I=RICE 15 OENTS THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY , „. -,- : : 1 Successful Rural Plays A Strong List From Which to Select Your Next Play FARM FOLKS. A Rural Play in Four Acts, by Arthur LEWIS Tubes. For five male and six female characters. Time of playing, two hours and a half. One simple exterior, two easy interior scenes. Costumes, modern. Flora Goodwin, a farmer's daughter, is engaged to Philip Burleigh, a young New Yorker. Philip's mother wants him to marry a society woman, and by falsehoods makes Flora believe Philip does not love her. Dave Weston, who wants Flora himself, helps the deception by intercepting a letter from Philip to Flora. She agrees to marry Dave, but on the eve of their marriage Dave confesses, Philip learns the truth, and he and Flora are reunited. It is a simple plot, but full of speeches and situations that sway an audience alternately to tears and to laughter. Price, 25 cents. HOME TIES. A Rural Play in Four Acts, by Arthur Lewis Tubes. Characters, four male, five female. Plays two hours and a half. Scene, a simple interior — same for all four acts. Costumes, modern. One of the strongest plays Mr. Tubbs has written. Martin Winn's wife left him when his daughter Ruth was a baby. Harold Vincent, the nephew and adopted son of the man who has wronged Martin, makes love to Ruth Winn.^ She is also loved by Len Everett, a prosperous young farmer.' When Martin discovers who Harold is, he orders him to leave Ruth. Harold, who does not love sincerely, yields. Ruth dis- covers she loves Len, but thinks she has lost him also. Then he comes back, and Ruth finds her happiness. Price 25 cents. THE OLD -N-EW HAMPSHIRE HOME. A New England Drama in Three Acts, by Frank Dumont. For seven males and four females. Time, two hours and a half. Costumes, modern. .A play with a strong heart interest and pathos, yet rich in humor. Easy to act and very effective. A rural drama of the "Old Homstead" and "Way Down East" type. Two ex- terior scenes, one interior, all easy to set. Full of strong sit- uations and delightfully humorous passages. The kind of a play everybody understands and likes. Price, 25 cents. THE OLD DAIRY HOMESTEAD. A Rural Comedy in Three Acts, by Frank Dumont. For five males and four fernales. Time, two hour-s. Rural costumes. Scenes rural ex- terior and interior. An adventurer obtains a large sum of money from a farm house through the intimidation of the farmer's niece, whose husband he claims to be. Her escapes from the wiles of the villain and his female accomplice are both starting and novel. Price, 15 cents. A WHITE MOUNTAIN EOY. A Strong Melodrama in Five Acts, by Charles Townsend. For seven males and four females, and three supers. Time, two hours and twenty minutes. One exterior, three interiors. Costumes easy. The hero, a country lad, twice saves the life of a banker's daughter, which results in their betrothal. A scoundrelly clerk has the banker in his power, but the White Mountain boy finds a way to check- mate his schemes, saves the banker, and wins the girl. Price 15 cents. THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA Sales and a Solitaire A Shop-Girl Monologue By GERTRUDE WELTON PHILADELPHIA THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 191 8 ^' ^^^'' ^V Copyright 1918 by The Penn Publishing Company 'M W 1919 Sales and a Solitaire TMP92-007508 Sales and a Solitaire i CHARACTER | I A Shop-Girl - behind the linen counter. She wears a ! plain white shirt-waist and black skirt, \ or a black dress with a white collar ' and cuffs, if preferred. Her hair is ! dressed in extreme fashion, her nose \ is powdered white, and she is very ' conscious of a diamond ring on the ; third finger of her left hand. She is ' chewing gum. i Sales and a Solitaire {She stands zvith her right hand on her hip and the other extended before her. She looks at her ring and speaks.) Hello, Mame ! Look ! Sure, I got it at last. Last night. Aw, wait until I tell you about it. {Chews gum, takes it out of mouth and puts it under counter.) You know I meet Jimmy every night after work, and last night he says, *' Babe, do you want to go to the movies? " And I says, " Sure." And he says, " Well, meet me on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Broadway at eight o'clock." And I says, " Not on your life ! I don't cool my heels on no corner for no man." And he seen I was gettin' kinda sore so {Turns to a customer who has come up.) Cluny lace? Third floor. So he come up to my boardin' house like a regular fella {To a customer.) Yes'm, these are the handkerchiefs as advertised. Here's the initial ones. {Indicating handkerchiefs on counter.) What initial? H? {Looks about on counter; picks up one.) Here's H. Twenty-five cents apiece. Oh, I know it, dearie, but linen has went up something fierce since the war. I don't know whether it's submarines or what but most of our linen used to come from Ireland, y'know. Pay the price and grin, that's what I say. {Pause.) Two? Yes. Mame, will you hand me my cash book down there by Jane— I'm not speaking to Jane— she's no lady. Why, you oughta heard what she said to me the other day— I wouldn't repeat it to my best friend. V\] tell you this noon. {Takes cash book, opens it and writes.) Thanks. Oh, see the baby. Isn't she sweet? {Leans 5 6 SALES AND A SOLITAIRE over counter.) Hello, dearie, is this your mama? {To customer.) Oh, you're so young to have such a big girl Here's your change. {Counts it out.) Fifty, seventy-five, one dollar. Thanks. Good-bye, dearie. {Waves her hand to the baby.) Mame, don't you just love kids? Well, where was I ? Oh, yes, so we went to the movies and we saw Theda Bara in one of them vam- pire pictures and it was swell. {Rolls her eyes.) Honest, Mame, that woman's got a pair of eyes on her that would shame a Jersey cow. Then we went and got some chop-suey afterwards, and do you know what, Mame? {Confidentially.) That's one reason I always liked Jimmy, he's no cheap sport if I do say so. Well, we was {To customer.) Yes'm, these are the handkerchiefs as advertised. Sweet, ain't they? {Pause.) Twenty-five cents a piece. {Pause.) Oh, I know, dearie, but linen has went up something fierce since the war, and you know most of our linen used to come from Ireland and now Well, I don't know whether it's submarines or what but we have to raise the price. {Pause.) Six? Yes, I'll put them in a box. Thanks. {Feels for gum under counter.) Well, what do you know about that? Gone again — that's the third piece of gum I've had stole on me this week ! Honest, it's gettin' so you can't trust a soul behind these counters any more. There's thieves around here, and I ain't mentioning names, but I'm thinking a whole lot. {Glares side- ways at her co-worker.) Now to continue. We was sitting there eating our suey when he looked up at me kinda sudden like and says, " Gert, you been kiddin' me along fer the last six months and I want to know right here and now where I stand." ** Why, Jimmy," I says, and got all hot and choked up. {Impatiently to customer.) Cut-glass? Second aisle to your left. " Why, Jimmy," I says, and got all hot and choked up, y'know. I says, " I didn't know you felt this way about me." And he says, " Why, you've had my goat since last June, and if you say the word I'll slip you your little old sparkler SALES AND A SOLITAIRE 7 to-night." {Draws a deep breath.) Honest, Mame, you coulda blown me over with a breath, but (shyly) you know I been crazy about Jimmy ever since the time we all went to Coney, so (To customer.) Yes'm, these are the handkerchiefs, as advertised. Sweet, ain't they? (Pause.) Twenty-five cents a piece. Oh, I know, dearie, but linen has went up since the war, turrible. (Haughtily.) All right, suit yourself. (Behind her hand.) Mame, ain't she a fright? If I get to look like that in the next twenty- five years I give up here and now. Well, will you look who's here — how d'ye do, Davy, how're you? (Leans across counter and shakes hands.) That's good. How's Maisie? (Pause.) Ain't that fine now? Tell Maisie I'm coming up to see her soon. She's such a sweet girl. (To her co- worker.) Didn't I always say so, Mame? Sorry you have to hurry. (Calling after him.) Give my love to Maisie. G'bye. (To Mame.) Nice chap, that Dave. But I never could see what he seen in that Maisie. One of those empty-headed mechanical blondes if I do say so. Well, to continue. You know I been crazy about Jimmy all along, so I says, " Jimmy, I'm thru kiddin'. I'm yours fer life." And he like to done the Highland Mary right there in the Chinee joint. (To customer.) Rest'urant? Top floor. (Indignantly.) Believe me, Mame, this is no life fer a girl, standing on your feet all day and answering a million boob questions. Hon- est, I can't wait until Jimmy and I has our five rooms in the Bronx and are paying installments on green upholstered furniture and a phonograph. That's the only life, eh, Mame? I'll say so. (Exit) i Successful Plays for All Girls In Selecting Your Next Play Do Not Overlook This List YOUNG DOCTOR DEVINE. A Farce in Two Acts, by Mrs. E. J. H. Goodfellow. One of the most popular plays for girls. For nine female characters. Time in playing, thirty minutes. Scenery, ordinary interior. Mod- ern costumes. Girls in a boarding-school, learning that a young doctor is coming to vaccinate all the pupils, eagerly con- sult each other as to the manner of fascinating the physician. When the doctor appears upon the scene the pupils discover that the physician is a female practitioner. Price, 15 cents. SISTER MASONS. A Burlesque in One Act, by Fr.\nk DUMONT. For eleven females. Time, thirty minutes. Costumes, fantastic gowns, or dominoes. Scene, interior. A grand expose of Masonry. Some women profess to learn the secrets of a Masonic lodge by hearing their husbands talk in their sleep, and they institute a similar organization. Price, 15 cents. A COMMANDING POSITION. A Farcical Enter- tainment, by Amelia Sanfokd. For seven female char- acters and ten or more other ladies and children. Time, one hour. Costumes, modern. Scenes, easy interiors and one street scene. Marian Young gets tired living with her aunt,_ Miss Skinflint. She decides to "attain a commanding position." Marian tries hospital nursing, college settlement work and school teaching, but decides to go back to housework. Price, lo cents. HO"W A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET. A Comedy in One Act, by Frank Dumont. For ten female characters. Time, half an hour. Scene, an easy interior. Costumes, }^]odern. Mabel Sweetly has just become engaged to Harold, but it's ' the deepest kind of a secret." Before announcing it they must win the approval of Harold's uncle, now in Europe, or lose a possible ten thousand a year. At a tea Mabel meets her dearest friend. Maude sees Mabel has a secret, she coaxes and Mabel tells her. But Maude lets out the secret in a few minutes to another friend and so the secret travels. Price, 15 cents. THE OXFORD AFFAIR. A Comedy in Three Acts, by Josephine H. Cobb and Jennie E. Paine. For eight female characters. Plays one hour and three-quarters. Scenes, inter- iors at a seaside hotel. Costumes, modern. The action ot the play is located at a summer resort. Alice Graham, m order to chaperon herself, poses as a widow, and Miss Oxford first claims her as a sister-in-law, then denounces her. The onerous duties of Miss Oxford, who attempts to serve as chaperon to Miss Howe and Miss Ashton in the face of many obstacles, furnish an evening of rare enjoyment. Price 15 cents. THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS The Power of E III 015 793 044 8 Expression and efficiency go hand in \ The power of clear and forceful expression brings conn- dcnce and poise at all times — in private gatherings, in public discussion, in society, in business. It is an invaluable asset to any man or woman. It can often be turned into money, but it is always a real joy. In learning to express thought, we learn to command thought itself, and thought is power. You can have this power if you will. Whoever has the power of clear expression is always sure of himself. Xhe power of expression leads to: The ability to think "on your feet'* Successful public speaking Effective recitals The mastery over other minds Social prominence Business success Efficiency in any undertaking Are these things worth while? They are all successfully taught at The National School of Elocutiorj and Oratory, which during many years has de- veloped this power in hundreds of men and women. A catalogue giving full information as to how any of these accomplishments may be attained will be sent free on request. THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF ELOCUTION AND ORATORY 1714 De Lancey Street Philadelpdia