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00:00Yeah?
00:03Yeah?
00:07Yeah?
00:08And his letter came from Dorothy at the same time as the popkitch.
00:11Well, did she say when she was coming home?
00:13She said she hoped it would be in a few weeks, but Aunt Barbara still needs her.
00:16Well, so do we, Mother, so do we.
00:18Well, it takes a long time for broken bones to heal.
00:21And with five children to look after, I don't think Aunt Barbara's in any hurry to get back on her feet.
00:28Look what Dorothy sent me.
00:30It's a gift for taking care of you while she's gone.
00:34Dorothy thinks of everything.
00:36Everything except coming home.
00:38It's a lovely piece of Dresden, China.
00:40She says there are lots of wonderful antique shops in the town.
00:43Dad!
00:44And she found it.
00:45Grandma, Hazel won!
00:46Won what?
00:47They just called her. She won first prize in that molasses recipe contest.
00:51I knew it. I just knew she'd win.
00:54Well, hooray for Hazel. What's first prize?
00:56A mink coat.
00:58Well, I'm mighty happy for her.
01:00Almost as happy as I am that dad-blasted contest is over.
01:03I didn't care much for that baked potato with molasses.
01:07Molasses on scrambled eggs? Molasses in salad dressing?
01:10Believe me, I've got molasses coming out of my ears.
01:13However, if she won a mink coat, I guess I shouldn't complain.
01:15Hazel, Harold just told us. Congratulations.
01:18Oh, thanks, Miss Baxter.
01:20Well, for someone who just won a mink coat, you don't seem very excited.
01:24Oh. Oh, the mink coat was first prize. I won third prize.
01:29Oh. Well, it may not be a fur coat, but even third prize is a great honor.
01:35What is third prize?
01:37A lifetime supply of molasses.
02:24Boy, I'm sure glad Mr. B broke that little statuette and not little old me.
02:39He still claims it's your fault.
02:41My fault? All I said was five words.
02:44I said a lifetime supply of molasses.
02:47Dorothy will be heartbroken.
02:49Oh, I'll get it fixed. I guarantee.
02:52Now, Hazel, you know you can't put it back together again.
02:55Oh, no. No, I tried for five nights, but now I'm going to give it to Miss Minnie.
02:59Who?
03:00Well, she has a little shop. She's a little old lady that has this mending shop.
03:04And they mend all delicate things, you know, like vases and plates and stuff.
03:08I doubt that even she could put it together.
03:10Oh, sure she can. Certainly she can.
03:12You'll never even know it was busted.
03:22Oh, hi, Sport. What you looking for?
03:32Oh, I just want some milk.
03:34Oh, I made a batch of cookies today. Have some.
03:37Gee, thanks.
03:39Oh, Harold, you brought the box back. Didn't you go to Miss Minnie's?
03:43Yes, I did.
03:44Well, why didn't you leave it? Couldn't she put it together again?
03:48I don't know.
03:50What do you mean you don't know?
03:52She wouldn't let me in the shop.
03:54Why not?
04:01The door's locked. She said if she unlocked it, those men would get in.
04:05What men?
04:09Harold, what men?
04:12The two men on the sidewalk. She acted like they were trying to rob her.
04:17What would they find to rob in that shop if everything's busted?
04:22They were trying to break in.
04:25Why didn't you call a policeman?
04:28I did.
04:29Well, did he arrest them?
04:31No. He talked to the two men for a minute, and then...
04:37Then what?
04:39And then he tried to get in the shop, but Miss Minnie wouldn't even let him in.
04:45Oh. I don't believe a word of it.
04:53It's just a lot of nonsense.
04:56You just stopped somewhere to play.
04:58No, I didn't.
05:00Oh, yes, you did. And now you can't think of a good excuse for not doing what I told you to do.
05:08That's funny.
05:11She don't answer.
05:12I guess he got in.
05:34He said something about two men...
05:36I'm terribly sorry I had to send Harold away like that, but what he told you was the absolute truth.
05:41You mean they was trying to rob you?
05:43Oh, no. Not that part.
05:45They were trying to get in here to serve a legal paper on me.
05:48What kind of a legal paper?
05:49I don't know, but that's why I keep that front door locked.
05:53I don't even answer the telephone.
05:57Well, they're gone now, but they'll be back.
06:00Miss Minnie, are you in some kind of trouble?
06:02About the worst you can think of.
06:04Well, what kind of trouble if I ain't being too nosy about something that ain't none of my business?
06:09Oh, no, I don't mind telling you. We're friends.
06:12Why, you've always been one of my best glue and repair customers.
06:16Oh, yeah, I guess I bust more stuff than anybody in town.
06:19Well, now, this trouble I...
06:21Wait a minute till I get a chair.
06:25Now...
06:28Huh?
06:29Oh, well, you remember Mr. Beatty. He used to own this shop. I worked for him then.
06:34Oh, yeah, yeah. He retired.
06:36Well, I bought the shop from him over a period of time.
06:39I didn't make any regular payment. I just gave him what I could when I could.
06:43Mr. Beatty died about six months ago, didn't he?
06:46Well, that's just it.
06:48I finally paid the shop off in full, but...
06:50Well, he died before he could give me any paper saying that the shop was mine.
06:54And now his heirs are claiming that the shop is theirs.
06:58Oh, what you need is a good lawyer.
07:00They already have a court order impounding the shop's bank account.
07:05And all my personal money is in that account.
07:08Well, how can I hire a lawyer when I don't have any money?
07:12You ought to go to Mr. Baxter and make an appointment and have him think up something brilliant.
07:16I just told you I can't afford to hire...
07:18Money is the one thing that Mr. Baxter ain't interested in.
07:21Justice, that's his mother. He's always in there fighting for the underdog.
07:26But do you think he would do it for me?
07:29You're an underdog, ain't you?
07:31Yes!
07:32Well, then just leave it to Mr. Baxter.
07:34I'll speak to him myself.
07:36Boy, he'll grab your case like a hungry dog grabs a bone.
07:40Oh, Miss Minnie, you just take it from me. You're in!
07:57Hot dog, he's home!
08:03Oh, Mr. B's home early, huh?
08:06Yes, he's in the den.
08:07Oh, fine.
08:09No, no, Hazel!
08:11Whatever you do, don't knock on that door.
08:14Why not?
08:15Don't disturb George. He's extremely busy.
08:18Oh, well, I was just gonna...
08:20No, no, he has a new client who's been giving him a terrible time.
08:23He's head over heels in work.
08:25He said not to disturb him.
08:26He said it would take him a month to get things straightened out.
08:29I shouldn't wonder he had a nervous breakdown.
08:31Oh, boy, I wasn't expecting anything like this.
08:35I'd better make a phone call.
08:51Hello?
08:52Miss Minnie?
08:53Uh, this is Hazel.
08:55Oh, Hazel, I'm glad it's you.
08:57Uh, Miss Minnie, uh, uh...
08:59They tried to serve that paper on me again, and do you know what I told them?
09:03I told them to take the matter up with my attorney, Mr. Baxter.
09:07Well, uh, Miss Minnie, when I came home, I found Mr. Baxter here, and, uh...
09:14Oh, that's good. Thanks for telling me. I'll be right over.
09:17Miss Minnie?
09:18I have practically a suitcase full of papers for Mr. Baxter to study.
09:22Now, don't you worry, I won't waste any time getting there.
09:25Miss Minnie?
09:26Miss Minnie?
09:29Hello?
09:33Hello?
09:56Hello?
09:57Hello?
10:25Hello.
10:26What's the matter?
10:27Nothing, only I didn't know you was behind me.
10:30Hazel, why do you keep looking out the window? What do you see?
10:33Nothing. Dad?
10:35Dad? Did Hazel tell you what happened today?
10:39What happened?
10:40She sent me over to a place called Miss Minnie's Mending Shop to get that thing you broke glued together.
10:46And there were two men trying to break into...
10:48No, Sports, you were wrong there, honey. Those men weren't trying to break into Miss Minnie's shop.
10:52They were just trying to serve it with the legal paper.
10:54Oh, the lady in some kind of difficulty?
10:56Oh, boy, is she. You see, she bought this shop from a former owner on time payments,
11:01and the owner died before he could give her the ownership papers.
11:04I thought they were robbers.
11:07His heirs didn't know about it, and now they claim the shop is theirs.
11:11Well, that's pretty common when it comes to settling estates.
11:13But, Mr. B., they even tied up her bank account.
11:16That's no problem. Any attorney could straighten it out if she has her canceled checks or receipts.
11:21Why don't you send her to see me?
11:24You mean it, Mr. B.? Your mother said you were so busy.
11:27Well, I am, but you know mothers. They're inclined to exaggerate.
11:30Anyway, in a routine matter like this, I could have one of my clerks settle it.
11:33You have Miss, uh, what's her name?
11:35Smith. Miss Minnie Smith.
11:36You have Miss Smith come to see me the first of the week.
11:38Why don't I tell her to come over right away?
11:40Right away?
11:41Yeah, her shop's only a few blocks away. You'd be surprised how fast she can get here.
11:47Tell her the first of the week will be fine.
11:49Okay, if you say so, Mr. B., but with her bank account tied up, she could starve by the first of the week.
12:03They're trying to get her out of the shop, and she said she'd die first.
12:06She said she'd lie down and they'd have to carry her out.
12:09She'd kick and scream and bite every inch of the way.
12:11All right, all right, Hazel. Go and call her. Tell her to come over right away.
12:27Miss Minnie, this is Hazel.
12:30Yeah.
12:34Well, you know what? I just happened to mention your trouble to my boss, Mr. Baxter.
12:40You know, he's an attorney.
12:42Tell her to bring all canceled checks, receipts, and correspondence pertaining to the case.
12:46You hear what he said? He's fighting for you already.
12:49He said...
12:50Here, let me talk to her.
12:51No, no, I'll tell her. I'll tell her.
12:56He said to bring all the canceled checks and receipts and correspondence, you know, everything pertaining to the case.
13:07That's the kind of stuff he wants.
13:09Yeah.
13:11Yeah, that's right.
13:12Yes.
13:13Mr. Baxter, I'm Miss Minnie.
13:15Hazel says you're my attorney.
13:18Anything that has anything to do with Mr. Beatty.
13:23How soon do you think you could get over here?
13:27Oh, fine.
13:28She says she can get over before you by tonight.
13:31Bye!
13:35Hello, Hazel.
13:40Tell me, Miss Minnie, how far away is your shop?
13:43Oh, about eight or ten blocks.
13:45Oh, but, you know, they're very short blocks. You wouldn't even call them blocks.
13:51Nevertheless, Miss Minnie, if you can run that fast, you have nothing to fear from the law.
13:55Nobody could ever catch you to serve a subpoena.
14:03Did you have much trouble, George?
14:05Not a bit, Mother. The judge took care of everything.
14:07However, she should have called a lawyer in in the first place.
14:10You see, that's the trouble with a lot of people.
14:12They are so afraid of courts and judges that they don't call in a lawyer until things are in a complicated mess.
14:17Oh, Mr. B, I hope I didn't get you into any trouble.
14:20Oh, not a bit, Hazel. As a matter of fact, I'm very grateful to you.
14:23You see, we met in the judge's chambers and I had an opportunity to discuss another legal matter, which saved me a lot of time and trouble.
14:30Oh, that's likely Mr. Griffin.
14:33He always arrives at dinner time, just like the elephant at the waterhole.
14:38Oh, Hazel. Oh, I'm terribly sorry to disturb you during dinner time.
14:44Oh, that's all right, Miss Minnie. Come on in.
14:46Well, Mr. Baxter wouldn't accept any money for what he did for me, so I brought him a present.
14:52Mr. B, come here. Bring it in. Bring it in.
14:58Good evening, Miss Minnie.
14:59Good evening. Oh, Mr. Baxter, I just had to do something.
15:03Good evening, Miss Minnie.
15:04Good evening. Oh, Mr. Baxter, I just had to do something to repay you.
15:08And I thought and I thought and then it came to me.
15:11And I knew that you being a lawyer, you'd appreciate this desk.
15:15Come on, boys.
15:28Boy, it sure is an old.
15:33Oh, it's a real antique. It has the most magnificent history.
15:38I bought it from a woman whose great-great-grandfather once shared a law office with Abraham Lincoln.
15:44It belonged to Abraham Lincoln?
15:46No, it belonged to her great-great-grandfather.
15:49But as long as they were in the same office, it's quite possible that Lincoln leaned on it.
15:54Oh, boy. Which side?
15:56Knowing how interested they are in Washington about historical objects like this, I offered it to them.
16:01But my letter must have gotten lost anyway. I didn't get an answer.
16:04And am I glad because now I can offer it to you.
16:09Oh, well, thanks, Miss Minnie, but I really can't accept it.
16:14Why not?
16:16Well, I just simply can't deprive you of anything so valuable.
16:21Oh, I knew you'd appreciate its value. I insist.
16:26Well, I really can't.
16:28Mr. B., you've got to accept it. You'll hurt Miss Minnie's feelings.
16:32But Hazel...
16:33She'll think she's indebted to you for the rest of her life.
16:35But I...
16:37Hazel, I brought back your figurine, too.
16:41Oh, boy. Ain't that terrific? You'd never know it was broken.
16:46Come on, Miss Minnie, I want to show this to Miss Baxter.
16:50Mr. Baxter.
16:51Yes?
16:52What's this?
16:53A bill for delivering the desk.
16:55Eighteen dollars?
16:57It's after six o'clock. We get overtime. And she kept us waiting an hour.
17:01Never mind, never mind, never mind.
17:02And she had it insured on account of Abraham Lincoln leaned on it.
17:06Believe me, Lincoln never leaned on this. He was too smart a man.
17:10Oh, thanks.
17:27Oh, thank you.
17:58Hazel!
18:20Hazel!
18:28Yes?
18:30Who?
18:31Miss Minnie?
18:33Now, don't tell me she has a chair to go with that desk.
18:37Oh. Well, please ask them to come in.
18:46Hello, Mr. Baxter.
18:47Hello, Miss Minnie.
18:48Mr. Baxter, I would like you to meet Mr. Wilcox.
18:51Mr. Wilcox is from Washington, D.C.
18:53How do you do, Mr. Baxter?
18:54How do you do, Mr. Wilcox? So nice of you to drop by.
18:57You know that desk I gave you?
18:59Oh, yes, Miss Minnie. Backward and forward, coming and going. I'm very familiar with it.
19:03Well, remember I told you I'd written to the White House about it?
19:07May I ask where the desk is now?
19:09Everywhere, Mr. Wilcox. Everywhere you look.
19:13Well, Mr. Wilcox is from one of those Washington historical societies.
19:17Yes, I'm here to try to persuade you to part with that desk.
19:21Well, Mr. Wilcox, it would break my heart to part with it.
19:25But, of course, I would listen to any good reason.
19:28Well, this gracious lady's letter was forwarded to me because for a number of years now I've been trying to locate that desk.
19:33Uh, because Lincoln leaned on it?
19:36Well, not exactly.
19:38In some of the old records, there have been references to a pigeonhole desk which Lincoln used during the first year of his administration.
19:45Now, I'm led to believe that this missing desk...
19:47Oh, the story I heard was all wrong.
19:49That desk actually belonged to Abraham Lincoln himself.
19:53Come here, I want to show you something.
19:55How would you like to buy a nice old desk?
19:58Oh, no.
20:00Well, I know I've unloaded some awful clinkers on you in the past, but this is a real prize.
20:05Oh, no.
20:07Charlie!
20:08Charlie, get back here!
20:10Of course, I have no authority to speak for the White House, but I would say considering the restoration that's been going on there,
20:16it's quite probable they would like to restore such a desk to its original place.
20:20Now, Charlie, I want to be honest with you.
20:22You know, there was some kind of a story about Abraham Lincoln having leaned on that desk, but Mr. B. said it ain't true.
20:29So, you see, I ain't trying to pull the wool over your eyes, but it's a beautiful, genuine old antique.
20:35Oh, no.
20:36Charlie!
20:37Charlie!
20:38I might add that there would be suitable recognition for the donor, Mr. George Baxter of this city and state.
20:44Mr. Wilcox, you needn't say anything more.
20:47As a truly patriotic citizen, I would consider it an honor to donate that desk, which I love so dearly.
20:54Well, when I put it, what could I do with it?
20:57Well, you could make firewood of it.
20:59As a matter of fact, if you got a hatchet, I'll help you do it right now.
21:06Right this way, Mr. Wilcox.
21:15Well, I, uh, I thought it was here in the garage.
21:18You mean you put Abraham Lincoln's desk in your garage?
21:22Well, of course, we didn't know it was Lincoln's.
21:25All we knew was that it was a beautiful antique, and we brought it out here temporarily until we could decorate my den to go with it.
21:36Uh, shall we go into the house?
21:41All you gave me was $3 for it.
21:43I still claim your $3 a head.
21:45Mother, Mother, I brought Mr. Wilcox home with me.
21:48Mr. Who?
21:49Mr. Wilcox from Washington, D.C.
21:51Mother, this is incredible. You won't believe this.
21:53But many had the story about that desk all wrong.
21:56It actually belonged to Abraham Lincoln.
21:58What?
21:59Yes, Mr. Wilcox has been trying to trace it for years.
22:02They'll probably want to put it back in Lincoln's room in the White House, and if they do,
22:07they'll probably list it as having been presented to the nation through the courtesy and generosity of George Baxter.
22:18What's the matter with her?
22:20George, I have news for you.
22:22What do you mean?
22:23Uh, maybe you'd better sit down.
22:26What do you mean you could sell it back for $3?
22:29Hazel, I suspect something is funny, but I'm not smart enough to tell you.
22:34Something is funny, but I'm not smart enough to figure it out.
22:37I said, what do you mean you won't sell it back for $3?
22:40Well, you yourself told me how beautiful it was.
22:43How much?
22:45$25.
22:46$25?
22:47$25 as a special favor to you.
22:50Some favor?
22:51But Hazel, when I bought it, I didn't realize what wonderful wood it was.
22:56Golden oak. Feel the grain.
22:58Golden oak, my eye. The only thing that's keeping that desk together is the termites holding hands.
23:04I'll give you $3 for it.
23:13Mr. B, did Mrs. Baxter tell you what I did?
23:17Why do you think I'm here?
23:18Mr. Wilcox is sitting in our living room, and I've got to get this thing back there.
23:22Well, now he wants $25 for it.
23:25All right, I'll pay it.
23:27But Mr. B...
23:28Never mind, never mind. I'll pay it. Here.
23:34You see, Hazel had taken it to the shop for an estimate on the refinishing.
23:46No, no, no. This isn't it.
23:48Lincoln's desk was rosewood.
23:50This is oak.
23:52Well, apparently my search is not yet ended.
23:56Charlie, what do you mean you won't give $3 for this beautiful old antique?
24:01Hazel, you yourself said the only thing holding it together was the termite holding hands.
24:08Charlie, look, will you take $3 from us to take it away?
24:12What will I do with it?
24:13Well, you've done plenty with it already.
24:16Do you realize, Charlie, that this desk belonged to a man that shared an office with Abraham Lincoln?
24:22It's almost as if Honest Abe was standing there himself right now.
24:26Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
24:31He is tramping out the vintage where the grapes of wrath...
24:38Charlie, Charlie, will you take $4 from us to take it?
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25:26A Screen Gems Production.