In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

A TRAGEDY AT HILLVILLE Continued, Act II by Ron Larson SYNOPSIS OF ACT I It is early December 1910, Bill Foster, Carroll County, Virginia's commonswealth's attorney, and his wife, Kate, have returned to their Hillsville home after attending a Sunday evening religious service. They are awaiting the arrival of Judge and Mrs. Thornton Massie whom they met at the service and invited to their home. Massie, a one-armed circuit court judge for Carroll as well as four other Southwest Virginia counties, has been riding the circuit since 1907. Although Foster has worked with him since that time, the Judge has never been to Foster's house because "people might talk." But now that Mrs. Massie has accompanied her husband, the invitation is offered and accepted. While awaiting their arrival, Kate implores her husband to tell the Judge of the violent nature of the Aliens—an influential Carroll family. She is greatly concerned for her husband's safety and doesn't want him to run for third term in 1911. Foster is determined to run for re-election. The Aliens aren't as violent and dangerous as people make out, he tells her. She reminds him of the time two of the Allen brothers, Floyd and Jack, nearly killed each other while squabbling over their father's estate. And then, closer to home, she reminds him of Floyd and Sidna (another brother) Allen's threat to shoot-up any court that would dare send either of them to jail. We learn that Floyd threatened to do just that in 1906 while being tried in Carroll for "malicious wounding." Floyd was convicted, but a gubernatorial pardon kept him from jail. Kate is concerned about the effect of Dexter Goad's recent victory over the long-time county clerk, Will Sutherland, a friend of Floyd Allen. Goad, like Foster, is a Republican. The Aliens are Democrats. And Kate feels that the "reformer Goad" has some special influence over her husband. "Deck Goad is a man of intellect, courage, and integrity. That's the only influence he has over me," Foster replies. Kate continues to beg her husband to tell Judge Massie about the Aliens—particularly their 1906 threat. Foster says that the Judge has probably already heard of it since "Floyd Allen's threat is still common talk in Carroll." "But," Kate replies, "Judge Massie isn't in Carroll more than four times a year—and then little more than a week at a time. He may not have heard about the threat. He must be prepared to deal with the Aliens. " Shortly after the Massies arrive, Kate deftly maneuvers her reluctant husband to her design. After the two women leave the room, we learn that Foster, in fact, believes that Floyd Allen is dangerous. Floyd made the threat directly to him and to sheriff Webb. Both men know that Floyd doesn't have a reputation for bluffing and that Floyd and a few of the Aliens were carrying guns that day in 1906. We also learn that one of Floyd's two sons—Floyd Allen, Jr.—was in the courtroom and armed. He is as hot-tempered as his older brother, Victor, is even-tempered. Floyd Allen, Jr., changed his name after 1906, Foster says, because he was beholden to Congressman Claude Swanson for arranging a pardon for his father. Massie is surprised that he has not heard these things before. And he is even more surprised when he learns that his predecessor, Judge Jackson, refused to disarm the Aliens after being informed of Floyd's penchant for violence. "Judge Jackson did wrong," Massie says. After the Massies depart, and during a period when Kate has left the room, Sheriff Webb arrives to tell Foster about a fracus involving Floyd's nephews, Sidna and Wesley Edwards. We learn that Floyd is very close to these boys and that Webb is to make inquires into the details of the row. 62 ACTII Scene—A Saturday afternoon, early March, 1912. Sidna Allen's parlor and dining room. Down half, the parlor; up half, a dining room visible through an eight-foot opening. Parlor. Two couches, center, with a small table between...

pdf

Share