The Washington times., 1924-12-05
Read EN- and Weep.
Bx DONALD MaeDOUGAL
"KEEP IT DARK"
A moral and instructive play
In three acts.
ACT III.

Vocel Zen minutes IecSseJ NASs
Clerk"
The clerk: Very well, your
honor. Case 67,911h, Witnesses in
this case step to the front" (The
defendant follows his attorney TO
the barb "The judgeIl be back In
a few minutes. Have a seat"
(They have q seat.
A cub reporter: is this the case
the one where the Chancellor OF
the Exchequer's car ran across
Graustark Creek bridge and slam
med the two peasantS?"
Graustark Post man: Eyes. Only
| 1t wasn't the Chancellor car twas
his Privy Councillors"
Defense attorney neaning toward
his CLIENT: There's q hundred ana
seventy-five cases ahead of us on
the docket. Wen demand q jury
trial. ond they won't reach us be.
fore July or August. Then well
| ask for a postponement and thereM
be three hundred cases ahead or
US by that time. There isn't one
chance in ten that you'll ever come
to trail. Influential people
Enter the Graustark Times man,
painting. He seats himself at. the
press table. "Gimminy!'
Graustark News: Whats the
dear
Times: eve been down stairs
talking to the officer in the case.
He can't, get service on those two
peasants. They've refused to.
prosecute, you know" !.
Star: Cant get service on EN-!
What! I've seen EN- three times
myself since the last time the
case was postponed"
Ali BimaHl: But you didn't
have any summons with you.
Those birds are pretty slick, !
guess"
Times: Someone's pretty slick.
He hasn't been abe to reach EN-
after trying two weeks. Do you
know that chauffeur was warned
half a dozen times about speed
ing across the bridge?"
Star: "Sure know it. I've
seen that cop warn 'em myself.
/ live right there at the end II
the bridge. 1 used to leave the
house early mornings, because
didn't want to be- around when
the children came by"
Post: What children"'
i Star: why, Ihere's a school
about half block from the
bridge and the kids go by there
in swarms around 3 o'clock
mornings. They have to cross
Graustark avenue right. there
where the slam happened.
All: What size Kids are they?"
Star: "Oh, primary school kids
six or eight. years. guess.
You know that side street where
the car ran down-about a hum,
dred feet after. slamming the
truck? A lot Of kids come up
there. II. that accident had
happened at ten minutes of nine
instead Of ten minutes past. that
machine would have ploughed
through half a block Of children"
News: You don't really think
it's that bad. do your"
Star: "Of course not. Nothing's
bad until it happens. / was
afraid it was going to happen,
and that's why generally left
the house at half past eight"
Herald: And the chauffeur
knew about that?"
| Star: Sure. / saw the officer
stop that car one morning just
before a bunch of kids came
along, and tell the. chauffeur what
a dangerous place it was. He
just grinned and said, oh, don't
worry about me. I've been driv-
ing six years One Of those tt
can't-happen to me kind Of boobs,
he was
| The batliff: "Silence in courtr'
| (The judge resumes his seat.)
Defense counsel: I'VE waive the
reading Of the indictment, plead
not guilty, and ask for a jury
trial, II the court please. may
add, your honor, that owing to
the crowded condition of the call
endar, we offer no objection to an
indefinite postponement of the
case
Corporation counsel: 1--WE are
ready for trial, If your honor
please
Defense counsel Chastily): Some
time in February or March"
The court: when Is the next
| jury day, Mr.. CIerk?"
The clerk: December 9, your
Honor"
The court: "Set the case for
December g."
Star: you can't print Act III
Of your cute little play, on De.
cember S, as you promised, now.
Mac. That postponement is rough
on you"
Ali: mo. Makes it better"
Star: Better! How conner"
| Ali: 1T gives me a chance to
tell about those children"
Cub reporter: "You can tell
about 'em anyhow, can't your"
All: only when the public
grants me an audience"
Cub: They'll give you an audi
ence on the subject Of children
as quick as any other. won't
they?"
All: Nope. They leave the
question Of interviews to their
secretaries"
Star: You'll be up stump
IL that case is postponed again,
though"
Ali: II know some more things
about that case"
Note--Scene, Q, Act 8, of this
moral and instructive play will
appear in the Alibi Column Of
| TNnooVtnhnr II