Read-Aloud Plays Part 22

MRS. EVERITT

But Walter, you haven't gone far enough in it. The art will come later.

WALTER

No it won't! At least not with father. He never builds anything that lets me _imagine_. You don't know how I hate those blue prints. I've been worrying along so far because I didn't want to disappoint father, though every day I hoped he would see what I really felt. But to-night I know I can't go on any longer without having it out. If he will let me follow my own idea he will be better pleased in the end than if I stick at this business of his. It will require one good fight, and then I shall be free to show what I can do.

MRS. EVERITT

But Walter, what is it exactly you want to do?

WALTER.

I suppose I ought to say that I want to be an artist rather than a builder's draughtsman, but that isn't really it. I mean that behind the brain I think with every day there is another brain, bigger and wiser, that keeps asking the chance to show the rest of me what and how to act.

In ordinary things the everyday mind gets along by itself all right, but I feel the other self there all the while, wanting me to begin something different, something to let it escape from dreaming to doing. And it keeps threatening that some day it will he too late. Only begin, begin!... Yes, I have worried along so far, but just to-night, for some reason or other, I seem to be standing on the brink. I won't go another step. It's in the rain now--I hear it. Oh, the pictures I could paint if we lived in the country!

MRS. EVERITT

In the country!

WALTER

Yes. It comes over me here how much these hills mean. Oh! and there's another thing, mother.... I thought I was born in New York, I thought we always lived there, but just a while ago I ran onto your old family Bible, and it had the records in it. I--

MRS. EVERITT

Oh, Walter!

WALTER

It seems queer that neither of you said anything about it, if I was really born in this very town.... I might never have thought much about it, but to-night everything seems to be stirred up. Tell me, mother--

MRS. EVERITT

We lived here only a little while. We didn't like it, so your father sold his farm and we went away to New York.

WALTER

Yes, but why wasn't something said about it when we came here this afternoon? It seems funny, not to.

MRS. EVERITT

Dear, there was a little family trouble, long ago, which is best forgotten.

WALTER

Oh.

ALICE (_entering_)

It wasn't Harold, after all, but I just had to stay and listen to him. He tried over and over to tell me something. I couldn't make out what it was until he showed me with his hands--you know that funny little way he has--and what do you suppose it was?

MRS. EVERITT

The dear child. What was it?

ALICE

Why, he remembered the big drum he saw once in a parade, and he was trying to explain that he was _inside_ a drum. The rain, you know.

EVERITT (_entering_)

We had to jack up the car. The barn is flooding with water.

MRS. EVERITT

Is that where you were?

EVERITT

Yes.... How strange you look in that light, Alice! I never saw you look like that before. (_He kisses her_)

ALICE

Oh!

MRS. EVERITT

What is it, Alice?

ALICE

Why ... I thought his cigar was going to burn me.

MRS. EVERITT

Oh.

EVERITT

Alice, you jumped because you didn't like my breath. I'm sorry, I did take a drink, and I shouldn't have kissed you, only....

WALTER

Only what?

EVERITT

She looked just as Mary did when I first knew her. It startled me.