Central High School - Cog N Pen Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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UM. HONOR AMONG THIEVES (One Act Play) By MARKHAM G. SMITH (This play was awarded first prize in the recent One- Act Play Contest) Cast of Characters Ben—the husband. Jim—the parasite. The Иотап—Веп 5 wife. The Robber Тте—А night during the winter Scene—Living room of a house in the suburbs. A man, dressed in ordinary business clothes, is read- ing a letter. Не is but half facing the audience. He continues reading the letter for a moment and then slowly turns and faces the audience. Ben— So she is going away with Jim; says I can't afford to give her the luxuries a woman ought to have. Well, perhaps she is right—lIt’s true I haven't taken her out very much and spent a lot of money but un- known to her, I've spent those nights at the office work- ing like a slave and I've invested every cent of money I could lay my hands on in my invention, which if I am successful, will make me a rich man and then ГП do my best to make her the happiest woman оп this earth. (Takes out his watch, glances at the time.) Quarter after eight, and according to this letter she is to meet him here in fifteen minutes. I’ve a good mind to wait here until he comes and then shake that yellow specimen of humanity until he turns blue— but no, that will only turn her against me. Anybody who pretends to be your friend, then steals your wife is a coward and it’s bound to show up in him sooner or later. I'll let her have her fun, in the end she'll come back or else I’m greatly mistaken. Well, I must be hustling, my appointment with board of direc- tors is for eight-thirty sharp. (Walks over to the clothes-tree near the door and puts on his hat and coat. As he is putting on his coat a pair of gloves fall from his pocket unnoticed. He leaves the room.) (Silence for a moment—The Woman enters the room dressed as if to go on a journey—she is carry- ing a suitcase which she puts behind a chair as if concealing it—takes a look to and fro across the room. ) The Woman—Oh! I do wis h Jim would hurry, I wonder what Ben would say if he knew I was leav- ing!! Perhaps Га better not go. Perhaps Jim won't come! Oh! I do wish something would happen. (She continues to walk around the room when for the first time she discovers the gloves on the floor. She picks them up.) The Woman—Ben's gloves. Perhaps he will come back for them and find me in this travelling suit and ask for explanations or else find Jim here and and kill us both. I’m sorry I ever agreed to Jim's proposition. (The bell rings.) The Woman (nervously)—I'll bet that's Ben back now (she looks at the clock). It’s half past eight, perhaps it's Jim—what in the world shall I do? (The woman leaves the room to answer the bell.) (The Woman re-enters with a tall, good-looking young man who is dressed in evening clothes. Не appears to be rather nervous, glancing about him every few seconds. He puts his hat and coat over the back of a chair.) Jim— But you're sure they are his gloves. The Woman—Oh, yes, I'm sure about that. Jim—NWell is he in the habit of forgetting things? The Woman—Why—no. Jim—Hmmm-—sounds rather strange, perhaps he knows of our plan and left the gloves as a warn- ing.

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ET | 1 пие Л к=, ius. err The world в in a turmoil of doubt, disturbed by irresolution, lack of self control, lack of motives that involve consideration of our neighbors. The thought “По што others as you would have others do unto you or its modification “По for others as you would have others do for you looms up before us as Ше true corrective for present day conditions. Let the day be full of productive work and have in it both productive and reconstructive play to relieve the tension. Exploit your God-given energies to their fullest limit. Do not hold back your powers except for physical reasons. We act as though our days were numberless, forgetting that there is a mortal span. Make each day's effort count to the world's advantage. It is the law of nature to grow, not to stunt its organisms; to supply its wants through growth, and production. Therefore, while on this great earth of ours, while a part of nature, do not be a social parasite, that destroys initiative growth, production, and progress. Be big thinking, considerate enough to render just, full and real service at all times in all your undertakings. Service is the keynote of life. WILLIAM WIENER. MEMORIES We, the Class of June, 1920, are rapidly cover- ing our last lap and nearing the end of our school career. For four long years we have looked forward to this graduation day, which is but one month away. When we look back we wonder whether we have done anything at ай for the good of our school. Has the school benefitted at all our having come to it? It goes without saying, that we owe it everything for all it has imparted to из. But have we done anything in return ? Many of us have kept up the reputation of the school in many lines. Some, perhaps most of our class, have studied diligently and so upheld the honors of our Alma Mater in the channels of learning. We have been or should have been a credit to our teach- e rs. Others of us have brought, or helped to bring home, many of the trophies of which our school boasts, and so upheld the reputation of the school in the fields of athletics. Still others among us have tried to main- tain the position which our school paper holds as “опе of the best high school publications in the country. And so, each one of us has done, whether know- ingly or not, something, be it great or small, for which he will be credited. After this long-looked-for day has become history, our paths will lead іп many directions. Perchance we may never meet again, but our activities here in school, will be remembered, —or forgotten, according to their worth. And only time will tell their worth. WHY SHE SUCCEEDED She was cheerful. She was loyal. She did not watch the clock. She was always on time. She ate three square meals each day. She was willing and prepared. She had confidence in herself. She never asked personal questions. She listened to criticisms with an open mind. She considered “I forgot a poor excuse. She was ready for the next step. She put her heart in her work. She learned by her mistakes. She felt that her present position was an open door a higher one. She aimed to be a first-rate woman. She grew in ability by doing thoroughly each task. (Continued on page 54)

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Ee SIN So S ét The И отап—1 never thought of that, what shall we do in case he comes back and finds us here? Jim (throwing out his chest)—-Oh never mind about that, I'll take care of him if he comes. You just leave that to me. The Woman—But after all Ben isn’t such a bad sort of chap. I believe that if he had as much time to spare and as much money to spend as you have he wouldn’t neglect me the way he does now. Jim (with a laugh) —Come now, stop teasing me, you know that you are perfectly welcome to anything I have, but I won’t stand for you comparing me to him in any way and I fine you one kiss for making such a remark. (He takes her into his arms and is about to kiss her when the bell rings.) Jim—What's that?—the telephone. The Woman—No, the door-bell. Jim—It must be Ben coming back for his gloves. The Woman—yYes, it must be he. You answer the door, I'll go change my dress. If he asks you what you are doing here just tell him you dropped in to pay him a social call and I am doing the honors in his absence. Jim (timidly)—But I think it would be better if you answered the door. You see in the meantime | can get out the back way. (He takes his hat and coat and starts to leave the room through a rear door.) The Woman—Where are you going? Jim—Out the back way. The Woman—Nothing doing, I'll answer the door, but you stay here until I come back. (She leaves the room to answer the door.) (A voice is heard, not very plainly, however, foot- steps are-heard, Jim hides under the table.) (The woman enters, followed by a chauffeur.) The Woman—Oh, Jim! (She glances about but Jim is nowhere to be seen.) The Woman—Jim, Jim. (She looks behind the chairs, etc., at last discov- ering him under the table.) The Woman—A nice place for you to be, get out from under there, here is someone to see you. (Jim, fearing the person who wishes to see him is Ben, gets up rather sheepishly, but when he discovers it to be his own chauffeur, his manner changes.) Jim—What в it, Harris? Harris—Someone has punctured the oil-tank with a screw driver and although it is fixed now, we are out of gas. Shall I get some? Jim—How long will it take you? Harris—About twenty minutes, sir. Jim—All right, but hurry up. Harris—Very well, sir. (Exit Harris.) Jim (to the woman) — Well, that was some scare. The Woman (rather suspiciously) — What were you doing under the table? Jim—Oh, just fooling; you know I kind of thought you'd think I had gone out the back way, so I hid under the table to fool you. The Woman (not quite satisfied with his explana- tion) —Why did you want to go out the back way when the bell rang? I thought you said you would protect me! Jim—l mean it, my dear, I would protect you from harm no matter what my own danger might be, but I figured that if I went out the back way no one would suspect I had been here and you would not have gotten into trouble. Can't you see that every- thing I do is for your benefit? The Woman—All right, but I thought you hid because you were afraid of Ben. Jim—What’s that? Do you want to be fined another kiss? Ву the way, you haven't given me that kiss I was about to take when that fool Harris happened along. The Woman— don't think you deserve it now after wanting to run away from me. Jim—Does this look as though I want to run away? (Puts his arms around her and is about to kiss her when a robber enters the room. He is wearing an automobile duster, black mask, blue cap, and has a mustache. ) Robber—Hands up. Jim (attempting to put on a bold affront) —What’s the meaning of this? Robber—None of yer talk, keep dem hands up or you'll wish you had. What kinda love stuff was ya pulling off when I came on? Just married, eh! Jim—Why—ah—no-o. Robber—Just some relatives what ain’t seen each other in a long time, eh? Jim—Why—ah—no, no relation either. Robber—But she’s sporting a wedding What's the idea? Jim—Well you see her husband's one of my best friends and I came to pay him a social Robber— That's enough, I may be ignorant where it comes to book learning, but believe me it don't take much to dope out da kinda guy you are. Опе of those who don't know what a hard day's work is, a lounge lizard, da kind that get a rep according to the number of homes they breakin' ир. I'm a thief n I don't deny it, but there i; honor among thieves and we don't rob our own pals. I wonder if your best friend knows you put your arms around his wife? Га be doing the world a favor if I killed you. (Presses the revolver against Jim's ribs.) Jim—Oh please don't, I’m not wholly to blame, vou know without the woman's consent 1 never would have been here tonight. Please put that revolver away. Robber—Just what I thought—trying to put the blame on the woman. Yes, ГП put the revolver awav. with such as you I don't need such a revolver. (Throws the revolver down and smashes it—i! was of elass.) (Walks over to the Woman and looks her over good.) Robber—Rather pretty, wouldn't mind putting my arms around you and stealing a kiss; in fact, 1 ring.