fc THE STRIKE MOTHER GOOSE SETTLED •by- EVELYN HOXIE PRICE 25 GENTS Eldridge Entertainment House Franklin, Ohio zbs Denver, Colo. 944 So. Logan Street YOU WILL BE GLAD TO KNOW OF THESE NEW PLAYS Training Mary By Mary Shaw Page. A bright 1-act play with sim- ple stage setting. William, husband of Mary, essays to train Mary, especially along the lines of correcting carelessness. As is always the case, William -rets in deep water, but finally wades out. 2 males, 4 fe- males, and plays about 45 minutes. Price, 25c. The Hired Man's Courtship By Alice Cripps. A short comedy-drama in 2 acts. Captain Edwards tires of wealth and the city, and procures work on Horton's farm, only to find that the farmer's daughter is an old sweetheart. Because of an intrigue on the part of the captain's cousin, an es- trangement takes place, which ends happily when the -, captain finds the source of certain stories and re- futes them. Aunt Hepsey, Jim and Ezra (colored), add comedy to the play. Plays about 45 minutes, and is for 3 males and 3 females. Price, 25c. Merely Anne Marie A comedy in 3 acts by Beulah King. 3 males, 5 fe- males. Time, 2V2 hours. The scenes are laid in a fashionable boarding house, and the characters are all distinct types and worth while. A successful play- wright, desiring to escape notoriety, seeks seclusion at Mrs. Teague's and becomes the hero of Anne Ma- rie, the dining room maid. The dialogue is bright, the situations clever and the story ends happily. 35c. A Bit of Scandal By Fannie Barnett Linsky. Comedy-drama in 2 acts. Francina, who is to play at the recital, composes her own number. On the evening of the recital, Mary Sherman, who precedes her en the program, plays Francina's compositions, which she has stolen. The reasons for the theft all come out later and of course, all ends well. Nine characters. Plays about 1 hour. Price, 35c. Miss Burnett Puts One Over By Ethelyn Sexton. A rollicking 1-act girls' play for 6 characters. Barbara's mother has a friend, Ann Bur- nett, who is to visit the girls at college, with the in- tention of giving a generous sum to the school. The girls, wishing o gain her good will, practice their "manners." Miss Burnett, however, appears in dis- guise and has much fun at their expense. All ends well and the school gets the money. Plays about 45 minutes. Easy setting and costumes. Price, 25c. Eldridge Entertainment House FRANKLIN, OHIO also DENVER, COLO. 944 S. Logan St. The Strike Mother Goose Settled. By EVELYN HOXIE PRICE 25 CENTS Copyright 1922, EldrldKe Entertainment House Published By ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE FRANKLIN, OHIO DENVER, COLO. CHARACTERS Boy Blue Tom, the Piper's Son Jack Horner Mary Mother Hubbard Miss Muffet Old Woman Jack Spratt Mrs. Spratt Jack Jill Mother Goose ©CI.D 63210 TMP92-009155 The Strike Mother Goose Settled This little play is more effective if the children wear masks and old-fashioned clothes, paper neck ruffs and so on. (Small boy asleep on floor. Enter Tom shouting loudly.) Tom — Come, Boy Blue, blow your horn. The cows are in the meadow, the sheep are in the corn! (Boy Blue sits up and yawns, then slowly gets to his feet.) Tom — Come — aren't you going to blow your horn? Boy Blue — No; I'm tired to death. Tom — But the sheep will eat your corn up. Boy Blue — Let them eat it then. I'm tired of al- ways watching sheep and cows. Tom— You don't mean you want them to eat the corn, do you? Boy Blue — Not exactly that; but they can eat a few ears if they want to. Tom— What makes you talk like that? Boy Blue— You'd talk like that, too, if you'd been up since before daylight chasing sheep and cows, and then when you lie down to have a bit of sleep, someone begins to shout miserable old rhymes and wake you up. But who are you, anyway? You look like someone I have seen. Tom — I'm the Piper's son. Boy Blue— Oh, yes. Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son, Stole a pig and away he run. Tom — That's a big mistake. I never stole a pig, and how it got into that book is a mystery to me. 3 The Strike Mother Goose Settled Boy Blue — Never stole that pig? Why, I've' seen your picture with a pig under your arm; how is that? Tom — That pig belonged to Jack Horner, and just to tease him, I caught it up and ran, but I brought it right back again. (Enter Jack Horner.) JACK: — Who's talking about me? Tom — We are. I was telling Boy Blue I never stole your pig. Jack — No, you did not; and I never got a plum out of my Christmas pie, either. Boy Blue and Tom — (together) We supposed you did. The book said so. Jack — That book says anything. I did not get a plum. There were no plums to get. I wish there had been. Well, let's sit down and talk it over awhile; I'm tired. (Boys sit down. Enter Mary, who stands at one side in an absent-minded way.) Jack — Mary, Mary, quite contrary, say how does your garden grow? Mary — (angrily) I'm not contrary, I'd have you understand. In fact, I'm very agreeable. I agree in everything, and my garden is fine; it has bachelor but- tons that high. (Measuring with her hand.) Boy Blue — How about the pretty maids all in a row ? Mary — That isn't so. No one ever goes into my garden but myself. Jack — Well, there is one pretty maid when you are there. Mary — Don't be silly, Jack; you'd better be eating your pie. Jack — My pie is eaten, but you surely are contrary; you see, you would not agree with me in what I said. (Mary walks off to one side looking provoked.) The Strike Mother Goose Settled (Enter Mother Hubbard, leading a dog. She looks around the room, muttering.) Mother H. — No, there's no cupboard here, so I can- not get you a bone. Tom — Wait a moment. I'll get the dog a bone. (He runs out and brings in a bone and gives it to the dog.) Mother H. — Thank you, Tom. You are a good boy. I never believed you stole the pig. Tom — No, 1 did not — but who is this coming? (Enter Miss Muffet with bowl of curds. She passes the curds to all present, everyone taking some except Mary. Miss Muffet goes over and sits on foot stool.) Mother H. — I don't wonder you are always eating curds and whey. They are very nice. Miss M— 1 think so, ma'am. Tom — But what about the spider that frightened you away? Miss M. — That rhyme was not true. It would take more than a spider to scare me, I'd have you to know. Boy Blue — If you should see a spider, you would not be frightened then? Miss M. — Of course not. Do you think I am a baby, to be afraid of a spider? (Still eating curds.) Jack — (excitedly pointing at Miss M.) There's a big spider right beside her now. Look, quick! (Miss M. springs to her feet with a piercing scream and runs from room. Others laugh.) Jack — The rhyme was true about her, all right. (Enter old lady with broom.) Jack — Old woman, old woman, old woman, said I, Whither, ah whither, ah whither so high? Old Woman — (angrily) I'm not going anywhere. I've struck. I'm not going to sweep the cobwebs from the sky any more. It's too hard work, and besides they collect faster than I can sweep them out. The Strike Mother Goose Settled Mother H.— It must be hard work. Old Woman — It is. And only last night I got lost in the milky way — why, I nearly drowned in the streams of milk. No, I'll put this broom in the corner here, and sweep no more. (Enter Jack Spratt and wife.) Jack Spratt — We never licked the platter clean, and if we had, I don't see whose concern it was. Mrs. Spratt — No, there was no need to put that in the book. Old Woman — Then you never ate all the fat and Jack all the lean? Jack S. — No, we didn't. That is, we ate what we liked. (Enter Jack and Jill. All gather around them.) Mother H. — Did you go after water and fall down and break your crown, and Jill come tumbling after? Jack — No, we did not. You see, my crown is whole, do you not? ( Takes off crown and passes it around and all agree that it is ivhole.) Jill — (excitedly) You see, the old rhyme was not true. I never fell ahead, nor after, for that matter. I think Mother Goose must have drawn on her imagina- tion, to have written such queer rhymes about us all. (All agree to this.) (Enter Mother Goose in high peaked hat, scolding loudly.) Mother Goose— What is this I hear about Mother Goose rhymes not being true? Out of this, all of you, and take your places back in the nursery book, where you belong. Why, what would the little folks do without you? (They look at one another and hurriedly exit, the The Strike Mother Goose Settled old woman taking her broom without a word. Mother Goose has a tvhip in her hand which she flourishes in a threatening manner and folloivs them out, scolding.) Mother Goose: — Don't ever let me hear any more about this. Out with you! Back to your places in the book! (Exeunt all, in a hurry.) CURTAIN Four Clever New Entertainments SURE POP AND THE SAFETY FIRST SCOUTS is going to be a splendid help in all * 'Safety First* ' Campaigns and can be given by children in the school-room or elsewhere. Price 25 cents. FOWL DEEDS A roaring black-face comedy, suitable for minstrels or short play on any program. Price 35 cents. COMMUNITY PLAYS FOB VARIOUS DAYS is a great help in developing the many phases of community life and spirit. A mighty helpful book for all civic work. Price 50 cents. SPECIAL PLAYS FOR SPECIAL DAYS This is another splendid book for every teacher. These short plays are enjoyable, either for school-room use or for exhibition purposes. A play for every special day. Price 50 cents. ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE FRANKLIN, OHIO, also 944 S. Logan, DENVER, COLO. New Juvenile Entertainments A-B-C-Capers By Soemple. Here is an attractive and novel number for the Primary Grades or Kindergarten. Little Tim's despair in not being able to master letters is turned to keen interest by the antics of the alphabet troupe. Plays about 20 minutes. Price, 25c. Emily's Dream By Mary Frix Kidd. This is the story of a Geogra- phy lesson, which, instead of being irksome, was, through the medium of a Good Fairy, made very in- teresting. This is done by presenting a Geographical Pageant. For a large number of children, who pre- sent drills, exercises, etc., in costumes of different nations. Time, about 1 hour. Price, 25c. The Love Flower By Bell Elliott Palmer. A very pretty exercise for 6 or 10 girls and 1 boy. Suitable for Children's Day or Easter, and can be given either in or out of doors. Time, 10 minutes. Price, 15c. The Silver Sandals By Banche Thompson. Ths is a charming new play for 6 boys, 5 girls, fairies, peasants, attendants, etc. The Princess is downhearted and refuses to be con- soled. The fiddler plays, peasants do folk-dances, fai- ries drill, but not until she gets the silver sandals is she contented. Plays 1 hour or more. Price, 25c. When Betty Saw the Pilgrims By Margaret Howard. A pretty story showing how dissatisfied Betty was cured by her mother, who tells the story of the hardships of the Pilgrims, which is illustrated by ten tableaux. Large numbers of chil- dren can be used. Plays about 30 minutes. Price, 25c. Princess Rosy Cheeks By Erne Sammond Balph. A "good health" play for children, which is very impressive. Introduces Fresh Air Fairies, Soap and Water Fairies, Tooth Brush Brigade, Food Fairies, Rest Fairies, and others. Good- sized cast required with two older children. Plays about 1 hour. Price, 35c. Queen Loving Heart By Jean Ross. A splendid children's play, teaching many good lessons. A pretty story of the crowning of Loving Heart, her capture by the Indians and sub- sequent release, because of her kindness. Can be used for May Day play. 11 speaking parts, Indians, etc. Plays about 45 minutes. Price, 25c. Eldridge Entertainment House FRANKLIN, OHIO also DENVER, COLO. 944 S. Logan St. LIBRARY OF Clever New Monu±5££ and Recitations Monologs of Merit This we believe a splendid collection for elocution- ists or for schools. Contains many of, the darky sketches of Blanche Goodman which do nof appear in the "Viney Sketches." Some novelty readings by Lydia McGaughey are "The White-wash Angel," "A Pair of Boots," "Robert Joins the A. H. T. A.," "Rob- ert and the Auto," "Seven, Seventeen and Seventy," "In Grandma's Day," and others. Complete volume, 75c. Help-U Dialog and Recitation Book By various authors and a real help to the teacher. Here are some of the dialogs: "A Strike Mother Goose Settled," "Casey's Twins," '*A Lesson in Politeness," "Program for Roosevelt's Birthday," "Boy Wanted," "Helping Santa Claus," "Aunt Phoebe's Nervos," and many others. These are for all grades up to gram- mar. An abundance of choice recitations for all the grades. Price 40c. Merry Rhymes of Little Folks' Times By Margaret A, Fassitt. In this collection of choice little gems we present 40 short poems which are real "Kiddie" talk. They can be used as recitations by little people or as child impersonations by adults. By the way, they will make good reading for mothers and fathers at any time. "The Red Head," "Reflec- tions of a Pup," "I Wish I Had a Ginger Cake," "When You Ask About Your Fixin's," "Our Twins," and many others will make you laugh. Price, 40c. 103 425 Comforting Her Patient By Mrs.- W. M. Carruth. Tells how an "impractical" nurse unloads her own and others' troubles on her helpless patient. A good number. Price 15c. Gossip in Slowville By E. Haskell. Depicts the sayings of the village gos- sip and makes a very effective reading. Price 15c. The Spinsterhood of Mary A humorous number by Rhoda Barclay. _ Tells of Mary's resolve to live and die an old maid and her sudden change of mind. Price, 15c. Mrs. Swattem Attends the Convention This monolog by Rhoda Barclay is an account of the many complaints of Mrs. Swattem while at the con- vention. Her sharp tongue wags industriously, if not truthfully. Price, 15c. Eldridge Entertainment House FRANKLIN, OHIO also DENVER, COLO. 944 S. Logan St. * ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ i