Black Female Playwrights: An Anthology of Plays before 1950

Plumes

PLUMES CHARACTERS CHARITY BROWN, EMMERLINE BROWN, TILDY, DOCTOR SCOTT, the mother the daughter the friend physician Scene: A poor cottage in the South. Time: Contemporary. SCENE: The kitchen of a two-room cottage. A window overlooking the street. A door leading to street, one leading to the back yard and one to the inner room. A stove, a table with shelf over it, a washtub . A rocking-chair, a cane-bottom chair. Needle, thread, scissors, etc. on table. Scene opens with CHARITY BROWN heating a poultice over .the stove. A groaning is heard from the inner room. CHARITY. Yes, honey, mamma is fixing somethin' to do you good. Yes, my baby, jus' you wait-I'm a-coming. (Knock is heard at door. It is gently pushed open and TILDY comes in cautiously.) Copyright © 1927, by Samuel French. Copyright © 1955 (renewed) by Georgia Douglas Johnson CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that "PLUMES," being fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, the British Commonwealth countries, including Canada, and the other countries of the Copyright Union, is subject to a royalty . All rights, including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, public reading, radio , television and cablevision broadcasting, and the rights of translation into foreign languages, are strictly reserved. Amateurs may produce this play upon payment of a royalty of Ten Dollars ($10.00) for each performance, payable one week before the play is to be given, to Samuel French, Inc., at 45 West 25th Street, New York, N.Y. 10010, or at 7623 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood , Calif. 90046, or if in Canada, to Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. '. 80 Richmond Street East, Toronto M5C IPI. PLUMES / 25 TILDY. (Whispering) How is she? CHARITY. Poorly, poorly. Didn't rest last night none hardly. Move that dress and set in th' rocker. I been trying to snatch a minute to finish it but don't seem like I can. She won't have nothing to wear if she-sheTILDY . I understands. How near done is it? CHARITY. Ain't so much more to do. TILDY. (Takes up dress from chair, looks at it) I'll do some on it. CHARITY. Thank you, sister Tildy. Whip that torshon on and turn down the hem in the skirt. TILDY. (Measuring dress against herself) How deep? CHARITY. Let me see, now (Studies a minute with finger against lip) I tell you-jus' baste it, 'cause you see-she wears'em short, but-it might be-(Stops.) TILDY. (Bowing her head comprehendingly) Huh-uh, I see exzackly. (Sighs) You'd want it long-over her feet-then. CHARITY. That's it, sister Tildy. (Listening) She's some easy now! (Stirring poultice) Jest can't get this poltis' hot enough somehow this morning. TILDY. Put some red pepper in it. Got any? CHARITY. Yes. There ought to be some in one of them boxes on the shelf there. (Points.) TILDY. (Goes to shelf, looks about and gets the pepper) Here, put a-plenty of this in. CHARITY. (Groans are heard from the next room) Good Lord, them pains got her again. She suffers so, when she's 'wake. TILDY. Poor little thing. How old is she now, sister Charity? CHARITY. Turning fourteen this coming July. TILDY. (Shaking her head dubiously) I sho' hope she'll be mended by then. CHARITY. It don't look much like it, but I trusts so-(Looking worried) That doctor's mighty late this morning. TILDY. I expects he'll be 'long in no time. Doctors is mighty onconcerned here lately. CHARITY. (Going toward inner room with poultice) They surely is and I don't have too much confidence in none of 'em. (You can hear her soothing the child.) TILDY. (Listening) Want me to help you put it on, sister Charity? CHARITY. (From inner room) No, I can fix it. (Coming back from sick room shaking her head rather dejectedly.) TILDY. How is she, sister Charity? CHARITY. Mighty feeble. Gone back to sleep now. My poor little baby. (Bracing herself) I'm going to put on some coffee now. TILDY. I'm sho' glad. I feel kinder low-spirited. CHARITY. It's me that low-sperited. The doctor said last time he was here he might have to oparate-said, she mought have a chance then. But I tell you the truth, I've got no faith a-tall in 'em. They takes all your money for nothing. [18.226.222.12] Project MUSE (2024-04-19 11...