War Brides: A Play in One Act

War Brides: A Play in One Act

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Title: War Brides: A Play in One Act
Author: Marion Craig Wentworth
Release Date: January 5, 2005 [EBook #14602]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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[Illustration: Good-by! good-by!]

WAR BRIDES
A Play in One Act
BY
MARION CRAIG WENTWORTH
ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE PLAY AS PRESENTED BY MME. NAZIMOVA
NEW YORK
THE CENTURY CO.
1915

Copyright, 1915, by
THE CENTURY CO.
Acting rights controlled by
DRAMATISTS' PLAY AGENCY,
145 West 45th Street,
NEW YORK CITY
Published, February 1915

TO MY LITTLE BOY BRANDON

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Good-by! good-by! Frontispiece FACING PAGE Arno: You are wanted 42
Hedwig: Franz? } Amelia: Franz, too } 62
Amelia: No, you must not! You have too much to live for 66

This play was first produced on January 25, 1915, at B.F. KEITH'S PALACE THEATRE, NEW YORK CITY, with the following cast:
Hedwig (Joan) Mme. Nazimova Amelia (Amy) Mary Alden Mother Gertrude Berkeley Hoffman (Joseph Kerman) Charles Bryant Minna Edith Speare Arno C. Brown Hertz (Captain Bragg) William Hasson
Peasants, Women and Soldiers.
Time--Present. Place--A War-Ridden Country.
Personal Manager for Madame Nazimova William F. Muenster

WAR BRIDES
The war brides were cheered with enthusiasm and the churches were crowded when the wedding parties spoke the ceremony in concert.--PRESS CLIPPING.
SCENE: _A room in a peasant's cottage in a war-ridden country. A large fireplace at the right. Near it a high-backed settle. On the left a heavy oak table and benches. Woven mats on the floor. A door at left leads into a bedroom. In the corner a cupboard. At the back a wide window with scarlet geraniums and an open door. A few firearms are stacked near the fireplace. There is an air of homely color and neatness about the room._
_Through the open door may be seen women stacking grain. Others go by carrying huge baskets of grapes or loads of wood, and gradually it penetrates the mind that all these workers are women, aristocrats and peasants side by side. Now and then a bugle blows or a drum beats in the distance. A squad of soldiers marches quickly by. There is everywhere the tense atmosphere of unusual circumstance, the anxiety and excitement of war._
_Amelia, a slight, flaxen-haired girl of nineteen, comes in. She brushes off the hay with which she is covered, and goes to packing a bag with a secret, but determined, air. The Mother passes the window and appears in the doorway. She is old and work-worn, but sturdy and stoical. Now she carries a heavy load of wood, and is weary. She casts a sharp eye at Amelia._
Mother:
What are you doing, girl? [_Amelia starts and puts the bag in the cupboard._] Who's going away? They haven't sent for Arno?
Amelia:
No.
Mother: [Sighs, and drops her load on the hearth.]
Is the hay all in?
Amelia:
Yes. I put in the last load. All the big work on our place is done, and so--[_Looks at her mother and hesitates. Her mother begins to chop the wood into kindling._] I'll do that, Mother.
Mother:
Let be, girl. It keeps me from worrying. Get a bite to eat. What were you doing with that bag? Who were you packing it for?
Amelia: [With downcast eyes.]
Myself.
Mother: [Anxious.]
What for?
Amelia:
Sit down, Mother, and be still while I tell you--
[Pushes her mother into a chair.]
Mother: [Starts.]
Is there any news? Quick! Tell me!
Amelia:
Not since yesterday. Only they say Franz is at the front. We don't know where Emil and Otto are, and there's been a battle; but--
Mother: [Murmurs, with closed eyes.]
My boys! my boys!
Amelia:
Don't, Mother! They may come back. [A cheer is heard.]
Mother: [Starting.]
What's that?
Amelia: [Running to the door and looking out.]
They are cheering the war brides, that's all.
Mother:
Aye. There's been another wedding ceremony.
Amelia:
Yes.
Mother:
How many war brides to-day?
Amelia:
Ten, they said.
Mother: [Nodding.]
Aye, that is good. Has any one asked you, Amelia? [_Amelia looks embarrassed._] Some one should ask you. You are a good-looking girl.
Amelia: [In a low voice.]
Hans Hoffman asked me last night.
Mother:
The young and handsome lieutenant? You are lucky. You said yes?
Amelia: [Shakes her head.]
No.
Mother:
Ah, well.
Amelia:
I hardly know him. I've only spoken to him once before. O Mother--that isn't what I want to do.
Mother:
What did you tell him?
Amelia: [Timidly.]
That I was going away to join the Red Cross.
Mother:
Amelia!
Amelia:
He didn't believe me. He kissed me--and I ran away.
Mother:
The Red Cross!
Amelia: [Eagerly.]
Yes; that is what I was going to tell you just now. That is why I was packing the bag. [Gets it.] I--I want to go. I want to go to-night. I can't stand this waiting.
Mother:
You leave me, too?
Amelia:
I want to