Love's Enduring Promise

are you really here with me?

I’m here.

and you'll never leave me?

- never. - promise?

promise.

how can I be certain?

- because the two shall become one.

what a wonderful life you've given me, Clark.

what a wonderful life we've made together.

Lord, we're grateful

that the soil is warm and ready to be planted.

and we ask that this season's crop be bountiful.

we thank you for this nourishment before us,

bless it to our bodies

and bless this day, Amen.

Amen.

hey, where's Missie?

I thank you, again and again,

for the honor you've done me in your proposals.

but to accept them is absolutely impossible.

my feelings in every respect forbid it.

now, can we speak any plainer?

hya! hya!

- and I think I’m old enough to be riding by myself to school.

Charlie's a good horse,

and he don't like standing around on a day

with nothing to do.

- how do you know he don't like standing around?

I’m sure of it.

hey!

that was Missie!

on, Charlie!

I believe it was.

hya!

- take your seats and get out your reading primers.

quickly, please.

all right, Daniel, please start reading

from the top of page 25.

just making sure the teacher made it here safely.

- well, here I am. safe and sound.

I would appreciate it, though,

if you made sure that Arnie and Aaron got here on time.

it's disruptive to the rest of the class

when they enter late.

- well, I think they're going to be

here on time from now on.

you have a very nice day, Ms. Davis.

- all right, Daniel. - yes, ma'am.

get on up.

ho.

how you doing, Zeke?

getting by.

- I just took the boys to school.

they're late again.

I tell you, though, I wish they'd stay young forever.

- how old's that boy of yours now?

- he'll be ten on his next birthday.

and the younger one?

Arnie? he's seven.

well, he's got it in his head, though,

that one of these days

he and Aaron are going to swap places,

and he's going to be the older brother.

yeah, well...

boys sure are full of big ideas.

yeah.

any word from your boy?

hmm.

well, like you said,

boys are full of big ideas.

lunch!

- I was wondering if you'd do me a favor, Clara.

I’m just not hungry today,

but i don't want my lunch to go to waste.

maybe you'd eat it for me?

- I’d like to help you, Ms. Davis.

thank you, Clara.

I’ll be stepping out for a few minutes.

Charlotte will be in charge while I’m gone,

and she'll report to me the names

of anyone breaking any class rules in my absence.

anyone.

I got it level.

- give the men a break for lunch.

I’ll be back.

you're the boss.

all right, that's lunch.

- is this a private lunch, or can anyone dine here?

I hope I didn't startle you.

no.

I’m Grant Thomas.

Missie Davis.

well, Missie Davis,

I have surveyed hundreds of miles of land

west of the Mississippi,

but today is the first time I’ve ever seen

anything as pretty as you in the viewfinder of my transit.

I’m just picking berries.

- not a very substantial midday meal,

if you don't mind my saying so.

- did you say you have a transit?

- yes, it's a device used to measure the--

- horizontal and vertical angles of the land.

that's right.

and you have one close by?

would you like to see?

would you like to look?

mm-hmm.

- allow me. - thank you.

it's amazing.

what are you all doing here?

follow me.

we work for the Continental Railroad Company.

it's our job to survey the lines

to find the best and shortest routes

for the men who lay the tracks.

hmm.

- now, that's a vignette solar compass.

it shows us which direction is true north.

- I’ve read about equipment like this.

- I know you said you're not hungry,

but maybe you'd consider joining me for lunch.

- I’m sorry. I--I really have to go.

I’m late.

late?

thanks.

are you sure you have to go?

I’m afraid so.

but it was nice to meet you.

and good luck with all your work here.

let me in!

let me in!

I know you're responsible for this, Brian Murphy!

now, get off this door!

I’m giving you one last chance.

fine, have it your way!

I’m leaving and coming back with your pa.

- do it, she's gonna get your pa!

I’m sorry.

I assure you it isn't my deSire

to startle you every time we meet.

no, it's fine.

I was just about to go in and teach a class.

I’m the teacher.

- well, I don't mean to hold you up,

but you left this.

thank you.

- I understand now why you couldn't accept

my invitation for lunch.

so...maybe you'll accept my next invitation

to dine with me for lunch?

a week from Saturday?

it's not a school day.

unless you have a steady beau.

no.

no, you won't dine with me?

- no, I mean, no, I don't have a steady beau.

oh.

- yes, I would be delighted to dine with you.

wonderful.

I hear the hotel dining room has the best food in town.

I could arrange for transportation?

- oh no, that's all right. I’ll meet you there.

around noon?

noon would be perfect.

I’d better get back to my class.

all right.

goodbye.

goodbye.

and this handsome and mysterious stranger

rides up on this mighty steed

and sweeps me off my feet.

- Missie Davis, you are making that up.

- I’m not. it really happened.

his name is Grant Thomas, and he works for the railroad.

on the crew?

yes, but...

I mean, he's different from the other men.

I mean, he was well-dressed and self-assured.

and they treat him like he was the boss.

he even had his own tent filled with food.

- looks like you're imagining a little more than just food.

- he invited me to dine with him at the hotel.

he said "dine"?

- yes. - what'd you say?

I said yes.

- pa? when you going to let me do the chopping

and you do the loading?

when you get older.

- that's what you said about the plowing.

well, that's right.

you're going to be a big help with the plowing someday.

but I want to help now.

you are helping me.

- but I want to do important work.

a man's work!

- there's all kinds of work, son.

there's a boy's work.

and there's a man's work.

and there's God's work.