Class _?^_^_0i CppyiightN". 503 COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. ROXANA Copyright Edition Price, 75c. Postpaid THE STERLING PUBLISHERS 3634 Michigan Ave., Chicago, U. S. A. ROXANA A Social Drama in Three Acts George Rockhill Craw 'A THE STERLING PUBLISHERS Chicago, U. S. A. 1 c^'l^la Copyright, 1909 By GEORGE ROCKHILL CRAW Alili BIGHTS RBSBRVED Set up and electrotyped. Published, December. 1909. Professional and amateur acting ri^rhts are held by George Rockhill Craw. The right of representation is reserved by him. and perform- ances unauthorized by him are forbidden. Application for performing rights to this drama must be made to him, and any infringement or piracy will be prosecuted according to The Copyright Law of fhe United States of America, in force July 1. 1909. which, among other things, pro- vides the following in the case of an infringement of this copyright: That the infringer is liable to an injunction restraining such in- fringement; That the penalty of one hundred dollars is provided for the first, and fifty dollars for every subsequent infringing performance; That any person who willfully and for profit shall infringe any copy- right secured by this Act, or who shall knowingly and willfully aid or abet such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not exceeding one year or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or both. W. F. Hall Pbintiko Oo. CHICAGO, V. B. A. ©CI.D ' 'I am to pray you not to strain my speech to grosser issues.' ' CHARACTERS. ROXANA. Gordon Lee. Ralph Conners. President Turner. Ella^ Roxanas maid. The action takes place in Roxana's home, in a city of the United States. ROXANA ACT FIRST. A library in a house near a university. The room is cozily and tastefully furnished. There are rows of book-shelves with here and there a few small pieces of classic statuary. On the walls are some university pennants and pictures in frames. At the right, rear, is a couch with fancy pillows care- lessly arranged upon it. A large table to the left of centre, front, holds papers, a few books, and some photographs in small frames. One or two easy chairs and some with straight carved backs, are in the room. At right is a large open window, at the front side of which are hung some Tibetan ornaments, con- sisting of a sword with silver, and coral handle and scabbard; a pair of odd boots with long, fringed, colored garters; a hand-drum, made of two skulls, placed crown to crown, with fancy tasselled handle; also a chatelaine to which is attached a long, keen-bladed dagger. The window looks out upon a small park, through which runs a street. At left, a door leads to other parts of the house; at back, centre, open double doors lead to a hall and to the street. ROXANA Act I The curtain rises upon Roxmidj who dressed in a sculptor s goivn, is reading a letter. She is a beau- tiful, well formed brunette of twenty -four, and of average height. She lays the letter down and touches a push-button on the wall. Ella, an in- telligent looking mulatto maid of twenty, enters, left. She has a long stemmed vase, filled with roses, in her hand. RoxANA. {Going toward her.) Oh, aren't they beautiful after the showers this morning! Ella. {Pleased.) Shall I set them on the table, Miss Roxie, or should you like them in your studio? RoxANA. No ; I shall work no more to-day, Ella. You may set them on the table. It was lovely of you to pick them and bring them in. Ella. I knew you would enjoy them, although they were so pretty in the garden, it seemed a shame to cut them. You rang, did you not. Miss Roxie? RoxANA. Yes; I wanted to ask if Mrs. Thorne had gone. Ella. Yes, Miss Roxie; she left shortly after you went into your studio. RoXANA. Then you sent word to Mr. Welling- ton that it would be safe for him to come this afternoon ? Ella. Yes; he will be here at four. I shall let Act I ROXANA him in at the back door. He will wait in the kit- chen. RoxANA. I shall arrange to be alone at that time; then I will ring for you and have you show him in here. After that you may go out till tea- time, if you wish. Ella. Miss Roxana — RoxANA. Yes, Ella? Ella. Miss Roxie, it doesn't seem right that a great man like Mr. Wellington should have to come to the back door. RoXANA. No ? Ella. The front door of this house would be honored if he should pass through it. RoxANA. That is true, but it is for the sake of my honor that he will not. (Anxiously.) Every safeguard must be thrown about his visit to me here. You know our relationship, Ella. Ella. Your secret is safe with me. Roxana. I know it is ; and even he will humble himself to protect me when he comes here. The risk is almost too great, but I must see him again before he leaves to-night. Ella. To think, Miss Roxana, that he has been received at the front door of the White House! If it were not for his fame, and for the secrecy that I RQXANA A'*^ know must be observed in his meeting you here, I should almost think you were ashamed of him. RoXANA. (Starts.) Ashamed of him? No; I am not ashamed of him. (Looks down.) I am ashamed of myself. Ella. No, no, Miss Roxie, don't say that ! No one could blame you. RoxANA. All that I have, he has given me. My university education, my clothes, my travels, my studio and home here with Mrs. Thorne, are paid for with the money that he sends me. Ella. You are grateful. Miss Roxie, and so am I. All that I have, I owe to you. You got me this place and pay part of my wages. You have taught me so much outside of what I learned at the public schools, and I want to learn more so much ! RoxANA. You shall, Ella. You are already re- markably well read. Are not the two hours a day that I am giving you, enough? Ella. Oh, plenty! I am fairly flying, but when I think of all you know, and how much I'd like to be like you, I become discouraged. RoXANA. (Starts guiltily.) Like me? Ella. (Idolizingly.) Ah, I could never be like you, Miss Roxana. Your skin is white. What a handicap mine is to me! RoxANA. Why, Ella! You are crying. ^'^^ RQXANA Ella. (Bitterly.) Miss Roxle, you don't know what it is to be colored. RoxANA. (In distress.) Don't, Ella! Ella. I can't help it. To-day there was a va- cant seat in the car when I went down town. RoxANA. Yes? What happened? Ella. I took it. Some men across from me be- gan smiling at a man who was sitting at my side. They knew him, and were making fun of him — be- cause / was there. Miss Roxie, why did it seem such a great joke to them to see a colored girl sit- ting beside their white friend? RoxANA. (In pain.) Oh, I don't know! Ella. And the other day — I was sitting alone in a seat. A young girl came in and sat down beside me. She had not seen me at first, but when she did, she immediately changed her seat. Oh, it was done so pointedly, and in front of so many people! {Drying her eyes.) She seemed to be such a little lady, too, until she did that. RoxANA. Perhaps she didn't know it would hurt you. Ella. No; but that hurts me all the more. They don't think colored folks have feelings. We're just animals to them, without intellect, or pride, or reason. RoxANA. You must forgive them. ROXANA A<=*i Ella. Yes; they know not what they do. RoxANA. I am so glad you feel that way. Ella. But the sting is there just the same. Something happens every day to depress me, and Miss Roxie, the more I learn, and the nearer I ap- proach the white standard in education and man- ners, the deeper the little looks and smiles and cuts of the white folks wound me. RoxANA. Your education should bring you a philosophy that will make it easy for you to bear these things, Ella. It should broaden you. Ella. Education is bringing me only hopeless- ness. It has taken rebellion and hatred from my heart. RoxANA. That is a distinct gain, Ella. Ella. It has broadened me that far, but it has broadened the hopelessness, also, into a great, dark sea that stretches out to the end of life. RoXANA. (Picks up he?' letter and sits near the table. ) You must wait. A light will come over the sea. Ella. {Going to her.) A light? RoXANA. Yes ; the dawn of daj^ Ella. You mean a day of equal opportunity for our race? RoxANA. Yes; and of equal respect, and equal toleration. 8 A<=ti RQXANA Ella. It will never come. RoxANA. Yes; it will come. Ella. Not in my life. RoxANA. You must not think that. Ella. How can I help it? Miss Roxana, what is there in life for me? I have progressed far be- yond the intellectual boundaries of the negro people. I crave the manners and thought and civilization of the white race. I long for equality in their social scale. But what is there for me? Only the dark and hopeless sea of social ostracism. Roxana. (Rising. Tensely.) Social ostracism ! You are showing me its horrors. (To herself.) Per- haps, it will come to me ! A little slip, and all would be known. Then it would come to me. (Turns to Ella.) I want to know about it all, Ella! Make me see it all! Ella. I could never make you see it all, Miss Roxie, because your skin is white. That is why you will never know it all. My skin is the "scarlet let- ter" of my ostracism. It is hard to wear it when one has never sinned. You have never had to wear it. Roxana. (Looking away.) Mine does not show, but it is there. I have sinned. My whole life is a lie. (She sways.) 9 ROXANA A^ti Ella. {Alarmed.) You are 111, Miss Roxle! We should not have talked of this. RoxANA. Perhaps not! I was picturing what might happen If he should ever know. Ella. You mean Mr. Lee? RoxANA. Yes. Ella. {Darkening.) I do not like him. He scorns the colored people. I have heard him dis- cuss the negro problem with you and Mr. Conners. RoXANA. I thought the rebellion and hatred had gone, Ella? Ella. They have. In the case of the northern whites. RoxANA. Why do you still keep them for the southern ? Ella. Because the Southerners are more Intol- erant and prejudiced against us, and because the white blood of their fathers often runs under our brown skins. Roxana. {Quickly.) Not the blood of the Lees! Ella. {Shrugs her shoulders.) No; their overseers', of course. Roxana. {In cold reproof.) That will do, Ella. Ella. {Petulantly.) You love Gordon Lee. 10 Act I ROXANA RoxANA. {In warning.) Ella! Ella. But, if you did not love him, you would hate him. You will hate him some day. RoxANA. {In pain.) You must not say such things. {Apprehensively.) Why do you think I shall hate him? Ella. Because when he knows all, he will hate you. RoxANA. Oh, never that! Ella. He will forsake you, Miss Roxie. Gor- don Lee is too proud and intolerant ever to forgive. RoxANA. He shall never know. Ella. Miss Roxie, if you marry him, God grant that he may never know. RoXANA. {With intense anxiety.) He must never know. {The door-bell rings. She brightens. Eagerly.) That may be Gordon, now! {Ella goes out^ rear. Roxana goes to the table and arranges the flotuers in the vase^ humming happily. Ralph Conners enters, rear. He is robust j of average height, frank and hearty in manner, and about thirty- six years of age.) Conners. Good afternoon, Roxana! Roxana. {Going toward him.) Oh, it is you, Ralph? II ROXANA Act I CoNNERS. Yes; I thought I'd find Gordon here. The Philippine expedition is to leave within a month. RoxANA. So soon! When did you hear that, Ralph? CoNNERS. It has just been decided. RoxANA. Then Gordon will soon be here to tell me. CoNNERS. No doubt; but he is a busy man to- day. His party will be gone a year or more. We shall miss him, Roxana. RoxANA. (Sadly.) It will be the longest year of my life. CoNNERS. (Cheerily.) He will be back be- fore you know it. Roxana. Sometimes, I fear he may never re- turn. A collector goes into so many dangers. CoNNERS. Yes; but his party is an experienced one, and Gordon is a strong and tactful man in the field. Roxana. I know. His former work for the museum proves that. He has already brought it some of its rarest exhibits. Won't you sit down? (They both sit.) CoNNERS. He will bring it and the university greater glory when he returns. 12 Act I ROXANA RoXANA. Yes; but this time he is going among the head-hunters. Their very name is frightful. CoNNERS. They are no worse than the ma- rauding tribesmen of northern Tibet. Gordon re- turned without a scratch from his researches among them. (Goes to Tibetan ornaments on the zvall, right.) They were certainly a fierce crowd. These Tibetan fixings prove that. (Takes dagger out.) Look at this! Wicked, isn't it? (Touches scab- bard of the sword.) And this sword, too. (Takes down hand-drum.) What is this, Rox'ana? RoXANA. (Going to him.) A hand-drum. CoNNERS. I never noticed it before. By Jove, Roxana, it's made of two skulls ! How odd ! RoxANA. (Slyly.) How provident, I should say. CoNNERS. (Smiling tentatively.) Provident? Roxana. (Vivacious.) Of course! Two heads are better than one. CoNNERS. (Laughs, and taps one head of the drum and then the other. Quickly.) If both are mutton heads. Roxana. Mutton heads? CoNNERS. (Mocking her with twinkling eyes.) Of course! They are covered with sheepskin. Roxana. (Tossing her head.) O you! 13 ROXANA A^^ti CoNNERS. {Hangs up the drum.) If Gordon could get away with this stuff, he'll come back safe enough from the Philippines. {Sits.) RoxANA. {Resuming her seat.) I shall hope and pray for him. It is hard to lose him even for a year. We three have been such good friends, Ralph. CoNNERS. I hope we shall always be, Roxana. After you two are married, I shall not feel so much like an intruder as I have during your engagement days. Roxana. {Quickly.) You have never been that! CoNNERS. Well, when two persons are in love, they say two are company, and three, a crowd. Roxana. Then you don't think three will be a crowd after we are married? Why, Ralph! That is the same as saying we shall not be in love after we are married. How terrible of you! CoNNERS. I didn't mean that, but its more con- ventional for a married couple to have a close bachelor friend than for two who are engaged. Roxana. I'm glad you weren't cynical. CoNNERS. And I shall feel easier in that capac- ity after the knot is tied, than I do now. Roxana. You goose! Act I ROXANA CoNNERS. No; I am really serious. RoxANA. So am I then. You have never in- truded. You were Gordon's friend long before I came Into his life. I could never forget that. I liked you first because of that; now, because a gen- uine friendship has grown up between us. CoNNERS. {Troubled. Rising.) You may have cause to doubt that. RoxANA. {Surprised.) Not to doubt your friendship ? CoNNERS. {Seriously.) Roxana, last night, Gordon and I were discussing the expedition. He said he should be gone for many months, and that he Intended to make you his wife before he left. Roxana. Yes; I have agreed to marry him be- fore he goes. CoNNERS. I have advised him against that. Roxana. You think it will be best to wait until he returns? CoNNERS. That does not matter. I have advised him not to marry you at all unless you tell him more about yourself than he now knows. Roxana. {Quietly. Rises and turns away.) That is our affair, Ralph. Conners. I know It is; but I want to tell you what I have said to Gordon. It is because I do not 15 ROXANA *"='! wish to be two-faced. Besides, he has asked me to be your protector while he is gone. RoXANA. (She turns toward him.) Go on, Ralph. CoNNERS. You have told Gordon that your mother and father were legally married and that you are a legitimate offspring of that union. RoxANA. (Brushing at her dress.) Spoken like a true lawyer, Ralph. CoNNERS. You have told him that there has been nothing in the personal conduct of your life, or in the lives of your parents and relatives, that is not wholly lawful and respectable. RoXANA. (Looking up.) I have told him that. CoNNERS. You have refused to give him any de- tails at to your birth-place or relatives, or as to the people who have known your parents, whom you say are dead. You have told and will tell nothing of your life before you entered the university. RoXANA. (Going toward him.) That is all true. CoNNERS. As Gordon's friend, I have pointed out to him what I believe to be the danger of a marriage with you under such conditions. RoxANA. (Simply.) I do not hold it against you, Ralph. You did it for Gordon's sake. You had only his welfare at heart. (Firmly.) But, Ralph, if i6 Act I RQXANA Gordon marries me, it will be under those condi- tions. CoNNERS. {Perturbed.) Gordon zi;/// marry you. He believes you and he believes in you. RoxANA. What did he say to your protests? CoNNERS. That they wtrt based on your not having told him the truth. RoxANA. Not having told him the truth? CoNNERS. Yes; about there having been nothing unlaw^ful in your life, or in the lives of your fam- ;iy. RoXANA. No ; there has been nothing unlawful- nothing that was not wholly respectable. CoNNERS. Gordon is satisfied with that state- ment. RoxANA. If he wants me for his wife, Ralph, he will have to accept it. I can go no further. CoNNERS. Of course, to me, your stand is very odd — ^very unreasonable, Roxana. RoxANA. Yes; one must have faith. What else did Gordon say? CoNNERS. That he would believe your word against the evidence of his own eyes. Roxana. (Slyly.) That was rather strong, wasn't it, Ralph? CoNNERS. No; I believe he would. 17 ROXANA * ^^*^ RoxANA. You silly! You know he would not. But I have told him only the truth. CoNNERS. {Holding out his hand.) And we are still friends? RoXANA. (Going to him and taking his hand.) Oh, yes, indeed! I could not think less of you for this. (The door-bell rings. Joyously.) That is Gordon ! Excuse me, Ralph. {She runs out, back. Conners lights a cigar. Roxana returns with Lee, whose arm is about her. He is thirty-four, tall, well knit, and masterful in manner. He has some gray hairs. They kiss just outside the doorway, back, unseen by Conners, who is smoking. He smiles good naturedly as he hears their words, but, discreetly, does not look around. Lee has a book in his hand.) Roxana. (As Lee releases her.) Go in and talk to Ralph, Gordon ; it will take me only a second to change my gown. Lee. Only a second? Let's see. (Sing-song.) Sixty minutes make one second — Roxana. (Interrupting.) Since when, Gordon? Lee. Since the birth of Eve. i8 Act I ROXANA RoxANA. (Laughing.) Oh! {She goes out, rear.) Lee. (Entering.) Ah, Ralph! CoNNERS. (Turning.) Hello, Gordon! So you are to leave us soon! Lee. In a month. CoNNERS. Roxana and I have just been lament- ing the fact. I have told her of my perfidy. Lee. (Fondly.) And she iorgave you. (Briskly.) I have come to arrange for our wedding day. How fortunate you are here. CoNNERS. I suppose it will be soon. Lee. Day after to-morrow, at noon, if the bride and best man (Bows deferentially to Conners.) shall find it convenient. Conners. You may count on me. Lee. I think Roxana will be agreeable. Ralph, I have so much to do before the expedition leaves that there will not be time to select and furnish a home until my return from the Islands. ( They sit.) Conners. Yes; that is true. Lee. It will be best for Roxana to remain here, with Mrs. Thome, during my absence. Conners. I can see no reason why she should not. Lee. I think she will agree to it. (After a mo- 19 ROXANA *«*! ment. Goes to Conners,) I trust you are no longer opposed to our marriage. Conners. I shall always be opposed to it, unless Roxana makes an open book of her past life. She is a mystery. One should be careful about marrying a mystery. Lee. She is a beautiful, true woman. Conners. She is beautiful, and we have always found her true. She is a mystery, however, and you should be careful about her reticence regarding her past. At times, I have had a feeling of vague uneasi- ness when I have been near her. At such times she seemed to be never at rest, and strange forces seemed to be at war in her personality. The feeling has been subtle, elusive, intangible. Lee. The devil! It serves you right. Suspicion Is the father of Halucination. Conners. {Dryly.) Sometimes. {After a mo- ment.) Gordon, I have deferred telling you of a strange incident that happened night before last. Some sweet shrubs of which I am very fond, grow in Mrs. Thome's garden at the rear of this house. I love them because they used to grow in my mother's garden when I was a boy. I entered Mrs. Thome's garden by the side gate, and walked in to gather a few of the blossoms. There was a moon, but for a moment, clouds obscured it, and in the semi-dark- 20 Act I ROXANA ness I ran into Roxana. I took her for the mulatto maid, and to reassure her, said, *'It's all right, Ella. It's Mr. Conners." Just then the moon came out, and I saw that it was Roxana who stood before me. "Roxana!" I cried in surprise. "I took you for Ella." Lee. You dolt, Ralph! She should have struck you in the face. Conners. It ivas tactless of me. Lee. I should think so! What did she say? Conners. That is the strange thing. {Rises and faces Lee.) She said, "All cats are black at night." There was a fearful self-loathing in her voice. Then she hastily led the way to the front porch. It seemed as if she were crying. Lee. I do not blame her. To be taken for a damned nigger wench ! Conners. But the remark! Was it not odd? (Sits.) Lee. No ; white cats are black at night. {Sits.) Her mind was lightning to give you such an answer. The irony was splendid. Conners. But why "Cats?" It is not a lofty metaphor. Lee. {Angrily. Rising.) Your vague suspicions and questionings of Roxana's motives are intolerable ! 21 ROXANA ^"^^ CoNNERS. (Firmly,) I have omitted one thing. When I have told you that, my conscience will be clear. Lee. (Sharply. Turning from him.) Nevermind it! CoNNERS. (Rising.) As we turned to leave the garden, I thought I saw the dark form of a man crouching in the shrubbery. Lee. (Turning on him.) No doubt! I can be- lieve you thought you saw it. CoNNERS. (Hurt.) You do me an injustice. Lee. Then keep still. I am tired of your thoughts, Ralph. They are not worthy of you. CoNNERS. (Quietly.) I am sorry. Won't you have a cigar? (Holds one out.) Lee. (Kindly.) Thanks. (Takes cigar and stands the book he has had in his hand, on its edge, on the table.) Don't let me forget this book when I go, Ralph. If I do, I'll have to come back for it. I'll set it on edge to keep it in plain view. (Lights his cigar.) CoNNERS. Is it one of your own ? Lee. No; it is a novel. I promised to lend it to a friend. CoNNERS. (Sits.) Have you considered taking Roxana with you, Gordon ? You could leave her in Manila while making your researches in the Islands. 22 Act I ROXANA Lee. I fear she would qot be contented there. She would have to give up her art, and that is what I had relied upon to divert her during my absence. CoNNERS. Yes; aside from her love for you, it is her greatest interest. Roxana is very talented. What is she doing now? Lee. {Sits.) She has just received her first large commission. It is for a statue of Hermes. Conners. a Hermes! For whom? Lee. The Lincoln Industrial and Normal Insti- tute. Conners. The great Georgia negro school ! Can you stand for that, Gordon? Lee. I am not running Roxana's business for her. I should be better pleased, however, if it were for a white school. Conners. A Hermes, eh? Let's see. Hermes was the inventor of letters, geometry, music, weights and measures, athletic exercises Lee. (Dryly. Interrupting.) and dice. Conners. {Smilin; love! RoxANA. But if it was true that color would out, so also would murder. I could reason that far, and my boy was saved. But it all shows where your love had led me. The sky has cleared. I know all values, now — of prejudice, and love, and hate — and that little child in there means more to me, Gordon, than you ever did or ever could. 119 ROXANA ^^* "^ Lee. My son! (In despair.) Oh, God! He is black. RoxANA. (Simply.) Yes; like his uncle. If he shall be like him in other ways, I can have no re- gret. My work shall be to guide his steps so that he too may work for the dawn of day. (She pauses. Calls are heard outside.) Listen! (They listen. Cries of newsboys are heard in the street.) RoxANA. It is an extra. They are calling Ralph's name! (She runs to the window and opens it.) Newsboy. (Outside.) EXTRA JOURNAL! ALL ABOUT THE PORTER BRIBERY CASE! ALDERMAN CONNERS INDICTED! Lee. (Going toward window.) What does it all mean? RoxANA. That the state's attorney was not afraid to act. (To herself.) Discovery and despair are Ralph's now, too. Lee. (Bitterly.) What can he know of despair? What is his to mine? (Roxana closes the window and lowers the curtain.) Roxana. His is the result of guilt, like mine. Lee. And mine? How have I deserved mine? It is like that of the innocent victim of the Negrito death vengeance. 1 20 Act III ROXANA RoXANA. Oh! {Turns in pain. Goes toward door J rear.) Lee. {Fearfully.) Where are you going? RoxANA. We are going to our work — ^your son, and I. Lee. {Wounded.) And you have no farwell for me? RoxANA. Yes; if you wish it. Gordon, good bye! Lee. ( With a heart cry.) No, no I To my arms ! Here, here in my arms, no matter who or what you are! Roxana, my wife, my love! {He has gone toward her.) RoxANA. {Firmly.) No. Gordon. That is all past. Lee. {Dully. Dropping his arms and halting.) All past. Roxana. Yes; it is better so — for you, and for me. Lee. {Turning from her in despair.) You have ruined my life. Roxana. Some people start with a ruined life. Lee. You mean among the negro race. Roxana. Yes. Lee. {Turning toward her appealingly.) But am I to blame for that? 121 ROXANA Act III RoxANA. You and your people are much to blame. Lee. {He gazes at her raptly.) RoxANA. {Quietly.) I am going now. Good bye. Lee. {Awed,) It is to be forever. RoxANA. {Very white.) Yes; forever. Lee. I shall not sleep to-night. RoxANA. Then you vv^ill see the dawn, the dawn of a new — a gentler day. Lee. Not for me. RoxANA. Yes; for you. Lee. {Slowly.) A gentler day! RoxANA. Good bye! {SHe goes toward the door.) Lee. No, no! Not yet! Do not leave me so! RoxANA. I must go. Good bye. {She goes out, rear. He paces the floor. She passes the door at back, wearing her hat. A white bundle is in her arms — her son.) Lee. {He takes a step toward rear, with a cry.) Roxana ! My wife ! My love ! {A door is heard to close. He sinks heavily into a chair, with his face in his hands. He 122 A«t ™ ROXANA remains so for a jew moments, then drops his hands and raises his head. He gets up and lowers the lamp a little; then goes to the window and sends the shade to the top. He stands looking out, his face up- turned, calm and resigned.) Lee. I will wait here for the dawn. {He smiles sadly, but fondly.) Perhaps, it will bring "a gentler day." (the curtain softly falls.) 123 DEC 291S0S One copy del. to Cat. Div.