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diff --git a/18163.txt b/18163.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..66b954c --- /dev/null +++ b/18163.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6444 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Patriotic Plays and Pageants for Young +People, by Constance D'Arcy Mackay + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Patriotic Plays and Pageants for Young People + +Author: Constance D'Arcy Mackay + +Release Date: April 13, 2006 [EBook #18163] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PATRIOTIC PLAYS AND PAGEANTS *** + + + + +Produced by Michael Gray (Lost_Gamer@comcast.net) + + + + + +_By_ Constance D'Arcy Mackay +BOOKS OF PLAYS FOR CHILDREN +DESIGNED FOR USE IN THE SCHOOLS + +Patriotic Plays and Pageants for Young People + The one-act plays for young people contained in this volume can be +produced separately, or may be used as links in the chain of episodes +which go to make up outdoor or indoor pageants. There are full +directions for simple costumes, dances, and music. Each play deals with +the _youth_ of some American hero. The plays are suitable for schools, +summer camps, boys' clubs, historic festivals, patriotic societies, and +social settlements, and play grounds. $1.35 net; by mail, $1.45. + +The Silver Thread and Other Folk Plays for Young People + Simplicity is the keynote of these eight plays. Each has a footnote +on its origin, and full descriptions and directions for easily arranged +costumes and scene-settings, especially designed to fit the limitations +of the schoolroom stage. $1,20 net; by mail, $1.30. + +The House of the Heart and Other Plays for Children + Ten one-act plays that have stood the test of actual production. +$1.20 net; by mail, $1.30. + "An addition to child drama which has been sorely needed."--_Boston +Transcript._ + +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY +PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + + + +PATRIOTIC PLAYS AND PAGEANTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE +BY +CONSTANCE D'ARCY MACKAY + +_Author of "The House of the Heart and Other Plays for Children" and +"The Silver Thread and Other Folk Plays for Young People"_ + + +NEW YORK +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY + +COPYRIGHT, 1912, +BY +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY--- +Published March, 1912 + + +No performance of these plays may be given without full acknowledgment +of the author and publishers. Acknowledgment should be made to read as +follows: "By Constance D'Arcy Mackay; from _Patriotic Plays and +Pageants for Young People_; Copyright, 1912, by Henry Holt and Company; +Produced by arrangement with the publishers." +Amateurs may produce the plays in this volume without charge. +Professional actors _must_ apply for acting rights to the author, in +care of the publishers. + + + +PREFACE + + +The one-act plays for young people contained in this volume can be +produced separately, or may be used as links in the chain of episodes +which go to make up outdoor or indoor pageants. There are full +directions for simple costumes, dances, and music. Each play deals with +the _youth_ of some American hero, so that the lad who plays George +Washington or Benjamin Franklin will be in touch with the emotions of a +patriot of his own years, instead of incongruously portraying an adult. +Much of the dialogue contains the actual words of Lincoln, Washington, +and Franklin, so that in learning their lines the youthful players may +grasp something of the hardihood and sagacity of Washington, the +perseverance of Franklin, and the honesty and dauntlessness of Lincoln, +and of those salient virtues that went to the up-building of America--a +heritage from the time "when all the land was young." + +The plays are suitable for schools, summer camps, boys' clubs, historic +festivals, patriotic societies, and social settlements and playgrounds. +The outdoor plays are especially adapted for a "Safe and Sane Fourth." +All the plays have stood the test of production. + +"The Pageant of Patriots"--the first children's patriotic pageant ever +given in America--was produced in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, N. Y., under +the auspices of Brooklyn's ten Social Settlements, May, 1911. The +Hawthorne Pageant was first produced on Arbor Day, May, 1911, by the +Wadleigh High School, New York City; Pocahontas was given as a separate +play at Franklin Park, Boston, by Lincoln House, and some of the other +plays have been given at various schools in New York City. + +Thanks are due to _The Woman's Home Companion_, _The Delineator_, _The +Designer_, _The Normal Instructor_, and _The Popular Educator_ for +their kind permission to reprint these plays. + + + +CONTENTS + + +PATRIOTIC PLAYS: THEIR USE AND VALUE + +PAGEANTS + +PAGEANTS OF PATRIOTISM + +The outdoor arrangement can be produced by a whole school or group of +schools, by groups of social settlements, communities, and cities, in +parks, armories, woodland spaces or meadows on such occasions as the +Fourth of July, Decoration Day, Bunker Hill Day, Labor Day, during Old +Home Week, or for any special city or town celebration. The indoor +arrangement of the same pageant is also suitable for whole schools, or +groups of schools, groups of settlements, communities, villages, +cities: in armories, school halls, assembly rooms, or small theaters on +Columbus Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Washington's Birthday, or some day of +special celebration. + +PAGEANT OF PATRIOTS (Outdoor) + Prologue by the Spirit of Patriotism + Princess Pocahontas + Pilgrim Interlude + Ferry Farm Episode + George Washington's Fortune + Daniel Boone: Patriot + Benjamin Franklin Episode + Abraham Lincoln Episode + Liberty Dance + Pageant Directions + +PAGEANT OF PATRIOTS (Indoor) + Prologue by the Spirit of Patriotism + Dramatic Silhouette: Lords of the Forest + The Coming of the White Man: Tableau + Princess Pocahontas + Priscilla Mullins Spinning: Tableau + Benjamin Franklin: Journeyman + George Washington's Fortune + The Boston Tea Party + Dramatic Silhouette: The Spirit of '76 + Abraham Lincoln: Rail-Splitter + Directions for Indoor Arrangement + +THE HAWTHORNE PAGEANT + +Can be produced in park or woodland in its outdoor arrangement. Is +suitable for co-educational schools, girls' schools, girls' Summer +camps. Is appropriate for Hawthorne's Birthday (July 4), Arbor Day, May +Day, or any day during Spring and Summer. In its indoor form it can be +given in school halls or in a small theater. In this form it is +appropriate for co-educational schools, girls' schools, settlements. It +can be given any time during the Autumn, Winter, or Spring. + +HAWTHORNE PAGEANT (For Outdoor or Indoor Production) + Chorus of Spirits of the Old Manse + Prologue by the Muse of Hawthorne + In Witchcraft Days (First Episode) + Dance Interlude + Merrymount (Second Episode) + Pageant Directions + +LIST OF SEPARATE ONE-ACT PLAYS + +ABRAHAM LINCOLN: RAIL-SPLITTER (Indoor) +Can be produced in school, home, or small theater. Is suitable for +schools, settlements, clubs, patriotic societies, and debating +societies. Can be appropriately produced any time between September and +March. Is especially appropriate for Lincoln's Birthday. + +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: JOURNEYMAN (Indoor) +Can be produced in a school, home, or small theater. Is suitable for +schools, clubs, settlements, patriotic societies and clubs. Can +appropriately be produced any time between September and June. Is +particularly suited to Franklin's Birthday. + +THE BOSTON TEA PARTY (Indoor) +Can be produced in school, home, or small theater. Is suitable for +boys' schools, Boy Scouts, settlements, clubs, and patriotic societies. +Can be produced on any holiday. Is particularly appropriate for Fall +and Winter months--especially the month of December. + +DANIEL BOONE: PATRIOT (Outdoor) +Can be produced in park, woodland, or village green. Can be given by +boys' schools, clubs, settlements, and patriotic societies. Also by the +"Sons of Daniel Boone" and the Boy Scouts. Is appropriate for any day +during Spring, Summer, or Autumn. Can be given on the Fourth of July. + +GEORGE WASHINGTON'S FORTUNE (Outdoor) +Can be produced in park, lawn, or woodland. Is suitable for schools, +clubs, patriotic societies, and settlements. Is appropriate for any day +during Spring, Summer, or Autumn, and is particularly appropriate for +the Fourth of July. An indoor arrangement can easily be made for George +Washington's Birthday. + +IN WITCHCRAFT DAYS (Outdoor) +Can be given in park, lawn, or village green or woodland. Suitable for +co-educational schools, girls' schools, girls' Summer camps, patriotic +societies, settlements, and clubs. Appropriate for Arbor Day, May Day, +or any day during Spring, Summer, or early Autumn. An indoor +arrangement can be given for Thanksgiving in school halls. + +MERRYMOUNT (Outdoor) +Can be produced in park or woodland. Is suitable for co-educational +schools, girls' schools, girls' Summer camps, and for clubs, +settlements, and patriotic societies. Is appropriate for Arbor Day, May +Day, or any day in Spring and Summer. An indoor version of it can also +be given. + +PRINCESS POCAHONTAS (Outdoor) +Can be given in park, in woodland, or on lawn. Is suitable for schools, +clubs, and patriotic societies. Can be given on the Fourth of July, or +any day during Spring and Summer. Indoor production is also possible. + + + +PATRIOTIC PLAYS AND PAGEANTS + + + +PATRIOTIC PLAYS: THEIR USE AND VALUE + + +The primary value of the patriotic play lies in its appeal to the love +of country, and its power to revitalize the past. The Youth of To-Day +is put in touch with the Patriots of Yesterday. Historic personages +become actual, vivid figures. The costumes, speech, manners, and ideas +of bygone days take on new significance. The life of trail and wigwam, +of colonial homestead and pioneer camp, is made tangible and realistic. +And the spirit of those days--the integrity, courage, and vigor of the +Nation's heroes, their meager opportunities, their struggle against +desperate odds, their slow yet triumphant upward climb--can be +illumined by the acted word as in no other way. To read of the home +life of America's beginnings is one thing; to portray it or see it +portrayed is another. And of the two experiences the latter is the less +likely to be forgotten. To the youthful participants in a scene which +centers about the campfire, the tavern table, or the Puritan +hearthstone will come an intimate knowledge of the folk they represent: +they will find the old sayings and maxims of the Nation-Builders as +pungent and applicable to the life of to-day as when they were first +spoken. + +The patriotic play has manifold uses. It combines both pleasure and +education. It is both stimulating and instructive. In its indoor form +it may be the basis of a winter afternoon's or evening's entertainment, +in its outdoor form it may take whole communities and schools into the +freedom of the open. It should rouse patriotic ardor, and be of benefit +ethically, esthetically, and physically. It should wake in its +participants a sense of rhythm, freedom, poise, and plastic grace. It +should bear its part in developing clear enunciation and erectness of +carriage. To those taking part it should bring the exercise of memory, +patience, and inventiveness. It should kindle enthusiasm for the things +of America's past. In what way can national hero-days and festivals be +more fittingly commemorated than by giving a glimpse of the hero for +whom the day is named? Thus the patriotic play is equally adaptable for +Fourth of July, Washington's Birthday, Lincoln's Birthday, Columbus +Day, and the hundreds of other days--not holidays--that lie in between. + +If the patriotic play is produced in the right way it should contain +the very essence of democracy--_efficient team-work, a striving +together for the good of the whole_. It should lead to the ransacking +of books and libraries; the planning of scene-setting, whether indoor +or outdoor; the fashioning of simple and accurate costumes by the young +people taking part; the collecting of suitable stage properties such as +hearthbrooms, Indian pipes, and dishes of pewter. The greater the +research, the keener the stimulus for imagination and ingenuity, two +things that go to the making of every successful production. +Fortunately, the patriotic play is inherently simple, its appeal is +along broad general lines, so that it requires no great amount of money +or energy to adequately produce it. And, as history is made up not of +one event, but of a series of events, so an historical pageant is a +logical sequence of one-act patriotic plays or episodes. The one-act +patriotic play shows one hero or one event; the pageant shows, through +one-act plays used in chronological order, the development and +upbuilding of America through the lives of her heroes. + +In its pageant form, the patriotic play, with dances, songs, pantomime, +and spoken speech, lends itself to schools, communities, and city use, +in park, in armory, and on village green: in its one-act form it lends +itself to both indoor and outdoor production by schools, patriotic +societies, clubs and settlements, and, last, but not least, the home +circle. And in the hope of assisting teachers and producers to fit +appropriate plays to appropriate occasions notes on the subject have +been added to the individual plays in the table of contents. + + + +THE PAGEANT OF PATRIOTS +(Outdoor) + + +THE PAGEANT OF PATRIOTS + +EPISODES + +1. PROLOGUE BY THE SPIRIT OF PATRIOTISM +2. PRINCESS POCAHONTAS +3. PILGRIM INTERLUDE +4. FERRY FARM EPISODE +5. GEORGE WASHINGTON'S FORTUNE +6. DANIEL BOONE: PATRIOT +7. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN EPISODE + Scene 1. Benjamin Franklin and the Crystal Gazer (1720) + The Dream Begins + Scene 2. Benjamin Franklin at the Court of France (1781) + The Dream Ends +8. ABRAHAM LINCOLN EPISODE +9. FINAL TABLEAU +10. MARCH OF PLAYERS + + +PROLOGUE +_Spoken by The Spirit of Patriotism_ + +People of --------, ye who come to see +Enacted here some hours of Pageantry, +Lend us your patience for each simple truth, +And see portrayed for you the Nation's Youth. +Spirit of Patriotism I. Behold +How at my word time's curtain is uprolled, +And all the past years live, unvanquished +As are the laurels of the mighty dead. +I am the spirit of the hearth and home! +For me are flags unfurled and bugles blown. +For me have countless thousands fought and died; +For me the name of "Liberty" is cried! +I am the leader where the battle swings, +I bring the memory of all high things. +And so to-day I come to bid you look +At scenes deep-written in the Nation's book. +The youth of all the heroes you shall see-- +What lads they were, what men they grew to be. +How honor, thrift, and courage made them rise +By steps that you can learn if you be wise. +First, Pocahontas in a woodland green; +Then life among the Pilgrim folk is seen-- +Thrifty Priscilla, Maid o' Plymouth Town, +In Puritanic cap and somber gown! +For the next scene comes life in Southern climes-- +The Ferry Farm of past Colonial times. +Then Washington encamped before a blaze +O' fagots, swiftly learning woodland ways. +Then Boone with Rigdon in the wilderness +Dauntlessly facing times of strife and stress. +Crossing the Common in the morning sun +Young Benjamin Franklin comes: about him hung +Symbols of trade and hope--kite, candles, book. +The crystal gazer enters, bids him look +At all the guerdon that the years will bring. +The Vision next: Trianon in the Spring, +And Franklin honored by the Queen of France +With courtly minuet and festal dance. +Lastly, a cabin clearing in the West, +Where on a holiday with mirth and zest +Lincoln's companions take their simple cheer. +These are the scenes to be enacted here, +Shown to you straightway in a simple guise. +Youthful the scenes that we shall here devise +On which the beads of history are strung. +Remember that our players, too, are young. +All critic-knowledge, then, behind you leave, +And in the spirit of the day receive +What we would give, and let there come to you +The Joy of Youth, with purpose high and true. + +COSTUME + +THE SPIRIT OF PATRIOTISM. The Spirit of Patriotism should wear a long +white robe, with flowing Grecian lines, made either of white +cheesecloth, or white cashmere. It should fall from a rounded neck. +Hair worn flowing, and chapleted with a circlet of gold stars. White +stockings and sandals. Carries a staff from which floats the Stars and +Stripes. + + +PRINCESS POCAHONTAS + + +CHARACTERS + +PRINCESS POCAHONTAS +CHIEF POWHATAN +CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH +Eight Young Indian Braves +Eight Young Indian Maidens +Two Indian Women +Two old and withered Squaws +Six or seven little Indian children +Other followers of Powhatan + +TIME: _Mid-afternoon on a mild day in 1609._ +PLACE: _Virginia._ +SCENE: _An open glade showing a small Indian encampment._ + +[Transcriber's note: All stage directions appear in italics in the +original] + +At the opening of the scene the glade is deserted, the men of the tribe +being engaged in a skirmish with the white men, while the women and +children have gone foraging. There are two teepees, one at right, and +one at left, their doors closed. By the side of teepee at left a pile +of fagots, and a wooden block. + +Further front, facing audience, a great war-drum, gaily painted. A +skin-covered drum-stick. At right, towards front, the smoldering +remains of a fire. The whole appearance of the camp shows that it is +not permanent--a mere pausing-place. + +The space between the teepees is absolutely unobstructed, but there are +trees and bushes at the back and sides. + +By degrees the Indians who have been foraging begin to return. One of +the Indian women enters carrying fagots. One of the older squaws +rekindles the fire. Next come the children, with merry shouts, carrying +their little bows and arrows. The Indian maidens enter gaily, carrying +reeds for weaving. They move silently, swiftly, gracefully. Two of +their number begin to grind maize between stones. Two others plait +baskets. An old medicine-man, with a bag of herbs, comes from the +background, and seats himself near the drum, at left, taking an Indian +flute from his deerskin belt, and fingering it lovingly. An Indian +woman, arriving later than the others, unstraps from her back a small +papoose, and hangs it to the limb of a tree. The Indian children stand +towards the front of the greensward, shoot in a line their feathered +arrows, run and pick up the arrows, and acclaim in pantomime the one +who shot the best. Then they go towards background, doing a childish +imitation of a war-dance. The mother of the papoose, having finished +her duties in setting one of the teepees to rights, now takes down the +papoose from the tree where it swings, and seating herself in the +center of the greensward, croons an Indian lullaby. The Indian maidens +group themselves about her, seated in a semicircle on the ground, +swaying rhythmically. At the back of the stage one of the little Indian +boys sees an Indian maiden approaching, clad in white doeskin. Cries +aloud delightedly: _"Pocahontas!"_ + +The Indian maidens and the squaws rise and fall back before the +entrance of Pocahontas with gestures of salutation and respect. + +ALL +(clearly and enthusiastically). +Pocahontas! + +[Pocahontas comes down center with a basket filled with branches that +bear small red berries. The children and two of the maidens gather +about her, and then fall back as she begins speaking, so that she has +the center of the stage. Greatest interest is evinced in all she does. + +POCAHONTAS +(speaking slowly, as one does in an unfamiliar tongue, yet clearly and +deliberately). +I--Pocahontas--daughter of Powhatan, great chief,--speak--language +of--paleface. Powhatan teach me. (Points to way from which she has +come.) Yonder--I--went. Prayed to River God. + +[Makes gesture of worship, raising basket above her head. The +semicircle about her widens respectfully. A maiden then approaches and +takes basket. Pocahontas smiles in sudden childlike delight, and +holding out chain of beads that fall from her neck to her waist, says +with pretty intonation: + +Beads. Jamestown. + +[Watches them for a moment as they glimmer in the sun. Then with sudden +laugh seizes the Indian maiden nearest her, and by gesture summons the +other Indian maidens. One of the very old squaws with a half-wry, +half-kindly smile begins a swift tapping on the drum that has in it the +rhythm of dance music. The Indian children withdraw to the doors of the +teepees, and Pocahontas and the Indian maidens dance. The old +medicine-man adds his flute-notes to the rhythm of the war-drum. + +The Indians being a notably silent people, this scene must be given +mostly in pantomime. + +From the forest at right comes the faint sound of a crackling branch. +Instant attention on the part of all. The dance stops. The Indian +maidens stand poised, listening. The women shade their eyes with their +hands. A small Indian boy lays his ear to the ground, and then cries: +_"Powhatan!"_ Two expectant semicircles are formed. All look to wards +right. Powhatan enters, Pocahontas runs to meet him. Tableau. + +Powhatan then indicates that others are coming from right. Young braves +enter with John Smith in their midst. His hands are bound behind him, +his face is white and drawn. Children at sight of him scamper to +teepees. The rest show signs of curiosity. Pocahontas stands with +clasped hands and startled eyes, regarding Smith most earnestly. A +brave bears Smith's weapons. Smith is led to right foreground. Block of +wood is brought him for a seat. + +The Indian women, maidens, and children retreat to the extreme +background, where they sit in a semicircle, watching. Then Powhatan and +braves withdraw to left, where they form a circle and confer, one brave +at a time addressing the rest in pantomime, with many gestures, some +towards Smith, some towards the path by which they brought him. +Occasionally the words _"Algonquin," "Chickahominy," "Jamestown," +"Opeckankano," "W'ashunsunakok"_ are spoken. When Powhatan speaks in +pantomime the others listen with occasional grunts of satisfaction and +approval. It is evident that the prisoner and the fate awaiting him are +under discussion. + +Pocahontas alone remains near the center of interest. She glances first +at her father and the braves, sees they are deep in discussion, and +then crosses to John Smith, with every sign of interest and awakening +pity. She brings him water in a wooden bowl. He drinks thirstily. She +then goes to one of the teepees, and brings him a cup of milk. This she +holds for him to drink from, as his hands are bound. + +POCAHONTAS +(gravely, as she puts down the cup). +How! + +SMITH +(with equal gravity). +How! + +POCAHONTAS(touching herself lightly). +Pocahontas. Daughter of Powhatan. + +[Touches Smith questioningly. + +SMITH +(answering her). +Smith. John Smith. + +POCAHONTAS +(repeating it after him). +John Smith. + +SMITH. +From Jamestown. + +POCAHONTAS +(nods, says slowly). +Pocahontas _likes_ paleface. + +[Meantime the pantomimic discussion held by Powhatan and his braves is +drawing near its close. There comes a shout of triumphant acclaim "Wah! +Wah! Wah!" hoarse and loud. Powhatan, having in pantomime rendered his +decision, now stands with arms folded, at left. Braves to right, and +take Smith to center. Powhatan stands at the extreme left. The braves +form a semicircle about Smith. The women and children in the background +rise silently, and peer forward. Smith is forced to one knee. A brave +holds aloft the hatchet. + +POCAHONTAS +(looking from Smith to her father, and then running towards the latter +with a cry). +No! No! + +[Powhatan regards his daughter gravely, yet unrelentingly. Pocahontas, +center, stretches out her arms in pleading. Powhatan shakes his head. +Pocahontas then goes towards Smith, and again with animated pantomime, +indicating first Smith and then the way by which he has come, pleads +for him. Powhatan shakes his head. He is obdurate. Pocahontas bows her +head dejectedly. Turns to go back to where she has been standing. Then +changes her mind, runs to her father, and with every evidence of +pleading and humility, falls on her knees before him, arms +outstretched. For a moment they are still as statues. Then Pocahontas +takes from her neck her string of beads, and, by gesture, offers it as +a ransom for Smith. + +POCAHONTAS +(speaking slowly). +Pocahontas, daughter of Great Chief, asks of Great Chief John Smith's +life. + +[Tense pause. Powhatan, with arms folded, considers deeply. Then makes +sign of assent, but gives back necklace to Pocahontas, who rises with +pantomime of joy. Powhatan makes sign to braves to release Smith. Smith +is unbound. His weapons are given back to him. He chafes his wrists and +presents his compass to Powhatan. + +SMITH. +Great Chief! (Turns first to Powhatan, and then to Pocahontas.) Great +Princess! John Smith grateful! + +[Powhatan touches him on shoulder. + +POWHATAN +(grunting). +Umph! + +[Indicates by gesture peace-pipe which has been lit at fire. All braves +sit in semicircle facing audience, and pass it (not too slowly!) from +one to another, including Smith and Powhatan. Then all rise. + +SMITH +(standing center). +John Smith goes to Jamestown. John Smith friend of great chief, +Powhatan. Palefaces always remember Powhatan! Always remember +Pocahontas! + +BRAVES +(all together). +Wah! Wah! Wah! + +[Exit Smith, right. Smith is watched by the Indians in silence deep and +respectful. + +POCAHONTAS +(to Powhatan). +Great Chief safely returned. Captive set free. Shall we go yonder? +(Points.) Pray to River God? + +[Powhatan nods gravely. He and Pocahontas exeunt left. The braves +follow next. The Indian maidens, women, and children form the end of +the procession. The stage is thus left empty, and the scene ends. + + +COSTUMES + +POCAHONTAS. Pocahontas should wear the traditional costume of "white +doeskin with a scarlet mantle flecked with gold sequins." A great chain +of pearls should be about her neck. Another chain which reaches to her +waist should be of white and blue beads--large beads that will catch +glitter from the sun. About her head a band of tan, and a white quill. +The embroidery about the neck of her Indian robe is of pearls. The +basket which she carries should be white, with a motif of rich blue and +scarlet. She wears a tan (dressed deerskin) girdle, heavily embroidered +in red beads. Her stockings and moccasins are tan-colored also, the +moccasins embroidered in scarlet. The ends of her braids are bound in +scarlet and gold. White canton flannel, skilfully slashed for fringing, +will make the Indian dress, which should fall in straight lines from a +square neck. It should reach to about three inches above the ankle, and +should be heavily fringed. The robe, worn fastened at the shoulders, +should be of scarlet cloth. The deerskin belt is of cotton khaki. The +moccasins can be made of the same material, cut sandal fashion. Or low +canvas ties without heels, bead-embroidered. + +CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. Tan-colored costume of the seventeenth century. The +coat of tattered, weather-stained brown velvet, the puffed sleeves +slashed with tan satin that is soiled and frayed. Great tan boots +coming to the knee. A white lace collar at neck, much the worse for +wear. A brown leather girdle. + +POWHATAN. Indian dress of tan (dressed deerskin), the neck and breast +of it gorgeously painted with blue, green, and scarlet. Great chains of +shells and beads. A huge head-dress of black feathers that hangs down +his back almost to his knees. It should be the largest and most +magnificent of all the Indian head-dresses, as it is the insignia of +chiefdom. Tan stockings and tan moccasins. The material of his costume +may be cotton khaki. (The imitation khaki is best, as the real material +is too heavy.) + +THE MEDICINE-MAN. The medicine-man is old. He wears a wig of long, +white, coarse hair. His costume is of cotton khaki, decorated with +beads, bits of looking-glass, and feathers. He wears no feathers on his +head. A piece of fur is fastened to his shoulders. His blanket is +black, with white cabalistic signs. It can be made of canton flannel. + +INDIAN BRAVES. The braves who follow Powhatan should wear costumes +resembling those of the chief, save that they are less gorgeously +painted, and wear fewer strings of beads and shells. Their +head-dresses, too, are shorter. They should be of gray, black, and +brown feathers. Their faces are, of course, stained brown, their arms +and necks likewise. Red and black warpaint should also be on their +faces. Unless wigs of long hair are to be worn, the boys wearing the +feathered head-dresses should be careful to see that their lack of long +hair is concealed from view. Often the Indian braves wore their long +matted locks braided; and black cheesecloth cut into strips and then +braided and fastened to a tight black cap will make a splendid wig of +this sort--the braids of hair should hang in front of the ears. The +Indian braves should carry bows, arrows, and tomahawks. + +THE INDIAN MAIDENS. The Indian maidens should wear tan fringed dresses, +of the same length and fashion as that of Pocahontas. Necklaces and +bracelets of shells. The necks of the dresses embroidered in beads and +shells. They wear their long black hair in two braids, the ends of the +braids bound either with scarlet, corn-yellow, or vivid blue. They have +moccasins and tan-colored stockings. Their bead' embroidered footgear +should be in striking color on a tan background. But their chief glory +is their blankets. These should be barbarically glowing, since it is +partly in their wild flare of color that the beauty of the Blanket +Dance lies. The following designs for them are taken from the Indian +motifs and colorings studied from the collections in various museums of +natural history, and however startling they may seem at first, their +color-scheme should be faithfully carried out, as much of the success +of the scene depends on them. The material used may be canton flannel +throughout. They should be the size of the average, every-day blanket. + +1. Blanket made of equal halves of deep royal purple and pale turquoise +blue. + +2. Blanket of deep cobalt blue. Fastened in the center a great oval of +orange. + +3. Blanket made of equal halves of pale lemon and black. + +4. Blanket made of equal halves of very dark green and very pale green. + +5. Blanket made of equal halves of deep violet and white. + +6. White blanket with disks of scarlet at each of its four corners. + +7. Blanket of equal halves of royal purple and pale lavender. + +8. Blanket of very pale green, with large white disk in center. + +Each Indian maiden should wear a band of gay-colored cheesecloth, red, +green, or blue, bound about her forehead. This band should match the +color that fastens her braids. In the back of the head-band should be +fastened a quill of contrasting shade. It need hardly be added that the +Indian maidens wear neither feather head-dresses nor war-paint. Their +arms, necks, and faces should be stained light brown. The tan-colored +stockings are to simulate bare skin. + +SQUAWS. The squaws wear the same cotton khaki costumes as the Indian +maidens, save that their blanket are of more somber colors, and their +headgear is either omitted altogether, or consists of black, bronze, or +dull green. + +THE LITTLE INDIAN BOYS. They should drew in exact imitation of the +older braves, save that they wear no war-paint. + +PROPERTIES. For either an indoor or outdoor representation of this +scene where it is impossible to have a real fire, have a pile of fagots +and unionist them place large bunches of joss-sticks bound together +with thread. These will burn easily and safely, and the blue smoke from +them will simulate a waft from woodland embers. + +The log can be made of two small vinegar barrels fastened together, +covered with brown burlap, and then flecked with green and brown paint. +The teepees should be of canvas, unbleached cotton, or burlap fastened +over three slender, strong poles, stuck into the ground. They should be +equal to bearing the weight of the canvas or burlap, and yet light +enough to be removed and carried off the scene by the young Indian +braves as they leave in the direction of the river when the scene ends. + +DANCES. At the place indicated in the scene, the Indian maidens give +one or more characteristic Indian dances. "The Blanket Dance," one of +the most widely known and picturesque of the Indian dances, follows +somewhat the lines of a Virginia Reel. The Indian maidens stand in a +line facing each other, their blankets wrapped about them. The head +couple, facing each other, spread wide their blankets behind them like +great butterfly wings. Then they dance forward and back, forward and +back, beckoning, retreating, gesturing, and finally dance off, with one +blanket wrapped about two pairs of shoulders. Then the next couple, and +so on. All sorts of fantastic steps, gestures, bendings, and swayings +can be introduced. A wide space should be left between the dancers, so +that all they do can be clearly seen. Dancing in great circles, like a +mild war-dance, yet without the whoops and wild gestures of the latter, +is another form that lends itself to the out-of-doors. Another dance is +the Eagle Dance; with arms spread wide, holding their blankets at +wing-like angles, the dancers circle about each other, the dance +growing wilder and wilder. Still another dance is the symbolical one of +the Four Winds--North, South, East, West--done by four Indian maidens. +The South Wind gentle and swaying; the West Wind fantastic, with arms +upraised; the East Wind with streaming hair and rain-drops shining on +finger tips; the North Wind wilder than them all, and finally driving +them all before her. + +MUSIC. Piano: MacDowell's "An Indian Idyl," "From an Indian Lodge." +These can be had orchestrated. For a band: "Tomahawk Dance," by Andrew +Herman. "Indian War Dance," by Bellstedt. "The Sun Dance," by Leo +Friedman. + + +PILGRIM INTERLUDE + + +PILGRIM CHANT + +(Tune: Oxford. To be sung off stage by the Puritan maidens before they +enter to take part in the episode.) + +Gone is now the sullen winter, + Gone the famine and the snow; +In the forest, like a promise, + See the first white mayflowers blow. + +Fresh hope thrills us with their coming, + They, too, braved the winter long; +Then at Springtime took new leafage, + Frail yet steadfast, small but strong. + +Cling we thus to our new country, + Let us struggle and endure; +We have found a land of Freedom, + And our heritage is sure. + + +THE SPINNING LESSON +(A Pilgrim Interlude) + + +CHARACTERS + +PRISCILLA MULLINS +Lads of Plymouth Town + JOHN BILLINGTON + DEGORY MARTIN +Youthful Pilgrim Maidens + RUTH + PATIENCE + MIRIAM + LETTICE + ANNE +STAR-OF-SPRING, an Indian maiden +NATIQUA, a squaw, her mother +FOREST FLOWER, another Indian maiden +HERON'S WING, a young Indian brave + +SCENE: A grassy glade at Plymouth in the Spring of 1621, Trees right, +left, and background. At the beginning of the scene the grassy stage is +deserted. There presently enters from background Anne, a young Pilgrim +maid of about fourteen, whose somber garb shows out darkly against the +green background. She looks quickly about her, right and left, +shielding her eyes with her hand. Then she calls back over her shoulder +to her companions, Diantha and Lettice. + +ANNE +(calling). +Come quickly, Diantha. Here is a fair spot for our corn-shelling, and +not a prowling Indian in sight. + +[Diantha, slender, dark, and somewhat older than Anne, enters with +Lettice. They carry between them an Indian basket of capacious size, in +which are dried ears of corn. + +DIANTHA +(clearly). +Nay, we need have no fear; for on one side Captain Miles Standish keeps +watch, and on the other John Alden; so as for Indians---- + +LETTICE +(as they come to center). +One Indian only have I seen this day, and to see him is ever a sign of +good omen. + +DIANTHA. +That means that Squanto is in Plymouth Town, our good, true Indian +friend. He it was who taught us how to shell the corn, so many months +agone; he it was who taught us, this Spring, the manner of sowing it. + +LETTICE +(holding up Indian basket). +And here is one of the Indian corn-baskets that Captain Standish found +buried in a strange wilderness spot when he first explored these +forests. + +ANNE +(drawing near to Lettice). +These forests--! Oh, my heart! As night draws on how dark and fearsome +they appear! And now that Spring is in the land it sets me longing for +English hedgerows. + +[Sits on ground, left, and begins to shell corn. + +LETTICE +(joining Anne in her work). +Do you remember the Spring in Leyden, Diantha? + +DIANTHA +(looking upward as she stands). +Why, even here the Spring is very fair! Do not the sunlight, the blue +sky, and the budding trees make your heart sing with joy? + +ANNE. +Sit, then, Diantha, and let us have a quiet hour. + +DIANTHA +(standing behind them, half-gay, half-mocking). +A quiet hour--! Hither come Patience and Miriam and Ruth, the greatest +clatter-tongues in Plymouth. See! They have been gathering wild plum +blossoms! + +[Enter Miriam, Patience, and Ruth from background. They hasten towards +Diantha. The exquisite white of the blossoms they carry makes them look +like heralds of the Spring. + +MIRIAM +(excitedly). +Diantha, what dost think! Priscilla Mullins hath declared herself weary +of spinning in her own door-yard, and since Squanto hath told us that +we need not fear the Indians she hath besought Degory Martin and John +Billington to bring hither her spinning-wheel. + +PATIENCE +(wide-eyed). +Was ever the like known in Plymouth! + +RUTH +(as all look eagerly towards background). +Hither she comes! + +PRISCILLA +(clearly in distance). +Have a care, Degory. + +DEGORY. +Aye, Mistress Priscilla. + +PRISCILLA +(as they emerge from background). +Stumble not, John Billington. + +JOHN BILLINGTON +(sturdily). +Not while I bear such a burden. + +[They set down the spinning-wheel, center. + +PRISCILLA. +I thank you. Will you come for me when the shadows o' the pines grow +long across my doorway? + +[The Pilgrim lads nod, and exeunt, left background. + +PRISCILLA +(to Pilgrim maidens). +Well, and have you no word of greeting? Why, they are dumb with +astonishment! And is it so strange a thing to bring one's wheel +outdoors? 'Twas out of doors that this wood first grew! (Touches +wheel.) All day I have longed to be out in these wide spaces--and yet +there was work to do. But see--now I weld heart's desire and work +together! + +[She begins to spin. Meantime Pilgrim maidens group about her. Tableau. + +MIRIAM. +You are ever one to see the bright side of things, Priscilla, +and------Look, Priscilla--an Indian! + +[At sound of that dread word all the maidens draw near to Priscilla. +From the woods in right background appears Star-of-Spring, the little +Indian maiden. She carries a basket of shell-fish on her head, +steadying it with her hand. She is so intent on walking carefully that +she does not see the group of Pilgrims until she is nearly upon them. +There ensues a period of unflagging pantomime. Star-of-Spring, upon +seeing the group of dark-clad maidens, starts back, half terrified. +Priscilla rises, and as an overture of peace and good-will, takes a few +steps towards her. Star-of-Spring retreats still further towards right. +Priscilla returns to her wheel. + +Star-of-Spring, emboldened, takes a step towards the Pilgrim maidens. +Pilgrim maidens, quite as wary of Star-of-Spring as she is of them, +retreat a little way to left. At this Star-of-Spring's last fears +vanish. She wishes to be friends. With pretty pleading she holds out to +them her basket of shell-fish. Places it on the ground and then steps +back, bowing, with arms wide and outstretched palms. + +PRISCILLA. +She means we should accept it. Is that not truly generous! + +DIANTHA +(reassured). +It must be Star-of-Spring, the little Indian maid of whom Squanto has +so often told us. + +[Diantha takes up basket. Pantomime of delight on part of +Star-of-Spring. She draws near to Anne, and with a quaint grace touches +Anne's cap and kerchief. Tries on Anne's cap, and looks at herself in a +barbaric bit of looking-glass that dangles from one of her many chains +of beads. Then laughs, gives back the cap, and is in turn fascinated at +the sight of Priscilla when she begins spinning. Star-of-Spring +approaches the wheel with pantomime indicating awe and delighted +curiosity. She first inspects it, and then begins to talk in dumbshow +with quick, animated gestures. The Pilgrim maidens are somewhat +bewildered. + +DIANTHA +(as the meaning of the scene dawns on her). +Priscilla! She wishes to spin! + +ANNE. +Thou hast done many strange things in this new land, Priscilla; but I +doubt not that the strangest of all is to give an Indian maiden her +first lesson in spinning! + +[Priscilla rises. Star-of-Spring seats herself. Business of Priscilla's +teaching her to spin. Haltingly and somewhat fumblingly she does at +length manage to compass the first rudiments of her lesson. The Pilgrim +maidens stand grouped about her. Tableau. +DEGORY +(from background). +The shadows of the pines lengthen across your door-sill, Priscilla! + +[At sound of the new voice Star-of-Spring rises, and hastily retreats, +right. Degory Martin and John Billington enter from background. + +DIANTHA. +Only think, Degory, Star-of-Spring, an Indian maid, hath had a spinning +lesson! + +DEGORY. +The shadows are lengthening. Twilight comes apace here in the forest. +'Tis time you all came home. + +[The maidens of Plymouth follow him as he and John Billington take the +spinning-wheel and spinning-stool with them. They make their exit at +center background. Star-of-Spring, who has lingered at edge of trees, +right, steals out to look after her departing playmates. Stands at +place where spinning-wheel was. Again shakes her head, as if in +perplexity over the strange arts of the palefaces. Finds on grass part +of a skein of flax. Tosses it lightly in the air. Catches it again as +it falls. Begins a characteristic dance, swaying, tossing skein, +catching it. Each step of the dance takes her further into background. +Then she comes down center again, like a tossing bough or a blown +flame. She does not perceive the group entering from left. Her mother +(Natiqua), Forest Flower, and Heron's Wing. They also are so occupied +with portage that they do not perceive Star-of-Spring until they are +almost up to her. Heron's Wing and Forest Flower carry between them a +birch-bark canoe. Behind them trudges Natiqua, bent beneath a double +pile of fagots. They pass, in picturesque silhouette, back of the spot +where Priscilla had been seated with her spinning-wheel. Then they and +Star-of-Spring become aware of each other. They stop. Natiqua frowns. +Star-of-Spring points to place where Priscilla sat with her +spinning-wheel, and by animated gestures portrays what has taken place. +But neither Natiqua, Forest Flower, nor Heron's Wing is in the least +interested. Natiqua shakes her head and frowns. It is evident that the +wonders of the palefaces are not to her mind. She lets slip from her +back her double pile of fagots, then replaces one, and Star-of-Spring +takes up the other. Then, in Indian file, they cross the scene to +right, and slowly disappear from view. + + +COSTUMES + +PILGRIM MAIDENS. The Pilgrim maidens should wear plain black dresses +ankle length, with white cuffs and Puritan caps, and white kerchiefs. +These dresses may be made of black cambric, worn with the glazed side +turned in. + +THE PILGRIM LADS. The Pilgrim lads wear black suits, with full +knee-breeches, black stockings, and low black shoes with silver +buckles. Their hair comes to their ears, and they have white collars +turned down on their coats, and deep white cuffs on their sleeves. + +THE INDIANS. The Indians wear costumes of cotton khaki, the necks gaily +painted with Indian designs. Strings of beads and shells. Natiqua has a +green and scarlet blanket. She and the Indian maidens wear their hair +in braids. They also have a gay strip of cheesecloth--red, green, or +yellow--bound about their brows, and a quill stuck upright in the back. +Heron's Wing has a head-dress of blue-gray heron's feathers. All wear +moccasins. (See description of Indian costumes in "Princess +Pocahontas.") + + +FERRY FARM EPISODE + +CHARACTERS + +LORD FAIRFAX +MARY BALL WASHINGTON +GEORGE WASHINGTON +Plantation hands + AUNT RACHEL + SAMBO + LUCY + DINAH + PETER + NELLY + SUSY + UNCLE NED + +SCENE: The lawn of Ferry Farm, 1748. A wide expanse of green. Trees +right, left, and background. The trees in background supposedly screen +the Colonial house from view. At the left the estate supposedly +stretches to the highway. At the right, behind the trees, it is given +over to flower and vegetable gardens. + +At the beginning of the scene the grassy space is deserted, but from +the distance, right, comes the sound of singing. The sound swells +louder and louder in the rhythm of one of the oldest of African songs, +"Mary and Martha just gone 'long to ring those charming bells." The +first verse is sung before the singers appear. With the second verse +those who have been at work in the fields come into view, their gay and +colorful costumes bright against the green background. + +Two of the children run into sight first; then comes a group of nine or +ten young people. Some carry between them baskets heaped quite high +with fruit and vegetables. One boy holds a hoe. A girl carries a rake. +Another an armful of dried corn on the ear. Two more a low basket +heaped with cotton. In the center of this group hobbles old Aunt +Rachel, turbaned, and leaning on a cane. By her side walks Lucy, +carrying a great bunch of pink "Winter Roses." + +The third verse is sung as this group emerges into full view of the +audience. The children stand looking at Aunt Rachel as they sing, as if +they were catching some of the words from her. She beats time with her +finger to see that they learn correctly. Other voices take up the song +in right background, swelling it higher and higher. Uncle Ned, with his +fiddle under his arm, comes slowly from right to join the group in +foreground. The baskets are set down. The boy leans on his hoe, the +girl on her wooden rake, rapt and happy. All are given over to the +rhythmic joy of the music. + +UNCLE NED +(with a sigh of happiness). +I certainly do love music. Nothing cheers the heart like singing-- +unless it's the voice of the fiddle. + +SUSY +(hopping up and down). +Play to us, Uncle Ned, play to us! + +[Uncle Ned tucks his fiddle under his chin and begins to play. At first +the air is chant-like, and has a strain of melancholy, then it grows +gayer and gayer, until it turns into a dance tune. The children first +stand about Uncle Ned in a circle, listening. Then they begin to dance, +with swaying bodies and cries of delight. Here and there a girl and boy +dance opposite each other, hands on hips. There should be five or six +dancing groups in all. Uncle Ned finishes with a flourish, and turns +towards left. + +THE CHILDREN. +Play us another tune, Uncle Ned! Play us another tune! + +UNCLE NED +(to a little girl who is especially imploring). +No, no, honey. There's work for me to do up yonder at the house. + +[Goes off, left background. + +AUNT RACHEL +(still swaying a little and nodding her head). +It certainly does take the fiddle to make old bones feel young again. +Where are you going, Susy? + +SUSY +(taking up her basket and indicating left). +Off to the stables. + +AUNT RACHEL +(center). +And where are you going, Lucy? + +LUCY. +Up to the house with this bunch of roses for Mistress Washington. + +SUSY. +Look! Here comes Nelly from the house now. + +NELLY +(running down from background). +Have you-all heard the news? This is the day that Master George is +leaving for his surveying trip with Lord Fairfax. See! Mistress +Washington is coming to speak to us now! + +[All look in the direction of house. Madam Washington is seen +approaching from the background, center, a stately figure in Colonial +dress, her hair slightly touched with gray. Cries of "Good-morning, +Mistress Washington! Good-morning!" Children skip up and down. Baskets, +hoe, and rake are alike forgotten. Madam Washington stands in center, +and the plantation children are grouped in a wide semicircle about her, +so that all she does is in full view of audience. Lucy presents Madam +Washington with a bunch of roses. Madam Washington takes them, bows, +and smiles. Lucy drops a courtesy. + +MADAM WASHINGTON. +How is your fever, Aunt Rachel? + +AUNT RACHEL. +Better, better, I thank you. + +LUCY. +Is this the day that Master George is starting for-- + +PETER +(as he comes running down from background). +Mistress Washington! Mistress Washington! Lord Fairfax has come, and +Master George's horse is all saddled and waiting. + +[Madam Washington turns and, follows Peter back to the house. + +AUNT RACHEL +(indicating left). +Come, children! You can see the road from here. There he is on his +horse! + +[Young George Washington, in tan-colored frontiersman's garb, is seen +dimly through the trees. With him a stately figure that is Lord +Fairfax. They wave and bow in direction of house. Then George waves in +direction of plantation group in foreground. + +SAMBO +(shielding his eyes with his hand). +I can see him! I can see him! + +ALL +(looking off towards left, waving, gesticulating). +Good-by, good-by, Master George! + +OTHERS. +Come back soon, Master George. Good-by! Good-by! + +AUNT RACHEL +(sadly shaking her head). +He is gone! How we will miss him! + +[An instant's dejection falls on the group. They stand saggingly, joy +gone from them. + +AUNT RACHEL +(brightening). +It's only for a short time. Only for a short time. He'll be back. He'll +surely be back. + +[The group brightens. A tambourine drops jinglingly. It is picked up. +Baskets and hoe are resumed. The group starts towards background, +leisurely, tunefully singing: + +(Air: Chorus of "Down Where the Cotton Blossoms Grow.") + +Bright shines the sun, the clover-fields are white, + Through the woods the happy children go: +As gay are our hearts as flowers swinging light, + When balmy airs of Springtime blow. + +Gaily we work with spade and rake and hoe, + Golden shines the burnished sun of noon; +Then in the fields the shadows longer grow, + Time to be looking for the moon! + +Then twilight comes, and then the velvet night, + Stars shine like a beacon through the gloam, +The old cabin road is gray beneath their light, + The long road that leads us to our home. + +[As they sing the darkies move towards background. The voices grow +fainter and fainter. The scene ends. + + +COSTUMES + +LORD FAIRFAX. Plum-colored velvet. Three-cornered black hat. White wig +with cue. + +GEORGE WASHINGTON. Frontiersman's suit of cotton khaki, made on Indian +lines, with Indian tunic, and knee-breeches. Tan stockings, with +strappings of khaki wound round them, and moccasins. + +MADAM WASHINGTON. Dark green quilted petticoat. Overdress and bodice of +dark green, flowered in old rose. Elbow sleeves. White ruffles of lace. +White lawn fichu. Powdered hair. + +The plantation negroes wear tropically bright colors. All the colors +are solid. Aunt Rachel has a bright blue dress with a white apron and +kerchief, and a black cloak across her shoulders. She wears a scarlet +and yellow turban, and huge gold hoops in her ears. The negro girls +wear red and blue and green cotton dresses with white kerchiefs, and +colored aprons--a yellow apron with a red dress, and so on. Some of +them wear gay little turbans. Their feet are bare. The boys wear black +knee-breeches, and bright-colored shirts, open at the neck. Uncle Ned +wears black knee-breeches, low black shoes, and a faded scarlet vest +with gilt buttons opening over a soft white shirt. + + +GEORGE WASHINGTON'S FORTUNE +(Founded on a legend of him youth.) + + +CHARACTERS + +GEORGE WASHINGTON, a Youthful Surveyor +Young Lads who serve respectfully as "chainmen" and "pilots" + RICHARD GLENN + JAMES TALBOT + KEITH CARY +A FRONTIERSMAN +RED ROWAN, his daughter + +SCENE: An open woodland glade that is part of the wilderness portion of +Lord Fairfax's estate beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, +1748. Trees at right, left, and background. Trailing vines. Low bushes. +Underfoot a carpet of rotting leaves. At the left, near foreground, a +fire smolders. Near it are spread a bearskin used as a +sleeping-blanket, some pine boughs, surveyors' tools, and a tin box. At +the right a fallen tree-trunk, mossed, vine-covered. The time is +mid-afternoon. The lads who enter wear the garb of frontiersmen; but +when the play begins the forest glade is deserted until Richard Genn's +voice is heard from the woods in background. + +RICHARD GENN. +Come on, then, Washington. Hurry there, Talbot! (Genn enters, carrying +chains and a surveyor's pole, and comes quickly to the fire.) Why, the +ashes have kept their heat since morning. We will not have to start +another fire. + +JAMES TALBOT +(entering with Washington from background). +That's good hearing, for I'm famished. How say you, Washington? + +WASHINGTON +(laughing and coming to fire). +I could eat a wild turkey, feathers and all. This life in the +wilderness makes one keenly hungry. What's in the box, Richard? + +TALBOT +(delving into tin box). +Bacon. Some dry bread. + +WASHINGTON. +Toast the bacon between the bread, and we'll have such a feast as is +due to young surveyors who've tramped a good ten miles since morning. +Now then, Richard. Here are some sticks. Let each lad toast his own. + +TALBOT +(helping to prepare). +The very smell of it makes me ravenous. (To Genn.) I wonder where your +Uncle is, and Colonel Fairfax? + +GENN. +Miles from here, doubtless. (Stretches.) But I _am_ stiff! + +WASHINGTON. +And where can Carey be? + +TALBOT. +Oh, Carey's lagged behind to get a shot at some grouse that he means to +have for supper. Hark! + +CAREY +(In background). +Lads! Lads! Where be ye? + +WASHINGTON +(calling in answer). +Here, Carey, here. (To the others.) That's he, now. Well, Carey, what +luck? + +CAREY +(entering from background). +Any luck but pot luck. Missed both times. No grouse for us. I almost +wish I'd raided some frontiersman's cabin. + +[Sits at fire. + +WASHINGTON. +"Get what you can get honestly." (Passes him the bacon.) "Use what you +get frugally." That was an old saying I learned from my copybook, and +even in the wilderness it seems to hold true. + +RICHARD GENN +(as they sit about fire, eating). +What's to be done when this meal is finished? + +GEORGE WASHINGTON. +Naught that I know of. I can do no more till I receive further orders +from Colonel Fairfax. + +TALBOT. +Well, then, we've a half-holiday. 'Tis the first idle time we've had in +three weeks. Up before dawn, and to bed before star-rise! I tell you it +makes the hours spin fast. How shall we pass our leisure? + +CAREY. +I'm going back for those grouse. + +[Rises. + +TALBOT. +I've seen the bronze of a wild turkey's wing. + +[Rises. + +GENN +(smacking his lips). +I'd like to have that same turkey wing here before the fire! (Rises.) +I'm with you, Talbot, for whatever a sportsman's luck may bring. And +you, Washington? + +WASHINGTON. +I'd best wait here to see if a message comes from Colonel Fairfax. If +in one hour the message does not come, I'll join you. + +GENN +(ready to start). +Well, then, Talbot. + +[The three lads start. + +WASHINGTON +(to Carey). +I wish you luck! May you flush a grouse at every ten yards! + +[Lads laugh, and exeunt, background. Washington looks after them a +moment, and then takes surveying paper from his pocket. + +WASHINGTON. +Now for my wilderness chart! + +[Pores over it. From the distance comes the sound of a frontiersman's +ax, which he is too absorbed to notice. Red Rowan enters from the +right, a wild, picturesque young figure in a scarlet cloak. + +WASHINGTON +(to himself, as he bends over his chart). +'Tis not so easy as Little Hunting Creek! + +RED ROWAN +(approaching him). +Nothing is easy in the wilderness! + +WASHINGTON (starting up, gazing at her, and then brushing his hand +across his eyes). +I thought I was studying before the fire; but instead I've been +dreaming . . . dreaming! + +RED ROWAN +(shaking her head). +No dream! Only a woodsman's daughter. You can hear my father yonder, +felling oaks. I saw the glimmer of your fire and came. + +WASHINGTON +(with a boyish courtesy and shyness). +Will you--will you not be seated? + +RED ROWAN +(seated on bearskin, looking at fire). +Folks call me Red Rowan. + +WASHINGTON. +My name is Washington. George Washington. + +RED ROWAN +(still looking at the fire). +You have a shrewd fire, and the air is chill in these mountains. + +WASHINGTON. +Will you not have some bacon and bread? I wish there were more to offer +you. + +RED ROWAN. +I'll have a taste of the bacon and a morsel of bread. (Washington +begins to prepare them). I thank you. + +WASHINGTON +(toasting bread and bacon). The wilderness must be rough-seeming to +you. + +RED ROWAN. +I'm well-used to deep forests and long, hard journeys, for the love of +a trail is in my blood. My grandfather was a gentleman rover, and my +father a frontiersman, and my mother was--a gipsy. + +WASHINGTON +(surprised). +A gipsy? + +RED ROWAN +(nodding). +Aye, but she died when I was little, and lies buried oversea. 'Tis ten +years now since my father came from England, and brought me with him. + +WASHINGTON. +You have known little of a roof, then. + +RED ROWAN. +Aye, or of schooling. But forests are kind teachers, and have given me +much. There is a lore deeper than the lore of books. You too must know +it. For with lonely campfires and winding roads and sharp, white, +frosty stars one comes to gather wisdom. Schoolbooks may give you the +past, but it is in my blood to know---- + +WASHINGTON +(as she pauses). +The future--! + +RED ROWAN +(slowly, gazing at fire). +Or so I tell myself. I must ofttimes make up fancies to help the long +days pass. (Rises.) Come, for a jest, let me read your palm, Master +Washington. And in after years you may say: "Why, so Red Rowan told +me!" + +WASHINGTON. +Would you have me put faith in witchcraft? + +RED ROWAN +(offended).Do I look like a witch? Nay, but you know right well I do not. +Come, let me read your hand. 'Tis a mere jest, and will do no harm, and +you need not believe a word I say. + +WASHINGTON. +I will not, if it is flattering; for I have learned aforetime that +_humility is the forerunner of advancement._ [Footnote: Washington's +own words] + +RED ROWAN +(seated on mossy log, as she reads his hand). What would you wish to +be? + +WASHINGTON +(simply). +When I grow older, a man of deeds, not words. [Footnote: Washington's +own words] + +RED ROWAN. +Well, then, give hither. (Reading his hand.) Your name is Washington, +and you come from beyond Blue Ridge. All this I know. For the rest, let +me read. You are well versed in woodcraft, but not so well in books. + +WASHINGTON. +There I must mend me. + +RED ROWAN. +Aye. You are a notable horseman: your wrist is quick at the foils; you +can swim, climb, and fight, if need be. You are strong, and your valor +equals your strength, your courtesy, your bearing. The line of truth is +here. You smile? + +WASHINGTON. +I was thinking of the matter of a hatchet and a cherry tree! + +RED ROWAN +(still reading). +Through all your life, success will smile upon you. Here are the marks +of battles. Here are the lines of hardships and of victories. And all +these little lines--see, marches, marches, marches! You'll be a +colonel, and perhaps a general. You laugh? Some day you'll see! 'Twill +all come true! You'll fight in a great cause. + +WASHINGTON +(puzzled). +What cause is there to fight for? + +RED ROWAN. +That I do not know. But here 'tis clearly written. And you will win. +Your name will be on all men's tongues. 'Tis a long road, and all up +hill. But at the summit--triumph! Remember that. Upon the summit is +triumph. + +WASHINGTON +(half-soberly). +And for the rest? + +RED ROWAN. +You'll be upon a farmstead with great, rolling acres. + +WASHINGTON. +Forest or farmstead, I care not which. That part is true enough, +Mistress Rowan. There was a time when I wished to go to sea; but now I +hope to spend my life at Ferry Farm. + +RED ROWAN +(rising). +Part of it will be spent far otherwise. Remember that I told you. + +WASHINGTON +(courteously). Aye, I'll remember, tho' 'tis but a jest. + +RED ROWAN +(pausing). +Aye, a jest wrought of gipsy magic. I wish you well, Master Washington, +and I thank you for your hospitality. + +FRONTIERSMAN'S VOICE +(calling from right). +Rowan! + +RED ROWAN +(answering). +I'm coming, father. (To Washington.) Remember, Master Washington, that +I told you. + +[Exit Rowan, quickly and lightly. + +WASHINGTON +(smiling to himself). +Remember! Why, 'tis the merest jest. + +CAREY +(from background). +Time's up, George! There's wondrous sport. Are you not coming? + +WASHINGTON +(to Carey). +Aye, I am coming. (To himself.) But the merest jest! "To fight in a +great cause--!" "A long hill, and a hard, and at the summit--triumph!" +(Shaking off the spell the words have cast on him). The lads would +laugh, did I but tell them! (Calls, in answer to impatient steps, and +crackling of leaves in background.) I come! + +[He makes his exit into background, running blithely, and the play +ends. + + +COSTUMES + +GEORGE WASHINGTON. Frontiersman's suit, modeled on Indian lines. The +suit is tan-colored, supposedly made of dressed deerskin. The breeches +and tunic are fringed, Indian fashion. There is neither paint nor +beading upon the suits. Moccasins. The other lads wear suits of the +same kind. The material can be cotton khaki. The moccasins can be +made of the same, and beaded. + +RED ROWAN. Dress of leaf-brown homespun made rather short, and quite +plain, open at the neck, the sleeves coming to the elbow. A cloak of +vivid scarlet, gathered in simple folds at neck, and falling to the +ankles. Both dress and cloak may be made of cambric, using the unglazed +side. Tan stockings. Moccasins. The latter may be made of cotton khaki, +and beaded. + + +DANIEL BOONE: PATRIOT + +CHARACTERS + +DANIEL BOONE, a pioneer. +ROGER KENTON, a lad +ALLAN RIGDON, another +BLAIZE PRITCHARD, a trapper +EDWARD BRYAN +JAMES COLBY +BLACK FISH, an Indian Chief +HAWK EYE, a young Indian Brave +EAGLE'S FEATHER, another +Other Pioneers, Trappers, Indians + +(Note: The events comprised in this play cover a longer period of time +than is suggested here.) + +SCENE: An open woodland. Place, the Blue Lick Springs, Kentucky, 1778. +Trees right, left, and background. A slightly worn path leads to +background where the salt springs are supposed to be. Tall poles with +skins on them. A large kettle swings over the fire in right foreground. +Near it are other kettles, iron saucepans, and sacks for salt. In +center background a hollow tree with swinging moss covering its +opening. A fallen log near the kettles serves as a seat. + +The play begins by young Allan Rigdon coming out of woods, left, with a +few fagots which he feeds to the fire, bending over it, and looking in +the kettle. James Colby comes by the half-worn path from background, +carrying a bucket of water. + +COLBY +(calling). +How comes the salt, Rigdon? If 'twere not that these licks give it in +such abundance, 'twould try a lad's patience sorely. 'Tis like a girl's +work--tending kettles! And hardly a man's work--carrying water from a +spring. (Puts down pail of water.) 'Faith, my arms are stiff, and my +fingers also! If an Indian sprang at me from a thicket I could not so +much as cock my gun! What shall I do next? Carry more water? The rest +are still drawing it--_more_ girl's work, if you'll leave me call it +so! (As a slight sound is heard at left.) Heaven's mercy! What's that? +(Seizes gun.) Is it Indians? + +BOONE +(quietly approaching from left). +And if it were, would your work be only _girl's_ work, Colby? It shows +you but a foolish lad to speak of it thus lightly. With all +Boonesborough in need of salt, with our cattle and horses +half-perishing for the want of it, with the way that lies to the licks +a very wilderness road for danger, 'twould hardly be called girl's work +to tend these kettles--brave as our frontier women are. 'Tis _men's_ +work, Colby, although you be but lads who do it. + +RIGDON. +The wilderness makes men of lads right quickly; does it not, Master +Boone? + +BOONE +(seated on log). +Aye, that it does. If it were not for the stress of the times, and the +scarcity of men to keep watch, you should be back in Boonesborough, and +not here, my lads. But 'twas for your courage and skill that I chose +you. How comes the salt, Rigdon? + +RIGDON. +Finely, sir, finely. And the hunting? + +BOONE +(shaking his head). +Scarce enough to keep a fox alive. I must start forth again. There +should be plenty of bison fat and deer meat for the days that are +coming. (Enter Kenton with bucket of water. He puts it down, and +salutes Boone.) Well, Kenton, what news from the springs? + +KENTON. +The same as ever, sir. Blaize Pritchard and Edward Bryan stand guard +while the rest of us carry water. The camp is as you see it. There's +not been a sign of an Indian since you left us yesternight. + +BOONE. +You do not ask what I've brought back with me, Kenton. + +KENTON. +I know, sir, that if there were game to be had you would have bagged +it. But since we've come to the Blue Lick Springs the buffalo and deer +seem to have gotten wind of us. There's not so much as a rabbit +scampering across the grass. It seems as if nature herself were in +league against us. + +BOONE. +Nonsense, lad. There'll be game enough soon, when I've foraged further. +Such times as these were sent to us to see whether we be of iron or +putty. + +KENTON. +All the same, sir, I'll be glad when the boiling is done and we can +pack our salt, and start through the forest for home. Long as the trail +is, I would sooner have it than---- + +BOONE +(clutching rifle). +Hark! The crack of a branch--in the forest. On the defense, lads. I'll +investigate. + +[Goes into woods at right. + +KENTON +(in a low voice, as the lads seize their rifles). +If it should be those venomous Shawnees! Before we left Boonesborough +'twas said that they'd already passed the war-pipe through their +villages. They have been still so long, 'tis time for an uprising. +(Approaching footsteps are heard.) Who comes? + +COLBY +(on the alert). +Just Boone himself. + +RIGDON. +What signs, sir? + +BOONE. +No signs at all, unless for the first time in their lives the Indians +are shrewder than the Long Knives. There's not so much as a broken +branch, or a newly fallen leaf. Now, lads, off to the spring with you. +I'll tend this last kettle, and when 'tis boiled, I'll start on the +trail again. There must be bison and deer for the followers of Daniel +Boone. Lads, stay! If because we are unmolested you should sometimes +think that tending the kettle is work for girls--remember that we and +our guns are all that stand between the Indians and the fort at +Boonesborough, where all the women and children are. Will you remember? + +ALL +(speaking vehemently). +Aye, sir. + +BOONE. +And as I take the trail I will remember the lads who've lived on dry +bread and the paring of bacon rinds, and who've tasted naught but +parched buffalo meat in three weeks. + +RIGDON. +You've gone hungry yourself, sir. + +BOONE. +Well, lads, 'tis all in the day's luck. We'll not suffer for meat if I +can shoot an elk or a bear. (Lads exeunt through trees in background, +Boone watching them.) Brave lads they are, and true! + +[He tends the kettle, facing audience. After a moment Indians +stealthily appear in background. + +EAGLE'S FEATHER +(as two of the braves seize Boone). +Long Knife, surrender! + +[There is a brief struggle between Boone and the braves; but the former +finds, that it is useless to resist. + +HAWK EYE. +Shawnees on warpath. Long have watched Boone and tried to trap him. Now +have got him. Boone show trail to Boonesborough. + +BOONE +(to himself, in a tense whisper). +Boonesborough? + +BLACK FISH +(majestically). +What answer does Long Knife Boone make? If Long Knife joins tribe, Long +Knife will be treated with honor. All at Boonesborough will be killed; +but Boone's life will be spared if he joins tribe. What answer does +Long Knife Boone make? + +[Boone considers deeply for a moment. His gun has been taken from him; +but he is so closely surrounded that his arms are left free. He +considers deeply for another moment, arms crossed on breast, head +bowed. Looks up for an instant. Gives a searching glance at the +Indians. Considers again for a moment. Then raises his head. + +BOONE. +Long Knife says--yes! + +[Holds out his hands, smiling. + +ALL INDIANS +(delighted at pantomime of acquiescence). +Wah! + +BLACK FISH +(waving tomahawk in air). +Long Knife's brothers--over by spring! + +ALL INDIANS +(in chorus). +Kill! Kill! + +BOONE. +Wait! Black Fish try to kill Long Knife's brothers. Long Knife's +brothers fight back. Kill maybe one brave. Maybe two braves. Maybe +three braves. But--Boone speak to his white brothers. They surrender to +Black Fish. No fighting. No braves killed. What does Black Fish answer? + +BLACK FISH. +Black Fish answers: Long Knife show great wisdom. Black Fish do as Long +Knife says. + +[Some of the Indians start in the direction of the spring. + +HAWK EYE +(grunting). +Umph! + +[Kenton is suddenly brought in by two braves who have captured him. As +his eye falls on Boone his voice shrills with terror. + +KENTON. +Oh, they have caught you! They have-- + +[The rest of the pioneers begin to appear from background, closely +guarded by the Indians. + +COLBY +(as all of Boone's little band are brought in as captives). What's +this? Not Boone a traitor? + +BOONE. +Hush! (To the other white men.) No use to fight. We are surrounded. (To +Black Fish.) Does Black Fish give me leave to speak to my comrades +apart? + +[Black Fish nods assent. Boone and his band withdraw to left. The +Indians withdraw to right. Each side holds a conference. That of the +Indians is in pantomime. + +BOONE +(to his band). +No use to fight, lads. Put up your guns. (Indicates Indians.) Half a +score more are in the woods behind us. If we surrender, we may gain +some time. If we refuse, we're lost. They'll march at once on +Boonesborough. + +KENTON. +Wilson's gone free, sir. He'll take Boonesborough the news of our +capture. + +BOONE +(rapidly). +Aye; but he cannot take them the news of what Black Fish means to do. +No one in Boonesborough knows that the Indians are on the warpath. A +massacre is planned. The fires are lit. The tomahawks are ready. We +must gain time. 'Tis all that we can do. We must surrender. I'll break +through when I can. (Loudly.) Think well, my brothers. Here is freedom +offered you, if you surrender. What do you say? + +PRITCHARD +(loudly). +I say that we surrender. + +[Boone, turning, makes a gesture to the spot where their guns lie +piled, then towards the Indians as one would say: "We give in." + +BLACK FISH. +My brothers, we, too, have had a council. Far in the North the British +pay much gold for paleface prisoners. + +PRITCHARD +(involuntarily). +Oh, Boone, we're sold! + +BOONE +(quickly). +No! Saved! The British will take a ransom, and Boonesborough will pay +it to the uttermost farthing. (In a low voice.) Come, strategy! +Strategy! I will break through to-night. + +PRITCHARD. +Great Chief Black Fish, to you we have surrendered. With your braves we +will take the trail to the British encampment. + +BLACK FISH +(grunting with pleasure). +Umph! Much money for paleface prisoners. (To Hawk Eye). Give prisoners +bison meat. Water. See they not die on road. No want to lose money they +bring. Braves march now. Boone not go. Boone stay with us. + +[While Black Fish has been speaking the braves and their prisoners line +up for departure. Meantime, from the woods in background other Indians +have joined the group. Those who have captured Boone describe the feat +in dumbshow. The newly arrived Indians bear food, a blanket or so, a +war-drum, pipes, etc. + +BOONE +(striving to speak gaily). +A good journey, my lads. I shall be thinking of you. + +EDWARD BRYAN +(low: aside, full of commiseration). +You will be here alone! + +BOONE +(hurriedly, seeing that Bryan's remark has been overheard by the +Indians). +With my kind brothers! (Quickly, seeing that Black Fish's back is +turned.) March bravely, lads. Remember Boonesborough! + +PRITCHARD +(moved). +Your hand, Boone. + +BOONE +(clasping Pritchard's hand). +My comrade! + +[They look at each other a long moment. Then the line, Indian-guarded, +and led by Hawk Eye, marches out, left. + +BLACK FISH +Now we make a great feast. Celebrate. + +[They all sit on ground. War-pipe is passed. Gourds with grape wine. +Dried fish. Dried fruits. General hum of excitement and pleasure. +Animated and colorful groups. Boone smokes the war-pipe when it is +passed to him. Drinks and eats freely with the others. Through it all, +now soft, now loud, sounds the drone of the war-drum. Now and again a +young buck yells jubilantly, or ejaculates a shrill "_E-yah!_" of +pleasure. They rise from feasting to dance in a war-circle about the +drum, right. Boone does a few steps with them, and then retreats to +left of stage. More dances. Speeches with short guttural words and +grunts. Waving of tomahawks. Shrill cries. Another circle is formed +about the war-drum. Attention drifts away from Boone. Finally, after a +second dance about the war-drum Eagle's Feather gives a sudden cry of +"_Boone! Boone gone!_" Intense excitement. Cries of rage. General +search as Indians exeunt right and left. One or two lag behind and look +in bushes. Eagle's Feather pulls back swinging moss from hollow tree +and looks within. Then the baffled Indians dart off stage, right. A +moment later Boone enters from left. Looks warily about him, right, +left, and background. Then darts into hollow tree. A moment later the +Indians, headed by Eagle's Feather, enter right, left, and background. +They gesticulate with cries of "_Boonesborough!_" Some urge taking the +way at left, others the way at right. Eagle's Feather is among the +latter. The way at right is ultimately decided upon. With a final yell +of "_Boonesborough!_" and great swinging of tomahawks, all the Indians +exeunt right. The drone of the war-drum begins, and grows fainter and +fainter as they go into the forest. The gourds and blankets and pipes +they have collected and taken with them as supplies for the march. + +BOONE +(coming triumphantly out of his hollow tree). +They have taken the wrong trail! I am free to warn my people! I can +gain the fort ere the Indians reach it! Boonesborough is saved. + +[Exit Boone, running left. The grassy space is left vacant, and the +scene ends. + + +COSTUMES + +DANIEL BOONE. Daniel Boone and his followers wear suits of buckskin +made on Indian lines. (Cotton khaki imitates the tan color of the +buckskin.) Long breeches, the buckskin tunic coming about to the knee. +It is fringed. There is no adornment on the tunics such as Indians +wear. The lads of the party wear buckskin breeches of knee-length, and +tan strapping over tan-colored stockings. They should all wear +moccasins, or imitation moccasins made of khaki, and embroidered in +beads. + +THE INDIANS. The Indians wear suits resembling those of Boone and his +followers, save that they have painted insignia and bead and shell +embroidery. Black Fish has a great black fish painted on his khaki +costume. All wear moccasins. All have feathered head-dresses and +war-paint. The war-paint of Black Fish is scarlet and black, and he +wears an immense black head-dress of feathers that is longer and +handsomer than those of any of the others. Eagle's Feather wears a +scarlet head-band and one huge gray eagle's feather in it, stuck +upright. For further description of Indian finery see description of +braves in "Princess Pocahontas." The blankets and baskets can be the +same in this play as in that one. + +PROPERTIES. The hollow tree can be made of two halves of barrels +fastened together, and stood upright by means of props put behind it. +It should be painted dark brown inside and out, or covered with +dark-brown burlap flecked with black and white for lichen. Green vines +can be hung about it, and it should stand well in the background, +resembling a rotting and blasted tree as much as possible. + + +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN EPISODE + +CHARACTERS + +YOUNG BENJAMIN FRANKLIN +AN OLD WOMAN + +SCENE I + +Boston Common on a Summer afternoon, 1720. + +The Common is an open grassy space, wide to the sun and sky. There are +trees right, left, and background. Their shadows fall like a wavering +tracery across the grass. + +At the beginning of the scene this grassy space is deserted. It is the +far end of the Common, a place not much frequented by loiterers. The +first person to cross it is young Benjamin Franklin, who comes slowly +in from right. He wears knee-breeches, a loose white shirt, silver +buckles on his square-toed shoes, and a three-cornered hat on his head. +He is reading from a book which he holds in his right hand, while on +his left arm hangs a basket of tallow candles. Slung across his left +shoulder is a kite, its string trailing. + +He walks slowly, pausing every now and then to turn a page. The old +woman enters from right, and comes quickly towards Franklin. She is +wonderfully keen-eyed and light of foot, and is clad in a green quilted +petticoat, with a green bodice, a touch of white at neck, and a green +double cape. A white cap is perched on her snow-white head. She also +carries a small market-basket, and a gold-headed cane. Her stockings +are scarlet, her low black shoes have gold buckles. She is, withal, +arrestingly picturesque, and there hangs about her a slight air of +mystery, that is well in accordance with her profession, which is that +of soothsayer. + +Franklin is so deep in his book that she soon catches up with him, +passes him, looks back, and sees that he does not perceive her. Then +she stands still and lets him pass her, still staring at him. Then she +comes briskly up behind him, and taps him on the arm with her cane. + +THE OLD WOMAN. +Fare not so fast, young sir. If your book makes you so blind to +customers, 'tis not many candles you'll be selling. + +FRANKLIN +(at first somewhat startled, then looking up quite calmly). +And if I do not mind my books, 'tis naught but candles I'll be selling +all my life. + +THE OLD WOMAN. +Well spoken, tallow-chandler's son. Whatever your calling, I see that +your wits are not made of wax. Give me a shilling's worth o' candles, +and tell me what good your toil is like to bring you. + +FRANKLIN +(putting down book, kite, and basket, and selecting candles). +I have ambition to become a printer. + +THE OLD WOMAN +(paying him and putting candles in her basket). +So! + +FRANKLIN. +And if I do not apply myself, how am I like to learn? There are no +gains without pains, and heaven gives all things to Industry. +[Footnote: From "Poor Richard's Almanac."] + +THE OLD WOMAN +(holding up her hands). +To hear him! (Chuckling to herself.) Keep on! Keep on! You'll ne'er be +sorry for it! Aha, Master Franklin, 'twill take no gazing in the +crystal to see that the future of a wise and industrious lad is made of +gold. What's that you're carrying as carefully as if 'twas your book? + +FRANKLIN +(dropping book and basket, and showing kite). +My kite. To-day was a half-holiday, and I've been flying it on Beacon +Hill till the wind hath made me sleepy. + +THE OLD WOMAN +(keenly). +You've fastened a little key to it. + +FRANKLIN +(with a burst of candor). +Sometimes I think I'll fly it in a thunderstorm and gather up the +lightning. + +THE OLD WOMAN +(tapping the ground vigorously with her cane). +Those are bold words, Master Benjamin Franklin. Are you not feared to +speak them? (Looks half-fearfully over her left shoulder.) Folk might +think you were in league with--with strange powers! (There is a touch +of the eighteenth-century beldame in her as she speaks these words). + +FRANKLIN. +How is it that you know my name, and yet I do not remember you? + +THE OLD WOMAN +(mysteriously). +Perhaps there are too many soothsayers passing, or perhaps you have not +looked well about you. Aha, aha! (Nodding and blinking.) There are many +things folk do not see. + +FRANKLIN +(shrewdly and bluntly). +That's true. My father says that _all_ the witches were not hanged on +Salem Hill. + +THE OLD WOMAN(finger upraised). +S-ssh! Never that word! Never that word, Master Franklin! Come, I am +for crossing the Common, and for your good-will, and because you are a +wise lad, I'll lend you my crystal. + +[Gives it to him. + +FRANKLIN +(putting book in basket with candles, and turning crystal to the +light). +How it shines in the sun! + +THE OLD WOMAN +(with cane upraised and wand-like for a moment). +Look in it. Look deep in it. 'Twill give you dreams, Master Franklin, +all good, good dreams. Dreams o' the future, Master Franklin! + +[Franklin stands still in background, looking at the crystal as the Old +Woman goes on her way. The branches of the trees under which he stands +cast wavering shadows about him. It is cool after the glare of the sun. +He yawns, stretches, and throws himself at foot of tree. + +FRANKLIN +(musing aloud). +Of all the strange old women! (Looks at crystal again.) A pretty toy, +truly! All--shining--in--the--sun------ (Falls asleep.) + +THE OLD WOMAN +(stealing back for a moment out of background, and raising cane as +before). +Dream! Dream deep! + +[Tosses over him half of her double cloak, then makes her exit into +background, with finger on lip, and disappears from view. There is a +pause of some length, during which dream music is played, a soft, +swaying rhythm. Then comes the Dream. + +SCENE II +PEOPLE OF THE DREAM + +DR. FRANKLIN, the statesman +JOHN ADAMS +MARIE ANTOINETTE, Queen of France +THE DUCHESS OF BOURBON +MADEMOISELLE DE PERNAN +MADEMOISELLE DE TRESSAU +Ladies in Waiting. +Pages. +Courtiers. +Rose Minuet Dancers. +Shepherdesses and Milkmaids from the Petit Trianon. +Little Flower Girls. +Rose Bearers. + +The setting is the lawn of Versailles on a Summer afternoon, 1781. + +There are trees at right, left, and background. The entrances of all +taking part in the scene are made from middle background. + +The dream music of the previous scene having ceased, a stately march is +played off scene. Queen Marie Antoinette enters, her train held by four +little pages in white satin. She is followed by Mlles. de Pernan and de +Tressau, who wear white brocade with pale yellow roses. Following them +comes a less formal group, ladies in waiting, who wear dark green and +silver-flowered bodices and overskirts over still darker green quilted +petticoats: amber costumes of the same, threaded with gold, and dark +purple over white satin. The Queen, who is in white, with a long train +of scarlet velvet, has the only touch of scarlet that is worn in the +scene. The French courtiers are in flowered coats with buff, blue of a +deep shade, and white and amber-brown predominating. + +The Queen, having crossed the sward, stands at right, and the Mlles. de +Pernan and de Tressau stand immediately behind her, and by them the +pages. A little further back, in a stately, yet not too formal a +semicircle, stands the court. Just as they are taking their places +there comes from the background a sedan chair borne by four chairmen in +black velvet, with powdered wigs. This chair is set down in center of +sward. The Duchess of Bourbon alights: approaches the Queen, courtesies +deeply and kisses her Majesty's hand. Then joins the group behind the +Queen. The chair is carried to the back of the group during this +ceremony. + +Music off-scene plays "Hail Columbia" and Franklin and Adams appear +from background, Adams following Franklin. Benjamin Franklin is in +black, with unpowdered hair. His famous spectacles are on his nose. The +Queen extends her hand, over which he bows. Adams, with three-cornered +hat on breast, bows just behind him. + +QUEEN. +You honor France in honoring us by your presence, Dr. Franklin. Mr. +Adams, we greet you, not only because you come from America, but +because you are the friend of wisdom and sagacity. + +FRANKLIN +(bowing low: ditto Adams). +Your Majesty does us too much honor! + +QUEEN. +The honor we do you to-day is to be gay, festive, joyous. We have +delighted to plan a fete for your pleasure wherein you shall behold +Versailles and Trianon, court ladies, milkmaids, shepherdesses! But, +first, the verses! + +[According to the custom of eighteenth-century France in honoring a +philosopher, the Mlles. de Pernan and de Tressau face Franklin and the +Queen, courtesy deeply, recite a verse, courtesy again, and return to +their places. + +MLLE. DE PERNAN. +"We come to honor, one by one, +Benjamin Franklin, Freedom's son, +Who comes to us from oversea, +Champion of light and liberty." + +MLLE. DE TRESSAU. +"Learned and just, benignant, wise, +You draw the lightning from the skies: +Printer and Statesman--here we see +What man through his own wit may be!" + +[Throughout the revels that follow the Queen and Benjamin Franklin +stand at right, while the dancers enter from left background. As soon +as one group has finished dancing, center, they move to the left, and +stand in a line facing Franklin and the Queen. Thus color is added to +color, till the whole has a rainbow effect. + +The first group to enter is the pale-violet group, ladies-in-waiting, +who wear pale-violet bodices and overdresses over white. They dance a +gavotte, and retire to a line at left. The stage on which the dancing +is done must afford ample space, so that there is no crowding. + +The second group enters. Court ladies in pale-yellow bodices and looped +overdresses over white. They dance a gavotte, and then stand at left of +stage. + +The third group enters. Young maids of the court, dressed as +shepherdesses. Pale sea-foam-green bodices and overdresses over white. +White crooks, with pale-green satin streamers fastened to them. They +dance a minuet, and retire to left. + +The fourth group enters. Young maids of the court dressed as milkmaids. +Pale-blue bodices and looped-up overdresses over white. Each milkmaid +carries a small white, wooden milking-pail. They dance a minuet, and +retire to left. + +The fifth group enters for the Rose Minuet. First come ten little girls +walking two and two. They wear bodices and overdresses of the very +palest pink, flowered with deep-pink roses. Their fichus and petticoats +are white. Each couple carries between them a half-hoop of pink roses. +When they come to a halt the rose hoops, held high, form a rose bower +through which the rose-dancers approach. They are maids of the court, +who wear rose-pink bodices and overdresses over white. Wreaths of tiny +pink rosebuds on their powdered hair. With the little girls with rose +hoops forming figures and groups in the center of the sward, the minuet +dancers go through a minuet which should differ from the other minuets, +its figures being somewhat more elaborate and complicated. + +The final figure of this fete should be a huge minuet, with the +rose-dancers in the center of the sward, the other dancers joining in. +After a figure or two, the tempo of the music should change, and the +dancers, headed by those who have done the rose minuet, should march +off the field into the background. First the pink group, then the blue +group, then the green, yellow, and violet groups. With the same march +music still sounding, the Queen and Franklin, followed in stately +fashion by the court, should leave the field, and thus end the scene. + + +COSTUMES + +The costumes of the first scene have already been indicated in the +text. That of the crystal-gazer can be made of cambric, with the glazed +side turned inward. Her cap and kerchief should be of white lawn. + + +COSTUMES IN SCENE II + +MARIE ANTOINETTE. White satin petticoat. Overdress and bodice of white +silk brocaded with scarlet roses. White lace ruffles and fichu. Long +train of scarlet velvet, lined in white satin. Hair dressed high and +powdered. Gold crown. Shimmering necklace. If a costume as ornate as +this is not procurable, let the young player wear a long white muslin +dress that just touches below the ankle. A bodice and overdress of +white cretonne flowered with red roses. White lawn fichu with ruffles. +A long train of scarlet cambric with the glazed side turned outward to +represent satin. This is lined in white cambric which should also be +satiny-looking. The train is fastened at the shoulders, and borne by +two pages. Crown and jewels of gold and silver paper. White slippers +and stockings. Brilliant buckles. + +FRANKLIN. Suit of plain black velvet. Vest of black satin. Stockings +and low shoes of black. Three-cornered black hat which he holds under +his arm. His hair falls to his collar, and is unpowdered. A pair of +square spectacles on his nose. + +ADAMS. Suit of plum-colored velvet, trimmed with gold lace. White satin +waistcoat. White stock, and lace jabot, and sleeve-ruffles. Black shoes +with gold buckles. Black stockings. White powdered wig worn in a cue. + +With the other costumes, cretonne and cheesecloth can be substituted +for silk and satin; but the color scheme that has been already +described should be strictly adhered to. The Mlles. de Pernan and de +Tressau should wear white dresses, with looped-up paniers of white +cretonne flowered in yellow. The Duchess of Bourbon, a white dress with +looped paniers of pale blue, flowered in pink. White fichu and ruffles. +Very inexpensive yet effective costumes can be made for the dancers by +having each girl wear a white dress that comes below the knee. Over +this dress may be worn a deep girdle of cheesecloth of a solid color. +Then looped-up paniers of cheesecloth of the same color at each side. A +white fichu of cheesecloth or lawn may be worn with this costume, and +all the girls taking part in the dances should have their hair +powdered, and worn in a pompadour fashion. White shoes and stockings +for all the dancers. Older girls taking part should wear their dresses +ankle-length. If a more satiny look than cheesecloth gives is wished, +let the overdresses be of light-colored cambric with the glazed side +turned outward. Cheesecloth is the softest, most pliable material, and +the most easily managed. + +The dancers who carry the rose hoops should wear pale-pink cretonne +flowered in deeper pink. The rose hoops may be made of ordinary hoops +of a good size cut in half, covered with green cheesecloth, and then +decorated with pink paper roses, put on so thickly that the green is +almost hidden. + +The pages and sedan chair-bearers wear black velvet, with black +waistcoats and white neck-pieces and ruffles. Black stockings and low +black shoes. Hair powdered and worn in a cue. Black suits, basted back +to give the effect of an eighteenth-century coat, white neckcloth and +ruffles of lawn will make good substitutes for the more ornate costume. +For the white wigs, a tight-fitting skull-cap of white muslin. Basted +to this white cotton batting, shaped to fit the head, and having a cue +in the back tied with black velvet ribbon. For the sedan chair, if a +real sedan chair cannot be had, have a chair fastened to a stout +platform of wood. Handles for the bearers to hold should be fastened to +the chair. A boxed-in canopy of heavy white cardboard covers this, the +cardboard fastened to a light framework. Over the cardboard should be +pasted pale-yellow wallpaper, or white-flowered wallpaper. The inside +of the chair should be covered in flowered cretonne. The handles should +be gilded. + +MUSIC (for band, orchestra, or piano): + +For the Dream Music: Minuet, by L. Boccherini +Gavotte: Gavotte Favorite de Marie Antoinette (1774), by Charles +Neustedt. +Minuet: Minuet from Don Juan, by Mozart. + + +ABRAHAM LINCOLN EPISODE +LINCOLN CABIN SCENE + +CHARACTERS + +ABRAHAM LINCOLN +NANCY LINCOLN +JOHN LINCOLN +AMY ROBY +TOM BUSH +FRANCOIS, a young French-Canadian +ANDREW SMITH, a fiddler +RED PLUME, the chieftain of a small Indian tribe +DARK CLOUD, an Indian brave +SKY-OF-DAWN, an Indian maiden +Other young people, friends of Lincoln, Indian braves, Indian maidens + +SCENE: A clearing beyond the Lincoln cabin, Little Creek, Indiana, +1823. + +When the boys and girls who are to take part in the outdoor merrymaking +begin to appear, it is seen that the boys wear moccasins, and buckskin +is bound in strappings to their knees. They wear, for the most part, +dark knee-breeches. Their shirts are dark-blue, dark-red, and dark-plum +flannel--any dark flannel shirt will do. These shirts are open at the +neck, and a gay handkerchief is twisted about them, tied with loose +ends. Francois betrays his French ancestry by a red sash tied at the +side. + +The girls wear short dark calico, homespun, or woollen dresses of solid +color, dark-blue, dark-brown, dark-gray. These dresses should have +square necks, which show the throat. The dresses themselves are not +much seen, because each girl wears an old-fashioned cloak, gathered at +the neck, and falling to the edge of the dress. The cloaks are gay in +color--forest-green, red, bright blue; in shape something like the +well-known "Shaker" cloaks. Some of the cloaks have hoods that lend an +air of quaintness. Several of the girls wear bead chains, evidently the +work of their own fingers. + +The scene opens with the entrance of Nancy and John Lincoln, and Tom +Bush. The rest follow from background. It is evident from their attire +and smiling faces that this is a gala occasion. Tom Bush carries a +kettle to right, near a fallen log. Then he and the other boys kindle a +fire, erect a rude tripod, and swing the kettle not far from where the +log lies. Much business of blowing, lighting, etc. A battered tin +coffee-pot is produced, ready for making the coffee. + +TOM BUSH +(calling back over his shoulder, as the preparations begin). +Come, Nancy, we've found a fine place to swing the kettle. + +AMY ROBY +(at right, stooping over basket). +And here's a splendid spot for unpacking the baskets! + +[Nancy Lincoln runs first to the fire, to see how the work is going +forward, and then returns to Amy, who is busily unpacking baskets, with +the assistance of the other girls. Nancy takes some of the contents of +the baskets, and then hurries to Tom Bush with them. + +NANCY LINCOLN. +Here are some potatoes and corn-dodgers to put on the ashes. + +FRANCOIS +(to Andrew Smith). +It is mos' time that you had better be tuning up your fiddle, Andrew! + +AMY ROBY +(to Nancy, who stands center, shielding her eyes, and looking towards +background). +Isn't Abe coming? + +NANCY LINCOLN +(shaking her head). +No, Abe isn't even in sight yet. But he'll surely be here as soon as he +has finished splitting those rails. + +ONE OF THE LITTLE GIRLS +(joyfully). +Andrew is beginning to play! + +[Andrew Smith's fiddle gives out the first notes of a reel. Those who +are bending at their various occupations begin to nod and trip. In an +instant everything is dropped, and the young people are all for +merriment. They begin, center of sward, a grand right and left. Andrew +Smith stands at right fiddling with the greatest possible gusto. + +As the dance ends, Andrew Smith points with his fiddle-bow to a figure +seen approaching from the background, a tall, lank, kindly-faced boy, +dressed like the others but with an ax over his shoulder. + +ALL +(with a loud cry--intense delight--at the very top of their lungs). +Lincoln! Abe Lincoln! + +[They run to meet him. He comes down center with an admiring group on +each side. + +NANCY LINCOLN +(looking up at Abe). +It wasn't really a holiday till you came. + +[Lincoln smiles at her, and then turns to Tom Bush. + +LINCOLN +(as he and Nancy and Tom Bush form a group at fire: the rest up stage, +left). +What have you been doing, Tom? + +TOM BUSH. +Fixing the fire, and now I'm going to see about getting the right sort +of wood for the floor of a squirrel-cage. I caught a squirrel +yesterday, and I------Oh, I forgot! You wouldn't be interested in that. +You said yesterday that if you were me you would let the squirrel go. + +LINCOLN +(looking straight before him to something far beyond the narrow world +of Little Creek). +I don't like to see things in cages: I like to see 'em _free_. I +believe in freedom for everything living! + +AMY ROBY +(breaking in upon the group). +Come, Tom, there's another dance beginning! + +[Lincoln sits on log, near fire, and begins to roast some ears of corn +which the boys have stacked near by. The young people beckon Lincoln. +He shakes his head, watches them, smiling. A Virginia Reel is started +at left. Lincoln, who is still seated on log, and those who are dancing +the reel, are so absorbed that they are oblivious of a group of Indians +stalking down from right. The Indians draw near to Lincoln, and stand +motionless, watching the dance, their beads and headgear glittering in +the sun, their blankets a brilliant blotch of color against the green. +When the dance ends, Lincoln and his companions are aware of the +Indians. But the Indians, although their desire is to trade the skins +and furs they are carrying, cross to left, feigning entire +indifference, and seat themselves in a semicircle. Red Plume in passing +Lincoln has given him a grave "How!" to which Lincoln has returned +"How!" with equal gravity. The settlers stand in a group at right, a +little towards the background, watching the Indians. The Indians +continue to sit in a grave circle. An old Indian smokes. Two of the +Indian maidens appear to chatter. Finally Dark Cloud rises with a +bundle of skins in his hand. The young settlers come down to right +foreground. Dark Cloud puts the bundle of skins on the ground. Asks +them, by gesture: "What will they give?" + +Tom Bush offers a penknife for one of the skins. Dark Cloud stands with +arms haughtily folded. Tom Bush adds a gay handkerchief to the +penknife. Dark Cloud shakes his head, and stalks back to his circle. +Sits with his brother Indians. Much conferring and shaking of heads. +Equal pantomime on part of settlers. Lincoln is keenly watching the +scene, but still apart from it all. Suddenly Red Plume rises and, with +slow dignity, approaches Lincoln. + +RED PLUME. +How! + +LINCOLN. +How! + +RED PLUME +(with indicatory pantomime). +Red Plume know Lincoln. Lincoln heap square. Lincoln heap just. Honest +Abe decide. + +[Lincoln rises, and comes to center foreground. Dark Cloud rises from +his circle and brings skins. He stands at Lincoln's left. The other +Indians rise slowly, cross, and stand behind Dark Cloud. At Lincoln's +right stands Tom Bush, and back of Tom Bush the youthful settlers. They +have gathered together things they wish to trade, such as a fine +blanket that was brought with the picnic blankets, hatchets, etc. Tom +Bush is the first to start the trading. He adds to the handkerchief and +penknife which he showed before a small hatchet. Both Dark Cloud and +Tom Bush, after they have laid their possessions on the grass, look at +Lincoln. Lincoln nods. The trade is made. Through all that follows +Lincoln stands center, as a court of appeal. No trades are consummated +until he has given the signal of an affirmative nod. + +The Indians offer furs of various descriptions. + +Francois trades off his red sash to Red Plume. + +Amy Roby trades her chain of beads for an Indian basket. + +Red Plume signifies interest in Andrew Smith's fiddle. He takes it up. +At this the Indian maidens laugh amongst themselves. Red Plume tries +the fiddle. It makes a very hideous squeak. At this two of the Indian +maidens laugh outright. But Red Plume continues to be enamored of the +instrument. He offers to exchange more and more skins for the fiddle, +but Andrew Smith shakes his head. So no trade is made. Red Plume +reluctantly relinquishes the fiddle. A backwoods lad trades off a +blanket for some of Red Plume's furs, and the chieftain appears +mollified. Now that the trading is over both settlers and Indians +appear to be pleased with their possessions. Through all that has +transpired, Lincoln has been the central figure, appealed to again and +again. The Indians solemnly exeunt with their new possessions towards +background. + +NANCY LINCOLN +(turning to Abe). +You don't know how proud I am to hear them call you "Honest Abe." I +shouldn't be surprised if someday you did something wonderful and +splendid! + +LINCOLN +(smiling at her enthusiasm). +"Someday's" a long way off, Nancy! + +NANCY LINCOLN +(with conviction). +Well, I believe that even if a boy _is_ poor, and was born in a cabin, +if he's as honest and hard-working as you are, Abe, he's sure to come +out finely. Now, let's go home! + +[Lincoln, ax on shoulder, exits towards middle background, Nancy and +John and all the rest following, with the fiddler playing gaily. + +The merrymaking is over, the grassy stage is left vacant, and the scene +ends. + + +COSTUMES + +The costumes for the young settlers have already been indicated in the +episode itself. Francois, the young French-Canadian, wears a cotton +khaki suit, cut on Indian lines. That is, the breeches of the suit are +fringed, and he wears moccasins. He wears a tan shirt, open at the +neck, and a scarlet sash belt. + +The costumes for the Indians are of cotton khaki, cut on simple Indian +lines. (See description of Indian costumes of "Princess Pocahontas.") +Gay painting at neck. Beads. Shells. Wampum. The Indian maidens and +some of the braves have blankets. They should be striped in gay +colors--red and green, orange and blue--the stripes very wide. A few +blankets of solid color. Long pipes for the Indians to smoke. +Headdresses of brown and gray feathers. Dark Cloud wears a black +feather head-dress. Red Plume wears a headdress of brilliant scarlet +feathers. + + +LIBERTY DANCE + +This dance is for a pageant given on a very large scale. It is formed +of commingled groups of the young people of all nations, and is +symbolic of the Old World coming to the New. The peasant costumes of +Germany, Russia, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, France and Sweden should be +worn, and the dances should be the folk dances of the various nations, +with their appropriate music. + + +PAGEANT DIRECTIONS + +Care should be taken in choosing the pageant site. The actual stage +should be a level sward, with close-clipped grass that will make it as +easy as possible for the dancers. It is ideal if the background and +sides of this stage can be picturesquely wooded, and present a vista +through which the pageant players can be seen approaching. It will be +well if the pageant stage itself has a tree or so. This stage should +vary in size according to the number of people in the cast. A small +cast requires a smaller and more intimate stage. In this way scenes in +which a crowd of supernumeraries are needed will give the effect of +having more people than are actually there. On the other hand, a large +stage is needed for big effects, where a great number of people are +used. Too small a stage makes a great number of players seem a huddled +mass, and through this pantomimic effects are lost. + +The pageant players should, if possible, have the sun at the side. It +is very difficult to play facing a strong light. Choice of the time of +day in which the pageant is given has much to do with its +effectiveness. Late afternoon (from four o'clock on) is by far the best +time for outdoor drama. The earlier hours are somewhat garish,--the +light too high, the contrasts too sharp and unvaried. But from four +o'clock on the light mellows, the shadows become long and sweeping, the +outdoor effects grow more and more beautiful. It is as if the first +hint of sunset were the signal for ringing down a magic curtain on a +scene where nature herself was pageant mistress. This is true of all +outdoor plays as well as pageants. + +Those who direct the pageant should see to it that the youthful players +make a finished exit; that is, that one scene and set of players +disappear entirely from view before another set of players begin to +come on. Off stage the players should be in groups, arranged in the +order in which they are to appear, so that as one group leaves the +stage, the next is ready to appear, and confusion is avoided. No talk +should be allowed off stage. On a still Summer day sounds carry: a +murmur is confusing to the players. + +The players should not be dependent on words alone for their cues. Very +often a word may fail to carry out of doors; but a gesture can always +be seen. Therefore, _gesture cues_ can be used at many of the climaxes. +These cues can be quite simple and natural, and while perfectly +understandable to the players themselves, need not be at all obvious to +the audience. The players and their director can decide upon the cues, +and will find them of immense help. Thus, by an upraised arm, or by +tossing back a braid of her hair, Pocahontas can signal to Powhatan +that her talk with John Smith is finished. Washington shielding his +eyes with his hand can be a signal to Carey that it is time for him to +enter, etc., etc. Of course, in many cases the ending or beginning of a +dance, or the entrance of some principal character will be cue enough +in itself. + +In the final procession (if the players choose to have a procession), +The Spirit of Patriotism should march first, and behind her should +follow the other players in the order of their scenes. This preserves +the order of the epochs also, and makes an excellent color scheme--the +tawny yellows and reds of the Indian garb, the dark Puritan costumes, +the pinks and blues of the Colonial period as against the more somber +colors of the settler's homespun, etc., etc. In order to give such a +procession its full effect it should not seem too stiff and +premeditated. Let some of the players march two and two, and then have +some important character walking alone. Sometimes it may be possible to +have a group of three, or a tall young player with two smaller and +younger players, following her. Or again a line of Indians single file. +The properties should be carried in the procession to add to its +effectiveness. The canoe, as if it were still a matter of portage; the +sedan chair of the Duchess of Bourbon; the Indian war-drum used in +"Princess Pocahontas," etc., etc. Needless to say these properties are +carried in the group and epoch in which they belong. If the pageant is +given on a very large scale which includes the Liberty Dance at the +end, all those who took part in the dance should form the end of the +procession. There should be a space between them and the last of the +settlers, as there is between the past and the present. In this space +should walk a figure symbolizing Hope and Joy--a young girl in +draperies of the palest green, and hair bound with a Greek fillet. In +her hands she carries a great laurel wreath. + +When the Pageant of Patriots had its first production in Prospect Park, +Brooklyn, the youthful players marched around the great oval outside +which the audience sat, and having circled it once, marched off the +scene. If, however, the future producers of this pageant wish to +reverse this order, it can easily be done, by having the march end in +the final tableau. It is merely a matter of choice. + +In the Final Tableau The Spirit of Patriotism should stand on the stage +in the middle foreground, center, and grouped about her should be the +young folk of the various centuries. This scene should be well mapped +out and rehearsed beforehand, so that the ensemble will be splendidly +significant and glowing in its effect, and there should be no clashes +in the color scheme. The notes of "America" should be sung with +tremendous fervor and power. + +In many cases the pageant will, of necessity, have to be rehearsed +indoors. Outdoor places to rehearse in are not always obtainable, nor +weather always propitious; moreover, with young people the out-of-doors +has too many distractions. Armories or halls are excellent places to +rehearse in; so are gymnasiums. The episodes should be rehearsed +separately. Rehearsing in a small room is fatal. It gives the youthful +performers a tendency to huddle, from which they seldom recover. Their +motions are cramped, and they lose all sweep and freedom. There should +be understudies for all the principal parts, and there must be at least +one full-dress rehearsal. The ages of the young people taking part in +the pageant should be from eight to eighteen. The principal parts will, +of course, be intrusted to the older boys and girls where the occasion +demands. John Smith, Powhatan, and others need a certain amount of +height and dignity. + +The number of young people taking part in The Pageant of Patriotism +will be determined by circumstances. From two hundred to five hundred +young people may take part in it. + +It should be kept in mind that a Children's or Young People's pageant +differs widely from a pageant given by older actors. It should have +about it an atmosphere of entire simplicity. There should be no +striving for effect. Naivete is to be desired rather than ornateness. +Scenes filled with crowds of young players should alternate with scenes +where solitary little figures appeal by their quaint remoteness, their +suggestion of innocence and candor. The Pageant of Patriots is not only +a pageant of country but of life's springtime, and interwoven with its +episodes should be the glamor of the youth of the world. + + + +THE PAGEANT OF PATRIOTS +(Indoor) + + +THE PAGEANT OF PATRIOTS + +(Arrangement of Indoor Episodes) + +1. PROLOGUE BY THE SPIRIT OF PATRIOTISM +2. DRAMATIC SILHOUETTE: LORDS OF THE FOREST +3. THE COMING OF THE WHITE MAN (Tableau) +4. PRINCESS POCAHONTAS +5. PRISCILLA MULLINS (Tableau) +6. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, JOURNEYMAN +7. GEORGE WASHINGTON'S FORTUNE +8. THE BOSTON TEA PARTY +9. DRAMATIC SILHOUETTE: THE SPIRIT OF '76 +10. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: RAIL-SPLITTER +11. FINAL TABLEAU +12. PROCESSION OF PLAYERS + + + +PROLOGUE +_Spoken by The Spirit of Patriotism_ + +People of --------, ye who come to see +Enacted here some hours of Pageantry, +Lend us your patience for each simple truth, +And see portrayed for you the Nation's Youth. +Into times dim and far I bid you gaze, +Down the long vista of departed days, +Of hope and aspiration, woe and weal, +Famine and hardship, strife and patriot zeal. +Back further still our march of years shall go +To times primeval: The first scene will show +In shadow silhouette the sagamore, +The braves and chieftains of the days of yore, +Lords of the forest, kings of stream and hill, +Of trail and wigwam: masters of the kill! +The white man's coming next--while curiously +A youthful Indian, pausing, peers to see +What strangers tread the shores that he calls home, +What white-winged ships have braved the wild sea-foam. +Prows of the Norsemen, etched against the blue! +Helmets agleam! Faces of wind-bronzed hue! +On roll the years, and in a forest green +The Princess Pocahontas next is seen; +And then in prim white cap and somber gown +Lovely Priscilla, Maid o' Plymouth Town. +Benjamin Franklin supping at an Inn, +A 'prentice lad with all his world to win. +Then Washington encamped before a blaze +O' fagots, swiftly learning woodland ways. +Next the brave times of 1773 +When Boston folk would pay no tax on tea. +And then with urge of fife and roll of drum +In shadow silhouette behold them come-- +The Patriot lads who for their country died, +Who rose and followed when my name was cried--! +Leaving the farm and forge and village street-- +Our hearts still echo to those marching feet! +Spirit of '76! Thy deathless fame +Burns for us yet, a sacrificial flame! +Years pass. Behold a cabin in the West +Where on an Autumn night, with mirth and zest, +Lincoln's companions take their simple cheer. +These are the scenes to be enacted here. +Shown to you straightway in a simple guise: +Youthful the scenes that we shall here devise +On which the beads of history are strung. +Remember that our players, too, are young. +All critic knowledge, then, behind you leave, +And in the spirit of the day receive +What we would give, and let there come to you +The Joy of Youth, with purpose high and true. + + + +DRAMATIC SILHOUETTE: LORDS OF THE FOREST + +A white curtain of sheeting, or other similar material. A strong light +placed behind the curtain throws into high relief the figures as they +pass in significant procession. They are shadow silhouettes of a time +long gone, of a race who now are shadows. Care should be taken that +they move in exactly the right space, so that the shadows will not vary +greatly in height or in bulk. First a chieftain passes, wonderful in +feathers. Next a young brave, who, standing alone a moment, tries the +taut string of his bow. Next an Indian maid, with a basket poised on +her head. Then two young braves with fish slung on a pole between them. +Then a group of Indian maidens. An Indian child or two. A squaw with +fagots on her back. Another with a papoose. Then two Indians with a +canoe, representing the portage of a canoe. Then a final group of young +braves. The music, which begins as the chief passes, continues +throughout the procession until the last Indian has passed, then ebbs +and dies, growing fainter and fainter, till it ceases. Mac-Dowell's +"From an Indian Lodge" is suitable for this. + + + +THE COMING OF THE WHITE MAN: TABLEAU + +This tableau represents a woodland scene, and is supposed to symbolize +the coming of the Norseman. A young Indian brave, with skins about his +shoulders and hips, his black hair flying, his brown arms barbarically +braceleted, stands poised, listening, and looking at a spot where the +Norsemen are supposed to be making a landing, off stage. With one hand +he shields his eyes. With the other he holds his bow. The tableau +should suggest the wild freedom of an untamed spirit. For music, some +bars of Grieg's Norse airs. + + + +PRINCESS POCAHONTAS + +For this pageant episode see page 12 of the Outdoor Arrangement of the +Pageant of Patriots. + + + +PRISCILLA MULLINS SPINNING: TABLEAU + +The same woodland setting as has been used for Pocahontas. In the +center of the stage Priscilla and her spinning-wheel. The scene is +outside her dooryard at Plymouth, Mass., in the Spring of 1621. The +tableau should be held a full minute. Appropriate music: Senta's +"Spinning Song"; or Solvig's "Spinning Song" from Grieg's "Peer Gynt +Suite." + + + +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: JOURNEYMAN + +CHARACTERS +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, a young printer +ROGER BURCHARD, a Quaker +ELIZABETH BURCHARD, his wife +DEBORAH READ WILLIAM, an inn boy + +SCENE: A room in a tavern. Place: Philadelphia. Time, October, 1723. + +The room is a private one in the tavern known as The Crooked Billet. It +has a neat, cheerful, welcoming aspect. At left a small fire glimmers +on the brass andirons of a well-kept hearth. A brass kettle rests on a +hob. On the shelf above the hearth candles are alight. + +All across the background are a series of small windows curtained in +chintz. By these windows a table set for supper, with a white linen +cloth and delicately sprigged china. Quaint chairs with spindle legs. + +Against the right wall a secretary with a shelf full of handsomely- +bound books. Near this two chairs with high backs that would screen +from view any one sitting in them. + +There is a door at right background opening into the hall. + +Another door at left near background, opening into another room. + +At the rise of the curtain Roger Burchard is discovered seated at the +table, on which a generous supper lies spread; while Elizabeth, his +wife, is bending at the hearth. + +ELIZABETH. +The kettle hath not yet boiled for thy second cup, Roger. 'Tis slow, +yet I do not worry, for 'tis only twilight, and there is a good hour +yet ere we are due at the special meeting of the Friends, and Deborah +Read is to come with us. Does thee know, Roger, I sometimes think that +for all her saucy ways Mistress Deborah Read is half a Friend at heart. +When I do speak she listens to me most attentively. + +ROGER. +Thee should not _force_ belief upon another, Elizabeth. +ELIZABETH +(demurely). +I did not force: I did but talk to her, Roger. Thee knows I sun not +over eloquent. How should a worldly maid of Philadelphia give ear to +me? + +[Crosses to Roger: the kettle lies forgotten. + +ROGER. +How, indeed! Does thee know, Elizabeth, that in so quiet a room as this +I can scarce believe that a great city lies about us? 'Tis so still +that I can hear the ticking of the clock. + +ELIZABETH. +For myself, I am glad of a little rest after our journey up from +Brookfield to the city. I find myself scarce used to city ways. + +ROGER. +No more do I, Elizabeth, no more do I. I cannot think this lavish life +is seemly. This table, now! Does thee note its profusion? More bread +and honey and cheese and chicken pie than we can eat. Sheer waste-- +unless we can share it. If there was but some poor traveler in this inn +whom we might bid to supper, and---- + +[A knock on the door leading to hall. + +ELIZABETH. +'Tis William, the inn boy, with tea cakes. + +[Elizabeth opens the door. William enters with tea cakes on tray. He +deposits the plate of cakes on table. + +ROGER. +As I was saying--if there was but some traveler in this inn to share +our evening meal--some one with pockets that were well-nigh empty---- + +ELIZABETH. +Perhaps the inn boy knows of such a one. (To William.) Does thee not, +William? Some one whose purse is not too over-burdened? + +WILLIAM +(sturdily). +Aye, that I do. A lad came here this noon from Boston. A journeyman +printer so he says he is, and I'll warrant he has not above four +shillings with him. (To Roger.) He's come to search for work in +Philadelphia, and says he was directed to this tavern by a--by a +Quaker, sir. + +ELIZABETH. +Directed here by a Quaker--! (To Roger.) Then, Roger, all the more +reason why we should bid him in. What is his name? + +WILLIAM. +He says his name is Franklin. + +ROGER. +Then ask friend Franklin if he'll sup with us. Tell him we, too, would +hear the news from Boston--that he'll confer a favor if he'll come. And +mind, no hint about an empty purse! I fear at first I put the matter +clumsily. Give him my later message. That is all. + +WILLIAM. +I will, sir. + +[Exit, with a flourish, right background + +ROGER. I hope he comes. + +ELIZABETH +(fondly). +'Tis ever like thee, Roger, to have a care for the friendless and +forlorn. + +WILLIAM +(knocking, opening door from hall, and announcing). +Benjamin Franklin, Journeyman! + +[Enter Franklin, shabby, travel-stained, and boyishly appealing. Exit +William. + +ROGER +(stepping hospitably forward). +I bid thee welcome, friend Franklin. I hear thee is from Boston, and +come to search for work in Philadelphia. Will thee not sup here? We are +ever anxious for news such as travelers may bring. This is my wife, +Elizabeth Burchard, and she will make thee welcome. I mind me of the +time when I was once a stranger. Will thee not do us the pleasure to +sup with us? + +FRANKLIN. +I scarcely, sir, know how to thank you for such kindness. All Quakers +must be kind, I think, for it was a Quaker who directed me hither. + +[Franklin crosses to fire, Roger taking his hat from him. In brief +pantomime behind Franklin's back Roger has indicated that Franklin is +to take his place at table, and that he himself will sup no further. +During the conversation that follows Elizabeth is taking fresh silver +out of a quaint basket that is on the table, Franklin stands at fire, +and Roger is seated at right. + +ELIZABETH. +Perhaps my husband can advise thee further where best to look for work +upon the morrow. + +FRANKLIN. +I thank you. I will hear him gladly. He that cannot be counseled cannot +be helped. +[Footnote: From Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac".] + +ROGER. +Thee means to seek for work at once, I see. + +FRANKLIN. +Lost time is never found again, and since time is of all things the +most precious, I am loth to lose it. +[Footnote: From Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac".] + +ROGER. +There is a wise head upon thy shoulders, friend. (Indicates table, and +rises.) Sit thee down, lad. Sit thee down. + +ELIZABETH +(hurrying to hearth where kettle stands). +Alas! I have forgotten the kettle! The tea is not yet ready. (To +Roger.) Do thee and Benjamin Franklin talk while I prepare it. Show him +the volumes lately come from London. Thee knows the print and paper is +most pleasing. + +[Roger Burchard and Benjamin Franklin sit at right in the high-backed +chairs, the volumes upon their knees. That they are true book-lovers is +instantly apparent. They are lost to everything that goes on about +them. They sit with their backs towards the door at left, quite +screened from the view of any one entering there. There is a pause. +Then Deborah Read taps softly at the door at left. Elizabeth turns and +opens the door. + +DEBORAH +(finger on lip). +S-ssh! Not a word! (Glances towards the back of Roger's chair.) I've +crept up the stairs on tip-toe! + +ELIZABETH. +Sweet rogue! Thee startled me to the point of dropping the kettle! +Yonder is my husband so deep in a book that the crack o' doom would +scarce rouse him. And with him is a young printer whom we have bid to +be our guest. Roger and I have finished our evening meal, so perhaps +thee will keep our young guest company while I prepare for meeting. + +DEBORAH +(holding up warning finger). +Primp not too much for meeting, fair friend Elizabeth! A grave demeanor +goes with Quaker bonnets! (Laughs.) Yes, yes, I'll serve your printer, +play hostess, or aught else that will please you, and you can call me +when 'tis time to leave him. (Throws off her cloak, and sits by hearth +on footstool.) La! such a day! This very morn I saw the strangest +sight! I went to the door to get a breath of air, and as I stood there +what should I see approaching down the street but a lad with dusty +clothes and bulging pockets--nay, wait, Elizabeth! The drollest part is +yet to come! I vow he had stuffed one pocket full of stockings, and +from the other protruded a loaf of bread! And in his hand was a great +fat roll, and he was eating it! Gnawing it off, an you please, as if +there were no one to see him! Then he looked up, and---- + +ELIZABETH +(shocked). +Deborah! Thee did not laugh at him! Thee did not mock at him! + +DEBORAH +(wiping tears of mirth from her eyes). +Mock at him? Oh, lud! I laughed till my sides ached! (Rises, as she +happens to see that Roger Burchard and his guest are rising, yet +continues gaily.) And when he caught sight of my face---- + +[Just as Deborah utters these words she and Franklin perceive each +other. Deborah is utterly taken aback and quite speechless. + +ROGER +(seeing nothing amiss). +Welcome, Deborah Read. I present to thee Benjamin Franklin. + +[Franklin bows. Deborah drops a fluttering courtesy, and then clings to +Elizabeth Burchard. + +DEBORAH +(quaveringly). +I--I feel somewhat faint, Elizabeth. + +ELIZABETH +(seeing nothing amiss). +Then sit at the table, dear Deborah, and a cup of tea will revive thee. + +DEBORAH +(protesting). +No--! No--! I--I will help you to dress. + +ELIZABETH. +Then who will serve Benjamin Franklin? Thee promised that thee would be +hostess, so unless aught is amiss---- + +DEBORAH +(recovering herself, and suddenly displaying a haughty self- +possession). +Naught is amiss, Elizabeth. I will serve tea if you bid me. + +[Deborah sits at one end of the table, Franklin at the other. + +ELIZABETH. +Thee knows the Friends' special meeting to-night is at the same hour as +that of the other churches, so when thee hears the church-bells ringing +'twill be time to prepare, sweet Deborah. + +DEBORAH +(with a gleam). +I'll not forget the time. I promise you that, Elizabeth. + +ELIZABETH. +Come, Roger. Thee must wear a fresh neck-cloth. + +[Roger and Elizabeth exeunt left. There is a very long pause. + +DEBORAH. +Will you have tea, Master Franklin? + +FRANKLIN. +If it pleases you, Mistress Read. + +DEBORAH. +Cream? Sugar? + +FRANKLIN. +I thank you. + +[She passes him his cup. There is another long pause. + +FRANKLIN +(with a great sigh). +'Tis a silent place, Philadelphia! + +[Another pause. + +FRANKLIN. +Will you have some bread, Mistress? + +DEBORAH +(coldly). +I thank you, no. + +FRANKLIN +(bluntly). +Have you ever pondered, Mistress, that pride that dines on vanity sups +on contempt? +[Footnote: From "Poor Richard's Almanac."] + + +DEBORAH +(outraged). +Master Franklin! + +FRANKLIN. +I know right well that my poor coat offends you; yet in truth, Mistress +Deborah, why should I dress in finer cloth when silks and satins put +out the kitchen fire. +[Footnote: From "Poor Richard's Almanac."] + +DEBORAH. +'Tis not your coat offends me, 'tis---- + +FRANKLIN. +'Tis that I am neither the son of a gold-laced governor nor a wealthy +merchant but only a poor journeyman printer. Then, Mistress, you have +yet to learn that he who hath a trade hath an estate, and he who hath a +calling hath an office of profit and honor. +[Footnote: From "Poor Richard's Almanac."] + +DEBORAH +(with spirit). +There you read me wrong, Master Franklin. I have supped with printers +before this. + +FRANKLIN. +Then 'twas the printer's loaf you mocked this morning, Mistress +Deborah; and not the printer. Yet in truth, why should eating in the +street displease you, since 'twas a matter of necessity. Ere fancy you +consult, consult your purse, and my purse was not over full. But-- +diligence is the mother of luck, and heaven gives all things to +industry. +[Footnote: From "Poor Richard's Almanac."] + +DEBORAH +(with a toss). +You speak as if you and Industry were boon companions. + +FRANKLIN. +And what better companion could I have? Heaven helps them that help +themselves. + +DEBORAH +(witheringly). +'Tis a fine thing to have high hopes, I doubt not. + +FRANKLIN +(blithely). +Oh, I have more than hopes, Mistress Deborah; for he that lives upon +hope will die fasting. To apply one's self right heartily is to do more +than hope. Sloth makes all things difficult; but industry all things +easy. You are not eating, Mistress Deborah. (She rises.) Have my blunt +ways offended you? Have I again displeased you? +[Footnote: From "Poor Richard's Almanac."] + +DEBORAH +(with chilling dignity). +You could not an you tried, Master Franklin. I was but going to fetch +the tea-kettle. + +FRANKLIN +(starting up). +If I can help you-- + +DEBORAH +(still frostily). +I thank you, I am in no need of help. A-ah! + +[With a cry she drops the kettle. + +FRANKLIN. +You have burned yourself, Mistress Deborah! The poor little hand! (He +tears up his handkerchief.) Let me bandage it for you! It is sorely +blistered! + +DEBORAH +(tears in her voice the while she submits her hand to him). +I can tolerate blisters, Master Franklin. They are far less irksome +than--than---- + +FRANKLIN +(gravely bandaging her hand). +Than journeymen printers who eat their bread in the street. Perhaps you +are right, Mistress Deborah. I trust that the blisters will soon heal; +and that the memory of the journeyman printer will not trouble you +further. + +DEBORAH +(as the church-bells begin to ring without). +The memory of a chance traveler is easily forgot, Master Franklin. + +ELIZABETH +(outside door, left). +Come, Deborah, we shall be late! Come quickly, child! (Deborah snatches +up her cloak.) Bid Benjamin Franklin to wait my husband's return. He +would talk to him further concerning books. Come, Deborah! + +[Exit Deborah, left, without a glance at Franklin. + +FRANKLIN +(dropping into chair by secretary, right). +Do blisters burn as keen as words, I wonder? "Chance travelers...easily +forgot!" (Sits with bowed head.) + +[Deborah stands again in doorway at left, sees him, comes to him +swiftly and remorsefully. + +FRANKLIN +(raises his head; sees her). +Is it-- + +DEBORAH. +'Tis naught--naught but Deborah Read come to say to you--to say to +you--that she should have remembered that you were a stranger in a city +full of strangers. (Pleadingly.) Indeed, indeed I did not mean to hurt +you! I do not mind your rusty clothes; I do not mock your--your faded +hat. I--I have been full of foolish pride. Will you forgive me? + +FRANKLIN +(rising; amazed). +Deborah! + +DEBORAH +(hurrying on). +I had not meant to laugh at you this morning. Will you forgive that, +too? + +FRANKLIN +(moved). +Deborah! + +DEBORAH. +I know I sometimes judge by foolish standards. Will you forgive? + +FRANKLIN. +With all my heart, my friend. (They clasp hands on it.) And will you, +Deborah, forgive me my blunt speeches? I knew not how to please you. I +meant no harm. + +DEBORAH +(earnestly). +I forgive all. + +FRANKLIN. +And we are friends for life--for all our lives, Deborah. + +ELIZABETH +(speaking somewhat impatiently from beyond the door at left). +Deborah! Child! + +DEBORAH +(prettily). +Yes! Yes! I'm coming! + +[Hastens out the door with a friendly backward glance at Franklin. He +stands for a moment where she has left him. + +Crosses to secretary, takes book, seats himself, opens it slowly, +looking after her. Then sits a-dream in the fading fireglow. Presently +he looks at the book again, and reads the first line upon which his eye +chances to fall. + +FRANKLIN +(reading). +"Count thyself rich when thou hast found a friend." + +(The curtain slowly falls.) + + +COSTUMES + +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Travel-stained suit of dark-brown, guiltless of +braid or ruffles, coat and knee-breeches being of the same color. The +material either of corduroy or homespun (woolen). A white vest flowered +with brown roses. A white neckcloth. Black stockings. Low black shoes. +A three-cornered black hat, which he carries under his arm. Hair worn +long and unpowdered. + +ROGER BURCHARD. Coat and knee-breeches of the same style as Franklin's, +made of homespun, and Quaker-gray in color. A Quaker-gray vest. White +neckcloth. Gray stockings. Low black shoes with silver buckles. +Unpowdered hair. + +ELIZABETH BURCHARD. Dress of gray satin, simply made, with a crossed +kerchief of snowy white lawn. Gray stockings. Gray slippers with silver +buckles. Hair worn simply, and unpowdered. (Gray glazed cambric for her +dress if satin cannot be had.) + +DEBORAH READ. Quilted petticoat of pale-blue satin. Colonial overdress +and bodice of white, brocaded with pale-blue roses. Fichu of white +lawn. Black picture hat with black plume. Black cloth cloak lined in +pale-blue. Black stockings. Low black shoes with gold buckles. +Unpowdered hair, worn pompadour. (If satin and brocade cannot be had, +have blue glazed muslin and cretonne instead. Or flowered muslin worn +over a white dress.) Black patches. Black velvet ribbon at neck. White +lace mitts, or black gloves coming to the elbow. + +WILLIAM. Maroon suit, of a heavy woolen material. Gold buttons down the +front and two in back. Cream-colored vest. Neither braiding nor +ruffles. Black stockings. Low black shoes without buckles. A white +neckcloth. Unpowdered hair worn in a cue. + + + +GEORGE WASHINGTON'S FORTUNE + +For this pageant episode see page 46 of the Outdoor Arrangement of the +Pageant of Patriots. + + + +THE BOSTON TEA PARTY + +CHARACTERS +RICHARD STOCKTON +JOHN COREY +NED PEABODY +PHIL AMESBURY +JEFFERSON WINWOOD +FRANK WHARTON +THOMAS RIGBY, a tavern-keeper +Young British Lieutenants + EGBERT PENROSE + SIDNEY MARSH + +SCENE: The tavern known as The Golden Pheasant. Place, Boston. + +TIME: Six o'clock on a December evening, 1773. + +The tavern-room is low-ceilinged and wainscoted with dark woodwork. +There is a door in middle background, and windows on each side of it. + +At the right, towards foreground, a chimney-place, with smoldering +fire. Above is a shelf on which are iron candlesticks and short bits of +candles that show economy. Against the right wall a round mahogany +table. On it another iron candlestick, which has been lighted. A punch- +bowl. Cups. A ladle. Also a brass bowl beneath which a small charcoal +flame burns, keeping hot the lemonade. Beyond this table a dark wooden +chest with a heavy lock. Under the window in left background a similar +chest. + +By the hearth, facing audience, a long seat with a high back and pew- +like ends. At the rise of the curtain, Thomas Rigby, the rubicund +landlord, is lighting with a taper the candles that stand on the +mantelshelf, the buttons on his plum-colored waistcoat twinkling in the +gleam. He has only lighted one when the door is pushed open, and there +enter two young British lieutenants, mere lads, whose scarlet cloaks, +exaggerated lace wrist ruffles, and brilliant gold braiding make a fine +showing. But Thomas Rigby shows no look of welcome. + +MARSH. +Hey, landlord! Brrrr! It's cold! Give us something to warm us. + +PENROSE +(foppishly). +Aye, and be brisk about it. I do not wish to be served in a loitering +fashion. + +[Rigby makes as if to speak; but restrains himself, and, with a look of +quiet scorn, serves them hot lemon punch. Penrose is by the fire. Marsh +by the window. + +MARSH. +It promises to be a chilly eve after a cloudy morning. + +PENROSE +(with a shiver). +More snow and bitter weather! + +MARSH +(looking out the window). +Nay, not so bitter. The window-panes are clear and unfrosted. The +twilight gathers quickly. The streets are gray, and there's scarce a +gleam in the darkness of the harbor. + +PENROSE +(as Marsh leaves window for fire). +Not e'en a light in the rigging o' Francis Rotch's ships? The sailors +must be supping at the taverns. They're weary now of staying +harborbound. There'll be rejoicing when the tax is paid, and the stiff- +necked Yankees bring the tea to land. + +MARSH. +There be some who call themselves patriots, and swear they'll never pay +it. + +PENROSE +(sipping). +Not pay it? They'll defy us? Pooh! We could bring them to time with a +twist of the wrist did we but wish to! (Looking with approval at his +own apparel.) A mere handful of men with scarcely any lace for their +ruffles, and tarnished buckles for their shoes! _They_ defy _us_? +You're jesting! No, no, my dear Sidney! In spite of all their protests +and town meetings they'll be glad enough to give in at the end, and to +pay the tax right speedily. For, mark you, in spite of all the rumors +of defiance that we've heard, the town to-night lies as quiet as a +church. + +MARSH. +Aye, so it does. + +PENROSE +(rising). +Too quiet for my spirits. Let's seek another tavern where there's more +revelry than there is here. + +MARSH +(draining his glass). +We'll not find shrewder lemon punch at any. On my way back I'll have +another glass. + +[Tosses money at Rigby, who lets it lie where it falls. He shakes a +clenched hand after the retreating figures of the two lieutenants, and +then goes back to lighting his candles on the mantelshelf. Marsh and +Penrose exeunt. After a moment there comes from without the sound of a +halting step, the door is opened, and Richard Stockton enters, a lad +with the eyes of a dreamer, and the bearing of a doer of deeds. Thomas +Rigby, at sound of the entering step, turns, taper in hand. + +RICHARD +(coming forward). +'Tis only I. Go on with the candles, landlord. +RIGBY +(joyfully). +Only you, Dick Stockton! Zounds! There's none whom I'd sooner see! +Quick! Tell me the news! These be stirring days, and here am I tied to +this tavern-room, and afraid to leave it lest those brawling red-coats +loot it while I'm gone. To leave a tavern-room empty is to invite +disaster--and yet--what patriot should bide indoors on days like these! +'Faith! I'm torn 'twixt necessities! Come! Your news. Sit by the fire +and out with it! What's to become of the tea we won't pay taxes on? + +RICHARD. +Give me breath and I'll tell you! There's news to make your blood boil. +I've been at the town meeting in the Old South Church all day. What +think you--! The governor at Milton has refused a pass to Francis +Rotch, and the tea ships cannot leave the harbor. The British have +sworn they'll make us pay the tax or wring our scurvy necks. + +RIGBY +(outraged). +Zounds! There are necks I'd like to have the wringing of! What else, +lad, what else? + +RICHARD. +The Old South Church could not hold half the patriots who wish to talk +and listen. Such speeches! Oh, they'd stir your blood if you could hear +them! + +RIGBY +(eyes a-gleam). +'Tis stirred enough already! Go on, lad, quickly! + +RICHARD. +Josiah Quincy is presiding at the New Old South. 'Twas he who thought +of sending word to the governor. And now the governor has refused, and +if there's nothing done we're _beaten_--beaten, Tom Rigby, we who so +love freedom! + +RIGBY. +Tut! Tut! Lad! The night's not done yet. Are they still at the meeting? + +RICHARD. +Aye, and are like to be for the next hour. 'Tis scarcely six--just +candle-lighting time. + +RIGBY. +You look white, lad. Have you eaten? + +RICHARD. +Eaten! On such a day as this! + +RIGBY. +Nonsense, lad. You must keep up your strength. (Crosses to serving- +table where bowl stands.) Here! If you will not eat, at least you can +drink a cup of steaming lemon punch. No _lads_ who come to my tavern +get anything stronger--unless, mayhap, a cup of apple juice. Youth is +its own best wine. Cider for you. Burgundy for your betters, eh, lad? +(Gives Richard a cup and takes a cup himself.) Here's to taxless tea! +(Drinks.) + +RICHARD +(joining him in the toast). +And the confounding of the British! And now, since there are no red- +coats about, I may tell you that the Old South Church is not the only +place that's to hold a meeting. There's going to be one here. + +RIGBY +(surprised). +Here? + +RICHARD. +In less than half an hour the lads will meet me. We call ourselves "The +Younger Sons of Freedom." + +RIGBY +(somewhat severely). +All that I have is at your service; yet 'tis only lately that lads have +been allowed to rove past curfew time. + +RICHARD. +Such days as these lads grow to men right quickly. Do you think we +waste our time with games and--and snowball forts, Tom Rigby? No! The +Younger Sons of Freedom have learned to fight and fence, to run and +swim, and to swarm up a ship's ladder if need be. How could any lad be +idle these last nineteen days, with fathers and brothers patrolling the +wharves day and night to keep the tea from landing; when patriot +sentinels are stationed in every belfry; and when all Beacon Hill is +topped with tar-barrels ready to blaze out into signals at a moment's +notice. I tell you--my very dreams are of defiance! But my deeds--what +can a lad do when he goes through life halting? A maimed foot makes a +maimed ambition, unless--unless as I would fain believe, the spirit is +stronger than the body. It is the _will_ that counts. + +RIGBY. +You're wiser than most lads, Richard. You've a head on your shoulders. +I've known you long; but you have never spoken--until to-night. It was +your will that took you through your puny childhood, fatherless, +motherless, and made your stern old uncle proud of you. Why now be +down-hearted? I've heard you spoken of as a lad of spirit by Dr. +Warren, aye, and by Paul Revere. + +RICHARD. +There's a patriot for you! Would I could do such deeds as he can do. +Oh, all I think of is to serve my country--my city and my country! + +RIGBY. +That's all I think on, too. + +RICHARD +(amazed). +You, Tom Rigby? + +RIGBY +(somewhat bitterly). +Did I seem to you only a waistcoat with buttons? Nay, don't protest! +'Tis how most folks think of me. What have I to do with valor? I'm Tom +the landlord, Tom the tapster, Tom the tavern-keeper! How should they +guess in me Tom the patriot, Tom the hero-worshiper? And yet there's +not one bit of my country's past, not one smallest Indian war but what +has meaning for me. What do you think those chests are full of? +Trophies! + +RICHARD. +Trophies! + +RIGBY. +From all the wars we've had. (Unlocks chest at right wall, excitedly.) +Look! Tomahawks. Headdresses. (Taking things out of chest.) Feathers. A +war-knife. An Indian robe taken in Philip's war. + +RICHARD. +(delighted: interested). +In Philip's war. + +RIGBY. +(with emotion). +They're more to me than a king's ransom! + +[He pauses, looking over contents of chest. + +RICHARD +(going back to seat by fire, and speaking to himself as he sits by it). +A king's ransom! What have we to do with kings, who cannot even thwart +the tyrant who would rule us! If there was but some way---- + +[Sits, lost in thought. + +RIGBY +(putting trophies back in chest, looking at them fondly, and singing +softly for the sheer joy of touching them). +"Oh, a seaman's life is a jolly life--Trol de rol, de rol!" Wampum. A +woven blanket. A peace-pipe. (Sings.) + + I had a goodly old sea-chest, + Twas filled with--India dyes. + Oh, wide the harbor, deep the sea, + Five fathoms down it lies! + Five fathoms down it lies! + +RICHARD +(half-hearing Tom's voice, and repeating to himself). +"Five fathoms deep it lies----" (In a suddenly electrified voice.) Tom! +Tom Rigby! I have the way! Your song has given it to me! I have the +way! + +[He has rushed to Rigby. + +RIGBY +(as sounds of approaching footsteps are heard without). +Hush! Here come the Sons of Freedom! (Door is flung open. Rigby's +professional manner asserts itself.) Welcome, my lads. Come in! Come +in! + +WINWOOD +(to Richard). +Are we on time? What have you planned for us, Dick? My hands and heart +are ready for a night's work! (Offering his portion of cider in loving- +cup fashion.) Some cider? + +RICHARD. +No. I've supped on revolution! + +WINWOOD. +Would there were something stirring! + +RICHARD +(throughout with growing excitement). +Are folk still in the Old South Meeting-house? + +WINWOOD +(impatiently). +Aye, still talking of what's to be done. Hancock and Paul Revere are at +a coffee-house. + +COREY +(as the lads gather about table). +Come, Dick, you've heard the governor's reply. How would _you_ deal +with the taxers? + +RICHARD +(at table, center, one foot on table and one on chair). +I'd set their tea to brew! + +ALL +(amazed). +What! + +RICHARD. +In a monstrous teapot! + +PEABODY +(jesting). +As big as Rigby's bowl. + +RICHARD +(flaming with excitement). +Oh, larger! Larger! + +AMESBURY +(indicating large cockade). +Or as Frank Wharton's hat. + +RICHARD +(inspired). +Larger by far! + +AMESBURY. +You mean---- + +RICHARD +(impassioned). +I'd take the ocean! + +ALL. +The ocean! +Zounds! +The harbor! +Does he mean it? + +RICHARD. +Overboard--all of it! Listen. The ships are deserted: the sailors on +shore drinking at different taverns. If we can go disguised, we can +slip to the water front unnoticed. You know how many Indians roam our +streets, and no one ever heeds them. We'll all be braves and +chieftains. + +AMESBURY. +But where are our disguises? + +RIGBY +(opening his chests, tossing out his treasures, wild with delight). +Here! Here and here! + +RICHARD. +Wait. We must have other followers. Followers, said I? _Leaders_--with +sagacity. Run, Winwood! Speak to John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Dr. +Warren. You know the coffee-house they sup at. Tell them there are +disguises for us all. But let no red-coat hear you. Quick! The time is +passing. + +[Exit Winwood, on the run. + +RIGBY +(half-overcome with his emotion). +Richard! + +RICHARD +(helping him and the rest to dress, assisting first one and then +another). +Be quick. Let me help you. Here are feathers. Beads. A knife. Hatchets. +A Frenchman's sash-belt. A head-dress. + +AMESBURY +(hurriedly fastening on his disguise). +Where are yours, Dick? + +RICHARD. +Hush! (Touches his knee.) I cannot scale a ladder. Listen! Here's +Winwood. + +WINWOOD +(bursting in). +Paul Revere, John Hancock, Dr. Warren--all come with us. I've run ahead +to tell you they'll meet us on the way. Give me disguises. (They clap +an Indian robe across his shoulders, and he takes an armful of Indian +finery.) John Hancock says there's a boat and oars at the foot of the +wharves, and Paul Revere will lead us. Come quickly, lads! + +[He dashes out the door, with his armful of finery. The others follow +one by one, as their readiness of costume determines. + +RICHARD +(to himself). +And Paul Revere will lead them! + +RIGBY +(his hand on Richard's shoulder). +Richard, you've been the brains, and we are but the fingers! We toss +the tea: but 'twas your heart that planned it. Will you not serve us-- +serve us here on land? If any British come, see they don't go a-roving. +The fewer on the streets the better. D'ye catch my meaning? And, +Richard, one word more. You can see the ships from here. The work we'll +do will take but twenty minutes. If we succeed, I'll send you a signal. +I'll wave this lantern three times in the darkness. + +RICHARD. +Bless you, Tom Rigby. + +[Richard is left alone, and goes to seat by fire. + +RICHARD +(dreaming aloud). +First they'll go to the wharves...stealing quietly through the +darkness. Then there'll be the muffled dip of oars...and then----Oh, +would that I could aid them in this hour! But I am impotent, impotent! + +PENROSE +(querulously, as he and Marsh enter). +This tavern's still deserted. Is there naught alive in this town save +the half-dozen Indians we've met a-prowling the streets! Where's the +landlord? +RICHARD +(mock-humble). +He's absent, sir, on business of importance. But he will soon return. +If I may serve you--some cider, sir, or steaming lemon punch? + +PENROSE +(haughtily). +Let it be punch, and see that it is steaming. + +RICHARD +(busying himself). +At once, sir. + +PENROSE +(languidly). +Mark how importantly he takes the landlord's place. How old are you, +young tapster? + +RICHARD. +About your own age, sir, I have been thinking. + +MARSH +(with a laugh). +Zounds! You're well answered, Penrose. + +RICHARD +(seeing that Penrose starts up angrily). +Indeed 'twas truth I meant, sir, and no insult. + +MARSH. +Sit down. Sit down. He is a simple fellow. (Taps his forehead.) He +means no wrong. We might have sport with him. + +RICHARD +(still mock-humble). +If I can serve you, sir, to anything? + +MARSH. +Suppose we call for tea? + +RICHARD +(simply). +We do not serve it. + +MARSH +(amused). +Oho! Oho! This is a rebel tavern. And so--no tea. You Yankees do not +serve it. + +RICHARD. +No; but we sometimes brew it--with salt-water. + +MARSH +(more and more amused). +'Tis as I said. Simple. Let's try him further. This tea you brew. It +must have a new flavor? + +RICHARD. +Aye, a new flavor. Some will find it bitter. It is a brew that will be +long remembered. +MARSH. +I doubt not, if 'tis made as you have said. + +PENROSE +(yawning impatiently). +Come! I am weary for adventure! (Draws his cloak about him. Marsh +somewhat reluctantly follows his example.) Let's see if there be sport +about the wharves---- + +RICHARD +(to himself). +The wharves---- + +MARSH +(still reluctant). +On such a night as this--! Why, but a moment since you swore it was too +cold! Besides, at the last tavern that we visited that fool of a Barton +took my sword in jest. (Darkly.) He thought 'twas a rare bit of +nonsense; but 'tis one I'll make him pay for! I'll not go roaming +without my sword. + +PENROSE +(insisting). +But I have mine. One sword's enough for both. More than enough for any +Yankees we are like to meet. We could give some of them a rare fright, +comrade. Come, then, in search of---- + +RICHARD +(who has utilized the time in which they were talking by silently +taking a foil from the nearest chest). +Back! Do not come any nearer. You see this door is guarded. + +[Stands before it, his mock humility gone, his voice resounding. + +MARSH +(angrily). +What does this mean? + +RICHARD +(suavely). +One of my crack-brained fancies. I wished to keep you, sirs, for twenty +minutes. + +PENROSE +(insulted). +Even a crack-brained lout may go too far. + +MARSH. +Have at him! He's but one---- + +RICHARD +(clearly and passionately, his voice a-thrill). +Behind me are a hundred--a thousand souls--all those who stand for +freedom. Although you do not see them, they are there! + +PENROSE +(astounded). +What! Would he challenge us? + +MARSH +(scornfully). +A turn of the wrist and the thing is done. Have at him, Penrose. + +[Penrose and Richard engage. Richard fights coolly, with his back ever +to the door. Penrose grows more and more flustered. Marsh holds an iron +candelabrum aloft, for the other candles have gutted and the room is +shadowy. + +PENROSE +(fear in his voice). +The candles--higher. They're getting low. I cannot see---- + +[Richard and Penrose engage a second time, and Penrose's foil is flung +across the room to left. Marsh is about to crash the candelabrum on +Richard's sword, when Richard, with a deft movement, seizes it and +hurls it to the floor, where it falls with a dull clatter. Marsh, +discomfited, turns to Penrose, who has picked up his fallen sword, and +is holding his wrist. + +PENROSE +(peevishly). +The lout has turned my wrist, and torn my ruffles. + +RICHARD +(who has darted to window, and stood looking out for the space of a +second before he turns to them). +A thousand pardons! (Bows ironically.) Go! The play is ended! (With +growing fervor.) Through the black night I've caught my prompter's +signal. I've seen a light--a light that swings in the darkness--a light +that swings three times---- + +PENROSE +(querulously, leaning on Marsh's arm as they go towards door). +What does he mean? A signal? + +RICHARD +(turning on them with passionate triumph). +A signal that a blow is struck for freedom! A signal that your tea is +overboard! A signal that the time will come when liberty will be the +watchword of our nation! + +MARSH. +Come! Come! He dreams! + +[They go out. + +RICHARD +(with face upraised in the waning fire-glow). +May all such dreams come true! + +CURTAIN. + + +COSTUMES + +RICHARD STOCKTON. Coat and knee-breeches of dull-blue cloth. Loose +white shirt. Soft white collar turned down on his coat. Black +stockings. Low black shoes. Unpowdered hair. + +JOHN COREY. Suit of the same fashion as Stockton's, made of black +cloth. All the lads, unless otherwise indicated, wear low black shoes, +black stockings, and have unpowdered hair. But if the wigs of longish +natural hair which they should wear are too expensive, then they may +have powdered wigs made of white cotton batting stitched to tight- +fitting white skull-caps. + +NED PEABODY. Suit of same style in dark-brown. + +PHIL AMESBURY. Suit of same style in somewhat shabby black velvet, with +black braiding. It is evident that the suit has been "handed down" to +him. + +JEFFERSON WINWOOD. Suit of same style in slate-gray, with buttons and +pockets of cobalt blue. + +FRANK WHARTON. Suit of very dark green. Green buttons. Has a black +cloak, and a black three-cornered hat. + +THOMAS RIGBY. Well-worn suit of dark plum-color. Plum-colored +waistcoat. Gold buttons on it. White shirt with full soft sleeves. A +white stock. Black stockings. Low black shoes. + +PENROSE. Scarlet jacket with gold buttons and epaulets. White +broadcloth breeches tucked into high topboots. White vest. Lace stock. +Lace wrist ruffles. Scarlet cloak with gold braiding. Carries a +sword. + +MARSH. The same as Penrose. Carries no sword when he comes in a second +time. + +If "The Younger Sons of Freedom" cannot obtain suits of the colors +described, let them wear the usual boys' coats with Colonial pockets +basted on, and let them have full knee-breeches, such as those of +gymnasium suits. For older boys who play the parts, black evening +suits, the coats shaped and basted back to resemble Colonial coats. +White lace stocks and cravats, and lace wrist ruffles, and jabots. + + + +DRAMATIC SILHOUETTE: THE SPIRIT OF '76 + +Thrown into shadow silhouette by a strong light placed behind a white +curtain, the figures of the young patriots appear. Music of fife and +drum in orchestra, clear, high, blood-stirring. First a small drummer- +boy passes, with a cocked hat, and poised drum-sticks. Then a boy of +the same age carrying a musket that is much too large for him. Then two +taller patriot lads, very soldier-like. Then a country boy with a hoe +over his shoulder. Then two figures, one playing a fife, the other a +drum. Then a lone patriot lad with a cocked hat and musket. Then +another drummer-boy. Then a boy with a flag, and a half dozen patriots +following him. The music grows fainter and fainter, as if with the +tread of marching feet. + + + +ABRAHAM LINCOLN: RAIL SPLITTER + + +CHARACTERS + +ABRAHAM LINCOLN +NANCY LINCOLN +TOM BUSH +AMY ROBY +POLLY PRENTICE +JASON BROWN +LUCY BROWN FRANCOIS DURAND +LITTLE JOHN LINCOLN +NOCTAH, an Indian + +SCENE: The Lincoln kitchen and living-room. Place: Little Pigeon Creek, +Indiana. Time, 1823. + +The room is bright and clean, showing both thrift and poverty. There +are two windows in background, with well-mended, faded curtains of the +cheapest cotton. Between these two windows a stout door, which gives on +the outside road. On the door is tacked a raccoon skin. + +By the window at right a plain pine table and chair. The end of the +table is set with a plate, knife, fork, drinking-cup, etc., for one +person, and there are corndodgers in generous quantities, and a jug of +molasses. + +In the middle of the right wall there is a wide-mouthed fireplace, with +black andirons, several iron pots, and a skillet. Above the hearth +strips of leather nailed to the wall serve as holders for empty powder- +horns, knives, etc. There is a pine bench by the hearth, placed so that +those sitting on it face the audience. Also a three-legged pine stool. +Beyond the hearth, towards the background, a dresser with a few dishes. + +Fastened to the wall, left foreground, is a pine shelf on which stand +Abraham Lincoln's books, well-worn copies of "Robinson Crusoe" "Aesop's +Fables," "Pilgrim's Progress," etc., etc. Above this shelf a clock, +battered yet adequate. A bearskin rug on the floor. The whole scene is +homely, peaceful, intimate. + +The embers on the hearth give out a dull glow which leaves the room in +semi-darkness, yet lights up several objects by the hearthstone-- +namely, a heap of pine cones, some dried spice-wood bushes, a rude +corn-popper, a snow-shovel, and a neatly-mended tongs. + +In the frosty out-of-doors the wind blows gustily from time to time. +Otherwise the room is quite still, save for the ticking of the clock, +which points to half-past seven. For a moment after the curtain's rise +the stage is deserted. Then come two brisk knocks at the door, and it +is opened from without by Polly Prentice, who first thrusts in her +head, looks about, and then crosses the threshold, speaking back over +her shoulder to Amy Roby and Tom Bush. Polly wears a scarlet cloak, and +her cheeks are as red as apples. All carry lanterns. + +POLLY. +There's no one home. Wherever can Nancy be? She said if she wasn't here +we were to wait for her. Come in, Amy, and you, too, Tom Bush, and be +careful to close the door. (All enter.) The fire is nearly spent. B- +rrrrrr! It's a cold night for this time of year. My fingers are +tingling. That's right, Tom, put on some spice bushes for a blaze. I'll +put my lantern over here by yours, Amy. What time is it? + +AMY. +Half-past seven. I wish that Nancy would hurry. The corn-husking begins +at eight, and we are to call for Jason Brown and Lucy before we start. + +TOM +(warming his hands). +Yes, and come back here to have Abe go with us. He's been out in the +woods all day, swinging that ax of his. I could hear him down by the +spring. + +POLLY. +There's his supper set out for him--corn-dodgers and molasses. + +AMY +(primly). +Polly, it isn't nice to look at things in other people's houses! + +POLLY +(saucily). +You looked at the clock only a minute ago, and I'm sure Abe's supper is +as easily seen as the clock is! Easier, too, if you happen to be +glancing that way. I wish that Nancy would hurry! + +TOM +(as they seat themselves about fire). +And I wish that Abe would hurry. He must be trying for luck. + +POLLY. +Luck? + +TOM. +Yes, you know they say that rails split by moonlight bring folks good +fortune. Not that Abe needs good fortune--he's lucky at everything he +puts his hand to. He can shoulder an ax and swing it better than any +one I ever saw, and as for his books--there's no one who can beat him. + +POLLY. +He's always at them--even after a hard day's work. + +TOM. +There's nothing he won't read if he can get his hands on it, and at +spelling he's head of his class every time. + +AMY +(amused). +You'd think he was a hero, Tom, the way you talk. + +TOM +(eyes a-light). +Well, sometimes he does seem like a hero to me, he's so strong and +clever and kind. At school people are always coming to him with their +disputes, and out of school, too. Even the Indians respect his +knowledge. And with it all he can see a joke as soon as anybody, and +isn't a bit puffed up. And then I like him, because even though he's +quiet and it takes a long time for him to get angry, when he _does_ get +angry it's on the right side. I think some day he'll be a great lawyer. +Come, Amy, what do you think he'll be? + +AMY +(mischievously). +Well, as you think he knows so much--almost as much as Mr. Andrew +Crawford--I think perhaps he'll be a teacher. + +TOM. +What do you think he'll be, Polly? + +POLLY +(absorbed in examining corn-popper, tongs, etc.). +I don't know. Oh, see! He's mended the tongs. I saw him working at it +the other day. (Facing about, laughing.) I'll tell you what I think +he'll be--he'll be a _mender_! (To Amy.) Look out, Amy, that's Abe's +precious snow-shovel. Dear knows why he has it out this early. + +AMY. +Because paper is expensive, goosey. By the light of some pine cones he +can figure on this, and then scrape it off again. + +TOM +(admiringly). +Nobody but Abe would think of such a thing. I tell you the day will +come when we'll be proud we knew him. + +AMY +(gaily). +Bravo, Tom! You'll be making speeches soon, or lead in our next debate. + +ABRAHAM LINCOLN +(speaking from outer doorway, ax on shoulder, a gaunt, rawboned, +kindly-eyed lad). +Who said _debate--?_ + +AMY +(jumping up with a burst of delighted laughter). +There he is now! (To Lincoln.) If any word would bring you, that one +would, I know! + +POLLY. +Nancy isn't here. She said we were to wait. Go on with your supper, +Abe, and don't mind us. I know you're hungry. + +LINCOLN. +Thank you, I will. (Puts by ax and goes towards table.) Hungry! I feel +half-starved! And my muscles are as stiff as boards. (Turns.) Here, +Tom, I'm a fine host--neglecting my guests! There's the corn-popper, +and (diving hand into cupboard and bringing out a bag) there's the +corn! + +NANCY +(appearing in the outer door with Francois Durand, and little John +Henry). +And here's Nancy with a bag of salt, just in time. I'm glad you all +waited for me. Come to the fire, Francois. + +FRANCOIS +(shyly to all, as they kindly make way for him). +Bon soir! Bon soir! + +NANCY +(rattling on). +B-rrrrr! It's chilly. It's nice to be in by the fire. How's your +supper, Abe? I fixed it for you. + +LINCOLN +(genially). +It's fine, Nancy, thank you. (Goes back to table and half-smiles, +dryly-humorous.) And the best thing about it is that there's enough of +it! (To John.) Well, John, how are you? + +JOHN +(drawling, wide-eyed, childlike). +Did you see any _bears_ in the woods? + +LINCOLN +(with a twinkle, solemnly imitating him). +No, I didn't see any bea-r-s in the woods; but I brought home some nuts +for you! (Gives them.) + +[Francois, under pantomimic urging from the group around the fire, has +taken up his fiddle, tunes it, and from a mere ghost of an air breaks +into a gay tune. Little John Henry takes the corn-popper, swaying it in +time to the music, while the rest, with the exception of Lincoln, do a +step or so of an old-fashioned reel. Lincoln watches them as he eats. +John watches them also, to the detriment of the corn-popping. + +NANCY +(pausing in dance, with little shriek of dismay). +Oh, mercy! The corn! I smell it burning! + +ALL +(gathering about her, and thus hiding corn-popper from view of +audience). +Is it burnt? No! Yes! No! Oh, it's saved. (Lincoln, who has risen, goes +back to his supper.) + +JOHN. +I didn't mean to! + +NANCY +(relenting). +But when Francois plays the fiddle you can't think of anything else, +eh? + +AMY +(as they group themselves in fire-glow). +Sit over here, Nancy. Isn't the corn splendid? + +LINCOLN +(from where he is sitting). +Any news, Tom? How's the wolf-hunting getting on? Anybody got one? + +TOM. +I heard in the store to-night that Hugh Foster had killed one. It may +be only a rumor. You're not fond of hunting, are you, Abe? + +LINCOLN. +Oh, I try at it once in a while, Tom, but I'm not very keen. You boys +get more out of it than I do. + +TOM. +Remember the raccoon hunt we had last summer? + +LINCOLN. +Yes, I remember. (Facing about.) To tell you the truth, Tom, I don't +mind if things have to be killed outright; but I hate to see them in +cages. I like to see 'em _free_. + +TOM. +I know you do, Abe. + +POLLY +(merrily). +Oh, Abe, before you came we were all guessing---- + +LINCOLN. +Guessing? + +POLLY +(nodding). +What you were going to be. Tom said you'd be a lawyer. Amy said you'd +be a great teacher, and I said you'd be a _mender_! + +LINCOLN +(slowly). +A mender--! I never once thought of being a mender, Polly. + +NANCY +(with a little cry). +Polly Prentice, look! Look what the time is! Ten minutes to eight! +We'll be late for the corn-husking. + +LINCOLN +(surprised). +Corn-husking? + +POLLY +(dancing about). +Didn't you know there was to be one? Oh, I thought we'd surprise you! +We're all going. You, too. + +[Lincoln shakes his head. + +POLLY +(pouting). +That means you think you have to study. Oh, Abe--! + +NANCY +(aside). +Don't tease him, Polly. After we've called for Jason and Lucy we'll +come back this way--gracious! Look how the minutes are flying! We must +be starting. Where did I put my cloak? Oh, here it is! Hurry, Amy! + +[They all dart out the door with every sign of haste, little John +following as fast as his legs can carry him. Sounds of laughter from +without, growing fainter. + +LINCOLN +(to himself). +A corn-husking--! + +[Shakes his head. Goes over and gets a book and stretches out in front +of fire. A pause. + +NOCTAH +(quietly entering). +How! + +LINCOLN +(turning). +How! + +[Noctah, with the quiet of an accustomed visitor, sits on bench by +fire: pulls out a long pipe. + +LINCOLN +(after a pause, looking up). +Supper? + +NOCTAH, +No. Noctah only want to warm at fire. Like to watch Lincoln. Lincoln +get wisdom out of books. + +LINCOLN +(ruefully). +Not so much as I'd like to, Noctah. The books are so few that it's just +learning by littles. +[Footnote: Lincoln's own words.] + +NOCTAH. +Other people much talk. Lincoln heap silent: heap thinking. (Taps +forehead.) Other people try to cheat Indian. Lincoln heap honest. + +LINCOLN +(twinkling). +Oh, come now, Noctah. I guess we're all pretty honest hereabout. + +[A pause, during which Lincoln stares at the fire, above his book. + +NOCTAH. +Lincoln look at fire. See visions of future. + +LINCOLN. +There won't be any future if I don't work for it! + +[Studies again. + + +NOCTAH. +Umph! + +[Smokes pipe: a silence. + +LINCOLN +(after a moment or so, looking up). +Anything I can do for you, Noctah? + +NOCTAH. +No. Noctah want nothing. + +[Another short silence. Noctah smokes. Lincoln studies. Then Noctah +moves towards door. + +LINCOLN (looking up). +Going, Noctah? You know you're welcome to stay if you want to. (Noctah +continues impassively towards door.) Well, then, good-night. + +NOCTAH. +Good-night. + +[Exit Noctah. + +[A moment later there comes the sound of Francois' fiddle, and the same +gay group breaks into the room, augmented by Jason and Lucy Brown. They +surround Lincoln, who has risen. + +TOM. +Now, Abe, you know you like a husking better than anything else. + +LINCOLN. +Better than most things, Tom; but not better than all. + +[Looks toward his books. + +JASON +(coaxing). +Come On, Abe, it's no fun without you. + +LINCOLN +(decidedly). +Not to-night, Jason. + +FRANCOIS. +You'll miss ze husking, Abe. + +LINCOLN. +I know that, Francois; but then I'll gain--so much else! (Looks again +towards his beloved books.) There's husking to do there, Francois. + +NANCY. +You'll be sitting here all lonely, without any friends. + +LINCOLN +(with one of his rare smiles). +Without any friends--! Why, Nancy! + +[Glances towards his books for a third time. + +POLLY +(with a sniff). +He means that he'd rather have Defoe and Bunyan and Aesop than us. + +LINCOLN. +Now, Polly. + +POLLY +(with conviction). +You would. You know you would. + +JASON. +Then you're not coming? + +LINCOLN. +No, boys, I'm not coming. I tell you, it's like splitting rails. Once +you get tired or give up, your work gets the better of you. I mean to +stick to what I've set out to do. + +TOM +(regretfully). +Well, then, good-night, Abe. + +LINCOLN +(with the utmost friendliness). +Good-night. Good-night. (With a general stir and in the midst of a +chorus of leave-taking, he sees them to the door.) Watch your lantern, +Amy. Good-night. Good-night, all. + +[For a moment he stands and there comes to him the sound of laughter +and retreating footsteps, and a gay lilt from Francois fiddle. As the +sound grows fainter and fainter he crosses resolutely to the hearth, +tosses on a cone or two, places the shovel where it will be within easy +reach, and stretches himself on the floor before the fire. + +From outside a sudden gust of wind brings clearly a last snatch of the +air that Francois is playing in the distance. Lincoln raises his bead +and listens, smiles whimsically to himself, and then opens his books. + +LINCOLN. +And now for the husking! + +[He lies full length, absorbedly studying in the fire-glow as the +curtain falls. + + +COSTUMES +ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Blue flannel shirt. Faded black knee-breeches and +much-worn coat. Tall boots which he wears for out-of-doors, and changes +for old slippers. + +POLLY. A brown woolen dress and scarlet cloak. Hair worn in quaint +fashion with combs. + +NANCY LINCOLN. Dark-scarlet woolen dress, and brown cloak. All the +dresses of the girls are of the simplest. Their cloaks likewise. + +AMY ROBY. Deep-blue woolen dress. Little white apron with pockets. +Dark-blue cloak with hood. + +LUCY BROWN. Dark-green woolen dress and cloak. + +TOM BUSH. Dark-brown flannel shirt. Dark-blue knee-breeches. + +JASON BROWN. Faded red flannel shirt. Dark-blue knee-breeches. + +FRANCOIS DURAND. Tan-colored flannel shirt. Dark-brown knee-breeches. +Crimson sash-belt. + +NOCTAH. The usual Indian costume of buckskin. Fringed tunic. Long +trousers. Moccasins, or imitation moccasins of khaki. (The suit should +be of khaki also--the nearest imitation of buckskin.) He should wear a +wig of long, coarse black hair. If this wig cannot be had, simulate it +thus: make a tight-fitting skull-cap of black cheesecloth. Stitch it +where the parting in the hair should come. Make two braids of plaited +black cheesecloth, and fasten them to the skullcap so that they will +fall over the ears. They should be bound with a few wisps of red and +green. Noctah wears neither war-paint nor feathers, but his face and +hands should be stained brown. + + + +DIRECTIONS + +FOR INDOOR ARRANGEMENT OF THE PAGEANT OF PATRIOTS + +While an outdoor stage is by far the best setting for a pageant there +are times and seasons when such a setting is not obtainable, and the +indoor pageant becomes advisable. And while no number of footlights can +hope to give the actual radiance of sunlight and blue sky, the indoor +pageant has several assets in its favor. It lends itself to such +festivals as Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays, and its performers +need have no fear of rain. Its dancers are sure of a level space. Its +woodland scenes can be arranged to suit the occasion, and the enhancing +effects of fire-glow, sunrise, or dimming twilight can be obtained as +in no other way. + +If a painted forest scene cannot be had, tree branches fastened to +green screens placed right, left, and background can be made to do for +the outdoor setting. The screens can be covered with forest-green +burlap or cheesecloth. Real pine trees, in stands covered with green to +imitate bank of moss, are very effective. For a log to be used as a +seat, two vinegar barrels fastened together, covered with bark-brown +burlap splashed with green paint for moss and white for lichen. Red +electric light bulbs half hidden under fagots for the outdoor fire +effect. + +The procession at the end can cross the stage, or march through the +assembly-room or hall in which the pageant is given. An armory or large +gymnasium is an ideal place in which to give the indoor arrangement of +the pageant if the stage of a small auditorium or theater is not +procurable. Many of the directions for the producing of the outdoor +pageant can be applied to the indoor one, and, therefore, those who +direct the indoor arrangement of the pageant are referred to the +outdoor arrangement. The directions for the final tableau, the march, +and the costume of The Spirit of Patriotism will be found there. +Throughout the pageant, its entire acts and marches, patriotic airs +should be played as much as possible. + + + +THE HAWTHORNE PAGEANT + + +THE HAWTHORNE PAGEANT + +1. CHORUS OF SPIRITS OF THE OLD MANSE +2. PROLOGUE BY THE MUSE OF HAWTHORNE +3. FIRST EPISODE (In Witchcraft Days) +4. DANCE INTERLUDE +5. SECOND EPISODE (Merrymount) +6. PROCESSION OF PLAYER FOLK + + +CHORUS OF SPIRITS OF THE OLD MANSE + +From the dim world of dreams +Fraught with shadows and gleams +We entreat you and beckon and call. +Heed and harken you well, +Lend your hearts to our spell, +Let the soul of the Past hold you thrall. + +Radiant, mystical, free +Unseen spirits were we +As we guarded the Manse long ago; +Moving soft through each room +In the twilight's gray gloom +While the fire on the hearth flickered low. + +Hope and joy--these we brought; +Peace and fair dreams we wrought +For the Manse whose bright hearth was our goal. +Oh, then harken you well! +Lend your hearts to our spell, +Let the tide of the years backward roll. + + +PROLOGUE +(_Spoken by the Muse of Hawthorne_) + +Ye who have known the great Enchanter's art, +Whose magic fired your brain and stirred your heart, +Whose touch, more potent than King Midas' gold, +Wrought Tales of Tanglewood and Tales Twice Told, +Whose Marble Faun and Mosses from the Manse +Still hold the lasting colors of Romance; +Who built 'for you the Hall of Fantasy +Through whose bright portals you might pass and see +Hester and Miriam and Goodman Brown +And Pyncheron, who dwelt in Salem Town-- +Malvin and Endicott and Ethan Brand, +John Inglefield and that old crone whose hand +Was lent to fashioning Scarecrows built of straw-- +All these through the Enchanter's eyes you saw, +Strange folk who trod the bleak New England shores, +Tithingmen, Sachems, Witches, Sagamores, +Puritans, Soldiers, Scholars, Quaker maids, +Royalists splendid in their rich brocades! +To-day the past has opened wide her door, +Scenes long since gone return to us once more, +Touched with the alchemy of history's gold. +First, ancient Salem, as it was, behold +In the grim days when "Witchcraft!" was the cry, +When folk declared that they saw witches fly +On devil's broomsticks straight across the moon, +While the wind piped by night a witch's tune; +When, e'en by day, intrepid witch-wives spoke, +Then vanished upward through the chimney smoke! +The Witches' Wood--this our first scene will show, +And all that once transpired there long ago. +Our second scene will picture Merrymount +Where lived gay royalists who took no count +Of Puritanic manners, and who sang +And laughed till all the woods about them rang +With outlaw merriment. These you will see +Engaged in maypole dance and minstrelsy, +While Puritans with grave and somber mien +Condemn such light-foot revels on the green! +These have you known on Hawthorne's living page. +Now shall you see them pictured on our stage. +Grant us your patience: lend your ears as well. +The rest our pageant now will strive to tell. + + + +IN WITCHCRAFT DAYS + +CHARACTERS + +GOODY GURTON +PHILIPPE BEAUCOEUR +VIGILANT WINTHROP +HOLDFAST BRADFORD +JOHN GILES +GOODWIFE PRUDENCE HUBBARD +MERCY HUBBARD +BARBARA WILLIAMS, her playmate +DORCAS WORDELL +ANNE BROWN +REPENTANCE FOLGER +ROGER BLACKTHORNE +FEAR-NOUGHT CALDWELL +RENOUNCE WILTON +TABITHA BRETT +FAWNFOOT, an Indian maiden +GOODWIFE ABIGAIL WILLIAMS + +The scene is an open glade near Salem, 1692. + +Trees right, left, and background. Flowers, Ferns. Berry-vines. Herbs. +Tabitha Brett, a Puritan child, enters from left. She carries a quaint +pewter bowl, and looking about her spies berries, whereupon she calls +back over her shoulder to Renounce Wilton. + +TABITHA +(calling). +Renounce! There are berries here! Yet not so many as Goodwife Prudence +Hubbard bade us bring. Perhaps 'tis too near the edge of the town, and +others have been before us. + +RENOUNCE +(entering from left). +Others before us--Do you mean witches, Tabitha? + +TABITHA. +Hush! Speak not that word! There are no witches flying in the daytime! + +RENOUNCE +(wide-eyed). +But at night, Tabitha, who can tell how many witches may be abroad? +Dost thou not know that this is ofttimes called the "Witches' Wood" and +Holdfast Bradford says that on the stroke of midnight 'tis here that +they foregather. Canst thou not picture them whirling over the tree- +tops? + +TABITHA (with a cry). +Be still, Renounce Wilton! Oh, what was that? (Clutches her.) A shadow? +(With more composure.) If you do talk of witches we shall lose half the +berries we have gathered, and Goodwife Hubbard will scold us roundly. + +[Eats a few berries. + +RENOUNCE. +You should not eat the berries, Tabitha. + +TABITHA. +I know. But they are so sweet. As sweet as the barley sugar Goody +Gurton gives us. + +RENOUNCE. +I marvel that our mothers let us hunt for berries at all. + +TABITHA +(childishly). +Aye, 'tis not often they are minded to let us stray to the edge of the +forest. I think there is something stirring that we are not to hear, +and that is why our fingers are kept busy. My mother and Goodwife +Prudence Hubbard were deep in talk together; but when I passed they put +their fingers on their lips. + +RENOUNCE +(pretending to be vastly impressed). +Did they so! + +TABITHA +(looking about her). +I wish I knew where some wild plums grew. + +RENOUNCE +(as they continue to gather berries). +Philippe Beaucoeur could tell us, did he but wish to. + +TABITHA. +Renounce Wilton! I am ashamed of thee! Thou dost not mean that thou +hast held converse with Philippe Beaucoeur, who is half French and +lives in the woods like an Indian. + +RENOUNCE +(with spirit). +I will hold converse with whom I please, Tabitha Brett. French or no +French, Philippe Beaucoeur is a brave lad, and there is naught about +the wild things that he does not know. 'Twas because he lives in the +forest and not in Salem Town as we do. + +TABITHA +(in an awed voice). +Have you ever seen the place where Philippe lives? Barbara Williams +says it a fearsome spot. The forests about it are all black and solemn, +and the pines seem to whisper together, and there Philippe dwells in a +hut he himself hath builded. + +RENOUNCE (sagely). +They say he hath dwelt alone there ever since his father died. Think of +it! In the forest! I should fear the Indians! But then, I am not like +Betty Hubbard, who hath no fears at all. And as for Philippe Beaucoeur, +there is naught that can make _him_ tremble. He says that 'tis on +account of his "ancestree." And then he laughs and makes a gesture: +"Blue blood of France is never chilled by terror, Mistress." + +TABITHA. +"Blue blood of France--!" Who ever heard the like? I never saw blue +blood, nor didst thou! The color of blood is scarlet, as thou knowest +right well. Prick thy finger and see! + +DORCAS WORDELL +(off stage, left). +Tabitha Brett! Tabitha Brett! Where are you? + +TABITHA +(calling in answer). +Here, Dorcas, here! Renounce Wilton and I are gathering berries. + +DORCAS +(entering excitedly). +You'll gather no more berries when you've heard the news. Sure, there +be stirring things afoot this day in Salem. What dost think? Barbara +Williams hath been bewitched! + +RENOUNCE. +Dorcas! + +DORCAS +(importantly). +Aye, since yesternight she hath clean disappeared. The evening meal was +set: she did not come. They have searched the woods, and the marshland, +and the roadways. 'Tis plain she hath been spirited away, and Goodwife +Abigail Williams is nigh out of her mind. But now that they've found +the witch---- + +TABITHA +(eagerly). +Found her---- + +DORCAS +(triumphantly). +Aye, found her! And you'll never guess who 'tis! Hark! They're coming! +She was hobbling this way as I passed, little dreaming that her evil +deeds would find her out so soon! The half o' Salem must be at her +heels. Look! Look! + +GOODY GURTON'S VOICE +(from left, a cry of terror). +I am no witch. Good sirs, I am no witch. Mercy! Mercy! + +RENOUNCE +(startled). +'Tis Goody Gurton's voice! Why, she is a poor old woman who hath never +done harm to any. + +CRIES +(off stage, left). +A witch! A witch! A-aaaaah! A witch! + +[The crowd surges in from left, dragging in the midst of it poor old +Goody Gurton. They separate and form a wide semicircle of which +Holdfast Bradford and trembling Goody Gurton form the center. In the +crowd are Goodwife Williams, Goodwife Hubbard, Mercy Hubbard, Goodwife +Brown, Repentance Folger, Vigilant Winthrop, John Giles, Roger +Blackthorne, and other people of Salem. + +BRADFORD. +Silence, and look! Look, people of Salem! You know this spot right +well. 'Tis here that witches are reported to hold their wicked revels. +What better place have we in which to try a witch? Custom hath had it +aforetime that we have tried them in the courthouse. Now let us try +them on their own ground. 'Twill show that we fear neither them nor +their master. Neither their black books, nor their caldron's brew. +Stand forth, Goody Gurton, the accused. What have you to say? There is +the woman whose child you have bewitched and stolen. + +GOODY GURTON +(in a trembling, aged voice). +I stole no child. I have bewitched no one. I am a poor old woman, as +you all know. I get my living by my needle, and my brews of herbs. + +BRADFORD. +Stand forth, Abigail. Is it not true that half the town hath searched +for Barbara Williams since yesterday at sundown, and not a trace of her +hath been found? + +GOODWIFE WILLIAMS +(wildly). +Aye, 'tis true! My child has gone from me! She is bewitched and stolen! +Bewitched and stolen! Everywhere I looked and found no token: but at +the door of Goody Gurton I found _this_! + +[Holds up small white Puritan cap. + +THE CROWD. +A-aaaaaah! + +BRADFORD. +How came this cap to your door, Goody Gurton? + +GOODY GURTON +(in a shaking voice). +The children often visit me for sweetmeats. I gave the child a little +barley sugar. She may have dropped the cap. I do not know. + +BRADFORD. +Where did she turn after she left your doorway? + +GOODY GURTON. +I did not look which way she went. I do not know. Oh, worshipful sir---- + +BRADFORD. Silence! Who else accuses Goody Gurton? + +GOODWIFE HUBBARD. +We've seen strange things about, have we not, neighbors? + +ALL. +Aye! Aye! + +GOODWIFE HUBBARD. +Last night the wind wailed in my chimney. And when I crossed the fields +at twilight I had a feeling _that something followed me._ + +MERCY HUBBARD +(piping up). +And Goodman Folger's cow hath died since yesternight. And Goody Gurton +was seen going by the pasture. + +VIGILANT WINTHROP. +Aye, there be many signs. Last night the moon rose red. + +JOHN GILES. +And the week before there were more bats flying than I have ever seen +in Salem. + +GOODWIFE BROWN. +And Goodwife Eaton says that all night long in the woods behind her +house there is something crying--she cannot tell whether it be an owl +or a child. + +REPENTANCE FOLGER. +Last eve, when the wind was blowing, something flapped past me like a +witch's cloak. + +BRADFORD. +What have you to say to these things, Goody Gurton? + +GOODY GURTON +(quite simply). +Why, naught, sir, naught. I noted myself that last week the moon rose +red, and that last night the wind blew shrewdly. + +BRADFORD. +How comes it that you were leaving the streets of Salem, and walking +here in the forest? 'Twas here in the forest we found you. + +GOODY GURTON. +I came to hunt for some simples...for spearmint and checkerberry and +tansy. + +BRADFORD +(with deep sternness). +And for wolfbane and hellbore and all other hideous herbs that witches +brew in their caldrons. You stand accused, Goody Gurton. + +GOODY GURTON +(bewildered). +Accused? + +BRADFORD. +Of witchcraft. + +THE CROWD +(alternately surging close to her, and falling back). +A-aaah! To the pond with her! To the pond! + +JOHN GILES. +If she sinks she is a witch, if she swims---- + +GOODY GURTON. +Have mercy---- + +GOODWIFE HUBBARD +(with a shiver). +The water in the pond is deep and cold. + +WINTHROP. +Here come Caldwell and Blackthorne with a ducking-chair. (Blackthorne +and Caldwell carry between them a rude chair fashioned hastily from +wood on which the bark still clings.) Well and swiftly fashioned, +Blackthorne! + +GOODY GURTON. +Mercy! Mercy! Gentle sirs, neighbors, goodwives! I am no witch! I swear +it. I had naught, naught to do with Barbara Williams. + +BRADFORD. +A last chance, Goody. Call up your evil powers. Bring back the child, +and it shall be the stocks; but not the pond. Call! Call! + +GOODY GURTON. +I have no words. I cannot bring her back. Mercy! Mercy! + +BRADFORD +(curtly). +To the pond! + +GOODY GURTON +(in a tremulous shriek as Blackthorne and Caldwell begin to bind her in +the ducking-chair). +Oh, no, no, no! I am no witch! I swear it! Will no one speak for me-- +will no one---- + +[Philippe Beaucoeur, who has approached from right but a moment before, +and been partly hidden from view by those in front of him, now steps +forward boldly. The knife in his red sash-belt glitters in the sun. His +dark face is a-light with interest. His bearing is gallantly +determined. + +PHILIPPE BEAUCOEUR. +I will speak! + +RENOUNCE. +It is Philippe! + +PHILIPPE +(boldly). +Stand back, Master Bradford. Be not so swift with your ducking-chair, +Goodman Caldwell. By what right have ye bound this poor old woman? + +BRADFORD +(angrily). +By what right can a Jackanapes confront his elders? + +PHILIPPE +(coolly). +By the right of free speech in a free country. By the right of seeing +defenseless age that lacks a champion. + +GOODY GURTON +(her voice sunk to a low moan). +Mercy! Mercy! + +PHILIPPE +(gallantly alert, hand on knife). +You have said your say against her. Is there one who hath spoken a word +for her? + +BRADFORD +(blustering). +He has no right to confront us. He is not of Salem. + +[Nevertheless, since Philippe is the only one armed, none step forward +to seize him. + +PHILIPPE +(with light scorn). +The worshipful Bradford speaks true. I dwell in a kinder place. The +forest accuses neither man nor woman. Nay, do not frown at me, Holdfast +Bradford. My hand is as well matched as yours. + +JOHN GILES. +By all the signs she is a witch. The moon rose red, and the wind---- + +THE CROWD +(not to be cheated). +Aye! Aye! + +PHILIPPE. +What if the moon rose red? What if the wind wailed in the chimney? Are +ye children round the nursery fire that such things should be to you as +signs? Ye have seen the same a thousand times before. Is this all ye +can say against her? Is there naught ye can say for her--ye who have +known her kindness? John Giles, who sat with thy brother when he had +the fever? Goodwife Anne Brown, who helped thee keep watch the night +thy father's ship was lost at sea? Tabitha Brett, who healed thy +childish hurts, and drove away thy tears with sweetmeats? Thrice shame +upon you all! The poor old woman! + +GOODWIFE WILLIAMS +(wildly). +Let her give back my child! Here is the cap that I found on her door- +sill. + +PHILIPPE. +Let me look at the cap, Goodwife Williams. (Turns it inside out.) There +is a name embroidered on the band. (Reads.) "Hester Wordell." Not thy +child's cap at all. + +[Hands it back. + +GOODWIFE WILLIAMS. +'Tis more witchcraft! + +PHILIPPE. +And is that witchcraft, too? + +(A child's voice in the woods at right is heard singing:) + +"In May I go a-walking to hear the linnets sing, +The blackbird and the throstle a-praising Queen and King: +It cheers the heart to hear them, to see the leaves unfold, +The meadows covered over with buttercups of gold." + +GOODWIFE WILLIAMS. +'Tis Barbara's voice! 'Tis Barbara! (Enter Barbara, fleet as a shadow, +from right, followed by Fawnfoot. Both take the unconsciously tripping +steps that belong to the wild freedom of youth.) It is my child! +Barbara! Where hast thou been since yesternight? + +BARBARA. +With Fawnfoot yonder. She taught me to play games, and angle for fish, +and----What be they staring at? + +BRADFORD +(dryly). +Goodwife Williams, for children that rouse a village there is but one +remedy. + +GOODWIFE WILLIAMS +(humbly). +A physic? + +BRADFORD +(almost roaring). +No! A _slipper!_ See that it is administered. And light songs, such as +we heard but now, are scarcely seemly on a young one's lips. She should +learn graver measures. + +[In groups of twos and threes the Puritans solemnly exeunt, left, +Bradford marching ahead. Fawnfoot, with agile grace, disappears into +background, dancing with her own shadow as she goes. Philippe and Goody +Gurton are left alone. Philippe bends over the ducking-chair, and with +his knife cuts the thongs which bind Goody Gurton, the while he talks, +half-tenderly, half-gaily, for the first time allowing a hint of accent +to creep into his speech. + +PHILIPPE. +They do not even stop to unbind thee! It is a strange thing, this +witchcraft, that so turns the head! + +GOODY GURTON. +You do for me what others do not do--you whom I have scarcely seen +before! + +PHILIPPE. +A good deed sown is ofttimes a good deed reaped. So say they in la +belle France, and my tongue loves the words. 'Twas long ago that you +did a kindness for me when my father lay ill of a fever; but--I--I have +not forgotten. (He cuts the final thong that binds her.) Whither now, +Goody Gurton? Nay, it would seem that we have need of each other. For +you--a shoulder to lean on: for me--often I am lonely. I think what it +would mean in my hut in the forest to look up and see a grand'mere +sitting there! We be two outcasts; but the woods are kind. There is a +song about that oversea: it says-- + +(Sings) + + Blue the sky above you, + Dans la foret; + True the hearts that love you, + Courageux et gai! + +Come, Grand'mere, home! + +[They exeunt right, he bearing himself with a proud erectness, she +leaning upon his shoulder with the peaceful dependence of a soul whose +problem is solved. The scene ends. + + +COSTUMES + +The Puritan women and girls wear black dresses with white lawn +kerchiefs and cuffs, and Puritan caps. One or two of the women wear +black cloaks, falling to the edge of their gowns. The material of which +these dresses and cloaks may be made is black cambric with the glazed +side turned in. The kerchiefs and cuff of lawn or white cheesecloth. + +For the men and lads full black knee-breeches, black doublets with the +sleeves a little fulled; white cuffs and Puritan collars. Long black +cloaks ankle-length. Beaver hats. Any well-illustrated edition of +"Pilgrim's Progress" will give an excellent idea of these costumes. +(See notes on Hawthorne Pageant, page 220.) + +PHILIPPE BEAUCOEUR. Philippe Beaucoeur wears a tan-Colored costume cut +on Indian lines (supposedly dressed deerskin) with a sash of scarlet, +such as the French voyageurs were in the habit of wearing. A fur slung +across his shoulders and caught at his girdle. The costume is fringed, +Indian-like, but is not painted Of beaded. The breeches come to the +knee. Tan stockings and moccasins. The costume made of cotton khaki. + +FAWNFOOT. The typical Indian maiden costume. Cotton khaki, gorgeously +painted at the neck. Bead chains and bracelets. Tan stockings. +Moccasins. Hair worn in braids. Scarlet head-band across forehead. +Black quill. + +This play may be given by a cast of girls. (See notes on Hawthorne +Pageant.) + +Music. The song which Barbara Williams sings can be found in "Songs of +the West," by S. Baring Gould. ("Folk Songs of Cornwall and Devon, +collected from the Mouths of the People.") + + +DANCE INTERLUDE + +The dance interlude should be symbolic of the spirit of youth as +exemplified in the Indian and the Puritan. The music is MacDowell's +"From an Indian Lodge." The two players taking part in the dance are +Fawn-foot and Barbara Williams. The little Indian, dancing in the woods +with her own shadow, tries to entice the little Puritan into following +her steps. Barbara hangs back. But the dance proves too alluring. She +finally tries to imitate what the little Indian does; but at first the +quick motions of the other are quite beyond her. One is of the forest, +the other of the town! Yet, in the end, the little Puritan should show +that she has caught a little of the grace and freedom of her wild +playmate. Good pantomimic dancing, with grace and humor, should be +worked into this. + + +MERRYMOUNT + +CHARACTERS + +SIMON SCARLETT +SARAH SCARLETT, his sister +WILL LACKLEATHER +MOLL +NAN +JOCK +TIB +JOAN +ROBIN WAKELESS +FAUNCH +CHRISTOPHER CARMEL (KIT) +GOODY GLEASON +BESS +RESOLUTE ENDICOTT +GILLIAN PRITCHARD +FIGHT-FOR-RIGHT NORCROSS +AMOS WARREN +EBENEZER MATTHEWS +FAUNCH FRUGAL HILTON + +SCENE: An open glade at Merrymount on a Summer's day in 1626. Trees +right, left, and background. In the center of the stage a maypole +decked with streaming ribbons that are somewhat faded. + +Towards the left background, at some distance from the maypole, a +forest bed of pine boughs, sweet fern, and moss. Not far from this bed, +towards foreground, a tiny glimmer of fire, over whose graying ashes is +hung a small iron kettle. Scattered on the ground by the fire a goodly +number of iron and pewter drinking-cups, and an iron skillet for +brewing. The play begins by the entrance of Simon Scarlett from the +left, with a troop of Merrymounters at his heels, Faunch, Nan, Moll, +Tib, Joan, and Will Lackleather. All wear tattered finery. That of +Simon matches his name. + +SCARLETT. +Hither! Hither! Come, Faunch the fiddler, give us another tune--one +that will set the echoes of Merry-mount a-ringing, and make the lean +Puritans in the valley to hold their ears. + +ALL. +A tune! A tune! + +FAUNCH. +What tune will ye have, Simon Scarlett? + +SCARLETT. +Let it be a maypole dance, Faunch the fiddler! And a merry one! (Faunch +begins to play.) Let's see you foot it! (The folk of Merrymount begin +to dance.) Oh, bravely, bravely! If the Puritans could see you you'd be +led to the stocks and the whipping-post! + +LACKLEATHER +(darkly). +'Twill take less than a dance to lead us there! You know right well +that the Puritans have sworn that if they catch us straying beyond the +bounds of Merrymount 'twill be the stocks and the whipping-post, and +that without mercy! + +SCARLETT +(with a laugh and a shrug). +The stocks and the whipping-post! Come, drive such thoughts from your +head! Look! Yonder comes Jock with a tankard of apple juice! Cups for +us all! Quick, Lackleather! (Carved wooden cups are taken from the +trunk of a hollow tree.) Come, where are we all? + +TIB. +All here, save Sarah Scarlett, who bides with Goody Gleason, and Bess, +who hath been away since dawn. Robin and Kit have gone to search for +her. + +SCARLETT. +Well, Bess or no Bess, the maypole is waiting! Play us another catch, +goodfellow Faunch! My heels grow rusty! + +[All start to dance. + +ROBIN +(bursting in from right, followed by Kit Carmel). Simon! Simon! You'll +not dance so gaily when you've heard the news! Put up your music, +Faunch! Give over your capers, Lackleather! Bess hath been taken by the +Puritans! + +[General consternation. + +SCARLETT +(as all stop dancing). +You're jesting, lad! + +ROBIN +(as he catches breath). +'Tis no jest, Simon! 'Tis bitter truth. 'Tis towards the stocks they +are leading her! + +SCARLETT +(outraged). +You let them capture her? + +KIT. +What were we two against so many! + +SCARLETT +(passionately). +All Merrymount to the rescue! Zounds! Shall a pack o' Puritans match +their wits against ours? Who follows me? + +ALL. +All of us! All! + +LACKLEATHER. +There'll be a rescue! + +FAUNCH +(as he follows, fiddling gaily). +A rescue made to music! + +[All disappear into the woods, right, just as Sarah Scarlett, with +Goody Gleason leaning on her arm, comes out of the woods, left. + +SARAH. +Faunch! Faunch! (Looks after the vanishing Merrymount folk.) He does +not hear me! Where are they going that they do not hear me? Nay, then, +dear Gran'am, rest on me. Step slowly. They've left off dancing at the +maypole, and gone I know not whither. Will you not rest you, while I +blow this flicker o' fire? (Leads Goody Gleason to bed of pine.) I'll +make thee broth, and season it right pleasantly when the lads come back +from their traps; for, now that I think on it, it may be to their traps +they have gone. (Sees Goody Gleason placed in comfortable fashion on +the bed of pine.) Rest, then, if you can, dear Gran'am. 'Twill +strengthen you against your chills and fever. (Seats herself at fire.) +Rest, if you can, and I will watch close by. + +[Goody Gleason dozes off: Sarah sits by her and sings. + + "Fortune, my foe, why dost thou frown on me, + And will thy favors never better be? + Wilt thou, I say, forever breed me pain? + And wilt thou not restore my joys again?" + +[A pause: then from distance comes tumult of voices: "_Ho! Steady +there, Will Lackleather! Have a care, Robin Wakeless!_" (The voices are +very faint but clear: the sound of them coming from a long distance.) + +BESS +(running ahead of the others, disheveled, breathless, excited, enters, +and swinging about, halloos to those who are following her, her hands +held clarion-wise). +Have a care, Simon! Look well to the Puritan! + +SARAH +(running to her). +Bess! What's here! What's happened? + +BESS +(still greatly excited). +I'll tell thee when I catch my breath! I've been in the stocks with the +whole of Wollaston to gape at me. Puritan heads a-wagging! Puritan eyes +a-staring! And after the stocks 'twas towards the whipping-post that +they were leading me! But I've learned a trick or two from our lanes +here at Merrymount. I gave a sudden twist--the constable loosened his +hold--I ran and ran! There was not one could catch me. And for the +shaming they've done me they are to pay full dear. I ran ahead to tell +you. Listen! + +VOICES +(coming nearer). +Easy there, Kit! Have a care, Robin! + +SARAH. +Heaven's mercy, Bess, what is it they're bringing? + +BESS +(with a blaze of excitement and triumph). +Can you not see? Our lads have stolen Resolute Endicott, spinning-wheel +and all. + +[It is soon seen that Bess speaks truly. Mistress Endicott makes her +entrance seated on a pine board that is carried between Robin Wakeless +and Kit Carmel. She is closely guarded by Jock, who marches behind. +Scarlett and Will Lackleather carry her spinning-wheel. Faunch brings +up the rear, with the Merrymount maidens following. Joan carries a +spinning-stool. + +SCARLETT +(as he and Lackleather set down spinning-wheel, left). +Look to your steps, Robin! Steady there, Kit Carmel! (As Resolute +stands, center, he approaches her with elaborate mocking courtesy.) +Mistress, we bid you welcome to Merrymount! + +ROBIN. +What will you have, Mistress Endicott? A merry stave, a cup of cherry +wine, or a maypole dance? Speak, and we do' your pleasure! + +SCARLETT +(to Sarah). +Rouse our gran'am, sister. Sure, such a sight as this will warm her +bones! (To Resolute, indicating Bess.) See! There is one of our number +who hath been royally entertained by your townsfolk. We are minded to +do the same by you! (To the others.) Come, we'll spread a feast for +Mistress Endicott. Empty your traps, Robin! Bring on your game, Will +Lackleather! We'll show how Merrymount can sup when it has a mind! + +JOAN +(aside: outraged). +What! Waste our substance on a Puritan? + +KIT CARMEL. +Why, lass, do you not catch Simon's meaning? 'Tis a rare jest to make a +Puritan dance, whether she will or no. Can you not see she would rather +go straight to perdition than vouch us a word or a glance? 'Twas a +shrewd trick of Simon's to seize her as she sat in her dooryard. We'll +have more mirth to-day than hath been here a twelvemonth. + +SCARLETT. +Come! Come! We must prepare to feast! (To Resolute.) Think not to stir +from here, Mistress. Puritan feet can never outrun the heels of +Merrymount! Come, lads, let's start, or the feast will not be ready. +Who goes with us? + +ALL. +I! I! And I! + +SARAH. +I'll bide with my gran'am. + +[Exeunt all the others, save Resolute, Sarah, and Goody Gleason. There +is a pause of a moment or so. Sarah, seated on the ground by Goody +Gleason, looks curiously at Resolute. Resolute stares straight in front +of her. + +SARAH +(rising, and bringing Resolute her spinning-stool). +Best to be seated, Mistress. You'll be a long time standing. What! Not +even a word of thanks from a model of worshipful manners? It must be a +sad thing not to be able to use one's tongue, Mistress Resolute. +Indeed, I pity you! + +RESOLUTE. +Such words as I could speak would fall full strangely on Merrymount +ears. + +SARAH. +I doubt it not. We are not given to canting here at Merrymount. + +RESOLUTE. +I might give you such answer as those words deserve, did I not know +that they are the words of one who lives in sin and ignorance. + +SARAH +(crossing rapidly to left, her hands clenched, amazement and wrath in +her voice). +Sin and ig----Zounds! A plague take you! + +RESOLUTE +(turning: her fingers in her ears). +Oh! Oh! Now you are swearing! + +SARAH. +You little weazened, mincing, purse-mouthed Puritan! + +RESOLUTE +(her fingers still in her ears). +I do not hear a word that you are saying. + +SARAH +(starting to pull Resolute's fingers from her ears). +I'll _make_ you hear, I warrant! + +GOODY GLEASON +(moaning). +Alack! Alack! Will the posset never be done? + +SARAH +(instantly remorseful). +Gran'am! Your posset! To think I could forget you! (Runs to fire.) And +yet--and yet----(Looks in kettle.) Alas! Alas! I am not skilled in +brewing. + +RESOLUTE +(half against her will). +There's cure for ague in our forest herbs. + +SARAH. +Oh, had I but your knowledge--! (With an effort towards healing the +breach.) If you'll take back your words about sin and ignorance, never +again will I call you a mincing white-faced moppet--even if you are +one. + +RESOLUTE(provokingly prim). +I may not take back words that I have spoken. + +SARAH. +Then you _are_ a prim-mouthed, white-faced jade, even as I have said. + +RESOLUTE. +And that you dwell in sin and ignorance becomes more and more certain. + +[They face each other as if with crossed swords, left. + +GOODY GLEASON +(sighing). +Is the posset done? + +SARAH +(despairing). +I cannot tell whether it be done or no. + +RESOLUTE +(with her back turned). +If the brew be clear, then the posset is not yet done; but if a little +wax float on the top----(Sees Sarah's perplexity, and comes to fire +with the air of one bestowing wisdom.) All maids should know how to +make healing potions. I marvel that you've learned no hearthstone arts. + +SARAH +(as Resolute seats herself at fire). +Mayhap, if I had a hearth I could compass such knowledge, Mistress. But +we be forest folk with no roof but the stars. + +RESOLUTE. +You chose---- + +SARAH +(busying herself with pouring the posset into cup and giving it to +Goody Gleason). +Aye, Mistress, I know well what you would say. We chose to live the +life of Merrymount. We brooked no Puritan rule: therefore on our heads +be it! We suffer for the love of freedom. (Keenly.) Do you not suffer, +too, for the same cause? It was for freedom you and yours left England. +It was for freedom we and ours left Wollaston. You could not brook +restraint: no more could we. + +RESOLUTE. +But your revels--your songs and dancing---- + +SARAH. +We meet misfortune with a laugh instead of with a groan: where is the +harm in that? + +RESOLUTE +(with dawning friendliness). +Indeed you give me much to ponder on. + +SARAH +(with a burst of candor). +Since I've known you I do not think so hard on Puritans. (Half- +wistfully.) I wish--I wish I had your arts and knew wise household +ways. I fear we be but addle-pates at Merrymount. I cannot brew a +medicine, nor spin, nor---- + +RESOLUTE +(rising). +Come, I will teach you! (They go to spinning-wheel.) Aye, sit you so, +and mind you do not break the thread. So! So! + +[While the spinning lesson is going on, Scarlett and his followers +enter from left background, carrying fish, game, and wild fruits, +Scarlett in advance of the others. For a moment he stands transfixed by +what he sees. Then tiptoes back, beckons to others, and points out the +picture. Pantomime of surprise and stifled mirth. + +SCARLETT +(mockingly). +Look! Look! Our Sarah hath turned Puritan! While as for Mistress +Endicott--! Come, Faunch, a tune, lad, a tune! A wreath for our worthy +guest! (Approaching Resolute.) Mistress, 'tis time you learned to trip +it about the maypole. I claim your hand for a measure---- + +SARAH +(suddenly returning from seeing to the preparations for feasting which +are going on in background). +You shall do no such folly. Mistress Resolute shall not dance if she +holds that dancing is a sin. Take that in your teeth, Simon Scarlett! + +SCARLETT. +Are you bewitched? Hath the Puritan turned your head? + +SARAH. +My wits, good Simon, are as clear as thine. 'Tis true that the +constables put our Bess in the stocks; but 'twas none of Resolute's +doing! And when you stole her hence that debt was paid. Moreover, of +her own free will she has made a healing brew for our gran'am, and for +that I stand her friend. + +ROBIN WAKELESS +(drawing near and hearing the controversy). +Is there no mirth left in you, Sarah Scarlett, that you cannot see the +jest of making a sniveling Puritan to---- + +SARAH +(promptly and blazingly). +Cease your talk, Robin Wakeless! And when you speak of sniveling +Puritans, speak of them that do snivel. For though you brought Mistress +Endicott here in a rough and unseemly fashion, she has not once winced, +no, nor plead for mercy. You are quick to laud a brave front in +yourselves: are you less quick to laud it in your neighbors? + +SCARLETT +(as some of the other Merrymount folk gather about the scene). +'Tis true what Sarah says. The maid is not given to whining. (To +Resolute, with an entire change of manner.) Well, then, Mistress, +though our feast go forward, you shall not sup with us unless it +pleases you. Say but the word, and we will take you back to Wollaston, +you and your means of industry! + +SARAH +(eagerly). +Will you not sup with us first? + +RESOLUTE. +I thank you, Sarah Scarlett. + +SARAH +(delightedly). +Come, then! + +FAUNCH +(singing, as he puts his fiddle under his chin, while Scarlett tosses a +wreath in the air). + "Fortune, my foe, why dost thou frown on me, + And will thy favors----" + +TIB +(rushing wildly in from right). +Hush your music, Faunch! Down with your trumpery, Simon! The Puritans +are upon us--Pritchard and Norcross and Warren and Hilton--all a- +marching up the hill! Armed to the teeth they are, Simon, and there's +not an ounce of shot amongst us! + +SCARLETT +(as Puritans begin to appear, right). +Zounds! They're upon us! + +GILLIAN PRITCHARD +(as he and his followers come forward from right background). +Make no resistance, ye scum of Dagon's brood, or Merrymount and all +that is within it shall be sacked within the hour! Where is the maid ye +stole? + +RESOLUTE +(dearly). +Here, Gillian Pritchard! Here, safe and sound, and courteously treated +by the folk of Merrymount. Why use ye such words as stole? 'Tis most +unseemly. And why come ye here unbidden? Sure, none sent for you? + +GILLIAN PRITCHARD +(amazed: disapproving). +Resolute! + +RESOLUTE +(haughtily). +Mistress Endicott, so please you, and the governor's cousin! + +GILLIAN PRITCHARD +(more and more pained). +Resolute! + +RESOLUTE +(continuing quickly). +May I not step from my door to do a deed of kindness for an old woman +but what the whole of Wollaston is at my heels? Or give a lesson in +spinning without a cry being raised that I am stolen? I do not take it +kindly of you, Amos Warren; no, nor of you, Ebenezer Matthews. Pick up +my spinning-wheel, Frugal Hilton, and let Fight-for-Right Norcross +carry my chair. (To Sarah.) There are herbs in that pocket for your +gran'am. + +[Gives her herb pocket. + +[The Puritans, including Resolute Endicott, exeunt right. + +SCARLETT +(breaking forth). +She saved us! Saved us! Zounds! Was there ever anything like unto it! +What dost thou make of it, Sarah? + +SARAH. +I make of it that Mistress Endicott hath a warm heart beneath her cold +white Puritan kerchief, and that in this new land of ours we should +better strive to understand each other; for, though our ways be +different, are we not beset by the same hopes and fears, doth not the +same sky arch above us all? (To Simon.) Think you not so, my brother? +(As all begin to go towards background where the feast is in +readiness.) Come, gran'am, lean on me. Our feast must be near to +readiness. A Puritan hearthstone--sooth, it must be a goodly place; yet +right glad am I that we live beneath the stars, and are still the light +free-hearted folk o' Merrymount! + +COSTUMES + +The costumes are those of the seventeenth-century cavaliers for the +Merrymount lads. Slashed jerkins, full sleeves with puffs and +slashings, or bishop's sleeves of white lawn showing through tattered +velvet oversleeves. Their cloaks are sometimes topped with white lace +collars. They wear either stockings and low slippers with buckles, or +high cavalier boots. Their hair is worn in lovelocks. See the +illustrated edition of "Pilgrim's Progress," or any good cavalier +pictures. If the velvets and satins cannot be had, use cambric in gay +colors with the glazed side out, which gives the effect of satin. + +SIMON SCARLETT. Scarlet suit. Scarlet cloak with white lace collar. +Scarlet shoes and stockings. His costume is the high note of color in +the play. + +WILL LACKLEATHER. Dark-brown cloak. High brown boots. Brown jerkin, +through which show sleeves of white lawn. The jerkin is of leather. + +ROBIN WAKELESS. Suit of blue satin. Gray cloak. Gray foot-gear. + +CHRISTOPHER CARMEL. Dark-blue velvet slashed with orange. + +JOCK. Very dark-purple cloak, with touches of tarnished gold. Leather +jerkin, pieced out with fur. + +FAUNCH THE FIDDLER. Costume of pale-blue satin and black velvet. A +black velvet cloak. + +All the Merrymount maidens wear fine raiment that is equally tattered +and weather-worn. They have peasant bodices--that is, a very deep +girdle the color of their skirts, worn with white square-necked waists +that have soft semi-full sleeves; or they wear bodices of one piece +made very plainly. Cambric in gay colors will do. + +SARAH SCARLETT. Forest-green dress, ankle-length. White bodice showing +through tattered green sleeves. Forest-green cloak patched with +scarlet. + +GOODY GLEASON. Leaf-brown cloak and dress, patched a little with black +and gray. + +MOLL. Olive-green dress, white bodice. It is pieced out with bits of +leather. + +NAN. Maroon dress, patched in black. + +TIB. Dull blue dress. + +JOAN. Dark dull-green and red flowered dress, giving the appearance of +tattered brocade. + +BESS. Gray dress. +The maypole dancers are in dull-green, dull-violet, and dull-blue, +bronze, and slate-gray. Some wear cloaks and some do not. All should +have a wild, picturesque gipsyish look. + +RESOLUTE ENDICOTT. Black dress, ankle-length. White Puritan cap, cuffs, +and kerchief. (Black cambric with the glazed side turned in.) The +Puritan men wear long cloaks coming to their ankles: deep, white plain +collars, plain white cuffs on black sleeves. Black hats. "Boxed" +hair, falling below the ears. Low black shoes. Black stockings. Black +knee-breeches, somewhat full. + +For a cast composed entirely of girls, such as a girls' camp or school, +this play can be given with gymnasium suits forming part of the +costumes for both Merrymount lads and Puritans. The girls can wear the +bloomers of their gymnasium suits fastened with a ribbon-garter, so as +to make the puffed seventeenth century garb. The ribbon should be gay +in color and fastened either with a rosette or a bow. White, soft loose +waists, with rather full long sleeves. The cloaks of cambric in bright +colors should come to the ankles, the glazed side worn outward, to give +a satiny look. The cloaks for the Puritans should be of the same +length, made of black cambric, with the glazed side turned in. They +should wear black cotton waists, and it will be easy and simple for the +girls to fashion the white cuffs and collars out of white lawn or +cheesecloth. The whole play can thus be costumed for a very small sum. +If a further touch of color is to be added to the costumes of the +Merrymount lads, their gay cloaks may be topped with white lace +collars. Their stockings can be gay in color, and here and there a +slashed jerkin will add variety. The maidens of Merrymount can wear +dresses of cambric, made on the simplest possible lines. The color +scheme of the foregoing costumes should, in the main, be adhered to. +The ribbon-garters and stockings may match in color. Pale-blue, orange, +purple, jade, corn-yellow, and hunter's green will prove effective. No +pink or old rose should be worn, as scarlet is the high note of color +in the play. + +MUSIC: Any quaint old-time maypole dance will do for the maypole rout. +The words and music of "Fortune, My Foe" can be found in Chappell's +"Popular Musk of Antiquity," Vol. I, page 62. + + +PAGEANT DIRECTIONS + +The Hawthorne Pageant can be produced either indoors or out of doors. +For the outdoor production there should be a level sward with trees +right, left, and background. It is suitable for any of the Spring, +Summer, or Autumn months, or for Hawthorne's birthday, July 4. + +For an indoor production of the pageant if a green woodland set cannot +be had, green screens with pine branches fastened to them, a green or +brown floor-cloth, and forest-green hanging filling in the background +may be used. Pine trees in green stands around which green and brown +burlap is banked is another way of having an inexpensive and realistic +scene setting. _The setting for the whole pageant is the same_. It can +be given in an assembly hall, gymnasium, or armory. + +The costumes for the episodes have already been indicated. The pageant +may be given by a cast made up entirely of girls, if it is so wished. + +THE MUSE OF HAWTHORNE. Pale-pink cheesecloth draperies. A tall white +staff, on which is fastened a cluster of pink hawthorn blossoms. +Flowing hair, and a chaplet of laurel leaves. White stockings and +sandals. + +THE SPIRITS OF THE OLD MANSE. Greek robes in colored cheesecloth or +cotton crepe. There are eight of these maidens, and the colors they +wear are pale-green, pale-lavender, pale-yellow, and pale-blue. They +carry great garlands of moss interwoven with pine--about two yards for +each player, so that it can be held gracefully. White stockings and +sandals. Hair bound With Greek fillets of white or of silver. +Symbolically these spirits represent Joy, Mystery, Peace, Dreams, Hope, +Aspiration, Fulfilment, Ecstasy. + +MUSIC. The songs of the episodes are already indicated on pages 194 and +203. The music for the chorus of the Spirits of the Old Manse can be +found in "Songs of the West," by S. Baring Gould, which is a collection +of the Folk Songs of Devon and Cornwall, collected from the mouths of +the people. The music of this chorus is set to the seventeenth-century +folk song called "The Sweet Nightingale" ("My sweetheart, come along," +etc.). The incidental music for the Hawthorne Pageant when it is given +indoors should be from Edward MacDowell's "New England Idylls" Op. 62, +and from his "Indian Suite." "From an Old Garden," "Midsummer," "An +Indian Idyll," and "From Puritan Days" can be played between the +episodes and the Dance Interlude. An orchestra or piano can add to the +music of Faunch's fiddle in the Merrymount scene. The music for the +procession should be very stately, and by a seventeenth-century +composer, if possible. + +NOTES ON DIRECTING THE PAGEANT. The first verse of the chorus of the +Spirits of the Old Manse should be sung off stage in the indoor +production. The stage should be darkened: footlights low. With the next +verse the spirits enter, four from right, and four from left, mystic, +half-seen figures. As they enter the lights gradually begin to come up, +until with the middle of the second verse there is full strong +daylight. If the eight voices are not enough a hidden augmented chorus +can be behind the scenes. If the stage is such that it can be darkened +and lighted at will, a fire-glow effect should be given for the +Merrymount scene. The light for all the scenes should be that of strong +daylight. There should be no curtain. The characters simply appear and +disappear. After the Spirits of the Manse have made their exit the +Prologue enters. The procession at the end of the play may simply cross +the scene to march music, the players not stiffly moving in ones and +twos, but in more or less significant groups. + +Those who direct the pageant should see to it that the players speak +the dialogue in the episodes with the utmost briskness. There should be +no waits and pauses. Simon Scarlett especially should enunciate clearly +and swiftly, with dash and fire in both voice and gesture. Even if some +of the words are lost, it is better to keep up the tempo of the piece. +Philippe Beaucoeur should also speak with a rush of energy and +determination. The players who are on the scene but not speaking, +should develop their pantomimic powers, and form animated groups; their +interest should be first with one character who is speaking, and then +with another. They should never stand idle, looking blankly at the +audience, as so many amateurs are in the habit of doing. In the Salem +episode they should surge forward and back, and discuss in pantomimic +groups all that is happening. + + + +BY CARROLL WATSON RANKIN + +STORIES FOR GIRLS + +THE CINDER POND +Illustrated by ADA C. WILLIAMSON. $1.35 net. +Years ago, a manufacturer built a great dock, jutting out from and then +turning parallel to the shore of a northern Michigan town. The factory +was abandoned, and following the habits of small towns, the space +between the dock and the shore became "The Cinder Pond." Jean started +life in the colony of squatters that came to live in the shanties on +the dock, but fortune, heroism, and a mystery combine to change her +fortunes and those of her friends near the Cinder Pond. +THE CASTAWAYS OF PETE'S PATCH +Illustrated by ADA C. WILLIAMSON. $1.35 net. +A tale of five girls and two youthful grown-ups who enjoyed +unpremeditated camping. +DANDELION COTTAGE +Illustrated by Mmes. SHINN and FINLEY. $1.35 net. +Four young girls secure the use of a tumbledown cottage. They set up +housekeeping under numerous disadvantages, and have many amusements and +queer experiences. +"A capital story. It is refreshing to come upon an author who can tell +us about real little girls, with sensible ordinary parents, girls who +are neither phenomenal nor silly."--_Outlook_. +THE ADOPTING OF ROSA MARIE +A sequel to "Dandelion Cottage." Illustrated by Mrs. SHINN. $1.35 net. +The little girls who played at keeping house in the earlier book, +enlarge their activities to the extent of playing mother to a little +Indian girl. +"Those who have read 'Dandelion Cottage' will need no urging to follow +further...A lovable group of four real children, happily not perfect, +but full of girlish plans and pranks...A delightful sense of humor."-- +_Boston Transcript_. +THE GIRLS OF GARDENVILLE +Illustrated by MARY WELLMAN. 12mo. $1.35 net. +Interesting, amusing, and natural stories of a girls' club. +"Will captivate as many adults as if it were written for them...The +secret of Mrs. Rankin's charm is her naturalness...real girls...not +young ladies with 'pigtails,' but girls of sixteen who are not twenty- +five...as original as amusing."--_Boston Transcript_. + +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY +PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + + +BY ALFRED BISHOP MASON + +TOM STRONG, WASHINGTON'S SCOUT +Illustrated. $1.25 net. +A story of adventure. The principal characters, a boy and a trapper, +are in the Revolutionary army from the defeat at Brooklyn to the +victory at Yorktown. +"The most important events of the Revolution and much general +historical information are woven into this interesting and very well +constructed story of Tom and a trapper, who serve their country bravely +and well. Historical details are correctly given."--_American Library +Association Booklet_. +TOM STRONG, BOY-CAPTAIN +Illustrated. $1.25 net. +Tom Strong and a sturdy old trapper take part in such stirring events +following the Revolution as the Indian raid with Crawford and a flat- +boat voyage from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, etc. +TOM STRONG, JUNIOR +Illustrated. $1.25 net. +The story of the son of Tom Strong in the young United States. Tom sees +the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr; is in Washington +during the presidency of Jefferson; is on board of the "Clermont" on +its first trip, and serves in the United States Navy during the War of +1812. +TOM STRONG, THIRD +Illustrated. $1.30 net. +Tom Strong, Junior's son helps his father build the first railroad in +the United States and then goes with Kit Carson on the Lewis and Clarke +Expedition. + +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY +PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + + +THE HOME BOOK OF VERSE FOR YOUNG FOLKS +_Compiled by_ BURTON E. STEVENSON, _Editor of "The Home Book of Verse"_ + +_With cover, and illustrations in color and black and white by WILLY +POGANY. Over 500 pages, large 12mo. $2.00 net._ + +Not a rambling, hap-hazard collection but a vade-mecum for youth from +the ages of six or seven to sixteen or seventeen. It opens with Nursery +Rhymes and lullabies, progresses through child rhymes and jingles to +more mature nonsense verse; then come fairy verses and Christmas poems; +then nature verse and favorite rhymed stories; then through the trumpet +and drum period (where an attempt is made to teach true patriotism,) to +the final appeal of "Life Lessons" and "A Garland of Gold" (the great +poems for all ages). + +This arrangement secures sequence of sentiment and a sort of cumulative +appeal. Nearly all the children's classics are included, and along with +them a body of verse not so well known but almost equally deserving. +There are many real "finds," most of which have never before appeared +in any anthology. + +Mr. Stevenson has banished doleful and pessimistic verse, and has dwelt +on hope, courage, cheerfulness and helpfulness. The book should serve, +too, as an introduction to the greater poems, informing taste for them +and appreciation of them, against the time when the boy or girl, grown +into youth and maiden, is ready to swim out into the full current of +English poetry. + +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY +PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + + +TWO BOOKS BY CONSTANCE D'ARCY MACKAY + +COSTUMES AND SCENERY FOR AMATEURS +A Practical Working Handbook with over 70 illustrations and full index. +258 pp. 12mo. $1.75 net. +A book that has long been needed. It concludes chapters on Amateurs and +the New Stage Art, Costumes, and Scenery, but consists mainly of simple +outline designs for costumes for historical plays, particularly +American Pageants, folk, fairy, and romantic plays--also of scenes, +including interiors, exteriors, and a scheme for a Greek Theatre, all +drawn to scale. Throughout the book color schemes, economy, and +simplicity are kept constantly in view, and ingenious ways are given to +adapt the same costumes or scenes to several different uses. +HOW TO PRODUCE CHILDREN'S PLAYS +The author is a recognized authority on the production of plays and +pageants in the public schools, and combines enthusiastic sympathy with +sound, practical instructions. She tells both how to inspire and care +for the young actor, how to make costumes, properties, scenery, where +to find designs for them, what music to use, etc., etc. She prefaces it +all with an interesting historical sketch of the plays-for-children +movement, includes elaborate detailed analyses of performances of +Browning's _Pied Piper_ and Rosetti's _Pageant of the Months_, and +concludes with numerous valuable analytical lists of plays for various +grades and occasions. $1.25 net. +_New York Times Review_: "It will be useful...practical advice." +_Magazine of General Federation of Women's Clubs_: "There seems to be +nothing she has forgotten to mention. Every club program chairman +should have it." + +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY +PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + + +SHORT PLAYS ABOUT FAMOUS AUTHORS +(Goldsmith, Dickens, Heine, Fannie Burney, Shakespeare) +By MAUDE MORRISON FRANK. $1.25 _net_. +THE MISTAKE AT THE MANOR shows the fifteen-year-old Goldsmith in the +midst of the humorous incident in his life which later formed the basis +of "She Stoops to Conquer." +A CHRISTMAS EVE WITH CHARLES DICKENS reveals the author as a poor +factory boy in a lodging-house, dreaming of an old-time family +Christmas. +WHEN HEINE WAS TWENTY-ONE dramatizes the early disobedience of the +author in writing poetry against his uncle's orders. +MISS BURNEY AT COURT deals with an interesting incident in life of the +author of "Evelina" when she was at the Court of George III. +THE FAIRIES' PLEA, which is an adaptation of Thomas Hood's poem, shows +Shakespeare intervening to save the fairies from the scythe of Time. +Designed in general for young people near enough to the college age to +feel an interest in the personal and human aspects of literature, but +the last two could easily be handled by younger actors. They can +successfully be given by groups or societies of young people without +the aid of a professional coach. + +LITTLE PLAYS FROM AMERICAN HISTORY FOR YOUNG FOLKS +BY ALICE JOHNSTONE WALKER. $1.10 _net_. +HIDING THE REGICIDES, a number of brief and stirring episodes, +concerning the pursuit of Colonels Whalley and Goff by the officers of +Charles II at New Haven in old colony days. +MRS. MURRAY'S DINNER PARTY, in three acts, is a lively comedy about a +Patriot hostess and British Officers in Revolutionary Days. +SCENES FROM LINCOLN'S TIME; the martyred President does not himself +appear. They cover Lincoln's helping a little girl with her trunk, +women preparing lint for the wounded, a visit to the White House of an +important delegation from New York, and of the mother of a soldier boy +sentenced to death--and the coming of the army of liberation to the +darkies. +The big events are touched upon, the mounting of all these little plays +is simplicity itself, and they have stood the test of frequent school +performance. + +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY +PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + + +COMPANION STORIES OF COUNTRY LIFE +FOR BOYS +_By_ CHARLES P. BURTON + +THE BOYS OF BOB'S HILL +Illustrated by GEORGE A. WILLIAMS. 12mo. $1.30. +A lively story of a party of boys in a small New England town. +"A first-rate juvenile...a real story for the live human boy--any boy +will read it eagerly to the end...quite thrilling adventures."-- +_Chicago Record-Herald_. +"Tom Sawyer would have been a worthy member of the Bob's Hill crowd and +shared their good times and thrilling adventures with uncommon +relish...A jolly group of youngsters as nearly true to the real thing +in boy nature as one can ever expect to find between covers."-- +_Christian Register_. +THE BOB'S CAVE BOYS +Illustrated by VICTOR PERARD. $1.30 net. +"It would be hard to find anything better in the literature of New +England boy life. Healthy, red-blooded, human boys, full of fun, into +trouble and out again, but frank, honest, and clean."--_The +Congregationalist_. +THE BOB'S HILL BRAVES +Illustrated by H. S. DELAY. 12mo. $1.30 net. +The "Bob's Hill" band spend a vacation in Illinois, where they play at +being Indians, hear thrilling tales of real Indians, and learn much +frontier history. A history of especial interest to "Boy Scouts." +"Merry youngsters. Capital. Thrilling tales of the red men and +explorers. These healthy red-blooded, New England boys."--_Philadelphia +Press_. +THE BOY SCOUTS OF BOB'S HILL +Illustrated by GORDON GRANT. 12mo. $1.30 net. +The "Bob's Hill" band organizes a Boy Scouts band and have many +adventures. Mr. Burton brings in tales told around a camp-fire of La +Salle, Joliet, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Northwestern +Reservation. +CAMP BOB'S HILL +Illustrated by GORDON GRANT. $1.30 net. +A tale of Boy Scouts on their summer vacation. + +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY +PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Patriotic Plays and Pageants for Young +People, by Constance D'Arcy Mackay + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PATRIOTIC PLAYS AND PAGEANTS *** + +***** This file should be named 18163.txt or 18163.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/1/6/18163/ + +Produced by Michael Gray (Lost_Gamer@comcast.net) + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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