Sylvia 4/10

Dinner time at the Webb house. Sylvia gets her father some more stew and tells him about her day. “We had a test today. I think I did real good,” she says. Well, if the subject isn’t grammar perhaps. Ah, it was a history test. Sylvia then asks her father if she can stay after school to help grade papers for extra credit. Funny, you’d think we would have seen Laura ask Sylvia that. Mr. Webb isn’t too pleased about this and reluctantly agrees. Something is amiss.

We’re now at the side of a babbling brook where Sylvia and Albert are fishing. Ah, apparently she meant “Albert Ingalls” not “Laura Ingalls” and “suki suki” instead of “extra credit”. Anyway, Sylvia is excited that she has caught another fish and Albert is a tad grumpy that he hasn’t caught any. She starts laughing and admits that she’s happy to be with Albert. Aw, they’re getting all lovey-dovey. “Maybe I’ll have better luck if I sat closer to you,” Albert suggests as he scooches over. Eeek! We’re not the only ones watching this romance bud. A gloved hand is pushing some brush away and the unblinking eye is staring across the water. This is a bad sign.

Speaking of signs, Albert has carved “Albert Loves Sylvia” into a tree. He did a really fancy job of it too, cutting out a square frame and everything. That must have taken the better part of the afternoon. We then get a profile shot of the two of them going into a slo-mo smooch. Aw.

Later on, we see Sylvia bounding towards her home. Oops, guess she lost track of time because she is late and Papa Webb wants his dindin. As Sylvia scrambles to light the stove, her father asks about the paper grading and whether it is helping Sylvia or not. Sylvia says it is, but Mr. Webb reveals that he wasn’t sure so he went and checked with Mrs. Wilder about it. Uh-oh, busted. Not only does he know about the lying, but Papa Webb knows that Sylvia lied so she could see Albert. As a result, Mr. Webb declares the Ingalls boy off limits.

The next day Albert runs to catch up with Sylvia after school. He asks what’s up but all she says is that she has to get home. “You don’t like me anymore, do you?” Albert pouts. Sylvia explains the situation, about how she lied to her dad and such, and that she can’t see Albert anymore. As she runs off, a blacksmith walks from the background to ask Albert what’s wrong. When did this become Amelie? And who’s that guy? Or, it’s Mr. Hartwig. Yeah, I don’t either. He tries to console Albert by saying that Mr. Webb is trying to raise Sylvia as best he can. “He’s trying to keep her from being too wild,” he says. Is there something about Sylvia from an earlier episode that I completely missed? Was she one of those kids that you see on Maury or Jenny Jones that got sent to boot camp because she was an out of control tween? Somehow Sylvia got a bad rep and I don’t know why. Anyway, Hartwig suggests that Albert give things time and it should all work out.

Grace is freaking out in her high chair at the homestead. Sounds like Ma made another tasty breakfast, but Albert is just moving the food around his plate. Caroline checks to see if Carrie is ready for school. Carrie steps into frame, says she’s almost ready then steps out again. She earned that residual check, let me tell you. Charles can tell that something is bothering Albert and he guesses correctly that it is Sylvia. Apparently two weeks have passed and things have not gotten better. Thanks for nothing, Hartwig. Albert can’t believe that Mr. Webb is still mad about the whole lying thing, but Charles mentions that Webb has been acting strange towards everyone the last couple of weeks. Neither of the male Ingalls can figure out what’s up, but Pa suggests that Albert keeps persisting. Do chicks dig that?

The kids leave for school and Caroline takes this opportunity to compare notes with Charles. Mr. Webb has stopped coming by the restaurant and Mrs. Foster had to deliver a package to his place rather than waiting for him to pick it up. Also, when Mrs. Foster was at the Webb house, she noticed that Sylvia was working the fields. Charles mentions that Reverend Alden is planning on paying a visit as well, which seems to ease Caroline’s mind a bit.

“Mornin’ Hector!” Reverend Alden calls as he drives up to the Webb house. The Reverend is jovial as always and says that he’s just checking to see if the Webbs are feeling alright. Then he goes into parole officer mode trying to find out why Sylvia and her father haven’t been at church. Mr. Webb says that he’s been busy and such, which is met with the typical “day of rest” retort. “The Lord didn’t have a mortgage payment to make,” Mr. Webb snaps as he walks away. The Reverend still wants to know what’s up and tells Mr. Webb that people in town are worried about him. “I’m not interested in what Charles Ingalls has to say,” Mr. Webb bellows. I can’t help but laugh. I guess Mr. Webb never watches this show – it’s all about what Charles Ingalls says. Hector is pretty steamed at this point and he assumes that the Reverend is there only to collect tithe money. Mr. Webb throws a wad of bills at Alden before driving out, saying he’s paid up for the month. God'll getcha for that one, Hector.