MISS CIVILIZATION

A Comedy In One Act

By Richard Harding Davis

“Miss Civilization” is founded on a story by the late James Harvey Smith.
All professional rights in this play belong to Richard Harding Davis.
Amateurs who desire to produce “Miss Civilization” may do so, providing
they apply for permission to the editor of Collier’s Weekly, in which
publication this play was first printed.

PEOPLE IN THE PLAY

ALICE GARDNER: Daughter of James K. Gardner, President of the L.I. &
W. Railroad

“UNCLE” JOSEPH HATCH: Alias “Gentleman Joe”

“BRICK” MEAKIN: Alias “Reddy, the Kid”

HARRY HAYES: Alias “Grand Stand” Harry

CAPTAIN LUCAS: Chief of Police

Policemen, Brakemen, Engineers

Scene—The dining room in the country house of James K. Gardner on
Long Island. In the back wall is a double doorway opening into a hall. A
curtain divided in the middle hangs across the entrance. On the wall on
either side of the doorway are two electric lights, and to the left is a
telephone. Further to the left is a sideboard. On it are set silver
salvers, candlesticks, and Christmas presents of silver. They still are in
the red flannel bags in which they arrived. In the left wall is a recessed
window hung with curtains. Against the right wall is a buffet on which is
set a tea-caddy, toast-rack, and tea kettle. Below the buffet a door opens
into the butler’s pantry. A dinner table stands well down the stage with a
chair at each end and on either side. Two chairs are set against the back
wall to the right of the door. The walls and windows are decorated with
holly and mistletoe and Christmas wreaths tied with bows of scarlet
ribbon. When the window is opened there is a view of falling snow. At
first the room is in complete darkness.

The time is the day after Christmas, near midnight.

After the curtain rises, one hears the noise of a file scraping on iron.
It comes apparently from outside the house at a point distant from the
dining room. The filing is repeated cautiously, with a wait between each
stroke, as though the person using the file had paused to listen.

Alice Gardner enters at centre, carrying a lighted candle in a silver
candlestick. She wears a dressing gown, with swan’s down around her throat
and at the edges of her sleeves. Her feet are in bedroom slippers topped
with fur. Her hair hangs down in a braid. After listening intently to the
sound of the file, she places candle on sideboard and goes to telephone.
She speaks in a whisper.