 Great Scenes from Great Plays with your host, Walter Hamden, and starring tonight, Cornel Wild in Icebound. On behalf of the families of the Protestant Episcopal Church in your own community and the Episcopal Actors Guild, we welcome you to another half hour of Great Scenes from Great Plays, transcribed by famous artists of stage, screen and radio. Now your host, the distinguished actor-manager, Mr. Walter Hamden. Thank you and good evening. Tonight's play is the Pulitzer Prize drama, Icebound, written by Owen Davis and adapted for radio by Alan Sloan. And here to play the part of Ben Jordan, I'm happy to present the talented young actor, Cornel Wild. Our play is set in the chill atmosphere of way down east in the state of Maine. It's the story of a New England family and the way the hard, bleak life up there can creep into people's souls. More, it's the story of one member of that family. It's Ben Jordan's story. Coming down the road towards the Jordan house seemed like I'd never been away, like I still belonged. First in eight years I'd walked this road, turned this path past this gate. Long time. Same old place, like when I left, was thrown out, that is. Disgraced the family, Mark said. Shame the Jordan name, runnin' wild, troublemakin', just no good. So it was get up and get out. But now Ma was upstairs, dyin'. And I'd come back to see her just once more. And downstairs, the family, sittin' and waitin' her out in the parlor. Family. I could nearly hear them, know what they'd be sayin'. First, my brother Henry. Doctor says she's pretty low. Wonder if I could just run down to the store for a minute and then hurry back. And Henry's wife, Emma. A body'd think you'd be ashamed, Henry Jordan. But you, you don't suppose she'd go and leave no will, do you? And Sadie'd be there, widow woman. Equal shares is only fair. Nobody'll get more, not if I have to go to law over it. I was the only Jordan missin'. And they weren't countin' on me turnin' up. It was none of them told me about Ma either. It was Jane Crosby. And that was kind of odd, both her comin' to stay with Ma after I'd burned her dad's barn and her sendin' after me now. Well, I knew what they thought of her. You're the eldest, Henry. Go up and get out of there. Jane Crosby's no Jordan. She's got no right up with Ma. Put up with her eight years Emma, so another day or so. Besides, I'll send her packin' as soon as, well, we'll see. It's my place she took in my own mother's house. I ain't gonna forget that. You send her packin', Henry. We'll see, Sadie. Grandma left till 84. Ma's only 76. Uh, nothing lasts like it used to. Hey, uh, they were waitin'. But not for me to turn up. Oh, no. I knew what they thought of me. Ben, only Jordan have disgraced the name in more than a hundred years. Drunken devilman. Why, if he hadn't run away like the criminal he was carrying on and burnin' barns, he'd be in state prison today. Don't talk Ben to me after he broke my Ma's heart and hurt my credit. I come up the walk and peeked in the window. Everybody there, handkerchiefs and all. Only time the Jordans gathered was when somebody died or there's a question of money. The judge was there, too, for the will, I figured. I almost turned and run. There was a warrant out for me. He'd signed it. Then I seen Jane comin' down into the parlor. She looked the same. Pretty. She'd been cryin'. Everybody stood up and gathered round her. I thought first I'd ring the pull, Belle, and then I just walked in. Me. Ben. Ben, why'd you do that? Oh, Ben. It's me, Jane. You got no right here, Ben. I'm as Jordan as you, Henry. I want to see Ma. It's too late, Ben. Too late. Ma's gone. Yeah, she's gone. She was a lash to the old stock. The Jordans won't ever be the same. Looks like they haven't changed. Go on, Judge. Why don't you read the wills so as they can go home and gloat over their get-ins? That's all they're waitin' for. Notice you got here quick enough. To see Ma, that's all, and she sent for me. Go ahead, Judge. Who gets the money? Now, eh, Judge? Before it's out and known, Jane? Yes, Henry? Well, we want you to know you... Well, you can stay on. Well, you'll find a place. I don't want it said we're mean, but... You ain't needed here, nor wanted. No, no, wait just a minute. Now, what's the trouble, Judge? Jane isn't going anywhere. How's that now? Of course she's going. She don't belong in this house. Yes, she does. Because the house is hers in the whole place. What? You were worried if there was a will. Well, there was. That's it. Everything goes to Jane. I just stood there drinking it in. It was like they'd all been hit with their own tombstones. They opened their mouths and shot them again, and then they just left. The Judge, too. Except for Ma lyin' upstairs, I'd have busted laughin'. Well, there was no place for me there, so I decided to go. Ben, where are you going? Back away again before the Judge gets arrestin' ideas. Oh, stay here, Ben. Stay. And go to jail? Besides, it's your place. I don't belong. Oh, Ben. That's gone. That's eight years gone. You don't want me. You've got to stay. How got to? I fixed it with the Judge. When I knew I'd get the place, I fixed it to go your bail. What for? I wanted you to stay. As what? How stay? Why, you'll work the farm. I can't alone. I wondered why you sent for me. I thought I was so I could see Ma before she went. You just wanted a hired hand. I have to stay, huh? Have to or go to jail? That isn't it, Ben. It wasn't even your mother sent for you. It was me. Why? I thought she'd be happier seeing you. I hated to think of her there in the churchyard. Hungry for you? Sounds nice. But I don't believe you. I believe you want to be back just for one thing. Ben. Oh, Ben. Just one thing. I was the Jordan burn your dad's barn. I was the Jordan ruin the Crosby's. So you had to go out for a servant and in my house. And now you got it fixed so I'll be your hired man, your slave. What do you think I've been for eight years? The only Jordan you can get square with, that's all. I'm going up to Ma, but listen. I'll stay, I'll work, but only because I'm staying with you. I'll stay because it ain't as bad as going to jail. Jordan's ain't used to feeling and saying out what they feel. Ma dead. Everything turned topsy-turvy. I hurt and I couldn't say it. So it took off on Jane. I didn't mean it, but I couldn't say it. I could have been different if she'd looked different, but she was just the same, so slim and pretty like the willow trees down by the river. But say those things out, not the Jordan's. I stayed and I worked. Right on through the winter I worked. You got the house banked against snow? Yeah. Got enough fodder to carry the stock to spring? Yeah. Wood all in? Yeah. I wasn't liking it, taking orders, much less from a woman and lesser from her. And that I showed. I kept on working though. Got so I could read that Jane Crosby's mind and all it spelled out was W-O-R-K. That's all. Nope, I didn't like it. But I got used to it, that I'll say. And once I got the hang of the work, it wasn't like I was taking orders. It got to be a little like I was home belonging. I had my old room and the food was good. And Jane Crosby wasn't too bad to talk to. But mostly I liked working with the stock and the barn. The way it smelled, warm, felt like I was a sprout again before all the trouble. And there was one time she come in the barn. Yep, an Ellie stall. Is she gonna be all right? Yeah, she'll come through. I'm glad. I kind of feel for a critter that's sick. They can't say where it hurts like we can. And just kind of look and kind of look at you. Hey there, Nellie. You're good with animals, Ben. Kind. Your mother was too, you know. I didn't know. Guess I didn't know her much anyhow. Guess you don't know women much anyhow. Well, she didn't know me. She always thought it was pure spite made me. Well... Made you what? Nothing. Burned my dad's barn? Do you think I hold that against you? I don't, Ben. Believe me. Well, Luke, it was my fault you had to go for a servant. You're wrong. I didn't ask to come here. Your ma sent for me. Why? I didn't hear that either. And not in a charity way if you were thinking that. It was just because she was lonely for you. Never showed it by word nor writing. Pride. Oh, yeah. And you're like her. Did she ever know what the fight was about between me and your dad? No. Did you? Me, I guess. No. Well, he was always against us marrying, so that night I put it right up to him, asked him what was wrong with it. Nothing, he said, except you're a Jordan. What was wrong with being a Jordan, I wanted to know. He laughed at me and said Jordan meant being hard, care more for money than for man, getting and grasping. I got so mad at him being older, I couldn't hit him, but... You burned the bar. Well, I was drunk and furious, but in a way I was standing up for the family. Ma never knew that. She died thinking I disgraced it. You kind of care about that, Ben? Yeah, I kind of do. Her passing without knowing, I was standing up for Jordan's. Why didn't you write in teller? Pride? Well... You don't ever tell much. You don't let anything out. Nope. Even how you've been thinking these months you've been here. Ben, what do you think of when you're working? Well, about when I was with the army in France, they got little bitty farms there. I got to one after I was wounded, the nicest folks ever. They laugh over there. They laugh and sing right at the table. Gave me lumps in my throat looking at them and remembering us, the Jordans. Guess there wasn't much laughing at the Jordan's table. No time for its summers with the work. And winters, well, look out there. Look out the window. You know what's wrong with the Jordans? It gets into them from the country around. It's like that half the whole year. Frozen up everything. Yes. Everything froze up most of all the people. Icebound, that's what we get to be. That's what we are, icebound, inside and out. Just now talking about the family in France, you weren't? Oh, them. They were the nicest family. Time I was to leave they had a party for me. Me and my dirty old uniform. And them all dressed up as best they could. A girl in a blue dress. A girl in a blue dress? A, yeah, pretty, pretty as a willow tree by the river. Oh. I never did see her again. Never did see anything like her till. You don't see blue dresses here. No, they got three colors for dresses here. Black, black and black. Black for weekdays. Black for Sundays and blackest for funerals. Ben, there's more than one blue dress in the world. Huh? If I was to dress different, would you like me more? Oh, I like you, Jane. You don't show much. I didn't think you wanted much shown. I figured the way you're working, me and work in the place, I thought you were getting to be pure Jordan yourself. Oh, no, no. Ben, listen. Come have supper with me inside. Nellie'll be all right. She said so. Come in and have supper with me and we'll talk more. All right? Well, sure. Ben, good. Family's coming for a while, but when they're gone... Family? Henry and Emma and Sadie, they got something to talk to me about, but it won't take long. And then we'll talk. Good. Just let me know when they're gone. When Jane Crosby left the barn, the donnest thing happened. I heard myself singing. Of course, it was only a hymn, but they were still singing. I tried to figure what the Jordan was after, but I was feeling so good why I put unpleasant things out of my mind. And then Sadie's little boy, Aaron, came in the barn. Whatcha doing, Uncle Ben? Oh, just working, son. Got old Nellie all cured. Is it fun working here? Well, I never looked for fun working, but, well, there's pleasure to it. Why'd you ask? Because everybody says you're just Jane Crosby's slave. Well, they do, eh? Who's everybody? Mama and Uncle Henry and practically everybody. Let him talk. It's good work and I ain't ashamed of it. What kind of work are you going to do, son? I'm going to have a store, like Uncle Henry's. Store work? Well, that's no work. You want to get next to the crops and the critters. That's work for a man. Well, I don't want to dig in the dirt. Dirt? Well, dirt's what they got in the town and the streets. Nothing grows in dirt. I'm talking earth, Aaron, boy. You see, Aaron, earth's what you plant a cropping and she gives it right back to you if you work it right. Earth, that's clean. Don't you keep a store, son. Come on out and work this land. Nope. I'm going to have a store, like my Uncle Henry. And that's like your Uncle Henry. By the way, Aaron, what's the family gathered for? They sent me out when they got to talking. Oh. But I listened at the door. Oh? Yep. It's a council life. Mama wants some money to go into dressmaking. Uncle Henry wants some money for a note. And Aunt Emma wants some money for dresses for a cousin that he who's going to school. What do you want? Nothing. Just some fun, maybe. You're no Jordan. Aaron, I'll tell you what, let's go into the house and see how the council's making out, huh? All right. I want to see the family that calls me Jane Crosby's slave begging for table crumbs. Really wanted to see it, too. I didn't feel like a Jordan anymore and funny I felt like I belonged to the Jordan place all the more. I guess it was because I put a man's work into it. And all of a sudden, I wanted to see Jane Crosby again. I wanted to stand next to her when she shamed the family by giving them what they asked. But when I walked in on them all... No, Henry. I'm sorry. I can't do it. But we need a Jane. We need her bed. And it's only money. You've got the whole property. All we're asking is just a little money. No, Henry. And it's no. It's hard to make out, Jane. We were expecting more from Ma. And it ain't like you was a Jordan, Jane, and had it coming. You've got a duty to help us. I said no and it's no. Oh, Jane, you can't do that. Come on, Henry. Don't beg. Jordans don't beg. You are in use stop scratching. Come on. And the next time we come to this house, Jane Crosby, you'll have to send for us. I heard all that. And I got all cold and tight inside all over again. I kept hearing Emma saying, you're no Jordan, Jane. But she was wrong. All of Jane's soft talk in the barn. I knew what it was for just to keep me a slave to her. Well, I packed, I walked into the kitchen, and I said, Jane, I'm going. What do you mean, Ben? Well, what do you mean, you're going? Just that. You said I couldn't, I am. So goodbye now. Why, Ben, why? Because you're a Jordan. What? You're pure Jordan. You've turned Jordan. Maybe having this place done, and maybe having someone to bust over done it. Maybe it's the countries got into you and bound you up in ice. But you're, you're Jordan through and through. I don't know why you're saying all that, Ben. I heard you telling the family, no. I know they're a pack of biggin' bodies, but they are Jordans. And this was Jordan property. I don't know why Ma left the place to you and not to them. Maybe it was because she knew you turned out to be more Jordan than any of them. Talk about holding a place together. You sure did fine. Yeah, got one Jordan a slave for you, so you could refuse the other Jordans where they come needing. Well, this Jordan is gone. Where, Ben, where? I don't know, but if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Because if I did, you'd call a judge and have him haul me back. The last I saw, she was standard by the stove and a blue dress she'd put on for our supper. I was mad pure through, but just the same, my heart almost turned me back. She looked so, so small like and all alone. Well, let her be alone then. I started off down the path through the gates up the road. And then I turned back. I wanted her enough to go back and eat all my words. When I got to the door, she was turning the crank on the phone. I knew that ring too long, too short. It was the judge's number. She hadn't wasted time having the law on me, so I turned and went and she never saw me. I walked the road clear to town. I knew where I was going and what I was going to do if I met the judge on the way. But Innova did come along the road, so I knew she hadn't reached him. I went straight into town and straight into his office and walked right in on him. And five minutes later, we went back to her together. The judge and me, both. Oh, Judge, I've been calling you to... Ben. Yep, it's me. Can we come in? Why? Why? She means come in, Judge. Good evening, Miss Jane. Good evening, Judge. Ben Jordan. Now, wait a minute. I got two questions, Jane. I was too hasty before to be fair and ask you the first one. Why'd you turn the Jordans down? Because. Now, there's a woman for you. Why, Jane? Same reason I made you work. To make them get up and do something for themselves. That ain't all, Miss Jane. No. Now, what more? Because... because your Ma said to keep the Jordan property together. For you. She said that. Yes. Well, it's worked out, Jane. That is, if you got the right answer to my second question. Oh, Ben. Now, now, wait up, both of you. Miss Jane, before Ben asks you and before you say what you look like you're fair dying to get said, I want to tell you that Ben came to... I don't care. I don't care if he goes to jail. I called to tell you he was gone, so you'd arrest him. And we could have all that behind us, so now I'm glad you arrested him. That's just it, Jane. I didn't. Then... then I don't understand how... How come we're here together? Well, because he come into the office and give up. Because he came in hurrying for a trial right now. He did? Well, ask him. Oh, Ben. I did, and I still do. I want to get my trial in winter loose. I want to marry you and... Well, I... What's the matter? Well, I... I was going to ask you nice, Jane. I didn't mean to holler it out like that. Well... Huh? Well, ask me. Well, I'm... I'm asking. Ask me nicer, Ben. Well, Jane, you... Even if I go to trial in jail, will you marry me? Even if everything, Ben, I will. Hey. Hey, Judge, you're going to be awful busy. First trying me, then marrying me. It'll be a pleasure. You're wrong, Ben. First marry, then trial. Well, why so? Because I want to marry you before and stand by you during your trial so folks will know I'm doing it out of pride. And that's good pride, Ben. Proud of me? Oh, I am, I am. Why? Well, don't you know? Well, I... Look, you two don't need me yet. So, hey, goodbye now. Now tell me why. How can you be proud of me and why? Because you learn to work. Because you learn to put yourself in to work. Because you're... Because I love you. It took a long time for you to say so. And you... You've never even said so. Well, I do. You still haven't said so. Well, just the same, I do. You do what? I love you. Oh, Jane, I love you. Jane. Mm-hmm. Look. Look out the window. Winter's near over. It's coming on spring soon. Snow's pulling back from the ground. There'll be little blue flowers. Like your dress. Blue. The things will thaw out. Hey, yeah. Everything will thaw out fine. Just like Ben Jordan in tonight's play, many people are destroying their own real happiness and the happiness of those around them. By letting old grudges and old grievances remain frozen up, icebound, inside their hearts. Like Ben Jordan too, most of these unhappy men and women can't thaw out their icy inner burdens without the help of God's grace. And many never give themselves a chance to find this help, to discover as Ben did how the warmth of love and companionship can bring an end to such inner conflicts which destroy personal peace. The Church, from its beginnings, has offered this help, has recognized how vital it is that men and women find the way to rid themselves of harbored grudges and grievances. Its religion calls men to self-examination, to the spirit of contrition, to real humility. The beautiful service of Holy Communion emphasizes the necessity to be in love and charity with your neighbors. And it is this blessed spirit of Christian love and charity that has enabled millions to find in the Church and through the sympathetic guidance of an experienced clergyman a way to a full and happy life. If you're already a member of some Church, you know how much the Church and a clergyman can do to help you live in happiness. If you're not a member of any Church, you owe it to yourself and to your family to find out how much richer your rewarding Church membership may help you to make your life too. You're always welcome at your nearest Episcopal Church and you'll find its clergyman ready to meet you and talk with you, ready to tell you what the Episcopal Church stands for and how it offers you a faith to live by. Why not decide right now you and your family together to visit your nearest Episcopal Church at morning service next Sunday? This is Walter Hamden. I would like to thank our cast and especially you, Cornel Wild, for a splendid performance. Next week, ladies and gentlemen, the families of the Protestant Episcopal Church in your own community and the Episcopal Actors Guild will present a charming play that has remained a staunch favorite for many years. It was first produced on Broadway in January 1924 and a year later as a movie, it endeared itself to families all over the country. It's The Goose Hangs High by Lewis Beach. Our guest will be the popular star of Stage and Screen, Mr. Walter Abel. I hope you will join us. Cornel Wild's appearance was through the courtesy of 20th Century Fox, producers of The Snake Pit starring Olivia DeHavilland. Music on tonight's program was composed and conducted by Nathan Crowell. Now an invitation from the church. The Episcopal Church welcomes men and women alike to share in the opportunities for service represented by the church's wide variety of activities. There is important work to do for those less fortunate than ourselves. Work that in the true spirit of the church makes better citizens of us all. So, after services this Sunday, why not