[WILLIAM, _with_ LAURA _on his arm_, _returns_. LAURA _carries a small cucumber very lovingly_. LAURA. Julia, look! The first one of the season! O, isn’t it a picture! JULIA. O Laura, ’tis a fine wedding gift to be sure. WILLIAM. [_Stepping up to_ JOHN.] John, my man, here’s a five pound note to your pocket. I’d never have won this lady here if it hadn’t been for you. JOHN. [_Taking the note_.] Don’t name it, dear master. ’Tis a long courtship what has no ending to it, so I always says. MRS. GARDNER. ’Tis one upset after another, but suppose you were to make yourself useful for once, Susan, and bring out the tray with the cake and glasses on it. JOHN. Ah, that’s it, and I’ll go along of she and help draw the cider. Courtship be powerful drying work. LAURA. [_Looking into_ WILLIAM’S _eyes_.] O William, ’twas those Early Snowballs that did first stir up my heart. WILLIAM. ’Twas John who thought of them. Why, John has more sensible thoughts to the mind of him than any other man in the world—and when the cider is brought, ’tis to John’s health we will all drink. [_Curtain_.] PRINCESS ROYAL CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY ROSE, MARION, _village girls_. LADY MILLICENT. ALICE, _her maid_. LEAH, _an old gipsy_. SUSAN, _otherwise Princess Royal_, _her grand-daughter_. JOCKIE, _a little swine herd_. LADY CULLEN. _Her ladies in waiting_ (_or one lady only_). LORD CULLEN, _her only son_. * * * * * _As many girls as are needed for the dances should be in this Play_. _The parts of Lord Cullen and Jockie may be played by girls_. ACT I.—Scene 1. _A village green_. _Some girls with market baskets come on to it_, _each one carrying a leaflet which she is earnestly reading_. _Gradually all the girls approach from different sides reading leaflets_. _Under a tree at the far end of the green the old gipsy is sitting—she lights a pipe and begins to smoke as_ ROSE, _her basket full of market produce_, _comes slowly forward reading her sheet of paper_. _She is followed by_ MARION—_also reading_. ROSE. Well, ’tis like to be a fine set out, this May Day. MARION. I can make naught of it myself. ROSE. Why, ’tis Lord Cullen putting it about as how he be back from the war and thinking of getting himself wed, like. MARION. I understands that much, I do. ROSE. Only he can’t find the maid what he’s lost his heart to. MARION. [_Reading_.] The wench what his lordship did see a-dancing all by herself in the forest when he was hid one day all among the brambles, a-rabbiting or sommat. ROSE. And when my lord would have spoke with her, the maid did turn and fled away quick as a weasel. MARION. And his lordship off to the fighting when ’twas next morn. ROSE. So now, each maid of us in the village and all around be to dance upon the green come May Day so that my lord may see who ’twas that pleased his fancy.