“SECTION 4966:—Any person publicly performing or representing any dramatic or musical composition for which copyright has been obtained, without the consent of the proprietor of said dramatic or musical composition, or his heirs and assigns, shall be liable for damages thereof, such damages, in all cases to be assessed at such sum, not less than one hundred dollars for the first and fifty dollars for every subsequent performance, as to the court shall appear to be just. If the unlawful performance and representation be wilful and for profit, such person or persons shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be imprisoned for a period not exceeding one year.”—U. S. Revised Statutes: Title 60, Chap. 3. A MESSAGE FROM MARS CHARACTERS HORACE PARKER AUNT MARTHA (MISS PARKER) MINNIE TEMPLAR, _Adopted sister to HORACE_ ARTHUR DICEY BELLA, _Servant at the PARKERS’_ A TRAMP A MESSENGER FROM MARS MRS. CLARENCE SIR EDWARD VIVIAN, _An Astronomer_ } 1ST GENTLEMAN } _Guests of MRS. CLARENCE_ 2ND GENTLEMAN } OTHER LADIES AND GENTLEMEN } FOOTMAN, _At MRS. CLARENCE’S_ DR. CHAPMAN A WOMAN OUTCAST A POLICEMAN A NEWSBOY A WOUNDED MAN } POLLY, _his wife_ } 1ST MAN } _Crowd in Street Accident_ 2ND MAN } AMBULANCE DOCTOR } OTHER MEN AND WOMEN } 1ST WORKING MAN } 1ST WORKING WOMAN } 2ND WORKING WOMAN } _Refugees from a fire_ GIRL MOTHERING A BABY } AN OLD COUPLE } OTHER WORKING PEOPLE AND BABIES } SCENE: London. TIME: The Present. ACT I. A room in HORACE PARKER’S house. 9 p.m. ACT II. (A Dream) Outside MRS. CLARENCE’S house. ACT III. Same as Act I. The same evening. A MESSAGE FROM MARS ACT I _HORACE PARKER’S house, London, W. A living room with doors R. and L. Large window C. with curtains to draw. A sofa in front of window. A coat rack, or closet with curtain, containing three overcoats of HORACE’S and golf caps and sticks, L. Table L. on which are whiskey bottle, syphons, glasses, and jar of biscuits. On R. is a fireplace with fire burning. Up of fire is small stand. Below is a chair. A table in front of fire with armchair between it and fire. Another chair L. of table. A large standing oil lamp near table R. with red shade. This should have a greenish figure on a classical style, represented as holding or steadying the lamp standard. This figure is supposed to become the MESSENGER FROM MARS in the dream, only enlarged. The figure can, however, be omitted._ AT RISE: _Enter BELLA R. Lights lamp or turns it up. Draws curtains. Attends to fire, and exits L. Enter MINNIE TEMPLAR, dressed for a ball, followed by AUNT MARTHA R._ MINNIE. (_Looking about her_) He’s not here!