The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-03-21
I'm Unconditional
s. Surrender s.
BY WELLESLEY PAIN.


palms and ferns, hiding a doorway in
The time is 1880 p. IN. during a dance.
Characters-James Marley; Capt.
Arthur \ orman, of the Kings Own Yeo-
many, lately returned from the front;
Muriel Wilton.
Arthur Norman (walks on L. as the
curtain rises. He appears to be look
ing for some one, but, as a matter of
fact, he has come there for a smoke
and wishes to make quite sure that he
is alone before sitting down. He takes
out his cigarette case, and is about to
open it when James Manley walks on
quickly from the back. He stops sud-
denly on seeing Arthur Norman.
Manley-My dear Norman, where
have you been to? I've been looking
for you everywhere, and
Norman-And in the supper-room ?
Did you go there?
Manley-Well-no. l thought sup
per wasn't in your line-I mean your
illness was
I'm all right-and 1 never lost my ap-
petite, either. It's only you people
who live in London that can't eat. But
what have you been looking for me for ?
To bring me a cigar (holding out his
hand). Thanks err it's awfully
thoughtful of you, old man. Come
out with it.
Manley-My dear Norman, you did
mt come here to smoke cigars, and you
know it. with mock gravity.) This
is a serious matter, sir. Out of the
goodness of her heart my wife invites
you for a dance. and you spend your
time smoking! Don't you know you're
the lion of the evening-the returned
hero-the envy of the men and the
pride of all the girls, the peoples idol,
the?
Norman (who is obviously pleased
by the compliment but pretends not to
be)-Shut up, old man, shut up. I'm
getting sick of that sort of thing-I
am, really. My wrist still aches from
that Misunderstanding business as we
came up from the station-a bsurd rot.
Why on earth should couple of mil
ZION people-ab absolute strangers-want
TO shake hands with me?
Manley-I don't know-perhaps some
of 'em wanted to shake hands with an
other fellow, but, not being able to get
near enough to him. thought you'd do
instead. But we're wasting valuable
time. Come and dance.
Norman-Me dance? Thanks, but
you know | don't dance; not in my
line.
Manley-Why not? Soldiers do
dance sometimes, you know.
Norman-But you'll excuse me, won't
you?
Manley-Well. if you won't dance
come and see and be seen. Come and
show yourself. What's the good of my
wife having lion of the evening if the
lion goes and hides himself in Cooking
around the place. ERIN the jungle?
Come out, Mr.. Lion, in the open, and
we'll soon do for you.
Norman-There-th it - that's
what you brought me here form or
NNl tlab III IL OO IlIbuNCd " plOpOSt
to some pretty girl whose enthusiasm
for soldiers-er-is-er
Manley-Don't you make any mis-
take, my dear Norman. The girls are
not all so enthusiastic over you bronzed
heroes as you think.
Norman-You say that because
you're not bronzed hero-you're only
married. Time will prove whether you
are hero or a martyr.
Manley-Skittles!
Norman-It's a fact.
Manley-Well, you're not a proper
sort of hero or you wouldn't talk like
that. Your true hero thinks all wom-
en- perfect. He accepts their adula-
ton with becoming modesty, and in
due course marries the best of them
Norman-Well. | do not think all
women are perfect and their adulation
is an annoyance. | haven't met wom-
an since I've been back who hasn't fall
en- in love with me. You may say that's
conceit-
Manley-I do.
Norman-But it's true.
Manley-Not a bit of it. All the
women aren't in love with you soldiers
Some of them are perhaps taken in
with the novelty of the thing, and
think that a soldier is the perfect type
of man-but l shouldn't say they're in
love.
Norman-I tell you. my dear Marley,
that if | hadn't checked them in time
five women would have proposed to me
at different times-last week.
Manley-Well, supposing you have
change. I'll introduce you to a nice
little woman-well, she's only a girl
who will not only not be in love with
you, but will not have the faintest in
tention of schooling herself to love you.
Extraordinary, isn't it. You haven't
met Muriel Wilston, have you?-a
friend of my wife's.
Norman-Yes, l know her-nice girl
pretty girl; but somehow-there's
something
Manley (laughing)- says
that about Muriel. She isn't quite the
conventional sort Of girl, that's all.
Norman-Seemed to me rather rude
at times-a trife too school-girlish-
but still-she's interesting-very in