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Washington Square Plays

Chapter 2 EUGENICALLY SPEAKING

Word Count: 3650    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

e-Ac

ward

1914, by Ed

under the direction of Philip Moeller, as part of their first progra

der of their appearanc

WAITE. Flor

OXEY. Ka

WAITE. Geor

anservant

bert Gminska and Miss Enright's

medy Theatre, New York City, beginning August 30, 1916. In this production Arthur Hohl pla

RAC

. A

OXEY. A

HEWAITE.

S. A

en to-day a

des the door at the back, only the table that stands a little to the right of the centre of the room, with a statue on it, and three chairs wh

r conductor and carries the cap in his hand. Although somewhat inconvenienced and preoccupied with the novelty of his surroundings and his situation, he remains, in the main, in excellent self-possession, an occasional twinkle in his eye showing

nds, while UNA goes to the bell and rings it and then proceeds to the m

sit down. [She points t

Thanks,

I forgot. You're a car conduc

urally, Miss. B

you are to a woman, the more she'll hate you-or love you. [

] The polite are not only

know I'm right,

must grow tir

I did, I'd

ave alread

irmly]. A

entre, and sitting on it

he offered chair

better than ri

at his attempt a

d]. No! You mustn't d

in alarm]. Wh

nding. Vexed but smiling she sits.] Well, there! [He sits down.] You punned

ARVIS th

ing the situation, but controls hi

my father that I'd l

S goes

w the reason th

undred dollar

. N

have left my job if yo

t I mean, do you know

'm waitin

ally]. I wonder i

. Your

That is, he is when he

ty, almost always completely master of himself. On seeing CO

AITE. Un

glad you were in. [To GEORGE who has risen, too.]

AITE. Do

Do sit down, Dad. He's so delicious. He won't sit dow

e chair allotted to him, whereupon UNA sits in hers and t

ected a

ily. BRAITHEWAITE looks at G

WAITE.

scomfiture.] Do sit down. We're all sitting now, y

ITE. But,

eugenic guide is the sex attraction-the Voice of Nature." He thinks the trouble is at present that we dare not marry out of our own sphere. But I'll show you exactl

ad me a whole Shaw article, are you? It's five o'

provement in the human race until you greatly widen the area of possible sexual selection; until you make it as wide as the numbers of the community make it. J

EWAITE

a woman who takes my fancy." Wit

For your purpo

'Will you excuse me; but you attract me strongly, and if you are not already engaged, would you mind taking my name and address and considering whether you

xactly. You see

hance? That set me thinking. I decided h

commit myself, dear, unt

. You see, I-I've been led to think rece

ITE. May

, but I'd rath

ITE. I be

e possibilities in my own set, I-[she

iety, as a rule, the women gr

knew you wanted to b

ear. I hadn't given the subject

and continues in explanation] given the subject a good deal of thought. I've spent days buyin

least there was

y to have to begin at my home. Self-pr

elf-propagation, I

-looking there I couldn't tell what they'd be like if they got proper nou

ind the devil not

see what they looked like. Of course if I

EORGE]. Considering what y

some vulgar remark about black d

WAITE.

cars. It's very fascinating, Dad. All you can see for a

odestly]. Oh, I

ow. [GEORGE rises in fright.] Oh, that's all right. I've lost you your job, but I'll

rself physically comfortable, you know. There's no t

gain, regaining his

so to-day you investigate

w him-and decided. I knew he wouldn't dare

So you asked h

I've too much consid

But I though

approve when you saw him. But I wanted to be sure I hadn't overlooked anything. And if I had, I didn't want to

s a little in

dear, do you thin

ave been so clumsy. [She rises. GEORGE rises aut

d moving his chair aside]. I

u. Father, this is-this is-- [To GEORGE.] B

. Coxe

's the first name? I can't cal

George

. George Coxey! How strong that sounds! One of those names tha

E. I

've never been arrested. One ca

y]. Many of the best peo

m sure he's strong. See those hands of his-a little rough, of course, but I like that, and so fir

you come here with m

him at the car barn when he

know you would lose you

suppressed sm

And you came

see, sir,

use more than was necessary. [Pointedly to GEORGE.] You see, Georg

the chief objection I have to

't call it an "

u must admit it'

lords always ma

. But he is

]. Yes. And c

se a conductor is more unusual, I admit. I can't help that though-- [To her f

nfortunate-most. It was your mother's idea. S

nt individuality and I've done my best to live up to it. [She looks

have some of the me

e to see the

levance]. I wish I could teach you concentration. I

GE.

EWAITE

! If yo

n hesitates what to do with his

'll ta

effort, while UNA watches him admiringly, fingering his cap. When he reach

s as fine as the statue, isn't he? And you know

EWAITE

put it back again. That was all I wanted. [A

, it ain't

tly to her fat

E. But he u

her father]. Many of the bes

Not with his

like when you were a

he past of a public

know have only their parents' past behind. You could give him a job

ut you don't kn

at matter. If I don't like him,

TE. Then y

dously eager. I

I suppose I

nglishman with German sympath

inking into a c

h delight]. Then it's settled

use me, Mis

[shocked].

. "Aren't," dear

GE.

ing away]

use-I'm marr

ITE [risi

ow ann

ree years, and exp

bled]. Oh

ging means. I told you I believ

thinking]. Sh! Be quiet, f

Better than lo

. Of course. How stupid o

. Yes,

n't you better call

father's remark]. George,

y she's as goo

g.] Then I'll have to run away wi

[now really s

, Dad? Have you someth

nd the uncommon scandal of your marrying a car conduc

k to me as though I were the Public Service Commission? There'

don't make any difference. I

ou don

ounds like a song, I kn

nd you're the unusu

ofessional toward an amateur]. Stealing

ove your wife? Some simple, econ

ng, but you better be careful not to insult my wife

bfounded

sky-pilots in town. I met her at a settlem

and doubt

mething like this before or I'd ne

efore]. Y

omi and I don't care. That's her name; so you can see she's a Bible-poacher's daughter. Naomi and I've been happier than any people on earth. [Sternly.] She's taught me to stand when a lady

e everything unusual that I

nusual to-day. Too much brai

heard this story, if he

ther's the only one can kee

on her father's shoulder]. O

here, there, dear. [To GEORGE

. And

I'll see you

anks. I do

HEWAI

I want a

g his daughter aside

something. I leave it to you. You know

s anger]. And on what basis

come and I could take it, if I had nerve

EWAITE

ry about your daught

A.

he power your father-in-la

t you can't keep me from spreading the

him]. I could have you prosecuted f

I've got the makings of a big man in me, Mr. Braithew

WAITE.

I'm not asking for a cinch, only a chance. If s

se]. Well, call around at

anks. [He

ep]. And I thought

. It's easy enough for Sha

ng it's useless trying to escape the usual. [Running up to her fath

ter G

use me. I l

to him without lookin

s. [Approaching her.] Buc

pose I was

e is a very particular sort of business. Now if you'd come up to me in the street and just asked me t

ppreciating it, while her father's shock at what GEORGE has said is

rt

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