GEORGE
I guess it’s better in the belly than in the paper, Doctor.
FRED and SETH move off smiling at TOM’S evident discomfort, TOM straightens up and strokes his moustache
TOM
I’m a man who can take it or let it alone.
Some young girls come out of the crowd, FRED and SETH are immediately interested. They punch each other and make motions, indicating their interest. They wave at the girls who wave back to them
PARCIVAL
Holding up the bottle There you are. Tom has said it. It’s like life, eh, take it or leave it alone.
SETH and FRED have gone into the crowd and GEORGE moves over to his father. From the grave the voice of the MINISTER is heard, PARCIVAL drinks from the bottle, wipes the opening with the palm of his hand, puts the cork back and returns the bottle to his pocket
VOICE OF MINISTER
Lamb of God, open Thy soft enfolding arms. Take our erring brother home.
GEORGE has crossed to his father, and PARCIVAL and REEFY stop to look at GEORGE and TOM
GEORGE
Hello, Father, how’s mother today?
TOM
Oh, she’s all right, boy.
Takes on an air of importance Boy, I didn’t want you to be a newspaper man, but, now that you are one, be on the job, alive, alert, awake. Watch everything, boy. It’s the little things that count.
TOM has set himself to give the boy a lecture on his duty but at this moment JOE WELLING rushes in and addresses PARCIVAL and REEFY
GEORGE
Hurriedly Yes. Yes. I understand, Dad.
JOE is a rather slender man, small, with a little moustache and is anywhere from thirty to thirty-five years old. He is a man very vividly alive. He has on a neat black suit and wears a loud red tie and a brown derby hat. He wears glasses and continually adjusts them to his nose nervously. Everything he does is done in little rushes. When he talks, he hesitates for a moment, seems at a loss for words and then suddenly the words rush out of him. He moves about in the same way, continually stopping, looking with great curiosity about and then rushing forward again. When he talks to any one, he is inclined to crowd — to get in close, almost pushing his listener aside
JOE to PARCIVAL and REEFY
Men... I tell you what — it ain’t right — I mean this burying business... stickin’ dead people into the ground. They ought to be cremated. Why men, you ought to read the latest scientific papers. Cremation’s the thing now. It’s sanitary. It’s modern. It’s the latest thing. I tell you men, Winesburg ought to get up to snuff.
Turns to GEORGE
George, come here. Get out your notebook. Listen to this, George. Put it down. Cremation’s the thing now. Winesburg’s behind the times. Get it in the paper. Write it up. Cremation’s the thing. It’s nice. It’s healthy.
Runs from GEORGE to REEFY and PARCIVAL and then back to GEORGE
It’s a good idea. You burn the body up. You put the ashes in an urn. You put the urn on the mantel in the front room, in the parlor. You can show it to people. Don’t you see how nice it is? Why, this burying people’s behind the times, it’s barbarism.
PARCIVAL
Sure, Joe. Good idea. Only I wouldn’t want Windpeter’s ashes in no urn in my room. He’s too full of alcohol. He’d burn too well. It ‘ud remind me of how well I’ll burn. No, Joe. When my time comes, pickle me and let me lie in the pickle.
BELLE CARPENTER enters from right followed by ED HANBY and LOUISE TRUNION. ED is carrying a large wreath, BELLE is a strong-looking, handsome woman of about thirty, LOUISE TRUNION is a young girl of fifteen or sixteen, somewhat pretentiously and showily dressed, in a bright red dress made of cheap material. To top off her costume, she has on a rather absurd hat. It is a wide-brimmed, black straw, and is decorated with a large but soiled ostrich feather. She is a pert little thing, independent and ready to snub any one who tries to high-hat her. ED HANBY is a big man with a heavy black moustache and a big cigar in his mouth. He is of the prizefighter type and he enters carrying a huge wreath made of artificial flowers, a horseshoe with a bar across it on which the word PAL has been spelled in flowers. Seeing him, JOE WELLING rushes away from REEFY, GEORGE and PARCIVAL and to ED
JOE
Hello, Ed, hello, hello. Hello, Louise. Ed, what have you got here? Say, that’s fine, that’s beautiful.
He drops to his knees in front of the wreath which ED HANBY sets on the floor, standing and holding it up. For a moment ED looks proud of the praise JOE WELLING is bestowing on his wreath and then, looking about, sees GEORGE WILLARD. He looks quickly from GEORGE to LOUISE and then back to JOE
ED
To JOE
Sure, Joe. You like her, eh, Joe?
JOE
Why, Ed, it’s fine, it’s grand.
He is on his knees running his fingers over the wreath Gee, at first I thought they were real. Where’d you get it, Ed? It cost you a pile, eh? You never got this in Winesburg. I bet you sent to Cleveland for this. Say, Ed, I tell you what, she’ll last.
To GEORGE
George, get this for the paper. Here’s something. Look. Here’s violets, here’s daisies, here’s roses. Write her up, George.
He jumps up and addresses ED
Ed, she’s fine. You got to touch them with your hands to see they ain’t real. What’d she cost you, Ed?
ED Proudly Well, she cost me enough, Joe, but what do I care! Windpeter was a good old scout. He was my friend. I wanted to do him right.
The attention of ED being on the wreath LOUISE starts to move away from him toward GEORGE but ED puts out his hand and grabs her by the arm
ED To LOUISE
Say, Kid, what’s your rush? You wait for me, see.
LOUISE
To ED, throwing — up her head Is that so? Let go of me. Say, who do you think you are?
PARCIVAL has again taken the bottle from his pocket and now speaks to JOE and ED
PARCIVAL
To JOE
Join me, Joe. Doctor Reefy’s gone W C T U on me.
To ED
And you too, Ed. You know it’s good stuff. You sold it to me... or rather you gave me credit for it.
JOE and ED step over to PARCIVAL and, seeing their attention taken, LOUISE slips over to GEORGE and puts a note into his hand. She then goes into the crowd, flinging up her head, and disappears into the crowd as GEORGE, confused, looks after her first, then around at ED. He puts the note quickly into his pocket but seeing that he isn’t noticed takes it quickly out and reads it
JOE to PARCIVAL
No. No. Doc, I can’t. My girl’s in there, Doc. She’d smell my breath, sure, Doc.
ED
No, I thank you. Not now, Doc.
VOICE OF UNDERTAKER
Offstage There. There. Down a little on your side, Jake. Hold her, back there, Harry. There. There. That’s better.
REEFY
They seem to be having trouble getting our friend Windpeter under the sod.
PARCIVAL stands holding the bottle in his hand, JOE WELLING rushes suddenly away. He runs from man to man in the crowd inside whispering to each ED “
I’ll bet they didn’t make it big enough for old Windpeter. Turning to PARCIVAL
Do you know what, Doc, when Jim Watson was buried last spring, they dug the grave the day before and a hen came and laid an egg in it.
PARCIVAL and REEFY laugh
Did you hear about Bill Graves? He was drunk last night and was arrested. He’s in jail. Every time some one dies or gets killed, he gets scared and gets drunk. A horse killed Will Turner last fall. Now Bill’s afraid of horses. He’s afraid of buggies, thrashing machines and measles. Now he’ll be afraid of railroad trains.
ED looks around and for the first time notices that LOUISE is gone. He stands staring at GEORGE who is nervous and embarrassed, ED takes a step toward him, then turns back to PARCIVAL. During the following speech by PARCIVAL he keeps looking anxiously about for LOUISE. At this moment the UNDERTAKER
pops out of the crowd and runs about with his fingers to his lips
UNDERTAKER
How-de-do, Mrs. Musgrave, Mrs. Hurd, Mrs. Wilder, Mr. Funk. Hello, Fred, Jim, Steve.
He disappears again in the crowd PARCIVAL
Well, here’s to Bill Graves, and to you, Ed, and to me and Windpeter, now dead... four good faithful drunkards. Ed, don’t you ever go out of the saloon business. It would end me if you did, Ed, burn me up. It would break my heart. Ed, don’t you ever desert us, me and Bill Graves, two true believers.
He holds the bottle and pats ED on the shoulder Ed, you are the only royal dispenser of life’s true elixir. Remember this is Ohio, Ed. Don’t ever desert our little band of true believers here in Winesburg. We are true drunkards, dreamers, truthseekers. Ed, here’s to you and our lost brother Windpeter Winters.
— He — drinks As — all this is — going on, BELLE CARPENTER comes out of the crowd and talks earnestly to DOCTOR REEFY
BELLE to REEFY
I want to speak — to you a — moment.
They talk, REEFY coming down right followed by BELLE
GEORGE, FRED, and SETH go upstage. GEORGE goes into the crowd and SETH climbs up to stand on a gravestone
MINISTER’S VOICE
Earth to earth Ashes to ashes Dust to dust And the spirit to the Lord who gave it. SETH Excited Look, Fred. I’ve found a fine place. We can see everything. Come on.
FRED
Where’s George?
SETH
Oh, I don’t know. Let him go.
FRED
No, come on, let’s find him.
The two boys go into the crowd to find GEORGE, FRED eagerly, SETH reluctantly REEFY To BELLE who has been talking to him in a low voice. She is much agitated Why, Belle, I’m amazed, Belle. Belle I would if I could — But... you know, Belle, there’s the law. You, Belle... why I thought... I thought you were too shrewd, too wise to get caught like this.
BELLE Sharply Well, I am caught and if you or some other Doctor can’t or won’t help me then some man will have to pay.
REEFY
Of course. Of course. Who is it, Belle?
BELLE Not looking at him... agitated It’s... it’s... I don’t want to tell, not yet.
SETH comes out of the crowd and stands listening
REEFY
The law. The law. Damn the law. Belle. I do want to help you. I’d want to help any woman in such a position. The law... so fussy about a thing like this and then, after a child is born, not caring a rap what becomes of it. Belle, be frank with me. Come on. Who is the man?
BELLE
It isn’t a man. It isn’t any one you’d think. It’s a young boy here in town.
REEFY
A boy... what boy?
BELLE She loops off into crowd There. There he is.
REEFY
Belle! Not one of those boys. Quick... tell me, Belle... which one?
They are interrupted by the entrance, front right, of BANKER WHITE and his daughter, HELEN. HELEN WHITE is a charming-looping girl of perhaps eighteen and her father is a rather handsome slender man with prematurely gray hair, and an air of assurance. He is a bit of a dandy and wears a white duck suit with a flower in the lapel, and carries a cane, BELLE turns and, seeing the banker, is immediately terribly upset. She steps quickly away toward the gate but REEFY puts out a hand and detains her. Offstage a choir begins to sing the song “Safe In the Arms of Jesus” and the song carries on through the scene on the stage immediately following. The choir sings three verses of the song BELLE Hurriedly I don’t want to see that man.
She indicates BANKER WHITE with a movement of her hand
REEFY
Tell me, Belle.
BELLE Starting away I’ll show you later. You watch. I’ll speak to him. It will be the one I speak to.
She goes away into the crowd
HELEN
What is it, Father?
BANKER WHITE Turns to DOCTOR REEFY
Why, nothing, dear. Hello, Doctor Reefy.
DOCTOR REEFY arises and BANKER WHITE sits beside PARCIVAL
REEFY
Good afternoon, Mr. White. Good afternoon, Helen. I am surprised to see you here, Mr. White.
Turns to HELEN and Helen, too. How nice. What a surprise.
BANKER WHITE Smiling, seated We were out for a walk. You know these Sunday afternoons in Winesburg, Doctor. Even a funeral breaks the monotony...
To REEFY
About this Windpeter Winters. Do you know the details about his death? Were you called in, Doctor?
DOCTOR REEFY Indicating PARCIVAL
Here’s Doctor Parcival. He was an eyewitness, I believe. Turning to PARCIVAL
Parcival, tell Mr. White about the death of our friend, Wind-peter Winters.
PARCIVAL Bracing himself, seated Windpeter Winters. He’s dead. God rest his soul. An honorable death, sirs, at the hands of a railroad locomotive.
The boys again come out of the crowd and stand listening. HELEN stands a little back, deeply interested
WHITE
Just how did it happen?
PARCIVAL
He stands on the track... so... down near the railroad station. Doctor Reefy here is under the illusion that I saw it, but I didn’t. Alas, that pleasure was denied me. Did you know, gentlemen, that this Windpeter once made me get off the sidewalk?
WHITE Amused Surely not you, Doctor Parcival.
PARCIVAL
Yes, me. It was in Main Street, only last week. “Get out of my way,” he cries. “I’m Windpeter Winters, soldier of the republic.” Did you know, sir, that he was a soldier?
REEFY
I believe I have heard so.
WHITE looks around anxiously at HELEN who is absorbed listening
PARCIVAL
You notice there is no military funeral although a few old veteran hard drinkers like myself have turned out. So he commanded me to get off the sidewalk and I submitted, but a railroad train doesn’t submit.
WHITE
Was it an accident, Doctor?
PARCIVAL
Accident? No. He stands in the middle of the railroad track shaking his fist. “Get out of my way,” he cried. The train whistles. It screeches. The people shout. “Go to hell. I’m Windpeter Winters, God damn you.” Thump. Sausage meat, gentlemen.
He waves his arms Sausage meat, now on its way up to the Golden Gates.
He grows solemn Dignity of Death, eh, gentlemen? Well, it’s not so dignified when you are hit by a railroad engine. I don’t believe they ever got more than two-thirds of him.
WHITE is shocked and looks around anxiously at HELEN
GEORGE
I like that. I like it. I’d rather die quick like that than just go on, just always being nothing, like some people do.
PARCIVAL
Well, well. Good for you, George. Look at him, gentlemen, our representative of the press. Our own James Gordon Bennett. Save it, George, save it, make a front-page story of it.
GEORGE is embarrassed. There is the sound of dirt being shovelled into Windpeter s grave Sirs, if you are to see them shovel Windpeter into oblivion you had better go in.
The crowd except WHITE and HELEN go off toward the burial led by PARCIVAL and REEFY. The three boys are at the tail end of the procession
WHITE
You had better go home now, Helen.
HELEN
But Father... please... let me stay.
WHITE
No, Helen. Go home now. Your mother will be expecting you. This is no place for you.
HELEN
Oh, Father, please.
WHITE
No, Helen. You must go now.
WHITE leaves to join the others. HELEN who starts offstage right glances back and, seeing that her father is not looking, she stands looking longingly at the crowd
FRED
Oh, look who’s here.
SETH
Hello, Miss Helen. Don’t go. We’re coming.
GEORGE
H
ello, Helen.
The three boys come down to HELEN
FRED
Gee, Helen, you ought to see who’s here.
SETH Boldly Say, Helen, you look swell in that dress. Come on, stay. I’ll take you home. I got a horse and buggy out here. Come on. Your dad won’t know.
HELEN Hesitating — turns to GEORGE who stands a little to one side, rather embarrassed, looking at her admiringly Oh, darn it, George, I don’t want to go. I never get a chance to see things. George, I bet you saw that man killed. Did you? It must have been terrible, but George...
Excited Oh, it was kind of splendid, too, wasn’t it, George? Did you see it?
GEORGE
Sure, Helen, I saw it. SETH Derisively Gee, d’you hear what that old soak Parcival called George — James Gordon Bennett, eh, Winesburg’s James Gordon Bennett. Wow, that’s a hot one.
HELEN Giving SETH a dirty look I don’t care, George. I liked what you said. Oh, I think it was splendid, that man shaking his fist at a railroad train, daring it defying it like that. George, you come to the house soon and tell me about it, will you?
FRED
Oh, Helen, let me come?
GEORGE
Sure I will, Helen.
SETH
Oh, George was just getting off some big talk.
HELEN
Angrily It was not. It wasn’t big talk. I felt just as George did. I have to go now. Father will see me if I stay. He told me to go. They’re singing. It’ll be over in a minute.
HELEN goes offstage, front, and FRED goes off into the crowd left, SETH is still hanging around, BELLE enters followed by REEFY. She crosses and exits, right front, speaking to GEORGE as she goes
BELLE
Why, hello, George Willard, you here? Busy as usual. You are always so’ busy, aren’t you, George?
At the end of BELLE’S speech and with her exit people begin to come in from the funeral and REEFY goes over to GEORGE. In the crowd are several men and women. The singing is still going on
VOICES
Why, how-de-do, Senator, how-de-do. How-de-do.
SENATOR Big, imposing-looking man in long-tailed senatorial coat How-de-do, Mrs. Finley, Mrs. Turner, Miss Gray. Hello, Jim. Here, Jim, take one of my cards. Don’t forget me in November, Jim.
WOMAN’S VOICE
Windpeter Winters, huh! He’s had one of the biggest funerals ever was in Winesburg, and look who he was — always drunk, always fighting.
Complete Works of Sherwood Anderson Page 302
