NO PLAYS EXCHANGED. THE PROPOSAL COPYRIGHT, 1889, BY WALTER H. BAKER & CO. piays for /Amateur Sl^eatrieals. BY C^ORGS TUt. BPCKER. Auth(yt of "Avtateitr Dramnsy "Tke Mimic Sfn^e." "T/te Social Stnge,^'' **The Drawing' Kootn Stage'' ''''Handy Dramas,' "/'/«einiji>hn. 4 char. . . 15 The Runaways. 4 char 15 The Thief of Time. 6 char 35 Wanted, a Male Cook. 4 char. ... 15 Female Characters Only. A Love of A Bonnet. 5 char 15 A Precious Pickle. 6 char 15 No Cure No Pay. 7 riiar 15 The Champion op-Her Sex. 8 char. . 15 The Greatest Plaque in LifE, 8 char. 15 The Gkecian Benu. 7 char. . . » . 15 'I'he REb Chignon. f> char. . . . i i' 15 Using the Weed. 7 char. ... . . 15 • ALLEGORIES. Arranged for Music and Tableaux, Lighthart's Pilgrimage. 8 female char. . ... . . . . . . . ..15 TiiE Kevolt of the, Bees. 9 female char '.„...;. 15 The Sculptor's Triumph, i male. 4 fe- male char. 15 The Tournament of Idylcourt. 10 fe- • maie char. .......... i; The War of the Roses. 8 female char. 15 , The Voyage of Life. 8 female char. . 15 MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC. An. Original Id^a. i male, i female 15 Bonbons; or, the Paint King. 6 male, I female char. . . . . . . • . . . 25 Capuletta; or, Romeg and Juliet 15 Restored. 3 male, i female char. . 15. Santa Claus' Frolics. • .•'■ 15 Snowibound; or, Alonzo the Brav^. AND the Fair Imogene. 3 male, i female char. . . . . ". . . . . . 2$ The Merk-v Christmas of the Qld Woman who Lived in a Shoe. ... 15 The Pedler of Very Nice. 7 male char. . . . . . . . . . . • • 15 The Seven Ages. A Tableau Entertain- ment. Numerous male and female char. 15 Too Late for the Train. 2 male char. 15 The Visions of Freedom, ri female char 15 ., 23 Winter St., Boston. THE PROPOSAL ^ Jttonologue for a ffientleman BY HECTOR FEZANDIE Copyright, 1893, by Hector Fezandik All Xigkis Reserved '>^ .^^ ^AUG 18 1893. j BOSTON Of WASH^> /i^^t^^^/^^ajL^f^^ ivibSy 1893 ^X> y THP96-006648 1 I THE PROPOSAL Scene. — Edward Stewart's room in a New York boarding- house of the present time. Stewart {outside') . Called to see me ? A lady ? (Enters.) Who the deuce could it have been ? {Holds the door ajar as if speaking to some one outside.) What ! Left an umbrella for me, and said I would understand ? {Closes the door.) An umbrella ! Can it be ? . . . It is ! My umbrella that I bought yesterday morning and lost yesterday afternoon ! It was a good idea of mine to have my name a*nd address engraved on the handle. I'm blessed if I ever expected to see the umbrella again, though, after that stout man walked off with it. It's bad enough to be absent-minded, and it's worse to have a conscience ; but when these two evils combine in a single individual — well, that single individual is apt at times to find life a burden. Now, that's just my case. My absent-mindedness is something phe- nomenal ; it is forever getting me into all manner of scrapes. On the other hand, my conscience is abnormal ; it is a morbid growth. I am ashamed of it, but I can't help it. And that's how I came to lose my umbrella. I boarded an elevated train yesterday afternoon with my brand-new umbrella in my hand, found a seat, for a wonder — or as much of a seat as the stout man next to me did not overflow into, and was soon — well — in fact, I was wondering whether if I were to ask Lucy to be mine, there would be any chance — or rather I was revolving in my mind how I should say it, and what she would reply, and what would happen then, and — sweet Lucy, how I do love that girl ! But that's not what I started out to say. Let me see, where was I ? Oh, yes. All of a sudden I started up with the impression that I had passed my station ; but I hadn't, we were only at Twenty- third Street and I was going to One Hundred and Twenty-fifth. As I rose, I saw an umbrella fall. My stout neighbor had just stepped off the car, and the gateman had pulled the bell-rope. It flashed upon me that my fat friend was forgetting his umbrella. Without a moment's hesitation, I picked it up, rushed out upon the platform of the now moving car, and throwing the umbrella out as far as I could, I shouted at the top of my voice : " Hey, there ; you've forgotten your umbrella!" The obese individual turned around at the sound of my voice and looked puzzled ; but, before 3 4 THE PROPOSAL. I lost sight of him I had the satisfaction of seeing one of the station employees hand him the umbrella. Then I went back to my seat with an easy conscience, to discover that I had forced my own brand-new umbrella upon the unsuspecting stout gentleman. That's what comes of having an abnormal conscience! Of course I stopped at the next station and took the train back to Twenty- third Street, and of course I didn't find the slightest trace of the umbrella or the least clew to the identity of the fat man. But what I should like to know is how that identical umbrella now finds its way back to me, and from the hands of a lady too. Perhaps " Mrs. Stout Gentleman" is afflicted with a conscience too, which prevents her from keeping the umbrellas purloined by her husband. {Opens the umbrella. A letter a7ui a newspaper fall out.) Hello, what's this! A letter — and a newspaper. {Exainini7ig the letter.) It's addressed to me. Queer way of sending a letter, done up in an umbrella. Looks like a woman's writing. {Read- ing.) "My dear, dear friend." Her dear, dear friend. That's a curious way for a woman to address a man she's never met. " My dear, dear friend, I trust it will not seem unwomanly in me to style you thus, for although our acquaintance has been of short duration as measured by the arbitrary standards of men, the thrilling cir- cumstances under which we met surely give me the privilege of thus addressing one who has earned my everlasting gratitude." What the deuce does the woman mean ? "I had hoped to see you this morning and to convey to you in my own name, as well as in that of my six little fatherless angels, the heartfelt thanks which emotion prevented me from adequately expressing last night. Owing to my intense excitement at the time, I am ashamed to say that your very features are unknown to me. I saw you as in a dream. But I hope soon to have the privilege of renewing an acquaintance — may I say a friendship — which on my part, at least, shall continue until my dying day. Very, very sincerely your friend, Julia Simpkins. " P. S. I return your umbrella. From it I found your name and address." By Jove, that's a remarkable document ; " thrilling circum- stances under which we met — everlasting gratitude — six little fatherless angels " — my fair correspondent appears to be a widow " — emotion — intense excitement — a friendship which, on my part at least, shall continue until my dying day." I suppose my stout friend generously loaned my umbrella to this interesting widow during the shower yesterday afternoon. But who would have supposed him capable of inspiring such tender, I may say such fervid, sentiments in the heart of a fair stranger, and by such commonplace methods, too ? True, the sentimental widow admits she did not see the features of this Don Juan an parapluie. {Picks up the ejivelope.) Hello, here's a second postscript on the en- velope which I had not seen. {Reading.) "See marked article in the enclosed copy of the Herald.'^ Marked article, eh ? {Opening the paper.) Here it is. {Reading.) " A Modest Hero." THE PROPOSAL. 5 What's this ? {Reads again.) '* As the ferry-boat was leaving the slip a beautiful young woman rushed down the gangway. In her excitement she did not notice that the boat had already started, nor did she see a gentleman who stood on the end of the bridge waving a farewell with his umbrella to some friend on the boat. When Mrs. Julia Simpkins took in the situation it was already too late. She was unable to come to a sudden stop on the slippery incline, and ran full tilt into the gentleman, who was unaware of her presence. The force of the collision caused him to lose his balance, and in an instant, to the horror of the spectators, both were lost to sight beneath the icy waters of the East River. Presently they rose to the surface. Mrs. Simpkins, with admir- able presence of mind, had thrown her arms about the gentleman's neck, and was clinging to him with the energy of despair, while he struggled heroically with the buffeting waves, and endeavored to scale the slippery piles. When at length the couple were saved from their perilous position the lady^s arms were still twined about her brave rescuer's neck, and she sobbed hysterically upon his manly breast. This touching scene drew many a sympathetic tear from the eyes of the spectators." How romantic. " But the blushing hero of this adventure, with the modesty which is always characteristic of true courage, slipped off unobserved and without even leaving his name. He had, however, forgotten his umbrella, on which was found the name Edward Stewart, 5061 Lexington Avenue." My umbrella, by Jove ! The alleged hero must have been my stout friend of the elevated train. Ha! ha! he must have floated like a cork. I can imagine him floundering in the water with a buxom widow clinging to his neck, while he struggled to free him- self, and spluttered, half choked with salt water and fear. Ha ! ha! Those reporters are comical fellows. But I wish they could have left my name out of this ridiculous aftair. Well, let's see the end of it. '{Reading.) "Who knows but that this adventure may prove only the beginning of a charming romance ? All honor and happiness to the modest hero, Edward Stewart!" Yes, it says distinctly " the modest hero, Edward Stewart." I see how it was. Of course, they thought the umbrella belonged to the stout party. Modest hero! How well that looks in print. {Glancing over the paper) When you come to read it attentively that is really a very well-written account. I can see just how it happened. A gentleman is waving a farewell — perhaps to his sweetheart, who is on the ferry-boat — just as I might have been doing to Lucy. Suddenly, without a moment's warning, he finds himself in the river. A human being is beside him. Calm, in the midst of danger, forgetting himself for his fellow-being, feeHng the anxious and admiring gaze of his distracted sweetheart upon him {excitedly , forgetting him- self), I grasped the sinking form of tb.e young woman in one hand, and amid the deafening applause of the crowd I bore her safely to the shore. Then, exhausted and dripping with the icy waters of 6 THE PROPOSAL. the East River, I reached Lucy's side just in time to catch her faint- \n'XY reA and loxE. the Grecian maidens. Raphael Tixtoret, the bliml pMinter, who paints blinds in full view of the audie-ce. Aii Chtk aii'l Wrv Lung, the Chinese twins, ex- tremely well connected from birth. '" The Land of Tea." Ka-foozle-FLM, the Turkish vocalist. ' Grand finale and curtain. B AKER^S SELB OF JUVENILI LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ^esisned especially for Church, Schoc 016 103 780 1 izations. Complete, v^ith all the music and full directioas pex'formance. Grandpa's Birthday. In One Act. Words by Dkxtfii Smith- inusjc by C A. Whitk. For one adult (male or female^ .^i.l ™e children; chorus, if desired. p.^ce, 25 Ckn^ ^'T^r' ph^^^f^f""^' I^^"^,-^^\ Written and composed by \\. C. PAKKMt. I^orone adult (male), and one boy. No chorus "" «^y easy and tuneful. P,,,ce, 25 Cents. ^or c Inldren of from six to fifteen years. Seve^i boys, seven criHs aud chorus. Very picturesque. r.ud, 50 Cents Beans and Buttons. In One Act. Words by Wm. H. Lepeke- music by Alfhicd G. IIobvx. Two male and two female cl^racters' no chorus. Very comical and easy. PiuceTso Cents ' ^I Ko*H %Tnv;?^^^^ ^'^ ^?' ;^'^- . ^^r'^« ^y ^- ^- Lewis; music by SiZ^'a^id mettv '"''^'' ''"^^ ^^%^^ characters and small chorus. Mmpie and pietty. ^ Pkice, 50 Cents. ^Ftp^nf,nni?°°'?\^?^^''®- I» ^our Scenes. Words by J. E. ct\tn^^idTo?n^f '' ^'^'^ ^^^^^^- ^''P^^^i^' Golden Hair and the Three Bears. In Five Scenes ' Bv J Astor fsZ^^'J^l?r^''\'' P "^' ' ^•>' ''^''' childrena;Kl'cho.L mSc 18 easy, graceful, and pleasing. Px,,ce, 75 Cents. ^■A"^;^°ur®''i ^'■' P.^ Interviewer and the Fairies. In Three Acts Words by A. G. Lewis ; music by Leo R. Lkwis Six male SIX female characters, and chorus. Very picturesqliL and pretty.' Pkice, 75 Cents. ^D^'/'^Kon^.J'' M'^^ '^'^'- ^^^^'^^ ^y E^«^ Makble; music by diorus Vprv'.nnJ^'"^^)' three children and ciioius. Veiy successful and easily produced. Pkice, 75 Cents. Alvin Gray; or, The Sailor's Return. In Three Acts Written can ^TTr^ ^^ ^-J"- ?^"'^'^- Ten characters, inctud ng do us" can be made more effective by employing a larger number. Pkice, 75 Cents. Catalogues describing: the above and other popular entertain- ments sent free on application to WALTER H. BAKER & CO., THEATRICAL PUBLISHERS, No. 23 Winter Street, - Boston, Mass. 1