The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 2, 1899, Page 21

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 1899. HROUGH days of Lent On sport intent Sl i And Cupid laughed My hat was bare, . epcisioncdianon, Tl Your arrow there i A5ty thev oay With skill and swiitness laden; Becomes it most completely. But lo! the dart He practiced on tl ATTOW:! 4 P S oDt ciepatTons, Found not the heart, But filled with shame But the headgear of the maiden. At wretched aim Now, days of Lent And practice unavailing, Myrtilla spent “Ho, ho!” she cried, The pretty boy, In projects for adorning With saucy pride, Bereft of joy, L A costly hat “You did it very neatly! Before her stood bewailing. Of splendor that She'd wear on E i St ar on Easter morning. Thus Cupid and Myrtilla planned And toiled thro’ Lenten weather, ster day, When, on the way From church, they came together. Then to his side She stepped and cried, “Cheer up, you silly Cupid! That Love is blind ' I've heard—I find _ That Love is only stupid. “Your skillful eye Did aim awry, i "Tis true; but what of that, sir? If you were smart You'd know my heart Is in my Easter hat, sir!” And Cupid smiled, With joy beguiled, And through the April weather And meadows fair That precious pair Went over the hills together. Dramatis Pzrsonae, miss Est er Wardel!, Miss Lelia Clement, Mr. Jack Manning, Guests. ) 1e ticall, Don’t sit there, the home of Miss R B, - : s ”m’, St Solonaa :’)()P:'.hw e, too! Eggs everywhere. I was ay of magenta ©yj . If you've anything to say, say it, makes m k. would. You haven’t heard in the room. ept the Nile set them, ck them over if w s : shioned Easter, & What do ) sgust me so,. hang- Esther—I mean that bit Jealous, but I tained. I've heard nothi > carries on with her ning that the whole eve tray of Nile green eggs.) attertjon or seem joy it better. on her new gown with her goings on, too, Jack—I didn’t, Esther. 1 didn’t enjoy it a bit. Hope to die if E a bit. I did! But you treated me so queerly and I didn’t get any chance (looking helple for place to set tray)—Oh, I say, tc talk to you until I saw you come in here with the magenta where shall I set them? >ses, and I grabbed up the Nile green ones that were just done, ies to crowd them on a ta §c’s to get to see you a minute. (Leans toward ther (starting) How you star 3 Forgive me! there. You'll have them all off on the floor. irds him te Oh, well, they're hard boiled; wouldn't do much tween them—starts Esther (war the last of them mnow, ere in the world we'll ever floor, and somebody'll alot of them! A re Only that Clement girl Jack every step. ppro She stands with the tray held between n? ou seem to h but Mr. M ing. I never ve been very well enter- s this and M aw any one have more ble with no! ngly and keeps the tray of eggs be- denly.) h! Some one is coming. ., azide)—Confound it! 1 to be busy with arranging eges in different hold of tray. Jack still holds to the other side parts of the roc ) pleadingly.) (Enter Mis elia Clement.) Oh, Mr. Menning, I've waited and waited! T wanted vou to make one egg stand on another. They say it's your I don’t care for the old tray. I only brought favorite trick. 'r—But we don’t want to break them; not yet. Here, , are you going to give me the tray? Of course. to be with you a mom f\ Esther? What makes y 5 (Keeps hold of tray nt alone. What's the matter, Jack (flercely)—Who said so? T'll—(recovering)—that—is I— u treat me so to-night? yes—I have done it once or twice, but I 3 1 (to Esther)—You don’t need him to help you, do you, le)—Oh, he's repentant. T'll not forget so easily. ? and we are all waiting for him in the dining-room. at you so! Haven't I treated you with the courtesy Esther (with forced politeness, and with an amused smile at I don’t know what you mean. Jack)—Oh, not at all!l We were just getting through. T'll find a Oh, pshaw, (Lets go of tray. Tray nearly falls, place for thi and be right out. ab for it lly.) Of course, 3 know what I (Jack tur and shakes his head at her in a fierce negative. rot like the 3 , I hope—that is, I didn't behind Lelia.) ! just made that an excuse td see get Jack out. T didn't want to in- but mamma would make me. (Walks ryving the tray of Nile green eggs.) If I I'l—Oh! k, hastily.) ther, 1 got away just for a minute. I sald I'g -Really, Mr. Mann usted)—Mr. Ma. what vite h about ai 2 himself into one of the chaf Don't sit there! - (Jack from her confusion and YES'THEY WERE MAKING THE EGGS. OF EACH OTHER = STAND ONTOP left my handkerchief Lere. (Goes up close to her. She keeps the tray between them.) Esther, won't you forgive me? (with assumed indifference)—Forgive you for what? handkerchief? atiently)—Oh, no; of course not. I didn’t leave it. Esther—Then you told a story. Is that what you want for- giveness for? J; to get around the tray to her side)—Don’t be so provoking, E er. You know what I mean. You said I'd been having a good time with the Clement girl, and— Esther—And you said you had and now want forgiveness for it. Forgiv for the good time, or for saying it wasn't a time? I mean— he deftly eludes and re- always in front of her.) and around tables)—Look out! ver. You'll break the eggs! > eggs! Don’t tortyre me so, Esther! in in a minute. corner, where she holds him aloof with the €s heard in distance.) r—There, they're calling you now! s voice (coming closer)—Mr. Man-n-ing! (excitedly)—Confound her, she's coming again! >s a quick feint to one side of the tray, then a dash to the other. Esther, taken by surprise, cannot avoid him, and he seizes her in his arms and kisses her.) <! you horrid thing! (Struggles, and the tray er hands to the floor with a great crash.) k! The eggs! (Enter Lelia, followed by other guests, all excited and talking.) Lelia (in great concern)—What has happened? What was that crash? Jack and Esther both stare down at the wreck on the carpet, greatly confused and flushed. Esther's hair somewhat disar- ranged.) Jack—Why—T—T—was Esther—Yes—Jack—he—he—was— Jack—I—I—was Piping voice in the crowd—I know; he was making the eggs stand on top of each other! Chorus of guests—Ho! ho! Yes! That's it! They were mak- ing the eggs stand on top of each other! = (Curtain.) ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE.