 The DuPont Cavalcade of America, starring Irene Dunn. Good evening, this is Irene Dunn. Tonight's Cavalcade, Queen of Heartbreak Trail, is an exciting adventure. It's an original radio play suggested by the life of Harriet Pullen, who went to Alaska during the colorful days of the Gold Rush. Before we begin, here's Bill Hamilton of the DuPont Company. Thank you, Miss Dunn. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. You can now get weeds out of your lawn without spending long hours of backbreaking work. It's just a matter of spraying with new DuPont Lawn Weed Killer. This new chemical weed killer makes dandelions and many ugly weeds wither up and disappear, roots and all, and it doesn't harm most of the common lawn grasses. For a more beautiful lawn, go after those weeds the easy way. Use DuPont Lawn Weed Killer, one of the DuPont Company's better things for better living through chemistry. Queen of Heartbreak Trail, starring Irene Dunn as Harriet Pullen on the DuPont Cavalcade of America. 1897, the year gold was discovered in the Klondike. It was mid-summer of that year when Harriet Pullen first saw the coast of Alaska. I took the boat up from Seattle, where Jan packed with prospectors, hard crewmen mostly, who came looking for something, gold, success, adventure, but not me. All I wanted was a job. I had to have a job because, well, I had my reasons for good ones. You'll hear about that later. We anchored in the bay at Skagway, a scow drew alongside, and a sailor shouted. All passengers to Skagway will take the scow to the beach. All right, you men, down that ticket platter to the scow. Let me off first. No fighting, please. You, mister, you're crushing my hat. Please, with somebody. Please, please. Come on out, you man. Let the lady off first. Give me your hand, ma'am. I'll help you down the ladder. Thank you, Captain. All right, wait a minute, ma'am. Are you sure you want to get off at Skagway? Yes, why? Well, ma'am, Alaska's a pretty rough place for a lady. Won't be much like the life you led back in the States. I don't want it to be, Captain. I'm going to build me a whole new life up here. Just help me down this ladder, please. But when I stood on the beach at Skagway, my courage began to slip away. Just then, a man came along. Waiting for somebody in particular, lady? No, I'm not. Thinking of taking a job, maybe? Yes, yes, I am. Can you cook? A little, why? Come along. I've got a job for you. My name is McDaniels. Everybody calls me Mack. I've got a gang of 18 lumberjacks cutting timber for a wharf on the beach. When these boys come out of the woods, they're hungry enough to eat a raw dog. Well, here we are, my tent. You can't stand up in here. A man eats sitting down. I can't cook sitting down. That's what the Jap used to say. My, how this place ever gets a filthy. I guess the Jap never cleaned it. Look at those tinned dishes. They've been probably washed in weeks. Nothing's stopping you from washing them, ma'am. Where's the soap? I don't see any. We don't have any. Soaps a dollar a bar in Skagway use ashes. Ashes? That's what I said, miss, or is it misses? Mrs. Pullen, Mrs. Harriet Pullen. Tell me, whatever happened to this Jap? He quit. Couldn't stand the gap. Well, I'm smarter than he is. I'm not taking the job. It's none of my business, lady. But what do you do? How do you live? I don't know. This is a rough country, Mrs. Pullen. Pull a hard man, criminals and gamblers. And the women, they're definitely not your type. Tell me, have you ever worked for a living before? Well, not exactly. I didn't know. Where's your husband? He died last winter. Mr. McDaniels, I know what you're thinking. That I ought to go home on the next boat. But I'm not. I'm staying. I've got four good reasons to keep me here. Four? Three boys and a girl. My children. As soon as I make enough money, I'm going to stand for them. I see. Well, lady, if you don't work for me, there's only one other job that's open. Yeah, what's that? Come outside the tent. You see that dance hall the other side of the mud bank? Big Jim Collier's place? Yes, I see it. See that sign in the window? Yes, I see it. Female vocalist wanted to sing high soprano and look good in tights and choir within. Well, Mrs. Pullen? Well, Mr. McDaniels, I sing a pretty fair high soprano but I've never worn tights. To tell you the truth, though, I've often wondered what I look like in him. Thanks for the suggestion. Attention to the professor here. He'll entertain you with his justly celebrated pianistic virtuosity. Thank you. Come in, Mrs. Pullen. Come in. Collier, how did I do? You were great, sensational. You had them all crying in their drinks and that introduction for the professor. Pianistic virtuosity. Yeah. That's a humdinger. I heard a man say that at a circus once in Seattle. You got class, Mrs. Pullen, real class. Thank you. I'd consider it a favor if you'd use big words like that when you're sitting at the table with the customers. When I'm what? Sure, that's part of your job. You make yourself pleasant to the customers and they buy you drinks. Oh, no. No, I couldn't do that. Oh, sure you can. It's easy. I'll come along and I'll introduce you to some of the big spenders. Pull up a chair, kiddo. Thank you. My name's Jack Darcy. Black Jack, they call me. This here's Steve Burnside. Howdy, dear. Come on, don't be bashing while you drink. Well, I guess I'll have some root beer. Thank you, Mr. Burnside. Root beer? You know something, cutie. I like your looks. You and me are going to be great friends. How about a little kiss? No, please, Mr. Burnside. Oh, come on. No, no, please, let me go. Cut it out, Steve. Can't see the lady. Stay out of this. Why should I? Maybe she's got somebody else out of mind. Like who? Like me. No, please, gentlemen, I haven't got anybody on my mind. Come on, kiddo. We're not going to let any tinhorn gambler push us around, are we? Now, please, Mr. Burnside, I told you. Please, Mr. Darcy, do it. Did I hear you mention something about a tinhorn gambler? You did. Have any particular party in mind? Me, maybe? Certainly. Who else? That's all I wanted to know. Out of my way. Mr. McDaniels. Well, Mrs. Fulham, hello. I've been looking for you, Mr. McDaniels. About that job you offered me. Is it still open? I thought you'd be cooking for 18 men. Well, after what I've been through tonight, it'll be like a vacation. Just lead me to it. The first day I spent at McDaniels' camp was the hardest day of my life. At supper time, the men came out of the woods, and as Mr. Mc had predicted, they ate like wolves. But they never said a word whether they liked my cooking or not. When they got up to leave, I smiled my prettiest and said, Don't go yet, boys. I've got a surprise. Apple pie. Well, doesn't anybody want to taste it? You taste it, little Joe. I've got a delicate stomach. Here you are, Mr. Joe. A nice big slice. Smells like apple pie. Well, how'd you expect it? Yeah, never mind the smell. Tastes like apple pie. God darn it. It is apple pie. Come on, boys, dig in. Hey, you men still eating? Hi, boys. Good evening, Mr. Mac. Hello, Mrs. Pullen. Well, boys, how do you like the new cook? Oh, just like home, man. Look, pie, apple pie. And out of clean dishes, too. And even the spoons clean. You can see your face in it. With a face like yours, Joe, I wouldn't look. Come on, boys. See you tomorrow, man. Mrs. Pullen, you look kind of tired. They liked it. They liked my apple pie. Here, better sit down. You think you're strong enough to stand up under all this hard work? Strong? Sure I'm strong. You're strong when you have to be. Mr. Mac, I've got to make enough money to send for my children. I'm three dollars a day. How will you support them? Well, I've decided to bring them one at a time. I'll start with the oldest, Danny. He's ten. It'll be hard for him at first to deal with all things he's used to, but I'll try to make it fun, you know, like a game. Where are you going to live in a tent? Well, the old miner who owns a cabin on the beach is going back to the state. There's only one room. Any furniture? Got a stove. Nothing else? No. Not a bed, nor a table, nor a chair? You call that a home for your children, Mrs. Pullen, I can't figure you out. You look like something out of a tea party and you talk like Mrs. Daniel Boone. Why? Mr. Mack, all I know is I'm going to build a new life for me and my children in a new country where I can be useful, where I'm needed. Yes, my mind's made up. I'll save every penny and bring Danny here. You're listening to Queen of Heartbreak Trail starring Irene Dunn as Harriet Pullen on The Cavalcade of America sponsored by the Defant Company, makers of better things through chemistry. $3 a day I earned cooking for lumberjacks during the Gold Rush in Alaska. I could bring only one of my four children to live with me, but it was still my dream to make a home for my entire family. That first year the winter set in the 1st of November at night the wind howled and in the morning the cabin walls were covered with frost. My boy Danny was both a consolation and a problem since I had no time to watch him. He was always wondering off some place and scaring me half out of my wits. A dozen times a day I'd run to the tent flap and yell, Danny, Danny, where are you? Over here, Mama. Over where? Come and play here where I can see you. I'm coming. Danny, stop using that language. What have you got in your hand? A miner told me it's good for what it ails me. Give it to me. Do I have to? It'll make you sick. Now remember, I don't want you going near the saloon. Why not, Mommy? I told you they're not nice places for little boys. Now come over here. I want you to stay right here in this tent until... You tin-horn gambler! You smoke a gunfight! I'll be right back, Mama! Oh, dear. To add to my troubles with Danny the price of everything went sky-high due to the shortages as more and more people came to Alaska to seek gold. I was unable to save any money and my other children were as far away as the moon. Then one night as the men were leaving after supper, little Joe came over to me and said, Hey, nice apple pie tonight, Miss Pullin. Girl, darn nice apple pie. Well, I thank you, little Joe. I'm glad you liked it. Miss Pullin, you ain't looking so good. How long are you going to keep on with this year's back-breaking job? Well... Saving any money? Saving. I'm lucky if I can get through the week without borrowing. You know, Miss Pullin, I've been thinking. I've been thinking maybe you could sell some of them apple pies. The way I figured it is, there's three things this town of Skagway ain't got enough of. Hotels, pack horses, and apple pie. Hotels, pack horses, and apple pie. Well, I'll remember that, Joe. Well, you could get a dollar a piece for them pies. Well, it sounds good, but I simply haven't got the time. Well, I want to say goodbye, Miss Pullin. Goodbye? Yes, I'm going gold digging. Got my boots and pants and trouble. Got my tampon grub. So, here goes little Joe, 68 years old by the grace of God, sitting out for the fields. Mom, I'm hungry. Can I have a piece of pie? Even an old timer. Oh, even a young sprout. Danny, close the tent flap. All right. Oh, hey, you hear that wind? Oh, it's going to be mean out there on a trail. I wish I had me a pack horse. It sure would be help. Well, mama's got a horse back in Seattle. Her name's Babe. She has? Well, bring her here, Miss Pullin. There's a fortune running pack horses over a heartbreak trail. Pack horses pays $50 a day. Oh, sure, mama. Let's bring her. $50 a day? Ah, that's right. Oh, you'd have to hire a driver, of course. A driver? Well, you can't just send a horse off by yourself. It just ain't done. I could be the driver. You? Honey, you wouldn't come back alive from your first trip. You know what they call that trail? Heartbreak trail. And they don't call it that for nothing. Listen to me, Joe. I'm not going to have my horse driven to death by some half-drunk mule skinner who... Oh, what's the use of talking? I haven't got any money to send for. You could get it. There's how? I told you. Apple pies. Of course. I could come back here at night after Danny's asleep and bake them. Sure, Mom. You could do it. You're sure, Joe? You're sure people would buy them? Mrs. Pollan, like I told you, there's three things Alaska ain't got enough of. Pack horses, hotels, and Apple pies. Put your money in them commodities and you can't go wrong. Of course it wasn't easy. Every dollar earned meant long hours at night stolen from sleep. But at last, early in the spring, Babe arrived on the boat from Seattle. I couldn't get there or even the teamster to bring her ashore. So I borrowed a skiff and rode out to this steamer anchored in the bay. Your horse is right down there in the hole, ma'am. Follow me. How are you going to get her off? I don't know yet. Well, you can't take her assuring the skiff. I'll think of something. You better do it fast, lady. There she is, right in there. Babe, it's me, babe. Don't you remember me? She remembers me. I knew she would. I knew it. Hello, babe. Hello, honey. We're in trouble. I've got to get you off this boat. The only way I can do it is to swim your shore. Will you help me, honey? Will you? Swimmer? You're crazy. It's a quarter of a mile. It's the only way. I've got a gangplank over the water. I'll roll my skiff off your ports. I haven't called to her. She'll jump to me. I know she will. I'm waiting for you. Come on, honey. Jump. I'm waiting for you. Come on. Jump to me, honey. I knew you would. Swim over here, peps. We'll be in a warm stable in no time. In April, I quit the cooktas, and started babe packing freight to the coal fields. It wasn't a woman's job. Heartbreak trail with half mud hole, half icy ledge along canyons littered with the bones of horses. The two of us together climbed and slipped and froze. Come on, babe. You can make it. Come on, honey. Come on. Easy now, isn't it? You've learned a lot in two months, babe. You're a good girl. Now, honey, this is your last trip. They're building a railroad through the mountain, and they won't be needing us anymore. We'll have to think of another way to make a living, won't we? Well, honey, I've got an idea. A good idea. Well, look who's here. Miss Bowen with a horse and wagon. That's Babe. You remember Babe, don't you? Oh, my. Don't she look slick and shiny. She ought to, the way the children take care of her. They're all here with me now. Where are you staying tonight? Well, I don't know. I do. Come on, get in. Where are we going? You'll see. Get up, babe. Town shut up like a mushroom the year you've been away. You can get in a new school. Whoa, babe. Whoa, this is the old mission, ain't it? Not anymore. Missions move to larger quarters. Well, what do we stop here for? Joe, remember the advice you gave me? What advice? You said what Alaska needed was apple pie, pack horses, and... And a hotel. Well, go down, so you open yourself a hotel, huh? Well, go down. Pulling houses, call, Joe. Clean rooms, clean beds. And apple pie? Three times a day, Joe. Let's rule a pulling house. The best Galdar hotel in Alaska. There's Harriet Pullenheader Hotel and a home for her children in Skagway, Alaska. Perhaps hearkening back to the days of the gold rush, and the bearded prospectors from the howling canyons of the North country. But certainly keeping alive the invincible spirit of Harriet Pullen, the woman who made Pullenhouse a source of pride in an Alaskan institution. I'm sure our radio listeners joined the audience in the theater tonight applauding the performance of Irene Dunn and the rest of tonight's cast on the Cavalcade of America. And now, here's Bill Hamilton of the DuPont Company. This week, more than a quarter of a million people are expected to attend the International Petroleum Exposition at Tulsa, Oklahoma. Nearly all of these visitors will be men and women directly concerned with petroleum or its products. A quarter of a million visitors gives you some idea of how great this industry is and how dependent in one way or another all of us are on oil and the many things made from it. For many years, the DuPont Company has been keenly interested in the growth and development of the petroleum industry and its better things to which DuPont chemistry so often contributes. Industrial chemical companies like DuPont buy and use petroleum products as raw material. DuPont chemical science adds hidden values to many of the petroleum products you use. Tetraethyl lead, the important ingredient of anti-knock gasoline, has been manufactured by DuPont for 25 years. DuPont antioxidants made by chemical science control gums in gasoline which might otherwise clog the engine of your car. DuPont fuel oil stabilizers perform the same service for your furnace oil. Special DuPont finishes protect gasoline storage tanks guarding against corrosion and reducing losses through evaporation by reflecting the heat of the sun. Hoses of DuPont neoprene rubber are used by oil tankers and gasoline stations. DuPont nitroman blasting agents aid in seismic prospecting for new oil wells. A special nitroman formulation works efficiently even when the oil deposits are located underwater, miles out to sea. The oil industry also turns to the chemical industry for acids and scores of other chemicals which it needs in great quantity. At no time in our history have we in the United States depended on petroleum and its products as we do today. As a result, the search for new oil deposits is much intensified and the petroleum industry is making every effort to produce better and more efficient fuels and lubricants that last longer and perform well under all conditions. In these endeavors, so vital to all of us, the petroleum industry is aided by the products and the know-how of chemical science. The DuPont company's better things for better living through chemistry. Next week, Cavalcade presents the popular Hollywood star Franchotone in The Enlightened Professor. It's the story of a courageous 19th century professor at Yale who believed that science would one day make this nation great. We invite you to listen. Tonight's DuPont Cavalcade, Queen of Heartbreak Trail, was written by Arthur Arendt and Paul Peters. Material for tonight's play was derived in part from an article which appeared in the American magazine. Music was composed by Arden Cornwell and conducted by Donald Brian. Irene Dunn can now be seen in the George Stevens production for RKO Radio Pictures. I remember Mama. Miss Dunn's celebrated charm has been beautifully photographed in this production on DuPont Superior 2 Negative by cinema photographer Nicholas Musaraca. This is Ted Pearson inviting you to listen next week to The Enlightened Professor starring Franchotone. Cavalcade of America is presented each week from the stage of the Longacre Theatre on Broadway in New York and is brought to you by the DuPont company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.