The President's Lady

Rachel: The year was 1789.

The day was like any other day.

The man like any other man.

Time alone was to prove the difference.

The morning this man appeared at the top of the hill

and rode into our valley marked the beginning.

And in the end, I was to realize

that nothing really important

had ever happened to me before this day.

I was to know this stranger

as no one else was to know him.

It's been said that every man has two sides:

The side he shows to the world,

and the side he shows to the woman he loves.

This was the side I was destined to see,

and this was the day of the beginning.

What do you want?

I beg your pardon, ma'am.

I was... I was looking for the widow donelson.

My mother isn't here.

My name's Andrew Jackson,

and I'm a friend of John overton's.

Oh! Well, John's told us about you.

You're his new law partner.

That's right, ma'am.

John said there was an empty room

in the cabin you rent him,

so I rode out from Nashville

to see if you'd consider taking me in, too.

I didn't mean to peep, ma'am.

Oh, that's all right.

You just startled me.

But my mother won't be back until late this afternoon.

She's gone into Nashville.

There is an empty room but...

I've been staying at the red heifer inn,

and if you knew how tired I was of the brawling

and the greasy tables in that inn, I'd...

I'd sure consider it an honor to join this family.

But I'm not mistress of this station, Mr. Jackson.

That's a decision my mother would have to make.

I've had experience fighting Indians,

and I'm a crack shot with a rifle.

Well, heaven knows we can use

all the protection we can get out here.

At the same time, I'm quiet and peace-loving.

Heh heh heh!

Why don't you just take your saddlebags over to John's cabin

and wait for my mother to get back?

You can stay to supper if you'd like.

I was frankly hoping you'd invite me.

Well, there's bound to be plenty.

My mother's gone to fetch my two sisters for a visit,

so supper tonight is sort of a family reunion.

Are you superstitious?

No. Why?

Today's Tuesday, isn't it?

Yes.

You know, everything that ever turned out right for me

was something I started on a Tuesday.

There's Irish in your background somewhere.

Somewhere, but it doesn't show in my face.

It does in my temper, I'm told.

This is the first place to be built here by my father.

It's about the prettiest cabin I was ever in.

Anything would look like a palace to you after the red heifer inn.

This is cousin John's room,

and this is the one that's vacant.

Well, um, I'll just unpack a few possessions and put 'em away.

Then if your mother says no,

I'll come quietly back

and slip 'em back into my saddlebags.

Oh, I should've warned you.

This door frame was never built for a tall man.

No. The door's all right.

My frame just wasn't built for a small door.

Are you sure you didn't hurt yourself?

No damage to either headway.

Well, you come over when you hear the bell.

(Children chattering, banging cutlery)

Shh! Shh!

Shh! Now eat your supper nicely.

See that they eat slowly, moll.

I don't want any sick children here tonight.

Yessum.

Jane, if you and Mary have any more children,

I don't know where we'll put them.

Well, you just better build a bigger cabin, mother,

because I plan to have a few dozen myself.

The donelson women usually do.

Where's this guest, Rachel?

He'll be coming over with cousin John.

Who is he, Rachel?

His name's Jackson.

He's John's new law partner.

He rode out this afternoon to see

if mother would rent him the other room in John's cabin.

Mary: What's he like?

Oh, he's tall,

he acts like a gentleman,

and he's had experience fighting Indians.

Hmm. Indian fighters?

They're usually quarrelsome men.

Rachel: Oh, no, he's peaceful and quiet.

Mother: How could you tell that?

He told me so.

Ahem! Well, I might as well

warn you right now, Andrew,

when you're not on time at mother donelson's

you don't get fed.

Too many mouths to feed tonight to wait, John.

Well, has everybody met my new law partner?

No. Mr. Jackson, this is my mother.

And the finest woman in the whole cumberland.

How do you do, ma'am?

- And my sister Jane. - The prettiest.

- My sister Mary. - The sweetest.

- My brother Samuel. - The fightingest.

- And my brother William. - The stubbornest.

And as for me, I'm the hungriest.

Do sit down, Mr. Jackson,

and help yourself.

And these belong to Jane and me.

Where are your husbands tonight?

Jane: Home.

There's a band of marauding Indians out our way,

so we packed the children over here for a day or two.

Now we can stay for Samuel's birthday party.

Well, I'm mighty glad to hear that.

For a while, I was afraid

I'd have to dance with Andrew.

Have you been long in Nashville, Mr. Jackson?

Not long, ma'am.

Last month, when John offered to go partners with me,

I just shifted my law books to Nashville.

What sort of law cases do you handle, Mr. Jackson?

Why, Andrew just settled one of the biggest suits for damages

this territory ever had.

Tell 'em, Andrew.

Oh, I don't think the ladies would...

Yes, they would.

What was the case about, Mr. Jackson?

Well, a... a client of mine got into a fight

and had his ear bitten off.

And Andrew got him four dollars cash for his ear,

of which he gets half.

Is it really possible to bite a man's ear off?

Rachel, I don't think it's a subject

we should pursue at the table.

You're quite right, ma'am.

Are you attached to the court here officially, Mr. Jackson?

Andrew carries the highfalutin title of Attorney General.

Rachel: Attorney General?

What does it mean?

Well, it means that he prosecutes criminals for the state...

When he can find them.

Other times, I'm justlike other lawyers,

scratching mighty hard for cases.

And with two dollars cash,

he can pay a whole month's board in advance.

I don't think Mrs. Donelson's

quite decided yet, John.

Mother, Samuel said he saw some Indians

lurking around in the hills yesterday.

We ought to have more protection.

Well, Mr. Jackson, as you can see,

we're long on women and children at this station,

short on men.

If you can endure us,

we'd be glad to have you as part of the family.

Well, thank you, ma'am.

Thank you. I'll go right over

and unpack my saddlebags aflersuppen

caller: Sides the same.

Heads fonnard, cross over and turn about.

Sides the same.

Head fours, fonnard and back.

Sides the same.

Caller: Heads forward and cross over.

Sides the same.

Heads fonnard and out to the right.

A right-and-left move around the set.

Caller: Chain right back.

Head ladies, chain your iefthand lady.

Chain right back.

Balance all.

Caller: Fonnard again with the right and left two.

All fours, fonnard and back.

Fonnard again with the right and left two.

Two ladies chain.

All fours, forward again...

Do you like Nashville?

I sure aim to.

I think you're gonna be very successful here.

I will if folks keep on getting

their ears bitten off.

Caller: Fonnard again with a right-and-left move.

All fours, forward and back.

Fonnard again with a right-and-left move.

Excuse me, sir.