1900
First performed: March 25, 1897
to
JOHN PRESTON SUTHERLAND
"who made the happy sunshine where these grew"
they are dedicated
by
HIS WIFE.
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
Suke Dury (of the class known as "po' white trash").
Drent Dury (her nephew).
Judge Page .
Dr. Calhoun Payne .
Carol Payne (his daughter).
Sal Hankers .
Zep Poon , Negro.
Milly , Negro.
PO' WHITE TRASH
Was first produced by Henry Woodruff, — for whom the part of "Drent Dury" was written, — at the Bijou Theatre, Boston, at a special matinee, given on March 25, 1897. On this occasion, Mr. Woodruff appeared as " Drent "; Miss Minnie Dupree as " Carol "; Miss Maud Hosford as " Suke "; Mr. Eugene Ormonde as " Judge Page "; Mr. Joseph Brennen as " Dr. Payne "; Mr. William B. Smith as " Zep "; Miss Rachel Noah as " Sal "; and Miss Mabel Dixey as " Milly ."
The play was again given by Mr. Woodruff, at the Lyceum Theatre, New York, on April 22, 1898. Mr. Woodruff again appeared as " Drent " and Miss Hosford as " Suke "; the " Sal " was Miss Ina Hammer; the " Carol ," Miss Jessie Mackaye; the " Dr. Payne ," Mr. Eugene Jepson; the " Judge Page ," Mr. Geo. Fullerton; the " Milly ," Miss Helen Lowell; the " Zep ," Mr. John Bunny.
The play was used professionally by Mr. Daniel Frawley, on his Western tour of the season of 1898 – 99. " Drent " was then played by Mr. Alfred Hickman.
The place is Georgia. The period is the present. The scene is the exterior of Suke Dury's cabin, on the edge of Oloochee Swamp. The time is late afternoon of a mid-July day.
The scene is a dilapidated cabin exterior. The cabin is set at an angle, R. 4. It is of logs, with a clay chimney; a single window with a broken shutter, half open. In front of it, a rude platform-like piazza. A rude bench on stage; in front of it, toward R. 2. A banjo is lying on the bench. The stage is covered with a whitish-yellow cloth, representing bare sand. The back drop a stretch of flat sand, dotted with clumps of coarse green grass; here and there, a tall, dead, fire-blackened tree. At L. 3, a mast-like, blackened tree-trunk, draped heavily with moss. Behind it, there is a narrow path, apparently ending with the swamp. From L. of stage, extending into wings, a thick matted undergrowth of lush, green, swamp-like bushes and plants, growing taller as they join wings. The light is hot, intense, yellow sunlight; almost from rise of curtain, however, the light begins to soften toward dusk; first growing red, then lilac, then clear violet-purple, then dark purple, etc. In front of cabin piazza, R. 3, a small iron pot, full of red coals and with a branding iron stuck down into it. Curtain music, "Swanee River." When curtain rises, Zep Poon is soundly asleep under tree, L. 3. He is a burly negro, intensely black; in cotton-checked shirt, open at neck; cotton overalls, brogans, above which his naked black ankles show. Beside him is his broad-brimmed, tattered straw hat. In the silence the locusts are heard, intermittently shrilling. After a second or two, Zep snores heavily, once or twice, and turns on his side, without waking; then snores again. Enter Sal Hankers, from road behind cabin, R. back. She is dressed in gaudy, cheap calico; her dress being apparently her only garment. Her face and hair are of a uniform clay-color. She carries her sun-bonnet dangling from its string on her arm. As she comes down, she glances indifferently at Zep. She seats herself leisurely on bench, R. She takes from her pocket a snuff-box and a stick, and dips the stick into the box, afterward rubbing it on her teeth. After a pause .
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( There is again silence. Sal fans herself and wipes her face upon her apron. The locusts shrill again and Zep snores .)
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( Suke Dury opens door of cabin, and stands framed in it. She is of Sal's type, but much more vivid. Her hair is of deep red. She has a rope in her hand, whose broken ends she is knotting together .)
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( R. )
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( Comes down C. )
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( C. )
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( R. )
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( Rises and ties on bonnet very deliberately .)
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( Sal turns to exit as she came, behind cabin, R. back; she comes violently into contact with Milly, who is just entering. Suke turns at the collision and Milly's noisy exclamations. Milly is a very black young negress, neatly dressed, and wearing a notably pretty and fashionable hat .)
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( Exit Suke into cabin .)
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( Striking out viciously .)
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( Dodging blow .)
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( Struggling to his feet and bowing and ducking obsequiously, with flourishes of his hat .)
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( Dazed .)
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( Mechanically echoing her ecstatic tone .)
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( Suke enters from cabin and stands looking out toward the swamp, shading her eyes with her hand .)
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( There is a pause of a second .)
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( Another pause; a soft, flute-like tremulo whistle comes faintly from the direction of the swamp .)
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( Milly tosses her head and moves toward back L. )
( With a flourishing bow .)
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( Turning .)
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( With a mock curtsey .)
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( Dr. Payne enters from behind cabin, R. lack. He is fat and jovial; he carries his saddle-bags across his arm .)
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( Exit Milly, bridling, L. back. Dr. P. seats himself on bench, puffing and blowing; tosses down his saddle-bags; fans himself with Panama hat. Zep approaches him, bowing and scraping .)
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( Exit Zep behind cabin, back R. )
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( Suke enters from cabin .)
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( Rises in wrath and begins to pick up his saddle-bags .)
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( Drent enters. He is dressed in ragged brown jean trousers, a dull blue shirt, open at the throat, and a ragged hat. He carries a shot-gun. A dilapidated game-bag is slung across him. He moves listlessly and is pale .)
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( Suke goes down to meet Drent. Under pretense of taking off his game-bag to examine it for game, she caresses him, with awkward tenderness .)
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( To Suke .)
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( Dr. Payne wipes his eyes surreptitiously, and blows his nose ostentatiously. Drent takes up his banjo and idly strums as he talks, some bars of "My Old Kentucky Home." Dr. Payne sways and beats time to it, unconsciously; stopping himself whenever he remembers it, with evident irritation; but occasionally, despite himself, humming a word or two of the song in a grumbling bass .)
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( sings, lightly and idly, but with searching pathos, the words:
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( Who has listened with much emotion .)
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( Rising to his feet .)
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( After a pause, impetuously gripping his hand .)
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( He staggers dizzily for a moment, with his hand to his heart .)
( Throwing his arm around Drent .)
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( Releasing himself and laughing confusedly .)
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( He bustles out, behind cabin, R. back. It is now soft, violet dusk. A few great bright stars shine, back, above the sandy levels. From the swamp there comes, eerie and minor, the long, shivering cry of the night owl. Drent picks upon his banjo again, with a listless, tired sigh. He softly hums "Lorena," "picking" a light accompaniment. After a few seconds pause, enter Suke from cabin, the branding iron in her hand .)
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( Carol Payne enters from the swamp-path, L. 3. Suke sees her and straightens up fiercely .)
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( Drent springs to his feet, snatching off his hat .)
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( He unconsciously presses his hand against his heart. Exit Suke into cabin, after a long unfriendly stare at Carol .)
( Crosses R. toward bench .)
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( Seating herself on bench .)
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( He catches up his banjo as if in a trance, his eyes fixed passionately on her face, and bursts into the song —
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( Carol crosses L. She speaks timidly and bewilderedly .)
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( He throws down his banjo and buries his face in his bent arm, against the piazza-post .)
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( As she moves toward the swamp-path, Drent suddenly starts erect; and after listening a second, leaps tigerishly toward her .)
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( She starts in terror into the swamp path. Drent leaps into it ahead of her; and flings her, very roughly, far toward centre of stage. He is hidden from sight in the wings. Carol bursts into a passion of terrified crying, holding her arm where Drent clutched it .)
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( Enter Judge Page from back R.; an erect, strikingly handsome and dignified man of forty-five. Carol, with a cry of joyful relief, flings herself into his arms .)
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( Soothing her .)
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( Drent enters from swamp-path. He is ghastly pale. He limps painfully and has his hand tightly pressed against his leg, just above the knee .)
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( Springing from the Judge's arm .)
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( She puts her hands upon his shoulders, and impulsively leans her cheek to his .)
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( Limps painfully across to R. and takes the branding iron from the pot .)
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( Suke rushes in from cabin .)
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( Drent comes from behind the cabin. A blood-stained bandage is bound about his knee. He stands listening .)
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( Tears paper from the bosom of her gown .)
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( Comes behind her and snatches the paper from her hand .)
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( Puts the paper into the fire-pot, ramming it down with the branding-iron .)
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( Suke springs at him, tigress-like: he faces her imperiously; she shrinks before his look .)
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( Judge Page rushes out .)
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( Suke rushes into cabin. Drent rises staggeringly .)
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( Sings very faintly —
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( Falls backward, across the bench, with his dead face upturned in the moonlight. After a pause Suke's voice is heard, — "Huccum ye stop singin', Honey?" Suke rushes in, holding a flaring pine-knot above her head. She sweeps the torch low, and stares into his eyes. Then she sweeps the torch downward, in complete reversal, and its flame flickers and dies .)
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( She flings herself in a passion of thick sobbing down across his body .)
( Curtain .)