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01:23When we were children, we never thought of the house we were born in
01:26as beautiful or plain or anything special,
01:29except it was our home and it was there.
01:32But there came a day when we were faced with giving it up.
01:35It crept up on us, as so many crises do,
01:39through the normal routine of living.
01:41♪
01:45Hi, John Walt. I'm an Indian. I'm gonna scalp you.
01:48Well, I'm your big brother and I'm gonna spank you.
01:50Hey, that's not fair!
01:52My turn!
01:55Look, Grandpa, I'm an Indian.
01:57Yeah, do tell.
01:59You wanna scalp me?
02:00No, I'm a good Indian.
02:01Can I have it now?
02:03You're not an Indian. You're just a dumb old squaw.
02:06Daddy, make Jim Bob let me be an Indian.
02:09Jim Bob, let her be an Indian.
02:12All right, now, son, pick that up.
02:14You're a dumb old Indian.
02:17Come here, John.
02:21I was an Indian once.
02:24So was I, Pa.
02:25Remember, I wouldn't answer my own name for weeks.
02:27Yes, your mother couldn't get you in for how many grits
02:30until she yelled out,
02:31Sit and hold calm and get it!
02:36Pa, what happened?
02:38Land, I think I pulled that back muscle of mine out again.
02:41All right.
02:42Is it hurting you, Pa?
02:44Nothing seems to do much good,
02:46except our old hot springs.
02:49Feeling the need of soaking it, do you, Pa?
02:51Oh, yes, I do.
02:53Uh, it's a long way up there.
02:55Maybe I ought to go with him and see if he gets here all right.
02:58Feel like you ought to go with him, huh?
03:01It's all right with you.
03:03All right, you two, we've done enough today anyway.
03:06Go ahead.
03:07Thank you, John.
03:08You're welcome, Pa.
03:09We'll be back for dinner.
03:12I think I know my own way, but thank you, John, boy.
03:20Oh, this is nice, John, boy.
03:28What day is it, John, boy?
03:31I don't know.
03:33Why?
03:34It must be near upon our golden wedding anniversary.
03:37Your grandma and I's promising to have a real chin-dig.
03:40She was even going to wear her old wedding dress.
03:43You mean she can still get into that thing?
03:46You mean she can still get into that thing?
03:49Yes.
03:50Esther's got about the same figure she always has.
03:52A little chest here, maybe.
03:54And so am I.
03:56We was counting on having to fiddle her and all of her old friends.
03:59I don't suppose you ever saw me do the clog, did you?
04:04What's that?
04:05That's sort of a dancing jig.
04:07Everybody stands around, keeps time to the music.
04:10One time, I was considered the finest clogger in the whole of Jefferson County.
04:15For a final flourish at the end, I would jump as high as two feet in the air.
04:20I don't suppose you're planning to dance the clog at your wedding anniversary, are you?
04:24I was certainly hoping to, John, boy.
04:26Well, I'm sure you will.
04:28Oh, I don't know.
04:37Hello there.
04:39Any ladies with you?
04:41My name's Harmon, Charlie Harmon. This is Bill Dieter.
04:45You fellas get yourself lost?
04:47We're doing some work, surveying for the county.
04:51Well, the county ought to know, but this time, this here's Walton's Mountain.
04:54It belongs to our family.
04:55Is that a fact?
04:56You know, I never knew there were hot springs in this part of the country.
05:00The only hot spring around here from my house.
05:02You ever get a touch of rheumatism, we might let you come up here and soak yourself in it.
05:06Fixes you up, does it?
05:07Grandpa swears by it.
05:08And sometimes in it.
05:10You know, it doesn't smell like most mineral water does.
05:13Our water does not smell.
05:15How's it taste?
05:17Well, go down there where it pours into the pool and taste it yourself.
05:20Come on.
05:32Not bad.
05:33Might fizzic you a little.
05:35Say, do you mind if we take some of this water back with us?
05:38Go right ahead.
05:39Take all the water you want.
05:42Pretty country around here.
05:44Yeah, it's the prettiest country in the whole state of Virginia.
05:46Grandpa's lived here all his life.
05:49You own the land here, Mr...
05:51Mr. Walton, Zebulon Tyler Walton.
05:53Nobody can own a mountain any more than you can own a piece of the sky or the ocean.
05:58Just hold it in trust.
05:59Live on it.
06:00Make your living off of it.
06:01And when you die, you're buried in it.
06:03Of course, I deeded my land sometime back to John and John Boy here.
06:07Although I do expect to live out another half century of progress before I kick the bucket.
06:12Well, we better be getting along.
06:14We'll see you all.
06:15Good day to you all.
06:18They don't look much like surveyors to me.
06:20Maybe not.
06:21But neither did George Washington when he surveyed this county.
06:33Come on down, you two, before you get sunstroke.
06:35I got some nice cold lemonade here.
06:43What a scorcher.
06:44Did you find the leak?
06:46I hope so.
06:47We won't know till the next hard rain.
06:51Of course, the whole roof needs fixing.
06:54But then the whole house needs painting.
06:56It's always something.
07:06Good day.
07:07It's a good day if you like it hot.
07:09Oh, this is nothing like it's been over in Richmond.
07:12Phew.
07:13My name is Harmon.
07:14Mr. Harmon, I'm John Walden.
07:16This is my wife, Mrs. Walden, and my son, Jason.
07:19How do you do?
07:20Hi.
07:21Nice to meet you.
07:22How do you do?
07:23I wonder if I could talk to you a minute, Mr.
07:25Sure.
07:26Would you like some lemonade?
07:27Oh, yes, ma'am.
07:28Let it hit the spot.
07:29I'll go get another glass.
07:30Why don't you all come up on the porch and sit down?
07:33So, Richmond's been hot.
07:34I knew you wouldn't believe it.
07:36Have a seat.
07:41This is sure a nice setup you have here.
07:44Well, there may be nicer places.
07:46I just haven't found them.
07:47I know what you mean.
07:49You know, I've been kind of thinking about retiring,
07:52stepping down off the old treadmill.
07:54But I like these mountains.
07:56You won't get any argument from me about that.
07:59Here you go, Mr. Harmon.
08:00Thank you, ma'am.
08:03You know, I was just telling your husband I was sort of thinking of retiring
08:07and how much I like it up here.
08:09The mountain and the quiet, the view,
08:13the tang in the air.
08:15Well, we love it.
08:17Of course, we've never really been anyplace else.
08:23Would you folks consider staying here?
08:27Would you folks consider selling out?
08:32Selling?
08:33I'll give you $5,000, lock, stock and barrel.
08:41Mr. Harmon, this here's our family home.
08:44Well, I realize that, but lots of folks need cash these days
08:48and lots of folks sell their homes.
08:51Well, we've needed cash plenty of times and we never thought of selling.
08:54Not that I couldn't use the $5,000,
08:57but I wouldn't sell Walden's Mountain for $100,000.
09:01Not that I know what $100,000 looks like.
09:04Hello. Mr. Harmon, isn't it? I thought I heard you.
09:07Hi, boy. How are you?
09:08Fine, thank you.
09:09You two know each other?
09:10Well, we met up at the hot springs the other day with Grandpa.
09:13I was just telling your folks here that I'm sort of thinking of retiring,
09:17taking it easy from here on out.
09:19I thought you said you were doing a job of surveying for the county.
09:23Well, I was just doing a couple of last favors for the county.
09:28Well, did George Washington make any mistakes?
09:31George Washington?
09:33He was the first man to survey this part of the country.
09:36Oh, yeah. No, no, his records are all right for their time, but times change.
09:43Mr. Harmon here would like to see if we'll sell out.
09:48Well, did you tell him he's come to the wrong place?
09:52Mr. Walton, I tell you,
09:55well, I might be willing to up my offer another notch or two.
10:00You see, well, my wife has asthma, and I think this air around here would be good for her.
10:06Mr. Walton, what would you consider a fair price?
10:12How about a million dollars?
10:13Now, John boy, Mr. Harmon here is making a fair business offer.
10:18Well, you're not seriously considering it, are you?
10:20Well, it is a fair offer, but no, I wouldn't consider selling.
10:25Oh, come on now, Mr. Walton, every man has his price.
10:28It just depends on how bad he needs the money at the time.
10:32You may be right about that, but no, I wouldn't sell.
10:36Well, if you change your mind, here's a card with my phone number and my address over in Richmond.
10:43You'll be sure and call me, will you?
10:45All right.
10:51I don't know. What do you think about that?
10:54I think it's ridiculous.
10:57You made your feelings clear, didn't you, son?
11:00I hope so.
11:02Hearing that man talk made me look at this place as if I'd never seen it before.
11:07Why don't we do something different tonight?
11:09Why don't we have supper outside, have a picnic?
11:11Oh, that's a great idea. Is there anything I can do to help you?
11:14There's always something.
11:16Good.
11:18Hey!
11:20It sure is pretty up here.
11:21Wasn't that a good idea of yours, Miles, to have this picnic?
11:24It'd be nice to be out in the open.
11:26Daddy, don't you mean what you said about not selling the mountain for $100,000?
11:31I think your father was just trying to make Mr. Harmon understand something.
11:35That's right.
11:36I don't know what he's talking about.
11:38I don't know what he's talking about.
11:40I don't know what he's talking about.
11:42I don't know what he's talking about.
11:44Mr. Harmon understands something.
11:46That's right.
11:47Come on, children, time to eat.
11:49But if you had $100,000 just for yourself, let's say you couldn't spend it on anybody else or you'd lose it, what would you do with it?
11:55Oh, I wouldn't know where to begin.
11:57Where to begin where?
11:59We're just playing a little game as to what we'd do if we suddenly got rich.
12:02I'd buy candy.
12:04Come on, boy, come on over and have something to eat.
12:06I'll be there.
12:08Pretend, Mama, what would you do with the money?
12:10Oh, all right, let's see.
12:13Well, first I'd buy me a new dress for the golden anniversary.
12:17Then I'd buy some curtains.
12:19What else, Mama?
12:20Well, I guess there'd be enough left over to go see my sister Frances in Esmond.
12:24I know what I'd do.
12:25I'd buy me a big car, the kind that the rich people have.
12:27Have somebody drive me around.
12:29I'd go to my friends' houses and give them rides.
12:31What would you do, Daddy?
12:34I'd probably buy Elizabeth a new tooth for the front of her mouth.
12:37Seriously, Daddy, what would you do?
12:39Oh, I'd shingle the roof, paint the house, fix up the sawmill, pay some of those debts, and put the rest in the bank.
12:45I'd like to get me a new rocker with a good backrest.
12:49What about you, Grandma, what would you like?
12:51Oh, I don't know.
12:53I'd like to be two inches taller.
12:56I don't need nothing.
12:57Well, you got all that money, Grandma.
12:58You got to spend it on something.
13:01Well, is there some kind of a clock that can turn back 20 years?
13:04Ah, but then the children wouldn't be here.
13:06Well, then forget it.
13:07I think I'd go to New York City and study music.
13:09What would you like, Ben?
13:10I'd buy me an airplane and fly up to New York and watch the Yankees play.
13:14I know what Marianna would like.
13:15Shut your yeah out, Marianna.
13:16She'd go to Hollywood and see Gary Cooper in person.
13:18Hey, that's not a bad idea.
13:19I'd like that.
13:20We haven't asked Jim Bob what he'd like.
13:21What would you do if you had $100,000, Jim Bob?
13:23Gee, I never had $100,000.
13:25How many zeros is it?
13:27I don't believe a person should have more than they know what to do with.
13:31I believe a body should earn his living by the sweat of his brow.
13:36I don't know, Pa.
13:38There are times when I could use a little less sweat on my brow.
13:56What is Grandpa up to?
13:58Oh, the old man set on doing the clock at our anniversary just like he did at the wedding.
14:05Yeah, I guess it's no more outlandish than me wanting to wear my wedding dress.
14:12Oh, Libby, look at that. Moths.
14:14We can patch it.
14:19Sound like little birds, don't they?
14:24I guess one of them fell out of the nest.
14:34I don't know where.
14:38Oh, Mrs. Walton. Is Mr. Walton around?
14:41Oh, I'm sorry. He left about an hour ago.
14:43He's trying to catch some fish for dinner.
14:45Oh. Do you think I could locate him?
14:48Well, go past the Baptist church, past Drusilla Pond.
14:53Then you'll see the Rockfish River, and that's where John will be.
14:56Oh, fine. Thank you.
15:05Nancy, what would you do if you had yourself $100,000?
15:12Stock this stream with fish.
15:14Hello there.
15:16Hello, Mr. Harmon.
15:19Say hello to my friend, Nancy Tucker.
15:21Hi. How are you?
15:22How's the fishing?
15:23It's not bad. Picked up a few.
15:26Hey, now, that's a mighty nice string, I'd say.
15:29Should have seen the twins that got away.
15:31Say, Mr. Walton, I was wondering if maybe you and me could go talk someplace, hmm?
15:37Nothing wrong with talking right here.
15:39I told you, Mr. Harmon, I'm not about to sell out.
15:42Mr. Harmon here wants me to sell Walton Mountain.
15:45Got a chance of that?
15:47I wouldn't be too sure.
15:49You see, Mr. Walton, I...
15:51Well, I wasn't exactly on the up and up with you the other day.
15:56How's that?
15:57Well, as a matter of fact, I represent a corporation.
16:02And they're interested in putting up a big health resort around here someplace.
16:06You know, like Warm Springs.
16:08Ever since FDR's been visiting there, that's become a mighty big thing.
16:12Of course, that's way over in Georgia.
16:15And my people, well, they want to invest here in Virginia.
16:20I don't know why you just didn't come out and say that, Mr. Harmon.
16:23I don't know why you just didn't come out and say that, Mr. Harmon.
16:27No matter.
16:29I'm not about to sell out.
16:32They had that spring water analyzed, and they like what they found.
16:36Well, that and all this beautiful mountain scenery, the...
16:40It could be a mighty important setup.
16:44As a matter of fact, they've authorized me to up my original offer considerably.
16:54Now, I'm not going to sell at any price.
17:00Just out of curiosity, though.
17:03What is the offer?
17:05$25,000.
17:08Where I follow when you said it to me.
17:11Takes my breath away.
17:13What do you think?
17:15Stunned.
17:17Keep the house, of course.
17:19Barn.
17:21Sawmill.
17:23Be a road over there.
17:25Without timber from the mountain, what good is a sawmill?
17:28Never thought about selling the mountain before.
17:32Now you are thinking of it.
17:35Certainly solve a lot of problems, Liv.
17:37We've had plenty of problems before, and always solved them.
17:41You put that $25,000 in the bank, you get 4% interest.
17:45That's $1,000 a year.
17:47I could pick up a few extra jobs.
17:49We could live like kings.
17:52What I hear, kings have their problems, too.
17:56At least they can pay their taxes when they're due.
17:59I don't know, John.
18:01When does that man need an answer?
18:04Day after tomorrow.
18:16Hey, is this everything you'd be needing, Mrs. Bremmer?
18:18I think so, Mr. Godsey.
18:20Because I wouldn't want you forgetting anything,
18:22and then you'd have to come all the way back here.
18:24Hey, job boy!
18:26Hey, I agree to Miss Bremmer.
18:28What can I do for you?
18:30Well, I just want the mail and some silk thread for my mama.
18:32Silk?
18:34Yeah, it's for Grandma's wedding dress.
18:36Is your grandma thinking of getting married?
18:38No, she's not.
18:40She's not?
18:43Is your grandma thinking of getting married?
18:45No, no, no.
18:47She's getting ready for her golden wedding anniversary.
18:49Fifty years.
18:51That's hard to believe.
18:53You know, Esther Walton and I were girls together.
18:56But at her age, changing the way of life isn't going to be easy.
18:59What do you mean?
19:01I heard you folks were selling out.
19:03Oh, well, you got some misinformation somewhere.
19:06I heard the same thing, job boy.
19:09Well, where'd you hear that?
19:11Well, I happened to run into Miss Emily Baldwin,
19:14who heard it from F. Bridges, who got it straight from Yancey Tucker.
19:18He said your papa had been offered $40,000 for your place.
19:23Sounds to me like Yancey Tucker got a little too close to some of Miss Emily's recipe.
19:27She was very definite when she was telling me.
19:30Well, no offense, ma'am, but Miss Emily Baldwin is not known to be too definite about anything.
19:35She also claimed that somebody from out of state
19:38was figuring on building a big, fancy hotel up near the hot spring.
19:42Here's your meal, job boy, in silk thread. That's $10.
19:46Thanks.
19:48Listen, if that story's going to keep on getting told,
19:50I might as well tell you that what really happened
19:52was my father told that man he wouldn't sell out for $100,000.
19:55$100,000?
19:57Yeah, okay?
19:59I'll be seeing you.
20:04$100,000?
20:06If you owe me $100,000, then I'll buy the whole county.
20:14Hey, Daddy.
20:16Job boy, I'm glad you're back.
20:18There's something I want to talk to you about.
20:20Look, Daddy, I was down at the store.
20:22You wouldn't believe the story that's going on down there.
20:25Yancey's telling everyone we're selling out.
20:27He says you got offered $40,000 for the place.
20:31The man didn't offer me $40,000, job boy.
20:34He offered me $25,000.
20:42Are you considering it?
20:47Yes, son, I am.
21:01Well...
21:04I guess I was wrong.
21:12Of course, I realize that, uh...
21:14I probably have less right to say what I feel
21:17than anyone else around here,
21:18seeing as how I'm going off to college next year,
21:20and you're going to have to be doing all the work.
21:23Not only me, Jason's going to be doing a lot more,
21:25but I'm not deciding this
21:27on the basis of how much work needs to be done.
21:31Well, what other reason if it's not going to make things easier?
21:34Take the pressure off you going to college.
21:37It'll benefit the other children as they grow up.
21:42You made up your mind, haven't you?
21:48Yes, I have, son.
21:58How do you feel about it?
22:03I don't know what to say.
22:06I'd like to hear what you have to say.
22:08Excuse me.
22:28How about it? Just five cents a glass.
22:30Well, the price is right. Maybe I'm a way back.
22:41That is good news, Mr. Walton.
22:44We thought it over and felt it'd be the sensible thing to do.
22:47Oh, right, quite right.
22:49There is one point, however, that has come up.
22:51You see, the interests that I represent
22:53have decided that they need the whole property.
22:57Not the house.
22:59Well, you see, the house would be in plain view of the resort,
23:02and, well, they'd want to tear down the house and the barn and all that
23:05and replace it with a beautiful, great, big, brand-new parking lot and garage.
23:11Now, that's a different story, Mr. Harmon.
23:15I realize that, Mr. Walton.
23:17That's why I am prepared to offer you
23:21$30,000.
23:25John, I hadn't planned on moving.
23:28Well, I'm not finished yet, Mrs. Walton.
23:30My people would build you a new house.
23:34In the vicinity, if you wanted to stay here.
23:36You know, somewhere out of sight and sound of the resort.
23:40They'd even move you into that new house.
23:43There, now, that is certainly fair, huh?
23:47I have a sawmill out back.
23:50I make my living at it.
23:52Well, I'm sure we could work out something there.
23:57You know this country pretty well, don't you?
23:59I do.
24:01Well, we would need a fishing and hunting guide at $35 a week.
24:06And you could keep all the gratuities.
24:09Yes, yes.
24:17You talking about tips?
24:19$5, $10 a day, that's standard.
24:27We'll have to mull this over, Mr. Harmon.
24:30Well, I guess I can give you 24 hours more.
24:34But I would have to have your decision then.
24:36You see, these people of mine, they are looking at another very nice site over in Albemarle County.
24:43I'll let you know, sir.
24:45Well, it's nice to have seen you all again.
24:48I'll show you to the door, Mr. Harmon.
25:16You're thinking of fetching this place in, Pa?
25:20Yes.
25:22I favor a good split rail fence myself.
25:25It'd be kind of comforting to know when you have to go that there's a split rail fence around you under an oak tree.
25:32You're not going anywhere for a long time, Pa.
25:35Are Indians buried here, Grandpa?
25:38No Indians up here, just Waltons.
25:41Of course, there are a lot of arrowheads down there in the newly planted fields.
25:45Was there a fight?
25:47Oh, this is fought for land.
25:49Been more than one kind of battle around here, though.
25:51Fire and flood, fever, diphtheria, whooping cough, loneliness, the depression.
25:59Hard times now.
26:01Now this.
26:03But we Waltons endured on this land.
26:07And we owe something to the Waltons that are buried up here.
26:15If I come up here to have a little talk with you.
26:18Mm-hmm.
26:24You and Ma can rest easy.
26:29I was thinking about selling this, but...
26:32when I wanted a house and...
26:36I just can't swallow that.
26:38Your Ma and I have talked things over.
26:41We've agreed it should leave us out of it.
26:44You've got to make your own decision.
26:46I have made a decision. I'm not going to sell.
26:49Then you can change your mind.
26:52I'm not going to uproot you and Ma.
26:55You've got no choice, John.
26:57I got a choice. I said I'm not going to sell.
27:00Listen, John.
27:02You are carrying 11 people on your shoulders.
27:05That's not easy in time of depression.
27:08Well, anyone would say to you,
27:10this is a chance of your lifetime, so get hold of it.
27:13Well, they'd say this is a gold ring on the merry-go-round, so grab it.
27:18Pa, I can't do it.
27:20You'd be a fool not to. I taught you better than that.
27:23You taught me to have enough respect for you and Ma not to ruin your lives.
27:28I thought my coming up here, you'd help me decide what to do.
27:31I'm doing the best I can to tell you.
27:35It's worse than when I came here.
27:37You sound just like John Boyd.
27:39I hope I give John Boyd better advice than you give me.
27:42Son, your Ma and I have lived a long life,
27:45and the best of it's behind us.
27:47Now it's time to give over to the youngins.
27:49Why, you've got seven children.
27:51You've got to give the very best there is to offer in this land.
27:56Pa, I just...
27:57I thought I told you never to talk back to an older man.
28:05Yes, sir.
28:07All right. Let's go home.
28:12Elizabeth?
28:35No!
28:41Hi, Daddy!
28:44Hi, breakfast!
28:45Hi, Daddy!
28:47Hi.
29:01Wish I had another one of those hay rides.
29:03Remember last year?
29:04Oh, yeah, whipping down the road.
29:06Mary Ellen just about fell off the wagon that time.
29:08Oh, that was funny.
29:11Hey, Ben.
29:18That's beautiful.
29:20It sure is.
29:22What's going to happen to animals like that?
29:27Well, I guess they'll have to go someplace else.
29:30Why?
29:32Well, the stream is fed by the hot spring,
29:35and I guess the stream will be dried up.
29:37But the spring will still be here, won't it?
29:40Yeah, the spring will still be there,
29:42but they're going to divert it to make pools for the guests.
29:45And what that doesn't use up, I guess they'll bottle and sell.
29:49I never thought anything like that could happen.
29:51Mm-hmm.
29:57Are we still going to be able to keep the chickens and the cow and Lou
30:01and all the rest of them?
30:05I don't know, Ben.
30:09Listen, you go on home, okay?
30:11Where are you going?
30:13I thought I'd go up to the old chimney for a little while.
30:16Why?
30:18Well, once I get up to college,
30:20it's not going to be so handy, for one thing.
30:24You're sure going to seem funny when you're gone.
30:29I'll see you later.
30:30Yeah, see you later.
30:44Hey.
30:48Missy.
30:51Your hands are a lot better than any dang old hot spring.
30:56Yeah.
30:58Almost 50 years I've been a...
31:00I wouldn't miss one minute of it, old girl.
31:07Remember the day we first came up here to this place, Esther?
31:11I shouldn't remember such things.
31:13Why not? We was married, wasn't we?
31:18And then there was the day I come running up here
31:20when I found out I was in the family way.
31:24Scared as a cottontail.
31:27And then you found me and everything was all right.
31:30I was scared too, Esther.
31:32You know, you're such a tiny little thing,
31:34all I want to do is to protect you.
31:36Give you the moon and all the trimmings.
31:39And all I have ever been able to give you
31:41is just a piece of this good earth.
31:44And...
31:45And one another.
31:48I guess that's about all anyone's meant to have.
31:51The best there is, anyway.
31:55Young people don't know what's important.
31:58Memories are important.
31:59You can't take them away from you.
32:01We've had us some good times, haven't we, Esther?
32:05I had some good times you didn't know anything about.
32:08Was I?
32:10Yeah, being home alone, making a cake for you.
32:13Humming all the time.
32:15Sweeping the floor, cleaning up,
32:17watching the kids grow.
32:21You remember the time when there was just the two of us?
32:25We took a horse and buggy
32:27and drove over to Goochland County
32:29to visit my brother Ben?
32:30Yeah.
32:31Well, I remember the axle on the buggy wheel broke.
32:34That gave us a good excuse to stay around a while
32:37and visit all the cousins, uncles, aunts and in-laws.
32:41Oh, and I sure would like to go back to Goochland County again.
32:45And all I wanted to do was to get back to my own home.
32:49Never could get used to sleeping on strange sheets.
32:55What are you laughing at?
32:56Oh, I was just thinking, Esther.
32:59We are going to be rich.
33:02But we have been richer, haven't we?
33:05Did I ever tell you
33:06what that pesky Kathleen Carter told me when we were little?
33:09Probably, but you can tell me again.
33:12She says I'm the loneliest child
33:14and I'm immensely rich and I can spit on walls.
33:18Esther, are you going to spit on the walls of our new house?
33:24I just might.
33:27Let's go home, Zebulon.
33:28All right.
33:30Let's go home, Zebulon.
33:31All right.
33:36No, no, no.
33:37Don't, not with that back.
34:00When you're old,
34:01you'll take comfort in knowing the mountain will endure
34:04long after you and I had turned to dust.
34:07The seasons will come and go.
34:09Snows fall.
34:11The land sleeps.
34:13The violets bloom
34:14and the green leaves of spring come again.
34:17They grow for a summer
34:18and then turn all their colors and then the snow again.
34:22Keeps on like that.
34:24It's such a beautiful thing.
34:25And then the snow again.
34:27Keeps on like that.
34:29It's the way of things.
34:50You found this cave too, huh?
34:55You knew about it?
34:57No.
34:58I found it when I was about 13.
35:01I thought I'd discovered it.
35:02So did I.
35:04Why didn't you tell anybody about it?
35:06Why didn't you tell anybody about it?
35:08I don't know.
35:09I guess I like to think it was mine.
35:11I could come up here all by myself and play my harmonica.
35:15It sounded just the way I wanted it to sound.
35:17I know.
35:21I want to show you something.
35:26Here, look at this.
35:29John Walton, Jr.
35:30Author.
35:32You knew you wanted to be a writer even then.
35:34Sure I did.
35:35But if I'd told anyone about it then,
35:37they just would have laughed at me.
35:40I know just what you mean.
35:44Right here is where I got the courage
35:45to start writing my notebooks.
35:48I even had a secretary.
35:50Secretary?
35:51Sure.
35:52Here she is right here.
35:53She's a good secretary.
35:55I used to dictate to her and she'd listen.
35:56She wouldn't interrupt me.
35:59Also, she wouldn't tell me
36:00that I never was going to be any good at it.
36:05You know, I've played some music here
36:08that I would never have played anywhere else.
36:13We don't have to tell anybody else about the cave, do we?
36:16No.
36:18But there's somebody else who already knows about it.
36:20There is?
36:21Yeah, come here, I'll show you.
36:25Haven't you ever seen this before?
36:28C.W.
36:29July 1st, 1875.
36:32Grandpa.
36:33Yeah.
36:351875.
36:36Let's see, he's...
36:39He must have been about 13
36:40when he found this place, too.
36:45John, boy.
36:47John, boy.
36:50What do you think will happen to the cave
36:51if they put up a hotel here?
36:56I don't know, they might seal it up.
37:01Maybe they could fence it off
37:02and charge to go through.
37:04Daddy could be a guide, I guess.
37:12Can you see our daddy
37:13taking tips from tourists?
37:16No.
37:46No.
38:04Don't look like that, John.
38:07Can't help the way I look.
38:11I guess we'll just have to get used to it.
38:14It'll make a difference, you know.
38:16All that money coming in.
38:19Maybe it'll give me a new slant on life.
38:21I ever complain about the old slant?
38:24Liv, I hate the idea
38:25of leaving this old house.
38:29So do I.
38:32Maybe we'll never have another chance
38:33to make this kind of money.
38:35Money's never been that important here.
38:38We've been skipping and saving
38:39and making do
38:40and doing without for years.
38:43Kids wearing half-sold shoes all the time
38:45hand me down clothes.
38:47You ever hear them complain?
38:50It was you.
38:52A lot of things I'd like to do for you.
38:57I went through this damn depression.
39:00Now don't go blaming yourself for that.
39:07Liv, I just don't know
39:08if I can take tips
39:09and things like that.
39:11I'm worried about Grandma and Grandpa.
39:14It's awful late
39:15to shake them up with such a move.
39:17He's been shaken up before.
39:20I know,
39:21but he likes to feel he's helping out.
39:23Well, he does help out
39:24more than he should.
39:25About time he was forced
39:26to take it easy, maybe.
39:28Nobody's ever been able
39:29to force Grandpa to do anything.
39:32And Ma?
39:35I guess she feels the same way I do.
39:36You were born in this room.
39:39In this very bed.
39:43Mm-hmm.
39:45And this is where our children began.
39:48With our love for each other.
39:53Oh, it's just like a thousand others.
39:55Some springs and a mattress
39:56and not a very good one at that.
39:59We'll probably have to get a new one
40:00even if we did stay here.
40:02I read an ad in a woman's home
40:03about a man who had been
40:06guaranteed not to soil,
40:07sag or squeak.
40:11What do you think
40:12we ought to do, Liv?
40:15I think we ought to do
40:16what's best for you.
40:19Because that'll be best for us.
40:27I read in a magazine
40:28that people up in New York
40:29move every October 1st.
40:31No.
40:32They must be crazy.
40:34There's a storm brewing
40:35over the mountain.
40:37Good.
40:40It'll clear the air.
40:43I sure hope I find
40:44that leak in the roof.
40:47You're the only one
40:48lively enough.
40:51That roof's going to leak
40:52in time.
40:53It's like you helped
40:54and then I'm like you.
40:55It's like you helped
40:56and then I'm like you.
40:57It's like you helped
40:58and then I'm like you.
40:59It's like you helped
41:00and then I'm like you.
41:01It's like you helped
41:02and then I'm like you.
41:05That one sounded like
41:06it was right near
41:07the old chimney, Daddy.
41:08That old chimney
41:09acts like kind of
41:10the lightning rod, I guess.
41:11Yeah.
41:12Come on, children.
41:13Up to bed now.
41:14Good night, Mom.
41:15Good night, Grandma.
41:18Now, hold on.
41:20I'd like you all
41:21to come back and sit down.
41:22There's something
41:23I want to talk to you about.
41:25Well.
41:28So you've finally
41:29made up your mind
41:30about the new offer,
41:31offer, huh, John?
41:34Pa, all of you, you've been sorely trying my patience lately.
41:39I've been asking you what to do in this
41:40situation, and all you've been telling me is to do what I want rather than what you
41:44want. Son, you have got to make the decision.
41:47This is a family matter, Pa.
41:49I'd like this to be a family decision.
41:52Well, whatever you do, you know we'll abide by it.
41:55You're not hearing me, Ma.
41:56I need your help.
41:58You know how I feel.
41:59I don't know how you feel, Liv.
42:01I don't know how any of you feel.
42:02You're not being honest with me.
42:03Now we're going to go around this table and I'm going to find out.
42:06Jason, I want you to start.
42:07How do you feel?
42:08Oh, there goes the train.
42:10Farmer down the road.
42:12You've been cutting up branches.
42:14I'll get it in a second.
42:16I've got branches right here.
42:17Yeah, just like the old days.
42:23Here you go, son.
42:29Now, what happened to John, boy?
43:00John, boy, I want you to come back downstairs.
43:03I've got to hear what you have to say.
43:05It's only fair.
43:09Yeah, that's what I've been thinking about.
43:12What would be fair?
43:17You know, the other day when we had a talk,
43:19you said that by selling the place, you wanted to benefit the children.
43:24But.
43:26That's right.
43:27I don't think you were really considering these two.
43:33How do you mean?
43:36Well.
43:43Well, the rest of us.
43:46The older ones.
43:49I think maybe it wouldn't be so hard for us.
43:53We've had this place all our lives
43:56and we have a history here that's made us what we are.
44:00And we have memories of this place that are so firmly planted in our minds,
44:05we'll never forget them.
44:10Every breath we've ever taken is still somewhere in this house.
44:18Mom, as long as I live, I will never forget the smell of coffee
44:22and bacon drifting upstairs on a winter morning.
44:27I'll never forget the sound of your footsteps in the hallway.
44:37Now, Daddy, I have a picture in my mind of you that is so clear.
44:43I can just see you walking across the meadow
44:47through a new crusted snow.
44:51I'll never forget those things.
44:54I've stood under the kitchen window and I've listened to the sounds
44:57that this family makes at dinner time.
44:59And everyone's talking at once and nobody's listening to anybody else.
45:02But the sound of that talk is so beautiful.
45:05You just ought to put it to music,
45:07the way it drifts out on the evening air.
45:15It's the sounds of this house.
45:18It's the sounds of this house that I'll never forget.
45:23Especially that one moment
45:27when we're all in bed,
45:30we're all safe,
45:33we're all together, just before we go to sleep
45:38and we say goodnight to each other here.
45:48And, Daddy, I don't know what kind of Waltons these two children would be
45:53if they had to grow up without all that.
45:56And I think really the decision is theirs to make.
46:17Let's go to bed.
46:47Let's go to bed.
47:17Ta-ra!
47:47Ta-ra!
48:05Many years have gone by since that 50th anniversary.
48:08My grandparents are no longer alive
48:11and most of us have moved to other places in the world.
48:15We go home when we can
48:17and on those occasions our spirits are renewed
48:20by the feelings that flood back,
48:22the feelings we had as children
48:24growing up in that wonderful old house
48:27that stands in the shadow of Waltons Mountain.
48:30Here comes the moon, right where it belongs.
48:32I wonder if Gary Cooper's looking at it, too.
48:34Probably. He's so romantic.
48:36Mary Ellen?
48:37Yes, Elizabeth?
48:38If you're going to have Gary Cooper, can I have Clark Gable?
48:41What do you want with Clark Gable?
48:43I just want his picture.
48:44Oh, I thought you wanted to marry him.
48:46I'm too young to get married.
48:48That's a relief, Elizabeth.
48:50Good night, you girls.
48:52Good night, Mama.
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