PS 3505 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ . 0548 1917 Is the Twig is Bent'' K A Rural School Drama B3f ESTELLE COOK Social Service Bureau 1361 Cleveland Ave. No. St. Paul, Minn. A|, „„ ,„i nil nil nil iiii iiii iiii mi iiii mi iiii nii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iitjt I * 1 a As the Twig Is Bent'' A Rural School Drama CAST OF CHARACTERS. Miss Best, a rural school teacher. Kate, , her pupils. Nina, ' Lawrence Sprague, the big boy, called "Larry." Gerald, who lisps. AIrs. Williams, the teacher's friend. , ^ " _^ ' I members of the School Board. Mr. Peterson, \ A^Rs. Long, who boards the teacher. Mrs. Sharp, who helps "run the school." Mrs. Butler, who was "well brought up." Biddy, the Irish "help." Weary Willie, a tramp. ACT L A one room school. ACT IL Sitting room at Mrs. Long's. ACT IIL The new teacherage. Copyright 1917 BY The Author P 5 3505 ©CtD 48008 OCT -5 1917 ''As the Twig Is Bent'' ACT I. Scene, a one room school room. Doors right and left, win- dow center. Blackboard with the quot?> Nina. They are our own boys. They've captured him and are bringing him in. Tr. This is exciting. Biddy. Sure, an' the German war has nothing on the likes of us. Kate. Oh, oh, oh! He's going to get away. {Opening win- dow.) Hang on to him, JLawrence. Girls, let's help. {Exeunt Kate and Nina, L.) Mrs. Williams. I wonder where Sam is. Tr. {going to her). Don't worry. Auntie, he's all right. Mrs. Williams. But it might be one of those awful I. W. W.'s and he might be armed. Mrs. Butler. Do you think the rest of the gang will attack us? I wish they would let him go. {Struggle is heard outside.) {Enter Lawrence, L., with others dragging a masked man.) Mr. Sharp. Let me go, I say. Lawrence. We will as soon as we find out who you are, and what you and your gang are trying to do. {Tries to take off mask. ) Mr. Sharp. Let me alone. I'm all right. {Lawrence pulls off mask showitig the face of Mr. Sharp. Pause.) Mr. Sharp {doggedly). I hope you're satisfied now. Mrs. Long. Well, of all things ! Biddy. That we should ever live' to see such a sight. Mr. Sharp. I didn't mean any harm. I just got out with the boys to have a little sport. Biddy. It's sport you call it? Wall, it's a quare kind of sport I'm afther thinkin', frightenin' us out of a year's growth. {Tr. goes to Biddy and takes her down, L.) Mrs. Sharp {coming to center). Biddy is right, and it's a queer kind of sport for an old man, and a respectable member of the community to be indulgin' in. I'm so disgraced that I'm speechless. What must our neighbors think of us? You getting out with a black rag over your face, and ringing a cow bell and beating on my old dish pan until we can't hear our own ears. Is it stark crazy you are? Such goings on ! I've a mind to leave you, I have, and these people would bear me out. Oh, I'm so ashamed I can't think. Tr. {going to her). Mrs. Sharp you are making a mountain out of a little mole hill. No doubt Mr. Sharp was celebrating the opening of the new consolidated school. I remember he always took a great interest in the school. I'd like to think they were giving me a serenade. Let's call it that. Lawrence, can't you bring them all back and give them some ice cream? Lawrence. At the rate they started they are at Koon Creek by this time. I suppose that it was that rough-neck bunch. 34 AS THE TWIG IS BENT Mr. Sharp. , Teacher, you're on the square, and that is more than I have been with you. It was that roudy bunch from Koon Creek. They wanted to hook some of the supper. Then I en- couraged them to give you a hot reception, too. You have taken it like a lady. I didn't deserve it. Marty isn't the only one that is ashamed of old Peter Sharp. I'm ashamed of myself. Tr. Don't say that. This is a momentous event in all of our lives, and we aren't going to ha\^ any one saying disagreeable things about themselves or anyone else. Come in to the audi- torium, every one of you, for the fun is going to begin. Lead the way, Lawrence. Lawrence. Listen to her bossing us around like she used to do when we were her kids. (Exeunt Lawrence, Kate, Nina, Mrs. Butler, Mr. and Mrs. Sharp, Mrs. Long and Gerald, L.) Biddy. Isn't she the wonder now ! Just to see how she won the heart of that old rascal. Did you ever see the bate of it? Mrs. Williams. She is for all the world like her mother. Hetty was a beautiful girl. Everybody loved her. They just couldn't help it. (Enter Tr., L.) Tr. Come Aunty, and Biddy, too. You will miss the enter- tainment. I'll be there in a minute. I left my hand bag some- where and I must powder my nose and make myself presentable. Biddy. Can't I help you now? Tr. No, I want you to get front seats so you can hear my speech. It is the effort of my life. (Exeunt Mrs. Williams and Betty, L.) (She drops down in a chair and assumes a thoughtful attitude.) (Enter Lawrence, L.) Lawrence (looking at her for a minute). A penny for your thoughts. Tr. (laughing) . They aren't worth even a halfpenny. I was thinking how really wonderful it is to be here again, and to find my old pupils grown up and doing things worth, while for the community. Then this teacher's cottage ! Do you remember how I used to dream about it? I will never again say that dreams don't come true, Lawrence. Lawrence. I suppose you have forgotten the motto you gave us once. I am going to make it the central thought of my ad- dress tonight. "As the twig is bent, the tree inclines." You surely tried to start us right. But call me Larry, please, just as you used to do. Tr. I thought you didn't like the name, and whipped every boy who called you that when you came home from school. Lawrence. Nevertheless, I want you to call me that. AS THE TWIG IS BENT 35 Tr. Very well, anything to accommodate you, for you have done so much for me. Lawrence. You haven't had much time to look around, but if you want to make any changes — Tr. I won't. It is very complete. Tell me, who planned the laboratory. Did you? Lawrence. No, I bribed a teacher of domestic science up at school to draw the plans. Tr. I only took a peep at it, but I saw enough to know that we are going to enjoy our cooking lessons immensely. Lawrence. I only ask that you don't get too fond of your job. like some teachers I know. Tr. Why? Lawrence {hesitating) . Because I'm going to ask you to re- sign at the end of the year. Tr. {jumping up in alarm). What do you mean? Lawrence. I didn't plan to tell you yet, but I hope to have a better position for you then. Tr. {going to him). Tell me about it Lawrence. Do you remember that day when the tramp came into the school-house and frightened you so? Tr. When he scared the wits out of me, yes. Lawrence. And I protected you. Tr. You were the hero that day. Lav/rence. Well, when I had you in my arms — Tr. I did do the clinging vine act, didn't I ? I am ashamed of you for reminding me of it. Lawrence. That day marked the beginning of a new life for rhe. I guess I passed from the kid stage into manhood. Anyway a great .resolve took possession of me. Tr. And this beautiful school is the result? Lav/fence. Don't you understand? I was sure that you M ould g ess it from m/ letters. Tr. {laughing). Perhaps I'm dense. (Overture heard at distance.) Lawrence. It was that some day I would have the right to hold you in my arms, may I? Voice {outside). Miss Best, Lawrence, where are you? It's time to begin. Lawrence. Is it asking too much? Tell me. Tr. Larry. It would be setting a very bad example to other teachers ; but I'll think about it. {He puts his arm around her and they go off la'-^ghing.) {Ex 'unt Miss Best and Lawrence, L.) {Curtain.)