Way Down East

[A Simple Story of Plain People]

1
Since the beginning of time
man has been polygamous
-- even the saints of Biblical
history -- but the Son of 
Man gave a new thought,
and the world is growing 
nearer the true ideal. He 
gave of One Man for One
        Woman.

2
Not by laws -- our Statutes
are now overburdened by
ignored laws -- but within
the heart of man, the truth
must bloom that his greatest 
happiness lies in his purity
     and constancy.

3
Today Woman brought up
from childhood to expect
  ONE CONSTANT MATE
possibly suffers more than
at any point in the history
of mankind, because not
yet has the man-animal
reached this high standard
-- except perhaps in theory.

4
If there is anything in this 
story that brings home to 
men the suffering caused by
our selfishness, perhaps it
   will not be in vain.

5
Time and place -- in the story
   world of make-believe,
Characters -- nowhere -- yet
  everywhere; Incidents --
 never occurred yet always 
        happening.

6
Let us suppose a remote
village in New England.

7
Anna Moore and her
mother.
We call her "Anna" --
we might have called her 
"Woman" -- for is not hers 
      the story --

8
Sore need of money drives
the mother to appeal to the
  Tremonts, their rich
  relatives in Boston.

9
"Oh, Mother, I hate to ask
     them for money."

10
So, through the troubled
      twilight ...

11
"All right, Mother, I'll go."

12
The departure.

13
"Tell Cousin Emma I made
this hug-me-tight with my
      own hands."

14
   "The fashion paper says 
these gloves are in style in the 
           city."

15
An errand undertaken with
the tremulous footsteps that
ever mark the trail of the
    "poor relation."

16
Her cousins, the Tremonts,
were giving a bridge whist 
 party the afternoon of
    Anna's arrival.

17
Cousin Emma Tremont
     herself.

18
Diana Tremont --
 her daughter.

19
An occasional interloper in
 Society -- the dashing
  Lennox Anderson, who
depends for his living upon
     a rich father.

20
He has three specialties --
ladies -- Ladies -- and
       LADIES.

21
"There is a young person --
  says she's your Cousin
   Anna Moore -- from
      Greenville."

22
"My dear child! Whatever
   brought you here?"

23
"Well, you see, things
haven't been going very
well -- and we wanted to ask 
   you -- if -- if --"

24
Courage failing, she
changes the subject to
  the hug-me-tight.

25
"I beg your pardon."

26
Mrs. Tremont imparts the
embarrassing news of the
country cousin's arrival to
     her daughters.

27
"Well, get rid of her."

28
But to impress their
eccentric but enormously 
rich aunt, the sisters
pretend to be nice to Anna.

29
"I knew you both from
   your pictures."

30
"Yes, I expect to stay quite 
a time -- that is, if we suit 
        each other."

31
     CHAPTER II

Near the country estate of 
the Sanderson family is
   Bartlett Village.

32
 Also the home of Squire
Bartlett, the richest farmer
   in the neighborhood.

33
The clock hand points 
 to blossoms -- and
     awakening.

34
David Bartlett, though of
plain stock, has been
tutored by poets and 
visions wide as the world.

35
Squire Bartlett, a stern
old puritan, who lives
according to his own con-
ception of the Scriptures,
particularly the "Thou
     Shalt Nots".

36
Mrs. Bartlett, whose gentle
soul is as sweet as her
  beloved Scriptures.

37
Day dreams of twenty-one.

38
The great Tremont ball --
the climax of the social 
       season.

39
Anna's dress that she and 
her mother had made in case 
  she should go out in 
         Society.

40
"It's quite all right -- and
  from the balcony you can 
      see us dancing."

41
Solely to pique the sisters of
  whom she is not over-fond,
  the aunt makes different
   arrangements for Anna.

42
"Oh, Aunty! -- This dress 
  -- where's the top?"

43
Beneath the alcove
lights' golden glow.

44
Anna's delicate beauty a
  whip to Sanderson's
   jaded appetite.

45
"In your beauty lives again
Elaine, the lily maid, love
   dreaming at Astolat."

46
"Tell me more."

47
Cousin Emma hurries Anna
off to bed -- perhaps in fear
of her own daughters being
        outshone.

48
The susceptible Sanderson
obsessed by a new desire.

49
Sanderson, after managing
several meetings, finally
lures Anna to the apartment
to meet a mythical aunt.

50
"Wait -- I'll call Aunty."

51
"Strange, she isn't here."

52
"Just five minutes! She'll be
      back any time."

53
"If she doesn't come in five 
   minutes -- I must go."

54
"You don't understand ..."

55
"I mean -- I want you to
    -- to marry me."

56
Anna's inexperienced heart 
  caught in a tide of
     infatuation.

57
"Oh, I'm just going to 
   tell everybody."

58
   But Sanderson, dreading
to cross the wishes of his rich
  father, upon whom he is de-
  pendent, persuades Anna to
      promise secrecy.

59
  Sanderson belongs to a
class which, if it cannot get
what it wants in one way, it
will go to any length to get
      it in another.

60
Evil plans --

61
Passion's urge knows no
conscience and various its 
   ways to betrayal.

62
Sanderson induces Anna to 
marry secretly before going 
          home.

63
 Far away it happens that
David Bartlett is dreaming a
      troubled dream.

64
  "Don't worry -- every-
thing's all right. Don't you
        trust me?"

65
So -- it is done.

66
The bridal suite at
  Rose Tree Inn.

67
To her it is the fulfillment
of the dreams of girlhood
  -- to him but another
       adventure.

68
Here conscience knocks at
the door -- perhaps the
slightest interruption might
still avert this tragedy,
          but...

69
"My -- my husband!"

70
The afternoon the Bartlett
  postoffice was robbed.

71
The dread minion of the 
 Law -- Rube Whipple,
      Constable.

72
Seth Holcomb waiting for
Martha Perkins, whom he
has been following around
   for twenty years.

73
Seth takes his liquor 
under the name of 
"Long Life Bitters".

74
Martha Perkins -- a relic --
 nobody needs a newspaper
   when she is around.

75
The Constable on the
      man hunt.

76
Napoleon, his fiery steed.

77
Napoleon refuses to
  climb the hill.

78
The temptation of
    Napoleon.

79
"These men! I just can't
keep 'em from followin'
         me."

80
"Great news! Postoffice bin
robbed! Dollar eighty-two
cents in postage stamps,
eighteen postal cards!
  Heavy loss to the 
      gov'ment!"

81
"I'll 'low no man to laugh at 
   the law, Seth Holcomb!"

82
They both win.

83
     CHAPTER IV.

One day of honeymoon 
before Anna starts home 
with her great secret.

84
"Promise now -- only
     two days!"

85
Anna's return home.

86
Anna relieves her mother's
anxiety with happy, mys-
terious hints of wealth to
         come.

87
The old way too pleasant 
      to give up.

88
Less and less frequent 
their secret meetings 
  until at last....

89
In answer to her urgent 
       letter....

90
"All right -- I'll wait."

91
"You haven't told anyone
  about our marriage?"

92
She tells him of a tender 
new reason why the secret 
cannot be kept any longer.

93
"You mustn't tell anyone!"

94
"Well, if you must know
the truth -- because we
aren't married at all!"

95
"You're just joking -- tell
  me, aren't you joking?"

96
"WE MUST be married --
see -- see -- our ring ...."

97
"Marriage would have
meant my losing every-
thing -- I intended to make 
    it right -- but --"

98
"For Heaven's sake, don't
make a scene! I'll let you
have lots of money and you
      can go away."

99
"Mother! MOTHER!"

100
When the mother returns --

101
Some time afterwards -- left
alone by her mother's death
-- Anna hides away with
her shame in the village of
         Belden."

102
Maternity -- Woman's 
    Gethesemane.

103
  Shadows across the 
     time dial.
   ______________

The baby without a name.

104
"My child, your baby 
   is very sick."

105
"Ten drops of this in a little 
   water every hour until I 
          return."

106
"Where's your husband?"

107
"Oh, he's -- he's away."

108
The landlady solemnly
reminds Anna that if the
baby dies without being
baptized, it will never see
         God.

109
Helpless and alone in the
dreadful hours of the night,
and stricken with a terrible 
fear for her baby's soul....

110
.... she herself performs 
    the sacred rite.

111
"In the name of the Father,
    and of the Son,--"

112
"...and of the Holy
    Ghost..."

113
"-- I baptize thee --
'TRUST LENNOX'."

114
The vigil.

115
The little hands grow cold 
     upon her breast.

116
"My child, your baby 
      is dead."

117
Sanderson on his country 
  estate at Bartlett.

118
"Everybody is talking about
you having no husband --
I guess you'll have to leave."

119
Upon her back the
  age-old Cross.
 ______________

 The Pilgrimage.

120
Hi Holler, the Bartlett's
chore boy, sprucing up
in the barn to meet Kate,
  the Squire's niece.

121
A reckless spectator.

122
 "Oh, Hi! Hi Holler! Hurry
up! It's time to fetch Kate!"

123
Anna, in search of work,
reaches Bartlett Village.

124
Kate, the Squire's niece, 
returns from a short trip 
      to Boston.

125
  The Professor, summer 
boarder at Squire Bartlett's.
He studies butterflies -- and 
   pursues his studies.

126
  "Is this the young niece
you were expecting from Boston?"

127
"I am looking for work."

128
"Work? You don't 'pear to
have no strength to work."

129
 "Where ye from?
Whose your folks?"

130
"I haven't any folks."

131
  "For all we know she 
might be some loose woman
wanderin' 'round. I won't
 take her inter my hum!"

132
"Sorry, young lady, but I
ain't got nothin' for ye."

133
"Inasmuch as ye have done 
it unto one of the least of 
these -- ye have done it 
       unto me!"

134
"That's Scripture, Father."

135
"All right, Mother, we'll try
her. Nobody can't ever say
    I went agin' the 
      Scriptures!"

136
 "Whatever your troubles,
child, remember, the Lord is
 your Shepherd, you shall
         not want."

137
Kate's homecoming.

138
"It has been settled by the
Squire and his family, since
 Kate's and David's child-
  hood that they are to
        marry."

139
Open admiration.

140
The Professor, meeting 
Kate, is converted to the 
scientific theory of Love 
   at first sight.

141
"Oh, Professor, my shoe 
      is untied."

142
"Well, well, neighbor 
Sanderson, haven't seen
you since Kate went away."

143
Kate -- Sanderson's
newest infatuation.

144
"David, you'll have time
before supper to show
Neighbor Sanderson that
heifer he wants to buy."

145
"What are you 
 doing here?"

146
"I am working."

147
"You can't stay here
-- I live right across 
     the way."

148
"Come right in, Mr. 
Sanderson! Supper's
      ready."

149
"Your father was right.
I'm afraid I'm not strong 
 enough for this work."

150
"Please don't go away,
Miss Moore! I -- we all
-- like you very much.
You'll get stronger after
     awhile, and ..."

151
 "Anna! David!
Come right in."

152
END OF PART I

153
WAY DOWN EAST
  Part II

154
Meanwhile, Anna, her past
still a closed book, has
become a beloved member
  of the household.

155
  Knowing only Anna's 
blameless life among them,
David thrilled with the 
thought that she is the 
virginal white flower of his 
         dreams.

156
By the river and the distant 
music of the falls -- Around 
 them the sweet scent of 
      summer fields.

157
There David points out the 
two forks of the river, 
 that go into one ....

158
And all athrill with
     a great sincere love,
Visions to her
   how they two might go,
On through life together...

159
"One heart for one heart,
One soul for one soul,
One love for one love,
Even through Eternity."

160
 At last the great over-
whelming love -- only to be
halted by the stark ghosts 
    of her past.

161
"I'm only trying to say I 
love you, Anna -- it seems
 I've always loved you!"

162
So she tells him he must
 never speak like this 
       again.

163
The summer goes,
        the winter comes,
We cannot rule the year,
Nor can we rule 
       the barque of Fate,
Nor all its strange ways
                      steer.

164
The Professor's love--
burdened heart brings him
down to the country to see 
         Kate.

165
"I'm going ter read yer
  some funny jokes."

166
"Why does a chicken 
  cross the road?"

167
"None of the rooster's 
     business."

168
"Ain't that funny?"

169
"Three eggs -- two bad."

170
"Miss Kate -- I want to
ask -- if you will -- be --
          my --"

171
"The ice is going out soon.
When the river starts you'd
better look out down below
          there!"

172
Anna goes to the store after
forgotten goodies for the
big party planned for the
        evening.

173
The villain still
  pursues her.

174
The sewing circle next to 
   the grocery store.

175
Maria Poole, the landlady
from Belden, visits Bartlett.

176
"That's Anna Moore --
lives down to Squire
   Bartlett's."

177
"Moore? Her name ain't 
      Moore..."

178
  "She lived at my house
-- 'Mrs. Lennox', she called
herself -- but she never had
    no husband at all!"

179
   "And then --
there was a baby!"

180
The Squire thinks it time
that David and Kate come to 
   an understanding.

181
"It's my bounden duty to go
 and expose this woman to 
       the Squire."

182
"Father's set on our getting
married but I don't think we
  can without proper love
       -- do you?"

183
To the Squire's --
bursting with the 
  great news.

184
"Suppose, Squire, I had
been like you suspected
when you first saw me?
Would there be any hope of 
    forgiveness?"

185
"When the law's broke, it's 
broke, ain't it? A wrong's a 
wrong and nothin' can make 
       it right."

186
    "Of course --
I was just supposing."

187
On their way to the 
  big barn dance.

188
"Maria Poole, from Belden,
was at the sewing circle and
       she says...."

189
"No. I shouldn't tell you!"

190
"It's that...."

191
"Oh, it's awful...."

192
But before Martha tells
her thrilling news....

193
 On their way to the big 
party, they stop to warm up
at the Squire's with an old-
    fashioned dance.

194
"No. I am not invited 
   to the party."

195
The Professor --
dazed but happy.

196
"All bound 'round with a woolen string!
A great big hat with a great big brim,
All bound 'round, all bound 'round, 
All bound 'round with a woolen string!"

197
  David, for some reason,
suddenly discovers he is not
  interested in the party.

198
The neighbors' barn dance.

199
More and more worried
by Anna's presence --
also afraid she will
interfere in his pursuit of
   Kate -- Sanderson --

200
"I can't have you around 
  here where I live!"

201
"Suppose they find out 
about your past life?
You'd have to get out 
        then!"

202
"Suppose they find out 
about YOUR past life!"

203
"Oh, it's different with a 
MAN! He's supposed to sow
     his wild oats."

204
At last Martha gets her 
 opportunity with the 
       Squire.

205
"Does Lennox Sanderson 
mean anything to you?"

206
"Why do you ask
such a question?"

207
"Because I can't keep silent 
        any longer."

208
"I love you! I want you 
    to be my wife."

209
"It's about Anna Moore.
She lived in Belden under
the name of 'Lennox' --
    Mrs. Lennox!"

210
  "A baby was born --
but there warn't no weddin' 
  ring to her finger."

211
"I'll drive her out of the 
   house -- this night."

212
"No, father -- you must 
      have proof."

213
"I'll go to Belden in 
 the morning -- and
 if it is true --"

214
"Please! Please don't!"

215
"I can never be ANY
    MAN'S WIFE!"

216
The next morning. The
Squire on his way to 
Belden to investigate
   Martha's story.

217
"The Squire's on important 
    business, is he?"

218
So it happens that
Sanderson...

219
At noon the Squire arrives 
      in Belden.

220
"It's all true. Why, her
baby was born in this
     very room."

221
Late afternoon.

222
"Roses in wintertime!
    Lan' sakes!"

223
"Don't want no supper 
  of your gettin'!"

224
"The time's come for you to 
get your things and get out 
     of this house!"

225
"Don't want no words!
   Just get out!"

226
"It means she is going to 
 get out of my house!"

227
"I found out all about her
-- she ain't fit to be here!"

228
"She's the mother of a 
baby -- but she ain't got 
   -- NO HUSBAND!"

229
"Tell them it's a lie,
        Anna!"

230
"I -- I can't!"

231
"You found out so much!
Why didn't you find out the 
     whole truth?"

232
"That I was an ignorant girl
  betrayed through a mock
       marriage."

233
 "This man -- an honored 
guest at your table -- why
don't you find out what HIS
     life has been?"

234
"For HE is the man who 
    betrayed me!"

235
And then the storm.

236
The sugar camp.

237
"Anna's lost in the storm
-- get out your men --
        quick!"

238
Frenzied -- tortured --
  The calling river.

239
The storm lulls.

240
The great ice-break.

241
The ice jam gives way
-- rushing to the falls.

242
"Quick! Quick!
The Doctor!"

243
Toward morning.

244
The Squire asks 
 forgiveness.

245
  "Come, Anna, I know I
didn't do the right thing. I'm
willing to marry you now if
      you want me."

246
"I -- I will."

247
"I will."

248
Interested witnesses.

249
"Seth, wilt thou have this 
 woman to be thy wedded
        wife -- ?"

250
"I -- I will."


251
The one man for
            the one woman,
Between them the
       Sacramental bond --
Life's cleanest and sweetest.


T:H:E  E:N:D