The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-25

~ MeAVS OOAAG U0CA uSEG 1l Ola
BECAUSE you still love hint"
Squalor! I'll have you know it's
cleaner than it looks! We
weren't expecting visitors. 4
CECILE-This old nest was good
enough when we were children.
But we've outgrown it. with
eltthNsiGSDt) / intend to build
house with tiled roof and walls
of concrete block. l shall plant
fruit trees and hedges. And
where the pigsty is-shall be a
garage! Ho! Won't the neighbors
pop their eyes when they see it!
MARIE-So will the pigs.
CECILE (ercttedly1-I don't forget
the people Of this town used to
call us ''squatters! There goes
old drunken Thibeaut and his
tribe of half-breeds" that's what
they used to say! Well-now I've
come back to faunt my feathers
in their faces!
MARIE-That's the Indian in. you
nursing a grudge.
CECILE (toith stdelonO glance =
I've commissioned Jedwin Scott
to be my builder.
MARIE (Uith gasp -Jedwin
Scott! Your old beau!
.CECILE (tDith a curling smiIeJ-
The small-town snob who was too
good to marry half-breed girl.
MARIE (1oith tight lips and mar
rOt0ed eyes)-He's what's brought
you back!
CECILE ft0ssing her head 1.-THE
least part of it! 1t was the
others. The dirty-handed store
keepers, the leering farmers and
their coarse wives, who used to
blink at me from behind their
cheap lace curtainss / despise
them all-the shoddy crew!
MARIE (bitterIy) SO - mamma
and papa and the pigs-we. are
all % be routed out of our sty
because you have come back home
to get even!
CBCILE-You can mock! But when
this farm is one of the finest of
the countryside-you'll change
your tune. AS for the Others-I'll
make them lick the boots Of the
Thibeaut half-breeds.
MARKETING this old home from
mamma-and you take away her
life. AS for pala-fOr thirty
years he has spread his nets at
nighttime under the river
CECILE (pOHShing her diamond
rings Nth the dish.t0UelJ-I
can't understand this stupid OPP
position. However, the work has
practically started. And Jedwjn
Scott is coming here tonight.
MARIE (t0ith q harsh cry of amaze
meHt What!
CECILE (frmW)-He's coming to
make an examination of the Gel
lar, in order to tell me the cost of
exca waiting for drainage
INDIAN WOMAN turning sIoWly
With blazing eyes and speaking
In mOnotonOuS. cultural tOne)-
Eef man come 'ere-I shoot lax
dog!
(She UipeS her dOugh-sme cared
hands upon her skirt. Going to q
trnpdoOr in the floor she opens it
and climbs beLOU, taking the OIL
l0mp with her. The Kitchen is
no,c Hqhted only by the blaze of
the freplnCe,)
CEC1LE (erdsperdted almost to
tears ALL this hostility because
try to help you!
MARIE lin q UOiCe that is Weighty
mith mednihg)-We aren't fond
of visitors. If you want to take
up with this old flame of yours
my advice is-meet him outside.
THIBEAUT (,rith SmirkinO
grimdcf) --Oui! In the moonlight.
Clair de lune ct les baisers de feou!
CECILE (hotly, stamping her fooD
But tell YOU he MUST inspect
the cellar in order to give me an
estimate for drainage
THIBEAUT (Sntiricd'lyl-Ver' ro-
mantle HE reefs to the door
With q drunken, mihCing Step.)
Bon soir-wildcats. me tlCirlS his
cup thrice Orer his head and goes
junntiIy ont, carrying his nctS.)
MARIE i'm a changed roiCe rs the
door slams after Thibcdnt) -
Quick, Find your lover and head
him off! Jed Scott mustn't set
foot in this house-not for any
reason at all!
CECILE (impdticntly)- whats all
this fuss about?-all the mystery?
MARIE (Striking the table With hcr
fs)-Jed Scott mustn't come
snoooing in this house! Il warn
you-it's dangerous!
CECILE-Dangerous! Are we a
~pack of savages?
MARIE (fercety)-Look here!
You've been away going on ten
years. Things have happened
that you don't know about!
CECILE (defGntly)-What, for in.
stance?
MARIE (grimIy)-Ask Jed.
CECILE-I will. (LOOkS at the
clOck.) He's coming across the