That little brat Willie just can't stay out of trouble. This morning found him stealing some firecrackers to play a mean prank on the old man at the bank, but plans go tragically awry when Willie sets them off and his team took off like the dickens. The runaway carriage was about to hit a poor boy standing in the middle of the road. Why doesn't he move? Because this boy, Daniel Page, was deaf and could not hear the approaching sound of hoof-beats. Thankfully Laura got him out of the way just in time. The poor lad was shaken so he was brought to Doc Baker, who concluded that Daniel needed a little help, some special teaching, but his pa Nathan wasn't too keen on the idea, because... But then Laura stepped in and offered to step in and help, borrowing some of the doc's books on sign language. So while Laura brushed up on the many other forms of communication, Albert set to work on making a dog house for Bandit. This should be good. Now despite Nathan's doubt and negativity, he allows her to carry out her task. So after berating Albert for his dog house for no reason other than anxiety, Laura begins her first day as Daniel's teacher, and she really has her work cut out for her.
Daniel seemed to pick it up almost from the start, and only on the second day, he made a break through. He and Laura were ecstatic, and although Nathan remained skeptical, Laura put on a demonstration for him, and he was mighty proud. Everything was going great. Nathan borrowed a sign language book to learn to better communicate with his son, so all was well. Albert even showed off his little doghouse on the prairie, but the damn dog refused to to near it. So now that Daniel has mastered communication, there was a message he wanted to convey to Laura, and he does so by offering her his mother's wedding ring, openly admitting he loved her and even kisses her. Go Daniel! She rejects him, he runs away, dejected. Laura tries to confide in Almanzo, only for him to go on a date right in front of her. Love is a strange thing. So Daniel has pretty much given up on everything and not wanting to be responsible for tarnishing her new reputation of being a good teacher and sending her first pupil down the road to eternal damnation, Laura bites the bullet and agrees to be Daniel's girlfriend. She felt the weight of the world on her shoulders, but Charles manages to get her back on the right path by telling her she's got to be tougher with her students and if she doesn't love Daniel, she's gotta let him down as easily as possible. We all know her heart belongs to Almanzo. So, Laura goes to break it off with Daniel. He didn't take it well. Love is a VERY strange thing. But some kind and encouraging words from Nathan put Daniel's woes at ease, and as for Laura, it was Caroline to the rescue. In the end, it all worked out (doesn't it always?) Daniel and Laura made amends, she would continue to mentor him and really get a good education in being a teacher in the process.
As is tradition with Little House bit-players, Daniel and his Pa were never seen or heard from again, but they left an everlasting impression. This episode had a lot of heart, it was emotional and a bit amusing with Albert and his attempts to build a doghouse and then make Bandit sleep in it. Well, at least Carrie has a new place to play. Not to mention another hilarious exchange between Nels and Harriet, where Nels succeeds in breaking the fourth wall. Alban Branton, Melissa Gilbert and Lou Fant were all very good and Maury Dexter directed yet another winner. Little House fans, Laura fans and people interested in learning a little sign language, as well as people who want to see Albert sleeping in a doghouse should give this episode a try. It's got it where it counts and it proves that love is a very, VERY strange thing.
Daniel seemed to pick it up almost from the start, and only on the second day, he made a break through. He and Laura were ecstatic, and although Nathan remained skeptical, Laura put on a demonstration for him, and he was mighty proud. Everything was going great. Nathan borrowed a sign language book to learn to better communicate with his son, so all was well. Albert even showed off his little doghouse on the prairie, but the damn dog refused to to near it. So now that Daniel has mastered communication, there was a message he wanted to convey to Laura, and he does so by offering her his mother's wedding ring, openly admitting he loved her and even kisses her. Go Daniel! She rejects him, he runs away, dejected. Laura tries to confide in Almanzo, only for him to go on a date right in front of her. Love is a strange thing. So Daniel has pretty much given up on everything and not wanting to be responsible for tarnishing her new reputation of being a good teacher and sending her first pupil down the road to eternal damnation, Laura bites the bullet and agrees to be Daniel's girlfriend. She felt the weight of the world on her shoulders, but Charles manages to get her back on the right path by telling her she's got to be tougher with her students and if she doesn't love Daniel, she's gotta let him down as easily as possible. We all know her heart belongs to Almanzo. So, Laura goes to break it off with Daniel. He didn't take it well. Love is a VERY strange thing. But some kind and encouraging words from Nathan put Daniel's woes at ease, and as for Laura, it was Caroline to the rescue. In the end, it all worked out (doesn't it always?) Daniel and Laura made amends, she would continue to mentor him and really get a good education in being a teacher in the process.
As is tradition with Little House bit-players, Daniel and his Pa were never seen or heard from again, but they left an everlasting impression. This episode had a lot of heart, it was emotional and a bit amusing with Albert and his attempts to build a doghouse and then make Bandit sleep in it. Well, at least Carrie has a new place to play. Not to mention another hilarious exchange between Nels and Harriet, where Nels succeeds in breaking the fourth wall. Alban Branton, Melissa Gilbert and Lou Fant were all very good and Maury Dexter directed yet another winner. Little House fans, Laura fans and people interested in learning a little sign language, as well as people who want to see Albert sleeping in a doghouse should give this episode a try. It's got it where it counts and it proves that love is a very, VERY strange thing.