Little House on the Prairie

A travelling showman by the name of O' Hara charms the Ingalls family with his magic tricks, few circus animals and a story about being the possessor of 'magic powders' that will cure any ailment known to man. His first 'patient' is Mr. Hansen, who has been suffering from a headache for days. One dose of O' Hara's strange powders and he announces that the heacache has gone. So to are O' Hara's supposedly broken ribs, but things become a little more critical when Harriet Oleson develops appendicitis and believes that the powders will cure her. Naturally, they don't, and Doc Baker has to perform emergency surgery to save her life.



Laura, who has become very fond of O' Hara, refuses to see him as a fraud and when Jack gets run over by the wheels of a stage coach, she insists the little man come and help Jack get better. Even though he has already left, and against the better judgement of Charles, he, (Charles), brings O' Hara back, and the next day, Jack is his old self again so Laura's blind faith is rewarded and Jack is once again a happy camper. A week episode over all, but good work by Melissa Gilbert and Katherine McGregor.

One late night, the Ingalls family hears a gunshot outside, much to their fear. Man of the house Pa goes out to investigate, and it turns out to be harmless. A traveling circus man with a one-man circus wagon has come thru town, and claims he was trying to be neighborly by shooting bobcats in their yard. But it turns out it is juts a ploy to get their attention so he will have someplace to stay for the night.

The next morning on their way to school, Laura and Mary (or as the magic man calls them "Pixies") are fascinated by the thickly Irish accented Mr. O'Hara and his magic tricks-and his two-animal circus-a talking crow named Mr. Poe and a "Congrilla"-a small chimp inside the wagon cage. Laura is especially taken-but Mary reminds her they are just tricks. Mr. O'Hara also amuses Mrs. Ingalls by pulling real chicken eggs out of various places, including placing one by "magic" in her pocket.

That night at the Ingalls house, the girls are fascinated even more by what Mr. O'Hara says is a magic powder from India that can cure almost anything-including his broken ribs(which he faked for the demonstration). But wise Ma and Pa know he is only trying to impress the girls.Now he has others believing him about his magic powders-which are really just sugar, baking soda, and effervescent-including a man with a chronic headache and now Mrs. Olson who has some side pain. The doctor in town is upset-he knows these powders are only a placebo,and Mr. O'Hara's believers are in great danger if they rely on these and not proper medical care, including Mrs, Olson, who is discovered to have appendicitis. The doctor wants the circus man to tell Harriet they are only fakes-and he comes over-and says the powerd swill cure her-"If the Good Lord Willin'". But an operation is also necessary-and when Mrs. Olson becomes afraid, he tells her she will be kin to royalty-who have also had their appandicxes out-and her leftover scar from the operation as a mark of pride.So Mrs.Olson agrees.



Seems the circus man is doing more harm than good, and Charles asks him to leave town at the doctor's suggestion. He was even going to show "The Wee Ones",like Laura-some magic tricks this Saturday morning, but a dissapointed Laura finds out he has left before day's light. But she feels better when Charles gives them each a penny to buy striped candy at the general store when they go to deliver Ma's eggs to town.



Laura tells faithful dog Jack to stay in place while she goes into the store,and he sits. But Jack sees a cat in a tree across the way, and decides to chase it--only to be run over by a passing wagon and get injured!



Back home, the family is watching a very weak jack in his box-at least he's not bleeding now but his breathing's slow.Laura wishes that Mr. O'Hara were here-cuz he can cure anything-but Pa tries to tell her he was only pretending with his magic poweders, but Laura insists he can heal him. There's only one thing to do for heartbroken Laura-and that's for Pas to go get the circus man!



Mr. O'Hara returns, and doesn't have the heart to tell Laura his powers are worhtless-but she begs him to try,and he aplies a little mixed with water to Jack. Do you think Jack will get well? If the Good Lord Willin'. Pa is not please that O'Hara has not told the truth to his daughter, but neither did Pas when she thanked him for getting the magic man. And Mr. O'Hara reminds Charles that we shouldn't steal that one bit of hope from Laura until they see if the dog gets better.The family-and O'Hara,spend a restless night sleeping-only to have Laura be awakened by Jack's whimpering--he's well again! And she couldn't be happier that O'Hara has cured him! But just when we think Laura will believe in his powers forever, O'Hara has to spill the truth-that he did not cure Jack, in fact, nothing about him is real.Not his tricks or his accent or even his name. Laura tearfully asks him why he would fool so many people,and he says the road was lonely. He eventually turned to magic and such to make people think he was a little taller-a little stronger-and a little wiser than he really is.He leaves Laura with one last rick-he dries her tear and an egg appears. But it seems to do more harm than good to the upset Laura.



O'Hara is going on his way, and he doesn't know who is more upset-him or the "wee one".But he knows the strong Laura will eventually get over it. But just as he's ready to go, Pa says if he's ever back in tonwn-they would love to have him stop by again! The circus man gives a happy smile knowing that all is forgiven, but will he be back? "If the Good Lord Willin'!"