3OD GRACIOUS NABELLE" SAMUEL FRENCH, 28-30 West 38th St., New York cc Good Gracious Aii A ROMANTIC FARCE COMEDY IN THREE ACTS BY CLARE! KUMMER COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY SAMUEL FRENCH All Rights Reserved CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE," being fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States and Great Britain, is subject to royalty, and anyone pre senting the play without the consent of the author or her authorized agents will be liable to the penalties by law provided. Applications for the amateur acting rights must be made to SAMUEL FRENCH, 28-30 West 38th Street, New York. NEW YORK SAMUEL FRENCH - PUBLISHER 28-30 WEST 38TH STREET LONDON SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. 26 SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND Especial notice should be taken that the possession of this book without a valid contract for production first having been obtained from the publisher, confers no right or license to professionals or amateurs to produce the play publicly or in private for gain or charity. In its present form this play is dedicated, to the reading public only, and no performance, representation, produc tion, recitation, or public reading may be given except by special arrangement with Samuel French, 28-30 West 38th Street, New York. This play may be presented by amateurs upon payment of a royalty of Twenty-Five Dollars for each perform ance, payable to Samuel French, 28-30 West 38th Street, New York, one week before the date when the play is given. Whenever the play is produced the following notice must appear on all programs, printing and advertising for the play : "Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French of New York." Attention is called to the penalty provided by law for any infringement of the author s rights, as follows: "SECTION 4986 : Any person publicly performing or rep resenting any dramatic or musical composition for which copyright has been obtained, without the consent of the proprietor of said dramatic or musical compositions, or his heirs and assigns, shall be liable for damages thereof, such damages, in all cases to be assessed at such sum, not less than one hundred dollars for the first and fifty dol lars for every subsequent performance, as to the court shall appear to be just. If the unlawful performance and representation be wilful and for profit, such person or persons shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon con viction shall be imprisoned for a period not exceeding one year." U. S. Revised Statutes : Title 60, Chap. 3. CAST JOHN RAWSON A Western Mine Owner of Great Wealth GEORGE WIMBLEDON Who Has Inherited His Father s Millions HARRY MURCHISON Whose Income Is Large but Uncertain WILLIAM GOSLING A Lawyer WILBUR JENNINGS An Indignant English Poet ALFRED WEATHERBY Whose Father Can No Longer Pay His Bills JAMES LUDGATE George Wimbledon s Man WICKHAM A House Detective ALEC Page Boy TITCOMB , Clerk ANNABELLE LEIGH Who Has a Husband Somewhere ETHEL DEANE An Artist in Distress GWENDOLEN MORLEY A Poor Girl at the Mercy of Her Rich Parents LOTTIE Under Cook at Wimbledon s ACT I. Corridor of a fashionable New York Hotel. ACT II. The Servants Hall at Wimbledon s place, Rock Point, Long Island. ACT III. The Lodge Garden. **. . Coy-o UK pliyvtfill of the first performance of "GOOD GRACrOlJS ANN ABELLE" at the Republic Theatre, New York, October 31, 1916: MR. ARTHUR HOPKINS PRESENTS "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" A NEW PLAY IN THREE ACTS BY CLARE RUMMER STAGED BY ARTHUR HOPKINS CHARACTERS (In the order of their appearance) JAMES LUDGATE, George Wimbledon s man J. Palmer Collins WICKHAM, house detective at the St. Swithin Harry C. Bradley WILBUR JENNINGS, an indigent English poet Roland Young ETHEL DEANE, an artist in distress Ruth Harding ALFRED WEATHERBY, whose father can no longer pay his bills _ Walter Schellin GWENDOLEN MORLEY, a poor girl at the mercy of her rich parents Helen Lee ALEC, page boy Mac Macomber WILLIAM GOSLING, a lawyer Edwin Holland TITCOMB, clerk at the St. Swithin Willis Reed GEORGE WIMBLEDON, who owns an estate on Long Island Edwin Nicander ANNABELLE LEIGH, who has a husband somewhere Lola Fisher JOHN RAWSON, a Western mine owner of great wealth Walter Hampden HARRY MURCHISON, whose income is large but uncertain Harry Ingram LOTTIE, under-cook at WIMBLEDON S May Vokes SYNOPSIS OF SCENES ACT I. Hotel St. Swithin, New York. ACT II. Servants Hall at Wimbledon s Country Place. ACT III. Lodge Garden at Wimbledon s. "Good Gracious Annabelle" AT RISE : JENNINGS discovered reading newspaper on seat R. WICKHAM and JAMES enter left corridor, walking. (Opening music, "Somebody s Eyes" as they talk.) JAMES. (L.C.) Well, Mr. Wickham, bein a house detective at this time of year must be an easy job. WICKHAM. (L. of him) It gives me time to study, Mr. Ludgate and with all these modern theories coming up a detective needs study. JAMES. Indeed ! WICKHAM. Did Mr. Wimbledon get off? JAMES. Oh, yes he left last night. WICKHAM. I m surprised you didn t go with him. JAMES. I ve done with that. Two Japanese val ets can take care of him and I ve got the place to look after. WICKHAM. I see it must be a wonderful place. JAMES. Well, it takes care of forty servants I don t include myself. WICKHAM. Of course not, you are more in the capacity of friend. JAMES. Not at all I merely see that his ideas are carried out most of them are rotten. 507461 6 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" WICKHAM. It must be very pleasant when he s not there. JAMES. Oh, yes we have our own billiard room, dining-room and the servants hall. Why, there ain t a handsomer room in the house Mr. Wick- ham. WeVe all the latest magazines, a victrola and a baby grand piano and I have an automobile at my disposal for necessary errands. WICKHAM. Will he be away the entire summer, Mr. Ludgate? JAMES. Oh, yes, and I m glad he s gone. The place don t seem like home when he s there. If it s only over night there s a disturbance. This time he dismissed four servants. Now I ve got four good people to replace, and the captain of the Bluebell I was very sorry to see him go a fine man and a liberal entertainer. WICKHAM. Why has he gone? (Has reached a spot about L.C., remains here until exit.) JAMES. (R. of him) Mr. Wimbledon says he ain t honest. The weather was too rough for a sail when he was down, so he goes aboard and decides to count the linen goes a-rummaging over the table cloths and napkins. Now you know, Mr. Wick- ham, that ain t manly. WICKHAM. It s a great mistake to accuse any one of being dishonest. It s so easy to detect a thief why, there s no question about that with mod ern methods. I can tell in a few minutes conver sation if a man is a thief JAMES. (Nervously) You don t say! WICKHAM. Oh, yes Supposing you pick up an umbrella. JAMES. Oh, Mr. Wickham, please I can t sup pose anything of the kind. The idea of picking up an umbrella is offensive to me. STOP MUSIC "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 7 WICKHAM. (Stop music) Well take some thing more valuable. Suppose you enter a bank and pick up a bill that a lady drops after cashing a cheque I step up to you and give you the words "Horticultural, platitudinous, submersible, William." JAMES. William, William who WICKHAM. There, you see, you picked the very word, William Bill. It s all in the association of ideas, Mr. Ludgate. (Enter ETHEL R.I V crosses to JENNINGS. WICK HAM and JAMES stroll off L.iJ ETHEL. Am I late? Are we having lunch here, Wilbur? (Sits L. of JENNINGS.J JENNINGS. Well are we? ETHEL. Did you sell your verses to Binder? JENNINGS. No he seemed to think they were indecent and when I explained to him that they weren t, he lost interest in them so that s off. ETHEL. Oh, dear why did you have to ex plain JENNINGS. How about the picture all right? ETHEL. Here, let me read it. Mrs. Silliman s morning swat (Takes note and reads) "I am re turning the portrait of my husband I would not have such a looking thing in the house " JENNINGS. But she has him in the house. ETHEL. ( Puts note-book back in bag) So there s five hundred dollars gone to the dogs JENNINGS. Well what do you say to going around to the bakery? They really have very good noodle soup ETHEL. Wilbur I consider myself the greatest artist in New York City. You are the greatest poet. Why should we have to eat in a bakery ? JENNINGS. Well, artists and poets always have it s become a sort of tradition. 8 "GQOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ETHEL. Well I won t do it, as long- as one does those things one has to. We should avoid poor people. JENNINGS. You mean we should avoid each other ? ETHEL. Of course not but, really, Wilbur, it does seem as if poverty almost rubs off. JENNINGS. Come on you re hungry that s all s the matter ETHEL. No we ll have to wait for Gwen Mor- ley I told her I d meet her here JENNINGS. Is she coming for lunch? ETHEL. I don t know what she s coming for. JENNINGS. (Rising) Oh, well it s all right. fx.R.j I ll just leave my watch with the clerk. (Pulls out chain from which watch is missing) Oh I forgot. ETHEL. (With sarcasm) Your watch is being cleaned again so soon? JENNINGS. (Meekly. Sits again) Yes. ETHEL. If Alfred is with Gwen, maybe they ll have us to lunch Alfred always has money. JENNINGS. Somebody s money well let s hope he s with her. ETHEL. (Both rise) He is there they are. Hello, people fGwEN and ALFRED enter L.I., crossing R. ALEC enters L.i.J ALFRED. Well how s the world treating you, Eth? ETHEL. It never has, Alfred (Sits L. of c. bench.) ALEC. (Interrupting^ Beg pardon, sir, but the cab man wants to know if he s to wait ALFRED. (-L.C.) Yes I guess he ll have to GWEN. But if he waits, it ll be more (GwEN "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 9 has found a seat to R. of ETHEL. JENNINGS sits up R. bench.) ALFRED. (To JENNINGS,) Jennings, old man lend me a dollar, will you ? JENNINGS. (He has seated himself in wicker bench down R.j Why, certainly (Pulling out change) There s just a dollar there you needn t count it. ALFRED. (After hesitating a moment) Thanks. (Gives money to ALEC, who exits L.iJ GWEN. (To ETHELJ I m going to ask you something, Eth. If you ve sold your picture, I want you to lend me a hundred dollars. ETHEL. My dear girl I would gladly let you have it, but I was just telling Wilbur Mrs. Silli- man had refused the picture. GWEN. What? Ethel after you ve worked six months on it. Alfred, Mrs. Silliman has refused Ethel s picture of Mr. Silliman. ALFRED. Have her arrested. ETHEL. When I think of the hours I spent paint ing his nose. ALFRED. Yes but think of the years he spent painting it. GWEN. I wouldn t have asked you, Ethel, but father has cut off my allowance. ETHEL. Gwen ! Why ? GWEN. On Alfred s account. ETHEL. Why, Alfred s all right, isn t he? ALFRED. Haven t you heard? The old man s gone up. ETHEL. Your father? GWEN. Just as Alfred was going into business with him. ETHEL. Wilbur! Do you hear that? Mr. Weatherby s ruined. JENNINGS. (Speaks this line to ALFRED J Is he coming to lunch ? io "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" JAMES. (Enter L.I. To WICKHAM. Same bus., walking as they talk) Sixty rooms altogether twelve master s baths and a swimming pool. It is the duty of one man to keep the tables in the Japa nese billiard room polished. (They all look at JAMES and WICKHAM mournfully.) ALFRED. Disgusting, isn t it, that one man should have all that? JENNINGS. When you re not the man. JAMES. (His voice rising, crossing over slowly with WICKHAMJ Believe me what those chickens and ducks has to eat would satisfy an epicure and they taste accordingly. Fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden we have in season and in Sep tember Black Hamburg grapes rotting in the green houses. (Strolling off R.I. All eye them as they pass.) ALFRED. (Sighs) I wish I had a rotten black Hamburg grape right now. JENNINGS. I think we re all hungry that s what s the matter. There s a bakery round the corner where they have very good noodle soup JAMES. (His voice rising. Enter R.I., strolling up R. corridor with WICKHAM^ And his clothes there ll be fifty morning coats a dozen tweed hunt ing suits hundreds of trousers, thousands of shoes. ETHEL. Who is this overdressed gentleman? ALFRED. Would he like to have me exercise some of those clothes for him? ("ALEC enters L.i.J ETHEL. I m going to ask who they are (To ALECJ Could you tell me who those gentlemen talk ing are? It seems to me I know one of them. ALEC, (c.) Certainly, Madame. The red-faced one is Mr. Wimbledon s butler. ETHEL. I meant the other one "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" n ALEC. He s our house-detective. ETHEL. (Shocked) How awful. It s not the person I thought at all. (ALEC exits L. upper.) ALFRED. (Pinter GOSLING L.I) Say, there s a man I can touch for a lunch (All watch eag erly.) JENNINGS. Who is it? ALFRED. Gosling the lawyer he s taken enough away from my father to make him rich. (Crosses to GOSLING L.cJ Good morning, sir. GOSLING. (L.) Good morning, Alfred. ALFRED. Waiting for someone? GOSLING. I have an appointment with Mrs. Leigh and naturally I am waiting. ALFRED. Annabelle? You don t mean to say she s back? GOSLING. Where s she been? ALFRED. To the Fair didn t she tell you? GOSLING. No she never tells me anything. She causes me more trouble than all my other clients put together. ALFRED. Well why have any other clients? I wouldn t. GOSLING. Tut, tut. I tell you the reports of her wealth are greatly exaggerated. ALFRED. Is that so? Well, tell me, Mr. Gos ling are the reports of your wealth exaggerated, too? GOSLING. They are if there are any such re ports. Why, my boy if you were to ask me now to lend you ten dollars I couldn t do it. (Bus. all.) ALFRED. Could you lend me five? GOSLING. You make me laugh always joking. Just like your father. (Exits L. All sigh.) 13 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ALFRED. (To c.) Who do you think he is wait ing for? Annabelle. ETHEL. Annabelle ! GWENDOLEN. Oh, then she s back! ALFRED. Why worry about lunch? She ll have us all. Let s order the cocktails. (They go up stage R. corridor, talking together. Exit into Palm room at back.) JAMES. (Enter JAMES and WICKHAM L.I., reach to c. and stop) Oh, yes he ll have as many as a hundred down there. They ve their own idea of amusing themselves. They ll fish in the fountain for their own dinner pull out a goldfish, and when it s served as mackerel they don t know the differ ence. And Mr. Wimbledon a-lording it over every body they flatter him, you know, but I ain t afraid to tell him what I think of him I ain t any more afraid of him than I am of you, Mr. Wickham. (Scornfully.) (Enter TITCOMB L.I., speaking to ALEC, who is off stage L.I. ) TITCOMB. Alec, tell the porter Mr. Wimbledon s luggage s down, will you ? ALEC. (Off L.I J Yes, sir. JAMES, (c. TITCOMB goes to JAMES. To TIT- COMBJ Did you say Mr. Wimbledon s luggage? (Exit WICKHAM L.I. via across back.) TITCOMB. Yes. JAMES. But Mr. Wimbledon s left (About here WIMBLEDON comes strolling on down R. corridor.) TITCOMB. Oh, no! He left a call for seven "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 13 o clock this morning 1 , but he s been making it an hour later ever since. JAMES. But then he s missed his train. WIMBLEDON. (Intoxicated but elegant standing just behind him) James ! JAMES, (c.) Oh, Mr. Wimbledon, sir, did you miss your train, sir? WIMBLEDON. Who cares for a date with a loco motive? (Giving bill to JAMES) I want you to give this bill to the girl who s been waking me up. She s got the sweetest voice. I never heard anything like the way she says "Seven o clock !" Did she ever say it to you, Titcomb ? TITCOMB. (Smiling) Well, no, sir! JAMES. But where are Ogashi and Gasuki, sir? WIMBLEDON. (Laughs) I guess they re in Buf falo by now. They insisted on taking the train, so I let them take it. I can t be taking trains all night just because a couple of valets want me to. JAMES. But you ve not forgotten you re going West, sir? You were to have left last night, sir. WIMBLEDON. Yes, but I remembered that I had forgotten something. What was it? JAMES. I couldn t tell you, sir. WIMBLEDON. Well, you ve got to tell me. JAMES. I don t know, sir, what it was but your next train leaves the Grand Central at two forty- five. WIMBLEDON. I had to do something and before I did that I had to do something else JAMES. I think we ll have to hurry, sir WIMBLEDON. You know how much I care what you think, don t you? JAMES. Yes, sir. WIMBLEDON. What was the last thing I said before I left the house? JAMES. I wouldn t like to repeat it, sir. WIMBLEDON. Can t you think? 14 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" JAMES. Would Mr. Spalding know anything, sir? WIMBLEDON. He never did. Get Spalding on the phone. (Exit JAMES L. TITCOMB approaches WIMBLEDON with an envelope with two stock certificates.) TITCOMB. (C.L.) Mr. Wimbledon, a messenger boy brought this for you last night. WIMBLEDON. (C.R.) Why didn t you give it to me? TITCOMB. (Good-naturedly) Why, I did, sir, but it came back to the office. You left it on the bar. WIMBLEDON. I guess that s all I left there. TITCOMB. The boy said it was important, so I thought Td keep it for you until this morning. WIMBLEDON. (Examining contents of envelope) Important, important! I should say it was impor tant. Do you remember my father, Titcomb? TITCOMB. Yes, sir. Oh, yes, I remember old Mr. Wimbledon very well. The last time he was in here, he says to me "Titcomb " WIMBLEDON. (Interrupting) Would you say that I was a bigger man than my father? TITCOMB. Oh, no, sir. Your father must have Weighed two hundred pounds. WIMBLEDON. (Proudly) I m a bigger man than my father. TITCOMB. (Smiling) Oh, no, sir. WIMBLEDON. (Impressively) Oh, yes. Poor little father tried all his life to get what I ve got this minute. (Lurching a little. TITCOMB coughs to conceal a smile) I don t mean this beautiful, exquisite, expensive condition I m in I mean what is in this envelope. Two shares of the greatest stock in the world, Titcomb. Will give me control "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 15 of property worth millions. Some idiot borrowed seven hundred dollars on it and forgot to pay up. That s all it cost me. Good business, eh? (Puts bonds in pocket.) TITCOMB. (Impressed) Very good, I should say, sir. WIMBLEDON. They think all I do is to spend money. But I m making it all the time just as though I needed it. That s the secret of success, Titcomb. TITCOMB. Yes, sir. WIMBLEDON. Success, is the greatest thing in the world I ll tell you why. Without it, a man is a failure, and I don t know anything worse than a failure do you? TITCOMB. No, sir. (At sound of JAMES S voice exits L.i.J JAMES. (Enter JAMES L.I.) I couldn t get Mr. Spalding, sir. He ll be back later. WIMBLEDON. (Smiles) Never mind. I ve got it in my pocket. JAMES. What, sir? WIMBLEDON. The stock from Spalding. JAMES. I must get you another train. WIMBLEDON. Yes, get me an assortment of trains. JAMES. Is your car outside, sir? WIMBLEDON. Well, I don t see it in here any where. JAMES. I didn t see it waiting. But my car is here, sir. I drove in this morning. I thought if I was successful in finding servants at the bureaus, I could take them out with me. WIMBLEDON. Oh, yes don t ever let me see Seraphina again or that fishy parlor maid. JAMES. They went, sir, this morning. WIMBLEDON. And that chauffeur Ronald. 16 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" Never engage anyone again by the name of Ronald. JAMES. Very good, sir. WIMBLEDON. And the gardener that s four- there was one more. JAMES. The Captain of the Bluebell, sir. WIMBLEDON. Yes, when you get him, ask him if he knows how to crochet. If he does I don t want him I don t want him and don t get a gardener that looks like Bernard Shaw. (Starting to exit L.iJ JAMES, (c.) Very good, sir the car is out there, sir. (Points Rj WIMBLEDON. But the bar is out here (Ex its jauntily L. JAMES exits L.J ANNABELLE. (Entering R.I., sits bench c. Slight pause she looks R V then C.L. Enter TITCOMB L.I., looking off at WIMBLEDONJ Pardon me! TITCOMB. Yes, madam. (Goes to ANNABELLE.J ANNABELLE. (Rises) Have you seen an elderly gentleman about here who seemed to be looking for someone ? TITCOMB. Why er there have been several, but they re gone. ANNABELLE. I wonder if mine was among them? TITCOMB. Well, I couldn t say, madam, really. (Goes L.cJ (Enter ETHEL, followed by ALFRED, GWENDOLEN and JENNINGS from Palm room R. up R.) ANNABELLE. I m so late ; it seems as though he ought to be here, ETHEL. (TITCOMB exits L.) It is, it is. (They happily surround ANNABELLE.) ALFRED. How are you, darling? GWENDOLEN. (Embracing her) Oh, dearest! ANNABELLE. Well, here all you sweet people are and I thought I was only going to meet a stuffy "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 17 old lawyer! ( ANNABELLE kisses ETHEL, hugs GWENDOLEN.,) JENNINGS. You don t remember me Mr. Jen nings ? ANNABELLE. Mr. Jennings? Oh Mr. Jen nings. Of course, the poet! (Goes to him. They shake hands.) JENNINGS. It s awfully kind of you to remem ber. ANNABELLE. Who could forget? We sat out a dance in Mrs. Silliman s conservatory last winter and you recited some of your poems to me they were beautiful, so long, I don t see how you ever remembered them. Now, children, listen! You must all have luncheon with me. (Bus. Xing L. and looking L.I.) But first I have to see old Mr. Gos ling and tell him how late I am for my appoint ment and tell him several things. ALFERD. Listen, darling he s gone, but he ll be right back, if you really want to see him. ANNABELLE. I really must see him. But you can all disappear into the Palm room and order a beautiful cup with champagne and apricots and everything very juicy and cold and beautiful flow ers with ferns to make us think we re in the woods and beautiful clams, to make us think we re at the seashore. ETHEL. Do let Wilbur arrange the flowers, Anna- belle he s wonderful with flowers. ANNABELLE. Wilbur shall do that. (To JEN NINGS,) Tell the florist they re for me and that it s all right. (To ALFRED,) And I think I d better see Mr. Gosling alone (Sits on seat c. JEN NINGS exits into florists , R.I., the rest into the Palm room R. up.) GOSLING. (Enter L. Seeing ANNABELLE, goes to her) Ah here you are. ANNABELLE. Hello, Mr. Gosling. i8 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" GOSLING. You were late as usual. Well, what s the trouble ? ANNABELLE. (Lightly) There isn t any. I want some money. GOSLING. Oh, that s it ANNABELLE. Of course, it s always it, isn t it? GOSLING. Well, my dear Annabelle you ve al ready had your allowance for this quarter. ANNABELLE. And I ve already spent it. I ve been to the Fair and brought most of it back with me. GOSLING. You should have let me know where you were. I wanted to see you about something im portant. The Butte Bank and Security Company sent for the two shares of stock that you hold. ANNABELLE. Did they? But Mr. Gosling you know I wasn t to give that stock up to anyone except my husband. GOSLING. Well he sent for it through the Bank. But my idea is not to let him have it I want you to let me take it and make a lot of money for you ANNABELLE. Well, I couldn t let you have it just now, anyway GOSLING. Why not? ANNABELLE. Well, you see, I let someone take it. GOSLING. What ! ANNABELLE. Just temporarily and borrow seven hundred dollars for me. GOSLING. What you ve hypothecated it ? ANNABELLE. (Rising indignantly) Mr. Gos ling! GOSLING. Do you know what the word means? ANNABELLE. (Sitting) No the sound is enough. GOSLING. Who did you give it to? ANNABELLE. I gave it to a man I met through the Sillimans. He s a very well known banker "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 19 with light whiskers. You d know him if I could think of his name. GOSLING. What! You gave it to someone you don t even know? ANNABELLE. (Looking in box) Of course ^ I know him. He s in here somewhere. Here he is. (Taking out card.) GOSLING. Lemuel Spalding the broker. He mus t have bought it for someone I ll phone him. ANNABELLE. Mr. Gosling I won t do anything with that stock that my husband would not approve of. GOSLING. Do you think he would approve of what you have done ? ANNABELLE. Of course he ll never know it. But why all this fuss over two little foolish shares of stock? GOSLING. Two little foolish shares of stock some times mean millions, my dear. Sometimes they mean the control of the property. ANNABELLE. Well, I don t think mine mean any thing like that they were just given to me, so that my husband would always know where I was and be able to avoid the place. GOSLING. But that was seven years ago the whole situation has changed since then. ANNABELLE. Well, I couldn t let you have it, anyway after all, I receive my income from the man who sent for it GOSLING. And Annabelle, I must tell you, that your receiving your income from him is to me a very terrible thing. ANNABELLE. Yes, but not receiving it would be worse. GOSLING. I know nothing of him. Your money reaches me through his agents that s his wish 20 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" but I feel I should warn you You think your allowance will go on forever? ANNABELLE. I don t I can t make it go on through the month. GOSLING. Annabelle don t you know that you need a protector? ANNABELLE. No, I only know that I need five hundred dollars, and then two hundred and fifty more, and the seven hundred for the stock, of course GOSLING. Anything else? ANNABELLE. Yes I d like to pay the fruit man. For I wouldn t accept such quantities of Japanese plums from anyone unless there was something se rious between us and I ve never even seen the fruit man. GOSLING. Well, all I can say is that unless you will let me handle your business in my own way I cannot let you have one cent until your allowance is due. ANNABELLE. (Rises) That s three months. GOSLING. Yes. Now when can I have a long talk with you? ANNABELLE. In three months. ^GWENDOLEN nnd ETHEL enter up R. from Palm room come down R. ANNABELLE is attracted by their entrance) Oh, Mr. Gosling a happy thought ! Wouldn t you like to give a little lunch party for me ? You know Miss Morley and Ethel Deane the great artist whose portrait of a pineapple made such a sensa tion in the Spring Exhibition? GOSLING. No, you must excuse me I must get Spaulding if I can Friday, he s probably out of town. (Exit GOSLING L.) ANNABELLE. Everybody s out of town. I ve telephoned to them and I know. (Crosses R. to girls) I don t understand why you darlings are here. "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 21 (Enter WICKHAM L.I., listens to conversation which follows without making it apparent to them.) GWENDOLEN. My dear, fearful ructions with father. If you hadn t come I don t know what I should have done. Can I stay with you for a little while, Annabelle? ANNABELLE. I should say you could. GWENDOLEN. Where are you going to be, dear? ANNABELLE. I don t know. When I got to the Hathmore you know I ve stopped there for years I found that they had rented my rooms. It seems that the check I sent from the Fair was protested. fWiCKHAM L., glares quickly over shoulder at them, at word protested.) ETHEL. Annabelle ! ANNABELLE. Banks are so irritable at times. ETHEL. But dear, if a check is protested that means you haven t any more money in the bank. ANNABELLE. That s ridiculous. I ve put far more in than I ve ever taken out. ETHEL. But don t you keep your account checked up? ANNABELLE. No, it doesn t make it any more to do that. I just have a general idea about it. ETHEL. Oh, Annabelle! fWiCKHAM strolls up L. corridor and remains lis tening.) ANNABELLE. So what I was going to say was, they haven t another suite in the Hathmore and I shall have to move. ... I rather like it here don t you ? ETHEL. Yes, but it s awfully expensive. ANNABELLE. Well, I really like to pay hotel 22 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" bills. They re always so pleased when you do. Yes I shall ask about rooms here (TixcoMB en ters L.) and I may as well do it now. (Turns to TiTcoMBj Where can I find out about rooms? TITCOMB. Why, I can tell you. ANNABELLE. Have you a suite, with plenty of air, facing some way that you just get the sun when you want it ? TITCOMB. I think so. How many rooms did you want? ANNABELLE. Well, a parlor, two bedrooms and bath would do, and I like a private hall, don t you? For wet umbrellas. (To ETHEL. ) TITCOMB. Very well, Madam I ll see what we can do. What is the name ? ANNABELLE. Annabelle Leigh Mrs. Leigh. (Goes to girls) Thank goodness, that s settled. A nice house for Gwennie and me. ( ALL start for Palm room up R. As TITCOMB goes, WICKHAM stops him.) WICKHAM. Before you give her the rooms, call up the Hathmore and find out about her. (Exit TITCOMB, followed by WICKHAM L.I. JEN NINGS enters R.I. nervously, stops ANNABELLE R., who is last.) JENNINGS. Mrs. Leigh I m so sorry, it s hor rible, perfectly ridiculous. ANNABELLE. (L. of him) I think so, too, what is it? JENNINGS. The man says he must have the money for the flowers now. ANNABELLE. Now? I never heard of such a thing. He should be glad to get it then. "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 23 JENNINGS. He says they never charge things to people who just come in from the street. ANNABELLE. Where does he expect them to come from? JENNINGS. I m so sorry ANNABELLE. Well, don t be sorry. Tell him you ve seen about it and it s all right. And to have gardenias at each gentleman s place and white or chids for the ladies. JENNINGS. (Nervously) Do you think that will ANNABELLE. I know it will try it. ("JENNINGS starts off R.I. ANNABELLE is thoughtful) But it might not. Mr. Jennings, just a moment. (She slips ring off her finger. JENNINGS comes back) Do you know anything about getting money on things ? JENNINGS. W T ell, I haven t been a shining suc cess at it myself. ANNABELLE. (Showing him the ring) I mean on things like this READY MUSIC R.U. JENNINGS. Oh, you mean ANNABELLE. Yes, that s what I mean I under stand there are people who do it this friend of mine is very timid and she doesn t like to do it herself in fact, she doesn t know how or even where they are so I told her I would do it for her and now I realize that / don t know anything about it. JENNINGS. Well / can tell you all about it, as far as that s concerned, but does she have to do it? ANNABELLE. Oh, no she just thought she d like to. She s a woman who likes to try everything. JENNINGS. Can t you advise her not to? Some how it s a thing that if you once do I don t know 24 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" it s an active start in the wrong direction surely if she has you for a friend ANNABELLE. You mean lend it to her I could do that, of course. JENNINGS. I know there are some people one can t lend to I mean there d be no end to it ANNABELLE. Oh, Katie s not like that oh, no it was just that she d heard so much about this she thought she d like to try it but I ll tell her what you say ( JENNINGS starts off R.I.) Oh, Mr. Jennings. What time is it? ( JENNINGS fusses ner vously with his watch chain. She knows it has been pawned) Oh, never mind isn t it awful? (JEN NINGS peers at clock off L.) JENNINGS. It s just two-thirty ANNABELLE. Thank you so much. My watch is always wrong, too. JENNINGS. (Whimsically) Mine is in wrong, Mrs. Leigh. (Exits R.I.) ANNABELLE. Poor Mr. Jennings I must lend him some money, the minute I get some myself. JAMES. (To WICKHAM. Entering L.I., going up L. corridor) You heard about his sunken-garden he put a fortune in that. MUSIC R.u. (Music cue, "Other Eyes! Enter ALEC L.i.J ANNABELLE. (x.c. To ALECJ Who is it that s sunk a fortune in his garden? ALEC. (L.C .) Mr. Wimbledon, but there s a gen tleman, got twice his money, just come in see him ? He s the Montana millionaire mine owner. He owns the Baby Mine. They only take out fifty thousand dollars a day. ANNABELLE. (Glancing at RAWSON, over her shoulder) Good gracious! (Sits c.) ALEC. (L.C.) I guess he s looking for me he s "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 25 awful lonely. (Crosses to L., looking off at RAW- SON.) ANNABELLE. Fifty thousand dollars a day and he s lonely! RAWSON. (Enter L.I. To ALEC L.) Well it s too hot here in town for me, I ve got to get away. Are you going with me? ALEC. I d like to, sir I think maybe you could fix it up with Mr. Titcomb to let me off for a week or so. RAWSON. We ll get a machine for days I must be in town but nights I have to breathe real air where shall we go? JAMES. (Strolling in L.U. corridor from Palm room ivith WICKHAM L.I J Then the fishing is fine 30-pound bass we get right off the rocks at the foot of the lawn. (Exits L.I. with WICKHAM.) RAWSON. That s what I like fishing. (Sees ANNABELLE) Find out what place it is they re talking about. ALEC. I think I know, sir. (Goes L. ) RAWSON. (Detains ALEC on his Rj Wait that lady you were speaking to is she staying here in the hotel? ALEC. No, sir I think she just came in to meet someone. RAWSON. I want to speak to her ALEC. (Hesitates) I don t think it would do, s i r you see it s different here from out West where you was telling about. RAWSON. But you don t understand. I think I know the lady. ALEC. Oh maybe you ve made a mistake, sir she didn t seem to know you. RAWSON. No she s forgotten me. ALEC. (Sympathetically) Yes, sir ladies are forgetful, too, sometimes, ain t they, sir? (Exits L. 26 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" RAWSON goes and exits R. Rather eyes ANNABELLE as he passes.) ANNABELLE. It would be a comfort just to speak to anyone with fifty thousand dollars a day. (RAWSON enters R V hesitates, goes to L.C., stops, then turns.) RAWSON. Excuse me won t you? ANNABELLE. Certainly what for? RAWSON. I thought ANNABELLE. That I was someone else? No, no, I wish I were but I m not. RAWSON. (Smiling. Looking at her almost ten derly) My name is Rawson John Rawson. I m from Montana from the mines out there. ANNABELLE. (Smiling up at him) That must be very nice the Baby Mine especially. RAWSON. (Softly, watching her) You know me? ANNABELLE. I heard the name of your mine yes and I liked it. It shows you re fond of chil dren. RAWSON. Then there s the Clara, the Janie, the Minnie, the Laura ANNABELLE. All girls RAWSON. And the Annabelle. ANNABELLE. That s me. (Fluttering. Rises) Good gracious! I must go. Excuse me, won t you? I wish I could meet you, but there s no one to introduce us. Never mind, let s let s pretend we ve met before, shall we? I ll tell you why. Someone I know is coming and I couldn t be talking to you if I didn t know you, could I? RAWSON. Out there we talk to whoever we please. (Enter GOSLING L.I J "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 27 ANNABELLE. In here we don t. (As GOSLING comes up) Mr. Gosling, Mr. Rawson. GOSLING. Ah, Mr. Rawson delighted. (To ANNABELLEJ I didn t know you had met Mr. Raw- son. ANNABELLE. I didn t either. I mean meeting him here was most unexpected. (To RAWSON) Mr. Gosling is my lawyer. GOSLING. (To ANNABELLEJ You er you met Mr. Rawson at the Fair? ANNABELLE. No, no you didn t know I d been to the Fair, did you ? RAWSON. (Amused) Why, no, it s a surprise to me. GOSLING. (Grimly) It was a surprise to me. ANNABELLE. It was a surprise to me yes really for I never expected to go West again I said I never would RAWSON. Oh, you had been out there? ANNABELLE. Once a long time ago RAWSON. You didn t like it? ANNABELLE. Mr. Rawson, you wouldn t think that one man could ruin a whole country for a woman, but that was what happened to me. For years the whole West has just meant one terrible man that I would cross worlds to be away from I must go I m giving a luncheon. (Looking re proachfully at GOSLING.,) GOSLING. I ll see you later I shall be here I have an appointment with Mr. Murchison. ANNABELLE. (Delighted, goes to him) Not Harry Murchison dear old Harry? Then my troubles are over. GOSLING. Are they? Well, his aren t. Do you know that his wife is getting a divorce? ANNABELLE. Well then let us say that his troubles are nearly over. Dear old Harry every body loves Harry but Mr. Gosling you d love him, Mr. Rawson. 28 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" RAWSON. Would I? ANNABELLE. Yes that is, I think you would he d do anything for anybody. He s such a fool dear old Harry probably you are, if I knew you better, Mr. Rawson, I hope you understand me I hope we ll meet again. MUSIC STOP RAWSON. Oh, we will. (Exit ANNABELLE to Palm room up R. RAWSON follows over a little looks after her.) GOSLING. Mr. Rawson, I m delighted to have an opportunity of speaking to you. Won t you sit down? (They sit c.) As a mining man who under stands the situation what is this Lone Claim stock up to, do you think? RAWSON. I think it s up to six hundred. GOSLING. I mean what s it going to do? As a friend of Mrs. Leigh s, I m asking. She has two shares of this stock. RAWSON. She has them has she? GOSLING. Yes that is well, yes. Now some one has sent for it but I am advising her not to give it up. Don t you think I m right? RAWSON. Well, that depends. Is she interested in the person who sent for it? GOSLING. No. It s her husband. RAWSON. Oh ! GOSLING. A very sad case, Mr. Rawson. He s the man she spoke of, who ruined the entire world for her. RAWSON. I thought it was just the West. GOSLING. Maybe you know a man in Montana they call the Hermit ? RAWSON. Well, yes I used to know him. GOSLING. That s the man. He was nameless, penniless. He made his mark on the marriage con- "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 29 tract. He had no name to give her. Why, it was a clear case of kidnapping. RAWSON. It sounds pretty bad, unless he had some excuse, some reason that you don t know of ! GOSLING. Excuse reason, for a big, bearded bandit entering a man s house and carrying off a child of sixteen what excuse can there be? RAWSON. Her father died, of course, protecting her. GOSLING. (Hesitating) Well, no, he was a sick man at the time. fRAWSON smiles a little.) RAWSON. But she escaped from this terrible creature ? GOSLING. Yes she did. RAWSON. I don t see how she escaped from a man like that, unless he let her go. GOSLING. Well I don t know all the particu lars. I only know that a great outrage was perpe trated without the man ever having to pay for it. RAWSON. But he s been paying for it ever since ! GOSLING. Yes, he made a fortune in some way. (Enter JAMES L.I.) He does support her, and it takes a fortune to do that. JAMES. (L.C.) Excuse me. Did you wish to speak to me, sir? GOSLING. CRAWSON and GOSLING rise) I m de lighted to have met you Mr. Rawson but you haven t told me anything that I want to know. RAWSON. Did you notice that? GOSLING. Yes, I did well, perhaps later. (Ex its L.I J JAMES. (L.C.) Did you want to ask something about Rock Point, sir? RAWSON. That place where the fishing is so fine yes. JAMES. Mr. Wimbledon owns the place, sir. Mr. George Wimbledon. 30 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" RAWSON. Oh, it s Mr. Wimbledon s place is he down here ? JAMES. No, sir, he s just gone out West. Do you know Mr. Wimbledon? RAWSON. Not this one, no. I knew his father. JAMES. Oh, yes young Mr. Wimbledon is very different from his father. RAWSON. (Thoughtfully) Is he? That s good! JAMES. He s got a very fine place down there, sir in fact, there s nothing but fine places there it s what you might call the cream of Long Island. RAWSON. I don t care so much about cream but I was interested in the fish. JAMES. Oh, yes, sir, if anyone cares for fishing ; no waiting for tides the fish are always hungry- all you ve got to do is cast. RAWSON. Maybe it s just as well if you don t tell me any more about that place. I don t suppose Mr. Wimbledon wants to sell ? (Crosses JAMES and exits L.I.) JAMES. Well, hardly, sir. Haw haw (Ex its after RAWSON L.I.) (Enter MURCHISON R.I.) MURCHISON. (x.c. To ALEC entering L.) Page Mr. Gosling, please and tell him Mr. Murchi- son is here. ALEC. (L.C.) There is a lady wants to see you, Mr. Murchison. MURCHISON. A lady? ALEC. Yes, sir. She s in the Palm room, hav ing lunch. MURCHISON. I ll go right in. ALEC. I was to let her know, sir MURCHISON. Oh, very well (Exit ALEC R.C. to Palm Roomr MURCHISON paces "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 31 up and down nervously L.C. Enter ANNABELLE R.C. from Palm Room meet c.) ANNABELLE. (c.) Harry! MURCHISON. (L.C. Overjoyed, seeing her) An- nabelle ! Well, this is too good to be true. ANNABELLE. (c.) How is everything, Harry? MURCHISON. Everything s beautiful, wonderful, now that I see you. ANNABELLE. Well, do you know that you are doing a beautiful, wonderful thing? MURCHISON. Well, I m glad. What is it? ANNABELLE. You are giving a luncheon in the Palm Room in my honor! MURCHISON. (Staggered) I am? ANNABELLE. Yes. MURCHISON. Are we alone? ANNABELLE. Oh, no. Delightful people are to be present. In fact, they are present. MURCHISON. They are? ANNABELLE. Maybe you don t want to have us to lunch (Seeing MURCHISON hesitate.) MURCHISON. Oh, perfectly charmed delighted, Annabelle, of course, but there s one little difficulty. I m stranded here without a cent. Ada, well, you won t believe me when I tell you what she s done. ANNABELLE. I know she s suing for a divorce. MURCHISON. That s not the worst. She s at tached my bank account. ANNABELLE. Good gracious well there are all sorts of attachments between married people, aren t there, Harry? (She looks thoughtful.) MURCHISON. (Hesitates) Is it quite a lunch, Annabelle ? ANNABELLE. Yes, but don t bother about it, Harry. MURCHISON. Why, my dear, I m perfectly de lighted. I was only going to say that if it was just 32 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" a little lunch, I have five dollars, but that s ridicu lous. ANNABELLE. Yes, perfectly ridiculous. . . . Lend it to me, Harry. MURCHISON. Why, certainly. (Gives her bill.) ANNABELLE. I haven t any change I MURCHISON. I have an appointment with Gos ling. He ll probably make everything all right. (Enter JENNINGS R.I. with three orchids.) JENNINGS. Er Mrs. Leigh. ANNABELLE. Yes. Oh, it s Mr. Jennings. I want you and Mr. Murchison to meet. (The gentlemen shake hands. JENNINGS to MURCHISON. ) JENNINGS. (To ANNABELLE,) The flower man has found the orchids. ANNABELLE. Are they nice ones? JENNINGS. They ought to be $5.00 apiece. You ll pardon my speaking of it. ANNABELLE. How beautiful ! (Taking one.) MURCHISON. (L.C.) But $5 apiece! ANNABELLE. Is there any comparison between this and this ? (Holding orchid in one hand and bill in the other) Leave this one with me and take the rest to my table. (Gives the bill.) Pay him for this one, Mr. Jennings. Thank you. (Exit JENNINGS R.I. Rather amused at MURCHI SON. ANNABELLE crosses a little R. Enter GOS LING L.I.J GOSLING. (Going to MURCHISON J How are you, Mr. Muchison (To ANNABELLE^ Well, I "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 33 found out from Spalding about your stock. George Wimbledon s got it. ANNABELLE. Oh, well, if you know who has it, we can get it. GOSLING. Can we? That may not be so easy. I doubt if I can even see him. ANNABELLE. (R.C.) Well, I ll see him. GOSLING, (c.) You! He s the hardest man in New York to see. I m trying now to get him on the phone at Rock Point. Well, Mr. Murchison. (Turns to MURCHISON L.c.J MURCHISON. (L.cJ Before we say another word, Gosling, I want you to let me have a thousand dollars. GOSLING. Well, I guess that s the end of our conversation, Murchison. fx.L.j MURCHISON. What do you mean? I ll tell you my position. Gosling she has attached everything I ve got so that I m here in the city without a cent, and I want you to see her and tell her what the at titude of a (decent woman would be under the cir cumstances. GOSLING. (L.) Mr. Murchison, I consider your wife a lovely woman and I have no doubt that you are to blame. I won t take the case and I am astounded that a man of your wealth should be grudge your wife a living wage. (Exit GOSLING L.I.J MURCHISON. (L.C.) Well, what do you think of that? ANNABELLE. (R.C. to c.) Go to my table, Harry, and drink a glass of champagne. MURCHISON. What s the use? The effect wears right off. fx.R.J (Enter TITCOMB L.I. Stops at seeing MURCHISON.) ANNABELLE. (cj Then drink another. 34 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" MURCHISON. Excuse me, Annabelle, for spoil ing your party. I must phone Ada s lawyers. (Ex its R.I J (TircoMB approaches ANNABELLE c.) TITCOMB. Pardon me, Madam ANNABELLE. Oh is it about the suite? TITCOMB. Yes I er I m afraid we won t we won t be able to accommodate you ANNABELLE. Oh, but you must I ve sent for my dog and everything. TITCOMB. Well we don t allow dogs, anyway. ANNABELLE. Oh don t you? They re so much pleasanter than most people. TITCOMB. I find on inquiring that we haven t the suite I was thinking of. ANNABELLE. Oh haven t you? Well then I ll have another one. TITCOMB. (Uneasy) I m very sorry. ANNABELLE. But you must have plenty of them at this time of the year. . . . Please explain. I know you re keeping something from me. TITCOMB. Well, Madam, really, if you insist I will. It seems we learn from the Hathmore that there was some trouble about a check. ANNABELLE. (Surprised) But how did you hear that? TITCOMB. We inquired. ANNABELLE. Oh, and do you always find out about people ? TITCOMB. We try to. ANNABELLE. I see. Well, I don t think I d like it here, then, anyway I don t like a noisy hotel TITCOMB. Very well, Madam. (Exit TITCOMB L. up hall, rather anxious to get away.) ANNABELLE. Why, I haven t any place to go. (She goes to seat c. and stands for a moment. Sits "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 35 on seat) And no money for three months. I can t pay for the lunch until the i6th of October. They can never eat that long, f ANNABELLE hesitates, then is seized with an idea. ALEC enters L.I., conies to L. corridor, starts up L.) Boy, page Mr. Raw- son. ALEC. He s right here, Madam. (Exits L.I. Go ing back of RAWSON.J RAWSON. (Enters L.I. to her) Excuse me did you send for me? ANNABELLE. I did. (Motioning him to sit down c. He does so) Mr. Rawson, I wanted to ask you something. You know, you seem to me to be a man who without understanding might understand so much. In a situation, I mean well, like mine, for instance Mr. Rawson, do you know Watt s picture of Hope? I mean have you seen it? The original? (He shakes his head no, looking at her with deep interest) Well, you wonder why she does. For there the woman sits, on a world, a large ball in space, with a bandage over her eyes, playing on a broken harp. Oh, more than broken, but there is a single string, yes, she has that, just a little bit of string, and in the sky there is a tiny, oh, the smallest imaginable star. What I was going to say was, will you will you have lunch with me? RAWSON. I m sorry, but I can t. (Bus. away) I would have been glad to, but I can t. ANNABELLE. Oh! (Sadly) If I had asked you before, you would? RAWSON. Gladly, but why should you want me? You have artists, poets, and all friends. . . . While I am only a stranger. ANNABELLE. I don t know, but it seemed to me you would supply something the rest of us lack RAWSON . Really ? What is that ? ANNABELLE. Success. RAWSON. Oh, but I m not a success. 36 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ANNABELLE. Fifty thousand dollars a day. RAWSON. That isn t success. I failed in the most important thing I ever had to do fifty thou sand dollars a day isn t happiness. It isn t suc cess. ANNABELLE. Perhaps not. It seems like a very good beginning. Mr. Rawson, do you think that a woman has the same right to ask a thing of a man, that if she were a man, she would feel that she could ? RAWSON. (Puzzled) Do you mean, do I be lieve in votes for women ? ANNABELLE. No, I didn t, but, of course, that would be part of it free speech and the vote would make women less timid, I suppose. RAWSON. It doesn t seem to. They have it in the West, where I come from. ANNABELLE. (Aside) Oh, dear, here we are talking politics, and I m really hungry. . . . RAWSON. Oh! I mustn t keep you. (Getting up.) ANNABELLE. (Desperately) No, please, don t ^RAWSON sits) I haven t told you what I wanted to. I want something done for me, Mr. Rawson it s perfectly absurd but I do RAWSON. (Eagerly) Tell me what it is ANNABELLE. I can t that is, I will I need I want you, just for to-day. RAWSON. Yes. ANNABELLE. (Waving the orchid, nervously un able to say what she intended to) Wear this flower. (RAWSON takes flower) I know it seems foolish, I don t know why I ask you I wouldn t do it if I were you it ll look ridiculous. RAWSON. (Rising and starting for Palm Room up L. assisting ANNABELLE, who protests, but anxiously goes) I will I will wear it, and I will have lunch with you. "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 37 ANNABELLE. Oh, no, please don t. RAWSON. I will. . . . Nothing, not even you, shall stop me. (They exit up R.L. to Palm Room.) (Enter GWENDOLEN up R. from Palm Room, sits L. end of bench R V agitated. Takes out mirror and hankkerchief from vanity case and weeps a little carefully. Enter ALFRED up R. hur riedly. Sits R. beside GWENDOLEN. ) ALFRED. Don t be silly, Gwen, you ll break up the whole party. Jennings didn t mean you. GWENDOLEN. He did, he said I was a parachute. ALFRED. Parasite. But he didn t say that he said some girls were. GWENDOLEN. Girls that don t do anything, well, that s me. I m not good for anything but to spend your money. ALFRED. Well, if you can find any to spend, you ll help me more than you could any other way. (Enter JENNINGS and ETHEL from Palm Room up R. ALFRED rises.) ETHEL. My dear girl, I knew you didn t want to powder your nose. ( GWENDOLEN rises, goes L.C. To JENNINGS^ Now you see what you ve done, why do you say such things? JENNINGS. (Going to GWENDOLEN L.J But my dear Miss Morley, I was only speaking of the fat, idle rich. You find them, in limousines like mush rooms under glass, nothing like you at all. GWENDOLEN. (L.C.) I am idle and my father is rich, and I shall probably be fat in time, but it doesn t matter. I m very silly, I know. I shouldn t have minded, but I did. ETHEL. Come, children, Annabelle doesn t know what s the matter. 38 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ALFRED. I don t think she even noticed that we left. (They exchange glances.) ETHEL. It s quite a case, isn t it ? ALFRED. With Rawson? It s a prairie fire. JENNINGS. But I like it that you did mind. It shows what a dear you are. I don t know when I ve seen anyone that impressed me so as alto gether jolly. GWENDOLEN. (L..C. Powders her nose) Does it look very pink? JENNINGS. It looks perfectly beautiful. (They start out to Palm Room R. ETHEL, ALFRED and GWENDOLEN exit up R.) (Enter MURCHISON, disturbed^ R.I. Detains JEN NINGS, who follows last with GWENDOLEN,) MURCHISON. Jennings just a moment. JENNINGS. (To GWENDOLEN, at her L. Excuse me. (^GWENDOLEN exits up Rj MURCHISON. Is Mrs. Leigh still in the Palm room? JENNINGS. Why, yes she was when I left. MURCHISON. Do you think you could get her to come out for a moment? JENNINGS. I suppose so. MURCHISON. It s very important. I m in a great trouble, Jennings. JENNINGS. We all are. (Goes back of him, exits up R. to Palm Room.) goes L.C., paces up and down ner vously. Enter ANNABELLE up R. Meet c.) ANNABELLE. What is it, Harry? (To c.) MURCHISON. (Hurriedly going to her) Anna- belle I ve just had Ada s lawyers on the phone. I hardly know how to tell you this maybe it would "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 39 be better to wait and let you read it in the news paper. ANNABELLE. Good gracious, Harry what is it? MURCHISON. Ada has named you as co-respond ent. ANNABELLE. Named me? Good gracious! (Sinks into bench c.) MURCHISON. (Sits L. of her) It s terrible I could kill her. ANNABELLE. You should have thought of that before, Harry. MURCHISON. I suppose it was our being at the Fair together. ANNABELLE. But we weren t alone at the fair. MURCHISON. No but don t you remember that day you came to see me at the Hotel you came to my rooms. I think she had us watched, Annabelle. ANNABELLE. Well if she had us watched we re all right. MURCHISON. Oh, it s on your account that I feel so furious, you dear, sweet little ANNABELLE. Harry ! Remember you promised never to speak to me in that tone of voice. MURCHISON. I can t help it when I think of what you ve got to go through. ANNABELLE. What will they do to me, Harry? MURCHISON. Oh, good Lord I don t know. ANNABELLE. Good gracious, will it be as bad as that? MURCHISON. (Rises) If you could only get away before they do anything. ANNABELLE. Get away? Can they stop me? MURCHISON. They ll serve you with papers. ANNABELLE. Well, I wouldn t mind that, would I? MURCHISON. Then you d have to appear, you know dragged through the courts. 40 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ANNABELLE. (Nervous but brave) Dragged through the courts, Harry ? MURCHISON. And on my account. And all for nothing. If there was anything in it I d stand up and take my medicine like a man. ANNABELLE. Yes, but I m not a man who d take mine? MURCHISON. You ve got to go away from here as soon as they find you re in town they ll have a flock of process-servers after you I know Ada. ( Goes R .) I ll find some place for you. You ve got to get away. (Exit MURCHISON R.I.J ANNABELLE. (In a daze) This is awful. I m just a homeless, penniless co-respondent. I ve got to get away ! (Rises) I ve got to get away ! (Enter JAMES. WICKHAM, follows L.I. Comes to halt L J JAMES. (L.) Well, I ve Mr. Wimbledon s orders to carry out I must be getting along to the bureaus, Mr. Wickham. I ve the gardener, the chauffeur, parlor maid, cook and cook s helper to replace. Seraphina was a great cook. It ain t likely we ll get another like her. A liberal provider. There s been times when she s served herself three broilers at one sitting, Mr. Wickham, and for mushrooms and young onions she d her own private basket why,, the peas hardly had a chance to fill out before she d be craunching of them, and sometimes she d eat pods and all. Ah, yes, she was a hearty eater was Seraphina, but I am myself. And a good cook is usually a good eater. You must come down, Wickham. The cream and the vegetables, the fruit, a little country would do you good. Come down to morrow, if you can get away. WICKHAM. All right, Mr. Ludgate. Perhaps I will. (Exits L.I.; "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 41 ANNABELLE. (c. JAMES X.R. of ANNABELLE be fore she detains him. She goes down c.) Excuse me I overheard your conversation, Mr. JAMES. (R.C.) Mr. Ludgate, Madam gentle man s gentleman to Mr. Wimbledon. ANNABELLE. Mr. Ludgate yes I understand that you are looking for an artiste de la cuisine JAMES. A what, Madam? ANNABELLE. A cook ! JAMES. (Relieved) Oh, yes, Madam I am. It s for Mr. Wimbledon s place at Rock Point, Long Island ANNABELLE. How many are there in the family? JAMES. Well, Madam, Mr. Wimbledon is all the family there is and he s nearly always away. ANNABELLE. (c.) That would be satisfactory. What are the living accommodations? JAMES. (R.C.) The very best, Madam. Sleep ing-room to herself and bath, and when there is no body there, cook gets up when she feels like it. The undercook prepares the cook s breakfasts, as sisted, of course, by cook s helper ANNABELLE. Perfectly satisfactory. JAMES. Madam perhaps has a cook she wishes to place ? ANNABELLE. Perhaps. JAMES. The cook you have reference to has had experience; she s a finished cook? ANNABELLE. (c.) Oh, yes she is. JAMES. (R.C.) What wages? ANNABELLE. Well what wages? JAMES. We ve been paying a hundred a month. ANNABELLE. That will do I ll take the place. JAMES. (Looks her over) You? But you ain t a cook. ANNABELLE. How dare you insult me? JAMES. I beg your pardon but anyone anyone would say you was a lady. 42 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ANNABELLE. If the two are incompatible I am not. Tell me, have you had a cook whose Asperge Espagnole was a dream? Whose cherry mousse was a poem whose Shetland pudding was a ro mance, I ask you have you ? JAMES. We ain t never had no Shetland pud ding. ANNABELLE. Then you ain t never had no regu lar cook, Mr. Ludgate. Listen, did you ever serve a cup for which was required an apricot chilled in brandy in each glass a few crushed mint leaves a dash of maraschino plenty of crushed ice Sau- terne chilled in a bowl in which candied violets have been standing for an hour well-shaken and served with velvet cakes ? JAMES. Velvet cakes ? ANNABELLE. You know velvet cakes JAMES. Never knew none. ANNABELLE. (Surprised) Oh, dear JAMES. (Eagerly) When will we expect you down ? ANNABELLE. The sooner the better right away and I shall require sixty dollars in advance, or perhaps we had better make it seventy-five. JAMES. I can arrange that you want it before you leave? ANNABELLE. Yes. JAMES. I can take you down in the car, if you wish. ANNABELLE. What kind of a car? JAMES. It s a Fiat. ANNABELLE. Perfectly satisfactory. JAMES. W r e ll start as soon as I ve been to the bureaus I ve other servants to replace. A gardener chauffeur cook s helper parlor maid. I ll be back at five. (Starts L.I J ANNABELLE. (To c.) Wait a moment I know an excellent gardener a fine chauffeur a willing "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 43 cook s helper and a most attractive parlor maid. MAID. Where can I see them? ANNABELLE. You can see them now. I m hav ing them to lunch in the Palm Room. Just a min ute. (Starts up to Palm Room R., but is stopped by RAWSON S entrance from Palm Room, who enters up R.J JAMES. Lunch in the Palm Room velvet cakes. My Word ! (Walks away. Exits L.I J RAWSON. (Goes down) Is anything the matter? ANNABELLE. No that is I m leaving town im mediately, Mr. Rawson. I ve been called away un expectedly. I wonder if you d do something for me? RAWSON. (Close) You know I would do any thing ANNABELLE. (R.C.) Already? How nice Well, you see, I thought I was going to stop here, and I sent for my things. Now I m in such a hurry to get away, I wonder if you d send them to me when they come? RAWSON. Gladly. Where shall I send them? ANNABELLE. To er t the station at Rock Point, Long Island. RAWSON. Rock Point? No address? ANNABELLE. No. RAWSON. Not even care of anybody? ANNABELLE. No no, I ll send for them. There are four trunks and two hat boxes and a dog. Do you think you can do it? RAWSON. I m sure I can. ANNABELLE. And, Mr. Rawson if you don t mind, please don t tell anyone where I ve gone. RAWSON. Of course not. I wouldn t even tell if I knew just where you were going. ANNABELLE. (Looks up at him) I don t believe vou would. I feel that I can trust you. 44 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" RAWSON. You can. Now I ll find a porter we can trust. ANNABELLE. Oh, thank you! You re so nice. (Exit ANNABELLE up R. to Palm Room. RAWSON goes to L. and calls to JAMES.J RAWSON. Just a moment. fjAMES enters L.i.J That place Rock Point is there a hotel there? JAMES. Oh, no, sir only private estates big show places like ours. RAWSON. I see. (Boldly) Do you happen to know at which one Mrs. Leigh visits ? JAMES. (Condescendingly) Mrs. Leigh why, no, sir. It might be at the Brindley Fortesques or the Dunder Hallidays or then again, it might be the Tipton Grangers RAWSON. Are they near your place? JAMES. Oh, no, sir nothing is near anything down there that s the beauty of it. RAWSON. (Fearlessly) I want to come down there. JAMES, Yes, sir well, why don t you come down? RAWSON. I mean to stay. READY MUSIC up R. JAMES. (Hesitates) Well, sir I wish it could be arranged RAWSON. It can. JAMES. Can it? "RAWSON. Can t it? JAMES. You mean RAWSON. (Bill yellowback from wallet) Yes I mean that just between ourselves I rent the place of you a thousand a week. JAMES. Well, sir, I think it might be arranged if Mr. Wimbledon was there, I m sure he d be de lighted and just because he ain t RAWSON. (Giving him bill) I ll be down to night. (Exit L.; "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 45 JAMES. What train, sir? I shall have the car meet you at the station. ( JAMES exits after RAW- SON L.I.J (Enter ANNABELLE, followed by JENNINGS, ETHEL, GWENDOLEN and ALFRED from up R .) MUSIC CUE. "Just You and I." Play until curtain JENNINGS. But, Mrs. Leigh, I don t know any thing about gardening. ANNABELLE. Get a gardener s book and read it on the train going down. ( JENNINGS goes to GWEN- DOLEN.J ALFRED. You re not really serious, Anna- belle ANNABELLE. I am serious terribly serious. I must go down there. ETHEL. But why should we go? ANNABELLE. I ll tell you all why later. You must help me. You can t desert me. (To JAMES, who has come on L.I. with note-book and pencil) Here they are, Mr. Ludgate. This is Lizzie Mc- Quade, my helper. We ve worked together for years, haven t we, Lizzie? JAMES. Lizzie McQuade wages forty dollars. Is that satisfactory, Lizzie? ANNABELLE. Perfectly satisfactory JAMES. And I didn t get your name. (To AN- NABELLE.J ANNABELLE. My name is Annie, Annie Postleth- waite, Mrs. Postlethwaite, please, Mr. Ludgate. JAMES. Pottleswaite ? ANNABELLE. Not Pottle-Postle. This is the chauffeur, Mr. Featherstone, Ronald Featherstone. JAMES. Ronald? Mr. Wimbledon objects to that name. 46 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ALFRED. So do I. ANNABELLE. He can use his middle name, Mac- Aninny. JAMES. I ll put down Mac. He will be driving the servants car mostly. Wages, one hundred a month, the same as the other chauffeurs. You and I are considered of equal importance with the fam ily, Mrs. Losslethorpe. ANNABELLE. I should think so. What good is the rest of the family if you kill the cook? BETHEL interrupts) That s all, Lizzie. ETHEL. I should hope so. (Exit ALFRED and ETHEL into Palm Room R.J ANNABELEE. This is the gardener, Mr. Jennings Alonzo Jennings. JAMES. Are you married, Mr. Jennings ? JENNINGS. Married? JAMES. Mr. Wimbledon likes to have the garden er s wife in the lodge. ANNABELLE. You mean the gardener must be a married man ? JAMES. Yes. ANNABELLE. (Her gaze wanders to GWENDO LEN ) Well, I don t see but you ll have to go down, then, Maggie. (^GWENDOLEN goes to her) This is Mrs. Jennings, Mr. Ludgate. I did think of her for parlor-maid. Maybe she could be both Mr. Jennings wife, and parlor-maid, too. JAMES. I see no objections, as long as she sleeps in the Lodge. WARNING GWENDOLEN. (Terrified) Annabelle ! JAMES. (Writes in book) Wages, forty, Mag gie. GWENDOLEN. But I couldn t sleep in the Lodge. JAMES. Why not? "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 47 GWENDOLEN. (Boldly) My husband snores JENNINGS. I don t, as a matter of fact. ANNABELLE. I m sure this can all be adjusted, Mr. Ludgate. JAMES. She must be at the Lodge mornings to open up the windows and see to breakfast for her husband and the under-gardener. ANNABELLE. She will, she will ("GWENDO LEN goes to JENNINGS.^ JAMES. There s room in the car for Maggie and Lizzie. ANNABELLE. Very good, and Alonzo and Mackinniny can take the train down. (Exit JAMES L.I.J (As JAMES exits enter ETHEL and ALFRED, excited. ETHEL goes to ANNABELLE R. ALFRED stops at R. of JENNINGS.,) ETHEL. Annabelle ! He s paid for the lunch and gone! ANNABELLE. Good gracious! Who? ALFRED. Rawson. ETHEL. What a strange man, Annabelle. No real gentleman would have done it. ANNABELLE. No no! He s not a gentleman. God bless him ! He s just a man and I must never see him again. ETHEL. Why? ANNABELLE. Because it s the first time in my life that I ever I don t have to tell you, Ethel JAMES. (Enter L.I.) Come, Annie! (Exits L.I.) ( ANNABELLE slowly starts L. f pauses, speaks and exits.) 48 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ANNABELLE. Come, Lizzie! CALL follow slowly off L.I. after ANNIE, MAGGIE, ALONZO JENNINGS.) CURTAIN ACT II SCENE : The Servants Hall at WIMBLEDON S place. TIM^: Ten o clock the next morning. DISCOVERED: On rise, JAMES discovered talking to the new servants, who are lined up for instruc tion. JAMES. (R.C.) I ll give you another chance, Mac but see that my car looks as well as Mr. Wimbledon s ALFRED. Yes, sir. JAMES. (To ETHEL) Now, Lizzie you know what your duties are. You are cook s helper. Do just as she says, but if you ve been with her, you re used to that. ETHEL. (With feeling) Yes I am. JAMES Where did you work last? ETHEL. Why er in a hotel. JAMES. With Annie? ETHEL. Annie ? JAMES. (Pompous) Mrs. Pottleswate but you don t have to correct me, Lizzie you mind your own manners, my girl. ETHEL. I didn t mean to correct you, I m sure, Mr. Ludgate. I wouldn t think of interfering with your manners. JAMES. I should hope not. When it comes to manners, Mr. Wimbledon himself has no better than what I have and where is Annie, I mean Mrs. Pottleswate ? 49 50 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" GWENDOLEN. She s not up yet she seemed so tired, I didn t wake her. JAMES. You slept with her last night, Maggie? GWENDOLEN. Yes. She didn t want to be alone. JAMES. Was that the reason or did you quar rel with your husband? (Turns to JENNINGS; How about that, Jennings? JENNINGS. Well, we did have rather a go of it last night but it doesn t matter really, does it ? For she was over bright and early opening the windows and getting breakfast. JAMES. I don t like to see two young people start out their married life like you and Maggie. Alonzo fightin with your wife is low, leave that to those who employ us. Kiss and make up that s what I say. JENNINGS. I m perfectly willing. GWENDOLEN, So am I. JAMES. Now, Maggie I m going to put you in the Library. GWENDOLEN. Yes, Mr. Ludgate. JAMES. You ll find in a cabinet some Severs plates they re to be your special care. They re very rare. Now you can all go. Oh, Jennings (The rest go, GWENDOLEN and ALFRED out through kitchen garden door, with ETHEL L.2 entrance.) Jennings, I don t know why you wear that smock. JENNINGS, (c.) Why, I found it hanging in the Lodge, and I rather like the looks of it. JAMES. (R.C.) No manual labor is required of you, Jennings. JENNINGS. I suppose no one minds if I hoe a lit tle, just for exercise? JAMES. As to that, suit yourself I would sug gest that you call the under-gardeners together and give them a talk. JENNINGS. Do you think they ll listen to me? JAMES. Rotation is what Mr. Wimbledon wants "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 51 and everything out of season. That s why Leg- get was sent off he didn t believe in the Bell Sys tem you know what that is ? JENNINGS. (At loss pretends he does) I did know, but it slipped my mind. JAMES. The glass bell it s a forcing system for young vegetables it kills most of them, but Mr. Wimbledon believes in it an when he went out into the garden and sees the bells all lying to one side, he flew into a rage he paid a great deal for them and he wants them used. JENNINGS. When he comes into the garden, I ll see that the vegetables are all there with the bells on. JAMES. That s right, Jennings I think you look very well. After all, we make the best servants. JENNINGS. (Goes R. and up R.3J Oh, yes (Exits R.2.J (Enter LOTTIE R.I. with large tray containing a pot of coffee, rolls and grapefruit, tastefully ar ranged. Goes to table L. puts tray on it.) JAMES, (c., goes L.C.) What s all this? LOTTIE. (L.) Head cook s tray, ordered for ten. JAMES. Oh well, I hope it s all right. Give her the best of everything. LOTTIE. Of course she s the new cook. (Ar ranging tray on table.) JAMES. And go light on the liquor to-day, Lottie, will you ? LOTTIE. Go light on it? (Mournful it being hidden.) Where is it? JAMES. I don t want you to queer yourself with cook the first day. LOTTIE. Queer myself? What is it to me, an honest, hard-working girl, what others think of me ? 52 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" I know what I think of them. (Gives JAMES a withering look.) JAMES. What do you mean by that, Lottie and who do you mean? LOTTIE. I guess you know. Is that a friend of Mr. Wimbledon s, came down last night, Mr. Lud- gate? JAMES. Certainly that is a very particular friend of Mr. Wimbledon s. LOTTIE. If he s very particular, why don t he wait until Mr. Wimbledon s home? JAMES. (Conciliating) Come, Lottie don t get vicious. Maybe when I go down the cellar I ll bring you up a bottle of that Scotch you can t reach just to remind you of old times when you used to think there was no one like James. LOTTIE. Yes now I know there ain t. ( JAMES exits L.B. Knocks at ANNABELLE S do or L.I.) It s Lottie with your breakfast. Yes it s ten o clock and after. ANNABELLE. (Off, in a sleepy voice) Is anyone out there? LOTTIE. No there s no one out here and it s nice and cool. I ll set it right on the table cer tainly. (Places chair left and goes R. of table. En ter ANNABELLE, goes to table.) ANNABELLE. Thank you, Lottie it looks very nice. How did it ever get to be ten o clock ? (Sits L. of table, starts to eat, LOTTIE standing by.) LOTTIE. Well, it does, you know, just about this time every morning. (She laughs in a perfunctory way.) I hope everything s satisfactory. By rights your own helper should have brought your tray, but I knew James would never be through talking by ten. You brought your helper down that s much the best way. I have a girl with very thick hair that James picked out. He seems to think they make the best helpers but I d rather wait on meself than "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 53 try to get this girl up mornings. Your Lizzie s a nice-looking girl and Maggie s a sweet little thing. She slept with you last night. ANNABELLE. Yes LOTTIE. (Longing for a little gossip) What s the matter don t she and Mr. Jennings get on? ANNABELLE. Oh, yes it was on my account. I was nervous yes when I m in a new place I m apt to dream of Mr. Pottlethwaite. LOTTIE. Oh your poor, dear husband, I sup pose ? Didn t he treat you right, or is he dead ? ANNABELLE. (After a moment s hesitation 1 ) Both. LOTTIE. Don t we poor women have it hard? But what can we do but just go on and do the best we can? (Takes a nip from bottle she carries in pocket, and explains as ANNABELLE sees her) It s just a little headache cologne. ANNABELLE. And do you swallow it, Lottie? LOTTIE. It acts quicker. How do you like your costume? You look real good in it. ANNABELLE. Do I, Lottie? I like it very much. LOTTIE. Mr. Wimbledon has them all made by an interior decorator they cost fifty dollars apiece. I guess the man who makes em wants to retire. ANNABELLE. Yours is a little different, Lottie. LOTTIE. Well, I m a little different. ANNABELLE. Yours has a bib. LOTTIE. No, it don t. That s my collar. Just got on that way and I was afraid to change it s bad luck, you know. ANNABELLE. Oh, of course it is. LOTTIE. I don t know as it ll make much differ ence. I ve felt something hanging over me all morn ing. Do you ever feel that way? ANNABELLE. Oh, yes I think everyone does. LOTTIE. Do you believe in zoology? What the stars tell? I have the book that tells just what s 54 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" going to happen every day. Sometimes I m hardly able to get up when I see how bad the stars set. To day s an awful evil day for me my planets Saturn and Mercury are in aspic. ANNABELLE. Oh, no, Lottie not really? LOTTIE. Well they are malefic aspic well there s one thing to be thankful for. I ain t going to be born to-day. ANNABELLE. Why, Lottie, is this a bad day to be born? LOTTIE. Oh terrible the poor souls that s born to-day has nothing to look forward to but sickness and trouble and domestic relations. I ve got my list for the day if you ll look it over. ANNABELLE. Oh (Takes list.) Crab meat, salmon cutlet, steak, chops, ducks, fresh figs, olives I love everything on it, Lottie. LOTTIE. Will you O. K. it please? ANNABELLE. (Taking pencil from LOTTIE ) You haven t forgotten anything, have you, Lottie any blueing or nutmeg, or anything like that ? LOTTIE. There I do need a nutmeg what a mind you have on your work. ANNABELLE. (Complacently) Oh, yes. LOTTIE. I knew I d forgotten something. (As ANNABELLE writes.) ANNABELLE. Is that all right? Can you read my writing? (Gives LOTTIE list and pencil.) LOTTIE. Oh, yes O and K as plain as can be. ANNABELLE. I don t suppose Mr. Wimbledon ever comes down here to the servants hall? LOTTIE. Oh, don t he? He s down here raising Cain half of the time when he s home. ANNABELLE. When he s home? Is he away? LOTTIE. Yes, thank goodness, he is. Gone for the summer. That s why the help s all off on a picnic. All but me. I had a round robbin this morning ask ing me not to go. When I go it always rains. "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 55 (Enter JAMES L.2, crosses to R. of LOTTIE.J JAMES. Well, Lottie still here? LOTTIE. I m just fixing cook s tray. (Hurriedly arranging dishes on tray.) I must hurry, too, be cause I have me work. There are some that must work and others that get paid for just walking around. (Eyes JAMES up and down.) JAMES. In the cellar window Lottie you ll find something. LOTTIE. (With assurance and a rising inflection) In the cellar window ? (Exits R.I, humming "There s a light in the window for me." JAMES approaches ANNABELLE. ) JAMES (c.) Well, Annie I hope your break fast is satisfactory if it isn t, all you ve to do is order another. ANNABELLE. (Seated L. of table) Thank you, Mr. Ludgate, it was very nice. JAMES. I didn t tell you a friend of Mr. Wimble don is down over the week end, maybe longer. ANNABELLE. Oh does Mr. Wimbledon enter tain when he s not here? JAMES. Oh, this is just an old friend of Mr. Wimbledon s. I ve not even opened up the large dining-room for him. I m eating him in the morn ing room, off the porch. ANNABELLE. Good gracious ! JAMES. I thought about teatime, some of that cup you was telling about would taste pretty good along with a velvet cake. I m expecting my friend Wickham down. The great detective from the Hotel St. Swithin. ANNABELLE. (Rising) Detective he isn t com ing for anything special, is he, Mr. Ludgate? JAMES. He asked me if he could, that s all. Oh, he s very interesting I ll introduce you to him. ANNABELLE. But I don t want to meet him, Mr. 56 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" Ludgate promise me you won t introduce him to me JAMES. Well, I won t but make the cup very rich for him, Annie. ANNABELLE. Very well, Mr. Ludgate. (JAMES exits L.2, ANNABELLE crosses and sits R.C.J Good gracious ! (Voices off hall R.3. ) ALEC. I think it must be here, sir. (Enter ALEC R.2, followed by RAWSON. RAWSON carries a fish.) RAWSON. Oh, no, this isn t a -kitchen. ALEC. Well, it s the the kitchen garden outside I know beans. RAWSON. (Seeing ANNABELLE, who rises) I .beg your pardon why, it s you ! ANNABELLE. Why, so it is. RAWSON. I m awfully glad to see you. ANNABELLE. What a wonderful fish ! (RAWSON holds up fish.) RAWSON. So you re visiting here! ANNABELLE. What a nice face it has I mean for a fish. RAWSON. (Turning to ALEC, R. of him) Alec, take this fish. ALEC. (Taking fish) Where shall I put it, sir? RAWSON. Put it in the bay. (ALEC crosses to L.C.J ANNABELLE. Don t put it in the bay on my ac count. (Exit ALEC R.2.) RAWSON. You must know Mr. Wimbledon very well to visit him when he s away? ANNABELLE. Yes, well I think you see enough of people when you re not visiting them, don t you ? "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 57 And the best time to visit them is when they re away. Where are you stopping, Mr. Rawson? RAWSON. Why, I m staying here. ANNABELLE. Here? Then you know Mr. Wim bledon ? RAWSON. No, I don t. The fact is I wanted to be down here and I rented the place. ANNABELLE. Of Mr. Wimbledon? RAWSON. No, I made an arrangement with his butler. ANNABELLE. Think of James doing that ! RAWSON. Yes, my doing it, of course, is quite to be expected, but I can t understand if James knew you were coining. ANNABELLE. (Ruffled) He didn t. (Sits Rj No it was a surprise to James it was a surprise to us, really but it was so warm in town and we didn t know where to go so I said, why not come down to Old Rook Point even if George is away. RAWSON. (Relieved) I see. Then you re not alone. ANNABELLE. Oh, no all the people you met yes terday are with me. Oh, Mr. Rawson think of my forgetting what you did. RAWSON. Please forget it if it was anything you didn t like. ANNABELLE. You paid for my lunch party. RAWSON. I know I shouldn t have done it, of course I thought of that afterwards. ANNABELLE. I m so glad you didn t think of it before I mean a little spontaneity at times is so refreshing don t you think so? I m sorry you have to go. (Rises.) RAWSON. So am I. (Rises.) ANNABELLE. If Mr. Wimbledon were only here. RAWSON. That wouldn t help me any. ANNABELLE. Oh, yes he would ask you to stay, 58 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" I m sure but you see, I can t very well. (JAMES enters L.2.) RAWSON. Of course not but you don t mind my having- a day s fishing ? ANNABELLE. No, indeed (JAMES puts de canters and glasses on tray on table L. and goes L.C.; JAMES. (Embarrassed but pompous) Oh, Mr. Rawson you know where you are, sir? This is the servants hall. RAWSON. Yes, I caught a fish and I came in to see the cook and tell her how I wanted it. JAMES. You ll attend to that, won t you, Annie? ANNABELLE. (Indignantly, a little L. of him) What do you mean by calling me Annie ? JAMES. I beg your pardon. I keep forgettin Mrs. Pottlethwaite will see that the fish is cooked to suit. ANNABELLE. Certainly she will. (JAMES exits with dignity L.2.) Fancy his calling me Annie of course he used to, when I was a child playing here with George but that was ages ago. You d think he d know better. RAWSON. (R.C.J Oh, well, an old family serv ant out at my camp the man that cooks for me always calls me John. ANNABELLE. (Cheered) Does he really? That makes me feel much better. (Enter ALEC L.2.J ALEC. Two gentlemen to see Mrs. Leigh Mr. Gosling and Mr. Murchison. ANNABELLE. (Rising) Oh, dear, you didn t tell them I was here, did you ? I can t see them T can t see anybody. ALEC. They ve followed me down. (The door opens and GOSLING and MURCHISON enter L.2. into the room. Both men look in surprise at RAWSON and ANNABELLE.J GOSLING. Just as I thought "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 59 MURCHISON. Annabelle! What is the meaning of it all? ANNABELLE. Well, really, I think I m the one to ask that two gentlemen breaking into a house where they haven t been invited. MURCHISON. They told me at the hotel that you left in Mr. Wimbledon s car. GOSLING. (Seeing MR. RAWSON,) Mr. Rawson! RAWSON. Good morning. ANNABELLE. You re surprised to see Mr. Raw- son here. My meeting him was most unexpected. GOSLING. That s what you said yesterday. MURCHISON. You never told me that you knew Mr. Wimbledon. ANNABELLE. Well, it doesn t seem to give you any pleasure now that you know it. GOSLING. Have you asked Mr. Wimbledon about your stock ? ANNABELLE. No, Mr. Wimbledon s not here. GOSLING. (Surprised) Not here? ANNABELLE. No. So I can t do anything about it. Of course when I see him, I ll get it back. (Crosses to GOSLING. GOSLING retires up c.) MURCHISON. I don t understand your being here, Annabelle, if Wimbledon s not here. ANNABELLE. (To MURCHISON. RAWSON crosses up R.C. and joins GOSLIN up c.) Well would you understand it if he were here? No you wouldn t like that, either so what s the use trying to please people ? MURCHISON. Annabelle (Taking her aside L.) You have just broken my heart I had every thing all arranged but it s not too late. . . . (In tensely) Come with me out to East Orange, New Jersey. Mrs. Caruthers lives there now she wants you she s one of those women that understands. ANNABELLE. (Impatiently) Understands why she lives in East Orange, Harry ? No I shall stay 60 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" here until it s all over. If Ada insists on having a co-respondent, she ll have to find another one. MURCHISON. I m ill (Sinking in chair R. of table L.J ANNABELLE. (Her manner changing) Oh, poor Harry! What is it? MURCHISON. It s a chill. ANNABELLE. You really ought to have them at home, Harry. Because you see, we don t really know what to do for you I suppose Ada does. (LOTTIE enters R.I, remains near door, -front of piano R.C. Seeing MURCHISON.) LOTTIE. What s the matter with him ? The poor soul looks as though he s going to drop dead. ANNABELLE. He s got a chill. (R.C.) MURCHISON. Where s the kitchen ? ANNABELLE. It s out here, Harry. (Leads MURCHISON R.cJ MURCHISON. Let me get to the fire. Get me a blanket. (R.iJ LOTTIE. (R.) I can t have a man in the kitchen with a blanket I can t, I can t. (MURCHISON exits R.I.) Oh! He s in now there s a man in the kitchen. (LOTTIE exits R.I. RAWSON goes to window c. AN NABELLE crosses R. in front of piano.) GOSLING. (Down R.cJ Annabelle, I want you to return to the city with me. You compromise yourself by staying here. ANNABELLE. (Starts playing piano. Classical bit) Well, I m a co-respondent, Mr. .Gosling . . . and if there s any little pleasure to be gotten out of being compromised, I shall get it. GOSLING. We will take the twelve-five back to "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 61 New York. I will be outside on the porch waiting for you. (With dignity he exits R.2.) RAWSON. (Crossing to ANNABELLE at piano) You didn t really mean it about being a co-re spondent ? ANNABELLE. (Stops playing and faces him) Yes, Mr. Rawson, it s true, and though I m quiet about it, it s not because I m used to it. It s most unusual. RAWSON. Mr. Murchison? ANNABELLE. It s so ridiculous. I m fond of Harry, but he s not the sort of man at all that I could imagine being a co-respondent for. RAWSON. (Believing her and leaning over piano) Tell me haven t you .anyone to look after you? ANNABELLE. Yes, yes, I must tell you. I have a husband somewhere. RAWSON. A husband so^newhere. He can t be much use to you. ANNABELLE. Oh, yes, he s helpful at times. RAWSON. You don t know where he is ? ANNABELLE. Not exactly but near enough. RAWSON. 1 see you you don t get on. ANNABELLE. Oh, yes, we do we never see each other. RAWSON. You can t -tell me what he did what particular thing he did ANNABELLE. Well, he wasn t particular about what he did, Mr. Rawson. He ruined my father in the first place, but the worst thing was his marry ing me. I ran away from him. I ve never seen him since the night I spent in his cave. (Crosses to c. and sits L. of table.) RAWSON. He was a cave man? ANNABELLE. Yes, they called him the Hermit he hadn t any name. I suppose his parents ran away from him when he was a baby. He probably frightened them though he hadn t a beard then. The only thing I remember about him was his beard 62 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" it was down to here no, to here and I suppose it s been growing ever since. I was only sixteen when I went out there, Mr. Rawson you see there was a terrible fight about a mine that dreadful Hermit stole it from my father. RAWSON. But how could he do that? Those fellows out there won t stand for stealing horses or mines. ANNABELLE. Oh, yes, they will, Mr. Rawson. They did, his friends all helped him. RAWSON. Do you remember just what happened? (Sits.) ANNABELLE. Do I remember? The howling, fighting mob breaking into our log house and the hermit grabbing me "This is my loot, boys !" that s what he said just like a scene in the movies. RAWSON. But they didn t kill your father, and you did get away? ANNABELLE. No, I didn t I spent the night in his cave. I told him I was frightfully compromised. He said, "What s that?" And when I explained he flew into a rage and brought in a terrible man and married me. RAWSON. Poor child. (Trying not to smile.) ANNABELLE. Yes, and the worst of it was that after he married me he wanted me to stay in his cave. He begged me to it was terrible when I close my eyes I see him, his shaggy face quite close to mine, his glittering eyes, his terrible strong hands he was so strong. He took me by the wrists just for a moment. RAWSON. But then he let you go. (Moved.) ANNABELLE. Yes, for I cried, you see I always cry when I m angry he thought I was afraid. RAWSON. Weren t you? ANNABELLE. I don t know I was angry first I cried and cried and cried until he put me right out "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 63 of his cave. Wasn t it splendid that I could cry like that? RAWSON. Wasn t it? I m so glad you did (Leans over a little.) ANNABELLE. Are you ? RAWSON. Yes, because, though it was horrible for you, it wasn t so bad as it might have been. (Ends up lamely and straightens up.) You never thought of getting a divorce from him ? ANNABELLE. (Rising) Well just lately I have. RAWSON. Oh ! (Goes a little c., a few steps.) ANNABELLE. Up to now he s been rather a con venience. Yes if it hadn t been for him, I d have married lots of people I didn t care for. (Crosses L.C.; RAWSON. (To c.) Then he has been of some use up to now. But now there s somebody else and it isn t Murchison. ANNABELLE. There is somebody else and it isn t Murchison. RAWSON. (Thinking of WIMBLEDON,) I was in- terested^ in what they said about that stock. It s a good thing someone s got it you can trust. ANNABELLE. Is it? RAWSON. You know, it gives Mr. Wimbledon great power. ANNABELLE. You mean over my husband? RAWSON. Well over anybody that wants it. I wouldn t have minded getting hold of it myself. ANNABELLE. You ! RAWSON. Is Wimbledon the man? ANNABELLE. I can t tell you, Mr. Rawson . . . and there s only a tiny oh, the smallest imaginable chance that you ll ever know who the man is. f ANNABELLE exits L.I.) RAWSON. (Looking after her, as if trying to re member something, then remembers and smiles a 64 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" little.) Hope ! (He lights cigar and goes thought- fully out into the garden R.2 window.) LOTTIE. (Entering R.I) Hope! (Hears RAW- SON and repeats after his exit. She takes ANNA- BELLE S tray from table L.C. and exits L.) (Enter JAMES L.2, crosses to c.) JAMES. (Agitated) My Gawd! LOTTIE. What s the matter? JAMES. Mr. Wimbledon s back. LOTTIE. What do I care? I d just as leave go to-day as to-morrow, and rather. JAMES. But it means ruin don t you understand me? (Paces to R.cJ LOTTIE. (Crossing to him with tray) Why be faint-hearted, Mr. Ludgate? courage is given to all alike. I m not afraid, and I m only a bendin reed, while you re a sturdy oak, Mr. Ludgate. WIMBLEDON. (Off 1^.3) James! JAMES. Will I answer of won t I ? (Crosses c,., agitated face L-3. ) LOTTIE. (R.C.) Don t answer till you have to he s coming down the stairs. It makes no difference to me one day s as good as another an I was go ing anyway. (Exit LOTTIE R.I with tray.) WIMBLEDON. (Slightly intoxicated as usual) James ! (Enters L.2.) JAMES, (c.) Yes, sir WIMBLEDON. Why didn t you answer me? JAMES. I didn t hear you, sir. WIMBLEDON. I see you re entertaining your friends, as usual. JAMES. I don t understand you, sir. WIMBLEDON. That old man on the west porch in the wicker chair who s he? JAMES. I don t know, sir probably one of the "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 65 neighbors stopped in, knowing you were away, (With cutting emphasis.) WIMBLEDON. Well he ll know enough to take his feet in the next time I go by. JAMES. Yes, sir. WIMBLEDON. Who s that big husky, smoking the cigar, on the lawn? JAMES. (Nervously) That, sir? Why, he er he s the man I engaged for the new Captain of the Bluebell but I ll see him, sir I ll tell him he don t suit. (Crosses and starts off L.$.) WIMBLEDON. Stay where you are how do you know he don t suit? He looks as though he could lick the whole crew, and that s wnat they need. JAMES. Yes, sir. WIMBLEDON. That s what everybody needs. JAMES. Yes, sir. WIMBLEDON. And I m the fellow to do it I could lick the world to-day I m only just looking around to see where to begin. Surprised to see me, aren t you? JAMES. Well, yes, sir, a little. (Crosses L.) WIMBLEDON. I couldn t go and leave my business now. JAMES. I m very sorry, sir. WIMBLEDON. I ve got to register my stock before I can go. JAMES. Well, sir, why don t you, sir ? WIMBLEDON. Because I only just thought of it, why didn t you tell me? JAMES. I didn t know it, sir. WIMBLEDON. Don t you know anything? Why don t you read the papers ? Why didn t you tell me this fellow Rawson was in town? JAMES. I didn t know you knew him, sir. WIMBLEDON. I don t know him but he s come on here to break me and I m going to break him do you believe I can do it? 66 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" JAMES. (Affecting ennui) Very likely, sir I don t know really. WIMBLEDON. Do you believe I can do it? Like this I can do it (Takes dish from table and throws it on the floor.) It s easy like this (Enter LOTTIE R.I.J LOTTIE. (Becoming interested) He s home again. Go to it I ll get you the other set when you finish with that. (Enter ANNABELLE L.iJ ANNABELLE. Lottie, haven t you been a little careless with the willow ware? LOTTIE. No it was him showing what he d do to a friend of his. (Exits R.i.J WIMBLEDON. (Down right of table, arranging tie and hair, pleased at seeing ANNABELLE,) Who are you? JAMES. (Back of L. table) Oh, Mr. Wimbledon, this, sir, is the new cook Mrs. Postlethwaite. WIMBLEDON. Oh well, that s too much to start with what do people call you? (Crosses JAMES to L.C.) ANNABELLE. That depends, sir. JAMES. Annie is her first name, sir. WIMBLEDON. Well, Annie, why were you dis missed from your last place? ANNABELLE. I wasn t dismissed, sir WIMBLEDON. That s what they all say. Where are your references ? ANNABELLE. Do you want to see them, sir? WIMBLEDON. Yes. ANNABELLE. (To JAMESJ Well, why don t you show them to him? JAMES. I? "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 67 ANNABELLE. Yes, where are they? You don t mean to say you ve lost them? JAMES. Why, no I can t have lost them. ANNABELLE. I said to myself after I gave them to you that I should never have done it a girl should never let her references out of her hand. WIMBLEDON. Of course not. (To JAMES,) Send those other servants here. (Exit JAMES right 2. Mops brow with handkerchief and is glad to get away.) ANNABELLE. But I can remember them, sir. My last place was with the Colton Morrissons . . . WIMBLEDON. I know them very well. They live in Tarrytown. ANNABELLE. Not my Colton Morrissons, sir, they live in Pittsburg. WIMBLEDON. Well, why did you leave them? ANNABELLE. Well, sir, the daughter Irmengard ran away with the chauffeur and the father and mother were divorced and I couldn t make up my mind which part of the family to stay with. WIMBLEDON. Oh, I see. (Enter JAMES with JENNINGS, ALFRED and GWEN and ETHEL R.2.) JAMES. Here they are, sir ! (Indicating ALFRED. ) The new chauffeur, sir. ALFRED. Ronald I mean Mackinninny. WIMBLEDON. Which? JAMES. He gave his name as Mackinninny. WIMBLEDON. I ll bet you ve worked in a Ronald on me. (To ALFRED) Have you a reference? ALFRED. Why, I ve driven the Weatherbys for years. He ll be glad to tell you all about me. WIMBLEDON. I wouldn t ask him, the old crook ! 68 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" JAMES. (Indicating JENNINGS,) The new gar dener, Mr. Wimbledon. WIMBLEDON. (To JENNINGS,) What s your name? JENNINGS. (Nervously) Oh, Alonzo Alonzo Jennings. WIMBLEDON. Alonzo Jennings. Well, I hope you re a better gardener than Legget. Where are your references? JENNINGS. (Pulling up smock and feeling in his pocket) I thought I had a few of them in here but I guess I must have left them in my other coat. ANNABELLE. You d hardly think it was necessary for the man who brought out the Albino Chrysan themum to have credentials. WIMBLEDON. Did you do that? JENNINGS. (With a great ful look at ANNABELLEJ I did though I hardly realized it at the time. WIMBLEDON. I don t realize it now never heard of an Albino Chrysanthemum. ANNABELLE. You don t go to the Grand Central Flower Show, do you? WIMBLEDON. Never go to the Grand Central ex cept to catch a train. ANNABELLE. Well, of course, then you wouldn t know the tremendous enthusiasm over Mr. Jen nings exhibit. WIMBLEDON. But I m thinking of vegetables. ANNABELLE. Well, of course, Mr. Jennings Giant Lima Bean was the sensation of the hour at the County Fair in Usquepaug. WIMBLEDON. You seem to know a lot about Mr. Jennings. ANNABELLE. Yes, sir we have corresponded through the Hardy Servant s Manual and then at one time he worked for the Colton-Morrissons. WIMBLEDON. (Severely) Ha! You use the Bell System, do you, Jennings ? "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 69 JENNINGS. Oh, yes, rather, there s nothing like a bell for getting young plants up. WIMBLEDON. You understand ensilage thorough ly? What do you think about it? JENNINGS. Well, I think it can be prevented by spraying early in the Spring. WIMBLEDON. Don t you know it s a system of fertilizing ? ANNABELLE. Maybe it s only in England that it means the Enslebug. WIMBLEDON. What s that? ANNABELLE. It s an insect that attacks young fruit trees in the Spring, isn t it, Mr. Jennings ? JENNINGS. Yes, it s a sort of winged ant. WIMBLEDON. A winged grandmother. I can see I ll learn a lot from you, Jennings. I shall look up the enslebug in the Enslepedia ( Drunk enly) En cyclopedia Brittanica. JAMES. (Introducing ETHEL,) New cook s help er, Mr. Wimbledon. WIMBLEDON. Name? ETHEL. Lizzie Lizzie McQuade. WIMBLEDON. I never saw a cook s helper that didn t look as cross as the devil. What s the reason of that, Lizzie? ETHEL. (With dignity) I really couldn t tell you, Mr. Wimbledon. WIMBLELON. Why not? Is it a secret? JAMES. The new parlor maid, sir. WIMBLEDON. Name? GWENDOLEN. Maggie, sir. WIMBLEDON. No last name at all? GWENDOLEN. Maggie Maloney, sir. WIMBLEDON. Alliterative, aren t you, Maggie? GWENDOLEN. Yes, sir but I ve done a most dreadful thing. WIMBLEDON. Already? GWENDOLEN. That most beautiful plate the one 70 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" with the green band and the apricots came right to pieces in my hands. JAMES. (Raising his hands in horror) Oh, Mag gie ! After me telling you about the Severs ! WIMBLEDON. Shut up, I broke the plate myself. JAMES. I don t remember it, sir. WIMBLEDON. Why should you? I threw it at someone else. Well, you can all go I don t mean you re discharged that will probably come later. James, send in the new Captain of the Bluebell. (Exit all but ANNABELLE R.2., JAMES last.) You needn t go out, Annie. Stick around. I like to have you. ANNABELLE. Yes, sir I ll just get the broom and sweep up your friend. (Exit ANNABELLE L.I. Enter LOTTIE R.I, MUR- CHISON R.I.J LOTTIE. I think you ll be all right now I should repeat the ginger before going to bed. WIMBLEDON. Well, Lottie who s this? LOTTIE. (To c.) I don t know his name, but he s a perfect gentleman he s been having a chill in the kitchen. WIMBLEDON. (Stares at MURCHISON. LOTTIE goes L.cJ He has, has he? I knew you had your faults, but I didn t know a chill in the kitchen was one of them. LOTTIE, (c.) As to that, I m a good girl and an honest girl, and I reply to any slurs on my character that I d jus as lieve go to-day as to-morrow. MURCHISON. (K.C.) I beg your pardon Mr. Wimbledon you re quite wrong in supposing that I went into the kitchen for any other reason than because I had a chill. WIMBLEDON. (L.C.) Oh, how did you happen to have it here? "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 71 MURCHISON. I came down here hoping to find that I was mistaken hoping to find (About to break down. Sinks into chair R.c.J WIMBLEDON. Mistaken about what? The man s sick give him something. LOTTIE. (Who has been taking a nip out of bottle she carries unseen, indignantly and quickly conceals bottle in pocket) How should you think I have any thing to give him but ginger tea (Angrily) it s nothing but suspicion and words being passed until a poor girl feels she might as well have lost her reputation as to be what she is an honest, hard working WIMBLEDON. (Going to her) Oh, shut up get me a corkscrew you ve got one in your hair some where, haven t you ? I see there are plenty of bottles about. LOTTIE. Not mine, sir those must be for the new cook. (Exit LOTTIE R.I J MURCHISON. Don t bother about me, Mr. Wim bledon (Rises.) (Enter ANNABELLE with broom and dustpan, which she holds behind her on seeing MuRcmsoN.J WIMBLEDON. (Going L.cJ Come on, Annie come in, sweep away you won t disturb anybody. ANNABELLE. (L.J I suppose it s silly of me but I m afraid to let anyone else sweep up broken china MURCHISON. Annie ! He calls her Annie ! WIMBLEDON. fL.c.J This gentleman has done me the honor to have a chill in my kitchen he s not told me yet how he happened in (Goes a lit tle c.) MURCHISON. (Bursting forth miserably) I came down to see her and I m not ashamed to say it before the whole world! (Crosses to ANNABELLE,) 72 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" You told me he wasn t here and here he is calling you Annie. I always wanted to and you never would let me. ANNABELLE. Do go out into the garden, please and control yourself. MURCHISON. You re not going to stay here? Say you re not ! ANNABELLE. I will meet you at the Lodge at four that s the best I can promise you. MURCHISON. But I can t leave you like this, sweeping up his broken china. (Glances at WIM BLEDON. ) It seems so domestic I can t stand it I can t stand it I can t stand it! (Exit R.2.J (ANNABELLE sweeps up china on floor L.c.j WIMBLEDON. (To L.cJ Annie, who is that man ? ANNABELLE. That that, ahem is my former employer, Mr. Colton Morrisson. WIMBLEDON. Annie, you certainly must have cooked some in Pittsburg! ANNABELLE. (Shyly) Well, yes, sir I did my best. WIMBLEDON. Mr. Colton Morrisson seems to think so. How about Mrs. Colton Morrisson? ANNABELLE. She certainly liked my lemon me ringue. WIMBLEDON. She liked your lemon meringue better than Mr. Colton Morrisson? ANNABELLE. Oh, no he liked it, too. WIMBLEDON. What did he use to call you, An nie? ANNABELLE. Mrs. Postlethwaite always. WIMBLEDON. You won t make me do that, will you, Annie? ANNABELLE. Not if it s hard for you, sir. WIMBLEDON. Hard, it s impossible it isn t once a year that I am in a condition where I can say a "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 73 name like that. The day after New Years at about four o clock in the afternoon come around then, and maybe I can do it but I won t promise. ANNABELLE. Well, you needn t. WIMBLEDON. I don t want you to meet Colton Morrisson at the Lodge, Annie that s a low-down trick to play a man come and try to steal his cook you know you don t look like a cook, my dear. ANNABELLE. No but if I cook like one, what s the difference ? WIMBLEDON. You ve got a pretty arm and hand, do you know it? ANNABELLE. It s strong that s the best of it. (Looking critically at her hand.) WIMBLEDON. (Insinuatingly) Give it to me. ANNABELLE. I certainly will, if it s necessary! WIMBLEDON. Well, it isn t necessary but I thought it might be pleasant. (WIMBLEDON bursts into a convulsion of laughter. Goes a step c.) ANNABELLE. What is it, Mr. Wimbledon? WIMBLEDON. I can t help laughing. (Takes stock from pocket.) Look at that, Annie does that look like a million ? ANNABELLE. Do let me see, sir I never saw a million ! WIMBLEDON. A million it s worth more than that two shares of the greatest stock in the world, Annie ! ANNABELLE. (Peeping up) Do let me hold it in my hand a minute, sir. (Takes stock.) Why, it s just papers ! WIMBLEDON. (Taking it back) That s all. (Puts it back in his pocket. WIMBLEDON, as he takes the envelope, puts his hand over hers.) Your hand feels just the way I thought it would. ANNABELLE. I don t think you ve got a real idea of it, yet. 74 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" WIMBLEDON. How do you keep your hands so soft working around a kitchen all day ? ANNABELLE. I don t. I keep them soft in gloves at night, sir. WIMBLEDON. (Curiously not disrespectfully puts his forefinger on her wrist and moves it up in a straight line.) You must wear sixteen-button gloves, Annie, for the softness doesn t stop at the wrist ! ANNABELLE. Why, really, sir, you mustn t go on like this. Remember where you are, and that you re talking to a respectable working girl not a lady ! WIMBLEDON. How can I remember you ve got Coty s jasmine on you, too, Annie don t deny it. (Enter ALEC L.2.) ALEC. (To ANNABELLE) Mr. Rawson s compli ments, and he ll be down in a minute. WIMBLEDON. Whose compliments? (JAMES en ters R.2.J ALEC. Why, how-de-do, Mr. Wimbledon? WIMBLEDON. What are you doing down here, Alec? ALEC. (Crossing to him) I m here with Mr. Rawson. ( ANNIE *goes R. of L.C. table.) WIMBLEDON. Rawson? What Rawson? ALEC. The Montana millionaire, sir. WIMBLEDON. You don t mean to say he s here? ALEC. Why, yes, sir. WIMBLEDON. What s he doing here in my house ? ALEC. Why, he s rented it for the summer, sir. WIMBLEDON. What? JAMES. (R. Agonised) There s some mistake, sir. WIMBLEDON. (Going to JAMES) Where is he that s all where is the mistake? "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 75 JAMES. (Trembling) He s the gentleman on the porch, sir in the wicker-rocker. WIMBLEDON. He is, is he (Dashes off R.2.) ANNABELLE. Good gracious! (Enter RAWSON L.2.; RAWSON. What s* the trouble? JAMES. Mr. Rawson, there s a most unfortunate thing has happened, sir. Mr. Wimbledon is back, and we he s in a frightful state, sir. RAWSON. (c.) What s the matter with him? JAMES. CR.C. Apologetically and rattled) I hope you won t mind, sir just to keep him quiet, I told him you was Captain of the Bluebell RAWSON. You ! You don t know how good that is, James. John Rawson working for George Wim bledon! Now, don t give me away. Don t call me Mr. Rawson. ALEC. What shall I call you, sir? RAWSON. Call me John. ALEC. All right, John. (Exits L.2.) JAMES. Thank you, sir. If you could just humor him, sir, till I can get him off. (Exits L.2.) (Enter GOSLING R.2, followed by JENNINGS. GOS LING crosses to L.C. JENNINGS comes u.c.J ANNABELLE. Good gracious what s the matter? GOSLING. (Dripping wet, returns c.) I have been attacked by a mad man and on top of that, this fellow turns the hose on me ! JENNINGS. (Explaining) I did it to save your life I m sorry GOSLING. Look out, here he comes ! (Sees WIM BLEDON R.2. and exits hastily L.2.) WIMBLEDON. Damn it all! Where s the fellow with the hose ? JENNINGS. Here I am, Mr. Wimbledon I m awfully sorry. 76 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" WIMBLEDON. (Angrily) You re the busiest gar- dner I ve had in some time. You re discharged ! JENNINGS. Of course. (Exits. L.3J WIMBLEDON. (Going to RAWSON R.C.) Captain, I ll see you in a minute. Stick around. RAWSON. (Crosses L.C. Half to ANNABELLE on way up to L.3.J I ll be right outside. (Exits L.3.J ANNABELLE. (As WIMBLEDON takes off coat, crosses to him) Let me take your coat I ll dry it for you in the kitchen. (ANNABELLE starts to exit R.I. WIMBLEDON suddenly remembers about stock. Calls ANNABELLE, zvho stops. He goes over and gets stock from coat pocket. ANNABELLE exits R.I.,) WIMBLEDON. (Expeditiously opens bottle and pours himself a drink at table L.) Now I have to do this all over again. (ANNABELLE comes back immediately.) ANNABELLE. (c.) It ll soon be dry and I ll press it for you myself. WIMBLEDON. And a deuced lucky coat to be pressed by you! ANNABELLE. Law, sir what things you do say. WIMBLEDON. Well, that s nothing to what I ll say before I get through. ANNABELLE. Do be careful, sir I wouldn t like to lose my place on account of anything you might say. WIMBLEDON. Ha, ha, you amuse me, Annie upon my word you do it only goes to show, my dear, that there are some people we meet socially we should never meet except as cooks and some cooks whom it would be a pleasure to meet so cially do you follow me? ANNABELLE. Where, sir? WIMBLEDON. A little trip on the yacht. ANNABELLE. I couldn t very well go to-day. "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 77 WIMBLEDON. Couldn t? There s no such word. If you want to do a thing, you just do it don t you know that? ANNABELLE. You just do it but I don t. Mr. Wimbledon, you must think me a very strange cook WIMBLEDON. They re all strange, if you ask me. I think you re a dashed good-looker! ANNABELLE. Don t you get the idea that I may have seen better days? WIMBLEDON. No. You never saw a better day in your life than this and I never did! ANNABELLE. Mr. Wimbledon, I ve got something on my mind. WIMBLEDON. Have you? ANNABELLE. Yes I m I m really in need of money. WIMBLEDON. Well that s the easiest thing in the world to get. ANNABELLE. I know but I don t like to kill anybody ! WIMBLEDON. Well everyone that I know that needs money they why they ask me for it and that s all there is to it. ANNABELLE. Oh, Mr. Wimbledon but I couldn t. It s a terrible amount WIMBLEDON. Is it? ANNABELLE. Yes it s seven hundred dollars! WIMBLEDON. Annie, you re no piker have you been speculating in stocks? ANNABELLE. That s just it it s to save some I ve got WIMBLEDON. Maybe it isn t any good? ANNABELLE. Oh, but it is, sir that s the worst of it. It ll just make a difference in my whole life to get it. WIMBLEDON. Is there any hurry? ANNABELLE. Oh, yes there s every hurry 78 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" WIMBLEDON. Mr. Colton Morrisson tipped you off, I suppose? ANNABELLE. Yes, sir. WIMBLEDON. Well, if I stake you to it you re going to owe me an awful lot Annie ! ANNABELLE. Oh, yes but I ll work it off, you see, sir. WIMBLEDON. Well, I don t want you to work too hard. But it s a lot of money ANNABELLE. I know it I should say so WIMBLEDON. (With meaning) And you ll pay? (ANNABELLE nods. He takes wads of bills out of each pocket. Just a little loose change I won on the wheel last night, Annie. They shouldn t let a man play when he s drunk Annie. It isn t right. I won eight thousand dollars that s terrible. Poor old Feltman was crying when I left you don t know Feltman, do you, Annie ? He s very funny when he cries. There s one one and there s five that s seven hundred. ANNABELLE. (Sighs) Now I ll go and press your coat. (Exits R.i.j WIMBLEDON. Some cook! (Going to door. RAWSON crosses down c. WIMBLEDON down L c.) Come in, Captain sit down what s your name? RAWSON. (Down L.C., entering L.2.J My name is John. WIMBLEDON. Well, John, I don t mind saying I ve taken a fancy to you. (WIMBLEDON sits L. of table, RAWSON R.J RAWSON. That s good. WIMBLEDON. Have a drink? (Pours out drink.) I m going to tell you something. There s a fellow here in this house, named Rawson, I d like to kill. But I can t do that going to take him out on the Bluebell and entertain him for a few days. RAWSON. I see ! WIMBLEDON. You don t but you will about "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 79 three miles south of this point is a place called the Raps. I ll anchor out there and let him rock ! RAWSON. Do you want me to go with him? WIMBLEDON. No, John I like you too well even the sailors can t stand it out there. (Both drink.) RAWSON. What have you got against this man ? WIMBLEDON. He s one of a gang that pretty nearly ruined my father John! RAWSON. Yes? WIMBLEDON. He s a quiet fellow, they say but I ve got something here that ll make him yell ! RAWSON. Have you? (WIMBLEDON takes stock from table and beats table with it. At word "licked" it falls from his hand to the floor. RAWSON picks up stock. WIMBLEDON reaches over and gets stock from RAWSON without apparently looking at it.) WIMBLEDON. Two shares of stock that give con trol of the mine the fight was about. Here it is licked 1 Have a drink, John. I m almost sorry for the poor damned fool (Filling glass.) RAWSON. Oh, well, I wouldn t be sorry for him. WIMBLEDON. (Laughing) No, I wouldn t, either, but I can t help it, the poor nut ! When I think of him out on the Raps, honestly, John I can t help laughing rocking around and not able to sit up, honestly, John. You you see the humor of it, don t you? RAWSON. Oh, yes, I see the humor oi it. (Enter ANNABELLE R.i.J WIMBLEDON. This is all right, John, it s good stuff My servants drink nothing but the best ! ANNABELLE. (Both rise at ANNABELLE S voice) So "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" Here s your coat. (Helps him on with it. He puts stock in pocket right side.) WIMBLEDON. Pretty nice, Annie, to have you around why didn t you come sooner? ANNAELLE. I didn t know you needed me. WIMBLEDON. What do you say to a trip to the- Mediterranean on the Bluebell? Do you think the Bluebell is big enough for such a trip, Captain? RAWSON. Yes but I don t think / am. WIMBLEDON. What do you mean by that? RAWSON. I wouldn t care to cruise in unknown waters. WIMBLEDON. Why, all you ve got to do is buy a chart and study it Oh, I didn t introduce you. Annie, this is Johnnie, the Captain of the Bluebell. ANNABELLE. Oh, is it? (Looking straight at RAWSON. ) I m glad to meet you. RAWSON. (Appreciating her support) I thank you. WIMBLEDON. We won t take any chef and Annie can do the cooking. ANNABELLE. Yes I d love that I ve always wanted to cook on a yacht. It s such a cute little place where they do it in the galley west of some thing. And then at night to be tucked in between the mizzen sheets oh, I think that would be very nice. WIMBLEDON. Annie ought never to do anything but sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam and try to get money from George Wimbledon. That s hard enough, isn t it, Annie? Never mind you don t have to worry about your stock now. (WIM BLEDON is showing more intoxication. Laughing.) ANNABELLE. (Drooping) Good gracious ! (Exits L.I.) WIMBLEDON. That s a great little woman, John. (Pouring a drink.) Here s to Rawson on the Raps ! "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 81 RAWSON. (Right of table) Here s to Rawson on the Raps! (Drinks.) (Enter JAMES L.2. nervously seeing WIMBLEDON, starts off.) WIMBLEDON. James ! JAMES. (Back of table) Yes, sir. WIMBLEDON. Tell that gentleman I had the en counter with to come down. JAMES. I don t think he ll come, sir. WIMBLEDON. I suppose you have to do every thing he says, now you ve rented the place to him. JAMES. Oh, Mr. Wimbledon if you d only let me explain, sir. ^ WIMBLEDON. I ll let you explain I m going to pick out a nice, quiet penitentiary for you, too tell your new employer that I want to apologize to him. JAMES. Yes, sir I I m deeply hurt, Mr. Wim bledon and I give notice, sir. WIMBLEDON. I don t notice it! (Exit JAMES L.2. To RAWSONJ I wouldn t let him go for anything. Magnificent, isn t it? his renting my place to this man. Superb ! And what do you think of Rawson doing it? He doesn t look as if he had the nerve, does he? RAWSON. I didn t really get a good look at him. WIMBLEDON. Well, get him now here he is (RAWSON crosses up R.cJ Don t go way, John. (Enter GOSLING L.2., also JAMES.J GOSLING. Did you wish to speak to me, Mr. Wim bledon ? WIMBLEDON. (Affably) I want to apologize for my treatment of you, sir. It was unpardonable, but I want you to excuse me. I mistook you for one of my neighbors. 82 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" GOSLING. Well I m very glad if it was a mis take, Mr. Wimbledon. I didn t see what I had done to merit such treatment. WIMBLEDON. You didn t of course not it was a happy idea of yours, coming down here. READY Piano WIMBLEDON. What do we care? Have a drink? (Pouring drink for GOSLING and himself.) GOSLING. Why, thanks, I don t mind if I do. I was going to say there s a little matter of business I want to speak to you about. There are two shares of stock in your possession that I want to get hold of. WIMBLEDON. All right you shall tell me about it on the boat. We re going for a sail on the Blue bell, and I ll take you with me. GOSLING. Oh, I don t know that I d better do that. I m not a very good sailor. WIMBLEDON. John! (Bursts into explosive laughter. RAWSON comes down a little R.c.) GOSLING. (Disturbed) I didn t know he was there or I wouldn t have spoken so freely. WIMBLEDON. Oh, you can trust John you ve only got to look at him to know that he ll keep your secrets as though they were his own. GOSLING. I really don t think I d better, Mr. Wimbledon. WIMBLEDON. Come along. If you want to talk to me, you ll have to I can t stay in the house on a day like this. GOSLING. But my clothes are still damp. WIMBLEDON. James, find some clothes for this gentleman at once. JAMES. (To GOSLING,) Come this way, sir. (GOSLING, followed by JAMES, exits L.2.) WIMBLEDON. (Laughing) John, he says he s not "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 83 a very good sailor. (Crosses to RAWSON c .) How did such an old fool as Rawson ever make any money ? RAWSON. Don t ask me. (Eyeing WIMBLEDON as if determined about the best way to get what he wants.) (Enter ANNABELLE L.I J WIMBLEDON. Here s Annie dear little Annie with her little soft hands that she does up in thirty- two-button gloves at night. Suppose you wait in the garden, John it s cooler. (Faces ANNIE. ) RAWSON. (To ANNABELLE, quite ready to stay if she says so) Shall I go? WIMBLEDON. (Thinking JOHN addressed him) Yes, go, John. ANNABELLE. (Very softly) Yes, please go. (Exit RAWSON R.2. WIMBLEDON places chair for ANNABELLE R. of table L. ANNABELLE sits.) WIMBLEDON. (L.C.) Annie I don t want to boast but I wish my father could see me now. ANNABELLE: (L.) I wish he could, sir. WIMBLEDON. He s dead, you know. ANNABELLE. Oh, is he, sir? WIMBLEDON. And he died without ever appre ciating me. ANNABELLE. That s too bad, sir, isn t jt? WIMBLEDON. I m going to be everything that he wanted to be, Annie I m going to be the Copper King and the off lodes of the mine are zinc. Think of it! ANNABELLE. Splendid, isn t it, sir? You can do so much with zinc. WIMBLEDON. What can you do with zinc, An nie? 84 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ANNABELLE. Well, / can t do anything with it, sir but I thought they made pipes with it. WIMBLEDON. Pipes I guess they do well, my child, I promise you now that while I live you shall never want for zinc pipes. (ANNABELLE laughs.) I m a little drunk, Annie do you notice it? ANNABELLE. Oh, no, sir it wouldn t be respect ful for me to, sir. W T IMBLEDON. Annie you suit me exactly it doesn t do to get drunk in the presence of ladies. Aren t .you glad we re not ladies, Annie I am I m so happy, I want to sing. (Crosses R. to chair R.C., sits.) ANNABELLE. (Going c.) Well, why don t you, sir? WIMBLEDON. I m afraid you ll leave me if I do. ANNABELLE. Oh, no, sir, I won t leave you now. WIMBLEDON Bless you, Annie. Do you know this (Sings) "Your eyes, oh, your eyes " No (Changing tune) "Your eyes, oh, your eyes " No. Do you know it, Annie? ANNABELLE. Why, yes, sir something like that. (She goes to the piano.) Shall I try and play it for you, sir ? WIMBLEDON. Yes sing something awfully sweet, Annie and say the words as though you meant me ^ WARNING ANNABELLE. (Sitting at piano, singing) Other eyes to mine are ever speaking, Eyes of brown, eyes of blue And an answer to this question seeking, Is it you ah, tell me is it you ? " WIMBLEDON. Yes it s me- ANNABELLE. "Other eyes to mine are ever speaking, "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 85 Only yours pass me by " WIMBLEDON. Never, Annie! ANNABELLE. "The only eyes to which I could reply, It is I my darling, it is I !" WIMBLELDON. ( Much affected) Sweet perf c ly sweet ! ANNABELLE. "There is a happy path that leads, they say, Far from this sorry world we know But only happy lovers find the way, So how am I to go ?" WIMBLEDON. (Almost inaudibly) Mediterra nean . . . (RAWSON, passing outside, stops at window c.) ANNABELLE. "Other eyes to mine are ever speaking, Only yours pass me by The only eyes to which I could reply, It is I my darling, it is I !" (Observes that WIMBLEDON has fallen asleep in his chair; still singing, crosses to hint.) "Sometimes they re merry, laughing eyes that smile, Sometimes they re wistful eyes, that say, Forget your memories a little while, And love me just to-day ! " (During the above ANNABELLE gently removes the envelope containing the stock from WIMBLE DON S pocket; she puts in its place the seven one hundred dollar bills. She returns to the piano and plays and sings.) "Other eyes to mine are speaking, Eyes of brown eyes of blue Yours are the only eyes I m seeking," (Smiling leaning a little toward WIMBLEDON.) "It is you my darling, it is you !" (RAWSON has watched the scene through the win dow. Agitated when ANNABELLE crosses to WIMBLEDON, almost breathless, glad, when she takes the stock. At the very end ANNABELLE raises her eyes and sees him.) CURTAIN ACT III SCENE: The Lodge Garden. Path R. leading to gardener s cottage. Path L.U.E. leading to WIMBLEDON S home. A hight ivall across back with iron gate in center. AT RISE: JENNINGS and GWENDOLEN at table L., making tea. GWENDOLEN. Mr. Jennings you re not going away? JENNINGS. Why I ve been discharged didn t you hear? GWENDOLEN. Why? JENNINGS. I turned the hose on Mr. Wimbledon. GWENDOLEN. But that was an accident. JENNINGS. No it wasn t. I did it intentionally. GWENDOLEN. Oh, dear! Well, if you re going, I m going, too. JENNINGS. Oh, no you can stay on as parlor maid. GWENDOLEN. But I wouldn t want to do that. (^GWENDOLEN sits R., JENNINGS L. of table.) I just love the Lodge. JENNINGS. Yes, we ve been very happy here as far as it s gone. GWENDOLEN. It s like our lodge at Sweetwoods my father is going to give it to me after I m mar ried. But I don t know when that will be now. He doesn t like Alfred. JENNINGS. Do you? I mean your father must have some reason. GWENDOLEN. He doesn t like Alfred s father. JENNINGS. I have such a sweet old father but that s neither here nor there. Even a discharged gardner must have his tea. 86 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 87 GWENDOLEN. You don t think there s any chance of your staying? JENNINGS. I don t see what can happen to alter the inexorable march of events. (Enter JAMES R.2.J JAMES. (With importance crossing c.) Mr. Wimbledon has ordered all gates locked, Mr. Jen nings. (Goes to gate and locks it.) He s been robbed. JENNINGS. Robbed has he, really? JAMES. (Down c.) No one s to be permitted in or out I have the keys. (Crosses L.2. ) GWENDOLEN. We re locked in. JENNINGS. (Cheerfully) Isn t it terrible? the* end of a perfect day. (Enter LOTTIE L.2 She is out of breath and excited. Comes to back of table.) LOTTIE. I ran all the way from the house. Mr. Wimbledon s woke up and he s dismissed ^ every body. It makes no difference to me I d just as lieve go to-day as to-morrow and rather. GWENDOLEN. Who does he think has robbed him, Lottie and what does he think they ve taken ? LOTTIE. (Surprised) Robbed and taken does he say that? GWENDOLEN. That s what James said. LOTTIE. Well, James had better look to himself as far as that goes as for me, I have no cause to worry robbed and taken what are you going to do? JENNINGS. We re going to have some tea would you like a cup? (GWENDOLEN pours a cup and serves JENNINGS and herself.) LOTTIE. Tea? What good does that do? You 88 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" feel just the same after as you did before. (Crosses c.) Do you care if I go in the Lodge and sit a while, Mr. Jennings? JENNINGS. Delighted to have you, Lottie. LOTTIE. I don t want to go back to the house till it blows over, if it does. If it don t, I can go on the five-three my trunk s packed and ready. (Exits R.2.J GWENDOLEN. Do you know what I wish? JENNINGS. I wonder if it s the same thing I wish? (LOTTIE appears R.c.J LOTTIE. If anyone should ask you just don t tell them that you saw me. JENNINGS. (Not looking) We didn t see you. (LOTTIE exits R.2.) GWENDOLEN. (Resuming) I wish you d recite me one of your poems. JENNINGS. Do you really? Why, you adorable dear ! Ethel won t listen to them any more. GWENDOLEN. Just because you can t sell them. I think the reason you can t is because they re so good. JENNINGS. I know it is. I m doing some vers libre now shall I tell you a little bit I wrote this morning ? GWENDOLEN. Oh, please do JENNINGS. Dawn! Trailing, saffron and gray LOTTIE. (Reappearing R.2., goes c.) After all, our troubles are just what we make them. I feel superior to everything and everybody. I know the sun is shining and nothing can harm me. (GWENDOLEN and JENNINGS look at her annoyed. She exits R.2.J "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 89 JENNINGS. (Getting into the mood with a little difficulty) Dawn! Trailing saffron and gray chiffon veils Over the sea The sea, like a great, strong, loud-singing boy, Waiting to welcome her Dawn ! (Enter LOTTIE R.2. She is depressed and tearful.) LOTTIE. Though for the matter of that for a few moments of pleasure think what we have to suffer. GWENDOLEN. Sh-h ! (LOTTIE stays on and listens, her mood szvayed by the verse libre.) JENNINGS. (Continuing with difficulty) Dawn! Changing to gold and blue Ever changing, like a dancer On whom the lights are thrown. Dawn with wistful shadows LOTTIE. Dawn with whiskers! JENNINGS. Till she emerges glorious morning ! And throws herself into the arms Of her Lover the Sea. LOTTIE. Stop ! It does something to me ! Dawn ! (She staggers off R.E.) GWENDOLEN. (Rising, also JEN N INGS ) Oh, let s go where we won t be disturbed. (Enter MURGHISON left 2. He has his watch in his hand and is plainly upset. Crosses c.) 90 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" MURCHISON. When you see Mrs. Leigh, please tell her that I waited for her and that I have gone. JENNINGS. But if you haven t I don t believe you will. Wimbledon says he s been robbed, and the gates are locked. (Exit JENNINGS and GWENDOLEN L.2. MURCHISON goes R.C. and paces. Enter ANNABELLE R.2.J ANNABELLE. Here I am, Harry. (Crosses and sits on stool L. of table R.j MURCHISON. You said four o clock. (Crosses to right of table R.) ANNABELLE. Well, I wonder I didn t say some thing worse. MURCHISON. Just tell me something, Annabelle. Do you care for this man? ANNABELLE. Which man, Harry? (WIMBLE DON S voice heard off left. ANNABELLE rises.) WIMBLEDON. (Off left) Don t let anybody out. Don t let anybody in. MURCHISON. The devil! It s Wimbledon! ANNABELLE. Hide, Harry hide! (She rises at sound of WIMBLEDON S voice.) MURCHISON. I shall do nothing of the sort. (Enter WIMBLEDON L.2., comes c.) WIMBLEDON. Well, Annie, I see you kept your date in spite of what I said. ANNABELLE. Didn t think you would mind. I thought you were asleep. WIMBLEDON, (c.) I mind things in my sleep. MURCHISON. (To ANNABELLEJ Have you told Mr. Wimbledon who I am? WIMBLEDON. Yes, she has told me, and I call it a contemptible outrage that you should come into my house and try to take her away from me. "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 91 MURCHISON. How about your taking her away from me? WIMBLEDON. Annie came to me of her own free will let me remind you of your wife, sir. MURCHISON. (To ANNABELLE J You told him about Ada! WIMBLEDON. Yes, she did I appreciate all that you do, in Annie she s a sweet, healthy soul and I daresay she makes the best lemon meringue pie in the world but in spite of that I say, go back to your wife ! MURCHISON. Lemon meringue ! What s the mat ter with you? You want me to go and leave her for you, but I won t do it. Do you want me to, Annabelle ? WIMBLEDON. (To ANNABELLEJ You told me a fib, Annie he doesn t call you by that funny name Dappledown, or whatever it was. MURCHISON. Tell me Annabelle tell me the truth? ANNABELLE. Well, in a way yes. MURCHISON. Yes what? ANNABELLE. Yes which? I don t know I m all mixed up I only know this I don t want to marry anybody. WIMBLEDON. Marry ! Were you going to marry her? MURCHISON. (Furious, going to him) What do you mean? Isn t she the finest, straightest little woman in the world? \VIMBLEDON. All right, all right I ll marry her you go back to Ada and forgive Irmengard while you re about it. MURCHISON. Irmengard? Are you crazy? ANNABELLE. (Going to MURCHISON,) No, no go and wait for me outside I ll come in five min utes. 92 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" MURCHISON. (Glaring at WIMBLEDONJ Maybe it will be safer for him. ANNABELLE. (Leading MURCHISON R.I) Yes, yes, I m sure it will. (Exit MURCHISON R.I.) WIMBLEDON. Colton Morrisson is too excitable, Annie I think the Missie will be glad she lost him. Do you like that kind of a man? ANNABELLE. (Sitting left of table R.) Well, that depends, sir at a baseball game or a circus they re all right. WIMBLEDON. But you don t want a circus all the time. ANNABELLE. Have you really been robbed, Mr. Wimbledon ? "WIMBLEDON. Yes, but don t worry I don t. I ve got a very good detective on it. Wickham from the Hotel St. Swithin. ANNABELLE. Good gracious! And will we all be searched and questioned? WIMBLEDON. You won t mind that, will you? You re innocent, Annie why should you mind? ANNABELLE. Just being innocent, sir, doesn t make it any better. It will spoil my whole after noon. WIMBLEDON. (Looks off R.) Well, I won t have it, then. You can just tell Wfckham you didn t do it, and that s all there is to it. (Down right of table.) That s a very pretty dress you ve got on, Annie ANNABELLE. Why, it s an old dress of Mrs. Colton Morrisson s I just pressed and fixed up a little. WIMBLEDON. Are you sure it isn t an old dress of Mr. Colton Morrisson s, Annie? (Exit R.2.) "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 93 (Enter ALEC L.2.J ALEC. John s down on the rocks at the foot of the lawn. ANNABELLE. Fishing? ALEC. No, he s just thinking. ANNABELLE. He s not thinking of coming up here, I suppose? ALEC. Do you want to see him? (Stands L.J ANNABELLE. Oh, no! ALEC. I ll tell him. ANNABELLE. Oh, no! Don t! ALEC. All right, I won t. (Crosses to L.U. and beckons RAWSON on. Enter RAWSON L.2.J RAWSON. (Up L.J Did you ask her? ALEC. I didn t have to, sir. She wants to see you too. Don t be too anxious, sir. fALEC exits L.2. RAWSON crosses to back of table c ) RAWSON. ("ANNABELLE has been lost in thought) I saw what you did. ANNABELLE. You saw me take the RAWSON. stock from Mr. Wimbledon s pocket ? Yes. ANNABELLE. Oh, Mr. Rawson I hope you saw me pay for it, too? RAWSON. Did you pay for it? ANNABELLE. Yes, with seven hundred dollars that I borrowed from Mr. Wimbledon. RAWSON. I see. (Sits right of table R.j ANNABELLE. Did you think it was very dreadful of me? RAWSON. I was just waiting to do it myself. ANNABELLE. You? RAWSON. Just waiting for the proper moment but you got ahead of me. ANNABELLE. (Disturbed) But what right had you to take it? RAWSON. Only the right of being sober. 94 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" ANNABELLE. What were you going to do with it? RAWSON. (Hesitating) I was going to give it to your husband. ANNABELLE. (Surprised) But how could you do that? Do you know him? RAWSON. Yes. ANNABELLE. Why didn t you tell me ? RAWSON. Well, I knew you didn t think much of him and I thought my being a friend of his wouldn t help me any with you. ANNABELLE. A friend of his? How can you be friends with a man like that? RAWSON. I know you think he s a thief, but if you understood better how he made his money ANNABELLE. I know how he made it. RAWSON. I don t think you do any more than you know why he married you. What would have happened to you that night if you hadn t been car ried off? Did you ever think of that? ANNABELLE. No, I never thought of that. (Front in thought.) RAWSON. It seems to me your husband did the best he could considering what a poor, ignorant fel low he was at the time. ANNABELLE. (To him) Has he changed? Of course he s rich, but in other ways? Is his beard just as long? RAWSON. Well, a remarkable thing happened. A woman out there fell in love with him ANNABELLE. What kind of a woman? An In dian? RAWSON. A school teacher. She taught him everything she knew ANNABELLE. And then she taught him to love her. RAWSON. No, she couldn t teach him that. You see, he always had an idea that he wasn t the kind of a man that a woman would care for, but when this "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 95 woman did, he thought that some time perhaps you ANNABELLE. Mr. Rawson, tell him to marry the school teacher. RAWSON. To marry the school teacher? ANNABELLE. Yes, I hope he has a name to give her. I hope they ll be happy. (WIMBLEDON enters R.2.J WIMBLEDON. (RAWSON rises. ) Suppose you know I ve been robbed. I don t suspect any one, but as it happens there s a detective on the place. I m going to use him to exonerate everyone. All but one. So stick around within call. (Exit RAWSON R.3. WIMBLEDON goes to L. of AN NABELLE. ) WIMBLEDON. You mustn t flirt with John, An nie. I think he d take it very hard if you threw him down. Flirt with me, I m fireproof. I ve auto matic sprinklers in my hat. All doors open outward and I ve the requisite number of escapes. ANNABELLE. Very well, sir, I will, but not just now. (Enter WICKHAM L.2.) WICKHAM. Well, Mr. Wimbledon, it s a beautiful place you ve got down here. WIMBLEDON. Yea, but it s nothing to the beauti ful people. WICKHAM. We ll soon have all that straightened out, sir. I conduct an inquiry of this kind accord ing to the latest psychological methods. WIMBLEDON. All right, Wickham. (Takes WICK HAM by arm and strolls off L.2.J You understand it was two shares of stock in an envelope taken out 96 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" of my coat pocket while I was having a short nap on the kitchen table. (Exits L.$.) (ANNABELLE rises, starts R.) JAMES. (Pleadingly, to ANNIE R.C.J Please, An nie just a moment. ANNABELLE. Well, what is it, James? JAMES. I m expecting me walking papers from Mr. Wimbledon, Annie. He ll never stand for me renting the place to Mr. Rawson. ANNABELLE. Well perhaps Mr. Rawson will do something for you, James. JAMES. Just what I thought, Annie it wouldn t be a bad idea if we was to go into his employ to gether. He seems to have taken quite a fancy to you. (ANNABELLE is pensive.) Speak to him for us both, Annie. ANNABELLE. Speak for yoursdf, James JAMES. You wouldn t want to go with Mr. Raw- son, Annie? ANNABELLE. No, James. I can t trust him. JAMES. That don t matter, Annie just so he trusts us. (WICKHAM, JENNINGS, GWENDOLEN, ETHEL and ALFRED enter L.2.) WICKHAM. Conduct the new servants to the Lodge, Mr. Ludgate, and I ll examine them one by one. (JENNINGS, GWENDOLEN, ETHEL and ALFRED exit K.3-; JAMES. Come, Annie. a & "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 97 (ANNABELLE exits R.2. WIMBLEDON drops down L.c.J WICKHAM. (c.) Mr. Wimbledon, I don t like to say it, but this looks to me like a big conspiracy. I saw all of these people yesterday at the St. Swithin. (Enter LOTTIE and JAMES R.2.) JAMES. Hearing stifled howls coming from the linen press, sir, I opened the door and found Lottie a hiding. LOTTIE. It s no surprise to me. I felt some thing hanging over me all day. WIMBLEDON. (L.C.) Maybe it s a hang-over. LOTTIE. All I have to say, Mr. Wimbledon, is this, that I take it occasionally for medicinal pur poses and I m sick a good deal of the time. WIMBLEDON. (L.) What are you talking about? JAMES. (R.) She s taken a case of Scotch and made it into a window-seat. WIMBLEDON. Well, go and sit on it. WICKHAM. It s not a case of Scotch, young woman. Wait in the lodge. LOTTIE. You won t keep me waiting long, will you? (Exits R.2.J WICKHAM. (c.) I think you ll be interested, Mr. Wimbledon. In this case, I use the Freud sys tem. WIMBLEDON. (Left) Fraud system what s that? WICKHAM. By the simple saying of words placed in a certain order or disorder, I can detect the guilty party. Stay and watch me if you like, sir. WIMBLEDON. All right, I will. (Sits right of L.T.J WICKHAM. Call the first one. 98 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" JAMES. (Up R.C V calls R.3-J Alonzo Jennings. (Enter JENNINGS R.2., crossing down.) WIMBLEDON. The busy gardner. I don t think he had anything to do with it. WICKHAM. Alonzo Jennings, I ll tell you some thing. This man was in the Hotel St. Swithin yes terday passing himself off as Wilbur Jennings, the poet. WIMBLEDON. I never heard of him. WICKHAM. Well, I consider Wilbur Jennings the greatest living poet to-day, and the effrontery of this fellow (WICKHAM addresses this speech to WIMBLEDON. At finish he extends right hand toward JENNINGS, still looking at WIMBLEDON.,) JENNINGS. (Quickly taking hand) Mr. Wick- ham, I thank you for those kind words. I do really, coming from a simple man like you who knows nothing WICKHAM. Silence ! JENNINGS. (Effusively) Really, it s delightful to know. (Shakes hands.) WICKHAM. (Pulling hand away, deducting) Stop! Stop! Suppose we re in a garden. Select from these packages of seed zinias, delphinium, stock and lupin. Quick ! The stock I mean the seed. WIMBLEDON. Maybe you took them yourself, Wickham. WICKHAM. (Turns sharply to WIMBLEDON; Mr. Wimbledon, please to conduct an inquiry of this kind, I must concentrate. WIMBLEDON. All right, but I think the flower bed is cold, Wickham. WICKHAM. (Resuming with JENNINGS j I give you the words. Periscope, altruistic, stock, Bridge. Oblivious. What word occurs to you ? Quick, the word! "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 99 JENNINGS. Fool is the only word that occurs to me, Mr. Wickham. WICKHAM. (Quickly, clapping hands) Passed. Next. (Exit JENNINGS L.2.J JAMES. (Crossing up R.C., calls R.2.J Lottie Smiley. (Enter LOTTIE R.2 V comes to c.) WICKHAM. (Deducting) Now suppose we take a walk under those trees yonder LOTTIE. That s where I used to walk with the coachman that was discharged. WICKHAM. Yes, but never mind that. LOTTIE. We used to sit on the seat under the old apple tree at the end. It was so beautiful when the sun went down, except for the caterpillars. WICKHAM. (Deducting) Well, if your mind is beset with memories of that place, we ll take an other. Suppose I take you to the movies? LOTTIE. I couldn t go to-night. I m going to the church social. I don t know why I go. They don t put anything in it but ginger still I go. WICKHAM. You can t concentrate. Can you? LOTTIE. Why, certainly. I used to in my last place, but I don t get time for any kind of recreation here. WICKHAM. You don t understand. Can you put your mind on one thing and keep it on one thing ? LOTTIE. It depends upon what the thing is. (Eyes him.) WICKHAM. Concentrate on me for a moment. LOTTIE. (Shyly) On you, right here in front of Mr. Wimbledon? WICKHAM. (Going close to her) Look into my eyes a moment. What do you think when you look into them? ioo "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" LOTTIE. (Looking at eyes) One s a little higher than the other. WICKHAM. Now I say the words expectant radical Anthony Comstock Misanthrope. What word comes to you (Sharp and quick) Quick, the word! LOTTIE. (Sadly and slowly) There s always something the matter with everyone that likes me. WICKHAM. What! \Vhat! LOTTIE. I have a brother in the asylum. I wish you could meet him. You remind me of him so much. You are kind. Any one can see that, and I ll go to the movies with you to-morrow night. I m not afraid. If you won t get violent and talk loud. W T ICKHAM. That ll do. That ll do. (Crosses to WIMBLEDON L.) Non compos mentis LOTTIE. Poor nut. Saturn and mercury, what are you doing to me? (Exit R.I.) WICKHAM. Next. JAMES. (Going up R.C., calls off R-3, sadly) An nie Postlethwaite. (Enter ANNABELLE R.2, crossing down R. to front of R.T.; WIMBLEDON. (Rising) Stop ! I won t have it. WICKHAM. Please, Mr. Wimbledon allow me to conduct this investigation in my own way. WIMBLEDON. I will not -you conduct it in my way, and suspect the people I tell you to or it s all off. ANNABELLE. Oh, thank you, Mr. Wimbledon. (Enter RAWSON and GOSLING L.3J WICKHAM. (Seeing RAWSON ) Why, how do you do, Mr. Rawson I didn t know you were down here. "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 101 WIMBLEDON. Isn t he the fool what s the mat ter with you, Wickham? This is Mr. Rawson (Indicating GOSLING.,) GOSLING. My name s Gosling. This is Mr. Raw- son. WIMBLEDON. (To RAWSON; So you re John Rawson (Turns to WICKHAMJ The inquiry is off. I know who s got the stock. Thank you, Wickham. You re a great detective. But I don t need you. Don t need you, Gosling. James, Annie, leave me with this man a moment. (JAMES exits R., WICKHAM exits R.2., GOSLING exits L.2.J ANNABELLE. Very well, sir. (Exits R.2.) (RAWSON looks longingly after ANNABELLE R. WIMBLEDON sets himself and crosses to RAW- SON, staring at the middle of RAWSON S back.) WIMBLEDON. You took that stock out of my pocket do you deny it ? RAWSON. No I didn t like the way it got in. (Turns to WIMBLEDON.^ WIMBLEDON. You don t suppose I m going to submit to it. RAWSON. Of course not. WIMBLEDON. Well what do you think I m go ing to do? RAWSON. I don t have to think I suppose it means a law suit perhaps a few years of litiga tion. WIMBLEDON. (Walking a few paces L.C., turning) Rawson you re a good business man what would you advise us to do? RAWSON. What I ve always advised what I 102 GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" tried to get your father to do get together. (After a moment) Get together WIMBLEDON. Be partners? RAWSON. Why not? You ve only got to look at me to know that I would keep your secrets as though they were my own. WIMBLEDON. I said that, didn t I? And the fight would be off? RAWSON. The fight would be off. WIMBLEDON. (Thinking a moment) Well, I m with you, Johnnie. (Takes RAWSON by the arm and comes down a few steps.) I don t like fighting, any how. This is a great moment. I wish I were sober, so I could appreciate it. Where s Annie (Goes up L., calling) Annie - (Enter ANNABELLE R.2.J ANNABELLE. Did you call me ? WIMBLEDON. Yes, let s have a little tea, my dear, and then Mr. Rawson and I are going. ANNABELLE. Going? WIMBLEDON. Going into partnership, aren t we, Johnnie ? ANNABELLE. Into partnership! RAWSON. I ll explain. WIMBLEDON. I ll explain Rawson is a thief, An nie and I need one in my business. ANNABELLE. Are you joking, Mr. Wimbledon? WIMBLEDON. He stole two shares of stock out of my pocket, Annie. ANNABELLE. Does he say so? WIMBLEDON. Of course, my dear you don t un derstand his doing that shows that he is worthy of being Wimbledon s partner. ANNABELLE. It shows nothing for he didn t do it. Oh, how awful men are how perfectly dread ful they are! They lie and steal and even when "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 103 they don t, they say they do. (Looking from RAW- SON to WIMBLEDON ) He has no right to go into partnership with you. WIMBLEDON. The dear thing s gone off her head. RAWSON. (To ANNABELLEJ I ll explain it all to you. Don t be worried, please. Just trust me. ANNABELLE. (Her hands on her breast) Oh, I can t! I have it here the stock! WIMBLEDON. You ! ANNABELLE. Yes it belongs to me. I paid for it with the money I borrowed from you. ^ WIMBLEDON. (L.C.) But I don t understand, An nie. Was this the stock that Colton Morrisson ANNABELLE. (c.) Yes, it was (Changing her mind.) No, it wasn t. There ain t any Colton Morrisson. WIMBLEDON. (Terribly shocked) Why, Annie Dappledown ANNABELLE. There isn t any Annie Dappledown. The stock belongs to me, and I m Annabelle Leigh ! Good gracious! I ve been a long time telling you. (Sits R.C.) WIMBLEDON. A big conspiracy, just as Wickham said. You came down here to get that stock. ANNABELLE. But that wasn t all. I came down here because yesterday I suddenly found myself in desperate need. I found myself homeless, penniless and a co-respondent all at once. WIMBLEDON. (Crossing c.) A co-respondent, Annie? Who s the lucky man? (Strolls up and around to R. of table.) ANNABELLE. (Not heeding) It was too much I overheard your butler telling about this wonderful place and that you needed a cook. RAWSON. (c. Amazed) A cook ! ANNABELLE. It seemed like the mercy of Provi dence so we all came down your new servants 104 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" aren t servants at all. (To WIMBLEDONJ They re just poor like me. WIMBLEDON. Poor servants I noticed that well, it s the most amazing thing I ever heard of. RAWSON. Why didn t you tell me I would have done something about it yesterday. ANNABELLE. You did you paid for the lunch. RAWSON. (Agitatedly) But your husband sends you money ANNABELLE. Oh, yes. RAWSON. He doesn t send you enongh? ANNABELLE. He couldn t he sends it every quar ter, but I need it every second. It s so hard to pay your bills when the checks come right back. I never had a cashier in any bank that adds the same way I do and, oh, you can t imagine the desperation of a woman alone in a room with an unbalanced bank account WIMBLEDON. Well, you re a great financier, little woman ! You ve created a merger that will surprise the world. But your stock has gone down it no longer means the balance of power. ANNABELLE. (Rising) Do you mean to say my stock has lost its balance? Then I suppose I ve ruined my husband WIMBLEDON. Well, who cares ANNABELLE. I care he s just as bad as either of y OU anc i deserves just as much successs and, after all, he does provide for me. WIMBLEDON. Well, anyone would be glad to do that. As a matter of fact, Rawson there should never have been any fight between us we ve been partners in crime for years. This mine doesn t be long to either of us it belongs to the Hermit whoever he is. RAWSON. (Surprised) It belongs to the Hermit do you know that ? WIMBLEDON. Why, of course it s a matter of "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" 105 record. But the poor devil that staked the claim is out of it that shows what it is to be honest. ANNABELLE. (Sitting, having listened intently) Do you mean to say my husband is honest ? I never had such a shock in my life. (Sits.) WIMBLEDON. (Quickly} Do you mean to say your husband is the Hermit? ANNABELLE. He is WIMBLEDON. Well, then, Mrs. Hermit, I owe you an apology and Rawson owes you a great deal of money. Now I m going to have a good cry over my lost little Anna Dappledown, the only cook I ever loved. (Exits R.2J ANNABELLE. Oh, but this makes everything dif ferent you were right, after all. RAWSON. Yes well, you see I knew I was. ANNABELLE. Do you know what I think I ought to do? I ought to go out there to him. RAWSON. Oh, I don t think he d want you to do that ANNABELLE. To ask him to forgive me. Why, don t you see? he had a heart of gold that was all kindness in his glittering eyes and somewhere behind that shaggy beard there was a face a kind face. Why, he s been beautiful to me and perhaps I ve ruined him! Do you think I have? RAWSON. (Thoughtfully) Oh, no, he ll still have about ten thousand dollars a day. ANNABELLE. Well, Fm going out there to him and I shall try to live within our income. RAWSON. Then you don t want a divorce? ANNABELLE. No are you married, Mr. Raw- son? RAWSON. (Going to her) Yes ANNABELLE. No no I don t want a divorce. I m going to him. RAWSON. But you won t find him out there. ANNABELLE. Where is he? io6 "GOOD GRACIOUS ANNABELLE" RAWSON. He came East ANNABELLE. And he died? RAWSON. No he shaved and you don t know him. ANNABELLE. (Startled, looking at him) You oh, no! RAWSON. Oh, yes. (^ANNABELLE weeps and cov ers face with hands.) I shouldn t have told you. (Starts off L.3, but comes back to L. of her.) Are you angry? ANNABELLE. (Slight shake of head) No. RAWSON. Are you sorry? ANNABELLE. (Same bus.) RAWSON. Don t you want me to go? ANNABELLE. (Same bus., only exaggerated.) RAWSON. Then why are you crying? ANNABELLE. I m so happy! (Wipes her eyes.) RAWSON. Do you mean it ? ANNABELLE. Yes you see, having a husband somewhere made me lead a very lonely life for I felt that though he owed it to me to take care of me I owed it to him to be lonely, and I expected to be lonely all my life. And now to find that in stead of being somewhere he s here and I m mar ried to the right man it s too much! ( RAWSON picks up ANNABELLE in his arms.) What are you doing ? RAWSON. I m taking you away. AN N ABELLE. Where ? RAWSON. Back to our cave. (Exits L.2.) CURTAIN The Return of Hi Jinks A comedy in four acts, by Marion Short, author of "The Varsity Coach, "The Touch-Down," etc. 6 males, 8 females. Costumes modern. One interior scene. This comedy is founded upon and elaborated from a farce comedy in two acts written by J. H. Horta, and originally produced at Tuft s College. Hiram Poynter Jinks, a Junior in Hoosic College (Willie Collier type), and a young moving picture actress (Mary Pickford type), are the leading characters in this lively, modern farce. Thomas Hodge, a Senior, envious of the popularity of Jinks, wishes to think up a scheme to throw ridicule upon him during a visit of the Hoosic Glee Club to Jinks s home town. Jinks has obligingly acted as a one-day substitute in a moving picture play, in which there is a fire scene, and this gives Hodge his cue. He sends what seems to be a bona fide account of Jink s heroism at a Hoosic fire to Jink s home paper. Instead of repudiating his laurels as expected, Jinks decides to take a flyer in fame, confirms the fake story, confesses to being a hero and is adoredi by all the girls, to the chagrin and dis comfiture of Hodge. Of course, the truth comes out at last, but Jinks is not hurt thereby, and his romance with Mimi Mayflower comes to a successful termination. This is a great comedy for amateurs. It is full ef funny situations and is sure to please. Price, 30 Cents. J une A most successful comedy-drama in four acts, by Marie Doran, author of "The New Co-Ed," "Tempest and Sunshine," "Dorothy s Neighbors," etc. 4 males, 8 females. One interior scene. Costumes modern. Plays 2^ hours. This play has a very interesting group of young people. Tune is an appealing little figure, an orphan living with her aunt. There are a number of delightful, life-like characters: the sorely tried likeable Mrs. Hopkins, the amusing, haughty Miss Banks of the glove depart ment, the lively Tilly and Milly, who work in the store, and ambitious Snoozer; Mrs. Hopkins s only son, who aspires to be President of the United States, but finds bis real sphere is running the local trolley car. The play is simplicity itself in the telling of an every-day story, and the scenic requirements call for only one set, a room in the boarding house of Mrs. Hopkins, while an opportunity is afforded to introduce any number of extra characters. Musical numbers may be introduced, if desired. Price, 30 Cents. Tempest and Sunshine A comedy drama in four acts, by Marie Doran. 5 males and 3 females. One exterior and three interior scenes. Plays about 2 hours. Every school girl ha^ revelled in the sweet simplicity and gentle ness of the characters interwoven in the charms that Mary J. Holmes commands in her story of "Tempest and Sunshine." We can strongly recommend this play as one of the best plays for high school pro duction published in recent years. Price, 30 Cents. (The Above Are Subject to Royalty When Produced) SAMUEL FRENCH, 28-30 West 38th Street, New York City New and Explicit Descriptive C&talogae Mailed Free ei Request The Touch-Down A comedy in four acts, by Marion Short. 8 males, 6 females, but any number of characters can be introduced in the ensembles. Cos tumes modern. One interior scene throughout the play. Time, 2^4 hours. This play, written for the use of clever amateurs, is the story of life in Siddell, a Pennsylvania co-educational college. It deals with the vicissitudes and final triumph of the Siddell Football Eleven, and the humorous and dramatic incidents connected therewith. "The Touch-Down" has the true varsity atmosphere, college songs are sung, and the piece is lively and entertaining throughout. High schools will make no mistake in producing this play. We strongly recommend it as a high-class and well-written comedy. Price, 30 Cents, Hurry, Hurry, Hurry A comedy in three acts, by LeRoy Arnold. 5 males, 4 females. One interior scene. Costumes modern. Plays 2J4 hours. The story is based on the will of an eccentric aunt. It si , elates that her pretty niece must be affianced before she is twenty-one, and married to her fiance within a year, if she is to get her spinster relative s million. Father has nice notions of honor and fails to tell daughter about the will, so that she maj- make her choice untram- meled by any other consideration than that of true love. The action all takes place in the evening the midnight of which will see her reach twenty-one. Time is therefore short, and it is hurry, hurry, hurry, if she is to become engaged and thus save her father from impending bankruptcy. The situations are intrinsically funny and the dialogue is sprightly. The characters are natural and unaffected and the action moves with a snap such as should be expected from its title. Price, 30 Cents. The Varsity Coach A three-act play of college life, by Marion Short, specially adapted to performance by amateurs or high school students. 5 males 6 females, but any number of boys and girls may be introduced in the action of the play. Two settings necessary, a college boy s room and the university campus. Time, about 2 hours. Like many another college boy, "Bob" Selby, an all-round popular college man, becomes possessed of the idea that athletic prowess is more to be desired than scholarship. He is surprised in the midst of a "spread" in his room in Regatta week by a visit from his aunt who is putting him through college. A jnt Serena, "a lady of the old school and the dearest little woman in the whole world," has hastened to make this visit to her adored nephew under the mistaken impression that he is about to receive the Fellowes prize for scholarship. Her grief and chagrin when she learns that instead of the prize Robert has received "a pink card," which is equivalent to suspension for poor scholarship, gives a touch of pathos to an otherwise jolly comedy of college life. How the repentant Robert more than redeems himself, carries off honors at the last, and in the end wins Ruth, the faithful little sweetheart of the "Prom" and the classroom, makes a story of dramatic interest and brings out very clearly certain phases of modern college life. There are several opportunities for the introduction of college songs and "stunts." Price, 30 Cents. (The Above Are Subject to Royalty When Produced) SAMUEL FRENCH, 28-30 West 38th Street, New York City Niw and Explicit Descriptive Catalogue Mailed Fret OR Request ye 3i74! 14 DAY USE RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the date to which renewed. Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. 22*^! - , ; . ; . ... IllrU^ fy JJ uTuI ,; BEG. GIB. MAY 2 1982 $4ft?oW u-^gSS.. FRENCH S Standard Library Edition Includes Plays by Clyde Fitch William Gillette Augustus Thomas George Broadhurst Edward E. Kidder Percy Mac Kay e Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Louis N. Parker R. C. Carton Alfred Sutro Richard Harding Davis Sir Arthur W. Pinero Anthony Hope Oscar Wilde Haddon Chambers Jerome K. Jerome Cosmo Gordon Lennox H. V. Esmond Mark Swan Grace L. Fumiss Marguerite Merrington Hermann Sudermann Rida Johnson Young Arthur Law Rachel Crothers Martha Morton H. A. Du Souchet W. W. Jacobs Madeleine Lucette Ryley Booth Tarkington gj. Hartley Manners *J .mes Forbes James Montgomery Wm. C. de Mille Roi Cooper Megrue Edward E. Rose Israel Zangwill Henry Bernstein Harold Brighouse Channing Pollock Harry Durant Winchell Smith Margaret Mayo Edward Peple A. E. W. Mason Charles Klein Henry Arthur Jones A. E. Thomas Fred, Ballard Cyri? "larcourt Carlisle Moore Ernest Denny Laurence Housman Harry James Smith Edgar Selwyn Augustin McHugh Robert Honsuni Charles Kenyon C. M. B. McLeJlan French s International Copyrighted Edition con tains plays, comedies and farces of international reputation; also recent professional successes by famous American and English Authors. Send a four-cent st?mp for our new catalogue describing thousands ot plays. SAMUEL FRENCH Oldest Play Pi iteber in the World 28-30 West 38th Street, NEW YORK CITY