A Book of One-act Plays |
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Abner ain't ALICE GERSTENBERG Babylon Bala bank Billie BLANCHARD BURGLAR cane chair CHIEF ROBBER chuckles CLOWN COURTNEY-PAGE curtains DAUGHTER DEACON ROBERTS dear DEPARTMENT OF DRAMATIC desk DORCHESTER drill Earl Carroll Theatre EDDIE eggs eyes face FORMER POOR FORMER RICH CITIZEN funny give goes Hallie hands head heard hell Herod HUGH Hughie lad Hurry Indianapolis JENKINS THE MIDWIFE JONES THE WASH Judge JULIUS laugh light LITTLE GIRL looks LYDIA MAMA PIERROT MAMIE married Max Ehrmann MORRIS THE SHEEP mother NEGRO BOY NELI never Newsboy NIGHT WATCHMAN nothin one-act play PAYNE-DEXTER Pease Porridge Hot Phoebe Louise POLICEMAN Portmanteau SECOND ROBBER short story smiles speaks street door Stuart Walker tell Theatre thee TOM MORRIS tree turns walk What's whisper Williams woman Yiss
Popular passages
Page 30 - Pease) Porridge Hot Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, Pease porridge in the pot nine days old ; Some like it hot, some like it cold, Some like it in the pot nine days old.
Page 163 - Wash had come for her soap an' gone before I filled that basket with eggs. HUGH. [Watching her covertly, standing on tiptoe and craning his neck as she stows away book.] Yiss, yiss ! NELI. [Slyly.] Ask Deacon Roberts if cats steal eggs whatever? HUGH. [Repeating.] If cats steal eggs, if cats steal eggs. NELI. Aye, not if eggs steal cats. HUGH. [Craning neck.] Yiss, yiss, if eggs steal cats ! NELI. Hugh — ie 1 Now ye'll never get it correct again ! 'Tis if cats steal eggs. HUGH. [Sulkily.] Well,...
Page 59 - Because there they that us away led in captivitee Requir'd of us a song, and thus ask't mirth us waste who laid, Sing us among a Sion's song, unto us then they said.
Page 172 - This he follows with two more eggs for same coat-tail and three for other—in all half a dozen. HUGH. [Dreamily pointing to tin.] Is it Yankee corn ? DEACON ROBERTS. [To Hugh's back, and slipping in second egg.] Nay, nay, not that, Hughie lad, that tin above! HUGH. [Absent-mindedly touching tin.] Is it ox tongue ? DEACON ROBERTS. [Slipping in third egg and not even looking up.] Ox tongue, lad ? Nay, nothin
Page 163 - I'm no carin' about cats with heaven starin' me in the face. [NELI turns about swiftly with the quick, sudden motions characteristic of her, and HUGH shrinks into himself. She shakes her finger at him and goes over to kiss him. NELI. Hughie, lad, ye're not to touch the book while I am gone to market. HUGH. Nay, nay, certainly not ! NELI. And ye're to be on the lookout for Mrs. Jones the Wash, for Mrs. Jenkins the Midwife — Jane Elin has a new baby, an' it'll be needin' somethin'. [Pointing to counter.]...
Page 177 - I'm sure to find it. [She mounts upon chair. At this moment the shop door-bell rings violently, and there enters MRS. JONES THE WASH, very fat and very jolly. She is dressed in short skirt, very full, clogs on her feet, a bodice made of striped Welsh flannel, a shabby kerchief, a cap on her head, and over this a shawl. NELI turns her head a little.] Aye, Mrs. Jones the Wash, in a minute, if you please. Sit down until I find Deacon Roberts's relish whatever.
Page 158 - Monday morning at half -past eleven. To the right is the counter of Y Gegin, set out with a bountiful supply of groceries; behind the counter are grocery-stocked shelves. Upon the counter is a good-sized enamel-ware bowl filled with herring pickled in brine and leek, also a basket of fresh eggs, a jar of pickles, some packages of codfish, a half dozen loaves of bread, a big round cheese, several pounds of butter wrapped in print paper, etc., etc. To the left are a cheerful glowing fire and ingle....
Page 9 - There's no use quarrelling, because it's mother's plan to make us read a fine book whenever we make mistakes in grammar. And you know mother's plans ! (She opens the book) Oh, dear, no pictures! . . . Let's hurry up. BOY I won't do it. GIRL Come on, Billie, and get it over with. BOY Give me the keys or I'll break — I'll bust it. GIRL I won't give you the keys and you won't break it — William Cleves, if you don't live up to our compact, I'll not have anything more to do with you. BOY I don't care....
Page 199 - JUIXJE. (Glances coldly at her and then scans ledger again.) Well, how about hay fever? VAIN WOMAN. (Reproachfully.) Oh, Judge, how can you suggest such a thing! Watery eyes and a red nose, the worst enemy of beauty there is. I simply couldn't think of it. I want something that won't show.
Page 174 - I'd better go. NELI (again savagely) Nay, stay! Stay for — for what ye came for whatever! [Neli looks challengingly at the Deacon. Then she goes on wiping brine carefully from husband's hair and from behind his ears. The Deacon coughs and pushes bowl away with the toe of his boot. DEACON ROBERTS (smiling) 'T is unnecessary to remain then, mum. NELI (to Hugh) What did he get? HUGH (sneezing) N — n — Achoo ! — nothin' ! DEACON ROBERTS (with sudden interest looking at the floor) Well, indeed!