When I was growing up during the Depression...
I lived with my redheaded brothers and sisters...
my parents and grandparents, at the foot of a mountain...
which had been in our family for generations.
My father used to say that in our house
there was always room for one more.
I remember a morning...
when his hospitality was put to a challenging test.
-Morning. -Morning, Livie.
Morning, hon.
Have a good rest?
Hardly closed my eyes all night.
Twenty thousand and one nights...
I've spent with this old woman...
more or less, give or take a few...
To hear her tell it, she's never closed her eyes all that time.
The way you snore, what I wish I could close is my ears!
I never snored in my life.
John-Boy, cows are waiting!
I'm coming, Mother.
"'Where are you going, my pretty maid?'
"'A-milking, sir,' she said"
In books, it's always the girls that milk the cows.
Just shows you shouldn't believe everything you read in books.
I reckon.
What's bothering him?
He was up half the night writing poetry.
-Mama! -Yeah?
Come out here.
-I'm trying to get breakfast. -Mama, look at this.
For goodness sake.
-What's going on out here? -It's a child.
I can see that. What is she doing here?
-Where'd she come from? -I don't know.
Honey?
What's your name, honey?
How did you get here?
John-Boy, carry her inside.
-She bit me! -She's scared out of her wits.
Don't be afraid, honey.
It's alright.
What are they doing now, Daddy?
Giving her a good scrub, which she doesn't much like.
-Who does? -Has she run away from home?
Maybe, or somebody left her on our doorstep.
Is that where you found the rest of us?
No, honey.
-Why do they always laugh at me? -'Cause you say funny things.
You reckon she's an orphan, Daddy?
Maybe.
Pass the sugar.
If she had parents...
they'd never leave her on our doorstep, would they?
Not likely, honey.
Why don't you finish and scoot outside
till it's time for school?
-We want to see her. -Talk to her.
The last thing she needs is to face this mob. Now out you go.
-We'll never get to see her. -You always chase us out.
Out!
Daddy, where did you find me?
Hiding behind one of your mama's smiles, honey.
Off you go.
-You're all cleaned up? -What's the matter, honey?
Are you hungry? Have you had your breakfast?
Come on.
My Lord, she's half-starved.
-I'll get you some milk. -Here's a glass.
She's a strange little thing.
-Her name's Holly. -Holly. You got her to speak?
No, she hasn't said a word, but I found this scrap of paper...
in the pocket of those rags she was wearing.
Hello, Holly.
It's like there's a wall around her, John.
Holly?
Honey?
It's alright. You don't have to be afraid.
Nobody's gonna hurt you.
What shall we do, John?
If she's a runaway, her folks will be looking for her.
I guess we'd better take her to the Sheriff.
Morning, Sheriff.
Never saw that child before that I can recollect.
You mean there's been no report of a runaway girl?
Looking at this little thing,
I'll lay odds there won't be one.
What do you think we ought to do with that little one?
With seven of your own to feed...
I don't guess you're any too anxious to take on another one.
-I do have to think of first. -Sure you do.
I think the best thing for me to do is...
take that little waif over to the County Home.
I'll make the arrangements, and pick her up at your place.
About 4:00?
That'll be fine. Thank you.
Now, Olivia, be sensible.
She'll have a warm bed and plenty of food.
She needs more than that.
John, I don't think it's that she won't talk.
I'm afraid she can't.
That's another reason we can't even think of keeping her.
-If she can't talk at that age-- -Let Doc Holloway examine her.
Why spend $2 we don't have to have the doc examine her...
when they'll examine her free at the home?
John, I have a feeling about this child.
You have a feeling about every child.
Please.
Every time I hear myself asking you to be sensible...
I know I've lost the argument.
She's a healthy, normal child except for one thing.
She's deaf.
-Deaf? -Since birth, I'd say.
That explains it then.
That's why she never learned to talk.
-Can anything be done? -About the deafness? No.
But, of course, she can be taught to communicate.
I have a simple pamphlet here...
on the manual alphabet.
Fingerspelling, they call it.
Talking with the hands. I've seen it.
It's beautiful the way they do it. Like the wings of birds.
You see, Doc, the Sheriff is taking her...
to the County Home this afternoon.
I see.
Can they help her there, do you reckon?
Maybe she'll be lucky.
But they're so overworked and understaffed...
that there's not much time for any special care.
Well, at least now...
we can tell them what she needs and they can help her.
Thank you, Doctor.
-Put your money away, John. -Come on.
On those rare occasions when I have a generous impulse...
don't discourage me.
-Thank you, Doc. -Here.
Send the pamphlet along with her.
Maybe somebody will spare a few minutes a day to help her.
Thank you.
-Bye, Doctor. -Bye.
"Thy smile the beaming sun doth quite outshine
"And warms the coursing blood like heady wine"
Is that all?
That's as far as I've written.
You like it?
It sounds like the stuff I don't understand...
in our literature books.
I plan to write at least 12 stanzas of it.
I don't see how you do it.
The inspiration is the important thing.
I mean...
when someone inspires someone else with feelings...
with certain feelings....
Do you drink a lot of wine, John-Boy?
Wine? Me?
You mentioned some kind of wine in the poem.
"Heady wine."
Actually I don't know too much about wine.
My daddy makes dandelion wine.
Marcia, when I finish my poem, do you think--
I ought not be keeping you from it.
That's alright.
There's something I want to ask Kitty Lou anyways. Bye.
To think they're gonna send her away.
But why can't she stay with us, Mama?
Because your daddy feels it's better for her, for everybody...
if she goes to the County Home.
Now don't look so heartsick.
I wish she could stay here, too...
but we can't always have everything we want...
especially during this Depression.
Want to play keep-away?
I'll leave Mrs. Marjorie here to keep you company.
-Can I play? -Sure, Elizabeth.
Daddy, you mad at somebody?
Not somebody, John-Boy.
Something I just can't do nothing about.
Hi, boys.
Sorry I'm a bit later than I figured on, John.
No matter, Ep.
She's over there.
I guess I'd better get started.
Come on.
We've been thinking and...
what we've decided is...
to keep the little girl...
for a while.
-You folks are real kind. -Some folks'd call us foolish.
-Why don't you have some coffee? -I never turn down coffee.
Let's go play.
Looks like we're gonna have us a houseguest.
John-Boy, finish up for me, will you?
Yes, sir.
"C"...
"H"...
"A"...
"I"...
"R."
Chair.
This stands for that.
I'm sorry, Mama, I can't seem to help her make the connection.
All those feelings locked up inside...
the key is right there in her hands.
If she only knew how to use it.
Did John-Boy try to teach her?
Oh, he's too busy writing poetry for Marcia Wollery.
Marcia?
How come you keep running away from me?
I wanted to read you the rest of the poem.
I don't wanna hear it.
You don't?
Why not?
I told Kitty Lou about you and your poetry.
She says you're just making fun of me.
-Marcia, I was not. -I saw right off she was right.
I'm dumb alright.
Probably the dumbest girl in the whole class.
You've had all the fun you'll have on my account.
You stay away from me, you hear? Away!
Is this a purely social call...
or do I sense the possibility of a business transaction?
We want 2 cents worth of candy.
And I suppose an agreement has been reached...
as to what kind of candy the group prefers?
-I say licorice. -Peppermints.
-Jellybeans. -Gumdrops.
And what kind do you say, young lady?
-She doesn't say anything. -Because she can't.
So this is your little visitor.
And she can't hear a word we say?
But she's smart in lots of ways.
She's lucky to have a friend like you, Jim-Bob.
-I'm her friend, too. -No, I meant all of you.
So what's it going to be?
If we get four different kinds of candy...
and divide it five ways...
nobody's going to get very much.
If Jim-Bob would spend some of his money....
You mean you still got that birthday quarter?
I want to buy something special with it.
So, what's the verdict?
-I'll vote for licorice. -Me, too.
Three to one, a majority. 2 cents worth of licorice.
Now, that is a big transaction.
Gonna buy the dominoes today, Jim-Bob?
Maybe next time.
Won't it be fun playing with them together?
-Here. That's a real bargain. -Thanks.
-Here, Elizabeth. -I hate licorice.
Being in the minority isn't easy, Elizabeth.
Tell you what I'll do, though.
I'll give you a little consolation.
Here you go.
Gumdrops! Thank you, Mr. Godsey.
You're entirely welcome, Elizabeth.
-Bye. -Bye.
-What are we stopping for? -The haunted house.
It's not haunted. Just nobody's lived there for a long time.
No!
-Daddy says never to play there. -Who'd want to?
It would be great for hide-and-seek.
Hide there and who'd come looking for you?
Let's walk faster.
I've been looking everywhere for you.
Near out of my mind wondering what happened to you.
I'm sorry, Anson.
Where's Holly?
-She's not here. -Where is she?
Where you got her hid?
Ruth, you're acting the fool carrying on like this,
hurting everybody.
-She's got to be put away. -No.
-You promised. -Never!
I don't understand you. Running away from home...
hiding out in a place like this. What are you trying to do?
Anson, please, I'm hoping to get her with a good family.
Maybe with other children, she'd have a chance.
She'll have a chance at the County Home.
They know how to handle such as her.
She'd die!
In a place like that, she'd just wither up and die.
You can't keep her hid in the woods...
and you ain't bringing her back to our place.
I told you, it's the two of us now.
-But she's part of us. -No, she ain't.
-She's a throwback. -Don't you call her that!
That's what she is, bringing bad luck and trouble.
How can you say that about your own child?
I grew up living in the shadow of a throwback...
and I can't take no more of it.
Holly's not like your brother.
Inside, she's a whole person. She's smart as anyone.
You're putting off what has to be, Ruth.
Now, either you take her to that County Home like we agreed...
or I'm going to find her and I'm gonna do it for you.
Anson, give me a couple more days, please.
You've got till Friday.
If you ain't home by then, I'm coming back.
Here. Something to live off of.
What's wrong with the radio?
Will you quit fiddling with that dial?
I'm trying to get hold of Charlie and Edgar.
Sit down. Let me do it.
The way she talks, you'd think she'd invented radio.
If I hadn't been kept so busy looking after you, I might have.
Goodnight, everybody.
John-Boy, aren't you listening to Charlie McCarthy Show?
No, not tonight, Daddy.
What's wrong with the boy? Is he sick?
-Lovesick. Wants to be alone. -Mary Ellen.
I am not.
I suppose that was the extent of your musical education.
Hit me again.
Well, no, not completely.
You see, I played in church on the one-stringed instrument.
-You did? -Yeah.
-One-stringed instrument? -Yeah.
-You give up? -Yeah.
I rang the bell.
-Funny? -You don't understand it.
-I played in the school band. -You did?
Yeah. We were all picked men.
Well, maybe they picked me a little before I was ripe.
-What a night! -Yes, it was.
Until the wheel came off the wagon.
Don't cry, it's alright. Please don't cry.
I guess I never thought much about that before.
What it must be like...
not to hear radios...
or birds singing, people laughing.
So much beauty in the world just to hear.
It's sad you're gonna miss all that.
Darling, but you can't just go through your whole life...
being sad all the time, can you?
Can you?
That's how you're feeling.
Sad.
When you're sad, the tears come.
Sad.
That's no good.
Nobody likes to be around someone who is sad all the time.
You gotta smile sometime, dear.
You got to be happy sometime.
Now, what are you gonna be?
Are you gonna be sad...
or are you gonna be happy?
Are you gonna be sad...
or are you gonna be happy?
Or are you gonna be happy?
Sad?
That's right!
Or are you gonna be happy?
That's it!
Daddy!
Mama!
What on earth?
I want you to pay very close attention...
'cause Holly has got something she wants to say to you.
Happy!
How did she do that?
Everything is going well.
Holly is getting to be like one of the family.
But even though all of us can talk on our fingers with her...
I think she misses her own mama and daddy.
My love for Marcia grows.
The power of the pen may be great...
but in love it has failed me.
Tomorrow I plan action.
John-Boy Walton!
Suppose somebody saw you.
I reckon they'd think I was fond of you.
What would they think of me?
That would depend on how you acted when I gave you the kiss.
I ought to holler...
slap your face.
Is that how you felt?
-Why are you fond of me? -I don't know. I just am.
Since when?
For a long time now.
That was why I wrote you the poetry...
'cause I thought it'd be a good way to let you know my feelings.
You wrote poetry instead of trying to kiss me?
I guess I thought it'd be more eloquent.
Maybe.
Not near as much fun.
Are you fond of me?
We'll see about that.
So I'm going to give you another kiss.
Maybe.
When I say you can.
We'll see about that.
Hi, Mr. Godsey.
Hey, ladies. What can I do for you?
Mr. Godsey, Mama needs some starch and bluing.
Okay.
Jabez, be right back.
Starch and bluing coming up.
I ought to give your mama a wholesale rate...
as much laundry as she does.
-How's your little friend doing? -Okay.
She's learned to talk, I mean, with her hands.
-We learned it from a book. -Isn't that remarkable.
Here you go.
-Come on, Jim-Bob. -Thanks, Mr. Godsey.
Mr. Godsey, can I buy this with my quarter?
A quarter?
Well, seeing it's you, Jim-Bob, I'll give you a special price.
-Thank you. -Bye.
-Did you buy that? -Yeah, for Holly.
That's nice.
Go on, take it.
Go on.
-We're home, Mama. -Yeah, we got your stuff.
Thank you.
What's this?
Well, now, isn't that pretty.
Jim-Bob bought it for her.
That was a nice thing to do.
Here. Run along now.
Come on, let's go play.
Probably the first toy of her own Holly's ever had.
Why are you so quiet, Miss Elizabeth?
Nobody cares about me anymore.
Is that so?
I wish I was deaf.
Elizabeth Walton, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
May the good Lord forgive you
for even thinking such a thought.
Did you ever!
No, it won't do the young'un any harm to find out...
she's not the only pebble on the beach.
-Here, Erin, come on! -Okay, don't let her get it.
No, don't throw it that high.
Come on, you got to give her a chance.
She got it. I told you to give her a chance.
Come on, you're in the middle now.
Get in there. Here, Holly!
Come on, watch it. You got to try and get it.
Here, don't throw it so high.
Here, Holly!
Don't throw it that hard. You got to give her a chance.
Go back!
No, they want you, not me.
Ma'am!
Could I talk to you for a minute?
About Holly?
Holly?
Is she your little girl?
Why don't you come on home and talk to my mama?
It's alright.
I think you should.
Come on.
It's alright, come on.
Howdy. What can I do for you?
Better let me have a nickel's worth of cheese...
and about 5 cents worth of those soda crackers there.
Alright.
I need a gallon of gas for the truck, too.
This is an exceptional cheese.
It's sharp.
But not too sharp.
Being in a place like this...
you probably hear about any newcomers in this part.
Once in a while, we see a stranger.
But the only newcomer I can remember is the Russell baby.
No, I'm not talking about babies. A girl, 6-year-old girl.
That sounds like the child the Waltons found.
-Found you say? -Yeah. Laying on the doorstep.
-Could be my daughter. -Holly is her name.
These Waltons, where do they live?
Down the road, about half a mile. The house is on the left.
Wait a second. I thought you said you wanted to buy some gas.
No, Holly.
Your mama's had her chance. You're coming with me now.
It was wrong leaving her like I did.
But I felt this was a house filled with love.
I felt that with a family like you, with people like you...
that maybe something good would happen.
-So it has. -She's doing just fine.
She's a very bright little girl, you know.
She can talk with her hands.
Just wait till you see those fingers flying...
feelings bubbling up like clear water from a spring.
She'll be here in a minute.
But I don't know how to read the signs.
You'll learn, like the rest of us.
Papa was talking to her just last night.
Now don't encourage him.
There's nothing to it. I learned it in no time. You just--
-Elizabeth and Holly are gone. -Gone? Gone where?
Mary Ellen said she saw them going down the road.
We looked everyplace but we couldn't find them.
We looked everywhere.
Mary Ellen, how long since you saw the little girls?
It was quite a while ago.
Holly was playing keep-away with us.
Elizabeth had the sulks, went off somewhere...
and Holly followed her.
Sounds like we've got a runaway.
Jason, Ben and Jim-Bob scout along the edge of the woods.
John-Boy, you look around the barn.
They can't have gotten far.
I'll go look around the back pasture.
You see to it you don't get lost.
I always find my way back to you, old woman.
-Can I go with you, Daddy? -Me, too.
Sure, come along. Get in.
We'll probably find them down the road.
I'm sorry, Holly.
I wish it wasn't this way, but it is.
I need some gas.
I was hoping you'd make it back before you ran out.
Better give me a couple of gallons of gas.
I see you found your little girl.
Look at her hands going there.
I bet she sure is excited about being back with her daddy.
You stay in there.
How about the gas?
-You see anything, honey? -No.
Elizabeth!
Daddy!
Help, Daddy!
Holly!
Ike, you seen anything of a couple of runaway girls?
Runaways?
Yeah, it seems Elizabeth's decided to leave home...
and Holly traipsed along to keep her company.
Holly was just here with her daddy.
Her daddy?
Yeah, I thought you two met when he picked her up.
-How far ahead are they, Ike? -Better get moving, John.
-Hurry up, Daddy. -Can't you go any faster?
Honey, I'm going as fast as I can.
Just what the devil's going on here, mister?
-Where's Elizabeth? -I don't know no Elizabeth.
-She's my little girl. -Little girl?
That's right, mister. I want to know--
Just a minute, Mary Ellen.
Holly says Elizabeth's locked herself in a box or something.
-Holly says? -Locked herself in a box? Where?
The haunted house.
The Halstead place.
Come on. You get in the back. We'll take Holly, you follow us.
Elizabeth!
Holly, where is she?
Elizabeth, it's alright. We're here, honey.
Hang on, baby.
Sweetie, you alright, baby?
It's gonna be fine, baby.
It's gonna be fine, sweetheart.
Thanks to Holly.
Come on, baby. Let's go home to your mama.
Your wife's over at our place. You better come along.
It's alright, baby.
She's perfectly okay.
Tomorrow, she'll be off to school as always.
That's my girl!
-We better be getting on. -Stay for supper.
Please don't leave.
That's nice of you, but I'd like to get home.
We owe you all so much.
I'd say that Holly squared all accounts today.
She's going to be missed.
What's this?
It's a present.
Yours.
Ours.
He's learning!
Come on, baby, let's go.
We'll see you all later.
Let's go outside and say goodbye. Come on, everyone.
-So long. -Bye.
-Take care now, you hear? -You all come back.
Come see us.
Bye!
What's this?
I don't know.
-Who is it for? -Yeah, tell us.
It's for John-Boy.
-Come on, open it. -I am.
Come on, fast!
What is it?
It's a gingerbread.
Who's it from?
Give it back, come on!
"Marcia Wollery."
John-Boy, isn't that sweet!
What does it say?
"Pure poetry."
Those were lean years...
and for many Americans a harsh and bitter time.
On Walton's Mountain...
we were sustained with poems, gingerbread, laughter...
and sharing.
But most of all by a remarkable mother and father.
The house in which we were born and raised is still there.
Still home.
And on the winds that sigh
along those misted blue-ridged mountains...
our voices must echo still.
John-Boy, you awake?
What do you want, Ben?
Are you going to marry Marcia Wollery?
You want me to?
She makes good gingerbread.
I'll think about it.
-Good night now. -Good night.