 The DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware, makers of better things for better living through chemistry, presents the Cavalcade of America, starring Bobby Driscoll. We transcribed a special Christmas story for tonight. A true story we presented four years ago during the holiday season. The day they gave babies away. Our star Bobby Driscoll plays the part of Robbie. This is a true story. It happened to a small boy. His father was dead and he lived with his mother and his brothers and sisters in a little town on the Fox River in Wisconsin, and the boy's name was Robbie. Robbie. Yes, Mama. Better clean this lamp tomorrow. Can't see where I'm stitching. You ought to go to bed, Mama. Got to finish this shirk waste for Mrs. Runyon. Oh crow face. That ain't a good way to talk, Robbie. I hate Mrs. Runyon. Mrs. Runyon was very kind to give me this sewing to do. She sure lets you know she's kind, too. You'd think she was giving us charity or something. It's just the way she is, Robbie. She means well. Oh, will you pick up that school of thread for me, dear? Thank you. I wish you'd let me get a job at the login camp up at Berlin, Mom. The cook said he'd take me on as his helper. Not till you finish sixth grade. Oh, that won't be before next spring. If I pass. Your Papa wouldn't want you going to work without an education, Robbie. Neither would Papa want you sitting up all night sewing fro crow face. Robbie. I'm sorry, Mama. How about Saturdays? Can I work at the camp on Saturdays? It'd be a big help, if you would, Robbie. A real big help. Geography. Mama sent a hat to practice, Jimmy. Oh, I'd like to hear Kirk play. That shows what sense you got, Annabelle. Can't you do it in a woodshed, Kirk? No. We'll pick her up, Elizabeth. Hi, Robbie. She denied it. No, I didn't. All right, all right. Now let me in the house. Hi, Rob. Hello, Kirk. How much did you make today, Rob? Same as last week. House chance is on taking me next Saturday. Oh, you're too young for this work, Jimmy. I'm only a year younger than you. Two years. A year. All right. A year and ten months then. What's the difference? Well, it ain't two years. Will you take me next Saturday? Mama needs you around here, Jimmy. Oh. Where is Mama? Mama's laying down. Does she feel bad, Annabelle? She's tired. She's laying down. Well, I'm going to tell her I'm back. Mama. I'm awake, Robbie. Do you feel all right? A little tired. That's all. I can work full time up at the camp if you'll let me, Mama. I think you better finish school, Jimmy. Robbie, Mama. Oh. Are you sure you're all right? I'm tired and got a little upset stomach. That's all. You want me to get Dr. Delbert? We got no money to spend on doctors, Robbie. All I need is a night's sleep. All right, then. Good night, Mama. Good night, Robbie. What's the matter? Wake up, Robbie. What are you doing out of bed, Elizabeth? Mama scares me. What do you mean? Are you getting dressed, Robbie? I'm going to get Dr. Delbert. Keep for a while now. What's the matter with her, Dr. Delbert? Typhoid fever. Your mama's a very sick woman. A very sick woman. Do you understand, Robbie? You mean... you mean she might not get better? Well, we can always hope. But I want you to come running if there's any change. So I'll be here every morning and every night to see her. But in the meantime, you better get Mrs. Cummings next door to come in and take over. She's gone. She's down to Ormill visiting her daughter till after New Year's. Well, you ought to have somebody. We'll get along. I'll stay home from school. You kind of like that, don't you, boy? Yeah. But not on account of Mama. You're a good lad. Mrs. Delbert will be over every now and then to look in on you. Don't worry about us. We'll be fine. All right now, we're all going in and say hello to Mama. Is she better? Well, she knew me this morning. Mama's been delirious. Dr. Delbert said so. Don't you go say anything to her about it. Is Mama going to be well for Christmas? And don't go asking her that, either. Come on. Oh, for Pete's sake, somebody wipe Janey's nose. You want Mama to see her like that? All right, I'll do it. Here we are. Hi, Mama. Hello, children. Are you better, Mama? I guess so. Are you being good, children? Yes, Mama. Annabelle took my hair ribbon. I did not. You did too. I did not. Did you cut that? Mama don't want to hear about no old hair ribbon. We're all getting on fine, Mama. I've been practicing. I'm learning a piece for Christmas. That's nice, Kirk. Jane talked. She said dog. Say dog, Jane. Oh, Annabelle. Mama don't want to hear Jane say dog. Not now. You want to sleep some more, Mama? Isn't it time for school? School's over, Mama. It's supper time. Oh. I wondered why it was so dark. Come on. We'll let her sleep. Is Mama all right, Robbie? Sure. Sure. Come on. Robbie. Yes, Mama? Robbie. You stay. Yes, Mama. Robbie. I'm going to die. No. No, you ain't, Mama. I can tell, Robbie. You mustn't go grieving because there won't be time. I'm going to get Dr. Delbert. No, not yet, Robbie. First, I got to tell you what to do about the children. They're all nice, good children, Robbie. You've got to get decent homes for them. Understand? Yes, Mama. I guess six is too many for any one family to take, so you'll have to break up. I want you to see they all get homes where they get the same kind of love they had here. I will, Mama. You're all used to brothers and sisters. Better try to find families with children of their own. So you won't be so lonesome for each other. I better get Dr. Delbert. No. No, wait. But Tyler's and the Radins are good people. The Radins like Jimmy a lot. And then there's... I can't think. None of us have to go to Mrs. Runyon's, do we? I don't want any of you going where you won't be happy, Robbie. Not if you can help it. You've got to decide who's right and who isn't. Don't let anyone else tell you. You're to decide. Remember. I will, Mama. You watch out for the others. Go and see to it as often as you can. They're taken care of. Robbie, get a good place for yourself. Promise me? I'll get along all right, Mama. Don't worry about me. I know you will, Robbie. I know you always. I thought it was such a touching funeral, Dr. Delbert. But those poor little children, Mrs. Runyon, whatever will become of them. Yes, Mrs. Tyler, those poor children. Well, I guess we better get the boys in here. Robbie, Jimmy. Do you want us, Dr. Delbert? Yes, come in, Robbie. We want to talk to you and Jimmy. Yes, sir. It's not easy to say, boys, but you unson children will have to be put out for adoption. We know that, Dr. Delbert. I'm afraid we can't expect any one family to take on six youngsters. We don't. But we've been figuring out what folks might be talked into taking one apiece of you. Now, there must be six families in this town to whom duty means more than inconvenience. There's the McDonald's, for instance. Excuse me, Mrs. Runyon. You mean to be kind, I know. But I'm the oldest one. And Mama said I was to decide where we were to go. Oh, why, you're just the little boy. Just the same. Mama said it was my responsibility. That's ridiculous. How could a child your age be expected to know what's good for children? Doctor, I say we should decide here and now where these young'uns are to be packed after. Well, you may be right. Look, Dr. Delbert, tomorrow's Christmas. It'll probably be our last chance to be together on Christmas. Wouldn't you please go away now and leave us alone? The day after tomorrow we can decide about this. I don't see why we don't settle things right now. To be together on Christmas ain't very much to ask, is it? No. No, you're right, James. That's not very much to ask. It certainly isn't, Jimmy. We'll see you boys the day after tomorrow. Coming, Mrs. Runyon? Yeah. Come here, Jimmy. I want to talk to you. What do you want, Robbie? Listen, as soon as Kirk and the girls are in bed, we've got to make a list of all the families in this town who'd appreciate children and raise them right. Why don't we do that tomorrow? We'll be calling on the people then. But you told Dr. Delbert you'd wait until the day after? I know that. But Mama told me I was to decide. Don't let me. You heard Mrs. Runyon? We can't wait. Besides, tomorrow is Christmas. We ought to be able to get just about anybody we want to take us in on Christmas. You're listening to the Cavalcade of America, starring Bobby Driscoll, sponsored by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware, makers of better things for better living, chemistry. Amen. Can I have the wish-bone pot? You and Bruce can pull it between you. We'll be talking on the kitchen door, Ma. I'll see who it is. Who could that be? Everybody should be home enjoying their Christmas dinner this time of day. Hello, Mrs. Tyler. Why, Robbie Unson and one of your little sisters? Why, I thought you'd be with the bradlies of the Delberts. Come in, children, come in. I'm Annabelle. Yeah, she's my little sister Annabelle. Hello there, Annabelle. Howard, look who's here. Annabelle, good. You'll have Christmas dinner with us and we won't take no, will we, Annabelle? We certainly will not. Big in your pardon, Mrs. Tyler. Well, I was wondering. That is, Jimmy and I was wondering if you didn't need... Yes, Robbie. Well, if you didn't need sort of a sister for Howie and Bruce, Annabelle here is a good little girl. She'd be an awful help to you. She's... well, that is, she was learning to sew. She can wipe the dishes and she knows her ABCs. A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q... Annabelle? My clothes, Howie. I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q... Howard, it's Christmas. We've got to. Well, Annabelle, do you think you're going to like living at our house? Oh, she'll like it a lot, Mr. Tyler. She likes anybody that's good to her. We'll be good to her, Rob. I guess you and I know each other. Sure. I know you, Mr. Tyler. Howie comes now. What's the matter? Wouldn't the potters take her? They've gone away. Oh, boy. Now what'll we do? We can't keep her out much longer. She's getting the carters. They live close. Hey, look. It's old man Steven's and his wife. What about them? He's a school principal. Elizabeth won't care. She's a girl. Oh, they haven't got children. Maybe they don't like them. The only way to find out is to ask, Jimmy. Mr. Steven. Oh, Mr. Steven. Oh, boy. Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Stevens. Well, hello there, Robbie. I was just coming to see you. Oh, you were? Mr. Stevens and I have been over to your house, Robbie. We wanted to see if there was anything we could do. Well, there is. That is... It's quite a lot to ask, but I thought since you and Mr. Stevens didn't have any children, you might like Elizabeth. That's her. That is she. Take her. What do you mean? We'll sort of adopt her. She doesn't look very pretty right now. But you learned to like her. Mama and Papa did. She's quiet. I'm cold. I'm usually quiet, Elizabeth. Mama never had any favorites, but if she had any, well, I guess Elizabeth would have been the one. Wouldn't she, Jimmy? Sure. Wouldn't you, Elizabeth? I'm cold. So they are. So they are. She's a little bit hard to understand at first. She lists. But you'd get used to that. You bet we'll get used to that. You crawl right up in this sleigh, little girl. Up to see Daisy. There we are. And get under this robe here, darling. That's it. Well, you boys come to see us now whenever you can. Whenever... Good bye, Robbie. Goodbye, Jimmy. Goodbye. Did you see that? Elizabeth jumped right into Mrs. Stevens' arms. As if she'd known her all her life. I think she'd never had a mama. Kids forget awful fast. Yeah. Rob! Rob! Hey, here's Kirk. He's running to the house. He's going to take Jane. What? Rob, what do we do? Come on. I'm only trying to get your coat on. You can't go out in this weather without it. Oh, stop it, I said. Mrs. Runyon, what are you doing? Yes, what are you doing? I'm going to take Jane home with me to live. My conscience was after me all night. Well, you can't have her. Why not? It's my duty. Well, I'm sorry, Mrs. Runyon, but Jane's already promised. Who, too? Nobody you know. I know everybody in this town. The Turks don't live in this town. They live way up in Berlin. By whose authority are these children being disposed of? Me. Mama said I was to decide. Are you starting that talk again? You're just a little boy. I don't care. You can't have Jane. I'll see the sheriff about this. Nobody's going to deprive me of my right to do my Christian duty. You wait here. I'll be right back. Jimmy, we've got to get this thing settled quick. Come on, Kirk. You better get right over with the Kramer's. They're expecting you. I don't want to go. You'll like it at the Kramer's. Mrs. Kramer's got a banjo. You can play duets with her on your fiddle. Jimmy. Now, don't be a crybaby. Annabelle and Elizabeth didn't cry. Goodbye. Goodbye, Kirk. Goodbye, Kirk. What are you going to do with Janey? I'm going to take her up to Berlin like I told Mrs. Runyon. Berlin's 12 miles. Do you want to see Jane on the sled? Sure. I'm going to work. There's a logging camp just five miles out of town. Think they'd have some work for me? Mama wouldn't like it if you didn't finish the sixth grade, Jimmy. You go to the radens like we figured. Did you talk to them yet? No, but I don't have to. They'll take me in. Mrs. Radens always said she wished she had a boy like me. You like them all right, don't you? I like them all right. Then what's the matter? All those girls, Adelaide, Mildred, Penelope, and Ma, I can just hear them. This is... Well, ain't you cute? No. Well, I guess I'd better get over to the radens. So long, Janey. She said dog again. Did you hear? Yeah. She said it fine. Will you skate down once in a while, Robbie? Sure. Every chance I get. You see that you don't start wearing dresses with all those girls around. You shut up. So long, Jimmy. And now, Janey, you're going to have a nice long sleigh ride. Look, Jane, those men got a fire. They're fishing through the ice. Hey, mister! How far from here to Berlin? Eight miles, kid. Thanks! It's getting colder every minute, kid. You'll never make it. We'll make it. We've got to. That's right, Janey. We only got a few miles more. Anything's better than living with old crow face. Wake up, Jane. We made it. It's Berlin. Now we'll find you a nice place to live. Some place on the street there ought to be a home just right for you. Look! There's a house with a Christmas tree inside. If they got a Christmas tree, they must have kids, Jane. Let's take a peek in their window. Gee, they look like nice folks, Jane. They got two boys and a little girl. That's just about right. Please, ma'am. I wonder... I wonder if you'd like to have a baby. Oh, that's the story. They all got homes. When the last and smallest of them, Jane was safe in the hands of the Clarys. Robbie said goodbye and walked up to the lumber camp in the woods, where he became a helper and later a logger in his own right. He always kept tabs on his brothers and sisters, though their lives took them far apart. As each grew up, he took on the characteristics and absorbed the points of view of his foster parents. But there was one thing that was notable about them. There was always something poignant in their love for each other. Because they had nothing but that love in common. But that was having almost everything. To Bobby Driscoll and the Cavalcade players for this true story, we are happy to announce that Edmund Granger is making a motion picture of tonight's story the day they gave babies away. It'll star Bobby Driscoll as to be released by RKO Radio Pictures. And now, we'd like to present the author of the original story we dramatized tonight, Dale Unson. I'm very grateful to the Dupont Cavalcade of America for broadcasting the day they gave babies away. I had a particular reason for writing this story and wanting you to hear it. Robbie was my father. Good night and thank you. Thank you, Mr. Unson. And now here's Bill Hamilton speaking for the Dupont Company. Every company is people. Men and women who, with their knowledge and skill, turn out the products or provide the services their neighbors need. The Dupont Company, our Dupont family as we think of it, consists today of more than 85,000 Americans. In their homes, as in yours, the lights that sparkle tonight are holiday lights. The thoughts that shine tonight are holiday thoughts. Let us send some of those kindly thoughts winging through the air to you. Christmas knows no climate in this wide land of ours. The snow lies white in Bangor, Miami's bright with flowers. High above Los Angeles, old baldy gleams with snow, and oranges shine like ornaments in the fragrant groves below. In Detroit tonight, the lights wink bright on trees that mark the season. In Charleston, poinsettias grow and glow for the same reason. Broad and deep is America. Different are its places. Different are its people. Their faces, yes, their races. But all of us can share one gift beneath the Christmas tree. America, our land itself. Our land where men are free. This is the gift we have from God, the blessing we all cherish. Freedom, priceless freedom. Never may it perish. We wish that we might take your hand and join in friendly meeting, but this must be our Christmas card, our DuPont family's greeting. Your happiness, your health, good cheer with an extra wish for a happy new year. Next week, the star of the DuPont cablecade will be Eiffel waters. 16 sticks in a bundle tells the heartwarming story of an American family. Be sure to listen. Tonight's DuPont cablecade, the day they gave babies away, starring Bobby Driscoll, was transcribed. It was adapted by Frank Gabrielson from the book of the same title by Dale Unson, published by Farrar Strauss and Young. Music was composed by Arden Cornwell, conducted by Donald Borey's. The program was directed by John Zoller, and by Susai Harris speaking. Don't forget next week, our star, Eiffel Waters. The DuPont cablecade of America is sponsored by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Makers of better things for better living through chemistry. Next Hollywood Theater stars Alan Ladd on NBC.