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Amy Lowell - The Grocery
Work rating: Medium

"Hullo, Alice!"
"Hullo, Leon!"
"Say, Alice, gi` me a couple
O` them two for five cigars,
Will yer?"
"Where`s your nickel?"
"My!  Ain`t you close!
Can`t trust a feller, can yer."
"Trust you!  Why
What you owe this store
Would set you up in business.
I can`t think why Father `lows it."
"Yer Father`s a sight more neighbourly
Than you be.  That`s a fact.
Besides, he knows I got a vote."
"A vote!  Oh, yes, you got a vote!
A lot o` good the Senate`ll be to Father
When all his bank account
Has run away in credits.
There`s your cigars,
If you can relish smokin`
With all you owe us standin`."
"I dunno as that makes `em taste any diff`rent.
You ain`t fair to me, Alice, `deed you ain`t.
I work when anythin`s doin`.
I`ll get a carpenterin` job next Summer sure.
Cleve was tellin` me to-day he`d take me on come Spring."
"Come Spring, and this December!
I`ve no patience with you, Leon,
Shilly-shallyin` the way you do.
Here, lift over them crates o` oranges
I wanter fix `em in the winder."
"It riles yer, don`t it, me not havin` work.
You pepper up about it somethin` good.
You pick an` pick, and that don`t help a mite.
Say, Alice, do come in out o` that winder.
Th` oranges c`n wait,
An` I don`t like talkin` to yer back."
"Don`t you!  Well, you`d better make the best o` what 
you can git.
Maybe you won`t have my back to talk to soon.
They look good in pyramids with the `lectric light on `em,
Don`t they?
Now hand me them bananas
An` I`ll string `em right acrost."
"What do yer mean
`Bout me not havin` you to talk to?
Are yer springin` somethin` on me?"
"I don`t know `bout springin`
When I`m tellin` you right out.
I`m goin` away, that`s all."
"Where?  Why?
What yer mean — goin` away?"
"I`ve took a place
Down to Boston, in a candy store
For the holidays."
"Good Land, Alice,
What in the Heavens fer!"
"To earn some money,
And to git away from here, I guess."
"Ain`t yer Father got enough?
Don`t he give yer proper pocket-money?"
"He`d have a plenty, if you folks paid him."
"He`s rich I tell yer.
I never figured he`d be close with you."
"Oh, he ain`t.  Not close.
That ain`t why.
But I must git away from here.
I must!  I must!"
"You got a lot o` reason in yer
To-night.
How long d` you cal`late
You`ll be gone?"
"Maybe for always."
"What ails yer, Alice?
Talkin` wild like that.
Ain`t you an` me goin` to be married
Some day."
"Some day!  Some day!
I guess the sun`ll never rise on some day."
"So that`s the trouble.
Same old story.
`Cause I ain`t got the cash to settle right now.
You know I love yer,
An` I`ll marry yer as soon
As I c`n raise the money."
"You`ve said that any time these five year,
But you don`t do nothin`."
"Wot could I do?
Ther ain`t no work here Winters.
Not fer a carpenter, ther ain`t."
"I guess you warn`t born a carpenter.
Ther`s ice-cuttin` a plenty."
"I got a dret`ful tender throat;
Dr. Smiles he told me
I mustn`t resk ice-cuttin`."
"Why haven`t you gone to Boston,
And hunted up a job?"
"Have yer forgot the time I went expressin`
In the American office, down ther?"
"And come back two weeks later!
No, I ain`t."
"You didn`t want I should git hurted,
Did yer?
I`m a sight too light fer all that liftin` work.
My back was commencin` to strain, as `twas.
Ef I was like yer brother now,
I`d ha` be`n down to the city long ago.
But I`m too clumsy fer a dancer.
I ain`t got Arthur`s luck."
"Do you call it luck to be a disgrace to your folks,
And git locked up in jail!"
"Oh, come now, Alice,
`Disgrace` is a mite strong.
Why, the jail was a joke.
Art`s all right."
"All right!
All right to dance, and smirk, and lie
For a livin`,
And then in the end
Lead a silly girl to give you
What warn`t hers to give
By pretendin` you`d marry her —
And she a pupil."
"He`d ha` married her right enough,
Her folks was millionaires."
"Yes, he`d ha` married her!
Thank God, they saved her that."
"Art`s a fine feller.
I wish I had his luck.
Swellin` round in Hart, Schaffner & Marx fancy suits,
And eatin` in rest`rants.
But somebody`s got to stick to the old place,
Else Foxfield`d have to shut up shop,
Hey, Alice?"
"You admire him!
You admire Arthur!
You`d be like him only you can`t dance.
Oh, Shame!  Shame!
And I`ve been like that silly girl.
Fooled with your promises,
And I give you all I had.
I knew it, oh, I knew it,
But I wanted to git away `fore I proved it.
You`ve shamed me through and through.
Why couldn`t you hold your tongue,
And spared me seein` you
As you really are."
"What the Devil`s the row?
I only said Art was lucky.
What you spitfirin` at me fer?
Ferget it, Alice.
We`ve had good times, ain`t we?
I`ll see Cleve `bout that job agin to-morrer,
And we`ll be married `fore hayin` time."
"It`s like you to remind me o` hayin` time.
I`ve good cause to love it, ain`t I?
Many`s the night I`ve hid my face in the dark
To shut out thinkin`!"
"Why, that ain`t nothin`.
You ain`t be`n half so kind to me
As lots o` fellers` girls.
Gi` me a kiss, Dear,
And let`s make up."
"Make up!
You poor fool.
Do you suppose I care a ten cent piece
For you now.
You`ve killed yourself for me.
Done it out o` your own mouth.
You`ve took away my home,
I hate the sight o` the place.
You`re all over it,
Every stick an` stone means you,
An` I hate `em all."
"Alice, I say,
Don`t go on like that.
I can`t marry yer
Boardin` in one room,
But I`ll see Cleve to-morrer,
I`ll make him ——"
"Oh, you fool!
You terrible fool!"
"Alice, don`t go yit,
Wait a minit,
I`ll see Cleve ——"
"You terrible fool!"
"Alice, don`t go.
Alice ——"  (Door slams)
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