank you.
03:48Liberty?
03:49You sending your stories to them, John boy?
03:51That's big potatoes.
03:52No, this is for my brother Ben.
03:53He sells Liberty.
03:54Well, maybe one day he'll be peddling an issue
03:56with one of your stories in it.
03:58That'd really be something, wouldn't it?
03:59Yes, sirree.
04:01Just watch my smoke.
04:08Twenty-five cents, Yancey.
04:11Mr. Walton, you're just too good for me.
04:14Well, I would play you another game,
04:16except I think it's time for us
04:17to get home to the women, folks.
04:19Yeah, I gotta be going, too.
04:20I got some customers to go see.
04:22Come on home, John boy.
04:24It does the soul no good
04:25to loiter around the pool hall too long.
04:31See you later, Ike.
04:32See you.
04:33So long, Ike.
04:34Bye, Ike.
04:35Bye, now.
04:36Well, we'll be looking for you
04:37some Saturday, Yance.
04:39Oh, I'll be there.
04:41We'll get them birds,
04:42and maybe your mom will cook them up
04:43with some of that fine gravy of hers.
04:45Mmm.
04:46Yeah.
04:47Yeah.
04:48Yeah.
04:49Yeah.
04:50Some of that fine gravy of hers.
04:51Mmm.
04:52Some of those fresh, thin, flaky biscuits.
04:53Stop it.
04:54You're making me hungry, Yancey.
04:57Do you want a...
04:58Do you want a drive?
04:59No, I think I'll take the rumble seat this time.
05:00Come on.
05:01Put it right here.
05:05You on?
05:06No.
05:11Get up.
05:12Yancey, we'll be seeing you.
05:13We'll see.
05:15Get up, get up.
05:16Come on, let's go.
05:18We'll be looking for you, Yancey.
05:20Likewise.
05:24Hey, Grandpa?
05:25Hmm?
05:26When Yancey's talking about his customers,
05:28what do you suppose he means?
05:30Yancey's work is highly secretive.
05:31I've always respected his privacy,
05:33and I advise you to do likewise.
05:41Hey, Daddy.
05:42Glad to see you decided to come home.
05:44Be right there.
05:45Soon as we park the car.
05:48Oh, Daddy's mad.
05:52The women will be, too.
05:54I think I'll deal with them one at a time.
05:57You will.
06:11Ma'am?
06:12Hi, Grandpa.
06:13Afternoon, all.
06:15Afternoon.
06:16Afternoon.
06:17It's gone, just like you've been all day.
06:21Oh.
06:22I ran across some old friends down there,
06:24and we got started talking.
06:27Then how come you've got blue chalk on your hands?
06:29Well, sometimes when you're talking,
06:31it helps to play pool.
06:33It's sort of relaxing.
06:34Oh, stop it. Now wash up.
06:37Hey, Mama.
06:38Your serious package didn't come in yet.
06:40I'm sorry.
06:41Thanks, John boy.
06:42Go see if your father can use some help.
06:43Oh, well, just a second.
06:44I've got to give this to Ben first.
06:45Do you know where he is?
06:46He's upstairs in his room, I think.
06:48Ben?
06:52Ben, I've got something for you.
06:54I guess I'll go give John a hand.
06:57You should have thought about that at noon.
06:59Oh, stop.
07:00Ben, come on.
07:02What do you want, John boy?
07:03I've got a letter for you.
07:04No kidding?
07:05No kidding.
07:10Well, are you going to open it up,
07:11or are you going to save it till Easter?
07:16Well?
07:17It's just a letter.
07:19Not your subscriptions, huh?
07:21Well, I've got to go back up and study.
07:46Sure took you time getting back from Ike's.
07:48Oh, you know how it is down at the store,
07:50you get to talking.
07:51I promised John he'd part it.
07:53He spent supposed before the day was out,
07:54and the day's almost gone.
07:55Let's get going.
07:56All right, let's get going.
08:16I'll go see where Charlie wants these stacked.
08:27I'm ready to give up on you.
08:28Don't get brimmed, Charlie.
08:30Come on in while I get my coat.
08:45All right.
09:16Okay, John, come on through.
09:21Had you scared my chickens, John boy?
09:25I guess so.
09:26Did you see anyone?
09:27Well...
09:28Last week, someone had stolen a whole bunch of my chickens.
09:30If they come back and try it again,
09:32I'll fix their wagon once and for all.
09:34Are you sure you didn't see anybody, John boy?
09:36No. Well, I... No, I didn't.
09:37It's dark. I didn't...
09:38Okay.
09:39If it happens again, I'll take care of them.
09:42I'll take care of them.
09:44Okay, let's stack these timbers in the barn.
09:56Daddy?
10:02If you see somebody break the law,
10:04and it's not a big crime, just a small one,
10:09you're supposed to report that, aren't you?
10:11That's what they say.
10:12Otherwise, you're guilty, too.
10:19Somehow, that doesn't seem quite fair.
10:23Something happen back there at that chicken coop, son?
10:34Something you want to talk about?
10:41Well, not right now.
10:42I haven't really figured it out yet.
10:50I wish I could beat you home.
10:58John boy?
10:59Yeah?
11:00Guess what G.W. told me today.
11:01Who cares?
11:02Well, just try and guess.
11:03Mary Ellen, I couldn't care less about anything
11:05that G.W. Haynes could tell you.
11:07Well, it was something real romantic.
11:08What would you care, you old grump?
11:10You're as bad as bad.
11:11What's the matter with him?
11:12Well, he's not speaking to anybody either.
11:17I'll see you at home.
11:18Where you going?
11:41Hey, Jason.
11:42Put these in my room, will you?
11:48So, I told this old gal, I says,
11:50honey, you've had four husbands already,
11:52and they've all passed on.
11:54Well, I don't like the odds,
11:55so I'm going to pass on right now.
11:57Hey.
11:58Hey, son.
11:59Hey, John boy, how's the world treating you?
12:02Okay.
12:03You going to stay for supper yet, see?
12:05Uh, no, no, Mr. Walden.
12:07Not today.
12:08I just dropped by the jaw for a while.
12:10Maybe tomorrow, though.
12:12Daddy, is there any work you want done?
12:14Listen, ain't a bar need stacking, son.
12:19Well, I better shuffle off to Buffalo.
12:21Sorry you can't stay, Yancey.
12:23Come when you can.
12:24Oh, I will, Mr. Walden.
12:25Oh, wait a minute.
12:26I just remembered, I got a story I want to tell John boy.
12:29Something he might write about.
12:30I'll see you two later.
12:31Let's go wash up, Bob.
12:33See you later, John boy.
12:35Let's go wash up, Bob.
12:36See you later, Yance.
12:37Bye-bye.
12:54I figure we got some talking to do, John boy.
12:59I'm real sorry about last night.
13:03Sorry for what you did?
13:04You sorry you got caught?
13:05Well, I came here because I wanted to explain to you.
13:11Yancey, you don't have anything to explain to me.
13:13I just saw you steal something.
13:15Now, John boy, steal's a kind of harsh word, isn't it?
13:18I'd like you to know why I borrowed them chickens.
13:28Well, sir, there's a lot of people in this county who just can't seem to make ends meet.
13:33And there's others like, well, old Charlie Potter, who got more than they need.
13:39So, every once in a while, I borrow from them who has and give them who haven't.
13:46Robin Hood, huh?
13:47Well, now, I admit I have heard about that old boy.
13:51But the gospel truth is, John boy, I never took nothing for myself.
13:55Only for them I knew to be needful.
13:58Yancey, when you do something on your own, that's your business.
14:04But when I see you do it, then that makes me a part of it.
14:07Why do you figure that?
14:09I talked to somebody about it last night, without mentioning you.
14:13And he says that when a person sees somebody else committing a crime, if he doesn't say anything about it, then technically he's guilty too.
14:22Well, law is a peculiar thing.
14:24I've been worrying about it. I worried about it last night and this morning.
14:27And I worried about it on my way to school and my way home from school.
14:33John boy, I respect your feelings.
14:38I tell you what, you forget about last night, and I'll see to it you got nothing to feel guilty about.
14:47How are you going to manage to do that?
14:49Well, if old Yancey can sneak in there and take two chickens, he can sneak in there and put two back.
14:56Yeah?
15:00Well, that'd be a fair deal.
15:08Hey, morning all.
15:11Morning, Grandpa.
15:12I must have overslept.
15:13I tried to wake you, but you're snoring so loud you didn't hear me.
15:16Esther, I have never snored in my life.
15:19What I don't understand is how you can sleep through all that noise.
15:23Morning, Grandpa.
15:24Morning, Elizabeth.
15:25Morning, Grandpa.
15:26Good morning, Jim Bob.
15:28Good morning, Grandpa.
15:29Good morning, Eric.
15:30Children, would you please say all your good mornings to your Grandpa at once so we can eat?
15:35Good morning, Grandpa.
15:37Morning, Walton's all.
15:42All right, everyone, get to the chores.
15:45Mary Ellen, I want you to help Grandma and me with the washing.
15:47But, Mommy, it's Saturday.
15:49And, Aaron, you help with the ironing.
15:51Do I have to, Mama?
15:52You do.
15:53Clean up your rooms.
15:54Get out behind the barn.
15:55The weeds are getting over six feet tall out there.
15:58You're going to need me right away, Daddy.
16:00I got something better to do?
16:01Yeah, I got to go over to Ike's and pick up Mom and Sue's roadbook package.
16:03Go ahead.
16:04There'll be plenty of work when you get back.
16:05Okay.
16:07Who knows, Ben, there might even be another mysterious letter from Liberty for you.
16:11I got to clean my room.
16:26Hey, Ike.
16:27John, boy.
16:28Oh, I got something for you.
16:29Come on over here.
16:30I just got it all together.
16:33I know you've been waiting to see this.
16:35What?
16:36Here.
16:37What's that?
16:38Well, you said you wanted to know all about me,
16:40and so I got all these things together so you could study.
16:42Boy, you didn't have to go to all that trouble.
16:45Look at here.
16:47Is that you?
16:48That's me, one year old.
16:49My mother took that.
16:50She was way ahead of her time.
16:51She wore a slave bracelet on her arm, and she had her hair bobbed.
16:54And she was from over near Scottsville, Virginia.
16:56She was a Brewster.
16:57Oh, really?
16:58I declare.
16:59Yeah.
17:00And then look right here.
17:01Here's my high school annual.
17:03Yeah.
17:04And here's my manual for my motorcycle, you know, that I got.
17:07And then, wait a second.
17:08Where is this?
17:09Oh.
17:10Oh, now.
17:11There's my honorable discharge from the Army of the United States.
17:14And I got, oh, a whole bunch of stuff in here that you can use.
17:17You can take it home, and you can study it.
17:19And what do you think you're going to write about?
17:25Oh, I hadn't planned to write anything.
17:30I mean, I had.
17:32I mean, I had, of course, intended to write something eventually.
17:35I mean, someday, certainly, of course.
17:38No, don't be silly.
17:39I didn't intend to write about you.
17:40I just wanted to wait for a time when I could try to do justice to you in words.
17:44You're a very fascinating person, Ike.
17:46I do intend to write about you.
17:47Well, I see.
17:49Well, here.
17:50You take it.
17:51It's all there.
17:57Ike.
17:58Good job, boy.
17:59Morning, Sheriff.
18:00Well, how are you?
18:01I'm tired.
18:02Been up all night tracking down some leads.
18:04Oh, yeah?
18:05What happened?
18:06Oh, Charlie Potter.
18:07He got himself shot.
18:08Some chicken thief.
18:11Well, was he hurt bad?
18:12No, no.
18:13He just creased a leg.
18:16You have any idea who shot him?
18:19Yeah, from what Potter told me, I got a pretty good idea.
18:23We'll see.
18:24We'll see.
18:29There you go, Lindbergh.
18:30I'm not Lindbergh.
18:31I'm Wylie Post.
18:33You look more like Lindbergh to me.
18:35Come on, Matt.
18:36Hey, Jason, where's Daddy?
18:37He's around the side fixing the fence.
18:39I gotta see him.
18:40Will you take care of Blue?
18:41Take care of Blue.
18:42Take care of Blue.
18:43Is that all you ever say?
18:44Just do it, Jason.
18:45Hey, Jim Bob, get down from there.
18:47I want you to take this package into Mama.
18:48Why?
18:49Because I said so.
18:50Get down from there now.
18:51All right.
18:52You don't have to holler.
18:53Take this up to my room, too, please.
18:55Jason.
18:57I was only kidding.
18:59Jason!
19:00Let me down!
19:02Jason!
19:03Jason!
19:05Mama, let me down!
19:07All right, all right.
19:08Come on, Jason.
19:10Daddy?
19:11What is it, son?
19:12Charlie Potter got shot in the leg last night by a chicken thief.
19:15Shot?
19:16Yeah, and the truth is, I think I know who did it.
19:18Here, Mama.
19:19Thank you, Jim Bob.
19:24Thank you, Daddy.
19:32Oh, that's pretty.
19:34Aren't they beautiful colors?
19:36I could make a dress for each of the girls.
19:38So Yancey promised me he'd return those two chickens to Charlie.
19:42You think Charlie Potter surprised Yancey and he shot him?
19:47I don't know.
19:48I don't know what to think.
19:49I don't know what to think.
19:50I think maybe I should have told the sheriff about it back at the store.
19:54Best thing for us to do is to ask Yancey himself.
19:57He's going to tell us if he shot Charlie Potter?
20:00He might tiptoe around the law once in a while, but he's not about to go shooting people.
20:05You pull the truck around, I'll tell your mom we'll be back in a bit.
20:19Yancey?
20:24Yancey?
20:28Yancey?
20:31Yancey?
20:35Gone.
20:36What do you want to do now?
20:38He's visited all over the place. We'll just keep asking, I guess.
20:49Mama?
20:50Uh-huh?
20:55I gotta talk to you.
20:56Go ahead.
21:02Van?
21:04It's about this letter. I want you to read it.
21:11Liberty Magazine.
21:19Well, Van, this is wonderful. It says here you won their poetry contest.
21:23It was just for the Courier Boys.
21:25Well, it's still a great honor.
21:27Five others won, too.
21:29It says here your poem's going to be published in their next issue.
21:32Oh, Van, I'm so proud of you.
21:36Aren't you pleased?
21:49Van, what's wrong?
21:51I did something just awful.
21:55Want to tell me about it?
21:59When I first read about this contest, I didn't know what to write about.
22:04So I went through some of John Boy's old poems.
22:07Some he'd written when he was about my age.
22:11And?
22:12Huh?
22:14I sort of used one of John Boy's poems.
22:17He's gonna be mad, Mama. He's gonna hate me.
22:21He's not gonna hate you no matter what you've done.
22:25But I do think you ought to talk to him about it.
22:28I haven't gotten up the nerve.
22:31You're not gonna feel right until you do.
22:33But what will I say to him?
22:35But what will I say to him?
22:40Why don't you just tell him the truth?
22:48Okay, Mama.
23:02Floyd, how you doing?
23:03Slow, John. Awful slow.
23:05If it wasn't for my garden and little hunting and fishing now and then, my family'd be mighty hungry.
23:10I know what you mean.
23:12You seen Yancy today, Floyd?
23:14No, no.
23:16Been two, three days ago he stopped by. Left full fat hens.
23:20I took him over to Lenny Blankett's family.
23:23He's up in D.C. looking for work and his family's mighty hard up.
23:26You don't happen to know where he is today, do you?
23:28Hard to say, John.
23:30Yancy keeps on the move a lot.
23:32That's for sure.
23:33All right, Floyd, thank you.
23:35Mrs. Gormley?
23:37Well, good morning, Mr. Walton. John boy.
23:40You seen Yancy Tucker, ma'am?
23:42Yancy Tucker?
23:43Course I've seen him. I see him all the time.
23:46I mean today.
23:47No, not today.
23:49But yesterday he left me off some eggs.
23:52I didn't have a cent to pay.
23:55But he said there wasn't any cocoa for it.
23:57Thank you, ma'am.
23:58Bye-bye.
23:59Bye now.
24:03Half a tank of gas in half a day is about all I can spare.
24:08Coming a lot of territory. I just can't figure out where Yancy could be.
24:12Maybe he lit out over to Buckingham County.
24:15Could be.
24:17We'll have us some lunch and get back to work.
24:33So I says to this old teacher, I says,
24:35Ma'am, just because I got all the answers wrong doesn't mean I don't like school.
24:39Just means school don't like me.
24:43John, I'm glad you're back. Look who's here.
24:46Hey, John. John boy.
24:49Yancy.
24:50Yancy's been telling us some tall tales.
24:53Maybe a little too tall.
24:55Sit down and eat.
24:56Not right now, Liv. Something I want to ask Yancy out on the porch.
24:59But he's in the middle of his meal.
25:01It's important.
25:03Sure, John.
25:07Now don't you kids finish that pie before I get back.
25:09All right.
25:17What's up, man?
25:18Yancy's been looking for you all morning.
25:20You have?
25:21Well, I got up at the crack of dawn and went hunting.
25:23Didn't see nothing but one lonesome old squirrel and I missed him.
25:26Didn't see nothing but one lonesome old squirrel and I missed him.
25:28So I quit and stopped by here for some of Liv's good cooking.
25:32Why were you looking for me?
25:34It's about last night.
25:35What about last night?
25:36We was wondering, Yancy, if...
25:45Well, hey there, Al.
25:47What are you doing out so early today?
25:49I thought you fellas slept all day and worked all night.
25:52Well, depends what you're working on, Yancy.
25:55How about yourself? You've been working, have you? Nights?
25:57Me?
25:58Why, if I'm all tuckered out and tucked in, every night comes undone.
26:03Well, now, that's a funny thing.
26:04I got me a witness that swears he saw your car parked up on the road by Charlie Potter's place last night.
26:10Well, now, parking your car isn't exactly a crime, is it, Sheriff?
26:14Nope.
26:16Shooting a man is.
26:19Oh, yes, sir. That's the law.
26:21Gonna have to arrest you, Yancy.
26:24Oh, come on, Ep.
26:27No joke, Yancy.
26:28Come on along, now.
26:30Oh, send somebody for your car.
26:36Well, I guess you can tell the kids they can go ahead and finish that pie after all.
26:53Come in.
26:56Son.
26:59I was just talking to your grandpa.
27:02You know, if Yancy was just returning those chickens, it doesn't even figure he'd have a gun with him at all.
27:08You're right.
27:12You don't think he shot Charlie, do you?
27:16No, I don't.
27:18You don't think he shot Charlie, do you?
27:23I don't think so.
27:27I wonder if Yancy's told the Sheriff why he had that car parked there last night.
27:33You think I ought to tell the Sheriff?
27:36You might talk it over with Yancy first.
27:39You know, you come with me?
27:41First thing in the morning, right after church.
27:43Oh, great. Thank you.
27:44Good night, son.
27:45Good night.
28:08Grandpa, don't forget to change your clothes before you play, children.
28:11Don't forget to change your clothes before you play, children.
28:16Look, it's your come to life.
28:18When are you going to stop sleeping at the service?
28:20Whenever the preacher gets himself a new sermon.
28:33John boy.
28:35What do you want, Ben?
28:36I want to talk to you.
28:39Let's go.
28:42Okay.
28:46When you get back, okay?
28:47Sure.
29:04Morning, Ed.
29:06Well, if it isn't the Wolton gang.
29:08You've come to see Yancy.
29:09I don't know why you should be any different from anybody else in the county.
29:12What does that mean?
29:13Take a look. Right through that door.
29:18Miss Blanford, that is the most delicious piece of fried chicken I have sunk a tooth into in a right long time.
29:25I remembered you like it crisp. Fixed it special.
29:28She showed up with it, said, Floyd, you got to get me over to see Yancy. Tuck her.
29:31And I certainly appreciate it.
29:35Well, look who's in jail.
29:38Hey, Yancy.
29:39How you doing, John?
29:44John boy, how about some cake?
29:46Not right now.
29:47Thank you very much, Yancy.
29:48Well, pie.
29:49John boy, you love pie.
29:51Well, I do, but not now, no.
29:53I even got some.
29:54No, big breakfast.
29:56Well, then.
29:57How about some Miss Blanford's fried chicken?
30:00Come on, Yancy.
30:01Well, Ed.
30:02Hello.
30:03How you doing?
30:04Miss Blanford.
30:07That's fine.
30:09You're not going to go hungry for a spell, are you, Yancy?
30:11I could get life and not go hungry.
30:13Thanks to good friends.
30:15We got to be moving along, Yancy.
30:17Oh, what you leaving for?
30:18Floyd party's just getting in high gear.
30:20Miss Blanford's got to get home to her children.
30:22I got my work waiting.
30:23Well, in that case, I'll let you go.
30:26Let us know if you need anything, Yancy.
30:29Keep up the faith, Yancy.
30:31Oh, yeah.
30:32Sure is delicious.
30:34Bye.
30:35Have a happy Sunday.
30:36Y'all come back.
30:37All right.
30:38See you, Sheriff.
30:39Bye, Sheriff.
30:40Bye, Sheriff.
30:41Bye.
30:42Have a happy Sunday.
30:43Bye, y'all.
30:44Well, I suppose I ought to get along, too.
30:46Got the gunship back at the place.
30:48Miss Jane works at the Nip and Tuck Cafe over at Route 29.
30:51Well.
30:52She's the one who brought me the soup.
30:54And the soup du jour of tomorrow's going to be black-eyed pea.
30:57If you like, I'll bring you a jar.
30:59You just bring your own sweet self.
31:01Oh, Yancy.
31:02Bye.
31:03Bye, everybody.
31:04Bye now.
31:05We'll be seeing you.
31:08Life would be a lonesome road without good friends.
31:14Well, Yancy, the reason we came by is because I thought I might be able to help you out.
31:18What do you mean, help?
31:19Well, I told my daddy everything, and if it's all right with you, we'd like to back you up.
31:24Back me up?
31:25You did take those chickens over to Potter's the other night, didn't you?
31:28Yeah, but I didn't tell the Sheriff that.
31:31I don't want to get John Boy involved.
31:33Well, Yancy, I'm already involved.
31:35Well, not anymore you're not.
31:37I promised you I'd take those chickens back.
31:39That's exactly what I did.
31:40You're off the hook.
31:41Well, what about Charlie Potter getting shot?
31:43Well, what about him?
31:44I didn't do it.
31:45Well, then there's no point in my not telling the Sheriff the rest of it, is there?
31:48Wrong, John Boy.
31:49There's every point.
31:50Don't you understand?
31:52There's no evidence I shot Charlie.
31:54And it'll be proved sooner or later.
31:57Well, we can get you out of here right now.
31:59No use hanging around here, Yancy.
32:02I've been in lots worse places than this.
32:05I got a nice warm bump, got good food, plenty of friends dropping by.
32:11Not a bad place to spend a depression, come to think of it.
32:13Yancy, you're crazy.
32:15No, not so. Not so, John.
32:18Much as I like it here, I like my own place better.
32:21Look, the Sheriff can't keep me more than a couple days.
32:25But if you tell him the whole story, he's got the goods on me for chicken thieving.
32:29He could lock me up then and throw away the key for that.
32:33Well, what would you like us to do?
32:36Let nature take her course.
32:38Everything will work out for the best, it always does.
32:43I didn't see the man you described, Otto, until this morning.
32:46And it was Wolf Corby, all right.
32:48You tell Sheriff?
32:49No, there's something strange there.
32:51What's that?
32:52I know the Sheriff's reputation.
32:54Everywhere in the state, he's said to be one of the most honest sheriffs Texas ever had.
32:58That's right.
32:59But today, he not only refused to arrest you for the word of a truthful witness...
33:02Come on and listen, John, Wolf. It's scary.
33:04Why'd him do that?
33:05I'll be down in a minute, honey. I've got to get these good clothes off first.
33:08When I was in town, I learned a number of things.
33:10One of them is that the Sheriff has been trying to raise money to care for his wife, who is seriously ill.
33:15Hmm, that looks bad.
33:16But this morning, after the Sheriff had tried to arrest me, I...
33:23Come in.
33:45Who is it?
33:46Ben.
33:47Come in.
33:49Can I talk to you now, John boy?
33:51Yeah, sure.
33:57You know that letter I got from Liberty Magazine?
33:59Yep.
34:01It said I won a poetry contest.
34:03It said they'll publish it in their next issue.
34:07What do you mean you won a poetry contest?
34:09It was a poetry contest, and I won it.
34:11They're going to publish my poem.
34:13Congratulations.
34:18Really, congratulations.
34:22You don't look very happy about it.
34:23I mean, if I'd just won a poetry contest, I'd be going out of my mind crazy.
34:28That's really something.
34:30How about that?
34:31I've been writing practically all my life, and then my younger brother gets published first.
34:35It's about time somebody in the family got published.
34:37I'll tell you what.
34:38Man, here I am burning the midnight oil and scribbling down poems and stories
34:42and keeping a journal like writers are supposed to do,
34:44and my kid brother knocks off a poem and gets it published right away.
34:46I didn't knock it off.
34:48I said I stole it.
34:49What do you mean you stole it?
34:50Well, I didn't know what to write about.
34:52Then I found one of your old poems.
34:58They took this?
35:00I wrote this poem.
35:01I wrote this poem.
35:02I wrote this poem.
35:03I wrote this poem.
35:04I wrote this poem.
35:05I wrote this poem.
35:06They took this?
35:08I wrote this years ago.
35:09You mean they're going to publish this thing?
35:11Well, not exactly.
35:13But, well, see for yourself.
35:16Here's the one that I wrote.
35:32Man, this is really good.
35:34But don't you see?
35:35I took it from you.
35:38Well, I don't know what you mean.
35:40This is about winter.
35:41Mine's about springtime.
35:42And the words are completely different.
35:44None of the rhymes are the same.
35:46It's the idea.
35:47I never would have thought of the idea without yours.
35:50You mean you think because you took my idea that that means you stole my poem?
35:54Well, isn't it?
35:55Of course not.
35:56Look, Ben, hundreds of writers can take ideas from other writers
36:00or from something they've heard or read.
36:03Isn't that stealing?
36:06Look, Ben, any number of writers can use the same basic idea for a story or a poem.
36:11It's how they develop it.
36:13It's what they give to it of themselves that makes it original and unique.
36:16I mean, all my poem did was inspire you to write a better one.
36:20You really think it's good?
36:22Yeah, I do.
36:24And you're not mad?
36:28I don't know, mad.
36:29I'm kind of proud of you.
36:35Hey, Ben, all this time, the last few days, you've been moping around.
36:38I thought you were sick or something.
36:40I was sick. Sick to my stomach.
36:43I thought for sure you'd be mad.
36:46Hey, Ben.
36:49You just should have come and talked to me.
36:53I guess I should have.
36:56You know, John boy, it's just like what Mama said.
37:01When you're honest, you can just about clear up anything.
37:05Yeah.
37:09I guess she is right about that.
37:36John boy, Walton. Nice to see you.
37:39Miss Potter, is Mr. Potter in? I'd like to speak to him for a few minutes.
37:42Of course. Come on in.
37:43Thank you very much.
37:47Charlie, you look who's here.
37:49It's that boy of John Walton.
37:51Hello, John boy.
37:52Mr. Potter.
37:53You see what's been done to me?
37:54Try not to ever get yourself shot, son.
37:56I'll try not to.
37:57If you'll excuse me, I better get back to my apple butter.
38:01Come on. Sit down, John.
38:05Well, John boy, what's on your mind?
38:11Mr. Potter, there's something that I know.
38:14And maybe there's something that you know.
38:18And perhaps if we could put the two things together, we could get some truth out of this whole mess.
38:24I don't know what you're getting at, John boy.
38:26But carry on.
38:29The night that my daddy and I brought you that wood,
38:32I saw Yancey Tucker steal two of your chickens.
38:35You saw that chicken thief in the act?
38:37Yes, sir, I did.
38:38How come you didn't tell me, John boy?
38:40I don't know. I should have.
38:43Why are you telling me this now?
38:46Because I know why Yancey was here the other night when you got shot.
38:49So do I.
38:51He'd come back after two more chickens.
38:52No, sir.
38:53He came back to return the two chickens that I saw him take from you.
38:56Is Yancey Tucker robbing me or is he just using me to practice on him?
38:59No, sir.
39:00Yancey and I had a talk about it and he promised to bring those chickens back to you to get me off the hook
39:04because he didn't want me involved in this whole thing.
39:06That's right very decent of him.
39:08Well, I thought it was.
39:10Mr. Potter, what I don't understand is why would Yancey bring a gun along
39:13if all he wanted to do is return two chickens to you?
39:15In case he got caught.
39:17Red-handed my chicken coop like he did.
39:18No, that's just not in character for you, Yancey.
39:20Oh, just because Yancey told you some cock and bull story.
39:23Oh, just because Yancey told you some cock and bull story.
39:26It ain't none of his stories gonna count for my chickens getting stole and my leg getting shot.
39:30Yancey Tucker is not the kind of guy that would shoot you.
39:32If you just consider that.
39:33There's only one thing I'm considering.
39:36My chickens got stole and my leg got shot.
39:38And there's no way to prove Yancey didn't do it.
39:43Are you saying there's a possibility that it wasn't Yancey?
39:46I'm not saying.
39:49I got my own grief.
39:50I got my own grief.
39:52Can't do my chores.
39:54My work's piling up.
39:56My wife, she's too frail to take over for me.
39:59Is anybody worrying about me?
40:00No, sir.
40:02Just worrying about poor old Yancey.
40:04The chicken thief.
40:10Mr. Potter, I've got the afternoon free.
40:11I'd be happy to do your chores for you.
40:14Well done.
40:16Now, that's very generous of you, John boy.
40:20Now, I'm sorry I've been loud at you.
40:22I know you've just been being neighborly.
40:25But if you could help me out today.
40:28I'll pay you for that.
40:29Oh, no. There's no need for that.
40:30I'd be happy to help you.
40:33You just finish reading your paper here and I'll ask Mrs. Potter what needs to be done.
40:51Come on, fellas.
40:53Come on.
41:03Come on, Yancey.
41:15Hey, Mr. Kilgore.
41:17Hey, Mr. Kilgore.
41:18Hey, Mr. Kilgore.
41:21How you doing, John boy?
41:23I found these up the road.
41:25I figured they belonged here.
41:48I found these up the road.
42:19Good girl, bae.
42:26Some fresh milk, there.
42:37Hey, Yancey.
42:39Hey, Yancey.
42:41Hey, Yancey.
42:43Hey, Yancey.
42:45Hey, Yancey.
42:46Hey, Yancey.
43:03And the horses?
43:04Well, sir, I fed them.
43:06You're a fast worker, John boy.
43:07I fed the chickens, too.
43:09Oh.
43:11Nice flock you got there. Counted about 38 of them.
43:13All right, all right.
43:14I seen them coming all afternoon.
43:17I ain't had but 30 chickens all my life.
43:21Why'd they fetch them?
43:23Maybe they figured Yancey took some of your property.
43:25You'd be more forgiven if they gave some back.
43:30Get that.
43:31And if it's someone with a chicken, tell them we're full up.
43:35Hey, young boy, what are you doing here?
43:40How's it going, Charlie?
43:41How does it look like it's going?
43:42Yeah.
43:43Sorry to hear about your trouble.
43:45It could have been worse.
43:47He could have got me through the old ticker.
43:49That's a fact, Charlie.
43:51You're lucky, though, it was a .22 got you instead of a shotgun.
43:55Shotgun could have blown off your whole leg.
43:57How'd you know it was a .22?
43:59Well, I run into Doc Vance. He told me.
44:01Oh.
44:05You and me, Charlie, we've done a lot of hunting in our time, haven't we?
44:08We've done a lot of hunting in our time, haven't we?
44:11We've done a lot of tracking, that's a fact.
44:16Most folks, I recall, favor a shotgun when they go hunting.
44:21You always liked .22, didn't you, Charlie?
44:28As a matter of fact, Charlie, this here's your favorite rifle, isn't this .22?
44:34That's right.
44:38It's a funny thing.
44:40Now, Yancey, all he owns is a .30-30.
44:49Charlie, I know you to be a proud man.
44:55I also think I know what might have happened.
45:09All them people coming today, on Yancey's behalf, makes me kind of feel like I was a criminal.
45:20Fact is, he was here that night, John, and I thought he was stealing my chickens.
45:26I know he was here, Charlie. I think John Boyd told you why he was here.
45:31He did.
45:34Why don't you tell me why?
45:35He did.
45:37Why don't you tell us what really happened, Charlie?
45:42I heard him. I heard a commotion, a chicken coop.
45:47I grabbed my gun, ran out, saw someone heading into the woods, so I took out after him.
45:53Then I heard a car starting up.
45:55Moving off, I was still running full speed, and...
46:01Then I tripped.
46:05You tripped?
46:07Yeah. My wife called the doctor, the sheriff.
46:14I was too embarrassed to say I'd shot myself.
46:18So I just let them think whatever they wanted to think.
46:23I figured Yancey'd wiggle out of it the way he always does.
46:28You gonna tell the sheriff the truth, Charlie?
46:31Yeah.
46:33But that don't excuse Yancey's other goings-on.
46:36Yancey's not an evil man. He just occasionally...
46:38He steals chickens.
46:40You Waltons have a way of overlooking them little things.
46:44He'd bring back chickens like he said he would.
46:47I don't want to hear no more about what a fine, upstanding man Yancey Tucker is.
46:52Listen to you, I'll end up thinking he's some kind of a saint.
46:57A saint, Charlie?
46:59No, he's just a good old...
47:00Chicken thief.
47:05Hey, Ben! Hey, the Liberty came in, everybody! It's here!
47:09Hey, Ben! Come here!
47:11Hey, the Liberty came in! It's here!
47:14Mama? Daddy?
47:16Where is he? I don't see him.
47:18He's right here. The Liberty's here.
47:20Wait a minute, where is he?
47:22Here it is, here it is.
47:24A Winter Mountain by Benjamin Walton.
47:26Benjamin!
47:27It sure looks well, Ben.
47:29Doesn't it? Here, here, look.
47:31Well, isn't that something?
47:33It certainly is!
47:35We'd be pleased if you'd read this to us, Ben.
47:37Come on, Ben.
47:39Well, I don't mind if you read it, Charlie.
47:41No, I...
47:43Come on.
47:45A Winter Mountain by Benjamin Walton.
47:48Our mountain in winter is something to see.
47:51At times, it is just like a person to me.
47:53Giant and wide, all covered with snow,
47:55it changes each day as the heavy winds blow.
47:58And when I'm alone, and I go for a walk,
48:01it's almost as if that old mountain can talk.
48:03It seems to say,
48:05Welcome, my wintry friend.
48:07I was here in the beginning, I'll be here at the end.
48:09Congratulations!
48:16Outside our mountain, the world was in deep depression,
48:19but we were sheltered by a common bond.
48:21The accomplishment of one was the accomplishment of all.
48:24We shared our glories, our defeats,
48:27our hopes, our aspirations,
48:30but mostly, our love.
48:36Ben?
48:38Yes, Elizabeth?
48:40Would you write a poem about me?
48:42Me too.
48:43Me three.
48:44Me four.
48:46Anybody else want to be in my poem?
48:48Why don't you just put everybody in, Ben?
48:49What about the magazine?
48:51They better not. It's my turn now.
48:53Oh, good night, Elizabeth.
49:49© transcript Emily Beynon