Patriotic Plays and Pageants for Young PeopleMackay, Constance D'Arcy
History
Patriotic Plays and Pageants for Young People
Mackay, Constance D'Arcy
Pageants; Patriotic plays, American
Tom Bush offers a penknife for one of the skins. Dark Cloud stands with
arms haughtily folded. Tom Bush adds a gay handkerchief to the
penknife. Dark Cloud shakes his head, and stalks back to his circle.
Sits with his brother Indians. Much conferring and shaking of heads.
Equal pantomime on part of settlers. Lincoln is keenly watching the
scene, but still apart from it all. Suddenly Red Plume rises and, with
slow dignity, approaches Lincoln.
RED PLUME.
How!
LINCOLN.
How!
RED PLUME
(with indicatory pantomime).
Red Plume know Lincoln. Lincoln heap square. Lincoln heap just. Honest
Abe decide.
[Lincoln rises, and comes to center foreground. Dark Cloud rises from
his circle and brings skins. He stands at Lincoln's left. The other
Indians rise slowly, cross, and stand behind Dark Cloud. At Lincoln's
right stands Tom Bush, and back of Tom Bush the youthful settlers. They
have gathered together things they wish to trade, such as a fine
blanket that was brought with the picnic blankets, hatchets, etc. Tom
Bush is the first to start the trading. He adds to the handkerchief and
penknife which he showed before a small hatchet. Both Dark Cloud and
Tom Bush, after they have laid their possessions on the grass, look at
Lincoln. Lincoln nods. The trade is made. Through all that follows
Lincoln stands center, as a court of appeal. No trades are consummated
until he has given the signal of an affirmative nod.
The Indians offer furs of various descriptions.
Francois trades off his red sash to Red Plume.
Amy Roby trades her chain of beads for an Indian basket.
Red Plume signifies interest in Andrew Smith's fiddle. He takes it up.
At this the Indian maidens laugh amongst themselves. Red Plume tries
the fiddle. It makes a very hideous squeak. At this two of the Indian
maidens laugh outright. But Red Plume continues to be enamored of the
instrument. He offers to exchange more and more skins for the fiddle,
but Andrew Smith shakes his head. So no trade is made. Red Plume
reluctantly relinquishes the fiddle. A backwoods lad trades off a
blanket for some of Red Plume's furs, and the chieftain appears
mollified. Now that the trading is over both settlers and Indians
appear to be pleased with their possessions. Through all that has
transpired, Lincoln has been the central figure, appealed to again and
again. The Indians solemnly exeunt with their new possessions towards
background.
NANCY LINCOLN
(turning to Abe).
You don't know how proud I am to hear them call you "Honest Abe." I
shouldn't be surprised if someday you did something wonderful and
splendid!
LINCOLN
(smiling at her enthusiasm).
"Someday's" a long way off, Nancy!
NANCY LINCOLN
(with conviction).
Well, I believe that even if a boy _is_ poor, and was born in a cabin,
if he's as honest and hard-working as you are, Abe, he's sure to come
out finely. Now, let's go home!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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