 Ladies and gentlemen, the railroad hour. And here comes our star-studded show train. Tonight the Association of American Railroads brings you the charming Sigmund Romberg Operetta, my romance, starring Gordon MacRae and his guest Evelyn Case. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff and our music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Yes, tonight another memorable musical is brought to you by the American Railroads, the same railroads that bring you most of the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the fuel you burn, and all the other things you use in your daily life. And now here is our star, Gordon MacRae. Thank you, my lovely mother, and good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Edward Sheldon's play, Romance, was one of the great hits of the American theater. And Sigmund Romberg fashioned a memorable musical from this famous love story. And here's my romance. Good evening, grandfather. Happy New Year. Oh, oh, Harry. Good of you to have dropped by, my boy. Excuse me, I was just dozing. Well, even Episcopal Bishop should celebrate New Year's Eve, grandfather. When you're of my age, my boy, you'll find the best way to spend the curve of time called New Year's Eve is to dream a bit about the past and pray a bit about the future. Grandfather, I... Something wrong, Harry? I'm in love, grandfather. And she's the most beautiful girl in the world. How did you know? Well, after all, you're an Armstrong. Yeah, but my folks say I mustn't marry her just because she's an actress. An actress? Sit down, Harry. Would you like to hear a story? What kind of story, sir? Well, you might say it was the story of my romance. It was in 1898. Well, that seems a long time ago. Quite a wonderful year, 1898. What's a living mind? Just as far as I think before the time I'm with you a year long time What's the best way that it's fine Yes, I suppose it is, Susan. I know you're uncomfortable, but it's very important for you to meet the right people. Why everybody says you're the most promising young rector in New York City. Aren't you going to include Yonkers? Oh, now be serious, Tom. Why do you know who the guest of honor is tonight? Madam Cavalini, the great Italian opera star. Now why would an unknown Episcopal clergyman want to meet a woman like that? There's only one girl I'm interested in. You, Susan. What's our future going to be like, Tom? Well, I know, because it's all written in your palm. It is? You didn't know I was an amateur palmist, did you? Left hand, please. Just look at the length of that lifeline. Ready of strength marked in your lifeline. Written in your hand is a very long line. Right here of heartline. Ready of long heartline. Written in your hand I see. A husband will not choose the wrong wife. Honeymoon span near the water. Happy van. Maybe a daughter. Here it's clear it's something that fate has planned. Just take a look at your heartline. Each a true love and never too far blind. Here's your every line. It's the same as one. Written down in your heart. Oh, Tom. Adam Havillini is about to sing in the drawing room. Oh, we must hear. Come along, Tom. Now you go with the others. I think I'll just get a breath of air right up in the balcony. Oh, you men are all the same. You all think opera is just too stuffing. I'll see you in a few minutes. Good-bye, Susan. Good evening. Oh, good evening. Are you escaping from the operatic bellowing, too, from what's her name? Oh, Havillini. Yes, that's it. You might say I was escaping from a young man. What are you called? Tom Armstrong. And what do you do with so funny a name? You entertain in the music hall? No, I'm the rector of St. Giles. I know that ministers were so handsome. I must go to church more often. You know, I've never seen a woman like you. Are you falling in love with me? Well, it's rather hasty to say anything like that. Fall in love with me. That's what I live for. I love to in love. Well, that's hardly sentimental. Sentiment is not for me. I lived on dreams, sentimental schemes, that I soon discovered on. No more dreams. No more schemes in the world and this heart of mine. Why regret the beggar's steal or borrow anythwere while still, though the man of my selection must be ardent and repulsed. Do you really believe that? From close, so fresh and beautiful. How long do you think they will last? A long time, if you treat them well. Look, I press them to my face. Well, you're crushing them. What does it matter? I have kissed them and they are born to die. And I'm meeting here tonight. What is it? With a bunch of violets. No, I don't believe that. The danger in love with me. What did you say? I wouldn't know what to say. I have never envied poets in the past. Now I envy Shelley Keats and such at last. If you were a poet's precious safety you'd be haunting my heart. It's going to start having a dream. It's easy to say and sing words when you're only speaking for a moment and not a lifetime. Oh, Tom, the strangest thing happened. Suddenly Madam Cavalini disappeared and the concert hasn't even begun. Oh, Madam Cavalini. Then I'd better not keep the guests waiting. Good evening, Reverend Armstrong. Good evening, Madam Cavalini. Well, how nice, Tom. Have you been getting acquainted with the great opera singer? Yes, you might say so, Susan. Is anything wrong, Tom? No. We'll return in a moment for act two of My Romance. To most folks, one stretch of railroad track looks pretty much like another. And in one very important respect, that's true. Because thanks to the fact that all railroad track everywhere in America is exactly four feet eight and one half inches wide, only the American continent has a completely unified rail system. But when you take a closer look, you find that every single rail in America's main track has a complete and individual life history. It was born in a specific place at a specific time. It will work hard all its life and be retired when its working days are over. And a complete diary is kept of that life span. Someday, in fact, as you drive past a stretch of railroad track, you'll see it being interviewed by men in railroad detector cars. These railroad research men are working with complex electronic devices to find if there are any internal defects in the rail. If there are, that rail is immediately replaced long before any actual failure can develop. Yes, thorough rail examinations are conducted continually on the world's largest proving ground, the entire 225,000 miles of the nation's main track. And a system has been set up whereby each rail is branded to show the year and month it was made, the mill that produced it, the batch of steel from which it was rolled, the individual steel ingot from which it was made and even the particular section of the ingot from which it came. Rail removed from this 225,000 miles of main track for causes other than normal wear is analyzed and ways are sought to correct the cause of the flaw. In that way, America's railroads which spend over $100 million annually for new rail assure themselves of the highest quality rail obtainable. Rail research, of course, is only a part of the exhaustive, endless search for new ways and means to provide continually more efficient, more economical rail service. And this extensive research program has played a major role in helping the railroads improve every phase of their operation year in and year out and thus remain the foundation of the nation's essential transportation system. Now here is act two of the Lawrence and Lee version of Sigmund Romberg's My Romance starring Gordon Macrae as Tom Armstrong and Evelyn Case as Madame Cavalini. What happened, grandfather? Nothing, my boy, and everything. Quite an impossible situation, don't you think? A young clergyman in love with a fabulous opera star. I think that's wonderful. Well, I walk the streets of New York singing. And you know, Harry, I can still hear an organ grand as melody. An Italian street song I learned designed to sing to your lady love. Mmm. Mmm. Bella Donna. So congratulate Bella Donna. Beware, beware. You've fallen and you were there. What do I care? She'll drive you into despair. Currisome in mind, you cook spaghetti divine. The dearest wish to catch a fish and to place him in her net. And where is the fish not wished by Bella Donna as yet? When her fish is hooked and safely cooked she goes gaily on her way to see that tomorrow's dish is fished out of Napoli Bay. Fish is fished out of Napoli Bay. Then she's friendly, friendly as she can be. Oh, that's true to state. Bella Donna. Translation? Fairly. But it also means deadly nightshade of poison. Did you see her again, grandfather? Mm-hmm. Every day. Twice a day. Well, didn't your congregation object? I didn't know it then, but the head boardman of my church went to see Margherita Cavallini. Madam Cavallini, I beg you, cut short your concert engagement. Leave New York. I cannot. Reverend Armstrong has a great career ahead of him. You must not ruin it merely because you wish to be amused for a few days. Amused? Perhaps I felt that way six weeks ago. But now, I'm in love with you. I am sorry. If all I had never met before, if all I continue to treat as something. Madam Cavallini, I understand, but for his sake, will you say goodbye to him and not see him anymore? Yes. Yes, of course. Would you give him these violets, please? Tell him that he was wrong, and I'm sorry. He was wrong, and I was right. The violets were dead. He only could. Rita, they told me you were leaving. Yes, Tom. Then I'm going with you because I'm in love with you. You said the words. Of course I did. I'm in love with romance. Will you marry me, Margulita Mia? Oh, my darling. My darling. Forgive me for coming to see you, Madam Cavallini. I know how busy you are on your last day in New York. You said he was urgent, Miss Susan. I know you and Tom are going to be married that you're going away together, but I want to ask a favor. Yes. That you let him continue his work wherever you are. There are so few men in this world like Tom who know how to minister to the poor and to the sick in heart. You are so much in love with him, Miss Susan. So much that I want him to be happy. You see, his work is very important to him, too. His work. I... I promise I will do what you ask, Miss Susan. Thank you. I shall pray for your happiness and Tom. Pray? Thank you. Goodbye, Madam Cavallini. Give me strength, dear God. But Rita, what's happened? Nothing. I thought you realized. It was a lock, an amusement to pass the time. An amusement? Certainly. A new young man in every city. Very good publicity for glamour. And to pass the time of day. But don't you love me, Rita? No. Now please go. My apologies, Madam Cavallini. I wish you a bon voyage. Goodbye. Goodbye. Thank you for having loved me. That's how I remember. Standing with her eyes closed. A few months later, I married your grandmother. Do you know, my boy, it was Susan who taught me what a truly wonderful and wise woman Rita Cavallini was. Where is she now? I don't know. The south of France, I think. Cavallini, the opera star. Hey, I think I read something in tonight's paper about her. Oh, did you? It's right here in my pocket. Let me see. Here it is. Nice December 30th. Madam Margarita Cavallini, one of the great opera stars of our time. Dived this morning at her villa. At Mie Fleur. Is that all it says? There's a whole column of biography further down. She was born in Venice in... Don't tell me the date. All right. Debut in Milan, 1889. Sang prima donna rolls in Paris under direction of Buccini. Success in London brought to this country in 1897. No, no. It was 1898. There's one last line, Grandfather. Madam Cavallini. Never married. Good night, Grandfather. And thank you. Oh, where are you going, Harry? To marry my girl. You see, Grandfather, I knew you'd say yes. Did I say yes? Yes, I did. Thank you, Grandfather. And sweet dreams. Sweet dreams. Very sweet dreams. Lovely Evelyn Case. We'll be back in just a moment. Meanwhile, our thanks to Barbara Logan, who was Susan, Peter Rankin, her Butterfield, and our entire company. Sigmund Romberg's My Romance was dramatized for The Railroad Hour by Lawrence and Lee. The Railroad Hour is brought to you each week at the same time by the American Railroad. Marvin? The contribution you make to the march of dimes is fighting money. Money that is used to fight infantile paralysis, the worst crippler of children today. First, your money goes to help care for the victims of polio, with iron lungs, braces, crutches, and wheelchairs. And it also goes for basic research to help medical science in its search for a polio vaccine. So be sure to join the march of dimes right away and help fight back at the dreaded crippler of children. Thank you, Marvin. And now here again is our charming guest, Miss Evelyn Case. Thank you, Jordan. It's a joy of playing in this famous love story with you. No, you're a wonderful cavalini, Evelyn. If I could have done it all over again, I would have run off with you. You mustn't double-cross the author. What's on the show train next week, Gordon? Will you listen? Two hearts beat, with the joy complete. Oh, that's a wonderful wall. Two hearts in three-quarter time. That's our delightful musical for next week, and the star of Broadway's Brigadoon, Miss Marion Bell, will be here to waltz it with us. We'll all be listening. Good night, Gordon. Good night, Evelyn. All aboard! Dear friends, it looks as though we're ready to pull out and so on for the next Monday night. Two hearts in three-quarter time. This is Gordon McRae saying goodbye. My Romance was presented by Special Arrangement with Century Library, Incorporated of New York. Gordon McRae can soon be seen starring in the technicolor musical The Desert Song. Our choir was out of the direction of Norman Luboff, and our music was prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Until next week, this is Marvin Miller saying good night for the American Railroad. Now stay tuned for your Monday night of music on NBC. Tonight, The Voice of Firestone features Risa Stevens on NBC.