• Z-f/fT: z. PS 635 .Z9 fll2 Copy 1 8 order "DE WITT'S »» Acting Plays. I>RICE IS OEIVTS. DE WITT'S ACTING- PLAYS (Number 308) ALL ON ACCOUNT or A BRACELET. -A. Oomedy, in. One Aet, By JACOB ABARBANELL, (RALPH ROYAL.), Author of ''A Model Pair," "My Father's Will,'' etc., etc. • TOGETHER WITH A descnptiou of the Costumes— Synopsis of the Piece— Cast of the Characters —Entrances and iixits— Relative Positions of the Performera oc the Stage, and the whole of the Stage Business eto-gor DE WITT, PUBLISHER, 2fo, 33 Jtose Street. ( i^* A NOW 3 piAYS, A .EADir. ) Plots. Cos ^ tion, mail COMPUTE QESGRfPTIVE CATALOGUE OF DE WITT'S ASTINH AND DE WITT'S ETHIOPIAN AND COMIC DRAMAS, contaixiin? Costume. Scenery, Time of Representation, and every other inforn— . mailed Iree and post-paid. DE WITT'S ACTING PLAYS, ^^ Piease notice that nearly all the Comedies, Farce-s and Comediettas in tfie following ^ist o/Db Witt's Acting Plays" are very suitable for representation in ymall Amateur Thea- tres and on Parlor Stages, as they need but little extrinsic aid from complicated scenery or expensive costume. They have attained their desei^ed popularity by their droll situations^ excellent plots, great humor and t/t^lliant dialogues, no less than by the fact that they are the niodjyerfect in every respect of any edition of plays ever published either in the United States or Europe, ivhether as regards purity of the text, accuracy and fulness of stage directions and scenery, or elegance of typography and clearness of printing. *** In ordering please copy the figures at the comrner^cenient of each piece, which indicate the number of the piece in "Db Witt's List of Aotinu PLArd." m^" Any of the following Plays sent, postage free, on receipt of price — 13 cents each. The figure folio-wing the name of the Play denotes the number of Acts. The figures in the columns indicate the number of characters — M. mo/c; F. female. No. 75. 114. 1&7. 93. 40. 89. 192. 166. 41. 141. 36. 160. 70. 179. 25. 60. 175. '55. so*: 65. 68. 76. 149. 181. 107. 1.52. 52. 148. 113.' So. 16. 58. 125. 7L X4S. Adrienne, drama, 3 acts 7 Anything for a Change, comedy, 1 3 Apple Blossoms, comedy, 3 acts. . . 7 Area Belle (The), farce, 1 act 3 Atchi, comedietta, 1 act 3 Aunt Charlotte's Maid, farce. 1 act. . 3 Game of Cards (A), comedietta, 1 3 Bardell vs. Pickwick, sketch, 1 act. 6 Beautiful Forever, farce, 1 act 2 Bells (The), drama, 3 acts 9 Birthplace of Podgers, farce, 1 act. . 7 Black Sheep, drama, 3 acts 7 Blow for Blow, drama, 4 acts 11 Bonnie Fish Wife, farce, 1 act 3 Breach of Promise,, drama, 2 acts. . 5 Broken-Hearted Club, comedietta, 1 4 Cabman, No. 93, farce, 1 act . 2 Caste, comedy, 3 acts 5 Caught by the Cuff, farce, 1 act 4 Cast upon the World, drama, 5 acts. 10 Catharine Howard, historical play, 3 acts 12 Charming pair, farce, 1 act. : 4 Checkmate, comedy, 2 acts 6 Chevalier de St. George, drama, 8 9 Chops of the Channel, farce, 1 act. 3 Clouds, comedy, 4 acts 8 Comical Countess, farce, 1 act 3 Cupboard Love, farce, 1 act 2 Cupid's Eye-Glass, comedy, 1 art... 1 Cup of Tea, comedietta, 1 act 3 Cut off with a Shilling, comedietta, 1 act 2 Cy rill's Success, comedy, 5 acts — 10 Captain of the Watch (The), come- dietta, 1 act 4 Daddy Gray. Jrama, 3 acts 8 Dandelion's Dodges, fan c, 1 act 4 David (lanick, comedy, 3 acts 8 Dearest Mamma, comedietta, 1 act, 4 Dearer than Life, drama, 3 acts 6 Deborah (Leah) drama, 3 acts 7 Deerfoot, farce. 1 act 5 Doing for the Best, drama, 2 acts.. 5 Dollars aud Cents, comedy, S acts. . 9 Dreams, drama, 5 acts 6 Duchess de la Valliere, play, 5 acts . . 6 Easy Shaving, farce, 1 act 5 Everybody's Friend, comedy, 3 acta. 6 Estranged, an operetta, 1 act 2 Faust and Marguerite, drama, 3 acts, 9 Fearful Tragedy in the Seven Dials, interlude, 1 act 4 Female Detective, drama, 3 acts.... 11 Femande, drama, 3 acts 11 Fifth Wheel, comedy, 3 acts 10 First Love, comedy, 1 act 4 Foiled, drama, 4 acts ~ . 9 Founded on Facts, farce, 1 act . . . . 4 Garrick Fever, farce, 1 act 7 Gertrude's Money Box, farce, 1 act. 4 Golden Fetter (Fettered), drama, 3 11 Goose with the Golden Eggs, farce, 1 act 5 Go to Putney, farce, 1 act 4 Happy Pair, comedietta, 1 act 1 Hard Case (A), farce, 1 act .2 Henry Dunbar, drama, 4 acts 10 Henry the Fifth, historical play, 5 38 He's a Lunatic, farce, 1 act 3 Hidden Hand, drama, 4 acts 5 His Own Enemy, farce, 1 act 4 Home, comedy, 3 acts 4 Household Fairy, sketch, 1 act 1 Hunting the Slipper, farce, 1 act 4 High C, comedietta, 1 act 4 Hunchback (The), play, 5 acts 14 If I Had a Thousand a Year, farce, 1 act 4 I'm Not Mesilf at All, original Irish < stew, 1 act , 3 In for a Holiday, farce, 1 act 2 In the Wrong House, farce, 1 act, . . 4 Isabella Orsini, drama, 4 acts 11 [ Sha'l Invite the Major, comedy, 1 4 Jack Long, drama, 2 acts 9 Joy is Dangerous, comedy, 2 acts. . . 3 Kind to a Fault, comedy, 2 acts 6 Lady of Lyons, play, 5 acts 12 Lame TJxcuse, farce, 1 act 4 ALL ON ACCOUNT OF A BRACELET, A Comedy y in One Ad. By JACOB ABARBANELL, (RALPH royal), Author of'A Model Pair" "My Faihefs Will," etc., etc. / h * TOGETHER WITH r A DESCRIPTION OF THE COSTUMES— CAST OF THE CHARACTERS— EN^ TRANCES AND EXITS — RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE PERFORM- ERS ON THE STAGE, AND THE WHOLE OF THE STAGE BUSINESS, NEW YORK ! DE WITT, PUBLISHER, No, 83 RosM Street. Copyi-ight, ISS), by A, T, B. Dn Witt. ALL ON ACCOUNT OF A BRACELET. CHARACTERS. ^ A^ Harry Osgood, a young stock-broker. Louise, his wife. Augustus, a clerk at Tiffany's. ' Arabella. Primrose, a seamstress. TIME OF REPRESENTATION— THIRTY MINUTES. TIME— The present. SCENE— A sitting room. COSTUMES— Modem . PROPERTIES.— A bracelet, two revolvers, a dress, and other articles to sew; a parcel for bracelet, newspaper, card-case with cards, parrot, lap-dog, band- boxes. STAGE DIRECTIONS. R. means Right of stage, facing the Audience ; L. Left ; C. Centre ; R. C. Right of Centre ; L. C. Left of Centre. D. F. Door in Flat, or Scene running across the back of the stage ; C. D. F. Centre Door in the Flat ; R. D. F. Right door in the Flat ; L. D. F. Left Door in the Flat ; R. D. Right Door ; L. D. Left Door ; 1 E. First entrance ; 2 E. Second entrance ; U. E. Upper Entrance; 1, 2 or 3 G. First, Second or Third Grooves . R. R. C. C. L. C. L. ^P~ The reader is supposed to be upon the stage, facing the audience. ^j^SS^i^ TMP92-008533 All on Account of a Bracelet. SCENE. — A sitting-room. Entrances c, l. and r. ; practical icindoio L. ; sofa, chairs, table, etc.; on table books, card-case, newspaper. Time, morning. Arabella discotered sitting l., sewing. Arabella. Such a lovely bracelet 1 Dead gold, chased surface, and solitaire m the centre. And only one hundred fifty dollars ! I'm sure Augustus could even get a discount on account of his being a clerk at Tiffany's, where I saw it in the show window. I told him he needn't make love to me any more unless he brought me that bracelet. I've set my heart on it, and I'm going to have it. When a woman will, she will, you may depend on it. Enter Harry Osgood, r. Harry. Good morning, Arabella. Ara. Good morning, sir. Harry. Has my wffe come down yet ? Ara. I believe she is still in her room. Harry. Do you know, my dear, you look particularly charming Ihis-morning ? Ara. Thank you, sir, for the compliment. It's well your wife didn't hear it. Harry. She'd be jealous, you mean. Enter Mrs. Louise Osgood, r. Pbhaw ! can't a man acknowledge beauty wherever he sees it without raising a domestic hurricane ? Louise (stepping foj^icard). No, sir, he cannot, and has no right to either. Arabella, leave the room. Ara. (going— aside). She's a perfect wildcat for jealousy. There'll be a scene, I'll warrant. [Exit, r. Harry (l.). So, my dear, you've been listening, with the usual penalty. Louise (r.). You're a perfect brute. Harry. A perfect brute — and only one year married ! I was an angel at this time last year. Louise. You think that, having secured some confiding creature for life, you can let your fancy roam at your own sweet will, un- 4 ALL ON ACCOUNT OF A BKACELET. mindful of the torture you inflict on your poor caged victim, {crosses ioij.) Harky (crosses to it.). The poor caged victun was very eager to have herself entrapped. Louise. Arabella t^liaU leave us this very day. I'll not have any pretty seamstresses around the house. The next one I engage shall he as ugly as night. Harry. Mercy forbid ! I could not endure an ugly woman. It is not my fault, my dear Louise, that the sense of beauty is so strong- ly developed in me. It was that which attracted me to you. You are the most beautiful woman in the world — in repose. Only you mustn't wag that little tongue of yours so much. Now, don't let Arabella suffer on my account. She's a good girl, I'm sure. You can't get a better seamstress. I'll promise not to pay her any more compliments, and you promise not to discharge her. Louise. You defend her Ycry warmly, it seems. However, I will promise on one coudiiion. Harry. Ah, the e is a condition, (aside) Some new bonnet, I'll be bound. I beheve my wife gets up these spats on purpose to make me shell out. Louise. I saw such a pretty bracelet at Tiffany's. Harry (aside). By Jove 1 I thought so. Louise. It's in the window — you can't help noticing it. Dead gold, chased, with solitaire diam.ond. I went in and priced it. It's only one hundred and fifty dollars. Harry (aloud). Only one hundred and fifty dollars I Louise. If you'll make me a present of that bracelet Harry. Mrs. Osgood, are you aware of the awful fact that C. C. and J. C. has tumbled two points, and that I'm long of that stock. Louise (crosses to r.). Please confine your gibberish to AVall street. llA-URY (crosses to -L.). In plain English, then, I'm on tbe point of being slaughtered, like the veriest lamb, in the stock market. If the long expected boom doesn't strike that stock to-day and send it up flying, I'll be wanting money to pay my car-iare home, much less to buy bracelets for you. Louise. Oh, of course, you've always got some excuse. Do I want a new bonnet, you are a bull and the bears are clawing you. Do I want to go to the opera, straightway you become a bear being gored by the bulls. It's quite refreshing to hear you announce j^ourtelf a lamb. Theie's some hope you'Jl grow into a sheep one of these days. I«ever (bought when 1 consented to marry a broker that I woi'dd hear nothing the whole day but the vernacular of the butcher-shop. (crosses to l,.) Harky (crosses to r.). I assure you, my dear, I'd be only too happy to buy you that bracelet, or a dozen of tiiern, if I could afford it. But I'm deucedly hard up just now. You must give a fellow a chance. If C. C. and J. C. goes up Louise. I see you're bound to thwart my wishes. Yery well, IMr. Osgood, I'm very meek and patient Hariiy. Oh, a very lamb. Louise. But too much is too much Harry. Which is a self-evident proposition. Louisk. And I may retaliate when you least expect it. Harky (hums). " Oh when I was single my pockets would jingle; Don't I wish I were single again." Louise. Ugh, you brute. [ Exit, n. ALL ON ACCOUNT OF A BRACELET. 5 IIaehy. There she goes off in a pet. Oh, woman, woman, how dear you are before marriage — how dearer after. I'm sure if I had the dollars to spare, I'd buy that bracelet for her. But with C. C. and J. C, in the dumps and my pockets correspondingly empty, I don't see — {while speaking he has picked up the newspaper ami examined the stock list) Hello 1 hello ! {reads) "Great excitement at Fifth Ave. Hotel last night. A general bull movement inaugurated. C. C. and J. O. rises four points. It is expected that at the opening of the board to-day, that long depressed stock will be found to head the list." (th}'oios do (Di paper) Hurrah ! the boom has come at last. I must hurry to my office and sell out before it tumbles again. Now Louise shall have her bracelet. Ah, there's her card-case, {takes card fro7n case at table, and without I'loking at it, puts it inhispocket) I'll stop at Tiffany's on my way down town, leave this card, and have ihemsend the bracelet to the house. It will be a pleasant surprise lo her after my decided refusal, {puts on hat andcoai) It's wonderful though how she docs manage lo have her way in everything. I declare, if she were in "Wall street a week, she'd have them all, bulls and Ik ars and lambs, under her thumb. ^ \_Exit, \i. Enter Arabella, ii., with dress. Ara. Thank goodness, they're gone and I'm left alone in peace. How Mr. Osgood can stand this constant bickering on his wife's part, I'm sure I can't understand, {sits and sews) He's a nice enough man, but she — oh, she's a perfect terror. If she'd flare up in that way against me. I'd give her a piece of my mind, that I would. Here she comes, all ready to go out. Thank Heaven for that. Enter Louise, e. Lo^ibE, Now that mj' husband is at Imsiness, I'll just slip out to see a friend of mine, I shall leave yon in charge of the house and I wish you to make time between your sewing to take a peep into the kitchen and see that the cook prepares the noon-day lunch. And if you can get that dress ready in time for me to we >r this afternoon, you may occupy the rest of the day in mending some of the clothes you will find in my wardrobe. Ara. {demurely). Anything else, ma'am ? Louise. No, except that there's the parrot and my lap-dog to feed. You must sec to it that the dear pets do not suffer on account of my absence, Ara. Of course. Louise. If any one should call, you will answer the bell and pre- sent my excuses. I believe that's all. Ara. {ironically). Oh, you believe fo. Louise. None of your, sarcasm, mi^s. You will do as I bid j-ou. That's what you are paid for. {Exit, c. Ara, {rises, throws dress on table). Is it ? I guesis not. I'm to be seamstress, cook and lackey all in vno, am I ? And to take care of the parrot and dog, too 1 Well, I never ! If that isn't impudence, I'd like to know what is. I shan't attend to the lunch. For my part the cook may spoil it entirely. I only wish she would. And people may pull the bell off the wire before I answer it. If my lady wants to go gadding about, I shan't take care of her brutes. And I won't sew a stitch either. She'll not bo back till noon and I'm not ^ ALL ON ACCOUNT OL' A BRACELET. going to few the skin off my bones in her abseure. Kow, if Augustus could ouly manage to get off and come here, biinging the bracelet with him, wouldn't we have a jolly time, {bell ringn) There goes the bell. I shan't answer it, that's certain. I wonder who it is, though ? I'll peep out of the window and see. {looks outofinndoic) Tiffany's delivery wagon, I declaie. And there's a man at the door wiih a parcel in his hand. Good gracious, if it should be the bracelet, and for mc ! (rushes out, l., a pause, re-enters, i-., icith parcel) It is addressed to me. There it is as plainly as can be written : ]\Iiss Arabella Primrose. I'm in a perfect flutter of excitement. I'm sure it's from Augustus, (opens parcel) The bracelet 1 (holds it up) I knew it. This proves he loves me. I would give him ever so many kisses if he were only here to receive them. In his absence I'll kiss the next best thing to him. (kisses bracelet, then puts it on) How lovely it looks ! How it becomes me ! Is there no note, no word from him? Kone? Ah. I have it. He wants me to guess wlio sent it, just as if 1 don't know. I'll wager he'll le here himself during llie day. Don't I wish the dear fellow would come, so that I could thai;k him and tell him how much I love him. (bell rings, i-he looks out of icimclotc) Good gracious, there's Mrs. Osgood already back and not a stitch sewed, the lunch i ot prepared, the parrot not ii d and ihe lap-dog not attended to. She'll r;nse Hail Columbia. I don't care. She may scold to her heart's content. I am lutppy ; Augustus loves me and I have my bracelet, (takes dress, sits and seics.) Enter LonsE, l. Louise. My friend was not at home, (passes to s..) The useless visit hasn't improved my temper. Ara. (aside). That's cer tain. Louise. What's thnt you say ? Ara. Kothing, ma'am. A personal rellection, merely. *■ Louise. Please coiitine your reflections to mental ones. Is that dress ready yet ? Ara. Not quite. Louise. Not quite ? Bring it to me. (Arabella rises and hands it to her) Why, I declare, you've not sewed a stitch .' ince I've been gone, (hands it back and tees bracelet) Ah ! Ara. (l.). What's the matter ? Louise (r., aside). It cannot b^ possible, anel yet the resemblance. (aloud) That's a pretty bracelet you have on your arm there. Ara. (aside). She's jealous because I've got a present, (edoud) Beau- tiful, isn't it ? Louise. I've never seen you wear it before Ara. And good reason. It was presented to mc only a few minutes ago. Louise (aside). Am I on the point of a horrible discovery ? (alouc) Indeed I Ara. It just came from Tiffanv's. There's the box vet rn Hi ■ table, (asiiie') I'll make her feel sick, {aloud) Don't you think it ju.st suits my complexion ? Louise (aside). The impudent hussy ! And he ^ras so anxious to have me retain her, {aloud) Are you sure it was intended for you ? Ara. You may read the address on the cover, (emde) Humph, does she expect my Augustus to Siend her bracelets. I'd like to catch him. AIL ON ACCOUKT OF A BRACELET. 7 Louise {examines cover, aside). It is addressed to her. Oh, I could scratch her eyes out. And I actually caught them making love to each other this morning, {aloud) He must love you dearly. Ara. Uetter than any woman on earth. Louise {aside). The brazen thing I How dare she tell me that to my face, {crosses to l., aloud) Oh, this perfectly outrageous. Ara. {crosses to r.). That I should have a lover and he should send me presents ? I see nothing outrageous about that. Louise {aside). She is driving me mad, but she shall not see how much I suffer, She shall leave the house, though, this very instant. {aloud) You need not finish my dress. I'll dispense with your further services. Ara. You mean to discharge me ? Louise. You may puck up your things and go. Ara. This is rather sudden. Louise. Sudden or not, I wont have you in the house a minute longer. Are. Very well, Mrs. Osgood. I will go. I cm find another situation as good as this and better too, and if anybody asks me why jou discharged me, I'll tell her because yon were envious at my re- ceiving the present of a bracelet when you haven't got any yourself. So there 1 [Exit, n. Louise {furioxs). Oh, the shameless hu?sy ! To twit me in this way. But this is perfectly awful. To deny me the bracelet, to give me his balderdash of bulls and bears, l.ambs and I know n(.t what letters of the alphabet, and then to send it to her — to her under my very roof ! Oh, it was all arranged between them this morning be- fore I came down. He had promised her the bracelet and found it very embarrassing when I asked him for it. Had I not come back so unexpectedly she would have had it hidden. Oh, Harry, how- could you have so shamefully deceived me, who so loved, so trusted you ! \iDeeps) But away Avith these weak, womanish tc ars. I'll show iiim the fuiy of a woman scorned. 1 11 leave the house this instant. I'll go back to my mother's, and he shall hear from me through my lawyers, [Exit, R. Enter Augustus, c. AuGTisTus. I had an errand to do for the shop and I thought I'd just slip in to see my darling Arabella for an instant. I can't stay more than a minute. I'm a slave to duty, and all for ten dollars a week. Oh, poverty, how thou dost crush the aspiring soul! Ara- bella's heart beats in unison with mine, but how can two hearts be joined iii conjugal bliss on ten dollars a week ? And there's that l)racelct gone too. How many times have I denied Arabella ice- cream, how many cigarettes 1 ave I left unsmoked in a vain attempt to save up money enough to by it for her. Under the most favorable circumst ;nces, on an income of ten dollars a week, I would have reached it in about two years. An