Our Town (1940)

The name of our town is Grover’s Corner, New Hampshire. It’s just across the line from Massachusetts. Latitude is 42 degrees, 40 minutes. Longitude is 70 degrees, 37 minutes.

(02:04)
Running right through the middle of the town is Main Street. Cutting across Main Street on the left is the railroad tracks. Beyond the railroad is Polish Town. Foreign folks who come here to work in the mills. A couple of Canuck families, and the Catholic Church. You can see the steeple of the Congregational Church. The Presbyterian is just across the street. The Methodist and the Unitarian are up a block. The Baptist church is down in the hollow by the river.

(02:34)
Next to the post office is the town hall. Jail’s in the basement. Bryan once made a speech right from those early steps. It’s a nice town, know what I mean? Nobody very wonderful ever come out of it, so far as we know. The earliest dates on the tombstones up there in the cemetery say 1670. There, Grovers, and Cartwrights, and Gibsons, and Percys. Same names as you find around here now. First, we’ll show you a day in our town. Not as it is today in the year 1940, but as it used to be in the year 1901. All right, operator, let’s start.

(03:14)
Yes, sir, that’s the way our town looked back in the year 1901. Along Main Street is a row of stores with hitching posts and horse blocks in front of them. The first automobile is going to come along in about five years. The date is June 7th, 1901. It’s just before dawn. Hear? Just about. The sky is already beginning to show some streaks of light in it over there in the east, back of our mountain. The morning star gets wonderful bright the moment before it has to go. The only lights on in the town were in a cottage over in Polish Town where a mother’s just giving birth to twins, and down on the depot where Shorty Hawkins is just getting ready to flag the 5:45 for Boston. She is now.

(04:01)
Of course, naturally out in the country all around, there’ve been lights on for some time, what with milking and so on. But town folks sleep late.

(04:11)
Here comes Joe Crowell delivering the morning papers. So another day’s begun.

(04:23)
Here comes Doc Gibbs from that baby case I was telling you about. And this is Doc Gibbs house. His neighbor is Editor Webb. There’s Mrs. Gibbs coming downstairs to get breakfast.

(04:36)
Later on, about 1910, she’s going on to visit her daughter Rebecca in Canton, Ohio. Mrs. Gibbs is going to die there, pneumonia. But she’s going to be brought back here, and she’s going to be buried in the cemetery right here in our town, with a whole mess of Gibbs’ and Percy’s. In our town we like to know the facts about everybody.

(04:58)
And there’s Mrs. Webb coming downstairs to get her breakfast too. Mrs. Webb was a Grover before she married Editor Webb. Yeah.

Children, children, time to get up. George, Rebecca, Emily, time to get up. Wally, it’s 7 o’clock.

Whoa, Bessie.

Morning, Howie.

Morning Mrs. Gibbs.

You got here late today.

Yeah, something’s wrong with separator. Don’t know what it was. There you be.

That’s fine.

Morning, Mrs. Webb.

Morning, Mr. Newsome. Mighty fine day.

Yeah.

How’s Mrs. Newsome?

Good.

Emily, Wally, George, Rebecca.

Come on. Get up. Bessie, come on. What’s the matter with you? Ah, they’re quit taking milk now. Come on.

Morning, Howie.

Come on. Morning, Doc.

Bessie acting up?

She’s all mixed up about the route ever since the Lockharts stopped taking a quart of milk a day. Short to leave them a quart just the same. Keeps spilling me the whole trip. Somebody sick?

Twins over at Mrs. Golovosky’s.

Oh, twins, eh? Our town keeps getting bigger every year. Come on. Now come on, Bessie.

Morning, Doc.

Morning, Joe.

Want your paper now?

Yeah, I’ll take it.

All right. Anybody been sick, Doc?

No. Twins over in Polish Town. Joe, I see your teacher, Miss Foster’s going to get married.

Yes, sir. To a fellow over in Concord.

I declare. How do you boys feel about that?

Well, of course taking out of my business, but I think if a person starts off to be a teacher, she ought to stay one.

How’s the knee, Joe?

Fine, Doc. Never think about it at all. Only like you said, always tells me when it’s going to rain.

What’s it telling you today? Going to rain?

No, sir.

Sure?

Yes, sir.

Knee never makes a mistake?

No, sir. Doc.

Joe.

Why don’t I tell you something about that boy Joe Crowell. Joe was awful smart. So he got a scholarship to Boston Tech. Yes. Going to be a great engineer Joe was, but the war broke out and he died in France. All that education for nothing.

Everything all right, Frank?

Yes. I declare, easy as kittens.

Children, hurry up. George, Rebecca. Steak will be ready in a moment. Sit down. Drink your coffee. You can catch a couple hours of sleep this morning, won’t you?

Miss Wentworth’s coming at 11. I guess I know what’s it’s about too. It’s coming in when I thought it’d be.

All told you won’t get more than three hours sleep. Right? You got to know what’s going to be coming. We should go away someplace and take a rest. I think it’ll do you good. Children, hurry now. Emily, Wally. I’m going to have to speak to George. Seems like something’s come over him lately. He’s not helping me at all. Can’t even get him to cut me some wood.

Is he sassy to you?

Just one. All he thinks about is that old baseball. George, Rebecca, you’ll be late for school. George.

George, look sharp.

Yes, Paw.

Don’t you hear your mother calling you? Guess I’ll go upstairs and catch 40 winks.

Ma? Ma? What dress shall I wear?

I washed and ironed the blue gingham for you special.

Oh, Ma. I hate that dress.

Oh, how touchy.

Every day I go to school just like a sick turkey.

Come on, Rebecca, you always look very nice.

Ma, Georgie’s throwing soap at me.

I’ll come up and slap the both of you, that’s what I’ll do. Hurry up, children. After 7 o’clock, and I don’t want to call you again.

Ma.

Come on, children. Children, I won’t have it. This 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 your book away.

Oh, Ma, by 10 o’clock I got to know all 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 for my age. I have a wonderful memory.

Eat your breakfast. Well, I’ll 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 declare, I don’t know how you spend it all.

Oh Ma, I got a lot of things to buy.

Strawberry phosphate, that’s what you spend it on.

Well, I don’t tell how Rebecca comes down so much money. She’s got more than a dollar.

I’ve been saving enough gradual.

Well yeah, I think it’s a good thing to spend some now and then.

Ma, you know what I like most in the world? Do ya? Money.

Eat your breakfast. [inaudible 00:10:29].

Step, step, Wally. Bye, Mama. [inaudible 00:10:47].

Now walk fast, and don’t pass too loud. Wally, pull up your pants in the knee. Remember, send Miss Foster my best congratulations. Can you remember that? Rebecca, pick up your feet.

Oh, where did you come from? You don’t belong to me. What you been scared of? Nobody’s going to hurt you.

Morning, Julia.

Morning. Myrtle has a cold.

Oh, still got that tickling feeling in my throat. Told Charles I didn’t know if I’d go to choir rehearsal tonight.

And a coughing over your voice.

Yes. Somehow I can’t do that and stay on key.

These have been good this year. Let me help you.

I started to put up 40 quarts and it kills me. Children say they hid them, but I noticed they managed to get them down all winter.

Myrtle, I’ve got to tell you something. If I don’t tell somebody I’ll burst.

But Julia Gibbs.

One of those second-hand furniture men from Boston came to see me last Friday. First, I thought it was a patient waiting to see Dr. Gibbs. But he wormed his way right into my parlor. Little when he offered me $350 for grandmother Hershey’s high boys. I’m sitting here.

Well, you’re going to take it, aren’t you? $ 350. Well, what’s come over you?

Well, if I could get the doctor, take the money and go away someplace on a trip, I’d sell it like that. You know what’s always been the dream of my life? To see Paris, France. Crazy, I suppose. Years I’ve been promising myself, if we ever had the chance.

How does doctor feel about it?

Well, I did beat about the bush a little. Said if I ever got a legacy, that’s the way I put it, I’d make him take me.

What’d he say?

You know how he is. Haven’t heard a serious word out of him since I’ve known him. No. He says might make him discontented with Grover’s Corners to go traipsing over yonder. “No, let well enough alone.”, he says.

Well, if that second-hand man’s real serious about buying it, you sell it, Julia. Then you’ll get to see Paris. Just drop hints from time to time. That’s how I got Mr. Webb take me to see the Atlantic Ocean, you know?

I imagine. But it seems to me, once in a life before you die, you ought see a country where they don’t speak in English and don’t even want to.

That’ll do, ladies. Thank you very much. Now we’ll skip a few hours.

(13:00)
Now before we get on, I think we ought to have a little more information about the town. A kind of a scientific account, you might say. So I’ve invited Professor Willard of our state university to come here and kind of sketch in a few details of our past history. There he is now.

Am I late?

Right on time. May I introduce Professor Willard of our state university? Now just a few brief words, Professor. Unfortunately, our time’s limited.

Yes, sir. Let me see. Grover’s Corners. Grover’s Corners lies on the old pliocene granite of the Appalachian range. I might say that’s some of the oldest land in the world. We’re very proud of that around here. Some highly interesting fossils have been found. I might say unique fossils. Two miles north of town in Silas Peckham’s cow pasture. These may be seen in the museum of the university at any time. Well, that is at any reasonable time. Shall I tell them about the meteorological conditions, the mean precipitation, et cetera?

I’m afraid we won’t have time for that, Professor. We might have a few words about the history of man here, though.

Oh, anthropological data.

Yes.

Let me see. Early Amerindian stock, Cocohatchee tribes. No evidences before the 10th century of this era. Now entirely disappeared. Possible traces in three families. Migration in the early 17th century of English brachiocephalic, blue-eyed stock. And since then, some Slav and Mediterranean.

And the population, Professor.

Within the town limits 2,640. Oh, is that so? In that case, the population at the moment is 2,642. The postal districts bring in 507 more, making a total of 3,149. Mortality, birth rate’s constant. By McPherson’s gauge, 6.032.

Thank you very much, Professor. I’m sure we’re all very much obliged here.

Not at all, sir. Not at all.

So move on it.

Good day.

And now the social and political report. Want it to Webb? Mr. Webb? Charlie Webb’s the father of Wally and Emily. Emily’s the smart girl with a good memory. You know? You saw her at breakfast. All right, Editor Webb, it’s your turn now.

Well, I don’t have to tell you that we are run here by a board of select men. All males vote at the age of 21. Women vote in [inaudible 00:15:59] Politically, we are 86% Republican, 12% Democrat, 4% Socialists. The rest, indifferent. Religiously, we’re 85% Protestants, 12% Catholics. The rest, indifferent.

(16:14)
Very ordinary town, if you ask me. But our young people here seem to like it well enough. Lots of them settle down right here to live, even after they’ve been away to college.

Now, is there anybody in the audience who’d like to ask Editor Webb any questions about our town?

Is there much drinking in Grover’s Corner?

Well, ma’am, I wouldn’t know what you’d call much. Saturday nights the farm hands meet down at Elery Geno’s stable and holler some. We got one or two town drunks, but they’re always having remorse every time an evangelist comes to town. No, I’d say that liquor wasn’t a regular thing in the home here, except in the medicine chest. Right good for snake bites you know, always was.

Mr. Webb.

Yes?

Mr. Webb, is there any culture or love of beauty in Grover’s Corner?

Well, no ma’am. Not much. That isn’t the sense you mean. There’s some girls that play the piano with the high school commencement, but they ain’t happy about it. No, there ain’t much culture. Robinson Crusoe and the Bible, and there’s Lago. We all know that. And Whistler’s Mother. That’s about as far as we go.

Thank you very much, Mr. Webb.

Is it they don’t want to come to Webb?

I’m sorry, but we haven’t time for any more questions. We must be getting on with the picture. It’s getting on in the afternoon. All 2,642 are having dinners. All the dishes have been washed. There’s an early afternoon calm about the town. Charlie Webb’s going home to mow his lawn. Along 9 and 10, thinks it’s a privilege to push his own lawn mower. The afternoon session of school is over. Doc Gibbs is in his office tapping people and making them say ah.

Ah.

I have to go home and tell my mother. I promise.

Emily, walk simply. Who do you think you are today?

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’ve never got a kiss from such a great lady before.

Hello Emily.

Oh, hello.

You made a fine speech in class today.

Well, I was really ready to make a speech on the Monroe Doctrine, but the last minute Miss Foster made me talk about the Louisiana Purchase instead. I worked an awful long time on both of them.

Gee, it’s funny, Emily, from my window up there, I see your head nights when doing your homework over in your room.

Why, can you?

You certainly do stick to it, Emily. I don’t see how you can sit still that long. I guess you must like school.

Well, I feel it’s just something you have to go through.

What do you think, Emily? We might work out a kind of telegraph from your window to mine, and give me a hint every once in a while with those algebra problems.

Well.

Well, I don’t mean the answers, Emily. Of course not. I mean, just some little hint.

Well, I think hints are loud, so if you get stuck, George, just whistle to me, and I’ll give you some hints.

Gosh. You’re just naturally bright, I guess.

Well, I figure it’s just the way a person’s born.

Yeah. But you see, I want to be a farmer and my Uncle Luke says whenever I’m ready I can come over and work on his farm. And if I’m any good at all, I can just gradually have it.

You mean the house and everything?

Oh, yeah. Well, I guess I better be getting off to the baseball field. Thanks for the talk, Emily. Afternoon, Mrs. Webb.

Hi, George.

So long, Emily.

So long, George.

Emily, what you doing?

Nothing, Mama.

Well, if you’re doing nothing, you can come in here and help me with a job. Well, George Gibbs let himself have a real conversation, didn’t he? He’s growing up. How old would George be?

Well, I don’t know.

Let’s see. He must be around 17.

Mama, I made a speech in class today. I was very good.

You must recite it to your father at supper. What was it about?

The Louisiana Purchase. With like zero coughing at school. I’m going to make speeches all my life.

Holding it too tight, Emily. That’s better.

Mama?

Hm?

Will you answer me a question serious?

Seriously, dear. Not serious.

Seriously, will you?

Of course, I will.

Mama, am I good-looking?

Of course you are. Both my children have got good features. Be ashamed if they hadn’t.

Oh, Mama, that’s not what I mean. What I mean is, am I pretty?

I’ve already told you, yes. Oh, that’s enough of that. You got a nice young, pretty face. Never heard such foolishness.

Oh Mama, you never tell us the truth about anything.

I am telling you the truth.

Mama, were you pretty?

Yes,

… I was the prettiest girl in town next to [inaudible 00:23:02].

Oh, 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.

It’s evening. You can hear the choir practicing in the congregational church. The children are all home doing their schoolwork. The day is running down like a tired clock.

(singing).

All right. That’s better, which ain’t no miracle. Now, do it again. And remember, ladies, music come into the world to give pleasure. Now, try it again.

(singing).

Softly.

(singing).

Softer. Now listen, everybody. Get [inaudible 00:25:36] your minds 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. Once again now. “Art thou weary? Art thou languid?” It’s a question, ladies and gentlemen. Make it talk. Oh, and remember, on Sunday, take the second verse real soft, sort of die out at the end. Ready?

(singing).

Emily.

Oh, hello.

Hello.

I can’t work at all. The moonlight’s so terrible.

Emily, did you get the third problem?

Which?

The third?

Oh, yes, George. That’s the easiest of them all.

I don’t see it. Emily, could you give me a hint?

Well, I’ll tell you one thing. The answer’s in yards.

In yards? What do you mean?

Square yards.

Oh, square yards.

Yes, George. Don’t you see?

Yeah.

Square yards of wallpaper.

Oh, I see. Square yards of wallpaper. Thanks a lot, Emily.

You’re welcome. My. Isn’t the moon light terrible? I think if you hold your breath, you can hear the train all the way to Contoocook. Hear it?

Well, what do you know?

Well, I guess I’d better get back now and try to work.

Good night, Emily.

Good night, George.

Oh, George? Can you come down a minute?

Yes, Pa.

Make yourself comfortable, George. I don’t want to keep you a minute. George, how old are you?

Me? Pa, I’m past 17.

What do you want to do after school’s over?

You know, Pa. I want to be a farmer on Uncle Luke’s farm.

And you’ll be willing, will you, to get up early and milk and feed the stock and you’ll be able to hoe and hay all day?

Sure I will. What do you mean, Pa?

Well, George, when I was here in the office today, I heard a funny sound. What do you think it was? It was your mother chopping wood. Now, there you see your mother getting up early, cooking meals all day, washing and ironing, and yet she has to go out in the backyard and chop wood. I suppose she got tired asking you. I suppose she just gave up and decided it was easier to do it herself. You eat her meals. You put on the clothes she keeps nice for you. Then you run out and play baseball like she was a hired girl we kept around the house but didn’t like very much. I knew all I had to do was call it to your attention.

(30:35)
Here’s a handkerchief, son. Wonder what’s happened to your mother. Choir practice never was as late as this before.

It’s only half past 8:00, Pa.

I don’t know what she wants in that choir anyway. She hasn’t got any more voice than an old crow. Traipsing around the street this hour of the night. Just about time you retired, don’t you think, George?

Yes, Pa.

Nice [inaudible 00:31:43].

Real nice choir practice, wasn’t it?

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Myrtle Webb, look at the moon. Potato weather, sure.

Well, naturally, I didn’t want to say a word it in front of those others, but now we’re alone. Really it’s the worst scandal that ever was in this town.

What?

Why, Simon Stimson.

Now, Louella.

But Julia, to have the organist of a church drink and drunk year after year.

Louella.

Julia, you know he was drunk tonight.

Now, Louella, we all know about Mr. Stimson and we all know about the trouble he’s been through. And Dr. Ferguson knows too. And if Dr. Ferguson is willing to keep him on in his job there, 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 ain’t, Louella. It’s getting better. I’ve been in that choir twice as long as you have, and it doesn’t happen anywhere near as often. Oh, my. I hate to go to bed on a night like this. Well, goodnight, Louella.

Goodnight.

Goodnight, Julia.

Night, Myrtle. Will [inaudible 00:32:46] get home all right, Louella?

Oh, it’s bright as day. I can see Mr. Stone scowling at the window now. You’d think we’ve been to a dance the way the men folk carry on. Good night, Julia.

Good night, Louella.

See you on Sunday.

See you then. Well, we had a real good time.

You’re later now.

Frank, ain’t any later than usual.

You stopping to gossip with a lot of hens.

Now don’t be grouchy. Smell my heliotrope. What’d you do all the time I was away?

Oh, I read as usual. Well? What did the girls gossip about tonight?

Believe me, Frank, there’s something to gossip about.

Simon Stimson? Far gone, was he?

Worst I’ve ever seen. Frank, how’s all that going to end? Dr. Ferguson can’t forgive him forever.

I guess I know Simon as well as anybody in this town. Some people just ain’t made for small town life. I don’t know how that’ll end, but there’s nothing we can do but leave it alone. Get in.

Oh, no. Not yet. Frank, I’m worried about you.

What are you worried about?

Well, I think it’s my duty to plan for you to get a real rest and change. And if I get that legacy, I’m going to insist upon it.

No, no, Julie. No. There’s no sense in going all over that again. Come on. It’s getting late. First thing you’ll know, you’ll catch a cold. I gave George a piece of my mind tonight. I reckon you’ll get you wood chopped for a little while anyway.

You know that Mrs. Fairchild always locks her front door every night. All the people out in that part of town do.

They’re all getting too citified. That’s the trouble with them. They haven’t got a thing fit to burgle and everybody knows it.

Good evening, Constable.

Good evening, Mr. Webb.

Quite a moon.

Yeah.

All quiet tonight?

Simon Stimson is rowing around a little. I just saw his wife moving out to hunt for him., So I looked the other way. There he is now.

Good evening, Simon. Good evening. Most of the town’s settled down for the evening. Guess we’d better do the same. Can I walk along with you? Goodnight.

I don’t know how that’s going to end.

Oh, Bill, if you see my boy smoking cigarettes, give a word to him, will you? He thinks a lot of you, Will.

I don’t think he smokes no cigarettes, Mr. Webb, [inaudible 00:36:23] not more than two or three a year.

Well, I hope not. Good night, Bill.

Night, Mr. Webb.

Who’s that out there? Is that you, Myrtle?

Oh. No. It’s me, Papa.

Why aren’t you in bed?

Oh, I don’t know. I just can’t sleep yet, Papa. The moonlight’s so wonderful. The smell of Mrs. Gibbs’ heliotrope. Can you smell it?

Yes. Haven’t any troubles on your mind, have you, Emily?

Troubles? [inaudible 00:37:32] no.

Well, don’t let your mother catch you. Good night, Emily.

Night, Papa.

I never told you about that letter Jane Crawford got from her minister and she was sick. He wrote Jane a letter. And on the envelope the address was right there. It said Jane Crawford, the Crawford farm, Grover’s Corner, Sutton County, New Hampshire, The United States of America.

What’s funny about that?

But listen, it’s not finished. The United States of America, Continental North America, Western Hemisphere, the Earth, the Solar System, the Universe, the Mind of God. That’s what it said on the envelope.

What do you know?

Yep. And the postman brought it just the same.

What do you know?

Well, three years have gone by. The sun’s come up over 1,000 times. Summers and winters have cracked the mountains a little bit more and the rain’s brought down some of the dirt. Some babies who weren’t even born before had begun talking regular sentences already. And some folks who thought they were right young and spry have discovered they can’t bound up a flight of stairs the way they used to without their hearts fluttering a little. All that can happen in 1,000 days. Nature’s been pushing and contriving in another ways too. A number of young people fell in love and got married. Most everybody in the world gets married. In this town, there aren’t hardly any exceptions. Most everybody climbs into the grave married.

(39:44)
What you’ve seen, let’s called the daily life. Let’s call what you’re going to see love and marriage. So it’s three years later. It’s 1904. It’s July 7th, just after the high school commencement. That’s the time most young people jump up and get married. Soon as they pass their final examinations in solid geometry and Cicero’s orations, that’s the time most young people think themselves fitted to get married. It’s early morning again. Only this time it’s been raining. It’s been rumbling and pouring. Well, I don’t know. May start in again any moment.

(40:23)
There’s the 545 for Boston. And there’s Si Crowell delivering the papers like his brother before him. And there’s Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb coming downstairs to get breakfast just as though this were an ordinary day. I don’t have to point out to the women in the audience that both these ladies they see before them, both these ladies have been cooking three meals a day, one of them for 21 years and the other for 25, and never took a summer vacation, and raised two children a piece, washed, cleaned the house and never had a nervous breakdown. And here comes Howie Newsome and Bessie delivering the milk.

Morning, Howie.

Morning, Si. Anything in the paper I ought to know?

Nothing much, except for [inaudible 00:41:12], the best baseball pitcher Grover’s Corner’s ever had.

George Gibbs.

I don’t see give how I’d give up a thing like that just to get married. Would you have, Howie?

Can’t say. Never had no talent that way. But in ’95, we had a player, Si, that even George Gibbs wouldn’t have touched. Name of Hank Todd. But he went down to Maine and become a parson. Wonderful ball player. Bye.

Howie.

Morning, Ms. Gibbs.

Morning, Howie.

Oh, it’s too bad it’s so wet, but I guess it’s cleared up for good.

Certainly hope it has. But I have a houseful of relations today, Howie. Looks like I’ll need three of milk and two of cream.

Three of milk and two of cream. My wife says to tell you we hope they’ll be happy. Know the will.

Thanks a lot, Howie. Tell your wife I hope she gets the wedding.

Maybe she can. She’ll get there if she can. Morning, Ms. Webb.

Morning, Mr. Newsome. Told you four quarts, but I hope you could spare me another.

Yes, ma’am. I brought you plenty cream too. Mrs. Newsome told me special to tell you is how we hope they’ll very happy. Know they will.

Thank you, Mr. Newsome. And thank Mrs. Newsome. We’re counting on seeing you at the church.

Yes. We hope to get there all right. Wouldn’t miss that.

Well, Ma, day’s come. We’re losing one of your chicks.

Frank Gibbs, don’t you say another word. I feel like crying any minute. [inaudible 00:42:37].

Groom’s upstairs shaving himself, only there isn’t that much to shave. He’s whistling and singing like he was glad to leave us, every now and then saying, “I do,” to the mirror, but it don’t sound convincing to me.

I declare, Frank. I don’t know how he’s going to get along. I’ve always arranged his clothes for him, seeing to it that his feet were dry and he had warm things on. They’re too young, Frank. Emily’ll never think of those things. He’ll catch his death of cold within a week.

I remember my wedding morning, Julie.

Don’t start that, Frank Gibbs.

I was the scaredest young fellow in the State of New Hampshire, thought I’d made a mistake for sure. And when I saw you coming down the aisle, I thought you were the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. The whole trouble was I’d never seen you before. There I was right in the congregational church being married to a total stranger.

Well, how do you think I felt? I tell you, Frank. Weddings are perfectly horrible things. Farces, that’s what they are. Made something for you.

Why Julie Hersey. French toast.

Ain’t hard to make. Besides, I had to do something.

Hard to sleep last night, Julie?

Hard a lot of hours [inaudible 00:43:48].

I get a shock every time I think of George setting out as a family man. That great gangling thing. I tell you, Julie, there’s nothing in the world so terrifying as a son. The relation between a father and a son is the damnedest, awkwardest-

Well, mother and daughter’s no picnic, I can tell you.

I do. I do. I do. I do.

They’ll have a lot of trouble, I suppose, but that’s none of our business.

Everybody’s got a right to their own trouble.

You know one thing that scared me when I married you?

Go along with you.

I was afraid we didn’t have material for conversation more than’ll last a few weeks. I was afraid we’d run out and have to eat our meals in silence. Well, you and I have been conversing for 20 years without any noticeable barren spells.

Good weather or bad weather, [inaudible 00:44:53] but I always find something to say. Did you hear Rebecca scatting around up there?

No. This is the only day in the year when she isn’t managing everyone’s affairs up there. She’s hiding in her room. And I have an idea she’s praying.

That [inaudible 00:45:08] got to stop. Rebecca? Rebecca, come and eat your breakfast.

Good morning, everybody. Only four more hours left.

George Gibbs, where you going?

I’m just stepping across the grass to see my girl.

Now, George, put your rubbers on. Been raining [inaudible 00:45:31]. You don’t step out of this house unless you’re prepared for it.

Oh, Ma, it’s just a step.

You’ll catch you death of cold and call [inaudible 00:45:38] service.

George. Do as your mother tells you.

From tomorrow on, you can kill yourself in all weather, but when you’re in my house, you’ll live wisely, thank you. Maybe Mrs. Webb ain’t used to callers at 7 o’clock in the morning. Here, have a cup of coffee first.

Be back in a minute.

Good morning,

Goodness, you frightened me. George-

Good morning, Mrs. Webb.

Goodness, you frightened me. George, I hate to say it, but you understand, I can’t ask you in.

Why not?

You know as well as I do a groom can’t see his bride on his wedding day. Not unless he’s in church, first.

Oh, that’s just a superstition. Good morning, Mr. Webb.

Morning, George.

You don’t believe that superstition, do you?

There’s a lot of common sense in superstitions, George.

Millions have followed it, and don’t you be the first to fly in the face of custom.

How’s Emily?

She hasn’t waked up yet. Haven’t heard a sound out of her.

Emily’s asleep?

No wonder, we were up till all hours sewing and packing. Tell you what I’ll do, George. You sit down with Mr. Webb a minute, drink that cup of coffee, and I’ll run up and see that she doesn’t come down and surprise you. There’s some bacon there. I won’t be too long about it.

Well, George, how are you?

I’m fine. Mr. Webb, what common sense could there be in a superstition like that?

Well, George, on the wedding morning, a girl’s head is full of, oh, you know, clothes, and one thing and another. Don’t you think that’s probably it?

Well, yes. Guess I never thought of that before.

A girl would have to be mite nervous on her wedding day.

I wish a person could get married without all that marching up and down.

Every man that’s ever lived has felt that way, George. It hasn’t been any use. It’s the women folks who built up weddings, my boy. Man looks mighty small at the wedding, George. All those good women standing shoulder to shoulder, making sure that the knot’s tied in a mighty public way.

Well, you believe in it, don’t you, Mr. Webb?

Yes. Oh, yes. Don’t misunderstand me, George. Marriage is a wonderful thing, a wonderful thing. Don’t you forget that, George.

No, sir. Mr. Webb, how old were you when you got married?

Well, you see, I had been to college, and I’d taken a little time to get settled. But Mrs. Webb wasn’t much older than what Emily is. Oh, age has much to do with it, my boy. That is, compared with other things.

What were you going to say, Mr. Webb?

Oh, I don’t know. Was I going to say something? George, I was remembering the other night the advice my father gave to me when I got married. Yes, he said, “Charles,” he said, “start right off by showing her who’s boss. Best thing to do is to give an order about something, even if it don’t make sense, just so she’ll learn to obey,” he said. Then he said, ” If anything about her irritates you, conversation or anything, get right up and leave the house. That’ll make it clear to her. And oh yes,” he said, “never tell your wife how much money you have. Never.”

Well, I couldn’t exactly do that-

So I took the opposite of his advice and I’ve been happy ever since. Let that be a lesson to you, my boy. Never ask advice of anybody on personal matters.

George, Emily’s got to come down and eat her breakfast. She send you her love, but she don’t want to lay eyes on you. Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Myrtle, I guess you didn’t know 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. Remember that.

Now, before we get on with the wedding, I think we should see how it all began, this plan to spend a lifetime together. I’m awfully interested in how such big things begin. You know, you’re 21, or 22, and then you’re 70. You’ve been a lawyer for 50 years, and the white-haired lady beside you has eaten 50,000 meals. How do such things begin?

(50:51)
Now, George and Emily are going to show you the conversation they had when they first knew, as the saying goes, they were meant for one another. Now, it all happened last year on the way home from school. George had just been elected president of the senior class, and Emily had just been elected secretary and treasurer. Now, you all know how important that is.

Emily, can I carry your books home for you?

Thank you, it isn’t far.

Bob, if I’m late to start practice, [inaudible 00:51:22].

All right.

I’m awfully glad you were elected too, Emily.

Thank you.

Emily, why are you mad at me?

I’m not mad at you.

You’ve been treating me so coldly lately.

Well, since you asked me, I might as well say it right out, George. Goodbye, Ms. Cochran.

Bye, Ms. Cochran. What is it?

I don’t like the whole change that’s come over you this last year. I’m sorry if that hurts your feelings, but I’ve just got to tell the truth and shame the devil.

Change? What do you mean?

Well, up to a year ago, I used to like you a lot. I used to watch you while you did everything because we’ve been friends for so long. You started spending all your time at baseball and you never stopped to speak to anybody anymore, not to really speak. Not even to your own family, you didn’t. George, it’s a fact. Since you’ve been captain, you got all stuck up and conceited, and all the girls say so. It hurts me to hear them say it, but I have to agree with them a little, because it’s true.

Oh gosh, Emily. I never thought that such a thing was happening to me. I guess it’s hard for a fella not to have some faults creep into his character.

I always expect man to be perfect, and I think he should be.

Why, I don’t think 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.

I feel that it’s just the other way around. Men aren’t naturally good, but girls are.

Well, you might as well know right now that I’m not perfect. It isn’t as easy for a girl to be perfect as a man, because, well, we girls are more nervous. Oh, I’m sorry I said that about you. I don’t know what made me say it.

Emily-

No, I can see it isn’t the truth at all. Suddenly I feel it isn’t important, anyway.

Emily, would you like an ice cream soda or something before you go home?

Thank you, I would.

Hello, George. Hello, Emily.

Hello, Mr. Morgan.

What can I do for you? Why, Emily, what have you been crying about?

She got an awful scare, Mr. Morgan. That hardware store wagon almost ran over her. Everybody says that Tom Huckins drives like a crazy man.

Well, here. Let me give you a glass of water. Gracious, you look all shook up. I tell you, you got to look both ways before you cross Main Street these days, getting worse every year. What’ll you have?

I’ll have a strawberry phosphate, Mr. Morgan.

Oh no, Emily, have a soda with me.

Well, I-

Two strawberry ice cream sodas, Mr. Morgan.

Two strawberry ice cream sodas. Yes, sir. Yes, sir, I want tell you something. There are 275 horses in Grover’s Corners this very moment I’m talking to you. State inspector was in here yesterday. Now with all these automobiles coming along, it looks to me like the only safe place to stay was the home. Gracious, I can remember the time when a dog could [inaudible 00:55:41] Main Street all day long without anything coming along to disturb him. There you are.

(55:44)
Howdy, Mrs. Ellis. What can I do for you?

Got a prescription.

Yeah? Well, let’s see. It shouldn’t take long to fill that. You just sit down here, be with you in just a minute.

So expensive.

No, Emily, don’t you think about that. We’re celebrating our election. Emily, I want to ask you a favor.

What?

If I go away to state agricultural college next year, would you write me a letter once in a while?

I certainly will. I certainly will, George. Certainly seems like being away three years, you’d get out of touch with things. Maybe letters from Grover’s Corners won’t seem so interesting after a while. Grover’s Corners in a very important place, when you think of all New Hampshire, but I think it’s a very nice town.

Oh, the day wouldn’t come when I wouldn’t want to know everything about our town. I know that’s true, Emily.

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 agricultural school to be a good farmer.

Why, George.

Yeah. Some of them even say it’s a waste of time. I can get all that stuff anyway in the pamphlets the government puts out. Uncle Luke’s getting pretty old and he’s about ready for me to start taking over his farm. Tomorrow, if I could.

But George, maybe it’s important for you to 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, you don’t have to decide right now. It’s a whole year away.

Emily, I’m glad you spoke to me about that fault in my character. Everything you said was right, but there was one thing wrong with it. That’s when you said I wasn’t noticing people. You, for instance. If you say you were watching me when I did everything, I was doing the same thing about you all the time.

What?

Sure. I always thought about you, one of the few people I thought about. Always made sure you’re sitting on the bleachers, who you were with. Three days now, I’ve been trying to walk home with you, but something always got in the way. And yesterday, I was standing out by the wall waiting for you. You walked home with Ms. Cochran.

Oh, George. Life’s awful funny. How could I have known that? I just-

Emily, I’m going to tell you why I’m not doing agricultural school. I think once you’ve found a person you’re very fond of, a person who’s fond of you too, likes you well enough to be interested in your character, I think that’s just as important as college is, and even moreso. That’s what I think.

I think it’s awfully important, too.

Emily?

Yes, George?

Emily, if I do improve and make a big change, would you be… I mean, could you be-

I am now. I always have been.

So I guess this is a pretty important talk we’ve been having.

Yes. Yes.

[inaudible 01:00:33]. Good day.

Wait a minute, I’ll walk you home. Mr. Morgan?

Yes?

I’ll have to go home and get the money to pay you for this.

Why George Gibbs, do you mean to tell me that you-

Mr. Morgan, I had a reason. Look, I’ll leave my gold watch with you until I get back.

No, no. You keep your watch, George. I’ll trust you.

But I’ll be back in five minutes.

I’ll trust you for 10 years, George. Not a day more, though.

(01:01:23)
Feeling all right now, Emily?

Oh, yes. Thank you, Mr. Morgan. It’s nothing.

I’m ready.

Well, now we get on with the wedding. There’s a lot of things to be said about a wedding. We can’t get them all into one wedding, naturally. Especially not a wedding in Grover’s Corners where weddings are mighty short and plain. People think a lot of thoughts during a wedding. The bride, the groom, the relatives, and the guests, and even the minister. Yes, a lot of thoughts go on during a wedding.

I’ve married 200 couples in my day. M marries M, millions of them. The [inaudible 01:02:25], the go-kart, the Sunday afternoon drives in the country, the first rheumatism, the grandchildren, the second rheumatism, the deathbed, the reading of the will. Once in a thousand times, it’s interesting.

I don’t know why on earth I should be crying. I suppose there’s nothing to cry about. This morning at breakfast, just come over me. There with Emily, eating her breakfast as she’s done for 17 years. She’s gone out of my house, I suppose, then.

I never felt so alone in my whole life. I don’t want to get married. Why can’t I stay for a while as I am? Papa, darling, don’t you remember what you used to say all the time, that I was your girl? I don’t want get married.

I’m going to get married. I’m growing up. I’m getting old. I don’t want to get old. Taking on all these responsibilities. Why is everybody pushing me so? All I want to do is be a fella. And I’m going to get married. Cheer up, mom. I’m getting married.

Come on, ma.

You know, ma, you save Thursday nights. Emily and I will be over for supper every Thursday night. You’ll see.

Come on, ma. We’ve got to get ready for this. Got the ring?

Oh, yes sir.

Come on.

Lovely wedding. Lovelies wedding I ever saw. Oh, I do love a good wedding. Doesn’t she make a lovely bride?

Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God and in the face of this company to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony.

(01:05:49)
[inaudible 01:06:00].

I don’t know when I’ve seen such a lovely wedding. I always cry. I don’t know why it is, but I always cry. I just like to see young people happy. Such a lovely couple. I’ve never been to such a nice wedding.

… to love and to cherish till death you do part, according to God’s holy ordinance, and thereto plight her your troth?

I do.

Do you, Emily, take George to your wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, or richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death you do part, according to God’s holy ordinance and thereto plight him your trough?

I do.

What token dost thou give of thy sincerity? With this ring…

With this ring…

I thee wed…

I thee wed…

For as much as George and Emily have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring, I pronounce that they are husband and wife. Amen.

Forever. Forever and ever.

You’re the first one out. Thank you.

There you are, Harley.

A man his age shouldn’t be driving one of those things, not when he’s got a lot of young fellas to do it for him.

Harley likes to deliver the milk himself because he gets the feel of the town that way.

You know, in all these years, he never kept a book?

As all the accountants say.

I hear he’s been doing so well, he is begun locking his front door at night, afraid of burglars.

Ain’t no burglars in this town yet.

No. But Harley’s heard about them.

This time, nine years have gone by, friends. It’s the summer of 1913. Gradual changes in Grover’s Corners. Horses are getting rarer. Farmers are coming into town now [inaudible 01:08:44]. Clearly, you’d be surprised, though, on the whole. Things don’t change much around here. This is an important part of Grover’s Corners, up here on this hilltop. Lots of sky, lots of clouds, awful lots of

[inaudible 01:09:00]. Often lots of sun and moon and stars. Certainly a beautiful spot up here. I often wonder why people want to be buried in Woodlawn in Brooklyn, when they might pass the same time up here in New Hampshire. Over here are the old stones. 1660, 1670, strong-minded people who come a long ways to be independent. Over here are some Civil War veterans. Iron flags on their graves. New Hampshire boys. They had a notion that the Union ought to be kept together, although they’d never seen more than 50 miles of it themselves. All they knew was a name, friends. The United States of America. The United States of America. And they went and died about it. This is the new part of the cemetery. There’s Mrs. Soames who enjoyed the wedding so much. Remember? And there’s our friend, Mrs. Gibbs. Yeah, Doc Gibbs lost his wife three years ago, just about this time. And that little Webb’s boy, Wallace, whose appendix burst on a Boy Scout trip to Crawford Notch. There’s Mr. Stimson, the organist of the Congregational Church. He drank a lot, they used to say. Hung himself in the attic. They tried to hush it up, but of course, it got around. He wrote his own epitaph. Ain’t a verse exactly. It’s just a lot of notes. I wouldn’t know what it was. It was all writ up in the Boston papers at the time though.

(01:10:49)
A lot of sorrows kind of quieted down up here too. All those important things. Mother and daughter, husband and wife, enemy and enemy, money and miser. All those terribly important things, here in part kind of burns away. Burns out. And what’s left? What’s left when memory is gone and your identity, Mrs. Smith? Something eternal. We all know down in our bones that something is eternal, and that something has to to with human beings. All the greatest people that have lived for the past 5,000 years have been telling us that. And yet, you’ll be surprised how we lose sight of that fact. There’s something eternal about every human being.

(01:11:45)
I guess I’m thinking these thoughts today on account of our friend, Emily. Another baby’s expected down at that happy home we saw started. It’s Emily’s second. There’s a little boy about six years old, but this time, Emily’s pretty sick. Doc Gibbs is going around these days with a mighty worried face.

I want to live. Oh, I want to live.

Who’s coming now, Julia?

My daughter-in-law, Emily Webb.

What ails her?

Trouble bringing a baby into the world.

Why, I remember Emily’s wedding. Wasn’t it a lovely wedding? I remember I called on George and Emily at their farm just before I died. It’s a beautiful farm.

Dear friends, as we gather here in the last tribute of memory to our loved ones, let us remember the words of our-

Hello, Mother Gibbs.

Hello, Emily.

Hello, Emily.

Hello, Mrs. Soames.

Hello, sis.

Hello, Wally.

…eternal in the heavens.

Mother Gibbs, they’re going.

Yes, dear.

Father Gibbs is bringing some of my flowers to you, Mother Gibbs. Mother Gibbs, I never realized how troubled and sad he looks.

I loved him so.

Father Gibbs? Father Gibbs? I’m so tired, Mother Gibbs. Mother Gibbs, when does this feeling go away? Feeling strange here. How long do I-

Hush, dear. Just wait and be patient.

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 the great long cement drinking fountain for the stock. We bought that out of the money you left us.

I, dear?

Mother Gibbs, don’t you remember the legacy you left us? Why, it was more than $350.

Oh, yes. Yes, Emily.

It won’t be the same for George without me, but it’s a lovely farm. My boy’s spending the day at Mrs. Carter’s. Oh, Mr. Carter, my little boy is spending the day at your house.

He is?

Oh, yes, he loves it there. Mother Gibbs, one can go back in memory and live each of those days over again. Why, just then, for a moment, I was thinking about the farm, and for a moment, I was there. And my baby was in my arms as plain as day.

Yes, but when you’ve been here longer, you’ll realize that our life here is to forget all that. To think of what is ahead and be ready for what is ahead.

Oh, but Mother Gibbs, how can I ever forget that life? It’s all I know. It’s all I had. One can go back and live all those days over again. I feel it. I know it.

You not only live it. You watch yourself living it.

I’ll choose a happy day.

Oh, Emily, it isn’t wise. Really, it isn’t.

I’ll choose the day I first knew I loved George. Why should that be painful?

Because it’s the happiest days that are the hardest to relive and to forget.

But I must. I must.

Then chose an unimportant day. Chose the least important day in your life. It will be important enough.

I’ll choose… I’ll choose…

Yes, Emily, think hard. Remember.

I remember… I’m remember… I remember… There’s Main Street. There’s Mr. Morgan’s drug store before he changed it. And there’s the livery stable. That’s the town I knew as a little girl. And look. There’s the old white fence that used to be around our house. Oh, I’d forgotten that. I love it so. There’s Mama coming downstairs to make breakfast.

(01:17:59)
Mama. Look, there’s Howie Newsome. Oh, there’s Joe Crowell.

Morning, Howie.

Morning, Joe.

Children. Emily, Wally, time to get up.

Morning, Mrs. Webb.

Morning, Mr. Newsome. Sure is cold.

Yes’m. Ten below at my barn, Mrs. Webb.

Keep yourself dressed up, Mr. Newsome.

Yes’m. Oh, tell Emily many happy returns of the day.

Now, I know. It’s my 16th birthday.

(01:21:10)
Mama, I can’t find my blue hair ribbon anywhere.

Just open your eyes, dear, that’s all. I laid it out special for you on the dresser there. If it were a snake, it’d bite you.

Oh, how young Mama looks. I didn’t know Mama was ever that young.

Morning, Howie.

Morning Mr. Webb.

There’s Papa.

You’re up early.

Yeah. Been back from my old college in New York to make a speech. Any news here?

Hey, a customer was called up this morning to rescue a Polish fella. Darn near froze to death, he was. I’ll put that in the paper.

Morning, Mother.

Well, there you are, back at last. How’d it go, Charles?

Oh, fine, I guess. I told them a few things. Everything all right here?

Yes, can’t think of anything that happened special. It’s been mighty cold. Howie Newsome says it’s ten below down at his barn.

Yes, well, it’s colder than that at Hamilton College. Students’ ears are falling off. Ain’t Christian. Paper have any mistakes in it?

Not that I noticed. Oh, you can have your coffee when you want it, Charles. Don’t forget, it’s Emily’s birthday. Did you remember to get her anything?

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.

I can’t bear it. Why did they ever have to get old? Mama, I’m here. I’m grown up. Oh, I love you all. Everything. I can’t look at everything hard enough.

Hurry up, children. It’s 7:00. I don’t want to call you again.

Morning, Mama.

Well, now, dear, a happy birthday to my girl and many happy returns. A surprise is waiting for you on the table there.

Oh, Mama, you shouldn’t have.

(01:23:17)
I can’t. I can’t.

Birthday or no birthday, I want you to eat your breakfast good and slow. I want you to grow up and be a good, strong girl. That in the blue package is from your Aunt Carrie.

Good morning.

George.

(01:23:27)
Good morning, George.

I brought this over for your birthday, Emily. Many happy returns of the day.

Thank you.

It’s only a photograph album.

Oh, George, I’d forgotten. Oh, it’s beautiful.

Oh, it’s just an album. I’m going out to my Uncle Luke’s farm today. I like it out there.

George, we grew up and were married, don’t you remember? Uncle Luke gave you the farm.

Well, goodbye.

Goodbye and thanks.

Chew this steak good and slow. It’ll help keep you warm on a cold day.

Mama, just look at me for one minute as though you really saw me. Mama, twelve years have gone by. I’m dead. I married George Gibbs, Mama. Wally’s dead too. Mama, his appendix burst on a camping trip to Crawford Notch. We felt just terrible about it, don’t you remember? Just for a moment now we’re all together. Mama, let’s be happy just for a moment. Let’s look at one another.

That in the yellow package is something I found in the attic among your grandmother’s things. You’re old enough to wear it now and I thought that you’d like it.

Oh, and this is from you. It’s lovely. It’s just what I wanted. It’s beautiful.

I hoped you’d like it. Wally has a present for you too. He made it at manual training class. Be sure and make a fuss over it. Your father’s got a surprise for you too. I don’t know what it is myself. There he comes.

Where’s my girl? Where’s my birthday girl?

Oh, 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. All that was going on and we never noticed. Must I go back to my grave? Wait. One more look. Goodbye. Goodbye, world. Goodbye, Grover’s Corners. Mama, Papa. Goodbye to clocks ticking, my butternut tree, and Mama’s sunflowers, food, and coffee, and new-ironed dresses, and hot baths, and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize. Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it every, every minute? Oh, I want to live, I want to live, I want to live.

Of course you do, Emily, of course.

(01:27:53)
Most everybody’s asleep in Grover’s Corners. Oh, there are a few lights on. Down at the depot, Shorty Hawkins has just watched the Albany train go by. And of course, out in George and Emily’s farm, they’re still up. Talking over the new baby, I suppose. It’s like what one of those Midwestern poets said, “You gotta love life to have life, and you gotta have life to love life.” 11:00 in Grover’s Corners. Tomorrow will be another day. Everybody’s resting in Grover’s Corners. You get a good rest too. Good night.