CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT OF Cornell University Department of Theatre Arts PS 1522.L73"'lS"9'r"' '""'"'^ ^''*iiiniili5i!iiiiifliiill?...P.!S';f '" one act.Dram 3 1924 022 112 324 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/cu31924022112324 SPKCIAL NOTICEj.— All Eights Resbrvbd.— This Play is duly protected by Gopyi'j<,'ht. Managers and actors wisbing to iivoduoe it must obtain tUe ooiisout of the publishers. It may, however, be produced by amateurs wllhuut permiBsiou. THE LITTLEST GIRL. A PLAY IN ONE ACT. DEAMATIZED BY ! ROBERT HILLIARD RICHARD HARDING DATIS'S STORY, "HER FIEST APPEAEANCE." TOGETHER WITH A DESCBIPTION OP THE COSTUMES— CAST OP THE CHAKA.CTERS — SS' TBAHCK8 AND EXITS — UBI.ATIVE POSITIONS OP THE PEKFOBM- BSS OH TEE STAGE, AND THE WHOLE OF THE BTAOS BUSINESS, NEW YORK : THE DE WITT PUBLlSHINa HOUSE, No. 34 West Thibtikth Stheet. This Play is a dramatization of Mr. Richard Harding Davis's story entitled " Her First Ap- pearance," which is copyrighted by Harper & Brothers as a part of Mr. Davis's volume en- titled "Van Bibber and Others." Copyright, 1898, By Charles Belmont Davis. CHARACTERS, Mh. Cabutheks. Davenport, servant to Mr. Cavuthers. " Littlest Gikl," of Lester's Opera Company. Van Bxbbeb. TIME— TODAY. ACTING TIME— TWENTY MINUTES. SCENE. Handsome bacIielor'» apartment in Berkeley Flats, Fifth Avenue, New York. PROPERTIES. ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Dark carpet, dow n; Scre en, dainty, light blue, not over five feet high; Desk, handsome ; Chair, revolving ofSc e ; C hair, noiseless rollers. , upholstered, leather if possible : Ch air, bigji rm-c hair, upholstered in leather, if possible; Table, hand- some centre table, about five by four feet ; La mp, handsome parlor lamp and B hade,\ ^ P RACTICA L, and piauo lamp, also practical ; D ecante r, brandy and soda glasses (2) ; B owl, and glass fo r ice ; Fi yeplace , big old-fashioned, if possible ; Firelog, lighted ; Cigar^ta ud and cigars ( 6) ; As h receiver s (2) ; Butter-bowl lamp; M atches (parlor), tat le be ll, bottl e _ of sarsapa rilla. syph on of seltze r, crac ked ic e, ele ctric bel Laud also c lock chimes , four handsome furrugs, animal skins with heads and claws, four l arge plan ts , six sm all i)laij ts. ' NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Staud of armor, statue of Venus, fur rugs^ (handsome), two deer heads, photo- graghs i n flame s, five pi cture s, ott oman , five silk pillows, four stuffed birds, two stuffed animals, raj^:^ small piano. Footlights very low, to give moon and fi replace effect. No border or side lights. THE LITTLEST QIBL. SCENE PLOT. Scene: Handsome Bachelor Apartment. Backing: Tops of City Honaea. Qaoas, Calcillig)|| Light pretty Screen, 6 ft. high. (j Big Leather Upholstered Chair, on noiselesB rollerB, TEBT IMFOBIAHI. Fire Log 3:=— O * Lighted. 11 J Big Arm-^hair in front of Fireplace. THE LITTLEST GIKL. SOESE.—Eandsome bachelor's apaHment. At rise ofmriain tOr- "■ — ^snnsic, a pattse of abo^tt ten seconds, so und of oloclj tojlrike_^ eleven, then elec tric belt o/f R. i,_ ^____- Enter Datenpobt from l., walks iopian^mip^J^^^iinMl^Jf>«''- ^1 tialbj, a-03ses to dooiPtind o^M^J^Enter'sxs %-&-6E&[fbout J thirty years oW) in evening dress of latest style; top coat, and in ->.. to arms " T/ie Littlest Girl. " She is dressed as a fairy m- ballet y girl, with wand, etc., and is fast asleep. Dayekpokt. Good-evening, Mr. Van Bibber. Van Bibber. Ah, Davenport; is Mr. Caruthers at home? Dav. Tea, sir; he was just about to retire. (Van 3. places child in arm-chair; Davenport suppresses surprise with difficulty.) Van B. Say I would like to see him. {gives card. Davenpokt crosses to c.) And, Davenport, you need not spaak of the little girl having come with me. v^ VisB. places screen around chair, then crosses to table c. and puts J^:£y4^ownhat. Enter Carcthers, Ii., partly dressed, wrapped in long ->v loose dressing-gown, tying rope of the same; crosses to mantel I wL and leans on it. He is prematurely old, gray, etc. Stop music, (_ Cabuthees. Good-evening, Mr. Van Bibber. ',& Van B. Good-evening, Mr. Caruthers. /Cabuth. Excuse my costume, will you? I turned in rather early . to-night; it was stupid at the club and lonely here, (noe s to table o . and —pours out B. and 8.) Will you.join me in a brandy and soda? {watah- ingt ^is B.'s face, curious to have him explain his visit.) Van B. No, I think not, thank you. (nervously wiping forehead) May I smoke? ^ Cabdtb. {Jilts glass with ic e, B. and 8., crosses back to mantel, rests- _o n arm - clMir, while he clinks ice in glass and logics into it). Certainly. 6 THE LITTLEST GIEL. /v Try one of mine ; I think you will like them. (Van B. moves to table and Cabuthebs raises cigar-boa; and offers it to hijn) Allow me. Van B. Thank you. {titcn Cabutheks crosses toymantel as per busi- ness on page 5. Vak B. slowly and uncertainly) I was at the first night of "The Sultana" this evening. jj Cabtjth. {tasting drink, crosses down to mante l). Oh, yea, Lester's ■ new piece. Was it any good? , Van B. I don't know. Yes, I think it was. I didn't see it from the front. There were a lot of children in it — (Cabuthebs starts) little ones ; they danced and saug, and made a great hit. One of them, the littlest girl, had never been on the stage before ; it was her first ap- pearance, {during this speech Van B. is near table o. ; at end of speech lie pours out some of the soda, gulps it down, and continues, turning the em/pty glass between tips of fingers) It seems to me a pity, {looks M/j a< Cabuthebs, who returns his look without any show of interest) I say, it seems a great pity that a child like that should be allowed to go ou in that business. A giiown woman can go into it with her eyes open, or a girl who has had decent training can too. But it's differ- ent with a child, who has had no careful, loving hand to guide and guard her. She had no choice in the matter; they don't ask her per- mission, and she isn't old enough to know what it means, so she gets used to it and fond of it before she grows to know what the danger is, and then it's too late. It occurred to me that if there were any one who had the right to stop it, it would be a very good thing to let that person know about her — ■(Caeuthees turns to Van B. sharply and in- dignantly) about this child, I mean — the girl, the littlest girl, the one who made the hit — ^before it was too late. It seems to me a responsi- bility I shouldn't care to take myself. I shouldn't care to think that I "Tad the chance to atop it, and had let that chance go by. Yijtf'know what the Ufe is, and what temptations a woman Cabuth. Sir ! . Van B. I mean, we all know — every man knows, {during last of speech Carutuees looks intently at Van B., pressing his lips close to- gether:) -J-- Cabuth. What is all this about? Did you come here, Mr. Van •fibber, at midnight, simply to tell me this ? Why did you come here ! Van B. Because of the child. Cabuth. What child? Van B. Ida Clare's child— yoM?- child ! {he braces himself for some kind of an outbreak, but CAEUTHERs^ces him without a trace of feel- ing in his look, sets glass or cigar carefully down on mantel, tightens rope of robe, and speaks quietly and politely.) I Cabuth. Mr. Van Bibber, you are a very brave young man. You have dared to say to me what those who are my best friends ^what THE LITTLEST GIBL. ' even my own family would not dare to say. They, I suppose, are afraid it might hurt me. They have some absurd ngard for my feeliugs; they hesitate to touch upon a subject which in no way concerns them, t and which they know must be very painful to me. But you have the courage of your convictions ; you have no compunction about tearing open old wounds. You come here, unasked and uninvited, to let me know what you think of my conduct ; to let me understand that it does not agree with your own ideas of what I ought to do, and to tell me how /, who am old enough to be your father, should behave. I suppose I ought to thank you for it, but I have always said it is not the wicked people who are to be feared in this world, or who do the most harm ; we know themJ^& can prepare for them and checkmate the m. It is ^ the well-meaning foo? ( Yak B. sta rts, turns r. and grasps clmir very ■ quietly) who makes all the mischief; for no one knows him until he discloses himself, and the mischief is done before he can be stopped.^ 1 think, if you wiU allow me to say so, that you have demonstrated my theory pretty thoroughly, and have donei about as much needless harm for o 5r°evening as you can possibly wish, and so, if you wiU excuM lae—ifirosses to o. and speaks very sternly, picks up Y an B.'s ha^l will ask you to say good-night, and will request of you that you grow older and wiser, and much more considerate, before you come to see me again, {hands hat to Yan B. atxd cr osses back. yi^A pause. Vau B. looks toward Caeuthebes, then toward screen and child^ ' Van B. It is very easy to call a man a fool — ^very hard to be called a fool, and not throw the other man out of the window. (Cabutheks S^wns sharply and threateningly to Yan B.) But that would not do any^ good, and I have something to say to you first. I am quite clear in my own mind as to my position, and I am not going to allow anything you have said, or can say, to annoy me until I am through ; there will be time enough to resent it then. I am well aware that I did an un- conventional thing in coming here — a bold thing, or a. foolish thing, as you choose— but the situation is rather bad, and I did as I would have vrished to be done by, if I had a ohUd — a daughter— going to the devU, land didn't know it. I should have been glad to learn it, even from a 77/stranger. However, {arra nging coat we Daraioiii to going) there are /other kindly disposed people in the world besides fathers. There is an aunt, perhaps, or an uncle, and sometimes — even to-day— there is the chance Samaritan, {picks up hat, Itip^^ntt^t and^ttles Itjirmb/ chance Samaritan, {picks up hat, pV>^^ai^, and^ttles It (iMs head) Good-night, (cr osses to T^^i f^^m^ imSw. /< ^^y^isuik. One moment, if you plea^ Mr. Yan Bibbes-. {crosses to a. 'I'^p!siS?^f^^'^^^^^^^^^.'s^°'' to understand ^ — Yan B. {laughingly). Oh, that's aU right, (ej^gge^toac again.) £bd -t/ 1* ^J3ABtnPH. No— it is not all right. One moment, please. I do not 8 THE LITTLEST GIBL. intend that you shall go away from here with the idea that you have come to do me a service, and that I have been unable to appreciate if. Since you have done me the honor to make my affairs yours, I would prefer that you should understand them fully. I do not care to have , you discuss my conduct at clubs, and at'terooon teas, with young \ women until you (Van B. draws in fiis breath, opens and shuts his f hands convulsively.) Van B. {simply, quietly). I wouldn't say that, if I were you, sir. Re- gally. Cabuih. I beg your pardon, that was a mistake ; I was wrong, I beg your pardon. But you have tried me sorely. I know you to be a gen- tleman, and I am willing to think you acted upon impulse, and that .you will see to-morrow w/ta< a mistake you have madej It is not a 4ihing I talk about ; but you have put me on the defensive. You have made me out more or less a brute, and I do not intend to be so far mis- understood, Vrhere are two sides to every story, and there is somsthing to be said about this, even for me. Will you listen to me? (Van B. pauses) Sit down, (Van B. turns) please, (ba ck to mantel , fingers rope of robe. Yua B. puts hat back on table, relights cigar, and crosses to ' window, up c, and then si ts on chair b. 3 e. by des k, and keeps per- fectly motionless, except such movement as is necessary to make in smoking) When I married Ida Clare, the dancer, I did so against the wishes of my people and the advice of all my friends. You know all about that. Who doesn't? It was very rich, rare reading for you and everybody else, and we gave them all they wanted. I took her out of that life and married her, because I believed s7ie was as good a woman as any of those who had never had to work for tielr living. And I was bound that my friends and your friends should recognize and respect her as my wife had a right to be respected!^^ took her abroad, that I might give all these sensitive, fine people a chance to get used to the idea of being polite to a wosaan who bad been a burlesque actress.--. It began over there, in Paris. What 1 went through there no one » knows.. Then we came home. But it was in the blood— in the life she had led.- «« -a. iJ . Van B. (very quietly). No, Carathers, in the life such men as you and I had TADGHT Iter to lead. Oabuth. Well, perhaps, but it liad to come out. She had every chance when she married me that a woman ever had; it only depended upon herself. I didn't try to make a home body or a drudge of her. She had all that money could give her, and I was a husband who loved j^er as — Oh, she had everything — everything that a man's whole thought and love could bring her ; and you know — every one knows —what \ she did.!? After the clivoroe, when she was free to go where she pleased, to live as she pleased, and with whom, she pleased, I swor^ to i THE LITTLEST dlHL. d I would nevm- see her or her chOd again. And I iioyor did boo her again, iwt even when slje died. I loyed the mother, and she daoeived me,disgraoed me, Sd 6roi7J»2/ heart, and I only wish iMiisi she had AiHerf me. And I was beginning to love our child, and I vowed she should not triok me too. I had suffered as no one can understand who has not gone thrijjjgh helll and been forced to live after it. And was I to go through that againT Was I to love, and care for, and wor- 6, ship this cliUd, and have her grow up with all her mother's vanity and ,; j u i ^. ^ ft un a animal nature, (Van B. puffs furiously on cigar and ' swings angi-ily on revolving cJiair) and have her turn on me some day, and show me that what is bred in the bone must tell, and that I \.was a fool again ?ViTo, I would not trust her. {walks deliberately up to table 0.) I can nCTsr trust any woman or chUd again, and, least of all that woman's child. 3 S/ie is as dead to me as though she were buried with her mother, and it is nothing to me what she is, or what her life is. I know what it will be. Sbe has begun earUer than I had snp- « posed, that's allX Bu t she is nothing taja e— nothing to me — ^nothing. (bi-eaks down ana bu ries his Itead in his hands on mantel , sobs, and tii rns c. a gain) I care too milch. It seems so much more to me than to other men. Wiey may pretend to laugh, to forget, and to outgrow it but it is not so with me. J care too much — too much., (sin to into arm- ■cJuiir facing _fire.^ ^m-ns to Van B.) Why, man, I loved that child's -, mother to the day of her dea^. I loved that woman then, and, God I help me, I love that womanj^^j ^eoper^/ace w ith his hands, breathing 1 heavily and rocking to and fro. ^Spo^e.) yi-e%tf~ Van B. My dear Caruthers, thes3^t is a painful one, and I vriU not presume to argue with you why you should not cast adiift a child as much yours as that dead woman's. Only permit me to say that when you made that woman your wife itjwas natural to^sup peae^fa^l lrl would be bom to you./■ need to be ^a bit. They did not treat her Tery well, I fancy, in that ?, cheap theatrical boarding house. When I saw her at the theatre to- night I noticed how thin and peaked and tired looking she was. Her little arms were painfully thin, and under her eyes, were it not for the paint, you could see how deep the lines are, and on her cheek was ^ a red spot whergJ/LugLEanp of the ballet kissed her, and another where Edna Stanley kissed her. You have heard of them, (Jauglis) eh, Carn- ^ the rs? (Cabuthebs starts . Very seriously) They will jiever kiss her again. She is going to grow up a sweet, pure, beautiful woman. She does not look like her mother: she has her father's features. Beally, she's awfully like^er ifth^V. It seems a pity she should grow up without knowing hinyioSnsnohe is— or was,, if he should die. She will never speak with him, or see him, or even take his hand. She may pass l^'him some da; in the street and will not know him, and he will not ''mow^' ; but she will grow to be very fond of the simple ol d farm^ people who have been good to her when she was a little tot of a child, ( music tp en dof act.y iCrosses to child, re moves screen j^aiM wiiMs , chair to c, then ta kes up child and stands her , wand in hand, on chair) This is she— this is the littlest girl. This, Caruthers, is yoi^hild ! Caeuth. {stares at child, hesitates, and t/ien tremblingly goes slowly to child). Give her to me ! (in a whisper.) Van B. No, you have oast her away. SKjg. W yy^^*^ CARUTH.(drdmatical!y). No, no, I say— she is mine! M y baby-! iBf - ImTgf l (la/ees c/t»fi^d's neck.) Van B. (rings bell, lights cigar, DAVEtiX iBT enteis) . Davenport, pre- pare a room for Miss Caruthers ; she sleex^s here at her father's to- night. , -?" [ Mcit B . 3., E as curtain falls-. — » (^.ri.tf-' ^ nunTATN.. .p^j^^^^ — STAGE DIRECTIONS. E. tneane Eight of Stage, facing tbe Andience; L. Left; C. Centre; B. 0. Bight of Centre; Tj. C. Left of Centre; D. F. Door lu the Flat, or Scene rT.Dning aorosB the back of the Stage; 0. D. F. Centre Door in the Flat; B. D. F. Bight Door in the Flat; L. D. F. Left Door in the Flat; R. D. Bisht Door; L. D. Lett Door; 1 E. First Entrance; 2 E. Second Kntrauce; U. E. Upper Entrance; 1, 2 or 3 G. First, Secoud or Third Groove. R. B.C. 0. L. C. L. eg- The reader is supposed to be upon the stage, facing the audience. De Witt's' Ethiopian And Comic Dramas 'X'HE best and most complete list of Ethiopian and Comic Dramas ever printed. Not only are the plots excellent, the characters droll, the incidents funny, the language humorous, but the situations, by-play, positions, pantomimic business scenery, and tricks are so plainly set down and clearly explained that ama- teurs can put any of them on the stage without the slightest diffi- culty. Included in this Catalogue are some of the most laughable and effective pieces of their class ever produced. Most of the female roles may be assumed by male characters, In ordering, please be particular to give correctly the full title of the play desired, E^Any of the following plays sent, postage free, on re- ceipt of price— fifteen cents each, B^ Address as on first page of this Catalogue. DE WITT'S ETHIOPIAN AND COMIC DRAMA. No. I THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS., An Ethiopian Sketch, s S? l' ^' Stewart Characters, three male, one female. Costumes of \ A,-K'- "«P' Indian shirts, etc. Scenery, a chamber and a wood. > Acting; time, eighteen mmutes. a TRICKS. AnEthiopJanSketch, by J. C.Stewart. Chaiacters, .*rti„'^Vi^i".S/ur!l.*- .Costumes of the period. Scenery, two interiors, iicting time, etgbteen mmutes. 3 HEMMED IN. An Ethiopian Sketch, by J. C. Stewart. Char- ^^:. ."i™!*. "'If' "!" /«"«'«• Costumes modem. Scene, a studio. Acting: time, twenty mmutes. "■•uu,,/. 4 EH? WHAT IS IT? An Ethiopian Sketch, by J. C. Stewart. Characters, four male, one female. Costumes of the ''day. Scenra chamber. Acting time, twenty minutes. ^ acene, a PLAYS BY SYDNEY ROSENFELB, Author of "The Oolah," "A Possible Case," "The Step ping Stone," and "The Senator;" the most success- ful Plays of the day on the New Yorl< stage. None of the above mentioned Flays can be obtained, as they are heldj In manuscript hj their respective owners ; but, owing to the great demand' for anything from Mr. Rosenfeld's pen, we have prepared the foUowingi list of his published plays, which we offer at the uniform rate ofj 15 cents each. UB. Z. A Faroe in one act, by Sydney Rosenfeld. Three mate and tbree female characters. An excruciatingly funny little piece, as full of life as prime Cliqnot, Coetumes modem. Scene, a sitting room. Time in representationj fifty minutes. BOSEMI SHELL. A Musical Travesty in four scenes, by Sydney Bosenfeld. Six males, three females. A very clever, actable bnrlesilae upon Bose Michel. Scenery, local street views and Interiors, Costumes, extravagant Louis XVI. Time in representation, fifty minutes. < HER ONLT FAULT. A Comedietta in one act, from the Q-erman (d Goerlitz, by Sydney Bosenfeld. Two male, two female characters. A charmiid little piece, full of interest. Scene, a handsomely famished apartment. Castnmei modem. Time of playing, thirty minutes. UABBIED BACnELOBS. A Comedietta in one act, by Sydney Bosei feld. Tluee male, two female characters. Full of the witty author's ezuberanA of spirit. Scenery, a plain room. Costume modem. Tune in representatiiM twenty-five minutes. 1 ON BREAD AND WATER. A Musical Faroe In one act, being a freei adaptation from the German, by Sydney Bosenfeld. A rollicking little piece. Onsi male and two female characters. Cont^ning a brilliant sonbrette part. Costumesl modern. Scene, an uncarpeted school room. Time in repiesentation, twenty-^ five minutes. I SHALL INVITE THE MAJOR. A Parlor Comedy in one act, from tlii German of G. ^on Moser, by Sydney Bosenfeld. Containing five characters, four male and one Vemale. A very pleasing little play with good parts for all. Ver^ bright and witty. Costumes modem. Scene, a handsome interior. Time In rep] resentation, forty minutes. I ^9H O. A Comedietta in one act (very freely adapted from thq German ef M. A. Grandjean), by Sydney Bosenfeld. Three male, one female char? acters. Very droll and sprightly. Costumes modem. Scene, a well-fnmlshed room. Time of representation, forty minutes. MABEL'S MANCEUVBE; or, A Third Party. A Parlor Interlude in one scene, by Sydney Bosenfeld, One male, three female characters. A very charm-i iag little affair. Scene, a neat interior. Costumes modern. Time in representation,! fifteen minutes. THE HAIR APPARENT; or. The Treacherous Wig.^ A Faroa-fii on« act by Sydney Bosenfeld. Five male, one female characters. A very Uyfely piece. Scenery, a garden. Costumes modern. Time in representation, twenty minntea OFF :TBS: STAGE. An entirely original Comedietta in one act, Im Sydmey Bosenfeld. Three male and three female characters, all equiw excellent One of the sprightliest, wittiest and most amusing little plays ever wiftten, causing almost an hours constant merriment. Costumes modem. Scenj^ a bandsomt interior. Single Copiis ef any of the above Books sent postpaid on receipt of Piici •:;f/- ":