OLD BLACK JOE . . . . . . . .  An ex-slave, eighty years of age
ARTHUR MAYNARD. . . . . . . . .  Owner of a Kentucky Plantation
VIOLA MAYNARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  His Daughter
CHARLIE DOOLITTLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Her Sweetheart
EDGAR TREMBLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  With a heart of stone
MRS. ALICE WILSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  A frail widow
HARVEY SLICK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  An adventurer
FELIX FAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  His assistant
CHLORINDA SOURGRASS. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  A lady of color
CISSIE, LOTTIE, FANNIE,
TILLIE, GOLDIE, DORA, 
MAGGIE, MABEL, GERTIE. . . . . . . . . . . .   Invited Guests

SCENE:  Garden of ARTHUR MAYNARD’S plantation.  Landscape backing.  Set house at left with practical veranda (if possible).  Wood wings at right.  Set tree up stage at right behind which old pocketbook containing a number of greenbacks is concealed.  Bench in front of tree.  Pedestal up stage at left, dog-house at right.

DISCOVERED:  (At rise of curtain an invisible CHORUS is heard singing “My Old Kentucky Home.”  Then GOLDIE and other invited girl friends come on stage and sing a MEDLEY OF POPULAR CHORUSES.  At conclusion of medley, VIOLA enters from house.)

VIOLA:  Girls, do you know why I’ve invited you all today?

FANNIE:  To tell us that you’re engaged to be married.

VIOLA:  Nothing so fortunate.  This is my father’s birthday, and I’ve arranged a little celebration in his honor, and I want you all to participate.

LOTTIE:  We won’t do a thing but enjoy ourselves.

VIOLA:  But there’s one dark cloud, girls.

(CHLORINDA enters from house.)

TILLIE:  Yes, here comes the dark cloud now.

VIOLA:  The dark cloud I refer to is Mrs. Wilson, who calls herself a widow and who has been hanging around father for the last few months in the hope that he’ll make her Mrs. Maynard number two.

DORA:  The hussy!

MAGGIE:  The cat!

VIOLA:  I wouldn’t care if she loved father, but I suspect that all she’s after is his money.

CHLORINDA:  His mazuma.

GERTIE:  Get on to the African Jew!

LOTTIE:  Any woman that wants to fool your father has to get up early in the morning.

VIOLA:  Mrs. Wilson sometimes looks as if she stays up all night. 
(All girls laugh.)

VIOLA:  If she only knew that the old plantation is mortgaged up to the roof, I guess she wouldn’t be so anxious about marrying father.

VIOLA:  (To CHLORINDA.) Well, Chlorinda, what brings you out here?

CHLORINDA:  I jes’ came out to say dat refreshments am ready in de house if de young ladies am thirsty or hungry.

(CHORUS by ladies of company, then they exit into house.  VIOLA remains on stage.)

(CHARLIE DOOLITTLE enters from R. and stealing up softly behind VIOLA, puts his hands over her eyes.)