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110 IDEAL HOME LIFE |
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Mother.—Why, Jack, what is the matter, and what are you here for at this time of day, when you ought to be at work ?
Jack.—Oh, dear! Oh, dear! it's all because I've lost Towser. The sheep scattered and I couldn't collect them without him, and master came up and was very angry, and said I wasn't a bit of use and could go home. It was no good asking him to wait until I'd found Towser, for he saw Tom Kindheart and engaged him on the spot, and his dog soon fetched the sheep in.
(Mother sits down and begins to cry.)
Mother.—(Sobbing.) Whatever shall we do now you've lost your place? We were pretty comfortable before, but now there'll be no wages coming in, and Daisy lost—how we shall get through the winter I can't think! Oh, dear! oh, dear! I wish you had been kinder to the animals when we had them.
Jack.—So do I, Mother. I know what it is to do without them now. What with losing my place on account of Towser, and no milk for breakfast, and the cottage seeming so dull now Dick isn't here to sing us his cheery song, and-----
Mother.—(Interrupting.) Rats and mice running all over the place because there's no cat to keep them away.
Jack.—Well! I only wish they'd all come back. I'd never treat them badly again.
(Bird is heard singing outside. This can easily be done with a penny warbler.)
Mother.—Why, there's Dick, I do declare. Run, Jack and see!
(Jack goes off, and returns with a stuffed canary or toy bird on his finger, which he puts in cage.)
Jack.—Pretty Dick, pretty Dick. Oh! how glad I am to see you. (Noise of barking heard, cat mews; Jack goes to door and returns with puss in his arms; dog runs in.) Good dog! poor puss! Here, Mother, take pussy. (Places cat on his Mother's lap and pats dog.)
Mother.—Listen, Jack: I believe I can hear Daisy.
(Both listen, sound off stage of cow mooing. Jack looks out of window.)
Jack.—Yes, Mother, there she is; I'll run and get her a feed and |
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