Theodore Roosevelt High School - Saga Yearbook (Bronx, NY)

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CIC nl ln n S I , f , L at f- EI V i POVLOFF No, they believe in the fairy tale of government by the people. SAMUELS Cangrilyj What do you mean, fairy tale? Let me tell you- CLEMENT Please, ladies and gentlemen. You have all been wondering, no doubt, why I have invited you here. Fifteen years ago each of you helped me in some way and I determined to reward you all, but I have since found that none of you de- serve to be rewarded. Nevertheless, I am going to give it to the one who is a trifle more deserving than the others, if there is such a person. You, Povloff, gave me the philosophy by which I triumphed in later life. But you acquired it from Machia- velli and, therefore, you deserve no credit for any effort on your part, Povloff. POVLOFF But without my eloquence you would not have been so readily convinced. CLEMENT Cignor-ing himj You, Samuels, sold me a piece of land at a very low price which later became the foundation of my present fortune. But you sold it to me only because you believed it to be worthless. CAROL Qsarcasticallyj Father, how cleverl CLEMENT Amelia, you showed me the joys of love, but only to serve your own selfish ends. There is the case, my would- be friends. Carol, who do you think should receive the reward? SAMUELS Now, Carrie, you know I wouldn't do such a thing. CAROL Well, Cspeaking in a very disinterested mannerj I can't say that anyone should have it. AMELIA fscreamingj The ghost, there, at the door! CLEMENT There's no one there. AMELIA Yes, yes, there was. QA crash of stage seems to confirm her words. The men rush out to make a search.j Don't let's stay here. l'm afraid. I..et's go out. CAs they leave, a figure cautiously creeps into the room. lt is a ghost. He is dressed in a Hussar uniform with red pants, a blue jacket, and cape. A noose is around his neck. Ile is headed for the window but is arrested by the sight of the food on the table. He seats himself in Clements chair and begins to eat. Carol, coming into the room, stops in astonishment. But for once the haunter is more startled than the hauntedj GHOST Qrecovering jirstj Go-go away. UI e 'waves his arms menacingly, forgetful of the chicken leg in his handy CAROL Are you the ghost? I've never seen one before. QShe comes farther into the 7'0UIl1t.J GHOST fretreating toward the zoindowj I Warn you. Go on your way. CHis voice is hollow and hoarse.j CAROL Have you a cold? That's what you get for running around in draughty castles. 10

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ONE LUCKY POET CLEMENT an elderly 1111111 who has Income prosperous in spite of his eccentricities CAROL an American girl, intensely practical and cannot therefore, be expected to appreciate the romance 0 her surroundings PETER a Bohemian poet, extremely idealistic and intensely romantic POVLOFF a Russian with an inzfentiot turn o mind who has been trying to invent a collapsible soapbox so as to be able to carry it with him at all times AMELIA Clement's friend PATRICK HENRY SAMUELS an .flnzcrican ex senator whose chief virtue is in his being the father o Carol Scene The play takes place in the dining room of a small castle in Bohemia. The castle stands on a hill, and is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a handsome llussar. It is evening In the dining room the darkness has been exiled to the corners by means o candlelight. As the play opens, the guests are seated at the table AMELIA Cshouting across the table to Carolj And how do you like my country, my dear? CAROL lt's very nice, but it's difficult to find chewing gum to buy. AMELIA But, my dear, you are in a castle Why anything could happen here. CAROL I don't believe in fairy tales. CLEMENT Do you believe in ghosts? POVLOFF l believe that some day the ghosts of the capital ists will- CLEMENT Cinterrupting rudelyj We have a ghost in the place here. CAROL Tell us about him. ls he handsome? CLEMENT Extremely so. He was a l-lussar a cavalry sol dier, Who loved a beautiful girl in the village below and one day the Baron from this castle saw her and immediately fell in love with her. She spurned him and told him she loved another This, of course, angered the Baron and he determined to get rid of his rival, the soldier. One day he was falsely accused of stealing and, in spite of the denials of his guilt he was convicted and hanged. And it is his ghost that Walks the castle with the noose still around his neck, looking for the Baron SAMUELS You couldn't get the people back home to believe a story like that.

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GHOST Madam, I-you-really, this is not the way to treat a ghost. CAROL Now don't tell me you are really a ghost. GHOST At times I have almost been a ghost. But I am something much worse. I am a poet, a poet by choice, a ghost only from necessity. CAROL And What is a ghost-poet doing in a strange house eating someone else's dinner? But Where did you get that moth- eaten uniform? GHOST It isn't moth-eaten. CAROL Yes, it is. fShe sticks hcl' jinger in a hole in his sleevaj What sort of poetry do you write? POET fentlznsiasticallyj My poetry is full of the music of my people. In it is the odor of sun-drenched pine needles and of the mushrooms in the woods. In it is all the romance and the color and the warmth of my country. CAROL That sounds good. Does it pay? POET Not Very Well. So far I am the only person who thinks my poetry is great. But let me introduce myself. Cl I e clicks his heels and bowstj My name is Peter. Two days ago While on a Walking tour, I found this castle with a cellar door unfastened, and I climbed in, for it was a rainy night. I slept in the attic overnight and when I Woke up in the morning I found the house full of servants. Now, what could I do? How could I get out un- seen? So when I saw this uniform I remembered the ghost story and decided to get out that way. But I got lost and I blundered into the dining room. When the lady screamed I ran into the next room and knocked over a table. I intended to go out this Window, but I was hungry and then you caught me. Q The host and the other guests entenj CLEMENT I-lal so you've laid the ghost, Carol? What do you mean by this, you thief? PETER I am not a thief. I am merely a poet. CAROL Wait! This is my friend, Peter, the Poet from Prague. CLEMENT If he's your friend, then, of course, it's all right, but I still-- SAMUELS Carol, Where did you meet him? CAROL Never mind, father. CLEMENT fto Peterj Won't you join us? PETER I thank you. You are very kind. CLEMENT fspeaking softlyj Are you interested in him? CAROL Yes, I am, strangely enough. CThey seat themselves at the tablej CLEMENT I am sorry that our dinner has not progressed more smoothly but I am sure the young man is most Welcome. fHe casts a kindly glance upon Petenj Since none of you have earned the reward I spoke of, and since you, Carol, have no need of it, I propose to give it to our ghostly poet. ll