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STRAGGLERS IN THE DUST CHARACTERS a watchman in the great cemetery a Negro charwoman a distinguished politician MAC, NAN, LESTER BRADFORD, THE STRAGGLER THE GUARD Time: Early 1920s (When the curtain rises, NAN, a slender stoop-shouldered woman of aboutfifty years, is discovered seated on the steps. She is hunched over with her face resting on her hands, and her elbows on her knees. Beside her is her scrub pail with a rag hanging carelessly over the rim. Nan has clearly forgotten the pail, a symbol of her drudgery, and is lost in reverie as she gazes past the columns to the marble sepulchre and beyond that to the mist that rises from the lazy Potomac. One instinctively thinks of "I dreamed I dwelt in marble halls" and realizes that here is a new interpretation. Softly she begins to hum and slowly the humming grows into these words: Keep dis in min' an' all'll go right, as on yo way you goes, Be shore you knows 'bout all you tells, But don't tell all you knows. (Refrain) Be shore you knows 'bout all you tells, But don't tell all you knows. As she is lost in her reverie again, the words of the song are no longer intelligible , but the air is held by a soft humming. A shadowy figure that one distinguishes to be that of a young man in his twenties moves slowly across Reprinted by permission of the author. 146 / MAY MILLER the top lift of the stairway. He peers down intently at the huddled figure of Nan and listens a moment to her song, then tips behind a column from which he looks out again at Nan. The face that one sees clearly now is chalky in its paleness and the eyes seem haunted as they stare vacantly about. The face disappears as MAC, the watchman, moves steadily toward Nan. Mac is a stout man of about sixty. He wears a double-breasted suit fastened with brass buttons. His blue cap is trimmed with a gold cord. In his hand he swings a regular watchman's clock which he consults as he approaches.) MAC. Well, Nan, I guess it's about finishing up you be. NAN. Yes, Mistah Mac, Ah's just 'bout done. Ah's rubb'd and rubb'd all dat brass bright 'nough to make heavenly crowns. MAC. To be sure might nice things look nice Nan, but I doubt if I'd be wantin ' any brass crown. NAN. No Ah guess not, Mistah Mac, there's still some of us what's deservin' of better. We done tasted the brass here on earth. God sartinly must be a savin' de gold. (She sadly shakes her head and stops to pick up the pail.) MAC. That's right, Nan, kinda get your things together. It's six thirty and almost closing time. NAN. Closin' time so soon! Ah hates tuh see it come. MAC. Hate the time for leaving to come? NAN. Ah's always kinda had a hankering after graveyards and nowMAC . Well it's too bad I don't feel that way since I have to spend most of my time here. As for me seven o'clock can't come soon enough to get home. NAN. Ahh! you see, sah, dat's de difference. Ah ain't got nothin' at home. All Ah got is heah. MAC. All you got is here? NAN. Well yuh see, Mistah Mac, Ah ain't nevah had nobody but mah boy, Jim. Dere's nevah been nobody but jus' him and me. An' since he's been heah Ah jus' kinda likes tuh stay neah. MAC. But I never heard about your son working here. Which one is he? NAN. Who mah Jim? Ah no he ain't workin'. Fact is Jim ain't neveah liked tuh work much, but now he can't work no more. (Pointing to the sepulchre ) Dey put him in dat marble box dere aftah dey fin' him on de field. Flanders, Ah think dey calls it. MAC. (Looking bewildered) You mean you lost your Jim in the war, eh? NAN. Yeah, ain't yuh hear'd dem talkin' 'bout him de uhda day? Dat grand 01' man stand up dere an' tol' how dey call'd an' how Jim lef' me broken hearted tuh go fight for dis country an' den how dem guns got him. An' how dey fin' him finally on dat fiel...

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