BY HENRY FISK CARLTON Edited by CLAIRE T. ZYVE, Ph.D. Fox Meadow School, Scarsdale, New York BUREAU OF PUBLICATIONS TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY NEW YORK CITY...

The play in this book has actually been produced on the radio. Possibly you have listened to this one when you tuned in at home. The persons whose voices you heard as you listened, looked just as they did when they left their homes to go to the studio, although they were taking the parts of men and women who lived long ago and who wore costumes very different from the ones we wear today. The persons whose voices you heard stood close together around the microphone, each one reading from a copy o

There are some directions in this play which may be new to you, but these are necessary, for you are now in a radio broadcasting studio, talking in front of a microphone. The word ( in ) means that the character is standing close to the microphone, while ( off ) indicates that he is farther away, so that his voice sounds faint. When the directions ( off, coming in ) are given, the person speaking is away from the microphone at first but gradually comes closer. The words ( mob ) or ( crowd noise

We present here the story of the famous Revolutionary hero and martyr, Nathan Hale. For the first scene of our sketch, let us go to General Washington's headquarters in New York City. It is early September of the year 1776. In the Orderly room, outside of General Washington's private office, sits Captain William Hull, a member of the General's staff. Another officer comes through the door, Captain Hull glances toward the newcomer, jumps up, and exclaims— HULL Nathan Hale! As sure as I'm alive! H

So early the next morning Hull and Hale started out together. They went into Connecticut and began looking for some means of crossing the Sound to the North Shore of Long Island. When they arrived near Norwalk they heard that an American gunboat was lying offshore. They determined to row out to it as soon as night came. Our next scene is just after dark. Nathan Hale has put on his disguise, while William Hull has found a rowboat, and now draws up to the shore where Nathan is waiting for him. Hel

Our next scene is several days later, at the little shop of the shoemaker, Simon Carter, in Jamaica. Simon is sitting on his stool, hammering away at a half-finished boot, when he hears a knock at his door. [ knock ] SIMON Come in, come in, the door ain't locked! Come on in! Is this the shop of Simon Carter, the shoemaker? It is, no less! Are you at liberty today—at liberty to do a little work for me? Close the door! There. [ door closes ] SIMON [ low ] Now—sir—I'll do what I can fer ye—in the c

Our next scene is a few days later. It is evening. Darkness is just falling. Mrs. Chichester, the keeper of the Huntington Tavern, is bustling about her kitchen, when Lieutenant Drew enters the back door. DREW Good evening, Mrs. Chichester. MRS. CHICHESTER Good evenin' to ye, Lieutenant Drew. And what are ye doin' comin' into my kitchen, I'd like to know? Your tavern room's crowded, and I thought perhaps you'd serve me here. Indeed, I'll do nothing of the kind. There's room enough in the tavern

As soon as Hale finished his meal at the tavern, he went to the shore of the cove to await the boat that he expected. After some time he heard the splash of oars. So sure was he that this was his boat that he stood up and called. Hello, Pond, here I am! Right here! DREW Stand fast, put your hands up! What—what's the meaning of this? Sir, I am a peaceable schoolmaster, you have no cause to apprehend me! We'll soon see. Strike a light! Search him! VOICE Aye, aye, sir—here's your light. Well, sir,

So Hale was taken aboard the Halifax and delivered late the same night to General Howe, who, without the formality of a trial, turned him over to the Provost Marshal, William Cunningham, for execution the next day. Our next scene is in the apple orchard of the Beekman estate on Manhattan. Hale has been marched out for his execution. He is standing under guard, near the tent of Captain John Montressor, who, as our scene opens, comes out of his tent, sees Hale, and speaks to him. MONTRESSOR Sir, I

The next day, however, Captain Montressor carried the news to the American lines under a white flag and repeated to Hale's companions those words—which have come down to us: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country!" Page 28: Corrected both occurrences of CHICHERTER to CHICHESTER....