Lords of Creation: Woman Suffrage Drama in Three ActsThayer, Ella Cheever
General
Lords of Creation: Woman Suffrage Drama in Three Acts
Thayer, Ella Cheever
Women -- Social conditions -- Drama; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- Drama
Alice. Ah, yes. We will go. (Aside, as they go up.) I will teach him
something about a woman's smartness after we are married. (Exit with
Doughlass, C.)
Dr. E. (R., looking after them). Poor foolish couple! I pity you both.
She is marrying him for his money, and he her for her good looks. And
good looks fade, and money is powerless to satisfy the cravings of the
heart, and then, what? (Enter Jim, C.) Well, Jim?
Jim. If you please, sir, will you want the carriage?
Dr. E. Not yet. By the by, Jim, have you fixed everything all right
with Jennie?
Jim. Not--not exactly, sir. To tell the truth (comes down L.), she has
been going on worse than ever since the master has been sick, and Miss
Kate has been, as it were, the head of the family. "There's a woman for
you!" says Jennie, "and do you dare tell me you have any business to go
and vote and Miss Kate stay at home?" says Jennie, and what can I say,
sir? It's not for me to set myself up above Miss Kate!
Dr. E. Poor Jim! Your love matters really do not glide along very
smoothly. But they never do, Jim (sighing), they never do.
Jim. You're very right, sir. To be in love is the most wearing thing I
know of.
Dr. E. I fear Jennie is a sad tease.
Jim. Tease, sir! Why, she even teases me in my dreams!
Dr. E. Then if she makes you so unhappy, why not give up all thoughts
of her, and--
Jim. Give up all thoughts of Jennie! Never, sir! Why, I had rather be
made that miserable that I am reduced to walking about in my bones than
give up Jennie. No, sir! It's a curious fact. (Enter Jennie, C.) A
strange weakness in the composition of a man is that the more unhappy a
woman makes him the better he likes her!
Jen. (coming down, C.). You don't say so!
Jim. Gracious Peter! I have done it now!
Jen. Yes, you are caught in a confession of great weakness!
Jim. I--I--take it all back.
Jen. You can't; it's boarded.
Dr. E. Right, Jennie. But what is this I hear about you?
Jen. (confused). About me, sir?
Dr. E. Yes, about your great aversion to our unfortunate sex?
Jen. Lor, sir, I don't know. I suppose Jim has been telling you some
nonsense or other! (Turns and makes face at Jim.)
Jim. No, I haven't, Jennie, upon my soul I haven't. I only told him
what you said about a man being inferior to a woman, that's all.
Jen. Oh! that was _all_, was it? Well, Mr. Jim, you are a smart young
man, you are! And besides, I never said anything of the kind. The fact
is, doctor, I expressed my sentiments to him, that's all.
Dr. E. And may I inquire what those sentiments are?
Jen. Oh! it's only that I don't believe in getting married and being
made a slave of and perhaps beat and told you don't know anything
because you are a woman: those are the sentiments he objects to, sir.
Jim. Good gracious, Jennie! Did I ever do any such thing?
Jen. Of course not; you never had a chance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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