An American drama arranged in four acts and entitled Secret service; a romance of the Southern Confederacy

Front matter

Class Book

AN AMERICAN DRAMA ARRANGED IN FOUR ACTS AND ENTITLED

A ROMANCE OF THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY

Act I Gen. Varney's House A'pt Hpit Franklin Street ^ V^l^vjv^cv

ACT TI THE SAME PLACE NINE

A ^ x X1 O'CLOCK

APT TTT TELEGRAPH office TEN

ii^ i in WAR DEPARTMENT O'CLOCK

ACT IV

DRAWING-ROOM AT THE ELEVEN VARNEY HOUSE AGAIN O'CLOCK

* * *

WHILE NO SPECIAL EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE IN THE DIRECTION OF HISTORICAL ACCURACY THE MANAGE- MENT TAKES THE LIBERTY OF REMINDING THE PUB- LIC THAT THE CITY OF RICHMOND AT THE TIME SET FORTH IN " SECRET SERVICE " WAS IN A STATE OF THE UTMOST EXCITEMENT AND CONFUSION. WOUNDED AND DYING WERE BEING BROUGHT IN FROM THE DEFENSES BY THE CAR-LOAD. CHURCHES, LIBRARIES AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS WERE CONVERTED INTO HOS- PITALS. OWING TO THE SCARCITY OF SURGEONS AND MEDICAL ATTENDANTS WOMEN AND EVEN YOUNG CURLS ASSISTED AT THE DRESSING OF WOUNDS AND NURSED THE SUFFERERS DAY AND NIGHT. OTHER WOMEN WERE OCCUPIED SEWING COARSE AND HEAVY SAND BAGS FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF THE FORTI- FICATIONS. STRICT MILITARY DISCIPLINE WAS IM- POSSIBLE. COURTS MARTIAL IF HELD AT ALL WERE COMPOSED OF ANY AVAILABLE MATERIAL EVEN PRI- VATE CITIZENS SERVING IF NECESSARY. TROOPS WERE BEING HURRIED IN FROM THE SOUTH AND NO CARE-

FUL SCRUTINY WAS ATTEMPTED. THIS MADE IT POS- SIBLE FOR MANY NORTHERN SECRET SERVICE MEN TO ENTER THE CITY AND REMAIN THERE IN VARIOUS DISGUISES. IN THE MIDST OF THIS TROUBLE A BRAVE ATTEMPT AT GAYETY WAS KEPT UP — CHIEFLY BY THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN A DESPERATE ENDEAVOR TO DISTRACT THEIR MINDS FROM THE TERRIBLE SITUA- TION. THERE WERE DANCES AND "STARVATION PARTIES " SO CALLED BECAUSE OF THE NECESSARILY LIMITED FARE PROVIDED AND THE BOOMING OF THE GREAT SIEGE GUNS OFTEN SOUNDED ABOVE THE STRAINS OF A DREAMY WALTZ OR THE LIVELY BEAT OF A POLKA.

TLiQht Plot

Acts I and IV — Same

Foots and 1st Borders : White and Amber Full up. To work down and up on Cues in Act II. 2 Blue Box Lamps lighting Garden Eight.

1 Blue Spot through window 1st E. Eight.

Acts II and IV

2 Table lamps on scene 1 l. c. Back. One on desk down stage Eight.

These lamps work up and down on Dimmer in Act. II.

Eed Lighting in Garden to flash on backing.

Strip in Back Entrance (Act I only)

Strips in Hallway left and top of stairway to go out on Cue in Act II.

Lighting works only on sounds of Cannon, Acts II and IV.

Act III

4 Telegraph instruments on Scene — 2 on table down center, 2 on table under mantel piece down right, all to work from off and on stage.

1-2 light (imitation) gas bracket over mantel to go off and on at Cue.

Foots and 1st Border. White and Amber full up.

To work up and down at Cues. 5

2 Box lamps green frosted. Showing through windows down stage left, same on all through Act.

Bunches lighting transparency wings back left, cues on Gas Bracket Foots and Border.

property plot Act I

Interior : — Drawing room in General Varney's house ; Richmond, Va. 1865. Early evning. Groundcloth, medallion, rugs — Portieres to draw on l. u. e. Portieres to draw on windows r. and R. c.

On walls: — Handsome pictures in gilt and walnut frames of the period landscapes, steel engravings and portraits.

Furniture: — Colonial mahogany frames and Rep upholstering. Southern Fireplace down l. brass fender, dogs and fireplace furniture.

On Mantel: — Clock — practical set for 8 o'clock. Vases with glass, bronze ornaments, 2 or 3 books. Flowers in grate.

On Table: — l. c. centerpiece, 2 or 3 books, written letter not in envelope. Large plush album. Chair r. and l. of l. c. table) Hassock in front of l. c. table.

Sofa r. c. Tidies, sofa cushions.

Table up c. Lighted lamp, work basket fairly large — Pair of scissors, needles, thread, etc. Vase of flowers, one to be removed. Writing desk down R. On desk, writing material, pen, ink and paper, envelopes, etc. Nice old-fashioned ink stand) 2 or 3 books, bowl of flowers, small miniature on easel, waste basket, dark wicker chair in front of desk, chair just above desk, Hassock near desk.

Bookcase between windows and c. doors (old-fashioned, filled with books.)

Stair Carpet.

Hanging Lamp in Hall.

Lamp on desk or small stand r.

Pedestal and vase of flowers between windows — chair

between windows.

Hall seat in hall.

Two chairs, one each side of F. P. Pedestal and statue on landing in hall. Vines and flowers for veranda off r. and R. u. e.

SIDE PROPS

For Thorne: — Cigar, matches.

For Jonas : — Writing paper (brown) card, salver, off l. c.

For Wilfred: — Pair gray Confederate trousers, legs to cut off about three inches from bottom every night. Confederate gray blouse wrapped in brown paper.

For Edith: — (Upstairs l. c.) written note.

For Maxwell: — Large official brown envelope containing commission.

For Miss Kittridge: — (Off c.) Package of lint and package of bandages.

For Soldier: — Sling.

8 Springfield rifles and bayonets.

Jingle door bell off l. c.

Distant cannon effect off R.

Effect of passing artillery off R. rumble of cannon wheels, horses galloping, and jingle of swords and harness. Door slam (big) off l. c. Sec that key is in lock of c. door and that it will work easily.

Act II

SAME SET AS ACT I

Set clock at 9 o'clock.

SIDE PROPS

For Wilfred: — Lot of papers, letters, etc. 1 letter

partly written not in envelope.

For Martha : — Off L. 3, large official brown envelope. For Mrs. Varney : — Off l. c. (at top of stairs)

Wilfred's cap and belt, roll of gray blankets tied,

open written letter.

For Arrelsford: — Same paper taken from Jonas,

Act I

For Thorne: — Sure fire army revolver in holster.

Act III

Interior: — The War Department Telegraph Office. Grroundcloth, to represent board floor. Wide mantel shelf and fireplace down r. Front of fireplace plain solid table rather long and narrow. On table, 4 telegraph instruments of the period 1865, connected each separately to sounder and key off stage R. Pens, inkwells, paper (manila), telegraph-blanks (form used by Confederate war department), spindles, etc.

On wall : — Above mantel Rough hooks to hang coats on.

On mantel: — Piles of old messages and books.

Plain solid table R. c. fastened firmly to floor.

On table : — 2 telegraph instruments of the period connected each separately off stage R.

Paper, pens, ink, telegraph forms of the period.

Small cup about the size of a sponge cup sunk in table and containing sponge and carmine for Captain Thome's bloody hand business. Pot ox* paste and brush.

Revolver on shelf of table. The Telegraph wires from these instruments on both tables drop down to floor in full view of audience and carried across and out through upper part of fireplace to table off stage. Where each instrument on stage is connected to an instrument off stage; have off stage instruments all on one table; the ones for the long table near F. P. are lettered B. and C. those on tile table e. c, lettered A. and D. frm the top of the F. P. fake wires run up side of scene to ceiling and across stage to center window, out of that window and up out of sight; have large glass insulators such as were used then to carry wires.

2 Common chairs at long table E.

1 Common chair at table e. c.

1 Chair up c.

Waste paper basket full of waste paper e. c.

In Closet up c. : — Shelves containing battery jars and rubbish natural to a telegraph office. Boxes — Rubbish, etc. Have lot of battery jars under table in front of F. P. with proper connections (faked).

Big double break away doors up e. c. These have big iron bar and cleats on audience side. These doors must be very solid and are practically smashed to bits each performance with butts of guns hinges in down stage one should break away.

If windows L. are not real glass have glass crash effect off l. supposed to be breaking of glass when shot is fired through window.

Lot of waste paper (old despatches on floor).

SIDE PROPS

For Thome : — Sure fire revolver, official order, official

despatch, cigar, matches.

For Edith: — Official commission. For Caroline: — Official order.

For Eddinger: — Official order.

For Arrelsford: — Official order, sure fire revolver. For Messenger: — 1 Official despatch. For "Mr ^•ii-.'cr : — 1 Official despatches. For S. M. : — Sure fire revolver. Springfield rifles and bayonets.

Act IV SAME SETS AS ACTS I AND II

Furniture slightly disarranged as is left after disturbance of Act II.

Distant ca.unon eifeet off r.

Distant musketry effect off R.

Loud bomb shell effects and flashes; hurried and violent ringing of alarm in distance off R. deep low tone like fire bell (Get as near as possible tone of bell used for purpose in Richmond).

4 Big toned chimes. .

Effects of cavalry, artillery, etc., passing horses' hoofs, rattling of sabers and gun carriages, chain effect off r., crunching effect on gravel road. (All the above on cues both very distant and close).

SIDE PROPS

For Thorne : — Fuller's-earth, dark cloth for bandage,

revolver.

For Wilfred: — White neck bandage, fuller's-earth. For Mrs. Varney: — Ladies' linen handkerchief. For Jonas: — Springfield cartridge with bullet;

separate bullet.

For Orderly : — Fuller's-earth.

For Soldier : — Off l. small basin of water and cloth. For 8 Soldiers: — Dummy Springfield cartridges,

powder removed but bullets put back in their

cartridge-boxes.

EFFECTS DURING THE PLAY:— At intervals while the First and Second Acts of this piece are in progress occasional distant thunder of cannon with flashes, etc., and arrange not to interfere with dialogue or scenes. During Last Act, at periods arranged, the artillery effects become stronger as a desperate attach is then being made upon the Confederate Lines near the Outskirts of the City. But even then these effects should be subdued and distant. The Fortification Lines are from 5 to 10 miles out.

During First and Fourth Acts — on cues — the passing of regiments hurriedly through the streets outside. ^Clatter of hoofs, tramp of many feet, rattle of gun-carriages, bugle calls, orders shouted, etc.

/ifcemoranoum on 2>falect

In several of the Characters " Ah " is used in the place of " I ". This does not signify that it should be pronounced as written. It is only to serve as a reminder that the Southern pronunciation is a trifle away from " I " and toward " Ah " — but not by any means reaching it.