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Show A Kitchen TragedyCharacters-Mr. Halbert Carr. Mrs. Halbert Carr.SCENE: The kitchen of the Carrs"1 new home. A door at the rear leads into the pantry, the well-filled shelves of which are plainly visible. At the right and back is a kitchen cabinet; farther to front is a table above which hang kitchen utensils, glistening with newness. At the left and back is the sink over which is a window; nearer to front is a range in which a fire shines cheerily through the nickel trimming. Between the sink and range is a door. Several kitchen chairs are placed about the room. Mrs. Carr, enveloped in a huge apron, is about to begin preparations for the first meal. Mr. Carr is discovered sitting on the edge of the table.Mrs. Carr. Hal, clear, are you sure everything that I shall need is in the pantry?Mr. Carr (reproachfully). Do you doubt my marketing ability, Betty ? Why, the day I ordered the supplies, Marshall took me behind the counter and under it, upstairs and downstairs, and I ordered a dozen of everything I saw. Why, Betty, 1 never supposed there were so many things to eat. Now w7ho ever heard of pearl barley ?Mrs. C. (getting out spoons, eggbeater, etc., from table drawer). You've eaten it in soup dozens of times, lad.Mr. C. Well, I ordered twelve pounds of it, so------Mrs. C. (dismayed). Twelve pounds! Why Halbert Livingstone Carr! We'll have pearl barley to hand down to our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.Mr. C. (coming toward her). Don't say anything to the discredit of heirlooms, Betty. Aren't you glad that your great-grandmother Atwood left you those old blue china things ?(Mrs. C. shakes eggbeater in his face as he approaches her.)Mr. C. Just put down that dangerous looking weapon, Betty, or I'll never have the courage to tell you that I've a longing for dumplings.Mrs. C. (vaguely). Dumplings? What kind?Mr. C. Why, we used to have them at Mrs. Hobdays'. You just mix up flour and water and drop lumps of it in and let 'em cook.Mrs. C. (doubtfully). I don't believe we ever made any in Domestic Science. Isn't there something else you'd like- I mean besides tomato soup (counts on her fingers), lamb roast, mint sauce, peas, creamed potatoes, apple and nut salad, rolls, and custard pie?Mr. C. Seems to me that there isn't much choice left. Anyway, I'd rather have it your choosing. What part may I cook?Mrs. C. (laughing and jumping up). You may be my "willing hand-maiden" through it all, and here's an apron. (Brings forward an apron, and attempts to tie it around Mr. C.'s waist.)T64 |