Original subtitles

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. All: Good evening.

It's good to be back with you all here in Wichita falls.

My name is captain Jefferson Kyle kidd,

and I'm here tonight to bring y'all the news

from across this great world of ours.

Now...

Pleasure.

Now, I know how life is in these parts,

working a trade sunup to sundown.

No time for reading newspapers. Am I correct?

Let me do that work for you.

And maybe, just for tonight,

we can escape our troubles

and hear of the great changes that are happening out there.

Starting local, then.

Our own Houston telegraph

from the first of February, this news.

"The meningitis epidemic

'continues to spread without prejudice

"across the panhandle and north Texas region.

"So far, it has claimed

"ninety-seven souls in just a two-month period."

In federal news, our own Dallas herald reports

of our delegation of the state of Texas

up there in the capital of Washington commencing...

Here. Much obliged.

Hey.

Hey!

Hey!

Stop!

I'm not gonna hurt you.

Come here.

Don't bite!

Who are you?

Do you have a name?

I don't understand.

I don't speak kiowa.

Come.

Come on.

It's all right. It's all right.

Come on.

You can't stay out here. You...

Give me your hand.

These are Indian agency papers.

"Johanna leonberger."”

is that your name?

Johanna?

Soldier: Let's see what we got here.

Gonna check it on that side.

Officer: You got your loyalty oath?

Soldier: No, nothing.

Where'd you serve, captain?

Third Texas infantry.

Surrendered galveston 26 may, 1865.

Any sidearms?

No, sir.

Just bird shot.

Says here you're from San Antonio.

What's your business up here?

I read the news from town to town.

I was headed down to the red river,

and I seen him.

I think he was transporting this little girl here

for the federal authorities.

Looks like the Indians had her.

Here's her agency papers. Just found them.

Soldier: Let's saddle up.

You're good.

What the hell do I do with this child?

Fetch her to red river. Command post will know.

Soldier 1: Hyah!

Soldier 2: Hyah!

Kidd: So, the army found you three weeks ago

when they cleared the kiowa out of montague county.

You've been living with them since they kidnapped you

when they attacked your family in hill country

six years prior.

Dear heaven.

"Her mother, father and sister were..."

Well, they passed.

But you have an aunt and an uncle

still living down there.

Near castroville.

So, that's where you were being taken.

I know castroville.

I used to live near there before the war.

Lot of German folk down there.

Remember your German family? Uh...

Okay.

Come tomorrow, we'll find somebody who can take you home.

Soldier: All right, me too.

Come on.

Come on.

Pardon me.

Got a child issue here.

Much obliged. Bless you, sir.

I got a lost child. I can't use this.

Officer: That's all I can do for now. Thank you.

What's your business?

Here to see your Indian agent.

He's up north of the red,

on the reservation.

Well, I found this child, see,

and the lieutenant who was patrolling the road

told me to bring her to see you.

Well, what do you expect me to do?

She needs taken home.

Officer: The agent won't be back

for another three months.

Strays are his responsibility.

Looks like you'll need to take her.

I can't take her, sir.

I work and travel from town to town.

I can't take her.

Listen, friend.

Wait for the agent or take her yourself.

It's up to you.

If you will, please.

Next.

Good to lay eyes on you, captain.

Hello, son.

Wonder if I could have a word with you and Mrs. boudlin.

Well, of course, sir.

Simon: So, three months, huh?

What are you going to do with her?

Wait for the agent, it appears.

Hmm.

Got kind of a wild look about her, doesn't she?

No, she's scared.

Simon: Hmm.

Be careful, honey.

Don't get too close.

All right, now, see here, child. I have to work.

You're gonna stay here with these kind folks.

Friends. Friends.

You got that, child?

Simon: Well, shoot, kidd.

She don't understand a damn thing, does she?

Thank you kindly.

Kidd: All right, let's start with the local news from the carthage banner.

"The red river ferry is sunk near cross timbers.

"Waters are still too high to cross,

"and parts down to elm creek are completely washed out."

Yanks sending soldiers too blue to muddy their boots.

That's why.

That's right!

Well, now, the Clifton record

is reporting big changes that are coming to these parts

that'll have a bearing on all of these travel issues.

On page 1,

"the pacific railroad committee voted today

"the Missouri, fort Scott and Gulf lines

"are to be consolidated into a new line

"that will run from the Kansas border

"all the way to galveston, Texas.

"This will be the first railroad to cross the Indian reservation."

Now for some federal news.

"President ulysses s. Grant..." Man: To hell with Grant!

Grant's a butcher!

Kidd: "Has ordered...

"Has ordered the Texas legislature

"to accept amendments 13, 14 and 15

"of the United States constitution

"before any return to the union can be considered.

"Those amendments include the abolition of slavery..."

Say no to abolition. Never!

Kidd: "Affording to the former slaves

"the right to vote, and the repayment of our war debts."

I'm saying no.

I say Texas first and damn them amendments.

Man: I ain't digging no Texas soil,

sweating and bleeding for some rich yankee type.

I suggest y'all watch yourself.

Suggest y'all the same!

What are y'all even doing here, huh?

You ain't dealing with the injuns,

fixing our roads, minding our river crossings.

All they're doing is beating up on Southern folk!

All right. I hear you. I hear you.

Man: Go back home where you belong.

Kidd: I hear you.

Northern blues are not helping us a lot,

and they're asking for a great deal in return.

We're all hurting.

All of us.

But I'm thinking we got a part to play in all of this as well.

There's more than rain and Indians

and northern blues troubling our roads.

I've seen it myself, coming in from Wichita falls.

Yeah.

We're all hurting.

These are difficult times.

Appreciate it. Thank you. Thanks.

Much obliged. Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for your attention.

Excuse me. Pardon me. Pardon me.

She's gone.

Little one! Child!

Where are you?

I was singing her a hymn,

and I turned my back, and she was gone.

She didn't take the horses.

She can't be gone far. She could be anywhere

in this damn woods.

Doris: Child?

You come out, now.

There's a river down there.

Simon: Right behind you.

Little girl, where are you?

Where you at?

We need to split up!

Simon: Yes, sir, captain.

No!

Johanna, no! Johanna!

It's not safe! You'll fall!

Step back!

Johanna!

Get down!

Doris: Set her on the bed.

Ohl

she's just soaked.

Sure as I live, that child's trouble.

Running off like that?

I said she's wild. Didn't I say that?

Please, Mr. boudlin.

Well, it's the goddamn truth.

You just got to look at her to know.

Child's got a curse on her.

Well, shit, captain.

What the hell are you gonna do with her?

I'll take her.

I found her. I'll take her.

You sure about that, captain?

Castroville's damn near 400 miles.

Those roads have changed since you lived down that way.

The little girl is lost.

She needs to be home.

Much obliged for you keeping her. I'll be back first thing.

She ain't been used in a while but still runs pretty good.

You carrying?

Scattergun bird shot.

L, uh...

Kept mine from palmito.

Well, I'm sure you need it more than me.

Got 20 rounds, too.

I'll fetch it back to you.

It won't make no matter.

Captain.

Why are you doing this?

Doris: Johanna!

Come on, now.

Another sleeve. There we go.

There we go. Okay.

There we are.

Come now. Come now. Come now.

There. Oh!

By the grace of god, don't you look pretty?

Hmm?

Makes no matter to me what you wear.

We'll be on this road for about six days till we make Dallas.

Then across central Texas to the hill country,

it'll be a few weeks.

We'll have to stop and give readings, of course.

We have to pay our way.

I'll keep an eye out for trouble.

Settlers killing Indians for their land

and Indians killing settlers for taking it.

I guess you know something about that.

I'm captain kidd, by the by.

Captain.

You're Johanna.

You, Johanna.

And it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Make no mistake.

Mm!

This is the bacon.

I guess I'll make some.

"Please" would be nice to hear.

That's the way it works.

That is coffee.

Yeah, coffee packs a punch, doesn't it?

It's an acquired taste.

That's sugar.

Bit more to your liking, huh?

Easy, now.

All right, that's enough.

That's enough.

Hey.

See all those words

printed in a line one after the other?

Put 'em all together, and you have a story.

Story.

Stories.

Well, go right ahead.

That's my wife.

Down in San Antonio.

I'm gonna get some more water.

Man: Come here and help me load this up.

Wanna make your fortune, then that's the place to be.

Man: God does not see black and white.

The divide that runs across our nation.

We must keep America whole.

Texas says no, but I say to you all,

under the eyes of god, that our nation,

our great nation, must be made complete!

Mrs. gannett.

Hey, kidd.

She yours?

Mrs. gannett: They paying you to take her home,

or you doing it out of the goodness of your heart?

No, they're not paying me. I just know the road.

But I'll take a pair of rooms if you have them.

Mrs. gannett: Yeah, I got rooms.

Kidd: Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

No. No, no. No.

We don't use our hands and fingers.

We...

Look. See this?

Spoon?

This is how we eat.

Spoon.

And, uh, we don't sing.

We don't sing at the table.

Mrs. gannett: What you all looking at?

Ain't you never seen a child eat before?

What's her name?

Johanna.

She doesn't have any english.

So, what does she speak?

Kiowa.

Kidd: What?

What did she say?

She said you've been calling her the wrong name.

Her name's cicada.

Well, it's Johanna now.

Johanna leonberger.

This man...

She says she got no home.

No kiowa family, neither.

You see the hair?

They cut it when they're in mourning.

This child is an orphan twice over.

Can you tell her that I am taking her to family,

to an aunt and an uncle down near castroville?

Kidd, she don't got any idea what that means.

Well, they're the only ones that will take her.

She's got no place else. Nobody wants her.

I hear them roads are bad castroville way.

Yeah. Yeah, so I hear.

Mr. gannett used to take them,

before he went to California.

Maybe he just didn't want to come back.

I do not have a clue as to the care of a child.

Never had the need nor the Patience required.

She's still alive, ain't she?

That's not nothing.

Mrs. gannett: Road taking its toll?

Sleeping through the night isn't what it once was.

Yeah.

Your stories can only keep you company for so long.

So, what you going to do once you've taken her?

I may just keep heading south.

Work passage on a ship out of galveston.

Go see those far-off places I

read about to people every night.

How long's it been?

Close to five years now.

Castroville's San Antonio way.

Yeah. Yes, it is.

Isn't it time you went back?

Made things right with her?

Looking at you now...

I'm thinking you don't have a choice.

Good evening. My name is captain Jefferson Kyle kidd,

and it 1s an honor to be back in the bustling city of Dallas.

A busy town, and you all are busy folk,

so let's get right to it.

Now, when I got in yesterday,

I collected the latest hewspapers,

looking for suitable readings,

something to take us away from our troubles.

From the times, on its page 3...

Man: Excuse me.

A word, captain?

Name's almay.

These are my associates.

Mr. almay. Gentlemen.

Enjoyed your reading, cap.

You take us away from our hard thoughts.

Thank you.

So, where'd you serve, captain?

Infantry, third Texas.

You?

First Texas infantry, northern Virginia.

Lot of good it did us.

Poor men fighting a rich man's war.

Left us lying here in the gutter.

Way I see it, we fought, but ain't no piece of this ours.

It's late, Mr. almay.

And what is your point?

Point is, us old soldiers got to live, right?

I have a little business proposition for you,

seeing you traveling alone like you are.

This young girl.

What do you want?

How much you want for her?

This child is not for sale.

Almay: Word is she's that captive out of Wichita falls.

Mr. almay, you are well-informed.

Almay: News of value travels.

How about $507

all right, a hundred, then.

And you can rest easy knowing at least she'll get paid.

I mean, look at that fair skin.

I bet you were a lucky man out there in the desert.

You are scum. In the alternative,

we could just take her.

All right, boys. What's going on here?

Oh, thank the lord.

We're local traders, sir. We became concerned

about the welfare of this here child in the clutches of a strange man.

I'm responsible for returning this child to her family down south.

That's her papers and my oath. Soldier: Stay still.

Your hands.

Captain.

Soldier 1: You got that? Soldier 2: Yes, sir.

You take this girl, and you get on your way.

Let's go. Move.

Go on. Write them up.

I'll be seeing you, captain. Keep walking.

You hear me?

I'm coming for you as soon as I'm done with these blues.

Officer: Name. Almay: J.G. Almay.

Residency.

12 polk street, Dallas, Texas.

Officer: Sign.

Hyah!

Ha!

Captain!

Come on!

Hyah!

Come on.

Come on. Pull. Hyah!

Hyah!

Come on. Down.

Almay: Hey, cap, didn't I say I'd come for you?

Go. Almay: Didn't I say that?

Kidd: Come on. Come on.

Move!

Kidd: Ha! Ha!

Higher. Come. Come!

Let's go.

Hey, cap!

You're good for a man of years.

But ain't you just so damn tired of all this?

Help me.

Didn't we have our body and soul broke out there?

Seems an awful shame for it to end like this

when you can just join us.

This world, rich pickings for some,

slim pickings for the rest of us.

Shit.

God damn it!

You go. Take the horses and go.

I shoot. You go.

Captain.

No. No, this is worthless.

See this? It's for birds.

It's for birds, understand?

You're not thinking straight, cap.

She ain't worth dying for.

Go.

Get away while you can.

What do you say, cap?

Talk to me.

Mr. almay!

You have me

in an uncomfortable circumstance.

How exactly are we going to work this out?

I figure a share for each man and an extra for me.

Considering what you did to my associate over there.

That sounds pretty fair to me.

So, what do you want me to do?

Almay: Just got to turn over the girl. That's all.

No. Johanna, no!

They don't want our money.

They want you! Captain.

Oh, cap, what you trying to do, tickle us to death?

Well, we don't have a deal yet.

Almay: A-ha!

I think it's 'cause you're out of bullets and all you got left now is bird shot.

Am I right, cap?

All right, almay.

Damn it, you have a deal.

All right.

I'm going to lay my gun down on this here rock.

How about you do the same?

Here's my sidearm.

Let me see yours.

I'm laying my weapon down.

Here's mine.

Dime-anh.

Captain, boom? Boom, boom.

Almay: Clay over there is going to show himself.

Then how about you do the same?

Sounds good!

Stay down.

Oh, god damn it!

Well, now you done gone and spoiled it, cap.

Looks like it.

All right, cap.

Looks like I'm coming for you now.

Come on.

See that? See that bird?

"Bird."

"Bird."

Yeah.

Yeah, that's good.

"Bird" is "goo-toh"?

Kidd: "Buffalo."

Since you're so smart,

"prickly pear cactus."

"Pear cactus.” and there's Juniper out there.

And there's some Sage.

"Say-gya. N

"say-juh"? "Say-uh-gya."

"Sage." yeah.

That's right. It smells good.

"Good." yeah.

So, what else can you teach me in kiowa?

"Daum." what is "daum"?

The earth.

All right.

“Pahn.” the clouds?

The sky.

Like, collected?

"Daw" is a spirit.

A breath.

A circle.

For us, it's more like a straight line.

A line.

"Li-an.” "li-an," yes.

We're all journeying across the prairie in a straight line

and looking for that place to be.

And when we find it, we go straight out and we plow it,

and we plant it all in a straight line.

Yeah.

Very good. "Velly gut."

"Welly gut,” indeed.

Whoa, whoa. Whoa.

"Sehr gut, onkel." You just spoke German.

Can you remember anything else?

What else can you remember?

What? What is it?

Oh, dear god.

Hyah! Hyah!

Hyah!

You just leave that. You just leave it.

Forget it.

I guess we both have demons to face, going down this road.

Good day, gentlemen. Man: Road's closed.

Ain't nobody unaccounted for getting into erath county.

Is that the law?

It is now.

We're carrying nothing of any great value.

What's your name, sir?

Kidd. Captain Jefferson Kyle kidd.

And your reason for traveling, cap? The news.

I read the news to anyone with 10 cents and the time to hear it.

Huh.

My. My, my, my.

Carrying some damage back here.

I got the wagon cheap,

and the holes came with it.

Well, your newspapers sure got holes in 'em, mister.

There ain't nothing in here about erath county.

Hell of a lot's been happening. Ain't that right, boys?

But I don't see it here.

Benjamin: You know, we've been busy.

We done fixed them Mexicans.

Injuns, too. Pushed them clean out.

Mr. farley, he killed a right smart of Indians.

He scalped them real good, too.

We're building a whole new world down here in erath county.

But ain't none of it writ here.

That news didn't travel.

Let's take care of that.

Why don't we have us a little read?

What do you say,

news man?

Go on, move.

Man 1: Wash out that blood.

Man 2: Don't be staring. Keep working.

When he gets done here,

bring him into town.

What business is Mr. farley in?

Mr. far... business to never mind your business.

What's your name?

John calley.

Is Mr. farley family to you, John?

No, Mr. farley, he ain't any kin of mine. No.

I ain't got no kin now Tommy's gone.

But I work for Mr. farley all the same.

What happened to Tommy?

Mr. farley gone and shot him.

For hollering and questioning.

Got thoughts of things in his head. He couldn't keep 'em in there.

Loud, loud mouth.

Have him read that.

Hey, captain.

Mr. farley says to read this.

Man: Stoke it up. This fire's got to burn.

Dime-ah?

Dime-ah? There you go.

Dime-ah?

Dime-ah?

Dime-ah?

You, sir.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name...

My name is captain Jefferson Kyle kidd.

And Mr. farley has asked me to come here tonight,

to read to y'all the news.

He's been kind enough to supply me

with a copy of his own erath journal.

Sure looks like Mr. farley.

Is a very busy man in these parts.

He's an editor and a publisher, a businessman, a lawgiver.

And all of you fine folk working for him, at that.

Absolutely.

But the way I see it, none of that is news.

So let me see if I can't tempt you

with something else.

The Harper's illustrated has a story reporting from the lonely little town

of keel run, Pennsylvania.

I got a bad feeling about this. Just give him a minute.

Now, keel run ain't known for much.

And I'm counting none of y'all have heard of it,

since, well, it is in the north.

Why should you?

Keel run is just one of a thousand little towns

across our nation birthed by the work of many,

but enjoyed by the few.

Now, keel run is no durand.

It does not trade in buffalo, but in coal.

And just like you, every morning,

its men rise early from their beds,

only to descend into the great, black coal mine.

On the morning of February 11,

thirty-seven men of the run attended their first shift at noon.

But before the next hour was up,

keel run's wheel of fortune had turned.

For the mine, the coal mine itself, had caught fire.

The first dozen died in an instant.

Another seven not long after.

But I'm not here to tell you the story of those unfortunate souls.

Or of the mine owner, who'd been so lax about their safety,

sitting up there in his fancy home,

counting the money produced by their labor.

No, I'm here to tell you about the 11 men who lived.

Who survived that fire.

The 11 men who fought back against their deadly fate.

Thought I told you to read from the erath, captain.

Kidd: Well, see, Mr. farley, I was wondering

if folks might prefer some storytelling from places outside of erath.

Just for tonight, Mr. farley.

I think you ought to read from the erath all the same, captain.

Sort of thing these people expect to hear.

How about we vote on it?

How about we don't?

Now, I can read from Mr. farley's erath journal...

Or I can keep on with the story of the men of keel run.

I vote men of the run! Keel run?

All right. Very good. Man: Let's hear it, captain.

That day, those 11 men were facing a mortal enemy...

Go now. Shut this fucking thing down. Now. Go.

Kidd: Intent on destroying everything

they ever cared about, everything they'd built.

Show's over, folks! Kidd: Every pillar of progress

of their own civilization. Show's over! Now, go on home.

And I tell you, those men refused defeat.

In the dark, they kept their heads and they worked together!

Man: Get out of here!

Those men fought back... Go home now!

Move! Go on, get out! Against the odds.

For better lives. For freedom! You think that's funny, boy?

Man: I got him!

Johanna! Johanna: Captain!

Move!

Y'all, clear out! Clear out!

You should've just read, captain.

I was just giving the people a choice, Mr. farley.

Well, you can read now.

You got no idea what we deal with down here.

Mexicans, blacks, Indians.

Give 'em an inch,

and every one will slit your throat where you piss.

Kidd: The war is over, Mr. Farley.

We have to stop fighting sometime.

Oh, we will.

When it's ours alone.

Come here. Don't...

Stand up!

Yeah. Get up. Stand up.

You ready to read, cap?

No.

Nol!

I like your stories.

John: I tell you,

I ain't never heard of news reading as a business before.

It's not a rich man's occupation, as you can see.

Well, so how did you bother in it, then?

I was a printer by trade.

And I had a printworks in San Antonio.

Printed up newspapers.

Then the war came.

When it was over, it was all gone.

I lost everything.

Had to make a new life for myself right there.

Couldn't print the newspapers anymore, but I could read 'em.

And that's what I've been doing from town to town.

You got family and all?

Left a wife in San Antonio.

Really?

Kidd: Well, all right. This is you, John calley.

Okay.

All right.

I could come with y'all.

Yeah, I heard all about hill country.

That's kiowa land.

If they find you, they'd kill you.

The railroad's that way, John.

Go make something of your own.

At least take this gun.

I could get another real easy.

Just take it for her.

Say, captain,

those men holed up in that mine,

they really beat the fire and get home?

Yeah, they really did.

Right there.

Well, goddamn. Ain't that something, huh?

Good luck to you, John.

Thank you. Come on.

Good luck.

Will you teach me that song you always sing?

The one that goes...

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

We have to stay on the main road!

Main road!

We go.

Kidd: You don't have to do this.

They aren't there anymore.

Suhanna go.

Yes. They're dead.

I want to get you away from all this pain and killing,

get you clear of it.

Going back, it's not good.

Need to put it behind you.

Yes.

Stay on that line.

And don't look back.

Hmm?

Whoa.

Whoa.

Captain! Hang on.

Take the reins!

Jump! Jump, Johanna!

Yeah, good. All right.

Horses.

Johanna!

Johanna!

Johanna!

Where are you?

Johanna!

Johanna!

Johanna!

Johanna!

Johanna!

Johanna!

Thank god! Johanna.

Young man, I'm looking for the leonbergers of castroville.

Ja. The red house. Straight.

Do we read story?

Dime-ah?

No, no story here.

No dime-ah?

No, no dime-ah.

We go there?

Yes.

Yes, we go there.

No. No, cap.

No. We go dime-ah. No. No.

We go. No.

We go!

We go. No.

No, we go.

This is... this is where you belong now, Johanna.

This is your home now.

Good day.

I have business with the leonberger family.

This child is Johanna leonberger.

Anna.

My sister, she always went her own way.

We said, "stay in castroville," but she and her husband wolf,

they wanted to be out there in the valley

where the land is cheaper.

Wilhelm: Hmm?

So, she thinks she's an Indian now?

Kidd: Well, something in between.

She needs time to adjust.

She must work.

She must learn...

The proper ways.

Of course.

You know, my sister, when we found her in the bedroom,

they cut her throat.

The baby sister...

They bashed the brain out.

Best if she forgets all that.

She needs new memories.

Who knows what they will have taught her?

But we must try to see her as a blessing.

And we need the extra hands.

You want money for bring her here?

No. No, I don't want your money.

Buy her books.

Anna: Books? So she can read.

She likes stories.

I will go.

You want some food for the journey?

Kidd: No, thank you.

He's leaving, child.

You ungrateful girl. This man, he brought you on home.

Kidd: That's all right.

Maybe she doesn't understand what's happening.

Mr. branholme: I think Michael did this.

"Expressly agreed."

I'm not sure that that's accurate.

We'll have to inform Mr. young

about the rewriting of this contract, no?

This here.

Hello, Willie.

Jeffrey.

My god.

Gentlemen, this is

my dear old friend captain Jeffrey kidd.

Pleasure to meet you, sir.

Gentlemen.

Please.

She's at the church.

In the garden.

It was cholera.

There's nothing you could have done.

Doctor said.

It was being away for four years of war, Willie.

Four years with all the killing and all the blood.

Of wanting to go home every day.

Of wanting to see her and feel her.

To talk and laugh and dream and...

And think of having a family.

Instead, I got a letter delivered to my tent,

saying she was gone and already buried.

That's when I knew.

God's curse on me had taken her.

It was sickness, Jeff, just sickness.

It wasn't sickness.

It was judgment

for all I had seen,

and all I had done.

I've known you 50 years.

Since we were boys.

We didn't ask for any of this.

But it fell to us to do the fighting.

We lived.

She died.

That's not judgment.

It's just what we had to face

and carry the rest of our days.

Hyah! Hyah!

We had to tie her.

She runs away.

She's a child.

She no work.

My mistake.

She doesn't belong here.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Johanna...

Captain, Johanna go?

Yes.

If that's what you want.

Captain, Johanna go.

Kidd: Now, ladies and gentlemen,

for this final story of the day.

"A man dead and buried

"has risen from the grave."

"Three days ago, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,

"a Mr. Alfred blackstone of 47 years

"fell into a stupor.

"His wife called the physician, but there being no pulse,

"it was determined that Mr. blackstone was,

"most unfortunately, dead.

"He was buried very swiftly on the grounds

"of the local church,

"where, as divine Providence would have it,

"a wedding was due to take place the following day."

"But nearing the church doors, the bride abruptly stopped.

"From the cemetery beyond,

"she had heard this inexplicable sound."

"The desperate, unmistakable hammering of life."

"In a state of frantic excitement,

"she ran to a nearby grave marked 'Alfred blackstone."

"And within moments,

"the entire wedding congregation was digging."

"Finally, poor Alfred blackstone

"was pulled from the earth very much alive."

"And from his widow blackstone's embrace,

"Alfred turned to the groom and said, and I quote,

“feller, when you get in that church

"and she says, "till death us do part,"

"don't you believe a word of it."

My name is captain Jefferson Kyle kidd.

This 1s miss Johanna kidd.

And that is all the news of the world we have for you.

We thank you, and good night.