Gladys Ruth Bridgham

“ Cyn. Cap’n Berry, I should think you would be ashamed to talk so. Nobody loves you! Why, everybody in Bay Point loves you, and you know it.
Ber. (suddenly and bluntly) . Do you, Miss Cynthy?
Cyn. (very much confused and upset) . Why, my gracious, Cap’n! What a way to put it! How you talk!
Ber. (looking at her curiously) . I’m a regular old fool, Cynthy. I’ve had this on my mind for a long time and now, by tunket, I’m going to get it off and then I’ll stop mooning around like a sixteen-year-old kid! ”

“ All of us have! We all have a Beacon light we’re steering our course by. Well, jest as long as it’s been fair weather an’ you had your Beacon plain in sight you sailed along all serene, but jest the minute the fog shut in you lost your grip on the steering gear. Miss Cynthy, I reckon the Keeper of the Beacon expects you to believe that He is there and the Beacon is shining jest as bright as ever, and when the fog lifts the rays will be all the brighter to guide you in the right course. ”

“ Cyn. There’s lots of good men doing well in this world, but that don’t make it out you got to marry them all.
Ariel. I just can’t make up my mind to marry Nat.
Cyn. Of course you can’t. (Decidedly.) You are too young to marry any one.
Ariel. Why, lots of girls younger than I am marry.
Cyn. Well, because some folks is foolish—— (Suddenly stops and looks at her.) Land o’ goshen, Arey, there ain’t some one you want to marry, is there?
Ariel (faintly) . I didn’t say so.
Cyn. Who is it?
Ariel. No one in Bay Point, Miss Cynthy. And it can’t ever come to anything. ”

“ Why, genius just burns in him and he must let it out. If he keeps on this way you may have a famous writer in your family some day.” Wal, I declare to goodness, Lem nearly went crazy. He warmed Sammy plenty that night and then he set a shingle up on the kitchen mantel and told Sammy to keep his eye on it, and when he felt genius burning to jest remember that with his father’s help that shingle could make things a good deal hotter for him than ever genius thought of doing. ”

“ How soon will you see Arey?
Abner. Right off. I don’t see that we have provided any way to straighten things out with Miss Cynthy.
Nat (easily) . Well, she has managed to pull along all these years. Why fret now? What she doesn’t know isn’t going to hurt her.
Lem. (outside) . Cap’n Abner, are you up there?
Abner (going to door) . Yes.
Obad. Well, for the love o’ Admiral Dewey, listen to this! (Enters, followed by Lem.)
Lem. Say, Obed has discovered that there weren’t nothin’ took from the post-office last night.
Obad. Gosh all fog horns, no! I found the money box! Not a cent gone! ”

“ You ain’t? Well, I’d like to see the man, woman or boy in Bay Point that you ain’t some good to. Cap’n Berry, I didn’t suppose you ever got to feeling like this. I think you must have lost sight of the Beacon.
Ber. (suddenly looking up) . By tunket, Miss Cynthy, you’re right! That’s jest what I’ve done! I reckon I’m kind of tuckered out. I was jest naturally making a fool of myself, thinking there weren’t nobody on earth that loves me, and by Crismus, why should there be? I ain’t got relations same’s other men and I ain’t got no right to expect the same kind of happiness as other men. ”

“ Ariel (rising) . I must go back. Dad went to the store and I slipped out. (Takes her coat from chair and puts it on.) If he goes home and finds me gone such a night as this, he will sound the fire alarm and get out a searching party. (Kisses Cyn.) Good-night, Miss Cynthy. I—I—oh, I won’t say anything more to make you feel badly, but I can’t believe there is anything right about your going away. I’ll see you in the morning. Good-night. (Opens door, C.)
Cyn. Good-night, dearie. My land, it grows worse! You ought not to try to go home alone.
Ariel. Nonsense! (Exit.) I guess I know Bay Point. ”

“ Lee. That doesn’t express it, Miss Tinker. When I think of all the things that have happened since I left Orleans yesterday noon, I feel as if I had been struck by a landslide, and landed right side up in Paradise.
Cyn. Land, Mr. Gordon, that ain’t no way to talk.
Lee. Isn’t it? Well, if these muffins aren’t heavenly, I never struck anything that was. The only thing that worries me is a fear that you will regret your kindness in taking in a derelict, and want to withdraw from your part of the bargain. Do you? ”

“ Ask any one in Bay Point. Ask the girl herself!
Ber. (quietly) . And yet loving her you ask her to marry a man she doesn’t love. Kind of curious, ain’t it?
[Pg 54]
Abner (furiously) . Now see here, Cranberry, that’s my business.
Ber. (decidedly) . It’s mine, also. She is my daughter. If you will not give the girl happiness, I will take her from you and give it to her myself.
Abner (desperately) . You mean that—that——
Ber. Just this! Drop this Nat Williams business and never take it up again, and give Miss Cynthy Tinker what you owe her.
Abner. What do you know about Cynthy Tinker? ”

“ Say, what are you going to pretend you are doing in Bay Point?
Peter. Don’t let that worry you!
Lee. Well, you don’t want to choose the same thing I have.
Peter. Say, you make me tired! You haven’t got the only crop of brains on earth. I guess I can think up something for myself, and you just bet it won’t be any such silly line of labor as you are engaged in.
(Takes all the muffins from the plate and exits, C. Lee stands looking after him a second and then slowly exits by stairs. Slight pause.)
Enter Hep., C.
Hep. Cynthy! Cynthy! (Looks about, goes to door, R.) Where are you? ”

“ Sammy, you don’t really mean a man took your father’s pipe away from you? Bay Point folks don’t do things like that.
Sam. I don’t believe it was any one in Bay Point.
Hep. Nor in any other town. You march yourself home as straight as you can go.
Sam. No, no! I ain’t! Not alone! I ain’t a-goin’ out alone again to-night. He’ll jump out at me again. I’m scared an’—an’—cold.
Hep. Well, you jest go an’ tell your pa where his pipe’s gone to an’ you won’t complain about bein’ cold any more.
Sam. (beginning to cry) . It’s so, maw! It’s so!
Cyn. My land, Hepsy, he does look scared. ”

“ Arey Freeman is at home.
Cyn. Why, what do you mean, Hepsy?
Hep. Jest that! She come on the afternoon train. Her eyes hev give out and the doctor won’t let her study any more this year an’ she’s come home.
Cyn. Why, I can’t believe it. Are you sure, Hepsy? Have you seen her?
[Pg 5]
Hep. Oh, yes, I’ve been over. My Sammy told me first an’ I declare to goodness I didn’t know whether it was the truth or one of Sammy’s fairy tales. Sometimes I think that young one will be the death of me an’ Lem before we ever get him raised. It’s the most wearing thing! He keeps us guessing all the time. ”

“ Arey!
Ariel (with an effort) . Dad, will you go away please and leave me alone?
Abner (hesitating a second) . Very well.
(Exits with bowed head. Ariel gives a long sigh, goes to C. door and stands looking out for a second, then goes to doll house, opens door and takes out a large doll. She goes to bureau, unlocks a drawer, takes out a small box. Suddenly leans forward on the bureau, her head on the doll.)
Ariel. Oh, Alicia, has it come to this? (Sam. crawls cautiously out from under sofa. He steals toward the hammock and throws a pipe into it, then starts for door. Ariel suddenly turns.) ”

“ You do love the girl after all.
Abner. But great heaven man, I can’t square things with Cynthy Tinker without having people know the facts. Nat will tell.
Ber. Why don’t you do the telling yourself? If you have been cheating perfectly innocent people I think you will find that confession is a good thing for a guilty conscience. Anyway you have two paths to choose from, and you know what is at the end of each.
(Lee and Peter rush in, Ariel follows. Obad. and Nat. and Lem., Cyn. last with a letter in her hand.) ”

“ Abner. And if I refuse to bother Ariel any more what is it you are threatening?
Nat. Why, I don’t know as I have exactly threatened anything. Threatened isn’t a nice word. Of course you know that you owe as much to Miss Tinker as you did to my father. I don’t know exactly how you would come out if the thing was to go to court, but as long as Miss Cynthy is in need of money it looks to me like a question of honor on your part. I understand she is about to leave town to look for work. ”

“ Sammy, if you lost the pipe, why don’t you own up to it? It would be ever so much easier for you in the end.
Sam. (throwing his arms around her) . I didn’t, Miss Cynthy. A man took it!
Enter Hep., in hat and coat.
Hep. I’ll see you again ’fore you go, Cynthy.
Cyn. (going to door with them) . All right. My land! Ain’t it thick?
[Exeunt Hep. and Sam., C.
Hep. (outside) . I never see it worse. You can’t see an inch ’fore your nose. Walk along, Samuel Henry!
[Pg 8]
(Cyn. closes door, walks slowly to fireplace and puts some things into box.)
Ariel Freeman (calling from outside) . Miss Cynthy! ”

“ Hep. And my land, how did you happen ter get work on sech a night?
Cyn. The storm sent the work to me.
Hep. (astounded) . The storm sent it? Cynthia Tinker, what air you goin’ ter do?
Cyn. Well, I suppose you might as well know one time’s another. I’ve taken a boarder.
Hep. (with a little scream) . A boarder! Cynthy Tinker, who? Fer the land’s sake, tell me before I die!
Cyn. Hush!
Enter Lee by stairs.
Lee. Pardon me, Miss Tinker.
Cyn. That’s all right. Mr. Gordon, this is one of my neighbors, Mrs. Sawyer.
Lee. Delighted, I’m sure.
Hep. (all eyes) . Land sakes, I’m pleased to be acquaintanced. ”

“ Often when the gales have come and the storms have lashed around the old house and there’s been nobody but jest old Cranberry and his pipe, I have looked around my lonely settin’ room and wondered how it would seem to have Alicia on the other side of the fire and a little girl on the floor near by.
Abner. My heaven, Berry, I hadn’t thought of your part of this!
Ber. No, we usually get our own point of view. Mighty seldom we get the other fellow’s. ”

“ It’s all right, Mr. Gordon. I’ll get you some towels and then you can go right up.
(She exits R. Lee rushes to door, L., and pulls Peter into room.)
Lee. Pete! Quick!
Peter. For heaven’s sake! I had just got settled to eat lunch!
Lee. Up the stairs, quick! (Pushes him toward stairs.) I’ll be right up!
Peter (starting to go up-stairs, turns back) . Say, I forgot to tell you I got three. (Takes three pipes from his pocket.)
Lee (impatiently) . Three what? Oh, pipes! Three pipes already! Good work, old fellow! This is going to be some adventure.
Peter. Huh? I should worry about the adventure. ”

“ Hep. Ain’t he the beatenest young one!
Ber. (picking Sam. up) . You keep him frightened to death all the time. He will tell all about who took the pipe from him when you get ready to hear it.
Lem. Miss Cynthy, you hev taken a boarder?
Cyn. I have taken two.
Hep. Two? You don’t ever in this world mean that you have taken in that crazy——
Lem. Hepsy! Will you hush up? I don’t mean that fellow that’s just come to town this morning selling clothes sprinklers. I mean that fellow who was prowling around Bay Point last night in the fog. ”

“ He’s been a good father to her all these years. I can’t imagine what ails him now. Well, there’s lots o’ queer things in this world, and lots of unhappiness. (Suddenly.) Well, if I’m going to get dinner for—land, Cap’n Berry, I forgot to tell you. I’ve taken another boarder.
Ber. Well, you are rushing things, ain’t you? Say, Miss Tinker, do you know anything about the young chap you took in last night?
Cyn. No, not a thing!
Ber. Seems a good sort of fellow?
Cyn. He certain does. He’s got a real taking way with him. (Alarmed.) What’s the matter, Cap’n Berry? ”

“ Ber. Alicia’s little girl! (Slight pause.)
Cyn. (outside) . Arey! Arey! (Enters.) Land, Cap’n, I thought Arey was here. Are you here all alone?
Ber. (slowly) . Yes, alone, Cynthy. The way I’ve lived the most of my life. The way I’ll always have to live it.
Cyn. My land, Cap’n, you must be dreadful down and out to talk that way.
Ber. I ain’t a mite o’ good to any one on the face of the earth. ”

“ Good-night, Obed. (Locks the door; goes to fireplace; picks up box; carries it out R.; reënters; goes to mantel; winds a clock; goes to center table; picks up lamp; starts toward stairs; stops; half turns back; repeats softly.) “The fog is lifting and the Keeper of the Beacon is sending me brighter rays to steer my course.” (Suddenly speaks impatiently.) Cynthia Tinker, you sartain are the biggest fool that walks! (Starts toward the stairs.)
Lee Gordon (knocking at door) . Oh, I say! The house! (Cyn. turns back and listens, startled.) Is anybody home? ”

“ I don’t believe Abner would ever really go against her. He worships the ground she walks on, but he is acting queer all of a sudden.
Ber. What’s the trouble? Of course ’tain’t none of my [Pg 34] business, but sometimes an outsider can help, unexpected like, you know.
Cyn. I’m afraid no outsider can help in this. It looks like some trouble between Arey and Abner. He’s set on her marrying Nat Williams.
Ber. Cap’n Williams that sails for Howland Gordon o’ Boston? ”

“ George Arliss still continuing in the principal theatres, presents the builders of the foundations of the American Republic as real people, and its story adroitly illustrates not merely the various ability of its leading figure, Alexander Hamilton, but the unconquerable courage and determination that were his dominating characteristics. ”

“ Obad. By tunket, I don’t blame the kid. He will run away some o’ these days an’ never come back, an’ it’ll serve Lem durned right.
Lem. (angrily) . What in thunderation would I do? Let him grow up to be a teetotal liar?
Obad. Gosh all fog horns, yes, if he wants ter be! Half the world gets their living that way!
(All exeunt but Ariel. Abner comes back.)
Abner. You are going to stay up here, Arey? ”