 presents Otto Kruger, Don DeFore, and Nancy Gates. From Hollywood, the Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theater presents Don DeFore and Nancy Gates in Seeds of Promise. To introduce the drama, here is your host, Otto Kruger. Thank you, Tony DeFrono. Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives. If we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world, Family Theater urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. Tonight, Family Theater takes great pleasure in presenting Seeds of Promise starring Don DeFore as Johnny and Nancy Gates as Sarah. This is the soil. It's rich black soil. Soil where things can grow, where the branches spread into the sun and the fruit hangs heavy with life. This is the soil and this is the tree. And we never ask why. It's a thing that comes along with the sky and the rain, sunny weather and cloudless days. And because now the soil holds the fulfillment, we forget that there was a time when the soil held only a promise. Seeds are falling to the earth now. So lightly you can't hear them. In a while they'll stir and grow from the warmth of the earth's body. And if you could listen long enough and closely enough, you could listen to a story they have to tell. A story that began over a hundred years ago on an Allegheny farm. Johnny? Oh, you gave me a start, Sarah. I didn't expect to see you up this early. I couldn't sleep all night. Don't know why, restless I guess. Oh, everything here is so beautiful, Johnny. The dawn, the sky, the land. Sarah, just stand there for a minute. What? What's the matter? Nothing. I had a feeling just for a minute. The way the sun was on your face, like when the flowers in the meadow open up in the morning and the way their petals catch the light, I... Well, I talk too much. I better get back to work. I like to hear you talk that way, Johnny. Johnny, you're not thinking of going away or anything like that. There's a mighty important reason for me not to leave, to go away. You know that, don't you? Yes, I know. I just wanted to hear you say it. I reckon there are some folks who wouldn't be pleased to hear me talking that way. Some folks who think me less than the dirt they walk on. You mean my pa? Whenever he sees me looking at you, his face gets real dark. Half the time, I don't wonder why you hired me at all. Pa knows the same as anybody else. It's you who runs the farm. Maybe if he don't take to you, it's cause of that. Yeah, I think it's more on account of you. Oh, Johnny, is that the important thing? I don't know what the law feels about you or the way I do. I guess you know the answer to that, Sarah. Yes, I do, Johnny. A scarecrow. That's what he looks like more than anything else. A scarecrow. A mighty busy for a scarecrow. If he ain't taking care of the livestock, he's out in the field. If he isn't out in the field, he's cutting wood. If he isn't doing that... If he isn't doing that, he's getting about to the leather bag full of apple seeds bouncing on his shoulder. Nothing wrong that I can see planting apple trees. They'll bear fruit someday. Planted some for us, didn't he? Yeah, for us. Maybe he figures it for himself. How do you mean? Figures he'll get to be part of the family and the farm will get to be his. But it won't. I sold the farm. You sold the farm? What are we going to do now? What I've been meaning to do for a long time. We're going to strike out west. Going to set me up as a tradesman. That's where the future is. Trade and commerce and new empires. Well, I aimed to cut me a piece of it. And Sarah's going to be a real lady farming the place for that. And the sooner we get out of here and she gets the full notion of Johnny out of her head, the sooner we can start in. Where have you been this early? Just out for a breath. Can your ma tell you to stay inside till you're all well again? Oh, I'm all right, Pa. Sarah, the farm's sold. We're going to be leaving, your Pa says. But why? Why? Pa wants it that way. No, I won't go. I don't fancy you're talking this way, Sarah. A young woman ain't to talk back, especially when it's for her own good. Haven't I a word to say? I'll tell you what's good for you. We don't think the same about that, Pa. But you figure isn't in my mind. I won't do it. You'll do it all right. I won't. That'll keep you to your senses. You shouldn't have done that, Andrew. You shouldn't have slapped her. She ain't a child any longer. She talks like one. I'm going to see what's good for her and make her see it. Now I'm going to see Johnny. Make things plain for him, too. Oh, ma. Oh, what am I going to do? Oh, hush, Sarah, darling. Don't you cry now. Maybe it'll turn out all right. Yeah, maybe it'll turn out all right. What are we going to do, Johnny? Maybe, maybe if you had a farm of your own, things would be different. Maybe? They're not asking much for land. It's more than I can pay. Oh, there are ways, Johnny, if you just want to look for them. But you don't seem interested. Well, I ain't the kind to sell on a farm, Sarah. But you've been doing it right here. Well, because it's been where you were. But your Pa and his Pa before him, they were all farmers. You told me so. Yeah, yeah, I know, but I got a different kind of calling. You mean, you mean the seeds you've been planting. The apple seeds in that sack. Oh, but that isn't anything serious. Well, I mean about as much to me as you do, Sarah. I need you both. I've watched you take the seeds from that sack, Johnny, and plant them. That tree in front of the house. You planted that when you first came here. Isn't a farm a stretch of land here? Bouts won't have trees you planted. Why? The land isn't yours. If other folks are going to set in its shade and eat its fruit, then why? Well, it's like planting a part of yourself in the ground. Like seeing yourself become a part of the land. Like, well, look at that tree in front of your house. You can't properly call it a tree yet. It's just a sapling. Well, harvest will come and go again. And every time another rolls around, the tree will be bigger than it was before. The branches out just so much more, and the roots deeper. And I'm a part of it. Well, I didn't make you feel it like I feel it inside of me. Maybe you're thinking what the others say. They see me with that big bag of seeds, and they say, huh, there's that seed-planting fella again. They say that Johnny apple seed touched in the head the poor fella. Oh, no, Johnny. You know it isn't so. I don't laugh at you. I think it's mighty fine to plant where nothing grew before. Only? Only what? Only there's a whole land ahead. Wide as an ocean. And all of it's ripe for the plant. Yeah, yeah, Sarah, that's how it is inside of me. That's what I gotta do. But, well, it's a thing a man has got to do alone, I reckon. Not alone, Johnny. Sarah? Yes, Johnny. Never alone again. Oh, Sarah. Johnny. Sarah, honey, wake up. You gotta get up now. What? Oh, what's the matter, Mom? Oh, we're leaving, Sarah. Oh, but we can't be leaving. Well, not so soon. Once your pa gets his mind set on something, he's in an awful hurry to carry it out. That ain't so. He's doing it out of pure spite because of Johnny, ain't he? Yes. Well, he can't do it. At least Johnny's down at Hiram Brown's farm, spending the night in far noted. Well, I gotta see Johnny and tell him. That was a cruel thing to do, but I couldn't stop him. Tried, but he wouldn't listen. You'll right, Johnny, tell him. Ain't she ready yet? Almost. Well, see that she hurries. I ain't going. I ain't sneaking out like this. Yeah, whatever you call it. We're doing it. Now, come along. I won't go. You'll have to make me go. Then I will. Carry you to the wagon if I have to. No, no, I won't. And I'll make you go. Johnny! Get her things together. Get her to the wagon. Johnny! That ain't going to do no good. He won't hear you where he is. Johnny! What was that? Who called me? Who called me? What's the matter, Johnny? You're here and facing your sleep? What's bothering you? I could have sworn it. A voice. Calling my name. I could have sworn it. Go back to sleep, Johnny. Scared a body out of us a lot of years crying out like that. Go back to sleep, Johnny. You've been dreaming. No. No, I hear it. Clear as a bell, I hear it. Johnny! Seeds have been falling for a long time now. Nature's been asserting itself. They're young green leaves, young tender branches. Spring and summer and autumn have come and gone and come again. A couple of times. Johnny's feet have been tramping and his hands have been sewing. But there's a lot to show for it. Row and row of growing apple trees. Yes, the seeds have been falling for a long time now. Johnny! Jai doggorn! It's a really old one. Ain't no one else I can think of. I ain't laid eyes on you since, let me see. How long? About three years now, I'd say. Since the Crawford sold their farm. Three years, two months and a week. Been plantin' all the time? Yep, been plantin' all the time. Sure a long time, Johnny. I was sure hankin' for you to come and work for me, but no, you lit out. Not hidein' a harrier since till now. They had no reason to stay. I had it figured you and Sarah were going to team up. She held out for all the silks and laces. Instead of the poor fair Johnny had to offer. Wasn't that hurt me so much, but the way she did it. Not tellin' me to my face, but just runnin' away. Wasn't so, Johnny. How do you mean, wasn't so? She wrote me a letter, Johnny. Must've seen a lot of travellerin' before it got here. I'll get it for ya. The way the earth just swallowed you up was no way to get to you. Here, there it is. Give it to me. I hope when you get this letter you know where Johnny is. It was on account of him Pa took us away earlier than he said. I didn't want to go, but he made me. When you see Johnny, Hiram, you tell him that. You'd been gone by the time it came. Tell him I couldn't help it. I was made to go. I wanted to come back, but it's far, and Ma had been feeling poorly. Pa set up a trading post at Point Wayne, but it didn't last long. I don't mind it take us further west. Don't know where. Please tell Johnny. Yeah, Johnny, that's the way it was. I should've known. I should've known that Sarah wouldn't have acted like that less than she was made to. Hiram, tell me, did you ever hear from her again? No, she never wrote again. I gotta find her. I gotta find her, and then they'll be plantin' again. You hear how groves and groves stretchin' into the sun. Fruit red on the bow and a branch is heavy, but I gotta find her first. Easy. I'll head for Point Wayne. That's where they went first. But Johnny, that was almost three years ago they had that trading post. Three years or three days, it don't matter. I gotta find her. I wish you luck, Johnny. Thanks. Johnny, if you don't find her, will you be comin' back this way? I can still use a fella like you on my farm. Yeah. No, Hiram, if I don't find her, there won't be any place worth comin' back to. Goodbye, Hiram. Goodbye, Johnny. Good luck. Can't say, mister. Been a couple of fellas run this trading post before I took over. He might've been one of them. Well, try to think back. He had a daughter, Sarah. Black-haired girl, real pretty. With a kind of face you don't forget. Can't say I haven't seen them here. I'll tell you what. You keep headin' that away till you come to the fore. Maybe a day from here. More doin' there. Maybe they can tell you more. Seems to me there was a young gal with him. Pretty, if I remember right. And his wife was Alen. You know where they might've headed to? That'd be hard to say. Might've joined up with a wagon train. Yeah, they might well have done that. If they didn't, you're following a mighty invisible trail. It's been too long ago. A few weeks at the most. There was mighty tired people. I invited them to be my guests. I like company when I'm lucky enough to get it. How long'd they stay? About a week. It can't be too far. I'll end your horse. Got a feelin' you'll bring it back. I'm mighty thankful to you. It's a long trail you've been following. How's Sarah feelin' now? Ain't any better that I can see. Got her covered up with blankets, but she's a tremblin' even in her sleep. Beaver comin' up again? No, no. To think she nursed me back to health and then fallin' prey herself. Not a thing I can do for her. Not a thing that helps. Oh, can't we go any faster? The wheels are kinda shaky. Don't know if we dare take the chance. Well, I can go to this mansion and then we're really in trouble. We've got to get to a doctor somehow. Ma. Oh, she's awake. Can't you sleep, nun, honey? Ma, it's so hot in here. I'd like to sit on the seat with you. No, I'll come back there. Rest, honey. As much rest as you can get. Here. Let me make that pillow more comfortable. That better? It's all right. Now you'll try and rest. I'll try. Where are we now? Not far from the village. And will we stay? Of course we will. Till you're well again. We'll stay as long as you like. I keep thinking, Ma, about the farm and how it used to be. The White House and the little hill and... and Johnny. Isn't it strange our being so far apart? A whole country between us. It won't ever be the same anymore. You're tired. You go to sleep now and then we'll talk some more. All right, Ma. I'll call if I need anything. Well? I'm worried, Andy. The way she looks. How do you mean? Well, the look on her face is though she were far away. You're imagining things, woman. The Lord will be good to us. She'll get better. Oh, it feels like the Lord's forgotten us. Nothing's been good to us since we left the farm. Seems like we've been riding forever. Oh, there. It's a wheel. Stop the wagon. We can't stop. We're going downhill. The team don't get panicky. There he is. I'll get him under the wagon and lift. Now you take this wheel and when I lift, you shove this wheel under. It'll hold up long enough for me to get her out. You understand? You understand? All right, jump out there. Put her down gently. She's so light I hardly feel her weight. Gently, gently. Yeah, yeah, yeah. She's bleeding. Just, just gratched up. Don't stop. Sarah, Sarah, honey. She'll come to in a minute. Rub her hands. I'll get the water cast. Listen. What? Someone coming, coming this way. Signal him. Something. Anything as long as he sees us. Oh, there. Don't pass us by. We'd be thankful for some help, stranger. We're in a bad way. The wagon went smash and then the team got away. Daughter's been hurt. Daughter? Where? Where is she? Right up. You know my daughter? Who are you? It's been a long time since you heard my voice, but I don't reckon you've forgotten my face. Take a close look, Mr. Crawford. Johnny. Johnny Appleseed. Yeah. I can almost believe in miracles now. Sarah, Sarah. It's me. It's Johnny. She's breathing. Johnny, I've been wrong and I know it. Just let her get well and I'll make it up to both of you for all the wrongs I've done. Oh, she's coming too. Open in her eyes. Yeah. Yeah, it's me. I've come back. Oh, like a dream. You and me together. That's the way it's gonna be from now on. But you took so long. So long to get here. I came as soon as I could. Johnny, I'm dying, Johnny. Sarah. Oh, dear Lord, help her. Come close to me, Johnny. Yeah. Got those lost years in your face, Johnny. These lines, they weren't there before. Just touch your hand and they're all gone. Have you been planting your trees, Johnny? All this time? Yep. Lots of groves? Yep. Oh, I'd like to be able to see them. But you will. And a lot more than even been planted yet. The ones who will plant together. Together. Yeah, I remember when I said that. And it's gonna be that way. I remember the tree in front of the house. The first tree you planted. Yeah. Must be buried in fruit now. I'd like to pick an apple from it. Just reach up and pick an apple. Sarah. Sarah. Sarah. No rest for a long time. She can find a rest now. It's all my fault. My fault. She died. Nah. Doesn't matter anymore about fault. Sarah's dead. Feels like I am too. Well, I ain't planted for a long time now. There's lots of land waiting. Waiting for the touch of the seed. All over again, Johnny. The wandering. The planting. Yep. All over again. A lonely traveler planting in the wilderness. What will you get out of it, Johnny? Will you be thanked? Will you be remembered? If I plant, then Sarah plants with me. She's part of me that way. And when the seed moves in the earth, it's her. And when the tender stem breaks through the ground and catches a dew, it's her too. And in the red-cheeked apple, when it catches a glint of the afternoon sun, and in the autumn wind, it cries her name through the branches. And always, when the spring comes back again, it'll be part of us all over again. That's my reward. That's all the reward I want. Saddle cooker again. You know, one of the most remarkable things about life is the unbelievable number of ways there are to be remembered by posterity. I was thinking of this while listening to tonight's delightful story of Johnny Appleseed. Now, think of all the men and women who have become the subject of legend, story, poetry, and song. Well, just because we like to hear about them, they're not compelling national heroes like statesmen, warriors, philanthropists, scientists who have all of the ways and concepts of life. And they're not notable saints. We remember them because they had some very personal gift of their own to give to the world. And often, that gift like Johnny Appleseed was not apparent until the next generation. The thought comes to me that a great many of us knock ourselves out trying to be heroic. And if we're not heroic, we think the life we lead is therefore futile. We forget that the strongest fabric is likely to be woven of the sheerst threads. The greatest accomplishment is likely to be the accumulation of the small day-by-day achievements. And in family life, well, these day-by-day achievements are the most effective and valuable when their kindness is. A kindness in itself may be as light and tenuous as a silken thread, but the thousands of them in a family woven become a lifeline that binds us closely and willingly together. And family prayer is the great family kindness. So, that the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. John Sheehan and Frank Henley. The script was written by Max Burton with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed for Family Theater by Joseph F. Mansfield. This series of Family Theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which responds to this need, and by the hundreds of stars of stage, screen and radio who give so unselfishly of their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage. And to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony LaFranco expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to join us next week at the same time when Family Theater will present Robert Ryan, Barbara Hale and John Howard in Masquerade. Join us, won't you? Family Theater is broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network, the mutual broadcasting system.