The Scar of Shame
1 [scrolling title]
FOREWORD
ENVIRONMENT --
Surroundings, --
Childhood training and
companions often is the
deciding factor in our
lives. -- It shapes our
destinies and guides our
ambitions. -- If early in
life some knowing, lov-
ing hand, lights the
lamp of knowledge and
with tender care keeps
it burning, then our
course will run true 'til
the end of our useful
time on this earth, but,
if that lamp should fail
through lack of tender
care, through lack of
loving hands to feed its
hungry flame -- then
will come sorrow and
SHAME!
2
Just about the end
of the luncheon
hour at Mrs. Lucre-
tia Green's select
boarding house.
3
Alvin Hillyard, a
young man of re-
fined tastes, a lover
of music and the
finer things in life.
... Harry Henderson
4
Eddie Blake, a pro-
duct of evil envi-
ronment and whose
music is not of the
same school.
... Norman Johnstone
5
"That's the kind of music
for me! The roll of a pair
of well trained bones!"
6
Lucretia Green, who
treats her guests
with as much love
and care as she would
her children.
.... Ann Kennedy
7
One half the world
doesn't know how
the other half lives.
8
Louise Howard, a Rose
of Sharon, whose
music was all discords.
.... Lucia Lynn Moses
9
Day dreams.
10
"Spike" Howard, her
step-father, who
had his own ideas of
life.
.... William E. Pettus
11
"This is another instance
of the injustices some of
the women of our race
are constantly subjected
to, mainly through lack
of knowledge of the
higher aims in life."
12
"Please! -- Please! --
Don't send me back
to him -- He'll kill me!"
13
"There, there, child! I
won't let you go back
to that brute. I guess
I can manage to
keep you here."
14
"Spike, I've warned you
more than once, never
to light matches around
that cheap jump-steady
you drink!"
15
"Naw! -- you got me
wrong, -- I was com-
in' around the corner
and the trolley car --"
16
"Hot puppy! That trolley
car sure swung a mean
fist! -- Come on in, you
look like you need a
bracer!"
17
"You may occupy this
room, honey, and in
return you can help
me around the house."
18
"That's Mr. Hillyard
playing. -- Some day
he will be the lead-
ing composer of our
race."
19
"Spike, how's that daugh-
ter of your's? -- I ain't
seen her in a couple of
weeks, -- that baby is
sure gettin' to be a swell
looker!"
20
"Why don't you let her
work for me 'stead of
ruinin' her looks over
a tub."
21
"I'll get her some glad
rags, learn her to be
an entertainer, you
won't have to worry
'bout no miss-meal-
cramps, and I'll make
a lot of dough!"
22
That evening, just
before the supper
hour.
23
"What's Spike's daughter
doin' here?"
24
"Where's old lady Green?"
25
"Come on out in the hall,
I got somethin' to say to
you, and I don't want
that old dame buttin'
in!"
26
"Aw, come on, -- I ain't
gonna hurt you!"
27
"Lissen baby, you're
just breakin' your old
pappy's heart, you'd
better go back to
him --"
28
"I was just tryin' to get
her back to her old
pappy. You ain't got
no right to keep her
away from him!"
29
"I'm wise to you, big
boy, you're just tryin'
to make her your-
self --!"
30
"You dirty dog! I'll teach
you to have more re-
spect for our women!"
31
"Get your things and
leave my house im-
mediately! I don't
want your kind here!"
32
"I am sorry, Mrs. Green,
to have been the cause
of your losing a guest."
33
"Lay offa her, Eddie, I ain't
treated her right, and all
because of that lousy
booze of yours, when I
get full of that, I don't
know what I'm doin'!"
34
"Oh why, why can't he
leave me in peace -- if
this keeps up -- I'll --
I'll -- kill myself!"
35
"He wouldn't molest
you any longer --
if --"
36
"-- if -- you were
-- my wife --"
37
"-- will -- you --
marry me?"
38
And so we turn the
pages of the book
of time until three
months have passed.
39
"You let her marry that
sap, and now you ex-
pect me to be your
licker ticket -- Go to
Hell!"
40
"All right! I'll give you a
drink, but from now on,
you do what I tell you!"
41
"You're goin' to help me
get the gal away from
that simp, then we'll blow
this dump, beat it for a
live town, open a swell
cabaret, and with her
looks and my brains we'll
clean up!"
42
"I'll drive to Morton and
send the fake telegram,
he'll beat it right for his
mother, and it's ten to
one he won't take her,
and that's where we
come in!"
43
The next morning,
at Morton.
44
"Dear, I cannot take
you with me, I've
never told mother of
our marriage."
45
"You don't understand
-- Caste is one of the
things mother is very
determined about --
and you -- don't be-
long to our set!"
46
"You go watch the
house and let me
know the minute
he leaves."
47
"Poor little thing! You
too had to be a vic-
tim of caste!"
48
"The old lady always
goes shoppin' about
three o'clock, so
Louise'll be alone in
the house!"
49
"Mother! -- How is she?"
50
"Why, Mr. Alvin! -- She's
out of town, visiting
friends!"
51
"I've been tricked!"
52
"I'm not goin' through
with this Eddie - she's
better off where she
is, than with a rat like
you!"
53
"I'll go in the front --
you duck around the
back, if she gets too
tough I'll drag her
down the fire escape!"
54
"Where you goin'?"
55
"Baby, -- my offer still
holds good, give this
dicty sap you're
hooked up to, the air
and come with me to
a live town and we'll
make some real
money!"
56
"And where do I come
in on this?"
57
"Fifty-fifty on the take!"
58
"Okay, boy friend --
but remember this is
STRICTLY a business
proposition, so don't
start by getting
familiar!"
59
"Hold still! -- The pair
of you!"
60
Two years later. The
Club Lido, rendez-
vous of the smart set.
61
With a cozy gambling
den, where stakes
are high --
62
-- and morals not so
strict --
63
-- presided over
by --
64
Eddie's many years
of training in "the
racket" makes these
nightly pastimes of
poker quite profitable.
65
Ralph Hathaway, a
lawyer with strong
political power - spon-
sor and protector of
the club.
.... Lawrence Chenault
66
While in a place not
quite so gay --
67
Six months later, Alvin,
posing under an as-
sumed name, in a dis-
tant city, aided by race
ambition, has establish-
ed himself in a lavishly
appointed studio, as a
teacher of music.
68
Alice Hathaway, his
star pupil and very
much in love with him.
.... Pearl McCormack
69
The memory of his
past and the know-
ledge that he is an
escaped convict keeps
Alvin from speaking
out his heart to this
girl.
70
And so, Alvin, torn
between his love
for Alice and the
memory of his past,
is living a daily lie.
71
"It's for your father!"
72
"We're making a little
'Whoopee' to-night, so
be sure and come
down early!"
73
"I may be home late,
so don't wait up for
me."
74
The Whoopee Party
at the Club Lido.
75
"A gentleman left this
note and said that it is
very urgent that Mr.
Hathaway gets it at
once!"
76
"Dear, you won't mind
dropping in at the Club
Lido on your way
home and giving this
to father?"
77
"You won't stay at that
horrible club too long,
will you, dear?"
78
"Louise, may I present
Mr. Arthur Jones, my
future son-in-law?"
79
"Well! Mr. Alvin Hillyard,
so YOU are the para-
gon of a son-in-law-
to-be, we heard so much
about!"
80
"Louise! -- Please! --
For God's sake --!"
81
"Have no fear MISTER
JONES, -- I won't ex-
pose you -- if you do
as I say -- MY -- ex-
husband!"
82
"Don't try to vamp him,
Louise, remember, he
is my future son-in-
law!"
83
"Get rid of the old man
and come back!"
84
"Louise! What you ask
is impossible--!"
85
"Perhaps, you would
rather go back to
prison!"
86
"Very well, -- I'll come
-- back!"
87
"Louise, this situation is
unbearable, please let
me go -- forget me!"
88
"No! I won't let you go!
I love you, Alvin! -- I
have always loved you,
and now I am going to
hold you!"
89
"Alvin! -- Alvin! --
Don't go! -- Don't
leave me --!"
90
"Deliver this to Mr.
Hathaway at once!"
91
"God, forgive me!"
92
"The letter -- Hurry
with it! -- You can't
help me -- now!"
93
"Alice, I have a confes-
sion to make -- upon
which depends our
future happiness!"
94
"A child of environment!
-- If she had the proper
training, if she had been
taught the finer things
in life, the higher aims,
the higher hopes, she
would not be lying cold
in death! -- Oh! our
people have much to
learn!"
95
"I know the TRUTH,
my son, and she,
poor soul -- is dead!"
THE END
Home