IC-NRLF 
 
 PS 
 
 3539 
 
 U23 
 
 V55 
 
 1916 
 
 771 
 
 MA.N LLAGE LAWYER 
 
 mm BV 
 
 ARTHUR LEWIS TUBES 
 
 [^; i IT TT 
 
 THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
The ;;;;;;v;i;:. 0! : 
 Village Lawyer 
 
 A Comedy Drama in Four Acts 
 
 BY 
 
 Arthur Lewis Tubbs 
 
 Author of "Farm Folks," "Home Ties," "The Fruit of 
 His Folly," "The Finger of Scorn," etc. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
 THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 1916 
 
COPYRIGHT 1914 BY THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
The Village Lawyer 
 
 
 
 CAST OF CHARACTERS 
 
 SETH BARRETT .......... the lawyer 
 
 DAVID CON ANT ....... a political " boss** 
 
 JAMES FERGUSON ....... his right hand man 
 
 ALAN SPENCER ........ a summer boarder 
 
 SAM DILL ........ a much married man 
 
 DAN BRIGHT ...... learning to be a lawyer 
 
 HELEN CONANT ....... David s daughter 
 
 ISABEL UNDERWOOD ..... from gay Broadway 
 
 ANGIE BARRETT . ...... sister of Seth 
 
 MRS. DILL ...... not afraid to speak her mind 
 
 LOBELIA . . ....... a household factotum 
 
 TIME OF PLAYING About two hours and a half 
 
 SYNOPSIS 
 
 ACT I. Seth Barrett s office, on an afternoon in August. 
 
 Love and politics. 
 
 ACT II. Same as Act I, about a week later. The letters. 
 ACT III. Home of Seth Barrett, the next evening. The 
 
 heart of a woman. 
 ACT IV. Same as Acts I and II, the following day. The 
 
 winning hand. 
 
 NOTICE TO PROFESSIONALS 
 
 This play is published for the free use of amateurs only. Professional 
 actors or companies wishing to produce it in any form or under any 
 title are forbidden to do so without the consent of the author, who 
 may be addressed in care of the publishers. 
 
 74.3437 
 
 3 
 
STORY OF THE PLAY 
 
 Seth Barrett, a young lawyer, is running for district attorney 
 against David Conant, a political " boss " of long stand 
 ing. Conant is incensed at Seth s refusal to withdraw 
 his name from the ticket. Being unscrupulous and un 
 relenting toward those who thwart his purpose, he 
 commands Seth, who is desperately in love with his 
 daughter, Helen, to cease paying his attentions to her. 
 Seth, early in his college career, sowed a few wild oats 
 and became acquainted with gay Broadway and its 
 habitue s. He soon awoke to the folly of it all and quite 
 forgets the incidents associated with that period. In 
 some way, however, Conant learns of this, and ne 
 gotiates with an actress, who knew Seth at this time, in 
 an attempt to make public a greatly magnified account 
 of Seth s past, in order to injure him politically. But 
 despite Conant s iron will and underhanded methods, 
 love finds a way. Seth is not easily frightened, is firm 
 in his purpose, and plays the game so fairly that Co 
 nant becomes ashamed of his actions and relents. Inter 
 woven with the stormy courtship of the village lawyer, 
 a quieter, but none the less earnest, romance runs its 
 course. 
 
COSTUMES AND CHARACTERISTICS 
 
 SETH BARRETT. A good-looking, manly young country 
 lawyer, about twenty-eight or thirty, of a jovial, easy 
 going disposition, but with plenty of vim and spirit. 
 Well educated and mentally keen and sharp-witted. 
 Not easily ruffled or frightened, but still whole-hearted 
 and sympathetic. He wears a plain, neat summer 
 business suit; may be the same throughout, or a light 
 suit in the first, second and fourth acts and a dark one 
 in the third. 
 
 DAVID CONANT. Typical rural political leader and boss, 
 about fifty years of age ; short, stockily built ; sharp 
 eyes, stern countenance ; severe, unscrupulous and un 
 relenting toward those who cross his will. Wears plain 
 business suit. 
 
 JAMES FERGUSON. Might be tall and thin, in contrast to 
 Conant, of about the same age. A cringing sycophant, 
 occasionally daring to " speak up," but evidently 
 afraid of Conant, and in his political power. Plain 
 summer suit. 
 
 ALAN SPENCER. Dapper young city fellow, of about 
 twenty-three or thereabouts ; handsome, well dressed 
 in neatly fitting summer clothes, with rather fancy 
 shirts and neckties, but all in good taste. He is of the 
 somewhat " sporty," flashy type, accustomed to the 
 lights and the life of the big city, but by no means fast 
 or offensive. Should be in the good will of the au 
 dience. 
 
 SAM DILL. Little old man, much devoted to his domineer 
 ing wife, and willing to bear all she puts upon him for 
 the sake of an occasional smile. He is about sixty, 
 with thin gray hair, beard or chin whiskers. Comic 
 rural type, without being a caricature. Wears plain, 
 somewhat shabby and none too tidy suit. May be a 
 little better dressed in ACT III. 
 
 DAN BRIGHT. Smart boy of fourteen or fifteen, with all of 
 a real boy s fondness for exciting reading and athletic 
 sport. Active, a bit " fresh," but the kind of youngster 
 one likes. Neat suit, showing something of rough 
 usage. 
 
PROPERTIES 
 
 HELEN CONANT. Refined, attractive girl of about nineteen, 
 rather delicate and timid, showing the effect of severe 
 home discipline, but withal sweet and winsome. Pretty 
 summer costumes, not elaborate. 
 
 ISABEL UNDERWOOD. Tall, stately young woman, some 
 what past the point of girlhood ; handsome, of a rather 
 bold and conspicuous type of beauty, but not without 
 a suggestion of gentleness and refinement. Evidently 
 the victim of influences and surroundings not conducive 
 to the development of the finer qualities. She wears 
 two or three different costumes, all rather elaborate and 
 fancy, with showy hats, flowers, some jewelry, parasol, 
 hand-bag, etc. 
 
 ANGIE BARRETT. Ingenue character ; pretty, vivacious girl 
 of seventeen or eighteen. She wears simple but at 
 tractive and becoming light summer costumes, hat, etc. 
 
 MRS. DILL. Character part. Middle-aged woman of vil 
 lage gossip variety ; talks very fast, has quick, ener 
 getic movements. Somewhat " bossy" and domineer 
 ing, but not disagreeably so. For comic effect may 
 be considerably larger than her husband or vice versa, 
 he being much the larger, making her authority over 
 him the more funny by contrast. She is plainly dressed, 
 in first act in ordinary calico or gingham. ACTS II and 
 IV, much the same. ACT III, a better dress, with a 
 touch of color. Small hat, with feather ; comical effect. 
 
 LOBELIA. Colored character part. Stout, "squatty" 
 figure; the jovial, lovable " old mammy" type. Cal 
 ico dress, apron, etc., as appropriate to time and scene. 
 
 PROPERTIES 
 
 Law books. Cheap, paper-covered dime novel. Calendar, 
 several legal posters and notices on wall. Papers, legal 
 documents, etc., on desk and in drawers. Telephone. 
 Waste paper basket with contents. Pieces of money. 
 Cigars. Postage stamps. Small bundle of letters, 
 stamped, addressed and opened, tied together with 
 string or ribbon ; several other letters similar in size 
 and appearance, also stamped and addressed, but un 
 opened. Dining-table, white cloth, red spread, few 
 dishes. Broom. Fancy work. Palm leaf fan. Dia 
 mond engagement ring. Several grocery store packages. 
 6 
 
SCENE PLOTS 
 ACTS I, II, AND IV 
 
 X.T 
 
 WINDOW 
 
 CA/tf 
 
 BOOKCASE: Q 
 * 
 
 xy <5(7o/fCflc\ \ 
 
 M/flS *-^* 
 DOOR* 
 
 
 K & d 
 
 CHAIR. 
 
 CHAIR. 
 
 o 
 
 SCENE. SETH BARRETT S LAW OFFICE. Entrances R. 
 and L. Window in flat, c. Desk near window, and 
 bookcases up R. and L., where convenient. Chairs on 
 both sides of desk, and in other parts of stage* 
 
 O 
 
 \ 
 
 OOOK, 
 
 SOFA 
 
 TABLf. I 
 
 ACT III. Combined dining and living room in home of 
 Seth Barrett. Well furnished, with easy chairs, couch, 
 etc. A dining-room table L. c. Entrances R. and L. 
 
The Village Lawyer 
 
 ACT I 
 
 SCENE. Plain room, the law office of SETH BARRETT. 
 Door to street R., to another room L. ; window in flat. 
 Desk up c., near window ; large easy chair near it, 
 several other chairs about stage ; law books on desk and 
 shelf or bookcase; calendar , legal notices, etc., on 
 wall; the typical furnishings of young lawyer s office 
 in country town. Discover DAN BRIGHT seated in easy 
 chair, with feet on table, asleep. On his lap is a large 
 law book, inside of which is a dime novel. Door and 
 window are open. After pause enter MRS. DILL, R. ; 
 she stands a moment regarding DAN. 
 
 MRS. D. Say ! Wake up. {Goes and rouses DAN, notic 
 ing dime novel.) You lazy thing, why don t you wake 
 up V tend t business ? 
 
 DAN (waking, sleepily). Huh? What? (Recognizes 
 MRS. D!) Oh, how do, Mis Dill? Where d you 
 come from ? (Rises, closing book with novel inside. ) 
 
 MRS. D. What difference does it make where I come from ? 
 What I want t know is, where s Seth ? I want t see 
 him. 
 
 DAN. You mean Mr. Barrett ? 
 
 MRS. D. I mean Seth Barrett, that s who I mean. Land, 
 I guess you needn t think I m goin t start in callin 
 him "Mister," if he is a lawyer n runnin for office. 
 I guess I ve known Seth Barrett all his life, sence he was 
 a baby, n his folks b fore him, n I ain t goin t 1 
 start in callin him " Mister " at this late day. Where 
 is he? 
 
 DAN. I d know, exactly. Went down the street a while 
 ago. Said he d be back in half an hour. More n that 
 now. 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 *D. N* he left you t run things, I suppose? A 
 
 pretty one ycru be, read n dime novels. Oh, I saw 
 ? *; iV TJiink you ll learn t be a lawyer read n that 
 
 " trash ? 
 DAN. Well, law s too dry. Have t take it in small doses, 
 
 r it d choke me. Anything I can do for y , Mis Dill ? 
 MRS. D. You ? The idee ! I guess they ain t. I want t 
 
 see " Mister " Barrett on legal business. (To herself, 
 
 with determination. } I ve stood it jest as long s I m 
 
 goin to. 
 DAN. Well, then set down to it. (Places chair R. c.) 
 
 Here s a chair. 
 MRS. D. Don t you get impudent, young man. I ll tell 
 
 Seth Barrett I saw you read n that dime novel. 
 
 (She sits.} 
 
 DAN. Tain t a dime novel only cost a nickel. Besides, 
 he wouldn t care. Reads em himself. 
 
 MRS. D. Likely story, that is. A lawyer read n dime 
 novels ! 
 
 DAN. Sure. He kep mine the other day when I wanted 
 it. Said it was great. (Shows her novel.} Look 
 " Perfidious Pete ; or, the Bandit Band of Bloody 
 Gulch." Don t that sound exciting ? 
 
 MRS. D. It sounds scandalous, for a boy like you t be 
 storin his mind up with. Seth Barrett ought t have 
 more sense. I guess if the Democrat c mmittee knew 
 he reads that trash ! Goin t run for District Attorney, 
 I hear ? 
 
 DAN. Well, if he does he ll get lected, spite o "Perfidi 
 ous Pete," I ll bet. 
 
 MRS. D. Huh ! I guess " Perfidious Pete " won t haves 
 much t say about it as Dave Conant will. Of course, 
 I d like t see Seth get it, but Dave Conant ! He s 
 lord of all he surveys around here, n when it comes t 
 politics well, y might as well try t beat I d know 
 what s him. (Rises t restlessly.} But I can t 
 hang around here all day. I come on business, n I 
 should think he d ought t be here t tend to it. 
 
 DAN. Sure there s nothing I can do, Mis Dill ? 
 
 MRS. D. I guess not ; not unless you grant divorces. 
 
 DAN. Oh ! You want another divorce from y rhusban* ? 
 
 MRS. D, Land, who would I want it from ? Think I want 
 
 10 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 a divorce from the town pump ? You d make a pretty 
 lawyer, you would. As for " another," what do y 
 mean by that? Ain t had one yet; but I ve made up 
 my mind to get one now. I ve stood his shiftlessness as 
 long s I m goin t . 
 
 (ANGIE BARRETT appears at window, putting head in. ) 
 
 ANGIE. Good-morning. How d do. Mrs. Dill? Hello, 
 
 Dan. Seth in ? 
 
 DAN. Nope. Out. Be back in a minute. Come on in. 
 ANGIE. All right, I will. (Disappears.} 
 MRS. D. Pretty gay piece, if she is his sister. Guess he 
 
 ain t none too strict with her. 
 
 {Enter ANGIE, R.) 
 
 ANGIE. Why, Mrs. Dill, I m surprised to see you here in 
 
 a lawyer s office. No legal business, I hope ? 
 MRS. D. Well, if it is, that s my business, ain t it? 
 ANGIE. Why, of course. Excuse me. I didn t mean to 
 
 pry into it. I was only joking. 
 MRS. D. Well, I guess a divorce ain t no joking matter. 
 
 Oh, yes, you might s well know it ain t no secret, n 
 
 I d jest as soon it be told, seein it s come to it. I ve 
 
 stood it jest as long s I m goin t . Me n Sam s got 
 
 t part. 
 ANGIE. Oh, Mrs. Dill, I m sorry to hear that. I always 
 
 thought Mr. Dill such a nice man. 
 MRS. D. Oh, you did ! Well, bein nice don t buy bread 
 
 n butter n pay taxes. I d ruther a man d have some 
 
 gumption n t jest be " nice." 
 ANGIE. Why yes ; but really, don t you think it could 
 
 be patched up 
 
 MRS. D. No, I don t. It s be n patched n patched, till 
 
 they ain t room for another patch. No, I ve made 
 
 up my mind n I mean t have it. I ve stood it long 
 
 enough. 
 DAN. Don t blame y , Mis Dill. A man as lazy as your 
 
 husband is 
 
 MRS. D. Well, I guess it ain t your place t criticize him, a 
 
 little upstart like you. Huh ! You d better look t 
 
 home. 
 DAN. Whew ! 
 
 n 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ANGIE. There, Dan, now will you be good? But I ll be 
 going, and stop on ray way back. I m just going down 
 to the post-office. 
 
 MRS. D. S pose you expect a letter from that city feller. 
 
 ANGIE. M m well, if I do, it ll be my letter, so you 
 needn t worry about it. 
 
 (Laughs mischievously and exits R.) 
 
 MRS. D. If she was my girl, I d give her a good spankin . 
 Such impudence. (She goes up to window, looks out 
 towards. DAN is R., by door.) I declare, here comes 
 Dave Conant. Looks like a thunder-cloud, too. I 
 wonder what s up now. 
 
 DAN. Oh, I suppose something ain t gone t* suit him. If 
 y cross y r leg the ways he don t think y ought to, he 
 gets on his ear. S pose he s heard about Mr. Barrett s 
 running for District Attorney. 
 
 MRS. D. Mebbe that s it. Well, I guess he can t scare 
 Seth Barrett. 
 
 DAN. You bet he can t. He ll try it, though. 
 
 (DAVID CON ANT passes window ; glances in, then enters R.) 
 
 DAVID (to DAN). Where s your boss ? 
 
 DAN. You mean Mr. Barrett ? 
 
 DAVID. Of course I mean Mr. Barrett. Who else should 
 I mean ? Where is he ? 
 
 DAN. I d know, Mr. Conant, jest exactly. He went up 
 the street. Be back soon, I guess. 
 
 DAVID. Well, I want to see him. (Notices MRS. D.) Oh, 
 good-afternoon, Mrs. Dill. Patronizing the law nowa 
 days? 
 
 MRS. D. (seated^, c.). Mebbe. Be you? 
 
 DAVID. Well, if I am, that s my business. 
 
 MRS. D. And if I am, that s my business, Dave Conant. 
 Guess I ve got jest as much right here as you have. 
 (He glares at her.) Oh, you needn t think you can 
 scare me, if you be the richest man in the county n 
 think you own everybnddy around here jestb cause you 
 got a little money. Good land, I knew you when you 
 didn t have a cent n I d know s you would have 
 now f you d been very p tic lar how you got it. 
 
 DAVID. Say, see here, my fine woman, you d better be 
 
 12 
 
THE VILLAGE LA WYER 
 
 careful how you let your tongue run. Even a prover 
 bial gossip may go too far. 
 
 MRS. D. So? Well, if I m " proverbial," let me give you 
 a proverb : " Give a rascal rope enough n he ll hang 
 himself." That s a good one for you t think over, I 
 reckon. 
 
 DAVID. Pooh ! Even an insult from you isn t worth 
 noticing. (To DAN.) I ll be back. (Goes R.) 
 
 DAN. All right, Mr. Conant. I ll tell him you was here. 
 
 (DAVID, R., is about to exit, when he meets SETH BARRETT, 
 who enters breezily. DAVID comes back to R. c. ; SETH 
 pauses c.) 
 
 SETH. Why, how d you do, squire ? Glad to see you. 
 And Mrs. Dill, too. My, but I am honored. (To 
 DAVID.) Won t you sit down ? 
 
 DAVID. No, thanks. Haven t time. Can say what I have 
 to say standing, just as well. Only I wish to speak to 
 you in private {glancing meaningly at MRS. D.) if it 
 is convenient ? 
 
 MRS. D. (jwt stirring). I was here first. " First come, 
 first served." That s another good proverb. 
 
 DAVID. But, madam, I have important business. 
 
 MRS. D. Well, good land, don t you s pose I can have im 
 portant business, too? I s pose yours is politics. 
 You ve heard Seth Barrett is goin t run for District 
 Attorney on the Democratic ticket, n you ve come t 
 see f you can t scare him out of it or buy him off. 
 Don t you let him do it, Seth. 
 
 DAVID. Madam 
 
 SETH. Why, Mrs. Dill, I 
 
 MRS. D. Don t "Madam" me, nor "Mrs. Dill" me, 
 either. I may be a woman, but I know a thing r two, 
 and one of em is, that some men think they can run 
 the universe, but sooner r later they get their come 
 uppance. I come here t see you on legal business, 
 Mr. Barrett, n I want t speak t you in private 
 (with a defiant look at DAVID) " if it is convenient." 
 
 (DAVID grunts, angrily, turning away in disgust. SETH 
 bows politely.) 
 
 SETH. Certainly, Mrs. Dill. I will ask the squire to wait. 
 I shall be pleased to have you as a client. 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 MRS. D. Well, I d know s I m a client, exactly, but I 
 
 want (Looks at DAVID again, meaningly.) I ll 
 
 tell you what, when we are alone. 
 DAVID. Of course, if I am intruding ( Goes to R.) 
 
 I ll call back in a few minutes, Mr. Barrett. Perhaps 
 
 by that time you will be at liberty. 
 MRS. D. (rising). You needn t hurry yourself. What 
 
 I ve got t 1 say 11 take more n a few minutes. 
 
 (DAVID smiles superciliously and exits R.) 
 
 DAN. Gee ! You talked right up t him, didn t y ? 
 
 MRS. D. Of course I did. He scared his poor, meek little 
 wife t death, n is maldn life miserable for that 
 daughter of his n tryin t run everybuddy he comes 
 to but he needn t think I m afraid of him. Thank 
 
 goodness, I ain t his wife. But if I was By the 
 
 way, Seth (looking at DAN), I said " alone," y know. 
 
 SETH. Certainly, Mrs. Dill. (To DAN.) Dan, you can 
 go for a while. Be back in half an hour. 
 
 DAN (getting hat and going R.). All right, Mr. Barrett. 
 (Mischievously, as he glances at MRS. D.) I ll go 
 down to the store n g t that new dime novel we was 
 talkin about "The Murders in the Morgue; or, the 
 Midnight Massacre " 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 MRS. D. My, but that boy s a piece. Says you read them 
 dime novels. I should think a lawyer 
 
 SETH. Ho ! I just glanced at one, one day, and he caught 
 me at it. Ever since then he accuses me of reading 
 them. Won t you be seated again, Mrs. Dill, and tell 
 me what I can do for you ? 
 
 MRS. D. Thanks. (Sits.) I want a divorce. I ve stood 
 it jest s long as I m a-goin t . He s the laziest, 
 shifflesest thing t ever lived, n I m tired of it. 
 
 SETH. What again, Mrs. Dill ? You know, this is about 
 the seventh or eighth time we have talked this matter 
 over. Don t you think 
 
 MRS. D. I don t think, I know that I mean it this time. 
 I know you ve patched it up every time b fore, n 
 made me overlook it n forgive him, but this time he s 
 gone too far. I ain t goin t put up with it no longer, 
 and that s all they is about it. 
 
 14 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 SETH (seated R. c., she c. He regards her with patient 
 good humor). M m what has he done now? 
 
 MRS. D. It ain t s much what he s done, it s what be 
 don t do. I want that divorce, n I mean t have 
 it. If you won t git it for me, I guess they s other 
 lawyers 
 
 SETH. But you will have to tell me the circumstances, 
 Mrs. Dill, or how can I proceed ? We have to have 
 grounds, you know and evidence. What has Sam 
 done to make you think you are entitled to a divorce 
 from him ? 
 
 MRS. D. Entitled ? I guess I m entitled to it, fast enough. 
 He jest sets around n smokes his pipe, r whittles, V 
 won t hardly get a pail o water r bring in an armful 
 o wood when I tell him to 
 
 SETH. M m did you ever try asking, instead of telling, 
 Mrs. Dill ? 
 
 MRS. D. Huh ! I guess you needn t think I m goin t 
 coax Sam Dill t do anything. Don t I keep boarders, 
 n do sewin when I have time, n work my fingers to 
 the bone, n then you expect me t coax. I d like t 
 see m self ! If I coax, it ll be with the broom-handle or 
 the rollin pin. 
 
 SETH. That s just it, Mrs. Dill. You pursue the wrong 
 tactics. Many a man can be persuaded when he can t 
 be driven. 
 
 MRS. D. Not Sam Dill. T any rate, I ain t the coaxin 
 kind. No, sir; I m sick n tired of it, n I ve stood 
 it jest as long as I mean to. I want that divorce, 
 n - 
 
 SETH. On what grounds ? Incompatibility of temper ? 
 
 MRS. D. No, none of y r high-soundin terms jest plain 
 shiftlessness n lack of gumption. How much ll it 
 cost? 
 
 SETH. M m I can t say just now, Mrs. Dill. Will you 
 require alimony? 
 
 MRS. D. Good land, can t you handle the case alone? 
 
 SETH. Why, yes, I Of course. I meant will you 
 
 require Sam to pay you so much a week ? 
 
 MRS. D. Oh ! I thought you meant he was some other 
 lawyer. As for that, I guess it s a lot I d get out o 
 Sam Dill. No, all I want s t get rid of him, n thank 
 ful for that. (Rises, goes toward R., looks off.) 
 
 15 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 Good land, here he comes now ! I wonder what he 
 
 wants. 
 
 SETH (rising, looking off). Who, Sam? So it is. (Mo 
 tions L.) Suppose you go in there, Mrs. Dill, while 
 
 I talk to him a minute 
 
 MRS. D. What ! Me hide from Sam Dill ? I guess I ain t 
 
 afraid t face him any time 
 
 SETH. No, of course not; but it might be better. You 
 
 see, if he knew you were applying for a divorce 
 
 Why 
 
 MRS. D. Well, of course I don t want him t* know jest 
 
 yet. I want t spring it on him as a su prise. (Goes 
 
 L.) But you needn t try t patch it up, cause it can t 
 
 be done this time. 
 
 SETH. Oh, no, certainly not ; I understand that perfectly. 
 MRS. D. No; I ve stood it jest as long s I m goin t , 
 
 V 
 
 (Exit L., looking back, just as SAM DILL enters R.) 
 
 SETH. Why, hello, Sam. How are you ? 
 
 SAM. Miserable, thank y , Mr. Barrett. 
 
 SETH. Oh, no ; not " Mister " Barrett. Just Seth, Sam. 
 
 SAM. Sure. Didn t know but you d want the " Mister," 
 now you re sett n up t run Pr politics. G inst 
 Dave Con ant, too. Some grit, I call it. Hope y 
 beat him, f he is a Republican. Al ays be n one 
 m self, but I d like t see Dave Conant licked all 
 holler. 
 
 SETH. Well, that s what we re going to try to do, Sam. 
 Pretty tough proposition though, I guess. But how s 
 everything up to the house, Sam ? 
 
 SAM. My house er I mean, " her " house ? (Sits, L. c.) 
 
 SETH (laughing). Well, yes, whose ever house it is. Any 
 boarders now ? 
 
 SAM. Couple. Expect that feller from the city this week 
 young Spencer. Dude like, y know, t was here 
 last summer. Shined up t your Angie, y know. 
 That one. 
 
 SETH. Oh, yes; nice sort of chap, I thought, though a 
 little fast. How s your wife, Sam ? Well ? 
 
 SAM. Sure. Wouldn t nothin dare make her sick, nless 
 she said it could. Say, Seth, that s wal, that s kind 
 o what I dropped in t see y about her. We don t 
 16 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 seem t hitch it up very well t gether. Can t do 
 nothin t please, no matter how hard I try. 
 
 SETH. Do you try, Sam ? 
 
 SAM. Try ! Should say I do. Make a reg lar hired girl 
 out o m self washin dishes V all reg lar woman s 
 work V don t git no thanks for it. 
 
 SETH. Well, you get a good home your food, and so 
 forth. Remember that, Sam. 
 
 SAM. Yes, but tain t that, though, Seth. I m discouraged. 
 Tain t no good way t live. I married Jane f r love, 
 V I d love her s much as I ever did, if she d let me. 
 Thought she loved me too, but (very much affected, 
 wiping eyes) somethin s killed it. Ain t got nothin t 
 live for now. What I want, Seth, is t have y draw 
 up my will, leavin everything t her. O course I 
 ain t got nothin , but what they is I want her t have. 
 
 SETH. Why, Sam, aren t you well ? 
 
 SAM. Yes, well enough, fur s that goes, xcept the lumbago 
 V a few little things like that. Butm heart s affected 
 breakin life. 
 
 (Wipes eyes. MRS. D. looks out L. , surprised, much inter 
 ested, but inclined to be disdainful.) 
 
 SETH. Why, Sam, do you take it that hard ? But don t 
 worry ; if anything happened to you, she d get it all, 
 seeing you have no heirs. But I hope it won t come to 
 that, Sam. 
 
 SAM (rising). Well, you never c n tell. Sometimes I feel 
 like hangin m self to a rafter in the wood-shed. D* 
 know but I will some day. Lost Jane s love, so they 
 ain t nothin t live for. 
 
 (Enter MRS. D., L., much perturbed ; almost in fears.) 
 
 SETH (pretending not to see her}. M m don t you think 
 
 you could tell her how you feel ? 
 SAM. No no, that wouldn t do. Told her enough times. 
 
 Her love s dead, n that s the end of it. \Going.) 
 
 Don t be s prised t hear there s an end o me, Seth, 
 
 any time. 
 SETH. Now, Sam, I hope you won t go and do anything 
 
 desperate. 
 SAM. That s the way I feel. Nothin t live for. 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 (He is about to exit R., when MRS. D. reveals herself, run 
 ning over to 
 
 MRS. D. (brokenly}. Oh, Sam ! 
 
 SAM (looking at her, pretending to be very much surprised}. 
 
 Jane ! You here ? Away ! All is over between us. 
 
 You have broke my heart. 
 MRS. D. {pleadingly). Oh, Sam, I didn t know you felt 
 
 that way about it. (Sobs.) Oh, dear, I ve mis 
 
 judged you, n never knew it. Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! 
 SAM. Yes, you ve misjudged me. (Shakes his head 
 
 sadly.) N oh, how I loved y ! 
 MRS. D. " Did," Sam ? Don t say it s all dead ! Don t, 
 
 Sam, r it ll kill me. 
 
 SAM. Then we ll die t gether, Jane, like they do in books. 
 MRS. D. Oh, Sam ! Sam, f rgive me. I ll never speak 
 
 a cross word to y agin. I didn t know, Sam; I didn t 
 
 realize how y loved me. Oh, Sam ! N I love you 
 
 too, Sam, I love y ! 
 SAM (relenting, but pretending to hesitate). Be be y sure, 
 
 Jane ? Y mean it this time ? 
 MRS. D. Y-yes, Sam, I mean it. 
 SAM. Then I ll I ll f rgive y jest this once. 
 MRS. D. Oh, Sam ! 
 
 (He opens his arms, she sinks into them and buries her face 
 on his shoulder. He looks at SETH, winking. SETH, 
 who is L. c., smiles back. They are C., now start to 
 go out R.) 
 
 SETH. M m by the way, Mrs. Dill, what about that er 
 
 that little matter of business you came to see me 
 about ? 
 
 MRS. D. {pausing R.). Business? What - Oh, yes 
 
 you mean that back board bill. Wai, I guess 1 
 won t take it up jest now, thanks. Mebbe they ll pay. 
 Come on, Sammy dear. 
 
 (Holds out her hand to him affectionately ; then glares at 
 SETH, frowning and shaking her head.) 
 
 SAM (following her). All right, lovey lamb. (Exit MRS. 
 D., R. ; SAM lingers, speaking slyly to SETH, nodding 
 head towards.) Knew she was in there the hull time 
 
 seen her go in. 
 
 18 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 (Exit R., chuckling. SETH looks after them, laughing. 
 ANGIE runs in R., looking back.) 
 
 ANGIE. Guess they ve made up again, haven t they? 
 Aren t they the limit ? 
 
 (She has a letter which is opened. ) 
 
 SETH. Well, that s the way it goes, Angie. That s what it 
 means to get married. But I suppose it s worth while 
 quarreling, just for the fun of making up. 
 
 ANGIE. I guess it would be better to be in a make-up 
 mood all the time, without the quarreling. Oh, Seth, 
 he s coming back ! (Shows letter.} 
 
 SETH. Of course there s only one u he" Alan Spencer. 
 Yes, I had heard. 
 
 ANGIE. I suppose Mrs. Dill told you. He s going to board 
 there again. Yes, I just got a letter from him. He s 
 coming to-morrow. Oh, Seth, I m so excited so 
 happy ! 
 
 SETH. Be careful, little sister. Don t get carried away 
 with that handsome chap, just because he has charm 
 ing manners and says pretty things to you. Don t be 
 gin to take it too seriously. How do you know but 
 what he has another girl in the city perhaps several of 
 them? 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, Seth, I m sure he isn t that kind. He is such 
 a gentleman, and writes such lovely letters. 
 
 SETH. Dear me, I m afraid I haven t been doing my duty 
 as a big brother. ( They are c. / he now puts his arm 
 about her affectionately.) You know I want you to be 
 happy, Angie dear; and that s just it. I am older 
 than you and have seen more of the world. I have 
 been to the big city, and had what they call " experi 
 ences " a few of them and I know what these city 
 young men are and how they often look upon innocent 
 little country girls like you as easy and lawful prey. 
 
 ANGIE. But, Seth not Alan I am sure 
 
 SETH. No, my dear, you are not sure yet. I want you 
 to wait until you are, that s all. Alan Spencer may 
 be one of the finest fellows in the world, and entirely 
 worthy of you I hope he is but we must be a. little 
 wary, you know, until we find out. We must prove 
 
 19 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 him, first, and then why, then it will come out all 
 
 right. 
 
 (He kisses her tenderly ; she smiles up at him confidingly 
 and starts to go, just as DAN runs in R.) 
 
 DAN. Say, here comes Mr. Conant back. 
 
 (SETH goes R., meets DAVID, who enters R. ; he nods care 
 lessly to ANGIE, who replies as she goes out R., looking 
 back at SETH with a smile. DAN is up by desk> SETH 
 and DAVID down c.) 
 
 SETH. Good-morning again, squire. Won t you sit 
 down? 
 
 DAVID. No, thanks. What s this I hear, Barrett, about 
 your accepting the nomination for District Attorney on 
 the Democratic ticket ? Is it true ? 
 
 SETH. Guess it is, squire. 
 
 DAVID. Didn t you know I was running for District 
 Attorney ? 
 
 SETH. Why, yes, of course. Some honor to have such an 
 opponent, isn t it ? I couldn t run against a better 
 a stronger man. 
 
 DAVID. I suppose I ought to say " Thank you " to that, 
 even though you changed " better " to " stronger," but 
 instead I m going to tell you that you will have cause to 
 be thankful to me if you take my advice and refuse the 
 nomination. 
 
 SETH. You are very kind, but really, I don t think I need 
 advice on that subject. Thought it over pretty seriously 
 and finally taken my own advice that it s the thing to 
 do. I haven t had a hankering for politics, but this 
 time well, I feel the call. 
 
 DAVID. So! That s it, is it? A "call" to take up the 
 fight against me, I suppose considering me as one 
 who ought to be put down ? Very well. But let me 
 tell you, young man, you are taking a pretty big proposi 
 tion on your hands. I m not an opponent you will find 
 it easy to get the best of. I guess you know that. 
 
 SETH. I reckon I do, squire. That makes it all the more 
 interesting, doesn t it ? I shouldn t care to run against 
 one who wasn t worth beating. If I beat you, it ll be 
 all the more to my credit. 
 
 20 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 DAVID (laughing sarcastically}. Ha ! Maybe it will. 
 But you aren t going to beat me. Why, do you sup 
 pose, after all my experience in politics and well, the 
 hold I have on affairs in this county I m going to let 
 a little a well, a novice like you step in and beat 
 me ? Not much. Ha ! Well, I guess not ! 
 
 SETH. Sure you re not, squire if you can help it. A 
 " little m m well, novice, " like me, hasn t much 
 chance, I ll admit. But I m going to take that chance, 
 and taking it I m going to do my best to come out 
 ahead. Surely you can t blame me for that. " All s 
 fair in love and war " or politics, which amounts to 
 the same thing sometimes you know. But I don t 
 want any hard feelings. That isn t my nature. 1 
 want to go about this thing fair and square and amica 
 bly. Can t it be done? 
 
 DAVID. No, it can t. If you run against me, it s war, and 
 nothing else. And I ll give you fair warning, it ll be 
 war to the finish and you ll get the worst of it. What s 
 more, you may consider that well, there s something 
 else I want to speak to you about. Of course, if you 
 go in against me in this race, why, naturally, you canto 
 expect me to permit you to to have anything more to 
 do with my daughter. This settles it between you and 
 her. Some time ago you asked me to give my consent, 
 but I reckon you know what my answer is now. 
 
 SETH. But, squire, you wouldn t let politics influence you 
 in a matter like that ! Why, that wouldn t be fair. 
 You know how it is between Helen and me that she 
 has accepted me, and and that all we want now is 
 your consent. I can support her I of course, I 
 know I m not half good enough for her no man is 
 but you wouldn t be so unjust as that, squire, would 
 you? 
 
 DAVID. That s my decision, and I stick to it. {Goes R.) 
 I guess there s no more to be said. You ve made up 
 your mind, so have I. Give up this fight or give up 
 my daughter. You have your choice. 
 
 SETH. I why, I can t give up the " fight," as you call it, 
 now, squire. It wouldn t be right. I have promised 
 to enter the field and do my utmost to win. I must 
 stick to it now, whatever comes. But surely you see 
 the injustice of letting a fair and square contest in 
 
 21 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 politics, between two men who have always been of 
 different parties, influence you in a personal matter like 
 this especially when Helen and I love each other and 
 I know you don t mean it. You can t. 
 DAVID. Don t talk to me about " injustice," young man. 
 I know my business and run my own affairs. I ve told 
 you what s what, and that s all there is to it. 
 
 (He is about to go out, but SETH, now asserting him self 
 with dignity, goes and steps in front of him, so he is 
 compelled to stay.) 
 
 SETH. No, this isn t the end of it. Don t deceive your 
 self. I m not as easy as you think, perhaps. There s 
 fighting blood in me, not only when it comes to the 
 war of politics, but in the matter of love. I don t in 
 tend to give up this fight, and I don t intend to give 
 up your daughter, either. 
 
 DAVID. I d have you understand my daughter will do as I 
 say. My word is law in my house, and it s a law as 
 inflexible as any you have in your books. When I 
 
 . command, she obeys. I don t think there s any more 
 *L to be said. Good-day. 
 
 (SETH steps aside, downcast, but with a determined air, 
 and DAVID exits R. SETH stands a moment looking 
 after him, losing his confidence for an instant, then 
 rousing himself, clenching his fist, with a close pressing 
 of the lips. After a pause, HELEN CON ANT and ANGIE 
 put their heads in window, unnoticed by SETH.) 
 
 ANGIE (looking R.). Is he gone? 
 
 SETH (looking about, seeing them, delighted}. Oh hel-lo ! 
 
 My, but how the sun is shining all of a sudden 1 
 
 Come in, pretty sunbeams. 
 
 {Goes to window, greeting them, then to door, as they enter. 
 They look back to be sure DAVID has disappeared.} 
 
 ANGIE. Sure he s gone ? Helen was afraid to come in. 
 HELEN. No, I wasn t exactly afraid, but Oh, Seth ! 
 
 (She is close to him, c. ; he takes her in his arms. ANGIE L. c.) 
 
 SETH. Yes, dear, I know. It will come out all right. 
 HELEN. Oh, Seth, do you think so ? 
 
 22 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 SETH. Don t you worry. 
 
 (About to kiss her, but she draws back, looking shyly at 
 ANGIE.) 
 
 ANGIE. Don t mind me. (Turns away.) Love s blind, 
 and so am I. 
 
 (SETH about to kiss HELENA) . 
 
 HELEN. Bttt, Seth, dear you mustn t. Father says 
 
 He he says that if you run against him, I must never 
 speak to you again. And, oh, Seth, you know father ! 
 
 SETH. Yes, dear, I know. He has just been telling me all 
 about it, and I told him well, I told him a few things 
 too. 
 
 HELEN (hopefully}. Did you tell him you wouldn t run ? 
 
 SETH. No, dear, I couldn t tell him that. I shall run. I 
 have given my word and I must stick to it. It s a good 
 cause, and I mean to win if there s such a thing possible 
 yes, even against your father. He has no right to 
 let this thing come between you and me, and if he takes 
 that attitude, why, we ll have to make the best of it, 
 that s all. I can t give in. 
 
 ANGIE. He s just bluffing, and I guess before I d let that 
 
 old Oh, excuse me, Helen, I forgot he was your 
 
 father. But I don t care if he is he has no right to 
 separate you from the man you love. Love is a very 
 sacred thing, and and 
 
 HELEN. I know it is, and I wouldn t give up Seth for the 
 whole world no, I wouldn t, Seth ! (he hugs her) but 
 but I can t hold out against father. I just couldn t. 
 
 SETH. No, dear; but "Love will find the way," you 
 know. 
 
 ANGIE. Sure it will. " Where there s a will " Maybe 
 
 if you don t win, Seth, he ll 
 
 SETH. Ho ! What a little comforter you are ! But I shall 
 win if I can and if I do, what then ? (To HELEN.) 
 Lose you ? Well, I guess not. Leave that to me. 
 
 HELEN. But, Seth, I I m afraid. I must obey father. 
 If he tells me not to not to see you what shall I do ? 
 I can t live if I don t oh, Seth, I just can t ! and if I 
 do Oh, dear! Oh, dear ! 
 
 ( Breaks down and weeps. SETH puts his arm about her, 
 comforting her.~) 
 
 23 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ANGIE. My goodness, this is no place for me. "Two s 
 company, three s one too many." I ll be going. (R.) 
 But don t give up. I wouldn t. If anything should 
 come between me and I mean between Alan and 
 me Why, hello, Dan. 
 
 {Enter DAN, R. ; sees HELEN in SETH S arms, puts hands 
 over eyes.) 
 
 DAN. Whew ! I didn t see nothin . F I did, I wouldn t 
 tell. Trust me. 
 
 (SETH and HELEN separate, she in confusion. ANGIE, R. ; 
 SETH, R. c. ; HELEN, c. ; DAN up by table, laying down 
 several letters.) 
 
 SETH. Got the mail, Dan ? 
 
 DAN. Yep. And you ve got the female, looks like. 
 
 SETH. Don t get fresh, young man. (To HELEN and 
 ANGIE.) He s spoiled, you see. Reads too many dime 
 novels. 
 
 DAN. S pose you d rather read love stories ? 
 
 SETH. That ll do for you. Skip ! 
 
 HELEN. Oh, no; we re going now. At least, I must. 
 I m afraid I shan t see you again very soon, Seth, if 
 you stick to your determination. If you would only 
 give it up. 
 
 SETH. Would you want me to do that to forsake prin 
 ciple fall from my standard of right ? No, I m sure 
 you wouldn t. You couldn t love a man who would 
 do that. 
 
 HELEN. N-no, of of course I I suppose I couldn t. 
 But oh, I don t know I feel as if there was nothing 
 bright ahead as if there is nothing to live for 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, pshaw ! There s heaps. "Never say die" is 
 my motto. Well, if you re going, come on. 
 
 (ANGIE goes R., starts back, in alarm, SETH and HELEN 
 are c., close together, DAN /// by desk.) 
 
 DAN (also looking off R.). Whoop ! Separate ! Here 
 
 comes 
 
 ANGIE. Your father, Helen, coming back. He must 
 
 have seen you come in here. Run and hide. 
 HELEN. Where where ? (Starts L.) I ll go in here. 
 SETH. No don t. Don t do that ; stay here. Helen I 
 
 24 
 
TEE VILLAGE LA WYER 
 
 (She, too frightened to obey him, runs off L., just as DAVID 
 hurries in R.) 
 
 DAVID. Where s my daughter? (Looks about.) I saw her 
 come in here. (To SETH.) Where have you hidden 
 her? You d better produce her. Where is she ? 
 
 SETH (motioning L.). She is there, Mr. Conant. She ran 
 in there in spite of my attempt to detain her. I will 
 call her. 
 
 (Goes L., disappears a moment, returns leading HELEN, 
 who is trembling, standing L. with drooping head.) 
 
 DAVID. So ! A pretty situation, isn t it ? Concealing my 
 daughter and trying to keep her from me. That s the 
 kind of man you are. (To HELEN, sternly.) Come 
 here. 
 
 SETH. You misjudge me you know it 
 
 DAVID. Don t waste words trying to explain. I can believe 
 my own eyes. (To HELEN.) Go ! Go home, at once. 
 I will deal with you later. 
 
 ANGIE. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Mr. David 
 Conant. You re just as hard-hearted and unjust as 
 you can be. If you were my father 
 
 SETH. Angie ! Hush 
 
 DAVID (glaring at her). If I were your father you d have 
 some decency and manners instead of being an impu 
 dent little flirt, as you are. Maybe if Helen hadn t 
 had so much to do with you 
 
 HELEN (suddenly gaining courage, forgetting her fear of 
 him and for a moment flaring up desperately). Father ! 
 How can you speak so to Angie ? She is not a flirt, 
 and she is my friend ! She s not what you say, and 
 she never never influenced me or made me 
 
 DAVID. Silence ! How dare you speak to me like that ? 
 Go, I say 
 
 HELEN. No, father, I can t (as he threatens her) I won t, 
 not till I have told you the truth. You have no right 
 to misjudge her and and Seth ! I went in that room 
 of my own accord when he told me not to because 
 I was afraid of you of my own father but I don t 
 care what you say, nor what you do to me, you shan t 
 accuse him of such things. He is good and noble and 
 true, and I I love him, and and 
 
 25 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 (She wavers, breaks down, sobbing hysterically. SETH goes 
 to her, as if to comfort, but DAVID steps between them.) 
 
 DAVID. Stand back ! So this is what my daughter has 
 come to, through you and (to ANGIE) through you. 
 It s worse than I thought; but I m glad I have found 
 it out in time. (To SETH.) Perhaps I shall have more 
 to say to you on this subject another time. (To HELEN.) 
 Come. 
 
 HELEN. But, father, I I didn t mean I forgive me ! 
 
 I forgot I Oh, don t blame him. It was all my 
 
 fault. (Turns to SETH, imploringly.) Don t let him 
 blame you. It was my fault. I 
 
 DAVID (his arm about her, leading her R., firmly but with 
 a slight show of tenderness). That will do. (She 
 sobs.) You ll find you can t defy me. (To SETH, as 
 he pauses R.) And as for you perhaps you ll realize 
 the same thing before I get through with you. 
 
 (He goes out R., sternly motioning HELEN to follow him ; 
 she does so, tearfully, looking back at SETH with a 
 sad smile and a despairing shake of her head. SETH 
 stands c., almost crushed ; ANGIE goes up and looks 
 off R., indignantly. DAN up by desk, silently express 
 ing his hatred for DAVID. ANGIE comes back to SETH.) 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, Seth, I m so sorry. Why why don t you 
 give it up the nomination those old politics 
 
 SETH (smiling down at her, tenderly stroking her head). 
 Give up? No no, little one; never! {With fervor, 
 clenching his fist and looking boldly toward R.) No 
 no ! That man is a demagogue a tyrant ! He s got 
 to be beaten crushed and 1 mean to do it ! 
 
 {He stands looking R., with a set, determined expression, 
 not noticing ANGIE, who clings to him, looking up at 
 him with a hopeful smile. DAN, at back, shows his 
 approbation by giving a silent "Hurrah / " waving his 
 right hand over head.) 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
ACT II 
 
 SCENE. Same as Act I, in the afternoon, about a week 
 later. Discover DAN, actively engaged brushing up 
 floor with broom. He sweeps toward door R., giving 
 the broom a flourish almost in the face of DAVID, who 
 enters hurriedly. DAN falls back with an apology ; 
 DAVID glares at him. 
 
 DAVID, What you trying to do ? Why don t you tend to 
 your business and see what you re doing ? 
 
 (Goes to desk, taking up telephone.) 
 
 DAN. Excuse me, Mr. Conant. Awful sorry; never saw 
 y . (Takes broom L.) 
 
 DAVID. Well, the next time pay more attention. I want 
 to use your phone a minute. (Calls up on phone.) 
 Give me 265 Main. (Pause.} Yes, yes Main 265. 
 (To DAN.) Say, boy, run down to the store, will you, 
 and get me four five-cent cigars Birch knows what 
 kind I smoke. (Takes quarter from pocket, giving it 
 to DAN.) Here s a quarter. You can keep the change. 
 
 DAN. Thanks. You watch the office ? 
 
 DAVID. Sure. (In phone.) Hello! Is Miss Underwood 
 there Miss Isabel Underwood? (Pause.) Hello 
 yes. Oh, is that Miss Underwood ? (He pauses each 
 time long enough for other person to speak) Yes, this 
 is Mr. Conant. All right. I am in Mr. Barrett s office 
 now. Yes. Well, suppose you come right down here. 
 They ll tell you the way there at the hotel. It s only a 
 step. All right. Thanks. Good-bye. (Puts down 
 phone, turns, sees JAMES FERGUSON looking in window.) 
 Oh, hello, Jim ; come on in. You re just the man I 
 wanted to see. 
 
 (DAVID rises, goes c. ; enter JAMES, R.) 
 
 JAMES. What s the news ? 
 DAVID. She s here ! 
 JAMES. What I the woman ? 
 
 27 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 DAVID. Yes. Just arrived this morning. She s at the 
 hotel now. That s her I was talking to over the 
 phone. I sent the boy out after some cigars, so he 
 wouldn t hear. He s a pretty bright kid and might 
 catch on to something. 
 
 JAMES. Think she ll be equal to it? 
 
 DAVID. What! that woman? Sure. It s a cinch. I had 
 a long talk with her when I was in New York last week 
 and found her up to snuff. Those actresses will do 
 anything for money, and she s dead set after our five 
 hundred, all right. Tells a straight story, too. Oh, 
 she s got the goods, and it won t take her long to put 
 the quietus on Barrett and give him such a black eye 
 that he ll be out of the running. 
 
 JAMES (looking about, out of door, etc.}. Where is he 
 now ? 
 
 DAVID. Out electioneering, I guess. The boy says he 
 drove over to Barleyville this morning and said he d 
 be back toward night. She s coming here to talk it 
 over. 
 
 JAMES. Who the woman ? 
 
 DAVID. Sure the woman. I told her to come right down. 
 We ll fix it all up right here, if we can get rid of the 
 boy. 
 
 JAMES. Kind o resky business, ain t it right in his own 
 office? 
 
 DAVID (laughing coarsely). Well, maybe tis. Guess we d 
 better go down to my office, come to think of it ; but I 
 kind o wanted to have her here and spring her on 
 Barrett, if we could. But I guess there s time enough 
 for that. We ll wait here till she comes, though. Be 
 right here. 
 
 JAMES. She knew him, did she ? Got a straight story ? 
 
 DAVID. Straight ? The truth. Of course, embellished up 
 a bit. But she got acquainted with Barrett when he 
 was in college. He was pretty gay with the rest of 
 em, and they got pretty thick. Seems he made love 
 to her paid her lots of attention for a while, and 
 m m well, she got a hold on him somehow or other, 
 threatened him with suit for breach of promise, or 
 something like that got some money out of him and 
 well, it s all straight enough. 
 
 JAMES. Sure it wasn t anything like blackmail ? 
 
 28 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 DAVID. No, of course it wasn t. If I thought it was, do 
 you suppose I d have anything to do with it ? I just 
 got onto it by chance a stroke of luck and I tell you 
 it was luck, too. It ll be the means of beating him, 
 and that s what we ve got to do. If Seth Barrett ever 
 got elected District Attorney well, good-bye to us. 
 We can t afford to let that happen. 
 
 JAMES. No, I guess you can t, Conant. It d put a crimp 
 on your political career all right. 
 
 DAVID. Mine? And a few others, I calculate. Don t for 
 get, Ferguson, it means your bread and butter, too. 
 
 JAMES. Bread and butter ? Yes, and that s about all. 
 But with you it means houses and lots, automobiles, 
 trips to Europe, and such like. 
 
 DAVID. Oh, come now, don t begin that. You get your 
 share for what you do. (Sees tf^R.) Here comes the 
 kid. Not a word now before him. 
 
 JAMES. Sure. But what if the woman - 
 
 DAVID. I ll fix that; don t you worry. 
 
 (Enter DAN, R., with cigars, which he gives to DAVID.) 
 
 DAN. Here they are, Mr. Conant. 
 
 DAVID. Thanks. {Gives one of the cigars to JAMES, as he 
 glances off R., motioning to JAMES, who follows his 
 gaze. } By the way, Dan, I forgot to tell you to get me 
 some postage stamps, too. (Takes quarter from 
 pocket.) Run down to the post- office and get me 
 some, will you ? ten twos. Keep the nickel. 
 
 DAN (taking money). Well, y* know, I was supposed to 
 look after the office, and - 
 
 DAVID. Oh, that s all right. It won t take you but a 
 minute, and we ll see to things. Skip along. 
 
 DAN. All right. 
 
 DAN, R. ; DAVID looks after him. He is R. c. ; 
 JAMES, L. c.) 
 
 DAVID. Here she comes. 
 
 JAMES (looking off K.~). Gee! she s a stunner, ain t she ? 
 
 DAVID. Yes, and she knows her business, too. 
 
 {Enter ISABEL UNDERWOOD, R. ; she is somewhat flashily 
 dressed, though still in good taste. Goes effusively to 
 DAVID, offering her hand.} 
 29 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ISABEL. Ah, Mr. Conant. How nice to see you again. I 
 hope you are well ? 
 
 DAVID. Yes, thank you, Miss Underwood. And you ? 
 
 ISABEL. Very well, thank you, and I am sure this delight 
 ful country air will be most beneficial. It is so so 
 invigorating, you know, and 
 
 (Pauses , looking at JAMES.) 
 
 DAVID. Permit me to introduce Mr. Ferguson Miss Isabel 
 
 Underwood. 
 JAMES. Charmed to meet you, I am sure. 
 
 (She smiles, shaking hands rather ceremoniously with JAMES 
 with an enquiring look at DAVID.) 
 
 DAVID. This is the gentleman I told you about my right 
 
 hand man. He understands everything and well, 
 
 you need have no hesitation about speaking before him. 
 
 We three are the only ones so far. 
 ISABEL. I see. (To JAMES.) I am pleased to know you, 
 
 Mr. Ferguson. 
 JAMES (bowing with a crude attempt at courtliness }. Same 
 
 here, I m sure, ma am. 
 ISABEL (smiling, as if amused). The amount, I believe, 
 
 gentlemen, was to be five hundred dollars 
 
 DAVID. Yes, that s the sum we agreed upon. 
 
 ISABEL. Payable ? 
 
 DAVID. Half now, or as soon as you have er convinced 
 
 us that you have the goods, and the remainder if he 
 
 is defeated. 
 ISABEL. Very well. I shall earn the half at once as soon 
 
 as I have met the man. Where is he ? 
 DAVID. Out of town just at present, but will be back 
 
 shortly. In the meantime, perhaps we d better go 
 
 down to my office and talk matters over. 
 ISABEL. Oh, then this is not your office ? 
 DAVID. N-no, it it is his. 
 ISABEL (laughing). Indeed ! How original ! Planning a 
 
 man s ruin in his own bailiwick. Dear me, but that 
 
 seems the irony of fate, doesn t it? 
 JAMES. Seems cheeky, t my way of thinking. 
 DAVID. Oh, it s too bad about that. But I guess you two d 
 
 better go on down to my office, and I ll follow as soon 
 
 as the kid comes back. 
 
 3 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 JAMES. All right. 
 
 (ISABEL walks to R., followed by JAMES. They pause, as 
 MRS. D. suddenly rushes in R. ) 
 
 MRS. D. Oh, excuse me I didn t know (Stares at 
 
 ISABEL in surprise, then turns to DAVID.) I come to 
 see Seth Barrett. {Nods toward ISABEL.) Didn t 
 know he had s much grand comp ny. 
 
 DAVID (motioning to JAMES to go on ; JAMES and ISABEL go 
 off R., she looking back curiously at MRS. D., then with 
 a nod at DAVID, who returns if). He drove over to 
 Barleyville. Be back some time this afternoon. 
 
 MRS. D. Where s Dan ? 
 
 DAVID. He just ran down to the post-office for me. Be 
 right back. 
 
 MRS. D. (going and taking chair L. C.). Who s all that, 
 just in here that woman ? 
 
 DAVID. A stranger, I believe, who stopped to enquire her 
 way, and Mr. Ferguson volunteered to show her. 
 
 MRS. D. Oh, he did? I guess " her way " don t need 
 much showin , from the looks of her. If she ain t able 
 to make her own way, I ll miss my guess. I never saw 
 such a fussed-up thing. City boarder, I suppose? 
 Stoppin at the hotel ? 
 
 DAVID. I believe so. I didn t enquire into her business. 
 Leave that for you to do. 
 
 MRS. D. Oh, you will ? Well, it seems t me, Dave 
 Conant, that was a pretty knowin look she give you as 
 she went out. I reckon she s the kind it don t take 
 long t get acquainted with a man. 
 
 {Enter DAN, R., with stamps, which he gives to DAVID.) 
 
 DAVID. Much obliged. (Goes R.) Still interviewing 
 
 lawyers, Mrs. Dill ? 
 MRS. D. Still tendin to my own business, Mr. Conant. 
 
 S pose you follow my example. 
 DAVID (laughing, as if she were not worth noticing). All 
 
 right. Kind of afraid I won t succeed, though, if I go 
 
 about it the way you do. Tell Barrett I was here, Dan, 
 
 and want to see him to-night. 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 DAN. The old skunk ! I d know what he wants t hang 
 around here for. (Up by desk.) Not after another 
 divorce, are you, Mis Dill ? 
 
 MRS. D. None of y r impudence, young man. I was jest 
 down to the store n thought I d stop in V see how 
 Seth s gettin along with his politics. Hope he li get 
 elected, but I tell you it won t be no easy job t beat 
 Dave Conant such a man as he is. He s be n boss 
 around here too long t give up without a big fight. 
 He ll do anything on earth t keep his hold. Who s 
 that woman twas here jest now ? 
 
 DAN. That one t jest went down the street with Mr. 
 Ferguson n Mr. Conant ? Don t know. Looks 
 some like a city boarder. Ain t she stopping at your 
 house ? 
 
 MRS. D. No, she ain t. Never saw her b fore. But y 
 needn t tell me Dave Conant didn t. That look she 
 give him meant somethin . Kind of a flighty sort o 
 creature, s my opinion. {Goes R.) Wai, guess I ll 
 be gett n along. What time y expect Seth back ? 
 
 DAN (by window, looking out). D know. Pretty soon, I 
 guess. (Calls to some one outside.) Hello! Come 
 on in. 
 
 MRS. D. (looking). Who is it? Oh, Angie, with Mr. 
 Spencer. She s jest crazy about him. I should think 
 her brother 
 
 {Enter ANGIE and ALAN SPENCER, R., laughing, both in a 
 very happy mood.) 
 
 ANGIE. Good-afternoon, Mrs. Dill. Alan Mr. Spencer 
 and I are talking about getting up a little picnic 
 party, and we stopped in to see if Seth wouldn t go. 
 Isn t he here, Dan ? 
 
 DAN. No. Ain t got back from Barleyville yet. 
 
 MRS. D. I guess Seth Barrett s got something else t do be 
 sides goin* t picnics. Didn t you know he s runnin 
 for District Attorney ? 
 
 ANGIE. Why, yes, but 
 
 ALAN. I hope he gets elected. Don t you, Mrs. Dill? 
 
 MRS. D. Of course I do. Anything t get the best o* 
 Dave Conant. But 1 guess Seth ll find that ain t no 
 picnic. 
 
 32 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ALAN. I don t know a young man as popular as Mr. 
 Barrett seems to be 
 
 MRS. D. Popular 1 Yes, but what s bein popular com 
 pared to the hold Dave Conant s got, n his kind o 
 followers? Him and that Jim Ferguson ! What they 
 ain t up to I guess never was thought of. (Goes R.) 
 Wai, I ll be gitt n along, r you folks won t git no sup 
 per, Mr. Spencer, n i guess that interests you more n 
 politics. 
 
 ALAN. Why, Mrs. Dill, do I act so ravenous ? But then, 
 you know, this country air and all the good things 
 you give us 
 
 MRS. D. Land, I don t begrutch y . Glad t see y eat. 
 Compliment t my cookin . {Looks off R.) If 
 here don t come my Sam ! Land, he tollers me around 
 like a pet dog. Can t git out of his sight a minute. 
 
 ANGIE. You ought to appreciate such devotion, Mrs. Dill. 
 
 MRS. D. Devotion ? Huh 1 1 call it a nuisance. Al 
 ways pokin under foot. 
 
 {Enter SAM, R.) 
 
 SAM. Oh, here you be, Janey dear. Kind o missed 
 y (Sees the others.} How d do ? 
 
 (They return his salutation.) 
 
 MRS. D. Land, don t y think I know the way home? 
 
 You might better a stayed there n peeled them 
 
 p taters. 
 SAM. Got em all peeled. N mopped up the kitchen, n 1 
 
 swatted some flies, n grated some horse-radish. 
 ANGIE. There, Mrs. Dill, I guess you can t say he hasn t 
 
 been busy. 
 MRS. D. No, Sam, you ve done pretty well, I guess, if 
 
 you ve done all that. You re quite a help lately, I must 
 
 say. Come on, now, n we ll be gitt n home. ( Going. ) 
 SAM. Guess I ll stay down street a while. Can t I, Jane ? 
 MRS. D. Wai, don t you stay too long, then, cause 1 want 
 
 you t help git supper. Land knows, with city boarders, 
 
 n no hired girl (To DAN.) When Seth comes, 
 
 you tell him I want t see him about somethin 
 
 SAM (ivho is R., close to her sentimentally). N-not a 
 
 divorce, Jane ? 
 
 33 
 
TEE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 MRS. D. No, of course not. The idee ! You know bet 
 ter, Sam Dill. I ve got somethin else b sides divorces 
 t think about jest at present. Mebbe I ll git back to 
 the luxuries agin when my rush is over. 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 SAM (chuckling). Jestjokin . We ve made it all up. Ain t 
 had a spat f r most a week not a real, old-fashioned 
 one. (Goes R.) Guess I ll be goin on down street. 
 Want t see what s the news. 
 
 ALAN. Do you think Mr. Barrett is going to be elected, Mr. 
 Dill? 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, do say " yes," Mr. Dill ! 
 
 SAM. Might say it, but that wouldn t make it so. Hope he 
 does. He ll have my vote, but wal, when it comes t 
 beat n Dave Conant ! But y can t tell. The tide 
 may turn. Like t see him git the worst of it, b gosh ! 
 But t s kind o* dubious. 
 
 (Exit, R., shaking head. ) 
 
 (DAN is up by desk, or busy about stage. ANGIE sits L., 
 ALAN is c.) 
 
 ALAN. This Mr. Conant must be a powerfully influential 
 man. 
 
 ANGIE. Yes, I suppose he is. At any rate, he seems to be 
 a sort of a sort of political czar, in this county. He s 
 had his way so long, and nobody of any account has 
 run against him, that well, now that Seth s been put 
 up as his opponent, and the Democrats have gone in to 
 work for him as if determined he should win, why, I 
 guess Mr. Conant begins to have a little fear that rrs 
 power is waning, and that Seth really may beat him. 
 But I don t know. It seems almost too good to be true. 
 
 DAN. Don t you believe it. Mr. Barrett s goin to win. 
 
 ALAN. That s the way to look at it. Just say he is. I be 
 lieve in that. 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, yes, that s all right. I believe in being that 
 way, too, but well, you see, I don t believe Mr. 
 Conant would stop at anything to beat Seth, and he 
 has already told Helen that she mustn t speak to him 
 any more or have anything to do with him. You 
 know, she and Seth 
 
 34 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ALAN. Yes. Last summer when I was here, I thought it 
 was about settled. 
 
 ANGIE. So it was. But now Oh, dear, it s terrible. 
 And Helen s so afraid, and of course Seth doesn t like 
 to set her against her own father, he isn t that kind of 
 fellow, and Oh, dear, I don t see how it s com 
 ing out ! Of course, I want Seth to do what s right, 
 and help his party, and all that, but I do wish he d 
 give up those horrid politics. It seems to me getting 
 the one you love is better than being elected to all the 
 offices in the world. 
 
 (Almost in tears, but trying to be cheerful.) 
 
 ALAN (standing by her, putting his hand on her^ shoulder). 
 That s what I think, too, dear, but you know a man 
 has to stick to principle and don t you think she 
 would have him anyway, in spite of her father? 
 
 ANGIE. She couldn t. You don t know that man. He s 
 capable of locking her up or putting her in a convent 
 or anything. He s a regular tyrant, and Helen she 
 hasn t a bit of courage. Now, if it was me I mean 
 I 
 
 ALAN. What would you do, dear ? 
 
 (He bends over her affectionately.) 
 
 ANGIE. Why, I I 
 
 DAN. Excuse me ! If you want t do any spooning, 
 maybe I d better vamoose. 
 
 ANGIE. Dan ! 
 
 DAN. Aw, well, you two make me sick ! You can stay 
 here V mush ; I m going out n buy " Ferocious 
 Fred s Fatal Fight" with the ten cents Mr. Conant 
 give me. (Goes R.) Be back in a minute. You two 
 keep an eye on things n do all the spoonin you want 
 t . S nobuddy round. 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 ANGIE (blushing). Isn t he terrible ? 
 ALAN. I don t know about that. I think he s a pretty sen 
 sible boy, and a very accommodating one. 
 
 (She sits on chair c. ; he pushes her along a little and sits 
 on edge of chair beside her. Puts arm around her.) 
 
 35 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, Alan ! 
 
 ALAN (bending over, looking up into her face). D-don t 
 
 you think you could give me that er that kiss now ? 
 ANGIE (turning her head away, in confusion}. The idea ! 
 
 Of course not. It wouldn t be right. 
 ALAN. Why, I I think it would be right, all right. If 
 
 you won t give it to me, what if I should help myself? 
 ANGIE. Well, of course, I a big strong man like you. I 
 
 just suppose I couldn t help myself (Makes a 
 
 pretense at rising as he attempts to kiss her.) You 
 
 mustn t ! 
 ALAN. But I must ! I simply can t help it. 
 
 (She still continues a pretense of trying to escape, but in 
 reality submits, and he kisses her, just as SETH enters 
 R. He stands a moment watching them, at first sur 
 prised, then with a stern, disapproving look.) 
 
 SETH (coming down, speaking sternly). Well ! Is this 
 what has been going on in my absence ? Angle, come 
 here! 
 
 (ANGIE and ALAN spring up, he confused, but standing his 
 ground ; she in great perturbation, going and standing 
 by SETH, almost in tears, looking pleadingly at him.) 
 
 ALAN. Mr. Barrett I hope 
 
 SETH. I thought I could trust you, Mr. Spencer. I thought 
 you were a gentleman an honest one. 
 
 ALAN. I hope I am, Mr. Barrett. Perhaps I forgot myself 
 for the moment, but you know what my feelings are 
 toward your sister, I think, and my intentions. If you 
 will listen to me, I think I can justify myself 
 
 SETH. I prefer to listen to nothing more on the subject at 
 present. You will kindly leave us. We can talk this 
 matter over another time. 
 
 ANGIE (her hand on his arm, pleadingly). Oh, Seth, don t 
 don t send him away ! 
 
 SETH (affectionately, but with firmness). Hush, dear; I 
 am not sending him away I am asking him to go, and 
 I am sure he will do as I request. This is no place for 
 such a scene, Mr. Spencer, and no time. You should 
 have known that. 
 
 ALAN (about to go). I am sorry, Mr. Barrett; I forgot 
 
 36 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 myself. I will do as you request, but I shall yet be 
 able to convince you of my worthiness, I hope, and 
 of my honesty. Good-bye, Angie Miss Barrett 
 
 and ( To SETH.) May I come and see you, Mr. 
 
 Barrett soon ? 
 
 SETH. Yes. 
 
 ALAN. Thank you. ( With a dignified bow, exits R.) 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, Seth, how could you? You have offended 
 him, and he may go away and I never see him 
 again ! ( Weeps.) 
 
 SETH {puffing an arm about her, comfortingly). There, 
 there, little one ! If his intentions are honorable and 
 he really loves you, he won t go away ; never fear. 
 Don t you know 1 have to look out for the welfare of 
 my little sister, to whom I have been both father and 
 mother for six years ? You hardly know this young 
 man from the city and his type. Mind you, I don t 
 say there is anything wrong with him to the contrary, 
 I like him myself but to make love to you, to kiss you, 
 here, where anybody might see and before he had 
 asked my consent no, that s too much. Oh, I know 
 how you feel, and I m sorry to hurt your feelings, but 
 
 you are infatuated and But there, we won t say 
 
 any more about it at present. (Goes up to desk, looks 
 over letters he finds there, etc,) Where s Dan? 
 
 ANGIE. Why Alan Mr. Spencer and I were here, so 
 he said he guessed he d run out and and buy a di 
 something. He ll be right back. 
 
 SETH. I see. Bright lawyer that boy s going to make * 
 
 {Enter DAN, R. ; when he sees SETH he hides paper novel 
 under coat.) 
 
 DAN. Oh, you back, Mr. Barrett ? I just ran out 
 
 SETH. I know. (Holds out hand.) Let s see what this 
 
 one s about. 
 DAN. W-what? 
 
 SETH. Come on, now ; let me see it. Fork over. 
 DAN (reluctantly handing him book). Give it back? 
 SETH (examining book). " Ferocious Fred s " M m 
 
 that looks like a pretty good one. Thanks. 
 
 (Puts book in pocket.) 
 
 DAN. Aw, say, now, give it back. Will y ? I want it. 
 
 37 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 SETH. Just at present, young man, I think you d better try 
 to digest something with a little more substance. Here. 
 
 (Hands him heavy law book.) 
 
 DAN (taking book). Aw, that dry old thing ! 
 SETH. Not another word. Sit. Read. 
 
 (Motions to chair ; DAN sits, scowling ; opens book.) 
 
 DAN (sulkily, reading). Read two pages yest day. 
 
 SETH. Suppose you think you ought to be a full-fledged 
 lawyer by this time, then. Well, a few more pages 
 won t give you any too much knowledge. 
 
 ANGIE (who has been standing L., looking on, somewhat 
 amused and much interested, now coming to c.). I think 
 I ll be going, Seth. 
 
 SETH. All right, dear. No hard feelings, I hope, toward 
 your big brother ? 
 
 ANGIE (going to him). Why, Seth, of course not. How 
 could there be ? I know you mean it for my good 
 you know best and I I ll do just as you say. (He 
 kisses her ; she goes R., smiling, is about to exit, when 
 she starts and comes back) Oh, Seth here comes 
 Helen ! 
 
 SETH (rising). Helen here? 
 
 ANGIE. Yes. 
 
 SETH. She shouldn t. I m afraid 
 
 (ANGIE meets HELEN, who enters R., timidly, but with some 
 determination; she greets ANGIE affectionately, then 
 goes to SETH, c., and he welcomes her gladly, but with 
 some trepidation.) 
 
 HELEN. Seth ! I I had to come. 
 
 SETH. But you shouldn t, dear. You know, if your 
 
 father 
 
 HELEN. But I don t care. I can t stand it any longer, 
 
 and I won t. He has no right 
 
 SETH. Yes, he has, dear, and you must respect it. We 
 
 must be very careful, you know. 
 HELEN. But he is so hard so cruel and I Oh, 
 
 sometimes I think I almost hate him, if he is my father. 
 
 He actually threatened to lock me in my room if if I 
 
 spoke to you again, and 
 
 33 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 SETH. And yet, here you are, speaking to me. Helen, you 
 must go back home ; at once, before he knows, if pos 
 sible. That is the best way. Yes, dear, you must 
 obey him for my sake as well as for your own. Trust 
 me. It will all come out right. But now now you 
 must be very careful, dear, and help me. 
 
 HELEN. Help you, Seth ? 
 
 SETH. Yes. I need your help. I have a hard struggle 
 before me a struggle, I am sorry to say, against your 
 father but it s an honest fight. 1 have entered into it, 
 and I must see it through. 
 
 HELEN. And I want you to win, Seth if he is my father ! 
 
 SETH. Thank you, dear ; and now you must go home, as 
 quickly as possible. 
 
 HELEN. All right, I will. 
 
 ANGIE (who has stood back, now coming down}. He s been 
 giving me advice and instructions too, Helen. We 
 seem to be in the same boat. (Smiles , rather sadly.) 
 
 DAN ( pretending to be much disturbed, looking up). Gee ! 
 How s a fellow goin t read law ? 
 
 SETH. It s too bad about you. You can go in the other 
 room, if necessary. 
 
 (Exit DAN L., taking novel and leaving law book.") 
 
 ANGIE (going R.). Come on, Helen ; let s escape while we 
 
 have a chance. 
 HELEN. All right. (Going.) Good-bye, Seth. I shan t 
 
 give up hope. 
 SETH. Of course you won t I should say not ! While 
 
 there s life, you know and there s still plenty of it. 
 
 Good-bye. 
 
 (The girls affectionately bid him good-bye and go off to R. 
 He stands by desk, takes up several letters, glances at 
 them one interests him very much and he becomes 
 slightly agitated ; is reading it when ANGIE enters R. 
 He does not notice her until she speaks.) 
 
 ANGIE. Seth. (Comes to R. c. ; SETH c.) 
 
 SETH. Hello ! you back? 
 
 ANGIE. Yes. Oh, Seth, you aren t really mad at Alan 
 
 Mr. Spencer are you ? 
 SETH. Mad ? Why, no, of course not. 
 ANGIE. I mean you aren t down on him? He just for- 
 
 39 
 
TEE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 got, that s all, when he tried to to well, you know. 
 
 He is a gentleman, Seth, I know he is, and I I 
 
 SETH (putting an arm about her, consolingly). Yes, dear, 
 I know, and don t you let it worry your poor little 
 head. It will come out all right. If he is worthy of 
 you, he will prove it, and well, if he s worth waiting 
 for, you must prove you re worthy of him by waiting as 
 I wish you to do. Run along now, that s a dear. I 
 have lots to think about and lots to do. 
 
 (Looks at letter , with a worried expression.) 
 
 ANGIE. What is it, Seth ? Something about those old 
 politics ? Let me see ? ( Tries to look at letter. ) 
 
 SETH. No, no, it s nothing for you to know about. You 
 wouldn t understand. 
 
 ANGIE. But it s in that letter, isn t it? 
 
 SETH. Yes. It s something I shouldn t like Mr. Conantto 
 get hold of, that s all. Politics mean war, you know, 
 and this is a sort of plan of the campaign. (JHe is 
 earnestly regarding letter.) It gives us an advantage, 
 and if he knew 
 
 ANGIE. Well, I must go ; Helen is waiting for me. Dear 
 me, between you and Helen, and me and and 
 politics 
 
 (Shakes her head perplexedly and exits R. SETH sits by 
 desk, looking at letters. After slight pause enter 
 ISABEL, R. He does not at first notice her. She stands 
 a moment regarding him with interest and some 
 curiosity. Her manner is jaunty, self-possessed, at 
 times almost impudent, though she starts this scene 
 with an assumed air of meekness and innocence, a pose 
 which she soon drops) 
 
 ISABEL. I beg pardon. This is Mr. Barrett, is it not? 
 
 (SETH turns, surprised, for a moment not recognizing 
 ISABEL. She regards him smilingly.) 
 
 SETH. Yes. I am Mr. Barrett. 
 
 ISABEL. Can it be you don t remember me? (Pretends 
 
 disappointment) You don t ! 
 SETH (looking at her closely, with a puzzled expression). 
 
 Why I (pause} it seems to me I do. It s it s 
 
 Isabel Underwood. 
 
 40 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 (Enter DAN, L., unnoticed.) 
 
 ISABEL. Ah, I am so relieved. You do remember. It 
 would have been too bad had you not recognized so old 
 a friend. Aren t you glad to see me ? 
 
 (Holds out her hand, which he pretends not to see.) 
 
 SETH. How do you happen to be here ? Why have you 
 come ? 
 
 ISABEL. How unkind, to ask questions, instead of saying 
 you are delighted to see me. But 1 will answer them. 
 It s all by a lucky chance. You see, I am having a 
 little vacation thought I should like to go to some 
 quiet place, where I could rest, and, as luck would 
 have it, turned up here last night, and almost the first 
 name I heard mentioned, much to my surprise, was that 
 of Seth Barrett. It seems you are getting to be quite a 
 public man a person of some importance. 
 
 SETH. Won t you be seated ? 
 
 ISABEL. Thanks. (Sits R. c.) 
 
 (DAN has been up L. c., looking on and listening with much 
 interest.) 
 
 SETH. You may go, Dan. I won t need you any more to 
 day. 
 
 DAN. All right. (Gets hat, exits R.) 
 
 SETH (standing c.). It does seem to be a peculiar coinci 
 dence, Miss Underwood 
 
 ISABEL. Ah, call me " Isabel " ! 
 
 SETH. Your turning up here this way Miss Underwood ! 
 not knowing, as you say, that this is where you 
 would find me. But, seeing you are here, you might 
 as well tell me at once, without any more useless 
 preliminaries, just what it is you want. (She makes a 
 gesture of remonstrance.) Oh, I know there is some 
 thing. This is not the first time, remember. 
 
 ISABEL. You do me an injustice. How can you wrong 
 me so, such old friends as we are ? 
 
 SETH. Yes, perhaps we were friends, once, if you want to 
 call such an acquaintance as ours by that sacred name. 
 I shouldn t. But, at any rate, we were pretty well 
 acquainted. I was a green country boy, in college, 
 having my first glimpse of the world "real life," as 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 they call it and, naturally enough, I suppose, easily 
 became infatuated with the handsome actress or 
 "showgirl," rather who lost no time in taking ad 
 vantage of my infatuation, getting all she could out of 
 me, and then throwing me over. 
 
 ISABEL (rising). Oh, you poor, innocent boy ! Too bad, 
 wasn t it? Nobody to protect you from the wiles of 
 the woman to whom you made violent love, and who 
 looked upon you as the silly little country gawk you 
 were. Well, you got off mighty easy. She might have 
 collected big damages for breach of promise, but she 
 didn t. 
 
 (DAN has appeared in window, looking in and listening ; 
 dodges back when there is danger of being detected ; 
 seems to be " catching on."} 
 
 SETH. I was very foolish, I admit, but I never did any 
 thing wrong you know that. You made enough out 
 of my little indiscretion, and I thought it was all in 
 the past, but ah, I see ! My " past " a rich morsel 
 for my political opponents. Ah, ha ! So ! I might 
 have known. 
 
 ISABEL. What are you driving at ? What do you mean ? 
 
 SETH. M m surely, you don t expect I am able to pay 
 you half as much as they he ; however, if the letters 
 are for sale, how much do you want for them? 
 
 ISABEL. What letters ? 
 
 SETH. Why, those you have in your bag there, to be 
 sure. You didn t come without your ammunition, and 
 of course th ose foolish, calf-love letters I wrote you so 
 long ago are what you depend upon to blow me up 
 with if I don t come to time. What s your price ? 
 
 ISABEL. Sir, how dare you insult me ? Do you mean to 
 insinuate ? 
 
 SETH. Not at all. It s not necessary. I come right out 
 flat and say you have those letters, you want to sell 
 them, and I ask, " How much ? " 
 
 ISABEL. Well, you re pretty cute. But I might have 
 known you re a lawyer now. My, but you ve 
 changed since I knew you before. Well, then, I have 
 the letters, and I don t mind saying they re for sale. 
 I m hard up. I ve had a bad season have been los 
 ing my hold for some time and now I ve got to get 
 42 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 what I can out of life. I m not owning that I have 
 entered into any scheme, as you seem to infer, but I 
 am saying that by handing these letters over to certain 
 persons, who will see that the newspapers get them, 
 your opponents can work up a scandal that will knock 
 your chances of being elected as whatever it is you re 
 running for sky-high, and also put an end for good 
 and all to the love affair between you and that little 
 country girl I seem to have heard something about. 
 You might as well know the truth, and there it is. 
 
 SETH. Not quite all of it, though. Mr. David Conant is 
 the other bidder, and he is bound to bid higher than I. 
 Very foolish of you, my dear Miss Underwood, to give 
 him away and yourself too. I don t think he will 
 thank you. You have robbed him of his thunder. 
 
 ISABEL. So ! that s how much you appreciate my coming 
 to you, for old time s sake, and offering to help you. 
 
 SETH. Yes, that s just how much 
 
 ISABEL. And you won t buy the letters? 
 
 SETH. No ! I don t want the letters and what s mor$ 
 you have my permission to do as you please with them 
 to get all you can out of Mr. Conant and I wish 
 you success. 
 
 (He seems as if about to dismiss the subject, indicating that 
 he wishes her to go ; but she pretends not to under 
 stand. DAN keeps looking in window and dodging 
 back, taking it all in, unnoticed.) 
 
 ISABEL. Oh, come now, you can t bluff me that way. It s 
 all put on, and you know well enough you would do 
 anything in the world to prevent these letters getting in 
 the hands of the other side. Why, innocent as they may 
 be, your opponents could make capital of them and ruin 
 your chances. (Takes small package of letters from 
 hand-bag, shows them to him, tantalizingfy.) Look 
 here they are six little letters, which I have half a 
 mind to give to you anyway, you re such a good sport, 
 and let the others go hang. (Holds them out, then 
 takes them back, thoiigh he makes no move to take 
 them.) But no, I m too hard up. Got to have money. 
 Much as I d like to give them to you for nothing, I 
 can t afford it. Look at them. Don t they look like 
 innocent little things ? 
 
 43 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 SETH. And so they are. I don t deny that such men as 
 as you are dealing with could make capital out of 
 them, but only by lying and exaggerations. They can 
 do as much without the letters, 1 dare say, with your 
 help, so what s the use? I don t think there s any use 
 discussing the matter further, Miss Underwood. 
 
 ISABEL. Oh, there isn t? Very well. But I can tell you 
 now, Mr. Seth Barrett, when it s too late you will wish 
 you had discussed it further. 
 
 (She is well up stage, near desk, in her excitement ap 
 parently somewhat losing her self-possession ; nervously 
 starts to pull on glove, or arrange hat or dress, and 
 absent-mindedly lays the packet of letters on desk, near 
 those SETH previously had gathered up and left there. 
 DAN is looking in window, watching her every move 
 ment. As ISABEL again goes a few steps down c. , SETH 
 being farther down L. c. , where she keeps her eye on 
 him, DAN reaches in and, watching closely, quickly 
 seizes her letters. They are tied with a broad rubber 
 band. DAN expeditious ly loosens band, takes the other 
 letters as left by SETH puts rubber band around 
 them and leaves that packet instead of the other, which 
 he keeps, and then disappears from sight, after a mis 
 chievous glance and triumphant shake of his head at 
 ISABEL.) 
 
 SETH. I think not. (Looks off R.) You will find Mr. 
 Conant s office down the street there see, on that side 
 (pointing), three doors beyond the post-office. No 
 doubt he is waiting for you anxiously. More anxious 
 to see you than I am to detain you, I dare say. 
 
 ISABEL. How un gall ant ! You never used to treat me in 
 this way. But that was long ago, and very well. So 
 be it. I m sorry really I am but if it is to be war 
 between us, why it s your own fault. 
 
 (Goes up, as if about to exit.) 
 
 SETH (pointing to desk). The letters! Don t forget the 
 
 precious letters. (Very coolly.} 
 ISABEL (starting, turning to desk, seizing letters ). Oh ! 
 
 I declare how careless of me ! I I quite forgot. 
 
 Thank you. (She looks at him curiously, as if unable 
 
 44 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 to understand such treatment.} Why did you do 
 that? 
 
 SETH. Do what ? 
 
 ISABEL (lingering; back to c.). Tell me about those 
 letters ? 
 
 SETH (R. c.). They are yours not mine. 
 
 ISABEL. But you might have (holding tep tetters) and in 
 stead Well, it s beyond me. (Opens hand- bag 
 
 and slips letters into it.} Really, you re the kind of 
 fellow that deserves to win, but (R.) you ve had your 
 choice, and now 
 
 (Smiles patronizingly, shakes head, as if thinking, " 2 give 
 it up /" and exits R. SETH stands a moment looking 
 after her, with an expression that shows his disgust, 
 also his determination, then, with a toss of his head, 
 indicating that he is prepared to fight, turns to desk, 
 as if to take up the letters he had left there. . Not see 
 ing them, he looks about, puzzled ; is busily, and with 
 increasing excitement, searching, on desk, under paper n s 9 
 in drawer s t etc., as curtain falls.) 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
 45 
 
ACT III 
 
 SCENE. Nicely furnished dining-room and living-room 
 combined, in home of SETH ; chairs, pictures, curtains, 
 etc., as seen in unpretentious but comfortable and 
 attractive country house. Entrances R. and L. Dis 
 cover SETH, who has just risen from supper table, 
 abotit to put on hat and go out ; ANGIE seated R., with 
 fancy work ; LOBELIA clearing last of supper things 
 from table, L. c., removi?ig white cloth, putting on dark 
 spread, etc. 
 
 LOBELIA. Miss Angie, he didn eat hahdly nuffin dis time, 
 eithuh. Seems lak yo am 1 got no ap tite t all, lately, 
 Mass Seff. Yo s gvvine be sick, yo don look out. 
 
 SETH. Don t you worry, Lobelia; I m all right. It s just 
 this little excitement over the election, and so on. I m 
 not sick. 
 
 LOBELIA. Wai, Ah d know 
 
 ANGIE. I think Lobelia s right, Seth. You re all worked 
 up, and election isn t for some time yet. I just don t 
 think it s worth it and Helen and all. 
 
 (Exit LOBELIA, L., with things. ) 
 
 SETH. Now, don t you begin too, little woman. I m in 
 for it, and I ve got to see it through. You wouldn t 
 want your big brother to show the white feather and 
 back out now, would you ? 
 
 ANGIE. N-no, of course I wouldn t ; but a man like that 
 
 old Dave Con ant {Rises ; SETH looks at her 
 
 reprovingly. } Well, I don t care I just despise him. 
 Look at the way he s treating Helen. Why, as if she 
 were a baby, or or he Bluebeard and she one of his 
 wives 
 
 (Enter LOBELIA, L., working about.) 
 
 SETH. I guess it isn t so bad as all that. Have you seen 
 her lately ? 
 
 46 
 
TEE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ANGIE (going to sofa down R.). Of course not. How 
 could I, when he keeps her shut up ? I think it s your 
 duty to go and rescue her. If I were in her place, I d 
 get out somehow and run away. 
 
 SETH. And make matters all the worse. No, she is doing 
 the very best thing. It will all come right in time. 
 After election however it may go will be time to do 
 something. In the meantime 
 
 ANGIE. Yes, and in the meantime, for weeks maybe, she s 
 got to stay shut up like like the princess in the tower, 
 and mope and mope. Ugh, such a father ! 
 
 LOBELIA. Ah d lak t skin urn alibe, de ole rapscallion ! 
 
 SETH. Ha ! I guess his skin s too tough for that, Lobelia. 
 (Goes R., with hat.) I m going down street a while, 
 Angie to the office. I have lost an important letter, 
 and must see if I can t find it. 
 
 ANGIE. A letter ? What was it ? 
 
 SETH. Oh, you wouldn t understand. From a politician 
 something about Conant that we don t want him to 
 know we know. It ll turn up, I guess. Don t you 
 bother. (About to %o.) Just you see that you control 
 that little tongue of yours, and not get too excited. 
 You too, Lobelia. 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 LOBELIA. Ah reck n mah li ll tongue s gwine say few t ings 
 see f it don . 
 
 ( Takes broom and begins brushing up. ) 
 
 ANGIE. And mine, too. I d bust ! if I didn t talk. I 
 fairly boil when I think of Dave Conant. I suppose 
 it s wicked, but I just hate that man. 
 
 LOBELIA. Den Ah s jest s wicked s yo is, honey, ca se Ah 
 clar t goodness Ah hates iin too. Wha s he wan 
 treat Mass Seffso, fo ? Why don* he gwan long bout 
 his bus ness n let Mass* SefT win ? 
 
 ANGIE. Why, because, Lobelia, that wouldn t be politics. 
 There alwa.ys has to be two sides, and of course Seth 
 expects to have somebody run against him but it s 
 having a man like Mr. Conant to run against. Of 
 course, it would be all the more satisfaction to beat 
 him, but I m so afraid he can t. 
 
 47 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 LOBELIA. Is yo , honey? Lan , Ah could beat him, yo 
 jes bet, f Ah got aftah im once. Hit him ovah de 
 haid s hahd he d jes beg fo mussy. 
 
 ANGIE (laughing). But that isn t the way, Lobelia. You 
 have to do it with the ballot. 
 
 LOBELIA. Laws a mussy, Ah ain* got no ball t, but Ah got 
 a raight strong arm yuh, an a mahty good broom 
 stick. 
 
 ANGIE. Ha ! ha ! I guess the men wouldn t stand much 
 chance if the women could use broomsticks instead of 
 bal lots. ( Throws head back, laughing merrily. ) Oh 
 oh Lobelia ! 
 
 LOBELIA. Ah jes bet Ah d beat um. 
 
 (Knocking heard off L.) 
 
 ANGIE. I wonder who that can be, the back way. Go and 
 see, Lobelia. 
 
 {Exit LOBELIA, L. ; ANGIE is seated, with fancy work, not 
 looking up. LOBELIA soon returns, L.) 
 
 LOBELIA. T s Miss Helyun. 
 
 ANGIE (springing up). What ! Helen Conant here ? 
 {Enter HELEN, L. She is pale and appears nervous 
 and frightened, but has an air of determination. 
 ANGIE, c. ; HELEN, L. c. ; LOBELIA up L. ANGIE greets 
 her affectionately.) Why, Helen dear, what s the 
 matter ? What has happened ? 
 
 HELEN. I have run away. 
 
 {Exit LOBELIA, L.) 
 
 ANGIE. I don t understand. You mean you have left 
 
 home? 
 HELEN. Yes, and I am never going back. I m not going 
 
 to submit to such tyranny, even from my own father. 
 
 He has no right to treat me so and make me a prisoner 
 
 I, a girl almost twenty. It s outrageous, and I won t 
 
 stand it I won t ! 
 
 ANGIE. I know, dear, but Seth says it is for the best. 
 HELEN. Oh, it s easy enough for him to talk, but if if 
 
 he really loved me 
 
 (She is seated on sofa down R. ; ANGIE standing by her.) 
 
 48 
 
THE VILLAGE LA WYER 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, Helen, he does ! It s because he does, and 
 because he wants to protect you and not do anything 
 that you and he will be sorry tor, and the election, 
 you know 
 
 HELEN. Oh, yes, I know ; he thinks more of that office 
 he s running for than he does of me 
 
 ANGIE. Why, Helen Conant, how can you say such a 
 thing ? You know Seth isn t that kind of man, and I 
 guess if that s the opinion you have of him well 
 
 HELEN. It isn t, Angie, you know it isn t. I believe in 
 Seth, and I want to do what s right, but I m so so 
 miserable, and and it s so terrible to stay shut up in 
 the house, that I couldn t stand it any longer. Why, 
 I m actually afraid of father he is so severe, so cruel, 
 there is no saying what he might do. He would send 
 me away, where I could never see Seth again, and 
 that would kill me. (She has risen.} No, I m not a 
 child to be treated like this nor a slave, to be driven 
 and I won t submit to it, I don t care what happens ! 
 
 {Enter LOBELIA, L.) 
 
 LOBELIA. Wha s de mattah? Why, Miss Helyun, wha* 
 ails yo ? Yo sick ? 
 
 ANGIE. She s just excited, that s all, and all upset. She ll 
 get over it in a few minutes. Come, Helen, we ll go 
 up to my room; you can lie down and rest a little 
 while, and then we ll talk it over and see what can be 
 done. 
 
 HELEN. But I m not going back home I m not 
 
 ANGIE. Well, you needn t, then. Just come now and get 
 quieted down. 
 
 HELEN (as she submits, going L. with ANGIE). Where s 
 Seth? 
 
 ANGIE. He went down street for a little while. Come, 
 dear. {To LOBELIA, as they go out.} Lobelia, don t 
 tell any one she is here. If anybody comes enquiring 
 for her, don t let them know. 
 
 LOBELIA. All raight, missy, Ah won t. Dey conldn git 
 it out o me wid a dozen wil hosses. No, sah. 
 {Exeunt ANGIE and HELEN, L. Door-bell rings. LO 
 BELIA goes R.) Lan o mussy, wondah who dat is. 
 
 {Exit R. ; admits DAVID, who blusters in, in a great ragt t 
 LOBELIA following. ) 
 
 49 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 DAVID. Where s my daughter? Don t say she isn t here; 
 I know she is. 
 
 LOBELIA. Den Ah guess dey am no use sayin nuffin, f 
 yo -all s so suah. Reckon yo s mistaken, dough. 
 
 DAVID. No, I m not mistaken, either. She s here, and I 
 know she is, and the sooner you tell her to come out 
 and show herself, the better. 
 
 LOBELIA. Lan sakes, wha* yo talkin bout, Mass Co- 
 nant ? Who yo 1 look n* fo Miss Helyun ? Ah reckon 
 she s home. 
 
 DAVID. I reckon she isn t, so you needn t lie to me. She s 
 here, that s where she is, and I ll make it hot for Seth 
 Barrett, encouraging her to go against her father. 
 He ll pay for it, and so shall she. It s the last time 
 she ll get a chance to defy me like this. Well, why 
 don t you go and tell her I m here, instead of standing 
 there like a bump-on-a-log ? 
 
 LOBELIA. Who yo reckon yo s talkin to, me? Well, if 
 yo is, yo ma h t as well hush up yo noise, case yo 
 cayn t scan me nohow. (He starts togoi,., but she 
 bars his way.) Whar yo gwine ? Gwan way from 
 yuh, yo fool man ! 1 se gwine lose mah tempah n a 
 minute. 
 
 DAVID. My daughter s in there. Stand aside. 
 
 LOBELIA. Stan side yo se f. Whoevah heerd sech fool 
 ishness? Whose house yo -all t ink dis is -yo s? 
 
 DAVID (desisting, but still determined; sitting c., reso 
 lutely}. Well, I ll wait right here, then, till I find out. 
 We ll see whether she s going to obey me or not. 
 
 (Door -bell rings.) 
 
 LOBELIA. My lan s o lub, dar s dat ar bell agin. (Starts R.) 
 DAVID (springing up). Oh, so it rang before, did it? 
 
 when m^ daughter came ? I thought so. 
 LOBELIA. G long ! Wha s do -bells fo , f tain t t ring ? 
 
 (Goes and admits MRS. D., R., followed by SAM.) 
 
 MRS. D. (seeing DAVID). For the land s sake, you here, 
 Dave Conant ? I guess they must be five or six of y , 
 the way you keep yourself distributed. S if one wa n t 
 enough! (To LOBELIA.) Seth t home? 
 
 LOBELIA. No, he ain t home. Up street. 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 MRS. D. Oh, he is ? Wai, I want t see him. When ll 
 
 he be back? (Sits on sofa, R.) 
 LOBELIA. D knovv. Purt soon, mebbe. 
 MRS. D. I ll wait. Went to his office this afternoon, V 
 
 he wa n t there. (Sits R. c.) I ve got all night. 
 
 (She disdains SAM, who tries to make up to her, with an air 
 of pitiful pleading. He brings chair from up R. and 
 sits close to her ; she hitches away, giving him a 
 withering look.) 
 
 DAVID (L.). What s the matter, Mrs. Dill? You and Sam 
 had another spat ? 
 
 MRS. D. Whose business is it, if we have ? 
 
 SAM. Now, Jane ! Jane speak to me, won t y ? 
 
 MRS. D. (giving him another contemptuous look, then turn 
 ing her back on him}. I guess I ain t goin t stand 
 everything. T s gone about fur enough. 
 
 LOBELIA. Laws o mussy, Mis Dill, yo in anothah pickle? 
 
 DAVID. A dill pickle ! That s good. (Laughs.} 
 
 MRS. D. Smart, ain t y ? I guess it s worse n a dill 
 pickle you re comin to, Dave Conant lection. Say, 
 what s this I hear about that woman from New York, 
 tryin t hatch up somethin t hurt Seth Barrett? Youi 
 doin s, I ll bet a cookie. Jest like your way o doin* 
 things. Must be you re pretty well scart n afraid o 
 gitt n beat, t resort t such methods. Pretty small, I 
 call it. But, then, I ain t s prised. 
 
 DAVID. Where d you hear that yarn ? 
 
 MRS. D. Yarn, is it ? Well, I heard it all right. It comes 
 straight enough. I knew the minute I laid eyes on her, 
 the other day, t she wa n t here for no good purpose. 
 Tryin t get up some story t go ag inst Seth Barrett, 
 jes* so he won t get lected. Bet you re at the bottom 
 of it. A man that ll lock his own daughter up, s if she 
 was some criminal, jest b cause 
 
 DAVID. Say, let up, will you ? Your tongue runs like a 
 threshing machine. Is there ever anything you don t 
 find out? I don t wonder your husband can t live with 
 you 
 
 SAM (firing up, indignantly to DAVID). See here, Dave 
 Conant, don t you talk that way t my wife ! I won t 
 stand for it, so y d better shut up. She s worth a dozen 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 like you, any day, V when you nsult her you nsult 
 me. Understand ? 
 
 (MRS. D. looks at him in surprise, her anger beginning to 
 change to admiration.} 
 
 DAVID. Ho ! you re a pretty one to talk, a man that s 
 henpecked as you are. Why, you don t dare say your 
 soul s your own 
 
 MRS. D. (faring up to him}. Oh, he don t, eh? I d 
 have you know he s my husband, Dave Conant, and more 
 of a man than you ever was r ever will be. I d ruther 
 he d be poor as a church mouse th n t be as rich as a 
 dozen millionaires n git the money the way you git 
 yours. 
 
 LOBELIA. Laws o mussy, Mis Dill, don yo git so xcited. 
 Fust y know he ll have yo put n de lock-up. 
 
 MRS. D. Let him try it. Not while I ve got my husband 
 here t* pertect me. Will he, Sam ? 
 
 SAM (delighted, standing up by her). No, Jane dear, you 
 can bet he won t. (Glares at DAVID.) 
 
 DAVID (laughing sarcastically). You re a fine lot, you 
 are. I can t waste any more time over you. (To 
 LOBELIA.) I m going, but I ll be back ; and I ll find 
 my daughter, if I have to get out a search warrant to 
 do it. You needn t think you can fool me. She s 
 here, and I know it, for she was seen coming in this 
 direction, not ten minutes before I got here. I ll have 
 the law on you, that s what I ll do, and your precious 
 master, too. 
 
 LOBELIA. Laws o mussy ! Mass Conant, he don know 
 nuffin bout it, deed he don t. He wa n t yuh, 
 nohow 
 
 DAVID. Ha ! Wasn t here when ? 
 
 LOBELIA (confused, seeing her mistake). Why when yo 
 come, Mass Conant. Dat s all Ah means, deedy dat s 
 all. 
 
 DAVID. All right. We ll let it go at that for the present 
 but you ll find this isn t the last of it. Seth Barrett 
 will hear from me about this. 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 MRS. D. For the land s sake, has Helen Conant run away 
 from home ? Is she here ? 
 
 52 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 LOBELIA. Dat s what he t inks, the crazy jigger. Ain* got 
 no sense, nohow. Nevah did see sich go n s on. 
 (Goes L.) Ah s gwine up n tell Miss Angie yo s 
 yuh. 
 
 (Exit, L.) 
 
 (MRS. D. sits, not noticing SAM, who makes up to her, 
 imploringly.) 
 
 SAM. Jane! Jane, you goin t make up agin? (Pause.) 
 Be y , Jane? Don t y know I love y , Jane, don t y 
 know I do? Come on, Jane, will y , n make it up? 
 
 MRS. D. I d know whether I will r not. What good does it 
 do ? You go n git me all pervoked agin, so t I jest 
 git desperate. I guess a divorce is the best thing. 
 
 SAM. Oh, J- Jane ! (Almost in tears) 
 
 MRS. D. Yes, I guess it is 
 
 SAM. Oh, Jane, you don t mean it ! Didn t I stick up for 
 y ? I d fight for y , Jane, I d die for y ! 
 
 MRS. D. Land, what d be the use ? You ain t got no life 
 insurance. 
 
 SAM. But I ll git it insured. 
 
 MRS. D. N then die for me ? I guess you might better 
 live for me n prove y mean it by havin some gump 
 tion n not bein so shif less. 
 
 SAM. I will, Jane, I will. I ll wipe the dishes, n sweep, 
 n chop wood, n 
 
 MRS. D. (softening). M m w-well, then, I I guess I ll 
 forgive y once more jest this once 
 
 (He, delighted, is about to kiss her, when LOBELIA, enters L.) 
 
 LOBELIA. Laws o mussy, what yo -all do n* ? Ah clar t 
 
 goodness, fight n one minute n honey-sweet n de 
 
 nex . 
 MRS. D. Wai, I guess a man s got a right t kiss his own 
 
 wife, f he wants t . 
 SAM. N I guess he wants t , too, when he s got the kind 
 
 o wife I have. 
 
 (Smiles sentimentally at MRS. D. She looks at him with 
 tenderness. ) 
 
 (Enter ANGIE, L.) 
 
 ANGIE. Good-evening. Excuse me for not coming down 
 before, but I didn t know you were here. 
 
 53 
 
THE VILLAGE LA WYER 
 
 MRS. D. Oh, that s all right. We ain t be n lonesome. 
 How s Helen Conant? 
 
 ANGIE. Why, she she was pretty well, the last time I saw 
 her. 
 
 MRS. D. Oh, she was? Glad t hear it. I ain t askin 
 when that was. Tain t none of my business, I s pose. 
 I don t blame her if she has left, n never goes back 
 with Dave Conant for a father. (ANGIE looks dis 
 mayed.) Oh, you needn t be scart. lain tgoin t tell 
 all I knows, n neither s Sam, so don t you let that 
 worry y . (Goes R.) Come on, Sam, I guess we ll be 
 goin . (To LOBELIA.) You can tell Seth I was here, 
 if y want t , but that what I come t see him about 
 can wait. Come on, Sam. 
 
 (Exit, R. SAM follows, pauses at door, looking back, 
 grinning.) 
 
 SAM. Guess I know how t git around her, don t I? See 
 how easy I done it ? 
 
 ( Exit, R . , chuckling. ) 
 LOBELIA. Laws o mussy, dey takes de cake ! 
 
 (She and ANGIE both laugh.) 
 {Enter MRS. D., R., hurriedly.) 
 
 MRS. D. That woman s out here, comin in. 
 ANGIE. Who, what woman? 
 
 M RS. D. That actress woman the one from New York 
 
 ANGIE. Here? What does she want? 
 
 LOBELIA. Ain gwine let er in. Don wan no sech trash 
 
 comin ytih. (Goes R.) 
 ANGIE. No, no; I can t see her. Tell her 
 
 (Enter ISABEL, R. MRS. D. looks at her critically ; ANGIE 
 with surprise; LOBELIA defiantly, as if inclined to put 
 her out.) 
 
 ISABEL. I hope you will pardon me for entering so uncere 
 moniously. I was about to ring, when this lady (indi 
 cating MRS. D.) opened the door and saved me the 
 necessity of troubling you. May I enquire if Mr. Bar 
 rett is at home ? 
 
 54 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ANGIE. No, he is not. If if you have business with him, 
 I think it will be necessary for you to call at his office. 
 
 MRS. D. I should say as much. Looks kind o queer, it 
 seems to me, your comin here this way. But I don t 
 s pose you care if it does make talk. Mebbe that s 
 what you re up to. 
 
 ANGIE. Mrs. Dill ! 
 
 (Exit LOBELIA, L., with suspicious glances at ISABEL.) 
 
 MRS. D. Oh, I s pose it ain t none o my business, but ap 
 pearances speak for themselves. I ll be goin . (R., to 
 ISABEL, as she goes out.} But I want y to understand 
 you couldn t make me believe anything against Seth 
 Barrett not if y swore to it on a stack of Bibles s 
 s high as the church steeple. 
 
 (Exit, R., with a determined air, her head /.) 
 
 ISABEL. Your brother seems to have some very earnest 
 champions, Miss Barrett. I should judge he is about 
 the must popular man in this vicinity. 
 
 ANGIE. I suppose he is, but 1 don t see what good it does 
 him. Running for office against a man like Mr. Conant 
 
 is only a means of getting into hot water. That man 
 
 Excuse me, 1 know 1 shouldn t say anything. Did you 
 say you wish to see my brother on business? 
 
 ISABEL. Y-yes ; but that can wait. Tell me about this 
 ma n this David Conant is he so so terrible? 
 Hasn t he a right to win, if it s in his power? 
 
 (She has taken the chair ANGIE has offered her t and is 
 seated R. ; ANGIE stands L. c.) 
 
 ANGIE. Why, of course he has ; but he ought to play fair. 
 He d resort to any means. Hasn t he but I forgot, I 
 wasn t to talk. Seth told me girls have no right to talk 
 politics, and that 1 shouldn t express opinions. He 
 never says a word against Mr. Conant himself he isn t 
 that kind. 
 
 ISABEL. Your brother isn t? 
 
 ANGIE. Of course he isn t. He s too honorable. Why, I 
 don t believe Seth could do a mean or a dishonorable 
 act. He d rather get beaten, ten times over, than do 
 anything underhanded to win. And just see what it 
 means to himthis running for office with Mr. Co- 
 
 55 
 
TEE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 nant forbidding Helen even to speak to him, when they 
 were the same as engaged. Oh, it s just terrible, and 
 1 I wish he d give it up. Helen s worth a hundred 
 offices, and and she s just breaking her heart, too, 
 and Oh, dear ! (Cries.) 
 
 ISABEL. So Mr. Conant s daughter is your brother s sweet 
 heart and her father forbids Ah, 1 see. That 
 
 complicates matters, doesn t it ? (Rises.) And your 
 brother keeps up the fight, even against such odds, and 
 with so much at stake simply because he thinks it his 
 duty? 1 didn t understand all that. He must be 
 brave, as \\ell as upright and honest, as you say. 
 
 ANGIE. Brave? I guess he is. Oh, if you knew him, 
 you d love him no I didn t mean just that ! I 
 meant you d see well, of course he s my brother, 
 
 and Why, Helen ! (Enter HELEN, L. ; she is 
 
 very pale and falters as she sees ISABEL. ANGIE gees 
 to her, assisting her to chair, L. c. ISABEL looks at 
 her rather curiously, but not unkindly.) This is Miss 
 Conant Helen Conant Miss ? 
 
 ISABEL. Underwood. (To HELEN, with courtesy.) lam 
 pleased to meet you, Miss Conant. 1 believe I have 
 met your father. 
 
 HELEN (rising as she is introduced). Perhaps. I I 
 think I have heard of you 
 
 ISABEL. Through him ? 
 
 HELEN. My father? Oh, no, Miss Underwood; not 
 through him. I I think it was Mr. Spencer. 
 
 ISABEL. Spencer? I don t think 
 
 ANGIE (not pleased at the suggestion). Mr. Spencer? Do 
 you know Alan Spencer, Miss Underwood ? 1 didn t 
 think he knew any such any actresses ! 
 
 ISABEL (laughing, somewhat constrainedly). Oh, "ac 
 tresses " ! 1 suppose you think they are terrible crea 
 tures. M m well, perhaps they are, some of them. 
 But don t you think it is possible there are exceptions? 
 
 ANGIE. I why, I suppose there are of course. I I 
 didn t mean anything, really I didn t. You see, I 
 don t believe we are quite accountable for what we say 
 or do, these days some of us we are so all worked 
 up, and everything. At least I m not, and as for 
 Helen here, poor girl, I guess she s been through 
 enough, and goodness knows, it is~. t all over yet. 
 
 56 
 
THE VILLAGE LA WYER 
 
 ISABEL. I am sorry if you are in distress, Miss Conant. I 
 pardon me, but I is it because of your father and 
 Mr. Barrett ? 
 
 HELEN. Y-yes. Father says he says I must never 
 
 (Pauses, as if afraid of saying too much.) 
 
 ANGIE {going and standing by her). Yes, her father is 
 angry at my brother, because he s running for the 
 office he wants, and he s mean enough well, don t 
 you think it s mean ? to try and separate him and 
 Helen, just for revenge. Why, he even locked Helen 
 up made a prisoner of her but she got out and ran 
 away and came here. If her father finds her, I don t 
 know what ll happen 
 
 ISABEL (to HELEN). Why, my child, you shouldn t have 
 done that. You are only making matters worse. Don t 
 you know it ? You should go back home at once, 
 before your father finds out you are here 
 
 ANGIE. That s just what I told her 
 
 HELEN (rising with some spirit). Oh, it s easy enough 
 for you to talk, but if you had it to bear, I guess you 
 would rebel, too. He has no right to treat me so as 
 if I were a mere child and had no right to choose for 
 myself. But I don t care I shall not give Seth up I 
 will see him; and I won t go home no, I won t and 
 be treated like a like a slave ! I d rather die ! 
 
 ANGIE. Why, Helen dear, you mustn t get so excited. 
 You ll be sick. 
 
 ISABEL (to ANGIE). Will you let me speak to her alone? 
 
 ANGIE. I 
 
 ISABEL. Oh, you may trust her with me, even if I am 
 an " actress." 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, why, of course (Goes L.) 
 
 ISABEL. Just for a moment. You may come right back. 
 
 ANGIE. All right. 
 
 (Exit, L.) 
 
 ISABEL (after regarding HELEN for a moment, silently, her 
 face somewhat softened). So your father has separated 
 you from your from the man you love, Miss Conant 
 and that man is Seth Barrett. 
 
 HELEN (surprised, rvith a trace of indignation). " Seth ? " 
 Do you know him as well as that ? 
 
 ISABEL. Pardon me. It was a slip ; because I hear every- 
 
 57 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 body else around here call him that, I suppose. May 
 I ask 1 suppose it is an impertinent question, but I 
 should^ like to know if you are or were engaged to 
 him ? 
 
 HELEN. Yes. I had a ring (holding up ha?id), but 
 my father took it from my finger; he said he would 
 give it back to Seth, and that that I must never see 
 or speak to him again, 
 
 ISABEL. And yet you disobeyed him, and came here ? 
 
 HELEN. Yes. I had to. I love Seth too much to give 
 him up even for my father, when he is so cruel, so 
 unjust. He has no right 
 
 ISABEL. And does Seth pardon me, Mr. Barrett encour 
 age you in going against your father ? 
 
 HELEN. Oh, no; he told me to obey him, to wait. He 
 thinks after election after 
 
 ISABEL. Ah, I see. He is thinking of his own interests, 
 of the effect it might have if your father circulated the 
 report that he had stolen his daughter 
 
 HELEN. Don t you say that, if you mean to imply that 
 Seth isn t all that is good and honorable. He wouldn t 
 do anything wrong he couldn t. 
 
 ISABEL. But, my dear, do you believe that any man any 
 mere man could be perfect ? Do you think there is 
 one living even your wonderful Mr. Seth who has 
 no faults, who never has done anything that he would 
 prefer the world or some one little woman should 
 never know ? 
 
 HELEN. I know Seth Barrett never could do anything that 
 would make me stop loving him. I know that. I 
 don t care what he did what he had done even if it 
 was not just just right I I should still love him. 
 
 ISABEL. But if you found out that you were not the first 
 that there had been another girl, once, to whom he 
 made love who 
 
 HELEN. I wouldn t care. I know he loves me now, and I 
 love him and trust him. What if there was another 
 girl, once, though I don t believe there ever was 
 why do you suppose I should hold that against him, 
 if he has forgotten her, and found out that it s it s 
 me he loves, after all, instead of her? 
 
 ISABEL. But if he had deceived you if he had never told 
 you about her 
 
 58 
 
THE VILLAGE LA WYER 
 
 HELEN. I wouldn t care. Why should he ? If he told 
 me he loved me now, and 1 believed him as I do ! 
 that would be enough for me. Because I love him, 
 too don t you see ? And what is love worth, if if it 
 isn t that kind ? 
 
 (She is very much in earnest, and ISABEL shows that she is 
 impressed by lier words and her attitude, her manner, 
 which at first was somewJiat hard and unsympathetic, 
 beginning to change. She seems to admire HELEN, to 
 sympathize witli her, and to want to help her.) 
 
 ISABEL. My dear, you re a a prize worth having. And 
 
 now 1 want you to come with me. 
 HELEN. With you ? Why, where? 
 ISABEL. Home. 
 HELEN. Your to your home? 
 ISABEL (almost sadly, shaking her head). No ; I am afraid 
 
 1 have no no place you would really call the one 
 
 " there s no place like." No, my dear, to your home. 
 
 Now at once before your father finds out that you 
 
 left it, that you have been here. 
 HELEN. No, no; I can t go back. 
 ISABEL. But you must. If you love Seth Barrett, if you 
 
 want to help him and do what is for his good and for 
 
 your own happiness, you must go home, and at once. 
 
 I will take you, and your father need not know that 
 
 you have been gone. 
 
 (Enter ANGIE, L.) 
 
 ANGTE. May I come in now? 
 
 ISABEL. Yes. 1 have just been telling Miss Conant, Miss 
 Barrett, that she must go home, at once, and that I will 
 take her. Don t you think it is the best thing for her 
 to do? 
 
 ANGIE. Yes. I told her it was. Yes, Helen dear, you 
 must do it. I know how hard it is for you, but you 
 must for Seth s sake for your own. 
 
 HELEN. Y-yes, I I see. I suppose I was wrong ; I 
 shouldn t have come, and I will go back. Even if 
 . father finds out I have been here, I will beg his for 
 giveness, and and perhaps it will come out all right. 
 I can wait. Yes, for Seth I can wait I will if it is 
 for a thousand years ! 
 
 59 
 
TEE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 (She has brightened up, gained courage, and smiles hope 
 fully. ANGIE is by her side, preparing her to go* 
 ISABEL leads the way toward R.) 
 
 ANGIE. That s right, dear. 
 
 ISABEL. And spoken like a brave, noble girl. And I am 
 sure you will never regret it. Come. 
 
 (She goes to R. with HELEN, ANGIE close to them, when 
 ALAN rushes in R. , and they start back in surprise. ) 
 
 ANGIE. Why Alan ! 
 
 ALAN {glancing at HELEN, then turning to ISABEL, with a 
 denunciatory manner). Ah ! you ! How dare you 
 come here and talk to these innocent girls? 
 
 ISABEL. What do you mean, sir ? How dare you speak to 
 me like this ? 
 
 ANGIE. Alan why, Alan, do you know her? 
 
 (HELEN sinks into chair near table L. c. ALAN is R. c. ; 
 ISABEL and ANGIE, L.) 
 
 ALAN. Yes, I know her. I thought I recognized her the 
 other day, and now I know who she is. 1 have seen 
 her picture in a theatrical paper in tights ! 
 
 ISABEL (smiling, and biting her lips, leniently, but with a 
 trace of sarcasm}. That is indeed a terrible accusa 
 tion, Mr. Spencer, I believe ? However, it has noth 
 ing to do with the question, just now 
 
 ALAN. I think it has, when I find you here talking to these 
 two young ladies. You are DO fit associate for them, 
 and I shall tell Mr. Barrett, and Miss Conant s father, 
 that I have heard of you, and that what I have heard is 
 not to your credit 
 
 ISABEL. If you have any accusations to make against me, 
 this is not the time nor place to do it. At present there 
 is something else to think about. It is essential that 
 Miss Conant should go home as quickly as possible, and 
 I have volunteered to take her there. 
 
 (ISABEL is R. ; ALAN, c. ; ANGIE and HELEN, L. c.) 
 
 ALAN. You needn t put yourself out. 1 think Miss Conant 
 will permit me to act as her escort. 
 
 {Crosses, looking questioningly at HELEN.) 
 60 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 HELEN (regarding him somewhat coldly and crossing to 
 ISABEL). Thank you \ but I I will accept Miss Un 
 derwood s offer. 
 
 (ALAN looks at her in surprise, somewhat crestfallen.) 
 
 ANGIE (inclined to resent the snub thus given ALAN). Why, 
 
 Helen, I should think 
 
 ISABEL (with a glance of veiled triumph at ALAN). Then 
 
 shall we go at once, Miss Conant ? 
 HELEN (with her toward R.). Yes. 
 
 (Enter SETH, R. ; he shows surprise as he sees ISABEL and 
 HELEN.) 
 
 SETH. Miss Underwood you here ? And Helen ! 
 
 HELEN (goi?ig to him). Oh, Seth, I was so miserable, and 
 I ran away. But I will go back. I will obey my father, 
 and wait. I know now that it will be for the best. 
 
 SETH. Yes, dear. 
 
 (He smiles at her encouragingly, then looks at ISABEL 
 questioningly.) 
 
 ISABEL. I came here hoping to see you, Mr. Barrett, 
 and 
 
 HELEN. It was she who advised me to go home, to obey 
 my father, and to wait. 
 
 SETH. I fail to understand, Miss Underwood, why you 
 should have anything to say in the matter, or interest 
 yourself in our affairs. I think, under the circumstances 
 the less we have to say to each other, the better. 
 
 (The door-bell rings loudly.) 
 
 ANGIE (she and ALAN are L.). Why, Seth, who can that 
 
 be? 
 
 HELEN. My father ! 
 SETH. Never mind, dear ; be brave. It will be all right. 
 
 (Enter LOBELIA, L., crossing to R.) 
 
 LOBELIA. Laws o mussy, sutt nly am some busy times 
 round yuh dis ebenin . 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 HELEN. Oh, Seth, I am sorry. I am to blame 
 
 61 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 (He comforts her. Exeunt ALAN and ANGIE, L. ISABEL 
 is R. ; SETH, c. ; HELEN, L. c.) 
 
 (Enter DAVID, R., followed by LOBELIA, who goes to L., and 
 stands listening.) 
 
 DAVID (down to c.). I have come for my daughter. 
 (Sees HELEN.) Ah, I thought so. (Crosses to 
 HELEN, seizes her arm or wrist roughly.) Come 
 with me. 
 
 HELEN. Yes, father. 
 
 DAVID (to SETH). I knew she was here all the time. 
 Pretty work you re up to. But you ll find what it 
 means to entice a girl away from her home and en 
 courage her to go against her own father. 
 
 (Exit LOBELIA, L.) 
 
 SETH. You don t understand, Mr. Conant. You wrong 
 
 me. But I think another time 
 
 DAVID. No now. You are harboring my daughter against 
 
 my wishes, and I ll make you suffer for it. ( To HELEN.) 
 
 Come. 
 ISABEL. Wait. I have something to say. I was here, 
 
 and 
 
 DAVID. Yes, I see you re here, and I d like to know what 
 
 for in his house. Things look mighty queer to me, 
 
 and I guess when this gets out h m 
 
 (Sneers, with a knowing smile of gloating triumph^ 
 
 SETH. You are on the wrong tack, squire. If you will 
 calm down a little 
 
 DAVID. Oh, there ll be plenty of time to calm down, don t 
 you fear ; and I guess when it comes out that you have 
 this woman here, and that you lured my daughter away 
 from home 
 
 HELEN (advancing to front, forgetting her fear and facing 
 him indignantly). Father ! You mustn t speak of Seth 
 like that. It s not true not a word of it and I won t 
 let you accuse him of such things. He didn t lure me 
 here. I came of my own accord, when he didn t know 
 it, and after he had told me to stay home and obey you. 
 I came because I couldn t stand your hardness yes, 
 your cruelty and you shan t accuse him. If you do 
 62 
 
THE VILLA GE LA WYEB 
 
 if you treat him like this I shall never go home never 
 I don t care what you do to rne. 
 
 DAVID (who has been staring at her, for a moment too sur 
 prised and angry to speak). You how dare you speak 
 to me like this ? I ll teach you. I ll show you whether 
 
 you can defy me ( Goes, again seizes her, and 
 
 attempts to draw her toward R.) Come. 
 
 ISABEL (stepping in front of door R., barring his way). 
 Wait, i said I have something to say, and now you 
 shall listen to me. 
 
 (HELEN has separated herself from DAVID, now stands c. ; 
 DAVID, R. c. ; ISABEL gets between them. SETH, L. c.) 
 
 {Enter ALAN, L.) 
 
 DAVID. You ! How dare you touch my daughter, a woman 
 like you ? 
 
 ISABEL. Be careful. Don t go too far. A woman like me 
 generally knows what she is doing, and she isn t afraid 
 of a man like you ! 
 
 DAVID {scornfully}. Ha ! 
 
 ALAN (coming to c.). I can tell you what sort of woman 
 she is, Mr. Conant. I ve heard of her, I ve seen her 
 pictures. She is an actress an adventuress a no 
 torious woman. Ask her ask her if she can deny it. 
 
 ISABEL {looking at him disdainfully, but with slightly amused 
 indulgence }. Oh, you poor boy ! You mean all 
 right. But never mind. I deny nothing. It isn t 
 worth while. I see there s no chance for a " a 
 woman like me." {Goes to R.) Oh, very well. But 
 you might ask him (indicating DAVID) him if he 
 doesn t know who I am, and what I am ha ! and 
 why I am here! That s all for the present. Good 
 night. 
 
 ( Gives them all a sweeping glance, which dwells with an in 
 stant s tenderness on HELEN, then, with her head up, 
 haughtily exits R. The others look at her in silence, 
 amazed ; HELEN, as if in protest, starts toward R., but 
 DAVID stops her.) 
 
 DAVID. Here see here ! Are you going to stay here 
 with him or are you coming with me? Remember, if 
 you stay now, you can never cross my threshold agair* 
 I m done with you. Which shall it be ? 
 
 63 
 
THE VILLAGE LA WYEB 
 
 HELEN. Why, father, I 
 
 (She falters, shrinks from him and approaches SETH and 
 looks pleadingly at him. He stands c. , regarding her 
 compassionately, but in silence, offering her no en 
 couragement. She pauses, clasps her hands, again 
 looks at SETH, turns, bows her head, as if in resigna 
 tion, then raises it with some show of spirit and deter 
 mination, and exits R. , without looking back. Enter 
 ANGIE L., in time to witness above, followed by 
 LOBELIA, who stands up L., raises her hands, mutter 
 ing "Laws o mussy / " etc. ALAN and ANGIE L. c. ; 
 SETH, c., DAVID R. c. DAVID gives SETH a triumphant 
 look and is about to speak, when the latter silences him, 
 throwing off his air of submission and turning upon 
 DAVID with fierce denunciation. ) 
 
 SETH. And now, David Conant, you may go ! This is my 
 house, and there is no room in it for you. You have 
 accused me of things of which you know I am inno 
 cent, you have tried to use your daughter to coerce and 
 intimidate me, you have hired that woman to come 
 here and rake up some story against me but I tell you 
 I m not afraid of you, of her, nor of anybody. (DAVID 
 attempts to speak, but SETH shuts him off.) I despise 
 you and your lies your low, underhanded methods 
 and I defy you. I ll win my fight, I ll win your 
 daughter, fairly and squarely, in spite of you in spite 
 of everything. But I want nothing more to do with 
 you. Go, I say ! Go go ! 
 
 (DAVID, livid with rage, has been trying to speak, but SETH 
 has overwhelmed and silenced him, forcing him to door , 
 and finally off R., shutting door after him and standing 
 with his back against it, with flashing eyes and set 
 face. He is oblivions to the others, who stand \,., re 
 garding him, ALAN and ANGIE somewhat dismayed, but 
 with admiration ; LOBELIA holding up hands and wring 
 ing them, muttering to herself.} 
 
 CURTAIN 
 6 4 
 
ACT IV 
 
 SCENE. Same as Acts I and II, the next forenoon. Dis 
 cover MRS. D., seated R. j LOBELIA seated L., fanning 
 herself with large palm leaf fan. SETH is at desk, 
 looking under papers, in drawers, etc. 
 
 MRS. D. Land, Lobelia, you warm ? I don t think it s so 
 
 awful hot. 
 LOBELIA. Ah does. On mah way to de sto , n got so 
 
 het up Ah jes had t stop yuh fo minute n res mah- 
 
 se f. (Looks at SETH.) Wha yo done look n fo , 
 
 Mass Seff? 
 SETH. Some letters I seem to have mislaid. Perhaps 
 
 Dan (Leans out of window; calls.) Dan! 
 
 Dan, come here a minute. 
 MRS. D. Seems t me that boy don t tend t business much 
 
 t speak of. Nice lawyer he ll make. 
 SETH. Oh, Dan s a bright youngster, all right; but boys 
 
 will be boys, you know, Mrs. Dill. 
 MRS. D. Yes, n most of em 11 be nuisances. 
 
 {Enter DAN, R., flushed with exercise.) 
 
 DAN. Want me, Mr. Barrett? 
 
 SETH. Yes ; if you can spare a moment from that ball game. 
 Have you seen anything of two or three letters i left 
 here yesterday ? 
 
 DAN (alarmed, but trying to hide his confusion). L- let 
 ters ? 
 
 SETH. Yes, letters. There was one in particular that I 
 wouldn t have certain parties get hold of for a thousand 
 dollars 
 
 MRS. D. Land, that must have be iran important one. 
 
 SETH. It was and is. I m afraid somebody picked them 
 up, and if they did, and that one 
 
 {He continues searching; MRS. D. and LOBELIA rise and 
 join search.) 
 
 65 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 DAN. Mebbe they fell in the waste-basket. 
 (Looks in basket. ) 
 
 SETH. I don t see how they could. Now, let me 
 
 see Conant was here. Conant Ferguson 
 
 that by Jove, I wonder if she 
 
 MRS. D. You mean that actress? I wouldn t put it past 
 
 her. 
 
 DAN. Oh, she didn t take em not those ones. 
 SETH. How do you know she didn t ? What do you know 
 
 about it eh ? 
 DAN. N-nothing, Mr. Barrett. That is, I mean y see, I 
 
 was here, n I mean I was out there, lookin in the 
 
 window, and and if she d took em 
 
 SETH. I don t suppose she did. Run along and finish 
 
 your game. Maybe they re at the house. 
 LOBELIA. Ah didn see nuffin ob em. 
 
 (DAN lingers by door, as if wanting to speak, but looks at 
 MRS. D. and LOBELIA doubtfully, hesitates, then exits 
 R. SETH rises, about to go.} 
 
 SETH. I ll go home and look once more. They must be 
 
 there. Anything you wanted to see me about, especially, 
 
 Mrs. Dill ? 
 MRS. D. No, they ain t. Jest dropped in t nquire about 
 
 politics. 
 
 SETH. Oh, that s it ? No more er legal business, then ? 
 MRS. D. No. He s doin pretty well lately. Good land, 
 
 he d jump over the barn t please me, if I wanted him 
 
 to. 
 
 LOBELIA. Don b lebe he could do it. 
 MRS. D. Wai, he d try. 
 SETH. That would be quite a feat. 
 LOBELIA. Feet? Ah reckon it d take wings. He! he! 
 
 Guess it gwine be some time fo yo Sam Dill gits wings ! 
 MRS. D. Wai, I guess he ll be an angel as soon as you 
 
 will. 
 SETH. I hope so. We can t spare Lobelia yet a while. 
 
 (Going.) If anybody asks for me, tell them I ll be right 
 
 back. I must go and look for that letter. 
 LOBELIA (rising). Ah ll come raight long n help, soon s 
 
 Ah be n t dat sto . 
 
 66 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 SETH. Don t hurry. I won t need any help. (About to 
 go off R., pauses.*) Why m m here comes Miss 
 Underwood. (Crosses to L.) Think I ll skip out this 
 other way. Don t care to see her just now. 
 
 (Exit quickly, L.) 
 
 MRS. D. (looking off R.). Yes, here she comes that 
 
 actress. I wonder what she wants here. 
 LOBELIA (rising, looking off). Laws o mussy, is she? 
 
 Ah reckon Ah 11 be gwine long. 
 MRS. D. Huh ! I guess I wouldn t let her scare me. 
 
 Stay V see what she s got t say. Mebbe we c n find 
 
 out what she s up to. 
 
 {Enter ISABEL R. ; she pauses up R. c. ; MRS. D. is C., 
 LOBELIA L. c.) 
 
 ISABEL. Oh, good-morning. I was looking for Mr. Bar 
 rett. Isn t he in ? 
 
 MRS. D. Don t seem t be. I guess if he was you d see 
 him. Seems t me you have a good deal of business 
 at the lawyer s office. 
 
 ISABEL. Why, er if I have ? Isn t that what lawyers 
 offices are for ? 
 
 MRS. D. Oh ! I s pose they be. 
 
 LOBELIA. He ! he ! Mebbe yo wants a d vo ce? 
 
 {Looks meaningly at MRS. D.) 
 
 MRS. D. You needn t fling out. It ain t everybuddy t s 
 got a husband t git divorced from. (To ISABEL.) 
 Of course, it ain t none o my business what you re 
 here for, n I ain t one o the pryin kind, but well, 
 it s makin consid able talk, n I d know but it s my 
 duty t tell y , f y don t know, that Dave Conant s 
 doin everything in his power, no matter how low it is, 
 t beat Seth Barrett, n it looks like he was usin you 
 as a tool. I hope it ain t with your consent. If it is 
 well, I reckon you can guess my opinion ! 
 
 ISABEL (down R.). Thnnk you for the warning, Mrs. m m 
 Dill. But let me assure you, I arn nobody s " tool," 
 and I am on Seth Mr. Barrett s side. 
 
 MRS. D. You want him to win ? 
 
 ISABEL. I do. Yes, with all my heart. 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 LOBELIA. Does yo , honey? Does yo mean it? 
 
 ISABEL. Yes, I mean it. And 1 think I have a trick up 
 my sleeve that will do it, too. 
 
 LOBELIA. Up yo sleeve ? Laws o mussy ! (Examines 
 ISABEL S sleeve.) Wharisit? 
 
 ISABEL (laughing). It s there, all right. Just you wait. 
 I have an appointment with Mr. Barrett here, at eleven 
 o clock, and I sent word for Mr. Conant to be here at 
 a quarter past. If you want to come back, say about a 
 quarter of twelve or thereabouts, perhaps you ll be sur 
 prised. 
 
 MRS. D. Come back ? I see. That means you want us 
 t go? 
 
 ISABEL. N-o, I didn t mean that exactly. But if you 
 would, you see 
 
 MRS. D. Well, I d know what you re up to, n I ain t 
 got much faith in actresses from what I ve heard 
 tell of em, but we ll go. Won t we, Lobelia? 
 
 LOBELIA. Reckon we will. Ah s got t , anyhow. Got t 
 go to de sto . Gwine stop on mah way back, dough, 
 t see bout dat s prise. (To ISABEL, warmly, as she 
 goes up.} Don car f yo is a actress, missy, Ah 
 kind o laks de way yo talks. N Ah s jes a-dyin , 
 Ah is, t see what tis yo got up dat sleebe. 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 MRS. D. She ain t got any too much sense. But then, 
 what can y expect? Well, I ll be goin too, seein 
 you re s anxious for me to. I hope you mean what y 
 say, n the way folks are talkin ain t the truth 
 
 ISABEL. So they are talking, are they? And nothing very 
 complimentary about me, I dare say. 
 
 MRS. D. Oh, I wouldn t say that, exactly. I guess you ve 
 had compliments enough, s fur s that goes especially 
 from the men but well, seein you come here n 
 had dealin s with Dave Conant n well, as I said, I 
 ain t one of the pryin kind, n I don t meddle in other 
 folks business but of course, folks will talk, n all. 
 But I m willin t give y the benefit of the doubt, as 
 the sayin goes. 
 
 ISABEL. Thank you. 
 
 (ISABEL is up c., by desk, MRS. D., about to go out R., 
 
 meets SAM, as he enters.*) 
 
 68 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 MRS. D. Why, Sam Dill, what you doin here? I thought 
 1 left you home, shellin peas ? 
 
 SAM. Got em all shelled, n thought I d come n look for 
 you. Lonesome. 
 
 MRS. D. The idee ! It s a pity if I can t be out of your 
 sight five minutes t you don t have t look me up. 
 
 SAM. More n half an hour, Janey dear, n I b gun t 
 think mebbe somethin d happened to y . 
 
 MRS. D, Good land, what could happen ? You make me 
 p rvoked. (To ISABEL.) That s jest the way he acts, 
 sence we made up the last time. Tags me around like 
 he was afraid I d git stole. I d clare, I d know but 
 too much love s worse n not enough. 
 
 ISABEL (smiling). I m sure you ought to be thankful for 
 such a devoted husband, Mrs. Dill, and appreciate him. 
 What if some woman not so fortunate should steal him 
 away from you ? 
 
 SAM. Yes, Jane ; think o that. 
 
 MRS. D. I ain t worryin . I guess they d soon be willin 
 t give y back. But I d like t see some woman try 
 it ! She d find out that Sam Dill ain t the hull fam ly, 
 n t she d have me t reckon with. {Going.} Come 
 on, Sam; if y don t, I might git kidnapped. 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 SAM. Ail right, Jane, I m a-comin . (Pauses R.) Fine 
 woman, my Jane; but kind o touchy. Have t be 
 careful not t rub her the wrong way. Loves me, 
 though ; know she does. 
 
 ISABEL. Yes, Mr. Dill, I am sure she does. And I can see 
 that you love her, too. But, do you know, it isn t al 
 ways best to let a woman know she s too sure of you. 
 
 SAM. Guess Jane knows she s sure o me, all right. 
 
 ISABEL. That s just it. Don t neglect her, but don t let 
 all the love making come from your side 
 
 SAM. F I didn t, I guess mebbe they wouldn t be none. 
 You don t know Jane. 
 
 (MRS. D. appears R., out of breath.) 
 
 MRS. D. Good land, Sam Dill, ain t you ever comin ? It 
 don t look none too well, hangin back here t talk to 
 another woman. 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 SAM. Sure, Jane, I m a-comin . (Goes R.) Jest sayin 
 good-bye t this lady. (To ISABEL.) Good-bye, 
 Miss ; hope t see y agin. 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 MRS. D. Oh, y do, eh ? Well, we ll see about that. 
 The idee ! 
 
 ( Tosses her head and exits R. , indignantly. ISABEL laughs ; 
 goes to window, looking out. Enter ALAN and 
 ANGIE R.) 
 
 ISABEL (coming to c.). Good-morning. 
 
 ALAN (bowing, rather distantly). Isn t Mr. Barrett here? 
 
 ISABEL. No 
 
 ANGIE. Good-morning, Miss Underwood. We just 
 dropped in to see Seth a minute. Making plans 
 for a picnic, you know, and I ve been teasing Seth 
 to go. He declares he can t says he has picnic 
 enough on his hands as it is. But I tell him it would 
 distract his mind and goodness knows he has enough 
 to worry him. I think he ought to go. Don t you, 
 Alan? 
 
 ALAN. I suppose he knows best about what he can do, and 
 
 being a lawyer and running for office Of course, 
 
 we want him to go, but I don t suppose he is in just 
 the spirit for such things. ( Goes up, looks out of 
 window.) I wonder where he is. 
 
 ANGIE (up by his side, also looking out}. I can t imagine. 
 There s Dan. Ask him. (Calls.) Dan ! Dan ! 
 Where s Seth ? Oh, he doesn t hear me. I ll run out 
 and ask him. (Goes R.) He ought to know. 
 
 (Exit, R.) 
 
 ISABEL (to ALAN, who stands by window, ignoring her). 
 Mr. Spencer, I I have been wishing for a chance to 
 have a word with you. 
 
 ALAN (turning, coolly). Well? 
 
 ISABEL. I know you haven t a very good opinion of me, 
 and that you think I am here for no good purpose, but 
 I mean to prove to you that you are mistaken. Since I 
 came I have had my eyes opened, I have seen what 
 real love and trust are, or may be, and I I well, I 
 70 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 have changed, somehow. I want to do something 
 right something good and I want you to help me. 
 Will you? 
 
 ALAN (who has come down, much interested as she pro 
 gresses, and with a softened manner}. Why, yes, of 
 course I will, Miss Underwood, if what you say is 
 true ; if you will tell me what I can do, and how. 
 But I don t understand. 
 
 ISABEL. Of course you don t, and there isn t time for an 
 explanation now. (Looks about, anxiously.) But I 
 assure you, I promise you you will not be sorry. 
 What I want you to do is to go and get Miss Conant 
 and bring her here, as soon as possible 
 
 ALAN. Bring her here Miss Conant? But why what 
 for? 
 
 ISABEL. That s where you must trust me. Just go, bring 
 her, unknown to anybody, and produce her when I 
 give you the signal. (Looks L.) Isn t there another 
 room there? 
 
 ALAN {going and looking off L.). Yes. 
 
 ISABEL. And another outside entrance ? 
 
 ALAN. Yes. 
 
 ISABEL. Good. Keep her in there till I tell her to appear. 
 
 ALAN. But if she won t come ? She has promised 
 
 her father, you know 
 
 ISABEL. Tell her it means her happiness and his 
 
 ALAN. Mr. Barrett s? 
 
 ISABEL. Yes. And she will come. Go now ; there is no 
 time to lose. 
 
 {Enter ANGIE, R.) 
 
 ANGIE. Come on, Alan. Guess we d better be going. 
 ALAN. All right. (To ISABEL, close to her.) M m may 
 
 I tell her ? (Indicates ANGIE.) 
 ISABEL. Of course. Take her with you. 
 ANGIE (inclined to be jealous}. Well, if you don t want to 
 
 come 
 
 ALAN. Of course I do. (Goes up) I have something to 
 
 tell you. 
 ANGIE. H m ! I should hope so ! 
 
 (Tosses her head, with a suspicious glance at ISABEL; he 
 urges her out, reassuringly.) 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ALAN. Now, that s all right. I ll explain, and 
 ANGIE. Yes, but I don t see 
 
 (They go off R. ISABEL by window, looking out. She 
 should seem somewhat changed from previous act, hav 
 ing a more womanly and sympathetic manner, except 
 at times in her attitude toward DAVID. After pause y 
 enter DAVID, R., folio wed by JAMES.) 
 
 DAVID. Oh, you re here alone ? Glad of it. Time we 
 had a little talk. 
 
 ISABEL (down to c.). I quite agree with you, Mr. Conant. 
 It is. 
 
 JAMES. Seems t me it s time something was done. Every 
 thing s going Seth Barrett s way. 
 
 DAVID. No such thing. Just a little spurt. There s the 
 whole county to hear from, and I guess I haven t lost 
 my hold yet. But see here, Miss Underwood, I didn t 
 like the way you acted yesterday, and as for Barrett 
 well, the upstart actually turned me out of his house. 
 He defies me says he ll win in spite of me, and 
 Huh ! I d like to see him. But there s no time to 
 lose. When you going to turn that little trick ? 
 
 ISABEL. Soon, Mr. Conant, soon, I assure you ; quite as 
 soon as you possibly can desire. 
 
 DAVID. Well, the sooner the better. Of course, I m not 
 afraid, but well, if you intend to earn that money 
 
 JAMES. That s what I say. All I hear is, "Seth Barrett, 
 Seth Barrett," as if he was the greatest thing that ever 
 happened. I tell you, it looks as if he 
 
 DAVID. Oh, give us a rest. Nobody wants your opinion. 
 Besides, it s nothing but a lot of women and old fogies 
 he s got on his side. 
 
 JAMES. Maybe you think so. But I hear lots of talk, and 
 if it wasn t for this lady here, and what she can do to 
 turn things against him well, all I ve got to say is, 
 you d better get a hustle on. 
 
 DAVID. Oh, shut up. Wait till the time comes and see 
 what happens. 
 
 JAMES. Yes, but what happens may not be just what ll suit 
 you, Dave Conant. 
 
 DAVID. Oh, shut up. Do you think you can scare me? 
 Now, Miss Underwood, I want to know what you in 
 tend to do. 
 
 72 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ISABEL. M m well, if I may speak to you alone for a 
 
 moment? (Glances at JAMES.) 
 
 DAVID. Sure. Jim, you go outside and take a smoke. 
 JAMES. Oh, all right ! Seein you re so blamed secret 
 
 (Exit, R.), 
 
 DAVID. Now, what is it ? Speak up. Somebody may 
 come any minute. 
 
 ISABEL. It won t take me long to say what I have to say. 
 I just want to tell you that I ve changed my mind 
 
 DAVID. Changed your mind? 
 
 ISABEL. Yes. A woman s privilege, you know. 
 
 DAVID. You I don t understand. 
 
 ISABEL. I mean just this, Mr. Conant, that since I came 
 here I have had my eyes opened. I m well, I m not 
 the same woman you saw in New York the one you 
 hired to lend herself to your schemes, with such glow* 
 ing promises. Oh, I know I agreed I wanted money, 
 and it looked like an easy way to get it. But money 
 isn t everything, Mr. Conant, and I ve found out there s 
 something else far better and more worth while. I ve 
 seen what true manhood is, and also what pure, sweet 
 young womanhood is, and what it means to have a 
 good and noble man love you. I ve never had that 
 experience, but well, I don t mean to help cheat some 
 other woman out of it. 
 
 DAVID. Oh, what s all this about, anyway? What s got 
 into you ? You want more money ? 
 
 ISABEL. No, I don t want money not your money. I 
 want my self-respect and the good opinion of those 
 who, because of my association with you, think me bad 
 and unscrupulous. I m not I m not bad I don t 
 mean to be but I haven t had a chance 1 But I have 
 a chance now to do a good act, and I mean to do it. 
 I mean to make you treat your daughter the way she 
 deserves to be treated, David Conant, and to stand no 
 longer in the way of her happiness. I mean to see you 
 give her to the man she loves 
 
 DAVID. Are you crazy? You think 
 
 ISABEL. I think you will tell your daughter that she may 
 be Seth Barrett s wife, and tell him that you give your 
 consent. 
 
 73 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 DAVID. What s got into you? You came here under an 
 agreement to expose Barrett s past, to disgrace him 
 and put him out of the race against me. That s what 
 I promised to pay you for, and now now you tell me 
 I must Ha ! you must be crazy. I don t under 
 stand what s put any such notion into your head, 
 but whatever it was, you might as well get it out again. 
 You needn t think you can scare me with your lofty 
 talk and your high notions. No, ma am ! 
 
 ISABEL. What put it into my head, David Conant, was 
 your own daughter that poor, unhappy and misused 
 girl, who trembles at her own father s name and hides 
 herself when she hears him coming. That s the kind 
 of father you are a tyrant a man who, for his own 
 selfish ends, would break his own daughter s heart ! 
 But 1 tell you, you shan t do it ! 
 
 DAVID. You! You, what can you do? You d better 
 attend to your own affairs, if you know when you re 
 well off. What are you ? Ha f 
 
 ISABEL. We ll let that pass. Just now I have only this to 
 say you will give your consent to your daughter s 
 marriage to Seth Barrett, and give him a fair and 
 square deal in this political business or I will tell all 
 I know about you how you heard in some way that I 
 had known Mr. Barrett years ago, when he was nothing 
 but a silly young boy infatuated with an actress who 
 took advantage of his greenness and almost made a fool 
 of him. But it didn t amount to anything he was 
 innocent, he never did anything that he need be afraid 
 to have the whole world know 
 
 DAVID. But you said you had letters you led me to think 
 that you that he 
 
 ISABEL. I saw your scheme, David Conant, and that you 
 were an unprincipled man, equal to any villainy to 
 carry your own point and I met your cunning with 
 some of my own. And I mean to show you up good 
 and plenty, if you don t do what s right. 
 
 DAVID. Pshaw ! Go ahead. What can you do ? 
 
 ISABEL. I can go to your opponents to the newspapers 
 and tell them the plot to ruin Seth Barrett, and how 
 you promised to pay me five hundred dollars to enter 
 
 into the conspiracy, and Oh, I can do plenty, 
 
 and you know it. I don t mean to I don t want to 
 
 74 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 if you agree to what I ask. Otherwise well, leave it 
 to me. 
 
 DAVID. You wouldn t dare do it. Nobody would believe 
 you, if you did. (He cannot quite conceal the fact that 
 he is ivor r led, but tries to bluff her.} A woman of 
 
 your stamp who had agreed to Pshaw, you re 
 
 just trying to follow your trade and be theatrical; but 
 you can t scare me. 
 
 ISABEL. Very well. But as sure as I stand here, I mean 
 it, and you haven t money enough to stop me, if you 
 refuse to do what I say. I believe you would sell your 
 soul for money and power to rule to have others 
 under your heel. But I ve had my eyes opened, I see 
 through you, and I mean to do a little bit toward put 
 ting you down a peg or two where you belong. 
 
 DAVID (beginning to hedge, but still putting on an air of 
 defiance}. What do you intend to do what do you 
 flatter yourself you can do ? 
 
 ISABEL. I told you. What I can tell will make good read 
 ing, and will help destroy what chance you have of 
 winning the office you are so bound to have. (She 
 stands where she can see out of window, and now sees 
 ALAN and ANGIE, with HELEN, pass from R. to L. 
 They merely glance in and hurry past window. DAVID 
 does not see them. } What is your decision? 
 
 DAVID. You have it. 
 
 {Enter JAMES, R.) 
 
 JAMES. Say, what s all this about? I m tired of waiting. 
 When you coming, squire? 
 
 DAVID. Now. (Goes R.) Now, Jim. But first I want 
 you to look at this woman here. Do you see her ? 
 
 JAMES. Sure I do. (Looks at ISABEL. ) Think I m blind ? 
 
 DAVID. You thought she was a pretty sensible sort of 
 woman, didn t you ? A woman t knew which side her 
 bread was buttered on ? 
 
 JAMES. Why, yes, sure. Seems to be. 
 
 DAVID. Well, she isn t; she s a fool the biggest fool of a 
 woman that ever lived. She thinks she can bluff me 
 scare me and make me do something I don t want to 
 do. Don t that prove what a fool she is, Jim Fergu 
 son ? You know me, and I guess Ha ! she ain t 
 
 75 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 worth noticing. Come on, Jim. We ll find better 
 company and a more profitable way to spend our time. 
 
 (Gives ISABEL a sarcastic, half -defiant look, and exits R. 
 JAMES lingers, watching till DAVID is out of sight, then 
 goes and speaks to ISABEL.) 
 
 JAMES. What s all this about, Miss Underwood ? What s 
 up? Haven t had a break with the boss, have you ? 
 
 ISABEL. He may be your "boss," but he isn t mine. 
 Thank heaven I have a little self-respect left yet, and it 
 isn t too late to prove it. 
 
 JAMES. But I don t understand. Ain t you goin to carry 
 out that little contract ? 
 
 ISABEL. No. I still have a contract on hand, but it s not 
 that one. Ask him what it is, if you want to know. 
 
 JAMES. What ! Do you mean to say you ve flopped gone 
 over to the other side ? 
 
 ISABEL. Yes, that s what I ve done "flopped," gone over 
 to the side of honesty and decency. 
 
 JAMES. Whew! Well, if women don t beat all ! (Goes 
 R., then comes back to c., near ISABEL, speaking confi 
 dentially to her, with a timid look off R.) Say, Miss 
 Underwood, to tell the truth m m when you come 
 right down to it, I don t think any more of him than 
 you do. If it wa n t that I have to watch out and see 
 which side my bread s buttered on, why I d like to 
 see him get it in the neck, myself. (Goes R.) Think 
 he s going to, too, the way things look. You can t tell 
 the boss anything he s so sure of his own power but 
 if Seth Barrett don t come out ahead well, I ll "eat 
 my hat," as the boys say. N I ain t worrying about 
 having to do it, either. 
 
 (Exit R. ISABEL goes R., looking after him, smiling, then 
 walks L. and meets ALAN, as he enters L.) 
 
 ALAN. She s here. Didn t want to come, at first, because 
 she had promised to obey her father and wait, but we 
 told her she must come, and she did. I hope it comes 
 out all right. 
 
 ISABEL. I mean that it shall, Mr. Spencer. Trust me. 
 
 ALAN (doubtfully, then determinedly). I I will. 
 
 ISABEL. Thanks. 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 (Enter ANGIE, L.) 
 
 ANGIE. Helen s just about scared to death. She doesn t 
 know what to make of it all, and she s so afraid she 
 has done wrong coming here, that 1 don t know as 1 
 can keep her. 
 
 ISABEL. I will speak to her. I think I can convince her 
 that it is right and for the best. 
 
 (Exit, L.) 
 
 ANGIE. Dear me, Alan, do you think we ve done right? 
 
 ALAN. I hope so. I don t know what to think of that 
 woman, but she seems sincere, and well, somehow I 
 just had the feeling that she meant all right and that we 
 ought to do as she said, and now I m going to see it 
 through. 
 
 ANGIE. So am I. But what if it goes wrong, and Seth 
 blames us, and and tells you that you can t that I 
 can t Oh, Alan, what if he does? 
 
 ALAN. Now, little pessimist, don t begin to look for trouble 
 before it s anywhere in sight. I ve had a talk or two 
 with that big brother of yours, and I think I have 
 nearly convinced him that I m not the worst fellow in 
 the world, and that I may in time prove worthy even 
 of of winning you, you little darling ! 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, Alan ! 
 
 (He is about to kiss her, but desists suddenly, and she at the 
 same time draws away from him, holding up a warn 
 ing finger.} 
 
 ALAN. M m that s the time I most forgot again. We 
 promised, didn t we? Well, it s a promise that s all- 
 fired hard to keep, that s all I ve got to say. 
 
 ( Enter SETH, R. ) 
 
 SETH. Aha, here you two are again. How does this hap 
 pen 
 
 ALAN. Why, you see we 
 
 ANGIE. Yes, Seth you see we we came to see if we 
 couldn t persuade yon to go to the picnic, and don t 
 you think you can, Seth? We have postponed it, you 
 know. 
 
 ALAN. Yes, Mr. Barrett, do ! 
 
 77 
 
THE VILLAGE LA WYEE 
 
 SETH. Pshaw ! You know I can t spend time to go to a 
 picnic. Besides, I guess you d have a better time if I 
 wasn t along. Looks that way to me. 
 
 ALAN. Do you mean, Mr. Barrett, that we that you 
 that you give your your consent ? 
 
 SETH. Consent to what ? That you go on a picnic ? Of 
 course. Hope you enjoy it. (Up by desk, looking 
 about.} It s the strangest thing what ever became of 
 those letters. Where s Dan ? 
 
 ANGIE. He was out there playing ball a little while ago. 
 
 ALAN ( going to SETH, speaking earnestly, half aside to him). 
 M m I ve got the ring here, Mr. Barrett. (Feels in 
 pocket, taking out diamond engagement ring.} Will you 
 let me put it on ? 
 
 SETH. Do you think it ll fit? (Sticks out his finger.} 
 
 ALAN. Y-yes, the finger it s intended for. Eh, Angie? 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, Alan ! (Looks imploringly at SETH, in wist 
 ful confusion.} Oh, Seth ! 
 
 SETH. Oh, Angie ! Oh, Alan ! Oh, my ! (Hesitates, 
 as if to tease them, then takes ANGIE s hand and gives 
 it to ALAN.) You might try it on and see! (They 
 look at him, in amazed surprise, too happy to speak.} 
 Now run along, children ; I have work to do. 
 
 (ALAN and ANGIE are R. c., SETH up by desk.} 
 
 ALAN (as if to kiss ANGIE, looking at SETH). M m 
 
 can I ? 
 SETH. You look as if you could. I have, lots of times. 
 
 (ALAN kisses ANGIE, just as LOBELIA appears in window 
 and sees them} 
 
 LOBELIA. Laws o mussy ! 
 
 (ALAN and ANGIE run off R) 
 
 SETH. Hello, Lobelia ; where d you come from ? 
 LOBELIA. Jest down t de sto . (She has a feiu packages.} 
 
 Gwine home now, purt soon. Say, Mass Seff, yo* 
 
 gwine let m hab er? 
 SETH. Who (nodding off R.) him ? 
 LOBELIA. Yassah. Yo gwine let im take Miss Angie way 
 
 frum yuh ? 
 SETH. Not yet a while, Lobelia. We can t spare her for a 
 
 73 
 
THE VILLAGE LA WYEB 
 
 long time yet, but some time well, I have found out 
 that he s a fine fellow, after all from a good family, 
 well off, and as Angie seems to love him, and he 
 seems to love her, and well, what you going to do? 
 
 LOBELIA. Oh, dis lub ! Ain dat jes de way it goes? 
 An yo , Mass Seff, what bout yo ? Ain you gwine 
 hab no lub yo V Miss Helyun? 
 
 SETH. Oh, Lobelia, why, of course we are, all the love in 
 the world. That ll come out all right, don t you worry. 
 We may have to wait a while, but it will be worth 
 waiting for. There, now, you trot along home, or we 
 won t have any dinner. 
 
 LOBELIA. Trot? Laws o mussy, wha yo take me fo ; 
 t ink I se gwine trot? He! he! Guess mah trott n 
 days done gone by. He ! he ! Laws o mussy ! 
 Trot ! 
 
 (She disappears to L. SETH stands looking out of window 
 after her, laughing ; after a pause turtis, sees ISABEL, 
 who enters L.) 
 
 SETH. Miss Underwood ! Here ! you ? 
 
 ISABEL. Yes. I told you I should be here, and that I 
 should have something to say, and something to give 
 you. What I have to say, Mr. Barrett, is this I want 
 you to forgive me for anything I have said, anything 
 that I may have seemed to do, or to be about to do, to 
 injure you. I am sorry. I am going away to-day 
 back to New York and you will never see me nor hear 
 from me again. And what I have to give you is tins 
 these. {Opens hand-bag, takes out packet of letters, 
 and offers them to him.) Take them they are yours. 
 
 SETH. I don t understand. Only yesterday 
 
 ISABEL. I know. Only yesterday a few days ago I was 
 a different woman. Since then well, something has 
 come over me. I have had my eyes opened. Another 
 woman has appealed to me her tenderness, her in 
 nocence, her sorrow, and - Oh, I don t suppose 
 you can understand you won t believe me, perhaps, 
 but it s true it s true and I mean to prove to you 
 that I am sincere 
 
 (He looks at her, doubtfully, not inclined wholly to believe. 
 in her. She stands u. c. , he c. She is about to open 
 
 79 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 hand-bag, when DAN runs in R., excited , with one hand 
 behind him. He pauses, dismayed, when he sees 
 ISABEL.) 
 
 SETH. Well, sir, what do you want ? 
 DAN. N-nothing. I just I was just 
 
 (He shows an inclination to retreat, but SETH detains him, 
 noticing what is in hand behind his back.) 
 
 SETH. Wait a minute. You have something to tell me. 
 What is this ? 
 
 ( Takes hold of his arm and reveals the hidden hand, which 
 holds bunch of letters.) 
 
 DAN. Why, that s that s them letters, Mr. Barrett. You 
 
 see, I I thought 
 
 SETH. Letters ? What letters ? Let s see. 
 
 (DAN gives him the letters, which he glances at, puzzled. 
 ISABEL also is greatly surprised and interested. SETH 
 unties letters, looks them over quickly, amazed) 
 
 DAN. You see, she she said she could 
 
 SETH (handing letters to ISABEL, who takes them with be 
 wilderment). I believe these belong to you. 
 
 ISABEL (looking at letters). Why, these are these are 
 not 
 
 SETH. And now, sir, what have you to say for yourself? 
 Where did you get those letters ? 
 
 DAN. Why, I I reached in the window and took em, 
 when she said she could use em to hurt you, and I I 
 meant it all right, Mr. Barrett. I wanted to help you 
 and get the best of her, and I thought 
 
 SETH. But these letters are not the ones I ve been looking 
 
 for, the ones that 1 must have. If the others 
 
 (Struck by a sudden suspicion, looking at ISABEL.) Ah 
 you 
 
 ISABEL (taking other packet of letters from bag and hand 
 ing them to him). Perhaps these r- 
 
 SETH ( looking at letters, finding the one most important letter, 
 taking it from envelope). Ah -I see. You did take 
 them. And tin s one I suppose you have learned its 
 contents. I might have known. 
 80 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ISABEL. No. You wrong me. I didn t even know that I 
 had those letters in my possession. Even had I done 
 so, I would not have used them against you. 
 
 SETH. Ho ! A likely story. You didn t know 
 
 ISABEL. No. I thought they were the others the letters I 
 had when I came here the ones you wrote to me, long 
 ago. 
 
 SETH. Then how 
 
 DAN. That s so, Mr. Barrett. That s the truth. You 
 see, I changed em. I took the others, so she couldn t 
 use em against you, and grabbed up some others from 
 the desk and put em in their place, so she wouldn t 
 miss em then I went and hid her bunch under the 
 steps. I meant all right, Mr. Barrett, honest I did. I 
 wanted to help you. 
 
 SETH (unable to hide his amusement). H m well, I guess 
 you ve helped me, all right. Now you d better skedad 
 dle. I ll attend to your case later. 
 
 (DAN looks relieved , murmurs, "Honest I did" etc.; 
 exit R.) 
 
 ISABEL. Well ! 
 
 SETH. Some kid, isn t he ? 
 
 ISABEL. I should say so. If you had a few more cham 
 pions like him, I guess But now I hope you be 
 lieve me, and I want you to take these letters. 
 
 {Offers him the original packet.} 
 
 SETH. Thank you. They are yours. I don t want them. 
 
 ISABEL (trying to make him take them). But I want you to 
 take them just to show that you believe I am sin 
 cere (He still refuses them, turning up to desk, 
 
 looking at other letters ; she unties her letters and one 
 by one tears them into small bits, throwing pieces into 
 waste-basket.) There, they are gone. As for those 
 others you must believe me : I never looked at them 
 they never were out of my possession. Oh, I wish I 
 could prove it. I want you to believe it you shall ! 
 
 {Enter ANGIE, L., followed by ALAN. She looks off to R., 
 
 in trepidation.) 
 
 81 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 ANGIE. Oh, Seth, here comes Mr. Conant, and I m afraid 
 
 Helen (Sees ISABEL, pauses.) 
 
 ALAN. Angle ! 
 
 SETH. What is it ? What about Helen ? 
 
 ANGIE. Why, you see, she we 
 
 ALAN. Yes, Mr. Barrett, we 
 
 (ISABEL has gone L. ; exits just as DAVID enters R.) 
 
 DAVID. Oh, you re here, are you, Barrett ? Glad of it. I 
 hear my daughter was seen coming in this direction a 
 few minutes ago. Don t you think you d better pro 
 duce her ? 
 
 (He is R. c. ; SETH, c. ; ANGIE and ALAN, L.) 
 
 SETH. Your daughter is not here, Mr. Conant. I haven t 
 
 seen her to-day. 
 DAVID. A likely story. She was seen coming in here, not 
 
 ten minutes ago 
 
 (He crosses to L., as if to go out there, but is stopped by 
 ALAN.) 
 
 ALAN. Just one minute, please. 
 
 DAVID {pushing him aside}. Stand aside ! What have 
 you got to say about it ? 
 
 ANGIE (stepping up to him, indignantly). Don t you talk to 
 him like that ! He s my friend, and we we re en 
 gaged, and 
 
 DAVID. Huh ! 
 
 {Disdaining them, he is about to force his way out L., when 
 he is met by ISABEL, leading HELEN, and falls back.) 
 
 ISABEL. Here is your daughter, Mr. Conant, ready to 
 claim your promise. 
 
 DAVID. Promise ! I didn t make any promise. She d 
 better come with me 
 
 HELEN. No, father, not unless unless you give your con 
 sent 
 
 SETH {going to her). Helen, what does this mean ? Why 
 are you here ? You said you would be patient, and 
 wait. 
 
 ISABEL. There is nothing to wait for, Mr. Barrett. Mr. 
 Conant consents to give you his daughter. He realizes 
 82 
 
THE VILLAGE LAWYER 
 
 that her happiness lies with you, that he has made a 
 mistake, and he wishes to atone. (Turns to DAVID, 
 speaking with deep meaning.) Isn t that the case, 
 Mr. Conant? 
 
 DAVID (somewhat reluctantly, but realizing that he is 
 cornered}. Oh, well, I I suppose if she s so set on 
 having him, and he wants her, and and they re bound 
 
 to have each other (To SETH. ) But I want you 
 
 to understand that I m doing it of my own free will, 
 and that I still intend to beat you out in that election, 
 if I can do it and I can ! but I m not going to have 
 folks saying I don t care for my daughter, and that I 
 stand in the way of her happiness, because of politics. 
 
 HELEN (going to him, throwing her arms about his neck}. 
 Oh, father ! Father, you make me so happy ! 
 
 (He releases her, but not without a show of affection.) 
 
 SETH. Thank you, squire; and I don t think you will 
 regret it. After all, if if I should beat you and I 
 mean to do it, you know, if I can and I think I can ! 
 (this with a twinkle of amusement) why, it ll be all 
 
 in the family You may not be a district attorney, 
 
 but you ll have one for a son-in-law. 
 
 DAVID (tiot inclined to accept the argument, but still with 
 a manner suggesting that he yields good-naturedly.) 
 H m \ Maybe I will, and maybe I won t ! I reckon a 
 few of the voters will have something to say about that. 
 
 (Ife has gone to R. ; now, without another word and with 
 out looking at any of the others, exits quickly R., as if 
 anxious to avoid further discussion. ISABEL walks to 
 R. c., about to follow him. SETH is c., with HELEN 
 by him ; ALAN and ANGIE, L. c.) 
 
 ISABEL. And now will you say good-bye to me ? 
 SETH. Why, yes, of course and good luck to you. 
 
 (ffe offers her his hand, which, after an instant s hesitation, 
 and some emotion, she takes. Then, again about to 
 go, she glances tenderly at HELEN, saying, " Good 
 bye." HELEN goes to her, kisses her.) 
 
 ISABEL. Thank you ! 
 
 83 
 
THE VILLAGE LA WYER 
 
 (Without another word, but showing that she is deeply 
 moved by HELEN S caress, she slowly exits R. HELEN 
 looks after her, with an expression that shows some 
 thing akin to tenderness. SETH also seems touched, 
 and ALAN and ANGIE stand close together, L., looking 
 on with sympathetic interest. HELEN goes to SETH.) 
 
 HELEN. Oh, Seth, we we feel kindly toward her and 
 
 toward my father and and everybody don t we? 
 SETH. Yes, dear yes ; toward all the world ! 
 
 (He takes her in his arms ; she buries her face on his 
 shoulder and he kisses her on forehead. ALAN puts 
 his arm about ANGIE, kisses her. SAM and MRS. D. 
 appear in window, unnoticed, greatly surprised, but 
 beaming joyfully ; he attempts to kiss her, she cuffs 
 him playfully, he persists and she lets him get the kiss. 
 LOBELIA appears R., sees HELEN in SETH S arms, raises 
 her hands, then clasps them together rapturously.) 
 
 LOBELIA. Laws o mussy ! 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
Unusually Good Entertainments 
 
 Read One or More of These Before Deciding on 
 Your Next Program 
 
 GRADUATION DAY AT WOOD HILL SCHOOL. 
 
 An Entertainment in Two Acts, by WARD MACAULEY. For six 
 males and four females, with several minor parts. Time of 
 playing, two hours. Modern costumes. Simple interior scenes; 
 may be presented in a hall without scenery. The unusual com 
 bination of a real "entertainment," including music, recitations, 
 etc., with an interesting love story. The graduation exercises 
 include short speeches, recitations, songs, funny interruptions, 
 and a comical speech by a country school trustee. Price, 15 
 cents. 
 
 EXAMINATION DAY AT WOOD HILL SCHOOL. 
 
 An Entertainment in One Act, by WARD MACAULEY. Eight male 
 and six female characters, with minor parts. Plays one hour. 
 Scene, an easy interior, or may be given without scenery. Cos 
 tumes, modern. Miss Marks, the teacher, refuses to marry a 
 trustee, who threatens to discharge her. The examination in 
 cludes recitations and songs, and brings out many funny answers 
 to questions. At the close Robert Coleman, an old lover, claims 
 the teacher. Very easy and very effective. Price, 15 cents. 
 
 BACK TO THE COUNTRY STORE. A Rural Enter 
 tainment in Three Acts, by WARD MACAULEY. For four male 
 and five female characters, with some supers. Time, two hours. 
 Two scenes, both easy interiors. Can be played effectively with 
 out scenery. Costumes, modern. All the principal parts are 
 sure hits. Quigley Higginbotham, known as "Quig," a clerk in 
 a country store, aspires to be a great author or singer and 
 decides to try his fortunes in New York. The last scene is in 
 Quig s home. He returns a failure but is offered a partnership 
 in the country store. He pops the question in the midst of a 
 surprise party given in his honor. Easy to do and very funny. 
 Price, 15 cents. 
 
 THE DISTRICT CONVENTION. A Farcical Sketch 
 in One Act, by FRANK DUMONT. For eleven males and one 
 female, or twelve males. Any number of other parts or super 
 numeraries may be added. Plays forty-five minutes. No special 
 scenery is required, and the costumes and properties are all 
 easy. The play shows an uproarious political nominating con 
 vention. The climax comes when a woman s rights cham 
 pion, captures the convention. There is a great chance to bur 
 lesque modern politics and to work in local gags. Every 
 part will make a hit. Price, 15 cents. 
 
 SI SLOCUM S COUNTRY STORE. An Entertainment 
 in One Act, by FRANK DUMONT. Eleven male and five female 
 characters with supernumeraries. Several parts may be doubled. 
 Plays one hour. Interior scene, or may be played without set 
 scenery. Costumes, modern. The rehearsal for an entertain 
 ment in the village church gives plenty of opportunity for 
 specialty work. A very jolly entertainment of the sort adapted 
 to almost any place or occasion. Price, 15 cents. 
 
 THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
Unusually Good Entertainments 
 
 Read One or More of These Before Deciding on 
 Your Next Program 
 
 A SURPRISE PARTY AT BRINKLEY S. An En 
 tertainment in One Scene, by WARD MACAULEY. Seven male and 
 seven female characters. Interior scene, or may be given with 
 out scenery. Costumes, modern. Time, one hour. By the 
 author of the popular successes, "Graduation Day at Wood Hill 
 School," "Back to the Country Store," etc. The villagers have 
 planned a birthday surprise party for Mary Brinkley, recently 
 graduated from college. They all join in jolly games, songs, 
 conundriims, etc., and Mary becomes engaged, which surprises 
 the surprisers. The entertainment is a sure success. Price, 15 cents,, 
 
 JONES VS. JINKS. A Mock Trial in One Act, by 
 EDWARD MUMFORD. Fifteen male and six female characters, with 
 supernumeraries if desired. May be played all male. Many of the 
 parts (members of the jury, etc.) are small. Scene, a simple 
 interior ; may be played without scenery. Costumes, modern. 
 Time of playing, one hour. This mock trial has many novel 
 features, unusual characters and quick action. Nearly every 
 character has a funny entrance and laughable lines. There are 
 many rich parts, and fast fun throughout. Price, 15 cents. 
 
 THE SIGHT-SEEING CAR. A Comedy Sketch in One 
 Act, by ERNEST M. GOULD. For seven males, two females, or 
 may be all male. Parts may be doubled, with quick changes, so 
 that four persons may play the sketch. Time, forty-five minutes. 
 Simple street scene. Costumes, modern. The superintendent 
 of a sight-seeing automobile engages two men to run the 
 machine. A Jew, a farmer, a fat lady and other humorous 
 characters give them all kinds of trouble. This is a regular gat- 
 ling-gun stream of rollicking repartee. Price, 15 cents. 
 
 THE CASE OF SMYTHE VS. SMITH. An Original 
 Mock Trial in One Act, by FRANK DUMONT. Eighteen males 
 arid two females, or may be all male. Plays about one hour. 
 Scene, a county courtroom ; requires no scenery ; may be played 
 in an ordinary hall. Costumes, modern. This entertainment is 
 nearly perfect of its kind, and a sure success. It can be easily 
 produced in any place or on any occasion, and provides almost 
 any number of good parts. Price, 15 cents. 
 
 THE OLD MAIDS ASSOCIATION. A Farcical Enter 
 tainment in One Act, by LOUISE LATHAM WILSON. For thirteen 
 females and one male. The male part may be played by a 
 female, and the number of characters increased to twenty or 
 more. Time, forty minutes. The play requires neither scenery 
 nor properties, and very little in the way of costumes. Can 
 easily be prepared in one or two rehearsals. Price, 25 cents. 
 
 BARGAIN DAY AT BLOOMSTEIN S. A Farcical 
 Entertainment in One Act, by EDWARD MUMFORD. For five males 
 and ten females, with supers. Interior scene. Costumes, mod 
 ern. Time, thirty minutes. The characters and the situations 
 which arise from their endeavors to buy and sell make rapid-fire 
 fun from start to finish. Price, 15 cents. 
 
 THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
The vi Ha 
 
 743437 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
The Power of Expression 
 
 Expression and efficiency go hand in hand. 
 
 The power of clear and forceful expression brings confi 
 dence and poise at all times- in private gatherings, in public 
 discussion, in society, in business. 
 
 It is an invaluable asset to any man or woman. It can often 
 be turned into money, but it is always a real joy. 
 
 In learning to express thought, we learn to commai * 
 thought itself, and thought is power. You can have this 
 power if you will. 
 
 Whoever has the power of clear expression is always sure 
 of himself. ^ 
 
 The power of expression leads to: $3 
 
 4 *"tt 
 The ability to think "on your feetr, ^ * 
 
 Successful public speaking 
 
 Effective recitals ^ * n ^ 
 
 The mastery over other minds *u <5*> 
 
 Social prominence ) H 
 
 Business success ^ * 
 
 Efficiency in any undertaking l5 jj 
 
 Are these things worth while? ^ ! 
 
 $ p* 
 
 They are all successfully taught at The Nation^ School 5* 
 Elocution and Oratory, which during many years has De 
 veloped this power in hundreds of men and women 
 
 A catalogue giving full information as to how any of thef^e 
 accomplishments may be attained will be sent free on request 
 
 THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF 
 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY 
 
 Parkway Building Philadelphia