I remember the first time I saw this. I was overoyed that Barn & Jo had actually been married in this (if not in any other) timeband. 'twas a heart-warming moment for me.
Interesting that she was a BLONDE though (well, the story reason for that soon becomes evident) but this leads to other questions and conclusions about the other possible differences between RT and PT Josette, such as the biggie:
*She has no trace of a cultured accent, let alone a French one (though the KLS version didn't maintain one either, she DID sound more "foreign" somehow, and DID manage to rattle off some French sentences competently.... Maybe took it in HS?)
Perhaps in THIS time band, Josette was once a servant, whose French family had been in America since at least her childhood, and PT Barnabas dared to disgrace his family by marrying her, rather than, say, a well-born (brunette) version of Angelique? (Fan-fiction alert!)
This would be additional explanation for the long-term estrangement between the two branches of the family, and Josette's ability to live decently in reduced circumstances.
BTW, I once saw a photo of the youthful Mary Cooper on a website about the late radio personality Arlene Francis--- they were longtime friends. Perhaps this site still exists--- must find out!
L.
