" Ahh." " Nice day, Son." "Sure is, Ma." "Come on." "Let's get goin'." "Come on, Susie." "Come on, girl." "Here, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Come on, get your breakfast." "Chick, chick, chick, chick." "Chick, chick, chick, chick." "Chick, chick, chick, chick." "Come on, chick." "Come on." "Come on." "Here, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Here, Brownie." "Here, Brownie." "Here, Brownie." "Brownie." "Chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Here, Whitey." "Chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Oh." "Oh." " Hungry?" " Sure am, Ma." "I'll go bake you some of them hoecakes that you like." "Yeah." "Tonight?" "Tonight?" "After Ma's gone to sleep." "Mary!" "Mary!" ""Keep thee from the evil woman..." ""and from the flattery of her tongue." ""Lust not after her beauty..." ""for by means of an evil woman, a man is brought... to a piece of bread."" "You hear that, Son?" "I know what you're thinkin' of, Ma, but you're wrong." "I know her kind." "She'll take you away from me." "She'll poison your mind against me." " That's a lie." " Jim!" "Oh, I'm sorry, Ma." "Eat your supper, Son." " Good night, Son." " Night, Ma." "Ma?" "Well, some of the boys are enlisting." " Well, what of it?" " I'd like to go to France too." "What?" "You can't go." "You could get a hired man to take my place." "I'm glad your father ain't alive to hear a Jessop talkin' like that." "What's come over you lately, Son, gettin' so restless?" "I'm tired." " Same thing, day after day." "Nothin' but work." " Well, what about me?" "Didn't I work all alone after your father died... till you was big enough to help me?" "And now you want to go away." "It ain't that I want to leave you, Ma." "I know that, Son." "But nothin's gonna take you away from me, nor nobody." "Come on, Susie." "No, hey." "No, hey." "Psst." "Psst." "Hey." "Hey." "Psst." "Hey." "Shh." "Shh." "Shh." "Oh, is the old man hitting' it up again?" "Ever since war broke out, folks keep remembering Dad fought in Cuba." "Yeah, and bringin' him moon." "I know." "Well, I'll put him to bed." "Come on, Dad." " Oh, it's you, Jimmy." " Yes, sure." " You know, I was a fighter once." " Yeah?" "Who'd you ever lick?" " Oh, I knocked out 10 men in one round." " Where'd you do that?" "In a round house." "Come on." "Watch your step." "Hey, Jimmy." "My Mary is the finest girl in the world." "I raised her in luxury." "There." "Gave" " Gave her everything her little heart desired." "Listen." "When I go, this is all hers." "Good night, Jimmy." "Good night." "Good night." "What you trying to do, hide the jug up there?" "He finds it no matter where I put it." "Well, I'll put it where he won't find it." "Come on." "The moon's pretty." "Yeah, it sure is." "That's our moon, Mary." "Yep, and your father's moon goes up in the hay." "Here, hold it, will ya?" "Hey, Mary, hand it up." "Uh, I'll bring it up." "What you thinkin' of?" "You." "What are you thinking of?" "You." " You and" " And what?" " Oh, the war." " The war?" "Yeah." "All the other fellas are goin', and I'd like to enlist." "Oh, Jim." "Mary" "Mary, you'd wait for me, wouldn't you, if I went?" " Oh, you mustn't go." "You mustn't." " Oh, I'd come back." "Gee, I'd hardly be away from you at all, I'd be thinkin' of you so much." "Oh, Jim, I don't want you to go." "I'm afraid." "I couldn't stand it here without you." "I just couldn't." "Well, Mary." "Oh, please, don't." "What are you sulking' about, Son?" "I think I'm old enough to be gettin' wages, Ma." "Wages?" "All this is gonna be yours someday, ain't it?" " Land ain't everything to me." " It ought to be." "Your grandfather gave his life for this place." "His own blood's in the land that's growin' that corn." "Your grandmother buried him under that apple tree... and fought Indians to save this place for her children." "That ain't no reason I shouldn't be gettin' wages." "If you're gonna ride on this saw... keep your feet up off the ground." "Ahh." "I'll tell you what I want money for." "I want to get married." " Married?" " Yeah." "Well, someday, Son." "Someday, maybe" " When you're old enough to know your own mind." " I know your someday." "You want to keep me tied to your apron strings." "You've hated every girl I've ever looked at." " Jim, is it that-that" " Yeah, it's Mary Saunders." " You'd deny your own mother for that trash?" " Aw, Ma." "There's never gonna be any drunkard's grandchildren in the Jessop family." "Well, I'm gonna marry her, and if you won't give me wages..." "I'll go where I can get 'em." "Jim, you couldn't do that." "You're my son." "I worked for you and slaved for you." "Yeah, but I ain't a baby no more." "I'm a man." "Jim" "I'm warnin' ya." "Keep away from my boy." "But we love each other." "Love ain't what I call it." "You're selfish." "You just don't want anyone else to have him." "Well, I'm his mother, ain't I?" "That's one thing you never let him forget." "I'd rather see him dead than married to you." " I" " Ma." "I thought you'd do something like this." "But it don't make no difference what you say." "I love Mary, and I'm gonna marry her." "If you do, don't bring her to my house." "All right, if that's the way you feel about it, I won't." "We'll get a home of our own." " Jim, you don't mean that." " Oh, yes, I do." "All right, Son." "All right." "If you love her, you can't love me." "You think you got him, don't you?" "Well, you ain't" " Not yet, you ain't." "I'll take him away from you." "For his own sake, I'll save him from you." "Hello, Hannah." "I'll be with you in a minute." " Just have a seat." " Seat, nothin'." "Which is the most important, your country's business or his whiskers?" "Well, uh, since you put it that way" "Oh, excuse me." "Of course our country's business comes first." " It's about my son Jim." " Well, what about him, Hannah?" "I want the army to take him away." "I-I mean" "I guess his country needs him more than I do." "I can afford a hired man now." " Well, that's mighty patriotic of you, Hannah." " Never you mind about me." "Well, just the same, you deserve credit, Hannah." "All the other women keep makin' a fuss, and lyin' about their boys' ages." "Why, only yesterday Mrs. Thompson came in here... and said her boy wasn't old enough to go." "And I been shaving' him for nine years." "You know, Hannah, you're the first woman... to come in here and give up her own son." "And you've got to love your country to do that." "What do you know about lovin' anything?" "I don't have to sign nothin' there, do I?" "Why, yes, Hannah." "You'll have to sign this waiver." "Uh, right here." "Next stop-Three minutes, men." "Three minutes." "As you were." " What man's town is this?" " I can't see it." "There's a cow in the way." "It's this man's town, soldier." "Three Cedars, Arkansas, the capital of the world." " Never heard of it." " Why didn't they name it Four Cedars?" "Ran out of cedars." "Maybe they used that other cedar to build those boats with." "Three minutes, men." "Three minutes." "A minute for each cedar." " All right, come on there." " What outfit, soldier?" " Liberty Boys of'76." "Don't let 'em fool you." "It's Barnum  Bailey's circus." "Give 'em a good show when you get to France, boys." " Hello, Jimmy Jessop." "Right around the corner." "Oh, Jim." "Oh, you look so nice." "You look so nice in your soldier suit." "Gee, it's" " It's good to see you again, Mary." "You're lookin' fine." " Where's Ma?" " Did she know you were coming through?" "Yeah, I sent her a telegram too." "Maybe she found out I was comin'." "Well, I'll be savin' every penny to send you, Mary." "And as soon as I get back we'll be married." "That won't be none too soon." "I" "I guess I'd better tell you." "I" "I tried to write it in a letter, but..." " I couldn't." " Tell me?" "Tell me what?" "What's the matter?" "I may have to go away somewhere." "I" "I don't know how long I can stay home." "Oh." "Oh, Mary." "Oh, Jim, I'm gonna have a baby." "All right, come on." "Get inside here, men." "Shake it up." "Snap to it, soldier." "Train's leaving." "Well, why didn't you tell me before?" "I could have got away from camp." "We'd have been married." "Now you'll be all alone." "Oh, it ain't fair." "Ma's gotta take care of you now." "It's her fault we ain't married." "Oh, Jim, don't take on about it, please." "You've got enough to worry about." " I'm sorry I told you." " Maybe it ain't too late yet." "Sergeant!" "Sergeant!" "I gotta lay over." "I'll catch the next train." " Who said so?" " I said so." "I can't go." " I gotta get married." " Come on, get aboard." " Don't you understand?" "I got to." " You're crazy." "Get aboard." "Well, I won't go." "Let 'em send for me." " Come here and get aboard, you." " Lay off me!" " Come on, Jessop." "Come on." "I'm sorry, Mary." "That's all right." "Write to me whenever you can, will you?" "Hey." "Hold that light, will you?" "Hey, douse that butt." "Jim!" " Let me in!" "Let me in!" " Let me in!" "Let me in!" " Let me in!" "Let me in!" " Let me in!" "Let me in!" "What do you want?" "We need you at the house, Hannah." "We can't get the doctor, and Mary's having the baby." "What's that to me?" " Well, it ought to be something to ya." "It's your own flesh and blood." "Not mine." "Not mine." "It will never bear the name of Jessop." "Jim'll never marry her when he comes back." "I'll see to that." "This ain't no time to quarrel, Hannah." "Come on, please." "My, ain't that pretty?" "The poor little mite will be needing something good and warm... in such terrible weather as this." "Well, don't let her find out that I made it." "Wouldn't give her that satisfaction." "Tell her it's from you." "Land sakes." "Here comes the letter carrier." "And the... mayor is with him." " Afternoon." "Mrs. Jessop" " Hannah, I" "Yes, Elmer?" "I" " I got a telegram for you" "From Washington, D.C." "Go ahead." "Read it, Elmer." " You mean, uh, out loud?" " Yes, Elmer." "Just as you say, Hannah." "Uh, "Mrs. Hannah Jessop, Three Cedars"" "Skip that." ""Deeply regret to inform you..." ""that Private James Jessop, 381st Infantry..." ""is officially reported as..." ""killed in action." "November 10. "" "Oh, Hannah." "Uh, Hannah, on an occasion like this, I like to" "Please, Elmer." "We're awful sorry for you, Hannah." "Isn't there anything I can do for you, Hannah?" "Yes." "Put some coffee on for Elmer." "They must be cold." "There's a cake I baked in the... pantry." "Chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Come on, chick." "Come and get it." "Come on, come on." "Here you are." "Chick, chick, chick, chick." "Here, chick." "Here, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Chick, chick, chick." "Come on." "Come on, now." "Go on there." "Earn your keep." "Lay some eggs." "Come on, you lazy birds." "Come on." "Come on, Brownie." "Chick." "Chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." "Here, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick." " Chick, chick, chick" " Whoa." "Got another load, Mrs. Jessop." "Go on, put it in the barn." "Don't be all day about it." "Say, are you smokin' a cigarette up there in that hay?" "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a great big man like you." "Throw that thing away." "Throw it away." "Be careful where you throw it." "Go on, now." "Don't you talk back to me." "Put that hay in the barn, and do as I tell you." " Giddyup." " Never seen two men talk so much." "Go on." "I've got some work to do." "And look out for the chickens too." "Be careful." "Howdy, Hannah." "Howdy." "Nice day, isn't it?" "Huh?" " Rain wouldn't hurt none." " No, it wouldn't." " What do you want?" " Well, here's your deed, Hannah." " I certainly do hate to part with them 20 acres." " Yeah." "But then, I'd rather see a neighbor like you get it... than have it fall in the hands of a stranger." "Don't you try to get around me, Caleb." "I'm payin' 2,000 cash, and not a cent more." "As you say, Hannah." "Fair enough." "Fair enough." "Reckon I'm a fool to buy more land." "I got" "I got more now than I can farm." "Oh, well." "It's all right." "It's all right, Caleb." "It's all right." "Susie, come on!" "Susie!" "Come back here!" "Come back here, Susie." "Come back here!" "Susie, come here." "Susie!" "Come on." "Go in." "Behave now." "Go on." "Go on." "Smart boy, Hannah." "Sure does take after your Jim." "The money's in the bank waiting' for you, Caleb." "You better go down and get it, or I might change my mind." " Are you gonna take that back?" " No." "It's the truth, ain't it?" " No, it ain't." " You're a liar." " You're another." " You call me another and I'll bust your snout." "Go on, sock him, Bill." " That's a good" " Come on!" " It's Bill and Jimmy." " Come on!" " Come here, come here!" " Come on." "Jimmy!" "William." "Go on, get up." "Jimmy-William." "Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?" "He said something and he won't take it back." " I didn't say nothin'." " You did so." "You said" "He said my mother wasn't married." "Did you say that to Jimmy?" "Well, it's the truth." "Heard my mother telling' his mother." " He's a liar and she's a liar." " Jimmy." "I'm ashamed of you." "Why, you children should be proud to play with Jimmy." "His father's the only man in this county who died in France." "You go home and tell your mothers to remember that." "Now get your books and run along home." "Come on, let's blow." " Little harder." " Here are your books, Jimmy." " Thanks." " Come on, darling." " Why, Jimmy, what's the matter?" " Nothin'." "You've been fighting again." "No, Mom." "I just fell down." "I baked some cookies for you, honey." " You know, the kind you like." " I ain't hungry, Mom." " Not hungry?" " I wish we could move away from here." "Someday we will, dear." "Gee, I don't like it around here." "Seems like everybody's got it in for us." "If I didn't have to go to school..." "I could work harder for you- earn money, so we could move away from here." "Now, never mind, honey." "We won't be here always." "We're going to get away from this place just as soon as we can." "That's what we're working for, isn't it?" "Now, don't you think about it anymore." "Come on." "I'll give you a nice glass of milk..." " for those cookies." "Look, Mom." "An automobile." "It's goin' up to-To her house." "But, Hannah, you don't understand." "You see, Jim was the only boy from Three Cedars killed during the war." "You're the only Gold Star Mother we got." "The government's paying everything, Mrs. Jessop." "Hundreds of Gold Star Mothers are going to France to see the graves of their sons." "Well, that's all right for them as wants to see 'em." "But..." "I don't understand." "Maybe there's a lot of things about me you don't understand." "What do you care whether I go or not?" "Oh, you see, Miss Prescot is an organizer, Hannah." "She's rounding up all the Gold Star Mothers in this territory." "You see, her father was a general." "He was killed over there during the war." "Oh." "Why, I didn't know generals ever got killed." "Well, I don't know what embitters you, Mrs. Jessop... but I do wish you'd make this, uh, pilgrimage." "You'd feel so differently then." "Think how wonderful and reconciling it would be... to really stand beside the grave of one's heroic dead." "Some folks ain't so easily reconciled." "Oh, I know how you feel, Mrs. Jessop." "You're the sort that never forgets." "Maybe I am." "But the whole town wants you to go, Hannah." "You owe it to Three Cedars." "Why, we wanna show them New Yorkers and other foreigners... that we did our bit, just the same as they did." "Elmer, I told you before and I'm tellin' you again, that I don't want to go." "And I ain't goin' to go." "Susie, come here." "Come up here." "Come up here." "Come on, come up here." " Then you really won't go to France, Mrs. Jessop?" " Nope." "I'm obliged to you just the same, but I ain't a-goin'." "All right, Hannah, but I'm ashamed of you." "Every town in Arkansas will say we had a Gold Star Mother... and she was a-scared to go." "Well, I'd just like to hear 'em say that, Elmer Briggs." "Well, they may not say it, but that's what they'll be thinkin'." "I ain't scared of nothin' that ever wore fur, feathers or hair... and you know it." "Yeah, that's what I thought- till today." "Look here, Elmer Briggs." "You're a bigger fool than I took you for." "I won't have you nor nobody else talkin' like that." " Well, why don't you go then?" " Maybe I will!" " Oh, Mrs. Jessop." " Now we're proud of you, Hannah." "Well, I... ain't said I'll go yet." "Oh, please think it over." "We want you to go so much." "Just let us know by tomorrow, won't you?" " Good-bye, Mrs. Jessop." " Good-bye." "Remember, Hannah." "Your going's gonna put our town on the map." "Wish I was goin'." "I'd sure tell folks about Three Cedars... now we got our water works and new jail." "See you again tomorrow, Hannah." " Wish it was me goin'." " I wish it was too." "Crazy idea" "Me laying' flowers on the grave of him... after 10 years of remembering to forget." "The bags!" " Hey!" "Hey!" "Don't you wish you were goin', Mom?" "Never mind." "Someday I'm gonna make a lot of money... and then we'll both go, huh?" " Now" " Now, take good care of yourself, Hannah." " Don't worry about me." " You be careful of strangers." " Oh, shucks." "I could give a grizzly bear the first three bites and then beat him to death." "Seems to me you're making a lot of fuss over me." "Well, you deserve it, Hannah." "We're all proud of you." "Oh, Elmer." "You keep your eye on them hired men." "Go on, give 'em to her, Mom." "You ain't scared, are you?" "Watch out, Hannah." "Let me off." "There's your baggage up there." "Here's your ticket." "This is the longest one we ever sold here." " Don't you lose that." "Of course I ain't gonna lose it." " Put it in your pocketbook." " All aboard." " Take good care of that dog." " Good-bye, Hannah." "Hannah, don't forget to write back, cause we wanna put it in the paper." "Mrs. Jessop" "Would you put these on Jim's-Jim's grave... for me and..." "Little Jimmy?" "We're so glad you decided to come along, Mrs. Johnson." "Jessop." "Hannah Jessop." "Three Cedars, Arkansas." "Uh, Major Albert." " How do you do, Mrs. Jessop?" " How do you do?" "Allow me." "The last time I had anything pinned on me... was when I baked the best cake at the county fair." " Jim was the only" " I'll see you on the ship, Mrs. Jackson." "Jessop!" "Hannah Jessop!" " May I sit down?" " Yes, yes." "Don't passport photographs make one look terrible?" "My stars." "Oh, well." "Mine makes me look like a horse thief." " Merciful heavens." " Yeah." "You know, if anybody from Arkansas saw that..." " they'd offer a reward for me." "Four sheriffs would put me in eight jails." "Do your feet hurt?" " Hatfield." " Oh, yes." " Mrs. Hatfield, please." " That's me!" " Oh." "How do you do?" " Howdy." "I'm Callie Hatfield." "Howdy, Colonel." "Callie Hatfield from Tut's Corners, Carolina." "I'm very happy to meet you, Mrs. Hatfield." "Will you allow me?" " Don't think of me, Mama." "Think of our Benny, over there." "He would be glad if he knew his mama... was going so far away across the ocean... to be with him." "Aw, there, there, Mama, Mama." "Remember, you're a gold stein mother." "I think we've checked everybody except you four ladies." "I'm Major Albert." "And you are?" "I am, uh, Mrs. Carlucci, Illinois." " Mrs. Carlucci." " I'm Mrs. MacGreggor, from Pennsylvania." " Mrs. MacGreggor." " Mrs. Quincannon, from New York." "Mrs. Quincannon." "And you must be, uh" " Mrs. Haberschmidt." " Ja." "Milwaukee." "Now, ladies, it shall be our concern... to make your pilgrimage as comfortable as possible." "You are the mothers who gave hero sons for your native land... and your country is honored to have you as its guests." " Ma'am?" " Don't you speak English?" "Oh, we understand." "Your son is over there." " Danke schön." " Bitte." "Now, ladies, we shall be going aboard in a very few moments." "Mrs. Carlucci." "Allow me." " No speech today, Your Honor?" " Not today." "Why, this is the first time I ever saw you" "That's the most eloquent speech this country's ever made, Marty." "It would take Abe Lincoln to top it." "That's the best speech you ever made." "I'll quote that." "You're going to France, ain't you?" "Yes, I guess so." "Put this flower on your son's grave for me, will you?" "What's my son to you?" "I can't go." "My son was missing." "I ain't got anything to even put a flower on." "Well, yes, of course." "I'll" " I'll do it." " I'll take it." " Thanks." "That'll help some" " Maybe." " Howdy, ma'am." " Howdy." "Ain't it wonderful, all them millions of folks remembering' our boys?" "I thought we was the only ones that remembered." "And what do ya think of them houses?" "Well, they're bigger than them we got in Tut's Corners." " Yeah." " Aw, but they ain't as pretty as our mountains." "No." "Well, you see, the Lord built the mountains." "Don't look like much room "nuther"... for six million folks." " Mm-mmm." "You couldn't herd my cows that close together." " No." " No, sir." " No." " They're too smart." " Your cows have got sense." "You bet they have." " Oh!" " I'm so glad we're going to be together." "Yes." "I guess you're the captain." " Will you see if they" " No, ma'am." "I'm the steward of this room." "If you want anything, just ring the bell." "Thank you." "That man laughed at me because I called him the captain." "Oh, no." "Not out loud, or I'd have boxed his ears." " Nice room, isn't it?" " Yes." "Ain't room enough to swing a cat, though." " Mighty handy." "Good evening, ladies." " Good night, all." " Good night." "Good night." "Have you been enjoying your dinner?" "Oh, yes." "They have good grub on this ship." "Now when we arrive, we'll go by train to Paris... where the French government will take charge as host." "Well, if there's any bigger doings in Paris than they give us in New York..." "I don't think my old bones will survive it." "I know I'll never be able to order a meal." "Oh, don't worry." "There'll be an interpreter in charge at all times." "Demitasse, madam?" " No." " No." "He thought we didn't know what he meant." " Do we?" " Of course we do!" "It's a half a cup of coffee." "I see they don't object to us ladies smoking." "Jumpin' June bugs!" "You ain't gonna smoke that, are ya?" "Why not?" "They're smokin', ain't they?" "Huh." "I take it all back." "You don't look no worse than they do." "Ladies, tonight there's going to be a ship's concert." "In half an hour, we'll all gather in the saloon." "You ever been in a saloon?" "No need to." "We Hatfields always made our own." " There you are!" "I've been looking for you." "I've checked-in everybody but you and Mrs. Hatfield." " Don't you think you'd better go below?" " No." "I like it up here on the piazza." "But you shouldn't be on deck in weather like this." " You'll get seasick." " Seasick?" "Ain't no ocean can give me the jiggers." " It's nearly 11:00 and you ought to be in bed." " Look here, young woman." "Just mind your own business." "I ain't in my second childhood yet." " Now please, Mrs. Jessop." " I've gone to roost all these years by myself... and I ain't gonna be bossed now." " Here's your purse." " All right." "Thank you." "Well, I'll go, but not because you asked me to." " Where's Mrs. Hatfield?" " Oh, her nurse took seasick." "She's downstairs taking care of her." "If you had a swig of that mountain dew we make at home... it'd fix you up all right." "Oh, Mrs. Hatfield." "Take it easy." "Good night." "I guess you can find your way back all right." "Good night." "Good night, Mrs. Rogers." " Good night." " You'd better go down and see... how Mrs. Hatfield's nurse is." "You know the one I mean- The pretty one." "Forgive me, but Dad always said I was a crybaby." "He was handsome, wasn't he?" "Yes." "I'd love to see your boy's picture." "I haven't any." " None at all?" " Not even a letter." "That's too bad." "But you remember how he looked?" "If I don't, he left enough behind to remind me." "We were so close to one another." "I understood him so well." "No woman ever understands her son." "I did." "Jackie was pretty wild at times... but I knew he was only doing what I'd wanted to do all my life" "But I never had the courage to." "That woman don't know how to grow a geranium." "Take a look at that scrawny shoot." "You know, it'd be probably dead before ever we got there." "How do you think you feel now?" "Oh, I'm all right." "Here." "Take a look at yourself." "I'm scared if I went back to the mountains with my hair like that" "Some hunter'd shoot me for a whippet poodle." "Well, you look like a telegram office." "Now, ladies, may I have your attention for just a minute, please?" "This is a most interesting and historic spot." "Here is where they built the first barricade." "And in 1792, the Republic was born... and monarchy fell." "Well, he sure busted that path, didn't he?" " Yes." "And now, ladies, if you'll come with me..." " I will show you the site of the old Bastille." " Bastille?" " I ain't goin' there." "My feet hurt." " Mine too." "Come with me, please." "Come on." "Here." "Let me see that popgun, brother." "Never too late to learn." " Handle" " Oh, go away." "Go away." "Say!" "Where'd you learn to shoot, woman?" "Shucks, that ain't nothin'." "I shot my own breakfast many a time." "Well, "a-fore" I lost my eyesight..." "I could shoot the ears off a mosquito... and never spoil the meat." " I think they take these for sharpshooting medals, huh?" " Yeah." "I reckon they do." " I guess there ain't nothin' more to shoot now." "Oh, yeah!" "Look at them bottles." "Oh, sure!" " They are my prizes!" "They've been there for 10 years, and now they are all gone!" " Oh, my!" " I'm sorry, brother." "We busted up housekeeping on ya." "That was very good, but we must go." "We will be late for the ceremony." "We have to go to the Arc de Triomphe." "Come on now." " Wait." "Wait!" " I'll take care of the damages." "On me." " Oh, my stars!" "I thought that was one of them waxwork dummies." " Oh!" " Come on." "Gold Star Mothers of America..." "France salutes you." "With sympathy and with reverence... we greet you on the soil... ennobled by the blood of your" "With sympathy and with reverence... we greet you on the soil... ennobled by the blood of your courageous sons." "Your sacrifices have created a bond between us... which can never be broken." "The world cannot measure your tragic loss." "You have suffered in silence... and alone." "With courage and love, you have given to the great cause... something more precious than your own life blood." "And the altar of freedom... is wet with your tears." "Oh, stop!" "Please!" " Please stop!" "Please!" "I-I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to offend you, but I" " It's all right." "Come." "Come." "That was a favorite of my Benny." "My Benny." "My" "Don't cry." "I know how you feel, but don't cry." "Don't cry." "It can't do no good." "Why I've got three boys buried over here." "You didn't know that, did you?" "And I used to feel like you do." "Kinda seems like it runs in our family... to have our menfolk shot." "But, bad as it is, I'd rather my boys died as they did... than feuding' with the McAllisters." "They'd have made good men too... 'cause they was all good boys." "Thank you, Colonel." "Now, ladies, I think you should all go to your rooms and rest." "Tomorrow we're going to visit the cemeteries." "We don't have to go to the cemeteries, do we, if we don't want to?" " But Mrs. Jessop, you've come all this way." " I've changed my mind." "I can't go through with it." "I don't belong here." "I ain't one of you." " But you had a son." " Yes, I had a son." "But I lost him long before he died." "I've listened to you all telling' how good your boys were." " Mine wasn't." " Hannah!" "We was decent, god-fearing people till he brought disgrace on us." "He wouldn't listen to me." "He picked up with a common girl." "I had to have him drafted." "Mrs. Jessop, go to your room and think it over." "I know you'll feel much better if you'll come with us tomorrow." "I ain't goin'." "It was a mistake." "I shouldn't have come here." "I don't belong among you folks." "She sure must've loved that boy a heap." " Young man, will you tell me" " Go away!" "Let me alone!" "Oh, you understand me, don't ya?" "Nobody understands!" "Go on!" "Let me alone!" "I got a right to do what I like!" "Leave me alone!" " Look here, you're an American, ain't ya?" " Well, what about it?" "Well, you're drunk and you're disgraceful and you ought to be ashamed of yourself!" "I'll bet you're in some kind of trouble too." " How did you know?" " Oh, I know." "Now why don't you go home and talk it over with your mother like you ought to?" "Talk it over with my mother." "That's a laugh." "That's the funniest thing you ever said." "Talk it over with my mother." "Hey, come on here with me." "Those two sheriffs are lookin' at us." "Come on." " No." "No, I won't." " Come on, now." "Come on." "You've got to- Come on with me, do you hear me?" " Don't you answer me back." " I don't wanna go." " Hey!" " I won't!" " I won't go home." "Come on." "Hurry up." "Don't be all night." "Slowest man I ever saw in my life." "I wanna go" " Take this young man home." "What are you tryin' to talk about?" "What do you want?" " The street." "Street." " Oh." "Where do you live?" "298 Park Avenue, New York City." "New York." "Boy, you don't want a taxi for that number." "You want a boat." "Now where do you live here?" " Whoa!" "Whoa!" "Whoa!" " Whoa!" "Monsieur Gary Wo" "Right." "Get him in the taxi, and don't talk so much." " Be careful, now." "Don't let him fall." " No, no, no." " You know how to drive this contraption?" " Horse is much better." "He don't know how to drive this thing." "I should think so." "I found this young man drunk, and I took him home." "You are expected." "You come from America?" "Yes, I came from America but I didn't know I was expected." "That's too much." "Give me that." "Here." "You look honest." "You settle with him, will you?" " Oh, go on." "All that talk for ten cents." "I'd hate to owe a Frenchman ten dollars." "I thought there was gonna be a sure-enough good fight." "Oh." "You're awake, are ya?" "Well." "Well, how do you feel this morning, huh?" "You've got a headache, have ya?" "Well, you remember me, don't you?" "Yeah." "Yeah, I met you, uh" " Huh." " On a bridge." "Yeah." "And we went ridin' in a taxi together." "Yeah." "After we got you in the taxi." "Well, you must think I'm pretty awful." "Yes, I do." "You ought to be thrashed." "Well, where did you" " Did you sit up all night?" " Oh, shucks, that ain't nothin'." "I've done that many a time with a sick cow." "Come on now." "Wash your face and brush your hair." "Make yourself fit to sit down to a decent Christian breakfast." "Not" " Not ham and eggs?" "Yes!" "Ham and eggs." " I hope you're as sick and tired as I am... of them persnickety French vittles." " Come on now." " Well, just a minute." "Please." "I remember there was, uh" "Do you know whether I paid that taxi driver last night?" "Do I know?" "Everybody in Paris knows!" "I wouldn't be surprised if it was in all the morning papers." "Come on, boy." "Get up now while I pour the coffee." "You don't know what you did for me last night." "Oh." "Maybe I do." " Because I was at the end of my string." " Hmm." " Why'd you bother?" " Oh, I suppose I had my own darned fool reasons." "Just as darned fool as your reasons for behaving the way you did." "Well, I don't know who you are, but you sure" " Well, I'm Hannah Jessop." " Well, you sure are a good Scout, Mrs. Jessop." "I don't know about that... but I certainly felt like lambasting you last night." "You know, I had sort of a funny idea last night... that you were my mother." "You had an idea that" "That I was your" " Have some more coffee." "Come on." " No, thanks." "I'm right up to here." "I couldn't eat" " Can you wash dishes?" " Well, I can try." "Come on." "Now's your chance to get right up to here." " Come on now." "Stack 'em up, boy." " Okay." "Let's get 'em out." "Don't spill that." " I don't need this." " Don't be shy." "This ain't no bib." "You'll slop water all over yourself." " Okay." "Ouch!" "Oh!" "I bet you're a big help to your ma." "Well, I'll wash 'em and you can dry 'em." " All right." " There you are." "Gee, I wish I had a mother like you." " Fella could talk to you." " Ain't ya got a ma?" " Unfortunately." " You're a nice sort of a son." " Well, you don't know my mother." " You know what I think?" "I think you're a good-for-nothing young whippersnapper." "I suppose you're in some kind of trouble, huh?" " Well, yes." "You see there's a girl" " Oh, don't tell me." "You talked about her all night." " Suzanne, ain't it?" " Yes." "Well" "That's French for "Susie," isn't it?" "You know, I kinda like that name." " I use it on all my dogs." "That is when they're the kinda dogs you can call Susie." "Well, we wanna marry, but you can't get married in France..." " without your parents' consent." " Oh, I see." "And your ma got snooty 'cause they ain't society folks." "Well, something like that." "When Mother wrote Suzanne's people a letter, they got snooty too." "They're just as proud in their way as Mother is." "And when I wrote Mother she banged over here on the first boat." "Oh, is your ma here in Paris now?" " She arrives at the Ritz today to take me back." " Oh, well." "Why don't you go and see your ma?" "Put it up to her." "She's not like you, Mrs. Jessop." "She'd rather see me dead than not have her own way." "Oh, maybe your ma ain't so bad." "Maybe she's just a stupid old woman." "After all, you know, she's got somethin' to say." "She can't help lovin' her own son... no matter what he does." "Well, I don't know why you took the trouble to listen to all this." "You've been mighty good to me." "Well, now I know what that badge is." "You had a son of your own." "Yeah." "My Jim was... somethin' like you." "Maybe all boys... are like you." " Suzanne!" " Oh, Gary, I couldn't stay away." "I had to see you again." "Hello, Susie!" "Hello." "Madame, you're no longer angry." "Oh, I knew you would understand." " I knew you couldn't take him away from me." " Wait, Suzanne." "She's not my mother." " But, Gary." " She's just our friend." "Yes." "Then you must still go away?" "Oh, Gary!" "For one moment, I was so happy." " So terribly happy." " Suzanne..." " I'll come back." "You say that, but I know." "Well, if I was spendin' my last day with somebody..." "I'd try to be happy." "I wouldn't spend it tootin' on each other's shoulders." "Oh, stop making that long face!" "Try to forget how miserable you are." "Come here, Susie." "Susie, come here." "Here, sit down." "Now smile." "Let me see how pretty you are." "That's better." " Come on." " Well, I'll get my car... and we'll take you back to your hotel, Mrs. Jessop." " You will not." "No, sir." "Will he, Susie?" " No." "No, sir." "No, sir." "I made a fool of myself there last night." "I ain't goin' back." "Meanwhile, somebody's got to take care of you two, and it looks like I'm elected." "Susie, is there someplace we can go... kick up our heels and have a good time?" " Yes." " Make this last day a good one!" " Great." "We'll show you the city." " City?" "I wanna see the country." "Come on." "Come on, Susie!" "What's he pitching' that stuff right by his front door for?" "Don't you know that's a Frenchman's wealth?" "Oh, is it?" "Oh." "Well-Well, I guess I won't say it." "I wonder if that old buzzard's trying to flirt with me." " Oh, no, no, no." " No." "What's that up there?" "What's the excitement?" " What's the music for?" "The Festival of the Hay." "He is the mayor." "The mayor?" "Pitchin' manure." "Oh!" "Oh, my feet." "My feet." "My feet, Susie." "Oh, don't talk like that." " You know I'll come back." " I know." "Well, I won't go, Suzanne." "I'll tell Mother to go to blazes." "Oh, you must go." " As soon as I get to New York, I'll write." " You won't have my address." "Well, you'll be at your home, won't you?" "I don't know how long I can stay there." "Suzanne, what do you mean?" "Oh, Gary, I" "Oh, it ain't fair." "Ma's gotta take care of you now." "It's her fault we ain't married." "Well, I won't go." "Let 'em send for me!" "That's all right!" "Write to me whenever you can!" "Will ya?" "Why didn't you tell me before?" "Suzanne, my mother's got to take care of you now." " It's her fault we're not married." " Your mother mustn't know, Gary." "I didn't want you to know." " But, darling, when your people find out" " They shan't find out." "I told you, I'm going away... somewhere!" "Susie." "Susie!" "Oh, Susie!" "You just let me catch you goin' away somewhere." "You're goin' away, all right." "You're goin' with me, dear." " You're goin' with me, Susie." "What is it?" "What do they say?" "There is no word, madame." "They cannot find him." "Uh, could I be of assistance, madame?" " No, thank you." " Oh." " Yes, everything is very nice." " Thank you." " Uh, thank you." "Thank you very much." " Are you Mrs. Worth?" " I am." "Nobody stopped me, so I just walked right in." "You wish to see me?" "If you ain't gonna ask me to sit down..." "I'll just have to help myself... because my feet are just about to pop." "My name is Jessop." "Hannah Jessop from Arkansas." "That means nothing to me." "Well, it means somethin' in Three Cedars." "However, I come here about your son." " Where is he?" " You been kinda anxious, ain't ya?" "Oh, don't beat about the bush!" " Tell me." " You ought to be scared." "I found him last night, drunk, and I took him home." "So you're the woman who pretended to be his mother." "Pretended?" "Well, I had to." "He needed a mother, poor boy, and you weren't around." "Don't you try to lecture me, my good woman." "Don't you "good woman" me." "I ain't a good woman, and neither are you." "Why, I won't tolerate such talk." "Why isn't he here?" "That's all I want to hear from you." "Well, you're gonna hear a lot more." "Well, we'll see about that." "Oh, you're willful, but I'm a match for ya." "You and me is hard women, ma'am- hard as nails." " We both bully and boss" " You're insolent." "Where's Gary?" "Tell me instantly." "He mightn't be alive if I hadn't come along last night." "He had no reason to act that way." "Well, you see, he was kinda desperate, I guess." "It was you who made him that way." "Please tell me where he is." "You're being cruel." "We're both cruel... but we call our cruelty by high-sounding names" ""God-fearing," "hardworking," "decent woman."" "That was my name for it." "I don't want to hear anymore about you." "We're both cruel." "But I guess it's our love that makes us cruel." "We cling onto our sons and we won't let 'em go." "We lock 'em up in our hearts like it was a jail." "We won't never admit it... but deep down in our hearts, we'd sooner see 'em dead... then have some other woman get 'em." "Well, that's what you're doin' to Gary." "Where is he?" "For mercy's sake, tell me." "I'm tellin' ya." "I'm tellin' ya you're losin' him." "You're losin' him just like I lost my son... months before they killed him." "Don't you see?" "I'm tryin' to help ya." "Your son's alive." "Now thank God for that." "It's too late for me." "I don't understand." "They said that the war killed him, but that ain't true." " I killed him." " What are you saying?" "It's true." "It's true." "I killed him." "I didn't know it." "I come over here hard and bitter." "Now I know what I did to him." "And it's you and your boy have taught me." "Oh, I thought I was a good mother" "Same as you." "Never let him do any of the things he wanted to do." "Always kept him at short halter." "Every girl he looked at, I hated." "Secretly." "I didn't think there was any girl good enough... to marry him." "And when he jumped over the traces for a girl" "I had him drafted." "Sent over here." "I even tore up his picture." "Why are you telling me all this?" "So you won't have to carry with you all the days of your life... what I've got to carry." "I can go out to my son's grave and say..." ""Jim, I was a hard, ornery old woman"... but... he won't hear me." "It's too late for me." "But you've got a chance." "Ain't too late for you." "What do you want?" "What are you trying to do?" "I'm just tryin' to help ya, that's all." "Now, Gary's a good boy." "Yes, he is." "He's a good boy... but he can't go your way, you know... because he's gotta go his own way... or he'll go wrong." "And that-That Suzanne of his- Now, she's a good, sweet girl." "She ain't your sort, maybe... but she's his." "Now you've got to take 'em both... or nothin'." "Do you want 'em?" " Yes, I" " Yes." " I thought you would." "I thought you would." "Hey." "Hey, Susie!" "Gary!" "Mother, this is Suzanne." "Suzanne." "Oh, Mrs. Jessop" "Hannah, where are you going?" "I'm going to find my own boy now." "He's out there... in the Argonne somewhere." "Jim, forgive me." "These" "These are from Mary and... from little Jimmy." "They're kinda faded now." "Mama, it's her." "Mary." "Mary, I asked Jim to forgive me... over there." "I asked him on my knees." "Now I'm askin' you the same way." "Can you forgive me, Mary?" "What's the matter with Susie?" "Susie!" "Susie!" "Susie, what's the matter with you?" " Jimmy Jessop." "Come right here." "Come here, Jimmy." "Aw, Jimmy." "Jimmy, Jimmy." "Will you take care of this confounded nuisance for me?" "Jimmy, you see, you're the man of the family now." "Do you want me to call ya "Grandma" now?" "You just let me catch ya callin' me anything else."