THE GYPSIES.-A MAY-DAY DRAMA.
CHARACTERS.
Lady Caroline. Flora, little daughter of Lady Caroline. Margery, her maid, an elderly person. Elsie, a young girl in attendance upon Flora. Tramp, dressed as an old gypsy-man. Tramp’s Wife, dressed as an old gypsy-woman. Tramp’s Daughter Peg, dressed as a gypsy-girl. Tomkins, a showman. A Blind Fiddler, old and gray. Girls and Boys, who dance the May-dance, and sing May-songs.
Scene I.—Lady C. reclining in arm-chair. Enter Margery with vase of flowers.
Lady C. How beautiful, Margery! Did little Flora help you gather them?
Margery. Yes, my lady. Miss Flora—why, Miss Flora, she do frisk about so, pulls Elsie here, and then there,—“Now this flower, Elsie!” and “Now this nice one, Elsie!” That be a most wonderful child, my lady: she be playful like a kitten, and gentle, too, like a pet lamb.
Lady C. (anxiously). Ah! already I regret having given her permission to go with Elsie to the green. But she longed so to see the May-dances!
Margery. Oh, never fear, my lady! There isn’t anywhere a faithfuller little maid than Elsie: she will not let Miss Flora out of her sight. But nobody could wish Miss Flora out of sight, she is such a little angel. Indeed and in truth, my lady, in all the world can’t be found a child sweet-tempered like her.
Lady C. Oh, do not call her an angel, good Margery! call her a lamb or a kitten, if you will, or even a squirrel, but never an angel.