Laura quotes from Little House on the Prairie

[to Charles about Almanzo] He left?

Charles

Yeah.

He wouldn't just leave. What did you say to him?

Charles

I told him you two would have to wait.

I'm not gonna lose him, Pa. If waiting means that I'm going to lose him, then I'm not gonna wait. I mean it, Pa!

Almanzo

[to Laura] I didn't want you to feel like you had to be nice to me because of the money.

Be nice to you? I love you, you silly man! Nobody could ever love you as much as I do.

Albert, why don't you wait outside for a minute?

Albert

Doc Baker, I want to know what's wrong with Sylvia. I was her beau until her Pa got mad and told her she couldn't see me anymore.

You were? For how long?

Albert

I don't know, a few months. Why?

She's with child.

Albert

What?

She's with child, son. Have you and her ever--?

Albert

No. No.....no! I never.....I nev--oh, God! [runs out]

Albert! He's not lying, Doc.

I believe him.

Is this your idea of a joke, Nancy?!

Nancy

Mr. Wilder! I had no idea!

What do you mean?! Isn't this your homework?!

Nancy

NO!!!!!! I mean yes! It is... but I...!

In the corner!

Nancy

What?!

IN THE CORNER!!!!!!!!

[to Almanzo] You don't need a wheelchair! You could only walk if you tried!

Almanzo

We've been all through this. You don't know what it's like.

And you don't know what it's like for me to watch my husband just give up! I think you want to be a cripple.

Almanzo

What kind of thing is that to say?

The truth, that's what!

Almanzo

Beth, you know that I have tried.

Oh, yes. Just long enough to give up. Doc Baker gave you exercises, and you won't even do them!

Almanzo

They don't work! Can't you understand that?

No, I don't! I don't understand anything about you anymore!

Oh, Laura. When are you moving to Minneapolis?

When it snows on the Fourth Of July!

Almanzo

[to Laura about the new house] I know it's small. We're all gonna be living in one room for a while.

I'm used to that.

Almanzo

And you'll have to fetch the water from the well, because there's no pump in the kitchen like before.

I'm used to that, too.

Almanzo

We're gonna be downright poor for a time, but the Farmer's Almanac predicts a good year. Cool summer, mild winter.

If the Almanac says it's so, it's so.

Almanzo

We're right back where we started, you might say, but the land is ours and nobody can take it away from us.

They better not try!

Almanzo

Welcome home, Beth. [they hug each other]

Harriet

Ah, good morning, Laura and Jenny.

Good morning, Mrs. Oleson.

Jenny

How did that woman know my name?

That's Mrs. Oleson. She knows everything that goes on in Walnut Grove and what she doesn't know, she makes up!

Jenny

I killed him.

What?

Jenny

He was running that day, trying to keep up with me. Why didn't you tell me he was sick? Why?

Jenny, your father asked us not to.

Jenny

You should have. This never would have happened if you had told me!

Jenny, now you listen to me. Your father was very sick. Doc Baker told you that.

Jenny

I could have taken care of him. I could have helped him live, but instead I killed him.

Jenny, you didn't kill him.

Jenny

Leave me alone. Get out and leave me alone!

Jenny

[when she wakes up in bed] How did I get here?

Jeb found your note. He saved your life.

Jenny

Why didn't he let me die? It's what I wanted!

What you wanted? Well, maybe it's about time you started thinking of someone else besides yourself.

Jenny

I want to be with them. I love them.

If you love them like you say you do, then you would never do anything like this, to hurt them like this! Jenny, your parents loved you more than anything else in the world. They wanted you to have everything. Everything! Your own family, children, their grandchildren! But because of your self-pity, you'll deny them everything?

Jenny

That's not true!

Yes, it is! You talk about God and love? God put you on this Earth for a reason just like all of us! You're strong and healthy, and you should get down on your knees and thank the Lord for what you've got! But instead, you just throw it all away, and you nearly cost an innocent boy to lose his life.

Jenny

What?

Yes! Jeb Carter nearly drowned trying to save you! His father told me he couldn't swim a stroke, yet he jumped into that water, and he somehow got you out! Now, I don't want to hear anymore about what you want. You start thinking about what your parents would want for you if you love them like you say you do.

Jenny

[about Matthew] Well, Doctor? What's wrong with him?

I think Matthew's suffering from morphinism. It's a condition that affects normal behavior due to the extended use of morphine. I saw quite a bit of it after the war.

Well, how would he have gotten that way?

My guess is that McQueen has been using his elixir to keep the boy sedated.

I'm sorry, Doc, I don't see the connection.

Isaiah, that elixir that McQueen is peddling probably has a morphine base. I'd have to test it to be sure. Anyway, all he had to do was give the boy large doses of the elixir and he was able to control his moods.

You mean, that's why the boy was acting crazy?

Exactly. When he wants the boy to go wild, all he has to do is withhold the solution, just long enough for the boy's need to bring on the violence.

Jenny

How could anybody do that to a boy?

Oh, Jenny. That and worse may have been done to him. I examined Matthew's throat. At some point in his life, he swallowed some lye, and that's why he can't speak. I hope to God it wasn't done deliberately.

[about Matthew] It's him! It's the Wild Boy!

Jenny

But he's not wild!

Almanzo

I said keep away from him! There's no telling what he's gonna do.

Jenny

Please! Won't you just listen to me? He's not wild, I tell you! He's a mute! [walks over to Matthew] It'll be all right, Matthew. They won't hurt you. His name's Matthew. He can't talk, but he can hear. He scratched his name in the dirt over there. The reason he acts this way is because Dr. McQueen keeps him locked up in that cage. You'd act wild, too!

I can't believe anybody would do something like this.

Almanzo

What I can't understand is how he got here. Jenny, how long have you known about this?

Jenny

Just today. Well, see, some of us sneaked into the tent to see him. We were just gonna take a quick peek and leave, honest. Nancy started teasing him and hitting him with a cane. Well, I stopped her. When I was putting the cane back, he reached down and touched my arm. He was scared, and he had this look on his face like.....well, now I know that all he wanted was for someone to help him.

These are my sign language books. They can teach you to talk with your hands.

They can?

It's the way deaf people talk.

Matthew can hear just fine.

But he can't talk, can he?

That's right, he can't. Trying to understand that boy is about as easy as scratching your ear with your elbow!

Well, I can change that. I can teach Matthew how to talk with his hands, and I can teach you and Jenny how to understand him.

Jenny

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

You think you can? I'm kind of a bonehead.

[laughs] I know I can.

Nellie

[to Laura] Look at you, you're all grown up!

Well, so are you.

Nellie

I've missed you.

Oh, I've missed you, too.

Nellie

I can't believe we're saying this to each other! Remember how we used to fight?

I sure do!

Nellie

I wonder if you can still beat me up.

I don't know. Wanna fight?

[to Almanzo] I don't think it's such a good idea for Jenny to be spending so much time at Marvin's.

Almanzo

Why not?

Well, you saw her. She's exhausted. She could barely keep her eyes open at the dinner table. She hardly even ate anything! I just don't think it's a good idea.

Almanzo

Beth, how many times has that child come home so exhausted from playing that she can barely keep her eyes open?

It was different then.

Almanzo

How?

She was all right then. How do we know this isn't making her worse? All that walking.....

Almanzo

Beth, it's good for her. She's having fun. Don't treat her like an invalid. You said you were gonna give this a chance.