Libretto: 2.3

Act 2.3 Party & Duet

Martin: o there you are, missus moss. I wanted to have a dance with you.

Grandpa: where’s Splinters, where is he? I wanted him to tell one o those tales he tells.

Top: if it’s stories you want, I know a few myself.

Grandpa: well go ahead then… go ahead.

Top: o, I was going a courtin and I knew just where to go, just down yonder, just down below. The old folks gone and the children all at home, and the girls all mad with their hair not combed, and the girls all mad with their hair not combed. When the supper comes on and they asked me to eat, they called on me to carve up the meat, one old knife, and one old fork, I sawed about an hour and I couldn’t make a mark, yes I sawed about an hour and I couldn’t make a mark. One of the girls said: “wait mister, wait,” I can just kept a-sawin till I got it on the plate. Just kept a sawin till I got it on the floor, then up with my foot and I kicked it out the door, yes up with my foot and I kicked it out the door. In come the old man with a double barreled gun. One of the girls says “run mister run!” but I stood my ground just as brave as any bear, and I tangled my fingers in the old man’s hair, yes I tangled my fingers in the old man’s hair.

Grandpa: that story true? … that really happen?

Top: If you want to go a courtin, I’ll tell you how to dress, one old coat, and that’ll be the best…dum dum dumm… and the girls all mad with their hair not combed.

Mrs. Splinters: c’mon Grandpapa, let’s you and me show these young folk what dancin’s made of.
Top: why’s missus moss actin so odd like? Why did she look that way?

Martin: you notice it now?

Top; her eyes got a knowin look in em like once that judge looked.

Laurie: lift your feet Grandpapa!

Top: maybe he needs another drink o wine!

Grandpa: we’ll take a cup of this sweet wine and dance around the room..

Mrs. Sp: wheee! That’s enough for us, lord help us! I guess I ain’t so young.

___

Martin: You dance real well!

Laurie: Mother taught me. Once, all her steps were like dancing.

Martin: Like yours are now?

Laurie: Do they dance way off and end off dancing? Isn’t there a place where dancing never stops?

Martin: It always stops.

Laurie: I want to find it, if there is a such a place.

Martin: the world seems still tonight. (kisses her)

Laurie: O Martin, I should say something.

Martin: Quiet, quiet. Tomorrow you’ll be graduated, and like your Ma says, you won’t be nervous anymore. Laurie, you know, Laurie, I’m getting tired of travelin through. My shoes are wearing thin. I’m getting tired of wand’rin, wand’rin, not caring where I’ve been. I want to stay in a place for a while and see a seedling grow. I want to come to know special skies, special rain and snow. A man must take a handful of earth and work it for his own, a handful of earth and handful of seed, but how can he do it alone? I’d like to have a wife for a while, I’d like to take her hand, and holding tight, know it was strong to lift our heads and sing our song, and when the day’s end came along to walk out on the land, to walk out on the land. I want you, are you with me? Take my hand. O Laurie, are you ready for settlin’ in with me? Do you feel in love the way I do?

Laurie: in love? In love? Yes, yes, I do love you. You came made me feel in love. I feel so many many things Martin. Tomorrow after graduation perhaps I’ll know.

Martin: Laurie, I’ll be goin soon.

Laurie: Don’t talk of that, Martin. O please, I don’t want you to go. Harvest is through so quickly.

Martin: I’ll stop here till harvest’s done, if you love me then this is where I’ll stay.

Laurie: Martin, yes, I want you, I need you. I love you. I love you, I do.

Martin: I love you, I’ll stay.

Martin: The plains so green…
Laurie: …The tender land
M; where we begin…
L: …to understand.
M: We’ll take the dreams…
L: …we’ve dreamed apart…
M: .. . and we will plant them in each other’s heart.
L: The fields of love…
M: … the tender grain,
L: We’ll gather in…
M: … from autumn rain.
L: We’ll reap the tears…
M: …we’ve wept apart…
L:…. And gather in each other’s heart.
Both: I love you, I love you, I do.