Gunsmoke Season 11 Episode 17

Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs

Festus sees Lambert, Emery and Sweet Billy Haggen on a farm outside of Dodge, grabs a well bucket, puts it over his head and starts running off into the fields for fear of getting his ear shot off; not the whole ear, just the little hangy-down part (refer to episode #364 ""Eliab's Aim"" for details). Sweet Billy shoots the bucket, they catch up to Festus, and then explain that the only reason they're there is to find Sweet Billy a wife. Festus reluctantly agrees to help and starts lining up local gals for Sweet Billy to meet. The one prerequisite that Sweet Billy has is that the woman he marries must be able to read and write. It happens that Pony Beal and his daughter Orabelle are in town, and when she sees Sweet Billy she decides to go after him. Sweet Billy is also quite taken with her and, when he finds that she can read and write, decides to marry her. With his three uncle's permission they go to see Orabelle's father, who also agrees, provided they pay him a