KEZIA. Thee'rt smiling, Joe! Thee and me 'ave both hungered for the same thing. Did thee guess it at all, I wonder? I've kept it from thee a while to make sure. But, lor'! my dear life! whatever be this that you've got here? [_She pulls the long cane out of Joe's hands and holds it in hers. They both look at it very solemnly for a few moments, and Joe scratches his head sadly, unable to speak. She bursts into a merry laugh and her lips tremble._] Eh! Joe! lad! [_softly._] Thee was always unlike other chaps; that's why I do love thee so. Fancy thee guessing, and going to buy him somethin' right away! [_She puts her face in her hands and sobs and laughs together._] Oh! it brings it so near like. Most men would have thought of a cradle or a rattle, but thee! Oh! my dear! [_She throws her arms round his neck and kisses him on the mouth._] Thee thought of the first beatin' we should be forced to give him, for, of course, he'll be a lad of tremenjous spirit. JOE [_suddenly, and snatching the cane from Kezia._] So he will. Both his father and mother be folk of great spirit, and--the first time as he dirts the tablecloth or frets his mother, I'll lay it on him as, thanks be, I've never laid it on nobody yet. [_Curtain._] THE CONSTANT LOVER A COMEDY OF YOUTH BY ST. JOHN HANKIN Copyright, All rights reserved. "_As of old when the world's heart was lighter._" THE CONSTANT LOVER was first produced at the Royalty Theatre, London, January 30, 1912, under the direction of Messrs. Vedrenne and Eadie, with the following cast: EVELYN RIVERS _Miss Gladys Cooper._ CECIL HARBURTON _Mr. Dennis Eadie._ Reprinted from "The Dramatic Works of St. John Hankin," by permission of, and by special arrangement with, Mr. Mitchell Kennerley. THE CONSTANT LOVER A COMEDY BY ST. JOHN HANKIN [_Before the curtain rises the orchestra will play the Woodland Music (cuckoo) from "Hansel and Gretel" and possibly some of the Grieg Pastoral Music from "Peer Gynt," or some Gabriél Fauré._ SCENE: _A glade in a wood. About C. a great beech-tree, the branches of which overhang the stage, the brilliant sunlight filtering through them. The sky where it can be seen through the branches is a cloudless blue._ _When the curtain rises Cecil Harburton is discovered sitting on the ground under the tree, leaning his back against its trunk and reading a book. He wears a straw hat and the lightest of gray flannel suits. The chattering of innumerable small birds is heard while the curtain is still down, and this grows louder as it rises, and we find ourselves in the wood. Presently a wood pigeon coos in the distance. Then a thrush begins to sing in the tree above Cecil's head and is answered by another. After a moment Cecil looks up._] CECIL. By Jove, that's jolly! [_Listens for a moment, then returns to his book._]