Charles quotes from Little House on the Prairie

Charles

[to Caroline after the hail storm] The wheat's gone, but it's nothing to be solemn about. I guess you might say we're right back where we started. I mean, it's just one harvest. Now, what's one harvest in a man's life, huh? It's nothing. [hugs Caroline]

I don't want him.

Charles

Oh, come on. He just wants to give you a little loving, that's all.

I DON'T WANT HIM! [runs out of the barn]

Mary

I don't think I'll ever be happy again.

Charles

Oh, yes, you will. You don't believe that now, but you wait and see. One of these days, this will all be over and forgotten. You'll meet a new beau, and you'll fall in love again.

Mary

[starts crying] No, I won't. Love is too painful.

Charles

Oh, come on. Shhh. [hugs Mary]

Mary

Nothing makes sense anymore.

Charles

[to John] Do you love her?

I care for her deeply.

Charles

I asked you if you were in love with my daughter.

No, sir.

Charles

How long have you known?

I'm not sure. When you're far apart, it's easy to avoid knowing the truth. But seeing her again, I knew. And I did plan to tell her, but in a letter when she got back to Walnut Grove.

Charles

When she got back to Walnut Grove. And I'm supposed to understand that, too?

I'm a writer. The words come easier on paper.

Charles

When you first told my daughter you loved her, did you write her a letter about it?

This is different. I can't face her.

Charles

John, Mary has a right to hear this from you and she has the right to let you know how she feels. You owe her that much.

Pa! Pa! Look what I found!

Charles

What is it, honey?

Eggs!

Charles

Oh, no, honey. You shouldn't have done that. Chicks aren't born the way humans are.

But I didn't mean anything. I'll put them back.

Charles

I'm afraid they're not gonna hatch. They'll be too cold without their mama.

All because of me?

Charles

Hey, now, don't feel so bad. It's not your fault. You didn't know.

I know! I'll be their mama!

Charles

What?

I'll take care of them myself, and then they'll hatch!

Charles

I'm afraid it just won't work.

It'll work, Pa! They never saw their real mama! I'm gonna go put them under my pillow right now!

Caroline

You know, sometimes, when we're all sitting at dinner, I feel like there's someone missing, and now that place will be filled by our son.

Charles

I don't know why you have to keep saying that. We don't know for sure if it's going to be a boy.

Caroline

Because I want a boy, for you.

Charles

Well, I don't! Not if it means nine months of misery.

Caroline

You built this cradle for our son.

Charles

Caroline, I built the cradle for our child!

Caroline

I've seen you with Andy, working together.

Charles

Exactly! If I want someone to help me around the farm, I'll hire him! I don't have to father him!

Caroline

You don't understand.

Charles

All right, what if you weren't pregnant? If you weren't pregnant, then we wouldn't have anything to worry about, would we? Caroline, when we had the girls, all we cared about was having a healthy, happy family. That's all.

Caroline

Well, of course I want him to be healthy!

Charles

HIM! Why does it always have to be "him?" Caroline, we had a son, and he died. It's over. God, you're... you're as bad as Carrie with her dead eggs, trying to give birth to chicks!

[to Charles about Mary] I didn't know your daughter had scarlet fever, Mr. Ingalls.

Charles

Yeah, she had scarlet fever.

How bad was it?

Charles

It was bad. It was scarlet fever. What is it?

The scarlet fever damaged the eye nerves. Weakened them.

Charles

How long until she's better?

I'm afraid she won't get better. The condition only worsens. Mr. Ingalls....Mary is going blind.

Charles

There must be some mistake.

Charles

There....some.....something. There must be something.

It would have to be in the nature of a miracle, beyond the skill or knowledge of a doctor.

Caroline

[to Doc Baker about Mary] I don't know what to do anymore. She says she's a burden to us and she hates it. I tell her it isn't true, but it just doesn't do any good.

This might sound harsh, Caroline, but I think you're trying to do too much. She has to learn to do for herself, if she's to have any kind of life.

Charles

But she can't do for herself, Doc. We have to take care of her.

Do too much and she'll retreat to bed, and she'll stay there. I haven't been trained in caring for the blind, and neither have you. She needs the help of people who have.

Charles

Well, where do we find those people?

There's schools for the blind. The nearest and one of the best is in Burton, Iowa.

Caroline

That's so far away! No, she needs her family.

Caroline, she's living in fear and resentment. With the proper help and training, she'll be a different person.

Charles

The doctor's right, Caroline. Can you contact them for us?

Certainly. Believe me, Caroline, it's what's best for Mary.

Jonathan

[in tears] Oh, dear God, Charles, I keep thinking this is all a dream, and I'm gonna wake up, and Alice is gonna be here.

Charles

Well, if she was here, what do you think she'd say to you? What do you think she'd say to you?

Jonathan

I don't know!

Charles

She'd say, "Jonathan Garvey, what in God's sake is wrong with you?" That's what she'd say. She'd say, "What in God's sake is wrong with you, man I love? What is wrong with you?" That's what she'd say, isn't it, friend?

Charles

[to Jonathan] Why don't you come to Church with us on Sunday? It helps, believe me.

Jonathan

Thank God for letting my wife die? That's what He did, ain't it? That's what He did for me. He let her die. And you want me to praise Him?

Charles

Jonathan.

Jonathan

No. If you want to believe, that's fine for you, but not for me.

[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!

Caroline

Mary, is something wrong?

Mary

No. Why do you ask?

Caroline

Well, when a mother and daughter have been as close as we have, we tend to notice things about each other that other people wouldn't.

Mary

Oh, it's nothing, really. It's just going to take a little getting used to, Adam's sight, I mean. It's like meeting someone again for the first itme.. He can see me and I can't see him. It's a very strange feeling.

Caroline

For both of you. Remember, Adam's going to have a lot of adjusting to do, too.

Mary

Oh, I know. I told you, it's nothing.

Charles

Well, if you two are through reading each other's minds, I'd like to get some sleep.

Adam

[to Mary] Sorry I'm late.

Mary

Well, that's all right. How did it go? How did you do?

Adam

I know how I did. That's why I'm late. I stayed while the professor graded my exam.

Mary

And?

Adam

And I did not make the top 3%.

Mary

Oh. Well, that's all right. You'll just have to study harder and take the test again next year.

Charles

That's right.

Adam

There's not gonna be a next year. [smiles] I made the top 1%!

Mary

Oh, Adam Kendall, I'm gonna kill you! [hugs him]

Charles

Listen to me, Albert. I know you care for this girl. I know you feel sorry for her, but you can't marry someone because you feel sorry for them.

Albert

I want to marry her because I love her! And the baby isn't mine, but it's part of her, of someone I love.

Charles

It's not the same thing.

Albert

Then you lied to me, Pa! I'm not your real son, but you said you loved me just the same. Were you lying?

James

Mr. Ingalls?

Charles

Yeah, son?

James

Couldn't Cassandra and I come and live with you?

Charles

I'm afraid not, son.

James

Why?

Charles

Well, if you saw my house, you wouldn't ask that. It's kind of small. Way too small for the family I've got.

James

Cassandra and me, we wouldn't take up much space, and we'd be real good about our chores. I mean, when she gets better.

Charles

You don't know how much I wish I could say yes.

James

Please. I don't want to go on that train.

Charles

I'm sorry, son.