SCENE VI.—_Drawing-room after the guests have left. BLANCHE,

R., and EUNICE, L., present._

B. Do tell me, Eunice, what this means. I am _so_ curious to have it explained.

E. So I supposed. But confess the truth, Blanche. Didn’t you think me a genuine rustic, very ignorant, and quite countrified?

B. I certainly did, but you surely gave me reason. I give you credit for acting your part well. But what induced you to take upon yourself such a character?

E. I was afraid of disappointing you.

B. (_surprised_). Disappointing me?

E. (_smiling_). Yes. The day of my arrival I was shown by the servant into the room provided for me. I had scarcely laid aside my bonnet and shawl when you and Aunt Matilda came into the chamber adjoining mine. Unintentionally I overheard you conversing of me. You both had the impression that, as I lived in the country, I must be ignorant and uncultivated. I therefore decided to continue the illusion for a short time. When the party came off, it seemed a fitting time for me to appear in my true character.

B. I am glad that you are not what you seemed. I was almost overcome by your vigorous salute, and your talk about pasturing cows in the parks, and so on; and I feared that you might introduce these topics as the subjects of your conversation at the party.

E. Fortunately no such mishap occurred, and since you prefer me in my present character, I will still retain it, trusting that you may never again have cause to be disturbed at the rusticity of your Country Cousin.

(_Curtain falls._)

TAKING POISON.

CHARACTERS.

MR. LEWIS FISHER, A very Nervous Man. MRS. SUSAN FISHER, His Wife. MISS HELEN FISHER, His Sister. DR. GIBBS, Physician. MARY, Servant.

SCENE.—_Parlor at MRS. FISHER’S. MR. F. comes in, and sinks into a chair, R._

MR. FISHER. How weak I am! I wonder what can be the matter? (_Presses his hand first on one cheek, and then the other._) I think I’m a little feverish. (_Coughs as if it pained him._) And then this cough; I’m sure my lungs must be affected. But then that’s no wonder, for most of our family died of consumption, and I dare say I shall go in the same way. (_Petulantly._) I wonder where Susan is; she’s always gone when I want her. (_Rings the bell; servant enters, L._) Mary, where is Mrs. Fisher?

MARY. She went an hour ago, sir. Your sister, Miss Helen, came for her to go shopping, and the two of them went out then.

MR. F. (_sighing, and leaning back in his chair_). Did she say what time she would be back?

M. She did not, then. May be they won’t be home till dark.

MR. F. I shall be sick in bed before that time.

M. Couldn’t I do something for you, sir?

MR. F. (_shaking his head mournfully_). No. (_A pause._) Do you know where Mrs. Fisher keeps the cough drops?

M. I do not, sir.

MR. F. Well, then, it’s no matter. I’ll wait till she comes.

M. Very well, sir.

(_Exit MARY, L._)

(_MR. F. leans back in his chair, and rocks for a few moments with closed eyes. He then opens his eyes, and rises slowly._)

MR. F. It must be that Susan keeps the cough mixture in the closet. I’ll see. (_Goes to closet, L., and returns, bringing a bottle, having no label on it, with him._) Yes, here it is. I will take a teaspoonful. (_He takes a spoon from the table, and filling it carefully, swallows the contents._) I hope that will make me feel better. (_Sits down again in the rocking-chair._) I don’t see what keeps Susan away so long. It always was a mystery to me how women could enjoy shopping as they do. (_Begins to cough._) I believe I’ll go into the dining-room and get some water. (_Goes out, R.; enter MARY, L._)

M. (_looking around_). So master’s gone out. It’ll do him good, I’m thinking. Sure I don’t see how missis gets along wid him, when he’s so fussy. (_Goes to closet, L., and after a short stop, returns and exit, L. MR. F. reappears, R., bearing a glass of water, which he places on the table. He continues to cough._)

MR. F. The water does not remove the irritation in my throat. I must take some more of the drops. (_Goes to closet, L., and returns with a bottle; a label on it this time. He gazes at the label, and starts back in terror._) What’s this? Poison? And I’ve already taken a spoonful of it! That was what made me feel so strangely. Oh, I’m a doomed man! (_He rings the bell violently, and sinks into a chair. MARY enters, L._)

M. Oh, lor sakes, what makes you look so pale, sir?

MR. F. (_excitedly_). I’ve taken poison, Mary. I feel a pain in my side, already. Why doesn’t Mrs. Fisher come home? Oh, dear, what shall I do?

M. Can’t I get you something to take, sir?

MR. F. (_impatiently_). Oh, no, no. I’ve taken too much already. Nothing would help me now. I feel the poison coursing through my veins already, and cold chills are passing over me. Bring a blanket to cover me, Mary. I hope I shan’t die before Susan comes.

(_MARY brings a pillow, which she places behind him, and puts a blanket over his knees._)

M. Don’t you feel a little better now, sir?

MR. F. (_with an injured look._) Better! People don’t usually feel better when they are dying. (_Sound of a bell is heard outside._)

M. Mrs. Fisher is come.

(_Exit MARY, L., and, in a moment, enter MRS. FISHER and HELEN, R._)

MRS. FISHER (_with solicitude; going toward her husband_). Why, Lewis, what’s the matter? Are you sick?

MR. F. Yes, Susan; not merely sick, but dying.

MRS. F. (_perplexed_). What can you mean, Lewis? You left home this morning apparently well, and, after an hour’s absence, I return to find you nervous and excited. You look sick, too. Do tell me what is the cause.

MR. F. (_excited_). That I can very easily do. I was sick—quite feverish—and had a bad cough, so I thought I’d take some drops to relieve it.

MRS. F. That was right.

MR. F. I went to the closet, and took a spoonful, and thought they helped me. So, in half an hour, I went and got some more to take, when I noticed the label on the bottle, and found that, instead of cough-drops, I had been taking poison.

MRS. F. O Lewis, how could you make such a mistake? (_Clasping her hands._) What shall we do?

HELEN (_coolly_). Send for the doctor, I should say, if you haven’t both taken leave of your senses.

MRS. F. Yes, send Mary for the doctor at once. Why didn’t we think of it sooner?

MR. F. (_dismally_). It will do no good. Nothing can be done now. I feel cold chills passing over me. I shall not probably be alive when he reaches here. It will only take up the little time there is left.

H. I shall send Mary for the doctor, at all events.

(_Exit, L._)

(_MR. F. moans frequently. MRS. F. is occupied in chafing his wrists. Suddenly MR. F. speaks._)

MR. F. Susan.

MRS. S. (_through her tears_). Well, Lewis.

MR. F. You’ve been a good wife to me, Susan.

MRS. F. I’ve tried to be, Lewis.

MR. F. I’m glad you will be left in comfortable circumstances at my death. I’ve left my whole property to you. In my little black trunk you will find all my valuable papers. Here is the key. (_Passes it to her._)

MRS. F. (_sobbing, but takes the key_). Don’t think of such things, Lewis. You must live—for me. I’m sure that the doctor can help you.

MR. F. (_mournfully_). No, it’s too late—too late. I would like to have lived longer, but I must submit to my fate.

(_Enter DR. GIBBS, L._)

DR. GIBBS (_cheerily_). Well, my friend, what’s the matter with you?

MR. F. (_tragically_). Poison!

DR. G. (_surprised_). What! Got tired of living, hey?

MR. F. (_wearily_). Tell him about it, Susan.

MRS. F. It was a terrible mistake, doctor. He intended to take some cough drops, but, instead, took some laudanum.

DR. G. (_feeling his pulse_). How do you feel?

MR. F. I feel cold chills passing over me, and it seems us if a thousand needles were pricking my flesh; and I have got a terrible headache.

DR. G. But those are not the symptoms of poison. How long is it since you took it?

MR. F. More than an hour and a half ago.

DR. G. I don’t believe it was poison at all. I see no signs of it.

MR. F. But I saw the label.

DR. G. Let me see the bottle. (_MRS. F. brings the bottle from closet, L. DR. G. smells of the mixture, and then prepares to taste it._)

MRS. F. Oh, don’t taste it, doctor. It may be the death of you too.

(_The doctor lifts the bottle to his lips._)

DR. G. This is not poison. It is cough-drops, as I expected. Moreover, it is some that I mixed myself, and I know there’s no poison in it. But how came that label on it?

MRS. F. I prepared the label just before I went away, and told Mary to paste it on the bottle of laudanum. But it seems she must have pasted it on the wrong bottle.

MR. F. (_eagerly_). And haven’t I swallowed poison, after all?

DR. G. (_dryly_). Not unless you’ve taken it from some other bottle.

MRS. F. How thankful I am that it was a mistake; aren’t you, Lewis?

MR. F. Indeed I am. (_A pause._) By the way, Susan, you might as well hand me back the key of the little black trunk.

(_Curtain falls._)

DEACON ROBINSON’S PRESENT.

CHARACTERS.

DEACON JONATHAN ROBINSON, Delegate to Political Convention. MRS. IRENE ROBINSON, His Wife. DOCTOR LEWIS CUMMINGS, Physician of Rossville. MR. CHAS. HERBERT FITZ HOWARD, A Young Exquisite. LANDLORD. JOHN. TWO POLICEMEN.

(_DEACON ROBINSON is attired in a blue suit. The coat is short-waisted, old-fashioned, and ornamented with brass buttons. He wears a broad-brimmed beaver, far from new. CHARLES HERBERT FITZ HOWARD is dressed in the height of fashion, wearing a jaunty little hat on the side of his head, and a suit of clothes cut in the most fashionable style._)