PS 655 >> a, o on » ?- >:> >, 5> 3:) 3 >3 ^ > > » ) > 3 ►-^> ))5 :ji»> w '^Dr> D3 ^:! > tr> ))^ : r.)x> >3 7 3> :» : ;» >; p^^ :yy . ^ l>i»^3 op > >3 :» > > 7)3 . )7> X>»7>3333 Y> > 3> :» 3>>>>)> V>S 3:>3> ^3v» ,) ^ )> » 71 7:r 3 ix ' 2) y :i > 3 >: ^ 7)7 > 7/. ■ 0>3> 3: ^3 T3>7> ^ >7> x3::;r> 3. ^ )3 7t> 7» j3 )37 r> 3 )7> ^ >3'j-:i -^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, < li, ; ... Copyright No.. SliellZ3.E .^; 3 y> -. 3 3^ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ^^ 3 3 >^ T» 3 3 '~>^ y>»^^ ^ 3>7> ^^Tic- ^ j7>3:>o" 7>y>333 ?07> 7>/">:)>5 > )>7:6 ^.^^^ Z _>3;> 3 3» . ^ 1» ^ ^ ^^ ^ 5 > :► ' 7>0":>7>y: > o ^ 3 ":>)3: 7) -:»3 3 90 3. > a> 3 - ^ ' ^_^ »3^^ ^>:5 > 5^>> 3>'7>-" )7)> J^J> '3 >J^^:^ P^- )7> ^ 27 3T> ^ ^^ J 337> ) ^7> . z»:>yjL 7s?^ V3'7>3 '^-^7 i>3 ^ ' >7>7>jy> Tvv>-i 7> 333 '\J^ 3 77^ ^ y>3>3»' . » ■> 3 "5 -^ 3», • ^>^:^ ^,) >-> > >_> ) ^ J>3 > 3s^ > > .^ > ■ x:>-:> 0)-> > -:. ^ >^^» ^:> 3 > --> > ) :>>> » > > j> > ^:^D>>T> > > > > :)r»>a> >-> > :> ^3> > > 3 _3 ">)::» ^^yoo^y Jfr>_ 5«*>^3 ^3K> ^^^i^^X%M^ y-^ ■^.-^ 3 3^3 t>^ ■^^^iim v&^^ svLi>J>5^ 3 3> 3^ ^ yy3> ^:) ^^^3..> 3)5>:^> 3)I> >^^-% ^5>^-> >>)V_^ 5> ^ > I DOCTOR HUNTER A COMEDY DRAMA. IN FOUR ACTS • .BY ALDEN JOSEPH BLETHEN, JR. AUTHOR'S EDITION DOCTOR HUNTER A COMEDY DRAMA, IN FOUR ACTS BY ALDEN JOSEPH BLETHEN, Jr. ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDI 30^^^ ^^v Minneapolis, Minn. May, 1895. COPYRIGHTED 1895 BY ALDEN JOSEPH BLETHEN, JR T''P92-008667 ARGUMENT. On the east bank of the Mississippi riA'or a few- miles north of the Twin Cities of Rock-Tshmd and Mo- line, Illinois, lies the little "dead and buried" town of Hampton. In its day a prosperous mining' town, it lies now asleep in the narrow bottom between the high bluffs and the wide river. In this town by whose door- way the great river sweeps along, its polished surface extending a full mile between Hampton and the Iowa shore, I spent two years of my childhood. In laying the plot of "Doctor Hunter" in Hampton, therefore, I l)uild my brain story amid scenes which are to me beau- tiful realities. That the characters are drawai largely af i-er living models, I wall not deny. But I affirm that the story is my own, to the best of my knowledge. The story in brief is this: Doctor Hunter is a man of fifty-five. A native of Maine, and a resident of Riverside (Hampton) for uuuiy years. He isthe type of country doctor which ranks with the village curate and the village blacksmith. His modest homestead and his ])rofessional standing ar(^ his eptire wealth. A son, Harry Hunter, is, upon the opening of the story in April, 1895, about to graduate from a Chicago Medical College. The Doctor, the son. and a. daughter, Annie, constitute the family, as the Doctor has been ten years a widower. In the town of Riverside there lives a Capt. Rushfoi-d, another Mainite, who came West with Hunter, and whose daughter, Fanchon, is to wed the newly graduated Dr. Hunter, Jr., in the following June. His son's ap jn-oaching marriage has taken the old Doctor in fancy back to Maine, and sent him musing over ante-bellum times, and uj^on an ante-bellum sweatheart, named Harriet Josselyn. Harriet w-as a Quaker. She believed that the North should buy the South's slave ])ro])erty and then proclaim emancipation. Her Puritan train- ino- conld not stomach war, and when the young Dr. Hunter marched off with the boys, as an army surgeon, he left behind him, besides a weeping mother and a patroitic father, a broken engagement. When 'this story opens, Harriet is still an old maid. One of those plump, red-cheeked, grey-haired, whole-souled New England women whose maiden estate sits well upon her forty-five years of Christian living. Through Harry Hunter and Fanchon Rushford, the Doctor has invited his ante-bellum sweetheart to visit Riverside, and has hinted that the fires that once burned have re- vived. She has consented to come, and is exjjected to be present when Harry arrives home with his diploma. At the opening of the action, the Rushford home is shown, with Fanchon down with typhoid fever. This introduces the Doctor in his own kingdom, shows the relation of the two families, and gives the atmos- phere to the setting of the piece and the key to the story. Scene two show^s Harry Hunter and his college chum, Richard McClellan, in their apartments in Chicago. McClellan is young man of independent in come, and is studying medicine for the love of it. He is also drifting into gambling habits, and this scene shows him in his first serious losing game. Two card sharks, Smith and Brown, are playing Harry and Mc- Clellan. Harry withdraw^s after the game reaches the limit of his scanty purse. McClellan then foolishlv goes against the two sharks, and passes his I. O. U.'s, which are accepted with Harry Hunter's name en- dorsed "as a witness," as Brown says. McClellan promises Harry that, in case of loss, he will pay the notes, and Harry signs reluctantly. McClellan loses five thousand dollars in this w-ay, and then, realizing that the cards are stacked, winds the game up in a row. The notes go with Smith and Brown, however, and are made to serve as the "obstacle" in the play. The act closes by a tableau showing the darkened students' den, with Harry by the open fire and through the back the sick room at Riverside with the Doctor watching the sick girl. The contrast between the care- less students' den, and the home where lies his fevered fiancee, and between the sterling father and the care- less son is thus shown. Act second is laid in the Doctor's dooryard, over- looking- the great river. It is June and Harry arrives fresh from his graduation. MeClellan accompanies him, Harriet Josselyn is there and the act proceeds with three love stories, the Doctor and Harriet, Harry and the convalescent Fanchon, and MeClellan and Annie Hunter. Private Pettengil, a Grand Army com- rade; "Clumsy" Rushford; "St. Louis," a negro pen- sioner of the Doctor; Capt. and Mother Rushford; and Nan Rushford form the background in this village scene. It is band meeting night, and while the moon rises over the grand old river, the village band plays in its down town hall, distant yet distinctly heard from the Doctor's door yard. All goes well with the lovers. ^MeClellan and Annie simply get into the spirit of fall- ing in love. Harry and Fanchon discuss their wed- ding, though the subject is painful to liim through the consciousness of those unpaid gamblers' notes, which bear his endorsement. Harriet and the Doctor bury old hatchets, and she all but consents to remain in Riverside as Mrs. Dr. Hunter, but thinks her decision should await the occurring of some circumstance which will show her what is best to be done. Then the presence of outside plot is felt. Deacon Cross, the village lawyer, has been retained by the Chicago card sharks to force the Doctor into paying the gambling notes, under penalty of exposing Harry's part in the game. Cross springs his mine beneath the unsuspecting Doctor's feet. He is more delighted at the Doctor's mental agony, than at the threatened finniuial loss, as he hates the name of Hunter, owing to past legal contests with the Doctor. Harry hurriedly explains that tlie notes were made by another and tliat he simply endorsed. MeClellan is about to explain and assume the rightful responsibility for the notes when Harry forbids it, as he has seen his sister's evident in- terest in his room-mate-gambler and wants to shield her feelings. Upon this the Doctor orders Cross off his premises, saying that he will mortgage his little property and take up the notes. Harriet steps in here Jind forbids tlie mortgage, and accepts her position as a partner of the county doctor's joys and sorrow's by announcing that she has her own modest fortune and offering the Doctor a loan of five thousand dollars. 8 The third act is hiid in a Chicajn^o gamblin*,^ saloon. McClellan has procured a secession of hostilities bv promising the two card sharks that he will transfer certain property to them in two weeks' time. Mean- time he has planned a "stacked" game to trap the two card sharks and recover the notes. A certain gamb- ling house keeper named Jones is under obligations^ to him and consents to do the "stacking.''' Dr. Hunter is taught to play poker and becomes the decoy, as the two sharks. Smith and Brown, do not know him. Harry and Private Pettengil are hidden away in the gambling house and appear at a signal to quell the row which occurs upon the discovery of the "stack" by the two sharks. Jones, the gambling-house keeper, furnishes the Doctor with money to play, and when he goes beyond them. Smith and Brown, by consent, pro- duce the notes. Now for the first time Doctor Hunter discovers that it was McClellan who made the notes, and his surprise betrays the "game." McClellan hurriedly gives the signal, and exposes the Doctor's hand of four aces. Jones grabs the currency, and the Doctor flees with the notes under cover of Harry and Pettengil, who pull their guns on the two enraged card sharks. During the first of act three Harry tells ]Mc Clellan of Annie's love for him and demands that he either give up cards, or let Annie know that he is gambler. After a sharp debate, in which Harry threatens to bring Annie to Chicago and show her the true state of things, McC'lellan promises to let her know the truth, provided he be allowed to do it in hib own way. He admits his love for the cards, and chooses the game as his mistress. In act fourth, preparations for the double wedding are going on at the Rushford homestead. The two Doctors Hunter are to be married. Annie demands ot her father to know why McClellan has not been invited to the wedding. He will not discuss the matter with her and forbids her thinking of him. She determines to run away to Chicago to find McClellan. She does not realize what such a step means, her one purpose being to find her idol. She confides in the old soldier, who, finding that he cannot dissuade her, promises to go as her escort, and then sets about instantly to pre- vent the whole affair and to keep it all from the Doctor. 9 He reminds Harry of McClellau's promise, and Harry at once wires McClellan to keep that promise instantly. Report comes that "Chicago" cannot iind McClelhin at the given address. Then, wlien all seems lost, the weddings abont to occur, during the ceremony of which Annie has planned to run away, Harry finds a letter from McClellan in an express package, which has been mislaid and not yet opened. Tlie letter ac- companies a wedding present, and makes a clean breast of his gambling over his own signature. It now remains to show this to Annie. Harry and l*ettengil turn cowards and Harriet is forced into the service. She breaks the news to Annie. The Doctor ai»pears, and while all are afraid that Annie will tell him the truth, which they have tried to keep from him, she shows the depth of her heart-break by crying on her father's breast, and begging him never to allow her to leave her home, but to keep her always with him. The Doctor thinks her emotion is caused by the weddings of her father and brother and humors her. The min- ister announces that the time is at hand for the cere- mony. All start for the parlor when the outer door opens, revealing McClellan. The Doctor demands to know the object of his visit, and McClellan says simply, that he has come to ask for Annie, to begin life anew, and to ask their help in his conversion. The Doctor bids him enter, and the third love story is happily closed. ALDEN JOSEPH BLETHEN, JR. n CAST. MEN. DOCTOR HUNTER A Conntry Physician HARRY HUNTER The Doctor's Son RICHARD M'CLELLAN A Medical Student, Harry's Cluing PRIVATE PETTENCtIL G. A. R. Comrade CAP'T RUvSHFORD A Mississippi Steamboat Captain (a) "CLUMSEY" RUSHFORD A Vilhioe Product (h) DEACON CROSS The Villaue Lawyer (c) REV. MR. HARPER The Villaoe Preacher (d) "ST. LOUIS" (NeoTo) A River Waif (a) MR. JONES Proprietor of "210," Chicaj]jo (b) MR. SMITH Card Shark (c) MR. BROWN Card Slmrh (d) SCADS Waiter Engajred at "210" WOMEN. HARRIET JOSSELYN Of Pembrooh. Maine, the Doctor's Ante-l*ellnm Sweetheart. ANNIE HUNTER The Doctor's Dauo-hter MOTHER RUSHFORD The Captain's Wife FANCHON RUSHFORD Harry's Betrothed NAN RUSHFORD The Captain's Yonnj^est NOTE— The characters marked aa, bb. cc and dd. can be "doubled." 12 DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTERS. DOCTOR HUNTER— A widower of fifty years of age, gray, hale and hearty. Good humored, but accus- tomed to be obeyed, through giving directions in the siclv room. Proud of his son, and anxious for liis success. Drops a little into the dialect of the country. Has -a habit of saying "N-n-n-Yes" to everything. Drawls the "n-n-n" and then winds up with a quick "yes." Dresses in dark, ready made I»rince Alberts. HARRY HUNTER— Quiet, gentlemanly, frank. Anx- ious to do right. Feels his troubles keenly. Dresses quietlv, but in good taste. RICHARD M'CLELLAN— A gentleman gambler. Has an independent income. City bred. Dresses in the latest fashions. Good looking, polishea, "smooth" fellow. Gives up medicine for cards, And then gives up cards for Annie, I'RIVATE PETTENGIL— A Grand Army veteran. Broken in health, and alone in the world. Full of nature's sunshine, and has a streak of quaint philosophy. Has a pension of |!8 a month, and believes himself to be earning his living by work- ing for Dr. Hunter. In reality he is a burden to the doctor. Prides himself on his small pension, and refuses to apply for a larger one out of sheer patriotism. He has lived so long in Dr. Hunter's family that he is called Uncle Cyrus by all the family and the neighbors. Dresses in shoddy G. A. R. blue clothes. r^APTAIN RUSHFORD— Middle aged. Tall, heavy set, rough and good natured. Talks roughly, swears easily and laughs at any and all times from his own good nature. Rough village clothes. "CLUMSEY" RUSHFORD— A fat boy of 19 years. Lazv and bashful. judge' cross— Stiff backed country lawyer, and church member. REV. MR. HARPER— Dignified, quiet, honest, Chris- tiah gentleman. "ST. LOUIS" — A negro boy of 16 years, supported by Dr. Hunter. A chore-boy. Bright and livelv. 13 MR. JONES — Typical Gambling-house i)io])i'ietoi'. Heavy, fat, florid. Dresses richly, talks but little. MR. SMITH AND MR. BROWN— Sports, card sharps. The dialect of the Bowery. Flashy clothes. Loud talk. Insolent, though not tough. SCADS — Negro waiter. Bright. Proud of Ids posi- tion and his livery. Eager for tips. WOMEN. HARRIET JOSSELYN— Spinster, forty-five years of age. Plump, rosy, erect, grey-haired. Ladylike and lovable. Has worshipped her youthful idol all her life. ANNIE HUNTER— A country beauty of 20 years. Honestly loves McClellan and innocently intends to find him. MOTHER RUSHFORD— Good American village wife and mother. FANCHON RUSHFORD— Quiet, ladylike. Good sterling American girl of 22. NAN RUSHFORD— Romping country girl of IG. 15 DOCTOR HFNTER. ACT I. (April. A tnim]i; nnd a cold dp<'k.) i^CENE ONE— (R. and L. mean rioht and loft front the front.) LIVING ROOM IN CAP'T RUSHFORD'S HOME, RIVERSIDE, ROCK-ISLAND COUNTY, ILLINOIS, ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. SIMPLE FURNISH- INGS, NO CARPET. FIREPLACE AT CENTER BACK WITH FIRE. OLD CLOCK ON MANTLE OVER FIREPLACE. DOOR AT RIGHT OF BACK, OI»ENING OUT OF DOORS. WINDOW ON OPPO- SITE SIDE OF FIREPLACE. DOORS R. IT. E. TO (JO UP STAIRS, AND L. U. E. TO GO TO PARLOR. AT LEFT IS ROUND TABLE, LAMP AND EASY CHAIR. WOODEN ROCKER BY FIREPLACE. AT RIGHT OF CENTRE IS BED, SIDE TO FRONT. EVERTHING SET BACK OF SECOND GROOVE. QUIET ACTION AND SPEECH TO SUIT SICK ROOM. DISCOVERED. FANCHON RUSHFORD IN BED. LOOKS VERY ILL. CAP'T RUSHFORD STANDS BY THE FOOT BOARD IN HIS SHIRT SLEEVES. MOTHER RUSHFORD AT TABLE WITH MEDICINE BOTTLES. "CLUMSY" IS ASLEEP IN ROCKER BY THE FIRE. NAN SITS ON SIDE OF BED. CAP'T RUSHFORD. W^hat's the time, Mother? NAN (GOES TO MANTLE). Nine o'clock. CAP'T. ^\ hen did the Doctor sav he'd come? MOTHER R. Not till I sent for him. (CROSSES TO SICK GIRL. FEELS HER BROW AND PULSE. THEN WALKS TO THE \\'INI)OW. CAP'T FOL LOWS. NAN RETURNS TO THE BED.) 16 CAP'T. Don't yer think we'd better send fer him. Mother? MOTHER R. Yes, we must send. Have "Clum- sy" go. CAP'T (SHAKING "CLUMSY" TO WAKEN HIM). Here you, wake up. Go to the Doctor's of- fice and get him for Fan. NAN. It's after mail time. He's most likely at home. CAP'T (TO "CLUMSY"). Then oo to the house first. "CLUMSY" (AFTER A YAWN). It's band meet- in' night. Can't I go down to the hall after I get him? I want to hear the band plav. MOTHER R. I should think "Clumsy" Rushford, that with your sister as sick as she is, you would want to stay at home. CLUMSY. She ain't goin' to die, is she, Ma? MOTHER R. I don't know. (TURNS TO WIN- DOW TO HIDE HER TEARS.) CAP'T. Go on, now. After you git th' Doctor, I don't ker what ye do. (EXIT CLUMSY OUT OF DOORS.) FANCHON (FAINTLY). Nan. NAN. Yes, dear. FANCHON. Have you written to Harry today? NAN. Yes, dear, and posted the letter. It went uj) on the early train. FANCHON. What did you write about me? NAN. I told him you were about the same. FANCHON. That's right. Keep telling him that. Don't let him worry about me. He Avould neg- lect his studies. MOTHER R. We won't let him worry, dear. NAN. Well, if I was Harry Hunter off there in (^hicago and the girl I was going to marry was sick I'd want to know it! MOTHER R. That's very true, dear, but Harry must study hard as this is his graduating year. This news would upset him. (ENTER PRIVATE PETTENGIL FROM OUT- DOORS.) PRIVATE PETTENGIL. Evenin', Cap'n. CA1*'T. Evenin' Cy. PET. Eveniii', Mother 'u' Nan. (MOTHER NODl-^.) NAN. Good evening', Uncle Cy. PET. Fanny ain't no better? CAPT (QUIETLY). No. PET. Well, I'm sorry. What's Doe. say? CAP'T. He ain't be^n here sense noon. PET. Don't yer want him? (STARTS TO GO.) MOTHER R.' "Clumsy 's" oone to o-et him, Cy. Thank you. PET (STANDS BACK TO FIRE). Ef Doc. don't worry I wouldn't, if I was you. Eeverybody says 'at it Doc. takes otT his coat, a patient 's ^ot to be real sick to fool 'im. MOTHER. R. I hope Fanchon hasn't made up lun- mind to test his powers. FANCHON. No. Mother. NAN. You think lots of Doctor Hunter, don't you, T^ncle Cy? PET. Yes, Nan. He's been a good friend to me. All through the army and sense. I'm pretty much bat- tered, an' I ain't much use, but if you could see down in my old heart vou'd find it chuck full of little doctors. MOTHER R. Is the Doctor at the office? PET. No. He went home right after the mail came in. I locked up at nine. I most generally do, (nery night now. It lets him be a little freer. Heard from Harry lately? MOTHER R. Letter this niornin'. PET. Tli-huh. B'lieve if I had it to do all over I'd be a medical student like him, an' then be a doctor. It's the charitablist business thev is. CAP'T. That's right, Cy. PET. I never seen a man so tuck up with his son as Doc. be. Lord, say, he's powerful more anxious for Harry to ffei liis diplomy an' git home here to i)ractice. than Harry be I T'otiier day I seen him drawin' letters on a card an' after he'd gone I hunted it up. ^Vhat yer think? He drawed a sign to put up in place of the old tin one at the office. It was "Hunter and Son, Phy- sician and Surgeons." CAP'T. You don't say! PET. Oh, he's thinkin' 'bout that all the time. 18 MOTHER R. Does lie ever saj anything about that Miss Josselvn back in Maine? PET (THOUGHTFULLY). No-o-o. He don't SAY nothin'. But I take it 'at love makes folks quiet sometimes. MOTHER R. Do you really think that Doctor Hunter loves her? It seems odd to me. CAP'T. He 's been a widower ten year. Mother. MOTHER R. Ye-e-es. PET. I ain't fond of seein' old folks "it hitched up. Now, I lost my whole family right after the army, but I ain't never hitched up again. (CHUCKLES.) P'r'eps I couldn't ef I tried ! CAP'T. Huh, ha-ha-ha. MOTHER R. Shh-h-h-h-h-h. Don't laugh so loud Father! PET. But, talkin' of Doc, he was in love with the Josselyn woman, back in Maine, 'fore the army. An' it's only natural that when he sees his boy Harry, and Fanny, here, gettin' ready fer a weddin', an' he a wid- ower, 't he should git ter reminissin' some! CAP'T. Course it ain't. I hope they git mar- ried! MOTHER R. It's queer she never married, after he did. PET. No it ain't. Mother Rushford, 'f you'll 'low me. After th' army there was less young men in Maine than before. An' similar, after the western fever got in there they was another lot of 'em slid away. It ain't so very queer, either. MOTHER R. But if she is still such a nice lady, as Harry says she is, it's queer she didn't have other chances. ' NAN. Did you ever see her. Ma? MOTHER R. Once, before I was married. She- was very pretty then. NAN. My, didn't Harry rave when he came back from Maine last fall! It was Aunt Hattibelle, Aunt Hattibelle, all the time. CAP'T. What made Harrv call her aunt? PET (CHUCKLES). Said 'he wanted to get her into the family gradually. NAN. Same as we call you Uncle Cy. Because you seem to be one of our family, and the Doctor's family, and everybody's family. 19 (WPT. That's right, Cy. Huh-ha-ha-ha 1 PET. Yes. I guess I sort o' belong to the town. :\IOTHER R. Well, it's a queer piece of match- making. If Harry succeeds in getting the Doctor married again I believe he will be happier than in his own wedding. NAN. It will be a new kind of double wedding, Uncle Cv. You will have to be the Doctor's best man. l»Et. Git out! (CHUCKLES.) Me stand up long o' him! Shucks, I'd be too skeered! NAK Skeered? What, you? An old soldier? PET. Now, see here, child. They's lost o' things^ a durn sight more skeery than gunpowder, an' one o' them is-; a middle-aged weddin' (CPII^CKLES.) (WPT. That's about right, Cy. But you'll have to stand up, all the same. PET. Who's goin' to be the other best man? NAN. I don't think Harry knows yet When ho was home Christmas he spoke of his room-mate, ^Ir. McClellan, and Fanchon suggested that they ask him to come. But Harry didn't say for sure. PET. Well, I kinder hope he wont be one o' them city fellers. My old uniform wouldn't look good lined up aside o' one o' them long coats they wears. CAP'T. Them Grand Army buttons '11 carry you through, (y. I'ET. ' That's right, Cap'n. Them buttons stand f(u- what I was, an' what I done. That beats broad- cloth what costs only so much a vard! CAP,T. You bet! NAN. Why don't you save up and surprise him by a])pearing in a new suit? PET. Save up? On a pension of eight dollars a month? An' half of that goin' regular for 'rhuraatiz" medicine? No. Guess it '11 be the old coat, or no Pettengil. NAN. But you don't spend the other four. The Doctor gives vou vour board and home for vour work. PET (QUIETLY). ITh-huh. Doc. keeps me an' "St. Louis" for our work. That's right. But I have to buy baccy. And then (SADLY) you know -Nan the cemetery lot, with its five graves, down in Maine, ain't all paid for— » — yit. CAP'T. No! You oughter be more keerful. Nan Rushford! 20 NAN, Oh, I'm sorry I said it! Really, Uncle Gy, I didn't mean it like that! (ENTER DOCTOR HUNTER FROM OUT OP DOORS. SMALL MEDICINE CHEST IN HIS HAND. "CLUMSY' FOLLOWS, AND DROPS INTO ROCKER.) DOCTOR HUNTER (CHEERILY). Thought you had better send for me, did ye? CAP'T. Uh-huh. Guess we need ye. Doc. DOCTOR. Well, how's the sick gik, anyway? (DOCTOR PLACES MEDICINE (.^HEST ON TABLE AND SITS IN CHAIR BESIDE BED. FEELS PATIENT'S BROW AND PULSE. MOTHER STANDS AT FOOT BOARD.) DOCTOR. Let's see the tongue. N-n-n-yes. How do you feel? As though you could sleep? FAN. No, Doctor. I'm burning U]). DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. Then I'll have to make ye sleep, and you'll haye to take something to start the sweat (HE PLACES PHYSICIAN'S THER^MOME- TER IN HER MOUTH AFTER STRIKING THE MERCURY INTO THE BULB). Heard from Harry today ? NAN. Yes, sir. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes! The idea of my haying to come here for news about him. (CHUCKLES.) But I suppose you will have him all to yourselves sometime, so I might as well begin to get used to it. Locked up Cy? PET. Yes, sir. Want somethin"? DOC. Wait till I see. (PUTS ON GLASSES AND READS THERMOMETER. THEN COUNTS I»ULSE BY WATCH. STUDIES FANCHON'S FACE A MOMENT. CROSSES SLOWLY TO LEFT AND MOTIONS MOTHER RUSHFORD TO HIM.) Guess we'll have to call it typhoid, Mother. MOTHER R. (BRAVELY.) Oh, dear. That means a terrible siege. CAP'T. (QUIETLY.) It's all right. Mother. Doc's good for th' typhoid, DOC. (QUIETLY TO PETTENGIL). Go to the of- fice an' get my bng medicine chest for me, Cy. Then go tell Annie to give you my slippers. Tell her I'm 21 going to stay here tonight. You better sleep down stairs in my room. If any one comes for me, tell 'em to come here and tap on the window, easy. PET. All right, Doc. What'll I say about Fanny? DOC. Nothing. Get my slippers. Take "Clumsy'' if you want to, and them you needn't came back. (PETTENGIL ROU'SES THE DROUSY "CLUM- SY.") PET. Come on. Clumsy. AVe'll go hear the band plav! EXIT PETTENGIL AND "CLUMSY" OUT OF DOORS.) DOCTOR. Mother, j^ou better get Mrs, Thompson to come over. She's a good nurse. You'll need some- one. (GOES TO- FANCHON. TALKS TO HER TO DIVERT HER MIND, WHILE HE FIXES POW- DERS, ETC., FROM HIS SMALL MEDICINE (^HEST ON THE TABLE NEAR THE BED.) DOCTOR. Now, I'll just fix you, "good and plenty," as Harry says. We'll have you out o' this in a week. (GIVES MOTHER A KNOWING GLANCE.) If you and Harry are going to be married next June, you can't get all those clothes and things made by gettin' sick. FAN, I'm not much good tonight. Doctor. DOC. Oh, shucks! I know all about you! When was she born, Cap'n? CAP'T, Seyenty-two. NAN. Seyenty-three, Father! She's only twen- ty-two. DOCTOR. Was it that long ago? And in the dead of winter. That was back in Maine, three years after Harry was born. I was there, when you oj^ened you eyes and hollered, first time! Your Pa and me came West together, an' I'ye had to cure all your little stomach aches eyer since. Do you think you can get away from the old Doctor now? N-no-sir-ree! I'll have voii out ])lantin' pansies in a week. (CHUCKLES, THEN LOOKS AT MOTHER RUSHFORD TO SHOW HER THAT HE IS MAKING IT ALL.) CAP'T. Pansies nothin'! We'll give her olean- ders. Doc. 22 DOCTOR How's yer garden, Cap'n? CAP'T. Onions up. DOCTOR. Up! In April? What ye do, sot 'em out? CAPT. Plowed up, Doc. Huli-ba-ha-ha ! DOCTOR. N-n-n-ves. I thouolit ve was kiddin'. (A DEAD SILENCE. THEN CAPTAIN RUSH- FORD SAYS, IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP UP THE TALK.) CAP'T. I was savin' to Mother t'other day. Doc, We ain't never had no other doctor but you. Mother wouldn't feel safe if you weren't in town. DOCTOR. N-n-n-ves. MOTHER R. Riverside without Doctor Huntei and Private Pettengil would be like Friday night with- out any band meetin'. DOCTOR. 'Tis band night, ain't it? Pettengil says the boys are practicing up to play for a prize at Springfield at the State Fair next fall. CAP'T. S'pose you'll have to take him there. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. Pettengil thinks he's pay- in' his way in this world. He most generally ain't much of a burden, but State Fair times an' G. A. R. meets he gets to marchin' around as independent as old Nick himself! MOTHER R. But that doesn't spoil him. Poor old Pettengil. He's had a liard time. The plaugey army ruined him, and the good Lord took his wife an' family. He's got more good reason to be ugly and cross than everyone in town put together, and he's the most sunshiny ! DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. He's a curious one. He thinks he's saving his Nation's money by hanging to that old eight dollar pension. I could get him a decent sized one if he'd let me. When 1 want to fun him a little I ask him when I shall apply for that raise. Theii he limbers ujit his guns and we fight the whole army or (he Potomac all over again. CAP,T. Heard from Miss Josselvn latelv? DOCTOR. N-n-n-ves. (NERVOt'SLY KNOCKS OVER ONE OF HIS BOTTLES. THEN SETS IT UP WITH A SNAP. Mf>THER RUSHFORD NOTICES Hlf' CONFUSION AND MOTIONS TFIE CAPTAIN TO KEEP STILL.) 23 CAP'T. Hope ye had good news, Doc. DOCTOR. Well, I tell ye, Cap'ii. I don't know as the old Doctor's got much right to begin courtin' all over again. But between Harry and this weddiu', an' all of ye, I've gone too far to quit now. MOTHER R. I hope you wouldn't want to quit, Doctor ! DOCTOR. Well, I tell ye. It feels kind o' funny to be lookin' forward to seein' a girl ye ain't seen for twenty-five years, an' she the girl ye was once spoons on. CAP'T. Huh, ha-ha-ha. He-e-e-e! Girl! Gosh, Doc, she must be fiftv! DOCTOR. Forty-five, Cai)'n. MOTHER R. You ain't goin' East , Doctor? DOCTOR. N-n-n-no. But Harry's got it fixed with her to come here some time next summer. CAP'T, Well, I be damned. She's goin' to do the courtin'! Huh, ha-ha-ha. DOCTOR. N-n-no-sir-ree! If she gets as far m^ the Mississippi river, I'll attend to all that! CAP'T. (IMMENSELY PLEASED.) I bet ve will, too. Doc! (CHUCKLES.) (ENTER "CLUMSY" AND ANNIE HUNTER FROM OI^T DOORS. "CLUMSY" HAS THE DOC- TOR'S MEDICINE CHEST, AND ANNIE HxVS HIS SLPPERS. ANNIE GOES DIRECTLY TO FAN- CHON.) ANNIE. Has she reallv the tvphoid, Father? DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. Here you, "Clumsy,'' pull off mv boots. An' if vou make any noise, I'll vaccinate ve! ("CLUMSY" STRADDLES THE DOCTOR'S ROOTS AND PULLS THEM OFF. DOCTOR DONS THE SLIPPERS.) DOCTOR. Now, Mother, you go to bed an' get a little sleep. Cap'n can sit up with me, till we call you. Is Pettengil over to the house, Ann? ANNIE. Yes. I left him there. DOCTOR. Weir vou better go home. It's gettin' late. ANNIE. Can't I help some here? DOCTOR. Not tonight. Do as I tell ye, child. Go home and keep house with Pettingil. 24 NAN (TO ANNIE). Isn't it nice to be a house- keeper ? ANNIE. Yes, dear. But it's better to have a mother. Good night all. MOTHER R. Don't you want 'Tlumsy" to go with you? It's very dark. ANNIE. Oh, no. I'm not afraid. Good night. (EXIT OTTT OF DOORS.) MOTHER R. She's such a nice girl. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. CAP'T. Well, Mother, better go to bed. An' you, children, better clear out. (NAN GOES TO FAN TO KISS HER. DOCTOR STOPS HER GENTLY.) DOCTOR. N-n-no. I wouldn't. Ketchin'! NAN. Oh! Good night, Fanchon, dear* Sleep soundly, FAN. (FAINTLY). Good night. (NAN GOES FROM THE ROOM TO GO TO BED.) MOTHER R. (TO FANCHON). If you want any- thing dear, just speak. The Doctor is going to sit u]> with vou. Good night. CAP'T. (SHAKING CLUMSY WHO IS ASLEEP IN THE ROCKER). Here, wake up ! "CLI^MSY" (DROWSILY). I want to hear the band play. CAP'T. "Want to hear the band play!" Well, I'll plav a tune on vou, if vou ain't right smart! (LEADS HIM OFF.) MOTHER R. (STANDING IN DOOR^^'AY). Father, have you wound the clock? (CAPTAIN RT^SHFORD GOES TO MANTLE AND BEGINS TO WIND THE CLOCK. DOCTOR HTTNTER SITS BY TABLE IN ROCKING CHAIR AND SETTLES HIMSELF TO READ A MEDICAL JOI^RNAL. SHADES THE LIGHT FROM FAN- CHON'S FACE.) 25 SCENE II. (APPARTMENTS OF HARRY HUNTER AND RICHARD M'CLELLAN, CHICAGO. THE SAME TIME AS SCENE I. TYPICAL STUDENTS' ROOM. ROUND TABLE IN CENTER AVITH CARDS, WINE BOTTLES AND GLASSES. FIRE- PLACE AND FIRE L. DOOR L TO BED ROOM. STUDY TABLE, BOOKS, ETC.) DISCOVERED. HARRY HUNTER, RICHARD M'CLELLAN, MR. SMITH AND MR. BROWN PLAY- ING POKER AT TABLE IN CENTRE. (THE MEN PLAY TWO ROUNDS IN SILENCE, M'CLELLAN WINNING. THEN HARRY RISES FROM THE TABLE.) HARRY HUNTER. That lets me out. I'm broke. MR. SMITH. Here, Hunter, you be banker for the three of us. M'CLELLAN. Yes, old man, do that. We've just commenced. MR. BROWN. Let's settle up and begin with chips. M'C. AND SMITH. All right. (HARRY PRODITCES BAG OF CHIPS FROM BROWN'S COAT. THE MEN AT THE TABLE COUNT MONEY AND DRINK.) HARRY (BORED. STACKS CHIPS BEFORE HIM ON TABLE.) How do jou want them? M'C. Let's make them twenty-five cents, one and five. SMITH. Let's make 'em one, five and fifteen. BROWN. Damn the small change! Make 'em one, five an' twentv-five! M'C. All right. SMITH. Anyway to suit. M'C. There's ninetv-five dollars (HANDS MONEY TO HARRY). That's all T have. Give me whites and reads. BROWN. Here's a hundred! Gimme reds an* whites! 26 SMITH. Same here! "I'm de man w'at broke de bank at Monte Carlo." . (HARRY COUNTS OUT CHIPS AND DELIV- ERS THEM. THE MEN FLAY THREE ROUNDS, THE DEALER WINNING EACH TIME. BROWN TO DEAL AND WIN THE THIRD ROUND, TAKING ALL CHIPS IN SIGHT.) M'C. Gentlemen, I am broke. ^A'ill you ar('ei)t my I. O. IT. for a hundred? SMITH. Cert, my boy! For five hundred! A man of property like you's w'ats studyin' medicine for a hobbv, is c^ood for any amount at dis bank. (M'CLELLAN WRITES I. O. T^. FOR .^^.500 AND PASSES IT TO HARRY.) HARRY (IN SURPRISE). Five hundred dollars! M'C. (UNCONCERNEDLY). Give me all three, please. HARRY. Dick, this is gettino- SMITH. Aw. gimme all kin'er chips! Here's five hundred real monev! (HANDS CURRENCY TO HARRY.) HARRY. Gentlemen, I must protect! This is — ]M'C. Never mind, old man. You're not used to it. that's all. We may p;et n\) to five thousand before morning. (SMITH AND BROWN EXCHANGE SIGNIFI- CANT GLANCES.) SMITH (TO BROWN). De gods are wid us! BROWN (TO SMITH). If we is careful, we makes monev. Let him win awhile. (THEY PLAY THREE ROI^NDS AS THE CARDS HAPPEN TO GO. ON THE FOURTH ROUND M'CLELLAN WINS E^^ERYTHING ON THE TABLE. SMITH AND BROWN THEN I»ASS THEIR L O. U.'S AND GET MORE CHIPS. ON FIFTH ROITND BROWN WINS MOST ALL ON THE TABLE. SMITH DEALS THE SIXTH AND LAS^^ ROUND, ON WHICH M'CLELLAN PIH'S I'P ALL HE HAS AND, WISHING TO CONTINI^E, STARTS TO WRITE AN I. O. IT.) HARRY. I have no more chips. They are all in play. M'C. Gentlemen, will vou accept mv I. (). I^. 0:1 the table? BROWN. Cert, old man. Just have your friend witness them on the back. Just to witness, your Ivuow. Then Smith will witness mine an' I'll do the same for his. M'C. Harry will you endorse those I. O. T.'s of mine? There is no danger for you. If I lose I can re- deem them, HARRY (RELUOTANTLY). Oh, just as vou- sav. (ENDORSES. M'OLELLAN THEN WRITES AN I. O. U. INTENDED TO BE EQI' AL TO ALL CHIPS WHICH SMITH AND BR(^WN HAVE IN EXCESS OF HIMSELF.) M'C. There. I am even with vou. (ALL THE CHIPS AND JM'CLELLAN'S 1. O. V. ARE NOW IN THE CENTER OF THE TABLE.) l^ROW^N. I would like to raise vou. Does mv LO. IT. o-o? M'C. Certainlv. (BROWN ^A^RITES L O. U. SMITH WIT- NESSES AND M'CLELLAN READS IT. M'CLEL- LAN AND SI^flTH WRITE L O. U.'S FOR LIKE AMOUNT. M'CLELLAN THEN WRITES xVN- OTHER.) M'C. Tliis is mv limit. I'll raise vou this much more. (HANDS L O. U. TO HARRY.) ' HARRY (IN STTRPRISE AFTER READING I. O. U.). Dick! What are you thinkino' of ! M'C. (TESTILY). Please endorse it! (HARRY COMPLIES. SMITH AND BROWN READ THE L O. U. AND DUPLICATE IT.) SIMITH. That lets me out. BROWN. Oh, verv well, what ver got? SMITH. Jacks. (DISPLAYS FOUR JACKS.) ]\rC. No good. Kings. (DISPLAYS FOUR KINGS.) BROWN. It's mine! (DISPLAYS FOUR ACES.) HARRY. Dick, vou have lost! (RISES FROM THE TABLE.) M'C' (QUIETLY). Four jacks, four kings, four aces. We each held up four cards. BROWN (BUSY POCKETING THE SPOILS). Well, what of it? M'C. A remarkable set of hands, in my opinion! SMITH. I wouldn't insinuate, if I was you. It ain't gamev! 28 M'C. I do not wish to insinuate. I can redeem those notes tomorrow. But I repeat. That was a re- markable deal! BROW^\ Dat's right, ol' man. Dat's game! You'll make a sport yet. When de cards run agin yer, ver must die game! (SMITH AND BROWN PREPARE TO oin' to the train to meet him. I want that kid "St. Louis" to go along and fetch his trunk home. Loo! Loo! Darn that little nigger! (GOES TO GATE.) There he is, plavin' some darn game. Loo! come here! (ASIDE.) It's train time, an' I'm as nervous as a new doctor with the smallpox! (ENTER "ST. LOUIS" AT THE GATE.) ST. L. Hyere I is. Doctor. DOCTOR. I want you to take the wheelbarrow an' go to the depot to fetch Harry's trunk. It's train time. Out with you, or I'll cut out your esophagus, an' then you can't swallow! ST. L. Git Harrv's trunk. All right, all right! (EXIT "ST. LOUIS" R. BEHIND HOUSE.) (WHISTLE OF LOCOMOTIVE IN DISTANCE.) DOCTOR. There she is! Come on! Who's goin'? HARRIET. I'll remain here with Fanchon. DOCTOR. All rig^it. Come on, Annie. Let's "go hear tlie band play." Ha-ha-ha-ha ! (EXIT DR. HUNTER AND ANNIE, OUT OF GATE AND TURN TO L.) ("ST. LOUIS" COMES FROM BEHIND THE HOUSE WITH WHEELBARROW AND HITRRIES AFTER THEM.) ST. L. Go 'long dere! Giddap! Gidda])! Whoop! Gwine hyere de ban' plav! HARRIET (SITTING ON STEPS). Are you glad Harry is coming dear? FAN. How can you ask. HARRIET. Of course, I know. Vn\t are you strong enough for this excitement? (LOCOMOTIVE BELL AS TRAIN NEARS STATION. THEN AIR BRAKES RELEASED.) FAN. Let me go to the gate. T want to see them coming, (BOTH GO TO THE GATE AND STAND BY FENCE.) 34 HARRIET. See there! There's Harry and Annie together, a ad the Doctor. And that stranger must be Mr. McClellan. FAN. Yes, that must be Diek. (LOCOMOTIVE BELL AND Pl^FFIXG AS TRAIN STARTS.) (FANCHON EXIT L. HARRIET BY POST ALONE.) HARRIET. I wonder if it is right for me to be- come one of them. The Doctor seems entirely happv with his children. An old maid like me to marry? I must be careful to do what seems best when all is considered. (GOES TO TREE..) (SOUND OF VOICES AS THEY APPROACH. ENTER HARRY, ANNIE, AND FANCHON L. AND COME IN GATE.) HARRY. Hello. Aunt Hattibelle! (KISSEK HER.) I haven't seen you since we went blue-berry- ing in Maine! (ENTER DOCTOR AND M'CLELLAN AND COME IN GATE.) DOCTOR. Come right in. Mr. McClellan. come right in! Miss Josselyn, this is ^Ir. McClellan, Harry's roommate. And Miss Rushfoid. Annie, you met Mr. McClellan at the train. M'C. Yes, thank you. I know all of you from your photographs in our room. ^A'e talk of you all so much, that I fear I shall be calling first names with all sincerity. ANNIE, Do so, by all means. We are one familv here, and Harry's friends belong to us. HARRY. Yes, but never mind about it now. We are the two hungriest men in Illinois. DOCTOR. My boy, don't leave me out. I didn't eat any dinner, just so as to keep you company. I'm hungrier than old Jenks was wheii he went to heai* the band play. Ha-ha-ha-ha! M'C. Jenks? Oh, yes. Harrv has told hk^ the storv. 'ANNIE (TO HARRY). Take Mr. ^IcClellan in, and when vou are readv we will be. V DOCTOR (GOING IN). Rio-ht this way, boys! ^rC. Ladies, you will excuse us? (GOES IN.) HARRY. Fanchon, it's good of you to eome over here to supper. Are you strong enough? FAN. I am nearly well again. HARRY. Well, excuse me for a moment, and I will be right dow^n again. (GOES IN.) ANNIE. Just see Father! He's gov Harry safe- ly home again, and that makes him perfectly hapi)y. He will walk on air for days and days. (GOES IN.) (ENTER PETTENGIL L. AND OOMES IN GATE.) PET. Have thev come? HARRIET. Yes. They are in the house. PET. I jest locked up and come ter supper. There was a feller at the office wanted some quinine ]>ills and some paregoric, and I couldn't get away in time to make the train. DOCTOR (W^THIN). Supper-r-r-r-r! Gome in, all of you! I'm starving! I'm hungrier than (HIS VOK^E IS LOST IN THE NOISE OF PLACING CHAIRS ABOUT THE TABLE.) FAN. Harry has cut yon out. Aunt Hattibellc Doetor Hunter has no eyes for you, now. DOCTOR (AT DOOR). Oh, excuse me. I forgot my manners. (GOES TO HARRIET.) HARRY (AT DOOR). Fanchon, come in. Sup- I)er is ready. (HARRY AND FANCHON GO IN.) DOCTOR. Fine feller, ain't he Hattie, eh? HARRIET. Doctor Hunter and son. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. Got him home at last. - (DOCTOR AND HARRIET GO IN.) PET. (LOOKING AFTER THEM). ^Vell, here we be. Doc's got his sw^eetheart. an' Harry's got his'n, an' Annie's settin' next to that Chicago chap. The Grand Army ii«! the only thing that ain't "in it." DOCTOR (WITHIN). Come in, Cy. We're wait- in' on ye! PET. All right. Didn't know but maybe you thought I was "goin' to hear the band play." 36 (WITHIN DOCTOR LAUGHS AXI) HARKY CALLS OUT, "HELLO, UNCLE CY." PETTENGIL GOES IN. " SOUND OF VOICES HEARD AS THEY SIT AT TABLE.) (ENTER "CLUMSY'" L. AND COMES IN GATE. HE CARRIES TWO GRIPS. ENTER AFTER HIM ST. LOUIS, WHEELING TRITNK ON WHEELBAR- ROW. WHEELBARROW COLLIDES WITH GATE AND UPSETS TRUNK OUTSIDE FENCE.) ''CLUMSY"." There vou go, nigoerl I told yon I was stronoer'n you. I ouglit to have wheeled that trunk ! ST. L. Y^es yo' is! Y"o' ain't strong nouf to tote dem grips 'thout stoopin' shoulders like old Granny Thompson! (^LUMSY\ Well, I could'er wheeled that trunk inter that gate, and had fun doin' it! ST. L. Well, all right, all right. Come yere an' do hit! Do hit!! CLUMSY^ Huh! Take me for a fool! After I've got my grips in, you want me to lift your old trunk! Well, "not on your side-wlieeler!" ST. L. (LIFTS TRI'NK ON WHEELBARROW AND FALLS ON OTHER SIDE WITH IT. I»ICKS HIMSELF I^P QUICKLY" AND CALLS OUT): All right, all right! CLI'MSY". He-he-he-he! Black man! ST. L. Y"o' come help me tote dis vere trunk er I'll smash yo' mouf ! (ENTERS GATE.) CLUMSY. No you won't, nigger! Nigger! Nigger!! I'll hit vou so hard vou'll turn white! ' ST. L. (SQUARING OFF).' All right, all right!! CLUMSY. Ah, goon! •ST. L. Allright all right!! (CLITMSY STRIKES AT HIM AND TIIET CLINCH, ROLLING AROUND ON THE STAGE. (^LT"]\TSY BEGINS TO CRY" OUT IN PAIN.) (ENTER DOCTOR HUNTER FROM THE HOUSE.) DOCTOR. Here, you two last year's Christmas presents, quit that! Quit! Quit!! (THE TWO BOYS GET ON THEIR FEET. BOTH 37 ANGRY, BUT "ST. LOUIS" HAYING THE BEST OF IT.) DOCTOR. What's all this about? ST. L. Dat low down Clumsy swiped me, 'cause I wouldn't let him tote de trunk! CLUMSY. No such thing! Look at what he did to the trunk ! DOCTOR (HOPPING ROUND IN EXCITE MENT). Who tii)ped that trunk over? What tipped it over? Great jumpin' Jerusalem, who ! Here you, both of you! Catch on to that. quick, or I'll fill vou so full of castor oil you'll bust. Lively now! (THEY OBEY.) Take it up the front stairs! (THE TWO BOYS CARRY THE TRUNK INTO THE FRONT DOOR, "JAWING" EACH OTHER AS THEY GO.) (ENER HARRY FROM HOUSE.) DOCTOR. Guess you'll find things all mussed in that trunk. Them boys had it upside down out there in the road. HARRY. Just so thev didn't hurt that di])loma, dad! DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. Got th' diploma at last, eh? I'm sorry we couldn't be there to see you get it, my boy. It's cost us a lot of good money, and it's cost you lots of hard work. But it's worth it all, my son. The physician's work is better than the minister's. You won't find many rich country doctors, but if you do all the good that comes in your way, you'll have a sound conscience. Take a country doctor's blessing and make yourself worthy of your profession! HARRY. That's all' right, dad. I know you've given away thousands of dollars' worth of practice, and I guess I've got your soft heart. But you've al- wavs done handsomelv bv us, and I want to do well b^- vou. Now (PI^TS HANDS ON HIS FATHER'S SHOULDERS, AND SPEAKS JOKINGLY), how is it? DOCTOR. What sayee? HARRY. Has Aunt Hattibelle re-considered the probation idea? DOCTOR. Oh-h-h. (CHUCKLES.) Havin' lots of fun with the old Doctor, ain't ye? Just because you're Doctor Hunter, too, you're getting funny with me. 38 HARRY. How do you get on conriing? Is she shv? DOCTOR. Oh, go on with von! (PULLS HARRY'S HAT OVER HIS EARS, WHIRLS HIM AROUND AND SHOVES HIM. HARRY LAUGHS.) DOCTOR (SLOWLY). She ain't said ves yet. HARRY. You must fix it so as to be in line with Fanclion and Doctor Hunter, Jr. We can vvorlv tlie wliolesale rate dodge on tlie Rev. Mr. Harper. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. W^ h o 1 e s a 1 e rates! (CHUCKLES.) You'll be wantin' me to go along with you for a weddin' trip, next. HARRY. Not in a thousand years! I couldn't get along with two such old spoons as vou and Aunt Hattibelle! (ENTER PETTENGIL FROM THE HOUSE.) PET. Guess I'll go down to the office. Doc. DOCTOR. All right, Cy. PET. Will you be down, bimeby? DOCTOR, if I'm not, you can 'lock up after the mail comes in. PET. Be down, Harry? HARRY. Guess not. Uncle Cyrus. Too many girls here! PET. Ha-ha-ha! That's what old Jenks said the night he went to hear the band play. Ha-ha-ha ! (DOCTOR AND HARRY LAUGH, AS PETTEN- GIL EXITS OUT OF GATE AND TO L.) (ENTER FROM HOUSE M'CLELLAN, ANNIE. FANCHON AND HARRIET.) DOCTOR. Mr. McClellan, if you had been an hour sooner, you'd have seen one of our best sunsets. It's right west over the river there. M'C. I shall watch for them every evening. There's the moon up there now. She will make the river sparkle in another hour. I must admit. I like it here. Harry had hard work persuading me to come. I confess my gratitude for his persuasion. ANNIE. Wait until we have shown you a few more of our pretty places, and some of our landmarks. Then I am sure you will be pleased with (}uiet little Riverside. 39 M'C. Have you any more 'iaiid-niarks" as inter- esting as old Private Pettengil? ANNIE. Oh, several ! (ENTER "ST. LOUIS" FROM HOUSE, RUN- NING. CLUMSY AFTER HI:M WITH TRUNK STRAP. THEY RUN ACROSS STACE, AROUND TREE AND OITT OATE. "ST. LOUIS" JUMPS O^^ER THE WHEELBARROW AT THE GATE, BUT CLUMSY FALLS HEADLONG OVER IT.) ST. L. He-he-lie! All right, all right! He-he-he! (CLUMSY LIMPS BACK INTO THE HOUSE MTTTTERING TO HIMSELF.) HARRY. O, Clumsy! Did you "go to hear the band plav!" ("St! LOinS" HAS A FIT OF LAUGHTER.) DOCTOR (SHARPLY). Loo, put tliat 'barrow where it belongs, right smart, now! ST. L. Yes, Doctor. (CHUCKLES TO HIM- SELF.) Nigger, nigger! All right, all right!! (WHEELS BARROW ACROSS STAGE AND OI^T L. M. E.) M'C. There are two more quite interesting in- stitutions. Who are they? ANNIE. The negro boy we call "St. Louis," as that is the only name he know's. He fell from a lum- ber raft and was given up for a drowned negro. Father saved him, and since then the boy has lived here as a chore boy. I don't think you could get him away from us. The other young gentleman is Harry's prospective brother-in-law. HARRIET. Annie, dear, let me do the work and you remain here with your guest. ANNIE. Oh, no, indeed! I will go, too. FANCHON (IN FUN). You cannot leave me alone with all these men. I shall die of fright. I will go, too. ANNIE. Mr. McClellan, this is the country, you know. You will excuse us? M'C. Indeed, let me help . HARRY. Come here and smoke! There are three of them. They are dying to discuss you. Give them an opportunity, can't you! FAN. You wretch! Come Annie, quickly! 40 (FANCHON, ANNIE AND HARRIET (JO INTO HOUSE.) (THE THREE MEN STAND AT FENCE. THE DOCTOR OUTSIDE.) DOCTOR. Fine girls, those, Mr. McClellan. (THE BOYS NOTICE THE WORD "(URLS."') M'C. Indeed, they are, sir. I think your daughter is a genuine country beauty. HARRY. You ought to see Fanehon wlien she's herself. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. Did you notice the other one? (THE BOYS ENCHANGE GLANCES.) M'C. A mighty fine looking woman. HARRY. She's the prettiest spinster thaf ever came out of New England! DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. (A PAX'SR.) You see. Mr. McClellan, Harry's marrying will leave Annie and me alone. M'C. And yon want the "other one" to take Harry's place! DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. Not exactly Harry's place. Nothing can fill the place of a man's only son, especirii- Iv when he follows his father's trade. But — you se(^ — HARRY. He knows all about it, dad. ' I've tolC him. (BAND BOYS ARE HEARD "TUNING TH*.") HARRY. Hello, it's band night! Another vil- lage jov, Dick. M'C. Is that Mr. Riley's "old band?" HARRY. It's the same kind. There are fellows in it who went to school with me when the coal mines were running full crews here in Riverside. DOCTOR. You'll have to tell Mr. McClellan that story about old Jenks goin' to hear the band play. M'C. He has told me, several times. DOCTOR. Good storv, ain't it? Ha-ha-ha! (M'CLELLAND AND HARRY LAUGH.) (BAND STRIKES UP "LITTLE FISHER MAIDEN." THE THREE LISTEN A MINUTE.) M'C. Not quite up to Theodore Thomas, is it? DOCTOR. It's one of the institutions of the town. 41 ^ye have to make our fuu. IJaiid night for the boys and girls and prayer meetin' for the old folks. (THEY LISTEN AGAIX.) HARRY. 'I'll bet that's old Fernian behind that sax-liorn. When did he get back? DOCTOR. About six weeks ago. He didn't like it down the river. (THEY LISTEN TILL THE BAND FINISHES. BAND PLAYS ALL TUNES VERY SHORT,) M'C. This is the first time I ever saw the Missis- sippi, except from a car window. HARRY. It's just a mile wide here. That's an island over where those bushes are. There's a jim- dandy swimming hole over behind that island I ire. Is that a mill, otf up stream? HARRY. Yes, but the old wheel is broken. It never turns any more. M'C. What! A real ruin right here in America? DOCTOR. The old river gets to be a friend to a man. I like to sit and look at it. It will always be right there, too. The sun will always go down over those hills, and the moon seems the haupiest when it can shine on the water. Stick to your pavements, Mr. McClellan, your clubs and your late hours. Harry and I will star bv the old river road. M'C. (SIGHS). "Almost thou persuadest me." DOCTOR. It would pay you, really. Oo back to Chicago. Spend your income. Clubs, theaters and bachelor quarters. When you're fifty — what? When Harry is fifty he can duplicate this night for you any month during the summer, and he will be^I hope — a good, old, country doctor. Well, will you come down to the office, or stay here with the girls? HARRY. Girls. DOCTOR, N-n-n-yes. I thought so. (EXIT L.) M'C. Now, I'm goine: inside and help wash dishes. (GOES TO DOOR.) Ladies, may I come in? (VOICES WITHIN.) Certainly. Come in! HARRY. (SOLUS.) I can't forget that misera- ble five thousand dollars. I wish I could drown it in the river out there. It is a sw^ord over my head. I don't know what father would do, if he knew about it. These possible consequences worry me. They seem like horrid realities here in this quiet old home. 42 (ENTER FANCHON FROM HOUSE.) FAN. Harry! HARRY (GOING TO HER). Fanchou ! FAN. Mr.McClellaii is helping Aunie vvitli iiu^ dishes. I think she is a bit — taken with him. HARRY. I hope not. I FAN. Why, Harry: Mr. Mcnelhin! Your fel- kiw student? HARRY. Fanchon, sit here and tell me how toiy have been. (THEY SIT BY TREE.) Nan told 'me big white lies when you were so ill. FAN. It was better so. There was no need foi- you to worry. Doctor Hunter was not worried. HARRY. I am Doctor Hunter now, too. FAN. And I am soon to be Mrs. Dr. Hunter. Oh, Harry, Father and Mother have b'een so good to me! I have such pretty things all made for our little home. Doctor Hunter says that by fall I vrill be en tirely well again, and then — I hope — Aunt Hattibelle — will be readv. also — for — a w^eddina'. HARRY (ABSENTLY). I hope so, too. FAN. Harry! (GENTLY.) ^Vhen you were home Chistmas you wanted a June wedding. Hnve you forgotten it this quickly. HARRY. No, no. I w^as thinking of — of Father. FAN. Don't w^orry about him. Annie has almost persuaded Aunt Hattibelle to promise. Your Father will be as happv as ourselves. HARRY (ASIDE). Oh. this torlure! I cannot marry this sweet bit of womanhood! Those endorse- ments are a mountain betw^een us! (BAND STRIKES TV "WONT YOU GOME OTT AND PLAY.") HARRY. Fanchon. I want to tell you somethiu<'-. (ASIDE.) Oh, I can't tell her so soon! FAN. What is it, Harrv. HARRY (SLOWLY). I am afraid that I was selfish wdien I wanted you to marry me so very soon. Don't you think we had better wait — say — a vear. Enough to allow me to get on my feet, and ]>e able to care for you as I would like to do? (PETTENGIL ENTERS L. AND STANDS LEAN ING OYER FENOE.) 43 FAN. (SENSITIVELY). Ilarrv Hunter! And what am I to do all this year. I want to be a. jnii ) of your life from the yery first. Yon will need me mos< this first year, and I — I — oh, Harrv, wliat makes yon talk like this? (TEARS.). PET. There's only one thin;.^ to do with a ji'irl like that, Harry Hunter. And tliat is — marry her! HARRY (ASIDE). My God, I wish I could! (ENTER CAP'T AND MRS. RTTSHFORD AND NAN LEFT AND OOME IN GATE.) CATT. How 'are* ye, Harry, my boy! We're a little late in j^ettinjTj oyer, but Mother was busy. HARRY. You came just in time. How are you. Mother? (CAPTAIN STARES AFTER HIM.) MOTHER R. (KISSES HARRY). My boy, I'm glad to see you safely home. HARRY. Hello, Nan! (HARRY AND NAN GO TO THE GATE.) MOTHER R. Fanny, you don't look well. Hadn't you better go home with me? FAN. No, no. I'm just a liitle tired, that's all. Just tired. (CRIES ON MOTHER'S SHOULDER.) MOTHER R. Why, Failny! NAN. See, Mother, Harry's got to be a regular dude. Yellow shoes, creases in his pants, and I'll bet he wears cuffs eyery day! Ha ye you got your hair parted in the middle? (TAKES OFF HIS HAT.) MOTHER R. Nan, you must remember, IIarr\ is Doctor Hunter, now. NAN. Oh, my! That's so, ain't it, Harry? (HODLING HIS HANDS AND PTTLLiN(4 P,ACK FRO^M HIM.) HARRY. That's so, I guess. Harry Hunter. M. D. NAN. M. D.? Mustard Doser? No, I guess in your case it means Much Dude' (LAUGHS.) (ENTER CLUMSY L.) CLUMSY. Pa, I can't find the cow. CAP'T. Ain't she in the pasture? CLITMSY. She ain't near the bars. I was there. 44 CAP'T. Well, you'll have to go \i\) iu the back pasture an' look for her. CLUMSY. Oh, doggone! That's just my luck! I wanted to go heai' the band plav. (EXIT L. GRUMBLING.) (ENTER HARRIET, ANNIE AND M'CLELLAN FROM HOUSE.) HARRY. Cap'n Rushford, my friend, Mr. Mc- Clellan. And Mrs. Rushford. And Nan; the oulv Nan ! CAP'T. This is Dick, eh? Proud to see you in Riverside, sir. M'C. More familiar faces. T know you already, better than you think. (BAND PLAYS "AMERICAN CAVALRY.") HARRY. Come on! Let's walk down to tlie band hall. And then we'll go down on the shore. (HARRY TAKES FANCHON'S ARM AND GOES OUT GATE.) (ENTER DOCTOR HUNTER WITH "ST. LOUIS,^^ LEFT.) DOCTOR. Hello! Where goin? FANCHON, Going to hear the band play. (HARRY AND FANCHON EXIT R.) (M'CLELLAN ESCORTS ANNIE ATTENTIVE LY OUT GATE AND THEY EXIT R.) DOCTOR. Blamed if they don't make a slick- looking couple! MOTHER R. Someone will be wanting Annie before many years. DOCTOR. N-n-n-Tes. MOTHER R. (AFTER LOOKING AT RETREAT ING FUTURES A MOMENT.) ISIost as nice a couple as Harrv and Fanchon. ST." L. (GOING TO CAP'T). Massa RusliAs'd, whar's Clumsy? CAP'T. Huntin' the cow. ST. L. (LAUGHING). I'se dun put de cow in de shed 'n milked 'er! CAP'T. Why, Clumsy's gon(^ way up in the 1/ack j)asture to hunt for her! 45 8T. L. (LAUGrHING). I done got even, sni-e uulT. He kayn't get back time to go hear de baud play! (EXIT R. LAUGHING.) CAP'T. Ha-ha-ha! Damn that nigger! He's a cute one! (DOCTOR HUNTER INDICATES TO MOTHER RUSHFORD TO TAKE THE CAPT AND FOLLOW THE YOUNG FOLKS, AND TO PETTENGIL TO CLEAR OUT. EXIT PETTENGIL R.) MOTHER R. I AFTER NUDGING THE DOCTOR) Cap'n Riishford, if you can't ask your ov.n wife to go hear tlie band plav, she can go alone! CAP'T. (CHUCKLES). Whoop-e! I'm sent for! Excuse me. Miss Harriet. All right. Mother. I'm with ye! (EXIT CAP'N AND MOTHER RITRHFORD OUT GATE AND R.) (DOCTOR BY FENCE AND HARRIET PY TREE.) DOCTOR. Hattie. which had ye rather do. Go hear the band play, with the rest of 'em, or finish our — debate ? HARRIET. T can hear the band play— from here. DOCTOR (CHUCKLES). Shucks! T ain't half so smart as I might be. (GOES TO HER.) What were we talking about — when we stopped, — Hattie? (ORCHESTRA.) HARRIET. You were telling me about — your wife. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. (SITS BESIDE HER.) Hattie, I loved her, I must admit that. HARRIET. "Admit?" That's not the word. If she were living I would be proud to be her friend. You have asked me to take her place. That is an honor in itself. DOCTOR (TENDERLY). Then whv don't vou sav ves, Hattie? HARRIET (QUIETLY). Because— it. hardly seems right. I have the same love for you whicli the girl of years ago felt in her heart. But it seems odd to have vou come to me now. . 46 D(JCTOE. Hattie, I'm afraid voii have never quite forgiven me for that night, long, long ago, when i told you I was proud of the Northern soldier. You called me cruel, wicked, murderer, and sent nie awav. HARRIET. Oh, don't speak of that old folly! It was the mistake of my life. I was filled with my girlish ideas of a horror of war. I felt myself, Harriet Josselyn, to be above any such worldly struggle. My woman's heart has paid the cost of my girlish enthusi- asm. DOCTOR. Hattie, that's all passed. There was a time when it was just you and 1. Then I — marled — the other one. Then I heard children's voices in my home. Now — she has gone — and they are going. It comes back to you and me again. I haven't much to offer you, Hattie. Only the home of a country doctor. Rut I want you to finish your life out here, by the great river, with me. HARRIET. But it IS my home! It always har- been. In my heart I have always been your wife. (BAND STRIKES VV "CALL ME THINE OWN," AND PLAYS IT AS CORNET SOLO.) DOCTOR. Then we'll have a double weddiu'! HARRIET. I don't know. AYe must leave that for a while. Something will happen to sliow us whal to do. (dOES TO OATE AND LOOKS OFT AT THE RIVER.) DOCTOR. "Something will hapi)en." Things happen mighty slow in Riverside. HARRIET. Perhaps. See, this grand old river flows slowly. After many turnings it finds the sea. If you and I are to marry something will reveal it to us. (DOCTOR STANDS BY TREE WAT(^HING HER, AS SHE STANDS BY THE GATE IN THE ^MOONLIGHT.) (ENTER JUDGE CROSS RIGHT.) CROSS. Evenin', Doc. DOCTOR (SI^RPRISED). Evenin', Jedge. CROSS. Want to see ve for a minute. Doc. DOCTOR. Folks sick? CR(^SS. No. On business. An' I guess, 'foi-e .I'm through, you'll want to talk to me alone. 4-7 (GLANCES AT HARRIET, ^YHO TAKES THE HINT.) HARRIET. I will find the voimg people. DOCTOR. Walk slow. I'll catch you. (HARRIET EXITS OUT GATE AND R.) (CROSS COMES IN GATE AND DOWN FRONT. DOCTOR CENTRE.) DOCTOR. Jedge Ci-oss, you ain't come to me for five year. I can't imagin' what von want. CROSS. Advice, Doc. DOCTOR. Medical advice? You said, that time, you'd die, an' see all your folks buried, 'fore you'd call \ine in. CROSS. No, not medical advice. Personal ad- vice. I've got a case in hand for a client. It's a — peculiar case. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. A case? Want me fer an expert witness? CROSS. You see, it's like this. There's a young nmn got himself into a gamblin' scrape. He has lost money at cards and given his notes as payment of the obligation. The holders of the notes agreed to give him three months to pav. He ain't done it. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. What of it? CROSS. Why— they want him to! DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. Well, do yon want me to give 'em poison? (CHUCKLES.) CROSS. I want your advice. Now, this young man can't pay. I know that, myself. His father can't. He ain't got friends that can. For that reason if I sue it'll have to come out that he's a gambler. It's tough — on the old man. DOCTOR (WARMING). N-n-n-yes. That's the way, every time! It don't make any difference what you say, it's the innocent ones that suffer. If I had a son that would gamble like that, I would CROSS (INTERRTTPTING). What, Doc? DOCTOR (SUSPECTING THE TRUTH AND EY^EING CROSS). Stand by him to the last ditch! Look here, Cross. Who is this boy? (ENTER HARRIET; SEES ROW. EXITS TO GET HARRY".) CROSS. Doc Hunter, vou beat me in that law suit, 48 most a dozen years ago. I've been lay in' fer you evei- since. It's my turn now. There's some fellers in Chicago holds notes with Harry Hunter's name on the back. The feller that made 'em can't pay. They were given at the end of a card game. I want you to pay those notes! DOCTOR. Harry! A gambler! OROSvS. That's what it looks .like. Doc. (ENTER HARRY, FANCHON AND HARRIET, RIGHT.) DOCTOR (ANGRY). Cross, you take that back, or I'll break vour uglv old face! HARRY (COMING IN GATE). What's the row. Father? (ENTER M'CLELLAN AND ANNIE.) DOCTOR. Harry, this man sneaks in here after dark and say's you're a gamblei'! CROSS. I said your name was on the l)ack of gambling notes, Harrv. HARRY. What if it is? CROSS. They want their UKmey. that's wliat! HARRY. Biit thev promised— (ASIDE) Oh, fool ! DOCTOR (GREATLY AGITATED). Harry! My boy! ^Ty only son! Have you brought this dis- grace upon those who love you most! HARRY. Father, listen! DOCTOR. Don't explain! If you can't deny, spare us HARRY. Listen! As you love nie, listen! Those notes were given by a friend of mine to cover a gambling debt. He asked me to endorse them as a favor to him. He has a fortune and an income. He is abundantly able to pay them. CROSS. Rut he keeps on gainbling his money awav. DOCTOR. Oh, he does, does he? Tlien it's true that Harry didn't make the notes! Ha-ha-ha! Harry, my boy, I don't care now! Cross, go on about your business! CROSS. I'll sue ye! . DOCTOR. You can't collect a gambling debt! 4-9 CROSS; But I can put Hairy ou the stand and make him tell all about it I Tlie folks around iiere won't see the difference. Thev will think he's a gambler! 'Harrj^ Hunter, M. D., the young Doctor Hunter, a gambler! That would mean no trade here! HARRY. That's right! My Ood, I knew thih would come! DOCTOR (CHOKIN(t WITH EMOTION). How long do thev give us to pav? CROSS. I'll give ye till a week from to-da v ! DOCTOR. How much is it? A hundred dollars? CROSS. Five thousand dollars! DOCTOR (ALMOST SI»EECHLEt«'S). Five- thousand — dollars! That will take everything I own in this world! HARRY. Father, you're not going to attempt to pav that! DOCTOR (WILDLY). I'll pay 'em all. I'll mort- gage everything! I'll see you a week from today with every dollar of it! (BAND PLAYS CHORUS OF "YOU CAWT PLAY IN MY YARD," AND REPEAT TILL CUR TAIN.) M'C Harry, don't worry, old man. I'll go back tomorrow and see them. There's something gon(^ wrong. CROSS (TO M'CLELLAN). What do you know about this business? M'C. I evervthing! I am HARRY" (INTERRITPTING). Ht^ knows the par ties concerned. Dick, don't open your head again! You'll make a bad matter worse! Father, I am sure I can arrange this in Chicago DOCTOR. Arrange it? My son arrange a gambling debt! I'll pay 'em if T go begging with Annie in the streets! I believe ye, Harry, my son. 1 don't think you're to blame for this. But the blood- sucker has found liis chance and we can't shake him off. Jedge Cross, I'll pay ye, but git out of my yard! Don't stay here! It ain't safe! You better clear out an' go hear the band play! (CROSS OOFS OUT GATE AND ST.VNDS IN THE ROAD.) 50 CROSS. One week! Five thousand dollars! That was an expensive lawsuit, Doc! I ain't forgot it, just yet! HARRIET (QUIETLY). Doctor Hunter, you must not mortgage this home. It is Annie's as much as it is your own. DOCTOR (QUIETLY). Annie's? Yes, so it is. But I must clear Harry. His future, and mine, depend on it. I can take care of Annie. HARRIET. But I want to live here. Isn't there some other wav? DOCTOR. * Not that I know of. This property is all I have. I can't borrow five thousand dollars with- out securitv. HARRIET. I think vou can. DOCTOR. Oh, Harriet! You are very kind. But vou don't know how much five thousand dollars means to a countrv doctor! (TURNS FROM HER.) HARRIET. Yes, I do. I have lived very quietly down in Maine. But interest accures there, as it does everv where. I have taken good care of mv modest little estate. (QUIETLY^ GOING OVER ■t(^ HI:M AND TAKING HIS HAND.) Doctor, I told you— something would happen. What is mine is yours. 1 will lend it to vou. doctor'. You! Harriet.!) EMBRACES HER.) (FANCHON AND ANNIE EMBRACE. CROSS STARES OVER THE FENCE IN WONDER. M'CLELLAN STARTS FORWARD TO MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF IT, BI'T HARRY PREVENTS HIM.) CURTAIN. DOCTOR HUNTER. ACT III. (July. "Coin' to Hear the Band Play!") SCENE. INTERIOR OF GAMBLING SALOON, CHICAGO. REFERRED TO AS "219." DOORS R. U. E. AND L. U. E. ROTTLETTE TABLE IN OBERA- TION AT L. M. FARO AT R. M. TABLE IN CEN- TRE AND TO FRONT, ON WHICH POKER IS PLAYED DURING ACT. OTHER GAMBLING SA LOON FURNITURE. DOOR AT R. U. E. IS GUARD ED BY SCADS. DISCOVERED. M'CLELLAN AND SCADS IN CENTRE. GAMBLERS ABOUT TABLES IN ROOM, SAVE AT CENTRE TABLE, WHICH IS EMl'TY. M'C. Now you understand me, do you? These two men. Smith and Brown, are not to be admitted until you inform me that they are at the door. SCADS. Sure, sah. I'll do right smart. Now, see if I ain't right, sah. Dere's three gemmen besides dese two, what's gwine come here an' ask for you. I'se to let dem in right a war? M'C. Yes, unless I tell vou differently. (GIVES SCADS A DOLLAR.) That's all. Only be careful, and if all goes well, I'll giye yau a V bye-and-bye. (SITS AT SIDE OF TABLE CENTRE.) SCADS (ASIDE.) A V tip comin'. Does I make a break under dese circumstances? Not on your in- come taxes! (GOES TO HIS POST AT THE DOOR.) ROI^LETTE ^^'HEEL. Seyen on the red! M'C. (SOLUS). Fiye thousand dollars is easily turned in this house. It meant everything to them. The old Doctor is a brick, and the old maid is a brown- stone front! If I didn't win back those notes after what I saw, I'd be fit to grace a dungeon! Only two weeks. My, but it seems a year since that beautiful eyening on the Mississippi! Dick McClellan, you're 52 accustomed to admiration, but you never saw honest love looking at you before. She heard me tel! H:irrv that I'd come back here and fix certain things, and she thought it so good of me! If she had known that Harry did it for me Oh, whnt do I care. It was a pretty face, that's all. SCADS (AT DOOR). Who's dal? Wliat? Yes, sah. Come in, sah. (OPENS DOOR.) (ENTER HARRY AT SCAD'S DOOR, R. I . E.) ROULETTE WHEEL. Double ouglit in the black. Nobody on it! HARRY (GOING TO M'CLELLAN). Dick .how is everything? M'C. How are you, Harry? (SHAKES HANDS) Everything is in line. Don't get nervous, my boy. AVe want cool heads. Where is the Doctor? HARRY. I left him with Pettengil, in the club room looking at the pictures. M'C. The pictures? Quite a novelty for the Doc- tor and the Grand Army of the Republic, eh? HARRY. Yes, biit I left them pur])oseh. I want to talk to you alone. Tell me, how long have these fellows agreed to wait? M'C. What of that? We can't fail to win to- night. It's going to be simple, every day robbery, that's all ! ROT^LETTE WHEEL. The big red! Who's the lucky man? HARRY. How did you c^et them to agi'ee to i)lay ? M'C. That's a different story. I promised to transfer to them certain properties in one month. They agreed to wait, and called back those notes. HARRY. They did? Cross is ]tretending thai he has them in his old safe! WC. They have the notes in their possession and will produce them here tonight. Have you taught the Doctor the rudiments of poker? HARRY. Rudiments! Well, rather! He has "done" me at "Pennv x\nte" since the first lesson! M'C. Ha-ha-ha! Good for the Doctor. I told these fellows that I had a guy from the country on the string. No offense to the Doctor, you know. I told them that he had several thousand dollars about him 53 and that Jones would furnish nie money to sit in. 1 negk^-ted to say that Jones woukl furnish the Doetoi- — or rather "the guy" — money also. They haven't much cash, and will spring those notes on me during the play. See? HARRY. Yes. l>ut how did you persuade Jones to furnish the money? M'C. He's under an old obligation to me. HARRY. He must be sure of winning. M'C. Sure? Does the highwayman feel sure of his victim when he has him looking down a gun bariel? Jones knows the deck as well as you know your ^Materia Medica, This is his own table, and he will deal the decisive hand. It's a lead pipe cinch! HARRY, If it were not for winning back those notes I never could have persuaded the Doctor to go into this. He considers winning simply stealing. But he looks at this as a legitimate bit of private detective work. M'C. Did the (Ji'and Ai'mv come armed? HARRY. Yes, and so did I. (PATS PISTOL POCKET.) M'C. Well, vou two are to stav in the bar room, there. (POINTS 'l. IT. E.) When I say loudly, "I ac- knowledge those signatures," vou send the old siJdier to open that door (POINTS' TO SCADS' DOOR). Scads will open it for you. You cover the Doctor's retreat, and Jones and I will remain to ex])lain mat- ters to the two gentlemen, who will be both sur])rised and interested. • HARRY. All right. We'll do our part. Put Dick, old man, there's something else I want to talk over with vou. I have a sort of confession to make. (CAUTIOUSLY.) My sister, Annie, is in love. M'C. (SHOWS HIS PLEASURE BI^T SPEAKS GITARDEDLY.) Indeed! She is rather young to be seriously — interested. HARRY. That is the real trouble. She is so young that she is idealizing her hero. WC Idealizing? HARRY. Yes. She thinks he is her brother's fellow-student. She thinks he lost his diploma through other causes — than cards. She does not know that he is a 54 M'C. Harry! HARRY. Listen, Dick. You and I have been good friends, but I come to you now as a brother pk^ading the cause of his sister. Annie is deeply in love with you. You are getting deeper and deeper in love with cards. Now, Dick, I am done with gaming. I vvant you to have done with it or. I want you to let Annie know the truth. M'C. (QUIETLY.) What good would that do? HARRY. It would shatter her idol. Dr. Hun ter's daughter would ne^er marry a self-confessed gambler. ^rC. And you expect me to do that? You never could be a gambler. H.VRRY. I want you to choose between my sister and the cards. I ask it for her sake. M'C. Harry Hunter, your genuine gambler con- siders himself always a gentleman. He is the best dressed man, the smoothest man, the ])roudest man in the comjiany. He wants to be the best of fellows. The only thing he will not do is to admit that he is a gambler. HARRY. Have you gone that far? Have you given u]> the pleasures and o])Dortunities of our choser; profession? Is the card table better than the study? INI'C. Chosen ])rofession? Perha])s this is my chosen profession. HARRY. Then why not acknowledge it? M'(\ This is a queer interview! , HARRY. It is an important interview! If you car-e anything for her, do this one thing, and be a man about it! ^rC. Care for her? (QI^TETLY.) I don't know that I ever HARRY (INTERRI 'rTING). Dick, either you or I must tell her the truth. If you loved her you would do this. It is evident that you do not. You, who have known the belles of society, the wits of the town, you do not care for the little wild rose of the country. Either you tell her, or I will bring her to Chicago and show her! WC. Oh, don't do that! I will do what you ask. Your sweet little woman has come the nearest of all of them to touching mv heart. You are right, I have 55 gone too far with the cards. All our plans for the profession are at an end for me. I have but one mis- tress; and some men call her Tiger. 1 do care — honestly for — your sister. If I didn't — there's no power I know of could make me tell her that I am — a gambler. (THEY CLASP HANDS.) HARRY. Dick, old man. is it worth the cost? 1 never saw anything in the game that could hold me like this. M'C. (WITH A SIGH). I know what I am doing. Don't talk any more. I will let her know; at least enough of the truth to cure. Only let me do it in my own way. I will forfeit a woman's love to listen to the purr of the tiger! SCADS (AT HIS DOOR). Wb.at's dat! Who said so? All right. (GOES TO M'CLELLAN.) De two gentlemtn down in the club room sent up to know if dev was forgitted? M'C. Send for them. (SCADS EXIT R. II. E.) M'C. Does Doctor Hunter know? HARRY. No. M'C. Don't tell him— ever! ' (ENTER SCADS, DOCTOR AND PETTENGIL R. IT. E.) DOCTOR (AFTER LOOKING INTERESTED LY ABOUT HIM). Lively place, ain't it, Cv? PET. Pretty swift. Doc. DOCTOR. Harry, did ye see them pictures down stairs? (CHI^CKLES.) They're worse than a dis- secting room full of bran new stiffs! M'C. Those are choice selections of t1ie finest French studies from the nude. DOCTOR. French? N-n-n-yes. My boy, legs are the same shape in all languages. Ha-ha-ha! Anyhow, they're a fine lookin' lot o' w^omen. Pettengil called 'em "undress parades." PET. That's right. (EYES SCADS WHO HAS BEEN EYEING HT^NI.) See anything ve w^ant? SCADS. I w^ants somethin' I don't see. (HOLDS HAND FOR TIP.) PET. Are voa another one er them Pullman fellers? 56 SCADS. Nit. iMy name is Scads, an' dat's wliat I want. PET. A tip? SCADS. Uh-huh! PET. Well, I'll give ye a "tip"! Over tliiity yeai- ago t stood up to be shot at by the feller that owned your pa and ma. You wan't born yet. He didn't hit as many of me as I did of him. So he had to set yer pa and ma free. If a lot of us fellers HADN'T a-stood up to be shot at you'd a-bin wearin' a collar 'stead of that livery. I ti]>ped you all I'm goin' to — 'fore you was born! SCADS (IN PUZZLED WONDER— THEN SIN- CERELY). Golly! Was you a Yankee soldier? I guess you'se right, boss. You don't owe me nothin'. It's me 'at owes vou. I 'pologize, sah. Honest, I do, sah! Have a cigar, sah! (GIVES PETTENGIL A CIGAR AND RETIRES TO HIS DOOR.) (ALL LAUGH AT PETTENGIL, WHO STANDS HOLDING CIGAR AWKWARDLY.) PET. (QUIETLY). It's a good way, to have (he ])ipe of peace follow the smoke of battle. M'C. Doctor, before I tell you our plan, I want to ask a favor. When you get home to Riverside, don't tell vour women folks what vou see and hear to-night. DOCTOR. I guess you're right, Mr. McClellan. Harry and I can fix up a story for them. M'C. How about tlie old soldier? DOCTOR. Pettengil ? I'd trust him 'fore I would Harrv or mvself. Yon see. he ain't in love. M'C. Ha-ha-hn! .Ml right. Doctor. (ENTER JONES L. V. E.) M'C. Ah. Mr. Jones, this is Doctor Hunter. Doc tor, this is Mi'. Jones, the proprietor. JONES. Doctor. I have every respect foi' a man of science. DOCTOR. Thank you, sir. These bovs say yon are a man of science, yourself. (CHUCKLES.) M'C. Ml-. Jones, allow me. Doctor Hunter. Jr., and Can't Pettenjril. PET. Private Pettencil. if vou please. JONES. Private Pettencil, be careful, to-niffht. A show of arms at the most T\ill do our work. Do not 57 take any of us for rebs and pick us off as you did the grey coats of '61. PET. No danger. I won't disgrace their honest grey coats by auA' sucli mistake. UOCTOR. Mr. Jones, I never set foot in a gambling house before. I don't want to again, unless in my ])ro- fessional capacity. IJut, sir, as you are doing me ana mine a favor to-night, I come here openly, and 1 want to thank vou, now, while I have a chance. JONES (QITIETLY). Doctor, you are bearding the lion in his den. You know the old saying: "It takes all sorts of men to make a woi'ld." 1 suspect you are a bit surprised to find us sporting peo}»le human. Well, even we can enjoy a breath from the countrv. DOCTOR. That means me. Ha-ha-ha! JONES. You're all right. Doctor. But when we play to-night, we must call you Dr. Green. And be careful to act as though vou had never seen Mcflellan before. (JONES AND DOCTOR GO TO ROTTLETTE TABLE AND WATOH GAME.) SCADS. What's dat! Well, wait a minute! (GOES TO M'CLELLAN.) De other two gemmen is at de door, sah. M'C. Well, wait a minute. Harry, you and the old soldier "duck." Remember the signal. HARRY. Y^es. "I acknowledge the signatures." M'C. Cap't Pettengil, remember. No shooting. PET. (QUIETLY).' Sir, if you were a broken- down veteran you would not say that. I know what shootin' means. I helped to break a nation's back, an' I have lived to know the funeral expenses. (EXIT HARRY AND PETTENGIL L. U. E.) M'C. Let them in, Scads. SCADS (GOES TO THE DOOR AND OPENS IT). Come in, sah. (ENTER SMITH AND BROWN AT SCADS- DOOR.) SMITH (TO M'CLELLAN). On deck. I see. Where's the victim? M'C. Sh-h-h-. Not far off. How are vou? (ACTS VERY FRIENDLY.) 58 SMITH. Ready to tackle anvthiiij^' — froiu the country! BROWN. Howdy, Mae. How much money i& likely to be in sight? MT'. He has about five thousand, as lu^arly as I can discover. BROWK T^m-huh. If we had that monf^v on those notes of yours M'C. You do not need it. He thinks I am worth money. If the play runs to a large figure, I will ex ]>lain to him, and he will allow the notes. I hav(^ had liim in tow. and he thinks I'm made of raonev. (BROWN AND SMITH LAT^GH.) JONES ((M)M[NG DOWN FRONT WITH DOC TOR). Are these your friends. Mr. McClellan? M'C Yes. I'ermit me. Mr. Jones, Mr. Smith; Mr. Brown. And this (AVINKS AT THE DOCTOR) is Dr. Green, from Rock Island. SMITH. Green, my boy, delighted. How do vou find Chicago? (SHAKES HANDS.) BR( )WN. Delighted, old br;v. (SHAKES HANDS WITH DOCTOR.) How's all the family? DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. You fello^vs are darn easy to git acquainted with, ain't ye? SAHTH. Well, you see. living in the metroi>olis, we get used to moving quickly. I su])pose Vou take a week to know a. man in the country ? DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. An' sometimes longer. l?ut when we finish there ain't much left. BROWN. Know Chicago pretty well? DOCTOR. I went through here in '70 when I comf^ M'est. BROWN. It's changed since then. There's been two new buildings put up on State street.. (WINKS AT SMITH.) DOCTOR. You fellers are kiddin' the old doctor, ain't ve? See here, how long ye been in Cliicauo? BROWN. I "growed" here. DOCTOR. Ye "growed" here. Well, can ye nam(> every street, alley and buildin' that ye would go throu'rh in jroin' straight from here to the lake? BROWN. Well, hardly. DOCTOR. N-n-n-yes. I thought ye couldn't. Well. 1 can name every street, or allev and buildin' in vour 59 Old (.-areas beginnin' anywhere and comin^ out any- where. I can cut into your neck here (TAKES HOLD OF HIM) and run a hole clear through, and miss every artery and dodge all bones, an' not even make ye sick. Bodies are the same in Chicago and everywhere else, an' I "growed up" studyin' them. 'Pears to me I know my kingdom best. M'O. Dr. (Ireen is on to vou, Browuy. SMITH (EFFORT TO GET EVEN WITH DOC). Well, I don't know. Doctors are pretty good, I sup- pose. But I've doctored with Homo-"patty," Allo- "pattv" and quack and I never saw the use of them. DOCTOR. Well, that's no wonder. You can't malce brick out of gumbo. The Lord made man out of clay, with a bit of sand to spice him. You can doctor gumbo allo-"patty" and homo-"patty"; quack and Billy Deacon's wife, but it's still gumbo. I don't believe a miracle could make a man of you. 1*ET. I have always noticed that when a man gets si.'k he wants two things right away, no matter who be may be. First, the woman, and next, the doctor. JONES, (lentlemen, I think the time will go more agreeablv if we sit down. (ALL SIT AT CENTRE TABLE AND WELL TO THE FRONT.) JONES. Brown, I think you and Doctor Oreen better call it quits. Scads! SCADS (APPROACHING). Yes, sah. JONES. Bring wine and a few decks. SCADS. Yes sah. (EXIT L. U. E.) M'C. (TO KEEP UP DECEPTION BEFORE S]\IITH AND BROWN). Doctor, I have a great re- spect for a man of medicine. I put in three years at Rush, mvself. DOCTOR (FOLLOWING DICK'S LEAD). In^ deed! Have you ever practiced? M'C. No. You see, the faculty DOCTOR. N-n-n-ves. No diploma? M'C. Exactlv. D0CTOR( LOOKING ABOFT HIM). Did this— take too much time? M'C. I fear it did. (ENTER SCADS L. WITH CHAMPAGNE.^ 60 ISMITH. Chaiuptione, by craokyl Jonesv\ my bo3% you do us liouoi'. JONES. Tliank you. (POURS WINE.) liRO\^'N. If I may be allowed to propose a toast. Here's to Green and his physic ! SMITH. Ureen and his plivsic! M'C. (LOOKING HARD AT THE DOCTOR). May it always make the band play! (ALL DRINK SAVE DOCTOR HUNTER. HE HOLDS HIS GLASS TO THE LIGHT.) BROWN. What's the matter, Doe? Is it full of baccilicusses? M'C. The Doctor explained to me to-day gentle- men. He says a yery little wine upsets him. He wants to be excused. (MAKES FA(^ES AT SMITH AND EROWN, INDICATIN(i FOR THEM NOT TO MIND THE COI'NTRYMAN.) SMITH. Oh. certainly. Here, gimme your glass. (HE DRINKS DOCTOR'S WINE.) That bea is all your physic, old Pill Bags! Ha-ha-ha! (SCADS POURS ALL AROI'ND SAVE IN D0(^- TOR'S GLASS AND RETIRES L.) DOCTOR. If you'll juet keep that up a while. I shall feel proud to play with you. SMITH. Oh. excuse me. ' (TO BRl^WN.) Damn this stuckup old moss-back! Let's squeeze him for (^yery dollar he's got! BROWN (TO SMITH). You bet. (ENTER SCADS WITH CARDS.) (THEY PLAY IN SILENCE, DURING WHICH "ROI^LETTE WHEEL" GIVES HIS (^\LLS. DICK'S DEAL AT vSTART. BROWN WINS. THEY DEAL AROI^ND IN TURN, BROWN. DOCTOR, JONES, S:\nTH. THE GAME RUNS IN SILEN( ^E . BETTING AND WINNING AS THE CARDS RT^N, TILL ON JONES' FIRST DEAL DICK WINS. SMITH IS NEXT TO DEAL AND ON THIS AND THE SUC- CESSIVE DEALS AROUND TO JONES AGAIN THEY BET AND WIN AS THE CARDS RUN. ON JONES' DEAL DOCTOR HUNTER GETS FOUR r.i A(^ES^. HE RAISES UNTIL SMITH AND lUiOWN ARE exhausted; they have good hands AND WANT TO STAY IN. BROWN LOOKS AT -M'CLELLAN INQUIRIN(iLY, AND HE NODS.) BROWN. Gentlemen, me an' m}'- friend Smitli holds Mac's notes for a trifle over five thousand dollars. If you will allow us to use them we can stay in. Other- wise, we must drop. (THEY PRODUf^E THE NOTES. M'GLELLAN INSPECTS THEM.) M'C. They are genuine. (LOTn)LY.) I acknowl- edge the signatures! (HARRY AND PETENGIL ENTER L. PET- TENGIL CROSSES TO SCADS' DOOR.) (DOCTOR READS THE ENDORSEMENTS, M'CLELLAN HIDING HIS OWN SK^NATURES.) DOCTOR (WITH SUPPRESSED EXCITEMENT). All right. W(\ The Doctor is satisfied, gentlemen. ^lake vour bets. (THE DOCTOR RAISES TILL HE IS EXHAUST- ED, SMITH AND BROWN I'SIN(5 THE NOTES.) -TONES. Well, this is getting t(»o sti'ong for me. I withdraw. M'C. Here, too! DOCTOR. Will you lend me this? (POINTS TO JONES' MONEY.) Mac. here, knows that I am good for it. JONES. Certainlv. (HANDS HIM MONEYS) (THE DOCTOR THEN EXHAT^STS SMITH AND P>ROWN. HE PICKS TTR THE NOTES TO READ THEM. SEES THE SIGNATT'RE.) DOCTOR (IN STTRPRISE, TO M'CLELLAN). Y^)u? M'C Doctor Hunter, before you stir ]iromisc me one thing. Never tell your daughter what you have found out tonight! DOCTOR (RISING). Don't worry, sir! I won't tell. I'm as ashamed of it as you are. It was for you that my boy signed these notes, and vou mv guest! SMITH. Doctoi- Hunter! Is this '- 62 (HARRY COMES TO THE TABLE; THE DOC- TOR STEPS BACK WITH THE NOTES.) M'C. Plav your hand, Doctor ! DOCTOR (PICKS UP HIS HAND, FOUR ACES, AND THROWS IT ON THE TABLE FACE UP). There voii are. Harry, my boy, you didn't tell nie you did this for HIM. SMITH. Hell and blazes! Harry Hunter, is this your old man? DOCTOR. You bet it's his "old man!" SMITH. Well, this won't do. Where are you go ing with those notes? DOCTOR. Going? Oh-h-h-h! Cxoing to hear the band play!!! (SMITH ATTEMPTS TO DRAW A REVOLVER BUT IS COVERED BY REVOLVER IN HANDS OP M'CLELLAN. HARRY COVERS BROWN. JONES PLACES HIS HANDS OVER THE MONEY. PET- TEN(HL OPENS DOOR R. AND ALLOWS THE DOC- TOR TO RUN OUT.) CURTAIN. 63 DorTOR HUNTER. ACT IV. (September. "\A'eddin's, weddin's, weddin's".) SCENE: SAME AS ACT L, SAVE NO BED. EOFR O'CLOCK P. M. TREPARING FOR A G 0'(^LJCK WEDDING AND SUPPER. LON(} TA- I3LE SET AT RACK OF STAGE.) DISCOVERED: MOTHER RUSHFORD, FAN CHON, HARRIET, NAN AND PRIVATE PETTEN- (HL. I»ET (STANDS AT DOOR R. ^^ITH EXPRESS PACKAGE. IS DRESSED FOR WEDDING, SAVE THAT HE IS IN HIS SHIRT SLEEVES). Seems as if a weddin' made more rumpus than an election. NAN. Oil, no, Uncle Cy. There's no torchlights nor speechmaking. PET. There's lots of speechmakin' my girl. Softest kind of speeches, too! MOTHER R. Now, Uncle Cy, anyone would think von knew! PET. (NOT NOTICING THE THRUST). Nan, the bovs is goin' to "shiveree" 'em! NAN (DANCING ABOITT). Oh, good, good! HARRIET. "Shiveree?" ^Vhat in the world is that? NAN. Ha-ha-ha! You'll find out to-night! PET. "Shiveree," Miss Josselyn, is what the boys call it. They go to a house where there is a weddin' goin' on, an' when the preacher says "Amen" tlie^' I)ound on tin pans, and yell like sixty. Then the groom goes out and gives 'em money to buy drinks, and then the whole gang escorts the liap})y pair to the depot. HARRIET. Goodness! Then I'm very glad I'm to have no wedding trip. FAN. Harry and I will have to \^a\k the plank. NAN. What hav<^ you got there, T^ncle Cy? 64 PET. An express package for Hairy Iruiu Chi- cago. NAN (TAKES IT). Oh, it's from Mr. McCnelhml I'm going toi open it ! MOTHER R. Nan Rushford, don't you do any such thing. Talie it in the parlor and leave it till Harry conies. NAN. Oh, well, it's for the bride, anyway 1 FAN. Nan, put it in the parlor. I may not open Harry's packages just yet. NAN. Oh, dear, vou don't tell me? My, but you'll get over that! (EXIT TO THE 1^VRL()R WITH BUNDLE.) (ENTER ANNIE HUNTER FRO^I OUT OF DOORS CARRYING HARRIET'S DRESS.) ANNIE. Here's vour dress. Aunt Hattibelie. (LAYS IT DOWN.) MOTHER R. Aunt Hattibelie! II will be Mother Hattibelie soon now. ANNIE. Yes, and I will be so glad. (KISSES HARRIET.) FAN. Me, too. (KISSES ANNIE.) PET. Just as though they wouldn't g(-t enough of that without practicin' among themselves! MOTHER R. Well, I guess Nan and I can do tlie rest. Now you two go with Annie and be getting dressed. It's after four and this wedding is at six. (ENTER NAN FROM PARLOR.) NAN. Hello, Annie. Ooing to dress the brides? ANNIE. The brides! How large that sounils for Riverside! FAN. (STANDING WITH HARRIET). The two brides. The two Mrs. Doctors Hunter. HARRIET. How odd it sounds. I shall still be Hattie, and Hattibelie. "Mrs. Dr. Huntei-" frightens me. Come Annie. (TAKES BI'NDLE.) Conie and dress the brides. Your mother and vour sister. (EXIT FAN, HARRIET AND ANNIE.) MOTHER R. Come, Nan. hel]) me finish. A double weddin' makes a deal of work. T'ncle Cy. PET. That's a fact! Evervone's been busv all 65 day. Doc ain't Wen to the office orn-k-. He "^ (txei- To the liouse fixiu' up to beat 2:401 XAX. Well, wouldn't you. if vou were to be a firooni ? CAI'T (WITHOUT. SHOI'TS TLEASAXTLY. THOUGH ROUrTHtn. V^Tiere's that damn'd old Sixth Maine Vet? I've been huntin' him fer most a week. Someone told me he was here! s, my girl. ^lorc than you will ever know. Now, you run home and dress for the wedding-. Don't think any more about him. for if you do Father will be very much displeased. (KISSEH HER.) Now, run along. It's getting near the time for the minister to come. (EXIT TO PAR- LOR.) ANNIE (SOLUS) Harry didn't invite him I "Lots of things More than you will ever know." Oh, dear, what does it all mean? My Dick! Oh, dear. I shall never see him again. (SOBS.) Dick, Dick, my heart is breaking for you, and you do not know it I (ENTER PETTENGIL FROM OFT OF DOORS. HAS COAT ON.) PET. Where's Doc? (ANNIE POINTS IN PARLOR.) PET. (NOTICES ANNIE'S CRYING). Ol' man Norton's sick an' thev want Doc. (GOES TO DOOR OF PARLOR.j Oh, Doc ! DR. (WITHIN). What say-e-e! PET. or Norton's sick. They want ye. DR. (ENTER). Ol' Norton. N-n-n-yes. I'll bet he got sick on purpose to send for me. It's most timi^ for the weddin's. Well, I'm glad he don't live outside the village. I'm glad it ain't a call to Watertown or over to the Cilfe. PET. "St. Louis" is hitchin' up fer ve. DR. All right, Cy. Tell 'em I'll be right back. (EXIT OI^T OF DOORS.) PET. Annie, child, v.hat ye cryin' 'bout? Is thi& weddin' too much for ye? Why. child, ye ain't got yer new dress on yit! ANNIE. Uncle Cy, I want you to tell me some thing, honest! Why didn't Harry ask Mr. McClellan to come to the wedding? PET. (UTTERS A LOW WHISTLE). What ye want to know fer? ANNIE. Because — I — I — hoped he'd come. PET. (ASIDE). I was afraid she thought too much of him. (TO HER.) Annie, child, he ain't a flt man fer vou to be thinkin' of. He is 68 ANNIE (ANGRY). Not lit! Not fit! Oh, how can jou talk so! Didn't he come here! Didn't he help Harry recover those notes? Didn't we all like him? And now you say lie's not fit to come here aj^ain. You are mean, unjust, cruel, all of vou! PET. Help Harry recover the notes? \Yell, 1 should smile! Why, he^ (CHECKS HIMSELF. ASIDE.) Oh, i)oor Annie. She does not know. And she loves him because he helped ^et them back. (TO HER.) Annie, what has vour Father told vou? ANNIE (PACING THE FLOOR). :\lore than I think he ouji,ht to have said. ITnde Cy. I am ?;oiuji' to Chicajio to find Dick McClellan! PET. ToChicajio! You! Why. child, you d