ACT II.
SCENE.--_Same as before, but larger box in place of the one left at the rear of the stage._
(_Enter_ CAROL, AVIS, FRANK, ROY, _and Brownies. The children examine the box, being careful not to lift the lid; the Brownies come forward._)
REALLYWISH. I _really wish_ I knew why we haven’t found the key.
JUSTNOW. Perhaps _just now_ we’ll find it, if we’re good as good can be.
I CAN. We won’t give up and say it can’t be done; I know it _can_.
I WILL. And we’ll conquer Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man!
ALL. Yes, we’ll conquer Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man!
(_Enter_ OLD WOMAN _with basket. Stumbles and drops basket, scattering wares._)
OLD WOMAN. Oh, dear, dear! I didn’t see that stone!
AVIS (_running up to her_). Did you hurt yourself? You didn’t _quite_ fall, did you?
OLD WOMAN (_beginning to pick up wares_). No, but just look at my spools of thread, and buttons, and all my whole basketful of things--scattered all over the ground.
CAROL. Too bad! Never mind, we’ll pick them up for you. (_To_ ROY.) She looks tired. (_To_ OLD WOMAN.) Suppose you sit down on this rock and rest, and we’ll ---- (OLD WOMAN _sits down_.)
ROY. Yes, we’ll have them all picked up in a jiffy.
(_The Brownies_, ROY, _and_ CAROL _pick up the various articles, while_ FRANK _and_ AVIS _put them into the basket and arrange them_.)
OLD WOMAN. Bless your kind little hearts! There, now they’re all right again, and I must be going. I’m quite a bit rested, too. Thank you, thank you. (_Rises, and starts to go._)
ROY (_hastening after her with the key_). Wait, wait! here’s your key!
OLD WOMAN. Key, is it? But it’s not mine. I picked it up not long ago at this very spot. No telling who dropped it; one can only guess.
CAROL (_eagerly_). Perhaps that’s Dorothy’s key! (_The children and Brownies crowd around to look._)
OLD WOMAN (_indifferently_). Well, keep it and ask Dorothy, whoever she may be. I don’t know anything about it. Only persons in sight when I picked it up were an old curmudgeon dressed in gray,--the crossest-looking fellow you ever set eyes on,--and a queer-looking man with him dressed in red, for all the world like a circus clown. I couldn’t catch up with them, they were going so fast.
AVIS (_clapping her hands_). It is, _it is!_
ROY. Hurrah!
FRANK. Whoop! (_The Brownies express their delight in the most fantastic capers yet. The_ OLD WOMAN _sets down the basket, looking interested_.)
CAROL. Hark! the Bells of Bonnydingle! (_Ringing of bells, while all listen._)
(_Enter_ DISMAL DUMPS _and_ BUGABOO MAN, _talking excitedly. Bells stop ringing._)
DISMAL DUMPS (_to_ BUGABOO MAN). It was all your fault!
BUGABOO MAN (_fiercely_). Don’t you dare to say it was my fault! _I_ didn’t lose the key. You dropped it yourself!
DISMAL DUMPS. You made me drop it, anyhow. And now did you hear those bells? That means the key is found, and we’re done for if we can’t get it again. (_Seeing the children._) Quick, Bugaboo, _here’s_ the key. Make ’em give it up! (BUGABOO MAN _starts towards the children, who retreat slowly_.)
OLD WOMAN (_to_ BUGABOO MAN, _stepping between him and the children_). It’s _my_ opinion you’re a thief, sir! you and the gentleman in gray, there; and you won’t get that key again, I can tell you!
BUGABOO MAN _and_ DISMAL DUMPS (_together, advancing nearer_). Won’t we?
OLD WOMAN (_taking off sunbonnet, and flapping it vigorously at_ DISMAL DUMPS). Shoo! Shoo! (DISMAL DUMPS _retreats hastily_. BUGABOO MAN _advances towards the group._ OLD WOMAN _still more vigorously, flapping at_ BUGABOO MAN.) _Scat!_ (BUGABOO MAN _runs backward so fast he almost tumbles down_. DISMAL DUMPS _and_ BUGABOO MAN _consult, at a safe distance. The children come forward a little._)
CAROL. O, I wish Dorothy would come!
ALL THE REST. So do I!
REALLYWISH. Why, we’re forgetting what the Queen of the Cosey Corner told us. If we _really wish_ Dorothy would come, why don’t we bring her?
JUSTNOW. Why, of course. Let’s call her back just now!
(_Bells begin ringing joyfully again._ DISMAL DUMPS _and_ BUGABOO MAN _turn first one way, then the other, confused, and place their hands over their ears as if they could not bear the sound. Bells continue ringing very softly, while the children and Brownies sing; tune, “Bring Back My Bonny.”_)
Our playmate is far o’er the prairies, But never a heart was more true; She’ll come on the wings of the morning, O Dorothy, welcome to you! West Wind, West Wind, Bring back our bonny, to-day, to-day, West Wind, West Wind, Bring back our bonny, to-day.
(_Bells still ring, as softly as possible. The children listen. Instrumental music behind scenes, very soft at first, but gradually growing louder,--“Home, Sweet Home.” Enter the taller_ DOROTHY, _and_ WEST WIND. _Children rush to meet_ DOROTHY, _holding up the key. The music stops, but bells still ring, while_ DOROTHY _takes the key, goes to the box, and unlocks it, followed gleefully by Brownies. Sunshine Fairies emerge from the box, assisted, if necessary, by_ WEST WIND, _the_ OLD WOMAN, _and_ DOROTHY. _The fairies skip about delightedly; then, seeing_ DISMAL DUMPS _and the_ BUGABOO MAN, _start to chase them both_. DISMAL DUMPS _and_ BUGABOO MAN _run around in evident terror, trying to escape. At last both jump into the box. Brownies instantly slam down the lid, and sit on it. Bells ring out more loudly for a minute or two, then subside as music begins. Chorus of Brownies, children, and Sunshine Fairies, all but Brownies dancing around_ DOROTHY _and_ WEST WIND; _tune, “Marching through Georgia.”_)
Welcome home, our playmate dear, this happy festal day! O, kind the West Wind’s care of you while you were far away. But now we have you with us, and we hope you’ve come to stay, For Sunshine rules Bonnydingle! Hurrah! hurrah! the merry bells do ring, Hurrah! hurrah! our voices gladly sing; Nevermore shall frowns and tears their sorrow to you bring For Sunshine rules Bonnydingle!
(_Bells ring loudly again during the refrain, which is repeated. Throughout the song, Brownies wave caps, arms, and feet as enthusiastically as possible, without leaving their post on the Sunshine-Box._)
(_Enter_ QUEEN _from her Cosey Corner. Bells and music cease._)
QUEEN (_kissing_ DOROTHY). Welcome home, Dorothy dear! How you have grown! So our plan was a success. But suppose we listen to Fairy Bright-Thought again. She has still another message for us. (_All are quiet. Soft music for two or three minutes. Enter_ FAIRY BRIGHT-THOUGHT, _who whispers in the ear of the_ QUEEN, _as before. Music stops._) My chief counsellor advises a strange thing. She says, “Open the box.” Will you do it?
(_The Brownies get down from their perch, looking puzzled. The children slowly approach the box._)
ROY. But won’t the Bugaboo Man----
AVIS. And won’t Dismal Dumps----
DOROTHY. Never fear. What harm can they do us now? Poor old Bugaboo Man and poor old Dismal Dumps! I’m sorry for them. It was when I was little that I was so afraid of them. Besides, as we all know, whatever advice comes from the Cosey Corner must be safe to follow. Come, I’m going to open the box!
(FRANK _and_ CAROL _help her to raise the lid. Out come_ DISMAL DUMPS _and the_ BUGABOO MAN, _but completely transformed, in new and glittering costumes, and with smiling faces. Both come forward._)
DISMAL DUMPS. I found, when I once got into the Sunshine Box, that I couldn’t be dismal any longer!
BUGABOO MAN. And _I_ found that it isn’t half so much fun to frighten children as it is to amuse them!
BOTH. So we are both going to be sunshine people ourselves, like all good Juniors.
DOROTHY (_shaking hands with them_). I’m so glad! Now we’ll all be happy ever after.
(_Bells begin ringing again. Music. March of all the characters, and final tableau._)
CURTAIN.
VARIATION OF “THE BELLS OF BONNYDINGLE” FOR CHRISTMAS.
To adapt the play to Christmas, where there are gifts to be distributed, omit the final march, and, instead, add the following bit of dialogue after Dorothy speaks for the last time:
BUGABOO MAN. And to prove that we _really wish_ to be Sunshine people----
DISMAL DUMPS. We will look into that wonderful treasure-box again _just now_,--for it’s Merry Christmas,--and see if we can’t find something to make these good people all the happier.
BOTH. We _can_, and we _will_! (_Going to the box, they reach in and take out present after present, handed up to them by two persons concealed, one behind the box, and one in it. The presents are marked with the names of those for whom they are intended, and as fast as taken out by the transformed_ DISMAL DUMPS _and_ BUGABOO MAN, _who read the names aloud, they are handed to_ DOROTHY _and the other children, who in turn pass them to the Brownies_, FAIRY BRIGHT-THOUGHT, _and the Sunshine Fairies, to distribute among the audience_.)
Index of Games
Accidental High Art 143 Alphabetical Question Game 78 Apple and Horseshoe 54 Apple Shooting 54
Bean-stalk Raid 116 Bird-Guessing 102 Burying the Hatchet 73 Butterfly Pansy Hunt 106
Cherry-Tree Blind Man’s Buff 73 Constellations 143 Croquet Bowling 117 Curlycue Drawing-Contest 65
Excuse-Hunt 64
Fairy Bowling 140 Flying Stars 142 Four-Leaf-Clover-Hunt 55 Freak Show 117
Grommet Pitching 20
Juniors’ Message to All 80
Letter Tag 79 Little Queen Fluff 125
Mountain-Climb 93 Mountain Quiz 94 Mr. Daruma 46 Mr. Woodenhead 40 My Lady’s Slipper 139
Orange Croquet 39
Pink Violets 20 Polly Pitcher Bean-bag 66
Quiet Go-lol-uf 120
Rainbow Hunt 97 Red and White Roses 42 Red-Line Hunt 19 Red-Line Tag 19
Slipper-Hunt 140 Slipper Obstacle-Race 139
Table Golf with Pins and Peas 121
Ukibara 46
Washington Quiz 74 Wishes and Compliments 55 Wishes and Results 56 Word-Building 78
Transcriber’s Notes
Inconsistent lay-out, spelling, hyphenation and punctuation have been retained, except as mentioned below.
Changes made:
Some obvious typographical and punctuation errors have been corrected silently; the lay-out of stage directions in the plays has been standardised.
p. 32: SCENE II. changed to SCENE 2.
p. 87: _Spider_ gives chase changed to SPIDER gives chase
p. 135: _Nearly_ lost that one. changed to Nearly lost that one.
End of Project Gutenberg's Good Times with the Juniors, by Lilian M. Heath