Descripción
This is the scarce First American Edition of "Silas the Chore Boy, A Romance of New England" by Frank H. Bernard, issued in French's American Acting Series. It is likely that the London edition was issued simultaneously . French registered the copyright in 1906. This is a play in dialect, complete with 'blackface' role, and is a melodrama set in Maine, at the beginning of the twentieth century (The stage instructions say 1904). While there do seem to be dark deeds, even a killing - "Silas the Chore Boy" is a comic romance a character play in dialect. The characters are country folk of rustic demeanor and speech. the cast includes one black character, Cinch, described as "a Son of Ham". The play book lays out the terrain, and one can see how the roles were delineated by code words, thusly: "The action of the play is supposed to take place at Elmsford, Maine, during the spring of 1904. HIRAM (Character), ARTHUR (Juvenile), BLAKE (Heavy), SILAS (Low Comedy), CINCH (Blackface comedy), PERKINS (Eccentric), Cecil (Emotional lead), Pert (Soubrette), NANCY (Character comedy) *********************************** This is the scarce 1906 edition of the melodrama, "Silas the Chore Boy", published by Samuel French. It is a stage prompt book, meant to be used by cast members. There seem to be various copies of the Walter Baker Company reprint (1935) on the market, but I find no other copies of the Samuel French edition being offered for sale on line. *********************************** SERIES : French's American Acting Edition, No. 5. / TITLE : Silas the Chore Boy, A Romance of New England. / AUTHOR : Frank H. Bernard. / IMPRINT : Samuel French & Son. / PLACE : New York. / DATE : 1906 (© 1906) / EDITION : First American Edition. / PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Paperback; 78 pages; 4 1/2" x 7 1/2", printed salmon colored wraps, stapled and glued (paper covers) - rear exterior and insides of cover present publisher's list ******************************** CONDITION - VERY GOOD - with the following noted: EXTERIOR : The cover paper is intact, but likely fragile It remains clean and presentable, with the following noted: modest weathering and edge wear, including nicking and small loss at corner tips - there is a tiny open tear to the bottom edge of the rear cover - a shallow crease runs vertically up the center - spine has splitting and small loss to foot - evidence of mending to spine - slight discoloration from staples - small, near-negligible spotting - else clean and presentable. / INTERIOR : Page corner creases -- a few small - the vertical crease on the exterior follows through the leaves for about 30 pages - mild surface rumple to paper - staples exhibit rust and the paper next to them is discolored - else clean and presentable (it's quite obvious this book was used - personally, I try to imagine someone, holding this stage book in hand, struggling with the lines of their role.) ********************************* Character Identifications: HIRAM RIDLEY who believes in the Golden Rule / ARTHUR RIDLEY his son / GERALD BLAKE a wolf in sheep's clothing / SILAS STEBBINS Chore boy; that's all / CINCH a son of Ham , with very heavy 'Negro' dialect : ("Yas sir. But I don' much relish dis air shootin' biz'ness! . I ain' zackly a coward, boss, but - . I'll do it, but . I'll do it, but it's gwine to be 'gainst ma principle - dat's what it is!") / JED PERKINS the town constable / CECIL DARE who loves not wisely, but too well / PERT RIDLEY who knows a thing or two, and proves it / NANCY RIDLEY Hiram's maiden sister ***************************** The synopsis of the play given in the front of the book is curious, and speaks to the depiction of the characters and colorful local dialect: ACT 1. Aunt Nancy's dilemma.- "Why, Jed Perkins, yeour tew slow tew catch a cold!" - Cecil's escape. - "Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone!" - Arthur defends the weak, -"Your life shall pay for this!" - The quarrel. -"What have I done?" - "You have murder. N° de ref. del artículo 484
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