The Flutter of the Goldleaf; and Other Plays Part 23

Oh, next time! It's always next time.

_Mary_

Wash up now, and you can have a hot dinner.

(_They wash listlessly._)

_Jim_

Mary, I think you'd better telephone for the doctor to come and have a look at Rosie.

_Mary_ (_hesitating_)

I did--this morning. He said he didn't have time to come out to-day.

_Jim_

Dr. Lowden?

_Mary_

Guess he's tired o' comin' for nothing. You can't blame him.

(JIM _hangs his head. A knock at the door._ JIM _rises and opens it._ CHO-CHO _enters giggling and grimacing while the farmer and his wife are speechless with amazement._)

_Cho-Cho_

You sent for a doctor?

_Jim_

Yes--but--you--ain't--no doctor.

_Cho-Cho_

No, I--ain't--no--doctor (_mimicking_), but my daughter is a doctor and here she is now.

(_Enter_ EVERYCHILD _disguised as a doctor, with a long black cape hiding her white dress, a pair of goggles over her eyes, a long white beard, a white wig, a man's hat on, a little black bag in her hands._)

_Jim_ (_tearing his hair distractedly_)

You say that little old man is your daughter and a doctor?

_Cho-Cho_

That's right--but a new kind of doctor. This is a Health doctor, not a Disease doctor. Present treatment for Health--absent treatment for absence of Health. (_Ha--ha--hee--hee!_) I'll leave the doctor here.

(_Goes out._)

_Everychild_

Well, well, where is the patient? (_Putting hat on chair._)

_Jim_

I must be crazy, but I never seen a doctor like you. You ain't no doctor.

_Everychild_

Oh, yes I am. I'm a children's specialist. Is she in that room? (_Goes to door and opens it_--_draws back a little._) Whew! No air. Lift up that curtain and open the window! (JIM _does it, rather aghast._) You must show me where you keep your pigs. Don't they get light and air on a day like this? (_Goes toward bed as_ ROSIE _rises up in bed and stares with a smile at the little doctor_.) So this is the little patient.

Well! Well! (_Lifts up and looks at the bottles._) Take these and throw them out. (_Hands them to_ MARY, _who takes them out and returns._) My!

My! Pork and potatoes and candy! Of all things! I'll have to make out a diet list later. (_Feels pulse--listens to her chest._) I think the trouble with you is bad food, bad air, and no light. The trouble is not enough agricultural pamphlets on human live stock, not enough government millions spent on the real thing. Now get up, Rose! Let me see you stand. There, that's good. Now a comb and brush--we'll help this hair a little.

_Mary_ (_handing_ EVERYCHILD _a comb and brush_)

My hands are so full of work----

_Everychild_ (_arranging_ ROSIE'S _hair_)

Yes, that's better. Now, father, a gla.s.s of milk! (JIM _goes into kitchen._) And mother, open that bag, please.

(_While_ MARY _opens bag._ JIM _returns with gla.s.s of milk, which_ ROSIE _drinks._)

_Mary_

Oh, my!

(_Takes out pretty dress, stockings and slippers, which she lifts up, looks at delightedly, and carries to the doctor._)

_Rosie_

Oh, mother! You did get them!

(EVERYCHILD _works fast, slips the gown on the patient with the stockings and slippers, while_ ROSIE _smiles happily, though dazed by the splendor of it._)

_Rosie_

Are you going to take me to the picnic?

_Everychild_

Indeed I am! A picnic that will never be over!

_Rosie_

Are we going to ride? Have we got our car back?

_Everychild_

Better than that.