Stack Annex PS 1214 E85 1909 r French s International Copyrighted (in tnglana, her Colonies, and the United States) Edition of the Works of the Best Authors. 15005 73 . H Comet> 2>rama in Jf our Bets ? BY FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT \: AND WILLIAM H. GILLETTE COPYRIGHT, 1881, BY MRS. FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT AND WILLIAM H. GILLETTE COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY MRS. FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT AND WILLIAM H. GILLETTE (IN RENEWAL) u CAUTION. AM persons are hereby warned theft " Bonoralcfa," being fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States, is subject to royalty ; and any one presenting the play, without the consent of the authors, or their authorized agent, will be liable to the penalties by law provided Application for stage rights must be made to SAMUEL, FRENCH. ALL RIGHTS HHtEKVEO THE LIBRARY tttRSm OF CALIFq PRICE 25 CENTS V YORK L FRENCH hLISHER 38TH STREET LONDON SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. 26 SOUTHAMPTON STREB.T, STRAND * FRENCH S STANDARD DRAMA. Price 15 Cents each. Bound Volumes $1.25. VOL. I. VOL. XI. VOL. XXI. VOL. XXXI. 1 Ion 81 Julius Cssar 161 All s Fair in Lore 241 Merry Wives of Windto, J Fazio 82 Vicar of Wakefield 162 Hofer 242 Mary s Biitl.duy 1 The Lady ol Lyoni 4 Richelieu 83 Leap Year 84 The Catspaw 163 Self 164 Cinderella 243 Shaudv Maguire 244 Wild Oats 5 The Wife fo The Passing Cloud 165 Phantom 24.i Michael Erie The Honeymoon 86 Drunkard 166 Franklin [Moscow . 46 I, Hot Witness 1 The School for Scandal 87 Rob Roy 167 The Gunmaker of 247 Willow Copse 8 Money Sa George Barnwell 168 The Love 01 Prince 248 People t Lawyer VOL. II. VOL. XII. VOL. XXII. VOL. JCXkll. The Stranger 89 Ingomar 169 Son of the Night 249 Tht Boy Martvrt 10 Grandfather Whitehead 90 Sketches In India 170Rory O More 250 I.ucretia Borgiti 11 Richard III 91 Two Friends 171 Golden Eagle 251 Surgeon of Parii 12 Love s Sacrifice 9 Jane Shore 72 Rienii 252 Patrician s Daughte* 13 The Gamester 93 Corsican Brothers 173 Broken Sword 253 shoemaker of Toul use 14 A Cure for the Heartache 54 Mind vourown Business 174 Rip Van Winkle 251 Momentous Question 15 The Hunchback 16 Don Casar de Baian 95 Writing on the Wall 98 Heir at Law 175 Isabelle 176 Heart of Mid Lothian 255 Love and Loyalty 256 Robber s Wife VOL. 111. VOL. XIII. VOL. XXI11. VOL. XXXIII. 17 The Poor Gentleman 97 Soldier s Daughter 177 Actress of Padua 257 Dumb Girl of Genoa 18 Hamlet 9- Douglas 178 Floating Beacon 2.i8 Wreck Ashore 19 Charles II S9 .Marco Spada 179 Bride ol Lammermoor 259 Cl.iri 20 Venice Preserved 100 Nature s Nobleman 18" Cataract of the Gangei 260 Rural Felicity 21 Pizarro 10) Sardanapalus 181 Robber of the Rhine 261 Wallace 22 The Love Chase 10-. Civilization 182 School ol Reform 262 Madelaine 23 Othello I(i3 The Robbers 183 Wandering boyt 263 The Fireman 24 Lend me Five Shillings 104 Katharine and Petruchlo 134 Mazeiipa 264 Grist to the Mill VOL. IV. VOL. XIV. VOL. xxiv. VOL. XXXIV. 85 Vlrginius 105 Game of Love 185 Young New York 266 Two Loves and a Life 26 King of the Comment 106 Midsummer Night t 186 The Victimt 266 Annie Blake S7 London Assurance 107 Ernestine [Dream 187 Romance after Marriage 267 Steward 88 The Rent Day 108 Rag Picker of Paris 1X8 Biigand 268 Captain Kyd 29 Two Gentlemen of Verona 109 Flying Dutchman 139 Poor of New York 269 Nick of the Woodt 30 The Jealous Wife 1 io Hypocrite 190 Ambrose Gwinett 270 Marble Heart 81 The Rivals 1 1 1 Ther..< 191 Raymond and Agnei 271 Second Love 32 Perfection 112LaTourdeNesl 192 Gambler s Kale 272 Dream at Sea I VOL. V. [Debts VOL. XV. VOL. XXV. Vol.. XXXV. 18 A New Way to Pay Old 113 rreiand As It Ik 193 Father and Son 273 Breach of Promise 34 Look Before -You Leap 114 Sesof Ice 194 Mussaniello 274 Review 35 King John 115 Seven Clerks 195 Sixteen String Jack 275 Lady of the Lake Nervous Man 116 Gameot Life 196 Youthlul Queen 276 Stilf Waler Runs Deep 37 Damon and Pythias 117 Forty Thieves 197 SMeton Witness 277 The Scholar 38 Clandestine Marriage 118 Brva n Boroihme 198 Innkeeper of Abbeville 276 Helping Hands 39 William Tell 40 Day after the Wedding 119 Rom ai ice and Reality 120 L golino l J9 Miller and his Men 2 Aladdin 279 Faust nnd Marguerite 2*0 Last Man VOL. VI. 41 Speed the Plough 42 Romeo and Juliet \ -L. XVI. 121 The Tempo! 122 The Pilot VOL. XXVI. 201 Adrienne the Actreu 202 Undine VOL. XXXVI. Sal Belle s Stratagem 2f>2 Old and Young 43 Feudal Times 123 Carpenter of Rouen 203 Jesse Brown 283 Ra.faella 44 Charles the Twelfth 15 The Bride 1 4 King s Rival 12ft Little Treasure 204 Atmodeus 205 Mormons 284 Ruth Oakley 285 British !-Jlf ve 16 The EMIies of a Night 126 Dombey and Son 21.6 Blanche of Brandy wine 2*>6 A Life g iiansom 12" Parents and Guardians 2u7 Viola 287 Giralda ^ - ^j w 118 Jewess 208 Deseret Deserted 28 Time Trie- All amHjsar o VOL. XVII. VOL. XXVII. <BAi VII. 199 Camille 209 Americans in Paris VOL. XXXVII. 49 Road to Hkto 5(1 Macbeth *A 130 Married Life 131 Wenlock of Wenlock 210 Victorine 211 Wizard of the Wave 289 Ella Rosenl.urg 29(i Warlock of the Glen 51 Temper \ ^ 132 Rose of Etlrickvale. 21 2 Castle Spectre 291 Zelina 52 Evadne trX \xV i3 Bertram \* ^f 133 David Copperfield 134 Aline, or the Rose of 213 Horse-shoe Robinson 21, Armand, Mrs. Mowatt 292 Beatrice 2*3 Neighbor Jackwood >5 Much A,)AboulNthIng 135 Pauline [Klllarney 136 Jane Eyre 21 . . Fashion, Mrs. Mowatt 216 Glance at New York 294 Wonder 295 Robert Kmmet VOL.1lftl. ^- 57 The Apostate _ ^ " J. 68 Twelfth Nighfyi yf) 59 Brutus 80 Simpson A Co ft 61 Merchant of Venlce*>. ^ VOL. xvm. W Night and Morning 134xEthiop 39 Thr.-e Guardsmen VOL. XXV1IL 317 Inconstant 218 Uncle Tom i Cabin 219 Guide to the Stage 220 Veteran 221 Miller of New Jersev 222 Dark Hour before Dawn 296 Green Bu.-het VOL. XXXVIII. 297Floweisol the Forest 298 A Bachelor of Arts . The Midnight Banquet 300 Husband of in Hour 301 Love s I.auoi Lost 62 Old Heads* Voting HMas llWir n enM a l *ri v e rt 223 Midsnm rNight sDream 302 Naiad Queen 63 Mountaineers [rCg 64 Three Weeks after MaF J4S(U Dragoons i \|tVOL. XIX. [Laura Keene s Edition 224 Art and Artifice 303 Caprice 304 Cradle of Liberty VOL. IX. i6 Love VlS Drtt, or the Dismal [Swamp VOL. XXIX. 225 Poor Young Man VOL. XXX IX. 805 The Lost Ship 6 As Yon Like Tt 67 The Elder Brother 146 LasOays of Pompeii 147 EimeraliU 226 Ossawattomie Brown 227 Pope of Rome 306 Country Sqnire 307 Fraud audits Victim. 68 Werner 148 I eter WlUins 228 Oliver Twist 308 Putnam 6 .) Gisipput 149 Ben the Bolts wain 2 !9 Pauvrett* 309 Kingund Desorter 70 Town and Countrr 150 Jonathan Bradford 230 Man in the Iron Mask 310 La F ammina 71 King Lear 151 Retribution 231 Knight of Arva M SIM.J,^^,.,,.,., 72 Blue Devils 152 Mineral! 232 Moll Pitcher A12 Gwinnette Vauirhan VOL. X. VOL. XX. VOL. XXX. v<)i 73 Henry VIII 1S3 French Spv f .-.*.! T>l-_l. 17 -J 74 Married and Single 154 V, ept of Wish-ton Wish 75 Henrv IV 155 Evil Genius 76 PaufPrv 77 Guy Mannering 78 Sweethearts and Wives 156 Ben Bolt 158 Red Mask .., ,.> ..MU.U, ...... ,.,_^^_ 237 Six Degrees of Crime ^E 238 The Lady and the Devil 3l"E 79 Serious Family 159 Life of an Actrese 239 AvenireKorMoorofSici-1319 Ivanhne 80 Sue Stoops to Conquer loO Wedding Day 240 Masks and Faces [ly ; 3 20 Jonathan in Eueland (French s Standard Drama Continued on jd page of Cover.) SAMUEL FRENCH, 28-30 West 38th Streejt, New York City. New an1 Explicit Descriptive Catalogue Mailed Pree <HI Reaues ESMERALDA BY FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT AND WILLIAM H. GILLETTE CAUTION. All persons are hereby warned that "ESMERALDA," being fu ! protected under the copyright laws o( the United States, is subject to royalty ; and any one presenting the play, without the consent of the authors, or their authorized agent, will be liable to the penalties bylaw provided. Application for stage rights must be made to SAMUEL FRENCH. COPYRIGHT, 1881, BY MRS. FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT AND WILLIAM H. GILLETTE COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY MRS. FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT AND WILLIAM H. GILLETTE (IN RENEWAL) NEW YORK SAMUEL FRENCH PUBLISHER 38-30 WEST 38TH STREET LONDON SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. 26 SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND THE LIBRARY ERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES ORIGINAL CAST OF CHARACTERS AS PRODUCED AT THB MADISON SQUARE THEATRE, NEW YORK, OCTOBER 29TH, 1881 ESMERALDA CAST OF CHARACTERS 1. MR. ELBBRT ROGERS, a North Carolina Farmer MR. LESLIE ALLHN 2. MRS. LYDIA ANN ROGERS, his wife KATK DENIN WILSOH 8. Mi?s ESMERALDA ROGERS, his daughter ANNIE RUSSELL -*. DAVE HARDI-, a young North Carolinian EBEN PLTMPTON o. MR. ESTABROOK, a man of leisure THOMAS WHIFFEN 6. MR. JACK DESMOND, an American artist in Paris E. A. MCDOWELL 7. Miss NORA DESMOND, his sister AGNES BOOTH 8. Miss KATE DESMOND, his sister MAT GALLAGHER 9. "MARQUIS" DE MONTESSIN, a French adventurer. .DAVENPORT BEBUS 10. GEORGE DREW, an American speculator EDWIN KNOWLE 11. SOPHIE, a maid CLARA HYAT* THB FIRST RUN AT THE MADISON SQUARE THEATRE WAS 350 NIGHT8 Stadt Annex ESMERALDA ACT I. BCENE. Door L door L 8. R 2 windows G. Table (round) up C o little. Fireplace L 2. Spinning wheel up R. Large chair down L. Room in Rogers house, North Carolina. Rough board or log interior. DREW appears at door R and knocks looks in a little and knocks again. Louder. DREW, (outside at windoic) There doesn t seem to be anyone about, (steps in and looks about entering) From the general aspect of things I should say it wouldn t be difficult to make a bargain with them and a good one. They are generally pretty innocent. Now if Estabrook will keep quiet, (looking around, goes to door off L R of ivindow) Estabrook! Esta oh, he s making a sketch of some confounded thing or other, (calls) Estabrook ESTA. (outside R) Don t make such, a row. I hear you. DREW. Well, come in. ESTA. In a moment. DREW, (in lowered voice) But I ve something rather important to say to you. ESTA. (outside) Oh, you have. All right. Don t be in such a tremendous hurry. I m coming, my dear fellow. (enters with sketch-book, pencils, etc., hastily gathered up) With all respect for energy of character I must confess that it jars on the pastoral nature of the scene. What s thf difficulty? Business again, I suppose, (goes down R) DREW, (down C) What were you sketching? ESTA. Oh, I just caught a glimpse of Old Bald, you know, and it wasn t so bad, either trifle comical to be sure, but with a decided atmosphere of antiquity about it. So I just jotted that is I was about to jot when oh! this is the house where the owner of the unlimited vein of iron ore 3 2115005 DREW, (puts hand over ESTABROOK S mouth quickly; .ESTA. drops books, stool, etc.) For heaven s sake, keep still. ESTA. My dear fellow, there s a vigor about you that might well be toned down to advantage, (picks up books) DREW. (C) Look here I must make a bargain with these people. It s a matter of thousands of dollars. ESTA. (R innocently) On their side? DREW. Well, no, not exactly. Rather more in another direction. I bought three farms over in Yancey County last week for a song, and there was a vein of iron ore on them worth two hundred thousand dollars. ESTA. (regarding him with some curiosity) There was, eh ? And how did the transaction strike you ? DREW. It struck me as a decidedly good thing. ESTA. It did? Well, I suppose it s a matter of taste. DREW. What do you mean? ESTA. Oh, only that it scarcely struck me in that way. Matter of temperament, I dare say, and all that sort of thing. Struck me as rather shabby, don t you know. DREW. Oh, that s sentiment, and the Grand Consolidated Ferro-Auriferous Mining Company don t deal in sentiment. I must find someone, (goes toicard door, L S) ESTA. (looking around) And this is tbe house the little house they live in and there s a simplicity about it DREW. Never mind the simplicity about it. I want to find the people, (knocks on door. ESTA. seats himself R, leisurely, and opens sketch book) ESTA. They re hoeing corn somewhere and for a study in green DREW. Confound studies in green, (knocks again) I don t believe there s a soul in the place. ESTA. There isn t. I tell you they re ^ill hoeing corn. DREW, (knocks more violently) Hallo there hallo ESTA. Sit down, Drew, and take it easy you may as well. I m going to make a sketch of this interior there s an atmosphere about it. DREW. Oh, the deuce. I didn t come here after an at mosphere. I came on business. ESTA. (Reflectively absorbed in sketch) As I said, you get simplicity in these mountain regions simplicity of de sign. (Take your head out of the way, Drew.) You lack curve, but you get simplicity. DREW. Are you actually making a picture of this ehanty? (coming C) ESTA. I m making an effort in that direction. DBEW. (Sits down L of G table and produces piece */ ESMERALDA". g ore ) By Jove, it s the richest I ever struck. Talking of simplicity, think of the simplicity of a man who plants and hoes corn, year after year, on a vein ore that might make a millionaire of him. That s what this particular lunatic has been doing. ESTA. And now the Grand Consolidated Ferro-Au- riferous Mining Company proposes to take it in charge. DREW. That lot of rock is worth thousands of dollars thousands; and the owner is probably at this moment hoe ing corn preparatory to coming home to his supper of corn bread and bacon. ESTA. (reflectively) Look here! That s a situation if a man was going to write a book. DREW. It s a situation if a man wasn t going to write a book, (springs up impatiently icalks up and down) By Jove I wish he d come. ESTA. (still reflecting) And yet it s going to slip through his fingers poor old chap. DREW, (stopping in his walk, C) And the railroad just through to Elizabethville. (takes out note-book) Let s see. (sound of chopping wood back of house; eagerly) There s some one at last, (hurries to door L 3 E) Hallo hallo you I say ( to ESTA. ) He s chopping wood. Hallo (chopping sound ceases) Hallo, sir. ROGERS, (from outside, off L) Hallo (calling to someone) Mother, I low y re wanted. Some un s a hol- lerin . Mother Lyddy Ann ! ! DREW. Lyddy Ann! Who is Lyddy Ann? Who wants to see Lyddy Ann! (sound of wood chopping begins again) Say Hallo there You. Hallo I say!! (wood chopping sound stops) ROGERS. Mother whar air ye? Some un s hollerin at the door. Lyddy Ann DREW. No, it s you I want. ^ Can t you come here for a few moments. (Cross down L ly table. Old man ROGERS is heard shuf fling through the house.) ROGERS, (appearing at door L 8 E) She ain t yere. DREW. (L) Who ain t here? ROGERS, (at door) She ain t Lyddy Ann mother, you know. DREW. Do you mean your wife? ROGERS, (nervously) Y-yes thet s her I mean mother. DREW. I don t want your wife. ROGERS. (C coming C. Pause surprise) Who d ye want then? Esmeraldy? g ESMERALDA. * DBEW. No, I want the man who owns this farm around here. It s rather a barren pJace, but I thought ROGERS. Wall mother she s out somewhares. DREW. Look here. Is this farm hers or yours? ROGERS. Wall, I reckin I paid fer it sorter but mother she she kinder runs it an I don t low to enter feer much. Thet s the way it is. (with an effort at cheerfulness) But won t you set down? DREW, (sits L) Thanks. ROGERS, (glances toward ESTA.) Ain t he long with ye ? DREW. Yes Oh yes Estabrook this is the gentle man I was looking for. (EsTA. rises and comes forward. Old man shakes his hand with tremendous cordiality, rather to ESTA. S bewilder ment.) ROGERS. Howdy! Howdy! I m glad ter be made ac quainted. Rogers is my name. Set down set down. (gets chair from R of table and sets it L of ESTA. sits) Mother, she ll be pow rfle glad ter see ye pow rfle. Be ing raised in Lizbethville like she was, it kinder goes hard with her bein so fur away from folks, an she s allus mighty glad ter see strangers, an g?t em ter talk ter her. Whar air ye from ? (All seated.) ESTA. New York^- as much as anywhere. ROGERS. Lor , how tickled mother wud be ter see ye. She hain t never ben ter New York, but Lizbethville that ye know, whar she was raised it kinder made her feel like she knowed sutJiin of how New York was. Thar s three churches to Lizbethville, an four stores, an a post office. She s high-sperreded 4 mother is. (coughs uneasily) DREW. And you say she takes charge of your farm for you? ROGERS. Waal yes she kinder runs thinsrs. She s a pow rfle manager, mother is an she s high spereted, and it s waal it s kinder easier ter let her. An her bein raised in Lizbethville makes her more businessliker then me an Esmeraldy. ESTA. (to ROGERS) And who is Esmeralda? ROGERS, (brightening visibly) She s my little gal tleast she ain t so little now. She s eighteen years old an goin ter be married Lor just ter think of her agoin ter be married. DREW. Speaking of Mrs. Rogers. ROGERS. Of which? DREW. Of Mrs. Rogers your wife- ESMERALDA. 7 ROGERS. Oh ye mean mother thet s so. DREW. Yes. I suppose the land around here isn t good for much. Now yours, for instance. What is her opinion of it? ROGERS. Her opinion (hesitating) Of of the land? DREW. Yes. What do* you think she d call it worth? ROGERS. Waal, I dunno so much ahout thet. DREW. Hasn t she ever given you her opinion of it? ROGERS, (slowly) Waa-al no not eggzackly. She s kinder confined herself more ter givin me her opinion o me fer buyin it. (put chair back) DREW. Oh, that s it, is it? ROGERS. That s more it then the other. DREW. Um! What does she say? ROGERS. Wall she sez a heap, now an agin when she gits started on thet, we kinder change the subjick. DREW. She doesn t hold it of much account, of course. ROGERS, (glances cautiously round, takes chair towards DREW, leans foncard and lays hand impressively on DREW S knee) She won t never fergive me fur buyin it as long ez she drors breath. When she thinks of it it s like a red- hot coal a-touchin her an it s something like the same way with me. I ve sorter found out through her ez I was a derned fool fer buyin it, an ef I d had the sense an speret of a of a waal, of anything that can be set low enough, I d never done it. (sighs and draws tack) That s what I ve gethered from little things she s let fly when her speret was up ye kin allus gather a right smart from what mother sez them times. DREW, (cross to C) Well, I suppose she ll be here be fore long, won t she? You see I have a little idea (rises) That is, it occurred to me that possibly ROGERS, (suddenly) Say! Was ye thinkin o stayin round yere till she comes? DREW. Yes. ROGERS. An talkin to her about the land? DREW. Yes, I wanted to have a little talk with loth of you. ROGERS. (hurriedly rising) Oh, ye won t need me when ye git her started ye won t need me. I reckin I ll hev to go and get a load o Avood about about ten miles from yere. I low I d better start right now (about to put chair B of table) Ye won t need me when ye git her started about the land, (going) DREW, (catching his arm) Look here, you mustn t go. (gently pushes him back into seat) ROGERS, (nervously) Thet thar wood we can t do without it. (desperately) Ye don t know nothin . ESMERALDA. sits, tries to allay his fears.) ESTA. (aside) Oh, this is a shame to get the poof old chap s land like this it s a rascally shame, by Jove. (go up R then down L goes to fireplace) MRS. EOGERS. (speaking from outside) Esmeralda, where s your father? . ROGERS, (rise) Thar thar she is an thet thar wood, (go up C come "back -for chair, put it in place) DREW. Look here the best thing for you to. do is to take us over the farm I want to take a look at it. Sup pose we go before she comes, (rising) I think we d just as well MRS. ROGERS, (outside) Esmeralda Esmeralda!! ROGERS, (going quickly toward door L C Stopping) Les go les go she b ain t feeling her best I kin tell. (beckons DREW vigorously and exits off L C) DREW. (At C D) All right, Estabrook if you don t want to come with us you ll find a yellow dog at the side of the house, (pointing) There s more atmosphere about him than anything else on this place. ESTA. (go to B of DREW) Hang the yellow dog. I m going to see this thing out. DREW, (finger to lip cautiously) Keep quiet, old chap. ESTA. Drew, it s a shame it s a confounded shame. (going) And such an innocent old fellow, too. (exit with DREW L C off L) (Enter MRS. ROGERS R; she looks about R 3 E.) MRS. ROGERS. There was some one here I heard him talking, (looking out window E) There they go what did he take them away for without letting me see them? (pause; turns away in sullen disappointment) Always drudge drudge drudge nothing else and no chance of anything else. I ought to be used to it by this time. But I suppose I never will be. It comes over me morning, noon and night. And there s no escape. I was a fool. There wasn t a man in Lizabethville or round I mightn t have had when I was teaching school there and some have done well since then done well and moved off to big cities. And for a mere fancy a whim I came to this to drudge my life out on a rocky farm and never see a BOU! from month s end to month s end. And I was a hand some girl, too and always had it in me to kind of long for what was going on outside. What fools girls are. Well, it s done, but I never forget it and I know it doesn t do any good I know it I know it. (sits L of table having put chair there) ESMERALDA. 9 (ESMEBALDA enters door with pail stops looks timidly at MRS. R.; advances till she stands near her.) ESM. (L C timidly) Mother MRS. R. Oh. you re there are you? What makes you slink about that way, as if you were scared? That s another cf your father s ways. Where have you been ? ESM. (nervously) I ve been pulling the corn for sup per and here it is, mother. MRS. R. Here it is! Where? It isn t in the pail. ESM. (looks in pail; then embarrassed) Oh I I must have left it there. We were talking and he laid it down by me on the grass and I think I forgot it. I ll go and get it. (puts pail near door L C; turns to go) MRS. R. Stop! Who was with you? ESM. ( looking doicn ) Dave, mother MRS. R. Don t hang you head down as if you had no spirit in you. That s another of your father s ways. You two are so alike you drive me wild. What was it you were talking about? ESM. We were talking he was saying he was say ing MRS. R. (sharply) Did it take him a week to say it? (ESM. looks up piteously) Well, go on. ESM. If if you don t mind I ll call him, mother and he ll tell you himself. He s down by the bars he wanted to come in with me but MRS. R. But what? You were afraid to let him, I sup. pose. As if I didn t know what he wanted. ESM. (timidly draws near MRS. R. and lays hand on her "nrm) Don t be angry, mother, please don t. It s all my fault. Don t let what I do make you blame Dave or or father, (up to door, L of it) MRS. R. (relenting a little) It s not so much your fault as your father s. You get it all from him. You d be well enough if you had more spirit and set more value on yourself, (rises; crosses L to R) ESM. (looks out of door quickly) Mother, he s coming. MRS. R. Well, you might have done better. (aside) If there was any sort of a chance for her around here, I d never listen to it for a moment. If we lived in Lizbethville. ESM. (coming down C) Here he is, mother. (DAVE enters L C and goes at once to ESM. and takes her hand, ichich seems to nestle in his as if it had found a safe resting place. MRS. R. looks at them.) * DAVE. (R of. ESM.) Well, Mrs. Rogers, maybe you kcow how it is with us. 1(J ESMERALDA. MBS. R. (rather sullenly) Oh, yes, I know I d have been blind not to have seen it. DAVE. And I hope you ve nothing particular against it. MRS. R. Nothing particular no more than I ve noth ing particular for it. DAVE. I know I ain t good enough for her, but MBS. R. Well, she might have done better, (sits L.) DAVE. She might have found a richer fellow and a smarter fellow, but she couldn t have found one anywhere who d think more of her. (looking down at ESM., who nestles close to his side L) I ain t much of a fellow to talk, but there s no telling how dear this little girl is to me. ESM. I shouldn t care for money, mother. I shouldn t know what to do with it; but when I go away from father dear, gentle father I couldn t bear to go to any one who was different and Dave I I ve known Dave so long, (hides face on his shoulder.) DAVE. She s known me so long that she kinder trusts in me she kinder trusts in me, Mrs. Rogers and I reckon you can trust me, too. MBS. R. I haven t anything against you. ESM. (looking up; crossing to R) Tell her about the little house, Dave. MRS. R. What house? DAVE. (C) I ve been building a house for my wife. I drove the last nail yesterday, and it s standing there under the chestnut trees waiting for some one to look at it and tell me where to put things so s to have em handy for the one that s going to be mistress. ESM. (laughingly and clinging to DAVE S hand) And he never told me a word of it until to-day and it s so far off the road that no one has seen it and father knew" it all the time, but he never said a word, (crosses to fire place, puts pail up above it and comes down a little) MRS. R. (looks pleased) Oh, you ve built a house. Well, that shows you ve got something in you. What kind of a house is it? DAVE. Frame, and pretty enough, too. Oh, yes, it s pretty taint built for me, you know a rough chap like me could get along with any place. Lor how often I ve said that while I was at work on it. Taint for you so much, says I, though maybe you ll be kinder allowed round if you behave yourself. (laughs in great enjoyment of the joke) Taint for you, says I, but for a creature with soft ways and she s got to be kept in mind make your stairs easy, I says, for she s going up em every day Heaven bless Rer. Fix the shelves the right height. Drove in one nail last night for a sunbonnet to be slung upon a little white Buntonnet, and I stood and looked at it in the twilight until ESMERALDA. H I swear I could see that little bonnet hang there. It was the last thing I did to the house. And there it stands wait ing. And if anything should happen to part us though, thank God, nothing could it would stand there waiting until it fell away board from board, and there wasn t any thing left of it. (clasps ESM. to his heart; laughs) (Enter ROGERS, followed ~by DREW and EST.) ROGERS, (up L) Oh, she s yere an an so s Esnter- aldy, an Dave. Dave, he s yere, too. EST. (goes down R. MRS. R. up to front of table. DAVE and ESM. go L, to chair, bench.) EST. Yes, to be sure they are both here apparently though of course I only offer this as an individual opinion. ROG. (go down L at the side) (Dejectedly L C) They re all yere. (DREW is down R C) (Drops helplessly on seat) An ye may as well tell her. (Shakes head) Oh, Lor how it ll set her a plannin an a doin an a stirrin things up. ESM. (going to and kneeling by L of ROG., anxiously) Why, father, what is it? What has happened? Oh!! ROG. (puts arm round her; looks up at DAVE resignedly and nods) Howdy, Dave, howdy. (to ESM.) Taint nothin* partickler, honey; ask him. (nodding towards DREW.) MRS. R. (glances from one to another indignantly) Don t make a fool of yourself, Elbert. It s easy enough to see what the matter is. It s something about the land, and it s nothing more than I ve looked for, either. Haven t I told you for the last twenty years? ROG. (meekly) Yes, ye ve told me, mother; but ye ain t never told me this pertickler thing, (aside) Lor Lor , how it ll set agoing. DREW. (R C. To EST.) Now you ll see how we do it. (To MRS. R. ) Madame, allow me to explain. (DAVE, ROGERS and ESM. up to window) MRS. R. (X over to DREW; working herself into a rage) Oh, you can t tell me anything it s the land or the taxes for the land. It s been that way ever since I set foot on the place. I m tired of it. DREW. (R C) I don t wonder at it. Would you sell it cheap ? MRS. R. Cheap? I d sell it for almost nothing. DREW. What would you say to five hundred dollars? MBS. R. Will you give that? 12 ESMERALDA. DREW. I will, if you ll settle the matter right up now, as I m in something of a hurry. If you agree, I ll pay you the money down ; if you say no, that ends it. MRS. R. I ll do it. (ROGERS and ESM., who have watched the whole affair icith breathless interest, are much grieved. Old man covers his face with his hands and bows his head, DAVE motionless behind chair L.) DREW. All right; and if you please, we ll settle the matter at once, (glancing R) The sun is nearly down now, and I must make the train at Elizabethville to-night. .Now (drawing papers from pocket) We ll just put our names to an agreement, and I ll give you the cash or a draft on New York, whichever you please. MRS. R. Very well. Just step in here (pointing R) where there s a place to write. Come, (to ROGERS; near door) What is it we ve got to sign? DREW. (C) Only a sort of a memorandum your promise that you ll give me a deed to the land, that s all. (X to D L) You know I couldn t pay you the money with out some guarantee. (R) EST. (R. Aside) There s an atmosphere of State prison about this. MRS. R. (L by door, but above it. DREW L 3 after EST. goes to him) ROG. (X up to door R of her) Mother ye ain t really goin ter sell the old place? MRS. R. Of course I am, and glad of the chance. Come! Roo. But, mother ESM. (having Xed to table C) Mother MRS. R. Don t talk I m going to do it. (exit L) ROG. (to ESM. as they follow her) I wish mother wouldn t be quite so sudden sorter. ( exit with ESM. 1 ) (The setting sun throws a red glow on DAVE, who stands motionless. After a moment he moves a little uneasily; goes and looks off where they have exeunted. Troubled) DAVE, (up L) There s something wrong, (pause, medi tates) There s something wrong. (X to table. Stands, troubled, musingly; suddenly) Oh, if I only knew more. (pause, suddenly exultant) But no one can hurt Esmeraldy. No. She ll come to the little "house that s waiting. I ll take care of her. (pause, suddenly downcast again) But the old man? There s something wrong. He didn t look like a man that would cheat, but you can t tell, (shakes head, then goes and looks in door) They re writing down their names now and Esmeraldy s crying. Oh (exclamations of ESMERALDA. 13 unavailing rage; paces restlessly down) I ve seen those men before yes, I saw em on the hill over and one ol em was picking up stone and hammering pieces off the e there s ore on this farm am I too late? (runs to door) Yes! (staggers back) They have signed! (starts; an idea occurs to him, opens door and speaks in) Would you come here a moment? (nodding) You, sir, yes. Could you come out here? I want to see you. Quick, (go down L Cor.) (DREW appears at door L.) DREW. Did you want to see my friend ? DAVE, (turning) If you ll please come here. It s very important, sir. (DREW hesitates a moment, looks back through door; appar ently satisfied^ comes quickly down R. DAVE moves down a little and, without apparent effort, comes round between DREW and the door. DREW stands and regards DAVE in a little surprise. DAVE looks calmly at DREW; the red of the setting sun illuminating his face.) DREW. (R C) Well, sir? (sit) DAVE, (by door L. Quietly) The old man s a friend of mine. DREW, (slight pause) Oh, he is; glad to hear it. DAVE. He s as good as a father to me, and I m going to ee that he s treated fair. r DREW, (quietly) What do you mean? DAVE. I don t mean anything but this. There s ore on this place. (DREW makes a quick motion towards door. DAVE stands before him. Pause. They regard each other. Quietly) I thought so. DREW. (R C) Young man, you are too late; the farm is Bold. He has signed a bond for a deed. DAVE, (C) Well, I recken, you haven t got it yet. DREW V That may be, but I will have it in a moment. DAVE. I don t think so. (EsT. appears at door.} DREW. Don t you? Oh, well, we re all apt to be wrong once in a while. Estabrook, just get that contract for me, will you? Get it for me. I want it. (DAVE starts; half turns; waiting with greatest anxiety.) EST. (looks at situation) Eh? DREW Get it ! Quick ! Secure it ! Esy. 51y dear fellow, excuse me. 14 ESMERALDA. DREW, (aside) Confound it. (to DAVE) Come now. you re a man of sense. This is simply a matter of business with me. The farm may be worth a little something, but not so very much. Now I m willing to do the fair thing. What ll you take to keep it dark ? DAVE. How ? How do you mean ? DREW, (aside) They re coming. (Esr. go to C B) (to DAVE; aloud; hurriedly) See here, I ll give you a thousand dollars if you won t say a word. DAVE. (pause of astonishment; draws himself up) What! DREW. ( very hurriedly ) Here I ll I ll make it five five thousand just to keep quiet half a minute. DAVE, (coming C) Five thousand, (almost laughs) Why, I wouldn t wrong that old man for a million (Enter MRS. R. with bond in her hand, followed by ROGERS and ESM. They stop in astonishment.) DREW, (desperately) Ten thousand. DAVE. No, sir. DREW, (making start towards MRS. R. L, up) Then I warn you not to interfere. (DAVE seizes DREW. A short struggle) Let me pass, young man. MRS. R., ROG. and ESM. Dave Dave what does all this mean? What is it? What s the matter? Oh, Dave, stop, (seize bond) (DAVE throws DREW off to R. Seizes bond out of MRS. R. s hand L.) DAVE. Nothing, only the land you are going to sell this man is worth a fortune. (All very much astonished, especially DREW. ROGERS and ESM. up L C.) EST. (go down R of chair) Look here; I say, Drew, is this the way you always do it? DREW. I m fairly beaten, (strides up to DAVE and holds out hand cordially) You re a plucky young fellow. Give me your hand. (DAVE, after an instant s doubt, seizes DREW S hand.) EST. (R as DREW and DAVE grasp hands) There s a sort of an atmosphere about that chap don t you know ~- a sort of a a MRS. R. (to DREW almost fiercely) Is this true? ESMERALDA. 15 DREW, (go down L O, Xing to MRS. R. L. DAVE goes to EST.) Madam, it is a fact that there is an iron drift on your farm. MRS. R. (L) And you ve been trying to get it from me for nothing. DREW. I always buy as cheap as I can. MRS. R. Yes, I see you do. DREW. Now, madam, since our former bargain is off, I will make you as good an offer as any one. MRS. R. What is your offer? ROG. (going to MRS. R. on her L) Mother, seems like if we could jest save out the old house. It d be a heap o comfort. MRS. R. (DAVE X to EST. Xing to him down L) Save it ! I ve done with it and everything that s gone along with it. I ve done with it. Step this way, sir. (DREW and MRS. R. move towards door L) I d as soon sell to you as any one, but this time I ll see that you don t get the best of me. I ll sell you only a part of it and you may^work it on shares. (turning at door) Dave, I wish to speak with you. (Exit with DREW. DAVE leaves EST. and follows MRS. R. out, ROGERS having watched MRS. R. out, goes and takes hold of EST. S sleeve.) ROGERS. (L of EST., who is R) Mother, ye know. (motions toward door) EST. (R by chair. ESM. go near door L, look off) Yes, I know. ROG. She she s pow rful high spereted, an you know how high spereted people is. Ef ef ye could do anything about gettin him ter leave the house standin ; not ter pull it down, it ud be a heap o comfort ter us me and Esmer- aldy a heap of comfort. ESM. She won t let us do it, father she s going to take us away from it and from everything. EST. Yes. Now I ll see what I can do. Don t be so blue about it, you know. Make hay while the no all s well that ends well and I dare say something can be done. ROG. (hurriedly and nervously) Ef ye d jest let it stand awhile maybe I could kinder save up myself by little ter pay fer it. Lor , ye don t know what a comfort it d be ter know it was a-standin yere. Seems ter me like it s been yere so long that the very mountain ud kinder miss it. EST. (aside) By Jove if a man was going to write a novel (in a tone of discovery) Why, this is pathos (takes old man s hand. Aloud) Mr. Rogers, it shall stand here if I have to buy it out myself I will buy it out my self I d rather buy it out myself. 16 iSSMERALDA. ROG. Will yef Lor will yet Esmeraldy, lie s agoin 1 to keep it fer us. Come yere. ESM. (advances almost eagerly, X to EST.) You are Very kind to us. ROG. Yes -ye be ye be! ESM. We can t thank you, but if you knew EST. (Xing to and taking her hand) Yes, but I do know. Don t thank me. It s nothing. (Xes and takes old man s hand, icho is L) Good evening, (goes up to door; pauses as if struck with an idea) The atmosphere is get ting misty. (Old man sits down dejected L. A moment s silence. ESM. moves slowly toward spinning wheel up R.) ROG. Well, honey, I reckon it s got to be. ESM. Yes, father, she s made up her mind, and we know What that is. ROG. We 4 orter, Esmeraldy, we orter. I d be willin ter do anything ter satisfy her her as I ve sworn never ier go back on ef she wouldn t give up the old place. We ;ould hev things more showier an stylisher I reckon we d orter hev em so an I m willin . Say, a flowery paper, or a set of chairs an things with red seats to em. Or a cupoly put on the house or a coat of yaller paint, or a orgin or a pianny or any thing. Lor , how willin I d be ter try an ijnjoy em, so s we needn t ter go away. (Old man sinks into a reverie. ESM. stands "behind him a moment endeavoring to conceal her emotion. At last turns as if to go to wheel again, when ROG. looks up and holds out his hand to her. She stops and stands perfectly still.) Don t cry, honey. Come yere. (EsM. turns, they look at each other a moment; she sees that he understands and impulsively throws herself down at his side and sobs on his breast. ROG. stroking her hand and caressing her gently.) Thar now, don t you take it like thet, honey, don t ye, dear. Thar thar . ESM. (trying to brush away tears) Oh forgive me, father I m making it harder for you. I oughn t to be thinking about myself, but I can t help it, somehow. She she ll take me away from him and the little house will stand empty. I shall never see it. ROG. Thar thar honey don t ye believe it. She can t be hard enough fer that. ESMERALDA. 17 ESM. She ll do it, if it breaks our hearts. I ve felt it since the first moment. She (an outburst of grief) She has been cruel to me all my life, and she ll be cruel to me now. Roa. (tenderly) Don t ye, honey, don t ye. ESM. (passionately) Did she ever spare me? Did she ever spare you ( Hasn t she been against him always ? It s all over, father. It s all over, father, (face down on his breast ) MRS. R. (outside door L) I shall go to Lizabethville to-morrow, and then I can let you know. Dave will show you the road. Good night. DREW. Good night. ESM. She s coming. (EsM. rises and goes to wheel up stage. MBS. R. enters L. &he stops and looks at ESM.) MRS. R. What are you there for? There s no need of your touching that again. You ve done with it. (Xing down R.) Roo. (L) Twon t hurt, mother, an it kinder ocypies her thoughts. MRS. R. She s got plenty to occupy her thoughts. Here she is going to be a lady with all the world before her. I shouldn t have slept a wink for happiness if such luck had come to me. (X to C and up) ROG. (deprecatingly) But ye know we ain t all on us alike, mother an Esmer^ldy she she ain t alike. MRS. R. (up stage C) I know what it is. But one thing is certain. She s got to give up all that nonsense about Dave Hardy. (EsM. at fire-place.) ROG. Now, mother. (EsM. buries her face in her hands.) MRS. R. (turning) He s done something for us about selling the land, and I ll see that he s paid; but I should be a fool to let him spoil everything right on the spot. ROG. (after a pause) It ll kinder go hard with him, mother. You know thet. (Enter DAVE L, looks around bewildered at ESM. leaning on wheel and crying. ROG. broken down, and MKS. R. stand ing stonily looking at him.) DAVE. Why, old man! Esmeraldy. (starting towards Tier) 18 ESMERALDA. MBS. R. (stepping down, motioning him away, lack) Stop where you are. DAVE, (glances around, X to E, down) What has hap pened here? Mns. R. (sardonically) Nothing has happened here. We ve come into a fortune and have city life and all we Want before us, and this is the way we enjoy it. DAVE. But something s gone wrong, Esmeraldy. (starts towards her again and is again repulsed by MBS. R.) MBS. R. (motions DAVE bade) You may as well have it BOW as later. You ve heard what I said about the life we ve lived ? DAVE, (after a pause, slowly realising tlie truth) You said, you d done with it! MBS. R. So I did. I ve done with it, and so has she, and with everything that belonged to it. DAVE, (staggers back a little, looks blankly at MBS. R. and then at ESM. And I belonged to it!! MBS. R. And we ve done with you. (Pause.) DAVE. My God! (quickly covering his face.) ESM. Dave ! ! (MRS. R. gestures silence to ESM. DAVE soon recovers him self, seems to decide on something.) DAVE, (turning to ESM.) Esmeraldy, this ain t you ain t nothing to do witli this? (sorrowfully) I ain t no cause to ask it. ESM. There s no need, Dave. DAVE. Nor you, old man, have you? (Xing to G R) Roc. Lor no boy HO. DAVE. Very well, then. (G turning to ESM., MBS. R. vainly interposing, takes ESM. S hand in his and brings her forward.) DAVE. (G) Here we stand. MBS. R. (R. Recovering herself from her astonishment at being thrust aside) What do you mean? DAVE. (G. Turning to her) Do I look like a fellow that means nothing! Do I look like a chap that means to give up what s been trusted to him, or like a man that ll stand by what he ioves and lives for? MRS. R. (R. After pause) You mean that you are going to take her? DAVE. Yes, ma am, that s what I mean. ROG. (seated L. Aside, tremulously) He s he s stand- in up agin mother ! 1 ESMERALDA. 19 (MRS. R. stands in amazement for a few seconds; suppressed indignation; she suddenly starts and icalks up and down L C.) MRS. R. (confronting DAVE) You mean what you say? So do I. And I ve got two or three questions to ask you. (pointing to ESM.) How old is she? ROG. (L) She ain t but eighteen, poor child; she s young and tender. MRS. R. (L C) She ain t but eighteen, and how much has she seen of the world and other men? (pause. DAVE looks doicn) Has she seen anything? DAVE. (C) No, she hain t seen anything. MRS. R. And are you so foolish to think that if she s seen other men, handsomer and better educated and richer, she d have chosen you? (DAVE startled, looks blankly before him) ESM. (by fireplace) Dave, don t listen to her. MRS. R. He will listen to me because he* knows I m right. DAVE. (staggers back) Esmeralda, I ain t mistrusting you, but she s spoke true for once. What am I, to come against men like that? ESM. You are the man I love. (WARN CURTAIN.) MRS. R. Are you the man to stand in her way to rob her of what she might have? DAVE. No no that ain t me I I love her. (passes her to L, she goes to fireplace) MRS. R. If you keep her from what she might have, don t you rob her? If you compel her to stay here when she might see the world and live in gay places, don t you rob her? She can be a lady. You wouldn t know her after a year in the city with money spent on her an she wouldn t know you. What would you do with a lady in the little house you ve built? . ESM. Oh Dave, the little house I ve never seen. DAVE. What shall I do? old man, is this true? MRS. R. He knows it s true and so does she and so do you. KSM. Mother! DAVE. Esmeralda! (pause) I don t believe it. (starts toicard ESM. MRS. R. stops him) MRS. R. Take her if you re the man to ruin her life for her as mine s been ruined for me. DAVE. Oh!! Oh this is hard hard. ROG. (aside in despair) I knowed it I knowed he couldn t stand up agin mother. 20 ESMERALDA. MRS. R. If you act like a man now, she ll always re member it of you. If you stand in her way look that the time doesn t come when she ll remember that. DAVE, (startling) Oh! ESM. Don t believe her, Dave. DAVE. What shall I do? MRS. R. (grimly and fiercely) If you love her show it. Here s your chance. DAVE. Old man, is she right? (Roa. about to speak; MRS. R. turns on him. His head drops. Despairingly) There s one thing I can do, I can wait. She can be as true to me away as if I held her in my arms every day. And if the end s what it might be I shall know I ve done her .no wrong and acted a man s part, (turns to ESM.) Esmer- alda ESM. (R) Dave Dave (MRS. R. steps between them. DAVE covers face with hands, staggers to door and turns. L C.) DAVE. It s not the end I don t believe it. True hearts can t be parted by things like this but for a little while. Good bye good bye. ROG. Mother let me call him back, (pause. Exit L F.) (MRS. R. moves in front of door and stands with her back against it. ROGERS Xes R.) ESM. (looking up, runs toward door L C calling) Dave Dave (stops before MRS. R. and turns in despair behind ermchair utters cry of despair) ROG. (R C tremblingly holding out his arms) Esmeraldy, come yere. (EsM. falls upon his breast.) CURTAIN. END OF ACT I. ACT IT. SCENE. Studio. Easel up R C small table for pcrint above to R of it. Table down L bowl on it. Table down R. Window C. D R 3-D L 3 Cupboard R 2. Fire place R 2. .DISCOVERED. NORA and KATE in pretty, quaint costumes. NORA up C at easel; KATE left at table. KATE decorating large punch boicl. NORA painting panel. NORA, (at easel up R C) And when I called, Mrs. Kogers showed me a new photograph of Esmeralda. (speaks with little pauses, occasionally stopping to look at panel vnd make little dabs) Just think of it. Another. KATE, (down L at icork on punch bowl) And I suppose in another dress. That is eighteen times since we ve known her, and we ve known her only two months. NORA. Poor Esmeralda. Well, I must say if all mothers tire like Mrs. Rogers I am not so awfully sorry we are orphans, and Jack had to bring us up among the paint brushes in his studio. Are you ? KATE, (looking critically at punch bowl) No. It s per haps a trifle severe on Jack, though. NORA. At all events we are not obliged to have our photographs taken every twenty-four hours, and we re not dragged around after marquises. KATE. Marquises, indeed, Nora, if there ever was a reptile NORA. Yes, if ever there was a reptile, it is that man. KATE. And to think of that sweet, innocent little Esmer alda being made miserable by him. NORA. (indignantly) And to think of that utterly stupid Mrs. Rogers being deceived by a title which doesn t even mean that he is respectable. KATE. Respectable! It makes him all the worse. He ought to be a gentleman and he isn t. (Gets up, Xes R goes to table rather behind easel for some paints. Voice of servant outside, " This way, Sir." ) Gracious, Nora, somebody s coming and here we are covered with paint. NORA. (hurriedly) Never mind. We can be awfully busy and keep our backs to him. (they turn backs) MAID, (entering) Monsieur will be in presently. Will 21 22 ESMERALDA. you be seated! (enter ESTABROOK door L 8 sees NORA who keeps her back towards him and affects to be occupied) EST. (aside) Aesthetic female artist with rather satis factory back. Wonder if face is as satisfactory, (sits, picks up book; NORA looks furtively but only sees his back; he moves and she turns quickly. He looks at her again) Rather tantalizing upon the whole. I wonder if the pur suit of art necessitates such extreme devotion to one s sub ject, (looks at punch bowl; while he does so NORA looks again and seems struck with some new thought; makes a half step) (aside) What delightful diabolical decora tions! I wonder if she did them. I ll look again and see if it s possible ( looks again, NORA is looking too and starts forward with exclamation) NORA. (C) Mr. Estabrook! KATE. (R at back) What? NORA. Only imagine it being you. EST. (coolly with somewhat bewildered air) I can t. If a man is going to imagine a thing he had better begin with something less complicated. KATE, (coming down a little R) It is. NORA, (down C) Of course it is. EST. I will not deny it, though I feel it to be greatly against me. (aside) The front view is entirely satisfac tory, (aloud) It was very charming in you to recognize me. I was rather afraid you had forgotten, (coming to L of NORA.) KATE. (R aside) He doesn t know her at all. NORA. (C) Of course not, though it is ten years since w saw you last. EST. It seems much longer to me. NORA. It is so long that I thought it was possible you had forgotten. . EST. (L C) Oh, not at all far from it. Don t say that, I beg. Won t you sit down ? (indicating chair L) NORA. (Xing to L and sitting carelessly as she takes chair) Then it is entirely unnecessary for me to mention that I am Nora Desmond. EST. (C) What! Nora! Jack s sister little Nora. (falls back to look at her.) NORA. (L) Oh, it takes the form of a sudden revelation, does it ? Then you did not know me ? EST. Really oh of course I know you. But (looks at her again) don t impose on a too confiding nature. It is impossible. Excuse me. You must be mistaken. Little Nora ! NORA. Excuse me. I have grown since then. I have had time to in ten years, and I have given a good deal of atten tion to it. ESMERALDA. 23 EST. But it s out of the question. I used to kiss little Nora I distinctly remember it. KATE, (down R, other side talcing his arm) Perhaps you remember EST. Oh, but look here; this is a little like nitro-gylcer- ine, you know. KATE, (calmly) Nora, we are like nitro-glycerine. NORA. (L) I never heard it mentioned before. EST. (takes KATE S hand) And this? KATE. Guess. EST. Is Kate? KATE. I won t insist on it. You know I was always more accommodating than Nora. EST. And this is Nora, (takes her hand) Allow me to congratulate you you must find it extremely satisfactory. KATE. She does, extremely. EST. The last time I saw you you were little girls, wore long hair and short dresses and paint on your aprons. NORA. I wear paint on them now. (points to little stains.) KATE. But it is because she is a horny-handed daughter of toil, and paints little panels very badly and sells them very well to unsuspecting people. NORA. Yes, I haven t any talent or little things of that sort, but I am very successful when you come to decorative art. EST. (to KATE) And you? KATE. I decorate teacups and punch bowls (points to bowl. Xing back of NORA to table L) as per example. EST. Perfectly utter! And Jack? NORA. He paints just as well, and wears his coat just as shabby as ever. He is painting now a portrait of an Ameri can girl, a Miss Rogers. EST. (rather excited) Miss Rogers an American not not from North Carolina? NORA and KATE, (together) Yes. EST. And her name is BOTH GIRLS. Esmeralda. EST. (exclamatory. Takes stage R) Then I have actually found them. NORA. Were you looking for them? EST. Looking for them ? I never was so given over body and soul to the pursuit of people in my life, I wouldn t miss being on the ground with Mrs. Rogers for the next few months for a (sits at table R C) NORA. You might say ducal coronet. EST. I will (looks at her admiringly) Ducal coronet does seem to meet the exigencies of the situation. 24 ESMERALDA. NORA. And it is Mrs. Rogers you want to see? KATE. She s worth seeing. EST. It is all of them, but Mrs. Rogers beyond all else on earth, (quite admiringly) What a finished feminine fiend that woman is. But I have a letter in my pocket which (pause) NORA and KATE. A letter which EST. Yes, a letter which (sudden pause) But tell me what they are doing. NORA. Doing? If you mean Mrs. Rogers, she is making a vicious old spectacle of herself; but if you mean poor Es- meralda and her father, they are breaking their hearts. They are dragged out night after night to parties where they know nobody they are paraded and dressed KATE, (by table L) Oh, if you could only see Mr. Rogers at a party, sitting against a wall, wondering at hia gloves. He can t speak a word of French. NORA, (seated L C) He c^i t even speak English, dear gentle old man; and people laugh and stare at him, but he dare not go home until Mrs. Rogers gives him permission. EST. And the poor girl. NORA. That is the worst of all. Her mother has set her mind upon marrying Esmeralda to a certain Marquis and makes her life a torture. Ah ( clinching hand ) I wish I could change places with her for an hour just one hour. EST. (retreating slightly) Do you know I don t think it would take an hour, (changing tone) But, as I said be fore, I have in my pocket NORA, (eagerly) Oh, yes. (Enter DESMOND R, sees EST.) KATE. Here s Jack! DES. I say! EST. (R) So do I. DES. (dashing forward C) Look here. How are you? (Shak(& hands enthusiastically) Is it you, old fellow ? EST. (R) Certainty not. DES. Well, how are you and that sort of thing. You re the very man I was thinking of a moment ago. EST. Delighted to hear it, but why? DES. Because I ve run across something new in simplicity and situation and material. EST. Where ? DES. I ll tell you you d like it, old fellow. There s an atmosphere about it and all that sort of thing. Nora, it s our guileless countryman. I ve seen him again. NORA. (L) Have you really? KATE. Oh, where? What was he doing? ESMERALDA. 35 DES. Looking sad and lonely as usual, and I ve not only seen \ t spoken to him. NOR ... Spoken to him! What did he say? I must tell you about him, Mr. Estabrook. We saw him about a month ago sitting on one of the seats in the Champs Elysees and looking so sad. There was something in his face that went to my heart. Do tell us what he said$ Jack? DES. Well, you know we have seen him several times and each time he has looked sadder and wearier. He has been Nora s chief topic of conversation. She wanted to find out if he was poor and to give him all her money if he was. She got fifty francs for a panel last month. NORA. Oh, Jack, do go on. EST. (with a quiet but increased interest) Yes, go on. (sits R) DES. Well, I saw him on the Champs Elysees again and I went and sat by him and suddenly guess what hap pened? N. & K. (excited) What? DES. The Rogerses passed with the Marquis in their carriage and EST. And he turned and asked you something about them? DES. (amazed) Yea. How did you know? EST. I knew it. Thank you. Now I ve found him. N. K. & D. You ve found him. EST. Yes. I ve a letter in my pocket which NORA. (rising frantically) Oh, yes. The letter which Oh, do tell us. EST. I will, but (to JACK) Tell me what he said and what you found out. DES. (C) He said, "Sir, those people do you know anything of them ? " I answered, " Yes, I do." And he said, trembling and pale: "And the gentleman with them, is he going to marry the young lady?" And I answered NORA. (breaking in and stamping her foot; clinching hand) No, No, No Didn t you say no? Jack, didn t you didn t you ? DES. (R C aghast) No I I said I d heard he was. (KATE returns to chair L) NORA, (throws herself into chair also L) You, you stupid. Why didn t you say he wasn t? KATE. And shouldn t. NORA, (striking fist on table) And you d kill him be fore he should. EST. (rising) Miss Desmond, Miss Kate, my climax has arrived. I have a letter in my pocket which (crosses to C) NORA, (starting) Which Which Which! 26 ESMERALDA. EST. Which will floor this Marquis so completely that he will forget where his marquisate is and wondef why he was born, (takes out letter) NORA. Mr. Estabrook, if you don t read it EST. (waves hand) Miss Desmond, I will. (NoRA and KATE lean forward in chairs. Intent and excited. Reads) My dear Estabrook r You remember the Rogerses farm on which I thought I had made such a find when you were with me. It turns out to be a dead failure. The vein of ore haa given out, the people are penniless, and I am defrauded. You remember the lover the old woman treated so badly she took her daughter away from him without giving him even a chance to say good-bye; and it is in this lover s farm the ore now appears in apparently tremendous quantities; and not only in his farm but in one adjoining which has just been left him by a relative. The man will be a mil lionaire. NORA, (breaks in icildly) And this poor fellow of mine is the lover. I know it. I know it. EST. Miss Desmond, control your emotions. (reads) Naturally the next move is to see the man and the man is not to be found. The story goes that he scraped together every cent he could and followed the girl to Paris and is probably starving there in a garret. There is no time to be lost. If you can find him and cable to me you will do me a tremendous service. Find him for her sake, for his sake and for the sake of the demoniac old dragon who is paid out in her own coin. (DBS. goes to easel. Folds let ter) The r^st is only business. " George Drew." NOKA. (rising L C) Let me go and find him this minute. KATE. (rising and going behind table) This instant, Nora. Put on your bonnet. EST. Do you chance to know where he is? DBS. (go down R) Yes. I hadn t finished my story. He is coming here and may be in at any moment. NORA. Why ? DES. Because it struck me he was hungry and I thought a good way of giving him money would be to pretend I wanted him for a model, and then ask him to dinner when he came. ^ NORA, (crossing EST. dashes into JACK S arms and kisses him ) Jack, I love you. (KATE go to easel.) EST. (starting) Miss Desmond so so so KATE, (over by easel, back of it) Suppose he should come when the Rogerses are here. You know Esmeralda is coming for her sitting. ESMERALDA. %y EST. (L) If they come here before he does, I swear you to secrecy. Let him be the one to tell them what has happened, (crosses to R Cor) NORA. (C) Certainly and some one is coming now. Mr. Rogers (Enter old man (ROGERS) meekly NORA runs to meet him.) NORA. Mr. Rogers, I m so glad to see you. ROG. (taking both her hands and shaking them up and down ) Thank you, honey thank ye Bong bong What is it I have to say, Miss Nory? NORA. (C) Bon jour. ROG. (L C) That s it. Bong jore I m a-trying to git it, but it goes sorter hard with me. Bong jore. I come to tell ye s Esmeraldy can t come because she s a-gone out with the Markis and I haven t got a minit to stay. ( turns to speak to DES. and sees EST. ; breaks off, rushes to him and catches his hands, shaking them violently ; in R Cor) Lor Lor! I seed ye last in North Ca liny I seed ye last in North Ca liny. (emotion almost over- poicers him) (KATE R of and below easel. NORA with her. DES. go to and work at easel.) EST. (R C) So you did, Mr. Rogers, so you did, and I left them all well there. Sit down and let me tell you all about it. (hand kindly on shoulder, leads him to seat L) ROG. (trying to recover himself) I haven t got hardly a minit to stay. Mother, she d just rear if I didn t take her to the Boys. EST. (C) The Boys? ROG. (seated L innocently) The Boys de Bolony. (breaks off nervously) Lor , Lor , how glad I am to see you. (takes him by lapel of coat) Seems like ye was right from under the shadder of Old Bald, (to the rest) Ye mustn t mind if I kinder let everything else go fur a moment to talk to him. NORA. (R C up stage; DES. at easel) No, no. Go on. ROG. Seems like it was old times and all this yere trou ble, (checks himself) Ahem! I reckin ye ve heard how we been enjoying ourselves. EST. I ve heard something of it. What have you been doing principally? ROG. (looks at him reflectingly and shakes head) Lor , Lor how ye do remind me of Old Bald. Ah! We ve 28 ESMERALDA. been doing a sight. Lor we ve bin gay. (groans) We ve been gay. EST. In what way for instance? Roo. We ve been goin round to dressmakers an an dry goods stores, an tradin kinder wild an a-goin to ball dances an theatres an operys and gallerys full of ile paintin s an a-goin em day and night. Lor (des perately) How gay we ve been! (icipes forehead and groans again; nervously half rising) I guess I d better go. Mother, she ll just rear ef I didn t take her to the Boys. EST. (C pushing him back) Oh, you mustn t go yet. Just tell me. I m afraid you haven t really liked all this. ROG. (L) I d orter, I reckin. Mother, she s enjoyed it enough to go round the family. Her a-being born in Liz- abethville is what gives her a advantage over me and Es- meraldy, as never knowed nothing much but Old Bald. (looking at him again) Lor how ye do remind me of it. Ye haven t seen Esmeraldy yet? EST. No. ROG. Ye d scarcely know her. She s got so much style to her dressin . There s a heap of style to it, an style is what folks wants I reckin, but seems like it don t eggsackly reach the spot allers nother. (sighs) EST. You mean she doesn t enjoy it? ROG. Lor no. Though I d orter be a-goin mother sh ll just rear ef I don t take her to the Boys. But Esmeraldy, she s kinder in my mind an she ain t a thinkin of style she (in a burst of confidence) She s a-thinkin of suthiri else she s a-thinkin of the little house standing empty an Dave a-waitin and she s a-wearin herself out. NORA. (R C who with KATE has been listening) I feel as if I should have to tell him. KATE. (R of NORA) Nora, so do I. EST. Poor little girl. Poor little girl. ROG. Yes yes them s young folk s ways an* I ain t got nothing agin em an it seems like sometimes Esmeraldy couldn t hold out no longer. If it could now, so as things d be easier for her, mother might take it out of me and welcome. XORA. Kate, I m convinced that I shall tell him. KATE. I wish you would. ROG. I hain t got a minit to stay, (nervously) But just tell me, is the old house a-standin yet? Or did they tear it down? EST. It s there yet. I got my friend to leave it. ROG. Lor bless you. (grasping his hand) I kinder felt it weren t gone. Lor , how ye do remind me of the Old Bald. Seems as if ye was sorter like it. ESMERALDA. 20 EST. (shaking his hand affectionately) Thank you thank you I m glad if I am. But look here. As to Mrs. Rogers and your daughter, can t something be done? Couldn t you make a stand? If a man was going to make a stand I should think this was as good a time as any. Make a stand. ROG. (amazed) Eh? What? A-agin mother? EST. (impatiently) Oh, yes. With the highest defer ence for her confound her ! Tell her to go to Old Bald or to to the Catacombs. What right has she to be mak ing everybody miserable? (R C a little) Roo. (pityingly) Lor , you don t know nothing you re young an onexperienced. NORA. If I don t put my hands over my ears I must tell him. (puts hands over ears starts up R) KATE, (does the same) Nothing else will save me. ROG. (starts agitatedly) But I ll see ye agin I ve got to go I ve jest got to. Ef I don t take her to the Boys mother, she ll jest let down on me I can t stay a minit. EST. (R C) Oh, mother be roasted not to put too fine a point on it. Don t go yet. ROG. (picking up hat and shaking hands as he walks to the door) I must I ve got to You don t know what it is to be kinder married to folks as is high sper- reted. Come and see us it s Kattery vank dux Boolyvard Horseman. Good by all. Lor , I wish I had longer to stay. (going L 3) EST. (R C) Good-bye. ROG. (gets outside door, steps back wistfully) If it warn t fur mother but I ve got to go. (goes but pauses at door a moment, looking back at EST.) Lor , how you do remind me o Old Bald, (exit C L 3 E) NORA, (taking hand from ears up stage R) If he had stayed another minute I should have told him. KATE, (up R) If you hadn t I should. DES. (icith sigh of relief from easel) I don t mind saying that I came rather near it myself. EST. (crosses L) And how about Dave? DES. (at easel) He will certainly come soon. KATE, (up window C at back) I ll stand at the window and watch for him. NORA. How shall you tell him, Mr. Estabrook? EST. (cross L sits L) How? By Jove! I hadn t re flected. I might break it to him gently by saying, Look here, you ve come into no end of money and luck. NORA, (down R indignantly) The moment he cornea in, of course. That would be breaking it to him gently. Jack could do as well as that. 30 ESMERALDA. DBS. (at easel) And if ever there was an idiot ttnd an imbecile, it s Jack. NORA (to EST.) You ought to prepare his mind. It isn t money he wants it s Esmeralda, don t you know. EST. (reflectively) Is Esmeralda at all like you? NOKA. 1 suppose all girls are alike more or less. Why? EST. Ah! You said he wanted Esmeralda and the idea struck me as entirely plausible. NORA. It is Esmeralda he wants. What does he care for money? (scornfully) If he thinks she doesn t love him and you tell him he is rich, money will only make it worse. EST. (regarding her with reflecting admiration) Of course money is mere dross. NORA, (animated) You must let him know in one word that she loves him with all her heart and soul and life and detests the Marquis and loaths him and abhors him, and wouldn t marry him for fifty million worlds and no one could make her and her mother is a wretched fiend and EST. (rising and retreating L; NORA goes R} All that in one word? NORA. Yes, and you must tell him KATE, (from window) He s coming he s coming. He s crossing the street. DES. (coming down C) He is. Look here! Let s give him a glass of wine tirst. NORA. Oh, I ll attend to that. Mind, we re just taking some ourselves, (goes to little cupboard R 2 and gets wine and cake, which she sets on table R while ESTABROOK looks amazed) Mr. Estabrook and Jack, sit down this minute and begin to eat as if yon were hungry, (pushes them into chairs, pours out wine, talking all the time) It will make me feel easier, Mr. Estabrook, take a cake. Oh, do do do! (forces one into his hand -bewildered, pulls up chair and begins to eat Nora talks louder) Isn t it fun lunching in this way. (to EST.) Oh, do eat fast you don t look real at all. EST. (R of table) It s It s delightful. (Enter DAVE Nora rises with cake in "hand.) NORA. Jack, here is Mr. Hardy and he has caught us at our luncheon (goes forward) But I dare say he ll excuse us. DAVE. Yes, miss, certainly. JACK, (gets up) So glad you ve come. I was afraid I was going to lose my sitting. If you haven t lunched won t you sit down in a kind of a hapjy-go-lucky with us ? ESMERALDA. Si NORA. Please do, Mr. Hardy; we ve been out and you haven t an idea how hungry we are and what awful appe tites we have. Mr. Estabrook s is terrible. DAVE. Thank you. (little bewildered) Did did you say, Estabrook? (Dns. go up C B) NORA. Yes. (NoRA leads DAVE to table; DAVE stops and looks at EST., who rises and extends his hand.) EST. Yes, we ve met before, in North Carolina. DAVE, (takes hand) Ye-s it was there, (overpowered) If you don t mind I ll sit down. I ain t as strong as I was and it s kind of startled me. (drops into chair L of table R and leans head on hand a moment) NORA, (cheerfully back of table) You want a glass of Avine, Mr. Hardy, (pours out glass and gives it to him) Drink that and we ll have some lunch and you can tell us about North Carolina, and we ll tell you about your friends. DAVE. About my friends? NORA. Yes, as Jack said he would. We know them very well. Kate and I are great friends of Esmeralda s. Drink your wine and we ll tell you all about her. DAVE. All about her about Esmeralda? Perhaps I ll need the wine before I hear it? (drinks and then pushes it aside) Now tell me. (suppressed feeling, almost fierce) Is she well? Has her money made her happy? Has it made her forget her home and those that loved her and would have died to save her from harm and only lived to care for her and stand by her and be true to her while breath was in them has she forgot it all? (NoRA leans fonvard with sudden change to quiet interest of feeling and lays hand on his arm.) NORA. Was she that kind of a girl when you loved her in North Carolina? DAVE, (passionately) No! God bless her no! NORA. And she isn t now. Women don t change so soon as that women like her. KATE. She s the dearest, sweetest and most loving little thing that ever lived and if it wasn t for Mrs. Rogers EST. (R) Never mind Mrs. Rogers. If I m not mis taken, I have a letter in my pocket which NORA. (K ; casting a glance of indignation at EST. and cutting in hurriedly) Take another cake. Yes, of course, but that is only business; Mr. Hardy wants to know, first of all, about Esmeralda. DAVE. Yes, I don t care about the rest of it. I want to 32 ESMERALDA. hear about Esmeralda. (rises, standing up in a sort of fine desperate way, facing them all) I ain t going to deceive you All I care for is Esmeralda I didn t come here just on account of sitting for the picture, though I ex pect to do it I came because I wanted to hear the truth and thought maybe you would tell it me There ain t anything in all the world that d pay me for what I have lost if I ve lost Esmeralda. NORA, (fiercely id Esx.) Didn t I tell you so? Esx. (rises) My dear fellow, you re to be honored for it. DAVE. I haven t even thought of it in that way. Seems to me it ain t anything but an honest man s nature. She s mine and I m her s just as much as if we were man and wife. My God, man I love her. (go to L C) NORA, (impetuously goes to him) And she loves you. DAVE. She used to, and tain t in me to understand how a thing like that could be forgotten. I always thought there wasn t no end to love. NORA. (C) And there is no end to it. DAVE, (begins to walk around) And yet they tell me she s going to marry another man and last night when I went and stood outside the house there was light and music and she came to the window with him and he took some flowers out of her hand and kissed them and me out side there in the dark and cold ! It seemed somehow it seemed as if I hardly knew her and the woman I loved was nowhere in the wide world. EST. Oh, look here, I can t stand this while I ve a letter in my pocket NORA. (aside to EST. fiercely) Take another cake. (cross to DAVE) And you lost faith in her and distrusted her while she was loving you with all her heart. (KATE up at back of table icith JACK) KATE. Poor little Esmeralda. NORA. (R C quite severely) While she was longing to get away from that that reptile and if she had seen you would have rushed into your arms DAVE. (L; turns suddenly) Into my arms? Will she ever come into them again? EST. (R desperately hands letter to Nora across table) Miss Desmond, if you will be so kind as to take in hand this letter which NORA. (R C) Lay it on the table and and take another cake, (quite ferociously to DAVE) And because he took her flowers you thought it was her fault. Would she have thought anything could be your fault? Ah! Women are a million times nicer than men. EST. They are undoubtedly I never felt it so strongly. ESMERALDA. 33 NORA. And now Mr. Estabrook tell him about your letter, (sits R C) EST. By George ! I don t exactly know how to do it. (takes it from table) You see, it s a it s a letter which NORA, (severely) Which contains good news. EST. Exactly. That s it. And, in one word, you must prepare yourself for it, and all that sort of thing and of course it s not half as much consequence as Miss Rogers and in one word money is dross and nobody cares for it, and all that; but it s useful when when your mother-in-law makes a point of it. (DAVE bewildered.) NORA. (breaks in) Oh, let me tell him. I ll tell it like a story, (rapidly) Once upon a time there was a girl who was gentle timid and loving DAVE, (bewildered) Esmeralda. NORA. And there was a brave, kind heart that had al ways been true to her and it was her comfort and her refuge DAVE. She d she d used to say so. NORA. (more excited) And there was a wicked old mother and some land that seemed to turn out valuable I shan t tell it well because I m in such a hurry but through that wicked woman and the land the sweet, little loving soul was torn away from all she loved and taken to a foreign country and surrounded by luxury and wealth and flattery she didn t care for; she only wanted the brave, kind heart she used to nestle against. DAVE, (sits L chair) My little girl my little girl. NORA. And the wicked old woman grew wickeder every day and tried to make her marry a man she hated and who only wanted her money DAVE. The bitter villain. NORA, (rising and approaching him) And it was as if there was a fate in it. It turned out that the money he wanted was not there she had none. (WARN CURTAIN.) DAVE, (falling back) She had none? NORA No nothing; nothing but the love she had to give and the love that was given her. The letter tells it all, and Mr. Estabrook can explain it. I don t know any thing about ore, and I don t oare ; but the land that was of value was the lover s land and the wealth was his and you re a rich man and Esmeralda loves you you re 34 ESMERALDA. worth thousands and thousands and thousands perhaps millions and Esrneralda loves you. (back of him L C) DAVE. I I m a rich man? EST. (R, coming forward cross to C) In one word, the letter will tell you you are a rich man indeed. KATE. And Esmeralda loves you. DAVE. That s true true? (cross to C) NORA. (L; KATE with her) Yes. DAVE. The (as EST. hands him letter) Let the letter go. I am a rich man if Esmeralda loves me. (half rising from- chair) CURTAIN. END OF ACT II. ACT III. SCENE. A room in Rogers house during a "ball. Table R. Fireplace, mantel glass, R 2, sofa L. DISCOVERED. KATE and DESMOND. Music at rise. DES. (Seated at L of table R) Well, I must say, you know, I shall be rather glad wher it s all over. A fellow don t seem to get so much good out of his friends and rela tions when there s a mystery on hand. Now, there s Esta- brook and Nora KATE, (seated on sofa L) You don t mean to say that you have any complaint to make about Mr. Estabrook and Nora. DES. (innocently) Oh, no complaint. Only this affair of the Rogerses gives them so much to talk about you never seem to be able to lay your hand on them. They ve got into a way of rambling off together KATE, (laughing quietly) Yes, I ve observed it. DES. And getting absorbed in conversation and all that. It s natural, of course, as they are the prime movers in the affair, but it interferes with general sociability. Why (starts and reflects) Confound it! When I come to think of it, I ve not had an undisturbed hour with Estabrook for three weeks, and I m fond of Estabrook. KATE. So am I and so is Nora. DES. Of course. He s the kind of fellow it s natural to be fond of. And he seems to get along specially well with Nora. (KATE laughs) Here, I say, what are you laughing at? KATE. Nothing, Jack dear. I m not laughing. Only you are such a, love and so clever and far-sighted (laughing all the time) and and discerning and all that, (rises and goes up) DES. Oh, well, I m far-sighted enough, if it comes to that. I don t see what there is to laugh at, at a fellow s seeing as far through a mill-stone as most people. It s a sort of natural gift. (KATE laughs) Look here! What s the matter? Something wrong with my necktie? Got a daub of paint on my nose? (crosses to mantel R looks in glass) KATE, (coming down C) KA, dear. You look lovely. 35 36 ESMERALDA. Do go on talking about Nora and Mr. Estabrook. It s so observing in you to have noticed them so and the interest they take in the Rogerses. (suppressed laughter) DES. (at mantel looks at her, pauses truth sud denly dawns on him) I say! KATE. Oh, but I don t. I haven t anything to say at all. So you have no need to expect it of me. DES. (whistles softly) The dickens! You don t mean to tell me! KATE, (over back of chair R C) Certainly not. I shouldn t think of such a thing. I am giving all my atten tion to decorating that punch bowl for Mrs. Craig and I neither see nor hear anything. When Mr. Estabrook is talking to Nora about Mrs. Rogers and Nora is talking to Mr. Estabrook about Mrs. Rogers I turn my back and paint the punch bowl; and I have to do it at all sorts of hours and in all sorts of lights and when they get interested I dare not stir or stop for fear of disturbing them and as occasionally I need new colors and am obliged to use what I have near me, the punch bowl suffers for it. DES. Well, I must say, I didn t think it of Estabrook. KATE. And I must say, I wouldn t have believed it of Nora. DES. And you really think KATE. No, I don t. I think nothing except that I hope the punch bowl will be as satisfactory to Mrs. Craig as it is to Nora and Mr. Estabrook. Think (approaching him ) Do you suppose I am no better sister than that ? Nora hasn t quite made up her mind what she thinks yet, and if I thought before she did, she d be ready to bite me. (makes little snap at him goes cross C) DES. (at mantel) Well, I suppose it s natural; but Nora Oh, confound it after a fellow s bringing her up by the hand, as it were, and taking her to the dentist s and filling her stocking at Christmas. and being a parent to her it s rather tough to discover that she s beginning to take an interest KATE. In Mr. and Mrs. Rogers? So it is. (looks through open door) There, they are coming. I m going. (exit hurriedly L arch) DES. (crossing to C looking off R) Who? Mr. and Mrs. Rogers? No; it s Nora and Estabrook. What did she shoot off in that way for? A fellow never seems to know what girls are up to even after he has brought up a couple of them by hand. Now I don t know what she did that for; but I suppose she did, so it s all right. They al ways know what they re up to, and they re generally up to something girls are, as a rule (reflects) I ve found that out during my paternal career. Now I m going ESMERALDA. 37 to have a little chat with Estabrook and Nora, (goes down (Enter EST. and NORA R C expecting to find room empty. Pause at sight of DES. Slightly disappointed, start, then advance a trifle slowly.) Come in to have a rest, have you? Same myself. It s cool here. NORA, (buttoning her glove abstractedly) Ye-es, so it is. (go down R C; EST. R of table) EST. Cooler than I expected to find it. All by yourself? DES. Yes; Kate s just left me. Good chance for us to have a chat, (throics himself on a sofa) It s better fun than dancing like mad in there, (signifies room by gesture) NORA, (sitting calmly B C) Certainly it is, for awhile. It wouldn t be a bad idea to have some ices. Suppose you go and get some, Jack. DES. (lazily on sofa L) Send Estabrook. He knows all about supper room struggles. He s sophisticated. I m not. I couldn t find the way. EST. I ll go. He would be stopped by the female brig adiers who would take them from him on his way back. (exit C L music moment s pause) (L C) NORA. Been having a pleasant evening, Jack? DES. Yes, all right. NORA. Have you been dancing much ? DES. No; haven t danced much. NORA. Then why don t you go and dance? It s lovely. The music is perfect. You you don t know what you are missing. I never had such delightful dances in my life. You ought to go and dance, Jack. You d enjoy it. DES. I will later on. NORA. But the waltz they are playing now is enchanting and that pretty Miss Berris you are so fond of was not dancing when we left. DES. Miss Berris! (si* up) Who s Miss Berris? I m not fond of Miss Berris. NORA. Why, you are, Jack you know you are awfully fond of her. You said last winter you never enjoyed waltz ing with any one so much in your life. DES. (rise) I say I wish you d tell me do you want me to go? (rising, crossing to C) NORA. (starting indignantly) Want you to go! Of course not! Gracious, no! I should think not. Why should I want you to go? What perfect nonsense! DES. It s pretty certain you want me to do something, and if you want to have a chance at Estabrook alone, and all that sort of thing - 38 ESMERALDA. NORA, (rising fiercely) Jack, what do you meant I ll never forgive you. DES. (approaching her icith the ingenuous air of mak ing a clean breast of it) Nora, I haven t an objection on earth. He s a splendid fellow and it s all right; and after I ve settled down to giving up my share of you, nothing would please me better. NORA, (retreating R in wildest confusion) Jack, if you say another word, I .shall detest you (little stamp) and I shall detest him. I shall detest everybody, (cross L) DES. Oh, come now. That s just like a girl. I tell you I m not going to stand in the way. I m going to ask Miss Berris NORA. Stay where you are this instant. I wouldn t let you go now for for millions. Want to be left alone with with a person! Nothing could induce me to be left alone with him. (cross R; backs up against mantel and stands there hands behind her; quite out of breath) Jack, I I wonder how you came to be so fiendish, (pathetically) DES. (C) Nora, do you mean to say NORA. (R) No, I don t. Nobody said anything no body thinks of saying anything as if people couldn t be friends without saying things. We are interested DES. In the Rogerses? NORA. Yes, sir, in the Rogerses. (quite grandly) We we sympathize with them and it brings us together and and and we talk (cross L) and things. Oh, do go away this instant he s coming. DES. I thought you didn t want me to go? NORA. I don t. Stay where you are. (alarmed glance at door) No go! I can t know what I want you to do. (puts hands up to face) DES. (looks at her a moment) Well, I do and I m go ing to do it. (goes toward door C) NORA, (removes hands a little and glances at him) At any rate it is not because I want to be alone, (cross R) DES. By no means. It s because you don t want to be alone, (runs against EST. at door R icith ices) EST. (cross to R of JACK) Where are you going, my friend ? DES. (R) I m going to dance with Miss Berris. I find she s alone and objects to it. (exit L C) % EST. (to NORA com ing doicn C) Rather sudden, isn t it? NORA, (icho has hurriedly arranged herself in a non chalant pose) Rather, but that s just like Jack and he s tremendously partial to Miss Berris. EST. (R C) You look cool. Have an ice? (offers her one) I mean you don t look cool. Are you tired? (puts ices on table) ESMERALDA. 39 NORA. (R of mantel) Tired? Of dancing? I should think not. Only one does reach a point sometimes when one likes to lean against something. But you were saying in the ball room EST. Only that a mysterious change is taking place in my character. NORA. How so? When did you first begin to notice ifc? EST. The day I met you at the studio. Curious, isn t it? NORA. Quite too awfully. Is it a very interesting change ? . EST. Oh, very, I assure you. I am watching its de velopment with a great deal of pleasure. NORA. How absorbing. What form does it seem to take, for instance, (sits R of table) EST. Several. In the first place, the form of an in creased affection for Jack. I was always fond of Jack, but I had no idea my affection was so deep and violent. It s quite inflammatory. I can t stay away from the studio. I feel myself at all hours impelled by a frantic desire to go and see Jack. Jack has become, figuratively speaking, the lode-star of my existence, (crossing L) NORA. Really, I must tell him. EST. (turning to her) Do, he ll be gratified. NORA. Wouldn t you like to go and talk to him now? He s in the ball room, you know r . EST. Thanks. That s quite a happy thought, isn t it? NORA. It struck me in that way. (pause) Well, why don t you go? EST. (serenely) Oh, I wasn t thinking of going. NORA. But why not? EST. I don t know do you ? NORA, (rising, coming C) No; I can t imagine, (rise) There my glove is unbuttoned again. EST. (little nearer and regarding it with interest) Do you think I m equal to buttoning it? NORA. I m afraid not. (cool, ingenuous advancing wrist) But you might try. EST. (L C) It s an attractive sort of glove. How does it work? (tries to fasten it) NORA. Don t you know? EST. (L) Certainly not. And I beg you won t tell me. I prefer to make an effort in the pursuit of knowledge besides now I think of it, a glove oughtn t to fasten too easily. If a man was going to design a glove he should give some attention to designing one which knew where to draw the line. NORA, (calmly taking hand back) Does it dawn upon you that you are talking nonsense? .EsT. Impossible, (get to C as she looks at him) 40 ESMERALDA. NORA (to L of table) And that glove isn t hard to button at all really you are capable of grasping the subject, (cross to L) EST. Gracious powers. That s the difficulty I didn t grasp the subject. Suppose I grasp it now (makes movement as if to take her hand) NORA. (steps adroitly aside and sits down in seat L of table R) Suppose you tell me about old Mr. Rogers. (cross to R) What is he going to do? EST. Miss Desmond, .this is absolutely criminal. These sudden changes of subject amount to mental shock. NORA. What is old Mr. Rogers going to do? EST. He is going to appeal to the Marquis. NORA, (surprised) You mean, to ask him to give up Esmeralda ? EST. Yes. NORA. The dear old fellow. Being a sordid creature I ve always liked him since he bought that panel from me. That one. (points to panel on wall or easel off L C) EST. Is that yours? How much did you get for it? NORA. Fifty francs. , EST. Oh, fifty francs, which you NORA. Bought a new bonnet with. EST. (starting to easel L) I must look at it. Do you know I never seemed to take much interest in panels until the development of my violent affection for Jack; but since then panels well it appears to me that panels should be the chief end of man. NORA, (rising and going toward panel) I wish every one thought so. How does this strike you? EST. (by panel) Oh, it s an amazing panel perfectly amazing. The humming-bird flying in such a spirited man ner at the flamingo is vigor itself. NORA. (R of EST.) It isn t a humming-bird and it isn t a flamingo. Now what are you going to do about that? EST. (R) It isn t a humming-bird and it isn t a fla mingo? Gracious powers! Would you mind telling me what it is then? NORA. (L. gravely) It s a grasshopper gazing at a conventionalized Colorado beetle. EST. Miss Desmond, you are endeavoring to deceive me. Is this the part of friendship ? It is a butterfly and a stork, and this is the butterfly and this is the stork. Look me in the eye and deny it if you can. NORA. I am not going to deny it. EST. Then would you have any objection to looking me in the eye without denying it? NORA, (nonchalantly a second s pause ROGERS en ters R, catches sight of them and stops) Not in the least* ESMERALDA. 41 ROG. Them s young folks ways, an Lor , I ain t nothing agin em. Don t le me disturb ye. (NoBA and EST. start. EST. go down L.) NORA. Oh, you don t disturb us. We we re very glad to se^ you for a moment, (sudden change of manner; goes to him) Dear Mr. Rogers, you look so tired. Sit down for a second. ROG. (R C up) Honey, I I can t I am tired I m all worn out. I can t stand it no longer. I m going to see the Marquis and tell him how it is. EST. (down L) You re going to make an appeal to him? ROG. I m going to tell him just how it is. Lor , he must hev feelings somewhars he s bound to hev em. Folks is better than ye give em credit for bein in general. NORA. Have you asked him to come in here? ROG. Yes, I thought he d hev been here by this. I ll go back and look for him. (starts to go) NORA. But don t you want to stay with us until he comes? Then we ll leave you together. We ll be good to you, Mr. Rogers. (Old man looks at her and puts hand on her shoulder.) ROG. No, honey, no. I m old folks, lin you re young folks, an young folks, it s kinder more feeliner to leave em alone now an agin. Young folks ways Lor I hain t nothin agin em. They re natural an they re right. I m a-going to leave you together, (exit C off L) NORA, (up C) It s a shame. Oh, how I wish that old woman was in Africa, (cross doicn R C) EST. (L) She will wish she was in Africa when Hardy returns and she learns the truth. NORA. But when will he return? EST. As soon as his business in North Carolina is set tled. He s no doubt on his way over now. NORA. And then Oh, there is one thing I do wish, EST. What is it? NORA. That Esmeralda would gather up courage before he comes and fly at Mrs. Rogers and the Marquis and defy them both. I should delight in doing it. EST. I haven t a doubt of it. NORA. Well, I hope you haven t. If / loved a person (pause) EST. ( wat chin g her) If you loved a person NORA. Oh, well, I don t love a person. EST. (cross near her) Of course not; but if you loved a person 42 ESMERALDA. NORA. Oh, I I don t think I should like it at all. EST. (taking her hand) But do you know, it strikes me that the person might like it. (Enter MARQUIS and MR. ROGERS; EST. turns and sees them. MARQUIS to doivn L C.) Confound the Marquis! (to NORA) Miss Desmond, I m afraid we shall have to return to the ball room. NORA. Yes. (nervously) I m sure we ought to and they are beginning to play a lovely waltz and don t you know, you can see Jack. Mr. Rogers, as you won t dance with me, I am obliged to dance with somebody else, (takes EST. S right arm ) ROG. (admiringly) I wish I could dance with ye, honey. I d like it mightily. (NoRA and EST. exeunt together off C R 3 E. ROG. looks after them.) They re having a pow rful good time, they air an I don t blame em either. Them s young folks ways. (Takes MARQUIS by lapel of coat and pushes him toward sofa L.) Sit down, Maftcis, sit down, and let s be sosherble. Seems like we haint been sosherble for a right smart spell. MARQ. Monsieur has something to say to me perhaps. (sits on sofa) ROG. That s so that s so. I ve a heap to say to ye an Lor lets be sosherble. MARQ. It is possible that Monsieur wishes to speak to me of mademoiselle. ROG. (starts eagerly) That s it. Lor , how quick ye ve hit it. Esmeraldy (sits on sofa seizes lapel of his cocut) it s about Esmeraldy Esmeraldy she, she s a lit tle down sperreted an so am I. ( lets lapel go and leans back to look at him) MARQ. (on sofa L side) I regret to hear this, Monsieur. Permit me to offer you the assurance of my profoundest sympathy. ROG. (R side of sofa. Regarding him doubtfully) Y yes I thort ye would I kinder felt sure ye would. I I thort ye was that way. MARQ. It is to be triste this down sperreted un happy is it not? Mile. Rogare is unhappy melancholy. ROG. (eagerly) Yes, thet s so thet s so. How quick ye ve hit it agin. Onhappy, t hot s it she s onhappy. MARQ. That is a great misfortune. ESMERALDA. 43 (Roo. regards him uneasily a moment and then takes out handkerchief and wipes his forehead. Speaks aside in a puzzled manner. ROG. (aside) Seems sorter os ef he is an sorter as if he aint. He he haint got North Carolina ways, (sud denly draws closer and seizes lapel of MARQUIS coat in out burst of confidence) Yes Lor , let s be sosherble. Ye see it s this way. We re home folks me and Esmeralda home folks. We can t get used to city ways and we re allers a-thinkin of North Carolina. Mother, she was raised in Liz bethville. MARQ. And this Liz bethville? ROG. (uncertain) Thar thar was a court house that an a jail and mother kinder had the advantage of em; but me and Esmeraldy, we was raised right under the shadder of the Old Bald an we don t seem to git no useder to things than we was at first. Dressing, it ain t no comfort to us Lor no, Esmeraldy now only yesterday she was all dressed out an she burst right out cryin, and fell into my arms and sez she she sez they wouldn t know me in North Car liny, father, they wouldn t none of em know me Dave, he wouldn t know me. (voice breaks, wipes eyes with handkerchief) MARQ. And this Monsieur Dave? ROG. (laying hand on MARQUIS knee confidingly) Markis, it s him es she s breakin her heart fer. MARQ. Ma fora. But this is pleasant news to hear of one betrothed. ROG. (eagerly) I knowed ye d feel that way I knowed ye would. An it ain t nothin but nateral. Ye don t want to marry a woman with no heart to give ye. Ye wouldn t be a man if he did. Lor , I ve said it a thousand times folks has feelins ef ye git at em and ye d orter trust em and believe in em. And yere s Esmeralda a-breakin her heart for Dave and Dave a-breaking his n fer her, an the sea between em, an mother sot on her marryin you. An, ses I to myself, I ll speak to him an trust to his feelins, an ask him to make a stand. MARQ. You would ask me to make a stand. ROG. Yes. Sez I, I ll ask him to give her up, and that ll settle mother s mind when nothin else would. MARQ. (raising from seat and pacing room R) Ah, I think I comprehend. I am to decline the hand of mademoiselle I myself and upon what grounds? ROG. (rising also) I been a-thinkin o that too. Twon t do to say it s Esmeraldy; it d kinder make it harder for her. Don t ye say it s Esmeralda as ye re objectin to say it s me. (touches his breast) Me! I ain t nothin, ye know 44 ESMERALDA. Lor no I m old folks, and mother, she kin take it out of me an welcome. Tell her I (to C) ain t showy enough tell her I aint no manners tell her ye couldn t stand me in the family Lor tell her anything. It don t matter fer me. What I m a-thinkin on is Dave and Esmeralda, thet i young, an loves each other and hes life before em. MABQ. (at mantel R) And we must consider Mon. Dave and Mile. Esmeralda, it is true. ROG. ( C. Tenderly ) Yes, we must consider em an stand by em fer they aint got no one else. MARQ. (takes two or three steps across room and re turns) And you desire my reply to this proposition? ROG. Yes, Markis, an I ain t afeared to hear it. MABQ. (approaching him) It is this, then this mon sieur. Mademoiselle, your daughter is young and not too strong of the will. Madame Rogare is the stronger of the two. With the assistance of Madame Rogare, I shall make Mademoiselle my wife and after that, let her lovers look to themselves. ROG. (staggers back) Markis!! MARQ. I do not give way readily, monsieur, when I have a thing at stake. ROG. (C) An an ye won t give her up? MABQ. No, monsieur, not yet. ROG. I I I can t believe it. (MARQUIS shrugs his shoulders) Markis, look yere. Ain t ye givin up nothin yerself ef ye take her. Ye re a man an what ye wants Is a home an a wife a young creature that comes ter ye willin an gentle an thinks thar ain t nothing in the whole world like ye. What a man wants is a woman s heart ef ye ain t got it what do ye want of Jierl Ye can call her by yer name and keep her about yer; but ye ain t got her. Lor no she ain t thar sHe ain t nowhars nigh, (shakes head) MARQ. She will be near enough, Monsieur. ROG. (with trembling voice) Then ye re willing ter give up more than I lowed a man would. MABQ. (going up R) If our interview is at au end, Monsieur, I will retire. ROG. I haint got nothin more to say. (MABQ. bows and exits R 3 E. Sinking into sofa L covering face with hand) Twarn t no use - no use. These aint North Car liny ways. (Enter MBS. ROG. excited C from R. Looks sharply around room, sees old man starts toward him.) MRS. R. (up C) What are you doing here? Who went out just now? ROG. (dejectedly) The Markis. He went out. ESMERALDA. 45 MBS. R. Why did he go? What have you been saying to him? ROG. I ve been sayin a sight of things; but it warn t no good but it warn t no good. MBS. R. (X to R; drops into chair) If ever there was a woman who was badgered and run to death and paid for all she s done with ingratitude from a couple of fools, I m that woman. ROG. Who s the fools, mother? MBS. R. Who? You re one of them, and Esmeralda s the other. Here I have you with every luxury round you and every advantage and you go moping about and Esmeralda wears herself out and gets thin and pale and looks as if she d break down any minute and fall ill and she s not a bit too good to do it and the Marquis at his wit s end to please her and on the top of that comes a new piece of news. ROG. News! (starting) From North Car liny, mother? MBS. R. (flouncing out of her seat to C) Yes, from North Car liny. What do I find out but that that senti mental idiot followed us before we d been here six months and has been hanging around and watching Esmeralda, and living on a crust in a garret, (up C) ROG. (starting up) Mother! Not Dave? Lor no not Dave? Dave he s in North Car liny. (falls back into chair and hides face) MBS. R. Not Dave? Yes, Dave! Who else would be big enough simpleton but Dave ? And he s been about the house night after night and Esmeralda has heard of it and if I can keep her quiet until the party s over it s all I can do. (X R) ROG. (a* CD. Starting and looking at door down L) Mother, she s coming now, an if I ever knowed what her pretty face meant, ye ve kept her quiet for the last time. (C. Enter ESMEBALDA R., pale with excitement. The MABQ. follows her, talking and holding bouquet.) MABQ. (R) I am most unfortunate that my poor flowers do not please mademoiselle. ESM. (C) No, they do not please me. Nor do you. Take them and go and leave me alone. (turns on him, fiercely) I hate them because you have held them in your hand; that would be reason enough for my hating any thing. And you know it and have known it all the time. Only you were not man enough to spare me. And I was too great a coward to dare to speak; but you have gone too far. It has all gone too far. (Roo. leans forward wildly astonished. MARQ. Xes sketch ing table to mantel R. MRS. E. springs to ESM. S side, seizes her.) MRS. R. What are you saying ? Are you mad ? ESM. (shakes herself free) Don t touch me. I m not afraid of you now or of him. Let him see to it that he doesn t come near me again. I ve found out who has fol lowed me over thousands of miles of dreary land and sea, and who has watched me on the cold and dark of the night outside when I was there in the brightness and warmth. If he forgives me for it, do you think I shall ever forgive myself do you think I shall ever forgive you. It has made me what I ought to have been long ago a woman a woman worthy of a good man s love; and I m not afraid of anything. ROG. (L C. Comes up behind her and touches her tremblingly) Esmeraldy, honey I don t hardly know ye. ESM. ( C., throwing herself upon his breast ) Father dear, gentle, loving father you ll stand by me. I hardly know myself I feel so fierce and bitter and strong. It s all true. He has been in Paris cold and tired and hungry, while we were rich and warm. Dave Dave we loved. Dave who loved us and was true to us even when we seemed false. ROG. ( wiping eyes ) He he was that always. Dave was. Thar never couldn t hev been nothin truer than his true heart. MRS. R. Oh, you soft fools. (to back of table. Going to MARQ.) And haven t you a word to say for yourself? Do something to stop this? MARQ. (a* mantel bowing sardonically) Madame, it occurs to me that in a scene so truly domestic I am in the way and should retire. MRS. R. No, you shall not. Do you think I am going to have my plans overturned in this way ? (to R C. To ESM.) You say he saw you through the windows. Then he saw you with the Marquis. How are you going to make him believe that you weren t with him of your own free will? ESM. Make him believe! I m going to tell him. He d know it s true because he ll see it in my face. I m going to follow him until I find him. I m going to follow him if it s on foot and I go a thousand miles you can t hold me back now. I m your own daughter for the first time in my life and I m no more to be stopped than you are. MARQ. (regards her with admiration) Mademoiselle ESMERALDA. 47 becomes more interesting. My regret at parting with her will be greater than I thought. ROG. Esmeraldy, honey, ye almost skeer me ye re sorter like your mother. I hope it won t last, (down a little L) MRS. R. (going up to Esai.) I ll stop you if I have to do it by force. ESM. (C) I tell you the time for that is past. I m not afraid any longer I m only ashamed that I ve been a coward so long. Look here (tears off necklace and bracelets) there are the things you made me wear and he saw me in when he stood outside in the bitter cold. (throics them on the floor icith a fierce gesture) Pick them up if you think they re worth it. As long as I live I ll never wear them again, (staggers a little) MRS. R. (R C) (Warn Curtain) Oh, you ll come out of this (viciously) You ll come out of this. You ll be meek enough to-morrow and frightened enough you re as pale as death now with fright. ROG. (springs up and puts arms around her) So she is so ye air, honey ye look faint. Kinder try to stand up agin it. (he draws her to sofa, sits. -As he reaches it she falls upon her knees before him) ESM. Yes, I m faint and tired; but we ll find Dave, won t we, father? (imploring childish voice) And go back to the mountains and the blue sky and no one will be cruel to us any more and I ll kneel down before Dave and tell him that I was true and loved him and the little house won t be empty a any more. (falls slowly upon the floor at his feet. MRS. R. and MARQUIS spring forward. MRS. R. as if she would touch her) MRS. R. What ails her? (RoG. stands up and waves her off with simple but solemn dignity.) ROG. Stand away, Lyddy Ann. Taint fer you to tech her. Seems like she s gone back to North Car liny in spite of ye. CURTAIN. END OF ACT III. ACT IV. SCENE. Studio. Same scene as Act 2. Small sofa down L added. DISCOVERED. DESMOND, KATE, NORA, DAVE. NORA dashing off note at table R. DAVE seated small sofa 2. NORA, (finishing note) There, I ve finished it. (reads) Dear Mr. Rogers: Mr. Hardy is here and I think it would be better if you brought Esmeralda at once. If she sees him for the first time at hom%, there will be danger of a scene with Mrs. Rogers, which she is not strong enough to bear. Make some excuse to leave her in the carriage below until you have seen him first, and then you can bring her up and we will break the happy news to her gently. With much love to you both. Nora Desmond. DES. (back of table R) You haven t given him a hint about the money. NORA. The money isn t of the slightest consequence. It doesn t matter to him whether Mr. Hardy is rich or poor and as for Esmeralda she would rather have him poor. Who cares about momey? (with scorn) DAVE. He don t, nor she either. KATE. (X to NORA) Of course not. Give me the note, Nora. I will send it while you talk to Mr. Hardy. (NoRA gives note to KATE, who exits L 3 E.) DES. And while you talk to Mr. Hardy, I ll go and talk to the cook, (exit R 3) NORA. (Xes, seats herself by DAVE) Now, Mr. Hardy, you shall tell me all about your visit to North Carolina and I will tell you about Esmeralda. Only in a short time I shall send you into the next room to lunch and rest a little, because you are tired out and if you look ill you will frighten Esmeralda. DAVE. Tell me first about Esmeralda. NORA, (a little uneasy) Well, she has been ill, but ( eagerly taking his hand as he starts ) not very ill, though it seemed so at first. She was only ill because she wanted you. DAVE. Poor little tender heart. 48 ESMERALDA. 49 NOBA. And she reached tke climax of it because she wanted you so much that it made her brave and she had a terrible scene with her mother and the Marquis, and it was too much excitement for her in her weak state, and she broke down under it. DAVE. (almost fiercely) What did they do to her? What had he to do with it that Marquis fellow T NORA. Oh, not very much really ---and he haa never been near her since, Which has made Mrs. Rogers awfully angry with Esmeralda; but you mustn t think of that you must think that she will be here in a short time and that you can care fey her and make her well yourself. DAVE. How I will care for her and watch over her and love her. NOBA. Yes, you will and she ll be so happy oh, you don, t know how happy she will be. Now just tell me about the little house before I make you go into the other room. How does it look? DAVE, (speaking slowly and tenderly) It lodks as if it had stood alone long enough it looks to me almost like some human creature that s waited and waited day after day for something that never came, as if it felt the lone liness and silence in spite of the sunshine and the leaves rustling and the birds singing about it. When I stood and looked at it it seemed to me as if there never was such loneliness and silence in the world; and I knew that two things were wanting to change it to a place that could never be lonely again, (rise) NOBA. (softly) And those two things? DAVE. The sound of a light footstep and the music of a soft voice I know a timid voice and a low one almost like a bird s itself, but sweet and tender enough to make the sun shine a different way and the leaves rustle with & happier sound. And it seems like the place was standing there waiting to hear it. That s how it seemed to me but but I m only a rough fellow and perhaps don t know. (X C) NORA. Yes, you do know. No one so well in the world. And soon the dear little place will hear the voice and waken up and you will be so happy oh how happy you will be. I wish I was going to be so happy, (half pathetic forgetful) DAVE. You will some day, if having a warm tender heart brings happiness. NOBA. (little laugh) Well, we ll pretend it does. But I was going to say that you will spend your honeymoon in your little home only you two together together. Isn t that a nice word. Together. DAVE. It means a great deal to me. 50 ESMERALDA. NORA. Yes, and though you might have a thousand handsomer houses you will never love any so much as that little one, that was so patient and waited so long in the stillness and solitude. DBS. (enters R C coming forward) I say, Nora, that s all very well, you know and the sentiment s all that a man could wish, but I don t believe that Hardy has lived on any thing but Miss Rogers for the last fortnight and as I ve had a very successful interview with the cook I m going to take him off into the next room and make him eat some thing. Luncheon is low, but it s nourishing. NORA, (coming L C) It isn t low at all and you re quite right. I d go myself only I want to be here when Mr. Rogers comes. Take him with you. DAVE, (as they exeunt into inner room) You ll call me the minute they come? NORA. Yes. (Exeunt DAVE and DES. NORA left to herself goes R to mantel and looks at clock. Speaking reflectively.) Nearly three. It generally is about three when he comes, I ve noticed. What nonsense. The idea of my noticing when he comes and when he goes. If it was Jack now, there would be some reason in it, but to be noticing the incom ings and outgoings of a man who isn t the least relation to you is well, it s a thing you re not going to stand. (glances at clock; checks herself. Go to easel. Professes to paint furiously; drops brush, picks it up and speaks again) He was evidently going to tell me something I wonder what it will be? Perhaps he s going to leave Paris. Well if he is Jack (slowly) vyl\ miss him very much. 1 shall be rather sorry for Jack. (Bell rings; instantly becomes absorbed in her work. ESTABROOK enters L, she does not turn.) SOPHIE. Mr. Estabrook! EST. Good afternoon. Ah, another panel, Miss Desmond. NORA. Yes, another ; and you mustn t disturb me, because I ve just reached a critical point. EST. (aside) So have I. (puts hat on table L. Aloud) Oh, no. I won t disturb you. Tortures shouldn t compel me. May I sit down? NORA. Certainly. Jack will be here directly after he has taken care of Mr. Hardy. EST. Will he? Then on second thought, I won t sit down. I ll take another look at the panel, (goes to her ESMERALDA, 51 (behind her) looks at it; speaks cheerfully) That is going to be a great deal worse than the other, isn t it? NOBA. Oh, yes, twice as bad. EST. Then you ll possibly get twice as much for it and buy two new bonnets. NORA, (turns and looks at him over her shoulder) Do you know (severely) no one in the world says such disre spectful things to me as you do? EST. And there are billions of people in the world. Now if a man was going in for saying disrespectful things he couldn t set himself a much higher standard, could he? NOBA. And besides being disrespectful, you are disturb ing me. ( turns away ) EST. (brightens) Really? NOBA. Yes. EST. (tone of relief) That relieves me. NOBA. Relieves you? EST. Yes. You see I thought I couldn t disturb you and I wanted to I rather came to try. You ve disturbed me a good deal lately and I wanted to balance the thing a little. NORA. You came to try to disturb me? I thought you came to see Jack? EST. (shaking head) Thank you, no. I came to see the panel and by the way to ask you something about a pair of gloves I have, (takes glove from pocket) I m afraid they are yours. NORA, (looking at gloves) You knew they were mine. Where did you find them? EST. In my vest pocket by a most curious coincident. They have" been there about a month. I hope you haven t needed them. NORA. I have needed them very much. People who live in studios and paint panels as badly as I do, can t afford to be buying six button gloves every fifteen minutes. EST. Then I should advise them to give the contract to some one else who could and was willing to go in for that sort of thing. NORA. Some one who was willing to go in for buying six button gloves every fifteen minutes ? EST. Some one who was willing to buy anything every thing even the panels provided NOBA. (X to L. Suddenly) Oh! There there s Jack talking to Mr. Hardy. Don t you want to see him? EST. No, I don t; and what s more, if he presents him self I shall warn him by all the sacred ties of friendship not to cross the threshold. NOBA. (coming C) But but what what nonsense. 5$ ESMERALDA. EST. ( L of NORA) No, it isn t. I mean to say what I came to say in spite of Jack. NORA. (C) But you are disturbing me, and I haven t done anything for days and days. EST. (gently taking her brush away) Suppose you leave the panel for a short time. ( leads her to chair R C, stands behind her, leaning on back of chair, looking down puts gloves into her hands) I m very much interested in these just now. NORA, (unrolling them) They don t look very inter esting. EST. I have a fancy for seeing you put one on the left one for instance. ( touches it, leaning over shoulder) NORA, (beginning to put it on) I have no objection I ve had them on before (pauses) There s something in the finger. It s a a ring. EST. (taking glove again) So it is. NORA, (nervously) I can t put on a glove with a ring in it. (ring drops out) EST. Perhaps you can put on a ring without a glove on it. Suppose you try. NORA. Oh no. EST. (taking her hand and ring) Suppose you let me try Nora. NORA. But there s no reason why I should, (half turns face) EST. There s the best reasons. The affection I felt for Jack seems to have transferred itself to you, Nora. We won t jest any longer. I came here to-day to say I love you. I don t find the words difficult to say. They are yery simple words. I wish you could say them to me as easily, (mo ment s pause holds her hands) NORA, (softly) I cannot say them as easily, (gradual ly leans back in chair turning face up to look at him) Suppose I was to think them. EST. Then I would put on the ring. (Slips it on, bends and kisses her. Enter ROGERS L; sees what is going on) SOPHIE. Mr. Rogers ROG. They re all right, Lor bless em. Nothin can hurt em. They re fixed now. (NoRA and EST. see him. NOBA gives little scream and rises. EST. X L C) Don t ye mind me, child n. Taint nithin ter be ashamed on. It s somethin ter be proud on. (goes to NORA, who has risen and gives her to EST. To NORA) Thar, he ll tek care o ye, honey. (To EST.) If she had a father, I reckon he d say what I do. Stand by her. (passes NORA over to EST. L) EST. I think you may trust me. ROG. Lor , yes. You re the right kind. An now ESMERALDA. 53 (with some nervousness) bout Dave and Esmeraldy. Esmer- aldy, she s down stairs. NORA, (fronting R 3) And Dave is in there. ROG. He is? (tremblingly] Lor , how glad I ll be ter see him. (goes toward door R; pauses an instant) Thar ain t but one thing ter be done. I m agwine to stand out fer see ing things set right. It s a kinder nervous thing to do, but I m gwine to do it. (enter MRS. R. L C L 3 E; seizes his arm; drags him back to R C L C trembling with rage) MRS. R. (C) I m just in time, am I? and not a minute too soon. I ve heard the whole story and I ll put a stop to this. ROQ. (R C) Mother, kinder quieten down. MRS. R. A nice time to quieten down. It s the old story. Setting my child against me and upholding her and me trying to, do the best thing I can for her and make a lady of her. NOHA. (L C) Mrs. Rogers, let me say a few words to you. MRS. R. (viciously) The quieter you keep the better. You ve always stood by her in your still impudent way. You re sharp enough to know it s a good thing to be friends with a rich girl. You ought to be on the good side of her mother. EST. (L) If a you are going to make remarks of that kind suppose a you generalize it would be better. ROG. Mother, kinder quieten down. MRS. R. (to EST.) I ve nothing to do with you or her either. I ve come here to tend to my own business, (to ROG.) You thought I wouldn t find you out, did you? He hasn t gone back to North Carolina, has he ? And you ve picked him up, out of the gutter and made up your mind to stand up against me. Where are you keeping him? I ve come to find him and I m going to do it. Where is he? (RoG. walks up to her C; lays hands on her shoulder and speaks with quiet determination.) ROG. In there, (points to inner room R 3) MRS. R. In there? And Esmeralda down stairs wait ing to be brought up, and you you, you. Let me see him that s all I want. (MRS. R. goes toward door R; ROGERS gets there before her and leaves her back) ROG. Mother, kinder quieten down. MRS. R. ( R C staggers back; looks at him) Wh what do you mean ? What s taken you ? How dare you stand there and brave it out? It s the first time. What s got into you ? I haint had my way with you for twenty-five years to be beat like this. Let me pass I tell you. 54 ESMERALDA. ROG. (R 3. Serious simplicity and determination) Mother seems like we ve had enough seems like. Seems like we ve got to a place whar things had to be sorter set tled down an it s me as has got to do it. MRS. R. You that s given up to me for twenty-five years ? ROG. Yes, mother. Twenty-five years is a right smart epell an now seem s < like we d better try it kiuder the other way. MRS. R. (to C little L) You re you re a fool. You always was a fool. ROG. (seriously to C) Mebbe I was. Mebbe we might both hev been wiser. MRS. R. (trying to pass) Let me get into that room. ROG. No, we ve tried it your way awhile. We ve bed money and foren languidges an ile paintings -7- an an Markises we ve tried elevating ourselves to a higher Bpear an what s come of it ? MRS. R. Plenty s come of it, if you had the sense to see it. You ve seen the world and you ve traveled. ROG. (sadly. Turn away, little R) Yes, we ve seed the world. We ve been gay, and we ve left home behin, aii friends and neighbors we growed up with an Esmeraldy s heart s nigh broke an Dave is brought to death s door and the little house they was to have lived in an loved each other in is a standin empty in North Car liny. NORA, (runs to him and puts arms caressingly about him) But it won t stand empty long, you kind, brave old man. You ll make them happy in spite of her. ROG. (pats her shoulder icith trembling hand) No, honey, it shan t stand empty no more. I ain t been doin my^duty to em and I ll do it now if the Lord ll allow me. MRS. R. (L C) You ll bring them together and send them back. You mean that you ll defy me out and out? ROG. I ain t a defyin ye, mother. That aint my kind. But I ll bring them two young hearts together an let em beat side by side as the Lord intended an no one shayn t hurt nor separate em, so help me North Car liny. EST. (L C) Nora, you have my permission to kiss him, and I hope you ll do it at once. (NoRA kisses him icith fervor and he stands with his hand on h-er shoulder.) MRS. R. (L C) You re all in the plot I always knew you were he d never have had the strength to stand out alone you re all backing him. (to NORA) I always saw ESMERALDA. 55 it in you, you sly minx. Esmeralda was always harder to manage after she d been with you. NORA. (X to her) I ve no doubt of it and I hope she was. And let me tell you if / had been Esmeralda, I should like to have seen you take me away from from any one 1 loved, (moves X to EST. L) EST. So should I. You d have found more atmosphere about it than would have agreed with you. MRS. R. Oh, you re all in it and you (turning fiercely to ROG.) you think you can hold out? ROG. 1 mean to try, mother. I ve hed a kinder deler- cacy about saying anything about the money sorter be longing to me, but it does in a way sorter. An I ve been to a lawyer ter heve papers drawed up as ll provide for em; an when we re gone thar s no one but them to hev what s left an they kin live where they like and how. MRS. R. And you ll give up all I ve done and all I ve worked for what s to make up to the girl for it what s she going back to anyhow; answer me that? ROG. Mebby it ain t much, mother, and mebbe it s a good deal. She s going back to home and love. MRS. R. Then I tell you she shan t. Do you think I ll give up that easy. Did I ever give up before? I ll end this some way or die for it. (down L C) (Enter ESM. L; alarmed as she has heard her mother out side. Goes to her father C, who meets her half way.) ESM. (C) Father mother what is it? Tell me? Oh, how angry you look. Oh, how angry you look. I knew something had gone wrong and I couldn t keep away. ROG. Don t tremble so, honey. Taint nothin gone wrong it s somethin thet s a-goin right. MRS. R. You know well enough, I reckon with your tricks and plots, deceiving your own mother. You knew he was here and the only wonder is you weren t up before. ESM. (much agitated) I knew he was here? I knew who was here? Father Nora who is here? Who does she mean? NORA. No one you need be afraid to see, Esmeralda. ROG. Don t ye tremble so, honey nor get so pale. It s only some one ye thought was far away. ESM. No, no, it isn t true. Don t tell me so and break my heart. There s half the world between us. ROG. Thar haint nothing between ye, honey nary thing. Look there. 56 ESMERALDA. (DAVE appears in door R, ESM. utters a cry and starts toward him. MBS. R. catches her arm and endeavors to drag her back) ESM. Let me go. I m not afraid now. Not all the world should keep me from him. (ESMERALDA dashes MBS. R. aside Xes R and rushes into DAVE S arms. R C) DAVE, (near door R 3) I thought you d gone back on me, Esmeralda, but you was true you was true. (Roa. goes to MBS. R. L C and lays hand pleadingly on her.) ROG. Mother, don t grudge it to em don t ye don t ye. (DAVE and ESM. to L of table R.) MRS. R. Me grudge it to them? (fiercely) No, I won t. Let them have what they got and welcome. He came over here to marry a rich girl, did he and he s got her thanks to you with all she s worth. You (turning) You are going to set them up for life and give them all they want. Do it if you can. That s all I ve got to say. NOBA. (catching EST. S arm delightedly) She has found it out. EST. And we are on the spot. ROG. Mother, what d ye mean? MRS. R. What do I mean? (triumphantly) Just this I ve got a letter NORA, (ingenuously) In my pocket which MRS. R. What do you know about it? What does that piece oi impudence mean? NORA. I heard of a letter like it once before. MRS. R. You did ? EST. Yes and it was from North Carolina name of the man who wrote it, George Drew. (NoRA and EST. go back of table L.) NORA. And it was about some land that didn t turn out so well as was expected. Is yours anything like it? MRS. R. (astonished) You you ve known it all along. DAVE, (stepping up to MRS. R., L C. As Dave goes to C, ROG. X to ESM. R) Mrs. Rogers, I ve known it myself, and if you ll let me speak MRS. R. You ve known it? Oh, of course you knew you were going to marry a beggar instead of an heiress. You have traveled half the world over for pure love, haven t you? ESMERALDA. 57 ROG. (with ESM. R) Mother! Mother! MBS. R. You you re to blame for it all. But for you I d have sold the place out and out but for you that girl would have been married to a marquis by this and settled for life but for you we shouldn t have been disgraced and mocked and laughed at. EST. (back of table L) And but for him of course the vein of ore would have been carefully arranged by nature to meet all demands and wouldn t have worked out and infamously turned up in another man s farm and made a millionaire of him. MRS. R. Another man s farm? Who s the man? Who is he? DAVE. (C. Simply) Mrs. Rogers, I m the man. MRS. R. (L C gasping and falling back) You! YOU! You? DAVE. Yes, and what s mine is Esmeralda s and her father s and her mother s; and so you see the thing stands just about where it did an you re no poorer than before only that Esmeralda belongs to me. (EsM. crosses to DAVE. Draws ESM. to his breast.) MRS. R. (looking wi Idly around) Is this true? Is it is it? (ROGERS sits in chair R.) EST. (L corner) Yes, xnadame. He (signifying DAVE) has a letter in his pocket which NORA, (back of table L C) And but for Mr. Hardy you would have known it two months ago. He sent you money when you had spent your own and he would have sent it until the end of time and said nothing only he wanted Esmeralda and found out that she wanted him. Everybody isn t selfish and cruel. There are such things as love and truth and they are worth all the money the world could hold. There ( goes to EST. excited ) EST. (regards her with scarcely concealed enthusiasm) How do you know? NORA. I found it out, and so has Esmeralda. MRS. R. (sinking into chair L, stunned but savage. To DAVE) Don t speak to me. You ve won and I ve lost. Leave me alone awhile. Go and tell him. (she signifies ROGERS, who has sat down and is mopping his forehead in a wild, bewildered way; DAVE goes to him) DAVE. Old man, don t you understand? ROG. Seems like things was kinder mixed and, mother, she wasn t a-gettin the best of it. 58 ESMERALDA. DAVE. It s easy enough told. You stood by me when you thought I was a poor man and you a rich one. ROG. (eagerly) An now (starts from chair rises) DAVE. What s mine is yours, and we ll stand by each other. ROG. (seizing his hand) You don t mean ter tell me thet we ain t rich folks no more? DAVE. The money has changed hands, that s all, old man. ROG. And the hands it s in now is the right ones. And mebbe now it s over rnother ll kinder be easy on us. (goes to MRS. R., L. DAVE and ESM. follow) Mother ESM. Mother DAVE. Mrs. Rogers MRS. R. (turns sharply) I don t see what you ve got to say to me. ROG. (quietly. R of MRS. R.) We thought mebbe you d got something to say to us, mother. Seems like Dave now ye might want ter say a word or so to Dave an he s ready ter hear it. MRS. R. (savagely) Does he want me to say I forgive him? (WARN CURTAIN.) ROG. No, mother. It don t seem like thar war eny needcessity on that. He ain t done nothin but act like a man, an a brave, loving, honest one, as was too much a man to bear a grudge agin them that s injured him. MRS. R. Does he want me to ask him to forgive me? DAVE. (R of ESM. who is R of ROG.) No, I don t, Mrs. Rogers, I only want you to shake hands and let s begin again in a fair and square way. It don t pay for one per son to get into the way of ruling too much. When we begin over, we ll start fair. You shall have your rights and the old man shall have his and I ll see that Esmeralda has hers. ROG. And we shall be apt to come out more kinder evener. (Enter KATE, L and DESMOND R. KATE with letters.) KATE, (come down R) Here s a lovely piece of news. NORA. What is it ? KATE. I ve just found this letter in my room. It is from Mrs. Delaplayne. NORA. (L) And what in the world is in it that you bring it here? (WARN CURTAIN.) ESMERALDA. 59 KATE. The Marquis is in it. Listen, (reads) You know that man who was reported to be about to marry Miss Rogers, the Marquis de Montessin; he has just eloped with that awfully stupid Miss Meadows, whose father struck oil a few years ago. They say he heard that Miss Rogers was not as rich as he had imagined and so he took the other with much discretion. (KATE and DBS. go up to easel R C.) MBS. R. (rises) I knew that something was wrong when he gave up his claims so suddenly. (X R) NORA. I knew that something was wrong before he gave up his claims. He was a wicked, mercenary reptile. EST. Miss Desmond, this heat alarms me. Roo. Yer most times gin aliy right, marm, but you ain t a good jidge of a Markis. (Roo. crosses to her as he speaks ) ESM. Oh, he is gone, and I shall never see him again. (clasps DAVE S arm) Oh, Dave, it frightens me to think of him. DAVE. There is no need of that, honey. The sun shines again as it used in the old days. It shines upon the little house, and the door is waiting to be opened. And we are together. CURTAIN. JUST PUBLISHED IN FRENCH S STANDARD LIBRARY EDITION THE GREAT COLLEGE PLAY ENTITLED BROWN OF HARVARD A Play in Four Acts By RIDA JOHNSON YOUNG THE CAST OF CHARACTERS TOM BHOWN, GEKALD THORNE, stroke oar of the "Varsity Eight," who is not his own mastet WILFRED KENYON. CLAXTQN MADDEN, JOHN CARTWRIGHT, "TUBBY" ANDERSON, "HAPPY" THURSTON, f Students with properly developed college spirit. WALTER BARNARD, WARREN PIERCE, THOMPSON COYNE. "Bus" HALL, "Varsity Coach." VICTOR COI/TON, who wants the English crew to defeat his Alma Matet CODRINGTON, Manager of the English crew. ELLIS, Manager of the Varsity crew. CAPTAIN HODGES, 1 GEORGE SELWYN, JAMES VAN RKNSSALAER, V Members of the Varsity crew. ARTHUR BLAKE, AUSTIN LATCHOW. J OLD CLOTHES MAN. MRS. KENYON. MARIAN TH-JRNS- DOORKEEPER. EMELYN KENYON. EDITH SINCLAIR. BUTLER. SYNOPSIS OF SCENES ACT I PLACE. Cambridge, Mass. SCENE. Tom Brown s and Claxton Madden*! apartments in "The Wetherby." a students apartment house. ACT II SCENE. Yard at Harvard. The exterior of a dormitory. ACT in "CENE. "The Varsity Boat Club" on the day of the race with the English Amateurs. The scene is laid in the large hall of the boathouse. me as Act One. . 1 KiCii, 50 JTTST The Great Successful College Play Entitled CUPID AT VASSAR A COMEDY DRAMA IN FOUR ACTS By OWEN DAVIS AUTHOR OF "AT YALE CAST OF CHARACTERS IOHW WILLETT ............... A Young Architect. AMOS NORTH ................ Of North & Son, Bankers. SHINY ....................... A Lazy Darkey. HANK GUBBIN ............... The Hired Man. MRS. NEWTON ............... Of Great Falls, Vermont. KATE .......... . ............ Her Daughter. WANDA ..................... Kate s Half-sister. Miss PAGE ............ ....... SALLY WEBB. . , ............. MATTY HART ................ ALICK WORTH ............... PATTY SNOW ................ HELEN CONWAY ............. As many more jollege girls as are desired. SYNOPSIS ACT I SCENE, sitting-room of Kate s home in Vermont. (At the Old Home.) ACT II SCENE, Kate s room, in a senior double. (At Vassar.) ACT III SCENE, same set as ACT I. with snow and winter backing and Christmas tree, etc. (Vacation Time.) ACT IV SCENE, college campus at Vassar. (Graduatioi Pav. The Daisy Chain.) This comedy is eminently suited to girls schools and colleges, as it can be played by all females. There are only four male char acters, two of which are eccentric parts, and all the male parts can be easily dressed by girls. The play has all college surroundings, and the last act contains the famous daisy chain which ia so popular at girls colleges. PRICE. 25 GENTS JUST PUBLISHED An Original Farce in Tbree Acts By GEORGE H. BROADHURST __===_ Ik CAST OF CHARACTERS JONES, who travels for a hymn-book JIMJM EBENEZER GOODLY, a professor of anatomy ANTONY GOODLY, D.D., Bishop of Ballarat RICHARD HEATHERLY, engaged to Marjorie THOMAS HOLDER, a policeman WILLIAM BIGBEE, an inmate of the Sanitarium HENRY FULLER, superintendent of the Sanitarium MRS. GOODLY, Ebenezer s wife CISSY, Ebenezer s ward MARJORIE, ) MINERVA ) " enezers daughters ALVINA STARLIGHT, Mr. Ooodly s sister HELMA, a servant SYNOPSIS OF SCENES ACT 1. Handsomely furnished room *n home of Ebenezer Goodly. ACT 2. The same. ACT 3. The same. This is the jolliest sort of a farce, clean and sparkling all the way brough. A professor of anatomy is lured to a prize tight and the police make a raid on the "mill." The professor escapes to his home, followed by Jones, a traveling salesman, who sells hymn books when he can and playing cards when he cannot. The police are on the trail, so Jones disguises himself by putting on a Bishop s garb, and a lot of funny complications ensue. The other f unmakers are ai^ed not a little by an escaped lunatic. This celebrated farce has been a tremendous success for years on the professional stage and W now published for the first time. PRICE, 50 CENTS JUST PUBLISHED AT YALE A Comedy Drama of College Life in Three Act* By OWEN DAVIS CAST OF CHARACTERS DICK SHEELET Yale 05. UR. CLAVTON RANDAL Of New York. IACK RANDAL His son, Yale 05. DAVE BURLY Substitute on Yale Crew. IIM TUCKER Captain of Yale Crew. JIMSEY A Telegraph Messenger Boy. CLANCY A Prize-fighter. JOHN KENNEDY Coach Yale Crew. FRANK YOUNG Member of Yale Crew. CD. SCOTT Friend of Dick and Member of Crew. POM HAYNES Member of Yale Crew. IOBERT CROSBY Member of Yale Crew. [EPSON Boatman. IAHRY WILSON WILL TAYLOR 5. RANDAL Jack s Mother. DOROTHY RANDAL Her daughter J OLLY BURK A friend of Dorothy. HAME BRADY A poor girl. SYNOPSIS OF SCENES T I. Vanderbilt Hall, New Haven. iCT II. SCENE 1. A Boat House, Gales Ferry. SCENE 2. The Start. Gales Ferry Quarters. SCENE 3 The Race. Thames River. CT III. Exterior of Griswold Hotel, Eastern Point. New Loo don. The night of the race. A. Comedy Drama of American College Life In Three Acts, by Owen Davis. ni ; piece was played with tremendous success all over the United States by |aul Gilmore. Sixteen males, four females, four of the men being unimportant, hlj I; a play with a distinct college setting, in which athletics are prominent: ist the kind of play that Is wanted by nearly every high school and college con- raplating putting on a play as part of their commencement exercises. There ire pretty college girls, freshmen, a telegraph messenger boy. coaches, ^yplcaj ollege boys, members of the crew, substitutes, etc. Any number of males and I em&les can be used In the ensembles. Plays a full evening:. PRICE. 35 CJWiTS UNIVERSITY OF CALF Los Ang. This book is DUE on the la. QL JUL 1 8 1978 PSD 2338 9/77 fgr SEND FOR A NEW " (French s Standard Drantg Mill 1 II II II VOL. XLI. VOL. XLUk J 821 The Pirate s Legacy 345 Drunkar.i MMkff 1 1 1 1 ii ! II II II 8SS The Charcoal Buruer IIS Adelgitha $irfS 3 1158 00290 3564 MSenor Valiente 348 No Thoroughfare I I fe Forest Rose >;i ighter 349 Peep O Day |_Life 350 Everybody s Friend :>7:; Henry V 374 Unequal Match .-97 Pygmalion At .-.: Leah hnllla s Husbs }*> Pure Gold 35Men. Grant SsAiathleen Mavourneeu . ,75 May or Dolly s Delusion 3J6 A latoona .199 Scrap of Paper 400 Lost ill Lmidoi VOL. XLII. Ki Ticket of Leave Man VOL. XLV. 353 Nick Whiffles VOL. XLVIII. ::77 Enoch Arden VOL. U. 4ol Octoroon MFool i Revenge Bl O Neil the Great 354 Fruits of the Wine Cup 36!> Drunkard s Warning :i7t< Under the Gas Light 379 Daniel Rochat 402 Confederate Spy 41)3 Mariner s Return BSllan.lv Andy BPiraieof the Isles 356 Temperance Doctor 357 Aunt Dinah 380 Caste 31 School 404 Ruined by Drink 405 Dreams C4 Kai.ch..n 358 Widow Freeheart 3K-. Home 406 M. P. 85 Little liarefoot 359 Frou Frou 3S3 David Garrlck 407 War 136 Wild irisll Girl 360 Long Strike 3S4 Ours 4U8 Birth VOL. XLIII. VOL. XLVI. VOL. XLIX. VOL. UL 3T Pearl of Savov *i r i ii ~ 361 Larcers 385 Social Glas; 409 Nightingale M Dead Heart it!-.- Ln. ille IN) Daniel Drue* 410 Progress Ten Nights in a Bar-room N Dumb Boy of Manchester 41 BelphegortheMounteb k 363 Randall s Thumb 364 Wicked World 365 Two Orphans 387 Two Roses iss Adrienue 39 The Bells 411 Play 41-2 Midnight Charga 413 Confidential Clerk Cricket on the Hearth 366 Colleen Bawn 390 Uncle 414 Snowball (3 Printer s Devil 367 Twixt Axe and Crown Wl Courtship 415 Our Regiment 14 Meg s Diversion 368 Lady Claucarthy 392 Not Such a fool 416 Marri.d for Money Hamlet in Three Acts Guttle & Guluit DRENCH S INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHTED EDITION OF THE WORKS OF THE BEST AUTHORS. The following very successful plays have just been issued at 25 cents per copy. THE BALLOON. Farcical comedy In S Acta by 3. : FE.N.N. - 6 male, 4 female PAIR OF SPECTACLES. Comedy In :i Act? ithor of "Sowing the Wind, aracters. FOOL S PARADISE. An orlemai play In 3 Wind," Ac." 5 male,"4 female characters. ~" HE SILVER SHIELD. An original comedv In S Act. by SvnNKY GRUXPY, author of "Sowing" the Wind," &c. 6 male, 3 female characters. HE GLASS OP FASHION. An original com edy in 4 Ac-t by Svi M-.v ^Ki snv, author of "Sowing th Wind," Ad 6 male. 5 female characters. ...I M MISS ( LEOPATRA. Farce in 3 Act by ARTHUR 1 1- ch: dy Act by I. ZINOWILL. ,le, 3 fe SIX PERSONS 1 male, 1 female cli! FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. Comedl- etts in ! Act by PKKCY FKNDALL. 1 male, 1 female cha .-acter. HIO/HLAND LEGACY. Comedy In 1 Act by BRANDON THOMAS. autlMr of "Charley i Aunt/ 5 male, V female characters. Contents of Catalogue which is sent Free. nateur Dramm Evening s Enterlainment New Recitation Books mateur Operas ttcles Needed bv Amateurs Fairy and Home Plays F-ench s Costumes Nigger Jok,-< and Stmip Speeches Parlor Magic rt of Scene Painting French s Editions Parlor Pantomimes iker s Reading Club French s Italian Operas Pieces of I K H-antrv :ards. Whiskers, Mustaches, etc. French s Parlor Comedies Poems for Recitations .and Sets of 1 lavs French s Standard ana Minor Drama Play- for Mr.. Characters only ilwer Lytton s Plays French s Standard aud Minor Drama, Round Games irlesqne Dramas bound Scenery imt Cft* French s Scenes for Amateurs Scriptural and Historical Dramas .bnian s Story Frobisher s Popular Recitals Sensation Dramas .rnivnl of Authors Grand Armv Dramas Serio-Comic Dramas isra.le Plavs Guid Books for Amateurs Shadow Pantomimes lildren s Plavs mic Dramas for Male Characters Guide to Selecting Plays Hints on Costumes Shakespeare s Plavs for Amateurs Shakespeare - Plays >nlv Home Plavs for Ladles Stanley s Dwarfs Stunie Rooks Irish Plays Spirit Gum ajie Ha r Irving s Plays TaMeaux Vivants mberland Edition Juvenile Plays Talma Actor s Art -rkev Dramas an.iis for Boys awing-room MonoTognes Make-Up Book Make-Up Boi Mock Trial Temrerance Plavs Vocal Music of -ihakesneare s Ply Wehiter, * Atttoe Kdition onition, Reciters and Speakers hiopiau Dni..as Mrs. Jarley s Wax Works fT TI C New PUys Wi|, etc. T flHl^i . r\T? (" \|.irvr*" r ijr v^r^ VOL. XLII. 329 As Like as Two Peas 330 Presumptive Evidence 331 Happy Band 332 Pinafore 333 Mock Trial 334 Mv Uncle s Will 335 Happy Pair 336 My Turn Next VCf.ft6.iL V> ; 7 Sunset! . as F,,r Half a Million i39 C:.ble Car i4H E-irlv Bird 541 Alumni I lay !4-J Show of Hands 143 Barbara 344 Who s Who tOE. XLIV. 345 Who s To Win Him 346 Which is Which 347 Cup of Tea :;l* Sarah s Young Man 349 Hearts 350 In Honor Bound [La 351 Freezing a Mother-it 352 My Lord in Livery AMUEL FRENCH, 28-30 West 38th Street, New York City. | $W Hev and Explicit Descriptive Catalogue Mailed Pr*f on Request. FRENCH S MINOR DRAMA. Pri IB Cents each Rn,.r,A v,.i._ ._ *< -.- University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. SAMUEL FRENCH, 28=30 West 38th Street. New York City. Hew r. Exs^it Descriptive Catalogue Mailed Free 3* Re juesi A 000133692 4 lERSIfl si REGIONAL