THE LITTLE VISITORS.—A PLAY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.
CHARACTERS.
Agnes, aged six or seven. Lulu, aged six or seven. Bel, aged four or five. Dan, aged eight or nine. Benny, aged ten or eleven.
Scene.—A common room. Agnes sits with many dolls and other playthings about her. Benny is reading, the other side of the room. Dan sits near him, catching flies on the table.
(Enter Lulu and Bel, with dolls all in out-door rig.)
Agnes (jumping up, and clapping hands). Oh, goody, goody! Did your mothers say you might come?
Lulu (speaking quickly). Yes, my mother said I might; and then I teased Bel’s mother, and she said yes.
Agnes (clapping hands). Oh, I’m so glad! (Helping take off their things.) How long can you stay? Can you stay to supper?
Lulu. I can’t stay without I’m invited, mother said.
Bel. My mother said to come home when the table had begun to be set. I’ve got my new boots on (looking down), and I stepped in the mud with ’em.
(Dan, in catching a fly, knocks down Benny’s book.)
Benny (picking it up). What are you trying to do?
Lulu. We saw a cow, and ran across the street; and Bel stepped in the mud (wiping it off Bel’s boots).
Bel. ’Twas a hooking cow.
Benny. Ho! run for a cow! ’Fore I’d run for a cow!
Dan (swooping off a fly). It doesn’t take much to scare girls.
Benny (finding his place). I know it: anybody could do that.
Agnes. He couldn’t scare us; could he, Lulu?
Benny. Don’t you believe I could make you run? Boo, boo! (Jumps at them.)
Lulu. Oh, we sha’n’t run for that!
Benny. Just wait a little while; and, if I can’t scare you, then I’ll treat.
Agnes (indignantly). Do you believe he could, Lu?
Lulu. I know he couldn’t. What will you treat us to?
Benny. Oh! any thing. Take your choice.
Agnes (clapping hands). Oh, goody, goody! Ice-cream, ice-cream!
Lulu. Cream-cakes, cream-cakes!
Dan. I’ve got him (looks carefully in his hand). Why, I haven’t got him! Where is he? Oh, I see! (Hits Benny’s shoulder.)
Benny (starting up). You’ve driven away this fly. (Goes out to disguise himself. Dan goes on swooping flies off of table; girls step back to where the dolls are.)
Agnes. Now let’s play something.
Lulu. So I say. Let’s play school.
Bel. But there wouldn’t be enough scholars.
Dan (coming forward with ruler). I’ll be the schoolmaster. Silence! Take your seats. Study your books. Can’t have any recess. You must all stay after school. (Girls laugh. Dan goes back to his flies.)
Lulu. Let’s play mother, I say.
Agnes. You be the mother?
Lulu. No, you be the mother, and I’ll be your little girl, and Bel be my little sister.
Agnes. Well, I’ll run up and get some of my mother’s things to put on, and you two can be seeing my dollies. (Agnes goes out.)
Dan (stepping forward). I’ll be the one to introduce them. (Takes up each doll as it is named.) This is Miss Cherrydrop, named for her red cheeks; but some say they’re painted, and not real. She’s got a new round comb and a—a sontag.
Bel. Oh, that isn’t a sontag! ’tis a breakfast-shawl.
Dan. Well, never mind. Here is Miss Patty Troodledum; very proud, so they say, because her dress is spangled. When Aggy thinks too much of her new clothes, mother says, “Ah! who have we here? Miss Patty Troodledum?” Sit down there, Miss Patty. And this is the young sailor-boy, just home from sea. There’s the star on his collar, and his Scotch cap. Jack, take off your cap, and make a bow to the ladies. His mother fainted away with joy at seeing him, and hasn’t come to yet: here she is. (Takes up old faded shabby doll.) But here is somebody very grand. Now, who do you think came over in the ship with the sailor-boy?
Lulu. The captain.
Dan. Of course. But I mean passenger.
Lulu. Who was it?
Dan. Mademoiselle De Waxy, right from Paris.
Lulu. Oh, she’s a beauty! Don’t touch her, Bel!
Dan. Oh, no! Miss De Waxy mustn’t be touched. Miss De Waxy keeps by herself, and never speaks a word to the others, because they can’t talk French. Miss De Waxy, before she came over, thought all the American dolls were dressed in wild beasts’ skins. See, this is her fan, bought in Paris; and this is her gold chain. (Lays her carefully by.)
Bel. And who are all these little ones? (Pointing to row of small dolls.)
Dan. Those are the children just come from school, waiting for their lunch. See this cunning one! She doesn’t know O yet: she’s in the eleventh class.
Lulu. And who is that old one with that funny cap on?
Dan. Oh, this! (Taking up large old rag-doll.) Why, this is—this is old Nurse Trot. Poor old woman, she’s got a lame back, and she’s all worn out tending so many children; but she never complains, nor sheds a tear.
Bel. Oh, she’s got a bag on her arm!
Dan. Her snuff-box is in that. The sailor-boy brought it home from sea to her. (Takes out the box, opens it, takes pinch of snuff, sneezes. The others sneeze.) Best of snuff! And he brought her these new spectacles (tries them on her): now she can see as well as ever she could.
Lulu. How came this one’s arm off?
Dan. Why, that is poor Tabitha. She broke her arm sweeping out the baby-house; and it had to be taken off at the shoulder.
Bel. Where did she get that clean apron?
Dan. That checked apron? Let me see. That came, I think—oh! that was made at the doll’s sewing-school.
Lulu. Look, Bel: here’s a blind one! (Takes up doll with eyes gone.)
Bel. Oh! isn’t that too bad?
Dan. Yes, she’s blind; totally blind. She became so by trying to sleep with her eyes open. Dolls know better now. They shut their eyes when they lie down, and go off to sleep like live folks.
Lulu. Oh, see this one! she’s all spoiled.
Dan. Yes: she was spoiled having her own way. Fell down when she was told to stand up, and broke her cheek. Doctors were sent for; but they couldn’t do any thing. She ought to have that face tied up. Where’s her pocket-handkerchief? Here it is. Now, isn’t that a beauty? Aggy says the sailor-boy brought it home to her from China. There, now her face is tied up, she won’t get cold. Do you see this pretty girl with the pink dress and curly hair? She is to be the wife of the sailor-boy. These two sit close together all the time, waiting for their wedding-day. The wedding-cake is ordered. See how smiling they look! and no wonder. I will tell you who is invited to the wedding; but you mustn’t tell. First, all the— Oh! here comes Aggy. Wait till by and by.
(Enter Agnes, dressed up in her mother’s clothes, with gay head-dress.)
Lulu (laughing). Oh, what a good mother! What’ll your name be?
Agnes. Mrs. White. (Tiptoes up at the glass, twists and turns, arranges bows, strings, collar, &c.) This is the way mother does.
Dan. Shall I be the father, and do the way father does?
All the Girls. Oh, yes, yes! Do!
(Dan goes out. Agnes walks stiffly to a chair, speaks to the children very soberly.)
Agnes. Children (unfolding aprons), come and let me put on your sleeved aprons.
Lulu and Bel (whining). I don’t want to.
Agnes (stiffly). Little girls must think mother knows best. Come, mind mother. (Sleeved aprons are put on.) Now, children (speaking slowly), I am going to have company this afternoon; and you must be very good children. What do you say when a gentleman speaks to you? (Children stand with folded hands.)
Lulu and Bel. Yes, sir; no, sir.
Agnes. What do you say when a lady speaks to you?
Lulu and Bel. Yes, ma’am; no, ma’am.
Agnes. And, if they ask you how you do, don’t hang your head down, and suck your thumbs, so, but speak this way (with slight bow and simper),—“Very well, I thank you.” Now let me hear you say it.
Children (imitating). Very well, I thank you.
Agnes. And what do you say at the table?
Bel. Please give me some more jelly.
Lulu. Please may I be excused, when we get up.
Agnes. That is right. And, if anybody asks you to sing, you must be willing, and sing them one of your little songs. What one do you like the best?
Lulu. “Gone Away.”
Agnes. I think you’d better sing it over with me, to be sure you know it. (All three sing a song, Agnes beginning.)
GONE AWAY.
Tune,—“Nelly Bly.”
I know a pretty little maid,
And Sally is her name;
And, though she’s far away from me,
I love her just the same.
Sally is a darling girl,
A darling girl is she:
Her smile so bright is a happy sight
I’d give the world to see.
Upon my lovely Sally’s lips
The sweetest kisses grow.
Oh! if I had her by my side,
She’d give me some, I know.
Sally is a darling girl,
A darling girl is she:
Her smile so bright is the happiest sight
In all the world to me.
I have not seen my little girl
This many and many a day:
I hope she’ll not forget me in
That land so far away.
Sally is a darling girl,
A darling girl is she:
Her smile so bright is a happy sight
I’d give the world to see.
Agnes (slowly). Very well. Now sit down, dears, and play with your playthings, and don’t disturb mother. Mother’s going to make a new head-dress. (Takes lace, flowers, ribbons, from work-basket. Children sit down and play with blocks, dishes, &c.)
(Dan enters, dressed as father, with tall hat, dicky, black whiskers, cane, &c.)
Agnes. Children, be quiet. Your father’s coming. (Dan walks in with stately air, seats himself, crosses foot over the other knee, tips back a little, takes out pipe, pretends to smoke.)
Dan. That’s the way father does.
(Children get each other’s things, and make believe quarrel.)
Lulu. That’s mine.
Bel. I say ’tisn’t.
Lulu. I say ’tis.
| Bel. Mother, see Lu! | } | Both together. |
| Lulu. Mother, see Bel. |
(Children’s blocks tumble down with great noise. They get each other’s.)
Lulu. Mother, won’t you speak to Bel?
Bel. Mother, Lu keeps plaguing.
Dan (sternly). Silence, children!
Agnes (knock heard at the door). Bel, you may go to the door.
(Bel goes to the door, and runs back really frightened.)
Bel. Oh, there’s an old beggar-man there! I’m scared of him! (Begins to cry.)
(Enter beggar-man very slowly. He is shockingly dressed; stoops; is humpbacked; carries a cane; has whiskers and hair, which, with a slouched hat, nearly cover his face. Girls are really frightened, and, huddling close together, whisper.)
All the Girls. Who is it? I’m scared! Let’s run! Come quick! (Girls run out.)
Dan (jumping up). Good for you, Ben! I knew they’d be scared.
Benny (throwing off disguise). Hurrah! let’s chase! No treat, no treat!
Dan. Come on, come on! (They run out.)