In the county seat, and riding high on a wave of good fortune, Lum found a good deal on a diamond ring for Miss Plat. Though the diamond is worth much more than Lum’s purchase price, he and Abner soon discover problems with it. Abner thinks Lum ought to sell the ring for profit. Does he have the right to suggest it? It was half of his money that came from mortgaging the store, that financed buying the ring.

How could Lum part with the best diamond ever? Lum can’t wait to hop on the mail hack. And get back to Pine Ridge to show off his diamond to Squire Skimp, and all the rest.

In the Jot Em Down store, grandpap dozes, but takes a call from Lizabeth. A stranger pops in with a mysterious message. All it does is serve to confuse grandpap. What’s all this talk of a diamond with a curse on it?

Lounging in the living room after dinner, Jim Anderson marvels at his son who eats an apple and banana at the same time. Margret is amused over her magazine article about complaints of housewives. Its the little things, like not shaving on weekends. Doesn’t mother find Jim handsome any more?

The womenfolk continue researching material for a speech at a professional ladies club, while the guys storm out to regroup. Is Margret planning to work outside the home? Should Jim start reading up on being the model mother? The possible role reversals confuse Cathy. Is mother going to be some kind of fashion model for mothers?

Jim’s insistence on not having his wife work, sets Margret on a path of independence in proving him wrong. The change even has the kids disturbed. Can Jim make things right? Will it take more than romance, and sweeping Margret off her feet? Mother’s busy schedule serves to keep the division in the battle lines between the sexes intact.

Will the family survive without mom? Have they learned their lessons? Will they show mom the respect she deserves for taking her for granted in the home?

Bunko Detail. Joe Friday is on the heals of a husband and wife centered con game.

At the Holy Gospel Tabernacle. Pastor’s house. Ben observes, “It’s not a very wealthy looking neighborhood.” Reverend Olsen tells how the married couple suckered him into their research work. The Herberts swindled him out of $800. Joe has enough to get started tracking down various friends and relatives. The trail leads to an exercise class.

A phone call sends the cops to another church,. This time with the Herberts claiming to be writing a book. Time passes and Joe is no closer to the Herberts. But their trail of swindles is growing. The Herberts have a knack for weaseling the last pennies, or war bonds, out of folks who are down on their luck.

Just when things are looking flat, a hot tip reignites the hunt. Will there be a need to get the homicide detail involved? Joe catches up with Mrs Herbert, who claims it was her husband that dragged her into this mess. Somehow. He doesn’t believe her. From here its only a short trip to stop- Mr Herbert. And the new dame he’s about to run off with.

To cement the deal with Lum and Abner, Mr Chancellor gave the gents a $10k royalty check for the rights to change his book idea into a Broadway play. Chomping at the bit to spend their money, and since the check won’t be able to clear the bank just yet. Lum wants Abner to mortgage the store.

Lum shops for a diamond he wants to buy, for an engagement ring for Miss Plat. He won’t settle for less than the biggest one he can find. Will it be out of his price range? Its going to take three weeks to get the custom ring ready, and Lum is too impatient for the wait.

On the street,. Lum is approached by a shady character who promises a satisfactory ring, and for a price Lum can afford. Abner is skeptical, and thinks it’ll just be a big piece of glass. The gent comes through, and Lum either has a 20 Karat diamond. Or… some big problems on his hands.

Since Leila Ransom isn’t home, Gildersleeve accepts delivery of a letter for her. Will the special delivery letter be too tempting to keep from snooping? Gildy finds out soon enough that its from an old flame. Leila tells about the pact she made with Lightfoot. Will Gildy agree to meet the man? Why should he? Lightfoot may be a good dancer, but can Gildy woo Leila with his singing?

Weary from a hard day in the water department, Gildersleeve is visited by Judge Hooker. He is concerned that Leila is doing something foolish that could endanger her finances. Running an errand, Gildersleeve picks up some fingernail polish from Peavy’s drugstore. Making it back to Leila’s, she seems distant and cold towards Gildy. When Lightfoot arrives, will there be some kind of showdown?

The southern gentleman tells how the new south is more industrious than in the past. The gents hit on common ground, but its Leila who is left in the cold. She would rather discuss parties and hospitality, than spreadsheets and finances. A chapter in Leila’s life may be passing when Lightfoot is to wed another, but she still has Gildersleeve.

This is the time of year for serious fishermen to get their tackle in shape for next season, and review those fishing tales. Though Molly isn’t into fishing, she still tells a tale about her old flame, Otis Cadwaliter, to get Fibber riled. A telegram arrives from Otis that tells of a record breaking salmon he caught. A phone call to the airport is intercepted by Mirt the phone operator with word that her sister may be expecting her own special delivery.

Billy Mills plays some traveling music, and Abigail Uppington is on hand to learn about Molly’s old flame. Fibber thinks the salmon isn’t a very romantic gift from an old flame. The Old Timer pops in to tell about his own relatives who are to visit him. Harlowe Wilcox arrives to spin the salmon situation into a sponsor message.

A baseball through a window announces the presence of Teeny. How does she like Fibber’s new hat? The Hamberg Makes her hungry. The Kingsmen sing, Mush Mush Mush.

The big dinner is all set,. And the house full of hungry guests await the salmon. But there isn’t any sign of it yet. Gildersleeve bickers with his little chum,. Then Wallace Wimple visits. . how does his big old wife Sweetie Face handle tantrums? Finally a messenger with a big package arrives. But the only one getting a laugh out of the fish is Fibber.

Featuring: Ken Carpenter, John Scot Trotter, Lena Romei, and the Charioteers,

playlist:

* Give Me Five Minutes More (Bing)e

* Kentucky Babe (Bing and Charioteers)

* Dance of the Spanish Onions, Piano Instrumental (Xkitch Henderson)

* A sketch featuring Bing, Sketch, and Lena Romei. They visit a Mexican diner for jumping beans, and Mexican milk. That means tequilla.

* Yo Quiero Mucho. (Lena Romei)

* Paper Moon (Bing)

* Flight of the Bumble Bee. (Ralph Mendez Trumpet solow with John Scot Trotter)

* Road River Valley (Charioteers)

* You Keep Coming Back Like a Song (Bing)

Note: The show is short, and cuts off midway through. If you find this elsewhere on the web, be aware that it could be encoded poorly, and at half speed or slower. I sped it up some, but it still sounds a touch slow.

As for the episode, all we get is the opening moments to get us caught up on the story thus far. That an advance on his book has been paid from Mr Chancellor to Lum and Abner, and that the author visits the gents in Sister Simpson’s parlor. The peculiar author has secluded himself in his room, and the gents worry that Chancellor is going to back out on his offer to write a book about them.

For the season opener, Jack tries to awaken his sleeping cast. The blue fairy lends her little hand. And that ain’t hay, kid! With all the cast ready to go, Don introduces the show

After his flowery introduction, Jack wants Don’s opinion on the whimsical opening. Mary shares some secrets about Jack’s vaudeville days. Her cynical jokes are balanced by Phil’s own Corny ones. Dennis Day arrives to get an earful of Jack’s childhood struggles, walking barefoot through snow, etc. And interview about his upcoming travel turns out not to be a newspaper reporter, but a burglar Instead. Dennis sings, When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano

Jack forces Don to do a punny commercial, based on Dennis’s song. The cast complain about the jokes, and the way Jack has been bullying people around.

]As Phil plays some traveling music, Jack drives home with Rochester and the Maxwell. Which jokes did Rochester like the best? I don’t think that Jack wants to know. Jack even has trouble picking up a lady hitchhiker along the road.

When Lum found out his guest of honor was uninvited, he ran off to the schoolhouse to patch things up. Meanwhile, Cedric had a mishap in garnishing the plates. Um, make that varnishing the plates. Today, the gents talk about the latest in practical, and romantic gifts, artificial flowers. How did the party go? Lum and Abner describe the impression it made on Miss Emiline. What did the other guest think about the food, or the buffet style supper?

Nobody seemed to eat much. Lum just thought it was due to the high society event, until Abner filled him in on the varnish mix up. Still, the party made enough of an impression that Lum wants to buy a big diamond for his fiancé. Squire Skimp enters, and could help. He also wants to clarify a point or two to write his newspaper column.