JUDGE (_enthusiastically_). Dear Lavinia, you have shown me how earthly are mere love and marriage compared to this mating of our souls. Never again will I annoy you with words of love. Such friendship is all I ask! MISS B. (_amazed, then indignant_). Stephen, I care not for your friendship! JUDGE (_surprised_). What mean you, Lavinia? MISS B. (_embarrassed, yet courageous_). I mean that I know--now--that I--I--love you, Stephen. JUDGE (_joyfully_). Can it be that you are willing to wed me? (_He comes nearer and looks tenderly at her._) MISS B. Yes, Stephen. (_He takes her in his arms._ MANDY _looks interested, then glad. At this point she exclaims._) MANDY. Hurroo! MISS B. (_sharply, turning about toward_ MANDY). Mandy, why are you still here? Go into the garden and finish the rose gathering. MANDY. Yes, missy. (_She takes basket and exits at_ L., _still clasping the teapot to her breast_.) _Enter_ BETTY _and_ WILL. _at_ R. JUDGE (_looking at_ BETTY _and_ WILL.). Lavinia, I pray you permit the young people to be as happy as we are. Will you not? MISS B. I will, at your bidding, Stephen. (_She goes toward them._) Betty! BETTY. Yes, aunt. _Enter_ MANDY _excitedly, holding up the beads. She still clasps the teapot._ MANDY. Here’s de gol’ beads, missy. Mandy found dem hangin’ on de rose-bush. (_She gives the beads to_ MISS B.) MISS B. Good Mandy. You shall be rewarded. Here, Betty, take your beads. I give William permission to put them about your neck with my blessing. BETTY (_joyfully_). Oh, thank you, aunt. (_She gives the beads to_ WILL.) WILL. I am deeply grateful, Aunt Lavinia. (_He clasps the beads about_ BETTY’S _neck and kisses her. The_ JUDGE _and_ MISS B. _stand hand-in-hand beaming at them_. MANDY _gazes joyfully also, still clasping the teapot. She turns suddenly to the cupboard which_ MISS B. _had left open, and seizes the tea-caddy. With this in one hand and the pot in the other, she cries._) MANDY. Glory! Glory! Dey has love and I has tea! CURTAIN New Plays A PAIR OF CRACKER-JACKS A Farce-Comedy in Three Acts _By Scott Byrnes_ Four males, four females. Costumes modern; scenery, one interior. Plays two hours and a half. An unusually lively and amusing farce for a very small cast, easy to produce and effective in performance. All the parts are good and the laughs equally distributed. Produced professionally in 1904; professional acting rights reserved. Royalty of ten dollars ($10.00) for amateur performance required by the author. _Price, 25 cents_ CHARACTERS JACK CRACKER, _a hard cracker_. JACK CRACKER, 2D, _a firecracker_. JUNIUS BRUTUS BANG, _in the_ “_profesh_.” COFFEE, _a colored brother_. MRS. JACK CRACKER, _Jack’s wife_. ESTELLE CLAYTON, _Jack 2d’s fiancée_. FLO. ATKINS, _Jack’s niece_. KATRINA VON HOOT, _Flo’s_ _double_. SYNOPSIS ACT I.--Afternoon. Exhortations. ACT II.--The same afternoon. Complications.