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NO. 2ft4 2 164 39 43 KjO 125 89 113 226 14 272 16<) 268 161 60 l.'S2 279 173 143 162 255 :^0 283 117 52 76 141 26 191 194 3 9 261 46 227 211 2^)1 163 91 ;-«; 34 229 298 22;; 81 8.5 83 196 29 2' 8 301 18 280 5 110 45 M F DRAMAS. Arthur Eustace, 2.xj 10 4 A Desperate Game 3 2 After Ten VTears 7 5 A Life's Revenge i ■■> Arrah de Baugh 7 5 Aurora Floyd 7 2 Auld Robin Gray 25o 13 8 Beauty of Lyons 11 2 Bill Detrick < 3 Bracr, the Poor House (lirl.... 4 4 Brigands of Calabria 6 1 Bevond Pardon 7 5 Conn; or. Love's Victory 11 3 Cle iring the Mists 5 3 Dora ^ '^ Driven to the Wall Kj 3 Driven from Home 7 4 Dutch Jake 4 3 East Lynne 8 i Emigrant's Daughter 8 3 Fielding Manor 9 6 Gertie's Vindication 3 3 Grandmother Hildebrand's _ L"gacv, 2oc 5 4 Haunted bv a Shadow 8 2 Hal Hazard. 2,5c 10 3 Henrv Granden 11 8 llowHeDidlt 3 2 Hidden Treasures 4 2 Hunter of the Alps 9 4 Hidden Hand ....15 7 Lights and Shadows ot the Great Rebellion, 25c 10 5 Lady of Lyons 12 5 Lady Audley's Secret 6 4 Lost in London 6 4 Man and Wife 12 7 Maud's Peril 5 3 Midnight Mistake 6 2 Millie, the Quadroi.u o b Miriam's Crime 5 2 Michael Erie 8 3 Miller of Derwent Water 5 2 Mistletoe Bough 7 3 Mountebanks (The) 6 2 New York Book Aaent 7 3 Old Honesty 5 2 Old Phi' '8 Birthday 5 3 Outcast's Wife 12 3 Out on the Wo Id 5 4 Oath Bound 6 2 Painter of Ghent o 3 Penn Hacgo 4 lo 3 Peleg and Peter. 25o 4 2 Poacher's Doom 8 3 PheoUm O'Rookes' Curse 8 3 Phyllis, the Beggar Girl 6 3 Reverses 12 6 Rook Allen 5 3 NO. M. F. 79 Spyof Atlanta, 2'c 14 3 275 i->imple Silas 6 3 2<>6 Sweetbrier .............11 5 144 Thekia 9 4 2SJ The Commercial Drummer.... 6 2 242 The Dutch Recruit 2-c 14 3 67 The False Friend H 1 97 The Fatal Blow 7 1 119 The Forty- Niners 1(» 4 304 The (ioneral Manager 5 5 93 The Gentleman in Black 9 4 1^2 The New Magdalen 8 3 71 The Reward of Crime 5 3 30(> The three Hats 4 3 105 Through Snow and Sunshine 6 4 201 Ticket of Leave Man... 9 3 2V'3 Tom Blossom 9 4 193 Toodlcs 7 2 277 The Musical nptnin 15 2 200 Uncle Tom's Cabin 15 7 2'0 Wild Mab fi 2 121 Will-o'-the-Wisp, 9 4 41 Won at Last 7 3 192 Zion 7 4 TEMPERANCE PLAYS. 73 75 187 254 202 185 189 181 183 104 146 .5;^ 51 59 102 63 62 .58 168 136 VM 257 248 178 176 207 199 174 1.5S 149 37 At Last 7 Adrift 5 Aunt Dinah's Pledge 6 Dot: the Miner's Daughter... 9 Drunkard [The] 13 Drunkar 's Warning 6 Drunkard's Doom 15 Fifteen Years of a Drunk- ard's Life ...13 Fruits of the Wine Cup.... 6 Lost Our Awful Aunt 4 Out in the .Streets fi Rescued „ 5 Saved 2 Turn of the Tide 7 Three Glasses a Day 4 Ten Nights in a Bar-Room..- 7 Wreckod COMEDIES. A Pleasure Trip „ 7 A Lf.fal Holiday 5 An AflSicted Family ^aught in the Act Cai^tured •> Caste o Factory Girl 6 Heroic Dutchman of '76 8 Home 4 Love's Labor Not Lost 3 Mr. Hudson's Tiger Hunt i New Years in N. Y 7 Not So Bad After All 6 r€ Gyp, The Heiress; or, the dead witness, A DRAMA IN FOUR ACTS. — BY — L, L, WARE. —TO WHICH IS ADDE D_ '^A IFFCRrPTlON OF THE COSTUMES-CAST OF THE CHARACTERS- ENTRANCES AND EXITS-RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE PERFORMERS ON THE STAGE, AND THE WHOLE ^ 1 T OF THE STAGE BUSINESS. ■■Tt.- *' Entered according to the act of Congress in the year 1892, by AMES' PUBLISHING CO., in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. . o- CLYDE, OHIO :- • O ^ \ ' AMES' PUBLISHING CO. ^^ 6 > 3 -X \ \ ^ c\ -n \ ^ I ^^. IS OYP THE HEIliESS; 01^, TJtJC DEAD. y]^iTyES3. CAST OF CTIAIiACTEnS. Oscar Eoyaltox Gryp's Guardian* Si Thornton ....A Villain. Takemquick An Insurance Agent. Hop Sing, a Chinaman I Hezekiah Hopeful, a tramp\ Gyp The Heiress- Clara Eoyaltox Oscar'' s Sister- Rachel Crosby Speaks for herself- Sister C armeta Dead Witness. SYNOPSIS OF EVENTS. fACl' I. — Drawing-room of Oscar Boyalton, Silver City, Nevada. Aunt Rachel — Oscars Aunt, from down East — Hezekiah Hopeful, a tramp — "No mustach near me" — Gyp — a-b-c — Thornton the Villain — A sacred trust — Royalton depart for the East — Clara and Thornton — He demands the papers — "I'll guard them with my lile — Supposed murder of Clara and Hezekiah — "Heavens! I'm a murderer — I'll burn the house and conceal my crime — Exciting fire scene. ACT II. — Hop Singes Laundry. Takemquick — A live Insurance man — Rachel and Gyp — Hop Sing and Rachel — The light — Takemquick on hand — Sister Carraeta re- veals a secret to Gyp and Rachel — Thornton's demand of Hop Sing, his arcou)plice — The refusal — An attempt to murder Hop Sing— The Dead AVitness appears. ACT III.— Thornton's Law -Office. Hezekiah the tramp, secures a position in Thornton's office — Takemquick — Hezekiah reveals to Gyp who her enemy is — "Trust me I'll get your fortune for you" — Hezekiah's novel — Sister Carmeta — "I'm here to avenge the death of Clara Royalton" — The shot — I am :he Dead AVitness — "A colt revolver" — Oscar disguised — A game of 3ards — "Discovered" — Oath of vengeance— Hezekiah holds both bowers. ACT IV.— Same Scene as Act III. Love scene between Hezekiah and Rachel — Proposal — Two note'' —Thornton shot by Hop Sing — Oscar in disguise — Clara is the Dead Witness, who escaped death in the burning house — Oscar throws oft disguise and introduces Gyp as his wife — Death of Thornton — Devils toast — Hezekiah presents papers to prove Gyp's inheritance and is ready for matrimony — Aunt Rachel finally surrenders and all are happy. COSTUMES TO SUIT CHABACTEBS. TIME OF PEBFORMANCE—TWO HO UBS. STA GE DIRECTIONS. R., means Right; t-., Left; r. h.. Right Hand; l. h., Left Hand; c. Centre; 3. K., 2d E.,]Secoud Entrance; c. e.. Upper Entrance; m. d., Middle Door; f., tha Flat; e. F., Door in Flat; R. C Right of Centre; l. c, Left of Centre. B. R. C. 0. L. C. L. *«* The reider is aupposed to be upon the ataso facing the au lieaoe. TMPS2-007554 "Gyp The Heiress;" —OK, THE— DEAD WITNESS. ACT I. SCENE. — Well furnished room. Table l., chairsn. and l., Hezekiah Hopeful seated l. asleep; curtain np; bell rings; Hopeful wakes up, etc. Hez. (yawning) Gee whiz! There o-oes that breakfast bell and I've not o^ot this room dusted vet. Lord ! What will Mr. Oscar say ? I don't care thou2:h, if he does kick! I ain't no steam locomotive. I hnve to rest some as well as other people. Here I've got to sit up and drink poor whiskey with him every nio;ht till he gets the swell head, and it takes a slop bucket full to fix him too, and then in the niorninof I've o;ot to vineofar him and picKel him, and soda water him to take the swell out of his head ; in doincr that I've just lost so much sleep, I don't see how I nm to ever catch up again, (yawns) Well,*I guess there ain't no use of puttino; it off any longer, so I'll just get to work and clean out this establishment, (pulls o^f coat, steps backwards and falls over foot, stool) ISTow, there it goes ao*ain. there U too darn much furniture in this house anyway, (kicks^too'l out, -R.) There, now I guess you'll not bother me any more. There is just thi>i about it, there has irot to be more servants or less work, or dod gast my wig if I don't discharge mvself, {dust with coat) The beauty of this duster is this : You wear it for a coat and when you «ee a spot of dust, pull oft" your coat and slap at it, that saves you the trouble of hunting up the duster evervtime, and that's quitt^ un item to a feller that has a delicate constitution like me. Enter, Rachel with umbrella, r. e., looks around bewildered. I need peace and quiet, that's what I want. ( hits 'Rxcukl with coat) Look out! Call some other time, this is my busy day. (dusts Bachel. (c. ") Well, I've rid in steam keers with Indians and been jostled by niggers and elbowed by Chinamen, but I never thou^hC that I would have to mix with Mexician Greasers. ! I never. [fans IIcz. S;iy, look out there female, don't you call me greaser, I ^ GYP, THE HEIRESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS, hain't lived in the west five years fer nothing, and when I'm riled I'm mad. Bachel. Do tell ! And you have lived here five years; well you don't look as if you had energy enouoii to live five minutes. How'd you do it? (^«'^« Hez. Well, I-I-T ain't got no trade. I work some and tramp some. I didn't really live, I just simply existed like any other fungus growth. {dusts Bachel. Yes, I 'spose so— :N'o trade— That's bad. You ought to have a trade. Xow, I'm a poor lone unprotected female, but I cal- culate I am able to take care of myself. Hez. (aside) Yes, I should think so. Bachel. Say, Mr. where are you from ? Hex. I am from Maine, where they put up ice all summer. Bachel. Maine ? How did you ever have courage to get away oi t here in Nevada by yourself *? Hez. Do you think I am a coward? There ain't the least bit of a coward about me. Why I'll tell you what I've done, I've fought bears with one hand, wild cats with the other and made love to a pretty girl all at the same time. Bachel. Was the girl blind? Hez. Si\y\ Don't you get me mad. When I get rile.l, fire flies out of my eyes, smoke comes out of my ears; I just naturally foam "up and-and-and-boil away. Bachel. {musingly) You work some and tramp some. Mostly tramp, 1 should think. Hez. {mad) Say, 7 am Colora.lo Ciiarley (rZmi^s A;h(/'6') from Dead Man's Gulch, (draws revolver) I've killed three meji. Bachel. (charges him vnth umbrella) Well, Mr. Colorado Charles you get out of here, (strikes him) Killed three meu. (strikes) Ain't killed any wimmen yet have you? (strikes) And when you think you can scare Rachel Scroby with j'our western br^'ezes, let me know; (drives him out 1 e.) and if you show yourself in here , again there will be trouble, (seated r., fans) Colorado Charley frc m Dead Man's Gulch killed three men, well he didn't even scare me. I ditln't teach school in the back districts of Ingiana ten years for nothing, and speaking of schools reminds me — I've come all the w^ay out here in this uncivilized community to teach one person — Gyp, I believe they call her. My niece and nephew. Clara and Oscar Iloyalton, the only living relatives I've got, sent for me to come and teach some stray piece of humanity they've picked up somewhere. I wonder if everybody is dead about here but that «reaser of a ser- vant; I wonder if I have missed the house. No, I havn't, for they said to come to Silver City, (sneer) Silver City indeed, two saloons and a drove of cattle, is that what they call city in the west? Enter, Oscar, l. e. Oscar. Well, Clara I've O ! I beg pardon, I thought it was my sister. (FvACHEL turns) What! Aunt Rachel I is it really you? (greeting) Why, we did'nt expect you before to-morrow. When I came in the room and saw you, I supposed it was Clara. This is a surprise indeed, and there was no one at the station to meet you either, but then Silver City is so small there is not mutfh «langeV of one getting lost, but how did it come that you arrived a *\ty soner than you said in your letter. You said you would be here Thursday ^nd this is only Wednesday. GYP THE HEIRESS; OR, THE DEAD WITNESS. I Rachel. Wlij-, I stnrted a day sooner of course, but good land! dc 3-0U mean to say tluit you are Oscar Royalton little Oscar? Oscar. Yes, 'I'm Oscar Royalton little Oscar if you want to have it that way, but do you thinlv time has worlied such a change in me, aunt? Rachel. Good gracious! Yes, why the hist time I saw you — Oscar. But that was thirteen yenrs ago, aunt. Rachel. Of course it was, and I tliouglityou to be the awkwardest And ugliest lookuig specimen ot" humanity 1 ever saw, but you have L-rown to be a tolerable good looking fellow now; do tell now, is that mustache real? {fans Oscar. Certainly, aunt, let me prove it. (advances Rochel. Don't! don't! (hasiil//) I wouldn't have a mustach any c'oser to me tor ;niy thing. {retreats, r. Oscar. But aunt, it has been a long time since I saw you; just imagine that I am still a boy. (advances Riichel. You may stiil be a boy in mind but not in stature. I wouldn't kiss a real live man for worlds; don't care if you are my nephew — where is Clara? Oscar, (asjde) That settles the kiss question, (aloud) That's just what I want to know. 1 supposed she was in this romn when I liri^tcame in, I wanted to see her and talk with her awhile, as I just r ceived word that will call me to the East for awhile. If you will excuse me aunt, I'll go and see if I can tind her. {(urns) O! here conies Gyp, she can tell us where she is. Rachel. Gyp! ^VhoisGyp? O ! she is the one that you wanted me to teach. Tell her to hurry up, I want to see her. (fans Oscar. Well, she is not used to being commanded, aunt, but rather to command herself, as she does as she pleases with Clara and I. Rachal. O! she does, does she? Well, she wilt: goon get used to be conunanded while I am around, {suddenly) Are you going to marry her? Oscar. I-I-really aunt, I couldn't say; it is doubtful, verj'' doubtful. Rachel. Doubtful, is it ? Not on your part,]I'il be bound. What's her other name? Oscar. Gyp, just Gyp. Of course she has another name, but we never use it. 11 ei name is Gyp Golden, but here she is at last, she r-an speak for herself. Enter, Gyp l. e. ^i -3&^^^:.>':- \ Gyp. 01 Oscar! Sucn a tune as we cv.a nave, ana wnat a glorious /ide up hill and down dale, and my pony — Oscar. You like your pony then, do you Gyp ? Gyp. I.ikehim! Win- he is just simply immense, Clara and I have been running races all the afternoon, and 1 heather too. Rachel. Landsakes! And that's the girl they sent for me to tame. Gyp. (sees Rachel) Gracious! Oscar, why didn't you tell me vou had visitors ! Oscar. This is aunt Rachel, Gyji; you know she was to be here ^o-morrow, but got here a day sooner. (Gyp advances and offers to shake hands, Rachel pays no attention [ ft GYP THE HEIBESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS, Backel. Young lady do you know your a-b-c's? tTifp. (perplexed) 1-I-beg pardon. Bacheh (sharply) Can you read? Gyp. (coldly) Certainly, madam. Bdchel. How many is twice 2? Gyp. («o Oscar) What does she mean? Oscar, (laughing) Why! Aunt, we diden't send for you to teach Gyp, but to be her companion, as Clara and I are always occupied. AVe haven't the time to devote to her, so we thou'^lit tliat it would be a good idea to have you liere with lier. She lias a good educa- tion, but in the society there is around here in this western country, she will need constant companionship to keep from growing rusiy. Enter, Clara, l. e. Ah ! Clara, here is a surprise for you — Clara. JFAa/!.' Aunt Rachel, (greeting) O I I am so ghid to see you, (goeyiB.. Oscar, (turns L., calls) Hopeful! Hopeful! Enter, Hezi^kiah, l. e, Hez. Well, sir! Oscar. Show aunt Racliel to lier room. Bnchel. Xo he won't eitlier, 1 don't want no Mexican — Oscar. He is no Mexican ; lie is a real downcast Yankee. B'lcheL Is he! Well, I didn't know what he was. Nationaliiy is so badly mixed out here. Clara and Gyp will show me to my room. Hez. Well, if there is anything you want just hitch a teleplione on to my room and I'll be there in rather less than no time. (exit, L. Oscar, (looking after Hez.) A queer genius, that works some /ind tramps some ; he may stay here a \'ear, or he may start out tramping to-morrow, [to Rachel) They will show you your room and tlien we will have supper. Rachel. Yes, the room, that's what I want. I've been yelled at by hack drivers and screamed at by policemen, jostled around by Chinese and elbowed by niggers, till I am just completel}', all in a flutter. 1 don't feel as if I would ever want to eat again. Oscar. Nonsense aunt, a few hours rest will make quite a difter- ence. Gyp, you show her the room, as I wish to soeak with Clara. (exit, Rachel and Gyp, r. e.) Now Clara, as 1 wish to speak with you in regard to that business of a few days ago, there are a few receipts to sign and a contract to write out, we will go to my desk and get through as soon as possible. (exeunt, l. e. Enter, ThorjSttox, r. e. Thorn. Well I must say, Royalton has things fixed up rather nobby for a cattle ranch, (looks around) and considering that he is using another persons money to do it with. I should say that is carry- ing things with a high hand — well ride a high horse in the morning and you will walk betore night, as the old saw goes, and as I have searched in vain for live years for Royalton and found him at last, bv accident, I think I will settle accounts with him very speedily. My uncle styled me a gambler and everything etee that's bad. He iidn't call me a thief, but I'll add that word to my title before I'll GYP THE HEIRESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS, 7 loose his fortune, for his money I icill have by fair means or by foul. Enter, Hezekiah, l. e. Hes. Well, here I am all complete and regular, I feel as light as air. I remind myself of a feather; somebody hold me or I fly away, and — (sees Thornton) Who the devil are you? Thorn. That's rather an abrupt way of purtins: it, my friend, but I will in the mean time relieve yonr curiosity — my name does not matter, 1 am a passenger ou the stage coach that has stopped here for change of horses. I strolletl in here, thinking it was a hotel, and as 1 g;iw no one to apologise to after 1 found my mistake, I was just on the point of leaving when you come in. Hez. Stay here a month if you want to Mr. Thorn. Thanks for your invitation, my friend. Hez. Well partner, in the first place I ain't a friend of yours or Anybody else but myself, and in the second place this is not my liouse, so you see it's all the same to me whether you go or stay, but 1 rather, just a little bit rather you'd go, "sava?" Thorn. You are a plain spoken fellow anyhow. How long will it be before the stage is ready to move on? Hez. Hard to tell, very hard, for one of the lead horses has got the colic. There are three drivers down there swearing at him, but it don't seem to do him any good, poor devil. Well I must go and see Mr. Oscar and tell him about the stage, as he is going away in it. Thorn, (aside) Royalton going awjty — ha! that's lucky for me. (aloud) Where is he going? Hez. That's none oi your business, and then besides I don't re- member. Thorn, {taking out money) Would live dollars help you to re- member? Hez. (aside) I wonder what the devil he is driving at. (aloud) Well, five dollars would make a fellow remember a good ways back. Thorn. Well, 1 will give ,you five dollars if you will tell me where RoyaUon is going. Hez. Ciosh ! tljat will set me up in business again. Well here ig •'coming for you." (takes money) He is going to Cincinnati and I am going to the saloon. So long old man, see you later. (exit, L. E. Thorn. Going to Cincinnati is he? Well, I'll see that he don't get back in a hurry, (looks i..) Aii I here he comes now, he and liis precious sister. I think I will just take the liberty of listening to their conversation. ''Points" is wliat 1 need now, before 1 make the next move. " (retires, r., 1 e. Enter, Oscak and Clara, l., 2 e., Oscar. Now Clara, I am going to tell you something that may surprise you. I am going to tell you the history of Gyp — Clara. Of Gyp V Why you told me that long ago. O^car. Not all of it, but 1 must nasten, for 1 have to leave in the stage, ^ Clara. WhatI Going away now? You must be crazy. Oscar. I just receive! word that demands my presence in Cin- cinnati, and 1 will probably be detained two mouths, and may be longer. S GYP THE HEIRESS; OR, THE DEAD WITNESS, Clara. But you forget; who is to attend to the cattle? Who is to do the work ? Oscar. Hopeful will be here. Clara. Hopeful ! Why he is a common tramp, he may stay here a year, or he may go avvay to-morrow. Oscar. No, he has promised me he would staj^, and now in regard to Gyp. You know — Clara. I know that slie is an orphan; that her father died in the gold mines, and that he trusted her and her fortune with you. Oscar. Yes, you know that much, but that is not all, her father trusted me like brother trusts brother, he wished me to keep Gyp in ignornnce ot her fortune until her twenty-tirst birthday, and then 1 was to tell her and she was to come in full possession of it. Clara. Well, there is nothing very startling in that, is there? You said awhile ago that you would surprise me. Oscar. Listen, and you may yet be surprised. Anson Golden, Gyp's father, at the time of his death, thought that he had no living relative but Gyp. He had a scrape grace nephew, Philip Darkwood, by name, who committed a forgery in N. Y., lied to sea, and was sup- posed to have perished, as the ship he was on went down with all on board. Clara. Well, if Philip Darkwood is dead, what has he got to do with Gyp and her money':' ' Oscar. But you didn't let me finish — I have learned lately that Darkwood is not dead, and is on the trace of Gyp, ami that is what c ills me to the East, to throw him ott the track if possible, for if he finds her he will use any means that he can command to secure her lortune. [tikes papers oul of pocket) 1 have papers proving that she is Gyp Golden, her mother's marriage certificate, and ci'rtiticates of deposite tor ad her money in the Leadville N^ational Bank, which i s la 1 leave with you while 1 am awa\\ Clara, guard those papers with \'Our ilfe if need be, for it is the greatest trust you have ev r had. {impressive Clara. Oscar, you know that I am not easil3^ scare!. I will keep the papers and guard them well, never fear, if they have the impor- tance attached to them you say they have, 1 will sacrifice honor, home, even life, rather than harm should come to Gyp. {whistle) There goes the stage whistle, the driver is calling the passengers, and now Oscar, good-by, don't stay away longer than— Obcar. No, never fear, J won't staj'- longer than is absolutely necessary; good-by Clara and remember your trust, [exit, l. e. Clara. Kemember my trust! Yes, and 1 will guard it well too, as he says, it is the greatest trust of my life. Enter, Rachel and Gyp, r. e., Hezkkiah l. e. Rachel. Trusts I Have you got trusts out here too? A life trust too. Now we've got trusts back in Indiana. There's the salt trust and the sugar trust, but 1 never heard of a life trust before. What won't they get up next? Hez. They've got a bigger trust than that now, old lady — English fellers come over here and bought all the mountains in North America. Rachel, Don't call me old, if you please, but what did they want A'ith those mountains? GYP THE HEIRESS; 02?, THE DEAD WITNESS, 9 Hez. They are going to put a man on top of every one to get the silver Ihiing off the clouds that pass over. Gyp. Hopeful, stop that nonsense and be sensible foronce in vour life. Hez. 'i'liat ain't nonsense. Tiiat's stralc^ht high proof, 90 per cent and I've got a bigger one than that, y holds up beer bottle) here's trusting that I will have this bottle full from now on. Clara. Now Hopeful, you are not going to get drunk the first thing after Oscar leaves, are you? Hez. I don't know. Gt/p. Why, of course you won't, and just to think, he has left yon in charge of everything here — Hez. He! He who? Gyp. Why! Oscar, of course. Hez. O! Well 1 am not as much stuck on him as I am on *'0M Kocky Mountain dew." [holds up bottle Clara. O! dear! What are we to do? I told Oscir how it would be before he left. Gtjp. Three of us left here on this lonely ranch by ourselves. (Clara and Gyp, exit l. e. Hez. What's the matter with me, I'm here yet, don't 1 count? Bachel. Say, Mr., vvhat's-your-name, don't you think that if you had.a barrel of whiskey that you couid soon succeed in drinking enough to kill yourself? {exit, l. Hez. {drops bottle; follows) I don't know, but I'm sure I'd try. Wheal can you get the winskey ? {exit, l. e. Enter, Thornton, r., 3 e. Thorn. So that's the way the wind blows, is it? Koyalton leaves for the East and the servant* re;idy to leave for anywhere. Well that suits my purpose better. Surely I am phiying in luck this tiute. And they know that Philip Darkwood is not dead. Well lioyalton is going on a "fools errand." If he thinks to out-wit Philip Dark- wood he will find out his mi.>;take. {seated) And Gyp is to be ke|)t in ignorance of her fortune until her twenty-tirst birthday; slie can't be far from that now, but those p,'i[)ers, I must have them and that to night too. I don't like to make a common sneak thief of myseif, but a man must have money. Ah I here comes Koyalton's sister, now for the first ace in the drama. Enter, Clara l., Thornton rises. Good evening madam, I hope you will excuse this seeming intrusion, but my name is Thornton, of the firm of Thornton & Shiivp, attor- ney's at law in St. I^ouis. I have called uere in quest of Mr. Koyalton. Clara. He left for the East in the stage less than an hour ago. He will probabl}'^ vot return for two months, but as I am managing his business affairs for him in his absence, m:i3M>e — Thorn. I caUec' to see hnn in regard to Miss Golden — Gvp Golden. Clara. Whut ! Gyp Golden ! Thorn. Yes, 1 believe your brother is acting as guardian for Miss Golden, now. Clara. Yes sir ! But what business cat? yo:i have with Oscar in regard to Gyp? Thorn. I also believe that when Anson Golden died, he trusted 10 GYP THE HEIRESS; OH, THE DEAD WITNESS. your brother witli quite a sum of money, for Miss Golden. Am I not rioht in my belief? Clara. Sir, you are presuming too f;ir ; you are prying into private affairs that do not concern you. I decline to answer I Thorn. That i8 rather a loose way of doing business you admit. Clara. Sir, will you be good eno\igh to leave the roam? lliorn. Philip Darkwood, Anson Golden's nephew, who, by a false report, was supposed to be dead, now comes forward and laj'S claim to Golden's fortune. Clara. You forget sir, how could Darkwood lav claim to Golden's fortune over Gyp, for she was his daughter and Darkwood only his r.ephew? Thorn. Darkwood, also, brings forward conclusive proof that Gyp was an adopted child which lets Darkwood's claim in as the only living relative. Now as Royalton has papers in his posses- sion claiming the Golden fortiine for Gyp, these papers must be a forgery, and in the interest of Mi-. Darkwood, 1 demand those papers. i^lara. What! Give up the papers claiming the fortune for GypV Never! Your demand is useless, sir, I will never comply witli it and once more I request you to leave this house. Thorn. Madam, 1 am not a man to stand any foolishness. I de- mand those papers; hand them over or 1 shall have to use force. j Clara. 1 am not easily frightened sir, as you will tind out, I h:ive requested you twice to leave this room and now 1 say, that if you don't leave I shall call the servant and have you put out. Thorn. Do you think [ will leave without those papers? Haul them over I say ! (work this up Clara. Never! I said I would guard them with my life and I will. I'll die before you shall have them. Thorn. 'J'hen die, curse you, for the papers 1 must have. (adcances Clara. Coward! to attack a woman. Hez. (oiitR.) Gee whiz! 0!my! etc. Thorn, {startled) Heavens! Caught in my own trap. {retires up stage Enter, Hezekiah, k., 2 e. Ilez. Gosh! say, I didn't know a "dad busted" cow could kick backwards, I alwavs thought that they kinder wound round like that (indicates) and got a feller on the rebound, but — Thorn gets bottle on Jloor; slips up behind Hezekiah and strikes him on head; Hezekiah reals and falls out R., 2 e. Thorn. Take that, for a meddlesome fool, curse you ! Girl ! give me those papers! Clara. Never! I'll guard them witli mv life. Thorn. Then curse you for an obstinate fool, die! (draws knife, strikes, Clara falls c, strikes ajaia; takes papers out of Clara's dress; rises) Heavens! I've murdered her. I didn't intend to go that far, but I must conceal all traces of my crime. I'll fire the house. The fortune is mine, now. Exit, L. E., light l. e., bell rings, excited voices cry jire! fire! fire! help! etc. Gyp runs in r., raises Clara's head as though to drag off; criis help! help! help! {don't hurry this TABLEAU. END OF ACT I, GYP THE HEIBESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS. 11 ACT ir. SCENE.— Hot Sing's Laundry. Door r., table l. f. Boxb. F..for Sing to iron on. Sing, {ironing and singing) My name Hop Sino^, coniee from Chinee. Me got an alica gal, she no likee me. Me from Hong Kong ; Melican man come along, stealee alica gallee from poor Chinee {tries iron, burns hand, etc. Enter, Thornton, l. e. Thorn. Well Sing, how are you makingit now? Miichee washee ? Sing. {Shakes head) No gooti, no good, no muchee washee, no money, no nothing, Melican man allee samee dead beat. What you want, washee? Thorn. "Washee?" no I don't want any washing done, I just came around to tell you that you will have a lady visitor sometime this afternoon. Siny. No likee Melican girls ; allee samee me kickee out in street. Thorn. Well you'll like this one or it will be the worse for you, do you understand you pumpkin colored heathen? (Sing raises iron Sing. Melican man better look out; allee samee smashee. (Thornton draivs revolver Thorn. Say China! you lay down that iron or I'll pierce your ears for you, and if I find th;it I'll have to put a hole through your lieart, first; remember I shan't stand back on doing it, I tliink you have known me long enough to know that haven't you? Sing. No! no! no! don't shoot china man ; china man do allee samee what Melican man say; no shootee. {on knees Thorn. Then mind and keep your tongue to yourself after this. The lady that will be in this evening is my sister, do you understand that? And you treat her civilly to, or I'll break that yellow neck of 3 ours. Sing. Me do! me do what melican man say, only no shootee, poor chinee man. Thorn. When she comes, you tell her to stay here until I come. I'll be here in the course of the evening, {turn-t) Curse that Chin i- man, I'll have to kill him yet, he knows too nuich about that Koyal- ton afiair. {exit, l..^ 1 e. Sing, (follows Thornton l.) Allee samee kill Melican man some time. Enter, Takemqujck, r. e.. Sing turns. Tak. Let me take his life first. {pencil and paper Sing. What Melican man want? Who you goin' killee? Tak. O ! I ain't going to kill anybody, I just want to take his life. Sing, (aside) Melican man allee samee see snakee. Tak. But seeing that fellow has gone, I'll just take your life. {business with papers Sing, (hands up) Poor chinee man allee samee gone this time shure. Tak. Takemquick is my name, representing the great Equitable Life, Fire, and Tornado Insurance Co. Insurance is something that every man should carry, a yellow Chinese not excepted. Now then John, have you got any money ? 13 GYP THE HEIRESS; OR, THE DEAD WITNESS. Sing. Chinee man got no money. Melican man better leave, Hop Sin^ want to work. Tak. Well go to work then, I won't bother you. Siy, don't you want money ? Sijig. iquicJdtf) Yip ! you bet! Avantee allee money can get. You give iwor chinee money '? Tak. Well not exactly, but I can put you in tlie way of gettini; money. Just take out a" policy of about $20,000 and then you get lots of mone}'. Sing. Me allee samee take money, you bet! When you get? Tak. Whj^, you don't get the money until you die, of course. iSing. No get money till then? Tak. No of couise not, you don't expect to takeout a policy on /^our life and draw the money as soon as the policy is made out, do rou? Sing. What t the devil chinee man want with money after him 3ea I ? Melican man try to fool poor chinee. Better git or allee samee get smashee in neck with iron. (rai6es iron Tak. You study over the policy and I'll be in again this even- ing, [exit, w. K. Sing, (goes n. for irons) Melican man no foolee poor chinee. Chinee man allee sauiee, washee. Melican man allee samje loafee, loalee. Enter, Gyp and Rachel l., 2 e. Rachel Well, I don't see what that woman ever AvanteJ us to come to this Chinese's laundry to see her for. Now, if she wantei to see ns, why didn't she come to our house and not have us come here with heathen Chinese? Gyp. Hush ! Ivachel. She said slie could give us some informa- tion of Oscar and tell us something about the killinir of Clara. You know she is a Sister of Charity, and they have peculiar ideas as well as — Rachel. Yes, and awful poor ideas too. But since we are here I suppose we will have to wait fur her. Gracious! 1 am just com- pletely tired out. 1 wonder what that yeliow complected heathen would do if I was to sit down and rest awhile? {sits, l. Re-enter, SiXG, l. e. Sing. What Melican woman want, washee? Rachel. Don't come any closer, for goodness sake. Sing. No want washee done? Come after washee give me checkee. Rachel. Gracious! Gyp, let's go before he gets furious. Sing. No checkee, no washee? Gijp. He thinks that we have come after laundry; Rachel, let me explain to him. (to Sing) We don't want any laundry, we come here to see a Sister of Charity. Sing. Don't know any Sister of Charity, Melican girl better leave too muchee bother Hop Sing. Old woman better go too. Rachel. Shut up! You old pumpkin colored idiot ! I'll give you to understand that I'm not old, sir! Gyp. Don't get him mad Rachel, (to Sing) We want to wait liere until the Sister comes. We must see her. She sai 1 she would come here. Can't we wait in one of these rooms? GYP Tim: HEIRESS; OH, THE DEAD WITNESS, IS Sing. Can wait in there, (points r., Gyp goes r., Rachel starts to follow} Old woman no stay, got too mucliee tongue. Melican girl stay; old woman go. Rachel. Stand out of the way I Sing. Old woman no stny ; got to go. Rachel. I'll show you whether I don't stay or not. (chases Sing with umbrella; drives him nut l.) I've been in tlie West two months, and if I stay two more I'll have the country civilized. (exit, R. Re-enter, Sing, l., looks around. Sing. Oola ! Melican woman allee samee go after chinee manlikee cyclone. Enter, Takemqtck, r. e. Tak. Well John, here I am back again. As I could'nt catch up with that fellow, 1 thought I would just come bick and and take your life; as I suppose you have made up my mind tx) take out a policy ? Sing. I think Melican man got to get out of here. Allee sam'3e tell you to go, awhile ago. Tak. Now hold on China; don't get excitCtl. Let me tell you some of the good points in insurance. I Sing. Don't want any good points; want Melican man to have. Got too much chin, chin ; too much cheekee; why don't you go? ' ; Tak. 'Cans. I ain't ready to go yet, I expect to do some business with you before I leave. Say John, you'll notice 1 am just chuck full of business, and I've got rather a peculiar way of making myselt at home wherever I am at, too. (sits down, feet on table) Say. Where's your hat rack? Come here and hang up my hat while f look over these papers. You hav'nt got a pair of slippers here th; t would fit me have you? Now let me see; (looks over papers) je$, wrote up that fellow for 1500 and that one for — say yellow, you havn't got a cigar about your person, have you ? (looks up Si7ig. Sing smokee opium. No smokee toback. Tak. Well, I can't smoke opium. Say, are youg iii; to h:m^ up my hat? Sing. Me no hang hatee; me do \vashee. Tak. Why ! Ain't you the slioe black of this establishment? Sing. Melican man talkee like fool. (excited Tak. Why! sa\' China, you knovv me, don't you? Ent.r, Gyp and Rachel, r., 3 e. Gyp. O ! excuse me, I heard you talking with some one in here and I thought it might be tlu* person we wanted to see. Sing. She not come vet, I'.l tell you when she comes. Rachel, (shakes Gyp's arm) Sa}^, there is two of them here now. (fo Takemquick) Say, are you two fellows brothers? You look enough alike to b'^ : do tell now are you? Tak. Say, don't you call me a Chinaman, if you please, but we will let it pass this time. My name is Takemquick (hands card) here take a card; take a couple if you want 'em. I represent the Great Equitable Life, Fire and Tornado Insurance Co. Do you carry a policy ? Rachel. No! nor I don't want a policy, . Tak, Then maybe the younger lady would take out a policy. U GYP THE HEIHESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS, i Gyp. Xo sir! I don't care for any insurance, or any insurance agents. Come on Rachel. Sing. Melican man allee samee make mashee. Taic. {gets front of Gyp ojirZ Rachel) Hold on jnst a moment; j'ou ought to carry insurance; everybody ought to in tact. Gyp. Please stand asitle and let us pass. liachel. Let me at him and see how quick he will move! Tak. Just a moment ladies, (to Rachel) You ought to carry insurance; remember you are advanced in years, you are growing old, you are — Bachel. How dare you call me old ? Gyp. (grabs Rachel's arm) Come on Rachel. Tak. Insurance is one of the greatest, grandest and— Bachel. I'd like to scratch your eyes out, you — Gyp. O ! Rachel, do come on ! Tak. Insurance is now and ever will be — Bachel. O! shut up! Sing, Yi! yi ! tight! tight! yi! yi! yip! yah! Enter, Thornton, l. e. Thorn. What the devil is all this noise about, (grahs Takemquck) what the deuce are you doing":* I'll just throw you our in the street and let you sober up. (Gyp and Rachel exit r., 8 e. Tak. ' Gently, sir, gentl}^ Let me take your life; just a moment, sir, and I will write you out the sweetest policy. Thorn. No sir ! out you go. (swings him as if to pitch Tak. Let me write you up tirst. Thorn, (throws Takemquick oat l.) Don't you ever show your face in here again, if you do I'll break yo*ir back for you. (turns) Now then Sing, what the — Tak. (out L.) Say, tell that Chinaman to throw my hat out through the window, will you? Thorn, [to Sing) 1 want to know wh:it the devil you mean — lak. (sticks head in l.) Say, please mister ujay I come in and get my hat? Thorn. No ! keep out of here if you don't want a broken head. '/ nk. What the (lev.l am I to do for a h.-it? Thorn. Do without, curse }^ou, or go and buy a new o lo. 'j(ih\ Why, that's almost new. I ain't wore it but three > ears. Sing, [gets hat and gives Takemquick) Me told Melican man bet- ter leave. Thorn. Now let me give you a little advice, Mr. — 'Tak. Takemquick is niy name (hands card) have a cird. I am representing" the Great Equitab'e Life — Thorn. Nevermind sir! I don't want to know anything about your business. I just want to say this, if I ever see you around iiere again, there will be a tirst-clas> funeral, and you will be the chief actor. Do you understand? Tak. O 1 Lord ! and I havu't got a policy on my life ! Goo 1 day ; good day, sir! (exit, l. e. Thorn. Now Sing, what does this mean? I come b-ick here to find this house full of people. Didn't I ted you that I didn't want people prying in my business. Who was that feliovv? Sing, (shakes head) Don't know. Me told him to leave; wouldn't go. Allee samee Melicaii man dead beat I 'soect. GTP TEE BEtRESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS, 15 Thorn. Well, who were those women that went out just as I Jame in? Sing. Melicans. Come here to see somebody. Thorn. The devil! Who did they want to see ? Sing. Don't know. Thorn. Don't He now. You do know ! Sing. Xo lie, no lie, tell truth. Thorn. Well, if they come back here before I do, tell them to go to the devil ! {exit,^ l. Sing. Me tell, you bet. {turna irons; sings) Me keepee littie washee shop allee down street. Melican man makee muchee chin, chin, him a dead beat. Enter, Sister Carmeta, r., 1 e. N'ow what devil, Charity Sister want? Me no give money to help build church ; too many Melican's around here, you git ! {points r. Sister C. I am not begging money to build a church or anything else, I am looking for a couple of ladies that were to meet me her^ this afternoon — Sing. One young? Sister G. Yes, one young and good looking. Sing. One old? Sister C. The same. Sing. Regular devil, scratch, pull hair. (imitates. Sister C. You should not use such language. Havn't the Mis- sionaries taught you that to swear is a sin and the Bible says — Sing. Hop Sing no wantee hear lecture. /Sister C. Well, but the ladie:^, have they been here? Sing. Wep! Sister C. Will you tell me where they are now? Sing. In there. (points r., 8 e. Sister C. Very well, then with your permission I will join them, (exit, r., 3 E. Sing. Wonder what Melicans all want here with Sin?. I'll see, (goes R., 3 e., listens, comes front) yaw% yaw, yaw, ynw yaw, that's way voice go. No pusliee, no pullee. Melican gh'^i tongue allee samee go like durn Oola, i' Enter, Takemquick, l., 1 e., slajis Sing on shoulder. Tak. Well John, I'm back again. Just wrote up two more fel- lows. Business is rushing I tell you. Now I've come back to take you and your laundry. Don't say no, for it won't do any good. I'm going to take you any way. If you don't have a policy when you (lie, why, then you Mill ''cuss" me lor not making you carry about 1500. O ! I know how it works. Sing. Work! Melican man no workee, just chin, chin, you allee samee dead beat. Tak. Say ! Where's that fire eating son-of-a-gun that was going to kill me a while ago": Just trot him out and let him kill me. I'm all safe enough now. Is he around here anywhere? Sing, Yonder he comes now. {points, l. Tak. Good-by. I'll see you again after awhile. (extJ, R Sing. Yah I yah! Melican man allee samee coward. He-enter, Takemquick, r. ^ak. Who is a coward ? I iust went out to spit» 16 GYP THE HE IB ESS; OH, THE DEAD WITKESS. Enter, Gyp, Rachel and Carmeta, r., 3 e. Gyp. Now then, Sister, if you will be kind enough to tell what your business is with — Tak. One moment p^e.nse. Allow me to make a proposition. My time is valuable, and as there are four of you here now that don't carry policies, I will write up the four of you at a small reduction. Sister C. 1 be«^ pardon, but will you gentlemen grant us this room for a short time, ^ye wish to — (Rachel goes l. I'ak. Why certahily ! take the room and all that's in it, me and the Chinaman too. Sing, {raises iron) Melican woman allee samee get smashed. Hachel. Yes! I'd just like to catch myself getting smashed by a Chinaman Sister C. Well, are you gentlemen going to grant our request, and leave the room? I wish to convey some intelligence. Tak. O! you want to talk things over do you, and you want us to leave the room ? Gyp. You will let us have the room to ourselves, won't you? Tak. And you don't think I could write up about three of you, do you ? Bachel. You won't refuse a lady, will you? 2'ak. Xol You bet! I'll take all the ladies I can get. Gyp. She means that j-ou will not refuse to leave the room. Tak. I can't refui^e a youno- lady, especially a good looking young lady. I'll leave and I hope I'll have the honor of taking all of your lives in the ''sweet bj'-and-by. (exit r., 1 e. Si7ig. Me go too. (aside) Stop just out side the door and hear what Melican woman say too. (exit l., 1 k. Gyj?. .Now then, will you be kind enough to tell usyour name? Bachel. Yes, and for goodness sake! raise that vail. I want to see your face. Sister C. My true name and my face must remain a mystery for the present. You may call me Sister Carmeta. Bachel. That's a peculiar name. Why didn't you choose some- thing commoner, like Susan or Jane — Gyp. Why should a Sister of Charity go under an assumed name? Sister C. The reason, you will learn in good time, but I sent for you to come here this evening to learn something about Oscar and Clara Royalton. Gyp. They are both dead, so what more can you tell us? - Bachel. Oscar was killed in a railway accident and Clara was — Sister C. Burned in the house on Oscar Royalton's cattle ranch at Silver City, that's wiiat — Bachel. That was an awful fire, I lost a set of false teeth that I wouldn't have taken anything for. Sister C. Gyp Golden, do you know that you are loosing a fortune ? Gyp. Did you send for me to listen to nonsease? I never had a fortune. Bachel. And she never expects to have one, either. Sister C. You are mistaken. You are "Gj'^p, The Heiress" and rourfurtune was stolen from you. All your money was held in irust by Oscar Royalton and he — Gyp. Do you mean to say that Oscar would steal? Bachel. Don't you dare accuse my nephew of stealing, (holds ^ ip liinhrella) That umbrella has been in our family over forty years^ GTP THE BEtRESS; OR, THE DEAD WIT^TESS, 17 / don't like to part with old relics, but if you dare say that aofain, I'll — {flourishing umbrella Sister C. I have made no accusation acjainst Oscar. The money was held in trust by him. When he went to Cincinnati, he left all papers with Clara. Gpp. But if what you say is true, why didn't Oscar and Clara tell me that I had a fortune in my own name? Rachel. Yes, you just tell us that if you can ! Sister C. Your father was a very excentric man, Miss Golden, and it was his wish that you should remain in ignorance of your wealth until your twenty-first birthday, Rachel. Gracious! How gauzy. (Vyp. But the murder, who committed — Sister C. You have a cousin, Philip Darkwood, a "ne'er to do (veil," in fact a black sheep, who was supposed to be dead, but was not. He learned of your wea th and determined to have it. He de- manded the paper? of Clara; she refused to give them up, and rather than be balked in his purpose be killed her, secured the papers and set tire to the house to hide his crime. Gyp. But Oscar? Rachel. Yes, Oscar I did Darkwood kill him too? iSister C. Oscar is not dead, but held a prisoner by Darkwood in Cincinnati. He, Oscar, was called there by a forged dispatch. Gyp. Then, what are we to do? Rachel. 01 1 wish he was in reach of this umbrella. Enter, Sing, l. e. Sing. Have to git, Melican man comin.' Sister C. 'J'hen let us go. Come to my house with me and I wil/ fell you a plan. (exit, r. Gyp. (to Sing) We thank j'^ou sir, for the use of this room. [exit, R. Sing. Allee right. Ritchel. Goc)tl-by, oLl pumpkin colored rat trap. {exit^ r. Siiuj. Chinee man allee samee eate rat, but he no painte face like Meiican woman. {irons Enter, Thornton, l., 2 e. Thorn. Well Sing, all alone I see. So much the better. I want /o have a talk with you — 1 think I can see my way clear now, and if 1 am not badly mistaken we w ill soon have the Golden fortune in our hands. Ah! Sing, you done a good thing when you followed Koyalton to Cincinnati and Idt him that crack, over the head with the bag of sand. ■Sivg, Allee samee do what Melican man say. Thorn. Of course you did, and you will get paid for it too; and Sing, the best thing you did was to get that precious brother of yours to keep Royalton a prisoner. In doing that you showed more sense than I ever gave you credit of having. Sing. Lhinee man got more sense than Melican man any how. Thorn. That's a matter of opinion, and I ditl'er with you — but say, Sing, I'm our of money again and I want you to give me — Sing. No do — no have — me got no money. Thorn. 1 didn't ask you for a lie. 1 want some money. Y'ou've got it 1 know that. You have given money several times, but 1 need more, and when we get the Golden fortune, I will pay it all buck u»kI more too, but 1 must have a little money. 18 GTP THE HEtnESS; OR, THE DEAD WITNESS. Sing. No got — putti more money day or two. Thorn. Putti more devil or two/ I'll not wait no clay or two. 1 want the money now, I tell you ! I'll pay it all back when I get olo Golden's money, if I succeed — but, p«haw ! it's bound to succeed, {musingly) havn't I got all the p.ip •. > i luy possession? Sing. How muchee you going to give Sing? Thorn. How much? Why, I'll give you $500. Sing. $500 ? Thorn. Yes, $500. It will make you rich, Sing. Sing. I help you stealee $10,000, you give me $500. No do it. Want more, {loork this up Thorn. AVaut more? How much more? Sing. AUee samee want half. Thorn. What the devil do you mean? Sing. Mean allee samee want half or no helpee. Thorn. Why, curse your yellow hide, you'll get no half from me. Do you understand that? What the devil has got into you? You've gone too far to back out now. Sing. Give me half or me tell. Enter, Sister Carmeta, r., 3 e., listens. Thorn. Tell, thunder! What will you tell? Sing. Me knowee. Allee samee hear Charity Sister talk. Thorn. Sister of Charity? Who is she? AV^hat the devil did she say? Sing. Say Melican man write nother man's name to paper. Thorn. That's a lie! Sing. Not. Him truth. Melican man allee same see "Dead Wit- ness" some time. Thorn. Bosh I Do you think I am fool enough to think that people leave their graves? Sing. You see, you do more than that too. You alleee samee burn house, too. Thorn. That's another lie ! Sing. Not lie — truth, all truth, me knowee. Thorn. Keep that yellow mouth shut or you will have us both in Jail before morning. Sing. Don't care. You do more than that. Allee samee kill Melican girl. {with force Thorn, Curse you I I never killed her. Who said I did? Sing, Me. Thornton sta?'fs /or Sing Enter, Takemquick, r. Tak. Well, if she ain't dead yet let me write her up. I'll write out, the sweetest policy. Thorn, (draws revolver) You infernal meddling fool, down on your knees, and if 3'ou know a prayer say it. (Takemquick on knees iiands up, etc.) Now Sing curse you, you've got to die\ {advances Sing, {draics knife) Look out, knifee allee samee poison. Meli- can man die like dog. Sing and Thornton, clinch; they fall; Sinq beneath, Thornton raises revolver. Sister Carmeta comes forward. Thorn. Now die, curse you. iSister C, Philip Darkwood, look up, see the "Wead Witness." Sing raises himself on elbow, Tii'^'rnton, bending over Sing, Takem- quick kneelina R. front, pr^',^_ ^^.or.,^,^ q^^ pointing at Thorn- ton. TABLE A V GYP THE HETRESS; OR, THE DEAD WITNESS, IB ACT II[. SCEXE.— Thornton's law office, box scene, practical door r. 1 e. and L. 1 E., table c, chairs R.aml L.,jire place l., Hezekiah enter, l. Hez. Sleeping out at night boys, Getting on a tight boys, For I'm a bnra, a jolly old bum I live like a royal Turk. If I have good luck in buming my chuck, Go way with tl^e man that works — Gee whiz, how my head whirls. Two months in the hospital and got a sore head yet. If I ever strike the man that hit me with that bottle— but there's that "if." I've searched for him in vain for — Enter, Thornton, r., 3 e. Thorn. Look here, sir, will you be good enough to tell me how you got in here? Jlez. {points l.) Door. Thorn. What do you want? Jlez. See the proprietor. Thorn. See here my friend, who the devil are you? Hez. No body. r Thorn. Where do you live? Bez. No where. Thorn. Where are you going? Hez. Any where. Thorn. AVhat do you do? Hez. Nothing, Thorn. Where did j^ou come from? Hez. Everywhere. I'll tell you partner, I've been in more .strange counties, seen more curious people, eat more queer grub and drank more mean whiskey than any man out of jail. Thorn. Then you are a common tramp. Hez. Yes, sir, I'm nobody^ ain't got a cent. I'm as hard up as a spring coon with a broken leg. I'm hungry, dry and in fact I am Hezekiah Hopeful, in hard luck and out of a job. Thorn, (aside) The kind of a man I need, (aloud) Stay here and I will get you something to eat. (exit r., 1 e. Hez. Ah ! Si Thornton, I've found you out at last. I've not foi*- gotten that lick over the head with a bottle. I'll "camp on vour trail." Enter, Thornton r., 1 e. Thorn. Here is something for you. (sets bread and bottle on table) It's the best I've got in the house. Hez. (grabs bread) O! give us this day our daily "pie", here'9 luck, {eats and drinks Thorn. You say that your name is Hopeful? Hez. (eating) Yep. ( drinks) Thorn, You are the fellow that stole a coat in Leadville. Hez. (quickly) No sir I don't know anything about it. It was iiot me. (drinks Thorn, It was yon too. The coat was worth $20. Hex. Twenty dollars, thunder I I've got on the verv coat. Dc so GYP TBB HE IB ESS; OU, THE DEAD WITKESS, yon think this is worth $20 ? lliorn. Ah ! I thouo^ht I knew yoii. ITez. (aside) But not as well as I know 3'on. Thorn. Look here, I am in need of a mm here in my office, and I Oelieve you are the man I want. I ,i .1 .1 1 r.vyer — Hez. Is your name Marks? Thorn. This is not Uncle Tom's Cabin, you fool. Jlez. AYell you look a o;ood deal like Uncle Tom. Thorn. You are not just right in the upper stor^^ are 3^011? Hez. No! I some times liave lits, caused by getting struck over the liead with a bottle. Thorn, {quickhj) What's that? Hez. I said the whiskey was running low in this bottle. {drinks Thorn. You will get more when that's gone. Say, listen tome —to make a long story short, if you will stay here and do what I tell you to, I'll see that you won't loose anytliing by it — is it a barg.un? Hez. Don't know but what I go you once. That's what I call a snap — I'm yours. Thorn. Then stay here until I come hack. But mind you, if I see anything crooked about you. (shoios revolcer Hez] Hold On, put that up. Tiie}- sometimes goes oft' when they ain't loaded. Thorn, (aside) A perfect fool. Nothing to fear from him. (aloud) Pshaw! 1 am not going to shoot you. Hez. I know that, but you might throw it. Thorn. If a young lady calls during my absence, tell her to call this afternoon. (exit l. Hez. I'll make love to her till you come back, (seated) Now this is what I call luck. Find the very man I am looking for and get to stay in his ofliee. Hopeful you've camped on the right trail this time. Enter, Takkmquick, r. Tak. Let me take your life. Hez. Wa-wa-what ! Tak. I've come to take your life. Hez. Wan't anything else do you ? Tak. No! sir, I am going to take you. (business with paper Hez. Well, wait till I wrap up this bread and finish getting on the out side of the contents of this bo;tle, and 1 guess I'm ready. Tak. 'J'akemquick is my name sir. I represent the Great Equi- table Life, Fire and Tornado Insurance Co. of — Hez. Life Insurance, gosh ! (aside) I thought he Wiis another man altogether, (aloud) Say, you remember the way you come in here, don't you? VVell, it's still open. Git! (advances. Tak. What are you going to do ? Hez. .Going to paint an Italian sunset under your eye. (busi)iess 'Tak. Hold on ! now, don't use brute force, but let us argue the matter. Now — Hez. No sir I I am in the decorative business now. If you don't want a Fresco done on your cheek, you git! (pushes Takemquick out r. Tak. (out R.) I'll write you up if it takes a leg. fiez, I thought he would get a got on him. (seateci 'GYP THE HEIRESS; OR. THE DEAD WITNESS, Si Enter, Gyp, l., 1 e. Gyp.. IsMr. Thornton in? lies, l^ohe's— {looks up) What! Gj^p Golden? Gi/p. Hopeful! You here? Hez. Yes, I'm here, but what are j'Oii doing here? Gyp. Kather let me ask you the same question. I didn't suppose you'would ever show your face again in this part of the country, iifter acting the coward an I deserting us at the very liour our trouble began. Hez. Now, let me tell you about that Miss Gyp— you see I got a crnck over tlie head with a bottle the night the house burned down— Gyp. But why didn't you comeback? You didn't seem to care \\hether we were dead or not. Hez. Well I'll tell you; I was the only man around there; they mi^ht have had some suspicions that I done the work, and then do you know what would have happened? Why, they would have put :i ro DC around my neck, threw the rope over a limb, and then as the musicians say, I would have done a difheult execution on one string. Gyp. Yes, but you might have come after the excitement died down. Oscar left you in charge of his cattle ranch. Do you think tliat you have done j^our duty? Hez. I laid in the hospital two months with a sore head ; when I got out I went to Silver City in search of you, but you had gone no one knew where. Clara and Oscar was both dead, so the people at the ranch told me, so I started to tind the fellow that struck me over the head with that bottle — Gyp. And 1 suppose you will Keep on hunting and tramphig all the rest of your lite ? Jiez. Not much ! For I have found my man, and now I'm going to help you get back all your money. Gyp. Keally. Mr. Hopeful! Well, your valuable assistance will iiave to be declined. You are a little late with your ofter, and besides my liwyer, Mr. Thornton, is doing all that can be done to retrieve w hat money i did have, and by the way you may tell him that — Hez. [rises) Good God I did you trust Si Thornton? He is the svorst enemy you have got. (jyp. Wiiat! You must be crazy or drunk. Stand aside and let /ne pass ! Hez. I'll not! Gyp Golden, listen tome. The man who mur- ('ered Clara and Osc;ir, set fire to the house, stole your fortune, and cracked me over the head with that bottle, is Philip Darkwood. Gyp. Well, I know that sir ! and if that is all you have to say, let me pass ? Hez. But that isn't all, Darkwood and Thornton is one and all the same person. Gyp. AVhatI Good heavens ! What do you mean. Speak! Don't stancl there like a dummy. Say something; why do you make such charges against Mr. Thornton? You must be mad. Hez. 1 thought I'd st.u'tle you, but it's the truth and I've got a scheme to beat hiui. Gyp. O! What am I to do? I thought I had found a friend. What is to become of me, cast upon the world, friendless, penniless, lather, mother, Iriends, everything!: gone. I can beg, starve or die and what dillerenee w ill it make to anyone. Bez. Don't talk about dying; rather think about living. To die is the last thing you will ever do. tfS GYP THE HE IB ESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS. Gyp. But what is there for me to live for? Not one thing. 0! why can't the happy days of the past be recalled? Hez. Because that ain't natural, and then besides there will be just as happy and bright days in the future as there has been in the past. Gyp. But not for me, I am a homeless, friendless wanderer. Hez. Gyp, listen to me. I am a tramp I know, but I am not de- void of all honor, and I swear that I will see you righted. I will restore your lost fortune. I only ask you to trust rae a few days. I swore to be revenged on Thornton, and f will keep ray oath. Gyp. O ! will you be my friend? I need a friend so much. I be- lieve I can trust you. I never can thank you enough for the en- couraging words you have spoken to rae. Hez. Sp:ire your thanks until I have earned them and let me give you a good motto — treat every man as a thief until he has proven himself to be honest. Miss Gyp, you are surrounded by enemy's on .•ill sides; here take this {hands revolver) and defend yourself. You have lived on a ranch long enougii to know how to use it. Now then j'ou must go before Thornton comes back. (Gyp goes l.) Wait, have you any money ? Gyp. Not a cent in tlie world. I pawned ray last piece of jewelry — a ring that Oscar gave rae — for money enough to — Hez. Good heavens! and to think that you are "Gyp, The Heir- ess" to. Here {takes out money) here is five dollars, all I have, now don't refuse, take it, I wisli it was more, it will keep you from starving, take it and don't mind about rae, I'll get along without it, I always have lived up to date. Now go. Gyp. 01 Hopeful, I never can thank you — I Hez. Never mind about that but go. Trust in rae for a few (Ihvs and everything will eorae out all right; now go. {shows her (nit L.) Ah! ihiugs are working, {rubs hands) and now for a little work on ray book, {produces manuscript) when it is finished I'll live in style, for it will be a master piece of fiction. I'll make the tears course down the cheek that is seamed and furrowed by the lines of care. I'll make the tear course down the cheek that is rudy with the warrath and glow of youth and — hold on Hopeful j'ou are getting poetical and that won't do, but she will be agreat bookjust the same. I've got an elegant title for my great piece of fiction : "Fatal Eft'ects ot Love in a Cottage." Ah! that's a taking title. Now let me see, where did 1 leave off, yes here it is, {reads) "Slie was sitting under the tall, stately elms, in the rustic seat, her beautiful golden brown hair falling to liei' waist like a cataract of pure gold." now {writes) "The balmy southern zephyrs was fanning her highly colored marble like cheek; her trim waist was encircled with a sash of beautiful azure blue ribbon ab;)Ut fourteen inches wide; the sun, like a great firey ball, was hanging high in the heavens and sheddinghis dazzling lighton hergoklen brown hair, wliile the pale beams from thesilvery moon — hold on Hoj^eful, the sun and the moon won't w^ork together. Now, how will 1 fix that. I can't keep her sitting on that bench till rundown, O! yes, I have it, {writes) "her beautiful golden brown hair in its splendor out shone the blinding brilliancy of the sun and the silvery light of the pale moon. Over head, the blue birds were carroling forth their overture to the declining da}^, while — 7\ik. {out L.) Tiie villain still persued her. Hez. No he didn't either, that's old and then besides the villaia is over in New York. Now — GYP THE HEIMESS; 07?, TEE DEAD WITNESS. 35 Enter, Takemquick, l. /iidn't I tell 5-011 not to come back here again? Tak. I just want to argue the case with yon and prove the good points of insurance. You don't know what moment you may be in. an accident. Why, just think of the Johnstown flood and — Hez. They had a bigger accident than that over in ^Milwaukee the other dav — big brewery destroyed — Tak. How many lives lost? Hez. Lives! There wasn't anj^ but there was five thousand kega of beer lost. Tak. Pshaw I What's that got to do with insurance? Let me tell you instu-aiice is one of the greatest, grandest and most noble thoughts o. man, and the great i^quir.able is the greatest company of them all. We have a paid up capital of $2^000,000. We pay all losses quicker — Hez. Say! You ought to run a sausage factory. Tak. Sausage factory ? ^Vhy so? Hez. 'Cause, you could furnish all the stuffing for nothing. Tak. You havn't got the least bit of poetry about you. There is no more of the sublime about you, then there is about a grindstone, Hez. Poetiy! What do you know about poetry ? Tak. Why, sir! 1 used to write poetry. I wrote one beautiful i)'ece, all about the beautiful, beautiful spring. Hez. Are you going to "spring" it on us now? Tak. Listen, and 1 will recite a verse or two of it. {attitvdQ In Spring-time the school girl sklppeth and the small boy tools his bazoo. The flowers bloom and the pigeons bill and coo — Hez. The goslings twitter and the bridal couples swarm. 'Jlie hopetul hayseed puts a mortgage on his farm. Tak. The tirst fly of spring to the air spreads his wing; * For warmer is growing the weather, While roaming about, another thaws out, They meet and fly oti" together — Hez. To a playhouse they went on forage intent ; The people there present did scan. One fly to the other, laughingly said, Get on to the ball-headed man. Tak. 1 haven't the least hesitation in saying that you are the 6iiroest fool in the R( «;ky Mountains. Hez. Well, I thought so myself until you came. Tak. If you wms back in Maine where I came from — iff?. What I You come from Maine? Well, so did I, shake. (shake hands Tak. What part of Maine are you from? Hez. O! 1 come from the West part. {shakes Tak. So did L I came from Saddle-back Mountains. Hez. I am from Hun >y Hollow, close to lake Mooselock Magun- tic, two miles from the Post Office, and feel as though I had known you for years. Tak. "^Well, so do I, shake again. (shakes Hez. Suppose we form a trust of ourselves, you write up their lives and I'll write out their wills. e4 GYP THE HEIHESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS. Tak. Shake— we will do the brother act from now on. {music, join hands, go front, both sing Both. Then here we are the skeleton twins; We just have happened along. Tak. I've been in jail. Hez. And so have I, Both. We never done anything wrong. Tak. The}^ put uie in for being too short; Hez. And me for being too long. Both. Then here we are twins. We seem as though we are on needles and pin?. {dance Enter, Thornton, r., 1 e., Orchestra discontinue, Hezkkiah and Takemquick run out l. Thorn. AVhat the devil docs all this noise mean? Do you want to have the whole town here? Enter, Sister Car.meta r. Who tlie dickens are you, and what do you want? >Vh;it are you here for? '■ Sister C. To avenge the loath of Clara Royalcon; to right Gyp Golden. Thorn. What do you mean, woman? Sister C. Coward I JMurdererl can you stand there and ask th.-d question? Your race is nearly over, Pliilip DarUwooil. Thorn, [aside) Heavens! what can she mean; h;is ni}- crime been discovered? {aloud) You know me by that nanie? Sister C. Your crimes are known — "lorger, thief, murderer."' Ah ! you trembie; wliere is your boasted bravery ? AViiy don't you shoot, you miserable coward ? Thorn. Curse you, / icill shoot! {shoots Sister C. (throtcs bullet on stage; laughs) Hal ha I tr}' again. Thorn. Who in the tiends name are you? Sister C. The "DeadlWitness" PhdipDarkwood, this isthesecoml zime you liave seen me; beware ot the tliirtl time, lor that will be the day of reckoning. {exit, r. Thorn. Heavens! I believe that mysterious Sister of Charity lius made me nervous. Who in the name of all that's goo I and ba \\ ca'i she be? She knows me and my. only chance ot safety is in flight. 1 hate to leave Koyalton's money, but there is no other way. I liave the Golden fortune, {(okes papers out of pocket) but 1 wanted lioya.- ton's mone\^ too, but it will take time to get that and time is wiiat 1 haven't got. I'll lock these papers up; I don't leel sate incairrying lliem any longer. {atarts l. Enter, Hezekiah, l., scared; arrow sticking through hat. What's the matter with you? Where are you going? Ilez. Let me out! L'.;t: me out! I'll not stay in this country any lon^ier. Let me go, et •. Thorn. 1 will not let you go until you tell what is the matter. What have you seen? Hez. Injuns! injuns! injuns! Thorn. Psiia.v 1 There are no Indians around livre. It was your iina 'ination. GYP THE HEIRESS; OB, THE BEAD WITN-ESS, So Hez. Wasn't either; it was Indians. I saw them. Thorn. But I tell you there isn't a hostile Indian within one- hundred miles of here, Imagination, sir. Hez. Imao-ination the— (^a^s off hat; sees arrow) there! there I there ! you don't call that a cupid's arrow do you ? Thorn. 1 want to lock some papers in my desk, then I will talk to you. (exit, l. Hez. (holds itp arrow) Imagination, the devil. I never seen ima- gination with ft-athers on it before. Be-enter, Thornton l., Jcei/s in hand. Thorn. Hopeful, how would you like to leave here (put kei/s in out-side coat pocket) and go to, well say Canada. I am thinking of leaving this part of the country. How wo c- 1 1 you like to go with me? You shan't loose a = y thing by .o:oing. Hez. (steals kei/s out of TnoR:sT6y^s pocket) Gosh! yes; that jus:: suits me. AVhen do you want to go? Thorn. AVe will start in the morning. 1 will go down town to arrange some business. Don't tell anyone that we are going away, mind you. (exit, k. Hez. (examines kens) Ah ! that's the idea that will let me in that desk; now for Gyp Golden's fortune. Si Thornton, stand from un- der for something is going to drop with a dull, sickening Ihu I. l.ook out Hoi^eful. (puts keys in pocket Re-enter, Thornton, l. Thorn. What the devil are you doing? Hez. Gosh! did you see that r.\t? Rat ran down there bigger ilrin a dog. Thorn. Traitor! What nre you hiding in that pocket? Hez. Nothing. I was after "my revolver. I was going to shoot (hat rat. y fiorn. That's a lie! You don't carry a revolver in that pocket. Hez. (draws large revolver) Yes, I do too! Look out, I've got a •oii-of-a-gun here ihat kicks like a mule. I know, for I raised it Iromacolt. (calls) Takemquick! Enter, Takemquick, l. e. Thorn. What the devil do you mean? Hfz. Business! Takemquick, write this fellow up quick. Tak. Only too glad I assure you. (business Thorn. What are you going to do? Hez. Going to knock the bung out of your beer reservoir. Are .\ ou ready Takemquick? Tak. (writes) liCt's see, age about 35 ; height, about six feet; color — um — color — Hez. Oh ! coflee color. (T'o.QJi.y.TO^, slips forward Tak. Eyes are — yes they are — Htz. Green, can't you see. Have you got that all down? (Thoi!Nton <7?'a6s Hezekiah's revolver, exit) Tliunder, he is gone ! Go, gi t him Takemquick. Tak. No sir! He has got a gun and he is ju:t the kind of man to lay for a feller too. 1 think I'll leave, (exit. Hezkkiah) D.iin this country anyhow, they live too fast for me. I long for the green hills of Maine, and I am going there too. (exit, r. •5 GYP THE HEIRESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS. Re-enter, Hezekiah, l. e., papers in hand. Hez. There, he stole my gun and I've stole the papers that claim -T.vp's fortune, and L guess we are about even. Now what wdl I do .virh that wad of mannscript? I don't want to carry it in my pocivet — O ! I know what to do; there is a loosebriclc in that fire-place. I'll lide the papers there, {(joes to fire-place) jnst the fit. {come front) There, that's chapter two. Now for my novel. Enter, Thornton, r. Thorn. Heavens I I've been robbed ; my pockets picked; my keys jone — II(;z. Who done it? Thorn. How the devil do I know? A bunch of keys have been Jtolen from me. (aside) Now I must break open that desk and see if everything is safe. Enter, Oscar, r. e., disguised. Oscar. Ah ! Si Thornton. I've found you at last have I? {both draw revolvers Hez. Hold on gentleman, hold on, I want my novel. {<^eti manii- ficript from table, Thornton l., ejmmines revolver; Oscar r., examines revolver) Say! if you fellows are bound to kill one another, let mo tell yon a way that's not so barbarous. Here, I've got the nicest set of paste-boards {holds up deck of c Thornton) Play him, play him, it's a dead sure thing. Thorn. Yes, I'll play you. (seated Oscar r., Thornton l., Hezekiah back of table) Deal the cards. Hez. Now gentleman, a fair :-quare game. Thorn. All I hearts is trumps. (they play Oscar. Yes. but spades wiil soon be your trump. Hcz. Don't get excited now boys. (picks up revolvers unseen Oscar. Ah ! At your old tricks again ; you are cheating. Thorn. I didn't. {work this up Oscar. Tliai'saJiel You did! Thorn, {reaches across table, p nils off Osc All's beard) Ah ! curse you. I thought I knew you. I swore to kill you — Oscar. And I took the same oath to kill j'o'u. Thorn. Now die, curse you. " (reaches for revolver Hez. (presents tivo revolvers) Boys you are euchred, I've go both bowers. TICT UBE—SL OW C UR TAIX, END OF ACT III. ACT IV. SCEXE.—^Same as Act III. Rachel seated r., Hezekiah l. oj stage. Curtain up to quick music. Rachel. Ah ! Mr. Hopeful, I believe everything will corae out all light yet. 91 i* THE HEIRESS; OR, THE DEAD WITNESS, S7 Hez. O! I don't know. A river ahv.iys S3ttles liefore it clears, and everything else does the same. Rachel. You never settled your board bill b3fore you cleared the last town, did you? I had a dream last night and [ always thouglit there were a great deal in dream-:. I know lots of people that has had dreams that turned out just as the dream was, and my dream was that I was in Heaven — Hez. Well, why didn't you stay? What did you come back for? Rachel Ah! Everything looks brighter this morning. There, JVlr. Hopeful, didn't you see that burst of sunshine? Hez. Xo! I didn't see anything "bust" but my heart. Rachel. Gracious! You surprise me. What's the matter? Hez. Oh! Love! love! Rachel, (aside) I wonder if it is catching. I believe I'll stay an 1 risk it. (aloud) I'll tell you the best thing you can do for a case of love. Hez. What! get married? Rachel. No! go down to the drug store and take a pint of pure £0(1 liver oil. Hez. O! r am too far gone for cod liver oil. Rachel. Well, uho is the person that has captured your heart? Hez. Wh5% don't you know ! Rachel. 1 haven't the faintest suspicion. Hc^. >Vhy, it's you ! Rachel. Me? 01 goodness, I believe I'll faint. Hez. O ! don't, please don't ! Rachel. I won't; but go on. Hez. Don't you think we could organize a trust just between Ourselves? Say now don't you? Rachel. Why, l-I-I-doU't know; would you quit drinking? Hez. Yes. (slips chair towards Kachel Rachel. Gambling and all your bad habits. Hez. Tes. (slips chair Rachel. Always do just as I say ? Hez. Yes. ' (slips chair Rachel. liCt me do just as I please? Hz. Yes. Kachel goes up stage and reads note, then comes down center of stage Rachel. Well no, Mr. Hopeful, if you would do all that, I tiiink you are most too soft for me. Hez. And is that your answer? (sliyps c. and falls over Kachel's chair Rachel. Yes — well you come to me when you have $5000 and I A'ill talk to you. (puts note in pocket Hez. Five thousand dollars, (whistles) Say, wouldn't $5 do as M-ell? Rachel. Why do you ask me that? (Rachel rises Hez. 'Cause, I believe 1 could get $5, but not $5000. Enter, Gyp, l. e., reading note. Gyp. ''Be sure to come by 8 o'clock; it is necessary that you should be there" — what can these notes mean — Rachel. Why ! good morning Gyp, but what are you so interested iij— a letter ? 28 GYP THE HEIBESS; OR, THE DEAD WITNESS. Gyp. T hardly know what to think. I received two notes request- ino;^ my presence liere — Hez. I'll bet old "Willie Whiskers" is up to more devilment. Rachel, {to Gyp) Tliat's strange, for 1 received two notes asking me to come here — Gijp. There is no name signed to either of tliera. I can't under- stand — Rachel. Neither can I ; taking all together it is the strangest thing I ever knew of. Now here is my note — [shot L., Rachel and Gyp retreat R. Gj/p. What can be the meaiiing of that? Thornton staggers in l., falls c. of stage. Enter, Oscar in disguise^ r. Hez. "Willie Whiskers" by thunder; now what the — Oscar. What's the meaning of this? What did that shot mean? Speak man, you are not dumb I Thorn. Fool ! Can't you see that I am dying? Gyp. What! dying? Oscar. Dying! What are you talking about? Thorn, {holds up hand covered with blood) See! That cursed Chinaman has done for me at last. He swore to have revenge and the yellow dog has kept his oath — Hez. Well life is an awful uncerlain disease. Rachel. And the "wages of sin is death." Hez. When are you going to draw your salary? Oscar, {to Thornton) Shall 1 get you a physician? llwrn. Physician! No! [ can die soon enough without any meddling — {sharply) Curse you, why don't you leave? Why do you stand here like a crowd of gaping idiots? Enter, Sister Carmeta, l. e. Sister C. Philip Darkwood, I have come to keep my promis e — Thorn. You! Curse you, why do you come to see me die? I suppose you will be satisfied when you know I am dead. Si.ster C. 1 told you, you would see me three times and that the third time would be the day of reckoning between us. Where is Gyp Go. den's fortune? {loork this up 7 horn. Who in the devils name are you? Sister C. {raises veil) See for yourself. Thorn, (falls back) My God ! back— from— the— grave— Gyp. {runs forward) Oh! Clara! Oscar. What! Not dead ! It can't be possible! Hez. Well I'm a son-of-a-gun. Rachel. 1 knew it ! I knew things would come out all right. I said things looked brighter, and it was all on account of that dream too. Thorn, {raises arm) My crime has found me out; my race is run; with all my plotting and sclieming I have lost the Golden for- tune. 1 played for high stakes— Clara. And you've lost. Hez. Yes, he will "cash out looser" in this game. Rachel. Poor man. I can sympathize with him. Thorn. K -p your sympathy for those that want it. (to Clara) My evil star must have been shining, for all my schemes have been a tlat failure. In my mad race for money I failed to kill you, {to Oscar) and you have escaped by the aid of a traitor. GYP THE HEIRESS; OR, THE DEAD WlTiYESS. Si Oscar, Yes, the Chinaman proved a traitor to you, but a friend to me, and at last justice has — Thorn. Don't talk to me of "justice," Oscar Ro yalton— Gyp. Oscar Royalton ? Oscar, {takes off beard) Yes,. Oscar Royalton ! Hez. {to Rachel) More dreams old lady. Rachel. O ! shut up, and quit calling me old. Oscar, {leads Gyp forward) Philip Darkwood look up, let me introduce my wife. Clara. Your wife ! Thorn, "What do you mean by introducing a farce at this stage of the drama ? Oscar. Simply what I said. It was Anson Golden's wish that I should marry Gyp on her 21st birthday, or sooner if her enemy's tried to defraud her of her fortune. We were secretly married three months ago, just a few days before your forged dispatch reached me calling me to Cincinnati. Rachel. O! I knew it! I knew it! Hez. More dreams! Moie dreams! Thorn. My time is short, I am slowly bleeding to death as you see, but before I go, I want to s.iy this — Gyp Golden, as I shall still call you, I planned to steal your fortune but failed, for my keys were stolen yesterday and my desk rifled of its contents, and among them were all the papers that belonged to you. 1 will die with the know- ledge that you will never have the beneflt of the money I schemed to hard to get. I have lost my spirits but— Hez. Well here ! {hands flask) I have some left. Thorn, {takes flask) Listen to my toast — "Then stand to your glasses steady, This world is a world of lies; I drink to the dead alread\'. And hurrah! for the next that dies." (Dante) (to Hezekiah) Assist me. (Hezekiah helps him rise, go r., turns) Here is my parting to you — 1 say : "Curse you ! Curse yo i all." {fxii lu stow music Rachel. Gracious! that makes me nervous ! Gyp. He can't be in his right mind. Oscar. No one in their right mind would drink the "devils toast." Gyp. I think some CKpl inations should be made now. Rachel. Yes, so do 1. When two people, supposed to be dead, ooth come around alive an.l well, 1 think it \vill require a great deal of explanations. Oscar. 'J'hen I will commence flrsr — The dispatch 1 received call- ing me to the East, was a clever forgery of Darkwpods; Hop Sing, a Chinaman in the employ of DarkwoOil, dog;edmy steps and struck me with a sand bag, tlien 1 was removed to an obsi'ure part of the city and held a close prisoiier. Dark woo I and the Chin.iman quar- reled ; the Chinamaii released me and told me where to find Dark- wood, and to make a long story short, 1 did find Darkwood yes- terday^; we had some words, the servant interfered; I Jeft \n search of Gyp, but failed to lind her and returned here this morning, and you know the result. Now then, Clara, let us iiear your story for 1 know it must be a strange one. Clara. It is a strange story, but to commence at the beginning — When Darkwood struck me with the knife that night I tainted, and so GYP THE HEIHESS; OB, THE DEAD WITNESS. when my senses returned I found that the house was on fire and liable to fall in any moment. I thouo:ht of the trap door leading to the cellar. I was very weak from loss of blood, but managed to crawl to the trap, raise it and lower myself into the cellar, then I managed to get through the undnr-ground passage leading to the cyclone cellar, where I sta\'-ed until the next day. I knew that ever}^ one tht^ught me deail, and I thought that L could do more to- ward restoring the papers that Dark wood «tole from me, by letting him think I was dead, I took the garb of a Sister of Charity, and plaved upon Darkwood's superstitious fears with what success you all know. Eachel. Well, evm'vthing is coming out just like a novel or a play. Now, if they would just get married and live happily ever after — but I forgot, you are married ain't you? Gyp. Yes, but everything is not all right, think of that poor man having to die. Bachel. Rubbish I Let him die, and if he don't find a warmer climate than this, I miss my guess, that's all. Oscar. Gyp, it is too bad io think that after all we should have to loose your fortune. Enter, IIezekiah, r. Hrz, Who said the fort\me wa* lost? Clara. Why. we all say so. The papers were stolen from me and in turn stolen from Dnrkwood — He:s. Gyp, didn't I say I would be a friend to you ? Course I did and I meant what I said. My word is just as good a5 my note any day. Rachel. That's poor sc^curity. Oscar. What do you mean? Do you know anything of the stolen papers ? Hez. Gosh ! Yes, I stole them myself, (goes to fire-place and gets papers) 'J'here, see if they are all right. [hands them to Oscar. Oscar. Yes, every one of them are all right. Hopeful you de- serve mo'e than thanks, I have a proposition to offer 3'ou. Hez. Well "spring it" 1 can stand anj^thing. Oscar. How would you like to have Ijalf interest in my cattle ranch at Silver Cit\'? Hez. Oh! What's crawling on you? Oscar. 1 mean just what I say. [ shall sfive you half interest. Hez. (io Rachel) Sav. how would half interest in a cattle ranch catch you. As well as $5000? Bachel. I don't know, it will take time to decide. Heg. How long a time? Bachel. O ! a long time. Hez. A month ? Bachel. (sharply) Nol Hez. A week? Bachel, Ko! Hez. A day ? Bachel. N-n-no. Hez. (io Oscar) I'll take the ranch. I've got her a-goin'. {to Rachel) Then how long will it take? Bachel. O! A long time. Hez. Well, how long? Bachel. Why, it will take five minutes. Hefi, (to Ohcau) Say, have you got a watch? Time her, GYP THE HEIRES:^; OR, THE DEAD WITN'ES^. Sj Oscar. Gyp — Clara, make your arrano^ements to start for the East by morning, for I know you will not want to stay in a place where you have seen so much trouble and suffering. What do you say. Gyp? Gyp. I leave that with you, Oscar. Clara. I say go, for I never could be content here again. Oscar. Then, hurrah I for the East. We start in the morning, find we will leave without a sigh of regret— "Gyp the Heiress" is no more, but Gyp Koyalton, novv. Hez. («o Rachel) Times up. Don't take five minutes long to pass. Give me your answer, will you take me and the cattle ranch Y Hurry up, I want to rejoice a little on my own account. 'Rachel. Give me a minutes grace. I don't want to decide too quick. Gyp, {to Clara) You have proven yourself to be a true friend to me as well as the others. 1 can never thank you enough — Oscar. Ah ! Hyp, we will always remember the timely assistftnce of the "Dead Witness." CURTAIN. THE END. *^ NUGGET NELL;^ —OR — Cl aim Ninety-six . A Border Drama in 5 acts, for 8 male and 5 female char- acters. This drama is replete with startling situations and thrilling incidents. SYNOPSIS OF EVENTS. ACT I. -The Land of Gold. iScene /— Toomstone, a mining town in California. Jerry Mack's saloon. Guy Lester, king of counterfeitors. Nugget Xell. The toast. Claim "W6". The meanest man. A. plan to steal Charley Grey's dust. Arrival of Major Dolittle, from Ken- tuck. Nell and the Major. A love scene, which ends in "gin and peppermint." Scefie II. — Charley Grey and Mack. Ebony, the boot black. Ebony's advice. Guy Lester, the octoroon. Toomstone quiet. "Slaves, runaway niggers." Ebony keeps his eyes open. Scene III. — Sacramento Joe and Nugget Nell. Nell's history. The little black book. Nell locks Sacramento Joe in the cellar. Bell and Mack. Guy discovers Mack's secret. "Nigger whippar, slave driver." The quarrel. Sacramento Joe. "Don't pull boys, I've got the drop on ye. and T don't give a cuss." ACT II.-Home of Bell Mack. Scene T. — Nell's advice. Ebony teiis Nell of the raid to be made on Charley Grey's cabin. "Nus"get Nell will be on deck to-night."' "I goUy, dis chile will be dar' too." Scene 11. — Mack's bad luck. A compact of crime sealed. Nugget Nell on the war- path. Ebony's fright, "Now I — I — lay me down." Scene ///.—Charley Grey's cabin. Mack and Guy searching for the gold dust. Timely arrival of Nell and Ebony. "Throw up your hands or you are dead men." Escape of the robbers. Sacramento .Joe, "I don't care a cuss." ACT III.— Arthur Brandon's Home. Scene I. — The lost child. A living trouble. Bessie Grey deposits the gold dust in Mr. Brandon's safe. Guy Lester interviews Mr. Brandon in regards to the Grey's gold. Scene II. — Peterson, the apple sass man from Vermont, in search of a meal. Ebony and Peteison. Snubbed by Bessie. "Squashed, tetotally squashed." Scene III. — Mack and Guy congratulate themselves on their escaping Nell's bullet. "Charley Grey's Avife will run ToomstOQC. Peterson and his four barrels of apple sass. "Polly Ann Spriggins.'' Peterson proposes to Nugget Nell. The game of cards, Bessie Grey interrupts the game. The way to Vermont. The wife beater. Mack faces Nugget Neil's rifle the second time. jScene /r.— Peterson, "a thin pair of pants and a light heart." Murder of Sacra mento Joe. Nugget Nell on the war path. Scene F.— The safe robbery and murder of Mrs. Brandon. Nugget Nell arrives on the scene ACT IV.-Gold Dust Saloon. Scene /.—Ebony and Nell. Arrest of Nugget Nell for the murder of Mrs. Brandon. "I'm not guilty. " Scene II. — Major Dolittle and Ebony. .Jennie, the octoroon, a runaway slave, meets her former master. The slave brand. "I could kill you." Scene ///.—Bells grief at the arrest of Nugget Nell ; Ebony's attempt to comfort her. "I golly, dis chile's eyes am leakin'." ACT V.-Street. Scene I. — Mack and Guy break open the jail and escape with Nugget Nell, the Srisoner, to the mountain. Major Dolittle and Ebony arrange a plau to rescue 'ugget Nell. Guy's secret discovered. Scene II. — Jennie tells Guy of her meeting Major Dolittle, "that cursed mark." Jennie and Nell in the cave. The quarrel, Jennie's murderous attempt to kill Nell, Mack interferes. The secret of the octoroons disclosed. Jennie stabs Mack. Guy and Jennie escape. Ebony and Major Dolittle rescue Nugget Nell. Mack reveals to Nell who her parents are. Scene ///.—Return of Nell, Ebony and Major Dolittle, to Toomstone. News of Mack's death. Charley Grey regains his stolen gold. Nell to return East with her father. Ebony can't be left behind to be hoo-dooed. Clubs wanting a good play should certainly try Nugget ITell. Price 26 Cents, B" ^ iimes' Plays — U antlnuEii. Comedies Continued. 237 Not Such a Fuol us He Looks 6 3 126 Onr Daughters 8 6 265 Pug and the Baby •"> 3 114 Passions S 4 204 Prof. James' Experience Teaf'hinir Country School 4 3 219 Rags and Bottles 4 1 239 Scale with Sharps and Flats.. 3 2 221 Solon Shingle 14 2 262 Two Bad Boya 7 3 87 The Biter Bit 3 2 131 The Cigarette 4 2 240 $2.fM)() Reward 2 TRAGEDIES. 16 The Serf 6 A FARCES & COMEDIETTA 129 Aar-u-ag-oos 132 2H9 12 303 166 30 169 2S6 80 78 31 21 123 20 175 S m '''2 84 287 225 249 49 72 19 42 188 220 148 218 224 23;? 154 184 274 209 13 ;J07 66 271 116 120 50 S. I Actor and Servant 1 1 A Colouers M'shap 5 A Capita Match 3 2 A Kiss in thi* Dark 2 3 ATexan Alother-in-Law 4 6 A Day Well Spent 7 5 A Regular Fix 2 4 A Prof«'ssional (lardener 4 2 Alarmingly Suspicious 4 3 An Awfi.l Criminal 3 3 A Pet of the Public 4 2 A Romantic Attachment 3 3 A Thrilling Item 3 1 A Ticket of Leave 3 2 Betsey Baker ^ 2 2 Better Half 5 2 Black vs. White 4 2 Captain Smith « 3 3 Cheek Will Win 3 Cousin Josiah 1 1 Cupiils Capers 4 4 Double Electi n 9 1 Der Two Surprises 1 1 Dence is in Him 5 1 Did Dream it 4 3 Domesric Felicity 1 1 D'ltch Prize Fighter 3 Dutchy vs. Nigger 3 Eh? W at Did You Say 3 1 Everybody Astonished 4 Fooling with the Wrong Man 2 1 Freezing a Moiher-in-Law... 2 1 Fun in a Post Office 4 2 Family Discipline 1 Family Jars 5 2 (xoose with the Golden Eggs.. 5 3 Give Me My Wife..... 3 3 Ha'labahoola, the Medicine .Man 4 3 Hans, the Dutch J. P 3 1 Hans Brummel's Cafe 5 Hash 4 2 H. M.S. Plum 1 r How She has Own Way 1 3 NO. M. F. 140 How He Popped the Quest'n. 1 1 74 How to Tame M-in-Law 4 2 35 How Stout Your Getting 5 2 247 Incompatibility of Temper... 1 2 95 In the Wrong Clothes 5 3 305 Jacob Shlalf's Mistake 3 2 '99 Jimmie Jone.-^ 3 2 11 John Smith 5 3 99 Jumbo Jum >4 3 82 Killing Time 1 1 182 Kittie's Wedding Cake 1 3 127 Lick Skillet Wedding 2 2 228 Lauderbach'."^ Little Surprise 3 302 Locked in a Dress-maker's Room 3 2 KWi Lodgings for Two 3 2SS Love in all Cor'>ers 5 3 139 Matrimonial Bliss 1 1 231 Match for a other-Min-Law.. 2 2 2.3.'> More Blunders than one 4 3 69 Mother's Fool 6 1 23 Afy Heart's in Highlands 4 3 208 My Precious Betsey 4 4 212 Mv Turn Next 4 3 32 M Wife's Relations 4 4 186 My Day and Now-a-Days 1 273 My Neighbor's Wife 3 3 296 Nan ka's Leap Year Venture.. 5 2 259 Nobody's Moke «... 6 2 44 Obedience »^~. 1 2 3;? On the Sly '. 3 2 57 Paddy Miles' Boy 5 2 217 Paten* Washing Machine 4 1 165 Persecuted Dutchman 6 3 195 Poor Pilicody 2 3 159 Quiet Family 4 4 171 Rough Diamond 4 3 180 Ripples 267 Room 41 - 2 48 Sch -aps 1 1 laS Sewing Circle of Period 5 115 S. H. A. M. Pinafore 3 3 .■')5 Somebody's Nobody 3 2 232 Stage Struck Yankee 4 2 241 Struck by Lightning 2 2 270 Slick and Skinner 5 1 Slasher and Crasher 5 2 137 Takine the Census 1 1 252 That Awful Carpet Bag 3 3 40 Th It Mysterious B'dle 2 2 38 The Bewitched Closet...- 5 2 101 The Coming Man 3 1 167 Turn Him Out - 3 2 291 The Actor's Scheme 4 4 308 The Irish Squire of Squash Ridge 4 2 285 The Mashers Mashed -t 2 68 The Sham Professor 4 295 The Spellin' Skew! 7 6 54 The Two T. J's 4 2 28 Thirty- three Next Birthday.. 4 2 292 Tim Flannigan 5 142 Tit for Tat 2 1 276 The Printer and Ilis Devils.. 3 1 St S LIBRARY OF CONGRESS liimBs' Plays— [ ? u. p. NO. 263 Trialsof a Country Editor... 2 7 The Won-lerful Telephone.... 3 1 281 Two Aunt Emily *' f 269 Un.iust Justice ^ - 170 U. S. Mail .^...^. t i 213 Vermont Wool Dealer •'> 3 151 Wanted a Hushand.. I 1 56 AVooing Under Difficulties-... 5 3 70 Which will he Marry 2 8 i;}5 Widower's Trisils — 4 o 147 Wakii'g Him Up..... i ^ 15.5 Why they Joined the Re- bcccii^ •• *■ •" 111 Yankee Duelist- -^ 1 1.57 Ya-ikee Peddler ' 3 ETHIOPIAN TARCES. 204 Academy of Stars 6 6.5 An Unwelcome Return 3 1 15 An Unhappy Pair -] I 172 Black Shoemaker 4 2 98 Black Statue 4 2 222 Colored Senators 3 214 Chops 'l ^ 145 Cuff's Luck — 2 1 IvH) Crimps Trip • ^ 27 Fetter Lane to (Jravesend 2 230 Hamlet the Dainty 6 1 1.53 Haunted House 2 103 How Sister Paxey got her Child Baptiz d 2 1 24 Haudy Andy 2 236 Hypochondriac The 2 47 In the Wrons Box 3 77 Joe's Vist 2 1 88 Mischievous Nigger 4 2 25<) Midnight Colic 2 1 128 Musical Darkey 2 00 No Cure No Pay 3 1 61 Not as Deaf as He Seems 3 244 Old Clothes 3 234 Old Dad's Cabin 2 1 150 OldPomney 1 1 246 Othello .: 4 1 KO. 015 793 101 5 109 Other People's UHiI Iren....;:..-^^ 134 2.)8 177 96 107 133 179 94 243 25 92 238 10 64 2.")3 282 122 118 6 108 24.5 4 197 198 216 206 210 203 205 17 1.30 215 250 260 Pomp (ireen's Snakes 2 Pomp's Pnmks „ 2 Prof.Bones'Latest Invention 5 Quarrel ome Servants 3 Rooms to Let ^ 2 School „ 5 Seeing Boating........ „ 3 Sham Doctor -,..-. 3 16.0(K) Ye.ars Ago 3 Sports on a Lark 3 Sport with a Sportsman 2 Stage Struck Darkey 2 Strawberry Shortcake 2 Stocls Up, Stocks Down 2 That Boy Sam 3 The Best Cure 4 The Intelligence Office 3 The Select School 5 The Popcorn Man 3 The Studio 3 Those Awful Boys - 5 Ticket Taker 3 Twain's Dodging 3 Tricks 5 Uncle Jetf 5 Vice Versa 3 1 Villkens and Dinah 4 1 Virginia Mummy 6 1 Who Stole the Chickens 1 1 William Tell 4 Wig-Maker and His Servants 3 (I GUIDE BOOKS. Hints on Elocution Hints to Amateurs CANTATA. On to Victory 4 'i TABLEAUX. Festival of Davs PANTOMIME. Cousin John's Album MA KE YOUR O WN WIGS ! PREPARED 'WOOL' PHEPARKD WOOL IS AN ARTWLIC THAI EVEHYOyE. WITHOUT ANY EXPERIENCE, CAN MAKE INTO WIGS! BEARDS! MUSTACHES! ETC. AT VERY LITTLE COST, AND WILL BE SURE TO GIVE SATISFACTION. ^»M^ PRICE 50 CENTS PER OUNCE. v-*»^ AJ.I, Lock Box 152, Til FJ AMES PUBLISHING CO., CLYDE, OHIO. ii rB HoUinger Corp, pH8.5