 Remember a Hallmark card when you carry enough to send the very best. Storekeeper on the Hallmark Playhouse. In outstanding stories chosen by one of the world's best known authors. They distinguish novelists, Mr. James Hilton. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is James Hilton. Tonight on our Hallmark Playhouse, we dramatize a story by Ari Gould called Yankee Storekeeper. A warmly human story of those days not so long ago. Days before radio and air mail and streamliners. When the general store was one of the landmarks of the American small town. The club, you might say, where people met to exchange gossip, to talk politics. And to feel themselves a unit in the greater unit of their country. And to speak personally, I think a great deal of very good sense was talked in those stores. Surrounded by the genial warmth of the stove and the smells of the merchandise. And with the storekeeper enjoying the proceedings as much as anyone. They sold a lot of things in the small town general store and still do. And I think it could be said that among them has always been democracy. Our story tonight is a reminder of all this. And to start in it, we have that incomparable American Lionel Barrymore. And now here is Frank Goss from the makers of Hallmark cards. When you want to remember your friends, there's one way to be sure the card you send receives an extra welcome. Look for that identifying hallmark on the back when you select it. For words to express your feelings and designs to express your good taste. That hallmark on the back is your guide. Like the sterling on silver, it's a mark of distinction that all quickly recognize. And it tells your friends, you cared enough to send the very best. Our start tonight Lionel Barrymore is appearing by arrangement with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, producers of the Technicolor musical, Singin' in the Rain, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds. And now Hallmark Playhouse, presenting R.E. Gould's Yankee Storekeeper, starring Lionel Barrymore. These are the words painted in big block letters on the sign over the porch steps. Indoors past the candy case, the jumble of auto tires and boxes of soap, the white-haired proprietor leans on the counter and pierces thoughtfully through his steel rimmed glasses at the sacks of poultry feed piled beside the big base burner. She chews on a pencil stub for a moment, then jots down a figure in a worn leather book. Then, as his eyes wander to the opposite counter and a stalk of heavy boots. Well, Mr. Whitney, won't you get back to town, son? This morning, as soon as I got my diploma, I hopped the train to have one last look at the old place. You mean you ain't staying? Oh, what, sir? To keep me here. My folks are all gone. Oh, by the left of the farm. I'm selling it. There's no future up here in the backwoods, Mr. Whitney. Everything's gone to seed. Oh, that's what you learned in college, huh? Everything's in the big city. Well, that's where the big companies are and the good jobs. Well, just what kind of a job are you looking for? Well, one with good pay, regular vacations, pension plan, health insurance, something with guaranteed security. Guaranteed security? You know, son, I just hope I never grow as old. Oh, Mr. Whitney, you don't understand. Times have changed since your day. We want more out of life now and we can get more. All the things that you've missed. All the things I've missed, huh? Have you got a few minutes? Oh, yeah, sure. All right, then. Pull that chair up. You took me ten years to want to store him home. And to find out the right guy. It's the sort of town I've always wanted to live in, Dan. The tiny place. It's just enough people for company and not too many to feel crowded. Oh, Dan, this is our home. The day I took over the store, my education really began. I found that the man who runs the country store needs a patient's job, the strength of Samson and the wisdom of a jury of Solomon's, especially when it comes to the drummers from the big city. My company's bringing out a new product, Mr. Whitney. No one, huh? Buy five cases from me. I'll give you one free. No one does. Because aren't you? Yep. When it comes to... Well, this is your last chance. Only come once a year. So do taxes and I don't care if I ever see any of them again. But sometimes I was on the receiving end of the deal. Here, your wife's been looking to buy a cow, Dan. I got a good one. How much milk do you give? Half a pail every day. Bring a round of pork size. How much asking for that new brand of tobacco, Dan? Six cents, plug. If I take six plugs, how much off a can? Six. You're gonna have them for an even six days. Sold. You see, Jim was a shoplifter. Every time he'd steal something off the counter, I'd even the score with one of my bargains. Some years hardly anything. I can remember one of the bad trouble began. Jenny was in the store helping me fill the afternoon to whittlin', smokin' by the stove. What a horse off Jerry Stockville. Yeah, first-led horse. Jenny, have you found out in selling? At price. How much? Twenty-five dollars. Off a low price, ain't it? What's wrong with him? Well, you've seen him. Looks all right, don't he? He's got a good mall, legs all right, nice color. Clever as a sheep. Well, for twenty-five dollars. Well, if I take him, if I was sure, well, in that case, I won't lie to you, Jose. He's got what we trade. And if just two faults, um, yeah. What's the first one? Well, if you turn him out to pasture, he's awful hard to catch. You don't know, you, Mr. Whitney? Whatever you're selling, we're overstocked on it. I'm not a drummer, I'm not selling anything. I just came in to look around. Oh, oh, oh, then I'm glad to see you there. Jenny, will you take care of this gentleman? Yes, sir. Thank you. Not that harsh. You're saying if you turn him out to pasture, he's awful hard to catch. That's right. Well, I suppose a fella didn't turn him out to pasture. He'd be easy to catch then, wouldn't he? Oh, jeez, he's staying the world. All right, sir. I'm buyin'. Well, here's your money. Huh? Fifteen? Twenty-five? He's yours, over there. What's that other thing that's wrong with him? It's good for nothing when you do catch him. Give my money back. Not for the one that the cow you sold me. It's a swindle, it's a robbery. Well, but you're a bit behind the times in your merchandising. Oh, I'm satisfied with it. Perhaps, but how about your customers? My name is George Hastings, Mr. Whitney. I'm your new competitor. How's that? My company sent me up from Boston to open a new store here. We'll operate cash and carry it at the lowest prices. And I'll be your first customer, mister. It's about time this old skinner got his comeuppance. Just a minute now. Come on, mister, let me show you where to put your store. I own the building. It's right across the street from this place. Oh, I certainly, Mr. Hastings. I don't see why not. Maybe only half of what we're used to. This, are we going to do and support two stores? Well, now I'm not so sure about it. Petition might be a good thing for us and for the customers. But darling, we've worked here for so many years. I never will, Dan. You know that. Then everything's going to work out. Just a moment, we'll return to the second act of Yankee storekeepers starring Lionel Barrymore. It just seems to be in the very air around us in the springtime that feeling of joy and happiness we all have is something we wouldn't like to share with friends. Perhaps that's why the custom of sending Easter cards has grown so the past few years. It's such a good time to renew friendships and to keep in touch. It gives us an opportunity to share our happiness with those we like in a gracious way, in an inexpensive way, in a way everyone appreciates. If you select your Easter cards from the beautiful ones having hallmark on the back. For the value of that familiar hallmark and crown of your cards is recognized by more and more discriminating people every day. It's a symbol of expert craftsmanship and years of creating cards with but one thought in mind. To give you a card that says what you want to say. Just the way you want to say it. For every person, every occasion. And to give you a card you'll be proud to sign with your name. That's why in these days before Easter you'll find so many people selecting their Easter cards from the hallmark collection at fine stores across the country. That's why too, when your friends receive the Easter card you send they'll look on the back. If they see that familiar hallmark on the back of the card they'll know immediately that you cared enough to send the very best. Now back to James Hilton and the second act of Yankee storekeeper starring Lionel Barrymore. Old-fashioned country store leans against the counter and talks of the old days and of days not too long past which even young Tom Willis can remember as he listened. I never believed it were him because most of the things a man flats about never happened. But the new store did happen. The first Saturday after it opened I stood outside on the sidewalk and counted the customers. To win me, come on inside. I'd like to show you around. Some other time, George, when you haven't so many customers. All right, it's payday at the lumber mill and everybody is stocking up at once. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You used to know how Saturday in 20 years that Jenny and I can climb into the old car and go fishing and listen to my life. Oh, now dear, everything will work out. Boy up ahead of us. What you doing out here is six miles out of town by the techies of the woodshed tummy. Stack a coffee home to your mom and pa and when you see him drink it, you say to yourself that's from bread running store across the road on a cash basis because he isn't his own boss. You tell the rest of the mill hands faster for some of her chickens and eggs. Hank Watson's got a couple of pigs ready for market and I'll make a deal with him along the same line. I never figured I'd see the day we'd go back to that. And why not, Jim? It's some of those old fashioned ideas that have built six months that followed. Jenny and I never worked so hard in our lives but it paid off. It paid off everybody. There was a new mill twice as big as in the carry store. And it was all thanks to you, Mr. Whitney. When you talk about wanting a job with guaranteed security all I can think of is the security a man gets through faith in his friends and those who count on him. That comes right back to faith in himself. Got to finish this inventory. 11 sacks of poultry feet. I'm beginning to creak. It's time to start taking it easy. But you can't just sit and do nothing. Oh, don't tend to. I'm going to put in a couple of gasoline pumps out in front of the house and in between tank fools I'll sit in my rocker on the front porch and swap storage with the boys. Okay, Jenny? Yeah? Yeah, just getting ready to close up. Okay, bye to pick up some things to supper. We need flour and sugar and coffee. May I fill the order for you, Mrs. Whitney? Oh, it's good to see you. I didn't know you were back in town. He isn't staying, Jenny. He's on his way back to Big City. Oh? Let's see. It's from Brazil. Oh, never, never. You taught me a lot of important things, Mr. Whitney, and you're still doing it. What in the world are you two talking about? Oh, excellent. You taught me a bag for the groceries I want to lock up. Mr. Whitney, yeah? Maybe I won't sell that farm of mine. I could get a loan on it at the bank. A loan? It might be enough for the down payment on your store, and I could pay you the rest out of the earnings. Ah! Why not, sir? I am now. This is where I belong, at home, with my friend. All right, sir. We tend in our gas station, and Tom will be needing it. And one said, laughter is the medicine of the soul. And if you ever noticed, it's a happy moment when we see a patient chuckle or even smile. For then we know he's on the first step toward recovery. That's undoubtedly why so many people like to send humorous hallmark cards. They're fun to send and to receive. And did you ever stop to think there's no other gift that actually has its own bubbling good humor, its own laughter built right in? Humorous cards are a big part of the hallmark collection at fine stores everywhere. You can find ones for Easter, birthdays, anniversaries, Get Well, and most every occasion, that's part of our days. There's even quite a selection of hallmark cards for April Fool's Day. These are gay and merry cards designed to bring a smile to the lips and a twinkle to the eye. And of course, like all hallmark cards, whether humorous or serious, there's a quality about them that speaks for itself, that reflects your good taste. It's that quality that's symbolized by the familiar hallmark on the back. That hallmark which tells your friends you cared enough to send the very best. Here again is James Hilton. This evening will certainly go down as a red letter one on our hallmark playhouse, Mr. Barrymore, and we all thank you for your grand performance. Oh, I'm glad you like it, Jimmy. I'm glad you like it. Those early storekeepers had a bigger part than most of us realized in building America up, you know? I used to love going into one of those old-time general stores. Couldn't pass one by without... Times have certainly changed since those early days, haven't they? Well, but the real fundamentals stay the same, Jimmy. People still enjoy knowing each other, knowing other people, and being kind to others. It's just that nowadays we're all so rushed. Help us keep in touch. They show someone we're thinking of them, even if we don't get in to see him so often. It's good to hear you say that, Lionel, and we like to think the shows on our hallmark playhouse reflect that same warmth and friendliness. I think the way they do, Jimmy, what are you going to have next week? Next week we shall have a delightful story by Marjorie Sharp entitled, Lisa Lilliewight. And to play the charming Miss Lilliewight, we've invited Angela Lansbridge to join us. Our hallmark playhouse is every Thursday. Our producer-director is Bill Gay. Our music is composed and conducted by David Rose. And our script tonight was adapted by Leonard St. Clair. Until next Thursday then, this is James Hilton saying, Good night. We're told only in stores that have been carefully selected to give you expert and friendly service. Remember a hallmark card when you carry it out to send the very best. The role of Jenny tonight was played by Lorraine Tuttle and Tom Willis by Eddie Firestone. Others in our cast were Barbara Jean Wong, Ted DeCorsia, Polly Bear, and Ted Osburn. Every Sunday afternoon on television, hallmark cards present Sarah Churchill, who brings you the story of interesting people on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. Consult your local newspaper for time and station. This is Frank Goss saying, Good night to you all. Until next week at the same time, when Hallmark Playhouse returns to present Angela Lansbury in Marjory Sharp's Lisa Lilly White. And the week following, Lou Wallis' Ben Hur starring Jeff Chandler. And the week after that, George Garland's Doubtful Valley on the Hallmark Playhouse. This is the CBS Radio Network.