Patriotic Plays and Pageants for Young People Part 11

The pages and sedan chair-bearers wear black velvet, with black waistcoats and white neck-pieces and ruffles. Black stockings and low black shoes. Hair powdered and worn in a cue. Black suits, basted back to give the effect of an eighteenth-century coat, white neckcloth and ruffles of lawn will make good subst.i.tutes for the more ornate costume.

For the white wigs, a tight-fitting skull-cap of white muslin. Basted to this white cotton batting, shaped to fit the head, and having a cue in the back tied with black velvet ribbon. For the sedan chair, if a real sedan chair cannot be had, have a chair fastened to a stout platform of wood. Handles for the bearers to hold should be fastened to the chair. A boxed-in canopy of heavy white cardboard covers this, the cardboard fastened to a light framework. Over the cardboard should be pasted pale-yellow wallpaper, or white-flowered wallpaper. The inside of the chair should be covered in flowered cretonne. The handles should be gilded.

MUSIC (for band, orchestra, or piano):

For the Dream Music: Minuet, by L. Boccherini Gavotte: Gavotte Favorite de Marie Antoinette (1774), by Charles Neustedt.

Minuet: Minuet from Don Juan, by Mozart.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN EPISODE LINCOLN CABIN SCENE

CHARACTERS

ABRAHAM LINCOLN NANCY LINCOLN JOHN LINCOLN AMY ROBY TOM BUSH FRANCOIS, a young French-Canadian ANDREW SMITH, a fiddler RED PLUME, the chieftain of a small Indian tribe DARK CLOUD, an Indian brave SKY-OF-DAWN, an Indian maiden Other young people, friends of Lincoln, Indian braves, Indian maidens

SCENE: A clearing beyond the Lincoln cabin, Little Creek, Indiana, 1823.

When the boys and girls who are to take part in the outdoor merrymaking begin to appear, it is seen that the boys wear moccasins, and buckskin is bound in strappings to their knees. They wear, for the most part, dark knee-breeches. Their shirts are dark-blue, dark-red, and dark-plum flannel--any dark flannel shirt will do. These shirts are open at the neck, and a gay handkerchief is twisted about them, tied with loose ends. Francois betrays his French ancestry by a red sash tied at the side.

The girls wear short dark calico, homespun, or woollen dresses of solid color, dark-blue, dark-brown, dark-gray. These dresses should have square necks, which show the throat. The dresses themselves are not much seen, because each girl wears an old-fashioned cloak, gathered at the neck, and falling to the edge of the dress. The cloaks are gay in color--forest-green, red, bright blue; in shape something like the well-known "Shaker" cloaks. Some of the cloaks have hoods that lend an air of quaintness. Several of the girls wear bead chains, evidently the work of their own fingers.

The scene opens with the entrance of Nancy and John Lincoln, and Tom Bush. The rest follow from background. It is evident from their attire and smiling faces that this is a gala occasion. Tom Bush carries a kettle to right, near a fallen log. Then he and the other boys kindle a fire, erect a rude tripod, and swing the kettle not far from where the log lies. Much business of blowing, lighting, etc. A battered tin coffee-pot is produced, ready for making the coffee.

TOM BUSH (calling back over his shoulder, as the preparations begin).

Come, Nancy, we've found a fine place to swing the kettle.

AMY ROBY (at right, stooping over basket).

And here's a splendid spot for unpacking the baskets!

[Nancy Lincoln runs first to the fire, to see how the work is going forward, and then returns to Amy, who is busily unpacking baskets, with the a.s.sistance of the other girls. Nancy takes some of the contents of the baskets, and then hurries to Tom Bush with them.

NANCY LINCOLN.

Here are some potatoes and corn-dodgers to put on the ashes.

FRANCOIS (to Andrew Smith).

It is mos' time that you had better be tuning up your fiddle, Andrew!

AMY ROBY (to Nancy, who stands center, shielding her eyes, and looking towards background).

Isn't Abe coming?

NANCY LINCOLN (shaking her head).

No, Abe isn't even in sight yet. But he'll surely be here as soon as he has finished splitting those rails.

ONE OF THE LITTLE GIRLS (joyfully).

Andrew is beginning to play!

[Andrew Smith's fiddle gives out the first notes of a reel. Those who are bending at their various occupations begin to nod and trip. In an instant everything is dropped, and the young people are all for merriment. They begin, center of sward, a grand right and left. Andrew Smith stands at right fiddling with the greatest possible gusto.

As the dance ends, Andrew Smith points with his fiddle-bow to a figure seen approaching from the background, a tall, lank, kindly-faced boy, dressed like the others but with an ax over his shoulder.

ALL (with a loud cry--intense delight--at the very top of their lungs).

Lincoln! Abe Lincoln!

[They run to meet him. He comes down center with an admiring group on each side.

NANCY LINCOLN (looking up at Abe).

It wasn't really a holiday till you came.

[Lincoln smiles at her, and then turns to Tom Bush.

LINCOLN (as he and Nancy and Tom Bush form a group at fire: the rest up stage, left).

What have you been doing, Tom?

TOM BUSH.

Fixing the fire, and now I'm going to see about getting the right sort of wood for the floor of a squirrel-cage. I caught a squirrel yesterday, and I------Oh, I forgot! You wouldn't be interested in that.

You said yesterday that if you were me you would let the squirrel go.

LINCOLN (looking straight before him to something far beyond the narrow world of Little Creek).

I don't like to see things in cages: I like to see 'em _free_. I believe in freedom for everything living!

AMY ROBY (breaking in upon the group).

Come, Tom, there's another dance beginning!

[Lincoln sits on log, near fire, and begins to roast some ears of corn which the boys have stacked near by. The young people beckon Lincoln.

He shakes his head, watches them, smiling. A Virginia Reel is started at left. Lincoln, who is still seated on log, and those who are dancing the reel, are so absorbed that they are oblivious of a group of Indians stalking down from right. The Indians draw near to Lincoln, and stand motionless, watching the dance, their beads and headgear glittering in the sun, their blankets a brilliant blotch of color against the green.

When the dance ends, Lincoln and his companions are aware of the Indians. But the Indians, although their desire is to trade the skins and furs they are carrying, cross to left, feigning entire indifference, and seat themselves in a semicircle. Red Plume in pa.s.sing Lincoln has given him a grave "How!" to which Lincoln has returned "How!" with equal gravity. The settlers stand in a group at right, a little towards the background, watching the Indians. The Indians continue to sit in a grave circle. An old Indian smokes. Two of the Indian maidens appear to chatter. Finally Dark Cloud rises with a bundle of skins in his hand. The young settlers come down to right foreground. Dark Cloud puts the bundle of skins on the ground. Asks them, by gesture: "What will they give?"

Tom Bush offers a penknife for one of the skins. Dark Cloud stands with arms haughtily folded. Tom Bush adds a gay handkerchief to the penknife. Dark Cloud shakes his head, and stalks back to his circle.

Sits with his brother Indians. Much conferring and shaking of heads.

Equal pantomime on part of settlers. Lincoln is keenly watching the scene, but still apart from it all. Suddenly Red Plume rises and, with slow dignity, approaches Lincoln.

RED PLUME.

How!

LINCOLN.

How!

RED PLUME (with indicatory pantomime).

Red Plume know Lincoln. Lincoln heap square. Lincoln heap just. Honest Abe decide.

[Lincoln rises, and comes to center foreground. Dark Cloud rises from his circle and brings skins. He stands at Lincoln's left. The other Indians rise slowly, cross, and stand behind Dark Cloud. At Lincoln's right stands Tom Bush, and back of Tom Bush the youthful settlers. They have gathered together things they wish to trade, such as a fine blanket that was brought with the picnic blankets, hatchets, etc. Tom Bush is the first to start the trading. He adds to the handkerchief and penknife which he showed before a small hatchet. Both Dark Cloud and Tom Bush, after they have laid their possessions on the gra.s.s, look at Lincoln. Lincoln nods. The trade is made. Through all that follows Lincoln stands center, as a court of appeal. No trades are consummated until he has given the signal of an affirmative nod.

The Indians offer furs of various descriptions.

Francois trades off his red sash to Red Plume.

Amy Roby trades her chain of beads for an Indian basket.

Red Plume signifies interest in Andrew Smith's fiddle. He takes it up.

At this the Indian maidens laugh amongst themselves. Red Plume tries the fiddle. It makes a very hideous squeak. At this two of the Indian maidens laugh outright. But Red Plume continues to be enamored of the instrument. He offers to exchange more and more skins for the fiddle, but Andrew Smith shakes his head. So no trade is made. Red Plume reluctantly relinquishes the fiddle. A backwoods lad trades off a blanket for some of Red Plume's furs, and the chieftain appears mollified. Now that the trading is over both settlers and Indians appear to be pleased with their possessions. Through all that has transpired, Lincoln has been the central figure, appealed to again and again. The Indians solemnly exeunt with their new possessions towards background.