 Starring Raymond Massey in a tooth for Paul Revere, Steven Vincent Benet for the Cavalcade of America. You may think this isn't a true story, but if you do, never mention it over Massachusetts way because the people around Conker in Lexington and Boston know that it did happen. There are monuments and placards to commemorate it. Monuments to the Minutemen who fired the shot heard round the world. The shot that told the nation that America had taken her stand for liberty. But, uh, confidentially, it all began with Lige Butterwick. Lige lived on a farm about eight miles out of Lexington, Massachusetts, and he was a peaceable man. But one morning in April, 1775, he woke up with a bad toothache. Ouch! Now, Lige, you just hold still and keep that bag of salt on your cheek. I got it real nice and hot again. Thanks, Hannah. Yeah, you certainly got it hot. Is it any? I said, does it eat it any? Not one darn concerned, ding-busted mic. Lige Butterwick. I'm sorry, Hannah. I'm not a profane man, mostly, but there's tooth. Hannah, take that cat right outside, Hannah. She's meowing and stamping round here like a herd of elephants. Will you take that cat outside? Oh, Lige Butterwick, you listen to me, and it's getting so you're not fit company for a Christian woman. Guess you're right, Hannah. But when it jumps like that... Well, it isn't going to jump like that. I'm going to saddle up the horse and ride into Lexington and have it out this morning. And while you're away, perhaps I can get some work done without hearing your durn and concerns of a living moment. Aim to plow the Southfield today. Lige Butterwick. Cross money to get your tooth pulled. Cheap at the price. Oh, all right, Hannah. The tooth's a tooth. Guess it better. Now, you go right down to Barbara Joe's, and when it's out, don't you stay too long with those Liberty Boys at the tap. They're a wild lot. Morning, Eben. Go into Lexington. Might be. Law of business? Ah, looks kind of painful. Is? Well, Barbara Joe can fix it for you, I guess. Say, Lige... Huh? Decided yet about joining the Minutemen? Not yet. I'd like to have you, Lige. Appreciate it. Ain't decided yet. The way I figure it is, trouble's coming. We can't let other folks tramp on us. The way I figure it is, nobody's gonna tramp on me, but I'm still making up for mine. Well, man's got a right to do that. Morning, Eben. Got to be getting on to Barbara Joe's. Morning, Lige. Hey, lookin' catch me, Lige. Got to go to Parton Clark to shave an important customer. You sit right down in this chair. I'll be with you. Now? Open wide. Ah! Ah! Well, certainly is a tooth. I'm certain that I know it's a tooth. Thing is, can you pull her or can't you? That's all I want to know. I can pull her, Lige. She's a blockin' tackle if I have to. She's got long roots and strong roots. She's gonna leave an awful gap. Now, what you really need... Oh, it's takin' away my business. It's one of these here artificial teeth to go in that gap. Artificial teeth? That's flying in the face of nature. No, it ain't, Lige. Artificial teeth is all I go these days. Do me good to see you with an artificial tooth. I might do you good, but supposin' I did want one. I'll entunk it good to get one here in Lexington. Ah, you just leave that to me. You have to go to Boston for her, but I know just the man. He's the beer. They say he's a boss workman. Just take a look at this here prospectus. Whereas many persons are so unfortunate to lose their foreteeth, that's your Lige. Yeah? Yeah. To their great detriment, not only in looks but in speakin'. This is to inform all such that they may have them replaced by artificial ones, see? I look as well as the natural teeth. And he's got his name here, Paul Revere Silversmith, here the head of Dr. Clarksworth, Boston Mass. Silversmith. Never heard of him. What's Silversmith got to do with teeth? Oh, you don't know Paul Revere. He's a regular wizard. A regular wizard with his tools. Well, I don't hold with wizard. And I never heard of this Revere. But I guess I'll take your advice, Joe, and thank you. You'll never regret it, Lige. That's all right, youngster. But next time you bump into a man with a toothache, just bump a little easier with you. What's all the commotion about? Commotion, mister? I said commotion. This used to be a town attended to its own business. Now it's all stirred up. Why haven't you heard the great news, mister? It's a secret, of course, but... Come here, son. Excuse me, sir, but I've often told the boy not to talk to strangers. Hard to tell who's friend or enemy these days. I don't remember seeing you in Lexington before. Name's Lige Butterwick. Don't get into town very often. Butterwick, eh? Well, Mr. Butterwick, my advice to you is to go right back where it came from. We're choosy about strangers right now in Lexington. Now, mister, I am a peaceful man, and I don't want any quarrels. But nobody's gonna tell me what to do and where to go. If I didn't have a toothache and wasn't going to Boston to get Paul Revere to fix it... Please, Mr. Butterwick, speak just a little lower. I'd known you were one of our men. I'd never have spoken as I did. But I've just come from Mr. Hancock and Mr. Adams. And I stay in at passing clocks. And I didn't see you there. Yes, I wasn't there to see. That's right. Don't give anything away. No, I wasn't, Tunkett. Just because the man wants to get his tooth pulled by a fellow named Revere... That stupid expression of yours, Mr. Butterwick, must be worth a fortune to you as a secret agent. But I mustn't detain you any longer. I know you want to be off. But tell Mr. Revere that we all want to see that tooth pulled. Every true son of liberty in Lexington. Well, that's real neighborly of you, but... No more words. Here, William. Well, Mr. Butterwick's horse. God speed you, Butterwick. Thank you. Beats me. Wonder what it's all about. You are listening to A Tooth for Paul Revere, an original play by Stephen Vincent Benet, starring Raymond Massey on The Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, makers of better things for better living through chemistry. And now as we return to our story, we find Lige Butterwick in Boston, stopping at a tavern for a bite and a sip before he goes on to see Paul Revere. A veil, please, and some bread and cheese. Find Aile, please. I heard you the first time. Thank you. Well, here's to Boston. You've been in Boston long, stranger? First time in four years. What kind of change, if you ask me? Maybe you tell us just how Boston changed, stranger. Well, that's hard for me to say, but of course there's all these soldiers in the streets. Then there's the ships in the harbor with their guns pointed right to the city. Never seen that before. What's all about? Ship called Somerset, seer from the road. Guns pointed right to the city. Better change your conversation, stranger. That'll be a shilling. Oh, sure, sure. Well, beautiful weather we're having. Better weather for Boston. Maybe for Boston, but out in the country we'd call it good planting weather. Oh, yes, I was mistaken in you. It is good planting weather for some kinds of trees. And what kinds of trees were you thinking of, neighbor? Needin' poke me in the ribs like that, friend. There's trees and trees, you know. Well, I know that. You needin' poke me, neither. You in the blue coat, as I would say. The Liberty Tree. May it soon be watered with the blood of tyrant. The Royal Oak! And Card Shave King Card, you want it? There's half my Sunday coat gone galley west. And all over planting trees. Are all the folks in Boston crazy? Here, friend, let me help you up. I'm glad to help any man against these Boston rebels. Well, I don't know about rebels, but I come here to get my toothpicks. I wonder if you could help me. You see, I come to see a fella named Paul Revere. Paul Revere? I'll be glad to tell you how to find him. You see those soldiers of the King over there? Yeah. Well, you go right over to one of them and say, hey, lobster back. Why do I call him that? Well, may I read coats? And the minute the soldier hears it, he'll know just the sort of man you are. You'll see you get to Paul Revere, or wherever else you ought to be. Lobster back. Lobster back. Yeah. Well, much obliged to you, friend. Out where I live, we don't know all these fancy Boston names for soldiers. You just try this one. Try it and see. Lobster back. Lobster back. Hey, excuse me, Mr. Lobster back. Sergeant, he called me a lobster back. Just as bold as brass. What, Mr. Lobster back? Shit, I'm an American citizen. You let go of my coat. Take your hands off me. This Clarksworth? What's the matter? Can't you read the sign? Why, uh, sure, sure. Number 27. Must be Paul Revere. Afternoon, Mr. Revere. Nice shop you got here. But you look kind of young to be... Oh, uh, Mr. Revere's over there, sir. Behind the counter. Excuse me, but my business book's not laid out. Oh! Uh, Mr. Revere. Yes, Mr. Began? Order 300 weight-footers, sons of liberty. I'll attend to it. Mr. Revere! Mr. Revere! Master Revere, where is he? I must see him at once. Can't you just hold your horses one minute, lady? I was here before. Stand out of my way, my good man. Now, Master Revere, I am so disappointed in you. Oh, I'm sorry for that, madam. But why? That silver service you made me. I wanted the best. I certainly paid for the best. And what have you given me? My best work, madam. Within my hands for six months. Six months, indeed. What? It looks like something made for the lower classes. I wanted something I could show the governor. But this! This is as plain as dirt and as simple as a picket fence. Simple and plain? Well, you pay me high compliments, madam. Compliments? I'm sending it back tomorrow. But there isn't as much as a coat of arms on the cream jug. I told you I wanted a sugar bowl covered with silver grapes. The service goes back. I'll send to Italy instead. Send away, madam. We are making new things in this country. Silver is clean and plain as the New England hills. And we may make a new nation, too. But as for you, with your coats of arms and your grapes and your lower classes, I chase you out of my shop. I've never been so insulted in my life. Out of my shop! Ah! That's a relief. All right, you can put up the shutters, Peter. We'll shut for the day. Yes, Mr. Revere. Peter. No word yet from Dr. Warren. Good for you, Mr. Revere. What then? I said good for you. The way you're stuck up to that lady about things and... and things. Well, thank you, my friend. And, uh, who in the world are you? Well, that's kind of a long story, Mr. Revere. It is, Mr. Revere, isn't it? Mm-hmm. But, closing or not, you'll have to listen to me. The barber told me so. Barber. Barber Joe. What barber? Barber Joe. Oh, eh, eh, eh. You're what? My tooth went into Lexington this morning with a spittin' toothache. Lexington! And you were there this morning? That's just what I'm telling you. When I went in to Barber Joe's, I said to him, Joe, I said... Man, man, don't waste your words. There's a revolution boiling in this country. Were Hancock and Adams still a Parson Clark? Would you mind just saying those names again? Good heavens. Is there a man in the American colonies who doesn't know John Hancock and Sam Adams? Well, there seems to be me. But now, come to think of it. Yeah? There was two strangers staying at the Parson H. Hancock and Adams still there. The British ready to march and must be warned. Do you see many soldiers who came to my shop, Mr. Butterwick? See them? They chased me into a tar barrel. And there was a whole parcel of them up by the common. Looked as if they meant business. They do mean business. Mr. Butterwick, you may not know it, but you have done the colonies in invaluable service. Hancock and Adams shall be warned. Well, that's very nice, Mr. Revere, but what about my tooth? Well, you're a stubborn man, Mr. Butterwick. But all the better, I like stubborn men. We're going to need them in America. And as you've helped me, I'll do my best to help you. Now, I've made artificial teeth, but pulling them is hardly my trade. Still just open wide for a moment. All right. Mr. Butterwick, it seems to be a compound, a glutinated infraction of an upper molar. I can't do very much about it tonight, but here's a little medicine that may make you more comfortable. Smells like sherry wine. It's got a queer, sleepy taste to it. Yeah, that's right. I put up my own prescriptions, too. Now I look for some liniment for you. Mr. Revere. Yes, I'll find it in a moment. Taint that. It's a queer kind of shop he got here, Mr. Revere. A minute ago, I could have sworn I saw something move in that cupboard. Something with legs. And say, what's in that little bottle there, Mr. Revere? What, man? Oh, that's just a little experiment of mine. I call it Essence of Boston. There's a good deal of east wind in it, though. Essence of Boston? Well, they did say you was a wizard, and I'll believe it. It's genuine magic, I suppose. Genuine magic, of course. And here's the box for the liniment. Much plied. But what's this other little box, the silver one? Pick it up. Mighty pretty work. That's my own design. Those stars around the edge, 13 of them. And the eagle. But what's in it? What's in it? What's all around us, Mr. Butterwick? Gunpowder and war. And the making of a new nation. But the time isn't quite right yet. Not quite right. You mean, you mean this here revolution folks keep talking about? You got it shut up in this box? Why, I could let... A message from Dr. Warren. Give it to me, boy. Peter, get my writing boots. Hurry. Mr. Revere. I'm sorry, Mr. Butterwick, but I just received a very important message. Peter, my boots. Get my boots. May have to write all night. But Mr. Revere, what about my tooth? It hurts. Sadly, Mr. Butterwick, it's often like that. Something hurts and you don't know why. Something stirs and you don't know why. There may be a tooth or a country. But when it hurts, you know. You're a farmer, Mr. Butterwick? Yes, sir. I've earned all my life. Aimed to be a peaceable man. Uh-huh. And there are so many of you. So many who wanted to be peaceable. And yet, it isn't until you awaken that a country awakens. You understand me, Mr. Butterwick? Takes me a little time, but I'm starting to. Yeah, I'm starting to. All right, then you take this box, Mr. Butterwick. Here, hold it in your hand. Now I'll have to leave you. But you can stay here till you feel that you have to go. Bring the box to me when you feel like it. I'm trusting it to you. To your sanity and common sense in the way you feel about your neighbors. My boots, Peter. My riding boots. Yeah. Ugh. Must have gone to sleep. But where am I? Seems like a dream. He told me I could stay here till I felt I had to go. And he put the box in my hand. But good glory. It's the box with the revolution inside it. Now what am I going to do? Gunpowder and war and the making of a new nation. It's a mighty dreadful responsibility, Lodge Butterwick. Of course, maybe he was fooling me. No, there's something inside it all right. Ain't got a keyhole. But maybe if I put my ear to it and listen. There's a musket tire or I'm a Dutchman. And that's people cheering. Oh my, it's true. But what can I do about it? Wish Mr. Revere was here because, oh, what can I do? So that's it. So that's why he calls for his rotten boots. But he's not me. He's another sort of man. Well, there's plenty of us around Lexington and we got guns. But I never aimed to fight and die. I just aimed to farm. What was it? Was it that fellow Revere said? He said he couldn't do it all. He said it wasn't until folks like me wake up that a country wakens. Yeah, that's what he said. And it means something. I'm a peaceable man, but to chase me into a tar barrel shouldn't do things like that to a man. Why, I'm not a British or even a colonist. I'm a New Englander. And maybe there's something beyond that, something that Hancock and Adams knows about. And if it has to come with a revolution, well, I guess it has to come. We get to start being American sometime in this country to build a new country and build it clean and plain. Paul Revere, I got to find Paul Revere. But you got to let me have a boat, lady. No, you don't get any boats for me. There was a crazy man along here an hour ago and he wanted a boat across the river and my husband was crazy enough to take him. And they tore up my best bear pedicot to muffle the arms. Was his name Revere Paul Revere? I need one, my best bear pedicot. Keep your head down. Passing the British fleet. If I hadn't seen the color of your money, I'd turn back. Don't think to try that, friend. What's that light over there? A light in the Old North Church. I don't know why they got it lighted tonight. I don't like it. You keep quiet or we'll never get to shore. Miss Johnson? What you expected to be? New Orleans? That's your horse that's hitched there? Of course, my horse. I'm taking it. Why, you say what do you think you're doing? Thank me. It's the American Revolution and we're taking your horse. Come on, get out. Has a man been by here? A man in the horse named Paul Revere? Ever jumped horses? Hedges' horse. We'll need a ride. But here goes... Ulster, I fire! How far am I out of Lexington? Well, just about a mile by the side we'll stop at the house. Your horse looks tired to death and blood on your coat. But no time to stop. Got the American Revolution with me. This is my friend with the toothache. What brings you here, Mr. Butterwick? This is the same errand you had. Did you get to Hancock and Adams? Yeah, they're warned. And you've done your country a great service, Mr. Butterwick. The British caught me near Concord and let me go again. But if it hadn't been for you, I'd never have gotten to Lexington on time. Well, you better take this horse of mine. He's blown, but there's work left in him. By the way, Mr. Revere, I got a little boxy horse. You know what's in it? Yes, I know now. And I know what's over there in Lexington Green. There's soldiers over there, Mr. Revere. Regular soldiers. And there's neighbors of mine that I know. Do you see them standing up to those regulars, Mr. Revere? And do you hear what they're saying? I hear, and I see. Then here goes with a little box. You know what you've done? You let out the American Revolution. Well, I guess it was about time. And I guess I'll go along to the Green. I can borrow a gun over there, and I guess I'll need it. But, uh, your tooth, Mr. Butterwick? After all. Oh, a tooth's a tooth, but a country's a country. And we're going to make this one right and make it here and now. In a few moments, we will hear again from our star, Raymond Massey. In the meantime, a brief story of how DuPont photographic microfilm is safeguarding today's vitally important plans and records. Before a bombing plane can be built, draftsmen must make 60,000 mechanical drawings 30 tons of blueprints must be made before the building of a battleship is completed. In the Library of Congress are copies of nearly 10 million books. In the public and private archives of the nation is stored the recorded knowledge on which the cultural and industrial life of the nation is based. If enemy bombs should destroy these priceless records, how would we duplicate them? A bombed building can be built up again, but ideas, designs, patents, formulae, masterpieces, of architecture may be lost to us forever. Today, invaluable records of this sort are photographed on microfilm. An entire drawing, even a whole page of a newspaper, may be copied on a tiny piece of film no larger than a postage stamp. A plant manufacturing machine tools found itself with 400,000 charts that took up 1,500 square feet of floor space. Reduced to microfilm, the whole lot could be stored away in two drawers of a letter file. Telephone companies, water companies, gas and electric corporations today are microfilming their records. If a city is bombed, repair crews will know just where to go to repair breaks, even if original engineering plans and records are damaged or lost. Records which must be added to or changed are re-photographed periodically and kept up to date. Some utility companies are doing this every six months. The DuPont company also has microfilms under strictest surveillance, all of its engineering drawings. Banks photograph checks for a permanent record that can be filed away without taking up room. Letters written by soldiers abroad are microfilmed so that a single airplane bound for home can carry the equivalent of tons of mail. The army and navy are making other uses of the film that can't be told until the war is over. Newspapers from 37 countries are now available through Harvard's microfilm service. The secret of microfilm is an ultra-fine grain emulsion with what photographers call high-resolving power and inherent contrast. That is, it can record extremely fine detail, so fine that in reducing a drawing to the size of a pinhead, 1,900th of the original area and then enlarging it, all of the essential detail is preserved. Furthermore, this film has a tough surface that reduces the possibility of scratches and lengthens its life. Made by DuPont, it is called DuPont Safety Microcopy. Microcopy film is a DuPont contribution to better things for better living through chemistry. Ladies and gentlemen, here is our star, Raymond Massey. Thank you, Mr. Collier. I found it a great pleasure to play Lige Butterwick on the cavalcade tonight. I even like playing his toothache. For men like Lige are the salt of the earth. Freemen slow to anger and strong of purpose. They made this country what it is, and men like them will keep it that way. I'd also like to thank the cavalcade players for their generous help. Thank you, Mr. Massey. And now news about next Monday's program. Our star will be Claudette Colbert. Our play, Remember the Day, a play full of tenderness and meaning about a schoolteacher who helped mold the life of a great American. It is adapted from 20th Century Fox's motion picture of the same name. Don't forget next Monday on the cavalcade of America, the lovely star, Claudette Colbert, in Remember the Day. The orchestra and original score on tonight's program were under the direction of Don Worries. DuPont is happy to announce that Raymond Massey is now to be seen in Cecil B. DeMille's production Reap the Wild Wind. On the cavalcade of America, your announcer is Clayton Collier sending best wishes from DuPont. This program came to you from New York. This is the National Broadcasting Company.