 Ladies and gentlemen, the railroad hour. And here comes our star-studded show train. Tonight, the Association of American Railroads presents the world premiere of a new musical play, Hope is a Woman, starring Gordon MacRae and his celebrated guest Dorothy Warren Show. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff, and our music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Yes, tonight another delightful musical is brought to you by the American Railroad, the same railroads that bring you the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the fuel you burn, and the multitude of other things you use in your daily life. And now, here is our star, Gordon MacRae. Thank you, Marvin Miller, and good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Two of the greatest journalists of the 90s were Richard Harding Davis and Williston Fish. Tonight, we're putting two of their best stories together, as we bring you Hope is a Woman. So, all aboard for the Gain 90s. Gollywood waltz with the strawberry blonde and the band played on. He'd glide across the floor with the girl he adored and the band played on. But his brain was so loaded it nearly exploded the poor girl would shake with alarm. He'd nearly leave the girl with the strawberry curls and the band played on. Is my hair the color of strawberries, Charles? Oh, better. It's the color of the sunrise. Well, the paper said it was a very gray morning. I didn't mean that, Hope. Oh, you're nice. Charlie, whirl me around again. All right. Gollywood waltz with the strawberry blonde and the band played on. He'd glide across the floor with the girl he adored and the band played on. But his looks were so handsome she thought she'd demand some. The poor girl just quaked with alarm. He'd nearly leave the girl with the strawberry curls and the band played on. That was a wonderful dance, Charlie. Yes, but the best part is riding home in a handsome cab. After the ball is over. Well, I could come right up and say I love you, but, well, you know that already and... Yes? Oh, golly, I get all tongue-tied and all I can say is, well, the way they say it in the show. Tell me pretty maiden, are there any more at home like you? Very simple, girlie. Then take a little walk with me and then I can see what a most particular girl should be. I may not let you go and... But you... ...for your sisters if you love me. What would you say if I said I liked you well? All right, Bob. Nobody else at home, only Daddy and his side whiskers. Oh, yes. Mr. Mutton chops. I mean Mr. Morton. You're not afraid of him, are you, Charles? Oh, no. Well, because you see, you have an appointment to see him at five o'clock tomorrow afternoon. I do. Well, you've got to ask my father's permission. You see, I just knew you were going to propose to me tonight, so I already made the appointment for the asking. Have hope. Now all I need is my faith and your father's charity. Thank you, Mr. Morton. Lovely day, isn't it? I doubt Mr. Lownsbury if you came here to discuss the weather. No, sir. I'll come right out and say it. I love your daughter and I want your permission to marry her. I see. I suppose I should have been better prepared to hear this, but it's one of those things which men put off as they do making their wills. Their wills? We seem to think that our daughters will live with us always, just as we expect to live on and on ourselves until death comes and finds a son prepared. I don't mean to be gloomy, Lownsbury. Oh, no, sir. But have you ever prepared a will, young man? No, sir. I don't have much to leave anybody. As a matter of fact, in the marriage ceremony, when I'll say with all my worldly goods, I, thee and thou, I'm sure somebody will say there goes his bicycle. But, sir, I'm going to work for hope and make her happy for the rest of our lives. That's all very well, but let me ask you this. I suppose you only had 30 days to live. Would you still want to marry my daughter? Well, I... Don't you have an answer? 30 days to live? I don't know what I'd do, Mr. Morton. Oh! Oh! Who's that? Is that you behind the curtain, Hope? Have you been listening? Of course I was listening. Now, Hope, I... Don't talk to me. Father, ask this young man to leave. Immediately. Hope! If he had said I want to be with her, whether it's for 30 seconds or 30 million years, I would have felt he was noble and good and in my beloved, but... Hope, you don't understand. Father, ask him what I'm supposed to understand. My daughter asks, and I quote, what am I supposed to understand? Hope, it would just be mean for me to make you ecstatically happy for 30 days and then leave you. Make me ecstatically happy! Oh! How conceited can you be? Father, ask him to go away and forget he ever knew me. I must convey the message, go away and forget you ever knew me. Oh, Hope. Hope. Why do you have to be such... such a woman? Julian, are you there? Oh, Sam Morton at this end. Oh, no, no, Doc. Nobody's sick. A little heart-sick, maybe. You see, I'm convinced now that my daughter's really in love with William Lounsbury. Otherwise, you couldn't hate him so much all of a sudden. All I want you to do is to do me a favor. Now, you're Lounsbury's family physician, aren't you? Well, I want you to get him in for a physical examination, and here's what I want you to tell him. Put on your shirt. Doc, what are you looking so solemn about? Charles, my boy, I think you'd better make out your will. My will? My boy, you only have about 30 days to live. 30 days? I hereby bequeath my $4.85 in the Farmer's National Bank to... What can I leave anybody? I haven't got anything. Lounsbury, look around you. Add up everything you see and feel and know. Love. You're a pretty wealthy guy. Yeah. There's a lot you have to leave behind. Hi, Charles Lounsbury. Sound and memory. Sound and mind. Do make this will and leave behind the greatest wealth the world can show. Things I have every sunny day The right to laugh, the right to play The magic of the month of May Boys and girls, but boys the most Snow-clad hills where they can coast Folks who sail off the strength of friends, the power Who are no longer youths or lovers or girls or boys? I leave these certain special joins. Is a woman. As we look around at the world we live in today it is hard to imagine that many of the wonderful things that science and ingenuity have produced did not even exist a few short years ago. They operated when virtually nothing by present standards was known about metallurgy and they had long beards when the Wright brothers flew their first plane and when someone put a one-cylinder gasoline engine in a buggy and disposed it at horse yet they are still with us. Even as we wonder what makes a transistor do what it does and stare wide-eyed at the spacesuits our airmen wear as they explore the stratosphere. Let us not forget that they are still with us. They have lasted in the face of competition that couldn't even have been conceived of by the wildest of our imaginative fair Borbara's a few decades back. Because of the constant improvements they have made and because of the efficiency and economy of their operations the railroads are still with us and there is nothing in existence nothing in sight that can take their place in the future for only the railroads are able to move anything for anybody in any quantity in any season of the year among all parts of the country. That's why the railroads remain the foundation of the nation's essential transportation system today as in the past hauling more tons of freight, more miles than all other forms of transportation combined. Now here is act two of the Lawrence and Lee play with music Hope is a woman starring Gordon Macrae as Charles Lownsbury and Dorothy Warren Shoulder's Hope Morton. I walked all over town but can you spend your last 30 days just walking? Boys and girls together and me with nobody nobody to spend a lifetime with a lifetime of 29 days then 28 days on the sidewalks side every evening I'd watch the lights of the city coming up and I'd know that one more day had passed come twilight time you begin to think of important things so that twilight's alone become and go Saturday and long I dreamed that I was married to a different girl Strangely enough they all look like hope A Swedish nightingale Jenny Lind I celebrated Ekko Song Mr. Jenny Lind No Oh No Next night guess who I dreamed I was married to Make way for lamborously unforgettable Lillian Russell Incidentally the man with her they call Diamond Jim because he has four dollars and 85 cents in the Farmer's National Bank 30 days with Lillian Russell Oh what a way to die Diamond Jim Lounsbury you promised me a solid gold bicycle with rubies and diamonds in the handlebars and everybody has said there goes his bicycle One more dream was enough for me at least I know what I want now I want hope But golly what'll I say to her I'm coming home with my heart in my hand to ask you to be with me if it's only for a few seconds Forgive me but I just found a bad joke about the 30 days Father and the doctor made it up they wanted to bring you to your senses I'm not gonna die Well not this month anyhow Hope I know one thing for 30 seconds or 30 million years I want you Oh you've always said lovely things Charles While I've been waiting I've been reading something else lovely Well that's my will we can throw that away now Oh no and we're going to save it because it'll still be beautiful 99 years from now You know the part I like the best To those who are no longer youths or lovers I leave these certain special joy Thanks to Joseph Karn, Marvin Miller and to our entire company Hope is a woman freely based on material by Richard Harding-Davis and Williston Fish was written especially for the railroad hour by Lawrence and Lee The music for this I Leave the World was composed by Carmen Dragon The railroad hour is brought to you each week at the same time by the American railroads Marvin America's mighty production system as we know it today would not be possible without railroads to assemble the materials used and farm implements needed in agriculture for example the raw materials, fuel and machinery used in industry and not only would production on the American scale be impossible without railroads it would also be useless without the widespread distribution and the high consumption of goods made possible by the railroads Other forms of transportation are useful yes but no one of them nor all of them put together could take the place of railroads in furnishing the low cost continent-wide all-season service which is fundamental to the way we make and use things in America Thank you Marvin Dorothy you were wonderful Thank you Gordon I do love that gay 90s music What period and place are we visiting next week? You just give a listen Do you can't brand new in the devil? One of the loveliest stories of all time we've all done of course in a brand new musical practice Do you ever fall in love with music? Hell yes Then I'll be here Good night Gordon Until next Monday Dorothy All aboard! Well dear friends it looks as though ready to pull out so until next Monday night and we'll come here of our musical version of Lorna Dune on behalf of the other members of the cast and of the American railroads Dear friends Gordon McRae saying good night I've seen in Warner Brothers three sailors and a girl in Technicolor The fire is on to the direction of Norman Luboff and our music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon This is Marvin Miller saying good bye until next week for the American Railroads Now stay tuned for your Monday night of music on NBC Tonight the voice of Firestone features Leonard Warren on NBC