 Ladies and gentlemen, the railroad hour. And here comes our star-studded show train. Tonight, the Association of American Railroads presents the charming Noel Coward operetta, Bitter Sweet, starring Gordon MacGray and his celebrated guest, Dorothy Warren Show. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff, and the music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Yes, tonight another memorable musical success is brought to you by the American Railroads, the same railroads that bring you most of the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the fuel you burn, and all the other things you use in your daily life. And now, here is our star, Gordon MacGray. Thank you, Marvin Miller, and good evening, ladies and gentlemen. As the curtain rises on Noel Coward's enchanting Bitter Sweet, Dorothy Warren Show is Madame Sarah, a stately, lovely lady of 70. Curtain, music. Sarah, help me. You're so wise and understanding. Oh, Dolly Childs, sometimes it's the young who are wise, especially when they listen to their heart. But I don't know what to do. All right, Dolly. Tell me. What's his name? What? Why, Vincent? And I'm so much in love with him. But tomorrow you're going to marry Lord Henry. Yes, and everybody says what a wonderful match it is. He's so rich and prominent and celebrated in all, and he's so old and fat, too. Oh, oh, oh, Dolly, Dolly, come here. Sit beside me. I want to tell you a story. I am, I hope you won't mind if I happen to be the heroine of it. It's easy to remember because it's spring, and in springtime the world can be so bitter and so sweet. That echoes sweetly. Music teacher, he wrote this song, and I remember so well, standing in his tiny studio, singing it for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Linden. Miss Sarah, I... Yes, Mr. Linden? Why are you staring so? Well, it's spring, Miss Sarah, and if you were not another man's fiance, I... Yes? I'm afraid I'm talking nonsense. You see, in my country, in the spring, we have festivals, and the young boys and girls dance, and their clothes are like rainbows. And the old people sit under the trees watching and tapping their sticks on the ground, and reviving in their hearts memories of when they, too, were young and in love. In love? Yes. As you were in love with your handsome Mr. Devon. Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Oh, you are homesick for your country. I can see you are. Can you? Perhaps it's the climate here in England. It is depressing. Perhaps a little. What, my dear Miss Sarah, I'm afraid that this is the last time we shall ever meet. Oh, you're playing at our dance tonight, aren't you? Well, that's different. There'll be so many people there. I'm afraid that this is the last time we shall be alone together. The last time? You've been a charming pupil, Miss Sarah. I shall always look back in these months with much happiness. Oh, then why, dear Mr. Linden, are there tears in your eyes? In yours also. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to be so foolish. Dear, dear Mr. Linden, how can I say goodbye to you? Once more now, so you'll remember them. You're singing exercises. Yes. Now, Miss Sarah, if you please sing a scale for me. I shall be far away in my own country. But each year when spring comes round again, I shall remember you, Miss Sarah, and what a charming pupil you were. And how you always sang from your heart. Dear Mr. Linden, goodbye, Miss Sarah. Was that the last you ever saw him? Oh, no, darling. That night at the dance, I watched him from across the crowded ballroom, so close and yet a million miles away. And then after the dance, I don't know how it happened exactly, but all of my bridesmaids and I, as if we were girls in pigtails again, began to play Blind Man's Buff. So why do I always have to be it, and the rest of you have all the fun teasing me? I've always heard that love is blind, like Blind Man's Buff. Sarah, I love you. Oh, I love you, Carl. Come with me tonight. Where would we go? To my country. I have no money, but we'll work together. I'll play and you'll sing, and, oh, Sarah, we will live. Oh, yes, Carl. We will re- for act two of Bitter Sweet. It was while George Washington was still president of the United States, back in 1795, that folks who lived near Beacon Hill in Boston saw an unusual sight. Say, John, that's an odd-looking contraption. Wonder what it's for? Well, they call it a railway. Makes it much easier for the horses to haul materials and products to and from the line kilns up there on the hill. Oh, what do you know? What won't they think of next? Yes, that wooden, horse-drawn railway was the remote ancestor of the mighty iron horse that was to play such a powerful part in finishing the job that Washington so ably started, the job of welding 13 separate colonies into an independent, unified nation stretching from coast to coast. Many factors, of course, have contributed to the tremendous growth of America in the 221 years since Washington was born. Our rich natural resources and the freedom, inventiveness, and enterprise of our people are basic to the American success story. Together they have created the tremendous agricultural production and industrial capacity on which our standard of living is based. And essential to this combination is our continent-wide mass transportation system whose backbone is the nation's railroads. For it was the railroads that bound together every corner of our far-flung country, responsible for every section to exchange freely the materials and products needed for the full flowering of our industry and agriculture. And today the railroads still carry the vast bulk of America's commerce as they produce more intercity freight transportation service than all other forms of transportation combined. In fact, without the basic high-volume, low-cost job of transportation done by the railroads, you could not live as well as you do. And America could not produce what it needs, either for commerce or defense. That's why it's so important to all of us that these essential railroads be able to continue the kind of steady improvement that last year enabled them to achieve an all-time record for safety and efficiency. The railroads will continue to improve every part of their plant and equipment right up to the limit of available money and materials. Now here is act two of the Lawrence and Lee version of Noel Coward's Romantic Operetta, The Street, starring Gordon Macrae as Carl and Dorothy Warren-Scholder, Sarah. Oh, Madam, Sarah, I knew your story had a happy ending. Not happy, dolly. Bitter sweet. Where did you go when you ran off with Carl? Oh, all over Europe. He wrote music. I sang it. Not very many people listened. Finally, in desperation, we took a job in Heisling's Cafe in Vienna, the rendezvous of all the Austrian cavalry officers. I wish I could forget it. I can. All right, my friends, the wine is pour. It's okay for everyone. Now, if you'll all join me, I propose a toast. Hate in you, desire in you. We'll walk you along, letting you high on the wing of a song. The dream in you, the flame in you, the fire in you. We'll walk you along, letting you high on the wing of a song. The dream in you, the flame in you, the fire in you. Oh, it's you all to dance. Good evening, my sweet. Carl, I want to leave this cafe. I want to leave Vienna. But why, Sarah? I don't like it. These offices are so hard-headed. I'm afraid. No, no, I'm here to watch over you. Get ready for your number. Everything will be all right. Yes, Carl. Dance with me for a line? No, thank you, Captain. I'm busy right now. Dance with me? Captain, I... I am used to my orders being obeyed. You will dance, my beautiful one. I... I... Better here in my arms. Yes? Oh, that music isn't a beautiful, Captain. It's one of my husband's compositions. Why talk about husbands when the two of us are close, like this? Oh, Captain, please. Stop. There are women who beg for my kisses. I give you one without so much as a word. No. Carl! Take your hands off my wife. No. So? A weakling composer threatens me. My sword? Carl. Somebody lend me a sword. Oh, no, Carl. You dare to insult me, you chicken-hearted musician? That is my opinion of you. I haven't done very much for you. I love you always. Carl didn't want to live. But there was a reason to live. To make his music famous. To bring his music to the world. I traveled everywhere, and everywhere I sang his song. I wish to sing a number composed by my husband, here, Carl Lindon. It is a song with a story, how a young girl fell in love with a zygoyner, a gypsy. Perhaps the reason I love this song so is that it's my story too. I know now. I must marry my young man. I must do what my heart tells me. Yes. Yes, of course you must. I'm going to tell him right now. Thank you, Madam Thera. Oh, can I be lonely? It's... Meanwhile, our thanks to Barbara Eiler, our entire company. Bittersweet with book music and lyrics by Noel Coward was dramatized for the railroad hour by Lawrence and Lee. The railroad hour is brought to you each week, at the same time by the American Railroads. Marvin? What were the facts about Casey Jones? What did a railroad train of 1830 look like? How big a navy do America's railroads own? You'll find the answers to these and hundreds of other questions about the fascinating business of railroading in an interesting illustrated booklet called Quiz on Railroads and Railroading published by the Association of American Railroads. Thousands of requests have come pouring in for this booklet since we offered it free of charge two weeks ago. So, write now and make sure you get your free copy. All you do is send a postcard to the railroad hour, Transportation Building Washington, 6 D.C. Now, once again, that's the railroad hour, Transportation Building Washington, 6 D.C. Write for your free copy of Quiz tonight. Thank you, Marvin. And now, folks, here again is our delightful guest, Dorothy Warren. Thank you, Gordon. I just knew I'd see you again. Well, spring is breaking through again, so here I am. And it was a real treat bittersweeting it with you tonight, Dorothy. You know, you're one of the railroad hour family and, well, sir, we miss you when you're away too long. I feel the same way, Gordon. Tell me, what's on the show train next week? You just give a listen. Sounds like Victor Herbert. Give that young lady a cupey-dove. You're absolutely right, Dorothy. It's one of Victor Herbert's most melodic scores. Though it's not better, we don't hear very often. It's called Rose of Algeria, and we have two guest stars. Our longtime favorite, Lucille Norman, and a thrilling new dramatic soprano, Miss Jane Smith. We'll all be listening. Good night, Gordon. Good night, Dorothy, and as usual, you were wonderful. All aboard. Well, dear friends, it looks as though we're ready to pull out and so on until next Monday night. This is Gordon MacRae saying goodbye. Bittersweet was presented by Special Arrangement with the Tams Whitmark Music Library. Gordon MacRae can be seen starring in the Technicolor production, The Desert Song. Our choir was under the direction of Norman Luboff, and our music was prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Until next week, this is Marvin Miller saying good night for the American Railroads. Now, stay tuned for your Monday Night of Music on NBC.