Act I Scene 1: The package from Chicago, it’s here! (Beth, Splinters, Ma, Mr. Splinters) - Scene 2: Open it quick, Mama. I can’t wait (Beth, Ma)

(Beth runs in, pulling Mr. Splinters by the hand.)

[BETH]
The package from Chicago, it's here!
It's Laurie's dress that's come

[SPLINTERS]
Goodday Missus Moss
Here's the box you've been pesterin' me for so long
These catalogue orders used to come quicker;
The post was fast twenty years ago
Or so it seemed when I was younger —
Maybe it's me that's gettin' slow

[BETH]
Let's open it, mom! Can we open it?

[MA]
Go now a minute, Beth
(to Mr. Splinters)
We're havin' a little party tonight
For Laurie's graduation tomorrow
Could you and Missus Splinters come?
And `course bring your fiddle!

[BETH]
And bring your fiddle too
And bring your fiddle too!
Oh bring your fiddle too, bring your fiddle too!

[SPLINTERS]
I'll bring my wife
And I'll bring my fiddle too
What two things more could a fellow want
To bring to an eatin' party
And we'll dance, won't we Beth?
We'll dance, won't we, Beth?

(Beth takes his hands and they do a turn around the yard. He is quickly winded and playfully eludes Beth.)

Funny to think of Laurie all grown up and graduatin'
Why she wasn't no bigger'n Beth here
A year or two ago…

[MA]
No, no bigger'n Beth here… year or two ago

[SPLINTERS]
… year or two ago
Got to be gettin' off, Missus Moss
Got to deliver a letter to Missus Gray
Did you hear the news?

[MA]
News?

[MR. SPLINTERS]
About what happened to Missus Gray's girl last night?

[MA]
No… no…

[MR. SPLINTERS]
Seems she met with a feller in the fields
A strange feller here abouts they say
Poor girl's shook up for a spell
She got an awful fright

[MA]
Heaven, help us!
Beth, go see if the kettle's boilin' over

(Beth goes.)

Did they catch him?

[MR. SPLINTERS]
Nope, but they will
Sheriff's got a gang out lookin' for `em
There's s'pposed to be two of `em travellin' together
Wouldn't be surprised if they turned out to be the one
That set on Jessie Kane two month ago

[MA]
I heard about that

[MR. SPLINTERS]
Poor kid. Gonna have a young `un they say

[MA]
Bums, driftin' bums
Can't they let peaceful folk be?
If that ever happened to Laurie
And Grandpa Moss found out
It's terrible to think what he'd do

[MR. SPLINTERS]
That kind of thinkin' don't bring no good, Missus Moss
Be seein' you tonight

(Beth returns.)

[MA]
Yes, tonight, don't forget. We're all so proud
So make the music nice and loud

[BETH]
Don't forget! Don't forget!

[MR. SPLINTERS]
I won't forget

[BETH, MA]
And bring your fiddle too! Bring your fiddle too!

(Mr. Splinters leaves.)

Scene 2

[BETH] (jumping up and down)
Open it quick, Mama. I can't wait!

[MA]
Up on the porch. We mustn't get it in the dirt
We mustn't hurt it

[BETH]
Hurry, hurry!
Will I never grow up and graduate?
Will I have a graduation dress?

(Ma opens the package.)

[MA]
Oh, it is pretty

[BETH]
It's pretty, pretty…

[MA]
Girls are made for such dresses
Once I had slender arms and could have worn it