♪
WHOA! !
WHOA THERE...!!
He ain't movin'...
Oh...now we did it.
He's dead.
Dead.
He can't be!
Oh no! !
Somebody take his pulse.
I'll take it! !
Where is it?
Hold on there.
Don't bury me yet!
I believe the ol' ticker's still pumpin'.
Now just wait a minute let me check it.
Where's my specs.
Anyone seen some specs?
There ya go.
Now don't get up too quickly, I'll help you.
That's very nice of you, young lady.
Thank you muchly.
Higgens the name, skates are the game.
Walter Higgens, salesman, Windy City Skate Company!
Home of the newly patented boot skate.
"When things are turning glum, get off your derriere.
Take your sweety skating, feel a whole lot merr-ier".
I made that up myself.
With every purchase you get a singed copy by yours truly!
I'm sure you'll sell a lot of skates in Avonlea.
The Winter Festival is on Saturday.
We'll go get yer horse.
We'll get yer stuff and meetcha up at the General Store.
Come on Felix.
...and we'll help you carry your things.
It's the least we can do.
Well thank you muchly!
What do you say we dipsy doodle into town?
Come on.
Come on girls.
Sara . . .
What?
Gus should have asked me to the winter festival by now.
Have you told Gus yet?
You don't know the first thing about boys.
They never know what they want until you tell them yourself.
But why should I be the one to tell him?
Because if you don't I will never speak to you again
as long as I live.
That Felicity King.
She practically throws herself at Gus Pike.
I heard he hasn't asked her to the skating party.
...Gus this wonderful idea just popped into my head.
I had to tell you about it.
Why don't you ask Felicity to the skating party..?
...uh, I dunno Sara,
I ain't thought much about it...
Oh.
Well..when you finish thinking about it, will you tell me?
...uh...sure.
I mean..I guess.
I'm going to split my sides!
I'll bet you keep Mrs. Higgens in stitches!
Sad to say, madam.. there is no Mrs. Higgens.
Well...poor soul.
Did she pass on..?
If she did, she passed right on by me.
I'm sorry.
Don't mean to joke about a serious matter
like wedded bliss.
To tell you the truth.. never found the right
little girlie for this particular travellin' man.
You're a bachelor?
A catch like you?
Not by choice.
I assure you.
No, no if I had my own way I wouldn't like anything better
than to settle down with some sweet little missus
in a nice little burg like Avonlea.
Well you come to the right place, Mr. Higgens.
We got more spinsters here than a cat's got whiskers.
...well...these are awful pretty.....
bit of a tight squeeze though.
No-no-no...not this one...this is not for sale...
This is sort of a good luck charm.
Now this is size six...quad A.
Perfect skate for the perfect little feminine tootsies.
All these years and all the travelling I've done,
I've never found the perfect tootsie wootsies for this skate!
But when I do.. girl of my dreams.
Gracious Providence.. that's a real romantic notion,
Mr. Higgens..falling with a woman for her feet!
Feet, Mrs. Lynde, are one of the great mysteries
of this life.
You can tell so much about a person by their feet.
The shape, the rise of the arch, the length of the toes.
What do they tell you?
Well...well, okay for instance, a ha, now here is a nice
high arch that shows a creative and
artistic personality.
And if you have even toes - a trait of a straight shooter,
somebody's honest as the day is long.
And now you if you've got your corns and calluses and your
other disruptions well that's a sign of a pinched personality,
someone whose life is full of worry and woe.
To tell you the God's truth, I never thought about my feet
in that way.
Feet are the window to the soul, ladies.
You don't say!
What a notion!
As much fun as I'm having here, I'm sorry ladies
but I'm going to have to go on to see another customer.
So if you'll excuse me.
I'll pick up the orders in the morning, Mrs. Awson..
Well, toodeloo ladies,
keep smilin'!
That's a fine figure of a man.
What's Mr. Campbell doing out there?
I don't know but whatever it is I don't like it.
As soon as we finish our tea I'm going out there and.....
Mr. Higgens! !
Hello again!
Oh!
What's this, You know each other..?
Higgens is the name, skates are the game,
Windy City Skate Company, now if I may just have two minutes
of your precious time, I have here a little offer...
Mr. Higgens.
I'm afraid I don't, on principle,
converse with travelling salesmaen
and I certainly don't need any skates.
Thank you.
Ahhh...Life would be dull if we only got what we needed.
Take diamonds for instance; who needs diamonds?
Nobody.
Who wants diamonds?
Every little lady in the land.
That's who.
Now have a gander here at our brand new Windy City special.
You get two skates for the price of one, and for today
and I also throw in a lifetime supply of laces.
Really I'm not interes...
...and three at no cost to you whatsoever, also thrown in,
gratis from me the handy dandy Windy City special, which is a
portable skate sharpener, guaranteed for the life
of the customer or the life of the skates,
whichever kicks the bucket first.
Look, Mr. Higgens, you are wasting your....
Say is that fresh homemade cake I smell?
As a matter of fact.
Why don't you come.
To tea..
Oh, I'd give my soul for something hot.
Sara...
Don't have to twist my arm, you know I'll just put
my cases right here.
Say this is the nicest invite a fella ever got.
Would you like cream and sugar?
Double cream, triple sugar.
Say..this is real cosy.
Tea in the kitchen, home made plum cake.
Sure beats hotels and restaurants!
Oh you spend a good deal of time in hotels, do you?
I'm a travelling salesman.
It's a lonesome life on the lonesome road.
Say, I don't want you to think I'm one of these complainers.
I've got my customers, they're real nice to me.
But it's not family.
I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me..
but there is something going on outside.
I really must investigate.
Say...no need to apologize..
I should be going anyways.
No, no.
Sit have your tea.
I'll just change my boots here, if you don't mind.
Oh Sara can entertain ya whilst I see what that
Wellington Campbell is up to out there...
tromping around my property without so much
as a by your leave...
Oh forgive me for staring at your feet!
...what size are they?
Oh goodness, what a question.
I don't know.. six I think.
Quad A, I'd bet on it.
I really have no idea.
Well very pleasant to have met you, Mr. Higgens.
Sara will show you out when you're through, Mr Higgens.
Good day to you.
Size six.
Quad A.
Your Aunt Hetty is not only a woman of breeding and brains..
but she's got the most perfect itsy witsy tootsies..
That I have ever seen.
I must call on her again.
Do I have a chance? ?
You want to see Aunty Hetty again? ?
Oh my goodness!
Well of course, Mr. Higgens.
Come by tonight after supper, I'm sure she'd be delighted.
Uh, Mr. Higgens.
Just what do you think you're doing?
You put my fence back where it was!
This minute!
Your fence is on my property.
Your property!
Rubbish!
I have checked the maps and it is my contention
a grievous error has been made.
An error?
What sort of an error!
It turns out Campbell property...
extends fifty Feet beyond that old fence.
Fifty feet..?
Therefore, I am dismantling the fence
because it is sitting on my land.
Land I intend to use for my new stables.
If your information were correct which I'm sure
it's not, this land has King family for generations!
Too bad.
I want it back.
And you imagine you can snap your fingers
and just like that I'll hand over family property!
You're not getting it Wellington Campbell.
Not an inch of it and that's that.
I won't argue with you, Hetty King.
My solicitor will contact your solicitor.
Solicitors..?
Oh now, see here..
No Campbell backs down on principles! !
Principles he said!
Oh those are fighting words.
Principles indeed!
The nerve of that man! !
..stealing our land!
Well he just can't do that, Hetty, that land is our
heritage... our father left it to us!
Well I never!
Wait'll Alec gets back from Charlottetown,
he'll settle this.
Oh we can't wait for Alec, Janet, we must strike
while the iron's hot and
since I am the eldest,
it is my responsibility.
So I'm off to Carmody first thing in the morning
to consult our solicitor.
Sweets for the sweet!
Oh Mr. Higgens..!
Sara said it would be alright if I called Miss King.
Oh she did?
Say...you're not busy are you....
Oh yes, yes as a matter of fact
we're discussing family business.
Say, I don't want to butt in ....
I want you to keep these...
just think of me with every little bite!
Hello there Mr. Higgens!
Oh!
My sister, Mrs. Jasper Dale my sister-in-law,
Mrs. Alec King.
Mr. Higgens.
Well, say you don't want me around if you're going to be
doing family business and all, you don't need
a city slicker barging in...
so I'll just toodle on back to the rooming house
and sit all by lonesome.
Oh do be sensible, Mr. Higgens.
Well since you're already here you may as well come in
and have a cup of hot cider.
Talked me into it!
Come on, Mr. Higgens.
Oh Hetty.
Imported chocolates!
They cost a small fortune!
Hmph!
Waste of good money if you ask me.
..mmmm, melts in your mouth...who made this cake...
an angel?
Oh really.
Have you heard this one?
What's the difference between a married man and a bachelor?
...I don't know.
What?
Well you see the married man kisses the missus...
and the bachelor misses the kisses!
I haven't laughed this hard in ages! !
Would you like some more cake, Mr. Higgens?
No, I'll be eating you out of house and home.
Besides, I've got to be up bright and early,
because I'm calling on the General Store over in Carmody.
Oh, Hetty's going to Carmody tomorrow too!
Aren't you Hetty?
Olivia!
Well now isn't that a coinky-dinky!
What do you say we dipsy doodle over there together?
Really...I couldn't impose...
Mr. Higgens.
I'm going anyway... and I'd be real proud
to have you ride over beside me.
It would be almost as scrumptious as your plum cake
if you were to call me Wally.
I will.
Thank you...Wally.
ahhh...Breeeeaaathe that fresh country air!
...nothing like it.
Listen to the birdies.
...birdies..?
I think they're love birdies.
Wally..please don't think me too particular
...but they're birds...not birdies.
No such word as birdies in the English dictionary.
You know.
Do you know, I keep forgetting that you're a school teacher.
I will be your willing pupil, lambie pie.
Lambie pie?
I doubt you'll find lambie pie in the dictionary either.
I don't know what it is.. I just get around you,
and heck, I just say whatever pops head.
You do?
Things I would never tell anybody . . .
My, my I can't say that ordinary people find me
easy to talk to, Wally.
Well I do.
Because I've seen your feet.
What?
Feet.
My stock and trade.
You've got Perfect feet.
Mr. Higgens . . . !
Say what you want to say, but size 6, quad A,
are polite, genteel feet.
They're also determined.
They're no nonsense feet, the tootsies of a no-nonsense gal.
Well, the no nonsense part is the truth, I hope Wally,
Mr. Higgens.
Wally.
And what, pray tell, what do your own feet tell you?
Well my feet say that I've plied my wares from Lake Superior
to oceanside and if there's one thing
that I know is that I'm alone, Miss King.
How about you sugar dumpling, do you ever get lonesome?
Oh no.
Generally I'm too busy taking care of the house
and raising Sara and of course teaching school.
But what about those long cold winter nights.
You ever wish you had somebody ..to talk to?
Oh...sometimes...of course...but usually I make
a nice hot cup of tea and read a good book awhile,
the Bible for instance, until the feeling passes,
you know.
The Bible!
Isn't that a co-inkydinky!
That's my favourite book!
Next to the skate catalogue.
Aaaaamaaaaazing GRAAAACE...
Elvira.
You should try one of those sandwiches, Gus.
Felicity made them especially for you.
Ain't hungry.
Look she made me come here, Gus.
On pain of death.
She thinks I can get you to ask her to go to the skating part.
What do you say?
Take her so she'll quit Nagging me.
Gus?
I ain't going to no skating party.
I don't blame you.
I wouldn't take her if you gave me a million dollars.
It ain't Felicity.
Just...ain't goin.
Got better things to do.
So that's 11 D, I'll put in the order.
Looks like good news!
Excellent good news from my solicitor.
The little family matter I mentioned to you...
...it appears the other party hasn't a leg to stand on
Whoops! Poopsie Doodles!
Are you alright..
Not so loud!
...you can let me down now.
Thank you for the ride, Wally, I do hope I can
return the favour some day.
Why wait for some day.
Come to the skating party with me,
that's all the favour I ask.
The skating party, no, I don't think..
Yes, please honey bunny..
one teensy tiny 'yes'..
Oh really.
Oh, I don't know . . .
You're a woman who always knows, Hetty King.
....Yes then, I suppose.... I'd be going anyway..
YIPEEEE and HALLELUJAH!
You are looking at a very happy fella.
I'll see you in my dreams, Poopsie!
Dum da da dum...
Stop that this instant!
I'll see you in my dreeeaaams, poopsie..
Oh so...so you were eavesdropping, were you!
Well I am shocked!
But we like Wally.
And he certainly admires you.
We think it's wonderful!
Oh you do.
WALLY
The man does fracture the King's English!
It's criminal.
Coinky-dinky and dippsy doodle.
Honey bunny...poopsie woopsie,
lambie pie.
Well you...it's like baby talk.
It isn't baby talk, Hetty..it's love talk..
I think it's darling.
It is not darling.
It's ridiculous.
Jasper doesn't talk to you in that manner does he?
Oh Hetty no.
But it seems such a shame to throw away
a perfectly nice man away.
What do you mean throw him away?
The man's not mine to throw away.
Just met him.
Hetty, for an educated woman, you can be completely....dense.
Dense?
Do you want to be alone in your old age?
I will thank you to leave my old age out of this, Olivia.
Hetty, forgive me.
But you're not getting any younger.
Who's going to look after you?
Who's going to bring you hot milk
in the middle of the night?
I've got Jasper.
Janet's got her hands full and Sara's
going to be off somewhere to a finishing school....
and where will you be?
Right here where I belong.
All alone.
Aunt Hetty, could you help me with this arithmat...
...oh....sorry...
Well, don't take it out.
It looks pretty that way..
Sara Stanley, i'm a plain woman.
You certainly are not!
Look, you still have admirers.. take Mr. Higgens for example.
Higgens, Higgens, Higgens, I wish the women in this family
would stop badgering me about Wally Higgens!
We're excited for you.
What is there to be excited about?
I am going to the Winter Festival, that's all,
with a skate salesman
who calls me poopsie woopsie.
Felicity...?
How about you and me..I mean, would you accompany
me..to the skating party?
Together.
Us.
The two of us.
Thank you Rupert, but I can't.
I am already spoken for.
That was a big fat lie, Felicity King.
It was only half a lie.
I'm waiting for Gus to ask me.
Don't hold your breath.
He isn't asking you.
And how would you know, Felix King.
He says he isn't going to the skating party.
Says he's got better things to do.
Gus.
Gus,
the skating party is going to be such fun,
why don't you ask Felicity and get it over with.
One little skating party isn't going to hurt you!
...it ain't that..
What is it then..?
I got no skates.
And naw...it don't make no difference anyway.
I got chores to do, see ya, Sara.
Now just what do you think you're doing?
I'm hammering the King fence back onto King property.
And there's nothing you can do about it.
Look!
So out of my way, Wellington Campbell.
This is legal hocus pocus!
Hocus-pocus no?
You were the one who threatened with solicitors!
So now you've a taste of your own medicine.
OOOWWWWWW! ! ! !
Oh goodness...
I'm sorry...
Don't you touch me! !
You haven't heard the last of this!
They're Uncle Alec's old skates.
Thanks a lot Sara!
I never had skates before in my whole life!
Never?
Aren't you going to need skating lessons, then?
Lessons...what fer?
Ain't nuthin' to it.
If ya can walk ya can skate!
BOO!
Gracious Providence.
You scared me half to death!
I brought a little present for my sweetcakes!
Sorry Wally, not now, I'm busy.
"Roses are red, candy is sweet I love my poopsie
for the size of her feet."
I made that up this morning, 'specially for you!
Wally..I do thank you.
I know you mean well ...but I can't accept anymore gifts...
No thank you.
Aww...come on, don't be like that.
You have to take these skates...
you already said you were going to the skating party.
Right?
Please.
If you'd only wear them for me!
See because you don't know how important.
Oh...for heaven's sake.
I don't even skate!
Try 'em on, honey bunny.
I'm dying to see if they fit...please..?
Tell me something, sugar dumpling.
What is it, Wally..
What if...what if there was something
that was real important to you, something that you wanted more
than anything in the world.
What would you do about it?
That depends.
More than anything in the world.
You mean something like...property.
Well...sort of...
That's quite simple.
Always when I make up my want something, I fight for it.
And you don't give up..?
Give up, me?
Not on your life.
When there's a goal in sight, I fight to the finish!
There, now are you satisfied?
I'm delirious.
You've made me the happiest
man on God's green earth,
Hetty King.
Wally...
Wally listen to me,
if you care about me,
If you do, just go
and let me get my work done.
If I care about you?
Oh poopsie doodles.
Of course I care for you.
You've just made me the happiest man on Earth!
Felicity,
I was wonderin' if you'd like to go for a skate?
Oh Gus!
I'd love to!
Great!
Happy, sugar dumpling?
No.
My nose is running and my feet are freezing
and I want to go home.
Folks, folks, attention...
This won't take but just a minute.
The Good Lord was smiling down on me the day
Sara Stanley spooked my horse.
Because that little girl led me to Rose Cottage where I found
Hetty King...the woman with the perfect tootsie wootsies
in the whole wide world!
Wally Higgens...you stop that!
She's just shy, folks...so I'm going to get to the point.
The other day, she told me that she cared about me
and to fight for what I want.
So here goes.
I want you, Hetty King.
Yes.
Will you marry me?
No, No!
You get away from me you hairbrained crackpot!
But, I love you!
Aunt Hetty!
I'll get her.
Gus!
The Ring!
Where's the ring?
The ring.
I paid fifty dollars cash for that ring.
How could you do this to me!
Her let me help you.
Leave me alone.
How could this happen?
With Hetty King, anything's possible.
How could she take advantage of such a fine sweet man
as Mr. Higgens?
Hetty King's been a thorn in the side of many before you,
Mr. Higgens.
But her feet . . .
how could I have misjudged her so.
Stand up to her, that's what!
Why should she get away with humiliating decent folk
in front of everyone?
Using people for her own ends.
Leading a man on shamelessly.
Where will it end?
Somebody ought to take her down a peg or two.
Put her in her place.
Show her what's what, that's what!
Those little tootsies.
Quickly Sara...
yes, more, good, more...
oh ....good alright.
Aaachhoo.
Oh leave me alone child.
Leave me alone.
If it's any consolation, Aunt Hetty,
Mr. Higgens feels worse than you do.
I never said loved, Sara I never said I loved him.
I didn't even say I cared about him.
What was I said "if you care about me " and then he took it
the wrong way, it's all a terrible misunderstanding!
I can't ever show my face again.
It was the most embarrassin' moment of my life.
That's what Felicity said.
Felix...
Well, you did look really funny, crawling to the edge
of the ice like that.
Felix, maybe you should stop trying to be so helpful.
You can take these back where you found 'em, too.
I won't have no more use of 'em.
Well, I never thought Gus Pike was a quitter.
I never thought I'd see you be afraid of anything.
Certainly nothing as silly as your own pride.
Come on, Felix.
His feelings are so hurt.
After all, you turned him down in public!
I'll get it.
If it's him, tell him I'm gone.
I'm not home, tell him I left for China.
It's wasn't Mr. Higgens, Hetty.
It was just the messenger from the solicitor's office
in Carmody.
Give to me.
Miss Hetty King is hereby sued by
Mr. Wellington Campbell for two hundred and fifty dollars
for intent to commit bodily harm,
assault with a dangerous weapon."
...how could he!
All I did was hit his thumb with a hammer!
What? "Hetty King is hereby sued by Wally Higgens
for two hundred and fifty dollars for breach of promise
and public embarrassment."
Oh Hetty, you can't just hide under there
the rest of your life.
Yes I can.
You have to get up and face this.
No I don't.
Why don't you girls try talking to her
and I'll go to make some tea.
Aunt Hetty this isn't like you..
The humiliation, no one in our family has ever been sued.
Here I get sued twice in one week!
Oh no I can't face the world.
You could just pay them each two hundred and fifty dollars.
I'll do nothing of the kind.
That's more like it, Aunt Hetty!
Now why don't you try to explain?
It's well beyond explanations child.
Well maybe Mr. Higgen's might drop his lawsuit if he thought
you were already promised to another man.
Where on Earth did you get such an idea?
I done a considerable study of these situations.
Men are competitive.
You could use one man against the other to get what you want.
My thumb is killing me and it's your fault.
Well...what can I do...
to make up for this
I know,
We'll split the difference on the property.
What?
You'd give me the land just for hitting my thumb?
Not exactly...no there is one other little matter
I have to settle first....
What little matter?
It seems, that I am also being sued by
a certain Mr. Wally Higgens of Chicago.
For breach of promise.
What does that have to do with my thumb!
Well simply this.
I don't want to marry Mr. Higgens
...I need you to pose as my fiancé.
You need me to what?
Pose as my fiancé.
Pretend we're engaged married..
you a long engagement and then Mr. Higgens will be forced
to withdraw his suit as I am previously spoken for.
...and if it works, half the land's mine. . . .
Yes.
Strictly business...?
Oh of course!
What sort of woman do you me for?
And then Wally will realize his mistake and go back to Chicago.
You'll of course drop your assault charge and I'll consent
to our business arrangement.
Alright, you have yourself a deal.
You're What!
Yes, Miss King and I have been secretly engaged for years.
Oh, that's a load of hogwash!
You don't know everything about me, Rachel Lynde.
Certainly nothing about my private life.
... you never told me...you led me on.
You accepted the candies and the skates
...and the whole time you were engaged to...him.
Do something!
Alright.
I will.
I'll fight for you just like you said I should!
Mr. Wellington Campbell,
I challenge you to a duel.
A duel!
Now just a minute here...
I'll be your second, Mr. Higgens.
That's done it, Mr. Wellington Campbell.
Face me, if you dare.
Alright, Mr. Higgens.
Anything to shut you up.
Oh now stop this.
Stay out of this, woman!
Come on, Wally!
Show him what's what!
Hetty - you've got to stop them.
Well I tried, Olivia.
Nobody listens to me.
Wally - duck and bob and weave
Don't worry, Wally, he looks soft as mush.
left, left, turn around.
Separate them...this is against the rules.
Rachel!
Wellington,
Wellington...speak to me.
Fetch the doctor, quickly.
What have I done!
Oh goodness what have I done.
Gus.
Hi Felicity, I come to give back these.
Thank yer father fer the loan of them.
Oh, you don't have to give them back, Gus.
Nobody in our family wears them anymore.
Well..I shoulda told ya the truth in the first place.
I got two left feet an' I can't skate worth beans
an' I was too proud to ask fer help.
Oh Gus!
Is that all!
Why I would have been happy to give you lessons!
You should have seen me when I first started skating,
I was so clumsy!
You could never be clumsy, Felicity.
Come on, let's try it right now.
Wally.....please wait... I need to speak to you.
That's alright, poopsie.
There's nothing left to say...
I saw the truth today.
...the truth?
You and Wellington Campbell.
How you were kneeling there...
and you held him in your arms...
I guess that's true love.
...things aren't always the way they Seem, Wally.
I mean, I would have fought like a tiger for you,
sugar dumpling.
But I care too much to come between you
and the man you love.
I know when to throw in the towel.
I withdraw that lawsuit.
That's very gentlemanly of you.
I regret having done anything that would have hurt you.
I do like you very much...
but I never said I loved you.
Goodbye poopsie.
You keep the skates,
I wouldn't want anyone else in the world to have them.,
Goodbye. Poopsie