Credit for direct quotes from this episode goes to the writers and producers of "The Waltons."
Scarcely a year or a season passed on Walton's Mountain that did not bring a test of my parents' courage and the strength of our family ties. In the Spring of 1940 the test came, as always, without warning and from a direction none of us expected.
April 20, 1940
"Jim Bob!" 17-year old Ben Walton called across the yard to his brother. "Do you wanna go for a swim?"
"Sure Ben, I'm just finishing up the last of this tune-up." The young teenager lived, ate, and breathed automobiles.
"Okay." Ben said. "I'll be over at the mill. Come get me when you're ready."
"Okay." Jim Bob replied.
Ben sauntered over to the mill to see if his father or grandfather needed any help.
"Thanks for the offer, Son. Could you and your brother fasten that pile of logs? I don't want any unnecessary injuries. We've got that big order to fill by the end of next week."
"You've got it Daddy." Ben smiled.
In the house, Elizabeth and Erin sat in their room.
"I can't wait until Summer." Elizabeth smiled. "This school year has dragged on forever."
"I remember those days. Don't worry Elizabeth, graduation is only a few years away."
"A FEW years? More like seven or eight!"
Erin chuckled. "Well, believe it or not, you really will miss the simplicity and predictableness of school one day. Don't get me wrong, I love working at the switchboard and Miss Fanny is wonderful to work with, but there are those days when you have to take calls from people who are angry or impatient and that isn't always fun."
"I can't wait to have Jenny's job." Elizabeth smiled. "Stay-at-home mom."
"She only makes it look easy. You've taken care of John Curtis and Adam when Mary Ellen is at work. It isn't easy."
"I guess it's not." Elizabeth said.
"I still can't believe we're gonna have another niece or nephew come this Fall!" Erin beamed.
"I know." Elizabeth smiled. "When is she due again?"
"September, right around the time of her birthday."
"Joy's birthday too." Elizabeth smiled. "You reckon we'll have three September 16 birthdays in our family?"
"It's possible. The baby is due on September 19th, so that wouldn't be just horribly early for him or her to come."
"What do you think it is?" Elizabeth asked.
Erin paused. "Mmm… I think it's a girl."
"Me too." Elizabeth smiled.
"Another boy would be fun, but Jen needs a little sister. "Erin smiled. "She's already got two little brothers."
Elizabeth smiled. She grabbed her sweater. "Aimee said she'd be over at 2, so I'd better go downstairs and wait for her."
"You two gonna go for a walk?" Erin asked.
"Yep." Elizabeth said.
Erin grinned. "And talk about boys?"
"None of your business." Elizabeth said.
"Okay, I can take a hint." Erin smiled.
"Truthfully, as of now, there are no boys." Elizabeth confessed. "At least for me. But if one does come my way, you'll be the first to know."
"Okay." Erin laughed. "See you later."
Elizabeth waved.
Elizabeth went downstairs and sat on the front porch. Ben came behind her and tickled her.
Elizabeth screamed.
Ben laughed. "Gotcha!"
Elizabeth playfully smacked him.
"You got a lot of homework this weekend?" Ben asked.
"I got it all done. Aimee and I are gonna go for a walk."
"Have fun." Ben smiled as he went in the house.
"Thanks." Elizabeth said.
A couple minutes later, Aimee walked up the steps.
"Hi Aimee." Elizabeth smiled.
The girls went on their walk.
Jim Bob came into the house.
"Hey Ben," Jim Bob said.
"Oh hey, Jim Bob. You done?"
Jim Bob nodded.
"You ready to go swim?"
"Sure." Jim Bob smiled.
"All right." Ben grinned as the brothers went outside.
"Now where are those boys at?" John asked himself out loud.
"Beats me." Grandpa said.
Aimee and Elizabeth were walking along.
"Oh look, it's a baby bird!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
"Poor little thing out here without its mama." Aimee replied.
"I saw a nest by the mill. I bet that's the nest his mama built." Elizabeth said. "I'm gonna take him back."
The girls went back to the Walton house.
Elizabeth climbed up on the logs to reach the tree.
"Oh Elizabeth, be careful." Aimee said.
Elizabeth set the baby bird back in the nest. She looked at Aimee. Both girls smiled.
Elizabeth began to climb down from the stack of logs. She slipped and the logs began to roll on top of her.
Aimee screamed. "Help! It's Elizabeth! Help! Help!"
John and Zeb ran over first, followed by Olivia and Mary Ellen. Jason and Erin were hot on their trails.
"Be careful of her back, don't move her back." Mary Ellen instructed as Zeb and John carefully got Elizabeth onto a piece of wood and carried her over to the truck. John, Olivia, Mary Ellen got in the truck.
"Curt's on duty at the hospital." Mary Ellen said. "I hope Elizabeth can see him."
They headed to town.
Zeb hugged Aimee.
"I'm gonna call John-Boy." Jason said.
Jason called John-Boy and explained the situation to him.
"We'll be right over." John-Boy said.
Once John-Boy was over, Jenny and Erin decided that they would stay home and take care of Joy, Jen, John, Isaac, and John Curtis while John-Boy, Jason, and Zeb went to town.
Just as the men were getting ready to leave, Ben and Jim Bob ran up.
"Your sister's been in an accident." Grandpa said.
"Which one?"
"Elizabeth." John-Boy said.
"Is it bad?" Ben asked.
"We're headed to the hospital. Hop in." Jason said.
The boys did so.