 Remember a Hallmark card when you carry enough to send the very best. Secures of Hallmark cards bring you an unusual true story on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. Yes, at best, the quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed. It blesseth him that gives and him that taketh. It is an attribute to God himself, the quality of mercy. On the courthouse lawn in the city of Galesburg, Illinois, there is a statue, a woman kneeling beside her wounded soldier, tendering avid. It was set there to honor the memory of one of America's first and greatest nurses. A woman whose qualities of mercy and courage were as durable as the stone of the statue itself. Her name was Mary Ann Bickertite, and this is her true story. And now here is Frank Goss from the makers of Hallmark cards. Whenever you want to remember a special person on a special day, let Hallmark cards speak for you. They are the symbols of friendship and they can carry your thoughts right next door or half a world away. And here's something nice to know. Even though the quality of Hallmark cards improves through the years, their prices remain the same. So look for the Hallmark and crown on the back of each card you choose. It always means you carry enough to send the very best. Lion of Barrymore appears by arrangement with Metro Golden Mayor, producers of the Technicolor picture Magumbo, starring Clark Gable and Ava Gardner with Grace Kelly. And now Mr. Barrymore brings you tonight's exciting story on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. 1861, the Civil War has just begun. The armies of the North and of the South march toward each other. There is a carnival air about them as though a holiday and not a war. No one believes it will last longer than a month or two. A bit of shooting, a great deal of cheering and then truth and confidence and compromise. So the soldiers sing and crack jokes and they're sightseers of lunch baskets and speeches and hilarity and bouquets of flowers and the musket barrels. And then go on. And they are the first great horrible conflicts, each leaving in its wake the inevitable trophy. And on other places in the land, in Galesburg, Illinois, at the home of the Reverend Mr. Jackson. One morning. Here, we're waiting for him at the depot, the whole Lady's Aid Society, but he has, oh, excuse me, I ran all the way. Is he here? Yes, he's here. But the train leaves in a few minutes, he'll miss the train. Is that the doctor as well? Doctor. Is Mrs. Bikerdyke? He tripped on the steps just as he was leaving. He's broken his leg. Oh, Reverend. I sent a boy to the depot. Sit down, Mary, sit down. I'm so sorry. Are you in great pain? Well, I would be if I weren't so angry with myself of all times for such a thing to happen. Well, well, the Lord moves in mysterious ways. Now, this is what I've done. I've sent a message to the freight agent telling him to unload all the crates and keep them at the depot at such a time as... Unload! But those supplies are needed at the hospital. Why, you told us yourself of the misery you'd seen down there in Cairo. You... I'm... I'm sorry. The authorities never dreamed there'd be such a great number of wounded. They're totally unprepared. The confusion is unbelievable. We cannot ship those supplies unattended. They might be shunted down to a siding and lost for days, if not forever. Now, I've sent for Mr. Morrissey. Perhaps he can find a time to make the journey if he leaves by tomorrow's train. Tomorrow's train? Reverend, there are boys from this town who have blabbed to death in Cairo for lack of bandages. Every hour delay means suffering and lives lost. We... Oh, forgive me. I'm upset. Yes, so am I. I'm just as anxious as you and the other ladies of the age society to waste not a moment in bringing... The warning is... Reverend, the supplies must go by that train. Impossible. You can see I'm in no condition to travel and if no one else is prepared to go... Then I'll go. What's that? I'll go. But... You're a woman. Are these the invoices, Mrs. Morrissey? Mary, did you hear what I said? You're a woman. I've traveled alone on railroads before. But you've never in your life seen anything like the hospital in Cairo. It's a nightmare, a charnel house. It's no place for a woman. No, no, it's out of the question. I will not go near the hospital. I promise you. I have less courage than most when it comes to things like that. Ethel, tell him what I did when you cut your finger while we were nailing up the crate. She got sick to her stomach and had to be walked in the air. So you see, you've no cause for worry on that score. I'll simply deliver the supplies and come home by the next train. Mary, I beg you to reconsider your... Goodbye, Reverend. Ethel, will you look after my house while I'm gone? Don't look at that. Traveling south to the Army Hospital in Cairo, Illinois is 43 years old and the mother of two grown sons. A quiet woman, almost shy. She's never done anything out of the ordinary nor considered herself to be other than average. It's nice when she arrives in Cairo, raining. She steps down from the train into a hurly burly of darkness and a hurrying overworked man. How many more in that car? It's free, sir. I'll take one of them steps. We're going out of stretchers. I'd use blankets. Carry them out in blankets. I'm begging you, Lieutenant. Pardon me, but where am I supposed to get blankets? I can't weave them, you know. Then just carry them out. Excuse me, but I'm here with you. What's a woman doing here? I represent the Ladies' Age Society of Galesburg, Illinois. What? Madam, I don't know how you got here, but I do know you don't belong here. These yards are off limits to civilians. We're unloading wounded. Yes. It's precisely because of the wounded that I've come. There's a freight car on this train with crates of blankets and food and bandages. Ah, let me see a pass. Car proofing or landing? No. I have no pass. Madam, I must ask you to leave at once. I'm telling you to leave just as soon as those crates are delivered into the proper hands. You see, we of the Galesburg Ladies' Age... Please, Madam, I haven't slept a wink in two days. Now, we've unloaded 200 cars of wounded since nightfall. We haven't even begun. I haven't time or energy to waste on you. I must ask you to leave. Leave. Won't you just decide some of your men to unload the crates? Corporal, escort this lady out of the yard. I will not go until those crates have been delivered. If you touch me, I'll smash you with my umbrella. Hear what I said, Corporal? I heard you, Lieutenant. But, uh... All right, Corporal, as you were. Go to headquarters to see about this. You keep an eye on hers. She may be a spy. Corporal, won't you help me? Once those crates are unloaded, my work here is done and I'll go. I'd like to, Lady, but... Without orders, I'm not going to be broken down to a private. Lady, did you say you had food and blankets for the wounded and those crates? Yes. And bandages and socks and underwear and ever so many things. Well, except for the Corporal, the rest of us is privates. They can't break us down no further. Right, fellas? How about it, Corporal? Well, all right. But keep an eye out for the Lieutenant. Oh, please, you hear the receipts and invoices. Come on, boys. When the supplies are unloaded, Corporal, will you see to it they're taken up to the hospital and distributed? Oh, don't have to take it all the way to the hospital for that, Lady. There's wounded all around. What? Yes, ma'am. They're stacked over there on the platform like cords of wood. And behind them, like that whole hill, it's covered with wounded. They've got acres of them. In the open? In the rain? Well, we're putting up buildings as fast as we can, but we never expected so many. Oh, God. Men, meet your lantern. Where are you going, Lady? I'll be over there on the platform. There must be something I can do. Lady, please, you must be... You can't open the crates as quickly as possible. And fetch what's in them to me. Lady, no. I got orders you to stay here. Lady! They're not here. Is there anything at all I can do to help you? Well, let you know. I was just thinking about you. I was wishing you... Who are you? I want to help you. Tell me how. Look, I'm awful cold. There'll be warm blankets in a moment. In the meantime, we can use my coat. There. Is that better? Thank you, ma'am. Do you have any bandages? The chap next to me. I think he's breathing a death. Johnny, Johnny, wake up. There's somebody here to find up the wound. Ma'am, don't touch me. I'm awful dirty. I'm sure I don't mind that. Now, I'm going to open your tomb. You tell me if it hurts. Oh! I'd be eating it. I don't think we can wait for the bandages. Now, keep shut your eyes for a moment. And you turn your head. Not your petticoat, ma'am. I said, shut your eyes. Yes, ma'am. It's funny. I shot Yank here. He got me with his bayonet. Here's both of them. Beside, beside. And there's you. Be sure to tell me now. If it hurts. We got the crates, ma'am, and they're open. Cover as many as possible with the blankets first. Then feed all those who are hungry and may eat. And then come back to... Here she is, Colonel. This is the one. You're serving, ma'am. I'm Colonel Evely of the Surgeon General's Department. And I'm Mrs. Biccadiak of the Ladies' Aid Society of Galesburg. I'm not doing any harm here, friend. I'm trying to help. Yes, ma'am. I know, and I know the work of the ladies' aid. But I have orders that say no civilian is permitted to enter or remain in this yard. I intend to obey them. And I have orders that say, do unto others, as ye would have them do unto you. And I intend to obey them. Quite so. Quite so. How long will it take to unload the supplies the lieutenant tells me you brought? They're already unloaded. Oh, well, then... But there seems to be more to be done here than I thought. Oh, I bet you, sir, since there's so many wounded, may I not stay a while and help. Very well, madam. And I thank you. I'll make out the proper papers for you. Thank you. And could I trouble you to send a telegram to the Reverend Mr. Jackson in Galesburg? Tell him to keep the supplies coming. And tell him I'm no longer only a woman. I'm a nurse. Corporal? Hand me some of those blankets. In just a moment, we return to the second act to the Hallmark Hall of Fame. Did you ever stop to think that the Christmas card you select is really several cards in one? Because it's sure to mean different things to different people. For instance, to a new neighbor, your Christmas card may be a merry welcome to the neighborhood, to an old friend that may recall other Christmases long ago. Yes, a Christmas card can be a wish for a bright future to a newly married couple, or a special holiday adventure to a small child, or a warm bond of affection at Christmastime to someone across the miles. That's why the choice of your personal Christmas card is such an important one. And that's why I suggest you make that choice from this year's Hallmark Christmas card albums. In them, you'll find all that's new and beautiful in the way of yuletide greetings. New designs, new colors, new ways of expressing your best wishes to those who are dear to you. And remember, the hallmark and crown on the back of each card you mail will carry an extra measure of joy. For it means you'll carry enough to send the very best. Barry Moore brings you the second act of the new story of Mary Ann Bickerdike. Selfless nurses as Mary Ann United States Sanitary Commission have fallen out of the red list of the services of other women. The orbital encampments such as the one at Cairo were fully staffed and efficiently run, and Mrs. Bickerdike decided her work there was at the end. And one morning she visited Colonel Everlay at his office. Come in, ma'am, come in. I'll be with you as soon as I sign these. There you are, Sergeant. That'll be all. Take this chair, ma'am. Now, what can I do for you? I've come to say goodbye, Colonel. I'm leaving this hospital. What's that you say? I'm leaving. I've already made arrangements with the Sanitary Commission. Someone will be sent to replace me. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. You're my good right arm. What will I do without you? I don't blame you. No one man or woman could work as hard as you've worked without wearing out. I've noticed you look a bit pale and drawn. Good of you to say so. Going back to Galesburg, huh? No. Colonel, have you studied the figures on the number of wounded who died during transport to this hospital? I don't follow your train of thought. Do you know the percentage of wounded who arrive here dead? Yes, I have the report here on my desk somewhere. It's 17 out of every 100. 17. It's unavoidable. There are no trained personnel to care for them properly. Out with the fighting is done. It's begun at Fort Johnson. Casualties are bound to be high. If I could work in the field... Absolutely out of the question. Mrs. Bickard, I... Mary, get rid of that notion at once. That's what General Grant's headquarters said in reply to the telegram I sent yesterday. And quite right. You've never seen a battle. I have. The danger... I'll leave the danger to your imagination. But in the second place, we're not equipped to handle wounded in the field. Aren't you going to tell me I'm a woman? Oh, Mary. Use common sense. There are certain places that are not for you. That's what I was told when I left home to come here. Colonel, will you grant a request? Will you give me some sort of paper? Something that looks highly official? Something to help me hurdle the barriers between here and Fort Johnson? No. I refuse to be responsible for such a mad action. And if you make any attempt to go there, I'll telegraph Brandt's headquarters and warn them. They'll mount you straight back to Galesburg under God. Would you do that? It presses his attack with unparalleled vigor. General Buckner defends the fort with equal determination. And the snow between the lines is littered with the casualties. The night before the final attack, General John A. Logan of the Union forces makes the round of his section of the line... Attention. How's your worm? How's it look, Sergeant? Pretty still, until a minute ago, Sergeant. An ape here thundering. I'll tell you what. There you go, Sergeant. An ape here thought he saw something moving out there. Oh, where? Pointed out. There. About halfway between the lines. We thought maybe they were trying to sneak up on us, but that's the only place Ape saw it and there's not a sound. There's somebody looting. Of all the low-down sneak. Sergeant sent out a detail and fetched me the looter. I'll make an example of them. Bring them to my tent. Yes, sir. I was only trying to make absolutely certain that none of the wounded had been overlooked. Mrs. Bickertig, is it? These are the only papers you have? They weren't issued by this command. You're here without official permission. Don't you know this is no place for a woman? I'm a nurse. My place is wherever there are wounded. And I'll thank you not to shake your finger in my face. It's been a long time since I've been afraid of generals. I've taken the temperature of too many of them. Sergeant, you may go. Yes, sir. Let me see those papers again. Look after the wounded before they are shipped to hospitals. So they'll live to be shipped. Anything about patching generals together so they can get some sleep the night before an attack? Oh, you've been wounded? No, there's my shoulder. It's just a graze. But it's keeping me awake. Well, I'll have a look at it. And I have a powder that will let you sleep. Take off your tunic and you shall... Oh, now wait no more. Oh, come, come. I attended thousands of men. General Logan. I know I've broken a rule, but I had to. My request for permission to work here was denied. I know. I denied it. I had no desire to encumber myself with an hysterical female. I was between the lines tonight for more than an hour. And would have remained longer had I not been interrupted. Do I appear hysterical to you? I only wish I have your composure when I find myself between the lines tomorrow morning. There's to be an attack. Oh, please, General Logan, don't send me away. Let me do what little I can for the wounded. I beg you. I'll grant you that permission, ma'am, but please, stay well out of range of fire to you. You won't have to charge behind us. He helped us stand up to Sherman and to Grant the many times he broke the rules to tend the sick and the wounded. The four solid years of war, she worked tirelessly, never spent any money. She worked tirelessly, never sparing herself. On Palm Sunday, April 9th, 1865, she was in Beaufort, North Carolina, when the word came that peace had been declared. Ten minutes is true. Is it over? Just a rumor. It's finally over. Oh, thank heavens. Thank heavens. It's really over. I can't wait to be demobilized. What's the first thing you're going to do? Oh, the rest. Me too. Well, I can't find my glasses. Read it for me, Lieutenant. General Logan. It says, Army of Tennessee on way to Washington, D.C. for victory parade. Short of rations. Little food in Washington. Can you go there at once and prepare to feed my hungry men? Oh, dear. And it isn't over yet, is it? Shall I send a reply for you? Yes, please. Tell General Logan that the food will be ready when his army arrives. The dyke arrived in Washington eight hours before the Army of the Tennessee. And in those eight hours she performed a miracle. She persuaded wholesale food dealers to donate whole warehouses of their products and a railroad to furnish a train to... to... to fetch the supplies to Washington. And a few days later, as the Army of the Tennessee prepared to swing up Pennsylvania Avenue in the... Thank you, Mary. Oh, that's a fine horse you're riding. Just let me dismiss. No, no. General. Help me up with it, now. General, no. The finest in the world, the most modern equipment, the most competent treatment, the most devoted care, the highest standards achieved, the easing of pain, the saving of lives or in large measure, due to Mary Ann Bickerdike who helped open the field of nursing to all women. They're going to honor a man in the Hallmark Hall of Fame whose story outdoes the wildest adventure fiction you've ever read. Because this story is really, really true, really happen. I'd like to tell you a little about the missionary on snow shoes in just a moment. But first, here's our friend, Frank Goss, to tell us something old and something new. Yesterday I saw a collection of old English Christmas cards dating back to the 17th century. They were elaborate creations for the most part, trimmed in velvets or laces or nets. They were charming for their time, but I couldn't help thinking how much more we all appreciate the elegant simplicity of our modern-day Christmas cards. Take, for instance, this year's selection of Hallmark Christmas cards and boxes. Among them you'll find inspirational cards with messages by Dr. Norman Vincent Peele, or with the poetry that Greg Guest. And you can choose from artist cards, too. Distinctive, euletide paintings by Grandma Moses, Norman Rockwell, Halder, Steinberg, and many others. So why not plan now to delight your friends with the kind of Christmas cards they'll be proud to display? Just buy several boxes of Hallmark Christmas cards soon, in assortments or in one style to a box. You can count on it. These beautiful boxed cards are reasonably priced and easy to keep together till mailing time. Yes, and once they're received, the Hallmark and Crown on the back of each will bring an extra measure of joy. For it says, you'll carry enough to send the very best. And now here again is Lionel Barrymore. Say, you know, Frank, hearing you talk about the difference between those old-fashioned fancy cards and today's smart-looking Christmas cards, well, it makes me think of that old bromide about good old days. And folks who always say how much better everything is to be back in the good old days. Well, that's nonsense to me, you know that. I like to keep up with the times. And you were right, Frank. When I was a boy, we couldn't get Christmas cards by famous artists like Grandma Moses and Norman Rockwell and all the other famous folks who'd design Hallmark Christmas cards. Yes, and I like to see many of them, yes, and I like to see new Christmas art and new-looking cards. What are those new, tall, thin ones, you know, that I like so much, Frank? You know the ones I mean. Oh, you mean the Hallmark Slim Jim cards, Mr. Barrymore? Yes, that's it. Those are the ones. Well, say, Frank, what are you giving us a little preview, huh? Of the exciting adventure story we have coming up on the Hallmark Hall of Fame next week. Next week we're going to honor Sheldon Jackson and we're going to dramatize the story of his amazing and courageous feet driving a herd of reindeer 1,000 miles across Alaska in the dead of winter to save the starving miners of Dawson after a torturous trip from Lapland by boat to New York, by train to Seattle, and boat again to the frozen Yukon. Sheldon Jackson's saga in Alaska could be tamed and become a powerful link in our American Commonwealth. Believe me, you won't forget the story of Sheldon Jackson. Hope you'll be with us next week. Remember, you're also invited to the Hallmark Hall of Fame on television every Sunday, starring Ms. Sarah Churchill. Until next week then, this is Lauren Alburymore saying good night. All only in stores that have been carefully selected to give you expert and friendly service. Remember a Hallmark card when you'll carry it out to send the very best. Our producer director is William Gay. Our script tonight was written by Walter Brown Newman. Mary Ann Bickerdijk was played by Virginia Gregg. Featured in our cast tonight were Margaret Brayton, Paulie Baer, Lamont Johnson, Tom Tully, Jack Edwards, John Daener, Vic Perron, and Lawrence Dobkin. This is Frank Goss saying good night to you all until next week at the same time when we present another true story as we honor Sheldon Jackson. And the week following, you'll hear the exciting true story of William Newton Byers, the two gun journalists. And the week after that, our Thanksgiving Day story of Sponto the Cockney Indian on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. This is KMBC, Kansas City, Missouri.