Friendly Persuasion Page #3

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of thy convictions too.

I have my own doubts.

I've often asked myself...

...what I would do if I saw

my family endangered...

...my wife and children threatened.

If the test comes, all I can say is...

...I hope and pray I can be an

instrument of the Lord.

That test is coming.

It may well be so, friend.

Let us pray that the will of God

be revealed to us...

...and we be given the strength

and grace to follow His will.

Lord...

...let Thy children partake of Thy love

and the love of all men...

...rendering not evil for evil,

nor violence for violence done.

Let swords be changed into

ploughshares...

...and spears into pruning hooks...

...and children of peace

learn war no more...

...forever.

Eliza, what does thee like about

that shifty-eyed bird?

Why, Jess!

She marches along so lordly-like.

Marched real lordly through two pecks

of young strawberries this morning.

- Hello, Gard.

- Hello, Josh.

- You home on leave?

- Got a week's furlough.

Hello, Little Jess, Mrs. Birdwell.

Hello, Mr. Birdwell.

I came over to apologize about

that little brush last Sunday.

It wasn't my idea.

We know that.

Jess is going to get a nice slow horse

that doesn't have any racing ideas.

Did thee shoot any rebs?

What are they like?

They're just people like us.

But did thee shoot any?

Let's have no more talk of war...

...and killing.

I'm sorry, ma'am.

- Come in and set.

- Thank you.

You folks going to the fair?

I used to like the fair...

...but it's come to be

no place for us.

They've got some fine exhibits.

Needlework, livestock, poultry.

And geese.

Eliza, it might be just the place

to pick us up a nice slow horse.

Thee go, Jess. The fair's come to have

so many sideshows, freaks, dancing...

Dancing?

What does thee know about dancing?

She knows a thing or two.

Did Mama ever dance?

That was 20 years ago.

Twenty years exactly, come October.

I was courting her.

But did Mama dance?

No, child.

She was tempted to lift a foot,

but she married me instead.

Did thee propose then and there?

Dinner's ready.

Stay and eat with us?

Thank you, ma'am.

I'd be pleased to.

What about the fair?

- Come on, Josh, Jess.

- Can we go, Papa?

There's no point in putting temptation

in the children's paths.

We'd resist it.

We'd resist it as well as thee did.

Why can't we go?

She'll never let us go.

Mama's so straight-laced!

Maybe I can loosen up a few laces.

Isn't it ghastly, ladies and gentlemen?

Isn't it horrible?

This shining blade,

with the razor-edged blade...

...will pass through his mouth,

through his throat...

...into his very vitals!

And here we have Flame-o...

...the Human Volcano!

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