enclosure:

Cromwell. Gentlemen, ye have heard the verdict—one of the three must die. Choose ye, by lot, which of you it shall be.

Colonel. To that cannot I consent, your Highness.

Cr. Wherefore not?

Col. The authority that has condemned me, hath also authority to execute me—lawful authority, rightful authority. Against its acts & decrees I offer no protest, but submit without murmur. That authority believing me guilty, can execute me without offense to God or the realm. But if I vote away mine own life, I violate the commandment of God, & do murder.

Cr. How? What is this? How mean you?

Col. I may not kill an innocent man—& I am innocent. I may not kill a guilty man—& by the power that hath tried me, I am that. I may not kill at all—it is forbidden by a higher authority than human courts.

Cr. (To Major.) What say you, sir?

Major. So please your Highness, I am of the same mind. I am ready to die, since it is so decreed, but I cannot vote cast away mine my lot my life by lot—it is suicide, & is forbidden.

Cr. (To the Captain.) And you, sir?

Cap. I also am of like mind, your Highness. I cannot commit this sin. They have spoken truth—it would be suicide.

Cr. (Troubled—to his subordinates.) There is argument in what they say. I am perplexed. (They consult apart.)

Cr. Then let it be so. It is wisely bethought. Prepare three bits of paper: two white, for life, one red, for death. Stand side by side, sirs—place each a hand behind you. (The 3 stand with their backs to the populace gathered at the rear of the stage.)

[Enter Minnie, the Col’s little child.]

Minnie (aside). O, the soldiers! & the great people! O what a fine sight! I would mamma were here to see it! But I must find my dear papa; for I’ve got a kiss for him from mamma—strange she should cry when she is sending him a kiss—I don’t cry when I think of papap, & think a kiss for him.

Cr. One shall choose who is cast the lots who is ignorant of the matter, & impartial, & can do no wrong. (Observing Minnie). Ah—come hither, little wanderer, thou shalt do the State a service. (Caresses her.) Seest thou these three gentlemen, with therir open hands behind them? Well, take thou these bits of paper, & put one in each of these waiting hands—& God guide thee & be with thee, thou innocent!

Minnie. (Peering roug roguishly around from behind the Colonel—aside.) Why, it’s my papa! I thought I knew his hand!—I even know his elbow—such a dear elbow! (kissing it lightly,) (She quickly I wonder if it’s right? (Pause, contemplating the ballots.) Yes, it is right, he’s my papa. He shall have the prettiest one—he shall have the red one. (Swiftly deposits the ballots in the hands, & peers smiling up again from under her father’s elbow.)

Major (inspecting his ballot)—Ah, thank God!

Cap. Saved! (clasps his hands with emotion).

Colonel. (Inspects his ballot)—straightens himself with dignity). So let it be. He hath done it who doeth all things well.

Minnie (Clapping her hands)—Papa!

Col. (Siezes her & clasps her to his bosom, kissing her a dozen times—the red paper flutters to the floor.) O, my darling.

Minnie. (Gleefully.) I gave you the pretty red one, papa—I gave the others only white ones. I gave you the pretty red one, because you’re my papa!

Col. (Stupefied.) Thou? O, my God!

Min.IⒶemendation Yes, I did it, papa, Minnie did it. Kiss Minnie, papa.

Col. (Wildly kissing her.) O, poor little heart, you little know!

Cromwell. His own child! Ah, my God, my God!

Min. It is such a pretty red paper—& I gave it you, papa, Minnie gave it you, didn’t she?

Col.(aside) Ah, poor child, I gave her life, & innocently she has given me death in return.

Min. Why papa! . you’ve thrown it away. Don’t you want it, papa? Mayn’t I have it, papa?—please, papa, mayn’t I have it—it’s so pretty! (Col. picks it up & pins it to the bosom of her frock.) O, thank you, thank you—& can I wear it always—always? And every time I look at it I’ll think of you—O, when I’m ever so big!—all my life. And sometime if mam

Col. (Kissing her.) My child, my child! (Aside.) Poor little innocent prattler, she will break my heart.

Cromwell. Remove the child—a heart of stone cou granite could not bear it. Let the drums beat—let the execution proceed. (muffled drums—file of soldiers march.)

(They try to take the child from her father—she clings to him.)

Col. (Kissing her & weeping.) Go, my child—go, darling, it is only for a little while—then we shall see each other again. There—& there—& there—kisses for mamma.

Min. But I don’t want to go—I want to stay with you. O, see the pretty soldiers—O, the lovely music!

Col.—Ah, be good, please go, my darling—it’s only a little while.

Min. Just only a little, little, little while?

Col. Yes, only just a very little while, sweetheart! (Aside) Ah, I must lie to her, though it destroy my soul.

Min. Well, then, I will go; but I will come again if you don’t come right away. For you must be good, too. (Patting his face & kissing him. They lead her off the stage.)

(Military commands & ceremonies. Drums & dirges. The Colonel stands apart. The file of soldiers take aim—at the word he falls.)

⟦Enter mamma wildly,—& little Minnie joyfully. capering.)

Mamma. O, my God! (Throws herself on the corpse.)

(Mi

Minnie. (Stands dazed, a while, looking down; then takes the red paper from her bosom, kneels & strokes her father’s face.—)—Papa! papa! wake up, you shall have it again—don’t with be angry with Minnie—see, here it is,—papa, dear, you shall have it again.

(Curtain)