PS 
 
 3501 
 
 N57 
 
 O9 
 
 1913 
 
 MAIN 
 
 UC-NRLF 
 
 Mfi flbl 
 

)ur Children 
 
 LOUIS K. ANSPACHER 
 
 UBRARYEOmO? 
 
 SAMUEL FRENCH, 25 West 45th St., New York 
 
OUR CHILDREN 
 
 A COMEDY-DRAMA IN THREE ACTS 
 
 BY 
 LOUIS K. ANSPACHER 
 
 Author of "The Unc hastened Woman "Tristan and 
 
 Isolde" "The Glass House," "The Washerwoman 
 
 Duchess" "Daymar," and other plays 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1913 (UNDER TITLE, "His SON"), BY 
 Louis K. ANSPACHER 
 
 All Rights Reserved 
 
 CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that 
 "OUR CHILDREN," being fully protected under the copy 
 right laws of the United States of America, the British Em 
 pire, including the Dominion of Canada, and the other coun 
 tries of the Copyright Union, is subject to a royalty, and any 
 one presenting the play without the consent of the author or 
 liis authorized agents will be liable to the penalties by law 
 provided. Applications for the acting rights must be made to 
 Samuel French, at 25 West 45th Street, New York City, or at 
 811 West 7th Street, Los Angeles, Calif. 
 
 SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. 
 
 25 WEST 45TH STREET, NEW YORK, N. Y. 
 
 811 WEST TTH STREET, Los ANGELES, CALIF. 
 
 SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. 
 26 SOUTHAMPTON STREET, STRAND, W.C.2, LONDON 
 
"OUR CHILDREN" 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
 
 Especial notice should be taken that the possession of this 
 book without a valid contract for production first having 
 been obtained from the publisher confers no right or license 
 to professionals or amateurs to produce the play publicly or 
 in private for gain or charity. 
 
 In its present form this play is dedicated to the reading 
 public only, and no performance, representation, production, 
 recitation, public reading or radio broadcasting may be given 
 except by special arrangement with Samuel French, at 25 
 West 45th Street, New York City, or at 811 West 7th Street, 
 Los Angeles, Calif. 
 
 This play may be presented by amateurs upon payment of 
 a royalty of Twenty-Five Dollars for each performance, pay 
 able to Samuel French, at 25 West 45th Street, New York, 
 or at 811 West 7th Street, Los Angeles, Calif., one week 
 before the date when the play is given. 
 
 Whenever the play is produced the following notice must 
 appear on all programs, printing and advertising for the 
 play: "Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French." 
 
 Attention is called to the penalty provided by law for any 
 infringement of the author s rights, as follows: 
 
 "SECTION 4966 : Any person publicly performing or repre 
 senting any dramatic or musical composition for which copy 
 right has been obtained, without the consent of the proprietor 
 of said dramatic or musical composition, or his heirs and 
 assigns, shall be liable for damages thereof, such damages in 
 all cases to be assessed at such sum, not less than one hun 
 dred dollars for the first and fifty dollars for every subse 
 quent performance, as to the court shall appear to be just. 
 If the unlawful performance and representation^ wilful and 
 for profit, such person or persons shall be guilty of a mis 
 demeanor, and upon conviction shall be imprisoned for a 
 period not exceeding one year." U. S. Revised Statutes: 
 Title 60, Chap. 3. 
 
C>*L 
 1115 
 
 Copy of program of the original production of "OUR 
 CHILDREN" at the Maxine Elliot Theatre, New Yor^k; , . 
 
 GEORGE MOOSER 
 (In association with The Marbury-Comstock Company) 
 
 Presents 
 
 "OUR CHILDREN" 
 
 A Comedy-Drama in Three Acts 
 
 By LOUIS K. ANSPACHER 
 
 CAST 
 
 WILLIBALD ENGEL (WILLY) Emmett Corrigan 
 
 THEODORE, his son Ralph Morgan 
 
 HERTHA, his daughter Christine Norman 
 
 SOPHY, the maid Elizabeth Aariens 
 
 ANASTASIUS SCHEIBLE (STASI) Albert Bruning 
 
 ROSIE, his niece Amy Dennis 
 
 SPENCER HUTTON, a banker Arthur Lewis 
 
 HARRIET, his daughter Alma Tell 
 
 VAUGHAN LELAND, a broker from Boston 
 
 Gavin Harris 
 RICHARD HELLMAN, foreman in Engel s factory 
 
 Alphonz Ethier 
 CARTER, Engel s confidential man John McKee 
 
 SYNOPSIS OF SCENES 
 
 ACT I. Dining room in Willibald Engel s new home. 
 
 October. 
 
 ACT II. The same. Two years later. 
 ACT III. Combination living room and shoeshop of 
 
 Willibald. Two years later. 
 PLACE : City of Lynn, Massachusetts. 
 
 264 
 
DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTERS 
 
 THEODORE: Is 24, with the naive selfishness of vi 
 tality. 
 
 ROSIE: Is about 17. 
 
 SOPHY : Is a middle-aged woman. 
 
 HERTHA : Is a young woman of about 30. 
 
 WILLY: Is a vital, robust type of old-fashioned 
 German. He is about 55. He is active, aggres 
 sive and irascible in manner, obstinate when op 
 posed, but at heart big and kindly. He is 
 dressed in ordinary clothes, but is scrupulously 
 neat. He zvears an old-fashionel collar, a white 
 linen bow tie. He is in shirt-sleeves, which are 
 rolled up. 
 
 STASI : Is approximately WILLY S age. He is a dis 
 tinctively different type from WILLY. WILLY 
 is the energetic, active type of German. STASI 
 is slender, reflective and scholarly in appearance 
 and manner. He wears his hair slightly long. 
 His English is quite accurate, though his in 
 tonation is foreign. 
 
 LELAND: Is a man of the world, about 35 years, 
 smooth in manner. 
 
 CARTER : Is a man of 45, silent in manner. 
 
 RICHARD HELLMAN : Is sturdy, well-made and inde 
 pendent. 
 
 HARRIET HUTTON : Is a self-contained young wom 
 an of 21. She is beautifully gowned. 
 
 HUTTON : Is the complete type of reserved New 
 England gentleman. 
 5 
 
OUR CHILDREN 
 
 ACT ONE 
 
 SCENE: The stage presents the dining-room in the 
 new house built by WILLIBALD ENGEL. It is the 
 first Sunday that the family has spent in the 
 new place, and the scene must give the impres 
 sion of unscratched newness. The rear wall has 
 two large arches in it, the one R.C. leads to stairs 
 which are visible. The arch on L.C. leads to the 
 hall and front door of the house. This arch has 
 double doors, both of which are open in Act I. 
 Between the two arches is the large sideboard. 
 Down R. is swinging door which leads to the but 
 ler s pantry. Down L. are French windows, open 
 ing on the veranda. Trees with autumn foliage 
 are seen beyond. At c. of room is a large, highly 
 polished table, above which is Tiffany glass chan 
 delier with an illuminating bowl. The table has 
 finger bozvls, glasses and after dinner coffee cups 
 upon it. Also a bowl of fruit and an ashtray. At 
 wall R. is a serving table with a humidor and 
 percolator upon it. Up L. is a desk with a tele 
 phone upon it. There are three chairs at table, 
 a chair down L. and a chair down R. There is 
 a small lamp on the desk up L. and wall brackets 
 on either side of the sideboard rear and over 
 the stairs. The chairs ought to be high-backed 
 and straight. It is about three P. M. 
 7 
 
8 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 ENTER: THEODORE R.C., bringing on ROSIE from 
 stairs. THEODORE is smoking a cigarette. He is 
 twenty-four, with the naive selfishness of vital 
 ity. ROSIE is about seventeen. 
 
 THEODORE. Well, Rosie, what do you think of it? 
 Some house, eh? 
 
 ROSIE. (Enthusiastically) Oh, the house is beau 
 tiful, Theodore. Where s everybody? 
 
 THEODORE. Everybody s busy. 
 
 ROSIE. I ll come back tomorrow and help Hertha 
 straighten out the rooms upstairs. (Moves to L.) 
 
 THEODORE. (Following her) What s the hurry? 
 
 ROSIE. I just ran over to see if I could help in 
 anything. 
 
 THEODORE. Now, now, you just sit down. (Puts 
 her in a chair L. of table) I want to talk to you 
 just you, alone. (Sits on table c.) I haven t told 
 you the most important thing of all. 
 
 ROSIE. (Eagerly) No? What is it? 
 
 THEODORE. (Flicking ashes from cigarette) 
 Rosie 
 
 ROSIE. Oh, don t throw your ashes on the floor. 
 Here. (Gives him a tray from table c.) 
 
 THEODORE. Thanks. 
 
 ROSIE. Well? 
 
 THEODORE. (Importantly) Rosie, it s finally set 
 tled. Dad s bought me a partnership. I m going into 
 the brokerage business with Mr. Vaughn Leland. 
 
 ROSIE. Isn t that splendid! But (Her face 
 
 suddenly falls.) 
 
 THEODORE. What s the matter? 
 
 ROSIE. You re going to leave Lynn? 
 
 THEODORE. Oh, no. Leland s going to run the 
 Boston office. I m going to run the branch right 
 here. 
 
 ROSIE. (Relieved) Oh, then you see it would be 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 9 
 
 terrible for us I mean your father would miss you 
 so terribly, if you went away. 
 
 THEODORE. Only Father? 
 
 ROSIE. Oh, and Hertha, and all of us, I guess. 
 Does Uncle Stasi know? 
 
 THEODORE. Not yet. You re the first one I ve told 
 about it, Rosie. I m going to make a success ! 
 
 ROSIE. (Admiringly) Oh, yes, you will, Theo 
 dore. 
 
 THEODORE. (Swaggering) And when I get the 
 business going and am idependent, Rosie, I ll have 
 something to say to you. ( ROSIE looks down, con 
 fused and bashful. THEODORE comes close to her) 
 Rosie, do you think your Uncle Stasi would miss 
 you as much as you think my dad would miss me? 
 
 ROSIE. I don t know, Theodore. (Rising) Oh, 
 but Uncle Stasi may be missing me now. 
 
 THEODORE. (Holding her) Well, from now on, 
 he might as well get used to it. Because, in a little 
 while, you know, somebody s going to come and 
 take you away from him entirely, and keep you all 
 for himself. Now ah can you guess who it is? 
 
 ROSIE. (Laughing happily) I couldn t possibly! 
 (BOTH laugh.) 
 
 THEODORE. Say, how d you like to go for a spin ? 
 Just we two alone, eh? 
 
 ROSIE. Oh, Theodore, I d love it. Only I couldn t 
 go without telling Uncle Stasi. ^ 
 
 THEODORE. All right. I ll just get things ready 
 and bring the car round for you in half an hour. 
 Don t be late. 
 
 ROSIE. (Going to French window) I ll be waiting. 
 And I ll have a surprise for you. 
 
 THEODORE. What? 
 
 ROSIE. (Happily, secretive) Just think of some 
 thing blue. 
 
 THEODORE. I will. (RosiE exits through the French 
 windows. SOPHY enters from down R. She is a 
 
io OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 middle-aged woman. She carries a tray and goes 
 immediately to the table c. and begins to gather up 
 the dishes. The PHONE bell rings.) 
 
 SOPHY. (Confused at the bell) Schon wieder a 
 mal a bell ! 
 
 THEODORE. I ll answer it. ( SOPHY busies herself 
 at table. THEODORE goes to phone on desk up L.) 
 Hello Hello. Yes, this is Mr. Engel s home who 
 is it? Oh, this you, Mr. Leland? Why, I thought 
 you were in Boston. Yes, where are you? Oh, 
 then, I ll come right down. Not more than ten min 
 utes sure goodbye. (In boyish excitement he goes 
 to hall L.C. and gets his motor coat, etc. Another 
 BELL RINGS. HERTHA enters R. from pantry. 
 HERTHA is a young woman of about thirty. J 
 
 SOPHY. (To HERTHA,) Wat fer a bell ish dat 
 now? 
 
 HERTHA. (Stopping SOPHY, who starts R.J Sophy, 
 nobody s there. ( SOPHY shrugs her shoulders and 
 goes to table again.) 
 
 THEODORE. (Entering from L.C. in motor coat) 
 Oh, Hertha, tell Dad, Mr. Leland is in town again. 
 I ll motor down to see him at the hotel. (BELL 
 rings again.) 
 
 HERTHA. Papa s at the front door. (She takes 
 fruit bowl from table c. and puts it on serving ta 
 ble.) 
 
 THEODORE. Oh, then I ll tell him myself. Tata. 
 (Exits L.C. BELL rings again.) 
 
 SOPHY. (Nervously^ Nix wie bells! 
 
 HERTHA. Papa s fixing them. 
 
 SOPHY. Yah, fixing! I wish he d go way mit his 
 fixing und leave us alone til we get seddled ! I 
 wish it was neffer Sunday mit a man around de 
 house fixing, wen we got work to do ! Til your fader 
 gets trou mit his fixing, I get fixed in a loonatick 
 asylum! (She moves the tray across the table. Her 
 jaw falls as she discovers a scratch. She exclaims 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN n 
 
 "Ach du lieber Gott!" Looks about fearfully; mois 
 tens her finger ; tries to conceal the damage. At this 
 point an ELECTRIC BELL is heard ringing off R., 
 intermittently.) 
 
 HERTHA. (During above, has gone to French win 
 dows; calls out) Papa ! It rings all right now. (The 
 bell stops. SOPHY starts rubbing at the table. HER 
 THA sees her) Sophy, what s the matter? 
 
 SOPHY. (Exculpating herself) You can t help 
 dem scratches w en we don d use no tablecloths. 
 
 HERTHA. Get the furniture polish quickly. 
 
 SOPHY. (Going Rj Yah, in a minute he hollers 
 again about de scratches. 
 
 HERTHA. Hurry, Sophy. 
 
 SOPHY. (Balking at the swinging door to the pan 
 try) Und dis door dat gits me crazy, too. Dot s 
 got no kinob ! 
 
 HERTHA. Just push it. 
 
 SOPHY. I know- I know I push it w en I dink 
 about it, but I can t always dink about it. (Exits Rj 
 
 WILLY. (Calling from off rear L.C. ) Hertha ! 
 
 HERTHA. (Clearing the table of doilies, which 
 she puts in a sideboard drawer) Yes, Papa. 
 
 WILLY. Does it say de front door on de indicator? 
 
 HERTHA. (Patiently) Yes, Papa. 
 
 WILLY. How do you know? 
 
 HERTHA. I saw it in the pantry. 
 
 WILLY. All right. ( SOPHY enters R. hastily with 
 the furniture polish and a rag. She just avoids the 
 door that swings quickly behind her.) 
 
 SOPHY. Here it is. ( SOPHY and HERTHA polish 
 the scratch.) 
 
 WILLY. (Calling again from off rear L.c.J Hertha ! 
 Hertha! (WiLLY enters, carrying hammer, screw 
 driver, etc. WILLY is a vital, robust type of old- 
 fashioned German. He is about fifty-five. He is ac 
 tive, aggressive and irascible in manner, obstinate 
 when opposed, but at heart big and kindly. He is 
 
12 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 dressed in ordinary clothes, but is scrupulously neat. 
 He wears an old-fashioned collar, a white linen bow 
 tie. He is in shirt-sleeves, which are rolled up) 
 Hertha, Sophy must shine up dat doorplate, und de 
 kinocker, too ! 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, Papa. 
 
 WILLY. (Coming down R.cJ You hear me, 
 Sophy ? 
 
 SOPHY. I got two ears. I heard you mit both of 
 dem. 
 
 WILLY. (Betraying his irritation at SOPHY) I 
 hat a donkey once dat hat two ears und long ones, 
 too! 
 
 SOPHY. (R. of table) W at for we got a kinocker 
 w en we got a bell ? 
 
 WILLY. (Bursting) I don t know what for we 
 got a kinocker ! But we got it, und you got to shine 
 him up! We must be shiny on de outside, like de 
 inside. ( SOPHY grumbles.) 
 
 HERTHA. I ll tend to it. 
 
 WILLY. (Pleased and proud) All de bells ring 
 fine now, hah? I fixed dem, ha? Anything else in 
 de house to fix? You better tell me, while I got yet 
 time. 
 
 HERTHA. We ll tell you. (Takes things off table. 
 WILLY goes up to the wall rear and turns on electric 
 switch, which LIGHTS the lights in chandelier and 
 on the walls and also in the hall. As the lights go on 
 above the table, SOPHY coz f ers the scratch with her 
 apron.) 
 
 WILLY. (Proudly) Now, mit one button we light 
 all de lights. Swonderful! (Seeing SOPHY S guilty 
 expression) More scratches on dat table ! (Coming 
 down) Sophy ! ! (He puts down both hands full of 
 tools on the table in his consternation.) 
 
 SOPHY. Jusht look now w at you do yourself mit 
 scratches ! 
 
 WILLY. (Quickly removing the tools) Shtill ! 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 13 
 
 SOPHY. When you don d use no tablecloths 
 
 WILLY. Don t arg mit me! W en my Theodore 
 says we don d use no tablecloths, dot seddles it. 
 (HERTHA turns off LIGHTS at switch in wall rear. 
 SOPHY has picked up her tray of dishes and has 
 gone to R. door.) 
 
 SOPHY. (Sneeringly, as she crosses to pantry) 
 Yah ! Dat seddles it ! Dat seddles it ! (Ad lib.) 
 
 WILLY. Yah, shure, dat seddles it! ( SOPHY has 
 lifted her foot to push open R. door. WILLY exclaims 
 excitedly) Sophy!! (She turns.) Why don d you 
 hook back dot door wen you go to de butler s pan 
 try? 
 
 SOPHY. (Turning, argumentatively) I wash my 
 dishes in de kitchen. 
 
 WILLY. (Dictatorially) You wash em in de but 
 ler s pantry, like Theodore told you. (HERTHA holds 
 back the door.) 
 
 SOPHY. (Angrily) We ain t got no butteler yet in 
 de pantry, und de water s dirty. 
 
 HERTHA. (To SOPHYJ Psch! 
 
 WILLY. (Angrily) Den turn him on full, and let 
 him run til he gits clean! De pipes is new! Go 
 ahead! ( SOPHY exits R.J Gott, dat Sophy! Phew! 
 She was goot to your modder so long your modder 
 was alive; but, for twenty-five years now, she s a 
 pest. (Sits L. of table, tools in his hands.) 
 
 HERTHA. She ll be all right, Papa, when we get 
 settled. 
 
 WILLY. (Rising and going to another chair down 
 L.) We move on Wednesday; now, it s Sunday. 
 Fer a whole week I live like a bum hotel. 
 
 HERTHA. (Putting bowl of flowers from side 
 board on table c.) Everything s new to her. 
 
 WILLY. (Beaming) Everyding new ha ! (Grim 
 ly) Now comes de bills. (Rising) Ach, Hertha, I 
 can d git comfortable in dese fancy chairs ! Where s 
 my old big chair ? 
 
I 4 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 HERTHA. Theodore had it put up in your room. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, so. Dat s too old-fashioned fer down 
 here. (Re-enter SOPHY. Business as she escapes 
 the lively swinging -do or.) Well? You always come 
 mit such a funeral face ? 
 
 SOPHY. (Viciously) Now dat water won t schtop 
 running in de butteler s pantry ! 
 
 WILLY. (Bursting) You turn him on too far! 
 (BELL rings. Crosses R. to SOPHY) Dot s Uncle 
 Stasi, Hertha. (HERTHA exits L.C. WILLY continues 
 to SOPHY) Now come, Sophy, I show you. (WILLY 
 makes a pass for the knob on the pantry door.) 
 
 SOPHY. (Maliciously^ Now, you see yourself 
 dot door, dot s got no kinob ! 
 
 WILLY. (Dictatorially) Shtill! Go ahead! 
 ( SOPHY passes him.) You git so excited, you don t 
 know what you do no more. 
 
 SOPHY. (Turning on him) Ich versteh das ganze 
 ding nicht I Mir ist alles so neu ! 
 
 WILLY. Mach mir keine dummheiten vor, ich 
 will s gar nicht haben. 
 
 SOPHY. You can t help dem scratches, w en you 
 don d use no tablecloth. 
 
 WILLY. Firscht, you git trouble mit de icebox. 
 Den you make scratches on de furniture like a wild 
 cat. (Pushes her through R. door) Und now, de 
 water. (He turns to look for STASI. The door swings 
 back and strikes him. He thinks it SOPHY) Say, are 
 you coming out or going in? 
 
 SOPHY. (Putting her head through) I didn t do 
 it! 
 
 WILLY. (Pulling R. door open on stage) Geh 
 doch weg ! 
 
 SOPHY. Dot s not my fault ! 
 
 WILLY. Halt s maul! (BOTH exit R. At this 
 point ANASTASIUS SCHEIBLE enters from L.C., fol 
 lowed by HERTHA. STASI is approximately WILLY S 
 age. He is a distinctively different type from WILLY. 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 15 
 
 WILLY is the energetic, active type of German. 
 STASI is slender, reflective and scholarly in appear 
 ance and manner. He wears his hair slightly long. 
 He carries a bundle of newspapers which he puts 
 dozvn on a chair near the door. His English is quite 
 accurate, though his intonation is foreign.) 
 
 HERTHA. Rosie was here a little while ago. 
 
 STASI. (Entering) Yah, she came home. Theo 
 dore takes her for a ride in the automobile. She 
 puts on her new blue dress. (Takes off his hat and 
 gives it to HERTHA.,) 
 
 HERTHA. The dust will ruin it. 
 
 STASI. (Smiling) When Theodore comes, she 
 always wears her prettiest clothes. (Enter WILLY R. 
 HERTHA exits L.C. STASI comes down. They meet 
 in front of table c.) Griiss dich Gott, Willy ! (Shakes 
 hands enthusiastically.) 
 
 WILLY. Willkommen willkommen, Stasi! 
 
 STASI. (Looking around the room) Well well 
 well 
 
 WILLY. (Proudly) Ha, Stasi? 
 
 STASI. Your old friends will feel like coming in 
 the back door. 
 
 WILLY. (Promptly) De back door jusht s as fine ! 
 Come, I show you. (They move R., but WILLY sud 
 denly turns) But wait, Stasi. Now wait, I want to 
 
 show you (He goes up to electric switch on wall 
 
 rear) Now watch it ! Watch it ! (He turns on elec 
 tric LIGHTS. STASI starts in wonder and makes an 
 exclamation of pleased surprise.) Schwell, ha!? 
 Swonderful ! (Turns off LIGHTS.) 
 
 STASI. Switch em on again ! 
 
 WILLY. (Doing so) Shure ! Shure ! 
 
 STASI. It s grand. (Then ivith slow appraisal) 
 That s an elegant house, Willy! 
 
 WILLY. (Turning off LIGHTS) I show you over 
 it afterwards. (To HERTHA, who re-enters L.cJ 
 Hertha, I forgit my schmoking tabac. (HERTHA ex- 
 
16 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 its upstairs. WILLY points to sideboard) Stasi, open 
 dere in de second drawer. I put your pipe dere, too. 
 (In going for the pipes STASI sees some copies of 
 the American Kennel Magazine lying on top of the 
 sideboard.) 
 
 STASI. So. And you read now about dog kennels. 
 I wonder why you make me send to Boston for these 
 magazines. (He brings down two pipes. STASI comes 
 L. of table. WILLY is at Rj 
 
 WILLY. (Expansively) We build now kennels, 
 too. (STASI gives WILLY a pipe.) 
 
 STASI. What for? 
 
 WILLY. (To HERTHA, who re-enters R.C. with the 
 tobacco- jar) Hertha ! W at kind f er a dogs does the 
 Theodore make in de kennels? 
 
 HERTHA. He s going to breed collies. 
 
 WILLY. (To STASI, as he takes tobacco-jar) Yah, 
 collies! Swonderful! .. Hertha, matches! (She 
 brings down a brass smoking outfit from sideboard. 
 WILLY turns with jar to STASIJ Oh, say, Stasi, I 
 t ank you fer de fine tobacco-jar. 
 
 STASI. Then you think of me whenever you take 
 a smoke. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, yah. (Reading the inscription on it) 
 Here stands it : "Von your old friend of fifdy years." 
 I tank you very much. (Opening it) But fill up, 
 Stasi. 
 
 STASI. (Nettled, as he finds a potato in the jar) 
 But, W 7 illy, I told you, you don t need a potato in it. 
 That s got a sponch on top, in here. (Showing it) 
 You put water there. That keeps it moist. 
 
 WILLY. I don t like water in my tobac. 
 
 STASI. Und I don t like potatoes in mine. (He 
 takes out the potato.) 
 
 WILLY. (Putting it back into jar) I do it my 
 way! 
 
 STASI. (Good-humoredly) All right. 
 
 WILLY. All right. (WILLY and STASI each 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 17 
 
 have a different characteristic gesture as they say 
 "All right." These gestures are repeated throughout 
 the play.) 
 
 STASI. (Filling his pipe) Say, Willy, where will 
 you build those kennels? (Pushes jar over to 
 WILLY.; 
 
 WILLY. (Filling his pipe) Sit down, Stasi. You 
 know dat proberdy next door? 
 
 STASI. (Nodding) Where Richard Hellman lives ? 
 (HERTHA goes up to French window and sews dur 
 ing the following scene.) 
 
 WILLY. Yah. (Lights pipe and sits R. of table) 
 I hold a mortgage on dot proberdy fer fifteen years 
 now. I let Richard live dere all dis time fer three 
 protscent. 
 
 STASI. I know. 
 
 WILLY. (Secretively) But I don t renew dot mort 
 gage any more. 
 
 STASI. Why not? 
 
 WILLY. My Theodore wants it fer his dogs. 
 
 STASI. Nu! Willy! (Rises.) 
 
 WILLY. Ain t dot chair comfortable? 
 
 STASI. I don t speak about the chairs ! (He turns; 
 
 then comes to WILLYJ Listen, Willy (He 
 
 catches WILLY S obstinate eye) Och, what s the use 
 I talk? 
 
 WILLY. Oud mit it! I know I git no peace til 
 you 
 
 STASI. You mustn t take that place from Richard. 
 
 WILLY. I mustn t? Jusht so soon anybody tells 
 me I mushn t, dot s egsactly w at I want to do. 
 
 STASI. Willy, you re crazy! 
 
 WILLY. All right. 
 
 STASI. (Vehemently) All right! (He scratches 
 a match under the table. WILLY jumps up and dur 
 ing STASI S ensuing speech, he examines the table 
 to see if STASI has scratched it. Lighting his pipe) 
 Now, listen, Willy. Everybody in this town, they 
 
l8 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 used to say what a fine man Old Engel is. People 
 were proud of what you made yourself. But, since 
 Theodore comes home from college with his new 
 ideas, your friends don t know you any more. 
 
 WILLY. (Defensively) Wat comes now? 
 
 STASI. Richard Hellman s father worked with you 
 on the bench and 
 
 WILLY. (Interrupting) Well, I m proud of dat. 
 Ernsht was a goot workman. 
 
 STASI. But look now what Theodore makes you 
 do to Ernst Hellman s son. 
 
 WILLY. (With justification) Now, listen, Stasi. 
 I done everyding I can for Richard. I take him 
 in de factory. I made him foreman of de men. 
 Ernsht himself couldn t do more. Und Richard is 
 now old enough to look out for himself. 
 
 STASI. What does Richard say? 
 
 WILLY. De mortgage was due yesterday. Tomor 
 row, I tell Richard dot I don d renew. So don d say 
 nodding. (He looks quickly at HERTHA, who seems 
 not to have heard.) 
 
 STASI. You know me, Willy. What I got to say, 
 I say to you. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, und w en you git trou, dere s nod 
 ding left to say behint my back ! 
 
 STASI. (Proudly) Yah. 
 
 WILLY. (Continuing) Und I do w at I want jusht 
 de same. 
 
 STASI. (Nettled) No, not what you want. You 
 always do what Theodore wants. 
 
 WILLY. All right! 
 
 STASI. All right ! (Slight pause, during which 
 STASI strikes another match under the table.) 
 
 WILLY. (Jumping up) Look oud, Stasi! Dot s 
 de second time you make me scratches on dot table ! 
 
 STASI. (With exculpation) Excuse me. I scratched 
 it underneath. 
 
 WILLY. (Pointing explicitly to the brass smoking 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 19 
 
 outfit) Here ! Here s de place to scratch de matches. 
 Dot s special made fer dat. 
 
 STASI. (Deliberately pointing) I scratch em 
 there when you put water in the tobacco-jar. That s 
 made special, too. (He scratches the match on 
 trousers.) 
 
 WILLY. All right ! 
 
 STASI. All right! 
 
 WILLY. You vant always de lasht word. 
 
 STASI. (Bridling) Me? 
 
 WILLY. Yah you ! 
 
 STASI. Willy, if you was dead und in your coffin, 
 you d sit up and sass de undertaker. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, shure, I would. (Feelingly) Und 
 Stasi, I hope you re dere to hear me do it. (They 
 BOTH laugh good-humouredly again and smoke. 
 Pause.) 
 
 STASI. Say, Willy 
 
 WILLY. Hah? 
 
 STASI. Richard tells me he makes a new invention 
 for the factory. 
 
 WILLY. (Surprised) He told you? 
 
 STASI. Yah. Is it a good thing? 
 
 WILLY. Yah, shure, it s goot. Dot s de trouble 
 mit it. I got to take it, so de odder shoe manufac 
 turers don d git it. I git em all. Dot Richard coshts 
 me a pile. 
 
 STASI. Why don t you buy that patent now? 
 
 WILLY. Shafskopf ! If Richard gits a liddle mon 
 ey now, he tries to buy dot proberty, und my Theo 
 dore don d git it. 
 
 STASI. (Rising) Well, I don t say anything, any 
 more. But you know what I think. 
 
 WILLY. Shure, I know, und I don d care w at you 
 dink. 
 
 STASI. You never did, so what s the use I talk ? 
 
 WILLY. It s no use. 
 
 STASI. All right ! (Sits again.) 
 
20 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 WILLY. All right! You bring up your Rosie de 
 way you like. I bring up my Theodore de way / 
 like. 
 
 STASI. (With conviction} My Rosie works. 
 
 WILLY. (Impatiently rising) Ach, Stasi, you al 
 ways got dat poorhouse fever. Und how far did you 
 bring it? We came over on de same ship forty-five 
 years ago. Today, I m rich. Und you 
 
 STASI. (Interrupting) I m satisfied ! I got enough 
 to spoil my Rosie, too, but I don t believe in it. 
 
 WILLY. You dink because we was born in a 
 shanty on de odder side, our children must live jusht 
 de same as us ? 
 
 STASI. (Aggressively) I don t live in a shanty. 
 
 WILLY. Och. No, no, no. My fader gave me 
 nodding. He teached me de trade on de bench. But 
 my Theodore is different. (Proudly) He went to 
 collitch. He s a chentleman. I gif my Theodore ef- 
 feryding my father couldn t give me. My boy reads 
 books drives in a automobile und 
 
 STASI. Und spends your money like the wind. 
 
 WILLY. Why not? W at for I got it? He shall 
 schpend while I m alive, den I have some of de fun 
 along mit him. 
 
 STASI. A young man should work. He should 
 make money. 
 
 WILLY. 7 make de money. Und, besides, he s go 
 ing to work: (Sits R. of table.) 
 
 STASI. (Ironically) You don t say so. At what? 
 
 WILLY. (Trying to conceal his pride) I jusht buy 
 him dat partnership in de brokerage business. 
 
 STASI. (Arguing again) Brokerage? I told you, 
 Willy. That s no work. That s a graft. That s gam 
 bling. 
 
 WILLY. That s a fine business a chentleman s 
 business ! 
 
 STASI. Ach! 
 
 WILLY. Maybe you dink my Theodore should be 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 21 
 
 a liddle prinder like you, or a shoemaker like me. 
 Oh, no ! 
 
 STASI. Well, you know I won t talk about it any 
 more. I m proud of what my Rosie saves for me. 
 You re proud of what your Theodore spends for 
 you. 
 
 WILLY. Now, you begin again, hah ! 
 
 STASI. (Rising violently) I m through! 
 
 WILLY. All right ! 
 
 STASI. All right ! (He crosses to chair at L. and 
 brings down the newspaper. Sulkily) Here s the 
 New York papers. (WILLY divides the newspapers. 
 They both glance at them during the following dia 
 logue) Richard tells me they make him a Labor 
 leader here in Lynn. 
 
 WILLY. (Looking up from paper) You know dot 
 Richard always was a little anarchist, mit his new 
 ideas aboud de unions and machines. 
 
 STASI. Willy, the next generation always has to 
 be a little anarchist; else the world would stand 
 still. (Gesture from WILLY.,) And if the unions be 
 gin again with the strikes 
 
 WILLY. (Confidently) I know my men. Dey all 
 know me. 
 
 STASI. That ain t the question. The working man 
 has rights. 
 
 WILLY. (While scanning the paper) Yah, shure 
 he has. I was one myself, and I look out fer dem. 
 Wen I got goot times I pay dem double wages for 
 longer hours, so when de bat times comes, dey got 
 someding on de bank. I nefrer laid dem off. My men 
 neffer yet went oud on shtrike, und neffer will. Dey 
 know I take better care of them den all de laws. 
 
 STASI. We don t speak of you, Willy. The law is 
 made for the bad employer. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, und fer effery new law dot s made, 
 de bat employer gits a dozen lawyers to git him oud 
 of it. You can d put a goot heart in a boss mit laws. 
 
22 OUR CHILDREN ACT I 
 
 Und you can d make goot workmen mit trade unions. 
 
 STASI. Yah, Willy, if you got money, you re a 
 capitalist. 
 
 WILLY. Und, if you got nix, you re a Anarchist 
 or a Socialist, like you or Richard. Dot s it. 
 
 STASI. If you got none, you re a workman, and 
 there you stay. 
 
 WILLY. (Closing off discussion as he turns over 
 paper) Plendy of room on de top fer de bright 
 younk fellers. 
 
 STASI. I don t see that you gave Richard a chance. 
 
 WILLY. (Violently rising) Richard ! Richard ! 
 Nix wie Richard ! You got easy talkink. I could go 
 broke effery year mit putting in anodder patent. 
 Hah? Und who gave me a chance? I didn t have 
 a tscent. I worked, night und day. 
 
 STASI. You had good luck, Willy. 
 
 WILLY. (Standing R. of table. With a change) 
 Yah, Stasi, goot luck I hat w en it s too late fer my 
 wife to enchoy it. But efferyding I couldn t gif to 
 my Matilda, I gif to my Theodore. Und de resht, 
 de odders, dey should do what I done. Nobody 
 helped me. 
 
 STASI. Things were different when you begun, 
 Willy. You couldn t do that same today again. 
 
 WILLY. I don d have to do the same today again, 
 dank Gott! I pay de biggest wages here in Lynn. 
 Und w en dey dink it ain d enough, dey kin git oud. 
 Quick! Marsch! 
 
 STASI. Willy, Willy ! You don d know what goes 
 on in de world. 
 
 W 7 iLLY. I know my business. 
 
 STASI. (Conciliatorily) Yah, I think you know 
 your business. You don d think I know mine. But, 
 maybe, in the end we are both mistaken, ha ? 
 
 WILLY. Now you begin again mit your nashty, 
 sarkestick remarks ! 
 
 STASI. (Rising angrily) Och, I lose patience with 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 23 
 
 you ! A old fossil, that s what you are ! (He swings 
 
 Up L.) 
 
 WILLY. (Coming c.) A w at ! ! 
 
 STASI. (Turning) A fossil! A fossil! 
 
 WILLY. Wat s dat, a f ussel ! ? 
 
 STASI. (Exasperated, comes to WILLY at c.) A 
 fossil is a animal that died a million years ago ! 
 
 WILLY. Den I shoult worry aboud it leaf me 
 alone ! 
 
 STASI. (Violently) All right ! 
 
 WILLY. (Likewise) All right ! (After this erup 
 tion STASI comes back to his chair L. of table, 
 switches it around and smokes sulkily. After a 
 pause) Hertha, you fix de card table upshtairs? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, Papa. 
 
 WILLY. Your Uncle Stasi gits again in goot 
 humor all de week, if I let him beat me pinochle on 
 Sunday. (Coaxingly to STASI^ Come, du alter ben- 
 gel. (Nudges STASI.,) 
 
 STASI. Yah, today I beat you. (He follows WILLY 
 to arch R.c.J 
 
 WILLY. Yah, maybe. If you git a hundret-fifdy 
 trumps, mit a tousand aces ! 
 
 STASI. I teach you auction pinochle today. 
 
 WILLY. You will not. EfTery time I lick you at 
 de old game you come arount mit someding new. 
 (They go up a little. A MOTOR HORN is heard 
 off L. Excitedly) Stasi, dot s my Theodore! (He 
 runs across to French windows) Stasi, he comes 
 now up de path. (Calling out) Hallo, Theodore! 
 Hallo! (Ad lib. as he waves out of the window) 
 Look, Stasi, look de way he drives! Swonderful! 
 Hertha, open de door for your broder! (HERTHA 
 exits up L.C.) 
 
 STASI. (Looking out eagerly) Rosie s mit him, 
 hah? 
 
 WILLY. Rosie ? He s oud mit his new pardner. 
 
 STASI. (Turning, disappointed) Ach, Gott! My 
 
24 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 Rosie waits at home in her blue dress all the after 
 noon. 
 
 WILLY. All de girls vait f er my Theodore ! But 
 vait, Stasi! I interdoose you Mr. Leland, a great 
 schwell von Boston. ( STASI takes position down R. 
 Calling off into hall L.C.) Come righd in, Mr. Le 
 land. Come righd in. (LELAND enters from L.C. 
 WILLY shakes hands enthusiastically) Glat to see 
 you ! (LELAND is a man of the world, about thirty- 
 five years, smooth in manner.) Shake hands mit my 
 old frient, Mr. Scheible. (LELAND crosses to STASI, 
 who looks him over mistrustfully.) We come over 
 on de same ship a hundret years ago. (THEODORE 
 enters L.cJ Stasi, dis is Mr. Wogan Leland. (HER- 
 THA re-enters L.C.) 
 
 LELAND. (To STASI) How d ye do. (Shakes 
 hands.) 
 
 THEODORE. (Coming L. to WILLY) Dad, Mr. Le- 
 land s name is "Vaughn" not "Wogan." 
 
 WILLY. (Apologetically) I git him straight efter 
 a while. (CARTER enters R.C. He is a man of forty- 
 five, silent in manner. He takes position up L. To 
 STASI) You know Carter? (They bow. To LELAND 
 fussily) But take off your dings. (He helps LELAND 
 off with his motor coat, which he gives to BERTHA. 
 STASI keeps looking at LELAND. ) 
 
 THEODORE. (Giving his coat to HERTHA, too) 
 Here, Sis, that s right. Take Mr. Leland s coat. Oh, 
 Hertha, bring some ice in the cocktail shaker. (HER- 
 THA exitS i^c. and immediately re-enters, and during 
 the ensuing dialogue, crosses to R. and exits.) 
 
 WILLY. (To STASI) We git a cocktail now! 
 
 STASI. So. A cocktail. 
 
 THEODORE. Say, Guv nor, I ve simply got to have 
 a new machine. 
 
 WILLY. Wat s de matter mit your machine? 
 
 THEODORE. Engine s got the hiccup. 
 
 WILLY. Well, I dink aboud it. Mr. Leland, I 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 25 
 
 jusht been telling Mr. Scheible aboud de new firm. 
 
 STASI. (Sizing LELAND up) Yah. 
 
 LELAND. (Same business) Yes. 
 
 WILLY. (To STASI) My Theodore opens a branch 
 office here in Lynn next week. 
 
 STASI. So ! 
 
 WILLY. (Proudly) Shure ! All mohogany furni 
 ture he s got. Swonderful. 
 
 THEODORE. (To STASI) Anytime you want to 
 take a flyer at a sure thing, we ll put you on. 
 
 STASI. No, Theodore. I don t fly. I prefer to 
 walk. (Enter HERTHA R. with a cocktail shaker.) 
 
 THEODORE. Ah, here we are ! (Takes shaker from 
 HERTHA, who sits near French windows, again 
 sewing) Carter, get the glasses. (CARTER gets them 
 from the sideboard; then he, LELAND and THEO 
 DORE gather up rear, while THEODORE mixes drinks 
 at sideboard where the different bottles are found 
 in one of the compartments) Oh, Guv nor. Bring 
 out the smokes. 
 
 WILLY. (Crossing R. to get humidor on table) 
 Yah, shure shure. 
 
 STASI. (To WILLY at R. secretively) Say, Willy, 
 what do you know about this Leland feller ? 
 
 WILLY. His cousin went to collitch mit my Theo 
 dore. Carter looked him up. . ,;," 
 
 STASI. Carter? Why didn t you look him up 
 yourself ? 
 
 WILLY. W at for I got a confidential man? Car 
 ter says Leland is A-i gilt edje fine people so 
 goot as my factory. 
 
 STASI. Yah, so. (He reaches for a cigar in the 
 humidor that WILLY holds.) 
 
 WILLY. (Putting the humidor behind him humor 
 ously) You don d schmoke tsigars, hah ? (Moves to 
 cross STASI. ) 
 
 STASI. (Stopping him with a challenge) Yes, by 
 Gott, I will ! (He faces WILLY, who opens the hum- 
 
26 OUR CHILDREN ACT* 
 
 {dor reluctantly. STASI makes a move toward it. 
 WILLY stops him and carefully takes out one cigar, 
 -which he looks at lovingly.) 
 
 WILLY. (Giving it to SxASiJ Stasi, you musht 
 schmoke dot mit understanding. Fifty tscents. 
 
 STASI. W r ell, we get a little high life too, once in 
 a while. 
 
 WILLY. (Genially) All right! 
 
 STASI. All right! (STASI goes down R.) 
 
 WILLY. (Offering LELAND the humidor) Mr. Le- 
 land, you schmoke a liddle tsigar? 
 
 LELAND. (Taking one) Yes, thanks. 
 
 THEODORE. (To LELANDJ You like em dry, don t 
 you? 
 
 LELAND. Yes, with a dash of absinthe. 
 
 THEODORE. Right you are. 
 
 STASI. (Holding match for WILLY,) Say, Willy, 
 you let him put absink in the cocktails ! 
 
 WILLY. (Lighting his cigar) Why not! Swon- 
 derful. 
 
 STASI. Well, I wait and see. 
 
 THEODORE. (Who has poured out cocktails at ta 
 ble c.) Here we are ! Gentlemen, all set ? This one 
 for Mr. Leland. Dad, for Uncle Stasi. Carter, yours. 
 All set? well, then, gentlemen, I give you my 
 Guv nor a rough diamond, but the best in the world. 
 (They touch glasses.) 
 
 WILLY. (Enthusiastically) Prosht! Prosht! (He 
 takes his glass over to STASIJ Prosht! Stasi! 
 
 STASI. Prosht, Willy. (They touch glasses and 
 drink. STASI smacks his lips.) 
 
 WILLY. Swonderful, hah? 
 
 STASI. (Winking) Hum 
 
 THEODORE. (To LELAND,) Great old boys, eh? 
 (He goes up to WILLY, caressingly) Say, Guv nor, 
 I ve seen a car that s a peach. 
 
 WILLY. (Indulgently) I fix it up mit Carter in 
 de morning. (CARTER nods. HERTHA notes this.) 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 27 
 
 LELAND. (Raising his glass) To the new mem 
 ber of the firm of Leland & Engel. (All bravo.) 
 
 WILLY. Braavo, gentlemen! Gentlemen 
 
 THEODORE. (To all) Psch! Speech! Speech! 
 Dad s going to make a speech. 
 
 STASI. Go on, Willy, say something. Make it a 
 little speech. 
 
 WILLY. Shure, I make a speech. (He clears his 
 throat with elaborate ceremony) Gentlemen, I am a 
 very prout man today. Mr. Leland, I got prout to 
 have you fer gesht in my Theodore s new house 
 on de occasion w en he jusht goes into business. I 
 got prout dot he goes in mit you, and I got prout to 
 help my boy mit efreryding I got in de world. I got 
 prout dot well I got prout und heppy und so 
 
 I (He dries up.) 
 
 THEODORE. (With a wink at LELANDJ Sing it, 
 Guv nor. 
 
 WILLY. (Promptly taking the guy for earnest) 
 Shure, I sing. Do you like to hear a old German 
 song, Mr. Leland? 
 
 LELAND. Delighted. Go ahead. 
 WILLY. I heerd it long ago. Och, dot s a old song. 
 My fader used to sing it to me w en I was a liddle 
 feller, und I used to sing it to my Theodore w en he 
 was a liddle feller, efter Hertha puts him to bed. 
 
 LELAND. Go ahead. (WILLY, here, sings an old 
 German song. WILLY uses a very simple song with 
 a melody that can be made to reveal all of his chang 
 ing moods, from joy to despair. The words and mu 
 sic appear in back of book. They laugh and applaud. 
 STASI and WILLY here execute a little comedy-dance, 
 and then drink in Bruderschaft fashion.) 
 WILLY. Do you like it? 
 OMNES. Splendid! Bravo! 
 
 WILLY. Och, dot s nodding. We could sing oncet, 
 hah, Stasi? 
 
28 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 STASI. (Grimly) Yah, you could sing once! 
 
 WILLY. (To STASI; Ach, du alter Bengel ! Und 
 now, Stasi, we old fellers, we go upshtairs. 
 
 STASI. (Flourishing his cigar down R.; It s too 
 late, Willy. 
 
 LELAND. Time for me to be ofT too, Mr. Engel. 
 Can I drop you any place, Mr. Scheible ? 
 
 STASI. No. I better take a little walk. (To WILLY; 
 That absink ! (Gesture to his head. WILLY laughs.) 
 
 LELAND. Goodbye, everybody. 
 
 STASI. Goodbye, Willy Theodore (Hubbub 
 
 of general goodbyes.) 
 
 WILLY. (To STASI; We git our pinochle tomor- 
 rer. 
 
 STASI. Good. 
 
 WILLY. Come soon again, Mr. Leland. (Mingled 
 conversation as they go off through arch up L.C. 
 HERTHA re-enters R.; puts humidor again on serv 
 ing table R.; clears up cocktail glasses, etc. A 
 MOTOR heard off L. and final goodbyes. HERTHA 
 is about to carry the shaker off into the pantry, when 
 THEODORE enters L.C. THEODORE is whistling a 
 snatch of the latest musical comedy air.) 
 
 HERTHA. Oh, Theodore. Have you been urging 
 Papa to foreclose on Richard? 
 
 THEODORE. Well, we don t want factory people 
 living right next door. 
 
 HERTHA. (Passionately) Factory people! How 
 can you be such a snob? 
 
 WILLY. (Entering from French windows down 
 L., singing his old song) W at I do mit dem papers 
 w at Stasi brought ? (He senses the row) Wat s the 
 matter here ? 
 
 THEODORE. Oh, nothing. 
 
 WILLY. Squabbling mit your broder? 
 
 THEODORE. Hertha feels bad about your taking 
 over Richard s property. 
 
 WILLY. (With complete justification) Wat s she 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 29 
 
 got to feel fer Richard? I waited til efter his sis 
 ter gets married, don t I ? 
 
 HERTHA. Papa 
 
 WILLY. Shtill ! (Raising his voice) I want dere 
 shall be peace in dis house! (Pause) Not a sound 
 more! (Subsiding) You wake me coffee time ha, 
 Hertha? (HERTHA takes up cocktail service and 
 exits R. WILLY watches HERTHA S exit; then says 
 with a tender smile) Theodore, she s mad on us. 
 But wait, I want to show you someding. (He secre 
 tively takes a bankbook from his back pocket and 
 gives it to THEODORE.,) 
 
 THEODORE. (Who has opened the book) Ten 
 thousand dollars ! You ve opened a new account ? 
 
 WILLY. Psch ! Look at de name on de book. 
 
 THEODORE. (Reading) "Hertha Engel!" 
 
 WILLY. You see, Theodore, I bought you a part 
 nership in a business. I do this now for Hertha. 
 Dat s de beginning. Und effery year I make it big 
 ger. 
 
 THEODORE. You re a brick, Dad. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, ten t ousand dollars. Jusht ten times 
 what your mother brought to me when we were 
 married. That was my start in business. I want 
 Hertha to have that. The account is in Mr. Hutton s 
 bank. (Takes back the book and puts it into his 
 pocket) Dat s a surprise for her. 
 
 THEODORE. And I ve got a surprise for you, Dad. 
 Old Hutton and his daughter, Harriet, are coming 
 here today. 
 
 WILLY. W at! Dey call on us? De presidenk of 
 de bank? 
 
 THEODORE. Hum. Hum. They ll be here shortly. 
 
 WILLY. (Joyfully excited) Say, how did you 
 manage it? 
 
 THEODORE. They had a bad blowout. I gave them 
 a tire. 
 
 WILLY. (Raising his eyes) You gave them a 
 
30 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 (Change to a smile) Oh, he comes now to pay f er it. 
 
 THEODORE. (Importantly) I won t accept it. 
 
 WILLY. (After a pause of comprehension) Oh, 
 I see. Haha! You begin now social relations with 
 dem peeble. (Nudges THEODORE,) You do him a 
 favor, hah? 
 
 THEODORE. You re on, Guv nor. 
 
 WILLY. Swonderful ! 
 
 THEODORE. Now, Dad, he ll try to pay you for 
 that tire, but don t you accept a cent. D ye hear, re 
 member ? 
 
 WILLY. Shure, I remember. You leave it to me ; 
 I fix it. Not a tscent ! 
 
 THEODORE. You see, motors are good for some 
 thing besides riding in. 
 
 WILLY. (Shrewdly, following him) Yah, and 
 dat s a lucky business, Theodore. (Pointing around) 
 Right now, in de new house, hah? Und beshides, 
 Hutton kin somedime maybe do me a favor, too. I 
 need a lot o capital if I ever want to put Richard s 
 new machinery in de factory. 
 
 THEODORE. Here, here, Guv nor, no business to 
 day. Remember, this is a social call. Harriet s with 
 him. 
 
 WILLY. (Nodding as he comprehends THEODORE S 
 insinuation) Ach, so! Theodore, you could do 
 woise. 
 
 THEODORE. Think so, eh? 
 
 WILLY. She s rich, und not a bad looker. (Enter 
 HERTHA R. and goes to the table to arrange the 
 centre-piece and flowers. THEY don t notice her.) 
 
 THEODORE. She s a swell girl, all right. 
 
 WILLY. It s jusht as easy to love a rich girl as a 
 poor one. Und a bright younk feller like you, mit a 
 
 collitch etchikashun, Say, you bring me home 
 
 a daughter like Harriet, dot s worth while. 
 
 THEODORE. Now run along, Dad. Behave. 
 
 WILLY. (Calling loudly) Hertha ! (He turns and 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 31 
 
 sees her) Oh, tell Sophy we got geshts fer coffee. 
 Fix dings nice, ha, Hertha? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, Papa. 
 
 WILLY. (Excitedly) Och Gott ! I m glat ! I fix 
 de frond door und de electric lightds. (He runs up 
 to the rear and turns LIGHTS on) Swonderful ! 
 
 THEODORE. Go up, Dad, and get into some real 
 clothes. (Pushes him toward stairs R.c.J 
 
 WILLY. (To THEODORE,) You call me as soon as 
 he comes. Ha? Hertha, put de water on! 
 
 HERTHA. I ll have fresh coffee. 
 
 WILLY. (Pointing to it on serving table) In de 
 percolator, ha? De percolator! 
 
 THEODORE. (Urging him up) Yes. 
 
 WILLY. (Coming back) Och, turn off de lighds ! 
 
 THEODORE. All right, Dad. I ll tend to them. 
 (He finally gets WILLY off R.C. and turns out 
 LIGHTS.) 
 
 WILLY. (Reappearing) My pabers och, my pa- 
 bers 
 
 THEODORE. (Giving them to him from table c.) 
 Here they are. But remember 
 
 WILLY. (Turning) Shure I remember. Not a 
 tscent! ( WILLY exits, singing as he goes upstairs.) 
 
 THEODORE. Phew! (Pause. He goes over to 
 HERTHA, who has sat down at the French window, 
 sewing. Slightly ashamed of his caddishness) 
 Hertha, I m sorry about Richard s losing his house. 
 But let s not encourage him to come running in 
 here in his overalls the way he used to at the old 
 place. I don t want to seem snobbish, but I do want 
 to make other associations in this house. 
 
 HERTHA. Oh. 
 
 THEODORE. You must see that if we re going to 
 do anything in society in this town we ve got to draw 
 the line somewhere. A fellow s father goes. After 
 all, Dad s picturesque and has the coin, but 
 
 HERTHA. (Picking up her sewing) Oh, well, it s 
 
32 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 not likely we ll see much of Richard any more, now 
 that his sister Olive is married and moved away. 
 (This speech is interrupted by RICHARD S hearty 
 voice from the pantry.) 
 
 RICHARD. (Off K.) All right, Sophy, thank you. 
 
 HERTHA. There s Richard. 
 
 THEODORE. (Annoyed) Did you ask him here? 
 
 HERTHA. Why, no. 
 
 THEODORE. (Quickly) Well, get rid of him before 
 the Huttons come, that s all. Oh, and not a word 
 about the property. 
 
 (RICHARD HELLMAN enters from the butler s pantry. 
 He is sturdy, well-made and independent.) 
 
 RICHARD. (At pantry door) Sophy told me to 
 come right in. (Looking about the room) My ! This 
 is handsome. 
 
 THEODORE. (L. of table) There s a doorbell out 
 in front, Richard. 
 
 RICHARD. (Laughing a little, embarrassed) Yes, 
 I know, but I felt a kind o more comfortable coming 
 through the kitchen. 
 
 THEODORE. Oh ! 
 
 HERTHA. Richard, hang your hat in the hall. 
 
 RICHARD. Yes. (He crosses behind table, looking 
 admiringly about the room, then exits L.c.J 
 
 HERTHA. (Quickly going to THEODORE,) Theo 
 dore, now that he s here, you can t 
 
 THEODORE. Well, please get rid of him before 
 the Huttons come, that s all! (Crosses toward exit 
 
 R.C.J 
 
 RICHARD. (Re-entering L.c.) How did your car 
 work today? 
 
 THEODORE. Something s the matter with the en 
 gine. Oh, you might take a look at it. 
 
 RICHARD. Yes, I will. 
 
 THEODORE. Thanks. (Exits upstairs R.c.J 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 33 
 
 RICHARD. (Taking out a letter) I got a special 
 from Olive. 
 
 HERTHA. You must miss her, Richard. 
 
 RICHARD. Sit down. I ll read you what she writes. 
 (She sits at table L. and unconsciously picks up her 
 sewing again. RICHARD gives a long look at her, 
 then reads) "Dear Brother Richard: I have now 
 been married for a week, and in our happiness John 
 and I both remember you with thankfulness." (To 
 HERTHAJ She s a brick, isn t she ? (Reading) "The 
 firm have given him a raise as a wedding present." 
 (To HERTHAJ Eh ? (Reading) "Thank Hertha for 
 the box of linen that just came. She must have done 
 the initials herself." (Slowly) "Give her my love, 
 the dear." (He looks at her) "If you are lonesome, 
 go over to see Hertha." (He pauses. She doesn t 
 look up.) "John has just come home from work, so 
 I must hurry dinner." (HERTHA stops sewing and 
 looks out over the audience.) "Best love from your 
 sister Olive." 
 
 HERTHA. She s very happy, isn t she? 
 
 RICHARD. He s happy, too. You know, a single 
 life is only half a life. What do you think? 
 
 HERTHA. I ve never thought about it. 
 
 RICHARD. You never let yourself. Neither did I, 
 
 until hum (He touches letter affectionately 
 
 and pockets it. She sews. He looks at her.) 
 
 HERTHA. (Rubbing her eyes and in a perfectly 
 matter-of-fact tone) The days are getting short. 
 
 RICHARD. It s coming on November. (He pulls 
 up blinds on French window) Better? 
 
 HERTHA. Thank you. (She resumes her sewing, 
 then says impersonally as he walks around rear of 
 table) I guess you ll soon begin thinking of getting 
 married, too. 
 
 RICHARD. (Surprised, sitting R. of table) Now, 
 what made you say that? 
 
 HERTHA. Oh, they say, when one in a family 
 
34 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 RICHARD. (Earnestly) Say, will you take a walk? 
 
 HERTHA. (Shaking her head) I can t. I ve got 
 to help Sophy pretty soon ; so you mustn t stay too 
 long today. 
 
 RICHARD. Yes. (He rises and walks around the 
 table back, looking around) Say do you like this, 
 new house? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, don t you? 
 
 RICHARD. Well I found it lots easier to talk to 
 you in the old place. 
 
 HERTHA. I haven t changed. 
 
 RICHARD. (Eagerly) No? (Pause. She sews.) 
 What s that you re making? 
 
 HERTIIA. A centerpiece. 
 
 RICHARD. (Looking at it) It s like the wedding 
 present you sent Olive. 
 
 HERTHA. I ll do a set for your bride, if you ll 
 let me know in time. 
 
 RICHARD. (Behind her chair) I ve got her all 
 picked out, if she ll only have me. 
 
 HERTHA. (Sewing) Why shouldn t she have you? 
 
 RICHARD. Well, you see, her family s rich, and 
 
 HERTHA. Papa says it s just as easy to love a rich 
 girl as a poor one. 
 
 RICHARD. (Surprised) Gosh! (Laughs) Did he 
 say that? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes. 
 
 RICHARD. And I ve got a home that I hope in a 
 little while to hold free and clear for her; or else 
 your father s not a business man. 
 
 HERTHA. Oh, Richard (Stops.) 
 
 RICHARD. What ? 
 
 HERTHA. Why didn t you try to pay your mort 
 gage off before? 
 
 RICHARD. (Confidently) I saw I had either to 
 put a mortgage on my future or keep the mortgage 
 on the place, so I put my money into the workshop 
 and the model. (Enthusiastically) And it was worth 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 35 
 
 it for now I ve got the greatest patent of them all 
 for him. 
 
 HERTHA. Is it so wonderful as that? 
 
 RICHARD. (Quietly serious) It will put his com 
 petitors out of business. 
 
 HERTHA. You ve done all this for Father? 
 
 RICHARD. He gets first call on everything I do. 
 (She sews nervously.) What s the matter? 
 
 HERTHA. (Looking toward stairs R.cJ Nothing 
 nothing (Sews.) 
 
 RICHARD. Hertha, won t you help me? 
 
 HERTHA. If I can. 
 
 RICHARD. You know what I m trying to ask you, 
 don t you? 
 
 HERTHA. Richard, Father must help you to get a 
 start. 
 
 RICHARD. (Earnestly) And with a good woman 
 to help him, a man can do things in this world ! 
 
 HERTHA. (Sewing very nervously) Why, of 
 course. And it must be wonderful for any woman 
 to have a man like you to care for her. You can 
 knock at any door, Richard. (Turning over her 
 work) And when a man is a good brother, he s 
 likely to be a good husband. 
 
 RICHARD. Then ah can we can we call it 
 settled? Eh? 
 
 HERTHA. What! You mean me? You want to 
 marry me? 
 
 RICHARD. (Mopping his brozv) Well what do 
 you think I ve been talking about all this time? 
 You re the reason why I ve worked and worked 
 Why I ve stayed on with your father and given what 
 brains I have to him. I ve had offers from other 
 people in the field, who believe in the new methods. 
 But I ve wanted all along to earn my right to have 
 you. 
 
 HERTHA. You want to marry me? 
 
3 6 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 RICHARD. Yes. I want you in my home just like 
 John s got Olive. 
 
 HERTHA. I never thought 
 
 RICHARD. (Interrupting) We ve never had a 
 chance to think about ourselves you and I. But now 
 that Theodore s grown up, and Olive s settled it 
 isn t selfish to think about our own lives now. 
 You ve got a life of your own to lead. So have I. 
 
 HERTHA. I I don t know I 
 
 RICHARD. Now, there s nothing to he scared of. 
 (A pause) Hertha, won t you come to me ? (Pause. 
 She looks up at him, then quietly goes toward him. 
 He folds her in his arms and kisses her firmly, then 
 sits her down in chair and gets away and looks at 
 her. She sits doiam exactly as he places her. Very 
 practically) Now where s your father? (She points 
 up R.C. He starts to go behind table toward exit R.c.J 
 
 HERTHA. (Suddenly rising) Wait, Richard ! (He 
 stops.) You d better let me speak to him first. 
 
 RICHARD. Oh, no. That s the man s part. 
 
 HERTHA. Richard ! Please ! 
 
 RICHARD. Well, if you say so. (He comes down 
 toward R. door) I ll take a look at Theodore s en 
 gine. 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, do. 
 
 RICHARD. Until tonight 
 
 HERTHA. Until tonight. (He looks at her stand 
 ing c. ; draws a deep breath of pride and exits quick 
 ly through pantry.) 
 
 (There is a pause of deep romantic feeling for 
 HERTHA. Suddenly the front DOORBELL 
 rings. HERTHA is startled back into the com 
 monplace again.) 
 
 WILLY. (Calling down loudly) Hertha! Ish dat 
 de Huttons? 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 37 
 
 ( SOPHY enters R. ; pauses at door and takes off her 
 blue gingham apron, showing a frilly white 
 apron underneath.) 
 
 THEODORE. (Appearing at foot of stairs simulta 
 neously) Dad, don t yell like that. ( SOPHY crosses 
 and exits L.c.J 
 
 WILLY. (Commandingly) Hertha shall open de 
 door. (HERTHA starts to go toward hall L.c.J 
 
 THEODORE. (To HERTHAJ Sophy s here. (HER 
 THA stops. Calling again to WILLY/ You get into 
 your coat and come down quietly. 
 
 WILLY. (Off) Shure I come. 
 
 THEODORE. (To HERTHA^ Coffee ready? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, it will be in a moment. 
 
 WILLY. (Coming downstairs expansively. He is 
 dressed in his Sunday best, carrying the newspapers) 
 
 Well well By Jo ! Dot s a great pleasure to 
 
 (He expects the Huttons. SOPHY re-enters at this 
 point. They meet in front of table) Oh, dot s you, 
 is it? Nu Sophy say, where are dey? (Glares at 
 SOPHY.) 
 
 SOPHY. (Sulkily) It s nobody. (She crosses and 
 puts on her old apron again over her white one.) 
 
 WILLY. (Bursting, as he throws newspaper on 
 table c.) W at s de matter mit you, Sophy? How 
 kin nobody rink dat bell? 
 
 SOPHY. It s only somebody was looking fer de 
 wrong number. 
 
 WILLY. (Disappointed) Ach so. 
 
 THEODORE. False alarm, Dad. 
 
 SOPHY. (Grumbling) Yah, bells and bells, und 
 
 WILLY. (Suddenly seeing ashes on floor at L.cJ 
 Sophy. Look here, ashes on de floor ! Who done 
 dat? 
 
 SOPHY. (Looking at floor where he points) I don t 
 schmoke tsigars. 
 
 WILLY. (Sarcastically) You don d say so! 
 
38 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 HERTHA. (Keeping peace between them) Papa 
 (Then to SOPHYJ Get a dustpan quick, Sophy. 
 
 WILLY. (With a change to mildness) Yah, 
 Sophy, clean it up, please, quick. (He waves her off. 
 SOPHY exits R. WILLY turns to THEODORE excited 
 ly) Say, Theodore, it s time de Huttons come now, 
 ain t it ? 
 
 THEODORE. Yes. 
 
 WILLY. Firsht we gif em coffee in de dining 
 room. 
 
 THEODORE. No, no. 
 
 WILLY. (Proudly) Mit de percolator und de 
 electric lighds. (Pointing off R. rear) Den we take 
 em in de parlor, und 
 
 THEODORE. That s a drawing-room, Guv nor. 
 
 WILLY. I alvays fergit dat, de drawing-room. 
 Come, Theodore, we make a big fire in de drawing- 
 room, so it looks nice und comfortable w en dey 
 come in. 
 
 THEODORE. All right. (They exit R.c. as SOPHY 
 enters R. with a dustpan and broom.) 
 
 HERTHA. (Busied at table with doilies) That s 
 right, Sophy. 
 
 SOPHY. (Sweeping ashes in front of table) Schon 
 gut. 
 
 HERTHA. Is the kettle boiling ? 
 
 SOPHY. Yah, it boils, jusht like your fader. 
 
 HERTHA. I ll make the coffee in the percolator. 
 
 SOPHY. De poikolator! My coffee ain t goot 
 enough no more ! 
 
 HERTHA. Oh, yes, Sophy, but with company we 
 want to serve it in here. I ll tend to it. 
 
 SOPHY. No. I fix it. 
 
 WILLY. (Calling off) Hertha! Hertha! 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, Papa. 
 
 SOPHY. Now he begins again. (She exits quickly 
 
 R.J 
 
 WILLY. (Appearing up R.C. with sleeves rolled 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 39 
 
 back) Hertha ! Hertha ! Why don d you come w en 
 I call? (Viciously) Now dot chimney in de draw 
 ing-room don d draw! 
 
 HERTHA. (Taking newspaper from table) I ll 
 light some newspaper and warm the flue. 
 
 WILLY. You git de coffee ready. (He takes 
 newspaper and goes up R.C.) 
 
 THEODORE. (Entering up R.C.) Dad let some 
 body else do that. You ll get yourself all fussed. 
 
 WILLY. No no, sirree! I do it myself. Den I 
 know it s righd. (Exits R.c.) 
 
 SOPHY. (Entering from R.) Theodore, I was 
 lookin oud. De Huttons come now on de front 
 door! Mein Gott, w at we do mit em? 
 
 HERTHA. I ll go. (BELL rings.) 
 
 THEODORE. (Stopping HERTHA) No. Sophy, you 
 let them in. (To HERTHA,) I don t want them to see 
 you acting like a servant. ( SOPHY nervously un 
 does her apron again and puts it in chair next to R. 
 door.) Hurry up! (She crosses to L.C.) And put 
 some style on. ( SOPHY lifts her skirts and runs 
 across, showing her white stockings. Laughing) 
 Golly! Look at the style. ( SOPHY exits L.C.) 
 
 WILLY. (Entering from up R.C., excitedly) Dot s 
 de Huttons! (DOOR heard off. THEODORE exits 
 L.C. WILLIE continues joyfully) We do it up 
 schwell! (Crossing to pantry) I wash my hants! 
 I fixed a elegant fire. (Exits R.) 
 
 THEODORE. (Heard off L.C.) How do you do, 
 Mr. Hutton? (GREETINGS heard) I ll put your 
 things right here. (Ad lib.) 
 
 WILLY. (Putting his head through R. door) 
 Hertha! Hertha! Dere s nodding but a dish-towel 
 here! (Lively swinging door comes back. WILLY 
 ducks. HERTHA exits R. as HARRIET HUTTON enters 
 L.C. She is a self-contained young woman of twenty- 
 one. She is followed by SOPHY, who goes around 
 
40 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 rear of table, looking at her admiringly. HARRIET is 
 beautifully gowned.] 
 
 HARRIET. (Turning and speaking off R.) Shall I 
 go right in? 
 
 THEODORE. (Off) Yes, please. ( SOPHY has got to 
 R. door, and is smiling at HARRIET as HERTHA en 
 ters from R. behind her. SOPHY snatches up her blue 
 apron and disappears into the pantry.) 
 
 HARRIET. I m Harriet Hutton. You re Miss En- 
 gel, aren t you? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes I m Theodore s sister. 
 
 HARRIET. Odd that we never met before, isn t it? 
 (Shakes hands.) 
 
 (Enter HUTTON from L.C., followed by THEODORE. 
 HUTTON is the complete type of reserved New 
 England gentleman.) 
 
 THEODORE. Mr. Hutton, let me introduce my sis 
 ter. 
 
 HUTTON. Ah, yes. I m very glad to meet you, 
 young lady. You ve met Harriet? (They bow. 
 WILLY enters R.J 
 
 WILLY. (Again very expansively) Ah, how d ye 
 do, Mr. Hutton! (He crosses and meets HUTTON 
 c. in front of table. WILLY shakes him very enthu 
 siastically by the hand) Well well by Jo! Dot s 
 a great pleasure to 
 
 HUTTON. Thank you. 
 
 WILLY. Hertha, coffee. (She exits R.j 
 
 HUTTON. Please don t trouble, because 
 
 WILLY. (Closing HUTTON off) Psch! Dot s no 
 trouble. 
 
 HUTTON. (Introducing HARRIET) My daughter, 
 Mr. Engel. 
 
 WILLY. (Enthusiastically) Well well by Jo! 
 (WILLY shakes hands with HARRIETJ Swonderful ! 
 Dere s no children any more. Ha, Mr. Hutton ? We 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 41 
 
 don d know how old we git until we see our babies 
 already gitting married hah? But sit down. 
 
 HUTTON. ( Not sitting) We really can t stay a mo 
 ment. 
 
 WILLY. Dot s nonsense! I don d let you go so 
 soon de firsht time I got de pleasure to git you in 
 our new house. 
 
 HUTTON. Your son was obliging enough to help 
 us with a tire. 
 
 WILLY. (Promptly) Pst, oh, no! Not a word! 
 Not a tscent ! (He looks proudly at THEODORE, who 
 is sitting down L. with HARRIET. ) 
 
 (Enter SOPHY and HERTHA R. with percolator and 
 coffee-cake. They put percolator on sideboard 
 rear. HERTHA pours out coffee.) 
 
 HUTTON. Well, you ll really make me feel very 
 uncomfortable, if you do not allow me to pay for it. 
 
 WILLY. Oh, Mr. Hutton, between friends, dot s 
 nodding. 
 
 HUTTON. I ll send you a check in the morning. 
 
 WILLY. (Flatly) I don d deposit it. 
 
 THEODORE. Guv nor, don t insist. 
 
 WILLY. (Perplexed) No? (Then turning to 
 HUTTON again) Well, I only hope that w en you 
 have anodder blowoud you make me one of de party 
 too. (They laugh.) Dot s goot, hah? (He nudges 
 HUTTON in the ribs. HUTTON retreats.) 
 
 THEODORE. Guv nor! (SOPHY has come dozvn L. 
 of HUTTON with a cup of coffee on a tray, which 
 she offers to HUTTON. J 
 
 WILLY. Ah, now we have some coffee. (To 
 THEODORE and HARRIET,) Come, children 
 
 HUTTON. (To SOPHY^ No, thank you. I never 
 take it after breakfast. (During the following dia 
 logue SOPHY helps them ALL, as HERTHA serves 
 
42 OUR CHILDREN ACT I 
 
 from the percolator. SOPHY has the business of look 
 ing amazed at HUTTON for refusing coffee.) 
 
 WILLY. (To HUTTON, surprised and disappoint 
 ed) No? 
 
 HUTTON. No. ( SOPHY starts to offer the cup to 
 
 WlLLY.J 
 
 WILLY. (Imitating HUTTON S manner) No. 
 ( SOPHY is perplexed. She goes back to HERTHA. 
 To HUTTON,) Well, maybe someding elset I kin 
 offer you? Hah? Maybe a little wine, hah? 
 (Smacks his lips.) 
 
 HUTTON. I never drink, thank you. 
 
 WILLY. (Amazed) No? ( HUTTON shakes his 
 head.) Well, anyway a fine tsigar someding spe 
 cial extra? (He goes for humidor on serving table 
 up R.J 
 
 HUTTON. I ve never smoked in my life. 
 
 WILLY. (Utterly nonplussed) No? (He looks 
 HUTTON over) Well, by Jo ! Tell me, how do you 
 schpend your money? (Puts humidor back after 
 taking a cigar.) 
 
 HUTTON. Oh, pretty much as you do, I guess. 
 
 WILLY. (Biting off cigar) Yah, yah, it coshts 
 someding to bring de children up dese days. Col- 
 litch etchikashun, automobiles Society. But why 
 shouldn t dey have it while we re here mit em, hah ? 
 
 HUTTON. That s one way to look at it, I suppose. 
 
 WILLY. (Lighting cigar) I build dis house, jusht 
 for my Theodore. In a liddle while I hope he settles 
 down. (Smiling) W en de right girl comes along 
 Hah? (Looking at THEODORE and HARRIET talking 
 together at Lj W at you dink about it, hah? 
 
 HUTTON. (Having been admiring room) Splen 
 did! Splendid! 
 
 WILLY. Dere s no use of two ways o talking 
 about it. I believe dat younk peeble should marry 
 younk. 
 
 HUTTON. Yes do you? 
 
ACT I OUR CHILDREN 43 
 
 WILLY. (Secretively pointing to THEODORE and 
 HARRIET talking) Look, Mr. Hutton. He s blonde. 
 She s blonde. Swonderful ! 
 
 HUTTON. (Uncomfortably) Yes yes 
 
 WILLY. (With a wide gesture) Dot s his Carte- 
 blanche ! All his ! My Theodore kin do w at he likes ! 
 
 HUTTON. Well, I m a little old-fashioned and 
 Puritanical, I guess. But I don t believe in spoiling 
 a good colt by giving him his head too quickly. 
 
 WILLY. Ach, dot s all righd mit girls. Mit boys 
 it s different. (HUTTON shakes his head.) Ah, you 
 don d know my Theodore. Pst, pst! (Loudly) So 
 he don d hear me. (He motions HUTTON into chair 
 R. of table. He draws around chair L. of table and 
 sits with back to audience and speaks ad lib. to HUT- 
 TON. SOPHY conies, offering cake and coffee to HAR 
 RIET.,) 
 
 HARRIET. No, thank you. 
 
 SOPHY. (Disappointed) Welcome. (Offering cof 
 fee and cake to THEODORE.,) 
 
 THEODORE. (Waving her off) No, thank you! 
 (He turns again to HARRIET.,) 
 
 SOPHY. (Disgusted) De poikolater coffee ! (She 
 goes back to HERTHA, who motions her to take the 
 things away. SOPHY takes things off R.J 
 
 WILLY. Come, Mr. Hutton. I show you now up 
 stairs. Und, you know, I got a den. 
 
 HUTTON. But 
 
 WILLY. (Taking HUTTON by arm and going with 
 him toward exit R.cJ Ach, dey don t miss us. Come 
 dis way, Mr. Hutton. Und you know we got closets, 
 dot as soon as you open de door de electric lighds 
 goes on. Phwishts! Swonderful. (HUTTON goes 
 off upstairs, followed by WILLY. Turning at foot 
 of stairs) Hertha, come mit de keys. (HERTHA 
 passes WILLY and goes upstairs. WILLY continues, 
 saying) Go in the firsht door on de left, Mr. Hut- 
 
44 
 
 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 ton. Dot s my den. (Exits upstairs. After the 
 OTHERS are off HARRIET rises, with a laugh.) 
 
 THEODORE. Are you laughing at my father? 
 
 HARRIET. Oh, no. I was really laughing at mine. 
 
 THEODORE. My governor s a prince. 
 
 HARRIET. And mine s a prig. What made you 
 build a new house here in Lynn? 
 
 THEODORE. Oh, I don t know. It s where I ve al 
 ways lived. 
 
 HARRIET. (Fervently) Don t you sometimes wish 
 that you could get away from where you ve always 
 lived? 
 
 THEODORE. Why, I ve been to college. 
 
 HARRIET. Oh, a college town that s almost as 
 dull as this. I mean a big city where something s 
 doing and people. Oh, I m only a girl, and I can t 
 get away, but I should think you would want to see 
 something of Life! 
 
 THEODORE. (Swaggering a little) Well, I ll be in 
 Boston a good deal this winter. 
 
 HARRIET. Yes ? 
 
 THEODORE. You see, I m a partner now with Le- 
 land in the brokerage business. 
 
 HARRIET. You re a partner? 
 
 THEODORE. Ah, ha. 
 
 HARRIET. Then, maybe, you can advise me. I ve 
 got some money I want to invest. 
 
 THEODORE. But, surely, your father 
 
 HARRIET. Oh, Father mustn t know anything about 
 it. It s my own money. My grandmother left it to 
 me, and it s nobody s business what I do with it. 
 (Secretively) I ve had a tip. What do you know 
 about Homestead Oil? 
 
 THEODORE. I ll have my office look it up. 
 
 HARRIET. All right. Do. 
 
 THEODORE. Say! I think you re swell. (Pause) 
 I m buying a new car that will eat the road between 
 this Sleepy Hollow and Civilization. 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 45 
 
 HARRIET. Oh, let me imagine it ! You see, Father 
 won t let our chauffeur go faster than a hearse. The 
 only excitement we ever have is when we get a 
 blowout, like this afternoon. 
 
 THEODORE. I m glad you had that blowout. 
 
 HARRIET. Are you? Why? 
 
 THEODORE. If it hadn t been for that, we might 
 never have met. 
 
 HARRIET. But from now on you ll be too busy 
 
 THEODORE. To what? 
 
 HARRIET. (Leading him on) To give that new car 
 all the exercise it needs. 
 
 THEODORE. Perhaps you ll help me. Will you? 
 
 HARRIET. Tell me how I can? 
 
 THEODORE. Well, you might sit right next to me 
 on the front seat and keep an eye out for the motor 
 cops. 
 
 HARRIET. I know you re a wonderful driver. 
 
 THEODORE. How do you know? 
 
 HARRIET. Oh, I ve noticed you. 
 
 THEODORE. Where ? 
 
 HARRIET. Oh, never mind. 
 
 THEODORE. When am I going to have the chance 
 to take you out? 
 
 HARRIET. I m not allowed to go out with young 
 men without 
 
 THEODORE. Couldn t you manage it some way? 
 
 HARRIET. Well, we might call your new car the 
 "Chaperone." 
 
 THEODORE. Good ! 
 
 HARRIET. Perhaps you ll come and dine with us 
 some evening, and then 
 
 THEODORE. Be delighted. 
 
 HARRIET. When Father goes up to his library we, 
 ah 
 
 THEODORE. We ll take the "Chaperone" out for a 
 run. When may I come? 
 
46 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 HARRIET. I ll let you know. 
 
 THEODORE. It only takes a half hour to get to 
 Boston, and if you like to dance 
 
 HARRIET. They ve got wonderful music at the 
 Touraine. You come Thursday evening, and I ll ar 
 range it some way. (They have got very close to 
 gether. THEODORE S back is to French windows. At 
 this point ROSIE enters from French windows. 
 ROSIE is in her blue dress with a motor wrap on. 
 She enters quickly, then suddenly sees them together 
 and recoils a step; stands looking at them.) 
 
 THEODORE. (Continuing very eagerly) Say, I m 
 for you! Can t I see you before Thursday? We ve 
 got to make up for lost time. 
 
 ROSIE. Oh 
 
 HARRIET. (Looking up) Oh why ? 
 
 THEODORE. What? (They BOTH turn and see 
 ROSIE together. Pause. He goes toward her dozvn 
 
 L.) 
 
 ROSIE. (Embarrassed^ I beg your pardon. I 
 
 THEODORE. Why, Rosie, come in. ( ROSIE doesn t 
 move. The GIRLS look at each other.) Golly ! Were 
 you waiting all this time? 
 
 ROSIE. I was afraid something happened. You 
 know you drive so recklessly. So I just came over 
 to see what was the matter. 
 
 THEODORE. I was out on business with my part-* 
 ner. I should have phoned you, but it slipped my 
 mind. 
 
 ROSIE. Oh it doesn t matter. 
 
 HARRIET. (Very self-possessed) Won t you in 
 troduce me? 
 
 THEODORE. I beg your pardon. Miss Hutton 
 Miss Scheible. 
 
 HARRIET. I m afraid I m to blame for interfering 
 with your plans. I hope you ll forgive me. 
 
 ROSIE. Oh, please ! 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 47 
 
 THEODORE. (To HARRIET,) I was going to take 
 Rosie for a ride, that s all. 
 
 HARRIET. It s really too bad. (Noticing ROSIE S 
 clothes) We don t like to be forgotten when we re 
 all dressed up. 
 
 THEODORE. Oh, I remember the surprise. Some 
 thing blue and a motor wrap to match. But we ll 
 have our ride some other time, eh Rosie? (RosiE 
 is left standing for a second; then with the com 
 posure of pride, she starts to go R. At this point 
 HUTTON enters from stairs, followed by WILLY and 
 HERTHA.J 
 
 HUTTON. You ve a very ambitious house, Mr. 
 Engel. 
 
 WILLY. I betcher! Dere s no use o two ways o 
 talking about it w en you do it do it right. (Sud 
 denly seeing ROSIE,) Hallo, Rosie. 
 
 HUTTON. Oh, this is the young lady I ve seen in 
 the stationery store. How do you do? (He crosses 
 to her and shakes hands cordially.) 
 
 ROSIE. Very well, thank you, Mr. Hutton. 
 
 HUTTON. How is your uncle ? 
 
 ROSIE. He s very well, thank you. 
 
 HUTTON. Tell him I m still waiting for that 
 promised game of chess. You must meet my daugh 
 ter. (HARRIET and THEODORE are absorbed in con 
 versation at L.J Harriet Harriet, this is Miss 
 Scheible. 
 
 HARRIET. We ve just met. 
 
 HUTTON. Oh. 
 
 HERTHA. (Seeing ROSIE S embarrassment) Rosie 
 ( ROSIE goes to HERTHA up rear.) 
 
 HUTTON. I always love to see her happy, cheer 
 ful face. (RosiE and HERTHA exit R., carrying the 
 percolator and tray.) 
 
 WILLY. Yah, she s a goot girl. She s the niece of 
 my oldest friend. Und w en her modder dies my 
 
48 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 friend Scheible, he adopts her. Yah, she s jusht like 
 a daughter in dis house. 
 
 HUTTON. Oh, I see. You mean your son and 
 
 WILLY. No, no I don d mean w at you mean. 
 Jusht goot friends. Nodding more. 
 
 HUTTON. Oh, I beg your pardon. Come, Harriet. 
 (HARRIET and THEODORE exit L.c.j 
 
 WILLY. What s de hurry? 
 
 HUTTON. I ve got a vestry meeting before ser 
 vices. 
 
 WILLY. Well now dat you know de way und, 
 ah, where we live, I hope 
 
 HUTTON. Thank you. 
 
 WILLY. Mr. Hutton, I don d play chess myself 
 but now that we meet socially, somedime I give 
 myself de pleasure to call now on you mit Theodore, 
 hah? 
 
 HUTTON. Yes, do. 
 
 WILLY. Den dat s all right. (Slaps him on the 
 shoulder, as he exits) I m very glat (Etc. ad lib. 
 HERTHA enters R.; gathers together the remaining 
 coffee things. "Goodbyes" are heard off L.C. Re- 
 entering L.C.) Theodore walks mit em to de gate! 
 (He goes rapidly to French windows and calls out) 
 Goodbye, Mr. Hutton. Goodbye ! Come soon again. 
 (Bowing and waving his hand) Goodbye, younk 
 lady. Come soon again. (He comes down c, very 
 much pleased) I tell you, swonderf ul ! 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, I ve got something to say to you 
 about Richard. 
 
 WILLY. Hah? 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, you like Richard, don t you? 
 
 WILLY. "Like Richard?" What s to like? (Dis 
 missing the subject) I arg enough mit Stasi aboud 
 Richard. Don d you begin. (Pause) Nu well? 
 What is it? 
 
 HERTHA. I want you to like him very much, be 
 cause 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 49 
 
 WILLY. Now, what happens? 
 
 HERTHA. Richard wants me to marry him. 
 
 WILLY. (Staggered) Wat ! (Suddenly exploding) 
 De loafer! He s got nerve! (He puts down his 
 cigar on the tray on table c. Controlling himself) 
 And you let him propose to you ? 
 
 HERTHA. I have promised to marry him. 
 
 WILLY. Since w en? 
 
 HERTHA. This afternoon. 
 
 WILLY. He s here? 
 
 HERTHA. He s fixing Theodore s automobile. 
 
 WILLY. So (Moving toward pantry quickly) 
 
 Well, I seddle dot business righd away. 
 
 HERTHA. Papa. (He stops at door.) I wished to 
 speak to you first. 
 
 WILLY. So Richard sends you to me, hah? He 
 don d lose no time dat feller. 
 
 HERTHA. He s waited all these years. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, he vaits he vaits until he sees you 
 now in a fine big house. 
 
 HERTHA. You ve no right to think that. 
 
 WILLY. Den why he vaits til now? Fer all his 
 life we know him. 
 
 HERTHA. He had a sister to take care of. 
 
 WILLY. Hertha, that s nonsense ! (He turns to go 
 to R. door.) 
 
 HERTHA. Papa please! (He turns toward her.) 
 I ve never asked you for anything. 
 
 WILLY. Hertha. I m shurprised on you. (Points 
 to chair R. of table) Sit down. (She does so.) Now, 
 Hertha, listen (He stands R. of her chair) I do 
 efferyding a fader can to make his children some- 
 ding in de world. Und jusht now w en your broder 
 begins to git into fine society you tell me you want 
 to marry a ordinary workman a foreman in de 
 factory a shoemaker ! 
 
 HERTHA. What were you? 
 
 WILLY. (Bursting) Dot s got nodding to do mit 
 
50 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 it! You shall be better den your fader. Dot s w at 
 I live for. What chanst has Theodore got to make 
 a decent marriage w en you bring home someding 
 like dat dat Richard! Och! (He crosses to L. of 
 table.) 
 
 HERTHA. He s the only person in the world who s 
 ever thought of me. 
 
 WILLY. (Promptly turning on her) Und de firsht 
 feller dat comes along you take, hah? (Changing 
 his attack) You got efferything you want, haven t 
 you? 
 
 HERTHA. Oh, it isn t that. 
 
 WILLY. (Bluntly) Well what is it? 
 
 HERTHA. It it s no use, Papa. I can t tell you. 
 
 WILLY. (Shaking his head) No, you got righd 
 to be ashamed. I neffer heard of such a selfishness. 
 (Sits L. of table) W at 7 do? Und w at does Theo 
 dore do w en you ? (Pause) Or, maybe, you 
 
 dink you can bring him here to live mit us? 
 
 HERTHA. Oh, no. Won t you understand ? 
 
 WILLY. (With an effort at control again) Now 
 look, Hertha. I m quiet. I don d get excited now! 
 But I tell you w at dat Richard tries to do. He dinks 
 maybe, if he s my son-in-law, I do someding special 
 extra for him in de factory mit his crazy patents. 
 
 und (HERTHA makes a gesture of silence and 
 
 an exclamation, as RICHARD enters R. Pause. He 
 looks inquiringly from HERTHA to WILLY.,) 
 
 HERTHA. Richard, I ve told my father. 
 
 WILLY. (To RICHARD, gathering himself) Yah, 
 my daughter jusht tells me w at you do today. 
 
 "RICHARD. Yes. Well? (Pause.) 
 
 HERTHA. He refuses his consent. 
 
 WILLY. (To HERTHA,) You keep quiet, or you go 
 upshtairs. 
 
 THEODORE. (Enters L.C.) Well, Guv nor, we made 
 a fine beginning. Hello ! (Looking at them humor 
 ously) Where s the corpse ? 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 51 
 
 WILLY. Theodore, you git now a nice shurprise. 
 Your sister tells me jusht now dat she and Richard 
 och 
 
 THEODORE. What? (Pause) No, you re joking. 
 
 RICHARD. I ve asked your sister to marry me. 
 
 THEODORE. (With quick anger) You (THEO 
 DORE starts toward RICHARD.,) 
 
 WILLY. (Quickly coming down and stopping 
 THEODOREJ Dere s no argiment here. I refuse my 
 consent. Dot s finished. 
 
 RICHARD. (Quietly) Then, Hertha, we must get 
 along without your family s consent. 
 
 WILLY. (Amazed) So! 
 
 HERTHA. Richard! 
 
 WILLY. Hertha, go to your room. (Points up 
 stairs.) 
 
 HERTHA. (Her first disobedience) No, Father. 
 
 WILLY. So ! (Choking) You disobey your fader ! ? 
 
 HERTHA. (Surprised at herself) Yes 
 
 WILLY. (Bursting at RICHARD,) Dot s w at he 
 tells you to do, I shuppose ! Anodder one of his new 
 ideas! You two togedder you begin a shtrike 
 rightd here in my own family ! (To HERTHAJ But, 
 so long as you are under my roof, / am de boss. 
 
 RICHARD. Then I ll take her under mine. 
 
 WILLY. (Making over to him at R.) You dink 
 maybe I shtand dat nonsense ! I know you, Richard 
 w at you do. But not one tscent to Hertha if she 
 marries you. 
 
 RICHARD. I ll manage to keep a roof over her 
 head. 
 
 THEODORE. Over your own head, you mean. 
 
 WILLY. Ha, ha! Dot s it! Well, you don d stay 
 longer in dat house ! (Points off L.) I kick you off 
 dat proberty. Und I kick you oud de factory. Und 
 you kin peddle your crazy patents til you find 
 anodder fool like me to buy dem. Now I m throu* 
 
52 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 mit it ! (He goes up R. and stands with his back to 
 them.) 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, you can t do that ! (WILLY makes 
 no move. She turns to THEODORE,) Theodore, don t 
 let him do this heartless thing ! 
 
 THEODORE. Father s right. 
 
 HERTHA. Theodore, it s for your sake he s doing 
 this! 
 
 THEODORE. No. It s because you won t open your 
 eyes and see what Richard s after. 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, Theodore can t help it. It s our 
 fault. We ve made him selfish. But you, Papa 
 don t kill the love I ve had for you all these years. 
 
 WILLY. Schtill ! I told you w at I dink of him. I 
 don d want dat kind of feller hanging around! 
 
 HERTHA. Then I ll tell you what I think of you. 
 Richard was good enough to make inventions for 
 you patents that you bought up not to help him, 
 but to hold him down ! 
 
 WILLY. You say dose things to me?! 
 
 BERTHA. I heard you say so just this afternoon. 
 You ve taken his devotion, his loyalty, and given 
 him nothing in return ! But I won t let you do that 
 any more. 
 
 WILLY. I told you I was through mit him you 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, and I I too worked for you! I 
 gave my youth to both of you yes, my youth 
 just as Richard gave his. Until he spoke today I 
 never knew what I had missed. And, then, I saw 
 what you ve been doing all these years with me and 
 him. You ve taken everything from both of us. And 
 what is our reward? Your dreadful selfishness! 
 We re good enough when we can serve you, but when 
 we want to take the happiness that we have earned 
 you d like to stop us 
 
 WILLY. Hertha, you re my daughter. You obey 
 me ! Go upstairs to your room ! 
 
ACT i OUR CHILDREN 53 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, you can t see that I ve grown up. 
 If you drive Richard out, you ll lose me, too ! 
 
 WILLY. (Terribly) Hertha you 
 
 HERTHA. (Continuing) You ll try to stop me, 
 but you can t ! 
 
 WILLY. What ?! 
 
 HERTHA. If you turn Richard out, I ll go with 
 him now!! 
 
 WILLY. (In towering rage) I got enough now ! ! 
 I ll take you to your room ! ! (He takes her by the 
 arm and draws her toward the stairs. HERTHA re 
 sisting him, falls on her knees.) 
 
 RICHARD. (Quietly to WILLY,) Stop that. (He 
 takes WILLY by the left hand, releasing HERTHA, 
 who remains on her knees. As WILLY feels RICH 
 ARD S hand on his, he raises his right hand to strike 
 RICHARD. HERTHA screams: "Papa! Don t!" 
 RICHARD then catches the old man by his raised right 
 arm, and with his greater strength, without a word, 
 puts down the old man s hands. WILLY crumples 
 and stands in dazed humiliation. RICHARD then lifts 
 HERTHA from the floor, saying: "Come, Hertha/ ) 
 
 WILLY. (Struggling for command) She stays 
 here! (WARN Curtain.) 
 
 RICHARD. She goes with me. 
 
 WILLY. If Hertha goes mit you, I m finished mit 
 you both ! 
 
 RICHARD. That s all right. I ve tried my best to 
 serve you as long as you would let me. I bear you 
 no bitterness in business. It s the new and the old 
 at war. But I m going to marry Hertha. You ll 
 want her back, but I swear by my dead father, I ll 
 have to see you on your knees to me, as she has been 
 to you this day, before I ll let her come. (He crosses 
 up L. ; then turns) Hertha 
 
 WILLY. Hertha, you will do w at / tell you. (HER 
 THA, standing between RICHARD and WILLY, pauses 
 a moment, looking from one to the other; then turns 
 
54 OUR CHILDREN ACTI 
 
 to RICHARD, as if impelled by something stronger 
 than herself. HERTHA puts her hand in his. To 
 gether they exit L.C. WILLY is amazed beyond an 
 ger. He cannot believe it possible. He turns, stunned 
 and speechless, toward THEODORE, but THEODORE 
 betrays no sense of responsibility. The DOOR off 
 L.C. is heard to close. The noise of the closing door 
 jars WILLY into a sense of what has occurred. He 
 pulls himself together) Theodore go after Hertha. 
 Give her dis from me (He whips out the bank 
 book from his back pocket and gives it to THEODORE.} 
 
 THEODORE. But, Dad, are you going to pay Hertha 
 for leaving you? 
 
 WILLY. (Grimly) If she marries him, she ll need 
 it. 
 
 THEODORE. But 
 
 WILLY. (Savagely interrupting) Go ahead, Theo 
 dore ! Dat belongs to her by righds ! Und righd is 
 righd! (THEODORE runs out L.C., leaving WILLY 
 alone on the stage as the Curtain descends.) 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
ACT TWO 
 
 SCENE: The scene presents the same room two 
 years later. It looks very shabby. The curtains 
 are worn. The room is disordered. A globe is 
 off the electric light at the side. One of the 
 lights in chandelier has burnt out. An old dark 
 tablecloth has supplanted the doilies on the ta 
 ble, etc.; and many little indications in the ar 
 rangement and general menage of the room 
 point to the absence of HERTHA S directing 
 hand. The doors of arch L.C. are closed. 
 
 WILLY is discovered sitting L. of table c. un- 
 dc.r the electric light with a cup of coffee before 
 him. He sits in his old big chair. 
 
 It is about 7 :45 in the evening. WILLY is in 
 his shirt-sleeves, smoking his pipe. His coat 
 hangs on the back of his chair. His eyes are 
 evidently poor, as he holds things very near to 
 himself when reading. He has aged a bit and 
 looks harassed. During the progress of the 
 Act, he pendulates between hysterical hope and 
 blank despair. Everything indicates a sharp de 
 cline in the ENGEL fortunes. WILLY reads over 
 some opened letters; shakes his head ruefully; 
 draws a long breath and calls out 
 
 ^ WILLY. (As if he had called her before) Well, 
 Sophy! (Pause) Sophy! (She enters R. with a 
 coffee-pot. SOPHY is dressed, not as in Act I, but 
 
 55 
 
56 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 far more carelessly. She wears carpet slippers, an 
 old skirt, sleeves rolled up and a cloth on her head.) 
 Why don d you come when I call? 
 
 SOPHY. Jusht w en I tell dat grocery man you 
 ain d at home, you yell so de whole neighborhood 
 can hear you. (She gives him a bill.) 
 
 WILLY. (Dejected) Sophy, don d bring me no 
 more bills. (Pointing to table and letters.) 
 
 SOPHY. You should eat someding before you look 
 at bills. (Pours coffee.) 
 
 WILLY. Ach, I got no appedite to eat alone. 
 (Opens grocer s bill.) 
 
 SOPHY. (With an injured tone) Und de roof 
 leaks again in my room. 
 
 WILLY. (Irritated) Dere s twelf empdy betrooms 
 upshtairs. Schleep in all of dem! (Looking at the 
 bill) A hundred-twendy dollars! Mein Gott! De 
 bills was neffer so big w en Hertha was here! 
 (SOPHY sighs.) Who eats all dat shtuff? 
 
 SOPHY. Dot s four mont s, like all de resht. (In 
 jured) I don t eat noddink. (Tearfully) I git no 
 wages now fer six mont s, Mr. Engel. Und w en you 
 dink dot s nice fer me, mit de butcher, und de 
 baker, und all dem peeble ashkin w at s de matter, 
 you got me wrong, Mr. Engel ! (Weeps.) 
 
 WILLY. Dot s enough. Don d you begin again. 
 
 SOPHY. (Continuing tearfully) I shave und 
 schkrimp on effery tscent, and den w en Mr. Theo 
 dore comes up von Boston mit his crowd, he orders 
 dose dings. 
 
 WILLY. (Impatiently) Nah, nah. Dot s business 
 undertainment. 
 
 SOPHY. (Repeating scornfully) Dot s business 
 undertainment, hah ? Yah, we got plendy champagne 
 in de cellar, but no ice in de icebox. 
 
 WILLY. My Theodore soon makes lots of money. 
 
 SOPHY. (With a snivel) I don d schtop him! 
 
 WILLY. Yah, und jusht now, dot s a bad market. 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 57 
 
 SOPHY. If de market s got all cushtimers like we 
 are, it s no wonder it s bad. (The PHONE rings on 
 desk up L. WILLY makes an Impatient gesture. 
 Pause, as they look at each other suspensively. 
 SOPHY asks) Soil ich? 
 
 WILLY. Yah, geh mal hin. 
 
 SOPHY. (Taking up receiver gingerly) Hallo 
 yes ? No. Mr. Engel is oud of town on busi 
 ness. (A look between them. WILLY nods.) Who 
 is it? (Her face becomes shrewd and alert) Oh, 
 wait a minute. I git pencil und paber. (She puts 
 the receiver upon her stomach; motions WILLY to 
 come to her. He does so. She says secretively) It s 
 dat mortgage combany again. ( WILLY hastily puts 
 his hand on the receiver which she has in her right 
 hand and looks at her savagely.) Was ist den? 
 
 WILLY. Dey hear you ! 
 
 SOPHY. Och 
 
 WILLY. Tell em I get down to der office mit some 
 money tomorrer morning shure. (She starts to 
 speak.) Wait! Firsht hear w at dey say. 
 
 SOPHY. (Speaks to receiver) Hallo Yah Now 
 I write it down. (WILLY draws nearer. She repeats 
 as if writing down the message) De mortgage is 
 overdone Yah, yah, ich versteh I undershtand 
 overdue yah. If dot s not paid tomorrer, we musht 
 take (Quickly) take what? (Relieved) Action 
 Oh, yah, action to foreclose Yah 
 
 WILLY. (Nervously J Say, w at I told you ! 
 
 SOPHY. (Repeating into the receiver) "Say what 
 I told you." 
 
 WILLY. Psch ! No, no ! Sophy, w at you do ! 
 
 SOPHY. (Confused by trying to listen to both 
 WILLY and receiver) Hallo! Yah Hah Wait! 
 
 WILLY. (Exasperated) De money w at I bring! 
 
 SOPHY. (Putting receiver on her stomach) Psch ! ! 
 (Business ad lib. She glares menacingly at WILLY. 
 WILLY motions to phone.) Hallo Yah, Mr. Engel 
 
58 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 leaves word I shud say dat he is dere tomorrer 
 morning mit some money. 
 
 WILLY. Shure! 
 
 SOPHY. (Repeating again into phone) "Shure!" 
 
 WILLY. Dot s enough! 
 
 SOPHY. (Repeating to phone) "Dot s enough!" 
 
 WILLY. (Wildly anxious) Mem Gott, Sophy, 
 you ! 
 
 SOPHY. (Kicking him azvay) Geh doch weg!! 
 (WILLY retreats up R. She continues) Yah, you 
 know he s got schtrikes und troubles in de factory. 
 Yah (Puts down receiver and says to it after she 
 has rung off) goodbye ! Gott sei dank ! ( Puts her 
 hands to her ears and comes to L. of table.) 
 
 WILLY. Git Carter right away. 
 
 SOPHY. (After a look of misery) Schon wieder 
 a mal? 
 
 WILLY. (Walking up and down) Yah, quick! 
 (WILLY continues walking nervously as SOPHY goes 
 again to the phone, which she takes up as if it were 
 a snake.) 
 
 SOPHY. (Ringing up) Hallo Tscentral Hallo? 
 Gif me one two six Chestnuts! Yah. 
 
 WILLY. Carter waits. 
 
 SOPHY. Hallo? Dat s you, Mr. Carter? Hold de 
 wire, please. 
 
 WILLY. It s him, hah? (SOPHY nods; gives him 
 the receiver. She listens at the table.) Hallo, Car 
 ter? Yah Carter, listen You got dat contract fer 
 de kennels proberty ? W at ! Signed ! ? Well, make 
 him sign it tonight Listen, Carter Listen, git as 
 much down as you can ! I need it quick But take 
 anyding Yah, yah I sign dat deed tomorrer 
 You bring dat money righd up here tonighd Yah, 
 yah, dose bloodsuckers won d wait no more fer dat 
 interest on de mortgage W at ? Hutchinson comes 
 in now! All righd Goodbye! (He hangs up ex- 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 59 
 
 citedly, and says to SOPHY,) De agent jusht comes 
 in to Carter. 
 
 SOPHY. (Pointing to the bills) Wat we do mit 
 dese? (DOOR off L.C. heard dosing.) 
 
 WILLY. (Quickly) Pst! Dot s Theodore. (He 
 waves her off to pantry) Don d say anyding aboud 
 de mortgage on de house. 
 
 SOPHY. (Taking coffee pot off R .) Ich sag yah gar- 
 nichts. 
 
 WILLY. Schon gut. (He follows her down to R. 
 exit. After SOPHY is off he turns as THEODORE en 
 ters L.C. THEODORE is pale and dissipated-looking.) 
 Well, Theodore, w at s de news? 
 
 THEODORE. (He picks up some mail left on desk; 
 opens a letter during this scene and reads it, as he 
 goes quickly and nervously across front of stage 
 and dozvn R .) Good. 
 
 WILLY. Ah! 
 
 THEODORE. The market s hit rock bottom. 
 
 WILLY. So! 
 
 THEODORE. Yes. We know we can t lose any 
 more. 
 
 WILLY. (Quickly) I t ought you don d speckilate? 
 
 THEODORE. Leland s gone in a little on his own. 
 (WiLLY looks sharply at him.) That s nothing to do 
 with the firm. 
 
 WILLY. Yah. A broker shouldn t speckilate. 
 Dot s a bad business. 
 
 THEODORE. Say, Guv nor, if I had about three 
 thousand, now s the time to buy. 
 
 WILLY. I got no money. Richard und dat Labor 
 Pardy mit de fancy laws dot fixed me. (Trembling 
 with emotion) Und Theodore, jusht dink on it! 
 My men my men oud on schtrike! 
 
 THEODORE. (Impatiently) I know I know! 
 (Swings down R. and begins to calculate on back of 
 envelope of letter.) 
 
 WILLY. (Sitting in his big chair) I can d git over 
 
60 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 it. Some dat I hat mit me fer over twendy years 
 und neffer laid dem off. My men dot I worked und 
 worried for! I couldn t be more shurprised if you 
 went back on me ! 
 
 THEODORE. (Nervously) I d rather have my bus 
 iness. It s dog eat dog. There s no sentiment about 
 it, and you know it ! 
 
 WILLY. Dey didn t want to go dey hat to! 
 Richard und dat Labor Pardy makes it dot they hat 
 to choin de union! Und w en dot union called de 
 schtrike de old fellers dey cried w en dey went oud. 
 Dot broke my heart. Dey knew dey always had it 
 goot mit me. Dey seyd so. I lose money often. Dat s 
 bad enough, but we git over dat. But my workmen 
 
 my workmen (In a rage) Und Richard does 
 
 dat ! Yah, Richard ! Und, beshides, de odder fellers 
 git Richard s new machine! Yah, all his crazy pat 
 ents, / buy! I shupport him til he makes dot last 
 patent de real one, und den he sells it to my com- 
 peditors ! Yah, dot s my gratitude ! (Drinks coffee.) 
 
 THEODORE. (As if with a new idea) Guv nor, you 
 put a mortgage on this house. 
 
 WILLY. (Guiltily, startled) W at! 
 
 THEODORE. (Eagerly) You can easily raise sev 
 eral thousand. 
 
 WILLY. Theodore, why not sell de house ? I don d 
 want it. I m here alone mit Sophy. 
 
 THEODORE. Why, no ! 
 
 WILLY. Yah, we was happier in de old blace, and 
 we didn t know it. (Sips coffee.) 
 
 THEODORE. Selling takes time, and you can raise 
 a mortgage right away. 
 
 WILLY. (After a pause) Theodore, we can d put 
 a mortgage on de house. 
 
 THEODORE. Why not ? Now don t refuse me. I m 
 in terribly bad. 
 
 WILLY. I raised effery tscent I could on it al 
 ready. 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 61 
 
 THEODORE. (Angrily) What! You ve already 
 mortgaged the house? 
 
 WILLY. (Nodding) Und now I got to sell de 
 kennels property to pay de interest, elset dey fore 
 close on me tomorrer. 
 
 THEODORE. (Enraged) What have you done with 
 the money? 
 
 WILLY. I gif mosht of it to you, fer your busi 
 ness, und (Significantly) odder dings. (THEO 
 DORE swings down L. again.) Yah, Theodore, you 
 don d save me nodding. 
 
 THEODORE. (Accusingly) They why did you raise 
 me with the idea that I could have all I needed? 
 
 WILLY. I didn t dink you need so much. I m sor 
 ry, Theodore, but can d you hold back a liddle while ? 
 Look at dose bills. Dey re moshtly yours. 
 
 THEODORE. If you wanted me to be a tightwad, 
 why did you try to make a gentleman of me? Why 
 didn t you make me a shoemaker, and be done with 
 it? ( WILLY drops his cup.) What s the matter? 
 
 WILLY. (Hiding his tears) Someding gits now 
 in my eye. 
 
 THEODORE. (Comes behind table; leans over 
 WILLY, contritely) Dad, I m sorry I said that. I 
 got excited. (WILLY pats THEODORE S hand zvhich 
 is resting on WILLY S arm. Pause. He turns again) 
 Have you spent all the mortgage money ? 
 
 WILLY. How you dink we live fer dis whole 
 year? 
 
 THEODORE. Well, what are you going to do about 
 the factory? 
 
 WILLY. I went twice today to see Hutton at de 
 bank. 
 
 THEODORE. (Alarmed) What did he say? 
 
 WILLY. (Grimly) Nodding. He wasn t dere. 
 
 THEODORE. (Relieved) You keep away from him 
 until well, I don t want anyone to know the real 
 truth about things for a day or two, that s all. 
 
62 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 WILLY. Wat you do now, Theodore? 
 
 THEODORE. I m going to marry Harriet Hutton. 
 
 WILLY. W at! 
 
 THEODORE. Then old Hutton can t force you to 
 the wall. 
 
 WILLY. But, for my sake, Theodore, I don d vant 
 that you und so all of a sudden so mitoud love 
 you ach, no ! (Shakes his head.) 
 
 THEODORE. I love her well enough to marry her. 
 
 WILLY. But if old Hutton don d consent? 
 
 THEODORE. After we re married what can he do 
 about it? 
 
 WILLY. She agrees to dat ? 
 
 THEODORE. She ll stand by me. 
 
 WILLY. My boy my boy! Den dat s all righd. 
 She loves you ! 
 
 THEODORE. (Practically) You keep quiet about 
 money, until after we re safely married. And then 
 our troubles will be over. 
 
 WILLY. Och, Theodore, she s a fine girl, und she 
 gets a fine feller. Anyways, I m glat of effery tscent 
 I shpend on you. Yah, she wouldn t take you, if 
 you was a shoemaker ! (BELL rings.) 
 
 THEODORE. Who s that? (Enter SOPHY R. She 
 crosses and exits L.C., drying her hands on her 
 apron.) 
 
 WILLY. Sophy is careful. I teached her. Maybe 
 Carter comes now mit de contract. 
 
 SOPHY. (Re-entering L.C.) Mr. Scheible comes. 
 ( SOPHY exits R.j 
 
 THEODORE. Perhaps he ll stake you? 
 
 WILLY. Nix. If he could lent me any more, 1 
 wouldn t have to ask him. 
 
 THEODORE. Call me, if Harriet phones. (Exits 
 upstairs. Slight pause. STASI appears L.C. ) 
 
 WILLY. Hallo, Stasi. Come in. 
 
 STASI. Hallo, Willy. Wie gehts? (STASI puts his 
 hat on desk up L., then turns and meets WILLY, who 
 crosses to him at L.) 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 63 
 
 WILLY. Ganz gut. You soon git news great 
 news. 
 
 STASI. Good ! Tell me. 
 
 WILLY. I always seyd, so lonk I got my Theodore, 
 it all comes righd. 
 
 STASI. Fine. But what s de news? 
 
 WILLY. (Remembering that he is not to tell of 
 the engagement) Oh, ah ! Carter makes a contract 
 fer de kennels proberdy. 
 
 STASI. Well, I m glad that you get rid of it. You 
 know I never wanted you to take dat property, 
 anyhow. 
 
 WILLY. We don d begin on dat, please. 
 
 STASI. All right. (With his characteristic ges 
 ture.) 
 
 WILLY. (Likewise) All right. (They sit.) 
 
 STASI. (Promptly beginning) I don t say any 
 thing more about it, but who buys that property? 
 
 WILLY. I don d know. I dink dot Hutchinson 
 buys it fer himself on speckilation. 
 
 STASI. That s nonsense! Why should he buy it? 
 
 WILLY. I don d know why he should buy it ! Ashk 
 him! 
 
 STASI. Ach ! So long you get your money, I don t 
 care. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, I kin use it. 
 
 STASI. (Pause. STASI shakes his head, rising) 
 W T ell, I git my pipe. (Goes to sideboard drawer) 
 I thought I smoke a little while with you, til Rosie 
 calls for me. 
 
 WILLY. (Gets tobacco jar from serving table) 
 You don d shtay mit me? 
 
 STASI. No, we go tonight to see a picture. (WiL- 
 LY opens the tobacco jar and pushes it towards 
 STASI. STASI rises; puts his hand into the jar and 
 recoils as he feels the potato in it. STASI takes out 
 the potato, shows it angrily to WILLY and puts it 
 down on the table; then fills his pipe. WILLY takes 
 
64 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 up the potato, jams it back into the jar and slams 
 on the top. They BOTH turn away from each other; 
 then simultaneously turn back. EACH makes his char 
 acteristic "All right gesture and sits. WILLY lights 
 his match on the match-holder. STASI lights his 
 match on his shoe. They light their pipes.) 
 
 STASI. Say, Willy, I want to ask you something. 
 I heard in Boston yesterday that Leland is gam 
 bling that he buys those margins again. 
 
 WILLY. (With finality) Leland is my Theodore s 
 partner. Dot seddles it. 
 
 STASI. That s just the trouble. That don t settle 
 it. You got to settle it again, because he s Theodore s 
 partner ! 
 
 WILLY. Don t make me laugh! I can t seddle 
 noddink. 
 
 STASI. Then get rid of him for Theodore s sake. 
 (Imploringly) Willy, I know that he s a crook. He 
 took your Theodore for a partner just to get credit 
 with your money! Stop him now, before he goes 
 too far! 
 
 WILLY. Stasi Stasi don d arg no more aboud 
 it! 
 
 STASI. (Continuing) And the worst of it is, you 
 know, down in your heart, you know that I am 
 right. 
 
 WILLY. (With conviction) Down in my heart I 
 know my Theodore is righd ! 
 
 STASI. (Throwing up his hands) What s the use 
 I talk ! 
 
 WILLY. It s no use. 
 
 STASI. Just like my Rosie. No matter what 
 Theodore does, she always finds excuses for him. 
 He s always right. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, Rosie. She knows better as you. 
 
 STASI. (After a long puff) I guess the women 
 always do. 
 
 WILLY. No ! Not always. 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 65 
 
 STASI. Yah, Willy, always. I m an old bachelor, 
 und day after day I see how much the women know 
 and help the men. I got nothing to complain of. 
 But my life would have been very different if the 
 girl I wanted to marry long ago had wanted me. 
 
 WILLY. Und yet you dink de women ish always 
 righd. 
 
 STASI. (Tenderly) Yah, Willy. Behind every 
 man that makes success, there is a good woman 
 some place. The man has the strength to work out 
 in the world, but the woman has the principles. He 
 earns; she saves. He zvorks. She watches over him. 
 We think we do it all. But, Willy, it s the woman 
 that guides the man. Even me, my little Rosie. Hm. 
 She s just like a little mother to me. You had your 
 Matilda. 
 
 WILLY. (Remenlscently) Matilda died before I 
 hat a dollar. But I owe efferyding to her. She made 
 me shart oud f er myself. 
 
 STASI. Und then you had your Hertha. 
 
 WILLY. (Shutting him off) Blease, Stasi 
 
 STASI. So long she was with you, things went 
 good. Und look now what she does for Richard. 
 He runs the biggest factory in Concord. 
 
 WILLY. W at for you speak of him? 
 
 STASI. I speak of Hertha, Willy. 
 
 WILLY. Und I don d vant to hear of him. 
 
 STASI. (Quietly) All right ! 
 
 WILLY. All right ! (They subside over their pipes. 
 WILLY goes over behind STASI. He touches him on 
 the shoulder) Say, Stasi, why all of a sutten you 
 shpeak of women, Stasi? 
 
 STASI. Because I m thinking, when Theodore gets 
 married and settles down, things will be different 
 with him. A good wife will make a steady man of 
 him. 
 
 WILLY. Well, I dink he s goink to marry soon. 
 We talked about it jusht tonighd. 
 
66 OUR CHILDREN ACT n 
 
 STASI. Und Rosie, she will keep him straight and 
 save his money. 
 
 WILLY. Rosie ? 
 
 STASI. (With a smile) Yah, she will tell him how 
 to run his business. What you can t do and / can t 
 do, she ll do. (Pause of embarrassment for WILLY.J 
 
 WILLY. Mein Gott, Stasi Och it s well I 
 
 STASI. What s the matter with you ? 
 
 WILLY. I don d know how to tell you. 
 
 STASI. What? 
 
 WILLY. Dere s a terrible mishtake someblace. 
 
 STASI. Mistake? 
 
 WILLY. Lishten, Stasi. W at gifs you de idea my 
 Theodore marries Rosie? 
 
 SOPHY. (Quizzically) Nu, Willy what gives me 
 the idea ! ? 
 
 WILLY. Yah 
 
 STASI. (Seriously) Willy, that s one thing I don t 
 joke about. 
 
 WILLY. Neither do I. I don d choke. 
 
 STASI. Say, wait a minute what you mean? That 
 Theodore marries someone else after ? 
 
 WILLY. My Theodore soon marries Harriet Hut- 
 ton. 
 
 STASI. What!? 
 
 WILLY. Dot s de great news. Und now you know 
 it. 
 
 STASI. Willy, I don t believe you. 
 
 WILLY. (Tenderly) Stasi, you dink I lie to you? 
 
 STASI. (Repeating to assure himself) You tell me 
 Theodore marries Harriet Huttonf 
 
 WILLY. Dey were engadjed dis afternoon. 
 
 STASI. My poor Rosie! My poor little Rosie! 
 Mein Gott ! That will break her heart ! (Turning 
 accusingly) Und you you knew I? 
 
 WILLY. I gif you my word, I didn t know a ding 
 aboud it J til tonighd. 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 67 
 
 STASI. But don t you see, Willy. That s a ter 
 rible thing? 
 
 WILLY. (Helplessly) W at kin I do? 
 
 STASI. And with all my experience of the world, 
 I couldn t save my little Rosie from this. (He rises) 
 Oh, I was wrong ! I knew ! I should have said "no" 
 right from the beginning and shtuck to it ! I 
 shouldn t have allowed my Rosie to put her trust in 
 Theodore, no matter what he said ! 
 
 WILLY. (Going to STASIJ Stasi Stasi we re 
 old fellers. We can t manach de younk peeble dese 
 days. I m awful sorry if Rosie thought 
 
 STASI. (Turning on him) You blind fool ! ! 
 
 WILLY. What!! 
 
 STASI. I say now what I think! Where s Theo 
 dore? 
 
 WILLY. What you want mit him? 
 
 STASI. You call him down, or else I call him down. 
 (Scornfully) Maybe he s afraid to come? 
 
 WILLY. (Likewise) Afraid for you? 
 
 STASI. We see! 
 
 WILLY. (Defiantly) All right ! 
 
 STASI. (Likewise) All right! (Moves down L. 
 and gathers himself.) 
 
 W ILLY. (Goes to stairs and calls loudly) Theo 
 dore ! (Then with a change to mildness) Theodore 
 
 THEODORE. (Upstairs) Yes. 
 
 WILLY. Come down here. 
 
 ROSIE. (Enters R.) Good evening, Uncle Willy. 
 
 WILLY. (Very tenderly) Hallo, Rosie Och 
 
 ROSIE. (Smiling) Oh, are you and Uncle Stasi 
 quarreling again? 
 
 STASI. Rosie, sit down. 
 
 ROSIE. (As STASI puts her in chair down L.) But 
 it s time that we were going. 
 
 THEODORE. (Entering excitedly downstairs) Is 
 Harriet on the wire? (Seeing them) Oh, excuse 
 me ! (He starts to go off again.) 
 
68 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 STASI. We excuse you in a minute. 
 
 WILLY. Come in, Theodore. We musht ask you 
 someding. 
 
 THEODORE. What s the matter? 
 
 STASI. (To THEODORE, commandingly) Come 
 here! 
 
 THEODORE. Hello, Rosie. Why (Moves to 
 ward her.) 
 
 STASI. (Savagely) You keep away from her! 
 
 ROSIE. (Rises, anxiously) Why, Uncle Stasi, 
 what has happened? 
 
 STASI. (Tenderly but firmly) Sit down. You do 
 now what / tell you, please. 
 
 ROSIE. But 
 
 STASI. Shtill ! ! (He puts her again in chair down 
 L. To THEODORE J You may remember, Theodore, 
 that for years now, you have made love to my Rosie. 
 (A start from WILLY.) Oh, I didn t want it ! Last 
 year you promised her to marry her. I liked that 
 even less. 
 
 THEODORE. That s between Rosie and me. 
 
 STASI. No! That s my reshponsibility now. 
 
 ROSIE. (Hysterically) Uncle Stasi, take me home ! 
 
 STASI. (Peremptorilly) Shtill ! 
 
 WILLY. (Solemnly) Theodore, tell me the truth. 
 Righd is righd. Did you? 
 
 THEODORE. (In perplexity) Why, I don t con 
 sider that promise seriously we ( ROSIE sinks 
 
 into the chair and buries her face in her hands.) 
 That was just a boy and girl affair. 
 
 STASI. (Relieved but passionately) Ah! That s 
 exactly what I always told her ! (Turns pitifully to 
 ROSIE) But she don t believe me ! (Again severely, 
 turning to THEODOREJ So I bring you down that 
 you shall tell her that with your own lips! (Goes 
 tenderly to ROSIE j I hope my Rosie now will see 
 how foolish it is for her to eat her heart out. (To 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 69 
 
 THEODORE,) On account of such a damn loafer as 
 you are! 
 
 WILLY. (Immediately defensive) Stasi! You 
 can d say such dings aboud my Theodore ! 
 
 STASI. (Turning on WILLYJ Then I speak of 
 you! Because, Willy, you re to blame. You made 
 him what he is. (Scornfully) A chentleman I Be 
 cause of him you make a break with Richard. I 
 told you then that you should shpend your money 
 on Richard s new ideas, and not on Theodore s! I 
 told you, Theodore takes your money and makes a 
 beggar out of you, and of himself he makes a loafer ! 
 But, thank Gott! He don d make no more a fool 
 of my Rosie! 
 
 ROSIE. (Rising) No ! I m to blame for this. 
 
 STASI. What? 
 
 ROSIE. Yes. (She goes to THEODORE J Theodore, 
 I was wrong to think you were in earnest, when 
 you And maybe I boasted a little to the other 
 girls whenever you took me out in your big auto 
 mobile. And if people didn t think we had some 
 kind of understanding, I couldn t have gone with 
 you so often. You see, I m quite grown up now 
 
 and so are you and people (She tries to laugh, 
 
 but it is almost a sob) But I want you not to think 
 about me any more. I ve not been very well. And 
 Uncle Stasi thought I was grieving about you. But 
 now it s all cleared up. (She sinks into a chair.) 
 
 STASI. What s cleared up? 
 
 WILLY. (Going to her tenderly) Rosie s all 
 right. You put crazy ideas into her head, too. 
 
 STASI. I know what I know. 
 
 WILLY. Und I know you don t know. 
 
 STASI. All right ! 
 
 WILLY. All right ! 
 
 SOPHY. (Entering R.J Mr. Engel, Mr. Hutton 
 comes now up de path. 
 
 WILLY. (To SOPHY., waving her off L.c.j In a 
 
70 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 minute. (At mention of HUTTON, ROSIE rises 
 quickly.) 
 
 ROSIE. Come, Uncle Stasi. Goodbye, Uncle 
 Willy. (STASI gets his hat from desk up L.) 
 
 WILLY. (Very tenderly) Yah, goodbye, Rosie. 
 (Goes toward her.) 
 
 STASI. (With great dignity taking ROSIE away 
 from him) Yah, we leave you to your new friends ; 
 but remember, Willy, you lose today a old one. (He 
 exits with ROSIE through French windows.) 
 
 WILLY. (Much moved, starts to follow STASI. 
 Calling) Stasi Stasi ! (He stands looking after 
 them.) 
 
 THEODORE. Dad, put on your coat. (Brings him 
 his coat.) 
 
 WILLY. (Makes a gesture of futility. Perplexed) 
 I don t like it dat liddle Rosie cries like dat. 
 
 THEODORE. (Has quickly gathered up the bills and 
 letters from the table c.) What s Hutton come for ? 
 
 WILLY. (Getting into his coat) I don t know. 
 (Suddenly to THEODORE, who is putting the bills, etc., 
 out of sight in desk up L. ) Say, Theodore, you bet 
 ter tell him aboud Harriet. 
 
 THEODORE. Not a word ! Let him do the talking. 
 (He closes desk as HUTTON enters L.C. HUTTON S 
 manner is very reserved and suspensive. SOPHY 
 goes behind table and exits R.) 
 
 WILLY. (Absently) Goot evenink, Mr. Hutton. 
 
 HUTTON. (To WILLY J Good evening. 
 
 THEODORE. How d ye do? 
 
 HUTTON. Very well, thank you. (There is a sus 
 pensive look among all THREE.,) I was just going 
 to a Bank Directors meeting at our Treasurer s 
 house, down street, so I thought I d step in a mo 
 ment on my way. 
 
 WILLY. Dot s very nice of you. Sit down. 
 
 HUTTON. (Sitting L. of table) Thanks. I heard 
 that you were at the bank today. 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 71 
 
 WILLY. Oh, yah. I jusht shtepped round on de 
 way to de factory, down your shtreed. Und I jusht 
 dropped in fer a moment. 
 
 HUTTON. (Laconically) Yes, twice. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, yah (Embarrassed) ^ Going 
 
 down und coming back. But dere s nodding in per- 
 
 tickel 
 
 HUTTON. Come, now, hadn t we better be open 
 with each other, Mr. Engel? 
 
 WILLY. Yah, shure but we 
 
 THEODORE. (Moving as if to go) Would you pre 
 fer that I ? 
 
 HUTTON. No. I d like you to remain. 
 THEODORE. Oh, certainly. 
 
 HUTTON. (To WILLY,) I had an idea that ycu 
 wanted the bank to give you a little more time on 
 the mortgages and notes we hold of yours. 
 
 WILLY. If you could renew dem or exshtend de 
 time. De factory ish dere. You got security. 
 
 HUTTON. I know you ve had great difficulties. 
 The strikes have hurt us all a little. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, Mr. Hutton, fer t ree mont s not a 
 
 stitch! Und my men I can t shpeak aboud it! 
 
 HUTTON. You ve been a good friend to your 
 workmen. You ve had to suffer for the bad em 
 ployer. And in such times one needs one s friends. 
 Yours is the oMest account we have. I personally 
 would like to see you on your feet again. I don t 
 want to intrude advice, but I suggest you make 
 what terms you can with the trade unions. And if 
 your factory is prepared to start, our bank will help 
 you. 
 
 WILLY. Don d dink I don d appreciate dat. 
 HUTTON. (Nods, then turns to THEODORE,) And 
 now, young man, I had an idea you might want to 
 talk to me as well. 
 
 THEODORE. (Nervous, but charming and eager as 
 he rises) Yes, sir. About what, sir? 
 
72 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 HUTTON. My daughter Harriet. 
 
 THEODORE. Then ah she s told you? 
 
 HUTTON. That you made her an offer of mar 
 riage. 
 
 THEODORE. Well, that s true, sir. (Pause.) 
 
 WILLY. Well ah w at you dink aboud it, Mr. 
 Hutton? 
 
 HUTTON. May I speak frankly? 
 
 WILLY. Like your own family. 
 
 HUTTON. I wish to be satisfied that your son is 
 the man to whom I can safely trust my girl. 
 
 WILLY. You kin trusht my Theodore. I trusht 
 him mit all I got in de world. 
 
 HUTTON. There s where I think you ve made a 
 great mistake. 
 
 WILLY. Hah? 
 
 HUTTON. Yes, you ve trusted him with all you 
 had. But how has he discharged that trust? That s 
 what I want to know. That s what I m entitled to 
 know. 
 
 WILLY. Of course his business cost me someding 
 like cilery business at de beginning. (Proudly) 
 But he gits a chentlemen s shtart. 
 
 HUTTON. Why didn t your son enter your busi 
 ness? 
 
 WILLY. I didn t want dat he should be a shoe 
 maker. 
 
 HUTTON. (To THEODORE,) Your father s business 
 at least is honorable and useful. 
 
 THEODORE. What do you mean, Mr. Hutton? 
 
 HUTTON. I ve had our Boston man look up your 
 partner. 
 
 THEODORE. You mean Mr. Vaughn Leland? 
 
 HUTTON. Our Boston director called him a very 
 ugly name. His dealings have been far from honest. 
 
 WILLY. Mein Gott ! We didn t 
 
 HUTTON. (To WILLY,) Before you gave your son 
 a hand in your affairs you were one of the most 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 73 
 
 respected merchants in this city. Where do you 
 stand now? I dislike speaking of money matters. I 
 only refer to them because my business has taught 
 me to judge men s characters by the way they handle 
 money. 
 
 WILLY. Den you oppose de match? 
 
 HUTTON. No. My daughter says she loves him. 
 I respect her feeling. Therefore I can exact that 
 you respect mine as well. 
 
 WILLY. Dat goes mitoud saying. 
 
 THEODORE. Mr. Hutton, what do you want me 
 to do? 
 
 HUTTON. Cut your questionable associations, 
 make something of your life, and prove yourself to 
 be all that we hope you are. You both are young. 
 I wish you both to look on me as on a friend and 
 not to continue secret meetings. That s understood. 
 (THEODORE nods. Offering his hand to THEODORE^) 
 Good luck, young man. 
 
 THEODORE. (Shaking his hand) Thank you ! 
 
 HUTTON. (Moving up) They re waiting for me. 
 
 WILLY. (Taking HUTTON off L.C.) Dot s very nice 
 of you to come dis evening. (Etc. ad lib. As WILLY 
 and HUTTON exit the R door opens cautiously and 
 CARTER appears.) 
 
 CARTER. (Suppressed tone) Theodore I ve 
 something to ask you. 
 
 THEODORE. Well, you ve lost, like all of us. Don t 
 squeal. 
 
 CARTER. (Anxiously) Did Hutton say anything 
 about Leland? 
 
 THEODORE. He said you let us in with a crook. 
 But that s old stuff. 
 
 CARTER. But is it all right with Hutton and the 
 factory ? 
 
 THEODORE. Why, of course. 
 
 CARTER. (Giving a telegram to THEODORE,) Oh. 
 This was at the office for you. 
 
74 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 THEODORE. (After reading the telegram) From 
 Williams at the Boston office. Asks me to call him 
 up this evening. They must be working late. 
 
 CARTER. The market s hit rock bottom. I heard 
 downtown that the Chemical Stock Leland under 
 wrote has gone to Hell. 
 
 THEODORE. (Starts for the phone and then comes 
 back) I d better run down to Boston tonight and 
 put the brakes on Leland. (WILLY is heard singing 
 his old song as he approaches.) Don t worry Dad. 
 
 WILLY. (Enters L.C V singing joyously again) 
 Well, my boy, my boy I dink I can congratulate 
 you! (THEODORE turns away. Encouragingly) 
 Don d be knocked down ! Be like your fader ! We 
 hat a great success. I tell you, Carter, dis old brain 
 of mine I got already a idea ! (To THEODORE) You 
 better sell out to dat feller Leland. I don d want 
 you mixed in mit him. Und you begin mit me. 
 Wat we lose on him, we pay fer our experience, so 
 
 don d worry. (To CARTER,) But I fergit You 
 
 got dat contract signed ? 
 
 CARTER. (Reaching in his pocket) Yes. (Gives 
 him a contract.) 
 
 WILLY. (To THEODORE) You see? (To CARTER) 
 Und how much down? 
 
 CARTER. Hutchinson promised that his customer 
 would have three thousand here in cash before ten 
 tomorrow. 
 
 WILLY. Carter, you re a fool! Dot contract ish 
 no goot mitoud consideration. 
 
 CARTER. Hutchinson paid me a hundred dollars 
 down to bind it. 
 
 WILLY. Den dot s all righd. You got dat money? 
 (CARTER nods and gives it to him. To THEODORE) 
 You see ? (To CARTER) Who buys dat proberdy ? 
 
 CARTER. He wouldn t say. 
 
 WILLY. (Shrewdly) Dot Hutchinson, he buys 
 dat fer himself on speckilation. (Going to desk up 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 75 
 
 L.) Come, Carter. I got courage now to look at 
 bills. (He gathers a heap of them) Yah, some money 
 in de hand again ! (To THEODORE, with great senti 
 ment) And we kin keep de house. Come, Carter. I 
 put dat contract in de safe upshtairs. (Crosses and 
 goes toward exit R.cJ Yah, if you didn t make so 
 goot a contract fer dat proberdy, I d tell you some- 
 ding aboud dat feller Leland. (Severely) Come, 
 Carter, I tell you anyway! (CARTER exits upstairs. 
 WILLY starts to follow him, when THEODORE ex 
 claims.) 
 
 THEODORE. Dad! (WILLY turns. THEODORE goes 
 up to him and speaks almost tearfully) Dad, you 
 don t think I m as rotten as Uncle Stasi says, do 
 you? It seems I ve brought nothing but unhappi- 
 ness to everybody. 
 
 WILLY. (Tenderly, bucking THEODORE up) My 
 boy! Remember dis. / believe on you, so don d 
 worry. De bat times is over. (Going to stairway) 
 Schleep goot, my boy. (Turning on the stairs) I 
 could be very heppy only only I don d like it dat 
 little Rosie cries like dat. (THEODORE stands con 
 tritely. WILLY exits upstairs. After he is off THEO 
 DORE goes quickly to the pantry and calls.) 
 
 THEODORE. Sophy ! 
 
 SOPHY. (Voice off) Yah, Theodore? 
 
 THEODORE. Come here, please. 
 
 SOPHY. (Voice off) All right. 
 
 THEODORE. ( Goes to phone) Hello Hello 
 
 Long distance, please. Yes. I want to speak to 
 
 Boston Tremont eight-eight-O-one That s it. 
 
 Yes, call me, please. (He hangs up receiver as 
 SOPHY enters) Will you pack my suitcase, please? 
 I m going to Boston right away. 
 
 SOPHY. Tonighd yet? 
 
 THEODORE. (Nods) Be quick about it. ( SOPHY 
 exits upstairs. THEODORE starts to follow her as 
 HARRIET enters through the French windows) Har- 
 
7 6 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 riet! You wonderful girl! You told your father, 
 after all. 
 
 HARRIET. (Coldly) Some busybody saw us danc 
 ing at the hotel and told Father. There was an 
 awful scene. I had to say we were engaged, even 
 threatened to marry you right away, or else Father 
 would have interfered with everything. 
 
 THEODORE. But Harriet 
 
 HARRIET. (Impatiently) Look here, I ve got to 
 call for him at half-past nine. What do you mean 
 by the letter you left for me this evening ? Have you 
 put my money again where there s danger of my 
 losing it? 
 
 THEODORE. Now don t be unjust, Harriet. I didn t 
 want you to go on margin, but you insisted. 
 
 HARRIET. I insisted because you said the stock 
 was good. 
 
 THEODORE. It is good. 
 
 HARRIET. Yes, so good that now you ask me to 
 give you more money or lose everything. 
 
 THEODORE. Oh, I would have done anything I 
 could to protect your holdings; but as I can t and 
 time is short, I had to tell you. 
 
 HARRIET. Will three thousand make me safe ? 
 
 THEODORE. Yes. 
 
 HARRIET. Well, here it is. (She takes an envelope 
 with three one-thousand-dollar bills out of her 
 breast) And it s the last. ( SOPHY is heard singing 
 as she comes down stairs.) Who s that? 
 
 THEODORE. Only Sophy. 
 
 HARRIET. I don t want anybody to see me here. 
 
 THEODORE. Then just step out in the hall. (HAR 
 RIET slips out of sight, L.C. SOPHY enters, carrying 
 a suitcase and still singing. She places suitcase on 
 the floor R.C.) Thank you, Sophy. 
 
 SOPHY. (Stops singing to say) Welcome. (She 
 resumes her singing as she exits R.J 
 
ACT it OUR CHILDREN 77 
 
 HARRIET. (Coming down) Where are you go 
 ing? 
 
 THEODORE. To Boston on the nine-fifty-five. I m 
 sorry, dear, you ve been so disappointed. 
 
 HARRIET. (With a sneer) That helps a lot. 
 
 THEODORE. Why, Harriet, we re not going to quar- 
 rp i 
 
 1 C 1" ~ 
 
 HARRIET. No. We re just going to end things 
 right here and now. 
 
 THEODORE. End things? (Pause.) You mean that 
 you don t love me? 
 
 HARRIET. Oh, don t be sentimental. Keep to busi 
 ness and protect my investments. (She extends the 
 money to him.) 
 
 THEODORE. If you feel that way, I d rather you d 
 have someone else attend to it. 
 
 HARRIET. Huh! No doubt. After having in 
 volved me, you re perfectly willing to shirk respon 
 sibility. You know very well I can t attend to this 
 myself. You ve got to help me out. (She puts the 
 money on the table.) 
 
 THEODORE. Very well. 
 
 HARRIET. I d like a receipt. Count it, please. 
 
 THEODORE. (Stares at her a second; counts the 
 money, then sits R. of table and writes a receipt on 
 the back of his card, saying) Certainly. (He gives 
 her the card. She looks at it carefully.) 
 
 HARRIET. That will do. (Moves L.) 
 
 THEODORE. Harriet, all this can t be true ! It isn t 
 possible that you and I are standing here disputing 
 over business when we (Moves toward her.) 
 
 HARRIET. Do you think I ever intended to marry 
 you? 
 
 THEODORE. You mean that you ve just made a 
 fool of me? 
 
 HARRIET. Oh, you made a fool of yourself. Just 
 because I drove and danced with you, and perhaps 
 flirted a little, is no reason to think I d marry you. 
 
78 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 THEODORE. Harriet ! 
 
 HARRIET. I gave you credit for more brains. Now, 
 you ve got my money, and I ve got your receipt. So 
 I expect you to make good for the first time in your 
 life. (She flings out through the French windows. 
 THEODORE stands crushed. He picks up the money 
 mechanically. The PHONE bell rings. He pays no 
 attention. It rings again. He goes to it, unconscious 
 ly holding the money.) 
 
 THEODORE. (At phone) Hello Oh, yes, I put 
 
 in a call Hello Is this the office of Leland 
 
 & Engel? Oh, that you, Williams? I m coming 
 
 right down Carter told me What? Why 
 
 not? Speak slower to warn me ? What do 
 
 you mean? Sheriffs ? Receiver sealed the books, 
 
 pending investigation? ! But where s Leland? 
 Gone? Gone where? You don t know! I (His 
 
 voice climbs in horror) Speculating! He s 
 
 taken clients money! ! Ran away! ? Good God! 
 What? Detectives!? Police are after me!? 
 (He stands transfixed with fear and then controls 
 
 himself) Oh, that s all right Don t worry 
 
 about me I ll be all (He puts up the receiver 
 
 and runs to the foot of the stairs, crying, "Dad 
 Dad!" like a fear-smitten boy. He stops short with 
 his hand over his mouth, mumbling) No, I won t 
 do that. (He suddenfy becomes conscious of the 
 three thousand dollars in his hand. Then his eyes 
 fall on his suitcase standing where SOPHY left it. 
 His eyes grow big with decision, and he obeys only 
 one impulse now. He puts the money into his 
 pocket, goes to the sideboard, takes out a time-table 
 from the drawer, runs his finger quickly down the 
 list of trains; consults his watch, all the time 
 mumbling incoherently under his breath. Then he 
 takes a sheet of paper and an envelope from the 
 table, sits down and writes a hasty note. At this 
 point WILLY is heard singing his old song upstairs. 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 79 
 
 THEODORE rises and puts the half-written note and 
 envelope into his pocket. He crosses hastily, picks 
 up his hat and coat, seises his suitcase, goes to the 
 foot of the stairs, pauses, then overcome, he runs 
 out L.C. Pause. WILLY comes downstairs in conver 
 sation with CARTER.) 
 
 WILLY. (Confidently) Yah, soon we see schmoke 
 in de chimneys once again. (Crossing behind table) 
 I telephone dat trade union delegate in de mornink. 
 If we got to do business mit dem, we do it. In de 
 long run it s easier. 
 
 CARTER. (Following him) What time will you be 
 down ? 
 
 WILLY. I m at my office eight o clock. (Turns off 
 SIDE LIGHTS) I git some ready money in de 
 morning. We dishcount de bills. Hutton arranges 
 dat. (Turns off LIGHTS in chandelier.) 
 
 CARTER. (Admiringly) You ve got stuff in you 
 yet, Mr. Engel. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, when you got money you git nerve. 
 (The LIGHTS are all out except the small lamp on 
 desk up L.j We make anodder fight mit dose com- 
 peditors. Schleep goot. (Exit L.C. with CARTER.,) 
 
 (The stage is quite dark. MOONLIGHT comes in 
 through French windows. At this moment the 
 door from the pantry is opened cautiously and 
 SOPHY enters and motions off for someone to 
 come in.) 
 
 SOPHY. Carter goes. Your father comes right back 
 already. (HERTHA enters; passes SOPHY, then turns. 
 HERTHA has an old-fashioned Paisley shawl over 
 her shoulders.) 
 
 HERTHA. Sophy! (Embraces her.) 
 
 SOPHY. (Tearfully) Yah, we miss you, Hertha. 
 (Kisses her; then with a sigh) It s different since 
 you gone away. 
 
8o OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 HERTHA. How is he? 
 
 SOPHY. Troubles. 
 
 HERTHA. I know. 
 
 SOPHY. Und we don t git younger no more, Her- 
 tha. He comes now. ( WILLY is heard humming his 
 old song joyfully off L.C.) 
 
 HERTHA. That s what he used to sing. 
 
 SOPHY. Yah dat song. De lonelier he gets, 
 Hertha, de more he sings. (She exits R.j 
 
 ( WILLY enters L.C., still humming. He goes to 
 French windows; closes and locks them with a 
 latch, then puts chair down L. into its place. 
 Still humming, he goes toward table c. for his 
 pipe and tobacco. The MOONLIGHT from 
 the French windows falls upon HERTHA stand 
 ing R. of table. The dim light makes HERTHA 
 look very mysterious and ghostly. WILLY 
 starts to pick up his pipe. His eyes fall upon 
 HERTHA. He stops singing abruptly in the mid 
 dle of a phrase and stands looking at her, 
 amazed as at a ghost. Pause.) 
 
 HERTHA. Papa ! (He stands stock still.) Papa 
 (No movement. Pause. Then he sinks without a 
 
 word into the chair L. of table.) Papa, you ! 
 
 (Frightened, she goes to him.) 
 
 WILLY. S all righd. (Waves her off and vaguely 
 rubs his eyes) I t ought fer a minnit it was your 
 modder. 
 
 HERTHA. (Twitching her shawl) This was her 
 shawl. 
 
 WILLY. Yah so. (He pulls on the LIGHT in 
 lamp on the table.) 
 
 HERTHA. How have you been? 
 
 WILLY. (Attempting to rally his pride) You 
 see we ah we git along mitoud you. 
 
 HERTHA. (Looking around room) Yes. 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 81 
 
 WILLY. Since w en you come to Lynn? 
 
 HERTHA. We re at the hotel over night. 
 
 WILLY. You re here mit mit him? 
 
 HERTHA. Richard had some business here in town 
 tonight, and I came with him. 
 
 WILLY. (Truculently) Yah! Richard has lots of 
 business here in town mit my compeditors ! 
 
 HERTHA. That s why I wanted to see you. (Slips 
 off her shawl, which she allows to fall in chair R. of 
 table.) 
 
 WILLY. (Bristling) Richard sends you to me 
 again hah ? 
 
 HERTHA. He doesn t know I m here. 
 
 WILLY. Den you better go way again. So long 
 as you schtick by him against your fader, shtay mit 
 him. 
 
 HERTHA. Haven t you missed me, Papa? 
 
 WILLY. (With unconscious pathos) You choosed 
 your life. So I try not to dink aboud it. (He turns 
 away.) 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, wouldn t you like to know your 
 grandchildren ? 
 
 WILLY. (A hesitant smile comes over his face as 
 he turns to her) You got children? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, two of them. 
 
 WILLY. What? Two? 
 
 HERTHA. Who ll want some day to know their 
 grandfather. (Pauses) You d love them, Papa. 
 
 WILLY. (Turning away) His children. 
 
 HERTHA. But mine too ! 
 
 WILLY. (Turning back to her) Boys? 
 
 HERTHA. Both boys. 
 
 WILLY. (Overcome) Swonderful! Yah, boys 
 ish besht. Girls (He makes a deprecating ges 
 ture) You give em efferyding you can some fel 
 ler comes along dey leave you. Boys cosht you 
 more ; but anyvay you got em w en you need em ! 
 Dere s my Theodore. He was expensive right von 
 
82 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 de beginning. He cosht me his modder. (Proudly) 
 But no matter w at happens, he sticks by de old 
 man! 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, / would like to help you, too. *tf 
 you would let me. 
 
 WILLY. I don t need any help. 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, when I left you, you gave me ten 
 thousand dollars. 
 
 WILLY. Yah well ? 
 
 HERTHA. I thought that if (She offers him 
 
 the bankbook he gave to her in Act I.) 
 
 WILLY. I don d touch a penny of it. 
 
 HERTHA. But why? 
 
 WILLY. I gave dat to you in your modder s name. 
 That belongs to you by righd. Und righd is righd. 
 
 HERTHA. But I don t need it now. I know you do. 
 
 WILLY. (Obstinately) We don d arg no more 
 aboud it. Not a sound more ! (With a change) You 
 keep dat fer de boys. 
 
 HERTHA. Are we to go on this way again? 
 
 WILLY. Den why you come jusht now? Fer 
 two years I shtay here und wait und wait t rou all 
 de hart times ! W en Richard und dot crowd does 
 his besht to force your fader oud of business, you 
 shtay away ! Now you come ; but now it is too late ! 
 
 HERTHA. Papa ! 
 
 WILLY. You come now because he tells you dat 
 de old man s finished ! But he ain t ! Yah, I tell you 
 now I did hat hart times. Nighd efter nighd I walk 
 de floor und dink dat it s my old frient s son und 
 my own daughter s husband dat makes me all dis 
 trouble ! 
 
 HERTHA. And how do you think 7 felt through 
 all this time ? You hating Richard and Richard hat 
 ing you. I ve had to bear the burden of both your 
 hates until I thought my heart would break with it ! 
 
 WILLY. Yah, Richard he 
 
 HERTHA. You drove Richard out. He had to go 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 83 
 
 somewhere to earn a living and he went to your 
 competitors. They welcomed him. But at every step 
 that Richard climbed, I ve seen you go down and 
 
 down, until your factory is closed And that 
 
 thought has poisoned all the happiness I could have 
 had in Richard s great success ! (With a cry) I ve 
 been just like our mother. She prayed for a son to 
 make you happy. And when he came it killed her. 
 I have prayed for Richard s luck, and now that it 
 has come it s killing me ! ! (Sinks into chair R. 
 of table and buries her face in her hands.) 
 
 WILLY. (Hesitating and moved) Dings happen 
 somedimes, dat peeble can t help demselves. (He 
 caresses her shoulder awkwardly) Well w at you 
 want dat I shall do? 
 
 HERTHA. (Fervently) Make friends with Rich 
 ard. 
 
 WILLY. (Suddenly changing) Now we got it ! / 
 should got to him! Dot s w at he wants! Yah, he 
 hears maybe dat I begin again, and so he gets 
 a-scared of w at I do mit his crowd in de shoe busi 
 ness! 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, can t you think one generous 
 thought of him? 
 
 WILLY. (Bluntly turning on her) Den why you 
 come? 
 
 HERTHA. I ve wanted to save you, for you re the 
 one that needs me. (Deprecating gesture from 
 WILLY,) Papa, Richard has come tonight to buy 
 your factory over your head ! 
 
 WILLY. W at! 
 
 HERTHA. There s a meeting of the bank that holds 
 your mortgages. Richard s there! 
 
 WILLY. So ! 
 
 HERTHA. They re going to drive you out of busi 
 ness! So I hoped that if in any way that I if I 
 could make you friends 
 
 WILLY. You go back und tell him dis 
 
84 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 HERTHA. (Interrupting) I can tell him nothing 
 about you ! 
 
 WILLY. Den let him do w at he likes! You 
 needn t be afraid fer me. Jusht dink on him! Und 
 w en dat Richard goes to de bank tonighd to buy my 
 fectory, my friendt, de President, my friendt, Mr. 
 Hutton he tells him someding! (DOORBELL 
 rings.) 
 
 HERTHA. Psch ! 
 
 ( SOPHY enters R. ; exits L.C.) 
 
 WILLY. Who comes now? (HERTHA goes swift 
 ly to French windows; unlocks them cautiously and 
 looks out. She gives a sudden start and comes back 
 quickly to WILLY.J 
 
 HERTHA. (Frightened) It s Richard! What can 
 
 WILLY. W at! Richard! (Suddenly in rage) I 
 don d want dat he ! (He makes up toward exit 
 
 L.C.J 
 
 HERTHA. (Stopping him) Oh, Papa, maybe he s 
 come to make peace with you. He s doing some 
 thing that I never thought he could. 
 
 SOPHY. (Entering L.C., surprised) Mr. Richard 
 comes ! 
 
 HERTHA. (To SOPHY, whispering) You didn t 
 tell him that I ? 
 
 SOPHY. (Bluntly) I don t say nodding to nobody 
 no more ! 
 
 HERTHA. Papa for my sake don t refuse to lis 
 ten to him. (Pause.) 
 
 WILLY. (To SOPHYJ Tell him, come in. ( SOPHY 
 exits L.cJ 
 
 HERTHA. Don t tell him that I m here. (She 
 takes her shawl and exits R.j 
 
 (WILLY goes up and turns on the LIGHTS full up, 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 85 
 
 but several are seen to be burnt out. Then he 
 goes R. of table and stands rigidly as RICHARD 
 enters from L.C. RICHARD is well though se 
 dately dressed. He no longer looks the work 
 man. He moves freely and speaks resolutely. 
 The atmosphere of success seems to come before 
 him.) 
 
 RICHARD. (Quietly as he comes to position L. of 
 table) I didn t know if you would care to see me. 
 
 WILLY. You didn t come all de vay von Con 
 cord f er me to look at you. 
 
 RICHARD. No. That s true. 
 
 WILLY. Well? 
 
 RICHARD. First, I want to thank you for kicking 
 me out two years ago. 
 
 WILLY. (Promptly) You re welcome. 
 
 RICHARD. You didn t intend it should, but it put 
 me on my feet. Now I ve come back to Lynn. 
 
 WILLY. I see dat too. Why you tell me dis ? 
 
 RICHARD. Because I hope to stay. 
 
 WILLY. De town ish big. 
 
 RICHARD. But there s only one place in this town 
 I want my father s homestead. 
 
 WILLY. (With ill-concealed elation) I m very 
 sorry, but dat s sold. 
 
 RICHARD. (Quietly) I know. When can I have 
 the deed? 
 
 WILLY. W at! You? 
 
 RICHARD. Hutchinson was my agent. I ve got 
 your contract signed. (Taking out bills from his 
 pocket case) That makes the three thousand dollars 
 for first payment. (Puts money on table) I wish to 
 build my house. 
 
 WILLY. So, it was you who buys 
 
 RICHARD. (Pointing to money) I think you ll 
 find that right. (WILLY counts the money.) The 
 contract reads that you will execute the deed im- 
 
86 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 mediately on the receipt of the first purchase money. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, I sign dat deed tomorrow. (He takes 
 the hundred dollar bill he got from CARTER out of 
 his pocket and puts it with the rest of the money. 
 RICHARD has just given him.) 
 
 RICHARD. Give the receipt for this to Hutchison 
 as well. 
 
 WILLY. (Losing control of himself) You can 
 have dat proberdy oud dere, but fer de factory you 
 can wait! 
 
 RICHARD. (Controlling his amazement) The fac 
 tory who ? 
 
 WILLY. Yah ! My factory ! 
 
 RICHARD. (Coldly) We are prepared to wait! 
 (With quiet firmness but no pity for WILLY,) My 
 firm has sent me here, because I know your plant 
 and what it s worth. Your friend, Mr. Hutton, has 
 seen fit to give you some more time for reasons I 
 don t know. They can t be business reasons, because 
 I m sure you can t continue long in the old way. 
 The times have changed. You ve not changed with 
 them. However, that s his affair, not mine. 
 
 WILLY. Und w en you fellers got a proposition 
 dot dey want me to accept you tell dem dey should 
 send anybody elset but you! 
 
 RICHARD. I made you no proposition. 
 
 WILLY. (Enraged) No ! You didn t ! But you go 
 behind my back to git dat Kennels properdy ! (Points 
 off L.J You go behind my back to Hutton! ! 
 
 RICHARD. Who told you that? 
 
 WILLY. (Calling out) Hertha ! (Pause) Hertha ! 
 (Enter HERTHA R. WILLY continues, tauntingly) 
 You see / don d do dings behind de back. 
 
 RICHARD. (Amazed at seeing HERTHAJ You! 
 
 WILLY. (To HERTHAJ I hope you heard de way 
 he makes peace mit your fader! 
 
 RICHARD. Hertha, what are you doing here? 
 
 WILLY. She begs me I should listen to you. 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 87 
 
 RICHARD. (Scornfully) What ? ! 
 
 WILLY. Yah, for her sake I give you de chancet 
 you should insult me oncet again ! 
 
 HERTHA. Papa 
 
 WILLY. (To RICHARD, violently) You don d see 
 me on de knees ! (WILLY goes up c.) 
 
 RICHARD. (Going over to HERTHA down Rj 
 Then it was you who told him of our plans about 
 the factory ! Tell me, did you ? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, I told him. 
 
 RICHARD. Why ? 
 
 HERTHA. Something went blind in me I 
 
 RICHARD. (Sorrowfully) Yes, my dear, you must 
 be blind. I know that when you realize what you ve 
 done. 
 
 BERTHA. What have I done? 
 
 RICHARD. You must see that I have duties to my 
 firm to the people that put bread in our mouths. 
 You ve betrayed them. That s what you ve done. 
 
 HERTHA. Oh, Richard! You re both so cruel! 
 Don t you see I 
 
 RICHARD. I don t want to be unkind. But what 
 shall I say to them? To my firm? That s what I ve 
 got to know. 
 
 WILLY. (To RICHARD, quietly) Don d fighd mit 
 her on my accound. She tells me nodding of your 
 business dot I didn t know already. 
 ^ HUTTON S VOICE. (In the hall, speaking to SOPHY,) 
 I ll go right in. ( SOPHY exits R. HUTTON enters L.C. 
 He is in a cold rage. WILLY is behind table. HERTHA 
 down R. RICHARD down L. of HERTHA.J 
 
 WILLY. Oh, Mr. Hutton. I didn t expect de 
 pleasure so soon again. 
 
 HUTTON. (After a look at WILLY speaks to RICH 
 ARD j Mr. Hellman, I m glad to find you here. An 
 hour ago I refused to foreclose and sell your firm 
 the Engel factory. But if your offer still holds 
 good, I ll take it. The factory goes to you. 
 
88 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 RICHARD. Done! (HERTIIA sinks into a chair up 
 
 R.J 
 
 WILLY. (Confused, to HUTTON j Why why 
 all of a sudden you you change like dis? 
 
 HUTTON. Where is your son? 
 
 WILLY. I call him. (He calls out) Sophy ! Sophy ! 
 
 SOPHY. (Entering R.) Yah, Mr. Engel? 
 
 WILLY. Where s Theodore? 
 
 SOPHY. We went tonighd to Boston. 
 
 HUTTON. That s not true. 
 
 WILLY. Hah! All right, Sophy. (He motions 
 her off. SOPHY exits R.J 
 
 HUTTON. (To WILLYJ For your sake I had per 
 suaded my directors to refuse the Concord offer. 
 But tonight I learned that I ve no right to risk the 
 money of our depositors on such men as you are, 
 and your son! 
 
 WILLY. Wat s de matter mit me und my son ? 
 
 HUTTON. In your blindness you ve stood by him. 
 Your son is a common thief ! 
 
 WILLY. (Removes his glasses and puts them on 
 the table) Don d you say dat again, Mr. Hutton. 
 
 HUTTON. Your son took three thousand dollars 
 of my daughter s money tonight after he knew the 
 police had closed up his office. 
 
 WILLY. (Aghast) Closed up ? ! 
 
 HUTTON. Yes embezzlement. (Pause.) 
 
 WILLY. My Theodore don d do that! Where s 
 dat feller Leland? 
 
 HUTTON. Leland has escaped. But I m not speak 
 ing of Mr. Leland. My daughter s dealings were 
 with your son. Behind my back and with your son s 
 connivance, she s gambled away the whole of a 
 legacy her grandmother left to her! 
 
 WILLY. My Theodore couldn t do dat. Dat s not 
 possible ! 
 
 HUTTON. Oh, don t misunderstand me. I don t 
 indict your son for my daughter s speculations. But 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN 89 
 
 here in this room tonight, he took another three 
 thousand dollars from her. He took that three thou 
 sand dollars after he knew that he himself was a 
 bankrupt! That is theft! And he used that money 
 to run away, like Leland ! 
 
 WILLY. Dat s a lie ! 
 
 HUTTON. He told her he was going to Boston 
 on the nine fifty-five 
 
 WILLY. Well he s gone 
 
 HUTTON. Yes, but he took the nine- forty-two for 
 Montreal! The ticket-agent told me your son was on 
 that train! ( WILLY is stunned. He supports him 
 self at the table. HUTTON continues, relentlessly) 
 I hold his receipt for that three thousand dollars. 
 (He shows the card that THEODORE gave HARRIET^ 
 This receipt will send your son to jail! (Pause. 
 Then something evidently strikes WILLY S mind, for 
 by an Imperceptible means he has got himself In 
 hand. He turns to HUTTON with great dignity.) 
 
 WILLY. You excuse me, Mr. Hutton, but you 
 don d know what you say. (To ALL,) Don d worry. 
 My Theodore is no thief. (He turns to RICHARD) 
 Your business mit Mr. Hutton is finished? (RiCH- 
 ARD nods. HERTHA pantomimes RICHARD to go to 
 WILLY.; 
 
 RICHARD. Mr. Engel, isn t there anything that I 
 can do? 
 
 WILLY. (Quietly) Thank you. I don d need you. 
 (RICHARD moves up; then WILLY continues tenderly 
 to HERTHA,) Und I don d need you. Good night. 
 
 RICHARD. Come, Hertha. (They exit L.C. and close 
 the DOOR after them. When WILLY hears the door 
 close he turns with outraged deliberation to HUT- 
 TON.) 
 
 WILLY. Now, Mr. Hutton, you come into dis 
 house und you talk business mit my worsht com- 
 peditor, over my head und under my roof. Dat s 
 w at you do to me. But when I dink on w at you 
 
90 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 permit yourself to say aboud my son all dat you 
 do to me is nodding. Now you get de truth. Your 
 daughter s money is protected. My Theodore takes 
 care of dat before he goes away. 
 
 HUTTON. You knew he left for Canada? 
 
 WILLY. (Defiantly) I told him to go to ketch 
 dat scoundrel, Leland. But before he goes, he says 
 to me: "Papa, I took three t ousand dollars von 
 Harriet tonighd. But I don.d vant dat she shall 
 lose more money trou dat feller Leland. You give 
 dat back to her, und tell her I got troubles." Dat s 
 de truth, und don d you fergit it, Mr. Hutton. (He 
 takes out of his breast pocket the roll of money 
 RICHARD has given him in the preceding Scene and 
 throws it deliberately on the table in front of HUT- 
 TON,) Dere s de money my Theodore gave me. 
 Count it ! ( HUTTON takes up the bills without count 
 ing them.) Now, I dank you for dat retscept, Mr. 
 Hutton. (HUTTON gives WILLY THEODORE S receipt. 
 Then WILLY goes up to door L.C. and opens it, and 
 turns with a gesture of dismissal. HUTTON takes 
 the hint, picks up his hat from the table and is about 
 to exit, but turns back in the door.) 
 
 HUTTON. Mr. Engel, you are quite right to resent 
 my negotiating with Mr. Hellman here in your pres 
 ence. My only extenuation is that I was overcome 
 with pain and mortification at the discovery of what 
 my daughter had been doing behind my back. When 
 she found out your son had left she confessed every 
 thing. And I well perhaps you can appreciate 
 how a father feels. (He sees WILLY S granite face; 
 stops; then adds) I m afraid we both have been 
 mistaken in our children. 
 
 (WILLY, without looking at HUTTON, stands a bit 
 more erect. HUTTON exits L.C. WILLY closes 
 the door after him. His knees weaken. He clings 
 to the knob and pulls himself up. He turns, 
 
ACT ii OUR CHILDREN gi 
 
 facing the audience a broken, aged man. He 
 puts out the LIGHTS by turning off the switch 
 L. of sideboard. This leaves only the lamp on the 
 table c. burning, and the small lamp on desk 
 up L. He looks at the receipt in his hand, dazed 
 ly. Then he comes down L. of table, tearing 
 the receipt slowly to bits. The torn fragments 
 fall on the floor, Then he feels for his pipe in 
 his coat pocket, takes it out and slowly tamps it.) 
 
 ROSIE. (Entering from the French windows) 
 Uncle Willy (WARN Curtain.) 
 
 f WILLY. (Turning) Rosie ! 
 
 ROSIE. I ve seen Theodore again. 
 
 WILLY. When ? 
 
 ROSIE. A little after nine. He rang the bell at 
 our house. I opened the door. He looked as if some 
 thing terrible had happened and gave me this for 
 you. (She gives WILLY a letter and then continues) 
 I waited outside there until you were alone. 
 
 ( WILLY sinks into his big chair. ROSIE hastily fixes 
 the lamp for him and hands his glasses from 
 the table. WILLY has opened the letter. ROSIE 
 leans forward anxiously. WILLY unconsciously 
 includes her as he reads the letter.) 
 
 WILLY. (Reading) "Dear Papa I know I m do 
 ing wrong but I can t shtay here and see you face 
 disgrace because of me. Carter will explain. You 
 can d do anything more for me. You won t see me 
 again til I ve made good. Your son, Theodore." 
 (Broken) Oh my boy 
 
 ROSIE. Is that all? 
 
 WILLY. (Looking again at the letter, then reads 
 with dawning realisation) "The enclosed three 
 t ousand dollars belongs to Harriet. Blease send it 
 to her." (WILLY opens an enclosed envelope and 
 
92 OUR CHILDREN ACTII 
 
 finds the three one thousand dollar bills. He rises 
 with a triumphant transfiguration of faith in his son 
 and exclaims with a cry) You see he wanted to do 
 right ! ! I knew it, Rosie ! ! You see, my Theo 
 dore is no thief ! ! Dank Gott f er dat ! Dank Gott 
 ferdat!! 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
ACT THREE 
 
 SCENE: The scene presents WILLY S combined 
 workshop and living-room. The quarters ap 
 pear neat but very constrained in contrast to 
 the spacious elegance of Act L There is a 
 homespun, modest, thrifty atmosphere about the 
 place. There is a window down L., opening on 
 a street. This is a rather large show-window 
 with boots and shoes displayed in it. On this 
 window with letters reversed is the sign read 
 ing f( Willibald Engel, Custom Shoemaker." 
 The window shade is drawn, and it is seen to be 
 winter outside. Up R.c. is a door opening into 
 WILLY S bedroom. 
 
 Up L.C. is a glass door opening into the street. 
 This door has a sign upon it, reading "Willi- 
 bald Engel, Custom Shoemaker." Down L. 
 there is an old-fashioned shoemaker s bench 
 with tools, bench-lamp, bucket, etc. On the side 
 of the wall L.C. is hatrack upon which hangs 
 WILLY S blue apron. There is a round table 
 with a red cover upon it near R.C. Toward rear 
 is a stove, with a coal-scuttle next to it. Doivn 
 R. of room is an old-fashioned bookcase with a 
 desk beneath. On wall down R. is an old-fash 
 ioned clock. There are also shelves on which 
 are placed letter files. Some chairs are conven 
 iently placed. On the wall are signs advertising 
 "Repairs" and "Shoes Made To Order" A roll 
 of leather, some old shoes and lasts are lying 
 about bench. Up L.C. is a glass showcase and 
 93 
 
94 OUR CHILDREN ACT in 
 
 a chair in front of it. R. of table is WILLY S old 
 chair from earlier Act, and on table down R. is 
 the tobacco-jar and a raw potato. There is a 
 hanging lamp over table and one over work 
 bench. The room is not untidy, but it is evident 
 ly too small for its double purpose of living- 
 room and workshop. A three-fold screen divides 
 the living quarters from the shop. It is Decem 
 ber 2$rd, about 5 P. M., two years after the 
 preceding Act. 
 
 As the Curtain rises CARTER is discovered 
 seated on a chair L. of the table with an account 
 book before him. There is also a newspaper 
 near him. CARTER has grown older, but is less 
 nervous in his manner. He turns over a page 
 and checks up bills in his old capacity as WILLY S 
 confidential book-keeper. He rises; opens the 
 stove and puts coal into it; then sits down again. 
 He opens his newspaper and glances at it be 
 fore beginning to work. The door L.C. opens 
 and HERTHA enters. She is well-dressed in 
 winter clothes and a fur coat. She comes in as 
 if she had been accustomed to do so regularly. 
 She carries a muff, three holly Christmas 
 wreaths, and a small basket of holly flowers. 
 During the progress of the scene she hangs the 
 wreaths one on each side of street door L.C. 
 She hangs the third wreath in the show win 
 dow down L., where she also places the basket. 
 
 HERTHA. Good afternoon, Mr. Carter. 
 
 CARTER. Good afternoon. (Glancing at clock) 
 Aren t you early, Mrs. Hellman? 
 
 HERTHA. (She takes off her coat and hat and 
 hangs it on hatrack and takes sewing out of her 
 muff) Yes, Mr. Carter. Where is my father? 
 
 CARTER. He generally works as long as there is 
 daylight, but he went out right after lunch. 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 95 
 
 HERTHA. It s very cold. He oughtn t 
 
 CARTER. That s what I told him, but he wanted 
 to attend to something himself. (Smiling) And 
 when your father sets his mind on anything 
 
 HERTHA. I know. Did Sophy unpack the sheets 
 and things I sent? 
 
 CARTER. Yes, m am. (HERTHA opens the^ door to 
 bedroom up R.C. and looks in. CARTER pointing to 
 newspaper) Did you see your father s speech? It s 
 in the Boston paper. His picture, too. There un 
 der the "Labor Patriarch in Court." 
 
 HERTHA. I ve seen it. 
 
 CARTER. And you sitting by him in the Court 
 room. That speech saved me from jail. 
 
 HERTHA. That s behind us now. (She puts kettle 
 on stove.) 
 
 CARTER. I just put coal on. 
 
 HERTHA. (Taking up her sewing) After today I 
 may not be able to be here so regularly. 
 
 CARTER. Oh, he ll miss you, Mrs. Hellman. These 
 last two weeks he s been a different man. 
 
 HERTHA. I know, but if there s anything he needs, 
 I trust you to let me know through Sophy. She ll 
 come here every morning just as usual. 
 
 CARTER. Yes, Mrs. Hellman. 
 
 HERTHA. It s hard to do things for him, but he 
 must not want for anything. 
 
 HUTTON. (Enters L.C. HUTTON is dressed in fur 
 coat and rubs his hands briskly to indicate the cold 
 weather outside) Good afternoon. 
 
 HERTHA. Good afternoon, Mr. Hutton. 
 
 HUTTON. Father s out, I gather? 
 
 HERTHA. He ll be back shortly. 
 
 CARTER. (Rising) Will you let me thank you, Mr. 
 Hutton? 
 
 HUTTON. That s all right. You stick by Mr. En- 
 gel, as he stuck by you, and you ll make no mistake. 
 
 CARTER. You may be sure of that. 
 
96 OUR CHILDREN ACTIII 
 
 HUTTON. I just dropped around to get my bill. 
 Short accounts long friends. (CARTER goes to ta 
 ble down R. and during next dialogue gets a bill on 
 a bill file, which he brings to HUTTON .) 
 
 HERTHA. You ve been a wonderful friend to 
 father, Mr. Hutton. 
 
 HUTTON. Young lady, your father has a thing 
 few men have got these days. He s got character. 
 He sits like a Gibraltar on his convictions. He may 
 be in the wrong. At times I thought he was. But 
 you ve got to respect him, even if you disagree with 
 him. (CARTER comes forward with bill. HUTTON 
 reading the bill} "Four pairs shoes to order eighty 
 dollars." (Taking out his bill case) Receipt that, 
 please. (CARTER receipts bill. HUTTON counts out 
 eighty dollars in bills, which he gives to CARTER, 
 who gives him a receipted bill, which HUTTON puts 
 carefully into his pocket. At this moment WILLY 
 enters L.C. in overcoat and slouch hat. He has grown 
 visibly older, but is still the fiery-hearted man he 
 was at the beginning of the play. He carries a large 
 box under his arm. He is very tired, but as soon as 
 he sees HUTTON he straightens up.) 
 
 HERTHA. Oh, here s Father. 
 
 WILLY. How d ye do, Mr. Hutton ! I was in to 
 see you at the bank. (HERTHA takes the box from 
 him and puts it on table under hatrack.) 
 
 HUTTON. I was tending to some Christmas pur 
 chases. 
 
 WILLY. (Referring to box) Careful, Hertha. 
 (To HUTTONJ Take a seat. 
 
 HUTTON. (Sitting L. of table) How are you to 
 day? 
 
 WILLY. Elegant. (HERTHA helps WILLY off with 
 his overcoat and hangs it up on hatrack up c.) 
 
 HUTTON. I just stepped round 
 
 WILLY. (Promptly) I don d make no more shoes 
 for you til Schpring. You could be a tscentipede 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 97 
 
 already. (Takes off his undercoat which he likewise 
 gives to HERTHA. j 
 
 HUTTON. (Smiling) Before I forget, I want you 
 to measure Stacey and Endicott of the bank. They ll 
 be in to see you. 
 
 WILLY. (Putting on workman s apron, which 
 HERTHA gives him) Sure, I do. (HERTHA settles 
 herself near window, sewing as in Act I.) 
 
 HUTTON. (Stamping his feet) I told them that 
 for the first time in years my feet are comfortable. 
 
 WILLY. (Taking up chair from in front of show 
 case) Dat s very nice of you. How is it mit de 
 daughter, Harriet? (He brings chair down L. of, 
 HUTTON. CARTER works at desk over L.J 
 
 HUTTON. I m going to Boston tomorrow to spend 
 Christmas with her and her husband. 
 
 WILLY. (Sitting) You remember me to her, hah ? 
 
 HUTTON. I will. 
 
 WILLY. (Drawing chair close to HUTTON j You 
 got your bail back, Mr. Hutton? (Indicates CAR- 
 TERj 
 
 HUTTON. Yes. 
 
 WILLY. You see, it was no risk at all. In dese 
 two years Carter supports his family. Oh, I heard 
 von your Boston man dis morning. At last we begin 
 to clean up the case. 
 
 HUTTON. It is cleaned up. Pierce and the credi 
 tors wanted to get Leland. That s why they post 
 poned so long. They saw that you d been made a 
 victim by that scoundrel, and they knew what you 
 had given up to make a settlement. 
 
 WILLY. Senough! It was my mistake at de be 
 ginning, und so I paid mit every tscent I got to keep 
 my Theodore s name and make as decent failure I 
 can. 
 
 HUTTON. Any man in Lynn could testify to your 
 integrity, but Leland fooled us all. 
 
98 OUR CHILDREN ACT in 
 
 WILLY. (Grimly) Yah I wished he d blowed 
 out his brains before we met him. 
 
 HUTTON. Things must be going well with your 
 son. 
 
 WILLY. Oh, he gets along. 
 
 HUTTON. What s he doing now? 
 
 WILLY. (Shaking his head, perplexed) Oh, Mr. 
 Hutton hah someding mit ranches und a tannery, 
 und a contract for de hides. Here shtands it in de 
 letter. (Gives a letter to HUTTON, which he takes 
 out of his apron pocket.) 
 
 HUTTON. (Reading) "Dear Rosie:" (He looks 
 up) I beg your pardon. 
 
 WILLY. (With an embarrassed laugh, taking the 
 letter) Dat s Rosie s letter. She brings it to me. 
 My Theodore writes now every week to me und 
 Rosie. (Hurrying, embarrassed over the first part 
 of letter) I don t undershtand all dat but here at 
 de bottom it says: "Love to Pop." I know where 
 it is mitoud looking. (Putting on his spectacles) 
 But I like to read it just the same. See dere shtands 
 it: "Love to Pop." Dat I undershtand! 
 
 HUTTON. Yes. That s beautiful. 
 
 WILLY. (Warmly correcting HUTTON,) Swonder- 
 ful! (Folding ROSIE S letter tenderly) Hah, Rosie, 
 she s a wonderful girl elegant brought up. 
 
 HUTTON. Yes, she is. 
 
 WILLY. (Philosophically) You know I some 
 times dink that my friend Stasi was de best fadder 
 fon all three of us, and he ain t no fader at all. 
 Dat s de joke! How dat happens, Mr. Hutton? 
 
 HUTTON. You were too indulgent. I was too 
 strict. He was just right. 
 
 WILLY. (Genially) But you can t spoil good stock 
 no matter vat you do. Dey turn out all right any 
 way. 
 
 HUTTON. I should say that things are going won 
 derfully well with your son. 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 99 
 
 WILLY. (Proudly) Yah he sends now fifty dol 
 lars every week to Pierce out of his salary for di s 
 whole year. 
 
 HUTTON. I know that. Pierce said that he was 
 making good. 
 
 WILLY. I betcher! 
 
 HUTTON. But a man must have some capital to 
 send twelve thousand dollars in a lump to his cred 
 itors. (HERTHA makes a movement.) 
 
 WILLY. (Surprised) Who sents dat? 
 
 HUTTON. Pierce got a certified check, signed 
 "Theodore Engel," from the Missoula bank. (HER 
 THA rises with immense relief and exits R.c.J 
 
 WILLY. (Perplexed) Yah. Dot s his bank. 
 
 Twelf t ousand dollars (To HUTTON ) W en it 
 
 comes? 
 
 HUTTON. It arrived this morning. Pierce and the 
 committee divided it. That brings the settlement up 
 to a hundred cents on the dollar. The case is closed. 
 
 WILLY. (Fervently) Dank Gott! Hertha, you 
 hear? 
 
 HUTTON. I thought you knew. 
 
 WILLY. Not a word. But dot s de way my Theo 
 dore does dings. Efferybody sees his foolishness! 
 But nobody knows de fine dings vat he does ! (HER 
 THA re-enters R.c. with a lighted lamp, which she. 
 puts on the window-sill down L. Then she sits by 
 it and sews.) 
 
 HUTTON. Well, I must be off. (Rising) I am 
 sure this will be a very happy Christmas for you all. 
 I wish you many of them to come. 
 
 WILLY. (Rising and taking his chair again to its 
 place in front of showcase) The same to you. 
 
 CARTER. (Rising) The same to you. 
 
 HERTHA. I wish you the same, Mr. Hutton. 
 
 WILLY. Come soon again, Mr. Hutton. Goodbye, 
 Mr. Hutton. (Ad lib. He closes L.C. door after 
 HUTTQN S exit and comes down to CARTER at back 
 
ioo OUR CHILDREN ACT in 
 
 of table c. under the lamp. He puts his hand en 
 thusiastically on CARTER S shoulder) Well, Carter, 
 come here ! De case ish closed ! We own de air we 
 breathe ! We git a credit face, und we kin look em 
 in de eyes once more! (He takes flat pocket-book 
 out of his back pocket.) 
 
 CARTER. (Showing the newspaper) The Boston 
 paper s got your speech. 
 
 WILLY. (Pleased) Yah? Is it possible? Yah, 
 dere shtands it in de paper. (Looking at it closely 
 under the lamp) Say, who s dat old feller sitting 
 dere? 
 
 CARTER. That s supposed to be you. 
 
 WILLY. Dot s a disgrace! I ain t as old as dat. 
 (He looks at it again.) 
 
 CARTER. But for you, I might have spent this 
 Christmas day in jail. 
 
 WILLY. (While glancing at the paper) Pst! 
 Senough ! I don d fergit de fif deen years you 
 worked for me. Like all de younk fellers dese days, 
 you got beduzzled mit git-rich-quick und dat feller 
 Leland. You know better now. Und you got chil 
 dren, Carter. I gif you my word ! I tought of dem, 
 w en I shpoke yesterday fer you. I m prout dat not 
 one of de men dat worked fer me has suffered. 
 Yah, Willy Engel s workmen all got chobs. You 
 might have hard time getting seddled; so I took 
 you here mit me. I can d pay you your old salary. 
 But if I keep you here mit me, dot s de besht proof 
 to efferybody of w at I dink of you. So not a sound 
 more ! Here ! (Taking money from his pocket-book) 
 I met Stanley on the shtreet. He paid me. Send 
 him a retscept mit danks. 
 
 CARTER. And Mr. Hutton paid his bill. 
 
 WILLY. (Going to R.C. door) Eighty dollars 
 hah? 
 
 CARTER. Yes, Mr. Engel. (WILLY exits R.C. At 
 this point STASI comes into the room excitedly from 
 
ACT m OUR CHILDREN 101 
 
 L.C. He is evidently full of a plan. He is dressed in 
 a fur coat with a muffler over his ears. He also 
 wears rubbers.) 
 
 STASI. It s all right, I think ! 
 
 HERTHA. (Going to him quickly) Psch! (STASI 
 looks toward bedroom. HERTHA helps him out of his 
 coat and hangs it on the rack.) 
 
 HERTHA. (Secretly, during the above business) 
 Uncle Stasi, the check for twelve thousand dollars 
 arrived this morning. I heard Mr. Hutton say so. 
 Father thinks that Theodore sent it. 
 
 STASI. Rosie waits at home for a telegram. In a 
 little while leave me alone with him. 
 
 HERTHA. (Looking around the room) I can t 
 bear to have him here alone. 
 
 STASI. I ll make him go home with you. 
 
 HERTHA. But he s so stubborn. 
 
 STASI. I know but not when you know how to 
 handle him. 
 
 HERTHA. But who knows how to handle him? 
 
 STASI. (Confidently) I do. You leave it to me. I 
 fix it. You all go the wrong way about it. Now, I 
 got a plan. I know just exactly what I m going to 
 say to him. After all, he listens to nobody but me. 
 (WILLY enters R.c.j Hallo, Willy 
 
 WILLY. (Genially) Hallo, Stasi. Sit down a 
 minnit. (To CARTER,) Here, shtep into that jeweler 
 shtore, und pay dis twenty dollars on my Theodore s 
 account. Dat settles dat account in full. (Gives him 
 money.) 
 
 CARTER. Yes, Mr. Engel. 
 
 WILLY. Den you come back, und we finish de 
 trial-balance. (CARTER gathers up some papers and 
 puts them on desk R.C. WILLY sees STASI examining 
 a shoe on the shoemakers iron stand near his bench) 
 Stasi, I finish Rosie s shoes tonighd yet. (He turns 
 to papers on table.) 
 
 STASI. Plenty of time. 
 
102 OUR CHILDREN ACTIII 
 
 WILLY. (With his habitual gesture) All right! 
 
 STASI. (Likeivise) All right ! (He plumps down 
 on a stool over L. and begins to take off his rubbers.) 
 
 WILLY. (Looking up from his papers suddenly) 
 Stasi I told you, you don d need rubbers mit my 
 shoes! No water pays rent in de shoes I make! 
 Dot s no Guinea work you got. 
 
 STASI. (Promptly argumentative) Willy, because 
 I wear de shoes you make, I don d have to slip on 
 de sidewalk und break my neck, do I ? 
 
 WILLY. I don d slip, and I m older as you ! 
 
 STASI. All right ! 
 
 WILLY. All right ! (He takes another receipt from 
 his pocket and gives it to CARTER, who comes to 
 ward him behind table) Carter, file dat away. Forty- 
 tseven dollars fifty tscents. 
 
 STASI. (Rising and coming to him) Say, Willy, 
 what do you do at the Crown Hotel? 
 
 WILLY. (Closing all discussion) Nodding. 
 
 STASI. You were there dis afternoon, dey told me. 
 
 WILLY. Well, if Nosey s got to know, I paid a 
 bill. I jusht seddle an accound mit de Crown Hotel. 
 
 Look (Taking the receipt from CARTER again 
 
 and showing it to STASI, who begins to examine it) 
 Paid in full, retsept. 
 
 STASI. What for? 
 
 WILLY. (Pulling it away and^ giving it back to 
 CARTER,) My Theodore gave a liddle supper pardy 
 dere two years ago. Someding mit de ladies of de 
 "Moonlight Maids Combany." He alvays was musi 
 cal, you know. He gits dat von his fader. 
 
 STASI. (Irritated) But, Willy, when are you go 
 ing to stop that nonsense ? 
 
 WILLY. W at nonsense!? 
 
 STASI. Paying off Theodore s bills. 
 
 WILLY. I shtop in a liddle while w en dere all 
 paid. (CARTER has got into his overcoat which he 
 takes from hatrack and exits L.C. shortly.) 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 103 
 
 STASI. Why don t Theodore pay those bills him 
 self? 
 
 WILLY. (Boastfully) You dink maybe he can t! 
 Hah? (With mock modesty) Hah, my Theodore 
 jusht sends a little item of twelf t ousand dollars mit 
 a tsertified check to Boshton to close up de case. 
 
 STASI. (Affecting surprise) You don t say so! 
 (With a look to HERTHA,) That s a great surprise. 
 
 WILLY. Now what you got to say? 
 
 STASI. Nothing. 
 
 WILLY. Dat settles de Leland case in full one 
 hundred tsents on de dollar! Und I should worry 
 him mit dese liddle bills. Dot s my pleasure to pay 
 dem. He shall owe me not de odder fellers. 
 
 STASI. (Irritated) But in the meantime here you 
 are, working and slaving 
 
 WILLY. Shtill ! Don d arg mit me ! I pay you de 
 interesht on w at I owe you, don d I ? 
 
 STASI. That ain t the question! 
 
 WILLY. (Tenderly) You help me shtart in busi 
 ness here. I don d fergit dat, Stasi. (Change to ag 
 gressiveness) But you mustn t dink because I owe 
 you money, I musht do alvays w at you say. 
 
 STASI. (Growing nervous) I don d speak no more 
 about it. You are more stubborn now than you ever 
 were. 
 
 WILLY. (Looks at his accounts again) All right ! 
 
 STASI. All right! (He sits L. of table R.cJ 
 
 WILLY. (Attempting to conciliate STASI,) Dere s 
 de paber. You can read aboud de case. (Pointing) 
 Dere shtands it. 
 
 STASI. (Taking up paper from table) I saw it. 
 
 WILLY. (Looking at the paper over STASI S shoul 
 der) Und did you see de uggely muck dey put on 
 my Hertha? I d like to sue dem fellers! Dot s a 
 artist nit ! My Hertha nefr" er hat a mout like dat 
 neffer in her life ! (At this point HERTHA has risen 
 from her seat and has come toward c. She is on her 
 
104 OUR CHILDREN ACTIII 
 
 way to fix coffee at the stove. As WILLY says the 
 last line of this speech, he turns, sees HERTHA, 
 pinches her cheek affectionately and then crosses her 
 to go to bench down L. for some tools and a shoe 
 upon which he is working. He is humming a snatch 
 of his old song. Behind WILLY S back STASI says to 
 HERTHA nervously) 
 
 STASI. I fix it now. (Then STASI motions HERTHA 
 to leave them. WILLY is over at the bench selecting 
 tools. HERTHA puts coffee pot on the stove and pre 
 pares to leave. Assuming a commonplace tone) 
 Willy, come over here and sit down a minute. I 
 want to talk with you. 
 
 WILLY. Go ahead, I listen. (He promptly begins 
 to sing. He has picked up a shoe with a large sole 
 nailed on it, which during the next scene he cuts 
 down to the proper size. He has also picked up a 
 shoemaker s knife. HERTHA goes to hatrack up c. 
 for her hat and coat, which she puts on during the 
 early part of following dialogue. WILLY still hums 
 the old song as he goes from the bench to his posi 
 tion behind the table R.c.j 
 
 STASI. Willy, if things go so good with Theodore, 
 you ought to take it a little easier. 
 
 WILLY. (Examining the shoe under the lamp) 
 Righd here, where I make my failure, I make goot 
 again. Hertha, w at s de matter mit dat lamp? 
 
 HERTHA. It s up as far as it will go, Papa. 
 
 WILLY. So. 
 
 STASI. (Nervously) I don t say anything any 
 more, but you shouldn t work in the night-timz, 
 Willy. 
 
 WILLY. I losht anodder day von de bench. I hat 
 to go to Boshton yesterday on dat Leland s case. 
 
 STASI. (Indicating WILLY S difficulty in seeing) 
 But your eyes- 
 
 WILLY. {Aggressively) What s de matter mit my 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 105 
 
 eyes? Dey lasht as long as I do. (Noticing HERTHA 
 in her coat) Hertha, where you go? 
 
 HERTHA. (Finding an excuse) Sophy forgot 
 cream for the coffee. I ll just slip to the corner and 
 get some. 
 
 WILLY. But you come back again? 
 
 HERTHA. Right away. 
 
 WILLY. (Tenderly) Goodbye. 
 
 HERTHA. (Waving her hand) Goodbye. (STASI, 
 unseen by WILLY, makes a gesture to HERTHA to 
 get out. She exits L.C. WILLY sits in his chair R. of 
 table and starts to work cutting down the sole of the 
 shoe. During the ensuing scene STASI betrays great 
 nervousness. He makes several different attempts 
 in different ways to persuade WILLY, and at every 
 defeat he becomes more irascible.) 
 
 WILLY. Ach, I tell you Hertha, she s a wonder 
 ful girl. 
 
 STASI. You know I always said 
 
 WILLY. (Interrupting) I know w at you always 
 said ! Say someding new. 
 
 STASI. All right ! 
 
 WILLY. All right! (He works.) 
 
 STASI. (Fidgetting, not knowing how to attack 
 the question) Say, Willy 
 
 WILLY. Hah 
 
 STASI. (Taking out two cigars) You smoke a lit 
 tle cigar? 
 
 WILLY. (Looking at the cigar, lovingly) No, dank 
 you. 
 
 STASI. (Pressing him cordially) Come, Willy. 
 You can smoke that with understanding fifty cents. 
 
 WILLY. No, dank you. I radder schmoke de pipe. 
 It s better w en you work. (He takes up his pipe 
 from the table.) 
 
 STASI. (Biting his cigar, grumbling) No cigars 
 no pinochle not even a little glass of wine you take 
 
io6 OUR CHILDREN ACTIII 
 
 with me any more like we used to. Say that s no 
 life. 
 
 WILLY. (During above, has risen and gone to cup 
 board down R. and brings the tobacco-jar and the 
 potato) I don d care really fer dem dings. 
 
 STASI. What pleasure have you got in life? 
 
 WILLY. (Opening tobacco-jar) Retsepts fer 
 bills ! Dot s my pleasure. (He stands R. of table and 
 starts to cut the potato into pieces and throw them 
 into the tobacco-jar.) 
 
 STASI. (Nettled) Not one time in your life did 
 you ever listen to me! 
 
 WILLY. You got wrong. I lishten to efferybody. 
 Dot s my trouble. 
 
 STASI. Yah, you listen! But that s all you do do! 
 In one ear and out by the other. Not once in your 
 life did you ever do like I told you ! 
 
 WILLY. (Calmly) Ish dat so? 
 
 STASI. (Bursting) Look now! For years I try 
 to make you put water on that sponch, and yet you 
 always put potatoes in it ! Why don t you try it once 
 with water? 
 
 W r iLLY. I got goot reasons. 
 
 STASI. (Insistently) W 7 hy? Tell me why? 
 
 WILLY. Because I vant to. 
 
 STASI. Yah, that s a reason! 
 
 WILLY. Yah, shure it is. I do it my way. 
 
 STASI. Ach, all right! (He turns away; crosses 
 his legs.) 
 
 WILLY. All right! 
 
 STASI. (Turning back again, irritated at himself, 
 and re-crossing his legs) I didn t want to commence 
 to begin to speak about that thing at all ! ! 
 
 WILLY. Den why did you did it ? (Sits and lights 
 his pipe. Nervous business for STASI. Pause. They 
 smoke. WILLY works.) 
 
 STASI. (Picking up ledger on the table) Carter 
 makes up a trial-balance, hah? 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 107 
 
 WILLY. We finish it tonighd yet. 
 
 STASI. And things go good? 
 
 WILLY. (Proudly) I betcher! If I wasn t over 
 sixty, I d show dem fellers yet in de shoe bushiness. 
 
 STASI. Why don t you get yourself a workman? 
 
 WILLY. I kin use de money better effery week 
 myself. (Re minis cently) Und, anyvay, dere ish no 
 hant workmen any more like in de old times. Nix. 
 (Pause. He looks up from his work and says) 
 Stasi, de case ish closed. At last my Theodore pays 
 off even dat Leland schwindle. A hundert tscents on 
 de dollar ! 
 
 STASI. (Matter of fact tone) Fine ! 
 
 WILLY. (Amazed) Dot s all you got to say w en 
 my Theodore ? 
 
 STASI. (Nervously) If I was more surprised, 
 you d get angry because I didn t expect Theodore 
 would do more! 
 
 WILLY. All right! 
 
 STASI. All right ! (They smoke. WILLY works at 
 the shoe, filing and scraping. STASI grows more ir 
 ritable and more anxious, as he sees he is getting no 
 further. STASI is about to speak when WILLY begins 
 singing and humming his old song again. This time 
 he goes entirely through the melody while working.) 
 
 WILLY. (Stops to say, reflectively) Stasi, I ofden 
 dink now it s de besht ding dat could heppen dat my 
 Theodore went Wesht. 
 
 STASI. Why? 
 
 WILLY. Oud dere maybe he fergits all dose col- 
 litch etchikashuns. You know dot was de beginning. 
 Dose collitches ! My Theodore was all righd before 
 he went to collitch. 
 
 STASI. Lots of good people come from college. 
 
 WILLY. I don d believe it ! You didn t went to col 
 litch Hutton didn t/ didn t Hertha didn t hat 
 no collitch etchikashun (He works at shoe.) 
 
 STASI. No all right (Shifts nervously; looks 
 
io8 OUR CHILDREN ACTIII 
 
 at his watch; finally rises in anxiety and moves ~L.) 
 
 WILLY. Say ! Wat s de matter mit you ? Mensch, 
 hast kei Sitzfleisch? Why you dence around for? 
 
 STASI. (Turning and blurting out) Ach, what s 
 the use we beat around de bush?! You cant live 
 this way any more ! 
 
 WILLY. (Putting down tools and taking off his 
 glasses) I knew someding was coming! Mit your 
 fif dy tscents cigars ! 
 
 STASI. (Dictatorially) You must go home with 
 Hertha! 
 
 WILLY. (Putting down the shoe decidedly) Now 
 we got it ! 
 
 STASI. Willy, how do you think she feels? 
 
 WILLY. I told you I make trouble anough mit her 
 und Richard; so I keep away. Not a sound more! 
 
 STASI. But why, Willy? Whyf 
 
 WILLY. (Rising, obstinately) I don d want nod 
 ding to do mit Richard! Dot s why! (Goes R.; 
 stands with his back to STASI J 
 
 STASI. You must not be stubborn. I know, Willy. 
 It s hard for us to forgive those people that we have 
 hurt. 
 
 WILLY. (After a pause of comprehension) All 
 righd I hurt him. But dat s bushiness. De big fish 
 eat de liddle fish. I tried to eat up Richard. He was 
 a big fish, und I didn t know it. Dot was my mish- 
 take. I pay fer it. I maybe bite him a liddle, but I 
 choked myself. He schwims away, und I went to 
 de bottom fer a while. 
 
 STASI. But at your age! 
 
 WILLY. (Interrupting violently) I m glat dat it 
 goes goot mit him fer Hertha und de children s sake, 
 und dat s enough! I don d ask anybody for any- 
 ding. I git along. I work ! 
 
 STASI. That ain t the question ! I see you work ! ! 
 
 WILLY. Den w at elset you want!? Everybody 
 can d be a capitalisht like you 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 109 
 
 STASI. (Promptly) I m a Socialist! 
 
 WILLY. No no ! We don d begin on dat, blease ! 
 
 STASI. All right ! 
 
 WILLY. All right ! 
 
 STASI. But, Willy, I ask you why do you always 
 feel this way about Richard and his patents? He s 
 a hard worker 
 
 WILLY. Und did I say he wasn t? 
 
 STASI. Don t interrupt me! 
 
 WILLY. Den don t arg mit me about Richard! 
 
 STASI. Richard s patents do lots of good to lots of 
 people ! 
 
 WILLY. Dey done me no goot ! 
 
 STASI. That s not the question ! The world moves 
 forwards! 
 
 WILLY. The world goes round und round ! 
 
 STASI. (At his wits end) What for we argue!? 
 
 WILLY. (Continuing) Und for my part Richard 
 can make now all de patents w at he likes ! (Proudly) 
 One ding he cant do! 
 
 STASI. Nu what ? what ? 
 
 WILLY. (Indomitably picking up shoe from table 
 again) Richard can d patent a machine dot makes a 
 hant-made shoe ! ! 
 
 STASI. Ach, Willy what s the use I talk ! ? 
 
 WILLY. It s no use! (Enter HERTHA L.C., carry 
 ing a small bottle of cream. They do not notice her.) 
 
 STASI. (Losing utter control of himself and 
 speaking very loudly) A ox, you are, Willy ! Ever 
 since you were a boy, you was a ox 1 1 
 
 WILLY. (Likewise) If you wasn t such a ox your 
 self, you would have knowed dat fifty years ago ! ! 
 
 STASI. (Yelling) All right! 
 
 WILLY. (Yelling back) All right! (This is the 
 most angry dialogue in the play between them.) 
 
 STASI. (Turning to HERTHA, as he walks azvay 
 from WILLY j Maybe you can speak with him I 
 can t any more ! (HERTHA has hung up her coat. She 
 
i io OUR CHILDREN ACT in 
 
 crosses to behind table. STASI goes up L., puffing 
 violently on his cigar.) 
 
 WILLY. (Sulkily, as he starts to go toward STASI) 
 You tell your Uncle Stasi he should leave me alone ! 
 
 HERTHA. (Tenderly stopping him and turning 
 him toward door R.cJ Wash up, Papa. Coffee will 
 be ready. (WILLY glares at STASI, who has got on 
 the other side of the screen up c.) 
 
 WILLY. Mit effery day anodder argiment! (STASI 
 blows out a cloud of smoke and makes his f( all right" 
 gesture.) 
 
 HERTHA. (Turning him again toward bedroom) 
 Yes, Papa. Now hurry. (She gets coffee service, 
 cups, etc., from cupboard down R.j 
 
 WILLY. (Has gone up to door R.C. He turns, still 
 sulkily) Stasi, better you shtay fer coffee. Den 
 maybe you feel better, hah? 
 
 STASI. (Angrily) Thank you, I feel all right ! 
 
 WILLY. I m glat ! ! 
 
 STASI. All right!! 
 
 WILLY. All right!! (He exits R.C. HERTHA is 
 busied setting the table and arranging three cups and 
 saucers. As soon as WILLY is off she turns eagerly 
 to STASI, who is still fuming.) 
 
 HERTHA. (Humorously) Well? Did you fix it? 
 
 STASI. (Coming to table, after looking around 
 screen to see if WILLY is off) Ach! He wouldn t 
 let me say a word. (Sits L. of table.) 
 
 HERTHA. (Excitedly) I telephoned home. There 
 was a telegram from Albany. (Pours out coffee.) 
 
 STASI. (Taking out a big handkerchief, which 
 he puts over his knee for a napkin) Und ? 
 
 HERTHA. Richard will do everything as I have ar 
 ranged. 
 
 STASI. (With nervous eagerness) What time does 
 he arrive? 
 
 HERTHA. Six-ten. (STASI consults watch. WILLY 
 is heard humming off R.cJ 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN in 
 
 STASI. Well, I take my coffee and go back to the 
 store. And then I meet him at the station. 
 
 HERTHA. (Pointing to door up L.C.) And if that 
 blind is up, then come right in. We ll have to risk 
 it. (The door R.c. opens. WILLY enters, drying his 
 hands and singing.) 
 
 WILLY. (Stops in his song; looks over his glasses 
 quizzically to STASIJ All over your bat temper, 
 Stasi? (STASI attempts to grumble. WILLY laughs 
 coaxingly. Then they BOTH laugh, as WILLY sits 
 down R. of table. HERTHA helps him to coffee; then 
 helps herself.) 
 
 STASI. Oh here s your new business card, Willy. 
 (He takes a card from his pocket and hands it to 
 WILLY across the table) What do you think of it? 
 
 WILLY. (Adjusting his glasses) I have a look. 
 (Reading) "Willibald Engel, Custom Shoemaker, 
 fer Men and Women." (He looks up) Where s de 
 children ? 
 
 STASI. You want them too? 
 
 WILLY. Yah, shure! 
 
 STASI. (Gulping his coffee) All right, we put em 
 in. 
 
 WILLY. (Continuing to read) "All hant work. 
 One-fordy-tseven Vine Street, Lynn. (Passes it 
 back) Dot s all righd. You make two t ousand right 
 avay. 
 
 STASI. After the holidays. 
 
 WILLY. (Pointing to card) Vait. Put down here 
 "Saddisfaction guaranteed." Und make dot "All 
 hant work" as big as possible. 
 
 STASI. As big as you like. (He crosses for his 
 coat. HERTHA rises and helps him. WILLY hums 
 and drinks coffee.) 
 
 WILLY. (Seeing STASI getting into his overcoat 
 up L.C.) W at s de hurry? 
 
 STASI. (Nervously) Oh it s getting late. 
 
 WILLY. Say, Stasi, you come back again after 
 
ii2 OUR CHILDREN ACTHI 
 
 dinner. We tscelebrate de new trial-balance mit a 
 liddle game of pinochle, hah? 
 
 STASI. Yah. (Then a wink to HERTHAJ Maybe. 
 
 WILLY. (Mischievously) Dot ish, if you don t 
 break your neck ! 
 
 STASI. (Nettled) Why shall I break my neck? 
 
 WILLY. You fergit your rubbers. (He points to 
 STASI S rubbers lying down L.) 
 
 STASI. (Seeing them on the floor) I try it once 
 mitoud them. 
 
 WILLY. All right! 
 
 STASI. All right! (Exits L.c.J 
 
 WILLY. (Laughs) Das ist ein Kerl! (HERTHA 
 sits L. of table, sewing again. As soon as STASI is 
 off, WILLY makes for the pasteboard box lying on 
 table under hatrack) Come, Hertha. I show you 
 now. Jusht wait. 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, have you been buying something 
 else for the children? 
 
 WILLY. Nah na psch it s nodding. 
 
 HERTHA. Papa. (Ad lib.) 
 
 WILLY. Schtill! Not a sound more! (HERTHA 
 hushes. He opens box) I waited til efter Stasi 
 goes, so he don t fight mit me again und lecture me. 
 
 HERTHA. You ll spoil those children. 
 
 WILLY. No. You got wrong dis time, Hertha. I 
 don d believe in shpoiling boys. Dis is for exer 
 cise. (He takes out two big jumping- jacks) You 
 see, you pull de shtring und dey jump just like 
 your Uncle Stasi. (He shows how they work) 
 Swonderful! Dot s a fine exercise, no? (HERTHA 
 laughs.) Und I was careful, Hertha. I buy de kind 
 of paind don d come off. (Business of moistening 
 his finger and rubbing the toy) You see : Smade in 
 Chermany! The children alvays dink it s someding 
 to eat. You give dose to de boys von Grandpapa. 
 (Puts them back into box and goes to his chair R. of 
 table.) 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 113 
 
 HERTHA. They ll be delighted. (Puts box under 
 table.) 
 
 WILLY. Ah, you remember yet how my Theodore 
 loved dose chumping-chacks ? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes. 
 
 WILLY. (Sitting) Dot liddle Willy, he gits to 
 look more like my Theodore mit effery day. (He 
 takes up coffee cup and starts to drink.) 
 
 HERTHA. I thought he looked like you. 
 
 WILLY. (Pleased) You dink so? Well, maybe-^- 
 (He slides down into his chair. Pause. He suddenly 
 says very tenderly) Und you git to look more like 
 your modder effery day. Hah, w en I look avay, I 
 could almosht hear her shpeak w en you are talk 
 ing. It s awful strange. (Reminiscently) Yah, your 
 modder used to sit here at de table, alvays sewing 
 jusht like you sit now while I was working 
 (Looking around) I hat a liddle shop like dis. Und 
 Uncle Stasi used to come fer coffee. You remem 
 ber yet, Hertha? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, on Lincoln Street. 
 
 WILLY. (Half -laughing, half -sighing) Yah, dat 
 
 was tirdy years ago! I don t know It makes 
 
 me heppy-like und sad togedder. (Pause. Earn 
 estly) It s such a comfort to have you here alone 
 
 jusht sitting here mit me (He sinks back 
 
 into his chair and closes his eyes. HERTHA puts down 
 her sewing, comes to his chair and kneels down at 
 the side of it. WILLY suddenly puts his arm around 
 her) So ! (Pause.) 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, after today, I shan t be able to 
 come here so regularly. 
 
 WILLY. (Like a hurt child) Wh wh why, you 
 w at s w at s de matter? 
 
 HERTHA. Richard is coming home. 
 
 WILLY. (Releasing her) Yah, so. (He turns 
 away.) 
 
ii4 OUR CHILDREN ACT in 
 
 HERTHA. I could be with you always if you d 
 only make peace with him. 
 
 WILLY. I made a terrible mishtake five years ago. 
 (Grimly) I pay fer it. Schon gut. Richard makes 
 a terrible schwear on his dead father, he musht see 
 me on de knees before I git you back 
 
 HERTHA. I m sure that he regrets it. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, we all musht pay. Don d dink 7 
 don d regret it. (Change to obstinacy) Beshides, 
 Richard could schwear on anybody elset, I wouldn t 
 care so much; but his fader was my frient. 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, I ve been on my knees to both 
 of you for years. Richard with his terrible vow and 
 you with your terrible pride. Deep in your hearts 
 you both regret what you have done. It s all so 
 foolish ! (Rises.) 
 
 WILLY. (Obstinately) Yah, shure he s foolish! 
 But w en your fader says a ding: he alvays keeps 
 his word. (He rises and crosses to c.) 
 
 HERTHA. If I had kept my word or Mr. Hutton 
 his, or Uncle Stasi his, or Rosie hers, where would 
 we be today ? Papa, don t you see we ve got to grow 
 beyond ourselves? 
 
 WILLY. It s different mit me und Richard. 
 
 HERTHA. If Richard had kept his word, I couldn t 
 have come back to you at all. (Pause) Are we to 
 go on like this forever? 
 
 WILLY. (With finality) I wouldn t reshpect Rich 
 ard if he broke dot schwear. I wouldn t reshpect 
 myself if I gave in to him! So long as I kin work 
 mit my two hants, I don d git on de knees. I got 
 jusht as much prout as Richard. (HERTHA turns 
 away. He notices her disappointment and continues 
 with a change) I m awful sorry, Hertha. I can t 
 change. (Then he goes up to her) Och Gott, Her 
 tha! Dese two weeks I been so heppy I forgot I 
 hat to lose you again. All dis time, whenever I saw 
 you workin* round de room, I should have said to 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 115 
 
 myself : "She s only here a liddle while. Soon she 
 goes avay again." But Hertha, Hertha, I was so 
 thirsty for you I t ought only: "Now I drink!" 
 
 Und now (He breaks as he turns away) But 
 
 it s all right ! You mustn t dink now on your fader. 
 You got dose dose boys. Und I I git along. 
 (Moves L.) 
 
 HERTHA. Papa. Richard went out West two weeks 
 ago. 
 
 WILLY. (Turning) For what? 
 
 HERTHA. He went to see Theodore. 
 
 WILLY. Richard went to my Theodore? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes and what s more, he s sending 
 Theodore back to you. 
 
 WILLY. My Theodore comes back to me ? 
 
 HERTHA. Richard is sending him. 
 
 WILLY. (Proudly) He don d fergit his fader! 
 Hertha, Hertha, my boy comes back to me ? W en he 
 conies ? 
 
 HERTHA. Tonight. 
 
 WILLY. Tonighd yet? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes ! With his partner in the tannery. 
 
 WILY. His partner too! Ah, dat s de happiest 
 Christmas I could have. I dress myself. (Starts to 
 undo his apron and qo toward bedroom.) 
 
 HERTHA. (Stopping him) I wouldn t, Papa. 
 
 WILLY. I don d want he should be ashamed fer 
 his fader before his partner. . 
 
 HERTHA. His partner was a workman too. You 
 needn t be ashamed. Besides, you won t have time. 
 
 WILLY. You mean dey come here right avay 
 right von de train? 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, on the six-ten from Boston. 
 ( WILLY goes to the clock on the wall R. ROSIE en 
 ters L.C. Nervously as he crosses to clock) Maybe 
 dey don d ketch de train ! (He hears the door close 
 behind ROSIE. He turns excitedly and asks) Who s 
 dot? 
 
ii6 OUR CHILDREN ACT HI 
 
 HERTHA. It s Rosie. 
 
 WILLY. Rosie Rosie you heard de news? 
 
 ROSIE. Yes, Theodore telephoned from Boston. 
 They caught their train. I hurried down to tell you. 
 
 WILLY. Rosie w at shall we do? Dot fifdeen 
 minutes I can d shtand it ! (Suddenly) We go und 
 meet em, hah ? So dat dey don d get losht ! 
 
 ROSIE. (Stopping him) Uncle Stasi s there. 
 
 WILLY. Den, Hertha, we fix up de room! Hah! 
 (Starts to gather dishes on table.) 
 
 HERTHA. Yes, Papa. (She goes L.C. and pulls up 
 the blind on the door.) 
 
 WILLY. (Excitedly) Somebody comes now? 
 
 HERTHA. Not yet, Papa. I ll just pull up the 
 blind, so they can see we are waiting for them. 
 
 WILLY. Come, de dishes de dishes we fix up 
 everyding fine fer Theodore. 
 
 HERTHA. Papa, I ll tend to them. You sit over 
 there. (Pointing to bench.) 
 
 WILLY. Yah I sit I sit! (He goes up to door 
 L.C. and looks out. Then he says with great emotion) 
 To dink dat in a liddle while my Theodore comes 
 t rou dis door ! 
 
 ROSIE. (Closing door) It s awfully cold, Uncle 
 Willy. (She takes him down. He follows like a 
 child.) Sit here and I ll sit with you. 
 
 WILLY. (Going to bench) Yah, Rosie, you sit 
 by me. (He sits at bench.) 
 
 ROSIE. Yes, Uncle Willy. ( ROSIE takes a low 
 stool and sits by him at his L.) 
 
 WILLY. So. (He suddenly begins to work with 
 hysterical vehemence, pounding at a shoe.) 
 
 ROSIE. Don t work any more tonight. 
 
 WILLY. (Hardly containing himself) I jusht got 
 to do someding or I explode! ! 
 
 ROSIE. All right. 
 
 WILLY. (He starts to work, then stops and says 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 117 
 
 as he looks at her tenderly) We wait togedder. 
 
 Yah, Rosie, you waited too a long time Hah? 
 
 (HERTHA gathers up the dishes from the table , 
 WILLY and ROSIE are seated with their backs to the 
 
 door.) You got a happy Christmas too Hah, 
 
 Rosie ? We got such lots of dings to talk about, we 
 can t begin ! 
 ROSIE. Yes. 
 
 ( WILLY works. HERTHA sits at L. of table, sewing. 
 Then suddenly WILLY begins to sing his old 
 song. His phrases are broken by his emotion. 
 HERTHA has kept watching the door L.C. She 
 suddenly starts as she sees TPIEODORE and 
 RICHARD outside. THEODORE comes in softly, 
 followed by RICHARD and STASI. They are all 
 in long coats with their collars rolled up high 
 because of the cold. THEODORE has grown a 
 mustache. THEODORE comes in on tiptoe. The 
 movements of all are covered by WILLY S song. 
 HERTHA goes up to them at L.C. ; embraces 
 
 TllEODOREj 
 
 HERTHA. (Whispering) Do it quickly ! 
 
 (THEODORE goes down on a line with WILLY, who is 
 still singing brokenly and working. During this 
 RICHARD has gone to HERTHA. She kisses him. 
 He has taken off^ his hat. HERTHA puts it back 
 again, puts up his collar and leads him to chair 
 L. of table. She then stands between him and 
 her father. STASI stands at door L.C. When 
 RICHARD is seated, ROSIE sees THEODORE stand 
 ing behind WILLY, and draws a sharp breath. 
 WILLY looks at ROSIE and sees her looking at 
 something behind him. He is about to turn 
 when THEODORE says very simply:) 
 
n8 OUR CHILDREN ACTIII 
 
 THEODORE. Papa, I ve come home. (WILLY, over 
 come^ drops his work. He rises and starts to go 
 toward THEODORE. His knees weaken and he almost 
 falls as THEODORE quickly embraces him.) 
 
 WILLY. Theodore ! My boy my boy Theodore ! 
 
 THEODORE. Papa! 
 
 WILLY. (Clinging to THEODORE,) Oh, I can t be 
 lieve on it. Gott is yet goot to me. After all de mish- 
 takes I make mit you, he sents you to your fader on 
 de Christmas. (Turning away) Yah, my boy, you 
 went t rou hart times too hah? Yah it was long 
 to wait. (In the midst of his emotion he fondles 
 THEODORE^S face, feels the mustache and recoils in 
 amazement) W at! You raised whiskers! ! (Tak 
 ing him under lamp over workbench) Come let me, 
 look at you ! Rosie ! Look ! Swonderful ! 
 
 THEODORE. Now, Dad, I want you to shake hands 
 with my partner from Montana. 
 
 WILLY. Yah, shure ! (RICHARD rises. WILLY 
 goes toivard RICHARD, while blowing his nose on his 
 apron) Excuse me, I ketched a awful cold. ( WILLY 
 is about to extend his hand to RICHARD. He sud 
 denly looks at him and recoils, exclaiming) So, 
 Richard! 
 
 RICHARD. (Extending his hand) How do you do? 
 
 WILLY. (Refusing his hand) Was neffer better 
 in my life! (He turns to THEODORE,) Why, Theo 
 dore, I t ought he was 
 
 THEODORE. Richard is my partner! 
 
 WILLY. W at! 
 
 THEODORE. Yes, Papa. Richard s factory takes 
 our tannery. He sent the twelve thousand dollars 
 to close up the case. He s brought me home to you. 
 So, Dad, I think it s up to you to 
 
 WILLY. (With his old peremptory manner) 
 Snough ! Your Papa knows yet w at to do. (He 
 turns with a slow menace but full resolve and goes- 
 over toward RICHARD, suspensively pushing back his 
 
ACT in OUR CHILDREN 119 
 
 sleeves as if he were going to kick RICHARD out 
 again. He gets near him, then suddenly makes a 
 movement as if to get down on his knees in front 
 of him.) 
 
 RICHARD. (Not permitting it) Don t don t, Mr. 
 Engel ! 
 
 WILLY. (Throunng RICHARD off violently) Leaf 
 me alone! (Then with the manner of a thorough 
 bred taking his medicine he continues) I make a 
 failure mit my boy. You make him a grand success. 
 Und if I hat a million knees, I d git down on effery 
 one of dem ! (He makes another movement to kneel 
 to RICHARD, who again closes in on him.) 
 
 RICHARD. (Embarrassed, but firm) But I won t 
 have it! D ye hear? 
 
 WILLY. (Amazed) You mean you break your 
 schwearf 
 
 RICHARD. Yes! 
 
 WILLY. (With violent obstinacy) Den I don d let 
 you break dot schwear! I lick or git licked! (He 
 starts to kneel again. RICHARD again lifts him up.) 
 
 RICHARD. (Equally determined) Then you get 
 licked now! (Pause. RICHARD extends his hand) 
 Come, shake hands. (Pause. WILLY still refuses. 
 Then RICHARD says simply) Papa! 
 
 WILLY. (Softened) Papa? (WILLY pauses, 
 turns, then takes RICHARD S hand with a bang.) 
 
 HERTHA, (Joyfully) It s all over now, isn t it? 
 
 WILLY. So, Hertha, you make foolishness mit 
 your Papa? (WARN Curtain.) 
 
 HERTHA. I was the cause of all of it. I had to 
 find the remedy. 
 
 WILLY. (Turning to RICHARDJ Von de bottom 
 of my heart I dank you. For my sake (Turn 
 ing to THEODORE,) Und for his sake (Then 
 
 very tenderly) Und for Rosie s sake. 
 
 RICHARD. (Indicating the handshake) This is 
 
120 OUR CHILDREN ACTIII 
 
 what Hertha wanted for her Christmas. The other 
 half of our investment came from Mr. Scheible. 
 
 WILLY. Wat, Stasi? 
 
 STASI. Och, what s de use we talk about it ? Rosiq 
 gets it anyway in time. (Then with a relapse into 
 his old pugnacious manner) Und now I take my rub 
 bers! (STASI sits on stool and begins to put them 
 on.) 
 
 WILLY. (Laughing) All right ! 
 
 STASI. All right ! 
 
 WILLY. Und efter all, my son, und Ernsht Hell- 
 man s son, dey come togedder in de bushiness. 
 
 RICHARD. Theodore s a chip of the old block. 
 He s made good! 
 
 WILLY. (Turning on RICHARD,) You dink maybe 
 I didn t know dat ! Hah ? (Turing to ROSIE) Und 
 
 I was not de only one Hah, Rosie? You and 
 
 me, we alvays knowed my Theodore was all righd! ! 
 
 CURTAIN 
 
"OUR CHILDREN" 
 
 PROPERTY PLOT 
 
 ACT I 
 
 Finger-bowls (table). 
 
 Coffee-cups (table). 
 
 Bowl of fruit (table). 
 
 Ashtray (table). 
 
 Humidor (sideboard). 
 
 Percolator ( sideboard) . 
 
 Cigarettes (Theodore). 
 
 Tray (Sophy). 
 
 Doilies (table). 
 
 Furniture polish and rag (Sophy). 
 
 Hammer, screw-driver, toolbox (Willy). 
 
 Flowers (sideboard). 
 
 Newspapers (Stasi). 
 
 Pipes (sideboard). 
 
 "American Kennel Magazine" (sideboard) 
 
 Tobacco jar (Hertha). 
 
 Brass smoking outfit (sideboard). 
 
 Potato (tobacco jar). 
 
 Sewing (Hertha). 
 
 Matches (smoking set). 
 
 Motor horn (off L.). 
 
 Cocktail shaker (Hertha). 
 
 Bottles and glasses (sideboard). 
 
 Cigars (humidor). 
 
 Bankbook (Willy). 
 
 121 
 
122 PROPERTY PLOT 
 
 Letter (Richard). 
 
 Dustpan and broom (Sophy). 
 
 Coffee-cake (Sophy). 
 
 ACT II 
 
 Coffee-cup (table). 
 
 Letters (Willy). 
 
 Coffee-pot (Sophy). 
 
 Bill (Sophy). 
 
 Mail (desk). 
 
 Pencil (Theodore). 
 
 Pipes (sideboard). 
 
 Tobacco jar (sideboard). 
 
 Potato (in jar). 
 
 Telegram (Carter). 
 
 Contract (Carter). 
 
 3 $iooo-dollar bills (Harriet). 
 
 Suitcase (Sophy). 
 
 Card and pencil (Theodore). 
 
 Timetable (sideboard). 
 
 Paper and envelopes (table). 
 
 Paper money (Richard). 
 
 $100 bill (Carter). 
 
 Letter (Rosie). 
 
 3 $1000 bills (in letter). 
 
 ACT III 
 
 Boots and shoes (window). 
 
 Bucket. 
 
 Shoemaker s tools (bench). 
 
 Coal-scuttle coal. 
 
 Shoemaker s apron. 
 
 Shoes. 
 
 Leather. 
 
 Tobacco jar. 
 
 Potato. 
 
PROPERTY PLOT 123 
 
 Account books. 
 
 Newspaper. 
 
 Bills. 
 
 Holly wreaths. 
 
 Flowers. 
 
 Basket. 
 
 Kettle. 
 
 Bill file. 
 
 Paper money (Hutton). 
 
 Pasteboard box (Willy). 
 
 Letter (Willy). 
 
 Wallet (Willy). 
 
 Paper money (Willy). 
 
 Coffee-pot. 
 
 Cigars (Stasi). 
 
 Pipe. 
 
 Bottle of cream (Hertha). 
 
 Coffee service (cupboard). 
 
 2 Jumping jacks (in box). 
 
"OUR CHILDREN" 
 
 PUBLICITY THROUGH YOUR LOCAL 
 PAPERS 
 
 The press can be an immense help in giving pub 
 licity to your productions. In the belief that the best 
 reviews from the New York and other large papers 
 are always interesting to local audiences, and in order 
 to assist you, we are printing below several excerpts 
 from those reviews. 
 
 To these we have also added a number of sug 
 gested press notes which may be used either as they 
 stand or changed to suit your own ideas and sub 
 mitted to the local press. 
 
 A PLAY WITH A REMARKABLE HISTORY 
 
 The play "OuR CHILDREN" has been importantly 
 produced on five different occasions. 
 
 HENRY KOLKER played the leading role in Los 
 Angeles when the play was first produced under 
 the title of "His SON." 
 
 HENRY KOLKER then played the leading part for a 
 season in Chicago, and on tour under the title of 
 "OuR CHILDREN." 
 
 EMMETT CORRIGAN played the leading part in 
 New York. The play was then also produced under 
 the title of "OuR CHILDREN." 
 
 Louis CALVERT, England s greatest character- 
 actor, then took the play abroad and appeared in 
 124 
 
PRESS MATTER 125 
 
 the leading role in London and the Provinces under 
 the title of "DADDALUMS." 
 
 The play then returned to America, and RICHARD 
 BENNETT assumed the leading part. The play was 
 then re-christened "THE NEW HOUSE/ 
 
 " His Son is one of the greatest dramas even 
 given a first production here. It adds to the Music 
 Master double the intensity and a hundred times 
 the virility of the Warfield success." "The Graph 
 ic" Los Angeles. 
 
 "A play perfect in text and interpretation. All 
 the elements of success. Its story is absorbing, clev 
 erly connected, and nowhere improbable. It is mod 
 ern and touches life at all its cardinal points with the 
 sharp, definite contact > that leaves an indelible im 
 pression on the mind. Its characters are vital and 
 pulsate with vigorous life. Tears and laughter min 
 gle happily. And as it unfolds the hearer grows in 
 sympathy until the atmosphere of the play seizes 
 him."- Los Angeles "Evening Herald" 
 
 "Keen and profound analysis. Consistency of 
 theme and constructive skill are shown in a play that 
 radiates serene beauty." Otheman Stevens, "Los 
 Angeles Examiner" 
 
 " His Son wins hearts. Play is sweet as a moun 
 tain violet. His Son stamped itself on the minds 
 and hearts of a large audience with unmistakeable 
 force. It abounds with the sparkle of clean and 
 spontaneous humor, is the story of real people, has 
 the fire of clashing wills, an abundance of tender 
 sentiment of the true ring, and a depth and sound 
 ness of characterization." "Los Angeles Tribune" 
 
 "Two acts so big they hurt acts wondrously 
 written ; two great soaring flights right to the skies. 
 Two of the finest acts I ever witnessed in a drama." 
 "Los Angeles Daily Times" 
 
126 PRESS MATTER 
 
 "Its story is absorbing its characters are vital." 
 "Los Angeles Herald." 
 
 " Our Children is staged with happy results. The 
 first genuine dramatic premiere of the season. It 
 fills one with the satisfaction of having spent a good 
 evening in the theatre." Charles Collins, "Chicago 
 Evening Post." 
 
 "Mr. Kolker appears in an appealing drama. Both 
 the play and playing were pronounced unequivocally 
 successful." "Chicago Tribune." 
 
 "Last night s visitors at the Princess laughed over 
 Our Children and wept over it. The play is simple, 
 direct and colloquial, picturing a story that is en 
 tirely human and understandable." "Chicago Her 
 ald." 
 
 " Our Children scores a hit at the opening. 
 Every father, mother, son and daughter will like 
 Our Children. That includes us all. The reason? 
 Because part of the best of most any man or woman 
 is reproduced right before your eyes." "Chicago 
 Evening American" 
 
 "Doctor Anspacher writes Our Children, a most 
 beautiful comedy. It is plays of the caliber of Our 
 Children which gives sinews to the stage." "Chi 
 cago Daily News." 
 
 " Our Children has in it everything that makes 
 for prosperity in the theatre. One of those plays 
 the public laughs at and cries with, and from which 
 it gets more than its money s worth." "Chicago 
 Daily Journal." 
 
 " Our Children has the very breath of life hits 
 the realistic note hard. It is real life, presented nat 
 urally. It s as refreshing as spring water found in 
 the woods, with no straining after theatrical effects. 
 The character-drawing is exquisitely done." "New 
 York Evening Sun." 
 
 " Our Children has many of the qualities which 
 are rare enough today and are certain to appeal to 
 
PRESS MATTER 127 
 
 the public. It has sentiment, humour and dramatic 
 suspense." "The Sun" New York City. 
 
 " Our Children has a strong appeal and seems 
 certain to interest thousands of theatre-goers. An 
 epitome of the story would give an inadequate idea 
 of the charm of the play. Human touches that bring 
 tears, many moments of comedy." "Journal of 
 Commerce," New York City. 
 
 " Our Children is a gripping play of modern 
 home life. Dr. Anspacher s drama makes tremend 
 ous appeal. A first night audience was held en 
 thralled. It is distinctly a play for the great theatre- 
 going public, with the popular appeal which insures 
 its success a triumph for all concerned." "The 
 New York Review" 
 
 " Our Children" is a human play humanly acted. 
 In this age of stage novelties it is gratifying to find 
 so simple and honest a play which made a direct 
 appeal to the heart." "Evening World," New York 
 City. 
 
 "Sincerity is the keynote of Our Children, a truly 
 human story of the pangs of parenthood honest 
 all through. ""The Press" New York City. 
 
 "Dr. Anspacher s story is a simple one and yet 
 contains a novelty in its basic idea. Mother-love is 
 in the top right hand drawer of every dramatist. 
 The author of Our Children has fished deeper and 
 brought forth father-love. Well-drawn characters 
 and honesty of purpose. A long run, unless we are 
 much mistaken. Hey wood Broun. 
 
 "I was charmed with the play. Our Children* 
 suited me to a dot, worthwhile and impressive with 
 out being frightful." Rev. Thomas B. Gregory, 
 "The New York American" 
 
 " Our Children/ a play of force and appeal. A 
 comedy drama on a domestic theme makes strong 
 impression. Its observation of life and character is 
 close and accurate. Its types are recognizable and 
 
128 PRESS MATTER 
 
 human, and the language they speak is effective and 
 natural. These merits should bring the play the pop 
 ularity which it deserves. The story is full of human 
 elements and is told with strong emotional interest. 
 Very close to nature." "The New York World. 3 
 
 " The New House, extremely interesting and 
 thoughtful work." "Baltimore American." 
 
 "A joy in its richness of texture and genial por 
 trayal of personalities." "Baltimore Sun." 
 
 " The New House is a delightful play of real 
 people and genuine situations." "Atlantic City 
 News" 
 
 "A play, rich in human qualities, with the humor 
 ous and pathetic close neighbors at all times. A re 
 markably good piece of dramatic work." "Atlantic 
 City Press" 
 
 !l Daddalums is one of the most human, natural 
 and appealing plays ever written. Folks who go to 
 see it are conscious of the lump in the throat, the 
 mist before the eyes and the tension of excitement 
 that are the surest signs that they are listening to 
 the real thing." "Society" Brighton, England. 
 
 "In Daddalums we have the whole conception of 
 the stage in its larger and nobler aspects embodied 
 in a play that in itself is a masterpiece of dramatic 
 craftsmanship, and instruct with a great moral les 
 son." Editorial in "The Gazette," Derby, England. 
 
 "Simple in construction, sincere in feeling, strong 
 in its character-drawing, Daddalums gets down to 
 the human heart of things." "Herald" Brighton, 
 England. 
 
 Daddalums is a delightful, homely study of 
 
 real human beings in everyday relationships. It is 
 
 gratifying to find so simple and honest a play." 
 
 "The Repertory Theatre" Plymouth, England. 
 
 " Daddalums won instant popular success at 
 
PRESS MATTER 129 
 
 Wyndam s Theatre last night." "Pall Mall Gazette," 
 London, England. 
 
 "Cheers of enthusiastic approval and every pros 
 pect of the j oiliest success. Refreshing as the old 
 fireside." "The Referee," London, England. 
 
 " Daddalums is a good strong comedy drama of 
 father and son, and achieved a well-deserved suc 
 cess." "London Daily Chronicle." 
 
 "Mr. Louis Calvert s success last night was in 
 disputable, unchallenged. A play that affords such 
 opportunities must have the root of the matter in it. 
 The final reception could not have been more cor 
 dial." "London Times." 
 
 "A popular triumph. Very rarely during recent 
 
 years has finer applause been heard in a theatre " 
 
 "Liverpool Courier." 
 
 " Daddalums is being heralded as one of the 
 really great dramatic successes of the year." Cable 
 to "Variety." 
 
 SYNOPSIS 
 
 The theme is one of simple son-worship with the 
 contrasting condition of a neglected elder sister, who 
 is turned out of the house because she loves the 
 young foreman of her father s factory, who repays 
 the old man s hardness to him in adversity with the 
 redemption of his idolized son and a comfortable 
 home. 
 
 A GREAT CRITIC WROTE : 
 
 "A play that is more than a play. I have seen a 
 play. One sees only a few plays in a lifetime. Most 
 plays you just endure. I went to the Princess Thea 
 tre the other night just because a dear friend insisted 
 that I should. The play was Our Children/ written 
 
I 3 PRESS MATTER 
 
 by Louis K. Anspacher. I went with the intention 
 of sitting out one act. But I remained until the cur 
 tain fell on the last scene, and then I sat there and 
 forgot to applaud, and forgot to go home until a 
 courteous usher touched my shoulder and said, Ex 
 cuse me, but the play is over. 
 
 " Our Children was advertised as a new play/ 
 It is not only that, but it is a new kind of a play. 
 It is a play for young folks, no matter how long they 
 have lived. It is a play for parents. It is a play for 
 lovers. 
 
 "The lesson is, that lavish love which gives free v 
 dom from work tends to enslave just as much as 
 does the affection which eternally hedges and pro 
 tects. But that isn t all the feminist will see her 
 argument here presented ; so will the student of 
 economics. But, most of all, parents will think the 
 play is written just for them. 
 
 "This play is presented without preachment, rant, 
 fuss or friction. The movement is simple, the lan 
 guage natural, the whole plot gently unfolding, but 
 holding the auditor so he forgets time and place. 
 It is a far-reaching cross-section of life, told with 
 consummate restraint and subtle skill. Its lessons 
 of work, study, play, love and simple, natural living 
 are unmistakable. 
 
 " Our Children ! Yes, and your children and 
 we ourselves are the children sent into life without 
 our permission, and being sent out of it against our 
 will. And so we look and listen and laugh, and cry 
 a bit and think, and then we resolve that hereafter 
 work and love shall guide our lives, not pride and 
 prejudice. 
 
 "Go and see Our Children and take your children 
 with you, and you will all enjoy one of the most 
 artistic and exquisite plays ever presented on the 
 American stage." 
 
PRESS MATTER 131 
 
 Gertrude Atherton s Letter to Dr. Ans packer 
 About "Our Children" 
 
 Dear Mr. Anspacher: 
 
 The notices have been splendid. One could not 
 be sure how the blase critic would take it. Apparently 
 it hit him in the right spot, as it should have done. 
 It is an enchanting play. In spite of its fine realism, 
 it has a sort of old Germany, Grimm s Fairy Tales, 
 and Hans Christian Anderson atmosphere. / have 
 never seen a play in which there were so many lov 
 able characters. 
 
 May its shadow not contract for many seasons. 
 (Signed) Gertrude Atherton. 
 
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REBOUND 
 
 Comedy in 3 acts. By Donald Ogden Stewart. Produced 
 originally by Arthur Hopkins at the Plymouth Theatre, 
 New York. 7 males, 5 females. Modern costumes. 
 
 Sara Jaffrey is twenty-eight, pretty, charming but unmarried when 
 we first meet her in the home of her sister, Mrs. Crawford. Bill Trues- 
 dale is much in love with Evie Lawrence, but she throws him over for 
 the rich Lyman Patterson. Sara and Bill immediately become engaged 
 and are married shortly after. 
 
 We next find them on their honeymoon in Paris, where Bill is be 
 ginning to show early symptoms of being a neglectful husband even 
 failing to show up to meet Sara s father. It appears that Evie and 
 Lyman have turned up in Paris on their wedding tour and Bill has 
 been spending the truant time with his old love. This devotion to Evie 
 grows into alarming proportions despite Sara s pleading with Bill until 
 she realizes love is not a thing to be begged for but a thing to com 
 mand. She switches her methods and Bill rebounds back to her arms 
 with every indication of being a devoted husband. 
 
 "The best light comedy written by anybody hereabouts in ten or 
 twenty years." Heywood Broun, N. Y. Telegram. 
 
 (Royalty, fifty dollars.) PRICE 7$ CENTS. 
 
 THE ROYAL FAMILY 
 
 Comedy hi 3 acts. By George S. Kaufman and Edna 
 Ferber. Produced originally by Jed Harris at the Selwyn 
 Theatre, New York, n males, 6 females, i interior. 
 Modern costumes. 
 
 A tremendously interesting and fascinating story of a great family 
 of the American stage. The Cavendishes, with which "The Royal 
 Family" concerns itself, comprises three generations. First, there is 
 Fanny Cavendish, wife of the deceased Aubrey Cavendish, "the first 
 actor of his day," who at seventy is planning her tour for the coming 
 season. There is her brother, Herbert Dean, a pompous player now in 
 his decline; Julie, her daughter, is at the crest of her career as a 
 Broadway star, Tony, her son, having forsaken the stage for Holly 
 wood, rushes home only to flee to Europe to escape the attention of a 
 Polish picture actress. Soon he is back again in New York seeking 
 refuge from a lovesick Balkan princess. A granddaughter, Gwen, just 
 building into important ingenue roles, jolts the family by marrying a 
 non-professional and forsaking the stage, but only temporarily. 
 Through it all, Fanny Cavendish rules the household with her courage 
 and a sharp tongue. Though her children are idols to the public, they 
 are defenseless under the withering fire of the old lady s sarcasm. 
 
 (Royalty on application.) PRICE 75 CENTS. 
 
BERKELEY SQUARE 
 
 Play in 3 acts. By John L. Balderston. Produced origi 
 nally by Gilbert Miller and Leslie Howard at the Lyceum 
 Theatre, New York. 7 males, 8 females, i interior. Modern 
 and Eighteenth century costumes. Plays a full evening. 
 
 Peter Standish, a young American architect, has inherited, so it 
 seems, an old English house in which one of his ancestors had played 
 an important role. Taking up his residence there, he discovers that he 
 can walk back and forth through time, that he can step into the shoes 
 of his ancestor and live the life that man lived in the Eighteenth cen 
 tury. He accepts the challenge of the adventure and finds himself en 
 tering the old drawing-room dressed in the costume of the time but 
 still essentially himself, and he plays the game as well as he can. Much 
 charms, but much also shocks him. His knowledge of the future some 
 times trips him up, but the platitudes of the Nineteenth and the 
 Twentieth centuries are brilliant epigrams to those about him. But 
 despite his success he is not really at home. 
 
 "Berkeley Square" is the finest play of the season a play that casts 
 a spell." J. Brooks Atkinson, New York Times. 
 
 "Unusual in flavor and right in entertainment deserves the atten 
 tion of every playgoer who wants to buy an evening of complete be- 
 guilement." John Anderson, N. Y. Evening Journal. 
 
 (Royalty will be quoted on application for cities and towns where 
 it may be presented by amateurs.) PRICE 75 CENTS. 
 
 HOLIDAY 
 
 Comedy in 3 acts. By Philip Barry. Produced originally 
 by Arthur Hopkins at the Plymouth Theatre, New York. 
 7 males, j females. 2 interiors. Modern costumes. Plays a 
 full evening. 
 
 Holiday, with Hope Williams, was one of the outstanding successes 
 of the New York theatre, and later done in motion pictures with 
 Ann Harding. It is the story of a young man who is engaged to a 
 girl of great wealth and social standing. But he refuses to "make good" 
 with her father, preferring to enjoy life as a holiday and an independ 
 ent venture in happiness. Because of this the two separate, but at the 
 end the girl s sister realizing that the young man is right and her fam 
 ily wrong, confesses that she is in love with him and agrees to go away 
 and marry him. A delightful and brilliant comedy. 
 
 "One could ask for nothing better (except that it is dangerous to 
 laugh so hard) than a stageful of Philip Barry characters indulging in 
 his special brand of happy-go-lucky nonsense." 
 
 Robert Littell, N. Y. Post. 
 
 "It is continuously gay and amusing, blissfully mad, and stunningly 
 sane, all at the same time. . . ." John Anderson, N. Y. Journal. 
 
 (Royalty, fifty dollars.) PRICE $2.00 per copy (in cloth). 
 
HOTEL UNIVERSE 
 
 Play without intermission by Philip Barry. Produced 
 originally by the Theatre Guild at the Martin Beck The 
 atre, New York. 5 males, 4 females, i exterior scene. Mod 
 ern costumes. 
 
 One of the most striking and original plays ever written by an 
 American, and on the occasion of its production in New York it 
 aroused heated controversy. It is the most ambitious and brilliant play 
 Mr. Barry has ever attempted, and is concerned with the baffling 
 problems which every adult human being is at some time forced to 
 face. The characters seem hardly to exist at all in relation to other 
 people, which is surely the reason why Mr. Barry discovered (some 
 what as Chekov discovered) that to invent a plot for them would be 
 to deprive them of the kind of reality he was after. These people are 
 essentially introspective, centripetal, literally self-seeking. And what 
 are they after? Just an answer to the question that every thinking 
 human being must ask himself and vainly: What is life? What is 
 death? Where are we going, and why? What is the meaning of past, 
 present and future? Published only in bound form. 
 
 "A glittering play of unreality and magic to quicken the pulses and 
 stir the minds . . ." Richard Lockridge, N. Y. Sun. 
 
 (Royalty on application.) PRICE $2.00 per copy (in cloth) . 
 
 THE FARMER S WIFE 
 
 Comedy in 3 acts. By Eden Phillpotts. Produced origi 
 nally by Charles Coburn in New York City. 9 males, 13 
 females. 2 interiors. Modern costumes. 
 
 This delightful comedy of English people was one of the long run 
 successes in London before coming to New York. The story is concerned 
 with Samuel Sweetland, a Devonshire farmer and a widower, who de 
 cides to marry again. Aided and abetted by his housekeeper, Araminta, 
 he makes out a list of the various eligible women in the county and pro 
 poses to them in turn. But they all refuse him, and in the end he finds 
 at home, in Araminta, the one woman. 
 
 (Royalty on application.). P|UCE 75 CENTS.