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.