NO PLAYS e:xchangb:d. Three Dear Friends Price, 15 Cents COPYRIGHT. 1889, BY WALTER H. BAKER & CO. B* m* Pinero's Plays Price, 50 Cents Cacb •flip A M A 7niMQ Farce in Three Acta. Seven males, five fe- iriEi nilLniAjnO males. Costumes, modern; scenery, not difficult. Plays a full evening. TUC PADIMrT MIIMICTTD Farce in Four Acts. Ten InL LAdIJiLI IVllillOlEitV males, nine females. Cos tumes, modern society; scenery, three interiors. Plays a fvdl evening. nANnY nif IT Farce in Three Acts. Seven males, four fe- LfixijUl 1/lV/Iv. males. Costumes, modem; scenery, two inte- riors. Plays two hours and a half. mP kV I nnn HITFY comedy in Four Acts. Fourmales, UAl LitriVU VUEiA ten females. Costumes, modern; icenery, two interiors and an exterior. Plays a full evening. UTC UniTCr TM APnVD Comedy in Pour Acts. Nine males, niiJ nUUOJD 111 UK1/Cil\ four females. Costumes, modern; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening. , THI7 UriRRV UriDQI? Comedy in Three Acts. Ten males, inili nvFDDl nV/IVOi:i nve femjiles. Costumes, modern; scenery easy. Plays two hours and a half. intc Drama in Five Acts. Seven males, seven females. Costumes, »»**"3 modern ; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening. ff AFkV RfiTTMTICTTI Play in Four Acts, Eight males, seven LiH.lfl I>UUi^lirUJL females. Costumes, modern; scen- ery, four interiors, not easy. Plays a full evening. 1 pTTV Drama in Four Acts and an lEpilogue. Ten males, five *^*^l 1 1 females. Costumes, modern; scenery complicated. Plays a full evening. THF MAr'I'JTP ATP Farce in Three Acts. Twelve males, inCi m/l\Ilr7 1 IV/i 1 IJ four females. Costumes, modern; scenery, all interior. Plays two hours and a half. Sent prepaid on receipt of price by Walttt ?|, JSafeer & Company No. 5 Hamilton Place, Boston, Massachusetts Three Dear Friends A Feminine Episode in One Act By KATHARINE METCALF ROOF Originally produced at B. F. KeiiK s Bijou Theatre, Boston, under the management of Josephine Clement BOSTON WALTER H. BAKER & CO. 1914 Three Dear Friends CHARACTERS (^1 originally produced at B. F. Keith' s Bijou Theatre, Boston, September 2g, igij. ) Mildred ..... Marjorie Fairbanks. Peggy ...... Betty Bamicoat. Eva ....... Gertrude Breen. Mildred's Maid Agnes Cave. NOTE This play may be performed by amateurs free of royalty and with- out express permission. The professional stage-rights are, however, strictly reserved, and performance by professional actors, given in ad- vertised places of amusement and for profit, is forbidden. Persons who may wish to produce this play publicly and professionally should apply to Katharine Metcalf Roof, The Holley, 36 Washington Square, New York. Copyright, 1914, by Katharine Metcalf Roof All rights reserved TMP96-006718 ©OLD .'36103 FEB 21 1914 Three Dear Friends SCENE. — A corner of the drawing-room in Mildred's house. Jt is about quarter before four and is MiL.'s day at home. Mil. is inspecting the tea table. She addresses the Maid who stands awaiting instructions. Mil. I think everything is here. Be sure the water is boil- ing. I'll ring when I want it. {Listens.) There is some one now. (Peggy comes exuberantly through the open door. She is a pretty girl dressed in the extreme of fashion, rather rest- less and over-animated and extremely well pleased with herself. ) Peg. My dear ! (She embraces Mil. effusively.) Mil. (Jo Maid). Bring the hot water now. (Maid goes out with silver kettle.) Peg. I came early so I would be sure to find you alone. I hope nobody will come. Mil. You have something to tell me ? Peg. Rather ! Mil. Another man ? Peg. How did you guess ? It is so satisfactory to tell you things, Milly. You always understand. Mil. I've just had a telephone from Eva. She has some- thing to tell me, too. Peg. Is she coming this afternoon ? (Mil. nods.) How tiresome of her ! How can you stand that dismal limp crea- ture, Milly? Mil. {laughing). Poor Eva ! I thought you used to be such friends ? Peg. I got tired of hearing her talk about herself all the time. Then she is always butting into my conversations with 3 4 THREE DEAR FRIENDS Arthur. If you could see how bored he looks ! I suppose one oughtn't to blame her. The poor little thing is simply dotty about him. Mil. Arthur ? Peg. Arthur Chisholm. That's what I came to talk about. Maid enters with the silver kettle which she sets in place over the alcohol lamp. Maid. Anything else, miss ? Mil. Nothing, thank you. [^Exit Maid. Peg. The situation is really getting serious Mil. You are speaking of Arthur — Chisholm? Peg. {twddifig). Yes. Milly ! what did he say when you asked him what he thought about me? {As Mil. does not answer at once.) You did ask him, didn't you? You prom- ised you would. Mil. Yes, I — spoke of you. Peg. {jumping excitedly in her chair). Milly / What did he say ? Mil. He said you were very vivacious. Peg. Vivacious ! That means that one is attractive and er — a — clever, I suppose. I don't know that 1 care about hav- ing men think I am clever. Mil. He spoke of how pretty you are. But you are used to having men say that. Peg. I see. He didn't take you into confidence. So /am going to because my conscience is really beginning to trouble me. Dicky Warner says 1 am perfectly unfeeling and heart- less. I am afraid I have been rather, but I've made up my mind not to trifle with Arthur Chisholm's affections. There is something so sort of deep and serious about him. It makes you feel as if he wouldn't get over a thing easily. Of course I don't believe in broken hearts and lifelong loves and that sort of thing but when a man looks at you with that look in his eyes {Pauses dreamily helping herself to salted almonds.) Mil. {busy with the alcohol lamp). Some particular kind of look? Peg. Yes, a sort of deep wistful adoring look. And when he said to me Mil. {a little hastily). Are you sure you want to tell me what he says to you THREE DEAR FRIENDS 5 Peg. (^staring). Why not ? Don't I tell you everything ? Mil. {with whimsical humor). A great deal ! But per- haps Peg. When he said to me with that deep look — " Did you really remember my chance words about the apple blos- soms, Miss Peggy? But how delightful of you!" it meant more than if another man had said Mil. Apple blossoms ? You — sent him some flowers ? Peg. {pouting). I sent him some apple blossoms, if you call that sending flowers. Of course one doesn't send a man violets. They came from the country. At least the florist said they did. Besides he is a writer. Mil. On economics. Peg. Well, whatever it is. I suppose all writers have temperament, favorite flowers and all that sort of thing. And he sent me the most wonderful note. I believe I have it in my bag. {Rummages in her bag.) Here it is. {Takes note out of her bag.') Mil. Won't you have some tea ? It's just right now. Peg. {handing her the note with a giggle). Read it. Mil. When I've poured your tea. Peg. I'll read it to you. It isn't just what he says. A man who didn't mean anything would say a lot more. But from one of his reserved nature Mil. {handing her a cup). Here is your tea. Peg. {taking it, setting it down and reading). " I am over- whelmed by your kindness. You hare brought the Spring into my dingy room " / have " brought the Spring." You see. {Giggles.) He puts it so that it sort of suggests that / am the Spring. Then he signs it, " Faithfully yours." Oh, of course I know that is just a form with some people. But I think he is the kind of man who couldn't write it unless he meant some sort of chivalrous fealty You understand. No, I don't suppose you do exactly, you are such a quiet little mouse, and you never see much of men. I don't mean that they don't like you, of course. They always say nice things about you — quiet, respectful sort of things. But you never say much about them. Then although he has never actually used the word love there is something in the way he says, "My dear child," that makes you feel Mil. {interrupting). I thought you just told me that you were absolutely unfeeling about men ? 6 THREE DEAR FRIENDS Peg. I am. That is, I always have been. {Helps herself to chocolates.') But there is something about Arthur Chisholm that makes me feel as if I could keep on caring about him. Mil. (Jiastily). You wouldn't, I am sure you wouldn't. Peg. {taking another chocolate creani). I would, Milly, I am sure I would ! Course he hasn't actually proposed yet be- cause when I see that look coming into his eyes — I have learned to know what that look in a man's face means — I simply change the subject. I am really sort of afraid to lead him on. Why, if I refused him he might do something desperate — commit suicide or go to Patagonia or something like that. I once knew a man who was crossed in love who went to New Guinea or some such place. Mil. Chili, perhaps. Peg. Then sometimes when I am talking he jumps up sud- denly and leaves me as if he couldn't trust himself with me a moment longer. Perhaps I ought not to encourage him. {Keeps on absently eating things from the table.') What do you think ? Mil. That is rather a difficult question for any one else to answer, Peggy, especially for me because Peg. (ifitermpting). I know, you have had so little experi- ence with men. But still you know »/3 Chambers. Four males, three fe- males. Scenery, an interior and an exterior; costumes, modern. Acting rights reserved. Plays a full evening. Price, 50 Cents. A WOMAN OF NO. IMPORTANCE ^^^J^^^tlTk^l^^, seven females. Costumes, modern ; scenery, three interiors and an exterior. Plays a full evening. Stage rights reserved. Offered for reading only. Price, 50 Cents. Sent prepaid on receipt of price by 5^alter !^» l3after d Company No. 5 Hamilton Place, Boston, Massachusetts • . ' OARKHILL & CO., PRINTERS, BOSTON.