Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 43, Number 220, 27 July 1918 — Page 14

PAGE TWO

RICHMOND PALLADIUM. Jl'LY 27. 1918.

A Long-Lost Relative (Cast.) Mr Lecouvreur the Father Mr3. Lecouvreur the Mother Adrienna Lecouvreur a Child Michel Lccouvreur ...a Child The B9ggar. Maiius the Valet

t

Scene 1.

Evening. Parlor of the Lecouvreur

Tims: Place.

home, (A cheerful fire is blazing on the hearth In the Lecourvenr home. The family is seated near the fire. Each one is busy doing something. . The two children, Adrlenne and Michel, are studying their lesson. Tlie father is reading the paper . while the mother i3 bending over some fine sevlng.) Mr. L.: (Laying down his paper and addressing his wife.) It has been a bad winter for the poor people of the country. I have just

read that a great number of peo- j pie have died of cold and hunger, j It is too bad that some have so lit- j Ue and others so much. The proverb of Ben Frar.klin is certainly right. I Adrienne: (Eagerly.) Oh, what: Is it,' daddy? 1 would like to know. We are just studying the history of J the United " States, and we read; nbout Benjamin FFanklin. j Mr. L.: (Smiling.) It is a welli kncwn proverb, my dear, and a

good one it is too Mrs. L.: Gilbert, you aren't answering the question at all. Mr. L: (Laughing.) My! What makes you all so Impatient today? Well Adrlenne the proverb runs thus: "The poor have little, the beggars none; the rich too much enough not one." Adrienne: , Excitedly.) . Oh, isn't it beautiful. I Blmply adore anything American. I wished I lived in America. Do you know any more proverb by Franklin? " Michel: lea, do tell us some nore. Let's move closer to the Ire. Adrienne. Mr. L.: I've forgotten some of .hem, but I remember three very well. "If pride leads the van, beg?ery brings up the rear." "Poverty wants some things, luxury many things, avarice all things" "Fear to do ill and you will fear all else." Michel: Those are interesting. I wish that you knew some mo . Adrienne: (Hurriedly) I thought I heard a knock at the door. (Runs quickly to the door and opens it.) What Is it you want, Monsieur? Come In if you please. (She looks Inquiringly at the beggar who does not step in.) Won't you oome in, sir? Molher and father are here. Beggar: Would your parents be willing to take me in for the night? Mr. L.: (Coming to the door.) Certainly, sir. Come in. (Beggar enters and sits down with the family.) Mr. L.: (Aside to his wife.) Will you please prepare the spare room for him. It seems to me that I know this man. I nearly grasped recognition when he entered, but I missed it (Exit Mrs. L.) Scene 2. , Place: , Spare room of the Lccouvreur home. (Mrs. L. Is in spare room and Adrienne and Michel come running breathlessly to her.) Adrienne: (Breathlessly.) Oh, mother the man told daddy his name, and and Michel: And daddy hugged and kissed him, and Adrlenne: Then daddy told us this man is our uncle. Michel: And daddy wants you to come Into the parlor, because . Adrienne: Because the our uncle is going to tell us his story. Michel: Oh. do come mother. Scene 3. Place: The parlor of the Lerouvreur home. (The brothers are sitting with iheir arms around each other.) Mrs. L: (Coming up to her brother-in-law.) Well. I'm glad that you have at last appeared. Gilbert spoke of you so often. I'm very, very glad to see you, Emile, for now you will. live with us, will you not? Emile L.: (The beggar) Yes. I think that if you really want me I will live with for a while, until I build a nest of my own. Now, if you cars to hear, I will tell you my history. Mrs. L.: Oh. no. I will not allow thac. We must dine first for you seem in need of food and rest. Scene 4. Place: Same as In scene three. The family is gathered there. Mrs. L.: Now we shall be very

F

Cardinal MEEQ

has appealed to the Food Administration for more food for Starving millions. I TEat less wheat-meat I fats and sncfetr. Ship

people F

JFHANCE " BIMOM" EE

much interested in what you have to say. Mr. L.: Yes do tell us, Emile, dear. Emile: Well, after I had gotten my share of our father's property, I decided to multiply that small amount, because it had always been my ambition to be wealthy. A group of other young men and I went on a trip to India, where we decided to purchase some articles that we could sell in other countries at a good price. We traveled for five years going from one country to mother, trading. Each of us gained a large sum of money during that time. At the end of that time we decided to come home to see our relatives and to make use of our wealth. We got on board a ship one day and had a very pleasant trip. At about the end of our trip these other young men who were with me began to get jealous of my wealth, which was greater than that of my comrades. One evening the youngest of the group came to me and told me that the other were plotting something against me. He paid thai they had asked him to join in the plot, but he felt that it would be wrong. He told them, however, that he would, and . Michel: (Excitedly.) That was horrible of him. Emile: (Smiling.) No, it wasn't

He did "i for my good. So they disclosed the whele scene to him. They had planned to sink the vessel that night when we would be nearing port so that people would think that it had been wrecked.

! They were going to escape and not

wake me at all, but would steal my money. That night about midnight I heard a light tap at my door. I opened it and it proved to be the faithful man We packed our things let down a boat and noislessly rode away. When we entered Bordeaux, we went to a cheap little inn where we rented a room for several days. In the morning. Mamis, the kin.l young man went to seek his mother. I took al1 my seaman's clothes and dressed as a beggar and went to look for you. I did not succeed in finding you this morning, so I went to my hotel and took my money into my knapsack and bought some provisions, paid the landlady and came into this part of the city to look for you. The wealth that I have I will share with you and Marius. That is all that I have to tell you, brother and sister. Mrs. L.: No, brother, we want nothing besides you. Mr. L : Let us retire now and in the morning we will try to find Marius. Scene 5. Place: Dining room of the Le-

couvreur home. Valet: (Entering the room.) Sir, here are the latest news. (Smiles, and hands Mr. L. the newspapers.) There is quite a bit of excitement in town this morning. A ship that was to enter port last night suddenly sank. One man by the name of Marius Burgoyne was reported drowned. The rest of the men were seen riding away about midnight. Emile: Gilbert, we muf-t go down to the wharf. It is impossible that the child went back, to the ship and told them the truth. It is all my fault. Mr. L.: It cannot be so bad. Perhaps this is only a report that is false. Emlie: I hope that he is still alive. What is the matter, Emile? Mr. L.: Hush! it is reported that Marius has ben drowned. Servants Entering.) Sir, there are three men at your door carrying the body of a young man. Emile: (Rushing to the door.) Oh, can It possibly be Marius? God grant me that It will be he, alive. (Opens door.) Come in, sirs. What have you here? Spokesman of the group: This is the young man that was reported drowned. He swam to the wharf, and a man who was there saved him. He asked to be taken to Mr. Lecouvreur's home. I am not mis

taken, am I? Emile: So he is alive after a'l. Thank God! Marius is carried into the room and brought back to consciousness.) Emile: (Seals himself beside Marius. i Now tell us about your adventure. Mauris: I havn't much to say. I went to my cabin on the ship anc' no one knew that I had been o land vet. About

j went in your room and found v. j diary that you had been keeping. I

nrm u my room and read i:. Emile, Gilbert, it proved to mo that I wr.s your lost brother. The one who wa3 suddenly missed bv vour parents and could not bo found. A family by the name of Burgoyne took me in and gave me a home. They were very kind and treated me hs if I was their own child. Mr. L.: Now. thank Heaven, we have been brought together. Marius: One thing more. I told those men that I had saved you, Emile. and that I was gle.d that I did it. At sunset I jumped from the ship unseen and let them have my money which I left behind. They thought I was In the ship so they sank it, stole my money and escaped. Mr. L.: We shall now live together in happiness. Hoy perfectly aappy I am.