"On Walton's Mountain, as our parents had before us, we grew up taking for granted the traditions that shaped our lives." "When my sister Mary Ellen took a stand against a solemn mountain custom, it was a rebellion that rattled the complacency of generations." "She was 17, but the custom was older than even my grandmother could remember." "Grandma." " Hello." " Hi, Grandma." "I haven't been gone all winter, you know." "If you young ones would clear out, and stop pawing her, I'd appreciate putting an arm around my favorite wife." "Esther, I missed you." "Well, it's good to be home, Zeb." "Did you bring us anything, Grandma?" "You're lucky I didn't bring the bronchitis." "Martha Corinne had it bad." "Sounds like you brought us some anyway." "With an angel of mercy like you dancing attendance," "Martha Corrine ought to be up and climbing back up her mountain by now." " Did you put mustard plaster on her?" " Well, of course." " How else do you think she got well?" " Poor Martha Corinne." "Hey, Grandpa." "Why don't you take the day off and spend it with Grandma?" " Yeah, Grandpa." " No." "No, let the womenfolks talk it over first." "I propose we glue the furniture together before your daddy gets back from town." " Good idea." "Come on, Ben." " Come on." "Besides, I wouldn't want to spoil your grandma by letting her know just how much I missed her." "It doesn't make sense, Martha Corinne over there in Brightwood by herself." "The bottom drawer, dear." "She's a stubborn woman." "You'll never convince her of that." "I don't know how she can stand the quiet." "A house needs voices." "This house has plenty of that, that's for sure." "We missed you, Grandma." "Yeah, especially doing the dishes and hanging out the wash." "Well, surprised you didn't save them for me." " What are these for?" " They're squares for Mary Ellen's quilt." "Martha Corinne made this one." "Did you ever see such fine stitching?" "And this is from Margaret Brent." "Appliquéd butterfly." "And the next one." "This is Cousin Estelle's." " And Cousin Nora May's." " They're beautiful, Grandma." "Yeah." "Well, now I have enough to finish Mary Ellen's quilt top and we can get on with the quilting." "I already told you, I'm not gonna have a quilting." " Oh, don't be foolish." " Why am I being foolish?" "Well, because as long as anybody can remember, when a girl reached a certain age, well, the women got together and made her a quilt." " And you've already passed that age." " Good." "Then let's just forget about it." "Well, now, that's easier said than done, with Martha Corinne reminding me that it's way overdue, and your cousin Leona waiting to have her quilting party." " Well, I'm not stopping her." " Oh, yes, you are." "You're older than she is." "And it just wouldn't look right if she had hers before you." "Well, I think the whole thing is just stupid." "It's a lovely tradition, Mary Ellen." " I think it's kind of romantic." " Well, good, then you have it." "I'm sorry, Grandma." "She does seem kind of set against it." "I wouldn't push it just now." "Well, somebody has to push her." "She'll be going to that school in the fall." "And it has to be quick or never." "Well, it just might be never if she gets her back up." ""They told her how, upon St. Agnes' Eve" ""Young virgins would have visions of delight" ""And soft adorings from their loves receive" ""Upon the honey'd" ""Soft adorings from their loves receive upon the honey'd middle"" "Mary Ellen, when are you gonna learn." "To come in here, you knock!" "Well, you never used to mind when I saw you in BVDs." "I mind." "I mind." "Jeez." " What's the matter with you anyway?" " It's Grandma." "Grandma?" "She's only been home 10 minutes." "You two scrapping already?" "She's talking about that quilting again." "Never could understand what you've got against that thing." "Well, what do I need a quilt for?" " Put in your hope chest, silly." " I don't have one." "Well, you will." "Well, I have better things to do than sit around hoping." "Mary Ellen, everybody knows that you are going to nursing school." "There is no reason in the world why you can't live your own life and go along with the old ways." "Well, I don't like what the old ways stand for." "It means I'm available." "What about those coming-out parties they have in Richmond?" "It's all the same thing." "Mary Ellen, every society has got some sort of coming-of-age ceremony." "Yeah, well, how would you like it if all the men in town got together to build you a toolbox, and what you really needed was a typewriter?" "Maybe you can get the ladies to knit you a hot water bottle." ""The boy cried out in terror shrill, 'My path has given way" ""'Oh, deep the pit, oh, steep the hill, I'm falling, help me, pray'" ""The man reached out a stalwart hand 'Take hold,' he boldly hailed" ""And led the youth to firmer land where truth and right prevailed"" " Inspirational." " Incredible." "That's all for today, ladies." "Be with us tomorrow as we explore another shelf of The Poetry Pantry, brought to you by the makers of Blue Ridge Bluing, the home laundry aid that discourages a dingy wash." "And remember, the deadline for our weekly contest is midnight tomorrow." " May I..." " And now friends, in radio..." "What's all of this here, Grandma?" "I'm entering that contest he was talking about." "What do you have to do?" "Just say why I like Blue Ridge Bluing in 25 words or less." "Twenty-five words?" "Looks to me, offhand, like you're about 9,000 words over." "I just want so much to win, I just tried it every which way." "Read one of them." "All right." ""I like Blue Ridge Bluing and use it in my wash every Monday." ""I'm glad Monday follows Sunday, because cleanliness is next to godliness."" "I like that." "It's got a good touch of humor in it." "You mean it's funny?" "Yeah." "Well, no, it's humorous." "Well, it's not really funny." "Listen, how about after supper you and me go over these things and pick out the best one, all right?" "I'd appreciate that, John-Boy." "It's a real treat, store ice cream." "It's a special treat to welcome Esther home." "We don't like to come calling empty-handed." "John-Boy, how's your job going with the newspaper?" "Well, pretty slow, Ike." "I'm in the middle of a feature on Virginia wildflowers." "I didn't know you were an expert on wildflowers." " Well, I'm not..." " I am." "Well, you can write the article if you want to, Grandpa." " Can I take your dish, Grandma?" " Make me feel like company." "They wouldn't even let me help with the supper." "There'll be plenty to do tomorrow." "Right now we're celebrating the fact that you're home." "Well, Esther, if you're getting out of your chores, perhaps you'd take a walk in the moonlight with me." "Sorry about that, Grandpa." "But I got a date with her first." "We're gonna go over some things for that radio contest, aren't we?" " What contest is that?" " Welcome to The Poetry Pantry." "Excuse me." " What's the prize, Ma?" " $15 cash." "Hey, that's a fortune." "What you gonna do with it, Grandma?" " Take piano lessons." " Piano lessons?" "Only kids take piano lessons." " Hey, how about me?" " But you can already play the piano, Ma." "I do not." "I fiddle at it." "By ear." "When Martha Corinne asked me to play something from the hymnal," "I couldn't even read a note and I would like to learn." "That's a good idea, Grandma." "Something else we can't put off, that's Mary Ellen's quilting." "Well, you'd better just keep putting that off." "That's the first time I ever heard of a young lady objecting to her own quilting party." "Well, you might just as well run an ad in the newspaper announcing that Mary Ellen Walton is looking for a husband." "Well, maybe John-Boy can get you a cut-rate ad for the Jefferson County Times." "Or I could just put up a special notice in the store." "You see what I mean?" "It's not like that at all." "Well, if Mary Ellen don't go for the quilting custom, maybe we could do what the Amish people do." "When a young lady becomes of age, they just paint the front door blue." "As a matter of fact, I just got in a shipment of blue paint." "For her we'll have to paint the whole house." "Very funny." "I have been reading Coming of Age in Samoa by Miss Margaret Mead." "And Miss Mead says that if a young girl does not go along with her traditions, that she is forced to marry an old man in the village." "And I know just the one." "Yancy Tucker!" " See what you've started?" " That's enough teasing, everybody." "Nobody's trying to marry anybody off." "This quilting seems kind of harmless, but if Mary Ellen objects," " maybe you'd better call it off, Ma." " It's too late to call it off." "As the oldest woman in this family, I took it as my responsibility." "The invitations have gone out." "Mary Ellen's quilting will be a week from Saturday." "Grandma, how could you?" "She'll get used to the idea." "She'll be grateful." "Wonderful, Esther." "I'm telling you, they just don't write music like they used to." "And if they did I couldn't read it." "That's why I intend to learn the notes." "If you say so, Esther, but to me, that's something like teaching the rose how to smell better." "You've just been listening to me too long." "If the concert's over, how about you and me going out and take that walk to see the fireflies?" "I'll go fetch your sweater." "Grandma, how's this?" ""I like Blue Ridge Bluing" ""because it touches my family's laundry with the same soft haze" ""that colors the mountain near our house," ""and makes Monday's laundry part of the landscape."" "That's 25 words exactly." "That's lovely." "If I had words like you do, I'd win for sure." "Well, there you go." "Well, I can't take this." "I couldn't send this in." "It's not mine." "Well, it is now." "It's my welcome-home present to you." "Good luck." "Come in." "Sorry to disturb you." "Could you help me in the attic for a minute?" "Sure." "It's been a long time since I've been up here." "Can you hold that for me?" "This is my hope chest." "My mother's before that and my grandmother's before that, clear back, oldest daughter to oldest daughter." " What's in it?" " Oh, memories mostly." "One time, it was full of brand new things." "Doilies, scarves, embroidered pillowslips that wore out long time ago." "And that tablecloth my grandmother crocheted for me, the one we still use on special occasions." "What is this?" "That's the dress that I wore when your daddy first took me dancing." "Well, I'm surprised he ever took you out again." "I'll have you know that was the latest fashion." "I copied it from the Ladies' Home Journal." "Lydia Lee, my first doll." "You'd be surprised what you'd find in here." "John-Boy's first shoes." "This is a lace handkerchief your daddy brought me from Paris." "It's time to clear these things out, Mary Ellen." "The hope chest is yours now." "I appreciate it, Mama, but I can't think of anything I'd use it for." "When my mama gave it to me, I was younger than you." "It looked so big and empty, like all those years still ahead of me." " I had no idea how to fill it or them." " Well, I know how I'm gonna fill mine." "What's this?" "Those are some sketches I made in high school." " You're good, Mama." " Well, my teacher thought so." " He wanted me to apply for a scholarship." " Why didn't you?" "I fell in love with your daddy." "I had to make a choice." "I made the right one." "You're gonna have to make your own choices, Mary Ellen, and I don't expect them to be the same as mine." "Still, the hope chest is here if you want it." "Thanks, Mama." "I just don't understand why Mary Ellen doesn't want her quilting." "When I was her age, I just couldn't wait for mine." "It meant that I was grown-up." "Mary Ellen is a good, sensible girl." "She'll realize Old Dominion customs are good for her." "What ladies are you inviting to the quilting?" "The women we're close to around here who can thread a needle, and a couple who can't, the Baldwin sisters." "The Baldwins?" "Maybe they would bring the punch." "We'd wind up with a crazy quilt." "I want you to tell John not to run the mill that day." "We want to hear ourselves think." "I suppose you want all of us to vacate the premises, huh?" "Well, don't you have a delivery to make in Westham?" "Oh, yes, indeed we do." "What's the matter?" " There's something in this bed." " Oh, no." "Hot water bottle!" "There's nothing worse than putting your feet on a cold hot water bottle." "I forgot I'd been using it while you was away." "You did miss me, didn't you?" "Remember that lace handkerchief you sent me from France?" "Yes, I do." "What about it?" "I came across it when I was in the attic tonight." "What were you doing up there?" "Going through my hope chest." "I want to give it to Mary Ellen." "Don't you think that's kind of risky after what happened tonight?" "Yeah." "I thought maybe if we move it into the girls' room, it might help her get used to the idea." "Now that Grandma's started all this." "It's just not easy, two women living under the same roof." "I'll have a talk with her if you want me to." "No, it'll probably do more harm than good." "Grandma's a big help to me and I love her dearly, but I wish she'd remember who's the mother in this house." "I don't know how you put up with her sometimes." "Sometimes I don't know how I put up with any of you." "You're gonna come to bed or you gonna sit there all night?" "One roll of cotton batting for Mary Ellen's quilt." "I'm glad it got here." "Esther's been fretting about it like an old, wet hen." "Well, I can't blame her, with Mary Ellen on her high horse." "Mary Ellen will come around in due time." "Worst of it is, we menfolk have been barred from the premises." "No place to go, and come home to a cold supper." "The good old days, why, we could have a cornhusking bee while the ladies were quilting." "Well, the only trouble is, this is the wrong time of year for husking." "Sure is." "Maybe, Ike, we could arrange a little pool husking." "Corabeth won't be around here all day long." " And we could all get together here." " That is a great idea." "I'm glad I thought of that." "And maybe I could prevail upon the Baldwin ladies" " to furnish us some of the Recipe?" " Yeah." "Howdy, Zeb." "Ike." "Hi, Yancy!" "Yancy, what can I do for you?" "Laying in some supplies, I got me a list here somewhere." "You're sure you didn't put it in your other suit?" "Well, I hope not, because I ain't seen that suit in 10 years." "Here it is, here it is." "I told you I had one." "Well, let's see here." "I need some dry mustard, garlic buds, cayenne pepper, chili powder, paprika, peppercorns and Tabasco sauce." "Already got me green chilies, hot chilies, green tomatoes, horseradish, cider vinegar, pork belly, beef cuts, bell peppers, chicken livers and squirrel shanks." "Sounds to me like you're preparing some of your special Red Devil Chili." "It ain't no angel food cake." "Yancy, it is indeed fortunate you should drop in on us at this particular time." "And why is that, Zeb?" "Well, Ike and I here are planning a little rendezvous of our own while the ladies are having their quilting." "And you have just been elected to supply the provender." "The grub." "Our very favorite, Mr. Walton." "Seeing that box of mead at Ike's store reminded me I hadn't called on you dear ladies for quite a spell." "I was just telling Sister I must get my quilt square over to Mrs. Walton today." "Now you can take it for me." "Well, I'd be pleased to do so, Miss Emily." "Sister already finished hers, but mine was such a delicate design, it took much longer." "It depicts a swirling leaf, quite like the golden ones that showered down around Ashley Longworth and me when last we met." "I'm sure Mary Ellen will be pleased to treasure it." "Well, if I know Mary Ellen, she'll undoubtedly have suitors considerably more reliable than Ashley Longworth." "Ashley was not in the least unreliable." " He did vanish, dear." " He had reason." "More reason, if I recall, than Mr. Porter Sims did when he vanished." "Well, Mr. Porter Sims didn't vanish." "He was simply called away by his work." "Sister was quite taken with Mr. Sims." "Now, I do think that Mr. Walton has more pressing business than to be hearing about our gentlemen friends." "A gentleman friend Ashley Longworth most assuredly was." "But Mr. Porter Sims was merely an acquaintance." "Of course." "And very discreet with his attentions." "Now, why am I standing here with a jar of Recipe in my hands?" " Oh, you brought it for Mr. Walton, dear." " Oh, of course." "Well, Mr. Walton, since you can't stay for a sip of the Recipe, we'll be very pleased if you'd take that with you." "I am pleased to have such riches bestowed upon me." "Why, this white liquid is pretty enough to be embroidered on a quilt square." "Yes, indeedy!" "The quilt square, Mr. Walton." "Oh, forgive me." "Yeah." "What you got there, Grandpa?" "Well, I was down to Ike Godsey's store." "He had a good buy on turpentine." "Never can tell when you might need it." "What are you boys up to?" "We're finishing this piece of furniture for Mama." "Daddy's too busy." "Your daddy has been busier than usual lately." "We ought to be able to give him some time off." "How do you give the boss time off?" "I could start, you know, by letting you boys take that furniture order over to Westham come Saturday." " Do you think Daddy would let us?" " I might be able to persuade him." "And I have a little loose change hanging around somewhere." "Might let you go to the picture show with popcorn." "Hey!" "The Dawn Patrol is playing at the Jefferson, and there's a serial with Tailspin Tommy." "I know some girls go to the movies every Saturday." " Hey, you think we can see them twice?" " The girls?" "No, the movies." "Well, I'll speak to your daddy when the time is right." "I think he'll see the advantages of you delivering that furniture." "What time do the movies start?" "I can't wait to find out." " Thanks, Grandpa." " Thank you, Grandpa." " They announce the winner yet?" " Pretty soon." "And now, friends, in radioland, I'm pleased to announce this week's winner of our Blue Ridge Bluing contest." "She is Mrs. Zebulon Walton from Jefferson County!" " I won." " You've done it." "Here is the winning entry by Mrs. Walton," ""I like Blue Ridge Bluing because it does what it is supposed to do," ""and not many things do that these days!" Congratulations, Mrs. Walton." "Your check is in the mail." "Well, congratulations." "That was really very good." "That was right to the point, wasn't it?" "Well, I meant to tell you, John-Boy, but I just couldn't send in the one you wrote, it wasn't mine." "It wasn't as good, either." "Yours was just wonderful, and I couldn't use those words, could I?" "Grandma, it was perfect." "I'm just glad you won." "Really, congratulations." "It's time to get supper." "Congratulations, my lady." "May I escort you to the stove," "Mrs. Zebulon Walton of Jefferson County, Virginia in the Old Dominion?" "It's not easy to change Grandma's mind, is it?" "Well, I guess I just shouldn't have butted in, that's all." "Don't worry about it." "You got that from her." " This is gonna be lovely." " Yeah." "I'm having trouble with Miss Emily's square." "I can't tell which side is up, which side is down." "They both look the same." "Which way does a leaf fall?" "It looks fine, Grandma." "Anyway, it's the thought that counts." "Well, I hope Mary Ellen feels that way." "She still insists she's not coming." "Mary Ellen has a mind of her own." "Hope she'll change it on her own." "Might help her to know you'll insist she be there." "Grandma, I want Mary Ellen to have this quilting, but I'm not gonna insist on anything." "If we'd talked about this before, you would have known that." "Went to pick up Maude's quilting frame and found out that Maude comes with it." " Glad to see you, Maude." " Nice to see you, Maude." "I've been saving my carrot tops for Myrtle." "They keep her well." "Where is she?" " I'll show you where she is." " Got this letter from Ike's." "It's your winnings from the radio contest." "Well, at least that's one good thing that's happened today." "We just might have a wake instead of a quilting party tomorrow." " Mary Ellen still dragging her heels?" " Dragging her heels?" "She's got her feet dug in worse than a Missouri mule." "And you're no help." "Liv, I could make her go to that thing, but I'm not going to." "I think she should go under her own power." "I think you should stay out of it, too." "I wish the whole thing were over." "When you've got a coop with three feisty hens," " you're bound to have ruffled feathers." " I am not a feisty hen." "Look pretty good to this old rooster." " Looks pretty good." " I'll get it." "Well, hi, G.W. Come on in." "Well, I'd like to talk to Mr. Walton first, if I could, out here." "You would?" "Well, sure, I'll get him." "Daddy, G.W. wants to talk to you." " Here, Son, take this plank." " All right." "Mama, he's got flowers!" "What can I do for you, G.W.?" "Well, sir, I just wanted to ask you if I could sit up with Mary Ellen." "But I thought I should get your permission first." "I appreciate that, G.W. Mary Ellen's the one to ask." "The mood she's been in lately, you'd better be ready to duck" " after you ask her." " I always am with Mary Ellen." "G.W. wants to see you." "What is the matter with all of you?" "It's just G.W." "Hi, G.W." "Here." "You didn't have to bring me flowers." "Well, I thought it would be the right thing to do at a time like this." "G.W., what's the matter with you?" "I mean, we've had plenty of dates and you never brought flowers and acted all solemn before." "Well, I heard about your quilting party and I wanted to get over here before the others did." " What others?" " There's bound to be lots of others." "Look, G.W., I think there's something you should understand." "I understand, Mary Ellen." "I'm not in a big rush, but my folks are giving me some land to start a farm on." "I thought maybe you'd like to see where it's going to be." "You're very sweet, G.W., and we've been good friends from way back, so I want to be honest with you." "I'm going to be going away to nursing school when the fall comes, and right now, I'm just too busy to think about anything else." "It has nothing to do with you." "I only thought with the quilting and all..." "This quilting isn't my idea at all, any part of it." "Thank you for coming by and for the flowers." " I'll see you before I leave for school." " Okay, Mary Ellen." "See you later." " Jason!" " Look out!" " Mary Ellen." " Now look what you've done." "Look what you've done to poor G.W." "Not to mention how you've embarrassed me!" "And all because of that stupid quilt!" "The word is out that Mary Ellen Walton is available for kitchen duty, housework, and raising children." "Well, it's not true!" "I have other plans." "You can go ahead and have your quilting, Grandma, but I am not going to be there!" "You'll be there." "It's your quilting." "No, it's not, Grandma." "It's yours!" "Mary Ellen, don't you ever talk to your grandma that way again." "Ever!" "Lord only knows what's going to happen tomorrow." "Grandma, I love you dearly, and I don't want to hurt you, but from now on, where the children are concerned," "I'd appreciate it if you'd remember that I am their mother." "Grandpa, you want to see if we loaded this okay?" "Be right with you, Ben." " Jim, will you close up the shop?" " Sure, Grandpa." "Be sure and tighten this load up real good, Ben." "Your daddy's sure to give it a close inspection." "Dawn Patrol ready to take off!" "Is that your square?" "It's a house with eight windows, one for each of the children and one for me." "And where's my window?" "You're the door, letting the good things in, and keeping out the bad." "Well, that's nice." " Well, it came out real pretty." " John." "Jim-Bob and Ben are all set to roll." " You want to come out and take a look?" " What for?" "Well, they're gonna take the truck on over to Westham with the furniture in it." "And maybe take in a picture show and some popcorn." "Come again, Pa?" "John, how long has it been since you've taken a day off?" "Just as long as since you had a day off, Pa." "All right, I'll take one off for you and you take one off for me." "Turnabout." "You agree, Livie?" " I reckon you both earned it." " Yes, indeedy." "Grandpa?" "John-Boy's gotta finish that article he's writing for the newspaper." " He'll be down to Ike's later." " Now we best be going." "The less your grandma knows about this, the better." " Pa, you're an old conniver." " See you all later." " I knew he was up to something." " You go along now and have a good time." "No, sirree, I'm gonna work in peace and quiet at the mill." "Livie, I thought I heard Zeb." "Looks like the menfolks have plans for the day." "Well, at least they won't be underfoot." " Anybody see Mary Ellen?" " Not since breakfast." "I was going upstairs to see if the girls are ready." "Livie, I only want what's best for Mary Ellen." "I know." " Ready." " You look very pretty." "Grandma will tell you what to do." " Mary Ellen?" " In the bathroom, I guess." " John-Boy, have you seen Mary Ellen?" " No." "Nobody else has seen her either, and the ladies are gonna be here any minute." "Well, I'll I go look for her." "Maybe she just went for a walk." "Thank you." "Corabeth, honey lamb, you'd better hurry now or you're gonna be late for the quilting." "Now, don't rush me, Mr. Godsey." "Just a few minutes now." "I hope that you are not swamped with customers while I'm gone." "I mean, what will you do if a multitude descends" " on this general merchandise store?" " I don't think we'll have any problem." "You see, I've got help here." "Well, what have we here." "A fine group of gentlemen!" "Now, what are you all up to?" "Well, we thought we'd keep Ike company and maybe help him out if he needs it." "Now, isn't that right neighborly?" "Now, I want you to get along and you have a wonderful time with the ladies, okay?" "But now, dear, the canned goods need to be restocked." "Don't you worry about that, I'll take care of that." "And don't forget to bring in those feed sacks from out back." "I'm going to take care of that, too." "Don't you worry about a thing." "Oh, dear!" "The front window needs to be washed." "That's the first thing I'm gonna take care of, okay?" "Okay, now, you have a wonderful time." "I bet it's going to be a wonderful quilting." "Toodleedo." "Change this." "Change this sign!" "Sign should have been changed a long time ago, it's way out of date." "It's too bad about Mary Ellen's headache." " She didn't want to come anyhow." " Never mind, Elizabeth." "I wanted a quilting, but Papa insisted on a coming-out party." "What's a coming-out party?" "That's when you make your debut and are presented to society." "What a lovely evening it was." "All the young debutantes in their white gowns and the young men in their uniforms." "I felt like a princess descending that magnificent stairway at the John Marshall Hotel." " Mama, did you have a coming-out party?" " No." "I had a quilting." "It's gonna be a lovely quilt, Olivia, but I don't recognize the pattern." "Grandma and I made our own pattern." "It's very original, Mrs. Walton." "Mercy me, Elizabeth, my needle's gone clean through." "I'll get it." "Oh, Elizabeth." "Hope she doesn't drop the frame." "Be careful." "Bless you." "Well, lads, don't you think it's high time we had a slug at Judge Baldwin's Recipe, just to be sure it's up to its usual high standards?" "Man ahead, I always say." "Smells like..." " Tastes like..." "My God, it is turpentine!" " Let me see that." "That is turpentine." "You know, Ben came in here the other day with a jar just like this and he says," ""Could I have some turpentine?" "I want to refinish some furniture."" "You know, I thought that rocker had a kind of special glow to it." "Mary Ellen." "Mary Ellen." "Hey, Yancy, you better keep the lid on this Red Devil Chili." "It's likely to take the paint off the ceiling." "Hey, Zeb, why don't you fight fire with fire?" " What?" " Guaranteed not to be turpentine." "Yancy's stump liquor, huh?" "Jason, Moonlight Bay." "We can take one more row, Mrs. Walton." "Isn't that right?" "No sign of her?" "Thanks for trying." "I'm sorry, Mama." "Mary Ellen, are you in there?" "Mary Ellen!" "Mary Ellen, you open this door!" "Mary Ellen, if you don't unlock this door," "I'm gonna go downstairs and tell your mama exactly where you are and then she can come up here and talk to you herself." "I do not understand you, girl." "You come up here and lock the door in the attic." "And you leave your mama and your grandma downstairs." "You know what this means to your grandmother?" "Here she's invited all of those ladies, they're sitting there downstairs and you come up here and lock yourself in the attic sulking away." "You know how embarrassing that is for her?" "Well, Grandma got herself into this, I didn't." "Don't be ridiculous." "Grandma did this for you." "She's been to a lot of work and a lot of trouble for this." "And what about those women down there, you think they made those quilting squares just for fun?" "Every one of those quilting squares is a gift they made with their own hands just for you personally, 'cause they care about you." "How would you feel if you took a lot of time and a lot of trouble to make a birthday present for Mrs. Fordwick, and she didn't even show up at her own party to accept it?" "It's not the same thing." "This whole quilting has just one purpose, to put me on the market for marriage." "Well, I am not on the market." "I'm not a piece of merchandise, and I am not going to give up my self-respect and my principles for a stupid backwoods custom that takes away my rights to be a person and live my own life." "Mary Ellen, that is one of the dumbest statements that you have ever made." "That is one of the stupidest things that I have ever heard you say." "Nobody is gonna take away your rights, nobody's gonna make you do anything that you don't wanna do." "And having this quilting is not gonna ruin your life." "The only thing it is, is a gift." "That's all it is." "It's a gift from those ladies, something that you'll have with you for the rest of your life to remind you of people who were close to you and who you were fond of while you were growing up." "That's the only thing it means, Mary Ellen." "Well, that's what it means to you." "But to everybody else, it means I'm looking for a husband." "Just a bunch of women getting together to help another helpless, unattached woman find a man." "All right, I really don't care what you do." "Just seems to me you could put yourself out a little bit for your grandma, seeing as how this is so important to her." " In a couple of days, she'll forget about it." " She will never forget about it, Mary Ellen." " Then it's just too bad." " And you will never forget about it, either." " You'd better go now, John-Boy." " Yeah, I'd better go now." "You know something, if you and your grandma was to have a stubborn contest," "I'd be hard-pressed to decide which one of you two was the winner." "But I'm not really worried about you 'cause you're gonna be all right." "It's the split between your mama and your grandma that worries me." "And that's gonna be a long time mending." "Why don't you think about that for a little while?" "They say it's bad luck to get blood on a quilt." "Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that." "My fourth cousin Jessie cut her hand on a pair of scissors at her quilting party, then had 11 children, outlived three husbands, died rich at 94." "I often thought I'd like to marry again, but it's pretty hard to find a man at my age." "It's hard to find a man at any age." "Well, John-Boy." "You think you'd like to join us?" "Well, thank you very much, Mrs. Brimmer, but I would be sure to spoil all of the beautiful needlework that you ladies have done today." "Time was when the menfolk on the frontier could sew as fine a seam as the ladies." "They had to." "Stores and women were scarce." "Mary Ellen, you sure look pretty." "Headache better?" " Isn't it a lovely quilt?" " It will be finished quickly now." "May I sit next to you, Grandma?" "You better not sit anywhere else." "What's this?" "Little something for your hope chest." "Open it later." "Grandma, this is your money for your piano lessons." "Jason can teach me everything I have to learn." "Thank you." "Here's your needle." "John Walton will have to run them all off with a stick." "Who is that, Sister?" "All the young gentlemen that will be coming to call now that Mary Ellen has had her quilting." "There may not have been true harmony in the singing that evening, but we could feel it once again flowing through our family." "The gap between young and old, traditional and modern ways had been bridged by something we all felt for each other, an enduring respect and affection." "Tell me about the picture show, Jim-Bob." "Tomorrow, Elizabeth." "I saw it three times so I won't forget." "Good night." "When can I have my quilting, Mama?" " Good night, Grandma." " Night, Mary Ellen." " Mama, when can I have my quilting?" " We'll talk about it in the morning, Erin." "Good night, now." "Mama, I met a girl at the picture show today." " Looked a lot like you." " That's nice, Ben." "Good night." "English"