| "The Sound of Children" | |
| Season 5, Episode 18 #109 overall in Series | |
| Original air date | February 5, 1979 |
| Episode Guide | |
 IMDb
|
The Sound of Children |
| Written by | Carole Raschella Michael Raschella |
| Directed by | William F. Claxton |
| Episode Chronology | |
| Previous episode: "Dance With Me" |
Next episode: "The Lake Kezia Monster" |
Plot[]
Mary and Adam discover they are having a baby. Adam's father visits Walnut Grove upon learning the news and convinces Adam and Mary to move to New York so that Adam can attend law school and eventually become a partner in his father's law firm. Tragedy strikes however and Adam realizes that the troubles between he and his father were not imagined after all.
Cast[]
Regular[]
- Michael Landon: Charles Ingalls
- Karen Grassle: Caroline Ingalls
- Melissa Sue Anderson: Mary Ingalls
- Melissa Gilbert: Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush: Carrie Ingalls
- Alison Arngrim: Nellie Oleson
- Jonathan Gilbert: Willie Oleson
- Kevin Hagen: Dr. Baker
- Matthew Laborteaux: Albert Ingalls
- Linwood Boomer: Adam Kendall
- Brenda Turnbaugh and Wendi Turnbaugh: Grace Ingalls
- Jeffrey: Bandit
Guest Star[]
- Ellen Regan: Miss Elliott
Special Guest Star[]
- Phillip Abbott: Giles Kendall
Co-Starring[]
- Ketty Lester: Hester-Sue Terhune
- Dain C. Turner: Eli
Featuring[]
- Martha Nix: Holly
- Michelle Downey: Susan
- Vince Turtell: Thomas
- Christopher Bowman: Benjamin
- Naomi White: Miss Bennett
Quotes[]
- Mary: Adam, I'm going to have a baby.
- Adam (preoccupied) All right, don't start without me. (stops cold, turns around and walks up to Mary) Wait, what did you say?
- Charles (about Mary and Adam moving to New York): I imagine it's a pretty tough decision for Adam to make.
- Giles: It is. It really is. That's why I wanted to talk to you. I thought you'd be able to put in a good word for me.
- Charles: Well, I don't know if I should do that, Giles. I wouldn't want to interfere. It's not my place.
- Giles: Well, Mary's your daughter, and that's your grandchild she's carrying. You know, Charles, the city is the best place for a new life to be born. The best facilities. The best modern medicine.
- Charles: Well, I never knew we had any reason to doubt Doctor Baker.
- Giles: Well, no. No. But I'm also thinking of the future. Just imagine the opportunities I'll be able to provide the child. And my place is big enough for an army!
- Charles: Well, I'm sure it is, Giles. I just, I figured people shouldn't measure their happiness by the size of the room they're living in.
- Giles: Oh, well, I know, but you know, the people that you're with count for something, too. Our grandchild isn't going to be blind like the other children in that school. Maybe you're forgetting about that.
- Charles: No, I'm not forgetting.
- Giles: Then you'll put in a good word for me?
- Charles: I'm afraid I can't. When my children live under my roof, they do as I see fit. When they're on their own, they make their own decisions.
- Doc Baker (to Giles about Mary): I've given her something to ease the pain. She's going to be fine.
- Giles: And the baby?
- Doc Baker: Not this time. (turns to Adam) I'm sorry, Adam.
- Giles: You should have gotten here sooner.
- Doc Baker: It wouldn't have mattered. Nature had already decided it wasn't her time.
- Giles: But we just had dinner last night. She was fine.
- Doc Baker: I know it's difficult, Mr. Kendall, but there will be other babies. Better that it happened now than later.
- Caroline: Here, Mary. Have some soup. It's best for you.
- Mary: I'm not hungry.
- Caroline: Mary, I understand how you're feeling...
- Mary: No! No, you don't understand! You don't understand what it's like to never see the trees, or the sky, or to see your baby's first smile. And then to find out you're never going to have that baby..
- Caroline: Mary...
- Mary: How much more do I have to take? Dear God, how much more do I have to take?
- Mary: Eli, I really don't feel much like talking right now.
- Eli: That's okay. You can just listen. (sits down next to her) Miss Terhune told us you're not going to have a baby no more, and I'm really sorry, because I know how much you wanted one. And then I got to thinking, since I don't have a family of my own, maybe I could be your little boy. I know I'm not a baby no more, but you can't see me, you could pretend I am. Remember when I told you about my my sister? I know my mama didn't want me. Well, ever since I came here, I've been wishing you were my mama. And I thought that since we both need someone so bad, we could just pretend.
- Mary: Eli, I...
- Eli: Please don't say no right off. I'd be less trouble than a real baby, and if you give me a chance, I promise I'll try real hard to be what you want. You wouldn't be sorry.
- Mary: (about moving to New York so Adam can be a lawyer) It is the chance of a lifetime.
- Adam: I suppose.
- Mary: It is, and you know it. It's what you want.
- Adam: All we've talked about is my future and our child's future. I want to know how you feel. What do you want?
- Mary: We aren't like most people, Adam. Walnut Grove is in my mind, not my eyes. I won't ever lose that. As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter where I live.
- Adam: What about your family?
- Mary: That isn't easy, but... I have to put our family first.
- Adam: I'll make you proud of me.
- Mary: I always have been.
- Adam: And we can always come back if things don't work out.
- Mary: What can go wrong? You had to learn before you could teach. Is law school so different?
- Giles (after Mary's miscarriage): How's Mary?
- Adam: Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Before she...before all this happened, we planned to tell you that we decided to take you up on your offer.
- Giles: Oh, well, don't worry about that. I wouldn't expect you to go now.
- Adam: Well, I thought so too, at first, but I'm beginning to think that the best thing for Mary would be a complete change.
- Giles: You mean, you're still thinking about going?
- Adam: The sooner, the better. I just can't stand to see her suffer like this.
- Giles: Yeah, well, Adam, um, there's more to think about than Mary's feelings. Law school is very difficult, even under the best of circumstances.
- Adam: Well, I've never been afraid of hard work.
- Giles: Well, it's just that there are other things to consider.
- Adam: What things?
- Giles: Well, your wife, for one thing. New York can be a very lonely place.
- Adam: Mary will make new friends.
- Giles: But she'll be leaving her family here.
- Adam: I'm her family, and so are you.
- Giles: Well, I, I haven't got time to socialize. I'm very busy. Very.
- Adam: You know, all of a sudden, I'm hearing things that you didn't mention before. If you're having second thoughts, just say so.
- Giles: I'm not having second thoughts! It's just...
- Adam: It's what? You didn't think we had any problems before Mary lost the baby. Well, why now, Father? Why now? It was the child, wasn't it? All this time, and it was the child. Answer me. You answer me, Father!
- Giles: All right, yes! Yes.
- Adam (feels Giles' suitcase on the bed): Leaving so soon?
- Giles: Well, I've got to get back to court. It's a big case. It's a very big case. The stage leaves at 3:30. I was gonna come tell you, Adam.
- Adam: It's all right. I understand. (moves toward the door, looks back) You still can't stand to look at me, can you? Good bye, Father. (leaves)
External links[]
| Previous episode: | Next episode: |
| Dance With Me | The Lake Kezia Monster |