PART TWO
THE LAKE
(A cleared place on the bank of the lake. At the back, beyond a slight mound, the lake begins. Willow trees droop into the water. Gold sunshine touches the lake, plays over an old boat tied under a tree. Voices—excited, boisterous, rough—shatter the quiet. From the left the picnic party enters, singly, in groups of three, in pairs—a dozen or more people. Tall farm boys, red-handed, red-faced, dressed in battered overalls, clumping shoes, ragged shirts; short, round farm girls, in unbecoming calicos and ginghams, with bows in their hair. Some of the boys carry boxes of food.)
(A cleared place on the bank of the lake. At the back, beyond a slight mound, the lake begins. Willow trees droop into the water. Gold sunshine touches the lake, plays over an old boat tied under a tree. Voices—excited, boisterous, rough—shatter the quiet. From the left the picnic party enters, singly, in groups of three, in pairs—a dozen or more people. Tall farm boys, red-handed, red-faced, dressed in battered overalls, clumping shoes, ragged shirts; short, round farm girls, in unbecoming calicos and ginghams, with bows in their hair. Some of the boys carry boxes of food.)
Boys and Girls
I cain’t carry this no fu’ther.
Whur’s the f’ar go?
Fu’ther down, I reckon.
Over thar’s a good place.
She’s a-gettin’ her sewin’ done now, the crazy fool, an’ the Fair six months off!
Aw, she cain’t sew a-tall.
Guess she aims t’ git married.
Married? Huh! Wouldn’t no one haveher!
Would too have me! Lem Sickles ud have me.
He’dhaveyou, all right, ’f you’d give him a chanst!
Bud Bickel(loudly)
Le’s play, le’s stop a minute!
Boys and Girls
Hey, Miss Meredith!
Shet up yer yellin’! Miss Meredith’ll take yer head off.
Whut if I call her Jessie?
You better hadn’t! Arclo went ’n’ called her Jessie, ’n’ you orterseenher! She slapped him—!
Boys and Girls(protesting)
I’m hungry!
Aw, c’m’on ’n’ do whut Bud says!
Miss Meredith won’t let us, I bet.
Fraidy cat! Shootin’ on it, Clem, quit steppin’ on my feet, you crazy!
Le’s play! Keep yer feet in yer pocket!
Bud
Le’s play “Little Brown Jug.”
Boys and Girls
I’m hungry!
Well, who keers if you air?Behungry! So’re we.
Who’s gonna cook the meat? Who’s got the meat? Whur is the meat anyhow? It’s bacon, ain’t it?
Shore, it’s bacon. (Singing.) “Sow belly bacon ’n’ bean soup!”
Le’s play “Happy is the Miller Boy.” I’ll be it.
Bud
Aw, le’s play “Ole Joe Clark.” C’m’on! Irey! Gither! Git Hildie fer a pardner. Well, you’re it, then. Irey’s it! Everbody got a pardner?
Boys and Girls
Wait a minute!
Go ahead. You start it, Bud. “Ole Joe Clark”—
(They begin to play, singing the song as they “do si do,” promenade, etc.)
(They begin to play, singing the song as they “do si do,” promenade, etc.)
“Ole Joe Clark’s dead an’ gone,I hope he’s doin’ well.He made me wear the ball and chainTill my ankles swelled.“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark,Rock, rock, I’m gone,Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark,Good-by, Lucy Lawn.“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,Tell you the reason why—Cross-eyed tears run down her backWhen she starts to cry.“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (etc.)
“Ole Joe Clark’s dead an’ gone,I hope he’s doin’ well.He made me wear the ball and chainTill my ankles swelled.“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark,Rock, rock, I’m gone,Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark,Good-by, Lucy Lawn.“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,Tell you the reason why—Cross-eyed tears run down her backWhen she starts to cry.“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (etc.)
“Ole Joe Clark’s dead an’ gone,I hope he’s doin’ well.He made me wear the ball and chainTill my ankles swelled.
“Ole Joe Clark’s dead an’ gone,
I hope he’s doin’ well.
He made me wear the ball and chain
Till my ankles swelled.
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark,Rock, rock, I’m gone,Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark,Good-by, Lucy Lawn.
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark,
Rock, rock, I’m gone,
Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark,
Good-by, Lucy Lawn.
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,Tell you the reason why—Cross-eyed tears run down her backWhen she starts to cry.
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,
Tell you the reason why—
Cross-eyed tears run down her back
When she starts to cry.
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (etc.)
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (etc.)
Bud(alone—loudly)
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,Tell you the reason why—Her neck’s so long an’ stringy,I’m ’fraid she’d never die.”
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,Tell you the reason why—Her neck’s so long an’ stringy,I’m ’fraid she’d never die.”
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,Tell you the reason why—Her neck’s so long an’ stringy,I’m ’fraid she’d never die.”
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,
Tell you the reason why—
Her neck’s so long an’ stringy,
I’m ’fraid she’d never die.”
Boys and Girls(joining in the chorus)
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (etc.)
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (etc.)
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (etc.)
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (etc.)
(Miss Meredithenters at left. She is sharp and prim. Some of the boys shout to her, while the chorus goes on:) C’m’on, Miss Meredith, ’n’ play.
Miss Meredith
No, I won’t play.
A Boy
It’s fun.
Miss Meredith
It’s time to eat. Hurry and finish.
Bud(alone—loudly)
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,Tell you the reason why—She’d blow her nose in yellow corn-breadAn’ call it punkin’ pie!”
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,Tell you the reason why—She’d blow her nose in yellow corn-breadAn’ call it punkin’ pie!”
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,Tell you the reason why—She’d blow her nose in yellow corn-breadAn’ call it punkin’ pie!”
“I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal,
Tell you the reason why—
She’d blow her nose in yellow corn-bread
An’ call it punkin’ pie!”
Boys and Girls
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark—”
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark—”
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark—”
“Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark—”
Miss Meredith(sharply)
Quit it! Quit it! (The chorus stops.) That’s no way to act! Those verses are not very nice, Bud Bickel.
Bud
Aw, whut’s the matter with ’em?
Miss Meredith
Never mind, you’re not to sing them. They’re bad taste.
Bud
Ha! Bad taste? Verses don’ttaste, Miss Meredith. They ain’t no taste to ’em, ma’am. ’N’ if they is, they all taste alike!
Miss Meredith
Not another word out of you, Bud Bickel! It’s time to be cooking the breakfast, anyway. You can play afterwards.
Bud
Aw, let us play one more!
Boys and Girls
One more ’fore we go—
He didn’t mean nuthin’.
It’s still early. Betty and Lloyd ain’t here yit.
Betty and Lloyd ain’t come.
It’s time t’ eat, anytime.
Gosh, she tole him—
Please, Miss Meredith—?
Miss Meredith
Oh, very well. You may play “Drop the Handkerchief.”
A Boy
Aw, that ain’t a play-party game.
Miss Meredith
This is not a play-party.
Bud
Le’s play “Straight Across the Hall.” That’s agame. It ain’t got no verses. C’m’on. Miss Meredith, you be my pardner. C’m’on!
Miss Meredith
I don’t play.
Bud
I’ll teach you how. ’S easy’s fallin’ off a log.
Miss Meredith
No.
Bud
Please, jist onct! Then we’ll go, ’n’ make a f’ar, and git breakfast!
Miss Meredith
Just once, then.
Bud(leading her over)
Miss Meredith’s gonna play.
Boys and Girls
Gee!
Hey, it’s a good game!
You won’t mind it s’ much, ma’am.
’F anybody steps on you jist kick ’em, Miss Meredith! That’s the way a lady do. (They form a circle, and begin to sing and play.)
“Straight across the hall to the opposite lady,Swing her by the right hand,Swing yer pardner by the left,An’ promenade the girl behind you.“Oh, that girl, that purty little girl,The girl I left behind me,I weeped an’ cried t’ the day I diedFer the girl I left behind me.”
“Straight across the hall to the opposite lady,Swing her by the right hand,Swing yer pardner by the left,An’ promenade the girl behind you.“Oh, that girl, that purty little girl,The girl I left behind me,I weeped an’ cried t’ the day I diedFer the girl I left behind me.”
“Straight across the hall to the opposite lady,Swing her by the right hand,Swing yer pardner by the left,An’ promenade the girl behind you.
“Straight across the hall to the opposite lady,
Swing her by the right hand,
Swing yer pardner by the left,
An’ promenade the girl behind you.
“Oh, that girl, that purty little girl,The girl I left behind me,I weeped an’ cried t’ the day I diedFer the girl I left behind me.”
“Oh, that girl, that purty little girl,
The girl I left behind me,
I weeped an’ cried t’ the day I died
Fer the girl I left behind me.”
Miss Meredith(suddenly)
Stop it!
Bud
Whut’s the matter?
Miss Meredith
Stop it, Bud Bickel! (She crosses over right, angrily.) We won’t play any more.
Bud(following her over)
Whut is it, whut’ve I done?
Miss Meredith
You’re swinging the Waist Swing, Bud Bickel!
Bud
Well, o’ course!
Miss Meredith
It’s wrong. It’s wicked. I’m ashamed of you. I’m surprised at you.
Bud
Why, ma’am, I do that all the time. I swing all the girls the Waist Swing.
Miss Meredith
The idea! Don’t you know it’s wrong?
Bud
No’m.
Miss Meredith
It is. Don’t you ever do it again, you hear me? And don’t you girls ever let me catch you letting a boy swing you by the waist instead of by the arms. Come on, now! We won’t wait any longer.
A Boy
But Lloyd and Betty ain’t here yit—
Miss Meredith
We’ll not wait, I say! Hurry up now! (She goes out.)
Boys and Girls
She’s on her high horse!
Aw, it’s too early yit to eat. Sun’s jist riz—
Hey, she tole it to you, Bud!
Ain’t you a nice sight—a-swingin’ the girls—
Bud
Shet up!
A Boy
You he-devil you, Bud Bickel! You waist-swingin’ son of a gun! Come on ’n’ swing some meat over the f’ar ’n’ see how you like that! (They all go out, laughing.)
(After a moment,LloydandBettyenter from the left.Bettygoes hurriedly toward the boat and is about to get in.Lloydstops.)
(After a moment,LloydandBettyenter from the left.Bettygoes hurriedly toward the boat and is about to get in.Lloydstops.)
Lloyd
Betty— (She turns.) Betty, they jist went. I guess they’re ready t’ eat, now—
Betty(shaken)
I don’t keer—
Lloyd
Aw, you mustn’t be excited about nuthin’—
Betty
I ain’t excited.
Lloyd
Yes, you air, too. I c’n tell the way you act. You see—they wuzn’t nuthin’—
Betty
No—
Lloyd
Nuthin’ a-tall. They uz nice folks. (Trying to reassure her.) Funny place t’ be a-livin’ in though—buried under the ground, like. Looks like it ud be damp s’ close to the lake. But they uz nice folks. Nice womern. The man uz all right. Kind of a lumberin’ kinda man—’thout no talk—but kindhearted. Didden he loan us the boat?
Betty
Yes—
Lloyd
Didden he give us the oars? Shore he did! Well?—
Betty
Le’s go on the lake now, Lloyd—
Lloyd
Shore! We’ll go, all right. I said we’d go. (He goes toward her. She gets in the boat. A burst of song and laughter comes from the picnickers some distance away. He raises his head.) Betty, listen! They’re gettin’ breakfast ready, I guess.
Betty
I don’t want none.
Lloyd
All right, I ain’t s’ hungry. But I’m jist wonderin’—wh’er we hadn’t oughter let ’em know we’ve come. I told Bud Bickel we uz comin’ early by ourselves. They might wonder about us—or wait fer us.
Betty
They won’t wait. They’re startin’ a f’ar.
Lloyd
Smoke’s a-rizin’ good. It’s a-comin’ off the ground an’ rizin’ up like a cloud. We oughter be thar. Miss Meredith might worry about us.
Betty
She wouldn’t worry about us. She wouldn’t worry about no one. Please, Lloyd, le’s go out on the lake—a little while, jist fer a little—
Lloyd(anxiously)
Whut is it?
Betty
Nuthin’—
Lloyd
Tell me—
Betty(with sudden passion)
Oh,them! That cabin! Them people! That man! I’m afeard of him, he’s a part of these woods here! He’s part of this. I don’t like it. It’s busy, busy a-doin’ sump’n I can’t understand! They ain’t nuthin’ clear t’ me. Why’d he look at me that a-way? Why’d he want me t’ borry a coat t’ keep warm? Why’d he stir up the f’ar—ferme? Why did he?
Lloyd
Why, Betty, he uz only bein’ nice t’ you. He liked you. People like you—you’re sweet, you’re purty—
Betty
No. It ain’t that! It’s sump’n else. I don’t understand it. I’m afeard. I’m too young. It’s wrong t’ be young—
Lloyd
Betty! Why, here—
Betty
His eyes a-burnin’— His teeth—like a animal’s—
Lloyd
Betty!
Betty
He’s aparto’ these woods here! He b’longs here. I don’t. I don’t b’long here. You don’t. We’re too young. They’s sump’n goin’ on—sump’n mean—sump’n awful—It ain’t fer us t’ be part of. We got to git away—
Lloyd
We’ll go on the lake.
Betty
Oh, yes, we’ll go on the lake! (Thoughtfully.) Nen whur’ll we go to?
Lloyd
Acrostthe lake—or down to the other end. We c’n git a snack t’ eat at Binghams. We’ll do that ’n’ then row home. We won’t come back here t’ the woods if you don’t want to—
Betty
We couldn’t jist stay—in the middle of the lake—awhile?
Lloyd
Course we could—fer a while. But you’d be hungry. You’d be cold out thar too after a while. The wind blows—
Betty(fearfully)
All around the lake, everwhur, they’s woods. The lake goes out—’n’ it’s clear thar and bright—but it teches the woods everwhur at the edges. Oh! They ain’t no place t’ go to! The lake—it teches the woods—it’s apartof the woods! (She sinks down.)
Lloyd(kneeling)
No! No, it ain’t, Betty. You’re jist upset. It’ll be nice out thar. It’ll be clear an’ bright. Mebbe it’ll be warm. We’ll stay as long’s you want to. You mustn’t be this a-way, don’t you see, Betty? Oh, I know—you’re jist upset, you’ve saw things you don’t understand. You’ve been skeered. It’s all right now. You mustn’t think everything’s mixed up like this—like these woods. Out there—look at it—look at the lake! (Breathlessly.) Sun techin’ it. Little waves startin’ in the wind, breakin’ here on the bank in ripples. Trees—willers leanin’ down like they uz prayin’ at the edges. I wish I could be a lake. I wish I could be that big, that deep! I wish I could be ketchin’ the sun like it—an’ sparklin’ an’ singin’—an’ never afeard o’ nuthin’—jist a-settin’ thar quiet in the sunshine—a-lookin’ up at the sky, a-lookin’ up at the sun—
Betty(looking up at him)
You make it nice—
Lloyd
No, ’tain’t me—
Betty
You make it nicer’n it is—
Lloyd
No. It looks that a-way t’ me.
Betty
It’s that a-way t’ me, too—
Lloyd(relieved)
Betty—
Betty
When you say it. You make things nicer’n they air—
Lloyd
No, I make ’em thewaythey air.
Betty
An’ the lake?—
Lloyd
It’s a deep pool—
Betty
It’s quiet.
Lloyd
It moves when the wind moves. It holds the sun. It’s a cup with gold in it—
Betty
And dawn—
Lloyd
An’ sunset, and shadders, and starlight, an’ the moon burnin’ red. Come on, why’d we stay on the bank? We’ll go out— (He climbs into the boat.)
Betty
Yes.
Lloyd
On the lake!
Betty
I hear sump’n—
Lloyd
’S footsteps. Somebody runnin’—
Betty
They’re comin’ this way!
Lloyd
Through the woods—
Betty
Lloyd!
Lloyd
Sh!
Betty
Le’s go, quick.
Lloyd
Be still! They won’t see us!
(A boy rushes in headlong from the woods at the left. He is almost out of sight, right, when he catchessight of the two in the boat. He stops. His face is coarse; a grin, like an idiot’s, spreads over his face. It is theDavisboy.)
(A boy rushes in headlong from the woods at the left. He is almost out of sight, right, when he catchessight of the two in the boat. He stops. His face is coarse; a grin, like an idiot’s, spreads over his face. It is theDavisboy.)
Davis
Hi!
Lloyd
Hi.
Davis
Didden see ya. Betty an’ Lloyd, ain’t it? Whut you doin’?
Lloyd
Nuthin’.
Davis
Well. Whur’s Miss Meredith at?
Lloyd
Down the lake. Thought you wuzn’t comin’. Thought you had t’ work.
Davis
I did—but I sneaked off. Played hookey frum work—like frum school. Joke’s on my ole man. He’s keepin’ the shop, he’s shoein’ ole Jake Wilkerson’s mare— Whut you doin’ here—you two?
Lloyd
Nuthin’.
Davis
Settin’ in a boat—by yerselves, ain’t ya? Ha! Havin’ a good time all by yerselves, ain’t ya? Sweeton each other, ain’t ya? Oh, by Joe! Wait’ll I tell Miss Meredith!
Lloyd
Shet up yer mouth, Oscar Davis!
Davis
Miss Meredith knows yer here, don’t she?
Lloyd
We ain’t saw her this mornin’.
Davis
You ain’t? Oh, wait’ll I tell her! Settin’ in a boat—hidin’in a boat! I wouldn’t a-saw you if you’d a-kep’ yer head down. O gorry!
Lloyd(gets out of the boat, angrily)
Whut’re you a-sayin’, you?
Davis
Oh, the sweet little babies—a-settin’ in the boat—jist a-settin’ an’ a-settin’ till the night do come. Oh, by Joe!
(He runs out, right, laughing.Lloydlooks atBetty,disturbed, then walks over left.Bettygets out of the boat slowly and goes toward him.)
(He runs out, right, laughing.Lloydlooks atBetty,disturbed, then walks over left.Bettygets out of the boat slowly and goes toward him.)
Betty
Lloyd— We better go—
Lloyd
Mebbe—
Betty
He makes me feel— Oh!—
Lloyd
Don’t mind him.
Betty
I do mind him. We better go. (Painfully.) Lloyd, whut is it? Whut’d he mean?
Lloyd
Oh, don’t mind him—
Betty
Tell me—
Lloyd
Things. He’s dirty, he’s low—
Betty
Oh!—
Lloyd
We’ll go whur the others are at. It’s all right. Don’t you mind. Miss Meredith’ll know it’s all right. She’ll know. Come on. We better go.
(They start, right.Miss Meredithenters hastily, out of breath, venomous. She stops in their path.)
(They start, right.Miss Meredithenters hastily, out of breath, venomous. She stops in their path.)
Miss Meredith
Oh—so you’re here?
Lloyd(slowly)
Yes’m.
Miss Meredith
A pretty sight! A pretty couple, I must say!
Lloyd
Whut’d you mean?
Miss Meredith
The nerve—asking me what I mean! Where have you been all morning—you two?
Lloyd
No whur. We come here—that’s all.
Miss Meredith
Comehere! What time did you leave the Switch?
Lloyd
I don’t know. It uz early.
Miss Meredith
What time?
Lloyd
I don’t know.
Miss Meredith
You don’t know? Before sun-up?
Lloyd
Yes, ma’am.
Miss Meredith
Before daylight, wasn’t it?
Lloyd
Yes.
Miss Meredith
You left in the dark?
Lloyd
Yes, it uz still dark.
Miss Meredith
I thought so!
Lloyd
Whut difference’d it make? I tole Bud Bickel to tell you—
Miss Meredith
Oh, he told me! He told me you were coming early—by yourselves—you and Betty. Why’d you do it?
Lloyd
Why, we wanted to.
Miss Meredith
Wanted to! That’s no reason. Why’d you want to?
Lloyd
Why, we wanted t’ be here ’fore it got light t’ see the lake. T’ see it git lighter ’n’ lighter till the gray mist uz all gone—an’ the sun had rose—
Miss Meredith
Oh, you did? So you had to get up early in the morning—before daylight—and drive here through the dark woods—by yourselves—alone—you two? You had to sneak off where there was no one to spy on you, and no light to make you ashamed of yourselves, didn’t you? Oh, don’t interrupt me! I know why you did it! I’m surprised at you, Betty. I wouldn’t have thought it of you! I shall report you both to the School Board. I’m ashamed! I’m ashamedforyou! I can hardly look any one in the face. Idon’t know how you can. Oh, it’s this that makes teaching so hard! After all my labor, and all my rules to keep you from going wrong like this—you sneak off to the woods—the first chance you get—like a couple of animals. I’m ashamed of you! Come on, now! The fire’s started. Come on and eat your breakfast! (She goes out.)
Betty(turns away, stricken)
Oh! Her, too!
Lloyd
Her—an’ everbody! Damn her! Damn everbody! O Christ!
Betty
It’s all mean—it’s all wicked, wicked! Whut’ll we do now?
Lloyd(in agony)
Nuthin’—
Betty
Wegotto dosump’n!
Lloyd
We’ll go on the lake, then.
Betty
They’s no place else t’ go—
Lloyd
It’s theonlyplace t’ go. We’d oughta went thar before. Come on, Betty, git in. (They get in the boat.Lloydshoves it away from the bank.) We c’n go acrost ’n’ git grub—we c’n go home—
Betty
Home! I don’t want t’seehome again! I hate it! I hate these woods! They’s no place fer us—nowhur—
Lloyd
They’s room on the lake—
Betty
Oh, yes! They’s room thar! They’s room on the Lake!
Lloyd
It’s big! It’s deep!
(They row out of sight, left. A burst of song and laughter comes from the picnickers down the lake. Then there is the sharp crackle of twigs, and the noise of running.Plankand theSheriffrun in from the right.)
(They row out of sight, left. A burst of song and laughter comes from the picnickers down the lake. Then there is the sharp crackle of twigs, and the noise of running.Plankand theSheriffrun in from the right.)
Plank(pointing off left, excitedly)
Thar he is, Shuruff!
Sheriff
(Draws his pistol as they run off left.)
Curtain
THE LAKE
(A cleared place sloping down to the left, where the lake comes in in a little bay. The branches of old trees meet overhead. The lake glitters in the bright sunlight.Plankand theSheriff,with the pistol still in his hand, stand and shout off left.)
(A cleared place sloping down to the left, where the lake comes in in a little bay. The branches of old trees meet overhead. The lake glitters in the bright sunlight.
Plankand theSheriff,with the pistol still in his hand, stand and shout off left.)
Sheriff
Come in, you! Put that boat in to shore!
Lloyd’s Voice
I won’t— I won’t—
Sheriff
I’m givin’ you one more chance!
Lloyd’s Voice
I won’t never do it! You cain’t make me, you cain’t—
Sheriff
I’ll give you till I count three!
Lloyd’s Voice
Count ten! Count a hunderd! I won’t come!
Sheriff(deliberately)
One! Two! Three! Comin’?
Lloyd’s Voice
Never!
Sheriff(raises his gun slowly and fires)
Take that, then! (Bettyscreams.)
Plank
You got him, Shuruff! He’s sunk down in the boat like he’s dead! Hey! Look at it! Look! The girl! She’s standin’ up in the boat! Good God, she’s jumpin’ in the lake! She’ll drownd!