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Don's TV Bonanza
Wade Tyree: Don Collier This Bonanza episode does not know if it wants to be a comedy or a tragedy. Wade Tyree's girlfriend leaves him, and seeing how his friend is suffering, Hoss Cartright decides to play matchmaker. He introduces Wade to a young widow with a young daughter. Although it is not love at first sight, Wade and Abigail enter into a marriage of convenience, which seems to suit both of their needs. Problems arise at the very beginning. Wade plants his crops only to have the worst drought of the century hit the area. As Wade sinks deeper and deeper into despair, Hoss does more and more of Wade's chores. Trying to keep up the morale becomes harder and harder for Abigail. With the crops withering on the vine, Hoss finally decides to haul water, and this disturbs Ben Cartright because now Hoss is neglecting his own chores. It also becomes too much work for Abigail, and she collapses. It seems the harder Hoss tries and the more work he does, the worse things become for Wade and Abigail. When the marriage appears to be on the verge of crumbling, Abigail takes her daughter and retreats to the Ponderosa. Now alone in his cabin, Wade comes to a reckoning. Deciding he really does want Abigail, he goes to the Ponderosa in search of her. Trying to play peacemaker, Hoss is once again in the middle of the Tyree's relationship, and when Abigail tells him to butt out, Wade supports her. It totally shocks Hoss, and to a lesser extent, Wade is surprised by his own actions, too, but Abigail is not surprised. She has known all along that her man could do anything. As the happy couple ride off into the sunset back to their own cabin, Hoss makes a mental vow to never again come between husband and wife. This episode has lots of good close-ups of Don Collier all through it. It is from Season Four, episode number 113.
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