All language subtitles for The.Waltons.S04E17.The.Fox.WEBRip.x264-ION10

In the days of my boyhood
on Walton's Mountain,

it was not only home to me

but to the wild animals
roaming the woods.

And though they were not always
welcome guests in our house,

they were reasonably free
and without fear.

Sometimes, though, a threat
to their lives would appear.

-Where'd you find that?
-In the cellar.

Thought I got rid
of that years ago.

-What do you plan to do with it?
-Going into the fur business.

Oh, yeah? With one trap?

Well, that's how
John Jacob Astor began.

-And he became a millionaire.
-But he trapped wild things.

What do you think
I'm gonna trap?

Maybe Myrtle there.
Or this wild thing?

-Who's wild?
-You are.

Daddy, there's some kind of
animal hanging around here.

Ever seen an animal trapped
in one of those?

No.

Just suppose you're a muskrat
or a mink looking for food.

They got small
delicate bones, you know.

Just like them flower stems.

And they see this trap

and they think it's food.
So they reach in and...

I've seen them caught in these,
Son. It's not a pretty sight.

Well, there goes my Fourth of
July firecracker money.

Not necessarily. You ever
thought about a box trap?

Box traps? They're for kids.
They're just play toys.

They got advantages, Son.

At least they don't
hurt the animals.

-John.
-Over here, Pa.

I guess a box trap
would be the best thing.

Maybe you could
trap a rabbit or something.

Not pets. This is business only.

-What you got there, Pa?
-Oh, here, on this map,

I think there's
considerable good timber

left up here in this area.

Oh, yeah. I was thinking
about going over here.

It's level, you get the lumber
out easy, ready for harvesting.

-Right over here.
-That's possible.

Them Virginia pines
always need tending.

How long do you think
it'll take you?

I can mark enough trees in three
days to keep us busy a while.

I'd like to go
up there with you.

Been more than a while
since I've been up there.

I'd rather have you stay here,
and keep the mill running.

Besides, you might want to sneak
off to that reunion of yours.

Oh, yes, I would enjoy that.

To see all my old buddies and
retell all the old battle tales.

Where's that, Grandpa?

The veterans of the
Spanish-American War

are having a reunion.

Those of us that fought
at the battle of San Juan Hill.

-You were there, weren't you?
-You know that.

Along with Teddy Roosevelt
and the Rough Riders.

One of these days, I'm gonna
buy a store-bought cake,

all frosted and ready to eat.

Them store-bought
cakes look pretty,

but they never put enough eggs
in them for my taste.

"Glory be to God
for dappled things

"For skies of couple-color
as a brindled cow

"For rose-moles all in stipple
upon trout that swim

For fluffy frosting
on an angel's cake."

Hmm. Good.

"Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls,
finches' wings

"Whatever is fickle,
freckled, who knows how?

"With swift, slow,
sweet, sour, adazzle, dim

"He fathers-forth
whose beauty is past change

"Praise him."

What's got into him?

Summer vacation, I expect.

He's getting more
like his grandpa every day.

Is that so bad?

Oh, I'm sorry.
I was just practicing.

Don't let me stop you.

-You gonna study?
-Not yet.

Do you ever
read Adventure magazine?

-Sure. Good action stories.
-Yeah.

-You know how much they pay?
-Never really thought about it.

-Two cents a word.
-For every word?

"They," "you," "are," "is,"
"and," "but," "it,"

two cents apiece.

"How are you today, sir?"
It's 10 cents.

It's two candy bars.
Or a guitar string.

How do you know
they pay so much?

Writer'sDigest. It tells you
how much these magazines pay,

what they're looking for,

length of manuscript, where to
submit, all that kind of thing.

I was thinking about writing
an adventure story for them.

Why are you laughing?

Well, you've never been
hunting for lions in Africa

or gone sailing down the Amazon
looking for head-hunters.

You never had an adventure.

Well, I wouldn't
say that exactly.

-What would you say exactly?
-Well, Jason,

a writer doesn't
have to actually experience

an adventure to write about it.
Look at Stephen Crane.

He wrote some of the best
descriptions of battle

in American literature.
He was never in a war.

I see.

Maybe you could write one called

"How I Shot at a Wild Turkey
but Missed."

Or let's see,
"Stalking the Jungles

"of Walton's Mountain
with a Slingshot and BB Gun."

Why don't you go practice
your guitar in the barn?

Alright, I'm going.

I know when to take a hint.

Go on.

Go on.

Radio's on the blink.

Well, what's wrong with it?

I don't know.
Think we blew a tube.

Here. Let me take a look at it.

Not again.

-We just got a new tube.
-What's the trouble?

-It does look like a tube.
-Is it the same one?

-Yes.
-Goodbye Amos n' Andy.

We're gonna miss
Gang Busters.

Well, you can live without
Gang Busters for one night.

-No, we can't, Grandma.
-Just try.

Well, what can I do?

Lots of things. Read a book.

I did that at school.

Well, you can help Erin with
the dishes or fill the wood box.

Or you can come and sit
beside me and let me hug you.

I'm too old for that, Grandma.

I'm not.

I'm going away tomorrow.

I'm gonna walk down to the pond.

One, two, three.

Got you.

One, two, three.

Finish the dishes, Erin?

I'll finish them.

It's kind of nice.

An evening without
that radio chattering away.

Grandma.

After a busy day, some peace and
quiet can be a welcome thing.

Well, who wants peace and quiet?

We have that all day.

Your grandma likes
to collect her thoughts.

It's a harmless pastime.

Now, the world
would be a lot better place

if people spent
more time doing it.

What if you don't have
any thoughts to collect?

-Do you want some of mine?
-No, thanks.

What are we gonna do now?

We could make some fudge.

I'll crack the walnuts.

Can we, Grandma?

No, we're low on sugar.

Why don't we grow our sugar?
We grow everything else.

-Because you don't grow sugar.
-Somebody does.

-How do you think we get it?
-Sugar cane.

They squeeze the juice
out of it.

Hmm. Sugar.

I saw lots of it when
I was down in Cuba with Teddy.

Teddy Roosevelt.

Is he gonna be
at the reunion, Grandpa?

Well, only in spirit, Jim-Bob.

What reunion
are you talking about?

Reunion of the veterans
of the Spanish-American War,

the anniversary of
the Battle of San Juan Hill.

Why don't you tell us about
the charge up San Juan Hill?

Well, it was something to
remember, I could tell you that.

Zeb, you're not gonna
tell that story again?

Well, if we can't
have Gang Busters,

I'll settle for Rough Riders.

Yes, Grandpa.

-Charge! Charge!
-Charge!

Don't spoil it
by telling the ending.

Come on, Grandpa. We haven't
heard that story in a long time.

Well,

it was early morning
of July 1, 1898.

The sun rose up out of the sea
like a ball of fire.

We Rough Riders were gathered
at the foot of San Juan Hill.

There was sort
of a clutter and clang

an army's pulling itself
together early in the morning.

The dust rose up high
in the heaven mingling

with the mist on the ground.

It was humid.
Just like a Turkish bath.

The sun rose up higher
and began to scorch our skins

even before a single shot
was fired in that army.

Our bayonets and our rifles
were so hot,

we could hardly bear to put
our hands to touch them.

Couldn't you just say
it was hot?

It was burning, blazing hot.

It was so hot that you could
have fried an egg on the ground.

There wasn't a sound so far up
on the enemy's encampment

up on top of the hill.

Then suddenly there
came a whistling,

singing sound in the air.

Something exploded
right over our heads.

It was shrapnel,
shrapnel from the enemy guns

and it showered all around us.

We began to duck,
sort of, go for cover.

Then, over the carbines
there came a rattle of...

"Machine guns," somebody yelled.
"Let's get out of here."

And we turned and then...
Then we heard his voice.

That magnificent voice.

"It's your own Gatling guns,
you sons... You men!"

"It's your own Gatlings,
you men!"

And there he loomed up
in front of us

-on that magnificent steed!
-Teddy Roosevelt.

-Shouting, "Charge!"
-Charge!

Not yet. Not yet.

"Dress on the colors, men,"
he said. "Dress on the colors."

Oh, it was such an inspiration,
a sight to behold.

I'll never forget it. Sitting
there, tall in his saddle...

What was the name of his horse?

-Little Texas.
-That's right.

And off we went. So courageous,
an inspiration to all of us.

Sitting there with the enemy's
bullets flying around him,

like so much
popcorn are popping.

-And then...
-Charge?

Shh. Not yet.

There're some enemy pillboxes
up on top of the hill.

And the sharpshooters
are shooting at us.

Then our own men
begin to return the fire.

Someone had been shot.

Oh, it was the young man
right next to me.

And then a sharp, clear voice
came out ringing,

Teddy Roosevelt's own voice...

-"Charge!"
-"Charge!"

"Charge!" And up we charged.

Up, up, to the valiant thunder
of the enemy's guns.

-Up, up...
-Grandpa, I'm a goner.

Hang on, young man. On we went.

-We charged.
-Charge!

Up, up the hill
till I reached the very crest...

Grandpa, I'm dead.

Up on top of the hill
till the very crest of the hill.

And I can look down
on the village of Santiago.

And then I grab that red...

You remember that red bandana
you gave me, Esther?

I sure do. It belonged
to my papa. On my wedding day.

-I planted that bandana...
-On my wedding day.

-To tie around my hair.
-Esther, I planted...

To tie around my hair,
so my hair wouldn't get blown.

Esther, I am talking.

In case the horse and buggy
got up too much steam.

Esther, have you quite finished?

I could go on.

I planted that red bandana
on top of San Juan Hill!

A sign of victory
for everyone to see!

Victory!

(Grandpa)
It was burning, boiling hot.

You could have fried
an egg on the ground.

There wasn't a sound on the
enemy encampment up there

on top of the hill.

Ike, how come these peas
are marked 11 cents

when they was only
nine cents last week?

Well, Mrs. Gormley, I guess
prosperity has finally made it

around the corner.

What's this?

It's five pounds of sugar,
19 cents.

Oh, highway robbery!

Mrs. Gormley, I can't help.

The wholesale house
raised their prices on me.

What's this?

But there's
a depression going on.

-Hey, John-Boy.
-Hey, Ike.

-Mrs. Gormley, good morning.
-Good morning, John-Boy.

Don't you buy a thing.
He'll rob you blind.

Mrs. Gormley, will that be all?

Yes, that's all.

Deliver it
with my sack of flour.

And keep your eyes
out for my cat.

-Prudence run off again?
-Yeah, it's got to be a habit.

Are you on your way
to Boatwright?

Yes, ma'am,
but it's the last week.

Summer vacation's coming up.

Oh, it seems like only yesterday
we were shoveling snow.

-That is the truth.
-Well, well, don't the time fly?

Yes, it does, ma'am. Bye-bye.

Time flies, Ike, especially
when you're behind schedule.

I'd like a number two lead
pencil, sharpened, please.

Number two sharpened coming up.

Hey, I saved yesterday's
newspaper for your grandpa.

There's an article
that I think might interest him.

What's that?

A reunion of Spanish-American
war veterans in Charlottesville.

-Yeah, we know about that.
-Is Zeb going?

Unfortunately, he can't.

Daddy's gotta go
on the mountain and mark timber.

Grandpa's got to mind the mill.

Say, Ike, does it say in here
who's in charge of this thing?

Yeah, it's right there.
Allen McCreary.

Yeah. In Charlottesville.

I'm gonna take this,
Ike, alight?

-Sure, go ahead.
-Thank you.

-Go ahead and try it.
-I don't wanna get trapped.

It won't hurt you. Just touch
the stick where the bait is.

Why don't you
touch the stick, Ben?

What's the matter?
You're afraid of a box?

Use a stick.

I don't want to do it.

Elizabeth, you show us
how it works.

-Go on.
-Don't push me.

-It's not gonna explode.
-Alright.

See, that's all there is to it.

Now, if that had been an animal,
he would've been all boxed up.

What if the door
fell on its head?

His head's there
where the bait is.

Even if it falls on his tail,
it won't hurt.

-It's not that heavy.
-Pretty nifty, huh?

Why do you wanna
trap animals anyway?

To get furs.

I've been reading up on it. And
you know the Hudson Bay Company,

you know how they got
all their money? From furs.

And they own practically
all of Canada.

You could own
all of Walton's Mountain?

Well, like what Grandpa says,

"Great oaks come
from little acorns."

This is my little acorn.

Come in, young man.
I'm sorry I kept you waiting.

But I've been
putting this reunion together.

Been going
from reveille to taps.

That's quite alright. I've been
enjoying looking around myself.

-What did you say your name was?
-John Walton, Jr.

What can I do for you, John?

We read you're in charge of the
Spanish-American War reunion.

Yes, sir. That's correct.

My granddaddy was a Rough Rider.

Well, now, there aren't
too many of those around.

Sit down, boy,
sit down. Sit down.

-Your grandfather still alive?
-He most certainly is.

And what was his name?

Zebulon Tyler Walton,
but we all call him Zeb.

Well, you won't
find him in that picture.

Well, it says Cuba, July 1898.

No, no, that's my outfit,
the First Brigade.

He was probably
in the Second Brigade.

You see, there aren't many
Rough Riders in these parts.

Many are from out West
or back New York way.

Polo players or cowboys.

Well, I suppose he told you
about our war.

He certainly has.

I think I could find my way up
San Juan Hill blindfolded.

I'm glad to hear that.

I think more young people
should know and be proud

of that historic occasion.

And of Teddy Roosevelt.

I think he was the bravest
leader our country we ever had.

We've certainly heard
a great deal about him.

You know, there was a fighter.

He led our glorious flag
to victory that day.

Look here.

Have you ever seen one of these?

A 30-caliber Krag.

First bolt-action gun
adopted by the Army in 1896.

We had these down there

-on the island.
-Well, very interesting.

Fine weapon. Fine, fine weapon.

-Mr. McCreary.
-Yeah?

Tell you the real reason
I'm here.

I'm a writer.

And I was thinking about a slant
on an article that I'm gonna

be writing
for Adventure magazine.

Oh, you write
for Adventure magazine?

Well, I submit to it.
You see, they like a gimmick.

Something new or different
and interesting

that you can hang on to
an article.

In the military,
we call that a surprise tactic.

Could be, could be.
Anyway, my idea is this.

What would you say, at your
reunion, to a reenactment

of the charge up San Juan Hill
by the veterans

who were there on that day?

Say, that's an interesting idea.
Yeah, very interesting.

I think I could get them to
rally behind an idea like that.

Second part of the idea is this.

We could hold the charge
right on Walton's Mountain

which is where I live.

-And where is that?
-Just over in Jefferson County.

You could've the whole mountain
the entire day

and we will cooperate
with you 100%.

Capital idea, John, capital.

I'll tell the veterans
when they arrive.

I'm sure they'll say bully to
it, you can depend on it. Bully!

-It's gonna be exciting.
-Let me think here. Let me.

Come here. I've got it.
I've got it.

We'll have a parade. You know,
the veterans in the cars,

flags flying,
buntings on the wheel,

a caravan right up
to your mountain.

They'll come from
all over the county.

Yeah.

It'll certainly be a lot better

than the basement
of the Methodist Church.

You don't know how hot
it can get there in July.

I imagine so.

Esther.

Good Lord!

Maude! Couldn't you have let
a person know you're here?

-You scared the wits out of me.
-I was only resting, Esther.

I get sort of winded
finding my way over here.

Are you here for a visit
or is there something you need?

Prudence is what I need.

The cat's out again?

You wouldn't want
to take her for free, would you?

If Prudence don't
quit running away,

I'm gonna have
to give her to you.

No, no, no, giving us
Myrtle was quite enough.

And besides, Prudence
is good company for you.

Oh, she's away from home
all the time running somewhere.

Esther, if you see her,

I'd appreciate it if you'd send
one of the boys over to tell me.

-I'll keep an eye open.
-Oh, you're a good soul, Esther.

-Think I got something.
-What's that?

Hey, I got something.

Is it a bobcat
or something? What's it?

-It's wild I think.
-A mountain lion or something.

Yeah.

It's just a dumb cat.

-Big animal, Ben.
-Careful, Ben, might hurt you.

-Come on, cut it out.
-Be careful.

Naughty Prudence
to run away like that.

You say you found her in a trap?

Well, yes, ma'am.

Well, I never heard
of a cat trap before,

but if you got one set,
I know where to find Prudence.

Sure will save a lot of wear
and tear on looking for her.

Well, it's not actually
a cat trap, ma'am.

-It's for wild animals.
-Don't say anything to Prudence.

She won't know the difference.

Esther, what are you planning
to do? Set fire to the place?

I'm not taking out a sliver
with a needle

that hasn't been sterilized.

-Ouch! What're you doing?
-Would you hold still?

Stop jumping around.
I can't do anything.

I did not request
a major operation, Esther.

You handle that needle
like a lumberjack.

I never heard a man complain so.
Now will you hold still?

Esther, if you were planning
to amputate my thumb,

give me a say-so in the matter.

-Hey, hi, Zeb.
-Come on.

Hi, Ike.

Hold still.

Where's your motorcycle?

That stupid thing blew up.
I got a fella working on it.

Esther's trying to extract
a cord of wood from my thumb.

There. There's his cord of wood.

What brings you here, Ike?

I was bringing a sack of flour
over to Maude Gormley.

John-Boy left this
at the store.

-Thought I'd give him back.
-Thanks.

How's that reunion
coming up, Zeb?

It ought to be
quite an affair, yes.

Read about that and thought
about you right off.

I've been doing some thinking
about it myself.

Be nice to go, Zeb.

You can catch up
with all your war buddies.

It would, but John being off the
place I can't spare the time.

For one day?

As much as I would like to,
I cannot indulge

in such highfalutin foolishness
with a bank payment coming due.

The reunion dinner, if I recall,
was only $1.25, wasn't it, Zeb?

Only!

Zeb, we can manage $1.25.

And I'll tell you what, Zeb.
I'll contribute a quarter.

Anytime I'm in need of your
charity, Ike, I'll let you know.

I don't think it's the supper
money that's bothering him.

Well, then, what is it?

I don't know.

Maybe men don't like
to go to reunions.

Remember how John didn't want to
go to his high school reunion?

Well, I want Zeb to go.

I want him to get together
with all his old war buddies

and talk and talk till
he gets it all out

so I don't have
to listen to it anymore,

have it all
brought back to me.

Every time he tells
those stories, I...

Well, nobody knows what I went
through while he was off

fighting in that war.

Where...

Where is she?
Where is my little chickadee?

Don't... Don't "little
chickadee" me!

You're going. That's that,
and there's no argument.

-Just where am I going?
-To the reunion.

I guess, I'm the best judge
of where I'm going.

Work here is more important than
chewing the fat about old times.

-After all that...
-Grandma, don't worry about it.

Grandpa.

I'm happy to tell you
don't have to go to the reunion.

-What do you mean by that?
-You don't have to go.

-How's that...
-It's coming to you.

Well, what do you mean by that?

Mr. Allen McCreary, who's in
charge of the whole shebang,

moved it from Charlottesville
to Walton's Mountain.

Well, whose dumb fool idea
is that?

It was my dumb fool idea.

Well, you could just tell
Mr. Mc, whatever his name is,

to keep his reunion in
Charlottesville where it belongs

instead of bothering us
up here at Walton's Mountain.

Fool ideas...

I think... Well, here's
what I had in mind.

You think it's a good idea?

See, what we had in mind,
Mr. McCreary and myself,

was to have a reenactment
up San Juan Hill

with the actual veterans who
were there reliving the battle.

-I think that's a terrible idea.
-Why?

A friendly reunion is one thing,
but reenacting a battle

in which young men died on both
sides is something else again.

It seems to me
you're glorifying war.

I'm not glorifying war.
I wouldn't do such a thing.

Well, you get a bunch of old
fossils charging up a hill

they might make it look like
all fun and games,

but it wasn't.

I don't want Ben or Jim-Bob
or any other youngster

to think that war is no worse
than a turkey shoot.

I just thought
it would be fun for Grandpa.

John-Boy, it wasn't fun. Not
for those that stayed at home.

And not for those
that went, either,

no matter how much
they like to talk about it.

Well, I have to admit,
I know what you mean.

I'll just have to call
the whole thing off.

I'm sorry. I guess,
I shouldn't have made any plans

without asking my family first.

Why should they object?

It was such a glorious chapter
in the history of our country.

I think they feel that
to relive all that killing

with young children around...

But those men died as heroes
in the name of our country.

I understand that, sir.

And I don't know
what to tell you.

They've just put
their foot down.

I have to ask you
to call it off.

But you can't do that,
it's too late.

Too many plans have been made.

This is very important to me.

I want to charge up that hill
like Teddy did.

Well, I've even
had my uniform cleaned.

And my wife, she's been
decorating the car,

the whole town has been helping.

The newspaper, they've
got a copy of the speech

that I'm gonna make
up on your hill.

It's very important, sir,
very important.

Yes, sir.

We'll just have to work
something out.

John-Boy, out there
in them pickleweeds

is a catfish as big as
Jonah's whale lurking.

I aim to have him for supper
if he'll accept my invitation.

What are you tempting him with?

I've got some cheese that's
been aging all winter long.

You get any bites from him yet?

Mosquitoes,
and a chigger or two.

Grandpa, I couldn't
call off that reunion.

I tried, but I couldn't
do that to Mr. McCreary.

I'll tell you
what they'd do.

They're gonna hold it on the
other side of the mountain.

Let them have it wherever they
want. It's no concern of mine.

What if I told you I was
planning to write an article

on this reunion
for Adventure magazine?

A real adventure story,
you know.

"How I Charged
up San Juan Hill."

I wanted to make
you the first person.

I'd like to have a first
person for those stories.

"I charged up San Juan Hill with
Roosevelt and the Rough Riders."

I could even sign it

"How I Charged Up San Juan Hill
by Rough Rider Zeb Walton

"as told to his grandson
John Walton, Jr."

If they bought it from me,
they'd pay me two cents

for every word you told me.

Didn't realize any words of mine
would be worth two cents total.

I suppose if you sold
the article, it'd help you buy

schoolbooks in the fall, huh?

Probably would.

Might even be able to buy
a second-hand typewriter.

I just don't think
I can do it, John-Boy.

Please, Grandpa.

I'm sorry.

Fox.

Fox! Got a fox!
Jason, Mary Ellen.

-Come here, everyone.
-What happened?

-It's a fox. I got a fox.
-You got a fox!

-With a red fur.
-Did you expect a green fox?

I saw Carole Lombard
in a movie magazine once.

She had a fox just
like that around her neck.

Wouldn't it bite?

Don't be silly, it wasn't alive.

I'm not silly.

Carole Lombard is silly for
wearing a dead fox around her.

A lot of women wear
a dead fox around their necks.

That's what makes
them fashionable.

-How're you gonna kill him, Ben?
-Kill him?

Well, I was gonna ask Daddy
the best way to save the pelt.

But I'll just whack
him on the head.

You're gonna kill him, are you?

How else am I going to get
the pelt? Skin him alive?

Don't you dare kill him!

-I have to.
-No, you don't.

He is a fox and all they do is
eat chickens and make trouble.

How could you even think
of killing something so cute?

It's his fault
he got trapped. Not mine.

-Who built the trap?
-And who baited it and set it?

Maybe I'll get some chloroform
and put him to sleep.

That would be an improvement
over being knocked in the head.

Poor thing. He looks hungry.

Guess I'll give you some
leftovers after supper.

Hey, I'll give him some
leftovers after supper.

Will you please tell Mama
that Ben's gonna kill that fox?

And so he says.

Elizabeth, don't worry about it.
Go get washed up for supper now.

Jason.

Would you please tell Mama
that Ben's gonna kill that fox?

-What's your brother up to?
-He says he's gonna kill it.

I reckon he's
gonna sell the pelt.

He would do
anything for money.

Elizabeth, I will
take care of it.

Will you get washed up? You'll
be late for prayer meeting.

Come on.

John-Boy, you know
where your grandpa is?

-He's gonna miss his supper.
-I don't know.

Even if I did,
he wouldn't speak to me.

He's so upset
about this reunion business.

Now, don't you go blame yourself
for your grandpa's moods.

Hides in his little world when
there's something on his mind.

I remember way back
when it was the Maine.

Yeah.

You mean the battleship Maine?

-The one blown up off of Cuba?
-Yeah.

One of Zeb's best friends was
killed. I'll never forget it.

All those young men so stirred
up, so anxious to enlist.

Including Zeb.

I made the mistake of telling
him that war was for single men,

not men with a...
Well, with a wife.

I almost made this mistake
of saying, "And a child."

Zeb didn't know I was
carrying John at the time.

I'll never understand
why you didn't tell him.

We were so young.

I was afraid he felt trapped
enough as it was

without saddling
fatherhood on him

and he was so eager to go.

And he just moped
in that little world of his

until I just couldn't stand it.

Yeah. So I finally told him
to go, it was his duty to go.

His patriotic duty.

I didn't want him to hate me
for holding on to him.

And then later I thought
maybe I'd been right,

that it would have been better
if he was with me,

even hating me,

than lying out there somewhere
in a battlefield in Cuba.

I didn't hear
from him for weeks.

When he came home
from the war,

when he came home
to me and John,

it was... I was so...

John-Boy, would you get
your grandpa in here now?

These peas...
Now look what you made me do.

John-Boy, you got a long
distance phone call at Ike's.

You've to call operator number
three in Charlottesville.

Operator number three.

John-Boy, supper's almost ready.

Mama, it's long distance. I'll
be right back. Thanks, Jim-Bob.

It's about time you showed up,
young man. Where have you been?

No place.

Well, go wash up for supper.

Yeah, I guess I'd better.

Grandma.

I love you.

Miss Fannie,
this is John Walton, Jr.

Yes, John-Boy.

I need operator number three
in Charlottesville.

Listen, if there's
anything I could do...

I don't even know
who it is yet, Ike.

Hello, operator. Yes. I'm here.

-It's Mr. McCreary.
-That's the guy with the...

Mr. McCreary. Yes,
this is John Walton, Jr.

I'm returning your call.

Yes. About the reunion tomorrow.

I didn't get
the response I expected.

-Only three men reported in.
-I'm sorry to hear that, sir.

Kind of hard to do a charge up
a hill with only three men.

Besides, they don't
much like the idea.

-Running up a hill.
-You tried, Mr. McCreary.

Yeah, we tried.
I guess times are changing.

The four of us will just have
to go to the Methodist Church

and then have supper
at the diner.

Canceled everything else.

Thanks for calling,
Mr. McCreary.

Yeah. Good luck, boy,
and thank you.

Where is everybody?

-Prayer meeting.
-Oh, that's right.

-Got your long distance call?
-Yeah.

The reunion's been called off.

Nobody's coming?

Only three of them showed up.

Grandpa's gonna be happy
to hear that.

Your grandpa's gone.

What do you mean gone?

Yeah, well, he left a note
for me on the dresser.

-What does it say?
-Nothing makes any sense.

"Gone to the mountain.
Be back when the war's over."

Just gonna sit there
and look at him?

Just leave me alone,
Elizabeth.

How would you feel
if you were it?

Look, this is none
of your business.

Well, this is interesting.

Two Waltons and a fox
in the middle.

What are you gonna do, Ben?

-I don't know.
-He's mean!

Well, look at him.
He kills chickens.

He didn't kill any of ours.

How do you know? I caught him
right near the chicken coop.

Mama, will you tell Elizabeth
that foxes kill chickens?

That's his nature.
He hunts for food.

He wants to kill him
to buy firecrackers.

I don't want to kill him.

In fact, I was thinking
I might keep him for a pet.

That might've worked
if you'd caught him a year ago.

-He's a wild creature now.
-Then I'll keep a wild fox.

Why do you wanna keep him if you
can't make a pet out of him?

Look, Elizabeth. I caught him
and I could do anything I want.

Ben, you and he are about
the same age in animal years.

He has a good, full life to look
forward to, just as you do.

He even looks like you.

-What are you talking about?
-You both have red hair.

One of these days you're
probably gonna meet a nice girl

and get married
and have a family.

I bet he was looking forward

to meeting a pretty little vixen
and having a family, too.

How you gonna feel,
keeping him locked up in a cage

knowing how lonely he is,
all that he's missing?

Well, it's his fault.
He went into my cage.

He was hungry!

Then I'll put him out
where he could see everything.

Where he can watch all
the other animals running free?

Close to the woods so that
he can smell the earth

and the new spring leaves?

Where on a quiet night,
he can hear the bullfrogs,

the waterfall, and the river?

Come on, Elizabeth.

Heehaw.

Hey, old fella.

Couple of stubborn old mules,
one trying to tell the other

what a jackass he's made of
himself through all these years.

Heehaw. Is that what
you're trying to tell me?

Well, don't rub it in.

Thank you kindly for quitting.

-Grandpa!
-Hmm?

John-Boy.

Well.

What are you doing
up here, young man?

I could ask
you the same question.

I come up here to tell you
the reunion's been called off.

I suppose you think
that's why I come up here,

on account of your dumb,
silly old reunion?

Yes, it is.

You hit the nail,
just what you've been thinking.

I did come up here on account
of your dumb, silly old reunion.

That is something that I just
don't understand, Grandpa,

if you want the truth.

It's embarrassment, false pride.

I didn't want to go to that
reunion 'cause of your grandma.

She would've eventually
found out the truth.

It's an awful thing to have
even that kind of a white lie

festering in your soul
for over 40 years.

What do you mean, Grandpa?

Well, the truth is,

contrary to what I've been
telling you all these years,

I never was a member
of that wonderful organization

known as the Rough Riders.

It was never my privilege to be
one of Roosevelt's chosen few.

I was in the Army,

but they gave me the job I guess
they thought I was fit for.

-What was that?
-Tending mules.

What do you think of that now?

I never knew
the Army was so practical.

No, I never made that charge
up to the top of San Juan Hill.

I never did. Talking
kindly of your grandma though,

she'd sacrificed
an awful lot to let me go.

I don't suppose you recollect

that she was carrying your daddy
while I was away.

She was talking
about it the other day.

After I got back,
I just couldn't bear

to tell her the miserable truth.

So I sort of fabricated things,
embroidered the story, you know,

the way your grandma embroiders
a tablecloth to sort of perk it,

well, I embroidered my story.

Just to make her happy.

You young ones
seem to enjoy it, too.

And after a while,
it got so that

I almost began
to believe it myself.

That's the way
a lot of our memories are.

Almost pure fabrications.
It wasn't what happened,

but just what you wished
and hoped would have happened.

And in my memory, I made
that charge up San Juan Hill.

That's what I want to remember.

Is it so criminal, John-Boy, to
want to have pleasant memories?

And I have seven grandchildren
right in this house.

My word! You know that we...

Mrs. Walton,
could this be them now?

Looks like John-Boy found him.
Am I glad you waited.

-Esther.
-We have company.

Zeb Walton
and my grandson John Walton, Jr.

-How do you do.
-This is Mr. and Mrs. Allerton.

-Nice to know you.
-Zeb.

-It is a pleasure, ma'am.
-It's my pleasure, Mr. Walton.

Zeb! You old rascal you!

Boy, am I ever happy
to find you again.

I never knew where you were

until McCreary talked about
a charge up Walton's Mountain.

I said to Elaine,

that's got to be Zeb Walton's
mountain and sure enough...

After all these years!
I can't believe it!

Well, I might believe
if I knew what to believe.

-Just who are you, sir?
-Bob! Bob Allerton.

Don't tell me
you don't remember me.

Didn't you tell
your folks about me?

Well, if you're not Teddy
Roosevelt, I don't think he did.

-No, you couldn't be.
-Yes.

-Bobby.
-Yes.

Bobby! Little Bobby Allerton!

I never forgot you.

I could never forget the man
that saved my life.

Didn't you ever
tell them about it?

No, Mr. Allerton.

I don't think he ever did.

Truth is, I wouldn't be here
today if it weren't for Zeb.

We were just starting up
the hill, I was scared stiff,

shaking in my boots.

Zeb was standing a few feet from
me when the shooting started.

I guess I was
about the first one hit.

I went down. Next thing I knew,

Zeb was kneeling over me tying
a tourniquet around my leg.

A red bandana,
I'll never forget.

I kept trying to get up,

but he held me down saying,
"Hang on, boy. Hang on."

And then, when
the enemy fire slowed down,

he picked me up and slung me
over his shoulder like a child.

And carried me all the way back
to the base hospital.

The bullets were screaming
around our ears.

Oh, Zeb.

We never got to the top
of San Juan Hill,

but thanks to your granddad,

I came through the war alive.

Whatever happened
to that red bandana?

Zeb, it's yours.

Grandpa's story
of the charge up San Juan Hill

was different when he told it
after that.

But in many ways,
more satisfying to him

and to his listeners.

Just at dusk of that day,

Grandpa rode alone
up Walton's Mountain.

Perhaps it was San Juan Hill
he saw there in the sunset.

This time, there was
only silence and peace.

And this time, he made it
all the way to the top.

Get along, Blue.

I wrote my story
for Adventure magazine,

but it was rejected with
a terse note from the editor,

"Not interested in the
Spanish-American War."

Ben, don't you feel good
letting the fox go?

What am I gonna do
for firecrackers on the fourth?

How about me?
Pow-bang-bang-boom!

You wouldn't fool anyone.

Who's shooting off firecrackers
this time of night?

See, I fooled Grandpa!

Old man, now don't you encourage
their foolishness.

-You children go to sleep.
-Okay. Goodnight.

-Goodnight.
-Goodnight.

Boom!

Oh, good Lord!