Hannah. Act 1 and 2, Plain calico dresses. Act 3, white dress.
Mary. Act 1, Red or brown dress, white collar, neat apron, sleeves rolled up. Act 2, Figured muslin. Act 3, White.
Sally. Act 1, Calico dress, white collar and cuffs, bonnet or hat. Acts 2 and 3, Neat calico or muslin.
Act 1.
Scene.—Nutter’s Shop. Door, C., open, L. of door, against flat, shoemaker’s bench, on which sits Nutter, at work. Bench, R., on which Ned Hartshorn is at work. Bench, L., on which Will Nutter is at work. Jarius Jordan seated on a block, R. C., with his hat on, whittling, with a stick and large jack-knife.
John. Wal, neow, Jarius, depend upon it, there’s nothin’ like a stiddy, in-door-work life to give a man position in the world. Yeou city fellers may do all the schemin’ yeou like; but when the time comes for action, it’s the farmers and the shoemakers that find the bone and sinew to keep the world a joggin’, whether in provisions or politics. You peddle, and we provide; you scheme, and we vote. My grandsir was a shoemaker, so was my daddy, so am I, and I mean that my boy Will, there, shall foller in the footsteps of his father. P’raps ’tain’t what you might call a high calling; but boots and shoes, taps and patches, are always wanted, and will be jest as long as gineration succeeds gineration; and when you’ve got a trade like mine, p’raps you can’t hoard up much money, but you’ve got a sure hold on the staff of life.
Jarius. Jes’ so, John, jes’ so; that’s mighty good argifying, if a feller critter hain’t got no soul above peggin’ souls. But that air Will of yourn has got the city fever the wust kind. He’s hankering for a chance to try his fortune among the money-catchers. Consarn it, give the boy a chance. There’s no hay-seed in his hair.
Will. That’s right, Jarius; peg away. I never shall take kindly to this work. Hammer and sew, patch and peg. Bah! I’m tired of it! It’s so awful slow! I want to see the world, rub elbows with bustling fellows, set my wits at work, use my tongue, wrestle with sharp ones for the best end of a bargain. That’s life!
Jarius. Jes’ so. You’re a lively young colt—you are. It’s a shame you can’t have a prance in the city.