THE PLAY

ACT I

SCENE I

_Scene: Alexandria, Va., the garden in front of the Lees' home in the spring of 1819._

Characters

Robert Lee, aged 12 Bud, his chum, aged 11 Slats, a friend, aged 12 Fat, another friend, aged 13

(_Enter ROBERT and BUD. BUD has a fishing rod. ROBERT is carrying his school books. SLATS follows tossing a ball in the air and catching it.

FAT trails along last, as usual._)

BUD--An say, Rob, get your pole and come on fishing. They say they're biting great. Have you asked your mother if you could go?

ROBERT--No, I haven't.

SLATS--Well what do you think she is, a mind reader or something?

FAT--No, probably he thinks if he waits long enough, somebody will ask her for him.

BUD--Don't judge everybody by yourself. Rob always does everything for himself and a lot of things for other people, and you know it, unless your head's too fat.

SLATS--Well, aren't you going to ask her Rob?

ROBERT--No, I told you before, I couldn't go fishing.

FAT--Well, how do you know you can't if you haven't even asked? Talk about my head being fat!

BUD--You better be careful what you say to Rob. He could trim the life out of you, and you know it.

ROBERT--I don't see what you boys are making all this fuss about. I just can't go fishing, that's all. You fellows go ahead and have a good time and tomorrow tell me all about that biggest fish that got away.

BUD--Don't you want to go, Rob?

ROBERT--Of course I want to go, but I simply can't this afternoon, that's all.

BUD--Aw what's the secret, Rob? Aren't you and I pardners?

ROBERT--There isn't any secret, Bud. I'm just going to take mother out to ride just as I always do.

SLATS--Well say, can't she stay home just for once?

ROBERT--She does stay home all the time except when I take her out to ride. Now be careful, or she might hear you, and not want me to take her out.

FAT--Say, if I'd thought of that sooner, I'd have talked at the top of my lungs.

BUD--Be careful, Fat, or Rob'll have you yelling at the top of your lungs.

ROBERT--Good luck, boys. Run along and have a good time. I hope the fish bite as fast as snapping turtles. (_He goes in the house._)

BUD--Come on boys, no use trying to get Rob. When he makes up his mind, you might just as well not try to budge him.

FAT--Aw, he's tied to his mother's ap.r.o.n strings.

SLATS--You shut up before I make you!

BUD (_To FAT_)--Say if you were half as manly as he is, no one would know you.

FAT--I didn't mean anything. I like Rob just as well as the rest of you, but if I did all the things for my mother that he does for his, everyone'd call me a sissy.

SLATS--Yes, and probably they'd be right. Come on, Fat, I mean "Sissy."

(_BUD, SLATS and FAT go on their way. Negro servant leads out horse and carriage. ROBERT comes out of the house helping his mother down the stairs._)

MRS. LEE--Don't strain yourself, Robert.

ROBERT--You don't know how strong I am, Mother. Lean harder. I don't feel you at all.

MRS. LEE--I don't know what I'd do without you Robert. You're both sons and daughters to me.

(_ROBERT helps her into the carriage._)

ROBERT--There, are you quite comfortable, mother? (_He arranges the cushions for her._)

MRS. LEE--Yes thank you dear, but I do feel as if you ought to be out playing instead of taking an old invalid like me out to ride.

ROBERT--You aren't old and you must get well so fast that you won't be an invalid any longer, and both of us are going to have the best possible ride. (_They drive away._)

SCENE II

_The Harbor of St. Louis, banks of the Mississippi River, 1839._

Characters

Captain Robert E. Lee First Lieutenant Smith Buck Brown, Town Bully Coyote Jim, his pal, a half-breed Soldiers at work Eight friends of Buck and Coyote Jim

BUCK--I'm a-lookin' for the boss of these diggin's.

LIEUTENANT--You want Captain Lee. (_Pointing to him._)