Give a kid something to doAnd he’ll grow up, pure, noble and true.
Give a kid something to doAnd he’ll grow up, pure, noble and true.
Give a kid something to doAnd he’ll grow up, pure, noble and true.
Give a kid something to do
And he’ll grow up, pure, noble and true.
Ain’t that right, John?
Mr. Benson
I guess you’re right, that’s the way I was brought up.
Ethel
Speaking to boy at swing.
Hello, little man, why don’t you get in and swing?
He does so.
Mr. Benson
How’s your cattle lookin’ lately, Hiram?
Hiram
Fine, by golly, I never seen ’em grow so fast. I get ’em on that new field of bromus grass. They’ll be in mighty fine shape to fatten this fall.
Enters Leslie Larsen in band suit, carrying horn.
Leslie
Everybody seems to be happy.
Harry
Hello Leslie, going to play at the game this afternoon? We’re going to beat ’em.
Leslie
We’ll be right there, but I’m not so sure about the beating part since that game this morning.
Jennie
Had your dinner, Leslie?
Leslie
Yes, we’ve been through half an hour. I was just going to the bowry. We’re going to have a little concert before the speaking.
Hiram
Who’s the speaker to-day?
Leslie
Senator McDonald. I saw him coming this way before I started. I met him this morning. Seems like a fine fellow.
Hiram
John, why don’t yer give ’em a talk on how to be happy in the city?
Senator walks across rear of stage without noticing anyone. Leslie calls him.
Leslie
Mr. McDonald, come here a moment.
Mr. McDonald
Why hello, Mr. Larsen!
Leslie
Mr. McDonald, this is the Benson family—one of our prominent farmers in this community.
Mr. McDonald
People, I’m very glad to meet you. It does my heart good to get out and meet the tillers of the soil. I always consider it a great honor to have such a privilege as a day like this. I was out walking to get some fresh air before my talk.
Hiram
No place like the country for fresh air, ain’t that right Senator?
Mr. McDonald
You’re right. Hope you fellows will be at the speaking. I always like a large crowd.
Mr. Benson
You can count on our being there.
Mr. McDonald
Good! bring all your friends. I’ll be walking on. Good-by.
Exit.
Jennie
If everyone has had enough, we’ll spread the tablecloth over the table—we’ve got to eat supper here before we leave.
Women arrange table.
Leslie
Well, I’ll have to be going or I’ll be late.
Harry
Guess I’ll walk up with you. I guess the women will come together.
Exeunt.
Mr. Benson
Hiram, you ought to order you a running water system and an electric light plant for your farm. They’ve got ’em down now so ye can’t afford to be without ’em.
Hiram
John, are ye havin’ a nightmare about the city?
Mr. Benson
By jinks, I’m speakin’ my right mind. We just sent in an order for an electric light plant. Harry says we can get a motor so small we can carry it around under our arms and can attach it to the wire any place and run our fan mills, pumps, grinders, washin’ machines, in fact everything dependin’ on the size of the motor. In the house you can take off a light bulb and attach a “lectric” iron and cooker, make it do the churnin’ and sweepin’, run thesewin’ machine, and even rock the cradle, besides havin’ light all over yer buildin’s without any danger of fire.
Hiram
Wall, I’ll be goll durned. John, are ye sure ye haven’t been drinkin’ too much lemonade?
Mr. Benson
It’s right. In the spring we’re goin’ ter git a runnin’ water system made especially for the farm. Harry has had it all planned for over a year now.
Hiram
Wall, if that don’t beat the cat’s a fightin’. I knew that boy had the stuff in him when he planned that house for you and Mary.
Jennie
If you folks are going, you had better be coming along.
Mr. Benson
Looking at watch.
By jinks, it is time we were going.
Ethel
I’ll be there as soon as I find my fan.
Exeunt all but Ethel. Enters Clarence unobserved.Ethel looks through box and around for fan.
Well, I’m sure I brought that fan along, I couldn’t think of losing it, for it’s one Clarence gave me before he went away to school and before we moved to the city. Well, that’s funny—I know I couldn’t have lost it on the way, and we—
Clarence
You don’t need a fan in this cool place.
Ethel
Clarence! You here?
Rises and takes him by the hand.
Clarence
Yes, I graduated last week—came home to settle down and do something. One feels mighty ambitious after going through college and wants to get right out and begin applying his knowledge and getting the practical experience. But you? I thought you were in the city. Out for a visit, I suppose?
Ethel
Visit! Why, the folks have moved back on the farm. Being the baby, I naturally had to come too. Of course, I hated to leave.
Clarence
I’m mighty glad to know your folks have moved back on the farm. Now that it won’t be necessary for you to look after them so closely, I suppose you will soon be moving back and start your practical applications, there.
Ethel
Oh, maybe—things are mighty handy, you know.
Clarence
Lots of fine fellows there, too, I suppose?
Ethel
Lots of them. The girls are scarce, too. Tell me about your college days. Suppose you graduated with high honors?
Clarence
Oh, no, no! Not many anyway. There was a lot—
Enters Hiram, stops and listens.
of things I wanted to get at the bottom of; so many things I was in doubt about. I was too busy to think of honors. I went in to prepare myself for higher honors to be won later in life and that shall be remembered and enjoyed by those that follow after me when I’m gone.
Hiram
That’s right, my boy. It ain’t so much what you do in school as it is what ye get, and you do after ye get out. That’s the time to do something. Look at Lincoln—he hardly seen the inside of a schoolhouse, but he studied and got something then went and done somethin’. He came from the farm, too. Pardon me, children, I left my pipe layin’ there by this tree when I set down ter dinner. (Takes pipe and lights, taking long, loud draws.) I’ll be leavin’, I know young folks like to be alone.
Exit.
Clarence
I guess he didn’t recognize me. Have I changed much, Ethel?
Ethel
A little more mature in looks is all.
Clarence
Tell me about your life in the city, Ethel.
Ethel
I haven’t much to tell—we had a fine house and servants, but the folks were out of place and didn’t feel at home. You see they had lived in the country too long to get any comfortout of the city life—there isn’t anything that seemed real to them. Mother didn’t like to let on for she was the strongest advocate of going, and you couldn’t blame her when she thought of all the conveniences in the city. But even at that she had lived in the country too long to get any enjoyment out of the city. As for me, I’m young and can soon adapt myself to the new conditions in the city. Can’t you imagine what a good city belle I would make?
Clarence
Ethel, you have been the best friend I ever had outside of mother and father and they’re both gone. The reason I went away to school was the thought that I might some day be worthy and capable of making a home for you equal to the best found anywhere. I realize that the majority of farmers buy conveniences for themselves without realizing the conveniences their wives need in the house, so they have to go on in the same way their grandmothers did. Ethel, you remember that last letter you wrote me, three years ago, I believe?
Ethel
Yes, and you never answered it.
Clarence
No. When you went away to the city you were young and I did not dare ask you to wait for me. Besides I thought it would be useless for you were thinking that when the time came you would marry a city fellow who could offer you a home without the drudgery some women have on the farm. In that last letter, you were telling me about a certain rich man. Well, I knew your youthful dream had come true. I didn’t want to stand in your way. I knew you were old enough to know what you wanted, so I didn’t write. Ethel, I almost gave up then, and I don’t know but what I would had it not been for my roommate, noble old chap. He got me started right again. Ethel, I hope you will be happy in the city.
Rises and crosses stage.
Ethel
I did write about a certain young man, but—
Clarence
But what?
Ethel
I didn’t think you would take it so seriously.
Clarence
You mean to say—
Ethel
That I was only teasing you about the city.
Clarence
Then you’re not—
Takes her hand.
Ethel
Not if I can help it. How about that home you were dreaming about?
Clarence
It’s yours, Ethel, and it’s going to be the very best (embrace).
Embrace. Enter Hiram and Mr. Benson. Stop short on seeing Ethel and Clarence in each other’s arms.
Mr. Benson
Harshly.
Ethel!
Ethel and Clarence separate embarrassed.
Clarence
Going up and taking Mr. Benson by the hand.
Mr. Benson, I know this is no way to be caught with your daughter, but since it couldn’tbe helped I suppose the only way to get around it will be for you to give your consent to marry her.
Mr. Benson
Are you going to live on the farm?
Clarence
Would you advise me to?
Mr. Benson
By jinks, you can’t have her unless you do.
Clarence crosses and puts arm around Ethel.
Hiram
By golly, it does me good to see the cream of the country come pourin’ back again. Don’t you know some of our greatest men like Lincoln and Washington, come from the farm? They’d all like to have gotten back again but they were so tied up in the world they couldn’t break loose. The cities are all right in a way, and I suppose we couldn’t get along without them now, but, by golly, there would never have been a city if it hadn’t been for the country. Why, I can remember when all the young men that wanted to do something worth while went to the cities and left the very poorest fellows at home. And the old fellows when theygot enough money they moved ter the city and spent their money there. By golly, that’s right, ain’t it, John?
Mr. Benson
I guess you’re right, Hiram.
Hiram
Of course, I’m right. By golly, it sure does me good ter see the change coming where the best people of the country stay on the farm instead of movin’ ter the city where they’re just as much out of place as “A Bee in a Drone’s Hive.”
Author of play—Cecil Baker.
Curtain.