Cherry & Fair Star : Or The Singing Apple, The Talking Bird, And The Dancing Waters A Grand Comic Christmas Annual |
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| 2. | SCENE II. |
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 | Cherry & Fair Star : Or The Singing Apple, The Talking Bird, And The Dancing Waters |  |
SCENE II.
—SEA-SHORE OF ISLAND.— THE ABODE OF THE CORSAIR.Enter Fair Star, from Cave.
Fair S.
Cherry, where are you, Cherry? Don't you hear me?
You know I'm wretched when you are not near me.
4
Do you call it fair, to get the start of me?
SONG, Fair Star.—Air, ‘Young Man from the Country.’
As shouting is no service, at once I'll go and look,
As I so easily might do, in some isolated nook;
For, though the Corsair and his wife are kind, I like to see
My young man in this country, keeping company with me.
As I so easily might do, in some isolated nook;
For, though the Corsair and his wife are kind, I like to see
My young man in this country, keeping company with me.
It isn't quite a brother's place that Cherry fills, I know;
Nor is it quite a sister's love that I on him bestow.
Though who we are, and what we are, is quite a myster-ee,
That young man to this country came in company with me.
Nor is it quite a sister's love that I on him bestow.
Though who we are, and what we are, is quite a myster-ee,
That young man to this country came in company with me.
There's Captain Kyd, a corsair—no coarser man, I'm told,
Who will not let let the public eye his privateer behold;
But I don't care to walk with him when Cherry is with me,
For two, you know, is company, which is not the case with three.
So, with all his bold effrontery, he can't get over me.
Who will not let let the public eye his privateer behold;
But I don't care to walk with him when Cherry is with me,
For two, you know, is company, which is not the case with three.
So, with all his bold effrontery, he can't get over me.
So light his footstep on the sand, that hence,
Go where he will, he leaves no evidence.
On the sea-shore, perchance, he seek his wherry.
Cherry.
[Without.]
Fair Star!
Fair S.
He comes! and I see surely Cherry.
Enter Cherry.
Cherry.
Oh! Fair Star, look! I've found a pretty shell.
Fair S.
Yes, and, I find, a pretty mess as well;
All over sand.
Cherry.
Let this hand that sand smother;
Your pretty scrape will quite efface the other.
SONG, Cherry.—Air, ‘Shells of Ocean.’
When somewhere we've experience bought,
A watchguard on the cheap, be sure,
We feel that we were wrong, and ought
To think how swells were done before.
And so I've said, at every stage,
By toys I can see we're beguil'd;
We all shell out, from youth to age,
And never leave off being a child.
Change of Air, to ‘The Prairie Flower.’
Here's a pretty fairy, never makes me wild,
Mark her quiet beauty, quite unspiled;
And no little scrimmage, from any fault of mine,
Ever makes her weep or whine.
Here's her peaceful dwelling—I'm the lovely child,
Always for her scheming pleasures wild,
Bringing for her trifles gather'd here and there,
Trifles light as summer air.
Fair Star's a lily, joyous and free,
Or anything else that she chooses to be;
She's a perfect cure for a gloomy hour,
So I rose early, my fairy flower,
So early in the morning,
Before the break of day.
A watchguard on the cheap, be sure,
We feel that we were wrong, and ought
To think how swells were done before.
And so I've said, at every stage,
By toys I can see we're beguil'd;
We all shell out, from youth to age,
And never leave off being a child.
Change of Air, to ‘The Prairie Flower.’
[_]
[Music published by the Music-Publishing Company, 19 Peter's Hill, St. Paul's, in No. 1216, of the Musical Treasury, price 3d.]
Here's a pretty fairy, never makes me wild,
Mark her quiet beauty, quite unspiled;
And no little scrimmage, from any fault of mine,
Ever makes her weep or whine.
Here's her peaceful dwelling—I'm the lovely child,
Always for her scheming pleasures wild,
Bringing for her trifles gather'd here and there,
Trifles light as summer air.
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Or anything else that she chooses to be;
She's a perfect cure for a gloomy hour,
So I rose early, my fairy flower,
So early in the morning,
Before the break of day.
Fair S.
But tell me, Cherry—
Cherry.
Tumble down, that's all!
Not the first time through you I've had a fall.
Fair S.
Through me!
Cherry.
Well, that you caused it, is most true;
And didn't I deeply fall in love with you?
Fair S.
Oh! Cherry!
Cherry.
[Kissing her.]
Not designed, but accidental,
Linking the useful with the ornamental.
But for this morning,—as I chanc'd to gaze
On this wide waste, where we're a pair of stays,
Looking upon that vast expanse of blue,
And thinking I'd to Indy-go for you—
Fair S.
Don't, Cherry? How you talk! your fancy's straying.
Cherry.
Well, as—let's see—‘What were the wild waves saying?
Oh! ah!—the azure main. Well, looking in it—
Excuse my being poetical—half a minute—
I saw—
Fair S.
You saw!
Cherry.
I saw that splendid shell,
And from it came—
Fair S.
Go on!
Cherry.
Now mark me!
Fair S.
Well?
Cherry.
These words, slow uttered, in a still small voice,
‘Be Fair Star, youth, thy matrimonial choice.’
Youth was the term, instead of ‘Hi! young man!’
Which vulgar folks will call you when they can.
Fair S.
Was it a treble voice!
Cherry.
Well, 'twas not its fault, O,
But the bay salt had made it a bass alto.
Eager to get the shell, I dashed that way in
Then came the spray—I fell—and hence my sprain.
But place it to your ear, and on this spot, too—
Listen!
Corsine.
[Without.]
You tiresome hussy—where have you got to?
Cherry.
That's Corsine's voice—she's in her scolding mood;
That threatening rolling-pin forbodes no good.
Enter Corsine, from Cave.
Corsine.
Is this, you idle pair, the sort of way
You go on, when my husband is away!
Making of sand great puddings on the beach,
Or digging holes as deep as spades can reach?
Children that have been brought up so genteel,
Should more respect for their superiors feel.
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And you, sir, ought your geography to know—
Your navigation—how the currents run—
Cherry.
[Aside.]
In all your dumplings, I ne'er saw but one.
Corsine.
What will the governor say?—he'll soon return—
When he finds out you've nothing got to learn?
Cherry.
That's it: we think it time to leave off school;
Of arithmetic I've practised every rule;
All that your books can teach to me is plain.
I've gone through all—
Corsine.
Go through them all again.
My orders are to keep you close at college,
Go on continually acquiring knowledge,
And then, when everything you know, we'll see
What else besides to teach you there may be.
[Horn sounds.
There is his vessel—that's his signal—hark!
The jolly dog! I can't mistake his barque.
Enter Pirates, bearing chests of gold and silver, they cross stage, and enter Cave—then enter Captain Kyd, the Corsair.
Kyd.
My wife! my children! clasped within these arms!
Corsine, still blooming with resistless charms!
And you, my little ones, grown up so tall,
My benediction take—bless! bless you all!
Don't think 'tis often that this way I feel,
The man does soften but the Corsair's steel!
Yet, when I think how much to you I owe,
(More than I ever shall repay, I know.)
I can't help thinking—is it time for dinner?
Corsine.
The banquet waits—
Kyd.
Then we'll refresh the inner.
Some more I would have said, but bye and bye—
Though full the mind, the body craves supply.
[Exeunt Cherry and Fair Star into Cave.
SONG, Kyd—Air, Old Country Melody.
[To Corsine.
2nd Verse, solus.
You have a dinner, I guess,
Which will suit my fancy right,
The sort of thing to eat when
You've got an appetite;
Whatever joints you may have saved,
Got out at once should be,
For nothing in your larder, ma'am,
Can come amiss to me.
As you'll soon see, &c.
[Dances off Corsine into Cave.
Which will suit my fancy right,
The sort of thing to eat when
You've got an appetite;
Whatever joints you may have saved,
Got out at once should be,
For nothing in your larder, ma'am,
Can come amiss to me.
As you'll soon see, &c.
2nd Verse, solus.
Though a buccaneer I am,
I have been much better taught,
Than boarding British ships, in
A way I didn't ought.
Whatever folks they have on board,
Why there I'd let 'em be,
And so, when nations fight, observe
A strict neutrality—
Upon the sea, &c.
I have been much better taught,
Than boarding British ships, in
A way I didn't ought.
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Why there I'd let 'em be,
And so, when nations fight, observe
A strict neutrality—
Upon the sea, &c.
[Exit into Cave.
Re-enter Cherry and Fair Star, from cave.
Fair S.
What can he want to talk with us about?
Cherry.
A day's excursion somewhere, dear, no doubt.
Fair S.
Oh, Cherry, I'm so tired of this existence,
Waves in the foreground—
Cherry.
Nothing in the distance.
Fair S.
A dreary landscape, not the least variety.
Cherry.
In water colours, but with no society.
Fair S.
Of what the world is doing not a glimpse.
Cherry.
And nothing to be got, but health and shrimps.
Fair S.
To me this isle's no better than a prison.
And would be worse, if 'twere not also his'n.
Cherry.
Perpetual sameness—nothing to discern.
So dull this bay, it really might be Herne.
Fair S.
In fact, to put our words in language stronger,
Cherry.
We won't—
Fair S.
Consent—
Cherry.
To stop here—
Both.
Any longer.
Enter Captain Kyd, at back.
Kyd.
What's this? rebellion! Do my ears deceive me?
Can I believe my eyes? Does smelling leave me?
Or do my olfact'ries right my brain inform?
And I smell a rat that's brewing in the storm?
Ungrateful children, why, oh! why did I save yer?
To be rewarded by such bad behaviour!
But no, perhaps you haven't heard your story.
Cherry.
We've heard it every morning, I assure ye.
Kyd.
Your memory's short—I'll tell it you again—
It must be—
Cherry.
True—what must be, must, that's plain.
Kyd.
It must be nearly eighteen years ago,
Since first—
Cherry.
Of course—you've often told us so.
Kyd.
When, one dark night, being out a buccaneering,
I saw a boat—
Cherry.
'Bout one mile off appearing.
Kyd.
Shiver my timbers—then I used to swear—
Says I to my first mate, ‘Jack, just look there.’
Cherry.
I know—
Kyd.
And, tacking round—
Fair S.
You in a minute
Cherry.
Hauled in the boat—
Fair S.
And found two children in it.
Kyd.
I know you'll scarce believe it—but you shall—
One was a boy, the other was—a gal,
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Fair S.
It startles you—it's nought that star tells me.
Kyd.
Home did I bring them to this very spot,
And brought them up—they cost a precious lot.
But Fair Star's hair, when combed, did jewels yield,
And thus a comely heiress stood revealed;
And so of wealth I thus amassed a store.
Cherry.
We have heard this story fifty times before.
Kyd.
Which now to foreign lands I've been to sell,
What have I done?
Cherry.
Why, I think, very well.
Kyd.
I mean, what have I done in perpetuity,
That I should go and lose that hair annuity?
It is too much, each tress to me's a treasure!
Fair S.
All that you like to take, is yours with pleasure,
But we have made our minds up to depart.
Kyd.
Ha! is it so? And would you break my heart?
Come hither, then—I've got no time for fooling,
At least you owe me for three quarters' schooling;
And I shall comb your hair, ere off you roam.
And so you'd brush, eh, would you, miss, back home?
Set in those brilliant ringlets I comb down,
Are jewels truly worthy of a crown.
Rubies aud diamonds—yes, that's no misnomer,
Mesmeric sight—I'm in a state of coma.
What! part with these? No! Go, if you've a mind,
Free as before—your hair you leave behind.
What ho! my scissors—these rich curls will do;
If you cut off, why, I can cut off, too.
Fair S.
First catch your hair—to Cherry I shall cling.
Cherry.
[Interposing.]
Monster, forbear! Do you call this the thing?
Kyd.
She's mine! Resign her!
Cherry.
Not for a king's ransom.
Kyd.
Unhand her!
Cherry.
What! for treatment so unhandsome?
Kyd.
Why then, rash youth, let your own head beware.
Cherry.
'Tis well—come on, and of your own take care.
[Fight, and pause.
Kyd.
He parries every thrust—I can't hit through it.
Cherry.
You quite forget, you taught me how to do it.
Kyd.
Ha! say'st thou so? Then down, at last, I've brought you—
This is a private dodge I never taught you.
[Fight resumed—Cherry is defeated.
Appearance of the Spirit of the Shell.
Spirit.
Cease this rude discord: it was I inspired
Both these young folks to go where they desired.
I gave to Fair Star's hair its magic dower.
[To Kyd.]
And you from me to save them had the power.
Where'er they go, henceforth their steps attend,
Their constant guide, philosopher, and friend.
Kyd.
Well, come, I'll make it up—I don't bear malice.
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Of noble birth, and cradled in a palace,
These children, now grown up, must thither go.
Cherry.
Thank you; but we the right address don't know.
Spirit.
Fear not! a golden galley, close at hand,
Will now conduct you—where it stops, you land.
Fair Star, know this, that Cherry's not your brother;
So those who love, may still love one another.
[Appearance of the Golden Galley, attended by Sea Nymphs.—Embarcation of Cherry and Fair Star.—Ballet, and change of Scene, to
| Cherry & Fair Star : Or The Singing Apple, The Talking Bird, And The Dancing Waters | |