Original subtitles

THE OLD RANGER: And now,Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Hyah! Yah!

Yah! Yah!

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger,

and I have another interesting true story for you

about the historic Death Valley country.

We Americans never tire of our covered wagon train stories

because they renew our belief

in our national traits of faith in the future,

courage to meet the unknown, the will to work,

and the ingenuity to find a way out of difficulties.

Now for a prime example of these qualities,

take the case of John Sager,

who at the age of 14 became...

[ baby crying ]

CAPTAIN: Give us, this day, our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

[ crying continues ]

Shh.

[ sniffles ] I want my mommy.

CAPTAIN: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory, forever. Amen.

[ crying continues ]

Come along, children.

Please, we'’d like to stay here a minute.

Of course.

I want my mommy.

Don'’t cry, Louisa, baby. I'’m gonna take care of you.

First Pa gets killed, then Ma is gone.

What are we gonna do, John?

We'’re gonna go to Doctor Whitman'’s mission in Oregon.

Just like Ma told us to.

But maybe they won'’t let us stay together,

now that we got nobody to look after us.

We have so got somebody, me.

I'’m head of the family now.

I heard '’em talking. They think you'’re too young.

Young? I'’m 14. And they better not try nothing.

I promised Ma nobody or nothing was gonna separate us.

That'’s the way she wanted it,

and that'’s the way its gonna be.

[ mooing ]

FRANK: Come on, Two Bit!

Come on, hyah!

[ grunts ]What did you stop for?

Horses are tired. They won'’t go!

What'’s the trouble, John?

Aw, just giving the horses a rest, Captain.

Well, keep moving, you'’re holding up the wagon train.

Yes, sir.

Go on, Frank.

Ha! Come on, let'’s go.Come on, giddy up.

[ horse whinnying ]

♪ Come rock-a-bye baby on the treetop

♪ Come rock-a-bye baby on the treetop

[ baby crying ]

ELIZABETH: Look, Catherine!

Look what Mrs. Shaw gave me.

Why'’d she do that?

Just because she thought we might like it.

You mean, because you told her we didn'’t have none.

I told you before, Elizabeth,

you mustn'’t tell folks we'’re out of things.

We gotta look and act like we can take care of ourselves.

Otherwise, they'’re not gonna let us stay together.

Now-- CAPTAIN: John?

I, uh--Oh, howdy, Captain.

Elizabeth was telling about Mrs. Shaw giving her

this piece of salt pork.

It was mighty kind of her.

But--but it might run you short

and we really don'’t need it.Well, I...

I'’m holding a meeting right after supper, tonight, John.

I want you to be there.

What did they say?

Oh, I put it off '’til after supper.

They tried to give me that salt pork back and--

I choked up, so I couldn'’t tell 'em.

Poor dears.

Wow, we'’ve got company.

Howdy.How you, men?

Looks like you fellas come from the west.

We did.

Freighting outfit, heading for Saint Joe.

Oh?

You bound for Oregon?

Most of us.

Willamette Valley and John Day country.

Well, keep your eyes open.

We spotted some of the Cayuse tribe in warpaint

about two days in front of you.

They didn'’t give us any argument,

but you can never tell about Indians.

No, you can'’t.

Won'’t you light and have some food with us?

Thank you kindly, ma'’am,

but we'’re gonna camp down there around the bend,

and we gotta pick a spot before the wagons come along.

We'’ll come back tonight after we'’re settled.

We'’ll be glad to see you.

I hope we don'’t have any more Indian attacks.

They'’ve caused enough sorrow and trouble already.

Especially for those children.

As long as there'’s danger, that'’s another reason

why there'’s only one way to deal with their problem.

[ sighs ]

[ guitar strumming ]

CAPTAIN: We'’ve still got a long, rough trail ahead of us, son.

Your horses are so worn, they'’ll never be able to make it.

Already you'’re having a hard time keeping up with us.

And on top of that, you'’re getting low on rations.

And John, that baby needs a woman to look after it.

All of you children need someone to look after you.

So the only answer is, we'’ll have to divide you up.

One youngster to a wagon.

But--but all the wagons aren'’t going the same place, Captain.

Why, after a while, we would be scattered every which way.

[ sighs ] Well, that'’s something

that just can'’t be helped, son.

Oh, please! Being together is all we got left.

Why, at night, the only way I can

keep the kids from crying themselves to sleep

is by remembering things.

We talk about how it was back home in Missouri.

About the dog we had and the kittens,

and the fun we used to have

on picnics on the Fourth of July.

And lots of other things that nobody but us knows.

Please, being together is all we got left.

We wish with all our hearts, John, that you could,

but none of us can afford to adopt seven children.

Can--can we stay together just one more night?

MRS. SHAW: Oh, yes. Of course.

[ inaudible ]

[ quietly ] Frank.

Frank, wake up.

Frank, I gotta talk to you.

What'’s the matter?Shh. Nothing.

I got a plan.

For what?

For keeping us together. Now, get up.

We'’re gonna go to Doctor Whitman'’s mission in Oregon,

just like Ma told us to.

[ quietly ] We'’ll hitch up when we get out of camp.

Be sure and steer her now.

Hang onto that break rope. Don'’t let the wagon

get away from you on this slope.

[ cracking ]

"Dear Captain Shaw, I wanna thank you and the other folks

"for the help you'’ve done for us,

"but we figure it'’s best if we go back to our folk'’s folks in--

"Back to our folk'’s folks in Missouri.

"So, we have gone back to Missouri

"with the freighting outfit that left before daylight.

Yours truly, John Sager."

[crowd chattering]Well, I declare.

Well, they sure didn'’t make any noise in leaving.

Well, I guess they didn'’t want to disturb us.

They are too young to make a decision like this.

I think we should go after them and bring them back.

[ crowd agreeing ]

Nope. I think they'’ve done the right thing.

So do I.

Now they'’ll be able to stay together.

Giddy up![ horses whinnying ]

[ all shouting ]

[ cow mooing ]

[ horses whinnying ]

Giddy up, giddy up! Giddy up!

[ shouting ]

I'’m trying! Giddy up, giddy up!

[ John shouting ]

[ girl continues shouting ]

Giddy up!

[ panting ]

We'’ll never make it, John.

The horses are plumb wore out.

Well, we can'’t wait here.

Maybe we could leave the wagon and just take the horses.

They couldn'’t pack enough stuff.

How about throwing everything out...

but what we need?

Even the empty wagon'’s too heavy for '’em to pull.

I got it. I got it!

What? What?

The saw!

Hey!

[ baby crying ]

Ooh, it dropped.

What'’s the matter? [ crying continues ]

Wheel got stuck in a hole.

Come on, everybody out.

Come on.

JOHN: Catherine, get over there on the side.

Elizabeth, follow your sister.

Come on, get over there. Let'’s go.

That'’s it.

Give me a hand pulling.

Go now.Ha, ho, ha!

Keep going.Ha, ha!

Ha!

We'’ll never get it out this way.

[ screams ]

You think they'’ll scalp us?

Don'’t seem they'd stand there staring at us, if that was their aim.

I'’m gonna show 'em we'’re friendly.

How.

You talk English?

Wagon wheel stuck in hole.

You help get out, me give you present.

Oh, you like shirt?[ agreeing ]

You help get wagon out, me give it to you.

Give you present, too.Mmm.

Ha![ horse whinnying ]

Ha!

Wagon.

I sure thank you.

Give me.

Oh, well-- Yeah.

Thanks.

Well, now what kind of present do you want?

Oh, no, no. You can'’t have the cow.

Not the cow.

No, not Bessie.[ cow mooing ]

Oh, no, no! We need her!

No, there'’s been a mistake. We have to have Bessie for the baby.

I'’ll give you anything. Anything, but not Bessie.Please.

Well, what are you gonna do?

I'’m gonna get that cow back, if I have to shoot him.

They might shoot you.

Then what'’d we do?

Well, it'’ll be dark pretty quick.

I'’ll tail 'em. Maybe I can get back when they make camp.

Frank, you take charge.

[ bird cawing ]

I'’m awful hungry, Frank.

Gotta wait '’til John gets back.

He'’s the one that parcels out the vittles.

Can'’t we have a fire? I'’m getting cold.

Smoke from a campfire might attract too much attention.

Put a quilt on ya'’.

I wish John would come back.

He'’s been gone an awful long time.

I wish we hadn'’t let him go.

Maybe they got him instead of him getting Bessie.

He never had no chance

against those big ole, mean ole Indians.

Poor, John. We'’ll never see him again.

Poor, John. We'’ll never see him again.

Stop it, all of you.

Remember what Ma used to say?

"Never think bad. Always think good."

Now I want everybody to say, "John'’s all right."

And keep saying it. Ready?

ALL: John'’s all right. John'’s all right.

[ all continue ]

[ rustling ]

Who'’s there?It'’s me!

It'’s John!

John! He'’s back!

And that'’s all.

You didn'’t get Bessie?

[ sighs ] Nah, they took her to a big village.

And it was swarming with so many Indians, I couldn'’t even see her.

We'’ve gotta have Bessie. Without milk, Henrietta will--

[ horses whinnying ]

Indians!

It'’s white folks!

I told you I heard kid'’s voices.

Here'’s a whole cubby of 'em.

What'’s your name, boy?

John Sager. This is my brother, Frank, and my sisters.

Where'’s the rest of your outfit?

JOHN: This is it.

You--you are alone?

Yes, ma'’am.

And we'’re in awful trouble.Some Indians took our cow.

And the baby can'’t get along without milk.

ELIZABETH: And we'’re almost out of food for ourselves.

And we'’re terrible hungry.

And we'’re lost.

Well, I'’ll be a grizzly bear.

Well, I'’d sure like to hear how all this come about,

but first things first, which way did them Indians go with your cow?

That way.

Other side of the mountain.

The Ute Indian village, most likely.

Here, unpack the horses. We'’ll make camp here.

Get some food in these young '’uns.

[ speaking Spanish ]

You'’re gonna get Bessie back?

Well, I don'’t like to say positive unless I'’m sure,

little sister, but I'’m gonna try.

You want me to go with you?

There'’s an awful lot of Indians.

Sometimes one Indian is an awful lot, boy.

Why don'’t you stay here and take care of the camp.

Help my wife with the work.

No telling what I'’m liable to run into.

Might not be back '’til morning.

WIFE: [ speaking Spanish ]

[ baby giggling ][cow mooing ]

FRANK: It'’s Bessie!

ALL: Bessie!

Bessie.ALL: Bessie.

Yah. Whoa.[ cow mooing ]

Good ole Bessie.Yeah.

Golly, mister. How did you ever get her back?

Did some trading.

My husband, he'’s good friend with Indians.

Most of them, anyway.

They ain'’t such a bad lot if you get to understand them.

Oh, I got your shirt back, too.

Oh, thanks.

Hey, look, Indians!

They'’re the same men who took Bessie.

Well, they'’re not gonna get her back.

Hold on there, boy.

They ain'’t after your cow, they'’ve come to ride with you.

Ride with us?Yep.

I'’d do it myself, but it'’s real urgent I get to Fort Hall.

I don'’t want them riding with us.

They'’re gonna help you, honey.

That Oregon Territory is Cayuse Indian country.

Sometimes they get pretty ornery.

These Utes here ain'’t scared of 'em.

They promised me they'’d stick with you.

Just do what they say and let them pick the trail.

JOHN: Yes, sir.

There we go.

This is for the baby.

Thank you, very much.

Gee, it'’s sure soft and warm.

Si,it will be cold in the Blue Mountains

and she will need it.

God go with you and the little ones.

[ cow mooing ]

[ horse whinnying ]

Alright, Frank, let her roll.

That'’s a finer bunch of young '’uns that I ever saw.

[ gunshot ]

[ Indians whooping ]

[ speaking Native American language ]

[ whooping continues ]

Go!

Go! Ha!

[ gunshots ]

[ gunshots ]

Get in the wagon, quick.

[ speaks in Native American language]

What happened?

Something about that blanket.

Well,what do you suppose it is?

I don'’t know. But whatever it is,

we'’re gonna put it out where them Cayuses can see it,

from now until we reach the mission.

Well, here it is, the Whitman Mission.

Come on.

[ grunts ] Let'’s go. Everybody out.

There we go.

Let'’s go. Next.

Well, well, what have we here?

Are you Doctor Whitman?

That'’s right.

And this is my wife, Mrs. Whitman.

Howdy. I'’m John Sager and this is my family.

Ma told us if we come here we'’d be taken care of.

You'’re just as welcome as you can be.

Where did you get this blanket?

A trapper and his wife gave it to us.

Some Cayuse, they were gonna scalp us.

And when they saw us, they rode off.

This trapper, was his wife a beautiful Spanish girl?

Yeah, purty as a picture.

The chief of the Cayuse tribe

gave him this blanket for a wedding present.

Is that why they didn'’t scalp us?

Without a doubt.

This trapper friend of yours was Kit Carson.

BOTH: Kit Carson?! Gee!

Kit Carson, gee.

[ all laughing ]

And that'’s the story of the orphan Sager children,

whose determination to stay together,

carried them all the way

across country to the Whitman Mission.

And this is Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington,

near the site of the old Whitman Mission,

built as a memorial to Marcus and Narcissa Whitman.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]