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INTRODUCTION.
THE curtain should rise upon an introductory front scene depicting
the pupils on their way to school, singly, or in groups of two or
three, swinging book-bags or dinner-pails; one group of girls play
bean-bag; a group of boys play marbles; one boy tries to fly a kite;
some skip, others walk sedately, or jump rope, drive hoop, etc.
(_Enter_ BOY, _whittling._)
BOY. Say, Seth, old Hickory's coming! Got your hands all waxed,
sonny? 'Cause you'll have to ketch it hot and heavy this morning.
Teacher's awful mad about your stealing Squire Green's apples.
SETH CRANE (_who has book-bag, etc._). Don't care. I ain't going to
school to-day, anyway. I'm going to play hookey.
BOY. Did your ma say you might?
SETH. Bet your life she didn't. I'm not tied to my ma's apron strings,
Bubby; I'm no baby!
BOY. Here he comes! Run, Seth, or he'll ketch you.
(SETH _runs off. Teacher passes along saying "Good-morning" etc.,
to children._)
BOY. (_still whittling, to group which comes up_). Say, boys, Seth
Crane's going to play hookey. Let's pay, him back for saying we
stole Squire Green's apples, will you, and tell his mother? She's
a daisy, though, ain't she?
SECOND BOY. Agreed! But who'll tell the old lady?
BOY. Let Daniel. He's teacher's pet anyway, and if he's late,
nothing'll be said. Will you go, Dan?
DANIEL. Yes. The old lady'll give me some of her nice doughnuts.
(_Smacking lips, he runs off. Boys pass off in other direction,
crying, "Save some for us, Dan," etc._)
The above merely serves to indicate the general nature of the
dialogue that may be characteristically employed, the precise
points to be made depending for their humorous value so entirely
upon the identity of the actor in each case and their contradiction
of his well-known character and dignity, that they must be left to the
invention of the players. The dialogue, whatever its nature, should
be accompanied by an incessant pantomimic action of characteristic
boyish antics and practical jokes, made inexpressibly ludicrous
by whiskers, bass voices, and other personal anachronisms.
At the close of this introductory part, and while the curtain is
rising on the school scene, a large bell should be rung vigorously.
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