Thank you. This play is called Our Town. It's written by Thornton Wilder. The name of the town is Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, just across the Massachusetts line.
Latitude, 42 degrees, 40 minutes. Longitude, 70 degrees, 37 minutes. The first act shows a day in our town. The day is May 7th, 1901. The time is just before dawn.
The sky is beginning to show some streaks of light in the east over there behind our mountain. The morning star always grows wonderful bright the minute before it has to go. Doesn't it? Well, I better show you how our town lies.
Up here, along here is Main Street. Railway station's back there. Tracks go that way. Polish towns across the tracks with some Canuck families. Congregational church is over there.
Across the street's the Presbyterian. Methodist and Unitarian... are over there, and Baptist is down in the hollow by the river. Catholic Church is over beyond the tracks. Right here is a town hall and post office combined, jails in the basement.
William Jennings is the only one who's ever been to the church. Brian once made a speech from these very steps right here. Along here is a row of stores, hitching posts and horse blocks in front of them.
First automobile is going to come along in about five years, belonging to Banker Cartwright, our richest citizen who lives in the big White House up on the hill. Over there is the grocery store and Mr. Morgan's drug store. Most everybody in town manages to look into those two stores at least once a day.
This is our doctor's house here. Doc Gibbs. and this is his back door here.
Oh. Here's some scenery for those of you who think you have to have scenery. This is Mrs. Gibbs's garden here.
Corn, peas, beans, hollyhock, heliotrope, and a lot of burdock. In those days, our town newspaper came out twice a week, the Grover's Corner Sentinel. And this is Editor Webb's house here. And this is Mrs. Webb's garden.
The same as Mrs. Gibbs's, only a lot of sunflowers too. And right here... It's a big butternut tree.
Nice town. You know what I mean? Nobody very remarkable ever come out of it as far as we know. The earliest tombstones up in the cemetery up in the mountains say 1670, 1680. There's Grovers and Cartwrights and Gibbses and Herseys.
Same names as around here now. So, like I say, it's about dawn. The only lights on in town are in a cottage over by the railroad tracks where Polish mothers just had twins.
In in the Joe Kroll house where Joe Jr.'s getting up so as to deliver the paper. In at the depot where Shorty Hawkins is getting ready to flag the flag. the 545 for Boston. Naturally, out in the country all around, there's been lights on for some time.
What with the Melkins and so on. But town people sleep late. So, another day has begun. Here comes Doc Gibbs, coming down Main Street, coming back from that baby case. And here's his wife, coming downstairs to get breakfast.
Doc Gibbs died in 1930. The new hospital was named after him. Mrs. Gibbs died first, a long time ago, in fact. She went out to visit her daughter.
daughter Rebecca who married an insurance man out in Canton, Ohio and died there, pneumonia. But her body was brought back here. Now it's up there in the cemetery and they were the whole mess of Gibbses and Herseys. She was Julia Hersey before she married Doc Gibbs in the Congregational Church over there. In our town we like to know the facts about everybody.
Here's Mrs. Webb come downstairs to get breakfast too. Here comes Joe Kroll Jr. delivering Mr. Webb's Sentinel. Morning, Dr. Gibbs. Morning, Joe. Somebody been sick, Doc?
No, just some twins born over in Polish Town. You want your paper now? Yes, I'll take it. Anything serious going on in the world since Wednesday? Yes, sir.
My school teacher... Miss Foster's getting married to a fellow over in Concord. I declare. How do you boys feel about that? Well, of course it's none of my business.
But I think if a person starts out to be a teacher, she ought to stay one. How's your knee, Jo? It's fine. Fine, Doc. I never think about it at all.
Only, like you said, it always tells me when it's gonna rain. Well, it's telling you that it ain't gonna rain. No, sir. Sure.
Yes, sir. And you ever made a mistake? No, sir.
Joe was awful bright. He graduated from high school here ahead of his class. Got a scholarship to Massachusetts Tech. Graduated ahead of his class there, too.
It was all wrote up in the Boston paper at the time. Gonna be a great engineer, Joe was. Then the war broke out, and he died in France.
All that education for nothing. Get out, Bessie! Here comes Howie Newsome. Delivering the milk.
Morning, Doc. Howie. Somebody sick? A pair of twins over at Mrs. Gara's Slosky's.
Twins, huh? This town's getting bigger every year. It's gonna rain, Howie.
No, no. It's a fine day. This'll burn through. Come on, Bessie!
Hello, Bessie. How old is she, Howie? She's going on 17. Bessie's all mixed up about the route, ever since the Lockhart stopped taking a quart of milk every day.
She wants to leave a quart just the same. She keeps scolding me the whole trip. Morning, Howie. Morning, Mrs. Gale. Stocks is coming down this morning.
Street. Izzy, seems like you're late today. Yeah, something went wrong with the separator. I don't know what it was. Dad?
No. Children, children, time to get up. Come on, busy.
George, Rebecca. Everything all right, Frank? Yes, I declare. Easy as kittens.
Bacon will be ready in a minute. Sit down and drink your coffee. You can catch a couple of hours sleep this morning, can't you? Hmm. Miss Wentworth's coming at 11. Guess I know what it's about.
To her stomach, ain't what it ought to be. All told, you won't get more than three hours sleep. Frank Gibbs, I don't know what's going to become of you.
I do wish I could get you to go away someplace and take a rest. I think it would do you good. Emily, time to get up. Wally, 7 o'clock.
Declare, you've got to speak to George. Seems like something's come over him lately. He's no help to me at all. I can't even get him to cut me some wood. Is he sassy to you?
No, he just whines. All he thinks about is... as that baseball george rebecca you'll be late for school george george look sharp don't you hear mother calling you i guess i'll go upstairs get 40 wings wally emily you'll be late for school wally you wash yourself good or i'll come up there and do it myself ma what dress shall i wear don't make a noise your father was out all night needs his sleep i washed and ironed the blue gingham for your special ma i hate that dress i shop with you every day i go to school dressed like a sick turkey.
Rebecca, you always look very nice. Mama, George is throwing soap at me. I'll come up and slap the both of you.
That's what I'll do. There's a factory in our town. Makes blankets.
Cartwrights own it and it brung him a fortune. Now, children, I won't have it. Breakfast is just as good as any other meal and I won't have you gobbling like wolves.
It'll stunt your growth, that's a fact. Wally, put away that bucket table. Oh, Ma. By 10 o'clock, you got on the wall about Canada. You know the rules as well as I do.
No books at table. As for me, I'd rather have my children healthy than bright. I'm both, Mama.
You know I am. I'm the brightest girl in school from age. I have a wonderful memory.
Eat your breakfast. I'm bored too when I'm looking at my stamp collection. Well, speak to your father about it when he's rested. Seems to me like 25 cents a week's enough for a boy your age. I don't know how you spend it all.
Oh, Ma, I got a lot of things to buy. Strawberry phosphates. That's what you spend it on.
I don't see how Rebecca comes to have so much money. She's got more than a dollar. I've been saving it up, gradual.
Well, dear, I think it's a good thing to spend some every now and then. Mama, do you know what I love most in the world? Do you? Money.
Eat your breakfast. Mama, there's more space! I'm afraid. No, I ain't.
Gotta go. Don't forget. Walk fast, but you don't have to run. Wally, Wally, pull up your pants at the knee. Emily, stand up straight.
To Foster, I send her my best congratulations. Can you remember that? You look very nice, Rebecca. Pick up your feet.
Here, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick. Oh, no, you go away. You go away.
Here, chick, chick, chick. What's the matter with you? Fight, fight, fight.
That's all you do. You don't belong to me. Where'd you come from? Don't be so scared.
Nobody's gonna hurt you. Good morning, Myrtle. How's your cold?
Well, I've still got that tickling feeling in my throat. I told Charles I didn't know as I'd go to choir practice tonight. Wouldn't be any use.
Have you tried singing over your voice? Yeah. But I can't seem to do that and stay on key. While I'm resting myself, I thought I'd string some of these beans. Let me help you.
Beans have been good this year. I've decided to put up 40 quarts if it kills me. Children say they hate them, but I notice they're able to get them down all winter.
Now Myrtle, I've got to tell you something. Because if I don't tell somebody, I'll burst. Why, Julia Gibbs!
Here, give me some more of those beans. Myrtle? Did one of those secondhand furniture men from Boston come to see you last Friday?
No. Well, he called on me. Well, first I thought he was a patient wanting to see Dr. Gibbs.
And he wormed his way into my parlor. And Myrtle Webb, he offered me $350 for Grandmother Wentworth. Well, it's high, boys. I'm sitting here. My Julia Gibbs!
He did, that old thing. It was so big, I didn't know where to put it, and I almost gave it to Cousin Hester Wilcox. Well, you're gonna take it, aren't you?
I don't know. You don't know? Oh, $350. What's come over you? Well, if I could get the doctor to take the money and go away someplace on a real trip, I'd sell it like that.
You know, Myrtle, it's been the dream of my life to see Paris, France. Oh, I don't know. Sounds crazy, I suppose.
But for years I've been promising myself that if we ever had the chance... How does the doctor feel about it? Well, I did beat about the bush a little, and I said that if I got a legacy, that's the way I put it, I'd make him take me somewhere.
What'd he say? Well, you know he... him.
I haven't heard a serious word out of him since I've known him. No, he said. Might make him discontented with Grover's Corners who've got traits about Europe. Better let well enough alone, he says. Every two years, he takes a trip to the battlefields of the Civil War, and that's enough to read for anybody, he says.
Well, Mr. Webb just admires the way Dr. Gibbs knows everything about the Civil War. Mr. Webb's a good mind to give up Napoleon and move over to the Civil War. Only Dr. Gibbs, being one of the greatest experts of the country, just makes him despise him.
It's a fact. Dr. Gibbs is never so happy as when he's at Antietam or Gettysburg. The times I've walked over those hills, Myrtle, stopping at every bush, pacing it all out like we were going to buy it. Well, if that second-hand man's serious about buying it, Julia, you sell it. Then you'll get to see Paris, all right.
Just keep dropping hints from time to time. That's how I got to see the Atlantic Ocean, you know. I'm sorry I mentioned it. Only it seems to me that once in your life before you die, you ought to see a country where they don't talk English and they don't even want to thank you ladies thank you very much Now we're going to skip a few hours, but first we need a little more information about the town. Kind of a scientific account, you might say?
So I've asked Professor Willard of our state university to sketch in a few details of our past history here. Is Professor Willard here? Allow me to introduce Professor Willard of our state university. A few brief notes, Professor, if you please. Unfortunately, our time is limited.
Ah, okay. Uh, Grover's Corners. Let me see now. Grover's Corners lies on the old Pleistocene granite of the Appalachian Range. And if I may say so, this is some of the oldest land in the world.
and we're very very proud of that. A shelf of Devonian basalt crosses it with vestiges of metazoic shale and sandstone outcroppings, but that's more recent, 200-300 million years ago. Oh, some interesting fossils.
I might say unique fossils have been found. miles out of town in Silas Peckham's cow pasture and these may be seen in the museum at our University at any time well any reasonable time that is would you like me to quote professor Gruber on the meteorological situation you know mean precipitation I'm afraid we won't have time for that but we might have a few words on the history of man ah anthropological data well early Amerindian stock called hatchet tribes no evidence before the 10th century of this era and now entirely disappeared well traces in three families. Migration toward the end of the 17th century of English brachiocephalic blue-eyed stock, for the most part, since then some Slav and Mediterranean... And the population, Professor? Within the town limits, 2,642.
The postal district brings in another 507, making a total of 3,149. Mortality and birth rates are constant by McPherson's gauge, 6.032. Thank you very much, Professor. We're very much obliged, I'm sure.
No trouble at all. Professor. No trouble at all.
Professor. Yes. This way, if you please.
Thank you again, Professor. Now for the political and social report, Editor Webb. Mr. Webb? He'll be here in a minute.
He just cut his hand eating an apple. Ah. Thank you, Mrs. Webb.
Charles! Everybody's waiting! Uh, Mr. Webb is the, uh, editor and publisher of the Grover's Corner Sentinel.
That's our local newspaper here. You, uh... Well, I don't have to tell you that we're run here by a board of selectmen.
All males vote at the age of 21. Women vote indirect. We're lower middle class, sprinkling of professional men, 10% illiterate laborers. Politically, we are 86% Republicans. 6% Democrats, 4% Socialists. Rest indifferent.
Religiously, we're 85% Protestants, 12% Catholics. Rest indifferent. Do you have any comments, Mr. Webb? Very ordinary town, if you ask me.
A little better behaved than most. Probably a lot duller. But our young people here seem to like it well enough. 90% of them, after graduating from high school, settle down right here to live.
Even those that have been away to college. Now, some questions. A woman would like to know, is there much drinking in Grover's Corners?
Well, I don't know what you'd call much. Saturday night, the farmhands meet down in Ellery Green Oaks. you know, stable and holler some.
We got one or two town drunks, but they're always having remorses whenever an evangelist comes to town. No, ma'am, I'd have to say that liquor ain't a regular thing in the home here. Except in the medicine chest. Right good for snake bite, you know. Always was.
Is there no one in town aware of social injustice? What's that? Wait a minute.
Excuse me. Would you come forward here where we can see you? Uh, what were you asking?
Is there no one in town aware of social injustice and industrial inequality? Oh, yes, everybody is. Something terrible. Seems like all people can find to talk about is who's rich and who's poor. Well, why don't they do something about it?
Well, I don't know! I guess like everybody else we're all searching for some way that the diligent and sensible can rise to the top and the lazy and quarrelsome can sink to the bottom. But it ain't easy to find. Meanwhile, we do all we can to help those who can't help themselves. Those who can, we leave alone.
Are there any other questions? Yes, um, a lady wants to know, is there any culture or love of beauty in Grover's Corners? Well, no, ma'am, there ain't much.
Come to think of it, there are some girls who play the piano every high school commencement, but they ain't happy about it. No, ma'am, there isn't much culture, but maybe this is the place to tell you that we've got a lot of pleasures of a kind here. We like the sun coming up over the mountain in the mornings, and we all notice a good deal about the birds.
We pay a lot of attention to them. changes of the seasons. Yes, we all know about them, but those other things, no, no, you're right, ma'am, there ain't much.
Robinson Crusoe and the Bible, Handel's Largo, we all know that, but that's about Whistler's mother. That's about as far as we go. Thank you, Mr. Webb. Now we'll go back to the town.
It's early afternoon. All 2,642 have had their dinners, and all the dishes have been washed. There's an early afternoon calm in the town, a buzzing and a humming from the school.
yards, a few buggies on Main Street, horses dozing at the hitching posts. Doc Gibbs is in his office, tapping people and making them say, ah. Mr. Webb is cutting his lawn over there.
One man in ten thinks it's a privilege to push his own lawnmower. No, no, Slater and I thought, they're the children now coming out of school. I can't, Lois, I gotta go home and help my mother, I promised.
Emily, walk simply. Who do you think you are today? Oh, Papa, you're terrible.
One minute you tell me to stand up straight, and the next minute you call me names. I just don't listen to you. Golly, I never got kissed by such a great lady before. Excuse me, Mrs. Forrest. Why you just go out in the fields and play, young man?
You have no business playing baseball on Main Street. Awfully sorry, Mrs. Forrest. Hello, Emily. Hello. You made a fine speech in class.
Well, I was really ready to make a speech about the Monroe Doctrine. But at the last minute, Miss Corcoran made me talk about the Louisiana Purchase instead. I worked an awful long time on both of them. Gee.
You know, it's funny, Emily. From my window up there, I can just see your head at night when you're doing your homework over in your room. Why, can you?
You certainly do stick to it. I don't see how you can sit still that long. I guess you must like school.
I always feel it's something you have to go through. Yeah. I don't mind it, really. It passes the time.
Yeah. Emily, what do you think? You know, we might work out a telegraph from your window to mine, and every once in a while you might give me a kind of hint or two about one of those algebra problems.
Oh, I don't mean the answers, Emily, of course not. But just some little hint. Oh, I think hints are allowed. So, if you get stuck, George, you just whistle to me.
And I'll give you some hints. Oh, Emily, you're just naturally bright, I guess. Well, I just figure that's the way a person's born. Yeah. But, you see, I want to be a farmer.
My Uncle Luke says if whenever I'm ready I can come over and I can start to work on his farm, and if I'm any good I can just gradually have it. You mean the house and everything? Yeah.
Well, I better get back to the baseball field. Thank you for the talk, Emily. Good afternoon, Mrs. Webb.
Good afternoon, George. So long, Emily. So long, George.
Emily, come and help me string these beans for the winter. Well... George Gibbs let himself have a real conversation, didn't he? Why, he's growing up. How old would George be?
I don't know. Well, let me see. He must be almost 16. Mum, I made a speech in class today and I was very good. You must recite it to your father at supper. What was it about the Louisiana purchase?
Who is like silk off a spool? I'm going to make speeches all my life Mama these big enough. Oh Try to get them a little bigger if you can Mama will you answer me a question serious seriously dear not serious seriously.
Well you why of course I will mama Am I good-looking? Why, of course you are. All my children have good features.
I'd be ashamed if they hadn't. Oh, but, Mama, that's not what I mean. What I mean is... Am I pretty?
Emily, I've already told you yes. Now, that's enough of that. You've a nice young pretty face. I've never heard of such foolishness Mommy, you never tell us the truth about anything.
I am telling you the truth Mama were you pretty yes, I was if I do say it. I was the prettiest girl in town next to Mamie Cartwright. But, Mommy, you've got to say something about me. Am I pretty enough to get anybody... well, to get people interested in me?
Emily, you make me tired. Now stop it. You're pretty enough for all normal purposes. Now come along and bring that bowl with you. Oh, Mommy, you're no help at all.
Thank you, thank you. That'll do. We have to interrupt here again. Thank you, Mrs. Webb.
Thank you, Emily. Explore a little more information about the town. I think this is a good time to tell you that the Cartwright interests have just begun building a new bank in Grover's Corners. They had to go to Vermont for the marble, I'm sorry to say.
But they've asked a friend of mine what they should put in the cornerstone for people to live in. to dig up a thousand years from now of course we're putting in a copy of the new york times and a copy of mr webb sentinel we're kind of interested in this because some scientific fellows have found a way of painting all this reading matter with a glue a silicate glue They'll make you keep a thousand, two thousand years. So, putting in a Bible and the Constitution of the United States, and a copy of William Shakespeare's plays.
What do you say, folks? What do you think? You know, Babylon once had two million people in it, and all we know about them is the names of the kings, some copies of some weak contracts, and the contracts for sale of slaves.
Yet every night, all those families sat down, down to supper and the father came home from his work and the smoke went up the chimney same as here even in greece and rome all we know about the real life of the people is what we can piece together from a few joking poems and comedies that written for the theater back then so i'm going to have a copy of this play put in the cornerstone and people a thousand years from now will know a few simple facts about us more than the treaty of versailles or the lindbergh flight see what i mean so people a thousand years from now this This is the way we were in the provinces north of New York at the beginning of the 20th century. This is the way we were in our growing up, and in our marrying, and in our living, and in our dying. Well, sometimes going by, you can hear the choir practice at the Congregational Church.
The children at home doing their schoolwork. The day is running down like a tired clock. Look here, everybody.
Music come into the world to give pleasure. Softer. Softer. Get it out of your heads that music's only good when it's loud. You leave loudness to the Methodists.
You couldn't beat them even if you wanted to. Now, again. Tenors. Let's be the tie that binds our hearts in great love.
Emily! Hello! I can't work at all, the moonlight's so terrible. Emily, did you get the answer to the third problem?
Which? The third. Why, yes, George, that's the easiest of them all. I don't see it. Emily, can you give me a little hint?
I'll tell you one thing. The answer's in yards. In yards. How do you mean?
In square yards. In square yards? Yes, George, don't you see? Yeah?
In square yards of wallpaper. Ballpaper! I see.
Thanks a lot, Emily. You're welcome. Maya's in the moonlight, terrible. And choir practice going on.
You know, I think if you hold your breath, you can hear the train all the way to Kuntukuk. Hear it? Hmm. What do you know? Well, I guess I better go back and try to work.
Well, good night, Emily. Thanks again. Good night. Now, before I forget, how many of you will be able to come in Tuesday afternoon and sing at Fred Hersey's wedding?
Show your hands. That'll be fine. I'll be right nice. Now, we'll do...
Art, thou weary. Art, thou languid. It's a question, ladies and gentlemen.
Make it talk. Ready? Oh, George, can you come down a minute? Yes, Pa!
Make yourself comfortable, George. I'll only keep you a minute. George, how old are you?
Me? Well, I'm 16. Almost 17. And what do you want to do after school's over? Well, you know, Paul. I'm gonna be a farmer on Uncle Luke's farm.
You'll be well and willing to get up early and milk and feed the stock. and you'll be able to hoe and hay all day. Why, sure. Why, Pa, what do you mean? Well, George, while I was in my office today, I heard a funny sound.
What do you think it was? It was your mother chopping wood. Now you see your mother getting up early, cooking meals all day long, washing and ironing, and still she has to go in the backyard and chop wood? I suppose she just got tired of asking you. She just gave up, decided it was easier to do herself.
You eat her meals, put on the clothes she keeps nice for you, and you run off, play baseball like she's some higher girl we keep around the house, but that we don't like very much. Well, I knew all I had to do was call your attention to it. Here's a handkerchief, son.
George, I've decided to raise your spending money. Twenty-five cents a week. Not a course for chopping wood for your mother, because that's a present you give her. But because you're getting older, and I imagine there are lots of things you must find to do with it.
Thanks, Pa. Let's see. Tomorrow's your payday?
You can count on it. Hmm. Probably Rebecca feels she ought to have some more, too. I wonder what could have happened to your mother. Choir practice never was as late as this before.
It's only half past eight, Pop. I don't know why she's in that old choir. She hasn't any more voice than an old crow. Traipsing around the streets this hour of the night? Oh, just about time.
You retired, don't you think? Yes, Pa. Good night, Mark, Mr. Foster. I'll tell Mr. Webb. I know he'll want to put it in the paper.
Aye, it's late. Good night, Irma. Real nice choir practice, wasn't it?
Oh, Myrtle Webb, look at that and mourn, will you? Potato weather for sure. Naturally, I... I didn't want to say a word about it in front of those others.
But now we're alone? Really? It's the worst scandal that ever was in this town.
What? Simon Stimson. Now, Luella... But Julia, to have the organist of a church drink and drunk years... after year.
You know he was drunk tonight. Now Luella, we all know about Mr. Stimson and we all know about the troubles he's been through and Dr. Ferguson knows too. And if Dr. Ferguson keeps him on there in his job, the only thing the rest of us can do is just not to notice it.
Not to notice it? But it's getting worse. No, it isn't, Luella. It's getting better. I've been in that choir twice as long as you have and it doesn't happen anywhere near so often.
Oh my. Oh, I hate to go in on a night like tonight. But I'd better hurry.
Those children will be up till all hours. Good night, Luella. Good night.
Can you get home safe, Luella? It's as bright as day. I can see Mr. Soames scowling at the window now. You'd think we'd been to a dance the way the men folk carry on. Good night.
Good night. We had a real good time. Well, you're late enough. Oh, why, Frank, it ain't any later than usual. You stopping at the corner to gossip with a lot of hens?
Oh, now, Frank, don't be grouchy. Come out and smell the heliotrope in the moonlight. Isn't that wonderful?
What did you do all the time I was away? Oh, I read, as usual. What were the girls gossiping about tonight?
Well, believe me, there's something to gossip about. Simon Stimson, far gone. Worst I've ever seen him. How'll that end, Frank? Dr. Ferguson can't forgive him forever.
I guess I know more about Simon Stimson's affairs than... anybody in this town. You know, some people ain't made for small town life. I don't know how that'll end, but there's nothing we can do but just leave it alone. Come, get in.
No, not yet. Frank, I'm worried about you. What are you worried about?
I think it's my duty to make plans. for you to get a rest. And if I get that legacy, well, I'm going to insist on it.
Now, Julia, there's no sense going over that again. Frank, you're just unreasonable. Come on, Julia. It's getting late.
First thing you know, you'll catch cold. I gave George a piece of my mind tonight. I reckon you'll have your wood chopped for a while anyway.
No, no, start getting upstairs. It seems like there's always so many things to pick up. You know, Frank, Mrs. Fairchild always locks her front door every night.
All those people up that part of town do. They're all getting citified. What's the trouble with them?
They haven't got nothing fit to burgle. Everybody knows it. Get out, Rebecca.
There's only room for one at this window. Well, let me look just a minute. Use your own window. I did, but there's no room there. George, do you know what I think?
Do you? I think maybe the moon's getting nearer and nearer, and there'll be a big explosion. Rebecca, you don't know anything.
If the moon were getting nearer, then the men that set up all night with the telescopes would see it first, and they'd tell us about it, and it would be in all the newspapers. George, is the moon shining on South America, Canada, and half the whole world? Well, it probably is. 9.30, most of the lights are out.
No, here comes Constable Warren, trying a few doors on Main Street. And there's Editor Webb, after putting his newspaper to bed. Evening, Bill.
Evening, Mr. Webb. Quite a moon. Yep.
All quiet tonight? Well, Simon Stimson's still rolling around a little. Just saw his wife moving out to hunt for him, I looked the other way.
There he is now. Good evening, Simon. Looks like the whole town has settled down for the night pretty well. Good evening. Yes, the whole town has settled down for the night, Simon.
Maybe you and I ought to do the same. Can I walk along the ways with you? Good night.
I don't know how that's gonna end, Mr. Webb. Well, he's seen a peck of trouble. One thing after another.
Bill, if you see my boy smoking cigarettes, you'll give him a word, won't you? He thinks a lot of you, Bill. I don't think he smokes no cigarettes, Mr. Webb. At least the way he's not more than two, three a year.
I hope not. Good night, Bill. Good night, Mr. Webb. Who's that up there?
Is that you, Myrtle? No, it's me, Papa. Why aren't you in bed? I don't know. I just can't sleep yet.
Isn't the moonlight wonderful? The smell of Mrs. Gibbs'heliotrope? You smell it?
Hmm. Yes. You haven't any troubles on your mind, have you, Emily?
Troubles, Papa? No. Well, enjoy yourself.
But don't let your mother catch you. Good night, Emily. Good night, Papa.
I never told you about the letter Jane Crawford got from her minister when she was sick. He wrote her a letter on the envelope. The address was like this.
It said, Jane Crawford, Crawford Farm, Grover's Corners, Sutton County, New Hampshire, What's so funny about that? But listen, it's not finished. The United States of America, continent of North America, Western Hemisphere, the Earth, the solar system, the universe, the mind of God.
That's what's said on the envelope. What do you know? And the postman brought it just the same. What do you know?
That's the end of the first act, friends. Three years have gone by. Yes, the sun's come up over a thousand times.
Summers and winters have cracked the mountains a little bit more, and the rain's brought down some of the dirt. Some babies that weren't even born before have begun talking regular sentences already. And a number of people have thought... they were right young and spry, have noticed they can't bound up a flight of stairs like they used to without their heart fluttering a little. All of that can happen in a thousand days.
Nature's been pushing and contriving in other ways, too. A number of young people fell in love and got married. Yes, the mountain got bit away a few more fractions of an inch.
Millions of gallons of water went by the mill. And here and there, a new home got set up under a roof. Most everybody in the world gets married.
You know what I mean? In our town, there aren't hardly any exceptions. Most everybody in the world climbs into their graves married. Now, the first act was called The Daily Life.
This act is called Love and Marriage. There's another act coming after this. I reckon you can guess what that's about.
So it's three years later. It's 1904. It's July 7th, just after high school commenced. That's the time when most of our young people jump up and get married.
As soon as they pass their last examinations in solid geometry and Cicero's orations, it seems like they suddenly feel themselves fit to be married. So it's early morning, only this time it's been raining. It's been pouring and thundering.
Mrs. Gibbs'garden there and Mrs. Webb's garden, drenched. All those pea vines and bean poles, drenched. All yesterday over on Main Street, the rain looked like curtains being blown along. Looks like it could begin again any minute. There's the 545 for Boston.
And here comes Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb, coming downstairs to get breakfast, just as though it was an ordinary day. I don't have to tell you that these two ladies cooked three meals a day, one of them for two. 20 years and one for 40 and no summer vacation.
They washed, cleaned the house, raised two children apiece and never a nervous breakdown. It's like one of those Middle West poets said, you gotta love life to have life. and you've got to have life to love life. It's what they call a vicious circle.
Here they are, Bessie. Here comes Howie Newsome delivering the milk. And there's Cy Kroll delivering the papers, just like his brother before him. Morning, Howie. Morning, Cy.
Anything in the papers I ought to know? Nothing much, except we're losing about the best baseball pitcher Grover's Corner's ever had, George Gibbs. I reckon he is. He could hit.
And run bases, too. He's a mighty fine ball player. Whoa, Bessie! I guess I can stop and talk if I ever mind to. I don't see how he could give up a thing like that just to get married.
Would you have, Howie? You can't tell, Cy. I never had no talent that way. You're up early, Bill.
See what I could do to run a flood river that's been rising all night. Cy Kroll hears all worked up about George Gibbs retiring from baseball. Oh, yes, sir, that's the way it goes. Back in 84, we had a ball player, Cy. Not even George Gibbs could touch a name like Hank.
Think, Todd. Went down to Maine, become a parson, wonderful ball player. Howie, how's the weather look to you? Well, it ain't bad. I think maybe it'll clear up for good.
Morning, Holly. Morning, Miss Gibbs. You think it's going to rain again? Well, it rained so heavy, I think maybe it'll clear up.
I certainly hope it will. How much did you want today? I'm going to have a house full of relations, Howie.
Seems to me like I'll need three a milk and two a cream. My wife says to tell you we both hope they'll be very happy, Mrs. Gibbs. You know they will.
Thank you, Howie. Tell your wife I hope she gets there to the wedding. Oh, yeah.
She'll be there. She'll be there if she can. Morning, Miss Webb. Morning, Mr. Newsome. I know I told you four quarts of milk, but I hope you can spare me another.
Yes, ma'am, and two of cream. You think it's going to start raining again, Mr. Newsome? Well, I was just saying, Miss Gibbs, how the main lighten up. Mrs. Newsome told me to tell you.
It's how we hope they'll both be very happy, Mrs. Webb. No, they will. Well, thank you.
And thank Mrs. Newsome. And we're counting on seeing you at the wedding. Oh, yes, we hope to get there, all right.
Couldn't miss that. Come on, Vess. Well, Ma, the day has come.
You're losing one of your chicks. Frank Gibbs, don't you say another word. You're like crying every minute.
Oh, sit down and drink your coffee. Yeah, groom's up shaving himself. Only there ain't an awful lot to shave. I'm whistling and singing. Like he's glad to leave us.
Every now and then he says, I do to the mirror, but it don't sound convincing to me. I declare, Frank, I don't know how he'll get along. I've arranged his clothes.
I've seen to it he's put warm things on. Frank, they're too young. Emily won't think of such things. He'll catch his death of cold in a week.
I'm just remembering my... wedding morning, Julia. Now, don't talk about that, Frank Gibbs. I was the scaredest young fella in the state of New Hampshire.
I thought I'd make a mistake for sure. When I saw you coming down the aisle, I thought you were the prettiest girl I'd ever seen. Only trouble was, I'd never seen you before. Now, I wasn't a congregational church Marian a total stranger how do you think I felt weddings are perfectly awful things farces that's what they are here I made you something but Julia Hersey French toast ain't hard to make and I had to do something did you sleep last night Julia well I heard a lot of the hours struck off yes I get a shock every time I think of George sitting out to be a family man a great gangling thing I'll tell you Julian so terrifying in the world as a son.
Relation to father and son is the darndest, awkwardest thing. Well, mother and daughter's no picnic, let me tell you. They'll have a lot of troubles, I suppose. But that's not our business. Everybody has a right to their own troubles.
Yes. People are meant to go through life two by two. It ain't natural to be lonesome.
Julia, you know one of the things I was scared of when I married you? Oh, go along with you. I was afraid we wouldn't have material for conversation more than last us a few weeks. Ha I was afraid we'd run out, eat our meals in silence. That's a fact.
Well, you and I have been conversing for 20 years now without any noticeable barren spells. Well, good weather, bad weather. Can't very choice, but I always find something to say. Have you heard Rebecca stirring around upstairs?
No. Only day of the year Rebecca hasn't been managing everybody's business up there. She's hiding in her room. I got the impression she's crying.
Oh, Lord's sakes, this has got to stop. Rebecca. Rebecca. Rebecca, come and get your breakfast.
Good morning, everybody. Only five more hours to live. George, kids, where are you going? I'm just stepping across the grass to see my girl.
George, you put on your overshoes. It's raining torrents. You don't go out of this house without your prepared for it. Come on, it's just a step. George, you'll catch a cold and cough all through the service.
George, do as your mother tells you. From tomorrow on, you can kill yourself in all weathers. But while you're in my house, you'll live wisely, thank you. Maybe Mrs. Webb isn't used to callers at 7 in the morning.
Here, take a cup of coffee first. I'll be back in a minute. Good morning, Mother Web.
Oh, George. George, you frightened me. Oh, George, you can come in a minute out of the web, but you know I can't ask you in.
Why not? George, you know as well as I do, the groom can't see his bride on his wedding day. Not until he sees...
are in the church. That's just an old superstition. Good morning, Mr. Webb.
Good morning, George. Oh, Mr. Webb, you don't believe in that old superstition, do you? There's a lot of common sense in some. Some superstitions, George?
Millions of people have followed it, George. And you don't want to be the first to fly in the face of custom. How is Emily? She hasn't waked up yet.
I haven't heard a sound out of her. Emily's asleep? Well, no wonder.
We were up till all hours sewing and packing. Now, I tell you what I'll do. You sit down here a minute with Mr. Webb and drink this cup of coffee. And I'll go upstairs and I'll see that she doesn't come down and surprise you.
There's some bacon, too, but don't be long about it. Well, George, how are you? Oh, I'm fine. I'm fine. Mr. Webb, what common sense could there be in an old superstition like that?
Well, you see, on her wedding morning, a girl's head is apt to be full of... clothes. and things like that.
Don't you think that's it? Well, I hadn't thought of that. A girl's apt to be a mite nervous on her wedding day.
Well, I just wish that a fella could get married without all that marching up and down. Every man who's ever lived has felt that way about it, George. But it happens.
It hasn't been any use. It's the womenfolk who've built up weddings, my boy. For a while now, the women have it all their own. A man looks pretty small at a wedding, George.
All those good women standing shoulder to shoulder, making sure the knot's tied in a mighty public way. Yeah. But you believe in it, don't you, Mr. Webb? Oh, yes. Yes!
Don't you misunderstand me, my... My boy, marriage is a wonderful thing, a wonderful thing, and don't you forget that, George. No, sir. Well, Mr. Webb, how old were you when you got married?
Well, you see, I died... I'd been away to college and taken time to get settled. But Mrs. Webb, now she wasn't much older than what Emily is.
No, age hasn't much to do with it, George. Not compared with the... other things. Now, what were you going to say, Mr. Webb?
I don't know. Was I going to say something? George? I was thinking the other night of some advice my father gave me when I got married. Charles, he said, Charles, start out early showing who's boss.
Best thing you can do is to start early. to do, he said, is to give an order, even if it don't make sense, just so she'll learn to obey. Oh, and he said, if anything about your wife irritates you, her conversation or anything, just get up and leave the house. Oh, and he said, never let your wife know how much money you have. Never.
Well, Mr. Webb, I don't think... So I took the opposite of my father's advice. I've been happy ever since.
Let that be a lesson to you, George. Never ask advice on personal matters. George, are you going to raise chickens on your farm?
What? going to raise chickens on your farm. Well, Uncle Luke's never been my interested, but...
Because a book came into the office the other day on the phylo system of raising chickens. I want you to read it. I'm going to start in a small way in the backyard. I'm going to put an incubator in the cellar. Charles, are you talking about that?
that old incubator again. I thought you two might be talking about things more worthwhile. Well, Myrtle, if you want to give the boy some good advice, I'll go upstairs, leave you alone with him.
George, Emily has to come down and eat her breakfast. She sends her love, but she doesn't want to lay eyes on you. Goodbye. Goodbye.
Myrtle, I guess you haven't heard about that older superstition. What do you mean, Charles? Since the caveman, no bridegroom should see his father-in-law on the day of the wedding. Or near it. Thank you very much, Mr. and Mrs. Webb.
I have to interrupt here again. You see, we want to know how all this began. This wedding, this plan to spend a lifetime together.
I'm awfully interested in how big things like that begin. I mean, you know how it is. You're 21, you're 22 years old, you make a few decisions and whap, you're 70. You've been a lawyer for 50 years, and that white-haired lady at your side has eaten over 50,000 meals with you. How do such things begin? George and Emily are going to show you now.
The conversation that they had when they first knew, that is the saying goes, they were meant for one another. But before they do that, I want you to try to remember what it was like to have been very young. And particularly those days when you were first in love, and you were like a person sleepwalking, and you didn't quite see the street you were in, and you didn't quite hear everything that was being said to you.
You were just a little bit... crazy. Will you remember that, please? Now they'll be coming out of high school at 3 o'clock.
George has just been elected president of the junior class in this June, which means he'll be president of the senior class all next year. And Emily has just been elected secretary and treasurer. I don't have to tell you how important that is. I can't...
I gotta go home. Goodbye. Oh, Ernestine! Ernestine, can you come over and do Latin?
Isn't that Cicero the worst thing? Well, tell your mother you have to. Goodbye. Goodbye, Helen. Goodbye, Fred.
Can I carry your books home for you, Emily? Why, thank you. It isn't far. Excuse me a minute, Emily, will you? Bob!
Say, Bob! If I'm a little late, start practice anyway! And give Herb some long high ones! Goodbye, Lizzie.
Oh, goodbye, Lizzie. I'm awfully glad you were elected too, Emily. Thank you. Emily, why are you mad at me? I'm not mad at you.
Well, you've been treating me so funny lately. Well, since you asked me, I might as well say it right out, George. Well, goodbye, Miss Corcoran.
Goodbye, Miss Corcoran. What? What is it? I don't like the whole change that's come over you in the last year.
I'm sorry if that hurts your feelings, but I've just got to tell the truth and shame the devil. A change? Well, what do you mean? Well, up to a year ago... I used to like you a lot.
And I used to watch you as you did everything. Because we've been friends so long. And then you began spending all your time at baseball.
And you never stopped to speak to anybody anymore. Not even to your own family you didn't... And George, it's a fact. You've got awful stuck-up and conceited.
And all the girls say so. Oh, they may not say so to your face, but that's what they say about you behind your back. And it hurts me to hear them say it. But I have to agree with them a little. I'm sorry if it hurts your feelings, but I can't be sorry I said it.
Well, Emily, I had no idea such a thing was happening to me. I guess it's hard for a fella not to have a few faults creep into his character. I always expect a man to be perfect and I think he should be.
Oh, well, I don't think that it's possible to be perfect, Emily. Well, my father is! And as far as I can see, your father is. There's no reason on earth why you shouldn't be, too.
Well, I think it's the other way around. I think that men aren't naturally good, but girls are. Well, you might as well be!
You will know right now that I'm not perfect. It's not as easy for a girl to be perfect as a man, because we girls are more... more nervous!
I'm sorry I said all that about you, I don't know what to say. Emily... I can see it's not the truth at all and I suddenly feel it isn't important anyway.
Emily, would you like an ice cream soda or something before you go home? Oh yes, thank you, I would. Oh, hello, Stu.
How are you? Good afternoon, Mrs. Slocum. Hello, George.
Hello, Emily. Well, you have. Why, Emily Webb, what have you been crying about?
Oh, uh, she just got an awful scare, Mr. Morgan. She almost got run over by that hardware store wagon. Everyone says that Tom Hawkins drives like a crazy man. Wow, you look all shook up. You better have some water.
I tell you, you gotta look both ways these days before you cross Main Street. It gets worse every year. Hey, uh, what do you have?
Um, I'll have a strawberry phosphate. Oh, no, no, no, have a soda with me. Two strawberry ice cream sodas.
Two strawberry ice cream sodas? Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
There are 125 horses in Grover's Corners this minute I'm talking to you. State inspector was in here yesterday. Now they bring these automobiles into town. Best thing to do is just stay at home. Well, I can remember the days when a dog go to sleep in the car.
in the middle of Main Street all day. And nothing would come along to disturb him. There you are.
Enjoy them. Yes, Mrs. Ellis, what can I do for you? They're so expensive. Oh, no, no, no, no.
Don't you think about that. We're celebrating our election. And then do you know what else I'm celebrating?
No. I'm celebrating that I've got a friend that tells me the things that ought to be told me. George, please don't think about that.
I don't know why I said it. It's not true. No, no, no.
Please stick to it, Emily. I'm glad you said what you did. But you'll see. I am going to change.
You bet. Oh, I'm going to change so quick. And Emily, I want to ask you a favor.
What, George? If I go away to State Agriculture College next year, will you write me a letter once in a while? I certainly will.
Certainly will, George. Certainly seems like being away three years, you'd get out of touch with things. I mean, maybe letters from Grover's Corners wouldn't be very interesting after a while. I mean, Grover's Corners isn't a very important place when you think of all New Hampshire.
But I think it's a very nice town. Well, the day wouldn't come when I wouldn't want to know everything that happens here, Emily. I know that's true.
Well, I'll try to make my letters interesting. You know, Emily, whenever I meet a farmer, I ask him if he thinks it's important to go to agriculture school to be a good farmer. Hi, George.
Yeah, and some of them even say it's a waste of time. You can get all that information anyway out of the pamphlets the government sends out. And Uncle Luke's getting old. Why, he's about ready for me to start in taking over the farm tomorrow if I could.
Why? And like you say, being gone all that time and other places and meeting other people... Oof.
Gosh. If anything like that could happen, I don't want to go away. I guess new people aren't any better than old ones.
I'll bet they almost never are. Emily, I feel you're about as good a friend as I've got. I don't need to go and meet the people in other towns.
But George, maybe it's very important that you go and learn all that about cattle judging and soils and those things. Of course, I don't know. Emily, I'm going to make up my mind right now. I won't go.
I'll tell Pa about it tonight. But, George, I don't see why you have to go and decide right now. It's a whole year away.
Emily, I'm awfully glad that you spoke to me about that... that fault in my character. What you said was right, but there was one thing wrong with it, and that was where you said that for a whole year I wasn't noticing people.
And, well, you, for instance. You say you were watching me when I did everything? Well, I was doing the same thing about you all the time. Why, sure. I always thought about you as one of the chief people I thought about.
I always made sure I knew where you were sitting on the bleachers and who you were sitting with. And for three days now, I have been trying to walk home with you, and every day something has got in the way. Yesterday I was standing over against that wall, waiting for you, and you walked home with Miss Corcoran.
George! Oh, life's awful funny. Well, how could I have known that while I thought that you...
Listen, Emily, I'm going to tell you why I'm not going to agriculture school. I think that once you've found someone that you're fond of... I mean, someone who's fond of you, too.
And who likes you enough to be interested in your character. Well, I think that's just as important as college is. Even more so.
That's what I think. I think it's very important, too. Emily?
Yes, George? If I do improve and make a big change, would you be... I mean... I mean, could you be...
I am now, George. I always have been. So I guess this is a pretty important talk we're having.
Yes. Yes. Well, wait right here and I'll walk you home. Mr. Morgan, I'm going to have to go home to get the money to pay for this.
It'll only take me a minute. What's that, George Gibbs? You mean to say you came down the store with no money in your pocket?
Yes, but I had reasons, Mr. Morgan. Look, here, you can keep my gold watch until I come back with the money. Now, wait a minute.
That's all right, George. Here, you keep your watch. I'll trust you. I'll be back in five minutes.
I'll trust you ten years, George. Not a day over. Did you get all over your shock there, Emily? Oh yes, thank you Mr. Morgan, it was nothing. I'm ready.
Well, now it's time for the wedding. There's a lot of things to be said about a wedding. A lot of thoughts that go on during a wedding.
Naturally, we can't get them all into one wedding, and especially not at Grover's Corners, where they're awfully plain and short. But at this wedding, I play the minister, which gives me the right to say a few more things about it. For a while now, the play gets pretty serious. You see, some churches say that marriage is a sacrament.
I don't quite know what that means, but I can guess. It's like Mrs. Gibbs said a couple of minutes ago. People were made to live two by two. This is a good wedding. But even at a good wedding, there's a lot of confusion way down deep in people's minds.
And we thought that that ought to be in our play, too. The real hero of the scene isn't on stage at all. It's like one of those European fellas... said, every child born into the world is nature's attempt at trying to make a perfect human being.
Well, we've all seen nature pushing and contriving for some time now. We all know nature's interested in quantity, but I think she's interested in quality too. And don't forget the other witnesses at the wedding, the ancestors, millions of them. Most of them set out to live their lives two by two also. Millions.
and stuff. Well, that's all my sermon. Weren't very long anyway.
I don't know why on earth I should be crying. There's no reason, I suppose. It all began this morning over breakfast. There was Emily eating her breakfast as she's done for 17 years. Now she's going off to eat in someone else's house.
I suppose that's it. And Emily, she suddenly said, can't eat another mouthful, and she put her head down on the table and she cried. Oh, I've just got to say it.
You know, there's something downright cruel about sending our girls out into marriage this way. I just hope her girlfriends have told her a thing or two. It's cruel, I know. Just couldn't bring myself to say anything.
Went into it blind as a bat, myself. Whole world's wrong. That's what's the matter. Oh. Here they come.
Oh, we have a fight, Georgie boy! Don't let the team down tonight, Georgie! There's no balls that I've got in this game, boy! That's enough of that! Well, there used to be an awful lot of that sort of stuff at weddings in the old days.
You know, Rome and later. But we're more civilized now. So they say. George? George, what's the matter?
Ma, Ma, I don't want to grow old. Why is everyone pushing me so? But George, you wanted it. No, Ma, listen to me.
No, no, George, you're a man now. Ma, for the last time I ask you, all I want to do is to be a fella. George, if anyone should hear you now, stop.
I am ashamed of you. What? Where's Emily? George, you gave me such a turn. Cheer up, Ma.
I'm getting married. Let me catch my breath a minute. Now, Ma, you save Thursday nights. Emily and I are coming over for dinner every Thursday night, you'll see.
Ma, what are you crying for? Come on, we've got to get ready for this. I never felt so alone in my whole life. And George over there looking so...
I hate him. I wish I were dead. Papa! Papa! Emily?
Emily, now don't get upset. But Papa, I don't want to get married. Shh! Emily, everything's alright. Well, why can't I stay for a while just as I am?
Let's go away. No, Emily! Emily, stop!
Stop and think a minute. Remember what you used to say all the time? All the time you used to say that I was your girl.
I'm sure there's lots of places we can go. I'll work for you. I could keep house. Don't even think such thoughts. You're just nervous, Emily.
George, George, could you come here a minute, please? While you are marrying the best young fellow in the world, George is a fine fellow. I'm giving away my daughter, George.
Do you think you can take care of her? Mr. Webb, I want to. I want to try. Emily, I'm going to do my best.
I love you, Emily. I need you. Well, if you love me, then help me.
All I want is someone to love me. I will, Emily. Emily, I'll try.
And I mean forever. Do you hear? Forever and ever. Come, they're waiting for us. Do you, George, take this woman, Emily, to be your wedded wife?
Perfectly lovely wedding. Loveliest wedding I ever saw. Oh, I do love a good wedding.
Don't you? Doesn't she make a lovely bride? Better for worse. Until death do you part. I do.
And do you, Emily, take this man, George, to be your wedded husband? Don't know when I've seen such a lovely wedding. But I always cry. Don't know why it is, but I always cry.
I just like to see young people happy. Don't you? Oh, I think it's lovely.
Until death do you part. I do. I've married over 200 couples in my day. Do I believe in it? I don't know.
N marries N, millions of them. The cottage, the go-kart, the Sunday afternoon drives in the Ford, the first rheumatism, the grandchildren, the second rheumatism, the deathbed, the reading of the will. Once in a thousand times, it's interesting.
Well, let's have Mendelssohn's Wedding March. Lovely couple. Oh, I've never been to such a nice wedding. I'm sure they'll be happy.
I always say, happiness... That's the great thing! The important thing is to be happy!
That's the end of the second act, folks. This time, nine years have gone by, friends. 1913. Gradual changes in Grover's Corners. Horses are getting rarer.
Farmers are coming into town in Fords. Everybody locks their house doors now at night. Ain't been any burglars yet, but everybody's heard about them. But you'd be surprised. On a whole, things don't change that much around here.
This is certainly an important part of Grover's Corners. It's on a hilltop, a windy hilltop. Lots of sky, lots of clouds, often lots of sun and moon and stars.
You come up here in a fine afternoon and you can see range upon range of hills. Awful blue they are up there by Lake St. Louis. ...Sunnopee and Lake Winnipesaukee.
And way up, if you have a glass, you can see the White Mountains and Mount Washington, where Conway and North Conway is. And of course, over there is our favorite mountain, Mount Monadnock, and all the towns that lie around it. Jaffrey, in East Jaffrey, Peterborough, in Dublin. And there, quite a ways down, is Grover's Corners. Yes, beautiful spot up here.
Mountain laurel and lilac. I often wonder why anyone would want to be buried in Woodlawn or Brooklyn when they could pass the same time up here in New Hampshire. Over there are the old stones, 1670, 1680. Strong-minded people that come a long way to be independent. Summer people walk around there laughing at the funny words on the tombstones.
Don't do any harm. Genealogists come up from Boston. Again. paid by city people to look up their ancestors.
Want to make sure they're daughters of the American Revolution and of the Mayflower? Don't do any harm either, I guess. Whenever you come close to the human race, you find layers and layers of nonsense. Over there are the Civil War veterans, iron flags on their graves, New Hampshire boys, had a notion the Union ought to be kept together, though they'd never seen more than 50 miles of it themselves.
All they knew was the name, friends, the United States of America, the United States of America. And they went and died about it. This here is the new part of the cemetery.
Here's your friend, Mrs. Gibbs. And let's see... Ah, Mr. Stimson, the organist at the Congregational Church. And ah, Mrs. Solmes, who enjoyed the wedding so. You remember.
And a whole lot of others. Editor Webb's boy, Wallace, whose appendix burst on a Boy Scout trip to Crawford Notch. Yes, a whole lot of sorrow sort of quieted down up here. People just wild with grief have brought their relatives up to this hill. And we all know how it is.
In rainy days, in sunny days, in time, in snow. We're awfully glad they're in a beautiful place. And we're coming up here ourselves when our fit's over.
Now, there are some things that we all know, but we don't take them out and look at them all that often. We all know something's eternal, and it ain't houses, and it ain't names, and it ain't earth, and it ain't even the stars. Everybody knows in their bones something's eternal, and that something has to do with human beings. All the greatest people ever lived have been telling us that for 5,000 years. You'd be surprised how we're always losing hold of it.
There's something way down deep that's eternal about every human being. Now, you know as well as I do that the dead don't stay interested in us living for very long. Gradually, gradually they lose hold of the earth and the pleasures they had and the ambitions they had and the people they loved and the things they suffered.
They get weaned away from the earth, that's the way I put it, weaned away. And they stay here until the earth part of them burns away, burns out. And all the time they're here, they gradually grow indifferent to the things going on in Grover's Corners.
They're waiting. They're waiting for something they feel is coming. Something important and great. Aren't they waiting for the eternal part of them to come out clear?
Now, some of the things they're going to say may hurt your feelings, but that's the way it is. Mother and daughter, husband and wife, money and miser, enemy and enemy. All those terribly important things kind of grow pale around here. And what's left when your memory's gone? And your identity, Mrs. Smith?
Well, here come some living people. Good afternoon, Joe Stoddard. Good afternoon.
Good afternoon. Let me see now. Do I know you?
I'm Sam Craig. Gracious sakes alive of all people, I might have known you'd be back for the funeral. You've been away a long time, Sam. Yes, I've been away over 12 years.
I'm in business out in Buffalo now, Joe, but I was in the east when I heard about my cousin's death, so I thought I'd combine things a little and come and see the old home. You look well? Yes, yes, can't complain.
Very sad, our journey here today, Samuel. Yes. Yes.
Yes, I always say I hate to supervise when a young person is taken. Well, they'll be here in a few minutes now. I had to come here early today.
My son's... supervising at the home. Old Farmer McCarty. I used to do chores for him after school. He had the lumbago.
Yes, we brought Farmer McCarty here a number of years ago now. Why, this is my Aunt Julia. I'd forgotten that she... Of course, of course.
Yes, Doc Gibbs lost his wife two, three years ago, about this time. And today's another pretty bad blow for him, too. That's my sister Carrie's boy, Sam.
Sam Craig. I'm always uncomfortable when they're around. Simon.
Do they choose their own verses much, Joe? No, not usual. Mostly the bereaved pick a verse. Doesn't sound like Aunt Julia.
There aren't many of those Hersey sisters left now. Well, let's see. I wanted to look at my father's and mother's.
Over with the Craigs, Avenue F. He was organist at church, wasn't he? Drank a lot, we used to say. Nobody was supposed to know about it.
He'd seen a peck of trouble. Took his own life, you know. Did he?
Hung himself in the attic. They tried to hush it up, but... course it got around.
He chose his own epitaph. You can see it there. It ain't a verse, exactly. Why, it's just some notes of music. What is it?
Oh, I wouldn't know, but it was wrote up in the Boston papers at the time. Joe, what did she die of? Who?
My cousin. Oh, didn't you know? She had trouble bringing a baby into the world. Twas her second, though.
There's a little boy about four years old. The grave's gonna be over there? Yes. There ain't much more room over here among the Gibses, so they're opening up a whole new Gibbs section over by Avenue B. Will you excuse me now?
I see they're coming. Who is it, Julia? My daughter? Emily Webb. Well, I declare.
The road up here must have been awful muddy. What did she die of, Julia? Childbirth.
Childbirth? I'd forgotten all about that. My, wasn't life awful. And wonderful.
Wonderful was it. Simon, now remember. I remember Emily's wedding. Wasn't it a lovely wedding? And I remember her reading the class poem at graduation exercises.
Emily was one of the brightest girls ever graduated from high school. that binds our hearts in Christian love, the fellowship of King Jesus Christ. in red minds is like to that of We share our mutual woes Our mutual burdens bear And often for each other Father flows, the sympathizing tears.
Hello? Hello, Emily. Hello, Mother Gibbs. Emily. Hello.
It's raining. Yes. They'll be gone soon, dear. Just rest yourself. It seems thousands and thousands of years since I was...
Papa remembered that was my favorite hymn. I wish I'd been here a long time. I don't like being new here.
How do you do, Mr. Stimson? How do you do, Emily? Mother Gibbs, George and I have made that farm into just the best place you ever saw. We thought of you all the time.
We wanted to show you the new barn and a great long cement drinking fountain for the stock. We bought that out of the money you left us. I did? Yes, Mother Gibbs, don't you remember the legacy you left us?
Well, it was over $350. Yes. Yes, Emily.
Well, there's a patent device on the drinking fountain so that it never overflows, and it never sinks below a certain mark they've got there. It's fine. It won't be the same to George without me. It's a lovely phone. First fruits give To come for that Life people don't understand, do they?
No, dear, not very much. They sort of shut up, aren't they? I feel as though I knew them last a thousand years ago. My boy's spending the date, Mrs. Carter's.
Oh, Mr. Carter, my love! little boy spending the day at your house is he yes he loves it there mother gives me have a fort to never gives us any trouble oh I don't drive though mother gives when does this feeling go away of being one of them how long does the air just wait and be patient yes I know Look, they're finished. They're going.
Look, Father Gibbs is bringing some of my flowers to you. Why, he looks just like George, doesn't he? Oh, Mother Gibbs, I never realized before how troubled and in the dark life persons are. Look at him.
I loved him so. From morning till night, that's all they are, troubled. A little cooler than it was. Yes, that rain's cooled it off a little. Those old nor'east winds always act the same way, don't they?
If it isn't a rain, it's a three-day blow. But Mother Gibbs, one can go back. One can go back into living. I feel it, I know it.
Why just then for a moment I was thinking about, about the farm and for a minute I was there and my baby was on my lap plain as day. Yes, of course you can. One can go back and live all those days over again, why not? All I can say is Emily, don't.
But it's true, isn't it? I can go and live back there again. Yes, some have tried. But they soon come back here. Don't do it, Emily.
Emily, don't. It's not what you'd think it'd be. But I won't live over a sad day.
I'll choose a happy one. I'll choose the day... That I first knew that I loved George. Why should that be painful?
Because you not only live it, but you watch yourself living it. Yes. And while you're watching, you see the thing that they down there never know. You see the future. You know what's going to happen afterwards.
But is that painful? Why? That isn't the only reason why you shouldn't do it, Emily. When you've been here longer, you'll see that our life here is to forget all that.
And to think only of what's ahead and be ready for what's ahead. When you've been here longer, you'll understand. But Mother Gibbs, how can I ever forget that life? It's all I know, it's all I have. Oh, Emily, it isn't wise.
Really, it isn't. But it's a thing I must know for myself. I'll choose a happy day anyway.
No. At least choose an unimportant day. Choose the least important day of your life. It will be important enough. Then it can't be since I was married.
Since the baby was born. I can choose a birthday at least, can't I? I choose my twelfth birthday. All right.
February 11th, 1899, a Tuesday. Do you want any special time of day? Oh, I want the whole day. Then we'll begin at dawn.
You remember, it had been snowing for several days, and it stopped the night before, and they had just begun clearing the roads. The sun is coming up. Oh, there's Main Street. There's Mr. Morgan's truck store before he changed it. And there's the livery stable.
Yes, it's 1899. This is 14 years ago. Oh, that's the town I knew as a little girl. And look, there's old white fence that used to be around our house. I'd forgotten that. Oh, I love it so.
Are they inside? Yes, your mother will be coming down in a minute to get breakfast. Will she? And you remember your father had been away for several days. coming back on the early morning train.
No. Yes, he'd been to his college in Western New York to make a speech at Clinton. Look, there's Howie Newsom! And there's our policeman!
But he's dead, he died! Whoa, Bessie! Bessie! Mr. Bill, Warren, Harry, get up early and rest you the party. Down your throats to Debbie.
And there's Joe Crow. Morning, Mr. Warren. Morning, Harry.
Wally, Emily, time to get up. Mom, I'm here. How young Mama looks.
I didn't know Mama was ever that young. You can come and dress by the fire if you like, but hurry. Good morning, Mr. Newsome. It's cold.
It's ten below by my barn, Mrs. Webb. Think of that. Keep yourself wrapped up. Mama, I can't find my blue hair ribbon anywhere! Just open your eyes, dear, that's all.
I laid it out for you on the dresser there, special. If it were a snake, it would bite you. Yes, yes! Morning, Bill!
Morning, sir! You're up early. Yes, I'm back, my old... College of New York State.
Any trouble here? I have a call up this morning to rescue a Polish fella. I'm here close to death, he was.
We must get it in the paper. What? Papa.
Morning, Mother. How did it go, Charles? Oh, fine, I guess. I told him a few things.
Everything all right here. Yes. Can't think of anything that's happened special. Been right cold. Holly Newsome says it's ten degrees below over to his barn.
Yes, well, colder than that at Hamilton College. Students'ears are falling off. Taint Christian.
Paper have any mistakes in it? None that I noticed. Coffee's ready when you want it. Charles! Don't forget.
It's Emily's birthday. Did you remember to get her something? I've got it right here. Where's my girl?
Where's my birthday girl? Don't interrupt her now, Charles. You can see her at breakfast.
She's slow enough as it is. Hurry up, children. You'll be late for school.
Now, I don't want to call you again. Oh, I can't bear it. They're so young and beautiful. Why did they ever have to get old? Mom, I'm here.
I'm grown up. I love you all, everything. I can't look at everything hard enough. Can I?
Good morning now! Dear, a very happy birthday to my good girl, and many happy returns. There's some surprises waiting for you on the kitchen table.
Oh, Mommy, you shouldn't have. I can't. I can't. But birthday or no birthday, I want you to eat your breakfast good and slow. I want you to grow up to be a good, strong girl.
Oh, that in the blue paper, that's from your Aunt Carrie. And I reckon you can guess who brought the postcard album. I found it on the doorstep this morning when I brought in the milk.
George Gibbs. He must have come over in the cold pretty early. Right nice of him.
Oh, George, I'd forgotten that. Chew that bacon good and slow. It'll help to keep you warm on a cold day. Oh, Mama. Just look at me one minute as though you really saw me. 14 years have gone by.
I'm dead. You're a grandmother, Mama. I married George Gibbs, Mama.
Wally's dead, too. His appendix burst on a camping trip to North Conway. We felt just terrible about it, don't you remember? Oh, but Mama, just for a moment we're together.
Mama, just for a moment we're happy. Oh, let's look at one another. That and the yellow paper? That's something I found in the attic amongst your grandmother's things.
You're old enough to wear it now. I thought you'd like it. Oh, and this is from you? Oh, Mama, it's beautiful.
It's lovely. It's just what I wanted. Well, I hoped you'd like it. I hunted all over.
Your Aunt Nora couldn't find one in Concord, so I had to send it all the way to Boston. Uh, Wally has something for you, too. He made it in manual training class.
He's very proud of it, so make sure you make a big fuss about it. Your father has a surprise for you. I don't know what it is.
What it is myself? Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh. Here he comes.
Where's my girl? Where's my birthday girl? I can't!
I can't go on! It goes so fast we don't have time to look at one another! I didn't realize.
So all that was going on and we never noticed. Take me back up the hill to my grave. But first wait. One more look. Bye.
Goodbye Grover's Corners. Mama. And Papa. Goodbye to Clock's Ticking.
And Mama's Sunflowers. And food, and coffee, and new iron dresses, and hot baths, and sleeping, and waking up. Oh Earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you.
Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute? No.
The saints and poets, maybe. They do some. I'm ready to go back. Were you happy?
No. I should have listened to you. That's all human beings are, just blind people. Look, it's clearing up.
The stars are coming out. Oh, Mr. Stimson. I should have listened to them. Yes. Now you know.
Now you know. That's what it was to be alive. To move about in a cloud of ignorance, to go up and down trampling on the feelings of those... of those about you. To spend and waste time as though you had a million years, to be always at the mercy of one self-centered passion or another.
Now you know. That's the happy existence you wanted to go back to, ignorance and blindness. Simon Stimson, that ain't the whole truth and you know it. Emily, look at that star.
I forget its name. My boy Joel was a sailor. He knew them all. He'd set on the porch evenings and he'd tell them all my name.
Yes sir, wonderful. A star is mighty good company. Yeah, yes it is.
Here's one of them. them coming. That's funny.
Ain't no time for one of them to be here. For goodness sake. Mother Gibbs, it's George.
Shh, dear. Just rest yourself. It's George. And my boy Joel, who knew the stars, he used to say it took millions of years for that speck of light to get to the Earth. I don't seem like a body ought to believe it, but that's what he used to say.
Millions of years. Goodness, that ain't no way to behave. You ought to be home.
Mother Gibbs? Yes, Emily? They don't understand, do they?
No, dear. They don't understand. Most everybody's asleep in Grover's Corners. Most the lights are out. Shorty Hawkins down the depot has just watched the Albany train go by and someone's sitting up late talking at the livery's table.
Yes, it's clearing up. There are the stars doing their old, old crisscross journeys in the sky. Scholars haven't settled on it yet, but they seem to think there's no living beings up there, just chalk or fire.
Only this one's straining away, straining away all the time to make something of itself. And the strain's so bad that every 16 hours everyone lies down and gets a rest. 11 o'clock in Grover's Corners. You get a good rest too.
Good night. We give Thee but Thine own, whatever gift may be, for all we have is Thine alone, our trust, O Lord, from Thee. May we... thy bounties thus as to works to receive and gladly as thou blessest us to To thee our firstfruits give, to comfort and to bless, to find the balm for woe, to tend the lone and fatherless, his angels work below.
And we believe thy word, though dim our faith may be. Whate'er we do for thine own heart, we do it unto thee. Bless me the tide that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is mine to be for. We pour our prayers, our fears, our hopes, our aims, our love, our comforts, and love.