The Washington times., 1922-04-30

leaped at me and cried out, Il am
your soul from the sun.burned
tropics! Take me and know the
delirium Of the scorcbing sands
at midday" l took II and paid
for 1t with the laughter Of my
youth-a laughter as fresh and
dewy as a Summers morn.
MAN-But you hunger for a most
vanishing thing. Clothes will
wear out and then you will have
nothing.
BEGGAR-Nothing but the holes.
GIRL~How little you understand a
woman's hunger. Bread passes
away, love dies. and fame van
ishes overnight: but the memory
Of one beautiful, glorious dress is
everlasting.
BEGGAR-Yes, no doubt II makes
conversation for many a supper
time.
GIRL-Oh, I'd see II and feel 1t
clinging to me always even
though the styles did change.
Turns to door,
BEGGAP-Well, IL you try to climb
that door you'll feel nothing but
hurt.
GIRL fconfdentidily, to all)-You
know, thought IL | could climb
up this band perhaps | could get
to the top Of the tower and slide
down on the inside.
BEGGAR-It's not to be done.
tried that once already myself.
GIRI-And what .happened1
BEGGAR-I got just as far as the
middle UP there-over the door
GIRL-Yes, 60 oni
BEGGAR-Thst was the pinch
couldn't go on-nothing to step
on.
GIRL~Nothing at all1
BEGGAR-Nothing but bare wall
that keeps stretching up and up
and up. The blame tower amt got
no top.
GIRL fdespondent)-Then I'll never
get there.
BEGGAR-Aw, buck up! Buck up!
You got enough clothes to last till
we go through the door. We're
waiting now for the Satisfied One.
He knows how to get through.
GIRL-But will he tell?
BEGGAR-We amt been starving
for nothing to get strong. WeT
make him tell, all OF us together.
Now go sit on that rock and keep
the wait with us. (Girl sits, on
rock that Is betioeen Man dnd
Poet. Be0gdr sees some one COM
ing doton the road, right. Er.
citedlU, to alI) See! He's COM
ing! IAN look ed0eT1p.)
POET-Who-a sweet one?
BEGGAR-Naw, the Satisfied One!
Now we'll get through the door!
MAN-It might be just another poor
hunger.
BEGGAR-There amt any more
hungers In the world-except the
little ones; and they don't count.
Besides, this is an old man COM
ing.
GIRL-Are you sure we're all the
great hungers OF the world?
BEGGAR-Sure. Pointing to edch.)
Clothes, love, fame-and bread,
that's me. Only little fish would
hunger for anything else.
GIRL-He's almost here. What
shall we do to make him tell?
BFIGAR We must hit upon
plan. Come nearer. (AH crO,od
round him. Now what have you
to suggest? You? You? (AH
stare at him bldnklU.) Don't open
your mouths without saving any
thing! BE quick! Hes almost
here! Quick! fAll "er" and
"dh," but can think of nothing to
suggest. Beggdr Is disgusted.)
You don't deserve to get through
the door. (Ponders) We must
think Of something! We must!
POET can think Of nothing but
that he shall not escape without
telling us the secret
BEGGAR-A mouthful Of wisdom
That's the thing-he must not es.
cape without telling us the secret
ALL-No, not without telling!
BEGGAR-We may be stiff in our
deaths when he comes again.
POET-It's our only chance!
REGGAR - Hush! There he is!
(From right the Satisfied One en-
fcrs sloioly and stands matching
them, sadly. He Is a gray, pedry
old man In a trailing robe of sil-
per-grdy toffh a pide strip of scar
let doion the back and front, fun
length. All snirk and smile be-
fore him. Then, abdshed, each
sinks to hts rock and sits there,
staring at the Satisfied One, iOho
no,o sfDhs DedrfIv and DaIks
slotoIg across the std6e.)
MAN-He did not even glance at
the door. I shall walk that way
when I have fame.