 The Mutual Broadcasting System presents the Family Theatre starring Walter Brennan and Bula Bondi with William Gargan as your host. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Good evening. This is Bill Gargan. And before I say another word, I want to thank all of you on behalf of the Family Theatre for your telegrams, letters, and phone calls, which we received after last week's program. As a matter of fact, so many of you called that the network switchboards here in Hollywood and all over the country were literally jammed. And many of you asked the same question. Who sponsors this program, the Family Theatre? The answer is simple. Nobody. And everybody. The actual show is put together by a lot of us in pictures and radio who agree that the most important thing in the world is our family. My family and yours. We think that a happy family means a happy community. A happy community means a happy country. And happy countries, well, when you love your neighbor, you don't fight with him, do you? And so we offer this program, it's plays and players, with a conviction that prayer, that's what I said, prayer, family prayer, will give us the faith and understanding which we all need to keep our families together. If you're listening to Family Theatre tonight for the first time and you're wondering how faith can help you, why not sit back and listen to Charles Tazwell's story, No Night Too Dark, with Meredith Wilson's orchestra and starring Walter Brennan and Bula Bondi with Jennifer Holt and Jean Reynolds. State Highway number 10, broad and efficient, hurries through the heart of the Broad River Valley and is much too busy to bother with the village itself. There is a marker, however, which points down a wandering black top road, a marker which reads, cold water, two miles. Just under this marker is a hand-lettered sign which says, Jonathan Carter, two and one-tenths miles, dry goods, notions, bargains of all kinds and notary public. Travelers who follow this secondary road will find Jonathan and his favorite rocker on the porch of his store, his wise old eyes bestowing a kindly benediction on Broad River Valley and all its inhabitants, his cat Clementine perched on his shoulder, both of them purring in the warmth of the early spring sunshine. Yes, sir, there's not a doubt about it, Clementine. There's nothing the Lord likes better than a handicap. Now, you take that tree yonder they sawed off last fall, just putting out green shoots like a porcupine. And that crack in the new cement sidewalk is a dandelion pushing up through it to see what sort of spring weather we're being blessed with in cold water. Yes, sir, Clementine, the Lord sure does love and relish a downright discouraging handicap to show off his power and glory. Jonathan? Now, don't jarred me, Sarah. I'm hurrying farce I can't at the post office. That's where you told me you were going 20 minutes ago. Is that rocker as far as you've got? Yep. Got overtook by a thought and set down to puzzle it out. Oh, stuff and pure nonsense. In fact, I got to wondering why you're twice as pretty now as when I paid off for our wedding 40 years ago. If you think you can get around me with a lot of soft stuff. Sarah, now, Sarah, you know I never spoke a truer word in my life. You always were the prettiest. There are moments, Jonathan Carter, when you're purely exasperating. If you keep still till I can tell you what I came out here to say. You know, whatever it is I forgot how, mail, open, fixed, empty, or tend to, directly I get back from the post office, Sarah. That's a solemn promise. But you don't have to go to the post office. That's what I've been trying to tell you. Oh? Mrs. Skinner picked up the mail and left it at our back door. Oh, neighborly woman, Mrs. Skinner, must bathe in the milk of human kindness. Well, there wasn't much. Two bills, three advertisements, and a telegram. Who's dead? Nobody's dead. It's from that Mr. Calder. Oh, let's see. That'd be Will Calder taking. Lieutenant Calder. He was with the Marines. Yeah. That Boston fella that built the cabin out on the river tried books in. That's the one. Mm-hmm. Nice boy. Alice liked Will. First author I ever met that didn't wear his hair like a sheepdog. What do you wire about? He's coming home Saturday. Can't get together a brass band to welcome in on that shot notice. Now, don't you go making any fancy plans, Jonathan. All he wants is the cabin cleaned. And the telegram was to me. Hmm. I never know until now that you and him was that well acquainted. Why, that summer he was here, he was in to buy something nearly every day, don't you remember? Yeah. But I also recollect that was the summer I had Peggy Griffin working on my books. I planted it right by that counter of slow-moving items every time Calder came in. Got rid of six egg beaters, two gallons of sheep dip, and a hog oiler I never expected to sell. Hmm. Well, they made a real handsome couple. Mm-hmm. I spent a deal of time studying the matter over before I matched them up. Why, Jonathan Carter, you had nothing to do with it. Well, who got Peggy to read his book and tell him how wonderful it was? Who got him to take us swimming in that red bathing suit I ordered? COD 598, dealer's discount, F-O-B. Well, Peggy and that Calder fellow would have gotten together without your help. And you know something? I think they had a definite understanding before he left. Oh, I'm certain sure they did. She had the same happy cat-eat-the-cream grapeful look that you had when I asked you to marry me. Why, Jonathan, I never did. Clumb unbelieving of your good fortune. Of all the tall stories, but I haven't the time or the inclination to argue nonsense. I'm running over to ask Mrs. Scuddy if she wants the job of cleaning. Yeah. The customer shows up while I'm gone. See if you can stir yourself to wait on him. Yeah. And if Peggy Griffin comes in, restrain yourself just this once, Jonathan, and don't go asking questions. Won't open the mouth. Well, see that you don't. Just mind your own business and stay out of trouble till I get back. I won't talk to nobody but Clementine. Won't ask a question of any living soul. I give you my promise, Sarah. If Peggy Griffin comes in here driving a team of six horses, she won't drag one single question past my lips. But it's nothing I want to talk about, Jonathan. And if you don't mind, I'd like a bucket of carpet tax. Right, Yonder, on the notion counter, Peggy. You can pick them out yourself. Thank you. You know, I always been terrible grateful to the Lord that he never afflicted me with even a small wart of curiosity in other folks affairs. Which are the big-headed tax, Jonathan? In the green box. Yes, sir. Somehow there's nothing in all creation that displeasures me as much as seeing a pretty girl all set to bust down for a good cry. Where do you keep the sink strainers? Next door to the fly paper there. You know, I bet you can't guess who's coming back to cold water. That is one of the few bad bets you ever made, Jonathan. You're talking about Will Calder, aren't you? Oh, shucks. I thought I was going to surprise you. But I bet you don't know that he's... That he's coming back Saturday? Yes, I know that, too. Here, would you put these things in a bag for me, please? Surely. Uh, since your telegram, did he... Nope. How much do I owe you? Twenty-eight cents. Wrote your letter? Nope. Can you change your five? I think you can. How'd you find out about Will? A telegram isn't very secret in a place as small as cold water. The whole village is talking about the one he sent Sarah. City, fifty, one dollar, two, three, four, and five. Thank you. You know, it's powerful strange him not letting you know. I thought you and Will was... Oh, darn it, Jonathan. Well, I was just remarking... You have to keep on and on and on. But all I ever said was... All right, I'm crying. Now, I hope you're satisfied. Well, you're bound to do it one place and another. I came in for some tax at a six-trader. And all I get is Will Calder. Will Calder, Will Calder. Here, have a handkerchief. Compliments to the store. Go ahead and cry all you like. Got plenty of pills and pans to bail out the place. You just minded your own business. Shucks. You are my business. So is Will Calder. So is everybody else in cold water. You've got to live with them, don't I? I'm a bed and board surrounded by a parcel of weeping willows. Come on now, blow your nose and tell me why a writing fellow like Will Calder suddenly comes down with writers cramped and can't send you even a postcard. Well... Well, he did write for a while. Three letters a week sometimes. Sure. Long letters. Yeah? Then... Well, then he just stopped. Did you keep on writing to him? Yes. But you never got no answer back? No. That's powerful strange. I do think. Well, there might be some other girl. Could be. Well, in that case... Only I don't think so. You don't, Jonathan. No. My guess is that the very same thing overtook Will has overtook a lot of other boys. What's that? Well, you see, when a fellow is a long way off somewhere, he feels he's clear out of touch with things and folks back home. And when he gets back, he'll be so changed that he can't never put on the harness of everyday living. Yes, but don't you think so? I think Will stopped writing because he wanted to come back to cold water and find out how he fit it in. Until he found out for sure why he wanted you to feel free to do as you liked. Well, I'd like to think that. But it's just your idea, Jonathan. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with it. You can't build any plans on it. All right. I'm going to prove it ain't an idea, but a fact. How? There ain't nothing a man or a fish will snap that quicker in a tasty morsel of bait. We're having a party. Oh, what? You and me and Sarah are giving a homecoming for Will. Come, Saddy, out to his cabin. Oh, Jonathan. You'll be wearing your prettiest dress, and when Will called it comes up the path and sees you standing there in the door, why, he won't be having a doubt in his mind. Why won't he? Because no man is so dog-gone ambidextrous he can hold a doubt in his mind, a girl in his arms, one at the same time. Shucks. You just leave it to me, Peggy. Come, Saddy, night, you're practically a married woman. Jonathan? Will you please get me some wood out back of the cabin and leave those olives alone? Oh, I was just winnowing out the runny ones, Sarah. And by the time Will gets here, there won't be any left. Shucks kind of recollect that Will don't fancy stuffed ones anyhow. You don't recollect anything of the kind. If you go and get into just... Jonathan, if you love me, don't pick at that chocolate cake. Just brushing a fly off, Sarah. There are no flies this hour of the night. What time is it? Shouldn't Will's train be in by now? Sure. But it whistled for the station half hour back. Well, and if he takes his ab taxi, you ought to be along any minute. Where's Peggy got to? She's out in front in the car. Trying to find out where you put the spoons I gave you. Spoons? Yes, the spoons. Oh, they're wrapped in some napkins under the hood. Why on earth did you put them there? Keep the carburetor from rattling. My stars. I'll go get the wood for the stove. Sarah? Jonathan? Yes, Peggy? I just heard the car turn in from the main road. You did? How's my hair all right? How do I look? Oh, perfectly beautiful. You are as slick and pretty as a new red fire engine. Yeah, yeah. That's Zeb's taxi all right. I'd know that engine knock over a convention of woodpeckers. Do you think you'll like me? That's the craziest question I ever heard. Now, here's what we'll do. We'll close the door all but a crack so as we can see. Then just as he comes up the walk, we'll throw it open and yell, Welcome home, Will. Go ahead, now. Zeb's stuck, not in front. I can't see Will. Can you? I'll just hold your horses. Listen, wasn't that a dog? Sure was. Will must have brought one home with him. Yes, there it is. It just jumped out of the taxi. Big dog, too. Oh, he always did love dogs. He wrote me once about a pup that he picked up. It is, Will. See, he's just getting out of it. Jonathan. He's got a cane. And he's wearing dark glasses. Jonathan. Oh, good lord. Oh, no. Dear lord. Oh, God save us. The boy's blind. Yes, Sarah. It's me. Just where on earth have you been ever since supper? Oh, out and about. Out and about doing what? Well, I walked some and I thought some and talked just to Mike. Talked to who? Let me see now. I guess it was Peggy Griffin. So you've been meddling again? Just middling, meddling. The girl feels powerful bad, Sarah. I don't doubt that in the least. She went out to Will's cabin this afternoon. The door was locked and he wouldn't answer. Well, if he's still as stiff-necked as he was when he came to the cabin last evening, I think she'd be satisfied to just let him alone. That's easy to say, Sarah. Big trouble is she loves the boy. All right. Maybe she loves him. But if Will doesn't want her... Shucks. He's crazy about her. Why, that was only his dog gone pride talking so big and independent when he asked us to all take our leave and not come back. Now listen, Jonathan. And if we'd stayed just five minutes more, why, he'd have busted down and ball like a kid that's lost and scared. He told us just as plain as could be. Sure he did, sure he did. But it ain't only his eyes that's blind, Sarah. Why, his whole mind and reasons locked up in the dark too. All right. But there's nothing under the sun you can do about it, is there? Now go on, change your shirt and get ready for church. Oh. I ain't going to church this evening. No, Jonathan. Did Alma pray in this morning? But you promised me that you'd go. Hey, get some work to do. Concerning Peggy Griffin and Will Calder, I'll be bound. Could be, and maybe... Oh, Jonathan, just this once. Won't you tend to your own business and leave some things to the Lord? Why, the Lord loves them that help themselves and others, Sarah. If you want to misquote the scripture. You go right along to church now. In the meantime, there's some business for the Lord and me out to Will Calder's cabin. Good evening, Will. Who is it? Carter. Oh. Out for a walk and calling myself up this way. Yeah. Pretty night. Moons are round and there's yellows of beehive. The sky's just buzzing with stars. Is it? Sure is. I wouldn't know. Money pretty night. Mind if I set? Well, if you like. Thanks. Hey, hear that fiddle? That's old Tim Peabody. Lives in a shack down by the creek. It's good fishing there on a sultry day. You know, there's a granddaddy... You might as well get down to brass tacks or horse collars or whatever you're dealing in, Jonathan. Why, what do you mean, Will? You didn't walk up here to the cabin because it's a pretty night and Peabody's playing his fiddle. There's a trout in the creek. Didn't I? You came up to talk about Peg Griffin. Well, well now. I'm glad you brought up her name. All I thought she might be a right good subject for conversation. You're wasting your time, Carter. Tell me why? Because it's one thing you can't ever fix. Oh, feeling powerful. Sorry for yourself, ain't you? Now, that's my business. With a whole lifetime to play, I'm going to retire into the sidelines to say the game's called on the count of darkness. I don't want one of your pep talks, Jonathan. You're going to prove to everybody you're the most miserable and unfortunate fella in the whole face of the earth. I told you last night to stay away and leave me alone. You're going to hide out to mope and mule so your friends will feel real sorry for you. That's not the reason and you know it. You're going to make Peggy Griffin feel she's being plum disloyalty every time she goes out somewhere with another man. No, that's not the reason and you know it as well as I do. You can give me a reason with some sense to it if you can. Sure I can give you a reason. There's only one. I'm blind. There's not a big enough reason. Can't you realize what it is to be blind? To know you'll never be able to see again? I'm no earthly use to Peggy Griffin, the world of myself. I'm through, finished for good. Now when you get out of here and leave me alone. Now, now, easy boy, easy. And I haven't done this before. I want you to know that. Sure, sure. I didn't even when they told me what had happened to me. I know you didn't will. You come up here and hammer at me and talk about Peggy. Sure, sure. I'm sorry. I guess you know I'm crazy about her. Yeah, I know that. But even you can see that I haven't the right to hold her to a promise we made before this thing happened to me. Well, maybe you don't realize how much she loves you. Well, maybe she does. But she's got to get over it. You're asking for a miracle, son. But don't you see? I'm living in a world different than she is. A dark world where things have no size or color. Only sound or taste or smell or feel. You think that matters? Of course it matters. Well, when you get a bit older, Will, you'll know that sight is only one of the things that help us along. Oh, it's a wonderful thing to be able to see. One of the Lord's greatest blessings. But you know something? All the things I love and remember best ain't the things I've seen with my eyes. They're the things I've heard or tasted or smelled or touched. That's all very easy to say. But it's true. Why, if my ears hear a few bars of an old song, I can bring back a whole wonderful day that I lived as a boy. I'm walking down a road again with a dog I love trotting at my heels. Yes, and although the years have dimmed the memory of my mother's face, if I smell the spicy perfume of Petudia's just at dusk, I can see her standing in her garden and smiling at me. Plain is plain and just as alive as you and me. Yeah, but, Jonathan, I can't... Oh, yes, you can. I'm still young. I can't live on memories of the past. You don't have to. Why, you can see as well as me if you just try. You don't mean that, Jonathan. You're just trying to make me feel good. I said you can see as well as me. Why, I can close my eyes and tell you everything going on around this cabin. You can. Sure I can. Yeah. You hear that scraping over the yonder on the tree limb? Yeah. Now he's just had himself a field mouse and now he's cleaning up his beak. You hear that squeaking? Squirrels got him a home in that same tree and got woke up. There's... I think I hear a little noise at the corner of the porch. Sure you do. That's a hoppy toad. Skinny and light from sleeping the winter. How can you tell? Take him long jumps. Wrong about July, he'll prop a lot harder. Yeah, and listen. Listen to that rustling over in the bushes. That's Mr. Weasel setting out to hunt his dinner. Do you think I could ever... You can do it right now. Now come on. Listen and tell me what you see. Well, you're smoking your pipe. I heard you scratch a match a moment ago. And now I smell tobacco. You're dead right. The moon's a lot higher. It must be right overhead. Because that nigh bird started to crawl. Right again. You just crossed your legs. I heard the scrape of the cloth. And you've taken off your hat because I heard a drop on the porch. You see how easy it is? Well, it isn't hard at all when you get onto it. Easy as eating plum jam. Listen. Isn't that someone walking up the road? Is it? Yeah. Didn't you hear that stone roll? You see, your eyes are sharper than mine. Now tell me. Is it a man or a woman? A man, I think. No. No, it's a woman. All right. What color dress is she wearing? Well, I don't know, Jonathan. How can I tell? Well, women folks always walk different in different colors. They do? How? Oh, girls in black dresses always walk slow and sedate. Now, red always makes them kind of flirt with the heels. Yeller? Well, a yeller dress is just like a spring dance. Now, what color would you say this one's wearing? She's wearing... She's wearing a yellow dress. Well, I don't know. It's a yellow dress. And it's Peg Griffin. Will? Hello, Peg. Hello. May I come and talk to you? Why, sure. Sure you can, Peg. I came up this afternoon, but... Well, you wouldn't let me in. Well, that doesn't matter now, does it? No. No, it doesn't matter at all. Peg. Yes, Will. What color dress are you wearing? What color? Yes, I'd like to know. Just to prove something. Why? Why, it's a yellow dress. A yellow dress? Did you hear that, Jonathan? She's wearing a yellow dress, just like I said. Sure it is. Didn't I tell you that you can see as well as anyone? Now, go ahead and kiss her. And if anyone tries to tell you you're blind, you tell him he's a two-faced liar. Yes, Sarah, I'm down here on the front porch. Let Neptune out for a run before he goes to bed. Oh, sharks, it's a wonderful night. Real spring-like. And a mushy, will you look at that, Clementine? That bush I thought was through for good is sprouting up new again. No two ways about it, Clementine, is nothing the Lord likes better than a handicap. Whether it's a lilac bush or no tree, or we'll call it, the Lord has a way of managing things. Why, Clementine, he's got a way of pushing a blade of grass plumbed through concrete. Got a way of making a blind man see right smack beyond the stars. Hungry, Clementine? That's what you get for looking at the Milky Way. Makes you hungry, kind of, don't it, Clementine? This is Bill Goggin again expressing our thanks to Walter Brennan, Bula Bondi, Jennifer Holt, and Jean Reynolds for such delightful performances. Thanks also to Charles Tazwell for his script of No Night Too Dark. You know, some of you folks listening in, you're lucky. I mean those of you who listened with your families. I wonder if you ever really stop to think about what it means to have a family. If you love your family and your family loves you, well, what more could a guy want? But I don't have to tell you, even though you do have a happy family life, there are times when you get a little worried, like maybe when one of the kids gets sick. Very sick. And your whole family gets scared. So scared you don't know what to do and you don't know where to turn. Well, look, have you a thought about maybe saying a prayer and turning to God? No one can give you greater comfort. Yes, and no one can give you more help. Ask God to keep your family together. Ask Him to keep it well and happy. You know, none of us is so self-sufficient that we can ignore God's help. None of us is so proud that we need hesitate to ask it. Just remember, you never know how much a prayer can do until you've said one. Ask and ye shall receive. Doesn't that sound familiar? Before saying good night, I want to express our thanks to all of you who have helped make this program possible. Thanks also to Richard Sandbill for directing our play tonight. Next week, our stars in the Family Theater will be Bing Crosby, Irene Dunn and Dana Andrews. In another story by Charles Tazwell, entitled J. Smith and Wife. Now, this is Bill Goggin saying, good night all. Next week and in the weeks that follow, you will hear more of your favorite stars, such as Bing Crosby, Joseph Cotton, Maureen O'Hara, Gregory Peck, Lionel Barrymore, Susan Peters, Charles Bickford, Ruth Hussey and Paddle Bryan, in plays written especially for Family Theater by the nations leading radio dramatists and directed by the most outstanding directors. This series of the Family Theater broadcasts is produced by Bob Longnecker and comes to you through the cooperation of the Mutual Network and the actors, writers and directors of the radio and motion picture industries. This program is broadcast overseas to our armed forces through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.