Her Own Way Part 1

Her Own Way.

by Clyde Fitch.

_THE PEOPLE IN THE PLAY_

GEORGIANA CARLEY.

MRS. CARLEY Her step-mother.

MRS. STEVEN CARLEY Her sister-in-law, born "Coast,"

and daughter of Mrs. Carley by a former marriage.

PHILIP } CHRISTOPHER } Children of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Carley.

TOOTS } ELAINE From next door.

LIZZIE Mrs. Carley's maid.

MISS BELLA SHINDLE "The Lady Hair-dresser."

LIEUTENANT RICHARD COLEMAN.

SAM COAST Louise Carley's own cousin.

STEVEN CARLEY Georgiana's brother.

MOLES Butler to the Carleys.

A FOOTMAN At the Carleys.

Produced at the Star Theatre, Buffalo, September 24, 1903, and on September 28, 1903, at the Garrick Theatre, New York, with the following cast:--

Georgiana Carley Miss Maxine Elliott Mrs. Carley Miss Eva Vincent Mrs. Steven Carley Miss Nellie Thorne Philip Master Donald Gallaher Christopher Miss Beryl Morse Toots Miss Mollie King Elaine Miss Marie Hirsch Lizzie Miss Susanne Perry Miss Bella Shindle Miss Georgie Lawrence Lieutenant Richard Coleman Mr. Charles Cherry Sam Coast Mr. Arthur Byron Steven Carley Mr. R.C. Herz Moles Mr. Francklyn Hurleigh Footman Mr. B.M. Parmenter

Produced at the Lyric Theatre, London, in May, 1905, and afterward at the Savoy Theatre, London, with the following cast:--

Georgiana Carley Miss Maxine Elliott Mrs. Carley Mrs. f.a.n.n.y Addison Pitt Mrs. Steven Carley Miss Nellie Thorne Philip Master Donald Gallaher Christopher Miss Beryl Morse Toots Miss Mollie King Elaine Miss Marie Hirsch Lizzie Miss Susanne Perry Miss Bella Shindle Miss Georgie Lawrence Lieutenant Richard Coleman Mr. Charles Cherry Sam Coast Mr. James Carew Steven Carley Mr. R.C. Herz Moles Mr. Francklyn Hurleigh Footman Mr. B.M. Parmenter

ACT I

_The nursery. Half-past two in the afternoon. A cool, delightful white room, with a frieze of children playing in the ocean spray; shelves of bright-colored books on the walls, and the months of a large calendar by Elizabeth Shippen Green framed underneath. There is a deep bow-window at the back; the princ.i.p.al door is at the Left, and a smaller one on the Right. Toys of all sizes, for all ages, are scattered about with a holiday air. There is a sofa on the Right and a hobby horse on the Left._

_There are four charming though somewhat spoiled children, with intermittent manners, with napkins tied up under their chins, sitting around the table, which is a little to the right of the centre of the room._

_The_ FOOTMAN _is busy removing the plates; the butler,_ MOLES, _who stands behind_ PHILIP, _always takes_ PHILIP'S _plate. It is_ PHILIP'S _birthday._ LIZZIE _stands behind_ ELAINE. _In the centre of the table is a large cake with seven candles burning on it._

PHILIP. What comes next?

CHRISTOPHER. Soup!

[LIZZIE _and_ MOLES _suppress smiles, exchanging looks of delighted appreciation of_ CHRISTOPHER'S _humor._

TOOTS. Ice cream!

ELAINE. Don't be absurd, Christopher, we've _had_ soup.

CHRISTOPHER. I like it!

TOOTS. I like ice cream!

ELAINE. [_To_ TOOTS.] Sh!

PHILIP. What comes next, Moles?

MOLES. I don't know, sir.

[_He goes out._

ELAINE. T'ain't manners to ask, anyway, Phil.

PHILIP. Who cares! It's my birthday!

CHRISTOPHER. When will it be my birthday?

[_The_ FOOTMAN _reenters with plates, followed by_ MOLES, _with silver dish of croquettes._

PHILIP. Here it comes; what is it?

MOLES. Chicken croquettes, sir.

PHILIP. Left overs! Had chicken yesterday! Bring 'em here first!

MOLES. No, ladies first, sir.

[_Serves_ ELAINE.

LIZZIE. And besides, Miss Elaine is company.

[MOLES _serves_ CHRISTOPHER.

PHILIP. That's all right. S'long it's Elaine, everything goes!

ELAINE. Phil!

[_Sliding down from her chair, she runs to him and kisses him._

PHILIP. [_Hopelessly embarra.s.sed._] Don't! not in front of everybody!