Rachel and the Stranger

Hello, Jim.

It's hail and farewell, young Davey.

A drink from your pond, a kiss from your beautiful mother

and I'm on my way.

She... Ma ain't here.

That's why the wash hangs out all night?

Where is she?

She was sick a while.

A good while for her to have her let the apples

ripen on the tree for bird food.

And then she... then she died.

And your pa? What about your pa?

He's been sittin' up there

just sittin' for I don't know how long.

Won't eat, won't move and won't talk.

Maybe...

Maybe him and you better strike out up north with me

for a winter of huntin'.

Jim, you mean it? You mean it?

Well, now...

Here, you take the rest of these clothes in.

I'll go up and talk to your pa.

You mind if I say a few words, Big Davey?

I reckon you loved her too in your own way.

I never reckoned I'd be as miserable as I was

the day you won her.

But now you lost her.

She always thought to be buried in a proper graveyard.

Church singin' and flowers.

Leave! Go!

What'd he say?

These weeds around here grows as fast as... weeds.

You ought to clear 'em out, they'll smother

your mother's flower bed here.

You mean, we ain't goin' with you?

Now, young Davey, you wouldn't wanna grow up

wild and woodsy, like a weed, would you?

Weeds grow faster than flowers and tougher too.

Susan was always afraid her kids would grow up woodsy.

I reckon that's why she decided on your pa instead of me.

I wouldn't want to go and change that.

So I'll be back in the spring, young Davey.

You take care of your pa until then.

Bye, Jim.

Goodbye, Davey.

Pa, how long you gonna carry on this way?

Davey, it looks to me like you ain't put

soap and water to your face in a week.

I reckon I could stand a shave myself.

"Births and Deaths."

Back East kin folk gather around for funeral doings.

You wouldn't know, Davey, but it makes the heart a lot easier.

Jim says, "Why don't we all strike out North?

For a winter of huntin', maybe."

Davey, this is no time to go huntin'.

I want you this write this in careful-like.

So you remember your ma.

Just say...

"Susan Harvey."

"Died, October 15."

Of fever.

"Of fever, age 28."

This all you want in here?

Better add "North-west territory."

It's turnin' colder.

Back! Back!

Now you stay back.

Davey!

Dave!

Pa! Pa! I'm here!

You come with me.

You gave the Cabin's-In-Danger whistle, Pa.

I did?

Where are we goin'?

Saddle up.

Don't see no danger.

Blaze's liable to act up after bein' out all winter.

Hand me that halter.

That's not Cabin's-In-Danger kinda danger, Pa.

Maybe not. Come on.

You told me I shouldn't use Cabin's-In-Danger whistle

unless it was life and death danger, Pa.

You said it was special.

Cabin can be in danger in more ways than one.

Don't see no danger.

We're proper farmers, Dave.

Not woodsy folk.

A man goes bad if he can't have bread with his meals

and a stitched garment on his back.

Hold him. Musket.

Your ma had reading and writing and a little music.

The menfolk in our family were smiths and farmers

and maybe a doctor or the preacher like...

- But not no-account. - I'm gonna be a hunter.

I'm goin' off to hunt and trade with the Injuns.

- Don't you ever say that again. - Why not?

'Cause you're not to forget that you're a Harvian.

On account there's gonna be a lady around the cabin.

- Pa! - You go on, get cleaned up.

We're riding to the stockade to get me a wife and you a ma.

I won't have no other ma! The devil, I will!

Dave, you swear again and I'll tan the hide off of you.

You see if I don't. Now, get!

- And don't forget your shoes. - The devil, I will.

Hey, Bob. Somebody wants to come across.

Look, Pa, if you was to wanna change your mind and go home...

I don't. Lead him on.

I wonder what she'll be like.

- Who? - Your new wife.

Could be most anybody, I reckon.

Big and fat like Mrs. Rictor.

- Or a scrawny old bag of bones like some. - Yeah.

I sure hope she don't whistle when she breathes

or she's fat like Mrs. Rictor.

Davey, you chatter like a chipmunk.

We gotta take whoever we can get to take ya, Pa.

- Welcome, Big Davey! - Howdy, Chad?

- Any Injun signs? - No, clear all the way.

How be Sister Susan these days?

- Good afternoon, Big Davey. - Good afternoon, ma'am.

- How you've been, Big Davey? - Howdy.

Well, if it isn't Big David Harvey.

Afternoon, Mrs. Rictor.

And without Susan?

Yessum.

- Going to see the Parson? - I reckon.

I ain't so sure Parson Jackson will cotton to this, Pa.

Yeah, me neither.

Who is it? Up above you, heavenwards.

Oh, Brother Harvey, it's a long while

since you came in out of the wood.

Tell me. What brings ya?

How goes the planting with you?

And how's my little beauty, Susan?

Parson, could I have a word with you, private?

Marthy!

Come brew a pot of sassafras for Brother Harvey.

- Will of the Lord. - I'll speak a word Sunday.

We wrote it into the Bible proper.

What do you plan to do?

Well, I told myself I gotta raise the boy

the way she wanted.

Proper raising, with Bible readin' and writin'.

You told yourself right, Brother Harvey.

Only a man with 30 acres cleared and a 100 more to clear and...

well, crops to be put in and meat to be hunted

can't raise a boy proper.

Reckon that.

What you need's a wife.

Ha!

Oh, I've been fightin' it.

Only it's easier spoken of than did, Sister Jackson.

Unless you wait for new womenfolk

to come from back east.

Oh, I get my mind set. I-I'd rather not wait.

There might be none either.

- There's the widow Rictor. - Parson Jackson.

Well, brother David didn't say he wanted beauty.

He needs a wife.

We can wait for Milly Flan to grow up.

Oh, 15's a might too young

to take on a widower's responsibilities.

- There's Goody Cosgrove. - Now...

And five kids to go with her. Parson, you're a fool.

Miss Jackson, when it comes to a man

choosin' a ma for his boy

he wants a woman with experience.

We can get along, Pa and me.

The bondwoman.

I hadn't heard about any bond servants in these parts.

Yeah, Mr. Green got her for 1,000 bushels of parched corn

from some river traders last autumn.

There wasn't, but one woman around the Green's house then.

Young Matt's got married since.

I don't see as Mrs. Green needs anyone anymore.

You could likely pick up this bondwoman for yourself

at a bargain price, Brother David.

Yeah. Sure.

I could buy a bond servant instead of a wife.

I was thinking she'd make a fine wife.

Decent church folk don't live together man and woman

under the same roof without marriage.

Oh, no, no. Sure not.

You're not only getting yourself a wife and Davey a mother...

I don't want any other mother.

But you're buying another human being out of servitude

such things ain't forgot later on, Brother David.

- Yeah, but I... - Put pride behind thee.

After all, it ain't for love you are wedding

but to have a woman on the place.

That's true enough.

I'll go along with you to Brother Green

and make the bargain.

Ma, you better come along too.

There's some human female questions in this

that I ain't prepared to handle.

Davey, run over to the store before it closes

and see if anything came in for us.

Now, get.

Well, hello, young Davey.