[MARY JO]
Did I tell you, Tim, what Father said
Last evening in the shed?

[TIM, spoken]
No. 

[MARY JO]
He said
"Mary Jo, it's shameful that
By now you haven't wed
I advise you not to tarry
Or your youth will slip away
After all," he said
"Remember you'll be seventeen in May"

[TIM, spoken, staring at the store sign]
Look at this, Mary Jo. 

[MARY JO, spoken, reading sign]
"Samuel Cooper."

[TIM]
Now who is Samuel Cooper?
This wasn't here before
It says that Samuel Cooper
Is opening up a store
[MARY JO]
I wonder when he got here

[TIM]
It must have been today
He wasn't here on Monday
When I was by this way

[GEORGE]
An efficacious thing
This nеw United States bank

[JONATHAN]
Do you think so, Georgе?

[GEORGE]
Indeed I do
Now the dollar will be stable
As the pound and the franc

[CHARLIE]
That's very true, George, very true!

[JONATHAN, spoken, looking at sign]
Look at this!
[CHARLIE, spoken]
"Samuel Cooper." Huh!

[JONATHAN]
Now who is Samuel Cooper?
I never heard his name
I even don't know why he came

[GEORGE]
Now who is Samuel Cooper?
I never heard his name
I don't know where he hails from
And don't know why he came

[CHARLIE]
It looks like Samuel Cooper
Intends to settle down

[JONATHAN & GEORGE]
That's fine, we're all in need of
A carpenter in town

[WILL]
Did you read they have an iron spinning
Wheel that runs by power?
And they claim it does a week of manual
Labor in an hour
[HANK]
Well, for me, I'd rather use the wheel I
Have of hickory wood
These inventions come from England, so they
Can't be any good

[WILL, spoken]
I don't know, Hank. There's a lot of talk about the coming industrial age. Folks say it means a lot of progress. A chance for every man to improve his lot. 

[HANK, spoken, looks at store]
Now what's all this?

[ENSEMBLE]
Now who is Samuel Cooper? There's none of us who know
Except that Samuel Cooper he arrived a while ago
Is he honest? Is he pleasant? Is he handy at his trade?
Is he short or thin or fat or very small?
Now who is Samuel Cooper? What sort of man is he?
Does anybody know him or know his family tree?
Is he pious? Is he humble? Is he moral? Is he staid?
Now who is Samuel Cooper? We've never heard his name
Doesn't anybody know the man at all?

[SAM, spoken]
Good afternoon. 

[GEORGE, spoken]
Mister Cooper?

[SAM, spoken]
Yes. 

[GEORGE, spoken]
You came today?

[SAM, spoken]
Just before noon. 

[GEORGE, spoken]
We don't know you, Mister Cooper. 

[SAM, spoken]
Then allow me to tell you about myself. 
(sung)
My name is Samuel Cooper
There's none but God I fear
I came from Massachusetts
And headed straight for here
I traveled with my family
Two children and a wife
We came with good intention
With only good intention
We came with all intention
To settle here for life

[GEORGE, spoken]
We see from your sign that you're a carpenter, Mister Cooper. 

[SAM, spoken]
Yes. And if you'll allow, I'll tell you a little more. 
(sung)
I was born in Salem in a house beside a church
Where my father was the pastor 'til he died
And my mother taught me Milton and Johnson every day
And my father taught me God and tanned my hide
(spoken)
When it was necessary
(sung)
When the revolution came I fought with all my might
I was in eleven battles in the war
And when the British louts went whimpering home where they belong
I became a young apprentice in a store
(spoken)
In a furniture store in Boston, owned by Horace B. Slocum. You may have heard of him. 

(sung)
So while working hard and learning hard, I met a Boston girl
And soon I added wooing to my life
And after thirty months of courtship she agreed I was sincere
And consented to become my wife
And the seasons rolled away
'Til a blazing August day
When a cry was heard
And Johnny it became
And the seasons rolled away
'Til another April day
And another child
Elizabeth was her name
Then one night old Mister Slocum ran a trifle short of life
And his family closed his shop for evermore
So my wife and I decided we would find a little town
Which didn't have a furniture store
And that's why I stand before you
That's all there is to tell
We came with good intention
With only good intention
We came with all intention
In friendship here to dwell