TABLEAUX.

1. Scene. Breakfast-room; man and woman at opposite ends of table, side face to audience--she busy cutting her meat and looking down at her plate; he looking at her, cup poised in right hand, on the way toward his mouth.

2. Lady has risen, and angrily faces her husband.

3. Man has risen; stands in front of table, looking toward his wife.

4. Joanna, again sitting, weeps.

5. Husband kneeling in front of her.

“IF.”

If, sitting with this little, worn-out shoe,
And scarlet stocking lying on my knee,
I knew the little feet had pattered through
The pearl-set gates that lie ’twixt Heaven and me,
I could be reconciled and happy too,
And look with glad eyes toward the jasper sea.[1]
If in the morning when the song of birds
Reminds me of a music far more sweet,
I listen for his pretty broken words,
And for the music of his dimpled feet,
I could be almost happy, though I heard
No answer, and saw but his vacant seat.
I could be glad if, when the day is done,
And all its cares and heart-ache laid away,
I could look west ward to the hidden sun,
And with a heart full of sweet yearnings say:
“To-night I’m nearer to my little one
By just the travel of one earthly day.”
If I could know those little feet were shod
In sandals wrought of light in better lands,
And that the footprints of a tender God,
Ran side by side with his, in golden sands--
I could bow cheerfully and kiss the rod,
Since Benny was in wiser, safer hands.
If he were dead, I would not sit to-day
And stain with tears the wee sock on my knee;
I would not kiss the tiny shoe and say,
“Bring back again my little boy to me!”
I would be patient, knowing ’twas God’s way,
Although I must not all the wisdom see.[2]
But O! to know the feet once pure and white,
The haunts of vice had boldly ventured in!
The hands that should have battled for the right,
Have been wrung crimson in the clasp of sin--
And should he knock at Heaven’s gate to-night,
To fear my boy could hardly enter in!
TABLEAUX.

1. Home scene. Lady sitting in easy chair, shoe and stocking on lap; room dimly lighted.

2. Lady weeping.

THE WASHER-WOMAN’S SONG.

by Eugene F. Ware.
In a very humble cot,
In a rather quiet spot,
In the suds and in the soap,
Worked a woman full of hope;
Working, singing, all alone,
In a sort of undertone,[1]
“With a Saviour for a friend,
He will keep me to the end.”
Sometimes happening along,
I had heard the semi-song,
And I often used to smile,
More in sympathy than guile;
But I never said a word,
In regard to what I heard,
As she sang about her Friend
Who would keep her to the end.
Not in sorrow, nor in glee,
Working all day long was she,
As her children three or four,
Played around her on the floor;
But in monotones the song
She was humming all day long:[2]
“With the Saviour for a friend,
He will keep me to the end.”
Just a trifle lonesome she,
Just as poor as poor could be,
But the spirits always rose,
Like the bubbles in the clothes,
And though widowed and alone,
Cheered her with the monotone,
Of a Saviour and a Friend
Who would keep her to the end.
I have seen her rub and scrub,
On the washboard in the tub,
While the baby, sopped in suds,
Rolled and tumbled in the duds;
Or was paddling in the pools,
With old scissors stuck in spools;
She still humming of her Friend
Who would keep her to the end.[3]
Human hopes and human creeds
Have their root in human needs;
And I would not wish to strip
From that washer-woman’s lip
Any song that she can sing,
Any hopes that songs can bring;
For the woman has a Friend
Who will keep her to the end.
TABLEAUX.

1. Kitchen scene, with woman washing in center of stage, side face to audience; clothes baskets, soiled linen, boiler, clothes bars, etc., scattered in the room. The washer-woman sings last two lines, while curtain is raised.

2. Same scene. Woman and tub in background facing audience while she rubs and sings; children on floor in foreground. Sings again.

3. Baby is the most conspicuous part of this picture, and the livelier the better, even to laughing or crying. Woman hums the tune as she works.

THE SMALL BOY’S EXPLANATION.

It was Sunday evening. Angelica had invited her young man to the evening meal.[1] Everything had passed off harmoniously until Angelica’s seven-year-old brother broke the blissful silence that had settled like a rainbow on the family circle, with:

“O, Ma! You oughter seen Mr. Lighted last night when he called to take Angie to the drill! He looked so nice, sitting ’long side o’ her, with his arm”----

“Fred!” screamed the maiden, quickly placing her hand over the boy’s mouth.[2]

“You just ought ter seen him,him,” continued the persistent informant, after gaining his breath, and the embarrassed girl’s hand was removed; “he had his arm”--

“Freddie,” shouted the mother; and in her frantic attempts to reach the boy’s ear she upset the tea-pot, sending its scalding contents into Mr. Lighted’s lap.[3]

“I was just going to say,” the half-frightened boy pleaded, between a cry and an injured whine, “he had his arm”--

“You boy,” thundered the father, “away to the wood-shed.”

And the boy made for the nearest exit, exclaiming as he went, “I was only a goin’ to say that Mr. Lighted had his army clothes on, and I’ll leave it to him if he didn’t.”[4]

TABLEAUX.

1. Dining-room scene. Father at right and mother at left end of dinner table; small boy and Angelica at side facing to audience; young man on opposite side, back to audience; servant in side rear, with glasses on tray.

2. Angelica’s hand is over the boy’s mouth, he evidently struggling to get away from it.

3. Tea pot upset, mother trying to reach the boy.

4. Boy disappearing through screen door at left rear, but half faces audience.

LOOKING BACKWARD.

Ay; but wait, good wife, a minute,
I have first a word to say;
Do you know what to-day is?
Mother, ’tis our wedding day![1]
Just as now, we sat at supper
When the guests had gone away;
You sat that side, I sat this side,
Forty years ago to-day!
Then what plans we laid together,
What brave things I meant to do!
Could we dream to-day would find us
At this table--me and you?
Better so, no doubt--and yet I
Sometimes think--I can not tell--
Had our boy--ah, yes! I know, dear;
Yes, “He doeth all things well.”
Well, we’ve had our joys and sorrows,
Shared our smiles as well as tears;
And--the best of all--I’ve had your
Faithful love for forty years!
Poor we’ve been, but not forsaken;
Grief we’ve known, but never shame--
Father for Thy endless mercies
Still we bless Thy Holy Name.[2]
TABLEAUX.

1. Aged couple at supper table; woman at end, man at side facing audience; lighted lamp on table--small, so as not to hide man’s face.

2. Heads bowed while blessing is asked.