Smith College Stories Part 20

THE NINTH STORY

_AT COMMENCEMENT_

IX

AT COMMENCEMENT

I

DRAMATICS

_It is the Sat.u.r.day night performance of the senior play. The curtain is about to rise. The aisles and back of the house are packed with people struggling for seats; alumnae and under-cla.s.s girls who have admission tickets only, are preparing to sit on all the steps; the junior ushers are hopelessly trying to keep back the press. It is to be supposed that the orchestra is playing, judging from the motion of arms and instruments. The lights are suddenly lowered and the curtain rises. The struggle for seats at the back, the expostulations of the ushers, and the comments of the alumnae and students, who have seen the play twice before and consequently do not feel the need of close attention, completely drown the first words of the scene._

_Back of house. Large and fussy mother, looking daggers at the soph.o.m.ores squatting beside her, giggling at the useless efforts of a small worried usher to prevent a determined woman, escorted by her apologetic husband, from prancing down into the orchestra circle; and unimportant senior._

_Mother._ What? What? Who is this, Emma? Where are we?

_Emma._ That's Viola, Mother. She's just been shipwrecked, you know.

_Mother._ Oh, she's the heroine. She's the best actor, then?

_Emma._ Dear me, no. Malvolio's 'way by the best. And then Sir Toby and Maria--they're awfully good--you'll see them pretty soon now. I don't care for Viola much. She tries to imitate Ada Rehan--

_Curtain drops on First Scene._

-- _Orchestra Circle. Handsome, portly father, exceptionally well set up, his wife, and head of department._

_Father, with enthusiasm._ By Jove! Is that a girl, really? You don't say so! Well, well! Sir Toby, eh? Well, well! And who's the little girl? Maria? Did you ever see anything much prettier than she is, Alice?

_His Wife._ She's very charming, certainly.

_Head of Department._ She's about the best of them. A very clever girl. But you ought to see Malvolio! I don't care for Sir Andrew--

_Father._ Alice, look at him! Did you ever see anything so odd? Now I call that clever--I must say I call that clever! To think that's a girl--well, well! See him shiver, Alice! Capital, capital! Do they do this themselves--costumes and acting and ideas and all?

_Head of Department._ They make the costumes, I believe, most of them.

Then they have a trainer at the last. It's amazing to me, but as a matter of fact their men's parts are as a rule, considering the proportionate difficulty, you know, much better than their women's.

Comedy parts, at that. I've never seen but one woman's part really well done.

_Father._ Really? Now why do you suppose, sir, that is so?

_Head of Department._ I can't say. But they're very artificial women, as a rule. Overtrained, perhaps.

-- _A group of last year's graduates and two ushers on the platform of the fire-escape upstairs._

_First Graduate._ I suppose you're nearly dead, poor child?

_First Usher._ Heavens! I never slaved so in my life! Did you see Ethel Williams' mother _insist_ on going down into her seat? I don't see how people can be so rude.

_First Graduate._ Going better, to-night, isn't it?

_First Usher._ Goodness, yes! I think it's fine. Don't you? Isn't d.i.c.k _simply fine_! There she is! (_A burst of applause as Malvolio and Olivia enter._)

_Second Usher._ Do you know, they say that Kate Ackley thinks it's half for her!

_Second Graduate._ Not really?

_Second Usher._ Yes, really. She is stunning, there's no doubt.

_Second Graduate._ Oh, yes, she's stunning. Is that her own dress?

_Second Usher._ Yes. Her aunt gave it to her. It's liberty satin. But she's a stick, just the same. Do you like Viola?

_Second Graduate, parrying._ She looks very well. I was rather surprised she got it, though.

_Second Usher._ You know Mr. Clark wanted her for Sir Andrew, and she wouldn't. He was very angry, and so was the cla.s.s. They don't care for Ethel at all. But it was Viola or nothing. She's seen it four times and she thinks she knows it all, they say. I _do_ think she does some parts very well indeed.

_First Usher._ Oh, Miss Underhill, isn't Viola grand? Don't you think she's fine?

_Second Graduate, sweetly._ Yes, indeed. She looks so cunning in that short skirt!

_Curtain falls on First Act._

-- _Two fathers standing at back._

_First Father, smiling affably._ A great sight, I a.s.sure you, sir! All these young girls, and parents, and friends--a proud moment for them!

And how well they do! That one that takes the part of Malvolio, now, that Miss Fosd.i.c.k--pretty smart girl, now, isn't she?

_Second Father._ That's my daughter, sir.

_First Father._ Well, well! I expect you're pretty pleased. You ought to be.

_Second Father, confidentially._ I tell you, sir, I never believed she had it in her, never! Her mother and I were perfectly dumfounded--perfectly.

I don't know where she got it from; certainly not from me. And her mother couldn't take part in tableaux, even, she got so nervous.

_First Father._ Just so, just so! Now, I want to tell you something, Mr.--Mr. Fosd.i.c.k. These colleges for women are a great thing, sir, a great thing! You take my daughter. When she came up here, she was as shy and bashful and helpless as a girl that's an only child could possibly be. Couldn't trust herself an inch alone. Never went away from home alone in her life. Look at her now! She's head of this whole committee: you may have noticed their names on the back of the programme. Costumes, scenery, music, lights, stage properties, scene shifting--all in her hands, as you might say! I slipped up to the stage door, and I begged the young woman there to let me step in and see her a moment. Girls do it all, you know! She was on policeman duty there. But she let me in and I just peeked at Mary, bossing the whole job, as you might say! It was "put this here" and "put that there" and taking hold of the end and dragging it herself, and answering this one's questions and giving that one orders--I tell you, I couldn't believe it! Short skirt and shirt-waist, note-book in her hand--Lord!

I wished I had her up at the office with me!

_Second Father._ Then you're Miss Mollie Vanderveer's father?

_First Father._ Yes, sir, James L. Vanderveer.