Katherine Delmar Burke School - Works and Days Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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HIS BIRTHDAY SCENE I The small dining rooin of an average, Oh, a very average fainily. There are live ordinary dining rooni chairs and one high-chair. ENTER FATHER, rattling a newspaper, followed later by inother, who puts little George in the high-chair. Mary and Janies, hfteen and sev- enteen respectively, take their places. Uncle Everett takes the last vacant chair. You know the type-he is about thirty-eight, and although both the niirror-like surface on the top of his head and his girth are increasing daily, he has never lost his inerry habit of surprising one in deep nieditation by a resounding thunip on the back and a jovial Well, how's the old man? UNCLE EVERETT. Gtmorning, everybody. All alive and happy, eh? Well Well well Well fdrawing the chair up to the table 'with a bunip at each successive well, wellj. And hOW's the little man over there? He 's a big man now, isn't he? A Whole year older today. Well, Well, Well - Well land as an afterthoughtj hm, well, Well. GEORGE, having just stoked his niouth with Post Toasties, reinains silent perforce except for a few gurgling sounds indicative of a desire to reply. MOTHER- Yes, GeOrgie's a big boy now. Five today. Everett, try to be home early tonight so that you will be in time for his birthday dinner. ' l UNCLE EVERETT. Yes, yes, surely mus'n' miss that. K To George 2 That Wouldn't do at all, would it, George? And what does he Want for his birthday? GEORGE fwho has regained control of his vocal abilities with an effortj. Gulp, I Wanna cowboy suit. UNCLE EVERETT. Well, well! Fuzzy trousers, picture hat, and all. We 'll have to see about that. GEORGE I having finished, and wiped the encrustation of egg and inilh of his mouth, turning at the doorj. 'N I Wanna pistol, too. fGoes outj. MOTHER. No, indeed, Everett, George must not have that suit. He would tire of it in no time and then it would just be kicking about the nursery and adding to the general mess. And as for the pistol, it is simply out of the question. Why, only the other day I was reading that a Scandinavian scientist said that the habit of training children to play with firearms had made this last War possible. I personally think a set of the t'Book of Knowledge would be the thing for him, for While he may not be able to read them now, he would so enjoy them later and one al-- FATHER fernerging froin the paper for the hrst tiniej. No, no. Get him anything but books. Books as a gift for a boy of his age are an insult. f261 Works andDays

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Ur J PARADE OF THE FLAGS THE DRUM CORPS IVIQSIIIIII Days I251

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UNCIAE EVERETT. I saw something in the window of the Calico Cat the other day, they always have such novel toys there. It was a set of diiferent colored putties and a book of instructions about how to make them up into figures. Combines play and education and all that sort of thing. JAMES. Yes, I saw it, too. You mean the Messalot Plaster Mod- eling Set, don't you? A fellow, a little fellow, I mean, could have a lot of fun with that. MARY. But it smells so. MOTHER fignoring Mary's comment-mothers have a way of doing that j. Why, yes, that would be nice. I am sure George would like it better than that silly cowboy suit, but, of course, he really doesn't know what he wants. UNCLE EVERETT fto Fatherj. Coming now? No, eh? Well, I'll have to be going along. I'll stop in and get the 'tSet on my way home. See you later. Dinner at six, I suppose. SCENE II The dining room as before. The family with the exception of Uncle Everett are assembled. They are hovering about George who is unwrap- ping innumerable Eton ties and handkerchiefs. Most insulting of all, a rag doll or rather two rag dolls, black or white, depending upon which head is up and which is covered by the shirt, is unwrapped, bearing the card, Love from Auntie Julia and Uncle Paul. UNCLE EVERETT fbouncing inj. Hello, hello, hello. Well, George, what's all this? My! My! I'd almost forgotten. So it's your birth- day, is it? Well, isn't it luck I just happened to bring this along with me? fhanding George a large oblong packagej. GEORGE. Oh! Gee! I bet it 's a cowboy suit I tearing of the wrap- ping and disclosing the Messalot Plaster Modeling Set. Wit-h at puz- zled look j Where's the cowb-1 FAMILY fall shouting at once to cover up this unpardonable breakj. Ch, isn't it lovely? Oh, just what you wanted, George! Look, George, at the sweet little cat the book shows you how to make. MOTHER funder cover of the din, in a stage whisperj. George, go thank Uncle Everett for the lovely present this instant fa gentle shove sends him in the way in which he should goj. GEORGE I without convictionj. Thank you, Uncle Everett. UNCLE EVEEETT. Don't mention it, old man. Now just watch me while I show you how to make a pig trolling lumps of putty in pellets which he sticks together in a hgure which he fondly flatters himself needs only the breath of life to become a real pigj. Works and Days i271