0/PURM and other* lifornia Lonal lity rma Kraft THE POWER OF PURIM AND OTHER PLAYS The drama is ever more potent than the printed page, and the mind of the child is never more fired with religious enthusiasm than when he himself seems to be taking part in the great drama of Judaism which has come down to us through the centuries. THE POWER OF PURIM AND OTHER PLAYS A SERIES OF ONE ACT PLAYS DESIGNED FOR JEWISH RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS PHILADELPHIA THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA 1915 COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA CONTENTS PAGE THE POWER OF PURIM [Purim] 9 A MACCABEAN CURE fHanukkahl 55 To SAVE His COUNTRY f Pesah] 93 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL f Shabuotl 133 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID So [Closing of School 1 . . 163 NOTE The plays occupy from twenty to thirty minutes in presentation, and are designed for children from the ages of six to sixteen. The stage settings are accurately described, and the directions for presentation plainly given. The scenes may be made as simple or as elaborate as desired, since the plays themselves have been written with the idea of firing the imagination of the child. The costuming may be left to the judgment of the teacher. THE POWER OF PURIM THE POWER OF PURIM CHARACTERS MUTTER SIEGEL, a busy housewife. VATER SIEGEL, a German peddler. GRETCHEN, their oldest daughter. HANS, their oldest son. RUTH I , FANNY ] their V un der children. FRAU GLOBSTOCK, their nearest neighbor. MANUEL Rico, head of gypsy band. Luis Rico, his brother. ISABELLA^ c ^Manuel Rico's daughters. THE POWER OF PURIM TIME. The beginning of the present century. PLACE. The outskirts of a small village, Hatzfeld, in Southern Germany. The entire action of the play occurs on the eve of Purini, between sunset and moonrise, in the small farm-yard of the Siegels, a Ger- man family in moderate circumstances. To the right of the stage a small cottage porch. In front of the porch a wooden bench. Toward the left a tree with another bench built around it. Various barn-yard acces- sories, such as wheelbarrow, etc., are scat- tered about; and the yard is filled with chickens and geese. DISCOVERED AT RISE OF CURTAIK- GnETcirEN, wearing a large gingham apron, is feeding the chickens and geese. FANNY and RUTH are playing near her. Through the half-open door of the cottage their mother can be seen, busy in the kitchen. 12 THE POWER OF PURIM GRETCHEN [Throwing feed deftly.] You chickens, don't you ever get enough to eat ? You're just as hun- gry holidays as any other day ! RUTH [Seriously,] Do you think they know it's a holiday? FANNY Such little chickens, how can they know any- thing? Gretchen, what's a holiday ? GRETCHEN [Resting her pan on her knees.] A holiday is a time when you get everything you want to eat, and can wear your best dress. RUTH Then why don't we have more of them ? GRETCHEN [A bit puzzled.] Because we can only have them, I think, when the Bible says so. Oh ! but I guess you are too young to understand. [She THE POWER OF PURIM 13 begim to throw feed again.] I'll tell you about this one when you grow up, RUTH [Pettishly.] Grow up! Grow up ! Every- body says that whenever you want to know any- thing ! GRETCHEN [Thoughtfully.] Well, perhaps I ought to tell you right now. You see, to-morrow is Purim, and we remember it, because long ago the good Queen Esther saved her people, the Jews that's what we are from being killed. You see, before she was married, she was just a poor Jewish girl, and her kind uncle Mordecai had raised her. One day the king saw her, and fell in love with her, and made her queen of all Persia. The king had a wicked minister, who wanted everybody to bow clown before him. Mordecai wouldn't bow down before any human being. Haman was very angry, and he made up his mind to destroy all of Mordecai's people, the Jews. He didn't know that Queen Esther was a Jewess too. All he told the king was that he was punishing some of his unfaithful subjects. Mordecai found it all out, just in time, told 14 THE POWER OF PURIM Queen Esther about it, and she begged the king, her husband, to prevent this awful crime. The king was so angry with Haman that he ordered him to be hanged in the very place he had planned for Mordecai. Don't you think we should be happy, dears, that the Jews were saved, because if they hadn't been, we shouldn't be here feeding chickens this very minute ! FANNY [Frightened. ] Oh ! do you think anybody will ever chop off our heads, now ? GRETCHEN I don't think so. That's why we ought to be happy. If only Vater didn't have to work so hard. RUTH I want to help too ! I want to help too ! [She rushes to GRETCHEN, and upsets the pan with the seed. GRETCHEN [Annoyed.^ There, now see what you have done ! When I'm in such a hurry to help with THE POWER OF PURIM 15 supper! And to-night we nrnst be done extra early. [As RUTH begins to cry.~\ Don't cry, dear. That isn't helping sister. [RUTH tries to stop, and both bend over chickens and seed, until HANS comes in with school-books and with a basket of provisions hung over his arm. HANS Hello, there, Gret and you babies. Gee! it's good to be home. I'm awfully tired. [Flings himself down on the bench.^ Mutter, Mutter, I've done all your errands. Now are you glad I'm back ? MUTTER [Coming to kitchen door, wiping her hands on apron.] I'm always glad and proud of my big boy. I was worried for fear you'd play too late after school and would forget all about the Megillah ! HANS [Crossly.'] That means Schul ! Oh ! Mutter, do I have to go ? I'm so tired. 16 THE POWER OF PURIM MUTTER Why, of course, Liebchen, you're a big boy now. Do you want to stay at home with the babies ? HANS [Still growling.'] Ach, no ! But nobody said they were going to Schul, none of the boys, I mean. And you know I always fall asleep. MUTTER A big boy like you ? You ought to be ashamed to say it ! HANS [Slyly. ] But I ought to stay home. It needs a man to look after the children. RUTH [Jumping up and down.~\ O, Mutter darling, let him stay home. Then he can tell us stories, new ones. Yes ? HANS And you bet T've got some grand ones I just thought of this minute. THE POWER OF PURIM 17 MUTTER [Seriously.^ But that's just what you shouldn't do! T don't want you to frighten the children. HANS [Drawing himself up proudly. ] Perhaps you don't know, Mutter dear, there are gypsies around here. FANNY O o oh ! Real gypsies ? O Hanschen, do tell us about them ! GKETCHEN Now, Hans, if you are going to get them excited, I shall never keep them in order while Mutter is away. MUTTER But where did you hear all this about the gypsies ? Or are you having a little day-dream, as you have had so often ? HANS Why, Mutter, I saw them myself, and you simply ought to let me stay home and take care of the children. Please! 2 18 THE POWER OF PURIM MUTTER [Turning back into the kitchen.'] Well, well, I'll ask Vater. Perhaps you had better stay at home. HANS [Turning a somersault.'] O, bully! [Whis- pers.] Come here, Kinder, and I'll tell you what 1 saw 'em doing to-day. [The children gather round him. FANNY Real gypsies ? HANS [Impressively.] Well, I didn't exactly see them, but I was just walking along the road when I heard singing and laughing. Way off in the distance I could spy lots of people dancing and having a jolly time. I watched them ever so long, and wished we could live there. I tell you, that's living. RUTH O Hanschen, tell us some more. THE POWER OF PURIM 19 HANS They live in tents and wagons, and I'll bet they never have to go to Schul ! GRETCHEN But, Hans, they haven't any good homes like ours, or any good parents. HANS 'Course they have to have parents; but their parents live with them, and they have fun all day long, just like a circus. [Hans turns somersaults, etc., while the children stand by delighted. RUTH [Awestruck.] 1 never saw anything like it. FANNY I want to be a gypsy ! I want to be a gypsy ! GRETCHEN [Thoughtfully.] It all sounds very wonder- ful, and it might be lots of fun to live in a tent and not have to wash dishes, but I don't think it 20 THE POWER OF PURIM is right to say we wish we were they. It might not be so grand if we knew all about it HANS Just like a girl ! I tell you if ever I have a chance to live like that, in a tent, and play or fish all day, and never have to wash my face or obey anybody you bet, if I had just one chance, I'd take it, quicker than you could say " Matzoh Shalet." GBETCHEN I don't think you ought to talk that way, with your good Vater and FANNY Vater, papa ! Here he comes now ! [A middle-aged man enters the gate. He has a pack of notions on his back, and is weary. When he sees his children, his face brightens. VATEK My darlings, how are you ? Mutter, Mutter, here I am THE POWER OF PURIM 21 MUTTER [Runs out and kisses him while tying on her bonnet.] O Simon, I'm so glad you got back. I was afraid you wouldn't be here in time for Schul. VATEE Have I ever been late ? But haven't I a little time for my babies ? MUTTER I'm afraid not, Simon dear. Just a minute for a cup of coffee. It's almost five o'clock, and by the time we walk to ITatzfeld, Schul will have begun. VATER That's right, and we don't want to miss the Megillah. But, Sarah, I shall do without the cup of coffee. I'd rather give the children their holiday goodies. [He sits down on a little bench, the children climb over him, and empty his pockets of candy, etc. FANNY Ain't it grand to have holidays ? 22 THE POWER OF PURIM VATER [Handing a ribbon to GRETCHEN and a book to HANS.] Something for my big boy and girl who look after their little sisters. That's a fine story, TTans, that " Widow's Son." HANS [Slowly opening it.] Thank yon very much, but don't you ever see any stories about pirntcs ? or gypsies ? VATER [Smiling.] They must have stopped writing them for big boys of your age. MUTTER [Anxiously.] Simon, do you think there is any danger leaving the children alone ? Per- haps the gypsies VATER [Thoughtfully.] Not if we leave our big son with them. Wouldn't they be frightened just to look at him ? PL/YNS [Proudly.] Just let 'em try to come here. THE POWER OF PURIM 23 RUTH If they only would ! VATER [Kissing her.~\ Don't wish it, my darling, don't wish it. Well, Kinder, Vater would love to stay with you, but he must go in and get ready for Schul. [He goes quickly into the house. MUTTER [To GRETCHEN.] There are many things for you to do, dear, until we get back. Give the little ones their supper. See that everything is locked up, and that no tramps get in. HANS Look at my big stick ! [Shakes a big stick. MUTTER And my little ones will be good, and not put their feet out of the gate until Mutter gets back ? FANNY We'll be so good, if only Hans tells us some more stories about 24 THE POWER OF PURIM GRETCHEN [Putting her hand over her mouth.] Little girls must not talk so much. MUTTER Hans, remember, nothing exciting. 1 don't want to be worrying about you. HANS [Grumblingly.] Ach ! how can I be an old man, when I'm a little boy ? VATER [Coming out, clean and fresh, the Megillah in his hand.] I only wish we could take them with us, Sarah dear, but since we cannot, we must pray for their safety until we return. May God watch over you and keep you. [He kisses them. GRETCHEN Don't worry, father dear. RUTH [Whimpering.] I want to go with mamma. FANNY I want to see the gypsies. THE POWER OF PURIM 25 GRETCHEN You'd better go quickly, mother dear, before they both begin. VATER [As they hurry out of the gate.~\ Good-by, my darlings, good-by. MUTTER [Moving off.~] How I do hate to leave them to-night ! HANS [As soon as they have disappeared.^ If you don't stop, I'll sell you to the gypsies. GRETCHEN Come, dear, we'll go in and fix supper. RUTH Can't I jump your back, Hansy ? just once. HANS Well, just once. [While the girls are jumping over his back, GRETCHEN watching, FRAU GLOBSTOCK, a little old lady with a cane, comes stumping in at the gate. She wears a shawl, and carries a basket over her arm. 26 THE POWER OF PURIM GRETCHEN [Surprised.] Why, Fran Globstock, I thought you went to Schul. FKAU GLOBSTOCK [Wriggling her head and smiling.] Do you think I could forget ray babies on Purim ? Have your parents gone? HANS Sure, and you'll never get there in time if you don't hurry. FKAU GLOBSTOCK [As if to turn away.] So you don't want to see what I have in my basket ? FANNY [Running to her.] O o oh! Of course. Is it something sweet ? FKAU GLOBSTOCK [Waving her cane in a circle.] " High low, high lee, high deedle dee dee Some candy and cakes for my little pettees. Naughty little Hamans with wicked raisin eyes." [She opens her basket, and takes out gingerbread men. THE POWER OF PURIM 27 ALT, [Dancing around her.~\ " Frau Globstock, Frau Globstock, Frau Glob- stock, Tbe nicest old lady tbat ever grew up." FRAU GLOBSTOCK [As she gives them cakes.'] My little dears, you aren't afraid of me, are you ? You don't think I'm a witch ? RUTH [Wonderingly.~\ What's a witch? GRETCHEN [Putting her hand on RUTH'S moutli.~\ S s sh, darling. HANS What do you know about gypsies ? FRAU GLOBSTOCK [Shaking her head wisely. ~\ Me ? I know all about everything. But I advise you not to bother about bad people that would like to come and carry von off. 28 THE POWER OF PURIM GRETCHEN But why should they want to carry us off ? FKAU GLOBSTOCK Because they are bad and like to make money out of poor little babies. After they steal them, if their parents won't pay enough to buy them back, they stew them and eat them up. HANS I think that would be a great adventure. FKAU GLOBSTOCK It might be in a fairy story. If it happened to you, dearie, I'm afraid you wouldn't think it so great. FANNY But how do you know ? You never had any little children to be carried off, did you ? FRATJ GLOBSTOCK [Sadly.~\ No, my little children have all flown away. That's why I love other little children, and never want anything to happen to them. Hans, I wish you'd promise me not to think any more about the gypsies. [HANS doesn't answer, but sits with his head sunk in thought. THE POWER OF PURIM 29 GRETCHEN I'll make him stop talking about them any- way, Frau Globstock. Don't you worry, or let us keep you from Schul. FBAU GLOBSTOCK [Turning away regretfully. ,] I'll not be late. I fly where others walk. Remember, when I come back, you will have some more little Hamans with the wicked raisin eyes. [As she hobbles out.] Atye, atye, atye! 1 fly where others walk. HANS [Scornfully.] I do believe she's a witch any- way. [In the distance FRAU GLOBSTOCK can be heard singing, " I fly where others walk." RUTH [As GRETCHEN goes into the house.] Can't Hans tell us that story now ? GRETCHEN I'll be glad if he will. [HANS sits down under a tree discon- tentedly, and begins to whistle. He pays very little attention to the chil- dren. 30 THE POWER OF PURIM FANNY A story, a story ! You promised us a story ! HANS Ach, give me time to think. {The little children gather round his knee, and in a short time sounds of singing and a flute are heard opposite to entrance through which FRAU GLOBSTOOK has disappeared. RUTH What a pretty song! FANNY [Running to the gate.~\ And what a pretty lady, two pretty ladies ! [Four wandering minstrels enter the gate. They are the Ricos, and are dressed in old worn-out costumes. They carry various musical instru- ments, and might readily deceive people into thinking them strolling players. They continue singing and dancing a few minutes after they have ceased playing. THE POWER OF PUR1M 31 RUTH [Jumping up and down.'] Isn't that grand? Do it again. CARMEN Rico [Patting her curls.~] Dear little baby ! Whom do you belong to ? RUTH Vater and Mutter Siegel. [The gypsies whisper among themselves. MANUEL Rico [Aside to Luis.] Vater Siegel, a rich man. We will stay a while. Talk to them, Carmen. ISABELLA Rico [Aside to MANUEL.] I choose the baby, you may have the others. MANUEL Shut up, you will spoil our game, you women. CARMEN [To HANS, who has been staring bewitched.] We are very tired. May we rest here a while ? 32 THE POWER OF PURIM HANS Tf you play for us. Who are you anyway ? Luis [Striking an attitude, and turning a somer- sault.^ " Dusty, dusty, travelers we, Light of heart and full of glee." MANUEL We are travelers, and we are seeing your beautiful country. We know your father and shall wait until he returns. FANNY And you will sing ? CARMEN Pretty baby, just like our little sister. Come here, dear. ISABELLA [Looking at the cottage and sighing.'] I wish we had a house like that, I'm so tired of wander- ing. Luis [Sniffing the air and leering. .] " I smell. I smell a sweet to eat ! " THE POWER OF PURIM 33 GKETCHEN [Coming to the door, wearing a big kitchen apron.] Come to supper Why, who are you ? Luis [Jumping up and down.] " Merry, merry minstrels we, Light of foot and full of glee." GKETCHEN [Surprised.] Do you live around here? I never saw you before. [Warningly to HANS.] Bring the children in to supper. HANS Ach, don't be afraid. They know Vater. Come on out, and hear the music. GRETCHEN [Demurringly.'] I don't think we should, these strangers RUTH But they know Vater 3 34 THE POWER OF PURIM GRETCHEN [Coming down the step.] Is that so ? When did you see him ? MANUEL [Quickly.] This evening, on the road to Hatz- feld. He is at synagogue to-night for the Purim holiday. Isn't that so ? GRETCHEN [Evidently impressed.] Yes that's so. Luis And here will we loiter until he returns. ISABELLA [Sweetly to GRETCHEN.] You'll like us, I'm sure, dear, as much as we already like you. We're old friends of your family. CARMEN [Stroking GRETCHEN'S hair.] Such pretty hair ! Why don't you tie it up ? See mine. [Shakes her long black hair. THE POWER OP PURIM 35 GRETCHEN But I must do as my Mutter says, mustn't you? ISABELLA Mutter, Mutter, what's a Mutter ? CABMEN [As if in ignorance.] We have no Mutter, and we mustn't do as anybody says. GRETCHEN It must be nice to do just as you please. No dishes to wash just play all day. CARMEN [Shaking her tambourine.] Happy, happy days ! When we get tired of doing one thing, we do another. When we get tired of one place, we go to another. Don't we, Manuel ? MANUEL Move on ! move on ! move on ! Whom should we obey ? The sky is our covering, the grass our carpet. HANS But don't you ever have to do anything ? 36 THE POWER OF PURIM Luis. O, yes, we entertain little boys and girls, and take them with us, if they want to go. FANNY And do you dance and sing for them ? ISABELLA [Using tambourine and dancing.'] Yes, this way, sweetest, and this way. [Kisses and hugs the little girl. MANUEL And when we are tired, we lie down on the grass, look up at the sky, and have the birds sing us to sleep. GRETCIIEN How lovely ! No beds to make ? CARMEN Beds, how foolish ! Why do you need beds, when you sleep on the grass or in tents ? HANS Tents ! Then you are gypsies? THE POWER OF PURIM 37 GRETCHEN [Frightened, gathers up her little sisters.] Gypsies ! Come in, children, quick, come ISABELLA [Seeing they have made a mistake.] What's a gypsy ? T never heard of them, did you, Manuel ? MANUEL [Brandishing his stick, fiercely.] Who dares rail us gypsies ? " Wandering minstrels, happy we, Light of heart and full of glee." Who dares call us gypsies ? HANS I guess you made a mistake, Gret, you just thought Luis [Turning a somersault, and assuming a gro- tesque attitude, which makes the children laugh.~] Did anybody say anything about gyp- sies ? 38 THE POWER OF PURIM CABMEN Yes, darlings, don't let us keep yon from supper. GRETCHEN [Hesitating.~\ Perhaps yon would like some ? MANUEL Many, many thanks, but we never go inside a house. [Making a pass in the air.~] Bad, bad luck ! HANS Isn't that strange? Luis The air makes us very, very sick. We cough, and choke, and are very unhappy. We shall wait out here. HANS But that wouldn't be polite. Gretchen, couldn't we bring it out ? RUTH AND FANNY [Gleefully.~\ Yes, let's eat under the tree. We shall help you. THE POWER OF PURIM 39 GRETCHEN All right! Only we must clear everything away before Vater and Mutter come home. [Hurries into the house. MANUEL [With seeming indifference.^ And when do you think that will be ? HANS Oh, any time now. You can never tell just how long Sclnil takes, or whether they stop off on the way back. But I don't think they'll do that to-night. They're worried about gypsies. CARMEN [Innocently.] But why is your Vater afraid of gypsies ? We aren't. ISABELLA How foolish ! Of course, we aren't. HANS [Wisely.'] Well, you ought to be, 'cause they're very wicked. They steal little children, then fathers have to pay a lot to get them back. 40 THE POWER OF PURIM MANUEL [Teasingly.~] I'll bet your father wouldn't pay anything, he'd be so glad you were gone. HANS [Earnestly."] Oh, no, he wouldn't, because he loves us. He often says we're his greatest bless- ing. He's got a lot of money tucked away for us in case anything ever happens to him. GKETCHEN I Calling from the house.'} Hans, do come here and help me bring things out, HANS [Running.'] All right! Excuse me, I'll be out in a minute. MANUEL Hurry, hurry, fools. Or the old ones will be back and spoil our game. This is all too slow. You girls might grab the babies, I can manage Hans. Once we get them away, the old man will pay anything to get them back. You heard that he has money hidden ? THE POWER OF PURIM 41 Luis Why not tie up the brats, steal the money, and run ? CARMEN No, I won't let you do that. You shall not harm them. They are too sweet. I'll not help, if you do. ISABELLA Nor I ! Tie up that baby ? I guess not. I want that baby to keep. Luis [Sneeringly.^ Soft-hearted women! CARMEN I said I am willing to help steal the children and keep them until their parents buy them back. But harm them, no ! Luis [Sneeringly.] He'll have to pay a lot .all right for leaving them alone on this holiday. MANUEL All right! We'll follow your plan, if you 42 THE POWER OF PURIM help us to get them away quick. S s sh, here they come. [The children hurry out, bringing cold meat, etc. All sit under the tree in comfortable attitudes, and eat eagerly. CABMEN [Eating cakeJ\ My! but this is good. Did you bake it, Gretchen ? GRETCHEN Of course ! I do a lot of cooking. ISABELLA But don't you get tired of working ? GRETCHEN Sometimes. But there's always so much to do, I haven't time to think about it. CARMEN Wouldn't you like to live in a place where you wouldn't have to cook ? Just eat, and eat, and eat ? GRETCHEN Is there such a place ? THE POWER OP PURIM 43 ISABELLA Come with us, we'll show yon. GRETCHEN But I couldn't leave my sisters, not even for a minute. MANUEL They could come too, all of you, and be here again by the time your parents get back. Come to the beautiful place where the birds sing, the stars shine, and all is beautiful forever! Luis Yes, come to the happy land, where you can dance and play all day, and at night lie under the stars. No errands to run on, no Schul to go to, no papas to scold us. HANS T should like to see such a place once ! CARMEN Where we could dance and sing to you all day ! RUTH Dance for us now ! 44 THE POWER OF PURIM CARMEN AND ISABELLA [Jump up and wink to MANUEL.] We will all dance. [FANNY lias fallen asleep on the bench, they all seem to have forgotten her. MANUEL plays the flute while all dance. GRETCHEN Isn't it lovely ? ISABELLA Come and we will show you how. [All dance around in a merry circle, the gypsies singing: " Merry, merry minstrels we, Light of heart and full of glee. Come with us and you shall see." Dancing thus, they draw imperceptibly nearer to the gate and out into the road. They can be heard singing for a few minutes, then all is quiet. Lights are lowered, and there is no sound, save that of little FANNY breathing regu- larly. The remnants of the supper lie forgotten on the floor. A few moments later "VATER and MUTTER SIEGEL enter from the exit opposite to the one which the children have used. THE POWER OF PURIM 45 VATER Ach ! I'm so glad to be home again ! MUTTER So quiet! I wonder if the children are all asleep? [Calls.] Hans Gretchen ! VATER [Seeing crumbs and bread, etc.] Why, what's this ? Did you tell them to have their supper out of doors, Sarah ? MUTTER No, indeed. I suppose they did it for fun. [Sees FANNY asleep on the bench.] This doesn't look right ! Would my Gretchen do this ? VATER [Calling sternly.] Hans! I want you to stop hiding! Hans, come out here. MUTTER Perhaps he's frightened. You look after Fanny. I'll go in and see. 46 THE POWER OF PURIM VATKK [Picking up FANNY.] Very, very strange! I hope nothing is wrong. MUTTER [Coming out frightened.] Nobody at all is there VATER What ! Nobody ! We must wake up Fanny and ask her ! MUTTER [Shaking the sleeping child.] Darling, tell us, tell Mutter what has happened. FANNY [Waking up partly.] What is it, Mutter dear ? MUTTER Where are Gretchen and Hans, and Ruth, my baby Ruth ? FANNY [Plaintively.] I want to go to sleep. VATER But you must know, darling. Tell Vater where they have gone. THE POWER OF PURIM 47 FANNY Have gone ? Have gone ? Have gone ? I want to go to sleep. [She falls asleep again. MUTTER [Despairingly.] It's no use. She never re- members anything when she's sleepy. What can have happened to them ? VATER Could they have gone to Frau Globstock ? MUTTEK They wouldn't do that when they promised me not to go out. Besides, I saw her in Schul, and she said she would stop here on her way home. VATER Did you look everywhere ? Take Fanny and I will go in [He runs into house. MUTTER My darling, can't you remember where your sisters are ? [FANNY doesn't move. 48 THE POWER OF PURIM VATEB [Running out distractedly.] What shall we do ? What shall we do ? MUTTER [Begins to cry.] Dear Lord ! Help us! Help us to find our little ones. FEAU GLOBSTOCK [Comes stumping in at the gate.~\ What's the matter ? What's the matter ? VATER [Wildly.] Our children ! Our babies! All have gone ! All but Fanny here MUTTER Could they be in your house, Frau Globstock ? FRAU GLOBSTOCK No, I have just come from there. But don't worry, dear friends, all will come right. MUTTER What shall we do, where shall we look ? THE POWER OF PURIM 49 FRAU GLOBSTOCK Are you sure they are not hiding ? VATEE If I only knew where they go to play, I could look for them. But I have been away so much. MUTTER And I am always so busy, I haven't noticed. But you, Fran Globstock you FRAU GLOBSTOCK Yes, I know every inch of the roadside, and the dells. I see them playing every day, and if you will promise me to stay quietly at home, I will bring your children back to you ; for they are not far away. MUTTER \_Surprised.~\ How do you know ? People do say you know everything. FRAU GLOBSTOCK Yes, they call me a witch, and I can be one when I want to. But promise me, Vater Siegel, 4 50 THE POWER OF PURIM you will stay here, or I cannot bring your chil- dren back. VATEE We promise anything, [imploringly] if you will only hurry with our darlings. FRAU GLOBSTOCK And you, Mutter Siegel, compose yourself, and pray for me, as I go to find your children. VATER Only hurry ! hurry ! hurry ! FRAU GLOBSTOCK [Skipping to the gate.] " I skip, I jump, I see, I see your children three." [She goes out muttering. MUTTER O how can we wait until she returns ? VATER We promised, so we must THE POWER OF PURIM 51 MUTTER Then 1 shall take Fanny to bed. [Goes into house, carrying FANNY, while VATER walks restlessly up and down, then sinks on the bench under the tree, exhausted. MUTTER [Coming back sadly. ] The way that baby sleeps ! If only my others were lying beside her ! VATER Come and sit down, Mutter, and we will pray. [They pray together on the bench, the light shines on their faces. In a few minutes they are so weary they fall asleep. Soon HANS and GRETCHEN, looking bedraggled and woebegone, enter the gate, and FRAU GLOBSTOCK, carrying the tired RUTH, follows. She pushes the children in; then, see- ing the sleeping parents, she pauses. Taking RUTH, she places her in her mother's arms, and draws back behind the other children. 52 THE POWER OF PURIM MUTTER [Stirring.] Fanny dear, tell me where my babies are. [She wakes up.~\ Why, it isn't Fanny at all, but Ruth, my darling, and [Shaking VATEK.] Wake up, wake up, here is Ruthie ! VATER The Lord be praised ! FRAU GLOBSTOCK And your other wanderers [Pushing them forward. GKETCHEN [Sobbing at her mother s knee.] I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to HANS [Sturdily.] It was all my fault, I disobeyed. VATER [Embracing /urn.] O my son, my son ! FRAU GLOBSTOCK They are only children, and the gypsies fooled them. THE POWER OF PURIM 53 VATEE [Horrified.~\ The gypsies ? FRAU GLOBSTOCK Yes, they were only a bit down the road. It wasn't so nice, eh, my pretties ? GRETCHEN [Trembling. ~\ No, they hit us, and made us hurry. Then they talked about where they would hide us, until you paid enough to get us back. MUTTER Schrecklich ! Then it wasn't so much fun after all, Hans? HANS [Repentantly.'] No, Mutter. I guess after all home is best. VATER Frau Globstock, you have been very good to us. How can we ever repay you ? FRAU GI.OBSTOCK Ach ! Shmoos ! aren't they my babies too ? Don't I love them ? 54 THE POWER OF PURIM MUTTER [Wonderingly.~\ But, Frau Globstock, what- ever did you do to make those awful people let them go ? I should have been afraid. FKAU GLOBSTOCK [Smiling. ~\ Ach ! such stupid people ! They thought I was a witch, so a witch I was. I waved my stick in the air three times, like this [she docs if], and shrieked: " The Power of Purim, The Power of Purim, The Power of Purim ! If you don't drop those children, I shall cast a spell over you forever ! " They dropped them all right, and ran as fast as they could. VATER The Power of Purim ! The Lord be praised. FBATJ GLOBSTOCK [Turning away happily from the pretty pic- ture of the reunited family and hobbling out by the gate.] The Power of Purim the Power of the Lord you mean. CURTAIN A MACCABEAN CURE A MACCABEAN CURE CHARACTERS PHILIP BECKMAN, aged twelve. MRS. PHILIP BECKMAN, his mother. BELLA, his aunt. MOLLY, his nurse. DOCTOR SLESINGEB, his physician. HABBT, " Menelaus " SAMMY, " King Antiochus " HEKBIE, " Mattathias " CHARLIE, " Judas Maccabeus ' MARK, " -Simon " f" h friends. ERNEST, " Johanan " Louis, " Eleazar " BERNIE, " Jonathan " j A MACCABEAN CURE SCENE. The pretty living-room of MRS. PHILIP BECKMAN, Homestead, Pa. TIME. The eve before Hanukkah, the present. DISCOVERED AT RISE OF CURTAIK- PHILIP, a pale-faced boy, lying on a couch, half-covered by a robe, left front. His mother standing next to him, with medicine bottle and spoon. On a chair beside PHILIP is DOCTOR SLESINGER, whose hat and small medicine satchel lie on the floor beside him. MOLLY, PHILIP'S withered old nurse, is fanning the sick boy devotedly. All around are scattered the appurtenances of a com- fortable living-room: plenty of chairs, an open fireplace, a transparent screen before the fire. Lamps are lit, and the scene is pretty and cozy. 58 A MACCABEAN CURE DOCTOR SLESINGER Yes, he has a little rise of temperature. You say he does not complain of any special pain, Mrs. Beckman ? MRS. BECKMAN [Anxiously.'] Not any more than usual. But he worries me a great deal, Doctor. For a long time now he has been pale and quiet. DOCTOR SLESINGER [Shaking his head.], He should be out play- ing like other boys. Philip, won't you tell the doctor what hurts you ? PHILIP It doesn't hurt anywhere. DOCTOR SLESINGER [Feeling his chest, back, etc.] No pain at all ? I must confess, the case puzzles me. How is his appetite, Mrs. Beckman ? MOLLY [In a trembling, high-pitched voice.] O Doctor, no more'n a birdie. A little peck here A MACCABEAN CURE 59 and there. It's only when Molly brings him a big piece of chocolate cake that he wants to eat at all. DOCTOR SLESINGER [Smiting.] That sounds natural. PHILIP Rut T like chocolate cake. MRS. BECKMAN Yes, that's it! He nibbles what he likes cake, candy, jam bnt I can't get him to eat bread and butter. DOCTOR SLESINGER Sounds like a case of mother-love. I should advise a little stronger food than chocolate cake. PHILIP [Burying liis head in i\\e pillow and beginning to cry.~\ O o h! MRS. BECKMAN [Lovingly.'} My darling! You're breaking mother's heart. 60 A MACCABEAN CURE MOLLY My love ! Don't cry. Molly won't let them hurt you. [Pleadingly to the doctor.'] Please don't tease my little lamb. DOCTOR SLESINGER [Out of patience.~\ If he were mine, he would have some treatment of the boot-strap variety. I wish T could persuade you, Mrs. Beckman MRS. BECKMAN But, Doctor Slesinger, you know this isn't natural. Philip doesn't sleep right; he dreams dreadfully. DOCTOR SLESINGER [Shaking his head and smiling.'] If he were older, I might say some love-affair, but who can conceal a secret sorrow at twelve? How about school ? Is he interested, Mrs. Beckman ? MRS. BECKMAN [Horrified.] Why, I don't send him to public sc.hool. Indeed not! Hundreds of children coming from Heaven knows where ! A MACCABEAN CURE 61 DOCTOR SLESINGER Probably just what he needs. Hothouse flowers often wilt, my friend. At least they don't grow big like garden plants and vegetables. MOLLY [Excitedly, crooning over PHILIP.] Garden plants and vegetables! My pet, my love, my angel ! BELLA [A sweet young girl, hurrying in, her prayer book under her arm.^ Hello, folks! What! Our baby ill ? [Runs over and hugs PHILIP.] My darling ! And I thought Auntie was to be allowed to take him to Temple with her PHILIP But I don't want to go ! MRS. BECKMAN I just sent for the doctor, Bella. You know Doctor Slesinger? [They smile and was so worried about Philip ! BELLA More than usually ? 62 A MACCABEAN CURE DOCTOR SLESINGEU I admit, he puzzles me too, Miss Bella. I can't find a pain or an ache. MOLLY In a minute our doctor will be sending him to school, along with the riffraff and everyday boys. BELLA But that's where he ought to be. Haven't I always said so ? O Doctor, I do wish you would be firm and tell my sister that precious little Philip should be up and doing with other chil- dren. PHILIP [Slowly. ,] But I want to go to school. BELLA [Delightedly.^ You hear him, Lottie, you hear for yourself. Don't you see it's foolish to keep your angel wrapped in cotton wool ? MRS. BECKMAN [Firmly. ~\ My baby shall not go to school, nor to Sundav school either. I cannot afford to A MACCABEAN CURE 63 let my only child run the risk of contagious dis- eases and bad habits. You both know what ordi- nary boys attend the Homestead schools. BELLA Yes, real boys, with real blood in their veins. DOCTOR SLESINGER You're right, Miss Bella, quite right. MRS. BECKMAN But I teach him everything, every day at home. I give him Sunday school and Bible les- sons most carefully myself. DOCTOR SLESINGER All of which does not include child compan- ions. Mrs. Beckman, I begin to see why your little boy is pale and listless. PHILIP [Listlessly. ] The other day Sammy and Charlie and I we played Indians. We had a battle with Daniel Boone and Ouster and George Washington and and Abraham Lincoln. 64 A MACCABEAN CURE DOCTOR SLESINGER [Delightedly.'] Wrong on the dates, but right in the spirit. Mrs. Beckman, that is all your boy needs. Normal companionship, even though he should come home with a dirty face and a bump on his nose. MOLLY [Tragically. ] A bump on his nose ! MRS. BECKMAN I'm afraid I can't follow your prescription, Doctor. My boy is already too imaginative, and those boys might some day lead him into a serious adventure. BELLA [Picking up prayer book and muff.'] I give it up, Lottie. If you refuse to see that we are living in a real world, that your boy is only a real boy, and that, worst of all, you are cheating him out of his real youth the case is almost hopeless. PHILIP I'm so hungry I want some chocolate cake. A MACCABEAN CURE 65 MOLLY [Hurrying out.'] Wait, darling, Molly will get it for you. DOCTOR SLESINGEE [Snapping his satchel shut.'] I'm afraid 1 shall have to give up the case, Mrs. Beckman, until you are more willing to listen to reason. First, there is nothing the matter with your boy but a bad case of " spoiling," and secondly, I advise you strongly that he needs boys of his own age, not ladies, as companions. MRS. BECKMAN [Softly, but with determination.] I'm afraid, Doctor, I cannot agree that that is the cause of the trouble. BELLA Well, sister, you are coming to temple any- way. Philip is no worse than usual, in fact, a bit better. Come, Lottie. I'm sure that the calm and peace of the synagogue will prove to you that the doctor is quite right. MRS. BECKMAN [Putting on hat and coat, sadly.] Of course, 66 A MACCABEAN CURE I don't want to miss service on Hanukkah but, Doctor DOCTOR SLESINGER I can only say, Mrs. Beckman, that your boy needs the tonic of human nature some stirring interest, either real or imaginative. MRS. BECKMAN [Shaking her head; goes over to MOLLY to give directions.^ Molly, now remember, toast and jam [Continues to give orders quietly, while DOCTOR SLESINGER and BELLA talk together. DOCTOR SLESINGER Seriously, Miss Bella, I wish we could get the boy away from here for a while. BELLA If only his father had lived, there would not have been this petticoat rule. [A trifle mis- chievously.] But don't give up, Doctor, I've a trick or two up my sleeve. DOCTOR SLESINGER What do you mean ? A MACCABEAN CURE 67 BELLA [Whispering. ~\ To-night, after we're gone, there Avill be some happenings around here. DOCTOR SLESINGEE Nothing dangerous ? BELLA O, no, I'm not so foolish. Just some real boys, who know how to live in the past as well as the present. [As MRS. BECKMAN turns towards them.'] S s sh ! Won't you order that Philip should stay here, in this room ? Say you like the surroundings, anything DOCTOR SLESINGER [Nodding " yes/'~\ Ready, Mrs. Beckman ? I'm going too. I advise leaving Philip here on the couch. He seems a bit drowsy, and I'll look in on him again after temple. MRS. BECKMAN [As she kisses PHILIP lovingly.'] Very well, Doctor. Molly, you will take the best of care of my darling ? 68 A MACCABEAN CURE BELLA Hurry, dear, I fear we have already missed the opening hymn ! You don't know how much I love going to the temple. I look forward to it all week. DOCTOR SLESINGER I too. And I am particularly fond of this holiday. Come, Mrs. Beckman, we're waiting. MRS. BECKMAN [Reluctantly, at the door.~\ Good-by, darling ! Mother will be home soon. PHILIP [Droopingly '.] By by [They all exit. MOLLY [Bustling around, lowering lights, fire, etc.] By-baby bunting, mother's gone a PHILIP [Disgustedly.^ Aw, I'm no girl-boy ! MOLLY My darling, Nursie will get you some more chocolate cake. A MACCABEAN CURE 69 PHILIP [Lying down, disgustedly.^ O, everybody makes such a baby out of me . I wish I could play Buffalo Bill or Jesse James or MOLLY Klotchly-klotchly ! Where does he hear such talk ? PHILIP [Burying his head in the pillow.^ If I. can't do anything else, I'll go to sleep and dream of them. MOLLY Puckie, old M oily '11 fix you nice. [She covers him up. He sinks into a restless sleep. MOLLY gets out her knitting, and sits before the fire. In a little while she too dozes, and soon sinks into a deep sleep. Shortly afterwards, HARRY, Louis, SAMMY, HERBIK, CHARLIE, MARK, ERNEST, and BERNIE steal in quietly. They wear heavy overcoats, scarcely conceal- ing costumes beneath. 70 A MACCABEAN CURE HARRY [Whispering.'} Think it's all right, fellows? Miss Bella, she made me promise to go ahead whatever happened. Louis Sure but, look, he's asleep ! And his nurse too a big boy like him to have a nurse ! SAMMY 'Tain't his fault. He'd like to play with us it's his ma. Why, she don't even let him go to Sunday school to his dear Aunt Bella! HERBIE You better not talk about Miss Bella ! I think she's great ! CHARLIE You ain't the only one. Why'd we come here to-night, if it wasn't for her ? MARK Let's get started. You fellows know your parts ? I'm not so dead sure about mine. A MACCABBAN CURE 71 ERNEST [Braggingly. .] I could say mine backwards in the middle of the night. BERNIE You've got a cinch part. Louis I don't know; I'd rather be anybody than old Antiochus. Wasn't he fierce? SAMMY {Proudly, .] Judas puts an end to him all right. Come, boys, let's start up. [They take off their overcoats quietly, disclosing SAMMY as ANTIOCHUS in kingly robes, HARRY as MENELAUS, the high priest, and the other boys in the worn, ragged costumes of the Macca- bees. MARK Isn't it awful to have to act here without scenery ? It's going to be simply grand in Sun- day school. [Announcing dramatically."] First Scene : Jerusalem, " Menelaus and Antiochus." 72 A MACCABEAN CURE Second Scene: Modin, " Mattatliias and His Five Sons." Third Scene : Tabae, " Death-bod of Antio- chns." BERNIE [Longingly.] I wish I was Judas! He's got 'em all beat a mile. PHILIP '[Sitting up suddenly.] 1 can't keep quiet any longer! Say, what's all this? [Looks at MOLLY. ] She'll be awake in a minute, and that'll be the end. Let's take her into the next room. You help, boys, and it'll be easy. Louis Who wants a nurse anyway ? [They all together lift the chair deftly and easily, and in a minute have hustled MOLLY, still sleeping, into the next room. PHILIP [Running back to the sofa, delightedly.] Do hurry, boys, because mamma'll be home any minute, and that'll be the end of it all. A MACCABEAN CURE 73 HARRY All right, we'll hustle. We're only glad you'll let us. See, we got to get this play in shape by Sunday, and nobody's got a house big enough to practice in. [They look at each other sheepishly, as if anxious to keep a secret. PHILIP O, I'm crazy to see the play. I don't think mamma would take me. CHARLIE Come, fellows, you're out of the first part. Just Harry and Sammy. Curtain rises on them, you know. PHILIP You can wait in the next room, if you want to, till your turn. BERNIE No, sir, we can't afford to miss a word. [They all group themselves around PHILIP OTi the couch, while HARRY and SAMMY take their positions, center stage. 74 A MACCABEAN CURE KING ANTIOCHUS (Sammy') [SAMMY sitting stiffly on a high-backed chair, MENELAUS bowing before him.'] Come hither, Menelaus, I would confer with thee anent the Judeans. MENELAUS (Harry') I pray, your Majesty, I would not trouble your Highness with the errors of your unfaith- ful subjects. ANTIOCHUS [Angrily. ,] Unfaithful again, you say? There shall be an end to them. I have enough of this treason. MENELAUS Yes, your Majesty, they mock and scoff at you ! ANTIOCHUS They mock at me, you say? They preach rebellion from Jerusalem? [Strutting up and down.'] I shall teach them a pretty lesson. I shall pour the blood of unclean animals upon their altars and their sacred vessels ! A MACCABEAN CURE 76 MENELAUS [Rubbing his hands gleefully. ~\ But no! Deliver them to me, your Majesty. I shall make them give up their Torah, their Jewish rites and customs. Your Majesty, they mock at me too. I hate them as much as you do. ANTIOCHUS But I can trust you, Menelaus ? Many dogs of Jews have betrayed their kings before now. MENELAUS Did I not steal the treasures of the temple for your Majesty ? Have I not already delivered your enemies into your hands, the Hasidim and the Judeans ? And to-day I have a most elabor- ate plan ANTIOCHUS [Sitting in pensive thought.^ AVhat is it, Menelaus ? Nothing can be too violent for these traitors. My wish is to exterminate them, to wipe them out completely. My mercenaries await my word, my troops will go over the king- dom destroying the infidels. 76 A MACCABEAN CURE MENELAUS [Cunningly. ] Ah, your Majesty! But why destroy them, when we can make of them good Greek subjects ? They will not give up their lives for their religion. You have merely to send your soldiers with the torch to their homes ; you will soon see them give up their faith. ANTIOCHUS Would that I could believe you ! But you are high priest, priest of the temple in Jerusalem. Why should I believe that you would truly change the religion of your followers? Most probably you will deliver me over to them. MENELAUS Ah! But, your Majesty, I desire to be high priest in the temple of the Greeks, and have hundreds, nay, thousands of followers. Give me the power to command your mercenaries, and in one month I shall have every Jew in your king- dom a good and loyal Greek. ANTIOCHUS [Extending his scepter.^ I give you the power, Menelaus. Your life will be the forfeit, A MACCABEAN CURE 77 if I find that you commit any act of treachery and betray me to my enemies. The wicked Jews shall be made to bow before the great god Zeus. Their homes shall be ransacked, their temple destroyed, yea, even their Holy of holies shall reek with the fat of swine. And you, Menelaus, you shall do it, you the councillor, the friend, the help of Antiochus, shall become the high priest of the Greeks ! MENELAUS [Dropping upon one knee.] Your Majesty, I thank you ! Once again I shall have the chance to serve you. Once again I shall taste power and glory ! And [rising] the temple of the god Zous shall be crowded, the throng of Jews shall not worship the Almighty. I shall see their faces respond to the call of our trumpets. Judaism shall perish, and Antiochus shall be king of the world. ANTIOCHUS And Menelaus his prime minister! [Laying his hand upon his shoulder.'] One word I would sav to thee beware of Judas ! [Fiercely.] moneans ! 78 A MACCABEAN CURE SAMMY [Taking off his crown, and going over to the boys.'] I guess I didn't do a thing to those lines. Didn't know I could do 'em so well myself. PHILIP [Wistfully. ~\ It was grand ! If I could only be in it! Is Antiochus really going to do all that to the poor Jews ? HARRY [Laughing.'] !N"o, no! It's all a play, but [seriously'] it was much worse than that. We kids ought to be mighty glad we didn't live in those days. CHARLIE [Rising proudly. ] Wait till you see my part ! I'm the hero ! I'm Judas! I'm the whole show ! Say, Phil, do you know your mamma and all the rest of the people are at temple to-night just because of what I did thousands of years ago ? HERBIE [Putting on a white wig.] Well, I like that! Don't you think Mattathias had some little thing to do with it ? 79 MARK And I may be only Simon, but I helped too. 1 guess we'd all better get a move on, or the Hamikkah services will be over! [HEEBIE, MARK, ERNEST, Louis, and BERNIE all go to stage center. HERBIE, weak and faltering, s-its in the chair, while the others, except CHARLIE, group themselves about. CHARLIE waits a little to one side. MATTATHIAS (Herbie) Alas, iny sons ! We have fallen upon troublous times! The hand of the betrayer is turned against us. You must avenge the God of your fathers. SIMON (Mark) But, alas, we have no armies ! You, our fathers, have spent your strength. The hand of Menelaus, the high priest, is turned against us, we dare not worship in the temple. JOHANAN (Ernest) It is only yesterday that Lysias himself, once a friend of Menelaus, but now flown to the altar 80 A MACCABEAN CURE for protection, was slain in the house of God. Alas ! What can we do when our own priest has turned against us ? ELEAZAR (Louis) And they say in Jerusalem that Menelaus will stop at nothing. He plans to convert all the Jews to the Greek religion, and Antiochus has promised to make Menelaus priest of his own temple. JONATHAN (Bernie) And they have found out our haunts in the hills. We must seek new fighting grounds. We can no longer fight from ambush. MATTATIIIAS You must not despair, my sons. The great God of Israel watches over all His children. Antiochus shall not conquer while Mattathias and his five sons live to carry the shield of the Almighty. JONATHAN Alas, father, we have no prophet in Israel ! If we but had an Isaiah among us! Then \vc could rejoice and be stout of heart. A MACCABEAN CURE 81 MATTATHIAS I Rising and speaking in a trembling voice.~\ And do you despair, my sons, because Isaiah is dead ? I will get you the word of another, another prophet in Israel, a man who has fore- seen not only our present but our future: who sees, as in a dream, our sufferings, our torture, our final triumph [He opens his worn, old coat carefully and extracts a treasured volume.^ This is the Book of Daniel, inspired by the Lord and animated by the spirit of prophecy. Herein doth the wise man rejoice and foresee the triumph of Israel. SIMON [Reaching out his hand for it eagerly. ] Would you entrust it to me, father ? If we could only read it to our people, perhaps on a night before we go to battle, I am sure it will lead us to victory. ELEAZAR [Gloomily.^ Alas! Yes, I fear Israel has fallen on evil times. MATTATHIAS My sons, my sons ! You must not speak like this. The God of Israel f ainteth not, nor is He weary. 6 82 A MACCABEAN CURE JUDAS (Charlie) [Rushing in elated^] Courage! Hope, my brothers praised be the God of Israel ! MATTATHIAS [Embracing him.~\ Judas, my son the leader of his people. My children, you bear wit- ness that this day I call Judas the leader of his people. JUDAS [Bowing his head.~\ Father, I thank you ! MATTATHIAS Judas, in your veins flows the blood of many centuries of warriors. Your brain is filled with fervor, your heart with faith. You alone can lead Israel to victory, and the tramp of the tyrant will go out of the land forever ! JOHANAN [A bit protestingly.~] But, father, is not Simon our oldest brother ? MATTATHIAS True, Simon is my first-born, and he has the soul of the wise man. Simon shall be your guide, your adviser, your councillor ; Judas, your mili- tary leader. A MACCABEAN CURE 83 JUDAS But you, father, you will be with us many years to lead and guide us. MATTATIIIAS [Sinking exhausted on a chair.'] My children, I hear often the voice of the spirit. I fear it will not now be many months before I leave you. Judas, Simon, and the Book of Daniel must sweep you on to victory. JUDAS [His head high, his shoulders throivn back.~\ \ 7 ictory ! Listen, rumors gather in the market- place. Menelaus, not content with waging war against his brothers, would now force them to accept the religion of the Greeks. If we do not accept their faith, we perish ; already Antiochus has desecrated our altars and our ark. At the very entrance to their cave of refuge he slaugh- tered the Hasidim. Are we cowards that we, with red blood in our veins, should suffer this to continue ? What is our life, our breath, our naked strength, if not for the conquest of our enemy? Should we want to live without our religion ? the dear God of our fathers ? T call upon you, my brothers now is the time to-day 84 A MACCABEAN CURE the very hour when we should give our breath and strength and hope to the conquest of the tyrant ! ALL [With great fervor.^ We trust you, Judas. You shall lead us to victory ! STMON [Holding up the book.~\ Judas and the Book of Daniel ! JUDAS [Taking it eagerly. ] The Book of Daniel Just what my soldiers need Long have they cried for a prophet in Israel Long have they thirsted for an inspired word With this I can strengthen their faith in the Almighty ! ALL [Drawing their swords.'] You lead, Judas, we follow ! MATTATHIAS One word more ! Beware, my sons, fight not in the open. Seek the hills and the secret hiding- places. Remember that you are few, though stout of heart ; they are many and powerful. A MACCABEAN CURE 85 JUDAS [Still inspired.'] Yes, many and powerful! But, father, the good God must watch over us, for our secret places are discovered, our caves and hiding-places watched. From now on we must fight in the open. A few leagues away the Judeans await us await our coming. Armed with a greater faith than we have ever had, they must follow us into the very stronghold of the enemy. The Book of Daniel will light our way, and the good God of Israel deliver our enemy into our hands. ALL You lead ! We follow ! [All rush out with great enthusiasm. MATTATHIAS [Left alone with bowed head.] My sons, I pray for yon ! PHILIP [After a few moments' silence.'] Oh, but that was wonderful ! Charlie, it must be great to be Judas. I only wish that mamma would let me have a try. CHARLIE You really liked it ? Honest? T think T was pretty good myself. 86 A MACCABEAN CURE PHILIP [Eagerly. ] Liked it ! Will you let me shake your hand ? [CHARLIE shakes his hand sheepishly. HARRY But, Phil, we've got another scene. You wait for that. I believe it's the grandest of all. SAMMY Here's where old Antiochus " gets his." Got another chair for me to lie down on ? PHILIP [Eagerly. .] Take the sofa O, please, hurry, hurry. [They all push the sofa, stage center. SAMMY lies down on it, HARRY and CHARLIE wait a little to the rear. The rest group themselves about PHILIP, listening eagerly. ANTIOCHUS [Lying on the sofa and groaning.'] And I am left alone to die ! Egypt is in ruins, and Persia desolate. Gone is my pomp, my power, my glory ! My mercenaries desert me, my courtiers forget me. All Israel mocks me. They jeer at A MACCABBAN CURE 87 me, and rejoice in my defeat. [Almost in de- lirium.] Menelaus, the traitor, for whom I have done everything, even he deserts me in the hour of my need. MENELAUS [Enters hurriedly, holding his arm as if wounded.] Alas, your Majesty! I have no good news. The God of Israel is triumphant ! ANTIOCHUS [Resting on his elbow.] Wait, you dog of a Jew! You to whom I have given power and wealth unlimited, have you too failed ? MENELAUS [ With head bowed.] Judas is a mighty force, he pursues me like death. Wherever I go, there he is before me. He is armed with the power of the Lord ; I cannot resist his onslaughts. ANTIOCHUS But did you not destroy their temple, spread the blood of swine upon their altars ? What force can they have left? What is this Book of Daniel ? MENELAUS [Snarling with rage.] Alas ! it comes from Mattathias, the father of the Hasmoneans. With 88 A MACCABEAN CURE Judas to lead them and the Book to give them faith, the Jews are invincible. ANTIOCHUS Bah! The Jews! The Jews! Can L never ' get rid of them, wipe them out forever? My armies advance against them, my mercenaries slaughter them, and still the God of Israel lives, bah! MENELAUS [Bowing his head in despair. ] Yes, the God of Israel lives ! [ SIMON steps forward quickly with the transparent fire-screen, which makes an improvised veil, behind which Judas takes his station, and begins to speak in a low, sepulchral voice. At first ANTIOCHUS does not seem to hear. Then, half-frightened, he turns on his elbow, but being crazed and half- delirious, he pictures Judas as the voice of conscience, which in reality he is. To the dying man the voice is but a figment of the brain. JUDAS The God of Israel lives A MACCABEAN CURE 89 ANTIOCHUS The voice of Judas ? the voice of Judas [He crouches in fear, and MENELAUS cowers at the foot of the couch, he too fearing to look up. JUDAS [Continuing as if he had not heard.] The God of Israel lives and watches over all his chil- dren watches and guards them well. You, Menelaus, the traitor, and you, Antiochus, the tyrant, will be food for the worms and rotting under the ground many, many years, while the God of Israel and His children will continue down into the centuries [As JUDAS holds his sword aloft, and ANTIOCHUS and MENELAUS crouch in agony, AUNT BELLA, DOCTOR SLES- INGER, and MKS. BECKMAN stand watching in the doorway, the last re- strained with difficulty by the doctor. MOLLY stumbles into the opposite door, rubbing her eyes sleepily. The boys do not notice them, but as JUDAS is about to continue, PHILIP rushes over to him and grasps his arm excitedly. 90 A MACCABEAN CURE PHILIP O, Judas, you're just wonderful. I want to be a warrior too and fight old Antiochus Please, please, won't you let me help to fight for Israel ? CHARLIE [Turning shamefacedly and seeing Miss BELLA in the doorway.] Is it all right, Miss Bella? May Phil help too ? BELLA [Hurrying over.~\ Does he want to fight for Israel ? MBS. BECKMAN [Hurrying over.~\ My poor darling! I'm sure all this has heen too much for you. PHILIP [Pushing her away excitedly.] But, mamma, I'm not sick. I only want to be a soldier and fight the old Greeks another Judas, mamma. DOCTOE SLESINGER [To AUNT BELLA.] Even Mrs. Beckman must see how successful your prescription is. A MACCABEAN CURE 91 CHARLIE [Anxiously, as Miss BELLA pats his 'head.'] I did Judas just as well as ever I could. PHILIP Oh, and I do so want to help him, if you'll only let me be a Has-mo-ne-an. BELLA Ask your mother, Philip. MRS. BECKMAN [Hesitating, then looking around at the eager faces of the little boys and the glowing face of little PHILIP, as she nods assent. ] Another little Judas. [The boys all crowd around, eagerly welcoming PHILIP. CURTAIN TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY CHARACTERS ANSELME KOCH, a middle-aged wine-grower. THER&SE, Ms wife. PHILIPPE, their oldest son, aged sixteen. MARIE, their oldest daughter, aged fifteen. ANNETTE "] Louis I their younger children. GASTON M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD, the village shoemaker. MAMZELLE WERTHEIM, the village dressmaker. CHICON, the village loafer. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY THE TIME. About four-thirty in the after- noon before Pesdh, April, 1816. THE PLACE. The little village of Rochefort in the southern part of France. DISCOVERED AT RISE OF CURTAIK- MOTHEB KOCH freshening a bit of lace at her throat the while she superintends the preparing of the Seder tray by MARIE and ANNETTE. MARIE is arranging water-cress next to salt-water or vinegar; she also places an egg on a plate, and adds the dish of Haroses, a paste of almonds, raisins, and cinnamon chopped fine and mixed with wine. MRS. KOCH places a napkin on a plate. The plate contains three Matzos, each covered separately. Horseradish and parsley are already on the tray, and a shank- bone of lamb is on the table. Little GASTON 96 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY is on his knees before the fire. The room is garnished and bright; a cheerful fire bums in the grate; the bits of old silver and pewter on the dresser glisten with a holiday gleam, and not a crumb of either bread or matzoh is to be found about the room. The table is laid with snowy linen, center right; places are set for eleven or twelve; the two added chairs for the " stranger." Wine and matzos are on the table, and a large silver cup, " the cup of Elijah," stands upon the dresser. Near at hand is the Seder tray, and on a hook near the door, right next the door-jamb, hangs a wire " matzoh cage." In the cage is a piece of matzoh from the Seder of the year before, a piece of the Afikomen. This custom of the cage is peculiar to cer- tain parts of France and Germany; and the matzos in the cage are not supposed to be disturbed from year to year, until the search for leaven the night before the Seder service. MRS. KOCH Cherie, we must hurry. Only half an hour till the Pesah eve, and there is much yet to be done. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 97 MARIE [Arranging the tray deftly.] Je sais, maman, and I try hard to have everything so pretty. Re- member, maman mignonne, what a wonderful Seder we had last year ? MRS. KOCH [Wiping a sudden tear.] Ah, cherie, do I remember ? Shall I ever forget ? The wine all the good things Sister Marie sent us ? And my Philippe my big boy when he stands and drinks a toast to the God of Israel and France- shall I ever forget ? MARIE [Running to comfort her.] Do not, maman mignonne I pray of you it makes us all so sad to see you weep. I am quite, quite sure nothing has happened to our Philippe. MRS. KOCH [Still tearful.] Alas, my pride! My first- born ! He sat there [she points dramatic- ally] right opposite me, all through the Seder service. How his beautiful eye met mine ! And then, in the night, he went away just one year ago to-night and in all that time, not one word. 7 98 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY MARIE [Still petting her.] Maman mignonne, do not think about it. The dear Lord will take care of him, I am quite sure. MRS. KOCH [Bowing her head.] My little boy GASTON See the big stick ! It burn, it burn ! MARIE [Hurrying to him.'] And you with it. Away! [As she draws him from the fire and takes him to one side, inspecting him for the services.] Now, Gaston, run, wash your hands such a little black boy and you, Annette ANNETTE [Holding aloft a piece of parsley.] I make a big bouquet MARIE Yes, cherie, but Annette must too have pretty hands. IsTow hurry. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 99 MRS. KOCH [Pulling herself together.] Chii, oui, my darlings. The Seder, the Pesah eve ! Louis [Rushing in and waving an old tin horn.~\ O, maman, maman, such great big soldiers. Guns on top of their arms. I feeled of one of them ! MRS. KOCH [Trying to be stern.] Come here, enfant, didn't maman tell you to come right home from school ? So much for my little son to do ! To- morrow there will be no work at all. Louis But, maman, so many big men in the square ! [MRS. KOCH is busy at the table and only half hears. MARIE Come quick, Louis, cheri, and let sister brush your hair. Louis [As he plunges his head into the wash-bowl 100 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY in the corner of the room.] I big enough to fix it myself [reminiscently] with guns! MARIE [Trying not to smile.~\ Come, bebe. [Brushes and combs ANNETTE'S hair softly. MRS. KOCH [Glancing around the room.] You think everything is finished, Marie ? MARIE Just everything. Maybe except that [Points to the matzoh-cage hanging near the door. MRS. KOCH Oh, that ! Papa surely did that all last night when he went over the house. Papa never for- gets any of the places in the hometz-batteln. I wonder what is keeping papa ? Schul should be over by this time ! [In looking about the room she leaves a plate of matzos, quite forgetfully, on a chair underneath the matzoh-cage and near the door. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 101 Louis I saw papa [sheepishly]. He didn't see me. M'sieu Cheriot stopped him and talked about the frost. ANNETTE I want to see the frost. MAKIE Hush, dear, we do not go out on Erev-Pesah. Louis Well, I wish nobody would come. We'd have so much more to eat. MAMZELLE WERTHEIM [An emaciated old maid stands absorbing the last words on the threshold.] Dieu, Madame Koch, I'd better go right home. MARIE [Running to her and taking her shawl.] O Mamzelle, Louis is only a little boy. MRS. KOCH [With dignity.] You are welcome, Mamzelle. Will you have the seat near the fire ? 102 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY MAMZELLE Fire ! Must I be cold ? [She plumps down on the chair with the matzos, while the children begin to giggle.'] I'm sorry, Madame Koch, if I seem to [As she rises quickly. MARIE [Running to brush up the crumbs.'] Never mind, Mamzelle, you didn't see MRS. KOCH Be sure to get them all swept up, Marie. MARIE Of course, maman. And now, if you will only get your fresh pretty cap, everything will be quite ready. MRS. KOCH [To MAMZELLE, who is still standing stiffly, nose in air.] If you will excuse me, Mamzelle ? [8he exits into the next room. MAMZELLE [Running to the table and peering at the food.] Not near so much as last year ! TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 103 MARIE Alas, no ! Crops have been so bad Louis [Chiming in.~\ And oui, we haven't so much money, since Philippe is away. ANNETTE [Quite unexpectedly.^ And Aunt Marie, she forget all about us no presents at all. MAMZEI/LE What I always say : " When you're down, you're down." MARIE O, no, Marnzelle. You mustn't think Aunt Marie has forgotten us. ' She has just a little superstition. So much she sent us last year a lovely Seder basket and that night Philippe went away. I think Aunt Marie a little bit blames herself. MAMZELLE [Sharply.'] I'd like to know what that has to do with it. I was here that night too. You might as well accuse me. 104 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY MARIE You don't understand, Mamzelle. Aunt Marie believes that Philippe knew she would al- ways do so much for us he didn't worry so about leaving. MAMZELLE [In a tone of finality.] You forget. Philippe always was headstrong, and headstrong is head- strong, say I, right up to the end. MARIE [Deeply hurt.] O Mamzelle, Philippe is an angel! MAMZELLE [Sniffing contemptuously.] An angel that wanted to try his wings in a big, bad city. MARIE [Pleadingly.] Dear Mamzelle, I beg of you, do not mention Philippe to-night. You may say all you want to me, but before maman [Pauses as MRS. KOCH enters slowly, smoothing a pretty lace cap. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 105 MAMZELLE [Sniffling.] And so I'm to keep my mouth closed ? MRS. KOCH [Softly.'] What is it, Mamzelle? 1 hope Marie has said nothing to hurt you ? MAEIE [Hastily.] My little maman, she look so eharmant. If papa would only come ! Every- thing is ready. [She holds up the Seder platter to prove her skill in decoration. ANNETTE [Reaching up her little hands for it.] I'm so hungry- Louis Bebe MAMZELLE [Sweetly.] Children and fools, you know. ANSELME KOCH [A little middle-aged man hurries in, dressed in his Shabbes clothes. He walks with a cane 106 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY and is very busy chatting to M'SIEU ROTHS- CHILD.] I am sorry, Therese dear, I've kept you waiting. MRS. KOCH Waiting only for you! Go, Anselme dear, and bring the Haggodah. Hurry, or we shall be late with the Seder. ANSELME [Hurrying into the next room, after he has pinched little Louis' ruddy cheeks.] I will, my dear, in a haste in a haste. M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD [Bowing low to MRS. KOCH.] Bon soir, Madame Koch. It is so good of you to ask me to the Seder. I always say, what with no Rabbi in Rochefort and no Pesah services, one could easily forget his devotions, were it not for good Madame Koch. Aren't you happy to be here, Mamzelle Wertheim ? [MRS. KOCH meanwhile has been shak- ing his hand and making him welcome. MAMZELLE [Sniffling.'] Of course. Isn't it only a Pesah that makes you know I'm alive ? TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 107 M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD [Gallantly.'] A shoemaker must stick to his last, you know ; and the shoes around Rochef ort give me little time for the ladies, alas ! MAMZELLE [Sighing."] Wish I could say the same for the dresses. MARIE [Quickly^] But to-night is the night when we have no troubles, is it not, maman ? MRS. KOCH [Petting MARIE.] Oui, mignonne. [To the others.'] Haven't I a little comfort? M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD [Gallantly.'] A little darling, I should say. MARIE [Embarrassed, begins to count the chairs.^ Let us see. One, two, three come, cheris. you're to sit next to sister, and [slyly~\ you, Mamzelle Wertheim, next to M'sieu Rothschild, unless you object? 108 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY MAMZELLE WERTHEIM [Grudgingly.] Perhaps I can endure it once a year. M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD [Edging nearer to her.~\ I could, oftener. MRS. KOCH Have we surely enough places, Marie same as last year ? Ah, no, Chicon is not here, nor nor Philippe MARIE [Hurriedly.] But I have two extra places, maman for the stranger, you know. CHICON [.4 good-natured fat boy, the village loafer, comes lounging in at the door.] A-ha, Miss Marie, and a good heart she has. She don't for- get her old Chicon ! MARIE [Hastening to him, followed by the children, who climb over him with great affection.] Welcome, Chicon. I knew he would come. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 109 ANNETTE [Clambering into his pockets.] Pesah candies, Chicon ? GASTON But where's onr doggie-woggie, Chicon ? CHICON [Emptying his pockets of candy. ,] You think your old Chicon forget you ? But he cannot bring his old Napoleon to a Seder service. MAMZELLE [Horrified.'] You call your beast Napo- leon. CHICON [As he makes a deep bow and flourishes his ragged cap.] My emperor, and my faithful dog my two dear ones! Vive Napoleon! M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD [Echoing with great feeling.] Vive Napo- leon ! FATHER KOCH [Entering quickly with outstretched hand.] Welcome, Chicon happy to see you ! Seder would not be Seder without you. Coine, my 110 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY guests ! Therese, Marie, it is time for our serv- ices. [All gather around the table and take the places assigned to them. FATHER KOCH repeats the Kiddush, or Sancti- fication. Then FATHER KOCH says: " This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt: let all who are hungry, enter and eat thereof." GASTON " Why is this night distinguished from all other nights ? " FATHER KOCH " Because in Egypt we were slaves unto Pharaoh; and the Lord, our God, delivered us with a strong hand." [The order of the service follows, the stage director may use as much or as little as he sees fit or thinks is con- sistent with dramatic action: Narra- tion of the story of Passover; Dayenu; breaking the unleavened bread; eating the bitter herb with Haroses; eating bitter herbs and matzoh; Seder tray is removed; serving the meal. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 111 ANNETTE [As the first course of hard-boiled eggs is passed.~\ O h! I love hard-boiled eggs! GASTON Why don't we have Pesah oftener ? CHICON If I had anything to say, it would be every day. Louis [Helping himself.'] As good as a picnic ! MAMZELLE [Aside.~\ Little gluttons ! CHICON [Catching her up.~\ Big ones, too! [As the Matzoh-Klos reach him.'] And always will be while there are Matzoh-Klos. [Poising one on a fork."] FATHER KOCH I am ready, Marie. [MARIE brings the Seder tray, and FATHER KOCH says grace, at least one verse. 112 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY MARIE [Handing her father a silver cup.~\ Here is Elijah's cup, father. Louis [As he watches his father filling the cup.] Father, let me open the door ! [Runs to open it. FATHER KOCH Open it wider, my son, so that the wanderer may see our light and enter. MRS. KOCH M'sieu, will you lead the Hallel ? M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD Gladly! [Sings Hodu la-Adonoi with the tradi- tional Passover melody, the others joining in. MAMZELLE [As soon as they have finished and are sitting carelessly around the table.] Where is your wanderer, Father Koch ? Have yon never heard from Philippe ? TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 113 MARIE [Anxiously.] O oh! Mamzelle FATHER KOCH [Devoutly.] My son is safe in the keeping of the Almiht. [Not to be deflected.] JBut isn't it strange that he should never write at all ? M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD [Kindly.] You may depend upon it, Koch, the boy has some good reason of his own. MARIE Whatever it is, it's good. CHI CON Ah, the boy had the big desire, the great desire to see the large world outside of little Roche- fort. MAMZELI.E And so he couldn't write 8 114 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY FATHER KOCH [ With head bowed.'] I beg of you, don't speak of him ; he has broken my heart. MRS. KOCH [Comfortingly.^ Mais oui, Anselme, all will come right, Philippe is but a boy. I remember as it was yesterday how he poured the wine. MAMZEI/LE [Under her breath somewhat.^ Oui, oui and how he drank the wine ! FATHER KOCH [Head still bowed.'] My boy ! My boy ! CHICON [Angrily to Mamzelle.~\ Nonsense, the boy was a fine boy ! Everybody must sweep before his own door ! M'siEu ROTHSCHILD I stake my whole reputation: Philippe has never done a bad thing in his little life. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 115 Louis [Overcome with the thought of what he did to-day.] I was bad, I was. I watched the soldiers in the square. FATHER KOCH [Interested.] Did you say soldiers, Louis, soldiers ? I heard nothing of them. MRS. KOCH But, Anselme, we are forgetting the Afikomen. You did forget it, not so ? I mean the piece you always put in the matzoh-cage the piece for next year. FATHER KOCH [Contritely.] You are right, Therese, I did forget. Louis [Excitedly. ] May I lift down the matzoh- cage ? FATHER KOCH [Smiling.] Yes, or there will be no more Afikomen to put in. Louis [As he lifts down the cage.] O, look, it is all old and crumbly ! 116 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY FATHER KOCH [Horr or struck. ~\ I must have forgotten it, Therese. How came that ? when I was searching the house last night. MRS. KOCH Are you sure, father, you forgot ? FATHER KOCH \_As he takes the little cage,J\ But oui, I sup- pose my mind was, as ahvays, on the last Seder and Philippe rather than on the search and the hometz-batteln. [As he opens the matzoh-cage.^ But look ; here is a letter. MRS. KOCH [Hand over her heart.^ Perhaps it is from - and we haven't opened that cage since last Seder. FATHER KOCH [His hand trembling. ~\ You read it. I can't. MRS. KOCH I cannot either, my dear one, I cannot. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 117 MARIE Give it to me, dear father. I shall read it [Opens and reads a worn, old piece of paper, while all listen in strained silence. My Dearest Ones: To-night, this Pesah night, I leave you. I go to fight for my country. I could not tell you, my dear parents, I could not bear to see the grief upon your faces. My emperor has called me, and I go. I will come back when my country has no more need of me. Remember that I fight for you. Yours in love forever, PHILIPPE. [A few moments of awestruck silence, then MARIE [Clasping her hand.~\ I felt it! I felt it! My big brother gone to fight for his country ! Louis [With awe.~] And a real gun on his shoul- der ANNETTE Will he be shooted dead ? 118 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY MRS. KOCH [Covering her face.~\ My boy! Perhaps on a battlefield ! M'SIEU EOTHSCHILD Would to Heaven I could so serve my country ! MAMZELLE [Drily. ] Well, he always did like fighting. CHICON [Wildly. ] The greatest fight in all the world the fight for his country ! MRS. KOCH If we had only once touched the matzoh-cage during the year or even you, yesterday then should we have known CHICON [Wisely, ,] And then would you have wor- ried, every day, every minute, all the long year. FATHER KOCH " The Lord is good, His tender mercies are over all His works." TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 119 MARIE [Peering out towards the door.] Away out there, in dust and smoke and battle ; fighting like the great, brave heart he is fighting for his country [She stands transfixed with rap- ture as PHILIPPE approaches quietly and stands silent in the doorway. He is worn and travel- stained and carries a musket, whose weight at times causes him to limp. The company stare transfixed, except MAKIE, who rushes to him and falls into his arms.] Philippe PHILIPPE My sister [As soon as they have fin- ished a warm embrace, he hurries to his mother and father.] Mother ! dear mother ! Father! [All embrace eagerly.] Dear friends! Louis [Excitedly feeling his gun.] He has a gun ! He has a gun ! Just like I saw in the square to-day. PHILIPPE [Hugging him.] Ah, you saw them! [Proudly.] T belonged to them. Only they got here before me. [Looking at the table joyfully.] 120 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY And my place at the Seder table! I have tramped miles and miles to reach here to-night. MAMZELLE [Sniffling.'] But just too late for Seder ! CHICON [Petting him.~\ But not too late for us, Philippe. Rochefort has not been Rochefort without you ! M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD [Impressively.'] We are very proud to claim you, Philippe Koch. MOTHER KOCH [Anxioiisly.] Until to-night, until this moment, my Philippe, we did not know where you had gone. We thought perhaps you had MAMZELLE [Sharply.'] run away. PHILIPPE You did not get my letter in the matzoh-cage ? TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 121 MAMZELLE [Still sharply. ] You knew they touch it only once a year. PHILIPPE [Turning from her to his mother.'] I did not want you to find it right away, dear mother. 1 did not want you to worry - [Pause.'] I left a prayer with God that you might find it soon afterwards. MOTHER KOCH [Sadly. ] Ah! No, we did not We heard nothing from you, my boy, all the long year. FATHER KOCH [As his eye takes him in lovingly^] My son ! My little boy ! MARIE Not a line, Philippe; not a word. PHILIPPE [Grasping her hand.~\ But you will under- stand, dear sister, when I tell you I was in a place where I couldn't write, [with great im- pressiveness~\ the Island of Elba. 122 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY ALL [Thunderstruck.] Elba! PHILIPPE [Slowly, as he lifts a glass of wine.] Yes, with my emperor, my hero, my Napoleon ! ALL [With hushed, awestruck voices.] Bonaparte ! CHICON [Rubbing his hands in great excitement.] Tell us about it, Philippe, all about it your old Chicon. PHILIPPE [Looking around at the rapt faces.] Every- thing ? CHICON [As they nod in assent.] Everything! Oh that I should live to hear this tale ! [He rubs PHILIPPE'S coat sleeve reverently.] He has been with our emperor. MAMZELLE [Sniffling.] A camp follower most likely. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 123 FATHER KOCH [Glaring at 'her.'} Mamzelle, you forget your- self. [Only his hospitality prevents him from asking her to leave. MARIE [Adoringly.'] Please, hurry, Philippe. I can't wait. PHILIPPE [Slumps, tired, into a chair. His gun falls to the floor with a clatter; little Louis runs to pick it up and hands it back, adoringly.] I'm dead- tired. MOTHER KOCH [Handing him bread and wine, which he eats at intervals ivhile he talks.] Dear Philippe PHILIPPE [Inspired by the eager faces around him, especially CHICON'S.] You remember last Seder night all of you ? ALL [Eagerly.] Yes, yes. 124 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY PHILIPPE You remember our sorrow over the abdication of our emperor '( ALT, Ah, oui. PHILIPPE How, on the sixth of April, he had signed the paper at Fontainebleau the paper in which he forever resigned his right to be emperor of France ? You remember our sorrow, our grief ? ALL Ah, oui. PHILIPPE How we all mourned him, the great man ! Who had given his life his strength ! Who had made France feared before the nations ! Who had conquered Germany, Austria, Italy, only to be conquered at last by his own people ! FATHER KOCH Alas ! Too true. PHILIPPE You remember how he said on the roadside at Passy, in the dead of night: " If they had TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 125 showed ecmrage bat two hours longer, we might still have saved France? " CHI CON [Mournfully.] Alas! Yes, too late! France was broken her people in the dust. PHILIPPE [With greater enthusiasm.] " If they had showed spirit two hours longer! " That I could not forget. My emperor ! my hero ! Forced to abdicate because his soldiers could not show spirit two hours longer ! OIIICON [ Eagerly.] So you went to help him '{ PHILIPPE [Ecstatically.] Yes, on Pesah night while you all slept. I went at midnight. I walked and walked for days and days. I wanted to help my emperor, T wanted to save France. MOTHER KOCH [ Wiping her eyes, as FATHER KOCH pats her on the shoulder in an understanding of a boyish dream.] My little child ! 126 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY MAMZELLE '[Under her breath.'] Little silly ! MARIE [Glaring at her. ] My brave brother ! Louis [Anxiously.] Is he fat, Monsieur Napoleon ? PHILIPPE [.As the others laugh.] No; pale and thin. But let me tell you : When. I reached Paris, it was only to find that I could do nothing. The army had been disbanded, just a few hundreds of his old soldiers were still remaining, and were allowed to go to Elba with him. I got taken on one of the ships as a sort of a sailor helper MAMZEI/LE [Still under her breath.] What did I say? PHILIPPE But to be near my emperor! To help him! To watch him study and plan and think ! Soon after we reached Elba, I got taken on in the emperor's household. I did many things to help. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 127 CHICON Tell me, was he very lonely ? Always sad ? PHILIPPE Often, very. But he never gave up hope of saving France. And soon his mother came to stay with him. Louis [Awestruck.'] Was she a regular old lady ? A king's mother ? PHILIPPE Very good and kind. She too never gave up hope of saving France. MAKIE Oh, do tell us all about it ! PHILIPPE So much ! Napoleon was always meeting with his generals, his faithful friends. They were always planning. Then, one day in Feb- ruary, a young man came, I heard his name, Monsieur Fleury de Chabouillon. He came by way of Italy, and brought Napoleon news of the 128 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY discontent in France of the terrible state of the army. From that day on the emperor was never the same. M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD He felt his country's need. PHILIPPE And his mother felt it too. My friend heard her say: "Go, my son, and may God protect you, as He has so many times protected you. You cannot remain here." [He pauses.'] You all know the rest. CHICON [With intense excitement.] He saw the mother of Bonaparte ! And you came back with him? PHILIPPE [Proudly.] Did you think I would desert him ? MARIE [Eagerly.'] What happened then ? PHILIPPE We put to sea left Elba without knowing exactly where we were going. But I was always TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 129 with him, from the moment we left the island. When we sighted Cannes, reached Dauphine, met the old soldiers of the famous Fifth from the moment we reached Grenoble and the Gap, when we arrived at Sisteron, where every soldier and officer in the army bowed before him, through the days when we entered Fontaine- bleau, to the morning of March twentieth, when at dawn we reached Paris and the Tuileries. M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD The Tuileries ! FATHER KOCH My son in the march to Paris ! CHICON But why are you here now, my Philippe, with all France still uneasy the fate of the empire depending upon Bonaparte's next move ? PHILIPPE [Suddenly buries his head in sorrow; then speaks slowly. ] Alas! Do not ask me that. I could go no further ; I was wounded. 130 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY MOTHER KOCH [Embracing him excitedly.^ Wounded? My Philippe PHILIPPE Yes; but nothing serious at Nimes. You have heard about Nimes ? MARIE No details, Philippe. PHILIPPE You heard the Due d'Angouleme rebelled ? [They shake their heads in ignorance.^ On the twenty-ninth of March he carried the Pont St. Esprit ; on the thirtieth he reached Montelimar, and on April second he forced the bridge over the Drome. CHICON And you were defending it ? PHILIPPE Alas ! that was where I was wounded. Only a small saber cut, but enough to make my captain see that I was too young and unfit for service. I was ordered home and rest. [He buries his head again. TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY 131 M'SIEU ROTHSCHILD Alas that 1 am too old ! CHICON And I too crooked ! PHILIPPE [Still sobbing.'] And I had to leave when he needed me most My Bonaparte ! ALL [Raising their glasses.~\ Bonaparte ! MOTHEE KOCH [Hugging PHILIPPE again.~\ But, my dar- ling, you have done nobly; you have given all your strength. MARIE [Thoughtfully.^ And you have been saved to us. PHILIPPE | As if struclc by a sudden thought.~\ I never thought of that. [As MARIE caresses him and MOTHER KOCH bends over him tenderly, CHICON murmurs: " And he helped to save France." 132 TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY FATHER KOCH [Raising his wine-glass, and speaking in rev- erent tone.'] " And the Angel of Death passed over the houses of the children of Israel." CURTAIN AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL CHARACTERS JANET MAGNUS "I bosom friends, each about SOPHIE SWARTZ j fourteen years old. MRS. MAGNUS, Janet's mother. MRS. SWARTZ, Sophie's mother. MR. MAGNUS, Janet's father. MRS. LIVINGSTON, Janet's friend. AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL THE TIME. About three o'clock of an after- noon, a pleasant day in April. THE PLACE. A very shabby living- dining- room, in back of Mr. Magnus's greengrocer shop in Whitechapel, London. The room is filled with the usual appurtenances of a shabby living- dining-room; on a table, to one side, is a bowl filled with unpeeled potatoes, a knife, and a loaf of bread. To rear of room is an old cabinet, or bureau, the bottom drawer of which is fitted with a key that locks it. DISCOVERED AT RISE OF CURTAIK- Janet and Sophie stitching industriously at little blue gingham aprons for orphans. A few of the finished aprons lie to one side. SOPHIE [As she stitches a buttonhole.~\ Wherever did you get the idea ? 136 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL JANET L didn't; Miss Bessie did. See, she knows how terrible I felt about [Stops, unable to proceed.- SOPHIE [ Whispering. ] not getting confirmed ? JANET [Nodding her head " yes."'] Please hand me a button. SOPHIE [W7io is having a bad time threading her needle.~\ I I guessed Janey JANET [Avoiding the subject.] You're awful good to help me. I'd never get finished if it wasn't for you ! SOPHIE [Needle poised in air.] O Janey, if we can only make enough [Air of revelation.] You know I just dream buttonholes! AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 137 JANET And I buttons whole armies of them. Last night a soldier with a button-head tried to stab my eyes out. Mamma said I hollered out loud to save me. SOPHIE [ Whispering again.] Sure she doesn't know ? JANET S s sh ! And won't, if I can help it. SOPHIE But however do you hide them ? JANET [Running to the old cabinet and unlocking the bottom drawer; she then pulls a little apron out of it and holds it up.'] See here. I've got 'em tucked way back. Mamma keeps hers and papa's very best things in here their holiday clothes, and only opens it before they go to temple. SOPHIE But suppose she'd find out. Would you feel very bad ? 138 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL JANET [Closing the drawer, locking it, and coming back.~\ Would I? Why, you don't know how sad my mamma feels about my not having a dress. L heard her crying to papa the other day SOPHIE [With an air of conviction.^ Then I think it's your duty to tell her ! JANET [Excitedly.^ But listen, Sophy, if I can't make enough buttonholes, and don't earn enough money, I can't buy that dress, and I can't pos- sibly get confirmed without a dress. So don't you think mamma'd feel worse to know I was trying and couldn't, succeed, than if I hadn't tried at all ? SOPHIE [Slowly.l No; I think she'd be proud. My mamma would, if I cared so much as you do to be confirmed that you work so hard, days and nights, and everything, just to earn a dress. JANET That's just it. I love studying about it so, and am so anxious to really be confirmed, that AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 139 she'd feel worse'n ever if I didn't earn enough to buy my dress even after working so hard. SOPHIE [Convinced.] Well, you can count on me. I'll never breathe it even if I'm tortured. I'm just praying Mrs. Livingston will want millions of aprons ! JANET So am I. Soon's we finish this one we'll go over for some more. See, she's to pay me to-day for what I've done, but I've just got to be home before five. SOPHIE Suppose your mamma comes in ? JANET She won't. She always stays in the store till five; but I've got to get potatoes peeled and coffee on before then. SOPHIE [Anxiously,^ Think maybe we'd better peel potatoes now ? 140 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL JANET Gracious, Sophy, we can't. I'm sure Mrs. Livingston told Miss Bess I'm to be there by four. She goes out driving then. And, O Sophy, she does live in such a gorgeous-us house ! SOPHIE [Excitedly.] If they only let me in. I've been living for the minute when the man with the white wig opens the parlor doors ! JANET [Air of pride.] Two white men with two white wigs and four white silk legs ! SOPHIE [Thunderstruck.'] Four white silk legs! JANET Yes, indeed ! And last time Mrs. Livingston was pouring tea out of a gold tea-pot ! SOPHIE [More stunned than ever.] A gold tea-pot! And she lets you come in the front door ? AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 141 JANET Yes, indeed, she wants me to. But it's so hard to believe they're all Jews, like us. SOPHIE You think the men with the white wigs are too ? JANET [Uncertainly.^ 1 don't know. They may just be good friends; but her visitors all are, I think. Last time a lady with funny gold eye-glasses that she held up in her hand kept staring at me as she said, " And so the little dear comes all the way from Whitechapel." SOPHIE Whitechapel ? JANET Yes, just as if it was Africa. And then another one said, " You know, Ellen, I've always wanted to go down to that New Holloway Street Temple ; we must some day." SOPHIE [Disgustedly.'] Just as if it was a Zoo! 142 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL JANET [As she looks around the shabby room in a puzzled way.~\ It's so hard to understand they're on the same earth we are. Don't you wonder why some people have velvet carpets and other people bare floors ? SOPHIE [Also puzzled.] Or why some people have ten dresses when you have to work so hard for one? [Folding up three little aprons.] But to be confirmed! Think of it, Sophie! [Calculat- ing.^ If I can only do five aprons a day and get ten pence apiece, in ten days more I'll have my dress ! SOPHIE [Jumping up excitedly.] Let's hurry right over for the money. I'll wrap 'em up while you get the hats. [She wraps up the finished aprons in brown paper, while JANET puts the unfinished ones in bottom cabinet drawer, locks it carefully, puts key inside her shirtwaist, and snatches up two little round hats. ~\ 143 JANET \_As she peers out side-door entrance, while Sophie is hastily gathering up every trace of their work.'} Come coast's clear let's hurry. [They hasten out. In a few moments, MRS. MAGNUS, as she wipes her hands on her large gingham apron, pushes open the door leading from the shop. She is followed by MRS. SWARTZ, who wears bonnet and shawl and looks about her eagerly.} MRS. MAGNUS Sure, an' I can sit down a minute ; come right in. Sophy and Janey 've been here an hour or so, quiet as two mice. Wonder what they're up to? MRS. SWARTZ Ach ! They aren't here at all. MRS. MAGNUS [Looking around, calling, peering into other room.} Janey, Janey, don't you hear mamma? MRS. SWARTZ And my Sophy ; maybe they gone out to play ? 144 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL MRS. MAGNUS Not my Janey, never unless perhaps she took your girl home a piece; but she's got so much to do. [ Spies the bowl of unpeeled potatoes, and dears her throat expressively, as she pushes them a bit out of sight. MRS. SWARTZ [Seating herself comfortably in the rocker.] Nun, your little girl is very good. My Sophy would carry on much worse if she could not be confirmed. MRS. MAGNUS [ Also seating herself wearily, and wiping a surreptitious tear with the corner of her apron.] My little lamb, we've had an awful year never sure of the roof over our heads. MRS. SWARTZ Schrecklich ! I'm glad my Jake went to America. He sends me money regularly, and in the summer we go out too. MRS. MAGNUS I guess we must do something too. White- chapel ain't any more Whitechapel. What with AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 145 grog shops selling prawns, and vegetable carts huckstering fruit, how's a man to earn an honest living ? MRS. SWARTZ [Sympathetically. ] Ja, ja ! and so many mouths MRS. MAGNUS [Still wiping her eyes.~\ Yes, little Simon up at the baby farm. He took the money that was meant for Janey's dress. MRS. SWARTZ [Sighing.] If I only had it but hardly enough for my Sophy. And such a liddle plain one. But don't you mind. Your Janey's got all the best of the teaching. My Sophy says she has the most brains in the class. MRS. MAGNUS What worries me is she's awful quiet about something always hurry, hurry, hurry to get through with her work. MRS. SWARTZ You think maybe she's got more mind on that dress than you know about? 10 146 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL MRS. MAGNUS Ah no, that's not my girl. Once she gives a thing up, an angel couldn't make her think of it again. It's somethin' else, and I'm that wor- ried, I am. MRS. SWARTZ [Rising hurriedly.^ Maybe she got my Sophy in it, now. Why do you think they stay out so long? MRS. MAGNUS Don't you worry. Janey's just took her a piece home. MRS. SWARTZ [Worried as she hastens to the door.^ Your Janet's your Janet, and my Sophy's my Sophy. And when you've got only one little lamb, it's worse than if something happens to the apple of your eye ! MRS. MAGNUS [Kindly as she sees her to the door.'] You'll find 'em down Paddington way, I'm sure. [Calls after ~her.~\ An' if you do, you'll be a-sendin' of my Janey right home ? AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 147 MRS. SWAKTZ [Voice from a distance.] Ja, ja; of course. [As soon as she has gone, MRS. MAGNUS hurries over to the dish of unpeeled potatoes, and begins to scrape them, glancing anxiously at the clock every few minutes. In a short time JANET pushes the side-door open stealthily. She does not see her mother, so steps quietly inside, her hand behind her back. MRS. MAGNUS [Pausing, potato knife in air.] Well, there, Janey. Come in and shut the door. JANET {Dragging in slowly, and holding the package behind her back in the hope that her mother will not notice it.] O, mamma MRS. MAGNUS Where you been, Janey? JANET Just down the street a bit. 148 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL MRS. MAGNUS And what you holding behind your back ? JANET [Bringing out the package.] Something I'm keeping for Sophy. MRS. MAGNUS [Struck by the insincerity of her tone.] Janet Magnus, don't you story to your mother. Hand me that package. JANET I Clinging to it stubbornly. ] It's Sophy's. MRS. MAGNUS Funny Sophy can't keep her own package. You just left her? JANET MRS. MAGNUS [Decidedly.] Now, Janet, this's got to stop. You're not tellin' mamma the truth. That isn't Sophy's package, you hain't just left Sophy, and AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 149 what's more, you didn't do your tasks this after- noon '[Pauses as she points to the rest of the unpeeled potatoes. back from [Pauses, unable to proceed. MRS. MAGNUS [Drops the potato knife, crosses, and shakes JANET'S shoulder.'] From where, Janet Mag- nus, from where ? JANET [Sullenly. ~\ From taking Sophy home. MRS. MAGNUS Tf Sophy went right home, why didn't she take her own package? Janet, give me that package this very minute ! [JANET clutches it tightly, but does not move. MRS. MAGNUS Did you hear me, Janet ? Give me that 150 AMBITION IN WH1TECHAPEL JANET [On the point of breaking down.~\ O O, mamma, don't make me ! MRS. MAGNUS \_Angrily.~\ I'll not have you tellin' me stories and hidin' things maybe wrong things from mamma, Janet; give me that [Just as JANET is on the point of yielding it to her, MB. MAGNUS, a ruddy-faced greengrocer, also with large gingham apron, comes bursting in the door. He is tugging at his apron, in the effort to get it off. MR. MAGNUS Well, wife and Janey; your papa's got the big chance. MRS. MAGNUS [Noting the excitement in his manner, breaks off with JANET, who drops left rear, package still clutched tightly in hands behind her back.'] Whatever you mean, Sol ? MR. MAGNUS [So excited he can- scarcely speak plainly. .] Maybe I get to go in on a big shop, up to Totten- AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 151 ham Court way. Max Spiegel just in here. Max says his boss is lookin' for a partner, nice gentle- man partner, run his shop, and do the buy in' for him when he goes way. Got to take his wife to Wales, wife sick. Needs somebody what knows prawns, prawns and green goods. Now, you know me and prawns ! MRS. MAGNUS [With an excited air of pride.~\ Yes, indeed, no better prawn man in the whole world, says I to Mrs. Swarte to-day. JANET [Also excited.] O papa, then we move up Tottenham Court way, and you make lots of money? MR. MAGNUS [Kindly. ] Maybe, yes, perhaps; but don't count your chickens afore they're out of the egg. Maybe when I get there, the boss has already six partners. MRS. MAGNUS [Anxiously.] You go right off ? 152 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL MR. MAGNUS Sure, Sadie, it ain't the lame horse what reaches the post first. And in my very best clothes, say I MRS. MAGNUS 'Course, I'll get them for you. [Starts for the cabinet. JANET [Intensely excited.~\ They aren't in there, mamma. MRS. MAGNUS [Stops j thunderstruck. ] They ain't since when? Haven't I always kept your father's Sabbath clothes here never touch 'em except finest holidays and days like JANET O, mamma dear, I'm just sure you moved 'em ; don't you remember ? MR. MAGNUS Let your ma alone, Janey, she knows where everything is. [He is busy taking things out of his trousers pockets. AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 153 JANET [Almost frenzied as she sees her mother make for the bottom drawer. .] I tell yon they aren't there. I moved them ! MRS. MAGNUS [Pausing aghast.] You moved them! You moved papa's holiday clothes. Why, Janey, how dared JANET [Beginning to tremble and half -sob.] Not not exactly. I mean MR. MAGNUS [Sternly. ] What's all this about, Janey? MRS. MAGNUS Well, it's jnst good you ask her, Sol. Not a word can T get out of her. JANET [Now sobbing unrestrainedly.] O O mamma MRS. MAGNUS I mean it, I never would 'a told your father, you know that; but it's just too much. Half your work you don't do 154 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL MR. MAGNUS [More sternly.'] She don't, don't she? JANET O O mamma, only to-day MR. MAGNUS [Still sternly.] What else ? MRS. MAGNUS Stories to her mamma. MR. MAGNUS Tells stories! Mus. MAGNUS Well, you ask her about that package behind her back. MR. MAGNUS Come here, Janey. [She obeys.] Now give papa that package. [She hands it over.] But first you tell him what's in it. JANET [Sobbing now so she can scarcely speak.] II can't AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 155 MRS. MAGNUS [Who has been trying the cabinet drawer. ,] Locked ! T declare. Janey, have you got the key? ME. MAGNUS Janey, where is that key ? JANET [Fishing it out from the inside of her shirt- waist.~\ Here. [Is unable to go on. MR. MAGNUS [Beginning to open the package as MRS. MAGNUS unlocks the drawer.] Now, Janey, you tell papa - [JANET, seeing she is about to be discovered, breaks down utterly, and rushes from the room. MR. MAGNUS pulls an apron out of the package and holds it up.~\ Aprons ! MRS. MAGNUS [Pulling several out of the drawer and holding them up also.'] Aprons! [Both, too astounded to speak, can only stare at each other. After a fewmoments MRS. MAGNUS recovers her breath.] Whatever are they for ? 156 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL MB. MAGNUS How should I know ? MRS. MAGNUS [Whispering.] Do you think she could ME. MAGNUS [In a tone of horror, and also whispering.] taken them ? MRS. MAGNUS O, no no not nay Janey, not my Janey. MR. MAGNUS [As he takes a step towards the door.] She'll have to tell me. MRS. LIVINGSTON [A charmingly dressed young woman stands in door of shop which MR. MAGNUS has left open.] May! come in? MRS. MAGNUS You are ? AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 157 MRS. LIVINGSTON Mrs. Livingston. No, you do not know me ; hut I've heard so much of von. I waited quite a while in the shop, and no one came. MR. MAGNUS Beg pardon, madam. Was you a-wantin' something ? MRS. LIVINGSTON f Graciously. ] Only your daughter. MRS. MAGNUS [Thunderstruck."] My little Janey ? MRS. LIVINGSTON Your little Janey. May I speak to her a few moments ? MR. MAGNUS [Suspiciously and forgetting his politeness.^ What for? MRS. MAGNUS Ask the lady to sit down, Sol. [Dusts off a chair with her apron. 158 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL MRS. LIVINGSTON [Charmingly.] Now, don't make me tell you, Pa.pa Magnus. Little Janet and I have been having such a secret ! MRS. MAGNUS [Alarmed.] A secret! With a stranger, from her ma ? Won't you tell us, Mrs. Livingston ? MRS. LIVINGSTON \Coyly.] But I promised MRS. MAGNUS A secret from her ma [Breaks down and begins to cry. MR. MAGNUS You see how she takes it, Mrs. Livingston ? Me and my wife just been having a bit of a scene with Janey MRS. LIVINGSTON O, dear, I only hope it wasn't (), no, it couldn't have been about me and [seeing 'the aprons scattered around the ftoor\ about me and the aprons. AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 159 MK. AND MRS. MAGNUS [Amazed.] You and the aprons ! MRS. LIVINGSTON [Smiling.] Yes, that's the secret. You see your little girl and I are joint members in a secret society. Object: confirmation dress. MR. AND MRS. MAGNUS Confirmation dress ! MRS. LIVINGSTON Yes. Your dear little girl would not allow me to give her one. Her teacher and my friend, Miss Bess, told me that she was unable to be con- firmed because she lacked a dress. MRS. MAGNUS [Head turned away.] Yes we couldn't MRS. LIVINGSTON [Quickly.'] I understand and that's why I was so happy to help her work for it. MR. MAGNUS [His voice husky.] Work for it ! 160 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL MKS. MAGNUS [Softly.] My Janey MRS. LIVINGSTON Yes, the little dear ! Stitching her fingers off making buttonholes on aprons for the orphans. Her last lot was to have been handed in this week, but I wanted to pay her for what she had already done. MRS. MAGNUS [Still clutching an apron.~\ Aprons for the orphans ! MRS. LIVINGSTON Unfortunately I had to be out when she came to-day. I told the maid to ask her to wait, but she said she hadn't time; merely left the aprons and took some new ones home. That's why I came right over to pay her. Now, may I see her for a moment ? MR. MAGNUS [Still a bit confused.] Why of course. [Calls.] Janet, Janet. [She doesn't answer, so he goes in to fetch, her. AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL 161 MRS. LIVINGSTON I'm so sorry, Mrs. Magnus, if all this has caused you any anxiety. MRS. MAGNUS [Twisting her apron excitedly.'] If she'd only 'a told her ma. [MR. MAGNUS enters, dragging the still weeping Janet. MRS. LIVINGSTON Why, Janet dear JANET [Timidly. ,] Yes'm I couldn't wait I had to come home and fix potatoes MRS. LIVINGSTON [Hurrying over and hugging her.] Why, Janet dear, I didn't come to scold you, merely to pay MR. MAGNUS [A Iso petting her clumsily.] But why didn't you tell your pa ? 11 162 AMBITION IN WHITECHAPEL JANET {Looking up for the first time and seeing that he isn't angry.] O papa MRS. MAGNUS [Also crossing and patting her shoulder.'] And your mamma, Janey why didn't you tell your ma ? JANET [A smile breaking through her tears.'] O, mamma, I just wanted to earn it all alone. MRS. LIVINGSTON [As she pets her.] And you have earned it, dearie all alone. JANET [Ecstatically, as if she saw it before her.] My confirmation dress all alone! [They cluster around her in loving sympathy. CURTAIN BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO! BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO! CHARACTERS JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN, owner of a clothing shop. ABRAHAM, his thirteen-year old son. ISAAC, his seven-year old son. HENRY JACOBS CHARLIE STEINEB ARTHUR COHN children attending the Sun- HARRY FRANK day school. SADIE MYERS CLAUDIE ELSON JANIE GARSON BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO! TIME. The present; a Sunday afternoon in June. PLACE. A narrow alley outside of Goldstein's clothing shop. A small town in Pennsyl- vania. DISCOVERED AT RISE OF CURTAIN.- ABIE GOLDSTEIN sitting disconsolate on the steps of the clothing shop. Head sunk in hands, he is idly watching little IKEY play- ing with an old cart-wheel. A Sunday still- ness prevails everywhere, and the bare fronts of houses are not conducive to happi- ness in little ABIE. The alley is narrow and meager, and from the humble frontage of the second-hand clothing shop one may easily judge that MR. GOLDSTEIN is engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle with existence. 166 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO ABIE Aw, Ikey, forget your old cart-wheel. I want to tell you something. IKEY [Having a grand time with the wheel.'] But I want to play circus. ABIE [Tone of awe.~\ Didn't I tell you the cop'd get you Sunday ! IKEY What's Sunday ? ABIE Day you got to keep quiet and think about your sins. IKEY [Still puzzled.'] What's a sins ? ABIE [Cunningly. ,] You just hand me that cart- wheel and and I'll tell you a whopper. BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 167 IKEY [Crossing and rendering the wheel up obe- diently; ABIE keeps fast hold of it so that he may be sure of his audience.] What's a whopper? ABIE [With bated breath.'] What I did in Sunday school. IKEY [Also with lowered breath.~\ In Sunday school ? ABIE [Shaking him.'] S s sh ! You don't need to tell the neighborhood. Ikey, you think you'd understand if I'd tell you ? IKEY [Sitting in loving adoration of big brother, but still with a covetous eye on the cart-wheel.'] I I'll try. ABIE And you'd never tell ? IKEY Honest and true black and blue lay me down and 168 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO ABIE O, it wasn't so fierce. Most important prin- cipal thing is, yon should not tell papa ! I KEY Never tell any one in the world, Abie, only jnst yon please give me my hoop. ABIE Aw, here's your old hoop. [!KEY hugs it feverishly and sits on the steps, all attention.] Now don't you budge while I look if anybody's listening. [Makes a great business of peering in the corners of the alley.] Coast's all clear. Guess pa's sleepin'. IKEY [Not to be diverted.] What's a sins ? ABIE I don't exactly know, 'less it's nature. You know, Ikey, T don't understand about this sin. IKEY [ A s if very anxious to help ABIE understand. ] I tell you, Abie. What's your sins ? BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 169 ABIE [Holding 1 KEY'S hand, and trying to clear up things to his own mind.~\ I don't care I don't understand. It all came out from inside my brain. I didn't want to do it I didn't plan it. But nobody understands, at least no grown folks. IKEY [Anxious to sympathize.'] What's grown folks? ABIE O, everybody fathers and mothers, and auntvS and and Sunday school teachers. IKEY [Tone of awe.~] Sunday school teachers ! ABIE [Still clutching IKEY'S hand.~\ Now, Ikey, I want you to listen ; and remember that not one other soul in this whole world knows anything about this only you. IKEY [Devotedly.'] Yes, Abie, only me! 170 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO ABIE No, sirree; they just think I was crazy or or bad or that all I did was to just purposely imagine IKEY [Perplexed, but ABIE disregards his confu- sion.~\ Just imagine ABIE And, Ikey, every time we had a Bible lesson, I liked it, I did. Do you think I ever told any one what a bully good time I was having in Sunday school ? No, sir ; they wouldn't believe me. IKEY [Wonderingly.~\ Bully time in Sunday school ? , ABIE Yes, sir, I always wanted to go, I did. I was just glad on Saturday, because it was the day before Sunday. Why, I even went to bed early the night before, so's Sunday school would come quicker. Of course, I never told anybody [Suddenly suspicious.'] You'll never tell papa ? IKEY [Solemnly. ~\ I'll never tell papa. BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 171 ABIE [Waxing enthusiastic in reminiscence. ] It was great ! They were all my chums, I tell you ! David was my best chum ; and Jonathan I liked him too! [Whispering.] I never told anybody how keen I was on David ! TKEY [Still perplexed.] David who? ABIE O, just David. He didn't have any last name : he was the only one in the world. IKEY Did you know David ? ABIE Of course, I did. That was all the trouble. I knew him as well as I know you. Used to sit and talk to him ; an' he always told me all his sorrows all the terrible things Saul did to him. T sympathized with David many a time, T did. IKEY [Intensely interested.] You saw him your- self? 172 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO ABIE Of course, I did. That was another part of the sin. Miss Gerty, she said I couldn't see him, and I used to stand up and argue with her. Told her he was just as plain to me as the nose on my face told her I saw David often, and how fine and handsome and everything he was told her I'd seen Jonathan often too, and old Saul. Why, I even knew exactly how long Saul's beard was. And David well, David and I used to talk everything over fine. IKEY [Remembering.^ Was that your sins ? ABIE Wait ! That was only the first part. The most awful sin 'least Miss Gerty made me feel it was awful was when I had to tell about David and Goliath. She shouldn't 'ave asked me about it, 'cause she knew what a good friend of mine he was and how I'd just seen it all IKEY What did you seen ? BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 173 ABIE Look here what I saw. I'll show you just as I showed her. Only she kept saying I hadn't seen it I'd just imagined it and oughtn't / know, whether I'd seen it or not ? [As he draws him- self up to his full height proudly.~\ I showed Miss Gerty exactly what happened ! Showed 'em how David had gone out, and picked up the stones, nice, smooth little round ones, like we got the time we went on the picnic remember ? IKEY IN adding.'] Uh huh. ABIE [As he begins to throw his arms about.] And how he fixed 'em in his little sling; and how he aimed right for the middle of Goliath's head ; and how, whoop ! sizz ! bing ! he hit the giant in the forehead, and zookums over he falls dead ! I told 'em exactly how it all happened. IKEY [Shouting as ABIE is still waving his arms.] You saw all that, Abie, you saw all that? 174 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO ABIE Sure, T saw it all ! Didn't Dave and .1 talk it all over often, how he was going to find the mid- dle of Goliath's forehead ? 'cause right in the middle would be bound to kill him ? And how anxious David was to find the right spot, because if he killed Goliath, all would be up with the Philistines ? And I tell you David gave him his just like this zippity bing zippeee [He waves his arms and aims as if to throw a pebble, when his father steps quietly out upon the door-step. MR. GOLDSTEIN Abie, what are you doing ? ABIE [Subsiding at once and becoming sullen.] Aw nothin'. ME. GOLDSTEIN [Trying to be stern.] Don't you know it's Sunday ? You want to get papa in trouble with the neighbors ? ABIE Aw, they hate us anyway. We're Jews. BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 175 MB. GOLDSTEIN [Ignoring this.'] You tell papa what you were doing. ABIE You wouldn't understand. MR. GOLDSTEIN [More patiently. ] You say the same thing about Sunday school. Now you tell papa, and see if he don't understand. ABIE [Shaking his head sullenly. ] You're grown folks. MR. GOLDSTEIN [More sternly; he has a package and his hat in one hand, and he puts on his hat and turns as if to go.] If you don't tell papa this minute, I go right over to see Miss Gerty. ABIE [In a panic.'] No, oh, no. You don't go to Miss Gerty IKEY [Pleadingly. ,~\ Abie 176 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO ABIE \_In a panic that IKEY will tell, smothers his mouth with his hand.] Look here, papa. I oan't go back to Sunday school, it's it's im- possible. Mn. GOLDSTEIN Unless you tell papa what you did, you got to go back. ABIE I was just bad, I was. You wouldn't under- stand nobody does. {Fiercely. ~\ Think I can go back to a place where they insult my friends ? MR. GOLDSTEIN Listen, Abraham, papa does not understand what you are talking about. Every day for a week I have asked you the same thing, every day you give me the same answer. You want to worry papa, who was so proud of his big boy? You always loved Sunday school now you don't tell papa why you don't go back. I cannot let Ikey play with you {Begins to draw him away.] Come, Ikey, we go to Miss Gerty. BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 177 IKEY [Beginning to cry. ] I want my Abie I want my Abie [ABIE still sullen as he hands IKEY over. MR. GOLDSTEIN Yon won't tell papa ? ABIE [Gulping liard.] I I can't. You wouldn't understand. MR. GOLDSTEIN What you mean insult your friends, Harry, or Charlie, or ? ABIE Aw, no my dearest friends in the whole world. You don't know 'em, nobody does, no- body but me. They only talk to me. MR. GOLDSTEIN [As he draws IKEY away.~\ We go to Miss Gerty unless ? {Last urgent look at ABIE. 12 178 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO ABIE [Head sunk in hands, by this time almost at the point of tears.^ Nobody understands [Mil. GOLDSTEIN drags IKEY away, still rebellious and protesting, and ABIE is left alone on the steps. He emits a peculiar noise, a mixture between a sob and a groan. A little group of boys and girls appear around the corner of the alley ; they spy ABIE, but at first hesitate to come forward. Finally CHARLIE makes the first move, the others come sauntering after, as carelessly as possible. ABIE at first takes no notice of them, then evinces a mild interest. CHARLIE STEINER n'lo, there ABIE H'lo. HARRY FRANK H'lo there, Abie. We missed yon to-day. ABIE [Suddenly suspicious.^ Somebody send .you to get, me ? BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 179 CHARLIE Say, what do you think we are, two-year olds ? We just came to visit you. SADIE MYERS [Softly.] Aren't you glad to see us ? ABIK Aw, yes, of course. Just thought you wanted to rag me about about Sunday school. HENRY JACOBS [Unable to repress 1ii$ curiosity.] Well- why didn't you come back ? ABIE [Immediately on the defensive.] Look here, if you come here to talk about Sunday school CHARLIE [Quickly as he punches HENRY.] Sure not; we never thought of it We just come here to see you. Say, here's a box of candy we brought you. 180 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO ABIE [Rising eagerly. ] Say now, where'd you get that ? Honest, is it for me ? JANIE GARSON Of course, we brought, it to you from the closing exercises. You deserved it. ABIE [Suddenly putting his hand back in his pocket; he had had it extended for the candy. ] Aw, no, I can't take it. CLAUDIE ELSON [Eagerly, as she thrusts it into his hand.] Now it's yours, Abie, don't be foolish ! We all got some, for going all year CHARLIE [Interrupting. ] You're dreaming; it's just localise the Board's always good to us. SADIE MYERS Of course, they are. Aren't we going to have the grandest picniq, up at Cove Hollow and, O Abie, you're to come along! BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 181 ABIE Say now, how do you think I can come along ? I quit Sunday school. What do you think I am ? JAN IE Well, Abie, we're each allowed to invite some- body extra, and I guess you can't, say no, if we all invite you. ABIE [Sheepishly.] You're fool in' ! You haven't any reason to want me. ARTHUR COHN [Who has been squirming around on one foot.] I say, Abie, aren't you goin' to ask us to sit down ? I thought you might want us to play. [Looking around.] My, but you got a grand alley. I wish 1 lived in an alley. ABIE [With pride of place.] Well, an alley has some advantages ; but keep your eye peeled for the cop. Come along inside and help me out with some chairs. f The boys exit into the house, arms linked and the best of friends. As soon as they are inside 182 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO JAN IE [Whispering to the girls.~\ Aren't you glad we came ? I thought it was awful for Abie to be left out of everything. CLAUDIE If we could only make him want to come back to Sunday school SADIE [With an air of determination.] And that's just what we're going to do ! [The boys come out with a few broken chairs, old soap boxes, etc. All settle themselves for a cozy meeting. ABIE [As amiably as possible.^ So long's you got that candy here, you might's well open it ; pass it around. JANIE T guess not. We've all got boxes at home. You keep this yourself. ABIE [Opening it and passing it around.~\ Guess again. Think I want my pa to come home and BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 183 find it? He'd have another reason for wantin' me to go back to Sunday school. HKM;Y Well, it isn't such a hardship. A 13 IK [Sullen again.'] Thought you wasn't gona talk about it ? HARRY [Quickly changing the subject.] Say, Abie, you think the cop don't like us just because he knows we're Jewish ? A i? IK I don't know. Seems to me everybody round here don't like us. Maybe it's because we're Jews, and maybe it's just because we're poor. CLAUDIE Why, Abie, nobody ever hates anybody be- cause they're poor. It isn't their fault, is it ? ABIE [Cunningly.] Think people puzzle out what's other people's fault ? 184 BECAUSE HE LOVED. DAVID SO SADIE Well, if they'd only reason out what the Jews have done for them, and how much we've got to be prond of, they wouldn't hate us at all. ABIE Aw, now, what've we got to be proud of our noses ? HENRY [Getting excited.] You know's well as we do. You remember we're the very oldest reli- gion in the world. Say, if it hadn't been for the Jews, there never would have been any other religion here at all. ARTHUR Say, and you know what grand stories we have about the holidays. You know some of those fine old people back in the Bible ABIE [Still questionin gly.~\ Well, why aren't people nicer to us then ? CHARLIE Because they haven't any better sense. Don't they ought to know if the Jews hadn't held on BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 185 so strong to their religion, there wouldn't be any religion for them at all? ABIE [Sarcastically.] You don't say so? Discover that all for yourself? HARRY [Hotly. ~\ I should say we're just about the fathers of the whole world. We came first, and everybody else was glad to come snooping after. CLAUDIB Yes, and we went through the most awful tor- tures too. Joan of Arc wasn't in it. ARTHUR Ah, now, Abie, you remember how they put irons in their arms and feet and even hung 'em up by the hair just because they refused to give up their religion. ABIE [Still critically.'] Too bad we couldn't have lived then known some of those old sports all right. 186 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO JANIE Why, you've got a chance, all of us have, every day, to do something for our religion. You don't even want to be a Jew ! ABIE [A bit shamefaced.] Yes, I do. I just don't want to go to Sunday school. CLAUDIE [Softly.] Not even to tell about your David ? ABIE [Angrily.] You forget my David ! CHARLIE [Reminiscently.] I guess that was some fight between David and Goliath. I never heard anybody tell it like you, Abie. Why, I could just see that fine young fellow pasting the old heathen right between the eyeballs some fight all right! JANIE [Softly.] But I love Jonathan. I just wish I could meet Jonathan. Wasn't he the sweetest thing, all he did to save David and he no rela- tion at all ? BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 187 HARRY They've none of them got anything on Judas Maccabeus, that old warrior. Weren't they right to call him the Hammer ? Why, I wor- ship him more than more than Julius Caesar ! SADIK [Reflectively.] You can have your Judases and Jonathans and Solomons and even your Samuels and Moseses and Elijahs but as for me, you just give me David. I'd give anything if once 3 in my whole life 1 could see David! ALL [Breaking in together.] You've seen him, Abie ; tell us about him do ! ABIE [Incredulous.] You really want me to tell yon about him '. ALL Sure we do ; that's what we came for. ABIE [Still incredulous.] But Miss Gerty 188 BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO JANIE She was proud of you, she was; only, of course, she had to seem to be angry, but in her heart of hearts she was proud ! ABIE Proud ? She sent me home. HARRY What did you expect, when you got up and argued with her that you'd seen David and all. ABIE But T had seen David. CLAUDIE Not really, Abie, you know not really. ABIE [Weakening. ] Maybe not exactly. SADIE Well, I know Miss Gerty was proud, because she felt terrible you didn't come to-day, and she sent you this box of candy. BECAUSE HE LOVED DAVID SO 189 ABIE [Astonished.] She sent me JANIE Yes, Abie, and she just had to call you down because yon were getting so excited, and because you showed us how you loved David so. ABIE [ Eagerly.] And you think 1 could come buck even if I loved David so? A T.I. [Crowding around him in eager welcome.} Sure, just because you loved David so ! [As they say these last words, MR. GOLD- STEIN, Miss GEBTY, and little I KEY overhear and peer around the corner. MR. GOLDSTEIN makes a step forward, but Miss GERTY, seeing that the recal- citrant lamb has already been wel- comed to the fold, draws MR. GOLD- STEIN back by the coat sleeve and mur- murs, " Because he loved David so." 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