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Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924027215585 
 
SCHOOL PLAYS 
 
 FOR ALL OCCASIONS 
 
 By 
 MADALENE D, ^RNUM 
 
 Author of "American Festivals" 
 
 and, with £ntma L. Jbhuston, joint author of 
 
 "A Book of Plays for Little Actors " 
 
 «)Jw 
 
 NEW YORK, N. Y. 
 
 BARSE & HOPKINS 
 
 NEWARK, N. J. 
 
Copyright, 1922, by 
 BARSE & HOPKINS 
 
 Printed in the U. S. A. 
 
To the memory of 
 
 IXyQ Sister x 
 
 who helped me make this book 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 The Bee Hive. A play for Labor Day 
 
 Diego's Dream. A play for Columbus's Birthday 
 
 Scotch Grace. A play for Thanksgiving Day . 
 
 Everybody Happy. A play for Christmas Day . 
 
 Honest Abe. An interlude for Lincoln's Birthday 
 
 Eaglesfeather. a play for Washington's Birthday 
 
 Here Again. An operetta for May Day . 
 
 Tom's Back- Yard. A play for Arbor Day 
 
 Brethren. A play for Peace Day 
 
 How Sleep the Brave. An interlude for Memorial Day 
 
 9 
 25 
 
 43 
 55 
 
 81 
 
 91 
 113 
 131 
 139 
 
 155 
 
 Past, Present and Future. A play for Graduation Day 167 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 A PLAY FOR LABOR DAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 QUEEN BEE 
 ZUM-ZUM, a Herald 
 SHOO-SHOO, o Constable 
 
 PEG-AWAY 
 
 LOOK-ALIVE 
 
 MIGHT-AND-MAIN 
 
 DO-OR-DIE 
 
 PITCH-IN 
 
 TRY-TRY 
 
 Worker 
 Bees 
 
 SIT-AROUND 
 
 LAZY-LUMP 
 
 SHIRK-WORK 
 
 GREEDY-GRAB 
 
 SLEEPY-HEAD 
 
 DILLY-DALLY . 
 
 CUDDLE-UP I n 
 SNUGGLE-DOWN J ^ 
 
 "wo little 
 
 larvae 
 
 ■Drones 
 
The Bee-Hive 
 
 A PLAY FOR LABOR DAY 
 
 Scene. The interior of a bee-hive. A smalt open 
 door shows bright sunlight without. The Qtteen sits 
 on a throne, surrounded by all the other bees kneeling 
 in ranks on both sides. All are asleep with wings 
 over their eyes. Zum^zum awakens, looks out of the 
 door, then takes stand before the throne. 
 
 Zurn-zum. Buzz-zummy-zum-ztun, buzz-zummy- 
 zum-zam, buzz-zunmiy-zum-zum, buzz, buzz, buzz. 
 {All the bees stir, yawn, stretch and begin to rise.) 
 Rise, O Bees! The first sunbeam is peeping through 
 the door of our hive. The night is past. The morn- 
 ing light calls us to labor. Rise, O Bees, salute your 
 queen, and enter upon your daily toil. 
 
 Bees {flying about). Buzz-zummy-zum-zum, buzz- 
 zummy-zum-zum, buzz-zummy-zum-zum, buzz, buzz, 
 buzz. {Making obeisance.) All hail. Queen Bee! 
 
 Queen Bee. Good morning to you all, my busy 
 bees. It is a lovely day. Let us lose no time in get- 
 ting to work. Where are the workers ? Zum-zum will 
 call the roll. 
 
 Zum-sum. The worker-bees will now answer to 
 their names. Peg-away. 
 
 II 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 Peg-away. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. Look-alive. 
 
 Look-alive. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. Might-and-main. 
 
 Might-and-main. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. Do-or-die. 
 
 Do-or-diie. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. Pitch-in. 
 
 Pitch-in. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. Try-try. 
 
 Try-try. Present, 
 
 Zum-sum. All the workers are present, your 
 majesty. 
 
 Queen Bee. Very good. Now call the roll of the 
 drones. 
 
 Zum-sum. The drones will now answer to their 
 names. Sit-around. 
 
 Sit-around. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum, Lazy-lump. 
 
 Lasy-lump. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. Shirk-work. 
 
 Shirk-work. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. Greedy-grab. 
 
 Greedy-grab. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. Sleepy-head. 
 
 Sleepy-head. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. Dilly-dally. 
 
 Dilly-dally. Present. 
 
 Zum-sum. All are present, your majesty. 
 
 Queen Bee. Now listen to your orders for the day. 
 
 12 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 It is such lovely weather, I am going out for a flight 
 in the sky. In my absence, I leave the hive in charge 
 of our brave constable, Shoo-shoo. Shoo-shoo, be on 
 the watch to keep order like a good police-bee. You 
 will patrol as usual before the door. 
 
 Shoo-shoo. Yes, your majesty, and if anyone dis- 
 turbs the peace, inside or out, I know my duty. (5*0- 
 lutes, goes out, and patrols up and down, outside of 
 the door.) 
 
 Queen Bee. You drones, keep out of the way of 
 the workers. You have been very troublesome lately. 
 I have warned you more than once, that when you try 
 our patience too far, you'll all be massacred. Re- 
 member that. Now go to your places in the comers, 
 and stay there out of the way, (They slink off.) 
 Now my dear little workers, the first business on hand 
 is to make the honey-comb. Pitch-in and Try-try, 
 bring out the wax that was made yesterday, and Peg- 
 away will help you build the pretty six-sided cells. 
 Look-alive and Might-and-main, get some nice fresh 
 pollen, and make the bee-bread for breakfast. Do-or- 
 die, it will soon be time to waken the larvae and wash 
 their little faces. 
 
 Peg-away. When shall we all go out and gather the 
 honey, please your majesty? 
 
 Queen Bee. After breakfast, when the flowers will 
 all be open. Now good-bye all, be busy bees until I 
 comeback. {Bxit.) 
 
 Bees {"bowing low). Buzz-zz-zz! Good-bye, Queeii 
 Bee. {The bees all hum as they work, making a con- 
 
 13 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 inuous low humming. Might-and-main, Look-alive, 
 md Do-or-die all go out. The drones, seated in the 
 wo front corners of the stage, begin to yawn, nod, 
 opple over, and sleep in picturesque groups. They^ 
 more as they inhale, and buzz as they exhale. Zum- 
 jum helps the appointed workers build cells, bending 
 md fitting together the wax flakes. Might-and-main 
 '.nters and takes pollen in yellow handfuls from side 
 docket, placing it on a ledge of the honey-comb. A 
 ittle falls to the floor, and Greedy-grab slily creeps up 
 get it. ) 
 
 Zum-zum. That's good pollen, Might-and-main; 
 vhere did you get it? 
 
 Might-and-main. From a big yellow flower by the 
 fence. {Uxit, nearly tripping over Greedy-grab.) 
 
 Zum-zum. I'll knead it into bee-bread for break- 
 Fast. {He kneads it. Sleepy-head sees Greedy-grab 
 rating, and crawls to share pollen on floor. Other 
 trones wake, and begin to follow. Look-alive, enter- 
 'ng, steps around and over the drones.) 
 
 Look-alive. These drones get in the way so! 
 
 Zum-zum. Here, you drones, keep out of the way. 
 {To Look-alive.) Let us push them aside. {They 
 ')ush drones. Drones kick and resist, roll against 
 honey-comb and knock some of it down. All jump, 
 md buzz.) Police! Police! Police! {Bnter Shoo- 
 ihoo.) 
 
 Shoo-shoo {driving drones into the corners). 
 3hoo! Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! {He thumps floor with 
 :lub and glares about. ) Behave in this bee-hive ! 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 Zum-sum {from behind Shoo-shoo). If you try our 
 latience too far, you will all be massacred! 
 
 Shoo-shoo. Yes. You drones remember that! 
 [Bxit impressively. Worker bees resume working 
 md bussing. Look-cdive helps Zum-zum. Drones 
 ake sleepy attitudes at front corners.) 
 
 Sleepy-head. Lazy-lump. 
 
 Lazy-lump. Uh? 
 
 Sleepy-head. Did you ,hear what he said about a 
 nassacre? 
 
 Lasy-lump. Yes, but I don't believe it. 
 
 Shirk-work. Neither do I. They just say that to 
 scare us. {Enter Do-or-die, with towel, sponge, and 
 hand basin. She sets them down before curtained 
 :ell. She then draws the curtain and reveals sleep- 
 ing larvae. She shakes them. They wake, crawl for- 
 ward, and hold up their faces to be washed. She 
 washes each.) 
 
 Do-or-die {as she wakes and washes the larvae). 
 [Jome, little larva ! Wake up, larva ! Come out, little 
 )nes, and have your faces washed. That's it! Oo 
 :unning 'ittle sing! Laugh a 'ittle bit! Hi-kitchee- 
 dtchee! Agoo! (etc.) 
 
 Zum-sum. Buzz-zummy-zumTzum! Buzz-zummy- 
 :um-zum! Buzz-zummy-zum-zum ! Buzz! Buzz! 
 Buzz! {Bees stand at attention.) All bees will now 
 itop working and take five minutes for breakfast We 
 lave bread and honey this morning. Line forms to 
 he right. {Other workers all enter. Workers start 
 form line. Zum-sum takes up jar marked Honey, 
 
 IS 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 the drones make a disorderly rush for if, nearly up- 
 setting Zum-sum.) 
 
 Zum-zum and Workers. Police! Police! (jEnter 
 Shoo-shoo.) 
 
 Shoo-shoo. Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! (He 
 drives the drones to the end of the line, pounds on the 
 floor, and glares until there is silence. ) Behave in this 
 bee-hive ! 
 
 Zum-sum {from behind Shoo-shoo). You drones! 
 You have been warned, — you will all be massacred 
 some day. 
 
 Drones {laughing disrespectfully). Ha, ha, ha, ha! 
 We've heard that before. 
 
 Shoo-shoo {pounding till all are silent). Believe it 
 or not! It behooves you to behave in this bee-hive! 
 {He takes stand at head of line, receives bread and 
 honey and goes out. Look-alive slices bread, and each 
 in turn takes a slice. Zum-sum spoons honey from a 
 jar, and puts some on each slice as they pass him. The 
 workers stand in a row and eat daintily. The drones 
 arrive to be served.) 
 
 Zum-zum {looking into the jar). No honey for the 
 drones! There is only enough left for the larvae. 
 {Covers jar and hands it to Do-or-die. ) You drones 
 will have to eat dry bread. 
 
 Drones {stamping and shaking fists) . Buzz-zz-zz! 
 
 Zum-sum. Here. {He hands loaf of bread to 
 drones. They snatch it rudely, tear it to pieces, and 
 retire to corner, eating and grumbling. ) 
 
 Zum-sum {looking out of the door). Oh, the 
 
 i6 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 sweetest flowers are now wide open ! Come, we must 
 all go and gather honey. 
 
 Workers (joyfully). Buzz-zz-zz! {They adjust 
 their side pockets and fly out, only Do-or-die remain- 
 ing behind to place a saucer on the floor beside each 
 larva, and pour some honey into each saucer. The 
 larvae watch her, smiling with anticipation. ) 
 
 Do-or-die. Here's your breakfast, dear little larvae. 
 Nursie is getting it ready. (Tastes it.) M-m-m! 
 Here it is. Now lap your honey, little ones, while I go 
 to gather more. (She adjusts side pockets and goes 
 out. Greedy-grab crawls over to the side of a larva, 
 pulls away its saucer of honey and begins to lap from 
 it. The larva begins to cry. Other drones wake up, 
 and the nearest in like- manner rob the other larvae. 
 They replace the empty saucers, and retire chuckling. 
 The larvae all boo-hoo. Peg-away -enters.) 
 
 Peg-away. Why, what makes the larvae cry like 
 that? Oh, I see. They have no honey in their sau- 
 cers. Do-or-die has forgotten to feed them. The poor 
 little babies are hungry. Here, little ones, I'll fill your 
 saucers for you. (She pours honey from her wallet 
 into the saucers, the larvae stop crying and begin to 
 lap, and Peg-away flies out. Immediately, the drones 
 roll or crawl over and steal the honey as before. Then 
 they retire and pretend to sleep, while larvae cry aloud. 
 Bnter Might-and-main.) 
 
 Might-and-main. What? The larvae crying? 
 Have the drones been teasing them, I wonder? (Ap- 
 proaches and scans drones.) No, they are fast asleep. 
 
 »7 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 Now what ails those babies? Oh, I see. Somebody 
 has forgotten to feed them. Here. (She fills the sau- 
 cers. Larvae eat eagerly. Might-and-main flies out^ 
 The drones seise the saucers of honey. The larvae cry 
 and whimper.) 
 
 Drones {rocking with laughter between lapping). 
 Ho! Ho! Ho! (Bnter the Queen unseen. She 
 watches a moment then conceals herself behind the 
 throne. Her antennae may be seen extending above 
 the back of the throne.) 
 
 Lasy-lump. Ho! Ho! All the honey we want! 
 
 Greedy-grab. This is three saucers I've had. 
 
 Sleepy-head. It pays not to work. 
 
 Sit-around. And the best of it is, we are so safe. 
 Those babies cannot talk and no one will ever know. 
 
 All the Drones. That's true. No one will ever 
 know. Ho! Ho! Ho! (Greedy-grab slaps another 
 drone on the back and then throwing his head back 
 with laughter, suddenly stops, his eyes on the antennae. 
 After a moment, he points them out to the others. All 
 instantly hush, put down the saucers and back away 
 toward the front of the stage. There they turn for- 
 ward, put their heads together and confer in low 
 tones.) 
 
 Greedy-grab. Someone is behind the throne. 
 
 Shirk-work. It is some worker, spying upon us! 
 
 Sit-arourid. If she tells Oh! 0-oh! 
 
 Sleepy-head. What must be done? 
 
 Greedy-grab. We must capture that worker and 
 frighten her so that she will not dare to tell. Come. 
 
 i8 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 {They tiptoe to the back. Greedy-grab kneels on the 
 seat of the throne and suddenly seizes one of the 
 antennae in his hands.) How dare you spy on us! 
 Come out! {All the drones taking fierce threatening 
 attitudes.) Come out! You spy! {Greedy-grab 
 pulls the antennae around the back of the chair and 
 the Queen appears. The Drones leap back and fall 
 to their knees.) 
 
 Drones. The Queen! , 
 
 Queen {whose antenna is badly bent). Help! Po- 
 lice! Police! Help! {Bnter Shoo-shoo.) 
 
 Shoo-shoo. The Queen! {Workers all rush in, 
 crying, " The Queen! The Queen!" They surround 
 her. The last to arrive stand on the outskirts of the 
 crowd wringing hands, weeping and trying to peer at 
 the Queen between the bees who surround and minister 
 to her. Bxclamations are continuous — such as, — "Oh, 
 terrible! " " Our Que-en! " " Is she hurt! " " Oh, 
 think of it!" "How dreadful!" At length Look- 
 alive is induced to turn from the inner circle to answer 
 questions.) 
 
 Do-or-die. Is she badly hurt? 
 
 Look-alive {nodding). Yes. 
 
 Several. Where? Where? 
 
 Look-alive {pointing to her own). In her antenna. 
 
 Do-or-'die. Is it broken? 
 
 Look-alive. No, but it is badly sprained. {The 
 crowd now separates, and the Queen is seen, being 
 supported to her throne. Her antenna still bent has 
 a little white bandage around it. When Queen is 
 
 19 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 seated, workers form in orderly ranks at each side of 
 the throne. The drones are seen in the extreme cor- 
 ners in attitudes of terror. Silence.) 
 
 Queen {solemnly). The time has come. 
 
 All the Workers (in low tone, echoing). The time 
 has come. {Zum-sum, at one side, gets paper and 
 writes.) 
 
 Queen. Where is Shoo-shoo, the police-bee? 
 
 Shoo-shoo. Here, your majesty. 
 
 Queen. Arrest the drones. 
 
 Shoo-shoo (bows to queen, then drives drones be- 
 fore the throne). Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! 
 Here they are, your majesty. 
 
 Drones (falling on knees) . Mercy! Mercy! 
 
 Queen. No mercy! You have had your last 
 chance. Zum-zum. (He bows.) State the charge 
 against the drones. 
 
 Zum-zum (reading from paper). The charge 
 against the drones is idleness, misdemeanor, larceny 
 and high treason, in that they have refused to work, 
 hindered the workers, robbed the larvae and com- 
 mitted assault and battery upon the Queen's antenna. 
 
 Drones. Have pity! Spare us! Mercy! Work- 
 ers, plead for us ! 
 
 Queen. Workers, the drones appeal to yxDu. Do 
 you know of any reason why they should be per- 
 mitted to live? Have they ever helped to build the 
 comb, to store the honey, or keep the hive, or care for 
 the larvae? Have they ever done anything useful ? If 
 so, speak. (Pause.) Drones, no one speaks for you. 
 
 20 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 You have tried our patience too far. I, therefore. 
 Queen of the Bee^hive, now pronounce sentence of the 
 court, which is, that all drones shall be massacred 
 forthwith. Shoo-shoo, execute the sentence. 
 
 Shoo-shoo {to workers). Attention! Draw, your 
 stings! {Workers draw little daggers from their 
 belts.) Massacre the drones ! 
 
 Workers. Buzz-zip! Buzz-zip! Buzz-zip-zip-zip! 
 {On each sip, they lunge forward one step, threaten- 
 ingly; on sip-zip-zip they rush forward to make a 
 semi-circle around the drones, screening them from the 
 audience. A melee follows with furious buzzing by 
 all and the workers force the drones out of the door 
 with stabbing gestures. All disappear except the 
 Queen sitting sternly erect on the throne, and little 
 Do-or-die, who is feeding and petting the larvae. 
 Buzzing outside ceases.) 
 
 Shoo-shoo {outside). Three cheers for a good 
 riddance. 
 
 Workers {cheering without). Buzzah! Buzzah! 
 Buzzah! {The bussing begins anew, changes to time 
 of a march to which workers enter, led by Shoo-shoo. ) 
 Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz-buzz-buzz! 
 etc. {They march once around.) 
 
 Shoo-shoo. Halt! {They stand.) Sheath stings! 
 {They obey.) May It please your majesty, the drones 
 are all massacred. 
 
 Queen. Well done ! We'll never be troubled with 
 them again. Now to celebrate this happy event, let 
 us thoroughly clean and ventilate the hive. Spread 
 
 21 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 your wings, my busy bees, smooth down the wax, pol- 
 ish the floor, and fan in the sweet fresh air. 
 
 (Music. Dance of the workers with movements 
 suggestive of the work denoted. ) 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
 COSTUMES AND PROPERTIES 
 
 Worker Bees. Short dresses of dark brown cambric, dull side 
 out. Several petticoats of the same, each one somewhat longer 
 and scanter than the one above it, to give an effect of a tapering 
 body. Brown stockings and sandals. Brown band around the 
 forehead, to which are attached small antennae made of wire. 
 Wings suggested by a full cape of net (brown or black mosquito 
 netting vrill do) attached at the back of (he neck, vertically be- 
 tween the shoulders and down the outside of the sleeves. The 
 bottom of the cape may be cut into two deep scallops on each 
 side. When the arms are raised, the effect is like spreading 
 wings. When the head is bent, and arms crooked around it, the 
 effect is that of " wings over eyes," called for in stage directions. 
 Each worker wears a brown baldric over one shoulder, support- 
 ing a pocket or wallet on the opposite hip. The baldric must 
 pass under the cape so as not to hamper the wing action. A 
 brown belt around the waist supporting a small silver dagger in 
 a brown sheath, completes the costume. Daggers can be made 
 of wood or cardboard painted with aluminum paint or covered 
 with silver paper. (Do-or-die wears, also, a white cap and 
 apron.) 
 
 Drones. Jackets and bloomers of brown cambric, shiny side 
 out. Drones should appear fatter than the workers, with bloom- 
 ers very round and full. In other respects like the workers. 
 
 Zum-sum. Like the workers, with the addition of a broad 
 gold baldric over one shoulder from which should hang a small 
 megaphone. Through this, all official summons are given. 
 
 22 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 Shoo-shoo. Dark blue policeman's costume, with ^It buttons, 
 and policeman's hat and club. Wings like those of the other 
 bees. Antennae attached to hat. 
 
 Queen Bee. Dress and petticoats like the workers, but edged 
 around with narrow gold bands. Narrow gold belt, gold collar, 
 gold cuffs and gold bands around the sleeves at the elbow and 
 shoulder should suggest division into segments. The queen 
 should be taller and slimmer than the workers. Antennae like 
 those of workers, but attached to gold crown instead of brown 
 forehead band. Wing-cape of ermine instead of net. (Imita- 
 tion ermine is made by streaking white flannelette with black 
 crayon.) 
 
 Larvae. Tight white baby caps. Entire bodies including arms 
 swathed in white bags, like round bundles. They, thus, have no 
 power of bodily motion except to squirm. 
 
 Honey Comb. Large squares of white paper, marked with 
 gray lines into large hexagons, may be pinned against rear wall 
 like a high wainscot. Five or six tables or large packing boxes 
 may be covered with similar paper, and piled at one side to repre- 
 sent another portion of <he comb partly finished. One of these 
 tables projects to form the ledge on which the pollen is kneaded, 
 and on which stand the saucers, bread-knife and honey-jar. An- 
 other of the tables is covered with a white cloth falling to the 
 floor, forming the curtained cell. The larvae lie on the floor be- 
 neath this table, until Do-or-die lifts the cloth and drags them 
 out. The wax flakes are sheets of white cardboard, previously 
 creased and cut so that they can readily be folded into hollow 
 hexagonal prisms. The workers who pretend to be making 
 comb fold the flakes and then attach the hexagons virith paper 
 fasteners. They can be piled up rapidly and effectively. 
 
 Pollen. Short paper chains of large links of yellow paper, 
 look like magnified masses of pollen. When Zum-zum kneads 
 it, she can interpose her person between the pollen and the 
 audience and then surreptitiously throw it down behind the 
 table; and with the assistance of another bee, casually passing, 
 substitute for the pollen a nice big loaf of real bread previously 
 bidden behind the table. 
 
 23 
 
THE BEE-HIVE 
 
 Throne. A chair with a back high enough to conceal the 
 queen standing-, all except her antennae. 
 
 Honey. The honey to be poured into the saucers, etc, had 
 better be entirely imaginary. 
 
 24 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 A PLAY FOR COLUMBUS'S BIRTHDAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 DR. VENDOZA, a philosopher from the University, of Cordova. 
 
 BROTHER PAOLO, a Spanish schoolmaster. 
 
 VASCO DE FONSECA 
 
 RUDOLFO DE BOBADILLA 
 
 PIETRO DE ROUDON J -a • t i ;i. 
 
 ALFONZO DE OVANDO f ^^'"•«'' schoolboys. 
 
 FRANCISCO DE AGUADO 
 
 DIEGO COLUMBUS 
 
 In the Dream. 
 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, Admiral of the Ocean. 
 JUAN DE LA COSA, mate of the Santa Maria, 
 MANUEL ) 
 LUIS [• Seamen. 
 
 SANCHO ) 
 OTHER SEAMEN. 
 
Diego's Dream 
 
 A PLAY FOR COLUMBUS DAY 
 
 Prologue 
 
 When Christopher Columbus set out from Spain on 
 Is first voyage of discovery, he left his motherless 
 m, Diego, at a school for boys in Cordova. As we 
 'I know it was many months before Columbus re- 
 irned — months of trial and suspense, not only for the 
 reat discoverer, but also for the lad he left behind, 
 'he time of our play is October li, 1492, the darkest 
 our before the dawn, Columbus far away on the un- 
 nown sea^ and the lonely schoolboy trying to keep up 
 brave heart in Cordova. 
 
 The Play 
 
 (Place: A hoys^ school in Cordova, Spain. The 
 ■terior of the room shows a teacher's desk on one 
 de, arid pupils tenches and desks in rows opposite, 
 here are chairs for visitors, a dunce stool, a picture 
 '^ Femjinand and Isabella on the wall over the 
 acher's desk, and on the wall facing the audience, a 
 rge map of the world as known before the discovery 
 ' America. There are two doors, one leading to an 
 Ijoining room, and the other to the schoolyard. As 
 
 27 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 he curtain rises, Diego is discovered at his desk study- 
 ng, while the other boys group in the center about 
 Hetro.) 
 
 Pietro. We'll play it this way. We'll be the sol- 
 liers and you'll be the banditti; and we'll try to arrest 
 Ton, and haul you to jail. 
 
 Francisco. It really won't be fair though, — ^there 
 ire three of you soldiers and only two of us banditti. 
 
 Rudolf 0. Yes, we ought to have another bandit. 
 
 Alfonso. I'll get Diego. (Too quickly to be 
 stopped, though several murmur, " No, no.") Diego, 
 ve're playing Banditti and Soldiers. Will you be a 
 )andit? 
 
 Diego (rising with interest"). Me? Why, yes, I'd 
 ove to. (Stiff pause.) 
 
 Vasco. I don't care to be in it. (Walking off.) 
 
 Rudolf 0. I don't either. {Walking off. Stiff 
 Muse.) 
 
 Diego. On account of me, I suppose. Oh, I don't 
 want to play. (Returning to seat.) What did you ask 
 ne for? 
 
 Pietro. Yes, Alfonzo, what did you ask him for? 
 
 Alfonso. Well, I thought he'd make a good player. 
 [ forgot about his low birth. 
 
 Vasco. Don't forget it again, Alfonzo. 
 
 Rudolf 0. He ought to remember it himself. 
 
 Alfonso. Yes. He ought to remember it himself. 
 Diego, you ought to know better than to push your- 
 self in, even if I did ask you. 
 
 Vasco. Yes. You must realize yourself, Diego, that 
 
 28 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 t is quite impossible for the sons of Spanish grandees 
 o associate with one of low parentage. 
 
 Diego (^flashing up). A son of Columbus is of the 
 lighest parentage. {Burst of, laughter, led by Al- 
 ■onso.) 
 
 Pietro. A son of Columbus! 
 
 Alfonso. With what an air he says it! 
 
 Pietro. The crazy admiral ! 
 
 Francisco. Formerly a weaver! 
 
 Several (teasingly). Weaver! Weaver! 
 
 Diego. My father is Admiral of the Ocean! 
 
 Rudolf 0. Admiral of Jailbirds! The only way he 
 :ould get men to enlist with him was by taking cut- 
 hroats out of jail. Admiral of jailbirds, — ^that's what 
 le is. 
 
 Diego (facing him with clenched fists). You stop! 
 iTou stop or I'll 
 
 Rudolf 0. What'U you do? (Towering over 
 Diego.) 
 
 Diego (shrinking away). I'll — I'll (With 
 
 rrepressible sob.) I'll run away from this school! 
 [Burst of laughter led by Rudolf o.) 
 
 Francisco. Oh, leave him alone. Come on and 
 )lay. (Boys run to side, away from Diego.) 
 
 Pietro. Get in behind the desk. That'll be the 
 :ave. You others form in front like soldiers. (Boys 
 gleefully obey. Diego remains apart with downcast 
 lead. Bnter Brother Paolo, escorting Dr. Vendosa. 
 loys instantly stand at attention.) 
 
 Brother Pacta. This is our classroom. (Dr. Ven- 
 
 29 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 dosa looks around.) And these are the young noble- 
 men who study here. {To the boys.) Young gentle- 
 men, we are greatly honored to have with us to-day a 
 distinguished visitor, a most learned philosopher from 
 the neighboring university of Cordova, — ^Dr. Vendoza. 
 
 Dr. Vendoza. Good morrow, noble youths, and 
 pax vobiscum ! 
 
 Boys {bowing low). Good morrow, reverend sir. 
 
 Dr. Vendoza. The noblest of pursuits is the pur- 
 suit of learning. I congratulate you all, learned 
 teacher, and youthful scholars (bowing to each), on 
 your high and worthy occupation. 
 
 Brother Paolo. I need not impress upon you, 
 young noblemen, what an honor it is to haye this fa- 
 mous scholar take an interest in your education, and I 
 trust you will do your best to-day, for the credit of the 
 school. Will you sit here. Dr. Vendoza? Take your 
 places, boys. (They obey, Brother Paolo at the desk.) 
 We will open school as usual with morning hymn and 
 patriotic salute. (They rise. Brother Paolo gives the 
 pitch, beats time, and leads in singing.) 
 
 All (singing or chanting). Laudate, pueri, Domi- 
 num. Laudate nomen Domine. Excelsus super 
 omnes gentes Dominus, et super coelus gloria ejus. 
 
 Brother Paolo. Let us salute our sovereigns. (All 
 kneel on one knee, and turn eyes toward the picture 
 over the teacher's desk.) 
 
 All. I pledge allegiance to my sovereigns, Ferdi- 
 nand and Isabella, king and queen of Spain by royal 
 descent and divine right. 
 
 30 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM / 
 
 Brother Paolo {to Dr. Vendoza, as the boys resume 
 eir seats). We always begin the day in this manner. 
 Dr. Vendoza. Most edifying. Brother Paolo. 
 Brother Paolo. It awakens a pious and dutiful 
 irit, in which to approach our studies. 
 Dr. Vendoza. Excellent! And what is the first les- 
 n this morning, Brother Paolo? 
 Brother Paolo. Geography, reverend sir. Class, 
 ce the map for your geography lesson. {He takes 
 nnter and stands beside the map. The boys turn in 
 eir seats to face the map on the wall.) What does 
 is map represent? Class, read. {He points to let- 
 ring under the map.) 
 
 Class {in concert). Map of the entire earth. 
 Brother Paolo {pointing). What sea is this? 
 Class {in concert). The Mediterranean Sea. 
 Brother Paolo. Why is it so called, Pietro,? 
 Pietro {rising). The Mediterranean Sea is so 
 lied because it is the middle of the earth. {Sits.) 
 Brother Paolo. Has this sea any outlet, Vasco? 
 Vasco {rising). The Gates of Hercules. {Brother 
 wlo points.) So called from the tradition that the 
 cks on either side were set there by Hercules. 
 ■iits.) 
 
 Brother Paolo. Correct, Vasco. Alfonzo, name 
 e kingdoms of the earth in order, as I point. 
 Alfonzo {rising). Portugal, Spain, France, Vene- 
 i, Grecia, Syria, and Armenia, — all Christian lands; 
 d to the east lie India, Cathay, and the island of 
 pango, which be heathen lands. {Sits.) 
 
 31 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 Dr. Vendosa. A good answer. The lads know 
 their geography, I see. 
 
 Brother Paolo {pleased). I trust they do, reverend 
 sir. Ahem! Attention! The subject of to-day's in- 
 struction will be the zones and botmdaries of the earth. 
 All give attention. {He points to the map as he 
 speaks, throughout the lesson. ) The world is divided 
 into three zones. At the north is the frozen zone, 
 where the earth ends in mountains of ice. At the 
 south is the burning zone, which ends in a boiling sea. 
 Between the frozen zone and the burning zone lies the 
 inhabited zone, where all the people of the earth live. 
 Class, repeat the names of the zones as I point. 
 
 Class {in concert). The frozen zone, — the burning 
 zone, — ^the inhabited zone. 
 
 Brother Paolo. Attention. I will now instruct you 
 concerning the boundaries of the earth, in the east and 
 in the west. In the east, the earth ends in vast impene- 
 trable swamps. {To Dr. Vendosa.) We teach ac- 
 cording to the philosophy of Ptolemy. 
 
 Dr. Vendosa. Ah, yes. 
 
 Brother Paolo. It is in these swamps at the edge 
 of the world, that dragons and gorgons have their 
 horrible lairs. 
 
 Dr. Vendosa. I have myself seen pictures and carv- 
 ings of dragons, which have been brought from 
 Cathay by travelers. 
 
 Brother Paolo. Indeed! Now, pupils, we have 
 given the boundaries of the earth on three sides. Name 
 them, Rudolfo, as I point. 
 
 32 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 Rudolf 0. Mountains of ice, — ^vast swamps, — ^boil- 
 ing sea. 
 
 Brother Paolo. Right. Now for the western 
 boundary. West of Portugal, the only land to be 
 found is this group of islands called the Azores. Be- 
 yond the Azores, the ocean extends all the way to the 
 end of the world. And mariners report that strange 
 currents and roaring noises from this direction indi- 
 cate beyond a doubt that the waters here end in a vast 
 whirlpool. 
 
 Dr, Vendosa {nodding). Ay, young gentlemen, 
 from this we learn that Providence has appointed the 
 middle of the earth for Man's abode. 
 
 Brother Paolo. Even so. And mortals who travel 
 too far in any direction thus defy the will of God, and 
 are certain to meet an awful doom. 
 
 Diego {rising). My father says the earth is round. 
 {All turn to look at Diego. Astonished pause.) 
 
 Brother Paolo. Diego Columbus, take your seat. 
 
 Diego {eagerly). Nay, Masters, my father gave 
 me a globe. {Coming forward with a small globe, 
 taken from his desk.) Let me show you. You are 
 wrong, Masters, — ^indeed, indeed, you are wrong. The 
 earth is not flat with boundaries, as you say, but round 
 like this ball. The sea goes around 
 
 Brother Paolo. Hush, Diego! 
 
 Diego. — ^around the other side 
 
 Brother Paolo. Order! 
 
 Diego. — the other side of the earth. Master — 
 here — see — and its outer edge {Brother Paolo ap- 
 
 33 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 proaches to take Diego by the collar) washes the shore 
 of India! 
 
 Brother Paolo {seising Diego). What do you 
 mean? What do you mean by such conduct? How 
 dare you? How dare you contradict your teacher? 
 
 Diego. My father says 
 
 Brother Paolo, That's enough of what your fa- 
 ther says ! 
 
 Diego. — ^the earth is round.. 
 
 Brother Paolo. Hold your tongue, you bad, im- 
 pious boy! Hold your tongue! (Shaking him so 
 that he drops the globe.) Here! (Putting dunce-cap 
 on his head. ) You are a dunce. Get up on this stool. 
 Now stand there. Shame on you! Class, attention! 
 The earth is not round, but flat, — flat like the floor 
 under our feet. Class, repeat 
 
 Class (in concert). The earth is flat like the floor 
 under our feet. 
 
 Brother Paolo. School dismissed for recess. 
 (Strikes bell, and boys exit to schoolyard, Diego re- 
 maining on stool, very downcast.) 
 
 Brother Paolo (looking at Diego). Disgraceful! 
 Scandalous! (To Dr. Vendoza.) I am so mortified 
 that such behavior should be seen in this school. Who 
 could have foreseen it? 
 
 Dr. Vendoza. I could hardly believe my ears. 
 Who is this shameless boy? 
 
 Brother Paolo. He is the son of Christopher Co- 
 lumbus, who sailed from Palos last August, to seek a 
 new route to India. 
 
 34 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 Dr. Vendoza. Ah, I have heard of him. \{In lorn 
 tone.) He has not returned? 
 
 Brother Paolo. No. 
 
 Dr. Vendoza. H'm! (Pause, both men shaking 
 their heads slowly and exchanging significant looks.) 
 
 Diego {noting their looks and starting forward). 
 My father will return! He will! He will! And he'll 
 prove you all wrong. The earth is round, rou 
 
 Brother Paolo {thrusting him back on the stool). 
 Be still, you stubborn boy ! 
 
 Dr. Vendoza. He should be flogged. 
 
 Brother Paolo. Indeed he should, but he is under 
 the special protection of Queen Isabella. 
 
 Dr. Vendoza. Queen Isabella should be told how 
 bold and unruly he is. 
 
 Brother Paolo. Yes. Diego, how will Queen Isa- 
 bella like it to find you so ungrateful, after all she has 
 done for you? 
 
 Diego {distressed). No, no, I am not ungrateful, 
 — ^never ungrateful to the good queen. 
 
 Dr. Vendoza. You are ungrateful, very ungrate- 
 ful, to misbehave in the school to which she has sent 
 you, — to contradict your teacher, and say that the 
 earth is round. Such wicked heresy ! 
 
 Brother Paolo. Yes, Diego. You had better let 
 your conduct be more seemly in future. And now, 
 reverend sir, shall we repair to the refectory ? ( Open- 
 ing door.) There is a slight repast prepared, which I 
 hope you will not refuse. {The door shuts behind 
 them. Diego looks after them in silence for a mo- 
 
 35 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 ment, then throws off his dunce-cap indignantly, gets 
 down from his stool and recov-ers his globe from the 
 floor. He strokes it, lays his cheek against it, thinks, 
 sighs, goes to his desk, spreads out a large handkerchief 
 to make a handkerchief bundle of his belongings. En- 
 ter Alfonso.) 
 
 Alfonso. What are you doing? Packing up your 
 things?. O-oh, you're going to run away! 
 
 Diego. Yes. I am. 
 
 Alfonso (running to door to beckon). Hey, fel- 
 lows! (They enter.) Look! Diego's going to run 
 away. {Boys stare at Diego.) 
 
 Diego (packing). Yes. I'm going to leave. I did 
 want to get an education. My father told me it was 
 my chance. I've worked hard, too. But I can't stand 
 the way I'm treated here, and I'm not going to try any 
 more. I'm going to run away. (Rises with bundle. ) 
 Let me pass ! (Boys teasingly interpose between Diego 
 and door.) 
 
 Vasco. Going back to live in a hovel, I suppose, 
 and be a weaver like your noble ancestors. 
 
 Several (teasingly). Weaver! Weaver! 
 
 Diego. Can't you leave me alone now? You've 
 done enough, haven't you? You've driven me out. 
 Let me go, can't you? 
 
 Prancisco. Let him go, I say. We don't want 
 him. Let him go. 
 
 Pietro (winking at others). But what shall we say 
 to his noble father when he returns in grandeur and 
 asks for his princely son ? 
 
 36 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 Diego (hotly). He will return, and he'll put to 
 shame all his cruel mockers^ 
 
 Pietro. No doubt, no doubt! — ^Unless his ship is 
 even now plunging over the edge of the world. 
 
 Alfonso (gleefully). Sucked round and round in 
 the whirlpool 
 
 Diego (in distress) . It isn't so ! It isn't so ! Those 
 tales aren't true. 
 
 Rudolf o. Of course not. His father's ship couldn't 
 go down in the whirlpool. 
 
 Diego (astonished, but beginning to hold out his 
 hand to Rudolf o). Why — ^why^— why — ^thank you, 
 Rudolfo. 
 
 Rudolf (grinning). Of course not! Remember 
 the kind of crew he has, all jailbirds, and cutthroats. 
 Could he make them go on and on and sail to the edge 
 of the world ? Never ! They'd throw him overboard. 
 (Grinning spitefully.) And that's why your father 
 doesn't come home! (Diego gasps.) 
 
 Francisco (sharply to Rudolfo). That's enough! 
 That's enough, I tell you. (Draining Rudolfo toward 
 the door.) Come away. Come on out, and let him 
 alone. (Rudolfo laughing harshly goes out, and other 
 boys also laugh and exit.) 
 
 Francisco (ushering out the last of them). Leave 
 the poor orphan alone ! (Bxit.) 
 
 Diego (horror-struck). Orphan! (Stands, motion- 
 less, then covers his face with his hands, and sinks to 
 the floor with his head on the bench.) Perhaps it is 
 true, what they say! Perhaps he has gone over the 
 
 37 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 edge of the world, down, down into the black whirl- 
 pool! {Shudders, then looks up bravely.) No, no! 
 That cannot be! — ^But oh, the crew! The cutthroats 
 and jailbirds ! They'd stop at nothing. And Rudolfo 
 says {trying to think calmly) that my father could 
 not make them obey him, — and the reason he does not 
 come back is because they have thrown him overboard 
 
 — and he's drowned — and I'll never see him again 
 
 {Breaks down and sobs.) My father! My father! 
 Where are you? Where are you? Are you gone for- 
 ever? Oh, if I could only see you- again! If I 
 could only have one glimpse of you! My fa- 
 ther! My father! {He presently masters his 
 weeping and breathes quietly. His head rests on the 
 bench, his body relaxes, and his hand slipping down 
 from his face shows that he is asleep. The wall parts 
 upon an inner scene, showing his dream. The deck of 
 the Santa Maria is seen, Columbus at the prow gazing 
 forward, the crew, with ugly looks, grouped astern. 
 Manuel is gazing back, Luis ahead. The dialogue 
 which follows is a dramatization of Miller's poem on 
 Columbus, and the actions which are suggested to ac- 
 company the lines should be promptly executed, so as 
 not to spoil the rhythm of the poetry.) 
 
 Manuel. 
 
 Behind us He the gray Azores, 
 Behind the gates of Hercules! 
 
 Luis. 
 
 Before us not the ghost of shores, 
 Before us only shoreless seas! 
 38 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 {The mate approaches Columbus and attracts his 
 attention.) 
 
 Sancho (pointing out the mate's action to the other, 
 sailors) . 
 
 The good mate speaks ! 
 
 Mate (to Columbus). 
 Now must we pray. 
 
 For lo, the very stars are gone. 
 Brave Admiral, speak, what shall I say? 
 
 Columbus {curtly, over his shoulder). 
 
 Why say, " Sail on. Sail on and on." 
 
 {The sailors murmur, clench hands, or touch their 
 dirks, or otherwise show suppressed anger.) 
 
 Mate {aside to Columbus, warningly). 
 
 My men grow mutinous, day by day. 
 {The eye of Columbus flashes, but the mate quickly 
 placates him by indicating the appearance of the 
 men.) 
 
 My men grow ghastly, wan and weak. 
 
 {The mate turns away, gases afar, and presently 
 brushes away a tear.) 
 
 Luis {aside to Sancho). 
 
 The stout mate thinks of home — {significantly) 
 a spray 
 Of salt wave on his swarthy cheek. 
 '{Sancho nods understandingly.) 
 
 39 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 Mate. 
 
 What shall I say, brave Admiral, say, 
 If we sight naught but seas at dawn? 
 
 Columbus {facing mate with stern command). 
 Why you shall say at break of day, 
 " Sail on. Sail on. Sail on and on." 
 
 {The sailors appear dejected and sullen, but dare 
 not show anger under the eye of Columbus.) 
 
 Luis {sinking down despairingly on a coil of rope or 
 other seat). 
 
 We sail and sail as winds may blow, 
 With never-ending seas ahead! 
 
 Mate {more vehemently, to Columbus). 
 Why, now not even God would know 
 
 Should I and all my men fall dead. 
 The very winds forget their way. 
 
 For God from these dread seas is gone. 
 Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and say — 
 
 Columbus {doggedly through clenched teeth). 
 Sail on. Sail on. Sail on and on ! 
 
 Sancho {suddenly pointing off). 
 
 A storm's at hand ! 
 {Sailors look and show excitement.) 
 Speak once more, Mate! 
 
 Mate {pointing off, and addressing Columbus). 
 This mad sea shows his teeth to-night. 
 He curls his lip, he lies in wait, 
 40 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 With lifted teeth as if to bite. 
 Brave Admiral, say but one good word, — 
 
 What shall we do when hope is gone ? 
 '{Sinking on one knee.) 
 
 Admiral! One word — one word — 
 
 Columbus {in ringing tone, with most commanding 
 attitude, face uplifted, arm outflung). 
 
 Sail on ! Sail on ! Sail on and on ! 
 
 (The sailors appear awe-struck, some recoiling, 
 some swaying forward, as they show submission 
 or hope. Tableau. The wall of the schoolroom 
 closes noiselessly. Pause. Brother Paolo enters, 
 takes bell in hand, and starts to cross to outer 
 door. He stops on seeing Diego, and gases down 
 on him.) 
 Brother Paolo. What — oh, I see, — cried himself to 
 sleep! Is he dreaming, I wonder? {Gases thought- 
 fully.) There is something — something in his face 
 that goes to my heart. Poor friendless boy! After 
 all, his offenses have a noble root, they arise from his 
 loyalty to his father. I'll try to be more kind and 
 patient with him. {Bxit toward schoolyard. The bell 
 is heard without. Diego wakes, gases at the wall, 
 rises, and stands rapt as though still seeing his vision.) 
 Diego (murmuring). Sail on and on! (Bnter the 
 other boys.) 
 Francisco. Hello ! He didn't run away. 
 Alfonso. Look, Diego is here yet. 
 Vasco. Aren't you going to run away? 
 41 
 
DIEGO'S DREAM 
 
 Pietro. I thought the son of Columbus was going 
 back to his hovel. 
 
 Diego (with uplifted look). A son of Columbus 
 will never turn back. 
 
 Alfonso (aside to the others). What has come 
 over him? (Diego turns away, sees his bundle, and 
 with air of decision picks it up.) 
 
 Pietro. Look. He's unpacking his things. 
 
 Vasco. Look here, Diego, I thought you decided 
 that you wouldn't try to get an education, — ^you were 
 going to give it up. 
 
 Diego. Oh, no, I'm not going to give up — ^I'm go- 
 ing on! (Tableau. His last words have the ring of 
 his father's, and the grouping as he faces the others, 
 suggests the closing tableau of the dream. After a 
 brief moment, Diego quietly sits and begins to study. 
 Curtain.) 
 
 COSTUMES AND PROPERTIES 
 
 Schoolboys. Doublets, and hose or knickerbockers. The 
 smaller boys may wear smocks instead of doublets. 
 
 Brother Paolo. Simple scholar's gown of black or brown. 
 
 Dr. Vendoza. A scholar's gown and cowl of black with 
 facings of some rich color. 
 
 Columbus. Doublet and hose, with a full long cape, and sim- 
 ple round hat with small plume or cockade at the side. 
 
 Juan de la Cosa. Similar to Columbus, with a shorter cape. 
 
 Seamen. Colored shirts and knickerbockers, diversified by 
 bolero jackets, colored sashes knotted at the side, earrings, ker- 
 chiefs bound around the head, dirks in belts, high boots with 
 flaring tops, or simple low shoes. 
 
 42 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 A PLAY FOR THANKSGIVING DAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 MABEL, a little girl 
 HER MOTHER 
 HER FATHER 
 THE SCOTCH FAIRY 
 
 STARRY-TWINK 
 
 MOON-BEAM \ Assistant fairies. 
 
 PEARLY-DEW ) 
 
Scotch Grace 
 
 a' PLAY FOR THANKSGIVING DAY 
 
 Mabel discovered in the kitchen. 
 
 Mabel, Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! What a 
 Thanksgiving day! -I'm sure I haven't anything to be 
 thankful for. We always used to have a big dinner 
 on Thanksgiving Day, with turkey and gravy and 
 vegetables and two kinds of dessert, and now Mother 
 says this year we're too poor to buy anything extra. 
 She says I should be thankful for what I have. H'm ! 
 (Shows meat and potato in a wooden chopping bowl.) 
 Look at that. Just some left-over potatoes and meat 
 to be chopped into hash. Hash ! and that's every bit 
 I'll get for my Thanksgiving dinner. (Chops disgust- 
 edly. Enter Mother.) 
 
 Mabel. Is this chopped fine enough. Mother? 
 
 Mother. Oh no! Not yet. Chop it evenly and 
 well, Mabel. We want the hash to be especially good 
 for Thanksgiving Day. 
 
 Mabel. I think I might have something besides 
 hash for Thanksgiving Day. 
 
 Mother. You have bread and butter and a glass of 
 milk and a beautiful apple for dessert. You ought to 
 be thankful. 
 
 Mabel. H'm! Thankful for those common things! 
 45 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 
 — I want plum pudding and ice-cream and mince pie, 
 and (Bell rings.) 
 
 Mother. Hush, Mabel. Here comes your father. 
 Don't let him hear any such naughty speeches. {Bnter 
 Father.) 
 
 Father. Ah, it's nice to get home. (Sighs.) I'm 
 tired. 
 
 Mother. It's too bad, John, that you had to work 
 on Thanksgiving Day. (She hangs up his coat and 
 hat for him. ) 
 
 Father. No, no. I'm thankful for an extra day's 
 work. It means an extra day's pay, you know. Here, 
 Mabel — (gets card from pocket) there was a postal 
 card in the letter-box for you. (Hands it to her and 
 goes to door.) Call me when dinner is ready. (Exit. 
 Mother begins to take dishes from cupboard.) 
 
 Mabel. It is a Thanksgiving postal from my 
 teacher. 
 
 Mother. How kind of her ! What does it say? 
 
 Mabel. It says — Scotch Grace — ^by Robert Bums. 
 (Reading.) 
 
 Some hae meat and canna eat. 
 
 And some there be that want it. 
 But we hae meat and we can eat 
 And sae the Lord be thankit 
 
 Mother. Isn't that pretty? (Looks at card.) 
 You ought to hang it upon the wall. (She takes coal 
 scuttle and goes out. Mabel pins the card to the wall 
 and looks at it as she chops the hash.) 
 
 46 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 
 Mabel. Yes, the Scotch Grace is very pretty! 
 {Repeats the verse as she chops in time to the rhythm. 
 As she ends it, the Scotch Fairy springs into the room. 
 She is dressed in filmy white with gauzy wings, but 
 wears a Scotch plaid over one shoulder and a Scotch 
 cap.) 
 
 Scotch Fairy. At your sairvice, lassie ! And what 
 might be your will of the Scotch fairy?, {Mabel 
 stares.) I say hae ye ony commands for the Scotch 
 fairy? (Mabel stares.) Hoot, lassie! Canna ye 
 speak? What for did ye summon me? 
 
 Mabel (wonderingly) . I did not summon you. 
 
 Scotch Fairy. Aye, ye did. Didna ye tap sae? 
 (Gives three taps, then three more, then five.) 
 
 Mabel. Oh, yes, as I was chopping the hash and 
 reading my verse. (Repeats two lines with chopping. ) 
 
 Scotch Fairy. And ye dinna ken that knock is a 
 charm? Ah, ye got it frae a lilt o' Bobbie Bums. 
 He's the lad that knew how to charm. Well, let me 
 tell ye, that knock has power to summon me. And 
 when ye tap it, aye I'll come to ye, for come I maun. 
 
 Mabel. And you are really a Scotch fairy? Can 
 you grant wishes? 
 
 Fairy. Aye, and I'll e'en grant ye three of them: — 
 but remember this — I'm a Scotch fairy and aye thrifty. 
 I'll gie ye three wishes, ane at a time, never twa. 
 
 Mabel. Oh, that's all right. I do not want two 
 wishes at once. One wish at a time will do nicely. 
 Oh, isn't this wonderful ! Three wishes. Now what 
 shall I wish for? 
 
 47 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 
 Pcdry. Mayhap ye wish for naught. I see ye hae 
 grand food, here. 
 Mabel. Ugh — ^nothing but hash ! I despise hash. 
 Pairy. Hoot! Mony a Scotch lassie hae naught 
 but porridge. Ye need to learn a bit o' Scotch thrift, 
 my lassie. 
 Mabel. I know what I'll wish for first of all. 
 Scotch Pairy. Speak. 
 
 Mabel. I wish I had a big, big dinner of turkey and 
 gravy and vegetables and pumpkin pie! {Scotch 
 Pairy takes attitude with wand extended. Pause.) 
 Mabel {impatiently). Well! Well! 
 Pairy. Hist — I'm casting a spell. {She slowly 
 draws a figure in the air.) 
 
 Mabel {still more impatiently). Oh, can't you do 
 it a little faster? Hurry up, do! 
 
 Pairy. How dare ye speak to me like that? I tak 
 my ain time when I do ma^c. But I'll cure ye o' your 
 impatience. {Mabel is jumping up and down with 
 impatience. The fairy touches her with her wand. 
 Mabel sinks ^listlessly to her seat and takes languid 
 pose, with eyes half shut.) 
 
 Pairy {waving wand over her and pacing about 
 her). 
 
 Hae your wish, ye silly lass, 
 All ye said shall come to pass, 
 Hae your pudding, pie and meat 
 Aye {laughs) and see if ye can eat. 
 Now the magic words I say — 
 Hoo — keroo and hay — ^keray! 
 48 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 
 Starry-twink and Moon-beam fair. 
 Bring the viands thro' the air. 
 
 (Music. Bnter Starry-twink, Moon-beam and 
 Pearly-dew, bearing covered^ dishes of silver or 
 gold. They march around and stand on either 
 side looking to Mabel for orders. ) 
 Mabel {coldly). What have you brought me? 
 (Starry-twink kneels and lifts cover of dish for Mabel 
 to see contents. This can be done so that the audience 
 does not see into the dish, thus dispensing with neces- 
 sity of elaborate properties representing food.) 
 Starry-twink. 
 
 Roasted turkey, nicely browned. 
 Dainty slice or drumstick round. 
 Stuffing seasoned to a dot, 
 Delicious gravy piping hot, 
 White meat, dark meat, all for you. 
 Pray, which shall I help you to ? 
 
 Mabel (^sighing arid speaking languidly). I don't 
 want any. I have no appetite. 
 
 Moon-beam {presenting her salver in like manner). 
 
 Vegetables! A pleasant sight! 
 
 Mashed potatoes, creamy white, 
 
 Turnips with a golden gloss, 
 
 Onions nestling in their sauce. 
 
 Celery so crisp and fair. 
 
 Take your choice of all I bear. 
 49 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 
 Mabel. I don't feel like eating anything. I don't 
 know what has come over me. 
 Pearly-dew {in like manner'). 
 Fairy of Dessert am I, 
 See the pudding and the pie! 
 In the pudding see the plums, 
 Plump and big as my two thumbs. 
 Sauce, the triumph of the cook. 
 Sweetly melting while you look. 
 Next I bid you turn your eye 
 On this massive pimipkin pie. 
 Crust as delicate as lace. 
 Frames its brown and golden face. 
 Shall I cut a piece for you? 
 And will you have some pudding, too? 
 
 Mabel. No, thank you! I couldn't eat a bit. I 
 don't know what ails me. I have no appetite. I dis- 
 like the very sight of food. But oh, I was forgetting. 
 I have two more wishes. I know what I'll wish for 
 next. I wish for a great big, big, big appetite ! {The 
 fairies all leap out with their viands, the Scotch Fairy 
 taking the bowl of hash.) 
 
 Mabel (leaping up). Oh! Oh! Oh! I'm hungry. 
 Oh, I never was so hungry in all my life! {Looks 
 around.) Where's that dinner? {Looks again.) 
 What, have the fairies taken it away? Well, isn't 
 that too mean! Oh, I could eat it now. Oh! how 
 hungry I am! I won't stand being treated like this. 
 I'll give the magic knock and summon the Scotch fairy 
 
 SO 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 
 again. (Looks for bowl of hash. ) Well, If she hasn't 
 taken away my chopping bowl. I'll talk to her. 
 {Knocks on the table. Scotch Fairy appears.) 
 
 Scotch Fairy. What's your wuU? 
 
 Mabel. What do you mean by taking away my 
 beautiful dinner that I wished for ? 
 
 Scotch Fairy. Why didna ye eat it just now when 
 ye had it? 
 
 Mabel. You know very well. You bewitched me 
 so that I had no appetite. 
 
 Scotch Fairy. To be sure, and gin ye hae no appe- 
 tite ye canna eat. I gave ye just what I promised ye. 
 
 Mabel. You promised me three wishes. 
 
 Scotch Fairy. Ay, but I said ye couldna hae twa at 
 a time. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! When ye made your 
 second wish it was good-bye to your first. Ane wish 
 at a time was all I promised you. Ha! Ha! Ha! 
 Ha! Farewell, ye silly lassie. (Bicit.) 
 
 Mabel. Oh, what a, trick ! I cannot have the din- 
 ner and the appetite both at the same time. What 
 good is a dinner with no appetite? Or what good is 
 an appetite with no dinner? Oh, how hungry I am! 
 Oh, I could eat an5^hing. I must have something. 
 I'll get a piece of bread. (Opens cupboard.) Empty! 
 Oh ! That tricky fairy has left me with not a mouthful 
 of food. (Paces about.) Oh, what shall I do ? Oh, 
 
 I am so hungry ! So hungry. Oh, I wish (Puts 
 
 hand over mouth.) No! If I wish for any- 
 thing to eat I'll lose my appetite and be unable to eat 
 it. Oh! what a fix I'm in! I shall starve. Oh, I 
 
 SI 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 
 wonder if I could find any crumbs anywhere! 
 (Searches on table and then on floor.) Oh, I can't 
 find even a crumb ! (Weeps, then looks up.) I have 
 one wish left, you cruel fairy! Listen and grant it 
 wherever you are. I wish that I might wake up and 
 find this all a dream! (She sinks in sleep on the 
 floor. Soft music. Bnter fairies. Scotch Fairy 
 stands center making figures in air with wand as 
 though casting a spell. She moves toward the door. 
 Bnter Starry-twink, who presents covered salver to 
 Scotch Fairy. Scotch Fairy touches it with wand and 
 Starry-twink opens it and takes out a platter full of 
 hash, which she sets in the oven, but leaving oven door 
 partly open. Scotch Fairy again points to door. Bn- 
 ter Moon-beam and presents salver. It is touched in 
 like manner with the wand. Then Moon-beam takes 
 it to cupboard and from it places on the shelf a loaf of 
 br^ad, a dish of butter and a pitcher of milk. Simi- 
 larly Pearly-dew is summoned and produces a dish of 
 apples which she holds aloft, while the others spread a 
 cloth on the table. She then places dish of apples in 
 the table center, and all the fairies group near the 
 door.) 
 Fairies. 
 
 Not in vain the wishes three. 
 
 Changed thou art and changed shall be, 
 
 Bitter was thy punishment, 
 
 But thy gain is sweet content. 
 
 Now farewell ! We soon shall seem 
 
 But the vision of a dream. 
 52 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 
 ■{Scotch Fairy waves wand and the other fairies 
 suddenly clash empty covers and salvers like cym- 
 bals. At the crash, fairies exit and Mabel starts 
 up, awake. Bnter Mother and Father.) 
 
 Mother. What was that noise? Why, Mabelison 
 the floor! 
 
 Father. Did you fall from your chair, child ? 
 
 Mabel. I don't know. 
 
 Mother. You look as though you've been asleep. 
 
 Mabel. Where are the fairies? 
 
 Mother. What? Fairies! Come, wake up, Mabel. 
 You have been dreaming. 
 
 Mabel. Oh ! {A light breaking. ) I have my wish ! 
 It was all a dream. 
 
 Mother. Well, dinner's ready now. Help me put 
 it on. {Father places the chairs and Mother cuts the 
 bread.) 
 
 Mabel. What's in the oven? Oh, hash! M-m! 
 How good it smells. {Claps hands and takes it to 
 table.) I do like nice brown hash. And oh, the red, 
 red apples! Oh, Mother, what beauties they are! 
 {Mother puts on bread and butter and pours a glass of 
 milk for Mabel's place.) 
 
 Mabel. Oh, just look at that bread and butter! 
 Won't I eat it though? And milk — a beautiful glass 
 of milk ! Oh, say, but this is nice ! 
 
 Father {smiling). Why, Mabel, it sounds as though 
 you have a big, big appetite. 
 
 Mother. She always has that, I am thankful to say. 
 
 Mabel {nodding her head). So am I! Gin ye hae 
 
 53 
 
SCOTCH GRACE 
 
 no appetite, ye canna eat. {They gather round the 
 table.) Oh, Father, let us say Scotch Grace to-night, 
 will you? Robert Burns wrote it. Here it is on my 
 postal card. 
 
 Father. Teach it to us, Mabel. 
 Mabel {gravely). 
 
 " Some hae meat and canna eat. 
 And some there be that want it; 
 (Joyously, ) But we hae meat and we can eat. 
 And sae the Lord be thankit" 
 
 (All three join hands around the table and revet' 
 ently repeat the verse together as the curtain falls.) 
 
 54 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 A PLAY FOR CHRISTMAS DAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 SQUIRE HARDHEART. 
 MRS. HARDHEART. 
 TOMMY HARDHEART. 
 THE DOG. 
 THE CAT. 
 SANTA CIvAUS. 
 
 SUNNY-SMILE. 
 
 JOLLY-JOKE. 
 
 CHEERY-SONG. 
 
 PRETTY-LOOiC 
 
 SWEET-WORD 
 
 LOVE-PAT. 
 
 Little Christmas Fairies. 
 
Everybody Happy 
 
 A PLAY FOR CHRISTMAS DAY! 
 
 ACT I 
 Time: Christmas morning. 
 Place: A roadside. 
 
 (Curtain rises on chorus of Christmas fairies, wav- 
 ing wings, tripping about, and singing.) 
 Fairies (Tune, Upidee). 
 
 Christmas day at last is here, 
 
 Christmas day, Christmas day, 
 Christmas fairies now appear, 
 
 Greeting Christmas day. 
 Here they flutter, there they dart. 
 Dancing into every heart. 
 Christmas day at last is here, 
 
 Christmas day, Christmas day, 
 Christmas fairies now appear, 
 Greeting Christmas day. 
 
 (Fairies dance, expressing joyful greeting. Enter 
 
 SantaClaus.) 
 Fairies (with a shout). Santa Claus, Santa Claus! 
 Santa Claus, Santa! (They form a tableau, some 
 clinging to him, some holding out arms to him.) 
 
 57 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Santa Claus. Ah, my dear little fairies ! (Caress- 
 ing each in turn, patting their heads, chucking their 
 chins, etc.) Ha, ha, ha! Jolly-joke, you always 
 make me laugh. Sunny-smile, it warms my heart to 
 see you. And here's Love-pat, the darling, and Sweet- 
 word, bless her, and Pretty-look, gay as ever, — and 
 Cheery-song, — ^where's she ? 
 
 Cheery-song {singing as she dances from behind 
 Santa and curtseys to him). Merry, merry Christmas 
 everywhere ! 
 
 Santa Claus {taking her face in his hands). Ah, 
 here you are, Cheery-song, — ^what should we do with- 
 out you? Well, dears, so you have come again from 
 Fairyland to do your Christmas work of making every- 
 body happy on Christmas day. Bless your hearts! 
 Bless your hearts! {They all turn away and hang 
 heads.) Why do you hang your heads ? What is the 
 matter with you? 
 
 Sunny-smile. We can't make everybody happy this 
 year, Santa Claus. 
 
 Santa Claus. Can't make everybody happy this 
 year! Why not, I'd like to know? Who can remain 
 unhappy, when Sunny-smile, and Jolly-joke, and 
 Sweet-word, and Cheery-song surround them? 
 
 Jolly-joke. Oh, Santa Claus, we have discovered a 
 terrible place. 
 
 Sweet-word (pointing off) . At the foot of Merci- 
 less Mountain. 
 
 Pretty-look {pointing). On the shore of Loveless 
 Lake. 
 
 S8 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Cheery-song. There stands the grim mansion of 
 old Squire Hardheart. 
 
 Love-pat. We were just flying by when we hap- 
 pened to see the house. 
 
 Pretty-look. So, of course, we looked in at the 
 window. 
 
 Sunny-smile. We intended to knock and go in and 
 make everybody happy, didn't we, sisters? 
 
 All the Fairies {nodding). Yes! 
 
 Sunny-smile. But we didn't dare. Oh, Santa, the 
 sights we saw ! 
 
 All the Fairies {hiding their eyes and shuddering). 
 O-o-oh! 
 
 Sunny-smile. And the sounds we heard ! 
 
 All the Fairies {with hands over their ears and shud- 
 dering). O-o-oh! 
 
 Sunny-smile. There was Squire Hardheart raging 
 at his wife, and she scolding at the boy, the boy tor- 
 menting the dog, the dog worrying the cat, — and oh, 
 the ugly snarls, the spiteful looks, the hateful words, 
 the hubbub and horror, — just think — on Christmas 
 day! Oh, Santa, can you picture a home like that? 
 
 Pretty-look. And when Squire Hardheart began to 
 shake his fist 
 
 Sunny-smile. We all flew away as fast as we could. 
 
 All the Fairies. And we'll never go there again! 
 
 Santa Claus. Oh, Fairies! For shame! Oh! 
 '( Very gravely. ) I'm so disappointed in you ! 
 
 All the Fairies {startled). What? 
 
 Santa Claus. You should have gone in. It was 
 
 59 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY, 
 
 your duty. {Walking away with hands behind him 
 and shaking his head.) You didn't do right. No, 
 you didn't do right! 
 
 All the Fairies (following him). But, Santa Claus 
 — Santa Claus— but listen, Santa Claus 
 
 Santa Claus (turning around). Let's sit down here 
 by the roadside and talk it over. '{He sits on log or 
 stone at one side, and the fairies drop to the ground 
 and sit cross-legged before him.) Now, see here, you 
 Christmas fairies, isn't it your business to make every- 
 body happy? 
 
 All the Fairies. Yes, Santa Claus. 
 
 Santa Claus. Well, here were some very unhappy 
 people. 
 
 All the Fairies. Oh — ^but they were wicked people. 
 
 Santa Claus. Who so unhappy as the wicked ? Oh, 
 what good you could do if you went to Hardheart 
 Castle! How sadly they need you there! You, 
 Sunny-smile, could smooth away their frowns. You, 
 Sweet-word, could soften their cruel tongues. Pretty- 
 look, you could grace their home with beauty. Jolly- 
 joke and Cheery-song could make that wretched place 
 ring with music and laughter. And you, little Love- 
 pat, how they need your tender touch ! Think of those 
 poor, poor people — Christmas day — and all they have 
 is scowls and tears and growls and jeers — it's the most 
 pitiful case I ever heard of. Oh, Fairies, Christmas 
 is young yet, — ^why not pay them a visit now? 
 Come — ^help them — come 
 
 All the Fairies (springing up, huddling together, 
 
 60 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 iand shrinking away). No — ^no — ^no — oh no — ^we dare 
 not! 
 
 Santa Claus {after a pause). Well — ^I must say I'm 
 disappointed in you. (Rises.) There never was any- 
 body more in need of the Christmas fairies than the 
 Hardhearts of Hardheart Castle. (Bxit.) 
 
 Sunny-swile. Oh, Fairies! Did you hear what 
 Santa Claus said? He said he was disappointed in us. 
 
 Cheery-song. But Santa Claus is unreasonable. 
 
 Jolly-joke. Hardheart Castle! I wouldn't go there 
 for anything. 
 
 Other Fairies. Neither would I. 
 
 Love-pat. Ctti, sisters ! I feel a pricking in my 
 thumbs, as if something wicked is drawing near. 
 
 Other Fairies. So do I. (Rubbing their thumbs.) 
 Where can it be? (Looking about apprehensively.) 
 
 Jolly-Joke (pointing off). Oh look! (They look.) 
 
 Sweet-word. Is it a witch? 
 
 Cheery-song. Why, it looks like the Squire's wife. 
 
 Other Fairies (variously). What! Mrs. Hard- 
 heart? (Looking.) So it is. Yes, it's Mrs. Hard- 
 heart. 
 
 Love-pat. She has a basket on her arm. 
 
 Sunny-smile. She is coming from market. 
 
 Jolly-joke. We don't want to have anything to do 
 with her. Quick! Let us turn our wings green side 
 out and become invisible. (All hastily turn wings 
 green side out, except Sunny-smile. ) 
 
 Several Fairies (variously). Yes. Let's be quick. 
 Don't let her see us. 
 
 6l 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Jolly-joke. Sunny-smile, — quick, — ^tum your wings! 
 She will see you. {They all huddle their green wings 
 about themselves, except Sunny-smile, who stands 
 motionless.) 
 
 Other Fairies {whispering). Sunny-smile! Quick! 
 Turn your wings. {Enter Mrs. Hardheart.) 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart {hobbling and scowling). All the 
 way to town for nothing! Every market closed, 
 {bangs with her stick) and nothing in the house to eat 
 but warmed-over stew! Ugh! Ugh! An outrage! 
 I'd like to take those market men and 
 
 Sunny-smile {standing in her path, smiling up at 
 her, one hand on her heart, the other extending ap- 
 pealingly). Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas, 
 Mother Hardheart, and goodwill ! 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. Out of my way, ye brat, or you'll 
 feel a clout from my stick. {She lifts her cane, when 
 Sunny-smile quickly changes her wings, green side out 
 and folds them around her. Mrs. Hardheart blinks in 
 amazement.) What! Where — ^there's no child 
 there. Good lack, am I losing my wits? I thought a 
 sprig of a girl stood there, a-wishing me good wishes. 
 {Stares about, then laughs harshly.) Ha, ha, ha! 
 What body would ever stop to wish me anything good? 
 It's daft I was. {Hobbles out.) 
 
 Fairies {tripping forward and exclaiming vari- 
 ously). Cross old woman! Wasn't she dreadful? 
 Shame on her! Horrid creature! {Sunny-smile 
 stands looking after her thoughtfully.) 
 
 Pretty-look. Well, now, Sunny-smile, you see what 
 
 62 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 you get for trying to make friends with such a person^ 
 don't you? 
 Sweet-word. I wish Santa Claus had heard her. \ 
 Jolly-joke. Come. We won't go near her home. 
 Let us dance away. 
 Pairies {all but Sunny-smile, dancing toward einf)t 
 Here we go. 
 To and fro. 
 
 Airy fairy tippy toe. 
 Light and gay, 
 On our way. 
 Merry Christmas day. (jBxit.) 
 
 Sunny-smile. Ah, but she is unhappy! How bit- 
 terly she spoke ! " What body would ever wish me 
 anjrthing good?" Poor soul! Poor unhappy crea- 
 ture! (Firmly.) I am going to Hardheart Castle! 
 {Flies off as curtain falls.) 
 
 ACTII 
 
 Place: A room in Hardheart Castle. At one side 
 is a wood-box, a fireplace with a cauldron over the 
 fire, and a door leading outdoors. At the other side, 
 a chest. In the center, a table mth chairs about it. 
 There is another door at the back of the stage. 
 
 As curtain rises the cat is discovered lapping from 
 
 63 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 a saucer of milk on the hearth. She then washes her 
 face, yawns, and lies down to sleep. Pause. Bnter 
 dog, sees cat, and barks. Cat jumps up and spits at 
 dog. Dog growls. Cat spits and claws at dog. Dog 
 backs and yelps. Both growl. Dog dashes at cat who 
 flees across room. Cornered against wall, cat turns 
 and spits and claws at dog. He pauses, and ioth re- 
 main silent a moment facing each other in hostile at- 
 titude. Outer door opens and Sunny-smile steals in 
 timidly. Her wings are white side out. 
 
 Sunny-smile. So this is Hardheart Castle. No- 
 body here. I'll come in. Well! It's quiet enough here 
 now. {Cat and dog leap at each other with barking 
 and miowing, while Sunny-smile jumps violently, and 
 shrinks against the wall. Cat breaks away and dashes 
 around the room, followed by the dog. At the right 
 moment Sunny-smile opens the door to allow the cat 
 to run out, then shuts it before the dog, who halts in- 
 side and barks a while, pausing to nose ai the crack 
 of the door. Sunny-smile pants with hand on 
 heart.) Oh, what savage animals! I was so fright- 
 ened. I hope I'll never see anything like that again. 
 
 Squire Hardheart {without in violent tones). You 
 will, will you? R-r-r-r! {Dog slinks into corner.) 
 
 Sunny-smile {startled). That must be Squire 
 Hardheart! Oh, let me turn my wings. (5*^^ turns 
 them green side out.) 
 
 Squire Hardheart (roaring, without). R-r-r-r! I'll 
 catch you. R-r-r! 
 
 64 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Sunny-smile {shrinking). Oh, I'm so frightened. 
 I'm glad I'm invisible. {Enter Squire Hardheart 
 dragging Tommy by the collar. Sunny-smile runs 
 and perches on chest, where she watches, manifesting 
 distress and terror. ) 
 
 Squire Hardheart. Come on now, you young 
 scamp. {Throws him roughly forward.) I'll teach 
 you to hide from your father. {Sits and extends 
 foot.) Here! Lace up my boots. {Tommy obeys.) 
 Thunder and flint! Where's Aiy supper? {Shout- 
 ing.) Wife, wife! R-r-r-r! Wife, I say! {Enter 
 Mrs. Hardheart.) R-r-r! Is my supper ready, you 
 lazy crone? 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart {glowering at him). Oh, I'm get- 
 ting it. {Goes to fire, pokes it, and puts on wood, mut- 
 tering angrily.) Some day I'll season your supper 
 with poison, that I will. 
 
 Squire Hardheart {to Tommy). You rascal, did 
 you lace up those boots ? 
 
 Tommy. Yes, Father. 
 
 Squire Hardheart. Well, here's my thanks for it. 
 {With his foot, he thrusts the kneeling boy on the floor 
 in a sprawl. Tommy whimpers and crawls aside.) 
 Ha, ha, ha, ha! {As he laughs, he takes pipe and 
 pouch from his pocket and prepares to smoke. Mrs. 
 Hardheart takes ladle in hand, lifts lid from cauldron 
 and looks in. Dog steps to her side, sits up and begs* 
 She tastes the stew. ) 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. H'm! Needs more pepper. 
 Nothing like plenty of pepper, to make a stew tasty. 
 
 65 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Suits my disposition. (She gets a big pepper-shaker 
 and shakes it a long while over the stew, then tastes 
 again.) That's better. Um-m-m! Nice and peppery 
 now. (Begging dog reaches out a paw and touches 
 her. She turns and sees him. Very crossly.) Get out 
 of the way! {Sprinkles pepper vigorously upon his 
 upturned face. He jumps, yelps, and runs, paws his 
 face, sneezes and moans.) 
 
 Tommy (stopping his whimpering). Ha, ha, ha, 
 ha! (Points at dog, claps his knees and rocks him- 
 self.) 
 
 Cat (without). Miow, miow, miow! 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart (hand to ear). Eh? What's that? 
 My cat out there ? ( Opens door, letting in cat. ) Who 
 put my cat out in the cold? (To Tommy.) Was it 
 you, you imp? 
 
 Tommy (whining). It was not. I never touched 
 her. (To dog, as Mrs. Hardheart turns away.) Sic 
 'em ! Sic 'cm ! (Dog looks at cat. Tommy continues 
 to urge them to fight.) 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart (to Squire). Then it was you, you 
 hateful man. What do you mean by it? Haven't I a 
 right even to keep a cat on my hearth? You old 
 curmudgeon! You leave my cat alone in future, do 
 you hear? 
 
 Squire Hardheart. I never touched your cat. 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. You did. 
 
 Squire Hardheart. I did not. 
 
 Cat (to dog). Spitz! 
 
 Dog (to cat). Boof ! 
 
 66 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Tommy. Sic 'em! 
 
 Squire Hardheart {half starting from his chair) t 
 Hold your tongue ! 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. You — ^you tyrant! 
 
 Cat. Ye-ow ! 
 
 Squire Hardheart (shaking first and rising). You 
 brawling spit-fire ! 
 
 Dog. R-r-ow ! 
 
 Tommy. Go it! 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart (clawing in the air) . You ogre ! 
 
 Squire Hardheart. You tiger-cat ! 
 
 Cat. Spitz, spitz, spitz ! 
 
 Dog. Bow, wow, wow ! 
 
 (The dialogue has grown more and more rapid, the 
 last speeches being said almost simultaneously. The 
 , dog suddenly runs at the cat, who dashes to escape him 
 and knocks against the Squire's feet, almost upsetting 
 him. He pulls off his leather belt and tries to beat 
 the animals, who dash about. As the strap whirls in 
 the air, the wife and boy also have to dodge and run. 
 All roar, scream, bawl and bark respectively, and 
 presently run in a circle around the room. The fore- 
 most bursts through the door at the back, and all exit 
 except the dog, who is kicked to one side, and Sunny- 
 smile, crouching in the corner between the chest and 
 the wall. The door bangs shut, and the racket dies 
 away. Nothing is heard but the subdued weeping of 
 Sunny-smile. The dog limps to center front, lies 
 down, and moves head back and forth as though lick- 
 ing his paw.) 
 
 67 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Sunny-smile (wringing her hands). Oh, oh, ohl 
 \{The other Fairies appear at the side door.) 
 
 Cheery-song (calling softly). Sunny-smile! Are 
 you there, Sunny-smile? 
 
 Love-pat. We were frightened about you and we 
 followed you. 
 
 Pretty-look. Oh, come away — away from this 
 wicked house. 
 
 O ther Fairies. Come away ! 
 
 Sunny-smile. Sisters! Oh, oh! Such wretched- 
 ness ! Sisters, oh, come in and help me. There's more 
 to be done here than I can do alone. 
 
 Fairies. No, no. Come, oh, come away! Come, 
 Sunny-smile. 
 
 Sunny-smile. No, I will not. Oh, sisters, such un- 
 happy people I never saw. Santa Claus was right. 
 They need the Christmas fairies. Sisters ! You must 
 stay and help me. 
 
 Cheery-song. Well, if you are determined to stay. 
 Sunny-smile, we won't leave you. {Fairies enter 
 with reluctance and look around shrinkingly. ) 
 
 Fairies (variously). No, we can't leave you. We 
 can't leave you alone in such a place. If you stay, 
 we'll have to stay with you. 
 
 Pretty-look (drawing her skirts around her fastidi- 
 ously ) . But what can we do here ? 
 
 Sunny-smile. Why, just what we always do to un- 
 happy people, — ^hover around them invisible, and pet 
 them, and soothe them, and put good thoughts into 
 their minds. 
 
 68 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Sweet-word. We'll do our best. 
 Other Fairies {all turning their wings green side 
 out). Yes, we'll do our best. 
 
 Cheery-song. But it will take all our magic powers 
 here. 
 
 Jolly-joke. I hope our charms will work, but I 
 never saw a more discouraging place. 
 
 Sunny-smile. Come. Let us begin with the dog. 
 He is suffering, you can see. The Squire has kicked 
 him, and the cat has scratched him. (Approaching 
 dog.) Poor dog! {Dog growls savagely. Fairies 
 all start hack.) 
 Several Fairies. Oh, how cross he is ! 
 Sunny-smile. Is that surprising? He has never 
 been petted in all his life. Sister Love-pat, isn't this a 
 case for you? Come, heal his hurts with your fairy 
 touch. {Love-pat holds up her wand, hesitatingly ap- 
 proaches dog, extends her other hand and delicately 
 strokes him. The other Fairies behind her hold up 
 wands and make stroking motions in the air, directed 
 as though toward the dog.) 
 Love-pat. 
 
 Poor doggie, poor doggie ! 
 
 Yield unto our spell. 
 Bruise of body and of heart 
 
 We will make it well. 
 From our fairy fingertips, 
 Feel the blessing fall, — 
 Cut and blow, grief and woe, 
 We will heal it all. 
 69 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 (Love-pat continues to stroke him. He lies still a 
 moment, then wags his tail. [See note page /p.] 
 Fairies clap hands and laugh in delight. They all 
 come forward and group around dog, patting and 
 hugging him. Enter Tommy, banging the door behind 
 him. Fairies start up in consternation and spring 
 aside. ) 
 
 Tommy. Now I'll plague the dog a while. (Sits.) 
 Let me see if I have any string. I'll tie a tin can to his 
 tail. (Feels in pocket.) 
 
 Love-pat (speaking in ear of dog) . Love your mas- 
 ter, doggie. Poor little boy ! He has no one else to 
 love him. (Dog approaches Tommy and looks in his 
 face.) 
 
 Tommy (untangling string and smiling cruelly). 
 Oh, I'll fix you, you rascal dog. I'll torment the life 
 out of you! 
 
 Fairies (in low tones, standing behind and waving 
 wands in manner to urge the dog on). Love him, 
 doggie, go on, love him, love him ! (Dog timidly cud- 
 dles up to boy's side, and lays his head in his lap, and 
 wags tail. Tommy appears thunderstruck.) 
 
 Tommy. Wha — what — ^well I'm blest! What in 
 the world — ^why, the fool dog seems to like me ! 
 
 Fairies (led by Love-pat, eagerly directing their 
 wands toward Tommy, speaking in low tones). Pat 
 him, go on, pat him, pat him, Tommy, pat him! 
 (Tommy raises hand uncertainly.) 
 
 Love-pat. That's it, that's it! (Tommy pats the 
 dog. Dog moves head as though licking his hand. 
 
 70 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Tommy slips to the floor and hugs the dog. Enter 
 Mrs. Hardheart, followed by cat who goes to sleep on 
 the hearth.) 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart (crossly). You there, Tommy? 
 You rascally good-for-nothing ! {Putting wood on the 
 fire.) It was you set your dog on my cat, I'll be 
 bound. You're as bad as you can be. (Lifting axe.) 
 I'd like to take the axe to you. 
 
 Tommy. Aw — ^you wouldn't dare and I know it. 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. 'Twould serve you right if I did, 
 you saucy, lazy boy ! (Putting down axe. ) You little 
 torment! (Examining stew.) The stew is done. I 
 must lift the kettle off the fire, though it's far too 
 heavy for my poor arms. Ugh, ugh ! (She tries in 
 vain to lift the kettle.) Uh! Breath and body of rae, 
 I can hardly do it. (Pants.) 
 
 fairies (charming Tommy). Help her! Help her! 
 
 Jotly-joke (in Tommy's ear). 
 
 Help your mother. Tommy boy. 
 
 Little will it tax you. 
 Listen to this jolly joke — 
 Te he ! She didn't axe you ! 
 
 (A grin overspreads Tommy's face.) 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. Well, I must e'en try again. 
 (Tommy springs forward and helps her lift the caul- 
 dron to the hearth. She stares open-mouthed.) 
 
 Tommy. Ha, ha, ha! Guess I'll surprise you 
 again. I'll chop some kindlings for you, (holding up 
 axe) although you didn't axe me. Ha, ha, ha, ha! 
 
 71 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 (Runs out side door, laughing and followed by the 
 dog.) 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. Am I dreaming or not? (Sinks 
 into chair.) 'Tis the first kind act my boy ever did 
 forme. (Muses.) My boy! 
 
 Sunny-smile (finding a mirror behind the chest). 
 Oh, here's a mirror. Pretty-look! Can't you do 
 soniething with this? 
 
 Pretty-look. Yes, yes. Help me polish it and place 
 it near her. (Fairies quickly polish mirror and then 
 shove it slyly so that it leans against the wood-box, 
 facing Mrs. Hardheart. Then they wave wands as 
 motioning her to look.) 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart (heaves a sigh, turns her head list- 
 lessly, then sees mirror with a start). Good lack! 
 Who put that mirror there? It must have been the 
 boy. Vim and elbows ! He polished it too. (Gases.) 
 Oh, scraggy grim face! Is that myself? It's years 
 since I looked in the glass. I did not know I had come 
 to look like this ! Oh ! (Shudders and hides face.) 
 
 Pretty-look. 
 
 Look, look, look in the glass! 
 You were once a dainty lass. 
 Take the hint now, come, begin. 
 Tidy up with comb and pin. 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart (hesitatingly fastening bach the elf- 
 locks that hang over her temples). That's better, — 
 that's certainly better. 
 
 Fairies (laughing and clapping hands softly). Yes, 
 
 72 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 yes, go on. {Mrs. Hardheart tosses off her dingy cap 
 as Pretty-look charms her, and a mass of hair falls 
 down in handsome curls.) 
 
 Mrs.. Hardheart {in amazement). Oh, oh! 
 Twisty-wiggles! It's curly. Wonder of wonders! 
 My hair never was curly before. 'Tis magical ! (She 
 cocks her head, smiles in the glass and pins her hair 
 back in a becoming manner.) 
 
 Cheery-song (advancing and charming Mrs. Hard- 
 heart). 
 
 Come now, sing a cheery song. 
 
 Sing it right or sing it wrong. 
 
 High or low, or weak or strong. 
 
 Any kind of cheery song. 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart (singing in a cracked voice, as she 
 arranges hair) . Um-m-m-m ! Diddium, diddium, did- 
 dium, dee, dee, dee, de diddle dee, dee dum diddy, 
 diddy, o, diddium! I wonder if I haven't a bit of 
 chiffon to put about my neck now. (Pretty-look 
 waves wand toward chest; Mrs. Hardheart runs to 
 it and brings out a soft white collar with fichu. She 
 quickly puts it on while Fairies dance with glee.) But 
 oh, I'm forgetting to dish my stew! (Goes to caul- 
 dron and ladles out a bowlful, and puts it on the table. 
 Sunny-smile opens the door for Tommy who enters 
 with an armful of wood. He runs to the wood-box, 
 sees his mother and drops all the wood in amazement.) 
 
 Sunny-smile (eagerly pointing to Tommy). Sister 
 Sweet-word, Sweet-word ! 
 
 73 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Sweet-word {flying to speak in Tommy's ear). 
 Take my advice. 
 Say something nice. 
 
 Tommy. Mother dear, how be-you-ti-ful you look ! 
 (Mrs. Hardheart holds out arms, he runs to her and 
 they embrace.) Hooray! {Turns a handspring.) 
 Say, let's get some branches from the holly bushes out- 
 side, and decorate the room, will you, Mother? Say 
 you will ! ' 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. Come on. Laddie, we'll do it 
 Oh, we'll be so happy. {Fairies pull red-hooded cloak 
 part way out of chest. She snatches it up, pulls it on 
 and runs out with Tommy who cuts up capers as he 
 goes. Fairies jump, laugh and clap, and cluster to 
 look out of the door after them. The cat behind their 
 backs, steps in front of the mirror and washes her face 
 with her paw. Fairies turn round, see it and laugh. 
 One gets red ribbon from chest and quickly ties it 
 around cat's neck. Cat looks in mirror and purrs 
 loudly. Fairies laugh.) 
 
 Squire Hardheart {without). Where's my supper? 
 R-r-r! {Cat runs to corner, and Fairies shrink aside 
 as Squire Hardheart enters.) Where's my supper? 
 Well? {Glares around.) Hiding, are you? I'll pun- 
 ish you if I find you. {Looks around in vain.) 
 R-r-r-r! Wicked wife, and scamp of a boy! {Sits at 
 table.) I hate everybody ! Why wouldn't I ? Every- 
 body hates me, and they'd all be glad if I were dead. 
 But I'll live many a day yet, to plague them, ha, ha, 
 
 74 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 ha! I'll hate them worse than they hate me, I wiH. 
 R-r-r-r ! I feel so ugly and miserable and spiteful and 
 
 lonely and bad, — I hate, hate (Fairies have been 
 
 wringing their hands, alternately approaching plead' 
 ingly and shrinking in horror. Now Sunny-smile 
 waves her wand about the bowl of stew as wafting the 
 aroma toward Squire Hardheart. He stops speaking, 
 sniffs once or twice, turns, sees the stew, draws the 
 bowl to him and tastes. Fairies all charm him. ) Oh, 
 — um, oh my— oh! Delicious — ^luscious — delicious — 
 oh! (Bats.) M-m-m-m! (Pats himself .) Ha-a-ah! 
 Wonderful! Where did it come from? It must have 
 been my wife who made it. What ever put it into her 
 head to cook me something so extra especially good 
 to-day ? (Bats, finally scraping the dish, and pushing 
 chair from the table.) 
 Sunny-smile (stealing to his side). 
 
 Let me teach you how to smile ! 
 Smooth away your frown. 
 
 Curl the corners of your mouth 
 Up — oh, up, not down ! 
 
 Think a jolly thought or two. 
 Dimpling all the while, 
 
 Put a twinkle in your eye, — 
 That's a sunny-smile! 
 
 (He has obeyed her directions, feature by feature, 
 and ends in a broad grin. Fairies clasp their hands 
 with an " Oh! " of delight, and fly to cuddle all about 
 him in caressing poses, such as kneeling at his feet, 
 
 75 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 placing head on his lap or shoulder, stroking his hand 
 or his hair, or the like.) 
 
 Squire Hardheart {with long sigh of contentment). 
 Ah-a-ah ! I don't know what makes me feel so happy ! 
 A-ah ! (Inclines head on one side with dreamy smile. 
 Enter Mrs. Hardheart, Tommy and the dog, bearing 
 bunches of holly. They stand open-mouthed, star- 
 ing.) 
 
 Tommy (in awed whisper). O-oh ! Father is smil- 
 ing! (^The Squire sees them, and jumps up as if 
 ashamed to be caught smiling.) 
 
 Squire Hardheart. Hem — ^ahem! Come back, 
 
 have ye ? You good-f or-noth (Pauses with fist 
 
 upraised, as he notices their appearance.) Whee- 
 whillegan scarlet ! Is it really you, Mehitable ? Why ! 
 You look as you used to look years ago, when we were 
 young. Is it Christmas to-day, wife ? 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. Yes, it must be, because a little 
 girl this morning wished me Merry Christmas, when I 
 was on my way from market. And we're going to 
 decorate the house. Oh, Obediah ! Why not fix up a 
 little yourself now for Christmas? You used to be a 
 handsome young fellow, and just see how you have 
 neglected your looks of late. (Indicates mirror, and 
 Fairies shove it in front of the Squire. He stares, 
 then rushes out of the room.) 
 
 Tommy. Mother! Did you see that mirror move 
 forward of itself? 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. I did, my boy, and now I know 
 what I have long suspected — ^there are Christmas 
 
 76 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 fairies in this house ! (Fairies jump in consternation 
 and hide.) 
 
 Tommy. Christmas fairies? Who are they? 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. They are the fairy troop that 
 work for Santa Claus. They go about making every- 
 body happy and oh, my son, they are here making tis 
 happy; and I know a charm that will make them ap- 
 pear to us. {Fairies jump again, and look this and 
 that way as if to escape, but are charmed to the spot 
 as soon as Mrs. Hardheart waves a piece of holly as 
 
 a wand.) 
 
 Holly, holly, hoUy-aran! 
 
 Let us be jolly as ever we can! 
 
 Every little Christmas fairy, 
 
 Lightly hid in vapor airy. 
 
 By the charm of holly bright. 
 
 Turn your wings and come to light ! 
 
 (All the Fairies turn their wings and sweep a 
 curtsey.) 
 
 As I thought! The child I met this morning was 
 a fairy! Come and kiss me and forgive me, dearie. 
 {Sunny-smile runs and kisses Mrs. Hardheart. The 
 Squire appears peeping sheepishly around the edge of 
 the door.) 
 
 All {shouting). Come in! Hurrah! Come in! 
 {Fairies dash and pull him forth. He is all tidied up, 
 hair smoothed down, and costume decorated as sug- 
 gested in appended notes. The Squire and Mrs. 
 Hardheart stand opposite each other, casting glances 
 of admiration.) 
 
 77 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 Fairies. Go on — do it — ^go on — do — do it! 
 (Fairies push them toward each other and they spread 
 arms wide and embrace. Tommy turns a handspring, 
 and Fairies clap hands. Cat and dog advance, ap- 
 pearing in front from opposite sides, suddenly see each 
 other, spit and yelp. Fairies dart to them, kneeling 
 behind them, hovering over them, with gestures of 
 soothing and urging them toward each other. They 
 look at each other and slowly advance. Fairies and 
 people bend toward them in a semi-circle and whisper, 
 " Go on — thafs it — do it — do it." The cat and dog 
 yielding to the influence, lie down, shoulder to shoul- 
 der, and rub their heads lovingly together. All be- 
 hind jump for joy and roar with laughter, the Squire 
 holding his sides, the wife throwing up her hands, the 
 hoy slapping his knees, and the Fairies dancing in glee.) 
 
 All {singing — Tune, " Upidee "). 
 
 Everybody's happy now, 
 
 Happy now, happy now. 
 Everybody's happy now, 
 Merry Christmas Day. 
 
 (Again burst of laughter, this time to music.) 
 Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ! 
 Everybody's happy now, 
 
 Happy now, happy now. 
 Everybody's happy now. 
 
 Merry Christmas Day. 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
 ;8 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 COSTUMES 
 
 Fairies. White dresses and crowns of holly. Wings, full 
 short capes of silkaleen, white on one side and green on the other. 
 They fasten about the neck by a clasp, and attach to the little 
 fingers by rings on the lower corners of the capes. This gives 
 the effect of spreading wings, when the fairies raise their arms. 
 A small silver wand is suspended from the shoulder or belt by 
 a silver cord of convenient length for the hand to grasp the 
 wand, when desired. 
 
 Squire Hardheart, First appearance: Bushy unkempt black 
 hair and beard, and broad black eyebrows. Loose knickerbockers 
 and belted doublet of a dingy color. High boots or gaiters. 
 
 Second appearance : Smooth slick hair and beard. I,ow shoes 
 with shining buckles, and bright-colored stockings. Fancy waist- 
 coat, gay necktie, and coat with bright buttons and exaggerated 
 lapels faced with bright color. 
 
 (To make quick transformation, he should dress before the 
 play with shoe buckles and bright stockings under boot tops or 
 gaiters, and gay tie and waistcoat under the doublet.) 
 
 Mrs. Hardheart. First appearance: Dingy faded dress, cape 
 
 and hood. Stout cane. Strings of straight hair falling about 
 
 temples and neck. 
 Transformation: as indicated in the play. 
 
 Tommy. Red hjur, and front tooth missing. Simple doublet 
 and hose or knickerbockers. On last appearance, garlands of 
 holly border his doublet, belt, collar and cuffs, and crown his 
 elfish cap. 
 
 Dog and Cat. Loose one piece suits of appropriate color cov- 
 ering entire body including feet and hands, and with semi- 
 stiffened tails attached. The cat may have an erect bushy tail 
 for the fight scene, but a smooth slick tail for the last appear- 
 ance. The dog wags his tail by simply taking hold of it with 
 his hand and wagging it. (The audience can be counted on to 
 enjoy the transparent artifice.) The heads are incased in caps 
 with ears of dog or cat attached. It is possible to buy animal 
 
 79 
 
EVERYBODY HAPPY 
 
 face masks at toy stores, but it may be thought preferable to 
 leave the human faces exposed for the play of expression, rely- 
 ing on the ears, tails, gait, barking, miowing, etc., to suggest the 
 animal impersonated. Very small active children should be cast 
 for these parts. 
 
 80 
 
HONEST ABE 
 
 AN INTERLUDE FOR LINCOLN'S 
 BIRTHDAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 ABE LINCOIvN, storekeeper. 
 
 MASTER SWANEY, schoolmaster. 
 
 JIMMIE, a little boy. 
 
 WIDOW SLOCUM. 
 
 PETE. 
 
 DAVE. 
 
 BIIvL. 
 
Honest Abe 
 
 AN INTERLUDE FOR LINCOLN'S 
 BIRTHDAY 
 
 Prologue 
 
 Our scene will represent the cross-roads store of the 
 village of New Salem, Ohio. The young fellow be- 
 hind the counter, selling groceries to the country folk, 
 is later known to history as Abraham Lincoln; but, as 
 we shall see him among his customers and neighbors 
 in 1832, he is simply Abe, or sometimes Honest Abe. 
 The young storekeeper has a reputation not only for 
 fair dealing, but also for droll sayings and homely 
 jokes passed across the counter with his packages. 
 Yet his serious side appears in the fact that every spare 
 moment in his storekeeping is seised for reading and 
 studying some educational book. 
 
 Now in imagination let us turn time backward and 
 spend a brief half hour in that country grocery of long 
 ago, with Honest Abe. 
 
 {Curtain rises. Scene: A country grocery-store. 
 Abe Lincoln behind the" counter. He arranges stock, 
 puts wood on the fire, then sits and reads a book. 
 Pause. Bnter Dave and Bill.) 
 
 83 
 
HONEST ABE 
 
 Dave. Hello, Abe. 
 
 Ahe. Hello, boys. 
 
 Bill. Give me a quart of onions. {Abe obeys.) 
 
 Dave. Good fire you've got here. I want to dry 
 off by your stove. I had to wade the stream. The 
 bridge is down. (He stands by the stove. Bnter 
 Pete.) 
 
 Pete. I want six bars of soap, Abe. (Abe gets 
 them.) Hello, Dave! How did you get here? Been 
 wading the stream ? 
 
 Dave. Yes, the bridge is down. 
 
 Pete. How deep is the water? 
 
 Dave. About four feet, I guess. It came to here. 
 (Hand on thigh.) 
 
 Pete. Ho! You think your legs are four feet long? 
 
 Dave. Certainly. That's the usual length of a 
 man's legs. 
 
 Pete. Nonsense. Most men's legs are nearer three 
 feet. 
 
 Dave. Let's ask Abe. Abe, how long are the legs 
 of an ordinary man? 
 
 Abe. Well, that's hard to say, but I think at least 
 a man's legs should be long enough to reach from his 
 body to the ground. 
 
 All. Haw! Haw! Haw! 
 
 Bill. What book have you got there, Abe? 
 
 Abe. Well, it's a kind of a book called a grammar. 
 The schoolmaster lent it to me. 
 
 Dave. Here comes the schoolmaster now. (Bnter 
 Master Swaney.) 
 
 84 
 
HONEST ABE 
 
 Master Swaney. Good day, neighbors. 
 
 All. Good day. Master Swaney. 
 
 Master Swaney. Abraham, I'll take a bag of corn- 
 meal, if you please. {Ahe gets it.) 
 
 Bill. How many scholars in your school now, Mas- 
 ter Swaney? 
 
 Master Swaney. Seventeen, sir. There are nine 
 boys and seven girls, and one — a small new scholar in 
 little skirts — I don't know what it is. 
 
 Abe. Here is that grammar you lent me, school- 
 master. 
 
 Master Swaney. Ah! And have you perused it, 
 Abraham? (Taking the book.) 
 
 Abe. I have studied it through from cover to 
 cover. 
 
 Master Swaney. And what do you think of it ? 
 
 Abe. Well — if that's what they call a science, I 
 think I'll go in for another. 
 
 Master Swaney. Excellent! Excellent! What 
 says Virgil? "Adeo in teneris consuescere multum 
 est." The time for education is youth. (Enter Jim- 
 mie.) 
 
 Pete. Hello, there, Jimmie. What are you after? 
 
 Dave. How's your big sister, Jimmie ? 
 
 Pete. The pretty Miss Kate? 
 
 Jimmie. She's all right. She's going to have a 
 candy pull to-night and she sent me over for a gallon 
 of molasses. (Abe takes jug from Jimmie.) 
 
 Pete. Well, here's the molasses barrel. See what 
 it says on it? 
 
 85 
 
HONEST ABE 
 
 Jimmie. N — O — iMolasses. No molasses. What! 
 No molasses ? Oh, then we can't have any candy pull ! 
 
 Master Swaney. That does not say no molasses. 
 If, James, you came to school more regularly and at- 
 tended to my expositions, you would not be so ig- 
 norant. I will give you a little instruction now. 
 
 Ahe. What are you looking for. Master Swaney? 
 
 Master Swaney. Have you an3rthing I can use for 
 a pointer? {Ahe hands him the poker.) Ah! Thank 
 you. Attention ! The letters N and O upon this bar- 
 rel are each followed by the mark of punctuation 
 known as the period. This signifies — are you attend- 
 ing, James? — an abridgment — a curtailment, in other 
 words an abbreviation — ^which properly expanded and 
 amplified means, not no molasses, but New Orleans 
 Molasses, signifying that the barrel is full of molasses 
 that came from New Orleans. Do you understand, 
 James ? 
 
 Jimmie, Ye-yes, sir! 
 
 Ahe {coming from behind) . And here's your jug — 
 filled. 
 
 Jimmie. Goody! Goody! Now we'll have the 
 candy pull. 
 
 Master Swaney. Er — ^James. Did you hear your 
 sister say whom she was going to invite to attend her 
 candy pull? 
 
 Jimmie. Yes, sir. She said she was going to ask 
 you, sir. 
 
 Master Swaney {smiling absent-mindedly). Very 
 good. You may be seated. {Bxit.) 
 
 86 
 
HONEST ABE 
 
 Dave. Go 'long with your teacher, Jimmie. 
 
 Jimmie. I — I guess I'll go out the back way. 
 {Exit.) 
 
 Bill. There must be a sight of business done in 
 New Orleans. 
 
 Dave. Yep. 
 
 Bill. I've heard that the Declaration of Independ- 
 ence was signed there. 
 
 Pete. Ho! The Declaration of Independence 
 wasn't signed in New Orleans. It was signed in Bos- 
 ton. 
 
 Bill. It was so signed in New Orleans. Wasn't it, 
 Dave? 
 
 Dave. Yep. In an old hysterical mansion. 
 
 Pete. Nothing of the kind. I'll leave it to Abe. 
 
 All. Abe! Where was the Declaration of Inde- 
 pendence signed? 
 
 Abe. Where was the Declaration of Independence 
 signed? 
 
 All. Yes. Where was the Declaration of Inde- 
 pendence signed? 
 
 Abe. Why, I always supposed it was signed at the 
 bottom. (All laugh.) 
 
 Bill. But, Abe, tell me. Wasn't it in New Orleans ? 
 
 Abe. No. No. It was in Philadelphia. New Or- 
 leans is down at the mouth of the Mississippi River 
 here. 
 
 Pete. How do you know where it is, Abe? 
 
 Abe. I've been there. 
 
 Bill. And what did you see there? 
 
 S7 
 
HONEST ABE 
 
 Abe. I saw terrible sights, boys. Men in chains, 
 women beaten, children torn from their parents. 
 
 All {coming forward with interest). Who were 
 they? 
 
 Abe. Slaves. 
 
 All ( turning away in indifference ) . Oh ! Slaves ! 
 
 Abe (passionately). If ever I get a chance to hit 
 that thing, I'll hit it hard. {Bnter Widow Slocum.) 
 
 Widow Slocum. I want a bag of salt, a dozen eggs 
 and a pound of tea. And be quick about it for I have 
 a long drive home. My old horse is just about tuck- 
 ered out every time I drive him over the mountains. 
 How much is all that, Abe ? 
 
 Abe. That'll be six shillin' for the tea, two bits for 
 the eggs and a fip for the salt. Ma'am. 
 
 Widow Slocum. Very dear, Abe, very dear, I must 
 say. 
 
 Abe. Well, I always give good measure. 
 
 Widow Slocum. Yes, that's true. {PnmbUs in 
 purse and pays Abe. ) Any news in the village to-day ? 
 
 Abe. Well, have you heard about poor Jabez 
 Rogers ? 
 
 Widow. No. What about him? 
 
 Abe. His wooden leg pains him. 
 
 Widow. How can his wooden leg pain him? 
 
 Abe. His wife hits him over the head with it. 
 
 Widow. Ha! Ha! Ha! Abe Lincoln, you are the 
 funniest man. Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! 
 
 Abe. Shall I take these packages out to your; 
 wagon? 
 
 88 
 
HONEST ABE 
 
 Widow. Yes, but do be careful how you pack the 
 eggs. I have to ride five miles and the road is so 
 bumpy. Look out now. Look out now. (Exit 
 Widow and Abe.) 
 
 Pete {fingering scales). Look here, boys! Short 
 weight! This is only fourteen ounces, and he pre- 
 tended to give her a pound. 
 
 All {examining scales). That's a fact. {Reenter 
 Abe.) 
 
 Bill. Look here, Abe. You cheated her. 
 
 Dave. Yep. 
 
 Bill. You gave her only fourteen ounces for a 
 pound. 
 
 Abe. Did I? {Examines scales.) So I did! 
 
 Dave. Yep. But she'll never notice it. 
 
 Bill. No. You're that much in, Abe. {Abe 
 quickly does up small bag of tea and starts to go.) 
 
 P<ete. Where are you going, Abe? 
 
 Abe. After the widow to take her the rest of her 
 tea. 
 
 Dave. Oh, sit down, sit down. 
 
 Bill. Call it a pound, Abe. It's so near it. 
 
 Pete. Many a storekeeper calls less than that a 
 pound. 
 
 Abe. You might just as well argue that a horse has 
 five legs. It hasn't. Calling the tail a leg does not 
 make it one. {Exit Abe, the others staring after him. 
 Pause. ) 
 
 Bill. And it's a five-mile walk ! 
 
 Pete. Over the mountain with two ounces of tea! 
 
 89 
 
HONEST ABE 
 
 Dave. Yep. No wonder they call him Honest 
 
 Abe. 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
 Costumes. Ordinary rural dress. 
 
 Properties. A plank supported by a barrel under each end 
 may represent Abe's counter. Various bales, barrels and boxes 
 suggest stock. One barrel is plainly marked N. O. Molasses. 
 Paper bags, and scales stand on the counter. A stove at one 
 side may contain an electric bulb under red paper, to simulate a 
 fire. 
 
 90 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 A PLAY FOR WASHINGTON'S 
 BIRTHDAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON, Major, and afterward Colonel of 
 
 Virginia troops. 
 CHRISTOPHER GIST, a Virginia woodsmg.n. 
 MAJOR PRATT, an English officer. 
 JOHNSON, an English soldier. 
 SAMBO, a slave. 
 CAPTAIN GUERIN ") 
 MAJOR DE VEAU \ French officers. 
 
 LIEUTENANT DUPREJ 
 FRANCOIS ^ 
 
 ^^^^^ \ Prench soldiers. 
 JEAN I 
 
 PAUL J 
 
 OTHER FRENCH SOLDIERS. 
 
 EAGLESFEATHER ) Indian scouts in league 
 
 THUNDERCLOUD i with the French. 
 
Eaglesfeather 
 
 A PLAY FOR WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 
 
 Prologue to Act I 
 Our play begins in December, 1753, just before the 
 outbreak of the French and Indian War. Between the 
 French and the English colonists hostile feeling runs 
 high, and the Indians, as a rule, side with the French. 
 Our scene is laid in wild forest land near the Alle- 
 ghany River, where two young Virginians are bearing 
 military dispatches between the outposts. They are 
 Christopher Gist, a Virginia pioneer, and George 
 Washington, a major of the militia. They are accom- 
 panied by Eaglesfeather, an Indian guide. 
 
 Act I 
 {Enter Eaglesfeather. He peers off, as though ex- 
 amining the way ahead, then turns to look for the 
 others behind. Presently he seems to see them, and 
 whoops loudly. An answering halloo is heard with- 
 out. He watches a mom,ent, then beckons with his 
 whole arm, and pauses to see if he is obeyed; then 
 beckons again, turns, crosses the stage and goes out. 
 Enter, following him, Washington and Gist. Wash- 
 ington peers ahead and halts. ) 
 
 Gist. Why do you halt, Major Washington? 
 
 93 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Washington. Mr. Gist, I think that Indian guide is 
 misleading us. 
 
 Gist. The same idea has occurred to me. 
 
 Washington. Look at the compass. {Showing 
 compass to Gist.) 
 
 Gist. Yes. Due north! And we ought to be going 
 east. 
 
 Washington. Certainly. 
 
 Gist. What do you think ? Is the Indian leading us 
 into some ambush ? 
 
 Washington. It may be. They say the French pay 
 well for English scalps. 
 
 Gist. Shall we give them the slip. Major Wash- 
 ington ? 
 
 Washington {after a momenfs consideration). 
 Yes, if we can. Is he in sight? (They peer. A shot 
 is fired without.) 
 
 Washington and Gist (starting toward each other 
 simultaneously) . Are you hurt ? 
 
 Gist. No. Are you? 
 
 Washington. No, I'm not hurt. (Turns with 
 quick look.) I see him. Behind that tree! Quick! 
 Get him before he can reload! (They dash out and 
 return dragging Baglesfeather, and fling him down.) 
 
 Gist. Now to make an end of him. (Raising 
 gun.) 
 
 Washington (quickly preventing him). No! Not 
 that! 
 
 Gist. Why not? He is only an Indian. 
 
 Washington.^ He is a human being. 
 94 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Gist But our safety demands his death. If we 
 let him live, he will shoot at us again. 
 
 Washington. I will prevent that. {He approaches 
 Eaglesfeather, who partly rises, with arm raised, as if 
 warding off a blow.) Eaglesfeather, you are careless. 
 It is very careless to let your gun go off by accident. 
 You caught it on some bush, I suppose, or stumbled 
 against a rock. Very careless ! 
 
 Eaglesfeather {dropping arm and nodding eagerly). 
 Yes, yes. Stumble on rock. Gim go off! Careless. 
 That's it. 
 
 Washington. For fear you might be careless again 
 like that, I will take away your gun. {Suddenly wrest- 
 ing it away.) Good-bye now, Eaglesfeather. We 
 shall not need your services any more. Go. {Eagles- 
 feather, much downcast, prepares to go, adjusting his 
 blanket and tying his moccasin, eyeing the white men 
 lugubriously. Washington watches him a moment, 
 then opens his knapsack.) 
 
 Gist. You are not going to give that scoundrel any 
 of your provisions, are you, Major Washington? 
 
 Washington. Well, yes. Gist. It's a long way back 
 to his village, and he cannot hunt very well without his 
 gun. It's midwinter, you know, too, and he looks so 
 hungry, — ^here, Eaglesfeather, {takes out a small loaf 
 of bread) here's some bread for you. {Tosses it to 
 the Indian. Washington and Gist go out. Eagles- 
 feather holds the bread in his hand and gases after 
 them.) 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
 95 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Prologue to Act II 
 Our next act takes place two years later. The 
 French and Indian War is now raging, and the Eng- 
 lish General, Braddock, has made his famous advance 
 into the wilderness. Our scene is laid on a fortified 
 hilltop in the Alleghanies where the French and In- 
 dians are lying in wait. The position commands the 
 valley through which Braddock and the English army 
 must pass. 
 
 Act II 
 
 Francois (leaning over bushes at one side and speak- 
 ing off as though calling down into a ravine). There 
 it is! There — ^no — ^no — farther down the cliff — on 
 the rocks — there — ^that's it — ^you have it — ^bring it up. 
 (Enter Pierre. Francois springs to meet him.) Halt! 
 Who goes there ? 
 
 Pierre. Picket relief. 
 
 Francois. Advance, picket relief, and give the 
 countersign. (Pierre advances and murmurs a word 
 to Francois.) Pass, Relief . (Takes off cap and impes 
 brow.) I'm glad to give place to you, Pierre. You'll 
 find it no joke, mounting guard on the edge of the 
 cliff in the blazing July sun. 
 
 Pierre. I believe you. I wish we were back in 
 France where we came from. This Virginia climate — 
 Ma foi! Francois, where's your gun? 
 
 Francois. Why, I slipped on the rocks there, and 
 my gun tumbled all the way down into the ravine. 
 
 Pierre. How are you going to get it J 
 
 96 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Prancois. Oh, Eaglesfeather was here, and I sent 
 him down after it. 
 
 Pierre. Eaglesfeather? 
 
 Prancois. Yes, one of our Indians. 
 
 Pierre {going to look). Oh, yes, I see him down 
 there. He's bringing up the gun. Ma foi ! That In- 
 dian can climb like a cat. 
 
 Prancois. Any news from headquarters ? 
 
 Pierre. No. All is quiet (^Sound of firing at a 
 distance.) 
 
 Prancois (startled). What's that? 
 
 Pierre. Nothing. That's in the French camp. 
 Only our sharpshooters at target practice. {The 
 sound is heard again, and several times later during the 
 dialogue, but not obtrusively.) 
 
 Prancois. I feared for a moment we were being 
 surprised by the English. 
 
 Pierre. No danger of that. All our Indian scouts 
 are on the watch for them. (Shoulders musket, and 
 starts to go.) 
 
 Prancois. One moment, Pierre. What is the plan 
 of battle? Have you heard? 
 
 Pierre. Why, yes. The plan is to ambush Brad- 
 dock at the head of the valley and force him to re- 
 treat through the ravine just below here, while we 
 rake his flank. 
 
 Prancois. Bien! We'll soon have warm work on 
 this hilltop. 
 
 Pierre (going) . Indeed we shall ! 
 
 Prancois. Au revoir, Pierre. (Bxit Pierre, 
 97 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 marching formally across the back of the stage and 
 off. Enter Baglesfeather at side, panting as though 
 climbing up. He hands gun to Francois.) 
 
 Francois. Voila! Bien! Eaglesfeather, here's 
 some tobacco for you. (Hands him a pouch, which 
 Baglesfeather smells and attaches to his belt grunt- 
 ing with satisfaction. Francois examines gun.) I 
 wonder if this gun is all right. (Snapping lock.) 
 Trigger falls true. It seems as good as ever. 
 
 Eaglesfeather. No. Gun not good. Crooked. 
 Um! Much crooked. (Laying finger on the barrel.) 
 
 Francois. What's crooked? The barrel? (Sight- 
 ing along it.) It looks straight to my eye. (Looks 
 again.) Perhaps it is bent a trifle to one side. (Mur- 
 muring to himself.) Even the slightest bend would 
 ruin the aim, of course. (Examines again. ) 
 
 Eaglesfeather. Try him. Shoot rabbit. (Point- 
 ing off.) ^ 
 
 Francois. Jove! There is a rabbit. (Loading 
 quickly.) If I can get a rabbit, it will make a welcome 
 addition to our mess. I'll aim with the greatest care. 
 (Aims and fires off. ) Missed ! Bah ! 
 
 Eaglesfeather (pointing to one side). Bullet struck 
 over there. 
 
 Francois. How do you know ? 
 
 Eaglesfeather. Bark fly from tree. 
 
 Francois (peering). What? That juniper? (Exit 
 quickly in direction Eaglesfeather is pointing. Enter. 
 Thundercloud.) 
 
 Thundercloud. How. 
 
 98 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Baglesfeather. How. 
 
 Thundercloud {pointing). Yengeese run away. 
 
 Baglesfeather {hand on knife). Good. Get plenty 
 Yengeese scalp. {Reenter Francois, shaking his head 
 over the gun.) 
 
 Francois. You were right, Eagles feather. {See- 
 ing Thundercloud.) Who is this ? 
 
 Thundercloud. Big chief Thundercloud, Indian 
 scout. 
 
 Francois. Well, what news do you bring, Thunder- 
 cloud? What news of the enemy? 
 
 Thundercloud. Big chief Braddock shot. His 
 warriors run. Soon they come here. {Pointing to 
 the ravine.) 
 
 Francois. Vive la France! Could not be better. 
 Thundercloud, go and tell the captain. {He obeys.) 
 Eaglesfeather, stand here and watch. Tell me when 
 you see the English. Your eyesight is better than a 
 white man's. {Baglesfeather stands looking off at 
 one side. Francois looks at his gun. ) Yes, he proved 
 that with the gun. Diable! {Throws gun on the 
 ground.) The battle at hand and my gun ruined! 
 {Bnter Captain Guerin and Major De Veau. Francois 
 stands at salute.) 
 
 Captain Guerin. This seems to me a good vantage 
 point, eh, Major? 
 
 Major De Veau. Very good. Captain Guerin. 
 
 Captain Guerin {nodding). Yes. Order up the 
 sharpshooters. Major De Veau. '{He studies the 
 prospect, especially the ravine.) 
 
 99 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Major De Veau. Yes, Captain. What are you doi 
 ing here, Francois? 
 
 Prancois. Just relieved from picket duty, sir. 
 
 Major De Veau. Go and tell Lieutenant Dupre to 
 bring up his company of sharpshooters. 
 
 Prancois. Yes, sir. (Salutes and goes. His gun 
 is left lying in sight, but out of the way of the actors 
 and unnoticed by them.) 
 
 Captain Guerin. I gather from the scouts that 
 Braddock is completely defeated. 
 
 Major De Veau. Glorious news, Captain. 
 
 Captain Guerin. Now if the English retreat as they 
 advanced yesterday 
 
 Major De Veau. Marching in plain sight along the 
 middle of the ravine here, — ^ho, ho, ho! {They laugh 
 derisively.) 
 
 Captain Guerin. See, here come our brave French 
 sharpshooters to pick them off. {Enter Lieutenant 
 Dupre, Jean, Paul, and others. They salute. ) Now, 
 Lieutenant Dupre, you and your company of sharp- 
 shooters deploy along the ridge here, and pick off the 
 English as they come down the valley below. They 
 are in retreat. 
 
 Lieutenant Dupre {saluting). Yes, Captain. {To 
 men.) You hear, men. Scatter along the ridge and 
 get the English. 
 
 Captain Guerin. You can't miss them. They 
 march throligh this wilderness as if on parade in a 
 park. 
 
 Lieutenant Dupri. March. {Bxit men.) 
 
 ICO 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Captain Guerin. You, yourself, Dupre, stand near 
 me. When I see anyone among the enemy who seems 
 especially important, I'll point him out to you to shoot. 
 I know I can depend on you, for you are the best 
 sharpshooter in the French army. You never miss 
 your man. 
 
 Lieutenant Dupre (saluting). Thanks, Captain 
 Guerin. 
 
 Baglesfeather {pointing). English! 
 
 Captain Guerin. Where? I don't see them. 
 
 Lieutenant Dupre. Nor I. 
 
 Baglesfeather. Eaglesfeather sees them. 
 
 Major De Veau {looking through the glasses). 
 He's right. There they are. Take my field-glasses, 
 sir. 
 
 Captain Guerin. Oh yes, I see them. {Pause.) 
 But they are retreating very differently! They are 
 skillfully directed. They no longer march out in the 
 open. 
 
 Baglesfeather. They fight now like Indian. They 
 run from tree to tree. 
 
 Captain Guerin. Look at that! How they ma- 
 nceuvered around that rock! Who's in command? 
 That's not Braddock. Major De Veau, can you see 
 who it is? {De Veau takes the glasses and looks 
 earnestly as directed.) 
 
 Major De Veau. Yes, sir, it's that young officer, 
 sir, on a white horse. I know him. His name is 
 Washington. 
 
 Baglesfeather. Washington! {He peers.) 
 
 lOI 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Major De Veau. He's a colonel of the Virginians. 
 (Returning glasses to the captain.) 
 
 Captain Guerin. Ha! Yes, we must get this 
 Washington. Here, Dupre, take the glasses. Mark 
 the young colonel, Washington. {Dupre puts down 
 his gun to take the glasses.) He is the young man on 
 the white horse, who is marshalling the retreat with 
 such skill. {Baglesfeather starts to replace Dupre's 
 gun with the crooked gun, unnoticed by the French- 
 man.) 
 
 Lieutenant Dupre. I see him. 
 
 Captain Guerin. Watch him. Do not take your 
 eye from him, and as soon as he is well within range, 
 shoot him down. ^ 
 
 Lieutenant Dupre. In about three minutes, I think, 
 I'll be able to get him. I have an excellent rifle. It 
 shoots straighter than any other in the regiment. I 
 always bring down my man. {Bnter Thundercloud 
 and talks aside with Baglesfeather.) 
 
 Thundercloud {interposing his arm to stop Bagles- 
 feather in the act of changing the guns). Ha! You 
 steal gun! 
 
 Baglesfeather (haughtily). Eaglesfeather not steal. 
 (Frenchmen continue to gase off absorhedly, occasion- 
 ally conferring in dumb show.) 
 
 Thundercloud (folding his arms and looking at 
 Baglesfeather in scorn). Um! 
 
 Baglesfeather. This gun not shoot straight. 
 Crooked. Um ! Listen. Once an Englishman aimed 
 to shoot at the heart of Eaglesfeather. Who saved 
 
 102 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Eaglesf eather ? It was Washington. He turned aside 
 the gun, and gave Eaglesfeather bread. Now Wash- 
 ington leads his people down the valley. The French- 
 man wants to shoot Washington. Eaglesfeather will 
 give the Frenchman the crooked gun. {He stealthily 
 completes the exchange of guns.) 
 
 Captain Guerin. Now, Dupre, now! Washington 
 is galloping this way. Quick. He's in range now. 
 Get him. (Dupre excitedly reaches for his gun and 
 picks up the crooked one.) 
 
 Lieutenant Dupre. Death to Washington! {Aim- 
 ing.) Watch him fall. {Shoots.) 
 
 Captain Guerin. He gallops on. You missed him, 
 Dupre ! 
 
 Lieutenant Dupre {peering, then reloading in haste). 
 Is it possible? I always hit at the first shot. But I'll 
 get Washington this time. {Shoots again after care- 
 ful aim.) 
 
 Captain Guerin. What's the matter? You haven't 
 touched him. {Dupre continues to reload and shoot, 
 more and more frantically.) Get him, Dupre! Get 
 Washington! {He shoots.) What, missed again? 
 He's right in front of us. Shoot him! Now! {He 
 shoots.) FoM a sharpshooter ! Getaway! {Thrust- 
 ing Dupre aside and hailing the others without. ) Ho ! 
 Hey ! Up here, sharpshooters ! 
 
 Lieutenant DuprS. He bears a charmed life. (En- 
 ter other sharpshooters.) 
 
 Captain Guerin. Here! Pick off Colonel Wash- 
 ington, there, on the white horse. Dupre can't hit 
 
 103 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 him. {Sharpshooters murmur in surprise, while 
 Guerin turns away to peer through glasses.) 
 
 Jean. What? Dupre can't hit him? 
 
 Paul. Dupre! The best shot in the army! 
 
 Lieutenant Dupre. He bears a charmed life. 
 That's the only way to account for it. For years I've 
 never missed my man. I tell you, Washington bears a 
 charmed life. 
 
 Captain Guerin. Here ! Jean, Paul, come forward 
 and shoot. He's getting away. 
 
 Jean. Nay, I'll not shoot at a man who bears a 
 charmed life. 
 
 Paul. Nor I. 'Tis evil luck. 
 
 Captain Guerin. Charmed life ! Silly superstition, 
 — come and shoot. Quick, quick ! (Looking through 
 glasses.) Come! Come! Come! Oh! Too late! 
 He's out of range. We'll not get another chance at 
 him like that. You men will face court-martial for 
 this. Come on, now. Follow the retreat. At least, 
 you can pick oiif the other officers. (Bxit all the white 
 men.) 
 
 Thundercloud. 'Tis well, my brother. 
 
 Baglesfeather. An Indian never forgets. 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
 Prologue to Act III 
 The last act takes place four days later in the Eng- 
 lish camp at Great Meadows. Under the skillful lead- 
 ership of young Washington, a part of the English 
 
 104 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 army has fought its way out of the wilderness, bearing 
 the dying General Braddock. The scene is in the 
 English camp at evening, before the quarters of 
 Colonel Washington. 
 
 Act III 
 
 {A campfire is burning before the door of Wash- 
 ington's tent. An army blanket, thrown over a camp- 
 chair, is being aired by the fire. Johnson, with one 
 arm in a sling, is piling up firewood with the other 
 arm. Presently he goes to the blanket, passes his hand 
 over it as though to feel if it is dry and warm, then 
 takes it up and enters tent. Voices within tent are 
 heard simultaneously and in tone of dispute.) 
 
 Voices within. Get out of the way, Sambo! No, 
 sah! Hyar! No, sah! 
 
 {Sambo arid Johnson emerge. Sambo thrusting 
 Johnson out of the tent and taking blanket from him.) 
 
 Sambo. Whaffo' yo' gwine in Massa George's tent, 
 huh ? Whaffo' yo' gwine in Massa George's tent ? 
 
 Johnson. You, Sambo, what's the matter with you ? 
 I was going to spread the blanket on Colonel Wash- 
 ington's bed. 
 
 Sambo. Yo' stay out o' dat tent. Heah me? Yo' 
 stay out o' dat tent. Ah's Massa George's body serv- 
 ant. Ah is. 
 
 Johnson. Well, I'm Colonel Washington's orderly, 
 I am. And it's the business of the orderly to look 
 after the Colonel's tent. 
 
 105 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Sambo. Not when ole Sambo can find his way into 
 dat camp! No sah. Yo' listen to me, boy. Ah's 
 been Massa George's body servant, man and boy, for 
 twenty yeahs. And wherebber Ah can follow him, Ah 
 does it. And no sojer man gwine wait on Massa 
 George dis time. {Goes into tent, his voice continuing 
 from within.) No sah, not while ole Sambo's around. 
 No-o, sah! 
 
 Johnson {shrugging shoulders). Oh, well. {No- 
 tices that bandage on arm is loosened.) Ugh! Look 
 at that bandage coming off. {Sits in armchair, and en- 
 deavors to adjust it with hand and teeth. ) 
 
 Sambo {within). Not while ole Sambo's around. 
 No-o sah ! 
 
 Johnson. Sambo ! 
 
 Sambo {appearing in door) . What yo' want? 
 
 Johnson. Here ! Lend a hand with this bandage, 
 will you ? You clawed it off me. 
 
 Sambo {coming out to bind arm). Mahland! Yo' 
 bandage all done fotched loose. {Binding it.) Heah, 
 tu'n round. 
 
 Johnson {wincing). Look out— not so tight. 
 
 Sambo. Ah didn't mean fo' to hurt yo', Mars 
 Johnsing. No sah! Ah wouldn't hurt yo'. Yo' got 
 dis yer wound a-fightin' dem French and Injuns. 
 Along of Massa George yo' was. No sah, Ah 
 wouldn't hurt yo'. {He finishes binding.) 
 
 Johnson. Much obliged. Sambo. That's good and 
 tight now. 
 
 Sambo {going into tent). Yas sah, dat'U hold. Ah 
 io6 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 reckon. '{Johnson puts wood on fire, and Sambo 
 comes out with the Colonel's coat and a clothes brush.. 
 Johnson passes hand over^the bandage.) Am de pain 
 bad now. Mars' Johnsing? 
 
 Johnson. Oh no. Sambo. I've not much to com- 
 plain of. There's not a man in my company as well 
 as I am. Brooks and Barlow are shot in three places, 
 and Ted Allen, poor fellow, has lost both his eyes. 
 
 Sambo. Po' boys! (Brushes coat.) 
 
 Johnson. Nobody escaped without wounds except 
 Colonel Washington. And he was in the thick of it all 
 the way, too. Indeed, if it had not been for him, not 
 one of us would have got out of that ravine alive. 
 
 Sambo. And Massa George nebber got a scratch. 
 Glory be! (Chuckles.) Ha, ha, ha! De bullets neb- 
 ber touch Massa George ! Ha, ha ! 
 
 Johnson. Every other officer was picked off at once 
 by the sharpshooters, — even General Braddock. But 
 they couldn't hit Colonel Washington. (Smiles to 
 himself. Sambo stands chuckling, then edges fur- 
 tively toward Johnson.) 
 
 Sambo. Mars' Johnsing, dey was a reason, yes sah, 
 dey was a reason why dey couldn't shoot Massa 
 George. 
 
 Johnson '(smiling to himself). You're right there 
 was. 
 
 Sambo. Ah knows — ^Ah knows de reason dey 
 couldn't hit Massa George, 
 
 Johnson. You ! You don't know the reason. 
 
 Sambo. Oh yas, Ah does! (Chuckles.) Look 
 107 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 hyar! In Massa George's pocket! See what ole 
 Sambo done put in heah. A rabbit's foot ! {Takes it 
 out.) Ha, ha! See dat? A rabbit's foot. Dat done 
 charm his life. And Massa George don't know nuffin 
 'bout dat. 
 
 Johnson. Ho! Rabbit's foot! What good is a 
 rabbit's foot? You poor ignorant African! Look 
 here; I'll tell you what really charmed the Colonel's 
 life. {Smiles and taps his chest.) I'm the man that 
 did it. Look here. I hung this on his tent the day be- 
 fore the battle. {Pulls aside the English flag which 
 hangs over the peak of the tent, and shows horseshoe 
 hung over the door.) That's a lucky horseshoe. 
 
 Sambo. Horseshoe! Pooh! Yo' po' ignorant 
 white trash! What good is a horseshoe? No, no, 
 chile, yo' can't place no depen'ence on no horseshoe. 
 Hit was dis yer rabbit's foot 
 
 Johnson. Oh, no, the horseshoe 
 
 Sambo. De rabbit's foot ! De rabbit's foot! {Both 
 talk at once, each pointing to his talisman, and trying 
 to make the other listen. Enter Colonel Washington 
 and Major Pratt, the latter with a bandaged head. 
 Johnson drops the tip of the flag and stands at salute. 
 Sambo, bowing himself away, enters the tent. Wash- 
 ington returns Johnson's salute, and Johnson stands 
 on guard at the door of the tent.) 
 
 Major Pratt. Were you with General Braddock 
 when he breathed his last. Colonel Washington? 
 
 Colonel Washington. Yes, Major Pratt. 
 
 Major Pratt. Did he suffer much? 
 io8 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Colonel Washington. Not so much pain of body 
 as of mind. His defeat was a terrible shock. He 
 never dreamed an English army could be put to rout 
 like that. 
 
 Major Pratt. Alas, poor Braddock! 
 
 Colonel Washington. There never was a braver 
 man than General Braddock. 
 
 Major Pratt. Oh, if he had only listened to your 
 advice. Colonel Washington, when you were begging 
 him to be more cautious. 
 
 Colonel Washington. Do not speak of that now. 
 
 Major Pratt. At least, sir, every man of us is 
 thankful you escaped. 
 
 Colonel Washington. It was amazing. I was not 
 even wounded. 
 
 Major Pratt. The soldiers all say you bear a 
 charmed life, sir. 
 
 Colonel Washington (smiling). Do they? 
 
 Major Pratt. Well, I must not keep you up, if we 
 are to hold the obsequies at daybreak. The chaplain 
 told me to ask you if you would read the funeral serv- 
 ice, Colonel Washington. 
 
 Colonel Washington. Is the chaplain disabled, too? 
 
 Major Pratt. Oh, yes, he is badly wounded. 
 
 Colonel Washington. I will read the service then. 
 
 Major Pratt. Shall I send you a prayer-book, sir? 
 
 Colonel Washington. I have my own, thank you. 
 
 Major Pratt. Good night, sir. 
 
 Colonel Washington. Good night. Major. (Bxit 
 Major Pratt.) Well, Johnson, how's the arm? 
 
 109 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Johnson. Doing nicely now, sir. 
 
 Colonel Washington. Good. (Sambo brings out a 
 cape and puts it on Washington.) You may go now, 
 Johnson. Attend me at daybreak. 
 
 Johnson. Yes, sir. Good night, sir. X^xit John- 
 son. Washington sits by the fire warming his hands.) 
 
 Sambo. An3rthing mo', Massa George? 
 
 Colonel Washington. Yes, Sambo. Bring me my 
 prayer-book. {He obeys.) That's all. Sambo. Good 
 night. 
 
 Sambo. Good night, Massa George. {Exit 
 Sambo. Washington finds place in prayer-book and 
 reads. Baglesfeather glides in. Washington, tvarn- 
 ing the page, suddenly sees the Indian.) 
 
 Colonel Washington {staring slightly). Who's 
 there ? 
 
 Baglesfeather. Wa^ington know me? 
 
 Colonel Washington (peering). I have seen you 
 before. Yes, I've seen you somewhere. Where was 
 it? 
 
 Baglesfeather. By the Alleghany River, in the 
 moon of snows, — Eaglesfeather was careless, — ^his gun 
 went off, — ^but the white chief gave him bread and let 
 him go. 
 
 Colonel Washington. Oh, yes, I remember. Well, 
 I hope you have not been careless again. 
 
 Baglesfeather. Yes. I have been careless again. 
 
 Colonel Washington. What have you done ? 
 
 Baglesfeather. Chief Washington was not hurt in 
 the battle? 
 
 no 
 
EAGLESFEATHER 
 
 Colonel Washington. No, Eaglesfeather. The bul- 
 lets flew all around me, but they never struck me. 
 
 Eaglesfeather. Eaglesfeather was on the cliff. 
 French chief called his sharpshooters. He pointed to 
 Washington. The guns lay on the ground. Eagles- 
 feather knew which gun was crooked. Um! much 
 crooked ! Sharpshooter said, " Give me my gun." 
 Eaglesfeather was careless again. He gave into the 
 sharpshooter's hand — the crooked gun. {Laughs si- 
 lently; draws himself up and looks with dignity into 
 the €yes of Washington; then muffles his face in his 
 blanket and glides away, Washington gazing after.) 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
 Notes on costumes and staging: 
 
 Costumes in detail may be seen in any illustrated American 
 history. 
 
 Plan of staging for Act II: The ■whole stage constitutes the 
 hilltop, with a few bushes and logs to suggest wilderness. The 
 French camp is supposed to be in the wing at one side, the un- 
 seen ravine opposite. The Indian scouts come up from' among 
 the bushes in the rear. 
 
 Ill 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 AN OPERETTA FOR MAY DAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 SNOWFLAKES 
 
 SUNBEAMS 
 
 RAINDROPS 
 
 CATERPILLARS 
 
 A BUTTERFLY 
 
 BIRDS 
 
 BOYS AND GIRLS 
 
 Flowers 
 VIOLET 
 DAFFODIL 
 ROSE 
 
 JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT 
 HYACINTH 
 TULIP 
 
Here Again 
 
 AN OPERETTA FOR MAY DAY 
 
 (Curtain rises on chorus of Snow flakes. Tune, 
 "Jingle Bells/') 
 
 Snowflakes {singing). 
 
 Snowflakes in the air, falling soft and light, 
 Snowflakes everywhere, oh, so pure and white ! 
 Dashing through the sky, whirling to and fro. 
 Oh, what fun it is to fly and heap the ground with 
 snow! 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 Here we go, to and fro, snowflakes in the air! 
 In and out, roundabout, snowflakes everywhere. 
 Through the sky, tossing high, singing as we go. 
 Oh, what fun it is to fly and heap the ground with 
 snow! 
 
 (Music repeats while Snowflakes dance. As the 
 music erids, all lie down and sleep.) 
 
 Sunbeams (singing without. Tune, "Scotland's 
 Burning"). 
 
 Spring is coming! Spring is coming! 
 
 Look out ! Look out ! 
 Sunbeam! Sunbeam! Sunbeam! Sunbeam! 
 Snow is melting ! Snow is melting! 
 "S 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 (Enter Sunbeams, repeating song in unison, and 
 marching to form a semi-circle behind Snowflakes. On 
 the words, "Snow is melting," the Sunbeams point 
 forefinger at Snowflakes. Sunbeams stand pointing 
 fingers at Snowflakes and repeat song as a round. 
 Snowflakes move uneasily, open eyes, start up, shrink 
 away, roll over, creep and steal away. Sunbeams ad- 
 vancing with pointing fingers, and singing as though 
 to drive them away.) 
 
 Sunbeams {after exit of Snowflakes. Tune, 
 " Marching Through Georgia "). 
 
 Hurrah, hurrah, the snow has gone away! 
 Hurrah, hurrah, the sun has come to stay. 
 Every little sunbeam now is shining all the day. 
 Shining to call forth the flowers. 
 
 {On last two lines, they circle arms over head and 
 smile in a row across the stage. Then music continues, 
 while Sunbeams dance, frequently circling arms over 
 head and swaying as though shining all around. At 
 conclusion. Raindrops appear at entrance, and Sun- 
 beams flee to rear of stage, and hide their faces.) 
 
 First Raindrop. 
 
 Hide away. Sunbeams, here comes the rain. 
 
 All the Raindrops {running in on tip-toe, and wav- 
 ing hands and vibrating fingers to suggest falling 
 rain). 
 
 Patter, patter, patter, patter, patter, patter, patter! 
 Ii6 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 Second Raindrop. 
 
 Every little raindrop works with might and main. 
 
 All {as before). 
 
 Patter, patter, patter, patter, patter, patter, patter ! 
 
 Third Raindrop. 
 
 Rain upon the flower beds, the meadows and the 
 lane. 
 
 All {as before). 
 
 Patter, patter, patter, patter, patter, patter, patter ! 
 
 Fourth Raindrop. 
 
 After the shower, the sunbeams come again. 
 
 All (as before). 
 
 Patter, patter, patter, patter, patter, patter, patter ! 
 
 {Ad lib. until they have all run around and run out. 
 Sunbeams then part hands and peer out.) 
 
 First Sunbeam. 
 
 Is the shower over? Have the raindrops gone? 
 
 Second Sunbeam. 
 
 Are any raindrops falling? I feel none. 
 
 Third Sunbeam. 
 
 No doubt about it now, the weather is fine. 
 
 Come forth, Sunbeams, shine, shine, shine! 
 
 {All circle arms and smile as they step forward.) 
 Flowers {without) . Make way, make way ! Here 
 come the flowers! 
 
 117 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 Sunbeams {jumping for joy) . Flowers ! Flowers I 
 {As each fiowjer enters. Sunbeams hug themselves, dap 
 hands, and stand enraptured. Enter Violet. She 
 runs in lightly and stands hanging her head shyly.) 
 
 Sunbeams. 
 
 Oh, Violet, are you here? 
 So glad to see you, dear! 
 
 {A sunbeam kisses her. Enter Daffodil, skipping 
 and waving her hand to all.) 
 
 Sunbeams. 
 
 Welcome back again, darling Daffodil, 
 We loved you when you came before, and we 
 love you still. 
 
 '{A Sunbeam places her cheek to Daffodil's and pats 
 her. Jack-in-the-Pulpit strides in and strikes an atti- 
 tude.) 
 
 Sunbeams. 
 Jack-in-the-Pulpit! How do you do? 
 Shake hands, old fellow, there's no one like you. 
 
 {Several Sunbeams give him a hearty handshake. 
 Hyacinth enters with swaying, floating gait, throwing 
 kisses.) 
 
 Sunbeams. 
 Hyacinth ! Again we meet. 
 Let us breathe your perfume sweet. 
 ii8 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 {Several smell her petals. Enter Tulip, with march 
 and military salute.) 
 
 Sunbeams. 
 
 Tulip, dear, you brighten all the place. 
 Let us shine upon your jolly face. 
 
 ( Tulip and Sunbeams exchange smiles. Enter Rose 
 with stately gait to central position.) 
 
 Sunbeams. 
 
 The rose ! The rose ! Bow every loyal knee. 
 Queen of flowers, hail, all hail to thee ! 
 
 {All kneel. Music of Mendelssohn's "Spring Song " 
 or the like. Dance of Sunbeams around the flowers. 
 Sudden drum-beat without. All halt in apprehension. 
 Music changes to ominous rumbles and chords, in low 
 minor key. Another drum-beat louder.) 
 
 All. The drum, the war-like drum! 
 The caterpillars come. 
 
 {Sunbeams dart aside, flowers shrink in fear. Gro- 
 tesque march, as three caterpillars crawl in. Flowers 
 tremble.) 
 
 Caterpillars. 
 
 Behold the caterpillars come. 
 Fe-f o-fi-f um ! 
 
 {They rear heads and move them as though looking 
 all around. Then they crawl, then halt to speak.) 
 Round the dainty plants we go, 
 Fe-fi-f um-f o ! ( They crawl. ) 
 119 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 And when a pretty flower we see, 
 Fi-fo-fum-fe ! 
 
 We eat it up, — yum-yum-yum-yum ! 
 Fe-f o-fi-fum ! 
 
 {They lay hold of the flowers, pull themselves up 
 and bite petals.) 
 
 Plowers. Help, help, help, help ! (Bird-calls whis- 
 tled without. Caterpillars listen and drop to the 
 ground in fear.) 
 
 First Caterpillar. 
 
 What was that? 
 
 Second Caterpillar. 
 
 'Twas on this side. 
 
 (Bird-calls again, louder.) 
 
 Third Caterpillar. 
 
 The birds, the birds! 
 Oh, let us hide ! 
 
 (They rapidly crawl away. One crawls under the 
 long green train of the rote of the rose. The others 
 find green draperies at either side of the stage, and 
 creep beneath them. Birds enter and circle the stage 
 as though flying, then halt before the rose.) 
 
 Rose. Oh, birds! You flew in just in time. 
 Thank heaven you were there. 
 For caterpillars are about. 
 
 Birds (giving a sudden hop). 
 
 Caterpillars ! Where ? 
 1 20 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 \Birds hop all about, pausing between hops to cock 
 heads, and eye on both sides in the manner of birds. 
 First bird arrives at draperies on one side, bends and 
 pokes draperies aside with his head, discovering cater- 
 pillar.) 
 
 First Bird (loudly) . Aha! (As he pounces on the 
 caterpillar, all the other birds rush to the spot, crowd- 
 ing closely and concealing the place for an instant, dur- 
 ing which exit caterpillar unseen. Birds disperse, 
 draperies are displaced and caterpillar is seen to be 
 gone.) Ha! He was delicious! Where's another? 
 (In like manner caterpillar at other side is found and 
 disposed of by second bird.) 
 
 Second Bird. Ho, ho, ho ! There's an end of him. 
 
 All the Birds (singing. Tune, "There's Music in 
 the Air"). 
 
 There's music in the air. 
 
 When the lovely spring is nigh. 
 Bird notes ever3rwhere 
 
 In the bright and laughing sky. 
 
 (The next lines are whistled in two parts, followed 
 by singing of final phrase.) 
 
 Spring music in the air. 
 
 (Birds fly out, whistling bird-notes. Flowers smile. 
 Sunbeams dance forward, all singing softly the air of 
 the bird/ chorus, with la-la-la for words.) 
 
 Third Caterpillar (putting head out). Are the birds 
 gone ? (All jump. ) 
 
 Rose. Oh! There's one caterpillar here yet 
 
 121 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 All the Flowers. Alas ! 
 Caterpillar {crawling out). 
 
 Ho, ho, ho! He, he, he! 
 
 Birds all gone! Couldn't find me! 
 
 (He takes a piece of the green drapery of the rose' 
 in his mouth, tears it off and munches.) 
 
 Rose. He is eating my leaves ! 
 
 All the flowers. Alas! 
 
 Caterpillar. Very good indeed. I always did like 
 rose leaves. I'll take another. {Rears up and tears it 
 off. Rose weeps aloud.) 
 
 All the Flowers. Woe! Alas! Oh! {All weep.) 
 
 Caterpillar (pausing in his munching). What is 
 this feeling that comes over me? (Yawns.) Why! 
 I'm getting sleepy. (Yawns again.) It's time I curled 
 up in my cocoon. (He pulls a large folded bag from a 
 deep pocket in his costume, shakes it out, and pulls it 
 on, feet first. In struggling to get it on, he rolls over 
 several times and finally disappears in it and goes to 
 sleep at some distance from the rose. Pause. Enter 
 a hoy.) 
 
 Boy (calling to others off stage). 
 
 Come, boys and girls, come out to play. 
 The sun is bright, the flowers are gay. 
 Come, boys and girls, this way, this way! 
 
 {He beckons. Bnter hand-in-hand, running and 
 laughing, boys and girls. They form a ring amid the 
 flowers.) 
 
 122 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 Boy,^ and Girls {singing. Tune, " Rig-ajig-jig"). 
 Beautiful Spring is here again. 
 Here again, here again. 
 Fling up your hats and cheer again, , 
 
 Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Hurrah ! 
 She's here again, here again ! 
 So cheer again, and cheer again! 
 Fling up your hats and cheer again. 
 
 Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! 
 
 '{On the last word all the boys wave hats and shout.) 
 
 A Boy. Look at all the flowers. 
 
 A Girl {beside the violet). I like this one best. 
 
 Other Children {each moving to the side of a dif- 
 ferent flower). I like this one best. {They caress 
 and admire the flowers.) 
 
 The Child Who has Chosen the Rose. Oh, look, a 
 caterpillar has been here. {All examine.) 
 
 A Boy. See all he has eaten ! 
 
 A Girl. Where has he gone to? {They examine 
 the rose draperies.) 
 
 A Boy. He's nowhere to be seen. 
 
 A Girl. Perhaps he has passed into the pupa stage ! 
 
 All. Oh, yes, let's find the cocoon. ( They search.) 
 
 A Boy. Here it is. 
 
 All {running to see it). The cocoon! 
 
 A Girl. We must destroy this cocoon. 
 
 All. Yes, yes. 
 
 A Boy. Let's put it in the fire. {They bend to lay 
 hold of if. It begins to squirm. All start.) 
 
 123 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 All. It's moving. 
 
 A Girl. Oh, look! Oh, look! (The actor in the 
 cocoon begins to unfasten both cocoon hag and cater- 
 pillar costume, and to crawl out.) 
 A Boy. It's coming out ! 
 A Girl. It's going to be a butterfly ! 
 All. A butterfly! 
 
 Butterfly (now nearly out, begins to sing. Tune, 
 "Little Buttercup," from "Pinafore "). 
 I'll be a butterfly, 
 I'll be a butterfly, 
 
 I'll be a butterfly soon. 
 I m working and worming. 
 And squeezing and squirming 
 Out of my little cocoon. 
 
 (He rises to his feet, free of the bags. Notes ap- 
 pended on page I2p give further suggestions for trans- 
 formation.) 
 
 And now I am rising, 
 Oh, oh, how surprising, 
 
 How lightsome, how airy and free! 
 I've feet now to stand on 
 To light and to land on. 
 
 Ha, ha, no more crawling for me! 
 
 And as for antennae 
 
 (Erects arid exhibits antennae.) 
 I didn't have any. 
 But now I've an elegant pair. 
 124 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 These curious things 
 Are my butterfly wings. 
 
 Just see them imfurl in the air! 
 
 .{Spreads wings.} 
 Now I'm a butterfly. 
 Now I'm a butterfly. 
 
 Welcome in garden and bower. 
 Yes, I'm a butterfly. 
 Yes, I'm a butterfly, 
 
 Flitting from flower to flower. 
 
 All (singing as butterfly dances about flowers, re- 
 peating tune of refrain). 
 
 Yes, he's a butterfly. 
 Dear little butterfly. 
 
 Welcome in garden and bower. 
 Yes, he's a butterfly. 
 Dear little butterfly. 
 Flitting from flower to flower. 
 
 Raindrops {without). Patter, patter, patter, etc. 
 
 Children (looking up and holding out hands). Oh, 
 it's raining, raining! (They run out. Patter of rain- 
 drops is heard continually without.) 
 
 Butterfly (looking from side to side distractedly). 
 What shall I do? Oh, I'll get wet! 
 
 Plowers. Hide, hide! (Butterfly shivers and 
 sneezes.) 
 
 Rose. Be quick, Butterfly, you'll take cold. Over 
 there ! (Pointing to green draperies at one side. But- 
 terfly takes refuge under them.) 
 
 125 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 First Sunbeam. I think it's a shame for the rain 
 to come now and spoil all the fun. 
 
 Other Sunbeams. So do I. 
 
 First Sunbeam. Let's try to drive the rain away. 
 Shall we. Sunbeams? 
 
 Other Sunbeams. Yes, yes. Drive the rain away. 
 {They form a battle-front at one side, and as Rain- 
 drops enter at the other side advance to meet them.) 
 
 Raindrops {ceasing to patter, halting and motioning 
 to Sunbeams to retire). 
 Hide away. Sunbeams, here comes the rain. 
 
 Sunbeams {facing them defiantly). 
 
 No, no. We will not go. Here we will remain. 
 
 Raindrops {with motions of pushing them away). 
 Away, away, you must not stay. Don't you hear 
 our patter? 
 
 Sunbeams {pointing to themselves). 
 Don't you see the sunbeams shine ? Raindrops, you 
 must scatter! {Pointing toward exit.) 
 
 Rose. Raindrops, hush, and Sunbeams, cease! 
 You are disturbers of the peace. 
 For shame ! Let me decide between 
 Your rival claims. Obey your queen! 
 
 {Sunbeams and Raindrops kneel on each side.) 
 
 Quite unnecessarily you drive each other 
 
 out, — 
 Ifs not impossible to rain while the sun is 
 out, — 
 
 126 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 And when the two at once you view. 
 Oh, then, the rainbow comes out too \ 
 Now sunbeams shine on raindrops clear. 
 And make a glorious rainbow here. 
 
 {Sunbeams rise, circle arms, and beam on Rain- 
 drops. Raindrops rise and hold out hands to Sun- 
 beams, lifting faces as if to be shined on. Flowers run 
 to mount a dais at back of stage, taking their stand in 
 order of rainbow colors — Rose (red). Tulip {orange). 
 Daffodil {yellow), Jack-in-the-Pulpit {green). Hya- 
 cinth {blue), and Violet {purple). As soon as they 
 are in place. Sunbeams and Raindrops run to flowers, 
 who quickly take from their pockets colored streamers 
 rolled or fold^ so that the ends of each can be 
 grasped by a Sunbeam and a Raindrop respectively, the 
 middle of the streamer remaining in the hand of the 
 flower. As Sunbeams and Raindrops step back to 
 each side, the streamers unroll, and the middle of each 
 is held high by the flowers, forming an arch. Bach 
 streamer is of a color to match its flower. Then Boys 
 and Girls run in under the arch of streamers, and look 
 at it.) 
 
 Boys and Girls. 
 
 " My heart leaps up when I behold 
 A rainbow in the sky." 
 
 {Birds and Butterfly appear and circle about. Rain- 
 drops sing softly, "Patter, patter, patter, etc.," which 
 becomes an accompaniment as the others start up the 
 
 final chorus:) 
 
 127 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 All (joyously). 
 
 Beautiful spring is here again. 
 
 Here again, here again. 
 Fling up your hats and cheer again,- 
 
 Hurrah, hurrah. Hurrah ! ! ! 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
 COSTUMES 
 
 Snowflakes. White Teddy-bear suits, with simple hoods for 
 headdress. 
 
 Sunbeams. Dresses of yellow cheese-cloth, edged with gold 
 tinsel. Gold crowns. 
 
 Raindrops. Raincoats, rubber caps and rubber boots. 
 
 Flowers. Green dresses. Hats of colored crepe paper, shaped 
 to suggest petals of flowers impersonated. The rose has a long 
 train, and a green robe falls from her shoulders, voluminous, 
 trailing and edged with imitation ermine. Her sleeves are edged 
 with fluttering strips of green crepe paper and it is these which 
 the caterpillar bites. 
 
 Jack-in-the-pulpit. Green jacket, knickerbockers and pointed 
 cap. A very large, flaring pointed collar stands up behind his 
 head and curves over it by means of stiff wiring. 
 
 Caterpillars. Ught green dresses long enough to cover feet 
 and be sewed up at the bottom like bags. Hoods to match, at- 
 tached to necks of dresses, cover heads. Black circles painted 
 around eyes suggest large insect eyes, and black lines inked 
 around dresses suggest division into segments of body. Loose 
 sleeves are long enough almost to cover hands. The crawling is 
 done by rolling bodies slightly from side to side and advancing 
 arms alternately somewhat as in overhand swimming. The legs 
 drag inert. 
 
 128 
 
HERE AGAIN 
 
 Butterfly. The pocket containing the cocoon bag should be 
 down beside the feet, where there is plenty of room in the bot- 
 tom of the caterpillar dress. The caterpillar dress should fasten 
 with simple snappers, so that the actor can easily open it to 
 emerge as a butterfly, but the opening should be well to one side 
 of the front, lest the snappers part when the caterpillar is crawl- 
 ing on his stomach. The butterfly comes out in a simple short 
 dress of pale yellow, with bare arms and bare feet. The wings 
 are fan-shaped, with one edge sewed vertically to the dress 
 under the armhole. The other dangles free, but has a loop or 
 ring on the free corner, through which the actor can slip his 
 wrist when preparing to spread his wings. Antennae are lightly 
 wired and attached to tight forehead band. They are bent back 
 under hood during the caterpillar stage, but simply erected by 
 hand after removal of hood, and during the song. The prelude 
 of the song is played while the transformation begins, and should 
 be so timed that the song will commence when the butterfly is 
 nearly out. To begin the song, the actor should have attained a 
 comfortable position, seated on the floor, perhaps, supported by 
 one hand, with only the lower legs encased still in the cocoon, 
 to move about on the words worming and squirming. Of course, 
 he rises on beginning the second verse, and displays feet. Other 
 actions as indicated in the song. After the song the discarded 
 costumes may be unobtrusively tossed aside by one of the chil- 
 dren. 
 
 Birds. Dresses or knickerbocker suits of appropriate colors 
 for various birds in spring. Wings, full circular capes attached 
 at the back of the neck, and with outer edges sewed to the 
 outer side of the sleeves, so that extending arms has the effect 
 of spreading wings. Hoods with pale yellow visors above the 
 brow, will suggest beaks. 
 
 139 
 
TOM'S BACK-YARD 
 
 A PLAY FOR ARBOR DAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 TOM 
 
 TOM'S MOTHER 
 
 STICK-UP 
 
 SCALAWAG } Weeds. 
 
 WHOPPER 
 
 DAFFODIL 
 ROSE 
 TULIP 
 PANSY 
 
 Flowers. 
 
Tom's Back- Yard 
 
 A PLAY FOR ARBOR DAY 
 
 Act I 
 
 Scene: Tom's hack-yard. A flower-bed, with the 
 three weeds in it. 
 
 All the Weeds. 
 
 Weeds! Weeds! A sight to behold ! 
 
 Green and saucy, big and bold ! 
 
 Here we stand in Tom's back-yard — 
 
 The ground is dry and the soil is hard. 
 
 But up we shoot and out we spread, 
 
 And run all over the flower-bed. 
 
 We choke the flowers, and push and crowd. 
 
 Though we know very well that it's not allowed. 
 
 Tom doesn't see us. Ho! Ho! Ho! 
 
 While he isn't looking, how we grow ! 
 
 Ho! Ho! Ho! Tom doesn't see! 
 
 Oh, what wicked weeds are we ! 
 
 (Bnter Tom.) 
 Tom. I guess it's time I took a look at my flower- 
 bed. I haven't thought about it lately. What! All 
 
 133 
 
TOM'S BACK-YARD 
 
 full of weeds ! This will never do. I must pull them 
 up. {He pulls at Scalawag, who resists.) 
 Scalawag. He is pulling me up, — 
 
 He is pulling me out ! 
 
 The Other Weeds. Hold tight ! Hold tight ! 
 Put him to rout! 
 
 Scalawag. I won't come up. 
 
 I won't indeed ! 
 
 Tom. You won't, won't you ? 
 
 You impudent weed ! 
 {He pulls Scalawag out of the flower-bed. Scala- 
 wag falls down dead.) 
 
 Now for the next one. 
 Come out of that bed ! 
 
 {He pulls Stick-up, who appears frightened but re- 
 sists for a moment.) 
 
 Stick-up. Oh, he is pulling me ! 
 
 Soon I'll be dead! 
 {Tom pulls Stick-up out of the flower-bed and 
 Stick-up falls dead.) 
 
 Tom. Now for another. 
 
 Out you go! 
 {He pulls at Whopper, who resists firmly.) 
 
 Whopper. You can't pull me out. 
 
 Ho! Ho! Ho! 
 I'm a whopper! 
 I tell you I'm tough ! 
 134 
 
TOM'S BACK-YARD 
 
 Tom. Pulling with the fingers 
 
 Isn't enough. 
 What shall I do? 
 Aha ! I know ! 
 
 {Tom makes quick exit.) 
 
 Whopper. He'll never get me out ! 
 
 Ho! Ho! Ho! {Laughing.) 
 Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! 
 Ho! Ho! Ho! 
 
 {Tom returns with a hoe.) 
 
 Tom {brandishing hoe.) 
 
 Now it's my turn to say 
 Hoe! Hoe! Hoe! 
 {Tom hoes briskly about the roots {feet) of 
 Whopper.) 
 
 Whopper {staggering). 
 
 Oh, I am done for! 
 Oh, I am dead! 
 {He staggers out of the flower-bM as Tom hoes, 
 and then falls dead.) 
 
 Tom. I have cleaned all the weeds 
 
 Out of that flower-bed. 
 
 Now I'll loosen the soil. 
 
 And plant some flower-seeds. 
 
 And I'll watch in future 
 To keep away the weeds. 
 
 CURTAIN 
 135 
 
TOM'S BACK-YARD 
 
 Act II 
 
 Scene: The same place. Flowers growing in the 
 flower-bed. 
 
 All the Flowers. 
 
 Flowers ! flowers ! A sight to behold ! 
 Pink and purple, white and gold! 
 Here we stand in Tom's back-yard. 
 And Tom is glad that he worked so hard. 
 He weeded and watered and now we bloom, 
 With lovely colors and sweet perfume. 
 We gentiy sway and nod and smile. 
 And beam with happiness all the while. 
 
 Pansy. Look! Oh! Look! 
 
 Who is coming this way? 
 
 Rose. 'Tis Tom and his mother, 
 
 And they want a bouquet. 
 
 All the Flowers. I hope they pick me ! 
 
 Oh, I hope they pick me ! 
 
 Tulip. Let us stand up tall. 
 
 So that they can see. 
 
 (Enter Tom and his mother.) 
 Tom. Here, Mother, here is my flower-bed. I 
 Brought you out to see it. What do you think of it? 
 Mother. It is beautiful! Beautiful! Why, Tom, 
 
 136 
 
TOM'S BACK-YARD 
 
 I didn't know you were such a gardener. How did 
 you do it ? 
 
 Tom.^ I worked at it every day. Shall I pick a 
 bouquet for you? 
 
 Mother. Yes, do! 
 
 Tom. Let me see — 'tis hard to choose — 
 
 Which ones? I hesitate. 
 
 Tulip. Oh, Tom ! Pick me ! Oh, do pick me ! 
 
 I'm standing up so straight. 
 
 Daffodil. Look at my glowing petals ! 
 You cannot say me nay. 
 
 Pansy. Oh, take me too ! Oh, won't I do ? 
 Rose. Put me in that bouquet. 
 
 Tom (to each in turn). 
 
 Yes, I'll take you — ^yes, you will do — 
 
 You stand so straight and tall, 
 And you so bright, and you so white — 
 I think I'll take you all. 
 
 (He picks them, i. e., takes them by the hands and 
 they hop out of the flower-h^d.) 
 
 Now let me tie you in a bunch. 
 I have some ribbon here. 
 
 (He takes ribbon from his pocket, and ties it around 
 the four at about the waist line, drawing them close 
 together as a bunch of flowers.) 
 
 Around you all I wind it tight. 
 There, how's that. Mother dear? 
 137 
 
TOM'S BACK-YARD 
 
 Mother. I like it very, very much — 
 So pretty and so gay. 
 Thank you, Tom, for giving me 
 Such a nice bouquet. 
 
 {She smells and caresses the flowers as curtain 
 falls.) 
 
 COSTUMES AND PROPERTIES 
 
 Weeds. Stiff green quills, like magnified grass blades^ made of 
 paper, and pinned to stick up from caps, lapels, belts, sleeves, etc. 
 
 Flowers. Crepe paper hats suggesting the flower represented, 
 with simple cheese-cloth dresses to match. 
 
 Mother. Lady's house dress. 
 
 Tom. Ordinary dress. 
 
 Tom's hoe must be at hand in the wings, and his ribbon too. 
 One end of the ribbon had best be tied in a bow beforehand, and 
 a large hook and eye on either end respectively will help Tom 
 to bunch his flowers quickly. One of the flowers can assist by 
 holding one end of the ribbon, while Tom carries the ribbon 
 around the group. 
 
 Flower-bed. May be represented by a larg^e brown rug. 
 
 138 
 
BRETHREN 
 A PLAY FOR PEACE DAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 ABRAHAM, Patriarch of the Jews. 
 
 LiOT, Kinsman of Abraham. 
 
 PHELIM, Master Herdman of Abraham. 
 
 -^ roxiTfT pfj- [ Herdmen of Abraham. 
 ARAX, Master Herdman of Lot. 
 
 eltamar}^^"'^"'""''^^'"- 
 
 ABIMELECH, King of Jera. 
 BOZCO, Captain of the Jerasites. 
 PHRAXAM, Jerazite Spy, 
 A SENTINEL. 
 LOrS WIFE. 
 MAIDS OF LOT. 
 SETERAH, Maid of Abraham. 
 OTHER MAIDS OF ABRAHAM. 
 
Brethren 
 
 A PLAY FOR PEACE DAY 
 
 Scene: A green plateau overlooking the distant 
 valley of the Jordan. A rough altar of heaped stones. 
 A well. King Abimelech and Bosco conferring. A 
 sentinel keeping watch at one side. 
 
 King Ahintelech. This is the appointed hour. 
 This is the place, — the altar on the hillside west of 
 Jordan. Where is Phraxam that he cometh not ? 
 
 Bosco. O King Abimelech, if it seemeth good 
 in thy sight, wait yet a little. Peradventure his Jewish 
 master keepeth Phraxam back. 
 
 King Abimelech. Said I not, he never would re- 
 turn, when we sent him forth to spy among the Jewish 
 host? 
 
 Bosco. Nay, King Abimelech. Phraxam is strong 
 and cunning. He will not be taken. 
 
 King Abimelech. And if he come, I fear the tid- 
 ings he may bring. 
 
 Bosco. I marvel. Do I hear Abimelech, King of 
 the Jerapites, give voice to fear? Fear of the nomad 
 Jews? 
 
 King Abimelech. Harken, Bozco! Between thee 
 141 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 and me, let there be no reproach of fear. I am Ai>Ime- 
 lech, King of the Jerazites. Thou art Bozco, prince 
 of the royal house, and captain of the host. Both are 
 long since tried and proved in many a battle. I fear 
 no foe, except it be the Jews. But they, — ^verily doth 
 not a blessing rest upon them ? Their leader Abraham, 
 men do hold in awe. He buildeth altars, wheresoe'er 
 his tents are pitched. See, even here, standeth an altar, 
 which once he raised and hallowed. I fear lest Abra- 
 ham be a holy man. 
 
 Bosco. The name of Abraham holds not me in 
 awe. Verily this Abraham and his kinsman Lot, with 
 flocks and herds and countless train of herdsmen, have 
 swept unchecked from Ur of the Chaldees, even to 
 Egypt. When they were few, we hindered not their 
 passage, but suffered them freely to come and go. And 
 thus have they waxed numberless. But now the rulers 
 are gathered together against them. And when the 
 princes of the Jerazites lie in wait, Abraham and Lot 
 and all the Jewish shepherds ere long shall bite the 
 dust. Now, yonder behold, our spy retumeth. Ho! 
 Phraxam! Hither! {Bnter Phraxam and kneels to 
 King Abimelech.) 
 
 King Abimelech. Rise, Phraxam. What report 
 hast thou ? 
 
 Phraxam. O King, live forever! I did even ac- 
 cording to the word of my lord Bozco. I hid my lance, 
 and took a shepherd's crook, and went among the 
 tents of the Jews. At the feet of Abraham I fell 
 down and prayed that I might be as one of his herd- 
 
 142 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 men. His countenance benign he bent upon me, and 
 gave command I should be clothed and fed. Since then 
 I follow his banner and feed his flocks. 
 
 Bozco. What are his numbers and his strength ? 
 
 Phraxam. His numbers are as the sands of the sea 
 for multitude. With holy Abraham journeys Lot, his 
 kinsman. Lot also hath flocks and herds unnumbered. 
 The two together are so great the land is not able to 
 bear them. Therefore I did hear strife between the 
 herdmen of Lot and the herdmen of Abraham. So 
 crowded are they and so numerous. Verily we are too 
 few to fall upon the Jews. 
 
 King Abimelech. Woe to my kingdom! Woe to 
 the Jerazites! We may not hope to drive this host 
 away. 
 
 Bosco. Nay, King Abimelech, I see a hope for us. 
 Behold there is strife between the herdmen of Lot and 
 the herdmen of Abraham ! Now, barken to thy servant 
 Bozco. As Phraxam made himself one of the herd- 
 men of Abraham, so will I link myself with those who 
 follow Lot. We two will then foment the strife be- 
 tween the rival bands. From humble herdmen will 
 the quarreling spread to overseers and to overseers' 
 masters, till the great Lot and even the greater Abra- 
 ham look coldly on each other. Yea, we will fan 
 their wrath till it bear fruit in flashing javelins, and 
 the two hosts will fall upon each other. Then as they 
 perish each by the other's hand, we Jerazites will hold 
 them in derision and drive the remnant far from out 
 our lands. 
 
 143 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 King Abmelech. 'Tis cunningly conceived, O 
 Bozco. Yea, verily, ye thus may wipe out the Jews. 
 Yet, if they be from God, we are as dead men, if our 
 hand is lifted against them. 
 
 Bozco. Nay, King Abimelech, our hand we lift 
 not, — only our cunning tongues. And if they be from 
 God, and holy men, then they will not give way to 
 wrath, and war upon each other, for they be brethren. 
 But if they be not from God, nor holy, then will they 
 be persuaded into bloody conflict, even as we tempt 
 them. Thus shall ye know, O King Abimelech, 
 whether or not this Abraham be from God. 
 
 King Abimelech. So be it then. I do appoint ye 
 both, Phraxam and Bozco, to go as enemy spies among 
 the shepherds, to stir them up to fall upon each other. 
 If God be with them, this will be prevented. And if 
 He be not, they will be destroyed. But this I charge 
 ye: keep your hands blood-guiltless, and innocent of 
 plundering or wrong. If in truth they have a special 
 blessing, bring not upon our heads the wrath of God. 
 (Sentinel approaches and kneels.) What wouldst 
 thou, sentinel? 
 
 Sentinel. Between the hills, I can descry the Jews. 
 Directly hitherward their course is shaped. 
 
 King Abimelech. Withdraw our troops. (Exit 
 Sentinel.) Go and fulfil your mission. (Exit Bosco 
 and Phraxam. King Abimelech turns toward the altar 
 and raises his hands.) Oh, unknown God, at this 
 mysterious altar, I raise my hands to thee. Vouchsafe 
 a sign to guide my troubled soul to righteousness and 
 
 144 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 light. {Exit King Abimelech. Long pause. Shouts 
 without. Enter Shebal and Mishalek with staffs in 
 hand and packs on backs. ) 
 
 Shebal. We win the race! Here is the altar, and 
 the well beside it. Be this the camp of Abraham's 
 foremost herdmen. Unload, Mishalek. Haste to pitch 
 our tent. {They work.) 
 
 Mishalek. We need the poles. (Calling.) Ho! 
 Ha ! ( To Shebal. ) Oh, call to mind the name of that 
 new hireling ! 
 
 Shebal. 'Tis Phraxam. (Calling.) Ho! Phraxam! 
 Bring the poles! (To Mishalek as he unpacks cloth 
 and utensils.) Give me the pitcher there. My throat 
 is parched. (He stoops to fill pitcher at well-spring. 
 Enter Phraxam with tent poles. ) 
 
 Mishalek. We pitch our tent here, Phraxam. 
 
 Phraxam. A choice place ! By a well-spring ! For 
 once the men of Lot have not the best. 
 
 Shebal. For once ! Why that for once ! The men 
 of Abraham suffer none others to go before them in 
 camp or on the march. 
 
 Mishalek. That they do not. Aye ! Aye ! 
 
 Phraxam. Oh, Abraham's herdmen are the better 
 men. Yea, verily, and so all the stranger that they 
 should crowd us from the ford of Kedron. We stood 
 there with our cattle half yesternoon while they ahead 
 crossed over. I saw Lot's master-herdman, Zebla, 
 point the finger at thee, Mishalek. 
 
 Mishalek. At me? Wherefore at me? 
 
 Phraxam. I do not know, but all of Lot's men 
 MS 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 laughed. I marvelled why. I saw naught to laugh af 
 because proud Mishalek had to wait for them. 
 
 Mishalek (angrily, waving goad). They shall yet 
 feel the goad of Mishalek across their face. The men 
 of Lot are shameless. 
 
 Shehal. Well, if their cattle took the ford before 
 us, the men of Abraham triumph this time, for the 
 well is ours, and eke the sacred altar. 
 
 Mishalek. And not one of Lot's herdmen will we 
 suffer here, but force them to get water from the river. 
 
 Phraxam. Aye! Well sayest thou, brave Misha- 
 lek. And then mayest thou the finger point at them ! 
 So! here come the women. Hoi-ho! Hither! The 
 well is here and all our throats are parched. 
 
 Pirst Maiden {calling without). We will draw for 
 you. We'll fetch our pitchers. 
 
 Shehal. Come, Mishalek, and raise the tent with 
 me. {Uxit with poles.) 
 
 Mishalek. I come. {Going.) I yet will dash to 
 earth the pride of Lot. They laugh and point the 
 finger at me, do they? {Bxit. Enter Maidens, and, 
 one at a time, kneel and fill pitchers.) 
 
 Pirst Maiden. Oh see, we camp again by Father 
 Abraham's altar. 
 
 Second Maiden. A fair and holy place. 
 
 Phraxam {to third maiden). Thou maiden fair to 
 look upon as budding lotos flower 
 
 Seterak {laughing). Fair are the words of 
 Phraxam — ^when he thirsts. (Sets down vase from 
 her shoulder and allows Phraxam to drink from it.) 
 
 146 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 Phraxam. Ah! it is good. I will requite thee, fair 
 one, and when the maids of Lot call thee ill-favored, 
 I'll scatter them with rods. 
 
 Seterah {to other girls). He says the maids of Lot 
 call me ill-favored! 
 
 Phraxam. Nay, not thee more than the others. I 
 only heard them saying, all the maids of Abraham's 
 house are foul of face and ill to look upon. 
 
 First Maiden. Ho ! Have the maids of Lot looked 
 on their own countenances in the river pools? They 
 are as brown as is the mud of the bottom. 
 
 Second Maiden. Look! Here they come now. 
 Let us forbid them this well. {Bnter a group of maids 
 of Lot.) 
 
 Pirst Maid of Lot. Hail, maids of the house of 
 Abraham ! Suffer us to draw at thy well. 
 
 Seterah. This well is beside the altar of our Fa- 
 ther Abraham. Let the maids of Lot fetch from the 
 river below. 
 
 Maids of Lot. Nay. We will draw here ! 
 
 Second Maid of Lot. The river is distant a full 
 furlong. 
 
 Phraxam. Depart, ye maids of Lot! Sooth. (To 
 Maids of Abraham.) 'Tis even as ye say, their 
 countenance is as the mud of puddles. 
 
 Pirst Maid of Lot. Say they so? For shame, ye 
 maids of Abram ! For the household of Abraham and 
 the household of Lot are kin. But now stand aside 
 and let us draw, or we will strive with ye. ( They try 
 to push past the maids of Abraham, who resist with 
 
 147 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 » 
 
 exclamations such as, " Have done! " " Make way! 
 "Let go!" "Begone!" Phraxam, seeing an op- 
 portunity, pushes Seterah so that she falls almost into 
 the well and then he instantly catches by the arm a 
 daughter of Lot as though restraining her. The maids 
 of Abraham dart to uplift the falling girl, and catch her 
 up from the mouth of the well. The maids of Lot try 
 to make Phraxam release their mate, and all cry out. ) 
 
 Phraxam. This maid smote down Seterah! Ah, 
 wicked one ! I caught thee in the act. (Enter Shebal 
 and Mishalek.) See, here the troublous maids of Lot, 
 come to torment our women. 
 
 Maids of Abraham (pointing to girl in Phraxam's 
 hand). She smote down Seterah into the well. 
 
 Mishalek. Thou evil-doer. I'll take my goad to 
 thee. (Threatens and girls shriek. Enter Zebla and 
 Eltamar followed by Bozco.) 
 
 Zebla (to Phraxam). Let go her arm. (Phraxam 
 obeys. Zebla instantly puts maid behind him and 
 faces Phraxam. Phraxam shrinks, backs, and dodges 
 before him until Shebal comes to his aid and Phraxam 
 gets behind Shebal. Shebal and Zebla square at each 
 other. At the same time Eltamar jumps to wrest the 
 goad from Mishalek who struggles to keep it. All talk 
 at once in angry ejaculations such as — " You cur of 
 Lot! " " Goad the maids, will ye? " " Dozim with 
 the house of Abraham!" "Stand to the fight!" 
 "Ye dare not!" In the background the maids of 
 Abraham dispute and threaten the maids of Lot.) 
 
 Bozco (beckoning off). Arax! This way! This 
 148 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 way ! Succor the men of Lot ! Hold your own, men 
 of Lot. Here comes the master herdman. Show your 
 valor! {Several men of Lot run in, among them 
 'Arax, the overseer.) MylordArax! Behold the men 
 of Abraham goad the men and maids of Lot. 
 
 Arax. Cease fighting ! Cease this brawl unseemly, 
 cease ! {He rushes to part the combatants. They re^ 
 sist his efforts. Shebal and Mishalek ar^ now strug- 
 gling against two each. They look about as though 
 for a chance to flee. ) 
 
 Phraxam. Stand your ground, men of Abraham! 
 See help coming! See the master herdman Phelim, 
 your overseer! {Enter fiercely Abraham's overseer, 
 Phelim. ) 
 
 Phelim {violently to Arax and drawing sword). 
 Ha! Arax, son of Lot, fighting the under-herdmen ! 
 Shame upon thee! An overseer brawling with the 
 men! 
 
 Arax {leaving the men to answer Phelim fiercely). 
 'Tis thou who brawlest, thou vile Lord Phelim. I 
 did but seek to part them. 
 
 Phelim {interrupting). Thou hypocrite 
 
 Arax. Harken, thou fool 
 
 Phelim. No, for I hate thy tongue as I do hate all 
 Abraham's house, and thee ! {He attacks him. They 
 fence furiously. General melee. King Ahimelech ap- 
 pears watching at one side, his kingly robe concealed 
 by a long cloak. Enter Lot, followed by Lofs wife.) 
 
 Lofs Wife. My Lord! Oh, Lot! Lot! Come 
 back! Oh, they will kill thee! 
 
 149 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 ItOt (shaking her off, drawing sword and rushing 
 to center). Back,Mogs! 
 
 Lofs Men {with a shout) . Lot! Hosannah! Lot 
 ■with us! {They gather beside and behind him; Abra- 
 ham's men facing them valiantly.) 
 
 Lot. On with the fight! {He begins to shout, 
 striding forward with a backward look to command 
 the men behind him. They appear about to leap^or- 
 ward with him. He finishes the words with a quick 
 turn forward, bringing him face to face with Abraham 
 who has suddenly appeared behind and stepped be- 
 tween his men to face Lot. Abraham is calm and 
 mild of face. By one hand he supports himself upon 
 a staff, the other is upraised, palm out as in gesture of 
 forbidding. Lot and the other men gasp, "Abraham! " 
 Then instant silence. Tableau. Slowly the fighters 
 lower weapons, as Abraham gravely looks at each. At 
 last his gase returns to Lot. Pause. Lot hangs his 
 head. Slowly Abraham lowers his upraised hand to- 
 ward Lot as commanding his attention. Lot's eyes re- 
 main downcast.) 
 
 Abraham {with quiet, compelling voice and sweet 
 tone). *Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between 
 thee and me, and between my herdmen and thy herd- 
 men, for we be brethren. {Pause. Lot lifts his head, 
 looks into Abraham's eye, then falls on his knee and 
 clasps Abraham's hand and presses his forehead on it. 
 Tableau. ) 
 
 Lot {looking up at Abraham). Abraham! Since 
 * Genesis 13:8. 
 ISO 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 thou didst call me from Chaldea to journey with thee, 
 behold I have prospered like unto thee. Now I, like 
 thee, have cattle and flocks and tents; and thine and 
 mine together are so great the land is not able to bear 
 them. And therefore is there strife between our herd- 
 men. 
 
 Abraham. Is not the whole land before thee? 
 Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. If thou wilt 
 take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if 
 thou depart unto the right, then I will go to the left. 
 {Lot bows again on Abraham's hand, then rises and 
 looks afar to the left and to the right. ) 
 
 Lot. Blessed be Abraham ! When I lift mine eyes, 
 behold I see the plain of Jordan, well watered every- 
 where, even as the garden of the Lord. (Turning to 
 Abraham. ) I choose me all the plain of Jordan. 
 
 Abraham (pointing to opposite side). Then will I 
 dwell in Canaan. Go, my brother. (They join right 
 hands and each puts the left on the other's shoulder.) 
 Thus we will separate ourselves the one from^the 
 other. (They kiss on both cheeks.) 
 
 Lofs Wife. Blessed be Abraham! We shall have 
 peace. Peace! Oh, sing, all ye women, thanksgiving 
 to the Lord ! 
 
 Abraham. Yea. For the Lord God omnipotent 
 reigneth! Sing both men and women, hallelujah to 
 the Lord. 
 
 (Music. "Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipo- 
 tent reigneth! " a selection from the chorus in Handel's 
 Messiah, including the first sixteen measures, repeated 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 twice, with the first five hallelujah's added as a cow 
 elusion, to he sung as follows:) 
 
 Song. 
 
 LofsWife. Hallelujah! 
 
 Women of Lot. Hallelujah! 
 
 Men and Women of Lot. Hallelujah, hallelujah, 
 hallelujah! 
 
 Women of Abraham. Hallelujah, hallelujah! 
 
 Men and Women of Abraham. Hallelujah, hallelu- 
 jah, hallelujah! 
 
 All. For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth ! Hal- 
 lelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah! {And so on repeating 
 from, the beginning in full chorus, while Lot points the 
 way to his party, and they obediently follow him out, 
 singing in recession, the song finally concluding thus:) 
 
 Men and Women of Abraham,. Hallelujah ! 
 
 Men and Women of Lot {without). Hallelujah! 
 
 Men and Women of Abraham. Hallelujah ! 
 
 Men and Women of Lot {without). Hallelujah! 
 {Pianissimo.) Hallelujah! 
 
 {Abraham turns and is about to approach altar. 
 King Abimelech comes forward and a band of servants 
 appear. Abraham's men and maids group on the 
 other side.) 
 
 Abimelech {throwing back his cloak). Abraham! 
 Thou man of God! {Abraham turns back to look at 
 him intently.) 
 
 Abraham. Who art thou in kingly robe, that call- 
 est on Abraham? 
 
 Abimelech. Abimelech calls thee, King of the Jera- 
 152 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 zites. Vouchsafe, I pray thee, to make a covenant of 
 peace with me, for I have seen that God is with thee 
 in all that thou doest. 
 
 Abraham. Say on, O King Abimelech. 
 
 Ahimelech. Behold, my land is before thee. Dwell 
 where it pleaseth thee. {Abimelech' s servants kneel 
 and display cloth of rich colors and vessels of gold and 
 silver. ) And lo, I bring offering for thee of my royal 
 treasure, praying that thou wilt take of my hand and 
 covenant peace with me, for verily it hath been shown 
 to me, thou art from God. 
 
 Abraham {giving his hand). According to thy 
 kindness I will do unto thee, and to the land whereia 
 I shall sojourn. 
 
 Abimelech. Come let us swear before this holy 
 altar. 
 
 Abraham. God shall witness there our covenant of 
 peace. 
 
 {With right hands still joined they advance to the 
 altar, and face each other there, while the phrase, 
 "For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth," is heard 
 without, sung pianissimo, as the curtain falls. ) 
 
 COSTUMES AND PROPERTIES 
 
 For the very simple robes, shawls and head scarfs required, see 
 any illustrated Bible. Abraham has venerable white hair and 
 beard, soft, long, white under-robe and dark cloak. King 
 Abimelech a robe of rich coloring, perhaps purple with gold 
 borders. In the opening scene, King Abimelech's men should 
 
 153 
 
BRETHREN 
 
 have spears and shields. The herdmen may carry crooks, staves 
 or goads, and the maids, water-jars. 
 
 The altar should appear to be built of rough stones, as also the 
 coping of the well. 
 
 Note to Producer: It is suggested that the actors go through 
 this play in pantomime several times before learning the words. 
 This will expedite an adequate conception of the play. 
 
 1 54 
 
HOW SLEEP THE BRAVE 
 AN INTERLUDE FOR MEMORIAL DAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 FANCY f SNOWDROPS 
 
 SPRING c.^. ., r,, B, J DAFFODII^S 
 
 HONOR spirits of the Flowers ^ VIOLETS 
 
 FREEDOM L ROSEBUDS 
 
How Sleep the Brave 
 
 AN INTERLUDE FOR MEMORIAL DAY 
 '{Based on Collin's Hymn, " How Sleep the Brave."') 
 
 Scene: A green arch between green hedges, rep- 
 resenting the entrance to a cemetery in the springtime. 
 A glimpse of green-bordered pathway within. Bnter, 
 Fancy to speak the prologue. 
 
 Fancy. 
 
 Attracted by the lovely greening hedge, 
 
 And green-draped arching gate, have I strayed 
 
 hither. 
 It is a place unwonted to my feet, 
 For I am Fancy. Of tener I flit 
 Where fountains leap, or shepherdesses rove. 
 Or dolphins play in gay and sportive scene. 
 Here all is still, all wrapped in holy calm, 
 Dim-lighted through green shade of sheltering 
 boughs. 
 
 Is this a place for me, mere Fancy, to intrude? 
 Yet I would breathe awhile this air celestial. 
 My spirit lacks not reverence, and indeed. 
 As here I stand before this simple portal, 
 Which signifies the entrance to God's Acre, 
 The deeper springs within my heart upwell 
 In tribute and memorial to the brave. 
 157 
 
HOW SLEEP THE BRAVE 
 
 Suffer me then to make my offering, 
 
 In simple poesy, a play of Fancy, 
 
 Wreathing about the thought of Spring's return; 
 
 And Spring shall come before you as a queen 
 
 Attended by the spirits of the flowers. 
 
 Snowdrops, her heralds, — daffodils, her 
 
 squires, — 
 Rosebuds and violets, her maids of honor. 
 Then, at Spring's mandate, shall the flower 
 
 spirits 
 Open the buds and ring the flower bells. 
 And at the summoning sound, shall greater 
 
 spirits 
 Make pilgrimage hitherward as to a shrine. 
 
 Thus not presumptuously, but in true homage. 
 Here at the gate, I, Fancy, now unfurl 
 My filmy wings and take my rainbow flight. 
 
 (Bxit Fancy, as though flying. Music. Bnter 
 First Snowdrop.) 
 
 First Snowdrop {peering about, then calling). 
 Snowdrops! Ho, Sister Snowdrops! {She listers. 
 Music stops.) 
 
 Voices without. Coming, Sister, coming. 
 
 First Snowdrop. This way, Sister Snowdrops. 
 {Enter the other Snowdrops.) 
 
 Second Snowdrop. Is this the place? 
 
 First Snowdrop {pointing) . Here stands the sacred 
 portal. 
 
 Third Snowdrop. Is this the time ? 
 IS8 
 
HOW. SLEEP THE BRAVE 
 
 First Snowdrop. See for yourselves, sweet Sisters, 
 By every sign the time is close at hand. {They ex- 
 amine everything.) 
 
 Fourth Snowdrop. On every twig the sturdy leaves 
 stand forth in green array. 
 
 Second Snowdrop. From every clod of fertile sod, 
 upspring the grasses gay. 
 
 Third Snowdrop. Upon my cheek the gentle air is 
 fanning and caressing. 
 
 Fourth Snowdrop. The tender blue of curving sky 
 bends o'er us like a blessing. 
 
 First Snowdrop. And sunny rays, sweet sister 
 fays, that flood the smiling land — 
 
 Second Snowdrop. All, all, the same glad news pro- 
 claim, — 
 
 All {joyously). The Spring! The Spring's at 
 hand! {They look off to one side and the other.) 
 
 Third Snowdrop. 
 
 Are other flowers coming? 
 They should now be here. 
 
 Fourth Snowdrop. 
 
 Nay. Each in order due, 
 Thus should flowers appear: 
 
 Snowdrops first of all 
 Bravely rise alone. 
 Peeping, tiptoe tall. 
 Over stick and stone. 
 {The Snowdrops tiptoe and peep to this side and 
 that.) 
 
 159 
 
HOW, SLEEP THE BRAVE 
 
 Then stand forth daffodils. 
 
 With helmets all of gold. 
 They sentinel the hills, 
 
 And fright away the cold. 
 
 {Bnter Daffodils, marching and taking their stand 
 like soldiers on guard.) 
 
 Then, stealing o'er the plain. 
 
 Come little violets. 
 Spring's shy attendant train. 
 Her darlings and her pets. 
 
 '{Enter Violets, stealing shyly in.) 
 
 While rosebuds peep and flush, 
 
 Afraid to come too soon. 
 Then blossom in a rush 
 To be in time for June. 
 
 (Enter Rosebuds, hesitating in the wings, then hand' 
 in-hand, making a sudden rush, and laughing, while ail 
 smile at them.) 
 
 First Violet (looking off and speaking in joyous ex- 
 citement). The Spring is here! 
 
 Several Other Flowers (similarly). The Spring! 
 (Enter Spring.) 
 
 All the Flowers (kneeling). The Spring! 
 
 (Spring smiles around, and salutes all with a wave 
 of her scepter. All the flowers rise and burst into 
 song, — " Welcome, Sweet Springtime," as sung to 
 Rubinstein's melody in F, or other appropriate spring 
 song, if possible, one known to the audience, so that 
 all may join in.) 
 
 i6o 
 
HOW, SLEEP THE BRAVE 
 
 Spring {when song ceases). 
 
 Ye gentle fays and spirits of the flowers. 
 Know ye this sacred meeting-place of ours? 
 Why, in the hey-day of our flowery riot, 
 Hitherward, where all is hushed and quiet. 
 With sad and sober mien, and forehead lowly, 
 I bid you enter yonder portal holy ? 
 Beyond that gate, where arching willows lean, 
 And wave and droop o'er silent tents of green. 
 In their last bivouac and martial bed. 
 Repose the nation's honorable dead. 
 
 When winter holds his sway o'er all below, 
 He drapes their graves with whitest starry 
 
 snow. 
 And now when I, the Spring, return to rule. 
 Blessing the mold with dewy fingers cool. 
 No other place so richly will I deck 
 With tender flower hue, and sunny fleck. 
 With fragrant breeze and every woodland 
 
 grace, 
 As this the patriot heroes' resting-place. 
 Now fays, the entering pathway first beflower. 
 Then reverently, within, your bounty shower. 
 
 '{Sweet music, and stately dance of flower spirits. 
 Violets scatter little violets from their pockets, and 
 Daffodils, little daffodils. Snowdrops kneel and erect 
 their flowers against the hose of hedge. Rosebud spir- 
 its take garlands from their persons ^and fling them 
 over the arch, making it appear overrun with climbing 
 
 i6i 
 
HOW SLEEP THE BRAVE 
 
 roses. Spring stands center, waving her star-tipped 
 wand. Some of the flower spirits pass -within the 
 arch, bedeck what can be seen of the borders of the 
 path, and then pass out of sight as though continuing 
 the work beyond. In conclusion, all run back and 
 form tableau about Spring, kneeling or leaning for- 
 ward and extending hands, as though asking for ap- 
 proval. Music ceases.) 
 Spring. 
 Well done, bright flower souls. The place is meet. 
 And now the ceremony due shall be complete. 
 By fairy hands the knell shall now be rung, 
 By spirit voices shall the dirge be sung; 
 For when we toll each little flower bell, 
 We wake to song the choir invisible 
 Of spirits good who haunt this region blest. 
 To soothe the soldier's everlasting rest. 
 Now make the gentle flower bells to ring, 
 Arid hovering forms beneficent to sing. 
 
 {Plower spirits raise arms arid give pantomime of 
 slowly pulling invisible bell-ropes. As they do so, 
 bells without ring in chords, making prelude and then 
 accompaniment to dirge. The dirge is sung by sing- 
 ers behind the scenes.) 
 Singers Without. 
 
 Rest, comrades, rest and sleep. 
 
 The thoughts of men shall be 
 As sentinels to keep 
 
 Your rest from danger free. 
 162 
 
HOW SLEEP THE BRAVE 
 
 Your silent tents of green 
 
 We deck with fragrant flowers. 
 
 Yours has the suffering been. 
 The memory shall be ours.' 
 
 '{During the last lines, enter, with slow step. Honor, 
 at one side, and Freedom at the other.) 
 
 First Snowdrop (addressing Spring, and indicating 
 Honor). 
 
 Yonder who comes to attend our mournful rite? 
 
 His eyes are hooded, though his garb is bright. 
 
 His laurels brave on pilgrim staff he bears. 
 
 With mien majestic, mournful weeds he wears. 
 
 First Violet (addressing Spring on other side, and 
 indicating Freedom). 
 
 And here behold, another with bent brow. 
 Draws near the portal, silently and slow. 
 Her dress the nation's emblem, but o'erspread 
 With sable shroud that veils her drooping head. 
 
 Spring. 
 
 The first is Honor, come, a pilgrim gray, 
 
 To bless the turf that wraps the soldier's clay. 
 
 The other. Freedom. Thus she doth appear, 
 
 To dwell a while a weeping hermit here. 
 
 (Song by the Flowers, and if possible, also by the 
 audience, as all on stage begin slow procession through 
 the gate, with bowed heads, and hands on breast.) 
 'I/jngfellow. Decoration Day. 
 163 
 
HOW. SLEEP THE BRAVE 
 
 All {singing). 
 
 How sleep the brave who sink to rest 
 By all their country's wishes blest! 
 When Spring with dewy fingers cold 
 Returns to deck their hallowed mold, 
 She there shall dress a sweeter sod 
 Than Fancy's feet have ever trod. 
 
 By fairy hands their knell is rung. 
 By forms unseen their dirge is simg. 
 There Honor comes a pilgrim gray, 
 To bless the turf that wraps their clay* 
 And Freedom shall a while repair 
 To dwell a weeping hermit there/ 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
 COSTUMES AND PROPERTIES 
 
 'Snowdrops. White dresses with green over-dresses. Over- 
 <!resses slit up from bottom at intervals to show white^unaer- 
 neath. White flowing sleeves of under-dress appear through 
 sleeveless over-dress. Green caps from beneath which flow white 
 veils deeply scalloped with a touch of green at tip of each scallop 
 su^esting inverted snowdrop. Veils may cover back and sides 
 of the head, but part before faces. 
 
 Violets and Daffodils. Like Snowdrops, but under-dresses of 
 violet and gold respectively, and caps with jaunty crepe paper 
 petals in place of veils. 
 
 Rosebuds. Costumed in like manner, but draped and crowned 
 
 ' Collins. 
 164 
 
HOW SLEEP THE BRAVE 
 
 with rosebud garlands. The eflEect should be more green than 
 pink, both to suggest roses in bud, and to keep the color har- 
 mony of the whole tableau. 
 
 Spring. Thin white draperies, and long flowing sleeves, all 
 edged with silver tinsel. Star-tipped silver crown and wand. 
 
 Fancy. Dress of gauzy white, with rainbow wings suggested 
 by filmy cape from shoulders, striped in blue, pink and pale 
 yellow. Head-dress a crown of pale rainbow stripes. Irides- 
 cent beads would add to this costume. 
 
 Honor. Under-tunic of gold or of white, gold-bordered. Gold 
 sandals. An open domino of gray, over all, with a big cowl 
 covering bent head and half concealing face. He carries a 
 green laurel wreath attached to a pilgrim staff. 
 
 Freedom. White under-dress, with over-drape of large Amer- 
 ican flag. Very thin black veiling envelops entire figure, includ- 
 ing bent head. 
 
 Note. For the invisible bells, ordinary drinking glasses may 
 be lightly struck behind scenes. They are tuned by regulating 
 the amount of water in them. 
 
 i6s 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 A PLAY FOR GRADUATION DAY 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 MEMORY, the spirit of the past. 
 lylFE, the spirit of the present. 
 PROPHECY, the spirit of the future. 
 MEMBERS OF THE GRADUATING CLASS. 
 {Appearing in the various episodes.)' 
 
 SAILOR'S WIFE. COMMUTER. 
 
 NEIGHBOR. FRENCHMAN. 
 
 THREE BUSINESS MEN, CONDUCTOR. 
 
 MOTHER. FOUR TOURISTS. 
 
 CHILD. GRANDMOTHER. 
 
 SHOPPER. YOUNG GIRL. 
 
 DANCING GIRLS. 
 
 Note: The parts of the neighbor, child. Frenchman and young 
 girl should be taken by persons not members of the graduating 
 class, since these parts are not prophetic of a graduate's future^ 
 as the others are. 
 
Past, Present and Future 
 
 A PLAY FOR GRADUATION DAY 
 
 (Enter before the curtain. Memory, Life and 
 Prophecy, hand in hand. ) 
 
 Memory, Life and Prophecy (in concert). 
 Oh, we are the sisters three. 
 
 Of lineage sublime. 
 Past and Present and Future, 
 
 Daughters of Father Time ; 
 And one foretells what is to be. 
 
 And one records the past. 
 And one is queen of the present scene,-^ 
 
 Ah, the moments are flying fast ! 
 Past and Present and Future, 
 
 Hark to the sisters three, 
 Truth eternal we unfold 
 
 To those who have eyes to see. 
 
 Life (with gestures wafting the others to either 
 side). Past, you are but Memory. Future, you are 
 but Prophecy. I am the present, here and now; to me 
 
 belongs this hour. In the lives of boys and 
 
 girls, this is a momentous occasion. Here are gathered 
 their friends and kin to do them honor. The principal 
 and teachers of the school are present to wish them 
 God-speed. The diplomas are signed and tied with 
 ribbons. Hearts are beating high. The musician is 
 
 169 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 seated at the piano. Hark! The graduates are about 
 to begin their song. (She steps aside. Curtain rises 
 on the graduating class.) 
 
 Graduates (singing. Tune, "Sing me to sleep"). 
 
 Laden with roses, June is here. 
 
 Loveliest time of all the year, 
 
 Bringing us joy and bringing us pain, 
 
 Song of triumph and sad refrain. 
 
 Chorus: 
 Farewell, companions, loved for so long. 
 Schooldays are over, sad is our song. 
 Fain would we linger, fain would we dwell — 
 Home of our schooldays, we bid thee farewell. 
 
 Lessons are over, bravely done. 
 Ended our labor, honors won. 
 Yet with our joy is mingled pain, — 
 Never will our childhood return again. 
 
 Chorus: 
 Farewell, companions, etc 
 
 Life (after the song). They sing sweetly, but their 
 song is sad. Sisters, what cheer can you offer to these 
 graduates? 
 
 Memory. Dear boys and girls, do not be saddened 
 by the thought of parting from your school and from 
 each other, for -wherever you go, I am going with you. 
 
 Murmur of Graduates. You? Who are you? 
 
 Memory. I am the spirit of the past. My name is 
 Memory. (Sings, tune, " Oft in the Stilly Night.") 
 
 170 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 Oft, when the coming years 
 
 Shall cast their shadows o'er you. 
 Memory, 'mid smiles and tears, 
 
 Will bring the past before you. 
 Again you'll see, in memory, 
 
 Your schooldays calmly gliding, 
 And friends of old, whom still you hold, 
 
 In love and faith abiding. 
 Life's morning turns to night. 
 
 And shadows lengthen o'er you. 
 Still, memory keeps the light 
 
 Of childhood days before you. 
 
 All {sing softly, to the tune of the refrain). 
 Life's morning turns to night. 
 
 And shadows lengthen o'er us, 
 Memory will keep the light 
 
 Of childhood days before us. 
 
 (Several graduates cluster in loving attitude about 
 Memory.) 
 
 Pirst Graduate. Dear Memory ! 
 
 Second Graduate. You will bring back our school- 
 days. 
 
 Memory. Yes. Wherever you go, I will go with 
 you. 
 
 First Graduate. Oh, Memory, can you foretell the 
 future? 
 
 Memory. Oh no, I cannot do that. I am the spirit 
 of the past If you want to know the future, you 
 must ask my sister. 
 
 171 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 Several Graduates. Your sister? 
 
 Memory. Yes. You must ask of her {indicating) 
 the spirit of the future. Her name is Prophecy. 
 
 Pirst Graduate. Oh, Prophecy ! Can you show us 
 our future lives? 
 
 Prophecy. I can. 
 
 Pirst Graduate. Will Memory go with us in the fu- 
 ture? 
 
 Prophecy. Yes indeed. Shall I now pronounce my 
 enchantment, — ^unveil the future for you, and show 
 you how, over and over again, you will remember your 
 schooldays ? 
 
 Many Graduates {with signs of interest. ) Yes, yes. 
 Oh do! 
 
 Prophecy {stepping forward). 
 
 Fall, curtain, on our life to-day, — 
 
 Shut out the present scene, 
 Sweep on and forward, Father Time, 
 Pass by the years between. 
 
 {As she speaks, curtain falls, shutting out all hut 
 Prophecy.) 
 
 Let boyhood change to manhood. 
 
 Girlhood to womanhood, 
 And let appear what is to be 
 
 Of evil or of good. 
 
 Dread Fate and unknown Destiny, 
 
 My ma^c call obey, 
 Lift up the veil, and let the cloud 
 
 In vision melt away. 
 172 
 
PAST, PRESENT "AND. FUTURE 
 
 For now, by secret magic word, 
 
 And cabalistic sign, 
 I, Spirit of the Future, show 
 
 The power that is mine. 
 
 {Here she moves to one side, makes passes in the air, 
 and pronounces charms in dumb show, till the curtain 
 rises.) 
 
 Note: The following scenes may be used as they 
 stand, or they may serve as simple models, to aid grad- 
 uates in making original scenes based on actual class 
 history. 
 
 (Scene: A sitting-room. A table bears a rack of 
 attractive books. There are two comfortable chairs. 
 The sailor's wife is seen at one side as though watching 
 from a window. She appears a middle-aged woman.) 
 
 Prophecy {indicating the scene). Here we will take 
 our first look into the future: 'Tis a house by the sea, 
 the home of a sailor. He has just departed on a long 
 voyage, leaving his wife at home alone. 
 
 Voice {outside, shouting). All aboard! 
 
 Sailor's Wife {watching). There he is! There he 
 is! {Waving handkerchief.) He sees me! {Waves.) 
 He's waving back! {Calling.) Good-bye, Jack, good- 
 bye! 
 
 Voice '{outside). Good-bye, — ^good-bye! 
 
 Sailor's Wife {waznng). Good-bye! 
 
 Voice {outside, singing, — tune, chorus of "Nancy 
 Lee"). 
 
 173 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 The sailor's wife the sailor's star shall be. 
 
 Yo-ho, lads, ho, across the sea ! 
 The sailor's wife the sailor's star shall be. 
 
 The sailor's wife his star shall be! 
 
 {He repeats the refrain, his voice dying away, as 
 though receding.) 
 
 Sailor's Wife (watching, then sighing). He's gone ! 
 XSighs.) Oh dear, it will be so long before he comes 
 home again! (Sits at table, rests her head on her. 
 hand, muses sadly, and presently looks at books. She 
 passes her hand over them caressingly, takes one, opens 
 it and begins to read. Pause. A knock at the door.) 
 Come in ! (Bnter a neighbor.) 
 
 Neighbor. Good afternoon. 
 
 Sailor's Wife. Why, good afternoon. Neighbor, 
 come in and sit down. 
 
 Neighbor. Thank you. (Accepting chair.) I 
 came to keep you company a while. I thought you'd 
 be feeling lonely now that your husband has gone to 
 sea. 
 
 Sailor's Wife. Thank you, my kind neighbor. 
 That was very thoughtful of you. 
 
 Neighbor. It must be hard to be a sailor's wife. 
 Poor dear! I can imagine how lonesome it is, when 
 you are all by yourself, day after day, and nothing to 
 do but mope. 
 
 Sailor's Wife. It is lonesome, — ^very lonesome at 
 times; but I don't mope. I know a better way than 
 that to pass the time, 
 
 174 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 Neighbor. What is that? 
 
 Sailor's Wife. When I am alone, and have no work 
 to do, I read. 
 
 Neighbor. Oh, yes, reading is a good thing, — ^but 
 of course, books are not friends. 
 
 Sailor's Wife. My books are, the best of friends, — 
 life-long friends. They are always with me. When 
 all else leave me, these remain, and I have but to 
 stretch out my hand to them at any time for cheer and 
 company. {Puts hand on books.) There are some 
 books here that I never tire of. {Memory steals in 
 and hovers behind her.) Yes, there are some here 
 that I've loved ever since I was a girl in school. 
 
 Neighbor. What books are they? 
 
 Sailor's Wife. Well, here's one, "The Merchant 
 of Venice." Did you ever read that? It's about 
 Portia, who made the beautiful plea for mercy. She's 
 one of my ideals. {With growing enthusiasm.) 
 And Ellen Douglas is another, the lovely lady of the 
 lake. And here's Irving's " Sketch-book," — did you 
 ever read it? — ^with Rip Van Winkle who slept twenty 
 years in the Catskill Mountains, — ^served him right, 
 too! — and Ichabod Crane, the poor simpleton, scared 
 to death of the headless horseman, — I never get tired 
 of laughing at him ! And here is a book of my favorite 
 poems. Don't you love poetry? I was reading such a 
 beautiful song when you came in, — "The Bugle 
 Song," by Tennyson. Have you ever read it? 
 '{Neighbor shakes head.) When I read this poem, it 
 carries me to the mountains, and I see them looming 
 
 I7S 
 
PAST. PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 before me, bathed in the light of sunrise, and I hear 
 the echoes waked by the hunter's horn. And then the 
 poet compares the mountain echoes to the love in hu- 
 man hearts, soul answering to soul through boundless 
 time and space. So I find comfort here (hand on 
 book) when my sailor is far away. — Would you like to 
 hear the poem ? Shall I read it to you ? 
 Neighbor. Yes, do. 
 Sailor's Wife (reading). 
 
 The splendor falls on castle walls 
 
 And snowy summits old in story; 
 The long light shakes across the lakes. 
 And the wild cataract leaps in glory. 
 Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying, 
 Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying. 
 
 O love, they die in yon rich sky. 
 
 They faint on hill or field or river; 
 Our echoes roll from soul to soul, 
 And grow for ever and for ever. 
 Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying. 
 And answer, echoes, answer, dying, dying, dying.' 
 
 (As she reads, Memory waves her wand, and the 
 sailor's wife lifts her eyes from the hook, continuing 
 the reading without pause.) 
 
 Neighbor. Why, you know it without looking on 
 the book! 
 
 Sailor's Wife. Oh yes, I learned it when I was a 
 
 'Tennyson. Buffle Song from The Princess. 
 176 
 
PAST. PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 girl, and Memory brings it back to me, (Repeating 
 softly.) " Our echoes roll from soul to soul and grow 
 forever and forever." 
 
 (Soft music, the air of Memory's song, as the cur-, 
 tain falls. Music continues, during quick change of 
 scene. ) 
 
 Prophecy (when new scene is ready). Now I will 
 reveal cinother future scene. We shall see the office 
 of a firm of prosperous, metropolitan business men, 
 and it will be hard to think that they were once boys 
 in the school. 
 
 (Curtain rises on an office interior. A sign on the 
 door says, Harris, Macpherson and Oppenheim, 
 Bankers. In production, of course, actual names of 
 boys in the class will be substituted for these. Two 
 men, Harris and Macpherson, are seated talking.) 
 
 Harris. Oh, if I get the nomination. — What time 
 is it ? Oppenheim ought to be back by now. 
 
 Macpherson. It's only four. He can't be back till 
 four-thirty at the soonest. Don't worry, Harris, they 
 are sure to nominate you, and if they do, you'll be the 
 next mayor. It's a sure thing. 
 
 Harris (smiling to himself). Mayor! 
 
 Macpherson. Mayor Harris! Sounds well — eh? 
 
 Harris. Oh hush, Macpherson, I'm not even nomi- 
 nated yet. 
 
 Macpherson. It's certain to come in my opinion. 
 Oppenheim is probably proposing your name now. 
 
 Harris. Did he say he'd come right here from the 
 meeting? 
 
 177 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 Macpherson. He did. And it's only a step from 
 the hall. Hello! Here he is now. (Hnter Oppen- 
 heim, and the others jump up.) What news? 
 
 Harris. What is' it? 
 
 Oppenheim. The nominating committee have sent 
 me to offer you the nomination for mayor. 
 
 Macpherson. Hurrah! Hurrah! You win, Har- 
 ris. Our party is sure to carry the election. Hurrah 
 for Harris, the next mayor! 
 
 Harris. I tell you, Macpherson and Oppenheim, I 
 appreciate the way you have stood by me, and if I am 
 elected mayor, I'll count on you to help me give this 
 city a clean, efficient administration. 
 
 Macpherson. Hear! Hear! We'll do it. (Sud- 
 denly noticing depressed expression on the part of Op- 
 penheim.) Hello, Oppenheim, — ^what's the matter 
 with you? 
 
 Oppenheim. I haven't told you yet, the conditions 
 on which the nomination is offered. 
 
 Harris. What are they? 
 
 Oppenheim. First let me say, I did everything I 
 could to oppose these conditions. But you will know 
 me well enough for that. The worst element in the 
 organization has prevailed. 
 
 Macpherson. What do you mean? 
 
 Oppenheim (to Harris). They want you to prom- 
 ise to award the new street-car contract to Crook and 
 Sinecure of the Fraud Construction Company. 
 
 Macpherson. What! The big street-car contract 
 to Crook and Sinecure ! He can't do that ! 
 
 178 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 Oppenheim. The nominating committee say, the 
 Fraud Company will practically bear the expenses of 
 the campeiign, if they are promised the contract. 
 
 Macpherson. Tell them that Harris would sooner 
 tramp the streets a beggar. Tell them he throws their 
 insulting offer back in their faces. Tell them — ^why 
 don't you speak for yourself, Harris? 
 
 Harris. It's an awful temptation. 
 
 Macpherson. You don't mean to say, you're think- 
 ing of it ! 
 
 Harris. What do you say, Oppenheim ? 
 
 Oppenheim. You must decide for yourself, Harris. 
 
 Harris. Mayor ! To be Mayor ! * Yet to lend my 
 aid to cheating my city. All my life I have kept my 
 name clean — but this is my chance! My chance ! If I 
 refuse this, my political career is ended, probably, and 
 all my ambitions go to the wall! Mayor! — Then 
 maybe — governor — and then — ^who knows? — Govern- 
 ors before this have mounted higher. — It is my road — 
 
 I have a chance {_Long pause. Bnter Memory, 
 
 who waves wand behind. Harris goes on dreamily.) 
 Boys, years ago, when we were at school together, in 
 our history, — do you remember ?-r-who was it that had 
 a chance to be nominated for president, if he would go 
 against his convictions, — don't you know ? — that great 
 compromise fellow 
 
 Oppenheim. You mean Henry Clay. 
 
 Harris. Yes ! Henry Clay. And what was it that 
 he said? 
 
 Oppenheim. He said, " Sir, I would rather be right 
 179 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 than President." '{Pause. Harris seises the tele- 
 phone.) 
 
 Harris. Give me Main 700. {Pause.) This is 
 Harris — to speak with the chairman. Yes — ^yes — ^My 
 answer is this: Sir, if I am elected, I will oppose any 
 contract with the Fraud Construction Company. I 
 want nothing to do with them or you, and I refuse the 
 nomination. {Hangs up receiver, and stands erect, 
 Macpherson seizing his hand, and Oppenheim clap- 
 ping him on the shoulder. Curtain. Music.) 
 
 Prophecy {before the curtain as before). Again I 
 prophesy: And now I see an airship flying over the 
 ocean. It flies so high that its dangling passenger 
 cabin looks no bigger than my little finger. But that 
 cabin is really large enough to take a dozen passengers 
 to Europe. Let us take a look at these aerial tourists, 
 and perhaps we shall see some that we have known. 
 
 {Curtain rises. Scene: Interior of an airship 
 cabin. This scene may be suggested by a row of seats 
 against a background of screens, with circles of light 
 gray cardboard, framed in black, fastened against the 
 screens at regular intervals to suggest portholes. 
 Tourists occupy the seats, and are wrapped in rugs, 
 furs, etc.) 
 
 Child. Oh, Mother, what makes it so cold? 
 
 Mother. That's because we are so high above the 
 earth, dear. Look out of the porthole, and see how 
 far below the earth is. 
 
 Child {obeying). Oh, Mother, the sea has little 
 wrinkles in it ! {All smile. ) 
 
 1 80 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 First Tourist. Wrinkles! Why, litUe girl, those 
 are the great waves of the ocean. 
 
 Child. They look like tiny wrinkles. 
 
 Mother. That shows how high up we are. {Enter 
 Conductor, costumed like an aviator.) 
 
 Conductor. Tickets, please. {All get out tickets, 
 which Conductor punches.) 
 
 Second Tourist. How fast are we going now, Con- 
 ductor? 
 
 Conductor. Six hundred miles an hour, sir. 
 
 Shopper. It's certainly a slow trip. Five hours to 
 sit cramped up in an airship ! And it's the second time 
 this week I've had to go to Europe too! 
 
 Pirst Tourist. Too bad! How was it? 
 
 Shopper. Why, it was for my spring shbpping. I 
 went to Paris Thursday, and bought all my dresses and 
 hats for the season. And when I returned to New 
 York on Friday, I found that one of my hats didn't 
 match the dress it was to go with. So here, on Sat- 
 urday, I find myself obliged to take it back to Paris, 
 {holding up a hat box) and change it ! So annoying ! 
 
 Commuter. That's nothing. Madam ; you ought to 
 be a commuter, like me. My business is in New York, 
 but my family live in Paris; so I have to commute, 
 every week-end. 
 
 Second Tourist. I wouldn't be a commuter for 
 anything. I hate this tedious airship travelling. 
 
 Commuter. I get enough of it! It takes me five 
 hours every Saturday to get home. And coming back, 
 I have to get up at four o'clock Monday morning in 
 
 i8i 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 Paris, in order to reach ray New York office at nine ! 
 I wish they'd get some faster airships on this line. 
 
 Conductor (who has now reached the last passenger, 
 the Frenchman, seen to be asleep in his chair). Tick-- 
 ets, please. Tickets! (Very loudly.) Tickets! 
 
 Frenchman (waking with sudden start, and hastily 
 getting out ticket). Parr-rr-don! (Conductor 
 punches his ticket, and goes out. Frenchman rubs his 
 eyes, and turns to his neighbor.) Parr-rr-don, Mon- 
 sieur, I have sleep. Will you do for me ze favor to 
 tell ze time? 
 
 Third Tourist (looking at his watch). Eleven 
 o'clock, sir. 
 
 Frenchman. Merci. Bien ! I had fear I sleep past 
 ze diAnaire-time. 
 
 Third Tourist. Oh, no, it's an hour yet before din- 
 ner-time. 
 
 Frenchman. Merci ! 
 
 Fourth Tourist. You had a good nap, sir. 
 
 Frenchman. You must parr-rr-don. I have 
 fatigue. I travel all day yesterday, too. Yes, yester- 
 day, I have sight-see all America. 
 
 Fourth Tourist. Ah! Was it your first trip to 
 America ? 
 
 Frenchman. Oui. I live all my life in la belle 
 France. I never had see America. So yesterday, I 
 took — ^w'at you call him? — a day off, to sight-see 
 America. 
 
 Third Tourist. How did you like our country? 
 
 Frenchman. Oh, eet ees grr-rr-and ! I took — w'at 
 182 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 you call — a pairsonallee conducted airsheep. Eet flew 
 ovair ze Statue of Leeberty, Niaga-rr-rr-ra Falls, 
 Pike's Peak, ze Yellowstone, ze Golden Gate, ze 
 Grr-rand Canyon, — I have see eet all ! 
 
 Fourth Tourist. No wonder you are tired to-day. 
 
 Frenchman. Oui, oui. Eet ees too much for one 
 day to see all America. Ze next time I come, I will do 
 it slowlee, and take two days, {Bugle call sounds 
 without.) Ha! Dinnaire! {B:nt rapidly, followed 
 by Shopper and Commuter.) 
 
 Mother. What can that be? 
 
 First Tourist {looking at watch). That can't be 
 the bugle call for dinner. 
 
 Second Tourist {looking at watch). It's only 
 eleven, by my time. • 
 
 Third Tourist {calling off at one side). Steward! 
 Was that the call for dinner? 
 
 Voice {without). Yes, sir. {All seem puzzled. 
 Memory glides in and waves her wand.) 
 
 Mother. Oh, I know ! It's the longitude ! 
 
 Fourth Tourist. What do you mean? 
 
 Mother. Why, our watches are all set for New 
 York time. We must be now about fifteen degrees 
 east of New York. Therefore the time here is one 
 hour earlier. 
 
 Second Tourist. Then it is really twelve o'clock 
 instead of eleven, and we must all put our watches 
 ahead. 
 
 All. Oh, yes! {They set watches, laughing.) 
 
 Mother. I remember my teacher explaining that, 
 »83 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 when I was a child at school. {They go out to dinner 
 as the curtain 'falls. Music during quick change of, 
 scene.) 
 
 Prophecy. And now I look far, far ahead. I see 
 an old, old lady, a dear old grandmother. You would 
 scarcely think, to see her now, that she was once a little 
 
 girl in the school. And yet, as you watch her, 
 
 you will find, that in spite of her white hair and 
 spectacles, her heart has not changed at all in the long 
 years. 
 
 (Curtain rises, discovering little old lady knitting in 
 an easy chair. Bnter young girl, with old tattered 
 book.) 
 
 Young Girl. Look, Grandmother, what I found in 
 the attic! An old music-book of yours. May I play 
 from it? 
 
 Grandmother {without looking up). Yes, yes, — 
 play anything you like. {Bxit young girl. Piano 
 music heard behind scenes. Grandmother stops knit- 
 ting. Memory enters behind and Tjoaves wand.) Bless 
 my soul ! That's what they used to play when I went 
 to school ! It is a tune we used to dance to, when we 
 learned folk dances, — years ago, in our school gym- 
 nasium. Oh, yes, I remember! {Laughs.) It was 
 the Irish jig. {Taps her foot musingly, nods, and falls 
 asleep.) 
 
 Memory. She is asleep. Dear old soul! I will 
 bring back the old times in a dream. {Waves wand. 
 Enter a group of graduates. Grandmother rises in 
 lively manner, and greets them joyously. In produc- 
 
 184 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 Hon, names of actual girls in the class should, of 
 course, be used.) 
 
 Grandmother. It is the girls, come back! Oh, 
 Mabel! Kitty! Alice! Oh, oh, to see you all again! 
 
 Girls {variously). Hello, Sarah! Hello, Sarah! 
 Come, let's have a dance. (Music repeats without, and 
 all dance the Irish jig, Sarah in the center. At con- 
 clusion, music ceases, girls flit out, and Sarah sinks 
 sleeping in the arms of Memory, who gently replaces 
 her in the chair and goes out. Bnter the young girl.) 
 
 Young Girl. I like this old music, Grandmother, — 
 did you hear that jolly old time I was just playing? 
 Oh, — she has fallen asleep! — What a beautiful smile 
 she has! I wonder what she has been dreaming. 
 {Curtain. Bnter Life before the curtain.) 
 
 Life {wafting aside Prophecy). Not to the future, 
 no — {Bnter Memory, who is immediately wafted aside 
 also) — nor to the past, belongs this hour,, but to tiie 
 living present. I summon back the graduating class as 
 now it is, — ^all boys and girls as yet, — far, far removed 
 from politicians and grandmothers. 
 
 {Curtain rises on all the graduates, who group op- 
 posite the three spirits.) 
 
 Life. Now once again let all stand side by side, 
 while the clock ticks our closing hour here, and listen 
 to the spokesman of our class, , our valedicto- 
 rian. 
 
 Valedictorian. 
 Classmates, to us the present hour is full 
 Of triumph and of hope; and yet it bears 
 i8s 
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 A sorrowful significance as well. 
 When we must part, and farewells must be said. 
 Then only does the realization come — 
 How close and dear the old companionship ! 
 Sudden regret wells up. But in truth, 
 Sorrowful parting does not lack its vision. 
 We know that wheresoever we may go, 
 We'll hear those voices ever in our souls. 
 We'll bear their teaching ever in our hearts. 
 And, classmates, when we chance to meet each 
 
 other. 
 Together we will joyfully recall 
 Our songs and lessons here, our plays and sports. 
 And all our unf orgotten childhood friends. 
 And if it be our fortune not to meet. 
 Alone each faithful heart will echo still. 
 The inspiration of our comradeship. 
 Now as our parting valedictory 
 Let us repeat in unison once more 
 The poet's golden thought of htunan love. 
 
 All the graduates. 
 
 Our echoes roll from soul to soul. 
 And grow forever and forever. 
 Memory. As it was in the beginning. 
 Life. Is now, 
 
 Prophecy. And ever shall be. 
 All (singing). World without end. Amen! 
 Amen! 
 
 1 86 
 
GAMES FOR 
 ALL OCCASIONS 
 
 By MARY E. BLAIN 
 
 A most complete book of games for yoang and old — 
 games for tiny tots — games for children and games 
 for adnlts. Also games for special occasions such as 
 
 HALLOWE'EN ST. VALENTINE'S DAY 
 CHRISTMAS LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY 
 
 EASTER FOURTH OF JULY 
 
 MAY DAY NEW YEAR'S DAY 
 
 WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY, ETC. 
 
 A great many new and novel suggestions are given 
 as to how to decorate the house and what to serve 
 on these special occasions. 
 
 Cloth binding, siz« SX in- x73^ in.. 
 
 BARSB & HOPKINS 
 Newark, N.J. New York, N.Y. 
 
THE POLLY PENDLETON SERIES 
 
 BY DOROTHY WHITEHILL 
 
 Folly Pendleton is a resourceful, wide- 
 awake American girl who goes to a board- 
 ing school on the Hudson River some miles 
 above New York. By her pljick and re- 
 sourcefulness, she soon makes a place for 
 herself and this she holds right through the 
 course. The account of boarding school 
 life is faithful and pleasing and will iittract 
 every girl in her teens. 
 
 S POLLY'S FIRST TEAR AT BOARDING SCHOOL 
 a POLLY'S SUMMER VACATION 
 
 3 POLLY'S SENIOR YEAR AT BOARDING SCHOOL 
 
 4 POLLY SEES THE WORLD AT WAR 
 
 5 POLLY AND LOIS 
 
 6 POLLY AND BOB 
 
 Goth, Large IZmo., IllustraUd, 
 
 N8wark,N.J. 
 
 BARSE &• HOPKINS 
 
 PUBLISHERS 
 
 Mew York, N.y. 
 
CHARMING STORIES FOR GIRLS 
 (From eight to twelve years old) 
 
 THE CORNER HOUSE GIRLS SERIES 
 
 BY GRACE BROOKS HILL 
 
 Four girls from eight to fourteen 
 years of age receive word that a rich 
 bachelor uncle has died, leaving them 
 the old Corner House he occupied. 
 They move into it and then the fun 
 begins. What they find and do will 
 provoke many a hearty laugh. Later, 
 they enter school and make many 
 friends. One of these invites the 
 girls to spend a few weeks at a bun- 
 galow owned by her parents; and the 
 adventures they meet with make very 
 interesting reading. Qean, whole- 
 some stories of humor and adventure, 
 sure to appeal to all young girls. 
 
 1 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS. 
 
 2 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS AT SCHOOL. 
 
 3 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS. 
 
 4 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS IN A PLAY, 
 
 5 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS' ODD FIND. 
 
 6 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS ON A TOUR. 
 
 7 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS GROWING UP. 
 
 8 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS SNOWBOUND. 
 
 9 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS ON A HOUSEBOAT. 
 
 10 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS AMONG THE GYPSIES. 
 
 11 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS ON PALM ISLAND. 
 
 BARSE & HOPKINS 
 
 New York, N. Y. 
 
 Newark, N. J. 
 
The Yank Brown Series 
 
 By DAVID STONE 
 
 Cloth, large 12 mo. Illustrated. 
 
 When Yank Brown comes 
 to Belmont College as a 
 callow Freshman, there is 
 a whole lot that he doesn't 
 know about college life, 
 such as class rushes, rival- 
 ries, fraternities, and what 
 a lowly Freshman must 
 not do. But he does know 
 something about how to 
 play football, and he is a 
 big, likeable chap who 
 speedily makes friends. 
 In the first story of this 
 series we watch Yank buck the line as a Half- 
 back. In the second story he goes in for basket- 
 ball, among many other activities of a busy col- 
 lege year. Then there are other stories to fol- 
 low — each brimful of action and interest. This 
 is one of the best college series we have seen in 
 a long while. 
 
 YANK BROWN, HALFBACK 
 
 YANK BROWN, FORWARD 
 
 YANK BROWN, CROSS-COUNTRY 
 RUNNER 
 
 BARSE & HOPKINS 
 
 NEWARK NEW YORK 
 
 N. J. N. Y. 
 
 {Other volumes in preparation.) 
 
THE BOBBY BLAKE SERIES 
 
 BY FRANK A. WARNER 
 
 BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 ^om eight to twelve years old 
 
 Trne stories of life at a modem 
 American boarding school. Bobby 
 attends this institution of learning 
 with his particular chum and the 
 boys have no end of good times. 
 The tales of outdoor life, espe- 
 cially the exciting times they have 
 vrhen engaged in sports against 
 rival schools, are written in a 
 manner so true, so realistic, that 
 the reader, too, is bound to share 
 with these boys their thrills and 
 pleasures. 
 
 I BOBBY BLAKK AT ROCKLEDGE SCHOOL. 
 3 BOBBY BLAKE AT BASS COVE. 
 
 3 BOBBY BLAKE ON A CRUISE. 
 
 4 BOBBY BLAKE AND HIS SCHOOL CHUMS. 
 
 5 BOBBY BLAKE AT SNOWTOP CAMP. 
 
 6 BOBBY BLAKE ON THE SCHOOL NINE. 
 
 7 BOBBY BLAKE ON A RANCH. 
 
 8 BOBBY BLAKE ON AN AUTO TOUR. 
 
 9 BOBBY BLAKE ON THE SCHOOL ELEVEN, 
 lo BOBBY BLAKE ON A PLANTATION. 
 
 BARSE & HOPKINS 
 New York, N. Y. Newark^ N. J.