Captain Mary Miller : $b A drama

_Cabin of the Creole Bride, a Mississippi steamboat cosily furnished. Doors_ R. _and_ L. _Table and cradle_ C. _Pictures. Four books on a little shelf. A parasol and handkerchief lie on the table._ MARY, _the_ CAPTAIN’S _wife, sits by the cradle sewing_.

MARY (_sings_).

“By low baby, By low baby, By low baby, By low by.”

(_Rises._)

There! he’s asleep at last. He keeps awake just as long as he can, I do believe. (_Takes a book from the shelf._) I don’t know what I should do this stormy weather, I am sure, if it weren’t for these books. Away up here, on this river, where we don’t get a newspaper but once in two weeks! (_Turns over the books._) I am tired of “Baxter’s Saint’s Rest,” and I know “Alonzo and Melissa” by heart. I suppose I ought to read my Bible more, but here’s this book on navigation. (_Reads._) “Thoms’ Navigator,” by Janet Thorms, a Yankee schoolmarm, they say, up near Boston. It seems fresh all the time. I like to study it, too, when I am rocking the cradle. (_Sits and reads._) Somehow, it seems to come natural to me to know all about a boat, and I love any kind of a one. How they skip round the bend of the river, and over the sea, at home! I wonder why they call a vessel _she_! Father says they ought to call steamboats _he_, because they smoke so. Dear father! how I should like to see him, and hear him sing!

(_Enter_ PHUS, R.)

Phus. (_in a loud voice_) Mis’, de cap’n say—

Mary. Sh! you’ll wake the baby.

Phus. (_in a loud whisper_) Mis’, de cap’n dun tole me he not feel well, an’ you come to de weel-house. Phus tote de baby.

Mary. (_rising hastily_) Take good care of him. (_Exit_ R.)

Phus. Take good care ob _him_. (_Imitates her voice, and tip-toes round the room._) How golly fine it am to be de cap’n’s mis’, a-sittin’ down har all fix’ up, and den walkin’ on deck wid de par-sol, totin’ de baby. Oh, Lor! (_Sings softly._)

Min’ de pick’niny, Min’ de pick’niny, Take good care ob _him_.

Wot’s dem books? I dunno, caze I can’t read ’em all yit. But the cap’n’s mis’, she try larn me. Lemme see. (_Takes up a book and reads._) “Meel-iss-see-felt-a-cold-han’-on-her-fore-head-an’ -she-scream-ded-scream-ded.” Wot’s dat? Golly! I can’t do dat. (_Shuts up the book._) Sh! sh! de baby’s wokem up. He’ll holler ef he see me. I’ll make him tink I’m de cap’n’s mis’. (_He takes the parasol and opens it, spreads the handkerchief over his face, and sits down by the cradle. Enter_ CAPTAIN MILLER, R., _leaning on_ MARY’S _shoulder_.)

Mary. Tell me, dear, just how you feel. (_Sees_ PHUS.) Oh, Phus! you’ll scare the baby.

Phus. Mis’, de baby was a gwine to wokem up, and I specks he’d tink ’twas you.

Capt. M. Phus, take off that rig, and go on deck, you lubber! (_Exit_ PHUS, R.) Oh, I don’t know. I feel just as I did once when I was a boy, before I had the typhoid fever,—tired all over. (_Sits._) My head is as light as a feather, and my feet are heavy as lead. I don’t feel as if I could step a step.

Mary. Lie down a little while, and perhaps you’ll feel better. How much farther do we go up river?

Capt. M. About two hundred miles. We shall reach the last station in a few days. (_Takes off his jacket and shoes wearily, as he talks._) Patsy is at the wheel, and you can bring me word if he wants anything.

Mary. (_aside_) Oh, dear! I know he is going to be sick. (_To him_) Where is the chart of the river?

Capt. M. On deck, in the wheel-house.

Mary. And all the things you use?

Capt. M. Yes. Why?

Mary. Because I want to know, so that you can have a good long nap.

Capt. M. Our course is all marked out, and what to steer by; but I shall feel better, I hope, after I have had some sleep. You’d better go on deck, once in a while, see how things are going on, and let me know. (_Exit_ L., _holding by the doorway_.)

Mary. (_sitting_) What shall I do! away up here, a hundred miles from a doctor. I am afraid William has the river fever, the same as Phus had last year. Oh! mother! mother! If I could only have you with me! If I could only get word to you! (_Leans her head on the table._)

(_Enter_ PHUS, R.)

Phus. Whar de cap’n? Pats say he want know which way ter go, and de cap’n must tell him.

Mary. Phus, do you remember how sick you were last year?

Phus. An’! wouldn’t ’a’ libed ef you hadn’t ’a’ nussed me.

Mary. Do you want to pay me for it?

Phus. I ain’t got no money, mis’; but I prays ebery night: Lor’ bress de cap’n’s wife. She nuss me; make me well.

Mary. I don’t want any money, Phus. You can pay me in a better way.

Phus. An’ I sings in de cook-house w’en de pork’s a-fizzlin’, an’ Hank he likes it. (_Sings mournfully._)

I’se poor Jo-Phus,—’Lijah cum down. Sick in de ’teamboat,—’Lijah cum down. Cap’n’s mis’ nuss me,—’Lijah cum down. (_Livelier._) An’ den I gits well,—’Lijah cum down. Swing low de goolden charyot, Rock de baby, car’ long de cap’n’s mis’. ’Lijah cum down.

(MARY _does not listen_.)

Mary. Phus, listen to me. The captain is very sick, and you can help me if you will; and more than pay me for anything I have done for you.

Phus. I’ll do ebryting. You so good to poor Phus—make me well, an’ larn me to read—see here. (_Reads._) “Mee-liss-see-felt-a-scream-ded,” no, dat ain’t de place; “col’—col’—han’—” (_cold hand_.)

Mary. Never mind reading now, Phus. I want you to stay here while I go on deck, and listen to the captain. If he wakes up and wants anything, you must go in and tell him I will come right down; then you come and call me. (_Exit_ R.)

Phus. Yaas, mis’! (_Applies ear to keyhole of door_, L.)

CURTAIN.