 In just a moment, we will bring you country lawyers starring Edward Arnold on the Cavalcade of America. Edward Arnold appears through the courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, producers of the yearling. But first, here is Gain Whitman for DuPont. Many serious accidents in the home are caused by rugs, particularly rugs at the head of a flight of stairs. The rug slides or skids under your weight and down you go. For very little cost, you can do away with the chance of these dangerous falls by using DuPont rug anchor. Rug anchor is a synthetic sponge rubber non-skid underlay designed to make rugs stay put. It's dust-proof and waste-proof, waterproof, and is not harbor moths. It adds to the life of the rug by keeping fine sharp-edged particles of dirt from entering the under surface of the woven material. Rug anchor is one of the DuPont company's better things for better living through chemistry. The Cavalcade of America. America. America means skyscrapers and haylofts, the crack of a pioneer splintlock, and the sound of the riveter's machine, the outline of a church steeple against the midnight sky. America is your story. America is you and everyone you know. Tonight we present Edward Arnold in Country Lawyer on the DuPont Cavalcade of America. It may be any street in the USA, in any town in the USA, but it just happens to be Maple Street in Hillsburg. And our story opens in the home of Josh Adams, attorney-at-law. Opens with Josh saying to his son David, Well now Dave, maybe you have got a point. No good one. Dad, Betty Ann and I look at it this way. I just graduated from high school, right? Conceded. All right. It'll take me how long to become a lawyer like you? Well, maybe four, five years. Then I'd have to go into a law firm, maybe build up a practice that'll take longer. Yes. Well, I've been thinking how nice it would be if you studied law and came into my office. But gee, Dad, going to college and then law school, it'll take a long time. And Betty Ann might not wait, huh? Well, that's it, I guess. I'll tell you a secret, son. What? Women have a big supply of patience, practically inexhaustible. Oh, not Betty Ann. Son, women just like to appear impatient so men won't take advantage of them. You really think so, Dad? Well, if it wasn't true, how in the world would your mom put up with me? Look son, you've graduated. Summer's coming up. You think Betty Ann had waited for one summer? What do you mean? Well, suppose you worked in my office for the summer. I'll pay you, of course. Well, I wasn't thinking of that, Danny. Well, I was. Now you'll see how the business runs. At the end of the summer you can make your decision, one way or the other. How about it? Um, you're not going to try to talk me into anything. Well, son, I wouldn't think of it. Now you make your own decision. You're sure about women being so patient? Quite. All right, in that case I agree. Good, you start next week Monday. Beat the office at eight o'clock in the morning. Eight? Eight o'clock? I'll make it seven then. Oh, no, no, no. It's fine. I'll be there. Dad, I filed a papers with Bill Higginson at the county clerks, like you said. Good, good. Mr. and Mrs. Benton still in the outer office? Uh-huh. What do they want? Well, I suppose we find out. Tell them to come in, son. All right. Mr. and Mrs. Benton, will you come in, please? Good thing, Dave. Come on, Agatha. I'm coming. Don't boss me around, Silas Benton. Ain't bossin' all I said was come on. It's the way you said it. Now listen. Good morning, Silas. Good morning, Agatha. Good morning, Josh. Oh, come on in. Sit down. Now, what do you want to see me about? Oh, well, we were not... Well, uh, Josh, uh, we, uh... Well... Don't get to the point, Silas. Donna, quit megin'. Now, you see the way he talks to the boss? Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute. Maybe we'd better have it from one of you at a time. All right. Josh, Agatha and me want a divorce. Divorce? Gee. It's all right, David. Just listen. Now, Si, what's that again? We want a divorce. You can handle it, Josh, can't you? Oh, sure. Sure, I can. What's the grounds? Grounds. Yeah, you gotta have grounds. Complaints. I got them. 28 years of them. One won't complain after another. Is that so? Well, let me tell you, Silas, that... Agatha, Agatha, now let's settle down. You start, Agatha. Well, he's a stubborn as a mule. Why, put up with it as long as the children were home. Now that they're all married and settled down, I don't see no reason for putting up with it any longer. Stubborn, huh? And lazy. Why, I had to be after him every minute of the 28 years. Every minute. You're done right, it was every minute. Silas, patch the fence, paint the barn, rebuild the chicken houses, plant two more acres this year than last. Silas, Silas, Silas. Doggone it sometimes, I almost wanted to change my name. I see incompatibility. Why? You couldn't get along with each other. And it took you 28 years to find it out. Well... Now let's hear your side-side. I just told it, but I can tell more. Gosh, she had enough to do with keeping the house and tending the children without buttoning in on my business. I took care of the farm, she took care of the house. Well, looks as though you both got reasonable grounds. Yep, I think it can be arranged. Divorced. You probably have been thinking about it for a long time. Well, matter of fact, last night's workers kind of brought it up. We decided right then and there. And you're right, absolutely the best way to handle these things. Decide right then and there and get it over with. Dave? Yes, sir? Write this down. We'll draw formal papers later, Agatha. And Si, you two listen if there's anything you want to add, just butt right in. All right? Right as rain by me. I'm complaining. Well, let's see. Whereas I, Silas Benton, owner of the best farm and the three counties of Milford, Westmore and Steuben, do hereby... Right, sir, that business about the best farm. Well, it is, isn't it? You won prizes with your heart and core and pumpkin. Why, sure. All right, no objection then. I guess not. Keep on writing, son. And whereas I, Silas Benton, do hereby state in the firm that it was my wife Agatha's driving that made me get out and make the farm what it is. I do hereby apply for a divorce on the ground that her constant nagging forced me into a state of nerves. Is that all right, son? Well, all right. All right. I guess so. Good. Now, Agatha, we'll put down your side. All right. Go ahead. I, Agatha Benton, do hereby apply for divorce on grounds that my husband, Silas Benton, did force me to stay in the house and make it the best and finest farmhouse in three counties. What, Josh? What do you say? I'm just putting down the truth. Your pies did win prizes at five fairs. Well, yes, I... All right. I, Agatha Benton, hereby apply for a divorce. That's all, folks. That's all. That's all. Every bit, except for ending the names of your children and grandchildren. Our children? Grandchildren? You mean we got to put that in this legal paper? Yep. They'll have to appear as witnesses. Well, I don't like that much. They wouldn't either. No. Well, now you two run along and I'll have the formal papers drawn up in the morning. Good morning. Good morning. I've got a lot of things to do. Josh. Goodbye. Open the door for him, Dave, and thanks for bringing your business to me, Si. Agatha, goodbye. Goodbye, Josh. Goodbye. Dad, that's not right. What is it? The stuff you had me write down, why it's about as legal as that chair you're sitting on. I know. But what's the idea, making them believe that... Josh, can we see you another minute? Well, I sure think. Good morning. Josh, Agatha and I have been thinking what would our children say about getting a divorce? Yes, and our grandchildren too. My men. Besides, I guess we have got a pretty nice farm and house, so Agatha and me... Yes, Josh. South and me, we... You're tearing it up? Thank you, Josh. Josh Adams, we've been such fools. Well, maybe you want another 28 years to think it over. Maybe we ought to think about it a little more. All right, we can always draw up new papers. Sure, sure. Well, you coming, Agatha? Yes, Si. Goodbye, Josh. Oh, just a minute. What's the matter? My fee. Oh. Yeah, sure, I forgot. That'll be $25. It's all right with me, Josh. Yeah. Thank you. And if you ever want any other legal matters taken care of, just drop in. Oh, well, Josh, goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye. Well, I'll be doggone. At what? At what just happened. Oh, that. That's nothing at all. You see, son, a lot of people get something built up in their heads and rush off like scared chickens. Si and Aggie have been fighting for 25 years. Well, then why not let them have the divorce? Why'd you could have gotten a $200 fee out of it? Well, I got $25. Usual consultation fee and a much bigger fee besides. Huh? What do you mean? Well, I got the satisfaction of seeing a family held together, one of the families that are the bone and blood of America. You see, Si and Aggie didn't know it, but they weren't fighting against each other, son. They were fighting for something. For what? For a home and a farm. Deep down inside them, that's what they had in their mind. And that son is America. Now, let's see. It's about one o'clock, isn't it? Uh-huh. Where are we going? Oh, Mrs. Havastraw called me this morning, seemed she's got some trouble. Good afternoon, Josh. Good afternoon, Clem. Mrs. Havastraw's in trouble? What kind? I don't know. I like her. Yeah? Many's the time she fed you apples and candy. Yeah, I remember. Ah, she's a wonderful woman. Had Jed had to die and leave her a widow? Good afternoon, lawyer Adam. Hello, Mrs. Baker. David, how are you? Fine, just fine. Mrs. Baker's putting on a little weight. Uh-huh. Fine-looking woman, though. Uh-huh. Well, here we are. That gate could stand a little oil. That's a nice day. Uh-huh. What kind of trouble you suppose Mrs. Havastraw's got? No, we'll find out. Oh, hello, Josh. David, it's so nice to see you. That's really nice. Havastraw. Please come in. Mm-hmm. It smells like apple pie. It'll be done in about five minutes. I'll be here that long. It's nice of you to come to see me. My fee will be one whole apple pie. Mm, paid in advance. Uh-huh. Please embrace the spell. Oh, my. It feels good to sit down. That was... That was Jed's favorite chair. Uh-huh. I, um... Say, you've been getting rid of a lot of furniture, haven't you? Well, I... I sort of had to. Oh, I see. Josh, I don't know whether you can help me or not. Neither do I, but let's see what's troubling you. Well, I sold a lot of my furniture to a man... Well, a man named Johnson. Sold the pieces as antiques. Well, they were, weren't they? Oh, yes, they'd been in the family for over 200 years. Gee, it's too bad you had to get rid of them. David, David. It's all right. I really didn't mind. But, well, look. Here's an advertisement I cut out of a magazine. Mm-hmm. Antique dealers, see? And Johnson. The same Johnson you sold your things to? Yes. Uh-huh. Illustrated there. Why, here's the old Cobbler's bench. And the high boy used to sit right over there by the mantel. Yes. All right. Now, sir, suppose you'd tell me the whole thing. I sold everything to him for $500. You what? He told me he was an expert. Oh, but Ellie, you should have consulted someone else. Well, I was a little ashamed to let anyone know I was selling the things. I had to have the money. Oh, what do you know about that? Why, he's asking as much for one piece as he gave for the whole lot. Can I do anything about it? You gave him a receipt? Yes. Uh-huh. I got it. I got it. What's the matter, Dad? Oh, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. Oh, I thought perhaps you could. He gave me so little. Uh, Ellie, there's nothing we can do legally, but, uh, well, there might be something I can do personally. Oh, but, Dad, what can you do? Well, I haven't got it quite figured out yet, but, uh, say, Ellie, those five minutes are up, aren't they? Five minutes? What? Oh, the pie. Yeah. Now, you bring me a hug of that hot apple pie, and I'll figure out something, something that might make our Mr. Johnson sit up and take notice. You are listening to Edward Arnold as Josh Adams in Country Lawyer on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As the second part of our story opens, Josh Adams, Country Lawyer, has undertaken to help Mrs. Haberstraw, a widow who has sold valuable antiques for far less than their real value. It is Adams' problem to figure out how he can recover from Mrs. Haberstraw. Certainly there is no legal way, but Josh Adams seems happy as he and his son, Dave, work at something. Easy, Dave. Easy. Watch the walls. I don't get this, Dad. What are you going to do with this rocker? Help Mrs. Haberstraw. Oh, did we nick the wall? If we did, your mother'll nick our heads. I wish you'd tell me how this is going to... Now, just help me get this to the office without your mother seeing us, and I'll show you. Get the door open. All right. Josh, is that you? Yes, dear. It's me. I... What are you doing? Oh, getting ready to go to the office. Oh, what was that bump I heard? Oh, I tripped. Did you hurt yourself? No, no, no. Not at all, dear. Not at all. Dave, get the rocker in the car and hurry. All right. Did you trip over the rocker? Oh, I thought I heard David with you. Well, he was, dear. He was. Went out to get the car started. Josh Adams, what are you looking so sneaky about? Sneaky? What do you mean? Just that. What have you done? Nothing. Nothing at all. Well, goodbye, dear. I'm expecting a busy day at the office. Well, what time do you be home? Oh, six, maybe a little later, or a little earlier. Well, I guess that's just what it'll have to be, earlier or later. Goodbye, Josh, dear. Goodbye, dear. All right, Dave, let's go. But, Dad, when mother finds that rocker missing, what'll she do? I don't know, son, but always remember, possession is nine points of the law. That's not legal, but we've got the rocker. As soon as Mr. Johnson comes, show him in. Do you think he'll come? Well, if you were an antique dealer, would this ad make you come? Listen, for sale, old and valuable item. Has been in America since 1776. Only bonafide antique dealers need a ply. Josh Adams. Dad, you're not going to sell our rocker. Has the rocker been in the country since 1776? Well, then you lied about it. No, I didn't, but I... I bet that's Johnson. Well, it could be. Go ahead and see. All right, Dad. Yes, sir? Mr. Adams, Josh Adams. Oh, that's my father. Will you come in? Well, thanks. I hope he's not busy. I just ran up from Boston. He's not busy, sir. Well, thank you. Thank you, young man. Mr. Adams? Yes, sir. I'm Josh Adams. My name is Johnson. See, I'm Johnson. Well, what can I do for you, Mr. Johnson? You ran this ad in Boston papers? Oh, let me see. Yes, I did. But this antique you have, may I see it? You're practically sitting on it. Oh, this rocker. Uh-huh. Genuine rock maple. Vermont, I'd say. Genuine. However, I don't think it's as old as you say in the ad. No, that could be. About 100 years old in good condition. Try it. All right. Oh, bad squeak. Yeah, you'd have one, too, if you were over 100. Yeah, it's quite so, quite so now. About the price. Yes, about the price. Dad, you can't... I'll handle the transaction, Dave. How about $50? Well, how about it? I'd be willing to pay it. Oh. You think that's enough? Mr. Adams, I bought thousands of dollars worth of antiques. I say $50 is a good price. No, I don't know. Maybe $500 is the right price. $500? What? Don't be ridiculous. Why is that ridiculous? Well, I'm an expert. I know antiques and their prices. That's the whole point. I beg your pardon. Mr. Johnson, about a month ago, you bought some antiques from a Mrs. Haverstaw. Is that right? Haverstaw? Well, yes, yes, I remember. Well, what about it? Last week, you ran an ad in the magazine offering those same antiques for a price 10 times higher than you ever gave her. Listen, I'm in business, Mr. Adams. Certainly, I buy at a lower price than I sell. That's business. Sure it is. And I've got no quarrel with it. But Mr. Johnson, don't you think you will more than a little out of line? Mr. Adams, I didn't come to discuss that deal. Do you or don't you want to sell this rocker? No. You mean to tell me... It's not for sale. Do you mean to tell me you've got me all the way up here from Boston to... Well, a fool me? No, I did not. Mr. Johnson, I wanted you to take a walk with me. I can put you on the track of some real antiques far more valuable than this rocker. Oh, I see. Well, in that case, I'd be glad to, but I have to catch the afternoon train back to Boston. I think we can close our deal by then. Come along, Mr. Johnson. Now, this is our main street. Only it isn't called Main Street. It's named after a revolutionary war hero. Nice street, isn't it? Mr. Adams, I don't have time to go through all this. Here's the monument to him. It's a nice piece of work, don't you think? I'm not interested in monuments. Oh, you should be, Mr. Johnson. What for? Well, not in stone and iron monuments, but in one that's intangible. One that you bought very cheaply last month. I have only a half hour to catch that train. Well, you'll make it. Afternoon, George. Oh, hello, George. Now, we'll walk down this little street, Mr. Johnson. It's right on the way to the depot. About that rocker. It's not for sale, Mr. Johnson. You put an ad in the paper. Not for the rocker. I said an old and valuable item that's been in this country since 1776. Oh. Then what is it? Well, it's... Well, there's only one thing wrong. If the item I referred to in my ad ever becomes an antique, then we're licked as Americans. All right. What do you mean? I mean trust, confidence, honest business dealings. Are you referring to my deal with Mrs. Haverstrom? In a way, yes. Now, you take this town. It's all founded on the principles the war for independence was fought for. People here trust each other as they should. There's no reason for them to suspect that a stranger would come in and pull something wrong. Well, I didn't pull anything wrong. No, perhaps not. But you just saw a chance to make a big profit at Mrs. Haverstrom's expense. I... Look here. Maybe you didn't mean to. But I do have something to sell after all. All right. What? The trust and confidence of the people of this whole area. You want that? Well, of course. I'm a reputable businessman. I know you are. I wouldn't have got you here in the first place. Of course I... Of course I want the trust and confidence of people. And you could get it if it became known that you, well, say, gave Mrs. Haverstrom an additional sum of money. Just enough to make it a fair price for the whole deal? Well... Mr. Adams, I, uh... I seem to have been turned around in my directions. Uh, where did she live from here? You know, it's a funny thing. Just two houses down. Mr. Johnson, how can I thank you for what you've done? Not me, Mr. Adams. No, I pass that to you. Just thank you. Well, never mind. Please, all of you, have another piece of apple pie. Yeah, don't mind if I... No, Davey, not for us. Mrs. Haverstrom, we've got to get home. After six already. Come on, Dave. All right, Dad. Well, goodbye, Mr. Johnson. It's nice to have met you. Well, I'm glad to have met you, Mr. Adams. Eh, of course you're $1,500. No, no, no. No, it didn't cost a penny. In fact, I bought far more than I came for. All right, good, good. Well, come on, Dave. Uh, just one thing, Mr. Adams. Yes? Did you ever intend to sell that rocker? Mr. Johnson, I don't believe in breaking up a home. My wife is a wonderful woman, but, uh, well, goodbye. Goodbye, Mr. Adams. Dave. Bye. Ah, it's a wonderful evening. It's a wonderful day. Dad. Yeah? I, four or five years isn't too long a time, is it? Well, it depends upon how you look at it, son. Oh, my, oh, my. I forgot the reminder about the oil on that gate. I'll do it tomorrow. Dad, you want me to be a lawyer, don't you? Not if you don't want to. But you mean you don't want it? Son, I do, with all my heart. But the choice has to be yours. You see, here in this country, you've got the choice. You can be what you want. All you have to do is to decide. I've decided. Good, good. The opportunity is yours, Dave. Just take it. I will. And thanks, Dad. For what? For letting me work for you. Oh, that's all right, son. Oh, listen. You can do me a favor now. Sure, anything. Go to the office and take the rocker back home. Huh? But Mother will ask me about it. Son, you may as well start off your legal career with a bang. I'll take that rocker home. The mother will give you the first chance of preting a case. See you later, boy. Goodbye. In a moment, our star, Edward Arnold, will return. But first, here is Gain Whitman speaking for Dupont. Whether you're a woman buying a new dress, or a man buying a pair of socks, blended fibers is a term you ought to know. Because you're going to be hearing more about it, especially when greatly increased reduction adds nylon to the list of fibers available to clothing manufacturers. A dress or a coat made of mixed fibers like wool and rayon is nothing new. You probably have quite a few pieces of clothing right now that contain more than one kind of fiber. It is nylon's unusual qualities that promise such interesting possibilities in clothing manufacture. You may be one of the people, just to give you an example, who like very soft woolen fabrics. A soft, fluffy angora sweater, say. But just because it's so delicate, a fabric of that kind may quickly show signs of wear. Now, by adding nylon to the other fiber, a sweater can be made so that it is still soft and at the same time has greater wearing qualities. A manufacturer of men's socks can do the same thing. That is, he can add nylon at the toe and heel where extra wear resistance is needed. Nylon is easy to wash too, as every woman knows who owns a pair of nylon stockings. It dries quickly and needs very little ironing. These qualities can be carried over into a fabric blended with nylon, making it easier to wash and iron. But just as important to you as easy washing is nylon's ability to blend with other fibers to make socks, sweaters, and baby clothes that are truly shrink-proof. Another advantage is that a manufacturer can apply moist heat to a nylon fabric in such a way that it will take an almost permanent scent. He can build pleats into the fabric, so they're there to stay. He can make curtains that keep their size and never need stretching and knitwear that keeps its original shape. Fabrics improved by blending nylon with other fibers are another improvement made possible by the DuPont Company's Better Things for Better Living through chemistry. And now here's our star, Edward Arnold. Thank you. You know, playing the part of Adams on tonight's show made me think about a man's profession and what it means to him in terms of happiness and his future. And, ladies and gentlemen, it's the future that I want to talk to you about for a moment. One sure way of providing for a good future is to buy United States savings bonds now. For money invested in United States savings bonds today will make possible a long-range personal objective like retirement income, education for your children, new homes, and the most enjoyable use of your leisure time. Protect your future. Continue buying through the payroll savings plan. Build financial security for yourself and for your children. Thank you and good night. All of us who listen to the radio are familiar with such colorful but fictional private detectives as the fat man, the thin man, Mr. District Attorney, Philovance, and Sam's vade. Did you know, though, that perhaps the greatest of all American private eyes was the real-life person who solved adventurous cases during the last century? His name was Alan Pinkerton. Next week, Cavalcade brings you the popular screen actor Lee Bowman in a thrilling radio play, The Pinkerton Man, in which this masterful sleuth employs for the first time psychological methods in exposing a crime. Be sure and listen next week for Lee Bowman in The Pinkerton Man on The Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company. The music for tonight's DuPont Cavalcade was composed and conducted by Robert Armbrister. Our Cavalcade play was written by Henry Denker and dramatized from material based on the book Country Lawyer by Bellamy Partridge. This is John Easton inviting you to listen next week to Lee Bowman in The Pinkerton Man on The Cavalcade of America, brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. The Cavalcade of America came to you from Hollywood. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.