DENISON'S ACTING PLAYS Partial List of Successful and Popular Plays. Large Catalogue Free. DRAMAS, COMEDIES, ENTERTAINMENTS, Etc. M. F. Aaron Boggs, Freshman, 3 acts, 254 hrs (,35c) 8 S Abbu San of Old Japan, 2 nets, 2 hrs (35c) 15 After the Game, 2 acts, l 54 hrs (25c) 1 9 All a Mistake, 3 acts, 2 hrs. (35c) 4 4 All on Account of Polly, 3 acts, 254 hrs (35c) 6 10 And Home Came Ted, 3 acts, 2J4 hrs (50c) 6 6 Arizona Cowboy, 4 acts, 254 hrs ....(35c) 7 5 Assisted by Sadie, 4 acts, 254 his (50c) 6 6 As a Woman Thinketh, 3 acts, 2\A hrs (35c) 9 7 At the End of the Rainbow, 3 acts, 2-4 hrs (35c) 6 14 Black Heifer, 3 acts, 2 hrs. (25c) 9 3 Boy Scout Hero, 2 acts, lj:f hrs. (25c) • 17 Boy Scouts' Good Turn, 3 acts, 1H hrs (25c) 16 2 Brookdale Farm, 4 acts, 254 hrs (25c) 7 3 Brother Josiah, 3 acts, 2 hrs. (25c) ■ 7 4 Busy Liar, 3 acts, 254 h. (25c) 7 4 Call of the Colors, 2 acts, 154 hrs (25c) 4 10 Call of Wohelo, 3 acts, 1^4 hrs (25c) 10 Camouflage of Shirley, 3 acts, 2>4 hrs (35c) 8 10 Civil Service, 3 acts, 2*4 hrs. (35c) 6 5 College Town, 3 acts, 254 hrs (35c) 9 8 Deacon Dubbs, 3 acts, 2% hrs. (35c) 5 5 Deacon Entangled, 3 act.;, 2 hrs. (35c) 6 4 Down in Dixie, 4 acts, 2 '4 hrs (25c) 8 4 Dream Th.it Came True, 3 acts, 2'i hrs (35c) 6 13 Editor-in-Chief, 1 hr (25c) 10 Enchanted Wood, l$i h.(35c).Optnl. Everyyouth, 3 acts, 154 h. (25c) 7 6 Face at the Window, 3 acts, 2 hrs (25c) 4 4 For the Love of Johnnv, 3 acts, 254 hrs "(50c) 6 3 Fun on the Podunk Limited, 1% hrs (30c) 9 14 Gettin' Acquainted, 25 mm. (35c) 1 2 Her Honor, the Mayor, 3 acts, 2 hrs (35c) 3 5 M. F. High School Freshman, 3 acts, 2 hrs (25c) 12 Indian Days, 1 hr (50c) 5 2 In Plum Valley, 4 acts, 254 hrs (25c) 6 4 Jayville Junction, 1% hrs.(25c)14 17 Kicked Out of College, 3 acts, 2\i hrs (35c) 10 9 Kingdom of Heart's Content, 3 acts, 254 hrs (35c) 6 12 Laughing Cure, 2 acts, lf4 hrs. (35c) .- , 4 5 Lightnouse "Nan, 3 acts, 2 54 hrs (35c) 5 4 Little Buckshot, 3 acts, 254 hrs. (25c) 7 4 Little Clodhopper, 3 acts, 2 hrs (35c) 3 4 Mirandy's Minstrels. . . . (30c) Optnl. Mrs. Tubbs of Shantvtown, 3 acts, 254 hrs .' . . . (35c) 4 7 My Irish Rose, 3 acts, 254 hrs. (35c) 6 6 OH Maid's Club, 154 hrs.,(30c) 2 16 Old Oaken Bucket, 4 acts, 2 hrs (25c) 8 6 Old School at Hick'ry Holler, 1J4 hrs (30c) 12 9 On the Little Big Horn, 4 acts, 21/2 hrs (25c) 10 4 Poor Married Man, 3 acts, 2 hrs (35c) 4 4 Prairie Rose, 4 acts, 2'4 h. (35c) 7 4 Real Thing After All, 3 acts, 254 hrs (35c) 7 9 Rustic Romeo, 2 acts, 254 hrs (35c) 10 12 Ruth in a Rush, 3 acts, 2'4 hrs (35c) 5 7 Safety First, 3 acts, 254 hrs (35c) 5 5 Southern Cinderella, 3 acts. 2 hrs (30c) 7 Spark of Life, 3 acts, 2 hrs (25c) 4 4 Spell of the Image, 3 acts, 2 54 hrs (35c) 10 10 Star Bright, 3 acts, 2J4 h. (35c) 6 5 Those Dreadful Twins, 3 acts, 2 hrs (25c) 6 4 Thread of Destiny, 3 acts, 254 hrs (35c) 9 16 Tonv, the Convict, 5 acts, 254 'hrs (25c) 7 4 Trial of Hearts, 4 acts, 254 hrs. (35c) 6 18 Trip to Storvland, 154 hrs. (25c) 17 23 Uncle Josh, 4 acts, 254 hrs. (25c) 8 3 Under Blue Skies, 4 acts. 2 hrs (35c) 7 10 When Smith Stepped Out, 3 acts, 2 hrs (50c) 4 4 Whose Little Bride Are You? V" 3 acts, 254 hrs (50c) , CHARACTERS. V^ Rastus White A Pompous Colored Individual Washington Lee 4 Half-Starved Colored Man Capt. Nathaniel Black .. Officer of a Colored Regiment Big Chief Roaring-Bull. .. Chief of the Exit- Em- Alive s Little Chief Snake-Eater Son of His Father Old-Man-Afraid-of-His-Feet Of the Same Tribe Horse's-Tail A Buck of the Same Tribe Tangle-Foot Another Buck Hot-Dog Still Another Dynamite Not the Last Fire- Water One More And as many more Indians as there arc blankets, to make up a powerful tribe. Place — The Wild and Woolly Scene — Where the Cruel Redskins Hang Out. Time — When You Least Expect It. Time of Playing — About a Half-Hour COPYRIGHT. 1921, BY JEFF BRANEN. fr\ &*0- TMP92-008691 ©CI.D 589 18 Vo J THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL 3 TYPES AND COSTUMES. White — A short, stocky, well-fed darky, well groomed and autocratic. Wears dark, well-fitting business suit and a large-brimmed Stetson hat. His clothes are dusty as he enters. Lee — A tall, lean, half -starved darky with a haunted look. Wears misfit clothes, large sloppy shoes, dilapidated brown derby hat. Carries two grips when he enters. Black — A dapper darky, aged about thirty, in the uni- form of a Captain of the regular army. (Modify uniform to comply with regulations.) Big Chief — A husky Indian, aged about sixty. Wears typical Injun-chief costume with many-feathered head- dress. Little Chief — A tall, athletic young Indian. Wears costume similar to Big Chief, hut with a lone feather in his headpiece. Old-Man — An aged Indian. Wears flannel shirt, khaki trousers, moccasins or black "sneakers" and a blanket ( pref- erably red) over his head and shoulders, shawl fashion. Wears no feather. All remaining Indians are similarlv costumed, without feathers. If it is desired to simplify, the bright blanket is all that is needed to get the effect. Horse's-Tail — A big buck, tall and athletic. Hot-Dog—A squatty buck, muscular and tough. Tangle-Foot — A wobbly Indian, with a rum bottle in his hand. Dynamite — A big, noisy Indian. Fire-Water — A murderous-looking redskin with many wrinkles in his face. Other Indians — Similar to the foregoing. THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL MAKE-UP. White, Lee and Black make up blackface. Do not attempt to use home-made burnt cork, as it is unsatisfac- tory. Use theatrical burnt cork, prepared for minstrel make-up. It goes on smoothly and evenly and is easily removed. Do not redden the lips. All the other characters are made up with number seventeen grease paint (Indian flesh tint.) A full line of make-up materials is carried in stock by the publishers. PROPERTIES. Two grips for Lee. Hand mirror for Black. Stuffed club for Black. Wigs for Lee to bring on as scalps. Bottle for Tangle-Foot. Arrows for Lee and Black. Blanket for each Indian. Scalping knife for each Indian. Revolvers, cushion and paddles for battle effect off stage. STAGE DIRECTIONS. R. means right of stage; C, center; R.C., right center; L., left; up stage, away from footlights; down stage, near footlights. The actor is supposed to be facing the audi- ence. THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL Scene: Wood set, full stage, with rugged mountain drop if available; otherwise wood drop. (But scenery is not essential as this skit can be played on any platform. ) Up stage, C, stands an Indian tepee or wigwam, with open- ing toward footlights and flaps thrown back to reveal inte- rior. Inside tepee is a tripod from which hangs a kettle. (A tepee can generally be borrowed from some juvenile owner. A small-sized one, five or six feet high, will answer the purpose. If the regular thing is not available it can be easily made. Take five or six slender poles, such as bean poles or clothes props, and tie a stout cord or a wire around the bundle near one end. Then set them up, with the tied ends at the top, and spread the lozver ends in the form of a circle to make a tepee shape of the proper pro- portions. The base ends can be tacked lightly to the stage, or a long cord may be tied around the base from each pole to the next, after the frame is in position, to prevent spread- ing. Throw a big tent canvas, tarpaulin, awning or pieces of burlap over the framework, leaving a space open in the front, and the tepee is made.) Under the kettle a "fire" is to be kindled, and for this purpose red electric light should be used if available, to be turned on at the proper cue. It should be masked in front with a few bits of zvood. If there is not electricity, a candle behind a piece of red glass will answer the purpose. Use great caution with this or zvith red tableau fire. Be sure to comply zvith fire laws. Music: For rise, characteristic Indian music, such as Indian War Dance (No. 6, page 4, in Emerson's Moving Picture Music Folio, price $1.25, T. S..Denison & Co.) White and Lee enter from up L. White walks briskly and pompously down to footlights C. Lee drags himself 5 6 THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL wearily after him, and when well on spies the tepee. He is eyeing it critically when addressed by White. Music di- minishes. White. Come on, yo' shuffle-footed niggah. We'll never get anywhere if yo'-all don't shuffle dem feet a little live- lier. (Music stops.) Lee. Dat's all I been doin' fo' de last seventy-two hours. White. What's all yo' been doin'? Lee. Shufflin' mah dogs. {Still looking the tepee over.) White. Don't you know what dat am? Lee. Course I don't. What am it? White. Dat am a place where dey smoke hams. Lee (dropping both grips). Oh, Lawdy ! (Shuffles over on a half run and looks inside tepee and all around it.) White. What am yo' lookin' fo', Washington? Lee (coining down, disappointedly). Ham. White. Wliat would yo'-all do wid a ham? Lee (looking disgustedly at White). What would yo'- all do wid a ham ! Yo' black hippopotamus ! What would a starved hyena do wid a leg o' lamb? I tell yo', man, I'm starved ! White. Ham wouldn't appease yo' appetite unless yo' had about a dozen of aigs on de side, wid mashed potatoes an' plenty of gravy — Lee (angrily). Stop right where yo' at! White. What's de matter? Lee. Don't yo' go pourin' kerosene on a fire dat am al- ready burnin' up mah intestines! White. Dat am 'zactly what I had fo' breakfast dis mohnin'. Lee. What yo'-all had fo' breakfast ain't gwine to give me indigestion. White. Had po'k chops, mashed potatoes, cream gravy, hot biscuits and plenty of butter and honey yesterday. Lee (with a pained expression). Have a heart, have a heart ! All I had was de pleasure of lookin' th'ough de win- dow and watchin' yo' eat yo' fool head off widout even axin' me in to give yo' a lift. THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL 7 White. Oh, Washington, yo' smell so of de liv'y stable I couldn't ax yo'-all in to dat swell hotel. Had it been a beanery — Lee (interrupting). Why didn't yo' let me go back to de kitchen where I could make myseff right at home, when I suggested it? White. Dat would have reflected upon my nobility, 'cause I told de proprietor of dat hotel dat I was an Indian prince traveling incognito and dat yo' was my valet. Lee. And how about dat other hotel de dav befo' yis- te'dy ? White. Dat was de swellest place in de heart of dese mountains — a millionaire's club. I had chicken a-la-king fo' breakfast, chicken a-la-Maryland fo' dinner, chicken a-la — Lee. Neveh yo' mind recitin' no Pullman bill-o'-fare ! What did yo'-all bell de high mogul of dat place about me ? White. Same as I told de last proprietor of — Lee. Same as yo' been tellin' ev'ybody. Here yo' go travelin' all de way from Omaha, fou'teen days, livin' on de fat of de land an' passin' yo'seff off fo' what yo' ain't and passin' me off fo' what I never was — yo' eatin' six an' seven times a day an' I once ev'y two weeks. White. Are yo' really hungry, Washington? Lee. Am I really hungry! Yo' mean, selfish, low-down orang-outang ! Am I really hungry, Washington ! White. Jack-rabbits is plentiful around here through these sage brush. Lee. Yes, but who wants a jack-rabbit when he can't induce him to wait a minute? Ev'y jack-rabbit I've seen jes' took one look at ma' starved expression and jes' nat- urally ran hisself to death to git away from me. White. What did yo'-all do wid dem nice chicken sandwiches I bought yo' when we left Omaha? Lee. What did I do wid 'em? (Looking hard at White.) What did yo' do wid 'em ? Last I saw of dem dey was preparin' to associate wid dat chicken a-la-king and dat chicken a-la-Marvland. 8 THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL White. Did I eat 'em? Lee. Did I eat 'em! Yo' jes' swallowed 'em raw like yo' do eve'ything yo' set yo' eyes on. Yo' am de most eatin'est niggah I ever met in all mah bohn days. Yo' eat ev'ything yo' can lay yo' hands on. White. I wouldn't say dat about yo', Washington. Lee. 'Cou'se yo' wouldn't say dat about yo', Washing- ton ! How can yo', less yo' lie like yo' can eat! {Tapping foot nervously.) I tell yo' I'm starved. I ain't a goin' to live long if dis kind of fastin' business keeps up. (Again turning and sizing up the tepee.) I jes' wish I could see a ham or two layin' around in there dat wasn't workin'. White. I tell you, again, Washington, I wouldn't give two bits for all de ham on de market unless there was a nest or two of nice fresh aigs — Lee. There yo' go, teasin' mah appetite again. What do I care what yo' wouldn't care fo'? I'm worryin' about my own stomach. Jes' show me a ham, an' I won't be fussy whether they's a nest or two of aigs close by or not. Jes' yo' show me a ham, I say ! I dare yo' to. White. I'll do dat little thing fo' yo', Washington. Lee. When ? White. I'll show yo'-all a ham de next place we strike. Lee. Show it to me, dat's all. Yo'll be mighty particu- lar dat I get no closer dan seein' distance. White. I couldn't trust yo' wid a whole ham. Lee. Don't need to be a whole ham. Jes' a po'tion. Ain't gwine to quarrel wid yo'-all over de size of it. Jes' show me what a slice of ham looks like. I ain't seen one so long dat I fo'got jes' how dey look. White. To show yo' one would merely aggravate yo' appetite. Lee. Neveh yo' mind what it will do to mah appetite. Jes' yo' show yo' good intentions. Yo' point one out to me and I'll git it. (Expressing hunger.) Doesn't have to be smoked. I could eat it raw. I tell yo', man, it's a crime to be standin' here talkin' about eatin' and there isn't a thing to eat within fo'ty miles of us. THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL 9 White. Haven't I been urgin' yo' to hurry along? Lee. How can I hurry when I haven't de strength to drag mah dogs along afteh me? (White starts to exit down R.) How far is fo'ty miles? (Picks up grips.) White. Fo'ty miles am de distance from here to where yo' am goin' to see dat ham. Lee (dragging his feet after him). I'm afraid dat me and dat ham am neveh gwin' to meet each other. Captain Nathaniel Black enters up R. Black. Halt! Who goes there? (Comes doivn stage from up R. Lee and White turn abruptly and try to salute, Lee very awkwardly.) Black (coming down and confronting than). Who are you and what am yo' doin' heah in dis dangerous section of de country ? White. We is tourists. Black. Afoot or a-horseback? Lee. Don't know. Black (looking sharply at Lee and eyeing him crit- ically). Don't know what? Lee. Whether we's afoot or a-horseback. Black. Well, it's time yo' were findin' out. Do yo'-all know where yo're at? Lee. I don't. Ax him. (Motioning toward White.) Black (to White). Did yo' hear me? White. Yes, I heard yo' but I wasn't listenin'. Black. Yo' betta' had be. (An Indian war-whoop, made by rapid slapping of hand over mouth as a shrill yell is produced, is heard from off stage.) Lee. Dat am de wail of a jack-rabbit. Black. Jack-rabbit your eye ! That was an Indian. These mountains are full of 'em ! (Both White and Lee tremble as Black looks off stage excitedly.) De most bloodthirsty tribe of red men known to us soldiers is to be found in this valley and throughout these mountains. Our regiment of trained colored cavalry has been wiped out and replaced a half-dozen times by those red devils in the last six months. (Another Indian war-whoop off stage.) 10 THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL Lee. Say, boss, yo'-all don't happen to have a stray sandwich in yo' pocket, does yo'? Black. What? Thinkin' of eatin' with death starin' yo* in de face? Lee. Death am been starin' me in de face so long dat I become used to it. Cou'se I'm nervous, but I sho' would like to have jes' one square meal befo' I die. White. T say, officer. Is there no way out of dis ter- rible predicament? (Displays considerable agitation.) Lee (aside). Chicken a-la-king! Chicken a-la-Mary- land! (M / hile Lee is talking to himself he spies White and Black whispering. Aloud.) If yo'-all swear dat yo' can git me a ham bone or somethin' like it to gnaw on after de fracas am over, I'll clean up dis whole country of yo' Injuns. I'd jes' fight mah way th'ough an army bigger dan Napoleon's fo' a glass of beer and a cheese sandwich. White (looking longingly at Lee). Beer! Where did I last hear dat word? Black. It used to be in de dictionary but it ain't no mo'. (Indian it'ar-whoop in the distance. All shozv ner- vousness as more war-zvhoops are heard.) I tell you, we are liable to be surrounded and annihilated. I can get away, but how about you? Are you afoot or a-horseback, I asked you? Lee. I'd be satisfied if I had a mule. White. We are afoot. Black. Then you are lost! Lost, I say! (Starts to exit R. as if to make his escape, as Indian xvar-whoops become more numerous.) White (pleading). Yo' wouldn't leave us here to de mercy of dem Indians, would yo'? Dey am liable to scalp us. Lee (aside, as Black returns). Make no diff'ence if dey scalped me. I'm so hungry I'd never feel it. Black. There is only one possible chance for you two fellows to make yo' escape. If yo'-all am clever and do 'zactly what I tells yo', yo' can outwit those Injuns and make a lot of money besides. De government am offering THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL 11 a reward of five dollars fo' ev'y Injun scalp we produce. Of course dey am hard to get. Yo' must kill de Injun befo' yo'-all can scalp him. De chances is he will kill yo' first. Lee. What am de use fussin' wid 'em? Let's make friends wid 'em. Maybe we could get somepin' to eat. {More Indian cries are heard.) White (very scared). Pay no attention to him! Tell me how to go about scalpin' dese red devils. Black. Dere am no use fightin' an Injun in de openin'. Yo' got to take advantage of him. He will kill yo' first if yo' don't. Yo' got to let him get very close to yo'. (W'hite trembles and Lee begins to shiver a little.) Let him almost pounce upon yo', ready to plunge his knife in yo'. (Black groans and Lee bats his eyes and moistens his lips with his tongue.) Just as he is ready to sink his steel into yo' — Have yo'-all got a boiler kivver about yo'? Lee. Ax him. (Points to White.) Maybe he has. I ain't got nothin'. White (as Black looks at him). What yo'-all mean by a boiler kivver? Black. A kivver to a boiler. Don't vo'-all know what that is? White (turning to Lee). Why haven't yo' got a boiler kivver wid yo'? I told yo' when we left Omaha to bring along eve'thing we'd need. Lee. The ve'y thing I most needed yo' done eat up. (More Indian calls.) Black. We have no time to waste arguing. If yo' have no boiler kivver yo' must get the next best thing if yo' want to live long enough to tell it. Here, take dis! (Quickly draws a hand mirror from his pocket and hands it to Lee.) When an Indian is stealin' up to plunge his blade into yo' (louder war-ivhoops off stage) yo' wait, as I said befo', until he is ready to pounce upon yo*. Then you stick this mirror right up into his face and let him see himself. An Injun has never seen his re- flection, and it will so daze him that he will begin dancin' all around yo'. Yo' keep him hypnotized, and when yo' get 12 THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL him just where yo' want him, then yo' (turning to White and handing him a stuffed club), hit him in de back of de head, and when he falls, pounce on him and scalp him. I will give yo' five dollars fo' every scalp. (The war- whoops greatly increase and Black hurries tozvard exit.) Do 'zactly as I say. (Exit Black up R.) White. When are we goin' to see you again? Black (calling back from off stage). After yo' have scalped all de Injuns. (In the meantime Lee has been look- ing at himself in the mirror.) ■ White. Neveh mind admiring yo'seff. We got to get busy. (Cries are getting closer and very loud.) Lee. Do yo' know, I'm gettin' so thin I can hardly recognize mahseff. (Cries come closer.) Here, yo' take dis and give me dat club. My hands is steadier. White (shivering). Oh, no. Yo' too weak to hit hard enough to kill him. Dynamite comes stealing in from back. White. Look, Washington, look ! Both turn and start stealing around Dynamite as he en- ters and encircles stage. All eyes are centered as they maneuver stealthily. White. Keep yo' eye on him, Washington ! Dynamite. Huh ! Me kill pale-face — black-face, too. Lee. Hang on to yo' club, Rastus. White. Push it in he's face, Washington ! Push it in he's face ! Lee. He won't stand still long enough. (Dynamite makes a lunge at Lee, who sidesteps and trips White.) Look out, Rastus! (White scrambles to his feet and al- most faints as Lee pushes mirror before the face of Dy- namite and instantly entrances him. Dynamite starts dancing an Indian dance around Lee in a circle as he looks hypnotically into the mirror.) Soak him, Rastus! (But the situation becomes so funny that White turns his back and laughs loud and heartily, as he sways forward and backward, slapping his hands to his knees to emphasize his THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL 13 delight.) Hit 'em. ] say, befo' lie makes up his mind to stop admirin' hisself. ( But White keeps pounding his knees and roaring as Dynamite encircles Lee. Lee keeps calling to White to "soak the Injun." Finally he gels close enough to White to reach out with his fool and kick him hard from behind. White instantly recovers his emu posure, strikes a commanding attitude and frowns at Lee.) Soak him on de bean, I tell yo'! (White strides leisurely up as Dynamite keeps encircling Lee, nonchalantly swings the club and floors the Indian. They hop upon him, lake his knife and go through the pretense of scalping him. They immediately drag him off stage and return, White admir- ingly holding aloft a ling to resemble the Indian's scalp.) White. Mah fust five dollahs ! Lee. Yes, yo' chicken-eatin' niggah, it's gwine to be yo' last if yo' keep me in danger de next time as long as you did. White (laughing). Oh, but I jes' couldn't he'p laughin'. Washington, yo' looked so funny ; jes' like yo'-all was doin' some fancy dance. ( Laughing heartily.) My, but yo' cert'inly am one brave man. Lee. Neveh mind testin' mah bravery. Yo' jes' go on about yo' business and swing dat club when I tells yo'. White (shaking his sides laughing). I 'spected to see yo' drop dead de minute dat Injun look in yo' eye. An 1 wasn't a bit skeered. Lee. Oh, no! Yo' wasn't a bit skeered. Yo' was jes' experiencin' de delight of you' life — 'specially when yo' fell over yo'sefr gettin' out of dat Injun's way. White. I tells you, Washington, I jes' can't help laughin'. His fit of loud laughter is suddenly cut short by a war- whoop as Tangle-Foot comes staggering on the stage. White trembles and is afraid lo turn and look. Lee jumps with fright so that his hat tills over one eye as he wheels and confronts Tangle-Foot, who staggers down stage. Tangle-Foot (yells). Ye-haw! (Lifts bottle to his mouth and pretends to drink.) 14 THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL Lee (imitating him). Ye-haw! (Starts to tiptoe around in a circle to get an advantageous position. The club falls from White's hand and the bottle from Tangle-Foot's.) Tangle-Foot. Ye-haw! (Comes to his senses and draws his knife to go after Lee. White falls sprawling and re- gains his feet in an effort to get behind Lee. Tangle-Foot and Lee maneuver, with White keeping well behind Lee till he gets a chance to regain his club. The same business and about the same speeches that appear in the foregoing scene with Dynamite are repeated, except that it takes White a little longer to make up his mind to slug Tangle- Foot. After Tangle-Foot has been scalped and dragged off stage, the two negroes return, with White holding aloft the second wig in admiration.) Lee (snatching it). Give me dat! Don't think yo' gwine to monopolize de scalp industry like yo' have de eatin' busi- ness. White (indignantly). Yo' workin' fo' me, ain't yo'? Lee. No, san ! Jes' workin' wid yo', das all. An' to em- phasize ouah business relations, yo'-all am goin' to do de hypnotizin' and me de slayin' from now on. (Offers the mirror to White.) White. Oh, no ! Nobody can hypnotize like yo' kin. Lee. Yo'-all mistaken. Yo' de greatest hyp artist dat ever was. Yo' hypnotized me into walkin' fo' hundred miles in fo'teen days widout eatin' so much as a grass- sandwich. (Reaches for stuffed club.) Gimme dat. I say, befo' I turn yo' over to de man-eatin' Injuns. Grabs the club and exchanges the mirror for it. A sud- den Indian war-cry just back of them makes them scramble for positions, with White shaking all over as he encircles Horse's-Tail, who enters and stealthily shifts from one place to the other with knife drawn and ready to strike. Horse's-Tail. Black man lose scalp. Huh ! White. Come on, Washington, take dis mirror! It am ready to drop. (Lee is duplicating White's previous busi- ness, laughing fit to kill himself. Let the business be prac- THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL IS tically the same as preceding ones and the speeches also, except that Lee and White arc reversed. When Lek has kept White longer really than he himself had been kept, he wields the club and the same business follows, with both coming back on stage with wig suspended in Lee's hand.) Lee {eagerly). Wait till I git somewhere where I can buy something. I's gwine to eat till de town runs out of ev'ything. White (panting and mopping his brozv). I tells yo\ Washington, dat was a close call! Dat Injun stood still once and looked right straight at me instead of de mirror. I sho' was sheered. Lee. I seen dat. I was jes' wishin' he'd git yo' fo' what yo' did to me. White. Dem are harsh words, Washington. Lee. Yo' have a whole lot a-comin' to yo' fo' de ad- vantage yo' have taken of mail innocence. White. Don't you wish wc-z\\ was back in Omaha? Lei:. I wish / was. Don't care a whole lot what becomes of yo'-all. Hot-Dog creeps on stage, C. unseen by them, and starts stealing on hands and feet up behind both. Lee. Have a sneakin' idea dat we two ain't alone right now. (Begins to shift his eyes and venture a look half back of him.) Hot-Dog. Ye-aw ! (White fairly rocks with fright as he turns quickly and confronts the Indian. He is about to collapse as Lee grabs mirror and tries to flash it before Indian's face. White regains his footing and staggers around behind Lee.) Black-face no can fool Hot-Dog. Me no look at what you got in hand. Ye-aw! Injun want blood ! More whoops, and Indians crowd on stage and try to en- circle White and Lee. At last Lee breaks into a run, cir- cling around stage, with Indians after him, yelling. White sees his opportunity to escape and Lee follows on a dead run. They exit with band of Indians after them. They re- 16 THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL cross stage a little farther up, with Indians in hot pursuit. They next cross down close to footlights, their backs filled with arrows, which arc slipped on them while they are in the wings. All exit running as before. The yelling increases and Big Chief Roaring-Bull comes marching on with White, followed by Little Chief Snake-Eater holding fast to Lee's arm. Other Indians are dancing their native steps about stage as they come on to indicate their great joy. The two darkies are lined up and the Indians all dance in a circle about them. Lee (to Big Chief). Say, boss, yo'-all don't happen to have a ham sandwich in yo' pocket, has yo' ? White (to Big Chief). Fo' de sake of mah wife and fo'teen children back in Louisiana, spahr mah life! If yo' must commit murder, pick on him. (Points to Lee.) Lee. Don't tell an Injun who to pick on. Dey am can- nibals, and dey loves fat folks, not skinny ones like me. Don' yo' wish yo' hadn't eat up so much ? Big Chief (as Indians rush back off stage and bring forth kindling as if to start a fire). Black-face burn at stake! Black-face scalp my people! White. Honest to goodness, we didn't. I mean, I didn't. There's yo' assassin. (Points to Lee.) Lee (pointing to White). Search and seize him. He am de guilty party. (Big Chief pulls wig from White's inside pocket.) Didn't I tell yo'? (Tries to conceal his own two wigs.) Big Chief. One scalp. Black-face die one time. ( Tunis and catches Lee trying to conceal his wigs. Takes them from him. Holds up the two.) Black-face die two time. (Indian music. The singing of native war songs and the dancing of native war dances begins as a "fire" is started under the kettle. White is upon his knees, praying aloud.) White. Oh, Lawd, help me in dis hour of trouble. Save me from dese blood-drinkin' redskins. If yo'-all can't help me, don't do nothing to help de Injuns. Lee (down on his knees). Oh, Lawd, I have tasted of thy muhcy, and I does know that thou art generous. If THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL 17 thou art as muhciful to me as I would love yo' to be, pre- vail upon someone to present me wid jes' one ham sand- wich before I die. (Music stops. Hot-Dog comes forward and hands Lee a sandwich.) Indians (shout protestingly in unison). Hot Dog! Lee. What I care if it am a hot dog or not, jes' so long as it am fit to eat. Fast and furious shooting is heard off stage (battle ef- fect with cushion and paddles and revolvers). Indians start to scatter. Black comes rushing on, firing his re- volver. Indians fall as fast as he fires until the stage is cleared of the living red men. Black comes up to White and Lee and lifts them from their knees to their feet. He smiles as he looks them over and takes in the situation be- fore speaking. Black. Well, how much money have yo'-all made? Lee (pointing to White). Ask him. Black (turning to White). How much? White. Ask de Injun wid all de feathers down his back. He got all de scalps. Lee. I's mighty sorry I scalped any of 'em. Black. Why yo' change of heart? Lee (biting into sandwich and chewing until he cannot be understood when he fries to talk). Wu — ve — vv — v — wu — vv — (The crumbs fall as he struggles to articulate.) Black. When yo' has finished yo' meal I'll talk to yo'. I was goin' to invite yo' over to our mess camp and treat yo' to real army cookin', but since yo' has fared so well I'll jes' pass yo' up and take yo' friend along. Lee (lets the sandwich fall in crumbs to the floor as lie tries to clear his mouth at the sound of Black's invita- tion to camp. Black and White converse in whisper and Lee finally rids himself of the crumbs and addresses Black). Neveh mind takin' him. He already filled up to de neck wid chicken a-la-Maryland. I ain't had nothin' to eat since Adam was a baby. Honest to goodness, I ain't ! I's starved. (Black and White exit R. and Lee looks off 18 THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL after them.) What? Yo'-all ain't gwine to leave me here vvid dese blood-thusty Injuns, is yo'? Black {calling from back of stage). It's fo' miles to de tent. Come on, if yo' feels inclined. Lee (to himself, as he looks down pitifully at his feet). Feety ! Feety ! Does yo' think yo' able to hold out till I gits there? Black (from off stage). Come on, if yo' comin'. Lee (looking lingeringly after them). Is yo' afoot or a-horseback ? Black (coming back and sticking his head in on stage). Yo' made one pretty good fight fo' a hungry man. Yo' is entitled to git anything which yo' got a wish fo' to git. Lee (brightening up and smiling from ear to ear). Is I? Black. Yo' cert'nly is. Lee. Den gimme a mule ! ( Sits down on suitcase as if to rest comfortably while waiting.) Quick Curtain. New Blackface Series For Minstrels and Vaudeville Price, 25 Cents Each, Postpaid THE AFRICAN GOLF CLU B.— Blackface farce, by Jeff Branen; 10 males, 1 female. Time, 25 minutes. The rattle of the 'cubes, the burning- of a neighboring chicken coop and the tragic loss oi the contraband "likker" combine to shatter the nerves of the dom- ino gallopers. But they do gallant rescue work. An ideal afterpiece. ALMOST AN ACTOR.— Coontown crossfire, by Wade Stratton; 2 males. Time, 20 minutes. A seedy manager tries to initiate a station porter into the thespian art, but they find there is little inspiration when hunger gnaws. This skit crackles with fresh gags and comedy business. Both parts are rich. THE BATTLE OF ROARING-BULL. — A black and copper-colored massacre, by Jeff Branen; 11 or more males. Time, 30 minutes. Two wandering darkies fall into the clutches of a terrible red- skin tribe, with hair-raising results. Can be effectively elaborated with war-dance, etc., introducing entire minstrel troupe as an afterpiece. THE BLACK VAMP.— By Arthur Lerov Kaser; 2 males, 2 fe- males. Time, 15 minutes. Sam thought his wife didn't appreciate him, so he got his good friend Phil to impersonate a dusky vam- pire, to liven things up. Ife livened tilings up, all right. Chance for song and dance specialties. The female parts can be "doubled." CASH MONEY. — A minstrel spree for three, by Wade Stratton; 3 males. Time, 20 minutes. Two travelers are forced to share a room in a fust-class cullud boa'din' house, with almost fatal re- sults. The handsome waiter is a factor in the mixup. Pine chance for comedian who plavs banjo, ukulele or guitar. THE COON AT THE DOOR.— A black-and-white skit, by Jeff Branen; 3 males. Time. 20 minutes. The doctor's office boy fears tlie man at the door is his hated rival, and his efforts to evade a meeting are side-splitting. The white doctor blackens up and doubles as the mysterious coon. Specialties are to be introduced. A DARK SECRET.— Colored farce of mystery, by Jeff Branen: 4 males, 1 female. Time. 30 minutes. This screaming story of the adventure of a negro detective and his dusky assistant has made thousands roar when presented on the professional stage. .in.l is now available in print for the first time. FU'ST AID TO CUPID.— Minstrel absurdity, by Wade Stratton; 3 males, 2 females. Time, 20 minutes. Willie, a wandering waga- bond without wim, wigor, witality or wittles, who poses as a "mis- ery specialist" to aid the course of true love, will bring down the house. A welcome modern adaptation of the sham doctor theme. HITTING THE AFRICAN HARP.— Blackface skit for a banjo duo, by Wade Stratton; 2 males Time, 15 minutes, or according to specialties. Written as a vehicle for a banjo playing team to introduce specialties, and rich in comedy lines and business. Very popular with college banio clubs, etc.. as a novelty stunt. KISS ME, CAM ILLE!— Blackface novelty, by Wade Stratton; 2 males, 1 female. Time, 20 minutes. Horatio, the dramatic teacher, finds Lucinda a promising pupil, and they rehearse love scenes with enthusiasm. But Luke McFluke, his other pupil, doesn't take kindly to the course of training, and the instructor is sadlv out of luck. The blackface travesty on "Camille" is a scream. THE MYSTERIOUS SUITCASE.— By Arthur Leroy Kaser; 2 males. Time, 15 minutes. Sam has to carry Harry's grip, and both negroes have a laughable time trying to keep the mystery from leaking out. The fact that they stop to rest near a cemetery also gives Sam cause for serious thinking. T. S. DENISON & COMPANY, 623 S.Wabash Ave., Chicago DENISON'S MINSTREL OPENING CHORUSES AND FINALES By JEFF BRANEN Something new. A boon, especially to amateurs. Assure the success of your minstrel performance. Get your audience in a friendly mood, tingling with the warm glow of pleasure, from the opening curtain. Get away to a flying starl and make a whirlwind finish, and your .show will he pro- nounced a success, even though there may he some rough spots in between. Provide a relish at the beginning, make your inter- vening acts as good as your individual talent will permit and then leave your audience with a good taste in their mouths. Denison's Minstrel Opening Choruses and Finales are for the purpose of creating good first and last impressions. As such they are made to order and are as good as professionals ever used. No more will you have to follow the practice of relying fur this all important work upon a novice who probably will throw together some stale choruses and call it an opening and perhaps may ask you to close with a simple song which means nothing. Each Opening Chorus and Finale tells an original and interesting storj and will instantly thaw the chilliest audience. Laughable, ar- tistic and in excellent tasle. The finale of each chorus is p. witty "thank you." NOW READY Number One For Blackface Minstrels Number Two For Whiteface Minstrels Number Three For Female Minstrels Number Four For Legion Minstrels Piano Score. Words and Music. Price, Each Number, Postpaid, 75 Cents. Supplementing the vocal score, a special orchestration i- fur- nished for each Denison's Minstrel Opening Chorus and Finale. It provides for eleven instruments including effective saxophone obbligatos. the latter being the final word in arrangements of this kind. The cost of the orchestration is extra, but is trivial compared with the expense of employing a local or special arranger. Eleven-Instrument Orchestration {No sets broken). Price, Each Number, Postpaid, $1.50 T. S. DENISON & COMPANY, Publishers 623 South Wabash Avenue, CHICAGO Great Medical Dispensary, 30 m. Initialing a Granger, 25 min.. Kansas Immigrants, 20 min... Lottie Sees It Through, 35 min. Pair of Lunatics, 20 min Pat, the Apothecary, 35 min.. Please Pass the Cream, 20 min. Second Childhood, 15 min.... Smith's Unlucky Day, 20 min.. That Rascal Pat, 30 min Two Aunts and a Photo, 20 m. Two Gentlemen in a Fix, 15 m. Wanted: A Hero, 20 min M. F. 6 5 1 3 4 1 1 6 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 2 4 2 1 I DENISON'S ACTING PLAYS Partial List of Successful and Popular Plays. Large Catalogue Free FARCES, COMEDIETAS. Etc. Price 25 Cents Each M. r. All on a Summer's Day, 40 min. 4 6 Aunt Harriet's Night Out, 35 min 1 2 Aunt Matilda's Birthday Party, 35 min 11 Billy's Chorus Girl, 30 min... 2 3 Borrowed Luncheon, 20 min.. 5 Borrowing Trouble, 20 min.... 3 5 Case Against Casey, 40 min... 23 Class Ship, 35 min 3 8 Divided Attentions, 35 min... 1 4 Fun in Photo Gallery, 30 min.. 6 10 Getting Rid of Father, 20 min. 3 1 Goose Creek Line, 1 hr 3 10 Great Pumpkin Case, 35 min.. 12 Hans Von Smash, 30 min.... 4 3 Honest Peggy, 25 min 8 Irish Linen Peddler, 40 min... 3 3 Just Like a Woman, 35 min... 3 3 Last Rehearsal, 25 min 2 3 Men Not Wanted, 30 min 8 Mother Goose's Goslings, 30 m. 7 9 Mi's-, lenkins' Brilliant Idea, 35m. 8 Mrs. Stubbins' Book Agent, 30 m. 3 2 Not a Man in the House, 40 m. 5 Paper Wedding, 30 min I 5 Pat's Matrimonial ' enture, 25 min 1 2 Patsy O'VVang, 35 min 4 3 Rummage Sale, 50 min 4 10 Sewing for the Heathen, 40 min 9 Shadows, 35 min 3 4 Sing a Song of Seniors, 30 min. 7 Taking Father's Place, 30 min. 5 3 Teacher Kin I Go Home, 35 min 7 3 Too Much of a Good Thing, 45 min '. 3 6 Two Ghosts in White, 20 min.. 8 Two of a Kind. 40 min 2 3 Uncle Dick's Mistake. 20 min.. 3 2 Wanted: a Correspondent, 45 m. 4 4 Watch, a Wallet, and a Jack of Spades, 40 min 3 6 Whole Truth, 40 min 5 4 Who's the Boss? 30 min 3 6 Wide Knough for Two, 45 min. 5 2 Wrong Baby, 25 min 8 FARCES, COMEDIETAS, Etc. Price IS Cents Each April Fools, 30 min 3 Assessor, The, 15 min 3 2 Baby Show at Pineville, 20 min. 19 Before the Play Begins, 15 min 2 1 Billy's Mishaps, 20 min 2 3 Country Justice, 15 min 8 Cow that Kicked Chicago, 25 m. 3 2 Family Strike, 20 min 3 3 Pirst-Class Hotel, 20 min.... 4 For Love and Honor, 20 min.. 2 1 Fudge and a Burglar, 15 min.. 5 VAUDEVILLE SKETCHES Price 25 Cents Each Amateur, 15 min 1 1 At Harmony Junction, 20 min. 4 Breakfast Food for Two, 20 m. 1 1 Cold Finish, 15 min 2 1 Coming Champion, 20 min.... 2 Fresh Timothy Hay, 20 min.. 2 1 Her Hero, 20 min 1 1 Hev, Rube ! 1 5 min ......... 1 It Might Happen, 20 min 1 1 Little Miss Enemy, 15 min.... 1 1 Little Red School House, 20 m. 4 Marriage and After. 10 min.. 1 One Sweetheart for Two, 20 in. 2 Oyster Stew, 10 min 2 fete Yansen's Gurl's Moder, 10m. 1 Quick Lunch Cabaret, 20 min. . 4 Si and I, 15 min 1 Special Sale, 15 min....- 2 Street Faker. 15 mrri 3 Such Ignorance, 15 min 2 Sunny Son of Italy, 15 min.. 1 Time Table, 20 min 1 1 Tramp and the Actress, 20 min. 1 1 Troubles of Rozinski, 15 min.. 1 Two Jay Detectives, 15 min.. 3 Umbrella Mender, 15 min.... 2 Vait a Minute 2 BLACK-FACE PLAYS Price 25 Cents Each Axin' Her Father, 25 min 2 3 Booster Club of Blackville, 25 min 10 .Colored Honeymoon, 25 min... 2 2 Coon Creek Courtship, 15 m... 1 1 Coontown Thirteen Club, 25 m.14 Darktown Fire Brigade, 25m.. 10 Good Mornin' Judee, 35 min.. 9 2 Hungry, 15 min 2 Love and Lather, 35 min 3 2 Memphis Mose, 25 min. ...... . 5 1 Oh, Doctor! 30 min 6 2 Troubled by Ghosts, 10 min... 4 What Happened to Hannah, 15 min 1 1 A great number of Standard and Amateur Plays not found here are listed in Denison's Catalogue T.S.OENISON& COMPANY, Publishers, 623 S.Wabash Ave. .Chicago 1-921 POPULAR ENTERTAIN!..^. ,. 016102 Price, Illustrated Paper Covers, 35 cents each THE FAVORITE BOOK OF DRILLS IN this Series are found books touching every feature in the enter- tainment field. Finely made, good paper, clear print and each book has an attractive individual cov- er design. A PSftlal List DIALOGUES All Sorts of Dialogues. Selected, fine for older pupils. Catchy Comic Dialogues. Very clever; for young people. Children's Comic Dialogues. From six to eleven years of age. Country School Dialogues. Brand new, original. Dialogues for District Schools. For country schools. Dialogues from Dickens. Thirteen selections. Friday Afternoon Dialogues. Over 60,000 copies sold. * From Tots to Teens. Dialogues and recitations. Humorous Homespun Dialogues. For older ones. Little People's Plays. From 7 to 13 years of age. Lively Dialogues. For all ages; mostly humorous. Merry Little Dialogues. Thirty-eight original selections. When the Lessons are Over. Dialogues, drills, plays. Wide Awake Dialogues. Original successful. SPEAKERS, MONOLOGUES Choice Pieces for Little People. A child's speaker. The Comic Entertainer. Recitations, monologues, dialogues. Dialect Readings. Irish, Dutch, Negro, Scotch, etc. The Favorite Speaker. Choice prose and poetry. The Friday Afternoon Speaker. For pupils of all ages. Humorous Monologues. Particularly for ladies. Monologues for Young Folks. Clever, humorous, original. Monologues Grave and Gay. Dramatic and humorous. Scrap- Book Recitations. Choice collections, pathetic, hu- morous, descriptive, prose, poetry. 15 Nos., per No. 35c DRILLS The Best Drill Book. Very popular drills and marches. The Favorite Book of Drills* Drills that sparkle with originality. Little Plays With Drills. For children from 6 to 11 years. The Surprise Drill Book. Fresh, novel, drills and marches. SPECIALTIES The Boys' Entertainer. Monologues, dialogues, drills. Children's Party Book. Invitations, decorations, games. The Christmas Entertainer. Novel and diversified. The Days We Celebrate. Entertainments for all the holidays. Good Things for Christmas. Recitations, dialogues, drills. Good Things for Sunday Schools. Dialogues, exercises, recitations. Good Things for Thanksgiving. A gem of a book. Good Things for Washington and Lincoln Birthdays. Little Folks' Budget. Easy pieces to speak, songs. One Hundred . Entertainments. New parlor diversions, socials. Patriotic Celebrations. Great variety of material. Pictured Readings and Tableaux. Entirely original features. Pranks and Pastimes. Parlor games for children. Shadow Pictures, Pantomime*, Charades, and how to prepare. Tableaux and Scenic Readings. New and novel; for all ages. Twinkling Fingers and Sway- ing Figures. For little tots. Yuletide Entertainments. A choice Christmas collection. MINSTRELS, JOKES The Black-Face Joker. Minstrels' and end men's gags. A Bundle of Burnt Cork Comedy. Monologues, stump speeches, etc. Laughland,via the Ha-Ha Route. A merry trip for fun tourists. Negro Minstrels. AH about the business. The New Jolly Jester. Funny stories, jokes, gags, etc. Large Illustrated Catalogue Free T.S.DENISON & COM PANV, Publishers, 623 S. Wabash Ave.. Chicago