Holbrook High School - Echo Yearbook (Holbrook, MA)

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10 THE ECHO all the time. I’ve been out. Martha: Out? Mary, — why, — will you allow that? What will the neighbors think — going out before nine o’clock? (Opens book.) And it distinctly says, somewhere, — here, that slang expressions as “pep” are not in good form. Nina (aside) : Now I’ve started something. Aunt Martha could change a spring morning to a thun- derstorm. (Curtain) . ACT II. Scene : Same. Time: Afternoon of same day. (Mary sitting in the chair. Nina enters, high spirited as usual, carry- ing the letter. She sits on the arm of the chair) . Nina: Is Aunt Martha around now? Mary: No, dear. And now you can tell me all about the letter dear. Martha has just gone out. (Nina starts to open letter when Martha unexpectedly comes in. She pushes the letter down, appearing to be frightened) . Mary: Haven’t you gone yet, Martha? Martha (excitedly) : Yes, no, — have you seen my book? I most for- got it. Oh, here it is; well, I’m off again. Good-bye. (Exit.) Nina : Land sakes ! Her book ; she couldn’t live without it. Where’d I put the letter? Mary: Now go on, dear, who is the letter from? Russel? Nina: Yes, and just think he’s coming ” Mary: Coming ? Why, Nina, dear, how dared you? Nina: But I thought you wanted to meet him. Mary: Yes, dear, I do, and I cer- tainly would have met him long ago if it had been possible for me to get out. As it is, you see — well — and besides, it’s Martha. Nina : Bother, yes ! Aunt Mar- tha, of course. I suppose I couldn’t die without first asking Martha if I might. Mary : It is a bit trying, but we’ll have to take life as it comes. Nina: In my opinion Aunt Mar- tha is making it go instead of come. Mary: Let’s say nothing more of Martha. It is hard, I’ll admit; but her life has been a trial. Now, about Russel. When did you say he was coming? Did you write to him? Nina: Of course I wrote to him. Goodness, been here two weeks now, and he’d surely want to know where I was. He doesn’t state when he’s coming. He just says soon. Mary: But Nina, never, never, can you let him come when Martha is around; she would never allow it. You know you never could mention any boy’s name when she was nigh. Nina: Mother, what, — oh! What can I do? It would be rude to tell him not to come now. Mary: I don’t know; we’ll just trust to fate. He won’t come any- way until you write him, will he? Nina: No, I suppose not. But I do want to see him and I was so hap- py this morning . Say, mother, what is the trouble with Martha any- way? Was she disappointed in love or something? Mary: Martha in love? She might have been, but there never was any serious infatuation on her part. It’s a strange and sad tale about poor Martha. She always was and always will be, an elder sister to me. Years ago, Martha was a nurse for a little boy, and how she did love that child ! She cared for it as her own. The child’s father was a wealthy and honest banker. Martha took the place of mother when his young mother died. She never told us much about it afterwards. We have never even been able to find out the name. From what we have been able to gather, the boy’s father was falsely accused of being connected with a bank rob- bery. It hurt Martha much ; she

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THE ECHO 9 Hiteratur? If Silence Wont; Love Will A Drama in Three Acts. By THELMA A. PETERSON, ’25. CHARACTERS NINA BATES, a girl of today, quite high spirited. MRS. MARY BATES, widow, Nina’s mother, an invalid. MARTHA, spinster, sister to Mary. RUSSELL COLBEY, in love with Nina. ACT I. TIME: Present. A morning in spring. SCENE : Living room in the Bates’ new country home. (As curtain rises, Mrs. Bates is sitting in easy chair with feet on a foot-stool, by an open window. En- ter Martha, carrying a book, starts to dust). Mary: Isn’t it a lovely morning, Martha? I just love the country in the spring. The air is so wholesome, I am sure nothing will benefit me more than coming out here. Martha: Mary, for Mercy Sakes! What do you mean by sitting there by that open window? (Takes book from under arm). Why, it distinct- ly says in my book that an unwell person should never, never, sit in a draft. Mary: Oh, but my dear sister, fresh air is what I need, and it is a shame to leave all this outside. Martha: I tell you, Mary, you’ll catch your death, there. I must close it and get a blanket for you. I dis- tinctly remember reading that inval- ids should always be kept warm. (Closes window and exit to get a blanket) . Mary: Well, I suppose Martha is right, at least I shall have to do as she says when I am under her care. I wonder where Nina is this morn- ing; she hasn’t been down for break- fast yet. I hope she’s not ill. (Nina enters, carrying her hat. Seems in high spirits.) Nina: Good morning, mother. Isn’t it a w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-1 morning? Mary: Yes, lovely. Are you going out so soon, Nina? Nina: Going? I’ve just come in. I got up early and went down to the post office to see if I had a letter. (Whispers). Where’s Aunt Martha? Mary: It must be important if you couldn’t wait until the post-man came. Did you get one? Nina: Important? Well, I should say it was. Oh, mother (goes over and puts her arms about her neck), guess who the letter is from, and he’s (stops as Martha enters with blanket). Good morning, Aunt Martha. Doesn’t this spring air just put “pep” into you? Martha: From all I’ve heard, it surely must be a wonderful morn- ing; but how do you know when you’re asleep? Does the spring come into your bed? Nina: I have a spring in my bed all the time. (Mary turns and smiles.) Martha (stamping her foot) : Outrageous, such foolish talk. Now, you know I meant the weather. Nina: Yes, yes, I know you did. Aunt Martha. I didn’t mean to make you cross, but I haven’t been in bed

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THE ECHO 11 had always known and respected the man. She knew and so did many others that he was not guilty, but an honest man whose fortune would some day go to the child she loved. But the hardest blow came when one morning she went to the nursery, and the child was gone. Nina (alarmed) : Gone? Who took him? Mother, this is terrible. Has he ever been found? Mary: No one knows. And we could be of no assistance, because she would not tell us the name. That is why I have always done what would please Martha, and dear, it has often been as hard for me as it has for you. Nina: Poor Martha! It’s the first time in my life that Eve ever sym- pathized with her. Wouldn’t it be just fine if we could find the child and bring him back to her? Mary: Yes; but I’m sure if he is still alive, he is no longer a child. That was years ago. He would be a young man now, and by right of heritage, a wealthy man. Nina : Has Aunt Martha any pa- pers that might be of some help, were the child found? Mary: She has some papers locked up in her room, but she has never shown me any. Nina: Poor Martha; Pm afraid that’s one thing she’ll never “dis- tinctly find in her book”. (Curtain.) ACT III. Scene : Same, two weeks later. (Nina sitting in a chair, a book in her lap.) Nina: Oh dear, what can I do? There’s Russel patiently waiting for an answer, and who knows when I’ll ever see him again? But poor Mar- tha. Funny how misfortune will af- fect different people . It’s the strang- est thing I’ve ever heard. Just think, fifteen years ago! Who could have taken the child, and I wonder if he’s still alive, ignorant of the fact that he is rich. (Picks up book and starts to read. Telephone rings. She an- swers it. Nina : Hello, — yes — no, I’m sorry but Martha is out, any — hello — (hangs up receiver) gone I guess; well, it couldn’t have been very important if they hung up so soon. (Sits down again, starts to read, deeply interested. Door bell rings.) Now, who’s coming? It must be Martha coming back after her book, and can’t get in. I sup- pose I’d better answer it, anyway. (Exit.) (Re-enter Nina with Russel Col- bey. Nina acts nervous, and not very pleased and congenial.) Russel : Why, Nina ! What is the trouble? What has happened? Aren’t you glad to see me? Nina : I never asked you to come, did I? Russel: Didn’t you want me? I thought that you did. Is that why you never wrote me? “Silence gives consent,” you know. Nina: Oh! Oh! Dear! I can’t explain now. At least, you could have said when you were coming. Russel : You never required that before. I’ll go right back if you wish. Nina: No, no, don’t go yet, I do want you — only — well, anyway, you must meet my mother. (Exit.) Russel : What on earth is the trouble? If it’s her mother that ob- jects to me, merely because I haven’t their opulence, I’d better go before she comes. (Enter Martha while Nina is out. She is greatly disturbed at seeing a man. Places hands on hips and clears throat to attract his atten- tion.) Russel (turning) : How-do-you- do? Martha (contemptuously) : How- do (stops short and stares at him) . Russel (asidje) : Another queei 4 character. What kind of place have I come to? If that’s Nina’s mother,