Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-08
BEsT THOUGHT IN AMERICA
Digest of the Magazines

! you can't do that. Cshe gets out her work
basket and shows him the baby things she
mas been knitting and glances significantly
! mans face)
! Hertz-Is this true? You expet4
II ~ HedwlgIYou will not shoot me II | give
Hertz.Why, no. every child counts these
times But we will put you under lock and
Key, Key, you are hrebrand. warned you.
Hedwig-Give me just moment. want
Mother tsighing)-Humor her
Hertz-Well, well, hurry up CHedyiR sits
at table and writes brief note. She gathers
the baby things in her hands. cross the room
pressing a little sock to her lips)
Hedwig-You may read the message out
LOUD. lshe disappears into inner room)
Hertz treading)-"A message 10 the EEn-
peror. refuse TO bear my child until Won
promise there will be no more war" "a shot
Is hred m the bedroom. They rush into the
room. The mother stands trembling at the
tablet
Hertz tawed coming out Of the room with
the baby things, which he places on the ta-
ble)-Dead. T'chs Tcha She was mad. I
will hush it up, Maria.
Great Catherine
In Bernard shaw's play. Great Catherine
he satirizes the famous 18th Century Em-
press of Russia with his usual pitiless hun,or.
During the play, Catherine, true to her am
orous reputation, is infatuated by a young
English lieutenant. who has been sent over
to report to her the progress of the American
Revolution.
The second act is typical Of the humor Of
the piece:
Scene two-The Empress petit lever The
central doors are closed. On the left on
dais, magnificent curtained bed The court
IL IN attendance standing in two melancholy
lows, LOWS Gown the side of the room opposite
the BED, solemn, bored. waiting for the Enl-
press to awaken. The Princess Dashkoff
stands little in front of the courters. A
loud yawn Is heard from behind the curtafna
Naryshkin' the chamberlain (hodng up a
warning hand)-S-sh!
The courtiers hastily cease whispering.
dress up their lines and stifren. bell tinlSles
within the curtains. Naryshkin and the
Princess soemnly draw them and reveal the
and stretches.
Catherine tyawning) Heigho-ah- -yah-ah-
ow. What o'clock is il?
Naryshkin-Half past ten. Little Mother.
Catherine (sitting up abrupty)--Potztau-
send! contemplating the kneeling courtiers)
Oh, get up, get up. CAN rse) Your etiquette
pores me. am hardly awake in the morn
ing before it begins (yawning again and re-
lapsing against her plllows). Why do they
do it, Naryshkin?
Naryshkin-God knows it is not for your
sake, Little Mother But you see if you were
not great Queen they would all be nobodes.
Catherine tsitting up)-They make me do
1t to keep up their own little dignities So?
Naryshlin-EXactly. Also because II they
didn't, you might have them fogged, dear
Little Mother
Catherine tspringing energetically out Of
bed and seating herself on the edge of it,
F'logged! |! A liberal Empress, philos-
opher! You n barbarian, NaryshlSin.
tShe rises and turn to the courtiers.) And
then as if [ cared! (She walks about rest
lesslyD No, what maddens me about all this
etiquette is that I am the only person in
Russia who gets no fun out of my being Em-
press. You all glory in me, you bask in my
smiles; you get titles and honors and favors
from me; you are dazzled by my crown and
my robes; you feel splendid when you have
been admitted to my presence, and when
say a gracious word to you, you talk about
it to every you meet for n week after
ward But what do get out of it? Nothing.
Nobody gives me anything. When have
headaches and colics | envy the scullery
maids. And you not a bit grateful to
me for all my care of YOU. my work. my
thought. my fatigue my sufferings.
The Prncess-God knows, Little Mother.
we all mplore you to give your wonderful
brain rest That is why You set headaches
Monsieur Noltaire also has headaches. His
brain is just like yours.
Catherine-Dashkoff, what a liar you are.
CDashkoff curtesies) And you think you are
fattering me. Let tell you L would not
give a ruble to have the brains of all the
philosophers in France