much, that they never found anything but two buttons off of the left tail of his coat. MRS. A. Yes, I know it's an awful depopulatin' kind of an article. I 'spose you wouldn't be afeard to take it away when you brought it here? BOB. Well, I don't know about that. I didn't know it was dynamite when I brought it, but I'm purty sure that's what it is now; and I'd feel awful vexed and sorry if I'd get blowed so bad that they couldn't find nothin' but two buttons of my coat tail. MRS. A. But if you carry it carefully I think it will not go off. I want it pitched into the mill pond. I'll pay you well for takin' it away. BOB. How much will you give? MRS. A. Name the price yourself. BOB. I'll do it for two dollars. MRS. A. (taking out the money.) Here's the money. Now, go quick, but do be careful. BOB (taking the money; aside). Crackee! I might as well have said ten dollars. (To Mrs. Amberson.) If I get reckless enough to open the box, you'll give me all there is in it, will you? MRS. A. Yes, yes; you can have all. But, for goodness sake, don't open it. I give you fair warnin' and I don't want to see you killed. BOB. All right; I'll touch it easy. MRS. A. Be very careful. Come, John, we'll go out. Don't touch it till we get away. Come, John! [Exit Mrs. A. BOB. You needn't be in a hurry, John. I don't think it will hurt you. MRS. A. (outside.) Come, John; come this minute! BOB. John, we can have some fun out of this box. BOB. I've got a pistol, you know, and I've got a big load of powder in it,-blank load, you know. I'll take the box out and take the things out of it and JOHN. But don't you think there's dynamite in it? BOB. Dynamite! fiddlesticks! I reckon there's nothin' but some things for the old woman, and it would be a pity to have them chucked into the mill pond. I ain't afeard, anyhow. Well, I'll take the things out and bring the box back and tell them there was no infernal machine nor nothin' about it, and then when I get some of the folks near to it, I'll fire off the pistol and make them jump. JOHN. That will be good fun. MRS. A. (outside, calling.) John! John! come out of that— come this very minute! JOHN. I'll be there, ma, but Bob isn't goin' to touch it for a few minutes yet. Enter Mrs. Jackson, with a large hammer in her hand. MRS. JACKSON (excitedly). Where's that box? Where's that infernal machine? Where's that treacherous, longtongued old woman? BOB (pointing). There's the box, and that's what is 'sposed to be the infernal machine. If you mean Mrs. Amberson when you say "That treacherous, long-tongued old woman," she's jest gone out,—she's afraid of the machine. I'm going to take it away. MRS. J. No you're not! (Commandingly.) Let it alone! Call in that woman! Call her in instantly! BOB. If you want that woman, call her yourself. I'm paid for takin' this box away and I'm goin' to take it. (Goes to box as if to lift it.) MRS. J. (loudly.) Don't touch it, you varmint! (Raises her hammer.) Don't you dare to touch it, or I'll knock the head off of you! BOB (stepping back). Crackee! she's kinder got her dander raised. MRS. J. (calling loudly.) Almira Amberson! come here immediately! Come immediately, I say! (To Bob, who has advanced a step.) Don't you dare to touch that box; I'll attend to it! BOB. I think from your appearance at the present time you're kinder crazy. MRS. J. Silence, you varmint! I'll straighten things up or my name isn't Maria Jackson. (Calling loudly.) Almira Amberson, come here immediately! Better not delay, you jealous old blatherskite, or there'll be an earthquake! BOB. And I reckon an earthquake would be worse'n a box of dynamite. Enter Mrs. Amberson. MRS. A. What's the matter now? What are you screechin' about, Maria Jackson? MRS. J. Oh, you're here, are you? You told Jane Jenkins and Jane Jenkins told Matilda Patterson that I sent you an infernal machine to get you blowed up, because Deacon Barker was payin' more attention to you than to me! Now, you deceitful, mean scandalmonger, I'm goin' to smash the box for you! (Swings the hammer.) I'm no coward,I'm not afraid of dynamite, and I'll show you that I didn't send the box! BOB (aside, and pulling out his pistol). Hokey! I'll get a chance yet to make a crack. As soon as she strikes the box I'll shoot. (Turns his back so that they will not see his pistol, but looks around occasionally to see when Mrs. Jackson strikes the box. MRS. A. Better be careful, Maria. I don't want to see you blowed up; but if you are going to smash the box, I want to say that I didn't say positively that you sent the box, but I thought it possible that you did. I could not think of any other who would be more likely to be an enemy. MRS. J. Oh, yes, that's your way,-crawl out of it! Well, here goes for the box, anyhow. (She strikes the box a tremendous blow, and at the same time Bob fires his pistol. Mrs. Amberson runs out screaming. Mrs. Jackson drops the hammer and springs back.) Goodness! what was that? BOB. Better not strike it again, Missus. It shoots once before it blows. The next time it would level the town. MRS. J. You young rapscallion! you fired a pistol,-that's what's the matter! (Takes up the hammer again and hammers until the box is broken open.) You can't frighten me with your pistol again. (Takes a pair of boy's boots, a shawl and a letter out of the box; calls.) Almira Amberson, come here! Come here immediately! Enter Mrs. Amberson. MRS. A. Are you hurt? Did it shoot? MRS. J. No, I'm not hurt, and it didn't shoot! That good-for-nothing Bob Bunker shot off a pistol-that was all. (Holding up the boots, shawl and letter.) Here's the dynamite that skeered you so bad, Almira Amberson, and made you wag your tongue ag'in me so shamefully! Take the letter and see who it's from. MRS. A. (taking the letter and glancing over it.) Why-it's from my niece, Sarah Amberson! JOHN. I'm mighty pleased to get these boots! Вов. I'm pleased on account of the two dollars! and didn't I make 'em jump with my pistol? MRS. J. Now, are you satisfied that I didn't want to blow you up on account of the Deacon? MRS. A. Maria, I ax your pardon. MRS. J. It's all right, Almira. (To audience.) And I'm glad I stepped in to smash the box and set things to rights. [Curtain falls. THE CRUSADERS.*-ELLEN MURRAY. SCENE I.-A covered coffin on a bier; a king's crown on it; cross at head; monks and bishops standing behind; crowd opposite listening to a friar preaching; a red cross on his breast. FRIAR. You've come to see the dead face of your king Lying in state, unheeding of his crown. To-morrow you will crowd to see his son Crowned as King Richard, and forget the dead; But they who once have seen Jerusalem Forget not, till the strong right hand forgets Its cunning. Zion trodden under foot! Alas, Jerusalem! O city fair and sad, There's none to help her. Scowling through her streets No Christian kneels in lone Gethsemane; No Christian prays by blessed Calvary; The blood of murdered Christians soaks the streets *About the middle of the twelfth century, Henry the II, of England, grieved by the rebellious and disobedient conduct of his sons, died of a broken heart. His son Richard the First came to see the king's body lying in state in the Abbey Church of Fontevrault, and expressed great grief and penitence. Shortly afterwards he assumed the badge of the Cross, and with Leopold, of Austria, and Philip, of France, led a crusade to Palestine. Quarrels soon arose between them, one of which was caused by the Austrian Emperor, who, removing Richard s flag, placed his own on the same spot, an insult promptly avenged by Richard. Austria and France soon withdrew their forces, leaving the English to fight alone. They reached Jerusalem, but had not force sufficient to take it, and after concluding a peace with Saladin, the English king turned his face homeward. *6 Of mournful Salem. City of our Lord Bound in the oppressor's chain! My heart will break. CROWD. Down with the Turks! FRIAR. We'll help! And will you help? Why, with the cross before you, one would drive A thousand. Will you save Jerusalem, The Lord's own city, set her like a queen Again to be the glory of the earth,— Again to be a symbol fair of heaven? CROWD (shouting and pressing in to take the red crosses he holds out). Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Yes, yes! On to Jerusalem! FRIAR. Take then this cross, Blessed for the conquest. Those who fall shall see The New Jerusalem look out from clouds, Clear shining as the sun. WOMAN (to her husband). Come, come, good man, Push in before the crosses all are gone. HUSBAND. But what of you, and all our little ones? WOMAN. Go, get you gone. The good saints give me strength, I'll swing the blacksmith's hammer! HUSBAND (to Friar). Here's a strong hand to swing a bat tle axe Against locked gates, and batter down high walls! Let's see them bar my pathway! GIRL (to young man). YOUNG MAN. GIRL. I, too, can think. I'll think about it. You will go? Think just what you please. And never man who stays At home, a coward, speaks to me again! Enter officers and soldiers; young man in centre_with_princes coronet. OFFICERS. Give back, give back! you crowd the bier too close! Make way! Here comes King Richard! CROWD. "Tis the king! Long live the king! King Richard! Live the king! Richard throws himself on his knees at the bier, while the priests chant "Nunc dimittus." RICHARD. My father! O my father! Had I been A better son! If I had only done |