[Enter Alathea, R.]
Alathea. (Pauses, R. C.) Everyone's at the races. I'm perfectly safe. There is that blessed knot-hole. (Goes to hole; looks through.)
Col. (Comes from behind tree; sees Alathea.) A woman, by all that's wonderful—a woman at my knot-hole. (Approaches.) Madam! (Lays hand on her shoulder.)
Alathea. (Indignantly.) Sir! (Turns.) Col. Sundusky Doolittle!
Col. Miss Alathea Layson! (Bus. bows.)
Alathea. Colonel, what are you all doing here?
Col. Madam, what are you all doing here?
Alathea. Colonel, I couldn't wait to hear the result.
Col. No more could I.
Alathea. But I didn't enter the race-track.
Col. I was equally firm.
Alathea. Neb. told me of the knot-hole.
Col. The rascal, he told me, too!
Alathea. Colonel, we must forgive each other. If you really must look, there is the knot-hole.
Col. No, Miss Lethe, I resign the knot-hole to you. I shall climb the tree.
Alathea. (As Colonel climbs tree.) Be careful, Colonel, don't break your neck, but get where you can see.
Col. (Up tree.) Ah, what a gallant sight! There's Catalpa, Evangeline—and there's Queen Bess! (Shouts heard.)
Alathea. What's that? (To tree.)
Col. A false start. They'll make it this time. (Shouts heard.) They're off—off! Oh, what a splendid start!
Alathea. Who's ahead? Who's ahead? (To tree.)
Col. Catalpa sets the pace, the others lying well back.
Alathea. Why doesn't Queen Bess come to the front? Oh, if I were only on that mare. (Back to fence.)
Col. At the half, Evangeline takes the lead—Catalpa next—the rest bunched. Oh, great heavens!—(Lethe to tree.)—there's a foul—a jam—and Queen Bess is left behind ten lengths! She hasn't the ghost of a show! Look! (Lethe back to tree.) She's at it again. But she can't make it up. It's beyond anything mortal. And yet she's gaining—gaining!
Alathea. (Bus.) Keep it up—keep it up!
Col. At the three quarters; she's only five lengths behind the leader, and gaining still!
Alathea. (Bus.) Oh, push!—push!—I can't stand it! I've got to see! (Climbs tree.)
Col. Coming up, Miss Lethe! All right, don't break your neck, but get where you can see. In the stretch. Her head's at Catalpa's crupper—now her saddle-bow, but she can't gain another inch! But look—look! she lifts her—and, Great Scott! she wins!
(As he speaks, flats forming fence are drawn. Horses dash past, Queen Bess in the lead. Drop at back shows grand stand, with fence in front of same. Spectators back of fence. Neb. and Frank. Band playing "Dixie." Holton standing near, chagrined. Col. waves hat and Alathea handkerchief, in tree. Spectators shout.)
(For second curtain, Madge returns on Queen Bess. Col. and Alathea down from tree and passing near. Other horses enter as curtain falls.)
[Curtain]
[JOHN P. FRUIT]
John Phelps Fruit, the distinguished Poe scholar, was born at Pembroke, Kentucky, November 22, 1855. He was graduated from Bethel College, Russellville, Kentucky, in 1878, after which he became a teacher. For two years Professor Fruit was president of Liberty College, Glasgow, Kentucky; and from 1883 to 1897 he was professor of English in his alma mater, Bethel College. In 1895 the University of Leipzig granted him the Ph. D. degree; and three years later he was elected to the chair of English in William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri, which he still occupies. Dr. Fruit's first work was an edition of Milton's Lycidas (Boston, 1894), and this was followed by his edition of Coleridge's The Ancient Mariner (Boston, 1899). Both of these little volumes have been used in many schools and colleges. Dr. Fruit devoted many years to the study of Edgar Allan Poe and his works, and his researches he brought together in The Mind and Art of Poe's Poetry (New York, 1899). This book gave Dr. Fruit a foremost place among the Poe scholars of his time. His work was officially recognized by the University of Virginia, the poet's college, and it has been widely and cordially reviewed. At the present time Dr. Fruit is engaged in a comprehensive study of Nathaniel Hawthorne, his pamphlet, entitled Hawthorne's Immitigable (Louisville, Kentucky, n. d.), having attracted a deal of attention.
Bibliography. Who's Who in America (1912-1913); letters from Prof. Fruit to the writer.