"If I had a remembrance book, I would surely write about the day we came to Plum Creek,  and first saw the house in the ground." "I can remember Pa, and Mr. Hanson." "And how they walked, and looked, and talked." "Andhowwe wonderedwhatthey said ." "You know, there is no hurry Mr. Ingalls." "If I were in your boots, I would think on it, and sleep on it." "Nothing to think about Mr. Hanson. my mind's made up." "I'll be in Walnut Grove tomorrow mornin' to sign the papers." "I'll be at the Mill." " I'll see you then." "Well, Ingalls family as soon as you get done soaking' your feet, we got a wagon to unload." "We're home?" "We're home." "PaleftPlumCreekatdaybreak,and worked all day in Hanson's mill earninglumberhe neededtobuildusahouse ." "Pet and Patty, our team horses weren't big enough to pull the plow Pa needed to break the prairie sod." "Though we were sorry to see them go, Pa swapped them to Mr. Hanson for a span of oxen." "StrongenoughPa said,topull the state of Iowa 10 miles into Minnesota" "Pa came home at sunset, and then he worked by lantern light." "Masaidhe atehis supperwhilehewas working" "Becauseithappenedmostlyinthedark, our house grew like the mushrooms we found in the woods" "It was kind've like we were all holding our breaths." "And then one day our new house was there." "All done." "And it was moving-in day!" "Can we go in now?" "!" "No, not just yet!" "Charles!" "We've all been in the house a hundred times!" "But not today." "Today's special!" "Can we go make our bed?" " Of course." "Don't forget your pillows." "Our new bed is way bigger than our other one, and softer too!" "We have our own window, and we can see the stars!" "Debbie Downer" "We're supposed to be sleeping when the stars are out!" "And it will sure be nicer to hear the rain on the roof, than to have it get us all wet." "Come on!" "You're supposed to be helping me make the bed!" "Our own window." "A board floor." "Real glass windows!" "A room for the girls, and one for us!" "And don't forget, a door that locks." "Now if I hear wolves at night, I won't be afraid." "Lots of times before, if you were afraid and I never knew it." "I was, but I won't be now." "At least we don't have to fear the weather." "Still have a mountain of work to do, and lots of things we need." "A plow, a harrow and seed." "Carrie!" "Come on now, your room is downstairs." "I'm not too worried about the harrow." "I can make one that will work until I get store-bought," "But plow and seed, I'm going to have to work that out in town tomorrow." "But how, we have no cash." "I'll work it out." "You let me worry about it, all right?" "Carrie!" "I'll get her." "You're not supposed to be up here." "How'd she climb the ladder?" "What are you climbing' around the house for?" "You know you're not supposed to do that." "Is the bed all right?" "It's soft!" "I love it Pa!" "Here, let me try it." "Hey, that's pretty nice if I do say so myself." "How do you like your room?" "It's wonderful!" "And I've decided something" "What's that half pint?" ""Home" is the nicest word there is!" "One of the nicest, that's for sure!" "Do you like home?" "Good, because we got one now!" "Morning, working hard?" "Morning Ingalls, not too hard." "Mr. Ingalls, good morning." "Mr." "Oleson, how are you doing?" "Missus this is the fella I told you about, I ran into over at Hanson's mill." "Ma'am" "What can I do for you?" "Well, I'd like a plow and wheat seed, enough for 100 acres." "I understand you're building a house out there." "I got it all finished yesterday." "I'll start breaking sod, soon as I get that plow." "I don't have any money right now." "I'd like to pledge a share of my first crop." "We do give credit to a few farmers that we've known for a long time, but, only to a few." "There is a reason." "You see, we need the money to buy the things we need to keep in business." "I understand, cash on the barrel, and that's the way I like to deal and wheel, just as soon as I get that first crop to sell." "Mr. Ingalls, do you know how many families move out here, and plant their crops and run up more bills than they can hope to pay for then skip out in the dead of night?" "Hmm?" "Now, I can show you a whole drawer full" "Mrs. Olsen, I can assure you I had no intention of running out in the middle of the night." "Thank you." "Mr. Ingalls, there's really no way that I" "I understand!" "Lookin' at my fine plows are ya'?" "Yeah." "Would you be needin' one?" "Sure could." "Name's Ingalls." "I need a plow and seed, enough for a hundred acres." "Well, you've come to the right man." "I don't have any cash." " Then I'll thank you for not wasting my time." "But I've got something you need more than money." "What is it that I could need or or use more than money?" "Know-how!" "Enough to put a new roof on that shed." "Had it been built proper, it'd never have caved in." "I bought this business for cash." "And I had no sooner turned the money over when the last snows of winter came, and they crashed in the roof." "I'll build you a roof that'll support under any snow." "For plow and seed?" "That's right." "And who'll be supplying' the material?" "Well, you will." "Well, in that case m'lad, I be needin' a bit more on my side, to make the bargain even." "I'm freightin' in some sacks of grain from Mankato." "You'd be stackin those in the shed, and neatly too." "Consider it done." "Satisfy me on one thing more, and we can shake hands on it." "I see you workin' at Hanson's everyday." "How you gonna get loose to work for me?" "I've already arranged for that." "Work for you in the morning, work for Hanson in the afternoon." "Bitin' off a big piece." "I'd be after wanting this done in ah, three weeks." "It'll be done." "Sayin's one thing, but doin's another." "You got my word on it." "But if something goes wrong, your word is not going to keep the rain out of my shed." "I'm thinking I'll be needin' a bit of collateral." "Like what?" "I see you drivin' a fair yoke of oxen." "Now just keep it business-like," "You sign a chattle mortgage, leavin' the animals to me in case you don't do the work as promised." "Now no offense Ingalls." "No offense meant at all." "It's just that bein' burned once, you fear the fire." "I was a believing' man once, until a shed sworn to be sound, fell down." "I'll build the roof and stack the grain." "In three weeks?" "In the three weeks." "My hand on it." "And I hope you be keepin' your promise." "There's nothing to worry about." "The house is all finished except for a cupboard and a few shelves." "Let's not worry about those." "So I work at O'Neil's for 6 hours." "I work 6 hours at Hanson's." "That's 12 hours." "That gives me plenty of time for the plowing and the rest of the chores." "With going and coming, and eating your lunch, it's more like 15 hours!" "Farm work on top of that, you won't have any time to rest." "It's only for three weeks." "That's a long time to walk in your sleep." "I can do it." "I believe you can." "Mary, cut up Carrie's pancakes for her please." "Laura's right there, why can't she do it?" "Because she's going to set a place for her father." "Whoa!" "I haven't got time to eat." "I'm late for work already." "Oh Charles, you have to eat!" "I had some corn bread this morning." "Wait." "You can eat these on the run." "All right, fine." "See you tonight!" "I want Molasses!" "Yes, dear." "Your father forgot his lunch!" "Here Laura, run!" "Pa!" "Pa!" "You forgot your lunch!" "Oh, thank you darlin'." "Have a nice day!" "Morning!" "Ingalls." "I'm Doc Baker." "We haven't met, but Hanson pointed you out to me." "Oh, pleasure to meet ya'." "Havin' a little rim trouble, ah?" "The whole wheel's fallin' apart." "Well, I can wedge it for ya', for now." "You can?" "Sure" "I'd be in your debt." "No trouble at all." "And I thank you for not pointing out that it wouldn't have happened, if I had remembered to soak the wheel and swell the wood." "It happens to all of us." "I was about to start walking." "Not looking forward to it, having been up all night with a new mother." "I'd be happy to pay you for your time." "No, thank you." "Just a ride to Walnut Grove would be fine." "You got it!" "Hanson told me you were a good man to have around." "Told me you were going to start repairing O'Neil's shack." "Word gets around fast." "In a town the size of Walnut Grove, quicker than scat." "I think you're a welcome addition to our community." "Thank you." "I hear you have a nice family too." "I think so." "Ingalls!" "Hey Doc!" "You know it's only by the grace of God, a country doctor doesn't cackle when he talks?" "You'll never guess how many times my patients pay their bills with chickens." "I couldn't begin to guess." "Could be I'm perpetuating the system." "I've started more flocks than I can remember." "I hope you can use these." "No come on, it's just a little added thanks for your help this morning." "Look, it's not that we can't use th" "Go ahead and take them Ingalls!" "Make the old man happy!" "You know he wouldn't dare keep those chickens." "Because they would die on him, and then folks would know he's a fraud." "Fraud!" "?" "Why you old billy goat!" "You can't even blow a whistle on time!" "He's 3 minutes late." "Nay!" "You are 3 minutes early!" "It's that cheap watch of his." "Cheap, is it?" "Ingalls, I'll have you know this is a very expensive chronometer, given to me when I graduated from medical school." "Ohh, well if it's that old, it's an hourglass." "When he graduated, they didn't have watches." "You and your watch you are both older than I am you" "Ma, the whistle's blowing!" "Laura, don't let the stew boil dry." "As soon as I get the oxen yoked up, I want you and Mary to take them to the field for your father." "In my remembrance book, I put down how Pa used every minute of daylight, and a lot of the dark." "Hesaidhe wascountingthedaysuntilhecould stayhome , and just work the farm." "The rest of us only counted the days to Sunday, the Lord's day, when Pa took us all to church" "As I look out on our congregation, I must say I'm distressed." "I see many familiar faces, but I also see the absence of many others." "I see many wives here without their husbands." "I'm sure if they had lost a loved one during the week, I'd have heard about it." "Now are all of us sinners?" "Some to a lesser degree than others." "It is only by going to church, and asking the Lord's forgiveness, that we may be cleansed of our sins." "Think upon that, as we sing our closing hymn" "" Come, sinner." "Come."" "Come, sinner." "Join" "Come, sinner." "Join tarriest Why not?" "Jesus loves you" "His love is holy" "He will never abandon you" "Today I did not to the church as much as the Sunday school." "Why did not you?" " Otherwise only." "The Reverend Alden said that is a sin not to go in the church " ", and sinners will be punished." "It was a question of those who will never go to church." " Do not punish the father?" "Your father's a good man." "He's worn out." "He needs to rest." "More than he needs church?" "Yes." "He is tired." "There's Pa!" "You girls catch up with Carrie!" "Charles Ingalls !" "Caroline!" "Oh you're back already, huh?" "Earlier than expected, obviously!" "Well what are you talking about?" "You couldn't stay awake to go to church, and here you are working!" "Caroline, I woke up and you were gone." "I just couldn't sit around the house doin' nothin'." "The Lord's day is set aside for worship, and for rest!" "Caroline, I've got a field to plow." "Now, God isn't gonna plow it for me!" "That is sacrilegious!" "Well to you maybe, but not to God!" "He understands farmers!" "I'm sorry, I didn't go to church." "You should have gone to church." "That's why I just said I'm sorry I didn't go to church." "It's not church I'm worried about, it's you." "You're working much too hard." "The worst part of it is over, it's just a little while now." "C'mon bear with me, huh?" "Time spent being angry with you is such a waste." "I'm sorry." "So am I." "Ingalls!" "Ingalls!" "Ingalls!" "Yeah?" "!" "I've been lookin at your time sheet, the days and hours that you worked, and your lumber bill." "Today, at quitting time, I owe you half a dollar!" "Surprised!" "?" "No not surprised." "Please is the word!" "I've been keepin' track myself." "I am pleased too." "You've been working hard." "How's the work coming at O'Neil's?" "All but finished." "I tell you what, when you get finished over there and you get yourself a rest, if you want to, come and work half days for me." "I would like that." "I'd like it too." "Good!" "Thank you!" "Caroline!" "?" "What is it?" "I am home, that's what it is!" "I am starving' woman." "Get my supper while I wash up." "You're really feeling good." "Mmm hmm!" "Oh it was a fine day!" "Where are the girls?" "In bed." "The sun's hardly down." "It's a little bit early to be putting them into bed, isn't it?" "I don't know, it just seemed easier and quieter if they weren't underfoot." "I'll get your supper." "Have I been that bad?" "I do remember telling them to be quiet a couple of times." "A couple." "A few." "Four." "I'm sorry." "Why don't you get my supper, and I'll be down in a minute." "Welcome home." "Get my supper." "Seriously, don't make me ask you again, woman" "It's kind've early to be asleep isn't it?" "Well, we weren't quite asleep, Pa." "Oh, that's good!" "I thought I might tell you a story." "Oh please, Pa!" "All right, let me see." "Oh yeah, I've got one about a grumpy farmer." "See this grumpy farmer used to get up every morning before sunrise and stomp off to work." "Sometimes he'd even forget to say goodbye to his wife and 3 pretty little girls" "And every night when it got dark, his wife would put his 3 pretty little girls to bed real early, so he wouldn't grump at em' when he got home." "That made the whole family feel kinda sad because they could remember when he used to have time for his wife, and to play games with his 3 pretty little girls." "Even take em' to church." "So one day that farmer looked around, and said to himself, 'Farmer you're a grump!" "'" "He finished all of his work-- almost all of it." "He ​​came home and told his pretty wife and his 3 pretty girls, that tomorrow he was gonna take them on the biggest, best-est, all-day picnic of all time." "Oh thank you Pa!" "I promise not to be a grump." "Hurry up!" "Last one down's a rotten egg!" "C'mon Jack, we're gonna win!" "Hey!" "Look!" "It is higher than some of the birds." "A lot higher." "I didn't know that Pa could fly a kite." "I didn't either, Mary." "I'll get it." "Charles!" "Don't move!" "Laura, run and get Mr. Hanson." "Tell him Pa needs Doctor Baker, and a wagon!" "Hurry!" "It never ceases to amaze me, the ways man can find to hurt himself." "Climbing trees?" "!" "It's a wonder you didn't break your neck!" "It couldn't hurt any worse than this does." "Now into bed!" "Painful, huh?" "Just a wee bit, Doc." "Well, that's to be expected, with 4 broken ribs." "But you'll mend fast." "You'll be up and movin' around in a week - 10 days" "Yah, the rest will do you good." "I can't spend a week in bed." "I've got a lot of work to do." "You do what the Doc tells you!" "I will talk to O'Neil." "It's not just stacking' the grain." "I've got plowing' to do." "I've got work in the barn." "It will have to wait." "I'll check back in a couple of days, Mrs. Ingalls." "Thank you, Doctor." "I'll see you out." "You stay in bed." "Girls, don't let the cornbread burn." "You're looking better." "I'm feeling better." "That soup smells good." "Can I ask you a favor?" "I don't want you to go out and do any plowing anymore." "We've already talked that out." "No, I talked, but you didn't listen." "The field has to be harrowed before it can be planted." "Now God isn't going to do it." "Corn bread's done Ma!" "Coming dear!" "That isn't sacrilegious." "You said it." "If God understands farmers, he understands farmer's wives." "Mrs. Ingalls?" "Yes?" "I am Liam O'Neil." "Your husband contracted to do some work for me." "Yes, How are you?" "Troubled Ma'am." "You're husband left a sight of work undone." "He was hurt and Doctor Baker told him to stay in bed." "Yes, sorry that I am to hear that, but that has nothing to do with the matter at hand." "A chattle mortgage Ma'am." "Your husband signed it." "Guaranteein' that the work'd be done on time, or the yoke of oxen would forfeit to me." "Well, the work wasn't done, and that's the plain and simple fact." "I know, Mr. O'Neil." "But Mr. Hanson was supposed to tell you my husband was hurt." "Well, 'hurt' has nothin' to do with the matter." "Your husband failed to do as he promised, and now the oxen are mine, so I've come to pick them up." "Please, don't do this." "I know how you feel, truly I do." "But if your husband were in my position, he'd do exactly the same thing." "I'm sorry." "Sullivan!" "Doctor Baker said you weren't to get out of bed!" "He said lots of things." "Please just tell me what O'Neil said when he showed you the mortgage." "He said you hadn't done the work and that the oxen were his!" "And there wasn't anything that I could do about it!" "There isn't anything you can do about it!" "I never should have signed it!" "But you did sign it!" "And you can't fight it!" "Now, please go back to bed before you hurt yourself!" "No Mr. O'Neil and I are going to have a little talk." "This isn't over." "But it is!" "No it isn't!" "Because I'm not going to let it!" "If we lose those oxen, I can't make a crop!" "If I can't make a crop, we lose everything!" "That's what happened to me in Kansas!" "That's not going to happen here!" "Go home, Jack." "Go Home." "Doerfler, if it's alright with you, I'll give you some chickens in payment for this shoeing job." "I've got more chickens now than I can use." "Half of my customers been payin' me in chickens." "I never thought of that." "Well, look who's here." "Ingalls?" "I thought you said he was gonna be in bed for a while." "That's where he should be." "Well, Ingalls." "You're lookin' poorly, lad." "I didn't come here to talk about my health!" "It was only a politeness" "I want to see the mortgage." "You did when you signed it, lad." "And I'll see it again now!" "Ahh tis' the date you're wonderin' about!" "The contract expires tonight." "Then the oxen are still mine." "Oh for a few wee hours more." "Til' midnight." "I was out your way on another matter." "I knew that you wouldn't be able to keep your promise here." "So you stole the oxen?" "No Lad." "I was just doin' you a favor." "Savin' you a trip into town." "You want to do me a favor, you give me a couple more days." "Sorry as I am, By the look of you, it'd take a lot more than that." "Besides, when a bargain is struck and a paper signed, all parties have to abide by it." "Well I intend to." "I got til' midnight to keep my end of the bargain." "I got a lot of stacking' to do." "I best get at it." "Wonder what he's up to." "It looks like he's going back to work." "Pa!" "Mary, Half pint, I want you to go home." "Do you hear me?" "I want you to go home!" "Come on!" "We'll do it!" "Now fellas, this is all a mistake." "I never meant to take advantage." "It was a business deal." "Now that's all it was." "It was just business." "When I saw the poor lad fall down, and him and that sack." "and then the wee ones, they're comin' to help their pa." "I swear, on my mother's grave I was going to the oxen back!" "Go slowly now Ingalls" "That's the way the oxen like it." "My thanks to all of you." "Oh, it did us good to sweat a little." "I just wish there was some way I could repay you, someth" "Uh ya, there is something." "We've been thinking of holding a plowing and harrowing contest after church on Sunday, and it would be a favor to us, if we could use your land." "You got a deal!" "Deal." "Thank you." "Come on, let's go home." "You're still 3 minutes early." "Thatwasourhappiesthomecomingever" "Pasaidhe wasgladwe'd come tolive on the banks of Plum Creek,  becausehere,he 'dharvestedacrop  he didn't know he'd planted," "Aharvestof friends."