« o ^V <& l « * * ° c5^ %J %££*« X_ VS"^ &**+, «£ 2? »^X<> ^ oW?* ^ '- ■• d/ ^ oVj A BLACK D J^ ®#tnic grama in giw J^jcts BY M. R. ORNE AUTHOR OF " THE COUNTRY SCHOOL," ETC. rrrOv' BOSTON 1890 % ©33 8 h CHARACTERS. HuLDA ...... yl " b lack diamond" Emily Makepeace "} Minnie Makepeace \ . Cousins, boarding i?i the country i Fannie Makepeace J Dr. Zinn (Miss Matilda Makepeace) . Their aunt Claremont Goodell . A college graduate -who is ■working for his board on the farm Capt. Charles Houston) > T-wo English " dudes" Mr. George Radford ) COSTUMES. Emily, Minnie and Fannie. — Fashionable white dresses. Dr. Zinn, alias Miss Matilda Makepeace. — Plain gray dress, white mus- lin cap, and gray curls; in the second act, black silk dress, dainty white lace cap, curls, etc. Claremont Goodell. — Rough farm suit, gingham blouse and heavy boots on first appearance; and on second, dress suit. Capt. Houston. — Dark blue flannel suit, fancy shirt, cane, and high cav- alry boots. Mr. Radford. —White or light lawn-tennis suit, light gloves, cane, low shoes, high collar, etc. Hulda. — Short dress, long-sleeved tire, hair knotted with bright colored ribbons, black stockings, etc. Copyright, iSoo, By WALTER H. BAKER & CO. -5146 A BLACK DIAMOND. ACT I. SCENE I. Sitting-room in a farmhouse. (Enter Hulda, with arms akimbo.} Hulda (Jo audie?ice} . Ef dis yer aint de bestest place I eber was in. Fs glad I aint a poor little orfling any- longer. I aint now lease Miss Minnie's tuk me ter brung up. {Laughs.} Hi! hi! hi! Fs been staym' in de city, but I don't like it, yer has ter be ser prim an' scrimonious. Fur right smart good time give me dis yer kentry bo'din' house. Miss Minnie, she's off mos' de time climbin' hills wid dem dudes — hi! hi! hi! — Golly aint dem fine! — an 1 dey don' hev no use fur me when dem oder dudes is roun 1 . Wish't yer could heah dem dudes talk though. A fo' year old baby 'ud do better. Dey makes me larf ! I met dat Mis'r Rad- ford in de dark las' night an' I say ' Scat!' an' — He! hi! hi! Golly didn't he run — an holler! — you'd a fought de day ob jedgment hed come fur sho ! All de bo'ders come runnin out an he say he met de ebil one hisself, but Miss Embly — she's a heap sight better'n dem oder white trash — she tole him he must a seed his own shadder — Hi! hi! hi! — kase dey all hunted and hunted (Laughs. } an 1 I helped 'em too — Hope ter die ef I didn't — (Impressively.} an' we couldn't find nobody roun' ! Den dar's dat doctor woman. She say dar aint no sech t'ing as aches, an' pains, an' measles, an' mumps an' all dat. She say dat peoples only 'magines 'em. I don't beliebe no sech trash as dat, kase aint I had 'em all, an 1 a good deal more, too, an' I guess when I has de jumpin' toof ache I don' set down an' 'magines I got it — it's dar, an' I knows it's dar! — an' Fd like ter see de chile dat 'ud 'magine it wa'n't dar when it am ! She's one ob dem air mod'n scientisses. I tink dey mus' be diffrunt from oder folks ter beliebe it deyself. Now ef Miss 4 A BLACK DIAMOND. Fan \id only beliebe it, it might do some good. Miss Fan finks she's got de dyspepsy, an' when she don't forget 'bout it, she goes roun' de house wid her hands up ter her head a groanin' (imitates) : ' O, dis dyspepsy ! when shall I get ober dis dyspepsy ! ' an' she groans an' she whines an' takes de little white candy t'ings — dey don't do no good. Dey's good tastin' though. I foun' one ob de bottles full an' ate 'em up de oder day. Mas'r Clare he say I's a bad girl, but I's us't ter that. I likes Mar's Clare. He makes dem dudes stan' roun' now. Dey dassent put on dere airs ter dat doctor 'fo' him — Hark ! {Listening. ) Who's dat a comin' ! Holy Moses in de bulrushes, whaur'll I hide ! I don't want ter meet dat doctor woman — (Enter Emily with some bright worsted work.) Hulda. O, Miss Embly, am dat you ? How you fright- ened me. Does I look pale ? Emily. Are you carrying round a guilty conscience this morning, Hulda ? I — Hulda (hurriedly putting hand in pocket). No — no, Miss Embly, I aint carryin' round noffin' what don' b'long ter me — honest an' true, I aint — hope ter die. (Slyly takes a white lace cap out of her pocket and hecks it up under her tire. ) You ken look in my pockets ! Emily. I fear you've been up to more mischief, Hulda. I have my suspicions about Mr. Radford's ghost last night. I shouldn't be at all surprised to find you had a hand in it. Hulda. Law, Miss Embly, does I look like a ghost ! Little brack niggers like me don't eber be ghosts, do dey ? (The cap falls to the floor tmobserved by Hulda.) Emily. Why Hulda what is this ! One of Dr. Zinn's lace caps ! Hulda (throwing up both hands in astonishment). I declar ter gracious ! how'd dat ar cap get down in dis yer settin'-room. Dat doctor mus' a dropped it offener head. Emily (severely) . Hulda ! that cap wasn't there when I came into the room. Hulda. An' it wasn't dar when I cum in eder, Miss Embly, dat am de solium truf. Dar mus' be a ghos' roun' dis yer house ! Emily. Now, Hulda, I want to give you a little good advice. (Hulda sighs.) You know Miss Minnie has only A BLACK DIAMOND. 5 taken you on trial and if you yield to this mischievous pro- pensity of yours I fear she will give you up in despair. Hulda. Now, Miss Embly, I hope ter die ef I put dat ar cap on de flo' dar. I went inter dat doctor woman's room fur a errand this mawnin' an 1 praps it kotched onter a button er a pin an' dropped down an 1 — Emily. Hulda, Hulda, you are an incorrigible! what — Hulda (solemnly). I hope ter die ef I is, Miss Embly. I couldn't help dat ar fallin' no mo' n I could help de sky a fallin'. (Beginning to cry.) Taint no more use fur me ter try ter be good dan — dan — dan — Emily. But Hulda, you can be good if you try ; and this is not the only way you offend ; you are rude to many of the boarders and particularly to my cousins 1 friends. Hulda (still wiping her eyes but laughing'). Hi! hi! hi ! Land sakes, Miss Embly, I don' mean no harm. Dem baby men does make my risibles go up ! up ! up ! (jumps up) an' he ! he ! he ! I can't keeps 'em down nohow. I tries ter be good, but 'taint no use, Miss Embly ! I's a brack sheep, I is. Emily. Miss Minnie will not always be patient with you, especially if she sees that you are disrespectful to her friends. But where are my cousins, Hulda? Hulda. Dey's been down ter de mail office fur der letters an' ter meet de stage ; but it's mos' time fur 'em ter be back, I reckon. P'raps dey's come now. I'll go look fur em ef yer wants me to. Emily. No. (Sits down to work.) They will probably be in here as soon as they return from their walk ; but you may go and tell Dr. Zinn that I will copy those letters for her if she is ready. Hulda. Yes, miss ; an' shall I take up dat ar' cap an' tell how you'n me foun 1 it hyar on de flo' all on a suddint like it dropped right fro' de ceilin' ? Emily (gravely). Hulda, I'll take care of the cap. Hulda. Dat's right, Miss Embly. Don't let dat ar' ghost grab it. ag'in. An' ef she's out? Emily (smiling). Well, if the doctor's out you need not return immediately, but bring them as soon as she comes in. Hulda. Yes, miss. (Exit Hulda.) Emily. Well, I quite agree with Hulda concerning Capt. Houston and Mr. Radford. I do wish my cousins would not 6 *A BLACK DIAMOND. make quite so much of them. Fancy having either of them for a husband ! {After a pause.) I wish aunt had come ; she at least would keep the girls straight. She wrote papa that she would get here before we did, but we've been here a week and haven't heard a word from her. How strange it seems to have relations you've never seen, but how delightful to come to this beautiful farm to meet her for the first time. I hope we shall like her, though papa says she is very eccentric. {Enter Minnie a7id Fannie with mail.) Minnie. Here's a letter for you, Coz. O, how I v/ish you'd been with us! {Taking off gloves and hat.) We've had the loveliest time and seen some of the funniest people imaginable ! Fannie. Yes, the stage was full of people ; but auntie didn't come. Isn't it too bad ! I'm afraid she's sick or some- thing ; but we did pity the passengers ; they looked so hot and tired and dusty — and there were two of the most stylish looking young men aboard I ever saw. They were perfectly lovely ! How I wish they were coming here ! Emily. There are too many young men here already. I do wish you would be more sensible, girls. I know that neither uncle nor aunt would approve of your making so much of those two young Englishmen ; but it hasn't taken you all this time to go to the office and see the stage come in, has it? Minnie. O, no, indeed ! The stage was very late. We wanted to have some fun, so we went over to the graveyard near by, while we waited — and we nearly died laughing. Emily. I never discovered anything very exhilarating or enlivening about a graveyard. What do you mean? Minnie. Why the epitaphs ! Fannie. Don't you remember? Miss Woodhouse told us about them the other evening and advised us to go and read them. Emily. O, yes, I do recollect now — andCapt. Houston's remark about it, too. M. and F. O, what did he say? Emily. That Miss Woodhouse was making light of a ' gwave affair ' ! Fanny. Now wasn't that witty of him. Emily. It was witty for him ; but he has probably heard someone else say it. You may depend upon it, it was not original, A BLACK DIAMOND. / Minnie. You are too critical, Emily. Those young men, I know, are used to the best society in London. You should hear Mr. Radford talk about some of his club friends. Why there are Lord Somers and Count Lennox, the Duke of Somer- set, and Prince Zinneo. Emily. Well, let's turn the conversation ; tell me about the epitaphs if they are not too shocking. Fannie. Wait till I find my crochet needle. — Oh ! here it is. Tell her about Arabella Young's inscription first, Minnie. Minnie. If I only had a pencil I'd write them off short hand, so I shaVt forget them. {Looks around and finds paper. ) Emily. Here's a pencil. Minnie. Thanks. {Thoughtfully.') Let me see. O, Pve got it ! ( Writes rapidly and then reads. ) " Beneath this stone {Pause. ~) returned to clay, {Pause.) Lies Arabella Young, {Pause.) Who on the twenty-first of May {Pause. ) Began to hold her tongue." Emily. Probably it killed her. But what an appropriate epitaph that will be for you, Minnie, one of these days. You cannot deceive me, however, you are making this up. Minnie {laughing). No, really, are we Fan? Fannie {laughing) . No. It's already made up ! Emily. Evasive replies. Go on, remember I can verify all your statements by visiting the place myself. Minnie {writes a line, tJien^reads as before). li Here lies the body of poor Charles Lang — Killed by a tree that fell slap bang ! " Emily. How touching ! Minnie. What, the tree? Yes, I have no doubt poor Charles thought so. Fannie. And here's one I remember, Minnie. Jot it down before I forget it : ' ' Here lies little Johnny Day {Pause. ) He neither cries nor frets {Pause.) He just had passed his thirteenth year — {Pause.) Cigarettes ! " Emily. How pathetic, and how considerate to explain why this thirteen-year-old boy should be an exception to the 8 A BLACK DIAMOND. rule — " He neither cries nor frets — Cigarettes ! " But what wonderful memories you two have suddenly developed. How long have you been committing these. Has Capt. Houston presented you 'with a book of epitaphs? Fannie. O, here's another! "Erected to the memory .of John Phillips accidentally shot as a mark of affection by his brother." (All laugh.} Got that down? Minnie. Yes ; I wish I could think of that one about the drawbridge. It begins, " ' Drawbridge shut,' the signal said, " 'Twasn't shut. Alas ! how solemn," — Now, how does the rest go ? Fannie. I have it. " Such is life — see list of dead, On other side this column ! " Emily. You two girls should devote yourselves to epitaph writing. You are doing very well for amateurs. Make up some more. Minnie (laughing). Well, if you won't believe us, you can go and see for yourself. Fannie. Here's another, Minnie ! " Here lies" — Minnie. Wait! wait a minute. (Writes rapidly.) All right. Now go on. Fannie. " Here lies my poor wife much lamented, She's happy, and I'm contented." Emily. Really you'll incite me to an attempt at poetry if you go on — but who ever heard of such a thing; here I've been holding this letter in my hand for the last ten minutes and haven't looked at it's contents — nor even to see from whom it came. If you'll excuse me, girls, I'll read it. Both. Certainly. Minnie. It looks to me like auntie's writing. Perhaps it explains why she hasn't arrived. Fannie. O my dyspepsia ! It's beginning to trouble me again, Minnie. What shall I do ? I've tried lime water, and hot water, and cold water, and especially lime water, but it doesn't seem to do any good. I shall give up in despair ! I shall die, I know I shall ! Minnie. All right, Fannie, I'll compose your epitaph. How's this : A BLACK DIAMOND. 9 " Here lies returned to dust A victim of lime water. She gave it up in her disgust And watchful Death soon caught her." Fannie. If you only knew how dreadfully I feel, Minnie, you wouldn't treat me so. I shall die, I know I shall ! ( Walks about with hands on head. ) Emily. Aunt is under the care of a physician. She says, " Do not expect me for two or three weeks. 1 ' Isn't it too bad ? Minnie. Yes, I wonder what she looks like. I wish we had a picture of her. Emily. Papa says she never would have one taken. She is very eccentric, you know. Fannie. Yes, but she's worth a cool hundred thousand, and that covers a multitude of sins. I can't say that I like eccentric people though. {Takes out two little vials.') Which one was it I took last, Minnie ? Was it No. i or No. 2 ? Minnie. I'm sure I don't know. Why don't you consult Dr. Zinn ? She doesn't give medicines, you know, so you'd have no bother with them. {Enter Dr. Zinn unperceived.) Fannie. What! that old hag — a modern scientist! Do you suppose I want to be bewitched and mesmerized by her ? Well, I guess not. I'd rather have the dyspepsia a thousand times over. Emily {rising and offering her hand to Dr. Zinn). I'm sorry you overheard my cousin's thoughtless remark, Dr. Zinn. She did not mean it I'm sure. (Fanny busies herself aboid some sheets of music on the piano, pretending to hum over one.} Dr. Zinn. It's of no consequence, my dear ; she seems to have taken a dislike to me for some reason. I am sorry for I think I could help her if she would permit me to make the attempt. (Minnie takes up some crochet work, exchang- ing glances with Fannie from time to time.) Emily. You do not use medicines, I believe, doctor ? {Enter Hulda -unperceived.) Dr. Zinn {sitting). No. Disease and pain are but race beliefs. There is no such thing as either, for there is no 10 A BLACK DIAMOND. sensation in matter. Can this book feel ? No, it is a ma- terial substance ; so are our bodies, therefore how can they become conscious of pain ? It is the mind that feels — and the mind should control matter, not become its slave. Once convince a person that he is not sick and has no pain, and he no longer suffers. (Hulda in pantomime expresses her astonishment at such strange doctrine. Then taking from her hat a lojig hat- pin cautiously approaches the doctor and runs it into her. The doctor springs up with a slight screa?n followed by the others who are surprised at the outburst. Hulda* stands back abashed. ) Hulda. Law, miss, did dat hurt ? Minnie. What did you do, Hulda ? Hulda. I hope ter die, Miss Minnie, ef I meant ter hurt anybody's feelin's. I fought dis yer doctor woman wasn't like oder folkses — I hope ter die ef I didn't — an' I wanted ter see, dat's all. So I runned dis yer pin inter her — I hope ter die ef I didn't, Miss Minnie ! Minnie {sternly}. Hulda, go to your room, immedi- ately. {Exit Hulda. Minnie and Fanny glance at each other as Hulda disappears, burst out laughing aifd follow. \ Emily. Dr. Zinn, I am very sorry that my cousins are so thoughtless and that this should have happened. I hope you were not hurt by Hulda's misdemeanor. I am really distressed that this should have occurred. Dr. Zinn. Do not let it make you unhappy for a moment, my dear. I am not hurt in the least by Hulda's prank, but I am sorry for your cousins. By their unkind treatment of others they are losing the sweetest part of life ; but they are young. I trust their parents do not uphold them in such disrespect ? Emily. O, no, indeed ! But we are away from our parents. We came here to Sudville to meet an aunt of ours. 'To-day we received word that she cannot come for several weeks yet. I am so sorry ! Dr. Zinn. And why should you be sorry ? Emily. This aunt is my father's favorite sister. I have never seen her, but I should like to have a dear old aunt here whom I could pet. Then, too, I don't believe the girls would be so thoughtless if aunt were here, A BLACK DIAMOND. II Dr. Zinn. No, perhaps they wouldn't — (Aside) espe- cially as she is worth a cool hundred thousand. (To Emily.) You say you have never seen this aunt — what do you imagine she looks like ? Emily. Well, I don't know. I always, imagine her as having gray hair. I hope she will, for I do so love gray hair. Dr. Zinn. Is this lady, your aunt, older than your father, or younger, my dear ? Tell me something about her. Emily. Just one year older than he, and about your height and complexion, I should judge. Dr. Zinn (aside). Can she mistrust ? Emily. We have wanted her to come and live with us, and I shall try to prevail upon her to go home with me when we leave here ; both papa and mamma desire it. Dr. Zinn. Your aunt is not married then ? Emily. O, no ! It is said that she is a very wealthy lady, but papa says he thinks it a false report. She probably has enough to live on comfortably and that is all. You see poor papa is so busy with his own affairs that he can't keep run of even his own sister's ; but we want auntie to come and live with us so much ; that is, if she is not as rich as she is reported to be. Dr. Zinn. And why not if she is rich ? I should think that would be more of an object. (Smiling.) Emily. In that case it would be better for her to go with my cousins, because they live in better style than we. My papa has had a great deal to discourage him within the last year and has lost a good deal of money. But it seems odd that I should talk to you, an almost stranger, of my affairs in this way. (Enter Capt. Houston and Mr. Radford.) Capt. H. (bowing). Good aft'noon, Miss Emily. I have not had the pleasaw of seeing you before, to-day. Mr. R. Good mawnin' — aw — Miss Emily — aw, I mean, good aftawnoon. We have had a fine d-d-day this aftawnoon — I mean we've had a — aw — aw — fine aftaw- noon — aw — to-d-d-day. Emily. Yes, it has been a delightful day — a little warm perhaps ; but I have been so very busy that I have hardly had time to realize it. This is Dr. Zinn, gentlemen. (Both use eyeglasses and bow slightly.) Mr. R. So I see — aw. I shouldn't like to be a d-d- doctaw, and have to twy all my own medicines, you knaw. 12 A BLACK DIAMOND. Emily. That would be rather sad, Mr. Radford ; but I don't believe they would harm you. Mr. R. (very much delighted}. Now d-d-don't you, weally, Miss Emily? You are so — so — owiginal. Why d-d-don't you think they could not hurt me ? Emily {sweetly} . There are some things that cannot be spoiled, Mr. Radford, and you are one of them. Mr. R. Ha ! ha ! Sholly, d-d-d-do you hear that now ! You flattaw me, Miss Emily, — aw — you have too high — aw — too high — aw — aw — opinion of my — aw — car- wactaw. (Fanning himself vigorously . } Emily. Not at all, Mr. Radford, I never flatter. Mr. R. Weally, now, d-d-don't you, 'pon honaw? (Enter Hulda hurriedly.} Hulda. Is dat doctah woman heah ? Dere's a little boy tumbled down stairs and broked his leg an' dey wants her ter come mejitly. Come 'long, honey » ef yer wants ter distinguish yerself. Dr. Zinn (to Emily). I must go, excuse me please. (Exit.} Hulda. I'd like ter know how she's a gwine ter mend dat broken leg — 'scuse me, I means limb. S'pose she'll say he ain't got no broken leg, and make him b'liebe it ; den he'll walk right off like dis. ( Walks in direction