BENJAMIN FRANKLIN EPISODE

CHARACTERS

YOUNG BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AN OLD WOMAN

SCENE I

Boston Common on a Summer afternoon, 1720.

The Common is an open grassy space, wide to the sun and sky. There are trees right, left, and background. Their shadows fall like a wavering tracery across the grass.

At the beginning of the scene this grassy space is deserted. It is the far end of the Common, a place not much frequented by loiterers. The first person to cross it is young Benjamin Franklin, who comes slowly in from right. He wears knee-breeches, a loose white shirt, silver buckles on his square-toed shoes, and a three-cornered hat on his head. He is reading from a book which he holds in his right hand, while on his left arm hangs a basket of tallow candles. Slung across his left shoulder is a kite, its string trailing.

He walks slowly, pausing every now and then to turn a page. The old woman enters from right, and comes quickly towards Franklin. She is wonderfully keen-eyed and light of foot, and is clad in a green quilted petticoat, with a green bodice, a touch of white at neck, and a green double cape. A white cap is perched on her snow-white head. She also carries a small market-basket, and a gold-headed cane. Her stockings are scarlet, her low black shoes have gold buckles. She is, withal, arrestingly picturesque, and there hangs about her a slight air of mystery, that is well in accordance with her profession, which is that of soothsayer.

Franklin is so deep in his book that she soon catches up with him, passes him, looks back, and sees that he does not perceive her. Then she stands still and lets him pass her, still staring at him. Then she comes briskly up behind him, and taps him on the arm with her cane.

THE OLD WOMAN.

Fare not so fast, young sir. If your book makes you so blind to customers, 'tis not many candles you'll be selling.

FRANKLIN (at first somewhat startled, then looking up quite calmly).

And if I do not mind my books, 'tis naught but candles I'll be selling all my life.

THE OLD WOMAN.

Well spoken, tallow-chandler's son. Whatever your calling, I see that your wits are not made of wax. Give me a shilling's worth o' candles, and tell me what good your toil is like to bring you.

FRANKLIN (putting down book, kite, and basket, and selecting candles).

I have ambition to become a printer.

THE OLD WOMAN (paying him and putting candles in her basket).

So!

FRANKLIN.

And if I do not apply myself, how am I like to learn? There are no gains without pains, and heaven gives all things to Industry. [Footnote: From "Poor Richard's Almanac."]

THE OLD WOMAN (holding up her hands).

To hear him! (Chuckling to herself.) Keep on! Keep on! You'll ne'er be sorry for it! Aha, Master Franklin, 'twill take no gazing in the crystal to see that the future of a wise and industrious lad is made of gold. What's that you're carrying as carefully as if 'twas your book?

FRANKLIN (dropping book and basket, and showing kite).

My kite. To-day was a half-holiday, and I've been flying it on Beacon Hill till the wind hath made me sleepy.

THE OLD WOMAN (keenly).

You've fastened a little key to it.

FRANKLIN (with a burst of candor).

Sometimes I think I'll fly it in a thunderstorm and gather up the lightning.

THE OLD WOMAN (tapping the ground vigorously with her cane).

Those are bold words, Master Benjamin Franklin. Are you not feared to speak them? (Looks half-fearfully over her left shoulder.) Folk might think you were in league with—with strange powers! (There is a touch of the eighteenth-century beldame in her as she speaks these words).

FRANKLIN.

How is it that you know my name, and yet I do not remember you?

THE OLD WOMAN (mysteriously).

Perhaps there are too many soothsayers passing, or perhaps you have not looked well about you. Aha, aha! (Nodding and blinking.) There are many things folk do not see.

FRANKLIN (shrewdly and bluntly).

That's true. My father says that all the witches were not hanged on Salem Hill.

THE OLD WOMAN (finger upraised).

S-ssh! Never that word! Never that word, Master Franklin! Come, I am for crossing the Common, and for your good-will, and because you are a wise lad, I'll lend you my crystal.

[Gives it to him.

FRANKLIN (putting book in basket with candles, and turning crystal to the light).

How it shines in the sun!

THE OLD WOMAN (with cane upraised and wand-like for a moment).

Look in it. Look deep in it. 'Twill give you dreams, Master Franklin, all good, good dreams. Dreams o' the future, Master Franklin!

[Franklin stands still in background, looking at the crystal as the Old Woman goes on her way. The branches of the trees under which he stands cast wavering shadows about him. It is cool after the glare of the sun. He yawns, stretches, and throws himself at foot of tree.

FRANKLIN (musing aloud).

Of all the strange old women! (Looks at crystal again.) A pretty toy, truly! All—shining—in—the—sun——— (Falls asleep.)

THE OLD WOMAN (stealing back for a moment out of background, and raising cane as before).

Dream! Dream deep!

[Tosses over him half of her double cloak, then makes her exit into background, with finger on lip, and disappears from view. There is a pause of some length, during which dream music is played, a soft, swaying rhythm. Then comes the Dream.

SCENE II PEOPLE OF THE DREAM

DR. FRANKLIN, the statesman JOHN ADAMS MARIE ANTOINETTE, Queen of France THE DUCHESS OF BOURBON MADEMOISELLE DE PERNAN MADEMOISELLE DE TRESSAU Ladies in Waiting. Pages. Courtiers. Rose Minuet Dancers. Shepherdesses and Milkmaids from the Petit Trianon. Little Flower Girls. Rose Bearers.

The setting is the lawn of Versailles on a Summer afternoon, 1781.

There are trees at right, left, and background. The entrances of all taking part in the scene are made from middle background.

The dream music of the previous scene having ceased, a stately march is played off scene. Queen Marie Antoinette enters, her train held by four little pages in white satin. She is followed by Mlles. de Pernan and de Tressau, who wear white brocade with pale yellow roses. Following them comes a less formal group, ladies in waiting, who wear dark green and silver-flowered bodices and overskirts over still darker green quilted petticoats: amber costumes of the same, threaded with gold, and dark purple over white satin. The Queen, who is in white, with a long train of scarlet velvet, has the only touch of scarlet that is worn in the scene. The French courtiers are in flowered coats with buff, blue of a deep shade, and white and amber-brown predominating.

The Queen, having crossed the sward, stands at right, and the Mlles de Pernan and de Tressau stand immediately behind her, and by them the pages. A little further back, in a stately, yet not too formal a semicircle, stands the court. Just as they are taking their places there comes from the background a sedan chair borne by four chairmen in black velvet, with powdered wigs. This chair is set down in center of sward. The Duchess of Bourbon alights: approaches the Queen, courtesies deeply and kisses her Majesty's hand. Then joins the group behind the Queen. The chair is carried to the back of the group during this ceremony.

Music off-scene plays "Hail Columbia" and Franklin and Adams appear from background, Adams following Franklin. Benjamin Franklin is in black, with unpowdered hair. His famous spectacles are on his nose. The Queen extends her hand, over which he bows. Adams, with three-cornered hat on breast, bows just behind him.

QUEEN.

You honor France in honoring us by your presence, Dr. Franklin. Mr. Adams, we greet you, not only because you come from America, but because you are the friend of wisdom and sagacity.

FRANKLIN (bowing low: ditto Adams).

Your Majesty does us too much honor!

QUEEN.

The honor we do you to-day is to be gay, festive, joyous. We have delighted to plan a fete for your pleasure wherein you shall behold Versailles and Trianon, court ladies, milkmaids, shepherdesses! But, first, the verses!

[According to the custom of eighteenth-century France in honoring a philosopher, the Mlles. de Pernan and de Tressau face Franklin and the Queen, courtesy deeply, recite a verse, courtesy again, and return to their places.

MLLE. DE PERNAN.

"We come to honor, one by one, Benjamin Franklin, Freedom's son, Who comes to us from oversea, Champion of light and liberty."

MLLE. DE TRESSAU.

"Learned and just, benignant, wise, You draw the lightning from the skies: Printer and Statesman—here we see What man through his own wit may be!"

[Throughout the revels that follow the Queen and Benjamin Franklin stand at right, while the dancers enter from left background. As soon as one group has finished dancing, center, they move to the left, and stand in a line facing Franklin and the Queen. Thus color is added to color, till the whole has a rainbow effect.

The first group to enter is the pale-violet group, ladies-in-waiting, who wear pale-violet bodices and overdresses over white. They dance a gavotte, and retire to a line at left. The stage on which the dancing is done must afford ample space, so that there is no crowding.

The second group enters. Court ladies in pale-yellow bodices and looped overdresses over white. They dance a gavotte, and then stand at left of stage.

The third group enters. Young maids of the court, dressed as shepherdesses. Pale sea-foam-green bodices and overdresses over white. White crooks, with pale-green satin streamers fastened to them. They dance a minuet, and retire to left.

The fourth group enters. Young maids of the court dressed as milkmaids. Pale-blue bodices and looped-up overdresses over white. Each milkmaid carries a small white, wooden milking-pail. They dance a minuet, and retire to left.

The fifth group enters for the Rose Minuet. First come ten little girls walking two and two. They wear bodices and overdresses of the very palest pink, flowered with deep-pink roses. Their fichus and petticoats are white. Each couple carries between them a half-hoop of pink roses. When they come to a halt the rose hoops, held high, form a rose bower through which the rose-dancers approach. They are maids of the court, who wear rose-pink bodices and overdresses over white. Wreaths of tiny pink rosebuds on their powdered hair. With the little girls with rose hoops forming figures and groups in the center of the sward, the minuet dancers go through a minuet which should differ from the other minuets, its figures being somewhat more elaborate and complicated.

The final figure of this fete should be a huge minuet, with the rose-dancers in the center of the sward, the other dancers joining in. After a figure or two, the tempo of the music should change, and the dancers, headed by those who have done the rose minuet, should march off the field into the background. First the pink group, then the blue group, then the green, yellow, and violet groups. With the same march music still sounding, the Queen and Franklin, followed in stately fashion by the court, should leave the field, and thus end the scene.

COSTUMES

The costumes of the first scene have already been indicated in the text. That of the crystal-gazer can be made of cambric, with the glazed side turned inward. Her cap and kerchief should be of white lawn.

COSTUMES IN SCENE II

MARIE ANTOINETTE. White satin petticoat. Overdress and bodice of white silk brocaded with scarlet roses. White lace ruffles and fichu. Long train of scarlet velvet, lined in white satin. Hair dressed high and powdered. Gold crown. Shimmering necklace. If a costume as ornate as this is not procurable, let the young player wear a long white muslin dress that just touches below the ankle. A bodice and overdress of white cretonne flowered with red roses. White lawn fichu with ruffles. A long train of scarlet cambric with the glazed side turned outward to represent satin. This is lined in white cambric which should also be satiny-looking. The train is fastened at the shoulders, and borne by two pages. Crown and jewels of gold and silver paper. White slippers and stockings. Brilliant buckles.

FRANKLIN. Suit of plain black velvet. Vest of black satin. Stockings and low shoes of black. Three-cornered black hat which he holds under his arm. His hair falls to his collar, and is unpowdered. A pair of square spectacles on his nose.

ADAMS. Suit of plum-colored velvet, trimmed with gold lace. White satin waistcoat. White stock, and lace jabot, and sleeve-ruffles. Black shoes with gold buckles. Black stockings. White powdered wig worn in a cue.

With the other costumes, cretonne and cheesecloth can be substituted for silk and satin; but the color scheme that has been already described should be strictly adhered to. The Mlles de Pernan and de Tressau should wear white dresses, with looped-up paniers of white cretonne flowered in yellow. The Duchess of Bourbon, a white dress with looped paniers of pale blue, flowered in pink. White fichu and ruffles. Very inexpensive yet effective costumes can be made for the dancers by having each girl wear a white dress that comes below the knee. Over this dress may be worn a deep girdle of cheesecloth of a solid color. Then looped-up paniers of cheesecloth of the same color at each side. A white fichu of cheesecloth or lawn may be worn with this costume, and all the girls taking part in the dances should have their hair powdered, and worn in a pompadour fashion. White shoes and stockings for all the dancers. Older girls taking part should wear their dresses ankle-length. If a more satiny look than cheesecloth gives is wished, let the overdresses be of light-colored cambric with the glazed side turned outward. Cheesecloth is the softest, most pliable material, and the most easily managed.

The dancers who carry the rose hoops should wear pale-pink cretonne flowered in deeper pink. The rose hoops may be made of ordinary hoops of a good size cut in half, covered with green cheesecloth, and then decorated with pink paper roses, put on so thickly that the green is almost hidden.

The pages and sedan chair-bearers wear black velvet, with black waistcoats and white neck-pieces and ruffles. Black stockings and low black shoes. Hair powdered and worn in a cue. Black suits, basted back to give the effect of an eighteenth-century coat, white neckcloth and ruffles of lawn will make good substitutes for the more ornate costume. For the white wigs, a tight-fitting skull-cap of white muslin. Basted to this white cotton batting, shaped to fit the head, and having a cue in the back tied with black velvet ribbon. For the sedan chair, if a real sedan chair cannot be had, have a chair fastened to a stout platform of wood. Handles for the bearers to hold should be fastened to the chair. A boxed-in canopy of heavy white cardboard covers this, the cardboard fastened to a light framework. Over the cardboard should be pasted pale-yellow wallpaper, or white-flowered wallpaper. The inside of the chair should be covered in flowered cretonne. The handles should be gilded.

MUSIC (for band, orchestra, or piano):

For the Dream Music: Minuet, by L. Boccherini Gavotte: Gavotte Favorite de Marie Antoinette (1774), by Charles Neustedt. Minuet: Minuet from Don Juan, by Mozart.