Good Lord Bird

Does that mean you're taking care of Onion?

-That's what Pa said. -No, he didn't.

Yeah, well, I'm not taking her.

Old Man's son Frederick, my friend,

barely cold in the ground.

Didn't nobody think to ask me what I wanted.

-Why is that? -I'm cinching up and riding to Iowa.

-Iowa? -The walleyed girl?

It d-- I'm going courting, it doesn't matter who.

I'm not riding with the Onion on me.

Onion is your burden, too.

Uh, I will ride the Onion to Tabor.

All we need is some supplies and we'll be on our way.

Wait. Him taking care of her?

Yeah, what do you know about taking care of a girl?

I know plenty. I helped raise a couple of sisters

'fore they got sold off.

Fine. I'll take you both to Tabor.

But then I cut you loose.

First, we have to go back across the river

-and scrounge what's left. -Fine.

We'll head out as soon I get back.

You want us to wait here?

Yeah, we won't be long.

You see any Red Shirts, give a holler.

Give a holler? Why, so they can shoot us?

Hyah, hyah.

melancholy banjo

We can't stay here.

What?

Let's git.

What about Owen? He said to wait.

Forget about him. This white folk business.

You can stay back, but I'm gone.

organ playing

Hallelujah

Come on children, let's sing

About the goodness of the Lord

Come on, children, let's shout

All about God's rich reward

Guide our footsteps every day

Keeps us in the narrow way

Come on, children, let's sing

About the goodness of the Lord

Yeah, come on, children, let's sing

About the goodness of the Lord, mmm

Come on, children, let's shout

All about God's rich reward

Guide our footsteps every day

Keeps us in the narrow way

Come on, children, let's sing

Come on, children, let's shout

The Lord Almighty has brought us out

There's none like him without a doubt

Come on, children, let's sing

About the goodness

Of the Lord

energetic music

Come on. Hyah!

Come on.

You best wrap that bonnet tight on your head and girl it up.

Pinch your cheeks some,

lick the dirt off your lips.

Whoa.

Afternoon, sir.

Where you going?

Why, I'm taking the missus here to the Lawrence Hotel.

You got papers?

Well, sir, the missus here got some.

Well, I don't need no papers

in that he's taking me to Lawrence.

Are you taking that boy?

Or is that boy taking you?

Why, I'm taking him.

We is just passing through from Palmyra,

and we heard all the gun shooting,

so I drug him around this way.

What are you?

You part-colored or white girl with a dirty face?

The best part of me is nearly as white as you, sir.

But I just don't know where I belongs,

being a tragic mulatto and all.

Yeah.

Well...

all the more reason to run these free staters

out of this country.

Damn Yanks.

I'm Chase.

That's Randy.

Don't you worry, little angel.

You can ride with us.

You's too kind, but we is heading

to the Lawrence Hotel, so I reckon we'll be off.

Hold on, now.

We're going to Pikesville, Missouri.

It's in your general direction.

Why not come with us?

These trails is dangerous.

Bob here's sick.

It's catching.

All the more reason to ride with us.

I know a couple slave traders up in Pikesville.

Sick or not, they'll give a couple thousand for him.

Well, now, that do sound like a fair offer.

But I can't do that.

For I promised my pa to never sell him.

-Hey! -Whoa.

There ain't nothing but...

free staters up in Lawrence.

What kind of work you seeking, you carry such

a sour-faced coon?

Trim's my business.

Learned it from my pa.

Your pa?

Ain't you a little young to be selling trim?

That ain't what she mean.

That is most certainly what I mean,

and you'd be wise not to try and correct me.

Well, wouldn't you rather have a job

waiting or washing?

Why wash dishes when you can do ten men in an hour?

Oh, that stirs my britches.

I know the perfect place for you.

I know a woman that can give you a job.

But it's in Pikesville, not Lawrence.

Being that it is dangerous out here for a girl like myself,

I reckon Pikesville is as good a place to go as any.

And if I can make money selling trims, as you claim,

then why not?

Let's load the wagon.

Aim your lies about trim in a different direction.

What I done?

Pa taught me all about shaves and hair trims.

"Trim" means tail, Henry.

Birds and the bees. All that.

pensive music

I'm the youngest of eight.

All boys, only one sister, Clarice.

She's married to Randy.

He... he ain't much to look at,

but he's good to my sister.

And they got-they got a little one on the way.

And hopefully it's a boy, so they can name him after me.

One thing I learned as a girl

is men together talk guns, spit

and tobacco. But to a woman,

they'll spill their guts about losing their best dog

and their dreams and their thoughts on the constellations.

Winds might kick up tonight.

But I'll keep you warm.

percussive music

In my travelings thus far--

which was none-- Pikesville

was the grandest town I'd ever seen.

Move it!

I was busy reloading, but I-I needn't have bothered.

Is that true?

Old John Brown dead?

Yes, sir!

Yeah.

You killed him?

Why, I throwed every bullet I had at him

sure as you standing there.

I walked straight up to him.

He shot at me twice, but missed.

I pulled on his beard.

Said, "You yellow-bellied thief,

I'm gonna gut you like a pig!"

His story changes from one drink to the next.

You'd a-thunk it would dawn on some of them that he was

cooking it all up, the way his story growed legs.

Come on down! Guess who's back.

I once pulled a bullet

out of a slaver's backside.

And he was so grateful

he give me a bowl of ice cream.

Something I ain't never had before.

But the taste of that ice cream

weren't nothing compared to seeing

that bundle of beauty coming down them stairs.

Cupid bust a charge right through my heart.

romantic strings

Where's my money?

Oh, that's a hell of a way

to treat the man who just

killed John Brown with his bare hands.

I don't care who you killed.

You owe me nine dollars.

That much?

Where is it?

I have something

a lot better than nine dollars.

There, look.

Shit, what is that uglification?

You got my money?

Well, what about the girl?

I carried her all the way from Kansas.

Then you can take her right on back to Kansas.

Hold on, now.

I'll take a look-see.