PS 635 .Z9 W72947 Copy 1 f s order " DE WITT'S » Acting Plays, PRICE 15 CENTS. DE WITT'S ACTING- PLAYS. (Number 304.) SPARKING. IN ONE ACT AND ONE SCENE. Founded on L'Enticelle of Edouard Paileron, By HENRY LLEWELLYN WILLIAMS, Author of "The Bachelor's Box" "Carmen" {drama), "Fifth Wheel" " Fernande," "Articled," " The Drinking Ben" (L'Assommor), "Black Chap from White- chapel," "Darkey Sleep-Walker " etc., etc. together with A description of the Costumes— Synopsis of the Piece— Cast of the Characters —Entrances and Exits— Relative Positions of the Performers on the Stage, and the whole of the Stage Business. Jpete-S*rk t DE WITT, PUBLISHER, Ho. 33 Rose Street. READY er* A COMPLETE DESCRIPTIVE CATAL06UE OF OE WITT'S ACTIN9 PLAYS, AND DE WITT'S ETHIOPIAN AND COMIC DRAMAS, containing Plots, Costume, Scenery, Time of Representation, and every other informs mailed free and post-paid. DE WITT'S ACTING PLAYS. t^P m Please notice that nearly all the Comedies, Farces and Comediettas in the foUowing ^i(o/Db Witt's Acting Plats 1 ' are very suitable for representation in small Amateur Thea- &9i and on Parlor Stages, as they need but little extrinsic aid from complicated scenery or , , expensive costumes. They have attained tlieir deserved popularity by their droll situations, excellent plots, great humor and brilliant dialogues, no less than by the fact that they are the most perfect in every respect of any edition of plays ever published either in the United States or Europe, whether as regards purity of the text, accuracy and fulness of stage directions and scenery, or elegance of typography and clearness of printing. *** In ordering please copy the figures at the commencement of each piece, which indicate the number of the piece in "De Witt's Listu*- Acting Plats." fl^T* Any of the following Plays sent, postage free, on receipt of price — 15 cents each. jgf The figure following the name of the Play denotes the number of Acts. The figures in the columns indicate the number of characters — M. male ; F. female. No. 75. 114. 167. 93. 40. 89. 192. 166. 41. 141. 67. 36. 160. 70. 179. 35. 24. 1. 69. 175. 55. bo\ 65. 68. 76. 149. 121. 107. 152. 52. 148. 113. 16. 53. 123. 7L itf. Adrienne, drama, 3 acts 7 Anything for a Change, comedy, 1 3 Apple Blossoms, comedy, 3 acts. ... 7 Area Belle (The), farce, 1 act 3 Atchi, comedietta, 1 act 3 Aunt Charlotte's Maid, farce. 1 act. . 3 Game of Cards (A), comedietta, 1 3 Bardell vs. Pickwick, sketch, 1 act. 6 Beautiful Forever, farce, 1 act 2 Bells (The), drama, 3 acts 9 Birthplace of Podgers, farce, 1 act. . 7 Black Sheep, drama, 3 acts 7 Blow for Blow, drama, 4 acts 11 Bonnie Fish Wife, farce, 1 act 3 Breach of Promise,, drama, 2 acts. . 5 Broken-Hearted Club, comedietta, 1 4 Cabman, No. 93, farce, 1 act 2 Caste, comedy, 3 acts 5 Caught by the Cuff, farce, 1 act 4 Cast upon the World, drama, 5acts.l0 Catharine Howard, historical play, 3 acts . 12 Charming pair, farce, 1 act. 4 Checkmate, comedy, 2 acts 6 Chevalier de St. George, drama, 3 9 Chops of the Channel, farce, 1 act. 3 Clouds, comedy, 4 acts 8 Comical Countess, farce, 1 act 3 Cupboard Love, farce, 1 act 2 Cupid's Eye-Glass, comedy, 1 act... 1 Cup of Tea, comedietta, 1 act 3 Cut off with a Shilling, comedietta, 1 act 2 Cyrill's Success, comedy, 5 acts — 10 Captain of the Watch (The), come- dietta, 1 act 4 Daddy Gray, drama, 3 acts 8 Dandelion's Dodges, farce, 1 act. . . . 4 David Gar rick, comedy, 3 acts 8 Dearest Mamma, comedietta, 1 act, 4 Dearer than Life, drama, 3 acts 6 Deborah (Leah) drama, 3 acts 7 Deerfoot, farce, 1 act 5 Doing for the Best, drama, 2 acts. . 5 Dollars and Cents, comedy, 3 acta. . 9 F-. No. 3 21. 3 186. 3 47. 2 13). 2 200. .3 103. 1 9. 2 3 128. 3 101. 3 99. 5 145. 6 102. 1 88. 2 74. 8 53. 2 73. 3 30. 1 5 181. 28. 5 151. 3 8. 5 180. 3 19. 2 60. 7 187. 1 174. 1 64. 1 190. 1 191. 197. 1 18. 4 116. 2 4 129. 2 159. 3 122. 3 177. 5 100. 6 139. 1 17. 3 86. 4 72. M. Dreams, drama, 5 acts 6 Duchess de la Valliere, play, 5 acts. . 6 Easy Shining, farce, 1 act 5 Everybody's Friend, comedy, 3 acts. 6 Estranged, an operetta, 1 act 2 Faust and Marguerite, drama, 3 acts, 9 Fearful Tragedy in the Seven Dials, interlude, 1 act 4 Female Detective, drama, 3 acts.... 11 Fernande, drama, 3 acts 11 Fifth Wheel, comedy, 3 acts 10 First Love, comedy, 1 act 4 Foiled, drama. 4 acts r. . 9 Founded on Facts, farce, 1 act. . . . 4 Garrick Fever, farce, 1 act 7 Gertrude's Money Box, farce, 1 act. 4 Golden Fetter (Fettered), drama, 3 11 Goose with the Golden Eggs, farce, v 1 act 5 Go to Putney, farce, 1 act 4 Happy Pair, comedietta, 1 act 1 Hard Case (A), farce, 1 act 2 Henry Dunbar, drama, 4 acts 10 Henry the Fifth, historical play, 5 38 He's a Lunatic, farce, 1 act 3 Hidden Hand, drama, 4 acts 5 His Own Enemy, farce, 1 act. 4 Home, comedy, 3 acts 4 Household Fairy, sketch, 1 act 1 Hunting the Slipper, farce, 1 act 4 High C, comedietta, 1 act 4 Hunchback (The), play, 5 acts 14 If I Had a Thousand a Year, farce, 1 act 4 I'm Not Mesilf at All, original Irish ■ stew, 1 act 3 In for a Holiday, farce, 1 act 2 In the Wrong House, farce, 1 act. . . 4 Isabella Orsini, drama, 4 acts 11 I Shall Invite the Major, conaedy, 1 4 .Jack Long, drama, 2 acts 9 Joy is Dangerous, comedy, 2 acts. . . 3 Kind to a Fault, comedy, 2 acts. . . . 6 Lady of Lyons, play, 5 acts 12 Lame Excuse, farce, 1 act 4 SPARKING. A COMEDIETTA, IN ONE ACT AND ONE SCENE. FOUNDED ON L'ENTICELLE OF EDOUARD PAILERON. By HENRY LLEWELLYN WILLIAMS, Author of " The Bachelor's Box," " Carmen (drama), "Fifth Wheel, "Fernande," "Article 47," "The Drinking Den " (L'Assommor), ' 'Black Chap from WhitecJ/apcl," "Darkey Sleep- Walker, " etc., etc. TOGETHER WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE COSTUMES— CAST OF THE CHARACTERS — EN- TRANCES AND EXITS — RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE PERFORM- ERS ON THE STAGE, AND TnE WHOLE OF THE STAGE BUSINESS. NEW YORK : BE WITT, PUBLISHER, No. 33 Rose Street. Copyright, 18S2, by A. T. B. De Witt. g SPARKING. SfrO tkbt ) CAST OF CHARACTERS. 'JA i Theatre Francaise, Paris, 13th May, 1879. Will Robbins, f ormerly of the Navy, captain of a yacht, age 25, juvenile lead Delaunay. Mrs. M'Granite, a young widow, comedy lead Mdlle. Croizette. Mdlle. Iteay, her adopted daughter, age 18, soubrette Mdlle. Samary. TIME IN PLAYING— THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES. SCENERY. The garden of a villa at Newport, in 3g. Trellis-work and grapevine at back ; stoop of house L. 1 e., with practicable door in the flat ; large opening in trellis at back, showing seaview on the backing flat ; sky sinks at back ; tree sinks 1st and 2d grooves. Garden furniture. Backing — Seaview. | Open. | | Open. | | Open. | 2g. 2G. Steps. | | | Door. Table and chairs. - — -l<:.. o o o • o oooo ooooo ooo oooo oo ooo o Cloth down to represent garden plots and gravel paths, Bird-cages and flow- er-baskets. Sun effect, changing to new moon at finale. COSTUMES — Present day, seaside negligee. PROPERTIES. Flowers, needlework, written paper, almonds for Millie, cigar in case for Rob- bins, bills in pocketbook for same, books, paper and pencil. In Millie's pock- ets, chewing gum, nuts, lace, neck-ribbon, shells, end of pickle, pencils, letter, photographs, etc. ; grapes on vine to be picked : almonds to eat ; stick up R. TMP92-007480 SPARKING. SYNOPSIS. The scene of this play is laid in Newport — time, the present. Will Bobbins, late of the U. S. Navy, but more recently commanding a yacht, cruising about Newport, falls desperately in love with Millie Beay, an adopted daughter of Mrs. M'Granite, a rich young widow. In a brilliant yet touching dialogue Will tells the widow of his love for Millie, and asks her advice and assistance. The widow, after teasing the young officer as to his numerous former escapades, at last relents, and tells him that he had best make a declaration of his love to the young lady. But he informs her that somehow he never can get her in the mood to listen to anything serious. While they are talking Millie is heard, off, laughing heartily, and urging her pet dog to bite somebody. The next moment she bounces into the room, and though she is mildly chided by her adoptive mother, she cannot refrain from often bursting out into ha ha's, as she recounts how she had been setting her dog on Mr. Suit, the family lawyer. Millie then proceeds with inimitable naivete to give an account of her visit to a poor widow, as the almoner for her mother, interspersing the pathetic details with irresistibly funny remarks about the jam-smeared faces of the children. Then she tells that Mr. Suit has made her a tender— or as she puts it a legal- tender of his hand. Will tries hard to bring her to an engagement— yard-arm- and-yard-arm. But the saucy little puss will understand nothing of a serious nature. The young sailor, really touched by the sufferings of the poor widow, offers Millie twenty dollars to give her. But the girl tells him to go himself and give the money, as she thinks " honest people always want to feel tbe hand that relieves them." Then calling Snap, her little dog, she saj-s, "Oh, I'll go and be naughty out of this." Bobbins and Mrs. M'Granite follow in a scene cf exquisite fooling on the lady's part, but of real sadness on the part of the gentle- man. Millie enters and Mrs. M'Granite goes off, to give Robblns a chance to wco the young hoyden, and a very pleasing and sprightly war of words follows. Bobbins reads some original verses, and the maiden quizzes him dreadfully. Bobbins attempts to explain the marriage ceremony — but tries in vain to malic Millie serious for five minutes. But in a following scene Bobbins speaks so eloquently and truthfully that the young flirt's heart is touched, and with the assistance of Mrs. M'Granite, she is at length led a willing captive into matrimony. In summing up, one may truly say, there is " hardly a better, more compact, more easily acted," yet assuredly effective piece even in our list — though that comprises the master-pieces of the foreign and home stage. SF^RKiisra. SCENE. — Mrs. M'Granite's villa at Newport, in od grooves. A summer afternoon. Music. Discover Captain Will Robbins walking about ett back with a pencil and piece of paper on a book, as if composing. Mrs. M'Granite seated r. front at table at needlework. She stops, looks at Robbins, smiles. Mrs. M'Granite. Will ! Will ! Rorbins (stops). Did you speak, auntie ? Mrs. M'G. What are you pencilling there ; a sonnet to your mis- tress' eyebrows ? Lost labor, boy ! India ink does all that pencilling now-a days! You might just as well have stayed ou board Mr. Hart- well's yacht; for I do not call this behavior paying me a visit — still less paying me respect. Rob. (comes foncard). Shall I beg } T our pardon on my bended knees ? Mrs. M'G. No; I'll let Cupid's bended bow avenge me. With my bow and arrow I shot, said the sparrow. Your heart is pierced again. I am not " keeping count while you eat," but I think this is the third time this year, and it's only July! Rob. Why should I not own it ? I am in love, (fiercely) I love — as I never loved before ! Mrs. M'G. Love is the only human folly that is not everlasting, as our family lawyer and philosopher says. Expect no surprise in this quarter. To the best of my ken, this makes a baker's dozen of times that you have loved as you never loved before ! Rob. You can't hear a fellow without mocking ! Mrs. M'G. I do not mock, nephew. A woman always hears love stories with fresh interest — and a great deal more interestedly when she is a widow, a rustic, old Rob. Old ! (reproachfully) Oh ! (touches her hair) The widow's might rests in her glorious mane! Mrs. M'G. I use the Mermaid Magic Brush, goose. But tell me all about it, like a good boj r . Only — tell what a lady may listen to. None of your dreadful tales of the black women in Senegambia! Rob. Don't be alarmed; I mean marriage this time! Mrs. M'G. Then it's some other poor woman who must be alarmed. Still you do not tranquillize me. I remember that Wagnerian opera singer Rob. A woman who painted. She had not seen her own face these ten years ! Mrs. M'G. And the uncertain Mademoiselle Bellemoqueuse? Rob. That French adventuress ! Why, such a creature SPARKING. 5 Mrs. M'G. Don't scandalize women, sir; leave that to their own sex. Still, I must say, you sailors seem always to be on the best terms with the worst people ! Hob. (loftily, sadly). You will be sorry to have coupled the young lady I prefer with such trash. Mrs. M'G. You appear in earnest ! Rob. I have a great mind to settle down, that's all. Mrs. M'G. It takes a great mind to do that ! And so Master Willie Robbins is going to come to anchor — at last? at last? Rob. I should have come to anchor at first, at first — only that I was afraid of you. Mrs. M'G. Dear me ! Rob. No, no, you mistake; for you are the best, the nicest — the — but my uncle proposed whilst I was at sea, and when I came back you were married. Mrs. M'G. Well, one cannot very well send cake and cards to youths careering iu the Antarctic Circle. Rob. You were so chil— hem — so, so, so calm — that I called you mentally, an icicle— a sympathetic icicle. Mrs. M'G. But still an icicle ! Ever so much obliged. Rob. But you set an example to your sex — a very set example ! 01), I am not going to make such a mistake again. Mrs. M'G. As taking me for an icicle ? Rob. As letting mystlf be cut out. Mrs. M'G. Y T ou will be lucky then. The modern young lady is terribly fond of — the other fellows ! Rob. You know she isn't i (sits, r. c.) Mrs. M'G. Oh, do I know her ? Rob. So much so that I need your consent to the match 1 Mrs. M'G. The brimstone, am I ? Rob. Had I said that Mrs. M'G. You should have suffered ! Rob. I speak of Miss Reay Mrs. M'G. Millie ! my little Millie ? Rob. Yes, our little Millie ! that rosy, wild, unkempt, curly, fresh and restless romp — I love her, and I want her as my wife I Mrs. M'G. She's not out of her teens ! (rises.) Rob. And I am out of my wits for her. (rises) She is eighteen — I am five-and-a-score— not so uneven that. Mrs. M'G. She has not a penny ! Rob. No more have I — not a rap to buy the engagement ring ! Mrs. M'G. Y^our uncle run down her father's smack in a New- foundland fog, and thought it incumbent upon him to bring up the family. Millie never figured in our set. Rob. You educated her though, and whatever her German, her English is tripping — and you are so knowing ! Mrs. M'G. I can't stab, but I can sharpen the daggers of others, eh ? But do not jest about serious things. Rob. I ! Y^ou persist in seeing in me a sort of prankish powder- monkey — you believe I cut down the sleeping watch in their ham- mocks, and put pepper in the seapie. I am not a boy now, auntie. Mrs. M'G. Beware your previous fate! Rob. A rival ! She does not love any one ! There's no one comes heie, except Mr. Suit, who seems never to have done with settling your husband's estate, (Mrs, M'Granite laugh?) Does he come to see her ? 8 SPARKING. Millie {pouting). When you call me {imitating) Mildred, you don't love me. Mrs. M'G. I always do, and you presume upon it, {repulses her) Will you please behave ? Millie. Let your little Millie kiss you once— half a once— on\j there— on the regular pet place — Baby's own particular reservation, you know ! {kisses her.) Mrs. M'G. Have done ! Millie, But you don't see the joke of it — a shrimp like me mar- ried to a lawyer ! Would I not be a picture on the judge's bench ! like a poodle ! Would you have me sacrifice myself to life in an inkstand — in a forest of steel pens ? Oh, you laughed ! you laugh ! you do, do, do ! !She do— did laugh, didn't she, Mr. Robbins ? Well, there, I forgot my errand to the old woman Mrs. M'G. Never mind your report now. Millie. Oh, Mr. Willie don't care — he knows how good you are, like everybody else. That's why you are loved so generally. Oh, you shan't gag me — I seldom get a chance to talk, but when I do how I run on ! Rob. Run on about the old woman then. Millie. Hypocrite! you'd rather it was a young woman. Well, poor old Sally is immensely happy. She is coining across to thank you herself to-morrow. She was all alone with her little urchin — sea-urchin, I call him, — and it was so sad in a room without as much furniture as would cover my hand — and already she had put herself and Tomnvy in mourning ! 1 wore black once myself, didn't I, my dear auntie-mamma? {kisses Mrs. M'Graxite) The boy is quite a genuine little love ! as red as a cherry, and shining like a crabapple, with puffy red curls, and long cat's eyes, and such a dirty face with the jam !— a real decided sweet boy. She let me nurse him while she wrote a letter for you — and didn't he kick though ! — all legs and arms, like a starfish, (searches her pockets) No, these are pictures the boy gave me to color for him, and — some nuts, I thought I had eaten 'em all — my embroidery and — oh, that gum ! — my ribbon (puts on neck-ribbon to get it out of the way) and a piece of (doubtful) pickle ! (eats gherkin) Where did I put that letter, eh ? No ! my keys ! ha, ha ! my photo — no, {change to sad mice) a photograph of her husband — he's much too fine a man to be downed at sea. (gives photograph to Robbnis) You never have been drowned at sea ! Rob. Not precisely. Millie. She is almost as tall, and has splendid eyes — now where is that letter? Ah! no, it's my little glass, (looks 'in mirror) How red I am. Now, Sally looks so*lovely pale ! I wish— but slate pen- cils and vinegar will never make me thin. Oh, hurrah ! (pulls out letter.) Mrs. M'G. Let me have it. (reads letter l. c.) Bob. Hadn't we better charter a special ship for your goods ? Millie, this Bally woman is very poor, eh ? (l. c.) Miillie. I should think she was ! her husband was blown out to sea a-going off to the lighthouse, and but for auntie she and that dear baby might have starved. Rob. Let me have a hand in such good work — to a shipmate, too ! Millie (refuses money). Twenty dollars ! that's too much to trust to me, and you had belter take it yourself. Honest people want to feel the hand that relieves them ; and charity is cold but for the warm hand, eh, auntie ? You go,. and see the baby, and kiss him, SPARKING. 9 though he will be smeared with jam— he's so funny ! I wish /had a comic baby like that ! Mrs. M'G. What are you saying, child ? Millie. Snubbed again ! I never can open my mouth without putting my foot in it. Rob. I don't wonder — it is so small. Millie. But I say everything that slips to the lip of my tongue. I suppose I am not wise— really, sometimes I do think I am a trifle loony J — ha, ha, ha ! (dog barks) That's Snap crying forme! Isn't it strange— dogs like little girls, and cats like old women ! (dog barks) What's the matter, sir ? Don't be afraid, Willie ; I'll have him tied up. How he does go on ; perhaps he's mad ! (comic shudder) It's Mr. Suit, who has driven us both cranky ! Mrs.M'G Mildred! Millie. Wrong again ! Oh, I'll go and be naughty out of this ! I'm coming, Snap ! hold him, Snap ! good dog ! (stops, it. u. e.) Good dog — but naughty little mistress, eh ? [Exit. (Lights down, cloud passing over.) Ron. (enthusiastic). The sun gleam on the billow! a silver bell in the cup of a lily! and you say I cannot love that precious pet! I do —I do ! Mrs. M'G. As you never loved before? we know all about that. Rob. But she must love me Mrs. M'G. That's nothing to you— a Sea Caesar — who comes, is seen and conquers! Rob. Laugh away! but you will not laugh away my deep-set passion! oh that I were pitted against a -woman, then I would not be in a fog' You don't believe me? Mrs. M'G. Not often. Rob. Because you nursed me, you think I still am brainsick? But look what I have to deal with— a child— infantile — a baby, who sees, and hears, and suspects nothing! strategy is as lost upon her as logarithms on a Capo Cod fisherman! There isn't any chance with a giil till she has had the spark! Mrs M'G. No spark! how about Mr. Suit! and 3-ou, and maybe others! she is brilliant with sparks like a porcupine that has had a roll in a nest of glow-worms! Rob. The spark 1 mean is — did you ever see a torpedo? Mrs. M'G. A little lump of paper that a naughty boy puts under the chair leg, so that when one sits down, it goes off with a bang ! Rob. (laughs.) Not that kind; larger; man's destroyer, not a boy's plaything ! To look at, only a box with a pinch of powder, a wire, and a disk of guncotton! but send a spark along the wire, up flares the powder, and the disk explodes ! The spark— the tiny, tiny spark, is the soul, the life, the devil of the thing! and up flics a sfyp in smithereens — brass is battered, steel plate split, and a thousand brave men are ripped asunder! Reflections apart, aunt, dear, woman is a torpedo, cold metal, hard glass, and senseless wood, till some day comes along admiratiou, vanity, pity, hate, poetry, or nature — and love is the spark! Heigho! little ilillie hasn't the spark! Mrs. M'G. Send it her, boy! lay down the wire! Rob. Think I've not tried ? But there are some women who will never flare up. For instance, you. Mrs. M'G. Stick to your subject, sir! Roc. My subject? far more my tyrant! "The Millie of love 10 SPARKING. grinds slowly, but she grinds exceeding small." She has reduced me to a skeleton! she lias reduced me to — a poet ! Mrs. M'G. Ply the battery! Rob. With what ? I can't make her hate me! she would not hate the bee that stung her ! Generosity is no go— you saw her tnub me and my twenty dollars! Mrs. M'G. Maybe she'll pity you— when she reads your verses! Rob. Instead of poking lun at me— at lines you never heard, you would be nicer to help me find a way, (huskily) there is one that never fails Mrs. M'G. Did you test it with me? Rob. Oh, you were the exception ! you will lend me a hand though ? Mrs. M'G. To the last button of my gloves ! Rob. If not in kindness to me, to prevent old Suit winning her! Mrs. M'G. Eh? why should I care whom Mr. Suit, who is not so old a gentleman, marries? Rob. How you catch me up ! You wouldn't further such a union. Millie in his house! the very image of a squirrel in a deed- box ! If you hold back so, you will make me think you have private - reasons to save Millie, (rises.) Mrs. M'G. Millie can take care of herself ! Rob. Still you will help me Mrs. M'G. I told you, yes. 'Sh ! Eater Millie, l. 1 e. Millie. Mr. Hartwell, auntie! Rob. What a nuisance ! I suppose he wants me for a cruise. Millie. JSo, sir; he wants aunt. I asked him what for, and he chucked me a chin-chopper for my curiosity. I wish all the old gentlemen would not etiuck me under the chin ! Mrs. M'G. I'll go. Rob. Don't be long ! (aside to Mrs. M'Grakite.) Mrs. M'G. (laughing). She frightens you! my ferocious sea^ion, don't look so sheepish before that lamb ! Explode the poetry on her! [Exit, l. 1 e. Millie comes down steps, picks some grapes and eats them with almonds, up c. Rob. (aside). I am a blockhead, that's a fact. Millie (aside). What's the matter with Willie? (comes down r. c.) , Rob. (crossing along front to l). A block ! (beats his forehead.) Millie (aside). Oh ! he's like a man in a play ! (follows Turn to and fro to Uudy his face, amused.) Rob. She is far from imagining — (nearly runs against her r. c.) Ah ! I beg pardon! did I make you start ? Millie. No! I never jump — even at a great fright ! Rob. I wish you did, and I were the great fright ! Millie. Oh! isn't that a joke? (pauses, laughs) AVere you taking off those men on the stage? I like them. I wish I had been born on actress ! Do you like them ? (holding out harai toith nuts.) Rob. Actors ? not much 1 I don't care for artificial things. Give mc Nature! SPARKING. 11 Millie. Then have some nuts; the grapes look nice and red— but they are sour. Rob. Confoundedly sour; (siglu) and the nuts are hard. Mind your pretty teeth, Miss Reay. Millie. Miss Reay ! why don't you call me plain Millie? KOB. Plain Millie? because I think you pretty Millie ! beautifulest Millie! charmingest Mill — {lakes herhaiid.) MrLLiE {her hand is full of nutshells). Mind! they're the shells! Rob. Oh, hollow hearts ! {throws shells aside.) Millie {sits at table and cracks nuts with scissors). What has Mr. Hart well come to tell auntie? I haven't been up to any mischief in the town, that's a comfort. Rob. Wants her to go sailing on the yacht, {sighs) I shall have to go to sea again. Millie. I thought you bloated— I mean doated on the sea? Rob. Once — now I have a superior affection. Millie. I fear he comes on behalf of Mr. Suit ; I don't want to go for a cruise — I would rather go to New York and see the plays. Ugh I {nut eating) such a bad one ! they are not what they are cracked up to be. Bob. Plays ? Millie. These nuts ! Do you like them ? Rob. Nuts ? no, thank ye again. Millie. I said, plays, {laughs) ha, ha, ha ! but I am always talk- ing of a half a dozen things at once, so I get into such a tangle some- times. What was I saying ? Oh, I know ! the plays ! we went to the theatre, and saw a lovely piece — full of the most magnificent talk — not what folks use now, but poetry. There was a big man who rubbed his eyes and said, {imitates) " If you have sheds, prepare to tear them now ! " Exquisite ! Rob. Eh ? eh ? " Tf you have tears, prepare to shed them now — " Millie {calmly). That sounds more like it; and then there was a black-eyed, hook-nose girl— she was the Jew's daughter, and so her nose was correct — in a long white dress — a lovely train, worth twelve dollars a yard, I'm sure — and a splendid young man — they do get such splendid young men on the stage, don't they, Mr. Willie ? and he spoke some poetry. It beats any brass band: "Moon — stnrs — bank — turn, turn, la — still inquiring for the young-eyed cherubim — " that's all I know. Rob. The Merchant of Venice ? Millie {striking nut with scissors).' You've hit it ! {her nut flies aica i/) and I've missed it. Right! The Merchant of Venice ! "still inquiring for — " oh, Where's my nut ? Rob. 'So glad you like poetry, for I have written some for 3^ou. Millie. Out of a play ? Rob. No ! out of my head. Millie. Yours — for me ? {goes to him, pulls a little stool to his feet and situ, cuddling up to him) This is real kind of you. {in a rough voice) Let's have it. Rob. {begins). "As sleeps the lily 'neath " — (stops) The bard would esteem it a favor if the cracking of nuts was suspended during the verses ! Millie. I beg you' pardon ! that was the last one, and {looking up into his face) the last one of anything is always the best. Rob. The last love, at least, is always the best ! Listen, (recites. Ilusic, tremolo, pianissimo.) 13 SPARKING. As sleeps the lily 'neath the wave, Its slender stalk and green leaf hidden, So Love may dwell below your grave Or merry thoughts, till upward bidden. Thus far, the mirror of your face, 80 spotless, smooth and lustrous purely, Remains without a sign or trace Of how much feeling you have surely. But, some fair eve I'll view the lake, Till then so placid, all uncover ;— With graceful bauds ils snowy cup Thelily'll tender to her lover ! Millie (absently). "With graceful hands," (hides her hands) and I hate my nails; " its snowy cup—" They are pretty, but not near so sweet as the otber. (rises.) Rob. (vexed). Shakespeare's? Oh, I don't call him a rival ! he was a fine w T riter. Millie. Was he ? I never saw any of his writing — it has all been printed I have seen. Rob. (