Mistress Blackburn A Sketch of the American Revolution By John W. Parks Author of An Episode of the French Revolution :fe MISTRESS BLACKBURN A SKETCH OF THE PERIOD OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION ■p JOHN W. PARKS Author of An Episode of the French Revolution * BOSTON, MASS. DECEMBER 1st, 1900 71. i 87950 .. ..^rv of Conqrese i w CfMfES RfCEiVCD DEC 13 1900 * C^yright entry SECOND COPY Delivered to OHDtR DIVISION JAN 7 1901 •ft 1 *i Copyright 1900 BY John W. Parks TMP96-006765 PREFACE In writing this scrap, the author has not striven to do more than to make a little sketch, of a very simple nature. He is very far from claiming any literary merit for it, as he is well aware that there are many criticisms to be made. But it is simply intended for just what it is, "a sketch." The Author. Time of Playing, fifteen minutes. Costumes of the Revolutionary period. 3ack ^pW-r PROPERTIES. Bellows for Jonah. Handkerchief for Marion. Papers for table. Bandage for Marion. Bottle of Liquid for Marion. Hadley's Sword for Fairlee. ABBREVIATIONS. R. Right. D. R. Door at Right. L. Left. D. L. Door at Left. S. C. Staircase. W. B. Window at Back. MISTRESS BLACKBURN, A SKETCH IN ONE SCENE. BY JOHN W. PARKS. Time: — The day of the surrender of Cornwal- lis at Yorktown, October 19, 1781. Place: — Blackburn Manor, Charleston, South Carolina. CHARACTERS. Lord Charles Fairlee, Of His Majesty's Forces Lieutenant John Hadley, Of the Colonial Army Mistress Marion Blackburn, A true little "American" Uncle Jonah, An old negro servant of the Household A Soldier Scene: — Drawing-room in Blackburn Manor. 2 MISTRESS BLACKBURN. (Jonah discovered blowing the embers in the open fireplace, with a pair of bellows) — "Ma Goodness ! Ma Goodness ! now here am ol' fool Jonah he go an' get hisself all worked up over dees ter'bul awful times. Poor lil' Missie she cry and carry on ter'bul bad 'cause she hear dat Massa John he done gone and get shooted in de war, an Massa Charles he done treat de young Missie shameful 'cause she done absolutionlly re- fuse to listen to his foolishness. Massa Charles, he say: "Why doan you lub me?" and de little Missie she answer, " 'Cause I hab gibben my heart to anuder much more nobler den you could eber be." Den Massa Charles he storm and rage and say, "Very well, we shall see." Den Missie she turn up her pretty lil' nose and sweep right pas' Massa Charles and up de stairs to her room. Den dere is trouble. An' de trouble it dun keep agoin' on. Den cum de news as how Massa John he got shot. But Lor' old Jonah he kin' a ticklish 'bout takin' any stock in dat story. Ah doan know why, but ah just don't. No sir ! ah don believe MISTRESS BLACKBURN. 3 it. Dere com' de lil' Missie now, ol' Jonah he al- ways know dos lil' footsteps ever since de day when de lil' Missie she walk for de first time. (Enter at staircase, Marion.) Marion -.—Jonah, has Lord Fairlee returned yet? j onah: — Not yet, Missie; he dun say notting when he went out. Marion : — Oh Jonah, when are these terrible days going to end? You and I are the only sur- vivors, Jonah, of the unfortunate family. We are left to uphold the honor of the household, which I fear will be poorly done, since this Fairlee is a ty- rant. Aye, a tyrant. He has me in his power to do his will, but he can never win my love, for that was given to the bravest, noblest, dearest hero in the American army. j 0NAH : _Ah dun kin' o' suspicion de Missie mean Massa John? Marion: (With a sigh) Yes. j 0NAH : _Massa John he dun bin powerful kind to ole Jonah in de good ol' days befor' de war; be- 4 MISTRESS BLACKBURN. for' de British dey come an' occupy de ole home- stead here, an' flar aroun' here as doe dey dun own de huT earth. Massa John he always treat me 'bout right, Massa John did. One day he say to me, "J onan /' ne sa y> "You take powerful good care ob Miss Marion while I'se away, an' doan let no harm come to her," an' I promise, an' den he goes away to de war. Den de next we hear ob him — Marion cries softly in her handker- chief.) Ah! Missie, I forgot, ole Jonah forgot Missie. Forgive me, Miss Marion. Ah thought de Missie believed de same as ole Jonah does. Marion: (Drying her eyes.) What do you mean Jonah? Jonah : — Ah doan believe dat story about Mas- sa John, Missie. Marion : — Don't believe it ? Jonah: — Deed ah don't, Missie, (whispers) ah believe dat Massa John am just as much alive as old Jonah is. Marion : — Jonah ! ! Sh — . Someone is com- ing. (Exit door right.) MISTRESS BLACKBURN. 5 (Enter Lord Fairlee, Left proceeded by H ad- ley. Hadley is zuounded in the hand and cov- ered with blood and dirt.) Fairlee : — Gadsooks, lieutenant ! but you are obstinate ! You will remain here on parole until I can investigate further. If you still persist in refusing to state your business prowling around our outposts at midnight, I shall be forced to use firmer measures with you. Your behavior is suspicious, lieutenant. Jonah : (In a whisper aside) Massa John ! ! Ah knew it ! Ah knowed it ! (Exit door right. ) Fairlee : — Jonah ! Come back here, you black trash. Here, show the young lieutenant to the west (Jonah re-enters.) chamber, where he is to lodge. (Hadley remains sullen, throughout.) Jonah : — Yes, Massa Charles, I'se gone right away sir, deed ah is. ( Fairlee sits at table lit- tered with papers before the fireplace.) (Exit Jonah and Hadley at S. C.) Fairlee: (To himself, zvatching the fire.) This young lieutenant — what does his strange si- 6 MISTRESS BLACKBURN. lence mean? Is he an American spy? If not, why is he caught prowling around our lines at dead of night ? He seems strangely familiar with this place. Can it be that he knows this little bird of mine that I am keeping caged up here? Can it be — that he — is — in — love — ah, no! what madness — it is possible, though — but improb- able. Marry ! but I am truly in love. But this man; if he is a spy — he must meet the conse- quences that come to such as he. I will test him again. (Exit Left.) (Enter right door. Jonah leading Marion by the hand.) Jonah : — Ah tells you Missie it am de plain old Gospel trute. It am, Massa John, and dat am all dere is about it. Marion : — Jonah it can't be. It is impossible. Jonah : — Impossible or not impossible. Ah tells you Missie ole Jonah is right dis time for sure. Wait here. (At staircase, aside.) Oh, my, won't dere be some huggin' now. (Exit.) Marion : — If this should be true ! ! My Jack MISTRESS BLACKBURN. 7 come back to me from the dead. Jonah must be mistaken. (Enter from staircase Hadley.) Marion : — Jack ! ! ! Hadley : — My darling ! ( They embrace. ) Marion : — Oh ! this is too good to be true; tell me dear, how came you here ? Oh-0-0 ! I'm so glad to see you. ( They sit on sofa at right. ) Hadley : — It is too long a story, dear, to tell in detail, suffice it to say that I was sent out on scouting duty by Gen. Green, with a small squad of men, and venturing too near the British lines was taken prisoner, together with my men, by Lord Fairlee, with a company of infantry, which outnumbered us four to one. Two of my men were shot down, and — Marion sees his zvounded hand.) Marion : — Jack ! ! ! You are wounded ! Hadley : — No, a mere scratch. It's nothing, dear. (Rises.) Marion : — Wait. (Exits hurriedly, D. R.) Hadley: (Walks about room.) Am I dreaming? Back in the old homestead again. 8 MISTRESS BLACKBURN. My sweetheart's dear face. The same dear lit- tle arms around my neck. After all these weary months of longing, and thoughts of her so of- ten flocking through my brain. She's the same dear, sweet little girl that she was when I saw her last. Always cheerful, sweet and lovely. Oh ! 1 love her so that — (Re-enter Marion with cloth and bottle, D. R.) Marion : — Now, dearie, let me be surgeon this time. (blustering.) Come, let me see your hand. (Takes Hadley's hand.) Hadley: — My! but I wish we might always have such sweet little surgeons in the army as this. I know I should want to be wounded twice a day. Marion : — Now don't talk nonsense. There; isn't that better ? Hadley: — Yes dear, so much better that I should hardly know that I was wounded. (As Marion finishes the bandage, Lord Fairlee en- ters D. L.) Fairlee: — Hello, what's this? By my faith, Mistress Marion you seem to lose little time in MISTRESS BLACKBURN. g making acquaintances, or — is — is the young lieutenant a former acquaintance ? Marion: (Sarcastically.) Does it so great- ly interest your lordship ? Fairlee: — Marry! Madamoiselle, it does in- terest me, and so greatly that I would fain know at once! Marion : — Really! Your lordship must great- ly misjudge my temper if you think I can be forced. Fairlee: — Nay, Miss Marion, I did not in- tend — Hadley : — Enough of this ! My lord, we are acquainted, in fact, we love each other. Nay Marion, we may as well speak the truth — we have known each other from childhood ; have grown up together. (Fairlee shows great emotion.) Fairlee: — And yet, lieutenant, the telling of this to me only makes the duty of condemning you as a spy the harder to me, not for the sake of you, God forbid, but for the sake of the girl by your side there, whom I love, also. (Hadley io MISTRESS BLACKBURN. ejaculates. ) Aye, I have said it, love her. Lieu- tenant, reveal to me your business about our lines at night, and agree to make certain other dis- closures to me, and I will let you go your — Hadley : — God ! ! How dare you insult me thus? {Goes to window at back.) Fairlee: — Damme! lieutenant, but you are fiery; I did but suggest — Marion : — Desist, I beg of you ! Fairlee : — Pardon me Madamoiselle, I had al- most forgotten your presence; would Made- moiselle kindly step aside into the next room. Marion : — No ! ! I prefer to remain ! Fairlee : — As you will. Lieutenant ! I revoke your parole ! You shall be shot at once, without delay. {Aside.) This must frighten him into revealing his business about our lines. {Aloud.) What ho ! without there ! Marion: {Astounded.) What do you say? {Runs to Fairlee and falls on her knees clasping one of his hands.) No, No, No, you cannot mean it. Why, do you know what you are do- MISTRESS BLACKBURN. n ing. Shooting a man without trial — Hadley at back.) Fairlee: — What ho! without there, I say! (Impatiently.) (Noise and shouts off stage.) Marion : — You cannot do it, for my sake if you ever cared for me as you say, for the love of heaven you will not do this thing. Fairlee : — It is my duty. He is a spy of the enemy's forces. Marion : — Never ; I will not believe it ! Hadley: (Comes forward.) Lord Fairlee, with your permission I am now ready to speak, for you will never convict me. Fairlee: — You speak in riddles, lieutenant. Proceed. (Slow music.) Hadley : — I but now heard a cry in the street which is the most glorious news ever heard by man, and which convinces me in my belief that you will never convict me, my lord. (Distant cheering and noise off stage continued.) Jar. 12 MISTRESS BLACKBURN. Fairlee: — I still fail to comprehend, lieu- tenant. Hadley : — Listen. (Noise grows louder, and distant shouts are heard of "Cornwallis sur- rendered!" repeatedly.) Fairlee: (Faintly.) What!! Jonah bursts into the room shouting and cheering, follozved by a Soldier of the British, D. L.) Soldier: (Salutes.) Lord Cornwallis has surrendered at Yorktown, your lordship, and the war is at an end ! Jonah : — Praise be de lord ! (Repeats several times with arms uplifted and dances around. Marion and Hadley embrace. Fairlee stag- gers to table and leans against it with one hand to brow, then speaks, taking sword from table and handing it to Hadley.) (After a pause.) Fairlee: — Your sword, lieutenant. (Tab- leaux.) , CURTAIN. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS | 015 910 123 ft j