xt7pzg6g260m https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7pzg6g260m/data/mets.xml Fitch, Clyde, 1865-1909. 19201915  books b92-267-31959121v3 English Little, Brown, : Boston : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Brummell, Beau, 1778-1840 Drama. Hale, Nathan, 1755-1776 Drama. Frietchie, Barbara, 1766-1862 Drama.Moses, Montrose Jonas, 1878-1934. Gerson, Virginia. Plays  / by Clyde Fitch ; edited, with an introd., by Montrose J. Moses and Virginia Gerson. (vol. 3) text Plays  / by Clyde Fitch ; edited, with an introd., by Montrose J. Moses and Virginia Gerson. (vol. 3) 1920 2002 true xt7pzg6g260m section xt7pzg6g260m 


















      flemorial Ebition

PLAYS BY CLYDE FITCH

     IN FOUR VOLUMES
       VOLUME THREE

  























               CLYDE FITCH
In His Study, East Fortieth Street. New York City

 







PLAYS BY CLYDE FITCH

      IN FOUR VOLUMES

          VOLUME THREE
 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE
 THE GlIlL WITH THE GREEN EYES
         HER OWN WAY

    EDITED BY MONTROSE J. MOSES
       AND VIRGINIA GERSON



          BOSTON
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
            1920



fRimorial Zoition

 

























         Copyright, 1915f,

BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.

 

PREFATORY NOTE



  THE first act of "The Stubbornness of Geral-
dine" (a play which, much to the amusement
of Mr. Fitch, was burlesqued by Weber and
Fields as "The Stickiness of Gelatine ") is marked
by two popular characteristics in the dramatist's
work: a very clever and unusual stage set, and
an easy handling of minor details, which served
to bring into high light the human foibles of
minor characters. In the reading-and much
more so, in the acting -the spontaneity and
genuine good-natured observation of Mr. Fitch
are delightful, and contain a humor more search-
ing than the mere external value of the details
might suggest. In such a play as this one --
with a later extravagant piling up of detail in
"Girls" - the dramatist called down upon him
the censure of critics, who claimed that much of
his serious intent was obscured by his refreshing
habit - however provoking it might have been
                      V

 

PREFATORY NOTE



to the Press -of marking time by the use of
brilliant "slices of life ", having no inherent con-
nection with the mainrplot or wIth the main char-
acterization. Yet, though there may be critical
justification for such an attitude, it would be dif-
ficult for any stage manager to cut, for example,
from "The Girl With the Green Eyes ", such an
inimitable scene as that in the Vatican (Act II),
with the tourists.
  Undoubtedly, the source of "The Stubbornness
of Geraldine," as far as its opening act was con-
cerned, lay in Mr. Fitch's own experiences as a
bad sailor. The following reveals him in a typi-
cal sailor mood. "Here I am in London again,
but not right side up !-thanks to the awful
channel, which turned me inside out! Ugh!
Worse than ever-I came the long (cheap)
way! Never again. As C. F. [Charles Frohman]
says, I've been working like mad. I just stopped
writing now, x :45, A.m. But I must at least
start a letter before I go to my cold, damp bed
(as it is in London in September !)...."  There
does not seem to have been any other evident
desire on his part, in writing this light little com-
edy, than to afford a pleasing vehicle for a defi-
nite "star." From London, on May 24, I902,
he wrote: "I have finished my Mannering play!
. . . It seems to me all right, but I am too close



vi

 

             PREFATORY NOTE                vii

to it as yet. I can tell better in a month's time.
There is a very funny (I hope) young girl character
[The Girl from Butte] in the piece, which ought to
score almost as well as Mrs. Brown [Mrs. Gilbert's
part in "The Girl and the Judge "J."
  In this same letter he wrote: "I have also
finished, to-day, Act I of Mrs. Bloodgood's play"
["The Girl with the Green Eyes"]-a subject he
continually referred to.  An early reference is
found in a note from London, September 26, i894.
He wrote: "We'll have lots of fun this Winter
(serious fun, because it's not altogether comedy),
as I shall be writing on my 'jealousy' play. Wait
till you hear the idea !"
  After "The Girl with the Green Eyes" was
finished, there was some doubt as to whether or
not the heroine should be called Jinny. Under
date of July 3, 1902, we find this clear-cut com-
ment: "You see I want a diminutive name that
shall express affection from the speaker, and yet
be a little strong. Jinny has a certain strength
and character that Molly and Dolly or anything
I can think of haven't got." We refer to this, as
having no vital bearing on the main theme of his
play, but as distinctly pointing to the care he
gave to minor values in characterization.
  "Her Own Way" was written expressly for
Miss Maxine Elliott, as was also "Her Great

 

viii         PREFATORY NOTE

Match," and it is an example of Mr. Fitch's
adaptability to specific temperament. There is no
concrete source for this play; there is only the
popular fictionist's idea to blend sentiment with
an entertaining story. Sam Coast, however, was
definitely worked out and developed as evidence
of Mr. Fitch's masculine touch - so persistently
were critics scoring him for his clever manipula-
tion of feminine detail. Those in correspondence
with the dramatist at this time will recollect the
Scotson-Clark picture postcard for " Her Own
Way " - representing a striped sofa on which are
seated the actress and the playwright - the
latter reading aloud from the script of his drama.
  This third volume contains plays representative
of Mr. Fitch's prolific period at its height. Yet
it was temperamentally true of him that he was
always "working like mad."   On one of the
very last trips he made to New York from
Katonah, his mind full of the coming production
of "The City ", and the future of a new comedy
and a new "star", he was unable to see a friend,
and wrote explaining why. This explanation
consisted of an enumeration of eighteen engage-
ments kept between 4: 45 one afternoon and 3: 30
the next afternoon. In that time he interviewed
actors, engaged several players for the cast of
"The City ", rehearsed members of "The Blue

 

PREFATORY NOTE



Mouse" company, which was scheduled to open
in Chicago, had several business talks, arranged
for the shipping of his motor-car to Europe, super-
vised the scenery for "The City ", and finally
visited his doctor and dentist.
  This was a typical routine day spent in town.
Even then, Mr. Fitch's health was far from en-
couraging, and the doctors were trying to persuade
him to remain quietly at home. And there he
would in all probability have remained, had it
not been for the unprecedented London success of
"The Woman in the Case ", and Mr. Arthur
Bourchier's splendid cables regarding it. We
mention this as indication of the extravagant use
Mr. Fitch always made of his vitality. His
inventive period reached its top speed about the
time of the productions of the plays in this vol-
ume -a speed sustained for many years; but
his entire career was marked by a continuous
expenditure of prolific vitality.  He gave all
thought to his plays, his public, and his friends;
- little thought to himself.
                           MONTROSE J. MosEs,
                           VIRGINIA GERSON.
NEW YORK,
  JULY, 1915.

 This page in the original text is blank.

 



CONTENTS



PREFATORY NOTE

THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE .

THE GIRL WITH THE GREEN EYES

HER OWN WAY.   .   .    .



        PAGE
          v

         I

       . 225

      423

 This page in the original text is blank.

 
















THE STUBBORNNESS OF
     GERALDINE
     A PLAY IN FOUR ACTS

 

                        COPYRIGHT, 1906,

           BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.

                      ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


 This play is fully protected by the copyright law, all requirements of
which have been complied with. In its present printed form it is dedi-
cated to the reading public only, and no performance of it, either pro-
fessional or amateur, may be given without the written permission of
the owner of the acting rights, who may be addressed in care of the
publishers, Little, Brown, and Company.

 





















TO

E. S.



"THE ONLY WAY
A FRIEND IS TO



TO HAVE
BE ONE"
- EMERSON



FOR MANY YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN THE BEST

 This page in the original text is blank.

 


THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



ACT I. GERALDINE, TWVO DAYS FROM THE END OF HER
           VOYAGE HOME, FINDS LIFE SUDDENLY TAKING
           ON A NEW INTEREST.

ACT II. GERALDINE, IN THE VERY HOUR OF HER ARRIVAL,
           STUMBLES ON THE OLD ADAGE, "THE COURSE
           OF TRUE LOVE NEVER DID RUN SMOOTH."

ACT III. GERALDINE MEETS ONE OF THE BfrrER EPISODES
           OF LIFE WITH THE DETERMINATION TO LET
           NO ONE SOLVE HER PROBLEM FOR HER.

ACT IV. THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE.



  "No woman can pretend she loves a man, unless she has
faith in him, and the only one able to destroy that faith
should be the man she loves."-ACT III.

 This page in the original text is blank.

 

               CHARACTERS



GERALDINE LANG.
VI TOMPSON.

MRS. WRIGHTON.
FRAULEIN IIANDT.
MRS. JARS.
MRS. MATHEWSON.
MRS. DREED.
FIRST LADY PASSENGER-MRS. WHIPPLL.
SECOND LADY PASSENGER -MISS PINEY.
THIRD LADY PASSENGER-MISS LANSING.
STEWARDESS.

ANOTHER LADY PASSENGER.
COUNT CARLOS KINSEY.
MR. WRIGHTON.
LORD TILBURY.

MR. CRAGER.
JARS.
STEWARD.
THORNTON.
MAN PASSENGER.

EXPRESSMAN.
THE SHIP'S DOCTOR.

OTHER GUESTS AND PASSENGERS.

 This page in the original text is blank.

 


  Originally produced at the Hyperion Theatre,
New Haven, and on November 3, 1902, at the Gar-
rick Theatre, New York, with the following cast: -



Geraldine Lang .
Vi Tompson .
Mrs. Wrighton . . . .
Friulein Handt ....
Mrs. Jars .
Mrs. Mathewson
Mrs. Dreed.
Mrs. [larry K. Whipple
Miss Piney
Molly Lansing  . .
Stewardess
Another Lady Passenger
Count Carlos Kinsey .
Mr. Wrighton
Lord Tilbury .
Mr. Crager
Jars.
Steward
Thornton.
Man Passenger .
Expressman
The Ship's Doctor



            Mary Mannering
. ...    . . . Amy Ricard
......... .....     Mrs. Hone
...  . . .          .Anita Rothe
... .  . .  . Rosa Cooke
             Marian Gardiner
          Kathleen Chambers
... .   .          .Dene Woodruff
            Florence Stewart
       . . . Florence Breed
....  . . Carolyn James
... . .   .         .Anna Archer
               Arthur Byron
... . .   .         .John Saville
...........H.H a s s a r d - S h o r t
          .Albert S. Howson
... .   .          .Herbert Ayling
... .   .          .Charles Martin
            Sidney Mansfield
... .   .          .Charles Haskins
               David Proctor
. . . .   George Elwood

 This page in the original text is blank.

 

                     ACT I

The deck of a ship.     The railing is at the

  footlights, and beyond it, against the cabin's

  sides, are rows of steamer chairs facing the

  audience.  At Right of the Centre are double

  doors to the principal gangway; at Left of

  the Centre is a gangway through to the other

  side of the ship, where the audience sees the rail-

  ing and the sea and sky beyond. A long this

  gangway promenaders are constantly passing.

  Most of the steamer chairs have their bored

  occupants in them, and scattered about there is

  still the paraphernalia of a voyage two-

  thirds finished.  There are hal/-empty lemonade

  glasses perilously placed beside chairs, remnants

  of once white grapes, like tawdry boarding-

  house keepers who have seen better days, on
                        l  

 

12 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



  while plates tucked into out-of-the-way corners.

  A  conversational child is conspicuous.  It

  is late afternoon.

There is a few moments' silence; then a MAN

PASSENGER, reading, turns a page. The CHILD

drops her doll and picks it up. A MAN, on his

way around the ship, walks rapidly from Right

to Left in a businesslike manner of taking exer-

cise. Alter him Two GIRLS, arm in arm, walk

more slowly, talking, and disappear at Right.


WOMAN PASSENGER. [Querulously.] Steward!

STEWARD. [Off stage, Right.] Coming, madam!

                                   [He enters.

 MAN PASSENGER. Steward!

 STEWARD. [Hesitates at centre.] Yes, sir!

 WOMAN PASSENGER. Steward/I

 STEWARD. Yes, madam.

 [Going to the WOMAN and tucking in her shawl.

 

THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE 13



  WOMAN PASSENGER. I want some lemonade,

steward !

  STEWARD. [Going toward Right.] Yes, miss.

  WOMAN PASSENGER. [Calls alter him.] With

ice, plenty of ice, steward!

  STEWARD. Yes, miss.

                                     [Going.

  MAN PASSENGER. Steward!

  STEWARD. [Stopping near him.] Yes, sir.

  MAN PASSENGER. Can you tell me if this

damned boat is ever going to get across

  STEWARD. Yes, sir, we ought to land in another

day, sir.

                     [MAN PASSENGER grunts.

                  [STEWARD goes out at Right.

  [The MAN again walks rapidly by from Right to

  Left on his fourteenth lap and passes out of sight.

  FRAULEIN. [A thin, sweet-/aced German woman,

 

14 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINVE



wearing glasses, and inappropriately dressed for a

voyage.] A loafly day, not Yust ass glass, only

for de pig swells dat come efery leetle once. Here

comes one now!

  THE LADY WITH THE CHILD. Take care, Rosalie!

  [The STEWARD at the same time comes out of

    door with lemonade, and the ship rolls heavily

    forward, then back. Each motion is accom-

    panied by loud screams, shouts, and laughter,

    and a great clatter of crockery and glass.

    Oranges and empty glasses and cups roll

    down to the footlights, and some of the passen-

    gers are almost thrown ofi their chairs. The

    STEWARD is obliged to hang on to the doorway.

    When the lztr h is over, a great sigh of relief

    goes uip from those on the deck.

  MAN PASSENGER. Steward! Is that going to

happen again

 

THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDfA7E 15



STEWARD. I don't know, sir.

  [The STEWARD goes to the WOMAN PASSENGER.

  FRAULEIN. [To anybody, laughing.] Dat vas

ein corker!

  STEWARD. Lemonade, madam.

  WOMAN PASSENGER. Thanks. [The STEWARD

tucks up her shawl and makes her more rorn-

/orlable.] I'd like some prunes for my dinner,

steward.

  STEWARD. [Starting to go.] Very good, madam.

  WOMAN PASSENGER. Steward!

  STEWARD. [Stopping.] Yes, madam.

  WOMAN PASSENGER. When will we get in

  STEWARD. Couldn't say, madam.

  WOMAN PASSENGER. Well, I wish you'd go to

the captain of this boat and say that Mrs. Harry

K. Whipple, of Salem, Mlass., would like to know

just when we do get there!

 

i6 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



  STEWARD. Yes, madam.

  [Going toward Right, stops to tuck in a passenger.

  [The MAN, the amateur pedestrian, walks rapidly

    by Irom Right to Left again. The Two GIRLS

    pass him and join the FR.AULEIN. One of

    these is VI TOMPSON, a breezy, natural, whole-

    souled, perfectly untrammelled girl of the soil -

    a western Eve. Her companion is a more

    colourless young person, the sort of girl that

    would be content to rest in the contrasted shade

    o/ Vi's vivacious spirits.

  Vi. It would be a perfect day, wouldn't it, if it

weren't for these awful swells every little while -

they make you feel just like express elevators,

don't they

  FRAULEIN. Vere iss Mees Geraldine

  VI. Oh, she's all right! She's playing thing-

um-bob-you know that game-in the bow with

 

THE ST UBB ORANNESS OF GERALDINE 17



the English Lord. My dear I It's such a case !

I think you're the sweetest chaperon, or com-

panion, or whatever you are, that ever was I

Really, I do!

  FRAULEIN. Oh, Mees Geraldine iss quite safe.

She nefer need no chaperong!

  Vi. Well, I only wish mamma was like you!

I tell you it's lucky for me she's so seasick, or I

shouldn't be having any fun with the Doctor at

all! [This latter added in a more confidential

manner and amusedly.l    ISN'T he handsome!

Oh, my! And when we walk, you know, he goes

so fast I have to take his arm to keep up with

him! - have to I/I [Laughs.] Well! I think he's

perfectly lovely - that's all! Perfectly I

  FRAULEIN. And where iss your fader - that

he haf not see-



[Interrupted.

 

i8 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



  Vi. Oh, popper never sees anything, even on

shore, except figures and numbers. And on board

he lies in the smoking room all day. He's made all

our fees at poker, and won three pools besides!

Popper's awfully clever!

  [The MAN walks by again from Right to Left,

    and Vi's friend pulls her arm to notice him.

  Vi. [Looks at him, and then turns to FRXULEIN.]

I don't think he's so good-looking, do you Jess

is crazy about him. But of course I'm colour blind,

anyway; all I can see just now is brass buttons I

HE'S going to give me one for a hat-pin! Reallyl

[They start to walk again, and she calls back over

her shoulder.] Won't that be perfectly lovely!

  [A STEWARDESS, carrying a hot-water bag, fol-

    lowed by a STEWARD, lead ozu from the double

    doorway the figure of a pale woman, pretty well

    enveloped in wraps of an indiscriminate sort.

 

THE STUBBORNAWESS OF GERALDINE i9



    They place her care/ully in an empty chair

    Left of FRAULEIN.



  Vi. [Stopping.] Oh, here's Miss Piney! I'm

so glad you're feeling better.

  STEWARDESS. Oh, yes, she'll be hall right now

she's hup and hout in the hair!

  Vi. Yes, indeed! And it's a beautiful day!

  [MISS PINEY rolls her eyes, as much as to say

    at present there can be no beauty in any day

    for her.

  FRAULEIN. Unt de sea yust like a mill pond

-parfecdly smoot except yust every leetle

once !

  Vi. You look splendidly, Miss Piney, not at

all ill!

  [MISS PINEY is sale in her chair by now, and

    well wrapped, /rom her /eet with overshoes,

 

20 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERA LDINE



    to her head in its baby-blue crocheted arrange-

    ment. The hot-water bag is at her feet. She

    gives a long sigh, and lies quite still with her

    eyes shut.

         [The STEWARDESS goes back, downstairs.

  STEWARD. [To Vi.] Excuse me, miss, your

mother asked me to tell you she wanted to see

you.

                   [He ,follows the STEWARDESS.

  Vi. Oh, pshaw! Mamma's too boring! She's

always sending for me to ask if I've found out

when we land, or if popper's drinking too much.

And how can I tell [To FRAULEIN.] Say, if

the Doctor should come by here alone, won't you

grab him, please, and try to keep him till I come

back I just hate to leave the deck for five minutes

-because, of course, every other girl on this boat,

not to mention the five widows, crape and grass,

 

THE STUBBORNNVESS OF GERALDINE 21



are all dying to get him away from me! But I'm

not afraid of you! - You know what I mean!

  [And with her arm about her friend, she goes

    out through the double doors.

  FR-ULEIN. [To Miss PINEY.] I hope dat yer

vas feeling much better as already!

  [MISS PINEY opens her eyes to give FRAULEIN

    one miserable and speechless glance, and then

    closes them again.

  [The MAN walks on fromn Right, but as the

    ship sways far forward, stops, with his legs

    wide apart to steady himself. Again there are

    cries and laughter, the noise of crockery and

    glass colliding; several people slide from their

    chairs.  Down the   passageway  Lefl, half

    run, half fall LORD TILBURY and GERALDINE.

  [GERALDINE is a very handsome girl, with the

    love of life in her face and speech and tanner;

 

22 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



    like Vi, she is whole-souled and unaffected, bul

    she is more cultivated than Vi, more emotional,

    and with a more tender sense of humour.

  [TILBURY is a very good-looking, very smart-

    looking young Englishman, a "good sort, "

    who needs, however, more experience and more

    years than the average man to get him out of

    his salad days.

  GERALDINE. [Cries out.] Lord Tilbury!

  [She clutches him to save herself from  falling.

    He falls, but she remains standing, and all

    brace themselves for the return roll of the

    ship. This being duly accomplished, the

    travellers settle down again. The STEWARDS

    run hither and thither, and GERALDINE helps

    LORD TILBURY to rise.

  TILBURY. Thanks awfully. So glad it wasn't

you !

 

THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE 23



  GERALDINE. [Laughing.] So am I!

  [MISS PINEY slowly rises, feebly, and with diffi-

    culty extricates herself from, her belongings.

    GERALDINE and TILBURY hurry to assist her

    to the doorway, where the STEWARDESS takes

    her and she retires.

  GERALDINE. Miss Piney's even a worse sailor

than you, Lord Tilbury.

  TILBURY. But really - I haven't been seasick.

Really! Really! It was only a cold with dizziness.

  GERALDINE. [Laughs pleasantly at him.] I

know that cold! And Miss Piney, she has heart

weakness, that's all -  she's not seasick.  0 dear,

no! Only heart weakness!

  TILBURY. And what is your pet illness

  GERALDINE. I love the sea, and never am ill on it.

  TILBURY. And on the land

  GERALDINE. I never am ill on the land, either!

 

24 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



  TILBURY. Really !what a beastly healthy person!

  GERALDINE. Oh, do hit some wood quick or

my luck may change. [She stamps on the deck

with her right heel. lie jollows her action.]

Thank you! I think I'll sit down. [Sitting on the

arm oj FRiULEIN'S chair.] Do you know my friend,

Fraulein Handt

                          [She introduces them.

  FRAULEIN. I 'ave knowed your fader at sight,

Lord Tilbury.  I vas one time governess in de

Austro-Hungary Embassy, unt he vas often to de

house.

  TILBURY. Really! I don't know my father

very well!

  FRAULEIN. Ah, but dat vas ven you vas at

school.

  [She settles back in her chair to let them talk

    together without her.

 

THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE 25



  GERALDINE. Are you coming down to dinner,

Friulein 

  FRXULEIN. I tink not, I go sleeping now.

                              [Closes her eyes.

  GERALDINE. [Amused, aside to TILBURY.] The

dear creature thinks that's lact!

                           [Both laugh gently.

  TILBURY. She's an awfully good sort, isn't she

How long have you been abroad, Miss Lang

  GERALDINE. One hundred years!

  TILBURY. Really!!

  GERALDINE. Well, it seems that! Ever since I

can remember; I came over here at the age of five!

TILBURY. Really!

  GERALDINE. I haven't a relative in the world,

but I've some property in New York, and that is my

home, and I'm happy to say at last I'm going back!

  TILBURY. Really !

 

26 THE STUBBORNNESS oF GERALDINE



  GERALDINE. [Laughingly.] Ij you say "really"

again, I think I shall die!!

  TILBURY. I beg your pardon-

                                   [Interrupted.

  GERALDINE. I'm sure it must sound very strange

to you, but it's really very simple! At the age of

four I was left to my last relative, an uncle, a -

I have gathered and imagined and intuitived-

rather gay person, who wouldn't accept a little

girl niece as a gift!

  TILBURY. You might be in the way, I sup-

pose!

  GERALDINE. Exactly! Who says Englishmen

are dense!! So he railroaded me off to Stuttgart-

of all dull places !-with a dear old German lady,

the aunt of Fraulein. Didn't he, Fraiulein

  FRXULEIN. Yah!

  GERALDINE. [Amused, to TILBURY.] Not asleep

 

THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE 27



yet! Well, when she followed all my other rela-

tives, except Uncle Ray, she left me in charge of

my friend here, who is the dearest thing in the

world - aren't you, Fraulein  [FRXULEIN snores.]

She's only pretending!  She's too modest to

answer that question.  [FR.XULEIN giggles.] I

told you! [They stroll down to the rail and lean

on it, looking over.] Well - now my uncle died

last month, and he's left me a big fortune and a

magnificent new house.

  TILBURY. He left you everything!

  GERALDINE. Everything!!

  TILBURY. He never married, then

  GERALDINE. No; they say he never could decide

on which!

  TILBURY. Isn't there any one there you

know 

  GERALDINE. Yes, the old housekeeper, and

 

28 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



her husband, who is butler. I have childish

memories about them both. Mrs. Jars was a

dear, fat, jolly woman, with a pocket never empty

of sweets -Oh, I loved her!

  TILBURY. Are you glad to be going back to

America 

  GERALDINE. Glad!! Glad!!    Surely an Eng-

lishman knows what love of one's country means ! -

how it's born in one, and nothing ever gets it out!

Let me tell you something! The day I sailed, a

pale, small, timid girl, this same uncle gave me, to

wave from the boat, a little stars and stripes;

Uncle Ray DID love his country - as well as a few

other things! Perhaps you'll think it silly of me,

but from that day to this I've never let go that lit-

tle flag. I've travelled all over Europe, but never

went to sleep one night without it under my pil-

low at first, and afterward in a little sort of amulet

 

THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE 29



about my neck [Taking hold of a chain she wears.],

when it threatened to become rags! Glad to go

back to America It's what I've been dreaming

of, longing for, waiting for on tiptoe since the

very hour I left fourteen years ago!  Glad//!

I don't pretend to explain; I can only tell you that

even to speak of going back fills me with an emotion

I don't understand. I feel it here! [Her hand over

her bosom.] And here! [.At her throat.] It's-

why -it's home, you know, that's all!

  TILBURY. I know what you mean. I felt it in

South Africa.

  GERALDINE. [1With quick interest and sympathy.]

Were you in many battles there

  TILBURY. No, but I was in all the hospitals!

  GERALDINE. [She laughs.] Let's wvalk.   [To

FRAULEIN.] We're going to walk up and down a

little, just here in front of you.

 

30 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



  FRAULEIN. [Without opening her eyes.] Oh!

I vas not afraid ven you vill be lost! But don't

forget dat a long time de first horn for tinner have

tooted !

  GERALDINE. [As they begin to walk.] Now I've

told you the story of my life. Tell me yours!

Is this your first visit to America

  TILBURY. Yes, I've been to Ireland and Paris,

besides South Africa, but of course New York is

different.

  GERALDINE. But New York isn't America!

  TILBURY. No, I suppose not - there's Chicago,

isn't there, and Washington -[Stops walking.] -

only I hear that's very cosmopolitan,-and there

used to be a Boston, didn't there

  GERALDINE. Horrors!!

  TILBURY. Across a bridge

  GERALDINE. [With relie/.] Oh! you're mixed;

 

THE STUBBORA'ESS OF GERALDINE 31



there used to be Brooklyn, but now it's greater

New York!

  [They start to move on again and meet VI coming

    with the DOCTOR from the opposite direction.

    As they pass, VI catches hold of GERALDINE'S

    arm, holding her back, and speaks in her ear,

    the DOCTOR standing a step or two in advance

    of her, and TILBURY discreetly waiting a few

    steps in front of GERALDINE.

  VI. I think you're just too mean for anything to

keep a real live lord all alone to yourself. Still, I'm

not mad, because I'VE got second prize! Don't

you think he's perfectly lovely!

  GERALDINE. [Amused.] Who

  Vi. Why, the Doctorl

  GERALDINE. Perfectly.

  VI. [Going on with the DOCTOR, calls back.] I'll

exchange!

 

32 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



  GERALDINE. [Calls over her shoulder.] All

right !

  TILBURY. She's a jolly sort of girl. Where does

she come from

  GERALDINE. Her home is in Butte City, Mon-

tana.

  TILBURY. Really!

  GERALDINE. 0 dear, that awful word's come

back! Are you coming over to us to get mar-

ried 

  TILBURY. No, just the opposite. [They stop

walking.] So as not to get married.

  GERALDINE. [Opening her eyes wide.] "Really!

I'm afraid you're going to the wrong place! You

ought to have gone to where I've been-Stutt-

gart! Somebody's SURE to marry You in America!

                                 [They go on.

 TILBURY. No; you see it's this way.    I'm

 

THE STUBBORNNrESS Oh GERALDINE 33



awfully keen to marry Rosy Boggs. She's in the

Gaiety. Maybe you've seen her in the Toreador.

She's the third from the end on the right all through

the first act, and is the one that says, "lHe didn't

go this way!" [Eagerly.] Do you remember her

  GERALDINE. I don't think so.

  TILBURY. Perhaps you remember her in the

last act. She's on the opposite side in that act,

and she substitutes in the octette when any one of

the other girls are ill. [Stops.] But perhaps you

don't go every night. I've only missed two per-

formances, and one was a matin6e.

  GERALDINE. No, I wasn't in London long, and

I didn't go to the Gaiety regularly.

  TILBURY. Well, you'd have seen she's a lady

born, only her parents are a bit offish; the father

keeps a public house, and Rosy began behind his

bar, but she was too refined and couldn't stand it.

 

34 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



My governor's so obtuse he won't see Rosy a little

bit, and threatens to cut me off with a ha'penny -

isn't it awful !

  GERALDINE. If I loved her, I'd marry her

anyway.

  TILBURY. But Rosy won' I

  GERALDINE. Oh, then, Rosy doesn't love you.

  TILBURY. Yes, she does! She's aw/ul gone on

me, but she's so noble! She says she won't marry

me unless my father relents, because she couldn't

bear to have me cut off with a ha'penny, - don't

you see, - on her account

  GERALDINE. Oh, yes, I think I do see!

                                  [Laughing.

  [GERALDINE sings a couple o/ lines o/ "Rosy,

  you are my Posy."

  TILBURY. I say, you're awfully sympathetic.

I've been awful keen to talk to somebody about it.

 

TH/E STUBBORNVNESS OF GER'ALDINE 35



We're all in hopes I'll forget Rosy over here, but

I'm afraid I won't.

           [Bugle call /or dinner, in the distance.

  GERALDINE. Just wait! You've no idea what

damage American girls can do to a little memory

like that.

  TILBURY. You know you remind me a little of

Rosy - if you won't mind my saying it.

  GERALDINE.   Goodness - already!    If I've

shaken your precious souvenir the least little bit,

Miss Vi Tompson of Butte City, in her own

language, "won't do a thing to it! "

  [A STEWARD appears and gives loud bugle call

    /or dinner.  Many more people have been

    promenading during the end of this scene, and

    the speeches have been broken, interrupted, and

    continued, etc., as GERALDINE and TILBURY

    have made way jor the others to pass them. The

 

THE S7TUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE



    sun has also sunk; there is the clear light

    without the yellow of the sun, leaving only red

    and gold seen in the clouds over the horizon.

    At the sound of the call all rise /rom their chairs

    except WOMAN PASSENGER and F.AiULEIN. A

    STEWARD hurries in, and is busy helping the

    women, while another with the menu card waits

    on FRAULEIN and WOMAN PASSENGER. There

    is a general crowd walking about on the deck.

  GERALDINE. [Casually.] The last call.    I

suppose we must go down!

  [They move on and meet Vi. GERALDINE, with

    TILBURY, pauses and stops Vi.

  GERALDINE. Miss Tompson.

  Vi. My dear, aren't you going down

  GERALDINE. I want to present Lord Tilbury to

you.

  VI. How do you do, Lord Tilbury. [TILBURY



36

 

THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERALDINE 37



bows.] I am pleased to make your acquaintance.

I saw you the first day out, and I wanted to know

you then, you had such a perfectly lovely suit of

clothes on.  Didn't he, Miss Lang! It was the

sweetest suit on the boat! But you disappeared

for several days, till this morning!

  TILBURY. Yes, I caught a bad cold.

  VI. [Laughs.] Oh, come! It's been terribly

rough! I don't mind confessing that I was awfully

seasick.  I wanted to go straight down to the bot-

tomr, Paris clothes and all! Which reminds me

of the killingest story popper told us he heard from

the second officer. Oh, but I don't know Lord

Tilbury well enough to tell him funny stories yet.

  TILBURY. I hope after dinner we may become

much better acquainted, and shall look forward

with pleasure to the story. You will be on deck

after dinner 

 

38 THE STUBBORNNESS OF GERAALDINrE



  Vi. Oh, yes, I think it's perfectly lovely on deck

at night! I just adore the stars and the moon-

light, don't you! It makes you feel so happy and

sociable. Oh, I just think it's too lovely for any-

thing. Yes, siree!

  TILBURY. Till after dinner