The Burn Out

Esther and Zeb:

Grandma and Grandpa stay in a room at Mrs Brimmer's boarding house. A fellow guest staying here is Zuleika Dunbar, who takes a liking to Zeb, listening to his stories and talking to him all the time, much to Esther's disgust.

John and Olivia:

Mama and Daddy stay in the house where they have made up a small bedroom in the corner of the lounge. Olivia, however, is distressed because all of the family can't be together.

John Boy:

John Boy stays at the Walton house, but sleeps in the barn. He is having trouble trying to rewrite his manuscript which was destroyed in the fire.

Jason:

Jason gets to stay with the Baldwin sisters at their home, where he is totally spoilt. He is amazed to find that he gets his own room, a bathroom just for himself, breakfast in bed, and is able to do his piano practise in peace.

Mary Ellen:

Mary Ellen stays with Doctor Vance and his wife, Maddie. She has hopes of learning all she can about medecine whilst she is here, but succeeds in upsetting Maddie when she insists that she make an appointment to see the doctor, as it is more efficient that way! She changes all his files around and rearranges everything, telling Maddie that "he'll appreciate being able to do a better job with less effort."

Erin:
Erin stays with Reverend and Mrs Fordwick. She insists on wearing the most shapeless and drab dress that she could find in the box of donated clothes, because she is punishing herself for being vain. She feels that it was her vaniety that caused John Boy to lose his manuscript in the fire. When the fire broke out, Erin waited long enough to save her prettiest dress. Because she waited so long she was overcome by smoke and John Boy, who had gone back to get his manuscript, instead dropped it to pick Erin up and take her outside. His manuscript subsequently got burnt.

Ben:

Yancy Tucker welcomes Ben into his home, and Yancy's first words of welcome to young Ben are: "Do as you damn please and don't worry about the pets. They'll get used to you in no time at all." Ben finds that because of this devil may car attitude, he ends up sleeping late and misses school. He is coming home from a day of fishing with Yancy when his parents drive up behind them and demand to know what happened to school!

Jim-Bob:

Jim-Bob goes with Erin to stay with the Fordwick's. Here it comes to Reverend Fordwick's attention that Jim-Bob has taken ribbons "forcibly" from the girls at recess. In a man to man talk, the Reverend tells Jim Bob that playing games like that is not the right thing to do, and that to make up for his misdemeanor he must "perform some kindness" for the girls.

Elizabeth:

Ike and Corabeth look after Elizabeth, but Elizabeth seems to have closed her heart to everyone. As she later tells John Boy, everything she loves seems to die and she figures that if she doesn't care about anyone, they will all keep living happily.